Wang Ling's Rebellion 王凌之亂

Wang Ling, a native of Taiyuan, was the nephew of Wang Yun, the Minister over the Masses who killed Dong Zhuo, and won renown serving as Inspector of Yan, Qing, Yang and Yu provinces. At the beginning of the Zhengshi era he became General Who Conquers the East and Commander of All Military Affairs in Yang Province and drove off Wu's Quan Cong, who had raided Quebei, and he rose through General of Chariots and Cavalry to Minister of Works. His sister's son Linghu Yu, as Inspector of Yan Province, was stationed at Ping'a, so that uncle and nephew together bore the heavy responsibility of Huainan. Records, Wei 28 §2–6

In the 1st year of Jiaping (249), after Sima Yi killed Cao Shuang, Wang Ling became Grand Commandant. Wang Ling and Linghu Yu, saying that the Prince of Qi was unfit for the imperial throne and that Cao Biao, Prince of Chu, was mature and able, plotted to receive Cao Biao and have him make his capital at Xuchang. In the 9th month of that year Linghu Yu sent his commander Zhang Shi to Baima to go back and forth with Cao Biao, and Wang Ling also sent a man to inform his son Wang Guang, but Wang Guang dissuaded him, saying they should not be the first to bring on disaster. In the 11th month Linghu Yu sent Zhang Shi again, but before Zhang Shi returned, Linghu Yu died of illness. Records, Wei 28 §6–7Records, Wei 4 §30

In the 2nd year of Jiaping (250), when Mars lingered in the Southern Dipper, Wang Ling said that someone would suddenly rise to high rank. In the spring of the 3rd year (251), when Wu blocked the Tu River, Wang Ling, meaning to use this as the occasion to act, put the various commanderies on alert and memorialized asking to attack the enemy, but the edict did not grant permission. Wang Ling sent the general Yang Hong to tell Huang Hua, Inspector of Yan Province, about the plan to depose and enthrone, but Huang Hua and Yang Hong, signing their names together, reported it to the Grand Tutor Sima Yi. Records, Wei 28 §8

According to the Annals of the Three Young Emperors, on the bingwu day of the 4th month the court heard that Wang Ling was plotting to depose the emperor and set up Cao Biao, and Sima Yi set out east to attack Wang Ling. Leading the central army down by water, Sima Yi first issued an amnesty pardoning Wang Ling's crime and brought along Wang Ling's son Wang Guang, a Master of Writing, to write a letter admonishing him, while with a great army he suddenly reached Baichi. At this time Sima Yi made Zhuge Dan General Who Guards the East and Commander of All Military Affairs in Yang Province. Records, Wei 4 §32Records, Wei 28 §8 · 31

With his situation hopeless, Wang Ling came out alone by boat to meet Sima Yi, sent his subordinate Wang Yu to beg forgiveness and hand over his seal and ribbon and his tallies and axes of authority, and when the army reached Qiutou he tied his own hands behind his back at the water's edge. Sima Yi, acting on the imperial edict, had him untied, returned his seal and ribbon and his tallies and axes, and sent him to the capital with an escort of 600 infantry and cavalry, but on reaching Xiang County Wang Ling took poison and died. The Annals of the Three Young Emperors record that Wang Ling killed himself on the jiayin day of the 5th month. Records, Wei 28 §9Records, Wei 4 §33

Sima Yi reached Shouchun, received the confessions of Zhang Shi and others, and investigated the affair to the end. All those implicated had their three sets of kin exterminated, and following the old law of the Spring and Autumn Annals, the court dug up the graves of Wang Ling and Linghu Yu and exposed their corpses in the marketplace for three days. Yang Hong and Huang Hua, who had informed on them, were made district marquises. In the 6th month Cao Biao, reproached by a sealed imperial letter, took his own life, and his fief was abolished and became Huainan Commandery. Records, Wei 28 §10Records, Wei 4 §33Records, Wei 20 §50–51

Later Zhuge Dan, seeing Wang Ling and Guanqiu Jian exterminated with their clans one after another, grew fearful. In his assessment Chen Shou said that Wang Ling's bearing and integrity were lofty, but that he, together with Guanqiu Jian, Zhuge Dan and Zhong Hui, had great ambitions but misguided aims and failed to foresee disaster. Records, Wei 28 §34 · 140