“The purpose is to make Western Liang think that Yecheng Pass has a massive number of troops stationed there, so they won’t dare to easily attack Yecheng Pass. To make Western Liang think that the Great Zhou is continuously dispatching troops to Yecheng Pass…” Bai Qingyan’s voice was solemn. “Since we know that General Cui Shanzhong is in command, we absolutely cannot be negligent. Yecheng Pass is too important for both the Great Zhou and Western Liang—it can be said to be an even more crucial strategic battleground than Qiushan Pass. General Cui Shanzhong likes to play that game of ‘all is fair in war,’ so we can also follow suit.”
“Tomorrow, A’Qi will take the remaining half of the troops and leave, then split half of them to have General Yang bring troops back. In two more days, A’Jue will take Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi and lead troops out, then split in half to return. This way we can hold out until General Zhao Sheng arrives at Yecheng Pass with the Zhao family army!” Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinzhao. “When that time comes, Xiao Wu will set out together with General Zhao to reinforce A’Yu and Jinxiu.”
“When did elder sister order General Zhao Sheng to lead the Zhao family army to provide reinforcements?!” Bai Jinzhao’s eyes lit up. “Elder sister is truly amazing!”
“When this news reaches the ears of the Western Liang people… and old General Cui Shanzhong, we Great Zhou will have gained nearly a hundred thousand more troops out of thin air!” Bai Qingyun held his porridge bowl. “When old General Cui Shanzhong faces off against Great Zhou, he’ll have to weigh his options carefully, and might even fear that Yecheng Pass will have a continuous stream of reinforcements, thus not daring to directly attack Yecheng Pass.”
“Last night I reviewed the records of several major battles that old General Cui Shanzhong fought, and discovered that this General Cui Shanzhong would dare to use any method to win battles. Grandfather’s description of old General Cui Shanzhong as ‘using any means necessary’ is very apt, but… I also discovered that unless necessary, old General Cui Shanzhong won’t engage in confrontation with enemy forces!” Bai Qingyan took the hot teacup that Weizhong handed her and held it in her hands. “Therefore, only if Yecheng Pass has a continuous stream of reinforcements will Old General Cui Shanzhong not risk attacking Yecheng Pass first! But in that case… You all must be extremely careful!”
“Elder sister, rest assured!” Bai Qingqi was not afraid.
The next day, just as Bai Qingyan had predicted, some people had already left Yecheng Pass, returning, wanting to re-enter the city, but they were all driven away. That day, three people were killed at the city gate, and no one dared to force their way into Yecheng Pass anymore.
This also made the people within Yecheng Pass even more shaken, feeling fortunate that they hadn’t impulsively left the city.
That noon, Bai Qingyan issued another order: in two days, Yecheng Pass would conduct household-by-household inspections. Those who had not gone to the prefectural office to register and change their household registration… those still holding Western Liang citizenship would be expelled from Yecheng Pass.
Every street in Yecheng Pass was guarded by Great Zhou troops, helping Western Liang people re-register for Great Zhou household registration. Bai Qingyan’s order was that within two days, all household registrations must be completed, or it would hinder the implementation of new policies.
The military handled affairs with sufficient personnel and great effort, continuing the registration process even at night. By the afternoon of the third day, all household registration was finally sorted out.
Afterward, Bai Qingyun sent people to conduct house-to-house inspections. If there were still people who harbored lucky thoughts and hadn’t registered, they would be expelled from Yecheng Pass. If they dared to refuse… they would be treated as Western Liang spies.
Such iron-fisted methods did indeed show results.
On the fourth day, the Great Zhou’s new laws were posted throughout Yecheng Pass. Specialists explained the new laws to the people of Yecheng Pass who had become Great Zhou citizens, and then other specialists led the people to divide up the land.
Not only did the Great Zhou exempt the people from three years of taxes, but relief grain would also be sent afterward. Bai Qingyun told the people that Great Zhou citizens would never be allowed to go hungry.
When the people of Yecheng Pass saw this, they realized that Great Zhou was truly serious, and these were all new laws beneficial to the people. They immediately felt grateful to the Great Zhou Emperor and were even more glad in their hearts that they hadn’t left the city and had chosen to become Great Zhou citizens.
Except for those with good reputations, the Great Zhou also replaced a batch of officials at Yecheng Pass.
The Great Zhou’s making such grand movements in Yecheng Pass indicated that they would never abandon Yecheng Pass. The people also felt at ease, not fearing that, having just become Great Zhou citizens today, they would have to become Western Liang citizens again tomorrow, and might even be treated as spies by the Western Liang army.
Soon, the Great Zhou welcomed the first wave of refugees, including Western Liang people who had originally chosen to leave Yecheng Pass.
The people from other parts of Western Liang who had been so hungry they were eating tree bark knelt outside the city. They all said they had heard from people who left Yecheng Pass that the Great Zhou army was merciful, didn’t kill people, and even allowed Western Liang people to become Great Zhou citizens. They came to request entry into the city… just seeking to survive, saying they were willing to become Great Zhou citizens.
There were even mothers who had been starved beyond human recognition, holding their dying children and kneeling outside the city, begging for a bite of food to save their children’s lives.
After receiving the news, Bai Qingyun followed Bai Qingyan’s previous instructions, first sending people to distribute one meal’s worth of grain to each person outside the city, and having doctors go out to treat the dying people. Only then did he announce publicly… that the chance to become Great Zhou citizens was only given once.
If they wanted to enter the city and obtain Great Zhou household registration and houses allocated by the Great Zhou government, they would need to follow Great Zhou’s arrangements. Moreover, the houses and land weren’t given for free, nor was the grain given for free. They would need to sign IOUs with the government, and starting from when the first crop was produced next year, they would have to repay the government in the form of grain or silver, with a thirty-year term, and there would be interest each year. Naturally, the earlier they finished paying, the less interest there would be.
Now, the Western Liang army was searching everywhere for grain, and the people had no way to survive. As long as they could enter Yecheng Pass, they would have grain to stay alive, and the Great Zhou would even give them houses and land. Never mind having them repay for twenty years—they would be willing even if they had to repay for a lifetime!
When the people in the city heard this news, they suddenly understood. No wonder the Great Zhou army didn’t allow people who chose to leave Yecheng Pass to re-enter the city—it was to make room for these refugees. They were also glad they hadn’t left. They truly hadn’t expected that other parts of Western Liang had already become so desperate.
Listening to those refugees begging to enter the city, shouting that in the places they came from, there had already been cases of cannibalism, and they only sought to survive, pleading for Great Zhou to take them in.
Soon, after Bai Qingjue led the second batch of Great Zhou soldiers out of the city, the Great Zhou soldiers in Yecheng Pass also began registering household records for the refugees one by one. Moreover, General Cheng of the Great Zhou made it very clear that among the refugees, if any people had previously left Yecheng Pass, they were not allowed to enter the city. Otherwise, if discovered after entering the city, they would all be treated as spies and executed without mercy!
With the previous example of Western Liang people from Yecheng Pass who had left and then tried to enter the city but were killed, who would dare to force their way through the city gates again?
Of course, there were also Western Liang people whose homes had originally been in Yecheng Pass who mixed in with the crowds, falsely claiming they had fled from other places.