"We thought we were going to have some wine, but we're having tea so early?" Zhu Yunying sat down and said to Old Zhu, "We've sent them all away. Now it's just the two of us in the palace. No one can disturb our peace and quiet."
Old Zhu laughed and said, "When Yin'er isn't around, we worry about him terribly. But if he were right under our noses all the time, we get really annoyed sometimes. Of all our descendants, we've never seen one as mischievous as him. This little rascal isn't afraid of us at all, so what can we do?"
Old Zhu's words were against his conscience. It's true that he had many descendants, but he only took care of a handful of them. Even with the children of the eldest Zhu, Old Zhu didn't spend much time with them, as he was busy fighting in the north and south at that time and missed most of their childhood.
If we're talking about children who truly grew up under Lao Zhu's care, then Xiao Zhu is the only one. And Little Zhu is the second child Lao Zhu raised.
“That kid is so mischievous, we’re starting to lose control of him,” Zhu Yunying laughed and said. “This is all thanks to my grandfather, he’s really not afraid of anyone. He just compared his dragon robe with ours, saying that ours wasn’t as good-looking as his.”
Old Zhu immediately burst into laughter, saying with immense pride, "Although our Yin'er is young, he's still better than you. I've never thought much of you; you're too delicate. Our Yin'er is better; he has a big face and looks dignified."
Touching his chin, Joo Yoon-young felt that his pointed chin was a 'minus point,' at least in Old Joo's eyes. Little Joo's square face, on the other hand, Old Joo thought was the best-looking face in the Joo family, definitely a plus.
“We’ve sent people to Southeast Asia to kidnap people,” Zhu Yunying said to Old Zhu after taking a sip of tea. “If we can open up Liaodong, supplying grain to the north won’t be a problem in the future, and we might even be able to supply the capital.”
Old Zhu smiled and nodded, saying, "Let them loot then. You say that crops can grow over there, but we're not very optimistic. Crops won't grow in such a cold place."
It's perfectly normal for Old Zhu to have such thoughts; the Liaodong region is no longer the Great Northern Granary. It's a truly frigid and desolate place, a wild and untamed land, which naturally means many people look down on it.
Furthermore, the freezing weather makes many people feel that crops simply don't have enough time and sunlight to grow.
If it weren't for Zhu Yunying's stubbornness, and if his prestige and foresight hadn't been proven before, many people wouldn't have chosen to trust him in this matter.
It is indeed very cold and freezing there, but the black soil is extremely fertile. Even with only one harvest a year, the grain yield exceeds that of fertile fields in many other places. The potential there is currently not recognized by anyone.
“Then let’s make a bet. We believe that a lot of good grain will grow there.” Zhu Yunying laughed smugly and said to his grandfather, “Grandpa, if we turn that area into a grain-producing region, the barbarians will have no way to survive in the future.”
Old Zhu laughed and said to Zhu Yunying, "As long as that place can supply grain to the nine border regions, the court cannot abandon that land in the future. Once our army has taken root there, it will be difficult for the northern Tartars to move south."
Old Zhu and Little Zhu share some consensus on this matter; they both clearly recognize the importance of a grain production base.
Once grain production increases, many people will know that those areas absolutely cannot be abandoned, which naturally means that the threat from northern tribes will be greatly reduced.
While sipping his tea, Zhu Yunying suddenly said, "How about we have someone come over and perform a dance?"
Old Zhu looked at Little Zhu with satisfaction, feeling that his 'good-for-nothing grandson' had finally made progress. "I've told you before, you should be diligent in your duties, but you also need to know how to enjoy yourself! Our Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) is only useful for opening court and worshipping heaven and earth."
See, that's just Old Zhu's personality. He can endure hardship and be frugal. But if his children and grandchildren are a little extravagant, Old Zhu would absolutely be happy to see it.
Especially his precocious and frugal grandson, who had lived a life worse than some princes and dukes over the years, had long been a source of heartache for Old Zhu. Although he was happy most of the time, he was also pleased to see his grandson know how to enjoy life.
The light singing and dancing were also quite good. They weren't some energetic songs and dances, but these classical dances had a unique flavor, and Zhu Yunying enjoyed them very much.
As she watched, Joo Yoon-young fell asleep. She was probably quite relaxed, and also a little tired from working so much lately.
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