Emperor Gengshi of Han - Attempted Consolidation of Power

Attempted Consolidation of Power

After Wang Mang's death, Emperor Gengshi moved his capital from Wancheng to Luoyang. He then issued edicts to the entire empire, promising to allow Xin local officials who submitted to him to keep their posts. For a brief period, nearly the entire empire showed at least nominal submission—even including the powerful Chimei general Fan Chong (樊崇), who, indeed, went to stay in Luoyang under promises of titles and honors. However, this policy was applied inconsistently, and local governors soon became apprehensive about giving up their power. Fan, in particular, left the capital and returned to his troops. In response, Emperor Gengshi sent various generals out to try to calm the local governors and populace; these included Liu Xiu, who was sent to pacify the region north of the Yellow River. Further, around these times, the people began to see that the powerful officials around Emperor Gengshi were in fact uneducated men lacking ability to govern; this further made them lose confidence in his governance.

Emperor Gengshi's governance would in fact immediately be challenged by a major pretender in winter 23. A fortuneteller in Handan named Wang Lang (王郎) claimed to be actually named Liu Ziyu (劉子輿) and a son of Emperor Cheng. He claimed that his mother was a singer in Emperor Cheng's service, and that Empress Zhao Feiyan had tried to kill him after his birth, but that a substitute child was killed indeed. After he spread these rumors around the people, the people of Handan began to believe that he was a genuine son of Emperor Cheng, and the commanderies north of the Yellow River quickly pledged allegiance to him as emperor. Liu Xiu was forced to withdraw to the northern city of Jicheng (薊城, in modern Beijing). After some difficulties, however, Liu Xiu was able to unify the northern commanderies still loyal to Emperor Gengshi and siege Handan in 24, killing Wang Lang. Emperor Gengshi put Liu Xiu in charge of the region north of the Yellow Rivera and created him the Prince of Xiao, but Liu Xiu, still aware that he was not truly trusted and secretly angry about his brother's death, secretly planned to peel away from Emperor Gengshi's rule. He began to strip other Emperor Gengshi-commissioned generals of their powers and troops, and concentrated the troops under his own command.

Also in 24, Emperor Gengshi moved his capital again, back to the Western Han capital of Chang'an. The people of Chang'an had previously been offended by Emperor Gengshi's officials, who did not appreciate their rising up against Wang Mang but in fact considered them traitors. Once Emperor Gengshi was back in the capital, he issued a general pardon, which calmed the situation for a while. At this time, Chang'an was still largely intact, except for Weiyang Palace, destroyed by fire. However, Emperor Gengshi's timidity quickly caused problems. When the imperial officials were gathered for an official meeting, Emperor Gengshi, who had never seen such solemn occasions, panicked. Later, when generals submitted reports to him, he asked questions such as, "How much did you pillage today?" This type of behavior further reduced the confidence of the people in him.

Emperor Gengshi entrusted his government to Zhao Meng (趙萌), whose daughter he took as an imperial consort. He himself engaged in frequent drinking and was often unable to receive officials or make important decisions. Zhao greatly abused his power, and once, when an honest official revealed Zhao's crimes to Emperor Gengshi, Emperor Gengshi had him executed. The other powerful officials also abused their power greatly, often commissioning duplicating local officials throughout the empire, causing great confusion and anger.

In autumn 24, Emperor Gengshi sent his generals Li Bao (李寶) and Li Zhong (李忠) to try to capture modern Sichuan, then held by local warlord Gongsun Shu (公孫述), but his generals were defeated by Gongsun.