Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

Fa Zheng was no fool. Previously, he had been solely focused on finding the best way to defeat the Yellow Turbans, without considering other issues. With Chen Xi’s prompt, he instantly understood the most pressing problem.

The Yellow Turbans had over a million soldiers coming out of Qingzhou. Once they entered Qingzhou, their numbers would swell even more. Including women, children, and the elderly, it could easily exceed two million. Qingzhou, one of the former major grain-producing areas, had seen a decline, but its population could still be massive.

Fa Zheng’s face turned grim. He now realized the downside of seeking the best plan: time was running out. If they passed mid-May without resolving the issue, even Chen Xi’s extraordinary abilities wouldn’t suffice to initiate the farming activities needed by late June. Without timely farming, the captured Yellow Turbans would become a burden. When the people ran out of food, rebellion would be a mere step away. Killing them all to reduce the burden would destroy Liu Bei’s reputation for benevolence and derail Chen Xi’s strategic plans centered around Liu Bei’s benevolence and population growth.

It didn’t matter if Liu Bei’s benevolence was genuine or just for show. Pretending to be righteous for a lifetime was essentially the same as truly being righteous.

”So, we’ll use your earlier plan. Even if there are more casualties, so be it. This time, if we take control of around twenty percent of Qingzhou, we can make a concerted effort next year and likely take over the entire province. My grand strategy will then be on track. Implementing it sooner means saving more lives.” Chen Xi patted Fa Zheng on the shoulder. ”As a strategist, don’t just focus on the battlefield. The situation outside is equally important.”

As expected, the three minor Yellow Turban leaders—Chen Bai, Fuyun, and Hou Qian—couldn’t unite. With scarce food and many followers, their cohesion was weak even before Liu Dai’s cross-state assault forced them out of Qingzhou.

The Yellow Turbans were more like a disorganized group of refugees than an army, frequently clashing internally, with soldiers unable to find their commanders and vice versa. Calling them bandits was generous; they were essentially a roving horde of beggars. But they were a massive horde.

After Chen Bai, Fuyun, and Hou Qian each led tens of thousands to plunder the land, they quickly found Yanzhou devoid of food. Turning their eyes to Taishan, they began their advance, albeit in scattered waves due to the sheer size of their groups.

Apart from the few tens of thousands of so-called elite soldiers with some weapons or armor, the rest were unarmed refugees following in hopes of finding food.

Against such unorganized, undisciplined, and poorly equipped foes, Guan Yu led the central army in a sweeping advance, crushing any Yellow Turbans they encountered. Many surrendered, seeking mercy.Chen Xi didn’t care if these surrendering Yellow Turbans were spies. He handed them all to the rear guard under Sun Guan’s command, where they were subjected to military governance. Any troublemakers were executed without trial. In Qingzhou, Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci had brought along 30,000 militia. These militias weren’t combat-ready but could enforce military discipline. Chen Xi didn’t mind if some of them died; his priority was stability. He wouldn’t hesitate to use extreme measures, even executing one in ten if necessary.

”Yun Chang, how many refugees have we gathered?” Chen Xi felt they were collecting more captives than fighting battles.

”Around 200,000 refugees, mostly able-bodied men and women!” Guan Yu reported, excited. Although the battles were small, it was an excellent opportunity to earn merit.

”Set up camp, rest, and have meat soup and steamed buns tonight. Summon Yide, Zilong, Ziyi, and Zhongtai for a meeting!” Chen Xi ordered.

”Yes, sir! Set up camp, prepare meals, and serve meat broth. Guards, patrol the camp!” Guan Yu relayed the orders to the messengers.

Meat broth, as mentioned, didn’t include beef or mutton, which were too expensive and scarce. Pork was also limited, but chicken and duck were more plentiful. Eggs hatched into chicks raised by Chen Xi’s servants outside the city, eventually becoming meat for the soldiers. For troops unaccustomed to meat, even a little was a luxury.

Lu Su and Liu Ye had previously complained about the expense of improving the soldiers’ diet. In this era, being able to feed the troops was already good enough; adding regular meat seemed wasteful.

After Chen Xi did the math, Lu Su and Liu Ye conceded that providing meat wasn’t overly costly. It improved the soldiers’ morale and reduced desertion. Soldiers accustomed to a regular diet including meat would be less likely to defect, and might even entice other soldiers to join them. Training new recruits was more expensive than keeping veterans healthy and happy.

Lu Su and Liu Ye ultimately accepted Chen Xi’s strategy, marveling at his unconventional thinking. It was an unorthodox approach but effective. Soldiers fought for food and pay; providing better rations made them loyal and less likely to desert.

When meat was served, the camp buzzed with excitement. The aroma of cooking meat spread throughout, attracting refugees outside the camp. Though a large crowd gathered, none dared charge the camp after seeing those who tried crushed to death. Each day, officers recruited willing refugees, promising land and seeds if they followed.

Though most refugees were skeptical, hunger drove many to surrender, preferring a chance at food over starvation. Some knew of Taishan’s prosperity and Liu Bei’s benevolence, while others were persuaded by undercover agents spreading Liu Bei’s virtues.