By the time a personal guard finally dragged an imperial physician over, Liu Yuan was thoroughly dead—only his body still had some warmth.

Zhao Hanzhang reached out to feel his breath, silently stood up, and raised her head to look at the weeping Han State officials and generals who had lowered their heads.

She pressed her lips together but still said, “Announce inside and outside: The Xiongnu Emperor Liu Yuan has died. All those who were subjects of the Xiongnu, whether Han or barbarian, surrender your weapons and you won’t be killed. Strictly order the three armies not to violate the common people, whether they are Han, barbarian, commoner, or slave!”

The soldiers responded in unison, “Yes!”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Ring the bell.”

She looked at Xuan Yuxiu prostrate on the ground weeping. After examining his official robes, she asked, “What is your name and what position did you hold?”

Xuan Yuxiu didn’t want to answer him. Another official beside him had already answered for him, “Replying to Governor Zhao, this is Xuan Yuxiu, the Imperial Censor-in-Chief.”

He also said, “This humble one is Tao Qi. I am Han and was formerly a Jin official.”

Zhao Hanzhang only glanced at him before looking at Xuan Yuxiu. “Liu Emperor’s funeral arrangements are entrusted to you. Hold the funeral according to imperial rites.”

Xuan Yuxiu raised his tear-streaked face and looked at Zhao Hanzhang, then broke free from the soldier restraining him and deeply bowed to Zhao Hanzhang. “I obey!”

Even Liu Qin stopped struggling and was silently led away. Seeing this, other Xiongnu officials also obediently allowed themselves to be led away.

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang order, “Arrest all palace maids, eunuchs, and guards in the palace. Count the numbers and possessions. Do not harm or humiliate anyone.”

The soldiers responded and only then pounced like wolves and tigers toward various parts of the palace.

The bell rang, continuing for nine tolls. People inside and outside the palace who were desperately fleeing couldn’t help but freeze, stopping their movements.

Hearing the bell ring nine times, some immediately prostrated on the ground weeping loudly. Some stood dazed and dropped their weapons, allowing Zhao’s soldiers to capture and press them down. Still others hesitated, then stopped running and crouched on the ground waiting for Zhao’s soldiers to come collect them…

In this Pingyang City, only one person could have nine funeral bells rung—their Emperor had died…

Some people grieved, but the palace maids, eunuchs, and Han officials fleeing in panic in the palace suddenly felt reassured. Even the Xiongnu Emperor’s death warranted Zhao Hanzhang ringing funeral bells—then her words about not killing those who surrendered their weapons and treating prisoners well should also be true, right?

One person stopped and was successfully pressed down by Zhao’s soldiers without being cut by a blade or humiliated. So more people stopped, standing and waiting for Zhao’s soldiers to come forward and lead them away.

Chen Wu attacked into the main hall. Under Zhao Hanzhang’s orders, he began counting prisoners. There were also those Xiongnu soldiers who hadn’t surrendered and were still putting up desperate resistance in various corners of the city—they all needed to be eliminated or pacified.

Pingyang City had a hundred thousand troops. Previously when Fu Tinghan and his forces attacked the city with both armies facing off, the enemy had only lost a few thousand men.

This time attacking the city, counting those who surrendered, it was only about thirty thousand people.

There were still nearly sixty thousand people left.

Soon, a personal guard came to report, “Two Xiongnu forces are killing toward the north of the city. One force is heading toward the east of the city. The Young General and General Zeng have split into two routes to pursue. The Xiongnu Crown Prince is very likely in the force heading east of the city.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Why?”

“Someone saw him in the formation.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Send reinforcements to the north. Send word to the army outside the city to have them immediately enter the city and support the north gate.”

The soldier straightened. “Yes, immediately!”

Ting He hurriedly asked, “My lady, could it be that the Crown Prince is actually in one of the two forces heading north?”

“I don’t know,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “But there are more people there. Sending more support won’t be wrong. What use is capturing just a Crown Prince? If we’re going to capture them, we should catch all of Liu Yuan’s sons. Only then can we force Liu Cong to exchange hostages with me.”

But Liu Yuan’s final arrangement wasn’t so easy to break. Most of the Xiongnu court had fled with the Crown Prince.

The sixty thousand Imperial Guards were divided into three forces. Among them were capable ministers and excellent generals, plus their family dependents and servant guards—a vast force of over a hundred thousand people.

Attacking a city from outside in wasn’t easy, but killing from inside out was much easier. The army charged out of the city, running head-on into the army led by Ming Yu. They immediately became as bloodthirsty as wolves and charged outward.

Ji Yuan had intentionally wanted to leave an opening to let them go. Seeing their morale was so high, he immediately had people widen the opening while keeping close watch on the heavily protected carriages, wanting to organize a cavalry force to charge in.

But they guarded very tightly. Several attempts to charge in failed, instead suffering heavy losses.

After fighting for two quarters of an hour, the Xiongnu forces were about to break through the north gate. Their reinforcements arrived. Before the two armies could engage, the bell rang. The Xiongnu forces froze, then charged outward even more frantically. Seeing this, Ji Yuan had no choice but to make a decision. He had people stop Zeng Yue. “Grieving soldiers will surely win. If we continue fighting, we’re just needlessly sacrificing our soldiers’ lives. Open the road and let them go.”

Zeng Yue was unwilling. “No. The Governor said to capture the Liu princes. We must capture them.”

Having said this, he led his army in pursuit from behind.

The Xiongnu forces felt grief and indignation in their hearts. Plus they knew the Xiongnu foundation still remained. As long as Liu Cong wasn’t defeated, they had a chance to rise again.

They’d just lost Pingyang City. They could fight it back later. They just hadn’t expected His Majesty to pass away.

Thinking of this, many soldiers shed tears, crying while killing their way out. The carriage was like duckweed on water, jolted up and down. The Crown Prince inside nearly fell out.

At the east gate, some distance from the north gate, Liu Yi also heard the bell. Tears immediately streamed down.

Then he ran desperately outward while crying. But he’d only brought ten thousand troops. Without family dependents following, though their combat power was very high, they knew in their hearts they were the abandoned group.

Just like the eunuchs, palace maids, and Imperial Guards left in the palace, they had no hope. So once they confirmed Zhao Hanzhang truly wouldn’t kill those who surrendered and would treat prisoners well, the blades they wielded weren’t quite so fierce.

After the ninth bell rang at the north gate, the two forces still carrying family dependents stopped. If they died, their families might die too. But this eastern gate force was different—they were originally meant to serve as the Crown Prince’s decoy to draw away troops.

Even Liu Yi’s momentum to charge outward dissipated after the ninth bell rang. His movements slowly weakened and became powerless, finally stopping.

He wanted to return. He wanted to go back to the palace. Right now, Father Emperor was lying alone in the cold palace—it must be very pitiful.

As a son, failing to attend at Father Emperor’s side when he passed was already a tremendous sin. How could he let him have no son to mourn after death?

Liu Yi stopped. Zhao Erlang had also killed his way to the front. He rode his horse right up to him, face to face. Seeing Liu Yi clearly in Crown Prince attire, he widened his eyes slightly. “Liu Yi, when did your Xiongnu change Crown Princes?”

Liu Yi threw down his blade, looking at him with grief and indignation. “Kill me or cut me up as you please. Why must you also mock me?”

Zhao Erlang muttered—when had he mocked him?

Zhao Erlang turned to his personal guards. “Go back and tell Elder Sister I’ve captured the Xiongnu Crown Prince.”

His personal guards said, “…Young General, he’s not the Crown Prince. He’s fake, impersonating the Crown Prince!”

Zhao Erlang instantly reacted and got angry. His spear swished forward, pointing at his neck. “Good, you used a diversion tactic on me. Hmph, am I so easily fooled? Men, take him back under guard. I’m going to support the north gate!”