Three Kingdoms, Myth

"Liu Bei, how many refugees have we gathered so far?" Liu Bei asked as he sat in the county town of Tancheng, looking at his civil and military officials. Initially, Chen Xi was supposed to lead a contingent, but before they even left Taishan, reports from Xuzhou made it clear that what was needed wasn't more troops but more supplies. After arriving in Xuzhou, Liu Bei quickly realized that helping the displaced people find peace was more important than defeating Cao Cao.

"More than 300,000," Chen Xi sighed. "The supplies we need should arrive tomorrow." Cao Bao was indeed troublesome, and his overconfidence didn't mean that the other people of Xuzhou were as foolish. For example, Xue Yan, the prefect of Donghai, welcomed Liu Bei with open arms. When Liu Bei suggested opening the granaries, Xue Yan didn't hesitate to comply, firmly choosing to support Liu Bei.

"Only 300,000? That can't be right. The northern part of Xuzhou should have close to a million people. Given the displacement caused by the massacre, there should be more refugees than this." Liu Bei's face darkened as he feared that Chen Xi might reveal that the rest had all been killed by Cao Cao. If that were the case, Liu Bei couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't immediately march against Cao Cao.

"It's not as you think, my lord. Cao Mengde is also gathering refugees and providing relief," Jia Xu sighed. When it came to what Cao Cao was currently doing, Jia Xu could only acknowledge that Cao Cao was indeed a crafty and cunning leader. Even though they knew Cao Cao had participated in the massacre, there was no concrete evidence to prove the extent of it.

"Huh?" Liu Bei was stunned. "Wenhe, say that again."

"Cao Mengde is also providing relief and has been targeting the bandits who are slaughtering the people of Xuzhou. For example, Xiahou Yuan has already eliminated the second-largest group of murderers, led by the self-proclaimed 'Son of Heaven' Que Xuan," Jia Xu repeated.

At these words, the entire county office of Tancheng buzzed with disbelief. No one could believe it.

"Didn't earlier reports say that Cao Cao was massacring the people of Xuzhou? And we've also eliminated several such groups." Zhao Yun was the first to stand up, his tone sharp. He had been killing Cao's soldiers in Xuzhou relentlessly, and now to be told he might have killed the wrong people? How could he stand for that?

"Based on our investigations, it's no longer the Cao army conducting the massacres but rather certain local forces in Xuzhou, likely trying to take advantage of the chaos. As for Cao Mengde, he definitely participated in the initial slaughter, but we don't have an exact count of how many he killed," Jia Xu said helplessly. Without more precise information, he wasn't prepared to offer speculation.

Chen Xi had also made estimates, but he had no way of knowing exactly how many had died. Gathering intelligence under these circumstances—without cameras, recorders, or reliable sources in a multi-faceted conflict—made it challenging just to confirm that Cao Cao had indeed committed a massacre. Knowing how many had died was even harder.

"Wenhe, which local forces in Xuzhou have participated in this massacre?" Liu Bei shifted the topic away from Cao Cao and asked about another matter. He refrained from making any judgments about Cao Cao's actions.

"Two groups are confirmed: Que Xuan and Zuo Rong. Que Xuan's motive is clear—he wants to use this opportunity to discredit Tao Qian and position himself for power. Zuo Rong, on the other hand, seems to be using this chaos to amass wealth," Jia Xu said calmly. "Zuo Rong's forces are sizable, with over 10,000 soldiers and 3,000 horses. They've already ravaged several counties."

"The audacity of these scoundrels!" Liu Bei slammed the table in fury.

"Yun wishes to ease my lord's burden," Zhao Yun said as he stepped forward, his demeanor cold. The once-gentle Zhao Yun had grown increasingly fierce through constant combat. With one step forward, the other generals who had intended to take on the task withdrew.

"The White Horse Cavalry is swift and nimble. This task suits Zilong well. Bring me Zuo Rong's head," Liu Bei ordered coldly. Since witnessing the devastation in Xuzhou, Liu Bei, known for his benevolence, had shown a more authoritarian and fearsome side. He had no mercy for those who perpetrated such slaughter.

"Understood!" Zhao Yun bowed and swiftly left the office to prepare his troops for the assault on Zuo Rong.

"My lord, what follows is my conjecture, as I lack sufficient evidence," Jia Xu said after watching Zhao Yun depart.

"Speak," Liu Bei nodded.

Jia Xu detailed his analysis of Cao Bao's actions. After listening, Liu Bei's face darkened. "Wenhe, how confident are you in this assessment?"

"Seventy percent sure," Jia Xu said quietly.

"That's enough. I came to Xuzhou to kill, whether it's bandits posing as Cao's soldiers or those like Que Xuan and Zuo Rong who are using Cao's name to commit atrocities. They're all my targets. As for Cao Bao, even if there's only a ten percent chance he's involved, he deserves to die! Those who kill without cause must be killed!" Liu Bei's eyes were cold as he looked at Jia Xu, openly expressing a harsher stance than usual.

"That's how it should be. When the lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at stake, the burden of proof lies with the accused. In minor matters, we can afford to deliberate and investigate thoroughly, but in situations like this, we need swift and decisive action!" Chen Xi echoed Liu Bei's cold tone. He could not tolerate those who took advantage of the chaos.

"I suggest we settle the refugees where they are and begin rebuilding their homes," Chen Xi proposed, changing the subject to avoid dwelling on the more unpleasant topics.

"Isn't that a bit too harsh?" Liu Bei, hearing this, immediately softened, his previous sternness dissipating. To him, such measures went against his principles.

"It's the only way we can free ourselves up to deal with Cao Mengde. Compared to forces like Que Xuan and Zuo Rong, which we can easily crush, Cao Mengde is our true enemy. If we continue to be bogged down with the refugees, we won't be able to focus on confronting Cao Mengde unless we impose military rule," Chen Xi said firmly.

"My lord, please reconsider. Although Zichuan's proposal may seem harsh, it's close to the truth. If we don't organize these 300,000 displaced people, we'll be stuck in Donghai for weeks like before," Liu Ye added, standing up. The last two weeks had indeed been wasted, though he had admittedly hoped to wait and see if Liu Bei and Cao Cao would weaken each other.

"Lord Xuande, unlike Cao Mengde, who provides temporary relief, we're offering lasting aid. We need to ensure these people can continue living on their own after we leave. For Cao Mengde, setting up a few food stations suffices, but for us, we must consider their long-term survival," Li You sighed. Liu Bei's approach left Li You unsure of what to say, but he understood that this was Liu Bei's commitment to the people.