Dong Zhang
Emperor Mingzong reacted by commissioning his son-in-law Shi Jingtang the military governor of Tianxiong as the commander of an army against Dongchuan and Xichuan (with Xia as his deputy), stripping Dong Zhang and Meng of all of their titles, and slaughtering Dong Guangye and his family. Long before Shi's army could arrive in the region, however, the joint Dongchuan/Xichuan forces, under Dong Zhang's command, quickly captured Lang Prefecture and killed Li Renju, while a Xichuan army commanded by Li Renhan, with Zhao Tingyin as Li Renhan's deputy, put Xia under siege at Wuxin's capital Sui Prefecture (). However, Dong, believing that Jianmen Pass was securely defended by his own Dongchuan army, turned down Meng's offer of reinforcements; rather, he headed for Zhaowu's capital Li Prefecture () and tried to capture it; when inclement weather subsequently stopped his advance, he withdrew back to Lang Prefecture without reinforcing the Jianmen defense.