Why Shen Qiao like Yan Wushi. FULL of spoilers. Feel free to disagree. Just my study and my thoughts. Part 2
I think it's pretty clear why because they're both different from the rest. Opposites attract. In this case yes but also not really. I have a different theory about yanshen and SQ feelings to YW. What fascinates me most about this pair is that they are definitions two sides of the same coin. Yes, on the outside, they are definitely very different, even opposite, and that's the thing - that someone so opposite can be also the same to a certain extent. A lot of people in that world were cowardly hypocrites - insincere, lying, pretending and acting this way because they have some benefit from it. And even YW, he thought at the beginning that SQ was like everybody else/he might start innocent and good but world will change him/, then he realized that he is not, that he truly IS genuine and true to himself as he said later that he has virtue or goodness in his bones. Like a rock who never shift and human affairs are like a stream. Both are always so above of it. Just like YW, always brutally honest and true to himself.
“Repaying my kindness?” Yan Wushi’s smile now looked a little amazed, “I believe I told you this a long time ago. Saving you was just a momentary impulse of mine. I want to see if you were qualified to be my rival. At the same time, I wanted to enjoy watching whether a poor soul like you, after being betrayed by everyone including your closest friends and left with nothing, would collapse or even go crazy because of these heavy blows.”
Shen Qiao treated people with kindness, but he never expected the others to return kindness to him with the same mindset. Because no matter if other people repaid him or not, it wouldn’t affect his actions.
He did it only because he wanted to do so. It didn’t matter whether other people understood him or not, agreed with him or not, or mocked him or not.
Looking at it from this perspective, Yan Wushi wasn’t any different from him.
no excuses, no apologies, no regrets
Their relationship is about physical, emotional strength. Don't let yourself be brought to your knees, stay true to yourself, to your principles. Defiant - while YW disrupts others' plans and has fun doing it, well because it's fun to mock them and make waves, matters of people are like playground to him + life of people zero value. SQ literally fights hypocrisy and saves the people around it, because it's the right thing to do. But both are more or less on the edge of the human world than inside. They have heard so many excuses and whining from people for the things they do to justify it, but they never do this. This is also why SQ never want apology from YW or anybody else. If they consciously did it back then because they wanted to, it is very hypocritical make excuses or apologies now because things change.
If apologies could change anything, would people no longer need to take responsibility for their crimes? Shen Qiao was not moved by the phrase “I’m sorry.”
“Fame, wealth, and glory—those magnificent treasures that others can only dream of are all worthless in your eyes.” Shen Qiao corrected him. “That’s not true. In fact, I also love fame, wealth, and glory.” ......Yan Wushi smiled slightly. This person had truly understood everything. “So fame, wealth, and glory are still useful,” Shen Qiao said. “As long as one remains clear-minded and avoids being ensnared by them, that’s enough.”
The story definitely shows well that neither SQ nor YW behave, think and act like ordinary people, which I think is very suitable for how far beyond the limits of humanity they both are, which is also the thing that makes them a good couple, because they are match for each other. SQ is truly too good, kind, and compassionate. People around him had a hard time finding way to him, they mostly seeing him as an immortal, idol or some kind of Daoist goodie or even hate him for it - Chen Gong. Only YW and probably SQ's shizun really went to the core of him. Like YW teasing makes SQ so human. Normally he's so serious, polite to the point of distant and otherworldly and then YW comes in and SQ is so angry and embarrassed and totally done.
I think he kind of likes it if YW doesn't overdo it. It's a challenge, a stimulation. They're both practicing martial artists, and in TA it go into a lot of detail and we can see that they both enjoying the thrill of it, and YW clearly gives him intense emotional reactions. He only had one single moment in the entire story where he really broke down and was overcome with emotion, and that was right at the end. Overall, YW tends to be the only one with whom he loses control of his emotions.
Normally SQ has such power over his emotions, his mind remains clear and calm even in the worst situation the same for YW. The entire first two books of SQ don't seem like the betrayals and nothing really hurt him, that's why YW also wanted to push him one more time. We as readers know that he do feel hurt, but that he simply didn't want to get knocked down by it and just got over it. This does not mean that he does not hurt or forgive, but malice and hatred destroy first of all the one who hates. Which is also interesting how the betrayal by YW hurt him very deeply and then he is totally pissed off almost every time YW talks - as if he was special for him. We literally see how he cut off everyone who betrayed him with one exception.
At this very moment, Shen Qiao once again thought of this sentence, every bit and piece of it, and all the days that they spent together.
The friendship that he once deeply believed in was so fragile in front of the other person’s ridicule and schemes that it could not withstand even a single blow.
But even if he could start all over again… Even if he starts over…
.....you going to act as the talentless masses do and cling to the past, unwilling to forgive? Everyone says that Daoist Master Shen is a generous and magnanimous man who lets bygones be bygones. Why do you treat this venerable one so specially, then? Or is this a sign that we're destined to be?" Shen Qiao was so angry he laughed.
“There are many people in this world — some of them are good, and some of them are bad. But there are even more who can’t be simply classified as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. They may not think in the same way you think, or walk the same path you walk. Just like the case with Yu Ai and Yuan Ying — even the same set of sword arts looks slightly different in different people’s hands.
“You destroyed your own meridians?! Are you burning your own boat?! You must be insane!!!”
“Many spend their days like dogs, baying at the slightest hint of profit. They struggle and plot for the smallest of benefits, inviting trouble upon themselves again and again. This is the tragedy of the insignificant. People in the jianghu speak of repaying kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity, but in truth, they do it to rid themselves of that tragedy.
They both have different personalities, but the punchline is that they are both very different from others. Different from the SQ siblings, Chen Gong even different from Bai rong.
And when it comes to SQ outwardly express feelings.
"Sect Leader Yan, some tricks are tiresome if performed more than once. So why perform them again and again? No matter what a fool someone is, surely they won't fall into the same pit twice?" Within his words lay a trace of self-mockery, something that he perhaps didn't even realize himself.
Shen Qiao closed his eyes, then looked down at Shanhe Tongbei in his hand. Out of nowhere, he remembered the scene in the cave, of Yan Wushi scaling fish using his sword. And without him realizing, the sadness in his heart slowly, slowly dissipated.
he found himself unconsciously influenced by Yan Wushi. His emotions gradually settled, and he sat down - beautiful example of mirroring in a relationship - involves mimicking your partner's emotions I love how SQ's feelings for YW are so subtle and development so slow, it totally matches to his personality and their complicated relationship. SQ lived practically as a monk with little desire and very selfless and kind. I have no doubt that he did not understand what he actually felt and did not want to face it either, which was evident with the lake scene, when he was drunk.
Already at the beginning it was see that they get along and communicate quite well /minus YW asshole crap and mocking/ but their different beliefs is what led to the disputes. It was the same curiosity which make YW took SQ as an experiment also made SQ stayed by his side although he always had the option to leave /see "fish head" offer that he can stay with them/. In most scene YW spoke SQ listened and silently criticized him and learn about world - the scene with good and bad news and which one he want to hear first. We saw a scene where SQ watched him rearrange the beans and was quite surprised and amused by it. He paid quite a lot of attention to YW.
His heart was always the most moved and hurt by the things YW did - he cried at least five times for or because of him. SQ is soft but not weak, but every time it's YW who throws him off the most.
We saw how easily he became attachted to Xie Ling and how much it hurt when he disappeared. How shaken he was at the possibility that YW had forgotten everything that happened between them and jealous of how close he was to Guang Lingsan and only with YW are his limits of tolerance further along with physical boundary.
We even see in several cases how YW, even though he has a very dominant demaneour, left SQ enough space to retreat. But SQ never did example last kiss before battle with Hulugu and he was definitely physically attractive to him. He wouldn't put up with this stuff from anyone but YW.
Today, Shen Qiao was finally able to witness for himself the emperor’s reputation for being temperamental and erratic. Though Yan Wushi was also mercurial, this was completely different. When it came to Yan Wushi’s personality, others could say, “He’s an unparalleled martial artist, and his arrogance is peerless as well.” But what could you say about Yuwen Yun? If not for his position, he’d have been hacked to death already.
YW personality - unbreakable will, his martial arts we can literally see that it is his life, new ways, experimentation, he doesn't want to be emperor - no lust for power, intelligence, careless playful nature - all this is quite obvious that it impresses and fascinates SQ to some extent. He doesn't believe in gods - I mean this really stands out compared to Chen Gong blaming fate for his miserable life and deeds, but YW and SQ never, this is also why his past is absolutely irrelevant.
Ironically, the way YW is and the fact that he didn't change at the end and stayed true to his chosen path is what SQ likes about him as much as YW likes on SQ. Their firmness in their own beliefs is the basis for their relationship. If YW change SQ would be less into him.
Selfish reasons often lead to good results. The foundations of democracy are similar, the majority there go for money and influence, but at the same time they try to do things for the people so that they will be re-elected in the next election. Shen Qiao saw people’s suffering, and that's exactly why he started see the value in Yan Wushi’s ruthless selfish attitude, which often have positive results to humanity as a whole.
TA is not a book about the victory of goodness or kindness, but rather that the world needs both to function, which is also shown by the yanshen relationship and how they are balanced at the end. What is evil and selfish at first sight is not always bad, and on the contrary, not always a kind approach is the right one. The strongest wins. Interesting thing is that whatever is done in the story is rarely personal, the overthrow of SQ at the beginning or the ambush of YW.
In summary, SQ's feelings and bond with YW is based on time spent together, admiration and respect for his abilities, and that he helped him see the bigger picture. How to read people but also the world.
“Do you still hold a grudge against me in your heart?” Shen Qiao shook his head. “No, it’s the exact opposite. I admire you greatly. There aren’t many people in this world who can live so willfully, but Sect Leader Yan is one of them. Before I left the mountain, the only world and jianghu I knew was the tiny little space that my late master had told me about. I’d never seen it with my own eyes. If not for Yan Wushi’s instruction, I wouldn’t be alive listening to you say these things now.”
In my country, we have a metaphor for this, that a child has to burn himself on the stove so that he knows not to touch it - which means that he will gain life experience, rough, but thanks to this he has a better chance of surviving in reality. SQ has a similar view. Because yes, SQ in the beginning was too kind, good, but mostly naive which was his fatal flaw. He survived every hardship thanks to sheer luck and remnants of strength, but we know that his core and strength were waning, because of poison and he was on the verge of destruction. The YW personality is definitely a reflection of that ruthless and cruel world and his street ways allowed him to survive and be like a fish in water, while SQ world was very peaceful to the point where he ignored the signs and naively trusted his sect, which as we know did not pay off.
From the beginning, he was drawn to him for his political skills, knowledge about the world and humanity /even in the extra it is said that eight out of ten guesses are not wrong/, and even at the end, you can see how he admires how YW puts together from the fragments where the future is going and how people will behave. They have the strongest foundation of a relationship - respect for the other person and his opinion, they know each other so deeply, they both get to the core of the other - SQ quite literally see fragments YW soul.
From this, one could see that though Shen Qiao was righteous by nature, he was by no means a person bound by rules. This was precisely why, out of his five disciples, Qi Fengge had ultimately chosen Shen Qiao to be his successor.
Admiration and see themselves as equals, which made them great partners who make compromises and understand each other. Both are able to hold dialogues and not impose their opinion on the contrary enrich each other with an absolutely opposite view of things. Even if they don't agree with this view.
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