During the Five Dynasties period, when the Later Liang and Later Tang were vying for supremacy, Li Cunxu, the Prince of Jin of Later Tang, was known for his fierce combat skills, making him a formidable adversary across the Later Liang state. Only General Wang Yanzhang dismissed him, saying, "Yaci (Cunxu's childhood name) is nothing but a playboy fond of cockfighting and horse racing—how much military prowess could he possibly have?"
Wang Yanzhang's arms possessed a thousand jin of strength, and he could sprint a hundred steps barefoot through thorny brambles. On the battlefield, he wielded an iron spear while charging on horseback, swift as a hawk, earning him the nickname "Iron Spear Wang" among the troops.
King of Jin led his army south, defeated the Liang forces, and captured Wang Yanzhang's wife and children. Li Cunxu said, "In the Southern Liang, no one is as formidable as Wang Yanzhang. Treat his family well, write a letter to summon him north to serve our court."
Upon receiving the letter from the northern army, Wang Yanzhang immediately ordered the messenger beheaded to show his unwavering resolve.
King of Jin built two fortresses on both sides of the Yellow River, with a massive iron chain spanning between them, cutting off the Later Liang navy's retreat and gradually closing in on their eastern capital Kaifeng, causing great panic among the Liang people. The Later Liang prime minister said to the emperor, "The only one who can save the court is Wang Yanzhang."
The Later Liang Emperor sent a swift rider to summon Wang Yanzhang from Zhengzhou, appointed him as the supreme commander, and asked, "Can you break the enemy's offensive within a month or two?" Wang Yanzhang replied, "I will crush the invading army within three days!" Those around him secretly laughed, thinking his boast was over the top.
Upon receiving the emperor's command, Wang Yanzhang led his cavalry to the front lines two days later. He threw a grand banquet to mislead the enemy, while secretly dispatching six hundred elite soldiers, each wielding massive axes, aboard warships laden with firewood and charcoal, sailing downstream with the current.
In the dead of night, after drinking heavily, Wang Yanzhang pretended to visit the latrine, then led several thousand elite troops straight along the river toward the enemy's southern fortress. His warships' soldiers burned through iron chains with fire and split the enemy's pontoon bridge connecting the northern and southern forts with giant axes. Attacking from both water and land, they seized the southern fortress.
Li Cunxu, upon hearing that Wang Yanzhang had been appointed as the imperial expedition commander, exclaimed in alarm, "Yanzhang is bold and fierce, with unmatched wisdom and strategy; he will surely attack our southern fort. We must quickly dispatch reinforcements." By the time the Tang army arrived, the southern fort was already flying the Liang army's banners.
With the capital's crisis resolved, Wang Yanzhang turned his army northward, determined to crush the Tang forces at the northern fortress. But to his shock, the court's jealous ministers, envious of his military achievements, refused to send reinforcements or supplies.
Wang Yanzhang, during a night forced march, fell into an enemy ambush, was wounded and captured. Li Cunxu said to him, "You once mocked me as still wet behind the ears, but I hold no grudge. Now I only hope you recover from your injuries and remain in my army."
Wang Yanzhang said, "I have fought bloody battles for the Liang dynasty for over a decade. Now, with my strength exhausted and my army defeated, I only ask for a quick death. A leopard leaves its skin when it dies; a man leaves his name. How could I serve Liang in the morning and Jin by evening!" He was eventually killed. "A leopard leaves its skin" is a metaphor for leaving a good name for posterity.
Source: *New History of the Five Dynasties*, "Biography of Wang Yanzhang"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "豹死留皮" came to describe how a person leaves a good name for posterity.