Liu Fangliang joined the army in his youth and later followed Li Zicheng in rebellion. Since they were both from Shaanxi, he enjoyed Li Zicheng’s deep trust. In terms of noble rank, Liu Fangliang was the Marquis of Ci, while Yuan Zongdi was the Marquis of Mian. On the surface, their statuses were equal, but in terms of seniority, Liu Fangliang was the veteran. Therefore, Yuan Zongdi decided to "set up" Liu Fangliang—though it wasn't exactly a trap.
The Shun Army was currently defeated and needed someone to step up and hold the line to buy time. Whether to reorganize for a counterattack or to seize the opportunity to flee, they needed time and space. As long as Liu Fangliang could hold off the enemy for a moment longer, the situation for the Shun Army would improve.
Upon receiving the news, Liu Fangliang did not hesitate. He immediately split his forces into two. One group remained in place to pin down Qiu Yue and Tian Xiong, while the other—his elite troops—pushed forward against the tide of retreating soldiers. In the blink of an eye, Liu Fangliang and his several thousand elite troops were completely surrounded by tens of thousands of Huang Degong’s men.
Chapter 306