Molan and Rulan - What really sets them apart?
I am back with another random thought. In the Story of Minglan, we also meet Minglan’s half sisters Rulan and Molan, whose fights often get Minglan in trouble. The show does a really good job of giving us a good amount of information about each sister which helps us understand them better. Though both sisters don’t end up living as well as Minglan, there is good reason to understand these characters better.
Starting off with Sheng Molan, the 4th daughter of Sheng Hong and Concubine Lin. She occupies a special place in her father’s heart and is a representation of all of her mother’s hopes. Molan takes after her mother; she knows how to gain pity by crying, acting helpless and weak. Her talent in literature and her beauty alongside her behaviour helps her to stand out, which her mother has often taught her to do. Unless a person is of any use, she doesn’t spare them a second look and becomes a cunning opportunist. Her biggest concern and regret stems from her birth-the fact that she isn’t a legitimate child tortures her so much motivating her to marry above her status no matter what it takes. That and her greed for riches and power contribute a lot to this burning fire in her.
She learns earlier on that a good life in the Sheng family depends on a limited number of things; a)backing from Lao Taitai, the legitimate mother of Sheng Hong b) coming from a powerful family like Wang Ruofu or c) pampering of Sheng Hong. Therefore no matter what, she is aware that she cannot lose the favor of her dad causing her sisters to be the scapegoats of her actions. She has extremely high standard for men; her list of prospective husbands range from Qi Heng to Gu Tingye. When she realizes that her father wishes to marry her to a rather normal family and also notices that Minglan might be marrying a guy who is quite a catch, she panics and makes a fatal mistake. With the goading of her mother, she engages in a pre-marital affair with Liang Han, the legitimate heir of the Count of Yongchang, which could possibly result in her being beaten to death and would also result in the loss of the reputation of the Sheng clan. The worst part is that she is caught by Wang Ruofu who would never cover for her. The character’s greed and anxiety lead her to forget an extremely important point; Sheng Hong’s bottom line is the reputation of the House of Sheng. Though Sheng Hong acts ignorant about the actions of Concubine Lin, he isn’t actually unaware. He remains quiet and ignorant about it for two reasons a) he grew up in a house where his mom died due to the machinations of another concubine and his legitimate mom had a hard time protecting him therefore causing him to be overprotective of Concubine Lin and her children b) revealing her ill-deeds would lead to the loss of the reputation of the house and as long as it didn’t cross a line it would be alright. Since revealing Concubine Lin’s role in the death of Concubine Wei would be shameful for the house he turns a blind eye towards it. In this case, Sheng Hong’s patience wears away and he is determined to put a stop to it all which eventually leads to Concubine Lin’s death and a forever rift in the relationship between Molan and Sheng Hong. Another point to note is that Molan’s immense desire to marry above her status leads her to be ignorant of the womanizing ways of her lover which lead to the deterioration of her own relationship with Liang Han.
Next up we have Sheng Rulan, the 5th daughter of Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu. She has a weak relationship with her father but has a stonger relationship with her mother. Her elder sister grew up with Lao Taitai so she wasn’t fully aware of her mother’s struggle while Changbai was kept away from it for the most part. Rulan however witnesses her mother’s struggle in the household and is determined to fight Molan with all of her might. She is like Ruofu a lot, she is a kind girl but it unable to keep her words to herself. Unlike Molan, she can’t keep up pretenses and unlike Minglan, she refuses to bear any injustice. This results in her relationship with her father to be tense.
She is probably one of the few people who encourage Minglan to show her true self. Her recurring lines are “Why are you being so weak-boned” or “Where is the Minglan who bravely won the game of Touhu”. This is probably why Minglan is closer with her. Unlike Molan, Rulan actually wants to marry someone who is on an equal level with their family and if possible a little lower. This comes from a great deal of sensibility in my opinion. After witnessing the injustices Hualan (Rulan’s elder sister) faces at her in-laws, she tells herself that she refuses to be ill-treated in a similar manner. instead, she’d be of a lower status married to a family that treasures her to prevent any more heartbreak for her mother. Eventually, she falls in love with Wen Yangjing, a poor scholar candidate for the imperial examinations that her father sought for Molan. Despite an initial bit of drama, she ends up marrying him. The guy unlike Liang Han is quite faithful and Rulan manages to live a peaceful life.
Coming to what truly sets them apart; Rulan has a kind heart which is often hidden by harsh words towards Molan. When Molan comes to showoff and be mean at Minglan’s baby’s one month ceremony, Rulan is there to genuinely cheer her on and before Minglan’s wedding, she wishes that Minglan will have a smooth married life. Molan, on the other hand, cannot stand to see anyone living well which is something I truly detest.
