The two of them traveled through the Tang Dynasty to open a supermarket, and the little Sizi was sup

Chapter 135 Incestuous Marriage!

“Brother and sister? This is my cousin! Do they count as brother and sister?” Li Lizhi asked rhetorically.

In the social context of the Tang Dynasty, "brother and sister" usually specifically refers to siblings by direct blood, who are full brothers and sisters, or half-brothers or half-siblings, while cousins ​​are collateral relatives and are called "middle cousins".

According to Tang Dynasty laws and social customs, marriage between cousins ​​was not only permitted, but also a common form of consolidating alliances among nobles.

During the Tang Dynasty, the concept of "marrying within families" was highly valued. Marriages between cousins ​​were considered ideal matches, and they even frequently occurred in royal marriages.

In Li Lizhi's mind, cousin marriage does not violate ethics; on the contrary, it is a bond of family interests and emotional connection, and the law even explicitly protects the legality of cousin marriage.

Xiao Ran's reaction made Li Lizhi realize that Xiao Ran's objection stemmed from the value system of another era, rather than the consensus of Tang Dynasty society.

"Essentially, they are similar. Your blood relationship with Changsun Chong is actually the same as that of Li Ke and the others who were born out of wedlock. There is not much difference."

Li Lizhi pondered for a moment, "Young master, you should also know that the marriage of royal princesses has a lot of political factors involved."

"The Tang Dynasty and the young man lived in different eras, so this reason may not be valid."

This reasoning failed to convince not only Empress Zhangsun and Li Shimin, but even Li Lizhi.

"Chang Le, let me finish."

Li Lizhi nodded, "Young master, please speak."

Xiao Ran then said, "The 'brother and sister' we're talking about now isn't about formal status, it's about blood ties."

"Blood relation?" Li Lizhi understood this, but she felt it should be something different.

“I understand that the Tang Dynasty had its own rules, but some principles remain the same from ancient times to the present. In my time, the law prohibited marriage between close relatives because countless experiences and studies have proven that such marriage is extremely harmful.”

"Close relatives?" Li Lizhi murmured to herself.

I don't quite understand what this means.

Xiao Ran added, "Close relatives refer to relatives who are related by blood and have a close blood relationship. This usually includes lineal relatives and collateral relatives within three generations. Do you understand?"

Li Lizhi naturally understood after hearing this.

Li Lizhi nodded, "I understand, young master, please continue."

"Marriage between close relatives is prohibited because if the blood relationship is too close, the latent diseases in the parents are more likely to become manifest in the children. The children born will either be born with diseases, be weak and die young, and the mothers will also have a much higher risk of difficult childbirth than usual."

Li Lizhi didn't quite understand the first half of the sentence, but she understood the second half.

Is there such a saying?

Xiao Ran nodded. "Yes, otherwise they wouldn't have explicitly banned it, would they?"

Li Lizhi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she subconsciously clenched her fists.

She had seen too many examples in the palace: concubines dying from postpartum hemorrhage, princes and princesses dying before their first birthday, and even her own younger brother, Li Zhi, was always told by the imperial physicians that he was "weak and needed careful care."

"Giving birth in the Tang Dynasty was a matter of life and death." Xiao Ran's voice was even softer, but it struck people's hearts like a heavy hammer.

"If we add the risks associated with close blood relations, not to mention that you yourself will have to face death again, even if you do give birth to a child, if the child is born mentally challenged or sick, I think Your Majesty and Your Highness would not want that."

Li Lizhi quickly asked, "Young master, do you know how many children I have?"

Li Li questioned the records in the natural history book.

"There is no record of this in historical books, I don't know."

Xiao Ran was telling the truth; the lack of a record simply meant that it didn't exist, or that it was unremarkable.

Xiao Ran thought it was most likely not true.

"His Majesty is an emperor, and he has to consider political factors, but he is also a parent, isn't he?"

"Besides, it's the seventh year of Zhenguan now. The chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty has not been over for long. The population of China has been drastically reduced due to the war, and it has not yet recovered."

"The Tang Dynasty still has a small population. You know what population means to the Tang Dynasty, Chang Le."

"If consanguineous marriage is prohibited, the survival rate of infants will be much higher, which will be of great benefit to the recovery of the population of the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty and the civil and military officials of the Zhenguan era could not possibly have not thought of this."

"Mergering between close relatives is deeply ingrained in this era, and the royal family needs to set an example." "Wouldn't canceling your marriage to Changsun Chong be just the right thing to do?"

"This can be used as an example to prohibit marriage between close relatives."

"It's a win-win situation!"

Li Lizhi's eyes gradually brightened. If this was the reason for canceling the marriage, it wouldn't affect the royal family's reputation.

"Thank you, young man!" Li Lizhi exclaimed with delight.

“I’ll go and talk to them about this,” Xiao Ran said. “I understand the dangers of consanguineous marriage, and I’ll be better able to persuade His Majesty and His Highness.”

“Okay!” Li Lizhi did not object.

"I'll send the things over tonight. His Majesty will be back around then, so I can talk to him then." Xiao Ran had already arranged the time.

Li Lizhi had some business to attend to and returned to the Tang Dynasty ahead of schedule, but she did not mention the matter of her close relatives.

But the thought that there was a solution to this problem made me feel quite good.

Empress Zhangsun, as the mother, could naturally tell that her daughter was happy. "Girl, what makes you so happy?"

Empress Zhangsun picked up her teacup and asked softly.

Li Lizhi shook her head. "Mother, why do you say that?"

"Your mother watched you grow up. Do you think I can't tell whether you're happy or not?"

Li Lizhi held Empress Zhangsun's arm and said, "I am naturally happy about all the good things that have happened recently."

"Now that you're older, you have your own secrets, right?"

"Mother, no!"

Empress Zhangsun smiled and didn't ask any further questions.

When Li Lizhi talked about the supermarket, she mentioned Xiao Ran's younger sister, Xiao Ruoying, and the supermarket cashier, Xu Wenya, to Empress Zhangsun.

The group was particularly fond of the two little princesses.

"Are these people eligible for marriage?"

Li Lizhi shook her head, "No, it means they all get married very late, many even plan to get married after thirty."

"Thirty?" Empress Zhangsun was stunned for a moment, thinking she had misheard.

"Yes, that's what everyone says."

While Li Lizhi was preparing the supermarket in the Tang Dynasty, Princess Yuzhang and her two little princesses stayed at Xiao Ran's supermarket and were not in a hurry to go back.

I plan to go with Xiao Ran again tonight.

Xiao Ran didn't intend to frequently take the two little princesses back and forth, as the temperature difference between the two places was significant.

I'm worried that the two little girls will get sick.

They are still young and their bodies can't withstand much stress.

After the supermarket closed and everyone else left, Xiao Ran took Princess Yuzhang and the two little princesses to the Tang Dynasty.

There's nothing left in the side hall anymore; everything from yesterday has been moved out.

Upon seeing Xiao Ran and the others return, Xiangcao, who had been guarding the side hall, ran to inform Li Shimin and the others.

Soon, Li Shimin's Empress Zhangsun and Li Lizhi arrived.

After playing all day, the two little princesses returned to Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun's side.

They also brought back a few egg tarts.

Xiao Ran bought it that evening, knowing that the little princess would like it.

(End of this chapter)