Girl?
Hua Mulan?
Didn't ancient styles of writing always write about men? Why are you writing a woman as the protagonist?
When Chen Mo and his fellow disciple brothers heard it, they sneered. Everyone else was dumbfounded. Their faces wore an expression of bewilderment and probably thought that Zhang Ye really was crazy. Not only did he want to compose a folk song poem on the spot, he was even going to use a woman as the main character? A story about getting married and teaching their children how to farm? What was there to write about?
"Tsiek tsiek and again tsiek tsiek,
Mulan weaves, facing the door. You don't hear the shuttle's sound,
You only hear Daughter's sighs."
When the first line was written, Su Na knew what she had to do. She walked and stood behind Zhang Ye. As he wrote another line, Su Na read it aloud so that everyone in the outer rows, who could not see, could hear it.
"Eh?"
"It's really about weaving and farming?"
"What's so interesting about the happenings of a household?"
"Quiet, don't disturb him. Let's keep watching on."
A few women and girls were discussing behind him.
Without any thought, Zhang Ye wrote word after word in a very fast fashion. His flicks were firm, as if he did not even need to think or conceptualize.
"They ask Daughter who's in her heart,
They ask Daughter who's on her mind. No one is in Daughter's heart. No one is on Daughter's mind. Last night I saw the draft posters,
The Khan is calling many troops,
The army list is in twelve scrolls,
On every scroll there's Father's name. Father has no grown-up son,
Mulan has no elder brother.
I want to buy a saddle and horse,
To serve in the army in Father’s place."
Chen Mo was stunned!
What?
Serve on her father's behalf?
Disguised as a man to serve in the army?
Everyone suddenly became quiet. No one spoke anymore!
Zhang Ye began to write even faster.
"In the East Market, she buys a spirited horse,
In the West Market, she buys a saddle,
In the South Market, she buys a bridle,
In the North Market, she buys a long whip. At dawn, she takes leave of Father and Mother,
In the evening she camps on the Yellow River's bank.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears the Yellow River's flowing water cry tsien tsien. At dawn, she takes leave of the Yellow River,
In the evening she arrives at Black Mountain.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears Mount Yen's nomad horses cry tsiu tsiu."
A slightly plump, middle-aged woman's eyes turned red.
A few other women, who had heard up to here, were also greatly touched!
What a pitiful girl! What a filial daughter! What a brave woman!
Upon reaching this point, Zhang Ye's brush suddenly turned sharply. It was as if the characters in his folk song poem were about to jump out with the change of his strokes. The atmosphere heated up.
"She goes ten thousand miles on the business of war,
She crosses passes and mountains like flying. Northern gusts carry the rattle of army pots,
Chilly light shines on iron armor. Generals die in a hundred battles,
Stout soldiers return after ten years. On her return she sees the Son of Heaven,
The Son of Heaven sits in the Splendid Hall. He gives out promotions in twelve ranks
And prizes of a hundred thousand and more. The Khan asks her what she desires.
“Mulan has no use for a minister's post.
I wish to ride a swift mount
To take me back to my home.”