When Zhu Xiong Ying appeared, the civil and military nobles who had been waiting stood up in unison and said, "Your Highness, may Your Highness live a long life."

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled and raised his hand, saying, "No need for formalities, please take a seat. This is not the imperial court."

This wasn't in the imperial court, but these civil and military nobles dared not be careless. Each and every one of them knew their own position, rank, and the clear distinction between civil and military officials.

Not all of Zhu Xiong Ying's major dukes had arrived yet. Li Jinglong and Chang Mao were leading troops in the field, and Fu Youde was stationed at the Nine Garrisons. The only one currently in Beiping was Xu Yungong, who could be considered the head of the nobility.

Xu Yungong was the eldest son of Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, and now the Duke of Wei, as well as the brother-in-law of the Crown Prince. These identities elevated Xu Yungong's status, and naturally, the nobles wanted to align themselves with him.

In fact, the nobles under Zhu Xiong Ying's command all held rather special positions.

Leaving Xu Da aside, Chang Mao was Chang Yuchun's son, another figurehead in the military, and also Zhu Xiong Ying's uncle. Li Jinglong was different, mainly because of his special status; he was Li Wenzhong's son, and could be considered a royal figurehead in the military.

Fu Youde's position may not seem particularly special, but he is considered one of the most formidable generals in the Ming Dynasty. This veteran of many battles is also Zhu Xiong Ying's most capable military leader.

Looking at his civil and military officials, Zhu Xiong Ying raised his wine cup, "This cup is to His Majesty the Emperor!"

The civil and military nobles immediately rose, raised their wine cups in a toast, and shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"

This cup must be drunk to the brim; this is a certainty. It's something that must be done well. Since everyone here works in official circles, there are naturally some things to be mindful of. This cup of wine must indeed be offered to Old Zhu, and then to Great Zhu.

Zhu Xiong Ying was in a good mood and said to Xu Yun Gong, "Duke of Wei, drink this cup to the brim!"

Xu Yungong immediately drank the wine, his meaning unspoken. He was now completely bound to the Crown Prince's cause. The Xu and Chang families were now Zhu Xiong Ying's most staunch allies, their interests closely tied to Zhu Xiong Ying's position.

Many civil and military nobles were envious. In fact, many people said that His Highness the Crown Prince's position was stable and unparalleled. However, the position of the Imperial Grandson was equally unparalleled. His Majesty the Emperor was likely worried about changes after his death, so he tied almost all of the most reliable and powerful nobles of the Ming Dynasty to the Imperial Grandson's cause.

Talking about ancestral rules is a joke. The current crown prince is also very capable. If he really wanted to depose the crown prince after ascending the throne, there might be resistance, but it wouldn't be impossible. But now it's different. If he were still thinking about 'deposing the crown prince' back then, a large part of the Ming court would be purged, making it difficult to depose him even if he wanted to.

At this moment, Ru Chang also stood up, raised her wine cup, and said, "Your Highness, I would like to offer you a toast. I hope Your Highness will grant me permission."

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Ru Chang with a smile and said, "Oh? If the companion can't explain it, then I won't drink this wine."

Ru Chang was very excited. He had once been the Crown Prince's study companion. Even though he was now a third-rank official, his proudest achievement was being the Crown Prince's study companion. He could definitely be considered a minister in the Crown Prince's pre-reign residence, which was why he held a special position under the Crown Prince.

Ru Chang spoke, saying to Zhu Xiong Ying, "On Your Highness's wedding day, I offer you a toast!"

"That's a good reason," Zhu Xiong Ying laughed. "I should drink this cup, but my alcohol tolerance is only so-so. Wei Gong, Lian An, and Zi Xing, you should also have a drink with me."

Lian Zining and Huang Zicheng immediately stood up, much to the envy of the other civil officials. This cup of wine was not something an ordinary person could drink; only the most trusted confidants of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty were qualified to offer it to His Highness.

At this point, it seems that one can discern whether someone is close to another or distant from them. In this day and age, the 'sage's favor' and 'being favored by the emperor's heart' are more important than anything else; this is the key to whether they can hold a high position.

The atmosphere in the lobby was nice, but somewhat serious, mainly because everyone knew their special status and dared not be careless.

As for the inner palace, Xu Miaoqing tried her best to maintain an air of authority. Many of these court ladies could be her mother or even her grandmother, but they all sat properly according to their status and rank.

Xu Miaoqing suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Ru Li has been His Highness's study companion for a long time and has made great contributions. Ru Li is good at managing the household. I have heard that your son is very talented. His Highness has bestowed upon him the Four Treasures of the Study, hoping that your son will serve the court when he grows up."

Ru Chang's wife, Li, immediately stepped forward, knelt down to express her gratitude, and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you!"

A maid carried over the writing implements and handed them to Ru Li Shi amidst the envy of the other noblewomen.

Xu Miaoqing smiled and said, "Your service as a companion is commendable and deserves a reward. Here, I bestow upon you a phoenix hairpin."

This made Lady Ruli even more excited. The writing implements were a gift because of Ru Chang. But this phoenix hairpin was a gift from the Crown Prince's Consort. Clearly, such a phoenix hairpin was not for ordinary people to wear; it was also made by the Emperor.

Most noblewomen were envious; they dared not even dream of receiving a phoenix hairpin. Perhaps only if their husbands or descendants became confidants of the Crown Prince and established their own powerful families would they have a chance to receive such a reward.

Xu Miaoqing glanced at it with a smile and said, "Lian Chenshi."

Lian Zining's wife immediately stood up, with a pretty girl standing beside her. "Your Majesty, I am here."

Xu Miaoqing smiled and nodded, then said, "No need to be so formal. Are all the dowry items prepared in your household?"

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