Li Xilie
In summer 781, Emperor Dezong created Li Xilie the Prince of Nanping and put him in command of overall operations against Liang — against warnings by the chancellor Yang Yan that, based on how Li Xilie had turned against Li Zhongchen, he could not be trusted. Instead, Emperor Dezong publicly praised Li Xilie for his loyalty — although this drew a private remark from his official Li Cheng () that he believed that Li Xilie would turn arrogant and defiant if he were to defeat Liang. Subsequently, when Li Xilie's advances were slowed by torrential rains, Yang Yan's fellow chancellor and political enemy Lu Qi secretly suggested to Emperor Dezong that Li Xilie had slowed down due to his displeasure with Yang; as a result, Emperor Dezong removed Yang from his chancellor post. Meanwhile, Liang launched a preemptive attack against Jiangling, hoping to capture it and gain access to the south. However, he was defeated at Siwang (四望, in modern Xiangfan) and retreated back to Shannan East's capital Xiang Prefecture. He gathered his troops and concentrated them in Xiang and Deng Prefectures, while Li Xilie gathered the forces and headed northwest on the Han River toward Xiang Prefecture. Liang attacked some of Li Xilie's troops stationed at Linhan (臨漢, near Xiang Prefecture), slaughtering them, but subsequently, when Li Xilie's main troops arrived, Liang's generals Zhai Hui () and Du Shaocheng () was defeated by Li Xilie at Man River (蠻水, flowing through modern Xiangfan) and then Shukou (疎口, also in modern Xiangfan). Zhai and Du surrendered to Li Xilie, and Li Xilie ordered them to take their troops to enter Xiangyang (the capital of Xiang Prefecture) first. Liang ordered resistance, but his troops opened the gates and fled outside. Liang, seeing no escape, committed suicide with his wife and children by jumping into a well. Li Xilie took his body out from the well, cut off the head, and sent it to Chang'an. Li Xilie also slaughtered Liang's relatives and friends, as well as 3,000 soldiers who had participated in the Battle of Linhan. Emperor Dezong granted Li Xilie the honorary chancellor designation of "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi" ().