bookrandom Chapter 662: The remaining family issues
Chapter 662: The remaining family issues
In the small courtyard, the sun cast bright yet solemn beams of light.
The air in the courtyard seemed to be frozen, filled with a depressing atmosphere.
Every word of Li Chengqian's voice was clearly heard by everyone.
The children from the five surnames and seven families had their heads down, looking panicked. When they heard this, their bodies shook violently, and then they slowly raised their heads and looked at each other in bewilderment.
There was panic and disbelief in their eyes, which was their instinctive reaction after being in despair for a long time and suddenly being illuminated by a ray of light.
These children have been shrouded in a dark shadow since they were born.
In the streets, all they heard were those unbearable and vicious curses. Passersby, regardless of gender, age or status, looked at them with eyes full of disgust.
They knew clearly that they were descendants of sinners, and in this prosperous Tang Dynasty, even the most basic dignity of survival and human rights were wantonly trampled upon.
From their babbling days to their sensible age, they have been living like rats on the street every day, being chased, beaten and scolded by everyone, and their inner helplessness is growing day by day.
At this moment, Li Chengqian's resounding words "You are not guilty" instantly illuminated their dark world.
For a moment, the eyes of many children quickly turned red, and tears rolled in their eyes uncontrollably. Some even couldn't help sobbing softly. The grievances that had been suppressed for a long time finally found an outlet to vent.
Their little heads were filled with confusion. Since they had done nothing wrong, why did everyone treat them so cruelly?
Cui Wanying stood quietly by the side. She was thin and her thin clothes could not hide the stubbornness in her bones.
She has been well-read since childhood and has a deeper understanding of the world than those ignorant children around her.
In her heart, she knew very well that the aristocratic families were like a cancer attached to the body of the Tang Dynasty, constantly eroding the foundation of the country and hindering the development of the Tang Dynasty.
The dragon throne in the court symbolizes supreme power. No matter who sits on it, for the long-term stability of the Tang Dynasty and the well-being of the people of the world, eradicating the aristocratic families will be regarded as the top priority.
Today in the Tang Dynasty, politics is clear, people live and work in peace and contentment, and the economy is prosperous and developing. All of this is the best proof of the successful eradication of the aristocratic families.
However, fate played a cruel joke on her. Her surname happened to be Cui, and she was a descendant of the Cui family, which was once the first of the Five Surnames and Seven Famous Clan.
In the past, the Cui family was extremely glorious, with a majestic mansion and a constant stream of visitors. The children of the family were all full of vigor and vitality, enjoying endless wealth and respect from the world.
But now, everything has come to nothing, leaving only the contempt and disgust of the people.
Since the Han Dynasty, through countless dynasties, the aristocratic families have remained standing and controlled the country's political, economic and cultural lifelines.
For a long time, no one has questioned the legitimacy of the superiority of the aristocratic families. Everyone feels that the children of aristocratic families are born superior to others. From the moment they are born, they are qualified to order the common people around and enjoy supreme privileges. This seems to have become a natural and eternal truth.
Thinking of this, Cui Wanying raised her head slightly, moving extremely carefully, as if she was afraid of disturbing something.
She secretly glanced at Li Chengqian and saw that the Tang emperor had a somewhat vicissitudes of life on his face and looked older than his peers.
However, this seemingly ordinary person has the courage that ordinary people can hardly match. He stood up and declared the sins of the family to the whole world, and with thundering means, he pulled the family down from the pinnacle of power, breaking the old order that had lasted for hundreds of years.
"Xian Huai, hasn't the imperial court ever targeted the descendants of those aristocratic families? Why are they still not allowed to go to school?"
Li Chengqian frowned slightly, with some confusion in his eyes, and turned to ask Zhang Xianhuai beside him.
When Zhang Xianhuai heard this, his expression tightened, he subconsciously pursed his lips, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes.
He bowed slightly, carefully choosing his words, and said, "Your Majesty, although you have never issued a relevant decree, the disaster that befell the aristocratic families was truly too tragic, and the damage it inflicted on the people was so deep that it is unforgettable."
"The hatred the people hold for the aristocratic families and their descendants is like a raging fire, and even after years of baptism, it remains difficult to extinguish."
"Furthermore, Your Majesty did not mention whether the descendants of the Five Surnames and Seven Families could change their names. Therefore, the officials below speculated on Your Majesty's intentions and concluded that Your Majesty intended to punish them."
"Therefore, the government did not conceal the identities of these children, and the people naturally knew their origins."
After listening to this, Li Chengqian's mind suddenly became clear. He sighed softly and realized that it was a small negligence of his that led to the current consequences.
Zhang Xianhuai paused, then continued, "However, Your Majesty, the aristocratic families have been causing harm to the people for hundreds of years. Their evil deeds are too numerous to list, and the people have suffered greatly from them."
"I believe that it is only natural that the descendants of these noble families are suffering some hardships nowadays."
"It is only natural that future generations should bear the consequences for the mistakes of their ancestors."
Zhang Xianhuai's words made Li Chengqian sigh deeply. His eyes revealed pity, and he said earnestly, "When will this cycle of revenge end?"
"Back then, I had all the guilty children of the aristocratic families executed. Now, most of those who survived are children who have never experienced what happened back then. They don't even understand what an aristocratic family means."
"What's more, someone has already atoned for these children's sins on the battlefield. I feel that this grudge should have been written off long ago."
"They are all citizens of the Tang Dynasty. I should treat them all equally and give them the care and fairness they deserve."
Li Chengqian's eyes slowly swept over the children kneeling on the ground. They were thin and bony, as if they could be blown down by a gust of wind.
There were lice jumping around in his hair, it was dirty and messy, and it gave off a bad smell.
Only Cui Wanying was wearing a relatively intact piece of clothing, which was the "clothes of hope" that they had guarded together during countless times of hunger and cold.
From this detail, we can see that these children placed all their hopes of survival on this girl whom they regarded as the "big sister".
Only if Cui Wanying managed to find food could they avoid starvation and have a chance to survive in this difficult world.
Looking at the children's ignorant and confused eyes, Li Chengqian still couldn't bear it and finally decided not to say anything more.
At their age, it is indeed difficult for them to understand many complex things in the world.
Perhaps, giving them a stable life and careful teaching is what we should do most at this moment.