Life must go on, which means work must continue; there's no way to stop.

For a diligent emperor like Zhu Yunying, managing countless affairs of state was perfectly normal; neglecting his duties was simply not an option for him.

Even though they seem very busy, they can indeed feel quite tired at times. However, for these people, the heavy workload is something they enjoy, which is probably a characteristic of workaholics.

Perhaps it is the allure and motivation that comes with power that makes people unconsciously overlook many things.

Zhu Yunying picked up a memorial, his brows furrowing slightly. He knew it was from a member of the imperial clan. Although the Imperial Clan Court was in charge of the imperial clan members, it was often just a figurehead.

Zhu Yunying was taken aback when he opened the memorial. It was a memorial handed to him by Zhu Yunwen, meaning that his maternal grandmother had passed away, and as a filial grandson, he naturally needed to go and pay his respects.

This was to be expected, since Zhu Yunwen's nominal stepmother was Empress Chang, while Lady Lü was merely his birth mother. As a prince who had become somewhat bookish and dull-witted, Zhu Yunwen still cared a great deal about etiquette.

Not only did Zhu Yunwen want to take his brothers to pay respects to Lady Changlan, but Lady Lü also wanted to do so. The reason was simple: she had always been only a concubine of the late emperor, ranking below Empress Chang.

Moreover, Lady Lü's favor was a gift from Empress Chang, and Lady Lü was now going to express her gratitude.

"This mother and son are shrewd in small matters but muddle-headed in big ones." Zhu Yunying shook his head with a smile, and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Yunwen is probably similar to the historical figure. He's muddle-headed when he should be shrewd, and even more muddle-headed when he should be muddle-headed. He's read some books, but he has no opinions of his own."

Despite saying that, Zhu Yunying still approved the memorial, which was essentially a simple "approval," reflecting his attitude.

Zhu Yunwen or Lady Lü were in a hurry to pay homage to Lady Changlan at this time, but in reality, they just wanted to put on a show for Zhu Yunying. They had no real feelings for Lady Changlan, nor did they feel any gratitude for the kindness of Empress Chang in the past.

Zhu Yunying understood this principle, but he was too lazy to say anything more. He just let the mother and son show their abilities. In fact, Zhu Yunying never regarded them as a real threat.

His identity and position sometimes mean he doesn't need to care about certain things; in his eyes, they are just jokes, and some things are simply not worth paying attention to.

Zhu Yunwen submitted his memorial, and soon Zhu Yunying saw the memorial from Zhu Yunwen's 'natural enemy,' Zhu Di. It seems that they really can't withstand being talked about; this fate is unbreakable.

Zhu Di's memorial was very simple. It stated that after so many years of effort, and with the court continuously providing him with supplies and troops, Zhu Di had successfully occupied a certain territory in Japan.

Therefore, Zhu Di now requests an imperial decree to establish a kingdom in Japan.

This did not surprise Zhu Yunying. In fact, he felt that his fourth uncle should have submitted a memorial long ago, as his fourth uncle was still somewhat greedy.

It's quite simple. Zhu Di had been fighting in Japan for nearly ten years, and the imperial court had been providing him with some assistance, giving him the capital to start his rise to power.

The internal strife in Japan had just begun to subside when the flames of war reignited. Zhu Di was indeed making good progress there, and the Emperor was constantly being defeated. Japan was now truly in a three-way standoff.

However, Zhu Di never submitted a memorial requesting permission to establish a new dynasty because he knew that once a dynasty was established, it would have to begin paying tribute. Once established, the support from the Ming Dynasty would begin to decline. Even though the Ming court was no longer providing large-scale military support, there was still some support available.

This matter needs to be discussed with Zhu Yunying first, and it also needs to be discussed in the court. The necessary procedures must be followed. However, Zhu Yunying was well aware that his fourth uncle was about to establish a kingdom in Japan, which could be considered as having a foundation.

This is not a bad thing; it sets a good example for other members of the imperial clan. It is also a way out and a choice for the Ming imperial clan, and it is of great reference value.

This matter had to be discussed in the imperial court, not only because Zhu Yunying wanted to set an example, but also because such matters were of great importance to the military and the nation.

After dealing with state affairs, Zhu Yunying felt once again that he really needed to consider the cabinet. The existence of the cabinet might weaken the emperor's power, but it could also allow Zhu Yunying to take a short break from the heavy political affairs.

Even though Old Zhu occasionally comes to help, Zhu Yunying still does most of the work himself. Even though he considers himself to be in good physical condition, Zhu Yunying doesn't dare to compare himself to his iron-willed grandfather.

Zhu Yunying was in a fairly good mood upon returning to the Eastern Palace. Xu Miaoqing was very busy, leading some female relatives in embroidering brocade quilts.

Zhu Yunying glanced at it and casually asked, "Where is our Crown Prince?"

"Grandpa Emperor had Shuangquan pick him up," Xu Miaoqing said with a smile. "The Crown Prince left school early today, so Grandpa Emperor took him horseback riding."

Zhu Yunying couldn't help but mutter, "Now I understand more and more how Father and Mother feel. It's so hard for our son to even see them. He's always with his grandfather."

Xu Miaoqing lowered her head, unsure how to respond. She occasionally felt the same way; although her son spent relatively more time with her, whenever her grandfather had time, he would definitely take Yin'er to him, leaving Yin'er in the Qianqing Palace from time to time.

As for what Zhu Yunying said, Xu Miaoqing didn't really agree with it, or rather, she was somewhat relieved.

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