However, Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) then attacked them and defeated Wang.
[2] Under Li Yun's regime, Wang Xingyu was given the title of military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong) but never reported there;[1] rather, Zhu sent him to try to attack Emperor Xizong at Xingyuan.
[2] Meanwhile, Tian's successor as the leading eunuch, Yang Fugong, issued a declaration that anyone who killed Zhu would be made the military governor of Jingnan.
Subsequently, Emperor Xizong made Wang Xingyu the military governor of Jingnan to succeed Zhu.
[3] In spring 892, Wang Xingyu, along with his allies Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit, Han Jian the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), Li Maozhen's brother Li Maozhuang (李茂莊) the military governor of Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Tianshui, Gansu), and Wang Xingyu's own brother Wang Xingyue (王行約) the military governor of Kuangguo Circuit (匡國, headquartered in modern Weinan), jointly petitioned Emperor Zhaozong to declare a campaign against the Yangs and to make Li Maozhen the commander of the operations.
Emperor Zhaozong, concerned that Li Maozhen would be difficult to control if he seized the Yangs' territory, initially refused and ordered them to negotiate a peaceful resolution.
Emperor Zhaozong was forced to grant their request and put Li Maozhen in command of the operations against the Yangs.
During the operations, Emperor Zhaozong bestowed the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) on Wang Xingyu.
[4] By 893, Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu were allied with the chancellor Cui Zhaowei, who was secretly informing them all that was happening at Emperor Zhaozong's court.
Emperor Zhaozong agreed, and he tried to placate Wang instead by giving him the title of Shangfu (尚父, "imperial father") and bestowing on him an iron certificate, which was supposed to guarantee that he would never be put to death.
He then crossed the Yellow River and attacked Kuangguo; Wang Xingyue abandoned the circuit and fled to Chang'an.
Wang then abandoned Bin Prefecture and fled; he was killed in flight by his own officers; his head was delivered to Chang'an and presented to Emperor Zhaozong.
At Li Keyong's recommendations, Emperor Zhaozong commissioned the imperial guard general Su Wenjian (蘇文建) to be the new military governor of Jingnan.