Wei Dingguo - Becoming An Outlaw

Becoming An Outlaw

After Guan Sheng defects to the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh, Imperial Tutor Cai Jing recommends Wei Dingguo and Shan Tinggui to the emperor to lead the imperial army to quell the outlaws. When the outlaws receive news of the attack, Guan Sheng volunteers to lead an army with his deputies Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen to engage the enemy. At Lingzhou, Hao Siwen and Xuan Zan are lured into the enemy formation by Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo respectively and captured. Hao Siwen and Xuan Zan are escorted as prisoners-of-war back to Daming Prefecture (in present-day Handan). Along the way, the bandits from Mount Deadwood led by Bao Xu and Li Kui attack the convoy and free the captives.

Shan Tinggui is defeated and captured by Guan Sheng in a man-on-man fight later. He is persuaded by Song Jiang to join the Liangshan cause of "delivering justice on Heaven's behalf". Wei Dingguo is furious when he learns of Shan Tinggui's defection and he challenges Guan Sheng to a duel outside Lingzhou. Wei Dingguo feigns defeat and attempts to lure Guan Sheng to pursue him so he can use his fire weapons to surprise attack Guan later. Shan Tinggui warns Guan Sheng and Guan retreats as well. The outlaws then seize the opportunity to occupy Lingzhou. With nowhere else to turn to, Wei Dingguo leads his remaining soldiers to Zhongling County. Shan Tinggui visits Wei Dingguo alone and succeeds in persuading him to join Liangshan as well.