While later serving as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu), he was further blamed for failure of discipline that caused his soldiers to provoke a major Nanzhao invasion against Xichuan, leading to his exile.
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Over the years, because of Du's mistreatment of the soldiers, the soldiers, lacking food and clothing, were forced to pillage the borders of Nanzhao in order to have sufficient supplies.