This brat is really something else. Now all he knows is how to 'build his own faction,' and he's already helping his men get promoted. This little devil is even more unscrupulous than Little Zhu back in the day.

"How old are your study companions?" Zhu Yunying said irritably. "Besides, some of your study companions already hold official positions. Moreover, most of them are the eldest sons of noble families, some of whom have already been granted the title of heir apparent. What need is there for them to hold official positions?"

Little Zhu thought for a moment and said, "My cousin from my aunt's family is the heir of a duke. What rank is he?"

Zhu Yunying's eldest nephew is of course the heir apparent of the Duke, but in reality, he has not yet been officially conferred the title, mainly because he is not yet ten years old. Moreover, even if he is the heir apparent of the Duke, he is only an heir apparent and does not actually hold any official rank.

“Grandfather, why don’t you tell Yin’er about these things?” Zhu Yunying pointed to the memorials on the table and said, “We still have some things to do. We won’t feel at ease if we don’t approve these memorials.”

Old Zhu was naturally very satisfied with this arrangement made by Xiao Zhu. Giving lessons to Little Zhu was something Old Zhu particularly enjoyed, and it was arguably the most important thing he had done since stepping down.

And it was natural for Emperor Zhu to handle state affairs well, which was something an emperor should do. Even if it seemed that Emperor Zhu was trying to slack off, he was still a diligent emperor after all, and he was just trying to give some lower-level officials some autonomy.

Old Zhu then left with Little Zhu. It would be better for Old Zhu to teach the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty, which was something that could not be ignored.

As for Xiao Zhu asking for official positions for his "clique," Zhu Yunying simply laughed it off; there was really no need to take it to heart.

In reality, if Zhu Yuanzhang were a little older, his inner circle would definitely be much stronger. Even though he is now the Crown Prince, he is still quite young and can't really do much right now. Having too many important officials in his inner circle might not be very effective.

Moreover, none of the guards and companions around Little Zhu are of ordinary birth. As Little Zhu grows up, the throne will become increasingly entrenched in his grasp, the kind that you can't shake off even if you want to.

Zhu Yunying should continue to focus on handling political affairs. He is quite busy right now and really can't afford to be idle. He needs to keep working hard.

As for Yang Jing's posthumous affairs, Zhu Yunying felt that having posthumously honored Yang Jing and appeased the descendants of the meritorious official, the matter was more or less settled, and there was no need to pay any more attention to it.

The posthumous title and such didn't really matter; perhaps the civil service was acting like they were on steroids at this point. However, Zhu Yunying had set the tone for some things, and he certainly wouldn't let certain matters slip out of his control.

He's just offering some benefits and giving some hope, and seeing the people below jumping around is quite an interesting thing.

While Zhu Yunying was handling state affairs, Wang Chengen, who had just finished announcing the imperial decree, returned to the palace. He was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and there was no need to send Wang Chengen out to announce the decree if it weren't for the special circumstances surrounding Yang Jing.

As for Wang Chengen's absence, it didn't really have a significant impact on Zhu Yunying. The only thing indispensable in the palace was the emperor; there was no need to worry about finding replacements for other positions, as many people simply didn't have the opportunity to rise to prominence.

Wang Chengen returned and naturally began serving him, which made the other eunuchs feel envious. As long as Wang Chengen was around, there was basically no chance for them to get ahead.

After finishing his official duties, Zhu Yunying casually asked, "Is there anything going on at the Yang residence?"

“Your Majesty, this servant thinks it’s quite appropriate,” Wang Chengen replied immediately. “It’s just that this servant thinks the Yang residence is a bit shabby.”

Zhu Yunying wasn't surprised at all. Even though there were indeed some corrupt officials in the Ming Dynasty, not everyone was corrupt. Yang Jing was clearly not a corrupt official. This honest official, if Zhu Yunying hadn't previously improved his treatment or occasionally given him some rewards, Yang Jing basically wouldn't have been able to support his large family.

Even Yang Jing's current residence was a reward given to him by Zhu Yuanzhang after he killed a corrupt official.

There's no need to worry too much about these things. Although Yang Jing is an honest official and has almost nothing in his family, the court is currently taking care of his family and won't leave them destitute all at once.

Moreover, now that Yang Jing has been buried with the Emperor in the Eastern Mausoleum, his funeral arrangements are no longer something the Yang family can decide. The imperial court has now taken over the matter, so there can be no ambiguity and no need to worry about any mistakes.

Ultimately, it's true that the Ming Dynasty had only been established for thirty-two years, but many regulations and rules had already been set in stone, and things could be done according to those regulations.

Back at the Eastern Palace, Xu Miaoqing rose and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Minister of Justice has passed away. I had met his wife before, and she was quite virtuous and kind."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Yunying looked at Xu Miaoqing and asked with a smile, "Is there a woman of marriageable age in the Yang family who could marry into our royal family?"

Xu Miaoqing smiled and said, "His family also has a young daughter. My idea is that, if it's suitable, I'm thinking of giving her to my nephew..."

"Isn't that a bit too early?" Zhu Yunying laughed and said, "Your eldest brother's son is only nine years old. It's a bit premature to talk about these things now. You should wait and see. Who knows what that girl from the Yang family will be like in a few years!"

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