Love Like the Galaxy

Leaving the Ling residence early, with the freezing weather outside making it unsuitable for wandering, Shao Shang suggested they head to the Xinghua Secluded Residence for a meal.

“A’ao’s cooking is exceptional. At first, Mother Fu wasn’t convinced, but after I brought home some of A’ao’s air-dried meat last time, she stopped complaining! Once, A’ao mentioned she used to manage household affairs, but after your parents divorced, she took up cooking to care for Madam Huo. That’s true talent!”

Ling Buyi paused, then said quietly, “After Father and Mother divorced, many things changed.”

Shao Shang fell silent. The biggest change was likely Ling Buyi’s life itself.

“This winter has been especially cold. Who knows when this chill will pass? Whether it’s Her Majesty or your mother, they’ve both been weak and sickly lately—constantly feeling cold and losing their appetite, yet coughing if we burn too much charcoal. It’s driving me mad! Hmph, the only one in our household full of energy is our Female Lord Xiao. Just the other day, she gave Third Brother a beating for using Uncle Wan’s illness as an excuse to skip his studies. Serves him right! Eldest Brother and Second Brother are already attending to Uncle Wan—what does it have to do with Third Brother? Mother should’ve burned his tortoise shell—he’s lucky she didn’t!”

Ling Buyi burst into laughter. “Has Prefect Wan not recovered yet? I thought he’d have returned to Xu County by now.”

“He’s mostly better. He’s just waiting to see Father before leaving,” Shao Shang said. “Actually, Uncle Wan was the first to use illness as an excuse to avoid responsibilities. Mother is furious with him but can’t storm into the Wan household to beat him up, so she settles for beating Third Brother instead.”

Ling Buyi loved listening to Shao Shang’s family gossip—it always warmed his heart. Softly, he said, “Once Prefect Wan returns to Xu County, invite your brothers and the Wan family ladies to the hot springs at the Mount Tu Gao Secluded Residence. After all the recent turmoil, everyone’s been on edge and exhausted—it’s time for some relaxation.”

Shao Shang nodded. “The others might come, but I’m not sure about Sister Qiqi. A few days ago, Aunt Wan also returned to the Capital City. Since she’s good friends with Madam Yin, seeing how refined and composed Sister Xu E has become, she scolded Sister Qiqi harshly that very night, then cried into her pillow. She said that as future sisters-in-law, they’d inevitably be compared, and with Sister Qiqi’s reckless and unladylike behavior, she’d be compared all the way to the Yanzhi Mountains! So now, Sister Qiqi is being drilled by Madam Yin on how to be a proper new bride.”

Ling Buyi chuckled leisurely. “You’re just as reckless and unladylike. With Princess Yuchang being the Capital City’s epitome of grace, you wouldn’t just be compared to the Yanzhi Mountains—you might end up all the way in the lands of the Greater and Lesser Yuezhi!”

Shao Shang flared up in anger. “If the princess is so wonderful, why don’t you marry her?!”

Ling Buyi grinned. “Because I don’t like refined ladies. I prefer those who daydream, act recklessly, and eat like there’s no tomorrow…”

Shao Shang lunged at him, laughing. “Who eats like there’s no tomorrow?! You’re the one spouting nonsense, being unreasonable, making up stories… Quick, what other ‘hu-’ words are there? I can’t think of any more!”

The two tussled playfully in the carriage. Since it was tightly sealed against the cold, the Liang Qiu brothers riding outside had no idea what was happening inside—only that the carriage was shaking and the wheels wobbling.

Liang Qiu Fei, blushing suddenly at some thought, muttered, “We’re in public… Surely the Young Master wouldn’t…?”"No," Liang Qiuqi replied with a composed expression. "The Young Master and the young Female Lord were likely just playing around."

"How would you know that, elder brother?"

"Because I have four devoted confidantes who never leave my side, while you managed to drive away even the gatekeeper's daughter who once admired you."

Liang Qiu Fei: "..."

Upon arriving at the Apricot Blossom Secluded Residence, it came as no surprise that Cui Hou and his two sons were once again present.

Huo Junhua was seriously ill this time and had just taken medicine before falling into a deep sleep. Only during such moments could Ling Buyi sit undisturbed by her bedside, quietly gazing at his birth mother for a while.

Huo Junhua was no longer young. Though she often spoke and acted like a delicate young girl, the years and the pain of separation and loss had left traces of suffering and sorrow on her face.

It was often said that Ling Buyi resembled his father Ling Yi, but Shao Shang now thought he actually took more after Huo Junhua—the same elegantly arched eyebrows, the same stubbornly high nose bridge, and especially that resolute, pale jawline, as if carved from the same mold.

Such features suited Ling Buyi perfectly, but on a woman, they appeared overly rigid and lacking in softness, giving Huo Junhua's beauty an imperious air. Consort Yue was much better in this regard—despite having a more combative personality, her appearance remained charming and graceful. Shao Shang fully understood the Emperor's choice.

After watching his mother for a long while, Ling Buyi quietly left the bedroom. The two Cui sons immediately dragged him outside to the courtyard to spar and play, while Shao Shang sat on the veranda with Cui Hou to watch them.

Noticing Cui Hou's furrowed brows, Shao Shang tentatively asked, "Is Madam Huo very ill this time? A'ao mentioned this is her recurring winter ailment."

"It is an old ailment," Cui Hou said, "but Junhua is no longer young and strong enough to endure illness as she once could. A'ao told me you've been visiting Junhua frequently these past days. Good child, you've truly worked hard. But as you can see, this time she's been drowsy far more often than before and can barely take her medicine. The Imperial Physician said... said..."

"That Madam Huo's constitution has been drained over the years, and she's only been sustained by good nourishment," Shao Shang murmured. "But I don't understand. When General Huo Chong was alive, Madam Huo lived in comfort. Even after coming to the Apricot Blossom Secluded Residence, the Emperor and Her Majesty's gifts have never ceased—deer tendons, leopard placenta, wild ginseng, snow lotus—her provisions are likely better than those of princesses or consorts. So the only real hardship she endured was those two years when she was lost. How could just two years have damaged her health so severely...?"

Cui You, recalling the suffering his beloved had endured, nearly shed tears: "When I found them and brought them back, Junhua was so emaciated she was barely recognizable. She was despondent the entire journey—it wasn't until I told her that scoundrel Ling Yi had taken a new lover that she regained some spirit! Suffering isn't measured by time—a single stab wound takes but a moment, yet it can still be fatal!"

Shao Shang felt this wasn't the best analogy but held her tongue."Junhua was born prematurely to the Huo family's matriarch. She was frail from childhood, sometimes even fainting when arguments got too heated. The Huo family went to great lengths just to keep her alive! Later, she risked her life to give birth to Zisheng for that scoundrel Ling. Seeing the child sickly and weak, she nearly fainted again, but fortunately, Madam Huo gave Zisheng the name she had reserved for her own son. Strangely enough, ever since Zisheng received the name meant for a Huo son, his health gradually improved..."

Shao Shang laughed. "Uncle Cui, you're so biased. So you're saying that because Madam Huo was frail since childhood, no one could oppose her or argue with her, or she'd faint... and in the end, she even took the name her sister-in-law had reserved for her own son? What did General Huo Chong do then?"

Cui You recalled the situation and smiled too. "Madam Huo had an odd preference for symmetry. She had three sons and three daughters, all with carefully paired names: Buji, Buhai, Bushi, Buqi, Buwei, and Buyi... Later, 'Buyi' was given to Junhua's son, so their youngest had to be named 'Wushang.'"

After saying this, he couldn't help but defend his goddess. "Most girls raised with such indulgence would have terrible tempers, but Junhua was just sharp-tongued with a soft heart. When we were children, she saw how thin and small I was and thought my family was too poor to feed me properly. She often brought me millet in her little skirts and never forgot to save me some treats. Ah, now people only remember her harsh words, but who knows she wasn’t truly bad at heart..."

Faced with Cui You's unwavering devotion—his rose-tinted glasses thicker than a wall—Shao Shang had nothing to say.

—There was always a reason people found someone unpleasant. Calling it "sharp-tongued" was downplaying it. The truth was, Huo Junhua had been a habitual liar since childhood, spinning tales whenever things didn’t go her way. General Huo Chong had to apologize countless times on her behalf.

Especially later, when she competed with Consort Yue, Huo Junhua spun no fewer than eighty lies—claiming Yue Heng, though beautiful, was cruel and abused servants, or that she was promiscuous with many lovers. Only when people finally met Yue Heng did they realize none of it was true, leaving Huo Junhua with no more lies to tell.

The most dangerous incident was when Huo Junhua tricked Consort Yue into going to a place notorious for bandits—Shao Shang privately suspected Huo Junhua hadn’t actually wanted Yue Heng to die a gruesome death, but it was still a reckless, foolish prank.

Had Huo Chong not been alert and intervened in time, the Huo and Yue families would have become sworn enemies.

People were complicated. To Cui You, Huo Junhua was a sharp-tongued but kind-hearted fairy. To Consort Yue, she deserved a thousand deaths. After this incident, the Emperor no longer indulged the Huo family’s youngest sister, whom he’d watched grow up. Eventually, Huo Junhua gave up on him and turned her attention to a handsome young man named Ling who had just moved to the county.

Thinking of this, Shao Shang quickly shared the key details of what she had seen and heard at the Ling residence that morning with Cui You.Cui You burst into curses: "That old scoundrel Ling! Back then, he only relied on sweet words and gentle gestures to deceive Junhua. When it came to real skills, he wasn't even fit to carry our shoes! He was always the first to retreat in battle, yet now he struts about. Shao Shang, let me tell you—not just Princess Yuchang, but all three Ling brothers are desperate to marry into every noble and distinguished family in the Capital City. But you can’t deceive people’s hearts! Ask any of the old comrades—if it weren’t for Brother Huo Chong’s support, who would have respected him? But still…"

Suddenly, he turned to Shao Shang with a grin, his sharp-featured face wrinkling like a dried eggplant. Shao Shang shuddered.

"Still, don’t dismiss everything that old scoundrel Ling says. You should still advise Zisheng where necessary, not just encourage him to charge ahead recklessly," Cui You said with a smile.

Shao Shang retorted indignantly, "Just now you were calling the Marquis of Chengyang a damned scoundrel!"

"Times have changed! Back then, we were barely scraping by, but now His Majesty’s prestige is higher than ever, with heroes from all corners flocking to serve. There’s no shortage of capable men in court! If anything happens to Zisheng, how will Junhua go on living? I’m counting on you for this. When you marry, whatever dowry your father and mother give you, I’ll match it exactly! Be good now, listen to me!"

"No need! The Empress and Uncle Wan have already said the same. I’ll have plenty of dowry!" Shao Shang declared proudly.

"Silly girl! One can never have too much dowry! Wealth is always found lacking when needed—that’s an ancestral teaching passed down in my family, and it’s absolutely true!" Cui You scolded, slapping his thigh. "If your dowry isn’t substantial, how will you hold your head high when you meet your sisters-in-law, like Princess Yuchang?"

Shao Shang slowly turned her head, one notch at a time. "Why would I need to hold my head high in front of Princess Yuchang?"

Cui You spoke bluntly: "She’s accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, embroidery, and cooking—renowned throughout the Capital City for her virtue. And you? A'ao tells me you still can’t sew a straight seam!"

Trembling with anger, Shao Shang struggled to her feet from the floor. "Cui Hou, Uncle Cui, out of respect for your age and virtue, I won’t argue with you. But our bond ends here. Farewell—no need to see me off!" She clasped her hands in a salute and stormed off.

Only then did Cui You realize he had offended the young girl. With a flurry of exclamations, he hurriedly rose to stop her.

...

Fearing that Huo Junhua might wake and have another outburst upon seeing Ling Buyi, Shao Shang and Ling Buyi prepared to return to the city after lunch and some playful banter, while the Cui father and sons planned to stay at the Secluded Residence for a couple of days.

Looking back from a distance at the residence’s entrance, they saw Cui Er joking with his father and brother. Cui Hou grabbed his son and tossed him into the air, then caught him again amid laughter with his eldest son.

Ling Buyi watched with a smile in his eyes. "When I was little, my father used to toss me like that too," he remarked casually.

Shao Shang also glanced back at Cui You and sighed. "Uncle Cui is truly devoted. Ah, to think he grew up with your mother—when do you suppose he realized he loved her?"

Ling Buyi chuckled and shook his head. "When the time comes, one just knows."Shao Shang tilted her head and pondered for a long while. "My third brother once asked Xiao Hou Ban how one knows they've fallen for a woman. Xiao Hou Ban said his great-grandfather told him that when you meet the woman you love, you'd feel thunder and lightning—did you feel thunder and lightning when you saw me?"

Ling Buyi thought carefully and answered earnestly, "That night at the lantern festival? I didn't feel thunder and lightning. I only felt that where you stood, everything around you bloomed like spring."

Shao Shang's heart swelled with sweetness, her eyes crinkling into joyful crescents.

Ling Buyi continued, "What exactly did you say to Uncle Cui earlier? I saw him stopping you to shower you with compliments, and during the meal, he even sliced the juiciest roasted meat for you."

Shao Shang stiffened slightly but waved her hand nonchalantly. "Oh, it was nothing important. Uncle Cui has just noticed how virtuous and graceful I've become lately, so he was overjoyed and rewarded me generously!"

—Wuwuwu, the only one in this world who truly appreciates her is the Empress! These stinky men of feudal society, every single one of them is narrow-minded with rotten, outdated tastes!

...

Several more days passed, and Old Man Cheng finally returned to the Capital City with General Han after their campaign.

If there was one army that felt the most aggrieved during the suppression of the rebellion in Shouchun, it was theirs. From start to finish, they only managed to capture a dozen or so scattered remnants of the enemy. This was because "Nanny Cui," fearing any mishap befalling the "classroom children," had no intention of launching any fierce assaults.

First, Ling Buyi's swift and violent attacks shattered the morale of Rebel Peng's forces. Then, Nanny Cui deployed a series of gentle yet effective "surrender-sow discord" tactics. In the end, Peng Zhen was trussed up like a zongzi by his own trusted aides and tossed out of the city to surrender.

The Emperor was quite considerate. Though Old Man Cheng and General Han returned without notable achievements, he still rewarded them generously with wealth and silks for their hard work—though their official ranks remained unchanged.

The real drama unfolded at home.

Old Man Cheng, still in his armor, went straight to the Wan residence. There, Comrade Lao Wan, like a wronged child finally seeing a parent, clung to his sworn brother and wailed heart-wrenchingly, as if they'd been parted by life and death. Between sobs, he kept crying, "I thought I'd never see you again, my dear brother! Life without you would be worse than death, waaaaaah—!"

Madam Xiao stood nearby, arms crossed, watching coldly. Madam Wan was so embarrassed she didn't know where to put her hands. Except for the eldest son Cheng Yong, who hadn't yet returned from the Imperial Academy, the younger generation happily enjoyed the spectacle—were it not for Old Man Cheng's unwavering devotion to Madam Xiao and Old Man Wan's fondness for BG-style pleasure quarters, Shao Shang might have started getting the wrong idea.

Cheng Yang had grown much taller, her temperament becoming even more serene and gentle. Ever since Wan Songbai faced impeachment, she had often visited the Wan family to help care for the elderly matriarch. Now, she quietly bustled about assisting the frail Madam Wan, making Wan Qiqi appear even more like the underachiever by comparison—thus, with praises for Cheng Yang as the opener, Madam Xiao and Madam Wan began chatting about domestic matters nearby.

Madam Xiao had already arranged a marriage for Cheng Yang, pending only Second Uncle Cheng's approval when he returned from White Deer Mountain on leave in a few months. In truth, this match was quite well-chosen, and Madam Xiao had put in considerable effort. Had there been no Ling Buyi for comparison, it might even be considered Cheng Yang marrying above her station. But with Ling Buyi's radiant presence casting such a long shadow, all the potential sons-in-law in the Capital City paled in comparison.

Madam Wan, however, was quite philosophical about it. After all, even if her twelve prospective sons-in-law were combined, they still wouldn't measure up to Ling Buyi's prestige. Her current wish was simply for her daughter Qiqi to be happy.After crying for the length of a meal, Wan Songbai wiped the snot and tears from his beard, then shooed everyone out, keeping only his dear sworn brother for a private talk. Madam Xiao, unable to bear it any longer, flicked her sleeves and strode out, with Madam Wan following behind with a bitter smile.

Once everyone had left, Wan Songbai said, "This time, I narrowly escaped death, facing danger multiple times. Truth be told, it was thanks to your excellent son-in-law that I made it out alive! Ah, having brushed with death so many times, I’ve come to see things clearly. Brother, today I want to discuss Qiqi and Zifu’s marriage with you, as well as the matter of continuing my family’s incense offering."

Cheng Shi understood perfectly and sighed, "I’ve thought about this before. Our families share a bond forged in life and death. It seems now that you won’t be having a son..."

"What do you mean I won’t have a son? Wasn’t it your terrible idea to have me rebuild the ancestral graves, ruining the feng shui..."

"Even if you hadn’t rebuilt the graves or ruined the feng shui, you’d still only have another daughter every two years, with no son in sight!"

"Having daughters is better than having none! Since Qiqi was born, I’ve had no luck for over a decade. Now people are gossiping that there’s something wrong with me!"

"Nonsense! Whoever dares say that, I’ll skin them alive!"

"Even if you roasted them alive, you couldn’t stop people from whispering behind your back!"

"What should we do then?" Cheng Shi sat down helplessly.

"What else can we do?" Wan Songbai leaned against the hidden cushion. "I’ve given up on having a son. I’ll pin my hopes on a grandson instead."

Cheng Shi’s eyes lit up. "I’ve thought of that too. Years ago, I told Yuan Yi, 'It seems our brother won’t have an heir...' Brother, don’t interrupt—let me finish! Zifu grew up under your watch, and he and Qiqi get along well. After they marry, their child could be adopted by you, or Zifu could even move into your household as a live-in son-in-law..."

Wan Songbai was deeply moved. Patting his sworn brother’s shoulder, he sighed, "You and I are closer than flesh and blood for you to speak so openly. I’ve considered the live-in arrangement, but first, I’d hate for you and your wife to feel heartbroken, and second, I’d feel bad too! Zifu is such a bright and cheerful boy. Though I treat him as my own son, being a live-in son-in-law carries a stigma. If he’s mocked in public later, wouldn’t that hurt us too? After much deliberation, Mother and I have decided that instead of adopting a future grandson, we’ll adopt Zifu directly as my heir!"

Cheng Shi was momentarily stunned. "Adopt Zifu? But our families share no blood ties at all!" Usually, adoptions were done within the clan.

"Who says it can’t be done!" Wan Songbai sat up cheerfully. "Look at Cen Anzhi by His Majesty’s side—he adopted his friend’s nephew as his heir..."

Cheng Shi sighed. "First, Eunuch Cen is a court eunuch—why compare yourself to him? Second, his relatives were lost in the war, and the remaining ones are beyond the fifth degree of kinship. Third... well, I can’t think of a third reason right now, but this is improper, Brother. People will talk behind your back!""What's there to gossip about!" Wan Songbai snorted. "You know how my clan members are—they've long been at odds with me. Adoption?! Hmph, I might dare to adopt, but would they dare to send their children over? Besides, I didn’t say adopting Zifu was entirely without merit. Over the years, I’ve gathered quite a few secrets on the elders and influential members of the clan. When the time comes, I’ll suppress some and win over others, then find some respected village elders to mediate. The matter will surely succeed!"

He slapped his thigh. "I’ve already sent people back to the village to lobby in secret. In short, if they make me happy, I’ll wipe the slate clean on past grievances and give them more benefits in the future!"

Cheng Shi pondered carefully. It seemed... perhaps... it really wasn’t impossible.

"Wait, wait! If Zifu becomes your son, then he and Qiqi would be siblings! This, this..." Old Man Cheng grew anxious.

"What’s all the fuss about!" Wan Songbai said casually. "Just have Qiqi adopted out too! I’ve already picked the family—my brother-in-law’s. Qiqi’s uncle and aunt have no daughters and already dote on her dearly. They’d jump at the chance."

Cheng Shi felt dizzy, his mind struggling to keep up. "But would your wife agree? Qiqi is the apple of her eye!"

Wan Songbai laughed and scolded, "I think you're exhausted and out of your mind! If Qiqi's mother hadn't agreed, would I have thought of adopting Qiqi into my brother-in-law's family? Your sister-in-law didn't just agree—ever since I mentioned this to her, she's been so happy she can't sleep!"

After a pause, he sighed again, "Ah, it's only because you and your wife are so kind-hearted. To be honest, even I wouldn't want a girl like Qiqi as a new bride for my family! Reckless, impulsive, spoiled, and willful—she doesn’t have the slightest demeanor of a proper new bride!"

"Brother, don’t be so hard on yourself. Niao Niao isn’t much better either, always arguing with me every other day, saying things that could drive a person mad..." Cheng Shi said.

Wan Songbai waved his hand to stop him, "It's not the same, not the same! Niao Niao is someone with a clear mind. What kind of place is the imperial harem? No matter how eloquently she describes it, do you and I really think it's some paradise? Even with the Empress and Ling Buyi looking out for her, if she didn’t know her limits and how to conduct herself, she wouldn’t last a day there! Qiqi is different—she truly speaks without thinking and has no sense of discretion. Now, it’s settled—we can ‘marry’ her into your family. Your sister-in-law would practically offer her heart and soul as a thank-you gift to you two!"

Cheng Shi’s mind was in turmoil, "Elder brother, give me some time to think it over. Let me discuss this with Yuan Yi..."

"You! You lack the decisiveness of a true man!" Wan Songbai said in frustration. "In matters like this, once the head of the household agrees, what say does a woman have?"

After scolding, he soon laughed again, "Hey, why don’t you tell Xiao this—though I may not be as good as you in warfare and strategy, I’m skilled at amassing wealth! If she agrees, my vast fortune will all go to Zifu! In the future, outside matters aside, at home Zifu will still call you Father and Mother. I won’t mind at all, haha, hahaha!"

Cheng Shi looked at his sworn brother’s beaming face, moved, and said softly, "Brother, I know you mean well and your intentions are sincere. But you must think carefully—once the arrow is loosed, it cannot be taken back! If Zifu is truly adopted, what if you have a son of your own in the future? And what if Qiqi also fails to bear a son later? Would we have Zifu take concubines? The children born would have no blood ties to the Wan family at all!"

Wan Songbai stopped laughing. His eyes glistened as he stared fixedly at Cheng Shi and said word by word, "My good brother, I’m not as fortunate as you. Since childhood, my blood ties have been weak. Back then, I watched my uncles force my mother to gouge out her eyes and cut off her ears to prove her resolve—it was bloody! When I was young, they even plotted against me. All these years, they’ve wished for my mother and me to die far away, all for the sake of seizing this family fortune! I won’t touch the ancestral lands and properties, but the wealth my parents and I built with our own hands—they won’t get a single coin of it!"

"That day in the dense forest, surrounded by bandits, though I was badly injured and half-conscious, I still remember Zifu tying me to his back. My body is heavy, and it weighed him down so much he could barely stand, yet he refused to abandon me and save himself—at that moment, I thought, even if he were my own flesh and blood, he couldn’t have done more for me in such dire straits!"

"Don’t tell Xiao this—she’s raised all her children well, brave and resourceful, with kind hearts. Having a filial and virtuous child like Zifu as my son is my blessing. The only thing is... I feel guilty for taking away one of your good sons, my dear brother!"Cheng Shi's eyes welled up with tears as he tightly grasped his sworn brother's hands. "What kind of talk is this, elder brother? Without your full support, our meager forces would have been swallowed up in the chaos of war long ago! That year when the Chen bandits from Panshan Mountain wanted to fight us to the death, we were outnumbered and on the verge of total annihilation. It was you who lent me all your resources to resist the enemy—such immense kindness..."

"Enough of this nonsense! Why dredge up these stale matters from eight lifetimes ago? Are you trying to show off your good memory? It's because you're always so sentimental that Madam Xiao keeps bullying you..."

The two brothers shared a moved smile. Just as Wan Songbai was about to offer his sworn brother a few more tips on managing his wife, a sudden commotion erupted outside, followed by Cheng Yong's hurried and panicked voice—

"Mother, something terrible has happened! The traitor Peng Zhen suddenly confessed in prison that he had long been colluding with Prince Qian'an to plot a rebellion! Those two thousand catties of refined copper from Copper Bull County were his gift to Prince Qian'an as a token of their alliance!"

The hall outside fell silent for a moment before a lazy young voice chimed in, "What does this have to do with us? Eldest brother, sit down first, catch your breath and have some water."

"Shaogong, be quiet! Yong Er, continue. Does this implicate the Wang family?" Madam Xiao demanded.

"Mother guessed correctly!" Cheng Yong seemed to catch his breath. "The traitor also said that if not for General of Chariots and Cavalry Wang Chun introducing him years ago, he would never have known the Qian'an faction. After he raised his rebellion, it was Wang Chun who wrote to him to establish ties with Qian'an Royal Manor..."

"Empty words mean nothing! Are we to believe whatever Peng Zhen says? A traitor facing death wants to drag others down with him—that's hardly surprising!" This was Cheng Song's voice.

"Second brother, don't interrupt. Eldest brother is this agitated—it can't just be Peng Zhen making baseless accusations!" Cheng Shao Gong interjected.

"Exactly! Peng Zhen was cunning. He initially wanted Wang Chun to plead for mercy on his behalf to His Majesty, but seeing that Wang Chun ignored him, he decided to go all out and produced the letters Wang Chun had written to him!"

"...Eldest brother, you'd better tell us everything at once," Shao Shang's voice was cool and detached, calm yet deliberate. "This probably isn't just about implicating the Wang family, is it? Does it also involve the Eastern Palace?"

Cheng Yong let out a long sigh. "Some of the letters mentioned—it would be best to lure His Majesty into leading the campaign personally, then manipulate things behind the scenes. If anything were to happen to His Majesty, the Crown Prince could ascend the throne, and then the Wang and Peng families would..."

Author's Note:

During the Han, Tang, Wei, and Jin dynasties, the practice of adopting sons was common, though the reasons varied. For instance, Li Keyong's Thirteen Adopted Sons were generals bound to him through fictive kinship to strengthen his faction. Another example is Cao Zhen, originally surnamed Qin. After his biological father died fighting for Lord Cao, Lord Cao adopted him as his own son, even changing his surname.

Except for not being named heir, Cao Zhen enjoyed all the privileges of Cao's biological sons and even later became a regent.

There was also the practice of adopting the children of close friends or sworn brothers as heirs. Even Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou was his brother-in-law's heir—don't ask me why.

Additionally, eunuchs adopting heirs was a widespread custom during the Han and Tang dynasties, especially in the Eastern Han. Emperors would even confer official titles on these adopted sons, allowing them to inherit the eunuchs' influence and power, just like in ordinary families.As for Lord Cao, everyone knows his grandfather Cao Teng was a famous eunuch of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but there's debate about where his father was adopted from. Some say he was adopted from Cao Teng's brothers, others claim he came from the Xiahou family - I haven't looked into it carefully.

There's another explanation called a "fictive clan" system, where families without blood relations treat each other as one family. Whether in terms of address, daily life, or self-identification, they regard each other as true family members.

This is how I explain the relationship between the Wan and Cheng families -

Regardless of whether it was a fictive clan system or Lord Cao originally being surnamed Xiahou, the Xiahou clan remained utterly loyal to the Cao family to the end. So much so that when the Sima family later usurped the throne, the Xiahou clan was severely purged - even Empress Xiahou Hui, Sima Shi's wife, was killed.

That's all.