Preface
In that turbulent era, a seemingly insignificant marriage could affect the fate of two major families? Zhang Fei snatched Xiahou Yuan's 13-year-old niece and made her his daughter-in-law, an incident that not only shocked but also triggered endless speculation.
So, why didn't the Xiahou family take revenge? What kind of story is hidden behind this? Let's take a closer look!
Zhang Fei met Xiahou for the first time
In 200 AD, Cao Cao killed Dong Cheng, Liu Bei took refuge in Yuan Shao, and the contradiction with Cao Cao became public. The brothers of Taoyuan Sanjie started a wandering career. They fled all the way from Cao Cao's lair to Xuzhou, and just as they were leaving the city, Zhang Fei met a young girl who changed the trajectory of his life.
It was a sunny day, and Zhang Fei's entourage was preparing to leave Xuzhou City. At the gate of the city, he saw a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl collecting firewood, dressed plainly and with a docile demeanor.
An inexplicable impulse hit his heart, and Zhang Fei did not hesitate to forcibly take the girl into the carriage. This girl is Xiahou Shi, the niece of Xiahou Yuan, a famous general in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Xiahou's life experience is not satisfactory
Xiahou's father died early, and she was regarded as her own by Xiahou Yuan since she was a child. However, in that era, even after a famous family, it was inevitable to encounter poverty.
One year, the family was stretched thin, and in order to keep his niece alive, Xiahou Yuan even gave her the food that should have been given to his son, causing his son to starve to death. Such a family environment cast a shadow on Xiahou's childhood.
Later, Xiahou Yuan followed Cao Cao to fight the world and was appointed as the Sima of other departments. Because Xiahou was still young and it was inconvenient to take her with him, he could only leave her in his hometown of Qian County for the time being, and the clansmen would take care of her. It was at this juncture that Zhang Fei met her, and took her away without saying a word.
For this young and beautiful girl, Zhang Fei must have fallen in love at first sight. But what motive did he have for such recklessly taking her captive? Perhaps, this brave and warlike general also had his own loneliness and loneliness, and longed to find someone to rely on. And Xiahou happened to become the object of his search for the second spring.
The Hidden Considerations Behind Marriage
Regarding Zhang Fei's actions, Xiahou Yuan actually knew what he did. However, he did not choose to take revenge, but instead settled on this family business, with hidden considerations behind it.
First of all, at that time, Xiahou Yuan was on the front line of the war, and he had no skills to take care of his niece's marriage. By the time he got out of the war, his niece had already given birth to a pair of children for Zhang Fei and became a family. At this time, even if he had the heart to retaliate, it was too late.
Secondly, Xiahou Yuan understood that the contradiction between Cao Cao and Liu Bei was destined to cause a major war. If his niece marries into Liu Bei, no matter which side wins, the family will be attached to it, which is a good hidden move. In those turbulent times, no one could predict the future, and only by acting cautiously could the continuation of the family be ensured.
The most important thing is that Zhang Fei is a famous general of the dynasty after all, and if the Xiahou family marries into him, he will be able to live a stable and prosperous life in the future. In contrast, the happiness and well-being of his niece is what Xiahou Yuan values the most. He would rather sacrifice his own face to ensure that his niece can enjoy her family in peace.
Such considerations reflect Xiahou Yuan's sense of responsibility and wisdom as an elder. He understands that in troubled times, the interests of the family are the most important, and personal grievances should be put aside. It is this kind of foresight that transcends personal emotions that allowed the Xiahou family to continue in the end.
Married life: stability and wealth
Sure enough, after Xiahou married into the Zhang family, he lived a carefree life. She gave birth to two daughters and a son to Zhang Fei, and the family was happy.
The eldest daughter, Zhang, was later accepted by Liu Chan as the queen, but she suffered an early death in just four years, and was known as the queen of mourning. This is a tragic ending, but it also reflects from the side that the high status of the Zhang family's daughter was unprecedented at that time.
The second daughter, Zhang, soon succeeded to the throne as the new empress. Such an identity not only brought supreme glory to the Zhang family, but also laid a solid foundation for their future development. After all, as royal relatives, they are bound to be able to receive more preferential treatment and care in the imperial court.
Zhang Fei's son Zhang Shao was also a sleek and sophisticated person, and after Liu Chan returned to Cao Wei, he became the "hero" who took the lead in paying the national seal. The Cao Wei court was very kind to him, not only canonized him as a liege, but also his descendants could have no worries about food and clothing.
A little girl who was forcibly married became a royal relative and enjoyed the glory and wealth of life, all thanks to Zhang Fei's "heroes see the same". His whim not only changed the fate of the Xiahou clan, but also paved the way for his own children and grandchildren.
Xiahou Yuan's thick burial and family continuation
At the same time, Xiahou Yuan's family also benefited a lot. In 224 AD, Liu Bei and Cao Cao fought in Hanzhong, and Xiahou Yuan, as the chief general of Cao's army, was unfortunately killed by Huang Zhong.
Cao Jun seemed to have lost his backbone, and his morale was greatly reduced. Liu Bei took advantage of the victory to pursue, and finally conquered Hanzhong, and Cao Cao's vitality was greatly damaged. Xiahou Yuan's body was transported back to Shu Han, and when Xiahou learned of the bad news, he asked Liu Bei to bury his uncle. Liu Bei agreed to her request and gave Xiahou Yuan a high courtesy.
Such an honor is also related to Xiahou Yuan's military exploits during his lifetime, but more importantly, the in-law relationship between him and Zhang Fei. After all, Zhang Fei's daughter has become Liu Chan's queen, and Liu Bei naturally has to give the Xiahou family enough face. This kind of political consideration made Xiahou Yuan get such a grand funeral even if he was killed.
More importantly, Xiahou Yuan's son Xiahou Ba did not hesitate to defect to Shu Han after the coup d'état in Cao Wei. The reason why he was able to make this decision was largely because Shu Han had his cousin Xiahou and his niece Empress Liu Chan. This level of kinship undoubtedly provides him with the most solid backing.
epilogue
It can be seen that a seemingly insignificant marriage can affect the fate of two major families. Zhang Fei's whim allowed his wife and children to live a prosperous and prosperous life, and Xiahou Yuan's tolerance paved the way for the continuation of the family.
In that turbulent era, everyone only cared about the interests of the family, and did not hesitate to use all means. And Zhang Fei and Xiahou Yuan skillfully maintained the interests of the two families through a marriage, and achieved a good story. This not only shows their wisdom, but also shows a kind of immortal wisdom to survive in troubled times.
Their stories have undoubtedly left us with a profound enlightenment: in the chaotic times, only by transcending personal grievances and putting the interests of the family first can we ensure our own survival and development. This kind of foresight is exactly what our time needs to learn.