Aspirations for Nation and Beauty: Section 76 Great Battle (7)

The summer in the south of the Eastern Continent is always long and hot. It can be called early summer from the end of April, and the weather does not turn cold until late October. The real winter is only a short period of time. Twenty days, northerners who are not used to it, regard it as a punishment, but for people who have lived in this land for a long time, this is a gift from God, because they can plant at least one more season than their northern compatriots food opportunities.

Only Yushan and Anshun prefectures in Sanjiang County can do this. At the end of April, when the paddy fields in the Jiangnan area of ​​Wuhu and the wheat in the dry fields were still turning green, the first season of early rice harvest was here. , and when the five lakes in the south of the Yangtze River are very busy in June, the second season of rice here has already begun to fill, and the best time to harvest the second season of grain is in late July. As for the third season, it will naturally start at the end of September Entering the harvest season, until this time the farm work in the fields gradually becomes easier. In the slack season, the peasant women start to get busy. On the one hand, they are preparing for the Spring Festival, and on the other hand, they also need to prepare fertilizer for the next spring’s sowing. , seeds, tools and more.

Although due to soil fertility, the grain yield here is far lower than that of Wuhu and Jiangnan, but with three seasons of harvest, Sanjiang people can still proudly declare to their neighbors that they don't need to worry about their stomachs. It's an exaggeration, but it's enough to prove God's kindness to the people in Sanjiang.

The sun was shining like fire, but the atmosphere in Anshun City was gloomy and cold. The banner with the word "Lin" written in official script on the top of the city was also hung down by the sun, and some listless soldiers were still sticking to their posts on the tower. On, but it looks a little more panic and uneasiness. In some dilapidated city buildings, termite holes can still be seen on the mottled beams and columns. Several slightly old catapults were covered with rags, and piles of stones were piled up in disorder. Two soldiers were opening the broken cloth, to check the condition of the catapult, while another team of soldiers laboriously lifted up several ballistas from the stairs under the city wall, and baskets of ash bottles and bags of lime were transported by horse carts to the stairs of the city wall. , and then was sent to the top of the city by the soldiers, and a few baskets were piled up every few meters. In the distance, cavalry scouts could be seen running back and forth, and the soldiers in charge of guarding the city gate had already set up wooden frames 30 meters in front of the city gate. Barriers to block access to vehicles and livestock for easy inspection.

Anshun City, which has been in peace for a long time, seems to be a little uncomfortable with this sudden change. Why is the flames of war suddenly spreading to the door of our house? Almost everyone seems to have not recalled it yet, and a pre-war atmosphere of desolation has already shrouded Anshun City.

The scorching sun can't counteract the chill brought by the bad news. Whether it's a business traveler staying in a tea house or a hotel or a gentleman staying at home, everyone is waiting with a kind of fear and slightly complicated emotions. news from the frontline. Some bored tea drinkers sat directly in the teahouse at the gate of the city, talking loudly, while pricking up their ears to hear if there were any fast horses coming from the east, saying that they all wanted to know the relationship between the east and the east as soon as possible. The fighting situation in the south, this time is not a joke, the Machi Khan army has entered the two provinces in the east, and the Rhonesia in the south is also raging. This news has already caused a sensation in Anshun City. But people are more concerned about the outcome of the war. No matter what went wrong, Anshun seems to be unable to escape this catastrophe.

In the entire Anshun Prefecture, it seems that some people with prestigious families have entered the city quietly. The Maqihans, these barbarians, look a little hideous and terrifying among the squires who have never seen the world. Merchant Khan didn't seem to notice anything unusual, but once these barbarians put on their armor and raised their swords and guns, they would probably be much more ferocious than the turtles of the Guishan and Niudang tribes. Without the protection of the army, it seems that they can't even spend the night outside the city. It is not an exaggeration to describe the situation in the city of Anshun Prefecture with the words that there may be accidents, and the wind is raging, and the grass and trees are all soldiers.

The old man in a brown shirt paced back and forth restlessly in the room, holding a delicate Yixing purple clay pot in his hand, but the old man's mind was obviously not on it. The city guard has long been sitting in the Jiaxiu Building by the Longjiao Lake outside the city to enjoy the cool air and enjoy the water scenery, but now, he doesn't know if his old bone has any hope of enjoying it anymore, maybe it will not be a few days, this Anshun City is really about to change owners.

The two guests sitting in the hall looked anxiously at the old man in the brown shirt who was pacing and meditating without saying a word. One of them seemed to be older than the old man in the brown shirt, wearing a black crown gauze hat , with dark eyes, a few wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, a few gray and white goatee beards that are sparse, a jade belt is tied around a fat stomach, and a Pisces jade pendant is tied obliquely. It seems that he has some status, like an old man in a brown shirt, an elder, " Dezhi, why are you still hesitating? It’s time to make a decision. This time, the Machihan people have made up their minds. It seems that they will not stop until they swallow Sanjiang. Lin Guoxiong has ruled the roost for so many years. I can't hold it anymore, no, even the only regular division has to be transferred to Jiangchuan, obviously because we don't take our Anshun seriously. Once Rhonesia falls, the Machihans will pounce on them. Everyone knows that you don't want to deal with barbarians, so you came up with this contingency method. Husband and wife are birds in the same forest, and when disaster strikes, they fly separately. It's not that we don't want to be loyal to him, Lin Guoxiong, but that the situation is stronger than others now. , we can't do anything about it."

Another middle-aged man also quickly echoed: "Lord Lin, what Ling Yue said is correct. Lin Guoxiong launched a military campaign, first attacking Rhonesia, and then attacking Guanxi. As a result, he lost his army and returned home in a disastrous defeat. Now it's Ma's turn. The Qihan people have come to attack us, and the situation is in dire straits. If we don't make a plan early, I'm afraid we will end up with the destruction of the city and our homes. No one can save us now, only the west. It's a pity that those guys in the army two days ago Don’t they have to wait until the day when Anshun City falls to be reconciled to the rejection of others’ good intentions?”

The indignant words of the middle-aged man had no effect on the silent old man in brown shirt. He picked up the teapot and took a sip. Neither anxious nor angry.

Finally, when the sound of footsteps came one after the other in the front yard, the first person was dressed in armor, and after entering the door, he said in a rough voice: "My lord, that guy didn't listen to dissuasion at all, he said it was Lord Jiedushi So he had to return to Jiangchuan, and he refused to stay even a single soldier. He refused to agree to my good words, but urged to prepare food, grass and supplies, and set off eastward in the afternoon."

The expression of the old man in the brown shirt remained unchanged. In fact, he had already expected this ending. The Army has never been restrained by the local government. Now that I have a letter of approval, it is considered dead.

Before they spoke, footsteps were heard outside the door again, and the person who came in was the Director of the Interior. The old man in the brown shirt raised his head and asked in a deep voice: "How is the situation?"

"My lord, it's very bad. The news from all sides confirms that the Guishan clan and the Niudang clan have turned against each other. Danzhai and Qingman in the east, Wengxiang and Langde in the north have all discovered The so-called self-defense forces of the Guishan and Niudang tribes are nowhere to be seen, and the Tanyang River and Bazhou River ferries have also been controlled by the Heniudang tribe of the Guishan tribe. Now the road to the north has been cut off, and the situation is very serious.” Director of the Interior The words are deep and dignified. Danzhai, Qingman, Wengxiang, and Langde are important market towns in the eastern and northern parts of Anshun respectively. They usually have garrisons, but now the situation has deteriorated. The garrison troops have all withdrawn to Fucheng. Since the clan openly rebelled and responded to the Machi Khans ~IndoMTL.com~ naturally they will not let go of these important places.

He placed the purple clay pot heavily on the jujube branch wood tea table. The old man's complexion changed slightly. Jiang Chuan was still mobilizing troops to replenish. If the line of communication with Qindu was cut off again, then Anshun might really have no choice. up. Just doing this by yourself, what kind of view will it be in the eyes of Northwesterners? Do you think that you have betrayed the Lord and asked for glory? The old man in brown shirt had a hard time choosing.

"Be wise, there is nothing to hesitate. It is better to let Li Wufeng sit in the town than let the Maqihan barbarians ruin it. We are all Tang people from generation to generation. If barbarians enslave us, everyone I don’t want it in my heart either.” The old man with goatee beard couldn’t bear it any longer, and put on an appearance of an elder, admonishing him earnestly.

The old man in the brown shirt actually knew that his father-in-law had already set up a line with the northwest side, and he always ran so vigorously because of various promises from the other party, but now all the regular troops stationed in the city have been transferred, and only himself is left Who else can this city guard against? Whether it is the Machihans or the Northwesters, they can easily take it if they come. Now Xiancheng can take the initiative. At least in terms of national justice, it is still a line of the empire, which is better than letting the Machihans ravage it.

Thinking of this, the brown-shirted old man was also a little disheartened. Once Anshun City fell into the hands of outsiders, he might not be able to relax as before. Then Li Wufeng is not a good master, Tian Nan Which of the officials of the five mansions has not been healed and submissive? Although my father-in-law has some agreement with the other party, when the real power is in the hands of others, is there still room for you to bargain? Lin Dezhi, who has been an official for decades, has seen this point more thoroughly than anyone else, but now there is no other way to go, such a choice is probably the best result.