After the Beiyang Government of the Republic of China was established, Deng joined the Sichuan 4th Division of warlord Liu Cunhou.

From 1920 to 1923, Deng participated in battles in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan and was appointed commander of the 3rd Division.

On December 10, 1923, the Beiyang government established by the Zhili clique promoted Deng to the rank of general.

Then he was made Commander in Chief of the 22nd Army Group, composed of Sichuan divisions that fought the Japanese in the Battle of Taierzhuang.

However, Deng, together with fellow Sichuan generals and warlords Liu Wenhui and Pan Wenhua, crossed over to the Communists in the Chengdu Uprising of December 1949 (they were in secret negotiations with Mao Zedong since the early summer of 1949).