"Sixty years," the Emperor chuckled after a surprised moment. "Living up to seventy is quite rare. Won't I be an old monster living for another sixty years?"
"Not at all," Gu Wanning countered. "The Emperor is the Son of Heaven, with a team of imperial physicians at your side; reaching eighty or ninety is a possibility."
The Emperor laughed again. "Well, then I have your blessings."
But a touch of sadness crept in, not for himself, but for the Retired Emperor. Back then, though not in perfect health, the Retired Emperor could've ruled for another twenty years if not for the worms.
This served as a cautionary tale. He couldn't appoint a crown prince too early, nor could he be overly controlling.
With a plan forming, the Emperor announced his decision during the year-end court session—the appointment of a crown prince would wait until the princes came of age.
