Liangzhou Splinters Into Rival States

Later Yan split into Southern Yan and Northern Yan. At the same time, the northwest was being pulled apart too.

Liangzhou, the Hexi corridor, and the surrounding regions became a crowded field of Later Liang, Southern Liang, Northern Liang, Western Liang, Western Qin, and Later Qin.

Later Liang Attacks Western Qin

After Lu Guang founded Later Liang, the direction he most wanted to open was eastward toward the Central Plains.

But Western Qin stood in the way. The Qifu clan controlled it, blocking Later Liang's route toward Guanzhong.

An opportunity seemed to appear when the Western Qin ruler Qifu Guoren died and his younger brother Qifu Gangui succeeded him. Lu Guang judged that a newly enthroned ruler would be vulnerable and launched several routes against Western Qin.

Lu Yan, a fierce Later Liang general, advanced with great momentum. Most Western Qin advisers told Qifu Gangui to avoid the first blow. Qifu Gangui disagreed. He believed Lu Yan was likely to underestimate him, so he set an ambush in a valley.

Lu Yan entered the valley with 8,000 cavalry and little caution. Western Qin sealed both ends and rained arrows into the trapped force. Lu Yan and almost all his men were destroyed.

Lu Guang withdrew after hearing that Lu Yan had died. Qifu Gangui counterattacked and recovered much lost ground.

Later Liang's first major attack on Qin had become a crippling defeat.

Southern Liang Rises

News of Lu Yan's death spread quickly. Tribes around Later Liang began to stir.

They had submitted because Lu Guang had prestige and Later Liang's army looked strong. Once Liang lost badly to Western Qin, everyone recalculated.

The most important group was the Tufa Xianbei, active in southern Gansu. When Lu Guang founded Later Liang, Tufa Wugu had submitted to him.

After the defeat, Tufa Wugu judged that the moment had come. With Xiping as his base, he called himself King of Xiping and founded Southern Liang.

Lu Guang sent forces to suppress him, but the Later Liang army was defeated on the way. Many cities turned toward Southern Liang. Tufa Wugu then moved his capital to Ledu, inserting himself between Western Qin and Later Liang.

Tufa Wugu later died after a fall from a horse, and his younger brother Tufa Lilugu succeeded him. Southern Liang remained a dangerous southwestern rival to Later Liang.

Before Later Liang could recover, another state appeared in the north.

Northern Liang Breaks Out of Later Liang

Northern Liang also began with Lu Yan's death.

Juqu Luochou, a Xiongnu tribal leader, had followed Lu Yan against Western Qin. After the defeat, Lu Guang blamed him.

Before Juqu Luochou could defend himself, Lu Guang killed him. His nephew Juqu Mengxun rose in revolt, and his cousin Juqu Nancheng joined him. They began attacking Later Liang's Jiuquan.

Duan Ye, the governor of Jiuquan, had originally been a Later Liang official pushed out from the capital. At first he wanted to resist. Juqu Nancheng urged him to hand over the city and let the rebels support him as leader.

Duan Ye accepted. He called himself chief commander and governor of Liangzhou, set his capital at Zhangye, and founded the state known as Northern Liang.

Liangzhou immediately became crowded. Later Liang, Western Qin, Southern Liang, Northern Liang, and Later Qin all operated nearby. They formed alliances, then broke them. Every Later Liang campaign seemed to shrink its territory further.

Lu Guang died not long afterward.

Later Liang Brothers Kill Each Other

After Lu Guang's death, his crown prince Lu Shao took the throne. Two older brothers, Lu Zuan and Lu Hong, held real power.

Lu Shao feared them so much that he even told Lu Zuan he was willing to yield the throne.

Lu Zuan acted outraged, saying Lu Shao was the legitimate heir and that he would never usurp him. Then he left. Lu Guang's nephew Lu Chao saw the danger and warned Lu Shao that Lu Zuan held troops and would eventually rebel.

Lu Shao refused to shed family blood. He said he lacked ability and still needed his brothers. If they wanted the throne, he would give it.

That night, Lu Zuan and Lu Hong attacked the palace gates. Most guards fled.

Lu Shao was forced to kill himself. Lu Zuan took the throne. He first rewarded Lu Hong, then soon suspected him. Lu Hong tried to move first, but was defeated and killed.

Lu Zuan had finally secured the throne, but he was now isolated. He later gave himself to drinking and neglected government. Royal relatives acted recklessly.

Once, Lu Chao sent troops without permission to plunder Xianbei inside the realm. When complaints came, Lu Zuan cursed him and threatened to kill him. Lu Chao believed the threat. He joined with his brother Lu Long, got Lu Zuan drunk, and arranged an ambush.

Lu Chao stabbed Lu Zuan as his carriage passed. Lu Zuan died. Lu Chao did not want to rule, so he gave the position to Lu Long.

After these cycles of internal killing, Later Liang no longer had the strength to control the surrounding states.

Western Liang Separates

Northern Liang was not stable either.

After Duan Ye founded Northern Liang, he appointed Li Gao to Dunhuang. Song Yao became Li Gao's adviser.

Another official, Suo Si, wanted the Dunhuang post and stirred suspicion between Duan Ye and Li Gao. Duan Ye lacked judgment and sent Suo Si to seize Li Gao.

When Suo Si reached Dunhuang, Li Gao first planned to go out and meet him. Song Yao stopped him. Northern Liang politics were corrupt, and Duan Ye was weak. Li Gao should not hand himself over to be bound.

Li Gao listened and attacked Suo Si. Suo Si fled with remnants. The next day, Li Gao petitioned for Suo Si's execution. Duan Ye again let himself be led and ordered Suo Si killed. He also promoted Li Gao.

Li Gao used the moment to call himself Duke of Liang and stop obeying Northern Liang. This became Western Liang.

Duan Ye then grew suspicious of his own ministers. The most capable was Juqu Mengxun, and he became the main target.

Juqu Mengxun already wanted a coup. He urged Juqu Nancheng to overthrow Duan Ye and take power himself. Nancheng refused.

Mengxun found another path. He asked to become governor of Anxi, and Duan Ye happily sent him away. Once there, Mengxun invited Nancheng to ancestral rites, then secretly told Duan Ye that Nancheng was plotting rebellion.

Duan Ye believed him and ambushed Nancheng on the road. Nancheng was captured and forced to kill himself.

Before dying, Nancheng understood that Mengxun had used him. He advised Duan Ye to falsely announce his death and lure Mengxun into revolt, then use him to suppress it. Duan Ye did not trust the advice and killed him anyway.

Mengxun immediately rose in the name of avenging Nancheng. Counties along the way answered. Soon Duan Ye was captured.

Duan Ye knelt and begged for life, saying he would surrender the state if he could return home to see his wife. Mengxun did not spare him. Duan Ye was killed, and Juqu Mengxun became the ruler of Northern Liang.

Later Qin Takes Western Qin

As the Liang states fought one another, the main beneficiary was Later Qin under Yao Xing.

After years of recovery, Guanzhong had stabilized, and expansion returned to the agenda. The north was hard because of Northern Wei. The south was hard because of Eastern Jin. The west, full of Liang states and Western Qin, looked more reachable.

Yao Xing first targeted Western Qin. He personally led 100,000 soldiers against Qifu Gangui.

Qifu Gangui wanted to lure Qin deeper and fight on the plains, so he led more than 60,000 cavalry toward Longxi at night. But a storm struck during the night march. The troops lost their way and wandered into the Later Qin camp.

Yao Xing did not miss the gift. Western Qin was badly defeated, and Qifu Gangui fled back to Yuanchuan.

Later Qin pursued. Qifu Gangui had little strength left. He abandoned the city and decided that continued fighting meant only defeat. He surrendered.

Western Qin ended for the moment. Yao Xing appointed Qifu Gangui to office and allowed him to command old followers at Yuanchuan.

Later Liang Is Carried Away

After taking Western Qin, Later Qin looked for its next target.

Li Gao of Western Liang, Juqu Mengxun of Northern Liang, and Tufa Lilugu of Southern Liang all acknowledged Yao Xing and agreed that Later Liang's endless internal disorder made it ready to be taken.

Yao Xing sent Yao Shuode with 60,000 troops against Guzang. The newly surrendered Qifu Gangui also joined with 7,000 cavalry.

The Later Qin army met little effective resistance and quickly surrounded Guzang. Later Liang lost badly outside the city, and Lu Long and Lu Chao fled back inside.

After a month of siege, Guzang was frightened and near hunger. Later Liang ministers urged Lu Long to seek peace. Lu Chao also advised him to send the enemy away before food ran out.

Lu Long sent gifts, asked for peace, and offered his son as hostage. Yao Shuode was also short of supplies, so he accepted. Yao Xing granted Lu Long titles and let him remain in Guzang.

On the surface, Later Liang still existed. In reality, it had become a Later Qin dependent.

Then Yao Xing looked toward Northern Wei.

In 402, he sent his brother Yao Ping across the Yellow River with 40,000 troops and followed with the main force. Tuoba Gui moved to answer. Wei captured Qin scouts, learned Yao Ping's position, and surrounded him east of the Fen River at Chaibi.

Yao Xing hurried to rescue him, but Tuoba Gui had built walls and floating bridges. Yao Xing tried to break through at Mengkeng and was beaten back. Attempts to destroy Wei's river bridges failed.

Yao Ping was trapped for more than sixty days. His food ran out. Night breakouts failed. At last he jumped into the river with his officers, and more than 20,000 men were captured.

Yao Xing withdrew and sought peace. Northern Wei did not immediately let him off. He survived only by holding firm and asking the Rouran to pressure Wei from the north.

Later Qin passed the crisis, but Northern Wei had checked its push northwest.

Soon Liangzhou moved again. Lu Long heard that Later Qin had lost to Wei and thought about breaking free. Southern Liang and Northern Liang also acted. The Southern Liang ruler Tufa Rutan aimed at Guzang, and Juqu Mengxun joined in.

Lu Long gained nothing. Pressed by Southern Liang and Northern Liang, he hid in Guzang with Lu Chao until food ran out and asked Yao Xing for help.

Yao Xing sent Qi Nan with 40,000 troops. Southern Liang and Northern Liang withdrew. Qi Nan then appointed someone else to hold Guzang and moved Lu Long, Lu Chao, their families, and surviving civilians to Chang'an.

Lu Long was stunned. Qi Nan explained that Guzang was too dangerous and that the emperor was bringing him to Chang'an for safety.

Lu Long had no answer. He went to Chang'an. Later Liang ended.

Liangzhou had split again and again. Later Qin briefly became the strongest northwestern power. But this strong-looking Later Qin would later be swallowed by Eastern Jin.