Same disclaimer. This is a reposting of the initial story posted on a Mulan fanfic site back in 1999-2000. After debating whether to change this part,I have decided to stick with my intent to do a repost only with minor edits. I have regrets that I did not make this longer.

Epilogue
Chapter 7
Shang rode hard for home, contemplating something that had occurred to him in the last few days. All his indecisiveness was now clear He would no longer allow his mother or the matchmaker to dictate to him what he wanted, for he had stared at his ideal in the face many times and had not realized it. Until she had turned her back and ran away.

He worried about all the stops he had to make along the way. While he had cut out a number of social visits, he found himself hard pressed to be patient when he was required to spend a day here and there with his numerous relatives. He sent anxious and penitent letters to those that he did not see, apologizing for his absence in advance, but indicating his need to resolve matters near home. He also had sent one to Mulan, then to Fa Zhou, asking for an audience two weeks from now – after he had made a quick trip home and hoped that they would honor his presence.

Throughout the next few days, Mulan's face kept appearing in his head. As he came closer and closer to home, his will become more resolute.

When he galloped into his own courtyard, however, he was mortified to see throngs of visitors.
"What's this?" he asked of his brother, who had run out to greet him.

"Elder Brother," Chi bowed seriously, "The matchmaker has one last prospect, who has been
waiting for your return."

"Mother?" Shang calmed himself, "Where is she?"

"I am here, son" Lady Li drew herself up and stared at Shang. "You forget your manners."

Shang bowed, but spoke a bit tensely. "I did not expect to return home and be already matched. I
have made a decision and wish for the matchmaker to serve as go-between with another girl."

The mother looked a bit disconsolate, "The matchmaker will be quite upset with you if you don't at
least pretend to consider the girl, after all.. They have come from quite a distance."

Shang sighed and threw up his hands. "I will do so, but we need to talk. I have made a decision."

Lady Li sighed, "Then go – at least prepare yourself to be presentable enough so that at least when she returns home she doesn't remark on your careless appearance."

Shang quickly left and as quickly returned, rather dreading the matter. Prospective grooms did not always see their brides, but as they had traveled so far, he knew his mother would not hear of him at least not greeting the guest. He allowed himself to be led into the dark room by the matchmaker.

He looked over at the seated figure, whose head was inclined timidly, and perhaps sadly.

"Master Li is here," the matchmaker glared at the listless figure, who mechanically bowed before him,
head to the floor.

"Please," Shang was nervous. He did not know how to gently reject this already dejected spirit.
"I am sorry for your journey. There has been a misunderstanding. I have already made a decision."

The matchmaker humphed behind him, obviously displeased by everything in this situation. "Meeting a girl on your own."

Shang turned to the matchmaker and gave her a warning look before turning to address the girl. "Please, understand. I do not mean to cause you embarrassment or any dishonor, it is a matter of a prior commitment."

The figure started, then slowly, the girl raised her head in disbelief. "Shang?"

Shang stared back as he recognized the voice. "Mulan!?"

The matchmaker looked a bit horrified, "Fa Mulan, you are to address him as Captain Li."

Mulan sat a bit shocked and chastised. "Captain Li," she mused half in stunned amazement and
stared back at him. They continued in confused silence. Finally, she spoke. "I did not realize… all this…. It's so awkward, and you are already engaged!… and this, how could it be?"

The matchmaker muttered something under her breath and stomped outside, obviously disturbed by
the strange reception.

Shang finally sat down beside her. "I- uh—" He paused, then started over as he saw her mortified expression. "Mulan – there is no engagement. I walked in here, not knowing what I would find… Did you," he paused nervously, "get my letters?"

Mulan looked up at him, confused. "No – I came from relatives a bit south of here, who at Grandmother Fa's insistence brought me here."

"Then, I," Shang was now a bit more nervous, "have to explain things a bit better. I came home, expecting to announce my intention to marry someone should the families agree to such an unusual match. I did not walk-in though expecting the matchmaker to be waiting with someone."

"Don't worry, " Mulan smiled for him, "It's a rather funny set of circumstances, but if you want to save face, I'll go out there and find some objection to marrying you."

"So you have an objection?" Shang suddenly doubted the advice of his friends.

"No!" Mulan answered quickly, "I mean 'YES', given the circumstances ."

"Oh." Shang replied confused.
"Don't you?" Mulan looked at him, even more confused.

"No! I mean," Shang was flustered, "the letters I sent . I was asking for you to give me time to come back here and straighten things out. I wanted to ask you, I mean… arrange a go-between…"

Mulan's eyes lit up in sudden understanding as he took her hand.

"You are that person, Mulan." Shang finally assembled a coherent sentence. "I realized that recently when I saw Ling and his wife. I realized that when Chien-po finally pounded it into my head. Do you have any objections to the go-between or the matchmaker?"

Mulan looked at him quietly.

"You don't have to answer yet. At least, wait," Shang asked, hoping for more time in her company." Stay for dinner."

"Stay forever!" Chi popped in insolently and looked happily at the two.

Shang reached for his eavesdropping brother and wrestled him to the floor. "Why you,…you've been spying this whole time!"

"Yep!" Chi proudly admitted his lack of manners. "I just knew it'd work out!"

Mulan and Shang both stared at the little boy. "Did you know we knew each other?"

"Yes," Chi eyes shone with a secret pleasure, "Your friends kind of told me. Big Brother had been talking about you, even though he never mentioned your name. And mother wanted to know why Big Brother kept turning down all the matches. And then I told mother that one of your officers had a sister and that the other officers thought she was very 'suitable'. Don't you think I did a good job?"

"Yes," they both answered happily.

"So will you stay?" Shang extricated himself from his little brother and awkwardly took Mulan's
hand.

Mulan looked at him first, silently agreeing to his proposal, then turned to Chi, "As long as Little Brother wants it."

"Yippee!" Chi jumped up and down…. and ran out to the courtyard where the disconsolate family
and matchmaker were waiting.

Startled , they regarded Li Shang and Fa Mulan with amazement as the two emerged, hand in hand,
smiling at the gathered assembly. Shang announced, "Fetch the wiseman, set the date!"

The crowd cheered. Both the matchmaker and Lady Li fainted.