Being a courteous and respectful emperor was not difficult for Zhu Yunying, mainly because he had become accustomed to it over the years.

He was, after all, an emperor with some ambition and aspirations, which naturally meant he had many thoughts. Even if he sometimes didn't really care, he still had to put on a show on the surface.

Moreover, Zhu Yunying dared not relax his emphasis on talent. Talent is invaluable in any era. Even though Zhu Yunying sometimes complained about traditional Confucian scholars, he had to admit that there were many talented individuals among them, a fact that had to be acknowledged.

Furthermore, among the many talented individuals, many Confucian scholars served as officials in feudal dynasties for over a thousand years. These people were an important part of the emperor's rule, so Zhu Yunying would not condemn all Confucian scholars outright.

Zhu Yunying projected an image of an emperor who valued and respected talent. Of course, he also rewarded those who had rendered meritorious service, a fundamental requirement of any wise emperor, and Zhu Yunying certainly rewarded his meritorious officials in small ways.

On the other hand, it naturally meant selecting talented individuals, especially among those who compiled encyclopedias and revised books, many of whom were commoners.

For example, Yang Shiqi was a commoner, and he was recommended because of his "talent in history". It was precisely because he was so talented that he had the opportunity to meet the emperor in the palace. He was an absolutely talented person.

Zhu Yunying certainly needed to value such talent. However, Yang Shiqi could only receive encouragement for now, because the compilation of the Xiaokang Encyclopedia had reached a critical stage, and Yang Shiqi could not be taken away at this time.

However, to show his respect for Yang Shiqi, Zhu Yunying also posthumously honored Yang Shiqi's biological father and praised Yang Shiqi's stepfather. These actions also demonstrated Zhu Yunying's respect for Yang Shiqi, which naturally moved Yang Shiqi to tears, making him appear ready to be loyal and filial.

This is quite normal, after all, in this era, the moral requirements for a person are loyalty and filial piety.

Zhu Yunying did what an emperor should do: be a respectful and courteous emperor who treated scholars with respect and ensured that the court was full of talented people. He absolutely could not become arrogant and complacent because of his achievements.

After all, Zhu Yunying had grand ambitions, and the realization of his plans was not something he could accomplish alone. He could formulate strategies and plans, but the execution and implementation of these things would require many talented people.

Zhu Yunying certainly had no shortage of talented people, and he was even willing to "forgive past grievances." As long as there were no major problems, Zhu Yunying often wanted to make the best use of everyone's talents, because this would be more helpful to the Ming Dynasty.

After meeting with the people who compiled the encyclopedia, Zhu Yunying naturally needed to continue reviewing memorials.

After all, the people I met this time were essentially just given some encouragement. The grand ceremony hasn't been officially published yet; this is just a partial affirmation.

The busy Zhu Yunying couldn't possibly organize an academic conference, nor could he engage in lofty discussions and philosophical debates with these learned people. At least at this stage, there was no need for such a thing. As long as he made a show of it, that would suffice.

After lunch, Zhu Yunying still had to keep busy, so he took a moment to ask, "Has the Duke of Zhongshan seen Song Zhong and Jiang Huan?"

Wang Chengen immediately replied, "Your Majesty, at 3:15 PM yesterday, Song Zhong met with the Duke of Zhongshan at a restaurant. At 3:45 PM, Jiang Huan hosted a banquet for the Duke of Zhongshan at his residence. All of these events were handled with great secrecy, and I imagine few people knew about them."

Zhu Yunying nodded in satisfaction, indicating that his decree carried considerable weight. Not only did Xu Huizu take it very seriously, but he also immediately began working upon returning to the capital, not daring to delay in the slightest.

Even secret service leaders like Jiang Huan and Song Zhong dared not be careless. Even though they usually dared not get too close to foreign officials or imperial relatives, they immediately went to Xu Huizu to carry out the tasks assigned by His Majesty.

He was satisfied with how his subordinates had done things, and Zhu Yunying did indeed need to be more efficient. After all, some things had already happened, and he was well aware that if some things weren't resolved sooner, they might cause even greater damage.

Whether it's a swift and decisive approach or a show of force, Zhu Yunying needs to resolve these troubles decisively at this juncture. He also understands that some things have already happened, and there's no point in dwelling on sentimentality; solving the problem is more important.

“Summon the Minister of Personnel to an audience,” Zhu Yunying said to Wang Chengen. “Have the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review wait; they should all get moving.”

Wang Chengen naturally had no objections. It was perfectly normal for the emperor to summon the Minister of Personnel or the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review. However, these people probably just thought it was a discussion of routine government affairs.

At most, they are currently in the eye of the storm, and everyone feels that various arrangements for the "Capital Inspection" should be made. After all, this matter is very sensitive, and many civil and military officials are also extremely sensitive at this time.

When Ru Chang came to court by imperial decree, Zhu Yunying went straight to the point, saying, "Ru Jian is quite capable, and has some talent as a study companion. With proper training, he should become a pillar of the court."

At this moment, Ru Chang knelt down and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I am fortunate to have been able to serve in the Wenyuan Pavilion thanks to Your Majesty's great favor. However, the duties of the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet are different from those of the past. As the Imperial Son-in-Law, I am afraid it is not appropriate for me to participate in court affairs."

Zhu Yunying looked at Ru Chang with approval. In fact, this was something Zhu Yunying was also considering, and it was indeed necessary to consider moving Ru Jian's position slightly.

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