Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Yang Qing's surrender to the Northern Sui was initially shrouded in mystery, later revealed to be a result of deception by Cheng Yaojin, who trapped him into submission. Publicly, Yang Qing claimed he acted against Wang Shichong's treachery. His surrender led to significant losses for Wang Shichong, including the defection of a 20,000-strong army and the Northern Sui's occupation of Xingyang County. The news of Yang Qing's betrayal shocked Wang Shichong, prompting his advisor Su Liang to strategize a response. Su Liang suggested negotiating with Zhang Xuan, who occupied Xingyang not by force but through Yang Qing's surrender, to regain control of the county. Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan was preparing for a joint military campaign against the Wagang army and was also involved in political maneuvers regarding the distribution of resources. As negotiations loomed, Zhang Xuan aimed to leverage Xingyang County as a bargaining chip while maintaining a cautious approach to avoid direct conflict with Wang Shichong.

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