The changes and adjustments made to the Three Great Camps were of paramount importance. Simply put, it involved adjustments to the elite troops protecting the capital; more complexly, it concerned the entire Ming Dynasty's military equipment and tactics.
These matters naturally require more attention. It's not just Old Zhu and Little Zhu who care; Wu Xun also attaches great importance to this matter.
The bond between military merit and the royal family is incredibly deep. Even the current changes in the Three Great Camps are closely related to the interests of the military merit. The Three Great Camps have always been controlled by nobles, and only military merit members absolutely trusted by the royal family can control them.
After Wu Xun left, Old Zhu asked with a smile, "Ying'er, your Ministry of Works Academy has accomplished quite a bit over the years, hasn't it?"
"That's really true. We've done quite a few things, big and small." Zhu Yunying was very happy and proud. "Grandfather also knows about the firearms. Actually, it's not just about military equipment and gunpowder. We've also made quite a few looms, coal stoves, and things like that. A while ago, we had someone make down jackets, and it seems like things are starting to look promising."
Old Zhu paused for a moment, then asked curiously, "Down jacket? What's that?"
“We’ve considered the harsh cold of the border regions, and although we have cotton-padded clothes and quilts now, it’s still not enough,” Zhu Yunying explained with a smile. “My grandson sees that ducks and geese can go into the water in winter, so they’re not afraid of the cold. Everyone likes animal skins, so we’ll use duck down to fill the quilts and clothes, which will definitely keep us warm.”
Old Zhu scoffed and said, "You scoundrel, all you ever think about are crooked schemes. We think you shouldn't be emperor, we should make you Minister of Works instead. Duck down can keep you warm? Then let's say willow catkins are better!"
Old Zhu was clearly making a joke. Willow catkins were something that some poor people would use to keep warm when they had no other choice, sandwiched between rags and straw. But willow catkins really don't keep you warm and are quite impractical.
Zhu Yunying refused to admit defeat and said, "Actually, I had people working on these things a couple of years ago, but they weren't very good. I still have some confidence that those people will definitely be able to get it working. Our quilts are getting better and better these days, and we'll definitely be able to make down jackets too."
Making cotton quilts is no simple matter; large-scale cotton cultivation and weaving are not easy either. Therefore, the Ming Dynasty is still working hard to further explore the potential of cotton. It's not even safe to say that every soldier on the northern border has cotton clothing and quilts issued by the court, and even ordinary people don't have cotton quilts to keep warm in every household these days.
The grandfather and grandson walked and chatted with laughter. They couldn't help but laugh as soon as they arrived at the inner palace, because the Empress was showing the Crown Prince and others around.
Upon seeing the arrival of the two emperors, Xu Miaoqing naturally led her entourage to pay their respects. Accompanying her on this stroll through the Imperial Garden were several of Emperor Zhu's concubines, as well as Emperor Zhu's princes and princesses who were not yet of age.
So Old Zhu was really something, having more than forty children in total, and two daughters at the age of sixty-five.
Princess Ruyang and Princess Baoqing obediently greeted Zhu Yunying. These two "elder princesses" were about the same age as little Zhu. One was six years old and the other was five, but they were both Zhu Yunying's aunts.
This was, after all, the palace, and Zhu Yunying couldn't act like an emperor. "Nephew greets Imperial Aunt."
Princess Ruyang and Princess Baoqing were a little shy. They were actually playmates with little Zhu and knew Zhu Yunying. However, they also knew that their nephew was the emperor, and their mother had repeatedly told them to be obedient in front of the emperor and the crown prince.
"Daddy!" Zhu Ruyi, whose little hand was being held by Lian Qiongqiong, immediately called out in her childish voice, she was very happy.
Zhu Yunying was also very happy and clapped his hands, "Ruyi'er, come to Daddy."
Little Zhu, who was originally throwing small stones at the fish, suddenly turned around and ran over with a stern look on his chubby face.
Just as Zhu Yunying picked up Zhu Ruyi, little Zhu ran over, "Dad, I want to be held too!"
"Go find your great-grandfather!" Zhu Yunying said with a disdainful push of his thigh towards little Zhu, "You're so heavy, we can't lift you up."
Little Zhu protested, clinging to Zhu Yunying's leg and making a fuss, "You could carry me the other day, but you can't today?! I don't want my great-grandfather to carry me, I want my dad to carry me!"
Helpless, Zhu Yunying could only bend down and pick you up. "If you ask me, you've been spoiled rotten by your great-grandfather. You're already this old, and we still have to carry you! Tell me, aren't you ashamed!"
Little Zhu didn't care and hugged Zhu Yunying's neck, asking, "Why can't my sister call you Dad?!"
Well, it's not just daughters who can be coquettish and jealous; sons are the same way.
“Your sister was too young to talk back then,” Zhu Yunying could only say, trying to appease her. “Calling me ‘father’ is easier, and your sister is quick to learn to speak. You are our Crown Prince, so you have to follow the rules, and besides, you are smart.”
Little Zhu was initially happy because he's smart. But now he's conflicted; he also wants to call his father "Dad."
Seeing Zhu Yunying holding his children on either side, Old Zhu smiled quite happily. As for his two daughters looking on expectantly, Old Zhu intentionally or unintentionally ignored them. Although his two younger daughters were precious, none of them were as precious as his eldest grandson, or even his great-grandson.
Old Zhu walked over and said to Zhu Yunying, "If you ask me, you're just being biased! Our Yin'er is the Crown Prince, so he has to have what others don't. And he definitely has to have what others have! We've always known you like daughters, but you shouldn't be like this."
Lian Qiongqiong trembled slightly, because she felt that this was the Emperor Emeritus criticizing the Emperor. Perhaps in the Emperor Emeritus's mind, it was she, the Imperial Noble Consort, who was bewitching the Emperor and making him favor one side, and so on.
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