Summer in the southern part of the Eastern Continent is always long and hot. It can be called early summer from the end of April until late October when the weather slowly turns cooler, and the time that can really be called winter is only a short ten or twenty days. , the northerners who are not used to it regard it as torture, but for the people who have lived on this land for a long time, this is a gift from God, because they can at least have more opportunities to grow food last season than their compatriots in the north. .
Only Yushan and Anshun prefectures in Sanjiang County can do this. At the end of April, when the wheat in the paddy fields and dry fields in the Wuhu Jiangnan area is still turning green, it has entered the harvesting period of the first season of early rice. When the five lakes in the south of the Yangtze River are busy in June, the second season of rice here has begun to fill. Late July is the best time to harvest the second season of grain. As for the third season, the harvest season naturally begins at the end of September. , until this time, the farm work in the fields gradually became easier. Entering the slack season, the peasant women began to get busy. On the one hand, they were preparing for the Spring Festival, and on the other hand, they also needed to prepare fertilizers, seeds, and other materials for sowing in the next spring. Tools and more.
Although due to soil fertility, the grain yield here is far less than that of Wuhu and Jiangnan, with three harvests, Sanjiang people can still proudly claim to their neighbors that they don’t have to worry about their belly. Although this statement is a bit exaggerated, it is It is also enough to prove God's kindness to the people of Sanjiang.
The sun is shining brightly, but the atmosphere in Anshun City seems a bit gloomy and solemn. The big flag with the word "Lin" written in official script on the city head is also drooped by the sun. Some listless soldiers still stick to their posts on the tower, but He looked a little more frightened and uneasy. There are some dilapidated towers, and termite holes seem to be visible on the mottled beams and columns. A few slightly old catapults are covered with rags, and piles of stones are piled up in disorder next to them. Two soldiers are opening the cracks. Cloth, check the condition of the catapult, while another group of soldiers laboriously lifted several crossbow carts from the stairs under the city wall, and basket after basket of gray bottles and bags of lime were transported by carriage to the entrance of the city wall stairs. , and then were sent to the top of the city by the soldiers, where several baskets were stacked every few meters. In the distance, cavalry scouts could be seen running back and forth, and the soldiers responsible for guarding the city gate had already set up a wooden frame thirty meters in front of the city gate. Barriers are used to block entry and exit of vehicles and livestock to facilitate inspection.
Anshun City, which has been at peace for a long time, seems a little uncomfortable with this sudden change. Why is the war suddenly about to spread to our doorstep? Almost everyone seemed to have not recovered yet, and a solemn pre-war atmosphere had already enveloped the city of Anshun.
The scorching sunshine could not offset the chill brought by the bad news. Whether it was the business travelers staying in teahouses or the gentry staying at home, everyone was waiting for news from the front line with a kind of fear and slightly complicated emotions. information. Some bored teagoers even sat directly in the teahouse at the gate of the city. While talking loudly, they pricked up their ears to hear if there was a horse galloping from the east. They wanted to know as soon as possible whether there was a horse coming from the east or not. The war situation in the south is no joke this time. The Machi Khan army has entered the two provinces in the east. In Ronisia in the south, the war is also raging. This news has 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 disaster.
The entire Anshun Prefecture seemed to have some wealthy and prestigious people entering the city without a word. Barbarians such as the Machihans seemed a bit ferocious among the squires who had never seen the big world. Although the Machihan merchants who usually came and went seemed a bit ferocious. I can't see anything strange, but once these barbarians put on armor and raise their swords and guns, they are probably much more ferocious than the bumpkins from the Guishan tribe and the Niudang tribe. Without the protection of the army, it seems that they may be attacked even if they spend the night outside the city. The situation in Anshun Prefecture can only be described in two sentences: the sound of wind, roar of cranes, and the presence of soldiers.
The old man in a brown shirt was pacing back and forth in the room restlessly, holding an exquisite Yixing purple sand pottery pot in his hand. The old man's mind was obviously not on this. If it were in the past, with such hot weather, this city man would probably Mr. Shou had long been sitting in the Jiaxiu Tower by the Longzhao Lake outside the city, relaxing in the cool air and admiring the water view. But now, he didn’t know if he could continue to enjoy it with his old bones. Maybe in a few days, this Anshun City would really The owner is about to change.
The two people sitting in the guest seats in the hall looked anxiously at the old man in brown shirt who was silent and just pacing and thinking. One of them seemed to be older than the old man in brown shirt. He wore a black gauze hat and had pale eyes. Black, with a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, a few sparse gray-white goat beards, a jade belt tied around his fat belly, and a Pisces jade pendant tied sideways, he looks like he has some identity, like an old man in brown shirt, "Dezhi, What are you still hesitating about? It’s time to make a decision. This time the Machikhans are cruel. It seems they won’t give up until they swallow up the three rivers in one go. Lin Guoxiong has been the lord for so many years. I’m afraid he won’t be able to hold on this time. No, no, even the only regular division has to be transferred to Jiangchuan. It is clear that we, Anshun, are not taken seriously. Once the Ronisia side falls, the Machikhans will swoop up. Everyone knows You don't want to deal with the barbarians, so you thought of this contingency method. Husband and wife are originally birds of the same forest, and they fly separately when disaster strikes. It's not that we don't want to be loyal to Lin Guoxiong, but that the current situation is stronger than others, and we also Have no idea."
Another middle-aged man quickly echoed: "Mr. Lin, what Ling Yue said is right. Lin Guoxiong went all out with force. He first attacked Ronisia and then attacked the west of Guanxi. As a result, he lost his troops and returned in disastrous defeat. Now it is the turn of the Machikhans. They are coming to attack us. The situation is extremely dangerous. If we don’t make a plan early, we may end up with the city destroyed and our family destroyed. No one can save us now, only the west. It’s a shame that those guys in the army rejected others two days ago. Do they have to wait until the day Anshun City falls before they are willing to help with their good intentions?"
The middle-aged man's indignant words did not have any impact on the silent old man in brown shirt. He picked up the teapot and took a sip. He just paced slowly and slowly, but it made the two people sitting in the guest seats anxious. , neither is anger.
Finally, when footsteps came one after another in the courtyard in front, one person was wearing armor. After entering the door and bowing, he said in a rough voice: "Sir, that guy didn't listen to dissuasion at all. He said that this was an order written by Lord Jiedushi. , so we have to return to Jiangchuan, and not even a single soldier is willing to stay. Even though I said good things to him, he refused to agree. He just urged me to prepare food, grass and baggage, and we will set off eastward in the afternoon."
The expression of the old man in brown shirt did not change. In fact, he had already expected this outcome. The army has never been controlled by the local government. Going there on his own was just as disappointing. But he had never tried it and always felt uneasy. Now he has failed. If you don't believe it, then you have given up on this idea.
Before he could say anything, footsteps outside the door sounded again, and it was his own director of internal affairs who came in. The old man in brown shirt raised his head and asked in a deep voice: "How is the situation?"
"Sir, it's very bad. News from all sides has confirmed that the Guishan and Niudang tribes have rebelled. Danzhai and Qingman in the east, and Wengxiang and Langde in the north have discovered the Guishan tribe. With the traces of the so-called self-defense forces of the Niudang tribe, the Tanyang River and Bazhou River crossings are also 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." The words of the Director of the Interior were low and solemn. . Danzhai, Qingman, Wengxiang and Langde are important market towns in the eastern and northern areas of Anshun respectively. They usually have garrisons. However, now that the situation has worsened, the security forces have been withdrawn from the city. The Guishan and Niudang ethnic groups have also withdrawn. Since the tribe has openly rebelled in response to the Machikhans, they will naturally not let go of these important places.
The purple sand pottery pot was placed heavily on the jujube wood coffee table. The old man in brown shirt changed his face slightly. Jiangchuan was still deploying troops to supplement. If the communication line with Qindu was cut off again, Anshun would really have no choice. If you just do this yourself, what will it be like in the eyes of the people in the northwest? Do you think that you are seeking glory from the Lord? The old man in brown shirt had a hard time choosing.
"Dezhi, there is nothing to hesitate about. It is better to let Li Wufeng take charge than to let the Machihan barbarians come and ruin us. We have been the Tang people for generations. If the barbarians come to enslave us, everyone will not feel happy. I am willing." The goat-bearded old man couldn't bear it any longer, and he warned him earnestly, pretending to be an elder.
The old man in brown shirt actually knew that his father-in-law had already established a line with the northwest side, and always got various promises from the other party to run so vigorously. However, now all the regular troops stationed in the city have been transferred, leaving only his own security division. Team, who else can this city defend against? Whether it is the Machikhans or the Northwesters, they can easily take it if they come. Now you can take the initiative to present the city. At least in terms of national justice, it is still a lineage of the empire. It is better than letting the Machikhans come. .
Thinking of this, the old man in brown shirt was also a little disheartened. Once Anshun City falls into the hands of outsiders, I am afraid that it will never be as relaxed and comfortable as before. That Li Wufeng is not a good master. None of the officials have been treated and become obedient. Although your father-in-law has some agreements with the other party, when the real power is in his hands, do you still have room for bargaining? Lin Dezhi, who has been an official for decades, understands this point more clearly than anyone else, but now there is no other way to go, so this choice is probably the best result.