1
隗囂字季孟，天水成紀人也。 少仕州郡。 王莽國師劉歆引囂為士。 歆死，囂歸鄉里。 季父崔，素豪俠，能得眾。 聞更始立而莽兵連敗，於是乃與兄義及上邽人楊廣、冀人周宗謀起兵應漢。 囂止之曰：「夫兵，凶事也。 宗族何辜！ 」崔不聽，遂聚眾數千人，攻平襄，殺莽鎮戎大尹，崔、廣等以為舉事宜立主以一眾心，咸謂囂素有名，好經書，遂共推為上將軍。 囂辭讓不得已，曰：「諸父眾賢不量小子。 必能用囂言者，乃敢從命。 」眾皆曰諾。
Wei Xiao, style Jimeng, came from Chengji in Tianshui commandery. In his youth he held office in the provincial and commandery administration. Wang Mang’s state instructor Liu Xin took him on as a staff scholar. When Liu Xin died, Wei Xiao went home to his native place. His uncle Wei Cui was a famous bravo who could rally a crowd. When he heard that Liu Xuan had been enthroned and Wang Mang’s armies were collapsing, he plotted with his brother Wei Yi, Yang Guang of Shanggui, and Zhou Zong of Ji commandery to raise troops for Han. Wei Xiao tried to stop them. ‘War,’ he said, ‘is an ill-starred thing.’ What crime have our kinsmen committed?’ ’ Wei Cui would not listen. He raised several thousand men, stormed Pingxiang, and killed Wang Mang’s grand guardian of the west. Cui and his allies decided the movement needed a single leader; everyone pointed to Wei Xiao’s reputation and learning, and they made him supreme general. Wei Xiao protested until he could refuse no longer. ‘You elders and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘overrate a mere youth like me.’ ‘I will obey only if you promise to heed my counsel.’ ’ The assembly shouted assent.
2
囂既立，遣使聘請平陵人方望，以為軍師。 望至，說囂曰：「足下欲承天順民，輔漢而起，今立者乃在南陽，王莽尚據長安，雖欲以漢為名，其實無所受命，將何以見信於眾乎？ 宜急立高廟，稱臣奉祠，所謂「神道設教」，求助人神者也。 且禮有損益，質文無常。 削地開兆，茅茨土階，以致其肅敬。 雖未備物，神明其舍諸。 」囂從其言，遂立廟邑東，祀高祖、太宗、世宗。 囂等皆稱臣執事，史奉璧而告。 祝畢，有司穿坎於庭，牽馬操刀，奉盤錯鍉，遂割牲而盟。 曰：「凡我同盟三十一將，十有六姓，允承天道，興輔劉宗。 如懷奸慮，明神殛之。 高祖、文皇、武皇，俾墜厥命，厥宗受兵，族類滅亡。 」有司奉血鍉進，護軍舉手揖諸將軍曰：「鍉不濡血，歃不入口，是欺神明也，厥罰如盟。 」既而薶血加書，一如古禮。
Once in command, Wei Xiao sent for Fang Wang of Pingling and made him his strategist. Fang Wang said to him: ‘You mean to obey Heaven and the people and rise for Han, yet the man who sits as emperor is in Nanyang and Wang Mang still holds Chang’an. You wave the banner of Han without a mandate from him—how will the world trust you?’ ‘Raise a temple to Emperor Gao at once, style yourself his minister, and sacrifice to him—that is what men mean by teaching through the way of the spirits: you enlist both gods and men.’ ‘Rites may be simplified or enlarged; formality need not be fixed.’ ‘Clear a plot, thatch the roof, and build earthen steps—enough to show reverence.’ ‘Though the offerings are plain, the spirits will not spurn you.’ ’ Wei Xiao agreed and built a temple east of the city to Emperor Gao, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Wu. Wei Xiao and his officers styled themselves servants of the throne; the scribe presented the jade and read the prayer. When the invocation ended, attendants dug a pit in the court, led up the horse, set out knife, tray, and spoon, slaughtered the victim, and swore the oath. The text ran: ‘We thirty-one generals of sixteen surnames, sworn in league, receive Heaven’s charge to restore the house of Liu.’ ‘If any man nurses treachery, may the bright spirits strike him down.’ ‘May Emperors Gao, Wen, and Wu cast him from his life, visit war on his house, and blot out his line.’ ’ Officers brought the blood-ladle; the protector of the army bowed to the generals and said, ‘If the ladle is not dipped in blood or the oath not drunk, you mock the spirits—the penalty shall be as sworn.’ ’ They buried the blood with the written oath, following the ancient ritual to the letter.
3
蓋天為父，地為母，禍福之應，各以事降。 莽明知之，而冥昧觸冒，不顧大忌，詭亂天術，援引史傳。 昔秦始皇毀壞謚法，以一二數欲至萬世，而莽下三萬六千歲之歷，言身當盡此度。 循亡秦之軌，推無窮之數。 是其逆天之大罪也。
Heaven is the father and Earth the mother of the realm; blessing and disaster answer men’s deeds. Wang Mang knew this yet blundered on in the dark, spurned every great prohibition, twisted Heaven’s patterns, and rifled the histories to justify himself. Qin Shihuang abolished posthumous titles and counted his line to the ten thousandth generation; Wang Mang promulgated a calendar of thirty-six thousand years and claimed he would live out every span of it. He trod the path of doomed Qin and stretched his numerology without end. This is his chief crime against Heaven.
4
分裂郡國，斷截地絡。 田為王田，賣買不得。 規錮山澤，奪民本業。 造起九廟，窮極土作。 發冢河東，攻劫丘壟。 此其逆地之大罪也。
He carved up the commanderies and severed the land’s arteries. He declared all fields “king’s land” and forbade their sale. He monopolized hills and lakes and robbed the people of their livelihood. He raised nine ancestral temples and drove earthworks to ruinous excess. He opened graves east of the river and plundered the barrows. This is his chief crime against Earth.
5
尊任殘賊，信用奸佞，誅戮忠正，復按口語，赤車奔馳，法冠晨夜，冤系無辜，妄族眾庶。 行炮格之刑，除順時之法，灌以醇醯，襲以五毒。 政令日變，官名月易，貨幣歲改，吏民昏亂，不知所從，商旅窮窘，號泣市道。 設為六管，增重賦斂，刻剝百姓，厚自奉養，苞苴流行，財入公輔，上下貪賄，莫相檢考，民坐挾銅炭，沒入鐘官，徒隸殷積，數十萬人，工匠饑死，長安皆臭。 既亂諸夏，狂心益悖，北攻強胡，南擾勁越，西侵羌戎，東摘濊貊。 使四境之外，並入為害，緣邊之郡，江海之瀕，滌地無類。 故攻戰之所敗，苛法之所陷，饑饉之所夭，疾疫之所及，以萬萬計。 其死者則露屍不掩，生者則奔亡流散，幼孤婦女，流離系虜。 此其逆人之大罪也。
He exalted the cruel, trusted slanderers, slew the loyal, pried into private speech, sent red carriages and law officers racing day and night, jailed the innocent, and wiped out whole clans without cause. He revived the paoge torment, cast away humane law, drenched victims in strong vinegar, and smeared them with the five poisons. Edicts shifted daily, titles monthly, coinage yearly; officials and commoners stumbled in confusion, and merchants wept in the streets. He imposed the six state monopolies, heaped taxes on the people, fed his own splendour while bribes ran from hand to hand; high and low grew fat on corruption while none kept accounts. Commoners who held scrap copper or charcoal were seized for the Bell Office foundries; convict gangs swelled to hundreds of thousands; artisans starved until the stench of death filled Chang’an. Having ruined the heartland, he grew only bolder: he struck the Xiongnu in the north, harried the Yue in the south, raided the Qiang in the west, and meddled with the Hui and Mo in the east. He turned every neighbour into an enemy until the frontier and the river coasts were swept bare of people. The dead of war, the victims of cruel law, famine, and plague number in the tens of millions. Corpses lay in the open; survivors fled; children and widows were driven into exile or slavery. This is his chief crime against mankind.
6
是故上帝哀矜，降罰於莽，妻子顛殞，還自誅刈。 大臣反據，亡形已成。 大司馬董忠、國師劉歆、衛將軍王涉，皆結謀內潰，司命孔仁、納言嚴尤、秩宗陳茂，舉眾外降。 今山東之兵二百餘萬，已平齊、楚，下蜀、漢，定宛、洛，據敖倉，守函谷，威命四布，宣風中嶽。 興滅繼絕，封定萬國，遵高祖之舊制，修孝文之遺德。 有不從命，武軍平之。 馳命四夷，復其爵號。 然後還師振旅，橐弓臥鼓。 申命百姓，各安其所，庶無負子之責。」
Therefore High Heaven took pity and struck Wang Mang: his wife and children perished, and he died by the blade himself. His great ministers turned on him; ruin was plain for all to see. Grand marshal Dong Zhong, state instructor Liu Xin, and palace guard general Wang She plotted treason within; Kong Ren, Yan You, and Chen Mao led their hosts out to surrender. More than two million men east of the passes have pacified Qi and Chu, taken Shu and Han, secured Wan and Luoyang, seized the Ao granary, and hold Hangu; their authority runs to the four quarters and their fame reaches the sacred peak. They restore fallen lines, invest the feudal lords, follow the institutions of Emperor Gao, and renew the mercy of Emperor Wen. Whoever defies them will be crushed by arms. Orders race to the four barbarians to restore their old titles. Then the armies will march home, bows slung and drums stilled. The people will be told to rest where they are, and the throne will owe no apology for abandoning them.’
7
囂乃勒兵十萬，擊殺雍州牧陳慶。 將攻安定。 安定大尹王向，莽從弟平阿侯譚之子也，威風獨能行其邦內，屬縣皆無叛者。 囂乃移書於向，喻以天命，反復誨示，終不從。 於是進兵虜之，以徇百姓，然後行戮，安定悉降。 而長安中亦起兵誅王莽。 囂遂分遣諸將徇隴西、武都、金城、武威、張掖、酒泉、敦煌，皆下之。
Wei Xiao then mustered a hundred thousand men and killed Chen Qing, shepherd of Yongzhou. He was poised to march on Anding. Wang Xiang, grand administrator of Anding, was a son of Prince Ping’e Tan, Wang Mang’s cousin; his authority still held the commandery and none of its counties had risen. Wei Xiao sent him a long letter explaining Heaven’s mandate and urging him again and again, but Wang Xiang refused. Wei Xiao advanced, took him prisoner, paraded him before the people, executed him, and brought all Anding to surrender. Meanwhile Chang’an rose and killed Wang Mang. He then sent columns through Longxi, Wudu, Jincheng, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang, and every commandery submitted.
8
更始二年，遣使征囂及崔、義等。 囂將行，方望以為更始未可知，固止之，囂不聽。 望以書辭謝而去，曰：
In the second year of Gengshi the court summoned Wei Xiao, Wei Cui, and Wei Yi to the capital. As he was about to leave, Fang Wang argued that Liu Xuan’s fortunes were uncertain and begged him to stay; Wei Xiao would not listen. Fang Wang resigned in a letter and left, writing:
9
「足下將建伊、呂之業，弘不世之功，而大事草創，英雄未集。 以望異域之人，疵瑕未露，欲先崇郭隗，想望樂毅，故欽承大旨，順風不讓。 將軍以至德尊賢，廣其謀慮，動有功，發中權，基業已定，大勛方緝。 今俊乂並會，羽翮並肩，望無耆考之德，而猥托賓客之上，誠自愧也。 雖懷介然之節，欲絜去就之分，誠終不背其本，貳其志也。 何則？ 范蠡收責句踐，乘偏舟於五湖； 舅犯謝罪文公，亦逡巡於河上。 夫以二子之賢，勒銘兩國，猶削跡歸愆，請命乞身，望之無勞，蓋其宜也。 望聞烏氏有龍池之山，微徑南通，與漢相屬，其傍時有奇人，聊及閑暇，廣求其真。 願將軍勉之。」
‘You mean to build an achievement like Yi Yin or Lü Wang’s and leave a name for the ages, yet the cause is still new and heroes have not all flocked to you.’ ‘I am a stranger from afar whose faults you have not yet seen; you wished to honour me as King Zhao honoured Guo Wei and dream of a Yue Yi—so I bowed to your summons and did not stand on pride.’ ‘You have won the worthy with supreme virtue, widened your counsel, acted with success and hit every crisis aright; your foundation is firm and great deeds lie ahead.’ ‘Now that able men gather like birds flocking wing to wing, I—without the greybeard’s weight of years—am ashamed to rank above your other guests.’ ‘Though I would mark the line between staying and leaving, I will not betray the root of my purpose nor waver in loyalty.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Fan Li settled accounts with Goujian of Yue and sailed away on the five lakes.’ ‘Hu Yan made his peace with Duke Wen of Jin and lingered by the Yellow River.’ ‘Those two sages served two kingdoms yet withdrew to atone for error and beg leave to retire; for me to go now without fuss is only right.’ ‘I have heard that Dragon Pool Mountain in Wushi has a track south into Han and that strange men dwell there; when I have leisure I mean to seek them out.’ ‘I pray you, General, take care.’
10
囂等遂至長安，更始以為右將軍，崔、義皆即舊號。 其冬，崔、義謀欲叛歸，囂懼並禍，即以事告之，崔、義誅死。 更始感囂忠，以為御史大夫。
Wei Xiao and his party reached Chang’an; Liu Xuan named him general of the right while Wei Cui and Wei Yi kept their old ranks. That winter Wei Cui and Wei Yi plotted to desert back to the northwest; fearing implication, Wei Xiao denounced them and they were executed. Touched by his loyalty, Liu Xuan made him grandee secretary.
11
明年夏，赤眉入關，三輔擾亂。 流聞光武即位河北，囂即說更始歸政於光武叔父國三老良，更始不聽。 諸將欲劫更始東歸，囂亦與通謀。 事發覺，更始使使者召囂，囂稱疾不入，因會客王遵、周宗等勒兵自守。 更始使執金吾鄧曄將兵圍囂，囂閉門拒守； 至昏時，遂潰圍，與數十騎夜斬平城門關，亡歸天水。 復招聚其眾，據故地，自稱西州上將軍。
The next summer the Red Eyebrows poured through the passes and the capital region fell into chaos. Word came that Guangwu had taken the throne in Hebei; Wei Xiao urged Liu Xuan to yield the government to Guangwu’s uncle Liu Liang, the state elder of the three seniors, but Liu Xuan refused. When the generals plotted to kidnap Liu Xuan and carry him east, Wei Xiao joined the intrigue. When the plot leaked, Liu Xuan summoned Wei Xiao to court; he pleaded illness, stayed away, and rallied Wang Zun, Zhou Zong, and others in arms. Liu Xuan sent Deng Ye of the Bearer of the Golden Mallet to besiege him; Wei Xiao barred his gates. At dusk he broke out with a few dozen horsemen, cut the bar of the Pingcheng Gate by night, and fled to Tianshui. He rallied his old following, recovered his territory, and styled himself supreme general of the western province.
12
及更始敗，三輔耆老士大夫皆奔歸囂。
When Liu Xuan fell, elders and gentlemen of the capital region flocked to Wei Xiao.
13
囂素謙恭愛士，傾身引接為布衣交。 以前王莽平河大尹長安谷恭為掌野大夫，平陵範逡為師友，趙秉、蘇衡、鄭興為祭酒，申屠剛、杜林為持書，楊廣、王遵、周宗及平襄人行巡、阿陽人王捷、長陵人王元為大將軍，杜陵、金丹之屬為賓客。 由此名震西州，聞於山東。
Wei Xiao was humble and loved men of talent; he received them as equals in plain dress. He named Gu Gong of Chang’an, once Wang Mang’s grand administrator of Pinghe, master of the wilds; Fan Qun of Pingling as mentor; Zhao Bing, Su Heng, and Zheng Xing as libationers; Shentu Gang and Du Lin to keep his archives; Yang Guang, Wang Zun, Zhou Zong, Xing Xun of Pingxiang, Wang Jie of Ayang, and Wang Yuan of Changling as grand generals; and men such as Du Ling and Jin Dan as retainers. His fame shook the northwest and carried east of the passes.
14
建武二年，大司徒鄧禹西擊赤眉，屯雲陽，禹裨將馮愔引兵叛禹，西向天水，囂逆擊，破之於高平，盡獲輜重。 於是禹承制遣使持節命囂為西州大將軍，得專制涼州、朔方事。 及赤眉去長安。 欲西上隴，囂遣將軍楊廣迎擊，破之，又追敗之於烏氏、涇陽間。
In Jianwu 2 grand minister of education Deng Yu marched west against the Red Eyebrows and camped at Yunyang; his lieutenant Feng Yin mutinied and drove on Tianshui; Wei Xiao intercepted him at Gaoping, broke him, and seized his entire baggage train. Deng Yu then, acting under emergency powers, sent envoys with credentials to name Wei Xiao grand general of the western province with sole authority over Liangzhou and Shuofang. When the Red Eyebrows quit Chang’an, they tried to climb Long westward; Wei Xiao sent Yang Guang to meet them, routed them, and ran them down again between Wushi and Jingyang.
15
囂既有功於漢，又受鄧禹爵，署其腹心，議者多勸通使京師。 三年，囂乃上書詣闕。 光武素聞其風聲，報以殊禮，言稱字，用敵國之儀，所以慰藉之良厚。 時，陳倉人呂鮪擁眾數萬，與公孫述通，寇三輔。 囂復遣兵佐征西大將軍馮異擊之，走鮪，遣歙上狀。 帝報以手書曰：
Having served Han well and received rank from Deng Yu, he filled his inner council with confidants, while many advisers urged him to open relations with Luoyang. In Jianwu 3 he memorialized the throne. Guangwu had long heard of him and answered with exceptional courtesy—addressing him by his style and using the forms due a peer state—to win him over. At that time Lü Wei of Chencang led tens of thousands in league with Gongsun Shu and raided the capital region. Wei Xiao again sent troops to aid Feng Yi, grand general who conquers the west, drove Lü Wei off, and had She report the deed to court. The emperor answered with a letter in his own hand, which read:
16
「慕樂德義，思相結納。 昔文王三分，猶服事殷。 但弩馬鉛刀，不可強扶。 數蒙伯樂一顧之價，而蒼蠅之飛，不過數步，即托驥尾，得以絕群。 隔於盜賊，聲問不數。 將軍操執款款，扶傾救危，南距公孫之兵，北禦羌胡之亂，是以馮異西征，得以數千百人躑躅三輔。 微將軍之助，則咸陽已為他人禽矣。 今關東寇賊，往往屯聚，誌務廣遠，多所不暇，未能觀兵成都，與子陽角力。 如令子陽到漢中、三輔，願因將軍兵馬，鼓旗相當。 儻肯如言，蒙天之福，即智士計功割地之秋也。 管仲曰：『生我者父母，成我者鮑子。 』自今以後，手書相聞，勿用傍人解構之言。 」自是恩禮愈篤。
‘I have long admired your virtue and wished to draw close to you.’ King Wen held two parts in three of the empire and still served the Shang. I am but a lame nag and a dull blade—not worth your forcing upward. You have honoured me as Bole honoured a horse, though I am a fly that cannot fly far—yet clinging to the stallion’s tail I have outstripped the herd. Brigands have cut our roads and letters between us have been few. You have steadied the tottering state, blocked Gongsun Shu in the south and the Qiang and Hu in the north, so that Feng Yi could march west with a few thousand men and hold the capital districts. Without your aid, Xianyang would long since have fallen to another hand. East of the passes rebels still swarm; my business is wide and pressing, and I have not yet been free to parade an army at Chengdu to measure strength with Gongsun Shu. If Shu should reach Hanzhong or the Three Assistances, I hope to join my host to yours, drum matching drum and banner to banner. If you consent, Heaven will bless us both, and wise men will win their share of merit and fief. Guan Zhong said, ‘My parents gave me life; Bao Shuya made a man of me.’ ’ Henceforth let us write to each other directly and heed no meddler’s slander.’ ’ After that the emperor’s favour toward him grew warmer still.
17
其後公孫述數出兵漢中，遣使以大司空扶安王印綬授囂。 囂自以與述敵國，恥為所臣，乃斬其使，出兵擊之，連破述軍，以故蜀兵不復北出。
Later Gongsun Shu sent repeated raids into Hanzhong and dispatched an envoy bearing the seals of grand minister of works and king of Fuan for Wei Xiao. Wei Xiao counted himself Gongsun Shu’s peer and scorned to serve him; he slew the envoy, marched against Shu, and broke his armies again and again, so that Shu’s troops never again marched north.
18
時，關中將帥數上書，言蜀可擊之狀，帝以示囂，因使討蜀，以效其信。 囂乃遣長史上書，盛言三輔單弱，劉文伯在邊，未宜謀蜀。 帝知囂欲持兩端，不願天下統一，於是稍黜其禮，正君臣之儀。
Generals in Guanzhong kept memorializing that Shu could be attacked; Guangwu showed these to Wei Xiao and ordered him to strike Shu as proof of loyalty. Wei Xiao sent his chief clerk with a long memorial arguing that the capital region was weak, Lu Fang threatened the northern frontier, and it was no time to think of Shu. Seeing that Wei Xiao meant to sit on the fence and block reunification, Guangwu slowly cooled the courtesies due him and insisted on the forms between lord and minister.
19
初，囂與來歙、馬援相善，故帝數使歙、援奉使往來，勸令入朝，許以重爵。 囂不欲東，連遣使深持謙辭，言無功德，須四方平方，退伏閭里。 五年，復遣來歙說囂遣子入侍，囂聞劉永、彭寵皆已破滅，乃遣長子恂隨歙詣闕。 以為胡騎校尉，封鐫羌侯。 而囂將王元、王捷常以為天下成敗未可知，不願專心內事。 元遂說囂曰：「昔更始西都，四方響應，天下喁喁，謂之太平。 一旦敗壞，大王幾所厝。 今南有子陽，北有文伯，江湖海岱，王公十數，而欲牽儒生之說，棄千乘之基，羈旅危國，以求萬全，此循覆車之軌，計之不可者也。 今天水完富，士馬最強，北收西河、上郡，東收三輔之地，案秦舊跡，表裏河山。 元請以一丸泥為大王東封函谷關，此萬世一時也。 若計不及此，且畜養士馬，據隘自守，曠日持久，以待四方之變，圖王不成，其弊猶足以霸。 要之，魚不可脫於淵，神龍失勢，即還與蚯蚓同。 」囂心然元計，雖遣子入質，猶負其險厄，欲專方面，於是遊士長者，稍稍去之。
Wei Xiao had long been friendly with Lai She and Ma Yuan, so the emperor sent them again and again to urge him to court and promise him high rank. He would not go east and sent a stream of humble excuses—no merit yet, he said, and he would retire to his village only when the empire was quiet. In Jianwu 5 Lai She was sent again to persuade him to send a hostage; when Wei Xiao learned that Liu Yong and Peng Chong had fallen, he sent his eldest son Wei Xun to the capital with Lai She. He was made colonel of Hu cavalry and marquis who “chisels the Qiang.” Yet his generals Wang Yuan and Wang Jie held that the empire’s fate was still uncertain and refused to bind him wholly to the court. Wang Yuan urged him: ‘When Liu Xuan moved west to Chang’an the whole realm answered him and men called it peace.’ ‘When it collapsed in a day, my lord, where would you have stood?’ ‘Gongsun Shu holds the south, Lu Fang the north, and a dozen princes between the rivers and the sea—yet you would heed pedants, throw away a state that could field a thousand chariots, and gamble your life as a guest in another’s court for an illusory safety. That is to follow a cart into the ditch; the plan is folly.’ ‘Tianshui is strong and your army the best in the west; take Xihe and Shang commandery to the north and the Three Assistants to the east, hold the old Qin heartland within the ring of river and mountain.’ ‘Let me seal Hangu Pass for you in the east with a lump of mud—such an hour comes once in an age.’ ‘If you will not do that, then breed horses and men, hold the defiles, and wait on events—even if kingship slips from your grasp you may still win hegemony.’ ‘In short, a fish must not leave the pool; a dragon off its mound is no better than a worm.’ ’ Wei Xiao’s heart warmed to this counsel: though he sent a son as hostage, he still trusted his mountains and meant to keep his own corner, and wandering scholars began to drift away.
20
六年，關東悉平。 帝積苦兵間，以囂子內侍，公孫述遠據邊陲，乃謂諸將曰：「且當置此兩子於度外耳。 」因數騰書隴、蜀，告示禍福。 囂賓客、掾史多文學生，每所上事，當世士大夫皆諷誦之，故帝有所辭答，尤加意焉，囂復遣使周遊詣闕，先到馮異營，遊為仇家所殺。 帝遣衛尉銚期持珍寶繒帛賜囂，期至鄭被盜，亡失財物。 帝常稱囂長者，務欲招之，聞而嘆曰：「吾與隗囂事欲不諧，使來見殺，得賜道亡。」
In Jianwu 6 the east was finally quiet. Weary of war, and with Wei Xiao’s son at court and Gongsun Shu far in the southwest, Guangwu told his generals, ‘For now leave those two out of our reckoning.’ ’ He sent letter after letter over Long and into Shu, setting out gain and loss.’ Wei Xiao’s staff were mostly scholars; every memorial they drafted was on every gentleman’s lips, so the emperor weighed his answers with care. He sent Zhou You to court; You stopped first at Feng Yi’s camp and there a personal enemy killed him. Guangwu sent Yao Qi, commandant of the guards, with gifts of treasure and silk; at Zheng robbers struck and the gifts were lost. He had always called Wei Xiao a man of honour and meant to win him; hearing this he sighed, ‘Wei Xiao and I cannot seem to agree—my envoys are murdered and my gifts stolen on the road.’
21
會公孫述遣兵寇南郡，乃詔囂當從天水伐蜀，因此欲以潰其心腹。 囂復上言：「白水險阻，棧閣絕敗。 」又多設支閡。 帝知其終不為用，叵欲討之。 遂西幸長安，遣建威大將軍耿弇等七將軍從隴道伐蜀，先使來歙奉璽書喻旨。 囂疑懼，即勒兵，使王元據隴坻，伐木塞道，謀欲殺歙。 歙得亡歸。
When Gongsun Shu raided Nan commandery, Guangwu ordered Wei Xiao to march from Tianshui against Shu, hoping to force his hand. Wei Xiao memorialized again: ‘The Baishui crossing is treacherous and the plank roads are broken.’ ’ He piled up further excuses and delays.’ Seeing that Wei Xiao would never serve him, Guangwu resolved to attack. He went west to Chang’an and sent Geng Yan and seven other generals against Shu by the Long road, first dispatching Lai She with the sealed edict to explain his will. Suspicious and afraid, Wei Xiao called out his troops, had Wang Yuan seize Longdi, felled trees to block the way, and plotted to murder Lai She. Lai She escaped and got back.
22
諸將與囂戰，大敗，各引退。 囂因使王元、行巡侵三輔，征西大將軍馮異、征虜將軍祭遵等擊破之。 囂乃上疏謝曰：「吏人聞大兵卒至，驚恐自救，臣囂不能禁止。 兵有大利，不敢廢臣子之節，親自追還。 昔虞舜事父，大杖則走，小杖則受。 臣雖不敏，敢忘斯義。 今臣之事，在於本朝，賜死則死，加刑則刑。 如遂蒙恩，更得洗心，死骨不朽。 」有司以囂言慢，請誅其子恂，帝不忍，復使來歙至氵幵，賜囂書曰：「昔柴將軍與韓信書云：『陛下寬仁，諸侯雖有亡叛而後歸，輒復位號，不誅也。 』以囂文吏，曉義理，故復賜書。 深言則似不遜，略言則事不決。 今若束手，復遣恂弟歸闕庭者，則爵祿獲全，有浩大之福矣。 吾年垂四十，在兵中十歲，厭浮語虛辭。 即不欲，勿報。 」囂知帝審其詐，遂遣使稱臣於公孫述。
The Han generals fought Wei Xiao and were routed, each drawing off. Wei Xiao sent Wang Yuan and Xing Xun against the Three Assistants; Feng Yi and Ji Zun broke them. Wei Xiao memorialized in apology: ‘When my officers heard your host was upon them they panicked; I could not hold them.’ ‘They might have won a great success, yet I dared not break the bond between subject and son and rode after them myself to call them back.’ ‘Shun fled the great rod his father raised but bore the light blows.’ ‘Dull though I am, I dare not forget that lesson.’ ‘My fate is in your hands: command death and I die, command punishment and I suffer it.’ ‘If I am forgiven and may cleanse my heart, I will be grateful beyond the grave.’ ’ Officials called Wei Xiao’s tone insolent and asked to execute Wei Xun; the emperor relented and sent Lai She to Qian with a letter: ‘General Chai once wrote to Han Xin, “The emperor is merciful: lords who rebel and return keep their titles and are not killed.”’ ’ You are a scholar and know what is right, so I write again.’ ‘Plain speech may sound rude; hints alone will not settle the matter.’ ‘Surrender now and send Wei Xun and his brothers to court and you keep rank and stipend—a great blessing.’ ‘I am nearly forty and ten years in the field—I loathe empty talk.’ ‘If you refuse, do not answer.’ ’ Seeing that Guangwu had seen through him, Wei Xiao sent envoys to submit to Gongsun Shu.
23
明年，述以囂為朔寧王，遣兵往來，為之援勢。 秋，囂將步騎三萬侵安定，至陰槃，馮異率諸將拒之。 囂又令別將下隴，攻祭遵於氵幵，兵並無利，乃引還。
The next year Gongsun Shu named him king of Shuoning and shuttled troops to support him. That autumn Wei Xiao marched thirty thousand horse and foot against Anding as far as Yinpan; Feng Yi met him with the Han host. He sent another column down Long against Ji Zun on the Qian River, gained nothing, and withdrew.
24
帝因令來歙以書招王遵，遵乃與家屬東詣京師，拜為太中大夫，封向義侯。 遵字子春，霸陵人也。 父為上郡太守。 遵少豪俠，有才辯，雖與囂舉兵，而常有歸漢意。 曾於天水私於來歙曰：「吾所以戮力不避矢石者，豈要爵位哉！ 徒以人思舊主，先君蒙漢厚恩，思效萬分耳。 」又數勸囂遣子入侍，前後辭諫切甚，囂不從，故去焉。
Guangwu had Lai She invite Wang Zun in a letter; Wang Zun came east with his household, was made grand counsellor of the palace, and ennobled as marquis of Xiangyi. Wang Zun, style Zichun, was from Baling. His father had been prefect of Shang commandery. He had been a bravo and a debater; though he rose with Wei Xiao, he had always meant to return to Han. Once at Tianshui he said privately to Lai She, ‘I do not brave the arrows for a title!’ ‘Men miss the old house of Han; my father owed Han a great debt and I would repay the least part of it.’ ’ He urged Wei Xiao again and again to send a hostage and argued bitterly when Wei Xiao refused, and so he left.’
25
八年春，來歙從山道襲得略陽城。 囂出不意，懼更有大兵，乃使王元拒隴坻，行巡守番須口，王孟塞雞頭道，牛邯軍瓦亭，囂自悉其大眾圍來歙。 公孫述亦遣其將李育、田弇助器攻略陽，連月不下。 親乃率諸將西征之，數道上隴，使王遵持節監大司馬吳漢留屯於長安。
In the spring of Jianwu 8 Lai She took the mountain road and seized Lueyang. Caught off guard and fearing more Han troops, Wei Xiao posted Wang Yuan at Longdi, Xing Xun at Fansu pass, Wang Meng on the Jitou road, and Niu Han at Wating, while he himself brought his whole host to surround Lai She. Gongsun Shu also sent Li Yu and Tian Yan to help Wei Xiao against Lueyang, but they could not take it for months. The emperor then led his generals west by several routes up Long and sent Wang Zun with credentials to oversee grand marshal Wu Han, who stayed encamped at Chang’an.
26
遵知囂必敗滅，而與牛邯舊故，知其有歸義意，以書喻之曰：「遵與隗王歃盟為漢，自經歷虎口，踐履死地，已十數矣。 於時周洛以西無所統壹，故為王策，欲東收關中，北取上郡，進以奉天人之用，退以懲外夷之亂。 數年之間，冀聖漢復存，當挈河隴奉舊都以歸本朝。 生民以來，臣人之勢，未有便於此時者也。 而王之將吏，群居穴處之徒，人人抵掌，欲為不善之計。 遵與孺卿日夜所爭，害幾及身者，豈一事哉！ 前計抑絕，後策不從，所以吟嘯扼腕，垂涕登車。 幸蒙封拜，得延論論，每及西州之事，未嘗敢忘孺卿之言。 今車駕大眾，已在道路，吳、耿驍將，雲集四境，而孺卿以奔離之卒，距要厄，當軍沖，視其形勢何如哉？ 夫智者睹危思變，賢者泥而不滓，是以功名終申，策畫復得。 故夷吾束縛而相齊，黥布杖斂以歸漢，去愚就義，功名並著。 今孺卿當成敗之際，遇嚴兵之鋒，可為怖栗。 宜斷之心胸，參之有識。」
Wang Zun knew Wei Xiao was doomed; he was old friends with Niu Han and sensed his wish to come over, and wrote: ‘I swore blood with the king of Wei for Han and since then have walked through death’s jaws a dozen times.’ ‘When nothing west of Luoyang was united I urged the king to take Guanzhong in the east and Shang commandery in the north—to serve Heaven and men if we advanced, to chastise the barbarians if we drew back.’ ‘We hoped in a few years to restore Han and bring the old capital back from the Yellow River and Long—you to the throne.’ ‘Never since the world began has a vassal had so fair an hour to serve his lord.’ ‘Yet your officers—lair-dwelling rabble—clapped their hands and plotted mischief.’ ‘What you and I, Ruqing, argued night and day—how often we nearly paid with our lives!’ ‘Your first plan was blocked and your second ignored—I sighed, struck my wrist, wept, and rode away.’ ‘I was honoured with office and may speak at court; whenever the northwest is discussed I remember what you said, Ruqing.’ ‘The emperor’s host is on the march; Wu Han and Geng Yan crowd your borders—yet you, Ruqing, bar the defiles with broken men. What do you think will come of it?’ ‘The wise turn at danger; the good may sink in mud yet stay clean—so fame endures and counsel wins.’ ‘Guan Zhong bound himself and ruled Qi; Qing Bu took his shroud to Han—forsaking folly for duty, both won renown.’ ‘You stand at the turning of fate under a sharp blade—any man would tremble.’ ‘Settle it in your heart and take counsel of wise men.’
27
邯得書，沈吟十餘日，乃謝士眾，歸命洛陽，拜為太中大夫。 於是囂大將十三人，屬縣十六，眾十眾萬，皆降。
Niu Han pondered the letter ten days, dismissed his troops, and went to Luoyang, where he was made grand counsellor of the palace. Then thirteen of Wei Xiao’s generals, sixteen counties, and more than a hundred thousand men surrendered.
28
王元入蜀求救，囂將妻子奔西域，從楊廣，而田弇、李育保上邽。 詔告囂曰：「若束手自詣，父子相見，保無他也。 高皇帝云：『橫來，大者王，小者侯。 』若遂欲為黥布者，亦自任也。 」囂終不降。 於是誅其子恂，使吳漢與征南大將軍岑彭圍西城，耿弇與虎牙大將軍蓋延圍上邽。 車駕東歸。 月餘，楊廣死，囂窮困。 其大將王捷別在戎丘，登城呼漢軍曰：「為隗王城守者，皆必死無二心！ 願諸軍亟罷，請自殺以明之。 」遂自刎頸死。 數月，王元、行巡、周宗將蜀救兵五千餘人，乘高卒至，鼓噪大呼曰：「百萬之眾方至！ 」漢軍大驚，未及成陳，元等決圍，殊死戰，遂得入城，迎囂歸冀。 會吳漢等食盡退去，於是安定、北地、天水、隴西復反為囂。
Wang Yuan went to Shu for aid; Wei Xiao fled west with his family to join Yang Guang, while Tian Yan and Li Yu held Shanggui. An edict told him: ‘Come bound in your own cords and you and your son shall meet in safety.’ Gaozu said of Tian Heng, “If he comes, the great shall be kings and the small marquises.”’ ’ If you choose to be another Qing Bu, that is your own affair.’ ’ Wei Xiao would not yield. He then executed Wei Xun and sent Wu Han and Cen Peng, grand general who conquers the south, against Xicheng, and Geng Yan and Gai Yan, grand general “Tiger’s Fangs,” against Shanggui. The emperor marched east again. A month later Yang Guang died and Wei Xiao was desperate. His general Wang Jie was at Rongqiu; he mounted the wall and shouted to the Han army, ‘Every man who holds this city for the king of Wei means to die—no second thought!’ ‘Withdraw your hosts and I will kill myself to prove it.’ ’ He cut his own throat and died. Months later Wang Yuan, Xing Xun, and Zhou Zong brought five thousand Shu reinforcements over the height, beating drums and shouting, ‘A million men are upon you!’ The Han troops panicked before they could form; Wang Yuan and his men burst the ring, fought through at the cost of their lives, slipped into the city, and brought Wei Xiao back to Ji. When Wu Han’s supplies gave out and he withdrew, Anding, Beidi, Tianshui, and Longxi went over to Wei Xiao again.
29
九年春，囂病且餓，出城餐糗糒，恚憤而死。 王元、周宗立囂少子純為王。 明年，來歙、耿弇、蓋延等攻破落門，周宗、行巡、苛宇、趙恢等將純降。 宗、恢及諸隗分徙京師以東，純與巡、宇徙弘農。 唯王元留為蜀將。 及輔威將軍臧宮破延岑，元舉眾詣宮降。
In the spring of Jianwu 9, sick and starving, he left the walls for a meal of hard tack and died of rage. Wang Yuan and Zhou Zong set up his youngest son, Wei Chun, as king. The next year Lai She, Geng Yan, and Gai Yan stormed Luomen, and Zhou Zong, Xing Xun, Ke Yu, and Zhao Hui brought Wei Chun in. Zhou Zong, Zhao Hui, and the Wei kinsmen were resettled east of Luoyang; Wei Chun, Xing Xun, and Ke Yu were sent to Hongnong. Only Wang Yuan stayed on as a Shu commander. When Zang Gong, general who aids might, broke Yan Cen, Wang Yuan brought his command to Zang Gong and surrendered.
30
元字惠孟，初拜上蔡令，遷東平相，坐墾田不實，下獄死。
Wang Yuan, style Huimeng, had been magistrate of Shangcai and chancellor of Dongping; he died in prison for falsifying reclaimed acreage.
31
牛邯字孺卿，狄道人。 有勇力才氣，雄於邊垂。 及降，大司徒司直杜林、太中大夫馬援並薦之，以為護羌校尉，與來歙平隴右。 十八年，純與賓客數十騎亡入胡，至武威，捕得，誅之。
Niu Han, style Ruqing, came from Didao. He was brave, able, and a power on the border. After his submission Du Lin and Ma Yuan recommended him; he became colonel who protects the Qiang and helped Lai She pacify Longyou. In the eighteenth year Wei Chun fled toward the steppe with a few dozen riders, was taken at Wuwei, and executed.
32
論曰：隗囂援旗糾族，假制明神，跡夫創圖首事，有以識其風矣。 終於孤立一隅，介於大國，隴坻雖隘，非有百二之勢，區區兩郡，以禦堂堂之鋒，至使窮廟策，竭征徭，身歿眾解，然後定之。 則知其道有足懷者，所以棲有四方之桀，士至投死絕亢而不悔者矣。 夫功全則譽顯，業謝則釁生，回成喪而為其議者，或未聞焉。 若囂命會符運，敵非天力，雖坐論西伯，豈多嗤乎？
The historian’s judgment: Wei Xiao raised the standard, rallied his kin, and invoked the gods to bless his cause—enough to show the cast of the man. He ended cornered between empires: Longdi is no Hangu pass, yet with two commanderies he defied a great army until the court exhausted every plan and every draft—only when he died and his army melted away was he subdued. That shows how much there was in him to admire—why heroes flocked to him and men would die for him without a second thought. Success wins praise and failure invites blame—yet few judge a man by that alone. Had fate favoured him and Heaven not backed his foes, he might have sat like the lord of the west with little mockery.
33
公孫述
Gongsun Shu
34
公孫述字子陽，扶風茂陵人也。 哀帝時，以父任為郎，後父仁為河南都尉，而述補清水長。 仁以述年少，遣門下掾隨之官，月餘，掾辭歸，白仁曰：『述非待教者也。 』後太守以其能，使兼攝五具，政事修理，奸盜不發，郡中謂有鬼神。 王莽天鳳中，為導江卒正，居臨邛，復有能名。
Gongsun Shu, style Ziyang, was a native of Maoling in Fufeng. Under Emperor Ai he entered office through his father’s rank; later, when Gongsun Ren became metropolitan commandant of Henan, Shu was magistrate of Qingshui. Gongsun Ren, thinking his son young, sent a household clerk with him; after a month the man returned and said, ‘Your son needs no tutoring.’ The prefect then put five districts in his charge; order returned, theft ceased, and men said spirits must be at work. Under Wang Mang’s Tianfeng era he was river conductor at Linqiong and again won a name for competence.
35
及更始立，豪傑各起其縣以應漢，南陽人宗成自稱：『虎牙將軍』，入略漢中； 又商人王岑亦起兵於雒縣，自稱『定漢將軍』，殺王莽庸部牧以應成，眾合數萬人。 述聞之，遣使迎成等。 成等至成都，虜掠暴橫。 述意惡之，召縣中豪桀謂曰：『天下同苦新室，思劉氏久矣，故聞漢將軍到，馳迎道路。 今百姓無辜而婦子系獲，室屋燒燔，此寇賊，非義兵也。 吾欲保郡自守，以待真主。 諸卿欲並力者即留，不欲者便去。 』豪桀皆叩頭曰：『願效死。 』述於是使人詐稱漢使者自東方來，假述輔漢將軍、蜀郡太守兼益州牧印綬。 乃選精兵千餘人，西擊成等。 比至成都，眾數千人，遂攻成，大破之。 成將垣副殺成，以其眾降。
When Liu Xuan took the throne, local strongmen rose for Han; Zong Cheng of Nanyang styled himself “Tiger’s Fangs” general and marched into Hanzhong. The merchant Wang Cen rose at Luo, called himself “general who settles Han,” slew Wang Mang’s Yong shepherd to join Zong Cheng, and mustered tens of thousands. Gongsun Shu sent envoys to welcome them. At Chengdu they looted and terrorized the people. Gongsun Shu hated it. He called the local notables and said, ‘The realm groans under Wang Mang and longs for Han—so we ran to greet these “Han” generals.’ They seize the innocent, drag off women and children, and burn houses—they are bandits, not an army of righteousness.’ I mean to hold this commandery and wait for the true Son of Heaven.’ Stay and fight with me, or leave—your choice.’ They kowtowed and swore to die in his service.’ He then had men pose as Han envoys from the east and handed himself seals as grand general “who aids Han,” grand administrator of Shu, and shepherd of Yi province. He picked a thousand elite soldiers and marched west against Zong Cheng. By Chengdu his column had swelled to thousands; he smashed Zong Cheng’s army. Zong Cheng’s officer Yuan Fu killed him and came over with the host.
36
二年秋，更始遣柱功侯李寶、益州刺史張忠，將兵萬餘人徇蜀、漢。 述恃其地險眾附，有自立志，乃使其弟恢於綿竹擊寶、忠，大破走之。 由是威震益部。 功曹李熊說述曰：『方今四海波蕩，匹夫橫議。 將軍割據千里，地什湯、武，若奮威德以投天隙，霸王之業成矣。 宜改名號，以鎮百姓。 』述曰：『吾亦慮之，公言起我意。 』於是自立為蜀王，都成都。
That autumn Liu Xuan sent Li Bao and Zhang Zhong east with ten thousand men to subdue Shu. Trusting his mountains and popular support, Gongsun Shu meant to rule alone; he sent his brother Gongsun Hui against Li Bao and Zhang Zhong at Mianzhu and routed them. His name then shook the whole of Yi province. His aide Li Xiong urged him: ‘The empire boils and every man has a opinion.’ You hold a thousand li—ground to rival Tang and Wu; strike while Heaven offers a gap and you may win a king’s or a hegemon’s throne.’ Change your style and title to overawe the people.’ Gongsun Shu answered, ‘I have thought the same; you put it into words.’ He proclaimed himself king of Shu and made Chengdu his capital.
37
越巂任貴亦殺王莽大尹而據郡降。 述遂使將軍侯丹開白水關，北守南鄭； 將軍任滿從閬中下江州，東據扞關。 於是盡有益州之地。
Ren Gui of Yuesui slew Wang Mang’s prefect, held the commandery, and submitted to Shu. He sent Hou Dan to open Baishui pass and cover Nanzheng from the north. Ren Man went down from Langzhong to Jiangzhou and seized Hang pass in the east. Thus he held all of Yi province.
38
自更始敗後，光武方事山東，未遑西伐。 關中豪傑呂鮪等往往擁眾以萬數，莫知所屬，多往歸述，皆拜為將軍。 遂大作營壘，陳車騎，肄習戰射，會聚兵甲數十萬人，積糧漢中，築宮南鄭。 又造十層赤樓帛蘭船。 多刻天下牧守印章，備置公卿百官。 使將軍李育、程烏將數萬眾出陳倉，與呂鮪徇三輔。 三年，征西將軍馮異擊鮪、育於陳倉，大敗之，鮪、育奔漢中。 五年，延岑、田戎為漢兵所敗，皆亡入蜀。
After Liu Xuan fell, Guangwu was still busy in the east and could not march west. Chieftains like Lü Wei led hosts of tens of thousands with nowhere to turn; most joined Gongsun Shu and received general’s commissions. He threw up fortifications, paraded horse and chariot, drilled bow and spear, mustered hundreds of thousands of arms, stored grain in Hanzhong, and raised a palace at Nanzheng. He built ten-decked red towers and silk-canopied war barges. He counterfeited seals for prefects across the land and filled out a whole court of ranks. He sent Li Yu and Cheng Wu with tens of thousands out of Chencang alongside Lü Wei to raid the capital region. In Jianwu 3 Feng Yi, general who conquers the west, smashed them at Chencang and drove Lü Wei and Li Yu back to Hanzhong. In Jianwu 5 Yan Cen and Tian Rong, beaten by Han, fled into Shu.
39
岑字叔牙，南陽人。 始起據漢中，又擁兵關西，所在破散，走至南陽，略有數縣。 戎，汝南人。 初起兵夷陵，轉寇郡縣，眾數萬人。 岑、戎並與秦豐合，豐俱以女妻之。 及豐敗，故二人皆降於述。 述以岑為大司馬，封汝寧王，戎翼江王。 六年，述遣戎與將軍任滿出江關，下監沮、夷陵間，招其故眾，因欲取荊州諸郡，竟不能克。
Yan Cen, style Shuya, was from Nanyang. He had held Hanzhong and country west of the pass until Han broke him; he fled to Nanyang and seized a few counties. Tian Rong came from Runan. He first rose at Yiling and plundered his way to a host of tens of thousands. Yan Cen and Tian Rong joined Qin Feng, who married a daughter to each. When Qin Feng fell they both went over to Gongsun Shu. Shu made Yan Cen grand marshal and king of Runing and Tian Rong king who guards the Yangtze. In Jianwu 6 he sent Tian Rong with Ren Man through Jiang pass toward Jianju and Yiling to rally old bands and take Jingzhou counties, but they failed.
40
是時，述廢銅錢，置鐵官錢，百姓貨幣不行。 蜀中童謠言曰：『黃牛白腹，五銖當復。 』好事者竊言王莽稱『黃，述自號『白』，五銖錢，漢貨也，言天下並還劉氏。 述亦好為符命鬼神瑞應之事，妄引讖記。 以為孔子作《春秋》，為赤制而斷十二公，明漢至平帝十二代，歷數盡也，一姓不得再受命。 又引《錄運法》曰：『廢昌帝，立公孫。 』《括地象》曰：『帝軒轅受命，公孫氏握。 』《援神契》曰：『西太守，乙卯金。 』謂西方太守而乙絕卯金也。 五德之運，黃承赤而白繼黃，金據西方為白德，而代王氏，得其正序。 又自言手文有奇，及得龍興之瑞。 數移書中國，冀以感動眾心。 帝患之，乃與述書曰：『圖讖言「公孫」，即宣帝也。 代漢者當塗高，君豈高之身邪？ 乃復以掌文為瑞，王莽何足效乎！ 君非吾賊臣亂子，倉卒時人皆欲為君事耳，何足數也。 君日月已逝，妻子弱小，當早為定計，可以無憂。 天下神器，不可力爭，宜留三思。 』署曰『公孫皇帝』。 述不答。
Shu had abolished copper coin and minted iron money; trade stalled. A children’s rhyme ran: ‘Yellow bull, white belly—the Han wushu coin will return.’ Wits said Wang Mang was the “yellow” and Gongsun Shu the “white,” and that the old Han wushu meant the Liu would rise again. Gongsun Shu loved omens, ghosts, and prophecies and twisted every text to fit himself. He claimed Confucius’ Spring and Autumn set a “red” dispensation in twelve reigns down to Emperor Ping—Han’s span was done and no Liu could rule twice. He cited a text: ‘Depose the Chang emperor, raise the house of Gongsun.’ He cited the Kuo Di Xiang: ‘The Yellow Emperor received the mandate; the Gongsun hold it.’ He cited the Yuan Shen Qi: ‘The western grand administrator—yimao metal.’ He read that as the western prefect ending the house of Liu. In the five-phases cycle white metal in the west follows yellow, he argued—so white replaces Wang Mang in proper order. He boasted of strange lines on his palm and omens of a rising dragon. He flooded the heartland with letters meant to sway opinion. Guangwu answered: ‘The charts’ “Gongsun” means Emperor Xuan.’ ‘He who replaces Han will be high on the road’—do you fancy yourself that Gao?’ ‘Palm-lines for omens—are you another Wang Mang?’ ‘You are no rebel son of mine; men rushed to serve you in the confusion—that proves nothing.’ ‘Your years run out and your household is frail—decide soon and spare yourself grief.’ ‘The throne is not won by force alone—think three times.’ He signed himself ‘Emperor Gongsun.’ Gongsun Shu did not reply.
41
明年，隗囂稱臣於述。 述騎都尉平陵人荊邯見東方將平，兵且西向，說述曰：
The next year Wei Xiao acknowledged Gongsun Shu as his lord. Jing Han of Pingling, Shu’s cavalry commandant, saw the east nearing peace and Han armies turning west, and urged Gongsun Shu:
42
兵者，帝王之大器，古今所不能廢也。 昔秦失其守，豪桀並起，漢祖無前人之跡，立錐之地，起於行陣之中，躬自奮擊，兵破身困者數矣。 然軍敗復合，創愈復戰。 何則？ 前死而成功，逾於卻就於滅亡也。 隗囂遭遇運會，割有雍州，兵強士附，威加山東。 遇更始政亂，復失天下，眾庶引領，四方瓦解。 囂不及此時推危乘勝，以爭天命，而退欲為西伯之事，尊師章句，賓友處士，偃武自戈，卑辭事漢，喟然自以文王復出也。 令漢帝釋關隴之憂，專精東伐，四分天下而有其三； 使西州豪傑咸居心於山東，發間使，招攜貳，則五分而有其四； 若舉兵天水，必至沮潰，天水既定，則九分而有其八。 陛下以梁州之地，內奉萬乘，外給三軍，百姓愁困，不堪上命，將有王氏自潰之變。 臣之愚計，以為宜及天下之望未絕，豪傑尚可招誘，急以此時發國內精兵，令田戎據江陵，臨江南之會，倚巫山之固，築壘堅守，傳檄吳、楚，長沙以南必隨風而靡。 令延岑出漢中，定三輔，天水、隴西拱手自服。 如此，海內震搖，冀有大利。
‘War is the great instrument of kings; no age can do without it.’ ‘When Qin fell, heroes rose everywhere; Gaozu had nothing but a speck of ground and climbed from the ranks, fighting in person through rout after rout.’ ‘Each time his army broke he rebuilt it; each time he healed he fought again.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because pressing forward to death and victory beats shrinking toward ruin.’ ‘Wei Xiao caught the tide, carved out Yongzhou, built a strong host, and his name carried east of the passes.’ ‘When Liu Xuan’s court collapsed the realm gaped and fell apart.’ ‘Yet instead of striking while fate hung in the balance he played at being King Wen—lectures, hermits, sheathed swords, humble letters to Han, sighing like a second Wen.’ ‘So the Han emperor forgot Long and poured his strength east—and holds three parts of four of the realm.’ ‘He turned western hearts toward the east with spies and bribes—four shares out of five.’ ‘Strike Tianshui and it will crumble—eight shares out of nine.’ ‘You feed court and army from Liang alone till the people break—like Wang Mang’s own collapse.’ ‘My counsel: while hope lives and men may still be bought, send your best—Tian Rong to Jiangling above the Yangtze junction, walls on Wushan, proclamations to Wu and Chu—and south of Changsha will follow like grass in wind.’ Send Yan Cen from Hanzhong to secure the Three Assistants, and Tianshui and Longxi will yield without a blow. The realm will reel, and great gain may follow.
43
述以問群臣。 博士吳柱曰：『昔武王伐殷，先觀兵孟津，八百諸侯不期同辭，然猶還師以待天命。 未聞無左右之助，而欲出師千里之外，以廣封疆者也。 邯曰：『今東帝無尺土之柄，驅烏合之眾，跨馬陷敵，所向輒平。 不亟乘時與之分功，而坐談武王之說，是效隗囂欲為西伯也。 』述然邯言，欲悉發北軍屯士及山東客兵，使延岑、田戎分出兩道，與漢中諸將合兵並勢。 蜀人及其弟光以為不宜空國千里之外，決成敗於一舉，固爭之，述乃上。 延岑、田戎亦數請兵立功，終疑不聽。
Gongsun Shu asked his court what they thought. Wu Zhu said, ‘King Wu mustered at Mengjin and eight hundred lords spoke as one—yet he drew back to await Heaven.’ ‘I never heard of striking a thousand li without allies just to stretch one’s borders.’ Jing Han said, ‘The eastern emperor holds no real lever yet he rides at the head of a rabble and clears every field.’ ‘If you do not strike now for a share of his success but talk like King Wu, you copy Wei Xiao playing at King Wen.’ Shu accepted Jing Han’s plan and meant to call up every northern garrison and eastern mercenary, send Yan Cen and Tian Rong by two roads, and join Hanzhong’s generals in one thrust. The Shu gentry and his brother Gongsun Guang said risking the whole kingdom on one throw was folly; they argued until he gave it up. Yan Cen and Tian Rong begged again and again for a command; he always refused, half trusting, half not.
44
述性苛細，察於小事。 敢誅殺而不見大體，好改易郡縣官名。 然少為郎，習漢家制度，出入法駕，鸞旗旄騎，陳置陛戟，然後輦出房闥。 又立其兩子為王，食犍為、廣漢各數縣。 群臣多諫，以為成敗未可知，戎士暴露，而遽王皇子，示無大志，傷戰士心。 述不聽。 唯公孫氏得任事，由此大臣皆怨。
Gongsun Shu was petty and picked at trifles. He killed freely yet missed the large design, and renamed offices on a whim. He had served as a gentleman and knew Han ritual—legal carriages, phoenix standards, escort riders, halberds at the steps—before the palanquin left the inner gate. He made his two sons kings with fiefs in Qianwei and Guanghan. His ministers warned that the war was undecided and the army in the field while princely titles would look small-minded and break morale. He would not hear them. Only his own clan held power, and his chief ministers nursed grudges.
45
八年，帝使諸將攻隗囂，述遣李育將萬餘人救囂。 囂敗，並沒其軍，蜀地聞之恐動。 述懼，欲安眾心。 成都郭外有秦時舊倉，述改名白帝倉，自王莽以來常空。 述即詐使人言白帝倉出谷如山陵，百姓空市裏往觀之。 述乃大會群臣，問曰：『白帝倉竟出谷乎？ 』皆對言『無』。 述曰：『訛言不可信，道隗王破者復如此矣。 』俄而囂將王元降，述以為將軍。 明年，使元與領軍環安拒河池，又遣田戎及大司徒任滿、南郡太守程汎將兵下江關，破威虜將軍馮駿等，拔巫及夷陵、夷道，因據荊門。
In Jianwu 8 Guangwu struck Wei Xiao; Gongsun Shu sent Li Yu with ten thousand men to his aid. When Wei Xiao fell the Shu column was lost with him, and panic ran through Shu. Gongsun Shu grew afraid and sought to steady his people. Outside Chengdu stood an old Qin granary he renamed the White Emperor Granary—it had stood empty since Wang Mang. He spread word that grain was pouring from it like a hill until the markets emptied as crowds rushed to see. He then called his court and asked, ‘Did the White Emperor Granary really give grain?’ They all said no. He said, ‘Rumours lie—as they did when men said the king of Wei was beaten.’ Soon Wang Yuan came over from Wei Xiao and Shu made him a general. The next year he sent Wang Yuan and Huan An to block Hechi, and Tian Rong with grand minister Ren Man and Nan prefect Cheng Fan down Jiang pass; they broke Feng Jun, took Wu, Yiling, and Yidao, and seized Jingmen.
46
十一年，征南大將軍岑彭攻之，滿等大敗，述將王政斬滿首降於彭。 田戎走保江州。 城邑皆開門降。 彭遂長驅至武陽。 帝及與述書，陳言禍福，以明丹青之信。 述省書嘆息，以示所親太常常少、光祿勛張隆。 降、少皆勸降。 述曰：『廢興命也。 豈有降天子哉！ 』左右莫敢復言。 中郎將來歙急攻王元、環安，安使刺客殺歙； 述復令刺殺岑彭。
In Jianwu 11 Cen Peng attacked; Ren Man was routed; Wang Zheng cut off Ren Man’s head and surrendered to Cen Peng. Tian Rong fell back to Jiangzhou. City after city opened its gates. Cen Peng drove straight to Wuyang. Guangwu wrote again, setting out gain and loss as plainly as ink on silk. Gongsun Shu read it, sighed, and showed it to Chang Shao and Zhang Long. Both urged him to submit. He said, ‘Rise and fall are Heaven’s matter.’ ‘What Son of Heaven surrenders?’ No one at court dared answer. Lai She pressed Wang Yuan and Huan An; Huan An sent killers who slew Lai She. Gongsun Shu had Cen Peng murdered as well.
47
十二年，述弟恢及子婿史興並為大司馬吳漢、輔威將軍臧宮所破，戰死。 自是將帥恐懼，日夜離叛，述雖誅滅其家，猶不能禁。 帝必欲降之，乃下詔喻述曰：『往年詔書比下，開示恩信，勿以來歙、岑彭受害自疑。 今以時自詣，則家族完全； 若迷惑不喻，委肉虎口，痛哉奈何！ 將帥疲倦，吏士思歸，不樂久相屯守，詔書手記，不可數得，朕不食言。 』述終無降意。
In Jianwu 12 Gongsun Hui and Shi Xing were shattered by Wu Han and Zang Gong and died in the field. After that his generals panicked and deserted nightly; even killing their families could not stop the rot. Guangwu still meant to win him and wrote: ‘My past edicts opened my good faith—do not doubt me because of Lai She and Cen Peng.’ ‘Come in your own time with hands bound and your house is safe.’ ‘If you cling to folly and feed yourself to the tiger—what then?’ ‘My men are tired and long for home; they will not sit forever on your walls. Such letters do not come twice—I keep my word.’ Gongsun Shu would not yield.
48
九月，吳漢又破斬其大司徒謝豐、執金吾袁吉，漢兵遂守成都。 述謂延岑曰：『事當奈何！ 』岑曰：『男兒當死中求生，可坐窮乎！ 財物易聚耳，不宜有愛。 』述乃悉散金帛，募敢死士五千餘人，以配岑於市橋，偽建旗幟，鳴鼓挑戰，而潛遣奇兵出吳漢軍後，襲擊破漢。 漢墮水，緣馬尾得出。
In the ninth month Wu Han killed Xie Feng and Yuan Ji and penned Chengdu. He asked Yan Cen, ‘What now?’ Yan Cen said, ‘A man wrings life from the jaws of death—he does not sit and starve.’ ‘Gold gathers easily—do not hoard it now.’ He emptied his treasury, raised five thousand dare-to-dies for Yan Cen at the Market Bridge with feigned flags and drums, and slipped a column behind Wu Han’s line and broke him. Wu Han fell in the river and clutched a horse’s tail to shore.
49
十一月，臧宮軍至咸門。 述視占書，云『虜死城下』，大喜，謂漢等當之。 乃自將數萬人攻漢，使延岑拒宮。 大戰，岑三合三勝。 自旦及日中，軍士不得食，並疲，漢因令壯士突之，述兵大亂，被刺洞胸，墮馬。 左右輿入城。 述以兵屬延岑，其夜死。 明旦，岑降吳漢。 乃夷述妻子，盡滅公孫氏，並族延岑。 遂放兵大掠，焚述宮室。 帝聞之怒，以譴漢。 又讓漢副將劉尚曰：『城降三日，吏人從服，孩兒老母，口以萬數，一旦放兵縱火，聞之可為酸鼻！ 尚宗室子孫，嘗更吏職，何忍行此？ 仰視天，俯視地，觀放麑啜羹，二者孰仁？ 良失斬將吊人之義也！』
In the eleventh month Zang Gong reached the Xian gate. He read the omens: ‘The captive dies below the wall’—he rejoiced, thinking it meant Wu Han. He led tens of thousands against Wu Han while Yan Cen held Zang Gong. Yan Cen fought three rounds and won three. From dawn to noon neither side ate; Wu Han sent picked men in a rush; Shu’s line broke; Gongsun Shu took a spear through the chest and fell. His guards carried him into the city in a litter. He gave his army to Yan Cen and died that night. At dawn Yan Cen surrendered to Wu Han. Wu Han then slew Gongsun Shu’s family, wiped out the Gongsuns, and extirpated Yan Cen’s kin. He let his soldiers sack the city and fired the palace. Guangwu heard and rebuked Wu Han. He scolded Liu Shang too: ‘The city had been open three days—tens of thousands of women and children—and you fired the streets. It turns the stomach.’ ‘You are of the imperial Liu—how could you do this?’ ‘Look at heaven and earth—which is kinder, sparing the deer or eating the stew?’ ‘You have forgotten how to kill a general and pity the people.’
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初，常少、張隆勸述降，不從，並以憂死。 帝下詔追贈少為太常，隆為光祿勛，以禮改葬之。 其忠節誌義之士，並蒙旌顯。 程烏、李育以有才幹，皆擢用之。 於是西土咸悅，莫不歸心焉。
Chang Shao and Zhang Long had urged surrender; Shu refused and both died of grief. Guangwu posthumously honoured Chang Shao as grand master of ceremonies and Zhang Long as supervisor of the household and reburied them with ceremony. Other loyal men were honoured as well. Cheng Wu and Li Yu, being able, were promoted. The west rejoiced and hearts turned to Luoyang.
51
論曰：昔趙佗自王番禺，公孫亦竊帝蜀漢，推其無他功能，而至於後亡者，將以地邊處遠，非王化之所先乎？ 述雖為漢吏，無所馮資，徒以文俗自憙，逐能集其志計。 道未足而意有餘，不能因隙立功，以會時變，方乃坐飾邊幅，以高深自安，昔吳起所以慚魏侯也。 及其謝臣屬，審廢興之命，與夫泥首銜玉者異日談也。
The judgment: Zhao Tuo at Panyu and Gongsun Shu in Shu both seized a throne with little to recommend them—perhaps margin and distance alone let them linger until the end. Gongsun Shu had been a Han clerk with no deep roots—only polish and habit—yet he rallied a realm. His means fell short of his ambition; he could not seize the moment but sat fussing his cuffs like Wu Qi’s warning to the lord of Wei. His refusal to bow and his reading of fate belong to another conversation from men who came bound with jade in their teeth.
52
贊曰：『公孫習吏，隗王得士。 漢命已還，二隅方跱。 天數有違，江山難恃。』
The summation: ‘Gongsun the clerk, Wei the king of men.’ ‘Han’s star had risen; two corners still reared.’ ‘Heaven’s count may turn; rivers and hills will not save a throne.’