王芬 / Wang Fen (late Han)

王芬 / Wang Fen (late Han) enters the wiki through Hanji 941 as the 冀州 inspector who leads a failed anti-eunuch coup plan in 188 CE. With 许攸, 陈逸, and others, he uses a reported 黑山军 threat as the pretext for mobilizing troops.

The plan is not only anti-eunuch. Wang Fen’s group intends to intercept 汉灵帝 during a northern trip, kill the eunuchs, and install 合肥侯 as emperor. The episode therefore makes him the source case for imperial deposition coup risk: the political target is so large that tactical secrecy, reliable force, and legitimacy all have to work at once.

The plot collapses before execution. 曹操 rejects the invitation, 华歆 talks 陶丘洪 out of joining, and a northern red qi omen leads the court to cancel the trip. When Wang Fen is ordered to disperse his soldiers and come to court, he flees and kills himself.

Connections

• Hanji 941 - source case.
• 许攸, 陈逸, 曹操, 华歆, and 陶丘洪 - co-plotters, refused helpers, and dissuaded participant.
• 汉灵帝, 合肥侯, and 十常侍 - ruler, proposed replacement, and target field.
• 冀州, 黑山军, and 天象政治责任 - mobilization pretext and cancellation channel.
• imperial deposition coup risk and 宫廷政变暴力级联 - related coup-risk frames.