Zhu Yunying greeted him with a smile and said to Xu Miaoqing, "No need for formalities, you're all busy today."
Xu Miaoqing smiled and said to Zhu Yunying, "What I do is just trivial matters, not particularly busy. It's just that I have to keep an eye on things, and I can't feel at ease until I see everything."
Hearing Xu Miaoqing say this, Zhu Yunying couldn't help but laugh, "So, she really is my Zhu family's daughter-in-law!"
Xu Miaoqing couldn't help but chuckle. Others might not have been so confident in saying this, but when Zhu Yunying said it, it was definitely the truth.
The Zhu family was known for its workaholics, with the founding emperor, Hongwu, being the best example. Although he was an emperor, his diligence and hard work were unmatched by most. Corrupt nobles would probably feel ashamed of themselves if they saw the Zhu family.
But that's just talk; those people aren't really ashamed. They all seem thick-skinned and truly know how to enjoy life.
"These past few days have been quite busy, it's the New Year after all. We just ascended the throne and have just had a new Empress Dowager." Zhu Yunying couldn't help but laugh, teasing Zhu Yunying, "The noblewomen who want to get close to him are all getting anxious at this time."
This isn't meant to be a warning to Xu Miaoqing; it's a basic fact and the current reality. Everyone understands these principles, and everyone knows that it's crucial to quickly build a closer relationship with the new empress.
Ultimately, it's because Xu Miaoqing's position is secure, and no one doubts her future.
Xu Miaoqing wasn't nervous at all. She was confident now, mainly because she understood Zhu Yunying's personality. If she took such jokes seriously, she wouldn't be a qualified bed partner. Xu Miaoqing knew Zhu Yunying very well.
“These days, quite a few noblewomen have indeed been sending invitations, mostly from families of high-ranking officials,” Xu Miaoqing said with a smile to Zhu Yunying. “The aunts and maternal aunts of the past were much more enthusiastic.”
Zhu Yunying deliberately frowned and joked, "Only now are you more enthusiastic? I thought those people would be smarter, that they'd become so enthusiastic once they knew you'd become the Crown Prince's consort. Speaking of which, our position is very secure, didn't you benefit from it?"
This is clearly a lighthearted remark, something the young couple would only say casually in private, a little boasting under such circumstances. They certainly wouldn't say such things in court or in front of outsiders.
No longer joking, Xu Miaoqing said, "Your Majesty, I went to the Imperial Treasury and took inventory of some items. There are quite a few good things in the storeroom, so I don't think it will be a problem to distribute them as rewards. It's just that I feel it's a bit meager?"
Having said all this, Zhu Yunying understood, because his ascension to the throne as the new emperor involved many unusual tactics.
Normally, the ascension of a new emperor to the throne or the appointment of an empress or crown prince is a cause for universal celebration. At such times, it's customary to grant general amnesty or exempt certain regions from taxes, which are considered standard procedure.
It's quite obvious that many people are still watching Zhu Yunying's ascension to the throne with bated breath. Many believe that they might have a chance to turn their fortunes around and that this is a crucial moment that they can manipulate.
For example, some demoted officials, or those whose families had convicts, were all eagerly waiting and watching. In fact, some civil and military officials did submit memorials, calling for universal celebration and a general amnesty, and so on.
However, these memorials received almost no response. Perhaps the new emperor was too busy with his ascension to pay attention to these matters and simply couldn't spare the time. Each of them decided to wait and see how things developed, while being more patient.
Those are other people's thoughts, and have nothing to do with Zhu Yunying. It's not that he's too busy or anything like that; it's simply that Zhu Yunying isn't particularly interested in these kinds of things, and has no intention of granting a general amnesty or anything like that.
The ascension of a new emperor is indeed a day worthy of universal celebration. However, this does not mean that the actions of some individuals can be erased. Those who must pay the price will certainly have to pay it; that much is certain.
So, they should give up and continue with their labor reforms or demotions. Hoping for Zhu Yunying's 'benevolence' at this time was highly unrealistic; it simply didn't exist.
Zhu Yunying didn't hide anything from Xu Miaoqing, but simply smiled and said, "Could it be that someone has been saying something to you again?"
Although Xu Miaoqing wasn't afraid of Zhu Yunying, she knew her limits. "Your Majesty, no one has ever been noisy in front of me. However, over the years, I've read quite a few books, and at times like these, I should indeed..."
"We should naturally inherit the good things, but we should also get rid of the bad things." Zhu Yunying said to Xu Miaoqing very seriously, "We are the emperor, and our words are golden rules. Although those people are our subjects, we cannot just side with them. Think about it, if I forgive those people, how will those who were harmed by them feel?"
Xu Miaoqing remained silent. At this moment, it was indeed inconvenient for her to say anything, lest it cause misunderstandings. Although she had her own thoughts and opinions, Xu Miaoqing was clearly unwilling to clash with Zhu Yunying over things that didn't seem to be matters of principle; that would be quite foolish.
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