Making a fuss over something is perfectly normal for Zhu Yunying. He sometimes wants to escalate things and bring them to the court for discussion.

Clearly, as an emperor, Zhu Yunying naturally hoped for a stable and prosperous country, and he was indeed working towards that goal. He genuinely wanted to do things better, as it was his responsibility.

Being a good emperor was naturally Zhu Yunying's goal, but that didn't mean being a good emperor meant allowing his ministers to make decisions at will. This wasn't just a challenge to imperial power, but also because Zhu Yunying wouldn't allow anyone to disrupt his plans.

Yu Xin can only be considered a "killing the chicken to scare the monkey," but it doesn't really warrant killing him; it's just a way to establish his authority.

It's just that some trends are not good, and Zhu Yunying isn't immediately going to attack or kill them. While an important minister like Yu Xin isn't irreplaceable, cultivating a qualified minister isn't an easy task.

Back at the Eastern Palace, Zhu Yunying naturally talked with Lian Qiongqiong. She was still worried about her son; little Zhu had left the capital with the Emperor Emeritus, which inevitably made Lian Qiongqiong feel a little anxious.

Even knowing that the Emperor Emeritus and the Crown Prince would be heavily guarded when they left the palace, both overtly and covertly, a mother's worry is still natural and perfectly normal.

Zhu Yunying didn't care much and said, "Our Crown Prince should also go out and broaden his horizons. If he doesn't understand the hardships of the common people, how can he govern the country well in the future? For such a big matter as his, it's only because his grandfather and father are too busy and there's no one he can trust to accompany him that he's kept in the palace."

Lian Qiongqiong smiled and said softly, "It is Yin'er's blessing to be able to follow Grandfather."

"It's a blessing. Your Majesty's knowledge and ability are beyond question." Zhu Yunying laughed and said decisively, "As long as Your Majesty can help us guide the Crown Prince for a few more years, our Great Ming will have a good Crown Prince in the future."

Lian Qiongqiong was also full of expectations; her son was destined to sit on the dragon throne, so naturally her expectations were high. And for Lian Qiongqiong, if her son could become a qualified crown prince, that would be even more worthy of pride.

If she could become a wise and benevolent ruler, Xu Miaoqing would naturally be even more proud. However, she also felt that her son might find it difficult to reach the heights of his father and grandfather, after all, she had grown up listening to the stories of Zhu Yuanzhang and had watched the Ming Dynasty gradually improve.

Lying on the couch, Zhu Yunying remembered something and said, "You should also keep an eye on Hongcang. In a couple of days, have someone submit a memorial requesting the Ministry of Works to allocate cotton cloth, silk, and other materials."

"Your Majesty, I understand." Xu Miaoqing gently massaged Zhu Yunying's temples and asked, "Is there anything else you wish to instruct me to do?"

Zhu Yunying thought for a moment and said, "Have the person in charge ask around. If the Ministry of Revenue and other government offices have been negligent or shirking their responsibilities, you should issue an imperial edict to reprimand them. We need to find out some of their faults."

Xu Miaoqing seemed to understand; her husband was going to play a trick on her, and he was doing it openly and brazenly.

There's nothing to worry about; this kind of thing is perfectly normal. The emperor is looking for trouble, so naturally he has a whole host of reasons. Now that he's involving the empress, even bringing it up in court, it's definitely a form of reprimand.

Even though Xu Miaoqing wasn't particularly knowledgeable about court affairs, she did know some things. For example, if His Majesty truly intended to punish a minister, he naturally wouldn't ask her to participate, or at least wouldn't ask her to do much.

It seems that someone in the court has displeased His Majesty, and now it's time to teach them a lesson.

Such a thing was acceptable, and Zhu Yunying considered it perfectly reasonable. Xu Miaoqing, of course, wouldn't say much and would certainly cooperate with His Majesty to handle these matters well.

Xu Miaoqing also spoke about some matters within the palace. As the rightful empress, Xu Miaoqing's responsibilities extended far beyond Zhu Yunying's concubines or the affairs of the Eastern Palace. She also had the authority to oversee the princes and princesses who were not yet of age.

Even if those people were uncles or aunts, Xu Miaoqing had the right to discipline them. As for Old Zhu's concubines, it was even more justifiable for her to discipline them. Those concubines were not qualified to enter Old Zhu's ancestral temple, so it was only right for Xu Miaoqing to punish them for their mistakes.

Zhu Yunying listened patiently. Although he knew that Xu Miaoqing's marriage was more of a political alliance, over the years, the two had become a devoted and loving couple.

Especially after the birth of their son, Zhu Yunying, there was even more family affection. This is why Zhu Yunying often rested in Chunhe Palace. It wasn't just because Xu Miaoqing was the Empress and he had to give her face, but also because resting there allowed Zhu Yunying to relax.

Even though the royal family has a special status, there is still a sense of home here.

Just as the young couple were chatting, a little boy rushed over and exclaimed, "Mom, I saw a show today!"

Zhu Yunying was stunned. Wasn't he supposed to be investigating the hardships of the common people? Could it be that Old Zhu took Little Zhu to see a magic show? This was practically a market day! This was just an excuse to go out and have fun!

"Dad, that person can breathe fire!" Little Zhu exclaimed excitedly, perched on Zhu Yunying's lap, "Monkeys, monkeys are fun too!"

Well, they really did go to see the circus. Old Zhu is definitely sticking to Little Zhu's educational plan. Taking Little Zhu to the circus is such a down-to-earth thing to do.

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