At a crucial moment one wing of the army gave way, most of its leaders fled and 1,000 troops surrendered. General Zhao, the commander of the other wing, fought on and finally swung the balance the other way; by nightfall the roads north were blocked with thousands of fugitives. Afterwards, in a ruthless collective act of military discipline, Zhao ordered all those on his own side who fled to be beheaded, along with cavalry and infantry commanders who had failed, and seventy-two senior commanders of the imperial guard.
