Jing Province, Xiangyang. Since Liu Bei's departure, the affairs of Jing Province had been solely overseen by Qin Tian.
Though that was the case in name, Zhang Zhao and Chen Qun were actually supporting all provisions and supplies.
The reason was that Qin Tian too needed to march out this time. Not only him—Guan Yu would also move troops in Runan.
To cripple Cao Cao in a single battle, or even destroy him outright, Qin Tian had advised Liu Bei to muster troops for a full-scale offensive.
Thus, while Liu Bei appeared to be attacking Hanzhong alone, troops were being assembled in secret.
This was also Qin Tian's strategy for the campaign: use a localized war to numb Cao Cao into believing that their sights were set on Hanzhong.
Then, when Cao Cao and Yuan Shao moved at the same time, they would launch a surprise all-out assault and seize strategic victory.
To accomplish this, aside from the forty thousand troops Liu Bei had taken on campaign, another fifty thousand had assembled within Xiangyang.
Together with Guan Yu, Xu Shu, and the troops under their command in the Central Plains, this mobilization was expected to exceed one hundred and seventy thousand men.
With the civilian laborers and auxiliary soldiers transporting grain, the total exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand—nearly every soldier Liu Bei's army could currently deploy.
Supplying provisions for two hundred and fifty thousand men was likewise a terrifying undertaking. Grain provisions alone required preparations of more than two million shi.
At this time, Qin Tian was in the government office. Zhang Zhao held a small booklet and was reporting to him on the status of their material preparations.
"Since my lord issued his orders, we have gathered more than seven hundred thousand shi of grain from all regions.