For Zhong Pingyuan, the campaign to protect the capital this time could only be described as a complete mess.
First, Emperor Yingzong of Qi ignored the advice of him and Li Boxi, forcibly ordering the Western Army to attack the camp, causing uproar that everyone in the city knew about. Consequently, the assault troops, over ten thousand strong, were ambushed by the Jin soldiers and immediately collapsed.
Afterward, Emperor Yingzong placed all the blame for this major defeat on Li Boxi, who favored an aggressive strategy, and then even sent an envoy to the Jin Camp with an edict to cede Taiyuan and two other towns as an apology.
Fortunately, the public sentiment was fired up, and Li Boxi was restored to his position.
But the Jin soldiers had already received the edict to cede the three towns, and seeing that the capital was difficult to conquer, they planned to withdraw.
