Murong Sheng - During Murong Bao's Reign

During Murong Bao's Reign

Murong Bao then faced a succession issue. Murong Hui, now the Duke of Qinghe, was most favored by Murong Chui and considered the most capable, and when Murong Chui waged his last campaign, he put Murong Hui in charge of Longcheng. As Murong Chui was on his deathbed, he further told Murong Bao to make Murong Hui his crown prince, but Murong Bao favored his young son Murong Ce (慕容策) the Duke of Puyang, and did not favor Murong Hui. Murong Sheng, who was slightly older than Murong Hui, also did not want Murong Hui to be crown prince, and so also encouraged Murong Bao to create Murong Ce crown prince. Murong Bao did so in fall 396, and created Murong Hui and Murong Sheng princes (in Murong Sheng's case, the Prince of Changle). Murong Hui was displeased and secretly considered rebellion.

Later in 396, Northern Wei launched a major attack on Later Yan, quickly taking Bing Province (并州, modern central and northern Shanxi) and then descending on Zhongshan, putting it under siege. In spring 397, after being unable to force Northern Wei to lift its siege and after Murong Bao's brother Murong Lin the Prince of Zhao rebelled, Murong Bao decided to abandon Zhongshan and flee to Longcheng. Murong Sheng followed his father in joining his brother Murong Hui's army, which had advanced south from Longcheng. Later that year, after Murong Hui killed Murong Long and severely wounded another uncle, Murong Nong, in an attempted coup to force Murong Bao to create him crown prince, Murong Hui was defeated and killed. Meanwhile, Murong Sheng became one of the major generals.

In 398, against Murong Sheng's and Murong Nong's advice, Murong Bao insisted on launching another campaign to try to regain territory lost to Northern Wei, putting Murong Sheng in charge of Longcheng as he departed. The tired troops mutinied on the way, forcing him to return to Longcheng to defend it with Murong Sheng, but when Murong Nong then inexplicably surrendered to the rebels, Longcheng fell, and Murong Bao and Murong Sheng were forced to flee to Jicheng. Murong Sheng's father-in-law Lan Han then took control of Longcheng and offered to welcome Murong Bao back. Murong Sheng, not trusting his father-in-law, advised his father to secretly advance south to try to join forces with his granduncle Murong De, who had been still defending Yecheng, not realizing that by that point Murong De had abandoned Yecheng and regrouped at Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang, Henan) and declared his own independent state of Southern Yan. As Murong Bao and Murong Sheng arrived in vicinity of Huatai, however, they realized this and fled back north again. On the way, Murong Sheng tried to garner support from the people now under Northern Wei rule to coalesce around Murong Bao to start a new resistance, but Murong Bao, now believing in Lan Han's loyalty, was resolved to return to Longcheng despite Murong Sheng's misgivings. Murong Sheng, after being unable to change his father's mind, left his father and hid himself.

His worries about Lan Han turned out to be correct, for as Murong Bao arrived in Longcheng's vicinity, Lan Han had his brother Lan Jia'nan (蘭加難) intercept Murong Bao and kill him. Lan Han then killed Murong Sheng's brother Murong Ce, along with most members of the Murong imperial house, and declared himself the Prince of Changli, apparently having successfully taken over the remaining territories of Later Yan.