Many refugees had reached their limit. They found it difficult even to move a finger. As Zhao Hanzhang and her group passed by, the refugees could only weakly lift their eyes to glance at them, their gazes filled with numbness.

Shi Lei had seen many dead people before, but even he couldn’t help feeling alarmed at this moment. He said to Zhao Hanzhang in a low voice, “They won’t survive.”

Zhao Hanzhang remained silent, slowly approaching the city wall. After a long while, she raised her head to look toward the direction of the East City Gate, her expression grave. “Prepare for a surprise attack.”

If they were all going to die anyway, it would be better if they died because of her—at least that way, more people could be saved.

Like Zhao Hanzhang, there were people inside the city who had been constantly concerned about the refugees outside.

Jinyang had been under siege for a long time. Not only were the refugees outside the city suffering, but the pressure inside the city was also immense.

Liu Kun felt distressed and couldn’t sleep for a long time. He climbed up to the city gate and saw the scattered fires outside the city. In the firelight were refugees with blurred features and ashen faces. He then looked at the Xiongnu forces on the other side, quiet yet persistent, and then at the crescent moon in the sky. A sense of desolation arose within him.

He turned to ask those around him, “How are the soldiers doing with the Hujia melody I asked them to practice?”

His attendants respectfully replied, “They’re about seventy percent proficient.”

Liu Kun then said, “Summon them to the city tower.”

Zhao Hanzhang was looking toward the east of the city, discussing with Shi Lei in a low voice whether to rest briefly before attacking tonight or wait until dawn when they would kill the enemy. Just then, she heard a mournful and distant musical sound.

Zhao Hanzhang was slightly stunned and raised her head to look toward the distant city tower.

Shi Lei was also taken aback. “I’ve long heard that Liu Yueshi has considerable musical accomplishments, but to play music at this time…”

Zhao Hanzhang said nothing and listened carefully. A whistling sound rose—it was Liu Kun.

He stood on the city tower, tilting his head back to whistle. There were no lyrics, only the sound of whistling, but the melody was mournful and very similar to the Xiongnu’s native tunes.

Not only the Xiongnu people, but the Jie people also had such native sounds. Even Shi Lei was momentarily captivated. In Liu Kun’s song and the sound of the Hujia, he thought of his mother wandering outside and his childhood life in the village. For a moment, he was in a daze, and tears couldn’t help but well up in his eyes.

The refugees leaning against the walls blankly raised their heads and stared blankly toward the direction from which the music came. If they died at this moment, would they be able to see their families and return to their hometowns?

The Xiongnu soldiers who had been gripping their weapons and staring fixedly at Jinyang City couldn’t help but think of their families and hometowns. They had been away for a long time and didn’t know what the situation was at home. They had heard that Pingyang City was under pressure from Zhao’s army, that families were separated and scattered. They didn’t know if they could still find their loved ones…

The city that had long resisted capture, the missing relatives, the uncertain future of life and death—all of these made the Xiongnu soldiers’ hearts clench.

Some soldiers cried out in pain. After a while, they stood up and quietly moved backward. They wanted to go home, to go home and find their relatives. They needed to confirm whether they were still alive…

As one person stood up, people around him began to quietly move backward as well.

The officers who had been lowering their heads to wipe their tears came to their senses, their expressions changing drastically. They immediately shouted, “What are you all doing? It’s the middle of the night at camp—no unauthorized movement!”

Some people stopped, but others seemed possessed and continued to retreat.

Liu Sheng, the commanding general, saw this and sighed deeply. “The will to fight is gone. Staying here will only lead to needless deaths. Have everyone retreat. First withdraw twenty li, and when morale is restored, we’ll return.”

The deputy general could only comply and ordered the retreat.

The Xiongnu soldiers retreated amid Liu Kun’s whistling and the sound of the Hujia.

Zhao Hanzhang snapped out of the music and saw the Xiongnu army retreating somewhat disorderly. Her eyes gleamed with brilliance. She immediately said to Shi Lei, “Go mobilize the troops. You lead three thousand soldiers and charge from south to north twenty li away. I’ll charge from west to east, and after we converge at the center of the Xiongnu forces, we’ll break through!”

Shi Lei was greatly alarmed. “Since they’ve already retreated, why not take the opportunity to bring in the refugees…”

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand. “I never place my hopes on others, especially not on the enemy.”

Although there was indeed a historical account of Liu Kun using the Hujia to repel the enemy, no one knew what happened afterward. If she were the opposing commander, she would also temporarily withdraw troops, then use this incident to boost morale. She only needed to tell them that once they conquered Jinyang City, they could return home to bring their wives, children, parents, and relatives to Jinyang for a reunion. She believed the soldiers would fight desperately.

Therefore, this matter had both advantages and disadvantages. She preferred to keep the initiative in her own hands.

Although Shi Lei internally disagreed somewhat—after all, they only had five thousand men, five thousand against twenty thousand, the difference in numbers was too great, and these were Xiongnu who were exceptionally capable fighters—this was Zhao Hanzhang’s order, and this was his first battle after surrendering. He could only obey.

So Shi Lei accepted the order and left.

Zhao Hanzhang was about to leave when the music on the city tower changed. It remained distant but was less mournful and more embracing and inviting.

Zhao Hanzhang’s steps halted. This melody was very familiar.

Her gaze focused slightly. She said in a low voice to Ming Yu, “Master Ming, you go into the city and have Liu Kun lead troops to support us.”

Ming Yu said quietly, “The Xiongnu soldiers may not have completely withdrawn. If we call out to the gate at this time and attract their attention, what if they launch a counterattack? Wouldn’t that harm Jinyang?”

Zhao Hanzhang replied, “Then find a way to pass information to those inside the city without alerting them.”

Ming Yu thought: How am I supposed to come up with a solution on such short notice?

“Shoot arrows toward the city with messages attached?” Before Zhao Hanzhang could respond, he was already shaking his head. “No, the commotion would still be too great, and the Xiongnu aren’t fools.”

Zhao Hanzhang was eager to take Zeng Yue back to mobilize troops for battle. The more anxious she became, the clearer her mind grew. She paused for a moment, then looked at Fu Tinghan. “This musical score was given by me to Liu Kun, but at the time I only gave him the score, not the lyrics. If you sing along outside the city, he’ll definitely know…”

Zhao Hanzhang paused, then said, “Even if he doesn’t understand the deeper meaning, because you’re singing along, he’ll consider you a kindred spirit. Given his personality, he’ll definitely find a way to send someone out to find you.”

After all, Liu Kun was a music enthusiast.

After saying this, Zhao Hanzhang ran off, leaving all her personal guards with Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t stop her. “But I sing off-key…” Zhao Hanzhang had already disappeared.

Fu Tinghan looked helplessly in the direction she had vanished, then could only turn to look at Ming Yu and Zhang Bin.

Ming Yu and Zhang Bin indicated they could offer no help—they didn’t know the lyrics.

Fu Tinghan could only clear his throat and tentatively hum along to the melodious music from the city tower…

He had memorized the lyrics and could even remember which lyrics corresponded to which musical phrases. He also knew what the correct tune should sound like. It was just that… when he hummed it, it came out off-key.

Ming Yu: …

Zhang Bin lowered his head to suppress his laughter, silently taking two steps back to hide himself in the shadows, so he wouldn’t laugh out loud and earn Fu Tinghan’s resentment.

Ming Yu listened twice, then stopped Fu Tinghan. “Young master, let me do it.”

Ming Yu had extremely high musical cultivation. Although Fu Tinghan sang very fragmentarily, the music from the city tower was complete, and the lyrics he sang were clear and discernible.

Ming Yu grasped it immediately. Comparing it with the musical sounds, he roughly knew how to sing it. Just as the music from the city tower deepened, Ming Yu took a deep breath and immediately sang loudly in harmony with the music: “Seeking the great way to end warfare, transcending all things to reach enlightenment—”

—