What Lian Qiongqiong was thinking was of no concern to Zhu Xiong Ying at the moment; his only focus was his precious daughter. As for the seemingly inappropriate way he addressed his daughter, it was really no big deal, and Zhu Xiong Ying didn't care at all.
If others care, or if others hear and spread these messages, it might cause some ripples, but most likely nothing will happen, and that's probably just how it is.
Zhu Xiong Ying, who goes to bed early and gets up early, once again took charge of the government. This time, Zhu did not attend the morning court session, which everyone thought was perfectly reasonable.
Just one day later, Emperor Zhu reappeared in court. Many people felt reassured, but less than an hour into the morning court session, Emperor Zhu, seated on the dragon throne, waved his hand, indicating that the Crown Prince should continue governing, as he needed to rest in a side hall.
This immediately sparked a flurry of speculation, with many expressing concern for His Majesty's health. The situation appeared dire; His Majesty was no longer able to complete a single morning court session.
After the court session, Zhu Xiong Ying went to the Wenhua Hall, where Xu Hui Zu and others also arrived. "Keep an eye on Yingtian Prefecture these days, and don't let anyone with ulterior motives cause trouble."
Xu Huizu immediately understood, but still said, "Your Highness, the Governor's Office is naturally fine, and we dare not slack off on the city and palace defenses. However, there are some matters in which we are not as capable as the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. We hope Your Highness will understand."
Looking at this loyal confidant, Zhu Xiong Ying said, "I am aware of this matter. I will have Song Zhong and Wang Chengen contact you. During this period, stability is paramount. We must avoid making a fool of ourselves and causing public outcry."
Xu Huizu naturally understood even better. It was clear that the Crown Prince was somewhat worried and suspicious of some potentially restless princes, but he didn't want to cause too much of a commotion at this time. A little surveillance would suffice, just enough to keep track of the princes' movements; there was no need to make any big fuss for now, as that wouldn't be good.
Xu Huizu was naturally extremely concerned about these matters. He wouldn't actively contact some civil officials, but he did intentionally or unintentionally reveal some information to some nobles in the Crown Prince's faction. After all, he was the brother of the Crown Prince's wife, and moreover, his father, the Prince of Zhongshan, had always taught the Xu family to be loyal and virtuous.
Looking at Zhu Xiong Ying's expression, Xu Hui Zu said, "Your Highness, I believe that it is time to change the guards at the four gates of the imperial city."
Zhu Xiong Ying glanced at Xu Hui Zu and then said, "That's fine. Draft a list and submit it to me. Replace the garrison commander of Yingtian Prefecture as well."
Xu Huizu was not happy that Zhu Xiong Ying had adopted his suggestion; on the contrary, his expression became even more serious. He had only intended to subtly test the waters, but now that the Crown Prince had agreed, it seemed that the Emperor's health was much worse than he had imagined.
Otherwise, given the Crown Prince's usual conduct and status, he wouldn't have considered the defense of cities and the imperial capital. These matters are clearly preparations for a specific moment, undoubtedly the most challenging one.
Watching Xu Huizu leave, Zhu Xiong Ying simply smiled and remained silent. Xu Huizu's guess might be correct, but he would never have imagined that some things were actually a charade orchestrated by Old Zhu and Young Zhu, keeping everyone completely in the dark.
There was no need to worry about the nobles; Zhu Xiong Ying was quite confident in the noble groups under his control. It's no exaggeration to say that the majority of the Ming Dynasty's nobles had extremely close ties with him, and could even be considered under his control. Moreover, these nobles all held extremely important positions, rather than being sidelined.
These factors naturally contributed to Zhu Xiong Ying's confidence. As for his imperial uncles, Zhu Xiong Ying only paid a little attention to them. It wasn't that he was worried about them rebelling and causing any trouble; he simply didn't want them to cause any problems or create any unpleasantness.
Such confidence stemmed from the fact that Zhu Xiong Ying possessed sufficient power, which was the source of his confidence.
After Xu Huizu left, Zhu Xiong Ying continued to summon some ministers. Mainly Ru Chang, Lian Zining, and Zhuo Jing, he needed to communicate with them on some matters and hoped that they would be more discerning at crucial moments and not make mistakes or hold things back.
Although Zhu Xiong Ying, the crown prince, did not explicitly state some things, his words still made many people feel excited or uneasy.
No matter how you look at it, the Crown Prince's hints are quite obvious. It can't be said that the Crown Prince harbors ulterior motives, but no matter how you look at it, he seems to be preparing for a special moment.
Even though Ru Chang and his close associates, who were absolutely loyal to the Crown Prince, had made some preparations in certain matters, it was merely a matter of subtle communication and brief exchanges. Those matters were, in essence, the private actions of these officials, and had nothing to do with the Crown Prince himself.
But now that even the Crown Prince has personally intervened, it indicates that the situation is more complex. Under such circumstances, they can't help but consider many things, and perhaps some of their previous considerations were not comprehensive enough.
Watching these people leave, Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't help but smile. He could continue reviewing memorials; he didn't need to worry about many things.
Upon seeing Zhu Xiong Ying arrive at the Qianqing Palace after court, Old Zhu immediately began to complain, "Your precious son is finally back, but we've been through so much trouble. We spent the whole morning dealing with his antics. Tell me, what a mess this palace has become!"
“That’s what Grandfather brought on himself.” Zhu Xiong Ying didn’t mind the lack of respect at all. “If I had been this naughty when I was a child, or if my father had been this mischievous, Grandfather would have definitely disciplined us. It’s just that Yin’er was spoiled by Grandfather into this state.”
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