#Zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tomorrowsdrama · 4 years

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So the costumes in rebel princess are obviously beautiful and incredibly detailed. But I love that the costuming also informs us about a character’s social standing and for some characters, their state of mind as well. Or in Song Huaien’s case, how far into the dark side he’s gone. He’s really the inspiration for this post. As I was re-watching some of the early episodes while waiting for the new subs (shhh, I know I’m unhealthily obsessed with this drama), I noticed not only how drastically his costuming/hair has changed, but also that he’s pretty much a mirror of whoever he chooses to follow at the moment. Cheng’s very own Single White Female without the obsessive craziness, if you will. Delusional? Sure. But not quite crazy.

But first, let’s talk about the clothing of the noble class. I’m sorry for this thesis that I’m going to inflict on everyone that no one asked for. I’ve joked about the long trains on Awu/the nobles’ clothing before, but it’s clear that they are a sign of high status and wealth. The higher ranked/wealthier you are, the longer your train is it seems. Also, just in general, the nobles’ outfits usually include an abundance/overflowing of luxe silky and billowy material. See:

And the nobles can afford to have such styles of clothing not just monetarily, but also lifestyle wise. To put it bluntly, the nobles don’t have to do shit in their lives so they can afford to drag long trains of expensive fabric back and forth in their huge manors/the palace. These clothes aren’t for functionality, but for beauty/showing off your wealth (whether intentionally or not). If they need to go anywhere, they have comfy carriages to travel in instead of walking long distances. If they need something? That’s what servants are for. I mean, just imagine how cumbersome it is to move around with such huge billowy sleeves and six feet of cloth dragging behind your ass. You don’t have to imagine, just look at this scene where Daddy Wang visits Prime Minister Wen in prison (oh, how I regret taking this time for granted and condemning Daddy Wang for imprisoning that old fool):

Look at how his train drags over the threshold of the prison door. Daddy Wang literally has to lift his train and throw it over a bench in order to sit down.

The higher your status, the less physical activity you have to partake in a.k.a. the more useless you are, so it should come as no surprise that the longest train I’ve seen so far in the drama belongs to none other than our Useless Mopey Teenager Zitan:

The clothing choices are pretty deliberate, because whenever a character needs to do something more than just sit around enjoying tea (or wine if you’re Awu), they are given clothes that are more practical for moving around. Like the outfit Awu wore when she chased after her dad:

It’s much shorter than her usual garb and she’s wearing simple black pants underneath which makes horse riding and chasing after a traitorous father much more manageable.

What’s interesting is seeing the opposite happen with Hu Yao. Hu Yao is usually in very practical and simple clothing since unlike the rest of the nobles in the capital, she has to fight against invaders and protect Cheng. But when she goes to meet our Emo Emperor Zitan, of course she has to be dressed up in a big frou frou dress that makes it hard to walk:

It highlights just how impractical this type of extravagant clothing is for any kind of life other than a noble’s. Hu Yao can barely walk without tripping over her own dress, let alone fight. Also what the hell is that giant bow?

Now let’s talk about Daddy Wang’s clothes. So before he gets exiled for attempting a coup, Daddy Wang was arguably the most powerful man in court. He was the head of the Wangs, the most influential noble family in Cheng. The past 10 empresses of the empire were daughters of the Wang clan, and his sister, the current empress, listened to whatever he said (for the most part). Also his nephew wass the crown prince and easily manipulated. He’s also wealthy AF so his status and wealth was apparent in his clothing.

Look at the sheen on that fabric and all that intricate embroidery work! But then of course, he gets exiled and understandably has to put on some more humble clothing:

Simple, unembellished clothing made of coarse fabric that can withstand moving through the fields and rough terrain while you covertly make your way towards your disappointment of a son. What really sticks out to me though, is his wardrobe choice after he reunites with the turnip. Instead of going back to the lavish and ornate clothing he used to wear, he opts for an understated gray and black outfit with no long train in sight:

Turnip obviously can afford to put his dad in fancier clothing. I mean look at the gaudy over-embroidered monstrosity that he’s wearing. But it makes sense that Daddy Wang has now opted for something a bit more subdued and modest. He’s been defeated once and is no longer the powerful prime minister he used to be. Also, the Wangs do not hold as much clout as they used to because 1) empress has gone mad; 2) potato emperor is dead; and 3) the official head of the Wangs is now...Turnip.

But make no mistake, his clothes may be simpler than before, but they’re still made out of very nice materials. He is after all, still Daddy Wang. And Wang will rise again if he can help it!

Next we have the seagull. Ugh, yuck, gross, I hate her. Anyway, now that I’ve gotten the bad taste out of my mouth...So for the majority of the drama we see her in light pastel colored clothing with little to no make up as if to imply that she’s a sweet, innocent thing:

She’s also usually pretty covered up. But then she becomes Concubine Su (ugh) and all of a sudden she’s in bold colors, wearing red lipstick, and most noticeably, gotten very breast-y

Man, did Seagull make a wrong turn and accidentally stumble onto the set of The Empress of China? She’s definitely got the tackiness to fit in with them. This drastic shift in styling is clearly to signal to the audience that Seagull is now a seductress ready to do whatever it takes to hold onto that magical flute and never let go. Also, whereas before she was a snake hiding in the grass, now it’s all out in the open (at least to the Wangs) just like her bosom.

Look, she even gets her own long train to reflect just how useless she is.

And finally, we have Song Huaien, Cheng’s very own Single White Female who molds himself to whoever he happens to follow and takes on their personality and principals (or lack thereof).

In the beginning, he is stuck to Xiao Qi’s side like a shadow, dresses similar to him, and even wears his hair like him. He’s like the kid brother who copies everything his cooler older brother does because he looks up to him.

Notably, he’s the only one in the Ningshuo crew who wears his hair down with a half bun, just like Xiao Qi. Hu Guanglie (RIP best bro) is XQ’s oldest friend and literally devoted his life to him, but he’s also his own man and did not need to copy XQ. He never wanted to be him, he only wanted to serve him.

If you didn’t pay attention, you wouldn’t be able to tell who’s who.

When you follow a brave, honorable general who’s sex on legs, you too will be a brave, honorable and sexy general. Song Huaien never looked better than when he tried to emulate Xiao Qi.

Interestingly, when Song Huaien goes off with Awu and starts to fall for her, he also starts to incorporate some color into his previously all-black wardrobe. I guess spring arrived in his heart even though it was the cold winter:

Hm, now I’m starting to wonder if a part of his crush on Awu wasn’t influenced by his desire to be like XQ a little bit. And then, sigh, he starts to get tempted by the riches of the capital city and the internal shift in his character is materialized externally through how he wears his hair in his first appearance in court:

This is the first time we’ve seen him wear his hair in any style other than the usual loose half bun. And of course, his top knot conforms and fits in with how the rest of the ministers wear their hair. Now contrast that with Xiao Qi who only wore his hair in a top knot once:

and then promptly went back to his usual hair style:

Sure, he looked good with the top knot (when does he never look good), but it wasn’t him. Unlike Song Huaien, XQ is secure in himself and knows who he is. He is not easily swayed or corrupted. That is why he is able to remain just like how he always has been, internally and externally.

The next change we see in Song’s appearance is his armor. Now that he is Count Suyi, his armor is noticeably more ornate. Unlike XQ’s armor, which remains pretty much the same barebones armor we’ve seen since the beginning, Song’s gets fancier and fancier as he gets more lured in by the nicer things in life.

At this point, his hair is still down like before. But then the next time we see him after his wedding, his hair style is changed into a high ponytail:

Which is a very good look, don’t get me wrong, but it is again another physical representation of the change happening in Song internally. It’s kind of a weird limbo he’s in because it’s not completely a top knot, but it’s definitely neater and closer to a top knot than his previous hairstyle. At this stage, Song hasn’t completely crossed over to the dark side quite yet. He’s still kind of wavering and going back and forth. So a high ponytail that is a shift from his prior hairstyle but not quite the same as the nobles’ hairstyle makes sense. He keeps this look for a while and even momentarily goes back to his less fancy self while dealing with the floods away from the capital. That is, until he joins hands (or is it roots?) with Turnip and it’s all downhill from there, character-wise and also appearance-wise.

First, we have this very ill-advised mustache and goatee which mimics the same facial hair Turnip all of sudden started sporting:

Matching facial hair to commemorate their entry onto the shit list, perhaps? Anyway, turns out facial hair isn’t for everyone, including Song Huaien. But this isn’t even the worst of it. As Song Huaien continues his descent into being a greedy, spineless, puppet for Turnip (HIM of all people! or should I say, of all root vegetables?), he gets uglier and uglier. I mean:

He looks downright haggard and as if he aged 20 years overnight. Notably though, he looks exactly like the rest of the useless ministers in court. He has definitely lost the sheen, vigor, and hotness that he once had when he was following XQ. It’s as if the ugly inside is reflected on the outside as well.

I guess when you follow a weaselly coward like Turnip, you too will turn into a weaselly coward. Oh Song Huaien, Song Huaien. What a disappointment you turned out to be, you dumb, greedy bastard.

#categorize this under things that pop up in my head late at night #monarch industry #the rebel princess #cdrama

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dangermousie · 4 years

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Oh, Zitan. So pretty, so useless...

Honestly, they might as well be speaking different languages. This drama does a really good job portraying how basically incompatible they are. Forget love - she cannot respect him and that’s the real killer. Even if Xiao Qi didn’t exist/she didn’t love XQ, she would still never look at Zitan with the way they diverged.

#cdrama #zhang ziyi #tony yang #rebel princess #monarch industry #ep 26

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orsuliya · 3 years

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Since you do such detailed asks and give a well thought out answers, I want to know your opinion on the Ma brothers. Zilong, Zilu and Zitan. What do you think about them?

Ah, our three intrepid Ma princes... Wait a minute, why three? It's not like we're in a fairytale and while Zitan is certainly a fool, he's not nearly good-hearted enough to play the role of Ivan the Fool.

But seriously, it seems mightily suspicious of Daddy Emperor to sire three sons in quick succession and then, as far as we know, never ever procreate again. He's an Emperor and obviously fertile, so how come the imperial nursery remains so glaringly empty? Could it be that he has no concubines at all except for his beloved Xie Guifei?

Or... has the Empress been aborting babies left and right, and poisoning her way through swathes of women to boot? Not impossible, knowing her temperament, but it doesn't really make sense within the dynamic presented in the drama. Drama!Emperor hates, hates, hates the Wangs and especially his wife, so it's hard to believe he wouldn't have used this juicy tidbit to weaken their influence. In the book Wanru is allowed to run roughshod over Potato's concubines and feed them contraceptives willy-nilly, but that's because Potato doesn't really care. The Emperor, as we see him in the drama, would have found reason enough to care upon being given such an obvious opening to start a smear campaign against his favourite enemy. Stymying the imperial bloodline?! Why, I think it might be a crime and easily provable one at that!

This leaves the other option - perhaps there aren't any concubines in the palace or, if there are, they're not being, pardon my French, bred. It's not that multiple imperial concubines of lower rank aren't a thing in this universe - Potato gets at least two and possibly more after sitting on the throne for a relatively short time. It's a pity we don't know what's the policy on entering the palace. Is there a multi-stage selection process? There is certainly no indication of that! Xie Guifei might have been an attempt to balance out a Wang Empress, Seagull was Zitan's impromptu choice, Miss Screecher was meant to be chosen by Potato outside of any organized selection and the same could be true for Potato's other concubines. Our only outlier might be Zilu's Mom and even then it's rather doubtful she was ever processed properly as it would have required a lot of effort and luck to conceal an already existing pregnancy. No, Zilu's Mom was most probably a gift of 'peace' from one brother to another.

My guess as to what Daddy Emperor is thinking? If Zitan has been his preferred heir from the start and he very well might have been since it never had anything to do with Zitan's actual qualities, then it's possible that he simply didn't protest - or did so in a purely symbolic manner - when the Wangs started limiting his reproductive chances. Why breed competition? We already know he has no use for any sons lacking powerful backing of their maternal clans, see: his treatment of Zilu. And any son with such backing would be a direct threat to his favourite, not to mention a potential upset to the carefully maitained Wang-Ma-Xie balance.

...or it could be that Daddy Emperor really loved Xie Guifei and wanted no other. Seeing as he's strongly implied to spend his nights in her chambers twenty years after their only and last kid was born, this would make a staggering amount of sense. The same principle applies - he'd still not protest Wang tyranny over the inner courts, only he'd do it for Xie Guifei and not for Zitan. It does seem to fit with Daddy Emperor's general mindset. Let the others do open battle and exert all that effort, he'll just sit there, look sage and reap the benefits!

After this rather senseless and overly long prelude, let's finally get to answering your question. Mind you, those are not going to be organized, thoughtful opinions, just my subjective impressions on each and every Ma Prince.

His Imperial Spudness Ma Zilong

The not-so-little Potato that could not, but still tried! Let's start with the elephant in the room, namely his rapist tendencies or the lack thereof. See, I'm convinced that raping Awu wasn't actually in the cards, at least as far as Potato was concerned. Compromising her, sure, just lure her into an emptied palace and cry wolf. Outright raping her, no, if only because Potato is way, way too weak and soft to execute a plan this ruthless in its entirety. Besides, harming Awu to this extent would be risky as all hell and sure to provoke authentic wrath in both Daddy Emperor and Daddy Wang. The Empress is not stupid enough to give her husband the perfect excuse to do away with her son nor to alienate her main supporter in the same move. Even if she was able to force a marriage in the first place, Potato would be pretty much done for politically unless both Daddies suddenly dropped dead. The most she would be able to get would be a grandson in a privileged position, so she'd be back to square one, only with one more female to share power with. No, what Potato did and what Wanru suffered was mostly courtesy of Zilu's suspicious drugs. Not to say Potato isn't a rapist all the same, but I'd argue for diminished capacity.

As for Potato himself in his shining spuddy glory, I truly pity the man. From time to time we see glimpses of the ruler he could have become and whom he still tries to be, and it becomes clear that there was something there worth cultivating. The problem is that nobody could be bothered to even try. Daddy Emperor certainly didn't, leaving Potato pretty much to his own devices and believe me, it had nothing to do with his talents or the lack thereof. Do you remember that lovely family scene at the beginning of episode 1.? You know, the one where Awu, Zilu and Zitan lure Zilong into a trap and then leave him there to lie amidst icy rocks in the middle of winter? He could have easily hit his head and died right then and there. Or get pneumonia and die a little bit later. Does the Emperor care? No, not at all! Baby!Awu isn't that good of a liar, but even if she was, perhaps it would behoove him to actually investigate. Not from any kind of fatherly feeling, let's not expect miracles, but perhaps from political expediency? Yeah, no. And I doubt that was the only incident of this kind. Potato must have known even this early on that his father doesn't care for him, not even like an Emperor should for his eldest male scion. Moreover, there is no way Mommy Dearest wouldn't harp on about the Emperor's negligence in private, further affirming this awful truth in Potato's mind.

Mommy Dearest might care, but her care is no less toxic than Daddy Emperor's open negligence. Potato is her key to power, her only way to win the game of thrones and make all her sacrifices worthwhile... and this is exactly how she treats him. Oh, she loves him well enough as her son, clings to him in his role as Crown Prince and then Emperor, but she doesn't actually like him as a person. And oh boy, does it show! I get it, he's not this perfect shining prince that would justify her long years of suffering, but then I have this feeling she gave up on him the moment he showed himself to be perfectly average. Sure, she offers him (toxic) love and (conditional) support like nobody's business, but there's always this nasty undertone in their relationship. Mommy knows best, don't even try to think on your own, listen to me and only me. It's no wonder that Potato thinks he's perfectly useless and doesn't bother to try and better himself, if he knows that even his own mother sees him as a perfect nincompoop. Uncle Wang's open derision isn't helpful either!

And yet Potato is, deep down, a decent enough man. Better than the average Ma, I'd say. I mean, he has some scruples! They might be really, really tiny, but they're there, even as he's being subjected to a barrage of mental attacks from both his mother and his wife. Why, given proper support and a competent cabinet, he'd make a somewhat ineffective, but decent enough ruler, his handling of the flood crisis shows us this much. Potato's best quality is that he really tries. Oh, he fails, but he's no Zitan, content to sit in his room and mope while the country goes to hell. When it's important, he can make actual decisions! Which he may then go back on (or not), but it still counts. Also, he's not petty. Like, at all. He'd like nothing better than for everybody to get along and have lots and lots of plump babies. Even his decision to do away with Xiao Qi is not motivated by jealousy, no matter how hard Wanru and Mommy Dearest keep pressing on that particular button.

Is he childish? Yes. But then, he's never been given any real responsibility and for years and years languished under the care of a helicopter parent who never forced him to man up nor face actual reality, hence his disillusionment with Wanru, once she stops being this perfect smiling automaton. Is he selfish? Oh yes and it shows nowhere better than in his last will. But even so, such selfishness is pretty much par for the course when it comes to the Mas and at least Potato didn't wreck a country for the sake of personal spite, which puts him way ahead of his father, uncle Jianning and bro Zitan. And perhaps even cousin Zilu, who cared less for the country than for Huanmi.

At the end of the day, our humble root vegetable is a tragic figure. I can't help but pity him every time we see him bloom under somebody's attention. Give that man some respect and he'll pay you back with the same, weird comments about killing you nothwithstanding. And he did give us Miracle Baby, Our Lord and Saviour!

Our beloved Groomzilla, Ma Zilu

Daddy Emperor must have been stupid, high, blind or all of those in order to let Zilu and his beautiful brain slip through his fingers. He was right there, that defenseless, motherless boy and ripe for the taking too! If after years and years of being neglected and treated as an afterthought, after suffering an obvious slight of losing his love on Daddy Wang's say-so, after being allowed to supposedly run wild with no attempt at parental intervention... If after all this Zilu still craved his father's approval in whatever form he could get it, craved it so much that he allowed himself to be led into an obvious trap, then what kind of loyalty might he have offered, had somebody bothered to nurture him properly?

And it's not like his talents were easy to sweep under the rug. It's not until after he's an adult that Zilu takes up the pretense of being a never-do-well; during his adolescence he was still giving it his all, hoping in vain that his father might notice and offer him some sweet, sweet parental validation. Alas. The lack of powerful backing from his maternal family is an obstacle, but not if one actively tries to fight against consort kin clans and their influence. Or is it only the Wangs who are the enemy? Must be so, otherwise why the hell would one not see Zilu's relative independence as his greatest asset? You don't even have to make him Crown Prince to use him; just instill some sense of pride and validation, feed his need for attention and put him behind Zitan's throne. Okay, maybe don't do that last thing, deadly brotherly competition being a whole thing in palace environments, but still, use him! But no, Huanmi remained the only person to actually see and appreciate Zilu for what he was. Is it any wonder he was so absolutely loyal to her that even when it looked like she had attacked him with lethal intent, he still cared about her safety most of all?

And is it any wonder that he expedited his considerable will and brainpower solely for her benefit? I was absolutely floored when I realized that becoming an Emperor wasn't actually his ultimate goal - marrying Huanmi in the biggest, reddest wedding possible was! Even if he needed to drag the more august guests in at swordpoint. Not to say he didn't want to take the throne for his own sake; he absolutely did, but only as far as it served as a big fat fuck you to every person who kept dismissing him out of hand, so basically every person other than Huanmi. Taking the crown was a power fantasy, an idee-fixe of sorts, but for all that keeping a throne in one's basement can be seen as somewhat peculiar, there are very few - if any - signs of actual delusion in Zilu's actions. The throne is not a goal in itself, merely a way to achieve his primary goal, which is to marry the woman he loves, take revenge for Huanmi's sake as much as his own and build a life worthy of her. She's his Empress and by gods, she's going to be the real deal soon enough, no more cosplaying in private villas, however nice it might be!

Ma Zitan, the one and only Master of Mope

With every Ma Prince I become more and more convinced that there was something seriously wrong with Daddy Emperor's brain. Neglecting Potato makes some sense within the greater political picture, letting Zilu lie fallow is the height of foolishness, yet it's more a matter of criminal inaction than actively doing something wrong, but Zitan? Oh, there is no excuse for the way Daddy Emperor chose to deal with Zitan. If the Third Prince was truly his intended heir from the start and there is little reason to believe otherwise - if Wangs are to go then Potato is done for, Zilu was never even considered and Zitan remains the favourite long after showing his complete uselessness - why not try to prepare him for his future role? True, doing so openly might provoke the Wangs, but it's not like there aren't any ways to present such ruler lessons as something else, even a punishment. But no, let's just hope he turns out okay all by himself!

Now, logically reasoning, if Zitan was Daddy Emperor’s favourite and the prince he originally wanted as his heir, then Zitan should be given all possible help, right? So why wasn’t he taught any actual skills, whether in governance or in military matters? The thing is… they might have tried. In episode 61, when Zitan asks his faithful pair of retainers if he would be able to best Xiao Qi, their first answer is not that he’s the Emperor so it’s a given. Well, that too, but the first, immediate response? You studied the art of war. Which, okay, might be a reasonable guess when it comes to any prince, but those retainers are rather young and only recently-promoted. Before their soujourn at the Imperial Mausoleum they probably served somewhere within the wider imperial household, but not close enough to any great personage to be knowledgeable about what the princes might or might not have studied. Also, that answer, should Zitan’s lessons be limited to his early childhood, would make them look like idiots or bootlickers of the worst sort. But let’s say that Zitan actually studied the art of war and did so longer than his brothers. Or, alternatively, with more famous masters. That would naturally be a subject of some talk, if only within the imperial household itself. If so, then the female retainer, who seems rather astute in general, gave the best answer she could give.

Okay, so maybe somebody actually tried to help Zitan along. It still failed. Zitan at twenty or so is singularily useless and strangely unambitious, and no, calligraphy doesn't count as useful, not if one is an imperial prince and Emperor-to-be!

It's not Zitan's uselessness or even his refusal to feel any kind of reponsibility for his own people (as shown in the Huizhou arc) I have the most issue with. Although the latter is simply disgusting. And... really, really short-sighted. If Huizhou falls, as it surely must, Jianning and Co. get a clear way to the capital, leaving Xiao Qi to play deadly catch-up. Which means that Zitan's family is pretty much done for. Now, he might not care about Potato and Zilu, but surely he should feel something towards his father? Some filial piety, if not actual love? But no, screw the people of Huizhou and screw Daddy Emperor. Still, does he think that Jianning wouldn't pursue him to the ends of the earth in order to eradicate a potential claimant?

No, what really angers me is the way Zitan treats the women he claims to hold dear. And I'm not even speaking of Awu, although it's rather obvious that he cares little for her internality and rather more than is healthy for his idealized image of her. Xie Guifei dies for him, which is not his fault in the least... or is it? See, I'm pretty sure that Zitan's insistence on marrying Awu despite his mother's reservations was what provoked the Wangs to take certain... steps. Provoking a power struggle is all fine and good, if you're at least somewhat prepared for the consequences. Zitan is no fifteen year old well-bred young lady, he's an imperial prince right in the middle of a delicate balance of power, how the hell does he not know or care about possible ramifications? Naivety is theoretically not a crime, but that surely is criminal naivety. Which begs the question - how hard was that boy coddled by his mother? My guess is a lot. But Xie Guifei is but a trifle compared to the elephant in the room.

Xie Wanru. Xie Wanru, who supported Zitan as much as she could while being in a precarious situation herself. And whom he had no problems with asking for further support, going as far as to aim for the throne, disregarding her own and her children's potential interests. Xie Wanru, who didn't make the first move, even knowing Zitan to be a potential threat to her and hers. Xie Wanru, whose baby got a full portion of avuncular love in form of actual torture and was lucky to get away with his life. Xie Wanru, his sister, whose ghost must have screeched with fury upon hearing Zitan laud himself as this paragon of brotherly feelings in comparison to the well-intentioned Turnip.

Oh, and he just sat there like an offended child while the country kept sliding into chaos, simply because some evil old men didn't let him kill Cheng's entire army with his sheer incompetence. Those dastardly old bastards! Let them scramble around and let the people in the provinces keep dying; they all deserve this for not recognizing Zitan's awesomeness! I'm not saying he should have fixed everything. I'm saying he should have done the bare minimum. He killed a brother for that throne, now he should actually do something with it. Other than purposefully provoking the only guy who actually restored peace and stability simply because the man happens to be married to Zitan's first love.

I'm sorry, I cannot with Zitan. There's a lot more to be said about that twerp, much of which has already been said, but at this point refraining from plowing on it's a matter of mental hygiene.

#ask and answer #the rebel princess #no but seriously how come there are no other Ma scions in the main line #is Daddy Emperor overly careful after his own experiences with his brothers?#could be could be #Zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #and that was the last ask in my inbox!#I can hardly believe it

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Hi) Do you think Awu would be happy with Zitan? I think the best thing Daddy Wang did was to force het to marry XQ. I mean he knows his daughter well. I think all those men (Zitan, Helan Zhen, Huaien) who were in love with her, would eventually dissapoint her. Which happened pretty early with Zitan lol I think they all lived in a fantasy, without really realizing what kind of a woman she is. I think they happen to be compatiable with XQ on all the levels. And he is the only one that matches her spirit. And the one she truly admires and looks up to) Potato is the only one who got over his affection towards her and managed to treat her as a sister or a friend) Who knew)

Ah, I knew I couldn’t keep escaping this question forever. This is absolutely not a slight against you, Reasonably Potato-Friendly Nonnie, not at all. It’s... complicated.

Now, let us consider how could such a marriage even take place. Of course there is always the elopement, although in order for that to succeed Zitan would need to be much less... Zitan. But is there any possibility of getting Awu and Zitan hitched even earlier for the purpose of this exercise? Well, yes, there is.

I am not going to consider a pre-series betrothal if only due to Awu’s age. Besides, such a betrothal would be akin to putting a cat among pigeons, which is something that Daddy Wang might absolutely do... but not without a guarantee of proportionate gratification. Letting such an agreement stand for long - with no possibility of sealing the deal early - is a no go, not when every other party would try to tear it asunder, use it for their own purposes or strike preemptively just in case.

Yes, I know that Daddy Wang had no intention of giving Awu’s hand to any of the Ma princes. And certainly he wouldn’t be able to marry her off to Zitan, should Zilong still be free, not without alienating his sister completely by building up a rival claimant with his own two hands.

Of course Zilu works his magic and Wanru becomes Zilong’s Crown Princess; this opens new, exciting possibilities. Potato is off the table completely: surely Awu could never become a second wife and neither would the Xies agree to see Wanru degraded so. This makes the rather stubborn Empress Dowager malleable; now what?

Well, let’s say that Xiao Qi pulls a runner much, much earlier, about five minutes after catching and putting Awu down. Even then Daddy Wang wouldn’t be all that keen on having Zitan as his son-in-law... unless one of two impossible things happened:

Impossible Thing number 1. Daddy Wang decides that Potato is an evolutionary dead end and decides to change horses halfway through the race. No, I do not mean that he goes for an earlier coup. He simply elects to switch his prospective puppets; I have no idea why would he do that, but he totally could, you know. Potato gets mashed in mysterious circumstances, Zitan gets Awu... for about nine months or however long it takes them to produce an heir... and then chokes on his own flute the minute a son is born unto him. Or rather unto Daddy Wang, who snatches this shiny Platinum Ticket up immediately. Awu gets a sweet gig as an Empress Mother, should Daddy Emperor expire prematurely. And they all get killed by the wondrous duo of Zilu&Jianning. Or maybe not, since the governor of Huizhou would probably stay loyal in this scenario, giving Xiao Qi enough time to save everyone and their dog. As always. In this scenario there is every possibility that Awu wouldn’t become disappointed with Zitan... because he wouldn’t live long enough for that in any case. And even if there was enough time for that to happen, Daddy Wang would make sure there were no dark clouds to throw shade on their marriage… for as long as it actually lasted. Why am I so sure that Zitan would have to die in this scenario? Well, how else could Daddy Wang install his Platinum Ticket on the throne? The way I see it, in this case Daddy Wang might not even go for the throne himself; a grandchild is, after all, a wholly different thing from a grand-nephew.

Impossible Thing number 2. Daddy Wang gets hit with a low-flying brick and gets a truly genius idea of making peace with the Xies. Wanru is married to Potato, so if Awu gets married to Zitan, there is simply no way that either side could step out on this status quo by, let’s say, marrying a daughter off to Xiao Qi and his big bad army. The only problem is that nobody would take such an entente lying down. The Empress Dowager wouldn’t, since it basically halves her own power as a prospective Empress Mother. Zilu&Jianning wouldn’t, since a Wang-Xie alliance could force them to wave their own chances goodbye. And the Emperor certainly wouldn’t, not when much of his power derives from serving as a mediator between warring factions! Even for the Xies and the Wangs it makes little sense: why take half a pie when you can have it whole? Without an external factor forcing their cooperation, there’s just no way they would go for that, unless as a way to shore up their positions. But that is a strategy good for the currently weaker Xies, not for Daddy Wang! Damn, that would have to be one heavy brick! Anyway, this scenario requires both couples to take part in an elaborate court dance of precedence, power games and daily balancing between two factions. Otherwise it all comes toppling down. This dance is certainly something that Awu can do… but Zitan absolutely cannot, not with his tendency to act like an offended kindergartener every time his ego gets hurt. Potato is much more likely to swallow an insult or ten than Mr. Flute and Awu would quickly see her husband for the child he is. No long-lasting happiness to be found there, sorry.

In both these cases court life would quickly reveal Zitan’s true face. Oh, I doubt he would go full-blown villain in either scenario, regardless of his probable life expectancy. The problem is that Awu knows and loves Zitan as this happy, carefree prince. What concern is Cheng’s governance to Zitan? He’s the Emperor’s youngest, most beloved and most spoiled son, the one with a greatly favoured mother; in this family even the presumptive heir gets little to no actual preparation for ruling and neither does the most talented prince!

Marriage to Awu automatically catapults Zitan into the very centre of Cheng’s political scene. What is permissible and even cute in a favoured youngest princeling is catastrophic in a pillar of the Empire. And Awu? Awu would be there with him all the way; infinitely more capable and yet comparatively powerless. Because riddle me this: what happens once Zitan’s beloved wife starts to show him up? As she inevitably must, knowing them both. Somehow I don’t think he would glow with pride or boast about her accomplishments. We saw how Zitan treats most women in his life, how he treated Wanru when she was his best ally and even Su Jin’er while she served as his spy. Women are allowed to have their own agendas and interests… as long as their agenda is to make Zitan great (again), regardless of any actual pay-off for them and theirs.

Love… love would last for a while. But you see, Zitan exhibits another worrying tendency, which would show its ugly face sooner or later. Starting from the Huizhou arc, he no longer sees Awu as she is and stubbornly tries to make her fit the mold he constructed in his head. And that mold is designed in such a way as to make him, Zitan, shine. He came late to their elopement? He didn’t come late at all, she just didn’t wait! He’s the faithful lover here. That mold is also very, very stiff and not very big to begin with. Surely what Awu wants most is to be an Empress. She’s a Wang daughter and Wang daughters become Empresses, who cares what Awu actually thinks or feels. Oh, sorry, that’s the second mold he constructs, the first was Zitan’s little wife, completely satisfied with living somewhere far from the capital and listening to his dreadful poetry all day long. Yeah, that romantic fantasy? It could have never happened; while believing in it might be forgivable in a fifteen-year-old Princess, it’s rather less so in a Prince who may become a target at any moment due to the Xie-Wang rivalry.

Okay, I have no idea where this whole thing is going and it shows. Let’s look at the third impossible thing, namely what would happen should that bloody elopement end in a success.

Impossible Thing number 3. Awu and Zitan run away and for some reason Daddy Wang doesn’t track them down. Which would take him a week at most, since neither Awu nor Zitan are all that inconspicuous, unmarked golden leaf or not. Golden leaf of presumably imperial grade is hella suspicious even without any markings, so kudos to Jinruo. But then how could she know any better…? But let’s say Daddy Wang gives up. And so do the remaining Xies, who just lost their potential claimant. And so does Zilu, who would totally set a potential rival loose. And the Empress Not-Yet-Dowager, paranoid that Zitan could be plotting with provincial magnates. And the Emperor, once he wakes up! Not like he wanted to put Zitan on the throne, right? And so does every single other interested party who could use a nifty imperial figurehead of their own. So Awu and Zitan settle down in a small house somewhere in… somewhere. What then?

Well, that small house… While Awu might be able to live and even thrive in such circumstances, Zitan is made out of different clay. Who was it that complained about the Imperial Mausoleum, which was basically a palace; and who had her wedding night under the stars dealt splendidly in Ningshuo after the first cultural shock? Okay, let’s say he sees this new servant-less and palace-less life as his Glorious and Noble Sacrifice, which is the only way I can imagine him being more or less happy with it. He woud drive Awu mad in a month. Either she gets a husband who is visibly unhappy – even if he doesn’t actually say so – or one that keeps indirectly blaming her for their new circumstances.

Also, I don’t think Jinruo’s stash would last all that long, not if they wanted to keep some standard of living, not without replenishing it in some way. Surprisingly, they both have some rather marketable skills; Awu is good with budgeting, for example, and Zitan would make a credible music master or calligraphy teacher. They could be… reasonably happy with that? Although seeing as Zitan is perfectly content with sitting a whole year out in his room, doing… nothing, I can’t see him being all that eager to make an honest living.

Then children would come and with children usually come problems, pulling them both further into the daily grind. Now, Awu would probably be okay with that, but Zitan with his lofty ideals? Zitan, who wasn’t able to imagine how Awu could possibly love or do anything more than tolerate a mere soldier? Somehow I can’t see him being anything but deeply unhappy with this rather prosaic existence. And unhappy with being unhappy, because he should be ecstatic, right? He married his love, he fulfilled his dream! How can he feel so... so mopey about it?!

He would be unhappy and unhappy with being unhappy, and sooner or later he would start searching for somebody to blame. And Awu would take that blame, at least in the beginning. Not because she’s a doormat, no. Because without her loftly titles, without her family and her position, she would probably feel much more vulnerable. We know how she felt about being a traitor’s daughter and Xiao Qi did everything in his power to shore up her position, even as he assured her that it mattered not at all. Would Zitan be half as observant and supportive? Yeah, I don’t think so. Besides, there would be a grain of truth in Zitan’s accusations: while it wasn’t Awu who came up with this whole idea, it was her mother who organized the elopement. Zitan was the victim, a poor unknowing lamb led to the slaughter the boat.

And you know what? Even if no blame was being thrown around, even if they both found acceptable equilibrium in their daily lives, even if they both were more of less satisfied with their new existence… it would still be a bloody tragedy.

And no, I am not talking about their differing levels of maturity or the fact that I rather doubt that a man like Zitan would be able to keep a woman like Awu permanently satisfied in every aspect of their lives.

My main beef with the elopement scenario is the fact that Awu was born to move empires, not wither in some backwater. She’s designed to operate on an entirely different scale! For all that she may dream of having a pretty little house somewhere in Ningshuo, those dreams take on an entirely different flavour knowing that the man living with her in that pretty little house would be Xiao Qi. You don’t exactly need to decide the fate of empires yourself when you have a man who could easily do just that eating out of your hand. The level of satisfaction is more or less the same, I guess. Note that even at the end Xiao Qi and Awu don’t give up power. They may choose to live quietly in their beloved Ningshuo, but the moment something goes really wrong? They will be back in the saddle in five minutes flat. That big bad army isn’t going anywhere either and that neat final voiceover? Gives us a pretty good idea as to their plans for the future:

grasslands + grateful and thus loyal manpower + big bad army = economical and military powerhouse + all benefits of being a vassal state + de facto independence

That’s no withering in obscurity, let me tell you! Not like living with Zitan under an assumed name would be.

ETA: Oh, I know what the question was! Do I think that Awu would be happy with Zitan? NOPE.

#ask and answer #what was the question again #sorry for going off like that #zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #the rebel princess #monarch industry #rebel princess meta

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Zitan: Thanks, but no thanks. I will never work with the man who hurt my beloved Awu!

Helan Zhen: You get the girl, you rival’s head AND the throne.

Zitan:

#zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #Helan Zhen salesman extraordinaire #the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 41

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orsuliya · 4 years

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I’m not saying that Zitan does not have the right to take revenge upon the Empress Dowager. She had his mother kill herself, took part in poisoning his father and - what seems to be the gravest offense here - pulled him and Awu apart. So fine. Let him take revenge by holding a trial or just killing her. That’s more than fair.

But disgustingly smug gloating over an ailing older woman who is very, very obviously non compos mentis? Who keeps crying for help and seems to veer on the brink of hysteria?

This is a bit Too Much. But okay, let’s say Zitan is rightfully angry and bitter over the above-mentioned offenses and that this anger might have clouded his mind.

Only that’s not exactly the case. That smug piece of excrement is enjoying every single cry of fear. Why, he is positively revelling in his own cruelty.

This is not a one time offense either. Why, he says - shamelessly playing at filial piety before an audience - that he’s going to keep visiting. *shudders* I guess mentally torturing the mentally ill is going to be his new hobby from now on? This is so not what I meant when I said that he needed a new one!

#can somebody take this SOB out preferably with a sword #zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #and oh so disgusting #the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 54

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Hu Yao’s meeting with Zitan is very interesting indeed!

First off, for all that Zitan (or rather his men) might have saved her, Hu Yao is not inclined to trust him all that much. Asked if there were any other survivors, she seems to immediately smell a rat.

No other survivors, Your Imperial Majesty, not a one!

It turns out that thanking Zitan is not the actual reason why Hu Yao asked for an audience. What she really wants - and oh, how very put-upon Zitan sounds when he hears that! - is for Zitan to clear the names of Xiao Qi and his men. Preferably by holding an actual investigation.

Yeah, Zitan is not going to do that. The ministers (you know, those ministers who think it does not matter who killed the Emperor, only that Xiao Qi must die) have already done all the investigating needed in this case.

But there is also good news! Zitan in his benevolence is going to announce an amnesty for all Ningshuo soldiers! Which is... good, at the first sight.

But it is also an insidious piece of political maneuvering. And a really smart way for Zitan to buy their loyalty - if it could be bought in the first place.

You see, an amnesty does not mean the same as saying that Ningshuo soldiers are actually innocent. It nullifies all legal liability, so they cannot be persecuted in any way... but the crime is understood to have happened. Clearing their name it is not. Oh, and it does nothing for the dead. Xiao Qi? Still a traitor.

Besides, it’s not like Zitan could actually persecute the whole Ningshuo Army for treason, unless he wants them to rebel for real. And this way there is a chance they may be grateful, which is something at least.

General amnesties are also a really cheap way for a new ruler to win the people over. And since the people are probably not going to swallow this whole regicide and bullshit story hook-and-sinker, it makes sense to appease them somehow. Too bad that Xiao Qi is already dead, right? Otherwise he might have been forgiven as well!

Hu Yao seems to understand this all too well. I’m not sure she’s fully onto Zitan, but she will not be seeking any further help from him, that’s for sure.

Go away, Hu Yao and bother me no longer. Oh, and you better be grateful you can even leave this palace alive thanks to me, my benevolence and my amnesty. Ciao!

#zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #and oh being actually smart #the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 54

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Well, well, well! Look who’s being extra useless today!

Extra useless AND extra creepy. And simply extra with his limp yet obnoxiously aristocratic gestures as well as the apparent inability to even turn his head when speaking to people.

And yeah, he bought Su Jin’er’s bullshit story hook, line and sinker. I wonder how will he react to another female doing things he does not like... And he does not like this suicide thing. At all.

This is what he opens with:

She ought to meet with me! She... She ought to meet with me. I’ve already... Now...

All aboard the delusion train! I have an ugly suspicion that he’s still not over Awu ‘not waiting’ for him. And that he expected her to redeem this dreadful sin by meeting with him now that he’s taken the throne, and by being properly contrite, of course. I decided to go with ‘ought to’ as the most appropriate translation since he does seem to imply it’s a matter of the highest moral duty (that is the duty towards him, Zitan).

How much more creepy can you get, one might ask. Well, he’s just getting started. I’ve tried to comment on it, but I don’t think I can or even need to.

Without an imperial edict, without parental permission... Awu, how could you go just like that? Did you really love him this much?

What about us? Did it mean nothing? We loved each other for so many years, how could it not be enough?

You and him... You were together for just a few years...

Awu, I achieved power. I became the most hated person to myself. All so that you would come back to me.

How could you leave me? How could you leave like that? This throne... It holds no meaning anymore. To die to be together... *creepy laughter* *complete breakdown*

I’m feeling dirty now, ewwwww. Let’s see what’s going on outside Creepiness Central.

It appears Zitan has been milking his one and only (very noble and very sacrificial) injury like a professional milkmaid. Alternatively, Doctor Shen is simply unwilling to tell Prime Minister Wen that His Imperial Highness is not truly ill, he’s just MOPING. I feel you, Doctor Shen, I really do!

Whichever it is, those ministers are not happy to be denied access to their Emperor. Again. And as if that was not enough, they’ve just realized the full (hopefullly...) extent of Zitan’s inadequacy where Princess Yuzhang is concerned. Poor, poor things. If only they - barring our lovely himbo Gu Mingwen - had not brought it upon themselves!

#zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #with extra uselessness!#the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 56

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Somebody pinch me, quick! I believe I may be having a nightmare. After all, there’s no way I’d be nodding along to pretty much everything Su Jin’er is saying if I was not dreaming, right? And I find myself doing just that. Oh, the horror!

Our Master of Mope is quietly moping away when Su Jin’er comes in to deliver some medicine and a few choice truths words.

She starts quite diplomatically by telling Zitan that it’s okay that Awu holds his heart. And then she immediately fires her first arrow. Since Zitan is apparently The Ruler of Everything these days, maybe he really should get off his ass stop living solely for Awu. Zitan is having none of that.

What do I care about Cheng? From the very start I needed only Awu, he whines and I immediately want to sit Prime Minister Wen down and force him to listen to this.

Su Jin’er reminds him that Awu wished for nothing more than to remain Princess Yuzhang till the end (ha!) of her days. But of course Zitan is 100% sure that is totally-completely-absolutely not Awu’s wish. He knows better! Of course he does...

Su Jin’er has had enough, but asking Zitan how long is he going to keep lying to himself is not the wisest choice. Girl, he’s delulu, you’re not getting through to him, no way.

Besides, he really doesn’t want to hear that Awu came to love her husband despite it being an originally loveless marriage. Or how Awu didn’t have him, Zitan, in her heart while he was Nobly Sacrificing Himself and then Very Nobly Taking Power (for her sake, of course!).

Su Jin’er is also right about doing as much for Zitan’s sake as Zitan did for Awu’s. They both did their absolute best to make everything horrible forever, that much is certainly true! And again, Awu really would be sad watching this trainwreck unfold! Anybody would, it’s such a supremely painful experience.

Can this be classified as a Manly Tear? Not too sure on that!

Also, what kind of an Emperor are you, Zitan, if you need to repeat yourself thrice in order to chase a mere maid away?

#zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 57

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Okay, we all knew Zitan was going to win the Worst Emperor Ever award, but I never expected it to be such a decisive victory! Potato and Daddy Emperor were no slouches either! And yet...

...neither of them ever tuned out their respective Prime Ministers...

...in order to show off their noble profile...

...their plump lips...

...moist doelike eyes...

...or maidenly modesty!

Not that either of them had such things to flaunt in the first place, but that is neither here nor there.

Now, what were you saying, Prime Minister Wen...?

#the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 58 #I wish I was kidding but I am not #zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Daaaaamn. Our oh so pretty and oh so useless boy is a stone-cold bastard.

He makes and drinks tea while people are being murdered on his orders. God forbid he dirties his own lily-white hands.

And then, I kid you not, he keeps reading while his soldiers storm the Imperial Mausoleum. It’s neither clean nor bloodless. Unlike Zitan’s white robes.

Mind, he could have totally run away, he’s done it before. This is so Ma of him! Why would you even try to avoid spilling blood, when it is not yours? We’ve got peasants and soldiers to waste! Or do we...?

Where did he even get those soldiers...?

Ah, there is really nothing like some recreational reading when people are senselessly fighting and dying for my cause!

For some heroes such a scene might have worked as a way to show off their nerves of steel. For others it could have served as a sign that their planning is so flawless they need not bother until the day is won.

But since this is Zitan, it only makes my loathing for him grow stronger.

#zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #and oh so loathsome #the rebel princess #monarch industry #episode 48

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orsuliya · 4 years

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Can we talk about how these princes , with so much wealth & resources how could they basically have no martial art skill ?

Zitan , he can’t even do a basic fighting (running ard and hiding behind the tree) while assassins tried to kill him, not a good look for prince. Potato, a sitting duck with arrow in his chest 😹 and Zilu only able to swing sword around aimlessly

The problem is not that Zitan cannot fight off those assassins. There are four of them and he’s more than a little drunk, judging from his and Awu’s general behaviour at the festival. The problem is that he was not drunk when he decided to slip out of the palace and steal Awu away from the safety of her home. And yet this adult man takes absolutely no precautions. None. No secret bodyguards following them at a distance, not a one. Okay, this is somewhat understandable, although it further proves that Zitan is a bloody nobody, a prince with no faithful retainers of his own, whom he could trust not to blab to his father or mother. But seriously, he has NO WEAPON. Not even a measly dagger!

What. The. Hell. Was. He. Thinking. Anything can happen at night in a crowd. I am not even talking about possible assassination attempts, but about common cutpurses and, if one is particularly unlucky, common cutthroats. Or, if those are too hard to imagine, then about bog-standard drunkards, who might become somewhat too bold towards a lady of Awu’s beauty and sharp tongue. If Zitan was alone, then fine, I could excuse this criminal forgetfulness. He’s young, he may be feeling immortal or think that nobody will dare to attack one such as him (despite the incognito). But he’s not alone. He has Awu with him and as the instigator of this whole adventure should take responsibility shoud try to ensure her safety... even if she was not his beloved Princess and possible future wife. A hidden weapon would do the trick; or better yet, he should wear a sword in plain view, regardless of his actual skill. Probably won’t help against assassins, but you know who it might discourage rather effectively? Anybody who would gladly try to take advantage of a defenceless highborn youth and his beautiful companion, that’s who.

Training or no training - and Zitan obviously had some - nothing excuses this level of utter irresponsibility. Either Zitan is a total moron or he thinks that the capital is a land of love, peace and rainbows, which makes me wonder about his eyesight and hearing. As far as we know, Zitan has been raised in the very centre of the court and not pushed into some isolated corner, so what gives?

At least he tries to get Awu out of the way, even as becomes blatantly obvious that she’s not the main target. Bonus points for using his surroundings to hinder the attackers, I guess. But seriously, weapons are useful. And not so heavy that he could not hide one on his princely person.

Oh. We were to talk about the princes’ training or lack thereof, not about Zitan’s idiocy. Fine. It’s obvious they all got some form of training; Zitan can, ummm, shoot a bow without damaging himself, Potato is a surprisingly good archer as seen during the Hunt of Doom and Zilu can... handle a sword in a reasonable manner? Although I have no idea Zilu goes for a rapier-style thurst when Awu gets on his last nerve. That... doesn’t really make sense as a go-to move taking into account the type of weapon in use, Zilu’s state of mind and their respective positions. Oooh! I get it! Parrying a swing would require Zitan to actually do something other than just standing there like a sacrificial lamb! Right.

Anyway. As far as I can tell, all the princes got some theoretical lessons, a bit of practical training with weapons and that was... that? Perhaps not one of them had shown any great aptitude and therein lies the answer, but it doesn’t seem all that probable. For one, I am sure that Zilu strived to excel at all of his lessons. Potato - and isn’t this curious - seems really happy about doing outdoors stuff, even in the middle of an actual conspiracy with a non-zero chance of getting shish-kabobed by Xiao Qi. By the way, I don’t blame him for getting shot; it was unexpected, so. Zitan, well, Zitan was probably a lost cause from the very beginning.

The question is this: there are three princes, the imperial hold on Cheng’s army is slipping rapidly due to a myriad of factors, so why not take one of those princes and make him into a puppet general, regardless of actual competence? The final decision in this largely domestic matter lies with the Emperor, no matter how much the Xies and the Wangs may push and pull at court and through their respective imperial consorts. The obvious answer is that Daddy Emperor had learned his lesson during his own campaign for the throne. Not because he himself was an able commander, as I am sure he was not, but rather because of Jianning. Our Prince J might have been thrown into the army young and that’s where he got the resources and the audacity to stage his own attempt on the throne. Was Daddy Emperor fearful that a military-trained prince might stage a coup against himself? Maybe, maybe not. What is more probable is that the Emperor wanted to avoid a civil war after his death, which means that General Zilu was never an option. Creating a third viable candidate by giving the ‘lesser’ prince a ready-made army? No way. Wangs are The Worst and having a warrior-prince would mean that they could never be budged from their position of power. Sorry, Potato, no army for you. Now, logically reasoning, if Zitan was Daddy Emperor’s favourite and the prince he originally wanted as his heir, then Zitan should be given all possible help, right? So why wasn’t he taught any actual skills, whether in governance or in military matters?

The thing is... they might have tried. In episode 61, when Zitan asks his faithful pair of retainers if he would be able to best Xiao Qi, their first answer is not that he’s the Emperor so it’s a given. Well, that too, but the first, immediate response? You studied the art of war. Which, okay, might be a reasonable guess when it comes to any prince, but those retainers are rather young and only recently-promoted. Before their soujourn at the Imperial Mausoleum they probably served somewhere within the wider imperial household, but not close enough to any great personage to be knowledgeable about what the princes might or might not have studied. Also, that answer, should Zitan’s lessons be limited to his early childhood, would make them look like idiots or bootlickers of the worst sort. But let’s say that Zitan actually studied the art of war and did so longer than his brothers. Or, alternatively, with more famous masters. That would naturally be a subject of some talk, if only within the imperial household itself. If so, then the female retainer, who seems rather astute in general, gave the best answer she could give.

Let’s wrap it all up. What I think might have happened is that the two elder princes got blocked from pursuing any kind of military career by their father for purely political reasons. All princes got some basic training with weapons, although not enough to enable them to credibly defend themselves. Which, okay, not like they would ever need to do, because what are Imperial Mooks for. Potato might have pursued additional training in archery; he seems a rather avid hunter, which would read like a harmless enough pasttime even to a paranoid ruler. Zitan got additional lessons in the art of war, more in theory than practice. The first part didn’t stick, the second part he slipped out of, probably thanks to his soft-hearted mother. Concubine Xie really spoiled him, that’s pretty obvious going by the way they both behave about the matter of Zitan’s potential marriage. Besides, it’s not like a blue-blooded general actually needs to wave a sword himself. That would be positively plebeian. Strategy, theory, that’s what matters - that seems to be a prevalent view in the capital. Remember one Wei Kang...?

#ask and answer #the rebel princess #Zitan oh so pretty and oh so useless #not even a dagger what the hell #and this is why I headcanon that all Awu's wards get some actual self-defense training

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