Traveling to Daliang Kingdom starts from falling into the water

Zhou Banxia had already learned from her second aunt, Zhou Qi, that Zhou Changwu's purpose in coming was to offer congratulations and assist in revising and improving the family genealogy.

Firstly, the previous genealogy of the Zhou family in Qinghe needs to be supplemented and improved. Secondly, for the sake of the completeness of the genealogical records, the genealogy of the Zhou family in Dingzhou also needs to be revised.

The Zhou family of Dingzhou did not lack unfilial descendants in their exile areas. Although they had left the clan or passed away, their names were recorded in the clan genealogy to educate future generations.

Furthermore, if her uncle is the head of the Zhou family of Dingzhou, who is also the heir to the title of Duke of Liang, then more information needs to be recorded in the genealogy.

For example, after the original Liang State Duke's son, his mother's surname, the year he became a concubine, the year he was born, and the year he died, not only should the details be uniformly added to the old and new family genealogies, but also the year he passed the imperial examination, the year he became an official, and so on should be recorded.

This way, future generations can better understand the family's history and heritage, and it also vindicates her uncle's lineage, proving that her uncle was not the illegitimate son as some outsiders have speculated.

Even if the direct line of the Duke of Liang is now extinct, the status of a son born out of wedlock is still lower than that of a son born out of wedlock who can be adopted. No matter how great his merits are, a son born out of wedlock has no right to inherit.

Fortunately, her master's mother had a backup plan. After her uncle was born, she secretly asked the clan chief of Dingzhou to help her uncle's mother gain the title of second wife in the clan genealogy.

This is also why, even if her uncle did not endure hardship to clear her grandfather's name, if the Duke of Liang's mansion were exonerated, her uncle would still be the only existing direct heir.

Nowadays, it is said that the Zhou clan of Yangzhou has sent the second son of the clan leader to assist the Zhou clan of Dingzhou and the Zhou clan of Qinghe in continuing to revise and improve their genealogy and lineage charts. Leaving aside the Zhou clan of Dingzhou, the genealogy and lineage charts of the Zhou clan of Qinghe can be completed in a day.

"...As far as I know, shouldn't the Zhou family ancestors here at least have their ancestral records for the three generations above them added up? Even if they just copy them, shouldn't there be a ceremony to open the ancestral hall and worship the ancestors first?"

That's true, but there are special cases that need special handling.

Your ancestor didn't become a son-in-law by marrying into the woman's family. He didn't even inform the woman's clan before taking his son, changing his surname, and starting his own household.

Not to mention that your ancestor didn't contact the woman's clan after he fled here and settled down, your Qinghe Zhou clan genealogy doesn't indicate that he was originally a son-in-law, right?

No matter how many reasons you have, no matter how nicely you put them, no matter how many excuses your ancestors made, how can such actions erase the fact that your ancestors were treacherous and unfaithful?

Here's the problem: when revising and updating the genealogy, should we record that your ancestor was originally a son-in-law? Is that just a convenient excuse? Isn't he still a son-in-law?
No matter how perfectly they compile it, the genealogy must still record that your ancestor had a son who did not change his surname or the woman's surname back then, right?
Even if it is a three-generation return to the ancestral line, a son-in-law who marries into the woman's family cannot leave behind a son to prevent the woman's family from dying out. In this case, the eldest son of your ancestor must be added to the woman's family name.

If the eldest son had already passed away, and a son was still required to take the wife's surname, then this would involve whether your ancestor had allowed his son to carry on the wife's family line.

Zhou Banxia shook her head, indicating that she did not know. She only knew that when the ancestors of the Zhou branch of Qinghe fled here and settled down, they had two sons, both of whom took their father's surname, Zhou.

Needless to say, the descendants of these two sons also took the surname Zhou, including the lineage of the second son who settled in Lin County a long time ago, who still take the surname Zhou to this day.

Should the woman take her surname?

No.

Gu Wenxuan also felt that there probably wasn't any. If there was, it was because that unscrupulous person hadn't changed the surname of their unknown son back to Zhou. Otherwise, why would Zhou Changwu have said it wasn't appropriate to make a big fuss about it?

Although Zhou Changwu mentioned his family's joyous occasion in a casual conversation before saying this, making the Zhou clan chief of Qinghe want to wait until Qingming Festival to worship their ancestors, but!

He doesn't even have the surname Zhou. Besides, even though they live in the same village, they're actually separated by a river, one on the east bank and the other on the west. What does the Zhou family's ancestral worship have to do with his Gu family?

"..." That seems to make sense. Zhou Banxia put away her gaze from the letter, looked up and glanced at him. "According to you, we're going to have another family adopted by the woman here?"

"No." "Speak properly."

"Before he arrived, the Zhou family must have already reached an agreement with the woman's clan. If I'm not mistaken, it's more likely that the gentleman himself was the one who brought them together first."

At this point, Gu Wenxuan had to mention something: according to Zhou Changwu's words, his wife's master had never intended for anyone to carry on the family line.

His wife's master did indeed leave a will for her husband the day before she passed away, and she also wrote a letter to the head of the Zhou clan in Yangzhou, clearly stating that she was just a daughter of the Zhou family.

She never intended for anyone to carry on her family line. Neither her wife nor the three Zhou brothers were suitable, let alone her "fake husband's" nephew.

However, my wife is currently in postpartum confinement, so it's best to wait until she finishes her confinement before discussing these inside stories. It's not appropriate for her to dwell on her master's past now, as it would be too distressing.

"Also, I heard from your father that he wants to take advantage of this opportunity to update the family genealogy on both sides. Your father wants to register you under your master's name. Of course, that doesn't prevent you from still being your father's biological daughter."

Basically, your name is listed on both your father's and your master's family genealogy. To put it bluntly, you're in a similar situation to someone who is considered a "conjoined heir," right?

"..."

Zhou Banxia was speechless.

She was also unaware that the term "兼祧" (jiān tiao) referred to a man inheriting two or more ancestral lineages simultaneously, allowing the continuation of multiple family lineages through special marriage arrangements.

Is my situation similar to that of a second-generation descendant?

Can it be described as a dual lineage?
"Of course, you definitely can't marry a wife, let alone marry multiple wives." Gu Wenxuan quickly corrected himself, wanting to nip that thought in the bud.

"Ha~"

Sure enough, he sneered. Your sneer gave me goosebumps! "Of course, I'm not saying you're a young girl and not as good as a stinky man."

"..." You're panicking, you're panicking, Zhou Banxia suppressed a laugh and snorted.

This is a nasal cavity injection!
Gu Wenxuan couldn't help but pat her head and said with a smile, "Alright, I'll be honest with you. The main thing is that this is a good thing, so of course I don't object."

"Not necessarily. If I were to register under my master's name, and if my brother or any of the others were ever wrongly accused, I really wouldn't be able to escape, and it might even implicate you—"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Gu Wenxuan immediately covered her mouth, preventing her from continuing. "Now, what difference does it make whether you remember your master's name or not?"

Not to mention that we and your family are already in the same boat, the original Princess's Mansion is now under your name. If something goes wrong, do you think you can escape?
Besides, even if that princess's mansion wasn't registered in your name as your master's only successor, given how good your master's family has been to you, would you stand idly by if your elder brother and his two brothers were in trouble?

will not!

Leaving aside my uncle, my eldest brother and his two brothers are more like brothers to me than blood brothers. As their younger sister, I may not be able to be as devoted to my uncle as my master was, but I will still do my best to repay their kindness today.

"Have you become mute?" (End of Chapter)