Why Wei Xiao Wavered Between Liu Xiu and Gongsun Shu

In Longyou, Wei Xiao watched Liu Xiu and Gongsun Shu while trying not to lose his own territory or bargaining power.

After the east gradually settled, Liu Xiu turned his eyes west. Two problems remained there. One was Gongsun Shu, who had taken the imperial title in Chengdu. The other was Wei Xiao, who held Longyou.

Wei Xiao of Longyou

Wei Xiao was from Tianshui. He came from a powerful local family, had served in regional offices when young, and later studied in Chang'an under the famous classicist Liu Xin.

When the realm fell into chaos, Wei Xiao returned home. His uncles Wei Cui and Wei Yi wanted to raise troops in response to the Gengshi regime and oppose Wang Mang. At first Wei Xiao did not agree. The situation was unclear, and once a clan entered military affairs, the cost could be bloodshed or even destruction.

But his uncles had already gathered several thousand men, and the matter could not be reversed. The followers believed Wei Xiao had reputation and learning, so they pushed him forward as General-in-Chief. He refused at first, but finally accepted.

When the Gengshi Emperor's power seemed strong, Wei Xiao submitted and was made General of the Right. Later his two uncles wanted to rebel against Gengshi. Wei Xiao reported them. Liu Xuan praised him for placing righteousness above family and promoted him to Imperial Censor.

When the Red Eyebrows approached Chang'an, Zhang Ang, Wei Xiao, Shentu Jian, and others once planned to seize the Gengshi Emperor and flee. The plan failed. Shentu Jian was killed, and Wei Xiao escaped Chang'an, returned to Tianshui, gathered followers again, and called himself General-in-Chief of the Western Province.

Many scholar-officials from the Three Capital Region fled west to escape war and joined Wei Xiao. He treated people modestly, and figures such as Zheng Xing, Shentu Gang, Ma Yuan, Yang Guang, Wang Zun, and Ban Biao served around him. His reputation spread from Longyou east of the Xiao Mountains.

Liu Xiu Extended a Hand

While Wei Xiao built his position in Longyou, Liu Xiu defeated the Red Eyebrows and founded Eastern Han. Wei Xiao had originally raised troops under the banner of restoring Han. Now that Liu Xiu, a Liu clansman, had rebuilt the Han state, the question of submission could not be avoided.

In Jianwu year two, one of Deng Yu's Feng-family commanders defected to Tianshui. Wei Xiao intercepted him and captured supplies and horses. Deng Yu thought Wei Xiao could be drawn closer and gave him the seals of General-in-Chief of the Western Province.

That winter, Wei Xiao also ambushed Red Eyebrow troops moving west from Chang'an. This brought him nearer to Liu Xiu's Jianwu regime.

But the relationship was still not true ruler and subject. It was closer to cooperation. Wei Xiao remained a regional power in Longyou, and Liu Xiu could not tolerate such semi-independent forces forever if he wanted a unified state.

In the winter of Jianwu year three, Liu Xiu sent Lai Xi as envoy to Longyou. Wei Xiao had already served the Gengshi court and accepted offices from the Jianwu court. Many advisers around him also urged that he maintain ties with Luoyang.

Wei Xiao sent a memorial to Luoyang. Liu Xiu replied with great courtesy, using Wei Xiao's courtesy name rather than his personal name, almost as if treating him as a regional lord. At the same time, Lu Wei held tens of thousands of troops in Guanzhong, communicated with Gongsun Shu, and harassed the Three Capital Region. Wei Xiao sent troops to help Feng Yi drive Lu Wei away.

Liu Xiu wrote personally, saying Feng Yi could stabilize the region with a small force only because of Wei Xiao's help. He also hoped they would correspond directly and not believe slander.

Wei Xiao was naturally pleased.

After that, Gongsun Shu sent troops north several times, and Wei Xiao joined Feng Yi in defeating them. Gongsun Shu then sent envoys with seals naming Wei Xiao Grand Minister of Works and King Who Supports Peace, trying to pull him into the Chengdu camp. Wei Xiao killed the envoys and attacked Shu forces. Gongsun Shu's power retreated back into Shu and did not dare move north lightly.

Ma Yuan Compared Two Emperors

Wei Xiao helped Liu Xiu on the surface, but his mind kept wavering. He did not want to fully join Gongsun Shu, but he also did not want to submit completely to Liu Xiu. Most of all, he could not give up his territory.

To understand the situation, he sent Ma Yuan first to Chengdu to see Gongsun Shu, then to Luoyang to see Liu Xiu. Ma Yuan became, in effect, Wei Xiao's observer of the two emperors.

In Jianwu year five, Liu Xiu sent Lai Xi with an imperial staff to escort Ma Yuan back to Longyou. Wei Xiao stayed close to Ma Yuan day and night, asking about Luoyang.

Ma Yuan said he had met the emperor several times, and each time they talked from night until dawn. Liu Xiu was intelligent, decisive, broad-minded, and orderly in government.

Wei Xiao did not like hearing this. He asked how Liu Xiu compared with Gaozu, the founder of Han.

Ma Yuan quickly said he was not equal to Gaozu. Gaozu was relaxed and free in manner, while the present emperor loved handling government, acted according to law, and did not enjoy drinking. He could not be compared with Gaozu's expansive style.

Ma Yuan was trying to leave Wei Xiao a step down. But Wei Xiao became even more unhappy. If that was so, he asked, was Ma Yuan not saying the present emperor was better than Gaozu?

Ma Yuan's meaning was clear. Liu Xiu had the bearing of a true Son of Heaven. Wei Xiao did not want to rely on one person's view, so he summoned Ban Biao.

Ban Biao Warned Against an Old Dream

Wei Xiao asked Ban Biao a careful question. After the Zhou royal house declined, the Warring States powers rose, and only after generations was unity restored. Today there were many heroes in the world. Could there be another age of alliances and counter-alliances?

The question was polite, but the meaning was plain: could Wei Xiao also become a regional hegemon?

Ban Biao knew the classics and histories well. He answered at once. Zhou and Han were different. The Zhou system had long been built on enfeoffed lords. Once the royal house weakened, the states naturally grew. But Han had governed through commanderies and counties. People under Heaven still saw Han as the legitimate order. After Wang Mang usurped the throne, rebels everywhere borrowed the name of Liu imperial descent because people's hearts still leaned toward Han.

Wei Xiao was not convinced. When Qin lost the empire, he argued, did the people already know Han would win? Did not the realm go to whoever had the stronger fist?

He still believed that with Longyou's terrain and his troops, he could stand between Liu Xiu and Gongsun Shu, perhaps even divide the realm into three.

To strengthen that position, Wei Xiao repeatedly tried to persuade Dou Rong in Hexi to join him in checking Liu Xiu. Liu Xiu was also working to win Dou Rong.

Dou Rong gathered local leaders to discuss the choice. They concluded that Liu Xiu had the largest territory, strongest troops, strictest commands, and the Han name. He was the one most likely to succeed. Dou Rong therefore decided to submit to Luoyang.

Liu Xiu's edict to Dou Rong was measured. He said Yi Province had Gongsun Shu and Tianshui had Wei Xiao; the two checked each other, and victory or defeat might depend on Dou Rong's decision. If Dou Rong wanted to support Han, he could win merit like Duke Huan of Qi or Duke Wen of Jin. If he wanted to use the unsettled world to build for himself, he should decide early.

That edict pushed Dou Rong to the point of choice. Once Dou Rong turned to Luoyang, Wei Xiao's support in the northwest was cut.

The Temptation to Be King

Wei Xiao still did not read the situation clearly. He often compared himself to King Wen of Zhou and discussed with his generals whether he should take the title of king.

Zheng Xing advised him against it. King Wen of Zhou controlled two-thirds of the realm and still served Shang in name. Gaozu fought for years but still raised troops under the banner of righteousness. Wei Xiao did not have Zhou's deep moral foundation or Gaozu's military achievements. If he forced the royal title, disaster would only come faster.

Wei Xiao temporarily gave up the idea.

Later he created many offices and built something close to an imperial framework. Zheng Xing warned him again. Titles such as palace gentlemen, senior grand masters, and envoys with staffs were not things an ordinary subject could freely appoint. Doing so brought no practical help and only damaged loyalty.

Wei Xiao disliked the advice but had to stop.

Liu Xiu knew Wei Xiao had good ties with Lai Xi and Ma Yuan, so he repeatedly sent them to urge him to come to Luoyang and promised high rank. Wei Xiao kept sending envoys to say he had no merit and would retire home after the four directions were pacified.

Liu Xiu then had Lai Xi urge Wei Xiao to send his eldest son to court as a hostage. Seeing Liu Yong and Peng Chong defeated one after another, Wei Xiao realized his room was shrinking and sent his son to Luoyang.

But sending a son as hostage did not mean true submission. Many clear-eyed people around Wei Xiao already saw that Longyou could not last. Zheng Xing used the chance to escort Wei Xiao's son and asked leave to return home to bury his parents. Ma Yuan also brought his family along and left Wei Xiao for Luoyang.

Wang Yuan Offered Another Road

Others urged Wei Xiao to keep his separate base. The general Wang Yuan argued that victory in the realm was still uncertain. Wei Xiao should not listen to scholars and hand over a whole regional foundation.

Wang Yuan reminded him that when the Gengshi Emperor settled in Chang'an, everyone had thought peace was near, yet the regime collapsed so badly it had almost nowhere to stand. Now Gongsun Shu held the south, Lu Fang held the north, and more than ten men still called themselves kings or dukes. Longyou's territory was intact, its troops were strong, and it had natural defenses. Wei Xiao should hold the passes, train troops, and wait for changes in the wider world.

This advice struck exactly where Wei Xiao's heart already leaned. Though he had sent his eldest son to Luoyang, he still wanted to rely on Longyou's powerful families and terrain to preserve his position.

In Jianwu year six, Liu Xiu, tired of years of war, hoped to persuade Wei Xiao and Gongsun Shu by letter. Gongsun Shu was already emperor in Chengdu and ignored him. Wei Xiao also gave no clear answer.

Liu Xiu then ordered Wei Xiao to send troops from Tianshui to attack Gongsun Shu. Wei Xiao submitted excuses. He knew that if he truly attacked Gongsun Shu, he would break with Shu. And if Gongsun Shu were destroyed, Longyou would be next.

By then Liu Xiu fully understood that Wei Xiao would not serve him.

Lai Xi Nearly Drew His Sword

In the summer of Jianwu year six, Liu Xiu went to Chang'an and paid respects at the Han imperial mausoleums. Then he sent Gai Yan and six other generals through Longxi, officially to attack Gongsun Shu. He also sent Lai Xi with an imperial edict to Wei Xiao, demanding a clear position.

Wei Xiao read the edict and hesitated for a long time. Lai Xi became furious. He rebuked him: the emperor had believed Wei Xiao understood right and wrong, success and failure, and therefore wrote to him personally. Wei Xiao claimed loyalty and had sent a son as hostage, yet now listened to petty men. Did he want his whole clan destroyed?

As the argument sharpened, Lai Xi stepped forward and almost drew his sword to kill Wei Xiao. Wei Xiao hurried into the rear hall and called his followers to surround Lai Xi's carriage.

Someone reminded Wei Xiao that his eldest son was still in Luoyang. If he killed a Han envoy, his son's life would be lost too.

Only then did Wei Xiao let Lai Xi leave.

After this, there was no room left between the two sides. Wei Xiao raised troops against Liu Xiu. Gai Yan's army suffered an early defeat and had to withdraw.

Longyou had finally placed itself openly against Luoyang. But how long could Wei Xiao hold with only this region? And would Gongsun Shu in Chengdu truly become his ally? Next, Liu Xiu would have to take Longyou before looking toward Ba-Shu.