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Shan-Yu's Victory	By : lightbird Category: +M through R > Mulan (Disney) > Mulan (Disney) Views: 16642 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the cartoons of Disney Studios, nor any of the characters from them. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Mulan looked up as Mushu reappeared, finally returning from his visit to Bi’s village, joining her where she sat on the bench underneath the orange blossom tree. He had two sacks for her. She peered inside one of them and found that it was filled with roots and seeds. There was a piece of paper on top which she drew out.

“Those are instructions. That one is something that she called Dong Quai. You’re supposed to brew the roots and seeds into a tea without overcooking them and drink it, but only if you need it. She emphasized that. And she said not to drink it for more than a week. It can have bad side effects.”

She took the other sack from him and opened it. It also contained a piece of paper and a mixture of roots, flowers and seeds. “What’s this one?”

“You can use that all the time. The other one is if this one doesn’t work. Bi put instructions for each one inside the sacks.”

“Thanks for going and getting this for me, Mushu.”

She placed the two sacks on the bench beside her.

“No problem. Are you alright?”

“Yes. Do you have any idea where Shang and the others are now?”

“No. As I said, I told Shang where to find them. I hurried back to you.”

“Would you do me a favor and see where they are and what they have planned, so I know?”

He gave her a look.

“It’s the only way, Mushu. I can’t get out there without raising suspicions, and their lives will be in danger if they come in here. I need you to act as a liaison.”

“Now I’m everybody’s guardian,” he grumbled. “Yeah, alright. I’ll come back and let you know. You be careful with that stuff I gave you from Bi.”

~~~

Gao stood up as two of the Hun soldiers approached his cart and glanced over his vats of herbs and spices.

One of the soldiers lowered his hand into one of the vats and scooped up a palm full of twigs and seeds that Dr. Kong called Dong Quai, bringing it up toward his face and whiffing it.

“What do you use the twigs for?” he asked, screwing up his face in distaste.

“You are looking to cook something, honorable soldier? Or are you looking for something medicinal?”

“You sell both types of herbs?”

Gao nodded and pointed to Dr. Kong who was tending the cart with him. “My friend here knows all about the medicinal properties of herbs. He can answer any questions about what may serve your needs.”

The soldier that had scooped up the handful of herbs took another whiff. “This must be a medicinal herb.”

“Yes,” Dr. Kong spoke up, “and not one that you would have any use for. That is something for women to use. I’m afraid you would be drinking that nasty-tasting tea for no reason. Then again, who knows what kind of an effect it would have on a man.”

The Hun soldier turned his hand over and opened his fist, letting the twigs drop back into the vat.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Those are Dong Quai roots. Is there any particular medicinal need that you honorable soldiers have?”

They both shook their heads.

“We were just curious about you. Neither of you look familiar; have you been here before?”

Gao spoke up. “We are new to this market.”

“Where are you gentlemen from?” asked one of the soldiers.

“We are from a very small village, quite far from here. But business is bad these days. We were hoping to have better luck here in the city.”

The two soldiers lingered for a couple of minutes more, examining their cart before finally nodding and indicating for them to carry on.

Gao and Dr. Kong exchanged glances and continued to peddle their wares for the rest of the afternoon.

At sunset, as they left the city and headed back to camp, they finally spoke.

“We’ll have to let the captain know that we were recognized as being new to the city,” Gao said, frowning thoughtfully.

“Yes, but I don’t think we have anything to worry about. We should continue to come here everyday and sell this stuff. If we disappear suddenly, that will seem more suspicious.”

“You’re right. I will suggest as much to the captain. And let him know that the Hun guards are quite vigilant and perceptive. We must make sure we don’t underestimate them.”

They were greeted by a gruff voice demanding them to identify themselves as they approached camp, which they did firmly. Dr. Kong went off to get dinner and Gao went to meet with the captain and explain what had happened that day in the market.

“They are very observant,” the captain answered, thoughtfully.

“Yes, sir. We should return tomorrow and everyday to work. It will be obvious if we are never seen there again.”

“Agreed. And if they get used to your presence there they will stop paying so much attention to you, which will make it easier for you to observe. Tomorrow, at the end of the day, please see if you can obtain a large black cloak for me, so I can cover my head and face. I wish to start going into the city to observe for myself what is going on there. I want to at least start thinking about a plan to get in there.”

~~~

Mulan looked up as Shan-Yu came strolling out into the garden, heading toward her where she sat in her usual spot under the orange blossom tree.

“You like this spot,” he commented, taking a seat on the bench beside her.

She nodded.

“It’s peaceful.”

“What makes you look so sad then?”

She bit her lip, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking.

“There is a bench like this one in my family’s garden. It was also under a tree; a magnolia tree. I used to sit there with my father all the time.”

“Ah. Is that why you were named Mulan?”

She shrugged and looked down as his hand suddenly covered her hands that she held clasped tightly in her lap.

“Is he still alive?”

She closed her eyes, cringing at the pain in her heart at the thought of home and her family.

“If he isn’t, it’s my fault,” she answered finally.

“How is it your fault?”

“I broke his heart.”

He studied her quietly for a few minutes.

“You ran away?”

She looked at her hands, remaining silent. His hand was still resting lightly on them.

“Why?”

She was silent for a long time before finally answering with a heavy sigh.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes, then he broke the silence.

“It’s terrible to be separated from the ones you love, for whatever reason. I know.”

She looked at him. He stared straight ahead stoically and continued.

“Your question that night was very perceptive. I was married before. My wife was killed by Imperial soldiers.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m sure you loved her very much.”

He turned to her and took one of her clasped hands in his, squeezing it, looking into her eyes now as he spoke.

“Many of the Emperor’s soldiers were sent to patrol the border. Much of the trouble was caused because they got bored and decided to stir it up, especially on occasions where they got drunk. She was caught up in one of those random skirmishes that occurred.”

Mulan didn’t answer. She simply returned his warm gesture and squeezed his hand firmly.

~~~

“We should make our move soon if we’re going to,” Burilgi was saying.

Boke turned to the man that had been his second in command and nodded.

“Soon. But not yet. We must plan this out well and not be too hasty.”

“But he only has a handful of men that came here with him and are loyal to him. You have an entire troop of men that you led here.”

“True, Burilgi. But my cousin is sly, instinctive and wily. I can guarantee that he will be able to sniff out our intentions if we are not subtle and careful. And even with only a small band of men, he is not to be underestimated. Remember, he and those few men laid siege to this city and overthrew the Emperor. That was not a small task for an army; and they did it as a small band.”

Boke sighed.

“I really hate to do this, too. But my cousin gives me no choice but to start thinking this way. He has gone soft, sending envoys to the provinces to make peaceful offerings to the local ministers,” he added disdainfully. “Troops should have been sent to those provinces to take control and oust those people. We are in charge here; why are we kowtowing to people who are now under our rule?”

Burilgi nodded in agreement, remaining silent.

“And then there’s that Chinese girl he’s got by his side. I don’t know who she is, but she will be his downfall, if you ask me. She’s not to be trusted, and he already acts differently.”

He rolled his eyes in disgust.

“And she’s not even pretty. There are plenty of prettier women in the palace, women with makeup and fuller figures and he picks her.”

Burilgi remained quiet, not wanting to say anything about this subject for fear of saying the wrong thing and stirring up his leader’s wrath.

“Still,” he continued after a moment. “We can deal with her later. First we have to make sure we have our strategy planned out well, from the first move to the last.”

“What will be our first move?”

“Unfortunately, we will have to kill him.”
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Shan-Yu's Victory