Old Zhu was very concerned about the livelihood of his descendants, and the incredibly generous treatment they received would cause great concern to anyone outside the imperial clan. This was especially true for the rapidly expanding imperial clan, which made Zhu Xiong Ying, his successor, even more worried.
As for the data, Lao Zhu just listened and didn't intend to say anything more or make any immediate changes.
To be honest, Zhu Yuanzhang also said that the second-generation prince who inherited the throne would have his salary halved.
The grandfather and grandson discussed it for a long time, but neither could convince the other. So they decided to stop talking and discuss these matters later; there was no need to rush into finalizing a plan. Furthermore, even if changes were necessary, the specifics of those changes needed to be clearly explained.
These are all meticulous tasks, and they certainly can't be finalized immediately. Zhu Xiong Ying has the patience for this. Just like some of the things he's doing now, they don't have immediate results, and Zhu Xiong Ying is genuinely willing to wait a little longer; there's no need to rush.
Life had to go on, which also included handling state affairs. Zhu Xiong Ying knew there were many things to keep him busy. As for the fact that Old Zhu didn't have a great-grandson, he could still handle government affairs in the Qianqing Palace.
The court was still noisy, and many matters concerning the Martyrs' Memorial Hall were now on the table for formal discussion.
What kind of children of martyrs could enter the Imperial Academy of Martyrs and receive government support? What should the Academy of Martyrs' be like? What would be the future prospects for the children of these children? These were all issues that needed to be considered. The potential burden the Imperial Academy of Martyrs might place on the court was also a subject of debate among the civil officials.
Since His Highness the Crown Prince values the sons of heroes and martyrs, he should not allow meritorious officials and soldiers to have any worries about their future. Since the country can nurture these military men's sons, now that the court is stable and the administration is clean, we should vigorously promote community schools. The Ming Dynasty needs to cultivate more scholars, and its cultural development should keep pace.
It is clear that these civil officials do not want to see military merits monopolize the limelight, and they now have their own thoughts and ideas.
After the court session, Zhu Xiong Ying went to the Wenhua Hall to continue reviewing memorials. "We need to consider the cabinet situation. The six ministers alone are not enough. I have too much to do. Right now, I'm just helping my grandfather, and even the two of us are too busy. If I have to review memorials all by myself in the future, I definitely won't be able to handle it."
This can be considered Zhu Xiong Ying's true feelings. Of course, he hoped for supreme imperial power and centralized authority. However, Zhu Xiong Ying was also very clear that there were too many things to deal with in the world, and he alone could not handle it, no matter how diligent he was in governing.
Ru Chang arrived at Wenhua Hall at this time, finished her routine business, and then looked like she wanted to say something more but hesitated.
“These days, it’s hard to say what will happen to you, as neither side seems to approve of you.” Zhu Xiong Ying laughed and joked, “As for you, you need to think carefully about whether you plan to be a civil official or a nobleman.”
Ru Chang immediately spoke, her posture very upright, "I dare not presume to hold a title in the imperial court."
Zhu Xiong Ying put down his brush and asked with a smile, "Oh? The Ming Dynasty has no shortage of scholars who can be granted titles."
Li Shanchang can be considered Zhu Yuanzhang's chief strategist. He was also an educated man, a former Duke of Han, and was bestowed the title of "Founding Minister Who Assisted in the Nation's Destiny and Upheld Righteousness." Then there was Liu Bowen, whom Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly referred to as "my Zhang Liang." He was a core figure in the Zhejiang East civil official group, the Earl of Chengyi!
In fact, it's not impossible for civil officials to receive noble titles. This was the case in the Ming Dynasty, and there were also examples in the Han and Tang Dynasties.
It would be a lie to say that Ru Chang wasn't tempted; a noble title would be a recognition of his contributions. Noble titles weren't so easy to obtain in the Ming Dynasty these days, as the country was peaceful and prosperous, and there weren't as many opportunities to make a name for oneself.
As for Ru Chang, he believed his official career was going relatively smoothly and his future was bright. Perhaps in the future, he could even obtain a title like Grand Tutor, after all, he was the top civil official under the Crown Prince.
However, whether one can actually obtain a noble title is hard to say. Even if one becomes Grand Tutor, it's just a title. A noble title, on the other hand, could very well guarantee a livelihood for one's descendants, or even allow them to live and die with the state.
Seeing Ru Chang's somewhat conflicted expression, Zhu Xiong Ying stopped joking and said, "Just focus on what you're doing and don't let it interfere with important matters."
“Your Highness, the Duke of Wei was quite arrogant today,” Ru Chang said, not hiding her thoughts. “This is quite different from the Duke of Wei’s usual behavior; he seems to have undergone a drastic change in temperament.”
Zhu Xiong Ying replied without hesitation, "Oh? Liang Yu should just focus on doing her job and not get involved in these matters. If she really can't get away with it from the others, Liang Yu should go to Beiping first and take charge there."
Despite the current commotion within the court, everyone is aware of many things regarding the relocation of the capital. For instance, even now, it's difficult to ensure that all officials, both civil and military, readily accept the move. However, this trend is unstoppable, and the relocation of the capital is inevitable.
There's actually nothing wrong with this. Beiping can be considered Zhu Xiong Ying's stronghold; he had a lot of people there, and he was even in charge of the construction of the imperial city. Moving the capital to Beiping would actually have some advantages for Zhu Xiong Ying.
Having established his influence there, Zhu Xiong Ying could rightfully place his power in all aspects of Beiping.
Ru Chang was a smart man and probably knew about some of Xu Yungong's changes. This could be considered as obeying orders, so he could only accept that these things had happened.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
