Chapter 14: Meetings

The sounds from the room in which the men had been interrogating Chi Fu had long since stopped and the sun was coming up now. Guang-Zhi stepped out of the room and caught her eye, motioning to a room off to the side. She stood up and started toward the room, understanding that he didn't want her to see something. As she was closing the door behind her she caught a glimpse of the rest of the men coming out of the room, carrying something heavy, and immediately knew what he hadn't wanted her to see.

She went and sat down on the couch in the room. Mushu and Cri-Kee hopped up and perched themselves beside her.

She held out her hand to the cricket and he jumped onto it.

"Well, I guess you've proven yourself to be lucky after all," she told him, bringing her hand up toward her face so she could talk directly to him. "That's why I found these nice people who really are on my side."

"Yeah, maybe he didn't lie to me after all," Mushu commented.

Cri-Kee turned to Mushu and chirped at him.

"Pei and General Lao went back to the inn to revive Shang and talk to him. I don't know why they didn't want me to go with them," Mulan mused, feeling somewhat puzzled by their decision.

"Maybe they just wanted to make sure that he was a friend and not an enemy before they let him see you."

"Maybe. But Pei said they didn't think he had any intention of harming me. I think they are right. You know, when Chi Fu was approaching me in the Imperial City, after the palace was on fire, Shang stood between Chi Fu and the rest of us. He looked angry, and I could have sworn he was about to say something to Chi Fu."

"Yeah. I think he was."

"I thought maybe I was just reading into things, seeing what I wanted to see. But maybe he was actually going to defend me and didn't have a chance to." She was silent for a few moments, playing the scene over in her mind. "It's just as well, given the Emperor's actions. If Shang had spoken up and the Emperor had heard him, he would have sentenced him to death, too."

"Well, according to what Pei said, he did sentence him to death, in reality. He sent Chi Fu with him to kill him."

xxxxxxx

Shang sat in the main room beside General Lao, listening quietly as the general explained how his father had known that he would be putting everyone in a dangerous situation if he followed the Emperor's order to the letter.

"The Imperial City was left completely undefended in the event that the Hun army got through their defense in the Tung Shao Pass. And your father and I both knew that there were other things that just weren't right. Your father decided that I should go ahead through the Tung Shao Pass with a group of men and get back to the Imperial City. We were there, ready to defend it in the event that the Hun army got through the general's defense. Fortunately, your troop came and stopped them in the Tung Shao Pass. Just Shan-Yu and a handful of men made it to Chang'an."

He stopped talking and watched Shang for a few minutes, as if he wanted to let it sink in before he continued.

"I…she was the one that stopped them," Shang finally said softly. "Mulan. It was her idea. In the Tung Shao Pass and in the Imperial City, too."

"I know. But you were a good leader, Li Shang. It was your first command and you handled yourself very well. You were a leader, but you were wise enough to be willing to listen to the ideas of your subordinates. Your father would have been very proud of you."

"Thank you, sir," he answered sadly.

"And it is thanks to your father that I am alive, as well as several other soldiers of the Imperial army."

The general finished talking and gestured toward Shang. "You must have some questions."

"Sir," Shang began. "I…I'm sorry. I don't even know where to begin. What is going on in this village? What are you doing here? And how does everyone here know so much? I mean…you were all protecting me from Chi Fu…how did you know we would be coming here? And Mulan…they've been protecting her, too…" He trailed off. Too many questions were coming into his mind and he felt like he couldn't ask them fast enough, or even coherently enough.

General Lao understood. He laughed warmly and put a comforting hand on Shang's shoulder. "I will explain everything to you, Li Shang."

xxxxxxx

Pei returned to Guang-Zhi's house shortly after the sun was up and beckoned Mulan to return to the inn with him.

"The captain is doing just fine. The general has spoken to him about some of this. He will talk to both of you after the three of us have had some sleep. The captain is the only one who slept through the night," Pei chuckled as he said the last part.

"I guess you're both certain that he is a friend?"

Pei laughed. "Yes. You guessed that was the reason why you were made to wait here?"

"Sort of," she answered, glancing at Mushu, who peeked out at her from inside her sleeve.

They entered the inn and met the general, who was on his way out.

"I am going back to Guang-Zhi's house to get some sleep. After the two of you have rested, we will meet here and talk with the captain. I have told him about everything, including our communications network and the protection everyone was giving Fa Mulan."

"Does he know that his father knew about all of this?"

"I told him."

"Was General Li involved in this?" Mulan asked.

"No. He was an honorable man who knew his duty to his country and could not bring himself to act against the Emperor, no matter what he thought of him. But he knew about our movement; and while he didn't involve himself, he also didn't stand in our way or let on to anyone about it."

"Is the captain still around?" Pei asked.

"He went back to his room to sleep some more. And now we all need to sleep. We will talk later when we have all rested. Now that the Emperor's lackey is taken care of, it is time to go into action and implement a plan."

xxxxxxx

It was raining heavily when Shang woke again. He had no idea what time of the day it was but he sensed that it was probably the afternoon. The sun had been up earlier and now it was suddenly pouring. He never slept late like this, but he was still tired and he was still trying to get his mind around everything that General Lao had told him. He lay awake for a little while, listening to the sound of the rain beating on the roof, then he forced himself to get out of bed. He washed and dressed and went out to the main room. Pei was there already.

"Good morning, Captain. I am on my way out for a little while, but I can get you some tea before I go if you would like."

Shang thanked him but declined politely. Pei hurried out, telling him he would see him later when they met with General Lao.

Shang sat down at one of the tables and stared out the window at the downpour. It had been raining heavily for awhile and he could see that the streets were already flooded and muddy.

He turned away from the window when he heard the sound of soft, small footsteps and rose from his chair.

"Mulan."

"Shang. Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I'm glad to see you…that you're alright."

"I'm fine. I'm glad you're okay. I was afraid that they would hurt you because you were coming after me."

She crossed the room and sat down at the table, and he took his seat again.

"Mulan, are you involved with what these people are doing?"

"I am now. I want to help them. And even though I don't know everything about it yet, from what I do know, it seems like the right thing to do. I think that if the general knows someone that would rule the country more wisely and justly…then it is worth it. He's going to tell us more about it later."

Shang nodded. "I don't know very much about it either. But I know that if he can pass a death sentence on you after everything you did for him and for all of us…there is something wrong with that. I've been thinking that during my entire journey here."

"Chi Fu is gone," she told him.

"I know. General Lao told me about how everyone has been protecting you. They all acknowledge that you're a hero…uh, heroine. You didn't deserve to be sentenced to death. I'm glad that so many people can see that."

She smiled.

Shang hesitated for a moment, then he spoke again. "I've been thinking about you a lot. I'm glad you're alive…I can't believe it…Well, what I mean is, after what has happened and all the times that I thought you…I knew that your wound had re-opened."

"It did. But I went to a medic in one of the villages on the way here and got it re-stitched."

"Yes. I spoke to him. I knew it was you, even though he said it was a boy. He told me that he tried to get you to stay there, but you wouldn't."

"I didn't know anyone knew about me. I certainly didn't think they would be protecting me. I had to keep moving."

"Your wound could have re-opened a second time. That would have been very dangerous."

"I know. But I was afraid to stay anywhere. Then I got here and they told me they knew me and wouldn't harm me. And then I found that they were actually going to put a stop to Chi Fu."

"Mulan, they lied to us and told us that your wound did re-open and that you were at Guang-Zhi's house dying."

Mulan laughed. "They wanted to make sure you both stayed in town. But I don't know why they had to make it so dramatic."

"I was worried…you've had so many close calls lately. The Tung Shao Pass…" he trailed off.

"You spared my life there. Thank you for that. I know how angry my deception made you."

"I was angry. But I understand why you did it. Mulan, I want you to know that I wouldn't harm you. I know the Emperor ordered me to…but I wasn't going to do it. I couldn't. I didn't know what I was going to do. But I knew I couldn't hurt you. You saved my life twice."

"Well…I didn't want anything to happen to you," she answered softly, her face looking slightly flushed. She stood up hurriedly. "I'm going to make myself some tea. Would you like some also?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

"I'll be right back."

Shang began to smile as he watched her disappear into the kitchen.