Huan Xuan
Fu Liang became known for his literary abilities in his youth, and he served as the assistant to the general Huan Qian (桓謙), a cousin of the warlord Huan Xuan. After Huan Xuan usurped the throne in 403, Huan Xuan heard of his abilities and made him a court secretary, intending for him to reorganize the imperial archives, but before the project could get underway, Huan Xuan was overthrown by the coalition of forces led by Liu Yu. He then served as an assistant to Liu Yu's confederate Meng Chang (孟昶). He became briefly in charge of editing imperial edicts, but soon left his post as his mother died and he underwent the mandatory three-year mourning period. He resumed those responsibilities once the mourning period was over, and for a while, Liu Yu wanted to make him the governor of the rich Dongyang Commandery (東陽, roughly modern Jinhua, Zhejiang), but Fu declined, preferring to remain close to Liu Yu. Subsequently, in 415, when Liu Yu attacked the general Sima Xiuzhi (司馬休之), whom he suspected of opposing him, Fu became one of his assistants, and from that point on he directly served on Liu Yu's staff.