Little Zhu could only nod obediently. It seemed that there were some things he really had no room to maneuver in, and he could only accept reality.
Old Zhu couldn't help but laugh and said, "That makes sense. If we establish ancestral rules, it will be easier to discuss posthumous titles and temple names in the future. This is a good thing, so that after the emperor dies, people won't be in a hurry to sort out the affairs of the court and instead be busy arguing about posthumous titles."
This is also one of the personality traits of Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Yunying; they don't really care much about certain things.
Reputation and such things weren't that important to them. Zhu Yuanzhang never hid his origins, and Zhu Yunying didn't care about his reputation in historical records. They were both very pragmatic; trivial matters were unimportant to them.
At this time, Xu Miaoqing obediently knelt and prayed on the side; she couldn't participate in these topics.
However, Xu Miaoqing was still somewhat excited. Naturally, it was because of these things that neither the retired emperor nor the emperor avoided her, which was the greatest recognition of Xu Miaoqing.
Old Zhu laughed and asked, "After I pass away, you should move the capital, leaving the Chang family in Yingtian Prefecture?"
Zhu Yunying said matter-of-factly, "Even if we move the capital, Yingtian Prefecture will still be a secondary capital, so we will definitely have to leave some people behind. The second prince is unwilling to go to Beiping with us, so in the future, members of the imperial clan will either stay in Yingtian Prefecture or in Beiping."
Zhu Yunying was actually quite generous; he allowed some members of the imperial clan to find things to do and permitted them to go out and about.
However, as everyone knows, members of the imperial clan could not truly have access to court politics or control local affairs. Even if they went out for a stroll, they had to report to the Imperial Clan Court and obtain the emperor's approval. Obviously, they could not make private connections or act as they pleased.
Zhu Yunying continued, "The Chang family and the Xu family, one of them must remain in Yingtian Prefecture. The Chang family is more suitable, after all, they are our maternal clan, and now they don't have much power. If the Xu family goes with us, we will need them greatly, and the Crown Prince also needs the Xu family as an assistant."
Little Zhu, never one to sit still, immediately said, "If it were us, and we brought the Xu family along, that would be even better!"
Old Zhu looked at little Zhu with affection and said to Zhu Yunying, "He is your son after all. Although you didn't like to participate in politics when you were young, what didn't you know? If there is something important, we can't get rid of you even if we want to. You either stay in the Qianqing Palace or in the Wuying Hall. You really are not afraid of taboos."
Zhu Yunying chuckled and said, "It was all taught by my grandmother that I dare to speak so boldly in front of her. She always says that the country and its people belong to us, so we should pay more attention to those matters. We should ponder and understand the decrees and policies of my grandfather and father."
"That's why we always say that the empress dowager should not interfere in politics. It's just that your grandmother likes to meddle!" Old Zhu said with a nostalgic tone, even though his words seemed to be full of complaints. "You were precocious when you were young, and with all these things being said in front of you, how could you not be deep in thought? You and Yin'er are both more unrestrained than I, the emperor."
Zhu Yunying said, "Our father is the same. There were many times when he dared to disobey the imperial decree of our grandfather and make him withdraw the imperial decree."
Old Zhu glared at Zhu Yunying, because these were things that not only the eldest Zhu could do, but the youngest Zhu was also good at.
While seemingly complaining, Zhu Yuanzhang was actually quite proud. He was a stubborn man at heart, and no matter how much he doted on his eldest son and grandson, he would not easily change his decrees for the sake of the Ming Dynasty.
The fact that he could change his mind naturally meant that his suggestions were useful. An excellent and capable successor would certainly make Zhu Yuanzhang feel more at ease passing on the empire.
His decision to abdicate was primarily driven by his affection for Zhu Yunying. However, it's also possible that Emperor Zhu Yunying trusted Zhu Yunying's abilities. Therefore, passing the throne to his grandson was not a problem; he knew his grandson would be able to govern the Ming Dynasty well.
Looking at Zhu Yunying and then at little Zhu, Old Zhu asked, "You should also pay close attention to the matter of Yin's succession. We've put a lot of effort into getting you to the throne."
Zhu Yunying said with absolute certainty, "Grandfather, rest assured, our Ming Dynasty will definitely establish the eldest son of the legitimate wife. The eldest son of the legitimate wife is the foundation. If we are fortunate enough to see Yin'er's offspring, we will immediately confer titles upon him after ten years."
Zhu Yunying and his son, Xiao Xiao Zhu, were the biggest beneficiaries of the primogeniture system, and naturally had a great fondness for it; there's no doubt about that.
While the primogeniture system is not perfect and certainly has many drawbacks, no perfect system truly exists.
Choosing a worthy successor is often somewhat idealistic, and ultimately depends on the emperor's personal motives. The primogeniture system, on the other hand, seems to offer little choice, allowing for the early elimination of many potential problems, reducing struggles over the throne, and minimizing internal strife.
Hearing Zhu Yunying say this, Zhu Yunying was naturally relieved, because not only did Zhu Yunying approve of the primogeniture system, but his successor also approved of it in his heart.
Little Zhu hurriedly added, "Great-grandfather, we also know that the eldest son born to our future crown princess will grow up to become emperor!"
There's nothing wrong with saying that, because under Old Zhu's teachings and example, Little Zhu was also deeply influenced in many ways. Little Zhu's support for the primogeniture system was something he genuinely endorsed.
Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility of changes as he grows up, but at this stage, Xiao Zhu already has a deep imprint in his heart, recognizing the primogeniture system and its legal principles. There is no need for everyone to worry about this.
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