After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Yuan Li held the wine cup without drinking, raising his eyes to look at Xun Fan.

Xun Fan saw Yu Hong like this, couldn’t help but sigh, his interest in drinking waned immediately, and he sat still.

Zheng Zhi’s face showed some embarrassment, nervously looking at Yu Hong.

Yu Hong lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then smiled and raised his wine cup, saying to Xun Fan, "I follow your advice, after this drink I will speak."

Xun Fan rejoiced inside, thinking he had finally persuaded his friend, hurriedly raised his wine cup and said, "Good, come, General Yuan, please."

With that said, he was about to drink it all in one go.

Yuan Li hesitated for a moment, but still reached out and grabbed his arm.

His arm was suddenly grabbed, causing the wine to splash onto his chin and neck, Xun Fan was stunned, looking at Yuan Li.

Yuan Li, holding the wine cup, looked at Yu Hong with a half-smile, "I can drink this cup, but I want to exchange wine with Yu County Magistrate."

Xun Fan was taken aback, looked down at the wine cup in his hand, silently put it down, and turned to Yu Hong.

Yu Hong’s heart tightened, constantly telling himself not to be nervous, but he couldn’t help the twitch in his face, fear making his hands tremble slightly, "What does General Yuan mean by this? We have been drinking from the same pot all this time..."

"Yes, but I’m close to Yu County Magistrate, and at this moment, I want to exchange cups with the Magistrate. Since the wine is from the same pot, why does Yu County Magistrate not dare?" Yuan Li extended the wine cup to Yu Hong.

Seeing the cup steadily placed in front of him, Yu Hong’s expression changed. He knew Yuan Li suspected him. Though he didn’t know where he gave himself away, somewhere he surely slipped.

Under Yuan Li’s pressure, Yu Hong took the wine cup, stood up, and respectfully said, "Since General Yuan does not believe, let me drink this cup on behalf of the official."

After saying that, he took back his arm, but as the cup was about to touch his lips, he suddenly dropped it, retreating two steps, and as the cup shattered on the ground, he shouted, "Seize them!"

Yuan Li suddenly stood up, flipping the table, his body leaping like a fierce tiger towards Yu Hong.

Yu Hong was not powerless; his face changed dramatically as he turned and grabbed the sword hanging on the wall, thrusting it fiercely at him. Meanwhile, more than twenty servants and people from the side rooms rushed into the room, all wielding swords and knives, charging at Yuan Li and others.

Shi Si and other trusted aides, though not on the table, were also serving in the room, with two at the door. When the cup hit the ground, they drew their swords, one went for Zheng Zhi, two went to protect Xun Fan, and the other two guarded the door, opening a path for escape.

Yuan Li tilted his head to dodge a sword, followed its momentum to grab his wrist, twisted, and Yu Hong’s sword fell into his hand. Then he kicked Yu Hong flying with one foot, swung his sword to cut down the two people rushing to attack him from behind.

He ignored Yu Hong, who was kicked against the wall, and instead plunged into the crowd, each strike of his sword taking a life.

He quickly regrouped with Shi Si, the four formed a formation, protecting Xun Fan in the center.

Yu Hong stood up from the ground, clutching his chest, trying to slip away along the wall, but to get out, he had to pass by Yuan Li. Just as he took two silent steps, a sword rested across his neck.

Yu Hong turned his head nervously, Yuan Li pressed the sword into his skin, full of malice, "Have them back off for me."

Yu Hong hurriedly called out, "Retreat, retreat, all of you retreat!"

Zheng Zhi, just rescued, scrambled and rolled to hide behind the crowd, shouting loudly, "Don’t stop, kill them, hack them to death!"

Yu Hong’s face changed dramatically, shrieking, "Zheng Zhi!"

"Brother-in-law—" Zheng Zhi shouted even louder, "If we let them go, our whole family will suffer. Just think of it as for the sake of your nephew and niece!"

With that, he shouted loudly, "Kill them quickly, kill them quickly."

Yuan Li heard this and laughed, saying to Yu Hong, "Yu County Magistrate, it seems your brother-in-law does not cherish your life much, truly a family like yours."

With that, he lightly cut Yu Hong’s neck, causing him to almost kneel, as Yuan Li ominously said, "Make your men stand down!"

Yu Hong could barely speak, his eyes signaling to a person, gesturing to him.

Zheng Quan received the order, calling his men back, "Fall back!"

Zheng Zhi almost shouted hoarsely, "Do not retreat! Zheng Quan, you dog servant, remember, your surname was given by my sister!"

Zheng Quan replied, "Young Master-in-law, I am a born servant of the Yu family, fortunate to be given a surname by the madam, but my master is still the Yu family."

Zheng Quan not only withdrew Yu Hong’s men but also forced Zheng Zhi’s men back out.