Planning and Strategizing
Like a mystery that had lasted for decades, it was suddenly solved, leaving her bewildered and at a loss.
A-Qiu said, "Aunt Yao is indeed an unparalleled martial arts prodigy in the Sima family. If you had continued practicing the heavy sword, you would have achieved the same level of skill. After you switched to the Shangguan family halfway through your training..." She hesitated, then phrased her words more tactfully.
"When we met in the alley that day, you helped A Qiu escape with your sword. The master of Lanling Hall once criticized you, saying, 'What is this sword technique that is similar to Shangguan's but not quite?'"
This was precisely Wan Qiqing's comment when he first saw Sima Yao's swordsmanship; he clearly disagreed, implying that his attempt to imitate Sima Yao had failed miserably.
"I suspect that perhaps Shangguan swordsmanship is not suited to your natural talents."
So over the years, she has been practicing the Shangguan Sword Technique, but she has always struggled to make progress and has only ever become an average swordsman, unable to reach the pinnacle of martial arts.
This is completely different from what she had envisioned when she first entered the Shangguan family.
Upon hearing Sima Yao's wooden voice, A Qiu said, "So you mean that if my initial goal was to achieve mastery of the sword, then I shouldn't have gone through so much trouble to enter the Shangguan family in the first place."
Ah Qiu thought to herself, "That's exactly right." Based on her experience of seeing hundreds of divine weapons, each weapon has its specific properties, and some people's talents seem to be naturally compatible with a certain weapon. If they change their path, they can't unleash even half of their original strength.
But that's only in theory. In her entire life, the only case she'd ever seen with such a stark contrast was Sima Yao.
However, she said in a more tactful way, "Of course... that sword strike from the former Grand Secretary naturally strengthened your resolve. And your decision to abandon external influences and cultivate day and night after entering the Shangguan family is also an indispensable opportunity for your current achievements."
Her words weren't entirely without merit, but anyone with discerning eyes could hear the forced nature of them. Natural swordsmen like Sima Yao and Shangguan Yuqi would never give up practicing swordsmanship, no matter where they were, because forging a sword was forging a person; they had long regarded the way of the sword as the only path to self-realization.
Sima Yao did not hear her words. She looked at the night sky and murmured to herself, "So, he understood the reason from the beginning, but he did not stop me from being willful and insisting on marrying into the Shangguan family."
A-Qiu didn't hear her clearly and asked, "Him? Who is that?"
Sima Yao finally looked at her again and said, "Naturally, it is the Grand Secretary."
Sima Yao received a response shortly after issuing his final warning to his father, Sima Jun.
This time was different from the last. The previous proposal for her to become his apprentice ultimately dragged on without any resolution. Knowing that Shangguan Jin disagreed, Sima Jun, concerned for his reputation, didn't bring it up in front of his daughter. It was Emperor Wu, Sima Yan, who inadvertently informed Sima Yao of the outcome.
This time, it was her imperial brother, Sima Yan, who relayed the results to her.
Sima Yan summoned members of the imperial clan and relatives to the palace for a banquet, and when the banquet ended, he kept her behind alone.
He said with a sigh, "Yaoyao, among all my brothers and sisters, I originally thought you would stay with me the longest, but who would have thought that you would finally get married."
Her heart skipped a beat, knowing that there must be a reason behind his words and that something was definitely going on. So she said vaguely, "How could I get married without my brother's permission? It's all up to my brother's word."
Sima Yan looked at her with a half-smile and said, "You act so well in front of me, but I heard from my uncle that you threatened to kill yourself in front of him, insisting on marrying into the Shangguan family, which forced him to come to me for help and ask the Grand Secretary for a favor."
Upon hearing the words "Grand Secretary," Sima Yao was deeply shaken. In a moment of confusion, he immediately understood that Sima Jun could not reveal to anyone the pros and cons analysis he had given him, which had forced him into a series of defeats. Therefore, he used the most useful excuse for fathers throughout history: his daughter had threatened to kill herself, leaving him with no other choice but to beg His Majesty to grant his request.
But Sima Yao couldn't care less about any of that at the moment; all she cared about was the outcome.
She hesitated and asked, "Then... what did the Grand Secretary say?"
Sima Yan sighed and said, "He didn't immediately agree to my request at the time, only saying that he would go back and consider it. Yesterday, he gave me his reply."
He looked at Sima Yao again, and said hesitantly, "Yao Yao, are you really not going to reconsider? Do you really want to become a member of the Shangguan family, even if you have no children and descendants and die alone?"
Upon hearing this, Sima Yao calmed down.
Little did they know, this was exactly what she wanted.
One who is at peace finds no fault in the world.
She said softly but firmly, "Yaoyao, thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
Seeing her expression, Sima Yan knew that her mind was made up, and the thin veil between his brows finally began to dissipate. He smiled wryly and said, "Alright, if I can accomplish this for you and make you wish, then after so many years on the throne, I will have finally done one good thing."
Before Sima Yao could ponder the dejection in his words, he had already taken out a memorial from his sleeve and handed it to Sima Yao.
Sima Yao had never seen Shangguan Jin's handwriting before, but she recognized it almost immediately, as the entire piece was written by him.
Because the character of that calligraphy is very much like his own personality: rugged, aloof, rigorous, and self-disciplined.
The entire article is about her.
First, he praised Princess Langya for her beauty, talent, and excellent character. Then he went on to describe in detail the arrangements for her marriage into the Shangguan family.
Firstly, Princess Langya held a noble position, therefore, her destined partner had to be of high status. The chosen bride, as agreed upon within the Shangguan clan, was Shangguan Jin's uncle, and also the most senior member of the clan at present, the Duke of Huining, Shangguan Yi.
In this way, once Princess Langya enters the Shangguan family, she will be an elder of the entire clan, and no one will have the right to order her around.
Secondly, the clan also knew that Princess Langya's descent was to enter the forbidden area to learn swordsmanship, not for marital relations or to continue the family line. This was also the reason for her marriage to the elder Shangguan Yi: Shangguan Yi already had a wife and children, so there was no need for the princess to carry on the family line. If Princess Langya were to marry a young man of similar age and appearance, if he was incompetent, it would disgrace the princess; if he was a pillar of the family, her parents would surely want him to carry on the family line, making it impossible for either to be compatible.
Finally, here is the only negative aspect of this discussion.
Princess Langya, needing to enjoy the title and high seniority of the Shangguan family but not truly bearing the responsibilities of a wife, is left with only the option of becoming a concubine. Shangguan Yi's first wife is now of grandmotherly age in the clan, so it's impossible to divorce her. Moreover, her children are all grown up, of the same generation as Shangguan Jin, and are roughly the same age as Sima Yao's parents, so it's impossible for them to truly acknowledge her as their mother.
The final words were carefully chosen: "Your Majesty, I know this proposal is not perfect, nor will it fully satisfy you. However, once a daughter enters another's family, it is a matter of a hundred years, spanning generations. If we act willfully and forcefully, we may find temporary pleasure, but it will be difficult to achieve a good end. Therefore, I have come up with this inferior plan, hoping Your Majesty will consider it carefully."
Of course, it would be best if the princess dispelled this idea. The world is vast and boundless; there are plenty of suitable matches to be found. If one were to roam the world with a sword, there would be nowhere one could not go.
As she read, for some reason, her eyes began to well up with tears.
Although she was always careless and stood out in the Prince's mansion, she didn't understand the many intricate details of household affairs that this article dealt with, but she could still feel the meticulous care that leaped off the page.
It is said that she was a concubine, but in her entire life, no one had ever considered things for her in such detail and analyzed all the reasons so clearly, which made people feel his prudence.
Sima Yan carefully observed her expression and slowly said, "At first, I also felt that it was too unfair to make you, Yao Yao, a concubine of that old geezer from the Shangguan family, even if only in name. But looking at the reality without considering the name, I ultimately think that what the Grand Secretary said makes sense."
Sima Yao raised her head and looked at her elder brother in surprise, not expecting that Sima Yan would actually support Shangguan Jin's suggestion.
In truth, she was already more than willing. But ultimately, her marriage concerned the dignity of the royal family. After her reprimand, her father, Sima Jun, was no longer a threat. What she worried about most at this moment was the attitude of her elder brother, Sima Yan.
Sima Yan was even more arrogant than her. She was afraid that he would feel deeply humiliated, so in a fit of anger, she tore up the memorial, thus betraying Shangguan Jin's painstaking efforts.
Sima Yan suddenly closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and said, "As he said, we can certainly rely on our royal status to force any young man in his family to marry you, announce it to the world, and do our best to make the marriage respectable, grand, and a good match. But in the days to come, you will still have to spend your time alone in the Shangguan family. If you have no intention of being a wife and father children, you will be considered unvirtuous and immoral, and this family will never have a day of peace. They will also say that we are abusing our power."
He added, "While I am still with the Grand Secretary, and you, as a princess, can still keep him in check. But... who can say for sure what will happen in the future!"
He remained silent from then on, but Sima Yao was suddenly alarmed.
It turns out that Shangguan Jin's meticulous writing of household chores was not only to arrange her current marriage, but also to plan her future.
He was already familiar with her temperament and her aspirations, and knew that she came to learn swordsmanship, not to settle down and become a wife.
With her current illustrious status and youthful beauty, she could marry any of the Shangguan family men she wanted without any problem. Everyone would be vying to marry her, and they would even agree to the most demanding conditions.
But he deliberately arranged for her to marry an elderly man. This was so that, in case the Sima family's power waned, or in case he himself passed away, the Shangguan family would still treat her with courtesy and allow her to live a secluded life of quiet cultivation in the forbidden area, free from worldly strife.
The renowned Princess Langya, admiring Shangguan's swordsmanship, humbled herself and entered into the household as an old man's concubine. To outsiders, this might seem disrespectful to the Sima family, but it would bring honor to the entire Shangguan clan and become a legendary tale in their family history. This alone would ensure that, even a century later, the Shangguan clan would still regard her, despite having no blood relation, as an elder and treat her with respect.
This is what is meant by abandoning empty fame to attain the true essence.
A Qiu recalled how, when the powerful Lady Pei, Mu Huaying, proposed in court to exchange the former Princess Langya of the previous dynasty for a princess of the current dynasty and send her to the Northern Qiang for a marriage alliance, the usually moderate Shangguan You was furious and declared that since the Princess Langya had entered the Shangguan family, she was an elder of his family and he would never comply. He also recalled the attitude of many old ministers who dared not openly but secretly resented it. A Qiu couldn't help but admire Shangguan Jin's deep planning for Sima Yao back then.
If the normal procedure had been followed, and Sima Yao had been allowed to marry a suitable man from the Shangguan family, the Shangguan family would likely have been left with the infamous reputation of Sima Yao being unvirtuous, disrespectful to her parents-in-law, unserving to her husband, and childless.
If, after the fall of the Sima Dynasty, Sima Yao was an orphan, and the sons of the Shangguan family were mostly dissolute young men, it would be a question whether such a wicked woman should still be recorded in the family genealogy, or whether she should be removed from the register.
No one will speak up for her.
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