The playboy county magistrate

Pei Yuting gently shook his head and smiled in response.

"Turbulent times are easy to quell, but people's hearts are hard to settle. Storms may subside at any time, but true peace can never be achieved. Today's cleansing of corruption is only temporary stability. If the ruler becomes complacent and governance becomes lax, new factions and corruption will inevitably arise in the future."

"I understand." The Crown Prince's eyes brightened, clear and bright. "A prosperous era is never static; it is the result of daily vigilance and yearly perseverance. A ruler must not neglect his duties for a single day, nor fail to exercise oversight for a single day."

Pei Yuting's eyes lit up with a relieved smile, and he gently patted his shoulder.

"Your Highness possesses exceptional comprehension; you grasp concepts instantly, which is truly rare."

Pei Yuting instilled these things for two reasons: firstly, these were essential learning materials for the crown prince; secondly, he wanted to take advantage of the crown prince's youth to quickly instill in him things beneficial to Li Xuanzhi, lest the crown prince, after ascending the throne, actually purge Li Xuanzhi for paving the way for his imperial power.

As the two were discussing scholarship, they heard soft footsteps outside the door.

"teacher."

Upon seeing Li Xuanzhi enter, the Crown Prince immediately stood up, bowed respectfully, and displayed a humble demeanor.

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand in a gesture of support, his gaze sweeping over the dense annotations on the table, his eyes filled with even greater approval.

"Did you find today's homework quite helpful?"

"Reporting to Master, I just discussed with Mr. Pei the way to ensure stable governance and have gained some insights," the Crown Prince replied frankly, standing upright. "However, I still have a question that I would like to ask Master to answer."

"Go ahead," Li Xuanzhi said, slowly taking a seat and waiting patiently.

"Many have said that powerful ministers never meet a good end." The Crown Prince's expression was calm. "I know that you, my teacher, are loyal and devoted to the country and its people, and I certainly don't mean that about you. But I don't understand why people so firmly believe that powerful ministers will ultimately be discarded once their usefulness is over? Is it truly impossible for a harmonious relationship between ruler and minister to last?"

Pei Yuting frowned slightly upon hearing this, puzzled as to why His Highness the Crown Prince would raise such a question. He also turned to look at Li Xuanzhi, awaiting his answer.

This is an unsolvable problem for rulers and ministers throughout history, an invisible sword hanging over Li Xuanzhi's head, a shackle that no one can break.

Li Xuanzhi lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes and looked directly into the Crown Prince's clear eyes, speaking sincerely and frankly without any pretense.

"This statement by the world is not without basis, but it is too one-sided."

"Throughout history, powerful ministers have rarely met a good end, and the reasons for this can be summarized in two points."

"Firstly, with power in hand, arrogance and extravagance gradually arise. Forgetting their original aspirations, they develop boundless greed and selfishness, ultimately becoming the source of chaos."

"Secondly, the relationship between the ruler and his ministers soured. The ruler feared power and became suspicious of others. Once his achievements were secured, he would execute virtuous ministers to secure his imperial power."

He slowed his speech, taught patiently, and every word came from the bottom of his heart.

"But fate is never predetermined; it is the human heart. If a minister can uphold his principles, remain humble despite great achievements, and not seek personal gain despite powerful positions, then there is no way for him to die. If a ruler can trust his virtuous ministers, employ people without suspicion, and reward and punish them fairly, then there will be no reason for his ministers to feel disheartened."

The crown prince listened intently, never looking away.

Li Xuanzhi met his gaze, his tone becoming increasingly solemn.

"Your Majesty's trust in me is unparalleled throughout history. My loyalty to Dayong is unwavering, even unto death. Remember these words today. When you rule the world one day, if my loyalty remains unchanged, I hope you will uphold the bond between ruler and subject that we share today. Do not betray a wise minister, and do not let your loyalty falter."

The crown prince, with a solemn expression, bowed deeply and responded respectfully.

"I will heed your teachings. When I ascend the throne, I will treat virtuous ministers with sincerity and govern the court with fairness. I will not believe slander, nor harbor suspicion. I will protect the loyal and virtuous, safeguard the nation, and never be a heartless ruler who discards his subjects after they are no longer needed!"

This promise, clear and firm, carries immense weight.

Regardless of what the future holds, this moment represents the Crown Prince's most solemn promise to his mentor and to the future ministers of the Great Yong Dynasty.

Li Xuanzhi felt a warmth in his heart and nodded with a smile, "Very good."

Pei Yuting stood to the side, feeling much more at ease.

With the master and disciple sharing the same heart, and the ruler and his subjects remaining true to their original aspirations, this is the most solid foundation for the prosperous era of the Great Yong Dynasty.

If the crown prince had grown up as he is now, Li Xuanzhi would not have been in trouble, his younger sister would not have been harmed, and the Pei family, with whom he had a marriage alliance, would have been fine.

Pei Yuting suddenly remembered the good news the physician had brought him before he left home that morning.

In a few months, a new life will be born into the Pei family.

Li Xuanzhi looked around in confusion, not quite understanding why his wife, who usually loved to personally take care of the Crown Prince, hadn't come to bring him any soup or snacks at this hour.

Could it be that he or she is feeling unwell?

Seeing Li Xuanzhi's appearance, Pei Yuting suddenly remembered that he had been in the same situation back then, and couldn't help but smile knowingly.

"Qingyuan went back to her parents' home to help take care of her sister-in-law."

Li Xuanzhi thought to himself: With so many servants and maids in the Pei family, why would a married sister-in-law need to specially return to her parents' home to take care of them?

unless……

Li Xuanzhi seemed to suddenly remember something, and smiled as he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Pei Yuting.

Congratulations in advance!

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand to look at the sky, then looked at the Crown Prince and said softly:

"That concludes today's lessons. His Majesty's health is gradually stabilizing, and he is preoccupied with state affairs and the Crown Prince's studies. He has summoned His Highness the Crown Prince to accompany me to the palace for an audience tomorrow."

"Yes, teacher." The prince obediently replied, neatly tidying up his books, and walked towards his bedroom without looking back.

Li Xuanzhi chuckled and nudged Pei Yuting's shoulder lightly. "Want a drink?"

Pei Yuting raised an eyebrow and smiled gently in agreement. "A couple of drinks are fine. You still have to take His Highness the Crown Prince to the palace tomorrow, so there can't be any mishaps."

If it weren't for the imperial decree ordering Pei Yuting to tutor the Crown Prince at the Li residence, he wouldn't have left his pregnant wife at home to come here.

Now that Pei Qingyuan is Li Xuanzhi's wife and the proper mistress of the Li family, she naturally doesn't visit her parents' home often.

The only remaining masters of the Pei household are Pei Yuting and his wife.

Pei Yuting needed to stay at the Li residence to teach the Crown Prince, so it was naturally inconvenient for him to travel back and forth every day. Forcing the couple to live separately was indeed too cruel.

Furthermore, pregnant women always need reliable caregivers. Li Xuanzhi was forced to make so many enemies, and it was hard to guarantee that some people would think he was difficult to deal with and then target his wife's family.

Leaving a pregnant woman alone with a group of maids and servants to guard the house is extremely dangerous.

After personally meeting with the Crown Prince, Pei Yuting finally decided to have his wife live with him at the Li residence.

only……

What are your concerns?

Seeing his hesitant manner, Li Xuanzhi realized that he had something to say but didn't know where to begin, so he took the initiative to ask him.

Pei Yuting looked around, as if worried that someone might be eavesdropping, and moved the round stool under his buttocks carefully closer to Li Xuanzhi, speaking so softly that Li Xuanzhi could barely hear him.