Chang Mao's face immediately darkened. He had been unable to have children in his early years and had always hoped to adopt one from Chang Sen or Chang Sheng so that he could inherit the title. However, in recent years, Chang Mao, who had been unable to conceive, had become a father one after another, with his wives and concubines bearing him children. This could be considered an "old tree blossoming."

“My uncle has gained some benefits, and those military officers are all getting their hands on him.” Chang Mao laughed and said, “If His Majesty really agrees, we’ll agree too. When the second son goes to the Feng family, our eldest son will be a Duke, and our youngest son will also be a Duke.”

When Madam Feng, who had brought the tea, heard the news, she couldn't hide the smile on her face.

She had been unable to have children in her early years, and she was incredibly ashamed of herself. She also knew that because Lan Yu had brought back a grandson from the Shu King, her father had originally intended to give all the resources to Feng Cheng.

But all those years of desperate actions, like fighting against Japan, were all for the sake of imperial favor. And all for the sake of having someone inherit the title and continue the family line!

Originally, she had planned to bring one back from the Zhou family, but nothing had happened in recent years. However, if she were to bring one back from the Chang family now, Madam Feng would definitely be happy. Her sons were all becoming successful, and she could finally stand up for herself in her own family.

Chang Mao looked at Madam Feng and said, "Go to your father-in-law's place later and talk to him. We'll plead with His Majesty, but we have to make it clear that we can take the second son over, but we have to raise him until he's ten years old before we can adopt him."

Chang Mao was very proud to have brought back a son from the Shu King's side, because he could see that his uncle would have an heir. However, the thought of his own son being taken away and bearing the surname Feng made Chang Mao unhappy.

"Sister-in-law, go to your niece's place again tomorrow. If all else fails, drag Yunhu along," Chang Sheng suggested. "Yunhu is the easiest to talk to. Let him go and beg His Majesty for permission."

When Zhu Yunwen established his own household in his early years, it wasn't just his three maternal uncles from the Chang family who took care of him. His maternal grandmother, Chang Lan, took meticulous care of him, and his eldest maternal aunt, Feng, also took care of him. Therefore, Zhu Yunwen respected and was close to his eldest maternal aunt, treating her almost like a second mother.

Madam Feng said with a smile, "Alright, I remember there are still some good things at Father's place. Let's move them all to Yunhuo's place. Once Yunhuo, Xi'er, and Yue'er go there, this matter will surely be settled."

Chang Mao snorted coldly. His son was about to lose his surname, which made him feel heartbroken.

Despite the heartache, the thought of her second son, who might have otherwise been 'mediocre,' becoming a hereditary duke was something to be happy about. As for Zhu Yunwen, there was no need to worry at all. Even without gifts, it was fine; did they really think that Zhu Yunwen, now the Prince of Wu, would become distant from his uncles?

As for the emperor, there's even less to worry about, as Feng Sheng himself has rendered great service to the court. Although Feng Sheng's private dealings with Prince Zhou aroused the suspicion and dissatisfaction of the retired emperor in earlier years, so many years have passed, and some things have simply faded away.

As long as you can do things well for the emperor, then naturally you won't need to worry about anything.

This was true for Chang Mao, and it was true for the other military officers as well. All they needed to do was help the emperor with his affairs and stand with him through thick and thin, and they would naturally be rewarded with wealth and honor, and their descendants would also become prominent.

Chang Mao wasn't the only one who understood this principle; other military officers also knew it. However, even among military officers, whether the emperor would trust them or give them important positions was a completely different matter.

Therefore, striving to prove oneself is of paramount importance. Even if one's ancestors had great achievements, if their children and grandchildren are incompetent, the legacy will gradually fade away. A distinguished military record might simply be relegated to the sidelines.

Military merit, it seems, can be inherited and passed down through generations, and can last as long as the nation. However, if one does not achieve great things, military merit will eventually become nothing more than an empty title. Therefore, one must strive and demonstrate one's abilities when the time is right.

Now that the emperor has once again given Wu Xun some opportunities to demonstrate his abilities, he naturally needs to make the most of these opportunities.

Moreover, there are many practical benefits. In Liaodong, there are vast tracts of land belonging to military merit. Once cultivated, they will naturally generate huge profits.

As for killing and kidnapping natives, he had absolutely no psychological barriers to it!