To be honest, Zhu Xiong Ying, in the current Ming Dynasty, was probably the least afraid of Emperor Zhu. A large part of this was likely due to the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren; Emperor Zhu had always been quite lenient towards Zhu Xiong Ying. It could also be because Zhu Xiong Ying behaved well, which pleased Emperor Zhu.
Xiao Zhu was already unafraid of Lao Zhu, but now there's someone even less afraid of Lao Zhu—that's Little Zhu.
Sitting on the dragon bed, little Zhu shouted angrily at old Zhu, the adorable little brat waving his little arms from time to time. Old Zhu chuckled, even though his great-grandson would occasionally yell at him, he was still happy.
Sitting to the side, Xiao Zhu watched with a smile. Many emperors in history were cruel and suspicious in their later years. The Hongwu Emperor in history went completely mad after the death of his wife and son. The already ruthless old Zhu killed so many that rivers of blood flowed.
The situation is slightly better now, probably because Zhu Yuanzhang's successor, who was born a generation later, received imperial education from a young age, and the young Zhu, with his special background, is also close to the nobles. At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang doesn't need to carry out large-scale massacres to consider the succession of the crown prince.
Lan Yu is still alive. Lan Yu doesn't need to be skinned alive and stuffed with straw, because Lan Yu is also part of Zhu Xiong Ying's group.
Old Zhu, who was playing with his great-grandson, glanced back and noticed Little Zhu smiling at them, so he smiled too. He truly doted on this eldest grandson, but Old Zhu was also very gratified that his eldest grandson had always been close to him and cared for him deeply. These days, it was only with this eldest grandson that Old Zhu could feel the warmth of family.
Lacking a sense of security and yearning for family affection, Old Zhu naturally placed increasing importance on and relied on his eldest grandson.
Old Zhu glanced at the somewhat uneasy Lian Qiongqiong and said, "How about I bestow a pair of phoenix hairpins upon you, Ying'er?"
"Your Majesty's reward is never bad," Zhu Xiong Ying laughed, then added, "Your Majesty, why don't you play with Yin'er? This little thing is going to cry again."
Old Zhu quickly went to amuse his great-grandson, because his great-grandson was unhappy. He had just been playing a game, so how could he not play along with him?
Actually, Old Zhu is truly still vigorous for his age. He just had his twenty-sixth son last year, but the baby died before it was even a month old. But now, Zhang Meiren is pregnant, and who knows, she might give Old Zhu his twenty-seventh son, or perhaps his sixteenth daughter.
As for the phoenix hairpin, Lian Qiongqiong only received it as a favor because she was pregnant with Zhu Xiong Ying's child. Not to mention Zhu Xiong Ying, even Xu Miaoqing didn't care. Lian Qiongqiong was also aware of this and wouldn't have any other thoughts about it.
Zhu Xiong Ying didn't know what to say. He had several uncles and aunts younger than him, but in fact, he didn't remember many of them. This was not only because there were too many people, but also because some of his uncles had been enfeoffed or married off. Most importantly, Zhu Xiong Ying was the Crown Prince, a special status.
He lived in the Eastern Palace and also frequently resided in the Qianqing Palace. However, Zhu Xiong Ying's uncles and aunts would not usually go to these two places. These two places were rather special, and going there too often could easily cause some misunderstandings.
Xu Miaoqing was actually a little afraid of Zhu Yuanzhang, but fortunately, they were now quite familiar with each other. In addition, she had given birth to the eldest son of the Crown Prince, which naturally made her position more secure.
She calmly directed the palace maids to serve the dishes. Lian Qiongqiong wanted to help but couldn't because she was pregnant. Even if she could only give birth to a son born out of wedlock, she was still pregnant. At this time, she should take care of herself to avoid people thinking that Xu Miaoqing was jealous.
Zhu Wenying played with Old Zhu for a while before falling asleep again. This is typical of children; they spend most of their time sleeping. Zhu Xiong Ying understands this all too well, having been exceptionally sleepy when she was a tiny child herself.
Old Zhu actually enjoys the current atmosphere quite a bit; his grandson and his two granddaughters-in-law are having meals and chatting with him.
Naturally, they would chat about everyday matters, recounting amusing stories about their great-grandchildren, or about other princes and princesses. In front of his granddaughter-in-law, Old Zhu almost never mentioned matters of the court. The rule that the empress dowager should not interfere in politics had to be established, and Old Zhu felt that it was now time for Young Zhu to perfect this rule.
He had high expectations for Xiao Zhu, because it now seemed that Xiao Zhu would be the second emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He established the court and set rules, but many things could not be accomplished overnight and could only be perfected under Xiao Zhu's leadership.
After dinner, Zhu Xiong Ying naturally returned to the East Palace. Little Zhu didn't need Old Zhu's care, and considering Lian Qiong Qiong's pregnancy, Zhu Xiong Ying stayed at Lian Qiong Qiong's place.
This isn't about being a scumbag. Zhu Xiong Ying also believed that feudal dynasties had certain merits. His practice of having multiple wives and concubines was something that everyone liked and supported. This was the way to be responsible for the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Xiong Ying still needed to get up early and continue handling state affairs. Especially seeing the dragon throne empty, everyone had become more accustomed to this scene. Old Zhu's occasional absence from court had become a habit for everyone.
Under such circumstances, Zhu Xiong Ying naturally had no choice but to listen more and speak less; he often needed to express his attitude and make decisions.
Zhu Xiong Ying was quite adept at such matters. Or rather, after more than a year of experience, he had gained considerable experience in observing state affairs. Coupled with the education he received from a young age, Zhu Xiong Ying naturally became more and more proficient in these matters.
The relocation of the capital was a major event for the imperial court. In fact, many people knew that the Ming Dynasty was going to move its capital when Zhu Xiong Ying was building city walls and palaces in Beiping a few years ago. Such a thing was inevitable and unavoidable.
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