Though favored by Anda Khan, San Niangzi held little real power and often felt besieged from all sides: her seven stepsons maintained superficial harmony with their young stepmother while secretly resenting her; court ministers and tribal leaders outwardly addressed her as Zhongjin Khatun yet privately scorned her for marrying her own grandfather.
People revere the strong and bully the weak. In truth, it was Anda Khan who forcibly took his granddaughter as wife, yet none dared criticize him. Instead, they whispered accusations against San Niangzi, claiming she seduced her grandfather for wealth and status, calling her shameless.
Such was reality. When a woman is violated by a man—especially one with power—so long as the man possesses authority or wealth, no matter how aged or repulsive he may be, and regardless of how young and beautiful the woman is, public opinion will always excuse the man’s crimes. Rather than sympathizing with the victim, they condemn her as ambitious and materialistic, willing to bed an old, ugly man for profit.
No matter how aged, hideous, or despicable the man, he is invariably portrayed as an innocent fool "deceived" by a cunning woman.
Initially, San Niangzi was shattered. Violated by her own grandfather, burdened by accusations of abandoning her cousin for power, she even contemplated suicide.
But when the blade touched her wrist, she stopped: Why? I’ve done nothing wrong. Why should I die?
The old man, seeking to compensate her, indulged her excessively. San Niangzi moved like a puppet under his manipulation. Though drowning in lavish favor, it felt like having her soul flayed alive. Everyone urged her to accept the old man’s affections and "know her place," even her own father demanding she submit and play the docile young wife.
Gradually, San Niangzi accepted her grandfather as husband. She even grew to relish being cherished by the most powerful man on the grasslands. To survive and find some comfort, to avoid complete collapse, she repeatedly hypnotized herself:
His violation was an act of overwhelming love.
His determination to marry her despite ethics proved true devotion.
She must reciprocate with genuine affection. She had to learn to love him... because loving him would numb the pain.
Love became her anesthetic powder, dulling the visceral agony, allowing her to see herself as a joyful, content, blissful, perpetually adored young wife.
But Wei Caiwei’s piercing words sliced through like sunlight, illuminating all the shameful truths San Niangzi had desperately hidden under the bed, jolting her from her drugged stupor to face an even more degrading future.
Marrying her grandfather was only the beginning. She would still have to endure weddings to her uncles, cousins, even nephews. Each marriage would bring fresh torment, requiring renewed self-numbing acceptance.
How cruel this woman was!
San Niangzi gripped the edges of the table, restraining the urge to overturn it. "Levirate marriage is Mongol tradition. I alone cannot change it. My resentment means nothing—even your Ming court cannot alter our customs."As long as you remain unwilling, our opportunity has come. Wei Caiwei sat opposite San Niangzi, "I've heard from my sworn brother that Hatun is not one to drift with the tide. While the levirate marriage custom cannot be changed, its substance can be altered. If Hatun seizes power, she can turn her husband into a puppet—a nominal spouse who merely serves as her tool to rule the grasslands. So long as Hatun pledges allegiance to our Ming dynasty and ceases hostilities, we will fully support her reign over the steppes."
San Niangzi's eyes brightened momentarily before dimming again, "You Han Chinese have a saying: 'Drawing a cake to satisfy hunger.' You're a woman of courage, daring to paint me such an extravagant picture."
Wei Caiwei replied, "Where there's will and action, anything is possible. Our Central Plains also upholds male superiority, yet we once had Empress Wu Zetian. She first married the father, then the stepson, serving two generations of men. The subsequent emperors all became her puppets—she decided who would ascend the throne, until she deposed them all and crowned herself emperor."
"Your grasslands also had a woman similar to Wu Zetian—"
San Niangzi immediately interjected, "You speak of Hatun Mandukhai."
Everyone on the grasslands knew of this great woman, Hatun Mandukhai.
During the Chenghua era of the Great Ming, Hatun Mandukhai was a shining pearl of the Mongolian steppes. In that period, the Chenghua Emperor was madly in love with Consort Wan, nineteen years his senior, embarking on an extraordinary romance. Simultaneously, another story of an older woman and younger man unfolded on the grasslands, with an even greater age gap of twenty-five years.
When Great Khan Manduł of the grasslands passed away without an heir, his wife Hatun Mandukhai, then only thirty-two and in her prime, already held the reins of power during the khan's final years.
According to the levirate marriage custom, whichever man the widowed Hatun Mandukhai married would become the grassland king. Thus, tribal chieftains flocked to propose, competing to inherit the legacy.
Hatun Mandukhai ultimately chose Dayan Khan—the fifteen-generation descendant of Genghis Khan, scion of the Golden Family, and merely seven years old—who would become the grandfather of the present Anda Khan.
The thirty-two-year-old Hatun Mandukhai married the seven-year-old Dayan Khan.
Naturally, this was a typical political marriage, devoid of romance. Her choice of a seven-year-old boy as husband served two purposes: the child's noble lineage commanded respect, and his youth made him easily controllable. Until the boy assumed regency at sixteen, Hatun Mandukhai could maintain her grip on power as the true ruler of the grasslands.
Later, Hatun Mandukhai bore seven sons with her young husband Dayan Khan—a remarkably efficient fertility achievement including three sets of twins, producing seven sons through just four pregnancies.
Her eldest son would become the father of the current Anda Khan, making Hatun Mandukhai Anda Khan's grandmother.
Thus, with just a slight prompt from Wei Caiwei, San Niangzi immediately understood she referred to her husband's grandmother, Hatun Mandukhai.
Wei Caiwei concluded, "Precisely. The moment Hatun Mandukhai lost her husband marked the beginning of her true sovereignty over the grasslands. For her, levirate marriage was merely an instrument to wield power. With absolute authority, whether man or woman, one can master the initiative in political marriages.""Khatun cannot change the tradition of levirate marriage, she cannot choose but must accept. However, whether to become the master of this marriage or degenerate into a manipulated puppet controlled by the other party—this is something Khatun can choose. We can help Khatun make the choice to take control."
San Niangzi's gaze shifted unpredictably, her mind wrestling with countless conflicting thoughts.
Wei Caiwei wouldn't allow her to evade, grasping her hand firmly. "We wish to be Khatun's allies. Anda Khan is aging, and Khatun must consider her own future. An old man's favor is unreliable—power and wealth are a woman's truest friends."
"To gain an ally or an enemy; to become a powerful woman like Mandukhai Khatun, or remain an object passed down through generations—all rest on Khatun's single decision."
San Niangzi's hand grew sweaty and trembled within Wei Caiwei's palm. After a long while, her trembling ceased, and she asked, "Why should I believe your words? Will the Ming emperor honor your promises to me? If our secret contact is exposed and I'm accused of colluding with the Ming, I'll be utterly ruined."
That she could voice these questions proved she had listened to my proposal and been moved by it.
Drawing from her experience as a wandering physician, Wei Caiwei knew that critical customers were genuine buyers. Those uninterested wouldn't bother haggling but would simply walk away. Only when they sat down to negotiate was there hope for a deal.
Wei Caiwei replied, "I won't spout empty boasts to save myself, deceiving Khatun with false promises. Honestly, I cannot guarantee the emperor will endorse a secret alliance with Khatun. What I've said represents only my personal view, and a woman's sympathy and proposal to another woman. But I promise I will spare no effort to persuade the emperor to form a covert alliance with Khatun."
"The Ming and Mongols have fought intermittent wars for over two hundred years. I believe many share my weariness of conflict and desire peace between our nations, hoping to reopen border markets for trade. I think the Longqing Emperor is likely to approve this proposal. He is an enlightened ruler who even defied ancestral traditions by lifting maritime trade bans, allowing free commerce along the southeast coast. Now it should be the north's turn for free trade."
"As for the risk of colluding with the Ming... Zhongjin Khatun, what endeavor is without risk? Greater risks bring greater rewards. If Khatun wishes to achieve much with little effort, she must dare to take risks. Moreover, besides us, which tribe on the steppe would support Khatun's rise to power? Forgive my bluntness, but even Khatun's own father wouldn't support you."
Wei Caiwei's final words struck at the heart of the matter, yet they were cruel truths. When people spoke of Zhongjin Khatun, they thought of the steppe's greatest beauty, a femme fatale who abandoned her cousin and enchanted the ruler—never considering her a stateswoman capable of ruling the grasslands.
San Niangzi thought to herself: Reopening border markets would benefit many on the steppe, aligning with popular sentiment. Just like this year's drought—if the markets existed, so many wouldn't have starved. If I can secure the Ming emperor's support and claim credit for reopening trade, driven by shared interests, surely some would support me. Starting from there, I could gradually gain power like Mandukhai Khatun.
With power in hand, I could change this fate of being treated like an object at others' mercy.At this thought, a light sparked in San Niangzi's eyes, and hope bloomed in her heart.
San Niangzi asked, "Is Wang Daxia in Fengcheng?"
Now, it was crucial to rebuild San Niangzi's shattered trust in Ding Wu. They could no longer deceive her—any misstep might cause the already uncertain San Niangzi to waver.
Wei Caiwei bowed her head and replied, "Yes. Knowing him as I do, he will be at the Khanate Court gates tomorrow morning, requesting an audience with the Khatun to take me home."
Watching Wei Caiwei's confident and resolute demeanor, San Niangzi had never felt such envy toward another woman. Wei Caiwei possessed true love—seven years of waiting, unwavering until death. She was certain he would come, without a trace of doubt or hesitation.
San Niangzi pressed further, "Where in Fengcheng is he?"
Wei Caiwei said, "I cannot disclose that, as it involves official matters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He is coming to fetch me as my husband, unrelated to his official duties."
In reality, Wang Daxia did not even wait until tomorrow.
As soon as Wei Caiwei finished speaking, a maid entered and reported to San Niangzi, "Ding Yuanpan is outside the palace requesting an audience with the Khatun. He has brought an attendant who claims the surname Wang and insists on entering the palace to take his wife home."
Ding Wu's access token to the Khanate Court had been confiscated, so he had to seek permission before entering. Wang Daxia had arrived exceptionally early!
San Niangzi composed herself and said, "Grant them entry." While a love that defied life and death was truly enviable, if she was destined never to have such a beautiful romance, wielding power would suffice.
Author's Note:
Daxia: "Darling, I'm here to rescue you!"
Banxia: "No need, I've already handled it myself."
During the Chenghua era, Consort Wan and the Chenghua Emperor had a romance with a 19-year age gap. Concurrently, on the grasslands, Mandukhai Khatun and Dayan Khan had a political marriage with a 25-year age difference.
In the Jiajing era, the Jiajing Emperor was infatuated with Consort Shangshou, who was the same age as his granddaughter. At the same time, Anda Khan was enamored with his granddaughter Zhongjin Khatun.
In the early Wanli period, Empress Dowager Li Jiubao became the regent, effectively ruling the Ming Dynasty. Meanwhile, on the grasslands, after Anda Khan's death, San Niangzi remarried his successor—first her stepson, then her grandson—becoming the de facto ruler of the steppes. Both nations were under the sway of women.
What remarkably intriguing coincidences! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the story with nutrient solutions between 2020-10-19 19:45:34 and 2020-10-20 03:17:46~
Special thanks to:
Little angel "yin" for throwing a landmine~
Little angels for irrigation: 15 bottles from "Vinegar Fried Potato Shreds" and "Night Dance Langhuan"; 10 bottles from "A Curtain of Beautiful Sun" and "I Am Your Father"; 5 bottles from others~
I am deeply grateful for your support and will continue to strive!
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