Mulan - Shan Yu Returns

Chapter 16: Pain

By the time Mulan and the squad arrived at the Imperial City, everyone was sent back to their normal life, except in deeper fear than usual. Although Mulan noticed the villagers' unusual facial expression, she was too distracted to go to the palace and inform the Emperor that they want to file a missing person.

"Mulan," Shang whispered into her ears. "Do you think there's something wrong g going around here? I mean look at people. It's like shadow covering the top half of their face."

"Yeah, I noticed too," Mulan whispered back. "I'm not sure what's going on here..."

When they reached the entrance of the palace walls, they hopped out of their horses or carts and stood along the entrance. "Are you ready?" Mulan asked the squad.

"Ready!" The rest of the seven answered.

"Then to the Emperor we go!" Mulan said as she led the march.

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Shan Yu ordered the tall, muscular, stocky, and bald Hun, named Tudunshi, to whip the prisoner, who was the first person to go against Shan Yu's will. "No, no. You have to take a bit of time between so that they would not be used to the pain." Shan Yu came in to correct him.

"My lord, why aren't we killing anymore?" Tudunshi asked.

"We need more citizens, not less," Shan Yu said. "It's my country now. I will need more folks to help the economy improve."

"I see, I understand you, my lord." Tudunshi bowed.

"Proceed. And when he got enough, lock him " Shan Yu said as he stepped out. A large whipping sound and a painful scream echoed throughout the dungeon. He smirked in satisfaction.

He stepped into another jail cell to talk to the bound Emperor. "How're you doing, old man?" Shan Yu asked. Though his deep tone covered his intended sarcasm, the Emperor was wise enough to know that Shan Yu was trying to taunt him. The Emperor did not want to answer him. Shan Yu let out a breath of snicker. "I'll take that as doing fine. Don't worry, old man. I'll govern this country much better than you did so that citizens will eventually grow fond of me and accept me as a better emperor than you." The Emperor did not say anything. Shan Yu stepped outside the jail cell and then the prison, then he witnessed what he was waiting for this whole time.

********

While Shan Yu was making one of the Elite huns whip the prisoner, Mulan and the squad entered the palace and went straight into the throne room, but the emperor was not there. Thankfully, Shan Yu was not there either as he was going around the palace to get familiar with it, pretending to be an Emperor.

"I wonder where father is," Mei said as she stood in front of her father's throne along with her two sisters.

"He usually sits here," Su said.

"He's probably taking a walk around the palace," Ting-ting said.

"Should we split up and find him?" Mei suggested.

"I think we can do that!" Su said.

"Lingybear and I'll take the west wing," TIng-ting suggested.

"Yao and I will take the east wing," Mei said.

"We'll see the central base," Su said.

"Where should we go?" Mulan asked as she held Shang's arm.

Mei told Mulan, "The only area there is left is a prison but-"

"Let's go there, then," Mulan said as she dragged Shang down to the prison. As they entered the floor with a door that belonged to the prison, they saw Shan Yu standing there. Just right there.