A few days later, Cheng Yaojin led Beiping's two hundred thousand troops, along with Senior Guardian Luo Song, Junior Guardian Luo Cheng, and Qin Qiong, toward Zhuo Commandery to join his own army.
Half a month later, Cheng Yaojin reached Zhuo Commandery. By then, Yuwen Chengdu and Pei Yuanqing had also arrived with six hundred thousand troops. The three armies numbered 1.3 million in all, with generals including Li Yuanba, Yuwen Chengdu, Luo Song, Pei Yuanqing, Luo Shixin, Wei Wentong, Xin Wenli, Shang Situ, and Zuo Tiancheng.
The eighteen rebel kings had long since learned that Cheng Yaojin was marching against them. They elected Li Zitong, the Phoenix Cry King, as their alliance leader and led their entire force of 1.8 million east out of Luoyang, ready to fight Cheng Yaojin's army to the death.
The generals serving the eighteen rebel kings included Su Dingfang, Xiong Kuohai, Wu Tiansi, Wu Yunzhao, Dongfang Bo, Hun Jinbao, Hun Yinbao, Zu Hongmo, Geshuchang, Shi Dongjue, Tie Lei Qingtian, Wang Bodang, Zhai Rang, Liang Shitai, and Wang Junke.
The eighteen rebel kings appointed Su Dingfang, a general under Liu Heita, the King of Later Han, as commander-in-chief. With the three sworn brothers Xiong Kuohai, Wu Tiansi, and Wu Yunzhao serving as vanguard generals, they marched straight for Zhuo Commandery.
Meanwhile, Cheng Yaojin received the news and told the others, "I haven't gone looking for them, yet they've come looking for me. They truly don't know their own limits. A mere 1.8 million troops, and they dare take me on!"
"1.8 million against 1.3 million-the advantage is mine," Pei Yuanqing said. "Let's see how many men in their alliance can stand against me."
Over the past few days, Pei Yuanqing had received pointers from Li Yuanba, greatly improving his hammer techniques. He had been fretting