Outside Suining County, inside the Zhongyi Army camp.
The new recruits, who have been training here for more than half a year, are packing their bags and heading to various counties under the leadership of officers.
At this time, Zhao Tai could not help but feel worried as he watched groups of people leaving.
Wang Wentong couldn't help asking: "What are you worried about?"
Zhao Tai said in a deep voice: "This battle was fought too clumsily and too passively."
Wang Wentong said: "There is nothing we can do about it. After all, we cannot fight in the field with the Mongols, and we don't know where they will attack, so we can only divide our troops to defend."
Zhao Tai nodded helplessly, "There are only one or two thousand soldiers and horses in this city. If the Mongols concentrate their forces, they will definitely not be able to defend it."
Wang Wentong said: "This is a humble post. I ordered the Ordnance Bureau to build a large number of spears and knives. Now they have been distributed to the young men entering the city from various counties. If the Mongols want to capture it, they will have to pay a price. In addition, they only have three months. If they really attack us, they can break through two or three counties at most."
This feeling of passive defense and waiting for the Mongols to kill made Zhao Tai very uncomfortable.
Wang Wentong continued: "The Mongols only have three months. They will definitely attack Kaifeng. They should not waste time attacking us."
Zhao Tai nodded, "Yes, the Mongols don't have enough time. If they want to destroy the Jin Kingdom, they must open the seal. By the way, are the men, horses and materials to support Kaifeng ready?"
Wang Wentong said: "Six thousand men and horses are ready, and the required supplies are also ready."
Zhao Tai looked up at the snowflakes falling from the sky, "Let them set off tomorrow! I think the Yellow River is about to freeze."
Wang Wentong nodded, "I'll notify you later!"
Zhao Tai nodded and was about to turn around and return to the city. At this moment, a group of cavalry galloped over and dismounted in front of Zhao Tai.
"Informing the Prime Minister, the Mongolian army is gathering on the other side of Xuzhou, and there are signs of crossing the river to attack Xuzhou. The marshal urgently orders the Prime Minister's troops not to go north, but to reinforce Xuzhou!" The cavalryman was ordered to kneel down on one knee.
Zhao Tai and Wang Wentong looked at each other and said to the messenger cavalry: "Inform the generalissimo that I have received the general's orders and will send troops for reinforcements within three days."
"Here!" The cavalryman saluted with clasped fists, then got on his horse and galloped towards Xuzhou.
After Zhao Tai waited for the cavalry to leave, he couldn't help but frowned, "The Mongols will only have three months to attack Kaifeng without concentrating their forces. They will capture Kaifeng and the capital of the Jin Kingdom. What are they going to do with Xuzhou?"
Wang Wentong stroked his beard and pondered: "There are two possibilities. One is that the Mongols knew that they did not have enough time and were worried that the Jin army was stationed in Kaifeng and would be difficult to capture within three months, so they sent troops to pretend to attack Xuzhou to contain the Jin army, so that The Jin Kingdom cannot defend Kaifeng with all its strength. Another purpose is to seize Xuzhou and prevent the Song army from going north to rescue Kaifeng."
Zhao Tai did not have an intelligence network in Mongolia, and he did not know what decisions the Mongols made, or even the Mongols' Western Expedition.
Zhao Tai stroked his short beard and felt that what Wang Wentong said made sense, so he said: "Give me the order. The army will prepare for one day and set off for Xuzhou tomorrow!"
Wang Wentong immediately saluted: "I humbly accept my order!"
Early the next morning, 6,000 men and horses selected by Zhao Tai from the army, accompanied by heavy baggage vehicles, left Suining in a mighty manner and headed for Xuzhou to assist in the defense.
Although Zhao Tai's army has not been established for a long time, from the outside, it looks like a new army that has been established less than a year ago.
Suining is Zhao Tai's base camp. Zhao Tai does not intend to go to Xuzhou to reinforce Xuzhou this time. Instead, he sends Chen Zhong and Liu Dun to lead 6,000 people into Xuzhou to assist in the defense.
Outside Suining City, Zhao Tai saw them off.
At this time, six thousand men and horses were marching along the south bank of the Yellow River in a mighty manner. Zhao Tai, Chen Zhong and Liu Dun were walking on the river embankment, followed by a large group of generals and horses.
"My lord, please come here! My lord, don't worry about helping to defend Xuzhou. Xuzhou is also a fortified city. I don't think the Mongols can capture it!" Chen Zhong said.
"Let's walk a little further!" Zhao Tai said with a smile: "The walls of Xuzhou City are high and thick, and the materials in the city are sufficient. The Mongols may not be able to win it within three months if they send 100,000 troops. I am still relieved about this."
As he spoke, Zhao Tai stopped and said, "I'm worried about another thing. Before, Heda and Guannu were against me. Now that the Mongolian soldiers are pressing on the border, it's impossible for the two of them to do anything against me." , but you must not have the intention to harm others, and you must have the intention to guard against others! After you enter Xuzhou, you must resolutely implement the orders to defend the city, but if they ask you to go out of the city to fight in the field, you do not have to obey orders."
During the last battle in Huainan, Chen Zhong was in the Southern Song Army and understood the strength of the Mongolian army in the field.
The current Zhongyi Army has good equipment and is all composed of Song Yuan, but its combat power is not as good as that of the Huainan Song Army. Fighting in the wild is tantamount to death.
Chen Zhong nodded, "I know from my humble position that when I go to Xuzhou, there is only one thing to do. Don't retreat, stick to the city, never waste a fight, just seek stability."
Zhao Tai nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Okay! In that case, I won't say any more, let's go!"
At that moment, the two of them bowed to Zhao Tai with clasped fists, then got on their horses and galloped to join the team and headed towards Xuzhou.
Zhao Tai watched for a while, then led his troops back to the city and deployed Suining's defense.
On the other side of Xuzhou, Kuoduan brought another 10,000 Mongolian cavalry, and gathered 20,000 Zhang Rou's troops and 20,000 Shi Tianze's troops, totaling 50,000 horses, to set up camp on the north bank.
In the last battle in Huainan, Li Fen lost 40,000 people. In addition, Kuo Duan put the responsibility for the defeat on him, so he was embarrassed to mobilize Li Jun again. Li Fen's army was not among the East Route Army, but only for the East Route Army. Provide some supplies.
The purpose of the Eastern Route Army led by Kuo Duan was to contain the Xuzhou Jin Army and attract the Jin Army Zeng to fight on the eastern front. In order to bluff, he set up camp along the river. The camp spread for more than ten miles and was extremely powerful.
At this time, on Xuzhou City, Heda, who was wearing armor, was standing on top of the city, looking at the military camp on the other side with a frown.
Beside him, Pu Chaguan slave, holding on to the city wall with one hand and building a pergola with the other, was observing the Mongolian army on the other side. He couldn't help but exclaimed, "Marshal, the Mongolian army is so large. Looking at this formation, I'm afraid there are no less than 100,000 soldiers." ah!"
Heda was also a little frightened, and even a little desperate deep in his heart. The Mongolian army seemed to be killing them endlessly, repelling one wave after another, and each wave seemed to be stronger than the last.
"They just suffered a big defeat in Huainan. They didn't want to gather so many soldiers and horses so soon!" Heda frowned, but then clenched his fists, "I have informed Zhao Tai to send troops to help defend. Although the Mongols are numerous, But taking Xuzhou in three months is just wishful thinking."
After listening to his words, the generals reluctantly cheered up, but they were still a little frightened when they saw the formation of the Mongolian army on the other side.
At this time, a general came to the city in a hurry and said, "Marshal Qi, 6,000 troops of the loyal army have arrived in the south of the city."
"Oh!" Heda's face showed joy, "Zhao Tai is quite fast, come with me to the south of the city to have a look."
Not long after, Heda, Guan Nu and others rode horses to the south of the city. They climbed up the city tower and looked into the distance. They saw a large group of people coming from the south.
When everyone looked at it, they saw his army, neatly dressed, with flags fluttering, and sharp swords and spears. They couldn't help but raise their brows, "Are these Zhao Tai's men? They are so elite!"
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