In May 1044, the Tangut People of Liao Dynasty rebelled and the Liao Dynasty sent troop to suppress the rebel forces, Yuan Hao sent troops to rescue the rebel and killed officer responsible for quelling uprisings. Under rage, the Emperor Xingzong of Liao Dynasty called up forces domestically and prepared to lead the battle with Xixia by himself. Under such situation, Xixia Empire was more eager to negotiate with Song Dynasty. At last, at the request of Yuan Hao, the Song and Xixia reached agreement. In October of the same year, the Xixia and Liao began serious battles.
In May 1044, the Tangut People of Liao Dynasty rebelled and the Liao Dynasty sent troop to suppress the rebel forces, Yuan Hao sent troops to rescue the rebel and killed officer responsible for quelling uprisings. Under rage, the Emperor Xingzong of Liao Dynasty called up forces domestically and prepared to lead the battle with Xixia by himself. Under such situation, Xixia Empire was more eager to negotiate with Song Dynasty . At last, at the request of Yuan Hao, the Song and Xixia reached agreement. In October of the same year, the Xixia and Liao began serious battles.
In sober rage, Xingzong Emperor of Liao sent out three armies, in total 100,000 picked troops to cross over the Yellow River and press forward to the border of Xixia. The troop marched over four hundred miles without any obstacles. Finally, the troop of Liao Dynasty found the troop of Yuan Hao in the north foot of Helan Mountain, and defeated the troop of Xixia. Yuan Hao had always won during the battles with the Song troop, so he was under great pressure when meeting the Liao troop, who had almost the same strength with them, especially when he saw the reinforcement of Liao troop, he was feared. Therefore, he decided to respite the battle and send envoys to beg to surrender to Xingzong Emperor of Liao Dynasty. Xingzong Emperor wanted to end the war on good note, while the Feudal Lord King Han, Xiao Hui, and other inferiors didn’t agree and asked Xingzong Emperor to put down Yuan Hao at one filling to prevent further scourge. Xingzong Emperor agreed with his suggestions after reconsideration. Therefore, with Feudal Lord King Han, Xiao Hui, of Liao Dynasty as the pioneer, the troop of Liao attached the troop of Xixia again. Yuan Hao saw that the situation is unfavorable, so the build walls and cleared the fields and burnt out all the grains and domiciles along the road, and retreated for over 100 miles.
Yuan Hao’s strategy worked. The 100,000 troop of Liao had intended to feed the troop through battle, but Yuan Hao’s action had made them lose logistical support and food for humans and grasses for horses became a big problem. Especially the war-horses of Liao Dynasty, which were ill and dead for over a half due to the lacking of grass. Yuan Hao’s took the opportunity to asked people to beg to surrender. While the emperor and his subjects were discussing the matter, Yuan Hao attacked fiercely at the barracks of Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui was brave enough to consolidate the troop and made Yuan Hao retreat in defeat. When Liao troop were going to chasing the troop of Yuan Hao, a heavy wind raised and blew to Liao Troop. The ancient people were superstitious, especially the Khitan people. The soldiers were all feared because of the heavy wind, and the troop was in chaos immediately. Yuan Hao was used to such windy weather in his territory, so he asked his troop to fight back immediately, and the Liao troop was defeated utterly, and dozens of inferiors were captured. Xingzong Emperor of Liao only escaped with dozens of riders, and almost becoming a prisoner of his brother-in-law.
Therefore, Liao troop was defeated and Xixia State became consolidated in northwest, forming a situation of tripartite confrontation of the Three Kingdoms between Song, Liao and Xia states until 1227, when Xixia was conquered by the Mongolia.