Skatchlookedup—rightintotheglaringeyesofMulan.“HuaJun!”hesaid,jumpingtohisfeet,anervoussmileonhisface.

Mulandidn’treturnthesmile.AsHonghui,Yao,Po,Ling,andCricketenteredbehindher,Mulanleaptintotheairandinoneswiftmove,kickedSkatchwithbothherfeet.Hard.Hefellback,landingonthefloorwithathud.Hisfakebeard,knockedloosebytheimpact,hungfromhischin.Turning,MulansethersightsonRamtish.Themaninstantlyhelduphishands.

“Nottheface—”hestartedtosay.

ButMulandidn’tlethimfinish.Sheleaptagainand,thistime,spunintheairbeforekickingRamtishinthechest.Hisownfakebeardwentflying,landinginthemiddleofatableofveryconfusedonlookers.

Asthepairofthievesstaredatherwithamixtureofaweandfear,Mulanturnedandwalkedoutofthetavern.BehindhershecouldheartheothersoldierspickingupSkatchandRamtish.BythetimeshehadfoundCommanderTung,thetwofakemonkshadbeenputinstockcollars,theirheadshanginguncomfortablybetweenthewoodenplanks.

“Telluswhathappened,HuaJun,”CommanderTungsaidasthesunsetoverthegarrisoncourtyard.Besidehimstoodthegarrisoncommander.SergeantQiangandtheothersoldierswereafewpacesaway,watchingwithcuriosity.

Mulansteppedforward.“Imetthesetwobanditsontheroad,”sheexplained,shootingthemalook.“Theyofferedmefoodanddrink,and??.??.??.”Shepaused,hervoiceunsure.Shedidn’twanttoadmittheyhadfooledherintobelievingtheyweremonks,andworse,trickedherintodrinking.Thatwouldmakeherlookweakandridiculous.“And??.??.??.”shestammered.

Tohersurprise,Skatchjumpedin.“HuaJunshowedusararegenerosityofspirit,”hesaid,lookingupatherthroughthehairthatfelloverhiseyes.“Offeringaplacebyhisfire.Inreturn,webetrayedhistrust.”

Mulan’seyeswidened.Skatchwasprotectingherhonor.Butwhy?Whatgooddidthatdohim?Shelookedoverathim,curioustoseewhathewouldsaynext.

“Itistrue,”Skatchwenton.“Wearenotmonks.Weare,infact,bandits.Anoddcareerchoice,perhaps,butit’satime-honoredprofession.WebanditsareanintegralelementoftheSilkRoad.Eliminateus,andthedelicatefabricoftheentireenterpriseunravels.”

Unbelievable,

Mulanthought.Somehow,Skatchwasmakingitsoundlikehisjobofstealingwasanhonorableone.Ataskthatothersneededhimtoperform.ShelookedatCommanderTung’sfaceandsawthathe,too,lookedincredulous.

Ramtish,whosefaceworeanexpressionMulancouldn’tquitemakeout,nodded.“MightIadd,Commander,thatwecouldalsohavetakenthelad’ssword,butI—personally—feltthatwouldbewrong.”

Mulanresistedtheurgetolaughoutloud.Sheverymuchdoubtedthatwasthecase.True,shedidn’tknowthesemenwell,butshewouldhaveputmoneyonSkatchbeingtheonewhohadleftherthesword.Ofthetwo,hehadseemedthemoregentlemanly,ifthattermcouldevenbeusedforsuchheathens.

Noticingthatthecommanderandtheotherswerelosingpatience,Skatchwenton,pleadinghiscase.“Accordingly,ifHuaJunfindsitinhishearttoforgiveus”—hepausedandturnedtoCommanderTung—“andthewisecommanderseeshiswaycleartopardoningus,wecanproceedwithremovingtheserestraints??.??.??.”

Thecommanderhadheardenough.Heraisedahand,silencingSkatch.LookingatSergeantQiang,hecalledhimover.“Sergeant,whatisthepenaltyforstealingasoldier’shorseduringwartime?”heasked.

“Death,”SergeantQiangreplied.

Inthestocks,Skatch’sandRamtish’snowbeardlessfacesgrewpale.Mulan’seyeswidened.

“HuaJun,”CommanderTungsaid,turningtoher.“Didthesemiscreantsstealyourhorse?”

Mulanhesitated,butafterasecond,shenodded.“Yes,”shesaid.

Shewaskeptfromsayingmorebythesuddenshoutofasoldierbehindher.“Scoutsatthegate!”Amomentlater,thelargedoorsswungopenandtwomenracedthrough.Theirhorseswerelatheredinsweat,theirownfacesashen.Dismounting,theyracedovertothecommander.

“B??riKhanassemblesnotahalfday’sridefromhere,”thefirstscoutreported.“Theyprepareforbattle.Wearegreatlyoutnumbered.”

Instantly,thesoldiersbegantomurmur.Turningtotheguardsstationedatthetopofthegate,thegarrisoncommandershouted,“Fortifyforasiege!”Hisvoicewasfilledwithfear,causingthemenaroundhimtogrownervous.

Besidehim,CommanderTungremainedcalm.Onceagain,heliftedhishand.Instantly,thegarrisongrewquiet.“No!”hesaidtothegarrisoncommander.“Wewillappearwhereweareunexpected.LetKhanchargeourwallofspearsongroundofourchoosing.Hewhomovesfirstcontrolstheenemy.”Hepausedandlookedoutoverhissoldiers,hisgazelingeringlongestonMulan.ThenheturnedbacktoSergeantQiang.“Preparethemen,”heordered.

Thesoldiersdidn’thesitate.Instantly,theymovedintoaction,readyingforbattle.Butthesergeanthesitated.MulansawhimnodtowardSkatchandRamtish,whostoodforgotteninthestocks.“CommanderTung—thebandits?”heasked.

Thecommanderbarelyregisteredthequestion,distractedbythenews.ButMulandid.Andshesawawaytoperhapssavethetwomenfromthepenaltyofdeath.Shedidn’tlikethem,butshedidn’twanttheirdeathsonherconscience.Steppingforward,sheaddressedCommanderTung.“IfImay,Commander??.??.??.”shebegan.Henoddedforhertogoon.“Sincewearegreatlyoutnumbered,perhapstheseable-bodiedmiscreantscanbeofhelp?”

AlookofsurpriseandapprovalcrossedoverCommanderTung’sface.Henodded.“Goodthinking.Iftheyperishonthebattlefield,atleastthey’llhavebeenofsomeservice.Armthem.”Hisordergiven,thecommandermovedoff.Behindhim,apairofsoldiersremovedthestocksfromSkatchandRamtish.Bothlookedupsetbytheirsuddenfreedom.

“Armthem?”Skatchsaid,repeatingCommanderTung’swords.

“Asin,‘fighttheRourans’?”Ramtishadded.Heshookhishead,tryingdesperatelytogetbackinthestocks.

Besidehim,Skatchdidthesame.“MightIsuggestalloptionsbeconsideredbeforeweembarkonsuchahastydecision?”hesaidtothesoldiers.

“Surelythereareotherwayswecanbeofservice,”Ramtishadded.“Infact,wecould??.??.??.”Hestruggledtothinkofsomething,anythingelsetheycoulddotohelp.“Cleanupthehorsepoop!”

“Yes!”Skatchsaid,jumpingontheidea.“Theoverabundanceofmanureonthebattlefieldisanissuethat’sbeenpushedintotheshadowsforfartoolong—”

Mulancouldn’ttakeanymore.“Enough!”shesaid.Tohersurprise,bothmenquieted.“Youprotectedme.NowIhaveprotectedyou.”Shepulledouthersword.“Don’tmakemeregretit.”Turning,shewenttojointheothers.

Asshewalkedaway,shecouldfeelSkatch’sapprovingeyesonher.Shebitbackasmile.Theywereobnoxious,buttheywerenothorriblepeople.Theydidn’tdeservetodieinthestocks.Shehadsavedthemfromthat.Nowtheywouldjusthavetousetheirconnivingwaystomakesuretheydidn’tperishonthebattlefield.