The Empress Dowager had long followed the deceased Emperor, and she has experienced many things. Your Imperial Majesty is your prime years. If there are important matters, it is best to ask her advice and follow it. You should be close to the faithful and honest, and be far away from the slanderous and the wicked. Be careful in examining between good and evil. Su Fengji, Yang Bin, and Shi Hongzhao are all the deceased Emperor's old subjects. They are faithful and caring for the state. May it be that Your Imperial Majesty trust them and use them, and there will be no trouble. As far as what happens on the battlefield, I, your subject, wishes to expend all of my foolish and foolhardy efforts, hopefully being worthy of your service.
On December 30, Guo's army reached Fengqiu (封丘, in modern Xinxiang, Henan), near Kaifeng. The people of Kaifeng were frightened, including Empress Dowager Li, who made the comment, "We did not Listen to Li Tao. Now destruction comes!" Murong, however, bragged that he could easily capture Guo — until Nie Wenjin informed him of the names of the generals in Guo's army, at which time Murong began to be apprehensive as well. Liu thereafter sent the imperial guard general Yuan Yi (袁㠖) and the former military governor of Weisheng Circuit (威勝, headquartered in modern Nanyang, Henan), Liu Chongjin (劉重進), to rendezvous with Hou, Wu, and Zhang, to prepare to engage Guo.
