Lian Chenshi respectfully replied, "Everything has been prepared."
Lian Zining could be considered to come from an official family. He was the second-place scholar in the imperial examination of the eighteenth year of the Hongwu reign, and his father had been a successful candidate in the provincial examination during the Yuan Dynasty. They were considered to have some family wealth, but they were not considered extremely rich or powerful.
Xu Miaoqing then spoke up, "His Highness has decreed that I bestow upon you fifty bolts of gold, five hundred bolts of silver, ten bolts of silk, and five bolts of satin. Remember to take these with you when you leave the palace."
Actually, Xu Miaoqing felt a pang of jealousy. She had only just gotten married, and now she was already helping her husband fill the harem. Lian Qiongqiong was the Crown Prince's concubine, second only to Xu Miaoqing in rank.
However, Xu Miaoqing had no choice; she had to get these things done. If she tried to stop them, she would be labeled as 'jealous.' Once such a reputation spread, even though she was the daughter of Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, she would likely be impeached by civil and military officials, and her position would be shaken.
In fact, when they were in Yingtian Prefecture, Consort Guo, who was in charge of managing the inner palace, had been subtly giving Xu Miaoqing hints. The former Empress had always encouraged the Emperor to take concubines, and the Crown Princess had also advised the Crown Prince to accept Consort Lü. These were all examples that Xu Miaoqing should learn from.
This wasn't just what Xu Miaoqing should do; it was what many women of that era should do. Once a reputation for jealousy spread, it basically meant being divorced. Not every woman was like Empress Dugu!
Zhu Xiong Ying naturally didn't need to worry too much about the affairs of the inner palace; he trusted Xu Miao Qing to handle them well. In fact, wasn't this also a test for Xu Miao Qing? If she didn't handle things properly, many problems would arise.
It's not really that troublesome; it's just that Xu Miaoqing will likely become a 'mascot' or a 'canary' in the future.
For Zhu Xiong Ying, his current activities consist mainly of eating and drinking with civil and military nobles. Beneath the seemingly harmonious atmosphere, however, lies some intrigue and hidden agendas.
Overall, the atmosphere was quite good. Of course, some people felt that the Crown Prince seemed rather young and his methods were somewhat immature. However, it must be said that under the tutelage of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince's skills were quite formidable.
Whether he's inexperienced or not is another matter, but Zhu Xiong Ying isn't in a hurry at all. He believes he can learn things gradually. With more experience, Zhu Xiong Ying's skills will definitely improve. Furthermore, Zhu Xiong Ying also knows that even the late Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't fully control the court at this age.
Zhu Xiong Ying was in a good mood, and the banquet seemed quite pleasant. Civil and military nobles also made their presence known to him. That was basically it; such banquets were more about socializing, even political in nature. Sometimes, it was just Zhu Xiong Ying, the Crown Prince, subtly expressing his own views.
Many people can now see that the Crown Prince trusts Duke Xu Yungong of Wei, and Ru Chang, a civil official, is trending towards becoming the 'number one'. This is the current perception and attitude of these civil and military officials, and they are probably well aware of it.
Furthermore, the current Crown Prince seems to prefer those civil and military officials who get things done. Eloquent writing or a good reputation seem to have little value, and the Crown Prince doesn't need such officials. Or rather, even if such people were employed, they wouldn't be given important positions.
Zhu Xiong Ying believed that these civil and military nobles certainly knew what to do and what choices to make, and that they were capable of making the right decisions.
After all, throughout history, the domestic political landscape has been such that smart people tend to choose to become officials, which is an outright official-centric system.
Even if some people have become foolish from reading too much, Zhu Xiong Ying doesn't need to care too much about certain things. Because there are always some intelligent people, and the vast majority of people can still make some decisions.
To put it more realistically, the reason why so many nobles haven't been purged by Zhu Yuanzhang is either because they are truly loyal, have no criminal record, or are genuinely intelligent and useful.
Under such circumstances, Zhu Xiong Ying was naturally able to make decisions more easily, and he was very clear about who should be used and who could be used.
Just keep at this pace. Zhu Xiong Ying's team also needs continuous training and constant sifting to cultivate a group of truly reliable and useful ministers. That would be meaningful for Zhu Xiong Ying!
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