"Both the defenders and Li then tried using the Yellow River against each other," John W. Dardess of the University of Kansas wrote, "the defenders attempted to breach the dikes and wash away Li's army, while Li did the same to flood the city and destroy it.
According to John W. Dardess of the University of Kansas, both sides employed the Yellow River as a weapon against each other. The defenders sought to break through the dikes and submerge Li's forces, while Li aimed to flood the city and annihilate it.