Background
Wu Shaocheng was born in 750, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. His family was from You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing), and his father served as an officer at Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei). As a result of his father's service, Wu Shaocheng became a guard officer for an imperial prince. Later, on an occasion when he was in Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei), the military governor (Jiedushi) Yu Zhun (庾準) was impressed by Wu and kept Wu as a guard commander at his headquarters.
When Yu was subsequently recalled to the capital Chang'an, Wu followed him. As they went through Xiangyang, Wu saw that the military governor of the circuit headquartered at Xiangyang, Liang Chongyi of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道), was not following imperial orders, he secretly drafted strategies on defeating Liang and was planning on offering them to Emperor Dezong. He first offered them to general Li Xilie the military governor of Huaixi Circuit (淮西, the same circuit that would later be renamed Zhangyi). Li Xilie favored them and offered them to Emperor Dezong as his own strategies, and Emperor Dezong put Li in charge of the operations against Liang in 781. Li made Wu his forward commander in the campaign against Liang. After Li defeated Liang later in the year, leading to Liang's suicide, Wu was rewarded. When Li himself turned against the imperial government and declared himself emperor in 784, Wu continued to serve him. In 786, Li was assassinated by his officer Chen Xianqi, who submitted to imperial authority, and Emperor Dezong made Chen the military governor of Huaixi Circuit. Several months later, however, Wu, avenging Li, assassinated Chen. Emperor Dezong made his son Li Liang (李諒) the Prince of Qian the titular military governor, but did not send Li Liang to Huaixi, and made Wu the acting military governor.
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