Little Zhu looks quite proud, and the little guy has enough experience to have a lot to say.
"You are not allowed to call me Imperial Brother, just call me Brother. When we go out, don't let anyone know our identities. We'll just call you by your names, and you can address each other as brother and sister. Don't say we're from the royal family, understand?"
Zhu Ruyi nodded repeatedly; she was naturally looking forward to leaving the palace. In fact, although Zhu Ruyi was favored, she had only left the palace a handful of times. This time, being able to go and enjoy the lanterns together, the little girl was very excited.
Zhu Wenjin seemed a little worried and asked, "Brother, what about Father and Mother?"
"Just call them Father and Mother! How can you be so stupid!" Little Zhu said angrily. "If you don't know how, just follow along. And as for your Imperial Uncle and Imperial Aunt, just call them Uncle and Aunt. If you cause any trouble, we'll have someone send you back!"
Zhu Wenjin immediately lowered his head and remained silent. Of course, he was looking forward to being able to leave the palace to play. Now, not to mention that his elder brother was in charge of these matters, even normally, Zhu Wenjin was quite afraid of his elder brother.
Old Zhu stood happily to one side; these matters didn't require his concern, his great-grandson had handled them quite well. Old Zhu had also paid a little attention to several things. Little Zhu had generally done a good job, arranging things quite effectively.
Although the task was entrusted to Xiao Zhu, neither Lao Zhu nor Xiao Zhu could be completely indifferent.
Ultimately, it comes down to Xiao Xiao Zhu's age and experience. Even if Xiao Xiao Zhu is fine in the general direction, he may still have some shortcomings in certain details.
Old Zhu understands this principle, and so does Little Zhu. Therefore, they still need to inquire about many things and help Little Zhu fill in the gaps is a matter of course.
Both Old Zhu and Young Zhu were somewhat looking forward to this lantern-viewing trip. However, they were also well aware that their identities were different and they couldn't afford any accidents. Therefore, no amount of carefulness or precaution was excessive.
Having changed into his traditional robe, Zhu Yunying held a folding fan and smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting to Old Master Zhu, saying, "Greetings, Old Master Zhu."
Old Zhu chuckled and joked, "You, the emperor, are leading the way in disobeying the law. Tell me, do you even have any official rank?"
That's not wrong either; Zhu Yuanzhang's regulations on clothing were extremely strict. The *lanshan* (襕衫) was reserved for those with official titles. This wasn't just about status; it also reflected the chaotic state of affairs during the Mongol Yuan dynasty.
It's not entirely wrong to say that agriculture should be prioritized over commerce. Merchants may be wealthy, but their social and political status is extremely low. We can't expect everyone to aspire to business. Agrarian civilization naturally means that we need to value the land.
Little Zhu ran over and immediately said, "Dad, you haven't been out for quite a while, have you? It's so cold outside, who carries a folding fan?! Quickly put the folding fan away, or people will laugh at you!"
Old Zhu laughed heartily, not only because he saw the embarrassment on Zhu Yunying's face, but also because what Little Zhu said really resonated with him.
Zhu Yunying said irritably, "You just wait, when your great-grandfather isn't around anymore, let's see if we don't teach you a lesson!"
Little Zhu ran away with a grin, now seemingly a little scared. This sabotage had clearly angered his father, the Emperor, leaving him in a rather awkward position.
Xu Miaoqing was wearing a peach-colored jacket, suggesting she was playing a commoner. This identity was clearly unfamiliar to her, but it was certainly a low-key approach.
Noblewomen had no particular requirements for materials, using any color of silk, satin, or gauze. However, commoner women, even for formal dresses, were limited to using coarse purple cloth and were forbidden from using gold embroidery. Their robes were also limited to light colors such as purple, green, and peach, while bold colors such as bright red, dark blue, and bright yellow were prohibited.
As for the phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, forget about them. Even when a woman got married, there were many restrictions on what she could wear. Of course, even so, many women were grateful to Empress Ma. Although there were restrictions, it wasn't a complete ban on commoner women using them.
Looking at Xu Miaoqing, Old Zhu joked, "Our granddaughter-in-law is quite sensible and respectful. Unlike our Ying'er, who we thought was quite frugal when she was little. But now, she's a frivolous young lady who loves fancy clothes and horses."
“Grandpa, if we don’t dress like this now, we won’t be able to wear this anymore.” Zhu Yunying said, stroking his beard. “Grandpa, look, my beard has grown so long. Some days I’ve even wanted to cut it off.”
Shaving is out of the question; at most, there might be a slight trim. It's unavoidable, given the prevailing social values that our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, and who in their right mind would go out and shave their head or beard for no reason?
Old Zhu was in a good mood and said to Zhu Yunying, "Now that you have some beard, you do look more mature. You are good in every way, except that you are too delicate-looking, unlike us."
This is probably also Old Zhu's 'pain'. If his precious eldest grandson looked a little more like him, it would be truly perfect. It's just a pity that this was only something Old Zhu thought about.
Not wanting to be left out, Little Zhu ran over and said, "Great-grandfather, it doesn't matter if Dad doesn't look like you, we do. When we go out, everyone will say that Young Master Zhu is Old Master Zhu's grandson or great-grandson."
Old Zhu nodded with a smile and said, "Is everything arranged? If it is, let's go out. Otherwise, we probably won't be able to see the excitement."
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