Guǎngzhèng (廣政): Meng Chang (孟昶) (919–965), originally Meng Renzan (孟仁贊), courtesy name Baoyuan (保元), posthumously honored as Prince Gongxiao of Chu (楚恭孝王) by the Emperor Taizu of Song, was the second and last emperor of the Later Shu dynasty of China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
[10] He bestowed on Meng Renzan the titles of acting Taibao (太保), military governor of Dongchuan, director of Chongsheng Palace (崇聖宮), and honorary chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi).
Shocked by the development, the senior general Li Zhao (李肇), who had previously refused to bow to the young emperor, changed his attitude and became very submissive.
Meanwhile, the new Later Tang emperor Li Congke launched an army and tried to recover Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), which had surrendered to Later Shu in the last days of Meng Zhixiang's reign.
[13] Ever since Later Shu's founding, major generals had been frequently given military governorships but would remain at the capital Chengdu to continue to oversee imperial army operations.
Meng became aware of this and, in 941, he reformed the situation by stripping Zhao Tingyin, Wang, and Zhang of their military governorships while giving them other honorary titles.
Liu sent the general Wang Jingchong toward Jinchang and Fengxiang to prepare to combat the Later Shu troops, with instructions to attack Zhao and Hou if they again change their mind.
Zhao, however, left for Kaifeng quickly, and Hou, after some hesitation, also did so, allowing Wang's army to take over control of their circuits.
Meng then launched a larger army under the command of An Siqian (安思謙) the military governor of Shannan West to try to aid Wang and Zhao Siwan, despite the urging by the chancellor Wu Zhaoyi that doing so was risky.
With hopes of Later Shu aid gone and Zhao Hui sieging his capital Fengxiang Municipality, Wang committed suicide.
Li Hao and Xu Guangpu replaced Zhang as chancellor (although Xu was shortly after removed after being accused of having sexually harassed the daughter of Former Shu's founding emperor Wang Jian), while no one immediately succeeded Wang Chuhui as chief of staff—Meng had wanted to make two close associates, Gao Yanzhao and Wang Zhaoyuan his chiefs of staff, but as they were perceived to lack sufficient seniority, gave them lesser offices and made them acting chiefs of staff, while giving them free rein in the matters of finance.
[22] Meanwhile, the people of the Later Shu realm had been much resentful of An Siqian's involvement in Zhang Ye's death and in the removal of Zhao Tingyin.
Believing the accusations by the official Wang Zao (王藻) that An was plotting treason, Meng had An and his three sons arrested and executed.
[22] In 955, Meng Chang became aware that the emperor of Later Zhou—the successor state to Later Han's main territory—Guo Rong, was planning an invasion to recover Feng, Qin, Cheng, and Jie Prefectures.
Before departing Chengdu, Zhao, who was ambitious and considered himself to have both administrative and military abilities, stated to Meng his belief that neither Han Jixun (韓繼勳) the military governor of Xiongwu Circuit nor Wang Wandi (王萬迪) the prefect of Feng Prefecture had the abilities to lead large armies to defend against the Later Zhou attack.
[23] Shortly after, Later Zhou launched its attack, with its armies commanded by the generals Wang Jing (王景) the military governor of Fengxiang and Xiang Xun (向訓).
On the way to the front, Zhao, hearing of the actual launching of the Later Zhou attack, panicked, and fled back to Chengdu by himself, causing a general panic in the city as well, as the populace to believe that the Later Shu army had already suffered a major defeat.
Meng sent the generals Li Tinggui (李廷珪) and Gao Yanchou (高彥儔) to the front to combat the Later Zhou army.
Han then abandoned Qin Prefecture and fled back to Chengdu; his assistant Zhao Pin (趙玭) surrendered the city.
In fear, Meng wrote Guo, requesting peace between the two states; on the letter, he referred to himself as "Emperor of the Great Shu."
In fear that Guo would launch a further attack deeper into Later Shu territory, Meng mobilized large armies and stationed them at Jianmen Pass and Baidi.
Empress Dowager Li, concerned that over the years, the military commands had not been in the hands of right generals, spoke to Meng:[24] I had previously watched Emperor Zhuangzong [(i.e., Li Cunxu)] battle Liang forces across the River, and also the acts of the late Emperor [(i.e., Meng Zhixiang)], both at Taiyuan and in conquering the Shu region.
[25] In the aftermaths of Guo's death, the Later Zhou general Zhao Kuangyin seized power in a coup, establishing Song dynasty as its Emperor Taizu.
The county magistrate Si Chun (四淳) submitted a petition, arguing that stricter enforcement would merely put greater stress on the people and would damage the state, but Meng did not listen to him.
However, after consulting with the general Zhang Hui (張暉), Zhang advocated against such a move, believing that Song's Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), on the border with Northern Han, had been so damaged by warfare that it would not serve as a good springboard for an invasion against Northern Han at that time.
He thus made Zhang the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Feng Prefecture with orders for him to survey the geography of the region, to prepare an eventual invasion of Later Shu.
Shortly after, he launched 60,000 men to attack on two fronts, through Feng Prefecture on the north side of Later Shu (commanded by the general Wang Quanbin (王全斌)), and from Gui Prefecture (歸州, in modern Yichang, Hubei, formerly part of Jingnan's territory, which Song took directly under control in 963), on the east side of Later Shu, commanded by the general Liu Guangyi (劉光義).
Meng, however, rejected that idea, stating:[3] My father and I treated these officers well with plenteous clothing and good food for 40 years.
[3] In spring 965, Meng Chang and his family, as well as high level officials, began the trek to Kaifeng, down the Yangtze River to the east.
He created Meng the Duke of Qin, and gave him the additional honorary titles of Kaifu Yitong Sansi (開府儀同三司), acting Taishi (太師), and Zhongshu Ling (中書令).