Chapter 190: Coercion

"Zhong Li!"

Among the Yuan Family soldiers, Yuan Xiu had his face covered with a cloth.

The triumphant smile on his face completely froze.

Just as planned, they had ambushed Mo Di and his party.

And just as they had anticipated, Mo Di and his party were caught completely off guard.

Now, if he were given another quarter of an hour, he would be able to kill Mo Di and his son.

But he could never have imagined that Zhong Li would appear in this place.

And looking at Zhong Li's posture, he was clearly coming straight for them.

"What on earth is going on?" Yuan Xiu was stunned.

Could it be that Yuan Li had changed his mind and sent Zhong Li to save Mo Di and his son?

For a moment, his mind was a complete mess.

It wasn't until Zhong Li led the Cavalry into the formation, charging at the front, his Silver Spear piercing through a soldier's body, and shouting out loud, that he realized something was wrong.

"General Mo, I am Zhong Li, entrusted by Yan Wang to come and rescue you. Please follow me to break through the encirclement," Zhong Li shouted.

Mo Yu was overjoyed to see Zhong Li.

He knew that Zhong Li had secretly defected to Yan Wang.

Mo Di was somewhat bewildered; Zhong Li was under Yuan Li's command, so how could he appear here?

There was no time for explanations; Mo Yu pushed his father onto a horse brought over by one of Zhong Li's soldiers.

Zhong Li then led the soldiers to charge toward Yanguan.

This time, his departure from the city would inevitably alert Yuan Li.

He feared that Yuan Li had already dispatched pursuers.

For him, this place was not to be lingered in for long.

"Stop them!"

Seeing the Mo family father and son escaping, Yuan Xiu shouted urgently.

But with over four thousand of Zhong Li's Cavalry charging the formation, the ambushing Yuan Family soldiers fell into chaos.

Zhong Li did not linger to fight either; once they broke through the encirclement, they headed toward Yanguan.

Yuan Xiu could only stare as the Mo family father and son gradually disappeared from sight.

"Damn it!"

Seeing Zhong Li and his men vanish into the snowflakes kicked up by the horses' hooves, he fiercely tore the cloth from his face.

Just as he was fuming with rage, he suddenly saw another unit of Cavalry approaching from the south.

He recognized the person in the lead as well; he was also a general of the Yuan Family.

"Bastard!" Yuan Xiu was so angry he was embarrassed, and he immediately ordered his soldiers to raise their Long Spear and prepare for battle.

But this unit of Cavalry slowly stopped in front of them.

The leading general asked, "Are the Mo family father and son dead?"

"What on earth is going on with you people!" Yuan Xiu did not answer, but instead shouted in a rage.

The general scanned the battlefield and frowned, "Zhong Li has rebelled, and the Prefect has ordered me to capture him."

Yuan Xiu's brow furrowed, thinking to himself that so that was it, and he sighed, "The Mo family father and son were rescued by him."

Hearing this, the general sighed lightly and said, "The Prefect has ordered that if the ambush fails, we are to return to Fanyang immediately."

Yuan Xiu nodded, gave a shout, and led his troops south.

Meanwhile.

Zhong Li escorted the Mo Di father and son, traveling through the night until they reached Yanguan.

On the way, Mo Yu told Mo Di everything that had happened.

"General Mo, Yuan Li is actually bold enough to do this. Since this ambush failed, I fear he will take a desperate risk. You must be careful at Yanguan," Zhong Li said.

Mo Di's face turned livid, and he said angrily, "Back then, the Imperial Court supported the Yuan Family and ordered him to guard Yanzhou. I never expected that we had raised a vicious wolf. This time, I must see the Emperor and wipe out the Yuan Family."

Mo Yu nodded heavily. Previously, he had viewed the Yuan Family as just another arrogant local power, much like the Eight Great Influential Clans.

He had not expected that Yuan Li would be capable of such an act as murdering an Imperial Court official.

If it weren't for Yan Wang and Zhong Li this time, he and his father would have already died miserably.

To him, the Yuan Family was now his mortal enemy.

"It is fortunate that Yanzhou still has Yan Wang holding the fort, otherwise the Yuan Family would eventually become a disaster," Mo Yu said.

Mo Di had never chosen a side among the various factions.

But Mo Yu's words filled him with a sense of lament.

If the Yuan Family were allowed to continue running rampant in Yanzhou, it would be a threat to him and to Yanguan.

Whether out of appreciation for Yan Wang or loyalty to the Imperial Clan.

He felt he should impeach the Yuan Family to the Emperor Zhao Heng and support Yan Wang.

Thinking of this, he said to Zhong Li, "Captain Zhong, do not worry. At Yanguan, there is no one who can shake my position.

But what will you do next, Captain?"

"I expect Yuan Li has already declared me a rebel. Since that is the case, I will simply take my loyal men and defect to Yan Wang, and serve under him from now on," Zhong Li said.

Mo Yu was delighted and grasped Zhong Li's hands, "That is wonderful! In that way, we can serve as generals together under Yan Wang."

Mo Di nodded, "Captain Zhong, you should head to Yan Commandery now. I fear Yuan Li will send troops to hunt you down."

Zhong Li nodded.

Mo Yu bowed to Zhong Li, "The current situation at Yanguan is unclear, so I wish to stay by my father's side for a while. I hope you will explain this to His Highness when you reach Yancheng."

"Rest assured," Zhong Li said, cupping his hands.

Having said this, he turned his horse around and led his soldiers toward Yancheng.

Fanyang.

Yuan Li's face was so gloomy it could drip water; no matter what, he could not have imagined that his plan would actually be ruined by Zhong Li.

"Could it be that Zhong Li knows his father was killed by Gao Yuan?" Guo Tu pondered aloud.

"Whether there is some connection or not, what should we do now? Mo Di knows the assassination was the work of our Yuan Family; how could he let it go?" Yuan Xiu said.

"That is nothing to worry about; they have no evidence," Guo Tu said.

The entire affair was only ordered verbally, and no Yuan Family members who participated were captured.

Compared to this, he was more worried about the Yuan Family's pledge of allegiance regarding Enke.

Thinking of this, he looked at Yuan Li, only to see Yuan Li looking at him as well.

At this moment, they were likely thinking the same thing.

Just then.

A servant from the Yuan Mansion walked in and said, "My lord, someone outside the mansion requests an audience and has presented a calling card."

"I won't see them!" Yuan Li was currently fuming and had no mood to see guests, so he waved his hand impatiently.

"But that person said that once you see the calling card, you will certainly see him," the servant said.

Yuan Li glanced at the calling card, took it, and looked at it, immediately startled.

"You all leave—Guo Tu, stay," Yuan Li said to Yuan Xiu and the others.

Once the crowd had dispersed, Yuan Li said, "This person says he is one of Enke's men and has an urgent matter to discuss."

"The Northern Di have always had spies in Yanzhou, but after Yan Wang dealt them a heavy blow, they disappeared for a time; I didn't expect there to be remnants," Guo Tu said.

Yuan Li nodded slightly; although he was very annoyed, he had to see Enke's man.

Before long, a young man dressed as an ordinary merchant walked in.

Bowing slightly to Yuan Li, the young man said, "I wonder if Lord Yuan succeeded in ambushing Mo Di?"

"You knew Mo Di was returning to the capital early?" Yuan Li's face showed surprise.

"Mo Di leaving Yanguan is not a secret; it was naturally easy to find out," the young man said.

Yuan Li looked at Guo Tu at this time; Guo Tu understood and smiled, "There were some slips; Mo Di did not die."

"So that is to say, it was a failure," the young man said coldly. "In that case, by alerting the enemy, it will be difficult to kill Mo Di again."

Yuan Li's expression was awkward, yet he dared not lose his temper.

Guo Tu laughed sheepishly, "Please ask Great King Enke to give us more time."

"There is no more time," the young man suddenly said loudly. "My Northern Di's southward advance is imminent; how can we allow your Yuan Family to drag your feet and ruin my great cause? This time I have come because Great King Enke instructed: if the ambush on Mo Di fails, the Yuan Family shall coordinate with my Northern Di army from within to take Yanguan!"

"You... you bastard, how dare you speak to our Prefect like that," Guo Tu stammered, his words lacking confidence.

Yuan Li snorted; he had never been reprimanded like this by anyone before. "And if I do not cooperate? What can he do to me!"

At this moment, he was also angry.

The young man's expression was indifferent. "That is simple; the pledge of allegiance between Lord Yuan and my Great King will appear in the hands of the Emperor of Great Song. Treason and selling out the country—Lord Yuan, no matter how much face you have, the Emperor of Great Song will no longer tolerate you, will he?"