Murong Sheng - Reign

Reign

Initially, the people were glad that Murong Sheng was victorious, believing that he would be a capable ruler. That Murong Sheng's reign would be a harsh one, however, was immediately hinted at as he considered executing his wife Princess Lan as being of the traitor Lan Han's family. His mother Consort Ding opposed—citing the fact that Princess Lan had protected both Murong Sheng and her—and Princess Lan was spared, but was never able to become empress. (However, Murong Sheng would also never create another person as empress during his reign.) In winter 398, he formally accepted imperial title, and he honored his father's wife Empress Duan as empress dowager, while honoring his mother with the title Empress Xianzhuang (獻莊皇后).

Murong Sheng's reign, indeed, was one in which he showed strong personal abilities, and yet at the same time alienated the officials and the people with his harshness. As a result, many officials were executed based on actual or suspected treasonous plots. These included:

• Fall 398: the general Ma Le (馬勒) and Murong Sheng's cousins Murong Chong (慕容崇, note different character than the Western Yan emperor) the Duke of Gaoyang and Murong Cheng (慕容澄) the Duke of Dongping (sons of Murong Long)
• Winter 398: the general Murong Hao (慕容豪) (probably a cousin) and the officials Zhang Tong (張通) and Zhang Shun (張順)
• Spring 399: the officials Liu Zhong (留忠), Liu Zhi (留志), Duan Cheng (段成), and Murong Gen (慕容根) the Duke of Dongyang
• Spring 399 as well: the generals Zhang Zhen (張真) and He Han (和翰)
• Fall 399: the general Li Lang (李朗)
• Winter 399: the general Wei Shuang (衛雙)

However, Murong Sheng was also praised by historians for his attention to ordinary criminal cases, and that he was able to institute a system where he personally heard criminal appeals and was able to discern the truth without resorting to torture (a common interrogation device in Chinese history). Through the next few years, there would be battles with Northern Wei, with neither side being able to decisively gain an advantage.

Around new year 400, Murong Sheng created his son Murong Ding (慕容定) the Duke of Liaoxi. Soon thereafter, Empress Dowager Duan died, and he honored his mother as empress dowager instead and, at the same time, created Murong Ding crown prince. He also soon, to show humility, stopped using the title emperor, instead referring to himself as "Commoner Heavenly Prince."

In fall 401, the generals Murong Guo (慕容國), Qin Yu (秦輿), and Duan Zan (段讚) secretly plotted a coup, but their plot was revealed, and more than 500 people were executed. Five days later, the general Duan Ji (段璣), along with Qin Yu's son Qin Xing (秦興) and Duan Zan's son Duan Tai (段泰) attacked the palace. Murong Sheng personally led the palace guards to fight with the rebels and was initially successful. However, just as things appeared to be settling down, a rebel soldier appeared from his hiding place and stabbed Murong Sheng. Murong Sheng, despite the injury, ordered the guards to clear the palace and go on the correct alert posts, before dying. After his death, his mother Empress Dowager Ding, who had carried on an affair with his uncle Murong Xi, would bypass Crown Prince Ding and make Murong Xi emperor to succeed him.