An Lushan - Service in Tang Armies - Rise Through The Ranks (736-742)

Rise Through The Ranks (736-742)

By 736, An Lushan carried a general title and was serving under Zhang Shougui as an officer of the Pinglu Army (平盧軍, based in modern Chaoyang). In 736, after An disobeyed Zhang's orders and made an overly aggressive attack against the Khitan and the Xi, he was defeated. According to army regulations, he was supposed to be executed, but Zhang, instead, allegedly sent him to the capital, Chang'an, and, while recommending execution, was hoping that Emperor Xuanzong would pardon An. The chancellor Zhang Jiuling, arguing that An's death would be necessary to preserve military discipline and further believing that An had the appearance of a rebel, advocated An's death, but Emperor Xuanzong believed An to be able and did not want to execute him, and therefore spared him but stripped him of titles, returning him to serve under Zhang.

In 740, An became the Bingmashi (兵馬使) of Pinglu Army. It was said that he carefully cultivated relationships with other officials and generals to earn praises, and whenever Emperor Xuanzong sent messengers to Pinglu Army, An always bribed them to earn praises from them. In 741, when the deputy chief imperial censor Zhang Lizhen (張利貞) was sent to survey the Hebei (河北, i.e., the region north of the Yellow River) and visited Pinglu Army, An ingratiated himself with Zhang, so much so that he even bribed Zhang's servants. When Zhang returned to Chang'an and praised An, Emperor Xuanzong promoted An to be the commandant at Ying Prefecture and the commander of Pinglu Army, to defend against the Khitan, the Xi, Bohai, and the Heishui Mohe. In 742, Emperor Xuanzong further promoted Pinglu Army to be a military circuit, making An its military governor (jiedushi).