Responses
I might be wrong, but could the author be giving the old bastard some rope to hang himself? Just my own 2 bits :)
He's so blinded by his hate for Ian he doesn't realize once he adopts an heir, the empress will try getting rid of him first chance she gets..
The emperor's stupid. That idea was already proposed to him by his empress but he declined and now, he agrees? You damned geezer.