Chapter 108: Domestic Affairs of Their Own

The second year of the Jian'an era remained a time of great upheaval across the land. After being defeated by Lu Bu, Liu Bei sought refuge with the imperial court and was entrusted with heavy responsibilities by Liu Xie. Fearing that Liu Bei might grow too close to the Emperor, Cao Cao appointed him as the Governor of Yu Province and ordered him to station his forces once again in Xiaopei.

This move served two purposes: first, it separated Liu Bei from Liu Xie, preventing Liu Bei from rising to power and being courted by the Emperor as an external ally. Second, it placed him in a position to monitor Lu Bu, against whom Liu Bei harbored deep, irreconcilable enmity. Stationing Liu Bei in Xiaopei was much like Liu Biao positioning Zhang Xiu in Nanyang—it created a peripheral barrier to prevent Lu Bu from launching a direct assault on Yan Province.

Events later proved Cao Cao’s strategy sound. Internally, he gradually purged the forces loyal to Dong Cheng and others who relied on Liu Xie, replaced the palace guards at Xudu with his own men, and tightened his control over the Emperor. Externally, when Lu Bu betrayed the court again in the third year of Jian'an and allied with Yuan Shu, Liu Bei bore the brunt of the assault and was defeated once more. Conversely, Cao Cao’s influence remained unscathed; he indirectly used Lu Bu to weaken Liu Bei’s strength, further isolating the Emperor from potential outside help—a masterstroke that achieved two objectives at once.

With Chen Deng and his father acting as secret agents in Xu Province, Cao Cao effectively held Lu Bu in his grasp. Upon receiving Cao Cao's letter, Lu Bu was angered by his failure to secure the title of Governor of Xu, but the appointment as General of the Left, with the authority to establish his own administrative office, was enough to make him begrudgingly accept.

By the end of the sixth month, news reached Yuan Shu that Lu Bu had reneged on their marriage alliance and had sent his envoy to Xudu to be beheaded by Cao Cao. Enraged, Yuan Shu dispatched his generals Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui, alongside the forces of Han Xian and Yang Feng, with tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry to invade Xu Province. At the time, Lu Bu’s strength was actually quite frail. Although he occupied Xu Province, the region had been ravaged by Cao Cao, and various local factions were splintered, refusing to follow his commands. Coupled with his repeated battles against Liu Bei, he had only a few thousand troops and four hundred warhorses remaining. Faced with such a massive disparity in power against Yuan Shu, he was deeply anxious.

Chen Gui and his son offered him a strategy of alienation, advising him to lure Han Xian and Yang Feng to their side and launch a surprise attack on Yuan Shu’s camp. Lu Bu followed the plan, decisively defeating Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui and inflicting heavy losses on their tens of thousands of troops. It was this battle that marked the beginning of Yuan Shu’s decline.

In truth, signs of Yuan Shu’s decay had appeared since the beginning of the year. His declaration of himself as emperor at the start of the year was the peak of his power. Yet, the moment he proclaimed himself emperor, popular support evaporated; Sun Ce immediately severed ties with him, causing him to lose the Jiangdong region. If the loss of Jiangdong were not enough, the falling out with Lu Bu and the subsequent heavy losses in that battle shattered his foundation, leaving his strength severely depleted. Lu Bu, meanwhile, gathered a number of surrendered Yuan Shu soldiers, gradually bolstering his own forces.

As Yuan Shu’s power waned significantly, Sun Ce surged forward in Jiangdong. At the time, Cao Cao did not leave Lu Bu to fight Yuan Shu alone; acting in the name of the imperial court, he ordered the Administrator of Wu Commandery, Chen Yu, and the General of Bright Han, Sun Ce, to join Lu Bu in the campaign against Yuan Shu. Sun Ce’s territory lay in the areas of Kuaiji and Danyang, while Chen Yu held Wu and Guangling. However, when Sun Ce gathered his troops and marched north, intending to meet Lu Bu and Chen Yu near Guangling, Chen Yu sent troops to ambush Sun Ce’s home base in Kuaiji and Danyang. Upon hearing this, Sun Ce was furious and immediately led his army to attack Chen Yu, capturing four thousand of his soldiers and their families. From then on, Wu Commandery was also occupied by Sun Ce, placing the entire Jiangdong region under his control.

By the ninth month, Cao Cao attacked the states of Chen and Liang, completely driving Yuan Shu’s influence out of Yu Province. However, the province was already devastated; even with the official title of Governor of Yu, Liu Bei could not consolidate the region’s strength to expand his own power. Furthermore, he was constrained by the Administrator of Runan, Xun You, and the Commandant of Yang'an, Li Tong, preventing his forces from recovering. After Yang Feng and his group were defeated by Yuan Shu, they wandered between Xu and Yang provinces, pillaging. Lu Bu sent Yang Feng and Han Xian to plunder Liu Bei’s military supplies, but they were lured into a trap and killed by Liu Bei, who then annexed their troops, providing a small boost to his strength.

In the same year, the conflict between Li Jue and Guo Si in Guanzhong reached a conclusion. With Guo Si killed by his own subordinate officers, Li Jue temporarily occupied Guanzhong. Yet, he did not hold absolute power; there were over ten minor warlord factions in Guanzhong, such as Liang Xing and Zhang Heng, each commanding several thousand men, while Li Jue held several tens of thousands. Knowing these men feared being swallowed by Li Jue, Cao Cao sent the Palace Attendant Pei Mao to Guanzhong in the winter of the second year of Jian'an to unite these minor factions. Led by Duan Wei, the various generals of Guanzhong joined forces to suppress Li Jue.

History during the second year of Jian'an did not deviate much from its original course. After all, Shen Chen was currently of low standing and could not be the butterfly capable of stirring up a tornado. However, he had changed many things. For instance, in original history, Cao Cao would have launched another personal expedition to Nanyang at the end of the year, in the eleventh month of winter. This time, however, intimidated by Shen Chen’s influence, he could only maintain good relations with Liu Biao and dared not march south again. Furthermore, he would have originally sent Cao Hong to station at Ye County to harass Zhang Xiu, but this time he could only order Cao Hong to hold the county.

What Shen Chen changed was the situation in Nanyang. By killing Cao Ren and Le Jin, he had effectively severed one of the claws Cao Cao had extended toward Nanyang; until his wounds healed, Cao Cao would no longer covet the region. In the midst of the world’s chaos, the second year of Jian'an finally drew to a close.

***

In Jing Province, as the New Year approached, Liu Biao was in high spirits. He bestowed generous rewards upon his subordinates, especially Deng Hong, who received rare items and wealth valued at millions of copper coins. Beyond his joy at receiving the imperial seal, the key reason for his happiness was that his strength was about to grow once more.

Last year, due to the turmoil in Nanyang, his colonial farmers had been unable to tend their lands and had no harvest. However, winter wheat had been sown at the end of the year, ready for harvest by the fifth month of the coming year. According to estimates reported by the Administrator of Nanyang, Wang Yi, if all went well, the harvest would reach nearly ten million shi of grain. This was a staggering figure, enough to feed an army of one hundred thousand for a year and a half.

Later, when Deng Ai practiced colonial farming in Huainan, he used fifty thousand troops, yielding five million shi annually. Over six years, he accumulated thirty million shi, enough to feed one hundred thousand people for five years. However, his methods were extreme; it was the middle-to-late period of the Wei state, with only twenty years left before its fall, so the tax ratio reached eighty-twenty or even ninety-ten, making it a severe exploitation. Liu Biao, by contrast, had over two hundred thousand colonial farmers—four times as many as Deng Ai. His ratio was lower, at thirty-seventy or forty-sixty, and if the peasants rented state oxen, it went up to fifty-fifty. Thus, his annual harvest was only double that of Deng Ai.

The implementation of colonial farming had been a tremendous boon to Liu Biao. At the time, the most developed areas in Jing Province were Nanyang and Nan Commandery. The Jianghan Plain in Hubei and the Dongting Lake Plain in Hunan were still submerged under the Yunmeng Marsh, including the modern cities of Shashi, Jianli, and Hanyang, which were still deep underwater. Consequently, commanderies like Jiangxia, Guiyang, and Wuling were underdeveloped in terms of population and economy. Statistics from the Emperor He period showed that the combined population of these three commanderies was less than half that of Nanyang. Only Changsha and Lingling in the south were relatively prosperous, but they were too far from Xiangyang, and local leaders like the Administrator of Changsha, Zhang Xian, were effectively semi-independent, beyond Liu Biao’s immediate reach.

Excluding Nanyang, Liu Biao’s true territory consisted only of Nan and Jiangxia commanderies. With a combined population of barely a million, the tax revenue was meager, only enough to sustain the fifty or sixty thousand troops commanded by Zhang Yun, Wen Pin, and Huang Zu. But after Shen Chen arrived in Jing Province and proposed colonial farming, Liu Biao began the practice in Nanyang in 195 AD. Apart from the two incursions by Zhang Xiu and Cao Cao, the harvests had been bountiful. Over the past two years, combined with the taxes from Nan and Jiangxia, Liu Biao’s treasuries had accumulated over twenty million shi of grain, truly achieving a state of abundance.

After next year’s harvest, his reserves would surge again, allowing him to consider expanding his military. Perhaps he wouldn't need to wait until the fifth year of Jian'an to defeat the rebellious Administrator of Changsha, Zhang Xian, and annex the four southern commanderies; he could reach a force of one hundred thousand ahead of schedule. Bubbling with joy, Liu Biao ordered the governor’s mansion to be decorated with lanterns for a festive New Year celebration.

As the year drew to a close, Kuai Liang came to request an audience at the governor’s mansion. In the hall, Liu Biao summoned him and asked happily, "Zirou, what is it?"

Knowing Liu Biao was in a good mood, Kuai Liang smiled and said, "My Lord, with the Nanyang harvest imminent and the treasuries full, I wish to ask if you intend to prepare for military action?"

Liu Biao nodded. "That is indeed my intention. Once the winter wheat in Nanyang is harvested and the granaries are full, I plan to expand the army by fifty thousand."

Kuai Liang replied, "With Jiangdong in chaos and your strength greatly increased, why not seize the opportunity to capture it?"

"Capture Jiangdong?" Liu Biao stroked his beard in thought.

Kuai Liang continued, "Exactly. You and the Sun family have deep grievances. Now that they hold Jiangdong, they will surely come to invade you in the future. We should take advantage of their instability to eliminate Sun Ce and seize the south."

"Hmm..." Liu Biao fell into deep contemplation.

This was an old topic revisited. When Liu Biao first arrived in Jing Province, he only held Nan Commandery. Yuan Shu occupied Nanyang and ordered Sun Jian to attack him, only for Sun Jian to be killed by arrows under Huang Zu’s command. Back then, Kuai Liang had suggested seizing Jiangdong, but Liu Biao felt his strength was too weak to annex Yang Province and refused. Later, as his strength grew, Kuai Liang proposed it again, but Sun Ce had already crossed the river, occupying Danyang and Kuaiji, leaving only Wu and Yuzhang. Liu Biao still did not dare to let Huang Zu advance into Yuzhang.

Two years later, in 199 AD, Sun Ce would stabilize Jiangdong and begin his own offensive against Liu Biao. Although repelled by Huang Zu, the hatred between the Sun family and Liu Biao had been cemented by Sun Jian’s death in Xiangyang. After Sun Ce died by assassination, Sun Quan continued his father’s and brother’s legacy, repeatedly attacking Huang Zu. In a sense, Liu Biao had missed several golden opportunities by not following Kuai Liang’s advice to stifle the Sun family in the cradle, allowing them to grow into a major threat.

Unlike Kuai Yue, who cared more about his family’s interests, Kuai Liang was Liu Biao’s chief strategist and hoped to foster his master’s dream of hegemony. Thus, his suggestions were always aimed at building toward that dream. It was a pity he died young, only a few years later; otherwise, with his help, Liu Biao might have truly claimed the title of emperor after taking the southern commanderies.

Now that Liu Biao’s strength had surged by absorbing the remnants of the Yellow Turbans from Runan and Nanyang—over two hundred thousand people—his power had grown significantly, prompting Kuai Liang to suggest the annexation of Jiangdong again. Liu Biao had previously feared the campaign, but with his strength set to rise another level after next year’s harvest, he began to take the proposal seriously.

It was, undeniably, a Heaven-sent opportunity. Jing Province was thriving, while Jiangdong was in turmoil. Sun Ce had just defeated Chen Yu, and his internal situation was unstable, with local warlords carving up territory. If he could seize Yuzhang County now...

Thinking of this, Liu Biao nodded slowly. "Very well. Zirou’s words resonate with me. Next year, I shall have Huang Zu lead the army to Jiangdong to occupy Yuzhang first."

Kuai Liang bowed. "My Lord is wise."

***

At the end of the second year of Jian'an, Liu Biao and Kuai Liang decided to seize Yuzhang. Meanwhile, Cao Cao was deliberating on his plans for the coming year. With Xun You and Cheng Yu away, he summoned Xun Yu and Guo Jia to his office.

"Yuan Shu has been soundly defeated by me this year. I hear that there has been no rain in Huainan for two months, the winter wheat is withered from lack of water, and a great famine has broken out in Shouchun," Cao Cao said, looking at Xun Yu and Guo Jia. "I believe Yuan Shu is no longer a threat. I intend to campaign against Lu Bu next year. What do you think?"

Xun Yu smiled bitterly. "My Lord, it would be better to delay this. Our treasuries are not full. Years of war have left the people exhausted; if we continue to fight, the people will have no way to live."

Cao Cao frowned. "How much grain remains in the military granaries?"

"Less than four hundred thousand hu."

Xun Yu, who managed the rear affairs and logistics, knew the state of the reserves all too well. With countless noble families migrating to Xudu, the court had to separate the national treasury from the military one. The national treasury barely supported the court’s expenses, while the military treasury was reserved for war. With less than four hundred thousand hu, and accounting for the standard consumption—three shi per soldier per month—an army of forty thousand would consume over one hundred thousand shi in a single month. Even with rationing, he could only fight for four or five months before falling into a disastrous logistical crisis.

This was, in no small part, due to Shen Chen. In history, Cao Cao had captured over a hundred thousand Yellow Turban remnants in Yingchuan and Runan, allowing him to implement colonial farming and harvest a million shi in the first year. This time, however, most of the Runan Yellow Turbans had been lured to Nanyang by Shen Chen. Cao Cao had only gained a few thousand, and his efforts were further strained by the cost of supporting the Emperor and the full imperial court. It proved the adage: "Everything is a double-edged sword." Hosting the Emperor brought political legitimacy, but the cost of maintaining a capital city was a crushing burden for a warlord.

Hearing the bad news, Cao Cao’s expression darkened. "Lu Bu is a fickle man. If we do not campaign against him, he will surely become a scourge later. Is there no other way?"

Xun Yu suggested, "Yu Province is in ruins, and Yan Province is not much better. If we could suppress the remaining Yellow Turban remnants to farm the land and let the combat troops cultivate the fields to recuperate for a year or two, the situation might improve."

His meaning was clear: stop large-scale warfare. Either clean up the bandits and Yellow Turban remnants in the Funiu Mountains and Runan to gain labor, or have the soldiers farm themselves. This, however, went against Cao Cao’s strategic intent. He aimed to conquer Lu Bu and control the central plains of Henan. If he left a thorn like Lu Bu at his side while Yuan Shao grew stronger in the north, how could he ever compete with him?

Cao Cao shook his head. "No, that man Lu Bu must be removed, or the harm will be endless."

Guo Jia pondered for a moment and suddenly said, "My Lord, I hear that Liu Biao has gathered a large number of refugees from Guanzhong and Yellow Turban remnants in Nanyang, and through local colonial farming, he has achieved a bountiful harvest."

Cao Cao nodded. "Indeed. My previous expeditions to Nanyang were intended to bring it under my control. If I could move the Nanyang population to Runan or Yingchuan for colonial farming, it might solve the grain shortage."

Historically, Cao Cao’s three expeditions to Nanyang succeeded, leading to Zhang Xiu’s surrender and the migration of the Nanyang population to Yingchuan, which filled the labor force for his agricultural colonies. Now, thanks to Shen Chen, Cao Cao lacked those people, his grain was insufficient, and the planned eastern expedition against Lu Bu might have to be delayed—a delay that could cause unpredictable historical shifts.

But Cao Cao was desperate to deal with Lu Bu. He could see that Gongsun Zan would not last long; once he was eliminated, Yuan Shao’s gaze would turn south. With Yuan Shao in the north, Lu Bu in the east, and Liu Biao in the south, his position would be dire.

Guo Jia smiled. "I hear Shen Chen is spreading word in Jing Province about resisting you, and Liu Biao is not only permitting it but supporting it from the shadows. I believe he has ulterior motives. But if he wants hegemony, he must take Jiangdong. Otherwise, if he moves north to Henan, the Sun family, with their blood feud, will surely ambush Jiangxia."

"What are you suggesting?" Cao Cao stroked his long beard, his eyes narrowing.

Guo Jia replied, "Use the Emperor's name to command Liu Biao to contribute several million shi of grain to the court. In return, the Emperor shall appoint him as General of the Cavalry and Chariots, granting him authority over the provinces of Yi, Jiao, Jing, and Yang. Then, Liu Zhang and Sun Ce will surely fall into conflict with him, which will weaken his strength."

Cao Cao frowned. "What if Liu Biao refuses?"

Guo Jia laughed. "It matters not. If he refuses, the Emperor is begging for food, so he will have to provide at least a few hundred thousand shi. If he accepts, it is even better: we receive grain, and he gains the legitimate excuse to mobilize against Yi, Jiao, and Yang provinces. We lose nothing."

Cao Cao hesitated. "What if Liu Biao defeats Sun Ce and Liu Zhang and captures the entire south?"

"My Lord, Liu Biao does not prioritize military affairs. No matter how many troops he has, they are but a rabble. Liu Zhang holds a strong defensive position—how can he be easily conquered? As for Jiangdong, Sun Ce is a fierce warrior—how could he be defeated by Liu Biao?" Guo Jia smiled. "Besides, even if they cannot defeat him alone, can they not unite? Even if they fail, it will take Liu Biao years to annex Yang and Yi provinces. By then, we will have unified Henan and grown strong."

"That is true." Cao Cao found the logic sound.

Guo Jia was indeed a master of human nature. He sensed Liu Biao’s ambition and used it to lure him into providing supplies. Even if Liu Biao accepted and began his bid for hegemony, he might not prevail against Sun Ce and Liu Zhang. At best, he would remain as he was in history: providing millions of shi of grain while dying in Jing Province without expanding. At worst, he would become the greatest warlord in the south, but by then, Cao Cao would have unified the north.

Cao Cao nodded. "Very well, let us do that."

Such was the state of the world. Liu Biao’s strength had fueled his ambition, and Guo Jia had used that ambition to manipulate him. The only one whose fate seemed unchanged was the unfortunate Liu Bei.

As the New Year approached, Liu Bei, who lived a wretched life in Xiaopei in history, was doing slightly better. Because Shen Chen had sent him gold and supplies, he was able to prepare for the holidays and reunite with his family. On New Year’s Eve, as he hosted a banquet at the county office and sent for Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Taishi Ci, Zhang Fei burst into the room, shouting, "Big Brother! I’ve captured a batch of warhorses!"

These horses were the ones Lu Bu had sent people to purchase in Henei.

"Brother Shen!"
"Hmm!"

Shen Changqing walked down the street, nodding to acquaintances he passed. Regardless of who they were, no one showed any unnecessary expression, as if they were indifferent to everything. To this, Shen Changqing had grown accustomed.

This was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution dedicated to maintaining the stability of the Great Qin. Its primary duty was to slay demons and monsters, though it had other side businesses as well. It could be said that everyone in the Demon Suppression Division had blood on their hands. When one becomes accustomed to life and death, one becomes indifferent to many things.

When he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing had struggled to adapt, but over time, he had grown used to it. The Demon Suppression Division was vast, and those who remained were all formidable experts or those with the potential to become so. Shen Changqing belonged to the latter.

The division was divided into two roles: Demon Guardians and Demon Suppressors. Everyone who entered started as a low-level Demon Suppressor, rising step by step until they might eventually become a Demon Guardian. Shen Changqing’s predecessor had been a probationary Demon Suppressor, the lowest rank. With his predecessor’s memories, Shen Changqing was very familiar with the environment.

Before long, he stopped in front of a pavilion. Unlike the rest of the blood-stained division, this pavilion stood out as a sanctuary of peace. The doors were open, and people occasionally entered and exited. Shen Changqing hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.

The environment changed instantly. A scent of ink mixed with a faint smell of blood rushed toward him, causing him to frown instinctively before relaxing. The scent of blood on everyone in the Demon Suppression Division was something that could never be fully washed away.