Categories > Movies > Mulan > The Ballad of Li
Chapter 15
0 reviewsChina is under the rule of a new Emperor, whose brutal and excessive rule has brought about famine and suffering throughout the country. Mulan & Shang meet again for the first time in 3 years but t...
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Chapter 15
Leaving his steed behind this time, Shang quietly crept through the brush on foot, back tracking toward where they had come from. Mulan and Li Meng-shi remained hidden in a thicker section of the forest, the two horses left with them.
He stopped and remained motionless as he heard the sound of four-legged footfalls in the distance, slowly approaching his position. His hand was on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it in an instant. Peering through the brush he blinked rapidly in surprise as a dark-clad figure came in sight, astride a sorry-looking donkey instead of a horse. This was probably someone from a nearby village that was on their way there, he assessed quickly. There was no way this person could have been following them all the way from Zhengzhou on this particular animal; the creature would be unable to keep up with their horses, yet alone cover that amount of distance. Whoever this was, he apparently couldn't afford a horse, or even a decent donkey. The pathetic animal was skinny, almost emaciated, and it appeared tired and haggard.
As the donkey drew near he kept still, allowing the stranger to pass by the spot where he was crouched. Allowing him to get ahead Shang followed him from a distance, staying off the trail still and keeping the donkey in sight as he returned to where his friends were hidden. Though he had no reason to believe that this person was a threat in any way he'd learned that things weren't always what they seemed. It was better to be cautious.
He rejoined Mulan and Li Meng-shi after the stranger disappeared from sight.
"We heard someone pass by here," she told him quietly.
"It was someone on a donkey. It's nothing to worry about. We'll let him get ahead and then move out."
A short while later they were on horseback again continuing toward Jiaozuo.
"We will have to be careful in Jiaozuo," Li Meng-shi said quietly as they rode along at an easy trot. "I fear that there may be Imperial soldiers there as well, waiting for you."
"I think we'll be fine as long as I stay hidden," Mulan answered sullenly. "In Zhengzhou I went out to the market, not considering that I would be recognized or that we had been followed."
"Yes, it should have occurred to all of us that we might have been trailed," Shang remarked.
"I won't make that mistake again," she added emphatically.
"We'll be there in a couple of days," the priest continued. "It might be better if we pass through there quickly, stopping only to obtain the supplies we need and then continuing on our way."
xxxxxxx
Mulan's eyes snapped open as she woke with a start, biting back a scream that began to emerge from her throat, cutting it off sharply. She gulped and bolted upright, her chest heaving as she attempted to catch her breath. Sweat dripped from her brow despite how cold she was and her tunic was drenched with perspiration. Bringing her hand up to her forehead she wiped it with her sleeve then took a deep breath and tried to get her bearings. It was pitch black around her and she instantly remembered that they were settled in another deserted barn for the night. She heaved a sigh and pulled her blanket tighter around her, then lay down again. They'd had a long hard day of riding that day, but she expected that she wouldn't fall back asleep any time soon. Fear permeated her, choking her and leaving her with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach; and her mind would be much too active now despite her exhaustion.
Today had been the first fairly warm day since they left Shangqiu and the snow had begun to melt. Taking advantage of that fact, they had covered as much ground as they could, traveling at a canter for much of the day when they reached open terrain. With any luck they had shaken their shadow, if one existed and she wasn't imagining it, and they'd cut in half the time that it would take to reach Jiaozuo.
They wouldn't be staying there as originally planned. Mulan trusted in Li Meng-shi as a mystic and seer, and she had the sense that Shang did too after all was said and done. It was already decided that they would be better off passing through Jiaozuo quickly as he had recommended, stopping only to obtain the supplies they needed and then continuing on their way.
Her tent was spread out beneath her but the material did very little to help separate her from the cold, hard ground. She turned onto her side, shivering as she recalled images of the nightmare she'd just woken from, images of her family.
Soft snores reached her ears from the other side of the barn, signaling that both her companions were asleep. Shang had stayed up with her the night before and her lips curved into a slight smile as she thought of it. He'd draped his arm around her, keeping it there to warm her; and she'd ached to be closer to him the moment he touched her. It had been cold in their shelter and she'd unabashedly moved in and leaned against him, enjoying the strength and heaviness of his arm around her, and the warmth and comfort of his body, hard with muscle yet soft and comfortable at the same time. They had talked for hours, almost never running out of things to say, and even the silent moments were comfortable.
As always, she had enjoyed being in his company immensely. But her own actions disturbed her too and she frowned now as her doubts nagged at her. Nothing had happened; they weren't alone after all so there wasn't too much they could do with the priest in the barn with them. Nevertheless their physical contact wasn't completely proper for an unmarried man and woman. She knew she ought to know better. But the truth was that she wouldn't hesitate to give herself to him no matter what might or might not happen afterward and it frightened her somewhat.
It was clear that she wasn't meant to be a bride. Her performance at the matchmaker's proved that beyond a doubt, and she had come to accept that. After all, she'd accomplished other things that were worthwhile and, even though she was looked down upon by many, there were people who respected and admired her. People whose opinions mattered much more to her, like Shang and her family.
Though she couldn't assume that Shang felt that way about her, last night he certainly seemed to want to be near her as much as she wanted to be near him. Still, he'd been married before, bonded to a woman very unlike her no doubt. And he was probably still in mourning over both wife and child. What did she expect would happen then? She knew that she wouldn't become a wife to anyone and circumstances right now certainly weren't favorable toward her having the same life that any normal woman would have; but it never occurred to her that she would ever become anyone's lover either; especially not Li Shang's.
Her father's words echoed back to her. You shouldn't get your hopes up. He had recognized her feelings for her captain right away and it hadn't escaped his attention that she never completely stopped wondering about Shang. Maybe she never stopped hoping.
The attraction to him had always been there. At Wu Zhong she'd been taken with his looks, mostly; his muscular body and handsome features, his prowess at fighting, his excellent teaching. But that had been nothing more than the crush of a young and inexperienced girl, and a superficial one at that. Somewhere along the lines that crush had developed into respect and admiration. They were now good friends that had remained connected somehow despite the fact that they'd been apart for such a long time. She cared deeply for him. Not that she didn't still appreciate his incredible physique and good looks; but her feelings toward him had morphed into something so much deeper, something that was intricately part of her being. A certain intimacy had started to grow between them now that they had encountered each other again, though a few years had passed, fueled somehow by the wondering about him that she'd done in that time. Maybe Shang had wondered about her, too. Often he seemed to know what she was going to say before she said it; and she found that she could guess at what he was thinking too.
Mulan shifted restlessly and abruptly flipped onto her back again, annoyed at herself. It was ridiculous to even be brooding about something so comparatively meaningless, and very silly really. There were much more serious issues to worry about, including the nightmare she'd just had and what it could possibly mean. They had a mission to complete, getting Li Meng-shi to Taiyuan, and both their lives were in danger on top of that; they were outlaws. To make matters worse, she was sure they were being followed, even though Shang had gone back and checked several times, finding no one there but a man on a pathetic-looking donkey the last time he looked.
Maybe she was imagining it. She certainly hadn't been at her best lately, something that had been clearly demonstrated by the incident in Zhengzhou. The fight with General Huang was a vivid memory, one that kept her awake since it happened. Though she had held her own fairly well against him considering that he was one of the most skilled swordsman and she was out of practice, she had still nearly died. She was realizing now just how scared she'd been; at the time she had focused on incidental things, like her lack of skill, in an attempt to be brave and suppress her fear. So Shang wouldn't think she was a coward. But the truth was she'd been in shock, especially after watching the man get killed up close at her friend's hand. It was so much different than the experience she'd had in battle, seeing the swarm of faceless enemies covered by an avalanche.
It was her own fault that she'd had that run-in with the general. Her life had been at risk ever since she left the palace and she'd been far too flippant about it that day. Even with her face covered by the hood it ought to have occurred to her that someone might have followed them. Going out to the market like that had been really stupid, all things considered, and she should have known better. If Shang had been killed instead of the other general she would have been to blame for it. Had she learned nothing from him? Or from her father?
Unable to get comfortable she tried turning onto her side then ended up doing a three hundred and sixty degree spin to end up on her back again. In the process she twisted herself up in the blanket. Kicking at it and struggling to disentangle her body kept her occupied for a short time, taking her mind off of her nagging worries if only for a few moments.
She would have liked for Shang to be sitting up with her again tonight, his arm around her like the night before. The images of the nightmare had faded to the back of her mind somewhat but she was still left feeling uneasy and shaken up. His company would be comforting.
Resigned to the fact that sleep would not come to her again that night, she quietly stood up and padded over to the opening in the barn, her blanket wrapped around her still. The night was mild and she breathed in deeply, letting the fresh air fill her lungs, allowing it to calm her.
The wind blew and she watched the nearby trees as they swayed in the breeze, their branches rustling with a sighing sound. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of dark moving shadows and she stiffened in fear. She narrowed her eyes, gazing intently toward the trunks of the trees in an attempt to pick out the stranger that lurked there.
Shadows of the branches moved as the wind picked up again, stirring them. She still couldn't see any figure there. Shaking her head, she withdrew back away from the door and into the shelter of the barn, scoffing at her own foolishness. One little nightmare and she was afraid of shadows. It was silly; if anyone was there they wouldn't have just been standing out there watching the barn; they would have come in and attacked them.
"Mulan. Are you alright?"
She closed her eyes and sighed softly at the sound of his voice from behind her, from somewhere in the blackness of the barn.
"Yes, Shang."
"Do you mind if I join you?"
He sounded somewhat hesitant and she turned toward him, her eyes seeking out his figure in the dark. A smile slowly came to her lips.
"Of course not."
"Are you okay?" he asked, coming to stand beside her. His tone was full of concern.
"Yes. It's just been hard for me to sleep lately. As you can see."
"I know, I've been having trouble sleeping, too," he responded quietly. "So many things have happened and I keep thinking about everything. I'm awake for hours every night."
"The fight with General Huang," she began. "I didn't realize how much it scared me."
"I know," he answered after a moment, his voice laced with tenderness. He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"It's a good thing that you're a better swordsman than he was."
"I'm not. He was just distracted."
"By what?" she asked, bewildered.
"You. He went after you and left himself open for me to get the upper hand. Whatever you did before we got there really ticked him off that he let that happen."
"I was just trying to get away from him."
She took a deep breath, attempting to fight the twinge of panic that was beginning to rise within her for no apparent reason.
"Mulan...?"
"Shang, I'm worried about my family," she blurted out suddenly. "Something might happen to them because of me. The Imperial army hasn't captured me...what if they take them instead?"
He was silent but she could feel his eyes on her.
"It's been known to happen. Maybe I should go back."
"You would be captured if you went back there. And your father wanted you to be safe. That's why he arranged for you to leave. What made you think about this?"
"I had a nightmare about it happening. About them being taken away."
"Oh," he exhaled.
"It really...it's really shaken me up."
He moved in closer to her and put his arm around both her shoulders, squeezing them reassuringly. She resisted the urge to turn and bury her face in his chest.
"It may not mean anything. Bad dreams aren't always portents. Sometimes they're just about our fears."
"I know."
"Mulan, your father is one of the craftiest, most brilliant strategists I've ever met. He's aware of every possible move the Imperial army could make and some that they haven't even thought of yet. No matter what happens; if there's anyone who can outwit them and find a way to survive, it's him. And he'll see to it that your mother and grandmother are protected, too."
xxxxxxx
In the morning they reached the next village and the decrepit donkey that Shang had seen the day before caught his eye as they trotted along the main strip through town. Its owner had stayed in town overnight, meaning that he had most likely come some distance. He brought his horse to a stop and Mulan followed suit.
She must have seen the suspicious expression on his face because she turned her head and followed his gaze. Her eyes widened and she snapped her head around to face him again.
"It's the same one, isn't it?"
He nodded. "I don't understand how he could have come that far on that animal. Look at it."
"Maybe it looks that way because it came that far," she countered cynically.
"It didn't come all the way from Zhengzhou. It couldn't have. There's no way it would have kept up with the horses."
She sighed irritably. "Well, it's not worth arguing about now. Let's just get out of here."
Without another word to either of them she spurred her horse and took off down the main strip at a gallop, toward the northern edge of town, before Shang could get the word Mulan out of his mouth. He stared after her, too stunned to move for a moment.
"She's very close with her family," Li Meng-shi remarked. "It's natural that she would be upset. She's worried about them."
Shang whirled around to look at him as he dismounted. "What are you doing?"
"I'll meet you at the edge of town in a few hours. I'm going to see what I can find out about the owner of the donkey."
"But...Mulan..."
"I'm sure she'll stop as soon as she realizes we're not behind her."
"And you're going to stay here?" he asked incredulously.
He nodded. "I think this is important. Especially after the nightmare she had."
"What does one thing have to do with another?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"How do you know...?" Shang trailed off as he immediately realized that the priest had been awake and listening in on their conversation the night before.
"Go on after her. I'll come to you when I've found out all that I can."
Shang watched him through narrowed eyes as he turned and walked off into a nearby tavern. He had an uneasy feeling about leaving Li Meng-shi in town, even though he was the only one that no one was looking for. They ought to have been moving along to their real destination instead of being side-tracked in a small village and he couldn't fathom what the priest had in mind.
But there wasn't time to worry about it now. He spurred his own steed and took off after Mulan, clearing the boundaries of town and shouting across the open plain to her as he glimpsed the blurred figure on horseback a few li ahead of him.
Leaving his steed behind this time, Shang quietly crept through the brush on foot, back tracking toward where they had come from. Mulan and Li Meng-shi remained hidden in a thicker section of the forest, the two horses left with them.
He stopped and remained motionless as he heard the sound of four-legged footfalls in the distance, slowly approaching his position. His hand was on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it in an instant. Peering through the brush he blinked rapidly in surprise as a dark-clad figure came in sight, astride a sorry-looking donkey instead of a horse. This was probably someone from a nearby village that was on their way there, he assessed quickly. There was no way this person could have been following them all the way from Zhengzhou on this particular animal; the creature would be unable to keep up with their horses, yet alone cover that amount of distance. Whoever this was, he apparently couldn't afford a horse, or even a decent donkey. The pathetic animal was skinny, almost emaciated, and it appeared tired and haggard.
As the donkey drew near he kept still, allowing the stranger to pass by the spot where he was crouched. Allowing him to get ahead Shang followed him from a distance, staying off the trail still and keeping the donkey in sight as he returned to where his friends were hidden. Though he had no reason to believe that this person was a threat in any way he'd learned that things weren't always what they seemed. It was better to be cautious.
He rejoined Mulan and Li Meng-shi after the stranger disappeared from sight.
"We heard someone pass by here," she told him quietly.
"It was someone on a donkey. It's nothing to worry about. We'll let him get ahead and then move out."
A short while later they were on horseback again continuing toward Jiaozuo.
"We will have to be careful in Jiaozuo," Li Meng-shi said quietly as they rode along at an easy trot. "I fear that there may be Imperial soldiers there as well, waiting for you."
"I think we'll be fine as long as I stay hidden," Mulan answered sullenly. "In Zhengzhou I went out to the market, not considering that I would be recognized or that we had been followed."
"Yes, it should have occurred to all of us that we might have been trailed," Shang remarked.
"I won't make that mistake again," she added emphatically.
"We'll be there in a couple of days," the priest continued. "It might be better if we pass through there quickly, stopping only to obtain the supplies we need and then continuing on our way."
xxxxxxx
Mulan's eyes snapped open as she woke with a start, biting back a scream that began to emerge from her throat, cutting it off sharply. She gulped and bolted upright, her chest heaving as she attempted to catch her breath. Sweat dripped from her brow despite how cold she was and her tunic was drenched with perspiration. Bringing her hand up to her forehead she wiped it with her sleeve then took a deep breath and tried to get her bearings. It was pitch black around her and she instantly remembered that they were settled in another deserted barn for the night. She heaved a sigh and pulled her blanket tighter around her, then lay down again. They'd had a long hard day of riding that day, but she expected that she wouldn't fall back asleep any time soon. Fear permeated her, choking her and leaving her with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach; and her mind would be much too active now despite her exhaustion.
Today had been the first fairly warm day since they left Shangqiu and the snow had begun to melt. Taking advantage of that fact, they had covered as much ground as they could, traveling at a canter for much of the day when they reached open terrain. With any luck they had shaken their shadow, if one existed and she wasn't imagining it, and they'd cut in half the time that it would take to reach Jiaozuo.
They wouldn't be staying there as originally planned. Mulan trusted in Li Meng-shi as a mystic and seer, and she had the sense that Shang did too after all was said and done. It was already decided that they would be better off passing through Jiaozuo quickly as he had recommended, stopping only to obtain the supplies they needed and then continuing on their way.
Her tent was spread out beneath her but the material did very little to help separate her from the cold, hard ground. She turned onto her side, shivering as she recalled images of the nightmare she'd just woken from, images of her family.
Soft snores reached her ears from the other side of the barn, signaling that both her companions were asleep. Shang had stayed up with her the night before and her lips curved into a slight smile as she thought of it. He'd draped his arm around her, keeping it there to warm her; and she'd ached to be closer to him the moment he touched her. It had been cold in their shelter and she'd unabashedly moved in and leaned against him, enjoying the strength and heaviness of his arm around her, and the warmth and comfort of his body, hard with muscle yet soft and comfortable at the same time. They had talked for hours, almost never running out of things to say, and even the silent moments were comfortable.
As always, she had enjoyed being in his company immensely. But her own actions disturbed her too and she frowned now as her doubts nagged at her. Nothing had happened; they weren't alone after all so there wasn't too much they could do with the priest in the barn with them. Nevertheless their physical contact wasn't completely proper for an unmarried man and woman. She knew she ought to know better. But the truth was that she wouldn't hesitate to give herself to him no matter what might or might not happen afterward and it frightened her somewhat.
It was clear that she wasn't meant to be a bride. Her performance at the matchmaker's proved that beyond a doubt, and she had come to accept that. After all, she'd accomplished other things that were worthwhile and, even though she was looked down upon by many, there were people who respected and admired her. People whose opinions mattered much more to her, like Shang and her family.
Though she couldn't assume that Shang felt that way about her, last night he certainly seemed to want to be near her as much as she wanted to be near him. Still, he'd been married before, bonded to a woman very unlike her no doubt. And he was probably still in mourning over both wife and child. What did she expect would happen then? She knew that she wouldn't become a wife to anyone and circumstances right now certainly weren't favorable toward her having the same life that any normal woman would have; but it never occurred to her that she would ever become anyone's lover either; especially not Li Shang's.
Her father's words echoed back to her. You shouldn't get your hopes up. He had recognized her feelings for her captain right away and it hadn't escaped his attention that she never completely stopped wondering about Shang. Maybe she never stopped hoping.
The attraction to him had always been there. At Wu Zhong she'd been taken with his looks, mostly; his muscular body and handsome features, his prowess at fighting, his excellent teaching. But that had been nothing more than the crush of a young and inexperienced girl, and a superficial one at that. Somewhere along the lines that crush had developed into respect and admiration. They were now good friends that had remained connected somehow despite the fact that they'd been apart for such a long time. She cared deeply for him. Not that she didn't still appreciate his incredible physique and good looks; but her feelings toward him had morphed into something so much deeper, something that was intricately part of her being. A certain intimacy had started to grow between them now that they had encountered each other again, though a few years had passed, fueled somehow by the wondering about him that she'd done in that time. Maybe Shang had wondered about her, too. Often he seemed to know what she was going to say before she said it; and she found that she could guess at what he was thinking too.
Mulan shifted restlessly and abruptly flipped onto her back again, annoyed at herself. It was ridiculous to even be brooding about something so comparatively meaningless, and very silly really. There were much more serious issues to worry about, including the nightmare she'd just had and what it could possibly mean. They had a mission to complete, getting Li Meng-shi to Taiyuan, and both their lives were in danger on top of that; they were outlaws. To make matters worse, she was sure they were being followed, even though Shang had gone back and checked several times, finding no one there but a man on a pathetic-looking donkey the last time he looked.
Maybe she was imagining it. She certainly hadn't been at her best lately, something that had been clearly demonstrated by the incident in Zhengzhou. The fight with General Huang was a vivid memory, one that kept her awake since it happened. Though she had held her own fairly well against him considering that he was one of the most skilled swordsman and she was out of practice, she had still nearly died. She was realizing now just how scared she'd been; at the time she had focused on incidental things, like her lack of skill, in an attempt to be brave and suppress her fear. So Shang wouldn't think she was a coward. But the truth was she'd been in shock, especially after watching the man get killed up close at her friend's hand. It was so much different than the experience she'd had in battle, seeing the swarm of faceless enemies covered by an avalanche.
It was her own fault that she'd had that run-in with the general. Her life had been at risk ever since she left the palace and she'd been far too flippant about it that day. Even with her face covered by the hood it ought to have occurred to her that someone might have followed them. Going out to the market like that had been really stupid, all things considered, and she should have known better. If Shang had been killed instead of the other general she would have been to blame for it. Had she learned nothing from him? Or from her father?
Unable to get comfortable she tried turning onto her side then ended up doing a three hundred and sixty degree spin to end up on her back again. In the process she twisted herself up in the blanket. Kicking at it and struggling to disentangle her body kept her occupied for a short time, taking her mind off of her nagging worries if only for a few moments.
She would have liked for Shang to be sitting up with her again tonight, his arm around her like the night before. The images of the nightmare had faded to the back of her mind somewhat but she was still left feeling uneasy and shaken up. His company would be comforting.
Resigned to the fact that sleep would not come to her again that night, she quietly stood up and padded over to the opening in the barn, her blanket wrapped around her still. The night was mild and she breathed in deeply, letting the fresh air fill her lungs, allowing it to calm her.
The wind blew and she watched the nearby trees as they swayed in the breeze, their branches rustling with a sighing sound. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of dark moving shadows and she stiffened in fear. She narrowed her eyes, gazing intently toward the trunks of the trees in an attempt to pick out the stranger that lurked there.
Shadows of the branches moved as the wind picked up again, stirring them. She still couldn't see any figure there. Shaking her head, she withdrew back away from the door and into the shelter of the barn, scoffing at her own foolishness. One little nightmare and she was afraid of shadows. It was silly; if anyone was there they wouldn't have just been standing out there watching the barn; they would have come in and attacked them.
"Mulan. Are you alright?"
She closed her eyes and sighed softly at the sound of his voice from behind her, from somewhere in the blackness of the barn.
"Yes, Shang."
"Do you mind if I join you?"
He sounded somewhat hesitant and she turned toward him, her eyes seeking out his figure in the dark. A smile slowly came to her lips.
"Of course not."
"Are you okay?" he asked, coming to stand beside her. His tone was full of concern.
"Yes. It's just been hard for me to sleep lately. As you can see."
"I know, I've been having trouble sleeping, too," he responded quietly. "So many things have happened and I keep thinking about everything. I'm awake for hours every night."
"The fight with General Huang," she began. "I didn't realize how much it scared me."
"I know," he answered after a moment, his voice laced with tenderness. He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"It's a good thing that you're a better swordsman than he was."
"I'm not. He was just distracted."
"By what?" she asked, bewildered.
"You. He went after you and left himself open for me to get the upper hand. Whatever you did before we got there really ticked him off that he let that happen."
"I was just trying to get away from him."
She took a deep breath, attempting to fight the twinge of panic that was beginning to rise within her for no apparent reason.
"Mulan...?"
"Shang, I'm worried about my family," she blurted out suddenly. "Something might happen to them because of me. The Imperial army hasn't captured me...what if they take them instead?"
He was silent but she could feel his eyes on her.
"It's been known to happen. Maybe I should go back."
"You would be captured if you went back there. And your father wanted you to be safe. That's why he arranged for you to leave. What made you think about this?"
"I had a nightmare about it happening. About them being taken away."
"Oh," he exhaled.
"It really...it's really shaken me up."
He moved in closer to her and put his arm around both her shoulders, squeezing them reassuringly. She resisted the urge to turn and bury her face in his chest.
"It may not mean anything. Bad dreams aren't always portents. Sometimes they're just about our fears."
"I know."
"Mulan, your father is one of the craftiest, most brilliant strategists I've ever met. He's aware of every possible move the Imperial army could make and some that they haven't even thought of yet. No matter what happens; if there's anyone who can outwit them and find a way to survive, it's him. And he'll see to it that your mother and grandmother are protected, too."
xxxxxxx
In the morning they reached the next village and the decrepit donkey that Shang had seen the day before caught his eye as they trotted along the main strip through town. Its owner had stayed in town overnight, meaning that he had most likely come some distance. He brought his horse to a stop and Mulan followed suit.
She must have seen the suspicious expression on his face because she turned her head and followed his gaze. Her eyes widened and she snapped her head around to face him again.
"It's the same one, isn't it?"
He nodded. "I don't understand how he could have come that far on that animal. Look at it."
"Maybe it looks that way because it came that far," she countered cynically.
"It didn't come all the way from Zhengzhou. It couldn't have. There's no way it would have kept up with the horses."
She sighed irritably. "Well, it's not worth arguing about now. Let's just get out of here."
Without another word to either of them she spurred her horse and took off down the main strip at a gallop, toward the northern edge of town, before Shang could get the word Mulan out of his mouth. He stared after her, too stunned to move for a moment.
"She's very close with her family," Li Meng-shi remarked. "It's natural that she would be upset. She's worried about them."
Shang whirled around to look at him as he dismounted. "What are you doing?"
"I'll meet you at the edge of town in a few hours. I'm going to see what I can find out about the owner of the donkey."
"But...Mulan..."
"I'm sure she'll stop as soon as she realizes we're not behind her."
"And you're going to stay here?" he asked incredulously.
He nodded. "I think this is important. Especially after the nightmare she had."
"What does one thing have to do with another?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"How do you know...?" Shang trailed off as he immediately realized that the priest had been awake and listening in on their conversation the night before.
"Go on after her. I'll come to you when I've found out all that I can."
Shang watched him through narrowed eyes as he turned and walked off into a nearby tavern. He had an uneasy feeling about leaving Li Meng-shi in town, even though he was the only one that no one was looking for. They ought to have been moving along to their real destination instead of being side-tracked in a small village and he couldn't fathom what the priest had in mind.
But there wasn't time to worry about it now. He spurred his own steed and took off after Mulan, clearing the boundaries of town and shouting across the open plain to her as he glimpsed the blurred figure on horseback a few li ahead of him.
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