Meanwhile, Wu Shaocheng the military governor of Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan) had recently rose against the imperial government and had reached a secret agreement with Liu Quanliang to jointly attack Chenxu Circuit (陳許, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan) and divide it among them.
[6] In 800, Han, after he became familiar with the officers, came to understand that one of them, Liu E (劉鍔), had long been involved with the repeated mutinies against military governors.
As he had never gone to the capital Chang'an to pay homage to the emperor, it was said that the imperial government did not treat him as a military governor that it could command easily.
After Wang E (王鍔) the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) also received honorary chancellor title in 814, Han felt disgraced to be sharing the same rank as Wang and wrote the chancellor Wu Yuanheng to complain.
[9] The imperial forces continued to be unable to defeat Zhangyi conclusively, and in fall 817, Pei went to the front to oversee the troops himself — but Han remained titularly the overall commander.
Later that year, after a surprise attack by Li Su the military governor of Tangsuideng Circuit (唐隨鄧, headquartered in modern Zhumadian) captured Zhangyi's capital Cai Prefecture (蔡州) and took Wu captive, it was to Han and Pei that Emperor Xianzong issued the edict for them to list those with accomplishments during the campaign to be rewarded.
For Han's own contributions during the campaign, Emperor Xianzong gave him the additional honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中).
[12] It was said that after Wu's destruction, Han became more fearful of the imperial government, and after Emperor Xianzong declared a campaign against Li Shidao in summer 818, Han personally commanded troops against Li Shidao and put Cao Prefecture under siege, even though he was suffering from an illness at the time.
He made a large tribute offering of horses, silk, and gold and silver vessels — but despite this, it was said that the Xuanwu treasury continued to be wealthy.
In 822, Han requested retirement based on old age, and he was recalled to Chang'an to again serve as acting Situ and Zhongshu Ling.