In mid-August, in the golden autumn, it might have been the finest time of year in Guanzhong, had the wheat not been harvested early.
But since it had been harvested early, one could almost certainly say that, whatever the outcome of the present war, Guanzhong would suffer a "great famine" next year. Of course, this generation of Guanzhong's people seemed accustomed to such things; even a "great famine" might not rank among the more notable experiences of their lives.
And looking across at Hebei, the Central Plains, and Shaan-Luo these past few years, who had it any better than anyone else...? They would muddle through. What else could they do, kill themselves?
Returning to the present, Guanzhong was still in a military standoff. They had a war to fight first. The "great famine" could wait until next year.
On August 12, just as Wang Zhuo's fifth change of sides plunged the standoff into an absurd silence, Huyan Du of Ba City, at Guanzhong's easternmost edge, suddenly accepted Protector-General Liu Cheng's military orders in full. He mustered three thousand men from his own people, left his base at Ba City, and personally led them, with provisions and laborers, to establish positions and camps around the mouth where the Ba River entered the Wei River, forming mutually supporting horns with Liu Cheng's forces.
If this move left Xue Zhen somewhat stunned and caught off guard, then what followed left him utterly bewildered: Huyan Du personally visited Liu Cheng's camp to pay his respects, then, on a publicly issued order from Liu Cheng, crossed the Wei River, established camp in Weibei, and proceeded straight to attacking Gaolu...
He had served in the Gaoli Army, been exiled to Guanzhong, fought his way back to the Central Plains, and then been driven back to Henan.