"Zichuan, you will stay behind to gather supplies while I, along with Fengxiao, Ziyang, Yun Chang, Yide, and Zilong, will lead 50,000 men to rescue Tao Gongzu. Once you've gathered enough supplies, take Zijian and others and act as you see fit. Anguo, you will serve as Zichuan's protector," Liu Bei decided after a brief moment of thought. He had resolved to personally stop Cao Cao's massacre, no longer concerned about whether Tao Qian had asked for help.
"Very well, Lord Xuande. I will first gather the supplies and then lead my troops to Xuzhou," Chen Xi nodded. With 50,000 troops, and the likes of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun by his side, along with strategists like Guo Jia and Liu Ye, they would surely be able to match Cao Cao.
"Then we march now! I can't bear this any longer!" Liu Bei, abandoning his usual composure, directly issued the order, clearly having developed an intense hatred for Cao Cao.
"Zilong, take 3,000 cavalry and head to Xuzhou immediately. Stop Cao Hong's forces from advancing further into Langya," Liu Bei ordered, pointing to the Langya region of Xuzhou. The only force that could reach the battlefield quickly enough was the world's fastest cavalry—the White Horse Cavalry.
"Yes!" Zhao Yun's normally graceful demeanor was tinged with a cold edge. To a general like Zhao Yun, who cherished the people, Cao Cao's actions were utterly incomprehensible. Their values were irreconcilable, making coexistence impossible. After saluting, Zhao Yun left the hall to prepare his troops.
"Yun Chang, Yide, Fengxiao, Ziyang," Liu Bei commanded as he rose, addressing the others. "There's no need for a rallying cry or declaration of war. We march on Xuzhou immediately. This time, I won't announce the battle—Cao Mengde must die! Let's go!"
"Yes!" The four men followed Liu Bei out of the hall, with Xu Chu and Li You trailing behind.
After Liu Bei's departure, the remaining civil and military officials turned their attention to Chen Xi. Liu Bei had left governance in Chen Xi's hands and granted him half the military power, a level of trust that made everyone present envious.
"Prepare the supplies. We are going to destroy Cao Mengde!" Chen Xi spoke with an icy tone for the first time. Cao Cao had crossed a line with his massacre, a line that even Chen Xi's usual tolerance couldn't overlook. He had thought Cao Cao would care about his reputation or consider the threats around him, but it turned out he had disregarded everything.
A fierce glint flashed in Chen Xi's eyes. "Wenhe, prepare to contact Chen Gongtai and Yuan Gonglu. Also, reach out to Yuan Benchu. At this point, if he isn't foolish, he won't assist Cao Mengde."
"Understood!" Jia Xu nodded without hesitation.
"Zizhong, you are responsible for gathering the supplies," Chen Xi instructed Mi Zhu.
"Yes," Mi Zhu replied, understanding the urgency.
"Weishuo, I'll need you to ensure that the world hears of this atrocity!" Chen Xi turned to Liu Yan. "Reach out to every reputable scholar and let everyone know what Cao Mengde has done!"
"This will take some time. I can contact several scholars skilled in this area, but only Chen Kongzhang and Mi Zhengping meet your requirements," Liu Yan replied, aware that the snow-blocked roads made widespread communication difficult. However, he could still gather a few powerful voices.
"Those two will do!" A faint smile appeared on Chen Xi's pale face. He was amazed by Liu Yan's extensive connections—money well spent indeed. The fact that Liu Yan could reach out to figures like Chen Lin and Mi Heng, two of the top literary talents of the era, was impressive.
"No problem. It will take about ten days to reach Jizhou and Qingzhou, but once they receive a good bottle of wine, they'll write whatever we need," Liu Yan confidently said. He now had a solid grasp of his standing among the literati—one of the elite few, comparable to Zheng Xuan. Anywhere he went, he would be warmly received.
"I'm counting on you for this. Make sure to mobilize the entire scholar class of the Han Dynasty to condemn Cao Mengde. Ensure that no capable official will ever want to serve him again!" Chen Xi ordered Liu Yan, planning to use the vast network Liu Yan had built to destroy Cao Cao's reputation.
"This will be challenging, and I'll need time to prepare. But from what you've said, it seems that Cao Mengde won't die in Xuzhou?" Liu Yan asked in surprise. Wouldn't Mount Tai's total mobilization be enough to defeat Cao Cao?
"It's just a precaution. If he dies, then let his family bear the weight of his sins," Chen Xi replied, a cold smile appearing on his pale face.
"Zijing, prepare food and supplies. Be ready at the Qingzhou-Xuzhou border to receive the refugees, and minimize casualties as much as possible," Chen Xi instructed Lu Su. "Make sure to handle the distribution of land and housing for the refugees, so they don't become resentful."
"Yes," Lu Su sighed in relief. Fortunately, they had previously stored large quantities of grain, or this would have been a disaster.
"Xianhe, you should personally handle the contact with Yuan Benchu. Although he's a powerful leader, he is indecisive. If you clearly lay out the pros and cons, he might still be unable to make up his mind even after this is over," Chen Xi called to Jian Yong, sending the diplomatic expert to stall the only potential ally Cao Cao might have left. The rest of their effort would go towards eliminating Cao Cao.
"Xiaozhi, gather all intelligence related to the situation in Xuzhou. List any movements from the Xuzhou officials, but focus only on finding the direct cause of Cao Song's death. We need to resolve this, but the people of Xuzhou still deserve an explanation," Chen Xi calmly directed. He was fully in command now.
"Yes," Fa Zheng replied with a respectful bow, his usual carefree demeanor replaced with seriousness. He understood the gravity of the situation.
"Zichuan, are you planning to take control of Xuzhou?" Jia Xu frowned. "This goes against our original strategy. Xuzhou's local forces are still very strong. Even if we take it, we would have to compromise with the local aristocracy."
"Compromise?" A fierce light flashed in Chen Xi's eyes. He had never advocated exterminating the aristocracy, but this time, if they dared to stand in his way, they wouldn't survive.
"Leave that to me. There's no need to damage our reputation. After all, we've worked hard to earn the trust of some aristocrats. There's no need to cut off our own arm. Even if we don't take Xuzhou, we can still reap the greatest benefits," Jia Xu said, recognizing Chen Xi's ruthlessness. He could tell that Chen Xi was prepared to take drastic measures to swiftly resolve the situation.
"Alright," Chen Xi agreed, intrigued by Jia Xu's confidence. He decided to see how Jia Xu would handle Xuzhou seamlessly.
By the time Chen Xi had finished issuing orders, Zhao Yun had already led the White Horse Cavalry, dressed in fur coats and carrying five days' worth of rations, on their way to Xuzhou. Meanwhile, Liu Bei was coordinating the transport of food and the mobilization of troops. In no more than three hours, they would depart, and the battle against Cao Cao would be inevitable.