but by this point, in effect, Qi's territory was limited to Fengxiang Municipality and its immediate surroundings. In 918, Li Maozhen sent emissaries to again seek peace with Former Shu. It is not clear how Wang Jian received the peace proposal. However, after Wang Jian's death later that year, his son and successor Wang Zongyan launched another attack on Fengxiang in spring 919. When the Former Shu army ran into rainstorms, however, it withdrew. In 920, Former Shu launched another attack on Qi and initially achieved victories. However, when the Former Shu army's food supplies ran out, it withdrew. Submission to Later Tang In 923, Li Cunxu, who by that point had claimed to be the legitimate successor to Tang and declared a new Later Tang as its Emperor Zhuangzong, finally achieved total victory against Later Liang, capturing its capital Daliang; Zhu Zhen committed suicide before Later Tang forces could capture him, ending Later Liang. Upon hearing the news, Li Maozhen sent emissaries to congratulate Emperor Zhuangzong, but in the letter used an arrogant tone, considering himself an uncle. (That was because when both Li Maozhen and Li Keyong were granted the Tang imperial clan name of Li, they were both adopted into Tang imperial prince heritages in the same generation, and therefore were technically cousins.) However, after Emperor Zhuangzong subsequently entered Luoyang and made it his capital, Li Maozhen became apprehensive that he might become the Later Tang emperor's next target. In spring 924, he thus sent his son Li Jiyan to submit tributes to Emperor Zhuangzong and to submit a petition in which he referred to himself as a Later Tang subject. Emperor Zhuangzong received Li Jiyan warmly and granted the title of Zhongshu Ling on him, while he honored Li Maozhen by referring him only by his formal title of Prince of Qi, not by his name, in edicts. After Li Jiyan returned to Fengxiang, he relayed to Li Maozhen what he saw — that the Later Tang army was great in its strength. Li Maozhen, in fear, submitted another petition in which he requested that he be allowed to be a simple subject — in other words, that Emperor Zhuangzong no longer omit his name in edicts. Emperor Zhuangzong declined. He subsequently created Li Maozhen the Prince of Qin, still not referring to him by name and still not requiring him to bow to the imperial