The forces led by Jing and Wang against Fan and other rebel generals are in shambles by 22, when Fan kills Jing in battle.

Wang Mang reacts by sending against these rebels two of his senior generals, Wang Kuang and Lian Dan with a massive (one hundred thousand-plus men) regular force.

Fan and the other rebel leaders, concerned that during battles it will become impossible to tell friend or foe, order that their men color their eyebrows red.

This is where the name Chimei—literally, "red eyebrows"—comes from.

Wang and Lian, while capable generals on the battlefield, fail to maintain proper military discipline.