How Emperor Guangwu Cleared Early Eastern Han Rebellions

The Eastern Han had been founded, but local separatists still had to be defeated one campaign at a time.

After the Red Eyebrows surrendered, the great wave of peasant rebellion that had swept the realm was mostly over. But from Luoyang, Liu Xiu still controlled only the central zones north and south of the Yellow River with real confidence.

Around him, separatist powers remained. And before he could finish them off, trouble started in his own backyard.

Nanyang Caught Fire First

The first fire broke out in Nanyang, Liu Xiu's home commandery. The man who led it was Deng Feng.

Deng Feng was not an outsider. He was a kinsman of the great general Deng Yu, the nephew of Liu Xiu's second brother-in-law, and an early follower of the Liu brothers. He had made real contributions in the battle of Kunyang. After Liu Xiu became emperor, Deng Feng rose through merit to become General Who Breaks the Caitiffs.

Why would such a man rebel?

The cause lay with Wu Han's army.

During the campaigns against the Red Eyebrows, Liu Xiu had sent Wu Han to operate around Wan and Xinye. Wu Han could fight, but his troops had terrible discipline. In wartime, armies short of grain often plundered. This time, however, Wu Han's men plundered Liu Xiu's own home region.

Around the eighth and ninth months of Jianwu year two, Wu Han's troops burned, killed, and looted across Nanyang and Xinye. Local people were furious but did not dare complain.

At that moment Deng Feng returned from Luoyang to Xinye to visit family with his own troops. He saw his homeland ruined and could not control his anger. Most of his men were also sons of Nanyang, and they were just as enraged.

Deng Feng ordered an attack. Wu Han's troops, busy looting and unprepared, were badly defeated. Their grain and equipment were seized.

Deng Feng had vented his anger, but he also knew he had committed a grave offense. Wu Han was one of Liu Xiu's leading commanders and would not let this pass. Deng Feng chose rebellion.

Liu Xiu Campaigned in Person

Because Nanyang was Liu Xiu's home region and Deng Feng's men were seasoned troops, the government armies did not succeed at first. Liu Xiu appointed the chamberlain for law enforcement, Cen Peng, as General Who Campaigns South and sent him with Zhu You and eight other generals.

They were defeated, and Zhu You was captured.

Seeing that Nanyang could not be quickly pacified, Liu Xiu had to lead the campaign himself. Deng Feng had fewer troops and could not resist the emperor's main army forever. With no way out, he surrendered.

Liu Xiu remembered Deng Feng's past service. He also knew the original fault lay in Wu Han's bad discipline. At first, he wanted to pardon Deng Feng.

Cen Peng and the other generals strongly opposed this. Deng Feng had betrayed imperial favor, rebelled, and forced the emperor to campaign in person. If such a man were spared, they argued, future rebellions would multiply.

Liu Xiu finally ordered Deng Feng executed in public.

After Deng Feng's rebellion, he also emphasized again that all armies had to be disciplined. The emperor had learned that disorder by his own commanders could create rebellions as dangerous as enemy armies.

Peng Chong Felt Slighted

Soon after Deng Feng was pacified, Peng Chong, governor of Yuyang, rebelled.

Peng Chong had helped Liu Xiu greatly during the campaign against Wang Lang in Handan. Yuyang had suffered less from years of war, so its storehouses were full and its troops strong. But after Liu Xiu became emperor, Peng Chong felt he had not been rewarded enough. He remained governor of Yuyang and was made a marquis, but he expected more.

His anger deepened because of Zhu Fu, the governor of Youzhou. Zhu Fu was young and eager to build a reputation. He gathered famous men into his staff and supported them with public grain and money.

Peng Chong warned him that the realm was not yet settled and the army still needed supplies. Public resources should not be wasted this way.

Zhu Fu was offended and reported secretly to Liu Xiu that Peng Chong had rebellious intentions. Liu Xiu ordered Peng Chong to come to Luoyang. Peng Chong knew Zhu Fu had accused him and feared that if he went alone he would be punished. He asked to travel with Zhu Fu.

Liu Xiu did not agree. Peng Chong became even more suspicious, thinking the emperor wanted to lure him to Luoyang and dispose of him. His wife also urged him not to leave. The realm was still unsettled, she said; Yuyang had strong troops and horses. Why abandon it because of another man's accusation?

Peng Chong gathered close followers. They all hated Zhu Fu and thought Liu Xiu had shown too little gratitude. So Peng Chong decided to rebel.

Liu Xiu still tried to calm him, sending Peng Chong's nephew with an edict of reassurance. Peng Chong had already made up his mind. He detained the nephew, forged weapons, led more than twenty thousand men against Zhu Fu's city of Ji, and divided troops to seize nearby commanderies.

To build momentum, he connected with the Xiongnu in the north and with separatist powers such as Zhang Bu in the south. In Jianwu year three, Peng Chong captured Ji and proclaimed himself King of Yan.

Peng Chong's Own Circle Turned First

Liu Xiu did not immediately crush Peng Chong with a grand campaign. The rebellion collapsed from within.

Peng Chong had several household slaves, one of whom was named Zimi. One day, while Peng Chong was asleep, they tied him to his bed. They deceived the guards outside by saying that the king was in ritual fasting and officials should rest.

Then they tricked Peng Chong's wife into entering. Peng Chong first thought they only wanted treasure and told his wife to gather gold, jade, and clothing.

Two of the men went to collect valuables, leaving one to guard him. Peng Chong promised rich rewards if the guard would loosen his bonds. The man wavered, but when he saw Zimi at the door, he did not dare act.

At midnight, the three men finished collecting valuables. They forced Peng Chong to write an order telling the gate commander to let them leave the city. Peng Chong thought they would take the money and go.

Instead, once the order was written, they killed Peng Chong and his wife, took their heads, and went to Liu Xiu.

The next day, Peng Chong's followers discovered that he was dead. Officials in Yuyang were shocked, and many submitted directly to Eastern Han. Peng Chong's rebellion ended without the large decisive battle he had imagined.

Liu Yong Remained in the East

Peng Chong had been able to threaten Liu Xiu partly because Liu Xiu's forces were scattered. In addition to Peng Chong, he faced a stronger eastern power: Liu Yong.

Liu Yong descended from King Xiao of Liang and was therefore another member of the Han imperial clan. Under the Gengshi Emperor, he had been confirmed as King of Liang and based himself at Suiyang. As the Gengshi regime fell into disorder, Liu Yong raised troops there, employed the capable fighter Zhou Jian, and captured twenty-eight cities.

He also connected with eastern separatists such as Dong Xian and Zhang Bu. In Jianwu year one, after the Gengshi regime collapsed and Liu Xiu took the imperial title, Liu Yong also proclaimed himself emperor.

In Jianwu year two, Liu Xiu sent Gai Yan, General of Tiger Fang, east against Liu Yong. Su Mao, who served in the campaign, quarreled with Gai Yan and defected to Liu Yong at the front.

In Jianwu year three, Liu Xiu again sent generals under Gai Yan's command. The Han army besieged Suiyang but could not take it quickly. Gai Yan surrounded the city while collecting grain outside it. As supplies inside ran out, the defenders grew afraid.

Gai Yan chose his moment. He brought out meat from the camp to reward the soldiers. That night the Han army raised scaling ladders and attacked. Liu Yong panicked, opened a gate, and fled. Gai Yan pursued and badly defeated his army.

Most of Liu Yong's twenty-eight cities submitted. Later Liu Xiu sent Wu Han to hold the area, and the two Han armies broke Liu Yong again. Liu Yong's own subordinate killed him and offered his head to the Han army. Suiyang surrendered.

Liu Yong's Followers Did Not Vanish

The strongest eastern separatist power had been destroyed, but Liu Yong's followers had not disappeared.

Zhou Jian and Su Mao raised Liu Yong's son Liu Yu as King of Liang and tried to revive the cause. Another commander, Jiao Qiang, continued recruiting men in support.

In Jianwu year four, Liu Xiu sent Ma Wu and Wang Ba to besiege Liu Yu and Zhou Jian. Su Mao came to rescue them but was defeated. Zhou Jian died on the road. Su Mao fled to Dong Xian, while Liu Yu joined Jiao Qiang.

In Jianwu year five, Liu Xiu sent Du Mao against Jiao Qiang. Jiao Qiang and Liu Yu fled to Dong Xian. Liu Yong's line was being worn down, but it remained entangled with Dong Xian, Su Mao, and other eastern powers.

Pang Meng Also Rebelled

At this moment, another of Liu Xiu's own commanders rebelled: Pang Meng.

Pang Meng had once been deeply trusted. Liu Xiu had publicly praised him, saying he was a man to whom one could entrust an orphaned heir and a regional mission. Later Liu Xiu appointed him General Who Pacifies the Enemy and sent him with Gai Yan against Dong Xian.

But the imperial order for the attack on Dong Xian was sent only to Gai Yan, not to Pang Meng. Pang Meng became suspicious. He thought Gai Yan had spoken against him to the emperor. On that suspicion alone, he rebelled.

When Liu Xiu heard, he was furious. He had just praised Pang Meng as trustworthy, and Pang Meng had turned at once. Liu Xiu asked the generals whether they would laugh at him for having misjudged the man. Then he said the old traitor had to be destroyed and led the campaign himself.

Dong Xian heard Liu Xiu was personally attacking Pang Meng, so he joined forces with Liu Yu, Su Mao, and Jiao Qiang to support him. Liu Xiu marched day and night to reach the front, then first held firm and refused battle, wearing down the enemy's sharpness.

When Wu Han arrived with the other generals, the Han forces joined and attacked. Pang Meng's army was badly defeated. Pang Meng, Su Mao, and Jiao Qiang abandoned baggage and fled by night. Dong Xian and Liu Yu were also defeated by Wu Han.

The Northeast Was Finally Settled

Wu Han continued the pursuit. Dong Xian's army lacked food and was attacked from several directions. His followers fled in large numbers. Jiao Qiang surrendered, and Liu Yu was killed by his own men.

By Jianwu year five, Dong Xian and Pang Meng were both caught during flight and executed by Liu Xiu's forces. The northeastern direction was finally mostly pacified.

Deng Feng, Peng Chong, Liu Yong, and Pang Meng had all represented different problems: anger caused by bad military discipline, resentment over rewards, imperial clan competition, and betrayal by trusted commanders. By crushing these rebellions and separatist powers one after another, Liu Xiu pushed Eastern Han authority far beyond Luoyang.

But the Han realm had not yet recovered the reach of its stronger days. Guanzhong and Ba-Shu were still not fully settled. Next, Liu Xiu would turn west.