The correct answer is:
b The Ming Empire’s return to traditional Confucian values was a direct response to the foreign rule China had been under during the Yuan Dynasty.
After the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty sought to establish legitimacy and unify the Chinese people by reinstating traditional Confucian values, which emphasized social harmony, hierarchy, and proper governance. This was partly a reaction to the foreign nature of the Yuan rule, which was seen as a departure from native Chinese culture and customs.