Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

Half an hour later.

"Young Master Lu, do you really not remember anything from your childhood?"

After listening to Lu Chen recount his extraordinary experiences over the past six months, Xie Pi asked a question.

What Lu Chen told the Xie family members was, of course, the information on "Lu Chen's" travel permit.

The events leading up to their encounter with Yuan Xun in Wadian Town, including the secret setup of a safe house in Biyang County and the establishment of a crystal and glass workshop in Linqing, were naturally left unmentioned.

"If young friend Lu hadn't been born into the Lu family of Chengtian Prefecture, I might have actually believed it was a coincidence."

After all, the world is so vast, it is indeed possible for two completely unrelated people to look remarkably alike.

Xie Pi stared at Lu Chen's face.

"However, the current emperor grew up in Chengtian Prefecture, and his late father, Emperor Xian, also lived in Chengtian Prefecture for a long time. The Lu family were also close ministers of the Prince of Xing's Mansion back then."

A member of the Lu family born in Chengtian Prefecture looks almost exactly like the Emperor when he was young, and even their voices are very similar. I absolutely do not believe that they are not related to the line of Prince Xing.

Back then, it was entirely possible that either His Highness Prince Xing or his heir could have taken a woman from the Lu family on a whim.

The reason I want you to recall your childhood is to confirm your true birth date. After all, it would be easy for the Lu family to tamper with your birth date on your household registration.

If the information on the household registration is true, Lu Xiaoyou is only eleven years younger than the current emperor. Taking into account the ten months of pregnancy, he would be exactly eleven years old.

Even if an eleven-year-old boy has been exposed to sexual relations, his body is not yet fully developed, making it impossible for him to impregnate a woman.

Therefore, Lu Xiaoyou could only be the offspring of the late Emperor Xian, and the current emperor's younger brother.

However, if Lu Xiaoyou's registered age has been altered and he is now seventeen instead of nineteen, then it could be a different story.

When His Majesty entered the capital to inherit the throne, he was already thirteen and a half years old when he left Chengtian Prefecture, and he was capable of impregnating women.

Moreover, Emperor Xian's father had already passed away for more than a year at that time.

If that's the case, then Lu Xiaoyou can only be the heir of the current emperor, and the eldest son at that.

In either case, Lu Xiaoyou should be a member of the royal family, a prince.

Your Highness was well worthy of that old minister's bow.

"You're too kind, Mr. Xie."

Lu Chen quickly waved his hand.

"After leaving Yuyao, I plan not to return to Linqing, but to take people directly to my hometown of Chengtian Prefecture to find out about my origins."

This wasn't just a casual remark; Lu Chen was genuinely planning to make a trip to Chengtian Prefecture.

When they found Lu Chen's travel permit at the black market, Lu Chen immediately designated Chengtian Prefecture, the starting point, and the capital city, the destination, as places he could not go.

The Lu family lives in the capital, and Chengtian Prefecture is where the real "Lu Chen" grew up. There will definitely be people who know him there, so it would be easy to be exposed if you went there.

But the situation is completely different now.

The body he possessed after transmigrating looked almost exactly like the Jiajing Emperor when he was young, and even their voices were very similar.

People in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot already know about this, and now even the Xie family of Yuyao knows.

Even if all three parties have their own agendas and don't take the initiative to expose the matter, it's only a matter of time before my identity is revealed.

This face is so distinctive that anyone who has seen the Jiajing Emperor up close should be able to recognize him.

It probably won't be long before the news reaches the ears of the Jiajing Emperor himself.

Unless he makes a quick getaway before his identity is exposed, he either has to hide in a safe house in Biyang County or go overseas.

Otherwise, one day we will inevitably have to face this Daoist Emperor.

Rather than scrambling to deal with things when they come to a head, it's better to start preparing now and take the initiative.

"This old minister also believes that Your Highness should return to Chengtian Prefecture to find out the truth first."

Xie Pi nodded and said,

"Although your mother has passed away, there must still be people who know something about what happened back then. Your Highness is now a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so it shouldn't be difficult to find out the truth about this matter."

It is my good fortune, as well as the good fortune of the Xie family of Yuyao, to have met Your Highness while I was away in my hometown of Yuyao for the mourning period.

If Your Highness requires any assistance from the Xie family, please feel free to give the order, and the Xie family will certainly do its utmost to help.

Once Your Highness has ascertained the truth about your origins, this old minister is willing to present it to His Majesty on your behalf.

"Your Highness will need some money to spend on your trip to Chengtian Prefecture."

Xie Gen, who hadn't said much until now, suddenly spoke up.

"My Xie family has seen many glass artifacts brought to the Ming Dynasty by Westerners, but their quality is far inferior to the batch Your Highness brought."

Yesterday, His Highness asked for sixty taels of silver per item, which is far too low.

These two hundred pieces of Western crystal and glassware are better suited to be purchased by my Xie family for twenty thousand taels of silver.

"It will be convenient for Your Highness to carry this batch of cash with you."

"That's excellent."

Lu Chen turned to look at Xie Gen.

"Then I shall accept it without hesitation."

. . .

"They're finally gone."

After Lu Chen left with Qin Fang, Xie Pi picked up a teacup and, ignoring the fact that the tea had long since gone cold, gulped down a large mouthful.

"It's so similar, it's really too similar."

Although I know he is not the current emperor, my heart still tightens involuntarily when I talk to this prince.

Hengzhong, we were just talking about royal secrets, how did you suddenly bring up business?

If you want to give His Highness silver to establish goodwill, just present the silver directly.

Why must His Highness leave behind those two hundred pieces of Western crystal and glassware?

"That's something you don't understand, brother."

As a poor student, Xie Gen rarely had the opportunity to show off in front of his academically gifted second brother.

"For the past ten years or so, I have been the one managing the family business."

The most important thing in doing business is reciprocity. One-sided gifts may win the other party's favor, but they cannot last.

As the ancients said, "Great kindness can be as great an enemy," and this saying is very true.

If the recipient of a favor cannot repay it for a long time, they will feel a great burden in their heart.

Over time, the relationship between the two parties often becomes more distant rather than closer, and they may even deliberately avoid each other.

But mutually beneficial cooperation is a completely different story.

Yesterday, His Highness visited me for the first time to discuss the business of Western crystal and glassware. He quoted an average price of sixty taels per piece.

Although I don't know where he got the goods from, since he asked for sixty taels, his cost was probably only twenty or thirty taels.

The Western glassware we bought from Shuangyu could be sold to downstream buyers for an average of around one hundred taels of silver.

These higher-quality crystal and glass artifacts could easily fetch 120 or 130 taels of silver, and might even sell for 150 taels.

If we buy at sixty taels, or even down to fifty taels, the majority of the profit will go to my Xie family.

By raising the purchase price to one hundred taels, I was essentially giving the lion's share to this prince.

Since Your Highness is involved in maritime trade, you must understand the situation clearly.

Although the profit distribution has changed, my Xie family has not lost anything. It's just that we now take a small share, and His Highness takes the large share.

Both sides are still cooperating for mutual benefit. Your Highness will be grateful for the Xie family's kindness, but will not feel any burden in your heart.

This is the way to last.