《宋史·列传·卷一百六十二》
枣阳城很坚固，金人在城下停留八十多天，赵方知道他们的士气已竭，就召回许国、扈再兴，并让东路军隶属扈再兴，限期合兵作战。
枣阳城坚，金顿兵八十余日，方知其气已竭，乃召国、再兴还，并东师隶于再兴，克期合战。
Zao Yang City was very strong, the Jins stayed beneath the city for more than eighty days, When Zhao Fang understood that their morale was exhausted, he recalled Xu Guo and Hu Zai Xing, and ordered the Eastern Route Army to be subordinate to Hu Zai Xing, and stipulated a time limit for their combined operations.