Categories > Movies > Mulan > The Betrothed
Chapter 20
0 reviews[AU] Mulan returned home after the war, her secret undiscovered, now preparing to marry the man that she was betrothed to as a child, who turns out to be Shang. Things get complicated when they're ...
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Chapter 20
"Mulan! Mulan!"
Rou-ping came running out of the house to greet her again as she rode through the gate. She dismounted from her steed and removed her helmet.
"Hey, Rou. I missed you."
She clamped her helmet under her arm and put her hand on his shoulder, leading her horse to the stable with the other.
"Did you miss me?"
"Uh-huh. Did you get another medal of honor from the Emperor?"
"Yep. And an arrow."
"An arrow?"
"It's a gift that symbolizes bravery."
Her parents appeared at the door as they walked toward the house. She hurried forward to greet them.
"We're glad to see you home safe again, Mulan."
"It's good to be home."
They walked inside and once again gathered in the kitchen, where she showed them the medal and the arrow that she had received. She removed her armor then, and showed them the crest of the Emperor that hung around her neck, a special gift from him to her for looking out for Hui-Ying's welfare and playing such a large part in getting both of his daughters home safely.
"I am very proud of you, Mulan."
"Thank you, Baba."
"Wow!" Rou-ping exclaimed, picking up the arrow and looking it over. "Just you were rewarded, Mulan?"
"The entire troop was honored with a big banquet at the palace. My captain also received a medal, and an arrow of valor just like that one. And I think the Emperor is preparing to promote him to general soon."
She excused herself and went to the room where her father had always kept the armor, hanging it up in the closet where he had always kept it. Hua Zhou walked in, limping slightly even with the aid of his cane.
"You got my letter?" he asked her softly now that they were alone.
She nodded. "Yes. And the Emperor's younger daughter was in the camp. She told me about the law being lifted, too."
"He told me she was there."
"He did?"
"I was very connected and trusted when I was an active officer. He told me that he sent her to your camp because he knew she would be safe with you."
"What about Jun-Li and General Liang? You said there was no need to worry about that anymore."
"Yes. The Emperor will not let him interfere with us. And I believe the matchmaker has found someone for Jun-Li anyway, someone that the family is happy with. Was it too difficult with him at camp?"
"No. He was a pest but he didn't give me away. I was revealed this time, but it was because I was wounded and I needed the medic. Then Princess Hui-Ying stepped forward on my behalf and revealed herself."
He frowned and shook his head.
"It is fortunate that it wasn't a mortal wound. Don't let your mother find out you were wounded."
"I won't."
He sighed. "I was hoping this would be the last time you would have to go. But I understand that even though the Ruanruan Empire has been defeated we now have to deal with threats from the Tujue. The Emperor will probably call you into service again."
"I hope not. I would like my career in the army to be over at this point. We will have a new alliance soon hopefully, and perhaps that will deter the Tujue somewhat. Maybe they won't be so quick to come into China the way the Ruanruans did."
"What alliance?"
"With Persia."
"Persia?"
She nodded. "Yes. There is a Persian prince who is interested in forging an alliance with China and is seeking the hand of the Emperor's older daughter."
"Interesting," her father commented with a knowing look.
Something about his expression made Mulan wonder if the Emperor knew the truth about what had really been going on with his daughter Li-Mei and had told her father about it.
She hesitated for a moment, dreading the answer she might get, then bravely asked the next question that was on her mind.
"Baba, did you hear from General Li at all?"
"Yes. I received a letter from him. He told me that the mission was finished and all of his troops have returned from over the border. He has returned home and has proposed another date for the wedding, which we agreed to. It is set for two months from now. That will give us a month to prepare everything, and then a month for you to be in seclusion before the wedding day."
"I guess he doesn't hold it against me that I was in the army."
"He doesn't," her father answered, chuckling slightly. "He thinks you have spunk."
"Mulan! Mulan!"
Rou-ping came running out of the house to greet her again as she rode through the gate. She dismounted from her steed and removed her helmet.
"Hey, Rou. I missed you."
She clamped her helmet under her arm and put her hand on his shoulder, leading her horse to the stable with the other.
"Did you miss me?"
"Uh-huh. Did you get another medal of honor from the Emperor?"
"Yep. And an arrow."
"An arrow?"
"It's a gift that symbolizes bravery."
Her parents appeared at the door as they walked toward the house. She hurried forward to greet them.
"We're glad to see you home safe again, Mulan."
"It's good to be home."
They walked inside and once again gathered in the kitchen, where she showed them the medal and the arrow that she had received. She removed her armor then, and showed them the crest of the Emperor that hung around her neck, a special gift from him to her for looking out for Hui-Ying's welfare and playing such a large part in getting both of his daughters home safely.
"I am very proud of you, Mulan."
"Thank you, Baba."
"Wow!" Rou-ping exclaimed, picking up the arrow and looking it over. "Just you were rewarded, Mulan?"
"The entire troop was honored with a big banquet at the palace. My captain also received a medal, and an arrow of valor just like that one. And I think the Emperor is preparing to promote him to general soon."
She excused herself and went to the room where her father had always kept the armor, hanging it up in the closet where he had always kept it. Hua Zhou walked in, limping slightly even with the aid of his cane.
"You got my letter?" he asked her softly now that they were alone.
She nodded. "Yes. And the Emperor's younger daughter was in the camp. She told me about the law being lifted, too."
"He told me she was there."
"He did?"
"I was very connected and trusted when I was an active officer. He told me that he sent her to your camp because he knew she would be safe with you."
"What about Jun-Li and General Liang? You said there was no need to worry about that anymore."
"Yes. The Emperor will not let him interfere with us. And I believe the matchmaker has found someone for Jun-Li anyway, someone that the family is happy with. Was it too difficult with him at camp?"
"No. He was a pest but he didn't give me away. I was revealed this time, but it was because I was wounded and I needed the medic. Then Princess Hui-Ying stepped forward on my behalf and revealed herself."
He frowned and shook his head.
"It is fortunate that it wasn't a mortal wound. Don't let your mother find out you were wounded."
"I won't."
He sighed. "I was hoping this would be the last time you would have to go. But I understand that even though the Ruanruan Empire has been defeated we now have to deal with threats from the Tujue. The Emperor will probably call you into service again."
"I hope not. I would like my career in the army to be over at this point. We will have a new alliance soon hopefully, and perhaps that will deter the Tujue somewhat. Maybe they won't be so quick to come into China the way the Ruanruans did."
"What alliance?"
"With Persia."
"Persia?"
She nodded. "Yes. There is a Persian prince who is interested in forging an alliance with China and is seeking the hand of the Emperor's older daughter."
"Interesting," her father commented with a knowing look.
Something about his expression made Mulan wonder if the Emperor knew the truth about what had really been going on with his daughter Li-Mei and had told her father about it.
She hesitated for a moment, dreading the answer she might get, then bravely asked the next question that was on her mind.
"Baba, did you hear from General Li at all?"
"Yes. I received a letter from him. He told me that the mission was finished and all of his troops have returned from over the border. He has returned home and has proposed another date for the wedding, which we agreed to. It is set for two months from now. That will give us a month to prepare everything, and then a month for you to be in seclusion before the wedding day."
"I guess he doesn't hold it against me that I was in the army."
"He doesn't," her father answered, chuckling slightly. "He thinks you have spunk."
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