Liu Chengyou
On December 31, Guo's army and the imperial army met at Liuzi Slope (). Liu Chengyou wanted to encourage the troops personally. Empress Dowager Li told him "Guo Wei is our family's old servant. Why would he be doing this if it were not a matter of life or death? You should keep the troops in the city and send a messenger with your edict, to observe his intentions. He would surely respond, and you can still maintain the formality of emperor and subject. Do not go out yourself." The young emperor refused her advice. The empress dowager asked Nie to take responsibility for the emperor's safety, but Nie dismissed this, responding "Your subject is here. Even if there were 100 Guo Weis, they can all be captured." No battle occurred that day, and Liu Chengyou returned to the palace. Murong bragged to him "These days, Your Imperial Majesty has little to do in the palace. Tomorrow, come watch your subject destroy the bandits. I need not battle with them, I will just rebuke them, and they will surely collapse and return to their barracks!" (i.e., abandon Guo and return to Kaifeng).