The Gengshi Emperor’s Downfall Begins
In early 24 CE, Liu Xuan, the Gengshi Emperor, moved his capital from Luoyang to Chang’an, likely seeking greater security (sidenote: Dong Zhuo did the same in the end of the Easter Han). At first, he governed with surprising competence: he forbade looting, restored order, rewarded loyalists, reinstated Han nobles, and crushed or absorbed local warlords. For a brief moment, Guanzhong – the heartland of the old Qin and Han empires – enjoyed stability.
But success went to his head. Soon, Liu Xuan retreated into palace pleasures, indulging with his consorts while handing state affairs to his father-in-law, Zhao Meng. Zhao, arrogant and dismissive of the original Lulin rebels who had put Liu Xuan on the throne, alienated key commanders. Resentment festered. “We all bled together in rebellion – why should he alone rule?” murmured the generals. The regime fractured from within.
Liu Xuan, never a capable leader, had risen only by virtue of his Liu lineage. Regional warlords ignored his orders, ruling their territories as independent satraps. Even in Guanzhong, commanders like Wang Kuang, Zhang Ang, and Shen Tu Jian acted as petty kings – skilled in battle but clueless in governance.
The Red Eyebrows March on Chang’an
Seeing Liu Xuan’s decline, Fan Chong led 200,000 Red Eyebrow troops westward through Hangu Pass (south of Lingbao, Henan), splitting into multiple columns to converge on Chang’an. Panic erupted. Liu Xuan scrambled to rally defenses, but the fragile peace collapsed into chaos as rival armies clashed across the region.
From his base in Henei Commandery, Liu Xiu watched closely. He knew Liu Xuan could not withstand Fan Chong – and that Chang’an would fall. Though still nominally loyal, Liu Xiu decided to act: he planned to send Deng Yu west to confront the Red Eyebrows and indirectly support Liu Xuan.
But a dilemma loomed. Zhu Wei, Liu Xiu’s bitter enemy in Luoyang – the very man who had pushed for Liu Yan’s execution – could strike Henei the moment Liu Xiu marched north to pacify Yan and Zhao. Who could guard this vital rear?
The “Modern Xiao He” Secures the Rear
Liu Xiu consulted Deng Yu, who replied with historical wisdom: “When Emperor Gaozu conquered the east, he left Xiao He to hold Guanzhong – supplying troops, grain, and stability. Henei is just as crucial: it links Shangdang in the north and faces Luoyang in the south. We need a man of both civil and military talent.”
“Who?” Liu Xiu asked.
“None better than Kou Xun,” Deng Yu answered.
Kou Xun, from Changping (north of modern Beijing), was a rare blend of scholar and general – versed in classics, strategy, and administration. Liu Xiu appointed him Governor of Henei. To counter Zhu Wei, he named Feng Yi, the humble “General Under the Tree,” as General of Mengjin, guarding the Yellow River crossings.
With his rear secured, Liu Xiu gave Deng Yu 30,000 troops to enter the passes and engage the Red Eyebrows, while he led the main army north.
Henei: The Arsenal of Empire
Kou Xun transformed Henei into a powerhouse. He organized county militias, trained archers, stockpiled over one million arrows, bred 2,000 warhorses, and gathered four million hu (roughly 240,000 metric tons) of grain – all shipped steadily to the front. Soldiers hailed him as “The Modern Xiao He” (He was the one who helped Liu Bang governs states and feeds armies).
When Zhu Wei, hearing Liu Xiu had departed, attacked Henei, he met Feng Yi head-on – and suffered a crushing defeat. The two Han generals then crossed the river, chased Zhu Wei to Luoyang’s gates, and paraded their army around the city walls in a show of force. Terrified, Luoyang sealed its gates by day. While chaos reigned in the west, Henei became an island of order – the bedrock of Liu Xiu’s rising power.
The Call to Claim the Mandate
News of Henei’s success reached Liu Xiu in the north. His officers rejoiced – and pressed him to declare himself emperor. “Why serve a failing puppet?” they urged.
Liu Xiu refused. But Ma Wu, a former Lulin chieftain and trusted general, confronted him boldly: “Your humility is noble – but what of the ancestral temples and the empire? Without a rightful sovereign, how do we distinguish ruler from rebel? How can we wage righteous war?”
Liu Xiu rebuked him gently: “Such words could cost you your head.”
Ma Wu shot back: “All the soldiers say the same.”
Still, Liu Xiu held back – believing the time was not yet ripe.
Rivals Crown Themselves
While Liu Xiu hesitated, others seized the moment. In Chengdu, Gongsun Shu – a former Han official turned warlord – had ruled Sichuan since the Nanyang uprisings. After defeating Liu Xuan’s forces, he declared himself King of Shu. When his advisor Li Xiong argued, “Heaven’s Mandate follows the people’s will – and they follow you!” Gongsun Shu proclaimed himself Emperor, appointing Li Xiong as Grand Minister of Works and his brothers to top military posts. Disaffected warlords from Guanzhong flocked to his banner, swelling his army to hundreds of thousands.
This alarmed Liu Xiu’s followers. They renewed their pleas for him to ascend the throne.
The Final Decision
Liu Xiu summoned Feng Yi, who spoke plainly: “Liu Xuan lacks virtue and authority. His ministers have abandoned him. The empire has no master – only you can restore the Han ancestral line. The people await your decision.”
“I fear the people won’t accept me,” Liu Xiu confessed.
“That hesitation comes only from your caution,” Feng Yi replied.
Relieved, Liu Xiu smiled: “Now my heart is at peace. I will follow the will of Heaven and the people.”
The Dawn of the Eastern Han
In the summer of 25 CE, at age thirty-one, Liu Xiu ascended the throne as Emperor Guangwu of Han. Declaring Luoyang his capital, he launched a campaign to seize it from Zhu Wei. He sent envoys to Deng Yu’s camp with imperial seals, appointing him Grand Minister of Works. His closest comrades – Feng Yi, Cen Peng, Kou Xun, Yao Qi, Ma Wu, Ji Zun(Zhai Zun) – were all granted high office. His martyred brother, Liu Yan, was posthumously honored as a prince.
Meanwhile, the Red Eyebrows advanced through Wuguan Pass, closing in on Chang’an. Liu Xuan’s reign was collapsing. As Emperor Guangwu tightened his grip on Luoyang, his gaze turned westward – not to save Liu Xuan, but to prepare for the next great challenge: confronting the Red Eyebrows and unifying the fractured empire under a true Han restoration.
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