The Prefect of Haozhou, Lü Qiuxiao, cried out in terror, "Spare my life! Spare my life!"It was Lü Qiuxiao whose delay in military orders had led to Zhang Xun's martyrdom.
Wu Tong thundered, "To delay military command—there can be no greater crime! You cannot escape death!"
Lü Qiuxiao wailed, "My parents are advanced in age. I beg you, my lord, show mercy!"
Zhang Gao had long harbored a seething resentment, and at this moment his pent-up fury burst forth without restraint, all of it vented upon Lü Qiuxiao. His eyes blazing, he shouted angrily,"When you murdered Wang Changling without cause, did Wang Changling have no parents of his own?"
At these words, Lü Qiuxiao's face flushed crimson, his body trembling uncontrollably. Wang Changling held an exalted position in the poetry circles of the Tang dynasty, revered as the "Sage of Seven-Character Quatrains" and the "Emperor among Poets." Yet his official career steadily declined. During the An Lushan Rebellion, while traveling to assume office, Wang Changling passed through Bozhou and was murdered by the prefect Lü Qiuxiao out of "jealousy"—whether born of envy or personal hatred is unknown. What is certain is that Lü Qiuxiao ordered Wang Changling's execution purely for selfish reasons. Thus, the great poet met an unjust death at the hands of a cruel and despicable petty official.The Biography of Tang Poets records: "During the chaos of blades and flames, Wang Changling sought to return to his homeland, but was slain by the prefect Lü Qiuxiao, who bore resentment against him."
Zhang Gao declared, "I will spare your life for now. After we reclaim Suiyang, you shall be executed to appease the fallen martyrs who died for the nation."
Shame filled Lü Qiuxiao's face; under such stern condemnation, he found no words with which to reply.
At this moment, Wu Tong noticed large numbers of able-bodied youths emerging from Huaikou City, all volunteering to join the righteous army. The four great elders of the Beggars' Sect immediately organized them on the spot. The Beggars' Sect leader, Fei Jin, was deeply gratified and said,"Upon hearing of General Zhang's martyrdom, both heaven and humanity are enraged. People across the land are volunteering of their own accord, swearing to avenge General Zhang!"
Seeing that public sentiment could be rallied, Zhang Gao raised his voice and proclaimed,"Generals, hear my command! We must retake Suiyang and console the spirit of General Zhang Xun in heaven!"
The assembled commanders roared their assent, and the regular army and the righteous forces immediately set out.
By the following afternoon, the combined forces had reached Suiyang. Outside the city, Tang reinforcements from various regions had already arrived in succession. Mozi once said, "Nothing is more precious than righteousness." To Mozi, great righteousness and justice were dearer than life itself. When the news of the martyrdom of Zhang Xun, Nan Jiyun, Yao Yan, and Lei Wanchun spread, righteous armies from all quarters converged to aid the Tang forces in punishing the rebels.
The Jiangnan righteous army arrived under the leadership of the Dragon-Tiger Recluse, accompanied by Qingyangzi, Yun Yizi, Xiaozhenzi, Wuwei Daoist, and many other men of virtue and honor. Liu Yun and Ling Xian'er exclaimed in astonishment,"I never imagined righteous armies from all regions would come as well!"
Elder Fei of the Beggars' Sect said solemnly,"General Zhang sacrificed his life for the nation. His great righteousness commands reverence; his patriotism moves heaven and earth and earns the admiration of all. The rebels thought killing him would break our will, yet instead they have ignited the righteous fury of the entire realm. Today, heroes everywhere are willing to risk their lives to avenge General Zhang!"
Zhang Gao then integrated all supporting Tang forces and, after a full count, found their numbers had reached one hundred thousand. The reorganized righteous armies totaled another ten thousand. Their momentum was formidable. Morale was soaring; every man burned with righteous fervor.
After long contemplation, Zhang Gao thought: why not strike the rebels when they least expect it? He therefore decided to convene a pre-battle council, summoning the leaders of the righteous forces and key Tang commanders. Before long, all had gathered inside the command tent. When everyone was seated and present, Zhang Gao rose and said,
"Leaders of the righteous armies, honored generals—today you have all come prepared to sacrifice your lives to avenge General Zhang Xun. I am deeply moved. Suiyang now lies in enemy hands. What strategies do you propose?"
The Art of War states: "Those skilled in defense hide themselves deep beneath the earth; those skilled in offense strike from the heights of heaven." Sunzi further teaches that there are nine kinds of terrain—dispersive, light, contentious, intersecting, focal, heavy, difficult, encircled, and deadly ground. In the chapter on the Nine Terrains, "contentious ground" refers to strategic positions contested by both armies and must never be seized through reckless assault alone.
The Dragon-Tiger Recluse spoke up:"My lord, the walls of Suiyang are towering and easily defended but difficult to attack. A head-on assault would be unwise and would result in catastrophic casualties."
Zhang Gao nodded.
Wu Tong then rose and said,"The Yan rebels are now despised by all under heaven. The balance between offense and defense has shifted. Our morale is surging—this is the moment to strike. We must not encircle the city without attacking. The brothers of the Beggars' Sect fought shoulder to shoulder with General Zhang many times. May I ask whether Elder Fei has a plan for taking the city?"
Elder Fei replied,"When Suiyang was under siege, the righteous forces often used underground tunnels to enter and exit the city. If we can use these secret tunnels to open the gates, striking from within and without, that would be the best strategy."
Zhang Gao said,"Siege warfare has always brought immense casualties. To reclaim Suiyang now, we must rely on strategy rather than brute force. Elder Fei's plan is marvelous—almost unfathomable. But does the enemy know of these tunnels?"
Elder Fei answered confidently,"My lord, rest assured. Only the righteous forces know of these tunnels. The rebels have no knowledge of them."
Wu Tong declared,"I will go as well. Elder Fei, we shall lead the righteous forces into the city under cover of night. At the appointed time, we open the gates and strike from both sides!"
Zhang Gao slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed,"Excellent! The enemy believes we have traveled far and must rest and recuperate. If we strike suddenly, we will catch them utterly unprepared!"
Accordingly, the Tang army and the righteous forces cooked their meals early and ate before nightfall. After dark, the Tang troops rested to conserve their strength. Several hundred righteous fighters, well fed and emboldened, took advantage of the darkness and slipped through the underground tunnels into Suiyang.
The rebel forces guarded the eastern, western, southern, and northern gates, placing their main strength at the northern gate facing the Tang army. The righteous forces split into five groups: Wu Tong and Elder Fei were assigned to the southern gate; the Dragon-Tiger Recluse led Qingyangzi, Yun Yizi, and Xiaozhenzi to the western gate. The Tang army feigned an attack on the northern gate, while in truth preparing to strike through the southern and western gates.
The remaining three groups of righteous fighters lay concealed within the city, ready to set fires at the appointed time, sowing chaos and creating favorable conditions for the Tang army's assault on Suiyang.