Fu Pi - As Viceroy Over Eastern Provinces

As Viceroy Over Eastern Provinces

In 380, Fu Jiān recalled Fu Rong, who had served as the viceroy over the eastern provinces (the former territory of Former Yan, which Former Qin destroyed in 370), back to the capital Chang'an to serve as prime minister in place of the capable Wang Meng, who died in 375. Fu Pi was made the viceroy of the eastern provinces to replace Fu Rong. As Fu Jiān, that year, also implemented a plan to distribute his Di people to various regions of the empire, a substantial number of Di soldiers and their families accompanied Fu Pi to his command post at Yecheng.

Fu Pi was not involved in the crushing defeat that Former Qin foces suffered at the Battle of Fei River, as he remained at Yecheng. In the aftermaths of the battle, however, the Xianbei general Murong Chui, a Former Yan prince, plotted a rebellion to reestablish Yan. In late 383, after persuading Fu Jiān to allow him to visit the eastern provinces to try to calm the people in light of the defeat at Fei River, Murong Chui arrived at Yecheng, where Murong Chui continued plotting, and where Murong Chui and Fu Pi considered ambushing each other but each decided not to do so. When, subsequently, the Dingling chieftain Zhai Bin (翟斌) rebelled and attacked Luoyang, defended by Fu Pi's brother Fu Hui (苻暉) the Duke of Pingyuan, Fu Jiān ordered Murong Chui to put down Zhai's rebellion, and Fu Pi sent his assistant Fu Feilong (苻飛龍) to serve as Murong Chui's assistant. On the way to Luoyang, however, Murong Chui killed Fu Feilong and his Di soldiers and prepared to openly rebel. Meanwhile, despite his suspicions of Murong Chui, Fu Pi did not put Murong Chui's son Murong Nong and nephews Murong Kai (慕容楷) and Murong Shao (慕容紹) under surveillance, and the three fled out of Yecheng and started a rebellion of their own.

In spring 384, Murong Chui openly declared the establishment of Later Yan, claiming the title of Prince of Yan. Fu Pi tried to persuade Murong Chui to end his rebellion, but Murong Chui refused and attacked Yecheng but was unable to capture it quickly. However, most cities north of the Yellow River and east of Taihang Mountains switched allegiance or were captured by Later Yan forces, leaving Yecheng isolated. (The Former Qin cities south of the Yellow River were largely captured by Jin.) With the heart of the empire itself under attacks by rebel regimes Later Qin and Western Yan, Fu Pi could have no expectation of receiving aid, and the situation soon grew desperate for him and his troops. In late 384, Murong Chui briefly lifted the siege of Yecheng to try to regroup, but at the same time, Jin forces attacked. Fu Pi sued for peace, but without his knowledge his assistant Yang Ying (楊膺) also promised on his behalf that he would surrender to Jin. With that promise, the Jin general Xie Xuan aided him with troops and food supplies, but eventually the temporary alliance broke up again. Meanwhile, Murong Chui returned and again put the city under siege after defeating Jin troops under Liu Laozhi (劉牢之). In 385, Fu Pi abandoned Yecheng and headed northwest to Jinyang (晉陽, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), where he received news that his father Fu Jiān had been killed by the Later Qin ruler Yao Chang. He then declared himself emperor.