Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2756 Unbroken Loyal Lineage (Second Update, Please Subscribe)

They need more than just money!

What else do they need?

Xu Shengli looked at Song Fan, seemingly not quite understanding his thoughts:
"If you don't give money, what else can you give? Of course, they want a son. You can't just give them a son, can you?"

Give them a son!
Xu Shengli's words startled Song Fan for a moment, and then he said:

"It seems... it's not impossible."

Does this work?
Xu Shengli was dumbfounded. He found it hard to believe—you really can bring someone else's son back to life?

There's no such thing as a free lunch.
"Mr. Song, what's going on?"

Puzzled, Xu Shengli saw Song Fan take out paper and pen.

"Let me organize my thoughts first, and then I'll report back to my superiors when I get back."

And so, the train continued south, and after arriving in Guangzhou, the passengers went their separate ways. Song Fan and his group, however, boarded the Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train directly at the train station via a special passage.

Xu Shengli accompanied them all the way to the dedicated platform for the Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train.

Fortunately, he was a police officer and had a letter of introduction, so he was able to pass through customs and be escorted to the platform.

"Officer Xu, thank you for escorting me all the way. See you again after the New Year."

"Then we'll see you after the New Year."

After saying goodbye on the platform, Song Fan and his group boarded the train directly.

That afternoon, they embarked on their journey home at Kai Tak Airport.

……

Sunlight streamed through the tall, floor-to-ceiling windows, casting interplay of light and shadow on the floor. The air was filled with the aroma of burning cigars.

Li Yi'an's fingertips tapped lightly on the table unconsciously. His gaze fell on the report in front of him.

General Sun sat in front of him. Although he had retired from active service, he had always been in charge of veterans' affairs, including the search for relatives of fallen soldiers.

Although they are related by marriage, General Sun is currently reporting on his work.

"To date, we have located the families of 373 fallen soldiers. Among them, 115 have no direct descendants, and 35 of them have no one to care for their parents. Moreover, for various reasons, their lives are extremely difficult."

“Thirty-five people.” Li Yi’an repeated the number in a low voice, his fingers tapping on the table, which had now stopped.

The office fell into a deathly silence. At that moment, Li Yi'an's thoughts drifted involuntarily to those people he had never met.

No one knows what they have suffered over the past few decades, but they have been silently waiting for their child to return.

Xu had already silently shed tears in the empty room on countless nights.

They have been forgotten, and their hardships go unnoticed.

It wasn't until six months ago that the Ministry of Veterans Affairs launched a program to find the families of fallen soldiers. But how much pain can such belated care heal?

Thinking of this, an image flashed before Li Yi'an's eyes—a scene from the documentary he visited last week: a lonely old man standing in front of a dilapidated house, looking at a photo of his son with trembling hands.

The old man kept repeating:

"Finally, I saw it! I finally saw his picture again..."

Many of them didn't even leave a single photo for their families.

Decades of longing.

Decades of waiting.

They didn't receive news of their child's return. Instead, they received a death notice for the man wielding a knife.

Although the monetary compensation has been approved, each person will receive a substantial pension and lifelong medical insurance. As parents of fallen soldiers, they can even immigrate to SEA and live in government-provided nursing homes.

However, these material compensations seem so pale and powerless in the face of the heavy reality of "losing a child".

Can we do more?

General Sun looked at the gentleman's furrowed brows, a look of solemnity appearing on his dark face.

He has followed Your Excellency for many years and knows the deep compassion in Your Excellency's heart.

After a moment of silence, the general spoke slowly, his voice even lower than before:
"Your Excellency, we have already made contact with these families, most of whom are quite old."

According to the plan, we can bring them to SEA for resettlement and provide them with the best care. But…

The general paused, his tone revealing an undisguised helplessness:
"Even if we bring them to our country and put them in the most comfortable houses, it won't change the fact that they are lonely and destitute."

Money can solve life's hardships, but it can't fill the void in your heart. The trauma of losing a child can never truly heal.

The atmosphere in the office seemed to grow even heavier. Li Yi'an leaned back in his large leather swivel chair, closed his eyes, and wearily rubbed his temples.

As a father, he certainly understood the significance of the continuation of life for a family and even a country. These fallen soldiers gave their lives for the country, and although the state can assume the responsibility of supporting their parents after their sacrifice, who can provide their parents with sufficient emotional comfort?

"What do you recommend?"

Li Yi'an looked at General Sun. He knew that General Sun was not only here to report on the situation, but must have already made some plans.

Although he was well-prepared, General Sun still appeared somewhat cautious.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke slowly and softly:
"Your Excellency, if this matter comes to mind, there is an ancient method—adoption."

"Adoption?" Li Yi'an was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting General Sun to make such a suggestion.

In modern society, this word seems to have been selectively forgotten by people.

"Yes, adoption."

General Sun nodded, his tone becoming firm as he looked at the gentleman:

“In the past, this was a common practice, both in the East and the West, especially among the nobility. If a male member of the family died young—for example, in battle—and had no children, a child would be adopted from a direct relative to continue the bloodline and prevent it from dying out. I think we can learn from this.”

General Sun paused for a moment, then continued:

"These fallen soldiers sacrificed themselves for their country, and their spirit deserves to be remembered forever."

Allowing their bloodline to continue is not only a comfort to their parents, but also a sign of respect and care for the martyrs.

My idea is not to adopt the son in the name of these parents, but in the name of the fallen soldier, to choose a willing family from among the children of his immediate family members and adopt him as the fallen soldier's son.

In this way, their parents might receive some emotional comfort, and perhaps their inner pain could be somewhat alleviated.

Li Yi'an fell silent, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound.

This proposal seems a bit—how should I put it—unsuitable for modern society.

The adoption system in ancient times originated from the family succession needs of ancient feudal society. Does this adoption system still exist in modern society?

"That was ancient times,"

Li Yi'an spoke slowly, his tone tinged with hesitation:
Is now the right time to adopt this measure?

He wasn't rejecting the proposal, but he was well aware of its complexities. Its implementation would inevitably spark widespread social discussion and might even invite criticism. However, he couldn't ignore the proposal's potential benefits—those destitute parents might genuinely find some emotional support in it.

General Sun did not immediately refute, but calmly said:
"Your Excellency, I understand your concerns. Times have changed, and we certainly cannot simply copy the practices of the past. However, the core idea—to ensure that the bloodline and spirit of fallen soldiers are passed on and to provide solace to their families—is something we should learn from."

Hmm...actually, we don't need to use the word "adoption."

General Sun thought for a moment, then said:

"The word 'adoption' can be used."

"Adoption?"

Li Yi'an raised an eyebrow and then said:

“We prohibit overseas adoptions.”

The reason for banning overseas adoption is ostensibly to prevent illegal activities such as human trafficking, but in reality, it is to prevent some people from having an excessive sense of compassion.

Just like some female celebrities, they don't have children themselves, but instead adopt children all over the world, just to show off their philanthropy.

However, her love was never extended to her parents, family, and friends.

Of course, strict laws on overseas adoption could be enacted, but as long as it is allowed, there will be loopholes, so in the end, the only option was to ban it altogether.

"Yes, we do have laws on this, but could we allow the parents of fallen soldiers to adopt a child in their child's name?"

General Sun continued:

"Of course, such individuals must be elderly and have no other children. We can formulate detailed rules. For example, the adoptive family must be a direct relative of a martyr, and the child's parents must be completely willing."
Of course, age limits can be set for the past, such as under 8 years old, which is beneficial for fostering family bonds among them.

Listening to General Sun's advice, Li Yi'an turned his gaze to the distance, where those young faces appeared before him.

They fought together!

Their sacrifices have made sEA what it is today.

sEA should provide the utmost care to their loved ones. Material compensation is fundamental, but emotional support is equally important.

Perhaps General Sun's suggestion is indeed a method worth trying.

For others, the most important thing is the continuation of their lineage. Although ordinary people may not have billions of dollars to inherit, tradition is tradition, and it should always be respected.

We can't say we don't respect our own traditions and then go and respect foreign traditions.

Since carrying on the family line was a tradition of the Tang people, then this tradition should be passed down. What about those martyrs who had no children?

Of course, there are other ways to pass on the family line. And this kind of inheritance was very common in ancient times, just like Li Hongzhang's eldest son, who was adopted from his elder brother.
Of course, this will also bring a series of problems, such as increased expenses.

After all, the medical insurance and other benefits enjoyed by these military families are paid for by the government. As their stepson, he should naturally also enjoy these benefits.

After all, ensuring the continuation of the family line is not just empty talk, but a commitment that requires funding.

How large will this expense be?

However, Li Yi'an only briefly considered the question before abandoning it.

He stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked out at the bustling city scene.

All of this was achieved at the cost of the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. Their sacrifice cannot be merely recorded in the names and cold statistics on monuments.

Perhaps the best way to honor them is to let their bloodline continue and their spirit be passed on.

"The proposal to ensure the continuation of the lineage is feasible, in my opinion."

Turning around, Li Yi'an looked at General Sun and said:
"However, this requires resolving some legal issues. You should consult with the Department of Justice about this matter. Develop a detailed implementation plan. Ensure that every step is rigorous and legal, and that there are no loopholes. Do everything possible to protect the interests of the families of military personnel, so that no one can take advantage of the situation."

Most importantly—we do this based on one principle: to ensure the continuity of our loyal lineage!

(End of this chapter)