Aladdin glanced at Mulan. His expression was firm, without the slightest hint of emotion. He withdrew his gaze and refocused it on the Emperor.
"It is beyond my power to interfere in how you handle your nation and treat your citizens. However, she provided tremendous help in rescuing her fellow soldiers and also winning the war against the Huns... I don't know if she has told you this. If she has, I hope that the Emperor can be lenient on her."
The Emperor of China flicked his gaze to Mulan once more. He refocused on Aladdin and nodded.
"Fa Ping... Or should I say, Fa Mulan, has only just revealed her true identity to us. We were about to verify it before your arrival. We still haven't yet decided her punishment. Although her merits on the battlefield are outstanding, if we overlook the rules she has broken, wouldn't that set a precedent across the Empire that rules are meant to be broken as long as one has achieved significant merits?"
"True. But there are always exceptions to the rules, and I think this should count as one. Unless the Emperor knows any other woman in China capable of infiltrating the Huns' camp and facing the Metal Men head-on," Aladdin replied.
A still silence settled upon the hall.
It was neither heavy nor solemn, but carried a tinge of anticipation that settled on the chest of everyone present. Their gazes settled on the Emperor, awaiting his response.
Mulan held her breath, clenching her clothing. Her head was still lowered to the ground, but she could hear the conversation from the centre of the hall. Her gaze burned with so much emotion that it seemed as though it could pierce through the earth.
After listening to Aladdin's explanation, she realised that this was the secret he had been hiding from her.
A small, self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips. She couldn't even blame him for hiding it. It was too heavy for her to bear. If she had known that he was an Emperor who had lowered his status just so he could save their nation from destruction while he hunted down the witch, would she have dared to continue addressing him as someone close to her?
No, she wouldn't!
Suddenly, another thought slammed into her mind.
If Aladdin was an Emperor, didn't that mean that his wife was an Empress?
Mulan's eyes shook as a ripple of emotions flowed through them.
She realised that she had unknowingly been competing with an Empress for Aladdin's affection.
Still, at the same time, a sudden warmth flowed freely through her chest.
If Aladdin had revealed that secret to her at that same time, would she have had the courage to confess her emotions?
No! Mulan was certain that she wouldn't.
Most of all, she didn't regret confessing her feelings to Aladdin.
Mulan breathed a sigh of relief as she patiently awaited the Emperor of China's response.
The Emperor of China burst into a soft peal of laughter, breaking the silence.
"Hahahahaa..... I like the way you reason, Emperor Ali Ababwa."
He flicked his long beard gently.
"To be honest, I had no intention of punishing Mulan after it was confirmed that she was indeed a woman."
"You didn't?" Aladdin asked, his expression filled with surprise.
He was acting. From the movie, he knew that the Emperor was the first person to acknowledge Mulan beyond her gender, by her accomplishments. The other person was Shan Yu.
The Emperor of China nodded. "Yes... Hoho ho... How could I punish such a woman? Heaven will surely strike China with retribution if I do. In fact, I plan on making her a member of my council." He smirked.
The hall was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
Li Shang was the first to react to this revelation. His shoulders dropped as the tension around his arms loosened. He sighed in relief.
A smile slowly brightened on his face. He glanced at his father, seated in the other seat beside him.
General Li met his gaze and nodded, releasing a sigh of relief as well.
This meant that the Emperor had completely erased any suspicions of them rebelling against the Empire, and Mulan was free from any punishment. Knowing the kind of man the Emperor was, they realised that he had truly been joking.
But to joke at such a serious meeting? Perhaps only the Emperor had such authority.
The rest of the Captains and officials seated in the room all sighed in relief as well.
"It seems I underestimated your foresight," Aladdin replied with a smile.
"Hohoho, you did... Nonetheless, I'm glad you had brought up the issue to me yourself. It shows that you truly have the best of our nation at heart. You have my thanks." The Emperor of China rose to his feet and bowed to Aladdin.
"Thank you for saving us, Emperor Ali Ababwa."
Witnessing this, all of the officials, from General Li to the Captains, rose and bowed towards Aladdin as well.
Aladdin reciprocated with a quiet nod.
After he was done, to everyone's surprise, the Emperor of China turned in Mulan's direction and bowed to her as well.
"Thank you for saving us, Mulan. You have our deepest gratitude."
The soldiers beside Mulan immediately fell to their knees and bowed their heads in her direction.
Stunned, Mulan stood frozen in her position, unsure about how to react.
The Emperor of China straightened his back. "You shouldn't stand there any longer. Come, sit with the other officials. I will ensure that you have a seat in my Council and that every inhabitant of China hears of the name Mulan and her heroic acts for China."
Mulan wanted to wave her hand and reject the Emperor's acknowledgement. After all, the one who had provided the most help to China was Aladdin; he had saved her from death, rescued her comrades, and protected the Empire from the Metal Men and a witch.
To her, she had done nothing except tag along.
However, a single glance at the Emperor of China's stern and solemn expression sent a shiver down her spine. She felt she would be beheaded if she uttered a single word. She swallowed her words back down her throat.
As the Emperor and everyone else returned to their seats, the officials quickly prepared a seat for Mulan within a few minutes. Then, they guided her to her seat.
Mulan sat a distance opposite Li Shang and the other Imperial Captains. Upon meeting Li Shang's gaze, she nodded at him with a slight smile.
Li Shang turned his head, tightening his fist.
General Li and the Imperial Soldiers turned their gazes away as well. Their gazes were filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Mulan furrowed her brows in thought, then sighed in defeat.
Aladdin paid them no attention. He asked, "Now that we are done with that, I hope we can discuss forging a good alliance between our two kingdoms. You can have the gifts I have brought to China as a show of goodwill."
The Emperor of China shook his head. "No. You are too humble, Emperor Ali. The service you have rendered to my Empire is already enough of a gift."
He released a soft sigh. "I should be the one giving you gifts and hoping for an alliance with the Empire of Ababwa."
"I insist."
"I insist as well," the Emperor of China replied.
"I have already brought the gifts here. Ababwa doesn't take back its gifts."
"It seems I have no other choice but to receive these bountiful gifts that you have given me, then."
"You don't."
For a brief moment, both of them stared at each other silently, then burst into laughter.
The officials glanced at each other with furrowed brows as they watched the scene. Others shrugged their shoulders. They were not rulers like the two Emperors before them, so how could they decipher the contents of the joke behind their conversation?
They merely remained quiet, taking notes and responding when addressed by the Emperor of China.
Within three hours, a formal agreement had been made between the Empire of China and the Empire of Ababwa. Aladdin had promised to dispatch an envoy to China to conclude the alliance and formally invite the Citizens of China to Ababwa.
Normally, the journey to and fro between both Empires would be a long one without the aid of a flying magic Carpet, but Aladdin believed that he could figure out something with the Golden Key that Genie had given him.
It shouldn't be that difficult to establish a gate portal that could lead to Ababwa and back to China once activated. He also planned to do the same for Agrabah so he wouldn't have to be worried about leaving the Golden Key with Jasmine during his travels.
And just like that, Aladdin brought two Empires, both on the other side of entirely different regions, together, making it nearly possible for their inhabitants to unite under an alliance.
How did Aladdin feel during this time?
He enjoyed it. After plotting to ensure that Mulan and her companions survived through the new trajectory of their new fates, and worrying about the whereabouts of the mysterious witch that had cursed the Huns into Metal Men, speaking with another Emperor and finally making use of the lessons that he had learned from Rakim to establish a new relationship with China filled him with relief and confidence.
To be fair, the Emperor of China was also quite easygoing, making the entire process feel relaxing.
"That settles everything. Now why don't you take me to see this magic Carpet of yours?" the Emperor of China said. He gently patted his robe as he rose to his feet.
Aladdin nodded and rose as well. He turned towards Mulan and gestured for her to come forward.
Mulan caught sight of the gesture but hesitated. She stealthily glanced at the Emperor.
"Well, what are you waiting for? The Emperor of Ababwa is calling for you. Go ahead and answer him." The Emperor of China quickly ordered Mulan to follow Aladdin. His hand made a shooing gesture.
Mulan nodded and rose from her seat. She bowed to the Emperor of China, then walked towards Aladdin's side.
The guards led the way out of the throne hall, with the Emperor of China and Aladdin walking side by side.
The officials and Imperial soldiers stood behind them. They were all curious about the magic Carpet and couldn't wait to see for themselves if it was true.
Mulan kept glancing at Aladdin as they crossed through the corridor. She wanted to say something but held herself back, as though unsure of what to say.
Soon, they reached an empty courtyard.
"Is this suitable for our demonstration, Emperor Ali?" The Emperor of China asked Aladdin.
"Yes. We don't want to reveal the existence of magic to the general public yet unless we want to wreak havoc in the Capital City," Aladdin replied.
"I understand." The Emperor of China nodded solemnly in understanding. "So how do we summon this Magic Carpet of yours?"
Aladdin didn't respond. He whistled. He usually used his fingers just for the fun of it. But due to the day's events, he decided to wear an air of pure nobility.
The whistle shot through the air, amplified by Aladdin's magic.
Aladdin stopped whistling seconds later.
A brief silence settled around them.
The Emperor of China looked at Aladdin with a raised brow. Just as he was about to speak, a sharp whistle resonated from the sky.
They spotted a being advancing towards them with astonishing speed.
The soldiers tensed up, almost drawing their weapons.
Soon, the being or thing became clearer. In the blink of an eye, it arrived before them.
Despite the speed it used to approach them, capable of creating enough pressure to launch them back, because of Carpet's magical nature, only a calm breeze swept past them, causing their robes and attire to flutter.
A flying blue magic Carpet hovered quietly before them.
***
Someone asked for a schedule. I just checked the word count for this novel and realised that I've written over 176K words, and I'm yet to give you guys a release schedule.
It's three chapters a week. 2k words. It might go down to 1.5k when I'm feeling down, but that's about it.
My body collapsed from exhaustion.
P.S. I just learnt about Dysregulated nervous system. At least I now know what it feels like to be one of those main characters, trapped in their body as countless streams of thoughts pour into their mind.
No matter how long I lay on the bed, I never got too tired to sleep or too wired to remain awake. I was in the same state for several hours. I hate this feeling of constant weakness, but my body is not a machine. I need to rest.
I'm working on that!