"The purpose is to make Xiliang believe that there is a large number of troops stationed at Yecheng Pass, deterring them from easily attacking Yecheng Pass, to make Xiliang believe that Zhou is continuously dispatching reinforcements to Yecheng Pass..." Bai Qingyan spoke solemnly, "Since we know General Cui Shanzhong is in command, we must not be careless. Yecheng Pass is too important both to Zhou and Xiliang, more important than Qiushan Pass, a strategically critical point. General Cui Shanzhong likes to use deceptive tactics, and we can emulate them." "A Qi will take half of the remaining forces to leave tomorrow, with half diverted for General Yang to bring back. Ah Jue will wait two more days to bring Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi to set out again, then divert half to return, so we can hold on until General Zhao Sheng brings the Zhao family army to Yecheng Pass!" Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinzhao, "By then, Xiao Wu will accompany General Zhao to reinforce A Yu and Jinxiu." "When did Eldest Young Lady instruct General Zhao Sheng to lead the Zhao family army to come and aid?!" Bai Jinzhao’s eyes lit up, "Eldest Young Lady truly is impressive!" "News such as this reaches the ears of the Xiliang people... and to General Cui Shanzhong, our Zhou falsely acquires nearly one hundred thousand troops!" Bai Qingyun held the porridge bowl, "General Cui Shanzhong, facing Zhou, always has to consider carefully, and might fear Yecheng Pass will have continuous reinforcements, thus avoiding a direct assault on Yecheng Pass." Content orıginally comes from 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝕟𝕖𝕥 "Last night I reviewed records of General Cui Shanzhong’s past battles, and found that this general is willing to use any means to achieve victory. My grandfather’s description of General Cui Shanzhong as unscrupulous is fitting, but... I also discovered that General Cui Shanzhong won’t confront the opposing army head-on unless absolutely necessary!" Bai Qingyan took the hot tea cup Wei Zhong handed over, holding it, "So, only when Yecheng Pass has continuous reinforcements, will General Cui Shanzhong not risk coming to seize Yecheng Pass first! But thus... you must be extremely cautious!" "Eldest Young Lady need not worry!" Bai Qingqi was undeterred. The next day, as Bai Qingyan predicted, the people who had left Yecheng Pass returned, attempting to re-enter the city, but were driven away again. On this day... three were killed at the city gate, and no one dared to trespass Yecheng Pass again. This also left the people within Yecheng Pass more fearful, sensing their luck for not impulsively leaving the city. That noon, Bai Qingyan ordered again, two days later, Yecheng Pass would conduct household inspections. Those who hadn’t gone to the Government Office to register and change their household registration, still holding Xiliang nationality, would be expelled from Yecheng Pass. Every street within Yecheng Pass had Zhou soldiers guarding, to reprocess household registrations for Xiliang people. Bai Qingyan’s order was that within two days, household registration must be completed, or it would impede the implementation of new policies. The military dispatched enough personnel, exerted great effort, continued even during nighttime, and finally on the afternoon of the third day, sorted out all registrations clearly. Afterward, Bai Qingmo sent people to check each house. If any still held onto the hope of not registering, they were expelled from Yecheng Pass, and if they did not comply... they were treated as Xiliang spies. Such iron-fisted methods proved effective. On the fourth day, new Zhou legislation was posted in Yecheng Pass. There were designated individuals to explain new laws to residents who had become Zhou citizens, followed by people leading residents to allocate land. Aside from exempting three years of taxes for the people, Zhou would also send disaster relief grains later. Bai Qingyun assured the people that Zhou would never let its citizens go hungry. The residents of Yecheng Pass, seeing Zhou’s genuine commitment, realized these new laws benefited them greatly, and felt gratitude to the Emperor of Zhou, increasingly thankful they hadn’t left the city, choosing to become Zhou citizens. Apart from those officials with good reputations, Zhou replaced the others at Yecheng Pass. Such a grand gesture of action at Yecheng Pass by Zhou indicated they would not abandon Yecheng Pass, reassuring people that they would not suddenly have to become Xiliang citizens again, potentially being treated as spies by the Xiliang army. Quickly, Zhou welcomed the first wave of refugees, including those Xiliang citizens who initially chose to leave Yecheng Pass. The starving people from other parts of Xiliang, reduced to eating tree bark, knelt outside the city, claiming they heard from those who departed Yecheng Pass that the Zhou military was merciful, did not kill, allowed Xiliang people to become Zhou citizens, and begged to enter, pleading for survival, willing to become Zhou citizens. Mothers, already starved beyond recognition, held their dying children, kneeling outside the city begging for food to save their children. Upon receiving the news, Bai Qingyun followed Bai Qingyan’s previous instructions, first dispatched people to distribute a meal to the people outside the city, then sent officials out to treat the dying populace, finally announcing publicly... there would be only one chance to become Zhou citizens. If they wished to enter the city and receive a Zhou household registration, get the houses allocated by Zhou, they needed to comply with Zhou arrangements, and the house and land were not given freely, nor was the grain. They had to sign a debt statement to repay the government starting with the first grain crops next year... either with grain or silver. The term is thirty years, and there is interest every year, naturally the earlier to repay the interest, the less. Currently, with the Xiliang army collecting grain everywhere, leaving them without a way to live, as long as they entered Yecheng Pass, there was food to survive on, Zhou even provided houses and land. Let alone repaying for twenty years, they were willing to repay for a lifetime! Hearing this news, the city residents realized that Zhou’s prohibition to reallow those who departed Yecheng Pass entry again was to make room for these refugees, and felt fortunate not to have left, not realizing how dire the situation had turned in other parts of Xiliang. Listening to the refugees pleading for entry, shouting about their hometowns where cannibalism had already occurred, begging Zhou for refuge. Soon, after Bai Qingjue led the second batch of Zhou soldiers out of the city, the Zhou soldiers within Yecheng Pass began to register refugees one by one. Zhou official General Cheng made it clear, that refugees who had once left Yecheng Pass were strictly forbidden entry. Otherwise... if discovered after entering, they would be treated as spies and executed without mercy! With prior examples of Xiliang people from Yecheng Pass who attempted to re-enter and were killed, no one dared to recklessly trespass the city gates anymore. Of course, there were Xiliang locals originally residing in Yecheng Pass, mixing in the queues, falsely claiming to have escaped from elsewhere.