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

Half a day later.

Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Di put down the memorial in his hand and stretched.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded inside the hall.

"Grandpa Emperor~"

"Do you miss me?"

Before Zhu Di could react, Zhu Zhanjun threw himself into his arms.

boom!

He felt as if he had been hit by a carriage, his chest jolted violently.

Zhu Di grinned.

damn it.

The child is getting bigger and heavier.

His old bones were almost broken by the impact.

Zhu Di patted Zhu Zhanjun's head.

"Zhanjun..."

"Why are you here?"

"Shouldn't we be going to the Imperial College today?"

Zhu Zhanjun found a comfortable position in Zhu Di's arms.

"Grandfather, I have already been to the Imperial Academy."

"Truly worthy of being the premier academy of our Great Ming Dynasty."

"There's a wealth of talent here."

Zhu Di chuckled.

He thought to himself, "I had Yang Rong take you to the Imperial Academy so that you could broaden your horizons."

One should not look down on others just because one is talented.

He offered words of comfort.

"Zhanjun should not underestimate himself."

"Your talent far surpasses theirs."

Zhu Zhanjun nodded in deep agreement.

"Grandpa is right."

"However, I've discovered that not everyone at the Imperial Academy is talented."

"There are bad apples in there too."

Zhu Di gave an "oh" and stroked his beard.

"That's true, it's a mixed bag."

"Then you should go to the Imperial College less often in the future."

Zhu Zhanjun blinked his dark, round eyes.

"Then there will be no bad apples."

Zhu Di: "???"

What? If I told you to go less often, there wouldn't be any bad apples.

Are you the black sheep?

He rubbed his temples.

"Zhanjun, did you cause any trouble at the Imperial College today?"

Zhu Zhanjun patted his chest.

"Grandpa, look at me! Do you think I'm the kind of person who likes to do bad things?"

He merely suggested to the Imperial Academy that monthly, mid-term, and opening-of-term tests be added.

Zhu Di fell into deep thought.

You little rascal, you're just like everyone else.

He said with a smile.

"Are you coming with me to see your older brother later?"

"Your eldest brother fell into the water yesterday and was frightened. This morning, the Crown Prince's Palace sent word that he caught a chill..."

Zhu Zhanjun's eyes darted around.

"My older brother is my dearest friend and family."

"I have to go check it out."

"But Grandfather, you'll have to wait. I can't go empty-handed."

Zhu Di stroked his beard.

"You little rascal, you really know how to be polite. Alright, your imperial grandfather will wait for you."

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled, then dashed out in a flash.

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

Half an hour later.

Zhu Di was pacing in the Qianqing Palace, wondering what Zhu Zhanjun was up to this time, when he saw Zhu Zhanjun carrying an exquisite rosewood food box, running back with his short legs.

"Grandpa, you've been waiting a long time!" Zhu Zhanjun raised his little face, patted the food box in his hand, "I brought some delicious food for my older brother, I guarantee he'll be full of energy after eating it!"

Zhu Di looked at the food box in his hand with some curiosity: "Oh? What's this made?"

"Hehe, it's a secret!" Zhu Zhanjun shook the food box mysteriously. "This is a token of my appreciation. I guarantee you've never seen this before, and you'll never forget it even after eating it for the rest of your life."

Zhu Di found his mischievous appearance amusing and nodded, "Alright, then come with me to the Eastern Palace to see your elder brother."

A moment later, the grandfather and grandson set off for the East Palace.

Inside the carriage.

Zhu Di was curious when he saw Zhu Zhanjun carrying the food box like it was a precious treasure.

"Zhanjun, did you make this yourself?"

Zhu Zhanjun shook his head and said.

"Of course, Grandfather."

Zhu Di stroked his beard with some surprise.

"Zhanjun, you can cook?"

Zhu Zhanjun's clear black and white eyes widened in surprise.

"Grandpa, you underestimate me."

"I am skilled in tasting and appreciating the cuisines of Jiangsu, Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Anhui. I am proficient in writing Chinese characters for cooking techniques such as steaming, boiling, pan-frying, deep-frying, stewing, roasting, and stir-frying. I am also familiar with the basic shapes of hot cooking utensils such as knives, ladles, spoons, pestles, and kettles..."

Zhu Di: "???"

About an incense stick later.

When the grandfather and grandson arrived at the East Palace, Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi and Crown Princess Zhang had already come out to greet them.

Upon seeing Zhu Di's arrival, the two quickly bowed.

Zhu Di waved his hand.

"How is Zhanji doing?"

Zhu Gaochi hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, the imperial physician examined him and said that he had caught a cold and was also frightened, so he needs to rest for a few days."

"I'm taking my medicine now."

Zhang added from the side.

"Kier still has a fever and doesn't seem to be feeling well..."

Zhu Di nodded: "Take me to see it."

Zhu Gaoxu nodded.

The group entered Zhu Zhanji's bedroom.

Zhu Zhanji was seen leaning against the headboard, with a young girl of about the same age feeding him medicine. The girl was pretty, but her cheekbones were slightly high, making her look a bit mean. Fortunately, she was still young, and overall she was a rather remarkable beauty.

Zhu Zhanji was pale and listless. When he saw Zhu Di enter, he struggled to get out of bed to pay his respects.

"Alright, lie down." Zhu Di walked to the bedside.

The girl next to him quickly bowed.

"This humble woman, surnamed Sun, greets Your Majesty."

Zhu Di nodded slightly, paying no attention to the woman, but Zhu Zhanjun glanced at her a few more times.

Tsk, is this the legendary Empress Dowager Sun?

He's a legendary figure.

Of course, his son is also a legend.

Zhu Di carefully observed Changsun's expression and smiled.

"How does it feel?"

"Grandson is fine, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Zhu Zhanji's voice was a little hoarse. His gaze swept over Zhu Zhanjun behind Zhu Di, and he suddenly felt a little angry.

That bastard son of a bitch, letting a man kiss him.

This has caused him to be the subject of much criticism throughout the palace.

He fell ill this morning, partly because he was angry.

Damn it, the culprit is Zhu Zhanjun!

If Zhu Di hadn't been there, he would have spat in Zhu Zhanjun's face.

Zhu Zhanjun came closer and chuckled.

"Big brother, are you alright?"

"If you ask me, you need to exercise more regularly."

"Since the founding emperor conquered the world on horseback, which prince of our Great Ming Dynasty wasn't skilled in archery and horsemanship, and physically strong?"

"Look at my imperial grandfather! He charged into battle during the Jingnan Rebellion, and he can still draw his bow a hundred times a day!"

"If you had practiced more, you wouldn't have slipped and fallen into the lake yesterday!"

"Grandpa Emperor said that a man should be strong and vigorous, not weak and frail."

"Otherwise, I won't be able to handle my wife!"

[Ding! You have obtained a golden treasure chest!]

Zhu Zhanji's face flushed red with anger.

Is this kid trying to find ways to say he's weak?

The people inside the room looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhu Di coughed lightly.

"Zhanjun, when did I say that?"

Zhu Zhanjun spread his hands.

"These words were spoken by my grandfather, who was over fifty years old and could still sleep with six women in one night."

"Didn't you say that?"

Zhu Di straightened his back and coughed lightly.

"I remember now, I think I did say that."

Everyone: "..."

Zhu Zhanji felt a sudden pang of toothache.

This brat is so sharp-tongued, how come Grandpa Emperor falls for his tricks?

Zhu Zhanjun glanced at Madam Sun beside him and chuckled.

"Oh, this must be my future sister-in-law?"

"Brother Ji, I heard that your wife has been in the palace for about two and a half years now."

These words made Mrs. Sun blush with embarrassment.

Although everyone knows she will become one of Zhu Zhanji's concubines in the future, she doesn't have a formal title yet.

Fortunately, no one present made fun of her about it.

Zhu Zhanji's face twitched.

"At most, it's one year, so where did the two and a half years come from?"

Zhu Zhanjun was amazed.

"Brother Ji, to be honest, your sister-in-law isn't good-looking."

As soon as these words were spoken, Madam Sun burst out laughing.

She suddenly realized that her younger brother, Zhu Zhanjun, whom Zhu Zhanji usually spoke of as someone he wished he could tear apart, wasn't so hateful after all.

She's still so cute.

Sun said with a smile.

"Then, Your Highness, Prince Jiyang, please tell the truth..."

Zhu Zhanjun said matter-of-factly.

"My sister-in-law is really not good-looking."

[Ding! You have obtained a golden treasure chest!]