In the eighth month of that year, Liu Bei and his followers fled west to Jing Province. He also sent Jian Yong ahead to Xiangyang to meet Liu Biao.
When Liu Biao learned that Liu Bei had come to seek refuge, he went in person to welcome him in the suburbs and received him as an honored guest. Lan Tian and the others temporarily camped outside Xiangyang.
At the time, Liu Biao was in low spirits after his campaign against Southern Jing had gone poorly. He had wanted to have Liu Bei help him pacify Zhang Xian.
His senior general, Cai Mao, advised him, "Liu Bei is a hero. He contended for supremacy in the Central Plains with Cao Cao, Lu Bu, Yuan Shu, and the others. He only turned to our lord because he had no other choice. If you have him pacify the rebellion and then win the hearts of the people in Southern Jing, I fear he'll become the next Zhang Xian. Brother-in-law, you'd be better off killing him, lest you follow in Tao Gongzu's footsteps in Xu Province."
Liu Biao shook his head. "Xuande has long enjoyed a good reputation. Besides, he and I are both descendants of Emperor Jing. How could I kill him so lightly? Let's watch him for a while first."
"He's also stationed several hundred men outside the city. You can't afford to let your guard down, brother-in-law," Cai Mao reminded him.
"I think they're just displaced commoners. Degui, don't be so suspicious," Liu Biao said with a laugh.
Liu Biao often invited Liu Bei to feasts and kept him close at his side. Though his hospitality was warm, he did not settle Liu Bei in a city in good time, as Tao Qian had done. This left Liu Bei terribly anxious.