Liu Yongfu
Tang was the only senior Chinese commander to take part in the Sơn Tây Campaign (December 1883). Although Liu Yongfu and his Vietnamese and Chinese allies failed to hold Sơn Tây against the French, Tang's loyalty to Liu on that occasion was never forgotten by the Black Flag leader. In September 1884 Tang led the Yunnan Army down the Red River from Lào Cai to threaten the French post of Tuyên Quang, and Liu Yongfu took service with him as a subordinate general.