Pidi became the most powerful Jin vassal in the north, but his decision to kill his ally, Liu Kun and a civil war with his cousin, Duan Mopei severely weakened him.
He was eventually captured by the Later Zhao in 321, and despite receiving favourable treatment from its ruler, Shi Le, he would later be executed in fear of that he would rebel.
The Duan tribe and Wang Jun continued their association after the war, combining their efforts to stop the new and growing state of Han-Zhao.
[2] Duan Pidi participated during Jilujuan's attack on Xiangguo in 312, as part of Wang Jun's plan to divert the Han general, Shi Le, away from the rebelling city of Yuanxiang (苑鄕, in present-day Hebei and Beijing).
After Wang's defeat, Shi Le appointed a man named Liu Han (劉翰) to be acting Inspector of Youzhou based in Jicheng.
Pidi accepted on his own accord before occupying the city and submitting himself to Sima Rui, the paramount leader of Jin in the south.
Pidi also urged Shi Le's Administrator of Leling, Shao Xu, to submit to the Jin prince as well.
Forming a brotherly bond, Pidi and Liu Kun arranged their relatives to marry one another to further cement their friendship.
Afterwards, they sent their respective envoys to deliver a joint petition urging Sima Rui to claim the imperial title.
Two of Liu Kun's generals, Pilü Song (辟閭嵩) and Han Ju (韓據), also planned to retaliate, but Pidi had the conspirators executed after their plot leaked.
On 22 June, through the consent of Sima Rui's commander, Wang Dun, Pidi claimed that he had received an imperial edict to arrest Liu Kun and subsequently executed him along with his four sons and nephews via strangulation.
Shi Le's general Kong Chang had taken all of Youzhou's commanderies while most of Pidi's soldiers abandoned him due to depleting rations.
Desperate, Pidi abandoned his wife and children and made another attempt to flee to Shao Xu, this time successfully doing so.
Shi Hu attacked Yanci (厭次, around present-day Dezhou, Shandong) and captured Shao Xu.
News of Shao Xu's defeat reached Pidi, causing him to rush back to save the city.
Duan Wenyang helped the army fight their way back into the city, where Pidi commanded the defence together with Shao Xu's family.
Pidi often dressed himself in clothing used in the Jin court and held the imperial staff of authority that Sima Rui gave him.