The Last Victory

29. An Uncertain Future

"NO!" In disbelief, Master Storming Ox stared at the heap of rubble, where some embers were still glowing. "All the documents of the city!"
Master Croc had fished something out of the burnt pile of leaves that looked like a certificate. "My deed of ownership for my summer house. Now I have to sigh over everything to me again."
Shenmi didn't know what was going on and chuckled in amusement. She squeaked loudly as a charred piece of paper was blown by the wind next to her. The others stood there speechless and looked at the pile of ashes in the backyard.
"Well," Shen remarked dryly. "It will probably take a long time to recreate everything."
Master Ox stared at him angrily. "You damned...!"
"Well, well, well," the white peacock warned. "I'm not in a better position either. My city was also partially destroyed."
"Where do you want to stay then?" Po asked. "Especially with the children?"
He pointed to little Shenmi, who was lolling in Master Ox's arms. But before anyone could comment on it, Master Croc spoke up. "Buddy, I don't think, you're going to like to see or hear that now. But..."
The crocodile held a charred piece of parchment in front of the kung fu master. But apart from a seal of the city and a few signs on the edge, nothing could be deciphered on it. Still, the ox knew exactly what he was looking at.
Shen also seemed to have recognized the scrap of paper and grinned slightly. "I guess it would be the answer."
Master Ox took the parchment in his hoof and crushed it to dust.
"Oh no. It's still a long way from being resolved," he growled menacingly. "Just because your written conviction is gone doesn't mean that..."
"They are hatching!" Suddenly, the voice of the old goat called over to them. "Come quickly!"
Everyone hurried back to the guest residence as quickly as they could. There, not only one egg, but all three of them had a crack in the eggshell.
Xia was really excited. "What will it be? Will I have a sister more?"

"Well, one is better than none at all." Xia sounded a little disappointed, but she wasn't sad. Yin-Yu smiled slightly as she rubbed the other children dry.
"Three boys and one girl," Po counted. "From that point of view, it's not badly distributed, is it?"
Everyone looked at the chicks in the straw basket. Except Shenmi, who was still in Master Ox's arms. When Yin-Yu was finally done and looked at Shenmi's brothers.
"They're all brown and gray," Po said in astonishment.
"Their colors will come into their own later," the goat explained. "But he'll be like Sheng one day."
She pointed with the walking stick at a chick with white spots in its plumage.
Shen hadn't commented yet, but you could see, he was looking down on his offspring with pride. Finally, he came closer and stroked the boys' still fluffy heads. The chicks beeped softly. They were still quite tired from all the effort of hatching. Yin-Yu joined him and pressed against him. But then her gaze wandered to Master Ox.
"Master Thundering Ox?" She asked timidly.
The kung fu master raised his head in surprise.
"Can she go to her brothers?"
At first, Master Ox seemed to hesitate. But then he gave himself a jerk and put the white girl in the straw basket, where she was greeted with a squeak by her siblings.
The Furious Five stood with Po next to them and Tigress noticed how the panda nervously chewed on his fingernails. For a while no one said a word, until Po couldn't take the uncertainty any longer.
"What is it now?!" he cried.
Everyone looked at him in surprise, except for Master Ox, who knew exactly what he was talking about and snorted loudly. "Well, if it were up to me, I'd..."
"Then arrest me!" Shen countered. Yin-Yu hugged him, but that didn't exactly calm the white peacock. The old conflict from the past was still deeply burned into him.
The ox growled. "You think, I wouldn't be able to do that, would I?!"
Po feared the whole thing might escalate and took a protective stand in front of Shen and his family. "But, master. Without him, the city might have completely disappeared from the map."
"It would have been back then, too! And China at the same time!"
Po rubbed his fingertips together. "But that was in the past... Xiang destroyed all of these things here. Shen would never have come here voluntarily if he hadn't kidnapped his family..."
That made Shen angry. "Do you think, I was afraid of that guy?!"
Po swallowed. "I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that..."
"What's going on here?"
At that moment, King Wang entered the room. The panda breathed a sigh of relief and spread his arms. "Wang! How nice to see you!"
"Who is that?" Master Ox asked.
"My name is Wang. King of the Huns."
The King of the Huns bowed respectfully. Master Ox and Master Croc only hesitantly returned the greeting. When Wang caught sight of the chicks, he was initially completely confused. "Where do they come from?"
Shortly afterwards, everyone was talking wildly, but the king of the Huns had enough brains to piece together a report.
"How is that possible?" He asked in confusion.
Po shared his perplexity. "Perhaps one of the unsolved riddles of the universe... Just as now the question of what will happen."
He nodded his head between Master Ox and Lord Shen. King Wang understood the tricky situation and stood up.
"Well then," he began. "As I understand it, do you mean to condemn him despite his good work?"
The kung fu ox crossed his arms. "Even if he saved the whole world... I can't allow that..."
"That will be impossible," Wang interrupted.
"And why not?"
"Because the family is under my care."
That silenced Master Ox for the time being. Even Shen and Yin-Yu were surprised for a moment.
"And quite apart from that, master," Po tried again. "A trip would be too strenuous for the little ones. They have to rest for a while."
The goat smiled. "Well, it looks like they can't leave for the time being. In addition, Yin Yan City is still partially uninhabitable and has to be repaired first."
"In that case, we have to stay in Gongmen City until the city is rebuilt," Po said and doe-eyed. "Or do you really want to throw them out?"
Against so much "logic" not even the kung fu master could say anything. Despite he was reluctant to give asylum to his best friend's murderer. His gaze fell on Shenmi, who smiled and stretched her wings towards him.
"Well ..." he finally said. "It will probably take a while until we have cleared all the formalities in the city."
Master Croc sighed. "You probably meant it would take a long time."
Yin-Yu nodded sadly. "It's a shame about the destroyed city documents." She looked at Shen. "I'm sorry for this."
Shen raised his head. "Why this? Don't worry. Below the palace are still the most valuable documents of my family and of my ancestors."
He was amazed that he was talking about that. A long time ago he hadn't been interested in that. All he had in mind was the conquest of China. Now the family was in a different light. The desire to preserve something of the roots of the past and to plan for the future. But without weapons and war. He looked at his two older children. "Maybe I can show you the city of your ancestors as long as I can."
"At least what is left of it," Master Ox growled.
"In that case, we will leave as soon as possible," King Wang said. "My soldiers will lead Guo and the others away. We will follow as soon as Xiang is ready for transport."
"We'll slowly go home then, too," Po said.
"It was an honor to have worked with you, Dragon Warrior."
"Likewise."
Both bowed to each other.
"And if you ever pass the Valley of Peace again, you are always welcome there."
"I may take you up on that later." With these words, he said goodbye and Wang went out. But Xia ran after him and caught up with him at the exit.
"Does he really have to stay in the city?" Xia asked. "Can't you take him with you right away?"
The king of the Huns looked at the young peahen in surprise. "Just for a few days at least. I know, you don't like it, but we all have our limits of judging."
He bowed, then walked away. Xia looked after him bitterly.
"Don't you think, he has atoned enough?"
She turned around in surprise. Sheng had followed her and stepped closer to her.
The girl's eyes darkened. "He will never atone enough."
Sheng narrowed his eyes. But he didn't want to ask any further questions and left his sister alone.