no avail. Then, Ma Teng's close friend and comrade, Han Sui, was sent to dissuade Ma Teng with an armed force. Once Han Sui arrived at Mei County, however, he joined forces with Ma Teng, and secretly contacted Liu Yan's spies implanted in the court. Liu Yan's cohorts were discovered before they could make a move, but they succeeded in escaping the city and entering Ma Teng's camp. Li Jue sent his nephew Li Li, Guo Si and Fan Chou to counter the allied force. They dealt a major defeat to the allied force about 13 miles west to Chang'an, inflicting casualties of over 10,000. Knowing the allied force was low on grain, Li Li asked Fan Chou to pursue and wipe the enemy out, but Fan Chou refused because of his friendship with Han Sui. Li Li reported this incident to Li Jue upon the army's return. On 2 March 195, Li Jue threw his officers a banquet, and had Fan Chou openly executed during the revelry. Quarrel with Guo Si After the murder of Fan Chou, the Liang Province generals became quite suspicious of Li Jue, but the regime under Li Jue remained unchallenged for some time, wherein Emperor Xian was anxiously waiting for someone capable to get rid of his regents. Eventually, Guo Si's jealous wife became suspicious that her husband was having an affair with one of Li Jue's concubines so she decided to prevent her husband from attending Li Jue's banquets. She poisoned the gifts of food that Li Jue had given to them and convinced her husband that he should not be so trusting of Li Jue. Later, Guo Si became very drunk at another one of Li Jue's banquets and suddenly convinced himself that he was poisoned. He ingested liquid feces to force himself to vomit, which greatly offended Li Jue and drove the two leaders to battle. Battles inside the imperial city of Chang'an were fought every day. Finally, on 22 April 195, Li Jue kidnapped the emperor while Guo Si kidnapped court officials. The situation deteriorated with each passing day, and had descended into full-blown civil war. There were several tens of battles fought per day in the alleys or market at its peak, on one occasion the emperor's own tent being caught in the crossfire. The frequent battles had rendered Chang'an untenable for its inhabitants. But at the same time,