My Emperor Father Can Read Minds

Chapter 285: Treacherous People Arise from Poor Mountains and Harsh Waters

Sitting in the private room with Bai Feiyu, Wei Yu stared at him, wondering what topic to start with.

But before he could speak, Bai Feiyu asked first.

"Young Master Wang, if you have something to say, feel free to speak outright. I am willing to listen attentively."

Wei Yu was slightly taken aback.

He looked at the faintly smiling Bai Feiyu, meeting those clear eyes, and couldn’t help but smile back. "Why does Young Master Bai think so?"

"Simply because Young Master Wang isn’t someone who would go to a silverware shop to buy jewelry."

Bai Feiyu smiled and gently shook his head, his eyes carrying a kind of casual understanding that saw through everything. "Ah Shan has keen senses. During the time he was on watch, he found that someone had been guarding around the courtyard. The visitor had no ill intentions, but being watched all the same isn’t a good thing, Young Master Wang. Don’t you agree?"

Hmm…

So, as they say, there’s always someone better out there!

The guards really needed some further training!

Since the conversation had reached this point, Wei Yu also realized that Bai Feiyu’s going out today was meant as “fishing,” and he, the “fish,” had jumped out by himself. Now to deny it would be self-deceptive.

With a clever person, Wei Yu didn’t hide anything and directly revealed his identity.

“Let’s be straightforward. Since Young Master Bai already knows, I, Wang Jiu, will speak frankly.”

Upon hearing this self-introduction, Wei Yu clearly saw a look of surprise briefly flicker on Bai Feiyu’s usually calm face. He then smiled and said, "I am the Ninth Wise King of Great Wei. Your servant Ah Shan did not make a mistake. A few days ago, I did send someone to guard near your courtyard. But rest assured, I have no ill intent; I’m just somewhat curious."

After a brief moment of surprise, Bai Feiyu’s expression returned to calm. He looked thoughtfully at Wei Yu as if understanding something and asked with a smile, "Does the prince want to ask why this humble servant chose not to participate in the imperial examination?"

“That’s right.”

Wei Yu looked at him in puzzlement. "Qingzhou’s Top Third Place, everyone says you could rank among the top three. Why did you choose to give up? Moreover, you attended the gathering of examinees outside the city that day—if you had no intention, why did you go then?"

At this question, Bai Feiyu fell silent for a moment.

He picked up the teacup in front of him and slowly sipped it. When he put down the cup, a wistful smile appeared on his face.

Bai Feiyu looked at Wei Yu and answered with an unrelated question: "What do you think Qingzhou is like, your Highness?"

That look, huh, it felt like a story was coming.

Wei Yu thought for two seconds and replied seriously: "Steep mountains, dense vegetation, gathering snakes, insects, rats, and fierce beasts… Oh, maybe also because of road difficulties, the people from various places speak different dialects and cannot understand each other."

“Heh, *cough*, *cough cough*."

Bai Feiyu was amused by Wei Yu’s last remark but soon started coughing.

Wei Yu frowned, staring at him, thinking this man’s health was truly weak. "Will you get better?"

"Rest assured, your Highness, it’s just a minor illness. This humble servant hasn’t had enough life yet and won’t die miserably from a cough."

Apparently seeing through Wei Yu’s serious façade mixed with some playful and youthful spirit, Bai Feiyu naturally made a self-mocking remark.

He covered his mouth with a fist, coughed lightly a few times to suppress the itching in his throat, then continued responding to Wei Yu: "Your Highness is right, Qingzhou is indeed… not a place where everyone can comfortably live."

"Just as your Highness said, Qingzhou has many mountains, the mountain paths are hard to travel, and most villagers have never ventured beyond their own village in their entire lives. Qingzhou’s people speak many dialects; if you go a little farther, they won’t understand each other…"

As Bai Feiyu spoke, his gaze became distant, as if recalling memories. "The people of Qingzhou refuse to leave their villages, spending their whole lives confined within a tiny area. They are illiterate, do not understand the teachings of sages, and do not know what country, law, or governance means… The people of Qingzhou are freer than anyone else."

Wei Yu’s brows involuntarily furrowed.

It wasn’t good if the person knew nothing. After all, the ignorant are often the most "fearless."

Bai Feiyu stopped speaking and looked at Wei Yu, the smile at the corner of his mouth turning somewhat bitter. He asked, "Your Highness is wise; do you perhaps understand the meaning behind this humble servant’s words?"

Wei Yu looked at him, said nothing.

But Bai Feiyu probably didn’t really want an answer. Seeing Wei Yu remain silent, he went on by himself: "In the eyes of Qingzhou’s people, the government does not exist. Compared with the government, they trust their clans more."

Wei Yu saw Bai Feiyu’s expression darken after saying this, as if there were secrets, so he asked.

"Is your Bai family like this too?"

Wei Yu studied his expression and couldn’t help but say confidently, "Your clan elders must have hurt you!"

Bai Feiyu smiled, nodded, and candidly revealed something that didn’t quite fit a weakly sick person—it was too manly.

"Yes, your Highness guessed correctly. This cough of mine started in childhood when the clan elders forced me to take so-called divine medicine, which injured my body."

Huh?

Divine medicine?!

Wei Yu was a bit stunned, as if he had suddenly switched to a superstition channel. "What kind of divine medicine? Why did they force you to take it?"

Bai Feiyu quietly looked at him, a smile at the corner of his mouth. "Because they believed in gods, firmly believing in a person who claimed to be a divine envoy. The envoy said the divine medicine could make a person become a sage; they believed it without doubt and forced me to take it. Because of this, my mother was imprisoned and starved to death."

Wei Yu was shocked.

What could he say?

Treacherous people arise from poor mountains and harsh waters?

Ignorance and superstition kill people!

This really caused death; it wasn’t a trivial matter!

Wei Yu’s gaze toward Bai Feiyu became complicated.

Offer comfort?

That would be too superficial, especially since Bai Feiyu’s mother’s life was involved. No matter how formal he tried to be, it would sound hollow, so silence was better.

"My condolences."

Wei Yu remained silent and suddenly realized something.

Wait!

Bai Feiyu had been talking all this time, but what about the reason?

Why didn’t he want to participate in the examination?

Wei Yu looked at Bai Feiyu expressionlessly. "So, what exactly is the reason you don’t want to take the imperial examination?"

Bai Feiyu lowered his eyes and smiled lightly, "From the start, this humble servant never wanted to take the imperial examination."

What?

You didn’t want to take the imperial examination but still scored in the top three?!

Wei Yu kept a straight face and said, "Was your taking the imperial examination also forced by your clan elders?"

Bai Feiyu smiled and nodded sincerely once again. "Yes. My body isn’t well. Back in Qingzhou, they controlled everything I did and I couldn’t do anything. Now that I’ve come to the capital and those who troubled me are gone, naturally, I want to be myself."

Wei Yu: …

Isn’t this guy a bit too honest?

Wei Yu looked at Bai Feiyu with mixed feelings.

Oddly, he felt that if he asked Bai Feiyu whether he wanted to avenge his mother by punishing all the clan elders, Bai Feiyu would probably say yes without hesitation!

This person really doesn’t hide his "bad guy" nature at all!

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