Chapter 44

In the presence of everyone in the head of the Tang family's office, all eyes were focused on Tang Yingying.

Tang Yingying, blushing with embarrassment, shrank back.

Indeed, it seemed she had reason to be embarrassed.

If I become the adopted son of the Tang family, I will become Tang Yingying's older brother. Although Tang Yingying has two younger siblings, they are both still teenagers, so in other words, I will become the eldest son of this household.

Given the unique nature of the Tang family, where only a son-in-law can inherit, it would seem that all the property originally belongs to them. However, if I become the eldest son, the property will be transferred to my name, as the next head of the family. This is why they are reacting this way.

‘I heard that children from wealthy families often fight over property.’

To openly oppose it even with me present.

It seems that despite not looking like it, Tang Yingying is quite greedy.

When I looked at her with a cold gaze, she flinched.

Then, at that moment, a voice full of incomprehension came from Tang Yingying's aunt.

“Yingying, why are you opposing this? Liu Xiaoxia is of excellent character, and I think he would be a good older brother to you. Is there some other reason?”

Tang Yingying's aunt, who had a very gentle appearance that did not fit the Tang family, was known for her extremely objective evaluations and excellent character. When she asked Tang Yingying, both the Poison King and the head of the family nodded.

When everyone looked at Tang Yingying, demanding an answer, she replied with a beet-red face, almost shouting.

“I, I forgot about Yixingbuyang (異性不養). It's the national law!”

At this, the Poison King and the head of the family looked at each other, their faces showing a realization.

‘What is Yixingbuyang?’

I searched my mind for any related knowledge.

I didn't have high hopes for my body, but strangely, the knowledge I needed started to come to mind.

Yixingbuyang (異性不養).

During the Song Dynasty, there was a unique law regarding adopted sons, which stipulated that only those of the same surname could be adopted.

Therefore, unless I was of the Tang surname, I could not be adopted into the Tang family.

If I were to be adopted from a different surname, I would have to be four years old or younger, and the legal recognition of the adoption (立繼) would only be valid at that age.

Of course, it is possible to adopt someone from a different surname, but such an adoption would place them in an ambiguous position, neither fully part of the family nor a complete outsider. They would not be allowed to be listed in the family register, nor could they inherit property.

In terms of martial arts, such an adopted son would be even less significant than a sworn brother (干兄弟), which is the final stage of a sworn brotherhood (貫市) in the Song Dynasty.

“We almost made a big mistake. Yingying is right, Father. We were too hasty and didn't think it through. What a predicament, we considered adopting a son because of the Zhuge family...”

“We forgot about it because we don't have an adopted son in our family. I'm sorry, hehe, what a dilemma.”

‘What? If I become sworn brothers with the head of the Zhuge family, there should be no problem becoming sworn brothers with the head of the Tang family, right?’

I found it hard to understand the head of the family's words, as he mentioned that the idea of adopting a son was due to the Zhuge family.

This is because I am already confirmed to be a sworn brother of the head of the Zhuge family. If I become a sworn brother with the head of the Tang family, despite the age difference, we could form a perfect sworn brotherhood, like Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, with me being the youngest.

Furthermore, when three sworn brothers unite, they can form a higher level, known as Quan (圈).

This is the ultimate form of a sworn brotherhood, similar to the gatherings of sworn brothers in China in my previous life.

When a Quan is formed, a hierarchy is established, and titles are given.

The first is called Laoda (老大) or Dage (大哥), the second is Laoe (老二), and the third is Laosan (老三), and so on, based on their rank.

‘I am Laosan (老三) of the Tang-Zhuge Quan, Liu Qingyun!’ I could proudly announce this to everyone.

So, I looked at the head of the family with a questioning expression, asking why the Zhuge family was a problem in forming a sworn brotherhood. The head of the family, noticing my expression, began to explain.

“At first, I thought it was natural to form a sworn brotherhood with you since you saved my life. But then I realized that you need to form a sworn brotherhood with Qing and Shi, which would complicate my relationship with the head of the Zhuge family.”

‘Huh? Form a sworn brotherhood with Zhuge Qing? I thought it was with the head of the Zhuge family.’

Something seemed off. I thought forming a sworn brotherhood with the head of the Zhuge family meant forming a sworn brotherhood with me, but now it's about forming a sworn brotherhood with Zhuge Qing.

However, the head of the Zhuge family, who is my sworn brother, couldn't be mistaken, so I quickly recalled my past memories.

I also felt a bit uncomfortable and strange inside.

It was like a needle stuck in my chest.

‘Clearly, someone was sent to form a sworn brotherhood, and gifts were exchanged with Zhuge Qing...’

Recalling the events, the truth became clear.

The head of the family did not specify a clear target, leading to my misunderstanding.

No matter how I thought about it, it seemed overboard for the head of the Zhuge family to form a sworn brotherhood with me just because I saved his daughter's life.

‘What a fool I am!’

Upon reflection, the head of the Zhuge family had given me several hints, but I didn't catch them.

Clearly, I had exchanged gifts with Zhuge Qing, so I should have realized that I was supposed to form a sworn brotherhood with her, not the head of the Zhuge family.

‘Qingyun, you were a master of reading the room in your past life. Why did you fail this time? Is it because of your body? You were always good at reading the room, so why did you think this way? To survive? To survive?’

Perhaps because the inn was destroyed and the head of the Zhuge family emitted a killing aura, I should have taken a Qingxin Pill (清心丸) to clear my mind, but the effect was too strong.

At the time, I was so startled that my mind froze, and I didn't catch on.

But now that everything in my mind is clear, the needle in my chest is gone, and my mind is sharp again.

With the anxiety gone, I could clearly understand the head of the Tang family's words.

I am already sworn siblings with Zhuge Qing. If I were to form a sworn brotherhood with the head of the Tang family, it would create a complicated family tree, making me a brother to the head of the Tang family's niece.

In other words, it would be like becoming a brother to my cousin.

This would create a very tangled family tree.

If I were to form a sworn brotherhood with the head of the Tang family, it would be even more complicated. It would be a real dilemma.

As everyone faced this dilemma, looking at each other with expressions of ‘What do we do now?’, the old Poison King suddenly looked at Tang Yingying's aunt and said,

“Hua'en, what if you form a sworn sisterhood with that young man?”

“Me?”

“Yes, originally, your brother should form a sworn brotherhood, but since that's impossible, you, who are of the same rank, should do it. Although you are not married, you can be treated as if you are leaving the family, and I can treat him like a son...”

“But, is that okay? It seems to complicate things even more...”

It seemed that by treating her as if she were leaving the family, they could simplify the complicated relationships and leave me as the only one.

While I was unsure if this would work, it was a problem for the Tang family to worry about.

‘Wow! With that sister? A sworn sister?’

When I thought of the gentle face, attractive hairstyle, and broad embrace of the sister, a smile naturally appeared on my face.

Just then, Tang Yingying, with a beet-red face, shouted,

“I, I will! I will form a sworn sisterhood with Liu Xiaoxia.”

*Chuckle*

‘Really, doesn't Tang Yingying know when to back off?’

One should know when to join and when to leave. Yingying is on a completely different level, and her attempt to compete with the sister seemed pitiful.

However, contrary to my thoughts, Tang Yingying's proposal was quickly accepted by the others.

“Yes, now that you mention it, you are of the same rank and like a sister to Qing. This is much better!”

The head of the family was pleased with Tang Yingying's suggestion, and the Poison King and Tang Yingying's aunt nodded.

‘But, the sister?!’

As I was left in a daze, a slightly flushed Tang Yingying's voice reached my ears.

“Liu Gege, wouldn't it be better to form a sworn sisterhood with me rather than with Aunt? Right?”

Tang Yingying, speaking in a voice I had never heard before, made my skin crawl.

“Of course, Miss Tang.”

My regained ability to read the room told me that now was the time to respond.

***

Zhuge Qing took out ink, a brush, and paper, and began to grind the ink carefully. She then picked up the brush and started to draw on the paper.

From the tip of her brush, a dot became a line, a curve, and finally a face.

It was the face of a man.

‘Was his nose a bit more prominent?’

At the time, she was too embarrassed to look at his face directly, so she could only remember his clear voice. She had tried to draw his face several times on paper, but each time it looked different, leaving her heart full of disappointment.

Feeling unsatisfied, she crumpled the drawing of Liu Qingyun's face and put it aside. Not long after, she unfolded it again, feeling a sense of loss.

Just then, two maids burst into Zhuge Qing's room, their voices full of excitement.

“Miss, a letter from the Tang family has arrived!”

Startled by the maids, Zhuge Qing quickly crumpled the paper and put it in her bosom, asking,

“What, what letter?”

One of the maids handed her a letter and replied,

“It's from Miss Tang Yingying, with news about your wild rat (野鼠).”

“News about the wild rat?! Give it to me.”

The term "wild rat" (野鼠) referred to the mating of rats (野鼠之婚), but in the context of Zhuge Qing and the maids, it was a euphemism for Liu Qingyun, her "husband" (老公). Therefore, news about the wild rat was news about Liu Qingyun.

She had been very worried about him since she sent him to the Tang family's birthday party alone, so she was relieved to receive a letter from Tang Yingying. She quickly took the letter from the maids.

With trembling hands, she opened the letter and read Tang Yingying's handwriting.

“What does it say, Miss? Tell us too.”

As the maids pestered her, Zhuge Qing, looking at the letter, replied with a dazed expression.

It was because the letter contained something unbelievable.

“The wild rat caught a false person who almost damaged the Tang family's reputation at the Poison King's birthday party and saved the life of Uncle Tang, the head of the Tang family... What does this mean?”

As she stared at the letter in disbelief, the maids exclaimed in surprise.

“Could the wild rat have used the amazing medical skills that saved you?!”

“Yes. The mysterious medical skills that