After the rebellion, the three regions of Chéngdé (成德), Lúlóng (盧龍) and Wèibó (魏博) were controlled by ex-rebel generals who held substantial territory and forces.
In the south, however, the court took a much more aggressive stand against such defense commands as Zīqīng (淄青) (mainly in Shandong), Biànsòng (汴宋) (in east Henan), and Huáixī (淮西) (in south Henan), which posed a more immediate and palpable threat to the transportation of strategic grains through the Grand Canal, on which the court depended.
During Emperor Xianzong's reign the northeast region was briefly subdued, but after his death it became independent again.
The situation was summed up thus by Tang dynasty's chancellor Niu Sengru: "Ever since the Anshi Rebellion, the three Fanzhen have not been part of the country.
Although Liu Zong briefly gave the area to the central government, in the end it became independent and 80 million strings of cash were wasted.