Wang Mi

Wang Mi's family came from a line of officials in Donglai Commandery in the Jiaodong Peninsula but it is not known when he was born. His grandfather, Wang Qi was the Administrator of Xuantu during the Cao Wei period who greatly contributed in the Goguryeo-Wei War and participated in the conquest of Wei's rival state Shu Han. In his youth, he was noted to be brave and well-versed, as he surrounded himself with books and records. He was also once a knight-errant (Youxia 遊俠) in Luoyang. During the reign of Sima Yan, Wang Mi was appointed as Grand Administrator of Runan. A hermit by the name of Dong Zhong, who Wang Mi encountered on the road, said to him, “My Lord speaks life a wolf and looks like a leopard. Excellent in confusion, happy with misfortune, assumes all under heaven is disturbed and agitated. Not the acts of a scholar and nobleman!”[1]

During the War of the Eight Princes in 306, the Prefect of Jian County, Liu Bogen staged a revolt in Donglai. Hearing this, Wang Mi brought his family and servants along to join his rebellion. Wang Mi was appointed as Liu Bogen's Chief Clerk. Liu Bogen led his forces to invade the capital of Qing Province in Linzi. The commander of Qing Province, Sima Lue sent his general Liu Tun to quell the rebellion. However, Liu Bogen managed to defeat Liu Tun, causing Tun to flee to Luoyang while Sima Lue retreated to Liucheng[2].

Despite Liu Bogen's initial success, the rebellion soon fell apart the same year with the intervention of the You Province warlord Wang Jun. In the wake of Sima Lue's defeat, Wang Jun sent his generals against Liu Bogen to aid Lue in recovering his territories. Liu Bogen was killed in battle and Wang Mi decided to lead his own forces to the small islets. On his way, he was intercepted and defeated by Gou Chun. However, Wang Mi survived the attack, and with his remaining forces, he chose to settle at Mount Zhangguang instead, where he would become a bandit leader[3].

During his time as a bandit, Wang Mi led many raids in Qing province. His notoriety earned him the name of the "Flying Leopard (飛豹)" by the people of Qing[4]. The following year in 307, Wang Mi invaded Qing and Xu Province. He declared himself Grand General Who Conquers The East and executed any officials with a two thousand shi (石) salary rank. Emperor Huai of Jin's regent, Sima Yue sent Ju Xian to repel Wang Mi but Wang defeated and killed him[5]. Wang Mi was then defeated by Sima Yue's Inspector of Yan Province Gou Xi, forcing him to retreat[6].

Despite the defeat, Wang Mi managed to gather his scattered forces and his troop's morale only rose. In 308, he sent out several of his generals to raid and pillage the provinces of Qing, Xu, Yan and Yu where they killed many of the regions' administrators and prefects. Gou Xi fought Wang Mi's forces multiple time but this time he could not overcome Wang's forces. Soon, Wang Mi reached the city of Xuchang, where he emptied the city's arsenal of weapons and equipment to strengthen his own troops[7]. With his momentum looking unstoppable, Wang Mi set his eyes on the Jin capital in Luoyang.

As Wang Mi's army marched towards Luoyang, Sima Yue sent his Marshal Wang Bin to defend the capital. The governor of Liang province, Zhang Gui, also sent his general Beigong Chun to reinforce the city. Wang Mi passed through Huanyuan Pass and defeated the Jin forces at Yibei, spreading fear in the capital. When Wang Mi finally arrived at Luoyang Wang Yan, was appointed to command the army against him. Wang Yan, Wang Bin and Beigong Chun overcame Wang Mi and drove him away. Wang Mi burned the Jianchun Gate before retreating, but Wang Yan sent Wang Bing to pursue him and was defeated once more at Seven Li Gully[8].

After failing to capture Luoyang, Wang Mi decided to join the Xiongnu Liu Yuan's state of Han Zhao. Liu Yuan and Wang Mi had befriended each other in their youths during their time in Luoyang. So, when Liu Yuan heard that Wang Mi was approaching his domain, he welcomed him with opened arms, even sending him a letter saying,"General, your achievements supplant the age, and your virtues surpass the era; that is why I have sent you this welcome. Before you reach here, I shall personally prepare a place of residence for you, roll out the carpet and wash the vessels for you, and respectfully await your arrival." When Wang Mi met Liu Yuan, Wang urged him to declare himself as emperor, which Liu would eventually do later that year. Liu Yuan appointed Wang Mi and number of posts as part of his welcome but Wang Mi declined them all[9].

Under Han, Wang Mi was first tasked in accompanying Liu Yao in to invade Henei before joining with Shi Le to attack Linzhang in 308. After that, he and Shi Le laid siege on Ye, causing the local commander He Yu to abandon the city. Emperor Huai sent Pei Xian to camp at Baima to defend against Wang Mi[10].The next year in 309, Wang Mi was granted a number of appointments by Liu Yuan; Palace Attendant, Commander of military affairs in Qing, Xu, Yan, Yu, Ji, and Yang province and Governor of Qing province. After that, he was sent to campaign against the Inspector of Bing Province, Liu Kun to capture Huguan County from his territory together with Liu Cong and Shi Le. To support Liu Kun, Sima Yue sent his generals Wang Kuang, Wei Gan and others to attack Wang Mi. Wang Mi greatly routed them at Gaodu and Changping, nearly annihilating their armies. Meanwhile, Liu Cong and Shi Le defeated Liu Kun's forces and captured Huguan. For this, Wang Mi was given the title Duke of Donglai[11].

The same year, Wang Mi participated in Liu Yuan's attempt to capture Luoyang together with Liu Cong, Liu Yao and Liu Jing. Although Luoyang was poorly defended, the campaign went badly for the Han forces as several of their generals were killed during the assault. Wang Mi advised Liu Cong to retreat as their supplies were beginning to run low but Liu did not dare without his father's permission. It was not until Liu Yuan recalled his forces that Liu Cong decided to retreat, ending the siege in failure[12].

Later that year, Wang Mi marched his troops south through Huanyuan Pass to invade Xiangcheng Commandery. Sima Yue sent Bao Sheng and others to attack Wang Mi and Bao defeated him at Xinji[13]. However, at the same time, many refugees in Yingchuan, Xiangcheng, Runan, Nanyang, and Henan commanderies were rebelling to join Wang Mi. These refugees, who initially fled to escape the fighting, were discriminated by the local inhabitants. To show their loyalty to Wang Mi, they set fire to the towns and cities and killed the chief clerks and any official with a Two Thousand shi salary[14]. Shortly after, Wang Mi petitioned to Liu Yuan that his Chief Clerk of the Left, Cao Ni, to be appointed General Who Maintains The East in Qing Province, where he would provide security to Wang's family members[15].

The next year in 310, Wang Mi aided Shi Le in invading Xu, Yu and Yan Province, routing many local generals[16]. However, later, that year, the Emperor of Han, Liu Yuan passed away. Although his son Liu He succeeded him, he was quickly assassinated by his other son, Liu Cong, making Cong the new emperor after only a month into He's reign. After becoming emperor, Liu Cong was set on capturing Luoyang. He sent Liu Can, Liu Yao, Wang Mi and Shi Le to march towards the capital[17].

Wang Mi joined Liu Yao in invading Xiangcheng before marching towards Luoyang. Although Luoyang stood strong against Han just a year ago, its defense was severely weakened by famines, bandits and mistrust among the inhabitants of the city. When Gou Xi marched out to secure Cangyuan for the emperor to move and declare a new capital, he left Luoyang vulnerable to the Han forces. In 311, Liu Cong sent Huyan Yan to besiege the capital and ordered Wang Mi, Liu Yao and Shi Le to join him. Wang Mi arrived at the Xuanyang Gate and met him Huyan Yan. They entered the Southern Palace, sacked the Taiji Hall and captured many of the palace servants. Emperor Huai, who was still in the capital, was captured and sent to Han's capital in Pingyang[18].

Despite their victory, Wang Mi had a dispute with Liu Yao. Wang Mi resented Liu Yao for entering the capital before him. Furthermore, Wang Mi also pillaged the capital despite Liu Yao forbidding him. As punishment, Liu Yao beheaded his General of the Serrated Gate, Wang Yan (not to be confused with the Jin minister by the same name). This led to Wang Mi ordering his men to attack Liu Yao's soldiers, more than a thousand dead on both sides. Wang Mi's Chief Clerk Zhang Song advised him to reconcile with Liu Yao, to which Wang Mi agreed and Liu Yao accepted his apology. However, the two men quarreled again when Wang Mi's advice to persuade Liu Cong to move Han's capital from Pingyang to Luoyang was turned down by Yao, who instead burned the city down. Angered, Wang Mi told him, "You Chuge brat, is this how a king or an emperor acts?" Eventually, Wang Mi returned to Qing Province[19]. Later, Wang Mi was appointed Grand General and Duke of Qi[20].

Wang Mi had long been friends with his colleague, Shi Le but deep down they were both very suspicious to one another. Shi Le had secretly caught and killed Wang Mi's subordinate Liu Tun who was on his way to Cao Ni to inform him to rally his troops against Shi. Furthermore, Wang Mi's generals Xu Miao and Gao Liang had abandoned him with their troops to Cao Ni. When Wang Mi heard that Shi Le had caught his adversary Gou Xi, he wrote a letter to Shi Le seemingly praising him when in reality he scorned him. Wang Mi also sent Shi Le women and treasures he captured and looted during the siege of Luoyang as gifts to win him over. Shi Le was not amused but his advisor Zhang Bin told him that he should wait until Wang Mi's forces had truly dwindled.

Soon enough, Wang Mi was caught in a stalemate with an enemy general named Liu Rui. Shi Le was fighting Chen Wu at the time but Zhang Bin told him to leave Chen Wu to aid Wang Mi in order to win his trust. Shi Le agreed and helped Wang Mi overcome Liu Rui. Wang Mi was grateful of his assistance and no longer suspected him. After their victory, Shi Le invited Wang Mi over to a feast at Jiwu. Wang Mi complied despite Zhang Song advising him not to. When Wang Mi became drunk, Shi Le personally beheaded him and absorbed his army.

Shi Le had sent Liu Cong a petition to justify his actions, calling Wang Mi a rebel. Although Liu Cong was highly infuriated at Shi Le for killing a prominent general, he still wanted to ensure Shi Le's loyalty to Han, so he gave no punishment and instead rewarded him with appointments[21]. Wang Mi's subordinate, Cao Ni continued to maintain control over Qing Province, where he would remain until his defeat to Shi Le's nephew, Shi Hu in 323.

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu)

• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian