Mulanwasmiserable.Sittingonanuncomfortablestool,shetriednottomoveashermothergatheredherlongblackhairandtuggedandpulledthestrandsintosubmission.Mulanwincedasafewmoretangledstrandsgaveuptheirfightandwereyankedpainfullyfromherhead.

ShehadanticipatedtheprocessofmeetingtheMatchmakerwouldbeemotionallyexhausting,butshehadfailedtoconsiderthephysicaltollitwouldtakeonherbody.Ofcourseshecouldn’tjustarrivetobeinterviewedbytheesteemedMatchmakerinjustanyoldthing.No,no,no,hermotherhadsaid,disgustedbythemereideaofitwhenMulanhadmentionedit.“OnemustpresentherselftotheMatchmakerasshewouldtohersuitor—perfectly.Weallmustbeperfect.”Andthen,asifMulandidn’tknowitalready,hermotheradded,“Ourfamily’sfortunerestsonyou,Mulan.”

WhichwaswhyMulannowfoundherselfbeingmadeuptolooklikeaporcelaindoll.SatisfiedbythebunspiledhighonMulan’shead,Liturnedherattentiontoherdaughter’sface.Bowlshadbeenlaidoutonanearbytable,eachfilledwithdifferentpowdersandliquids.Dippingathickerbrushintothenearestbowl,Listirredthewhitepaste.Thenshebrusheditinsmooth,evenstrokesoverMulan’sface.Whenthegirl’sfacewascompletelycovered,Limovedontothenextbowl.YellowpowderwasblowngentlyontoMulan’sforehead,returningsomecolortoherfaceandmakingMulanwonderwhytheybotheredpaintingitbrightwhiteinthefirstplace.Butbeforeshecouldevenopenhermouthtoask,Liputdowntheyellowpowderandpickeduptheblueink.ThatwasaddedaboveMulan’seyes,becominglong,thin“eyebrows”thattiltedupattheendssothegirlseemedtobesmilingeventhoughhermouthwasstraight.RougewasaddedtoMulan’scheeks,redwaspaintedonherlips,andfinallyLipastedagoldenornamentbetweenherdaughter’seyes.

Herfaceaddressed,Mulanwaspulledoffthechairandforcedtostandwhilehermotherdressedher.Mulanremainedsilent,thoughshefeltmoreandmorelikescreaming.Hermotherhadn’tdressedhersinceshewasagirl.Shehadneverbeenforcedtowearfacepaintandherheadalreadyhurtfromthedozensofpinsshovedintoherhairtokeepthebunsinplace.Shefeltlikeadollhersisterwouldhaveplayedwithwhenshewasagirl.

Mulan’sgazeshiftedtothewindowonthefarwall.ThroughitshecouldseeBlackWindgrazing.Shewantedtoburstfreefromhermother’sgraspandrunoutside,leaponherhorse’sback,andraceoff.Butsheknewshecouldnot.Shehadmadeherpromiseandshewouldnotletherfamilydown—again.

“Look.”

Hermother’svoicestartledMulanandshebroughthergazebackintotheroom.Shegaspedasshesawherreflectioninthemirrorhermotherheldout.Thefacethatstaredbackwasthatofastranger.Herbody,wrappedinalilac-coloreddress,lookedstrange:curveswerevisiblethatwereusuallyhiddenunderlooseclothing.Gingerly,Mulanliftedherheadandtouchedthelotusflowercombhermotherhadplacedinherhair.Thecombwasoneofhermother’smostcherishedpossessions.Withoutsayinganything,LiwasremindingMulanjusthowimportanttodaywas.

Takingadeepbreath,Mulanheadedoutofthehouseandintothecourtyard.Herfatherstoodwaiting,alsoinhisownformalattire.Seeinghiseldestdaughter,hesmiled,butnotbeforeMulancaughtaflashofsadnessinhiseyes.Atleastshewasn’ttheonlyonewhofeltshewashidingherrealselfunderapileofmakeup.

AssoonasLiandXiujoinedthem,bothalsodressedupthoughneitherlookedquiteasexquisiteasMulan,thefamilybegantowalkthroughthevillage.Passingbypeopleshehadknownherentirelife,Mulanfelttheireyesonherandheardthesurprisedwhispersastheywalkedby.AlthoughMulanfeltunrecognizable,thevillagersseemedtorecognizehernonetheless.

Sensinghisdaughter’sdiscomfort,Zhousmiledwarmly.Hestoppedandlookedathisfamily.“Iamtrulyblessedtobeinthepresenceofsuchenchantingwomen,”hesaid.“IhavenodoubtthattodaywillbeamomentousdayfortheHuafam—”

“Nevermindthat,”hiswifesaid,cuttinghimoff.“Wemustbeontime.”Toemphasizeherwords,sheresumedwalking,herpacequicker.

Behindher,Mulanstruggledtokeepup.Herdresswasmeanttolookpretty;itwasnotmeanttobejoggedin.Andherfeetwereboundintightanduncomfortableshoes.Shenearlytoppledoverandwouldhavehadhersisternotreachedoutandsteadiedher.Then,asifoncue,Mulan’sstomachgrowledloudly.

“I’mstarving,”shesaid,statingtheobvious.

Lirolledhereyesimpatiently.“Ihavealreadytoldyou—youcannoteat.Itwillruinyourmakeup.”“Thefiercestwinterstormcouldnotdestroythismakeup,”Mulanretortedunderherbreath.Turningtohersister,Mulansawthathermother’sanxietyhadrubbedoffonXiu.Theyoungergirlwaswringingherhandsnervously.“Xiu,”Mulansaid,tryingtolightenthemood.Shepointedtoherface.“WhatamIfeeling?”

Xiulookedather,hereyessearchingMulan’sfaceforanytraceofemotion.“Ihavenoidea,”shesaid.

“Exactly,”Mulananswered.“Thisismysadface.”Theexpressiononherpaintedfacedidnotchange.“Thisismycuriousface.”Stillnochange.“NowIamconfused.”Oncemore,herfaceremainedthesame.

Atlast,asmilebegantobreakoverXiu’sface.Mulansmiledback—eventhoughhersistercouldn’ttell.Shehatedtothinkthatthecauseofallthisanxietywasher,butsheknewthatwasthecase.IfithadbeenXiuonherwaytomeettheMatchmaker,Liwouldhavebeenpracticallyskipping.Xiugavehermotherandfamilynoreasontoworry.Mulangavehermotherandfamilyonlyreasontoworry.

Luckily,Mulandidn’thavetimetodwellonherinsufficiencies.TheyhadarrivedattheMatchmaker’shouse.LeavingZhoutowaitoutside,thewomenapproachedthefrontdoor.

Asbefitawomanofstatus,theMatchmaker’shousestoodalone.Thesideswerenewlypainted,andfreshflowersandherbsblossomedoneithersideofthedoor.TheMatchmakerwasoneofthemostimportantpeopleintheirsmallvillage.Itwasherconnectionsthatkepttheyoungladiesandmenmatchingand,inturn,thevillagethriving.Familiesspentagreatdealoftimetryingtoearnherapproval,asfavorfromtheMatchmakerinevitablymeantafavorablematch.

Despitetheconstantdotingandtheprivilegethatcamewithherposition,theMatchmakerwasameanandnastywoman.Whensheleftherhouse,whichwasn’toften,shealwaysworeafrownfullofjudgment.Mulanhad,onmorethanoneoccasion,turnedandwalkedtheotherwaywhenshesawtheMatchmakerinordertoavoidaglarefromthelargewoman.AndXiu,whenshewasyoungerandbeforesheknewbetter,hadonceremarkedhowitwasn’tfairthatsuchabeautifulhousehadsuchanuglyowner.

Butitdidn’tmatterifthewomanwasmeanandherfrownugly.SheheldMulan’sfutureinherhands.

TheMatchmaker,afterintroducingMulantoFongLin,themotherofherprospectivematch,noddedforeveryonetosit.Quickly,Mulanandherfamilysat.Foronelongmoment,silencefilledthesmallroomandMulanwishedthatshehadaragorsomethingtowipehersweatypalmson.Sheknewwhatshewassupposedtodo.Pourtea.ProvethatshewasworthyofFongLin’sson.Itseemedeasyintheory??.??.??.ifMulancouldstopherhandsfromshaking.

<i>

Becalm,

</i>

sheremindedherself.

<i>

RememberwhatXiutoldyou—picturedoingsomethingyoulike.Justgettheteainthecups.That’sallyouhavetodo.

</i>

Slowly,Mulanreachedoutahandandliftedthedelicateporcelainteapot.Asshebegantopourthesteamingliquidintotheequallydelicatecups—withoutspilling—shecouldalmosthearhermother’sshoulderssaginrelief.

Obviouslypleasedaswell,theMatchmakerbegantospeak.“Quiet.Demure.Graceful,”shelisted.“Thesearethequalitiesweseeinagoodwife.”ShepausedandlookeddirectlyatFongLin.Thewoman,whosequietjudgmentMulanhadfeltlikedaggers,didnotmoveamuscleorblink.HereyesboredintoMulan,watchingeverymovewithfierceattentiontodetail.“ThesearethequalitiesweseeinMulan.”

<i>

Becalm,

</i>

Mulanrepeatedtoherself.

<i>

Calm

</i>

.

<i>

Becalmeventhoughthiswomanseemsterribleandthereforeprobablyhasaterriblesonwhoisgoingtogiveyouthesameterriblelookeverytimeyoudosomethingyoushouldn’t,whichwillbealways

</i>

.

<i>

Becauseyouarenot,let’sfaceit,quiet,demure,orgraceful.

</i>

Stoppingherself,Mulanputtheteapotdownandmovedontothesugar.Shefelteveryone’seyesonherasshemovedaroundthetable,fromcuptocup.

“Theysay,”theMatchmakerwenton,notbotheredornonplussedbyFongLin’sblanklook,“thatwhenawifeservesherhusband,shemustbesilent.Shemustbeinvisible.”Shestopped.HereyesfocusedonMulan,lookingfortheslightesthintofatremor,thesmallestexhaleofbreath.Mulanwassilent.

Assheputafinalcubeofsugarintothelastcup,Mulanreturnedtoherseat.Shehaddoneit.Notadropspilled.Notamessmade.Still,shewouldn’tallowherselfthechancetosighinrelief.Notyet.

“TheFongfamilyhonorstheHuafamilywiththisexquisiteteaset,”theMatchmakerwenton,aglimmerofapprovalinhereyes.“AgiftfromtheImperialFamily.”