Same disclaimer. This is a reposting of the initial story posted on a Mulan fanfic site back in 1999-2000.

Epilogue
Chapter 5

Over the next few days both Chi and Shang waited restlessly for their impending guests. Chi was
fascinated by soldiers, Shang could tell, and he could tell that he was anxious for some more male
company.

Shang was anxious for different reasons. He needed a break from the hordes of visitors and the matchmaker, all who sought to win him for their daughter or their charge. But , in the letter sent to him by Ling, Ling had written as if he had news of great importance which he could only deliver in person. Shang wondered what it could be, and briefly he again thought of Mulan. Perhaps her father…

"Well lookee here," Ling caught Shang off guard while Shang was sitting in his garden, "Our Captain
has left himself defenseless against the mighty Ling!" he punched Shang in the arm. "Going soft, eh?"

Shang looked up in surprise, only to be bearhugged by three of his men.

"Ouch," Shang rubbed his head, which had been poked by Yao. He then laughed, "As usual, late! I
expected you a few days ago."

"Oh," Ling grinned, "Chien-po wanted to stop by somewhere and we got a bit sidetracked."

Chien-po shrugged in his peaceful way and instead calmly enjoyed the summer air.

"Please, follow me. My family has been waiting to meet you as well."

As the three men followed Shang, they were quite boisterous and excitable. They patiently waded
through the greetings due Lady Li and Shang's elders, before they retired to the gentlemen's quarters
and sat down to eat.

Lady Li had wisely left the men alone, understanding their need to talk business. She kept other
away as much as possible as well, that is, all except for Chi, who kept popping in with more food
and glancing at the visitors.

Chien-po , out of his kind heart, finally asked Chi to come stay with them. Chi, with round eyes and
then a big smile, plopped down immediately beside Chien-po and with a transfixed gaze, watched
him the whole meal.

"So your news, Ling, I guess is not bad, but I suppose of good nature?" Shang smiled .

Ling grinned smugly. "You'll never guess."

"Marriage," slurped Yao .

Shang started, "of…?"

"Myself, silly. " Ling grinned smugly, "I mean, Captain sir!" Ling proceeded to detail every
excruciating point about the matchmaking process and the wonderful match he had acquired. After
thirty minutes, however, even little Chi grew impatient and yawned.

"Little brother grows weary, " Shang shrugged apologetically, "Chi, you should go sleep."

"Wait," the little boy struggled to keep his eyes open, "can I ask them about that story?"

Shang flushed, "It's time for you to go, we have some business…"

Chien-po looked down at the little boy and smiled, "He's persistent, like someone else we know…
what would you like to hear?"

"Tell me," the little boy groggily rubbed his eyes, "Tell me about the woman warrior who saved the
emperor. Tell me the real end to the story. Big Brother told me lots about her… but the end can't be right!"

"He did, did he?" Ling and the others looked slyly at Shang. "What else have you heard?"

"Oh, I know everything," the little boy chimed a bit more energetically, "about her clever tricks, and
her disguising herself and saving everyone in her troupe. And I bet she went off to fight some
more…or she became a princess, or maybe she married the general, or maybe she went on a
quest…"

"Well," Ling grinned, "That part of the legend isn't clear yet. But I'm sure we'll know someday
soon."

"Chi—" warned Shang, "It's time for bed."

"Promise I can hear more later?" Chi appealed to Ling, Yao and Chien-po.

Yao smirked and Ling grinned as they nodded.
"Oh boy," Chi grinned, He turned to his brother and bowed first to him, then his guests, 'Good night!"

When Chi had left, Chien-po finally spoke. "Mulan is doing well—"
Yao turned and elbowed Ling, as Shang tried to look as nonchalant as possible.

"That's good, and has she settled in?"

The three men nodded in unison, "And she sends her regards. As do we."

"Uh," Shang looked at them curiously, "thanks I think."

Ling took something out and placed it on the table. "She sends this as a present, a present before
the wedding."

Shang looked puzzled, but accepted it graciously and unwrapped it.
He blinked when he realized what was inside the folds of cloth.

"Shan yu's sword!" Shang regarded it with surprise.

"A generous gift," Chien-po nodded, "but for an auspicious occasion."

"But should she not reserve this for her own family? It is a mark of great honor, and would honor her
husband."

"No," Yao shook his head, "for your betrothal."

Shang's eyebrows shot up, "There must be a mistake. I'm not betrothed. You must return this to her."

"Ah…" the men chimed in unison, quite happily.

"But we can't," interjected Ling amusedly.

"We can't?: Chien-po looked at his two companions.

"Of course not," Yao intoned, "Our man Ling is getting hitched!"

"Which I have come to ask you to attend," Ling chirped happily. "To see me hitched with a
beautiful.."

"He's never seen her," Yao mumbled.

"Intelligent…"

"He's never written to her," Yao slapped his head."

"Girl." Ling concluded.

"Bet she's really old too." Yao laughed heartily for half a second before Ling punched him in the
face.

Shang and Chien-po looked at each other, then at the squabbling men, rolling on the floor and sighed disgustedly.

~

The men agreed to stay one or two days… the men and Shang were both anxious to part company
for varying reasons. Ling was a mess of emotions, as would be expected of a prospective
bridegroom.. and Shang, well, he was suddenly anxious to return the sword to Mulan.

Chi watched the four men as they sparred together. He was content in watching his brother best the
other men in most everything (well, except for wrestling, which Chien-po won easily). And he often
sat next to each of the guests as they watched Shang spar with each of them.

He watched with particular interest as Ling and Shang battled with sticks. Proudly, he noted that his
brother was quite up to the challenge and was not only continuously beating Ling, but giving him
excellent pointers that allowed Ling to improve.

"My brother is good," Chi proudly noted to Chien-po and Yao, who were drinking water in the
shade of a nearby tree.

"Ah," Yao was dismissive, "He's good, but I've seen better."

"Oh yeah?" Chi became a little annoyed. "Prove it!"

Chien-po sensed Chi's pride was ruffled, "There was another soldier who beat your brother as many
times as your brother beat the solder."

"Yeah," Yao chimed in, "Pi--… Mulan, beat him plenty of times!"

"Mulan?" Chi looked at Yao. "What happened to Mulan?"

"Oh nothing," Yao grinned , "She just went home."

"She?" Chi almost jumped.

Chien-po gave Yao a warning look and Yao (for once) clammed up. Shang and Ling had finished
their match, with Ling suffering another defeat. The two headed back towards the other three
laughing.

"Big brother creamed me yet again" Ling slumped under the shade and looked at Chi, who had
grown totally quiet. "What's up with him?" he whispered to Chien-po and Yao.. who innocently
shrugged.

Chi was still quiet when the men left shortly after, leaving Shang to return to his normal duties and fending off the combined forces of his mother and the local matchmaker. He noticed that once the men left, their enthusiasm for their quest for an acceptable match had been renewed, perhaps even bolstered by the news of Ling's imminent marriage.

Shang allowed them to continue their business, while he prepared for his journey. Before he made the
trek to Ling's native village, he had planned to pay his respects to a number of his father's old
friends and men. And he also planned to return the sword of Shan-yu to Fa Zhou and his only
daughter.

His departure unlike the last time he left was a more joyous occasion. It was understood that in essence he was taking this one as the head of the household, and as his last before he returned and submitted to marriage. Chi gloomily told him that if he didn't' come back, it was alright, especially if he didn't want to get hitched. But Chi also told him that he would get his mom to see the light and kick out the matchmaker.

When he drew down the familiar road to the village of Fa Zhou, he remembered back to the last time
he was here. He had for some strange reason, had taken Mulan's helmet and ridden more than a
day's journey from the palace just to return it to her. But it had given that peace of mind to see her
at home, happily restored to her honor and to her family. As her Captain, it had been his duty.
Hadn't it?

This time, though, as he stepped into the gate, he realized that things were different. He knew that he could cause great embarrassment to her family if he kept returning. While he had long been curious about her, and had wished to write, tradition and custom forbade such interaction. And so, he had allowed all communication with his one-time faithful soldier to lapse into silence.

Fa Zhou stepped toward the visitor and appraised the young man. "Captain? Or is it General yet?"

Shang bowed "I have come to return something which belongs to your daughter." He bowed as he handed him the bound sword of Shan-yu. "She received some mistaken news and gave it generously as a gift."

Fa Zhou looked at him appraisingly. "Then congratulations were premature?"

"Much to my mother's chagrin, it is not yet time." Shang flushed.

"Mulan is not here at this time." Fa Zhou nodded. "Grandmother Fa and Mulan have gone to visit my brother in the north."

Shang's face fell. "Well, give her my regards."

"They are also visiting several of your officers, for a wedding, I believe. Mulan will be there. Why don't you take it with you and give this to her yourself? Will you also tell her to hurry back home? Her mother misses her."

Shang nodded slowly, understanding that the elder man was giving him permission to seek an audience with his daughter and would expect him to relay the message. And he allowed him to press the cloth bundle into his h ands.

He bowed quickly again then mounted his horse and rode north.