)[6] In 923, Li Cunxu claimed imperial title as the emperor of a new Later Tang, and shortly after conquered his southern rival Later Liang and took over its territory.
[11] In 928, when Li Siyuan ordered a general campaign against the rebellious Wang Du, the military governor of Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding, Hebei),[11] Fu Yanqing, who then carried the titles of the commander of the Longwu Corps and prefect of Ji Prefecture (吉州, in modern Ji'an, Jiangxi) (an honorary title, as Ji Prefecture was then under the rule of Later Tang's southeastern neighbor Wu), served on the campaign against Wang.
After the campaign, Fu was made the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Yao Prefecture (耀州, in modern Tongchuan, Shaanxi).
He was later made the prefect of Qing Prefecture (慶州, in modern Qingyang, Gansu) and, at imperial direction, built a fort to try to entice Dangxiang tribesmen to submit to Later Tang.
There was a time when he went hunting that, within a day, he killed 42 animals — deer, pigs, wolves, foxes, and rabbits — impressing the people who witnessed the feat.
[1] In 936, Shi Jingtang, then the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered at Taiyuan), rebelled against Li Congke.
[12] Early in Shi Jingtang's reign, Fu Yanqing was made the military governor of Kuangguo Circuit (匡國, headquartered in modern Weinan, Shaanxi).
[1] With Shi Chonggui taking a hostile tone in his relationship with Khitan (which had been renamed Liao), Emperor Taizong made a major invasion into Later Jin territory in 944 to aid Yang Guangyuan, who had rebelled against Shi's rule from his post at Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong).
Fu was one of the generals whose armies were mobilized to resist the Liao invasion,[14] and there was a time when he, Gao Xingzhou, and Shi Gongba (石公霸) were surrounded by Liao forces, such that they almost were captured, but Fu fought valiantly; subsequently, when Shi Chonggui himself arrived with a relief force, they were saved.
[1][15] When eventually, with Pinglu's capital Qing Prefecture (青州) under siege, Yang's son Yang Chengxun (楊承勳) arrested his father and surrendered, Fu was rewarded with the title of Duke of Qi, and was moved to Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan).
[15] For his accomplishment, Shi, who then moved him to Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), bestowed on him the honorary chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
Only when Du and Li Shouzhen subsequently become surrounded by Emperor Taizong at Zhongdu Bridge (中度橋, in modern Baoding), did Shi summon Gao and Fu and tried to have them serve as a line of defense.
[17] Not long after, Emperor Taizong, tired of dealing with Han Chinese rebellions, chose to withdraw back to Liao proper, but died on the way.
[17] After a succession struggle, his nephew Yelü Ruan the Prince of Yongkang took control of the throne (as Emperor Shizong).
[18] In fear, Li Shouzhen, who was friendly with Du and who was then the military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), rebelled.
He was thereafter moved to Pinglu Circuit,[21] and given the honorary chancellor title Zhongshu Ling (中書令); he was also created the Duke of Wei.
[1] Later in 950, Liu Chengyou, displeased that the officials Liu Zhiyuan entrusted to were continuing to control the governance, making him feel that he was being ignored, had three of them — Guo's colleague as chief of staff, Yang Bin; the commanding general of the imperial guards, Shi Hongzhao; and the overseer of the financial agencies, Wang Zhang — killed.
After Murong was defeated, Fu was moved to Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong).
Shortly after, Liu Zhiyuan's brother Liu Min, who had claimed imperial title and claimed to be the lawful successor to the Later Han throne (but whose state was generally historically referred to separately as Northern Han), tried to take advantage of the Later Zhou imperial succession by attacking south from his capital Taiyuan.
Guo Rong personally led the imperial forces against Liu Min, but also ordered a number of other generals, including Fu, to attack Northern Han on the flanks, with the assignment of Fu and his deputy Guo Chong the military governor of Zhenning Circuit (鎮寧, headquartered in modern Anyang) to attack toward Taiyuan through Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan).
He initially only intended to have Fu advance to Taiyuan, show the Later Zhou power to inhibit another future Northern Han attack, and then withdraw.
After Guo returned to Kaifeng, he bestowed the title of Taifu (太傅) on Fu, and created him the Prince of Wei (魏王).
[1] In 960, Zhao Kuangyin seized power in a coup, ending Later Zhou and starting a new Song dynasty as its Emperor Taizu.
Liu was said to be greedy, and was often finding ways to enrich himself with the tax funds he received from the people, with Fu not realizing it.
The chief of staff Zhao Pu opposed, arguing that Fu had such great reputation that he might pose a risk as commander.
Zhao Pu responded, "How could Your Imperial Majesty turn against Emperor Shizong of Zhou [(i.e., Guo Rong)]?"
[29] In 969, again believing Fu to be ineffective as a governor, Emperor Taizu moved him to Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi).
Emperor Taizu initially agreed, but Fu remained there for 100 days without any signs of getting ready to depart for Fengxiang.