After finishing his official duties, Zhu hurriedly returned to Kunning Palace.
Seeing the Empress weaving and his youngest daughter listlessly doing needlework, Old Zhu looked around and asked, "Where is our grandson?"
"He went to the East Palace. Yunwen hit Yunhuo, and he went there." Empress Ma said, and then immediately added, "Don't overthink it, it's just children playing around."
Empress Ma knew all too well what kind of person Zhu Yuanzhang was.
Perhaps at this moment, Old Zhu has already imagined a grand drama unfolding before his eyes.
For example, there is currently no Crown Princess in the Eastern Palace; it is Consort Lü who is in charge of its affairs. Although Zhu Yunwen grew up under Consort Lü's care, he is not a biological son like Zhu Yunwen.
If, if Lady Lü wanted to become the Crown Princess, and if she didn't behave herself, then it's quite possible that her son would become arrogant. After all, it seems that Lady Lü is the most likely candidate to be made Crown Princess, and quite possibly the next Empress.
As for the Eastern Palace at this moment, Zhu Xiong Ying held a willow branch in his hand, his face serious. "Tell me, what exactly caused the fight?"
Zhu Yunwen was only four years old, and his lips trembled as if he was about to cry. Zhu Yuntong was only three years old, and he couldn't understand why his older brother, who was usually so good to him, would be so harsh on him.
Lady Lü forced a smile and said, "Grandson, it was Yunwen who, taking advantage of being a year older, tried to snatch Yunwen's rattle drum."
"A rattle drum?" Zhu Xiong Ying was taken aback for a moment, then immediately asked, "I don't recall giving Yun Tong any rattle drums. Yun Tong, are you trying to steal your second brother's rattle drum?"
Zhu Yunwen immediately burst into tears, while Zhu Yunwen trembled and dared not speak.
"You are brothers, you've grown up together since childhood!" Zhu Xiong Ying was furious, looking very angry. "Especially you, Yun Tong, who gave you the right to be so arrogant? Why did you try to take what belonged to your second brother?"
Zhu Yunwen seemed to realize his mistake at this moment and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, it was I who was not modest. It should have been me who took care of Third Brother..."
"We'll talk about your matter later. It's right to be modest and take care of your younger brother!" Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Zhu Yun Wen and said seriously, "But you must remember, what's yours will be yours, and that can't be achieved simply by being modest!"
Lady Lü's heart skipped a beat; she had a feeling that these words were spoken to her by the Crown Prince.
In truth, Lady Lü was also suffering, as she was a concubine. A concubine's status was not low; normally, besides the Crown Princess, there were only two concubines.
But in the end, she was just a 'concubine'. The Crown Prince was a legitimate son of the Empress, and he was enshrined in the ancestral temple. Even if a concubine was an 'elder,' she wouldn't dare to put on airs in front of the Crown Prince.
Zhu Xiong Ying gave Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Yuntong a good lesson, trying his best to treat them equally.
After scolding her two younger brothers, Zhu Xiong Ying left with her two younger sisters. She took her two sisters to eat, while her two mischievous brothers, who couldn't write yet, were made to stand facing the wall as punishment for half an hour before eating.
Zhu Xiong Ying had just left when Zhu Biao returned. He didn't say anything, nor did he intend to comment on the punishment of his second and third sons.
He was familiar with these methods; that's how he disciplined his younger brothers back then. These younger siblings were basically all educated by Zhu Biao, so in their hearts, Zhu Biao held an exceptionally high position.
Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Yuntong were made to stand for half an hour before they went to the side hall to have their meal.
Although they had just been scolded by Zhu Xiong Ying and the two children had cried, they immediately started eating again and happily played with their older brother.
Ultimately, they are just three or four-year-old children. Even though royal children are generally precocious, they are still children at heart.
Looking at Zhu Yunwen laughing and joking, Zhu Xiong Ying just smiled: As long as I don't die, it's none of your business!
Old Zhu was absentmindedly flipping through the memorials, glancing occasionally towards the palace gate. The lamps were already lit, why hadn't our grandson returned yet?
Suddenly hearing a noise outside, Old Zhu immediately smiled. His eldest grandson had finally returned!
"Grandpa Emperor, Grandma Emperor," Zhu Xiong Ying said with a smile as soon as he entered the hall. "Xi'er and Yue'er were crying, so I put them to sleep before coming back. I'm sorry to have worried you, Grandpa Emperor and Grandma Emperor."
Empress Ma smiled and said meaningfully, "I'm not worried. Even if my grandson is in the Eastern Palace, he won't lack people to take care of him."
Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Old Zhu with a grin, and Old Zhu wasn't embarrassed at all. In front of the Crown Prince, he would occasionally have to pretend to be a strict father, but in front of his grandson, he wouldn't pretend at all; he was just a kind grandfather.
Old Zhu was in a good mood and asked casually, "Grandson, what do you think of today's events?"
“Ouyang Lun, perhaps because he has just passed the imperial examination, has become somewhat arrogant.” Zhu Xiong Ying said seriously, “In the end, he lacks ambition and vision. He has become arrogant as soon as he gained power.”
Old Zhu chuckled, then said, "You little rascal, you know that's not what we're talking about!"
"Grandpa, it's just the two brothers bickering, what's the big deal?" Zhu Xiong Ying chuckled, but also said with a hint of helplessness, "Yunwen and Yuntong are both good children, there's no need for so much trouble."
Empress Ma chimed in, "That's right, you're just worrying unnecessarily."
This displeased Old Zhu, who said with some concern, "I'm fifty-one already, how many more years do I have left to live?! If I kick the bucket, who will look after my eldest grandson! Biao'er doesn't say anything now, but who knows if he won't be nagged by Madam Lü later."
"Ying'er will be ten years old in two days, then you can make him the Crown Prince!" Empress Ma didn't hold back and directly confronted, "Your ancestral precepts also stipulate that he should be made Crown Prince at the age of ten!"
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