Li Maozhen
By winter 902, Fengxiang had nearly completely exhausted its food supplies, such that the people resorted to cannibalism. Li Maozhen's further attempts to fight out of the siege were repelled. Further, when Li Maoxun made another attempt to aid Fengxiang, Zhu counterattacked and captured Baoda, forcing Li Maoxun to surrender. With his northern territories lost to Zhu and southern territories lost to Wang Jian, Li Maozhen saw no other alternative but to negotiate with Zhu, and he began secret negotiations. In spring 903, Li Maozhen secretly met with Emperor Zhaozong alone (i.e., without eunuchs in attendance) and proposed to slaughter Han and the other leading eunuchs to seek peace with Zhu. Li Maozhen subsequently carried out the slaughter and delivered the heads to Zhu. After negotiating marriages between his son Li Jikan () and Emperor Zhaozong's daughter Princess Pingyuan and between Emperor Zhaozong's son Li Mi () the Prince of Jing and the daughter of the chancellor Su Jian (an ally of Li Maozhen's), Li Maozhen opened the city gates and surrendered the emperor to Zhu, who escorted the emperor back to Chang'an. (Thereafter, Zhu and Cui Yin carried out a general slaughter of "all" eunuchs.) Thereafter, Emperor Zhaozong had Zhu send a letter to Li Maozhen demanding the return of Princess Pingyuan; Li Maozhen did not dare another confrontation, and returned her to Emperor Zhaozong. Li Maozhen also offered to be relieved of the title of "Shangshu Ling", and was again made "Zhongshu Ling".