 It was said at this time that Dou was open to other opinions, and he shared both the spoils and the labors with his soldiers, and therefore his soldiers were willing to fight and die for him.In 616, Guo Xuan () the governor of Zhuo Commandery (涿郡, roughly modern Beijing) led a Sui army against Gao.Gao realized that he was not as capable as Dou, so he promoted Dou to the leader of his army.