The people of Yu State would not provide intelligence to the Xiongnu, and at this time, they couldn't capture the local people. Most of the people had either died or hidden away in the forests, out of sight. Village fortresses seemed deserted, yet they did not consider their previous methods too harsh or severe, forcing the people to flee.
Instead, they believed that the Jin ministers were too ruthless, managing their subordinates strictly, which made it possible to fortify defenses and clear the area, leaving the Xiongnu without anyone to question.
The military report reached Liu Yuan, who was infuriated. Seeing the positions of the lost cities, he realized that he had fallen into Zhao Hanzhang's strategy of luring the tiger out of the mountains.
The places they had previously occupied had been robbed, and it was impossible to return, not only because their forces were constrained but also due to morale.
