Sun Hao - Late Reign

Late Reign

In early 271, in the middle of winter, Sun Hao personally launched a major attack against the Jin Dynasty, and he brought his mother Empress Dowager He, his wife Empress Teng, and thousands of women in his harem along, which necessitated heavy labour - from soldiers to drag their wagons - causing the soldiers to murmur about possible defection. Only after Sun Hao heard this possibility did he withdraw and return to Jianye. Wan Yu and the senior generals Ding Feng and Liu Ping (留平) considered returning to Jianye themselves before Sun Hao chose to withdraw, and Sun Hao heard about this and bore grudges against them.

Later that year, Wu forces finally recovered Jiao Province (交州; parts of present-day northern Vietnam) from rebels paying allegiance to Jin, who had held out ever since 264 (during Sun Xiu's reign). This gave Sun Hao encouragement, and he continued to plan military actions against Jin in earnest — although, to his credit, he put the capable general Tao Huang (陶璜) in charge of Jiao Province, and Tao managed the province effectively; the province would not rebel again for the duration of Sun Hao's reign.

In 272, Wang Jun, the Jin governor of Yi Province (益州; covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), with Sima Yan's support, began building a massive fleet, with the plan to eventually use the fleet in conquering Wu. As the wood shavings from the building projected floated down the Yangtze River, Sun Hao's general Wu Yan (吾彥) realised what was happening and requested that the northwestern border be fortified, but Sun Hao refused.

Later that year, Sun Hao would carry out an action that would lead to a major rebellion — summoning Bu Chan (步闡), the general in charge of Xiling (in present-day Yichang, Hubei), back to the capital back to Jianye. Fearful that he was about to be punished somehow, Bu Chan rebelled and defected to Jin. While Lu Kang was eventually able to defeat Bu Chan and recover Xiling for Wu, the distrust the Wu generals had for their emperor has been thoroughly exposed, and Jin generals became emboldened in proposing plans of conquest to their emperor.

Later that year, Sun Hao, still bearing grudges against Wan Yu and Liu Ping for their plan to return to Jianye themselves, tried to poison them. Neither died, but after they found out that Sun Hao was behind the poisoning, they knew they could not do anything about it; Wan committed suicide, and Liu died in distress.

In 274, Lu Kang died. In his final petition, he requested Sun Hao to strengthen the defences on Wu's western border, but Sun Hao did not do so. Further, he divided Lu Kang's forces into six different commands, although each was led by one of Lu's sons.

In 275, the senior minister He Shao (賀邵) suffered a stroke and was paralysed. Sun Hao suspected that he was pretending, and had him arrested and tortured, by whipping and by subjecting him to saws and fires. He died under torture, and his clan was exiled.

For the next several years, people wishing to flatter Sun Hao often offered him miraculous items (real or manufactured) that purportedly suggest that he would eventually destroy Jin and unite China. Sun Hao's superstitious nature became even more aroused, and he spent all of his efforts on plans to conquer Jin.