Bai Xiaowen's thirty-thousand-strong army reached Anyang. As expected, Xiahou Dun had not attacked.
Bai Xiaowen summoned every officer in Anyang ranked commandant or higher and inspected them one by one. Only after confirming that no Divine Court awakened ones had infiltrated their ranks did he relax.
Scouts reported that Xiahou Dun's seven thousand troops were stationed at Liyang, repairing the city walls.
Meanwhile, Cao Clan reinforcements were crossing the Yellow River at Baima Ford in a steady stream and entering Liyang. Rumor put their numbers at two hundred thousand.
Tian Feng said, "Liyang is the southern gateway to Jizhou. With its garrison camp lost, the enemy has gained a foothold in Jizhou. Their army is said to number two hundred thousand. Should we bring the troops from Ye Capital here soon to stand against Cao Cao?"
Bai Xiaowen shook his head. "Cao Cao can't conjure supplies out of thin air. He claims to have two hundred thousand men; I'd be surprised if he has half that number. There's no need to rush reinforcements here. These thirty thousand are enough to hold Anyang. Once Tian Yu and Murong Ping finish reorganizing the troops, they can lead them to defend Wei County."
If Cao Cao had truly brought two hundred thousand men, they would consume nearly ten thousand hu of grain a day—the equivalent of three hundred thousand jin. That would be a crushing burden for the Cao Army.
Worse, they were campaigning far from home on enemy territory. Every load of supplies had to be transported from their own lands.
The men and horses of the supply convoys consumed provisions along the way. Keeping the supply route running was enormously costly, and the longer the route stretched, the greater the cost. That was why The Art of War advocated "foraging from