1875
A single stone caused a thousand ripples. Jiao Guangcheng was highly esteemed by the soldiers in Xihua City. When the news spread that his daughter had been disfigured by Shi Dazhuang, the entire military camp erupted. Even the private soldiers under his command sided with Jiao Guangcheng, unanimously supporting him in opposing Shi Xiang.
Jiao Guangcheng gave an emotional speech to the soldiers, expressing his conflicting feelings towards Shi Xiang as a superior, his guilt towards the common people, and most poignantly, his pain as a father unable to avenge his daughter. This moved a small number of soldiers who had initially harbored doubts.
After Yuan Xiao saw that Jiao Guangcheng had won over the Xihua Army's support, he went to meet the Magistrate of Xihua City, discussing strategies to deal with Shi Xiang, before quietly leaving Xihua City.
Shi Xiang, determining that Li City had slipped out of his control, hurriedly arrived at the nearby Xihua City with his guards.
