背景

朱瑄是宋州下邑人，生年不詳。父朱慶，為鄉里豪傑，朱瑄隨父販賣私鹽。朱慶被官吏逮捕伏誅，朱瑄被笞責，逃到青州，為平盧軍節度使王敬武牙卒、小校。農民軍黃巢起事，唐僖宗詔天下勤王，中和元年（881年），王敬武派將曹存實率兵三千前去，以朱瑄為軍候。朱瑄以戰功累遷列校。後曹存實被召回青州，行經天平軍軍部鄆州，據之，因朱瑄有功，署朱瑄為濮州刺史、鄆州馬步軍都將，又任鄆州馬步都指揮使，統領帳下牙軍。提拔賀瑰為小將。

二年十月，想兼併曹州、鄆州的鄰鎮魏博節度使韓簡渡河攻打天平軍，曹存實戰死。朱瑄收集殘兵，接管了鄆州的防務，沒讓韓簡攻陷鄆州。朱瑄被三軍推為留後，並得唐僖宗認可。朱瑄以賀瑰為馬步軍都指揮使，表授檢校工部尚書。

初領天平軍

韓簡繼續包圍鄆州，但圍城6個月仍未攻陷，三年（883年）二月，先前被韓簡驅逐的河陽節度使諸葛爽卻趁機複奪河陽，朱瑄請求講和，韓簡因此放棄圍城，與朱瑄講和，轉而迎戰諸葛爽，兵敗，隨後被部下所殺。樂行達接掌魏博。僖宗嘉獎朱瑄，七月，任為全權節度使，累加官至檢校太尉、同平章事。朱瑄也派出偏將侯瓚等參與諸道兵討伐黃巢和先投降黃巢後又自立的奉國軍節度使秦宗權。

時朱瑄有軍三萬，堂弟（一作胞弟）朱瑾年輕時就隨朱瑄在鄆州，補軍校，勇冠軍中，兄弟倆秘密有爭奪天下的心思。宣武軍節度使朱全忠兵少，多次被秦宗權攻打。他因與朱瑄同宗，早已兄事朱瑄，便于四年（884年）六月遣使向朱瑄求援。朱瑄派朱瑾率軍前去，在合川大敗秦宗權。朱全忠感激朱瑄，約為兄弟。

十一月，朱瑄企圖接管義成軍不果：當時，義成節度使安師儒委政于兩廂都虞候夏侯晏和杜標，士卒離心。小校張驍聚眾二千人攻打義成軍部滑州，迫使安師儒處決了夏侯晏和杜標。朱瑄想控制義成，派堂弟濮州刺史朱裕誘殺張驍。然而，朱全忠先行一步，派部將朱珍和李唐賓搶先乘人不備突襲滑州，生擒安師儒。朱全忠就此接管義成軍，任牙將胡真為知留後。

光啟二年（886年），朱瑾以娶泰寧軍節度使齊克讓之女為幌子，伏擊並驅逐了齊克讓，接管了泰寧軍，並得到朝廷認可為節度使。朱瑄、朱瑾等軍閥都割據一方不納貢，賞罰由己，朝廷只能姑息。朱瑄、朱瑾雄踞山東，占去本屬平盧軍的齊州。

三年（887年）四月，秦宗權再次大舉進攻朱全忠軍部汴州，朱全忠再次向朱瑄、朱瑾求援，朱瑄、朱瑾也各自領軍馳援，分別屯于靜戎鎮和封禪寺。朱全忠因此得以于五月合宣武、義成、天平、泰寧四鎮軍隊在邊孝村擊敗秦宗權：他關閉城門開宴會，秘密開北門擊秦宗權寨，軍士譁然跑入中營，朱瑄、朱瑾整兵合擊，大敗秦宗權將張晊，斬首二萬餘級。朱全忠感激朱瑄、朱瑾，也與朱瑾約為兄弟。

但就在當年八月，朱瑄、朱瑾和朱全忠的聯盟就破裂了。朱全忠早想圖謀天平軍和泰寧軍，雖然和朱瑄、朱瑾感情很好，送厚禮給他們，心裡也忌恨朱瑄、朱瑾之雄，但因為朱瑄、朱瑾曾援助自己，一直沒有興兵的藉口。朱瑄、朱瑾因宣武軍士兵勇悍，私心愛之，于是秘密在曹州、濮州界上懸金帛以誘之，朱全忠謀士秀才敬翔獻計令宣武軍士卒詐作貪利而轉投，朱全忠因而有了討伐叛徒的名義，並寫信粗暴指責朱瑄。朱瑄報以一封措辭嚴厲的回信。朱全忠以此為藉口，派朱珍和大校葛從周攻陷天平軍下轄的曹州，擒刺史丘弘禮以獻並殺之。朱珍又圍攻濮州，朱瑄、朱瑾迎戰于臨濮劉橋，兵敗，被殺數萬人，都將鄒務卿以下五十人被擒，僅僅逃得性命。雙方就此展開戰爭，直到朱瑄身亡才停止。朱全忠親自攻打鄆州。九月，朱珍攻濮州，朱瑄派弟弟朱罕率步騎萬人救援濮州，十月卻被朱全忠親率葛從周等數千騎在范縣打敗擒斬，俘虜尹萬榮等三人。朱珍、葛從周攻占濮州，時任濮州刺史的朱裕單騎逃往鄆州。朱珍又攻打鄆州，以精兵挑戰，天平軍不出戰。朱瑄讓朱裕給朱珍帶信，詐為內應。當朱珍在朱裕暗示下趁夜派兵進城時，朱瑄開門放入其軍，閉門殺之，殺了數千人，又用炮石襲擊未入城的軍隊，殺裨將百餘人。朱珍大敗，僅以身免，只得于十一月撤軍。朱瑄隨後收複曹州，以部下郭詞（一名郭饒）為刺史。但當月曹州都將郭銖（一名郭紹賓）又斬殺郭詞，歸附朱全忠。

與朱全忠的戰爭

龍紀元年（889年），朱全忠急攻感化軍節度使時溥。時溥求援于朱瑄。朱瑄寫信給朱全忠，請求放過時溥並修好，朱全忠假裝答應。朱瑄因有恩于朱全忠，遣使責怪他：「黃巢、秦宗權相繼荼毒中原，我們與君把臂同盟，彼此相依。如今賊已平滅，人們剛剛可以聊生，吾弟應該考慮長遠，不可自相魚肉。行人失辭、疆吏逾法，都是可以用道理處理的，不應該就壞了和好。投鼠忌器，弟應該思考一下。」朱全忠正怒時溥私通自稱淮南節度使的孫儒，不從其言。朱全忠部將龐師古攻徐州，朱瑄出師相救，又派朱瑾出兵相救時溥，朱全忠很記恨。

同時，朱瑄和朱全忠的大敵河東節度使李克用結盟。大順元年（890年）十月，昭宗討伐李克用，兵敗，李克用上表章自訴稱自己無罪，如果自己用兵雲中有罪，那麼朱瑄、時溥無罪而遭朱全忠討伐，朱全忠也有罪。二年（891年）三月，李克用發現部將邢洺節度使安知建私通朱全忠，上表用養子李存孝取代他。安知建害怕，逃到青州。唐昭宗任安知建為神武統軍。當安知建率軍開往長安時，朱瑄在黃河上將其伏殺，獻其首于河東軍部晉陽。

景福元年（892年）二月，朱全忠再次大舉進攻朱瑄，以子朱友裕率二百騎為先鋒，屯斗門。朱全忠親自為後繼，到衛南，朱瑄率輕兵步騎萬人夜襲斗門，朱友裕棄營南逃，朱瑄進其營。朱全忠不知朱友裕敗逃，清晨引軍運糧趕到斗門營，導致大批毫無防備的宣武軍被朱瑄所殺。朱全忠退軍瓠河，與朱友裕失散，屯兵距濮州十五里的村落間，次日朱友裕前來。時朱瑄在濮州。朱全忠令朱友裕率壯騎觀察鄆州虛實，親自率軍北進。朱瑄率軍回鄆州，朱全忠攻擊之，被大破而走，向南逃，被追急，躍馬過深溝，堪堪倖免，節度副使李璠及所部大將十餘人戰死。儘管遭到大敗，朱全忠隨後仍然于五月派朱克讓率眾劫掠兗、鄆的麥子，十一月又派朱友裕率兵攻下濮州，擒獻刺史邵儒，守城的賀瑰棄城而走，朱全忠自己也擊敗了時溥。朱瑄、朱瑾和李克用試圖救援時溥也無法取勝。時溥被迫自焚，朱全忠接管感化軍。

二年（893年）十二月，葛從周攻打齊州刺史朱威，朱威告急，朱瑄和朱瑾引軍救援，葛從周固其營壘。宣武軍久攻齊州不下。乾寧元年（894年）二月，朱全忠親自在清河下寨攻朱瑄，率大軍從鄆州東路向北屯東阿魚山，朱瑄、朱瑾合兵，分三路攻之以求速戰，大戰于魚山下，朱全忠整軍出寨時朱瑄、朱瑾已在陣前，不久東南風大起，宣武軍處在下風處，旌旗亂了，士兵很有懼色，朱全忠就令騎士揚鞭呼嘯。不久西北風突然起，當時兩軍都在草莽中，朱全忠于是命縱火，煙火漫天，朱全忠乘勢以攻，大敗朱瑄、朱瑾，萬餘人陣亡，餘眾擁入清河。朱全忠築京觀于魚山之下，屯曹州南，朱瑄迎戰，又被擒將三人。朱全忠駐軍數日而回。五月，朱瑄、朱瑾只得遣使向李克用求援，李克用派出由騎將安福順、安福慶、安福遷三兄弟率領的精騎五百相助。二年（895年）正月，朱全忠養子朱友恭圍攻泰寧軍軍部兗州，朱瑄率步騎帶著兵糧想進入兗州援救朱瑾時遭到朱友恭伏擊，在高梧戰敗，糧餉被劫，安福順和安福慶被俘，安福遷後來也戰死。朱全忠親自領軍到單父。八月，朱全忠又親領親軍伐朱瑄，到大仇，遣前軍挑戰，由都指揮使龐師古等在梁山下寨、設伏，九月，在梁山擊敗朱瑄，擒李克用部將史完府，斬首數千級，奪馬數百匹，迫使朱瑄退回鄆州，朱全忠南進。十月，就在朱全忠攻鄆州時，朱瑾從兄齊州刺史朱瓊遣使請降，朱全忠于是轉而攻兗州，朱瓊果然來降。

十一月，朱瑄又一次試圖解兗州之圍，派部將賀瑰、柳存及李克用部將何懷寶率軍萬餘人襲擊已被朱全忠攻占的曹州。當時賀瑰已數次在軍鎮邊境領兵。這支軍隊趕往待賓館，賀瑰出奇兵攻宣武軍輜重。朱全忠俘獲降卒得知，從中都引軍連夜追趕百餘里到巨野東、南，全殲了這支軍隊，朱友恭俘虜賀瓌、柳存、何懷寶、將吏數十人、士卒三千餘人，朱全忠盡殺俘虜，將三將展示給朱瑾，說：「你的堂兄已經敗了，你為什麼不早投降？」朱瑾同意投降，但要求由朱瓊來接掌泰寧軍的兵符印綬。當朱瓊準備入城時，朱瑾卻將其伏殺。朱全忠士氣受損，估計城不可下，留軍圍城後離去。但由于持續對朱全忠作戰，春秋兩季連年遭到朱全忠的劫掠，大小數十戰後，天平軍、泰寧軍都撂荒了，百姓不能耕織，五六成人被俘，兩鎮府庫耗盡，治下諸城都被朱全忠占有。十二月，朱瑄、朱瑾再次向李克用求助，李克用派大將騎將史儼和李承嗣率五千騎兵前去，並向時任魏博節度使、樂行達的繼任者羅弘信借道。朱友恭退屯曹州南。朱全忠親自討伐朱瑄，割其麥，敗李承嗣等而還。朱瑄追擊，大掠曹州。三年（896年），李克用又意圖經由魏博派出更多的軍隊，派養子都指揮使李存信率步騎三萬屯莘縣，但閏正月，李存信劫掠魏博鄉里，激怒了羅弘信，李存信被羅弘信設伏擊敗。李克用又派部將李瑭屯莘縣以救朱瑄，又被羅弘信所攻敗。李克用攻打羅弘信時，又被羅弘信和朱全忠的聯軍擊敗。河東的道路斷了，李克用再也不能派出更多的援軍，天平、泰寧進一步陷入絕境。朱全忠大喜，認為可以圍困朱瑄，又擔心羅弘信離心，每年都對羅弘信卑辭厚禮。六月，朱全忠回軍屯陽留以伐鄆州。龐師古又隨朱全忠到汶陽，與朱瑄、朱瑾、史儼戰于故樂亭，大捷而回。朱瑄迎戰龐師古于馬頰河，敗歸。龐師古逼攻鄆州西門，朱瑄不出戰。八月，朱全忠又屯軍洹水。九月，李存信打敗葛從周，乘勝追殺到魏州北門。

敗死

四年（897年），李克用動用依附于他的盧龍節度使劉仁恭的軍隊救朱瑄，劉仁恭卻不響應，更最終獨立。正月，朱全忠以洹水的軍隊大舉攻鄆州，營于濟水旁，葛從周和龐師古合兵再次圍攻鄆州，由龐師古統軍。時已被遷為諸軍都指揮使的朱友裕用長塹圍城。朱全忠共討伐朱瑄十次，敗了四次，前後與朱瑄、朱瑾大小數十戰，互有勝負。朱瑄兵少糧盡，部下將才不存，愈發沮喪，自覺不能與朱全忠相爭，決定在城周圍挖一條深的護城河，以避免和朱全忠交戰及讓敵軍不能逼近。結果，龐師古令諸將撤木為橋，趁夜搭起浮橋，以中軍先過河，聲音震動鄆州。滑州牢城遏後指揮使牛存節派都將王言在鄆州西北邊壕溝中藏船，約好中午以軍隊渡河過壕溝急攻之，當天營中起火，鄆州軍登城望火，王言不敢動，未能響應牛存節，牛存節獨自破鄆州西城門，奪其橋，宣武軍一齊入城。朱瑄聞訊被迫棄城出逃，在葛從周追殺下逃到中都北，藏在鄉民家，鄉民杖打他，將他綁起來和其妻榮氏及其子等都抓起來交給追來的葛從周，龐師古、葛從周將他們押解到汴州。朱全忠在汴州橋下處決朱瑄等，納榮氏。榮氏後出家為尼。同時，朱瑾也守不住泰寧軍，在出城去豐沛一帶尋糧時，留守兗州的別將康懷貞得知鄆州失守，在葛從周大軍到後與朱瑾子朱用貞舉城出降，朱瑾和史儼、李承嗣一同南逃，投奔淮南節度使楊行密，使得朱全忠接管了整個黃淮地區。李存信得知鄆州、兗州都失守了，也班師。

朱全忠都押衙丁會在對秦宗權、時溥、朱瑄、朱瑾作戰時，常率軍參戰，多立奇功。親校氏叔琮因與時溥、朱瑄作戰有功，得累表檢校尚書右僕射，為宿州刺史。鄆州人張從楚年輕時就效力朱瑄帳下，朱瑄敗亡後歸順朱全忠。

評價

• 《舊唐書》史臣曰：（朱）瑄、（時）溥不以善取，固宜凶終。

• 《舊五代史》史臣曰：夫雲雷構屯，龍蛇起陸，勢均者交斗，力敗者先亡，故瑄、瑾、時溥之流，皆梁之吞噬，斯亦理之常也。

注釋

Background

It is not known when Zhu Xuan was born, but it is known that he was from Xiayi (下邑, in modern Suzhou, Anhui). As of 882, he was serving under Cao Cunshi (曹存實) the military governor of Tianping Circuit, when Cao was killed in battle when Tianping came under attack by Han Jian the military governor of neighboring Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei). Zhu took over the defense of Tianping's capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州) after Cao's death and was able to prevent it from falling to Han. Then-reigning Emperor Xizong thereafter made Zhu the acting military governor.

Initial rule of Tianping

In 883, Emperor Xizong made Zhu Xuan full military governor of Tianping. Meanwhile, Han Jian continued his siege of Yun Prefecture, but after six months of failing to capture it and Zhu's peace overture to him, abandoned the Yun siege to engage, instead, Zhuge Shuang, whose Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan) Han had captured previously but who had recaptured Heyang while Han was sieging Yun. Zhuge defeated Han, who was subsequently assassinated by his own soldiers. Le Xingda succeeded Han at Weibo.

In 884, when Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit was under attack by Qin Zongquan the military governor of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan), Zhu Quanzhong sought aid from Zhu Xuan. Zhu Xuan sent his cousin Zhu Jin, who was said to be the most ferocious officer in Zhu Xuan's army, to aid Zhu Quanzhong. After Zhu Jin repelled Qin's attack, Zhu Quanzhong, thanking Zhu Xuan, honored Zhu Xuan as an older brother.

In winter 884, Zhu Xuan made an unsuccessful bid to take over Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan). At that time, An Shiru (安師儒) the military governor of Yicheng had alienated his soldiers by overly entrusting authorities to his officers Xiahou Yan (夏侯晏) and Du Biao (杜標). In response, the officer Zhang Xiao (張驍) raised a group of 2,000 soldiers, rebelled against An, and attacked Yicheng's capital Hua Prefecture (滑州), forcing An to placate the soldiers by executing Xiahou and Du. Zhu Xuan, wanting to work on seizing Yicheng, sent his cousin Zhu Yu (朱裕) to induce Zhang into a military confrontation and kill him. Meanwhile, however, Zhu Quanzhong preempted Zhu Xuan by sending his officers Zhu Zhen (朱珍) and Li Tangbin (李唐賓) to launch a surprise attack on Yicheng. Zhu Zhen and Li were able to surprise An and capture him. Zhu Quanzhong took over Yicheng and made his officer Hu Zhen (胡真) acting military governor.

In 886, Zhu Jin, under the guise of marrying the daughter of Qi Kerang the military governor of Taining Circuit, ambushed Qi and expelled him, and then took over Taining, allowing Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin to each control one circuit.

In 887, Qin launched another major attack on Zhu Quanzhong, who again sought aid from Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin. Both of them personally led troops to aid Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu Quanzhong thus was able to engage Qin with the armies of four circuits (Xuanwu, Yicheng, Tianping, and Taining) and defeat Qin. In gratitude, Zhu Quanzhong again honored Zhu Xuan and also honored Zhu Jin as older brothers.

However, just later that year, the Zhu Xuan/Zhu Jin alliance with Zhu Quanzhong would break up. Zhu Quanzhong had long had designs on capturing both Tianping and Taining, but found no excuse to attack Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin, given that they had aided him. He thus made up accusations that they had induced Xuanwu soldiers to desert and sent a harshly worded accusation to Zhu Xuan. Zhu Xuan responded with a harsh letter. Zhu Quanzhong used this as an excuse to send Zhu Zhen and Ge Congzhou to attack Tianping's Cao Prefecture (曹州, in modern Heze, Shandong); they captured it and executed Cao's prefect Qiu Hongli (丘弘禮). He then attacked Pu Prefecture (濮州, in modern Heze). Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin engaged him but were defeated, barely escaping with their lives. This thus started a war that would not end until Zhu Xuan's death. Later that year, when Zhu Xuan sent his brother Zhu Han (朱罕) to try to lift the siege on Pu, Zhu Zhen defeated and killed Zhu Han. Zhu Zhen subsequently captured Pu, forcing Zhu Yu (who was then the prefect of Pu) to flee to Yun Prefecture. Zhu Zhen then attacked Yun. Zhu Xuan had Zhu Yu send a letter to Zhu Zhen, falsely claiming to be ready to surrender Yun to him. When Zhu Zhen sent soldiers to enter the city on Zhu Yu's signal, the Xuanwu soldiers fell into a trap set by Zhu Xuan and were massacred. Having suffered this loss, Zhu Zhen retreated. Zhu Xuan subsequently recaptured Cao as well.

War with Zhu Quanzhong

Meanwhile, Zhu Xuan had also entered into an alliance with Zhu Quanzhong's archrival Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). In 891, when Li Keyong's subordinate An Zhijian (安知建) began to have secret communications with Zhu Quanzhong, Li Keyong found out and tried to replace him with his adoptive son Li Cunxiao. An, in fear, fled to Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong). Then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong (Emperor Xizong's brother and successor) then gave An a commission as an imperial guard general. When An led his soldiers to try to head to the imperial capital Chang'an, Zhu Xuan, as he was in alliance with Li Keyong, ambushed him and killed him, delivering his head to Li Keyong.

In 892, Zhu Quanzhong launched another attack on Zhu Xuan, with Zhu Quanzhong's son Zhu Youyu (朱友裕) serving as the forward commander. Zhu Xuan engaged Zhu Youyu and defeated him, forcing him to flee. Zhu Xuan then took over the camp that Zhu Youyu abandoned. When Zhu Quanzhong arrived, he did not realize that Zhu Youyu had fled, and he sent soldiers into the camp with no precautions. Zhu Xuan then attacked, killing a large number of surprised Xuanwu soldiers. Zhu Quanzhong barely escaped with his life, while his deputy military governor Li Fan (李璠) was killed. However, despite this major defeat, Zhu Quanzhong was still subsequently able to defeat Zhu Xuan's and Zhu Jin's ally Shi Pu the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (despite Zhu Xuan's, Zhu Jin's, and Li Keyong's attempts to save Shi), forcing Shi to commit suicide and allowing Zhu Quanzhong to take over Ganhua.

Late in 893, Ge Congzhou attacked Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Jinan, Shandong). Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin came to the aid of Qi's prefect Zhu Wei (朱威). In spring 894, however, Zhu Quanzhong personally engaged them and defeated them, killing more than 10,000 Tianping and Taining soldiers. Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin were forced to seek aid from Li Keyong, who sent a small group of elite cavalry soldiers, commanded by his officer An Fushun (安福順) and An Fushun's brothers An Fuqing (安福慶) and An Fuqian (安福遷), to aid Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin. However, in 895, when Zhu Quanzhong sent his adoptive son Zhu Yougong (朱友恭) to put Taining's capital Yan Prefecture (兗州) under siege and Zhu Xuan tried to aid Zhu Jin, they were ambushed by Zhu Yougong, and An Fushun and An Fuqing were captured. Zhu Quanzhong then personally arrived and defeated Zhu Xuan, forcing Zhu Xuan to return to Yun.

Later in the year, Zhu Xuan attempted to again force Zhu Quanzhong to lift the siege on Yan, by sending his officers He Gui and Liu Cun (柳存), along with Li Keyong's officer He Huaibao (何懷寶), to attack Cao Prefecture, which had fallen into Zhu Quanzhong's hands by this point. Zhu Quanzhong heard this, and, without Tianping forces' knowledge, set a trap for them and ambushed them; he slaughtered the Tianping soldiers and captured He Gui, Liu, and He Huaibao. He showed them to Zhu Jin and stated to Zhu Jin, "Your cousin has already been defeated. Why not surrender?" Zhu Jin offered to do so, but requested that Zhu Quanzhong send Zhu Xuan's and Zhu Jin's cousin Zhu Qiong (朱瓊), who earlier that year had surrendered Qi Prefecture to Zhu Quanzhong, to take control of the Taining circuit seal (signifying surrender of authority). When Zhu Qiong prepared to enter the city, however, Zhu Jin ambushed him and killed him. With his morale deflated, Zhu Quanzhong withdrew. By this point, however, with the constant campaigns against Zhu Quanzhong, it was said that both Tianping and Taining Circuits had been laid waste, with the people unable to grow crops and the circuit treasuries expended. Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin again thought aid from Li Keyong, and Li Keyong sent the officers Shi Yan (史儼) and Li Chengsi (李承嗣) to aid them, getting permission from Le Xingda's successor Luo Hongxin for passage through Weibo Circuit. In 896, Li Keyong tried to send more reinforcement through Weibo again, commanded by his adoptive son Li Cunxin. However, Li Cunxin angered Luo by allowing his soldiers to pillage the Weibo countryside, and Luo ambushed and defeated him. When Li Keyong personally attacked Luo, a joint force of Luo's and Zhu Quanzhong's defeated Li Keyong. With the path from Hedong thus cut off, no further reinforcement from Li Keyong could arrive, and it was said that thereafter, the situation became hopeless for Tianping and Taining.

Defeat and death

In 897, Zhu Quanzhong's officers Ge Congzhou and Pang Shigu (龐師古) jointly again sieged Yun Prefecture. Zhu Xuan ran out of food supplies and decided to dig a deep moat around the city for defensive purposes only, not intending to again engage Zhu Quanzhong's forces. However, Pang soon built a mobile bridge over the moat and crossed it in the dark. He captured the city, forcing Zhu Xuan to flee. When Zhu Xuan reached Zhongdu (中都, in modern Tai'an), the people in the countryside captured him and his wife Lady Rong, and surrendered them to Ge. Zhu Quanzhong subsequently executed Zhu Xuan at Xuanwu's capital Bian Prefecture (汴州) and took Lady Rong as a concubine. Zhu Jin, meanwhile, could also not hold Taining, and he fled, along with Shi and Li Chengsi, south to Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) to submit to Huainan's military governor Yang Xingmi, allowing Zhu Quanzhong to take over the entire Yellow River-Huai River region.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 182.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 188.

• History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 13.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 42.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261.