Chapter Text
Coronations take up an entire day, so it was usually declared a holiday for the whole nation to celebrate. In the Imperial Palace, the official ceremony would be held in the morning, while in the evening a large banquet would be organised.
The sun hung low in the west, casting a beautiful bronze silhouette upon the outsides of the Imperial Palace.
Guests queued into the banquet hall one by one, their names announced by the eunuch standing at the entrance gate, each one of them accomplished civil or martial officers from across the country, offering their best greetings and gifts to the newly-crowned Emperor.
Upon the highest platform, Emperor Mei merely nodded along, accepting their offerings and just going through the motions at the moment.
The morning’s coronation ceremony had tired her more than sleepless nights studying ancient texts or grinding through tedious reports. She had woken up in the middle of the night due to the sheer nervousness of the coronation, and had done nothing productive at all while stewing in panic.
In the end, Mei decided to sneak out to Ting-Ting’s residential palace in order to find some comfort. Even though she must have woken up her elder sister at such an inconvenient time, Ting-Ting still soothed her and reassured her that she had two sisters who had her back no matter what.
In a few hours later, Mei would be called to dress up and fully present herself for the first time as the new Emperor in front of her people at the throne room.
Other than her sisters Ting-Ting and Su, the throne room was fully packed with important figures who would be crucial to Emperor Mei’s rule: the late General Li’s son Li Shang and his mentee Commander Tung Yong (who was promoted to General and again to Grand Commandant), Tung Yong’s smart and resourceful daughter Tung Jilan and his loyal right-hand-man Deputy Qiang, the Chancellor and his ambitious secretary Chen Honghui, the brotherly pair of ministers Mushu and Cricket, and the highly-regarded trio of captains Yao, Ling and Chien Po.
Emperor Mei long knew that a certain someone couldn’t make it to her coronation, but scanning through the crowd in front of her and confirming there was no sign of such person, it made her frown a little.
As Emperor Mei’s audience kowtowed to their new ruler and cheered: “Long live, long live, long live the Emperor!”, the ceremony has officially started. Chifu read out the previous Emperor’s last will for the whole court to hear, confirming Mei’s right to succeed and rule, before crowning Mei with the Emperor’s twelve-chained crown, the same one worn by her father.
They set off from the Imperial Palace, Emperor Mei boarding a heavy carriage that was completely guarded on all sides by soldiers, whereas Chifu, her sisters and all the officials trailed behind her on foot throughout the whole journey. The purpose of the trip was to pay respects and burn sacrificial offerings to her late father and to the heavens on top of a sacred hill in the outskirts of the capital.
The entire process had taken six hours. Knowing everyone must be tired, Emperor Mei dismissed the court for the day before returning to the Imperial Palace for a change of clothes for the evening banquet.
All in all, it was an exhausting day for her, and while it became second nature to her to pay attention to every single person in the room, she wasn’t exactly excited to see all of them as they all were to see her, at least based on their surface-level gestures towards her.
“General Fa Mulan has arrived!”
When the eunuch at the entrance gate announced that, a number of heads turned around towards the door, including Mei herself. The dangling chains of beads of her Emperor’s crown shook as she shifted her gaze, black eyes brightening up as they met the stunning look of Fa Mulan, the renowned female general who once saved her Emperor Father and all of China from the Huns.
Mulan came dressed spectacularly, donning a dark green outer robe embroidered with golden flower and fire patterns at the hems of the sleeves, collars and skirt, with two simple layers underneath showing red and white respectively. A red cape draped over the right side of her body, a metallic shoulder piece securing the cape over her right shoulder, a straight pin and small crown secured her topknot, and a jade tassel hung on her belt. Elegant, classy, but not too bold or flashy.
The colour combination looked good against Mulan’s skin complexion, and the long flowing robes, that looked to be made for men, seemed to fit her shorter but athletic stature very well. She was neither clad in any armour nor brought any sword, looking very much like a defenceless scholar, yet no one in the room doubted the aura she gave off was that of a battle-hardened warrior whose skill was not to be underestimated, humble but dignified, not demanding but earning their respect.
Mulan had never looked as handsome as this.
Once a lowly soldier famous for taking her father’s place in the army, now a war general, Mulan steadily walked towards the throne, the sound of boots hitting gleaming tiles crystal clear with purpose as Mulan got onto one knee and hit her left hand against her chest.
“This subject, Fa Mulan, greets Your High… Your Majesty the Fenghuang Emperor.”
Mulan lowered her head a little, feeling a drop of sweat forming on her forehead at her slip-up.
Following close behind her was her right-hand-man Longwei, dressed much less spectacular but no less important in Mulan’s eyes. He learned from Mulan’s mistake quickly, slotting his hands together and raising his arms above his head, bowing and giving the correct greeting. “This subject, Longwei, greets Your Majesty the Fenghuang Emperor.”
Mulan lost her right arm in one of the battles against the Gokturks, a rising power who had overtaken the Huns, so she couldn’t do the normal greeting salute for the Emperor which obviously required two hands.
Mulan’s own salute was quite similar to how the Huns or Gokturks greet their leaders, but they would usually use their right hand instead of their left, and they would ball their hand into a fist instead of opening their palm.
Mulan’s hand was open-palmed against her chest, she was sure of that, but the pregnant silence that followed almost made her worried until she heard:
“Greetings, Fa Mulan, Longwei. You may have a seat.”
Hearing that sweet, melodic voice, Mulan couldn’t resist the urge to raise her head and look up at the one who sat on the throne.
Mei. She was dressed as opulent as an Emperor could be. The mourning period for the previous Emperor wouldn’t end for the next three years, so Mei mustn’t wear too lavishly in respect for her late father, but still...
The Emperor’s twelve-chained crown was held high on her head, intricate golden hairpins piercing her large hair bun and coral beads hanging on her ears, layers of the finest fabric wrapping her precious-as-gold body in red, pink and yellow, makeup accentuating her round face, those bright red lipsticks…
As much as Mulan owed a great amount of gratitude to the previous Emperor for sparing her crimes and even praising her deeds although she was discovered to be not a man a long time ago, this was the Emperor she sincerely wanted to serve, the one she would willingly give her loyalty and devotion to in a heartbeat, the one she would die for if push comes to shove.
Mulan’s dreamy gaze at her must have looked too obvious to the other person, but rather than taking offence in it, Mei curled her lips further up and those large clear black eyes of hers were smiling back at her.
Seeing Mei’s expression, Mulan smiled back too.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Mulan let out a silent huff of relief as she stood up from her kneeling position. She went on to exchange pleasantries with the other two princesses, her friends, colleagues, old comrades, and some more people she was acquainted with before settling down at her designated table.
The military officials were gathered at the side of the banquet hall to the Emperor’s left. Mulan still couldn’t believe to this day she was getting a front row seat for the Emperor’s coronation banquet. Moreover, she was getting the third seat closest to the Emperor’s side.
The first two tables, to Mulan’s right, were taken up by Grand Commandant Tung Yong and General Li Shang respectively.
One was once her commanding officer and mentor while the other was her former captain and the son of the late General Li. For someone like her to be standing behind the two of the most incredible generals in terms of importance, any military officer with a shred of ambition would be envious of Mulan’s position.
Even Tung Yong’s right-hand-man, Deputy Qiang, had his table to Mulan’s left, one seat further away from the Emperor, and he was at least a decade ahead of her commanding armies on the frontlines than Mulan could possibly achieve in her lifetime.
Mulan looked over to the other side of the banquet hall where all the civil officials were seated. The first table was taken by the Chancellor, the second by an old comrade and friend Chen Honghui, and the third, just opposite Mulan, was Grand Commandant Tung’s daughter, Tung Jilan.
Mulan looked up to Tung Jilan a lot, admiring her intelligence, beauty and grace while facing much opposition from many men as a female scholar, whereas Jilan was inspired by Fa Mulan’s bravery and resilience in the first place to pursue her dreams, disguising herself as a man to take the exams required for any scholar-official to enter the Imperial court, coming out in first place, beating all the top contenders including Chen Honghui, before revealing her gender to everyone’s shock.
She was not allowed to participate in politics, but the previous Emperor had shown her grace and allowed her to pursue other academic interests, like history and literary arts, claiming her talent couldn’t be wasted. Who knew that the Emperor had other plans for her, because very soon he asked Jilan to tutor his daughter Mei in her studies, a hefty task which she accepted. With the coronation of Mei as the first female Emperor, her fate within the court might change once again, one that looked very hopeful for the female historian, poet and tutor.
When Jilan caught Mulan looking at her, she turned and waved a hand at her friend.
As Mei sat on top of the highest platform, her eyes kept following Mulan’s movements across the banquet hall until she heard a throat clearing. Her Emperor Father’s long-serving personal counsel Chifu made a glance at his ward, to which Emperor Mei gave a nod in response, before he clapped his hands, silencing the entire room.
“The Fenghuang Emperor thanks all of you for coming tonight. Now, let the banquet begin!”
Upon Chifu’s announcement, a huge lineup of palace maids entered the scene carrying trays of food and wine. Each table was served a total of three dishes, a bowl of rice and a jug of wine. Before long, a group of musicians and dancers streamed to the centre of the hall and began performing. The joyous music quickly lifted the mood of the banquet and the dance performance was vibrant and eye-catching.
Mulan thanked the maid who served her with a slight bow, then she took in the array of dishes on her table: steamed tofu, stirred fried vegetables, and stirred fried pork slices with onion, garlic and chives. They all had chilli toppings as well.
Mulan’s eyes widened a little in surprise. Her own mother had been cooking these types of dishes for dinner since she was young, and although Mulan was closer to her father than her mother, there was one thing the mother and daughter could agree on about food in opposition to Fa Zhou: chilli goes well on anything.
The food the Imperial Palace was serving at the Emperor’s coronation banquet was made exactly for Mulan’s taste. Figuring that this must be Emperor Mei’s doing, she was almost moved to tears. These dishes brought back memories of her childhood, and damn her if they didn’t look mouthwatering at all.
She grabbed the spoon with her left hand, leaving the chopsticks untouched and took a scoop of everything. Eating army rations for most of her career had made her crave for home-cooked food too much.
She relished in the smoothness of tofu, the chewiness of the stirred fried pork and the savouriness of its gravy that went well with rice. The stirred fried vegetables were a little harder to scoop up with a spoon. It would be easier to pick them up using chopsticks, but with a little expertise that came from experience and a little more strength to dig to the bottom of the plate, it was still doable.
Emperor Mei was also feasting the same set of dishes as the rest of her guests. She easily picked up her food piece by piece with her chopsticks before feeding it into her mouth without dirtying her lips.
In a coincidental moment, she turned her gaze towards the hall and saw Mulan trying to scoop up a piece of vegetable with some effort. A realisation quickly hit her: Mei had given specific orders to the Imperial kitchen to cook dishes that Mulan liked, given she was returning from a long journey from the northern border to the capital city, but she hadn’t considered whether Mulan might have any difficulty eating using one arm.
With an impulsive thought, she raised her hand to stop the dance performance and spoke, “Fa Mulan, this Emperor wants to call you over.”
The entire hall went silent, everyone turning their heads towards Mulan. Being confused and shocked, she blinked twice when she heard her name being called out by the Emperor. Nevertheless, she gulped down whatever she was halfway eating and got up from her seat, using her left arm to support herself. The dancers retreated to make way for Mulan to bow down in front of the Emperor at the centre of the hall.
“This subject is present, Your Majesty.”
“The journey from the northern border to the capital city takes 20 days. I know how hard it is to take leave from your duties and travel all the way here for my coronation. I owe you a thanks. Your absence during the morning’s coronation ceremony is forgiven.”
The Emperor’s words were formal but her tone was not cold. Mei was worried that Mulan might blame herself for not making it for the morning ceremony, knowing how much the other woman supported and believed in her with her heart and mind, and she hoped to dispel that with her words.
“The journey wasn’t difficult, Your Majesty,” Mulan answered in kind. “As the main general of the northern border, I must come to pay my respects to Your Majesty, no matter what.”
Hearing Mulan’s answer, Mei suddenly laughed.
“You have served tirelessly and loyally for eight years, sacrificing your arm while defending our borders. I remember in the past, you have also saved my Emperor Father’s life once from the Huns. The reason I myself and this country are still standing here is all thanks to you, Fa Mulan.”
An embarrassed blush crept up on Fa Mulan’s face and she instinctively bowed down her head to rebut, “Your Majesty, this subject can’t take Your Majesty’s compliments at all.”
“As your topmost indebtor, I would like to invite you to take the seat right next to me and eat together.”
Many jaws dropped as those words left Mei’s mouth. No one, even Mulan, could believe their ears.
Mulan nervously scrambled in her head for an answer, which eventually came out in a shy voice, “Your Majesty, this subject thinks it’s not necessary…”
Mei slammed her right arm against the armrest, commanding, “Come, set up a table next to me for Fa Mulan.”
Chifu was completely taken aback by the order, but seeing how insistent Mei was, he still passed on the Emperor’s instructions anyways, “What are you waiting for? Get a table up here right now!”
With quick work, two servants lifted a table to the highest platform where the Emperor sat, while another carried Mulan’s half-eaten dishes away. When they placed the table at a considerable distance from the Emperor’s table, Mei told them to move the table closer and closer and closer, until both table sides hit each other.
No matter what Mulan thought of it, the matter was already decided for her, so she had no choice but to accept.
“This subject follows Your Majesty’s wishes.”
Seeing everything was finished set up for her, Mulan threaded with careful steps up a set of stairs to the seat next to the Emperor.
The sound of gossip spread across the banquet hall, the other guests muttering amongst themselves the whole meaning of this.
Sitting amongst the crowd of civil officials, Mushu pointed at Mei and Mulan and asked, ‘what the hell is going on between the two of them’, to which Cricket just shrugged.
Longwei had his jaw dropped straight to the floor like he had never seen this coming after following Fa Mulan as her subordinate for so long.
Ting-Ting, who was struck speechless, asked Su if she was missing out on something, to which Su replied with, ‘ooo, they really are good friends’ with a smile that looked too wide, too innocent to not hide something behind it.
Yao grumbled about he would do anything to be in Mulan’s place right now, to which Ling repeated for the umpteenth time that realistically they do not have any chance with the princesses or the new Emperor, and then intentionally jab at Yao by saying, ‘at least I got a beautiful wife back home’. The two of them were about to get into a fight over the matter before Chien Po pulled them apart and tried to calm Yao down, but he said something about Ling being right which made Yao punch Chien Po back angrily, since Chien Po was the only one of the trio who actually got a chance with the princesses, specifically Su.
Grand Commandant Tung casually commented that it was fine and nothing seemed wrong since they were both women, a comment that made his daughter Jilan blink and glare at him as if he didn’t pick up on something so painfully obvious. Chen Honghui agreed with Commander Tung, carrying that smug smile of his, whereas Li Shang strongly disagreed, his temple veins already popping from annoyance at the smug man opposite him, the two men butting heads about who’s right and who’s wrong and starting a heated argument between them. Deputy Qiang exhaled a loud and tired sigh while dragging a hand down his exhausted face.
As for Chifu, what could he say as it was unfolding right in front of his eyes?
The only person with the privilege of sitting this close to the Emperor was the Empress herself. The last time he checked, Mei wasn’t legally binded to anyone at all. Now with the two of them sitting together combined with their matching red and green clothes, they were looking like a bride and groom getting married. And they were both women!
Once Fa Mulan settled at the table next to the Emperor, Mei suddenly asked, “Do you need my help?”
“What?”
Mulan blinked at her in confusion, but Mei didn’t notice at all, picking up the unused pair of chopsticks and vegetable dish from Mulan’s table to put a mouthful into her bowl of rice. Once she was done and realised that Mulan had been staring at her for a long while, Mei panicked a little that she might be doing too much for Mulan’s liking, but the other woman’s expression slowly softened and a small, affectionate smile appeared on her lips.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Hearing that, Mei released a sigh of relief. Just like that, the two ate together in harmony, Mei helping Mulan out occasionally, not talking much but surely enjoying each other’s company side by side.
Seeing the female Emperor and war general eating in silence, the rest of the guests also followed suit, the mood of the banquet hall quieting to a calm that couldn’t be disturbed by the occasional chatter. The dance performance from before proceeded as usual shortly after, taking away the guests’ attention from the couple sitting on the highest platform.
A second slew of palace maids entered to serve another three dishes: roasted lamb chops, a small steamed fish and a clear lotus root soup. Again, all three dishes had chilli toppings and were made for Mulan’s tastes.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t consider your arm, Fa Mulan, but I really hope you’re enjoying the dinner.” Mei suddenly mentioned before Mulan had the chance to dig in.
Mulan paused in her action, processing Mei’s words in her head. She could figure the hidden reason why Emperor Mei made her sit next to her, but she hadn’t expected such an explicit apology, not when Mei had more than made up for her supposed inconsideration. It took a while for Mulan to figure how to answer before she responded, “Your Majesty, did you tell the kitchen to add chilli toppings to every single dish?”
The teasing question caused a blush appear on Mei’s face. “Why are you stating the obvious?”
“It might be too obvious. It will give the impression that Your Majesty is the one who likes chilli, not me.”
“You don’t believe I can handle some spiciness?” Mei crossed her arms as she humoured her.
“Not at all, Your Majesty. But I also know you have always preferred sweet rather than spicy or savoury.”
“This is my coronation banquet. It’s not like anybody would dare to question this Emperor’s personal tastes.”
Mei answered with a casual confidence that almost put Mulan at ease. Almost. There was still one thing on Mulan’s mind that she needed to tell Mei.
“Your Majesty, you have never done things for me like this before.” Mulan said with a serious voice.
“What do you mean?” Mei turned her head towards her.
“Nothing, just…” Mulan moved a little closer to tell Mei, her voice a sincere whisper, “I want to give back to you the same way you did for me.”
Of course, it was in Mulan’s nature to try and repay others’ good deeds towards her as much as she could. Mei couldn’t be as considerate or selfless in the way Mulan naturally was. She was way better with words and gifts, but now she was trying to speak back in the language Mulan was familiar with, through acts of service and small thoughtful considerations that go a long way. Hearing Mulan’s appreciation and how the other woman wanted to do the same for her, Mei was never more determined to not disappoint Fa Mulan ever in this lifetime and the next.
As the dance performance continued on in the background, the palace maids came out for the third time to serve desserts, which were definitely more tailored to Mei’s tastes. Mulan diligently finished them off to repay Emperor Mei’s favour for making the main banquet dishes with her own taste in mind, and when Mei saw that, she suddenly had the realisation that she had never been more relaxed than at this moment.
Thinking back to Mulan’s words from earlier, after clearing the desserts, she quietly requested, “Mulan, can you do something for me?”
“What is it?”
Mei poured herself a cup of wine and held it in front of her companion.
“Can you keep an eye on me?”
Within seconds, an understanding sparked in Mulan’s eyes. She followed suit and presented her own cup of wine in front of Mei.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
With a metallic clink, they toasted and downed the wine in one go.
Almost right after, as expected, the guests took this as their cue to present their toast to the new Emperor one by one, wishing success and heaven’s favour upon the Fenghuang Emperor and blessing the country with peace and prosperity, well-wishes that Emperor Mei accepted. If there was a military official involved, Mulan would certainly join in as well to toast. Very quickly, the guests started moving around the banquet hall and gathered in their own cliques to exchange toasts and well wishes. A number of people got drunk really quickly and had to be sent home by their friends, while others decided to leave before they could drink too much.
As the night darkened by the hour, with only a quarter of the initial crowd left in the hall, Mei had managed to hold her own for the majority of the banquet.
“Your Majesty? Are you doing fine?”
Mulan moved her body around so that her left hand could steady Mei’s shoulder. Mei shook her head but the movement sprung a sudden ache in her forehead.
“Ugh! Headache…”
Between the two of them, Mulan was more likely the one who could hold her alcohol more, yet tonight Mei had to drink more than Mulan. Knowing she might not hold on any longer, Mulan casted her eyes to the other side of the high platform and called, “Chifu.”
Chifu turned around, finding the painful state Emperor Mei was in. When he faced Mulan, she only gave him a pleading look.
This was the man who particularly disliked Fa Mulan for a very long while. It was true that he never liked women when they were capable without a man’s assistance and didn’t abide by society’s norms, but it was also true that everything he did was for the sake of the Emperor he served and the order carefully preserved by the Emperor. When the Emperor eventually revealed his secret plan to him, a plan to make his daughter Mei the first female Emperor of the Middle Kingdom, since he had no sons, Chifu was horribly aghast, but the revelation made all the pieces fall into place in his own head, and he eventually accepted it, even vowed to protect Mei at all costs.
Chifu could only sigh at the scene and turned to the banquet audience to declare, “Her Majesty is already tired. The banquet is declared over. Everyone shall be dismissed.”
“Long live, long live, long live the Emperor!”
As the remaining guests started leaving the banquet hall, Ting-Ting and Su approached the Emperor’s table instead.
“Your Majesty, is everything alright?” Ting-Ting asked with concern.
“Your Highnesses…” Chifu was halfway greeting the two princesses before he was cut off by Fa Mulan.
“Nothing to worry about, Your Highnesses. Her Majesty must have drunk a little too much. This subject can take Her Majesty back to her personal residence to rest.”
Ting-Ting let out a small sigh, but she still said, “With you taking care of her, the both of us can be relieved, Fa Mulan.”
Chifu gasped when Ting-Ting thanked Fa Mulan and not him, even though he had been serving the royal family for decades.
“Thank you for helping us take care of her. We will have to take our leave now,” Su said.
Chifu gasped once again and pointed to himself, ‘what about me?’, but his voice was too quiet that no one else had heard him.
“Alright. May Your Highnesses have a safe journey,” Mulan wished the two princesses.
With that, Mulan stood up from her seat and asked, “Your Majesty, can you stand?”
Mei managed to stand up using just the table as support without Mulan’s help, but her legs wobbled a bit when she was fully on two legs. Mulan moved quickly to Mei’s right side and caught her back with her left arm, her hand slotting into the other’s armpit as support. With the way Mei’s arm immediately curled above Mulan’s right shoulder in response, it was a clear sign that Mei consciously knew that she had reached her limit and calling off the banquet was the right decision.
“Don’t let me go, Mulan.” Mei quietly pleaded as her head started to feel dizzy.
“I won’t.”
“You must stay with me.”
“Alright.”
Then, Mulan helped Mei walk a few steps before she paused in her tracks, turning her head towards Chifu and said, “Thank you for the trouble, Chifu.”
Chifu huffed annoyingly and turned his back away from Mulan. The woman couldn’t help but exhale a short sigh and continued on her mission to guide Mei back to her residential palace.
It was about a ten-minute walk from the banquet hall, and not a minute into it Mulan could feel Mei’s hand on her shoulder slumping away. Deciding that Mei was more likely to trip and fall to the ground while walking, Mulan decided to let go of her body to change positions and crouched down to lift Mei onto her back.
“Wha… What are you doing, Fa Mulan?!” The sudden motion surprised Mei.
“I’m piggybacking you.”
“But I’m too heavy!”
“My back is still intact, Your Majesty. I can definitely carry your weight.”
“But you lost your arm! I don’t want to burden you.”
Mei’s words made Mulan pause for a second, and she almost dropped Mei to the floor before she straightened herself and caught Mei on time. Mei was right: what’s the use of piggybacking if you don’t have two arms to carry the other person’s legs? But what actually caught Mulan by surprise was the part about not burdening her.
The way that, even drunk, cheeks puffier than normal and nose turning into an adorable red colour, Mei was still considerate towards Mulan.
“Your Majesty, being the Emperor is the greatest responsibility one could ever have in this world. You bear the greatest power yet also the greatest burden on your shoulders. I can’t imagine how it feels being in your place. You can never burden me, I promise.”
Mei seemed to be carefully taking in Mulan’s words, turning silent for a long moment. Mulan could never be as eloquent or refined in her speech as the Emperor herself but she had to try, hoping that her words would get through to Mei in a drunken state. For the second time, Mulan could feel Mei’s body slipping away from her grip that she caught again with a grunt. Carrying her more firmly, Mulan said:
“Your Majesty, can you wrap your legs around me? So that I won’t drop you.”
“Okay.”
Mei complied easily, wrapping her legs around Mulan’s stomach and also her arms around her neck. Finally feeling like Mei wouldn’t slip from her body, Mulan started taking steady, measured strides, careful to not make any sudden movement that might jolt Mei.
Finally, once they arrived at the Emperor’s personal residence, Emperor Mei’s stewardesses came rushing in to attend to their master. Fa Mulan explained Mei’s situation to them, and they immediately went to retrieve their master and took her to the bedroom while also giving Fa Mulan an extremely warm welcome.
After one of the stewardesses brought Mulan to a guest room equipped with a large bed, a wardrobe with clean sets of clothes, and a table with a fresh set of green tea prepared just for her (the stewardess claimed it was good for the body after drinking alcohol), Mulan decided to explore the Emperor’s residence and eventually found Mei’s own bedroom. The sliding door was open, showing the Emperor in her night clothes lying on the eight-step bed with her eyes closed and her long hair loose. A different stewardess was tucking a blanket over Mei, and her eyes met with Mulan’s when she turned around to leave.
“Her Majesty had fallen asleep, General Fa. Now is not the best time to disturb the master.” The stewardess quietly came up to Mulan and advised her in a hushed voice.
“How is Her Majesty doing?”
“There’s nothing to worry, General Fa. We just fed Her Majesty a bowl of sobering soup so that the master doesn’t have a headache when she wakes up. All that Her Majesty needs now is some good sleep.”
“I understand. I thank you all for the trouble.” Mulan thanked with a bow.
“It is our duty, General Fa.”
With that, the stewardess closed the sliding door of Emperor Mei’s bedroom and turned to leave. Mulan stayed behind staring at the closed door for a moment too long before she left as well with a sigh.
She shut the door when she returned to the guest room and dropped straight onto the bed without even changing out of her clothes. It was the softest bed Mulan had ever slept on, but even in the drowsy moments before she truly fell asleep, the last images that flashed through her mind were those bright red lipsticks, blushed cheeks and nose, and black eyes that smiled back at her.
