#murong chui

Fu Jian of Qin's 20th Year of Jianyuan

Sima Yao of Jin's 9th Year of Taiyuan

384th Year of the Lord

Consulship of Flavius Richomeres and Clearchus

New Year's Day at Ye

On New Year's Day, 8 February 384, Fu Pi held a great assembly of all his guests at Ye. But when he realized Murong Nong was absent, he started suspect something was afoot, so he sent people out in all directions to look for him. After three days learnt that Murong Nong had gone to Lieren, and was already raising troops there. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Chui before Luoyang

As Murong Chui was crossing the He, he sent out an order to his army, stating that while he had previously outwardly supported Qin, he had secretly planned to restore Yan. Punishment for breaking the law would be regular, and rewards for good service timely. Fiefs and ranks would be handed out once the matter had been settled, and not gone back on. (JS123)

Murong Feng, Wang Teng and Duan Yan urged Zhai Bin to offer Murong Chui leadership of the uprising against Qin. Zhai Bin agreed, and sent messengers to Chui. But Murong Chui refused, claiming to still be loyal to Qin. Fu Jian had shown Chui and his family exceptional favour, and their relationship was like father and son. Chui had come to see the Shepherd of Yu province, Fu Hui, at Luoyang, not to meet with Zhai Bin. It was Bin who had risen up, he should accept the consequences of failure or the rewards success, and not involve Chui in it. (JS123, ZZTJ105)

On 9 February Murong Chui arrived before Louyang. But the news of Fu Feilong's death had preceded him, and Fu Hui shut the gates of the city before him. Zhai Bin sent his Senior Clerk Guo Tong to once more offer his allegiance to Chui. When Chui still refused, Tong asked him if it was just because Zhai Bin and his brothers were men of no special talent from different people, and were certain to fail? If Chui would not be so jittery about it, he could aid his cause greatly. Chui finally agreed. (ZZTJ105)

Zhai Bin led his forces to join up with Murong Chui, and urged Chui to declare himself Emperor. But Chui argued that Murong Wei was still the rightful ruler of Yan. He intended only to conquer the east, the old Yan lands, reach an understanding with Qin, and wait for Wei to return. He had no thoughts to elevate himself. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Chui in Xingyang

With no easy way to take Luoyang city, Murong Chui concluded that his position there was too vulnerable, he was open to attack from all sides and hemmed in by the He to the north, it would be better to move north again and capture Ye, and use that city as his base. Chui therefore moved his army east into Xingyang, and sent Wang Teng to build a floating bridge at Shimen. (JS123) Yu Wei, Grand Warden of Xingyang and former King of Fuyu (Kor. Buyeo), and Wei Ju of the Changli Xianbei both submitted to Murong Chui.

In Xingyang Murong Chui's followers again pressed for him to declare himself emperor. Instead he chose to follow the precedence of Sima Rui, the founding emperor of Eastern Jin. In 317 AD, when Sima Rui learned that the final Western Jin emperor had been taken captive, he had at first only taken the title of King of Jin, and after he heard the Emperor had died did he formally succeed as Emperor. In the same way, Murong Chui now declared himself King of Yan, Great General and Great Commander-in-Chief and only claimed provisional authority of the state. But in practice the distinction was paper-thin as Chui's subordinates spoke of themselves as his subjects and addressed their proposals to him as if to the throne. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Chui also handed out ranks and titles to his main followers:

Zhai Bin as General who Establishes Righteousness and King of Henan (JS123)

Zhai Tan as General who Supports the State and King of Hongnong (JS123, he was Zhai Bin's brother)

His brother Murong De as Great General of Chariots and Cavalry and King of Fanyang (JS123, Murong De had been King of Fanyang during old Yan)

His nephew Murong Kai as Great General who Conquers the West of and King of Taiyuan (JS123, last seen fleeing Ye with Murong Nong. His father Murong Kai had been King of Taiyuan during old Yan)

Yu Wei as General who Conquers the East, Marshal of Left on his staff, and King of Fuyu (ZZTJ105)

Wei Ju as Hawk Arising General (ZZTJ105)

Murong Heng as General who Establishes Records (ZZTJ105)

Wang Teng as General who Establishes Power (JS123, already named as such just earlier in the text, but I guess it was connected with the rest)

Murong Chui's forces had now increased to more than 20 000. He crossed the He at Shimen, as prepared by Wang Teng, and set out for a long drive towards Ye. (JS123)

Murong Nong gathers forces

When Murong Nong first fled to Lieren, he had come to the house of Lu Li of the Wuhuan. Lu Li set out food for him, but Nong only smiled and did not eat anything. A puzzled Lu Li asked his wife why this young nobleman had come to them, if they were too poor to provide for him. She replied that Nong was gallant and ambitious, and must have come for some other purpose than to eat and drink. So Li went back to his guest, and Nong confided his plan to raise troops at Lieren to restore Yan. Li swore to follow him to the death. Nong next went to Zhang Xiang of the Wuhuan and explained to him that the Murong royal house had already risen, and Zhai Bin and many others had responded. Zhang Xiang replied he would face death to restore Murong Wei to his throne. Murong Nong then began turning the people of Lieren into an army. They cut down mulberry trees to make weapons and tore up clothing to make banners. (ZZTJ105)

(I wonder if  惡奴, contrary Hu Sanxing's opinion, may have been Murong Nong's nickname rather than Lu Li's wife's)

Murong Qiu sent Zhao Qiu to recruit several other leaders as well:

Bi Cong, Bu Sheng, Zhang Yan and Li Bai of the Chuge branch of the Xiongnu

Yu He and Chi Le of the Eastern Yi (so originally from Manchuria or Korea, Yu He has the same family name as Yu Wei above.)

Liu Tai of the Yiyang Wuhuan

Each led their followers to Murong Nong. Nong provisionally made Zhang Xiang General who Assists the State, Liu Tai General who Calms the Distant, and Lu Li General who Establishes Power. As described above, all three were Wuhuan. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Nong then personally led an attack on Guantao, which they captured, and there seized arms and armour. He also sent Lan Han, Duan Zan, Zhao Qiu and Muyu Xi to seize several thousand cattle and horses at Kangtai. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Nong took the title of Envoy Holding the Tally, Commander-in-Chief of All Army Affairs North of the He, and Great General of Agile Cavalry. At first he had been reluctant to grant titles and rewards on his own authority, but Zhao Qiu advised him that an army without rewards would not march, and that everyone who had come to join him hoped for quick results. He should assume provisional authority to make appointments, and so strengthen the base Yan's restoration. Murong Nong followed this advise, and his strength continued to grow. (ZZTJ105)

With the news of his rising spreading, Murong Nong could now call in Kunuguan Wei from Shangdang, Qite Gui from Dong'e and the brothers Ping Rui and Ping You from Yan. He also sent Lan Han to attack Dunqiu, which was captured. Nong's commands were orderly, his soldiers did not engage in private plundering, and people were happy. (ZZTJ105) One source says his army now numbered a hundred thousand, but this must be an exaggeration. (JS123)

Zhai Bin rebels

In the end it was not Murong Chui who first turned openly against Qin, but Zhai Bin, a leader among the Dingling people who held the Qin office of Assistant Officer Palace Gentleman of the Guards Army. Unfortunately, since none of the source texts are written from Zhai Bin's perspective, nothing is told of how and why Zhai Bin started his rebellion, only that he gathered a force of 4 000 and planned to attack Luoyang (JS114, JS125).

The Qin commander at Luoyang was the Shepherd of Yu province, Fu Hui, the Duke of Pingyuan, he sent the news of Zhai Bin's rebellion to his brother Fu Pi at Ye. (JS123) There also arrived a letter by relay post from Fu Jian that Murong Chui should command against Zhai Bin. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Chui given command against Zhai Bin

Shi Yue, who Fu Jian had earlier sent to strengthen the defences at Ye, protested against decision to Fu Pi. People were still disturbed after the defeat at Fei river, as a result Zhai Bin had rapidly gained the following of criminals who wished to exploit the chaos. However Murong Chui had secret hopes of restoring Yan, and relying on him to command troops was too dangerous. But Fu Pi argued that Murong Chui while at Ye was like sleeping dragon. It was safer to send him away, then he and Zhai Bin could fight each other like two tigers, and they could come after and subdue both. (ZZTJ105)

Fu Pi also talked to Murong Chui. Zhai Bin had dared to rebel because of Qin's weakness, and now his brother Fu Hui was in danger. But he had a hope that the General of the Best of the Army, Murong Chui, could do something about it. Chui replied that he was only a dog or hawk waiting for orders. So Fu Pi gave him command of 2 000 troops, and gifted him gold and silk. Chui refused the gifts, but asked for his old fields and gardens, and that Fu Pi allowed. (JS123)

Fu Pi appointed one Fu Feilong, commanding 1 000 Di cavalry, as Murong Chui's deputy. He instructed Feilong that as a royal kinsman he would actually be the one in charge. While formally Murong Chui had been put in command, he would rely on Feilong to lead the troops to victory, and to look out for any disloyalty. (ZZTJ105)

Fu Pi ordered Murong Chui's son Nong along with three of his nephews, Kai, Shao, and Zhou, to stay behind inside Ye city as hostages to Chui's good behaviour. Kai and Shao were sons of Chui's late older brother Ke, Zhou the son of one of his younger brothers. (JS123)

Murong Chui leaves Ye

Fu Pi had actually quartered Murong Chui west of Ye, rather than inside the city. As he prepared to leave, he asked for permission to enter and visit the old Yan ancestral temple, but Fu Pi refused, still wary it seems of allowing Chui inside the city. Murong Chui disguised himself and entered anyway, but then the pavilion clerk refused him entry. Chui in anger killed the clerk, and burnt down the pavilion. Then he left. (JS123)

Shi Yue talked to Fu Pi again, saying that when Murong Chui was in Yan, he brought chaos to his own state, but when he came to Qin he had to behave himself. Now that he had exposed himself as a troublemaker, they could attack him. Fu Pi replied that he was still indebted to Chui for saving his father after everyone else had run away. Shi Yue retorted that Murong Chui had not been loyal to Yan, but maybe he would be fully loyal to Qin. When Chui had fled captivity in Yan, Fu Jian had bestowed him high honours in Qin, but had never been able to ascertain his loyalty. Chui still intended to rebel, and if they did not attack him now they would suffer from it later. But Fu Pi still refused. Afterwards Shi Yue told people that Fu Jian and Fu Pi were too busy looking into small kindnesses to see the big picture, and before long they would all be captives of the Xianbei. (JS123)

Murong Chui kills Fu Feilong

Murong Chui travelled south from Ye. At Tang pond near Anyang, Min Liang and Li Man/Pi caught up with him, they had come from Ye to tell him of Fu Pi conspiring with Fu Feiling. Murong Chui complained that he was fully loyal to Qin, yet Fu Pi still plotted against him. Whatever his wishes, this was the case. (ZZTJ105) Min Liang and Li Man had earlier been sent by Fu Jian to escort Murong Chui to Ye.

Murong Chui halted in Henei with the excuse that his army was too small. After a few days recruiting, his strength had increased to 8 000. Fu Hui sent messengers from Luoyang asking Chui to hurry his advance. But Chui told Fu Feilong that if they moved at night and halted at day, they could take the enemy unaware. Feilong accepted this plan. (ZZTJ105)

At night on 5 February 384, Chui put his oldest son, Bao, in charge of the troops in front, and one of his younger sons, Long, of the troops in the rear. Then at the sound of drums, front and rear all attacked Feilong's Di troops. They killed Feilong and massacred all the Di. With that done, Chui then sent all the westerners among his staff back to his home, he also sent a letter to Fu Jian to explain his actions. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Feng defeats Mao Dang

Meanwhile, when Murong Feng, Wang Teng and Duan Yan heard that Zhai Bin had risen in rebellion, they all came to join him with their private retinues. Murong Feng was another nephew of Murong Chui, while Wang Teng and Duan Yan were sons of former Yan ministers. Fu Jian had earlier left behind the General of the Garrison Army, Mao Dang, to strengthen the defences at Luoyang, and Fu Hui now sent him out against Zhai Bin. When Murong Feng heard that Mao Dang was coming, he put on his armour and rode out accompanied by the Dingling forces. They defeated Mao Dang, and killed him, then they attacked and took Lingyun Terrace west of Luoyang where they seized more than ten thousand sets of arms and armour. (ZZTJ105)

(The location of Zhai Bin on the reference map should not be taken too literally.)

Murong Chui crosses the He

On 6 February 384, Murong Chui crossed the He, and burnt the bridge behind him. By now his forces had swelled to 30 000. He left the Xianbei leader Kezuhun Tan behind in Henei to continue recruiting, and sent Tian Shan/Sheng to Ye to secretly warn Murong Nong and the others there, and to tell them to also raise troops. (ZZTJ105)

When Tian Shan came to Ye, it was already after sunset, so only Murong Shao went out while the others remained inside the city. Shao went to Pu Pond where he stole several hundred of Fu Pi's finest horses and waited for the others. (ZZTJ105)

The next day, 7 February 384, the last day of the year, Murong Nong and his cousins put on unassuming clothes, and set out from Ye with a few horsemen. (ZZTJ105) Nong and Zhou then fled to Lieren, while Shao and Kai went to Piyang. (JS123)

Murong Chui escapes capture

(This section is a redo of the final section of the previous post, as I managed to dig up another source)

While Fu Jian had allowed Murong Chui's journey to Ye, Quan Yi secretly dispatched soldiers at night to intercept him before he crossed the bridge across the During the night Murong Chui dreamt he was travelling along a road. The road came to an end, and he looked back to see Master Kong's grave, flanked by eight mounds. When he woke up, Murong Chui summoned someone to interpret the dream. The dream interpreter thought that the road coming to an end meant it could not be travelled. Furthermore, at Master Kong's tomb, the grave-site (丘) is paired with eight (八) mounds.  丘 and  八 combines to form  兵 "troops”, meaning there would be troops hiding in ambush on the road. (TPYL400 quoting the Xu Jinyangqiu)

Murong Chui instead left the road and prepared rafts to cross at a different place. He also sent his Army Director Cheng Tong, dressed in his clothes and riding his horse, with some of the page boys to the bridge. When the ambushers sprung their trap, Cheng Tong galloped away and escaped. (ZZTJ105)

I would guess the dream sequence is an original part of this story, which Sima Guang has excised in his retelling. I am not sure if Sima Guang used the Xu Jinyangqiu as a source, he may have gotten it from the SLGCQ where supernatural stories are very common.

Fu Jian arrives at Chang'an

In the twelfth lunar month, 10 January – 7 February 384, Fu Jian arrived back at his capital Chang'an. Before entering he wept for the loss of his brother Fu Rong. Once inside the city, he announced his defeat to the ancestral temple, proclaimed a great amnesty and increased  the rank of his civil and military officials by one grade. He also announced several fairly generic government reform measures, such as honing the troops and inspecting agriculture, relief for orphans and the elderly, and tax remittance for the families of those lost during the campaign. Fu Rong was given the posthumous rank and titles of Grand Marshal and Duke Ai (“the Lamented”) of Yangping. (JS114)

Lü Guang lays siege to Qiuci

Meanwhile the Qin empire was still expanding in the west. Earlier Fu Jian had appointed his general Lü Guang Envoy Holding the Tally and Commander-in-Chief of All Army Affairs of Western Chastising, and tasked him with conquering the city states of the Western Regions with an army if 70 000 troops and 5 000 heavy cavalry. Lü Guang like Fu Jian was of Di ethnicity. (JS122)

When Lü Guang arrived at Gaochang he heard that Fu Jian had invaded Jin. He first hesistated, wishing to wait for further orders, but his advisor Du Jin convinced him he should speedily attend to the important task he had been given. So Lü Guang set out across the desert. For a long distance there was no water and his men grew worried. But Lü Guang reminded them how a spring had burst forth to reward the old Han general Li Guang (different character than Lü Guang) for his virtue. Heaven would surely reward them as well. Soon after there was a heavy rainfall. (JS122)

Lü Guang arrived at Yanqi, and the king of Yanqi, Niliu, submitted together with the other neighbouring states. Bochun, the King of Quici, however decided to resist. So Lü Guang marched against Quici, where he arrived in the twelfth month, and laid siege to the city. Lü Guang's army took position south of the city and built fortified encampments every 5 li (about 2 km). They built imitation soldiers dressed in wooden armour, and placed them on the walls of the encampment. Bochun on his side pulled the people living outside the wall, and employed commoners and nobles alike in defence of the city. (JS122)

As the siege dragged on there were several portents pointing to Lü Guang's future greatness. The blood vessels on his left arm rose up to form the characters  巨霸, “Vast Hegemon”. One night a huge black creature appeared, moving with a swaying motion, with horned head and eyes shining like lightning. The creature disappeared in the morning clouds, but left behind a track five li long and thirty paces wide, and the scales now hidden in the earth shone like if they were still there. Lü Guang recognized this as a black dragon. Soon after a rain storm wiped out the dragon's track. Du Jin explained that dragons were portentous creatures of good fortune, and demonstrated Lü Guang's virtue and future greatness. (JS122)

Qifu Guoren gathers forces

The Qifu branch of the Xianbei are said to have originally migrated south from north of the desert and settled in the Longxi. During the early Western Jin, their leader Youlin (or Tuolin) united many of the local Xianbei. A century later, in 371 AD, his descendant Sifan was forced to submit to Qin. Fu Jian appointed him General who Garrisons the West. When Sifan died, his son Guoren inherited his titles. (TPYL127)

In 383 AD, when Fu Jian was planning his Shouchun campaign, he summoned Qifu Guoren to be General of the Van, planning for him to command the vanguard cavalry. Then news arrived that Guoren's uncle Butui had rebelled in Longxi, so Fu Jian instead chose to send Guoren to deal with him. (JS125) Presumably because Butui was not only a rebel against Qin, but also posed a challenge to Guoren's leadership of the Qifu Xianbei.

But Butui welcomed Guoren's return, and pushed him forward to take leadership. Guoren gathered followers for a great feast, and held a speech where he said that the Fu clan had only risen to power due to the chaotic downfall of Zhao. Having acquired a vast territory, they did not allow for peace to show their virtue, but rather engaged in distant schemes, wasting the lands, defying Heaven and angering the people. It was the Way of Heaven that such a thing must be brought down. With his followers' support, Guoren would become the ruler of the region. (JS125)

When news reached Guoren that Fu Jian had been defeated, he summoned and assembled the various local tribes. Those who did not submit willingly, he conquered and annexed. Eventually he had gathered a force numbering a hundred thousand. (JS125) We next hear from Qifu Guoren in 385 AD, so this was not an instantaneous process.

Murong Chui comes to Ye

Murong Chui arrived at Anyang, and sent his Army Advisor Tian Shan with a note to the commander at Ye, Fu Pi, Duke of Changle and Fu Jian's oldest son. Fu Pi worried about Murong Chui's true intentions, but decided to go south and meet with Murong Chui personally. (ZZTJ105)

Fu Pi at first planned to attack Murong Chui, but his Attendant Gentleman Jiang Rang protested that since Murong Chui had so far not openly displayed any rebellious intentions, Fu Pi could not kill him on his own initiative. Instead he should treat Murong Chui with all courtesy but put stern soldiers in charge of guarding him. Then he could inform the court of his feelings, and, after receiving official advise, start plotting against Chui. On the other side Murong Chui was advised by one of his officials, Zhao Qiu, that he ought to seize Fu Pi at meeting, but Murong Chui rejected this plan. (ZZTJ105)

And so, while I guess it was a fairly tense meet-up, no hostile actions were taken by either side. Fu Pi found quarters for Murong Chui to the west of Ye, and Murong Chui explained the circumstances around the defeat south of the Huai. (JS123) One source adds that Murong Chui now began plotting the restoration of Yan with former Yan officials. (ZZTJ105)