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mxtxfanatic · 1 year

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tbh, the whole ~~its easy to be kind when youre rich!!!!~~ take makes me feel like some people watched parasite and didnt really understand what it was saying when one of the characters said that same thing about the family they were working for (and idk, maybe theyve never seen that movie and arent thinking about it, but its what immediately comes to my mind when people say that phrase). The rich family wasnt actually nice!! they just didnt place the same emotional weight on certain things because they had so much of them, and therefore thought less about them, etc. But that wasnt supposed to be a line meaning that all rich people are nice because they dont have to worry about surviving, which is how some people seem to feel about class and which drives me nuts!!! its such a lukewarm, incorrect take imo!

(I’ve never seen Parasite, don’t judge 🫣) but I think you’re right, anon, people do mistake niceness for kindness and genuineness. Rich people irl doing things to launder their money and reputations in the eyes of the public is not a sincere display of generosity meant to materially change the conditions of the lower classes. Also, being a celebrity =\= being a hero. On the flip side, if poverty was a condition that made humans more inclined to forsake their morals and hospitality, the human race would have died out a long time ago. You have no further to look for examples of this than when disaster strikes in the world or extreme human rights abuses occur. “Poor people have less opportunities to be heroes,” say that to the people who dive into rip tides to save drowning swimmers or the people digging through the rubble of destroyed buildings to pull out survivors or the people jumping onto subway tracks to save strangers who’ve fallen in. Say that to people who open their homes to hide whole groups of people against state persecution, whether in secret or in plain view of the world. Say that to the history of colonial resistance (of which China has centuries of examples) or slave rebellions. Where were the rich people and their “privilege of kindness” then?

Now let’s put this in context of tgcf. Which institutionally powerful characters, who are not Xie Lian, use their status, money, and power to materially change the conditions of the common people? Xie Lian was out there carrying rain from different parts of the world to relieve Yong’an’s drought while he fought with his father, THE EMPEROR, to provide aid for the refugees. Xie Lian, alone, talked to the refugees about what was happening and walked amongst the people to see what they were suffering through. The only god who helps him is The Rain Master; everyone else focuses on stealing his worshipers behind his back or telling him that human life is not valuable enough to want to save from suffering.

Most of the martial gods ascend from war or prowess, and many of these achievements are covered in blood such that revealing them could (and does for some!) strip them of their godhood. I can’t say much about how the civil gods ascend, though in Ling Wen’s case it also seems based on skill and not so much how they actively help the people. Feng Xin and Mu Qing are the only characters I can think of who don’t follow this pattern, but even they are willing to forsake the common people and lower castes if it means staying within the status quo (all the moments they try to persuade Xie Lian against fighting the Xianle nobility on behalf of the Yong’an refugees or how they try to persecute the ghosts as easy solutions to the story’s mysteries without looking into the abnormalities of each case because “gods can’t be bad so it must be the ghosts!”). And again, the climax of the story has the capital city saved from utter destruction by the power of the community and camaraderie amongst the city’s homeless population (whereas the heavens are saved by the power of unconditional love and Hua Cheng’s complete faith in Xie Lian), all at the cost of… sharing a meal together at the end of the day.

Real life doesn’t adhere to the logic that goodness is a class privilege, and this book doesn’t reproduce that logic either. So once again people are using their biases to interpret messages in the text that simply do not exist.

#tgcf asks #anon #note that i am only speaking on what i see in the book #i know that there is a logic to their ascension based around chinese culture and religions #i am simply unfamiliar with them and thus won’t speak on them

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pengiesama · 4 years

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Dianxia Dotes Upon the Demon King (Fic, TGCF, HC/XL)

Title: Dianxia Dotes Upon the Demon King Series: Heavenly Official’s Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu) Pairing: Hua Cheng/Xie Lian

Summary:

After Hua Cheng's return, Xie Lian is determined to aid in his recovery, and maybe spoil him a bit in the process.

Hua Cheng is more than eager to accept, but could do without his obnoxious sword's interference.

Link: AO3

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It had taken eight hundred years and one more for this sea to be filled. Filled with a collection of twigs and pebbles, cracked rice bowls and dented pots, of bobbing lanterns to light the path leading to the only destination Xie Lian cared to know: the tight embrace of Hua Cheng’s arms.

He had so much to tell his San Lang, so much to catch him up on, so many things he’d stored away in his heart to loose upon this day whenever it came. But he also had so much to hear from San Lang, and so many kisses to give. It was far too much for a little old god like himself to bear, and he felt his heart ache from the wondrous strain of carrying it.

“Gege,” Hua Cheng murmured. “You’re trembling.”

He was indeed, from everything altogether, but the chill night air was a factor to be sure. Xie Lian stilled Hua Cheng’s hand as it moved to slide his red cloak off his shoulders as an offering. He laced those fingers with his own, and guided them both upright.

His little mountain hut was humble, to be sure, but it was certainly more comfortable than rolling around in the grass all night. The bed-mat was – the bed-mat was comfortable enough, and – and just maybe big enough for two, if they pressed close…

Xie Lian felt his ears glowing red, and tilted his chin up to steal a glance at Hua Cheng. (Did he have to steal them, still? Would San Lang now allow him to take his fill?)

Hua Cheng’s handsome face was no longer smiling that sweet smile. He was instead glaring at the stewpot. Or maybe the individual stirring it.

“So that’s where you went,” Hua Cheng said darkly.

E-ming continued to stir the stew in the pot with his blade, the bells attached to his tasseled pommel jingling with each circuit made. He pretended to ignore Hua Cheng.

Xie Lian smiled at Hua Cheng brightly, and Hua Cheng’s sour look faltered.

“E-ming was all alone when you went away, and I couldn’t just let him fend for himself…” Xie Lian explained. “He’s kept me company. And is so handy around the house, just like San Lang!”

E-ming’s eye slit open, and he fixed Hua Cheng with a smug look. Hua Cheng’s sourness came back full force.

“Gege must have suffered so this past year,” Hua Cheng said. “But he needn’t trouble himself any longer. San Lang will handle all the chores from now on.”

E-ming gave a dangerous-sounding rattle, like a snake about to strike. He and Hua Cheng locked eye(s), ready to defend their claim to wait upon Xie Lian hand and foot by any means necessary –

“Absolutely not!” Xie Lian scolded. “San Lang won’t be straining himself any time soon, not after re-incorporating! In fact, he’s already done too much, too much!”

In one determined, fluid motion, Xie Lian hoisted Hua Cheng off his feet and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

“Gathering all those lanterns, climbing up this mountain,” Xie Lian continued fretfully. “You need your rest, and I won’t have you exhausting yourself for my sake when I’m perfectly capable of chopping wood and sweeping the floor on my own.”

Xie Lian crossed the room and easily tossed Hua Cheng onto the bed-mat – which he’d recently gathered some extra straw for, bless his intuition. Hua Cheng laid there where he landed, limp and sprawled out, staring up at Xie Lian with a mixture of shock and raw desperation. He looked almost like he was about to dissipate again. His poor San Lang! He was even more exhausted than Xie Lian had initially thought.

“Gege,” Hua Cheng croaked out weakly.

Xie Lian smiled at him gently. His hair was mussed, his robes also, from a day of work in the fields and from rolling around in the grass. He was tired, but his own exhaustion paled in comparison to the burning desire to care for his San Lang, to nurse him back to health, to spoil him as he’d longed to for this year and more.

His San Lang had had a hard life, a hard unlife. Xie Lian hardly considered himself worthy, but oh, he was so very full of love, and was so ready to give it to Hua Cheng.

“I’ll bring San Lang some stew in just a little bit,” Xie Lian murmured. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Hua Cheng’s lovely pale forehead. “He can rest until then.”

E-ming rattled insistently, and Xie Lian glanced over in concern.

“Oh, E-ming, you’ve worked so hard today,” Xie Lian fretted. “It’s time for you to rest, too.”

He bustled over to grasp E-ming’s hilt and hoist him out of the stewpot. Black, viscous tar oozed off E-ming’s blade. E-ming’s eye blinked and batted rapidly, and his whole self trembled and rattled like a needy puppy pleading for his master’s pats. Xie Lian cooed and fussed and obliged, stroking E-ming’s hilt as he carried him out to the bathing tub.

“We’ll be right back, San Lang!” Xie Lian called over his shoulder. “We just need to wash up!”

He’d hardly drawn enough water into the bathing tub for E-ming alone when he heard a commotion from inside. Hua Cheng stood at the door, heaving for breath. He glowered at E-ming, who lounged in the tub, and returned the glare measure for measure.

“San Lang!” Xie Lian exclaimed. “I thought I told you to stay in bed!”

“In any other circumstance, I could not refuse such an order from His Highness,” Hua Cheng said. “But San Lang wants a bath too.”

Xie Lian gasped, and hurried over to hoist Hua Cheng over his shoulder once more.

“Ah! San Lang, you’re right, it was so rude of me to not offer! Here, you and E-ming can have the bathwater first, I’ll manage later…”

He lowered Hua Cheng to his feet next to the bath, and, driven by hospitality and single-minded determination, yanked off Hua Cheng’s clothes without another word. Hua Cheng’s corporeal form briefly flickered in and out of sight, and he stumbled on his feet enough to topple into the bath.

“Now, I have this oil that works splendidly to polish E-ming,” Xie Lian went on, dragging out a small basket of supplies. “Perhaps it’d work on San Lang’s hair, as well? Wouldn’t that make sense, don’t you think? San Lang?”

Hua Cheng made a gurgling noise that Xie Lian took as a yes, and got to work wetting and washing the vast expanse of Hua Cheng’s raven-black locks. This task engrossed him – even if it had not, he would not have been able to hear the private discussion that Hua Cheng and E-ming were having in their shared array…

MASTER IS INTRUDING ON GEGE BATHTIME, E-ming accused. MASTER IS TOO BIG, AND MAKES GEGE NOT FIT IN THE TUB WITH E-MING. MAKES GEGE HAVE TO WAIT.

This perhaps hit home, and Hua Cheng felt a pang of guilt. He would build a splendid indoor bathing area in Qiandeng Temple for Xie Lian’s private use. An outdoor one, too, complete with hot springs, and non-alcoholic drink service at a floating bar in the middle.

“Your Highness,” Hua Cheng said with effort, unable to speak clearly with Xie Lian’s hands tugging at his hair. “Please. While the water’s warm. Come in.”

“I wouldn’t want to squish you and E-ming,” Xie Lian said. “Don’t worry, I’ll manage.”

MASTER ALSO HOGS SPECIAL STUFF GEGE USES TO POLISH E-MING, E-ming continued in his accusations.

Has my long absence caused you to forget your place?, Hua Cheng replied. His Highness doesn’t need to rely on your questionable assistance any longer.

E-MING IS OF MOST ASSISTANCE, E-ming stated. E-MING CHOPS, AND STIRS, AND DOES NOT USE UP ALL THE SPECIAL STUFF. GEGE CAN POLISH E-MING TEN TIMES BEFORE HE IS DONE TENDING TO MASTER’S TASSEL EVEN ONCE.

Useless and an idiot, Hua Cheng said. His Highness is truly too kind to have taken you in.

BIG AND STUPID WITH TOO MUCH TASSEL, E-ming shot back.

Useless and an idiot and not even sharp enough to cut a rotten orange.

BIG AND STUPID TOO MUCH TASSEL AND DOESN’T EVEN WRITE GOOD!

In this arms race of progressively more childish insults, there could be no winner. There was only one thing that could stop it: the angelic tones of Xie Lian’s laughter.

“Ah! Ruoye, you’re tickling me! Did you want to have a bath, too?” Xie Lian was peeking up his own sleeve as Ruoye swirled around his forearms and biceps. “Come now, don’t be shy. You know San Lang.”

Ruoye shyly slithered out and into the tub, peeping once at Hua Cheng before dunking itself under the surface of the water and disappearing into the depths. Xie Lian began to hum as he worked, fingers deep in Hua Cheng’s locks, combing the oil in with careful passes.

It was bliss.

It was more than Hua Cheng could’ve ever dreamed of.

It was almost enough to stop him from continuing to argue with his useless idiot not-sharp sword for the remainder of the bath.

(Almost.)

After a delicious dinner – made all the more delicious by Xie Lian’s insistence on spoon-feeding Hua Cheng, and made into a transcendent dining experience by Hua Cheng’s successful gamble at pleading for Xie Lian’s lap as a pillow for his weary head – Xie Lian still failed to join Hua Cheng on the bed-mat. Drunk on power and love both, Hua Cheng was fully ready to pout and whine and plead for his gege to warm his poor frail San Lang, but was briefly distracted by a kiss to his forehead, his cheek, and then a hesitant, shy press of lips against his own.

“I’ll come to bed in a little while,” Xie Lian promised. “It’s time for E-ming’s lessons.”

Hua Cheng’s eyebrow arched so high that his forehead crinkled. Xie Lian giggled and kissed it again. If Hua Cheng’s heart still beat, it would have burst a thousand times over. Still, regarding the topic at hand…

“Gege is too kind to try and teach him anything,” Hua Cheng said. “Truly, anyone would have forgiven you for giving it up as a lost cause.”

Xie Lian blinked, then shook his head. “Oh, no, he’s a wonderful student. His calligraphy has come so far! Here, let us show you…”

Xie Lian grabbed a length of paper, and hung it from the wall – a blank scroll, ready to be written upon. E-ming floated over, hovering, waiting for his teacher’s instructions. Xie Lian tapped his chin thoughtfully.

“Today…how about a few passages from the Shan Hai Jing? E-ming’s choice of chapter.”

E-ming rattled eagerly, then flung himself to the ground to roll around on the wetted inkstone Xie Lian had provided for him. Once thoroughly covered, he launched himself end-over-end at the hanging scroll, and splatted against it with an audible sound. He pried himself off, shook off the remaining ink, and blinked once, twice at his handiwork before squinting and wiggling a delighted rattling dance.

Three thousand ninety li farther southeast,

then northeast,

stands Departing-Doves Mountain. On its heights are many mulberry trees.

There is a bird dwelling here whose form resembles a crow

with a patterned head, white beak, and red feet.

It is called Jingwei and makes a sound like its name.

Not only was it legible, it was impeccable work. Even Hua Cheng couldn’t argue that. Xie Lian clapped at E-ming’s little dance, and gave him a kiss to his hilt as he floated close and seemed to plead for it.

“Of course, of course, good students get a hug and a kiss,” Xie Lian assured him, and wiped off a smudge of ink from E-ming’s blade with his thumb. “Now, four more repetitions and it’s time for bed…”

He’d been born a lowly peasant, illiterate and uneducated. He’d had to twist Black Water’s arm (literally) to force him to teach him the basics of reading and writing, back in the day, and it still didn’t come naturally to him.

Hua Cheng was never destined to be a good student. No, he was destined to be a bother and a pest.

And every part of him was alight with the determination to be just that.

“Gege…” Hua Cheng said in plaintive tones. “Can’t San Lang join class, too?”

E-ming’s eye narrowed at him.

MASTER DOES NOT EVEN KNOW THE CLASSROOM READING LIST.

Don’t I? Oh, I think I do.

MASTER IS A LIAR AND A CAD.

Yes, of course, the Shan Hai Jing; my favorite part is when the wicked Demon King wins the hand of the beautiful prince in marriage, and they ride off into the sunset on a giant flying fish…

E-ming rattled furiously. NOTHING NO PART NOT ANYTHING NOTHING AT ALL IN SHAN HAI JING ABOUT MASTER AND GEGE AND A FISH!!

Xie Lian was too delighted at the idea of teaching Hua Cheng to notice the renewed battle of wills, and was already at Hua Cheng’s bedside with paper and ink and brushes.

“I’d love to have San Lang as a student! Of course, we’ll have to get you up to speed with E-ming, but San Lang is so clever, and such a quick study…I know he’ll be just as good a student.”

Hua Cheng leaned in, smiling wide. Xie Lian looked up to see his face just an inch way, and flushed a deep red.

“Good students get a hug and a kiss,” Hua Cheng cited his teacher’s words from earlier. “What do bad students get, I wonder?”

Xie Lian studied Hua Cheng’s face for a moment or two, considering.

“Ruoye,” he said quietly. “Go tuck E-ming into bed in the other room.”

(Hua Cheng did not ride off into the sunset on a giant flying fish, but, well. It sure was something.)

#天官赐福 #tgcf #heavenly official's blessing #tian guan ci fu #hualian #a tenderly crafted fanfiction

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