C374 (1)

Inside the ancestral home of the Dugu family, a frail elderly man lay in bed, surrounded by a crowd of relatives from the family's branches. The only direct descendant present was the current head of the Dugu family, Dugu Sheng.

The Dugu family's tradition dictated that the eldest son held the reins, while the younger sons and those from the concubines were relegated to the branches