On the eighth day of the eighth month of the first year of Jingkang in the Song Dynasty, the school outside Jinming City, Kaifeng Prefecture was filled with a solemn scene.

After several months of selection, rectification and training, the army of kings from all over the world and the heroes from Kaifeng Prefecture finally looked like an elite soldier.

The 120,000 strong men, under various banners, formed twelve large hollow square formations with army and generals, arranged neatly in front of Jinming City. The soldiers were neatly armored and the swords and spears were shrouded in coldness.

What? There was a hollow square formation in the Song Dynasty? There was really! The large formation they set up now is called the square and round formation, which is actually a hollow square formation. There is only square and no circle (the round formation is difficult to set, and it is difficult to command). On all sides are horizontal formations composed of four crossbowmen, spearmen and knife soldiers. The middle can be empty, or they can be stuffed into cavalry, baggage, civilians, central army, and reserve troops.

This kind of square and radial formation is the most basic formation of the Song army. Of course, it has to be a formation guarded by people on all sides. If two or three rows of large horizontal lines are arranged, and there are not enough cavalry to protect both wings, and then encounter the "big cavalry" opponents of the Liao army and Jin army, then it will make people 100% turn around and attack the flanks and backs. According to the tricks taught by professionals such as Zhong Shizhong, Cao Li, Yao Pingzhong, and Liu Xiu (Liu Qi's brother), unless they occupy extremely favorable terrain or have an absolute advantage in the number of numbers, the infantry horizontal team cannot withstand the roundabout attacks of a large number of cavalry.

Therefore, the fancy "array maps" of the Song Dynasty were actually derived from the formation of square and radial.

The Song Dynasty infantry, which did not practice the radius formation, could not leave the city to fight in the field, otherwise the team of one or two thousand people would most likely be destroyed if they encountered the enemy's dozens of cavalry!

Because the infantry that cannot form a formation cannot keep the iron cavalry at all, the enemy's iron cavalry can continue to move and will not fall into the siege of the infantry. Moreover, the cavalry can also collide and attack the scattered infantry while moving. It will not take long to make the infantry fall into collapse, and the infantry, which cannot even set a hollow formation, will not have a strong fighting will, and will not withstand the repeated attacks of a small number of cavalry.

Therefore, letting such low-quality infantry fight against the Jurchen cavalry is actually to fight without teaching, to abandon and kill!

Therefore, a few months ago, the 100,000 army led by Li Gang fled without fighting in Huhe Town, which was actually the most correct option. If he had led the army to fight against the Jin soldiers at that time, then he and his army would have been likely to be destroyed in Huhe Town!

After several months of rigorous training, the 120,000 battalions of soldiers placed in front of Zhao Kai can already skillfully set up military-level and general-level phalanxes!

Moreover, the infantry among the 120,000 battalions also met the standard of "preparing for two battles".

The so-called "two battles in one's body" means that a soldier is proficient in the combat skills of at least two weapons. He can either play spears and shoot archery, or play sword cards to take off shooting, or shoot archery (using a bow or a god arm bow) and a wide-back ring-headed knife. This is not a matter of bringing more weapons to the battlefield, and he must be used correctly.

The correct use must be divided into two sets of uses: formation battle and individual melee battle!

The reason for practicing this is because this is the basic skill of the Song Dynasty’s imperial guards! If the Song Dynasty’s imperial guards could only master one weapon from the beginning, the archers would not be able to cut people, and the slash people would not be able to poke people with a spear. Then the chaotic times of the Five Dynasties would not be the turn of the Song Dynasty to end!

However, in the later era of peace, the three imperial guards of the three yamen became increasingly abolished. In the end, let alone "being prepared for three battles" or "being prepared for one battle", they could not even do the "battle" at hand.

Of course, under Zhao Ji's rule, not all the Song army was so abolished, otherwise Zhao Ji would not dare to launch the Xuanhe Northern Expedition.

In fact, most of the Western Army soldiers of the Song Dynasty could still be prepared for two battles and three battles. Among them, the elite horse soldiers could basically be prepared for horseback and three battles. The Eastern cavalry these days could basically reach this level.

Therefore, cavalry does not have to fight on horseback. If they get off the horse, ordinary infantry is not their opponent.

Therefore, cavalry can also be dismounted infantry. They can quickly assemble and transfer on the battlefield with the mobility provided by war horses, send troops to the weak links of the opponent's battle formation, and form a local numerical advantage.

In this case, infantry that can only use one weapon to fight, even if they can quickly form a square formation, it will be difficult to withstand the attack of dismounted infantry who have the advantage in number (local advantage). This is actually the main reason why the Song army was often easily defeated by Jin soldiers in the early stages of the Song and Jin war.

Another important reason for the great collapse of the Northern Song army was that their number did not prevail. Although there were about 100 million Han people under the Song Dynasty, the population under the Jurchens was at most 10 million.

However, the number of people who can really go to the battlefield is that the Jurchens have more than 100,000 households in the country, which is more than 100,000 soldiers. According to the standard configuration of the first, second and second lieutenants, Alixi is almost 400,000. In addition to the servants with strong combat power, there are all 500,000 troops!

In the late Xuanhe period, the imperial guards of the Northern Song Dynasty might not have 250,000. Fortunately, the Western Army also retained the legacy of the Sui and Tang dynasties' military households, with a large number of generals, family members and archers of the field. Therefore, a mobilization system could be supported, and three or four waves of soldiers were forced to withstand the Jin people. It also provided a large number of backbones for the Southern Song army in history. Four of the four generals of the early Southern Song Dynasty and one Wu rank. Four of the five were the Western Army, and only Yue Fei was the leader of the Xiangzhou Wufu.

Now, because Zhao Kai won the Battle of Sanshan Floating Bridge, the Battle of Yuncheng, and the Battle of Caikou, he also exerted the prestige of Taiwei Gao and destroyed the Jin thieves' super confidence, he won time for rectification and training for himself and the Western Army of the Song Dynasty and various rebels. This is why there are now 120,000 elite soldiers who can fight, standing neatly outside Jinming City to hold a oath ceremony!

These 120,000 elite soldiers and another 80,000 elite soldiers (designed in Sanshan Floating Bridge, Liangshanpo, Dingtao, and Guangwu Mountain respectively), a total of about 200,000 elite soldiers were Zhao Kai’s money!

This is all the elite soldiers who use Kaifeng resident account (add 10 acres of land), Kaifeng real estate, beautiful palace maids, and enough food and salary to boost their appetites, plus 997 hard practice!

During the 997 process, at least 150,000 troops were eliminated and became defending soldiers who could not leave the city to fight in the field. They could only receive a salary for the soldiers. One third of them remained in Kaifeng Prefecture, while the rest were deployed in the city castles around Kaifeng Prefecture, becoming the backbone of the defending soldiers.

After several months of 997, the 200,000 people who finally became elite were reorganized into 20 armies and 100 generals.

The 12 soldiers and 60 generals are now in the schoolyard outside Jinming City, and the troops are arranged neatly and silently. However, behind the army's solemn aura, there is still some fear and anxiety hidden. Although everyone has been practicing hard for several months and has good skills, can they beat the Jin thieves? It seems to be a bit uneasy!

It would be fine if I stick to the city, but now I’m going to go out of the city to fight, I’m still a little scared!

In addition, are there enough houses in Kaifeng Prefecture City? Many people have been assigned to houses in the past few months! Is it easy to get the household registration of Kaifeng Prefecture? Many have been issued in the past few months! Are the beautiful girl already divided? Is it so anxious!

Inside the west gate of Jinming City, a team of knights were slowly walking out of the city gate and heading towards the school ground. First, two riders, one riders were golden helmets and golden armors, and the red cloak, which was Zhao Kai! The other riders were purple robes and black veils, which was the official of the Privy Council, the camp, and the remaining guard in Tokyo.

Li Gang did not lose Zhao Kai's trust because of the two defeats in Huhe Town and Chengshi County. On the contrary, his courage to take the risk of going out of the city to rescue him made him seem more reliable!

And he brought out a large army of 100,000, and finally he could bring back 80,000, and he also curbed the Jin thieves at the level of Chengshi County!

Therefore, Li Gang not only saved the affairs of the Privy Council and the camp, but also had an additional Tokyo stay in Kaifeng Prefecture after Zhao Kai went to war!

However, Zhao Kai still needs a few words of advice now.

"Li Qing, now the queen is pregnant. Madam Ximen and several other ladies are pregnant. I believe I will soon be a father!"

Soon? Li Gang was stunned and thought to himself: You already have two children!

Zhao Kai did not find himself speechless, and was still saying to himself: "So you have to keep my guard firmly at Kaifeng Prefecture, no matter what happens, you are not allowed to lead troops out of the city anymore. Do you understand?"

"I understand. I must firmly guard Kaifeng Mansion, but Your Majesty must be careful!"

Zhao Kai nodded and said, "I am a chosen person and I have the blessing of destiny, so I will not be in danger outside Kaifeng Prefecture. Don't worry!"

After saying this, Zhao Kai suddenly pulled the war horse under his crotch, took the lead, and led a group of personal soldiers who followed closely to the front of the twelve army-level hollow square formations.

On one side, the flag with the three big characters "Zhao Wudi" was stabbed, followed closely behind him, waving in the wind.

The soldiers who were a little depressed just now saw this flag recognition and immediately knew who was coming, and immediately cheered loudly.

"Zhao Wudi! Zhao Wudi! Zhao Wudi"

Zhao Kai rode his horse in the cheers like sea waves, galloping past one square after another, and ran to the end of the team formed by the square formation, and then he stopped the war horses in front of the first army in person.

When the officers and soldiers of the First Army saw Zhao Kai appear and knew that he was going to give a speech again, they immediately stopped and all looked at the very alternative Song Dynasty official with bright eyes.

Zhao Kai looked at the army formation composed of more than 10,000 elite infantry cavalry in front of him, and was excited for a moment. He didn't know what to say, so he was silent for a while.

Just when everyone thought he had forgotten his words, he suddenly spoke: "You guys, I just got good news that the Emperor of the Jin thief has arrived at Daming Mansion... Now we can save us from going all the way to Huining Mansion. We are sending him back to heaven outside Kaifeng Mansion. This is a good opportunity given by heaven. Are you willing to gain this wealth that is soaring to heaven? There are real estate in Kaifeng Mansion, land outside the city, and a lady who is as beautiful as flowers!"
Chapter completed!