Li Baozhen
Meanwhile, in 781, Li Baochen and Li Zhengji died, and their sons Li Weiyue and Li Na requested to succeed their fathers, to be military governors of Chengde (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and Pinglu (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), respectively. Emperor Dezong refused. They thus prepared for war against the imperial government, and Tian and Liang Chongyi (the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei)), allied to them, prepared for war as well. Tian, as Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, the new name for Zelu Circuit), whose military governor Li Baozhen (Li Baoyu's cousin) was loyal to the imperial government and which held two prefectures close to his own capital, decided to attack Zhaoyi Circuit. He put Zhaoyi's city Linming (臨洺, in modern Handan) under siege. Emperor Dezong sent Ma and Li Sheng to aid Li Baozhen. Ma, before his arrival in the region, sent a humble letter to Tian, to make Tian believe that Ma was fearful of him. Ma then rendezvoused with Li Baozhen and attacked Tian's subordinate Yang Chaoguang (), in charge of logistics and had his subordinate Li Ziliang () cut off a potential path for Tian to aid Yang — going as far as telling Li Ziliang, "If Tian Yue got past you, I will cut off your head!" Tian indeed tried to aid Yang, but was blocked by Li Ziliang, and Ma and Li Baozhen defeated and killed Yang. They then advanced to Linming and defeated Tian as well, forcing Tian to flee back to his capital Wei Prefecture ().