It's hard to say how powerful the Loyalty Army is, but in terms of equipment, it can definitely be called luxurious.

Zhao Tai gave priority to equipping the Zhongyi Army with most of the armors and weapons aided by the Southern Song Dynasty.

This makes the armored soldiers of the Zhongyi Army far surpass those of the Jin Army, and can be described as being armed to the teeth.

At this time, Heda and Guannu stood at the top of the city, watching six thousand loyal and rebel troops file into the city.

They lowered their heads and looked down, and saw that the loyal army was arranged in four teams. On both sides were large gunmen wearing heavy armor and holding spears. The two rows in the middle were archers carrying crossbows, divine arm bows, and bows and arrows.

Most of these loyal troops were wearing the infantry armor of the Southern Song Dynasty. Without looking at the flags, they were just soldiers of the Song Dynasty.

"They actually have so many armors and crossbows?" Heda was a little surprised.

In ancient times, it was not a crime for ordinary people to have knives and guns at home, but it was a serious crime to hide armor and crossbows privately.

This illustrates the role of armor in ancient times, which was generally strictly controlled by the imperial court.

The Southern Song Dynasty actually gave Zhao Tai so many armors and even a divine arm bow. Zhao Tai must be from the Southern Song Dynasty.

The official slave had a dark face, "The man named Zhao controls Song Yuan. He is so fat that we can only eat his leftovers!"

Heda didn't expect that Zhao Tai's strength would develop to this extent in such a short period of time, and his face turned dark.

The two stood at the top of the city, watching with mixed emotions as the loyal soldiers entered the city.

Chen Zhong and Liu Dun, who had entered the city at this time, were led up to the city and came behind Heda.

Heda got the reminder, turned around and saw the two of them, and immediately put on a smile, "Haha~ You guys came in time, why didn't Guorui come?"

"The humble minister Zhao Xuan controls Chen Zhong, see the commander-in-chief!"

"Liu Dun, the commander under the command of the humble Zhao Xuanxiang, meets the commander-in-chief!"

The two came forward and bowed to Heda first.

Heda helped the two of them up, with a smile on his face, "Two generals, please get up, no need to be polite!"

Chen Zhong stood up and said: "Xuanfu Xianggong needs to guard Suining, so he only sent me two here."

Heda knew clearly that after the last incident, Zhao Tai became very cautious. He invited Zhao Tai to Xuzhou several times, but Zhao Tai always made excuses to avoid it.

This time Zhao Tai was able to send 6,000 troops to assist in defense, which was considered a great honor.

However, the city of Xuzhou is strong, and with Zhao Tai's 6,000 reinforcements, it doesn't really matter whether Zhao Tai comes or not.

Heda nodded slightly, "Suining is close to the Yellow River, and it does need defense. The two generals have worked hard all the way. Go and arrange the barracks for the brothers of the Zhongyi Army. Remember not to neglect them."

The official slave felt 10,000 unbalanced, but now that the Mongolian army was approaching, he had no choice but to greet him with a smile, "Two generals, follow me."

~~~~~~

On the other side of the Yellow River, the Mongolian army camp stretched for more than ten miles, forming a very classic Changshan Snake formation.

Looking at the southern slope of the Yellow River embankment and the exposed river beach, we can see white military tents like tombs.

In the Mongolian camp, countless Mongolian soldiers and war horses shuttled through the camp with great momentum.

On the river embankment, a stove was set up in the Mongolian army commander's tent. The Mongolian nobles and senior generals of the Hebei warlords sat around the fire to discuss the military situation.

Zhang Rou used a branch to draw on the ground: "Xuzhou, Dangshan, and Suining are the three fulcrums of the Jin army's defense on the eastern front. Among them, Xuzhou is in the center, Dangshan is in the north, and Suining is in the south! Xuzhou is formed by the Jin army.

Marshal Heda is the garrison, Dangshan garrison is Wuxian, and Suining is Zhao Tai!"

He was using a branch to move the broad end of the flint, and the wooden pole broke with a "snap" sound, attracting everyone's attention.

When Kuo Duan heard Zhao Tai's name, he was filled with hatred. However, he remembered O Kuotai's instructions that his mission was to contain the Mongolian army on the eastern front, so he resisted the idea of ​​seeking revenge from Zhao Tai. Shen

The voice said: "Keep talking!"

Zhang Rou immediately said: "The Great Khan asked us to contain the Jin Army on the Eastern Front, mainly these three troops. Of these three Jin armies, Xuzhou is the most critical. We only need to march to Xuzhou, Wuxian from Dangshan, and Zhao Tai from Suining.

It will be impossible to mobilize troops to reinforce the Western Front."

It was rare for Kuo Duan to listen to advice, so he said in a deep voice: "I will do as you wish. Once the Yellow River freezes, the army will immediately cross the river and march to Xuzhou."

…

In mid-October, the cold wave from the north hit, and the Central Plains was already covered in white.

When Kuoduan set up a company camp on the opposite bank of Xuzhou to attract the Jin Kingdom to increase its troops on the western front, the main force of the Mongolian army led by Wo Kuotai also arrived in Weizhou opposite Kaifeng.

Emperor Wanyan Shouxu of the Jin Kingdom immediately judged that the strategic intention of the Mongols was to seize Xuzhou with a small force and hinder the Southern Song Dynasty from sending troops northward, while the main force besieged Kaifeng.

Therefore, the Jin Dynasty court hurriedly mobilized troops to defend Kaifeng. At the same time, it strengthened the walls and cleared the fields, waiting for the Mongolian troops to approach the city.

At the end of October, on the embankment of the south bank of the Yellow River, several Jin cavalrymen stood in the wind and snow.

"Brother Dutou, look!" A cavalryman pointed to a few black spots on the river in the distance.

The leader of the cavalry had a face full of wind and snow. He looked in the direction pointed by his subordinates and saw several Mongolian cavalry on the river carefully crossing the ice.

"No!" Nadu Tou exclaimed, "The Yellow River has frozen!"

Sure enough, the Mongolian riders on the river were cautious at first, but after crossing the middle of the river, they began to howl excitedly.

Seeing the Mongolian cavalry galloping on the ice, the Jin army scouts observed for a while, then hurriedly pulled their horses, ran down the river embankment, and headed for Xuzhou.

On October 28th, it was a cloudy day, and the cold wind howled, blowing on my face like a knife.

At the top of Xuzhou City, soldiers and civilians were busy carrying arrows, broken wood, stones, kerosene and other objects. Heda led a group of generals and hurried to the top of the city, walked straight to the city wall, and put their hands on the wall stacks.

Looking up into the distance.

"Why is there no movement?" the official slave behind him frowned.

Heda squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, and suddenly said in a deep voice: "Here he comes!"

Everyone looked up and saw a cavalry suddenly appearing on the river embankment in the distance, stationed at a high place, and then a famous cavalry appeared on his left and right sides. In a moment, densely packed cavalry filled the entire section.

embankment.

Seeing this, Heda and others couldn't help but look solemn and took a deep breath.

At this time, a large flag appeared first with a sharp tip, then a flag, and then a flagpole.

Not long after, the entire flag was erected high and flying provocatively.

Under the banner of the great banner, Kuoduan was riding majestically on his horse, looking at Xuzhou with a sinister gaze.

Suddenly, he waved his hand forward, and the Mongolian troops standing all over the river embankment slowly went down the slope, descending from the river embankment like mercury pouring down the ground.

Heda and others on the city wall watched with heavy faces as the Mongolian troops poured down and moved forward like a carpet.
Chapter completed!