his service with the state, being first appointed as Prancing Dragon General and Interior Minister of Langye. He was later stationed at Luoyang after being promoted to Inspector of Yuzhou and Chief Controller of Yangzhou and five counties in Yuzhou. In 386, a Dingling chieftain, Zhai Liao, rebelled against Jin in Liyang (黎陽; northeast of present-day Xun County, Henan) after killing its administrator, Teng Tianzhi (滕恬之). Zhu Xu ordered Qin Ying (秦膺) and Tong Bin (童斌) to lead troops against Zhai Liao. Later that year, Liao attacked Qiao (譙; present-day Bozhou, Anhui) but was repelled by Zhu Xu. In 387, Zhu Xu was entrusted with the positions of Inspector of Qingzhou and Yanzhou. He was then stationed in Pengcheng to replace Xie Xuan, although he later moved his base to Huaiyin, as it was closer to the capital and further from the borders of the powerful Later Yan. That same year, Zhai Liao's son, Zhai Zhao, attacked Chenliu and Yingchuan. Zhu Xu sent Qin Ying to defend the commanderies, and Zhai Zhao was driven back. For his merits, Zhu Xu was appointed General Who Campaigns Against the Caitiff. Zhu later requested the court to transport 100,000 hu (斛) of rice and 5,000 pieces of cloth for military use from Jiangzhou. In 388, Zhu Xu was made Chief Controller of Sizhou, Yongzhou, Liangzhou, and Qinzhou and Inspector of Yongzhou. He was also given the generals Yang Quanqi and Zhao Mu (趙睦) to serve as his subordinates. Zhu Xu sent another request to the court, this time asking for supplies from 1,000 hectares of land from the office of the former Inspector of Jingzhou, Huan Shisheng (桓石生) as well as 80,000 hu of rice. Afterwards, he went to guard Luoyang. Defence of Luoyang In 390, the Western Yan Emperor, Murong Yong, led his troops to invade Luoyang, so Zhu Xu crossed the Yellow River and faced Yong's general, Wang Ci (王次). Wang Ci was defeated at the Qin River and retreated. Zhu then sent Zhao Mu and Huan Bucai (桓不才) to pursue the fleeing Yan army, allowing them to defeat Yong at Taihang. Murong Yong retreated to Shangdang, and not long after, Zhu Xu received the submission from the minor warlord named Yang Kai. Zhu Xu continued to pursue Murong Yong as far as the White River (白水) in Shangdang, where they fought for 20 days. Meanwhile, Zhai Liao, now Heavenly King