"It's actually simple. In Xuanyuan Hill, no matter the household, if a family truly has no descendants, they can adopt a son from among their own clan and relatives. If they have no clan to speak of, once outsiders hear of it, plenty of people will come knocking, eager to offer themselves. Continuing the family line is a major matter for any clan. So long as an adopted or inherited son changes his surname and registers under the family, he is no different from a biological son. Whoever interferes would provoke public outrage. That way, once the old man is gone, the adopted son or heir can inherit the land and property in Xuanyuan Hill. Who would be foolish enough to spit out meat that has already reached his mouth?"
"Take Lame Liu from our street. He was injured as a child and couldn't have children, nor could he find a wife. Back then, a whole bunch of Liu Family relatives rushed over from Central Province, fighting to have their own children passed on to Lame Liu. They nearly came to blows over it. Lame Liu chose one of his maternal nephews as his heir, and that nephew treated him even better than a real father. Lame Liu had no worries about being cared for in old age or properly buried after death."
"If that's the case, wouldn't many families be able to bring lots of outsiders into Xuanyuan Hill under the name of adopting sons or taking heirs, letting those adopted sons and heirs register and live here, enjoying Xuanyuan Hill's many opportunities and advantages?" Zhang Tie asked curiously.
"That was indeed how it worked several hundred years ago. I heard that for a time in Xuanyuan Hill, many families had several adopted sons or heirs. Some had more