Li Maozhen
In fall 902, Zhu, with his army troubled by rains and illnesses, considered withdrawing, but was dissuaded by his officers Liu Zhijun and Gao Jichang. Gao further suggested that a decisive victory against Li Maozhen could be had by laying a trap for Li Maozhen. Zhu had his camps go quiet, and then had the soldier Ma Jing () falsely surrender to Fengxiang forces and claim that the Xuanwu forces were so stricken by illness that they had secretly withdrawn. Li Maozhen, believing Ma's false information, exited the city to try to chase after Zhu to attack him — and fell into the trap that Zhu had set with his hidden armies. The Fengxiang forces suffered great losses. It was said that it was after this point that Li Maozhen became fearful and began to consider surrendering the emperor to Zhu.