Living as a Salted Fish, No Snake on the Marshal's Wrist

Chapter 81: Learning the Truth (part 2)

Coming home, Jun De found Taio Ru in his lab working. His focused look as he slowly swayed his foot was the same as when he'd read his books.

"Love, have you eaten?" Jun De asked as he walked closer.

Taio Ru suddenly jolted up in shock! It would seem he hadn't noticed Jun De's presence.

"You!? Don't suddenly sneak up on me." Taio Ru complained. His hand resting on his chest as he tried to calm his racing pulse.

"Sorry, Love. I thought you knew I returned." Jun De apologized as he wrapped his arms around the startled Taio Ru. Gently rubbing his back.

"Have you eaten?" Jun De asked again.

"No, what time is it?" Taio Ru asked apparently having no idea how late it had gotten.

"It's 8. Love, you should have eaten dinner at six without me."

"8, it's not that late. We can eat together. Unless you already ate with the Emperor?" Taio Ru asked.

"I haven't. Let's go up and eat." Jun De pulled Taio Ru out of the lab and headed directly upstairs.

Dinner was like every meal before, vegetable soup and a red meat dish. Today was stir fried steak.

"How did the meeting go? Did my research help? Was he upset?" Taio Ru asked curiously as he stirred his soup.

Jun De nodded before explaining what happened. The long explanation lasted most of the dinner. Taio Ru silently listened until the end.

...

"I don't understand why she is so obsessed. Won't the prince be a Que? You told me the beast form comes from the mother, not the father." Taio Ru asked.

"That's a bit complicated as well. You see nobles pride themselves on having a beast form that matches their name. It shows a pure lineage. The family head also needs to have the clan's animal form to inherit the position." Jun De began explaining.

"Then it's inherited by a female?" Taio Ru asked.

"No, the clan head is male, but his children are not eligible to inherit under most circumstances. The next head will be chosen from the next generation of males with pure animal forms. I was also eligible for the position in the Xiongmao family.

The family members who aren't eligible or have no wish to compete usually marry out. While those who wish to inherit have their husbands marry in.

For example take the Baihu clan who claimed to be engaged to me. My mother had no intention on allowing me to inherit, so she wanted to marry me off to ex captain Baihu. Our children would then be eligible to inherit the position of Baihu clan head."

"That seems complicated and unnecessary." Taio Ru said with a deep frown. He wasn't happy hearing about Jun De's previous engagement, even if he never agreed to it.

"It is, but what makes a family noble is the number of individuals possessing the beast form that matches their name. When you meet commoners, the chances their beast form is the same as their name is rare. At best you might meet 1 out of 1000. And those whose name matches, most likely aren't from a pure lineage but after a mixed past.

"As for nobles. They lose their noble status if they have no successors with matching name and beast form." Jun De explained.

"So why doesn't the emperor have the matching beast form? And why doesn't it matter?" Taio Ru asked.

"To be emperor, they must rescind their right to inherit the clan. Their animal form also changes between each of the seven original noble clans to show the connection.