Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

So that's how it is!

Hearing the manager's words, Lu Chen felt a sense of relief.

Isn't this just the story of Pan Jinlian and Wu Dalang?!

It's obvious that Lu Song must have taken a liking to Wang Shi, the beautiful maidservant by his wife's side, and his wife discovered it.

Lu Song's wife was the wet nurse of the Prince of Xing, so she must have had a very high status in the family. It was perfectly normal for him to give Wang Shi to a servant as a concubine in a fit of anger.

Since they harbored hatred for this maid, it was only natural that they would specifically choose Lu Kun, the ugliest maid.

However, Wang's fate was different from Pan Jinlian's.

Lu Kun's attitude towards her is very abnormal!

When was Wang Shi given to Lu Kun as a concubine?

Lu Chen turned to the steward and asked,

"When was Lu Chen born?"

"Lu Kun was rewarded by his mistress and married Wang Shi, a great beauty, as his concubine. At that time, all the servants on the estate went to congratulate him, and I, the old man, was also there."

That happened in the winter of the thirteenth year of the Zhengde reign; I cannot be mistaken.

The manager's tone was very certain.

"As for Lu Chen, the child was born in late August of the following year, which was exactly ten months after Lu Kun married Wang Shi."

Lu Chen glanced at the old steward in front of him. He was asking him about the situation as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. This was the first time the man had met him, so it was unlikely that he had prepared a story beforehand to deceive him.

Moreover, there are at least dozens of people in this village who know Wang Shi and Lu Chen, so it wouldn't be difficult for me to verify this matter.

Unless everyone in the entire village was planted there by Lu Song and his son Lu Bing, just waiting for the day they would give false testimony.

If that's the case, then the real "Lu Chen's" identity must be extremely important, as it's impossible for him to have traveled to the capital alone and been killed on the way.

After meeting Yuan Xun in Wadian Town and taking up his post in Linqing with Lu Bing's handwritten letter of appointment, Lu Bing couldn't possibly ignore him.

It seems that the age on the real "Lu Chen" travel permit is correct and has not been altered.

The time when Wang became pregnant with "Lu Chen" was around the time she was given to Lu Kun as a concubine. It's hard to say whether she became pregnant before or after that.

However, Lu Chen felt that she must have been pregnant before.

Although he had never seen what the real "Lu Chen" looked like, he was sure that his features were regular and that he was not a deformed person.

The words describing his facial features on the travel document didn't seem out of place when applied to the body he had possessed.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to choose him from a pile of travel permits in that shady shop.

In ancient times, when most people had some flaws in their appearance, Lu Kun was still considered the ugliest steward in the Lu family, which must mean that his appearance was truly unbearable to look at.

Even if such a person marries a beautiful woman, it is unlikely that he will have a son with regular features and no obvious flaws.

The real "Lu Chen" is not Lu Kun's son, a fact that Lu Kun himself is probably well aware of.

Who is Lu Chen's biological father?

Since "Lu Chen" was indeed born in August of the fourteenth year of Zhengde, he could not possibly be the son of Zhu Houcong, who was then the heir apparent of the Prince of Xing.

Could it be, as Xie Pi suggested, Zhu Youyuan, the Prince of Xingxian?

Of course not!

Xie Pi's speculation, as well as those of Gao Mingqian, Sun Dexiu, and others, were all based on the premise that their "Lu Chen" looked very much like the young Jiajing Emperor.

The real "Lu Chen" doesn't look like that at all.

This can be confirmed by the old steward's attitude when he saw me; he didn't recognize my face at all.

The real "Lu Chen's" biological father is most likely Lu Song!

Only in this way will Lu Kun be willing to raise "Lu Chen" as his own son.

His decision to leave "Lu Chen" and Wang Shi in Chengtian Prefecture was most likely Lu Song's idea.

After all, this was an illegitimate child, and Lu Song still needed to keep it a secret from his wife.

After arriving in Linqing to take up his post, Lu Chen also learned that Lu Song had passed away, around the time he had just arrived in Gucheng County.

It is highly likely that Lu Song told Lu Bing about this before his death, which led to Yuan Xun's southward journey to intercept him.

Even the letter that the real "Lu Chen" received, which asked him to go to the capital to take care of his ailing father, was most likely at Lu Song's behest.

The one who truly wanted to see "Lu Chen" before his death was actually Lu Song himself.

For Lu Bing, having his suddenly appearing illegitimate younger brother, "Lu Chen," in the capital might bring trouble.

Because Lu Chen's birth mother was a maid who was given to a servant by Lu Bing's mother.

Rather than sending "Lu Chen" to the capital, it would be better to find a place to settle him elsewhere.

After all, he was my half-brother, so it was only right to give him a lucrative post. The position of Commander of the Imperial Guard in Linqing was just right.

Lu Chen stared into the old steward's eyes again. This guy had probably already guessed it, and many of the servants on the estate had probably guessed it too.

This is why they have maintained respect for Wang and Lu Chen and his mother all these years.

Otherwise, even with enough living expenses, a widow and her child, abandoned by their husband in their hometown and neglected for eighteen years, would not have an easy life.

The true background of "Lu Chen" and his relationship with Lu Song and Lu Bing's family have been largely clarified.

How should I deal with this?

Impersonating the real "Lu Chen" is definitely not an option.

Once the Jiajing Emperor learns of my existence, he will surely issue an edict to investigate my background.

There are so many people in this village who know the real "Lu Chen," it's impossible to keep it a secret.

Is running away the only option left before my identity is exposed?!

Lu Chen turned to look at Wang's tomb. "Lu Chen's" birth mother was dead, as were Lu Song and Lu Kun.

The truth about the real "Lu Chen" remains unknown; all those who knew the truth are now dead and unable to testify!

Of the two possibilities Xie Pi conjectured in front of him, Lu Chen ruled out Emperor Jiajing himself from the very beginning.

Did this old Taoist priest not know whether he had favored Lady Wang back then?

But Prince Xingxian was different. He had already passed away in the fourteenth year of Zhengde's reign, when the real "Lu Chen" was still in Wang's womb.

King Xingxian naturally did not favor Lady Wang back then, but others did not know that.

He has already passed away, and there is no way to verify this.

If the true "Lu Chen" is indeed a dragon seed left behind by King Xingxian, no one can disprove it.

The "Lu Chen" who lived with Wang Shi in this manor for eighteen years could not possibly be himself!

But that doesn't mean I can't be "Lu Chen"!

The story of "The Prince Replaced by a Civet Cat" had already emerged at this time, but it was not yet fully formed.

When Lu Chen was in Linqing, he heard a storyteller tell the story of "The Golden Pill", which was the prototype of the story of "The Prince Replaced by a Civet Cat".

However, this version only featured the swapped prince and didn't include the tanuki's role.

Why couldn't my "Lu Chen" have been switched out early on and secretly kept somewhere else?!