It's really just a matter of appearances; the princes no longer seem to enjoy the kowtow of officials. But their actual salaries and other benefits haven't decreased. They may not be as glamorous on the surface as before, but their wealth remains substantial.

At this point, it seemed that quite a few people began to realize something was wrong.

The Crown Prince was indeed confined to his quarters, but this confinement was more of a protection measure, intended to prevent him from being implicated in these matters. Clearly, if the Crown Prince were in court now, he would certainly plead for his uncles, otherwise many would privately accuse Zhu Xiong Ying of being unfilial.

This time, with the Crown Prince confined to the Eastern Palace, all the troubles naturally had nothing to do with him, as it was all due to His Majesty the Emperor's decree.

There's nothing that can be done about it. Although everyone understands that once Emperor Zhu makes a decision, it's generally impossible for ordinary people to change it. But Zhu Xiong Ying's status is different. He is the Crown Prince and the heir apparent, and many people will pay attention to his behavior regarding the attitude of the imperial clan.

Now, Zhu Yuanzhang is taking direct action at the source, becoming increasingly strict with the imperial clan. Some members of the clan are probably grumbling about this treatment. But for the crown prince, Zhu Xiong Ying, it's certainly a cause for celebration.

Zhu Xiong Ying felt it was best not to get involved in these matters for the time being, lest her grandfather's good intentions go to waste.

Some people have begun to realize that the issue is no longer whether the Crown Prince's position is threatened. The more crucial question now is whether the princes will still be able to maintain their high positions in the future.

This matter seems somewhat complicated, and it certainly seems a bit worrying. The royal family members are worried, as are the families that have intermarried with them.

After all, given the current situation, there are bound to be more things to come. Based on everyone's understanding of Emperor Zhu, he certainly won't just give up at this point; there will definitely be many more things to happen.

Zhu Xiong Ying clearly didn't care much about these things, and indeed, he didn't need to care too much about them.

He can just stay in the Eastern Palace. During this time, he can focus on handling some matters without distractions and better refine his plans.

Such precious moments of leisure amidst a busy schedule are indeed rare for Zhu Xiong Ying, and he genuinely feels that he should seize these opportunities to create even bigger commotion in the future.

These are turbulent times, that's how Zhu Xiong Ying feels right now, with a series of events looming ahead. It's not just him who needs to sort things out; even Old Zhu needs to organize his thoughts.

Moreover, the apparent reduction in the benefits for some members of the royal family serves as a subtle reminder. After all, many things are bound to happen in the coming period, likely keeping many people busy.

The most important thing now is to prepare mentally; it's just a matter of laying some groundwork in advance.

Intelligent people will continue to live a fulfilling life after such a series of changes, and may even lead an even more exciting one. Whether some people will seek revenge later is another matter, but blocking Old Zhu's path to his grandson's succession is certainly unforgivable.

For the Ming Dynasty at present, nothing is more important than the succession of the empire, and these are obviously some of the things that Old Zhu cares about most.

Many things are bound to happen next. This little thing is just an appetizer, a reminder to everyone.

Zhu Xiong Ying continued to stay in the Eastern Palace. Since it was said that he would be confined for a month, he would naturally be confined for a month. This was an imperial edict, and Zhu Xiong Ying naturally needed to maintain the dignity of Old Zhu.

As for this period of time, let Zhu Xiong Ying continue to set the stage and fan the flames. Perhaps when Zhu Xiong Ying comes out of confinement, the Ming Dynasty will undergo a significant change.

Having more patience is not a bad thing.