Why were 1Deng, his 4 ministers/disciples and Scholar Zhu in Xiangyang rather than
Dali?
We know that Dali only fell during RotCH just below Lu You Jiao was assassinated by Huo Du.
Which meant that Dali was still fighting a war and 1Deng, his 4 disciples and Scholar Zhu chose to ignore that and instead helped on the Xiangyang front.
Isn't it a little ironic that they are showing so much "patriotism" but not towards Dali? A little weird none of them returned to aid Dali? Or did the other 3 disciples returned (Wu San Tong didn't for sure)?