The noble ladies of the Ming Dynasty naturally also had their own lives.

But it basically has nothing to do with court politics.

As Zhu Di's eldest daughter, Zhu Yuying actually started planning for her marriage very early.

It should have been finalized in the last two years, but Zhu Di was not stable.

Zhu Ying abolished the fiefdoms of the vassal kings, and things were in chaos, so Zhu Di's mind was certainly not on his daughter.

"Does my sister have a crush on someone?"

Zhu Gaochi asked directly.

He knew that his eldest sister had a very good relationship with Xu Miaojin and must have known about Xu Miaojin's entry into the palace a long time ago. Bringing it up now was undoubtedly taking advantage of Xu Miaojin's words to shift the focus to himself.

In some ways, people like Xu Miaojin are also in a free love relationship.

This is quite special in today's world where marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers.

Most women don't even know what their future husbands look like before they get engaged, so those who have secret feelings for each other may not be able to be together.

In today's world, the love stories between men and women in novels will always be just exceptions.

It is precisely because of this that he is sought after by many women.

Zhu Yuying paused for just a moment and then nodded in acknowledgement.

She came to see Zhu Gaochi tonight specifically because she wanted him to help her.

No matter what, Zhu Gaochi was the eldest son of the Prince of Yan's Mansion and had already been canonized by his grandfather, the Emperor. Moreover, his mother had always made the decision on marriage, and his father probably wouldn't interfere too much.

Unless there is some purpose of marriage.

After all, he was the Prince of Yan, and Zhu Di did not need to marry his daughter to secure his status.

Zhu Yuying slowly uttered a name; "Yuan Rong."

Zhu Gaochi recalled for a moment and asked, "Is it Yuan Rong, the son of Yuan Hong?"

Yuan Hong was not a small figure. He was one of the founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty. He originally followed Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew Li Wenzhong.

He was also a close confidant of Zhu Yuanzhang. Even in the historical case of Lan Yu, he stood on Zhu Yuanzhang's side.

He is currently serving as the deputy governor of the Rear Military Governor's Office.

Zhu Gaochi also understood his elder sister's difficulties.

Because Yuan Rong was not Yuan Hong's eldest son, but his illegitimate son, born to Yuan Hong's concubine Liu.

The most important thing is that Yuan Hong can be considered as half a royal relative.

Because the wife of Li Jingrong, Duke of Cao, was Yuan Hong’s second daughter.

Perhaps it is at this point that Yuan Rong was able to recognize the relationship with Zhu Di's eldest daughter Li Yuying.

After all, Li Jinglong and Zhu Di grew up together and had a good relationship, and the relationship between their two families was also good.

And here lies the problem.

Zhu Yuying was Zhu Di's eldest daughter and had been canonized as Princess Yong'an two years ago.

As a princess, no matter how well matched she is, she should have the legitimate son of Yuan Hong to be considered a suitable match.

As a concubine's daughter, I cannot get a marriage in the royal palace.

No wonder Zhu Yuying ran to Zhu Gaochi to seek help at night.

Zhu Gaochi hesitated slightly.

Because given his current situation, he has no certainty of success if he tells his mother or father about his eldest sister's marriage.

But the eldest sister is in this situation now, it is obvious that she is in love.

"Gao Chi, you are the only one who can help me with this matter now."

"Sister, please, can you think of a solution?"

Zhu Yuying knew very well that her father was going to Japan this year, and her mother had actually told them about the marriage two days ago.

He said he would help them find a good family soon.

At that time, Zhu Yuying did not dare to tell her mother about Yuan Rong. If her mother did not approve, there would be no possibility.

"Sister, how do you want me to help you?"

Having said this, Zhu Gaochi had actually guessed what his eldest sister was thinking.

Instead of asking his mother for help, he came to me and told me about Xu Miaojin. The answer was obvious.

Zhu Yuying had indeed thought it through, and upon hearing this, she said, "Gao Chi, could you please tell His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for me?"

"If it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who said this, my father and mother would definitely not object."

After hearing this, Zhu Gaochi was about to agree.

This was not a big deal. Considering his friendship with Zhu Ying, it would only be a matter of a few words.

But when the words were about to come out of his mouth, Zhu Gaochi suddenly stopped.

Looking up at her elder sister Zhu Yuying, she asked, "Sister, this idea wasn't yours, was it? Was it that boy Yuan Rong who came up with it?"

Zhu Gaochi suddenly thought of something.

My eldest sister and Xu Miaojin can be considered close friends, or what is commonly known as besties in later generations.

The eldest sister already knows that Xu Miaojin has entered the palace. If it is just a simple marriage issue, she can ask Xu Miaojin for help.

The Crown Prince will naturally agree.

But the eldest sister found herself.

This is a little different.

Hearing Zhu Gaochi's question, Zhu Yuying lowered her head embarrassedly.

"It's Master Rong's idea, and it's also my idea."

Yuan Rong was born out of wedlock, so naturally he could not be called Yuan, he could only be called by his name.

Zhu Gaochi also figured it out.

If the eldest sister asks Xu Miaojin for help, then the Crown Prince will naturally help solve the marriage problem.

But if you talk to yourself, the situation is a little different.

Considering the relationship between Duke Cao and his father, the fact that he was the one speaking to the Crown Prince in the end was a little different in nature.

From another perspective, it is a bit like the Prince of Yan's Mansion asking the Crown Prince for an official position for his son-in-law.

Zhu Yuying wanted to use this opportunity to get Yuan Rong a position.

Now my father, King Zhu Di, is going to take the whole family to Japan. Although I have the title of princess, it is not so easy to navigate the officialdom.

Yuan Hong's own eldest son was still a small military officer. How could he possibly go to the court to seek an official position for the illegitimate son born to his concubine?

Moreover, according to the official laws newly established by Zhu Ying, except for hereditary ones, it is not as easy as before to become an official by relying on connections, whether civil or military.

The Ministry of Personnel was also very nervous.

"My eldest sister hasn't even gotten married yet, but she's already started thinking about her future brother-in-law."

"What good fortune did Yuan Rong have in this life that my elder sister chose him over so many young talents."

Zhu Gaochi said jokingly.

I don't really feel disgusted with my elder sister and Yuan Rong's little thoughts.

It is also natural to use one's own connections to seek an official position for one's husband.

Talking about relying on one's own efforts is completely meaningless when it comes to the level of the royal palace. No matter how hard Yuan Rong tries, he will never be able to compare to Zhu Yuying in this lifetime.

Besides, in this world, women cannot have their own ideas and wait for others. Under the orders of their parents, there is no room for resistance.

Zhu Yuying is in a hurry to come here because she is afraid that the decision will be made without her mother noticing, and there will be no room for turning back.

When Zhu Yuying heard the name brother-in-law, her face turned slightly red and she was happy in her heart.

This shows that his younger brother Gao Chi has already agreed to this matter and also approves of Yuan Rong.

Although Zhu Gaochi was not very familiar with him, he could hear some rumors about him.

As a concubine's son, Yuan Rong had no worries about food and clothing, and he did not have the temperament of a dandy boy. Although he could not be said to be particularly outstanding in literature and martial arts, he was considered to be just okay.

The main reason was that Zhu Gaochi knew that Yuan Rong had never been to any romantic circles.

As long as my elder sister likes it, it doesn’t matter.

As the Prince of Yan's Mansion, it is a blessing for Yuan Rong that the eldest sister marries Yuan Rong.

He wasn't worried whether Yuan Rong wanted to use his elder sister to help him get promoted. Even if he had such thoughts, it was no big deal.

As the eldest daughter of Prince Yan, Princess Yongcheng.

As long as my elder sister likes it, that's enough.

Could it be that he is worried that his eldest sister will suffer some injustice after marrying him?

What a joke.

Although men are superior to women now, there are always exceptions in many aspects.

This is the eldest daughter of Prince Yan.

Zhu Gaochi never worried about these aspects.

"I'll leave this matter to you, sister."

"If possible, please get it done as soon as possible to avoid any complications."

At this moment, Zhu Yuying's tone was pleading.

If this matter drags on for a few days, and if my mother has negotiated with the other party, all of this will be shattered.

"Sister, don't worry. Tomorrow I will go to the palace to ask the Crown Prince for help."

After hearing what Zhu Gaochi said, Zhu Yuying felt relieved.

Zhu Gaochi was of course concerned about his eldest sister's marriage.

The next morning, they rushed to Kunning Palace.

According to the current practice of holding a court meeting every two days, there was no need for an early court meeting today, so Zhu Ying was naturally in the Kunning Palace at this time.

Now Zhu Ying is sleeping in Xu Miaojin's bedroom.

But he had a feeling that it might not be long before he would be sleeping alone again.

On weekdays, he still needs to visit the concubines. He can't just ignore them just because they are pregnant.

But Ye Yueqing should be about the same.

It can last for another month.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Yan requests an audience."

Hearing the eunuch's report, Zhu Ying smiled.

"Send him over."

"As you command."

Seeing Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Ying smiled and asked, "Did you discuss this last night?"

Zhu Ying was talking about going to Annan.

Zhu Gaochi replied: "Brother, you are a genius. Father has agreed to let me go to Annan."

Zhu Ying nodded.

Annan should be almost defeated next month. The Ming army led by Ye Sheng has entered Duobang City, which means that Hu Jima has nowhere to escape. Even if he really escapes, he will not be able to achieve anything.

Now is the time when Annan needs a large number of officials.

"Are you going to take those officials with you to Japan with you, or are you going to keep them in Japan?"

Zhu Ying asked.

Zhu Gaochi replied: "Except for Xia Yuanji and a few others, they should all stay in Yancheng."

This is the limit. If most of them were taken away, I'm afraid Zhu Di would get angry.

After that, Zhu Gaochi said, "There is one more thing I want to ask you, big brother."

"It's about my sister's marriage."

Zhu Ying subconsciously asked, "Your sister, do you mean Sister Yuying?"

Zhu Ying had a deep impression of Zhu Yuying.

After all, the only difference between her and me is a name.

Even if his real name is Zhu Xiongying, there is only a difference of one character.

Such a name must have a history. The name Zhu Yuying was not given by Zhu Di or Xu Yihua.

Instead, it was given to her by Empress Ma in the tenth year of Hongwu.

Zhu Xiongying is the first eldest grandson.

Zhu Di's eldest daughter, Zhu Yuying, was the first granddaughter among all Zhu Yuanzhang's grandsons.

After Zhu Yuying was born, Xu Yihua asked Empress Ma to give her a name, and that's how the name Zhu Yuying came into being.

Zhu Gaochi then told Zhu Yuying the whole story about her marriage.

Even the fact that Zhu Yuying wanted to ask for an official position for her future husband was told in detail.

"Brother, they say that girls cannot be kept when they grow up. I didn't feel anything before, but now that I've encountered this incident with my sister, I really feel it."

"I thought I was more important to my elder sister than Xu Miaojin, so she didn't look for her best friend but her younger brother. Later, I figured out the reasons behind this."

"She hasn't even gotten married yet, but she's already started planning for her future brother-in-law, and she even wants me, the younger brother, to talk to the eldest brother."

Zhu Gaochi looked helpless and complained to Zhu Ying.

This is a rather clever remark.

Not only did he point out the close friendship between Xu Miaojin and the eldest sister, he also took the opportunity to express the eldest sister's idea of ​​asking for an official position for her brother-in-law.

It seems like I am still in the position of a victim, being forced into a helpless situation.

This little trick could not be hidden from Zhu Ying.

But he wouldn't say he cared about it.

"Okay, he is the Prince of Yan's palace etiquette after all, so there is no problem in arranging an official position for him. I think he is Yuan Hong's son, so I will arrange a position for him in which governor's palace."

"But your story did make me realize something. Is it possible that many of the second sons and illegitimate children of these meritorious officials are idle and have not yet started work?"

After agreeing, Zhu Ying asked casually.

The Ming Dynasty now has a lot of founding heroes, and because the Lan Yu case has not happened, the number of names is even more numerous.

It was still the Ming Dynasty at that time, and everyone was a nobleman. They could have as many children as they wanted, and they often had three, four, seven or eight.

There is no need to say much about the eldest sons, most of them will inherit their father's title.

If the second son is born out of wedlock, he needs to find another way out.

Hearing this, Zhu Gaochi did not think much about it and replied, "Isn't it true? Most of the idle people in the capital are the second sons of nobles and illegitimate children. Whenever there are fights, you don't have to think too much, because they are almost always the ones who cause them."

"Each company is actually quite troubled by this aspect, but there is no other solution."

Small officials look down on it, and big officials can't do it.

He has a prominent family background but high expectations but poor skills. This is the description of the second sons and illegitimate children in the capital.

Most of them spent their time in debauchery, going to brothels and listening to music, waiting to receive a share of their father's property when they grew up to live on.

After listening to this, Zhu Ying had a lot of thoughts in his mind.

These second sons and illegitimate children are all descendants of nobles. Some of them may be more dissolute, but they have all been taught by famous teachers and practiced martial arts since childhood.

In addition, because we have been influenced by things done by our parents, we actually have some vision and perspective.

Isn't it a waste to let it go like this?

There is a shortage of talent everywhere now, such as in Annan and Japan.

A little experience can be of great use.

At the same time, it can also solve the problem that the nobles are currently worried about, which is completely killing two birds with one stone.