Chapter 65: Princess Changle is married to a close relative!
“It’s a minor issue. Don’t worry. I’ve known about it for a while, but I haven’t dwelled on it,” Xiao Ran reassured Li Lizhi.
“Minor issue?” Li Lizhi looked at Xiao Ran in disbelief.
“Yes, it’s just a small matter.”
“This is common knowledge, practically announcing it to the world. How can it be stopped now? If I force myself, it will only trouble my mother and father, damaging the royal family’s reputation,” Li Lizhi explained.
At this point, following parental and matchmaking orders, there’s little choice but to comply. Marriage freedom? Nonexistent in this era.
“I already knew,” Xiao Ran affirmed.
“I’m conflicted. I don’t want to marry, don’t want to trouble my parents, and certainly don’t want to harm the royal family’s reputation,” Li Lizhi expressed.
“That’s easily resolved!” Xiao Ran, standing close to Li Lizhi, held her hand. “If there’s a valid reason, we won’t embarrass the Queen and Your Majesty, right?”
“A suitable reason?” Li Lizhi pondered, furrowing her brows. “What suitable reason could there be?”
“Changsun Chong is your cousin!” Xiao Ran stated.
“Yes! What’s the problem with that?” Li Lizhi retorted, accustomed to such practices in this era.
Perfectly normal. Nothing surprising.
“You’re blood relatives, close kin. You can’t marry! It’s against the law for close relatives to wed!” Xiao Ran emphasized.
Li Lizhi, not understanding, questioned, “Close relatives? Why can’t we marry?”
“In my time, it’s a national regulation. Marrying close relatives is not recognized, considered illegal, an invalid marriage without legal protection.”
“Is it that serious?” Li Lizhi, a native of the Tang Dynasty, couldn’t comprehend.
“Do you understand the meaning of close relatives?” Xiao Ran asked.
Li Lizhi shook her head. “I understand a bit, but I can’t pinpoint who close relatives are.”
“Direct blood relatives and collateral blood relatives within three generations are close relatives,” Xiao Ran explained slowly. “Understand?”
“Direct blood relatives and collateral blood relatives within three generations…” Li Lizhi mumbled, then nodded. “Got it! But why can’t we marry? It seems good, adding more family connections.”
Xiao Ran quickly clarified, “Marrying close relatives increases the risk of carrying harmful genes, leading to genetic diseases, congenital disorders, weakened immunity, and other health risks. There are many, many dangers!”
Li Lizhi was also shocked, “Is it so serious?”
“It’s even more serious than I mentioned. Marrying close relatives not only impacts children but is also harmful to pregnant women. The chances of deformities and premature births significantly increase, posing a threat to pregnant women’s lives. You should know that giving birth in Datang is like going through the gates of hell!” Xiao Ran emphasized.
Li Lizhi nodded in agreement, “I’ve heard others mention it before; giving birth is very dangerous.”
With this realization, Li Lizhi started feeling scared.
Li Lizhi unquestionably believed Xiao Ran’s words. Being from more than a thousand years later, Xiao Ran must be correct in what was stated.
“This reason is enough to convince the Empress and Your Majesty, so you don’t have to worry about Changle,” Xiao Ran assured.
Li Lizhi furrowed her brow, “I know you’re from more than a thousand years later, and I trust you. However, my father and Mother, Empress, don’t know, and we can’t claim that this is a law summarized more than a thousand years later!”
“True… ha!” Xiao Ran acknowledged the validity of Li Lizhi’s point.
“Moreover, compared to the hazards you mentioned, the royal dignity is more important,” Li Lizhi added.
Xiao Ran pondered for a moment and then smiled, saying, “I have a solution, don’t worry!”
“What solution?” Li Lizhi asked eagerly.
“We can’t say it comes from a summary of experiences after over a thousand years, but you can now investigate and collect data in Changan City! Let the data speak. That way, it will be convincing.”
“Investigation and statistics?”
“Yes, go investigate and collect data on couples who married close relatives. Examine the children’s situations. If the numbers are slightly higher, it becomes more convincing. Then, also investigate and collect data on couples who aren’t close relatives. This way, the comparison will be persuasive.”
Li Lizhi was excited, “This method is good!”
This approach involved knowing the result and working backward in the process, making it easier to anticipate the likely outcome of the comparison.