Xia Zhengqi spoke slowly, "Daxia has over 100,000 new widows every year."
“There are so many!”
In an instant, there was a small commotion in the hall.
Many ministers began to discuss in low voices.
"Young and middle-aged widows, due to the outdated etiquette that a woman cannot marry two husbands, most choose to remain chaste and never remarry." Xia Zhengqi's voice was like a loud bell.
"However, this ritual system is truly oppressive to human nature. The public's prejudice and demands on widows are even more harsh. Many women, unable to endure this mental oppression, become insane and mentally ill over the years."
[Daddy actually understands the people's sentiments so well!] Xia Miaoyuan glanced at Xia Zhengqi with a look filled with admiration.
[Isn't the mother of Censor Su a living example of this? She was a widow for over thirty years, cautious in her words and deeds, and eventually became mentally ill.]
Xia Zhengqi's eyes lit up. My precious daughter is here to help daddy again.
"Censor Su, I remember that your mother has been guarding for more than 30 years, right?" Xia Zhengqi looked at the middle-aged civil servant, Censor Su, who had just spoken impassionedly.
Censor Su's eyes flushed. "Yes, Your Majesty. My mother is chaste and virtuous, and she values her reputation above all else. Afraid of gossip, she has been extremely strict with herself for over thirty years, not even leaving the house."
But after saying this, Censor Su seemed to feel full of pride.
He held his head high with pride.
His widowed mother was a well-behaved woman with no flaws in her female virtues. She hadn't left her house or spoken to outsiders for over thirty years.
Xia Zhengqi continued to ask: "How is her current physical and mental condition?"
Censor Su was stunned and stammered, "She..."
Xia Zhengqi stared at Censor Su and said coldly, "I am the Son of Heaven. You must tell the truth and not deceive the emperor!"
Censor Su's voice was very low: "Now she often talks to herself and suffers from insomnia at night and can't sleep."
As he spoke, Censor Su's voice began to tear up.
Xia Zhengqi waved to Censor Su, indicating that he didn't need to continue.
How pitiful women in ancient times were! For the sake of their own reputations, for the sake of outsiders' opinions, they would live like living dead without their husbands.
Feudal ethics are truly detrimental! The saying "a woman cannot serve two husbands" is, to put it bluntly, just a way for a patriarchal society to suppress women.
They always say that women should remain chaste and not serve two husbands. However, their requirements for men are very relaxed. Taking concubines, having mistresses, and visiting brothels are all allowed by society.
When a man's wife dies, his relatives and friends rush to persuade him to remarry. They say that without his wife, life would be impossible and the family would not be a family.
But men are human beings, and women are human beings too. Why should we apply double standards to them?
Thinking of this, Xia Miaoyuan sighed helplessly.
[Ah! Modern society is still good. Women have the freedom to choose their own marriages and have independent personalities. A man and a woman can divorce if their relationship fails. Regardless of gender, if a spouse dies, the other spouse can remarry.]
Xia Zhengqi listened carefully to his daughter's inner thoughts, and his blood boiled when he heard this.
It turns out that the fairy world follows such an enlightened marriage system. How wonderful!
Daxia should also move closer to the fairyland.
He suppressed his thoughts and continued with what he had just said, "Some women are forced to remain chaste, but their hearts are filled with loneliness, often leading to despicable and vile deeds. This corrupts social morals. If this is the case, why remain chaste?"
Having said that, Xia Zhengqi looked at Censor Chen meaningfully.
When Censor Chen heard this, his face looked a little flustered.
"Imperial Censor Chen, you should be aware of this situation. I heard that your sister-in-law gave birth to a posthumous child last year?" Xia Zhengqi raised the corner of his mouth.
Censor Chen's face flushed. "Ah... this... thank you so much for your concern, Your Majesty. That child looks so much like my elder brother."
Civil and military officials all covered their mouths and laughed.
"This is my father's posthumous child, born two years after his death!"
"Is this true? Is it so exciting?"
"Really? His sister-in-law's house is on the same street as mine. We didn't even have the nerve to hold a full moon banquet back then."
"You live on the same street, so the child isn't yours, is he?"
"Don't talk nonsense, I'm a very good person."
Censor Chen: I clearly said that concubines and imperial concubines were not allowed to remarry! I suspect you are trying to change the subject, but I have no evidence.
Xia Zhengqi said forcefully, "So, a woman shouldn't serve two husbands. This is totally against human nature and is a form of oppression against women by ethical standards!"
[Daddy is awesome! I didn't expect him to have such vision!]
Xia Zhengqi lowered his head and smiled secretly.
At this time, more than half of the civil and military officials below showed expressions of admiration.
"Your Majesty is right! Rather than forcing women to remain chaste and causing all sorts of scandalous things that harm morals, it would be better to allow them to remarry openly."
"That's right. There are so many ugly things like this."
At this point, Censor Chen's face was red all the way to his ears, and he was no longer able to refute Xia Zhengqi's point of view.
Xia Zhengqi stood up, waved his hand to the civil and military officials, and said in a sonorous and powerful voice: "Today, I will issue an edict to abolish the rule that widowed women in Daxia must remain chaste. Widows will be allowed to remarry, and widows are encouraged to do so!"
"If a widow remarries, the court will reward her with five taels of silver as a dowry. If she gives birth to a child after remarrying, the court will give her ten taels of silver for each child she gives birth to as a reward for her contribution to increasing Daxia's population."
[Daddy is so wise and powerful!] Xia Miaoyuan clapped his hands excitedly.
"Your Majesty is wise!" all civil and military officials shouted in unison.
Xia Zhengqi stroked his beard, squinted his eyes proudly, and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful feeling of being praised by all the officials.
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