“Stealing!Penay:death!”
SergeantQiang’svoicerangovertheparadegroundinthecenteroftheencampment.MorninghadspefartooquicklyforMulan’sliking.Shehadbeenawakenedbythesergeant’sloudvoicebillowingthroughthetent,orderingeveryoneoutsideforthemorningannouncements.Luckily,intherushthathadfollowed,Mulanhadbeenabletoslinkintotheshadowsofthetentanddress.Nowshestoodshouldertoshoulderwithhundredsofotherconscriptsandseasonedsoldiersasthesergeantbarkedalistofrulesandthepunishmentsforbreakingthem.Besidehim,CommanderTungstood,hiseyesmovingoverthemengatheredinfrontofhim.
“Desertion!”SergeantQiangwenton.“Penay:death!”
Themenlistened,theirfacessomber.EvenYaoknewnottojoke.
“Bringingwomenintocamporconsortingwithwomeninanyway,”thesergeantcontinued.“Penay:death!”
Mulanstruggledtokeepthepanicandfearfromherface.Shefeasthougheveryonewaslookingather,thoughsheknewthatwasnotthecase.Still,hearingSergeantQiang’swordsmadeherfearsfeehatmuchmorereal.Shehadknowntherewasapenayforwomeninthearmy,butdeath?Thatseemedabit??.??.??.aggressive.
Asifreadingherthoughts,SergeantQiangfinishedhisspeech.“Dishonesty?Penay??.??.??.”Hepaused,lettingthewordhangintheairforamomentbeforefinishing.“Expulsion!Disgrace.”
Theconscriptsgasped.
SergeantQiangnodded.“Disgraceforyou,disgraceforyourfamily,disgraceforyourvillage??.??.??.disgraceforyourcountry.”