Chapter 200: Troops at the City Gates

Dong Qi lay flat on the ground.

Amidst the deafening roars from just a moment ago, he dared not even lift his head.

But now, he could no longer pretend to be dead.

If he remained lying here, the warhorses of the cavalry would trample him into a pulp of flesh.

Scrambling up from the ground, he ran desperately toward the Rich Clan soldiers who were already scattering in retreat.

Yet before he had run ten paces, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Looking down, he saw a sharp arrow had pierced in from his back and exited through his chest.

Everything went black before his eyes, and he collapsed to the ground.

In the instant he lost consciousness, he regretted having made a wrong decision.

Beside Zhao Xu, Xu Lie slowly lowered his bow and arrow.

Zhao Xu nodded slightly, saying nothing.

His gaze remained fixed on the Heavy Cavalry led by Chen Hu.

At this moment, the Rich Clan private soldiers were like twenty thousand chickens running wild across the fields.

The Heavy Cavalry charged in, rolling over them like a steamroller; no one could stop them.

"Zhong Li, drive these Rich Clan private soldiers together," Zhao Xu said.

"Yes, Your Highness." Zhong Li swallowed hard.

He felt extremely fortunate now to have joined under Yan Wang, otherwise, it would be him facing all of this.

He absolutely did not want to taste the cannonballs fired by these Artillery.

"Rumble," the sound of hooves rose as Zhong Li led the Light Cavalry clad in Scale Armor charging out.

They flanked from both sides, driving the scattering Rich Clan private soldiers toward the center.

Seeing there was no escape, the Rich Clan private soldiers threw down their Weapons one after another and knelt on the ground.

They had surrendered.

At this moment, Zhao Xu signaled to Chang Wei, and the Prince's Army marched forward once again.

Arriving before the surrendered Rich Clan private soldiers, Zhao Xu said, "People of Yanzhou, Yuan Li has rebelled, and Yanguan is in imminent danger. Do you still intend to continue following this group of Rich Clans to commit treason? Are you content to be reduced to slaves of the Northern Di people?"

The Rich Clan soldiers looked up at Yan Wang.

They had long heard of everything Yan Wang had done in Yan Commandery and Shanggu Commandery.

They yearned for Yan Wang in their hearts.

Alas, they were not the subjects of Yan Wang's fief.

"Your Highness, we do not want to rebel; we were forced by these Rich Clans. If we didn't come, we would have violated military law," one Rich Clan private soldier shouted.

"Spare our lives, Your Highness, we absolutely do not want to rebel."

"We were also helpless in this situation."

"..."

The Rich Clan private soldiers began to cry out one by one.

Zhao Xu nodded; the reason he said this was because when he wiped out the Zhang, Huang, and Du families, many Rich Clan private soldiers had chosen to surrender directly.

In Ping County, he believed that many of the common people were likewise coerced by the Rich Clans.

"Since that is the case, pick up your swords and kill the Rich Clans who enslave you. If you have the courage, follow this Prince to Yanguan, defeat the Yuan Family, resist the invasion of the Northern Di people, and from now on, be my people," Zhao Xu said loudly.

"Be the Prince's people?" A Rich Clan private soldier's eyes flashed with excitement.

Looking at the Rich Clan scion trembling in fear beside him, he picked up a Long Sword from the ground and stabbed him.

The Rich Clan scion immediately fell into a pool of blood.

This Rich Clan private soldier's action served as an example.

Numerous soldiers picked up the Long Swords on the ground, searching for the figures of the Rich Clans.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the ground was covered with the corpses of the Rich Clans.

There was not a shred of pity in Zhao Xu's eyes.

If not for the Yuan Family's rebellion, he might have kept these Rich Clans to work in the mines.

But now, he had no time to deal with these Rich Clans.

Moreover, these Rich Clans were the source of instability in Yanzhou; leaving them behind was extremely dangerous.

In extraordinary times, one must do extraordinary things; they had to die.

The Prince's Army continued to advance.

The Rich Clan private soldiers looked at one another.

Some brave soldiers joined the ranks of the Wangfu Army, and they followed behind the Prince's Army, setting off toward Yanguan.

Others threw down their swords, their figures disappearing into the vast, empty fields.

Before long, several generals of the Prince's Personal Army came to the rear, organizing them into the army as they walked.

"Your Highness, eight thousand people have followed us," Chang Wei caught up and reported to Zhao Xu, his tone carrying a sigh.

"Quite a few Rich Clan private soldiers ran away."

"Eight thousand is not bad," Zhao Xu laughed. "The way of the world is just like this. When the nation is in peril, those willing to risk their lives to defend it are always the bravest group; cowards are superfluous on the battlefield."

"Your Highness is right," Chang Wei followed Yan Wang's gaze as it swept over the spirited Prince's Personal Army, and he gave a hearty laugh.

Yanguan.

Xiao Yuanshan was leisurely drinking some Wine in the courtyard.

At this moment, a general hurried over, drenched in sweat.

"What are you doing, acting so flustered?" Xiao Yuanshan was very dissatisfied with the general who had entered without knocking.

The general did not care about Xiao Yuanshan's anger at all; he said urgently, "General, a major incident has occurred. The Yuan Family has rebelled. Two hundred thousand of the Yuan Family Army are just thirty li outside the city and will arrive at Yanguan immediately."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanshan threw his wine cup down and roared, "Nonsense! This matter regarding the Yuan Family is a rumor spread by Mo Di. Now that he has committed suicide out of fear of punishment, why do you still believe it? What is it? Are you dissatisfied with me, the Main General of Yanguan?"

"General, this subordinate would not dare to speak nonsense. This is the situation discovered by the scouts. I implore the General to immediately mobilize troops to defend the southern city wall," the general continued, his tone exceptionally anxious.

"Someone, drag this babbling fellow out for me." Xiao Yuanshan was somewhat drunk.

Although Mo Di was dead, he was clear about Mo Di's prestige in Yanguan.

The current generals were absolutely unconvinced by his control over Yanguan.

He was just thinking about promoting his own confidants next to suppress Mo Di's people.

Now, this general had just given him an opportunity to establish his authority.

As his voice fell, suddenly another general came rushing over.

Kneeling on one knee before him, the general said, "General, a great army of the Northern Di has been discovered fifty li away, numbering no less than three hundred thousand."

"Hahaha..." Xiao Yuanshan suddenly burst into laughter.

Now he was even more convinced that this was the generals under Mo Di playing tricks on him.

As his laughter gradually subsided, his face instantly turned cold, "Someone, drag them both away together and give them Thirty Military Canes. Anyone else who babbles and disturbs the morale of the army shall be beheaded as a warning to others."

"General, this is not nonsense! Yanguan is in peril, Yanguan is in peril..."

The two generals were dragged away by the guards, struggling and shouting as they went.

But Xiao Yuanshan ignored the two of them entirely and continued to drink his wine.

"Although Yan Wang is annoying, the wine he brews is truly delicious, hehe..." Xiao Yuanshan picked up his wine cup and drained it in one gulp again.

With a pot of wine down his throat, Xiao Yuanshan was sixty percent drunk and returned to his room to fall fast asleep.

Midnight.

A general rushed into Xiao Yuanshan's room in a panic.

This general's face was pale, and his whole body was trembling.

"General, Yanguan is finished, Yanguan is finished," the general shouted.

Xiao Yuanshan saw the face of the person who had come clearly and roared, "How can you also be messing around with that group of generals?"

The general who had come this time was named Xiao Qing, a clansman of his Xiao Family.

"General, how could I possibly lie to you? The Yuan Family has truly rebelled, and the Northern Di people have truly come. They have already arrived at the city walls. If you don't believe me, General, you can go and see for yourself," Xiao Qing said with a mournful face.

"Fine, today I must expose your lies," Xiao Yuanshan said in a great rage.

One general acting like this, two generals acting like this—it made him exceptionally furious.

How could it be possible? The Northern Di people would never attack Yanguan in the dead of winter.

He threw on his clothes and went to the north city wall, but when he climbed the wall and saw the torchlight in the darkness like countless fireflies, his drunkenness instantly flew to the nine heavens.

In his heart, there remained only a fear as thick as the dark night.