[9] In or around 903, Liu Rengong made him the prefect of Ping Prefecture (平州, in modern Qinhuangdao, Hebei).
In summer 907, when the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) sent the general Li Si'an (李思安) to attack Lulong's capital You Prefecture (幽州), Liu Rengong happened to be at his vacation mansion at Mount Da'an (大安山), and the city was unprepared for Li Si'an's attack and almost fell.
In fall 908, Emperor Taizu commissioned him as the military governor of Lulong and gave him the honorary chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
As he did, Yuan Xingqin, who recognized Liu Shouwen, charged toward him and captured him, and subsequently, the battle turned into a rout against the Yichang troops.
)[8] In 910, Emperor Taizu, doubting the loyalty of two other Later Liang vassals—Wang Rong the military governor of Wushun Circuit (武順, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei, also known as Zhao) and Wang Chuzhi the military governor of Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding, Hebei)—had his officers Du Tingyin (杜廷隱) and Ding Yanhui (丁延徽) seize Wushun's Shen (深州) and Ji (冀州) Prefectures (both in modern Hengshui, Hebei) by trick and then prepared to have his general Wang Jingren attack and take over Wushun and Yiwu.
Originally, the joint army attacked south further, intending to also take Later Liang's Baoyi (保義, headquartered in modern Xingtai) and Tianxiong (天雄, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) Circuits, but as they advanced, Liu Shouguang made noises about joining the fight.
Li was concerned that Liu would attack him from his back, and so abandoned the operationsw to capture Baoyi and Tianxiong.
Li thus signed a joint petition with Wang Rong, Wang Chuzhi, and three other governors under Li's command—Zhou Dewei the military governor of Zhenwu Circuit (振武, headquartered in modern Datong, Shanxi), Li Sizhao the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), and Song Yao (宋瑤) the defender of Tiande Circuit (天德, headquartered in modern Hohhot, Inner Mongolia)—offering Liu the Shangfu title.
Emperor Taizu, while knowing that Liu was inflating himself, thereafter sent the emissaries Wang Tong (王瞳) and Shi Yanqun (史彥群) to bestow him the title of surveyor (采訪使, Caifangshi) of the circuits north of the Yellow River.
[2] When Liu Shouguang subsequently had his staff members prepare for a ceremony for him to take the Shangfu and Caifangshi titles, he noticed that the ceremony lacked sacrifices to heaven and declaration of a new era name—which the staff members pointed out were inappropriate given that he would still be a Later Liang imperial subject.
In anger, Liu threw the ceremonial agenda and stated:[2] I have the territory of 2,000 square li and 300,000 armored soldiers.
Why should I even assume the title of Shangfu?Liu ordered the immediate preparation of an imperial enthronement ceremony.
He also threw Wang Tong and Shi, as well as the emissaries that the other circuits sent to attend the ceremony, into jail, but then had them released.
His staff members had misgivings about his assuming the throne, so he publicly displayed a large axe, stating, "Anyone who dares to speak against it will be beheaded!"
Further, he then launched an army and postured to attack Yiwu, despite the opposition of his official Feng Dao, whom he imprisoned.
However, the Later Liang emperor was defeated by the Jin general Li Cunshen and forced to withdraw, and, as he then fell seriously ill, was not able to again launch another army to come to Liu's aid.
(He was assassinated later in the year by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying, who then took the throne, further ending any hopes of Later Liang aid for Yan.)
When Liu sent a humbly-worded letter begging for peace, Zhou mocked him, stating:[2] The Emperor of the Great Yan has not yet offered sacrifices to heaven and earth.
Liu Shouguang continued to beg for his life, stating, "I am good at riding and archery; if Your Royal Highness wants to establish great accomplishments, why not spare me so that I can serve under you?"
Empresses Li and Zhu rebuked him and accepted their fate, but Liu Shouguang begged for his life even up to the last moment.