Mulan · chapter 8 of 10
The Emperor's Reward
皇帝的礼物
The war is won, and the emperor offers General Hua high office and great riches. Mulan wants something else entirely.
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Read what you hear
- Narrator 战争结束了。木兰和李大哥骑着马，来到了京城。
Zhànzhēng jiéshù le. Mùlán hé Lǐ dàgē qízhe mǎ, lái dào le jīngchéng.
The war was over. Mulan and Captain Li rode to the capital.
- Captain Li 这就是皇帝住的地方？又大又亮，都是红的，金的！
Zhè jiù shì huángdì zhù de dìfang? Yòu dà yòu liàng, dōu shì hóng de, jīn de!
So this is where the emperor lives? It's so big and bright, all red and gold!
- Mulan 李大哥，小声点儿。
Lǐ dàgē, xiǎoshēng diǎnr.
Captain Li, keep your voice down.
- Captain Li 花将军，你说，皇帝会给你什么？大官？还是很多很多钱？
Huā jiāngjūn, nǐ shuō, huángdì huì gěi nǐ shénme? Dà guān? Háishi hěn duō hěn duō qián?
General Hua, what do you think the emperor will give you? A high post? Or piles and piles of money?
- Mulan 做官，很多钱……可是，我想要的不是这些。
Zuò guān, hěn duō qián… kěshì, wǒ xiǎng yào de bú shì zhèxiē.
A post, piles of money… But that's not what I want.
- Narrator 木兰一个人走了进去，跪在皇帝面前，低下了头。
Mùlán yí gè rén zǒu le jìnqù, guì zài huángdì miànqián, dī xià le tóu.
Mulan went in alone, knelt before the emperor, and bowed her head.
- The Emperor 花将军，你打仗打了十二年，是我最好的将军。
Huā jiāngjūn, nǐ dǎzhàng dǎ le shí'èr nián, shì wǒ zuì hǎo de jiāngjūn.
General Hua, you have fought for twelve years. You are my finest general.
- The Emperor 你想要什么？我让你做大官，给你很多很多钱！
Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme? Wǒ ràng nǐ zuò dà guān, gěi nǐ hěn duō hěn duō qián!
What do you wish for? I will make you a high official and give you great riches!
- Mulan 谢谢您。可是，我不想做官。
Xièxie nín. Kěshì, wǒ bù xiǎng zuò guān.
Thank you, Your Majesty. But I don't wish to be an official.
- The Emperor 不想做官？那……你要钱吗？金子？大房子？
Bù xiǎng zuò guān? Nà… nǐ yào qián ma? Jīnzi? Dà fángzi?
You don't want a post? Then… money? Gold? A grand house?
- Mulan 我也不要。
Wǒ yě bú yào.
I don't want those either.
- The Emperor 那你要什么？
Nà nǐ yào shénme?
Then what do you want?
- Mulan 请给我一匹快马，能跑千里的快马，送我回故乡。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yì pǐ kuài mǎ, néng pǎo qiān lǐ de kuài mǎ, sòng wǒ huí gùxiāng.
Please give me a fast horse, one that can run a thousand miles, to carry me home.
- Mulan 我离开家十二年了。爸爸妈妈老了，我想回家看看他们。
Wǒ líkāi jiā shí'èr nián le. Bàba māma lǎo le, wǒ xiǎng huí jiā kànkan tāmen.
I've been away from home for twelve years. My parents are old, and I want to go home and see them.
- The Emperor 十二年……好！给花将军最快的马！
Shí'èr nián… hǎo! Gěi Huā jiāngjūn zuì kuài de mǎ!
Twelve years… Very well! Give General Hua our fastest horse!
- The Emperor 花将军，你真是一个好儿子。
Huā jiāngjūn, nǐ zhēn shì yí gè hǎo érzi.
General Hua, you are a truly good son.
- Mulan 好儿子？您不知道啊……
Hǎo érzi? Nín bù zhīdào a…
A good son? Oh, if only you knew…
- Narrator 木兰走了出来，李大哥还在门外等着。
Mùlán zǒu le chūlái, Lǐ dàgē hái zài mén wài děngzhe.
When Mulan came out, Captain Li was still waiting outside the gate.
- Captain Li 怎么样？皇帝给了你什么？
Zěnmeyàng? Huángdì gěi le nǐ shénme?
Well? What did the emperor give you?
- Mulan 一匹马。
Yì pǐ mǎ.
A horse.
- Captain Li 什么？！不做官，也不要钱，就要一匹马？
Shénme?! Bú zuò guān, yě bú yào qián, jiù yào yì pǐ mǎ?
What?! No post, no money, just a horse?
- Mulan 对！跑得最快的马。李大哥，我要回家了！
Duì! Pǎo de zuì kuài de mǎ. Lǐ dàgē, wǒ yào huí jiā le!
That's right! The fastest horse there is. Captain Li, I'm going home!
- Captain Li 好！我送你回家！我倒要看看，你家里有什么好东西！
Hǎo! Wǒ sòng nǐ huí jiā! Wǒ dào yào kànkan, nǐ jiā lǐ yǒu shénme hǎo dōngxi!
Then I'm taking you home! I want to see what treasure you've got waiting there!
What changed in the story?
- What does the emperor first offer Mulan?
“我让你做大官，给你很多很多钱！”
- What does Mulan ask for instead?
“请给我一匹快马……送我回故乡。”
- Why does Mulan want to go home?
“爸爸妈妈老了，我想回家看看他们。”
- Why does Mulan smile when the emperor calls her “a good son”?
“好儿子？您不知道啊……”
- How does Captain Li react to Mulan's reward?
“不做官，也不要钱，就要一匹马？”