Fu Liang - During Jin Dynasty

During Jin Dynasty

Fu Liang became known for his literary abilities in his youth, and he served as the assistant to the general Huan Qian (桓謙), a cousin of the warlord Huan Xuan. After Huan Xuan usurped the throne in 403, Huan Xuan heard of his abilities and made him a court secretary, intending for him to reorganize the imperial archives, but before the project could get underway, Huan Xuan was overthrown by the coalition of forces led by Liu Yu. He then served as an assistant to Liu Yu's confederate Meng Chang (孟昶). He became briefly in charge of editing imperial edicts, but soon left his post as his mother died and he underwent the mandatory three-year mourning period. He resumed those responsibilities once the mourning period was over, and for a while, Liu Yu wanted to make him the governor of the rich Dongyang Commandery (東陽, roughly modern Jinhua, Zhejiang), but Fu declined, preferring to remain close to Liu Yu. Subsequently, in 415, when Liu Yu attacked the general Sima Xiuzhi (司馬休之), whom he suspected of opposing him, Fu became one of his assistants, and from that point on he directly served on Liu Yu's staff.

Fu Liang continued to serve Liu Yu on the campaign where he destroyed Later Qin in 416 and 417. In late 417, after Liu Yu completed the campaign and accepted the title Duke of Song, Fu became a high level official for the dukedom. In 420, Liu Yu, then at Shouyang, was intending to usurp the Jin throne, but could not bring himself to say it completely, and so invited his high-level staff to a feast where he talked about his achievements but his intent to retire afterwards. None of the staff members understood what he meant, but a few hours later, Fu realized what Liu Yu meant, and therefore, deep at night, went in to see Liu Yu and requested to return to the capital Jiankang. Liu Yu saw that Fu understood what he meant, and therefore did not say anything further other than approving his journey. Once Fu was at Jiankang, he hinted to Emperor Gong of Jin to first recall Liu Yu to Jiankang, and then pressured him to issue an edict offering the throne to Liu Yu. Liu Yu accepted, establishing Liu Song (as Emperor Wu) and ending Jin.