Being with his children naturally allowed Zhu Yunying to relax a little. Although he was the emperor, he also had emotions and desires. While he seemed to only dote on his youngest son, it didn't mean that Zhu Yunying completely disregarded his other children.

Zhu Wenjin, the little foodie, seemed quite excited. "Father, the shark fin soup is delicious today."

Zhu Yunying couldn't help but laugh and asked, "Oh? Then tell me, how do you prepare this shark fin?"

Zhu Wenjin immediately said, "This is stewed well! The shark fin looks like it's been stewed to perfection. It smells delicious. I've had shark fin before and it always seemed a bit tough, but this one is definitely good."

Looking at the golden shark fin porridge in front of him, Zhu Yunying's face began to darken.

Although Zhu Wenjin was not the most favored prince, he was still a prince. If anyone dared to cut corners on his meals, the emperor would certainly be very unhappy.

At this moment, Zhu Ruyi obediently served Zhu Yunying a bowl of shark fin porridge, and then naturally served porridge to her elder brother. The proper etiquette still needed to be observed, and it seemed that Zhu Ruyi was aware of these rules.

In fact, not only Ruyi, but even Zhu Wenjin, who seems a bit mischievous, knows these rules.

The shark fin congee was indeed well-made, quite flavorful, and naturally didn't have that tough, chewy texture. After all, it was imperial cuisine prepared for the emperor, so no one dared to be careless at this time.

Even though Emperor Hongwu and Emperor Yingshi didn't seem to care much about food and drink, it didn't mean their subordinates didn't take it seriously. Every dish served to the emperor was prepared by the imperial chefs using every conceivable skill.

After finishing the shark fin porridge, Zhu Wenjin immediately started eating the abalone. "The abalone today is also very delicious. It's soft, tender, and especially fragrant."

Little Zhu looked at her silly younger brother and said, "How can that be the same? Today we are dining with Father Emperor, and it's all the best food."

In reality, most imperial servants ate communal meals. Take Zhu Wenjin and his mother, Consort Wang, for example. They didn't usually cook; meals were served at mealtimes. At most, they might occasionally make some snacks if they couldn't stay idle, but there was no kitchen in the palace.

It wasn't just the princes and princesses, or the concubines in the harem; even the palace maids were the same.

At most, it was prepared by the emperor's personal chefs and cooks; princes and princesses naturally received the same treatment. As for eunuchs and palace maids, it goes without saying that they were basically served communal meals; as long as they were full, they weren't expected to be picky about the taste.

Zhu Wenjin said, seemingly understanding but not quite, "No wonder, that explains why today's meal was so delicious."

Wang Chengen, who was standing nearby, kept the Second Prince's words in mind. He would have to investigate this matter thoroughly when he got back. If the Emperor didn't care, that would be fine, but if the Emperor did care, he would definitely need to know the whole story immediately.

Normally, the princes' meals are of a certain standard and are certainly not bad. However, the palace is full of people who love to flatter the powerful and bully the weak, and some palace maids and eunuchs can be said to show their two-faced nature to the fullest extent.

Although the Second Prince was not favored, he was still a prince, and ordinary people wouldn't dare to go too far. However, some people could still make him uncomfortable by using petty tricks. For example, the food might get cold or taste mediocre; these were all possibilities, as such matters were somewhat subjective.

The second prince is not well-liked, and his mother is often reprimanded by the emperor. There may be some people with ulterior motives who make the life of this mother and son in the palace seem comfortable, but there are also unpleasant aspects.

Wang Chengen knew about this, and Zhu Yunying was also very clear about it.

However, from a young age, Zhu Yunying's status was very sensitive, and he was always given priority for all the good things. Just like Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Yunwen, who were also imperial grandsons, their food, clothing, and daily necessities were always different from Zhu Yunying's.

The palace servants naturally did their best to serve Zhu Yunying, but they might not have done so for other princes or grandsons.

It's not just in the imperial palace; even in wealthy and powerful families, this kind of situation occurs. Sometimes, servants are just opportunistic and will play favorites. They wouldn't dare to do anything disrespectful, but using underhanded tactics to annoy people is perfectly acceptable.

Watching Zhu Wenjin pour the thick abalone broth over the rice, Zhu Yunying thought it was perfectly normal for his second son to be a little chubby. Wasn't it obvious? He was a complete foodie! Not only could he eat a lot, but he also knew how to eat well. If this kid didn't gain weight, it would be an injustice.

Of course, Little Zhu wasn't much better. This child was completely raised by Old Zhu, who always felt that his great-grandson was hungry and that chubby children were cuter and more fun.

Zhu Yunying had actually experienced something similar. In the past, Emperor Zhu and Empress Ma would always coax him to eat more. It wasn't just staple food; snacks or fruits were also welcome. As long as Zhu Yunying was willing to eat, Emperor Zhu and Empress Ma would happily prepare them.

With this kind of feeding method, it would be strange if it didn't produce a chubby little guy.

What Zhu Yunying regretted was that he didn't like Zhu Yunying to be too fat, meaning that Zhu Yunying didn't actually have the so-called "lucky face" that Zhu Yunying described. But it was different with little Zhu. Zhu Yunying happily fed him non-stop, and little Zhu Yunying had no self-control and kept eating.

The old man was happy because his great-grandson, Pang Dudu, was exceptionally adorable. The younger one was naturally happy too, as he was happy to be eating well. Zhu Yunying had offered some reminders, but the old man, who always doted on Zhu Yunying, didn't always heed her advice, especially when it came to matters concerning the children; in those cases, the old man insisted on his own views.

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