pertwk Chapter 119 Qi Heng's Confusion
Chapter 119 Qi Heng's Confusion
Chapter 119 Qi Heng's Confusion
Seeing that Zhuang Xuejiu insisted, Sheng Changbai thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed true, so he sat down.
"I believe that seniority is not as important as virtue. Everyone knows that Emperor Hui of Jin was a fool, but just because he was the eldest son, he was still allowed to succeed to the throne. This led to Jia Nanfeng's misrule and eventually triggered the War of the Eight Princes."
"He even uttered the infamous phrase, 'Why don't they eat meat porridge?' which will be remembered for eternity!" Mo Lan smiled.
"snort!"
Rulan snorted coldly, then suddenly remembered what Wang You had taught her before. Her face immediately put on a smile, and she said sweetly, "Fourth sister is right. It's just that there are only a few people in history like Emperor Hui of Jin."
If it is truly better to appoint the virtuous than the eldest son, why has the eldest son always been appointed throughout history?
My younger sister is slow and can't understand these things. Can you, fourth sister, help her understand?
"you--"
Mo Lan was furious at Ru Lan's smiling face, but she couldn't retaliate.
Although Rulan was refuting her words, her tone was very respectful to her older sister, and she seemed very sincere.
If she were to lash out, it would only make her seem petty.
Seeing his sister's discomfiture, Sheng Changfeng said, "Emperor Wu of Han was neither the eldest son nor the legitimate heir, yet he still inherited the throne. How many emperors throughout history can compare to him?"
Sheng Changbai countered, "Emperor Wu of Han was able to become the crown prince because his mother was first made empress, which is not a problem in terms of etiquette."
Qi Heng also spoke up: "Hu Hai was not the eldest son, which led to the Qin Dynasty's demise after only two generations. Emperor Yang of Sui was not the eldest son, which also led to the Sui Dynasty's demise after only two generations."
"Then Emperor Taizong of Tang was not the eldest son, yet he founded the Zhenguan Era of Prosperity, didn't he?" Sheng Changfeng immediately retorted.
The group started arguing, no longer caring about the sensitive nature of the topic.
He cited examples of emperors throughout history to refute the other party.
Wang You shook his head slightly; the examples these people put forward were all untenable.
Hu Hai was able to ascend the throne only because Zhao Gao and Li Si altered the imperial edict.
Before Emperor Yang of Sui became the crown prince, his elder brother had already been deposed.
According to the primogeniture system, with his elder brother deposed, Emperor Yang of Sui naturally became the first heir.
Therefore, Qi Heng's use of these examples to argue for the issue of establishing the eldest son or the most virtuous is actually problematic.
Li Shimin, on the other hand, killed Li Jiancheng first, and then succeeded to the throne after Li Yuan appointed him as the crown prince.
In other words, Li Shimin was already of legal age at that time, and although it was a rebellion, there was no problem with the rules of etiquette and law.
It is also inappropriate for Sheng Changfeng to list him as a representative of virtue.
Although they appeared to be debating the issue of choosing the eldest son or the most virtuous, they were actually influenced by their own backgrounds.
As the saying goes, your perspective is determined by your position.
Those who hold the title of eldest son naturally recognize and uphold the primogeniture system.
If you disagree or refute, then you are denying yourself.
Since Sheng Changfeng and Mo Lan were born out of wedlock, they naturally supported Li Xian even more.
"Cough cough—"
Seeing that everyone was arguing heatedly, Zhuang Xuejiu coughed twice to interrupt them and said, "Ziqian, Sixth Miss, I see that everyone else has spoken, but you two have not said a word. Why don't you also share your opinions?"
"pedant!"
Wang You rose and bowed, saying, "I believe that although the primogeniture system has its flaws, it is the best solution."
As the saying goes, you can know a person's face but not their heart. It's hard to judge whether someone is virtuous or not, but it's clear who the eldest son is.
If we, the maids and servants, were to say who is better, we would all side with our master.
If you ask them who is the legitimate son, who is the eldest son, and who is the illegitimate son, their answers will be the same.
Moreover, those who serve as ministers only need to fulfill their duties, avoid unnecessary disputes, and do their job well.
This line was copied from Minglan, but Wang You strongly agreed with this viewpoint.
In feudal society, the primogeniture system was considered the optimal solution.
This has been the practice throughout history. Unlike the Han people, nomadic peoples would separate their eldest sons and let the youngest son inherit the family business.
But when they entered the Central Plains, they also learned the Han people's system.
The inheritance system of nomadic peoples is actually the same as that of ordinary Han Chinese families.
When ordinary families have many children, and the older children marry and have more children, the family can no longer accommodate them all, so they will naturally move out.
In the end, only the youngest child will remain by their side, who will not only inherit more of the family business but also take care of their parents in their old age.
However, nomadic peoples are fundamentally different; they are tribal, and when a tribe grows large, it naturally splits up.
A portion of the population and livestock was given to the older sons, allowing them to form a new tribe.
This is somewhat similar to the Han Chinese system of enfeoffment, but the deeper reason for doing so is that large tribes on the grasslands could not survive.
Therefore, after entering the Central Plains, they had a fixed living area and naturally learned the ways of the Han people.
The Qing Dynasty was a special case. Although a secret edict was issued to designate an heir, there were also cases where a son who was not the eldest son of the legitimate wife was chosen.
But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the so-called secret edict is utterly meaningless.
The chosen heir apparent had been groomed long ago, and the emperor's choice was evident from the series of special treatments he received.
Doing this not only has no practical significance, but it also gives the other princes a glimmer of hope.
Even though they knew the emperor had already made his choice, they still harbored the illusion that the outcome was still uncertain.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Xuejiu smiled and nodded, saying, "Ziqian is right. The primogeniture system may have some drawbacks, but nothing in this world is perfect."
Every dynasty may have its problems and drawbacks, but one thing that all dynasties have been upholding must have been more beneficial than harmful.
"I won't talk about the girls, but you boys will all be entering officialdom in the future. What Ziqian just said will be very helpful to you!"
"Thank you for your teachings, Master. We will remember them!" everyone said in unison.
"Have a seat," Zhuang Xuejiu said, gesturing for the person to sit down.
When Minglan sat down, she glanced at Wang You.
What Wang You just said was exactly what she had thought.
Although she was a concubine's daughter, she still accepted the system of primogeniture.
Although Sheng favored Lin Xiaoniang, he devoted a lot of effort to his eldest son, Sheng Changbai.
Lin Xiaoniang dared to fight with Wang Daniangzi, but she never plotted against Sheng Changbai. Even Sheng Changfeng and Mo Lan never dared to contradict Sheng Changbai to his face.
If it weren't for the primogeniture system, Lin Xiaoniang would probably have already made her move on Sheng Changbai.
Sheng Changfeng wouldn't be so obedient in front of Sheng Changbai.
Of course, this is also largely due to the fact that she is a woman.
After all, she would definitely be the legal wife when she married, and her son would be the eldest son of the legitimate wife.
From this perspective, it is natural to support the eldest son's succession.
After the class ended, Minglan and Rulan left the school together.
"Haha, didn't you see how ugly her face was just now?" Rulan couldn't help but whisper in Minglan's ear as soon as she left the school.
"Fifth Sister really surprised me just now."
Minglan asked curiously, "Given Fifth Sister's usual personality, she wouldn't—"
At this point, Minglan didn't know how to describe it.
"Haha, my cousin taught me all of this."
Rulan said smugly, "My cousin said that as long as you speak to her in a low voice, keep smiling, and don't get angry no matter what she says, then she'll be the one who suffers."
"My cousin really knows people's hearts," Minglan exclaimed in amazement.
Often, it's actually Mo Lan who deliberately tries to provoke Ru Lan.
Ke Rulan's personality is just like Wang Da Niangzi's; they both like to count firecrackers, and they'll set them off at the slightest provocation.
If Mo Lan cannot anger Ru Lan, she will naturally feel bad.
The reason why Rulan was able to obey Wang You was actually quite simple: doing so would make Molan feel bad.
Ru Lan might not listen to other advice, but she would do anything to make Mo Lan suffer.
She understood all of this, but she couldn't tell Rulan.
There was no way around it; Rulan couldn't keep secrets. If she were to tell Rulan these things, Molan would find out sooner or later.
Therefore, although she had advised Rulan, she could only touch upon the point briefly.
But it's different when Wang You says these things. Even if Mo Lan knew, she would be helpless even if Wang You said them to her face.
The two sisters chatted and laughed all the way. After they finished relieving themselves, they returned to the courtyard where the school was located. As soon as they entered the side gate, they saw Qi Heng waiting by the artificial hill not far away.
"Greetings, Young Master!"
Rulan and Minglan quickly stopped chatting and bowed.
Qi Heng returned the greeting and said, "Fifth Sister, I have something I'd like to say to Sixth Sister alone."
Upon hearing this, Minglan immediately gave Rulan a meaningful look, but Rulan, being so carefree, didn't notice at all.
"OK."
After she finished speaking, she turned around to call her maid, only to see Minglan winking at her.
"Sixth Sister, what's wrong?"
"I'm fine."
Minglan curtsied to Qi Heng and said, "Young Master, it is inappropriate for a lone man and woman to have private contact. Please be mindful of your conduct."
After saying that, he pulled Rulan away.
Qi Heng opened his mouth as he watched Minglan and Rulan leave, but ultimately remained silent, watching them go with a somber expression.
He had been thinking about it for the past few days since Wang You rejected him that day.
He had considered giving up, but he could never let go.
Today, he suddenly thought of a possibility: perhaps Minglan and Wang You's good relationship was simply because their families were related.
Moreover, he knew that Minglan often played with Wang You's sister.
Qi Heng felt that Minglan might not like Wang You, and worried that things might change if he waited too long, so he wanted to tell Minglan his feelings.
But Minglan didn't give him a chance to speak at all.
"Young Master, Young Master Wang is here," Buwei reminded him as he saw Wang You approaching.
Qi Heng snapped out of his daze, looked at Wang You who was approaching, and said in a hoarse voice, "Did you come here to laugh at me?"
"No."
Wang You shook his head and said, "I don't have many friends, and I don't want to lose you as a friend, so I came to enlighten you."
"Are you trying to wake me up?"
Qi Heng was taken aback, then sneered, "I'd like to hear how you're going to enlighten me."
Wang You didn't care about Qi Heng's attitude and said, "You don't actually like Sixth Sister."
Upon hearing this, Qi Heng's face revealed a hint of mockery, and he said, "You are not a fish, how can you know the joy of a fish?"
"Then tell me, what do you like about Sixth Sister?" Wang You countered.
"I--"
Qi Heng opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped himself from saying anything.
Because he suddenly realized that he really didn't know what he liked about Minglan.
Intelligence and talent?
Minglan had been hiding her true abilities and had never shown them.
As for appearance, although Minglan is beautiful, given his status, he has seen far too many beautiful women.
Among the women he had met, there were many more beautiful than Minglan.
"You were born into a noble family and were surrounded by praise from a young age. When you were studying at the Sheng family's school, your fourth and fifth sisters fought over you, while your sixth sister ignored you. This gave you the feeling that she was special, which led you to have the illusion that you liked her," Wang You said.
There's a saying that goes, "A beautiful appearance is a dime a dozen, but an interesting soul is one in a million."
But most people are just ordinary people who only pursue a beautiful appearance.
But Qi Heng had seen too many beauties and didn't care about them. Instead, he wanted to pursue interesting souls.
To put it bluntly, he was just tired of her. Minglan ignored him, which made him seem very special in her eyes.
It's like a rich man who thinks all the women who approach him are only after his money.
People who are used to eating delicacies will miss simple meals.
Qi Heng fell silent. He was just about to explain that Lan was special when Wang You cut him off.
"Furthermore, Princess Pingning has been extremely strict with you since childhood, and your behavior is a sign of rebellion!"
Wang You said, "Although you have been doing as Princess Pingning has told you, ask yourself honestly, do you like everything Princess Pingning has arranged for you?"
As mentioned earlier, Wang You did not believe that Qi Heng truly loved Minglan.
Minglan displayed her intelligence several times only after Qi Heng expressed his affection for her.
These are the things he could see in the Sheng family, and some of the things that happened in the Qi family also show that he had always lived under high pressure.
In the drama, Princess Pingning once executed a maid who had dressed up specially.
That maid was definitely not the first one, and Qi Heng couldn't possibly be unaware of it.
Qi Heng's insistence on marrying Minglan, and even his willingness to defy Princess Pingning for her sake, was more akin to a resistance against Princess Pingning's control over him.
Of course, this was only in the early stages; later on, Qi Heng likely truly fell in love with Minglan.
But Qi Heng at this moment definitely did not.
"Think about what I'm saying carefully!"
Wang You patted Qi Heng on the shoulder, then turned and left.
Qi Heng was in a daze, his mind constantly replaying Wang You's words.
He didn't return to the school until it was time for him to be reminded that class was about to start.
He was distracted throughout the entire class and left with Buwei after school.
A voice inside him told him that what Wang You said was all a lie, and that he genuinely loved Minglan.
But he couldn't help but wonder what he liked about Minglan.
Because Minglan is special?
What makes Minglan so special?
Qi Heng recalled that the reason he first paid attention to Minglan was because he was often bothered by Molan and Rulan.
Not only Mo Lan and Ru Lan, but also the girls of similar age that he met when he accompanied his mother to the Qi family or when he accompanied Princess Pingning to other families seemed to be similar to Mo Lan and Ru Lan.
However, they are relatively more reserved and not as direct as Mo Lan and Ru Lan.
Minglan was the first person he met who was about the same age as him, yet who looked down on him.
That's why he often couldn't help but pay attention to Minglan.
Over time, this attention seems to have become a habit.
When he realized that Minglan and Wang You's relationship was unusual, he suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
It felt like something of yours was about to be stolen.
Could it be that I only felt that Minglan was special because of the differences in her behavior compared to Rulan and Molan, rather than because I truly liked her?
Qi Heng's mind was in complete turmoil. He didn't even eat dinner that night, just lay in bed thinking.
I drifted off to sleep, and woke up the next day with a splitting headache.
Wang You wasn't sure if Qi Heng had listened to what he said, but he really didn't want to lose Qi Heng as a friend.
The next day, Qi Heng took sick leave and did not come to school. Sheng Changfeng suggested visiting Qi Heng after school, and Wang You agreed after some hesitation.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.