Wuwei (Liangzhou) Gansu (Kansu) China

Murong Chao's father Murong Na was the Prince of Beihai during Former Yan, being a son of Murong Huang (Prince Wenming) and a younger brother of Murong Jun (Emperor Jingzhao).

After Former Yan's destruction by Former Qin in 370, the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān initially made Murong Na a prefetcure governor, but later Murong Na was relieved from that post and relocated, along with his mother Lady Gongsun and Lady Duan to be with his younger brother Murong De, who was the governor of Zhangye Prefecture (roughly modern Zhangye, Gansu).

(Murong Na and Murong De had the same mother.)

Later, when Murong Na's brothers Murong De and Murong Chui rebelled against Former Qin in 384, with Murong Chui establishing Later Yan and becoming its emperor, Fu Chang, the new governor of Zhangye, arrested and executed Murong Na and all sons of Murong De and Murong Na.

At that time, Lady Duan was not executed because she was pregnant, but she was imprisoned to await execution after she gave birth.

However, the jailer Huyan Ping was a former subordinate of Murong De's, and he took Lady Gongsun and Lady Duan and escaped to the lands of the Qiang tribes, where Lady Duan gave birth to Murong Chao.

After Lady Gongsun died in 394, Huyan Ping took Lady Duan and Murong Chao to Later Liang.

Later, after Later Liang surrenders to Later Qin in 403, Huyan Ping, Lady Duan, and Murong Chao are among the populace of the Later Liang capital Guzang (in modern Wuwei, Gansu) forcibly relocated to …

Genghis escapes the heat in August 122 by residing in the Qilian Mountains while his troops approach Wuwei, the second-largest city of the Western Xia empire.

As no relief comes from the capital, Wuwei decides to surrender and avoid certain destruction.

At this point, Emperor Xianzong dies, leaving Mozhu to deal with a collapsing state as the Mongols encroach on the capital.

In autumn, Genghis rejoins his troops, takes Liangchow, crosses the Helan Shan desert, and …