History of Officialdom and Strategies: Tang Dynasty, Part III

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[Zhou] Xihao said, “The night is over.”

Tian Riyue replied, “I failed to capture [Li] Guangbi and yet was caught by [Zhou] Xihao; my death is certain.”

Riyue then requested to surrender. Xihao brought him to see Guangbi, who treated him with great generosity and appointed him as a trusted confidant heart and belly; a classical idiom for an indispensable and loyal aide.

When Gao Tinghui heard of this, he also surrendered. Someone asked [Li] Guangbi, “How was it so easy to make these two generals surrender?”

Guangbi said, “Shi Siming has always resented that he could not engage us in open field combat. Hearing I was outside the walls, he believed he could surely capture me. Since Tian Riyue failed to seize me, he did not dare return to the rebel camp. Gao Tinghui’s talent and courage surpass those of Riyue; when he heard that Riyue was being treated with favor and trust, he surely desired to surpass him.” original: "思明常恨不得野戰...必思奪之矣" — This section is marked with emphasis in the original text, highlighting Guangbi's mastery of psychological warfare.

[Shi] Siming attacked Heyang once more. [Li] Guangbi said to [Li] Baoyu, “General, can you hold the Southern City for me for two days?”

Baoyu replied, “And if that time passes and no help arrives, what then?”

Guangbi said, “If the time passes and reinforcements do not arrive, you may abandon the city at your own discretion.”

[Li] Baoyu agreed and led his troops to mount a defense. When the city was on the verge of falling to the rebels, Baoyu resorted to a ruse original: "紿之" (deceived them), saying to the enemy, “My grain supplies are exhausted. Tomorrow morning...”