"Equal division of the family property!"
As soon as the news came out, the undercurrents in Chang 'an City immediately surged. It became the biggest breaking news at the end of the eighth year of Zhen Guan's reign. Everyone in Chang' an City was talking about it. What happened in Village Mo could only be regarded as a topic of conversation. The equal division of the family property was related to the lives of thousands of families.
"What's wrong with that? Who doesn't want to be fair and share the property with their sons?" An old landlord said.
A scholar explained, "Patriarch Liu, you don't understand. The sons of the main wives are not the only sons of the main wives. Even the children of the concubines have to be equally divided."
"Even the children of concubines have to be divided." Patriarch Liu was stunned.
He wanted to give more property to his concubines and was worried that his wife would object. Now, he had a good reason to do so.
"It's not just the concubine's child. Even unmarried daughters have to get a share of the dowry. There are even rumors that if an illegitimate child is publicly admitted, he or she will also get a share!" The scholar chuckled.
"Illegitimate children too!" Patriarch Liu's face lit up with joy. Then, he shook his head regretfully. He was satisfied to be able to arrange the children of his concubines.
Any normal father would want to arrange the future of their children properly. After all, they didn't want to see their concubines' children live in poverty or even be kicked out of the family when they grew old.
There was a lot of discussion in Chang 'an City. For some rich people who were dissolute and had many children, this was indeed good news. However, for some aristocratic families, it was like a bolt from the blue.
In Linghu Defen's mansion, a group of Guanlong family heads came uninvited. The Guanlong Conference was held again.
They were not ordinary rich families. Suddenly, a word appeared in everyone's mind.
"The Order of Pushing Grace!"
"What is the meaning of this? Is His Majesty going to do something to our aristocratic families?" Patriarch Dou said with a gloomy face.
Linghu Defen couldn't help but stare at Patriarch Dou when he heard that. He angrily rebuked Patriarch Dou, "How can he do something to the aristocratic families? Is he going to remove your title, remove your official position, or confiscate your wealth?"
"Brother Linghu, what are you talking about? I believe you know better than anyone else what the consequences of the Writ of Gratitude are. This is nothing more than His Majesty using a soft knife to kill people." Family Head Dou frowned.
"Your Majesty, could it be that you don't trust our aristocratic families?" Family Master Yuan said with an ugly expression.
"Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger!" Linghu Defen reminded.
Everyone fell silent. How could this be a matter of trust or not? Could it be that the Western Han Empire wanted to rebel? Obviously not.
Chai Shao shook his head and sighed. "Besides, all the family property has been given to his own son. Don't let the goodies flow into the fields of others."
"Brother Chai, you're wrong. After a few generations, my family will definitely be torn apart. It will be difficult for us to achieve the prosperity we have today. At that time, we won't be able to protect the foundation of our ancestors. How will we face our ancestors in the future?" Dou Family Head said stubbornly.
"I don't agree with Brother Dou's words. My heart aches as much as the back of my hand. Brother Dou wouldn't be unwilling to part with his own son, right? I heard that Brother Dou just held a one-month-old celebration for his eighteenth son. It's said that he was the son of his concubines. Brother Dou wouldn't be so cruel as to let his newborn son starve in the future, right? "Chai Shao mocked from the side.
"Chai Shao, what do you mean? I heard that after Princess Ping Yang passed away, you had a wife and four concubines consecutively and gave birth to several sons. Isn't it exactly what you want when the sons divide the family property equally?" Dou Family Head retorted.
Chai Shao's expression stiffened. Although Princess Ping Yang had passed away, as long as Li Tang was still alive, Princess Ping Yang's son would always be the son of the first wife. Now that he had remarried and taken in a concubine, he naturally wanted to give more to his other children. He naturally agreed with the idea of dividing the family property equally.
"Everyone, don't forget that Duke Ying's case is a good example!" Chai Shao snorted coldly.
All the family heads fell silent. How could what happened to the Wu Family be a secret in Chang 'an City? No one would have thought that the Wu Family brothers, who had always been respectful, would suddenly turn hostile and chase their second wife's mother out of the Wu Family.
"This is a separate matter. Your Majesty's actions are disadvantageous to our families. In the long run, the Guanlong Family will be like a fleeting cloud." The Yuan Family Head frowned.
The reason why the aristocratic families were so powerful was that they did not divide the family property. The son of the first wife would inherit the majority of the property. This ensured the inheritance of the aristocratic families. With the example of the Western Han Kingdom in front of them, how could the aristocratic families be willing to follow in their footsteps?
"Then have you thought about how you will explain to your son if you oppose dividing the family property equally?" Linghu Defen reminded.
Dou Family Head's expression stiffened. "The Old Man will naturally leave a portion of the family property for him. It will be enough for him to live without worry."
Everyone understood what Dou Family Head meant. This portion of the family property would naturally be much less than dividing the family property equally. However, thinking about it carefully, their son of a concubine could clearly obtain more property. How could they be willing?
"So what if we are unwilling? Besides, he is a descendant of my Dou Family. He has to make sacrifices for the Dou Family. "Dou Family Head said unyieldingly.
The other family heads nodded. Everything they did was for the sake of revitalizing their family. In their opinion, it was only right for the son of a concubine to make sacrifices.
"It's all the Luoyang Aristocratic Family's fault for causing trouble! They actually dared to cause trouble outside Chang 'an City. They must have angered His Majesty and brought about today's disaster for our families. "Dou Family Head said hatefully.
The Luoyang Aristocratic Family had robbed the Mo Family Village's convoy on the brick road from Chang 'an to Luoyang. They had started a series of business wars and besieged the Mo Family Village. Originally, they were wondering why Li Shimin had let it go so easily. They did not expect that there would be a follow-up move.
"The Luoyang Aristocratic Family deserved it, but we suffered an undeserved disaster. At the end of the year, the Old Man will naturally submit a memorial to the imperial court. The inheritance of the eldest son is the foundation of our family's prosperity. How can it be ruined in our hands?" Dou Family Head rebuked angrily.
All the family heads were the beneficiaries of the eldest son inheritance system. Naturally, they would do their best to protect the tradition of the eldest son inheritance system. Many family heads nodded when they heard this. ,
Chai Shao could not help but snort coldly in his heart. Back then, no one in the Western Han Kingdom had realized this point. In the end, there was nothing left of the family, not to mention the family members. The conflicts between the eldest son and the son of a concubine had increased. This was a blatant conspiracy. The Guanlong Aristocratic Family's action was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"No one has ever mentioned the idea of equal division of family property. Why did His Majesty suddenly mention it? Don't you find it strange?" Chai Shao suddenly frowned and said.
Dou Family Head nodded and said, "The Luoyang Aristocratic Family angered His Majesty because they had a bad relationship with the Mo Family Village. That's why they did something out of line."
"The latest family to fight for the family property is the Ying Family's Wu Family. The brothers of the Wu Family drove the mother and daughter of the Yang Family out, and the second daughter of the Wu Family was taken in as a disciple by Mo Jiazi." Dou Family Head rolled his eyes and said.
"Ever since His Majesty went to the Mo Family Village, the rumor of equal division of family property spread in Chang 'an City." Linghu Defen suddenly said.
"So we have found the source of all this!" Dou Family Head gritted his teeth and said.
"Mo Jiazi!" All the family heads said hatefully.
Those who could become family heads were all people with top-notch intelligence. Although it was just a guess, it was not far from the truth. After a while, Meton, the catfish under the water, floated to the surface.
Not long ago, a group of families besieged Mo Jiazi's village. Although it was the Luoyang Aristocratic Family who did the work, the Guanlong Aristocratic Family did not help and even secretly cooperated with the Luoyang Aristocratic Family. They did not expect retribution to come so quickly. Moreover, Mo Jiazi's counterattack came and killed the families in one blow.
"Love with Impartiality!" Dou Family Head said hatefully.
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