Chapter 1224: Friend or Foe (4)

Little Treasure and the others exchanged tea leaves and satin for some fur and medicinal herbs, and paid for some goods with silver. In the meantime, they also obtained a lot of information from the stall owner.

When Wen San returned with two guards, the three of them were also carrying a lot of goods. This way, their purchase was almost 50% completed. Little Treasure was very satisfied with this and returned to the inn happily with them.

A guard gave Wen San a piece of silver and instructed, “Come here again tomorrow. You may go back for now.”

Wen San’s eyes widened when he saw the silver. He’d thought that it would be good enough if he could get 100 copper coins or so and certainly did not expect to receive silver worth slightly over one tael.

The guard patted his shoulder and turned around to return to the inn. The atmosphere in the inn was a little strange.

The innkeeper said to the guards apologetically, “I have to apologize. The inn is currently facing a shortage of rooms, and the guests who came are all esteemed guests. I only hope that the two young masters can give up two superior rooms. How about I charge you 10% less?”

The guards were displeased and said with a dark expression, “Do we look like people who lack money?”

“Yes, yes. Of course, I’m sure the young masters do not lack money. I’m really sorry…”

Before the guard could say anything else, Little An said, “Alright, let them have two rooms. You guys squeeze a little and make do.”

After saying that, he and Little Bear turned around and went upstairs with the guards.

The innkeeper hurriedly bowed and thanked Little Treasure. The Great Yuan merchant sitting at the side and waiting for the reply also nodded at Little Treasure.

Little Treasure returned a smile and returned to his room without stopping.

Little Bear flashed into Little Treasure’s room and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

“What’s wrong?” Little Treasure asked. “Do you know them?”

At that time, the moment he entered the inn, Little Bear had lowered his head and not said a word. He even secretly urged Little Treasure to come up quickly. Otherwise, Little Treasure wouldn’t have given up the rooms so easily.

Even if it was the guards’ room, they could not give it up casually. When they were outside, they were wary of giving others the impression that they were easy to bully.

Little Treasure only relented so easily when he saw how anxious and fearful Little Bear was.

At this moment, the guard leader outside was also berating the guard who was talking to the innkeeper. “Couldn’t you be more observant? Didn’t you notice that the Prince hid between us the moment he entered the inn? Why did you waste your breath with that innkeeper? Isn’t it just two superior rooms? It’s not as if he asked us to give up all the rooms.”

The guard felt aggrieved. “The Prince only took two small steps to the side. How could it have occurred to me that he was hiding from someone considering it was so subtle?”

“Alright, cut the crap. Hurry up and find out the identities of those people. Else, you’d appear completely ignorant when the masters ask.”

Leaving four guards to guard the door, the others carried the goods and dispersed.

Little Bear didn’t speak at all. He took out a pen, ink, and paper and started writing.

Little Treasure was curious. This was to prevent someone from overhearing them behind the walls. Could it be that those Great Yuan merchants below really had a special identity?

He leaned over to take a look. When he saw the words “Ogedei” on the paper, his eyes widened.

Little Bear rolled up the paper and threw it into the incense burner to burn, then said in a low voice, “If he sees my face, he’ll definitely recognize me!”

Little Treasure looked at Little Bear, who bore a 60 to 70% resemblance to his fourth uncle, and was speechless for a moment.

Anyone who had seen Qi Haoran before would be able to guess Little Bear’s connection to him as long as they weren’t idiots. Furthermore, Ogedei had fought Qi Haoran face-to-face and viewed him as a thorn in his side. How could he not recognize him?

Little Treasure now knew why Little Bear was avoiding those people just now.

“Are you sure it’s him?” Little Treasure hesitated and said in a low voice, “This is Great Qi…” For an Emperor of Great Yuan to come to Great Qi, how reckless is he?

Little Bear snorted. “How can I not know him when he almost killed my father? There’s even a portrait of him in my father’s study. He’s ranked first on my father’s blacklist.”

At this point, Little Bear was slightly excited and said in a low voice, “If I kill him, won’t I avenge my father?”

Little Treasure’s eyes lit up and he immediately considered the feasibility of this matter. After a while, he shook his head and said, “Since they’re in the heat of the battle with West Xia, it won’t be good if he dies. It’s better to let them fight for a few more years.”

Little Bear pouted in disappointment, but he had always listened to Little Treasure. He only felt disappointed for a moment before thinking of a countermeasure. “I wonder why he came to Great Qi incognito. Is he a friend or foe?”

“If he has friendly intentions, he could’ve submitted a diplomatic letter openly and sent an envoy over. Seeing as he’s so sneaky, even if he doesn’t have any ill intentions, he definitely doesn’t have any good intentions.” Little Treasure snorted coldly. “However, a gentleman doesn’t stand under a dangerous wall. If he dares to come to Great Qi, it can be seen that he’s not a gentleman!”

“Then are we risking our lives by coming to a strategic town at the border like this?” Little Bear asked softly.

Little Treasure patted his head. “What are you thinking about? Of course we’re gentlemen. Even if this is a strategic town at the border, it’s still the territory of Great Qi. As the crown prince, it’s my responsibility to investigate the public’s sentiments.”

“Mm, mm, it’s your responsibility. But I can’t show my face now.” Little Bear said in distress, “I can’t very well stay in the room and hide from them all the time, right?”

“It would appear strange if you really stayed in the room all day.” Little Treasure looked at his brother’s face and said decisively, “You can put on makeup.”

“But the innkeeper and assistant innkeepers have seen me…”

“That’s not a problem. Since he crossed the border and came here, our manpower is far from enough. I remember that the general guarding this town is a descendant of the Yuan family?” Little Treasure lowered his voice and said, “A member of the Yuan family is undoubtedly loyal.”

That meant that their identities were about to be exposed.

Little Treasure and Little Bear looked at each other with excitement. The two of them were eager to know why Ogedei had come to Great Qi’s territory.

At this moment, Ogedei had just moved into the room with his subordinates. He asked calmly, “Have you investigated the identities of those people?”

“I’ve checked. They’re two merchants who took their family’s money to go out and train. It’s said that Han Chinese merchants like to do this. Before their children reach adulthood, they’ll be given a sum of money to go out and train to prove their ability.”

Ogedei’s hand that was holding the teacup paused. He asked, “Are you sure they’re the sons of merchants and are here to do business?”

“Yes.” The subordinate lowered his head and reported, “They brought tea leaves and satin this time. Most of them were sold to the merchants in town, and the rest were said to be exchanged for fur and medicinal herbs to be transported to the south. Most of the merchants who came to the border are in this business.”

Ogedei sneered and said in a low voice, “Do two young children need the protection of so many armed guards? Moreover, they seem skilled in martial arts.”

Ogedei’s strategist, Nahe, hurriedly said in a low voice, “The Han people have many rules. It’s perfectly normal if these two are from the direct line of descent of large merchant families.”

“Two people?” Ogedei asked with a frown, “I only saw the handsome young man in the lead, but I didn’t see the face of the taller person standing beside him. Did you see it?”

The few of them looked at each other and shook their heads. Ogedei frowned and said, “Think of a way to meet that person. Since we took the risk to come here, we mustn’t make any mistakes.”

Since he knew that it was dangerous, why did he still come?

This was what Nahe and his subordinates thought. However, looking at their domineering master, they knew that even if they said it out loud, their master would not listen. In the end, they would only be scolded for nothing. Ever since Prime Minister Li left, the Emperor rarely listened to others’ opinions.

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