At this point, the defeat of the Xiliang Army was already sealed by fate, and their annihilation at the hands of Cao Cao seemed inevitable.
Liu Xie had been wracked with anguish for a long time ever since he chose not to forgive Li Jue and his allies during the previous incident. This time, considering the contributions Li Jue had indeed made to Guanzhong, Liu Xie intended to pardon him and his men. However, under persistent pressure from Dong Cheng and others, he ultimately issued the execution order.
It was at this time that Li Fan arrived in Chang'an from Yanzhou. After spending some time with Liu Ye in his role as Li Youu's steward, he traveled to the area around Youfufeng County in Mei County. There, he visited Fa Zheng's ancestral home, restoring and refining it in the manner befitting a Marquis, despite its dilapidated state.
