The Prodigal Son

Qin Yu stared at Yan Li in astonishment, almost unable to believe his eyes.

Didn't he flee to Yunzhou?

Could it be that he was kidnapped by the people around him while he was running away and brought here?

Seeing Qin Yu's astonished expression, Yan Li couldn't help but smile knowingly. "What's wrong? It's only been two or three months, and Marquis Qin doesn't recognize me anymore?"

Yan Li should have hated Qin Yu to the core.

But at this moment, there was no trace of hatred on Yan Li's face.

It was as if he were just an old friend who had come from afar.

"you……"

Qin Yu looked at Yan Li with surprise and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you? Have you been kidnapped?"

No way?

Xue Chengdao summoned him with an urgent military order, just because of Yan Li?

This... isn't this a bit too far-fetched?

Yan Li shook her head and smiled, "Do I look like I was kidnapped?"

Qin Yu looked Yan Li up and down.

Although Yan Li was not wearing the Crown Prince's court robes, he was still dressed in brocade with a snow-white fox fur coat over his clothes.

Although his hair was slightly disheveled and he had lost a lot of weight since the last time we met, he still retained the demeanor of the Crown Prince of Yan.

On the contrary, he himself had traveled a long and dusty journey and looked much more disheveled than him.

Qin Yu stepped forward and gave a simple bow to Xue Chengdao and Qin Fumeng before turning back to Yan Li, "You couldn't have come all by yourself, could you?"

"Hey, you're right, I really did come by myself!"

Yan Li's smiling reply showed no trace of the desolation of a prince from a fallen kingdom.

"what?"

Qin Yu was taken aback again, and then cast questioning glances at Xue Chengdao and Qin Fumeng.

Xue Chengdao nodded. "His Highness the Crown Prince did indeed come in person. He said he could have Suhe Baoyin lead his troops to surrender to us at any time, but on the condition that he sees you first!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu suddenly realized what was going on.

No wonder Xue Chengdao made him rush over here in such a hurry!

So that's what happened.

Xue Chengdao stood up. "Alright, Lao Qin, let's go out! Let Qin Yu have a chat with His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"OK!"

Qin Fumeng stood up as well. "There are people waiting outside the tent. Your Highness, please give the order if you need anything!"

Thank you!

Yan Li nodded to the two people in thanks.

"Your Highness, you're too kind!"

The two replied briefly and quickly left the tent.

Only after the two had left did Qin Yu smile and ask, "Have you figured it out?"

"no."

Yan Li gently shook her head.

Qin Yu was taken aback, looking at Yan Li with some confusion. "Then why did you make Su He Bao Yin surrender to us?"

Why is this kid's speech so incoherent?

Has he lost his mind?

Yan Li smiled calmly, "The Great Yan Dynasty is already destroyed. If I don't allow Suhe Baoyin to surrender to you, does that mean he won't?"

Suhe Baoyin and Bei Qi are sworn enemies!

Suhe Baoyin had always suspected that his eldest son had been assassinated by the Northern Qi.

Suhe Baoyin's hatred for Beiqi runs too deep. He is unwilling to obey Xiao Yanguang's orders, so how could he possibly surrender to Beiqi?

However, if Suhe Baoyin led his troops to resist to the end, he would eventually die from exhaustion and lack of supplies.

Da Yan had forgotten that there was no point in him resisting to the end.

Therefore, it was almost inevitable that Suhebaoyin would be defeated by Daning!

The reason why Suhe Baoyin has not yet surrendered to Da Ning is because she is still struggling with her loyalty to Da Yan.

But if he makes Suhe Baoyin surrender, Suhe Baoyin will be relieved of all his burdens.

All he did was slightly hasten Suhebaoyin's surrender.

Qin Yu was surprised after hearing Yan Li's words.

However, that is indeed the case.

Suhe Baoyin refused to surrender to Beiqi, and it was only a matter of time before he eventually surrendered to Daning.

Qin Yu paused for a moment, then asked, "Would you like a couple of drinks?"

"certainly!"

Yan Li laughed heartily.

"Someone come here!"

Qin Yu gave a low shout towards the outside of the tent, and as soon as the people outside entered, he immediately ordered, "Have someone prepare some good wine and food and send it over!"

"yes!"

After the person who had come in left, Qin Yu asked with some doubt, "Why did you do that?"

Yan Li looked at Qin Yu with a slightly amused smile: "Do you want to hear some high-sounding platitudes, or do you want to hear the truth?"

"I want to hear them all!"

Qin Yu joked, "Anyway, you're not in a hurry. Although we're anxious to get Suhe Baoyin to surrender with his troops, we don't care about a little bit of time."

Yan Li smiled, "I arrived in Huzhou Prefecture the day after the incident at Huyao..."

"Let me interject."

Qin Yu interrupted Yan Li, "We absolutely did not send anyone to poison your father. The mastermind behind this is most likely Bei Qi."

"no!"

Yan Li gently shook her head.

Qin Yu was about to speak again when Yan Li spoke indifferently, "It was Father Emperor himself who ordered the poisoning."

"What?"

Qin Yu was shocked and looked at Yan Li in disbelief.

Was it Emperor Yan himself who sent people to do it?

What's going on with the Yan Emperor?

Martyred for their country?

And drag the surrender faction in the government down with them?

Yan Li glanced at him casually and continued, "Qi was actually always unwilling, but I had no choice. If I didn't leave, many others wouldn't leave either! So, that night I fled Yunzhou. After crossing the Panjiang River, I deliberately got separated from them in the chaos, and then, with a few guards, I rushed to Huzhou Prefecture..."

He knew that it was impossible to get Suhebaoyin to lead his troops to surrender to Beiqi.

Therefore, he thought of leading Suhe Baoyin's troops to fight a fair and square battle against the Ning army at Yejiling.

If we win, we'll have completed our revenge.

He lost and died on the battlefield. Suhebaoyin led his troops to surrender to the Ning army.

However, after taking a tour of the military, he realized that he had been too naive.

The Yan army had lost all morale.

If it weren't for Suhe Baoyin's strenuous efforts to control the situation, and the fact that the commanders of each unit were Suhe Baoyin's confidants, his troops would have long since deserted.

In this situation, the chance of winning is zero!

Continuing the fight will only increase casualties.

Therefore, he sent his trusted confidants along the mountain roads of Qiyun Mountain to Pangzhou.

He should think about how Da Ning treated the people of Pangzhou, a country that had fallen from grace.

Then, his confidants saw Ning Jun providing relief to the disaster victims and helping them build temporary refugee camps.

Qin Yu understood. "So, this is why you decided to have Suhe Baoyin surrender to us?"

"Um."

Yan Li nodded slightly, "At least you are doing your best to provide relief to the disaster victims. Letting these people of a fallen kingdom become citizens of Da Ning is at least better than them being citizens of my Da Yan!"

As he spoke, Yan Li gave a self-deprecating laugh, "To put it in high-sounding terms, or rather, to put it in self-aggrandizing terms, I, as the Crown Prince, have already let down my ancestors and the country. I cannot let down these people for my own selfish reasons..."

As Yan Li said this, his face was full of self-mockery.

This is probably just an excuse for his own failure and incompetence!

"I believe this is what you truly mean!"

Qin Yu gently shook his head, then asked, "And what is the truth you're talking about?"

Yan Li raised her eyes, a bright smile spreading across her face: "The truth is, we're betting on both sides!"