Things in the imperial court seem to have changed quite a bit all of a sudden, and many things are both unexpected and yet seem to be going smoothly.

Some intentional or unintentional hints made the generals and commanders who had followed Zhu De in conquering the country understand some things.

In fact, over the years, many people have come to know Emperor Zhu's intentions. Of Emperor Zhu's old comrades, not many remain in the court. Besides those who died in battle, from illness, or of old age, some were eliminated by Emperor Zhu.

Of course, there were also those like Tang He, who were almost deliberately arranged by Emperor Zhu to retire to their hometowns. Emperor Zhu's intention was clear: to take back military power and leave these arrogant and fierce generals idle.

And now, naturally, the situation is similar. It seems that the succession of imperial power is about to begin, and some unstable factors need to be considered and eliminated at this time. The smart ones would proactively request to retire to their hometowns or seek refuge with the Crown Prince; otherwise, they might very well be ruthlessly eliminated.

Emperor Zhu would show no mercy in these matters; once he raised his sword, he would not sheath it until blood flowed like a river.

Normally, anyone who obstructed Zhu Yuanzhang's policies would be slaughtered. Now, if someone hindered the transfer of imperial power, Zhu Yuanzhang would be even more adept at killing them.

Zhu Xiong Ying naturally received some news as well, because recently there had been quite a few memorials requesting retirement, or people trying to join him through various channels, which made Zhu Xiong Ying feel somewhat amused and exasperated.

But deep down, he felt a sense of warmth and was somewhat moved. Zhu Xiong Ying wasn't stupid; he knew that these people had made changes at Old Zhu's behest, otherwise they would still be the emperor's most powerful allies.

After finishing his official duties for the day, Zhu Xiong Ying stretched and thought it was time to rest and return to the Eastern Palace.

At such a crucial moment, Zhu Xiong Ying was actually quite clear about some things. As long as Old Zhu gave the instructions, there was really no need to worry about many things, and the transfer of power would be relatively smooth.

However, Zhu Xiong Ying also understood that the transfer of imperial power was never as smooth as it appeared on the surface. Especially at this time, some members of the imperial family and nobles were also people Zhu Xiong Ying needed to pay attention to. He couldn't really think that just because Old Zhu was in charge, he didn't need to care about anything.

Ultimately, the throne was simply too tempting, so it's understandable that Zhu Xiong Ying's uncles had their own thoughts. However, those uncles might not have been willing to kneel and submit to their nephew.

Zhu Xiong Ying was naturally aware of these matters; there were quite a few princes in Yingtian Prefecture now. Adding to this the princes who had been recalled by Zhu the Elder to their fiefdoms, the power of the imperial clan in Yingtian Prefecture would be immense in the coming period, and these were people Zhu Xiong Ying needed to keep a close eye on.

He didn't intend to leave everything to his grandfather, the Emperor. Zhu Xiong Ying still needed to prove his abilities. Even if his uncles were quite powerful, Zhu Xiong Ying needed to keep them obedient and prevent them from having any other thoughts.

This could be considered a good opportunity. With the members of the imperial clan all in Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Xiong Ying wanted to flex his muscles a little, without wanting too much trouble later.

Zhu Xiong Ying was clearly no pushover; he wouldn't act ruthlessly against the imperial clan without reason. However, Zhu Xiong Ying was also well aware that not all members of the imperial clan were benevolent; many harbored their own agendas.

When Zhu Yuanzhang (the first emperor of the Southern Tang dynasty) was alive, the princes were all incredibly obedient, content to be princes and younger brothers, without any ambitions. But if it were Zhu Xiong Ying, their nephew, who ascended the throne, even if the uncles had no choice, they would certainly have their own thoughts and might not be convinced.

Now, those princes who haven't yet taken up their fiefs have ideas, and the princes who haven't taken up their fiefs yet also have quite a few ideas.

It's better to let them have no ideas. Apart from my fourth and seventh uncles who are currently in Japan, or my second uncle who has passed away, this time it can be said that all the princes are coming, and the royal family will be gathered together.

It seemed it was time to make a proper appearance. Zhu Xiong Ying knew that in the coming period, not only would the court be bustling, but the capital city would also be quite lively. Naturally, Zhu Xiong Ying needed to make some preparations for this.

Playing with the jade pendant, Zhu Xiong Ying said, "Next, the imperial uncles should all be entering the palace. They should make the necessary preparations."

Xu Miaoqing naturally knew all this and was still very confident. "Your Highness, I accept your decree. Please do not worry about matters in the inner palace."

This time, the princes' visit to the court wasn't just a matter of the princes returning. Generally, the heirs were left in their fiefdoms to handle vassal affairs, while the princes brought their families with them. This was a rare instance of Emperor Zhu wanting to see his descendants.

Of course, there were some strong signals here, and it's unknown what others thought. But Zhu Xiong Ying should understand that Old Zhu was demanding that the imperial clan understand everything, that they must clearly define their status here, and that those with ulterior motives should obediently kneel down and submit, without harboring any other thoughts.

These are some important moments, and Zhu Xiong Ying is naturally aware of them. She is indeed paying close attention to these matters, as this appearance is crucial.

Zhu Xiong Ying was relatively unfamiliar with many members of the imperial clan. These princes and his cousins ​​were also unfamiliar with him.

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