“Butithappensnow,”Xianniangsaid.ThoughshewasusingthewordstogoadMulan,therewaspaininhervoiceasshespoke,asifshedidn’twantthemtobetrue.Shetookastepforward.“Joinme.Wewilltakeourplacetogether.”

Mulanstaredatthewitch,hermindracing.B??riKhanhaddisappeared.Hehadracedaway,andhisarmyhadbeendefeated??.??.??.hadn’tit?

Suddenly,Mulanunderstoodwhatthewitchwassaying.B??riKhanwasn’tdefeated.Leavingtheotherstofallhadbeenpartofhisgreaterplan.Hisdisappearancewasnotaretreat.HewasgoingtogoaftertheEmperorhimself!

Shakingherhead,Mulanmetthewitch’sgaze.Sheliftedherchin,transformingbackintothesameconfidentwarriorwhohaddefeatedtheRouransonthebattlefieldonlyhoursbefore.“Iknowmyplace!”shesaid.“ItismydutytofightforthekingdomandprotecttheEmperor!”Thensheturnedandletoutapiercingwhistle.AsBlackWindracedover,sheleaptontohisback.Thesadnessanddespairshehadbeenfeelingonlyashorttimebeforewasreplacedwithawaveofdeterminationandanger.AngeratthethoughtthatB??riKhanmightsucceed.Angerthatthewitch’swordshad,forthesmallestofmoments,intriguedher.

YankingonBlackWind’sreins,Mulanlookedonemoretimeatthewitch.Xianniangstaredbackather,disappointmentinhereyes.Buttherewassomethingelsethere,too.Somethingthatalmostlookedlikeadmiration.

Withoutanotherword,Mulanbegantoridebackdownthemountain.ThePhoenixletoutaloudcryandflewintotheair,followingher.

“Theywillnotlistentoyou!”sheheardXianniangcalltoher.“Itwillalwaysbeaman’sarmy!”

ButMulandidn’tlookback.LetXianniangbelieveMulanwouldneverfindaplaceintheImperialArmy.Mulandidn’tcare.AllthatmatterednowwassavingtheEmperor.Andtodothat,sheneededtowarnCommanderTung.

“Whatisthemeaningofthis?”

SergeantQiang’svoiceboomedoutoverthecampasMulanracedintothemiddleofthegatheredsoldiers.Ignoringthesergeant’squestionandthecuriouslooksofthemen,sheleaptoffBlackWindandranovertoCommanderTung.Butseeinghissternexpression,Mulanslowedhersteps.Whenshereachedhim,shebowedlow.Then,lookingup,sheforcedherselftomeethiseyes.“CommanderTung,”shebegan.“WemustridetotheEmperor!Hislifeisindanger!”

Doubtfulmurmursbrokeoutacrossthecamp.Thesoldiersdidn’tbelieveher.Neither,itseemed,didCommanderTung.“B??riKhan’sarmyhasjustbeendecimated.TheEmperor’slifehasneverbeensafer.”

Mulanshookherhead.“That’swhatB??riKhanwantsyoutobelieve.Please??.??.??.”Shestoppedandlookedaroundforsupport.Seeingnothingbutcoldstares,shewenton.“Youhavetolistentome??.??.??.”

ThistimeitwasCommanderTungwhoshookhishead.“Onlyafoolishmanlistenstosomeonewhoseveryexistenceisalie.”

Hiswordshurtworsethanthewitch’sdagger.Apartofherwantedtoturnandslinkaway.Butifsheleftnow,everyonewouldbeindanger.Thekingdom’sfuturewasmoreimportantthanherownpride.Takingadeepbreath,shepressedon.“Atthebattle,B??riKhanrodeoffwithasmallfightingforce.Atfirst,Ithoughthewasacowardinretreat,butnowIrealizehewasheadingeasttowardstheImperialCity.”Shepausedtocatchherbreathbeforeplungingahead.“Thiswashisplanallalong.WhilethearmyisfocusedonhisattackstotheSilkRoad,B??riKhansneaksintothecapitaltokilltheEmperor!”

Shestopped.Herwordshungintheair.Shesawthesoldiersshiftontheirfeetastheyprocessedhernews.Afewnoddedtheirheads,realizingthatwhatMulansuggestedmadestrategicalsense.IftheEmperorthoughthewassafe,hewouldbeaneasytarget.MulanturnedbacktoCommanderTung.Shesawthestruggleonhisfaceashebalancedhisfeelingsofbetrayalandhisexperienceasacommander.Mulanknewthatthecommandersawthetruthinherwords.Shejusthadtogethimtolookbeyondherownlie.

“ThereisnotanarmyintheworldpowerfulenoughtotoppletheImperialCity,”Mulanwenton,herwordsrespectfulbutdirect.“Butperhapsasmall,well-trainedforcecould.Whenemployedcorrectly,fourouncescanmoveathousandpounds.”

CommanderTungpaused.HelookedatMulanandshecouldseehimsofteningeversoslightly.Shehadnotjustbeenasoldier.Shehadprovenherselftimeandtimeagain.Shehadbeenaperceptivestudent,awillingconscript,andabravewarrior.Hehadtoseethat.Hehadtoseepasthersinglemistake—nomatterhowbigitwas.

“YouwouldbelieveHuaJun!”avoicecalledout,shatteringthesilence.“WhydoyounotbelieveHuaMulan?”

Mulan’sheadwhippedaround.HereyesscannedthecrowdofsoldierswatchingherandCommanderTung.Tohersurprise,shesawthatthevoiceofsupportbelongedtoHonghui.Lookingrightather,henodded,andshecouldhaveswornshesawaglimmerinhiseye.Althoughitwasthesmallestofgestures,itwashugetoMulan.

“Sheriskedeverythingbyrevealinghertrueidentity,”Honghuiwenton,hisvoicegrowingstronger.“Sheisbraverthananymanhere.”Hestoppedandturnedtotheothersoldiers,daringthemtodefyhim.Daringthemtodisagree.

Watchinghim,Mulanpusheddownthelumpthatwasforminginherthroat.Despiteherbetrayal,Honghuiwasstandingupforher.Itwasmorethanshecouldhavehopedfor,andthewaveofgratitudethatwashedoverherwasimmense.Butitonlygrewastheothersoldiers,followingHonghui’slead,beganonebyonetocometoherdefense.“IbelieveHuaMulan!”onesaid.“Yes!”anotheradded.Mulan’sheartsoaredasCricket,Po,andevenYaoaddedtheirownvoicestothegrowingchorusofsupport.Theywerestandingbyher;evenwithoutherdisguise,theybelievedinher.

ButdidCommanderTung?

Mulanturnedbacktotheleader.Hisfacewasunmoving,hisexpressionimpossibletoread.Foralongmoment,theystoodfacetoface,neitherspeaking,neitherblinkingasaroundthemthesoldiers’criesdimmed.

“Bringmemysword,”CommanderTungsaid.AsSergeantQiangmovedtodoso,thegatheredsoldiersexchangednervousglances.Whatwasthecommandergoingtodo?Infrontofhim,Mulanbracedherself,preparedfortheworst.“HuaMulan,”CommanderTungbegan,addressingherbyherrealnameforthefirsttime.“Youractionshavebroughtdisgraceanddishonortothisregiment,tothiskingdom,andtoyourownfamily.”Hestopped.Whenhespokeagain,hisvoicewasfullofrespect.“Butyourloyaltyandyourbraveryarewithoutquestion.YouwillleadusasweridetotheImperialCity.”Turning,headdressedtheothersoldiers.“Readythehorses!”

Asthemenjumpedintoaction,fillingthevalleywiththesoundsofswords,Mulanstoodamongherfellowsoldiers.Shehadfeltpridewhenshemadeittothetopoftheshrine.Andshehadfeltpowerfulwhenshehadtrickedtheinvadingarmyandsenttheavalanchecareeningdownthemountainside.Butnoneofthatcomparedtowhatshefeltnow.ShewasgoingtosavetheEmperor.Andnotjustasasoldier,butasaleader—andasherself.