[5][7] Subsequently, Huang captured the Tang imperial capital Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xizong to flee to Chengdu.
Under Yang's suggestion, later in the year, Emperor Xizong created a new Fengguo Circuit out of Cai Prefecture and made Qin its defender (防禦使, Fangyushi).
[5] In 883, Huang Chao, under attack from a group of Tang Shatuo generals led by Li Keyong, was forced to abandon Chang'an and flee east.
Qin Zongquan engaged Meng but was defeated, and reacted by opening the city gates and submitting to Huang.
In spring 884, he also sent one of his younger brothers to attack Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei, Anhui), and occupied Shucheng (舒城, in modern Lu'an, Anhui) for some time, before the prefect of Lu, Yang Xingmin, sent his officer Tian Jun to expel Qin Zongquan's brother.
Meanwhile, in winter 884, when another renegade Tang general, Lu Yanhong, was set to attack Xiang Prefecture (襄州, in modern Xiangfan, Hubei), Qin sent his officers Qin Gao (秦誥) and Zhao Deyin to aid Lu, and they captured Xiang Prefecture.
[1] Around the same time, Qin was also sending other officers to attack surrounding circuits, with Chen Yan (陳彥) attacking Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu); Qin Zongxian (秦宗賢) attacking Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi); Qin Gao capturing Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered at Xiang Prefecture); Sun Ru capturing the Tang eastern capital Luoyang, as well as Shanguo Circuit (陝虢, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia, Henan); Zhang Zhi (張晊) capturing Ru (汝州, in modern Pingdingshan, Henan) and Zheng (鄭州, in modern Zhengzhou, Henan) Prefectures; and Lu Tang (盧瑭) attacking Xuanwu.
Wang, in fear, forced the people of Guang and Shou (壽州, in modern Lu'an) to follow him south of the Yangtze River.
He sent his brother Qin Zongyan (秦宗言) to attack Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei), while he captured Xu Prefecture, killing Lu Yanhong.
As of spring 887, Qin, angry that he was continuously unable to defeat Zhu, prepared for a decisive attack on Bian Prefecture.
Meanwhile, in winter 887, Qin Zongquan recaptured Zheng Prefecture, while Zhao Deyin, whom Qin had made the military governor of Shannan East Circuit, captured Jingnan and killed the Tang military governor Zhang Gui, leaving his officer Wang Jianzhao in control of Jingnan's capital Jiangling Municipality.
[2] In fall 888, the Tang general Cheng Rui attacked Jiangling and recaptured it, forcing Wang to flee.
[2] However, shortly after, around the new year 889, Qin Zongquan's officer Shen Cong (申叢) carried out a coup against him, seizing him, breaking his legs, and putting him under arrest.