Chimei - Campaign Against Chang'an

Campaign Against Chang'an

By late 24, while Chimei was strong militarily, but the soldiers were fatigued from all of the wars and wanted to return home. Fan and the other leaders concluded that in order to keep them together, a bigger goal needed to be set. They therefore set their eyes on Emperor Gengshi's regime, which by then had relocated to Chang'an. The Chimei forces were divided into two armies, one led by Fan and Pang, targeting Wu Gate (武關, in modern Shangluo, Shaanxi), and the other led by Xu, Xie, and Yang, targeting Luhun Gate (陸渾關, in modern Luoyang, Henan), but both aiming for Chang'an.

In spring 25, the two armies rejoined at Hongnong (弘農, in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) and defeated a major general of Emperor Gengshi's, Su Mao (蘇茂). By this point the Chimei had grown to about 300,000 men. Emperor Gengshi's generals wanted to abandon Chang'an and head back to their home territory in modern southern Henan and northern Hubei, but Emperor Gengshi refused.

About this time, after being urged to do so by priests of Liu Zhang (Prince Jing of Chengyang whose principality many Chimei men came from and who was worshipped as a god after his death in 177 BC) the Chimei leaders seriously considered the idea of finding one of Liu Zhang's descendants and making him emperor to inherit the Han throne. They found three of Liu Zhang's male descendants among their army, and, after drawing lots, they made one of them, the 15-year-old Liu Penzi, emperor—but the new "emperor" had no real power and continued to serve as a cattleman in the army.

In autumn 25, Chimei forces captured Chang'an, and Emperor Gengshi fled, being only followed by several loyal followers, including Liu Zhi (劉祉) the Prince of Dingtao and Liu Gong (劉恭) the Marquess of Shi—who, incidentally, was Liu Penzi's older brother. He soon surrendered and, under intercession by Liu Gong, was created the Prince of Changsha.