Zhu Yunying actually did quite a lot of things like burying his head in the sand, and many people understand this principle. Of course, many people, to varying degrees, choose to bury their heads in the sand, which can be considered a way of protecting themselves.
Many people know the story behind the poem "Ballad of Mulan," but Emperor Ying Shi in the imperial court refuses to acknowledge it. Although Emperor Ying Shi denies it, it seems that others truly have no better options.
Since the Emperor of England did not acknowledge it, others could only acquiesce to certain things. As long as they did not violate any taboos, there was no harm in turning a blind eye.
Some things were not only understood by Zhu Yunying's relatives, but also by many civil and military officials; some facts were simply not significant.
It's not a bad thing to be a little confused sometimes; it just leaves people with some topics to talk about. Besides, Emperor Yingshi already has enough topics to discuss, so naturally, he wouldn't mind adding a few more 'refined and interesting anecdotes'.
For example, the idea that Emperor Ying Shi was precocious had been discussed in the court and among the common people for some time, but there was no official stance; at most, it could be considered tacit approval from the royal family. Some people were also secretly fueling the discussion, as if this was the true 'mandate of heaven'.
It's no secret that Emperor Yingshi was a poet; he once wrote a poem titled "On Poetry," which is said to have been composed on a whim. The addition of "The Ballad of Mulan" is hardly surprising; at most, it might just be a source of curiosity for some, given that Emperor Yingshi was reportedly not close to Confucianism and disliked ornate language.
This frustrated many people, as Emperor Yingshi, with his poetic talent and refined style, should have preferred ornate writing. Unfortunately, it seems that Emperor Hongwu's domineering nature did indeed influence Emperor Yingshi.
Zhu Yunwen, that lazy good-for-nothing, was completely oblivious to what his sister-in-law said; he didn't care what she said, he would just listen. He had heard his elder sister's criticisms and lectures far too often, so he didn't mind being nagged a couple more times.
Upon seeing a figure enter Chunhe Hall, Zhu Yunwen, who had been keeping his head bowed, quickly stood up. "Your Majesty, is the court session over?"
Zhu Yunying glanced at Zhu Yunhuo and said irritably, "We don't attend court, and you're outside saying we like qin music? How old are Shang Lie and Shang Yu? You're taking them to brothels and pleasure boats all day long? Tell me, what kind of behavior is this!"
These two were not yet twenty, but of course they were both over sixteen. They frequented places of romance and pleasure, which was considered a suitable age for that era. Moreover, they were both sons of Zhu Shuang, the second and third sons of Zhu Shuang.
Seeing that Zhu Yunying remained silent, Zhu Yunying said irritably, "Our third uncle's son, Jihuang, was sent back to Taiyuan to guard our third uncle's grave, and you've already been hanging around with Jiye, colluding with him and leading the clan members in frivolous pleasures?"
Zhu Jiye, the third son of Zhu Gang, was about the same age as Zhu Yunwen. He was also one of the representatives of the纨绔 (wán kù, spoiled and dissolute) members of the imperial clan, and he was no pushover either.
When this was mentioned, Zhu Yunwen had something to say: “Brother, when our second and third uncles were still alive, we understood why those cousins were not granted titles. Now that our second and third uncles are gone, many of our cousins are over fifteen or even twenty years old, and it is time for them to be granted titles.”
There's nothing wrong with what Zhu Yunwen said. The emperor's sons and brothers are usually granted the title of prince around the age of ten, so there's nothing wrong with that.
However, despite the Ancestral Instructions stipulating that the sons of these princes should be granted titles at the age of ten, the reality was that there was no way for a son to be granted the title of Prince of the First Rank while his father was still alive.
Zhu Yunying nodded and said, "After thinking about it, we think it's time to bestow titles upon our cousins. Go back and talk to your fifth uncle, and ask him to go to court in a few days. You should go with him. At least let the members of the imperial clan know that you, the Prince of Wu, are not just indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun, but at least you still remember our imperial clan."
Zhu Yunwen hadn't said much yet; he was just beaming with joy. He saw the enormous benefits involved and knew he was about to enjoy immense glory.
Zhu Yue could see it too, and quickly said, "Brother, you should just indulge the second son! If you let him submit a memorial, he'll have the nerve to say that he did it. All the cousins will want to plead his case. At that point, the number of people going to the Prince of Wu's residence to give gifts will be countless."
Xu Miaoqing couldn't help but chuckle. Although the emperor seemed to be giving Zhu Yunwen a warning, in reality, when there was even the slightest benefit, his first thought was still for his own family, and for this troublesome younger brother.
Zhu Yunwen hurriedly said, "Sister, you can't stand to see us doing well, can you?! My brother has already said that we are also doing things for the imperial clan, and we are also helping him share his burdens. Many of our cousins are waiting to be granted titles, and it really is not a good thing that they haven't been granted titles yet."
Zhu Yunying smiled and said to Zhu Yue, "What the second brother said makes sense. These things will have to be done sooner or later. Let the second brother speak up so he can put in a good word. To put it bluntly, if Fifth Uncle is no longer here, our clan leader will either be him or the third brother."
Zhu Yue immediately muttered, "The second son is definitely out of the question. If he were the Imperial Clan Court's Chief Clan Officer, the Imperial Clan Court would be in chaos. The third son is also out of the question; we still have quite a few imperial uncles."
The sisters Zhu Xi and Zhu Yue harbored the deepest prejudice against Zhu Yunwen, even more so than the brothers Zhu Yunying and Zhu Yunwen. While they wouldn't actually harm Zhu Yunwen, they simply didn't want to see him gain any advantage.
Zhu Yunwen, also aware of his own limitations, said, "Your Majesty, I cannot become the Imperial Clan Court Director. I know my own abilities. If I were to take charge of the Imperial Clan Court, things would definitely fall into chaos. My moral character is also insufficient, and I reckon I would only cause trouble."
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