Yan Zhenqing stills
After the Anshi Rebellion led by An Lushan broke out, Yan Zhenqing joined forces with more than 200,000 Tang soldiers to contain the rebel An Lushan and launch a rebellion. Wherever An Jun went, he burned and looted, which aroused the resentment of the people in the Tang Dynasty. Yan Zhenqing was a plain satrap at that time and didn't want to go along with Anshi Rebellion and others, so he joined his cousin Changshan satrap Yan Gaoqing and others to organize the army and civilians to rise up and resist. Around Hebei, 17 counties responded one after another and joined the action against An Jun. The number of insurgents jointly resisted by Yan Zhenqing reached 200,000, which greatly contained An Jun.
Yan Zhenqing stills
Before the Anshi Rebellion, Yan Zhenqing prepared for resistance in advance. Pingyuan County was originally under the jurisdiction of An Lushan. The Anshi Rebellion began to appear. Yan Zhenqing saw it in his eyes and was anxious in his heart. Finally, he came up with a good plan. On the grounds of continuous rainfall, he secretly raised the city wall, dredged the moat, recruited able-bodied men and stored food and grass.
While making these preparations in the dark, Yan Zhenqing rebelled against the guests to drink every day, so as to paralyze An Lushan. An Lushan saw that Yan Zhenqing was a bookworm and felt that there was nothing to worry about.
Yan Zhenqing stills
After An Lushan launched the rebellion, Plain City was not quickly captured by An Lushan because of its tight defense. Since then, he also contacted the leaders of the surrounding counties to rise up against An Jun, which greatly contained An Lushan. The Yanshi family made great sacrifices for the imperial court and put down the Anshi Rebellion. Later, it was praised by Xuanzong as "one of the famous families, the eternal righteous Sect"