Early Career
Fu Pi was first mentioned in historical records in 357, when his father Fu Jiān overthrew the violent and whimsical emperor Fu Sheng and took the throne with the title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang). Fu Jiān created Fu Pi, his oldest son, the Duke of Changle. At that time, Fu Pi was described to have talent in both governance and military matters, whose talents were only lesser to his uncle Fu Rong, whose abilities were much praised by historians.
In 378, Fu Jiān commissioned Fu Pi to command a large army against the Jin city Xiangyang (襄陽, in modern Xiangfan, Hubei). At the advice of the general Gou Chang (苟萇), Fu Pi chose to surround the city and cut off its supply route to strangle it into submission, rather than making direct assaults on the city. However, around the new year 379, Fu Jiān, anxious to capture the city, sent him a sword, stating that if by the spring he had not captured the city, he should kill himself with the sword. After receiving the sword, Fu Pi, in fear, made a fierce attack on the city and captured it.
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