Zhu Jin
Encyclopedia
Zhu Jin (867-918) was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
who would later be a major general of the Wu
(also known as Hongnong) state during the subsequent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
. In the late Tang years, Zhu Jin, as the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Taining Circuit (泰寧, headquartered in modern Jining
, Shandong
) would form a power bloc with his cousin Zhu Xuan
the military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
), but they were both eventually defeated by Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
). Zhu Xuan was killed, and Zhu Jin fled to the domain of Yang Xingmi
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
); he would thereafter serve under Yang and Yang's successors, whose domain formed the Wu state eventually. In 918, angry at the arrogance of the Wu junior regent Xu Zhixùn
(the son of the regent Xu Wen
), he assassinated Xu Zhixùn, but Xu Wen's troops attacked him; he committed suicide when he saw that there was no escape.
, during the reign of Emperor Yizong
. He was from Xiayi (下邑, in modern Suzhou
, Anhui
). His older cousin (or, according to some sources, brother) Zhu Xuan
was an officer at Tianping Circuit (and would later be military governor), and so he went to serve under Zhu Xuan. He was said to have great ambitions and to be talented in his youth and was the most ferocious warrior in Zhu Xuan's army, but was also said to be violent and cruel.
In 884
, when Zhu Xuan's neighbor Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit came under attack by Qin Zongquan, a former Tang military governor of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
), who had turned against Tang and was pillaging the nearby circuits, Zhu Quanzhong sought aid from Zhu Xuan, and Zhu Xuan sent Zhu Jin to aid him. After Zhu Jin repelled Qin's attack, Zhu Quanzhong, in appreciation, honored Zhu Xuan as an older brother.
In 886
, Zhu Jin wanted to capture nearby Taining Circuit, so he sought to marry a daughter of Taining's military governor Qi Kerang
. Qi agreed. On the set wedding date, Zhu Jin personally went to Taining's capital Yan Prefecture (兗州), ostensibly to carry out the marriage, but he hid armors and weapons in his train. When he got to Yan, he launched a surprise attack and expelled Qi. He then took over the circuit. Then-reigning Emperor Xizong
(Emperor Yizong's son and successor) thereafter confirmed Zhu Jin as the military governor of Taining, allowing him and Zhu Xuan to each govern a circuit as close allies.
, when Qin Zongquan launched a major attack on Zhu Quanzhong and Zhu Quanzhong sought aid from them, both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin personally led troops to aid him. Together with the troops of Zhu's own Xuanwu Circuit and Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang
, Henan
), which Zhu Quanzhong had recently taken over, they defeated Qin; from this point, Qin's strength began to wane. In gratitude, Zhu Quanzhong honored both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin as older brothers.
However, later that year, this relationship would be broken. The ambitious Zhu Quanzhong had designs on Tianping and Taining, and therefore falsely accused Zhu Xuan of inducing Xuanwu soldiers to desert. Zhu Xuan thereafter made counteraccusations. In response, Zhu Quanzhong had his officers Zhu Zhen (朱珍) and Ge Congzhou
launch a surprise attack on Tianping's Cao (曹州) and Pu (濮州, both in modern Heze
, Shandong
) Prefectures. When Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin engaged the Xuanwu forces, they were defeated and barely escaped with their lives. From this point, they became enemies to Zhu Quanzhong.
In winter 891
, Zhu Jin attacked Xuanwu's Shan Prefecture (單州, in modern Heze), but the Xuanwu officers Ding Hui
and Zhang Guiba (張歸霸) engaged and defeated him.
In 893
, with Zhu Quanzhong's son Zhu Youyu (朱友裕) sieging Zhu Jin's ally Shi Pu
the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
) at Ganhua's capital Xu Prefecture (徐州), Zhu Jin tried to go to his aid, but he was defeated by Zhu Youyu and Huo Cun (霍存) and forced to withdraw.
Soon thereafter, Xu Prefecture fell under the attack of the Xuanwu officer Pang Shigu (龐師古), and Shi committed suicide, allowing Zhu Quanzhong to take over Ganhua. With Ganhua conquered, Zhu Quanzhong sent Pang north to attack Taining. Pang had initial successes against Zhu Jin. Late in the year, Ge attacked Zhu Wei (朱威) the prefect of Tianping's Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Jinan
, Shandong
). Both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin personally tried to aid Qi Prefecture, but Zhu Quanzhong then arrived himself and defeated them.
After this series of defeats, both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong's archrival Li Keyong
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
). Li Keyong repeatedly sent officers to reinforce Tianping and Taining, but even with Hedong's aid the losses mounted.
In winter 895
, Zhu Quanzhong and Ge attacked Yan Prefecture and put it under siege. Further, Zhu Jin's older cousin Zhu Qiong (朱瓊) the prefect of Qi surrendered the prefecture to Zhu Quanzhong. When Zhu Xuan sent his officers He Gui (賀瓌), Liu Cun (柳存), and the Hedong officer He Huaibao (何懷寶) to try to lift the siege on Yan, Zhu Quanzhong defeated and captured them. He showed them to Zhu Jin to try to urge him to surrender. Zhu Jin pretended to agree and offered to surrender the seals (the symbols of his control of Taining), but requested that Zhu Qiong be the one sent into the city to retrieve them. When Zhu Qiong entered the city, Zhu Jin had him seized and beheaded, which caused Zhu Quanzhong's army to lose morale, so Zhu Quanzhong, after killing Liu and He Huaibao, withdrew. However, he left Ge to continue to watch Yan, but Zhu Jin defended the city and refused to engage Ge. Later in the year, when Ge was set to withdraw, he tricked Zhu Jin into believing that Hedong and Tianping aid forces were arriving; Zhu Jin thus came out of the city to attack, and Ge defeated him before withdrawing.
It was said that, by this point, with Tianping and Taining repeatedly under Xuanwu attack, both circuits had been laid waste. They again sought aid from Li Keyong, and Li Keyong sent the officers Li Chengsi (李承嗣) and Shi Yan (史儼) to aid them, going through Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
, Hebei
) with the permission of Weibo's military governor Luo Hongxin
. However, a subsequently Hedong relief force commanded by Li Keyong's adoptive son Li Cunxin (李存信) angered Luo by pillaging the Weibo countryside; Luo fought back and defeated Li Cunxin, and further entered into an alliance with Zhu Quanzhong. When Li Keyong himself then attacked Weibo, the joint Weibo/Xuanwu forces defeated him. Thereafter, no further relief aid would be able to come through from Hedong, and Tianping and Taining grew weaker and weaker.
In 897
, Pang and Ge jointly attacked Tianping's capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州) and captured it. Zhu Xuan tried to flee but was captured and delivered to Zhu Quanzhong to be executed. Meanwhile, Zhu Jin, running low on food supplies himself, left his officer Kang Huaizhen (康懷貞) in charge of Yan and headed south with Li Chengsi and Shi to raid the former Ganhua Circuit (now renamed Wuning Circuit) for food. When Zhu Quanzhong heard this, he sent Ge to launch a surprise attack on Yan. Kang surrendered, leaving Zhu Jin without a base to return to. When he tried to head for Yi Prefecture (沂州, in modern Linyi
, Shandong
), the prefect Yin Chubin (尹處賓) refused to receive him. He, Shi, and Li Chengsi had to further flee to Hai Prefecture (海州, in modern Lianyungang
, Jiangsu
). Faced with the prospect of further Xuanwu attack, they crossed the Huai River
into Huainan Circuit to submit to Huainan's military governor Yang Xingmi
. Yang was very pleased, and he personally went to Gaoyou (高郵, in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
) to welcome them. He bestowed on Zhu Jin the title of military governor of Wuning (i.e., not giving him a title that was inferior to his own) and also gave Shi and Li Chengsi honored titles. It was said that, previously, the Huainan forces were only familiar with water combat; now, with the infusion of Tianping, Taining, and Hedong army soldiers, the Huainan army's land combat capabilities were greatly enhanced. (Zhu Jin's wife was captured and initially taken by Zhu Quanzhong as a concubine, but soon thereafter, under persuasion by his wife Lady Zhang
, Zhu Quanzhong allowed Zhu Jin's wife to become a Buddhist nun. Zhu Jin himself would marry the daughter of the Huainan general Tao Ya (陶雅) as his new wife sometime after he arrived in Huainan.)
, Jiangsu
), posturing to head to Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture; Ge Congzhou with the forces from Tianping and Taining Circuits to Anfeng (安豐, in modern Lu'an
, Anhui
), posturing to head to Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an); and Zhu Quanzhong himself with his main forces to Su Prefecture (宿州, in modern Suzhou). The people of Huainan Circuit was greatly shocked and dismayed by Zhu's forces. However, Pang, because he had such an impressive force, underestimated Yang Xingmi's army. Yang Xingmi had Zhu Jin serve as his advance commander, and Zhu constructed a dam on the Huai River. When Yang Xingmi attacked Pang, Zhu released the waters to flood Pang's army, and then attacked Pang with Yang. Pang's army was crushed by the waters and the Huainan forces, and Pang was killed. Zhu Yanshou also defeated Ge's army. Hearing that both of his generals had been defeated, Zhu Quanzhong also retreated. This battle thus affirmed Yang's control of the territory between the Huai and the Yangtze Rivers.
In 899
, Yang and Zhu Jin attacked Xu Prefecture. Zhu Quanzhong initially sent Zhang Guihou (張歸厚) to relieve the attack on Xu, and then also led an army himself. When Yang and Zhu Jin heard that Zhu Quanzhong was about to arrive, they withdrew.
In 902
, after Emperor Zhaozong had been forcibly taken to Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
), then ruled by Li Maozhen
, by the eunuch Han Quanhui
. Zhu Quanzhong, who had been summoned to the capital Chang'an
by the chancellor Cui Yin
, put Fengxiang Circuit's capital Fengxiang Municipality under siege. Emperor Zhaozong sent the Zhang Yan, the son of the former chancellor Zhang Jun, on whom he bestowed the imperial clan surname of Li (and thereafter, Zhang Yan was known as Li Yan), to Huainan as an imperial emissary. Li Yan bestowed the title of supreme commander of the southeastern circuits on Yang and created him the Prince of Wu, ordering him to attack Zhu Quanzhong. As part of the order, Zhu Jin was given the title of military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
, Shandong
) (which was then under the rule of Wang Shifan
). Yang also bestowed on Zhu Jin the title of deputy supreme commander of the southeastern circuits. After Yang died in 905
and was succeeded by his son Yang Wo (who carried the title of Prince of Hongnong), Zhu Jin continued to carry the title of deputy supreme commander — a title that he continued to carry after Yang Wo was assassinated in 908
by the officers Zhang Hao
and Xu Wen
and succeeded by his younger brother Yang Longyan. (Xu killed Zhang soon after their assassination of Yang Wo, and while thereafter Yang Longyan was prince, Xu effectively controlled the governance of the Wu state — which was an independent by that point after Zhu Quanzhong usurped the Tang throne in 907
and established Later Liang Dynasty
as its Emperor Taizu, a title that Yang Wo and his successors refused to recognize.)
Around the new year 914
, the Later Liang general Wang Jingren attacked Wu, to try to capture Wu's Shou and Lu (廬州, in modern Hefei
, Anhui
) Prefectures. Xu and Zhu Jin engaged Wang at Zhaobu (趙步, in modern Lu'an) and found themselves outnumbered, but Xu, with the assistance of the officer Chen Shao (陳紹), defeated Wang. Wang withdrew with heavy losses.
Late in 914, then-Later Liang emperor Zhu Youzhen (Zhu Quanzhong's son) tried to replace Wang Yin (王殷) the military governor of Wuning (who had been commissioned by his predecessor and older brother Zhu Yougui, who had assassinated Zhu Quanzhong and taken the throne but was soon overthrown by Zhu Youzhen) with his cousin Zhu Youzhang (朱友璋). Wang Yin, in fear, submitted to Wu and sought aid from Wu. Zhu Jin thereafter led a relief force to try to save Wang Yin, but he was intercepted and defeated by the Later Liang generals Niu Cunjie (牛存節) and Liu Xun; he thereafter withdrew. Niu and Liu thereafter captured Xu Prefecture, and Wang and his family members committed suicide.
By 916
, Xu Wen, who was still in control of Wu's governance, had removed himself from Yang Prefecture and permanently stationed himself at Sheng Prefecture (昇州, in modern Nanjing
, Jiangsu
), leaving his oldest son Xu Zhixùn
in charge at Yang Prefecture. That year, the officers Ma Qian (馬謙) and Li Qiu (李球) seized Yang Longyan and launched their troops to attack Xu Zhixùn. Xu Zhixùn was fearful and decided to flee, but was dissuaded by the official Yan Keqiu, and their opposing camps settled in that night. The next day, Zhu Jin, who had been stationed at Run Prefecture (潤州, in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
). Looking at Ma's and Li's camp, Zhu assured Xu Zhixùn that there was nothing to be concerned about, and he yelled at Ma's and Li's troops; in fear, Ma's and Li's troops disassembled, and they were captured and executed.
In winter 916, with Li Keyong's son and successor Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin requesting Wu to enter an alliance to jointly attack Later Liang, Xu Zhixùn and Zhu Jin led troops north toward Song (宋州, in modern Shangqiu
, Henan
) and Bo (亳州, in modern Bozhou
, Anhui
) Prefectures. They crossed the Huai River and put Ying Prefecture (潁州, in modern Fuyang
, Anhui
) under siege. In spring 917
, however, after Zhu Youzhen dispatched the general Yuan Xiangxian (袁象先) to aid Ying Prefecture, the Wu troops withdrew.
, Xu Zhixùn had become so arrogant and so unreasonable in his actions that he was even openly humiliating Yang Longyan, who was his sovereign. Meanwhile, the relationship between Zhu Jin and Xu Zhixùn, apparently initially cordial, had become frayed over a series of incidents — including an occasion when Xu Zhixùn tried to rape one of Zhu's maid servants, and Xu Zhixùn's display of displeasure over Zhu's having a greater title (deputy supreme commander) than he did. He therefore established a Jinghuai Circuit (靜淮) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an) and made Zhu the military governor, to send Zhu away from the capital Jiangdu (i.e., Yang Prefecture). Zhu became hateful of Xu Zhixùn as well, but outwardly pretended to continue to honor Xu Zhixùn.
As Zhu was (outwardly) preparing to leave Jiangdu, Xu Zhixùn went to bid him farewell. Zhu held a feast for him, offered him wine, had Zhu's favorite concubine come outside to greet him and sing for him, and presented Zhu's favorite horse as a gift to him. Zhu then invited him into the middle of Zhu's mansion, where Zhu's wife Lady Tao came out to greet him as well as a sign of respect. Xu Zhixùn was pleased and took no further precautions, while Zhu already had his elite guards surround the hall. As Lady Tao bowed to Xu Zhixùn and he bowed back, Zhu struck him and, as he fell to the ground, Zhu's elite soldiers entered and cut off his head. After Zhu took the head and showed them to Xu Zhixùn's soldiers, they all fled. Zhu then entered the palace and showed the head to Yang Longyan, expecting Yang Longyan to be pleased and go along with his actions, stating to Yang Longyan, "I, your servant, have destroyed a harm to the state for Your Royal Highness." Instead, Yang Longyan responded with horror, covered his face, and stated: "You, uncle, have to bear this alone; this has nothing to do with me." (Yang Longyan referred to Zhu Jin as uncle because Yang Xingmi's wife (Zhu Yanshou's sister) was also surnamed Zhu, albeit not in reality related to Zhu Jin, although Yang Longyan was not born of Lady Zhu.) Zhu, in anger, stated, "You son of a maid cannot accomplish great things." He threw Xu Zhixùn's head against a pillar, and then was ready to exit the palace. However, by this point, Xu Wen's officer Zhai Qian (翟虔) had already deployed his soldiers around the palace. Zhu tried to climb down the palace walls, but fell and broke his leg. As soldiers approached him, he stated, "I have destroyed a harm for tens of thousands of people, and I will suffer the consequences alone." He then killed himself with his sword. After his death, Xu Wen threw his body into a pond near the capital and slaughtered his family members, although later, after Xu Wen's adoptive son Xu Zhigao
informed Xu Wen of the inappropriate deeds that Xu Zhixùn had been carrying out, Xu Wen had Zhu's body recovered from the pond and buried.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
who would later be a major general of the Wu
Wu (Ten Kingdoms)
Wu , also referred to as Huainan , Hongnong , Southern Wu , or Yang Wu , was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China which was in existence between the years of 907 and 937. Its capital was Jiangdu Municipality...
(also known as Hongnong) state during the subsequent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...
. In the late Tang years, Zhu Jin, as the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Taining Circuit (泰寧, headquartered in modern Jining
Jining
Jining is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Heze to the southwest, Zaozhuang to the southeast, Tai'an to the northeast, and the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu to the northwest and south respectively...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) would form a power bloc with his cousin Zhu Xuan
Zhu Xuan
Zhu Xuan was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who, from 882 to 897, controlled Tianping Circuit as its military governor...
the military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an
Tai'an
Tai'an is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
), but they were both eventually defeated by Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). Zhu Xuan was killed, and Zhu Jin fled to the domain of Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
); he would thereafter serve under Yang and Yang's successors, whose domain formed the Wu state eventually. In 918, angry at the arrogance of the Wu junior regent Xu Zhixùn
Xu Zhixùn
Xu Zhixùn was the oldest biological son of Xu Wen, the regent of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Wu. He served as the junior regent from 915 to his death in 918, with his father stationing himself at Jinling away from the capital Guangling...
(the son of the regent Xu Wen
Xu Wen
Xu Wen , born April 13, 1986 in Shanghai), is a versatile Chinese footballer, who plays as either a defensive midfielder or defender for Nanchang Bayi.-Club career:...
), he assassinated Xu Zhixùn, but Xu Wen's troops attacked him; he committed suicide when he saw that there was no escape.
Background
Zhu Jin was born in 867867
Year 867 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :* September – Basil I becomes sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire.* Macedonian dynasty is started....
, during the reign of Emperor Yizong
Emperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang , né Li Wen , later changed to Li Cui , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuānzong...
. He was from Xiayi (下邑, in modern Suzhou
Suzhou, Anhui
-Administration:Suzhou administers five county-level divisions, including one district and four counties.*Yongqiao District *Dangshan County *Xiao County *Lingbi County *Si County...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
). His older cousin (or, according to some sources, brother) Zhu Xuan
Zhu Xuan
Zhu Xuan was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who, from 882 to 897, controlled Tianping Circuit as its military governor...
was an officer at Tianping Circuit (and would later be military governor), and so he went to serve under Zhu Xuan. He was said to have great ambitions and to be talented in his youth and was the most ferocious warrior in Zhu Xuan's army, but was also said to be violent and cruel.
In 884
884
Year 884 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* March 1 – Diego Rodríguez Porcelos founds and repopulates Burgos....
, when Zhu Xuan's neighbor Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit came under attack by Qin Zongquan, a former Tang military governor of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), who had turned against Tang and was pillaging the nearby circuits, Zhu Quanzhong sought aid from Zhu Xuan, and Zhu Xuan sent Zhu Jin to aid him. After Zhu Jin repelled Qin's attack, Zhu Quanzhong, in appreciation, honored Zhu Xuan as an older brother.
In 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, Zhu Jin wanted to capture nearby Taining Circuit, so he sought to marry a daughter of Taining's military governor Qi Kerang
Qi Kerang
Qi Kerang was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who was part of Tang's resistance against the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao, as the military governor of Taining Circuit...
. Qi agreed. On the set wedding date, Zhu Jin personally went to Taining's capital Yan Prefecture (兗州), ostensibly to carry out the marriage, but he hid armors and weapons in his train. When he got to Yan, he launched a surprise attack and expelled Qi. He then took over the circuit. Then-reigning Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
(Emperor Yizong's son and successor) thereafter confirmed Zhu Jin as the military governor of Taining, allowing him and Zhu Xuan to each govern a circuit as close allies.
As military governor of Taining Circuit
Initially, Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin continued to be allies with Zhu Quanzhong as well, and in fall 887887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
, when Qin Zongquan launched a major attack on Zhu Quanzhong and Zhu Quanzhong sought aid from them, both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin personally led troops to aid him. Together with the troops of Zhu's own Xuanwu Circuit and Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), which Zhu Quanzhong had recently taken over, they defeated Qin; from this point, Qin's strength began to wane. In gratitude, Zhu Quanzhong honored both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin as older brothers.
However, later that year, this relationship would be broken. The ambitious Zhu Quanzhong had designs on Tianping and Taining, and therefore falsely accused Zhu Xuan of inducing Xuanwu soldiers to desert. Zhu Xuan thereafter made counteraccusations. In response, Zhu Quanzhong had his officers Zhu Zhen (朱珍) and Ge Congzhou
Ge Congzhou
Ge Congzhou , courtesy name Tongmei , formally the Prince of Chenliu , was a general serving under Emperor Taizu of Later Liang while Zhu Quanzhong was a warlord late in the Tang Dynasty...
launch a surprise attack on Tianping's Cao (曹州) and Pu (濮州, both in modern Heze
Heze
Heze is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The westernmost prefecture-level city in Shandong, it borders Jining to the east and the provinces of Henan and Anhui to the west and south respectively. The old name of Heze was Caozhou and now a part...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) Prefectures. When Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin engaged the Xuanwu forces, they were defeated and barely escaped with their lives. From this point, they became enemies to Zhu Quanzhong.
In winter 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
, Zhu Jin attacked Xuanwu's Shan Prefecture (單州, in modern Heze), but the Xuanwu officers Ding Hui
Ding Hui
Ding Hui , courtesy name Daoyin , was a general who, for most of his career, served under Zhu Quanzhong while Zhu was a major warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
and Zhang Guiba (張歸霸) engaged and defeated him.
In 893
893
Year 893 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Council of Preslav: Simeon I succeeds Vladimir as prince of Bulgaria; the capital is moved from Pliska to Preslav....
, with Zhu Quanzhong's son Zhu Youyu (朱友裕) sieging Zhu Jin's ally Shi Pu
Shi Pu
Shi Pu , formally the Prince of Julu , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Ganhua Circuit as its military governor...
the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) at Ganhua's capital Xu Prefecture (徐州), Zhu Jin tried to go to his aid, but he was defeated by Zhu Youyu and Huo Cun (霍存) and forced to withdraw.
Soon thereafter, Xu Prefecture fell under the attack of the Xuanwu officer Pang Shigu (龐師古), and Shi committed suicide, allowing Zhu Quanzhong to take over Ganhua. With Ganhua conquered, Zhu Quanzhong sent Pang north to attack Taining. Pang had initial successes against Zhu Jin. Late in the year, Ge attacked Zhu Wei (朱威) the prefect of Tianping's Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
). Both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin personally tried to aid Qi Prefecture, but Zhu Quanzhong then arrived himself and defeated them.
After this series of defeats, both Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong's archrival Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
). Li Keyong repeatedly sent officers to reinforce Tianping and Taining, but even with Hedong's aid the losses mounted.
In winter 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
, Zhu Quanzhong and Ge attacked Yan Prefecture and put it under siege. Further, Zhu Jin's older cousin Zhu Qiong (朱瓊) the prefect of Qi surrendered the prefecture to Zhu Quanzhong. When Zhu Xuan sent his officers He Gui (賀瓌), Liu Cun (柳存), and the Hedong officer He Huaibao (何懷寶) to try to lift the siege on Yan, Zhu Quanzhong defeated and captured them. He showed them to Zhu Jin to try to urge him to surrender. Zhu Jin pretended to agree and offered to surrender the seals (the symbols of his control of Taining), but requested that Zhu Qiong be the one sent into the city to retrieve them. When Zhu Qiong entered the city, Zhu Jin had him seized and beheaded, which caused Zhu Quanzhong's army to lose morale, so Zhu Quanzhong, after killing Liu and He Huaibao, withdrew. However, he left Ge to continue to watch Yan, but Zhu Jin defended the city and refused to engage Ge. Later in the year, when Ge was set to withdraw, he tricked Zhu Jin into believing that Hedong and Tianping aid forces were arriving; Zhu Jin thus came out of the city to attack, and Ge defeated him before withdrawing.
It was said that, by this point, with Tianping and Taining repeatedly under Xuanwu attack, both circuits had been laid waste. They again sought aid from Li Keyong, and Li Keyong sent the officers Li Chengsi (李承嗣) and Shi Yan (史儼) to aid them, going through Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) with the permission of Weibo's military governor Luo Hongxin
Luo Hongxin
Luo Hongxin , courtesy name Defu , formally Prince Zhuangsu of Beiping , was a warlord in the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Weibo Circuit as its military governor after seizing control in 888 after taking advantage of the soldiers' discontent with the prior military governor...
. However, a subsequently Hedong relief force commanded by Li Keyong's adoptive son Li Cunxin (李存信) angered Luo by pillaging the Weibo countryside; Luo fought back and defeated Li Cunxin, and further entered into an alliance with Zhu Quanzhong. When Li Keyong himself then attacked Weibo, the joint Weibo/Xuanwu forces defeated him. Thereafter, no further relief aid would be able to come through from Hedong, and Tianping and Taining grew weaker and weaker.
In 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
, Pang and Ge jointly attacked Tianping's capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州) and captured it. Zhu Xuan tried to flee but was captured and delivered to Zhu Quanzhong to be executed. Meanwhile, Zhu Jin, running low on food supplies himself, left his officer Kang Huaizhen (康懷貞) in charge of Yan and headed south with Li Chengsi and Shi to raid the former Ganhua Circuit (now renamed Wuning Circuit) for food. When Zhu Quanzhong heard this, he sent Ge to launch a surprise attack on Yan. Kang surrendered, leaving Zhu Jin without a base to return to. When he tried to head for Yi Prefecture (沂州, in modern Linyi
Linyi
Linyi is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The largest prefecture-level city in Shandong both by area and total population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo to the north, Tai'an to the northwest, Jining to the...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
), the prefect Yin Chubin (尹處賓) refused to receive him. He, Shi, and Li Chengsi had to further flee to Hai Prefecture (海州, in modern Lianyungang
Lianyungang
Lianyungang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). Faced with the prospect of further Xuanwu attack, they crossed the Huai River
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
into Huainan Circuit to submit to Huainan's military governor Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
. Yang was very pleased, and he personally went to Gaoyou (高郵, in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) to welcome them. He bestowed on Zhu Jin the title of military governor of Wuning (i.e., not giving him a title that was inferior to his own) and also gave Shi and Li Chengsi honored titles. It was said that, previously, the Huainan forces were only familiar with water combat; now, with the infusion of Tianping, Taining, and Hedong army soldiers, the Huainan army's land combat capabilities were greatly enhanced. (Zhu Jin's wife was captured and initially taken by Zhu Quanzhong as a concubine, but soon thereafter, under persuasion by his wife Lady Zhang
Lady Zhang (Zhu Quanzhong)
Lady Zhang , titled Lady of Wei during her lifetime, later posthumously honored initially as Consort Zhang with the imperial consort title Xianfei then as Empress Yuanzhen , was the wife of Zhu Quanzhong, a major warlord at the end of the Chinese dynasty Tang...
, Zhu Quanzhong allowed Zhu Jin's wife to become a Buddhist nun. Zhu Jin himself would marry the daughter of the Huainan general Tao Ya (陶雅) as his new wife sometime after he arrived in Huainan.)
As Huainan/Wu/Hongnong general
The newly constituted Huainan troops would soon be under severe test. Zhu Quanzhong, having conquered Tianping and Taining, decided to make Huainan his next target, so he gathered his available forces and sent Pang Shigu with 70,000 soldiers from Xuanwu and Ganhua Circuits to Qingkou (清口, in modern Huai'anHuai'an
Huai'an , known as Huaiyin before 2001, is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu province of Eastern China. It borders Suqian to the northwest, Lianyungang to the north, Yancheng to the east, Yangzhou to the southeast, and the province of Anhui to the southwest.The municipality has 4,799,889...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), posturing to head to Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture; Ge Congzhou with the forces from Tianping and Taining Circuits to Anfeng (安豐, in modern Lu'an
Lu'an
Lu'an , is a prefecture-level city in western Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, with a population of 5,612,590 inhabitants at 2010 census. Its built up area is home to 1,482,729 inhabitants spread out on 2 urban districts...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
), posturing to head to Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an); and Zhu Quanzhong himself with his main forces to Su Prefecture (宿州, in modern Suzhou). The people of Huainan Circuit was greatly shocked and dismayed by Zhu's forces. However, Pang, because he had such an impressive force, underestimated Yang Xingmi's army. Yang Xingmi had Zhu Jin serve as his advance commander, and Zhu constructed a dam on the Huai River. When Yang Xingmi attacked Pang, Zhu released the waters to flood Pang's army, and then attacked Pang with Yang. Pang's army was crushed by the waters and the Huainan forces, and Pang was killed. Zhu Yanshou also defeated Ge's army. Hearing that both of his generals had been defeated, Zhu Quanzhong also retreated. This battle thus affirmed Yang's control of the territory between the Huai and the Yangtze Rivers.
In 899
899
Year 899 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex.* Regino of Prüm is expelled from Prüm and becomes abbot of St...
, Yang and Zhu Jin attacked Xu Prefecture. Zhu Quanzhong initially sent Zhang Guihou (張歸厚) to relieve the attack on Xu, and then also led an army himself. When Yang and Zhu Jin heard that Zhu Quanzhong was about to arrive, they withdrew.
In 902
902
Year 902 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* August 1 – Taormina, the last Byzantine stronghold in Sicily, is captured by the Aghlabid army....
, after Emperor Zhaozong had been forcibly taken to Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), then ruled by Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
, by the eunuch Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. The struggles by the eunuchs, led by him, against the chancellor Cui Yin, who wanted to eliminate the powerful eunuchs, led to the eunuchs' kidnapping of Emperor Zhaozong and then a major military confrontation between two...
. Zhu Quanzhong, who had been summoned to the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
by the chancellor Cui Yin
Cui Yin
Cui Yin , courtesy name Chuixiu , nickname Zilang , formally the Duke of Wei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, put Fengxiang Circuit's capital Fengxiang Municipality under siege. Emperor Zhaozong sent the Zhang Yan, the son of the former chancellor Zhang Jun, on whom he bestowed the imperial clan surname of Li (and thereafter, Zhang Yan was known as Li Yan), to Huainan as an imperial emissary. Li Yan bestowed the title of supreme commander of the southeastern circuits on Yang and created him the Prince of Wu, ordering him to attack Zhu Quanzhong. As part of the order, Zhu Jin was given the title of military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
Weifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) (which was then under the rule of Wang Shifan
Wang Shifan
Wang Shifan was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Pinglu Circuit from 889 to 905...
). Yang also bestowed on Zhu Jin the title of deputy supreme commander of the southeastern circuits. After Yang died in 905
905
Year 905 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Abbasid Caliphate re-establishes control of Egypt from the Tulunids.- Asia :...
and was succeeded by his son Yang Wo (who carried the title of Prince of Hongnong), Zhu Jin continued to carry the title of deputy supreme commander — a title that he continued to carry after Yang Wo was assassinated in 908
908
Year 908 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Battle of Belach Mugna is fought.* Zhu Wen kills the last Tang Dynasty emperor.- Deaths :* Al-Muktafi, Abbasid caliph...
by the officers Zhang Hao
Zhang Hao (Wu)
Zhang Hao was a guard commander for late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty warlord Yang Xingmi the Prince of Wu, who was the military governor of Huainan Circuit , and Yang Xingmi's son Yang Wo early in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period...
and Xu Wen
Xu Wen
Xu Wen , born April 13, 1986 in Shanghai), is a versatile Chinese footballer, who plays as either a defensive midfielder or defender for Nanchang Bayi.-Club career:...
and succeeded by his younger brother Yang Longyan. (Xu killed Zhang soon after their assassination of Yang Wo, and while thereafter Yang Longyan was prince, Xu effectively controlled the governance of the Wu state — which was an independent by that point after Zhu Quanzhong usurped the Tang throne in 907
907
Year 907 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Oleg leads the Kievan Rus' in a campaign against Constantinople ....
and established Later Liang Dynasty
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
as its Emperor Taizu, a title that Yang Wo and his successors refused to recognize.)
Around the new year 914
914
Year 914 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* February 6 – the Fatimid general, Husaba of the Kutama Berber tribe, takes Barqah ....
, the Later Liang general Wang Jingren attacked Wu, to try to capture Wu's Shou and Lu (廬州, in modern Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) Prefectures. Xu and Zhu Jin engaged Wang at Zhaobu (趙步, in modern Lu'an) and found themselves outnumbered, but Xu, with the assistance of the officer Chen Shao (陳紹), defeated Wang. Wang withdrew with heavy losses.
Late in 914, then-Later Liang emperor Zhu Youzhen (Zhu Quanzhong's son) tried to replace Wang Yin (王殷) the military governor of Wuning (who had been commissioned by his predecessor and older brother Zhu Yougui, who had assassinated Zhu Quanzhong and taken the throne but was soon overthrown by Zhu Youzhen) with his cousin Zhu Youzhang (朱友璋). Wang Yin, in fear, submitted to Wu and sought aid from Wu. Zhu Jin thereafter led a relief force to try to save Wang Yin, but he was intercepted and defeated by the Later Liang generals Niu Cunjie (牛存節) and Liu Xun; he thereafter withdrew. Niu and Liu thereafter captured Xu Prefecture, and Wang and his family members committed suicide.
By 916
916
Year 916 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abaoji of the Khitan empire adopts Chinese court rituals....
, Xu Wen, who was still in control of Wu's governance, had removed himself from Yang Prefecture and permanently stationed himself at Sheng Prefecture (昇州, in modern Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), leaving his oldest son Xu Zhixùn
Xu Zhixùn
Xu Zhixùn was the oldest biological son of Xu Wen, the regent of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Wu. He served as the junior regent from 915 to his death in 918, with his father stationing himself at Jinling away from the capital Guangling...
in charge at Yang Prefecture. That year, the officers Ma Qian (馬謙) and Li Qiu (李球) seized Yang Longyan and launched their troops to attack Xu Zhixùn. Xu Zhixùn was fearful and decided to flee, but was dissuaded by the official Yan Keqiu, and their opposing camps settled in that night. The next day, Zhu Jin, who had been stationed at Run Prefecture (潤州, in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). Looking at Ma's and Li's camp, Zhu assured Xu Zhixùn that there was nothing to be concerned about, and he yelled at Ma's and Li's troops; in fear, Ma's and Li's troops disassembled, and they were captured and executed.
In winter 916, with Li Keyong's son and successor Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin requesting Wu to enter an alliance to jointly attack Later Liang, Xu Zhixùn and Zhu Jin led troops north toward Song (宋州, in modern Shangqiu
Shangqiu
Shangqiu is a city in eastern Henan province, Central China. It borders Kaifeng to the northwest, Zhoukou to the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Anhui to the northeast and southeast respectively. An ancient city with a rich history, Shangqiu was also the first capital of the Shang...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) and Bo (亳州, in modern Bozhou
Bozhou
Bozhou is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, People's Republic of China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and the province of Henan to the north.-Administration:...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) Prefectures. They crossed the Huai River and put Ying Prefecture (潁州, in modern Fuyang
Fuyang
Fuyang may refer to:*Fuyang, Anhui , prefecture-level city in Anhui, China** the Fuyang meteorite of 1977, which fell in Anhui, China *Fuyang, Zhejiang , county-level city in Zhejiang, China...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) under siege. In spring 917
917
Year 917 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Great Yue Kingdom, later renamed Southern Han, is founded by Liu Yan in Guangdong and Guangxi.- Europe :...
, however, after Zhu Youzhen dispatched the general Yuan Xiangxian (袁象先) to aid Ying Prefecture, the Wu troops withdrew.
Death
As of 918918
Year 918 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Taebong has been overthrown, and Goryeo established in the Korean peninsula, when Wang Kon ascends the throne at Cheorwon.* The Khitan empire's government occupies a newly walled capital city called Shangjing,...
, Xu Zhixùn had become so arrogant and so unreasonable in his actions that he was even openly humiliating Yang Longyan, who was his sovereign. Meanwhile, the relationship between Zhu Jin and Xu Zhixùn, apparently initially cordial, had become frayed over a series of incidents — including an occasion when Xu Zhixùn tried to rape one of Zhu's maid servants, and Xu Zhixùn's display of displeasure over Zhu's having a greater title (deputy supreme commander) than he did. He therefore established a Jinghuai Circuit (靜淮) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an) and made Zhu the military governor, to send Zhu away from the capital Jiangdu (i.e., Yang Prefecture). Zhu became hateful of Xu Zhixùn as well, but outwardly pretended to continue to honor Xu Zhixùn.
As Zhu was (outwardly) preparing to leave Jiangdu, Xu Zhixùn went to bid him farewell. Zhu held a feast for him, offered him wine, had Zhu's favorite concubine come outside to greet him and sing for him, and presented Zhu's favorite horse as a gift to him. Zhu then invited him into the middle of Zhu's mansion, where Zhu's wife Lady Tao came out to greet him as well as a sign of respect. Xu Zhixùn was pleased and took no further precautions, while Zhu already had his elite guards surround the hall. As Lady Tao bowed to Xu Zhixùn and he bowed back, Zhu struck him and, as he fell to the ground, Zhu's elite soldiers entered and cut off his head. After Zhu took the head and showed them to Xu Zhixùn's soldiers, they all fled. Zhu then entered the palace and showed the head to Yang Longyan, expecting Yang Longyan to be pleased and go along with his actions, stating to Yang Longyan, "I, your servant, have destroyed a harm to the state for Your Royal Highness." Instead, Yang Longyan responded with horror, covered his face, and stated: "You, uncle, have to bear this alone; this has nothing to do with me." (Yang Longyan referred to Zhu Jin as uncle because Yang Xingmi's wife (Zhu Yanshou's sister) was also surnamed Zhu, albeit not in reality related to Zhu Jin, although Yang Longyan was not born of Lady Zhu.) Zhu, in anger, stated, "You son of a maid cannot accomplish great things." He threw Xu Zhixùn's head against a pillar, and then was ready to exit the palace. However, by this point, Xu Wen's officer Zhai Qian (翟虔) had already deployed his soldiers around the palace. Zhu tried to climb down the palace walls, but fell and broke his leg. As soldiers approached him, he stated, "I have destroyed a harm for tens of thousands of people, and I will suffer the consequences alone." He then killed himself with his sword. After his death, Xu Wen threw his body into a pond near the capital and slaughtered his family members, although later, after Xu Wen's adoptive son Xu Zhigao
Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang
Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang , also known as Xianzhu of Southern Tang , personal name Li Bian , earlier also known as Xu Zhigao , courtesy name Zhenglun , nickname Pengnu , was the founder of the Southern Tang kingdom, one of the most successful of the Ten Kingdoms of the...
informed Xu Wen of the inappropriate deeds that Xu Zhixùn had been carrying out, Xu Wen had Zhu's body recovered from the pond and buried.