The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Now, they've actually added one for the Prince of Huai?

What does Your Majesty mean by this?

The officials remained outwardly calm, bowing their heads in solemnity.

But in everyone's heart, there was a turbulent undercurrent.

"The Imperial Guard...that was a personal guard specially established by Emperor Taizu for the Eastern Palace!"

"Since the Lan Yu case, this guard has existed in name only. Your Majesty actually intends to restore it today and grant it to the Prince of Huai?"

"Increased stipends, granted land, appointed to control the customs, and assigned to the textile bureau... these favors far exceed the regulations for a prince, almost on par with those for the crown prince!"

"Is Your Majesty's move... paving the way for the Prince of Huai?"

Countless thoughts raced through the minds of the cabinet ministers, ministers, and nobles.

They kept their eyes down, not daring to look up and meet the emperor's unfathomable gaze.

Only the fingers hidden in her sleeves, trembling slightly or clenched tightly, betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

Yang Rong, Jin Youzi, and other cabinet ministers remained outwardly calm, but inwardly they were already rapidly calculating the profound impact this matter would have on the court and the succession.

Zhu Gaochi, who was standing at the front of the group, seemed to freeze at that moment, his obese body stiff.

He lowered his head slightly, his face was ashen, but fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.

He tried to remain calm, but his tightly pursed lips and slightly trembling beard betrayed the turmoil within him.

What Father Emperor did was more than just a favor.

This is clearly a declaration to the world that Zhu Zhanjun's importance in his heart is immense!

How could he, as the crown prince, bear this?

Zhu Zhanji stood behind Zhu Gaochi, his face deathly pale.

He bit his lower lip so hard it almost bled.

His eyes were filled with disbelief, humiliation, and deep resentment.

The vanguard of the government troops!

Those are personal guards that only the crown prince is entitled to have!

Grandfather actually gave it to that little brat Zhu Zhanjun!

This is more embarrassing and more despairing for him than a direct slap in the face!

He felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown in front of everyone.

Zhu Gaoxu was stunned for a moment, then the muscles on his rugged face began to tremble uncontrollably. Then, a look of wild joy surged up like a tide, making his face turn completely red.

He almost burst into laughter, but he managed to hold it back, only grinning and showing off his white teeth, his smile wide and uncontrollable.

He turned to look at his son kneeling before the emperor, his eyes filled with unprecedented pride and smugness.

good boy!

That really made him proud!

Once the vanguard of the imperial guard is restored, who would dare to underestimate his son's position in the court?

Zhu Gaosui shrank behind his second brother, his eyes darting around. He looked at the emperor, then at the ashen-faced crown prince and his son, and then at his smug second brother, secretly clicking his tongue in disbelief.

The wind direction changed so fast!

It seems that the world of the Ming Dynasty is about to change.

A subtle and oppressive atmosphere permeated the area outside Chengtian Gate.

Only the spring sunshine still shines brightly, illuminating the "Huai" character king flag that flutters in the wind.

After hearing Zhu Di's bestowal of titles and honors, Zhu Zhanjun respectfully replied.

"Your Majesty's kindness is so great that I am deeply humbled."

"The success of the Jurong affair was due to the Emperor's trust, the dedication of the physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy, and the unity of the people of Jurong."

"I was merely following orders; how dare I claim all the credit?"

He paused, then looked up.

"The Imperial Guard was a personal guard specially established by Emperor Taizu for the Eastern Palace. It was a grand and solemn force. I, your grandson, am too young and lack virtue to be worthy of such an important position."

"I humbly request Your Majesty to rescind your order and select another capable person to command this guard."

"Your grandson only wishes to do his humble best to share the burdens of His Majesty and serve the Ming Dynasty, and dares not have the slightest thought of overstepping his bounds."

Upon hearing this, all the officials inside and outside the hall nodded secretly, praising it in their hearts.

Although the Prince of Huai is young, he is prudent in his conduct and deeply understands the ways of a ruler and his subjects; he is truly an extraordinary person.

Zhu Di gazed at his grandson kneeling before him, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke:

"Zhanjun, get up."

Zhu Zhanjun stood up as instructed, with his hands at his sides.

Zhu Di walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"I reward you because you deserve it."

"If it weren't for your composure and extraordinary courage in the face of danger, how could the matter in Jurong have been resolved so successfully?"

"I have made up my mind about the matter of the Imperial Guards, and you need not refuse any longer."

Zhu Zhanjun heard this.

"Your grandson thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! I will certainly do my utmost to live up to Your Majesty's expectations and to serve the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Di nodded in satisfaction and turned to Meng Ji, saying, "Pass on my decree: Three days from now, a sacrificial ceremony will be held at the Imperial Ancestral Temple to announce to Emperor Taizu and all our ancestors that the Ming Dynasty has obtained the vaccine for smallpox and that the disease can be eradicated! Prince Huai, Zhu Zhanjun, will accompany me to perform the ceremony."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Meng Ji quickly replied.

These words sparked another round of hushed discussion within the hall.

The sacrificial ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple is a grand national event, and Your Majesty's decision to bring the Prince of Huai along undoubtedly places him among the nation's meritorious officials, highlighting his exalted status.

Zhu Zhanji stood in the crowd, his face ashen, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, but he could only grit his teeth and remain silent.

Zhu Gaoxu grinned from ear to ear, wishing he could clap and cheer on the spot.

Zhu Di took one last look at Zhu Zhanjun.

"Zhanjun, you must be tired from your journey. Go back to your residence and rest."

"Your grandson obeys." Zhu Zhanjun bowed respectfully.

......................

The Eastern Palace.

The candlelight flickered.

As soon as Zhu Zhanji entered the room, he ripped off his apricot-yellow robe and threw it to the ground, then kicked over the rosewood flower table next to him.

"Bang!"

The flower stand fell to the ground, and a celadon vase on it shattered, shards flying everywhere.

"Your Highness, please calm down!" Jin Ying, the eunuch standing to the side, hurriedly stepped forward, but was pushed away by Zhu Zhanji.

"Get out! All of you, get out of here!"

The eunuchs and palace maids were terrified, their faces ashen. They hurriedly bowed and retreated from the hall, gently closing the door behind them.

Zhu Gaochi sat in the grand chair, feeling a pang of heartache as he looked at his son's distraught state.

This little brat, doesn't he pay for the things he smashed?

Zhu Zhanji paced back and forth in the hall a few times, then suddenly stopped, turned to face Zhu Gaochi, his eyes blazing with fury:

"Father! Did you see that?"

"Did you see that?"

"The vanguard of the Imperial Guard!"

"Those were the personal guards left to the Crown Prince by Emperor Taizu!"

"Grandpa Emperor actually gave it to that little brat Zhu Zhanjun!"

"An additional five thousand bushels of grain! Three thousand hectares of land! The fertile lands of Yangzhou and Suzhou! Customs duties! Textile Bureau! Vermilion Bird Banner! Azure Dragon Banner! His rank in court assembly will be first among all princes! He will only need to perform half a bow when meeting the Crown Prince!"

"A seat before the Emperor! A forum for discussing state affairs! Is this the treatment a prince should receive? This is the Crown Prince! This is the Eastern Palace! This is the pomp and circumstance reserved for the Crown Prince!"

"What does Grandfather mean by this? What exactly does he mean?!"

Zhu Zhanji clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot.

"How high is he trying to elevate Zhu Zhanjun? Does he think I, the eldest grandson of the emperor, mean nothing to my grandfather?!"

He raised his foot and kicked a low stool next to him, sending it flying. The stool crashed into a pillar with a dull thud.

"Jurong! Smallpox! Cowpox!" Zhu Zhanji sneered. "He only stayed in the epidemic area for a month, only tested a terrible method with human lives, only got lucky! Why? Why should he take all the credit? Why should he receive such a generous reward?"

He walked up to Zhu Gaochi.

"Father, haven't you realized it yet? Grandfather is going to change the heir apparent! He's going to hand over the Ming Dynasty to that seven-year-old boy!"

"I, Zhu Zhanji, the eldest grandson of the emperor, the eldest son born of the legitimate wife, was personally taught by my grandfather since childhood, yet in the end, I am inferior to a mere child!"

Zhu Gaochi abruptly raised his head and said in a deep voice, "Shut up!"

Zhu Zhanji was slightly taken aback by his shout.

"Father! How long are you going to endure this?"

"Look at the court today, Second Uncle is grinning from ear to ear!"

"Those cabinet ministers and nobles, aren't they all shrewd and calculating? Don't you know what they're thinking?"

Zhu Gaochi slowly stood up, his obese body trembling slightly. He walked to Zhu Zhanji, gazing at his son with a complex expression. After a long while, he sighed.

"Zhanji, you've been far too out of line today."

Zhu Zhanji clenched his fists.

"Father, are you going to say it's my fault again?"

"The problem isn't me, it's the world."