Married the right man in the wrong sedan chair: Li Yuhu married by mistake and became a rich wife, but in fact, he surrendered his identity
The following is an article of more than 3,000 words recreated based on the original content:
It's like a dream of mismarried life
Time flies, history flows. In this era of change, we can't help but look back on a moving story - "The Wrong Sedan to Marry the Right Lang". This drama vividly depicts two Yangzhou beauties who get on the wrong sedan chair due to the tricks of fate and end up marrying different husbands. But what really attracts attention is not the antique mismarriage, but the historical insights and social class mysteries hidden in it.
In this ancient dynasty, which was predominantly agrarian, there was a strict hierarchy and a clear division of classes. Shinong industry and commerce are the most basic social stratification, and there is a huge disparity in status. The scribes, as rulers, were naturally at the top of the ladder, and they were responsible for upholding social justice and moral norms. Farmers, on the other hand, are the foundation for nurturing the earth and providing for all living beings, and stabilize the foundation of society. The artisan class bears the responsibility of technological innovation and manufacturing, and is the key fulcrum of social operation. Finally, the merchant class, although in possession of wealth, was widely reviled for its constant pursuit of profit and lack of ethics, and its social status was relatively low.
Under this strict hierarchy, a marriage alliance of comparable rank and status was considered ideal. For example, Yuan Buqu, a general, could only marry Li Yuhu, the daughter of a merchant, despite his wealth, because they had the same social status. And Li Yuhu, who was born in a martial arts hall, married Yuan Buqu, although it rose slightly, it was not too big a leap.
Interestingly, the encounter between Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu in the play just subverted this rule. As the daughter of a merchant family, Du Bingyan was supposed to marry someone of the same class, but she married the general's wife by mistake. And Li Yuhu, as a martial arts family, married the wife of a wealthy businessman by mistake. On the surface, both of them chose to marry in the opposite direction of the original hierarchy.
The point is that this kind of cross-class marriage alliance is not entirely driven by love, but more of a trade-off and game of interests of both parties. Although Du Bingyan was born in a businessman, he has been accustomed to calculating and doing business since he was a child, and he is well versed in the way of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages. After discovering that she had married by mistake, she weighed the pros and cons and decisively gave up the wealthy merchant she was supposed to marry, and instead married the general directly. This has brought huge social prestige and opportunities for subsequent development to the Du family, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.
In contrast, although Li Yuhu also got on the wrong sedan chair, she has a simple personality and does not care about the differences in these social classes. As long as Qi Tianlei treats her well, she will be satisfied. And for Qi Tianlei, a wealthy businessman, marrying a wife from a lower background is not a big gamble. He can rely on his economic strength to quickly integrate his wife into the upper class, thereby improving his social status.
Through these two cases, it is not difficult for us to find that in this ancient society with strict classes, marriage is often not a simple love union, but more of a game of interests of both parties. The leap between the upper and lower classes requires careful planning by both sides and weighing the pros and cons. Some people are able to seize the opportunity and skillfully make the leap in status, while others are passively forced to accept the arrangement, even with some sacrifice.
This phenomenon also reflects some characteristics of the society at that time. First of all, the existence of hierarchies allows each stratum to have its own social orientation and development space, and these boundaries are not so easy to break. Second, the merchant class, despite its wealth, remained in a relatively low moral and social position, and other means were needed to achieve a higher reputation. Finally, even under a strict hierarchical concept, love will still be an important factor in individual choices, but it will ultimately be subordinated to the overall social order.
Such stories not only vividly illustrate the hierarchical rules of ancient society, but also reflect the complexity of human nature. In this seemingly fixed pattern, individuals rely on their own wisdom and strategy to find opportunities for breakthroughs, and finally achieve the transformation of their identity and status. This dynamic social mobility not only enriches the story but also gives us a deeper understanding of ancient societies.
Perhaps in today's society, this strict hierarchy no longer exists. However, the pursuit of profit and the yearning for status in human nature undoubtedly still affect our behavior and choices today. Although the story of Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu takes place in ancient times, the human insight contained in it is still instructive for us to understand the current society.
Let's explore how we can balance our personal dreams and social status in this era of change, and strive to maximize our self-worth. After all, life is like a wonderful drama, everyone is constantly showing their role and looking for their own stage in life.
Continue to appreciate the life stories of Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu
The encounter between Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu does show us the complexity of individual fate under the ancient social hierarchy. But what is more worthy of our consideration is how individuals can choose their own life path to maximize their self-worth in such a social pattern.
Looking back at Du Bingyan's choice, it is not difficult to find that she is a very wise and decisive woman. As a woman from a businessman's background, she has been accustomed to business calculations since she was a child, and she knows the importance of weighing the pros and cons. At the critical moment when she discovered the wrong marriage, she decisively gave up the wealthy businessman she was supposed to marry, and instead married the general directly. This not only made her the general's wife and enjoyed a respected social status, but also brought huge development opportunities to the Du family. It can be said that she successfully took advantage of the opportunity of this mismarriage, achieved a leap in status, and obtained a double harvest.
This decisive choice reflects Du Bingyan's accurate grasp of social rules and self-interest. She understands that in this hierarchical ancient society, simple love marriages often do not bring real advantages. On the contrary, more complex strategies and strategies are needed to gain more room for development. Therefore, she decisively abandoned the original marriage contract and chose the marriage with the general instead. This not only satisfies her inner emotional needs, but also brings great social status and business opportunities for her family.
In contrast, what happened to Li Yuhu is a pity. As a woman from a martial arts background, she was supposed to marry a husband of comparable status. But due to the tricks of fate, she finally married Qi Tianlei, a wealthy businessman. From the traditional concept of hierarchy, this is actually a kind of marriage. But Li Yuhu didn't seem to care too much about this, as long as she could get good treatment from her husband, she felt satisfied.
This difference in personality also reflects the different attitudes of the two towards life choices. Du Bingyan pays more attention to the improvement of social status and family interests, she is good at weighing the pros and cons, and carefully plans her life path. Li Yuhu, on the other hand, is more pure and innocent, pursuing more simple happiness and being loved.
Of course, we can't simply judge who is more successful. Everyone has their own life values and life pursuits, and the key lies in whether they can maximize their self-worth under this framework. With his wisdom and decisiveness, Du Bingyan has successfully achieved a leap in identity, which is indeed worth learning from. But Li Yuhu's pursuit of a simple and happy life is also worthy of our respect and appreciation.
Perhaps in today's more open and mobile society, we are no longer constrained by such strict hierarchies. However, the pursuit of interests and status in human nature still affects our choices and behaviors. The key is how we can find our own balance in these complex demands and realize the true value of life.
Let's learn the story of Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu together, and think about how to achieve the greatest achievement on the road of life where opportunities and challenges coexist. Perhaps, at some point, we need to be like Du Bingyan and make key choices decisively. At other times, we should also maintain Li Yuhu's simplicity and calmness, and enjoy the good times of life. Only by finding a way of life that suits us can we continue to create our own wonderful life in this rapidly changing world.