The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

No one spoke inside; everyone wore solemn expressions. They were all young men of noble birth. Although they chatted and laughed together, once outside, they each harbored their own pride and arrogance.

Therefore, he was able to empathize more deeply with the Crown Prince Zhao Xuan's resentment and indignation when faced with the arrogance of the Liao envoy and the fear and unease of his own court officials as they lowered their stance to seek peace.

And there's that lingering shame.

In the midst of the silence, Bai Ye suddenly put down his cup: "Since everyone feels it's humiliating, then let's do something."

Everyone turned to look at him.

Bai Ye raised his eyes: "What's the use of just smashing cups and cursing the Liao people here? We should remember today's humiliation and then find a way to avenge it."

Zhao Xuan looked over, his gaze sharp, signaling him to continue.

At this moment, Zhao Yu frowned and said, "Easier said than done, how do we do it, and where do we even begin?"

Bai Ye glanced at him and said, "Why don't you learn from your father, His Highness the Prince of Yan?"

Zhao Yu was taken aback: "My father?"

Bai Ye explained, "Members of the imperial family cannot command troops, and you are the only son of the Prince of Yan, so you cannot easily go to the battlefield. In that case, you will be in charge of logistics."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu's expression immediately changed, and he subconsciously looked at Zhao Xuan.

Seeing the latter's composed expression, he felt slightly relieved, but still somewhat uneasy.

Bai Ye, however, remained unperturbed and continued, "In the battle in the Northwest, His Highness Prince Yan, being a member of the imperial clan, could not command troops and had no real power. Yet, he helped train the soldiers, reorganize the weapons, allocate provisions, and even procure medicine and winter clothing for the soldiers on the front lines. He did almost everything he could. Precisely because of these actions, it's not so easy for others to say that members of the imperial clan only know how to enjoy wealth and luxury."

Zhao Yu slowly fell silent. Members of the imperial family could not lead troops. This was not an ironclad rule, but a well-known rule since the founding of the country.

However, his father, Zhao Xu, was transferred to the Northwest before the war and made many contributions in the battle against the Western Xia.

He had never touched military power, but thanks to his status as a member of the imperial family and the emperor's trust, he took on many things that others would not be able to do.

Training new recruits, inspecting weapons, supervising the delivery of provisions, accommodating wounded soldiers, and providing relief to the families of fallen soldiers—these tasks may not seem as glamorous as capturing enemy generals and flags on the front lines, but they are just as important.

Of course, after returning home, my father, like General Di, relinquished all his duties and responsibilities. Now he only wants to stay at home playing chess and drinking tea with my mother, and occasionally go out riding horses and hunting. He is extremely affectionate.

He even suspected that his father and mother might want to have another brother or sister for him.

...In short, my father eventually made a name for himself, and through his actions in the Northwest, he rose to become the most trusted nephew of the government. He was frequently given other assignments, and these were all assignments that only his trusted confidants could handle.

My father ultimately forged a path that no member of the royal family had ever taken before.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Zhao Xuan again, as if he had realized something, then raised his hand to touch his nose and whispered, "I understand."

Bai Ye looked at Zhao Fang: "Fang-ge'er is the same."

Zhao Fang was taken aback at first, then fell into deep thought.

Bai Ye then looked at Chang Feng: "You should continue your studies and strive for improvement. Your father is now a capable minister in the court. If you can also pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom, you may be able to achieve even more in the future."

"We need people to fight on the front lines, and we also need people to plan things out in the rear."

Changfeng nodded solemnly.

Bai Ye finally looked at Zhao Xuan, a smile playing on his lips: "Your Highness has a great responsibility, which is to remember today's shame and today's promise for everyone."

Zhao Xuan nodded slowly.

Zhao Yu suddenly raised an eyebrow: "You've made arrangements so well for everyone, but what about yourself?"

Bai Ye smiled gently.

"Me? In two months, I'm going north."

Everyone was taken aback.

Zhao Xuan frowned: "North?"

Zhao Fang asked, "What are you going north for?"

Bai Ye toyed with his wine cup and said slowly, "My grandfather gave me a caravan. I want to go deep into the Liao Kingdom under the guise of doing business, to find out the details of the Liao Kingdom."

"What are their cities like? What are their armies like? What are their trade routes like? Where do their provisions come from? Where do their salt and iron come from? What are their strengths and weaknesses?"

"Can we cut off what they rely on?"

"Will we be able to use the things they're afraid of in the future?"

As he finished speaking, the room fell completely silent, and the youthful anger that had been burning with youthful vigor suddenly seemed to have a very clear direction.

Zhao Yu was still incredulous: "How could your parents agree?"

Bai Ye's expression remained unchanged: "I've already spoken with my grandfather. You know, once he promises something, he always keeps it."

For a moment, no one knew what to say.

Finally, Zhao Xuan spoke up: "Then what about your studies? Aren't you going to take the imperial examinations?"

Bai Ye said frankly, "I'll study in Liao. After all, I'm still young. I can help my family with their business while having a tutor teach me. That makes sense, doesn't it? Besides, isn't learning something you can just do by reading books?"

No one spoke for a moment.

Zhao Yu nodded silently.

well.

The composed and serious Bai Ye from just now was indeed a fake.

This arrogant and shameless attitude was the Bai Ye he knew—a complete scoundrel.

"Let's each do what we're supposed to do," Bai Ye continued. "Everyone gets old."

"Whether it's the old ministers in the court or the veterans on the battlefield, they can't stand there forever. In ten or twenty years, whether it's the court or the battlefield, they'll have to make way for us young people."

"Therefore, our top priority is to learn skills as soon as possible, so that when it's our turn in the future, we won't find that we're not capable enough."

"If things really come to that, becoming a laughingstock is secondary. What if we mess things up?"

After a long while, a soft laugh suddenly came from inside the room.

Zhao Xuan slowly stood up, raised his glass, and said, "My cousin is right. Instead of dwelling on today's humiliation and the inaction of those people, we should learn from this experience. When we grow up, we must never be like them, allowing ourselves to be bullied."

Zhao Fang also stood up, his voice firm: "Not only that! We will make them pay the price for their arrogance today! We will get back everything they have bullied us over the years."

Changfeng also stood up, gripping his wine glass tightly: "Let's start with the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun."

Bai Ye shook his head: "No, it starts from when we stand up for ourselves."

"That's right." Zhao Xuan raised his wine cup: "Establish yourself first, then enter the court."

His gaze swept across the faces of Zhao Yu, Zhao Fang, Chang Feng, and Bai Ye.

He said, word by word, "I am waiting for you."

The boys raised their glasses in unison.

The cups clinked together, making a crisp sound.

-

In the study of the Gu residence, the candlelight had already burned down to almost nothing.

Gu Tingyu sat at his desk, with several books stacked beside him. After reading for only a short while, he coughed softly again.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind, draped a cloak over his shoulders, and gently patted his back.

Man Niang's eyes were full of heartache: "Young master, it's late. Let's see it tomorrow."