History of the Five Dynasties, Volume 41

Among the common people, there were no accumulated stores of grain. The rebels captured people to use as food, establishing what they called Grinding Camps original: Chunmo Zhai. These were infamous and horrific sites where the rebel leader Huang Chao's army processed human remains into rations during the extreme famine caused by the war. They besieged the city for three hundred days.

Then, the siege was lifted, and the rebels departed.

Li Keyong a powerful general of Shatuo Turk descent and the future Prince of Jin arrived at Bianzhou modern-day Kaifeng. Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of the region and future founder of the Later Liang Dynasty insistently invited him into the city and lodged him at the Shangyuan Inn. He hosted a banquet there, behaving with great humility. However, Li Keyong, emboldened by the wine, grew arrogant and overbearing. His words were quite insulting to Zhu Quanzhong, who was deeply offended.

As dusk fell, the drinking ended. Li Keyong’s attendants were all heavily intoxicated. Yang Yanhong, a general of the Xuanwu Army the regional military command based in Bianzhou, secretly plotted with Zhu Quanzhong. They linked carts together to block the roads and dispatched troops to surround the inn and attack it.

Li Keyong was so drunk he heard nothing of the assault. More than ten of his personal guards, including Xue Zhiqin and Shi Jingsi, engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the attackers. An attendant named Guo Jingzhu helped Li Keyong hide under a bed; he splashed water on Li Keyong’s face to wake him and told him of the crisis.

Li Keyong finally opened his eyes, seized his bow, and rose. In a moment, smoke and fire surrounded them on all sides. A great storm broke out with thunder and lightning, and the heavens and earth turned dark as night. Xue Zhiqin supported Li Keyong...