The entire court is now making preparations for the upcoming abdication ceremony. They are also preparing for Zhu Yunying's enthronement ceremony. Many people know that once the Crown Prince officially changes his name and even offers sacrifices to his ancestors, they will know that the matter has been formally confirmed.

Actually, the key reason for this is the will of the current emperor; he is willing to pass on the throne.

The Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Clan Court were at their busiest at this time, but other central departments were also busy. The entire palace was in a state of high tension, preparing for the ascension to the throne.

Many concubines and princes felt a pang of envy, as it seemed that a 'dynastic change' was imminent overnight. It appeared that the emperor's desire to abdicate had been brewing for some time, and many things had been prepared, even long in the past.

The Crown Prince did not intend to move out of Chunhe Palace, but once he ascended the throne, some of the buildings in Chunhe Palace would obviously no longer be suitable for Zhu Yunying's status. Glazed tiles, double eaves and heavy ridges, carved beams and painted rafters, and vermilion-lacquered and gold-painted doors and windows—all of these needed to be prepared.

Zhu Yunying carefully reviewed the memorials. He would be working in the Wuying Hall from now on, so the Wenhua Hall wouldn't need to be renovated. The current Wenhua Hall was covered with green glazed tiles, and its doors had only seventy-two door studs, which was different from the glazed gold tiles of the Wuying Hall where the emperor worked.

Zhu Yunying was quite frugal, always trying to save money where possible, and he wouldn't spend money when it wasn't necessary.

Little Zhu stood sadly at the shop entrance, not understanding why his home had to be demolished. After a brief tantrum, he was calmed down because he now had a new home and could live happily there.

As for now, there's no need to worry about not having a place to stay; his great-grandfather's place is always welcoming. Besides, the Eastern Palace isn't small, so he can always find a place to stay temporarily without worrying about a decline in his quality of life.

Little Zhu is wearing new clothes again, dressed in a miniature version of the Crown Prince's attire, rushing towards the Qianqing Palace. He dashes and crashes along the way, but it doesn't matter if he bumps into concubines, princes, or princesses admiring the flowers. Little Zhu is still lovable to everyone; after all, Old Zhu dotes on this great-grandson, so Little Zhu naturally becomes more and more endearing.

"Twenty-fifth Master, Great-grandfather is waiting for me to have dinner." Little Zhu said to Zhu Yi with reluctance, "Are you coming or not?"

Eight-year-old Zhu Yuanzhang certainly wanted to go, but he couldn't. He usually only went to pay his respects to his father, the Emperor, as was customary; it wasn't so easy for him to sneak into the Qianqing Palace. His mother, Consort Ge, was even more envious. She was still relatively young and had given birth to the Emperor's two youngest sons, but the Emperor didn't love his youngest children at all.

Or rather, Emperor Zhu treated his youngest son no differently than his other sons, without any special treatment.

Little Zhu ran off in a flash, and Shuangquan hurriedly told Consort Ge and Zhu Lu to chase after the reckless little prince.

Little Zhu, who was wandering around aimlessly, ran over to Zhang Meiren, who was admiring the flowers, and exclaimed, "I want to see my little aunt!"

Lady Zhang smiled and said to Little Zhu, "Your Highness, Baoqing is admiring the plum blossoms."

The two little ones, somehow having discussed it, decided to go to the Qianqing Palace together. Although Consort Zhang was anxious—her daughters were immature, she herself was sensible. While her daughter was indeed the Emperor's youngest, she wasn't particularly favored.

In fact, Little Zhu was the same age as Princess Baoqing, only slightly older. This left Zhu Yunying somewhat speechless; his imperial aunt and his son were the same age. Little Zhu's seniority was pitifully low; almost everyone in the palace was his elder.

Zhu Yunying received similar treatment; it's estimated that he was the one who bestowed titles and arranged marriages for many of his uncles and aunts. This is not an exaggeration; it's a fact.

Old Zhu was quite happy to see his great-grandson and youngest daughter arrive. He asked, "Yin'er, why are you only arriving now?"

Little Zhu was very happy and hugged Old Zhu's leg, saying, "Great-grandfather, I want to play! Great-aunt, I want to play too."

Princess Baoqing was very proper, and she was also quite afraid of Emperor Zhu. "This subject greets Father Emperor."

Consort Zhang, who had come along with him, was filled with unease. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

Old Zhu waved his hand dismissively and said, "No need for formalities. Come on over and have a meal together. It's more lively with more people."

Little Zhu eats like it's a battle, and he's been spoiled a bit by Old Zhu. But Old Zhu is all smiles, chasing after Little Zhu to feed him, thoroughly enjoying himself. Although Zhu Yunying once subtly pointed out that this wasn't good, the consequences were predictable: he basically got a severe scolding from Old Zhu.

Old Zhu meant that Little Zhu is still young and doesn't understand, and besides, this is the case even in ordinary families, let alone wealthy ones. Children this age are usually chased around and fed, so why be so strict with his great-grandson?!

Zhang Meiren and Princess Baoqing were very well-behaved. They might have envied Xiao Xiao Zhu, but it was better to follow the rules.

In fact, Zhang Meiren believed that being invited by Emperor Zhu to dine at Qianqing Palace would be the envy of the other concubines when she returned to the palace. Being able to have His Majesty stay overnight or dine with him was something they could boast about.

As for Little Zhu, he was used to such things. He could come and go freely in the palace, and as long as he didn't leave, everything was fine. This was basically because Old Zhu spoiled him, and Little Zhu couldn't say much. If he did, Old Zhu would scold him.

After the two little ones got tired and took a nap, Old Zhu asked, "Were there any complaints or grievances in the palace today?"

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