Shen Youzhi - Uprising Against Xiao Daocheng

Uprising Against Xiao Daocheng

Shen Youzhi often claimed that he had entered into a secret oath with Emperor Ming, written on white silk that he then sowed into his vest. Upon hearing of Emperor Houfei's death, his staff members Zong Yanzhi (宗儼之) and Zang Yin (臧寅) both tried to persuade him to start an uprising immediately against Xiao, but Shen failed to do so because his oldest son Shen Yuanyan (沈元琰) was still in Jiankang. Xiao then subsequently sent Shen Yuanyan to Shen Youzhi, along with weapons that Emperor Houfei had used to slice his victims open, to Shen Youzhi to explain the reasons why he had Emperor Houfei assassinated. However, Shen was still displeased that Xiao had taken over the government, and he stated that he would rather be like the Cao Wei general Wang Ling (王淩), who had unsuccessfully tried to overthrow Sima Yi, than be Jia Chong, who submitted to and served Sima Yi's sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao and grandson Emperor Wu of Jin. However, he still could not immediately start his uprising, but kept Shen Yuanyan at Jing Province.

Soon, claiming that he had received secret instructions from Empress Dowager Wang, hidden in a pair of candles, Shen did announce a rebellion, accusing Xiao of intending to usurp the throne. However, the provincial governors that he invited to join him all declined and either resisted him or stood by. Shen nevertheless had a strong army, and the imperial army generals were apprehensive about facing him. He initially progressed quickly toward Jiankang, but as he went past Yingcheng (郢城, in modern Wuhan, Hubei), he was provoked by insults of Liu Shilong (柳世隆), the chief of staff for Liu Zan (劉贊) the Prince of Wuling and governor of Ying Province into stopping and putting the well-fortified Yingcheng under siege. Meanwhile, Xiao had Shen Qingzhi's son Shen Wenji (沈文季) arrest Shen Youzhi's brother Shen Dengzhi (沈登之) and execute Shen Youzhi's clan, to avenge Shen Qingzhi.

In 478, with his forces unable to capture Yingcheng, Shen Youzhi's soldiers began to desert. Shen then aggravated the situation by imposing severe punishments on the commanding officers of deserting soldiers – which in turn caused them to desert. Shen's officer Liu Rangbing (劉攘兵) then surrendered to Liu Shilong, causing his forces to collapse. He tried to retreat to Jiangling (the capital of Jing Province), but by the time he did so, Zhang Jing'er had already captured Jiangling and killed Shen Yuanyan, whom Shen Youzhi had left in charge of Jiangling. Shen's remaining army, seeing that Jiangling had fallen, collapsed, and he initially tried to flee, but realizing that his escape route had been cut off, committed suicide along with his son Shen Wenhe (沈文和). His other sons were killed by Zhang Jing'er. In 483, Xiao Daocheng's son Emperor Wu of Southern Qi, recognizing Shen Youzhi's accomplishments, permitted him to be reburied with proper honors.