Huang is besieging Bo Prefecture (in modern Bozhou, Anhui) in spring 878, when Wang Xianzhi is crushed by Zeng at Huangmei (in modern Huanggang, Hubei) and killed.
Shang Rang takes the remnants of Wang's army and joins Huang at Bo Prefecture, and he offers the title of king to Huang.
Huang, instead, claims the title of Chongtian Dajiangjun ("Generalissimo Who Charges to the Heavens") and changes the era name to Wangba, to show independence from the Tang regime.
He then captures Yi and Pu Prefectures again, but subsequently suffers several defeats by Tang forces.
He thus writes the new military governor of Tianping, Zhang Xi, asking Zhang to request a Tang commission on his behalf.
At Zhang's request, Emperor Xizong commissions Huang as a general of the imperial guards, but orders him to report to Yun Prefecture to disarm before he reports to the capital Chang'an.
Faced with those conditions, Huang refuses the offer.
Instead, …
