In Bailuyuan in mid-June, thousands of hectares of wheat fields are already mature.
Looking around, the wind is blowing the wheat waves, the air, the wind, and even every corner around you seem to be filled with the smell of ripe grain. This smell makes people feel warm in their hearts after smelling it.
Of course, from the perspective of a more realistic person like Xiao Shilian, this warm feeling is more due to the heat.
Indeed, when the wheat is ripe, the weather is indeed uncomfortably hot.
But even though it's hot, looking at these foods makes me feel happy.
A good harvest means that at least half a year's campaign of the army can be guaranteed, and at the same time, the success of the summer harvest naturally means that the autumn harvest should also go smoothly. After all, last year, except for the snow disaster in Huaixi, the whole territory of the Han Dynasty was
It won't be a good harvest year if it doesn't experience any famines, but good weather can still be guaranteed.
After this wave of harvest, not only the consumption of the army can be guaranteed, but also Changping Granary and the like in various places should be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Otherwise, local officials will complain endlessly when they look at the empty granaries, let alone whether there is corruption.
Now that they have the opportunity, they all want to pay for more food from their own pockets, otherwise the tasks shared by the superiors will not be completed and their heads will not fall off, but their official fortune will come to an abrupt end.
Of course, what makes Xiao Shilian even more happy is that he finally captured Bailuyuan before the summer harvest. This land located on the southeast side of Chang'an City is also the most fertile land in Guanzhong, which is the so-called Weishui Valley. From Huashan Mountain and Qinling Mountains
The streams flowing from two directions and the Wei River continuously nourish the soil and water here.
Xiao Shilian didn't know that a thousand years later in another time and space, this land would become famous because of a book. Now he only knew that Wei Xiaokuan opposite him was also very anxious.
After Wei Xiaokuan and Yuchi Jiong fought in Huayin, both sides retreated. It's not that they didn't have the desire to win a decisive battle. Even these two old partners and old enemies were eager to win more than anyone else, which made their relationship last.
The fight that lasted for several years has a result. But they also know that when everyone is evenly matched, it is almost impossible to determine the winner in such a short period of time.
As the summer harvest approaches, they can only choose to take a step back. Only by ensuring the smoothness of the summer harvest can they naturally ensure the subsequent battles. Otherwise, how can they fight when they are hungry?
For Wei Xiaokuan, Xiao Shilian has already stationed troops in Bailuyuan and is about to attack Lantian. The demand for food is obviously more urgent. If Xiao Shilian cannot be defeated quickly to seize Bailuyuan, an important grain and grass growing area, then he can only rely on the land around Chang'an City.
But there is no way to supply a large army for the campaign.
As the military and economic center of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Chang'an was in short supply of grain. However, after Yuwen Yong succeeded to the throne, he attacked the Northern Qi Dynasty, the five-pronged Northern Expedition, and the break between Yang Jian and Yu Wenxian. During this period, the war around Guanzhong began.
It almost never stops.
Later, Yang Jian also attacked the Turks. The army's march northward seemed magnificent, but it also meant a lot of food consumption.
Not to mention that after Li Xingchen started an all-out attack on Guanzhong, Yang Jian continued to lose land. After such losses again and again, the grain reserves in Chang'an City had been consumed long ago. The remaining grains could not be sustained until
The following summer harvest, not to mention the need to ensure that there will be no fierce fighting and attrition of the army.
But judging from the current situation, this is obviously impossible, so if Wei Xiaokuan does not snatch some more grain from Xiao Shilian's hands, he may not be able to sustain it for even half a year.
Without military rations, what else can we fight in this battle?
Therefore, after Wei Xiaokuan returned to Lantian, he led his army decisively towards Bailuyuan. The two sides faced off along the Lanchuan River. The two sides of the river, which was once known for the production of Lantian jade, were still at war with each other.
Although Xiao Shilian did not know Wei Xiaokuan's food storage situation, but seeing that Wei Xiaokuan was so anxious to launch the attack, it could even be called non-stop, he could also guess that Wei Xiaokuan's food should be running out.
The old thief was obviously very panicked.
It's okay to panic. The more anxious Wei Xiaokuan is, the calmer Xiao Shilian will be.
Xiao Shilian didn't know who gave Wei Xiaokuan the courage to counterattack Bailuyuan, but since he wanted to come over, he didn't mind competing with him.
Although Wei Xiaokuan is famous, he is not invincible. Didn't Li Xingchen make Yu Chijiong and Wei Xiaokuan very embarrassed in Cangxi Valley last time?
It's just that no Han general has defeated Wei Xiaokuan after that. Of course, this is because everyone has almost no chance to fight Wei Xiaokuan again. But Wei Xiaokuan's reputation is there, and it's not a worry at all.
It's impossible.
And Xiao Shilian is now naturally tasked with becoming the second person under Li Xingchen.
Just in front of the hillside where Xiao Shilian was standing, the Northern Zhou army on the other side of Lanchuan was already in formation. Behind the hillside, the Han army soldiers had mobilized all the civilians to start harvesting grain. Even some generals and even Chun Yucen personally
We went into battle. Even Xiao Shilian, as the army commander, personally harvested a small area to boost the morale of the army.
As for Yuwen and his son, Xiao Shilian did not hesitate to let them take people to harvest grain. However, they did not expect that Yu Wenliang and Yu Wenwen would be grateful for this. Obviously, in their view, Xiao Shilian did not directly let them rush in and use them as cannon fodder.
It was already the greatest gift to them. Since this pair of wallflowers and his son had to think so, Xiao Shilian had no choice. Anyway, it was Li Xingchen's business how to deal with them in the future.
As in the previous battles, harvesting grain and fighting took turns. Now Chun Yucen is in charge of harvesting grain. This boy has made the greatest contribution as a forward. It is said that after Hanzhong received the battle report from Wuguan, the old general in Hanzhong
Chun Yuliang laughed twice and went to see Chen Xu without even catching his breath.
Therefore, in order to balance the situation, Xiao Shilian asked him to be responsible for cutting grain first. As Xiao Shilian's left and right wings, Lu Guangda and Huang Wan led the army to expand along Lanchuan.
The drums on the other side rang loudly, and the large group of Northern Zhou soldiers began to advance forward.
Wei Xiaokuan came quickly and attacked quickly.
Xiao Shilian looked at the posture of at least 50,000 Northern Zhou troops in front of him, and actually felt a little weak in his heart, otherwise he would not have been so anxious to let people grab food.
The key is that there is no danger to defend on both sides of Lanchuan. That is to say, the terrain of Bailuyuan is somewhat undulating. Otherwise, if the mountains are really undulating, it would be impossible to grow so much food. Therefore, the arrays on both sides are quite neat.