Mulan - Shan Yu Returns

Chapter 7: Innocence

While Mulan and Shan Yu were fixing breakfast for the family and they were confronting Zong, Yu Fan, and Chang, Mushu was putting the broken pot pieces together. He managed to finish one, with five other unfinished pots. "They weren't that small so it was pretty easy," Mushu said to himself. Cri-kee squeaked. "I know you helped, and I'm thankful for that. But Cri-kee, look at this," Mushu said as he held up the finished pot. "They're just... made by hand... by amateurs..." Mushu knew, after living for more than thousands of years. "Why were they selling these in a shop? They wouldn't make much money out of it..."

********

"Well...? Pay up!" Zong said to Shan Yu.

"Hold on, three of you..." Mulan approached to the calmly. "If those pots were so expensive, why didn't you guys mentions that the moment he destroyed your shop?"

"Well? That's..." Yu Fan stuttered.

"Yeah? That's..." Chang stuttered.

"That's because we were... flabberjested," Zong said.

"Yeah! Flabberjested!" Yu Fan and Chang said. 

"It's 'flabbergasted'," Mulan said. "You guys must be lying about this whole mess."

"My point, he should still owe us," Zong said.

"Or we're suing you," Yu Fan said.

"Either be prepared to fully pay your price or be prepared to go to prison," Zong said, then the three people left.

Shan Yu was even paler than before. Mulan rubbed him gently on the back said, "Don't worry, Shan Yu," Mulan said. "We'll prove your innocence."

"Mulan, were  they the pot shop owners?" Mushu said as he climbed up to Mulan's shoulders.

"Yes... but they're very suspicious," Mulan said.

"You know, those pots seems like they made it themselves," Mushu said.

"Really?" Mulan said, then she thought for a moment. "Let's go," Mulan said.

"Where?" Mushu asked.

"We got some investigations to do," Mulan said.

"I'll go with you," Shan Yu said.

"Oh no, I want you to stay here with my family," Mulan said. "Serve them breakfast while I'm gone. Please do that for me. Can you?"

"Anything you say, Fa Mulan," Shan Yu said.

"If my family asks me where I am, just tell them " Then she turned to Mushu and asked, "Mushu, you know where the shop is, right?"

"Way ahead of you, sister," Mushu said. "Come along, Cri-kee." He knew Mulan wanted him to investigate the shop.

Shan Yu prepared breakfast for the rest of the Fa family. When they came for breakfast, Shan Yu was ready to answer their question, but no one asked. "This steamed egg is very delicious," Fa Zhou said. "Who made this?"

"Mulan and I did," Shan Yu said.

"Very smooth and enough salt," Shang complimented.

"Thank you," Shan Yu said. "I'll tell Mulan when she comes back."

********

Mulan went around the village and asked people if they bought any pots or paintings from the three men at the marketplace. "Did you happen to buy any pots or paintings from Zong, Yu Fan, and Chang?" Mulan asked almost every villagers.

People who never bought anything from them, or they do not even know those three, their replied included: "No, I never did." "I'm sorry, I don't know who they are." "Unfortunately none." "Sorry, I haven't."