Li Zaiyi
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Li Zaiyi (李載義) (d. 837), courtesy name Fanggu (方谷), formally the Prince of Wuwei (武威王), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, from 826 to 831, ruled Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) in de facto independence from the imperial government as the circuit's military governor (Jiedushi), although he was respectful to Emperor Wenzong and participated in the imperial campaign against the rebel general Li Tongjie. After he was expelled in a mutiny by Yang Zhicheng, the imperial government continued to commission him as a military governor, and he served at two other circuits subsequently.
Background
It is not known when Li Zaiyi was born. He was a descendant of Li Chengqian, who was at one point the crown prince of Emperor Taizong of Tang, and therefore a distant relative to Tang's imperial family. It was said that his ancestors were known for generations for their battlefield prowess and served at You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing, Lulong Circuit's capital). Li Zaiyi lost his father early, and he spent his days touring with those from his home area not under anyone's orders. Li was said to be strong and capable in wrestling. When then-military governor of Lulong, Liu Ji, saw him, Liu was impressed, and invited him to serve on Liu's guard corps. For his subsequent accomplishments, Li received repeated promotions.[1]
In 826, then-military governor Zhu Kerong and his son Zhu Yanling (朱延齡) were killed in a mutiny. Another faction of soldiers initially supported Zhu Kerong's second son Zhu Yansi to succeed him. Zhu Yansi, however, was said to be cruel, and several months later, Li led another mutiny and killed Zhu Yansi, and further slaughtered the Zhu family. He then submitted a report of Zhu Yansi's crimes to the imperial government. Soon thereafter, Emperor Wenzong commissioned Li as the new military governor.[2]
As the military governor of Lulong
In 827, the imperial government prepared for a campaign against Li Tongjie, who seized control of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) after the death of his father, Li Quanlüe (李全略), who had been military governor, without imperial sanction.[2] Li Zaiyi offered to participate in the imperial campaign,[1] and subsequently, when Emperor Wenzong did declare a general campaign against Li Tongjie, Li Zaiyi was one of the generals mobilized. Li Tongjie, trying to get the other circuits' military governors to speak on his behalf, sent many of his relatives to try to bribe those military governors with money, treasures, and women, but when he sent his nephew with bribes to Lulong, Li Zaiyi arrested his nephew and sent the nephew and the bribe to the capital Chang'an.[2] Thereafter, Li Zaiyi participated in attacking Henghai's capital prefecture Cang Prefecture (滄州). After Li Tongjie surrendered in 829, Li Zaiyi received the honorific chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).[3]
In 830, Xi forces attacked Lulong. Li Zaiyi defeated the Xi forces and captured the chieftain Rujie (茹羯); he subsequently sent Rujie to Chang'an.[3]
In 831, when Li Zaiyi was feasting with an imperial emissary, his officer Yang Zhicheng started a mutiny, and Li Zaiyi and his son Li Zhengyuan (李正元) were forced to flee to Yi Prefecture (易州, in modern Baoding, Hebei) (in neighboring Yiwu Circuit (義武)). Emperor Wenzong initially considered launching an army to reinstate Li Zaiyi, but the chancellor Niu Sengru pointed out that the imperial government had no strength at the time for such a campaign. Emperor Wenzong thus allowed Yang to take over (although, at that time, only naming Yang acting military governor). Meanwhile, when Li Zaiyi arrived in Chang'an from Yi Prefecture, Emperor Wenzong, because Li Zaiyi had been respectful and had participated in the campaign against Henghai, continued to let him carry the title Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and further conveyed the title of Taibao (太保, one of the Three Excellencies) on him.[3]