At this time, he was disguised as a fortune-teller. He chose this role, specifically that of a physiognomist—one of the many trades found among the "three teachings and nine schools"—because they had easier access to dignitaries....
"The twenty-first year of Chongming?"
The charcoal peddler, upon hearing this, turned pale with shock and exclaimed, "Wasn't that the previous dynasty? The Song family's?"
His knowledge was limited; he only knew the regnal titles of emperors from the past few decades. Regarding emperors from a hundred years prior, he knew none save for the founding Emperor Tiande.
Emperor Chongming, however, was an exception. The last sovereign of a fallen dynasty is always noteworthy, especially one who had been the subject of numerous theatrical plays.
