"Zichuan, how many refugees have we gathered so far?" Liu Bei sat within Tann County City and asked his civil and military subordinates.
Originally, Chen Xi was supposed to lead a division of troops by himself, but before they could leave Mount Tai, intelligence from Xuzhou suggested the need for supplies rather than manpower. After all, upon arriving in Xuzhou, Liu Bei realized that more important than defeating Cao Cao was figuring out how to help these people who had been displaced by war and forced to leave their homes, return to a peaceful life.
"Over three hundred thousand," Chen Xi sighed, "The necessary supplies have been confirmed to arrive tomorrow."
Cao Bao was indeed no good riddance, and though smug, it didn't mean that others in Xuzhou were foolish either. For instance, Prefect of the East Sea Xue Yan welcomed Liu Bei with open arms, and when Liu Bei said to open the granaries to provide relief, he did so without hesitation, choosing to cling to Liu Bei's coattails.
