Li Qinghan frowned at Jun Tianxiao's slander and replied in a chilly tone:
"If Marquis Anle doesn't believe me, you can ask His Majesty to be a witness. The Li family will return every last one of your gifts."
"But I'd still like to remind Marquis Anle: sometimes, you shouldn't be so arrogant. Be careful what you say, or you might bring disaster upon yourself!"
After she finished speaking, Li Qinghan didn't bother with Lin Fan, who was still standing there with an air of righteous indignation. She headed straight for the manor's exit.
Hearing Li Qinghan's final threat, Jun Tianxiao gave a disdainful chuckle and paid it no mind.
In his eyes, the Li family, the Wang family—given his relationship with the Empress, they were nothing but a pile of rubbish he could crush with a flick of his hand.
But now that Li Qinghan had left, he'd lost interest in carrying on.
He glanced at Lin Fan and sneered, "What, your master's gone, and you, her lover, still aren't following her?"
[Tsk, tsk, tsk. That tone, that expression—I want to punch him just looking at it.]
[But does Jun Tianxiao have some trump card? Otherwise, with only Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, how dare he provoke the Protagonist, who's clearly already at Golden Core Stage?]
Sure enough, when Lin Fan heard the taunt, his handsome face twisted into a snarl. He looked as if he'd suffered the greatest insult.
"You little thief! Today you dare run your filthy mouth, tomorrow you'll dare kill someone! Let your grandpa teach you a lesson!"
Shouting, Lin Fan charged at Jun Tianxiao.
But Jun Tianxiao didn't seem to care. His expression didn't change in the slightest.
He simply watched Lin Fan rush toward him, the scorn in his eyes growing even thicker.
Just as Lin Fan's fist was about to crash into Jun Tianxiao's face, a hand clamped firmly around his wrist.
With a little force, the man flung Lin Fan through the air, sending him crashing heavily onto the floor.
Watching Lin Fan sprawl there in disarray, Jun Tianxiao didn't let the man make another move. He stood where he was, hands clasped behind his back, and looked down at Lin Fan with contempt.
"Boy, learn to keep your eyes open. Next time you see me, get on your knees and speak!"
Then he turned to the young man who'd just stepped in, his tone softening. "Zilong, just throw him out."
"Yes, my lord."
The young man cupped his fists in assent, grabbed Lin Fan by the ankle, and dragged him outside.
Mo Yunxuan, watching from beyond the wall, knew the show was over for today.
He climbed down from the roof of the carriage and returned inside. "Uncle Wang, the excitement inside is over. Once the crowd disperses, let's go."
"Yes, my lord." Wang Yuan's expression remained calm, without the slightest change, as he replied evenly.
Thinking back over what had just happened, Mo Yunxuan recalled the young man who'd intervened and thought:
Zilong? He was wearing Bright Silver Armor, and he was quite handsome, too.
Apart from lacking the Bright Silver Dragon Gallbladder Spear and the Night-Shining Jade Lion, he fit Zhao Yun's image from the novels rather well.
Thinking of this, Mo Yunxuan called out to Wang Yuan, who was driving the carriage outside.
"Uncle Wang, that young man who came out of Anle Marquis Manor at the end—the one Jun Tianxiao called Zilong. Can you see through his cultivation?"
Wang Yuan considered Mo Yunxuan's question before replying.
"My lord, if I'm not mistaken, that Zilong should be at Peak Nascent Soul. But judging by the speed of his attack, he could probably match some newly advanced Spirit Transformation experts."
Mo Yunxuan wasn't surprised that Wang Yuan rated Zilong so highly.
By the usual conventions of novels where Huaxia heroes were summoned, it was commonplace for them to defeat enemies a Great Realm above them. Figures like Lu Bu and Xiang Yu could even overpower enemies two Great Realms above them.
But if that was all Jun Tianxiao had up his sleeve, Mo Yunxuan wasn't too worried. From what he'd seen, Jun Tianxiao was far too flamboyant in the way he did things.
The manor's guards were more than enough to deal with Lin Fan, yet Jun Tianxiao had insisted on sending Zhao Yun out. It wasn't impossible that he was hiding more forces, but the odds seemed slim.
So he probably wouldn't be summoning heroes very quickly, either. Even if he summoned one every week, that would only be 52 in a year.
And Mo Yunxuan had 200 Body Cultivators each year. Each of them could fight above their level. They might not be as ridiculously powerful as the Huaxia heroes, but there were 200 of them!
The advantage was mine!
After thinking it over, Mo Yunxuan's mood suddenly brightened. He glanced at Anle Marquis Manor as it receded behind them, then at Lin Fan lying on the ground.
He spoke in an even tone. "Li Jin."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a figure appeared inside the carriage and bowed respectfully to Mo Yunxuan. "Duke, please give your orders."
As Mo Yunxuan looked at the middle-aged man kneeling on one knee, his expression respectful, a panel visible only to him appeared.
[Name: Li Jin] [Identity: Commander of the Imperial Guard of the Wei State Duke Mansion of the Dagan Dynasty] [Cultivation: Spirit Transformation Peak] [Cultivation Method: Blood Battle Scripture] [Loyalty: 93]
Seeing Li Jin's cultivation and loyalty, Mo Yunxuan nodded and spoke in a low voice.
"Jun Tianxiao's behavior today was very abnormal. It was as if he'd become a completely different person. He may have been possessed."
"On top of that, he has a young man by his side who's at Peak Nascent Soul and can fight Spirit Transformation experts. Clearly, Jun Tianxiao has secrets we don't know about."
"After you finish taking over the Imperial City Imperial Guard, I need you to lead 500 of our Nascent Soul Realm Imperial Guards and personally keep an eye on Jun Tianxiao. Make sure he doesn't notice you."
"Yes, Duke."
Li Jin agreed at once, without hesitation.
Watching Li Jin accept so readily, Mo Yunxuan suddenly wondered if he'd made a mistake assigning him the task.
That was way too quick!
Could he be unreliable?
After a brief hesitation, Mo Yunxuan still couldn't quite relax, so he added a reminder.
"Remember, you absolutely must not be discovered. If he does spot you, get out of his sight immediately."
Li Jin stiffened at that. His voice sank noticeably.
"Don't worry, Duke. If we truly can't get away, the brothers won't expose the Wei State Duke Mansion."
Hearing the change in Li Jin's tone, Mo Yunxuan realized he'd misunderstood and corrected him.
"That won't be necessary. If things go badly, just fight. If you can't beat them, come back to the manor and bring in more men. If that still doesn't work, go to the Imperial City Imperial Guard garrison for help. Whatever happens, make sure you stay alive."
Li Jin lowered his head deeply and said with shame, "I'm sorry, Duke. I misunderstood you."
Mo Yunxuan waved a hand casually. "It's fine. You can go."
"Yes!" Li Jin said, then vanished from the carriage.
Mo Yunxuan opened the carriage's little window a crack and watched the streets slide past, listening to the pedestrians' whispered conversations.
Before long, the carriage reached the Imperial City Imperial Guard's garrison inside the city.
The soldiers didn't block the road as he'd imagined. In fact, when the Gate Guard General saw the Wei State Duke Mansion's banner, he personally came down from the Gate Tower to welcome them.
Mo Yunxuan felt both pleased and disappointed.
He was pleased that the transfer of military authority would probably go smoothly.
He was disappointed that he'd lost his chance to make an example of someone and show off.
As a transmigrator, it seemed he didn't get to be the Protagonist, after all. Sigh...
As the carriage rolled on, they soon reached the entrance to a grand building. A group of armored officers stood on either side of the doorway, clearly having waited for some time.
Mo Yunxuan didn't put on airs. He hopped down from the carriage in just a few steps.
As soon as he raised his head, a kindly, dignified-looking middle-aged man led the others over to greet him. After bowing respectfully, he spoke.
"Duke, I'm Chen Wei, one of the deputy generals of the Imperial City Imperial Guard. Please follow me to the Council Hall first."
Mo Yunxuan nodded at him and replied calmly, "Mm. Lead the way."
Before you continue