To say that Wei Yu recomnded the Fourth Prince to sell glass wasn’t just so random suggestion.
His Fourth Brother was soone with a strong business sense—sothing Wei Yu had already noticed back when he used to trick him into sharing food as a child.
For example, the Fourth Prince had a keen sensitivity to money and numbers. If it was just a regular item, he might not react much, but the mont money was involved—things like “this plate of pastries costs ten taels of silver” or “a Prince under the age of majority gets a monthly stipend of fifty taels”—then if Wei Yu tried to swindle him, he’d carefully weigh his options and give up the one with the least loss.
Or like that ti Wei Yu first tricked the Fourth Prince into handing over pastries with nothing in return—after that, no matter how many tis he tried, the Fourth Prince always stayed alert.
Another thing: the Fourth Prince wasn’t just thick-skinned and carefree—he was downright shaless. Even knowing the Eighth Prince didn’t like him, he could still smile and talk as if nothing were wrong… sothing very few princes were capable of.
So, all things considered, the Fourth Prince had a business mind, the caution of a rchant, thick skin, and a lofty status.
If he wasn’t the ideal person for the job, then who was?
Of course—
The most important reason was actually that Wei Yu wanted to repay a favor.
Regardless of whether he’d tricked Fourth Brother when they were little, back then it was thanks to his help that he, the Eighth Prince, and Jing’an were able to live better lives.
Wei Yu wasn’t soone who forgot kindness.
—
As for Wei Yu’s suggestion, Emperor Wei didn’t imdiately object.
After all, he himself had previously wondered whether this should be handed off to one of his sons.
But the princes saw themselves as noble and lofty. Engaging in business? That was beneath them. In the hierarchy of scholars, farrs, artisans, and rchants, rchants had always ranked the lowest. The Emperor figured no prince would be willing, so he’d dismissed the idea.
But now that Wei Yu was speaking with such confidence, the Emperor began considering it again.
“Is your Fourth Brother really willing to do this?” Emperor Wei asked.
Wei Yu gave him a confident little look. “If you don’t believe , Father, you can just summon him directly.”
[A business talent like that has to be put to use! If he’s not willing, I’ll talk him into it anyway!]
Emperor Wei: …
By the ti the confused Fourth Prince arrived, he saw Wei Yu in the middle of an intense debate with Emperor Wei.
Wei Yu: “No, no, no, this is different from those gemstone bonsais in the palace. Those may be tribute items and off-limits to common folk, but the noble families have definitely seen them. What we’re selling has to be novel! It can’t be sothing they’ve already seen!”
Emperor Wei: “Fine, fine. So my idea’s no good. Then let’s hear yours—what do you call new and novel?”
Wei Yu: “Isn’t this the ti for a brainstorming session? How can I do it all on my own? You can’t just treat like a workhorse just because I’m so knowledgeable!”
Emperor Wei, Fourth Prince: …
No idea what to say—better to just pay proper respects.
The Fourth Prince bowed and greeted the Emperor, then asked why he’d been summoned.
Emperor Wei pointed at Wei Yu. “Your Ninth Brother had the idea—he wants you to sell glass at high prices to the noble families. Fourth, are you willing to take this job?”
Wei Yu shot a glance at his father, silently accepting the bla.
When the Fourth Prince processed what he’d heard, he looked surprised. “You want to sell glass at high prices?”
Didn’t exactly sound like he was thrilled about it.
Emperor Wei was about to start persuading him, but in the next second, he saw his Fourth Son break into a big grin—looking absolutely overjoyed.
“Don’t worry, Father! I’m happy to take on this task!”
[What a coincidence! I was already planning to get into the glass business! Ninth Brother and I really are in sync.]
Emperor Wei fell silent for a mont—he wasn’t sure whether these two had planned this together ahead of ti.
Since he had accepted the task, the Fourth Prince wanted to clarify the details to avoid problems later.
“Father, should this be done under the na of the court?”
Emperor Wei instantly rejected the idea. “The court? I never told you to go sell glass. This was your Ninth Brother’s suggestion. The recipe ca from him too. And now that he’s about to establish his own household, the two of you going out to make so money for palace expenses—that’s totally normal.”
It sounded perfectly official and well-reasoned.
But without the Emperor’s tacit approval, who would dare do it?
So the Fourth Prince understood the ssage.
He composed himself and first looked at Wei Yu with gratitude. “Thank you, Ninth Brother. Let say it now—once the profits co in, Fourth Brother will give you a twenty percent share.”
Then he looked at Emperor Wei and declared righteously, “Father, of the profits from selling glass, your sons are willing to contribute fifty percent to the national treasury! We want to do our part for the people of Great Wei. Please grant us your support!”
Emperor Wei was moved and pleased. “Good, good! You have a good heart, and I’m very touched. Fourth, I really do see you in a new light now.”
The Fourth Prince stood proudly and tall.
“But,” Emperor Wei changed his tone, his brow furrowing with sorrow, “in recent years, Great Wei has suffered repeated disasters. For the sake of disaster relief, the national treasury isn’t exactly full… It’s the common people—holess, starving—who are truly suffering.”
The mont he said this, both Wei Yu and the Fourth Prince had the sa thought:
[So greedy!]
Wasn’t it obvious?
Waving the flag of “for the people” and putting on a pity act—what for?
To cry poor, of course!
Wei Yu shot his father a contemptuous look.
Fifty percent profits and he still wasn’t satisfied? What, did he expect him and Fourth Brother—who ca up with the idea and would do all the work—to live on air, while His Majesty just sat back and reaped the rewards?
What a villainous feudal landlord boss!
The Fourth Prince’s heart was bleeding too.
Originally, he could have taken thirty percent for himself, but then Royal Father wasn’t satisfied and wanted more—he couldn’t possibly take back the twenty percent he had already promised to Ninth Brother, right?
That would be completely disgraceful!
So in the end, the one who took the loss was still him.
The Fourth Prince held back his heartache and forced a smile as he said to the Emperor, “Royal Father is right. As a prince of Great Wei, your son should of course do more for the people. I am willing to give up another portion of the profit to contribute to the national treasury!”
[Ahhh my heart hurts so much!!!]
The Fourth Prince was indeed in pain, but the Emperor was overjoyed.
Pleased, the Emperor nodded and waved his hand, signaling the two of them to leave.
“Go on, discuss the business between yourselves. If you run into any problems, co find . Oh, and yes, I allow you to seek help from the Gray Guards.”
The Gray Guards—a force that answered only to the Emperor. Each one of them was an elite capable of taking on ten n alone.
According to Wei Yu, this organization was pretty much like the Jinyiwei from the Ming dynasty.
And those guys? Seriously cool.
The kind of cool that could make soone bleed just from how cool they looked!
Especially the commander, Huo Tingyu—just hearing the na, you knew he had to be a handso guy, right?
Ha.
And in fact—he really was!
The first ti Wei Yu saw him, he was completely stunned by that cool guy’s gaze.
The face was secondary—what mattered was that icy look that didn’t even treat people like people, that aura of bloodshed, the kind of ruthlessness that could only co from surviving mountains of corpses and seas of blood. If he drew his blade, there would definitely be blood.
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