Zhu Xiong Ying was in a good mood upon returning to the East Palace. Seeing Xu Miao Qing, he smiled and said, "You're finally done with your work. You can finally take a good rest."

"Your Majesty, I can rest a bit, but you still have a few days of work ahead of you." Xu Miaoqing came over and helped Zhu Xiong Ying take off his clothes. "You should rest early, as you have to attend court early tomorrow."

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded slightly. The family banquet was naturally very important, and it was one of the main things Zhu Xiong Ying had been busy with recently. However, it was clear that Zhu Xiong Ying's work involved much more than just the family banquet; there were many other things to attend to.

Just as the young couple were enjoying their tender moment, a shout suddenly came from outside the palace gate: "Father, Mother, I want Mother!"

Well, the atmosphere suddenly died down, and Zhu Wenyin was left all alone. His great-grandfather now had sons and no longer needed to keep this troublesome great-grandson company, so he sent Zhu Wenyin back to the East Palace.

But Zhu Wenying, that rascal, is different. He gets restless when his closest relatives aren't around, and he cries and insists on having his parents. That kid is just so difficult to deal with.

"Let Yin'er come over," Zhu Xiong Ying said a little louder to the outside of the palace gate. "Really, they even sent her over at this time."

Chubby Zhu Wenyin uses both hands and feet. Although he is indeed a little spoiled and somewhat domineering, this child still has some good qualities. He is relatively independent and likes to run around by himself rather than be carried.

"Father, Mother!" Zhu Wenyin ran excitedly towards the bed, his voice still sweet and childlike. "Mother, Mother!"

Xu Miaoqing smiled and picked up her chubby son, asking, "Why don't you rest inside the palace? If you don't go and rest, your wet nurse will get worried."

Despite saying that, Xu Miaoqing still smiled and took off Zhu Wenying's clothes, placing the chubby little guy on the couch. And Zhu Wenying didn't disappoint; the boy rolled over and immediately climbed to the bow of the boat to lie down.

The restless little guy looks like he's obediently closing his eyes, but that's not enough. He not only needs his dad to hold him, but also his mom to hug him, so that little Zhu can sleep soundly and sweetly.

Although Xiao Xiao Zhu's mischievousness slightly deprived Zhu Xiong Ying and Xu Miao Qing of their chance for tender moments, they still felt quite warm and fuzzy inside holding their chubby son. They were both very satisfied and happy to have such a chubby son.

Zhu Xiong Ying slept quite soundly. The family of three was together and naturally felt happy. Such a high-quality sleep also made Zhu Xiong Ying's slight fatigue disappear quickly, and he regained his energetic appearance.

She got up quietly, signaling to Xu Miaoqing to continue resting with her son. Zhu Xiong Ying simply tidied up a bit and went to the side hall to wash up and have a meal.

Zhu Xiong Ying was used to things like the morning court session. The maids and eunuchs in the Eastern Palace were also very adept at handling these matters, so Zhu Xiong Ying didn't need to be flustered at all when serving them; everything was so orderly and efficient.

There was naturally nothing to worry about, and Zhu Xiong Ying didn't need to care so much. Many things indeed didn't require Zhu Xiong Ying's concern; he could simply wait patiently for these servants to attend to him, and then stride out of the East Palace.

This morning court session was unusual, as evidenced by the large procession outside the Fengtian Hall.

Besides the usual civil and military officials, there were also more than a dozen princes and dukes dressed in their regular princely robes, making it a very lively scene. This indicated that this morning court session was somewhat unusual.

Even Zhu Yunwen, who usually didn't attend court, stood listlessly in the middle of the procession. Of course, as a prince, he naturally stood behind the princes, whose procession was led by Prince Jin, Zhu Gang.

As for Zhu Xiong Ying's position at the very front, that's perfectly normal. According to seniority, he should naturally stand behind the princes, but his status as the Crown Prince is that of a half-ruler, half-subject, making him more esteemed than the princes.

Humility was one thing, but Zhu Xiong Ying didn't feign modesty. He knew very well that if he truly yielded, no one would dare to stand in his position, even if they secretly wanted to take his place, they wouldn't dare to actually reveal such thoughts.

Zhu Xiong Ying chatted with Zhu Gang with a smile. They didn't talk about important court matters, just some ordinary topics and everyday matters.

This can be considered an unspoken understanding. In the past, Emperor Zhu and Emperor Taizong (Zhu Xiong Ying) generally wouldn't allow other princes to be involved in government affairs. The situation is similar now; Emperor Zhu doesn't hide many things from Zhu Xiong Ying. However, if other princes wanted access to memorials or court officials, that would be considered treasonous and would be absolutely forbidden.

No one else had any objections to Zhu Xiong Ying's position. Those who were supposed to accept their fate had already done so; they didn't want to court disaster at this time. So what if he was a prince? The fate of the Ming Dynasty might soon change.

In fact, many princes are still somewhat apprehensive. They are well aware that if their fathers abdicate or the crown prince ascends the throne, their status will be somewhat awkward.

If you become too active or unconventional at this point, it's not necessarily a death sentence, but at the very least, you'll likely lose your wealth and status, and you might even be reprimanded.

Under their father's rule, if they committed any illegal acts, they might be forgiven. They all knew that their father wouldn't really be ruthless, at least not towards his children.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!