The Last Honor

7. Travel start with obstacles

"... and for this reason, I will travel to Mendong City," Shen finished.
Now that everyone knew that he had received a letter, he had no choice but to inform the others of the message as well.
Now they were all standing in the lobby on the first floor of the palace and were deeply dismayed at the news.
"Has something happened to mom?" Jian asked worriedly.
Shen was silent. He had no knowledge about what was going on. How exactly could he answer a four-year-old child?
"Nah, don't worry," Po said and put a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "He just wants to see if everything is okay. I'm sure she's fine."
"If she is fine, why does he have to go to her?"
"Is mom ill?" Shenmi began, too, which Shen needed least of all now.
"Now listen!" He shouted. "It's no use in guessing."
He clapped his hands loudly. And it wasn't long before a gazelle appeared.
"Guard, you go to the harbor and reserve the best ship for me. The travel goes to Mendong City in northern China."
The guard nodded and left. Perhaps one of the others would have said something else, but Shen thwarted any further attempt at conversation.
"I'm going to pack my things now. And you, while I'm gone, you will wait here that long. I will send you a message later."
Po was about to open his mouth, but Shen turned away quickly and disappeared to the top floors.
The panda lowered his shoulders in disappointment.

Shen needed just a few minutes to pack his travel bag. Normally he had to think along for seven more people when he went on a trip, but since he was alone, collecting the important things went much, much faster.
"Shouldn't someone be with you?"
The white lord winced when the goat's voice suddenly appeared behind him. But he recovered again. It wasn't lost on him how much she emphasized the word "someone".
"No, I go alone."
With that, he grabbed another robe from the closet, stuffed it into the travel sack, and tied it up.
"Shen, you seem a little tired lately," the goat continued.
Shen let out an annoyed growl. "What are you trying to say?"
"I've known such weaknesses from you. As a child, you had..."
"Stop talking! There is nothing! I am fine!"
"That may be true, but if the worst comes to the worst, I think you should have someone with you..."
"I don't need anyone to take care of me!"
"But you should take him with you."
"Who?"
"You know who I mean."
"Absolutely out of the question!"
"That wouldn't be your first travel together..."
"The last time was the last time!"
"And what if something happens on the way?"
Shen glared at the old goat. "I've been on my own for over 20 years! In case you forgot. And I managed to put together my own army. Inclusive of countless weapons..."
"And in the end, you failed with everything. Even more could have happened if someone hadn't stood by your side."
"For the last time, he won't come with me on the journey!"
The soothsayer turned away with her head bowed. "Then I won't close an eye. Every night. Then I'm overtired and can't take good care of the children anymore." She covered her face with a hoof. "I just hope that you can sleep well with the thought of not being around your children."
She was about to leave the room. Shen had become thoughtful. Of course, he didn't like the idea of leaving his offspring unattended. But Yin-Yu was not unimportant to him either. He quickly grabbed the goat by the dress.
"Then I'll put together an army!" He said resolutely.
"My friends and I could take care of them, too."
The peacock looked up in surprise. Po was standing in the doorway of the room and tapped his fingertips when the lord looked at him so indignantly.
"Uh, I mean, they're good baby... uh... child sitters, when it comes to the point. Maybe they could teach them some Kung Fu tricks, too. For example, the kicks of the tiger, the agility of the snake, the speed of the monkey... And together with the two great masters, they will be safer than anywhere else in the world."
"The masters?"
Shen had almost forgotten them and the conflict with Master Ox flared up again in him. The thought of that this horned master continuing to put nonsense in his daughter's head made his stomach turn.
"Shen?" The goat's voice pulled him out of his gloomy brooding. "No matter what happens here, but your wife is more important right now. I'll take care that he doesn't talk to her a lot."
She smiled at him, but this could calm Shen just half way. On the other hand, until now she had always kept a promise.
"Alright," he said finally. "If you promise me that..."
With that, he grabbed his travel bag and pulled it.
But the goat's throat cleaning prevented him from leaving the room. With a deep sigh, he had to stop and took a long breath before he raised his wing and pointed at the panda.
"Panda."
Po looked up. "What is it?"
"You will..." He struggled with himself to speak out the next words. "... will accompany me."
Po stood there for a moment like paralyzed. But then he seemed to get it. He jerked his hands up and jumped up and down. "WOOOHO! I have a mission! I have a mission!"
In a flash he rushed past the dejected lord to convey the good news to his friends. Shen let out a deep sigh. He could only hope the day wouldn't get any worse.