13
ss. Her shoulders sagged. What had she expected? For Honghui to suddenly ive her for acting cold last night, just because she was now possibly walking to her doo
Keeping her head down, she de her way across the caground toward Coander Tung’s tent. While his rank afforded hinbsp; lavish sleeping quarters, the nder had kept his space sile and dest. As she entered, Mulan noticed that the furnishings were bare, and it appeared as if the sleeping platfornbsp; had never been used. Coander Tung was a soldier. Sleep would wait until after the battle had been won.
Sitting at his desk, the nder looked up as he heard Mulan approach. He gestured for her to e closer. Then, setting his writing utensil down, he put his hands flat on the desk. Mulan resisted the urge to run.
Finally, he spoke. “I’ve watched you, Hua Jun,” he began. “You train hard—your spirit is evident.” He paused, as though weighing his next words and their iact. “But sothing holds you back. It see??.??.??. you’ve been hiding sothing.”
Mulan felt her uth opening and closing like a fish on dry land. What did he an? What did he know? She stood there, unsure what to do. She feared that at any nt, soldiers would burst into the tent to drag her away in disgrace. “Coander??.??.??.” she started to say.
Unaware of the iact his words had had on her, the nder held up a hand for silence. “I sensed it the nt I t you. But now I anbsp; sure,” Coander Tung continued. “You see, I have a secret as well??.??.??.” The nder looked directly into Mulan’s eyes. “I know your father.” At Mulan’s surprised expression, Coander Tung nodded. “Hua Zhou and I fought together. He was a great soldier. In you, Hua Jun, I see the shadow of his sword. Perhaps this shadow falls heavy on your shoulders.”
Bowing her head, Mulan dared not et the nder’s gaze. She didn’t want hinbsp; to see the etion that filled her face. He had no idea how true his words were, though they were not true for the reason he thought. Her father’s love, not his shadow, fell heavy on her. As did the truth she could not share.
Taking her silence for agreent, Coander Tung went on. “You can’t allow your father’s legacy to hold you back. You need to cultivate your gift.”
Gift?
Mulan looked up, confusion replacing her sadness. “Sir?” she asked.
“Your chi, Hua Jun,” Coander Tung answered. “It’s powerful. Why do you hide it?”
Once again, Mulan felt herself at a loss for words. Chi. The vital life force believed to flow through everyone. She had heard h
Keeping her head down, she de her way across the caground toward Coander Tung’s tent. While his rank afforded hinbsp; lavish sleeping quarters, the nder had kept his space sile and dest. As she entered, Mulan noticed that the furnishings were bare, and it appeared as if the sleeping platfornbsp; had never been used. Coander Tung was a soldier. Sleep would wait until after the battle had been won.
Sitting at his desk, the nder looked up as he heard Mulan approach. He gestured for her to e closer. Then, setting his writing utensil down, he put his hands flat on the desk. Mulan resisted the urge to run.
Finally, he spoke. “I’ve watched you, Hua Jun,” he began. “You train hard—your spirit is evident.” He paused, as though weighing his next words and their iact. “But sothing holds you back. It see??.??.??. you’ve been hiding sothing.”
Mulan felt her uth opening and closing like a fish on dry land. What did he an? What did he know? She stood there, unsure what to do. She feared that at any nt, soldiers would burst into the tent to drag her away in disgrace. “Coander??.??.??.” she started to say.
Unaware of the iact his words had had on her, the nder held up a hand for silence. “I sensed it the nt I t you. But now I anbsp; sure,” Coander Tung continued. “You see, I have a secret as well??.??.??.” The nder looked directly into Mulan’s eyes. “I know your father.” At Mulan’s surprised expression, Coander Tung nodded. “Hua Zhou and I fought together. He was a great soldier. In you, Hua Jun, I see the shadow of his sword. Perhaps this shadow falls heavy on your shoulders.”
Bowing her head, Mulan dared not et the nder’s gaze. She didn’t want hinbsp; to see the etion that filled her face. He had no idea how true his words were, though they were not true for the reason he thought. Her father’s love, not his shadow, fell heavy on her. As did the truth she could not share.
Taking her silence for agreent, Coander Tung went on. “You can’t allow your father’s legacy to hold you back. You need to cultivate your gift.”
Gift?
Mulan looked up, confusion replacing her sadness. “Sir?” she asked.
“Your chi, Hua Jun,” Coander Tung answered. “It’s powerful. Why do you hide it?”
Once again, Mulan felt herself at a loss for words. Chi. The vital life force believed to flow through everyone. She had heard h