Mythical Version of Chapter 116: Eating Well Is Benevolence

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 won, children, and the elderly, it could easily exceed two million. Qingzhou, one of the forr 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: ti 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 tily farming, the captured Yellow Turbans would beco a burden. When the people ran out of food, rebellion would be a re 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 lifeti was essentially the sa as truly being righteous.

"So, we'll use your earlier plan. Even if there are more casualties, so be it. This ti, 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. Implenting it sooner ans 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 so weapons or armor, the rest were unard 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 rcy.

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 so of them died; his priority was stability. He wouldn't hesitate to use extre asures, 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 n and won!" Guan Yu reported, excited. Although the battles were small, it was an excellent opportunity to earn rit.

"Set up camp, rest, and have at soup and stead buns tonight. Summon Yide, Zilong, Ziyi, and Zhongtai for a eting!" Chen Xi ordered.

"Yes, sir! Set up camp, prepare als, and serve at broth. Guards, patrol the camp!" Guan Yu relayed the orders to the ssengers.

at broth, as ntioned, 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 at for the soldiers. For troops unaccustod to at, 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 at seed wasteful.

After Chen Xi did the math, Lu Su and Liu Ye conceded that providing at wasn’t overly costly. It improved the soldiers' morale and reduced desertion. Soldiers accustod to a regular diet including at 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 at was served, the camp buzzed with excitent. The aroma of cooking at 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. So knew of Taishan’s prosperity and Liu Bei's benevolence, while others were persuaded by undercover agents spreading Liu Bei’s virtues.