"Grandpa, have you eaten breakfast?"

Zhu Ying asked the old man with a smile.

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile: "I came here specially to eat your breakfast."

Zhu Ying said helplessly: "Look at the time, old man. If it was earlier, it would have been sold out a long time ago."

"Didn't you say last time that when you come over, you should arrange for someone to notify me in advance so that I can reserve it."

"If you like, just leave your address and I'll have someone send it to you as soon as possible."

Zhu Yuanzhang heard this and said in defense: "This breakfast is naturally delicious when it is hot from the oven. By the time your people deliver it, it will be cold and taste useless."

Zhu Ying paused slightly.

Good fellow,

Do you already have any knowledge about take-out?

Then he told the housekeeper, "Arrange the cook to make a few more breakfast dishes."

"Yes, Boss."

After Zhu Ying finished explaining, he said to the old man, "It may take a while."

"It's okay, we're not in a hurry, just wait slowly."

Zhu Yuanzhang was not thinking about breakfast at all.

As an emperor, he had tasted all kinds of delicacies.

This time, he came here just to see his eldest grandson. Ever since he knew that his eldest grandson had appeared, Zhu Yuanzhang had been talking about him even when he went to bed at night.

If it weren't for the fact that the crown prince had passed away earlier and he hadn't attended court for some time, government affairs would have piled up.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't need to wait two days to deal with urgent matters before coming over.

Now, just by seeing his eldest grandson, Zhu Yuanzhang felt that all the fatigue in his body disappeared, and his whole body was filled with cleanliness.

"Old man, I see you are quite busy. I guess you just came out of the morning court."

"I wonder what job the old man holds in the palace."

Zhu Ying asked.

In the Ming Dynasty, asking someone about their official position was not rude but a sign of respect.

Titles are the most basic etiquette, and calling someone by their first name is extremely impolite.

Zhu Ying learned that Zhu Yuanzhang called himself Zhu Guorui.

So if we use a respectful title, it would be Mr. Zhu.

To be more intimate, you can just call him "old man".

If you call him old man.

That is equivalent to cursing in later generations.

Even ordinary elderly people would politely call them old man.

If one holds an official position or title, he will be addressed by that title.

For example, Huang Zicheng, who was studying with the Eastern Palace, was a Hanlin scholar, so his colleagues called him Huang Hanlin to show respect and courtesy.

Hearing the question from his eldest grandson, Zhu Yuanzhang did not hesitate and said directly: "I am just a small official. Your Majesty has granted me the title of Grand Secretary of the Palace by grace."

Hearing this, Zhu Ying was filled with awe.

The Grand Secretary of the Palace was a fifth-rank official, a rank that was really nothing in the capital.

But the job content is equivalent to that of the emperor's secretary, helping the emperor handle government affairs and having a respected status.

Except for the six ministers of the second rank, other officials are not able to meet His Majesty every day.

Moreover, the Grand Secretaries of the Palace and Cabinet are generally selected from the Hanlin Academy who have sufficient talents and experience.

At present, during the Hongwu period, he is still suppressed by Zhu Yuanzhang and does not have much power.

However, in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, after Zhu Di developed the cabinet, he was almost equivalent to a prime minister, and could be said to have absolute power.

"It is the junior who is impolite." Zhu Ying stood up and bowed slightly.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "We are not so particular about things. You are making me feel a little awkward."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, old man." Zhu Ying said with a smile. At this moment he also felt the old man's closeness to him.

Although it might be because he looks like his grandson.

"We heard that your hometown is Huai'an?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked tentatively.

Zhu Ying became a little alert. He didn't have a Huaixi accent. To ask like this, she must have investigated his identity.

"Yes, I am from Huaixi. However, I have been traveling with my father as a merchant since I was a child and rarely go home."

Hearing Zhu Ying's words, Zhu Yuanzhang keenly felt Zhu Ying's sensitivity.

He smiled heartily and said directly: "You are too cautious, kid. We did go to the government office to investigate."

"You and our eldest grandson who died young are too similar."

Zhu Ying didn't expect the old man to be so magnanimous. He didn't hide such things and told them out on the spot.

Zhu Ying, who had been a little distant, suddenly felt relieved and became more favorable towards the old man.

"Don't be offended, old man. I have lived in a barbaric place like the grassland for a long time. I have just arrived in the capital not long ago. It is possible that my temperament has not changed all of a sudden."

Zhu Ying said frankly, since it has been investigated, the things on the grassland will definitely be known.

And there were Jurchens in his teahouse.

Although they all spoke Chinese, wore Chinese clothes, and even had registered household registration in the Ming Dynasty.

But if someone is careful, it can easily be noticed.

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed.

I don’t know how much suffering my eldest grandson went through before he fought and built a career on that grassland.

The hardships that I have gone through to meet myself today are hard for outsiders to understand.

Zhu Yuanzhang himself had experienced hard times and understood the difficulties and sufferings better than anyone else.

Especially on a grassland full of jackals.

The grasslands do not abide by the ethics, morality, and integrity of the Ming Dynasty. It is completely a place where the strong prey on the weak. Zhu Yuanzhang has a deep understanding of this.

"It's hard for you, kid."

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but say with tears in his eyes.

In his opinion, his eldest grandson, who should have been born into a noble family, was not only stranded outside but also had to live such a hard life. Thinking of the memory of his eldest grandson acting coquettishly in his arms, Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was a little choked up.

When Zhu Ying heard this, he frowned slightly.

He felt that the old man now treated him as his eldest grandson.

However, he did not like this feeling.

This feels like I'm cheating the old man.

But seeing the old man's condition, Zhu Ying felt a little bit reluctant.

Although Zhu Ying wanted to use the old man's help, he despised using emotional deception to achieve his own goals.

In this life, Zhu Ying has done many things that he had never done in his previous life.

To be able to grow to the level of a local tyrant today, some shady means are naturally inevitable.

But so far, he has always adhered to his bottom line and principles as a human being.

Feeling Zhu Ying's silence, Zhu Yuanzhang also reacted.

He felt a little lost in his heart, and Zhu Yuanzhang now urgently needed the feeling of being close to his grandson.

But he felt Zhu Ying's defensiveness.

"When people get old, they always like to reminisce about the past, but please don't look down on me as an old man," Zhu Yuanzhang said with emotion.

"That's not true, old man. I'm just afraid that you will be disappointed." Zhu Ying replied.

Zhu Yuanzhang was so smart that he immediately understood what Zhu Ying meant.

I'd like to say a few words to ease the situation.

Just at this time, the servant downstairs came up with breakfast.

"What smells so good?"

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but speak.

He had always overlooked the fact that the Jinyiwei were able to find Zhu Ying because of the delicious breakfast.