Zhang Xianzhong's surprise attack on Xiangyang

In May 1639 A.D., Zhang Xianzhong revolted once again in Gucheng, Hubei Province. It turned out that Zhang Xianzhong had accepted Ming Dynasty's invitation to surrender in Gucheng, but did not sincerely surrender, but secretly built up his troops to prepare for another uprising. The Ming generals discovered Zhang Xianzhong's intention and prepared to send troops to suppress it. Zhang Xianzhong made a pre-emptive strike, killed the Ming magistrate in Gucheng, burned down the government offices, and relaunched the uprising banner. Soon after, Luo Rucai also rose to respond.

Emperor Chongzhen was so angry that the commander-in-chief Xiong Wencan and the commander-in-chief Zuo Liangyu were both dismissed from their posts and Yang Xichang, the Minister of War, was sent to Huguang to besiege Zhang Xianzhong.

Yang Xichang brought Emperor Chongzhen's sword and led 100,000 men to Xiangyang. He sent Zuo Liangyu and other generals to surround the rebel army. When Zhang Xianzhong moved to Mount Manao, due to the spies mixed in the ranks of the rebel army, the rebel army fell into the enemy encirclement and was defeated by Zuo Liangyu's army, losing a lot of gold, silver, and war horses. Zhang Xianzhong's wife and son were also taken, prisoner.

Zhang Xianzhong took a thousand horsemen and moved from Hubei to Sichuan. Yang Xichang followed and pursued them, moved his regiment to Chongqing, and prepared to destroy the rebel army in Sichuan.

Yang Xichang put up posters everywhere in Sichuan, saying that anyone who could capture Zhang Xianzhong would be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and a marquis. The next day, many banners were found in Yang Xichang's courtyard, which read, "Anyone who can behead Yang Xichang will be rewarded three taels of silver."

Yang Xichang sent a large number of official troops to chase the rebel army, but Zhang Xianzhong's rebel army was unpredictable, and the official army was not able to catch up with the rebel army until the first month of the second year in Kai County. When the Ming generals Mang Rahu and Liu Shijie arrived with their fatigued soldiers, Zhang Xianzhong's rebel army came around behind them and rushed down from the mountain with shouts. Liu Shijie was killed and Mang Ruhu escaped easily. The uprising troops killed the enemy and clapped their hands in the camp and sang: "In front of us there is Shao governor (referring to Shao Jiechun, the governor of Sichuan), who often comes to the dance; behind us, there is Liao jun (referring to Liao Daheng, the supervisor of the army), who follows me without fighting.

The good Yang Ge Bu (referring to Yang Xichang), three feet away from me."This song reached the Ming army and made Yang Xichang laugh and cry. In 1641 A.D., Zhang Xianzhong found that Yang Xichang had put all his troops in Sichuan and Xiangyang was empty, so he got rid of the Ming army and suddenly left Sichuan with his troops and moved eastward. When he reached Danyang in Hubei, he encountered another Ming army blocking his way. Zhang Xianzhong left Luo Rucai in Danyang and personally led his elite troops straight to Xiangyang.

Yang Xichang got the news in Chongqing and sent an emissary to Xiangyang, ordering the Ming army to guard the city closely. However, the emissary was found halfway to Xiangyang by the rebel army and arrested. The insurgent army searched the messenger's body and found the token and documents, which were stamped with the big seal of Yang Xichang's administration. Zhang Xianzhong called his righteous son, Li Dingguo, and asked him to dress up as Yang Xichang's emissary, bring some "attendants" and the token and documents, and blend into Xiangyang City.

Li Dingguo took the documents and tokens and arrived at the edge of Xiangyang City at a time when the night was hazy. When he shouted to the guards outside the city gate, the Ming soldiers heard that he was an emissary sent by Yang Ge, examined the token and documents, and did not suspect anything, so they let Li Dingguo and his entourage into the city.

That night, the rebel soldiers who had infiltrated Xiangyang set fire to several places in the city, and the people woke up from their sleep to find fires everywhere and chaos in the city. Amid the chaos, the rebel army opened the city gates and a large group of men arrived, so it was too late for the government troops to resist.

After entering the city, the insurgents sent people to open the prison and rescue the captured soldiers and their families; on the other hand, they went straight to the Xiangwang Mansion and captured Zhu Yiming, the King of Xiang, alive.

Zhang Xianzhong sat in the lobby of the Xiangwang Mansion and sent soldiers to escort Zhu Yiming to the lobby. Zhu Yiming was so frightened that he shivered and knelt on the ground begging for mercy.

Zhang Xianzhong said, "I don't want anything else, I just want to lend your head for use."

When Zhu Yiming heard that he was going to be killed, he was so scared that he kowtowed like garlic and said, "I have gold and silver treasures in the palace, so I am at the disposal of the emperor.

Zhang Xianzhong laughed loudly and said, "I have entered Xiangyang, what can you do to stop me from moving your gold and silver treasures? However, if you don't lend me your head, Yang Xichang will not die yet!"

He said, yelling, pulling Zhu Yiming down the hall to kill.