an acknowledgement of respect.
“Of all the millions of souls in Diyu, what luck you had to run into these three.” King Yama frowned at the Fa ghosts, particularly at Mei—who batted her eyelashes at him. “Now thank them and say goodbye. Be quick about it. I’m in a generous mood, but that doesn’t mean you can dawdle.”
“He really never does smile,” Mei muttered. She puckered her red lips into a pout, then faced Mulan. “It’s good to see you again, Ping…I mean, Mulan.” She slapped Mulan’s shoulder with a fan. “I knew you weren’t a boy.”
“I’m sorry for my deception,” Mulan replied. “But I had to…for Baba.”
“You should have told us.” Liwei wrinkled his nose, and for a moment, Mulan worried that he still was angry with her. Finally, he nodded. “But family is family. At least now I know you’re really one of us.”
“Family is family,” Mulan repeated with a smile. “Thank you, Honorable Ancestor Fa Liwei.”
“If you want to thank us, pray that we reach Heaven soon,” Mei added. “It’s been centuries since anyone’s included us in their prayers.”
“I will,” said Mulan, warmed by her ancestors’ acceptance. “I promise.”
With that, Mei and Liwei parted for Diyu again, but Ren lingered. The monk shuffled his feet, looking nervous as he approached Mulan.
“I paid off my debts thanks to you,” he said. “I knew you’d make it through the Chamber of Mirrors.”
“I’m glad.” She softened. “You were a great help to us, Ren. What will happen to you now?”
A beam brightened Ren’s face. “King Yama thinks I can make up for my past misdeeds in a new life.”
“Congratulations,” she said, truly happy for her ancestor. “Will you go soon?”
“I’ll wait in line at the Hall of Justice once I see you off. Might take a few days, or weeks. Good time to reflect.”
“On?”
Ren patted his head. “Let’s just say I wasn’t the most exemplary monk when I was alive. I wanted to be an actor, but my mother wouldn’t allow it. So I needed money to fund my own troupe, and I turned to gambling. When Mother found out, she sent me to the temple.”
“Let me guess—you didn’t stop once you became a monk?”
He cast her a sly grin. “I couldn’t help myself. I was kicked out of the monastery a few months before I died. But with hindsight, my bad habits helped me make a life here in Diyu.” Ren straightened, and a wave of calm washed over him. “And helped me stay here long enough to meet my descendant, Fa Mulan the hero.”
Mulan blushed. She still wasn’t used to being called a hero, especially not as her real self.
“I hope our paths cross again in the real world.” Ren folded his hands together, then stepped back until Languai caught his arm. He and the guard faded back into Diyu, and another ghost took their place at the end of the cavern.
“Father,” Mulan heard Shang gasp.
Sure enough, it was General Li. His chest swelled with pride, and he glowed even brighter than before; even his armor gleamed. He walked toward them slowly, never taking his eyes off his son until he had approached King Yama.
King Yama frowned. “So that’s where you’ve been,” he grumbled to the general. “My soldiers have been searching everywhere for you.”
General Li bowed to King Yama. “Your Majesty, my humblest apologies for evading your soldiers.”
“You trespassed into the mortal world,” King Yama said sternly. “That is forbidden. I should revoke my decision to send you to Heaven.”
“Please, Your Majesty,” said Mulan. “It was my fault. I offered to go.”
“I said I should,” huffed King Yama. “I didn’t say I would. I told you I’m in a generous mood.”
General Li hid a smile. “I am ready to ascend to Heaven. Only give me a last moment with my son.”
King Yama heaved a sigh. “Go. Go. Hurry before I change my mind.”
General Li bowed once more before addressing ShiShi, his former guardian. “Farewell, old friend. Watch over my son for me.”
ShiShi nodded once. He lowered his head before Mulan could see the tears forming at the edges of his round orange eyes.
General Li continued to Mulan. “And I must thank you as well, Ping. You look different than I remembered.”
Mulan looked up at the general nervously. “That is because I am not Ping,” she confessed. “My name is Mulan.”
General Li blinked, confused.
“She is Fa Zhou’s daughter,” ShiShi explained, before Mulan could do it herself. “She impersonated a man to serve in the Emperor’s army, and to spare