How to evaluate the character of the old lady from the Sheng family in "Know Not to Know"?
Lady Jia has aged into the venerable Dowager Lady Shi, and the current Miss of the Marquis Mansion is Shi Xiangyun. The former top scholar Lin Ruhai has now become the venerable Lord Lin of the Salt Administration.
Lady Sheng, despite her advanced age, is still the legitimate daughter of Marquis Yingyi.
Just like her husband, Lord Sheng, after all these years, when asked about his achievements and established legacy, the answer remains that he was once a top imperial examinee.
That’s a “top imperial examinee”, you know, a term that refers to “youthful talent” and “romantic scholars”!
And she’s the “Miss of the Marquis Mansion”, you know, a term that denotes “noble and precious” and “a lady from a prestigious family”!
The Tale of Time-Traveling Ladies and Old Madam Sheng
Old Madam Sheng and another ‘time-traveling lady’ are a set duo
Both are golden fingers for the male and female protagonists.
In “Do You Know?”, there are four types of ‘time-traveling ladies’:
The first is the early time traveler, who starts off by plagiarizing and pilfering, primarily engaging in romances with princes and nobles, occasionally becoming a leading courtesan, advocating equality, and eventually being dealt with by her family as if possessed.
The second is the saintly time traveler, equally talented and well-versed in both Eastern and Western cultures, whose life creed is generally to assist a prince in becoming an emperor and then initiating a golden age. The biological mother authors give her a golden finger, allowing the emperor to promise her a lifetime of fidelity. The stepmother authors, on the other hand, commence the torture as soon as the man ascends the throne, engaging in political marriages and accumulating concubines and children, leaving the time traveler with little choice but to forgive.
The third is like Lady Liuli, who travels back with a poor hand and, through her own strength and independence, carves out a niche for herself, a step up from the previous time travelers.
The fourth is like Minglan, who quietly makes it to the final round. She isn’t as shockingly unconventional as the first type, nor as talented as the second, and doesn’t possess the independent thought of the third. She simply endures and survives, focusing on personal gain and, through endurance, attains wealth and status.
Old Madam Sheng and her peers are the kind that followed the second type of time traveler.
This time traveler is known as “Empress Jing’an”.
Many noble ladies and girls, including Old Madam Sheng, Lady Zhang, and Kong Momma, took Empress Jing’an as their spiritual idol.
Comparing the life trajectories of Empress Jing’an and Old Madam Sheng reveals astonishing similarities.
Both were proud and accomplished in their youth.
One was born into a prestigious family, talented and renowned, while the other was the noble and elegant sole daughter of a marquis.
Both married the men they loved.
One became the primary consort of a prince, and the other married a top scholar as his legal wife.
Both had unfaithful husbands.
The prince became emperor, acquiring various ranks of consorts.
The top scholar also had his share of concubines.
Both faced tragic fates.
Empress Jing’an lost a son and a daughter and was slowly poisoned, living her years in seclusion.
Old Madam Sheng also lost her children and gave up, abandoning herself to despair.
In her youth, Old Madam Sheng often frequented the imperial palace and was close to Empress Jing’an.
Thus, some speculate that it was the experience of Empress Jing’an that gave Old Madam Sheng the courage to break away from her family.
The portrayal of Empress Jing’an is somewhat contradictory. After the death of her children, she secluded herself and turned to crafting mirrors—a world that already had glass and magnifying lenses. It took her about one or two years to make some progress, which doesn’t reflect highly on her intelligence.
Therefore, the character of Old Madam Sheng is crafted to introduce Empress Jing’an and, by extension, highlight “Minglan” as the true protagonist.
After the death of Empress Jing’an, the emperor became increasingly tyrannical, leading to the downfall of many, including Gu Family’s patrons, due to his murderous rage. Without these patrons, the Gu Family couldn’t resolve their debts, leading to forced marriages and the demise of major characters, setting the stage for the birth of the protagonist in the Gu Family.
Similarly, if Old Madam Sheng had been a bit more aware and chosen to remarry (as mentioned in the novel she had the option), especially in the context of the Song Dynasty where noble women remarrying was not uncommon, the Sheng family would have dissipated, and Minglan would have lost her background and value. Hence, the narrative forcibly reduces the intelligence of the old lady.
Reflections on Character Archetypes in Classical Literature
Old Madam Sheng is the beauty spoken of in the “Dream of the Red Chamber” by Grandmother Jia, her character fitting the description perfectly.
Grandmother Jia once laughed, saying: “All these books are of the same mold, nothing more than tales of beautiful women and talented men, utterly uninteresting.
They slander these girls terribly, labeling them as beauties, creating stories without a shred of truth.
They all begin with families of scholarly repute, where fathers are ministers or prime ministers, and the birth of a daughter is cherished like a precious jewel. These daughters are supposedly well-versed in literature and manners, paragons of unparalleled beauty.
Yet, at the sight of a handsome man, regardless of relationship, they start contemplating lifelong commitments, forgetting their parents and all proprieties, becoming neither ghost nor thief - how is this behavior befitting of a beauty?
Even if they possess extensive knowledge, engaging in such acts, they can’t be considered beauties anymore.
Just as if a man full of scholarly knowledge turns to thievery, would the law excuse him as a talented man and not prosecute him for his crimes?
Thus, it’s evident that those who wrote these books are contradicting themselves. Moreover, they claim these daughters of prestigious families are well-educated and mannered, as are the ladies of the household. Naturally, in such grand families, there should be numerous attendants and maids serving the daughters. So why do these books often only depict the daughter and her close maid in such scenarios? Think about it, what are all those other attendants there for, if not to serve?
It’s right that Mo Lan didn’t go to Old Madam Sheng; what could she have possibly learned there?
A character like Old Madam Sheng, who failed in her own internal household struggles, would offer what kind of guidance? In the story, Old Madam Sheng once spent time with Empress Jing’an, a failed player in the imperial harem’s power struggles, resulting in Old Madam Sheng herself becoming a failure in domestic conflicts.
Old Madam Sheng’s teachings resulted in characters like Lin’s wife and Sheng Hualan, along with the transmigrated protagonist Yao Yiyi.
The first two are clear failures. Lin’s wife needs no mention, and before discussing Sheng Hualan’s conduct later in her married life, let’s consider her initial stance. She praised the transmigrated protagonist Yao Yiyi for bearing sons while looking down upon Mo Lan for having a daughter and sarcastically commented on her own sister’s marital troubles (as per additional stories).
Sheng Hualan may have ended up living well, but she seems to have forgotten her early years crying back at her parental home, overwhelmed by the concubines her mother-in-law housed.
As for the protagonist raised by the old lady, due to the powerful halo of the transmigrated Yao Yiyi, the narrative tends to diminish the intelligence of side characters and degrade other talented women to ensure a favorable outcome for her, showcasing Old Madam Sheng’s success and masking her past failures.
However, looking at it from another angle, Old Madam Sheng’s example of marrying into a lower status should serve as a cautionary tale for her granddaughters.
Being a noblewoman intent on marrying a top scholar, bringing with her an enormous dowry almost rivaling that of a marquisate, and constantly boasting of her wisdom and status into old age - it all led to domestic strife and the loss of even her own son.
Her family suggested she remarry, but Old Madam Sheng, proud and unwilling to admit her initial marriage was a mistake and her life a failure, refused. Thus, she raised an illegitimate son and even sought to arrange a marriage between him and a legitimate niece from her parental family, which they refused, leading to a severance of relations. Yet, she continued to claim her status as the sole daughter of a marquisate, perhaps because acknowledging her position as the mother of a minor official was too demeaning.
Reflections on Character Archetypes in Classical Literature
Old Madam Sheng is the beauty spoken of in the “Dream of the Red Chamber” by Grandmother Jia, her character fitting the description perfectly.
Grandmother Jia once laughed, saying: “All these books are of the same mold, nothing more than tales of beautiful women and talented men, utterly uninteresting.
They slander these girls terribly, labeling them as beauties, creating stories without a shred of truth.
They all begin with families of scholarly repute, where fathers are ministers or prime ministers, and the birth of a daughter is cherished like a precious jewel. These daughters are supposedly well-versed in literature and manners, paragons of unparalleled beauty.
Yet, at the sight of a handsome man, regardless of relationship, they start contemplating lifelong commitments, forgetting their parents and all proprieties, becoming neither ghost nor thief - how is this behavior befitting of a beauty?
Even if they possess extensive knowledge, engaging in such acts, they can’t be considered beauties anymore.
Just as if a man full of scholarly knowledge turns to thievery, would the law excuse him as a talented man and not prosecute him for his crimes?
Thus, it’s evident that those who wrote these books are contradicting themselves. Moreover, they claim these daughters of prestigious families are well-educated and mannered, as are the ladies of the household. Naturally, in such grand families, there should be numerous attendants and maids serving the daughters. So why do these books often only depict the daughter and her close maid in such scenarios? Think about it, what are all those other attendants there for, if not to serve?
It’s right that Mo Lan didn’t go to Old Madam Sheng; what could she have possibly learned there?
A character like Old Madam Sheng, who failed in her own internal household struggles, would offer what kind of guidance? In the story, Old Madam Sheng once spent time with Empress Jing’an, a failed player in the imperial harem’s power struggles, resulting in Old Madam Sheng herself becoming a failure in domestic conflicts.
Old Madam Sheng’s teachings resulted in characters like Lin’s wife and Sheng Hualan, along with the transmigrated protagonist Yao Yiyi.
The first two are clear failures. Lin’s wife needs no mention, and before discussing Sheng Hualan’s conduct later in her married life, let’s consider her initial stance. She praised the transmigrated protagonist Yao Yiyi for bearing sons while looking down upon Mo Lan for having a daughter and sarcastically commented on her own sister’s marital troubles (as per additional stories).
Sheng Hualan may have ended up living well, but she seems to have forgotten her early years crying back at her parental home, overwhelmed by the concubines her mother-in-law housed.
As for the protagonist raised by the old lady, due to the powerful halo of the transmigrated Yao Yiyi, the narrative tends to diminish the intelligence of side characters and degrade other talented women to ensure a favorable outcome for her, showcasing Old Madam Sheng’s success and masking her past failures.
However, looking at it from another angle, Old Madam Sheng’s example of marrying into a lower status should serve as a cautionary tale for her granddaughters.
Being a noblewoman intent on marrying a top scholar, bringing with her an enormous dowry almost rivaling that of a marquisate, and constantly boasting of her wisdom and status into old age - it all led to domestic strife and the loss of even her own son.
Her family suggested she remarry, but Old Madam Sheng, proud and unwilling to admit her initial marriage was a mistake and her life a failure, refused. Thus, she raised an illegitimate son and even sought to arrange a marriage between him and a legitimate niece from her parental family, which they refused, leading to a severance of relations. Yet, she continued to claim her status as the sole daughter of a marquisate, perhaps because acknowledging her position as the mother of a minor official was too demeaning.
The confused young lady, who endured a lifetime of setbacks, eventually became a shrewd old woman.
Sheng Lao Tai Tai: A Wealthy and Generous Matriarch
It is widely known that Mrs. Sheng was originally the legitimate young lady of the Yongyi Marquis’s residence. She was naturally proud, and she had every reason to be proud.
Mrs. Sheng was known for her impeccable character. After the early demise of Mr. Sheng, the entire Sheng family estate was solely managed by her. However, when her son Sheng Hong got married and started a family, Mrs. Sheng handed over all the family assets to him, not keeping a single penny for herself.
She truly had an extraordinary disposition, treating money as if it were dirt. This was indeed the temperament and magnanimity that only aristocratic young ladies possessed.
Mrs. Sheng lived alone in the “Longevity Hall,” spending her days in meditation and frugality. Her clothing was simple, and she ate plain meals. There were no flowers or trees in her courtyard, and she had only a few servants. Her later years seemed desolate.
During Minglan’s first visit to pay respects to Mrs. Sheng, the elderly lady was in a good mood and arranged for two tables of breakfast in the Longevity Hall. What did they eat?
“On a large porcelain plate, there were steamed white buns, sesame oil-flavored flower rolls, plain glutinous rice congee, and a few small side dishes.”
That was it.
Comparing it to the breakfasts served in Wang Ruo Fu’s house, the contrast was evident:
“Lotus root honey cakes, cream-filled pastry rolls, fried cakes, shredded pork garlic rolls, honey-coated sesame balls, jujube-flavored glutinous rice congee, red rice congee, steamed pork with preserved meat, bird’s nest stewed eggs, dry-fried shredded beef, and a variety of colorful side dishes in a mixed sauce.”
In comparison, what Mrs. Sheng had was quite meager. Did she become impoverished after entrusting all of Sheng’s family assets to her son?
Even Lin Yiniang had faintly started to look down on Mrs. Sheng. She had adopted Minglan but not Mo Lan. Mo Lan was angered by this and complained to Lin Yiniang:
“Humph, that old lady has no money. She’s not the master’s biological mother. Why is she acting so high and mighty…”
Lin Yiniang even suspected that the old lady might not have any money left.
Could it be that the once only daughter of the Yongyi Marquis’s residence had really fallen into such dire straits in her old age? Was she truly destitute?
Think about the extravagance Mrs. Sheng enjoyed when she was a young lady at the Marquis’s residence. The housekeeper revealed that during her time there, there were over forty people attending to her alone:
“Three housekeeper mamas, five first-class maids, eight second-class maids, eight third-class maids, and several errand boys. Additionally, there were several maids responsible for sewing, washing, and cleaning, roughly equivalent to ten more.”
It was understandable; the Marquis’s only precious daughter was treated like a treasure. What riches and grandeur wouldn’t be provided for her? How could the Sheng family not spare any expense?
It was safe to say that although Mrs. Sheng didn’t keep any of the family assets, her dowry from her marriage to the Sheng family, as the lowborn daughter-in-law, must have been substantial. How much had the Marquis and his wife invested in her dowry?
Certainly, Mrs. Sheng’s life appeared modest, leading people to believe she had fallen into poverty. Little did they know: a starved camel is bigger than a horse.
Mrs. Sheng was discreet about her wealth, holding her cards close. She had many hidden assets.
Mrs. Sheng’s display of opulence came shortly before Hualan’s wedding. She gifted Hualan a set of jewelry she had received as her own dowry during her marriage: a red gemstone and pure gold headdress.
Upon opening the box, a dazzling display of gold and red gemstones greeted the eyes. Each gemstone was as big as a thumb, fiery red, and radiant.
Even Wang Ruofu, who was accustomed to seeing rich girls' gold and silver jewelry, was astounded by the red gemstone and pure gold headdress, repeatedly praising its beauty.
The origin of this headdress was quite remarkable; the red gemstones were imported from overseas. The Marquis had obtained these treasures from the Kingdom of Kiev. Eighteen large red gemstones were used to create the entire headdress, including headpieces, necklaces, and hand ornaments. Skilled craftsmen worked day and night for three months to complete it.
It was said to be suitable even for an audience with the imperial concubines.
Mrs. Sheng’s dowry was not only valuable and tasteful but also unique. Imported red gemstones with each as big as a thumb—how many families could boast of such treasures?
These were family heirlooms that could be passed down through generations. If this had happened in the present day, how much would a thumb-sized red gemstone cost? Such large red gemstones are commonly referred to as “pigeon’s eggs” and are worth at least $75,000 each, assuming a price of $500,000 per carat for a gemstone of this size (information sourced from the internet).
Moreover, there was the surrounding pure gold.
This wasn’t all; according to Mrs. Sheng’s earlier rule, “For each daughter’s marriage, she would provide an additional 1,500 taels of silver in dowry.” As the granddaughter she raised, Minglan received far more than 1,500 taels of silver.
After Minglan came under Mrs. Sheng’s care, the old lady, considering her granddaughter’s growth, changed her previously plain diet and began serving sumptuous dishes. Breakfast was no longer plain congee and small dishes with buns and flower rolls; it now included items like jujube paste cakes, yam cakes, sugar-coated millet cakes, deep-fried sesame balls, and a variety of dumplings and side dishes.
Mrs. Sheng loved Minglan dearly. Seeing that both Rulan and Molan had jade pendants, but Minglan didn’t, she took out a fine jade from her room and had a jade pendant crafted for Minglan. Wang Ruofu, who had grown up in the family’s gentry, was envious and somewhat resentful, saying:
“Mingyan has been with me for a short time, and I have neglected her. It was Mrs. Sheng’s thoughtfulness that led her to take out a fine piece of jade, have it sculpted by a master craftsman from Cui Baozhai, and I must say, it’s excellent. The jade is warm in color, with a smooth texture, exquisite craftsmanship, and beautiful. It’s even better than what Siyah and Wuyah have. In the end, she’s Mrs. Sheng; the things she brings out are extraordinary!”
Molan was even more envious, holding Minglan’s jade pendant tightly, unwilling to let go, saying she had never seen anything like it. Of course, Mrs. Sheng’s treasures were not something everyone had seen.
If Lin Yiniang had known about Mrs. Sheng’s wealth, would she have regretted not treating her more respectfully when she was raising her children?
I’m curious, who did the original Mrs. Sheng really kill? The bewildered Zhi Fou and Hei Zi Tu Bai said that Mrs. Sheng had taken one life after another, but in the end, there was no concrete evidence provided.
Where is the proof that Mrs. Sheng went on a rampage in the ancestral home after her child’s death?
A Life of Hardships: The Choices of a Noblewoman
Before her marriage, she was highly regarded, with riches and honor, but she fell for a talented scholar and embarked on a lifetime of misery.
They say the noble daughter of Duke Yongyi was dignified and wise, earning respect from a young age to her old age. However, truth be told, she had neither face nor substance.
Against all advice, she married the talented scholar, only to discover he was fickle. Her child perished, and the man passed away, leaving a mess behind.
Her family wanted to bring her back for a new marriage, but she refused and insisted on raising her acknowledged son. She even used her dowry to pave his way, but he only remembered his birth mother and the hardships of being a recognized son.
As her recognized son grew up and needed to marry, her family chose a common girl, but she looked down on her. She seemed to have forgotten that Sheng Hong was also a recognized son. In order to select a noble daughter-in-law and sever ties with her family, she continued to use the title “Noble Daughter of Duke Yongyi” throughout her life.
The daughter-in-law she chose with care never mistreated her, but in her old age, her daughter-in-law tried to poison her. The son she had raised with all her might turned out to be cold and selfish. He had no intention of seeking justice for her. If not for her granddaughter, grandson, and grandson-in-law, the culprit would have gone free.
Throughout her life, the old lady made countless choices, all of which led to hardships. While she appeared dignified and independent, her actions were often mocked and brought suffering. The few good years she had in her old age were thanks to her grandchildren. If they had followed their father’s path, her life would have been truly miserable.
I don’t really like this old lady. Her family didn’t want to marry their legitimate daughter to the Sheng family’s illegitimate son, so she heartlessly severed ties with her own family, which seems a bit unreasonable.
If she wants to pursue her own love life, why involve the girls from her family?
October 28, 2023, 21:01:10
It’s been almost a year and a half, and this answer has resurfaced.
I spent ten days in my hometown during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival this year, and I had many thoughts.
1. About Gift Giving
I bought a box of the lower-end version of Wuliangye liquor, “Fugui Tianxia” (it tastes decent).
[Link to purchase (prices may fluctuate, but you can probably get coupons)]
I asked my mother three times who she would give gifts to, and her answer surprised me. She said, “I won’t give gifts to anyone.”
This is quite different from the past when we used to visit during the National Day holidays. I remember in 2018 and 2019, we could give away six out of eight boxes of Daoxiangcun pastries brought from Beijing. I wonder what has changed to lead to this situation.
Later, I opened a bottle and drank it myself. I used to drink more beer, but this year I started drinking only white wine. I’ve also started paying more attention to my health from this year onwards, but that’s a story for another time.
It seems that this old lady has gone through a lot in the past year in her hometown, but she won’t tell me. It appears that she doesn’t want to strengthen her relationships with the old acquaintances. This might actually be a good thing.
At fifty, you know your fate; at sixty, you enter the cycle of the zodiac; at seventy, you reach a ripe old age; at eighty, you become formidable.
The old lady will turn sixty next year and will enter a stage of “not getting involved in everything, not worrying about trivial matters.” Here are two stories to illustrate this state of mind:
One is about my cousin’s mother-in-law. It is said that someone asked her for help, and at that time, she should have been over sixty. She was still very enthusiastic and helped out. However, there was an accident during her assistance, and she stayed in the hospital for three months, but unfortunately, she didn’t make it. This incident raised several questions: Whose responsibility is it to pay the hospital bills? How should the relationship be handled after an accident caused by helping? There was a series of chaotic situations afterwards. The result was that what used to be a close relationship turned into enmity. A large sum of money for the hospital expenses was paid by several children, and their complaints overflowed. The children were no longer harmonious; they all felt that they had spent a lot of unjust money.
Another story is about my mother-in-law. She passed away before I got married to my girlfriend. The situation was similar, as she helped with farm work at the time, and she forgot to take her blood pressure medication, which led to a stroke and a three-month stay in the ICU. The ICU expenses are calculated on a daily basis, and you can imagine the cost. My aunt came once and gave 20,000 yuan. When you read this, you might think that my aunt would be very sad, regretful, and ashamed if she had thought that way. However, that was not the case. Instead, she complained afterward, saying that if her health wasn’t good, why did she come to help? Wasn’t that causing trouble? And she spent so much money. This was the most appropriate reaction and the best way to handle it. Otherwise, should she blame herself and bear the hospital expenses? That’s something she couldn’t afford.
“Not getting involved in everything, not worrying about trivial matters” is the rational state of mind that people over 55 should have. If you have elderly family members, especially those with high blood pressure issues, you should be especially vigilant about such social situations turning into accidents!
2. About Marriage
The older generation’s views on marriage probably haven’t changed. Many of my childhood friends are still unmarried, and most of them are around 33 years old now. The older generation sees the younger generation’s marriages as something they should be concerned about. On this matter, I have significant differences with the old lady. I believe it’s an opportunity to change one’s destiny, and it should be approached through
- Career considerations,
- Interests,
- Development,
- Personal shortcomings.
Unfortunately, the older generation, like the old lady from my hometown, opposes this idea.
In reality, when people reach middle age, they have two main concerns: their career and their marriage. This applies to both men and women. After marriage, people in middle age become extremely busy, and there are many responsibilities to manage. Those with children or multiple children, those with elderly family members or multiple elderly family members, have to handle these trivial but necessary matters.
The old lady gave me a piece of advice: “In middle age, one is busy with everything.”
Busy on both fronts! In middle age, you don’t have much time for happiness, joy, or dreams. For those with a slightly weaker economic foundation, the struggles of middle-aged people who are overwhelmed by life are the true portrayal of reality. Men should focus on making money before the age of forty, and this is why I no longer discuss marriage with my childhood friends. They all know each other well and don’t want to enter the complicated world of daily married life without first establishing a solid financial foundation. There are women who understand this, but they are few. Online, there are countless demands for love, emotional value, and daily life drama, which only adds to the challenges of convincing men to marry. (How I wish I could have read articles like this on Zhihu back then.) In the future, it’s likely that women will pursue men, and the obstacles won’t be any fewer than when men pursued women. The current social atmosphere has deceived many young girls, and there are still many who blindly follow the online dating trends. The real effective approach to both the husband’s and wife’s families is the kind of family education seen in the Sheng family, the old lady’s family.
So, now, it’s simple for men to get married: Can they support a level or two above in terms of making money? If they don’t have such resources, it’s better not to marry. The shelf life of love is as short as non-existent. Boys from intact families should focus on making money, take seven or eight years, and gradually transform themselves. Maybe they’ll have a good marriage. But there’s a high probability of the complications of married life.
Issues related to one’s original family are like destiny; even if I understand them, what can I do? Marriage is a family affair. My understanding alone won’t change anything. The development of marriage, family, and children is gradually moving in a direction that I least desire; fate is like an abyss, like a prison; unfathomable; almost impossible to change.
It’s too late, and there’s still overtime work to do at the company. I’ll stop here for now and continue later.
The first step is to establish Sheng Hongqian’s future and lay the foundation for the family.
The second step is to ensure the prosperity of the granddaughter’s marriage and establish a political alliance.
Achieving these three steps should be smooth and straightforward. Let’s talk about this before discussing the details of the third step.
- There is support from above.
- There is a team below.
- There is assistance from outside.
Support from Above
Having connections in the government makes it easier to rise in officialdom, as everyone understands. Having a backing in government makes it possible to make bold moves and achieve results on one’s own. If there’s trouble, you can find someone to take the fall!
Team Below
There are two aspects to this:
One is having support from people who work for you, loyal subordinates, and various professionals who prioritize your interests. For example, when it comes to making money, if I’m good at making money, that’s my core interest. But after making money, how to manage it? In essence, I would need a team, in simpler terms, to manage people. What people? Lawyers to handle legal issues, as trouble is bound to arise when you have money. There are experts in financial planning to handle tax issues, which anyone who knows understands. All income must comply with policy procedures. Today, one person gets fined, and tomorrow, someone is caught evading taxes. Doctors are also indispensable. Security forces need to be strengthened. And so on. What kind of wealth creation level requires what kind of team.
The second aspect is inheritance. This is described by a certain knowledge blogger as the “blindfolded project.” This metaphor is profound.
Assistance from Outside
Why do people always live in a mysterious way? This topic has remained unchanged throughout history; wealth and nobility are preordained, and it is not influenced by human effort. This statement expresses the helplessness inherent in it. All good things must come to an end, and nearly nine out of ten things don’t go as planned. Life is full of desires, emotions, and suffering. Happiness is fleeting, and dreams are far-fetched. Those who struggle to make ends meet in real life are the true inhabitants of this world. Men should accumulate enough wealth before the age of forty before considering remarriage. This is why I no longer discuss marriage with childhood friends. They are familiar with their roots and don’t want to enter the daily married life without a stable financial foundation. There are girls who understand this, but they are few. Online, countless people demand love, emotional value, and the drama of daily life, adding to the challenges of convincing men to marry. (How I wish I could have read articles like this on Zhihu back then.) In the future, it will likely be women pursuing men, and the obstacles won’t be any fewer than when men pursued women. The current social atmosphere has deceived many young girls, and there are still many who blindly follow the online dating trends. The real effective approach to both the husband’s and wife’s families is the kind of family education seen in the Sheng family, the old lady’s family.
So, now, it’s simple for men to get married: Can they support a level or two above in terms of making money? If they don’t have such resources, it’s better not to marry. The shelf life of love is as short as non-existent. Boys from intact families should focus on making money, take seven or eight years, and gradually transform themselves. Maybe they’ll have a good marriage. But there’s a high probability of the complications of married life.
Issues related to one’s original family are like destiny; even if I understand them, what can I do? Marriage is a family affair. My understanding alone won’t change anything. The development of marriage, family, and children is gradually moving in a direction that I least desire; fate is like an abyss, like a prison; unfathomable; almost impossible to change.
It’s too late, and there’s still overtime work to do at the company. I’ll stop here for now and continue later.
High School Entrance Exam Choices
Recently, I heard an interesting principle from a knowledgeable blogger. If your family lacks resources, then choose a major that has a quick payoff. This is truly a valuable piece of advice. There are many majors that offer quick returns.
If we consider the high school entrance exam as the pursuit of a career, then we can also use the Sheng family’s method of advancing the family’s status.
Pursuing a career is about securing a good future. A good future requires some social resources. These social resources are mostly inherited. So, the high school entrance exam and marriage are two hard stones. Life deserves all the beauty in the world.
I am a programmer, and programmers know programming. Beginners can program, seniors can design, and experts can design life.
I’m about to embark on the path of designing life…