Luo Rucai

Luo Rucai, nicknamed Cao Cao after the scheming warlord of the Three Kingdoms, rose in the early Chongzhen years as one of the chiefs of the thirty-six camps gathered by Wang Ziyong, and with Zhang Xianzhong he accepted Hong Chengchou's amnesty only to revolt again. According to the Ming History (Mingshi), when thirteen rebel bands met at Xingyang in the first month of 1635 to divide their forces against the government armies, he and Guotianxing were assigned to hold the Yellow River. Beaten in 1638, he surrendered at Mount Taihe, but rose again with Zhang Xianzhong the next year and fought across Huguang and Sichuan. In 1641 he joined Li Zicheng, who was the better at sieges while Luo was the better in the field, and Li gave him a grand title as his partner. Luo kept dozens of wives and several troupes of female musicians, which the austere Li despised, and in 1643 Li had him beheaded in his tent by twenty horsemen and absorbed his army.