Dugu Jing was nearly driven to madness by Xie Xun's persistence. He refused to surrender, and Xie Xun knew that haste would get him nowhere. He planned to talk Dugu Jing into submission slowly and chose not to bring up Fengyu's condition with the Gu worm for now. From start to finish, he did not mention Fengyu or the Gu worm.
Fengyu understood Xie Xun's plan as well—the matter of her Gu infection was extremely secretive, known to very few. Xie Xun needed Dugu Jing's cooperation, which meant first persuading him to surrender. This could not be rushed, and Xie Xun planned to proceed step by step. However, plans often cannot keep pace with changes. Just as Xie Xun intended to take his time convincing Dugu Jing, General Chen raised the banner of rebellion in Zhongzhou, proclaiming himself king under the guise of clearing the emperor's court. General Chen Chuan, Junior General Chen Gui, Governor Chen Min, and other clans in Zhongzhou all joined the uprising.
