Volume 50 Biographies 38: Xin Xiong, Yang Ji, Gao Daomu, Qi Jun, Shan Wei, Yuwen Zhongzhi, Fei Mu, Meng Wei

辛雄楊機高道穆綦雋山偉宇文忠之費穆孟威

Xin Xiong, Yang Ji, Gao Daomu, Qi Jun, Shan Wei, Yuwen Zhongzhi, Fei Mu, and Meng Wei

列傳第三十八

Biographies 38

辛雄族祖琛琛子術術族子德源楊機高道穆兄謙之綦俊山偉宇文忠之費穆孟威

Related figures: Xin Xiong's clansman-ancestor Chen; Chen's son Shu; Shu's clansman-son Deyuan; Yang Ji; Gao Daomu's elder brother Qianzhi; Qi Jun; Shan Wei; Yuwen Zhongzhi; Fei Mu; and Meng Wei

辛雄，字世賓，隴西狄道人也。父暢，汝南、鄉郡二郡太守。雄有孝性，居父憂，殆不可識。清河王懌為司空，辟為左曹。懌遷司徒，仍授左曹。雄用心平直，加以閑明政事，經其斷割，莫不悅服。懌每謂人曰：「必也無訟，辛雄有焉。」曆尚書駕部、三公郎。會沙汰郎官，唯雄與羊深等八人見留，餘悉罷遣。

Xin Xiong, courtesy name Shibin, was a native of Didao in Longxi. His father Chang had served as Grand Administrator of both Runan and Xiang commanderies. Xiong was deeply filial. During mourning for his father, he was so worn by grief that he was scarcely recognizable. When Prince Qinghe Yi became Minister of Works, he recruited Xiong to serve as Left Assistant. When Yi was promoted to Minister over the Masses, he kept Xiong in the same post as Left Assistant. Xiong was upright and fair-minded, and he handled administrative affairs with clear competence. Every case he decided won general approval. Yi often told others, "If the ideal is that there be no lawsuits at all, Xin Xiong comes closest to it. He later served in the Secretariat's Chariot Section and as a secretary in the office of the Three Dukes. During a purge of court gentlemen, only Xiong and eight others, including Yang Shen, were kept on; all the rest were dismissed.

先是，御史中丞、東平王匡復欲輿棺諫諍，尚書令、任城王澄劾匡大不敬，詔恕死。雄奏理匡曰：「竊惟白衣元匡，曆奉三朝，每蒙寵遇，諤諤之性，簡自帝心。故高祖錫之以匡名，陛下任之以彈糾。當高肇之時，匡造棺致諫，主聖臣直，卒以無咎。假欲重造，先帝已容之于前，陛下亦宜寬之於後。」未幾，匡除平州刺史。右僕射元欽稱雄之美，左僕射蕭寶夤曰：「吾聞遊僕射云：'得如雄者四五人共省事，足矣'今日之賞，何其晚哉！」

Earlier, the Censor-in-Chief, Prince of Dongping Kuang, had again prepared to carry a coffin in remonstrance. The Director of the Secretariat, Prince of Rencheng Cheng, impeached him for gross disrespect, but an edict spared his life. Xiong submitted a memorial in Kuang's defense: "I consider that Yuan Kuang, though now in common dress, has served three reigns and always enjoyed imperial favor. His outspoken character is well known to Your Majesty. Emperor Gaozu gave him the name Kuang, meaning 'to set aright,' and Your Majesty has entrusted him with the duty of impeachment and correction. During Gao Zhao's dominance, Kuang made a coffin to remonstrate. The ruler was wise and the minister was upright, and in the end he went unpunished. If he should again prepare a coffin for remonstrance, the late emperor already indulged him once; Your Majesty should show the same forbearance now. Before long, Kuang was appointed Governor of Ping Province. Right Vice Director Yuan Qin praised Xiong's excellence. Left Vice Director Xiao Baoyin said, "I once heard Vice Director You remark, 'If we had four or five men like Xiong to manage affairs together, that would be enough.' How late this reward has come!"

初，廷尉少卿袁翻以犯罪之人，經恩競訴，枉直難明。遂奏曾染風聞者，不問曲直，推為獄成，悉不斷理。詔門下、尚書、廷尉議之。雄議曰：「《春秋》之義，不幸而失，寧僭不濫。僭則失罪人，濫乃害善人。今議者不忍罪奸吏，使出入縱情，令君子小人，薰蕕不別，豈所謂賞善罰惡，殷勤隱恤者也？古人唯患察獄之不精，未聞知冤而不理。」詔從雄議。自後每有疑議，雄與公卿駁難，事多見從。於是公能之名甚盛。又為《祿養論》，稱仲尼陳五孝，自天子至於庶人，無致仕之文。《禮記》：八十，一子不從政；九十，家不從政。鄭玄注云：「復除之。」然則止復庶人，非公卿士大夫之謂。以為宜聽祿養，不約其年。書奏，孝明納之。後除司空長史。時諸公皆慕其名，欲屈為佐，莫能得也。

At first, Vice Minister of Justice Yuan Fan found that convicted persons, once granted amnesty, all rushed to appeal, making guilt and innocence hard to distinguish. He therefore proposed that anyone once implicated by rumor, regardless of guilt or innocence, should be treated as a closed case and given no further review. An edict ordered the Chancellery, the Secretariat, and the Court of Justice to deliberate the matter. Xiong argued, "The Spring and Autumn Annals teach that if one must err in judgment, it is better to punish too severely than to pardon too broadly. Excessive punishment may miss the guilty, but excessive leniency harms the innocent. The proposal would spare corrupt officials and let them act as they please, making no distinction between the upright and the base—is that what is meant by rewarding good and punishing evil with conscientious care? The ancients feared only that trials were not thorough enough; they never heard of knowing that injustice existed and refusing to redress it. An edict adopted Xiong's view. After that, whenever a doubtful issue arose, Xiong debated with the high ministers, and his views were often adopted. His reputation for public ability grew accordingly. He also wrote a Treatise on Salary and Support, arguing that when Confucius set forth the Five Filial Duties from the Son of Heaven down to commoners, he provided no rule for retirement from office. The Book of Rites says that at eighty, one son may leave government service; and at ninety, an entire household may do so. Zheng Xuan's commentary explains this as exemption from corvée and taxes. That rule applies only to commoners, not to grandees, ministers, and scholar-officials. He argued that officials should be allowed to receive salary and support without an age limit. Emperor Xiaoming accepted the memorial. He was later appointed Chief Clerk to the Minister of Works. At the time every leading official admired his reputation and wanted him as an assistant, but none could secure his services.

時諸方賊盛，而南寇侵境，山蠻作逆，孝明欲親討，以荊州為先。詔雄為行台左丞，與臨淮王彧東趣葉城；別將裴衍，西通鴉路。衍稽留未進，議師已次汝濱。逢北溝求救，議以處分道別，不欲應之。雄曰：「王執麾閫外，唯利是從，見可而進，何必守道？」彧恐後有得失之責，要雄符下。雄以車駕將親伐，蠻夷必懷震動，乘彼離心，無往不破，遂符彧軍，令速赴擊。賊聞，果自走散。在軍上疏曰：「凡人所以臨堅陳而忘身，觸白刃而不憚者，一則求榮名，二則貪重賞，三則畏刑罰，四則避禍難。非此數事，雖聖王不能勸其臣，慈父不能厲其子。明主深知其情，故賞必行，罰必信，使親疏貴賤，勇怯賢愚，聞鐘鼓之聲，見旍旗之列，莫不奮激，競赴敵場。豈厭久生而樂早死也？利害縣於前，欲罷不能耳。自秦、隴逆節，將歷數年，蠻左亂常，稍已多載。凡在戎役，數十萬人，三方之師，敗多勝少，跡其所由，不明賞罰故也。陛下欲天下之早平，湣征夫之勤悴，乃降明詔，賞不移時。然兵將之勳，曆稔不決，亡軍之卒，晏然在家，致令節士無所勸慕，庸人無所畏懾。進而擊賊，死交而賞賒；退而逃散，身全而無罪，此其所以望敵奔沮，不肯進力者矣。為重發明詔，更量賞罰，則軍威必張，賊難可弭。臣聞必不得已，去食就信，以此推之，信不可斯須廢也。賞罰，陛下之所易，尚不能全而行之；攻敵，士之所難，欲其必死，寧可得也？」後為吏部郎中。

Bandits were active on every front. Southern invaders pressed the borders, and mountain tribes had risen in rebellion. Emperor Xiaoming planned to campaign in person, beginning with Jing Province. An edict appointed Xiong Left Assistant of the Mobile Headquarters to advance east with Prince of Linhuai Yu toward Yecheng; while the separate commander Pei Yan was to open the Ya route from the west. Pei Yan delayed and failed to advance, while the main deliberative army had already reached the Ru River. When Beigou sent word asking for rescue, the council, citing separate routes and jurisdictions, did not wish to respond. Xiong said, "Your Highness holds command beyond the passes. You should follow advantage and advance when opportunity appears—why insist on rigid rules? Yu, fearing later blame for whatever followed, demanded a written order from Xiong. Xiong reasoned that once the emperor marched in person, the tribes would be shaken, and exploiting their disunity the army could break them wherever it struck. He therefore issued orders to Yu's army to advance at once. When the rebels heard of the advance, they fled and dispersed on their own. While with the army he submitted a memorial: "Ordinary men face solid battle lines and forget themselves, meet naked blades and do not flinch, for four reasons: to seek glory, to covet rich reward, to fear punishment, and to avoid disaster. Without these incentives, even a sage king cannot move his ministers, nor a loving father stir his sons to action. A wise ruler understands this, and therefore makes rewards certain and punishments reliable, so that whether near or far, noble or base, brave or timid, wise or foolish, all who hear drums and bells and see banners and flags rouse themselves and race to the battlefield. It is not that they hate long life and welcome early death. Gain and harm hang before them, and they cannot hold back even if they wished to. Rebellion in Qin and Long had already lasted several years, and disturbances among the southern tribes had gone on even longer. Several hundred thousand men were under arms on three fronts, yet our armies lost more often than they won. The reason is that rewards and punishments have not been clear. Your Majesty wishes to pacify the realm quickly and pities the toil of the soldiers, and has issued a clear edict that rewards must not be delayed. Yet the merits of officers and generals go undecided for years, while soldiers who abandoned their units sit calmly at home. Men of integrity have nothing to emulate, and common soldiers have nothing to fear. Advance against the enemy and death is immediate, but reward is deferred; retreat and flee and one keeps body and life without penalty. That is why men lose heart at the sight of the enemy and refuse to fight with all their strength. If Your Majesty reissues a clear edict and reassesses rewards and punishments, military prestige will rise and the rebels can be subdued. I have heard that when there is no choice, one may give up food but not faith. By that measure, trust cannot be set aside even for a moment. Rewards and punishments lie entirely within Your Majesty's power, yet even these cannot be fully enforced; and attacking the enemy is what soldiers find hardest—how then can we expect them to fight to the death? He was later appointed Lang in the Ministry of Personnel.

及爾硃榮入洛，河陰之難，人情未安，雄潛竄不出。孝莊欲以雄為尚書，門下奏曰：「辛雄不出，存亡未知。」孝莊曰：「寧失亡而用之，可失存而不用也？」遂除度支尚書。後以本官兼侍中、關西尉勞大使。將發，請事五條：一言逋懸租調，宜悉不征；二言簡罷非時徭役，以紓人命；三言課調之際，使豐儉有殊，令州郡量檢，不得均一；四言兵起歷年，死亡者眾，或父或子，辛酸未歇，見存耆老，請假板職，悅生者之意，慰死者之魂；五言喪亂既久，禮儀罕習，如有閨門和穆，孝悌卓然者，宜旌其門閭。莊帝從之，因詔：人年七十者授縣，八十授郡，九十加四品將軍，百歲從三品將軍。

When Erzhu Rong entered Luoyang and the massacre at Heyin followed, public sentiment was unsettled, and Xiong went into hiding. Emperor Xiaozhuang wished to appoint Xiong Minister, but the Chancellery memorialized, "Xin Xiong has not come forth, and no one knows whether he is alive or dead. Emperor Xiaozhuang said, "Would I rather appoint a man who may be dead than fail to use one who is alive?" Xiong was therefore appointed Minister of Revenue. He later retained his post while also serving as Palace Attendant and Grand Envoy to console the troops in Guanxi. Before setting out he proposed five measures: first, that all overdue and suspended land tax and cloth levies should be waived; second, that irregular corvée levied at improper times should be reduced or abolished to ease the people's burden; third, that when assessing levies, rich and poor districts should be treated differently, with provinces and commanderies making local assessments rather than applying a single rate; fourth, that after years of war with countless dead, whether fathers or sons, surviving elders should be granted provisional appointments to honor the living and comfort the dead; fifth, that after long disorder, when ritual was seldom practiced, households noted for harmony, filial piety, and brotherly duty should be publicly honored. Emperor Zhuang accepted, and issued an edict granting county rank to those aged seventy, commandery rank at eighty, the added title of Fourth-Rank General at ninety, and Concurrent Third-Rank General at one hundred.

永熙三年，兼吏部尚書。時近習專恣，雄懼其讒匿，不能守正，論者頗譏之。孝武南狩，雄兼左僕射，留守京師。永熙末，兼侍中。帝入關右，齊神武至洛，於永寧寺大集朝士，責雄及尚書崔孝芬、劉廞、楊機等曰：「為臣奉主，匡危救亂。若處不諫諍，出不陪隨，緩則耽寵，急便竄避，臣節安在？」乃誅之。

In the third year of Yongxi he was additionally appointed Minister of Personnel. Close favorites held arbitrary power at court, and Xiong, fearing their slander, failed to uphold rectitude—a point on which critics found fault with him. When Emperor Xiaowu marched south, Xiong served concurrently as Left Vice Director and remained to guard the capital. At the end of Yongxi he was additionally appointed Palace Attendant. When the emperor fled into Guanxi, Gao Huan of Qi reached Luoyang and summoned the court at Yongning Temple. He rebuked Xiong and Ministers Cui Xiaofen, Liu Yin, Yang Ji, and others: "As ministers serving a ruler, your duty is to set aright danger and rescue the realm from disorder. If you do not remonstrate at court, do not accompany the ruler in flight, indulge in favor when times are calm, and flee when danger comes—where is your integrity as ministers? He then had them executed.

二子，士璨、士貞，逃入關中。

His two sons, Shican and Shizhen, fled into Guanzhong.

永安二年，元顥乘勝至城下，為顥禽之。及孝莊還宮，纂謝不守之罪。帝曰：「于時朕亦北巡，東軍不守，豈卿之過。」轉滎陽太守。百姓姜洛生、康乞得者，舊是前太守鄭仲明左右，豪猾偷竊，境內患之。纂伺捕禽獲，梟於郡市，百姓欣然。纂僑屬洛陽，太昌中，乃為河南邑中正。

In the second year of Yong'an, Yuan Hao, pressing his victory, reached the city walls and captured him. When Emperor Xiaozhuang returned to the palace, Zuan apologized for failing to hold the city. The emperor said, "At that time I too had marched north. The eastern army failed to hold—how could that be your fault? He was transferred to Grand Administrator of Xingyang. Two local men, Jiang Luosheng and Kang Qide, had formerly been retainers of the previous Grand Administrator Zheng Zhongming. Violent and cunning thieves, they were a plague throughout the commandery. Zuan tracked them down, captured them, and displayed their heads in the commandery market, to the great satisfaction of the people. Zuan was registered as a sojourner in Luoyang, and in the Taichang era he became Rectifier of Henan.

永熙三年，除河內太守。齊神武赴洛，兵集城下，纂出城謁，神武慰勉之。因命前侍中司馬子如曰：「吾行途疲弊，宜代吾執河內手也。」尋為兼尚書、南道行台、西荊州刺史。時蠻酋樊大能應西魏，纂攻之，不克而敗，為西魏將獨孤信所害。贈司徒公。

In the third year of Yongxi he was appointed Grand Administrator of Henei. When Gao Huan marched on Luoyang and his troops gathered below the walls, Zuan went out to pay his respects, and Gao Huan consoled and encouraged him. He then told former Palace Attendant Sima Ziru, "I am worn out from the march. You should take my place and hold Henei for me. Soon afterward he was appointed concurrently Minister, commander of the Southern Route Mobile Headquarters, and Governor of West Jing Province. When the tribal chieftain Fan Daneng sided with Western Wei, Zuan attacked him, failed, and was killed by the Western Wei general Dugu Xin. He was posthumously granted the title Duke of the Minister over the Masses.

雄族祖琛。琛字僧貴。祖敬宗，父樹寶，並代郡太守。琛少孤，曾過友人，見其父母無恙，垂涕久之。釋褐奉朝請、滎陽郡丞。太守元麗性頗使酒，琛每諫之。麗後醉，輒令閉閣，曰：「勿使丞入也。」孝文南征，麗從輿駕，詔琛曰：「委卿郡事，如太守也。」景明中，為揚州征南府長史。刺史李崇，多事產業，琛每諫折，崇不從，遂相糾舉，詔並不問。後加龍驤將軍、南梁太守。崇因置酒謂琛曰：「長史後必為刺史，但不知得上佐何如人耳。」琛對曰：「若萬一叨忝，得一方正長史，朝夕聞過，是所願也。」崇有慚色。卒於官。

Xiong's clansman-ancestor Chen. Chen's courtesy name was Senggui. His grandfather Jingzong and his father Shubao had both served as Grand Administrator of Dai Commandery. Chen was orphaned young. Once, visiting a friend and seeing his parents alive and well, he wept for a long time. Upon entering office he served as Court Gentleman for Attendance and Assistant Grand Administrator of Xingyang Commandery. Grand Administrator Yuan Li was rather given to drink, and Chen often remonstrated with him. When Li was drunk afterward, he would have the gate closed and say, "Do not let the Assistant in. When Emperor Wen campaigned south, Li accompanied the imperial carriage. An edict told Chen, "I entrust the commandery to you as though you were Grand Administrator." In the Jingming era he became Chief Clerk of the Southern Campaign Headquarters at Yang Province. Inspector Li Chong was much occupied with business ventures. Chen often remonstrated with him, but Chong would not listen, so they impeached each other. An edict ordered that neither be questioned. He was later additionally appointed General of Dragon Cavalry and Grand Administrator of Nanliang. Chong set out wine and told Chen, "You will surely become an inspector one day, though one cannot know what sort of chief assistant you will have. Chen replied, "If by some chance I should receive such a post, I would wish for an upright chief clerk who would tell me of my faults morning and evening." Chong looked ashamed. He died in office.

琛寬雅有度量，涉獵經史，喜慍不形於色。當官奉法，所在有稱。

Chen was generous and refined, with breadth of mind. He ranged widely through the classics and histories, and neither joy nor anger showed on his face. In office he upheld the law, and wherever he served he won praise.

長子悠，字元壽，早有器業，為侍御史，監揚州軍。賊平，錄勳書，時李崇猶為刺史，欲寄人名，悠不許。崇曰：「我昔逢其父，今復逢其子。」早卒。

His eldest son You, courtesy name Yuanshou, showed early talent and capacity. He served as Attending Censor supervising the Yang Province army. When the rebels were pacified and merit records were compiled, Li Chong, still serving as inspector, wished to insert other men's names, but You would not allow it. Chong said, "I once crossed paths with his father; now I cross paths with his son again. You died young.

悠弟俊，字叔義，有文才。魏子建為山南行台，以為郎中。有軍國機斷。還京，于滎陽為人所劫害。贈東秦州刺史。俊弟術。

You's younger brother Jun, courtesy name Shuyi, had literary talent. When Wei Zijian commanded the Southern Mountains Mobile Headquarters, he appointed Jun as a secretary. He had decisive judgment in military and state affairs. On his return to the capital he was robbed and killed at Xingyang. He was posthumously granted the title Governor of East Qin Province. Jun's younger brother Shu.

術字懷哲，少明敏，有識度，解褐司空胄曹參軍。與僕射高隆之共典營構鄴都宮室。術有思理，百工克濟。再遷尚書右丞，出為清河太守，政有能名。追授并州長史，遭父憂去職。清河父老數百人，詣闕上書，請立碑頌德。齊文襄嗣事，與尚書左丞宋遊道、中書侍郎李繪等並追詣晉陽，俱為上客。累遷散騎常侍。武定六年，侯景叛，除東南道行台尚書，封江夏縣男。與高岳等破侯景，禽蕭明。遷東徐州刺史，為淮南經略使。齊天保元年，侯景徵江西租稅，術率諸軍度淮斷之，燒其稻數百萬石。還鎮下邳，人隨術北度淮者三千餘家。東徐州刺史郭志殺郡守，文宣聞之，敕術自今所統十餘州地，諸有犯法者，刺史先啟聽報；以下先斷，後表聞。齊代行台兼總人事，自術始也。安州刺史、臨清太守、盱眙蘄城二鎮將犯法，術皆案奏殺之。睢州刺史及所部郡守，俱犯大辟，朝廷以其奴婢百口及貲財盡賜術。三辭不見許，術乃送詣所司，不復以聞。邢邵聞之，遺術書曰：「昔鐘離意云：孔子忍渴於盜泉，便以珠璣委地。足下今能如此，可謂異代一時。」及王僧辨破侯景，術招攜安撫，城鎮相繼款附，前後二十餘州。於是移鎮廣陵，獲傳國璽送鄴，文宣以璽告於太廟。此璽即秦所制，方四寸，上紐交盤龍，其文曰：「受命于天，既壽永昌。」二漢相傳，又曆魏、晉；晉懷帝敗，沒于劉聰；聰敗，沒于石氏；石氏敗，晉穆帝永和中，濮陽太守戴僧施得之，遣督護何融送於建業；曆宋、齊、梁；梁敗，侯景得之；景敗，侍中趙思賢以璽投景南袞州刺史郭元建，送於術，故術以進焉。尋徵為殿中尚書，領太常卿。仍與朝賢，議定律令。遷吏部尚書，食南袞州梁郡幹。遷鄴以後，大選之職，知名者數四，互有得失，未能盡美。文襄少年高朗，所弊也疏；袁叔德沈密謹厚，所傷者細；楊愔風流辨給，取士失於浮華；唯術性尚貞明，取士以才以器，循名責實，新舊參舉，管庫必擢，門閥不遺。考之前後銓衡，在術最為折衷，甚為當時所稱舉。天保末，文宣嘗令術選百員官，參選者二三千人，術題目士子，人無謗讟，其所旌擢，後亦皆致通顯。

Shu, courtesy name Huaizhe, was bright and keen from youth and showed insight and judgment. Upon entering office he became an aide in the Heir Apparent Office of the Minister of Works. Together with Vice Director Gao Longzhi he oversaw construction of the palace buildings at Ye. Shu planned thoughtfully, and all the crafts were successfully completed. He was promoted to Right Assistant Director of the Secretariat, then sent out as Grand Administrator of Qinghe, where his administration won a reputation for ability. He was retroactively appointed Chief Clerk of Bing Province but left office to mourn his father. Several hundred elders of Qinghe went to the palace and submitted a memorial requesting a stele in praise of his virtue. When Wenxiang of Qi succeeded to power, Shu was summoned to Jinyang together with Left Assistant Director Song Youdao, Secretariat Gentleman Li Hui, and others, and all were treated as honored guests. He was promoted to Regular Attendant. In the sixth year of Wuding, when Hou Jing rebelled, Shu was appointed Minister of the Southeastern Route Mobile Headquarters and enfeoffed as Baron of Jiangxia County. Together with Gao Yue and others he defeated Hou Jing and captured Xiao Ming. He was transferred to Governor of East Xu Province and made Commissioner for Strategy in Huainan. In the first year of Tianbao, when Hou Jing was collecting taxes west of the river, Shu led the armies across the Huai to cut him off and burned several million shi of his rice. Returning to garrison at Xiapi, more than three thousand households followed Shu north across the Huai. When Governor of East Xu Province Guo Zhi killed a commandery administrator, Wensuan ordered that within the more than ten provinces under Shu's command, inspectors who found lawbreakers must first memorialize and await approval; officials below that rank might decide first and report afterward. In Qi it was Shu who first held a Mobile Headquarters post with concurrent authority over personnel. The Governor of An Province, the Grand Administrator of Linqing, and the garrison commanders of Xuyi and Qicheng all broke the law. Shu investigated each case, memorialized, and had them executed. The Governor of Sui Province and the commandery administrators under him all committed capital offenses. The court granted Shu all their slaves and servants—more than a hundred in all—and their entire property. He declined three times without success, then sent everything to the responsible office and made no further report. When Xing Shao heard of this, he wrote to Shu: "Long ago Zhongli Yi said that Confucius would endure thirst at Thief Spring rather than drink there, and would cast pearls and jade to the ground rather than keep them. That you can do the same today makes you a man of a different age. When Wang Sengbian defeated Hou Jing, Shu recruited and pacified the region. Walled towns and garrisons submitted in succession—more than twenty provinces in all. He then moved his headquarters to Guangling, obtained the Imperial Seal, and sent it to Ye, where Wensuan announced it in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. This seal had been made in Qin. It was four inches square, with an interlaced coiled dragon on the knob, and bore the inscription: "Having received the mandate from Heaven, long life and eternal prosperity. It passed through the two Han dynasties and through Wei and Jin; when Emperor Huai of Jin was defeated, it fell into the hands of Liu Cong; when Cong was defeated, it passed to the Shi clan; when the Shi clan fell, in the Yonghe era of Emperor Mu of Jin, Grand Administrator of Puyang Dai Shishi obtained it and sent Supervisor He Rong to deliver it to Jianye; it passed through Song, Qi, and Liang; when Liang fell, Hou Jing obtained it; when Jing was defeated, Palace Attendant Zhao Sixian entrusted the seal to Jing's Governor of South Gun Province Guo Yuanjian, who sent it to Shu, and Shu presented it to the court. Soon he was summoned as Minister of the Palace Secretariat and concurrently Director of Ceremonies. He joined the court worthies in deliberating on statutes and ordinances. He was transferred to Minister of Personnel, drawing salary from Liang Commandery of South Gun Province. After the move to Ye, four well-known men held the office of Great Selection in turn. Each had strengths and weaknesses, and none achieved perfection. Wenxiang was lofty and bright in youth, but his flaw was laxity; Yuan Shude was deep, careful, and sincere, but his flaw was excessive minuteness; Yang Yin was elegant and quick in debate, but erred in selecting men for flashiness; Only Shu upheld integrity and clarity. He selected men by talent and capacity, matched names to reality, recommended both newcomers and veterans, promoted even storehouse clerks, and did not overlook men of noble houses. Compared with the earlier and later holders of the office, Shu's selections were the most balanced and won great praise at the time. At the end of Tianbao, Wensuan once ordered Shu to select a hundred officials from two or three thousand candidates. Shu set examination topics for the scholars, and no one slandered him. Those he selected later all reached high distinction.

術清儉寡嗜欲，勤於所職，未嘗暫懈，臨軍以威嚴，牧人有惠政。少愛文史，晚更勤學，雖在戎旅，手不釋卷。及定淮南，凡諸貲物，一毫無犯。唯大收典籍，多是宋、齊、梁時佳本，鳩集萬餘卷，並顧、陸之徒名畫，二王已下法書，數亦不少。俱不上王府，唯入私門。及還朝，頗以饟遺貴要，物議以此少之。十年卒，年六十。皇建二年，贈開府儀同三司、中書監、青州刺史。

Shu was pure and frugal, with few desires. He was diligent in his duties and never slack. He commanded armies with stern authority and governed regions with benevolent policies. From youth he loved literature and history. In later years he studied even more diligently, and even on campaign he never put down his books. When Huainan was pacified, he did not touch a single item of plunder. He did, however, collect classics and books on a large scale—mostly fine editions from Song, Qi, and Liang—amassing more than ten thousand scrolls, along with famous paintings by Gu, Lu, and others and calligraphy from the Two Wangs downward, also in considerable number. None of these went to the princely storehouse; all entered his private household. When he returned to court, he often sent gifts to powerful officials, and public opinion thought less of him for it. He died in the tenth year, aged sixty. In the second year of Huangjian he was posthumously granted Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Full Honors, Director of the Secretariat, and Governor of Qing Province.

子閣卿，尚書郎。閣卿弟衡卿，有識學，開府參軍事。隋大業初，卒于太常丞。術族子德源。德源字孝基，祖穆，魏平原太守。父子馥，尚書左丞。

His son Geqing served as a secretary in the Secretariat. Geqing's younger brother Hengqing had insight and learning and served as army aide to the Grand Marshal. At the beginning of the Daye era of Sui he died while serving as Assistant Director of Ceremonies. Shu's clansman-son Deyuan. Deyuan's courtesy name was Xiaoji. His grandfather Mu had served as Grand Administrator of Pingyuan under Wei. His father Zifu served as Left Assistant Director of the Secretariat.

德源沈靜好學，十四解屬文，及長，博覽書記。美儀容，中書侍郎裴讓之特相愛好，兼有龍陽之重。齊尚書僕射楊遵彥、殿中尚書辛術皆一時名士，並虛襟禮敬，同舉薦之。後為兼員外散騎侍郎，聘梁使副。德源本貧素，因使，薄有資裝，遂餉執事，為父求贈，時論鄙之。中書侍郎劉逖上表薦德源：弱齡好古，晚節逾厲，枕藉《六經》，漁獵百氏；文章綺豔，體調清華。恭慎表於閨門，謙捴著於朋執；實後進之辭人，當今之雅器。由是除員外散騎侍郎。後兼通直散騎常侍，聘陳。及還，待詔文林館，位中書舍人。

Deyuan was calm and quiet and fond of learning. At fourteen he could compose prose, and as an adult he read widely in books and records. Handsome in bearing, he was specially favored by Secretariat Gentleman Pei Rangzhi, who also cherished him with the affection of Longyang. Vice Director Yang Zunyan of Qi and Minister of the Palace Secretariat Xin Shu were both famous men of the age. They treated him with open courtesy and jointly recommended him. He later served concurrently as Supernumerary Gentleman Attendant and deputy envoy on a mission to Liang. Deyuan had been poor and plain. On the mission he acquired a modest amount of goods and sent gifts to those in charge to seek a posthumous grant for his father—a move that contemporary opinion despised. Secretariat Gentleman Liu Ti submitted a memorial recommending Deyuan: from youth he loved antiquity, and in later years his zeal grew stronger. He rested on the Six Classics and ranged through the hundred schools; his writings were ornate and brilliant, his style clear and refined. Respect and caution showed within his household, humility and restraint among his friends; truly a literary man among the rising generation and an elegant talent of the present age. On this basis he was appointed Supernumerary Gentleman Attendant. He later served concurrently as Regular Attendant for Direct Communication and envoy to Chen. When he returned, he awaited edicts at the Wulin Hall and served as Secretariat Drafter.

齊滅，仕周為宣納上士。因取急詣相州，會尉遲迥起逆，以為中郎，德源辭不獲免，遂亡去。隋受禪，不得調者久之。隱林慮山，鬱鬱不得志，著《幽居賦》以自寄。素與武陽太守盧思道友善，時相往來。魏州刺史崔彥武奏德源潛為交結，恐有奸計，由是謫令從軍討南寧。及還，秘書監牛弘以德源才學顯著，奏與著作郎王劭同修國史。德源每於務隙撰集，注《春秋三傳》三十卷，注《揚子法言》二十三卷。蜀王秀奏以為掾，轉諮議參軍，卒官。有集二十卷，又撰《政訓》、《內訓》各二十卷。有子素臣。

When Qi fell, he served Zhou as Senior Clerk for Proclamations. On urgent private business he went to Xiang Province, where Yuchi Tong had risen in rebellion. Tong appointed him Central Commander. Deyuan declined but could not escape appointment, and fled. When Sui received the abdication, he went long without receiving an appointment. He hid on Mount Linlu, depressed and unfulfilled, and wrote a Rhapsody on Secluded Dwelling to express himself. He had long been friendly with Grand Administrator of Wuyang Lu Sidao, and they visited each other at the time. Governor of Wei Province Cui Yanwu memorialized that Deyuan was secretly forming connections and might have treacherous designs. He was therefore demoted and ordered to join the army campaigning against Nanning. When he returned, Director of the Secretariat Niu Hong, noting Deyuan's outstanding talent and learning, memorialized that he join Compiler Wang Shao in revising the National History. In intervals from his duties Deyuan compiled a thirty-scroll commentary on the Three Commentaries on the Spring and Autumn Annals and a twenty-three-scroll commentary on Yang Xiong's Exemplary Sayings. Prince of Shu Xiu memorialized to appoint him as a staff officer. He was transferred to Advisory Army Aide and died in office. He left collected works in twenty scrolls, and also wrote Political Instruction and Inner Instruction, each in twenty scrolls. He had a son named Suchen.

德源從祖兄元植，齊天保中，司空司馬。學涉，有名聞於世。

Deyuan's clansman-elder brother Yuan Zhi served as Army Aide to the Minister of Works during the Tianbao era of Qi. Learned and widely read, he enjoyed a reputation in the world.

德源族叔珍之，少有氣俠，歷位北海太守，後行平州事，卒於州。贈驃騎大將軍、洛州刺史，諡曰恭。

Deyuan's clansman-uncle Zhenzhi had spirit and chivalry from youth. He served as Grand Administrator of Beihai and later acted as governor of Ping Province, dying in office. He was posthumously granted the title General of Agile Cavalry and Governor of Luo Province, with the posthumous name Gong.

子愨，武定末，開府鎧曹參軍。

His son Que, at the end of Wuding, served as Army Aide in the Armor Section of the Grand Marshal's Office.

楊機，字顯略，天水冀人也。祖伏恩，徙居洛陽，因家焉。機少有志節，為士流所稱。河南尹李平、元暉，並召署功曹。暉尤委以郡事。或謂暉曰：「弗躬弗親，庶人弗信，何得委事于機，高臥而已。」暉曰：「吾聞君子勞于求士，逸于任賢，吾既委得其才，何為不可？」由是聲名更著。時皇子國官多非其人，詔選清直之士，機見舉為京兆王愉國中尉，愉甚敬憚之。後為洛陽令，京輦伏其威風。訴訟者一經其前，後皆識其名姓，並記其事理。曆司州別駕、清河內史、河北太守，並有能名。永熙中，除度支尚書。機方直之心，久而彌厲，奉公正己，為時所稱。家貧無馬，多乘小犢車，時論許其清白。與辛雄等並為齊神武所誅。

Yang Ji, courtesy name Xianlue, was a native of Ji in Tianshui. His grandfather Fu'en moved to Luoyang and established the family there. From youth Ji had resolve and integrity and was praised by the scholar class. Intendants of Henan Li Ping and Yuan Hui both summoned him to serve as Merit Officer. Hui especially entrusted him with commandery affairs. Someone said to Hui, "If a ruler does not attend to affairs in person, the people will not trust him. How can you entrust affairs to Ji and simply rest at ease? Hui said, "I have heard that a gentleman toils in seeking talent and rests in employing the worthy. Since I have entrusted affairs to a capable man, why should that not suffice?" From this his reputation grew even greater. At the time many officials of princely establishments were unfit for their posts. An edict called for pure and upright men, and Ji was recommended as Commandant of Prince of Jingzhao Yu's establishment. Yu greatly respected and feared him. He later became Magistrate of Luoyang, and the capital region submitted to his stern authority. Once litigants appeared before him, he afterward remembered their names and the facts of their cases. He successively served as Assistant Inspector of Si Province, Internal Administrator of Qinghe, and Grand Administrator of Hebei, winning a reputation for ability in each post. During Yongxi he was appointed Minister of Revenue. Ji's upright character grew only sterner with time. Upholding fairness and integrity, he was praised by his contemporaries. His household was poor and had no horses; he often rode in a small ox cart, and contemporary opinion approved his integrity. Together with Xin Xiong and others he was executed by Gao Huan of Qi.

高恭之，字道穆，自雲遼東人也。祖潛，獻文初，賜爵陽關男。詔以沮渠牧犍女賜潛為妻，封武威公主，拜駙馬都尉。父崇，字積善，少聰敏，以端謹稱。家資富厚，而崇志尚儉素。初，崇舅氏坐事誅，公主痛本生絕胤，遂以崇繼牧犍後，改姓沮渠。景明中，啟復本姓，襲爵，除洛陽令。為政清斷，吏人畏其威風，發扌適不避強禦，縣內肅然。卒，贈滄州刺史，諡曰成。

Gao Gongzhi, courtesy name Daomu, was originally from Liaodong. His grandfather Qian was granted the title Baron of Yangguan at the beginning of Emperor Xianwen's reign. An edict granted Qian the daughter of Juqu Mujian as his wife, enfeoffed her as Princess of Wuwei, and appointed him Commandant of Escort Cavalry. His father Chong, courtesy name Jishan, was clever and keen from youth and was known for propriety and caution. The household was wealthy, yet Chong aspired to frugal simplicity. At first Chong's maternal uncle was executed for an offense. The princess grieved that her birth line was cut off and had Chong succeed to Mujian's line, changing his surname to Juqu. In the Jingming era he memorialized to restore his original surname, inherited the title, and was appointed Magistrate of Luoyang. His administration was clear and decisive. Officials and people feared his stern authority. In exposing wrongdoing he did not avoid the powerful, and the county was orderly. He died and was posthumously granted the title Governor of Cang Province, with the posthumous name Cheng.

道穆以字行於世，學涉經史，所交皆名流俊士。幼孤，事兄如父。每謂人曰：「人生厲心立行，貴於見知，當使夕脫羊裘，朝佩珠玉。若時不我知，便須退跡江海，自求其志。」御史中尉元匡高選御史，道穆奏記求用於匡，匡遂引為御史。其所糾扌適，不避權豪。正光中，出使相州。前刺史李世哲，即尚書令崇之子，多有非法，逼買人宅，廣興屋宇，皆置鴟尾，又于馬埒堠上為木人執節。道穆繩糾，悉毀去之，並表發其贓貨。爾硃榮討蠕蠕，道穆監其軍事，榮甚憚之。蕭寶夤西征，以為行台郎中，委以軍機之事。後屬兄謙之被害，情不自安，遂托身于孝莊。孝莊時為侍中，深相保護。及即位，賜爵龍城侯，除太尉長史，領中書舍人。及元顥逼武牢，或勸帝赴關西者，帝以問道穆，道穆言關中殘荒，請車駕北度，循河東下。帝然之。其夜到河內郡北，帝命道穆燭下作詔書，佈告遠近，於是四方知乘輿所在。尋除給事黃門侍郎、安喜縣公。于時爾硃榮欲回師待秋，道穆謂曰：「大王擁百萬之眾，輔天子而令諸侯，此桓、文之舉也。今若還師，令顥重完守具，可謂養虺成蛇，悔無及矣。」榮深然之。及孝莊反政，因宴次謂爾硃榮曰：「前若不用高黃門計，社稷不安，可為朕勸其酒，令醉。」榮因陳其作監軍時，臨事能決，實可任用。尋除御史中尉，仍兼黃門。

Daomu was known in the world by his courtesy name. He ranged widely through the classics and histories, and those he associated with were all famous and outstanding men. Orphaned young, he served his elder brother as he would a father. He often told others, "In life one must steel the heart and establish one's conduct. What matters is to be recognized—one should shed a sheepskin coat in the evening and wear pearls and jade in the morning. If the age does not recognize me, one must withdraw to rivers and seas and seek one's own purpose. Censor-in-Chief Yuan Kuang was selecting censors with great care. Daomu submitted a letter seeking employment under Kuang, and Kuang recruited him as a censor. In his impeachments he did not avoid the powerful and great. During Zhenguang he went on mission to Xiang Province. The former Inspector Li Shizhe, son of Director of the Secretariat Chong, had committed many illegal acts: forcing people to sell their houses, building dwellings on a large scale all with owl-tail roof ornaments, and setting up wooden figures holding insignia on the mounds of the horse course. Daomu impeached him, had all these destroyed, and memorialized exposing his illicit goods. When Erzhu Rong campaigned against the Rouran, Daomu supervised his military affairs, and Rong greatly feared him. When Xiao Baoyin campaigned west, Daomu was made secretary of the Mobile Headquarters and entrusted with military planning. Later, when his elder brother Qianzhi was killed, he felt insecure and placed himself under Emperor Xiaozhuang's protection. Xiaozhuang was then Palace Attendant and protected him closely. When Xiaozhuang ascended the throne, he granted Daomu the title Marquis of Longcheng, appointed him Chief Clerk to the Grand Commander, and made him concurrently Secretariat Drafter. When Yuan Hao pressed Wulao, some advised the emperor to flee to Guanxi. The emperor asked Daomu, who said Guanzhong was ruined and desolate and urged the imperial carriage to cross north and follow the river eastward. The emperor approved. That night they reached north of Henei Commandery. The emperor ordered Daomu to draft an edict by candlelight and proclaim it far and near, so that all quarters knew where the imperial carriage was. Soon he was appointed Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate and Duke of Anxi County. At the time Erzhu Rong wished to withdraw the army and wait for autumn. Daomu said to him, "Your Highness commands a million men, assists the Son of Heaven, and orders the feudal lords—this is an act worthy of Duke Huan and Duke Wen. If you withdraw now and let Hao rebuild his defenses, you will be raising a small snake until it becomes a great serpent—regret will come too late. Rong strongly agreed. When Xiaozhuang resumed power, at a banquet he told Erzhu Rong, "If we had not followed Attendant of the Yellow Gate Gao's plan, the altars of state would not be secure. Toast him for me and make him drunk. Rong then stated that when Daomu served as army supervisor he could decide affairs on the spot and was truly fit for employment. Soon he was appointed Censor-in-Chief while still holding his Yellow Gate post.

道穆外執直繩，內參機密，凡是益國利人之事，必以奏聞，諫爭盡言，無所顧憚。選用御史，皆當世名輩，李希宗、李繪、陽休之、陽斐、封君義、邢子明、蘇淑、宋世良等三十人。于時用錢稍薄，道穆表曰：「百姓之業，錢貨為本，救弊改鑄，王政所先。自頃以來，私鑄薄濫，官司糾繩，掛網非一。在市銅價，八十一文得銅一斤，私鑄薄錢，斤餘二百。既示之以深利，又隨之以重刑，得罪者雖多，奸鑄者彌眾。今錢徒有五銖之文，而無二銖之實，薄甚榆莢，上貫便破，置之水上，殆欲不沈。因循有漸，科防不切，朝廷失之，彼復何罪。昔漢文帝以五分錢小，改鑄四銖。至武帝復改三銖為半兩。此皆以大易小，以重代輕也。論今據古，宜改鑄大錢，文載年號，以記其始。則一斤所成，止七十六文。銅價至賤，五十有餘，其中人功，食料、錫炭、鉛鈔，縱復私營，不能自潤。直置無利，自應息心，況復嚴刑廣設也。以臣測之，必當錢貨永通，公私獲允。」後遂用楊侃計，鑄永安五銖錢。

Outwardly Daomu upheld the law without favor; inwardly he participated in state secrets. Whatever benefited the state and the people he memorialized, and in remonstrance he spoke fully without hesitation. The censors he selected were all famous men of the age—Li Xizong, Li Hui, Yang Xiuzhi, Yang Fei, Feng Junyi, Xing Ziming, Su Shu, Song Shiliang, and thirty men in all. At the time the coin in circulation had grown thin. Daomu memorialized: "The people's livelihood rests on money. Rescuing abuse and recasting coin is what royal government should put first. Recently private casting of thin and debased coin has been rampant, and official prosecutions have caught many offenders. In the market copper cost eighty-one cash per jin, while privately cast thin coin yielded more than two hundred per jin. Since great profit was shown them and heavy punishment followed, though many were punished, illicit casters grew ever more numerous. Today's coin bears the inscription of five zhu but has not the substance of two. Thin as elm pods, it breaks when pierced and scarcely sinks when placed on water. Through gradual indulgence penalties and prevention have grown lax. If the court loses control, what crime is theirs? Formerly Emperor Wen of Han, because the five-fen coin was too small, recast it as four zhu. By Emperor Wu's time the coin was again changed from three zhu to half a liang. In each case small coin was replaced with large and light with heavy. Considering the present in light of antiquity, one should recast large coin bearing the reign title to mark its beginning. Then one jin would yield only seventy-six pieces. Copper's price is very low—more than fifty cash per jin—and labor, food, tin, charcoal, and lead alloy add further costs. Even private casting would yield no profit. With no profit at all, illicit casters should naturally cease—and all the more so when severe punishments are broadly enforced. By my estimate, money will circulate reliably and both public and private interests will be served. Afterward Yang Kan's plan was adopted and the Yong'an five-zhu coin was cast.

僕射爾硃世隆當朝權盛，因內見，衣冠失儀，道穆便即彈糾。帝姊壽陽公主行犯清路，執赤棒卒呵之不止，道穆令卒棒破其車。公主深恨，泣以訴帝。帝曰：「高中尉清直人，彼所行者公事，豈可私恨責之也？」道穆後見帝，帝曰：「一日家姊行路相犯，深以為愧。」道穆免冠謝，帝曰：「朕以愧卿，卿反謝朕！」尋敕監儀注。又詔：「秘書圖籍及典書緗素，多致零落，可令道穆總集帳目，並牒儒學之士，編比次第。」

Vice Director Erzhu Shilong held great power at court. During an inner audience his dress and cap were out of order, and Daomu immediately impeached him. The emperor's elder sister, Princess of Shouyang, traveled in violation of the cleared road. The soldier with the red staff shouted at her but she would not stop, so Daomu ordered him to break her carriage with the staff. The princess deeply resented this and wept as she complained to the emperor. The emperor said, "Censor-in-Chief Gao is a pure and upright man. What he did was public business—how can you resent him privately and blame him? When Daomu later saw the emperor, the emperor said, "The other day my elder sister violated the road rules, and I am deeply ashamed." Daomu removed his cap and apologized. The emperor said, "I am the one who should feel ashamed before you—yet you apologize to me!" Soon he was ordered to supervise ritual protocol. An edict also ordered: "Secretariat maps and records and the silk scrolls of the Archive have largely fallen into disorder. Daomu is to compile the catalog and dispatch Confucian scholars to arrange them in order."

道穆又上疏曰：「高祖太和之初，置廷尉司直，論刑辟是非，雖事非古始，交濟時要。竊見御史出使，悉受風聞，雖時獲罪人，亦不無枉濫。何者？得堯之罰，不能不怨。守令為政，容有愛憎，奸猾之徒，恆思報惡，多有妄造無名，共相誣謗。御史一經檢究，恥於不成，杖木之下，以虛為實。無罪不能自雪者，豈可勝道哉！臣雖愚短，守不假器，繡衣所指，冀以清肅。若仍更踵前失，或傷善人，則屍祿之責，無所逃罪。如臣鄙見，請依太和故事，還置司直十人，名隸廷尉，秩以五品，選曆官有稱，心平性正者為之。御史若出糾劾，即移廷尉，令知人數。廷尉遣司直與御史俱發。所到州郡，分居別館。御史檢了，移付司直。司直覆問事訖，與御史俱還。中尉彈聞，廷尉科案，一如舊式。庶使獄成罪定，無復稽寬，為惡取敗，不得稱枉。若御史、司直糾劾失實，悉依所斷獄罪之。聽以所檢，迭相糾發。如二使阿曲，有不盡理，聽罪家詣門下通訴，別加案檢。如此，則肺石之傍，怨從可息；聚棘之下，受罪吞聲者矣。」詔從之，復置司直。

Daomu also submitted a memorial: "At the beginning of Taihe under Emperor Gaozu, Direct Rectifiers were placed in the Court of Justice to judge right and wrong in criminal cases. Though the office was not ancient in origin, it met the needs of the time. I observe that when censors go on mission they accept hearsay. Though they sometimes catch the guilty, there is no little injustice and excess. Why is this so? Even one who receives punishment as just as Yao's cannot but resent it. Magistrates and prefects in governing may harbor likes and dislikes. Crafty men constantly seek revenge, and many falsely create anonymous accusations and slander one another. Once a censor investigates, ashamed of failure, he makes the false into fact under staff and cudgel. Those innocent who cannot clear themselves—can they even be counted? Though I am dull and limited, I hold office without borrowing authority. Where the embroidered robe of the censor points, I hope to bring clarity and order. If I again follow previous errors and harm good men, I cannot escape the charge of holding salary without merit. In my humble view, please follow the Taihe precedent and restore ten Direct Rectifiers, nominally subordinate to the Court of Justice, ranked at fifth grade, selected from officials of reputation who are even-tempered and upright. If a censor goes out to impeach, he should notify the Court of Justice of the number of men involved. The Court of Justice should send Direct Rectifiers to depart together with the censors. At the provinces and commanderies they reach, they should lodge in separate quarters. When the censor finishes investigation, he should transfer the case to the Direct Rectifier. When the Direct Rectifier finishes re-examination, he returns together with the censor. The Censor-in-Chief submits impeachment and the Court of Justice adjudicates the case—all as in the old form. Thus cases may be closed and guilt fixed without delay or undue leniency, and those who do evil and meet defeat cannot claim injustice. If censor or Direct Rectifier impeaches falsely, both are punished according to the sentence for the case they tried. They may impeach each other in turn over what each investigated. If the two envoys bend the law and fail to reach full justice, the convicted family may appeal to the Chancellery for a separate investigation. In this way, beside the stone of appeal, resentment may cease; Beneath the gathered thorns, those who suffer punishment in silence would be many. An edict adopted his proposal and Direct Rectifiers were restored.

及爾硃榮死，帝召道穆，付赦書，令宣於外，謂曰：「今當得精選御史矣。」先是，榮等常欲以其親党為御史，故有此詔。及爾硃世隆等戰于大夏門北，道穆受詔督戰。又贊成太府卿李苗斷橋之計，世隆等於是北遁。加衛將軍、大都督，兼尚書右僕射、南道大行台。時雖外托征蠻，而帝恐北軍不利，欲為南巡之計。未發，會爾硃兆入洛，道穆慮禍，託病去官。世隆以其忠於前朝，遂害之。太昌中，贈車騎大將軍、儀同三司、雍州刺史。子士鏡襲爵，為北豫州刺史。道穆兄謙之。

When Erzhu Rong died, the emperor summoned Daomu, handed him the amnesty edict, and ordered him to proclaim it abroad, saying, "Now we can carefully select censors. Earlier Rong and others had often wished to appoint their own partisans as censors, and therefore this edict was issued. When Erzhu Shilong and others fought north of the Daxia Gate, Daomu received an edict to supervise the battle. He also approved Grand Steward Li Miao's plan to break the bridge, and Shilong and others fled north. He was additionally appointed General of the Guard and Grand Commander, and concurrently Right Vice Director of the Secretariat and commander of the Southern Route Grand Mobile Headquarters. At the time, though a campaign against the barbarians was the outward pretext, the emperor feared the northern army would fare badly and planned a southern tour. Before he could set out, Erzhu Zhao entered Luoyang. Daomu feared disaster, pleaded illness, and left office. Shilong killed him because he had been loyal to the former court. In Taichang he was posthumously granted the titles General of Chariots and Cavalry, Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Full Honors, and Governor of Yong Province. His son Shijing inherited the title and became Governor of North Yu Province. Daomu's elder brother Qianzhi.

謙之字道讓，少事後母以孝聞。專意經史，天文、算曆、圖緯之書，多所該涉。好文章，留心《老》、《易》。襲父爵。孝昌中，行河陰令。先是有人囊盛瓦礫，指作錢物，詐市人馬，因而逃去。詔令追捕，必得以聞。謙之乃偽枷一囚，立于馬市，宣言是前詐市馬賊，今欲刑之。密遣腹心，察市中私議者。有二人相見，忻然曰：「無復憂矣！」執送案問，悉獲其黨。並出前後盜處，失物之家，各得其本物，具以狀告。尋正河陰令。在縣二年，損益政體，多為故事。時道穆為御史，亦有能名，世美其父子兄弟並著當官之稱。

Qianzhi's courtesy name was Daorang. From youth he served his stepmother and was known for filial piety. He devoted himself to the classics and histories and ranged widely through books on astronomy, calendrics, and apocryphal charts. He loved literary composition and attended closely to the Laozi and the Book of Changes. He inherited his father's title. During Xiaochang he acted as Magistrate of Heyin. Earlier someone had bagged rubble and passed it off as money and goods, swindled people out of horses, and fled. An edict ordered that the culprits be pursued and captured and the result reported. Qianzhi then put a prisoner in a false cangue and set him in the horse market, proclaiming that this was the earlier swindler and that he would now be punished. Secretly he sent trusted men to observe those privately discussing matters in the market. Two men met and said with delight, "No more worry! They were seized and interrogated, and the whole gang was captured. They also revealed all their earlier thefts. Households that had lost goods recovered their property, and full reports were made. Soon he was formally appointed Magistrate of Heyin. In two years in the county he improved administrative practice, much of which became precedent. At the time Daomu was a censor and also had a reputation for ability. The age praised the father, sons, and brothers alike for their fame in office.

舊制，二縣令得面陳得失。時佞幸之輩，惡其有所發聞，遂共奏罷。謙之乃上疏曰：「臣以無庸，謬宰神邑，實思奉法不撓，稱是官方。酬朝廷無貲之恩，盡人臣守器之節。但豪家支屬，戚裏親媾，縲絏所及，舉目多是。皆有盜憎之色，咸起惡上之心。縣令輕弱，何能克濟？先帝昔發明詔，得使面陳所懷。臣亡父先臣崇之為洛陽令，常得入奏是非，所以朝貴斂手，無敢幹政。近年已來，此制遂寢，致使神宰威輕，下情不達。今二聖遠遵堯、舜，憲章高祖，愚臣亦望策其駑蹇，少立功名。乞行新典，更明往制，庶奸豪知禁，頗自屏心。」詔付外量聞。

By old regulation, the two county magistrates could state gains and losses directly to the throne. At the time the faction of favorites hated that matters might be exposed and jointly memorialized to abolish the practice. Qianzhi then submitted a memorial: "I, worthless as I am, have wrongly been put in charge of the sacred capital. I truly wish to uphold the law without bending and meet the measure of official duty. To repay the court's grace and fulfill a minister's duty to guard his charge. But among powerful families' branches and in-law connections, those touched by bonds and fetters are everywhere one looks. All show the look of thieves who hate authority and raise hearts of hostility toward superiors. The county magistrate is weak—how can he succeed? The late emperor once issued a clear edict allowing magistrates to state their concerns directly. My late father Chong, when Magistrate of Luoyang, could often enter and report right and wrong. Therefore the court nobles held their hands and dared not interfere in government. In recent years this regulation has lapsed, causing the magistrate's authority to grow light and lower sentiments not to reach the throne. Now the two sages far follow Yao and Shun and take Emperor Gaozu as their model. This dull minister also hopes to spur his lame nag and establish some merit. I beg that the new regulation be enacted and the former one clarified again, so that powerful wrongdoers may know prohibition and restrain themselves. An edict ordered the matter sent out for deliberation and report.

謙之又上疏，以為：「自正光以來，邊城屢擾，命將出師，相繼于路。但諸將帥，或非其才，多遣親者，妄稱入募，唯遣奴客充數而已。對寇臨敵，略不彎弓。則是王爵虛加，征夫多闕，賊虜何可殄除，忠貞何以勸誡也？且近習侍臣，戚屬朝士，請托官曹，擅作威福。如有清貞奉法，不為回者，咸共譖毀，橫受罪罰。在朝顧望，誰肯申聞？蔽上擁下，虧風損政。使讒諂甘心，忠讜息義。且頻年以來，多有徵發，人不堪命，動致流離。苟保妻子，競逃王役，不復顧其桑井，憚此刑書。正由還有必困之理，歸無自安之路。若聽歸其本業，徭役微甄，則還者必眾，墾田增辟，數年之後，大獲課入。今不務以理還之，但欲嚴符切勒，恐數年之後，走者更多。故有國有家者，不患人不我歸，唯患政之不立；不恃敵不我攻，唯恃吾不可侮。此乃千載共遵，百王一致。伏願少垂覽察。」靈太后得其疏，以責左右近侍，諸寵要者由是疾之。乃啟太后，雲謙之有學藝，除為國子博士。

Qianzhi again submitted a memorial, arguing that since Zhenguang the border cities had been repeatedly disturbed and generals ordered to campaign had followed one another on the roads. But the commanders were often unfit for their posts. Many sent relatives, falsely claiming enlistment, and merely dispatched slaves and retainers to fill the numbers. Facing the enemy, they scarcely bent a bow. Thus noble titles were given in vain and campaign soldiers were widely lacking. How could bandits be exterminated, and how could loyalty be encouraged? Moreover close attendants, court ministers, and kin of the dynasty used official bureaus for patronage and arrogated authority and favor. If any were pure, upright, and law-abiding and would not bend, all jointly slandered them and they suffered punishment without cause. At court all looked about—who would dare report? They concealed matters from above and shielded those below, harming custom and damaging government. They made slander and flattery willing and loyal remonstrance cease. Moreover in recent years there have been many levies and drafts. People cannot bear the burden and constantly flee and scatter. To preserve wife and children they compete to flee royal service, no longer caring for their homes and fields, fearing the penal code. This is precisely because return brings certain hardship and there is no path to security upon coming back. If they were allowed to return to their original occupations and corvée were lightly assessed, returners would surely be many, reclaimed fields would increase, and after several years tax revenue would greatly grow. Now, instead of striving to return them by reason, the court only wishes to enforce strict orders and tight control. I fear that after several years there will be even more fugitives. Therefore those who have a state or a family do not worry that people will not return to them, but only that government is not established; they do not rely on enemies not attacking them, but only on their being not to be despised. This is what a thousand ages jointly follow and a hundred kings agree upon. I humbly hope Your Majesty will briefly examine this. Empress Dowager Ling received his memorial and rebuked the close attendants. The favored and powerful therefore resented him. They then memorialized the Empress Dowager, saying Qianzhi had learning and skill, and he was appointed Erudite of the Imperial Academy.

謙之與袁翻、常景、酈道元、溫子升之徒，或申款舊。好施贍恤，言諾無虧。居家僮隸，對其兒不撻其父母，生三子便免其一世。無愆黥奴婢，常稱：「俱稟人體，如何殘害？」謙之以父舅氏沮渠蒙遜曾據涼土，國書漏闕，乃修《涼書》十卷，行於世。涼國盛事佛道，為論貶之，稱佛是九流之一家。當世名流，競以佛理來難，謙之還以佛義對之，竟不能屈。以時所行曆多未盡善，乃更改元修者撰，為一家之法。雖未行於世，識者歎其多能。時朝議鑄錢，以謙之為鑄錢都將長者史，乃上表求鑄三銖錢，曰：

Qianzhi with Yuan Fan, Chang Jing, Li Daoyuan, Wen Zisheng, and others sometimes renewed old friendships. He loved to give charity and relief, and his promises were never broken. At home with slaves and servants, he would not beat their parents before their children. If a slave bore three sons, one generation was freed. With faultless branded slaves and maids he often said, "All alike receive human bodies—how can one mutilate and harm them? Because his father's maternal uncle Juqu Mengxun had once held Liang territory and the state records were incomplete, he compiled the History of Liang in ten scrolls, which circulated in the world. The Liang state greatly favored Buddhism and the Way. He wrote a treatise criticizing this, calling the Buddha one school among the Nine Streams. Famous men of the age competed to challenge him with Buddhist doctrine. Qianzhi answered with Buddhist reasoning in return, and in the end they could not defeat him. Because the calendar then in use was in many ways deficient, he revised and compiled a new calendar, making a method of his own. Though it was not put into use, those with insight admired his many abilities. At the time the court deliberated on casting coin and made Qianzhi Chief Elder Secretary of the Coin Casting Command. He then submitted a memorial requesting casting of three-zhu coin, saying:

蓋錢貨之立，本以通有無，便交易，故錢之輕重，世代不同。太公為周置九府圜法。至景王時，更鑄大錢。秦兼海內，錢重半兩。漢興，以秦錢重，改鑄榆莢錢。至文帝五年，復為四銖。孝武時悉復銷壞，更鑄三銖。至無狩中，變為五銖。又造赤仄之錢，以一當五。王莽攝政，錢有六等：大錢重十二銖，次九銖，次七銖，次五銖，次三銖，次一銖。魏文帝罷五銖錢，至明帝復立。孫權江左鑄大錢，一當五百。權赤烏年，復鑄大錢，一當千。輕重大小，莫不隨時而變。竊以食貨之要，八政為首，聚財之貴，詒訓典文。是以昔之帝王，乘天地之饒，禦海內之富，莫不腐紅粟於太倉，藏朽貫於泉府。儲畜既盈，人無困弊，可以甯謐四海，如身使臂者矣。昔漢之孝武，地廣財饒，外事四戎，遂虛國用。於是草茅之臣，出財助邊；興利之計，納稅廟堂。市列榷酒之官，邑有告緡之令。鹽鐵既興，錢弊屢改，少府遂豐，上林饒積。外辟百蠻，內不增賦者，皆計利之由也。今群妖未息，四郊多壘，徵稅既煩，千金日費，倉儲漸耗，財用將竭，誠楊氏獻稅之秋，桑兒言利之日。夫以西京之盛，錢猶屢改，並行大小，子母相權。況今寇難未除，州郡淪敗，人物凋零，軍國用少。別鑄小錢，可以富益，何損於政，何妨於人也？且政興不以錢大，政衰不以錢小，唯貴公私得所，政化無虧，既行之于古，亦宜效之於今矣。昔禹遭大水，以曆山之金鑄錢，救人之困；湯遭大旱，以莊山之金鑄錢，贖人之賣子者。今百姓窮悴，甚於曩日，欽明之主，豈得垂拱而觀之哉？臣今此鑄，以濟交乏，五銖之錢，任使並用，行之無損，國得其益。

Money was established fundamentally to connect having and not having and facilitate exchange. Therefore the weight of coin differs from age to age. Taigong established for Zhou the Nine Treasuries' round-law system of coinage. By the time of King Jing, large coin was recast. When Qin united the realm, coin weighed half a liang. When Han arose, because Qin coin was heavy, elm-pod coin was recast. By the fifth year of Emperor Wen it was again made four zhu. In Emperor Wu's time all was melted down again and recast as three zhu. By the Yuan Shou era it was changed to five zhu. Red slant coin was also made, one counting as five. When Wang Mang held regency, coin had six grades: large coin weighing twelve zhu, then nine, seven, five, three, and one zhu. Emperor Wen of Wei abolished five-zhu coin; by Emperor Ming it was restored. Sun Quan in the lands east of the river cast large coin, one counting as five hundred. In Sun Quan's Chiwu era large coin was again cast, one counting as a thousand. Light and heavy, large and small—all changed with the times. I consider that among the essentials of food and goods, the eight policies put this first, and the preciousness of gathering wealth is handed down in canonical texts. Therefore the emperors of old, riding the abundance of Heaven and Earth and controlling the wealth within the seas, all filled the Grand Storehouse with grain and hoarded strings of cash in the Treasury. When stores were full and people free from hardship, they could pacify the four seas, directing the realm as one uses an arm from the body. Formerly Han's Emperor Wu, with broad territory and rich resources, had foreign affairs with the four barbarians and thus emptied state expenditure. Then men of humble thatch contributed wealth to aid the borders; profit-seeking plans were brought into the ancestral hall as tribute. In markets were placed wine-monopoly officers; in districts were orders to report hidden wealth. When salt and iron monopolies arose and coin was repeatedly changed, the Privy Treasury grew rich and Shanglin Park abounded in stores. Opening the hundred barbarians abroad without increasing levies at home—all came from calculating profit. Now rebels are not yet stilled, the four suburbs are full of fortifications, levies are burdensome, a thousand gold is spent daily, storehouses are depleted and funds nearly exhausted—truly this is the season when the Yang clan offered tribute and the day when Sang Er spoke of profit. Even in the splendor of the Western Capital, coin was repeatedly changed, large and small circulated together, parent and child coins balancing each other. How much more now, when bandit troubles are not yet removed, provinces and commanderies have fallen, people are withering away, and military and state funds are scarce. Separately casting small coin can enrich and benefit—what harm to government, what obstacle to the people? Moreover government does not rise because coin is large nor decline because coin is small. What matters is that public and private find their proper place and government suffers no loss. Since this was done in antiquity, it should also be imitated today. Formerly Yu met the great flood and cast coin from the gold of Li Mountain to relieve people's distress; Tang met great drought and cast coin from the gold of Zhuang Mountain to redeem those who had sold their children. Now the common people are destitute and worn, worse than in former days. Can a reverent and clear-sighted ruler fold his hands and merely watch? My proposal to cast coin now is to relieve mutual want. Five-zhu coin may continue in use alongside it—put into practice it will do no harm and the state will gain benefit.

詔將從之。事未就，會卒。

An edict was about to adopt his proposal. The matter was not completed when he died.

初，謙之弟道穆，正光中為御史，糾相州刺史李世哲事，大相挫辱，其家恆以為憾。至是世哲弟神軌為靈太后深所寵任，會謙之家僮訴良，神軌左右之，入諷尚書，判禁謙之于廷尉。時將赦，神軌乃啟靈太后，發詔於獄賜死。朝士莫不哀之。所著文章百餘篇，別有集錄。永安中，贈營州刺史，諡曰康。又除一子出身，以明冤屈。

At first Qianzhi's younger brother Daomu, serving as censor during Zhenguang, impeached Inspector of Xiang Province Li Shizhe and greatly humiliated him. The Li family always resented this. At this time Shizhe's younger brother Shengui was deeply favored by Empress Dowager Ling. When Qianzhi's household slave sued Liang, Shengui sided with him, hinted to the Secretariat, and Qianzhi was imprisoned in the Court of Justice. When an amnesty was about to be issued, Shengui memorialized the Empress Dowager and an edict was sent to the prison ordering Qianzhi's death. Every court gentleman mourned him. He wrote more than a hundred essays, collected in a separate volume. In Yong'an he was posthumously granted the title Governor of Ying Province, with the posthumous name Kang. One son was also granted initial appointment to acknowledge the injustice.

謙之弟謹之，字道修。父崇既還本姓，以謹之繼沮渠氏。

Qianzhi's younger brother Jinzhi's courtesy name was Daoxiu. When their father Chong restored his original surname, Jinzhi succeeded to the Juqu clan line.

綦俊，字剽顯，河南洛陽人也。其先居代。俊孝莊時仕，累遷為滄州刺史，甚為吏人畏悅。尋除太僕卿。及爾硃世隆等誅，齊神武召文武百司，下及士庶，議所立。莫有應者。俊避席曰：「廣陵王雖為爾硃扶戴，當今之聖主也。」神武將從之。時黃門崔甗議不同，高乾、魏蘭根等固執甗言，遂立孝武帝。及帝入關，神武深思俊言，常以為恨。尋除御史中尉，于路與僕射賈顯度相逢，顯度恃勳貴，排俊騶列倒，俊忿見於色，自入奏之。尋加散騎常侍、驃騎大將軍、左光祿大夫、儀同三司。俊佞巧，能候當塗，斛斯椿、賀拔勝皆與友善。性多詐，賀拔勝出鎮荊州，過俊別，因辭俊母。俊故見敗氈弊被，勝更遺之錢物。後兼吏部尚書，復為滄州刺史。徵還，兼中尉，章武縣伯。尋除殷州刺史，薨于州。贈司空公，諡曰文貞。

Qi Jun, courtesy name Piaoxian, was a native of Luoyang in Henan. His ancestors had lived in Dai. Jun served during Emperor Xiaozhuang's reign, was promoted to Governor of Cang Province, and was greatly feared and liked by officials and people. Soon he was appointed Grand Master of the Stud. When Erzhu Shilong and others were executed, Gao Huan of Qi summoned civil and military officials and commoners alike to deliberate whom to establish as emperor. No one responded. Jun left his seat and said, "Prince of Guangling, though raised up by Erzhu, is the sage ruler of the present age. Gao Huan was about to follow this advice. At the time Yellow Gate Cui Yan held a different view. Gao Gan, Wei Langen, and others firmly upheld Yan's words, and Emperor Xiaowu was therefore established. When the emperor fled into Guan, Gao Huan deeply reflected on Jun's words and always regretted not following them. Soon he was appointed Censor-in-Chief. On the road he met Vice Director Jia Xiandu, who, relying on merit and rank, pushed Jun's outriders' line aside. Jun's anger showed on his face, and he memorialized the incident himself. Soon he was additionally appointed Regular Attendant, General of Agile Cavalry, Grand Master of Splendid Happiness of the Left, and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Full Honors. Jun was sycophantic and crafty, skilled at watching those in power. Husi Chun and Heba Sheng were all friendly with him. By nature he was much given to deceit. When Heba Sheng went out to garrison Jing Province, he stopped at Jun's home to take leave and paid respects to Jun's mother. Jun deliberately showed torn felt and worn bedding, and Sheng sent him money and goods. He later served concurrently as Minister of Personnel and again became Governor of Cang Province. Summoned back, he served concurrently as Censor-in-Chief and was enfeoffed as Baron of Zhangwu County. Soon he was appointed Governor of Yin Province and died in office. He was posthumously granted the title Duke of the Minister of Works, with the posthumous name Wenzhen.

子洪實，字巨正，位尚書左右郎、魏郡邑中正。嗜酒好色，無行檢，卒。

His son Hongshi, courtesy name Juzheng, served as Left and Right Lang of the Secretariat and Rectifier of Wei Commandery. He was fond of wine and women, without moral restraint, and died.

山偉，字仲才，河南洛陽人也。其先居代。祖強，美容貌，身長八尺五寸，工騎射，彎弓五石，為奏事中散。從獻文獵方山，有兩狐起於御前，詔強射之，百步內，二狐俱獲。位內行長。父幼之，位金明太守。偉涉獵文史，孝明初，元匡為御史中尉，以偉兼侍御史。入台五日，便遇正會，偉司神武門。其妻從叔為羽林隊主，撾直長於殿門，偉即劾奏。匡善之，俄然奏正，帖國子助教，遷員外郎、廷尉評。

Shan Wei, courtesy name Zhongcai, was a native of Luoyang in Henan. His ancestors had lived in Dai. His grandfather Qiang was handsome, stood eight feet five inches, was skilled at mounted archery, drew a bow of five shi, and served as Attending Censor. Following Emperor Xianwen on a hunt at Mount Fang, two foxes rose before the imperial carriage. An edict ordered Qiang to shoot them, and within a hundred paces both foxes were taken. He held the post of Director of Inner Conduct. His father Youzhi served as Grand Administrator of Jinming. Wei ranged through literature and history. At the beginning of Xiaoming, Yuan Kuang was Censor-in-Chief and made Wei concurrently Attending Censor. Five days after entering the censorate he met a regular court session. Wei was on duty at the Shenwu Gate. His wife's uncle by marriage was chief of a Feathered Forest squad. He beat a duty officer at the palace gate, and Wei immediately impeached him. Kuang approved. Soon Wei was formally appointed Assistant Erudite of the Imperial Academy, then transferred to Supernumerary Lang and Reviewer of the Court of Justice.

時天下無事，進仕路難，代遷之人，多不沾預。及六鎮、隴西二方起逆，領軍元叉欲用代來寒人為傳詔，以慰悅之，而牧守子孫投狀求者百餘人。叉因奏立勳附隊，令各依資出身。自是北人，悉被收敘。偉遂奏記，贊叉德美。叉素不識偉，訪侍中安豐王延明、黃門郎元順，順等因是稱薦之。叉令僕射元欽引偉兼尚書二千石郎，後正名士郎，修起居注。僕射元順領選，表薦為諫議大夫。

At the time the realm was at peace, the path to office was difficult, and people transferred from Dai were mostly excluded. When the Six Garrisons and Longxi regions both rose in rebellion, Army Supervisor Yuan Cha wished to use poor men from Dai as edict-bearers to console them, but more than a hundred descendants of regional governors submitted petitions seeking appointment. Cha therefore memorialized to establish a Merit Attachment Corps, letting each enter office according to qualification. From this all northerners were enrolled and promoted. Wei then submitted a letter praising Cha's virtue and excellence. Cha had never known Wei and inquired of Palace Attendant Prince of Anfeng Yanming and Yellow Gate Gentleman Yuan Shun. Shun and others therefore praised and recommended him. Cha had Vice Director Yuan Qin recruit Wei as concurrently a two-thousand-shi secretary in the Secretariat. Later he was formally appointed Lang of Notable Names and edited the Daily Record. Vice Director Yuan Shun oversaw selection and recommended him as Grand Master of Remonstrance.

爾硃榮之害朝士，偉時守直，故免禍。及孝莊入宮，仍除偉給事黃門侍郎。先是偉與儀曹郎袁升、屯田郎李延考、外兵郎李奐、三公郎王延業方駕而行，偉少居後。路逢一尼，望之歎曰：「此輩緣業，同日而死。」謂偉曰：「君方近天子，當作好官。」而升等四人皆于河陰遇害，果如其言。

When Erzhu Rong slaughtered court gentlemen, Wei was on duty and upheld rectitude, and therefore escaped disaster. When Xiaozhuang entered the palace, Wei was appointed Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. Earlier Wei was riding with Ritual Section Lang Yuan Sheng, Colonization Lang Li Yan'kao, External Military Lang Li Huan, and Three Dukes Lang Wang Yanye. Wei was slightly behind. On the road they met a nun who looked at them and sighed, "These men's karmic lot binds them to die on the same day. She said to Wei, "You will soon be near the Son of Heaven—you should become a good official." Sheng and the other four all met harm at Heyin, exactly as she had said.

俄領著作郎，節閔帝立，除秘書監，仍著作。初，爾硃兆入洛，官守奔散，國史典書高法顯密埋史書，故不遺落。偉自以為功，訴求爵賞。偉挾附世隆，遂封東阿縣伯，而法顯止獲男爵。偉尋進侍中。孝靜初，除衛大將軍，中書令，監起居。後以本官復領著作，卒官。贈驃騎大將軍、開府儀同三司、都督、幽州刺史，諡曰文貞公。

Soon he headed the Compiler's Office. When Emperor Jiemin was established, he was appointed Director of the Secretariat Library while still compiling. At first when Erzhu Zhao entered Luoyang, officials fled and scattered. Keeper of the National History Gao Faxian secretly buried the historical books, so they were not lost. Wei considered this his own merit and petitioned for title and reward. Wei relied on attachment to Shilong and was enfeoffed as Baron of Dong'a County, while Faxian received only a baron's title. Wei soon advanced to Palace Attendant. At the beginning of Xiaojing he was appointed Grand General of the Guard, Director of the Secretariat, and overseer of the Daily Record. Later, retaining his original office, he again headed compilation and died in office. He was posthumously granted the titles General of Agile Cavalry, Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Full Honors and Grand Marshal's Office, Commander-in-Chief, and Governor of You Province, with the posthumous name Duke Wenzhen.

國史自鄧彥海、崔深、崔浩、高允、李彪、崔光以還，諸人相繼撰錄。綦俊及偉等諂悅上党王天穆及爾硃世隆，以為國書正應代人修緝，不宜委之餘人，是以綦、偉等更主大籍。守舊而已，初無述著，故自崔鴻死後，迄終偉身，二十許載，時事蕩然，萬不記一。後人執筆，無所憑據，史之遺闕，偉之由也。外示沈厚，內實矯競。與綦俊少甚相得，晚以名位之間，遂若水火。與宇文忠之之徒代人為党，時賢畏惡之。而愛尚文史，老而彌篤。偉弟少亡，偉撫寡訓孤，同居二十餘載，恩義甚篤。不營產業，身亡之後，賣宅營葬，妻女不免飄泊，士友歎湣之。長子昂襲爵。

Since Deng Yanhai, Cui Shen, Cui Hao, Gao Yun, Li Biao, and Cui Guang, the National History had been compiled in succession by various men. Qi Jun, Wei, and others flattered Prince of Shangdang Tianmu and Erzhu Shilong, holding that the state annals should be edited by men of Dai and not entrusted to others. Therefore Qi, Wei, and others again took charge of the great records. They merely kept the old material and wrote nothing new. Therefore from Cui Hong's death until Wei's end, some twenty years, current events were utterly lost—not one in ten thousand was recorded. Later historians had nothing to rely on. The gaps in history were Wei's doing. Outwardly he showed depth and weight; inwardly he was pretentious and competitive. With Qi Jun he was very close in youth. In later years, over rank and position, they became like fire and water. With Yuwen Zhongzhi and others he formed a faction of men from Dai. Men of talent of the time feared and despised them. Yet he loved literature and history, and grew more devoted in old age. Wei's younger brother died young. Wei raised the widow and instructed the orphan, living together more than twenty years with deep kindness and duty. He did not build up property. After his death his house was sold to arrange burial, and his wife and daughters were left adrift—scholar friends sighed in pity. His eldest son Ang inherited the title.

宇文忠之，河南洛陽人也。其先南單于之遠屬，世據東部，後居代都。父侃，卒于書侍御史。忠之涉獵文史，頗有筆劄，釋褐太學博士。天平初，除中書侍郎。裴伯茂與之同省，常侮忽之，以忠之色黑，呼為「黑宇」。後敕修國史。元象初，兼通直散騎常侍，副鄭伯猷，使梁。武定初，為尚書右丞，仍修史。未幾，以事除名。忠之好榮利。自為中書郎六七年矣，遇尚書省選右丞，預選者皆射策，忠之試焉。既獲丞職，大為忻滿，志氣囂然，有驕物之色。識者笑之。既失官爵，怏怏發疾，卒於君山。

Yuwen Zhongzhi was a native of Luoyang in Henan. His ancestors were distant kin of the Southern Chanyu, for generations holding the eastern region, later living at the capital of Dai. His father Kan died while serving as Attending Censor of Documents. Zhongzhi ranged through literature and history and had considerable skill with the brush. Upon entering office he became Erudite of the Imperial Academy. At the beginning of Tianping he was appointed Secretariat Gentleman. Pei Bomao was in the same bureau and often treated him with contempt. Because Zhongzhi's complexion was dark, he called him "Black Yu." Later an edict ordered him to revise the National History. At the beginning of Yuanxiang he served concurrently as Regular Attendant for Direct Communication, deputy to Zheng Boyou on a mission to Liang. At the beginning of Wuding he became Right Assistant Director of the Secretariat while still revising history. Before long, because of an affair he was struck from the rolls. Zhongzhi loved glory and profit. He had been a Secretariat Gentleman for six or seven years when the Secretariat selected a Right Assistant Director. All candidates took the written examination, and Zhongzhi tried it. Once he obtained the assistant director post he was greatly pleased, his spirit arrogant, with a look that scorned others. Those with insight laughed at him. Once he lost office and title he fell ill from resentment and died on Mount Jun.

費穆，字朗興，代人也。祖于，位商賈二曹令、懷州刺史，賜爵松陽男。父萬襲爵，位梁州鎮將，贈冀州刺史。穆性剛烈，有壯氣，頗涉文史，好尚功名。宣武初，襲爵，稍遷涇州平西府長史。時刺史皇甫集，靈太后之元舅，恃外戚之親，多為非法。穆正色匡諫，集亦憚之。

Fei Mu, courtesy name Langxing, was a native of Dai. His grandfather Yu served as Director of the Two Commerce Bureaus and Governor of Huai Province, and was granted the title Baron of Songyang. His father Wan inherited the title, served as Garrison General of Liang Province, and was posthumously granted the title Governor of Ji Province. Mu's nature was fierce and bold, with a vigorous spirit. He ranged considerably through literature and history and loved to seek merit and fame. At the beginning of Xuanwu he inherited the title and was gradually promoted to Chief Clerk of the Western Pacification Headquarters at Jing Province. At the time Inspector Huangfu Ji, the Empress Dowager Ling's eldest maternal uncle, relied on his kinship with the empress and did many illegal things. Mu remonstrated with stern countenance, and Ji also feared him.

後蠕蠕主婆羅門自涼州歸降，其部眾因饑侵掠邊邑。詔穆銜旨宣慰，莫不款附。明年復叛，入寇涼州。除穆兼尚書右丞、西北道行台，仍為別將，往討之。穆至涼州，蠕蠕遁走。穆謂其所部曰：「夷狄獸心，見敵便走，若不令其破膽，終恐疲於奔命。」乃簡練精騎，伏於山谷，使羸劣之眾為外營，以誘之。賊騎覘見，俄而競至，伏兵奔擊，大破之。及六鎮反叛，穆為別將，隸都督李崇北伐。都督崔暹失利，崇將議班師。以朔州是白道之沖，賊之咽喉，若不全，則並、肆危，選將鎮捍，僉議舉穆。崇乃請穆為朔州刺史。尋改雲州刺史。穆招集離散，頗得人心。北境州鎮皆沒，唯穆獨存。久之，援軍不至，穆乃棄城南走，投爾硃榮于秀容。既而詣闕請罪，詔原之。孝昌中，以都督討平二絳反蜀，拜散騎常侍。後妖賊李洪于陽城起逆，連結蠻左，詔穆兼武衛將軍擊破之。

Later the Rouran ruler Poluomen submitted from Liang Province. His tribes, driven by hunger, raided border settlements. An edict ordered Mu to carry the imperial message and console them, and all submitted in good faith. The next year they rebelled again and invaded Liang Province. Mu was appointed concurrently Right Assistant Director of the Secretariat and commander of the Northwestern Route Mobile Headquarters, and as separate commander went to campaign against them. When Mu reached Liang Province, the Rouran fled. Mu told his troops, "Barbarians have the hearts of beasts—they flee at the sight of the enemy. If we do not break their courage, we will wear ourselves out in endless pursuit. He then selected elite cavalry, hid them in the valleys, and set weak troops in an outer camp to lure the enemy. The enemy cavalry spotted the camp and soon raced up. The hidden troops charged and routed them completely. When the Six Garrisons rebelled, Mu served as separate commander under Commander-in-Chief Li Chong on the northern campaign. Commander Cui Xuan suffered defeat, and Chong was about to discuss withdrawing the army. Because Shuo Province was the choke point of the White Road and the rebels' vital passage—if it were not secured, Bing and Si would be in peril—all agreed to recommend Mu to garrison and defend it. Chong therefore requested that Mu be appointed Governor of Shuo Province. Soon he was transferred to Governor of Yun Province. Mu gathered the scattered population and won considerable popular support. All northern provinces and garrisons fell; only Mu's position held. After a long time relief did not arrive. Mu abandoned the city and fled south to Erzhu Rong at Xiurong. He then went to the palace to ask punishment, and an edict pardoned him. During Xiaochang, as Commander-in-Chief he pacified the Erjiang rebellion in Shu and was appointed Regular Attendant. Later the rebel Li Hong rose at Yangcheng, linking with southern tribes. An edict ordered Mu, concurrently General of the Martial Guard, to defeat him.

及爾硃榮向洛，靈太后徵穆，令屯小平。榮推奉孝莊，穆遂先降。榮素知穆，見之甚悅。穆潛說榮曰：「公士馬不出萬人，長驅向洛，前無橫陳者。政以推奉主上，順人心故。今以京師之眾，百官之盛，一知公之虛實，必有輕侮之心。若不大作討罰，更樹親黨，公還北之日，恐不得度太行而內難行矣。」榮心然之，於是有河陰之事。天下聞之，莫不切齒。榮入洛，穆為吏部尚書、魯縣侯，進封趙平郡公。為侍中、前鋒大都督，與大將軍元天穆討平邢杲。

When Erzhu Rong marched on Luoyang, Empress Dowager Ling summoned Mu and ordered him to encamp at Xiaoping. Rong raised up Xiaozhuang, and Mu surrendered to him first. Rong had long known Mu and was greatly pleased to see him. Mu secretly urged Rong: "Your soldiers and horses do not exceed ten thousand. You drove straight to Luoyang with no army blocking the way before you. This was precisely because you raised up the ruler and followed the people's hearts. Now with the capital's masses and the abundance of officials, once they know your true strength, they will surely feel contempt. If you do not punish severely and establish your own partisans anew, when you return north I fear you will not cross the Taihang Mountains before internal troubles arise. Rong agreed, and therefore came the massacre at Heyin. When the realm heard of it, all gnashed their teeth in rage. When Rong entered Luoyang, Mu became Minister of Personnel and Marquis of Lu County, and was advanced to Duke of Zhaoping Commandery. He served as Palace Attendant and Grand Commander of the Vanguard, and together with Grand General Yuan Tianmu pacified Xing Gao.

時元顥入京師，穆與天穆既平齊地，將擊顥。穆圍武牢，將拔，屬天穆北度，既無後繼，穆遂降顥。顥以河陰酷濫，事起于穆，引入詰讓，殺之。孝莊還宮，贈侍中、司徒公，諡曰武宣。

At the time Yuan Hao entered the capital. Mu and Tianmu, having pacified Qi territory, were about to strike Hao. Mu besieged Wulao and was about to take it. Just then Tianmu crossed north, and with no support behind him Mu surrendered to Hao. Hao, holding that the cruelty at Heyin had originated with Mu, summoned him in rebuke and killed him. When Xiaozhuang returned to the palace, Mu was posthumously granted the titles Palace Attendant and Duke of the Minister over the Masses, with the posthumous name Wuxuan.

孟威，字能重，河南洛陽人也。頗有氣尚，尤知北土風俗。曆東宮齊帥、羽林監。後以明解北人語，敕在著作，以備推訪。累遷沃野鎮將。前後頻使遠籓。粗能稱旨。普泰中，除大鴻臚卿，卒，贈司空公。子恂嗣。

Meng Wei, courtesy name Nengzhong, was a native of Luoyang in Henan. He had considerable spirit and aspiration and especially knew the customs of the northern lands. He successively served as Commander of Qi in the Eastern Palace and Supervisor of the Feathered Forest Guard. Later, because he clearly understood northern speech, an edict placed him in the Compiler's Office to be ready for inquiry and investigation. He was promoted to Garrison Commander of Woye. He was frequently sent on missions to distant frontier regions. He could roughly meet the imperial intent. In Putai he was appointed Grand Master of Splendid Happiness for Guests. He died and was posthumously granted the title Duke of the Minister of Works. His son Xun succeeded.

論曰：辛雄吏能曆職，琛以公方行己，懷哲體有清監，德源雅業無虧，並素門之所得也。楊機清斷在公。道穆兄弟有政事之用。綦俊遭逢受職。山偉位行頗爽。忠之雖文史足用，而雅道蔑聞。費穆出身效力，功名著矣，末路一言，禍延簪帶，其死也宜哉！孟威以方言陳力，其勤亦可稱矣。

The commentary says: Xin Xiong's administrative ability served through successive offices; Chen conducted himself with public rectitude; Huaizhe embodied clear oversight; Deyuan's refined learning was without stain—all were attainments of plain households. Yang Ji was clear and decisive in public duty. The Daomu brothers had use in governance. Qi Jun received office through fortunate encounter. Shan Wei's conduct in office was rather unencumbered. Though Zhongzhi's literature and history were sufficient for use, refined conduct was unheard of in him. Fei Mu from humble origin exerted himself, and his merit and fame were clear—yet one word at the end extended disaster to the court; his death was fitting! Meng Wei offered his strength through knowledge of regional speech, and his diligence too may be praised.

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