Everyone has their own ambitions. Some people become officials not to get promoted or make money, but to do things that benefit the country and the people, to leave a name in history and to benefit the world.

Zhu Yunying could indeed be somewhat proud, as he had some capable ministers and officials in his court. He wanted to be a wise ruler, and naturally, he needed the assistance of virtuous ministers.

This was a stroke of good fortune for Zhu Yunying. With such capable ministers and officials, he could act freely and was confident in governing the country better. This was not a matter for one person alone; one person simply could not do these things well.

For many civil and military officials, encountering a wise and powerful emperor, one with lofty ambitions, was an incredibly fortunate thing. Perhaps their emperor had some shortcomings, but he provided them with ample opportunities and a platform to showcase their talents—that in itself was a form of luck.

After all, many capable civil and military officials had their enthusiasm gradually worn down by repeated suspicions, or by constant infighting, which caused them to drift with the tide and slowly forget their original intentions.

For Emperor Yingying, the current state of the court was reassuring. As for her ministers, they could better showcase their talents; as long as they were capable, they would have no shortage of opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.

It was a day off, but for Zhu Yunying, it seemed like he hadn't rested at all.

Although he did not attend the morning court session, he reviewed a considerable number of memorials and discussed matters with some ministers.

However, Zhu Yunying felt no dissatisfaction. For someone with a strong desire for power, all of this was enjoyable. If he were to spend his days eating, drinking, and having fun, he would feel uncomfortable and useless.

Being a good emperor, governing the Ming Dynasty well, and creating a peaceful and prosperous era—this was Zhu Yunying's pursuit and dream.

In fact, Zhu Yunying was well aware that in such a feudal dynasty, the monarch's ability and qualities determined the rise and fall of the dynasty. It could also be said that the quality of an emperor determined the officials in the court.

Zhu Yunying had also pondered this, noting that every dynasty has its interesting phenomena. For example, when a dynasty is prosperous, there are bound to be wise rulers and capable officials in the court, and the stories that circulate about these wise rulers and virtuous ministers are often the subject of praise.

When a dynasty declines, there will inevitably be incompetent rulers and all sorts of treacherous officials and villains.

Zhu Yunying dared not claim that his court was entirely composed of capable officials, and he understood that there were also some who held positions without merit. However, overall, the atmosphere in the court was relatively good, providing many with excellent opportunities to fully utilize their abilities.

Yan Zhenzhi is a good example. This minister, who came from a wealthy family, had the opportunity to become famous for all time, and it was not impossible for him to become a renowned official whose name would be remembered for eternity.

In truth, Yan Zhenzhi should be grateful to the Hongwu Emperor and the Yingshi Emperor, since his background wasn't particularly good; he certainly didn't come from a qualified civil service family. However, these two ambitious and enlightened emperors didn't care about Yan Zhenzhi's origins; what they valued was his ability, which gave him the opportunity to become an important minister in the court.

Back at the Eastern Palace, Zhu Yunying was in a good mood. He said to Xu Miaoqing, "We read the memorial today. Your elder brother should be able to return to Yingtian Prefecture within half a month. Speaking of which, this Imperial Brother-in-law is quite hardworking. Other Imperial Brother-in-laws should be enjoying a life of luxury and wealth. But our Imperial Brother-in-law is always running around, and he may end up doing things that offend people."

Xu Miaoqing smiled gently and said, "It is thanks to His Majesty's trust that my elder brother has the opportunity to serve the court. My father often warned me in my early years that we were originally farmers from Fengyang, and it was only because of the Emperor's trust that we had the opportunity to be granted titles and ranks."

Zhu Yunying chuckled and said, “The Prince of Zhongshan is indeed a respectful person, so the Prince of Zhongshan’s family has a good family tradition. When we were choosing a Crown Prince’s wife in the early years, it shouldn’t have been you. Our mother came from the Prince of Kaiping’s family. If we were to have another wife from the Prince of Zhongshan’s family, it would be a different story if the maternal relatives became too powerful. The main concern is that it would give our father a headache.”

Xu Miaoqing remained silent at this point. In truth, she had never imagined that she would become the Crown Prince's consort, a lawfully wedded member of the Zhu family. After all, everyone knew about both her and Zhu Yunying's backgrounds.

Looking at Xu Miaoqing, Zhu Yunying said, "This time, the Duke of Zhongshan should have been rewarded for his merits. Who said that Fu Youde was the commander-in-chief in this campaign against Goryeo? It's just that everyone knows that the Duke of Zhongshan led an army alone. Over the years, people have said that the Duke of Zhongshan benefited from your influence. But if we ask you, if he didn't have an empress sister, the Duke of Zhongshan would definitely be more valued."

Xu Miaoqing then said, "Your Majesty is too kind. When my father was alive in the early years, he also said that although my elder brother had some talent and knew some military strategy, he was just a cautious person."

Zhu Yunying pinched Xu Miaoqing's chin and said with a laugh, "Being more cautious is a good thing. The Prince of Zhongshan is known for his cautious approach to military affairs, and the Duke of Zhongshan can be considered to have surpassed him. What our Great Ming Dynasty needs now is stability, and the Duke of Zhongshan's temperament is just right. Our Great Ming Dynasty is strong and powerful, so being more cautious is just the right thing to do."

Xu Miaoqing seemed a little shy and said, "This concubine only has the views of a woman. I only heard my father talk about these state affairs in my early years."

Zhu Yunying smiled and said, "This time, the Duke of Zhongshan will probably offend a lot of people when he comes back. We don't plan to let him be idle this time. There are many things that he should do. We don't trust others to do them. We reckon that if others do them, they won't do them well either."

Xu Miaoqing thought for a moment and asked, "Your Majesty, does this concubine know what my elder brother should do?"

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