The Concubine's Cannon

Chapter 15: Steady Travels

"There are people already fighting! Sir, what do we do about this treason?" His face goes gruff from the information. Mulan. The name rings in his mind. He had figured out something was the matter when she insisted the general to be her guard and when the mysterious illness came to be. He never thought it would be something like this though. "Send more troops down there and send a message to the generals at the pass. Tell them to come back immediately and to enter through the southern gate. We shall let these soldiers fight for us. I'll decide what to do with them once the war has ended."

The fire rings bright and Shan Yu could see the face of his enemy within the fire. Shang's face. Another pounding sound of cannons coming in alerts them and they both draw away from the fire. Shang to begin the second course of the plan and Shan Yu to come up with a new one. "Half of you from the regular troops go in with Qi. The other half stay out here with me." They nod to his orders and Qi shows them into the tower. They grab their bows and arrows and take over the wall surrounding their precious city. The perfect angle is found. "FIRE!" Qi shouts and the arrows come raining down. Litteral fire breaks loose. A loose arrow sets fire onto a tree, the forest is soon burning but several hun soldiers draw out. Others die. "Good job whoever that was!" She laughs at the destruction, disturbing a few of them. She never was one for palace life.

"There is fire in the forest. Servants are going off duty and taking to balconies! They have weapons. They are revolting," the snot bag warns, now out of his sleepwear. Again he had burst into the emperor's chambers. "Are they aiming for the soldiers? Are any of them here aiming at me?" His voice is leveled and straight forward. The councilman whimpers in fear. He says nothing. "Then they are fighting for us." He stands up and stalks past the equally as stalky man. "What are we supposed to do about them?" He continues to plead. "We shall help."

The fight seems to last forever. No matter what they do more come. They kill a lot but a lot are killed too. She brushes off the sweat from her eyebrows and orders them to fire again. They had been doing this for so long. Her fingers were so numb. "HMM!" A squeaky hum alerts her. "Chi?" She turns her head and orders Yao to take over while she talks. "What is it?" He's bouncing up and down, a letter in hand. "Reinforcements..." She smiles as Yao alerts her what the little boy just did. "We've got a problem!" Her head snaps up and she looks over to the burning world. "They're trying to get through from another entrance... Chi, I need you to try and warn the people who just came in to cover the other entrances. Yao, you're in charge of firing. I have the plan right here. Bend it as you will but do not compromise our lives. I'm going down." She takes her scarf and her small troop of shooters nod. "You heard the lady! FIRE!"

Cannons go off again as she makes her way down the pole. The small boy follows behind. "Give one of the generals the letter I'm giving you. If they ask who from give them this." She makes her way into the archives and begins to write up a draft. Ideas flow through her head and out her hand. She does it as quickly as she can. Taking one of the many jade pendants she has here she hands it to Chi. Now she only needs a safe way of getting him there.

The idea ponders through her mind and a particular phrase sticks out to her. Look for what is not seen but do not ignore what is. It was one of the many things her father told her throughout the years. She looks up from the pendant. She had gotten it from behind the front desk. She begins to trail back there when a certain painting in the back catches her eye. But why now? She tilts her head and notices a little white slip. Drawing over there she takes it from behind the picture. The picture comes out some and she hears herself gasp. "Of course!" A smile spreads over her face and she pushes the door more. A secret passage. "I have a different letter for you Chi." And with that, she writes another.

"Chi?" The general looks down from the tug of his armor. The little boy was holding up a letter. He nods and thanks him. "Mulan," he gasps from the note. "No, no, no." He shakes his head. He loves her, he cares for her, she can't just do this to him. He sighs and complies with her wishes. "Change of plans!" He announces to his troop. He can only hope she'll be alright.

The sound of crackles above alerts her that she's getting close. Her father had left her a map behind the painting. It's astonishing how much he knows, especially about the secret passages. The sound becomes louder and she pushes open the dreary door. Several swords point at her the minute it opens. "State your business," a chubby but short man in a general's uniform commands her. "I am the one who started the fires, drawing the Huns back and I am the one who has a plan. I come in peace." He raises his brow but puts away his sword. She is only a woman after all.

She raises herself out of the ground with a grunt and brushes herself off. "How does a woman plan all this out?" He doubts her with furrowed brows. "She thinks and she waits. Let the Huns come to us and then we'll attack. That is what I did and that is how this happened. If you listen it'll be worth your wild." Both his brows pop up this time and he nods his head. For once someone was willing to listen. "Here's what we'll do." And she lays out her plan.
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"Do not underestimate the women soldiers. They are strong. Do not be fooled," his troops nod at his command and they approach the western border.

"You all know the plan?" The few soldiers nod to her. Making her way to the male huns she gulps. She could die if this fails. If she succeeds then what? The question ponders in her mind. Several of the soldiers point their sword at her and she raises her hands. "I have been traveling all night. Is some sort of evaluation going on?" She flutters her lashes as how she's seen many of the palace women do. They look at each other in confusion, not sure what to do. She lowers her arms, her plan was falling into line. "What are you two doing out there?" One of their commanders order. "Keep on guard." He orders them around and then stalks off. The two soldiers groan and a curious smile plays on her lips. "You two look like you work hard. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I take you away for a little while. We can have some fun." The two looks at each other then nod their agreement. She takes both their hands and their swords clatter to the ground. Several of the captain's men come out and the captain himself gives her a smile.

"Your plan just might work." Two of his guards put on their uniforms and take her by the arms. "Let's work some magic." She smirks to the curious and shocked looks of the guards. She giggles and they make their way back to the huns. It's only the beginning of the plan.

"They seriously can't make me do this!" "We need someone else to lore away the huns. I am not asking you I am ordering you." She scuffs but does as she's told, taking a few of the other women with her.

"We found a traveler. What should we do with her?" The commander raises a brow and looks over Mulan. Her face flushes pink and he waves his hand. "She is merely a Chinese woman. She shows no threat. Do as you will." They nod and the man turns around. The two soldiers look at each other then make a swift move and jab a dagger into his neck. One by one the huns fall over on their side, replacing them with the Chinese army in disguise.

It's surprising how many times they're able to get away with stealing away their soldiers. Once they do realize what's happening it's too late. They had already withered the size of their army to the Chinese army. Separating their troops was the worse idea they could've had. "We have the advantage of territory. Give it a rest, Captain. Your troops are lessening and if the women did as I said at the other entrance. You'll be as good as dead within an hour." She smirks into her sword, ready to take the opening and kill him. "Who are you?" Her smile grows at his question. Disarming him and then kicking him to the ground she points the sword to his heart. "I am Fa Mulan."

Author: Okay so not happy with how this chapter and the next chapter turned out but I was low on inspiration when I wrote them. I hope you guys enjoyed it none the less and next chapter will be the final chapter!!!! I'll write my thanks and blessing in a separate update that'll include the ideas that ran wild through my brain at the time. (I wrote a little note at the end to myself when I first wrote the story. I'm super excited to show them to you!!!) But for now, I hope you liked it!