Li Guangyan - During Emperor Muzong's Reign

During Emperor Muzong's Reign

In 820, Emperor Xianzong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Muzong. Later that year, after Li Guangyan went to Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Muzong, he was given the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). Yet later that year, when Tufan forces attacked Jing Prefecture (涇州, in modern Pingliang, Gansu), of his neighboring Jingyuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered at Ping Prefecture), Li sent his forces to try to relieve Jing Prefecture. However, his soldiers were upset at the large rewards that the soldiers of the imperial Shence Army were receiving, requiring Li to personally and tearfully urge them to fight for the state. Eventually, as Li's soldiers were approaching Jing Prefecture, Tufan forces became fearful and withdrew. He was soon made the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi).

Late in 821, Li was again made the military governor of Zhongwu, in anticipation of his gathering Zhongwu troops in a campaign against Wang Tingcou, who had taken over Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), and Zhu Kerong, who had taken over Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), both of whom were resisting imperial authority. He was also made the commander of the imperial forces then at Shen Prefecture (深州, in modern Hengshui, Hebei) — a prefecture belonging to Chengde whose prefect Niu Yuanyi (牛元翼) was holding out against Wang's siege — replacing Du Shuliang (杜叔良).

However, when Li got to the front, it was said that while imperial forces were trying to rescue Niu in three different directions, they all lacked food supplies and were unable to advance, and even an accomplished general like Li had to simply protect his own forces first. In spring 822, with Shen Prefecture in desperate straights, the imperial government capitulated and commissioned Wang the military governor of Chengde, sending the official Han Yu to announce the commission and to persuade Wang to allow Niu to leave. Wang, while accepting the commission, still kept Shen Prefecture under siege for sometime; Niu had to fight his way out of the siege to flee to the imperial camps, and his remaining troops at Shen Prefecture were slaughtered. Meanwhile, to allow Li's forces to be supplied, Emperor Muzong temporarily made him the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei), where his army was stationed at the time, as well. When his soldiers believed that they would be kept at Henghai, however, they rioted, and Li was unable to control them. He became so fearful that he became ill, and he sent a petition to Emperor Muzong declining the Henghai commission. Emperor Muzong agreed, and kept his commission limited to Zhongwu and allowed him to return to Zhongwu's capital Xu Prefecture (許州).

Late in the year, the soldiers of Xuanwu Circuit mutinied against their military governor Li Yuan (李愿, Li Su's brother), and Li Yuan was forced to flee. The soldiers supported an officer, Li Jie (李㝏) as their leader, and Li Jie sought imperial commission as military governor. Emperor Muzong refused, and commissioned Han Hong's brother Han Chong (韓充) as the new military governor, ordering Li Jie to report to Chang'an to serve as a general of the imperial guards. Li Jie refused and openly rose against the imperial government. In addition to Han Chong, Li Guangyan and Cao Hua (曹華) the military governor of Yanhai Circuit (兗海, headquartered in modern Jining, Shandong) also launched their troops against Li Jie. Li Jie was soon killed by his subordinate Li Zhi (李質), who surrendered to Han. For his contributions, Li Guangyan was given the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中).