[1] When Pang Xun rebelled and took over Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) in 868,[2] Zhuge joined his army and became a low-level officer.
Zhuge subsequently camped his troops at the site of modern Xi'an, near Chang'an, opposing those of Huang's general Zhu Wen.
[5] In fall 882, Han Jian the military governor of nearby Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei), who had ambitions of seizing nearby circuits' territory, attacked Heyang, defeating Zhuge Shuang at Xiuwu (修武, in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), and Zhuge abandoned Heyang and fled.
Han subsequently left an army commanded by his officer Zhao Wenbian (趙文弁) at Heyang to defend it, while he himself headed east and attacked Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong).
At that time, Zhuge had gone as far as Jinshang Circuit (金商, headquartered in modern Shangluo, Shaanxi), but upon receiving this news returned to Heyang and entered the capital Meng Prefecture (孟州), surprising the Weibo garrison.
[1] Meanwhile, Li Hanzhi the prefect of Guang Prefecture (光州, in modern Xinyang, Henan) was attacked by Qin Zongquan, who had submitted to Huang Chao (who had by that point, under Tang pressure, abandoned Chang'an and headed back east), and fled to Zhuge.
His officers Liu Jing (劉經) and Zhang Quanyi supported his son Zhuge Zhongfang (諸葛仲方) to be the acting military governor.
[6] It was said that while Zhuge rose from the ranks of rebels, his rulings were logical, and the territory he governed had clear laws that were easy to follow, and therefore the people supported him.