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Yellowstone (TV show) reference? :)

No, that’s just a literal description of how these old Japanese businesses pass themselves along for centuries.

Oddly enough that's also how roman emperors handled dynastic succession[0].

In a world with 40% child mortality, it was more of a sure thing than gambling on having a biological heir.

Yeah the “good emperors” did that, but just as often there were coups by the praetorian guard or some general marched down from Gaul.