有言在先 said beforehand
Explanation
指事先说明，约定好；也指事先有所表示。
It refers to explaining or agreeing in advance; it can also refer to having expressed something in advance.
Origin Story
话说唐朝时期，一位名叫李白的诗人，受邀参加了扬州一位富商的宴会。这位富商十分仰慕李白的才华，提前派人送去了一份厚礼，并有言在先，希望李白能在宴会上赋诗一首。李白收到礼物后，爽快地答应了。宴会上，宾客们对李白的到来感到十分兴奋，纷纷举杯祝贺。李白不负众望，吟诵了一首气势磅礴，充满浪漫主义情怀的诗歌，博得了满堂彩。富商更是喜不自胜，连连称赞李白的才华横溢。宴席结束后，李白临走时，富商又送给他许多珍贵的礼物，并再次感谢他有言在先，让这场宴会增添了无限光彩。
In the Tang Dynasty, a poet named Li Bai was invited to a banquet hosted by a wealthy merchant in Yangzhou. The merchant greatly admired Li Bai’s talent and sent a generous gift beforehand, stating his hope that Li Bai would compose a poem at the banquet. Li Bai gladly accepted and agreed. At the banquet, the guests were excited by Li Bai’s presence and offered numerous toasts. Li Bai, living up to expectations, recited a magnificent poem full of romanticism, which was met with thunderous applause. The merchant was overjoyed, praising Li Bai’s extraordinary talent. After the banquet, as Li Bai departed, the merchant gave him more precious gifts, again thanking him for his prior agreement, which had added immeasurable splendor to the occasion.
Usage
用于说明或约定；或用于说明事前已有某种表示。
Used to explain or agree on something, or to explain that something has already been indicated.
Examples
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老王有言在先，不会轻易改变主意。
lǎo wáng yǒu yán zài xiān, bù huì qīngyì gǎibiàn zhǔyi
Old Wang has stated this beforehand, so he will not easily change his mind.
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会议开始前，他已将流程有言在先。
huìyì kāishǐ qián, tā yǐ jiāng liúchéng yǒu yán zài xiān
Before the meeting began, he had already explained the process.