The Education of Cheng Shao Shang/Seeing her through her three loves
Obviously, there are more than just her three lovers that made CSS the character we love but this short analysis is to look at her growth through the lens of her relationships with the three young men who courted her, how she was with each in the beginning, and how she was with them at the end. This article will be amended as I edit (I haven't added the parts about her end-relationship with each yet)
The biggest influence on her was, of course, Ling BuYi's love for her. The slow burn was so good because of Lei Lei’s/Ling BuYi’s intensity. He pursued her like the general/soldier he was—with careful strategy and secrecy. SS didn’t want any agenda in the beginning. She recognized the attraction but rejected it because what she wanted was a child’s freedom. We see many scenes of her pushback against his courtship, hiding behind LuoYao to discourage him.
LY pursued her openly, on horseback even, with the vigor of youth and innocence. SS rejected him at first too because she wanted freedom and love that she thought was represented by her aunt. That’s why she fought with her brother for the aunt’s attention. As soon as she realized LY could/would give utter devotion, she immediately agreed to be his girl. In this way, SS demonstrated how strategic she was, just like LBY. LBY, in his pursuit of SS, recognized her moves and planned accordingly. He only acknowledged defeat when she straight out told him her desires, which he couldn’t personally fulfill. He also recognized it was her independent spirit that he loved best and tried his damndest not to curb it (but failed LOL because come on, he wanted her).
YS pursued SS like a scholar, with words and etiquette. He failed because ( and here’s the joke on him), she is uneducated and have no sense of propriety. He thus resorted to sarcasm, another scholarly weapon, which also failed miserably. Only in the end, when SS was educated enough and when he also showed through his actions that he cared for her, did she agreed to marry him. But even then, both knew who she truly loved.
Hence, this story is the Education of CSS in Self Empowerment and Love. Step by step, it took six (? Including the pursuit time) for her to get to that place she yearned for in her heart.
(TO BE EDITED LATER TO ADD HOW EACH RELATIONSHIP ENDED)
