Xu Miaoqing quickly glanced at Zhu Yunying's expression and, seeing that he was merely silent and not displeased, felt much more at ease. She naturally understood that the reason young Zhu had left the palace was to investigate the hardships of the common people, not to go out for fun.

However, these matters were ultimately arranged by the Emperor's grandfather, so it's unlikely that they would displease His Majesty the Emperor. Or rather, even if the Emperor had objections, he obviously couldn't say much at this point and could only accept it.

Zhu Yunying didn't really think much about it. Seeing the little guy so happy, she was quite satisfied.

Old Zhu didn't enjoy luxury, and neither did the eldest Zhu nor the youngest Zhu. Therefore, there weren't many operas or musical performances in the palace. Although there were some exotic animals and such, variety shows and other entertainment were rarely seen in the palace.

So now Little Zhu has broadened his horizons, and it's understandable that he's so excited.

When Zhu returned to the Qianqing Palace, he asked directly, "Is there anything happening in the palace today?"

A young eunuch stepped forward and reported expressionlessly, "Your Majesty, His Majesty discussed state affairs with the ministers in court without incident. However, after court, the Minister of Revenue seemed to have contradicted His Majesty."

Old Zhu's sharp gaze instantly fixed on the young eunuch. The Hongwu Emperor was back again. "Disrespectful? Summon the eunuchs and guards on duty immediately. We want to see who dares to be so bold!"

It's true that Zhu Yuanzhang abdicated, but that doesn't mean he lost control of the court. He simply didn't want to make things difficult for his grandson, and he wanted to give him some guidance. He trusted his grandson to handle even minor matters.

However, Old Zhu would occasionally worry that although his grandson was intelligent and wise, he was still quite young. Although he had some experience in governing the country, it was still a bit short and his experience was not particularly sufficient.

Their precious grandson's lineage was impeccable; he was the eldest grandson of the Ming Dynasty, and his maternal family was the Chang Yuchun faction. Now, they had an empress, who was from the Xu family.

There's really nothing to worry about with the nobles, naturally because the eldest grandson's background allows him to make many decisions.

However, Zhu Zhu sometimes worried about the civil officials. In particular, his beloved grandson was somewhat wary of civil officials and Confucian scholars, and there were many cunning old foxes in the court. Zhu Zhu was afraid that his grandson would suffer.

After summoning someone to inquire carefully, Old Zhu felt much more at ease, and it seemed there was no problem. He also understood that his grandson was definitely trying to manipulate Yu Xin, basically to embarrass Yu Xin and some civil and military officials in the court.

Old Zhu chuckled smugly; his precious grandson was quite adept at manipulating people. If he really wanted to embarrass someone, Old Zhu was confident his grandson had the ability.

There's no need to worry too much about this matter. Intervening now will only disrupt his grandson's plans. Some things just need time to show results. And some things aren't worth Old Zhu's involvement; Young Zhu can handle them.

Old Zhu was fairly satisfied with his grandson's prestige. After all, he had been the Crown Prince for ten years and had begun to intervene in court affairs early on; which of the civil and military officials in the court was unaware of young Zhu's status and abilities?

However, Zhu Yuanzhang occasionally worried that a large part of his grandson's prestige came from him, and that the respect shown by many civil and military officials to Zhu Yunying was actually out of fear of Zhu Yuanzhang. Ultimately, Zhu Yunying's own prestige still needed to be built up slowly.

This was not something that could be achieved overnight. Even Zhu Yuanzhang did not become the Hongwu Emperor overnight. He became the Hongwu Emperor through constant battles and strategic maneuvering, continuously strengthening his position in the hearts of his subjects.

For Xiao Zhu, the task ahead is arduous and the road is long. He still has a lot to do and a lot to learn, and there's no time to rush it.

When Zhu Yunying woke up, he showed no signs of being contradicted in the Wuying Hall the day before, and proceeded to prepare for court as usual.

"You don't need to get up. Take Yin'er and rest." Zhu Yunying laughed and said to Xu Miaoqing, "That rascal went crazy yesterday. If he wets the bed again next time, we'll teach him a lesson!"

Wang Chengen was very perceptive; he had already ordered hot water to be prepared in the side hall, as the emperor's court sessions were no small matter. Even if it was boy's urine, it was only because Emperor Zhu didn't find it smelly that he thought there was no problem.

Yu Xin, standing outside the Meridian Gate, didn't look too pleased. He had noticed the strange looks he received from his colleagues. The military officers made no attempt to hide their hostility or schadenfreude.

He was heartbroken. He had only been dutifully reporting some matters, and Yu Xin didn't think he had done anything wrong.

But looking at it now, the matter might be slightly more serious than he imagined. While it wouldn't cause a major blow to his career, it would certainly make him quite upset for a while.

Moreover, barring unforeseen circumstances, his prestige will likely decline significantly during this period. Within the Ministry of Revenue, those below him will naturally dare not act recklessly. However, there will certainly be no shortage of those eager to see him make a fool of himself.

There was truly no reasoning behind this, and Yu Xin could only accept it. After all, the person on the other side was the emperor, a man of deep cunning, shrewd tactics, and a master of political maneuvering.

Yu Xin felt that even if he didn't stumble this time, he would stumble sometime later. It was obvious that His Majesty wanted to make an example of him, and Yu Xin could only grit his teeth and accept it. The most important thing was to try his best to minimize the negative impact and prevent His Majesty from constantly taking his anger out on him.

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