After the ceremony at Xiaoling Mausoleum, it naturally meant returning to the palace. Staying overnight was out of the question; both Zhu Yunying and the old Zhu knew this. Being able to pay their respects at Xiaoling was enough; they shouldn't expect anything more.

This was in Yingtian Prefecture, and the preparations were quite complete, so there was nothing to worry about. At least there weren't any major security issues. Moreover, Zhu Yunying didn't bring the entire court to pay respects; it seemed that it was mostly members of the imperial clan who came, and this ceremony wasn't considered a major court event.

He returned to the palace peacefully and went to Chunhe Hall to change into more comfortable casual clothes.

Zhu Wenkun drooled as he grinned foolishly at Zhu Yunying. The child was chubby and adorable; the endearing qualities of a human infant were on full display in Zhu Wenkun's eyes.

"Come here. I didn't take you out today, but we can do it another time." Zhu Yunying clapped her hands and said with a smile, "Can you greet people?"

Zhu Wenkun shook his hand, babbling anxiously. He could actually say a few simple words, know some basic greetings, and even walk a few steps. But this child was rather timid, one could even say he was extremely safety-conscious.

He recognized his father, of course, and wanted to go over to him. But no one came to hold him, and he wasn't willing to take the initiative. So all he could do was anxiously babble and coo; there was no other way.

"Come here, let me show you how to play." Zhu Yunying was still teasing Zhu Wenkun. The old father was still very reliable. "We've got a promise, I guarantee I'll make you laugh."

Zhu Wenkun plopped down and then happily crawled towards Zhu Yunying using both hands and feet. Walking might lead to falls, and falls might hurt. So he used his most effective method: crawling, which was Zhu Wenkun's forte.

Seeing his son crawling over, Zhu Yunying chuckled, "You really are quite steady. But that's good, being steady your whole life is never a bad thing."

Zhu Wenkun, who was being held in Zhu Yunying's arms, was very happy. He reached out his chubby little hands to tug at the few whiskers on Zhu Yunying's chin.

This child developed this habit at some point; he liked to play around with Zhu Yunying and was also happy to see Old Zhu occasionally. Perhaps there was no other reason, it was simply because he could pull beards, and this game was Zhu Wenkun's favorite.

Raising her chin to prevent Zhu Wenkun from succeeding, the little baby cried anxiously, persistently continuing to pull. Zhu Yunying, however, was not polite, occasionally gently biting Zhu Wenkun's chubby little hand.

Although they were just some simple games, the father and son had a great time, and Chunhe Palace was filled with Zhu Wenkun's cheerful laughter. A child's laughter is very therapeutic; Zhu Yunying was clearly enjoying this time with his son, finding it extremely relaxing.

Xu Miaoqing had also changed her clothes and asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, would you like a meal?"

Zhu Yunying kissed Zhu Wenkun's cheek and said, "Serve the meal, and have Ruyi and Wenjin come over as well."

Xu Miaoqing naturally had no objections, nor did she care about Zhu Yunying's doting on Zhu Ruyi. After all, she was a girl, and even if Zhu Yunying spoiled Zhu Ruyi, it wouldn't be a problem. The Ming Dynasty would never have had a Princess Taiping or a Princess Guantao.

Even princesses would never have any opportunity to access power. The political system of the Ming Dynasty would not allow this, partly because of the restrictions placed on women since the Tang Dynasty, which meant they would have almost no chance to come into contact with power.

As for Zhu Wenjin, it goes without saying that even though he is the second son of the emperor, he is destined to remain only a prince of the Ming Dynasty. If he performs well, he might be able to obtain a princely title with a more prestigious honor.

"Don't pee on your brother." Looking at his chubby son, Zhu Yunying said with a smile, "Your brother was heartbroken recently. All he likes is to eat and wear clothes."

Zhu Wenjin, this child really only pursues fine clothes and delicacies, he doesn't have much ambition, he just thinks about enjoying himself.

Xu Miaoqing then asked, "Your Majesty, shall we invite Yin'er back for the meal as well?"

Zhu Yunying shook his head and said decisively, "Grandpa Emperor will definitely not allow it. If there were other matters, he might be allowed to come back. But if his younger siblings come to dine, Grandpa Emperor would be too lazy to pay them any attention."

Being too lazy to pay attention naturally means that Little Zhu will definitely stay in the Qianqing Palace to dine with Old Zhu. Perhaps at this time, Old Zhu has already begun to give Little Zhu special lessons, teaching him some ways of being a ruler.

Zhu Yunying was very familiar with this kind of 'small class education' and one-on-one tutoring, and felt that he had benefited greatly from it. So now that his son was able to receive such treatment, Zhu Yunying was naturally happy to see it happen.

This is very important for young Zhu, and it is also very meaningful for his growth. After all, young Zhu's identity is not ordinary, and with some guidance from old Zhu, it may be able to help young Zhu govern the country more easily.

Zhu Ruyi arrived quickly and immediately bowed, saying, "This humble woman greets His Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Empress Dowager."

Zhu Yunying smiled and nodded, but Zhu Wenkun, nestled in Zhu Yunying's arms, became restless. He happily babbled, though his affection for his father was limited. He paid no attention to his father when he saw his elder sister and brother.

After Zhu Ruyi finished bowing, he immediately said, "Father, is Third Brother hungry?"

"Here you go, you can hold him." Zhu Yunying laughed and said to Zhu Ruyi, "If I don't give it to him now, he might start crying."

Xu Miaoqing chimed in, "I'm also afraid of him. This child cries at the slightest thing. And once he starts crying, it never ends. I've never seen a more difficult child to raise. He's just a handful."

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