When the city gate opened, Wanyan Heda led the remaining cavalry and immediately rushed into the urn city.
Zhao Tai hurried down to the city. After a while, the city gate opened and Heda entered the city. Zhao Tai led a group of people and saluted: "Marshal!"
Heda got off his horse and said, "Guoan doesn't need to be polite."
Zhao Tai asked: "The marshal is not in Xuzhou, why are you here?"
"Guorui, how can I, Commander Xuzhou, stay here?" Heda looked melancholy.
Zhao Tai heard his tone and knew that Xuzhou was fine, so he immediately said: "We'll wait until we enter the city!"
At that moment, Zhao Tai led Heda and his entourage back to the Jiedushi's residence and sat down in the lobby according to their official rank.
Zhao Tai and Heda sat on the left and right in the middle hall, while the other generals and officials sat on both sides.
Heda had no pleasantries or politeness. He went straight to the point as soon as he came up, "Guorui, this is a disaster!"
Xuzhou was fine, Heda came over, it must be for the current war situation, most likely because he wanted Zhao Tai to send troops.
Zhao Tai's expression did not change and he pretended to be confused: "Why did the commander say this?"
Heda said: "Zhengzhou and Hulao Pass have been lost, and Luoyang is in danger."
Zhao Tai had already guessed the Mongolian army's strategic intentions before, and also knew that the Mongolian army was heading to Luoyang, intending to capture Tongguan and Luoyang and tear apart the Jin Kingdom's Guanhe defense line.
Now that he heard that Hulao Pass had been breached, Zhao Taizhong was immediately frightened, and the loyal generals in the hall also changed their expressions.
Hulao Pass fell, and Luoyang was in danger. Once the Mongolian army captured Luoyang and Tongguan, the Guanhe defense line would be torn apart, Kaifeng would be undefendable, and the Jin Kingdom would be close to destruction.
Zhao Tai was a little shocked, but he remained calm and asked: "Commander, do you know the details of the battle to the west?"
Heda nodded and said solemnly: "Wo Kuotai stationed troops to defend the state, and asked the imperial court to deploy troops to defend Kaifeng. He also asked Kublai Khan to attack Tongguan, and ordered Monk Chen to divide his troops for reinforcements. Then he led the army to attack Zhengzhou and Hulao Pass. Zhengzhou The guards were empty and easily defeated by the Mongolian army. Although Monk Chen repelled the Mongolian forward at Hulao Pass, Wo Kuotai quickly led the army to the pass and ordered Subutai to advance rapidly along the Yellow River and attack Mengjin Pass. Monk Chen Worried that Meng Jin would be breached, he hurriedly retreated to Luoyang. As soon as he left, Hulao Pass was breached by the Mongolian army. Now that Monk Chen is trapped in Luoyang, the future is worrying!"
Zhao Tai was silent for a moment, then looked at Heda who was sitting next to him, "What does the Marshal mean by coming here?"
Heda said in a deep voice: "If Luoyang and Tongguan are lost, the Guanhe defense line that the imperial court has relied on for many years will be torn apart by the Mongolian army, which will endanger the Central Plains. Guorui, can you still sit back and watch at this critical juncture?"
After Zhao Tai heard this, the corner of his mouth twitched. He already understood what Heda meant, and he probably wanted him to rescue Luoyang.
Zhao Tai did not want the Mongols to capture Luoyang and Tongguan, but the Jin Kingdom made a mistake in their deployment. The defeat in the west was determined. Zhao Tai had a group of new soldiers who had no ability to change the situation of the war.
He also wanted to rescue Monk Chen, but facing the main force of Wo Kuotai, the Zhongyi Army had no chance of winning. I am afraid that they were defeated by the Mongolian army before they reached Luoyang.
Heda saw that Zhao Tai was silent and knew that Zhao Tai was in trouble, but if he could not save Luoyang, the Kingdom of Jin would surely perish.
Heda could only shamelessly pray to Zhao Tai, "Guorui, now my troops are tied up in Xuzhou and cannot leave the city. The imperial court sent several reinforcements from Kaifeng, but they were all defeated by the Zhengzhou Mongolian army. Now you are the only one who still has it. Soldiers and horses, if you don’t rescue us, the consequences will be disastrous!”
Seeing Heda putting pressure on Zhao Tai, Wang Wentong, who was sitting in the hall, was afraid that Zhao Tai would agree, so he quickly stood up and said: "Marshal, we have sent 6,000 troops to Xuzhou. Now we can dispatch at most 10,000 troops, even if we can rush Even if we go to Luoyang, we will not be able to reverse the situation of the war."
Heda immediately said: "As long as you arrive and manage to enter Luoyang, there will be a chance. In addition, I hope Guorui can immediately ask for help from the Southern Song Dynasty and ask them to send troops north to help us resist the Mongolian army and drive the Mongols across the Yellow River. .”
Zhao Tai listened to Heda's words with a stern expression. After thinking for a while, he already made a decision in his heart.
The Mongols had broken through Hulao Pass and were approaching Luoyang City. Zhao Tai went to support them, but they could not get close to Luoyang. It was also unrealistic to ask for help from the Southern Song Dynasty.
The Southern Song Dynasty had long been mentally prepared for the demise of the Jin Kingdom. They wanted to use the Jin Kingdom to consume Mongolia, and it was impossible to support the Jin Kingdom regardless of the cost.
Moreover, the troops and horses have not moved, and the food and grass have to go first. The Southern Song Dynasty needs support and must make preparations.
This problem cannot be solved by mobilizing a few thousand troops. If the Southern Song Dynasty wanted to fight the Mongols in the Central Plains, it would require at least nearly 100,000 troops.
With such a large army, they are still mainly infantry. It will take several months just to recruit civilians and replenish weapons, money and food. By the time they send out troops, the day lilies will be cold.
Zhao Tai said in a deep voice: "Marshal, with all due respect. Before the Yellow River froze, the imperial court made a mistake in deploying its troops and misjudged the strategic goals of the Mongolian army. Now it is difficult to reverse the defeat on the Western Front. After Wokuotai's troops arrived in Luoyang, they will definitely While encircling Luoyang and attacking, they sent cavalry to attack Tongguan, and Kublai Khan attacked the Tongguan defenders from both inside and outside. I estimate that Tongguan may have fallen by now, and if I go there, I will undoubtedly die. Therefore, I will not send loyal soldiers to the Western Front. In addition, in the current situation, it is too late to ask for rescue from the Southern Song Dynasty. If they come too few, it will not work. If there are more, they will need time to prepare. As a commander-in-chief, you should know how long it will take to prepare for the departure of tens of thousands of troops!"
Although Heda had expected it, it was still difficult to accept what Zhao Tai said. "
Heda's face was full of pain, "Are we just going to watch the Mongols capture Tongguan, take Luoyang, and then march to Kaifeng to destroy the Jin Dynasty?"
Zhao Tai shook his head, slapped the table and said loudly: "Of course not!"
Heda looked at Zhao Tai and asked in surprise: "Guorui, what do you mean?"
Zhao Tai said in a deep voice: "If you are indecisive, go for it!"
Zhao Tai left his seat, under the eyes of everyone, walked to the map hanging in the hall, pointed at the map and said: "Now the Mongolian army's forces are concentrated in Luoyang and Tongguan in the west, and there are only 50,000 horses in the east. And there are no reinforcements around. We have a total of less than 70,000 troops in Xuzhou, Suining, and Dangshan, and the available troops can reach about 60,000. If we mobilize troops from Kaifeng and borrow a few thousand troops from the Southern Song Dynasty, it will be completely You can eat the broad end.”
Zhao Tai looked at the shocked Heda and said in a deep voice: "Although this cannot completely change the situation of the war, it can destroy the Mongolian army in the east, so that Kaifeng will not be attacked from both sides after the fall of Luoyang! The Mongols see the Mongolian army on the east route. If we are annihilated, we will definitely not dare to attack Kaifeng rashly. In this way, we still have the opportunity to regroup and rearrange the army."
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