Tian Ji and Sun Bin, acting as co-commanders of Qi, led an army to lift the siege and save Zhao.

Sun Bin moved south intentionally to make an unsuccessful attack on Pingling, intending to convince Wei commander Pang Juan that the Qi Army was too weak to achieve victory.

Upon hearing the report, Wei general Pang Juan took his crack cavalry and left his infantry and supplies at Handan, making a mad dash in an attempt to rescue Daliang.

Pang Juan's troops were exhausted as they crossed the Yellow River and were ambushed and destroyed at Guiling by Sun's numerically superior army.

This battle gives rise to a well-known proverb and phrase, "Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao" (圍魏救趙), which is also included as one of the Thirty-Six Strategies compiled by Wáng Jìngzé.