Sorry for the extra-long delay in posting this chapter. Read and enjoy. ^_^
It was twilight in the Imperial City when Mulan, Chi Fu, and the two soldiers finally arrived. Mulan and Chi Fu parted ways at the entrance, Chi Fu heading for his house and Mulan following the servant to a room made out for her. The Emperor would see her tomorrow, the servant told her. She was glad, because she was in no mood to see anyone else that night. She was still shaken over what had happened earlier. Now that she was alone, she felt she needed to cry, but her body was so exhausted that she nearly collapsed on the bed. However, before her head hit the bed, she prayed for a dreamless sleep. The last thing she needed was to relive the nightmare she had earlier that day.
She slept uncomfortably, if she even slept at all. Though her eyes were closed, her thoughts were occupied with the uncertainty that tomorrow would bring. What would the Emperor do with her? What were the duties of a consulate? She couldn't imagine it being that hard, since Chi Fu happened to hold a position, but to think of Chi Fu took her back to thoughts she consciously avoided, and this strained effort to think of more pleasant things did not give her any peace of mind. After an eternity of lying in the dark, she felt the warmth of sunlight on her face. She opened the eyes that she had kept shut all night long, and she looked around at the room she had occupied. It was a gorgeously ornate room, and she found herself in a luxurious spread of silk sheets with pillows all around her.
She got up and looked around her. She found some clothes neatly laid out, and not knowing what else to do, she put them on. A maid came in soon afterwards, and she explained to Mulan what was expected of her that day. "You will go to the meeting room, and you will sit in on the consulates' discussion. Then, you will take a tour of the palace, and you will dine with the royal family in the evening. Any questions?"
"Do you know what they will be discussing?" Mulan asked.
The maid, who had been having a hard time with the Emperor's grandchildren earlier at breakfast, looked at her exasperatedly and replied, "I'm only a maid. Do you think I would know what the Emperor confides to these men?" Mulan looked back at the stern face of the maid, which reminded Mulan of her mother's look, and for a moment she was brought back to her old self.
"All you had to say was 'no,'" Mulan mumbled. The maid then took out her utensils for applying makeup, but Mulan flatly refused to have a bit of it. "I don't see the point of impressing a bunch of old men at this time in the morning."
The maid, due to the liberality of Mulan's speech, felt free to censure Mulan's attitude. "With manners such as yours, how have you not gotten yourself a husband yet?"
"I don't want to be married," Mulan boldly replied.
The maid looked up at Mulan as if she had just mentioned something taboo. She looked Mulan dead in the eye, and then her face softened. "Yes you do," she replied teasingly.
They had been walking through the palace, the maid leading Mulan, while they were talking. Finaly she reached their destination—a big door. Mulan took a deep breath to steady herself.
"Sit next to the bald one," the maid said, sensing Mulan's nervousness. "He seems like a nice man."
Mulan thanked the maid, and she opened the door…
Shang entered the palace that day with a request from the Emperor to attend his council meeting. Entering the room where they were all gathered, he hardly knew why his presence was required. The first words to meet his ears were Chi Fu's rantings.
"There were at least five bandits—they looked as vile as Huns," he said enthusiastically, with his lanky arms flailing wildly to give emphasis on just how big they were. "And they ganged up on us…"
Shang could only take so much of Chi Fu's voice at a time, and a precious skill he acquired over the many months spent with him at Wu Zhong was the ability to completely tune out Chi Fu. After Shang knelt before the Emperor and gave his thanks for being invited, he sat down next to his uncle Xu Quyen.
Xu Quyen turned to him and whispered in a dismal tone, "Chi Fu has been going on and on with this story about how he saved Fa Mulan yesterday. This man can barely kill a cockroach let alone overcome five thieves."
Shang's looked back at his uncle and then at Chi Fu, who was still making all kinds of arm movements, to make sure he was talking about the same Mulan. "She was on the floor and helpless, while the two guards and I were restrained, and those bandits were going to have their way with her. But I managed to break free, and I knocked the leader unconscious!"
Shang's eyes widened with the image Chi Fu put in his head. Chi Fu turned his gazes happily over to Shang's shocked expression. He had on his face the look of triumph, and Shang knew as well as everyone else in the room the service due to him by Mulan. While other consulates praised him on his quick thinking and bravery in the face of danger, Xu Quyen commented, "I hope I never get saved by that man. I'd rather be killed off than have to owe a rat like him."
Shang looked to the Emperor for any sort of censure on Chi Fu, but the Emperor's face was as complacent as ever. He sat still amidst the noise and conversation, as if he were set apart from the rest, and Shang began to wonder if the Emperor had listened to any of Chi Fu's tale.
And then, everyone became quiet, and everyone's eyes shifted to the doorway. Mulan walked through and immediately felt the awkwardness in their stares. Mulan scanned the top of each head, trying to find the hairless consul she was advised to sit beside. She had no trouble in spotting him, because he was easily head and shoulders above the other consuls. In fact, he was the first familiar face she had seen in a while. What was Chien Po doing here?
She averted eye contact with everyone and fixated her gaze on the ground before her. There was no doubt in her mind that Chi Fu had told them some story about her, and she did not like the attention she was given. The Emperor, as perceptive as always, began addressing the men seated before him. She walked in the direction of the empty chair next to Chien Po, and quickly seated herself.
"We will not be discussing anything today. I have asked you all to come so that I may introduce to you a two new faces that will become regular fixtures here at our meetings. But first, I would like to ask Li Shang to please approach me."
Mulan's attentions fastened onto her former captain's name. She looked and saw him stand up and approach the Emperor. He looked very different in formal attire, having only seen him before in his regimentals and training clothes. But she was nonetheless captivated by how handsome he was. He stoically approached the Emperor and knelt down in reverence. The Emperor, who was standing, asked Shang to stand up, and he asked if Shang would take up his father's former position as General.
Chi Fu scoffed, since he believed Shang was too young and had no leadership capabilities, while Xu Quyen anxiously awaited to hear his nephew's acceptance.
"Thank you, sir, for such an honor," Shang said with a steady voice. "But I am sure there are more competent candidates who are more worthy than I of the position, and I cannot take the job with the knowledge that I am taking it away from someone more deserving."
The rest of the consulate looked in astonishment that Shang would refuse such a position of power, especially Xu Quyen. The Emperor, however, remained unchanged in expression. "You are more than qualified to be General, Li Shang, but if you are refusing the job, then there is not much else I can do on the matter."
Shang stood for a moment in indecision, but he reaffirmed his previous statement. Xu Quyen was understandably upset that Li Shang would not become another milestone in the Li legacy, and he openly expressed his disappointment when he shook his head at Shang as he was sitting back into his chair.
The Emperor began by welcoming her and Chien Po, and he introduced them to each of the advisers, giving their names and backgrounds. There were about ten men seated around the table, and although she couldn't remember everyone's names as they were introduced to her, she did her best to remember their faces. Each person's background was impressive, and she was especially surprised and angered to hear of Chi Fu's accomplishments.
"Chi Fu single-handedly drew up the drafts for families in the Southern region." Chi Fu sat proudly in his place and did not notice that Mulan was seething in hers. It was because of Chi Fu that her father was drafted to fight. Mulan did not have much time to sit in silent rage from her revelation however, because she had to listen to the backgrounds of the others in the consulate.
Out of all the other advisers, only one gave her a really good impression. His name was Xu Quyen. He was a stout and friendly old man who was sitting next to Shang. The fact that they shared the same jaw line inferred to her that they were related. He gave a smile and stated his anticipation to work alongside her. Chi Fu grimaced.
The Emperor also told her of her duties as a consul—management of tasks, attendance at meetings, honesty and straightforwardness, etc. Mulan and Chien Po both nodded their heads, took everything in. And with that, their impromptu meeting came to an end.
As the others were already leaving the room, the Emperor asked her to stay behind. Both Chien Po and Shang looked forward to talking with her after the meeting as well, but because of the Emperor's request, they walked with each other, starting their own conversation on the way out. Chi Fu felt gratified and determined, by the seriousness in the Emperor's voice, her detainment to be a punishment of some sort. He lingered a while to see just what the situation was.
"You are very lucky that Chi Fu had been there for you," the Emperor said. Chi Fu was beaming.
"Yes, sir," Mulan replied, looking down at her feet. "He saved my life."
"She hardly seems grateful, your highness," Chi Fu interjected, trying his hardest to humiliate Mulan completely.
"I am sure she is only still in shock from what almost happened yesterday," the Emperor said. He never knew how to handle women's situations, and the look on her face inferred that she did not want any questions asked. Thus, he changed the subject.
"Do you like it here so far?"
"Yes, thank you for everything, your highness," Mulan graciously replied.
"Chi Fu,"—and at this Chi Fu immediately straightened and looked most attentive to the Emperor—"because of your recent exploit, I am putting Mulan under your charge."
Chi Fu was so flabbergasted that all came out were stutterings of "but," and Mulan was equally bowled over that the Emperor would do something so sadistic.
"You can teach her everything you can for the upcoming exam, and let her know about the palace and the consulate. I hope you're feeling up to the challenge?"
Chi Fu, who had never uttered a naysaying to the Emperor in his life, reluctantly accepted the duty. "That's good," the Emperor said. Then he turned to Mulan and smiled, "You two can get started tomorrow on all that. For now, you should get yourself situated and unpack anything that you brought along with you."
Mulan bowed down in appreciation. "Thank you for this opportunity, Sir."
The Emperor looked at her with a proud fondness mixed with profound sorrow, all masked in a complacent front, before he turned away and exited the room. Chi Fu looked at her in wordless indignation and also left, so that Mulan was alone in the room. Chi Fu, who was suffering through the paranoia of job endangerment, was not able to see beyond the night of victory in the palace, when the Emperor offered Mulan his position. Instead, he felt that she was a manipulative snake, as all women are, and he had to keep her down.
Mulan welcomed the solitude and began sorting out her thoughts. She chose not to cry, since someone could walk in at any moment, but she thought out her plan. She had no time to dwell on a rape that never happened. The Emperor was expecting so much from her, and she had to commit herself to studying and passing. As for Chi Fu, she had purged herself of all ill thoughts of him. She tried to see him as her savior, however ludicrous it seemed. She would not speak or even think another thought against him, and she would always service him if he should ask. But the thought of bending her will that much to someone whom she had every reason to dislike left her conflicted and upset, and the tears began.
Shang and Chien Po, who formed an instant friendship in their walk around the palace, were back where they started. Shang opened the door to the room to see if anyone was still inside, and he saw Mulan with her back turned to him. Chien Po, who was more aware of Shang's true feelings for Mulan than Shang was, made up an excuse that would leave Shang alone with Mulan.
"I have to say my midmorning prayers at the shrine," Chien Po said. "But tell Mulan that I say 'hello.'"
With Chien Po's exit, Shang began to second-guess whether he should enter the room. He did not know whether he was intruding or not, since she was alone, and the fact that he would be alone in the room was improper. Then again, he wanted to ask her how she was, but what if she did not want to talk about it? He was so caught up in thought that he did not notice that Mulan had turned around and was looking right at him.