Advice and Counsel

By Morgana Ravenheart

A/N: I own nothing but the plot, Jen, Ling-Su, Fa Chung and Jen-Shu. The rest belongs to Disney. There will be no profit made from this story but reviews are welcome.

Yes, I know I said I wouldn't be posting but I felt bad and decided to give you a little Mulan/Shang one-shot

It was around midnight in the Fa family shrine when a blue-white mist appeared from which an old, wizened man formed.

"Cri-Kee; awaken," he said; tapping the incense tray with his cane, where a little bronze cricket coughed and shook itself awake.

"Cri-Kee; I need you to wake up Mushu. Mulan needs him," the ancient man told the gong-ringer.

"I don't want to wake the whole shrine; just Mushu. Tap him on the head or something," the man; Fa Chung said. Cri-Kee jumped up to the pedestal where a stone dragon slept and whacked him upside the head with his stick.

"OW! Cri-Kee; what did you do that for? You know the rules!" the little red dragon scolded his best friend.

"Mushu, Mulan needs you." Fa Chung said to the guardian.

"Say no more, old man; come on Cri-Kee!" Mushu said. His baby girl needed him and he would be there!


Mulan lie awake in her bed. It was the night before her wedding; the night before she would cease to be Fa Mulan, Heroine of China and become Li Mulan, the General's wife. Mulan sat up and looked into the mirror opposite her bed. She begun to sing softly:

"Who is that girl I see; staring straight back at me?

Why is my reflection someone I don't know?

Somehow I cannot hide who I am; though I've tried.

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

Mulan finished her song and lay back down; pulling the covers up around her.

What she really needed now was-

"So,my baby girl can't sleep, huh?"

-Mushu. Cri-Kee chirped something and Mulan heard Mushu slap him. "Of course she's nervous! She's getting hitched in the morning, fool!" he scolded the tiny cricket. Mulan smiled. Her guardian was always there for her.

"Mulan; do you love Shang?" Mushu asked. He was perched on Mulan's elbow; Cri-Kee on his shoulder

"Yes. With all my heart."

"Does Shang love you?"

"I'm sure he does with all his heart."

"So why the tears?" Mushu asked gently; flicking an escaped tear away.

"Because I'll lose you," Mulan said; sniffing.

"What? Baby girl, you know that'll never happen! We're a team, me you a Cri-Kee," Mushu said; scandalized.

"I guess so. But-"

"Who helped you into the training camp?"


"Who gave you a name?"


"Who helped you through your training?"


"Who made you breakfast?"


"Who stood guard while you took a bath?"


"Who bit Ling's butt for you?"


"Who helped you kill Shan-Yu?"


"Who stayed with you in the mountains when Shang found you were a woman?"



"Alright, I get it. We're a team," Mulan said; cutting off Mush's rant.

While Mulan seeked advice and counsel from Mushu; Shang seeked advice and counsel from is own guardian; Jen, a little blue dragon about the same height as Mushu.

"Baby boy; would you stop pacing? You're wearing a path into the floor!" Jen admonished. General Li Shang was nervous.

"Sorry, Jen. I'm just worried about tomorrow. I'm marrying Fa Mulan; Heroine of China. I'm not good enough for her," Shang told his guardian of his troubles.

"What? Baby boy, if anything; she ain't good enough for you- OW!"

"Don't say that, don't you dare say that! I'm nothing but a mere General-"

"A General in the Imperial Army!" Jen interjected

"-And she saved the Emperor. She saved us all," Shang finished.

"Whatever you say Shang. You get some sleep now." Jen said; defeated.


"I will never deserve Shang; Mushu. He's a General in the Imperial Army. I was a mere foot soldier," Mulan wailed quietly to her guardian.

"Hey, hey. Don't talk like that. You are the Heroine of China. He don't deserve you, baby girl." Mushu said.

"In the Imperial City, yes. In the village, no. Back there I'm the Heroine of China. Here I'm just Fa Zhou's dishonourable; disgraceful daughter, who brought shame upon her family. I will never deserve Shang." Mulan said dejectedly.

"Stop your worrying. You love Shang; Shang loves you. Get some sleep girl. You got a long day ahead of you," Mushu said. Mulan's eyelids drooped and closed as she settled herself in her dreams. Mushu curled up on the end of Mulan's bed and slept as well.


"Mulan!" Fa Li, Mulan's mother, called. Mulan groaned.

"Mulan!" Fa Li called again; slightly louder. Mulan groaned once again and rolled over.

"Mulan; You must wake; you need to get ready!" Fa Li said in effort to get her stubborn daughter up.

"Mama, I needn't do my chores straight away," Mulan mumbled sleepily.

"Not your chores, daughter, your wedding!" Fa Li told Mulan; whose eyes flew open. She was getting married today!

"Quickly, Mulan. You don't want to be late for Shang, do you?" Fa Li said; her eyes sparkling. Mulan jumped out of bed.

"Ay-Ya! Mama, quick!" Mulan yelled, rushing out of her bedroom.

Meanwhile, Shang was on his way to the bathing house when he was accosted by Yao, Ling and Chein-Po.

"Listen, Pretty boy. Mulan may be able to take care of herself but that don't mean we won't kick your butt if you hurt her," Yao said threateningly.

"Yeah. She might be Mulan now but she will always be Ping to us," Ling added.

"I am not a violent man, General. But I learned a thing or two in army training. You hurt Mulan and you answer to us." Chein-Po said.

"In other words: You break her heart, Pretty boy, and we break you dashingly handsome face," Yao translated; who spoke full 'Chein-Poish'.

Shang returned from his bath and dressed in his armour. It was time.

Mulan slipped her jewelled slippers onto her dainty feet and looked into the mirror. 'It's time' she thought.



"Captain Fa, General Li, what can I do for you?" the Emperor asked of his two best, most skilled soldiers. "Oh, and congratulations on your engagement," he added.

"Thank you, your majesty. We, uh, have a favour to ask," Mulan asked nervously. Shang squeezed her hand; an act which was not lost on the Emperor.

"Ask away, Lady Fa. I owe you for saving not only my life, but the life of China." The Emperor said.

"We, uh, were wondering if you would marry us? That is, to perform the ceremony?" Shang asked after he saw Mulan was too nervous to continue.

"Lady Fa, General Li! Such an honour… Yes, I shall marry you; my most faithful soldiers," the Emperor said, astounded that he had such a thing asked of him.

End Flashback


"Who here speaks for Fa Mulan?" the Emperor asked.

"I, Fa Li, Fa Mulan's mother speak for Fa Mulan," Fa Li said.

"And who here speaks for Li Shang?" "I, Fa Zhou, speak for Li Shang; who has neither father nor uncle to speak for him," Fa Zhou said.

"Then we may begin. Fa Mulan, do you promise to love, obey and perform your duties as a wife?" the Emperor asked of Mulan.

"I do."

"Li Shang, do you promise to love, protect and perform your duties as a husband?"

"I do."

"I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride," the Emperor said, smiling.

Shang kissed Mulan with so much passion contained in the kiss that it left Mulan breathless.


One year on, Mulan and Shang were living with Mulan's parents and living happily. Mulan was currently in the bedroom with her mother, grandmother and the town midwife; who also happened to be her aunt.

"Push, Mulan, push! You're nearly there; the baby's crowning!" Aunt Ling-Su said.

"You can do this baby, you can do this!" Fa Li told her daughter.

"My baby girl; having her own baby!" Mushu whispered in Mulan's ear.

"Mushu! Get out of here! It should be Jen in here; not you!" Mulan scolded the tiny red dragon.

"Yeah, well, I'm your guardian!" Mushu said.

"Mulan, push! You're nearly there!" Aunt Ling-Su said. Mulan gritted her teeth. To her, this was worse than a training exercise. It felt like her body had been working non-stop for days; carrying water up a mountain. Mulan breathed a sigh of relief when she felt the baby leave her body.

"It's a beautiful baby girl," Aunt Ling-Su told her niece.

"Can I see Shang now?" Mulan asked as her aunt put the baby in her arms. She was exhausted.

"Of course, Mulan. Shall I call your father through as well?" Aunt Ling-Su said.

"No, Baba can see his granddaughter any time. Now I just want to see my husband," Mulan said and her aunt smiled.


Shang was waiting nervously outside his and Mulan's bedroom. Fa Zhou was waiting next to him.

"Calm down, my boy. You are wearing out the floor and your shoes!" Fa Zhou told his son-in-law.

"Sorry, Zhou. I'm just anxious. It is our first child and… I'm just worried for Mulan." Shang said to his father-in-law.

"Li Shang, you calm down this instant! Mushu is in there and your not helping!" Jen scolded the man she had protected since he was a boy. She was worried for Mulan as well; but Mushu could take care of it. If Jen knew her husband; Mushu would take her place if he could, that she knew.

"Shang? Mulan wants to see you," Ling-Su; the town midwife and Fa Li's sister called through.

Shang damn near flew into the bedroom; eager to see his wife and child.

"What is it? Is it healthy? Are you alright?" Shang's questions bubbled out of his mouth almost as quickly as he thought of them.

"We have a little daughter; yes she's healthy and yes, I'm fine," Mulan answered all of her husband's questions in one.

"A girl? Ping was a girl?" Shang said.

"You nicknamed our daughter Ping?"Mulan said and laughed.

"What do you want to name her?" Shang asked his wife.

"Everyone; meet Li Jen-Shu," Mulan announced. Shang smiled as Granny Fa, Fa Li, his mother Li Xeing, Ling-Su, Ting Ting, Su and Mei all rushed over to see the baby.

"You know; I hope she follows in her mother's footsteps," Shang said.

"What, dress up as a man and serve in the army?" Mulan joked.

"That is exactly what I meant," Shang laughed.

Mushu and Jen just stood in the corner with tears in their eyes. Jen-Shu had been named after the two dragons who kept her parents safe. Next to Jen-Shu's crib was a purple dragon; Jia was her guardian. Jen-Shu was the daughter of war heroes. Jia was the daughter of their guardians.


A/N: I don't actually know if anceint chinese wedding ceremonies are like that; I just kept it traditional, sort of. Anyway. That's it for this. I might feel sorry for you lot in the future and write another one-shot but for now; I bed you good bye.