So, today (or whenever it was that I translated it) I learned what a sluice is. The more you know.

Li Chong’s revolt

In 683 Emperor Gaozong died and was succeeded by his son, Li Zhe (known as Emperor Zhongzong). However, the real power still belonged to Emperor Gaozong’s widow, Empress Dowager Wu (Wu Zetian in real life, Wu Mingkong in White Cat Legend), who ruled as a regent. In 684, Empress Dowager Wu deposed her son Li Zhe and made Emperor her other son, Li Dan (whom she will also depose in 690, but that’s a whole other story)

As Empress Dowager Wu began to rise in power and dispose of anyone she deemed a threat to her rule, her late husband’s nephew, along with other members of the Li family began to not without reason) worry that she might slaughter them all to secure her rule. One of them was Li Chong, the Prince of Langya.

One of the other princes forged an imperial edict telling Li Chong to come save the Emperor and made a plan, but before it could be properly put into action, Li Chong launched his own rebellion. The other princes, unprepared, did not join him, save for Li Chong’s father.

Li Chong’s rebellion was… not particularly successful. In the manhua Li Bing and Chen Shi arrive at the Wushui city, but in reality (as is depicted in the donghua, too) Li Chong never successfully took Wushui. He tried to set the gates on fire, but due to the shifting wind was unsuccessful and had to retreat to the capital of Bozhou prefecture.

At that point, even Li Chong’s own subordinates started becoming restless and fearful. One of his officers started telling that Li Chong was committing treason, and even though he was beheaded, people started deserting. In the end, only a handful of people returned with Li Chong to Bozhou, where he was killed by the locals, Meng Qingbang and Wu Xizhi.