Wang Zai (Chinese: 王宰), né Wang Yanzai (王晏宰), was a general of the Chinese Tang dynasty, most well known for his participation in Emperor Wuzong's campaign against the warlord Liu Zhen, who ruled Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi).
He was said to have participated in suppressing the plot by Emperor Wenzong and his associates Li Xun and Zheng Zhu to slaughter the eunuchs in 835—known as the Ganlu Incident—while serving in the Shence Armies.
[2][3] Soon after Wang Zai's commission as military governor of Zhongwu, Emperor Wuzong declared a general campaign against Liu Zhen, who had seized control of Zhaoyi Circuit after the death of his adoptive father (and biological uncle) Liu Congjian, who was previously military governor, without imperial sanction.
However, He Hongjing the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei)—one of the circuits that Emperor Wuzong did mobilize—who had been governing Weibo in de facto independence from the imperial government, had been trying to intercede on Liu Zhen's behalf, and had not launched his own troops against Zhaoyi.
When He Hongjing heard of Wang's orders, he became apprehensive that if Zhongwu forces entered Weibo that his soldiers could rebel against him; he thus launched his troops in a hurry to attack Ci Prefecture.
[3] After He Hongjing launched his troops, with the objective of pressuring He Hongjing having been accomplished, Emperor Wuzong, at the advice of the lead chancellor Li Deyu, diverted Wang Zai to Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan) instead, as Heyang troops had recently been dealt a serious defeat by Zhaoyi forces under the command of the officer Xue Maoqing (薛茂卿), and its defense had been further hampered by the illness that its military governor Wang Maoyuan (王茂元) was suffering.
Xue's plans were subsequently leaked, and Liu summoned him back to Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (潞州) and killed him and his family.
[3] In order to pressure Wang Zai, Emperor Wuzong subsequently, at Li Deyu's suggestion, transferred Liu Mian (劉沔) the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan) to Heyang, and had him take his troops to Wanshan, close to Wang's camp.
[3] Subsequently, in fall 844, the three Zhaoyi prefectures east of the Taihang Mountains, angry at the taxes that officers Liu Zhen sent were imposing on them, surrendered to He Hongjing and Wang Yuankui the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei).
While at Chang'an, he bribed many high-level officials, hoping to be able to be transferred to Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), and be made an honorary chancellor.