"Mo Jiazi is just an alarmist. Right now, the School of Medicine only has two hospitals in Chang 'an and Luoyang. How can they take care of the people of the Tang dynasty?" Quan Wanji attacked Meton's loophole.
Modun shook his head and said, "Although there are only two Mo Hospitals now, in five years, we will definitely be able to open up all ten Taoist hospitals in the Great Tang. Ten years later, we will be able to open up all the prefectures and even the counties. It is only a matter of time before that day arrives."
Everyone in the court fell silent. They were all convinced by Meton. After all, Meton had listed out detailed data and showed everyone a grim future.
Everyone originally thought that this was just a murder case. Who would have thought that it would become a discussion that would determine the future of the Tang dynasty for the next hundred years?
Quan Wanji wanted to refute, but he didn't know where to start. With the momentum of Mo Hospital, the day that Meton spoke of would definitely come. At that time, the population of the Tang dynasty would explode.
"That's a matter of a hundred years later. Right now, our Tang dynasty does indeed need people." Quan Wanji could only argue.
Li Shimin slowly nodded and said, "Early marriage is very harmful. Our Tang dynasty does indeed need people. Why don't we set the age at eighteen years old for men and sixteen years old for women?"
Li Shimin put himself in Quan Wanji's shoes. He also didn't want his daughter to take the risk of giving birth to a child. He wanted to compromise on the age. Moreover, the population would explode a hundred years later. It wouldn't be too late to consider it in the future.
"Your Majesty's benevolence is the blessing of all the children in the world!" All the officials praised.
Meton nodded. This result was already much better than the current one. If the population of the Tang dynasty explodes in the future, the Tang dynasty might set the age of marriage at twenty-two years old for men and twenty years old for women.
"As for the child betrothal, child brides, and the like, they are all invalid." Li Shimin stood up and looked at the officials.
Quan Wanji sighed in his heart. He knew that he had lost another city.
However, he had already expected this. After all, in the Mo Magazine, the dangers of child marriages and child brides were clearly stated. Getting married at a young age was indeed too risky.
Quan Wanji said, "Your Majesty! Although child marriages and child brides were like child's play, there was still a portion of child marriages where the families were of equal social status and were in love with each other. I'm afraid it won't be appropriate if all of them are nullified! "
Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "Then let them wait for their children to grow up and write a new marriage contract. From today onwards, if both parties are not fourteen years old, all marriage contracts will be invalid."
At the age of fourteen, both the man and woman had a basic understanding of marriage. They would not passively accept their fate like when they were young. They would be engaged at the age of fourteen and married at the age of sixteen. Two years was enough.
With this plan, countless marriage contracts in the Tang dynasty would be destroyed, and Meton would be known as an expert in breaking up marriages.
"Your Majesty is wise. However, the Minister has another suggestion. Can the marriage contract be signed by both parties?" Meton asked solemnly.
Quan Wanji immediately sneered, "Lord Mo is unmarried and might not know. Since it's a marriage contract, the names of both parties will naturally be written."
As soon as Quan Wanji finished speaking, many of the officials sneered and looked at Meton with playful eyes.
Meton did not get angry. Instead, he said solemnly, "It's precisely because this one is unmarried that I want to find a suitable person to spend the rest of my life with. I believe that all men and women in the world have the same thoughts as this one. However, the man and woman have never met, so how can there be a suitable relationship? Let alone a marriage contract.
Li Shimin's heart softened when he heard this. His gaze towards Meton became gentler.
"What this kid means is that this marriage contract will only take effect if both parties are willing to sign it." Meton suddenly raised his head and said with a sharp gaze.
At this moment, he was speaking on behalf of the thousands of youths that wanted to say something but did not dare to say it.
The officials were shocked and stared at Meton. Meton had finally brought up his idea of a marriage contract. If the engagement contract would only take effect if the man and woman personally signed it, then it would be a great challenge to the authority of the parents.
"That's impossible. The ruler is the leader of the subjects, the husband is the leader of the wife, and the father is the leader of the son. These are the Three Cardinal Principles and Five Constant Principles. If the parents can't even control the marriage of their children, then how can they be loyal to the ruler?" Quan Wanji flatly objected.
The Three Cardinal Principles and Five Constant Principles were the foundation of Confucianism. Meton's proposal that the marriage contract would only take effect if the man and woman were willing to sign it was a blatant challenge to the father.
"Whether the shoes fit or not, we know it ourselves. We are the ones getting married. Are we going to let two unsuitable people spend the rest of their lives together?" Meton said angrily.
"Love grows with time. After marriage, the two of them will live together and naturally develop feelings for each other!" Quan Wanji said angrily.
"This is the best result. If there are no feelings, then wouldn't we be destroying the two of them?" Meton argued.
"As a son, if I openly go against the good intentions of my parents, then I am unfilial!"
"This filial piety is foolish. How can it be exchanged for a lifetime of happiness?"
The old and the young were like a stubborn father and a rebellious son arguing fiercely.
Many people sighed in their hearts. Mo Jiazi was still very young. This argument was probably part of Quan Wanji's plan. If Mo Jiazi's proposal of a marriage contract was adopted, then such a scene would probably occur in every household of the Tang dynasty.
Li Shimin's heart was constantly struggling. He kept switching between the roles of a father and an emperor. As an emperor, he naturally wanted to maintain the stability of the Tang dynasty. As a father, he also wanted his children to marry into a better family.
Obviously, the balance was quickly tipping towards the position of an emperor. As an emperor, he naturally prioritized the stability of the country.
Meton took a deep breath and stared at Quan Wanji. "Then, Minister Quan, do you think the Han Family's daughter is filial or unfilial?"
Quan Wanji was like a duck that had been grabbed by the neck. He couldn't speak.
The Han Family's daughter's corpse was lying on the street without anyone taking care of her. She was the victim of the father being the leader. Would the Han Family's daughter be willing to marry a fool? It was obviously impossible. Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen such a dead end. If she insisted on the father being the leader, then the example of the Han Family's daughter would definitely be repeated in the Tang dynasty in the future.
Li Shimin's originally hard heart instantly collapsed.
"The Minister's intention isn't to sow discord between father and son, nor is it for his own selfish reasons. His goal is to prevent things like the Han Family's daughter from happening in the future. Even if something similar happens to the Han Family's daughter in the future, it won't be a dead end," Meton said with a sorrowful expression.
All the officials were silent.
"That's right. A group of men forcing a woman to her death. What kind of ability is that? If my son isn't willing to get married, he can just find another one. It's not like it's a big deal, "Cheng Yaojin suddenly said casually, breaking the deadlock in the imperial court.
That's right! If it's not suitable, he can just find another one. There's no need to force it. All the officials nodded, and the wind in the imperial court immediately shifted in Meton's direction.
Although Quan Wanji was angry, the precedent of forcing a woman to her death was right in front of him. No matter how much reason he had, it couldn't be more important than a human life.
Li Shimin solemnly said, "In the future, when the marriage contract is signed, the parents, the matchmaker, and the man and woman must all be present at the same time. It's also a good opportunity for the man and woman to meet each other openly. Otherwise, it'll be too late for regrets if they meet for the first time in the bridal chamber."
Quan Wanji's face couldn't help but darken. If that was the case, wasn't it Meton's idea of the parents' orders, the matchmaker's words, and the two parties' willingness? He had completely lost this round.
"Many thanks for Your Majesty's help." Meton let out a long sigh and took the opportunity to suggest, "The Minister believes that it's best to set the location of the marriage contract at the county yamen. First, it's to show the imperial court's importance. Second, it'll make it easier for the county yamen to count the population. Third, if there's anyone who's forced to buy a marriage, we can ask the county magistrate to make a decision in front of everyone to prevent the Han Family's daughter's tragedy from happening again."
All the officials couldn't help but look at Meton in astonishment. They hadn't expected that Meton had come prepared. He'd even thought of this.
"Approved!" Li Shimin went with the flow.
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