Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

The capital city.

The private residence of Huang Jin, the chief executioner of the Eastern Depot.

"Eunuch Huang, everything I have said is true, and I would never dare to utter a single falsehood."

Seeing that Huang Jin remained seated in his official chair without any reaction, Sun Dexiu kowtowed deeply to him.

"I grew up in the palace. Although Your Majesty has never paid attention to me, I have seen Your Majesty's appearance many times and there is no way I could be mistaken."

Lu Chen's appearance was indeed exactly the same as that of the emperor ten years ago.

Lu Chen is now a captain in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his file must be in the Ministry of War, so his current position can be easily found out.

If Eunuch Huang doesn't believe me, just send another trusted confidant to investigate!

"Get up, how could I not trust you?"

Hearing the sound of Sun Dexiu's forehead hitting the floor tiles, Huang Jin finally came to his senses.

"You've been by my side ever since you entered the palace at the age of seven. You could say I raised you from childhood."

Later, many of the eunuchs who followed me became my godfathers and even changed their surnames to Huang, just like me.

But do you know why I've never mentioned changing your surname to theirs, or calling me "godfather"?

Although we are not related by blood, we are truly as close as father and son.

Of those brats who keep calling me godfather, how many of them are truly on my side?

"The reason I didn't let you take my surname, Huang, was just for show, to avoid making you the target of jealousy."

"I understand your good intentions, Eunuch Huang."

Sun Dexiu quickly bowed down again.

"I was stunned for a moment, not because I didn't believe you, but because the information you brought back was just too bizarre."

Huang Jin waved his hand.

"Even the most outrageous story, like the one about the raccoon dog replacing the crown prince, wouldn't be this absurd!"

I would never have believed it if you hadn't said it yourself.

I've thought about your deduction of the truth back then carefully, and it does make a lot of sense.

Back when the Emperor was still a prince, I was just an insignificant eunuch in the Prince of Xing's mansion. In the eyes of the Prince of Xing and his heir, I was just a dispensable person.

They are incomparable to the Lu family, who are deeply trusted by His Highness.

However, no matter how insignificant I was back then, I was still a eunuch in the Prince Xing's mansion, and I had the opportunity to come into contact with the Lu family.

Hearing you say that just now reminded me of something from the past.

Indeed, there was a beautiful maidservant by the side of Lady Fan, the wet nurse of the Crown Prince of Xing back then.

I can't quite remember if her surname is Wang, or when I last saw her, since I didn't visit the Lu family very often back then.

However, I can confirm that when the Emperor departed from Chengtian Prefecture for Beijing in April of the sixteenth year of Zhengde's reign, this woman was not taken by "Lady Yousheng" with her.

If at that time she had already been given to the steward Lu Kun as a concubine by "Lady Yousheng" and had even given birth to a son and stayed in Chengtian Mansion, then it would make sense.

You're right. Since the boy born to that maid looks so much like the Emperor when he was young, there are only two possibilities.

It is either the Emperor's own offspring or the offspring left by the late Emperor Xian.

Neither Lu Song nor Lu Kun could possibly have had such a son with that Wang woman!

Since you have personally investigated in Chengtian Prefecture, it is true that Lady Wang was indeed given to Lu Kun as a concubine by "Lady Yousheng" at the end of the thirteenth year of Zhengde, and Lu Chen was indeed born in August of the fourteenth year of Zhengde.

Therefore, the possibility that Lu Chen is the eldest son of the emperor can be ruled out.

The only possibility is that he is the offspring of the late Emperor Xian, the current emperor's own younger brother!

"Eunuch Huang, are you planning to report this matter to the Ancestor first?"

Seeing that Huang Jin truly believed her, Sun Dexiu asked in a low voice,

"Or should we go directly to the Emperor and report to him in person?"

Both were former members of the Prince's residence, yet the entire Lu family rose to prominence. Lu Song became a second-rank official, and Lu Bing will soon take over the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Eunuch Huang, you have to become a disciple of our ancestor, and after so many years of hard work, you finally managed to get the position of Chief Executioner of the Eastern Depot.

The discovery of the bloodline left behind by the late Emperor Xian in Chengtian Prefecture will surely delight His Majesty.

"They might issue an imperial edict immediately, appointing you as the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, or as the Eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration."