Ma Biao whipped the horse. As soon as the horse's hooves hit the south bank, the ice of the Jingma River behind him broke open. Once the ice broke, it couldn't stop its momentum and quickly branched to both sides with a "clatter".
Suddenly, almost in the blink of an eye, the ice of the river two or three miles east and west was cut off.
Nearly a thousand people had just stepped off the river embankment. They had no time to escape. As the cold broke through, they all fell into the biting river water.
The water is thin in winter, and the water under the ice is only four or five feet deep. A single person would not be drowned if he fell in. But at this time, nearly a thousand people fell in, and some people could not control themselves and rolled down the river embankment, entangled with each other in panic.
They were in a ball, and they were holding heavy clothes and armor, and no one could break free. Then it was freezing cold, and they fell into the river. Even if they could climb up the bank, they would be blown away by the north wind that cut their faces like knives, and they would lose half of their lives.
Life.
Compared with the thousands of people who fell into the river, what was more critical was that the river ice suddenly broke, quickly causing a plague-like panic among Chen Han's troops. There was nothing unusual when the army crossed the river in the early morning. Who could have imagined that the sun would
It had only been two hours since we came out, and it was just past midnight. The river ice alone could not support the passage of thousands of people. The north wind blew people's faces so cold. How could this be the melting season?
Only the generals of the Huaidong Army were prepared. When they saw the river ice cracking, countless Xuzhou soldiers fell into it. Hundreds and thousands of people shouted in unison: "Tiannuo Huaidong, kill the traitors!"
"
Chen Hansanqi heard a strange "clicking" sound behind the formation, turned his head and saw countless people falling into the cold water. His heart was horrified, and his face instantly turned pale. He got off half of the chariot as if he was rolling, and mounted his horse to retreat to the north bank.
The river bank stabilizes the morale of the army.
However, Sun Zhuang, Zhou Pu, and Li Liang all waited for this moment. Taking advantage of the enemy's great panic, they counterattacked with nearly 10,000 infantry and cavalry with all their strength, killing the Xuzhou soldiers and retreating steadily.
It was blocked on three sides, and the river ice broke through in the south, making it a dead end. However, once the army retreated, more people behind the formation were forced to retreat, and it was impossible to hold back. Those generals who were pushed to the river embankment,
He could only watch helplessly as he was pushed down the icy river water. Soon the river more than twenty feet wide was filled up. Chen Hansan's soldiers and horses on the north bank of Jingma River were completely defeated and completely defeated.
The power of counterattack.
Ma Zhen was still wrapped up in the rebel army, and he didn't know whether he was alive or dead. Fortunately, Chen Hansan rushed to the river bank first and waded through the icy water with his cavalry to cross the river. As soon as he arrived at the south bank, he watched helplessly as he was being slaughtered on the north bank.
, the more than a thousand armored cavalry led by Sun Zhuang were like an iron plow, plowing open holes in the collapsed army formation. From a distance of several miles, Chen Hansan could still see his subordinates being killed by the Huaidong cavalry.
The tragic scene of blood and flesh flying everywhere.
Chen Hansan was trembling all over, partly out of anger and hatred, partly because when he was wading across the river, his waist was soaked in ice water and blown in by the north wind, which made it bone-chilling.
Ma Biao was a close confidant of Chen Hansan. Except for a dozen of his subordinates, he ran to the south bank in time before the river ice broke. Most of his troops were buried in the Jingma River. Seeing that half his life's hard work was wiped out in an instant, Ma Biao vomited.
There was a mouthful of blood, and the blood on the corner of his mouth had not been wiped dry. He ran to Chen Hansan and cried loudly: "Commander, this is a divine punishment!"
"God damn your mother!" Chen Hansan never believed in the power of ghosts and gods, so he kicked Ma Biao and said with a cry, "This is the trick of the East China Sea Fox, but you and I have been blinded and cannot see through him!"
Even if the main force on the north bank collapsed, Chen Hansan still had three battalions of infantry behind him on the south bank.
The general of the palace soldiers was also frightened by the sudden break of the river ice without warning and the huge defeat in front of him. He rode up to Chen Hansan and stammered when he spoke: "Commander, Commander, what's going on right now?"
good?"
Chen Hansan had never experienced such a disastrous defeat in his life. His teeth were chattering and making a "squeaking" sound, leaving him with not many choices.
One is to lead three battalions of infantry on the south bank to escape back to Xuzhou City.
But at this moment, there were more than a thousand Huaidong cavalry on the east side of the north bank, leaving the battlefield and galloping eastward along the north bank embankment.
Although Chen Hansan was so angry that his mouth was full of blood, his brain could still function. He thought: If the ice break in the Jingma River was caused by the girl in red coat, and the Huaidong cavalry rode eastward, then there might be special forces in the east section of the river.
A section of the river for cavalry to cross safely.
The south bank of the Jingma River is twelve miles away from the North Gate of Xuzhou. It would be easy for Chen Hansan to escape back to Xuzhou City alone, but it would be difficult to successfully bring the three battalions of infantry back to Xuzhou City - if the three battalions of infantry on the south bank were to be abandoned
, Chen Hansan thought that if he escaped back to Xuzhou City, he would have less than 3,000 troops left. However, in Xuzhou City, Zhang Yubo, Liu Xilin and the soldiers of the Prince of Chu's palace joined forces, and there were still more than 1,000 troops at their heart.
Thinking of this, Chen Hansan finally couldn't help it and spat out a mouthful of blood!
"Commander, Marshal!" Ma Biao stepped forward to help Chen Hansan, who was shaking, to prevent him from falling off his horse.
"If you meet the East China Sea Fox, this life will be over!" Chen Hansan vomited another mouthful of blood, his eyes darkened, and he held on to the reins with all his strength to prevent him from falling off the horse.
"Commander, please return to Xuzhou City quickly. We will hold Xiaozhai. Dayan's reinforcements are about to arrive. As long as we hold Xuzhou City and Xiaozhai, there is still a chance to save the matter?" Ma Biao advised Chen Hansan to flee to Xuzhou City first.
At this time, more than a thousand Huaidong troops headed east, led by Li Liang, were six or seven miles away and were preparing to cross the river on the ice.
Although there was no salt or coal slag sprinkled on the ice in that section of the river, the Huaidong cavalry was also cautious when crossing the river. Everyone led their horses and walked across the ice one after another.
Once across the river, a dozen cavalry formed a team and galloped towards the north city of Xuzhou without stopping, apparently to intercept the remnants of Chen Hansan's troops from escaping back to Xuzhou City.
On the north bank, Zhou Pu and Sun Zhuang joined forces, broke up the rebels, drove them westward, and killed them. They cleared the foothills from the east side to Xiaogushan, and pushed dozens of baggage carts into the Jingma River.
Taking advantage of the chaos on the ice-breaking Jingma River, we built a simple trestle bridge across the Jingma River.
As the number of Huaidong cavalry entering the south bank increased, Chen Hansan had no intention of sending people to destroy the Huaidong Army's trestle bridge on the Jingma River. Affected by the defeat in front of him, Chen Hansan still had three battalions of infantry on the south bank, but not
We know how much courage they still have to confront the Huaidong Army.
Although there are still nearly 3,000 defenders in Xuzhou City, the defenders on the north gate tower can see the battlefield on the Jingma River side. They saw that the main force of the Xuzhou soldiers fighting out of the city was defeated so easily.
Knowing how much determination they still have to hold on to the city.
The worst consequence is probably that when the Huaidong cavalry arrives at the city, there is no need to wait for Zhang Yubo, Liu Xilin will cooperate inside and outside, and the defenders will open the city gate and surrender, right?
Thinking of this, Chen Hansan realized that the only troops he could still firmly control at this time were the three battalions of infantry on the south bank...
Not knowing how long the Jingma River ice had broken open to Huaidong, Chen Hansan did not go back to the city. He knew that he would not be able to escape to the north bank in a short time to join Zhou Zhizhong and Nahe Xiongqi who was coming. He vomited blood.
After passing, I did not hesitate immediately, took more than a hundred remaining troops, and rushed to the small village. Now my morale was severely damaged, I could only close the gate of the village and defend, or maybe have a glimmer of hope.
************
Zhou Zhizhong's caution saved his life.
According to common sense, when the Huaidong Army transferred all the cavalry covering the two wings to attack Chen Hansan, Zhou Zhizhong should decisively counterattack from Shajiaji, so that the Huaidong Army could not see each other. However, it was quite dangerous for Zhou Zhizhong to defend the camp, and he was still in shock.
On this occasion, I just wanted to strengthen the defense of the camp first so that I could hold on until Na He Xiongqi arrived.
Mo Jiben was a man who was greedy for merit. Even though he saw that the infantry formation led by Liu Miaozhen was very strict and had few flaws, he didn't want to just lead his troops and be trapped in the camp without doing anything when Nahe Xiongli arrived.
He argued with Zhou Zhizhong about leading troops to fight back.
Everyone knows that due to this delay, Chen Hansan from the south was like a tower of sand, which was gently knocked down by a finger.
The defeat of Chen Hansan's troops happened in the blink of an eye. More than ten thousand soldiers and horses were in chaos, giving the Huaidong Army a bloody plow and killing without any resistance.
Zhou Zhizhong's face turned pale with shock. Chen Hansan's troops were defeated so easily. Without Chen Hansan, the situation was extremely unfavorable for them. Zhou Zhizhong did not dare to go out of the camp to fight. While sending people to defend the wall,
He sent someone to notify He Xiongqi, telling him to stay on King Wei Slope and not to approach easily. If he wanted to approach, he should wait until his troops and horses had rested before proceeding, so as not to overwhelm the Huaidong Army and catch him off guard.
Without the support of the powerful Qi's tens of thousands of elite cavalry, Zhou Zhizhong would not have the confidence to bring all 20,000 cavalry back to Shouzhang.
****************
The sky is high and the air is crisp. As long as there are no mountains to obstruct your eyes and you have better eyesight, it is normal to see the scenery twenty or thirty miles away from a high place. The Jingma River is only more than twelve miles away from Xuzhou North City, and the defenders are standing
From the North City Gate Tower, one can clearly see the situation on the north bank of Jingma River.
Not only could the defenders on the North City Tower see the battlefield on the north bank of the Jingma River, but there was a towering ancient ginkgo tree in the garden behind the Yin'an Palace of the Chu Palace, which was almost five or six hundred years old.
It provides a high sentinel to observe the situation inside and outside the city.
"The Huaiyang army won a great victory. Countless rebels fell into the Jingma River for no reason, as if they were swallowed, and none of them emerged. The girl in the red coat must have used some evil magic!" Wangshao who climbed up the old tree danced with joy.
said.
"Stop talking nonsense, just tell us what you saw!" Zhang Yubo scolded, it would be detrimental to Huaidong if the reputation of this evil method spreads.
King Yuan Hancheng of Chu did not pay attention to these details. His body was trembling. He was eager for the Huaidong Army to win, but he did not believe that Huaidong could win so easily. If his body did not allow it, he would have wanted to climb up and see for himself.
The situation outside the city.
"There was a cavalry team crossing the river from the north bank and heading towards Xuzhou City. Just when it was strange, the rebels fell into the river and disappeared. They were able to cross safely. Look at the armor, they are Huaidong cavalry." The watch continued.
Lying on the top of a tree, he reported the situation outside the city.
Liu Xilin asked the sentry to come down. He climbed up in person and saw the situation outside the city. Almost six to seven hundred riders formed a straight line and came to Xuzhou to seize the city. He hurriedly got down from the tree, discussed with Zhang Yubo and Yuan Hancheng, and said
: "I don't know which general is leading the team, but it is undoubtedly the Huaidong Cavalry Battalion - the cavalry cannot attack the city. If the defenders do not surrender, if we want to capture Xuzhou City as soon as possible, we can only support it from within!
"
"How can this happen? Chen Hansan still has three thousand soldiers and horses in the city. It is better to wait for the main force of the Huaidong Army to arrive and attack the city." Yuan Hancheng objected.
"Chen Hansan still has 3,000 defenders in the city. Regardless of whether these 3,000 defenders have been affected by the defeat outside the city and their morale has been damaged. We will assist the siege from the inside. As long as we capture a city, we can hold it.
At a glance, if we open the city gate, we will be greeted by a large army. Let me ask Chen Hansan. There are 3,000 defenders in the city, divided among the four cities. How many troops can stop us from seizing one of the city gates?" Liu Xilin saw the King of Chu.
With worry on his face, he said, "They must either surrender or abandon the city and run away now. How much can they think about fighting us..."