VHBF – Chapter 36 Emperor Daddy (Part 13)

The little dumpling clasped her hands behind her back, pacing back and forth across the wool carpet in the hall. Her short little legs walked in a pigeon-toed gait, and, imitating the earnest tone Uncle System usually used to teach her, she advised her father:

“Father Emperor, you’re already grown up, you should learn to recognize bad people.”

“That handsome uncle is a bad guy, YinYin doesn’t like him!”

The man sat at his desk reading memorials. The little dumpling had been muttering the entire afternoon. Ever since yesterday’s banquet, she had been in this state.

The friend she used to think about all the time was forgotten now; instead, she refused to be separated from her daddy for even a single moment. Her big round eyes stayed wide open as she kept guard at his side, just like a little cub with fur bristling, on alert against danger.

Wei Jue put aside the memorial in his hand and pushed over a plate of pastries from the table, signaling her to eat.

But YinYin refused to be tempted by delicious food. She tugged on her daddy’s sleeve and insisted, “Father Emperor, did you hear me?”

Eunuch Xiaoyuzi wiped the sweat from his forehead. Luckily the Emperor could tolerate the princess’s endless chatter. If it had been anyone else, they’d have been dragged out and beaten to death by now.

Before long, the gate eunuch came to report that the Heir of Prince Wu was requesting an audience.

Wei Jue had just finished reviewing the memorials. He was about to allow him in when YinYin panicked. She had already asked around and learned that the “bad uncle” was precisely this Heir of Prince Wu.

The moment she heard that bad uncle wanted to see her father, she jolted like a startled animal. Her plump little body, fed chubby by the imperial kitchens, rushed to block the eunuch’s way. “Not allowed!”

The young eunuch froze, torn between advancing and retreating. After all, this was the Emperor’s precious jewel. Everyone at the banquet had seen it: though the Emperor hadn’t said anything, his actions had clearly shown he spoiled the princess to the skies. He’d even let her sit on the dragon throne and feed him food with her own hands. If that wasn’t treating her as the apple of his eye, what was?

Wei Jue said, “Don’t be willful. Come here.”

The dumpling stretched out her arms and shook her little head like a rattle-drum. “No!”

Wei Jue scooped the child into his arms. At once she quieted down, nestling against him in soft dependence, but still seizing the chance to plant suspicion. “That bad uncle really is bad, Father Emperor, you must be careful of him!”

Wei Jue turned his gaze on the man below. His nominal cousin stood upright and proper, smiling with gentle courtesy.

“Elder Brother, could it be the little princess has misunderstood? After we went home, my son and daughter were crying, saying why does the princess dislike them, choosing someone else as her study companion and leaving them heartbroken?”

He looked somewhat helpless, giving a bitter smile. “After all, they’re siblings from the same clan. Though they dare not presume to call the princess sister, they truly see her as one. Thinking she doesn’t like them, the two children can hardly eat.”

The System was dumbfounded—this black-hearted male lead’s performance was flawless. His words and expressions were exactly those of a weary but patient father. No wonder he’d managed to dupe even the great villain—his acting could win him an Oscar in the modern world!

Wei Jue patted the dumpling’s little head in comfort and simply said, “As long as she likes it.”

The meaning was clear: the study companion was her own choice. As long as she liked it, that was enough—no need for more talk.

The System clapped wildly for the villain-daddy. As expected of a domineering father—our little cub doesn’t like you and didn’t choose you, so what?

Wei Liang’s smile stiffened imperceptibly. “This younger brother was only making conversation, nothing else. The little princess is about to begin her studies, isn’t she?”

The Emperor did not answer, but the princess clearly wanted nothing to do with him, burying her face in her father’s chest and showing him only the back of her head. Eunuch Xiaoyuzi hurriedly smoothed things over: “It’s been agreed with the two tutors—tomorrow. His Majesty has cleared out the Imperial Study for the little princess’s use.”

Wei Liang said warmly, “That’s wonderful. Though my two unworthy ones have no fortune to be her study companions, when they saw the princess liked her books, they immediately insisted I send her a gift.”

He presented a pair of jade-carved rabbits—translucent, exquisitely carved, delicate enough to hold in one’s palm, or string up as pendants.

He smiled: “These rabbits were my children’s birthday gifts two years ago. Back then, Grandfather Emperor gave them to me, and I passed them on to the children. They adored them, but now, suddenly, they insist on giving them to the princess.”

He deliberately spoke as though it was the children’s doing, not his own idea. The System was disgusted, spitting several times in disdain. “Little cub, don’t listen to him.”

YinYin clenched her little fists. Of course she wouldn’t let the bad man succeed! In her young mind, as long as Daddy stayed away from the villain, everything would be fine.

Wei Jue ordered the eunuch to take the gift, saying coldly: “You are thoughtful.”

Wei Liang didn’t mind. His lucky elder brother was always like this, cold and aloof. Accepting the gift was enough—his goal was met.

…

Later, in his carriage, rolling slowly over the bluestone road outside the palace, Wei Liang idly toyed with a jade prayer bead in his hand.

Ever since waking three months ago, he had sworn to reclaim the throne that should have belonged to his father and himself.

In his past life, his father had been crushed beneath the late emperor’s authority. After Grandfather Emperor died, his father’s attempts to resist failed again and again. Even the little power he held was stripped away, leaving him a powerless prince, living worse than an ordinary official.

Yet the court praised that man as a benevolent ruler, tolerant even of rebellious brothers—surely a ruler who loved the people as his children.

His father became nothing but a stepping stone, his rightful throne stolen, his life and reputation trampled. The world only knew him as Prince Wu, the disrespectful younger brother, unworthy of his birth.

Frustrated and hopeless, his father gave up the struggle, dragging down his whole household into mediocrity.

But this time, reborn, Wei Liang swore he would seize what was theirs!

However, in his past life, there had been no such thing as Princess Chaoyang. His elder brother had been a cold man, like stone, aloof all his life, childless. In the end, pressured by the cabinet ministers, he had only chosen a child from the clan to raise.

Wei Liang sneered—when even choosing a successor, his elder brother had skipped over his own children, and instead chosen an unrelated clan child, bypassing him entirely.

Perhaps he was overthinking. Since he himself had been reborn, it was not strange that other changes might occur. And what could a three-year-old child do anyway?

But recalling last night’s banquet, when he saw the emperor’s indulgence toward that little one, Wei Liang had a new idea: approach the child, plant some seeds. Even if nothing came of it, who knew what effect it might have in the future?

…

After Wei Liang left, the little dumpling pouted, accusing her father of not believing her.

And Daddy even accepted the bad uncle’s gift!

She was furious!

Wei Jue had the jade rabbits inspected. Even if they were harmless, he had no intention of letting his little cub keep them.

The man had never been good at coaxing. For over twenty years, he had been supreme above all, no one higher than him. Who had ever heard him soften his voice?

But seeing his awkward stiffness beneath his expressionless face, Eunuch Xiaoyuzi covered his mouth and laughed. Since the princess had entered the palace, His Majesty was more and more like a real man. Once cold stone, once a heartless god—now, like an ordinary father, even frowning for his child. How delightful!

The princess kept muttering that Prince Wu’s Heir was a bad uncle, a villain. Eunuch Xiaoyuzi only thought the little one was too young, throwing a tantrum because she didn’t like him.

Unexpectedly, when the jade rabbits were tested, something really was found.

At first, nothing showed. The Imperial Physicians found no drugs. Then they sent it to the palace artisans, where carpenters, stone carvers, and even Mohist engineers worked. Still, they found nothing. Relieved, Eunuch Xiaoyuzi was about to return them when he tripped, and the jade rolled across the floor—right to someone’s feet.

The man who picked it up frowned deeply. “I’ll study this. Come back in three days.”

Eunuch Xiaoyuzi was about to scold—how dare anyone handle the Emperor’s property so rudely!

Then he looked up, recognized the stubbly-faced youth, and shut his mouth. This was Master Yu, the Mohist genius who had saved the empire from flood by designing canals and levees, even responsible for the palace’s structures. No one dared offend him.

Eunuch Xiaoyuzi asked nervously, “Is there a problem with this jade?”

Master Yu examined the crack at the rabbit’s head, sniffed it, and said, “Bring a physician specializing in pharmacology in three days, then you’ll know.”

When Eunuch Xiaoyuzi reported back, Wei Jue ordered close watch. Three days later, he personally brought Imperial Physician Wang, the best in pharmacology.

Physician Wang, old but beardless, his head nearly bald from years of testing countless herbs, examined the broken jade fragments and a tray of fine black powder.

Pointing to it, Master Yu said, “The rabbit’s head was hollow. This powder was hidden inside.”

Physician Wang dipped a bit to his nose, then tasted the tiniest trace. His brows furrowed.

“This substance…”

Eunuch Xiaoyuzi’s heart raced. So the Heir of Prince Wu really had sent something harmful. The princess had been right all along—the bad man harbored malicious intent!