Old Zhu was in a good mood. Looking at his children and grandchildren, he slowly said, "Those who are a little older probably know that our emperor had already built quite a few ships at the Longjiang Shipyard when he was very young. Our Ming Dynasty's maritime ban was also imposed by our emperor."

These were fairly true statements, though it was also a slight compliment from Zhu Yunying to Zhu Yunwen. The Ming Dynasty's maritime ban was originally quite strict, but not entirely absolute. It was only after Zhu Yunwen's suggestion that the Ming Dynasty did indeed open up somewhat, and the government began to take charge of maritime trade.

"The Maritime Trade Office is a very lucrative business," Old Zhu said to the members of the imperial family. "It brings in a lot of spices and jewels from Southeast Asia, ginseng from Korea, and silver from Japan. You all need to know what's good for you."

The Maritime Trade Office did indeed bring a lot of good stuff, which not only enriched the supplies but also brought many benefits to many people.

At this moment, Old Zhu slowly said, "You all know how many ships and how much business each of you has with the Maritime Trade Office. We won't stop you. If you have the ability to acquire some gold and silver jewelry, we're happy to help you. As long as you act in accordance with the rules and don't interfere with the affairs of the court, that will be fine."

At this moment, the members of the imperial family spoke up one after another, saying, "Your subjects (grandsons) respectfully await Your Majesty's decree."

Old Zhu nodded in satisfaction, but still reminded them, "A country has its laws, and a family has its rules. From now on, you will be doing some business in the Maritime Trade Office. Our court should also keep an eye on things. We know that many members of the imperial family are not behaving properly, but we just don't bother with them. The emperor has spared you because you are either his elders or his brothers. Don't be ungrateful."

This made some members of the royal family uneasy, and they were somewhat nervous.

Only the members of the imperial clan know how many of them have acted illegally. In their pursuit of exorbitant profits, some members of the imperial clan disregard the laws of the court. These people rely on their status as imperial clan members, the numerous privileges they enjoy, and the fact that others dare not provoke them.

Smuggling contraband such as salt, iron, and tea was a common practice for many members of the royal family. They didn't care that these items went abroad; in fact, they knew they were worth much more overseas, so they were certainly happy to see this happen.

Local officials dared not interfere; these were all imperial relatives, and neither local officials nor even the laws of the court could control them. To them, requisitioning official vehicles and humiliating tax inspectors was simply a matter of course.

Zhu Yunying stepped forward at this moment and slowly said, "The Maritime Trade Office is a matter of great importance. I hope that all members of the imperial clan will restrain the stewards and servants in their residences. The court has its own laws and regulations, and my grandfather has also issued a decree that if there are any minor or major mistakes, no one will be sent to deliver an imperial edict to punish them. Instead, they will be summoned back to hear the emperor's instructions. My grandfather is benevolent, and all members of the imperial clan should also understand my grandfather's kindness."

Without further ado, the members of the imperial family all knelt down, saying, "Your subjects respectfully await Your Majesty's decree."

This is true; the royal family is so arrogant because they do indeed have the right to be arrogant.

Emperor Zhu was incredibly protective of his descendants. Even if a member of the imperial clan committed a serious crime, they would not be punished. At worst, they would be demoted to commoner status; at worst, they would be summoned to court for a personal explanation. Local officials had no authority to punish members of the imperial clan—this was the true "get-out-of-jail-free card"!

Furthermore, there was the matter of protecting the imperial clan. Old Zhu was extremely intolerant of any wrongdoing. For example, anyone who falsely accused a member of the imperial clan or sowed discord among them was subject to the death penalty. Even minor offenses reported to the emperor were treated as minor transgressions, while those who sowed discord among their own relatives were executed...

Zhu Yunying looked at the imperial clan and said, "The laws of the court must also be observed by the imperial clan. The Imperial Clan Court is not just for show. If members of the imperial clan make mistakes, there are rules to punish them. If a member of the imperial clan commits a crime, a minor offense shall be heard in court and shall not be punished. The case shall be submitted to the Imperial Clan Court for review."

Zhu Yunying's actions were actually a bottom line for Zhu Yunying.

In Zhu's view, his descendants were naturally of high status and could not be humiliated by officials. His children were naturally of noble birth, and ordinary officials had no right to interrogate his descendants.

But things are different now; Zhu Yunying has suddenly become very strict. Although members of the imperial clan are now brought to court, they are not allowed to be punished. After local officials conclude their cases, they still need to report to the Imperial Clan Court, where the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate will conduct a joint trial, with the Imperial Clan Court sending people to supervise and observe the proceedings.

For ordinary people or officials, this was an unimaginable level of leniency; it was a treatment they dared not even dream of.

But for the imperial family, this was nothing short of a 'catastrophic disaster'. Previously, they were basically untouchable, and could become the group with the lowest moral standards and the most heinous crimes in the Ming Dynasty without any psychological pressure.

It's simply because they all know very well that the imperial clan is treated too well, the Imperial Clan Court can turn a blind eye, and their father can raise the rod high and then let it fall gently.

But things are different now. After the new emperor ascended the throne, not only were princes forbidden from taking up their fiefdoms, but the privileges and status of the imperial clan were also being continuously reduced. Now, members of the imperial clan can even be investigated, which makes many people feel uncomfortable and they are protesting.

Watching his children and grandchildren making a ruckus below, Old Zhu sneered, "You bastards! When we were young, we only raised the banner of rebellion because corrupt officials were levying exorbitant taxes and levies. And what kind of people are our descendants now?!"

Alright, since Old Zhu has spoken, even if the members of the imperial clan have many opinions, they can only obediently listen at this point.

Because of Zhu Yuanzhang's immense prestige, the imperial clan members generally dared not challenge him. Furthermore, Zhu Yuanzhang was essentially their father and grandfather; everything they had was given to them by him. If Zhu Yuanzhang were to take some of it back, although it would be difficult for the imperial clan members to go from extravagance to frugality, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!