The next morning, at the first light of dawn, Song Yanqing regained consciousness.
After getting dressed and washing up with the water prepared by the Shadow Guards, he went to the windowsill.
He reached out and opened the window a crack, and saw what the street looked like.
On the street, families who set up stalls push their carts to their spots and begin setting up their stands.
Early in the morning, downstairs from the inn, there were several young men, all dressed in tight-fitting clothes, tending a steamed bun stall, preparing to have breakfast.
Before long, there was a knock on the door of the inn's private room.
"Young master, your subordinate has come to bring you breakfast."
It was the voice of the Shadow Guard.
Song Yan said calmly, "Enter."
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of someone pushing open the door and entering was heard.
The Shadow Guard brought in the steaming hot meal and then closed the door.
The meal was placed on a round table on the windowsill, and Song Yanqing continued to observe the outside world through the crack in the window.
He asked, "How is it?"
The Shadow Guard bowed and reported, "Your Highness, Deputy General Lu has sent men to investigate. There are twenty martial arts practitioners with swords at their waists. They appear to be military officers and checked into the inn at dawn this morning."
Before dawn, these people were able to bypass the border defenses and brazenly stay at the inn.
It seems that, apart from being a member of the eldest prince's faction, there is no other person like him in Yanyu City at this time.
After listening to the Shadow Guard's report, Song Yanqing looked at the steaming noodles in his bowl and said, "Proceed according to plan. Go down now."
"yes!"
The Shadow Guards acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Song Yanqing then picked up his chopsticks and lowered his head to eat the hot noodles.
As noon approached, the inn was quiet and still.
Song Yanqing estimated that the eldest prince should have arrived around this time.
Just as the teacup was set down, there was a knock on the door of the private room.
"Young Master Song, my master requests a chat with you."
The Shadow Guard glanced at Song Yanqing, and seeing him nod, quickly opened the door to the room.
Standing outside the side room was the chief envoy who had been received yesterday, Lord Cha.
Lord Cha smiled and said, "Young Master Song, please."
Upon leaving the room, Song Yanqing discovered that the inn had no extra guests; it must have been cleared out.
We were led by Lord Cha to the east wing, which was the opposite of the west wing, far from the street and much quieter.
It's a good place to discuss and plot.
As soon as Song Yanqing stepped into the east wing, the door was closed.
A handsome young man dressed in light blue sat at the round table.
Upon seeing the newcomer, he put down his teacup and warmly greeted him, "Yanqing, come on over! It's been so long since we brothers have sat down to eat together!"
Upon hearing the sound, Song Yanqing felt that the world she was in was somewhat surreal.
He couldn't understand why the second prince, who was sent to the Great Jin Dynasty as a hostage, had suddenly become the eldest prince.
Rumor has it that the second prince died of a serious illness less than six months after returning to his capital.
What exactly happened?
Suddenly, he realized that it was no wonder the eldest prince had agreed so quickly; it was because of their past friendship.
Song Yanqing was filled with questions. When the eldest prince, Lian Haoyu, saw that he was standing there motionless as if he had lost his soul, he stood up with a smile and dragged him to the table to sit down.
Looking at the table full of delicious food and wine, Song Yanqing remained unmoved. His first words were, "I sent people to investigate the news of your death."
The Shadow Guards reported that the Second Prince had died suddenly and was hastily buried.
Lian Haoyu knew that he wouldn't be able to eat unless he heard the answer with his own ears.
He then said, "It is true that the Second Prince died suddenly, but I am not the Second Prince Lian Haoming, but the First Prince Lian Haoyu!"
Recalling the unpleasant past of the Great Yu Kingdom, Lian Haoyu's initial joy at seeing Song Yanqing was greatly diminished.
He said, "Back then, the Great Yu Kingdom was in dire straits, so my mother switched my identity with Lian Haoming and sent me to the Great Jin as a hostage."
Rather than risking my life in the Great Yu Kingdom, my mother would prefer that I live a peaceful life in a secluded corner, even without the honors befitting a prince.
Mentioning this matter, Song Yanqing also recalled that at that time, the eunuchs of the Dayu Kingdom were in power, and their power was not to be underestimated. The vassal kings in various places were eyeing them covetously.
If it weren't for the Regent and the current Emperor of Dayu working together to eliminate the eunuchs who caused cholera and overstepped the bounds left by the late emperor, and to suppress the vassal kings in various regions, there would be no Dayu Kingdom today, which is rich in grain and iron ore.
After the two incidents subsided, less than half a year later, the Second Prince was brought back to the Great Yu Kingdom by the Emperor of Great Yu.
The Jin Dynasty, by sending its prince as a hostage and lending troops to the Yu Dynasty, also received its due reward.
They also signed a twenty-year trade agreement between the Great Jin Dynasty and the Great Yu Kingdom.
Song Yanqing and Lian Haoyu met at a palace banquet.
At that time, Song Yanqing was a member of the royal family, while Lian Haoming was just a hostage from another country. Although he was not exactly bullied, his life was certainly not as comfortable as it was in his own capital.
Lian Haoyu is now a prodigy, while Song Yanqing is forced to seek help from other countries through negotiations.
In just a few short years, things have simply been reversed.
After Song Yanqing understood the matter, he spoke frankly, "This matter between you and me is just a private transaction. Do you know that the matter of borrowing troops is not up to me?"
His words were frank, without any hint of ambiguity or speculation.
The two had only known each other for three years, but they understood each other very well.
Lian Haoyu didn't mince words, "My mother left me a granary, which my uncle has managed for years and can support an army of 100,000."
The matter you raised is not a problem for me.
As for lending me troops, that will be no problem at all once you ascend the throne!
Upon hearing this, Song Yanqing picked up the wine on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and said nothing.
If Lian Haoyu still can't understand this attitude, then he has wasted three years being brothers with Song Yanqing.
He sighed and said, "Grain can be sold or lent out. Consider it repayment for the kindness you showed me in the Great Jin Dynasty back then."
At this point, if Song Yanqing didn't express his opinion, their brotherhood would truly be over. He said, "If you really reach that point, I will definitely do my best to help you."
They won't lend troops; what they can help with is money and grain, or perhaps weapons and horses.
With his words, the written agreement was meaningless, and the two drank heartily in the restaurant.
In a daze, it seemed as if the two of them had returned to the palace where they had been trapped years ago.
Back then, after the tutor taught them calligraphy, they would often secretly bring wine jars and hide in the courtyard to get each other completely drunk.
Just like today, Lian Haoyu was still the loudest shouter, but the one with the lowest alcohol tolerance.
This perfectly illustrates what it means to be so addicted to food!
When Song Yanqing saw him collapse, he instructed his servants to take good care of him, and then left the room.
What he didn't know was that the moment the room door closed, a pair of closed eyes suddenly opened wide.
After Song Yanqing left, the subordinate asked, "Master, the matter wasn't settled. What should we do next?"
Lian Haoyu slowly rose from the round table, his eyes no longer showing any trace of drunkenness. He said, "The Fifth Prince has the Regent in charge, but my brother here is no less capable than them!"
Given Song Yanqing's personality, if he does him a favor today, he will surely repay it tenfold in the future!
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