My Emperor Father Can Read Minds
Chapter 72

Yi Shisan indeed knew the truth!

Let’s go back to yesterday.

When Yi Shisan had volunteered to go out on patrol and, after checking on other farmers, made his way to a small thatched hut at the foot of the mountain, he happened to see Steward He arguing with an old man at the door.

In a time when commoners were all dressed in coarse linen clothes, Steward He’s blue brocade robe was extremely conspicuous. Even though Yi Shisan couldn’t clearly see his face, he could recognize him just from his clothes.

Yi Shisan didn’t know how long Steward He had been there, but judging from how the two were standing at the door, he could tell they had just finished talking and were about to part ways.

However, while Steward He was ready to leave, the old man wasn’t willing to let him go and kept pulling him into conversation at the door.

It was precisely because of their tugging back and forth that Yi Shisan, hiding in the shadows, managed to overhear their conversation clearly.

The old man said, “He Yong, don’t leave! No matter what, tomorrow I must go into the city to get medicine. I don’t care about your so-called prince or whatever!”

He Yong replied, “Aiyo, why are you so stubborn? Do you realize what the situation is now? If the Wise King finds out about you and those children, not only will you all be doomed, but I, the one who sheltered you, will be dragged down too! You’re really going to get me killed over some child who has nothing to do with you?”

The old man insisted, “But, but that child is gravely ill. If we don’t get medicine, he’ll surely die! There’s clearly hope to save him, and you’re telling me to just watch him die? You’ve sheltered them for so long—can you really stand to watch a life slip away like that?”

Steward He fell silent for a long moment before finally saying, “Fine. You write down the prescription, and I’ll have someone else go get the medicine. You and those kids just stay up in the mountains and don’t come out for the next few days.”

The old man replied, “Alright, alright. He Yong, this time I truly owe you. In the future—”

“Enough, enough. No need to talk about owing or not owing. Haven’t you already owed me enough?”

Yi Shisan heard Steward He sigh and say, “Back then, I only took you in because of our cousin’s sake. Later, you were able to stand on your own because you still knew a bit of medicine. Otherwise, I couldn’t have helped you for a lifetime… In the end, it’s all the fault of that damnable governor of Ji Prefecture!”

At first he sighed, but suddenly he raised his voice and cursed, startling Yi Shisan.

Yi Shisan was a refugee orphan taken in by the Gray Guards.

He hadn’t been educated and didn’t know where Ji Prefecture was, but having once been a member of the Gray Guards, he was keenly aware that there must be something significant behind this.

He perked up, wanting to listen further, but the old man immediately cut Steward He off, as if the mention of Ji Prefecture had touched a nerve.

“Forget it! I don’t want to talk about it anymore, and you shouldn’t either.”

Yi Shisan: …

Why not talk about it? Keep talking!

If they didn’t keep talking, how was he supposed to earn full credit from His Highness?

But full credit was no longer possible, because after that, Steward He and the old man parted ways—one heading back toward the village, the other up the mountain.

Yi Shisan followed the old man up the mountain and discovered that he had a close relationship with that young girl, only then realizing that it was the old man’s granddaughter.

—

“…Your Highness, that’s everything. This subordinate has finished reporting.”

Yi Shisan finished speaking, sneaking a glance at His Highness’s reaction.

Wei Yu was frowning, deep in thought. “Ji Prefecture? That place… seems to be in Jiaozhou, right?”

He had discussed the lacquer and sugar production of Yizhou and Jiaozhou with his father before, so he was quite familiar with Jiaozhou.

That old man should be a relative of Steward He’s cousin. A grandfather with a granddaughter—what could have forced him to flee from Ji Prefecture in Jiaozhou all the way to Xijing in Danzhou?

And with Steward He cursing that governor so viciously, it was obvious that governor must have harmed the old man!

Otherwise, why would he run all the way here?

Wei Yu’s curiosity was immediately piqued.

Without wasting any time, he directly ordered Yi Shisan, “Go, take some men, and bring that old man down from the mountain. I want to know exactly what he and Steward He are hiding.”

He hated hearing stories without an ending.

Now that he had power and influence, there was no reason for him to be left hanging by an unfinished story.

Thus, while the “gentleman on the roof” was finishing his morning wash and preparing to report back, Fang Sheng realized that His Highness didn’t need him anymore…

After toiling away all night for nothing, Fang Sheng silently touched the knife at his waist and lowered his gaze in thought.

Were subordinates being this efficient a good thing or a bad thing?

Should he beat up Yi Shisan, or should he follow His Highness’s advice and go study further?

Forget it.

Better to just beat up Yi Shisan.

—

Wei Yu sat down in the main hall.

While waiting for Yi Shisan to bring the old man, he ordered Fang Sheng to bring Steward He over.

Steward He had just sent someone to the city to get medicine and hadn’t gone far when he ran into Guard Fang. Hearing that the Wise King was summoning him, Steward He immediately became nervous and uneasy.

On the way there, he tried to pry information out of Fang Sheng, but unfortunately, Guard Fang was tight-lipped and didn’t let slip a single word.

Because of Fang Sheng’s stern attitude, the already guilty Steward He became even more terrified.

He thought his deeds had been discovered by His Highness, and just imagining the consequences scared him half to death. Thus, when he arrived at the main hall, before Wei Yu could even say much, Steward He had already dropped to his knees.

Wei Yu said, “Speak. Tell me about the people you’ve taken in.”

Hearing that, Steward He turned deathly pale, and with a thud, knelt to the ground, loudly pleading for mercy.

“Your Highness, please spare me! It was this lowly one who, on his own authority, sheltered those children at the village. I shouldn’t have used Your Highness’s grain to help them just because they looked pitiful. Everything is my fault. I beg Your Highness for forgiveness—please spare the children!”

Wei Yu: …

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue softly, adjusted his sitting position, and looked at the kneeling, trembling Steward He, finding the fat man rather clever.

Every word out of his mouth was about his own guilt, asking for forgiveness, yet he was clearly using the children as a shield…

If it were a ruler who cared deeply about his reputation, hearing this would probably soften his heart and forgive him.

Wei Yu said, “Enough. Shut up for now. I haven’t said I’ll punish you yet. Leave the matter of the children aside for now—what about the old man and his granddaughter you took in because of your cousin’s face? You haven’t mentioned a single word about them, have you?”

Steward He stiffened instantly.

Wei Yu smiled faintly. “You’re pretty smart. Whether you’re truly compassionate or not, because you took in those children, I won’t punish you. However…”

Wei Yu dragged out the word, and when he saw Steward He instinctively raise his head slightly, he immediately lowered his voice coldly, “However, if you can’t give a reasonable explanation about that old man and his granddaughter, and if you still try to hide anything, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Speak!”

The sudden switch from leniency to sternness, coupled with Guard Fang standing by with a sword, left Steward He no room to play tricks. Just imagining the consequences of deceiving the prince was terrifying!

Thus, while Yi Shisan was still on the way back with the old man, Steward He confessed everything he knew about them.