We often say that Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang, the two grassroots emperors, are the winners of the "counterattack" in life. And the Yue King's practice of being able to endure the pain of lying down and tasting courage also makes people feel awe from the heart.
However, there was another monarch in Chinese history, who served as a lowly male favorite, and also served as a taishou and general of the zhenshou side, and finally defeated the "master" of the year and became another emperor in the chaotic world, he was Murong Chong, the emperor of Western Yan.
In the fifth year of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (370), the Former Qin emperor Jian Jian led an army of 100,000 to besiege the Xianbei regime's capital of Former Yan ( present-day Linzhang County , Hebei ) , and the Yan emperor Murong Wei fled , and Former Yan perished. Murong Wei initially escaped from the city, but his sister Princess Qinghe and younger brother Murong Chong fell into the hands of Murong Jian.
Princess Qinghe was fourteen years old and beautiful as a flower, so she was favored by Jian Jian and became her concubine. At this time, Murong Chong, who was only twelve years old at this time, also had a striking face, and coupled with his slender young body, he was also deeply loved by Jian Jian. At that time, the former Qin capital Chang'an had a song "one female and one male, two flew into the Purple Palace", which sang exactly murong's sister and brother.
Later, when Former Qin's chancellor wang saw that Jian Jian was so fond of his sisters and brothers, he felt that it was inappropriate, so he suggested that Murong Chong be sent away. Although Jian Jian was a little reluctant, he also felt that Wang Meng's suggestion was reasonable, so he sent Murong Chong out of the palace. And Jian Jian did not expect that this time he opened the net, but eventually became a tiger back to the mountain.
In the ninth year of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (384), Murong Chong's brother Murong Hong raised an army against Former Qin and proclaimed himself the King of Jibei, and his uncle Murong Chui also rebelled against Qin. At this time, Murong Chong, who had already made the Taishou of Pingyang, learned that his family had begun to rebel against Former Qin's rule, and immediately raised an army in Hedong and gathered 20,000 troops.
Faced with Murong Chong, who betrayed him without remembering his old feelings, Jian Jian was also very angry and sent the general Dou Chong to conquest. Although Murong Chong had a father who had been galloping on the battlefield, he himself had no combat experience before the army, so he and his 20,000 soldiers would be beaten to death by Dou Chong. In the end, Murong Chong had to lead the remaining 8,000 cavalry to defect to his brother Murong Hong.
Murong Hong sent an envoy after his brother came to defect to inform Jian Jian that he would return to the capital of Yidu with former Yan descendants who had led The Mandate of Heaven to rule the world with Former Qin. Murong Jian had not exterminated the Murong family since he had destroyed Former Yan, but now that he had encountered this group of people who turned their faces and did not recognize anyone, he was very angry at Murong Hong's actions, so Murong Wei wrote a letter ordering Murong Chui, Murong Hong, and Murong Chui to surrender. As a result, Not only was Jian Jian unable to stop Murong Hong from claiming the title of emperor, but also caused the newly established Western Yan army to attack Chang'an from the west.
Ironically, in the course of the Western Yan army's westward advance, Murong Hong was assassinated by his courtiers for his tyrannical behavior. The people felt that Murong Chong's virtue was more suitable for being an emperor than Murong Hong's, so they elected Murong Chong to act as the son of heaven. So Murong Chong, who had been a prisoner, a male favorite, and a taishou, counterattacked and became a ruler of the regime.
Hearing that Murong Chong had gained strength and would personally lead an army to Chang'an, Jian Jian ordered Xiang Fang, Zhi Hui, and Zhi Lin to lead a large army to garrison Lishan and Afangcheng, and the rest of the army returned to Chang'an. As a result, Murong Chong used women to increase the momentum of the army with cattle and horses, and then unexpectedly sent troops, defeating the Former Qin army and directly attacking Chang'an City.
When Murong Chong confronted Murong Chong alone in the city and one person in the city, Murong Jian ordered murong Chong to be given a brocade robe, hoping to disrupt Murong Chong's position with their old feelings. But Murong Chong said: "Lonely heart is in the world, it is better to take care of a robe of small benefits." If Gou can know his fate, he can tie his hands and send the emperor to the emperor as soon as possible, and treat the Zhi clan with leniency, so as to reward him well, and finally not make the former Shi Alone in the front", threatening Former Qin to hand over Zhi Jian as soon as possible.
In fact, the confrontation between the two armies at Chang'an City in the ninth year of Taiyuan (384) did not produce a satisfactory result, and Murong Jian did not beat the Western Yan army to the point of no return, and Murong Chong did not get Zhi Jian to vent his anger.
In the tenth year of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (385), Murong Chong proclaimed himself emperor at Afang City, which had just been occupied, and changed the yuan to the beginning. Until he captured Chang'an City in the middle of summer, the Former Qin and Western Yan armies had their own victories and defeats, and they did not give in to each other. And in May, when murong chong and Jian Jian's feud was almost over, although Murong Chong fell into the inferior position, he was hit by several arrows, and finally abandoned the city and fled.
Murong Chong's war with Former Qin broke out after a short break and clashes broke out with the Later Qin army led by Yao Chong. The two armies fought south of Xinping, but Murong Chong's confidant Gao Gai led 50,000 soldiers to a major defeat and eventually surrendered to Later Qin.
And when Murong Chong was gradually stabilizing in Chang'an, his uncle Murong Chui was also gradually stabilizing his power in Kwantung, and eventually became emperor and established himself. Therefore, Murong Chong simply no longer led his army to Yecheng, but made up his mind to settle down in Chang'an. As a result, this move was not supported by the Xianbei people. When the crowd saw that Murong Chong was bent on going his own way, they eliminated Murong Chong just as they had done to Murong Hong, and supported the general Duan as the King of Western Yan.
Just as Murong Chong's nephew Murong Sheng (慕容盛) was therefore, Murong Chong was "a man who had only arrested people, who had not achieved success, and who had been arrogant and desperate." Although he became an emperor because he was superior to his brother, he did not have much imperial talent and mind. What he left behind to future generations is not a great achievement, but a surprising experience. After all, even Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang had only changed from commoners to emperors.