In the imperial court, no one dared to be careless. Many knew what had happened recently, and many were also clear about the nature of this year's imperial examination. Perhaps this period was indeed a time of great turmoil.

Zhu Yunying got up early, washed up, had some breakfast, and then prepared to go to the morning court. When he arrived at Fengtian Hall, Zhu Yunying was taken aback. It seemed that the old Zhu really couldn't sit still; he had arrived a little earlier than expected.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Zhu Yunying asked hurriedly as she approached Old Zhu.

Old Zhu patted Zhu Yunying on the shoulder, quite pleased, "We've eaten. We're getting old, so we don't sleep or eat much."

"Even if you don't eat much, you still need to eat your fill." Zhu Yunying said to Old Zhu, "After court today, I'll have Miaoqing prepare. Dinner will be at my place. Then, Your Majesty will take Yin'er away. These next two days, I'll be busy dismantling the house."

Old Zhu shook his head with a smile, a little boastful, "That won't do. We've already made arrangements with the Crown Prince. Today, we'll have dinner with the Crown Prince and his great-aunt, while you dine with the Empress."

Well, Zhu Yunying is already numb to the fact that his own son isn't close to him. It's also normal that the father doesn't know about his son's schedule; little Zhu is just too lively and popular, and it's impossible to control him. Besides, the kid's schedule can change at any time, which most people couldn't handle.

Wang Chengen and Shuangquan were being very cautious. The emperor and the retired emperor were chatting, but according to the time, they should have gone to court.

Old Zhu and Young Zhu were well aware of this matter, but they still chatted about everyday things. They consciously went to court a little later, letting the civil and military officials in the court stand by and watch for a while.

The civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty had probably long been accustomed to the emperor's diligence and that he was even more of a workaholic than they were. Therefore, the emperor's delayed appearance in court was somewhat unusual.

After all, even if the emperor occasionally didn't appear in court, it was usually due to illness or other reasons. Besides, even if the emperor didn't come, the crown prince or grandson would. Furthermore, if there were truly special circumstances, they would inform the emperor in advance.

At this time, the task of the censor was to keep an eye on his colleagues. If anyone dared to discuss or whisper among themselves, it would be recorded.

Just as many people were puzzled, they suddenly saw a burly old man walk up the steps. Behind him was a dashing young man in casual clothes.

The Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty reappeared in the court, instantly causing many people to tremble with fear.

Old Zhu sat directly on the dragon throne and then said to Zhu Yunying, "Emperor, you may stand."

Zhu Yunying was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't feel embarrassed at all. Just like before, he would still consider him the Crown Prince.

Although Zhu Yunying seemed completely unconcerned at this moment, as if these things were perfectly normal, the civil and military officials were somewhat alarmed, feeling that things were going beyond their expectations.

The reason is actually quite simple: their retired emperor seemed very angry, as this directly embarrassed the new emperor in court. Making the emperor stand while handling state affairs was clearly a minor punishment and a warning.

Even the new emperor is being reprimanded; this is no small matter. You must remember how much the retired emperor used to dote on the former emperor and the current emperor, always striving to maintain their authority. But now, he's directly issuing orders in court—this is quite unusual.

Old Zhu didn't care about any of that. Sitting on the dragon throne, he spoke directly, "I've abdicated, and I originally wanted to live a peaceful life, enjoying my grandchildren. But what about you all? You're all causing me no peace of mind! What are you all good for?!"

Without saying a word, Zhu Yunying immediately knelt down, and all the civil and military officials in the court knelt down more respectfully than the last.

Old Zhu looked at the civil and military officials in the hall, snorted coldly, and asked, "Ru Chang, you are the Minister of Personnel and the chief examiner for this imperial examination. As the Minister of Personnel, you should be recruiting talented people for the country! So let me ask you, since you are the examiner, do you dare to say that this examination is fair and without any dirty dealings?!"

Ru Chang immediately raised herself slightly, her tone resolute, "Your Majesty, I have been honored to serve as the chief examiner by Your Majesty's grace, and I have been diligent and cautious in my duties! I can guarantee that there was no corruption or embezzlement in this imperial examination!"

Old Zhu remained noncommittal, then asked, "Would our two good sons-in-law dare to say such a thing?!"

Liu Zhi and Mei Yin answered immediately, and they could say they had enough confidence. Because they truly hadn't done anything corrupt or illegal, and because they had no reason to sacrifice the greater good for a smaller gain—that wasn't their style.

There were many imperial sons-in-law in the Ming Dynasty, but there were only four who were truly special.

Zhu Yuanzhang's two legitimate daughters were special in themselves, and they even raised the current emperor, so their bond was naturally deep. Liu Zhi and Mei Yin naturally knew what they should and shouldn't do. As for the other two, Mu Chun and Feng Cheng, they were the husbands of the current emperor's younger sister, and were originally from noble families, which, combined with the current emperor's emphasis on family ties, made them even more so.

These princes-in-law didn't need to be corrupt or break the law. After all, there were many princes and princesses in the Ming Dynasty, but only a few were truly exceptional. Some people did nothing at all, yet their status was incredibly high. For example, that Prince Wu, who only knew how to eat, drink, and be merry—who would dare to underestimate the Emperor's younger brother?

Old Zhu glanced at the civil and military officials still kneeling in the hall, and then said, "The rest of you may rise, but the three of you may remain kneeling."

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