The succession struggle in the Ming Dynasty was largely a foregone conclusion, but many also understood that once the emperor died, the crown prince would immediately ascend the throne. However, there was still uncertainty surrounding the new emperor's ascension. It wasn't impossible that the emperor's funeral would cause unrest in the capital!

Therefore, Zhu Yunying could only be sent to the Meridian Gate, and then handed over to the young Zhu, as well as the imperial family and officials.

"Very well, they're all gone." Back in the desolate Qianqing Palace, looking at the empty bedchamber, Zhu Yunying muttered to himself, "Grandfather, we'll take care of the rest. Rest assured, we'll definitely be a good emperor and govern the Ming Dynasty well!"

Staring blankly, in a daze, that was Zhu Yunying's state; he clearly couldn't recover his composure quickly. Even though he thought he had made some preparations and gone through some things, he still couldn't adjust his state quickly at this moment.

Many people are naturally worried about the emperor's current state, but they also clearly know that at this time, even if they try to comfort him, it will not be effective. The emperor himself needs to come to terms with it.

These are all obvious truths, and everyone understands them. Perhaps at this moment, only the emperor's closest confidants can offer him comfort.

For many people, the death of the Hongwu Emperor did not seem to evoke much special emotion.

In the eyes of some, the Hongwu Emperor was merely the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, especially since he had abdicated four years prior and had not ruled from behind the curtain. Therefore, the real power of the court had long since shifted, and the Hongwu Emperor's influence in the court had diminished in the past two years. His death seemed to have caused little stir.

Some people might even feel that the Hongwu Emperor was too harsh, and they might not have a good impression of him. Of course, many people also know that the current emperor is not exactly benevolent either, but he is still slightly better than the Hongwu Emperor.

With the death of the Hongwu Emperor, Emperor Yingshi rightfully took control of the Ming Dynasty, which can be considered a complete succession.

Xu Miaoqing brought over some food and said, "Your Majesty, please have some food."

Zhu Yunying smiled, picked up a bowl of porridge and began to eat. "How is things going with the Crown Prince?"

Xu Miaoqing sighed and said, "I am still somewhat saddened. His Majesty knows that Yin'er and Grandfather were very close. Now that Grandfather is no longer here, Yin'er is still a little unable to let go."

Zhu Yunying could only say, "There's nothing we can do about it. Talk to him more these days. Let alone Yin'er, even we adults find it hard to accept these things right away."

This is true; some adults struggle to cope with the grief of losing a loved one. For children who haven't fully grown up, it may be even harder to accept such loss.

Especially since Xiao Zhu had always been by Lao Zhu's side, he knew that his great-grandfather was his biggest support and had spoiled him rotten. Now that his great-grandfather had passed away, it would be unrealistic for Xiao Zhu to be able to process all of this.

Perhaps time will heal all of this. For Xiao Zhu, given enough time, he might be able to forget his current grief.

The reason is actually quite simple: Xiao Zhu is still a child, even if he is more mature than his peers in some things. But ultimately, he is still a child, so there are many things that Xiao Zhu may gradually forget after a while.

It seems that this is all we can hope for now, since many people can't remember anything from before they were ten years old, and only have a vague impression of it.

Seeing that Zhu Yunying had eaten some food, Xu Miaoqing breathed a sigh of relief. "Your Majesty, I shouldn't have said so much. It is a blessing that my grandfather has passed away peacefully. He cared deeply for his family and passed away without illness or disaster."

This is quite true; Old Zhu wasn't young, and he passed away relatively peacefully. For many elderly people, this is indeed a blessing.

Zhu Yunying understood this principle perfectly well. For Zhu Yunying to leave in such a state could be considered a blessing. As his descendants, seeing their father depart in such a relaxed manner brought them some comfort.

The main reason is probably that Old Zhu passed away without pain or regret.

“You are the Empress, and you must work tirelessly these days.” Zhu Yunying also knew that she should do something, and said, “You need to take care of the sacrifices and prayers. You should also let the members of the imperial family and the ladies of the court pray for the Emperor.”

Xu Miaoqing naturally understood that these were all the Empress's duties, and she did indeed need to do them well.

Zhu Yunying naturally also needed to fulfill his duties as emperor, and many things couldn't be completely stopped at this time. In fact, Zhu's posthumous title was Emperor Xiaogao, and his temple name was Taizu. These were already established facts and didn't even need to be discussed much in court. At most, the Ming Dynasty simply 'restored' some rituals.

However, this doesn't mean everyone will have an easy time in the coming period. It's true that the Hongwu Emperor has passed away, and it seems like a new chapter is about to begin. But at this time, as an emperor, he needs to sort out the affairs of the court, and many matters, large and small, cannot be neglected.

Perhaps in the coming period, Zhu Yunying's case will be piled with memorials, which will likely concern the impoliteness and disrespect of some people during the mourning period for the Hongwu Emperor.

If such a thing were to actually happen, it wouldn't be surprising, as Zhu Yunying was well aware that it had occurred in many dynasties.

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