Qifu Chipan - During Qifu Gangui's Second Reign

During Qifu Gangui's Second Reign

Qifu Chipan became the person that his father relied on the most on military matters. He made the scholar Jiao Yi (焦遺) Qifu Chipan's teacher, and told Qifu Chipan to serve Jiao like a father, and Qifu Chipan did so.

In 411, Qifu Gangui, after some campaigns against Later Qin, agreed to nominally resubmit at a vassal, and Yao Xing created him the Prince of Henan and Qifu Chipan the Duke of Pingchang. Later that year, Qifu Gangui sent Qifu Chipan and his brother Qifu Shenqian (乞伏審虔) on a campaign against Southern Liang, and they had a major victory over Tufa Rutan's crown prince Tufa Hutai (禿髮虎台), capturing more than 100,000 animals.

In spring 412, Qifu Gangui moved the capital to Tanjiao (譚郊, in modern Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu), leaving Qifu Chipan in command of Wanchuan. In summer 412, while at Tanjiao, Qifu Gangui was assassinated by Qifu Guoren's son Qifu Gongfu (乞伏公府), who also killed more than 10 brothers of Qifu Chipan. Qifu Gongfu then took up a defense position at Daxia (大夏, in modern Linxia as well). Qifu Chipan sent his brothers Qifu Zhida (乞伏智達) and Qifu Muyigan (乞伏木奕干) to attack Qifu Gongfu, while moving the capital to Fuhan. Qifu Zhida, meanwhile, defeated Qifu Gongfu and executed him, his sons, and his brother Qifu Achai (乞伏阿柴). Qifu Chipan was now the undisputed heir, and he claimed the title Prince of Henan.