The Concubine's Cannon

Chapter 7: Peeping Tom

"Okay, Okay. We need to continue with training." Despite her attempt, the girls continue to giggle and unnoticeably the boys do too. "Meili..." One of the boys' fawns. "I'm more interested in the older kind. Have you seen Jinghua?" Another boy chuckles. "Have you seen M..." Mang begins before a tug of the shirt alerts him. "Stop that, Chi.... oh no." He looks with a grim expression.

"What are you, soldiers doing? Especially you three." Shang raises a brow to three of them. They're soldiers in his own troop, troublemakers even. "Ling. Yao. Chie Po? I at least expect better of you." He huffs at the tall, but wide, man. "Sorry cap... I mean General." He fixes his mistakes and gives him a bow.

"Just a little harmless fun." Yao's gruff voice sounds. "Besides, I'm sure they'd love the help with their sword dancing." Ling smiles and the rest chuckles as they disregard their higher up. No one ever seems to be safe from being the butt of their jokes. "Get back to work!" He hisses at them but they do not listen.

"I said...." He pulls away one of the boys closer to the door to see Mulan dancing the dance of the sword. She plays with the fake sword and moves through the motions he taught her last night. They're simple motions but she makes them look so elegant. A blush spreads across her face as he watches her demonstrate for the girls.

"I've never seen her dance before," one of the men comments. "And you won't see her dance again. Get a move on." He finally snaps out of it and pushes them away from the door. The soldiers grumble as they get back to their post.

"Mang." His focus is drawn to the tiptoeing shorties. "What did I do! So I just so happened to see her walking over here. They came here. I didn't invite them." Shang shakes his head and looks to the younger boy. Chi shrugs. "Let's go." Shang takes them by the wrist and pulls them away, not before taking one last look at her beautiful motions. She really does learn quickly.

A smile spreads across his face but he can't get the thought out of his head. "Why was she practicing sword moves?" Had she gotten confused between the dance and the actual motions, or was there something that she wasn't telling him? He shakes his head as he's ready to reprimand the two. He'll just have to ask her later.

"You're doing well." She nods to each girl as they move through the motions she just finished. They giggle to one another as they go through the drills. "Don't make me send you to the pillars," she threatens with a grin as they straighten up their poses, all but one fixing themselves. "Can you open the door? It's a bit warm." With a nod she complies with the girl's request, noting that the door was already open halfway. Who had been there? She shakes off the thought and widens the door, immediately going back to the training. "I hope you brought better shoes than that Meili. I'm bringing out the buckets today."
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"So. How'd you do it this time?" He raises his brow as she just shrugs. "He listens to me. Did you already have arrangements with someone else during this time?" She raises her own eyebrow and takes her seat at the table. He takes the seat across from her. "No. You just surprise me, that's all." She smiles at what she considers a compliment, till the other two interrupts. "I'd call it upsetting. I was just about to win the bet!" Mang huffs and takes a seat near Mulan, his breath and clothes smelling like drinks. "I don't care if he was one move away from winning, I was gonna win!" His words don't even make sense.

"Let's just get this over with. I'm missing my own reservations for this as well." The servants come in and then go out after serving them. They smile just before they leave, waving a hand. "Friends of yours?" Shang points out with a brow. The memory of only just that morning comes to mind. "Close friends." He nods his understanding. "It's best to have the least amount of people know as possible." With another nod, they begin their dinner.