My Emperor Father Can Read Minds
Chapter 42

Wei Yu was very disappointed.

Hong Zhong and Bai Ban had wised up—nowadays, it wasn’t so easy to scam money out of them anymore. However…

That little fool Xiao Anzi was still an easy mark.

Wei Yu stroked his chin. Still, he couldn’t figure it out: was Chief Eunuch Li really going blind?

Steady and dependable might apply, but—Xiao Anzi, clever??

Oh please.

Who’s the real fool here?

—

“Eunuch Xiao Anzi, here, take this jade—it’s worth over ten taels of silver!”

One of them, slightly taller, hurriedly stuffed a piece of jade into the other’s hand.

Xiao Anzi looked down at the jade. His expression showed neither joy nor sorrow. “This jade is yours. Why should I take it?”

The other eunuch grinned obsequiously and said teasingly, “Oh come on, what are you saying, Eunuch? We’ve known each other for two or three days now—aren’t we already friends? I know you’re an honest man who won’t accept reward without merit, but giving a little gift between friends, that’s normal, isn’t it? Just accept it, please.”

Hmm.

Sounded pretty reasonable.

His Highness had only ever said not to accept rewards without merit, not to return favors out of obligation—he hadn’t said anything about refusing gifts from friends.

In Xiao Anzi’s worldview, “His Highness didn’t say = it’s allowed,” so he understood.

Expression unchanged, he accepted the jade and nodded earnestly. “Mm, thank you for the gift. We’re friends now.”

The gift-giving eunuch, who had prepared seven or eight excuses in case Xiao Anzi refused, froze for a second, then lit up with joy.

“Good, good, thank you, Eunuch, thank you! We’re friends now, so please take good care of me in the future!”

That line kept echoing in Xiao Anzi’s head even after he returned.

Why did the guy thank him after giving him a jade?

Xiao Anzi tilted his head and pondered.

Whenever His Highness gave them silver, he’d also say something like “we’re all friends,” and tell them not to overthink it…

He pulled out the jade again and looked at it, and suddenly—it was like something clicked.

His Highness gave money and said they were friends.

That man gave jade and said they were friends.

Therefore—

Friends = money.

Xiao Anzi was enlightened. For a moment, it was as if his soul had transcended!

So that’s why the man thanked him!

Friends were people who gave him money!

Because they were friends, they’d give him silver!

A perfect logical chain. Xiao Anzi got it.

He smiled, finally having thought of a way to support his not-too-bright Highness.

Yes, that’s right—make friends.

Lots and lots of friends who would give him money!

—

Wei Yu felt like something was off lately.

Or rather, ever since he learned that Xiao Anzi had acknowledged Li Cheng as his godfather, he started noticing strange things.

Usually, unless he paid someone to show up, the palace gates were so empty you wouldn’t even find a rat.

But now… palace folks were coming by to look for Xiao Anzi?

Heavens—coming for Xiao Anzi!?

Just because he called Li Cheng godfather, his social luck suddenly exploded?

And what about him? His dad was the Emperor! Why wasn’t anyone currying favor with him, the Prince!?

Wasn’t this all backwards!?

Wei Yu was speechless.

During dinner, he couldn’t hold back anymore and asked Xiao Anzi, “Why have so many people been looking for you lately? What are they even doing?”

Xiao Anzi, still with that honest and guileless look, replied, “Your Highness, they’re all here to make friends with your humble servant.”

Make friends?

Wei Yu curled his lip.

Tch. Friends, yeah right. More like a bunch of brown-nosers.

Worried the little fool would be taken advantage of—scammed until he didn’t even have underwear left—Wei Yu warned, “Remember what I told you: no reward without merit. If someone gives you money and asks for a favor, don’t agree.”

“No reward without merit; if given money and asked to do something, don’t agree.”

Xiao Anzi committed the words to memory and nodded seriously. “Mm, rest assured, Your Highness. I understand.”

All the silver he took were friendship gifts, so it didn’t count under what His Highness said!

Xiao Anzi may not be that bright, but he was obedient.

Thinking Xiao Anzi had taken the lesson to heart, Wei Yu nodded in satisfaction and dropped the topic, turning his thoughts to the upcoming trip to Cangshan.

After all, the Ghost Festival was just days away. His father was heading to a Buddhist temple on Cangshan to offer prayers, so naturally, the princes had to go too.

Wei Yu could count on one hand how many times he’d even left the palace—let alone the capital.

This was like a school field trip for him. He was already excited, days in advance, thinking about what to bring.

You have to understand—events like these, ceremonies or tours outside the palace, had never included Wei Yu.

In the past, it was either because he was so low-profile his father forgot about him, or he’d been too young to go.

So getting to go this time? Of course he was thrilled.

His excitement lasted all the way until the day before the Ghost Festival.

Why not all the way to the festival?

Heh.

Because he went to bed around midnight and was dragged out of bed at three or four in the morning—to wash up, dress, eat, and then go wait at the palace gate for the Emperor’s departure!

Tell me—with all that torture, how could he possibly be in a good mood?

He almost wanted to collapse on the spot and feign illness!

When the Emperor finally gave the order to depart, Wei Yu did get to sit in a carriage, as he’d hoped.

And he wasn’t alone. The Eighth Prince was there too.

Seeing his Eighth Brother, Wei Yu clambered into the carriage and flopped down without an ounce of grace, using his brother’s leg as a pillow.

The Eighth Prince asked, “What were you sneaking around doing last night?”

“Solving a case.”

Nonsense!

The Eighth Prince didn’t buy it, but seeing Wei Yu already closing his eyes to sleep, he let it go and leaned back against the carriage wall to rest.

The journey to Cangshan would be bumpy, and they’d have to climb the mountain for rituals. It’d be tiring. Rest was important.

Cangshan was about twenty li (10 km) outside the capital. Follow the official road, and you’d get there in two hours.

Along the way, the carriage rocked steadily, and Wei Yu slept like a log.

It wasn’t until they arrived at Cangshan and the attendants called them that the two inside the carriage were awakened.

“What time is it?”

Wei Yu sat up and tried to gather his senses. His Eighth Brother had already lifted the curtain and was asking the situation.

“Replying to the Eighth Prince, we’ve arrived at Cangshan. His Majesty has ordered everyone out of the carriages to prepare for the climb.”

The temple was built on the mountain; carriages couldn’t go up—everyone had to walk.

Wei Yu lifted the curtain, curious, and looked outside.

Everything was green. Mountains surrounded them in the distance, and along the road ahead and behind, you could faintly see signs of commoners who had set up stalls—though they’d now been cleared to the sides by guards.

During the clearing, Wei Yu spotted a frail, bony little girl, who seemed to have been helping her grandfather when someone shoved her, causing her to fall hard to the ground.

Hiss—

That fall looked bad. Wei Yu instinctively frowned.

Wasn’t that excessive use of force?

She was just a little girl. An old man. Even if they were slow, there was no need to shove them.