Murong Nong - During Murong Chui's Reign

During Murong Chui's Reign

In spring 384, Murong Chui declared the establishingment of Later Yan, and Murong Nong continued to contribute greatly to the campaigns that he would wage the next year against Former Qin remnants and other generals who had maintained semi-independence in light of Former Qin's collapse. Around the new year 386, Murong Nong stamped out all remaining Former Qin resistance in the You (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei) and Ping (平州, modern Liaoning) Provinces, including the rebel Yu Yan (餘巖), and further recovered some commanderies that Goguryeo had seized. Murong Chui made him effective viceroy of You and Ping Provinces, in charge of the old Former Yan capital Longcheng (龍城, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning), and he remained in that post for several years, apparently greatly favored by the people of the region. In 386, Murong Chui created him the Prince of Liaoxi.

In 389, believing that there were no longer matters for him to attend to in the You/Ping region, Murong Nong submitted a report to Murong Chui requesting a recall to the capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding, Hebei), stating, in part:

I initially advanced my forces here to suppress rebels, and I was ordered to keep these provinces safe. My soldiers have rested for several years, and there are still many bandits in Qing (青州, modern central and eastern Shandong), Xu (徐州, modern northern Jiangsu and Anhui), Jing (荊州, modern Hubei), and Yong (雍州, modern central and northern Shaanxi) Provinces. I hope that soon someone will succeed me here, so that I may return and expend all my effort for the empire -- so that I do not have unspent strength while I am alive and regrets when I die.

(At that time, Qing, Xu, and Jing Provinces were under Jin rule, while Yong Province was under Later Qin, so Murong Nong was showing his ambition in conquering or at least defeating Jin and Later Qin.)

Murong Chui, upon receiving the report, summoned Murong Nong to the capital, and had his brother Murong Long the Prince of Gaoyang succeed him at Longcheng. For the next several years, Murong Nong participated in a number of his father's campaigns and was particularly effective in the campaign that destroyed the independent state of Wei and its emperor Zhai Zhao in 392. He also played a major role in Later Yan's destruction of Western Yan in 394, allowing Later Yan to seize modern Shanxi. In 394, Murong Nong attacked Jin's Qing Province, then under the governance of former Later Yan vassal Bilü Hun (辟閭渾) and had some success against Bilü, but around the new year 395, for reasons unknown, Murong Chui ordered him to return to Zhongshan and abandon the campaign.

During Murong Chui's reign, Murong Nong and Murong Long were the most well-regarded princes. Because of this, Murong Chui's wife Empress Duan Yuanfei once suggested to him that the crown prince Murong Bao lacked abilities to govern, and Murong Chui should choose either Murong Nong or Murong Long instead. Murong Chui, believing Murong Bao to be capable, rejected her suggestion.

Murong Nong's aura of invincibility, however, began to wane in 395—albeit in a campaign that he was not the supreme commander of. That year, aggravated by the harassing raids by the former Later Yan vassal Northern Wei's prince Tuoba Gui, Murong Chui sent Murong Bao to command a 80,000-men army, with Murong Nong and Murong Lin as his assistant commanders, to try to crush Northern Wei. However, after stalemates with Northern Wei near Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, Murong Bao retreated after false reports of Murong Chui's death—and was, in retreat, crushed by Tuoba Gui at the Battle of Canhe Slope, with loss of nearly the entire army. Murong Nong was, along with his brothers, able to escape death.

In early 396, Murong Chui personally led forces to try to force Northern Wei's submission, and Murong Nong and Murong Long were the forward commanders. They had initial successes against Northern Wei, but as the army passed through Canhe Slope, they mourned in such a great manner that Murong Chui, in shame and anger, grew ill, and the army was forced to retreat. He died soon thereafter and was succeeded by Murong Bao.