"I, the King... have lived this life... so that the people of the Xiongnu can regain their dignity and live in this world with their heads held high..."

No longer plagued by beast tides and natural disasters, no longer suffering from poverty and hunger.

It can be said that... it can be said that I have exhausted all my strength, but... no matter how exhausted I am, man's plans are ultimately no match for fate.

"I, the King... I hate... I hate it so much..."

Even at the end of his reign, a king still struggles to maintain his last shred of dignity, despite his wounded body.

Xuan Hao Hongye stumbled and covered his bleeding wound, turning back to glare at Song Yanran and Shen Zhao with resentment in his eyes.

"Empress, I did not lose to you, but to Heaven. Heaven chose the Han Dynasty, not my Xiongnu."

But you haven't won either. My army will soon conquer the Northern Region, and your dynasty won't last long. Ahahahaha…”

Amidst a mournful laugh, Xuan Hao Hongye took out a token and snapped it in two without hesitation.

Instantly, a streak of light shot straight into the sky, bursting into brilliant fireworks high above the heavens.

"Hahaha...this is my last trump card..."

...Empress, even if you win this round, it's destined to be a Pyrrhic victory...cough cough...

Your reputation is ruined, your people hate you to the core and will never respect you as they once did...

Your people covet your power and will not stand by and watch you regain it...

You can never go back to the way things were, my king... uh... pfft..."

Before he could finish speaking, a mouthful of blood gushed from deep in his throat.

Having been forcefully penetrated by the Mandala Array, Xuan Hao Hongye is now suffering from the backlash of evil energy and is on the verge of death.

Sigh~

Seeing Xuan Hao Hongye's attitude, Shen Zhao could only sigh helplessly.

Putting aside any preconceived notions of friend or foe, Xuanhao Hongye was undoubtedly a qualified ruler who dedicated his life to the revival of the Xiongnu.

If possible, he really wanted to let him off the hook and give the king the respect he deserved.

However, from the moment Xuan Hao Hongye colluded with Jiu You, Shen Zhao was determined to consider him an enemy.

Jiuyou, Shen Zhao's nemesis, will inevitably clash with him on the battlefield in the future.

He wouldn't allow any unsettling elements to lurk around him and disrupt his future plans.

"Father."

Just then, a soft call startled Xuan Hao Hongye.

Looking back, he saw Xuan Hao Qiongchuan slowly walking towards him.

"Qiong Chuan, what are you doing here? Have you already led your troops to break through the pass?"

"Good, I was right about you. This is a true, spirited man of the Xiongnu."

Xuan Hao Qiongchuan sighed softly, gently took Xuan Hao Hongye's hand, and said, "Father, I have handed over the command of the Xiongnu army to Her Majesty the Empress."

"What? What did you say? Say it again to me?"

“Father, there is no good end to going against the Longhan. If the Xiongnu want a future, they can only rely on the Empress. This is the only way out.”

"You, even you have betrayed me, the king!"

The moment Xuan Hao Hongye heard the truth, his last shred of ambition was instantly extinguished.

He never expected that his son, the future heir to the Xiongnu throne, would betray him and side with Song Yanran.

"Get out! I have no son like you. You are not worthy to be a man of my Xiongnu. Get out! Get out of my sight!"

The merciless fists rained down on Xuan Haoqiongchuan.

However, the king, who was already exhausted, was less powerful than a normal old man when he punched his son.

Xuan Hao Qiongchuan endured his father's beatings and scoldings without retaliating, only managing to support Xuan Hao Hongye when he was exhausted.

"Father, His Majesty has promised us that the Xiongnu tribes' policy of reducing their population will be abolished from now on."

The Celestial Empire will also establish its own city-states for the Xiongnu people.

The people of the Xiongnu, like the people of the Celestial Empire, could interact and communicate with each other.

We can live together, I believe that one day the barriers will disappear.

Whether it's the Xiongnu or the Celestial Empire, we will become brothers and merge together.

Xuan Hao Hongye was speechless, but his sharp eyes seemed to be telling his son: "You are a sinner of the Xiongnu Kingdom!"

"Enough!"

Song Yanran got up and walked to Xuan Haohongye's side, gazing at him quietly.

"Xuanhao Hongye, you are a qualified ruler, but you do not have a thorough understanding of that period of history."

Now that I see your lifespan is nearing its end, I will tell you the secret I had intended to keep hidden.

Xuanhao and Qiongchuan's surrender taught me a lesson: many times...

Concealing information will only exacerbate mutual suspicion and hatred, leading to endless conflict.

Xuan Hao Hongye: "What trick are you trying to pull now?"

Song Yanran: "When I went to war with the Xiongnu, I admitted that my ascension to the throne was unstable and I urgently needed a battle to solidify my imperial position."

That's why I personally led the expedition to the northern deserts, directly attacking the royal court. After I annihilated 300,000 of the Xiongnu's most elite cavalry in one battle, my throne was secure.

Believe it or not, I have never intended to harm the civilians within the territory of the Xiongnu.

Xuan Hao Hongye scoffed: "Empress, even now you still want to excuse your atrocities?"

Although I consider you my lifelong enemy, I have always held you in high esteem. Do not let me change my opinion of you on my deathbed.

Song Yanran: "I have no need to lie to you about this matter anymore. After I wiped out the Xiongnu back then..."

They intended to withdraw their troops and return to the capital, but on their way back, they discovered a sinister and terrifying aura emanating from the royal court.

Moreover, this evil influence has already eroded the consciousness of the Xiongnu people, causing their perceptions and judgments to differ greatly from those of normal people.

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