Patting little Zhu's bottom, Zhu Yunying said, "Go find your mother, or go to your great-grandfather's place, we have something to do."

Little Zhu picked up a calligraphy brush and said in a serious tone, "My great-grandfather sent us here to listen to the government's decisions."

The real reason wasn't that people expected young Zhu to truly understand anything; the main reason was that young Zhu was the crown prince, naturally the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty. While no one expected him to rival the late Zhu, early Zhu, or later Zhu, everyone hoped that young Zhu could at least be a ruler who maintained the status quo.

At this point, it is necessary for Little Zhu to begin to take an interest in these things and to be raised in the manner of a crown prince.

The appearance of the Crown Prince in the Wuying Hall did not surprise the civil and military officials; in fact, they considered it quite normal. This seemed to be the established practice in the Ming Dynasty: a ruler on the throne oversees everything, while a crown prince acts as the de facto head of the court.

Simply put, the practice of having a "Deputy Emperor" has been a common occurrence for about twenty out of the thirty years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. The only difference is that the current "Deputy Emperor" is a bit young and can't actually accomplish much.

Zhu Yunying was in a good mood. After finishing his official duties, he led the bouncy little Zhu back to the Eastern Palace.

"Go to the school tomorrow and keep an eye on things. Our Yin'er needs to learn something," Zhu Yunying said with a smile to Xu Miaoqing. "This child is good in every way, except that he is too generous. Of course, we are happy for Yin'er to be generous, but there are some things we shouldn't give up and some things we can't back down on."

Xu Miaoqing became serious and immediately asked, "Your Majesty, did the Crown Prince say something?"

Zhu Yunying did not hide anything and said, "Yin'er does not know the hardships of starting a dynasty, nor does he know that every inch of this land was won with sword and spear. For the next period of time, let people talk about the rise and fall of each dynasty, so that our Yin'er will not abandon the territory with a single stroke of his pen."

Xu Miaoqing naturally became extremely serious. Leaving aside the fact that her father was a great contributor to the Ming Dynasty's territorial expansion, for an emperor, territorial expansion was one of the hallmarks of wisdom and military prowess. Emperors who lost territory were, in most cases, considered incompetent rulers, which was certainly not a good thing.

Just as the clueless little Zhu was about to grab the fruit, Wang Chengen immediately ran over and said, "Your Highness, you haven't washed your hands yet."

This rule was mandated by Zhu Yunying: wash hands before meals and after using the toilet, and cultivate good hygiene habits. In an era when medical technology was not particularly advanced, it was essential to develop such good habits.

Little Zhu immediately went to wash his hands; he is an exceptionally clean child. He washes his hands before meals and after using the toilet, and he takes a bath every day.

This is a good thing, and Zhu Yunying was very happy that this habit had been formed. Moreover, under his influence, his concubines and those around him also paid special attention to hygiene. Even the seemingly carefree old Zhu had begun to take things seriously under the subtle influence of young Zhu, which is not a bad thing.

"Yin'er is born into wealth and nobility. This child is kind-hearted and generous." Zhu Yunying looked at the little Zhu's back and said with a smile, "We are naturally happy to have such a child. However, I am the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and we also have to consider these things."

Xu Miaoqing nodded slightly, because she knew that her husband, including the Emperor Emeritus, were the same; they all had the character of an emperor at heart.

This is also the responsibility and obligation that young Zhu should have; he must strive to become an excellent emperor. Even if he cannot become an excellent emperor, he should at least become a qualified one.

This requirement is not particularly high, but it is not low either. Everyone still hopes that young Zhu can achieve these things, because he is the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty and the future emperor who will rule the world.

Little Zhu will surely come to understand more and more about his special identity and the many responsibilities he bears. Now he can grow up happily without any worries, and he will continue to learn, which is all perfectly normal.

However, it is certain that Little Zhu will gradually come into contact with more complex and heavy matters in the future. It is only because he is the Crown Prince that he must accept such things and such arrangements.

However, what he needs to do right now is actually quite simple: go out of the city to pick up his imperial aunt and uncle.

It wasn't just because she was his eldest imperial aunt, but also because it represented the Ming Dynasty's emphasis on the southwestern frontier. The Mu family lineage was destined to guard Yunnan, so of course they needed to be taken seriously!