Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

"That's really the case."

Sun Dexiu thought for a moment,

"A commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who does not serve in the capital has very few opportunities to meet these people."

However, if we keep this secret, we can't use it to gain merit in front of the emperor.

How can one then create a situation where rare goods are hoarded?

"If I report this matter to His Majesty, he might be pleased and very likely to directly appoint me to the Directorate of Ceremonial."

Huang Jin stood up and slowly paced around the room.

"But is it really that important and indispensable to me?"

My ancestors once promised me that if I gained more experience over a few years, they would recommend me for a position in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

I don't think this is just empty talk.

Those old guys in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, including the old master, are all in their fifties or sixties. In a few years, there will definitely be vacancies in their positions.

I am not yet forty, in the prime of my life, and among my ancestors' many adopted sons, I am one of the highest-ranking.

Moreover, I am, after all, a former member of the Xingwang Mansion, and in the Emperor's eyes, I am more reliable than others.

When the time comes, it will be easier for the Emperor to be satisfied if the Ancestor recommends me for the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs than if he recommends someone else.

My entry into the Directorate of Ceremonial was a natural progression; it was just a matter of waiting a few more years.

In that case, we might as well take a longer-term view.

Let's speak frankly behind closed doors: what are the differences between the current emperor's death and that of Emperor Wuzong?

"When Emperor Wuzong passed away, he was thirty-one years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning), and Your Highness is also thirty-one years old this year (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning)."

Sun Dexiu thought about it carefully.

"When Emperor Wuzong passed away, he had no sons and no heir. Since the time the Emperor ascended the throne, he has taken in many concubines. Now, seventeen years later, only four concubines have given birth to princes."

The eldest prince, Crown Prince Ai Chong, died young; the second prince is only a little over a year old; and the third and fourth princes are both less than a year old.

"The eldest son of the late Emperor Xian died young, and at the time of his death, the Emperor was his only son."

Huang Jin sighed.

"From the moment he entered the capital, the Emperor, though he did not say it, was actually always wary of the fact that Emperor Wuzong had no heir, fearing that he might follow in his cousin's footsteps."

The Emperor attached great importance to the matter of having offspring, and from the beginning of his reign, he was quite diligent in managing the affairs of the harem.

But what was the result?

Seventeen years, a full seventeen years!

Only four concubines gave birth to princes, which shows that it was extremely difficult for the emperor to get women to conceive.

Moreover, the health of these princes is truly worrying.

The eldest prince died after only two months. I also secretly inquired in the palace and found that the second, third, and fourth princes were also frail and sickly.

Whether any more princes will be born in the future, and whether these three princes will be able to grow up smoothly, are all unknown.

Moreover, when Emperor Xiaozong passed away, he probably never imagined that his only son, who reigned for sixteen years, would not leave behind a single heir.

It's almost a foregone conclusion that our Emperor has few children. Even if a prince were to grow up, there would still be risks!

It's hard to say whether they will end up like Emperor Xiaozong's lineage, with no heirs for two generations.

In other words, as the posthumous son of the late Emperor Xian and the only younger brother of the Emperor, Lu Chen has a high probability that the throne will eventually fall to his lineage.

What I mean by "hoarding rare goods" can actually be described as hedging on both ends.

This plan poses little risk to me, but for you, it presents two completely different possibilities.

Would you be willing to take this gamble with me?