Zhu Yunying wanted to reform the system, or rather, he wanted to implement some new policies and make a series of long-term plans, but all of this would take time.

It was obvious that some things were not good in Zhu Yunying's eyes and did not conform to some of his plans. However, Zhu Yunying had his own ideas. He had a certain understanding and knowledge of history, and naturally knew that he needed to do some things.

Even if he couldn't do everything perfectly, he could still start making arrangements in advance to the best of his ability. This would lay a solid foundation for the Ming Dynasty, for the Zhu family's rule, and for the future of the nation.

These were all things Zhu Yunying believed he should do, because he was the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He held the course of the great ship that was the Ming Dynasty, which naturally meant that he had a greater responsibility to lead the Ming Dynasty toward a brighter future.

Regarding the development in Jingchu, Zhu Yunying felt that if he lived longer, he might be able to see some trends. As for the areas of Liangguang and the Northeast, Zhu Yunying felt that even if he devoted all his efforts to development, he wouldn't see much progress in the short term.

There was nothing that could be done. Zhu Yunying knew that the current productivity conditions were not good, and large-scale development was not so easy.

Moreover, Zhu Yunying needed to figure out priorities. It was unrealistic to vigorously develop the Northeast or Guangdong and Guangxi. It was enough to carry out development there to a certain extent and lay some foundation. That was the most important thing.

Xu Miaoqing mostly focused on having meals with little Zhu, never saying much about court affairs, nor daring to. She knew very well what kind of person her husband and her grandfather were.

Even if little Zhu innocently goes to talk about politics, it's fine. But if she brings up certain issues, then they won't be 'small matters'.

“We thought that if you do this, Yin’er won’t be able to get anything done in the future,” Old Zhu said with a smile, though with a hint of complaint. “Your father and I have laid down a foundation for you, enough for you to mess around with. It’s not enough for you to mess around with it yourself; your descendants will suffer as well.”

Zhu Yunying was dissatisfied, feeling that his father, Zhu, was biased. "Grandfather, you're wrong to say that. If we do it this way, it would be unrealistic for the Ming Dynasty not to last forever. As long as we execute this plan well, we don't believe that the Ming Dynasty can only last for three hundred years!"

Three hundred years is almost a curse for a dynasty, except for some short-lived dynasties.

Old Zhu thought about it carefully and said, "That makes sense. If we fight back, the foundation of our Great Ming will be solid. If our Yin'er is successful in the future, he will be able to maintain the prosperity of the country. In that case, our Great Ming will have a hundred years of wealth and stability."

“That’s right. If we four generations work hard, our descendants will have it easy.” Zhu Yunying laughed and said with great anticipation, “By then, our dynasty might last for more than three hundred years. We’re also thinking that things might not be certain in the future, so we don’t plan to limit ourselves to many things. But we need to build the big framework now.”

Old Zhu naturally understood Zhu Yunying's meaning. The overall framework naturally referred to the policies and strategies for large-scale development, which needed to be continuously implemented. As for the talk of "setting a framework," Old Zhu knew that Zhu Yunying was implying something, and was once again bringing up his ancestral precepts.

Too lazy to bother with him, Old Zhu waved his hand, "We see Yin'er is sleepy, let him stay here with us. You and the Empress go back to rest, you have to go to court tomorrow."

"Great-grandfather, Yin'er isn't sleepy," Little Zhu said anxiously. "I'm not sleepy!"

Old Zhu said with a smile, "Aren't you sleepy? Then we'll take you to see your little aunt."

Little Zhu was immediately won over; he was already used to not being around his parents. He'd go find his great-aunt; she was about his age and they'd always been good playmates. In fact, Little Zhu preferred his great-aunt to his still-baby sister—she was his playmate!

Zhu Yunying was at a loss; there was truly no way to deal with him. Xu Miaoqing dared not say anything more and could only watch as little Zhu, holding old Zhu's hand, skipped away.

Perhaps he had long been used to these things, because Little Zhu spent just as much time in the Qianqing Palace as he did in the Eastern Palace.

It was time to head home; Zhu Yunying knew he needed to rest. He truly couldn't handle Old Zhu's situation. If Old Zhu tried to use underhanded tactics, Zhu Yunying was powerless. Just as Old Zhu was helpless against Zhu Yunying's cunning schemes.

Zhu Yunying seemed to have gotten used to their son not being around, and Xu Miaoqing seemed to have gotten used to it too. It wasn't that the young couple were carefree or didn't care about little Zhu; it was simply that old Zhu's authority was too overwhelming, and they couldn't quite handle the pressure.

Zhu Yunying might be able to complain a little, but Xu Miaoqing couldn't. She could only complain in her heart, and dared not show any obvious expression, for fear of displeasing Old Zhu.

Although she was happy that her son's position was secure, the fact that her own son wasn't around made her a little unhappy.

So she's been tormenting Xiao Zhu. It'll probably be hard to 'get back' the eldest son anytime soon. If only she could get a younger son, or even a daughter. Seeing how much Xiao Zhu favors Zhu Ruyi, Xu Miaoqing sometimes feels a pang of jealousy.

Even Wang, who was pregnant, muttered to herself that if she had a daughter, perhaps she could also gain favor with the emperor. Just look at Lian Qiongqiong; her status as an Imperial Noble Consort was due to her daughter's birth, otherwise, she wouldn't have achieved that position.

While he didn't experience severe back pain, Zhu Yunying felt he wasn't particularly enthusiastic about women anymore, probably because he'd seen plenty of them. However, it could also be because he was more passionate about power and still had some principles. He couldn't let lust ruin his health; he still had many grand ambitions waiting to be realized.

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