That being said, Jin Wushu, after all, was only twenty-five or six years old, and this expedition was also his first time leading troops. Compared to the previous crushing victories, the situation he encountered today since waking up really made him feel confused for a while.

However, after returning to his seat and sitting quietly for a moment, this person shook his head repeatedly while holding the horsewhip, and kept talking to himself:

"It's too late! It's too late on both sides! I saw it with my own eyes up there just now. The east side has already reached the last layer of the great barricade. The Song army's general's dispatch is calculated accurately. If I really transfer troops from the east side at this time, I will only harm Puluhun! But it doesn't matter, the Song army is also too late, and their lateness is even more fatal. They are worried about the safety of the Song Emperor, and sent the second batch of troops back, but it's too late to call them to support the east side... After all this trouble, only seven or eight hundred armored soldiers were sent to support the east side. According to the combat power of our Great Jin Iron Cavalry, the victor is probably still Puluhun!"

"Then..."

"After all this trouble, it's a false alarm. I'll just sit here and wait for Puluhun to defeat the enemy!" Wanyan Wushu said, while letting out a sigh of relief, but then raised his horsewhip and pointed. "This is where you Song people are incompetent... Our Jin country's lords, princes, and nobles have always personally charged into battle, braving arrows. One more nobleman on the battlefield means one more point of combat power; the Song people are good, the emperor encourages morale in battle, but actually restrains the troops from being dispatched, so they needlessly divide their forces to watch over him!"

Shi Wenbin hesitated for a moment. He wanted to say that the military situation was unclear, and since the Song general had calculated the timing so accurately, there might be a hidden trick... But whether it was out of fear or some more complex psychology, after looking at the horsewhip in the other's hand, he actually didn't tell Jin Wushu his thoughts, but just nodded and flattered him repeatedly.

"However, with the decisive battle coming, we can't just sit here and do nothing." After Jin Wushu regained his confidence, he thought for a moment, but raised his hand and pointed from the stool. "Come on, send orders to the west side for me. While that army hasn't returned, let two Meng'an (千人队, thousand-man units) make a show of force and counterattack, and be sure to do their part for Puluhun!"

The Jin soldiers obeyed the order, and waved flags and beat drums on the platform to signal.

The Jin army in front saw the flag signal faster than Liu Bao, who was still struggling to retreat on the river bank. They ignored the mess on the battlefield and could only fight on foot, and they also ignored their hunger after arriving here early in the morning. Under the personal leadership of two Meng'an, they crossed the outer low wall and rushed out on foot!

It is said that the Song army at this time had less than three thousand troops in front of the formation (two thousand original troops, and hundreds of Zhang Jun's support troops of personal guards), and most of them were exhausted. The sudden killing of less than two thousand Jin troops caught the Song army off guard. Almost visibly, the battle line gradually shifted backward. As the battle line retreated, the Song army's natural fear of the Jin army also exploded instantly. Many people fled west in panic, trying to become deserters.

What was even more deadly was that at this critical moment, the supervisory team that should have been maintaining the line in the rear had already squeezed onto the front line, unable to play a guiding role, which instantly made the situation worse!

On the other side, on the gate tower of Xi Cai City, Zhao Guan Jia (赵官家, Emperor Zhao) and all the civil and military officials were stunned by this scene... According to their understanding of various information just now, the reason why Liu Bao's departure was dangerous was because everyone was worried that as soon as Liu Bao left, Jin Wushu would send out his most elite central army, and then three Meng'an would join forces to counterattack from the front.

However, no one thought that Jin Wushu did not send out reinforcements at all. Even with Zhang Jun sending out his own personal guards, only two Jin army Meng'an (thousand-man units) who had been fighting fiercely all morning, pushing themselves despite their hunger, were enough to shake the situation!

At this time, other than lamenting that the combat power gap between the Song and Jin armies was still a huge chasm, there seemed to be nothing to say.

In fact, even lamenting these things seemed inappropriate at this time.

"Your... Your Majesty!" At this time, on the city tower, without any civil officials criticizing, Zhang Jun himself was already covered in sweat, but he quickly knelt down to Zhao Guan Jia and asked for permission to fight. "Your Majesty, although there are no more armored soldiers in the city, there are many ordinary leather-armored soldiers. I will now lead a few hundred more people down there and personally lead the supervisory team. As long as these guys on the front line can still recognize me, they will definitely be able to hold out until Liu Bao returns to support them, and I will never let Your Majesty fall into danger!"

Zhao Jiu, dressed in a large red robe and a hard-winged hat, sat upright on the chair, opening his mouth to speak, but his mouth was dry and his throat was parched, so that although his words were fluent, his voice was extremely small. He could only raise his chin to signal the other party to come closer.

Seeing this, Zhang Jun quickly knelt forward two steps, lowered his head to listen, and then looked at Wang Yuan: "Wang Dutong (王都统, Chief Military Officer Wang), His Majesty said that the troops below are mostly from the Henan Xingying (河南行营, Henan Military Camp). He wants you to go down with me and supervise the battle!"

Wang Yuan had been on the battlefield after all, so he quickly got up and bowed his head to listen to the order, and even vaguely felt a bit of excitement.

Just as Zhang and Wang were about to get up and go down together, Zhao Jiu opened his mouth again. Zhang Jun did not dare to neglect, and once again leaned over and listened attentively, and then was stunned. Only then did he turn his head and say seriously:

"His Majesty has a decree that a few warriors should be left behind to maintain order. Except for Generals Zhang Jun and Wang Yuan, any civil or military officials on the city who dare to make noise or leave their seats, from the Censor-in-chief of the Imperial Secretariat and the Academician of the Jade Hall downwards, can be beheaded!"

The city tower, which had originally been restless, was horrified for a moment, and was instantly silent.

The spring breeze gently fluttered the flags, the Huai River slapped the north bank, and below, the dust billowed. Less than three thousand Song army armored soldiers fought and retreated, and the shouts of killing gradually approached. However, as Zhang and Wang hurried down the city, leading a group of soldiers equipped with leather armor to meet them, the battle line actually stopped temporarily at a position less than half a mile from the city tower!

Fortunately, Liu Bao saw the situation and did not dare to neglect. He hurriedly turned back, and under a pincer attack, although he could not suppress the enemy, he controlled the situation and held on to the Jin army.

The battle rose and fell in a wave, and then seemed to stalemate again.

Zhao Guan Jia, whose back was already soaked, looked blankly at the battlefield far away, but still felt like a tangled mess and couldn't figure anything out. He simply sighed and continued to slump in his chair.

At this moment, at the easternmost end of the battlefield, on the river embankment perpendicular to the eastern direction of the Jin army's great camp, Yang Yizhong had not yet waited for Han Shizhong, further east, to raise the flag as a signal, when he suddenly heard a burst of clamor and cheers from the north, which was clearly Wang Sheng, the beloved general of Han Shizhong, leading his troops to pull out the last layer of the great barricade!

"Mount up!"

In the East Village camp, which was in stark contrast to the cheers and clamor outside, Puluhun suddenly gave a soft order, and then mounted his horse. The two Meng'an, with an actual number of only fifteen hundred iron cavalry, naturally could not hear the sound, but seeing Puluhun mount his horse, they also immediately mounted their horses neatly.

"Raise the flag!"

Puluhun, sitting on his horse and covered by a face mask, still spoke in a muffled voice, but waved his hand again to signal.

Immediately, a guard next to him suddenly raised a simple and rough big flag. The flag had a yellow background and black lines, and a huge magpie was embroidered on it.

Seeing this big flag raised, a continuous and exquisite yellow curtain that had originally stood in front of the thousands of cavalry was instantly pushed down by the infantry who had been prepared. With the curtain down, there was no longer any cover between Puluhun and Wang Sheng's troops. Puluhun waved his hand again and again, taking the lead in reining in his horse and moving forward, slowly accelerating as he stepped on this exquisite curtain.

Up to this point, Yang Yizhong on the high ground of the outer embankment finally waited for Han Shizhong's general flag to be raised further east, and also breathed a sigh of relief.

However, at the next moment, a thunderous rumble suddenly came. Yang Yizhong looked up in astonishment, and could see with his own eyes a cavalry force whose attire was enough to make countless Song soldiers tremble suddenly burst out from the east side of the great camp. Ignoring everything, it instantly and fiercely dug into the formation composed of Wang Sheng's troops, nicknamed Black Dragon, and those Imperial Guards!

With just one thrust, quite a few knights fell from their horses and died, but the latter instantly could not withstand it and suffered countless casualties!

Accompanied by this charge, which was destined to involve countless bloody memories, Yang Dalang (杨大郎, a respectful way to call Yang Yizhong) no longer dared to hesitate, and could no longer maintain his usual depth and restraint. He roared and ordered:

"Quickly raise the blue flag! Raise the flag!!"

ps: The third day of the Lunar New Year, paying New Year's greetings as usual, good night everyone... Hearing about Kobe's death last night, I couldn't sleep all night, and I don't want to say any mourning words, I hope to have a good sleep today.