What may seem like an ordinary home-cooked meal is anything but ordinary for some people.
Although there has been no formal court session yet, and no formal presentation of credentials has been made, for many people, this family banquet actually carries a very serious meaning and cannot be taken lightly.
This was a characteristic of both the Hongwu Emperor and the Yingshi Emperor; they both liked to discuss matters privately. Once they had agreed on something, it naturally meant there would be much less resistance in court.
The fact that the names of Zhu Di and Zhu Zhen's fiefdoms have now been determined is extremely important. This is an absolutely momentous event, and for Zhu Yunying, it can be said that he has now fulfilled some of his small wishes.
Although Zhu Su arrived late, at least she did. Despite being scolded by Old Zhu, Old Zhu was still very happy.
Although these five sons were often spoiled and dissolute, they were still one of Old Zhu's favorites.
Old Zhu was in a great mood, and he was very confident as he led his successful descendants to the Ancestral Hall.
After Zhu Yuanzhang (the first emperor of the Zhu family) finished offering incense, Zhu Yunying (the second emperor) naturally offered incense to the ancestors of the Zhu family. The young Zhu (the third emperor) was also ranked ahead of Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Mengwan, demonstrating a significant difference in the hierarchy between the emperor and his subjects.
After paying respects to the ancestors of the Zhu family, Zhu Su left the imperial city with Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Mengwan.
Zhu Su was naturally very happy to take his nephews out of the palace. To be honest, Zhu Su still had some affection for his nephew Zhu Gaochi, and he was overjoyed to see his long-lost nephew return.
Zhu Yunying wasn't particularly concerned about the activities of these members of the Ming imperial family. The threat posed by the Ming imperial family was, in fact, quite limited, a fact Zhu Yunying was well aware of.
At this time, if any member of the imperial clan were to consider rebellion, Zhu Yunying would not think that the member of the imperial clan had treasonous intentions; he would only think that they had lost their minds.
At that time, don't even think about sending troops to punish them. Just send a good doctor over there. That's the most practical thing to do.
Upon returning to Chunhe Palace, Xu Miaoqing immediately came out to greet them. She naturally knew some things about the palace. However, there were some matters that Xu Miaoqing knew were not appropriate for her to handle due to her special status.
Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui were all sons of Xu Miaoyun, the principal wife of Zhu Di. In a sense, they were also Xu Miaoqing's nephews.
One has to admire the capabilities of older generations like Zhu De and Xu Da, whose children generally had a significant age gap. It was common for children and grandchildren to be close in age to each other in Zhu De's generation.
Looking at Xu Miaoqing, Zhu Yunying said with a smile, "Gao Chi looks a little stronger than before. We said years ago that Gao Chi was too fat, a bit obese. Although he is still a bit fat now, he has lost some weight. We guess it's because he's not used to life in Japan."
Xu Miaoqing felt much more at ease upon hearing this and said, "I did see Gao Chi a few times in my younger days, but it has been many years since I last saw him."
"In a few days, you can summon him to the palace," Zhu Yunying said with a smile. "Speaking of which, Gao Chi and the others should come over too. After all, you are their aunt and also the Empress of our Great Ming."
Xu Miaoqing smiled and shook her head, saying, "I think it's better if I don't see him. Gao Chi is, after all, an envoy from a vassal state, and he's not young anymore. It's not appropriate for me to summon him. I'm at ease knowing that they are doing well."
In fact, the Zhu family does have some romantic traits, which is probably a trait that has been well inherited from Old Zhu.
In Emperor Zhu's heart, Empress Ma was the only wife he truly loved. The same was true for Emperor Da Zhu, whose heart was still set on Lady Chang. Emperor Zhu Yunying was similar; he was never enthusiastic about choosing consorts, but he and Xu Miaoqing were always deeply in love.
Of course, there were some lecherous men in the Zhu family, but there were also quite a few devoted lovers. Even with concubines and beauties around, they were relatively faithful to one woman.
It's only natural that Xu Miaoqing cares about Zhu Gaochi. However, she also has some reservations. As the Empress of the Ming Dynasty, she naturally has to be the mother of the nation and prioritize the well-being of the country.
Besides, her son is the Crown Prince. Xu Miaoqing naturally understands the difference between a nephew and a biological son, and she doesn't need to hesitate at all; she can make decisions with ease.
"Grandfather and I also bestowed names upon Fourth Uncle and Sixth Uncle: Dongri and Fuyue respectively." Zhu Yunying laughed and said with great pride, "Our Great Ming Dynasty now has members of the imperial clan establishing their own kingdoms outside the capital. In the future, our Great Ming should have even more members of the imperial clan protecting it."
Zhu Yunying was genuinely hopeful and sincerely wanted to expand the territory of the Ming Dynasty, because the current territory of the Ming Dynasty was not actually 'complete' enough.
Although Zhu Yuanzhang recovered Yan and Yun in the past and launched two Northern Expeditions in pursuit of the fleeing enemy, in recent years, the Tibetan region has been a matter of great concern and sensitivity for him.
When Zhu Yuanzhang (Emperor Hongwu) punished the Tibetan rebellion during the Tang Dynasty, he sought to control it. In fact, it was around the fifth year of Hongwu's reign that the Regent Preceptor of Ü-Tsang, Namgyalpa Zangbu, sent envoys to pay tribute, and the court once approved the local officials recommended by the Ü-Tsang region.
However, this was ultimately a nominal investiture, meaning it was still somewhat outside the control of the Ming Dynasty. At present, Tibet was not truly under the control of the Ming Dynasty.
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