My Emperor Father Can Read Minds

[And “used exclusively by nobility”? What, trying to act like nobody’s ever seen the world before…? Just give me a kiln—forget glass, I’ll forge you steel!]

Emperor Wei slowly widened his eyes.

Such wildly arrogant words—were they really said by his utterly nonsensical Ninth Son???

Too full of himself!

Emperor Wei glanced meaningfully at Wei Yu, who was smacking his lips and about to take a sip of tea.

The brat probably truly thought no one was paying attention to him. While everyone else was marveling at the colorless glass presented by Xiqi—not even the Eighth Prince was an exception—he alone wore a look of complete indifference, as though it were nothing new.

That kind of deep-seated boredom wasn’t something someone who had never seen colorless glass before could fake…

Emperor Wei pressed his lips together, looked at Wei Yu again, and without much hesitation, drew a deep breath and smiled as he said to Adule, “The envoy jests—your so-called colorless glass? Our Great Wei has that too!”

Hmm?

The ministers were all shocked. They had it too?

Why had none of them heard of it? Could it be a royal exclusive?

Wei Yu was stunned as well.

He spat out the tea leaves in his mouth and instinctively looked up at his father.

And that one glance—was enough for their eyes to meet!

Wei Yu: …

A bad feeling welled up inside him.

Sure enough, the next second—

Wei Yu saw his father raise a hand and point right at him. “I have a son, the Ninth Prince of Great Wei—he can make your so-called colorless glass.”

Wei Yu: !!!

Everyone else: …?

All eyes turned to Wei Yu.

Leaving aside the rest, even just the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Princes sitting near him were staring at him with increasingly shocked expressions.

The Eighth Prince even looked like his eyeballs might pop out.

Wei Yu clearly saw him mouth something that looked a lot like “What the hell?!”

There were so many things to complain about, he didn’t even know where to start.

Because of his father’s sudden stunt, Wei Yu—for the first time in his life—got a taste of what it felt like to be center stage.

He silently set down his teacup, straightened his back, smiled, and cupped his hands in greeting toward the Xiqi envoys looking his way.

Apologies, apologies—don’t look at him. Even he had no idea why the old man was suddenly acting crazy.

Adule had gotten a good look at Wei Yu.

Seeing that he was just a youngster not yet of age, and recalling what he had learned about Great Wei’s porcelain production, his first reaction was disbelief!

Colorless glass was so valuable in Xiqi, and it didn’t even exist on the markets in Great Wei. How could a brat—prince or not—possibly know how to make it?

Adule straightened his back and said loudly, “Since the ruler of Great Wei says so, you must indeed have this colorless glass. May we see it with our own eyes?”

Wei Yu silently looked at his father.

[Ha, serves you right for talking nonsense. Now they’re asking to see it—let’s see how you talk your way out of this.]

The brat’s sarcastic tone was thoroughly ignored by the Emperor.

But just because he was pretending not to hear didn’t mean the Emperor wouldn’t hold a grudge!

This useless little scoundrel had smarts but wouldn’t put them to proper use—wasn’t that a complete waste of talent?

Appointing people based on ability, putting the capable where they belong… No way would the Emperor admit he just couldn’t stand seeing Wei Yu so carefree!

Middle-aged men really are that petty.

In response to Adule’s request, the Emperor tossed the trouble over to Wei Yu without hesitation.

“To tell you the truth,” he said, “though this son of mine can indeed make colorless glass, he doesn’t do it often. If the envoy wishes to see it, I’m afraid you’ll need to wait a few days for him to make a new batch.”

Wei Yu: …

Well said, indeed.

Wei Yu’s face went completely blank. He truly didn’t understand why the old man had suddenly started spouting such nonsense!

Could it be… his father knew something!?

His heart skipped a beat. He darted a glance upward, trying to read his father’s expression—and just his luck: they locked eyes again.

Wei Yu: …

That deep, knowing gaze made Wei Yu shiver uncontrollably.

What the hell!

Why did he feel like the old man had just stripped him bare and seen right through him?!

–

Sometimes, getting exposed really does come without warning.

Wei Yu was someone who had been thoroughly “corrupted” by countless novels, movies, and dramas. He had both imagination and creativity—he could dream up things ancient people had never even considered.

Putting together his father’s recent changes and the thoughts he’d just had, Wei Yu easily connected the dots.

—His father, the Emperor, seemed to be able to… read minds?

That was absurd!!!

–

After the banquet with the envoys dispersed, before anyone could surround Wei Yu to ask about the colorless glass, he was summoned by the Emperor to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

In the spacious hall, only the Emperor and Wei Yu were present. Eunuch Li Cheng and the other palace servants had all been dismissed to stand guard outside.

The Emperor sat in the seat of honor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, sipping tea slowly—completely in no rush to interrogate the person “standing in punishment” before him.

Wei Yu, who was being punished with a stand, kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart. Because he suspected his father could read minds, he didn’t dare think too much at all. He was putting everything he had into trying to empty his brain!

Just in case his father picked up something he wasn’t supposed to hear.

As for whether he’d already heard anything earlier…

Wei Yu didn’t even dare to think about that, okay?!

If the old man dad decided to treat him like a demon and skin him alive, lock him in a dark room and interrogate him day and night for the secret to immortality—what then?!

Terrifying.

The hall was silent—so silent that even the clink of a teacup sounded unusually crisp.

No one knew how much time had passed. Staring blankly at the tips of his toes, Wei Yu suddenly heard a light snort from his father up front.

“You are clever.”

[Passive-aggressively sarcastic]

The moment that term popped into his head, Wei Yu knew—bad news.

Sure enough, his father gave another cryptic smile.

“Yes, passive-aggressively sarcastic… That’s a clever phrase. Why don’t you tell me where you’ve been learning all these vague and evasive words? Someone like the Grand Tutor—so stern and proper—surely wouldn’t teach you this sort of thing.”

Wei Yu: !

Knew it!!

Mind reading!!!

His father just flat-out admitted it now without even pretending anymore!!!

The moment he realized his dad actually had this kind of mind-blowingly overpowered ability, Wei Yu dropped straight to his knees.

He shuffled forward on his knees, all the way to the desk in front of his dad, leaned on it, and flashed a fawning, bootlicking smile.

“Daaaad~~”

Wei Yu tried to use this one “dad” to awaken some paternal affection.

And for the first time being called “dad,” Emperor Wei did, in fact, freeze for a second.

How to put it…

It gave him a strange feeling.

A bit soft.

Kind of like a youngest son from a common household acting spoiled… it was oddly adorable.

“My beloved, wise, and mighty father, in truth, your youngest son has always been a well-behaved and sensible child for fifteen years now! Every day I bask in the glorious light of your brilliant governance, and I haven’t dared slack off even the tiniest bit!”

While kissing up to his dad, Wei Yu frantically tried to imply how obedient and harmless he was.

“Every day I earnestly greet Mother, show respect to my elder brothers, care for my sisters, and even treat the eunuchs and palace maids with kindness and warmth. I’ve even been feeding the fish in the Qianli Pond! Dad, see how well-behaved your son is!”

Emperor Wei: …

Asked him to confess, and all he gave was a pile of useless self-praise.