My Emperor Father Can Read Minds
Chapter 56

Liu Er’ya’s teaching issue hadn’t been resolved yet, and now suddenly this Liu Huaiyuan had appeared.

The man was clearly in trouble, wanted to make money, and was talented—would Wei Yu let someone like that slip through his fingers?

Of course not!

So Wei Yu extended an offer to him.

“Since you need money, it just so happens I’ve got a job. It’s to teach a child how to read and write—five taels of silver a month, food and lodging included. Gifts during the holidays. If the teaching goes well, I’ll raise your pay. The child is smart, and you can teach however you see fit. What do you think?”

Liu Huaiyuan was stunned.

And he wasn’t the only one—so was the Fourth Prince.

Was Ninth Brother crazy? He was just randomly hiring someone to be a tutor?

Liu Huaiyuan hadn’t responded yet when the Fourth Prince quickly pulled Wei Yu aside and asked, “Who are you hiring him to teach? The palace and noble families already have teachers—surely that’s more than enough?”

The Grand Tutor might be excellent, but even he wouldn’t go teach Liu Er’ya.

Wei Yu patted his Fourth Brother on the shoulder and casually said, “Fourth Brother, you don’t need to worry about this. I have my reasons.”

Then he turned back to Liu Huaiyuan and asked again, “So, would you be willing?”

Liu Huaiyuan didn’t accept immediately.

He thought for a moment, then gave a calm smile and said, “If Your Excellency is willing to offer the opportunity, I may not be highly qualified, but I’m willing to give it a try. However, I still have a few matters at home to take care of. Would it be alright if I come by to visit once those are settled?”

“Of course, absolutely.”

Thinking that the man would be coming to visit, Wei Yu looked at his Fourth Brother. “Fourth Brother, when the time comes, could you help host him?”

The Fourth Prince was speechless. “Whatever.”

The man had already agreed—surely he couldn’t refuse such a small favor?

Wei Yu relaxed and pointed to his Fourth Brother. “This is my Fourth Brother. Once you’re done with your matters, come visit the Prince Gong Manor.”

Now that he’d secured a tutor, Wei Yu happily left with his Fourth Brother.

Leaving Liu Huaiyuan staring after them in shock.

Fourth Brother, Prince Gong Manor, Fourth Prince… So those two were actually princes!

—

There was a lot to be done before a prince officially established his own manor.

After all, establishing a manor meant transitioning from a prince to a royal duke.

He would receive a ducal title granted by the Emperor, a mansion allocated by the Emperor, and the foundational resources that would sustain his household for generations.

Normally, after being conferred a title, the prince would first open his manor in the capital and only move to his assigned fiefdom upon reaching adulthood. But during the reign of Great Wei’s ninth emperor, there had only been three sons, and the emperor couldn’t bear to send them away, so he waived the requirement.

Since then, most emperors of Great Wei hadn’t sent their sons to their fiefdoms, instead leaving it for the next emperor to deal with once he ascended and relocated his brothers.

On the day he was officially granted his title, Wei Yu received the title of Wise King.

But he found the title a bit strange—he suspected it wasn’t what his father originally intended. More likely, his father had wanted to title him the Idle King instead.

The Eighth Prince received his title on the same day—his courtesy name was Peaceful (Kang), and he was titled Peaceful King.

On the day he moved out, Wei Yu thanked his Royal Father, paid a visit to the Empress in the inner palace, then packed up his things and cheerfully headed to his new home.

The brand-new Wise King Manor was filled with an air of freedom.

The house was his. The people were his. Everything in the manor was his!

Wei Yu was ecstatic. For three straight days, he stayed in bed and barely got up, turning his life into that of a complete shut-in.

Even Xiao Anzi couldn’t stand it anymore.

He really didn’t understand—there was nothing particularly great about the bed, so why had His Highness stayed there for three days straight?

If he hadn’t seen His Highness wide awake and munching on sunflower seeds, he would’ve thought the man had come down with a case of terminal laziness.

On the fifth day after the manor was established, Xiao Anzi couldn’t hold it in anymore when he saw Wei Yu still hadn’t moved.

“Your Highness, the Eighth Prince is already preparing his manor-opening banquet. What about ours?”

Wei Yu was deeply engrossed in reading No. 66’s Dragon Overlord Epic and didn’t even register what Xiao Anzi said—he just gave a couple of distracted “mm-hm”s.

Xiao Anzi still had a bellyful of things to say, so he went on, “Liu Er’ya is learning too fast. This servant really can’t keep up anymore. Your Highness really needs to find another tutor.”

Wei Yu gave a couple of indifferent “oh”s.

Xiao Anzi added, “Yesterday, His Majesty sent a hundred Gray Guards to our manor. Lord Huo said they’ll be under our command from now on. Yesterday, I asked you, and you said you’d make arrangements today—so, what’s the plan?”

Wei Yu let out a few more vague “uh-huh”s.

Xiao Anzi: “Oh, right. This morning the gatekeeper said a man named Liu Huaiyuan came to see you. Said he’s here to teach…”

“Huh?”

Wei Yu had just finished a chapter and finally came to his senses.

He looked up at Xiao Anzi, who was standing off to the side, and blinked in confusion. “What were you saying? Something about a manor-opening banquet?”

Xiao Anzi: …

He wasn’t mad. His Highness was just slow and forgetful—it wasn’t his fault. Xiao Anzi could explain again.

So, under Xiao Anzi’s tender gaze, Wei Yu listened to the whole thing once more from the beginning.

“Oh right, the manor-opening banquet. Totally forgot about that.”

Having holed up in bed right after moving in, ignoring all worldly concerns, Wei Yu had let a small pile of responsibilities build up. He decided to handle them one at a time.

He sat up and asked, “How’s Eighth Brother setting up his banquet? Go ask him in a bit. Also, get a list from him—we’ll just copy his setup. Save the brainpower.”

Wei Yu was lazy, and Xiao Anzi, having picked up on that trait, wasn’t shy about calling him out.

“Got it, Your Highness. And what about those hundred Gray Guards?”

Wei Yu hadn’t expected his father to really send him a full unit of Gray Guards.

He was the only prince who got one—it was a bit too high-profile.

Wei Yu smacked his lips but decided there was no point in worrying.

They were delivered yesterday evening—there was no way to return them, and he didn’t want to return them either.

High-profile? So be it. Better to have people to use than none at all. Outside attention was no big deal—it was a small price to pay.

He was thick-skinned. He could handle it.

“So, where did you place them?”

Xiao Anzi answered with a straight face, “Your Highness forgot? Yesterday, I asked you, and you said ‘wherever,’ so I settled them in the rear courtyard. They should be stationed all over the manor by now.”

Wow.

Settled them in the rear courtyard. That was… creative.

Since their job was to guard the manor, Wei Yu didn’t rush to summon the unit’s commander. Instead, he asked Xiao Anzi where Liu Huaiyuan was.

“Oh, he’s in the front courtyard waiting. Been there about two hours.”

Wei Yu: !

Crap—why didn’t you say so earlier?!