The Xiliang citizens waiting in line to leave the city saw their neighbors return, and their hearts trembled. They quickly craned their necks and asked a familiar Xiliang citizen outside the city gate, "Mr. Zhu, wasn’t your family the first to leave the city? Why have you come back?" "Please, General, have mercy, let our whole family enter!" Mr. Zhu didn’t bother to answer the neighbor’s question, dragging his wife and children to their knees, earnestly pleading with the General guarding the city to let them back in. The guard General didn’t say a word, ordered the crossbowmen to fire arrows, which landed in front of Mr. Zhu’s family. Terrified, Mr. Zhu clutched his son and retreated in embarrassment, nearly scared into incontinence, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat. The guard General of Zhou’s face was cold: "The opportunity to choose to become a citizen of Zhou... or a citizen of Xiliang was given to you. You chose to leave the city and continue being citizens of Xiliang, so don’t think about entering our Zhou city! I will count to ten... if you don’t leave by then, don’t blame us for not showing mercy! One... two..." Before the soldiers of Zhou could count to three, Mr. Zhu hurriedly dragged his wife and daughter away, crawling and crying. The return of Mr. Zhu’s family, who had left the city earliest, made the Xiliang citizens who were originally in line to leave hesitant. Although Mr. Zhu didn’t say anything, seeing him kneeling and begging to enter the city, it seemed as if he had encountered some problem! Seeing Mr. Zhu’s family walk away, the Commander of Zhou finally turned around and said to the soldiers, "Continue processing the city’s exit! But let me make it clear, those Xiliang citizens who have left the Zhou city should not assume that because our Emperor has shown you benevolence these past few days, Zhou can accommodate anything. Once outside Yecheng Pass, you must leave quickly. If anyone returns... they will all be treated as Xiliang spies and scouts, dealt with and executed without mercy! Be wise for yourselves!" After the General spoke, the soldier processing the city’s exit looked up, seeing the Xiliang citizen in front trembling incessantly while holding a child, preparing to register: "What is your name? Where do you live? How many people are in your family? To leave the city this time, the whole family must leave together. Do you understand this?" The person trembled continuously, seeing the soldiers of Zhou flipping through the Xiliang household register, waiting for the Zhou soldier who was searching for their Official Government registration, hurriedly said: "I... I’m not leaving the city anymore, our whole family is willing to become citizens of Zhou!" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦•𝘯𝘦𝘵 "Then why are you causing trouble! Go over to the Government Office to register!" The Zhou soldier reprimanded the person and loudly said, "Next household!" By this time, the Xiliang citizens who were eager to leave the city all hesitated. "Are you processing or not? If not, step aside, next one..." shouted the Zhou soldier to the next household. "Dear, why don’t we not leave the city? Who knows what it will be like after leaving the city, we are just common folk, no matter which country’s people we are, as long as we are alive it’s good! Look, Mr. Zhu’s family couldn’t even get back in after they left!" The wife tugged on her husband’s sleeve, tears falling, persuading, "The children are still so young, why do we have to leave our home, for what purpose?" "Hurry up! Hurry up! Which household is next?" the impatient Zhou soldier urged. The husband was still hesitant, but hearing the Zhou soldier’s urging, he gritted his teeth, pulled his child and wife from the line, and said: "You are right, as long as we, as common folk, can survive, it’s fine. If the Emperor of Zhou intended to kill us, why bother with such trouble, the Zhou army would have just massacred us when they entered the city with one slash! Since the Emperor of Zhou said that we would be treated as citizens of Zhou, why leave our home! Let’s go... back home!" "Yes! Why leave our home, whichever Emperor gives common folk like us a way to survive, that Emperor is our master! Let’s go! Back home!" More citizens pulled their wives and children from the line and went back home. The line at the front suddenly dispersed, and those waiting in the back asked what was happening. When they found out that Xiliang citizens who had left the city wanted to return and were almost treated as spies and shot, the citizens became apprehensive and uneasy. As more and more people left the line in front, all bringing their wives and children home, the line in the back also began to waver, and before long, more than half of it had dispersed. Outside the city walls of Yecheng Pass, there were indeed Xiliang citizens who had left the city and were now gradually returning. Those citizens pleaded to enter the city, but were informed that Xiliang people trying to enter would be treated as spies. Some attempted to force their way in and were immediately slain by the Zhou army outside the city walls. This greatly deterred those Xiliang citizens who harbored luck; the Zhou army meant what they said, they protected the citizens of Zhou but would not show mercy to Xiliang people. Soon, even the small number of Xiliang citizens still waiting to leave at the city gate took their belongings, holding their wives and children, and went back home, not daring to leave the city, fearing they wouldn’t be able to return once they left. After all, their homes were inside Yecheng Pass, and leaving Yecheng Pass was like being a floating duckweed not knowing where to go. As long as the Emperor of Zhou does not kill them, it doesn’t matter even if they aren’t treated as citizens of Zhou. In chaotic times... people seek nothing more than survival. While having supper, the news from the city gate was delivered to Bai Qingyan and Bai Qingqi, Bai Qingjue, Bai Qingyun, and Bai Jinzhao, Bai Jinhua, Bai Jinse. Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and gave Bai Jinse a piece of food with her chopsticks, responding, "The guard Commander did well, probably there will be more Xiliang citizens wanting to come back tomorrow. Handle it the same way, send those who return away, if they dare to force their way in, kill without mercy! Next, we need to re-register the number of people and households, implement the new policies, and A Yun will have to work hard for this." "Eldest Young Lady, rest assured, A Yun will certainly handle it well!" Bai Qingyun responded. "I estimate that in two or three more days, more Xiliang citizens will return..." Bai Qingqi thought for a moment, adding, "Eldest Young Lady, I am worried that if we leave tomorrow, the news might quickly spread, so perhaps it would be better to leave a few days later, what do you think?" "No need..." Bai Qingyan took the handkerchief handed by Wei Zhong and shook her head, "We depart as usual tomorrow. I’ve already instructed General Yang to exit the city, General Yang is already waiting outside the North Gate..." Bai Qingqi’s hand holding the chopsticks suddenly tightened: "Eldest Young Lady means..." "What are Eldest Young Lady and third brother talking about in riddles? What do you mean?" Bai Jinzhao, hearing this in a fog, suddenly felt a strong desire to know, turned to Bai Jinse, "Little Seven, what are Eldest Young Lady and third brother saying?" Bai Jinse glanced at her Eldest Young Lady and third brother, whispered, "Eldest Young Lady means, perhaps, to have third brother lead the troops out of the city, circle around, and then let General Yang bring the troops into the city?" Bai Qingjue looked toward Bai Jinse in admiration: "Little Seven truly is someone raised by our eldest aunt!" "But Eldest Young Lady, why do it this way?" Bai Jinhua was also somewhat unclear.