Tian Rong agreed, and Chen Yu attacked and defeated Zhang Er, restoring Changshan to the rule of Zhao Xie.
[8] In the aftermath of Liu Bang's defeat at Pengcheng, Han Xin formulated his strategy to conquer the kingdoms of northern China.
Moreover, Xiang Yu would be unable to attack the Han administration in Guanzhong without endangering his line of retreat by marching past Xingyang and Chenggao.
Han Xin then ordered his best general Cao Shen to besiege Wuxian while he and Zhang Er marched against Zhao itself.
However, Chen Yu, who was a Confucian and prided himself as commanding with righteousness, responded that he had no desire to win through ignoble means, and that he also had no need for such a strategy, since his army was so superior to that of Han Xin.
As for its general Chen Yu, he was resourceful and had defeated Qin forces as well as his rivals Li Liang and Zhang Er.
Han Xin had sent spies into the enemy camp to ascertain the plans of the Zhao leadership, and learning that he would not be cut off, in October he advanced into the mountains.
Before dawn, Han Xin had his troops eat a simple breakfast before the battle, stating that they would feast upon destroying the Zhao army.
At this, Chen Yu ordered his army to attack, and Han Xin's main force, which presumably included many of his remaining veterans, fought for some time before conducting a feigned retreat towards the position of the advance guard on the river, abandoning some of their flags and drums.
The advance guard then 'opened' to receive their comrades, either opening their ranks or their barricades (if they had built an ad hoc fortified position).
As the remnants of the Zhao army fled, Chen Yu was eventually caught on the Zhi River (泜水) and was killed in action.
At the feast after the battle, Han Xin's officers, still somewhat incredulous at their own good fortune, inquired into the rationale for the astounding deployments.
Han Xin explained that as he was commanding a smaller army consisting of many inexperienced troops, and that he himself was not a general of high renown, he had to resort to such drastic measures to force everyone to fight hard.
The victory at Jingxing in October 205 likely helped to persuade Ying Bu, the king of Jiujiang and an ally of Xiang Yu, to defect to Liu Bang in November.