#song huaien is cancelled!!!

[gizkasparadise]

dude you just killed every woman with a speaking role and diva papa wang on your way up here sit down

[orsuliya]

Dear General, just talk to your wife!

Let it be said: any male hero who interferes in his partner’s reproductive ability without her permission and/or knowledge is usually immediately cancelled in my eyes. That is certainly the case for any piece of media set in modern times. Fantasy/historical heroes get a bit of leeway depending on the cultural context, although not always. But the thing is, just as there are no blanket excuses, there are also no blanket condemnations. And you know what?

I do have to give Xiao Qi a get-out-of-immediate-cancellation card in this case! But not before examining his motivations and all mitigating circumstances. To be clear, I’m up to episode 37 at the moment.

So prepare yourself for Five Reasons Xiao Qi Is Very Much Not Cancelled (But He Certainly Deserves A Very Stern Talking To And Then Maybe A Hug).

To recap: Xiao Qi was told that Awu’s health is fragile and while she is able to get pregnant, any pregnancy is very risky and a considerable danger to her life. Upon hearing this he is visibly moved; three months later, when Awu comes back from the temple, there is a re-do wedding at the Yuzhang Manor, during which Xiao Qi announces that Wang Xuan is going to be the only woman in his life. At some point – either at the temple or after the wedding – Awu starts taking medicine prescribed by the Imperial Physician. The medicine, as Auntie Xu later discovers, is actually a tonic, which can be used to prevent conception. Eventually, though, after a year or two of continuous use, it will render a woman infertile for life. As of episode 37 (41 if I choose to trust the raws) Awu does not know what is going on.

And now onto the list!

1. The man is probably the most panicked he has ever been in his life and his mental state is not that great at the moment.

The first thing to remember is that this whole ‘let’s make Awu infertile’ decision is not taken in a void. It is not a case of an isolated event; the choice comes at an end of a veritable Trauma Conga Line. The exact timeline is very muddled, but in the last few months (up to a year) Awu has been: kidnapped, rescued, attacked by assasins, forced to deal with a rebelling city and then a siege, sent straight into a murderous conspiracy and then recruited to deal with a coup… and only then she was put in the very centre of a second coup courtesy of Daddy Wang. Which caused her to lose her child and her mother on the same day. And let’s not forget all the broken illusions about her family and her first love. That’s a lot to deal with and she is pure steel with a spine of titanium, there is no doubt as to that. But she is not the only one who’s had a really hard year.

From the kidnapping onwards Xiao Qi has been with Awu on this road; more often that not away from her physically, true, but from the moment he declared her his wife who will share his life and death…? He’s been in 100%. And being the strong, dependable, ride or die guy has taken its toll, one way or another.

It is quite noticeable that with every Big Damn Heroes moment he pulls off he gets more and more affected. The bridge rescue and its aftermath? Cool as a cucumber; the guilt and responsibility is certainly there, no fear though. Breaking of Huizhou siege? He’s proud as hell of her accomplishments, but he really came at the very last moment – she was getting ready to be killed rather than taken hostage. And there is this noticeable undertone of relief there. The Red Wedding? By then he is panicking. Hard. Which he readily admits, so it’s not pure conjecture. This man, who has never been afraid of attacking armies and not really afraid of death either, is scared as f***. Mind you, it’s not like he’s ever had anyone to be really scared for before; his soldiers are a different case altogether. And this time he was late, which makes for a really fertile soil for various ‘what-ifs’ during those two days when Awu is unconscious. He was late despite basically pulling off a miracle and risking entering the capital with only 10 000 troops.

And then and only then Daddy Wang pulls out all the stops. Two days of watching his unconscious wife is nothing compared to what happens then. First she runs into the middle of opposing forces, completely disregarding any danger to herself. For him (and her father, but that is beside the point)! I am sure that Song Huaien relayed her words to Xiao Qi once the dust settled. Then... Princess Jinmin dies and Awu starts bleeding.

After… After he claims responsibility for Princess Jinmin’s death. There is no doubt he is feeling doubly, triply responsible for the miscarriage. He can’t really help his wife. And he is grieving for their child. Not only for Awu’s sake, but for his own too.

It all culminates with the Imperial Physician telling Xiao Qi that there is another battle to be fought, one which Awu will probably enter with minimal hesitation and in which he is not going to be able to pull a Big Damn Heroes rescue. So in that moment he clutches at his heart… And – at least I think that’s the moment - takes a split-second decision: NOT AGAIN. Everything after that? He’s only holding to a chosen course.

2. He is feeling guilty as all hell and is overcompensating hard.

Xiao Qi is the epitome of a hyper-responsible hero. And not in the ‘Woe is me, everything is my fault!’ way that brooding heroes tend to veer to. No empty anguish or dramatic self-flagellation there! He is very matter of fact about both his responsibility and perceived guilt. Soldiers die under his command? He will honour their memory and take care of their families. Awu gets kidnapped by his personal enemy? He will admit his guilt without any excuses and offer recompense. Princess Jinmin becomes a victim of a stand-off that he did not even provoke? He will take the blame and then redeem himself by swearing an oath that he will not fail to protect Awu. And he takes his oaths very, very seriously, otherwise the Ma family would have a Really Big Problem.

All that responsibility comes from both his own character and the force of habit. Nobody ever worries about me, he says. To his soldiers he is the strong, infallible one and so he keeps this facade intact despite knowing it’s a load of bull.

So this hyper-responsible man has unwittingly sent his wife into danger, into battle (!) three times already (kidnapping, rebellion in Huizhou, Zilu’s coup) and was part of the reason she entered the fourth one. And while she has acquitted herself brilliantly every time, she paid a very steep price for saving him/the Empire. In his mind, he owes it to her and to Princess Jinmin for it to never ever happen again. And so he is not going to send her into the battle of childbirth for anything under the sun! The thing is, Awu is brave as hell and would enter it willingly in a blink of an eye. So he is arranging things so that she can never do that in the first place.

3. Xiao Qi is trying to spare Awu from mental and emotional anguish. It’s a pattern and one wildly spiraling out of control.

It’s really, really starting to show that Xiao Qi is used to being regarded as the infallible one, the one who must always find a solution and save as many people as he can. And while it is not a problem in Ningshuo, when he needs to tell Awu the truth about her father (and still he hesitates!), it tends to come through quite strongly in moments of stress and/or danger. Which is understandable, I think. In Ningshuo the stakes are not as high, everybody is safe and they are in the middle of Xiao Qi’s fortress, the very centre of his power. If there is any place he feels safe and at home, it’s right there. The capital is a wholly different kettle of fish; even on his first visit Xiao Qi is – quite reasonably – wary and on guard. For him the capital is behind enemy lines. So he reverts to his Infallible General mindset more and more: he keeps telling Awu things, but not all of them (money) and not always immediately (Hulans asking for a bride). Which is really stupid of him since Awu is in many areas just as smart - if not smarter - than him.

It’s not only the Infallible General mindset, though. In fact, that is the least of the problems there. By this point the panic is really setting in and so is the guilt. There is one more thing, though. Xiao Qi has this tendency towards self-deprecation. He does not wallow in it, but the undercurrent of his perceived social inferiority emerges from time to time, moreso in the capital. And it does factor in his behaviour; I sense that he has this need to keep deserving her. Coupled with devotion, it pushes him into a very touching, but also potentially dangerous single-mindedness.

Saving Daddy Wang by kneeling all night long clearly shows that Xiao Qi will stop at nothing to spare Awu’s heart, life and health. Personal pride? Enmity towards Daddy Wang? Political expedience? Disregarded completely. So what’s a year or two of lying if it means Awu lives? He’s set himself a Goal: protect Awu, just as he promised before Princess Jinmin’s grave. And it’s really been blinding him since.

Notice that he did not tell her about saving Daddy Wang either. She had to find out from His Imperial Spudness! True, it all worked out fine then, but whatever his reasons, he still did not tell her. And yes, I get that his reasons were really noble, but! But it is still a pattern, one that I hope she will break him out of rather sooner than later.

4. He is making a great sacrifice too; hear me out! And he does not leave himself an out.

This is the kind of argument that launches a flaming discussion, so please, be gentle. Anyway, we are not going to speak of whether any man has the right to make unilateral decisions about his wife’s body, that’s neither here nor there in this case, since it does not really enter into consideration in the drama itself.

What is clearly very important in the drama is the idea of family lines. The Wang and Xie families are all about this idea of legacy and bloodlines. Bloodlines are Important: propagating the bloodline is Wang Su’s main duty and both families fight over whose blood will sit on the throne. This clan mentality is clearly a Very Serious Business. Admittedly, Xiao Qi is an outsider to the clan-based society of upper classes. But even though his primary social group consists of his brothers-in-arms, he is very acutely attuned to the idea of family being the most important thing. It shows in many aspects of his life: in the care he gives to his soldiers’ families, in the consideration he gives Awu when she encounters another heartbreaking truth about her relatives and in the way he seems to take for granted that she will not stop caring for Daddy Wang no matter what. Also, he clearly likes kids, the mysterious shadow child gave us this much.

So it is not out of the realm of possibility that he would really like to have a child of his own. And why wouldn’t he? Awu may have trouble bearing him children, but there is nothing stopping him from taking a concubine or a dozen for this very purpose. Any other man in this drama would have (maybe except Zilu…?). And the society would not judge him, especially if the truth about Awu’s condition came out. It really is not a monogamistic society. Moreover, since Daddy Wang is not in the picture any more, nobody can even try to force Xiao Qi to keep to one bed (or poison his concubine…), not with his current position and power.

And what is the very first thing he does after Awu comes home? He declares – in public and with great pomp! - that Awu will be his only woman, thus staking his honor and reputation on all his children being hers. Which with the tonic in play means that there will be no children. It is a decision he takes very deliberately and in direct response to the previous events and the Wangs’ fall from grace. In fact, I wager this whole monogamy clause is a way not only to quell the rumours and stop any scheming families in their tracks, but also to keep things fair as much as it is even possible. Awu will not have children, well, neither will he.  

5. He is setting himself up and preemptively hogging all the guilt and blame.

The short yet very poignant exchange with Pang Gui in episode 37 makes it clear that Xiao Qi knows quite well he is going to be found out sooner or later. Sure, he would rather that Pang Gui kept mum about everything, but in reality he leaves it wholly up to his judgment. Which tells me that Xiao Qi is not willing to ‘kill’ for this secret. In fact, it might suit his plans if it were to come out… though not at the moment. Maybe after the requisite year or two, once Awu is no longer in any danger. Relying on what we know about his character, I think he is wholly prepared for the truth to eventually come out and then to take all the blame. And I mean ALL the blame. As in: Awu will have no reason to blame herself for her fragile health and thus inability to bear children, if it’s actually Xiao Qi’s fault. He will have gotten her infertile, so her actual ability to give birth safely will be immaterial. She will put all her anger on him and not on herself, and anger he can take, it’s her getting quiet that he can’t cope with. And to hell with what it does to their marriage, she will be alive. Is it stupid, stupid thinking? Sure. But quite probable when you’re dealing with a man this hyper-responsible and clearly unused to family dynamics.

And that’s that. Do I think he is being a single-minded fool? Sure. The man is not perfect after all! Does he need to talk to Awu? Of course, but I get where his unwillingness to do just that comes from. Is it going to bite him in the ass really, really hard? Oooooh, is it! But Xiao Qi is not cancelled and if Awu forgives him, then so should we all.

[orsuliya]

Oh, Song Huaien. I knew you were a turn-coat and a greedy little soul, an absolute sucker for those sweet Wang lies and a man whose inner core is made out of jelly. Oh, and a concubine-hoarding lech, sorry, forgot about that.

But I had no idea you were such an enormous hypocrite!

Let’s take it from the beginning. Yuxiu is positively ecstatic; why shouldn’t she be? Xiao Qi and Awu are coming to the capital, everything will come up roses, no way it won’t! With Xiao Qi and Song Huaien standing arm in arm, there’s no way those nobles will ever look down on common-born people again! Yeah, about that standing arm in arm thing...

Song Huaien wants to know if Yuxiu thinks that the interests of common people will be defended only as long as Xiao Qi lives. Yuxiu is pretty firm on that point and inadvertently lands a hit to her husband’s ego by reminding him that they both have gained their current positions thanks to Xiao Qi’s patronage. Ouch.

And then Song Huaien asks if it’s possible that he may become greater than Xiao Qi. Yes, also as beacon of hope for common people. Yuxiu’s face is... telling.

Our girl is no fool! And well, it’s not like you care about common people all that much, Song Huaien. Other than yourself, that is. Somehow we haven’t heard a word about you doing a single thing for them and it certainly doesn’t look like you’re bankrupting yourself for your new Imperial Mooks... Not a peep out of you in court either, not even when people kept dying in droves out in the provinces.

Yuxiu tries to soften the blow, but Song Huaien is having none of it! And now he is cancelled forevermore, no takebacks, because YOU DON’T RAISE YOUR VOICE AT YUXIU. You’re dead to me, Song Huaien and I care not for any sad spiels on how you are not willing to step back into a right-hand position, now that you’ve had a taste of being independent. Shut up and go away.

And so he does. And then, after Xiao Qi has entered the capital, he comes back on screen, only with even more hypocrisy! You’re already a bigger hypocrite than Xiao Qi could ever be, congratulations, now stop, I beg you.

Yuxiu is understandably exicted and very eager to visit Awu. She’s even prepared some things for her. Awww, that’s so sweet. Only Song Huaien doesn’t think so; he’s quick to remind Yuxiu that she’s no longer Awu’s servant. And he is insistent - if slippery about it - that she should not visit Yuzhang Manor, at least not soon. Okay. But.

Song Huaien, you do realize that you did not marry Princess Yuzhang’s servant? You married Xiao Qi’s ADOPTED SISTER. A noblewoman of rank. And, presumably, an adequately-dowered one. One who has every right and even a duty to visit her adopted brother and her sister-in-law. Is there something wrong with your memory?

Or is it that you do not think that adoptions hold any weight? Fine. But if you think that Yuxiu left Yuzhang Manor as a servant, as you clearly do... Then why have you sold (the last piece of) your soul in exchange for Daddy Wang’s vague promise of making you his son? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander and you can’t have it both ways. YOU ENORMOUS HYPOCRITE, YOU.

[gizkasparadise]

SONG HUAIEN IS FUCKING CANCELLED

[orsuliya]

Awu gets so much hate for helping her evil cousin, but XQ actually does the same for his family - Huaien for example. He believes him and protects him till the end. He allows him to marry his sister. I am not even talking about the hell he unleashed for his dead Ningshuo soldiers. Awu told him he knows nothing about the family, but she is wrong. His generals and soldiers are his family. And I love them both (Awu and XQ) for that. Because they are the same. Good and kind people.

Say it with me, loud and clear: Double Bloody Standards!

In fact, I’d say Awu has nothing on Xiao Qi in this aspect. They both have their moments of complete and deliberate flouting of tradition, form and even reason, strongly flavoured with a ride-or-die vibe and done in the name of one’s family. That Miss Screecher is wholly unworthy of Awu’s efforts is neither here nor there; what is notable is that Awu risks nothing but her own safety and Xiao Qi’s actions could have far reaching consequences for the entire country. I’d say he goes one step further that she does, not that he doesn’t have good reason.

But let’s say that Awu’s desperate defense of Miss Screecher and Xiao Qi’s pursuit of justice for his men cancel one another out.  It’s not that simple, I know, I know, bear with me. Yet Xiao Qi is still guilty of one other thing that drama!Awu - unlike her book counterpart - is not. I don’t know about you, but that calculated destruction of evidence against Song Huaien could be seen as pretty controversial. I understand why he did what he did, really. But it doesn’t change the fact that people would have given Awu absolute hell if she did anything comparable. If she at any point chose to protect her family at the cost of upholding the law? I shudder to imagine it. Notice that she refuses to even consider asking Xiao Qi to save Daddy Wang when Turnip turns up and asks her to intercede. Xiao Qi intervenes anyway, but it’s not at her explicit request, so it doesn’t count.

At the end of the day, I really think that one of the most important changes made while adapting Emperor’s Conquest was drawing this parallel between the character journeys of Awu and Xiao Qi. Family is the theme of the day in a way that it absolutely wasn’t in the novel! And oh, how I love it!

[orsuliya]

Both Turnip Wang and Song Huaien may be a teeny-tiny bit less cancelled; no, just listen! It turns out that both of them took some actual steps to save Awu. It was not all talk and waiting around for a miracle (or rather for Daddy Wang’s order). Simply astonishing.

Turnip Wang sent some of his best ninjas to Hulan to scout out the situation, though if they are of Pang Gui’s sort, I cannot see this going well. Song Huaien did not even do this much, he just asked his Ningshuo buddies to help, which they would have done anyway since Princess Yuzhang holds a special position in their hearts. 

Okay, I was wrong. Those are not actual steps or any steps at all, it’s an undecisive shuffle! Still cancelled, sorry.

Anyway, moving on. Turnip Wang is a really shitty liar; his fake earnestness is so obvious in both his voice and gaze it is simply ridiculous. And yet!

Song Huaien swallows every single of his lies hook, line and sinker. Sure, Song Huaien, you totally are a hero who will put an end to all this chaos. Why not. I am eagerly waiting for the day the Wang boys tell him he’s a pink fluffy unicorn, I really am.