1
自古帝王之臨天下也，皆欲廣樹蕃屏，崇固維城。 唐、虞以前，憲章蓋闕，夏、殷以後，遺跡可知。 然而玉帛會于塗山，雖云萬國，至於分疆胙土，猶或未詳。 泊乎周室，粲焉可觀，封建親賢，並為列國。 當其興也，周、召贊其升平； 及其衰也，桓、文輔其危亂。 故得卜世之祚克昌，卜年之基惟永。 逮王赧即世，天祿已終，虛位無主，三十餘載。 爰及暴秦，併吞天下，戒衰周之削弱，忽帝業之遠圖，謂王室之陵遲，由諸候之強大。 於是罷侯置守，獨尊諸己，至乎子弟，並為匹夫，惟欲肆虐陵威，莫顧謀孫翼子。 枝葉微弱，宗祐孤危，內無社稷之臣，外闕籓維之助。 陳、項一呼，海內沸騰，隕身於望夷，系頸於軹道。 事不師古，二世而滅。 漢祖勃興，爰革斯弊。 於是分王子弟，列建功臣，錫之山川，誓以帶礪。 然而矯枉過直，懲羹吹齏，土地封疆，逾越往古。 始則韓、彭菹醢，次乃吳、楚稱亂。 然雖克滅權偪，猶足維翰王畿。 洎成、哀之後，戚籓陵替，君臣乘茲間隙，竊位偷安。 光武雄略緯天，慷慨下國，遂能除凶靜亂，復禹配天，休祉盛於兩京，鼎祚隆於四百，宗支繼絕之力，可得而言。 魏武忘經國之宏規，行忌刻之小數，功臣無立錐之地，子弟君不使之人，徒分茅社，實傳虛爵，本根無所庇廕，遂乃三葉而亡。
From ancient times, rulers who held the realm sought to multiply feudal bulwarks and shore up the ring of territories that defend the throne. Before the age of Yao and Shun, institutions are largely lost to us; from the Xia and Shang onward, we can still follow the historical record. Even the assembly at Mount Tu with its tribute of jade and silk—though tradition speaks of myriad domains—leaves the actual partition of territory imperfectly known. Under the Zhou the picture becomes luminous: the kings enfeoffed kinsmen and worthy men, and those domains stood side by side as independent states. In its rise the dukes of Zhou and Shao helped sustain its tranquil golden age; In decline Lords Huan of Qi and Wen of Jin steadied it through crisis and chaos. Hence their dynastic fortune appeared blessed by every oracle of longevity, and their reign seemed built to endure. When the last Zhou king died the Mandate was spent; the throne stood vacant for more than thirty years. Ruthless Qin then swallowed the realm; wary of weak Zhou, it cast aside far-sighted imperial strategy and blamed the throne's decline on powerful regional lords. So Qin replaced feudal lords with appointed governors and hoarded authority in itself; even imperial kin became commoners. It sought only to bully and overawe, with no thought for securing posterity. The imperial lineage grew thin and the ancestral cult stood alone and exposed; at court no ministers could uphold the state, and beyond the capital no feudal shield remained. Chen Sheng and Xiang Yu raised a cry and the empire erupted; the Second Emperor perished at Wangyi Palace, and the surrendered ruler met the cord at Zhidao. Because it refused to learn from the past, Qin lasted only two generations before it was gone. The Han founder rose in vigor and swept away that failure. He then enfeoffed imperial sons and younger brothers and ranked his founding followers, investing them with territory and binding them with oaths meant to last as long as rivers and hills. Yet Han overcorrected: wary of Qin's excess, it awarded territory on a scale no earlier age had matched. First came the executions of Han Xin and Peng Yue; then the kings of Wu and Chu rose in revolt. Even after crushing over-mighty vassals, those domains still helped buttress the capital region. By the reigns of Cheng and Ai the imperial kin's feudal shield had worn thin; ruler and ministers exploited the opening to usurp authority and coast along. Emperor Guangwu's sweeping strategy reunited the realm; he swept away rebels and restored Han's mandate. Blessings overflowed in Luoyang and Chang'an, and the dynasty flourished for four hundred years—such was the power of a lineage that could revive what seemed lost. Cao Cao abandoned statecraft on a grand scale for petty suspicion: his generals were granted no real foothold, and imperial sons were kept from power. Feudal rites were hollow honorifics, not roots that could shelter the dynasty—so Wei lasted barely three generations.
2
有晉思改覆車，復隆磐石，或出擁旄節，{艸涖}岳牧之榮； 入踐臺階，居端揆之重。 然而付託失所，授任乖方，政令不恆，賞罰斯濫。 或有材而不任，或無罪而見誅，朝為伊、周，夕為莽、卓。 機權失於上，禍亂作於下。 楚、趙諸王，相仍構釁，徒興晉陽之甲，竟匪勤王之師。 始則為身擇利，利未加而害及； 初乃無心憂國，國非憂而奚拯！ 遂使昭陽興廢，有甚弈棋； 乘輿幽縶，更同羑裏。 胡羯陵侮，宗廟丘墟，良可悲也。
Western Jin sought to avoid Wei's mistake and again elevate princes as pillars of state: some took command in the provinces with the honors due a governor; others entered the capital to mount the central terrace and bear the chief minister's burden. Yet trust was misplaced, appointments mishandled, policy swung erratically, and rewards and punishments became arbitrary. Able men went unused while others died guiltless; a prince might be hailed as Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou at dawn and reviled as Wang Mang or Dong Zhuo by dusk. With control lost at court, catastrophe welled up in the provinces. The kings of Chu and Zhao and their ilk traded blows and grudges; they trumped up armies like the march on Jinyang, yet none truly came to rescue the throne. They began by chasing private advantage and paid for it before any gain arrived; they never meant to carry the state's burdens—yet without that care, how could the realm be saved? Emperors rose and fell in the inner palace faster than pieces on a weiqi board; the sovereign himself was held captive like King Wen of Zhou in Youli. Hu and Jie armies trampled the north until the altars lay in ruins—a tragedy beyond words.
3
夫為國之有籓屏，猶濟川之有舟楫，安危成敗，義實相資。 舟楫且完，波濤不足稱其險； 籓屏式固，禍亂何以成其階！ 向使八王之中，一籓繄賴，如梁王之禦大故，若硃虛之除大憝，則外寇焉敢憑陵，內難奚由竊發！ 縱令天子暗劣，鼎臣奢放，雖或顛沛，未至土崩。 何以言之？ 琅邪譬彼諸王，權輕眾寡，度長絜大，不可同年。 遂能匹馬濟江，奄有吳會，存重宗社，百有餘年。 雖曰天時，抑亦人事。 豈如趙倫、齊冏之輩，河間、東海之徒，家國俱亡，身名並滅。 善惡之數，此非其效歟！ 西晉之政亂朝危，雖由時主，然而煽其風，速其禍者，咎在八王，故序而論之，總為其傳云耳。
Feudal shields are to a dynasty what boats are to a river crossing: fortune and ruin truly depend on them. With hull and oars sound, even heavy seas lose their terror; with loyal bulwarks in place, rebellion cannot easily climb to power. Had even one of the eight princes stood firm like Liu Wu of Liang facing the Rebellion of the Seven States or Liu Zhang of Zhuxu purging the Lü clan, barbarians could not have swept south and palace coups would have found no opening. Even with a weak emperor and reckless ministers at the helm, the realm might stumble yet need not shatter outright. Why do I say so? Consider Prince Langye beside those princes: his authority was slighter and his following smaller—there is no comparing their stature. Yet he crossed the Yangzi almost alone, seized Wu and the southeast, and preserved the dynasty's altars for another century. Heaven lent a hand, but human choices mattered every bit as much. How far that is from Prince Lun of Zhao, Prince Jiong of Qi, Prince Yong of Hejian, and Prince Yue of Donghai—men who destroyed both realm and reputation. Such is the ledger of merit and guilt laid bare. Western Jin's turmoil owes something to each emperor, yet the men who fanned the flames were the eight princes; I therefore preface this chapter and give their deeds in a single joint biography.
4
汝南文成王亮
Sima Liang, Prince Wencheng of Runan
5
汝南文成王亮，字子翼，宣帝第四子也。 少清警有才用，仕魏為散騎侍郎、萬歲亭侯，拜東中郎將，進封廣陽鄉侯。 討諸葛誕于壽春，失利，免官。 頃之，拜左將軍，加散騎常侍、假節，出監豫州諸軍事。 五等建，改封祁陽伯，轉鎮西將軍。 武帝踐阼，封扶風郡王，邑萬戶，置騎司馬，增參軍掾屬，持節、都督關中雍、涼諸軍事。 會秦州刺史胡烈為羌虜所害，亮遣將軍劉旂、騎督敬琰赴救，不進，坐是貶為平西將軍。 旂當斬，亮與軍司曹冏上言，節度之咎由亮而出，乞丐旂死。 詔曰：「高平困急，計城中及旂足以相拔，就不能徑至，尚當深進。 今奔突有投，而坐視覆敗，故加旂大戮。 今若罪不在旂，當有所在。」 有司又奏免亮官，削爵土。 詔惟免官。 頃之，拜撫軍將軍。 是歲，吳將步闡來降，假亮節都督諸軍事以納之。 尋加侍中之服。
Sima Liang, Prince Wencheng of Runan, whose courtesy name was Ziyi, was the fourth son of Emperor Xuan of Jin. From youth he was sharp and capable; under Wei he rose to Gentleman Attendant at Leisure and Marquis of Wansui Pavilion, then East Central Army general, and finally Village Marquis of Guangyang. He attacked Zhuge Dan at Shouchun but lost and was stripped of his post. Soon he was named General of the Left with concurrent Regular Attendant at Leisure and credential authority to oversee Yu Province forces. When Wei adopted the five noble ranks he became Earl of Qiyang and then General Who Guards the West. After Jin's Emperor Wu took the throne Liang became Prince of Fufeng with ten thousand households, a full princely staff, and authority over Yong and Liang as credential-bearing area commander. When Inspector Hu Lie of Qin was killed by Qiang raiders, Liang dispatched Liu Qi and Jing Yan to relieve him; they halted, and Liang was demoted to General Who Pacifies the West. Liu Qi faced execution; Liang and army marshal Cao Jiong memorialized that command responsibility was Liang's own and pleaded for Qi's life. The throne replied: "Gaoping was desperate; the city and Liu Qi together could have broken the siege—if not directly, then by pressing deeper. There was an opening to strike, yet he watched the army collapse—that is why Qi faces capital punishment. If the fault is not Qi's, it must lie elsewhere." Officials then memorialized to dismiss Liang and strip his rank and fief. The emperor spared his title and dismissed him from office only. Soon he was restored as General Who Pacifies the Army. That year when Wu's Bu Chan defected, Liang received credentials to command the forces that accepted him. He was shortly granted the vestments of a Palace Attendant.
6
咸甯初，以扶風池陽四千一百戶為太妃伏氏湯沐邑，置家令丞僕，後改食南郡枝江。 太妃嘗有小疾，祓于洛水，亮兄弟三人侍從，並持節鼓吹，震耀洛濱。 武帝登陵雲台望見，曰：「伏妃可謂富貴矣。」 其年進號衛將軍，加侍中。 時宗室殷盛，無相統攝，乃以亮為宗師，本官如故，使訓導觀察，有不遵禮法，小者正以義方，大者隨事聞奏。
Early in Xianning, four thousand one hundred households at Chiyang in Fufeng were set aside as Grand Consort Fu's personal estate with a full household staff; later her income was shifted to Zhijiang in Nan Commandery. When Grand Consort Fu took a minor purification rite at the Luo, Liang and his three brothers attended with credentials, band, and escort—splendor that shook the riverside. From Lingyun Terrace Emperor Wu watched and remarked, "Lady Fu knows wealth and honor." That year Liang was promoted to General of the Guard with concurrent status as Palace Attendant. The imperial clan had grown large without oversight, so Liang was named Master of the Imperial Clan while keeping his posts; he was to teach and monitor kin, correcting minor lapses locally and memorializing major ones.
7
三年，徙封汝南，出為鎮南大將軍、都督豫州軍事，開府、假節，之國，給追鋒車、皁輪犢車，錢五十萬。 頃之，征亮為侍中、撫軍大將軍，領後軍將軍，統冠軍、步兵、射聲、長水等營，給兵五百人，騎百匹。 遷太尉、錄尚書事、領太子太傅，侍中如故。
In the third year of Xianning his fief moved to Runan; he became Grand General Who Guards the South with Yu Province command, an independent headquarters and credentials, and went to his principality with imperial carriages and a grant of five hundred thousand cash. Soon he was recalled as Palace Attendant and Grand General Who Pacifies the Army, heading the Rear Army while commanding several guard camps—five hundred troops and a hundred mounts. He rose to Grand Commandant with recording duties over the Secretariat and concurrent appointment as the heir apparent's tutor while retaining his palace post.
8
及武帝寢疾，為楊駿所排，乃以亮為侍中、大司馬、假黃鉞、大都督、督豫州諸軍事，出鎮許昌，加軒懸之樂，六佾之舞。 封子羕為西陽公。 未發，帝大漸，詔留亮委以後事。 楊駿聞之，從中書監華暠索詔視，遂不還。 帝崩，亮懼駿疑己，辭疾不入，于大司馬門外敘哀而已，表求過葬。 駿欲討亮，亮知之，問計于廷尉何勖。 勖曰：「今朝廷皆歸心於公，公何不討人而懼為人所討！」 或說亮率所領入廢駿，亮不能用，夜馳赴許昌，故得免。 及駿誅，詔曰：「大司馬、汝南王亮體道沖粹，通識政理，宣翼之績，顯於本朝，《二南》之風，流于方夏，將憑遠猷，以康王化。 其以亮為太宰、錄尚書事，入朝不趨，劍履上殿，增掾屬十人，給千兵百騎，與太保衛瓘對掌朝政。」 亮論賞誅楊駿之功過差，欲以苟悅眾心，由是失望。
When Emperor Wu fell mortally ill, Yang Jun edged Liang aside by naming him Palace Attendant, Grand Marshal with yellow axe and grand command, sent to hold Xuchang—honors that included royal music and a six-row guard dance. His son Sima Yang was made Duke of Xiyang. Before he could leave, the emperor sank rapidly; an edict kept Liang at court to entrust him with the succession. Yang Jun learned of it, borrowed the edict from Hua Gao of the Palace Secretariat to read—and never gave it back. After the emperor died Liang stayed away for fear Yang Jun would suspect him, offering only condolence outside the Grand Marshal's gate and asking to defer the funeral audience. When Yang Jun planned to move against him, Liang consulted Commandant of Justice He Xu. He Xu answered, "The court already favors you—strike first instead of waiting to be struck!" Others urged him to march on the capital and depose Yang Jun, but Liang refused; he fled by night to Xuchang and so escaped. After Yang Jun died, an edict declared: "Grand Marshal Sima Liang, Prince of Runan, embodies pure virtue and masters statecraft; his aid to the throne recalls the Odes of the south; we look to his long vision to restore good rule. Appoint him Grand Tutor with recording powers over the Secretariat: he may enter court without running, wear sword and shoes in the hall, add ten staff, command a thousand soldiers and a hundred riders, and share governance with Grand Protector Wei Guan." But Liang mishandled rewards for Yang Jun's purge in a bid to please everyone, and instead alienated them.
9
楚王瑋有勳而好立威，亮憚之，欲奪其兵權。 瑋甚憾，乃承賈后旨，誣亮與瓘有廢立之謀，矯詔遣其長史公孫宏與積弩將軍李肇夜以兵圍之。 帳下督李龍白外有變，請距之，亮不聽。 俄然楚兵登牆而呼，亮驚曰：「吾無二心，何至於是！ 若有詔書，其可見乎？」 宏等不許，促兵攻之。 長史劉准謂亮曰：「觀此必是奸謀，府中俊乂如林，猶可盡力距戰。」 又弗聽，遂為肇所執，而歎曰：「我之忠心，可破示天下也，如何無道，枉殺不辜！」 是時大熱，兵人坐亮于車下，時人憐之，為之交扇。 將及日中，無敢害者。 瑋出令曰：「能斬亮者，賞布千匹。」 遂為亂兵所害，投於北門之壁，鬢髮耳鼻皆悉毀焉。 及瑋誅，追復亮爵位，給東園溫明秘器，朝服一襲，錢三百萬，布絹三百匹，喪葬之禮如安平獻王孚故事，廟設軒懸之樂。 有五子：粹、矩、羕、宗、熙。
Prince Sima Wei of Chu was meritorious but loved throwing his weight around; Liang feared him and moved to strip his command. Wei nursed a deep grudge; at Empress Jia's bidding he accused Liang and Wei Guan of plotting to replace the emperor, forged an edict, and sent Gongsun Hong and Li Zhao with troops to surround Liang by night. His guard officer Li Long warned of trouble outside and asked to fight back; Liang refused. Soon Chu soldiers scaled the walls, shouting; Liang cried in alarm, "I am innocent—how could it come to this? If there is truly an edict, let me see it." Hong refused and drove his men to attack. Chief Clerk Liu Zhun urged him: "This is clearly treachery—you still have plenty of able men in the bureau to fight." Again Liang refused and Li Zhao seized him. He sighed, "My loyalty could be cut open for all to see—what lawless men, to murder the innocent!" In sweltering heat the troops seated him beneath a cart; onlookers pitied him and fanned him in turn. Until nearly noon no one dared strike him. Wei stepped out and offered a thousand bolts of cloth for Liang's head." Rioting soldiers then killed him and threw him against the north gate—hair, ears, and nose torn away. After Wei was executed Liang's titles were posthumously restored with full honors—imperial coffin gifts, court dress, cash and silk, burial rites matching Prince Xian of Anping, and temple music befitting a king. He had five sons: Sima Cui, Ju, Yang, Zong, and Xi.
10
粹字茂弘。 早卒。
Sima Cui, courtesy name Maohong. He died young.
11
矩字延明。 拜世子，為屯騎校尉，與父亮同被害。 追贈典軍將軍，諡懷王。 子祐立，是為威王。
Sima Ju, courtesy name Yanming. Named heir as Colonel of Garrison Cavalry, he was murdered together with his father. He was posthumously named General Who Maintains the Army with the posthumous title Prince Huai. His son Sima You succeeded him as Prince Wei.
12
羕字延年。 太康末，封西陽縣公，拜散騎常侍。 亮之被害也，羕時年八歲，鎮南將軍裴楷與之親姻，竊之以逃，一夜八遷，故得免。 及瑋誅，進爵為王，曆步兵校尉、左軍驍騎將軍。 元康初，進封郡王。 永興初，拜侍中。 以長沙王乂黨，廢為庶人。 惠帝還洛，復羕封，為撫軍將軍，又以汝南期思、西陵益其國。 永嘉初，拜鎮軍將軍，加散騎常侍，領後軍將軍，復以邾、蘄春益之，並前三萬五千戶。 隨東海王越東出鄄城，遂南渡江。
Sima Yang's courtesy name was Yannian. Late in Taikang he received the ducal title for Xiyang County and a concurrent appointment as Regular Attendant at Leisure. When Sima Liang was murdered, Yang was eight. Pei Kai, Grand General Who Guards the South, was related by marriage and smuggled the boy out—eight moves in one night—so he survived. After Prince Wei was executed Yang was promoted to prince and served successively as Colonel of Infantry and General of Agile Cavalry of the Left Army. Early in Yuankang his title was raised to prince of a commandery. At the start of Yongxing he became Palace Attendant. As an ally of Prince Yi of Changsha he was stripped of rank and reduced to common status. After Emperor Hui returned to Luoyang Yang's titles were restored as General Who Pacifies the Army, and the districts of Qisi and Xiling in Runan were added to his fief. Early in Yongjia he became General Who Guards the Army with concurrent Regular Attendant at Leisure and command of the Rear Army; Zhu and Qichun were added to his domain, bringing his registered households to thirty-five thousand. He followed Prince Yue of Donghai east from Juancheng and crossed the Yangzi into the south.
13
元帝承制，更拜撫軍大將軍、開府，給千兵百騎，詔與南頓王宗統流人以實中州，江西荒梗，復還。 及元帝踐阼，進位侍中、太保。 以羕屬尊，元會特為設床。 太興初，錄尚書事，尋領大宗師，加羽葆、斧鉞，班劍六十人，進位太宰。 及王敦平，領太尉。 明帝即位，以羕宗室元老，特為之拜。 羕放縱兵士劫鈔，所司奏免羕官，詔不問。 及帝寢疾，羕與王導同受顧命輔成帝。 時帝幼沖，詔羕依安平獻王孚故事，設床帳於殿上，帝親迎拜。 咸和初，坐弟南頓王宗免官，降為弋陽縣王。 及蘇峻作亂，羕詣峻稱述其勳，峻大悅，矯詔復羕爵位。 峻平，賜死。 世子播、播弟充及息崧並伏誅，國除。 咸康初，復其屬籍，以羕孫瑉為奉車都尉、奉朝請。
Under Yuan of Jin's provisional regime Yang was named Grand General Who Pacifies the Army with an independent headquarters and a guard of a thousand foot and a hundred horse; he was ordered with Prince Zong of Nandun to settle refugees in the central plains, but Jiangxi proved too broken and he came back. When Yuan took the throne Yang rose to Palace Attendant and Grand Protector. Because of his senior standing among kin, a seat was reserved for him at the New Year court. Early in Daxing he took charge of the Secretariat, soon added stewardship of the imperial clan with feather canopy, ceremonial axe, and sixty sword attendants, and was promoted to Grand Tutor. After Wang Dun's rebellion was crushed he added the Grand Commandant's portfolio. When Emperor Ming took the throne he bowed to Yang in recognition of his seniority among the imperial clan. Yang let his troops loot; officials impeached him, but the throne took no action. When Ming lay dying Yang and Wang Dao were named regents for Emperor Cheng. The boy emperor's edict granted Yang the old privilege of Prince Fu of Anping: a screened couch in the hall while Cheng himself came forward to bow. Early in Xianhe his brother Prince Zong of Nandun's case cost him his offices and reduced him to Prince of Yiyang County. When Su Jun seized the capital Yang presented himself and rehearsed his past services; Jun was delighted and forged an edict restoring his titles. After Su Jun fell Yang was sentenced to suicide. His heir Bo, Bo's brother Chong, and son Song were executed and the principality was abolished. Early in Xiankang his line was readmitted to the imperial register; grandson Sima Min received appointments as Coachman Commandant and Recipient of Morning Audience.
14
宗與王導、庾亮志趣不同，連結輕俠，以為腹心，導、亮並以為言。 帝以宗戚屬，每容之。 及帝疾篤，宗、胤密謀為亂，亮排闥入，升御床，流涕言之，帝始悟。 轉為驃騎將軍。 胤為大宗正。 宗遂怨望形於辭色。 咸和初，御史中丞鐘雅劾宗謀反，庾亮使右衛將軍趙胤收之。 宗以兵距戰，為胤所殺，貶其族為馬氏，徙妻子于晉安，既而原之。 三子：綽、超、演，廢為庶人。 咸康中，復其屬籍。 綽為奉車都尉、奉朝請。
Prince Zong disagreed with Wang Dao and Yu Liang and surrounded himself with swordsmen he trusted; both ministers warned the throne. The emperor indulged him because he was family. When Ming lay dying Zong and Zhao Yin plotted a coup; Yu Liang forced his way in, climbed onto the imperial couch weeping, until the emperor finally understood. Zong was transferred to General of Agile Cavalry. Zhao Yin became Grand Master of the Imperial Clan. Zong's resentment showed openly in word and face. Early in Xianhe Censor-in-Chief Zhong Ya charged Zong with treason; Yu Liang sent General of the Right Guard Zhao Yin to arrest him. Zong fought back and Zhao Yin killed him; his clan was given the surname Ma and his family banished to Jin'an, though they were later pardoned. His three sons—Chuo, Chao, and Yan—were reduced to common status. Under Xiankang their names were restored to the imperial register. Chuo received appointments as Coachman Commandant and Recipient of Morning Audience.
15
熙初封汝陽公，討劉喬有功，進爵為王。 永嘉末，沒于石勒。
Sima Xi first held the ducal title of Ruyang; he earned promotion to prince for his part against Liu Qiao. He fell into Shi Le's hands at the end of Yongjia.
16
楚隱王瑋
Sima Wei, Prince Yin of Chu
17
楊駿之誅也，瑋屯司馬門。 瑋少年果銳，多立威刑，朝廷忌之。 汝南王亮、太保衛瓘以瑋性很戾，不可大任，建議使與諸王之國，瑋甚忿之。 長史公孫宏、舍人岐盛並薄於行，為瑋所昵。 瓘等惡其為人，慮致禍亂，將收盛。 盛知之，遂與宏謀，因積弩將軍李肇矯稱瑋命，譖亮、瓘于賈后。 而后不之察，使惠帝為詔曰：「太宰、太保欲為伊、霍之事，王宜宣詔，令淮南、長沙、成都王屯宮諸門，廢二公。」 夜使黃門齎以授瑋。 瑋欲覆奏，黃門曰：「事恐漏泄，非密詔本意也。」 瑋乃止。 遂勒本軍，復矯詔召三十六軍，手令告諸軍曰：「天禍晉室，凶亂相仍。 間者楊駿之難，實賴諸君克平禍亂。 而二公潛圖不軌，欲廢陛下以絕武帝之祀。 今輒奉詔，免二公官。 吾今受詔都督中外諸軍。 諸在直衛者皆嚴加警備，其在外營，便相率領，徑詣行府。 助順討逆，天所福也。 懸賞開封，以待忠效。 皇天后土，實聞此言。」 又矯詔使亮、瓘上太宰太保印綬、侍中貂蟬，之國，官屬皆罷遣之。 又矯詔赦亮、瓘官屬曰：「二公潛謀，欲危社稷，今免還第。 官屬以下，一無所問。 若不奉詔，便軍法從事。 能率所領先出降者，封侯受賞。 朕不食言。」 遂收亮、瓘，殺之。
When Yang Jun fell Prince Wei held the Sima Gate. Young and ruthless, Wei ruled through terror; the court feared him. Prince Liang of Runan and Grand Protector Wei Guan judged Wei too vicious for high office and proposed packing him off to his fief with other princes; Wei seethed. Chief Clerk Gongsun Hong and attendant Qi Sheng were men of questionable morals yet favored by Wei. Wei Guan detested them and moved to arrest Qi Sheng before they stirred revolt. Qi Sheng learned of it and with Gongsun Hong put Repeated Crossbow General Li Zhao up to forging orders in Wei's name and denouncing Liang and Guan to Empress Jia. The empress never questioned it and had Emperor Hui issue words: "The Grand Tutor and Grand Protector mean to play Yi Yin and Huo Guang—Prince, you shall publish our command for the princes of Huainan, Changsha, and Chengdu to hold every palace gate and dismiss both ministers." That night a eunuch courier delivered the text to Wei. Wei wanted to memorialize again; the eunuch said secrecy would be lost—hardly the point of a sealed order." So Wei relented. He rallied his own command and forged another summons to thirty-six armies, issuing a handwritten order: "Heaven scourges the house of Jin and disasters pile one upon another. In Yang Jun's coup it was you who restored order. Yet those two ministers plot sedition and would depose you to sever Emperor Wu's line. By edict I hereby dismiss both men from office. I am ordered to command every army of the realm. All palace guards stand ready; field troops are to rally at once to my forward headquarters. To aid the loyal and crush traitors is to earn Heaven's blessing. Bounties and noble titles await those who prove loyal. Let Heaven and Earth witness these words." Another forged edict ordered Liang and Guan to surrender seals of Grand Tutor and Grand Protector, their palace regalia, and return to their fiefs—every aide dismissed. A third forgery pardoned their staffs: "Those ministers plotted against the state but their subordinates may go home untouched. Rank and file face no inquiry. Disobey and martial law applies. Whoever brings his unit out first to yield receives a marquisate and reward. The throne does not break its word." Liang and Guan were seized and killed.
18
岐盛說瑋，可因兵勢誅賈模、郭彰，匡正王室，以安天下。 瑋猶豫未決。 會天明，帝用張華計，遣殿中將軍王宮齎騶虞幡麾眾曰：「楚王矯詔。」 眾皆釋杖而走。 瑋左右無復一人，窘迫不知所為，惟一奴年十四，駕牛車將赴秦王柬。 帝遣謁者詔瑋還營，執之于武賁署，遂下廷尉。 詔以瑋矯制害二公父子，又欲誅滅朝臣，謀圖不軌，遂斬之，時年二十一。 其日大風，雷雨霹靂。 詔曰：「周公決二叔之誅，漢武斷昭平之獄，所不得已者。 廷尉奏瑋已伏法，情用悲痛，吾當發哀。」 瑋臨死，出其懷中青紙詔，流涕以示監刑尚書劉頌曰：「受詔而行，謂為社稷，今更為罪，托體先帝，受枉如此，幸見申列。」 頌亦歔欷不能仰視。 公孫宏、岐盛並夷三族。
Qi Sheng urged Wei to use the army to kill Jia Mo and Guo Zhang, restore the throne, and settle the realm. Wei hesitated. At daybreak Emperor Hui followed Zhang Hua's advice and sent Wang Gong into the ranks with the mercy banner crying, "The Prince of Chu forged his orders!" The troops dropped their weapons and fled. Wei stood abandoned and helpless with only a fourteen-year-old slave driving an ox cart toward Prince Su of Qin. The emperor sent heralds ordering Wei back to camp, seized him at the palace guard office, and handed him to the Commandant of Justice. An edict condemned him for forging orders that killed two ministers and their sons, plotting to slaughter the bureaucracy—he was executed at twenty-one. That day brought gale winds, thunder, and lightning. The throne cited how the Duke of Zhou condemned his uncles and Emperor Wu cut short Princess Zhuoping—acts forced by circumstance. The Commandant reported Wei's execution with grief; the emperor would observe mourning." At execution Wei drew the ink edict from his robe and wept as he showed Minister Liu Song: "I obeyed what I took for the state's good—now I am criminal though my blood comes from the late emperor; let my case be heard." Liu Song wept and could not lift his eyes. Gongsun Hong and Qi Sheng were executed along with their extended kin.
19
瑋性開濟好施，能得眾心，及此莫不隕淚，百姓為之立祠。 賈后先惡瓘、亮，又忌瑋，故以計相次誅之。 永寧元年，追贈驃騎將軍，封其子范為襄陽王，拜散騎常侍，後為石勒所害。
Wei was generous and popular—his death drew tears everywhere and commoners raised shrines to him. Empress Jia already hated Guan and Liang and feared Wei; she picked them off one by one by design. In the first year of Yongning he was posthumously named General of Agile Cavalry; his son Fan became Prince of Xiangyang with rank as Regular Attendant until Shi Le killed him.
20
趙王倫
Sima Lun, Prince of Zhao
21
趙王倫，字子彝，宣帝第九子也，母曰柏夫人。 魏嘉平初，封安樂亭侯。 五等建，改封東安子，拜諫議大夫。 武帝受禪，封琅邪郡王。 坐使散騎將劉緝買工所將盜禦裘，廷尉杜友正緝棄市，倫當與緝同罪。 有司奏倫爵重屬親，不可坐。 諫議大夫劉毅駁曰：「王法賞罰，不阿貴賤，然後可以齊禮制而明典刑也。 倫知裘非常，蔽不語吏，與緝同罪。 當以親貴議減，不得闕而不論。 宜自于一時法中，如友所正。」 帝是毅駁，然以倫親親故，下詔赦之。 及之國，行東中郎將、宣威將軍。 咸甯中，改封于趙，遷平北將軍、督鄴城守事，進安北將軍。 元康初，遷征西將軍、開府儀同三司，鎮關中。 倫刑賞失中，氐、羌反叛，征還京師。 尋拜車騎將軍、太子太傅。 深交賈、郭，諂事中宮，大為賈后所親信。 求錄尚書，張華、裴頠固執不可。 又求尚書令，華、頠復不許。
Sima Lun, Prince of Zhao, courtesy name Ziyi, was Emperor Xuan's ninth son by Lady Bo. Under Wei he became Marquis of Anle Precinct early in Jiaping. When the five ranks were instituted he became Viscount of Dong'an and Grandee Remonstrant. After Jin's Emperor Wu took the throne Lun became Prince of Langye Commandery. He had lent Liu Ji of the Palace Guard money to buy stolen imperial fur; Commandant Du You sentenced Ji to public execution, and Lun faced the same charge. Officials argued Lun's noble rank and kinship exempted him. Grandee Remonstrant Liu Yi answered: "Law must judge high and low alike or ritual and punishment mean nothing. Lun knew the robe was contraband yet hid it from the judge—he shares Ji's guilt. Kinship may commute the sentence but cannot excuse silence. Apply the statute as Du You ruled." The emperor accepted Liu Yi's argument yet pardoned Lun as kin. Upon taking up his fief he served as East Central Army general and General Who Spreads Might. During Xianning his title shifted to Zhao; he rose from General Who Pacifies the North overseeing Ye's defenses to General Who Guards the North. Early in Yuankang he became General Who Conquers the West with privilege equal to the Three Excellencies and held Guanzhong. Misrule of rewards and punishments stirred Di and Qiang revolts and brought him back to the capital. He soon added General of Chariots and Cavalry and tutorship of the heir apparent. He cultivated Jia Mo and Guo Zhang, toadied to the empress, and became her close confidant. He sought charge of the Secretariat; Zhang Hua and Pei Wei refused. He then asked to head the Secretariat; again Zhang Hua and Pei Wei blocked him.
22
湣懷太子廢，使倫領右軍將軍。 時左衛司馬督司馬雅及常從督許超，並嘗給事東宮，二人傷太子無罪，與殿中中郎士猗等謀廢賈后，復太子，以華、頠不可移，難與圖權，倫執兵之要，性貪冒，可假以濟事，乃說倫嬖人孫秀曰：「中宮凶妒無道，與賈謐等共廢太子。 今國無嫡嗣，社稷將危，大臣將起大事。 而公名奉事中宮，與賈、郭親善，太子之廢，皆云豫知，一朝事起，禍必相及。 何不先謀之乎？」 秀許諾，言於倫，倫納焉。 遂告通事令史張林及省事張衡、殿中侍御史殷渾、右衛司馬督路始，使為內應。 事將起，而秀知太子聰明，若還東宮，將與賢人圖政，量己必不得志，乃更說倫曰：「太子為人剛猛，不可私請。 明公素事賈后，時議皆以公為賈氏之黨。 今雖欲建大功于太子，太子含宿怒，必不加賞於明公矣。 當謂逼百姓之望，翻覆以免罪耳。 此乃所以速禍也。 今且緩其事，賈后必害太子，然後廢後，為太子報仇，亦足以立功，豈徒免禍而已。」 倫從之。 秀乃微泄其謀，使謐党頗聞之。 倫、秀因勸謐等早害太子，以絕眾望。
After Crown Prince Minhuai was cast aside, Lun was put in charge of the Right Army. Left Guard supervisor Sima Ya and escort commander Xu Chao, both former Eastern Palace attendants, grieved over the heir's unjust deposition. With palace officer Shi Yi they hoped to restore him, but Zhang Hua and Pei Yi could not be moved; Lun alone held real troops and was venal—usable as their lever. They approached Sun Xiu, Lun's favorite: "The empress is cruel and lawless; she and Jia Mi brought down the heir. With no rightful heir the altars are endangered and great ministers will rise in arms. Yet you serve the empress and keep company with Jia and Guo; rumor says you knew the heir's fate in advance—when the reckoning comes you will share their guilt. Why not strike first? Sun Xiu agreed, relayed it to Lun, and Lun took the bait. He enlisted Petition Clerk Zhang Lin, Zhang Heng of the Secretariat, Censor Yin Hun, and Right Guard supervisor Lu Shi as inside agents. On the eve of the coup Xiu realized the heir was quick-witted: restored to the Eastern Palace he would rule with good men and leave no room for Xiu's ambition. He talked Lun round again: "That heir is fierce and proud—you cannot win him with private pleas. You have long served the empress; everyone counts you part of the Jia circle. Even if you now win him the throne, old resentments will keep him from rewarding you. He will say you bowed only to popular pressure and switched sides to save yourself. That path leads straight to ruin. Better wait: Jia will murder the heir herself; then topple the empress and avenge him—you gain credit without merely saving your skin. Lun agreed. Xiu quietly leaked the plot so Jia Mi's people caught wind of it. Lun and Xiu then urged Jia Mi to kill the heir at once and crush public hope.
23
太子既遇害，倫、秀之謀益甚，而超、雅懼後難，欲悔其謀，乃辭疾。 秀復告右衛佽飛督閭和，和從之，期四月三日丙夜一籌，以鼓聲為應。 至期，乃矯詔敕三部司馬曰：「中宮與賈謐等殺吾太子，今使車騎入廢中宮。 汝等皆當從命，賜爵關中侯。 不從，誅三族。」 於是眾皆從之。 倫又矯詔開門夜入，陳兵道南，遣翊軍校尉、齊王冏將三部司馬百人，排閣而入。 華林令駱休為內應，迎帝幸東堂。 遂廢賈后為庶人，幽之於建始殿。 收吳太妃、趙粲及韓壽妻賈午等，付暴室考竟。 詔尚書以廢後事，仍收捕賈謐等，召中書監、侍中、黃門侍郎、八坐，皆夜入殿，執張華、裴頠、解結、杜斌等，於殿前殺之。 尚書始疑詔有詐，郎師景露版奏請手詔。 倫等以為沮眾，斬之以徇。 明日，倫坐端門，屯兵北向，遣尚書和郁持節送賈庶人于金墉。 誅趙粲叔父中護軍趙浚及散騎侍郎韓豫等，內外群官多所黜免。 倫尋矯詔自為使持節、大都督、督中外諸軍事、相國，侍中、王如故，一依宣、文輔魏故事，置左右長史、司馬、從事中郎四人、參軍十人，掾屬二十人、兵萬人。 以其世子散騎常侍荂領冗從僕射； 子馥前將軍，封濟陽王； 虔黃門郎，封汝陰王； 羽散騎侍郎，封霸城侯。 孫秀等封皆大郡，並據兵權，文武官封侯者數千人，百官總己聽於倫。
Once the heir was dead Lun and Xiu pressed harder; Xu Chao and Sima Ya, fearing blowback, feigned illness to back out. Xiu enlisted Right Guard fleet commander Lü He for the coup timed to the third of the fourth month, first watch, signaled by drums. At the hour he forged orders to the Three Majors: "The empress and Jia Mi murdered the heir—send the army to depose her. Obey and you will be enfeoffed marquises of Guanzhong. Refuse and face extinction of three clans." The troops fell in line. Lun forged another order to open the gates by night, drew up troops along the palace road, and sent Colonel of the Guards Prince Jiong of Qi with a hundred Three-Major troops bursting through the gates. Hualin superintendent Luo Xiu acted as insider and brought Emperor Hui to the Eastern Hall. They deposed Empress Jia to commoner rank and locked her in Jianshi Hall. They arrested Lady Wu, Zhao Can, Jia Wu wife of Han Shou, and sent them to the harem jail for interrogation and execution. The forged edict had the Secretariat handle the empress's deposition while guards seized Jia Mi and summoned high ministers into the palace by night—Zhang Hua, Pei Yi, Xie Jie, Du Bin were seized and slaughtered before the hall. The Secretariat doubted the decree until Clerk Shi Jing demanded to see the emperor's own brush—and died for it. Lun's faction executed him as an example. The next day Lun held court at Duan Gate with troops to the north while He Yu convoyed the deposed empress to the Brick Granary fortress. They killed Zhao Jun and Han Yu among others and purged scores of officials inside and outside the palace. Soon Lun forged his promotion to commander-in-chief and chancellor with ten thousand household guards and a full princely staff on the model of Sima Yi and Sima Zhao. Heir Sima Fu, as Gentleman Attendant, headed the Retinue Inspectorate; Sima Fu was Forward General and Prince of Jiyang; Sima Qian became Gentleman of Yellow Gate and Prince of Ruyin; Sima Yu became Gentleman Attendant and Marquis of Bacheng. Sun Xiu and allies took rich fiefs and army commands; thousands of petty favorites gained noble ranks while every office answered to Lun.
24
倫素庸下，無智策，復受制於秀，秀之威權振於朝廷，天下皆事秀而無求於倫。 秀起自琅邪小史，累官于趙國，以諂媚自達。 既執機衡，遂恣其奸謀，多殺忠良，以逞私欲。 司隸從事游顥與殷渾有隙，渾誘顥奴晉興，偽告顥有異志。 秀不詳察，即收顥及襄陽中正李邁，殺之，厚待晉興，以為己部曲督。 前衛尉石崇、黃門郎潘嶽皆與秀有嫌，並見誅。 於是京邑君子不樂其生矣。
Lun was dull and witless, wholly dominated by Sun Xiu until court and realm answered to Xiu, not Lun. Sun Xiu rose from a petty clerk in Langye to Zhao staff through flattery alone. Once he held power he slaughtered loyal men to satisfy private spite. Provincial aide You Yi feuded with Yin Hun; Hun bribed Yi's slave Jin Xing to accuse him of treason. Without inquiry Xiu seized You Yi and Li Mai and executed them, then rewarded Jin Xing as his guard commander. Former Commandant Shi Chong and Gentleman Pan Yue, old enemies of Xiu, shared their fate. No gentleman of the capital felt safe.
25
淮南王允、齊王冏以倫、秀驕僭，內懷不平。 秀等亦深忌焉，乃出冏鎮許，奪允護軍。 允發憤，起兵討倫。 允既敗滅，倫加九錫，增封五萬戶。 倫偽為飾讓，詔遣百官詣府敦勸，侍中宣詔，然後受之。 加荂撫軍將軍、領軍將軍，馥鎮軍將軍、領護軍將軍，虔中軍將軍、領右衛將軍，詡為侍中。 又以孫秀為侍中、輔國將軍、相國司馬，右率如故。 張林等並居顯要。 增相府兵為二萬人，與宿衛同，又隱匿兵士，眾過三萬。 起東宮三門四角華櫓，斷宮東西道為外徼。 或謂秀曰：「散騎常侍楊准、黃門侍郎劉逵欲奉梁王肜以誅倫。」 會有星變，乃徙肜為丞相，居司徒府，轉准、逵為外官。
Princes Yun of Huainan and Jiong of Qi nursed grievances against Lun and Xiu's arrogance. Xiu sidelined them—posting Jiong to Xu and stripping Yun of Central Protector command. Prince Yun rose in fury and marched against Lun. After Yun fell Lun took the nine imperial gifts and fifty thousand more households. Lun staged refusals until officials besieged his mansion and a palace herald read an edict persuading him to accept. Heir Sima Fu took pacification and command of armies; Sima Fu the younger led guard and protectorate forces; Sima Qian commanded central and right guard; Sima Xu became Palace Attendant. Sun Xiu became Palace Attendant, supporting general, and chancellor's major while keeping his escort post. Zhang Lin and allies filled every key post. Lun raised his headquarters guard to twenty thousand to match the palace army and hid extra troops until he commanded more than thirty thousand. They raised watchtowers at the heir's three gates and sealed east-west palace avenues as outer cordons. Word reached Xiu that Yang Zhun and Liu Cheng meant to put Prince Rong of Liang at the head of a strike on Lun. A celestial portent intervened: Prince Rong was named chancellor with offices at the Minister of Education while Yang Zhun and Liu Cheng were kicked to provincial posts.
26
倫無學，不知書； 秀亦以狡黠小才，貪淫昧利。 所共立事者，皆邪佞之徒，惟競榮利，無深謀遠略。 荂淺薄鄙陋，馥、虔暗很強戾，詡愚嚚輕訬，而各乖異，互相憎毀。 秀子會，年二十，為射聲校尉，尚帝女河東公主。 公主母喪未期，便納聘禮。 會形貌短陋，奴僕之下者，初與富室兒於城西販馬，百姓忽聞其尚主，莫不駭愕。
Lun was barely literate; Xiu combined petty cunning with greed and lust. Their collaborators were all toadies scrambling for spoils with no foresight. Heir Fu was shallow and coarse; his brothers Fu and Qian were surly brutes; Xu was dull and malicious—they loathed one another openly. Xiu's twenty-year-old son Hui became Colonel of Sound-of-the-Bow and married Princess Hedong. Betrothal gifts arrived before the princess mother's mourning year had run. Hui was dwarfish and homely—once a horse-trader with rich youths west of the city—so commoners gaped when he married the princess.
27
倫、秀並惑巫鬼，聽妖邪之說。 秀使牙門趙奉詐為宣帝神語，命倫早入西宮。 又言宣帝於北芒為趙王佐助，於是別立宣帝廟於芒山。 謂逆謀可成。 以太子詹事裴劭、左軍將軍卞粹等二十人為從事中郎，掾屬又二十人。 秀等部分諸軍，分佈腹心，使散騎常侍、義陽王威兼侍中，出納詔命，矯作禪讓之詔，使使持節、尚書令滿奮，僕射崔隨為副，奉皇帝璽綬以禪位於倫。 倫偽讓不受。 於是宗室諸王、群公卿士咸假稱符瑞天文以勸進，倫乃許之。 左衛王輿與前軍司馬雅等率甲士入殿，譬喻三部司馬，示以威賞，皆莫敢違。 其夜，使張林等屯守諸門。 義陽王威及駱休等逼奪天子璽綬。 夜漏未盡，內外百官以乘輿法駕迎倫。 惠帝乘雲母車，鹵簿數百人，自華林西門出居金墉城。 尚書和郁，兼侍中、散騎常侍、琅邪王睿，中書侍郎陸機從，到城下而反。 使張衡衛帝，實幽之也。
Lun and Xiu dabbled in witchcraft and omens. Xiu had gate guard Zhao Feng fake Emperor Xuan's ghost commanding Lun to seize the Western Palace. They claimed Emperor Xuan aided the Prince of Zhao from Mang Hill and built him a shrine there. They told themselves the coup was Heaven's work. Twenty men including Pei Shao and Bian Cui became staff officers with another twenty clerks. Xiu stacked commands with cronies, made Prince Wei of Yiyang gatekeeper of edicts, forged abdication, and sent Man Fen and Cui Sui with the imperial seals to offer the throne to Lun. Lun theatrically refused—once. Princes and ministers chimed in with forged omens until Lun accepted. Left Guard Wang Yu and Forward Army commander Sima Ya marched armored troops into the hall, threatened and bribed the Three Majors, and faced no refusal. Zhang Lin sealed every gate. Prince Wei and Luo Xiu wrested the imperial seals from Hui. Before dawn the whole bureaucracy drew up the imperial carriage to fetch Lun. Emperor Hui left by mica carriage with a few hundred attendants through Hualin's west gate for house arrest at Brick Granary. He Yu, Prince Rui of Langye, and Lu Ji escorted him to the fortress wall and turned back. Zhang Heng's "guard" was imprisonment.
28
倫從兵五千人，入自端門，登太極殿，滿奮、崔隨、樂廣進璽綬於倫，乃僭即帝位，大赦，改元建始。 是歲，賢良方正、直言、秀才、孝廉、良將皆不試； 計吏及四方使命之在京邑者，太學生年十六以上及在學二十年，皆署吏； 郡縣二千石令長赦日在職者，皆封侯； 郡綱紀並為孝廉，縣綱紀為廉史。 以世子荂為太子，馥為侍中、大司農、領護軍、京兆王，虔為侍中、大將軍領軍、廣平王，詡為侍中、撫軍將軍、霸城王，孫秀為侍中、中書監、驃騎將軍、儀同三司，張林等諸黨皆登卿將，並列大封。 其餘同謀者咸超階越次，不可勝紀，至於奴卒斯役亦加以爵位。 每朝會，貂蟬盈坐，時人為之顏曰：「貂不足，狗尾續。」 而以苟且之惠取悅人情，府庫之儲不充于賜，金銀冶鑄不給于印，故有白版之侯，君子恥服其章，百姓亦知其不終矣。
Lun entered Duan Gate with five thousand men, climbed the Taiji Hall, took the seals from Man Fen, Cui Sui, and Yue Guang, declared himself emperor, amnestied the realm, and proclaimed era Jianshi. That year's examinations for Worthy and Good, straight critics, flourished talents, filial clerks, and fine generals were cancelled; every clerk and envoy in the capital plus students over sixteen or twenty years enrolled received appointments; every magistrate still in office on amnesty day became a marquis; commandery aides turned into "filial integrity" picks and county aides into petty "integrity" clerks. He named heir Fu crown prince, piled minister-general titles on Fu, Qian, and Xu, gave Sun Xiu the Secretariat and agile cavalry with Three Excellencies ritual, and promoted Zhang Lin's clique wholesale. Every co-conspirator jumped ranks—uncountable—and even slaves received noble titles. Court sessions swarmed with high caps till jesters sang: "Too few sable tails—sew on dogs'." Cheap patronage emptied the treasury—metal ran short for seals—so "white-board marquises" wore blank tablets; gentlemen blushed at their badges and commoners knew the regime could not last.
29
倫親祠太廟，還，遇大風，飄折麾蓋。 孫秀既立非常之事，倫敬重焉。 秀住文帝為相國時所居內府，事無巨細，必諮而後行。 倫之詔令，秀輒改革，有所與奪，自書青紙為詔，或朝行夕改者數四，百官轉易如流矣。 時有雉入殿中，自太極東階上殿，驅之，更飛西鐘下，有頃，飛去。 又倫於殿上得異鳥，問皆不知名，累日向夕，宮西有素衣小兒言是服劉鳥。 倫使錄小兒並鳥閉置牢室，明旦開視，戶如故，並失人鳥所在。 倫目上有瘤，時以為妖焉。
Returning from ancestral sacrifice Lun met a gale that snapped his canopy. After the usurpation Lun deferred to Xiu slavishly. Xiu moved into Emperor Wen's old chancellery and stalled every decree until he approved. Lun's edicts passed through Xiu's edits—green-paper orders scribbled by Xiu—sometimes four revisions from dawn to dusk while offices spun like a mill. A pheasant flew into the hall, climbed the eastern stairs of Taiji, darted under the western bell, then vanished. Lun caught another strange bird none could name until a white-robed boy west of the palace called it the "Fu Liu" creature. Guards caged boy and bird overnight; by dawn door sealed tight—both had vanished. A cyst disfigured Lun's brow—taken for an ill omen.
30
時齊王冏、河間王顒、成都王穎並擁強兵，各據一方。 秀知冏等必有異圖，乃選親黨及倫故吏為三王參佐及郡守。
Princes Jiong of Qi, Yong of Hejian, and Ying of Chengdu held powerful armies in separate quarters. Xiu suspected the three princes and planted cronies as their staff and prefects.
31
秀本與張林有隙，雖外相推崇，內實忌之。 及林為衛將軍，深怨不得開府，潛與荂箋，具說秀專權，動違眾心，而功臣皆小人，撓亂朝廷，要一時誅之。 荂以書白倫，倫以示秀。 秀勸倫誅林，倫從之。 於是倫請宗室會于華林園，召林、秀及王輿入，因收林，殺之，誅三族。
Xiu and Zhang Lin despised each other despite polite fronts. Named General of the Guard but denied independent headquarters, Zhang Lin secretly wrote heir Fu that Xiu tyrannized the court with petty allies who ought to die at once. Fu forwarded the letter to Lun, who showed Xiu. Sun Xiu urged Lun to kill Zhang Lin, and Lun agreed. Lun summoned kinsmen to Hualin Park, lured in Zhang Lin and Sun Xiu with Wang Yu, arrested Zhang Lin, executed him, and wiped out three generations.
32
及三王起兵討倫檄至，倫、秀始大懼，遣其中堅孫輔為上軍將軍，積弩李嚴為折沖將軍，率兵七千自延壽關出，征虜張泓、左軍蔡璜、前軍閭和等率九千人自堮阪關出，鎮軍司馬雅、揚威莫原等率八千人自成皋關出。 召東平王楙為使持節、衛將軍，都督諸軍以距義師。 使楊珍晝夜詣宣帝別廟祈請，輒言宣帝謝陛下，某日當破賊。 拜道士胡沃為太平將軍，以招福祐。 秀家日為淫祀，作厭勝之文，使巫祝選擇戰日。 又令近親于嵩山著羽衣，詐稱仙人王喬，作神仙書，述倫祚長久以惑眾。 秀欲遣馥、虔領兵助諸軍戰，馥、虔不肯。 虔素親愛劉輿，秀乃使輿說虔，虔然後率眾八千為三軍繼援。 而泓、雅等連戰雖勝，義軍散而輒合，雅等不得前。 許超等與成都王穎軍戰于黃橋，殺傷萬餘人。 泓徑造陽翟，又于城南破齊王冏輜重，殺數千人，遂據城保邸閣。 而冏軍已在潁陰，去陽翟四十里。 冏分軍渡潁，攻泓等不利。 泓乘勝至於潁上，夜臨潁而陣。 冏縱輕兵擊之，諸軍不動，而孫輔、徐建軍夜亂，徑歸洛自首。 輔、建之走也，不知諸軍督尚存，乃云：「齊王兵盛，不可當，泓等已沒。」 倫大震，秘之，而召虔及超還。 會泓敗冏露布至，倫大喜，及復遣超，而虔還已至庾倉。 超還濟河，將士疑阻，銳氣內挫。 泓等悉其諸軍濟潁，進攻冏營，冏出兵擊其別率孫髦、司馬譚、孫輔，皆破之，士卒散歸洛陽，泓等收眾還營。 秀等知三方日急，詐傳破冏營，執得冏，以誑惑其眾，令百官皆賀，而士猗、伏胤、孫會皆杖節各不相從。 倫復授太子詹事劉琨節，督河北將軍，率步騎千人催諸軍戰。 會等與義軍戰于激水，大敗，退保河上，劉琨燒斷河橋。
When the allied armies' manifestos arrived Lun and Xiu panicked, deploying Sun Fu and Li Yan toward Yanshou, Zhang Hong and Cai Huang toward Eban, and Sima Ya toward Chenggao—some twenty-four thousand men. He named Prince Mao of Dongping credential-bearing commander-in-chief to face the coalition. He sent Yang Zhen to Emperor Xuan's shrine round the clock with fabricated spirits thanking Emperor Hui and promising victory dates. He titled Daoist Hu Wo "Grand Peace General" for supernatural aid. Xiu's household kept impure sacrifices, curse tablets, and shamans picking auspicious days. Relatives on Mount Song posed as feather-robed immortals calling themselves Wang Qiao and circulated bogus scriptures claiming Lun would reign forever. Xiu ordered Fu and Qian into the field; both refused. Qian adored Liu Yu; Xiu sent Liu Yu to sway him, so Qian brought eight thousand reinforcements. Hong and Ya won skirmishes but the coalition re-formed each time and stalled their advance. Xu Chao clashed with Prince Ying at Yellow Bridge with casualties past ten thousand. Zhang Hong pushed to Yangzhai, smashed Jiong's supply column south of the walls, killed thousands, and dug into the city granaries. Meanwhile Jiong lay forty li away at Yingyin. Jiong split his force across the Ying but attacked Zhang Hong without success. Zhang Hong pressed to Yingshang and drew up along the Ying by night. Jiong sent raiders but lines held until Sun Fu and Xu Jian panicked at night and fled to Luoyang to surrender. Those fugitives thought command still alive—yet lied that Hong had collapsed before mighty Qi army. Lun hid the panic but recalled Qian and Xu Chao. Then Hong's victory dispatch arrived and Lun exulted—resending Chao while Qian reached Yu Granary. Chao's troops crossed back doubtful—morale collapsed inward. Hong threw everything across the Ying against Jiong's camp; Jiong shattered detachments under Sun Mao, Sima Tan, and Sun Fu routing Lun's men back toward Luoyang while Hong regrouped. Seeing three fronts tighten Xiu forged news of Jiong's capture to cheer Luoyang—officials feasted joy while Shi Yi, Fu Yin, and Sun Hui withheld cooperation. Lun handed staffs to Liu Kun to whip northern armies into renewed combat. Sun Hui lost badly at Ji River, fled north of the stream while Liu Kun burned the bridges.
33
自義兵之起，百官將士咸欲誅倫、秀以謝天下。 秀知眾怒難犯，不敢出省。 及聞河北軍悉敗，憂懣不知所為。 義陽王威勸秀至尚書省與八坐議征戰之備，秀從之。 使京城四品以下子弟年十五以上，皆詣司隸，從倫出戰。 內外諸軍悉欲劫殺秀，威懼，自崇禮闥走還下舍。 許超、士猗、孫會等軍既並還，乃與秀謀，或欲收余卒出戰，或欲焚燒宮室，誅殺不附己者，挾倫南就孫旂、孟觀等，或欲乘船東走入海，許未決。 王輿反之，率營兵七百餘人自南掖門入，敕宮中兵各守衛諸門，三部司馬為應於內。 輿自往攻秀，秀閉中書南門。 輿放兵登牆燒屋，秀及超、猗遽走出，左衛將軍趙泉斬秀等以徇。 收孫奇于右衛營，付廷尉誅之。 執前將軍謝惔、黃門令駱休、司馬督王潛，皆於殿中斬之。 三部司馬兵於宣化闥中斬孫弼以徇，時司馬馥在秀坐，輿使將士囚之於散騎省，以大戟守省閣。 八坐皆入殿中，坐東除樹下。 王輿屯雲龍門，使倫為詔曰：「吾為孫秀等所誤，以怒三王。 今已誅秀，其迎太上復位，吾歸老于農畝。」 傳詔以騶虞幡敕將士解兵。 文武官皆奔走，莫敢有居者。 黃門將倫自華林東門出，及荂皆還汶陽裏第。 於是以甲士數千迎天子于金墉，百姓咸稱萬歲。 帝自端門入，升殿，禦廣室，送倫及荂等付金墉城。
Since the coalition rose every Luoyang soldier meant to kill Lun and Xiu to atone. Xiu feared the mob and stopped leaving his office. Northern collapse left him paralyzed with dread. Prince Wei dragged Xiu to the Secretariat to plan defense. He drafted every youth under fourth rank aged fifteen or more through the Metropolitan Office for Lun's sortie. Palace guards meant to murder Xiu; Prince Wei fled Chongli Gate back to quarters. Xu Chao, Shi Yi, and Sun Hui met Xiu to debate fleeing south to allies, torching the palace, or escaping by sea—no decision. Wang Yu defected with seven hundred men through the south Ye Gate, sealed palace gates, and wired Three Majors inside. Wang Yu assaulted Xiu who barred the Secretariat south gate. Wang Yu scaled walls and fired the halls; Xiu, Xu Chao, and Shi Yi fled until Zhao Quan executed Xiu publicly. Sun Qi was pulled from the Right Guard camp and killed under judgment. Forward general Xie Dan, eunuch Luo Xiu, and supervisor Wang Qian died in the hall. Palace troops killed Sun Bi at Xuande Gate; Fu sat beside Xiu until Wang Yu jailed him under halberd guard. The Eight Seats gathered east of the hall beneath the trees. At Cloud Dragon Gate Wang Yu forced Lun to confess: "Sun Xiu misled me and provoked the three princes. Now Xiu is dead—welcome the abdicated emperor home while I retire to the fields." Heralds waved the mercy pennant ordering troops to stand down. Officials bolted—none lingered. Eunuchs hustled Lun out Hualin's east gate with heir Fu to their Wenyang mansion. Thousands in armor fetched Emperor Hui from Brick Granary amid cheers. Hui entered through Duan Gate to Broad Chamber consigning Lun and Fu to Brick Granary.
34
初，秀懼西軍至，復召虔還。 是日宿九曲，詔遣使者免虔官，虔懼，棄軍將數十人歸於汶陽裏。
Earlier Xiu recalled Qian fearing western armies. That night at Jiuyu Hui stripped Qian's posts; Qian fled with dozens of followers to Wenyang.
35
梁王肜表倫父子凶逆，宜伏誅。 百官會議於朝堂，皆如肜表。 遣尚書袁敞持節賜倫死，飲以金屑苦酒。 倫慚，以巾覆面，曰：「孫秀誤我！ 孫秀誤我！」 於是收荂、馥、虔、詡付廷尉獄，考竟。 馥臨死謂虔曰：「坐爾破家也！」 百官是倫所用者，皆斥免之，台省府衛僅有存者，自兵興六十餘日，戰所殺害僅十萬人。
Prince Rong of Liang demanded Lun and his sons die for treason. Court debate unanimously echoed Prince Rong. Minister Yuan Chang brought Lun gold-flaked poison wine. Lun hid his face in a cloth crying Sun Xiu had ruined him. Sun Xiu misled me! Fu, Fu, Qian, and Xu went to jail and died under torture. Fu told Qian on the scaffold, "You destroyed our house." Lun's appointees were cashiered; bureau and guard posts barely staffed—in sixty days of war perhaps one hundred thousand died.
36
凡與倫為逆豫謀大事者：張林為秀所殺； 許超、士猗、孫弼、謝惔、殷渾與秀為王輿所誅； 張衡、閭和、孫髦、高越自陽翟還，伏胤戰敗還洛陽，皆斬於東市； 蔡璜自陽翟降齊王冏，還洛自殺； 王輿以功免誅，後與東萊王蕤謀殺冏，又伏法。
Among conspirators Zhang Lin died at Xiu's hands first; Xu Chao, Shi Yi, Sun Bi, Xie Dan, and Yin Hun fell to Wang Yu with Xiu; Zhang Heng, Lü He, Sun Mao, Gao Yue returning from Yangzhai and Fu Yin after defeat died at the east market; Cai Huang surrendered to Jiong then killed himself in Luoyang; Wang Yu was spared then later plotted with Prince Rui of Donglai against Jiong and paid with his life.
37
齊武閔王冏
Sima Jiong, Prince Wu Min of Qi
38
冏因眾心怨望，潛與離狐王盛、潁川王處穆謀起兵誅倫。 倫遣腹心張烏覘之，烏反，曰：「齊無異志。」 冏既有成謀未發，恐或泄，乃與軍司管襲殺處穆，送首於倫，以安其意。 謀定，乃收襲殺之。 遂與豫州刺史何勖、龍驤將軍董艾等起軍，遣使告成都、河間、常山、新野四王，移檄天下征鎮、州郡縣國，咸使聞知。 揚州刺史郗隆承檄，猶豫未決，參軍王邃斬之，送首於冏。 冏屯軍陽翟，倫遣其將閭和、張泓、孫輔出堮阪，與冏交戰。 冏軍失利，堅壘自守。 會成都軍破倫眾于黃橋，冏乃出軍攻和等，大破之。 及王輿廢倫，惠帝反正，冏誅討賊党既畢，率眾入洛，頓軍通章署，甲士數十萬，旌旗器械之盛，震於京都。 天子就拜大司馬，加九錫之命，備物典策，如宣、景、文、武輔魏故事。
Jiong exploited popular hatred to scheme with Wang Sheng of Lihu and Wang Chu Mu of Yingchuan against Lun. Lun sent Zhang Wu to scout; Wu reported no rebellion brewing. Jiong silenced leaks by having Guan Xi kill Chu Mu and sent the head to Lun as cover. Once secure Jiong eliminated Guan Xi too. He mobilized with He Xu and Dong Ai, notified four princes, and circulated manifestos to every commandery. Xi Long wavered until adjutant Wang Sui killed him for Jiong. Jiong held Yangzhai while Lun sent Zhang Hong through Eban against him. Jiong dug in after setbacks. When Prince Ying smashed Lun at Yellow Bridge Jiong sallied and routed Zhang Hong. After Wang Yu toppled Lun Jiong entered Luoyang at Tongzhang Gate with hundreds of thousands in armor. The emperor named him Grand Marshal with the nine gifts like Sima Yi and his sons.
39
冏於是輔政，居攸故宮，置掾屬四十人。 大築第館，北取五穀市，南開諸署，毀壞廬舍以百數，使大匠營制，與西宮等。 鑿千秋門牆以通西閣，後房施鐘懸，前庭舞八佾，沈於酒色，不入朝見。 坐拜百官，符敕三台，選舉不均，惟寵親昵。 以車騎將軍何勖領中領軍。 封葛<方與>為牟平公，路秀小黃公，衛毅陰平公，劉真安鄉公，韓泰封丘公，號曰「五公」，委以心膂。 殿中御史桓豹奏事，不先經冏府，即考竟之。 於是朝廷側目，海內失望矣。 南陽處士鄭方露版極諫，主簿王豹屢有箴規，冏並不能用，遂奏豹殺之。 有白頭公入大司馬府大呼，言有兵起，不出甲子旬。 即收殺之。
Jiong governed from Sima You's old mansion with forty staff officers. He seized land north to the grain market and south to offices, demolishing hundreds of homes for a palace rivaling the western compound. He broke through Thousand Autumn Gate for private halls with bells, eight-row dances, and endless revels—skipping formal audiences. He handed out posts by whim, routed orders through the Three Terraces, and favored cronies alone. He Xu became General of Chariots with Central Protector rank. He enfeoffed the "Five Dukes"—Ge Fangyu, Lu Xiu, Wei Yi, Liu Zhen, Han Tai—as his core circle. Palace censor Huan Bao bypassed Jiong's bureau and died for it. Courtiers glared and the empire lost hope. Recluse Zheng Fang remonstrated openly; registrar Wang Bao advised repeatedly—Jiong ignored both and executed Wang Bao. A white-haired man shouted in Jiong's mansion that rebellion would erupt within ten days. Jiong had him seized and killed.
40
冏驕恣日甚，終無悛志。 前賊曹屬孫惠復上諫曰：
Jiong grew ever more arrogant and showed no repentance. Staffer Sun Hui offered another memorial saying:
41
惠聞天下五難，四不可，而明公皆以居之矣。 捐宗廟之主，忽千乘之重，躬貫甲胄，犯冒鋒刃，此一難也。 奮三百之卒，決全勝之策，集四方之眾，致英豪之士，此二難也。 舍殿堂之尊，居單幕之陋，安囂塵之慘，同將士之勞，此三難也。 驅烏合之眾，當凶強之敵，任神武之略，無疑阻之懼，此四難也。 檄六合之內，著盟信之誓，升幽宮之帝，復皇祚之業，此五難也。 大名不可久荷，大功不可久任，大權不可久執，大威不可久居。 未有行其五難而不以為難，遺其不可而謂之為可。 惠竊所不安也。
You have stumbled into five famed hardships and four forbiddings. First you risked the ancestral shrines and charged the blades yourself. Second you rallied troops and heroes from every quarter. Third you endured camp hardship like common soldiers. Fourth you led irregular levies against vicious foes without flinching. Fifth you summoned the realm, freed the emperor, and restored the dynasty. No man long bears great fame, merit, power, or terror. None counts those trials easy or claims impossibles as trivial. That is what troubles your servant.
42
自永熙以來，十有一載，人不見德，惟戮是聞。 公族構篡奪之禍，骨肉遭梟夷之刑，群王被囚檻之困，妃主有離絕之哀。 曆觀前代，國家之禍，至親之亂，未有今日之甚者也。 良史書過，後嗣何觀！ 天下所以不去于晉，符命長存於世者，主無嚴虐之暴，朝無酷烈之政，武帝餘恩，獻王遺愛，聖慈惠和，尚經人心。 四海所系，實在於茲。
Since Yongxi eleven years the people have heard only slaughter, not virtue. Princes fell to usurpation, kin to execution, kings to cages, ladies to bereavement. History records no closer kinship wrecked like today's. Good historians record faults—what will posterity read? The realm still cleaves to Jin because rulers were seldom cruel, court seldom harsh, Emperor Wu's kindness and Prince Xian's grace still touch hearts. The realm's fate hinges on this moment.
43
今明公建不世之義，而未為不世之讓，天下惑之，思求所悟。 長沙、成都，魯、衛之密，國之親親，與明公計功受賞，尚不自先。 今公宜放桓、文之勳，邁臧、劄之風，芻狗萬物，不仁其化，崇親推近，功遂身退，委萬機于二王，命方岳於群後，燿義讓之旗，鳴思歸之鑾，宅大齊之墟，振泱泱之風，垂拱青、徐之域，高枕營丘之籓。 金石不足以銘高，八音不足以讚美，姬文不得專聖於前，太伯不得獨賢於後。 今明公忘亢極之悔，忽窮高之凶，棄五嶽之安，居累卵之危，外以權勢受疑，內以百揆損神。 雖處高臺之上，逍遙重仞之墉，及其危亡之憂，過於潁、翟之慮。 群下竦戰，莫之敢言。
You have done what none before attempted yet refuse the yielding all expect—the world is baffled. Princes of Changsha and Chengdu—kin close as Lu and Wei—still ranked themselves behind others when honors were shared. Yield like Lords Huan and Wen and worthies Zang and Zha—renounce power, entrust the two princes and provincial commanders, retire east among Qi ruins, and let virtue speak louder than rule. Bronze could not record such virtue nor music praise it—King Wen would not eclipse you nor Taibo stand alone. Yet you cling to supremacy's peril—rejecting Mount Tai's safety for an egg-stack throne—suspected without yet drained within. Even atop high walls your peril outmatches anyone fighting at Ying or Yangzhai. Your staff tremble silent.
44
惠以衰亡之余，遭陽九之運，甘矢石之禍，赴大王之義，脫褐冠胄，從戎于許。 契闊戰陣，功無可記，當隨風塵，待罪初服。 屈原放斥，心存南郢； 樂毅適趙，志戀北燕。 況惠受恩，偏蒙識養，雖復暫違，情隆二臣，是以披露血誠，冒昧幹迕。 言入身戮，義讓功舉，退就鈇鑕，此惠之死賢於生也。
I, Hui, survivor of collapse, followed your host from common cloth to Xu. I earned no glory—only the wind's dust—and deserve rustic clothes again. Qu Yuan exiled yet loved Chu. Yue Yi fled Zhao yet longed for Yan. I owe you more than Qu or Yue owed old lords—so I bleed my plea though it offends. Kill me if you must—death for this counsel would crown my life.
45
冏不納，亦不加罪。
Jiong neither listened nor punished him.
46
翊軍校尉李含奔于長安，詐云受密詔，使河間王顒誅冏，因導以利謀。 顒從之，上表曰：
Li Han fled to Chang'an forged orders urging Prince Yong to destroy Jiong. Yong agreed and memorialized:
47
王室多故，禍難罔已。 大司馬冏雖唱義有興復皇位之功，而定都邑，克寧社稷，實成都王勳力也。 而冏不能固守臣節，實協異望。 在許昌營有東西掖門，官置治書侍御史，長史、司馬直立左右，如侍臣之儀。 京城大清，篡逆誅夷，而率百萬之眾來繞洛城。 阻兵經年，不一朝覲，百官拜伏，晏然南面。 壞樂官市署，用自增廣。 輒取武庫秘杖，嚴列不解。 故東萊王蕤知其逆節，表陳事狀，而見誣陷，加罪黜徙。 以樹私黨，僭立官屬。 幸妻嬖妾，名號比之中宮。 沈湎酒色，不恤群黎。 董艾放縱，無所畏忌，中丞按奏，而取退免。 張偉惚恫，擁停詔可，葛旟小豎，維持國命。 操弄王爵，貨賂公行。 群奸聚黨，擅斷殺生。 密署腹心，實為貨謀。 斥罪忠良，伺窺神器。
The house of Jin faces ceaseless calamity. Jiong claimed credit for rallying loyalists, but Prince Ying of Chengdu truly stabilized the capital. Jiong broke faith as a minister and nursed designs of his own. His camp at Xuchang mirrored the palace gates with officers arrayed like imperial attendants. Though Luoyang was cleansed of traitors, he ringed the capital with vast armies. For a year his army besieged the court—he held court facing south without homage to the throne. He demolished public offices to expand his private compounds. He armed himself from the imperial arsenal and kept weapons permanently drawn. Prince Rui exposed him and paid with exile. He stacked offices with cronies. His favorites bore titles echoing the middle palace. He sank into debauchery and ignored the common folk. Dong Ai flouted law yet survived impeachment. Zhang Wei stalled imperial orders while Ge Yu pulled strings. He trafficked in titles and took bribes in broad daylight. His clique killed at will. Every trusted post served private greed. He purged good ministers and coveted the sacred regalia.
48
臣受重任，蕃衛方嶽，見冏所行，實懷激憤。 即日翊軍校尉李含乘驛密至，宣騰詔旨。 臣伏讀感切，五情若灼。 《春秋》之義，君親無將。 冏擁強兵，樹置私黨，權官要職，莫非腹心。 雖復重責之誅，恐不義服。 今輒勒兵，精卒十萬，與州征並協忠義，共會洛陽。 驃騎將軍長沙王乂，同奮忠誠，廢冏還第。 有不順命，軍法從事。 成都王穎明德茂親，功高勳重，往歲去就，允合眾望，宜為宰輔，代冏阿衡之任。
I guard the regions—Jiong's deeds kindle my fury. Colonel Li Han has just brought me your sealed command by relay. Reading it scorches my heart. The Annals say high lords may not raise arms against the sovereign. His hosts and every key post are packed with his creatures. Execution alone may not curb him. I march one hundred thousand veterans to join righteous armies at Luoyang. Prince Yi of Changsha joins me to strip Jiong of power. Disobey and martial law applies. Prince Ying should succeed Jiong as minister of state.
49
顒表既至，冏大懼，會百僚曰：「昔孫秀作逆，篡逼帝王，社稷傾覆，莫能禦難。 孤糾合義眾，掃除元惡，臣子之節，信著神明。 二王今日聽信讒言，造構大難，當賴忠謀以和不協耳。」 司徒王戎、司空東海王越說冏委權崇讓。 冏從事中郎葛旟怒曰：「趙庶人聽任孫秀，移天易日，當時喋喋，莫敢先唱。 公蒙犯矢石，躬貫甲胄，攻圍陷陣，得濟今日。 計功行封，事殷未遍。 三台納言，不恤王事，賞報稽緩，責不在府。 讒言僭逆，當共誅討，虛承偽書，令公就第。 漢、魏以來，王侯就第甯有得保妻子者乎！ 議者可斬。」 於是百官震悚，無不失色。
Prince Yong's memorial terrified Jiong, who told his council: "Sun Xiu once usurped the throne and none could stop him. I rallied loyal armies and killed that traitor—my duty was clear to gods and men. Now two princes heed lies and stir civil war—we need wise counsel to heal the rift." Wang Rong and Prince Yue urged Jiong to step down gracefully. Retainer Ge Yu thundered: "When illegitimate Lun obeyed Sun Xiu you all stayed mute. Our lord endured battle to win today. Rewards still lag—the work was vast. Central offices ignore state affairs and delay rewards—not Jiong's fault. They brand you traitor on forged orders to dismiss you. Since Han and Wei no prince "retired" home with his family intact. Such advisers deserve the axe." Officials went white with fear.
50
長沙王乂徑入宮，發兵攻冏府。 冏遣董艾陳兵宮西。 乂又遣宋洪等放火燒諸觀閣及千秋、神武門。 冏令黃門令王湖悉盜騶虞幡，唱云：「長沙王矯詔。」 乂又稱：「大司馬謀反，助者誅五族。」 是夕，城內大戰，飛矢雨集，火光屬天。 帝幸上東門，矢集御前。 群臣救火，死者相枕。 明日，冏敗，乂擒冏至殿前，帝惻然，欲活之。 乂叱左右促牽出，冏猶再顧，遂斬於閶闔門外，徇首六軍。 諸黨屬皆夷三族。 幽其子淮陵王超、樂安王冰、濟陽王英于金墉。 暴冏屍於西明亭，三日而莫敢收斂。 冏故掾屬荀闓等表乞殯葬，許之。
Sima Yi burst into the palace and struck Jiong's compound. Jiong lined Dong Ai west of the hall. Yi had Song Hong torch the watchtowers and gates. Jiong's eunuch stole the mercy banners claiming Yi forged orders. Yi countered that Jiong was the traitor and allies faced mass execution. That night Luoyang blazed; arrows darkened the sky. Hui took refuge at Upper East Gate under arrow fire. Ministers battled the blaze while corpses piled up. Next day Yi dragged Jiong bound before Hui, who wanted mercy. Yi overruled him—Jiong died at Changhe Gate, head displayed to the host. Jiong's party was extirpated to three clans. His three sons were imprisoned at Brick Granary. His body rotted at Ximing Pavilion unburied for days. Old aides begged to bury him—permission followed.
51
初，冏之盛也，有一婦人詣大司馬府求寄產。 吏詰之，婦人曰：「我截齊便去耳。」 識者聞而惡之。 時又謠曰：「著布袙腹，為齊持服。」 俄而冏誅。
At Jiong's height a woman sought shelter to give birth. She said she came only to "cut Qi" short—ominous wordplay. Listeners shuddered at the omen. Ballads sang of wearing mourning for Qi. Soon Jiong fell.
52
永興初，詔以冏輕陷重刑，前勳不宜堙沒，乃赦其三子超、冰、英還第，封超為縣王，以繼冏祀，曆員外散騎常侍。 光熙初，追冊冏曰：「咨故大司馬、齊王冏：王昔以宗籓穆胤紹世，緒于東國，作翰許京，允鎮靜我王室。 涎率義徒，同盟觸澤，克成元勳，大濟潁東。 朕用應嘉茂績，謂篤爾勞，俾式先典，以疇茲顯懿。 廓士殊分，跨兼吳楚，崇禮備物，寵侔蕭、霍，庶憑翼戴之重，永隆邦家之望。 而恭德不建，取侮二方，有司過舉，致王於戮。 古人有言曰：'用其法，猶思其人。 '況王功濟朕身，勳存社稷，追惟既往，有悼於厥心哉！ 今復王本封，命嗣子還紹厥緒，禮秩典度，一如舊制。 使使持節、大鴻臚即墓賜策，祠乙太牢。 魂而有靈，祗服朕命，肆寧爾心，嘉茲寵榮。」 子超嗣爵。
Yongxing restored his sons—Chao inherited the line as supernumerary attendant. Guangxi patent praised his Qi succession and service at Xu. You raised armies at Chimei and saved the eastern heartland. The throne records his glory by ancient forms. His honors rivaled Xiao He and Huo Guang. Proud conduct drew shame; judges erred and killed him. The proverb runs: even applying his statute one remembers the man. How much more a prince who saved us—we mourn afresh. His title and heir are restored under former rules. A herald grants the posthumous patent at his tomb. May his ghost accept this honor. Sima Chao succeeded.
53
永嘉中，懷帝下詔，重述冏唱義元勳，還贈大司馬，加侍中、假節，追諡。 及洛陽傾覆，超兄弟皆沒于劉聰，冏遂無後。 太元中，詔以故南頓王宗子柔之襲封齊王，紹攸、冏之祀，曆散騎常待。 元興初，會稽王道子將討桓玄，詔柔之兼侍中，以騶虞幡宣告江、荊二州，至姑孰，為玄前鋒所害。 贈光祿勳。 子建之立。 宋受禪，國除。
Huai restored Jiong's honors in Yongjia. Luoyang's fall left Liu Cong holding the sons—Jiong had no heirs. Taiyuan reassigned the Qi title to Rouzhi from Prince Zong's line. Rouzhi died on Daozi's Huan Xuan campaign at Gushu. He was posthumously named Minister of Splendid Brightness. Son Jian succeeded. The Liu Song usurpation ended the principality.
54
鄭方者，字子回，慷慨有志節，博涉史傳，卓犖不常，鄉閭有識者歎其奇，而未能薦達。 及冏輔政專恣，方發憤步詣洛陽，自稱荊楚逸民，獻書於冏曰：「方聞聖明輔世，夙夜祗懼，泰而不驕，所以長守貴也。 今大王安不慮危，耽于酒色，燕樂過度，其失一也。 大王檄命，當使天下穆如清風，宗室骨肉永無纖介，今則不然，其失二也。 四夷交侵，邊境不靜，大王自以功業興隆，不以為念，其失三也。 大王興義，群庶競赴，天下雖甯，人勞窮苦，不聞大王振救之令，其失四也。 又與義兵歃血而盟，事定之後，賞不逾時，自清泰已來，論功未分，此則食言，其失五也。 大王建非常之功，居宰相之任，謗聲盈塗，人懷忿怨，方以狂愚，冒死陳誠。」 冏含忍答之云：「孤不能致五闕，若無子，則不聞其過矣。」 未幾而敗焉。
Zheng Fang (courtesy Zihui) was learned and bold but obscure. Fang marched to Luoyang as a "recluse" to warn Jiong: wise regents stay vigilant. First fault: you ignore danger and revel. Second: your edicts should unify kin but breed division. Third: barbarians press the frontiers while you ignore them. Fourth: you raise righteous war yet issue no relief while the people suffer. Fifth: you swore to reward the allies but after victory broke your promise. You did great deeds yet earn hatred—your servant dares this blunt word. Jiong answered testily: without Zheng Fang he would ignore his five errors. Soon he fell.
55
長沙厲王乂
Sima Yi, Prince Li of Changsha
56
長沙厲王乂，字士度，武帝第六子也。 太康十年受封，拜員外散騎常侍。 及武帝崩，乂時年十五，孺慕過禮。 會楚王瑋奔喪，諸王皆近路迎之，乂獨至陵所，號慟以俟瑋。 拜步兵校尉。 及瑋之誅二公也，乂守東掖門。 會騶虞幡出，乂投弓流涕曰：「楚王被詔，是以從之，安知其非！」 瑋既誅，乂以同母，貶為常山王，之國。
Sima Yi, Prince Li of Changsha, courtesy Shidu, sixth son of Emperor Wu. In Taikang 10 he took his fief and supernumerary attendant rank. At fifteen he mourned his father past the rites. While other princes greeted Prince Wei along the route, Yi waited weeping at the tomb itself. He became Colonel of Infantry. During Wei's coup Yi held the east Ye Gate. When the mercy banner flew Yi dropped his weapon weeping that he had trusted Wei's forged order. After Wei's death Yi—Wei full brother—was demoted to Prince of Changshan and sent away.
57
乂身長七尺五寸，開朗果斷，才力絕人，虛心下士，甚有名譽。 三王之舉義也，乂率國兵應之，過趙國，房子令距守，乂殺之，進軍為成都後系。 常山內史程恢將貳於乂，乂到鄴，斬恢及其五子。 至洛，拜撫軍大將軍，領左軍將軍。 頃之，遷驃騎將軍、開府，復本國。
He stood seven foot five, decisive and stronger than most, humble to scholars and widely admired. Yi marched to join the coalition, killed the magistrate who blocked him at Fangzi, and covered Prince Ying's rear. He slew Cheng Hui and five sons at Ye for plotting rebellion. In Luoyang he became Grand General Who Pacifies the Army and Left Army commander. Soon he added agile cavalry command, his own headquarters, and his old title.
58
乂見齊王冏漸專權，嘗與成都王穎俱拜陵，因謂穎曰：「天下者，先帝之業也，王宜維之。」 時聞其言者皆憚之。 及河間王顒將誅冏，傳檄以乂為內主。 冏遣其將董艾襲乂，乂將左右百餘人，手斫車幰，露乘馳赴宮，閉諸門，奉天子與冏相攻，起火燒冏府，連戰三日，冏敗，斬之，並誅諸黨與二千餘人。
At the imperial tombs he warned Prince Ying that Jiong threatened their father's legacy. Listeners trembled at his bluntness. Yong's proclamation against Jiong named Yi as Luoyang's inside agent. Yi broke into the palace, rallied Hui against Jiong, torched Jiong's mansion, and after three days killed Jiong and two thousand partisans.
59
顒本以乂弱冏強，冀乂為冏所擒，然後以乂為辭，宣告四方共討之，因廢帝立成都王，己為宰相，專制天下。 即而乂殺冏，其計不果，乃潛使侍中馮蓀、河南尹李含、中書令卞粹等襲乂。 乂並誅之。 顒遂與穎同伐京都。 穎遣刺客圖乂，時長沙國左常侍王矩侍直，見客色動，遂殺之。 詔以乂為大都督以距顒。 連戰自八月至十月，朝議以乂、穎兄弟，可以辭說而釋，乃使中書令王衍行太尉，光祿勳石陋行司徒，使說穎，令與乂分陝而居，穎不從。 乂因致書於穎曰：
Prince Yong bet Yi would lose to Jiong so he could march as rescuer, depose Hui, crown Prince Ying, and rule as premier. When Yi slew Jiong instead Yong sent Feng Sun, Li Han, and Bian Cui to ambush him. Yi killed every conspirator. Yong and Prince Ying marched on Luoyang. Ying's assassin fell to Wang Ju on night watch. Hui named Yi commander-in-chief against Yong. From August to October courtiers hoped Wang Yan and Shi Lou could reconcile brothers Yi and Ying—Ying refused partition. Yi wrote Prince Ying:
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先帝應乾撫運，統攝四海，勤身苦己，克成帝業，六合清泰，慶流子孫。 孫秀作逆，反易天常，卿興義眾，還復帝位。 齊王恃功，肆行非法，上無宰相之心，下無忠臣之行，遂其讒惡，離逖骨肉，主上怨傷，尋已蕩除。 吾之與卿，友于十人，同產皇室，受封外都，各不能闡敷王教，經濟遠略。 今卿復與太尉共起大眾，阻兵百萬，重圍宮城。 群臣同忿，聊即命將，示宣國威，未擬摧殄。 自投溝澗，蕩平山谷，死者日萬，酷痛無罪。 豈國恩之不慈，則用刑之有常。 卿所遣陸機不樂受卿節鉞，將其所領，私通國家。 想來逆者，當前行一尺，卻行一丈，卿宜還鎮，以甯四海，令宗族無羞，子孫之福也。 如其不然，念骨肉分裂之痛，故復遣書。
Our father suffered to forge Jin—peace reached every corner. You ended Sun Xiu's coup. You destroyed tyrannical Jiong. We brothers rule provinces yet failed to guide the realm. Now you and Yong seal the capital with hosts. Angered ministers sent armies to show force—not to slaughter. Yet troops pile dead by myriad innocent. Should mercy spare needless slaughter? Lu Ji rejects your command and courts Luoyang. Pull back one pace for each pace forth—return to Ye for family's honor. Else recall kinship broken—I write again.
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穎復書曰：「文、景受圖，武皇乘運，庶幾堯、舜，共康政道，恩隆洪業，本枝百世。 豈期骨肉豫禍，後族專權，楊、賈縱毒，齊、趙內篡。 幸以誅夷，而未靜息。 每憂王室，心悸肝爛。 羊玄之、皇甫商等恃寵作禍，能不興慨！ 於是征西羽檄，四海雲應。 本謂仁兄同其所懷，便當內擒商等，收級遠送。 如何迷惑，自為戎首！ 上矯君詔，下離愛弟，推移輦轂，妄動兵威，還任豺狼，棄戮親善。 行惡求福，如何自勉！ 前遣陸機董督節鉞，雖黃橋之退，而溫南收勝，一彼一此，未足增慶也。 今武士百萬，良將銳猛，要當與兄整頓海內。 若能從太尉之命，斬商等首，投戈退讓，自求多福，穎亦自歸鄴都，與兄同之。 奉覽來告，緬然慷慨。 慎哉大兄，深思進退也！」
Ying answered citing Wen Jing and Wu—golden age lineage. Who thought imperial wives and princes would poison the realm. Execution spared disaster unrepaired. My heart tears for the throne. Villains Yang Xuanzhi and Huangfu Shang torment court. Westward call brought every quarter. I thought you would bind Shang and send their heads. Instead you lead rebellion. You forge orders, divide brothers, march wolves against kin. Seeking blessing through evil—have shame? Lu Ji lost Yellow Bridge yet scored south—not decisive. A million blades await to settle the realm with you. Obey Yong—kill Shang—lay arms—and I return Ye with you. Reading your letter moves me. Think twice, brother!"
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乂前後破穎軍，斬獲六七萬人。 戰久糧乏，城中大饑，雖曰疲弊，將士同心，皆願效死。 而乂奉上之禮未有虧失，張方以為未可克，欲還長安。 而東海王越慮事不濟，潛與殿中將收乂送金墉城。 乂表曰：「陛下篤睦，委臣朝事。 臣小心忠孝，神祇所鑒。 諸王承謬，率眾見責，朝臣無正，各慮私困，收臣別省，送臣幽宮。 臣不惜軀命，但念大晉衰微，枝黨欲盡，陛下孤危。 若臣死國寧，亦家之利。 但恐快凶人之志：無益于陛下耳。」
Yi smashed sixty-seventy thousand of Ying's men. Luoyang starved yet troops stood loyal. Yi kept honoring Hui; Zhang Fang deemed siege hopeless. Prince Yue feared Yi winning—had him seized to Brick Granary. Yi wrote: "You entrusted me governance. My loyalty heaven knows. Princes blame ministers—I lie chained apart. I fear not death—fear Jin falls. My death may steady state. Yet villains alone profit—not Your Majesty."
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殿中左右恨乂功垂成而敗，謀劫出之，更以距穎。 越懼難作，欲遂誅乂。 黃門郎潘滔勸越密告張方，方遣部將郅輔勒兵三千，就金墉收乂，至營，炙而殺之。 乂冤痛之聲達於左右，三軍莫不為之垂涕。 時年二十八。
Guards meant to free Yi to fight Ying. Prince Yue feared riot—resolved to kill Yi. Pan Tao tipped Zhang Fang—Zhi Fu roasted Yi alive. His screams shook army tears. He was twenty-eight.
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乂將殯於城東，官屬莫敢往，故掾劉佑獨送之，步持喪車，悲號斷絕，哀感路人。 張方以其義士，不之問也。 初，乂執權之始，洛下謠曰：「草木萌牙殺長沙。」 乂以正月二十五日廢，二十七日死，如謠言焉。 永嘉中，懷帝以乂子碩嗣，拜散騎常侍，後沒于劉聰。
Only Liu You dared bury him—mourners wept on road. Fang spared Liu You. Omen ran: spring sprouts slay Changsha. Yi fell twenty-fifth killed twenty-seventh—as rhyme. Huai named son Shuo attendant until Liu Cong took him.
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成都王穎
Sima Ying, Prince of Chengdu
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成都王穎，字章度，武帝第十六子也。 太康末受封，邑十萬戶。 後拜越騎校尉，加散騎常侍、車騎將軍。 賈謐嘗與皇太子博，爭道。 穎在坐，厲聲呵謐曰：「皇太子國之儲君，賈謐何得無禮！」 謐懼，由此出穎為平北將軍，鎮鄴。 轉鎮北大將軍。
Prince Ying courtesy Zhangdu—sixteenth son of Emperor Wu. Late Taikang he gained principality with hundred thousand households. He rose to agile cavalry attendant and chariot general. Jia Mi quarreled over a weiqi move with the heir. Ying shouted Mi down for insulting the heir. Mi banished Ying to Ye as northern pacifier. He became Grand General Who Guards the North.
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趙王倫之篡也，進征北大將軍，加開府儀同三司。 及齊王冏舉義，穎發兵應冏，以鄴令盧志為左長史，頓丘太守鄭琰為右長史，黃門郎程牧為左司馬，陽平太守和演為右司馬。 使兗州刺史王彥，冀州刺史李毅，督護趙驤、石超等為前鋒。 羽檄所及，莫不回應。 至朝歌，眾二十餘萬。 趙驤至黃橋，為倫將士猗、許超所敗，死者八千餘人，士眾震駭。 穎欲退保朝歌，用盧志、王彥策，又使趙驤率眾八萬，與王彥俱進。 倫復遣孫會、劉琨等率三萬人，與猗、超合兵距驤等，精甲耀日，鐵騎前驅。 猗既戰勝，有輕驤之心。 未及溫十餘里，復大戰，猗等奔潰。 穎遂過河，乘勝長驅。 左將軍王輿殺孫秀，幽趙王倫，迎天子反正。 及穎入京都，誅倫。 使趙驤、石超等助齊王冏攻張泓于陽翟，泓等遂降。 冏始率眾入洛，自以首建大謀，遂擅威權。 穎營於太學，及入朝，天子親勞焉。 穎拜謝曰：「此大司馬臣冏之勳，臣無豫焉。」 見訖，即辭出，不復還營，便謁太廟，出自東陽城門，遂歸鄴。 遣信與冏別，冏大驚，馳出送穎，至七里澗及之。 穎住車言別，流涕，不及時事，惟乙太妃疾苦形于顏色，百姓觀者莫不傾心。
Under Lun's coup he gained northern command and Three Excellencies ritual. Against Lun he staffed Lu Zhi, Zheng Yan, Cheng Mu, He Yan. Wang Yan and Li Yi spearheaded with Zhao Xiang and Shi Chao. Every province answered his call. At Zhaoge he held two hundred thousand. Zhao Xiang lost eight thousand at Yellow Bridge. Lu Zhi urged another eighty thousand under Zhao Xiang with Wang Yan. Lun sent Sun Hui and Liu Kun thirty thousand joining Yi and Chao. Yi grew careless after win. Past Wen Yi routed Lun's van. Ying crossed Yellow River in triumph. Wang Yu killed Sun Xiu and caged Lun—Hui restored. Ying entered Luoyang and executed Lun. He aided Jiong against Zhang Hong at Yangzhai until surrender. Jiong entered Luoyang first and seized power. Ying pitched at the academy; Emperor Hui greeted him at court. "This victory belongs to Prince Jiong—not me." After court he bypassed camp, worshipped ancestors, left eastern Yang gate for Ye. Jiong raced after him to Seven-li Brook. At parting he wept only for his ailing mother—onlookers were moved.
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至鄴，詔遣兼太尉王粹加九錫殊禮，進位大將軍、都督中外諸軍事、假節、加黃鉞、錄尚書事，入朝不趨，劍履上殿。 穎拜受徽號，讓殊禮九錫，表論興義功臣盧志、和演、董洪、王彥、趙驤等五人，皆封開國公侯。 又表稱：「大司馬前在陽翟，與強賊相持既久，百姓創痍，饑餓凍餒，宜急振救。 乞差發郡縣車，一時運河北邸閣米十五萬斛，以振陽翟饑人。」 盧志言於穎曰：「黃橋戰亡者有八千餘人，既經夏暑，露骨中野，可為傷惻。 昔周王葬枯骨，故《詩》云'行有死人，尚或墐之'。 況此等致死王事乎！」 穎乃造棺八千餘枚，以成都國秩為衣服，斂祭，葬于黃橋北，樹枳籬為之塋域。 又立都祭堂，刊石立碑，紀其赴義之功，使亡者之家四時祭祀有所。 仍表其門閭，加常戰亡二等。 又命河內溫縣埋藏趙倫戰死士卒萬四千餘人。 穎形美而神昏，不知書，然器性敦厚，委事於志，故得成其美焉。
Ye received him with nine gifts, full command, yellow axe, and grand secretariat powers. He refused the trappings but enfeoffed Lu Zhi, He Yan, Dong Hong, Wang Yan, and Zhao Xiang. He asked relief for Yangzhai's starving people after the long siege. Fifteen million pecks from Hebei granaries were to feed Yangzhai. Lu Zhi urged burial for eight thousand dead at Yellow Bridge. The Odes praise burying war dead. These died for Jin—they deserve graves. He spent Chengdu revenue on eight thousand coffins and a walled burial ground north of Yellow Bridge. He raised a hall and stele so families could mourn seasonally. Honored their gates above standard war dead. He buried Lun's fourteen thousand dead near Wen. Handsome but slow-witted, Ying delegated to Lu Zhi and flourished.
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及齊王冏驕侈無禮，於是眾望歸之。 詔遣侍中馮蓀、中書令卞粹喻穎入輔政，並使受九錫。 穎猶讓不拜。 尋加太子太保。 穎嬖人孟玖不欲還洛，又程太妃愛戀鄴都，以此議久不決。 留義募將士既久，咸怨曠思歸，或有輒去者，乃題鄴城門云：「大事解散蠶欲遽。 請且歸，赴時務。 昔以義來，今以義去。 若復有急更相語。」 穎知不可留，因遣之，百姓乃安。 及冏敗，穎懸執朝政，事無巨細，皆就鄴諮之。 後張昌擾亂荊土，穎拜表南征，所在響赴。 既恃功驕奢，百度弛廢，甚于冏時。
When Jiong turned tyrant popular hope shifted to Ying. Court sent Feng Sun and Bian Cui urging Ying to govern and take nine gifts. Ying refused. He soon added Grand Tutor to the heir. Meng Jiu and his mother Consort Cheng kept him in Ye. Idle troops graffitied Ye's gates demanding release. Let us go home for now. We came for duty—now duty sends us home. Call us if crisis returns." Ying dismissed them and calm returned. After Jiong fell Ying ran the realm from Ye. When Zhang Chang rioted Ying marched south and provinces rallied. Success made him more corrupt than Jiong.
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穎方恣其欲，而憚長沙王乂在內，遂與河間王顒表請誅後父羊玄之、左將軍皇甫商等，檄乂使就第。 乃與顒將張方伐京都，以平原內史陸機為前鋒都督、前將軍、假節。 穎次朝歌，每夜矛戟有光若火，其壘井中皆有龍象。 進軍屯河南，阻清水為壘，造浮橋以通河北，以大木函盛石，沈之以系橋，名曰石鱉。 陸機戰敗，死者甚眾，機又為孟玖所譖，穎收機斬之，夷其三族，語在《機傳》。 於是進攻京城。 時常山人王輿合眾萬餘，欲襲穎，會乂被執，其黨斬輿降。 穎既入京師，復旋鎮於鄴，增封二十郡，拜丞相。 河間王顒表穎宜為儲副，遂廢太子覃，立穎為皇太弟，丞相如故，制度一依魏武故事，乘輿服御皆遷於鄴。 表罷宿衛兵屬相府，更以王官宿衛。 僭侈日甚，有無君之心，委任孟玖等，大失眾望。
He allied with Yong against Yi and demanded Yang Xuanzhi and Huangfu Shang killed. He sent Lu Ji ahead with Zhang Fang. Omens lit Zhaoge camp—dragon shapes in wells. He bridged the river with stone anchors dubbed turtles. Lu Ji lost; Meng Jiu framed him—Ying executed Ji and his clan. He marched on Luoyang. Wang Yu's coup collapsed when allies killed him. After Luoyang Ying returned to Ye as chancellor with twenty commanderies. Yong made Ying heir in place of Crown Prince Tan and moved the court gear to Ye. Palace guard transferred to Ying's bureau. He ruled through Meng Jiu and alienated everyone.
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永興初，左衛將軍陳眕，殿中中郎褾苞、成輔及長沙故將上官巳等，奉大駕討穎，馳檄四方，赴者雲集。 軍次安陽，眾十餘萬，鄴中震懼。 穎欲走，其掾步熊有道術，曰：「勿動！ 南軍必敗。」 穎會其眾問計，東安王繇乃曰：「天子親征，宜罷甲，縞素出迎請罪。」 司馬王混、參軍崔曠勸穎距戰，穎從之，乃遣奮武將軍石超率眾五萬，次於蕩陰。 眕二弟匡、規自鄴赴王師，云：「鄴中皆已離散。」 由是不甚設備。 超眾奄至，王師敗績，矢及乘輿，侍中嵇紹死於帝側，左右皆奔散，乃棄天子于槁中。 超遂奉帝幸鄴。 穎改元建武，害東安王繇，署置百官，殺生自己，立郊于鄴南。
Chen Zhen and allies marched on Ying with imperial guards. They camped at Anyang with a hundred thousand—Ye panicked. Clerk Bu Xiong forbade flight. The southern host will lose." Prince Yao urged surrender in white. Wang Hun and Cui Kuang talked him into fighting—Shi Chao held Dangyin. Chen's brothers reported Ye collapsing. Ying relaxed his guard. Shi Chao routed Hui; Ji Shao died shielding him—Hui was abandoned in a wagon. Shi Chao convoyed Hui to Ye. Ying changed reign name, killed Prince Yao, packed court with cronies, built suburban altar.
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安北將軍王浚、甯北將軍東嬴公騰殺穎所置幽州刺史和演，穎征浚，浚屯冀州不進，與騰及烏丸、羯硃襲穎。 候騎至鄴，穎遣幽州刺史王斌及石超、李毅等距浚，為羯硃等所敗。 鄴中大震，百僚奔走，士卒分散。 穎懼，將帳下數十騎，擁天子，與中書監慮志單車而走，五日至洛。 羯硃追至朝歌，不及而還。 河間王顒遣張方率甲卒二萬救穎，至洛，方乃挾帝，擁穎及豫章王並高光、慮志等歸於長安。 顒廢穎歸籓，以豫章王為皇太弟。
Wang Jun and Duke Teng killed He Yan and struck Ye with Wuhuan and Jie auxiliaries. Ying lost to Wang Jun's tribal allies. Ye collapsed in panic. Ying fled toward Luoyang with Hui and Lu Zhi. The Jie broke off pursuit at Zhaoge. Zhang Fang took Hui and Ying west to Chang'an. Yong stripped Ying and named Prince Zhaoge heir.
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穎既廢，河北思之。 鄴中故將公師籓、汲桑等起兵以迎穎，眾情翕然。 顒復拜穎鎮軍大將軍、都督河北諸軍事，給兵千人，鎮鄴。 穎至洛，而東海王越率眾迎大駕，所在鋒起。 穎以北方盛強，懼不可進，自洛陽奔關中。 值大駕還洛，穎自華陰趨武關，出新野。 帝詔鎮南將軍劉弘、南中郎將劉陶收捕穎，於是棄母妻，單車與二子廬江王普、中都王廓渡河赴朝歌，收合故將士數百人，欲就公師籓。 頓丘太守馮嵩執穎及普、廓送鄴，范陽王虓幽之，而無他意。 屬虓暴薨，虓長史劉輿見穎為鄴都所服，慮為後患，秘不發喪，偽令人為台使，稱詔夜賜穎死。 穎謂守者田徽曰：「范陽王亡乎？」 徽曰：「不知。」 穎曰：「卿年幾？」 徽曰：「五十。」 穎曰：「知天命不？」 徽曰：「不知。」 穎曰：「我死之後，天下安乎不安乎？ 我自放逐，於今三年，身體手足不見洗沐，取數斗湯來！」 其二子號泣，穎敕人將去。 乃散發東首臥，命徽縊之，時年二十八。 二子亦死。 鄴中哀之。
Hebei still longed for Ying. Ye generals Gongshi Fan and Ji Sang rose to recall him. Yong restored Ying to guard Hebei with a thousand men. At Luoyang Prince Yue rose with imperial escort. Ying fled north's strength for Guanzhong. When Hui returned Luoyang Ying raced south via Wuguan. Edicts hunted him—he fled toward Gongshi Fan abandoning family. Feng Song captured him for Prince Xiao who jailed him. After Xiao died Liu Yu forged an order killing Ying. Ying asked guard Tian Hui if Xiao had died." I do not know." How old are you?" Fifty." Do you know Heaven's will?" I do not." Will the realm know peace after I die? I have not bathed three years—bring water." He sent his sons away. He lay east-facing and had Tian Hui strangle him at twenty-eight. His sons died too. Ye mourned him.
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穎之敗也，官屬並奔散，惟盧志隨從不怠，論者稱之。 其後汲桑害東贏公騰，稱為穎報仇，遂出穎棺，載之於軍中，每事啟靈，以行軍令。 桑敗，度棺于故井中。 穎故臣收之，改葬於洛陽，懷帝加以縣王禮。
Only Lu Zhi stayed loyal. Ji Sang carried Ying's coffin as a talisman. Ji Sang dumped the coffin in a well. Old aides reburied him at Luoyang with princely honors.
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穎死後數年，開封間有傳穎子年十餘歲，流離百姓家，東海王越遣人殺之。 永嘉中，立東萊王蕤子遵為穎嗣，封華容縣王。 後沒于賊，國除。
Prince Yue hunted down a rumored surviving son. Huai made Sima Zun his nominal heir. The line ended when Zun fell to rebels.
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河間王顒
Sima Yong, Prince of Hejian
77
河間王顒，字文載，安平獻王孚孫，太原烈王瑰之子也。 初襲父爵，咸寧二年就國。 三年，改封河間。 少有清名，輕財愛士。 與諸王俱來朝，武帝歎顒可以為諸國儀錶。 元康初，為北中郎將，監鄴城。 九年，代梁王肜為平西將軍，鎮關中。 石函之制，非親親不得都督關中，顒于諸王為疏，特以賢舉。
Prince Yong, courtesy Wenzai, was grandson of Prince Fu and son of Prince Gui. He inherited in Xianning 2. Year three he became Prince of Hejian. Young he was generous and esteemed scholars. Emperor Wu called him a model prince. Early Yuankang he guarded Ye. Year nine he replaced Prince Rong holding Guanzhong. Non-kin rarely held Guanzhong—Yong won it on merit.
78
及趙王倫篡位，齊王冏謀討之。 前安西參軍夏侯奭自稱侍御史，在始平合眾，得數千人，以應冏，遣信要顒。 顒遣主簿房陽、河間國人張方討擒奭，及其黨十數人，于長安市腰斬之。 及冏檄至，顒執冏使，送之於倫。 倫徵兵於顒，顒遣方率關右健將赴之。 方至華陰，顒聞二王兵盛，乃加長史李含龍驤將軍，領督護席薳等追方軍回，以應二王。 義兵至潼關，而倫、秀已誅，天子反正，含、方各率眾還。 及冏論功，雖怒顒初不同，而終能濟義，進位侍中、太尉，加三賜之禮。
When Lun seized the throne Jiong plotted. Xiahou Shi raised troops for Jiong and summoned Yong. Fang Yang and Zhang Fang seized Xiahou Shi and his band and executed them at Chang'an. When Jiong's manifesto came Yong bound his courier for Lun. Lun drafted Yong's army—Zhang Fang led west-country veterans east. At Huayin Yong recalled Fang when coalition grew strong. By Tong Pass Lun had fallen—Fang and Li Han marched home. Jiong still promoted Yong despite early hesitation.
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後含為翊軍校尉，與冏參軍皇甫商、司馬趙驤等有憾，遂奔顒，詭稱受密詔伐冏，因說利害。 顒納之，便發兵，遣使邀成都王穎。 以含為都督，率諸軍屯陰盤，前鋒次於新安，去洛百二十里。 檄長沙王乂討冏。 及冏敗，顒以含為河南尹，使與馮蓀、卞粹等潛圖害乂。 商知含前矯妄及與顒陰謀，具以告乂。 乂乃誅含等。 顒聞含死，即起兵以討商為名，使張方為都督，領精卒七萬向洛。 方攻商，商距戰而潰，方遂進攻西明門。 乂率中軍左右衛擊之，方眾大敗，死者五千餘人。 方初于駃水橋西為營，於是築壘數重，外引廩穀，以足軍資。 乂復從天子出攻方，戰輒不利。 及乂死，方還長安。 詔以顒為太宰、大都督、雍州牧。 顒廢皇太子覃，立成都王穎為太弟，改年，大赦。
Li Han fled to Yong and forged orders against Jiong. Yong mobilized and summoned Prince Ying. Li Han camped at Yinpan near Luoyang. His manifesto ordered Yi to strike Jiong. After Jiong fell Yong made Li Han Henan governor to murder Yi. Huangfu Shang exposed Li Han to Yi. Yi executed Li Han's cabal. Yong marched on Huangfu Shang with seventy thousand. Zhang Fang routed Shang at Ximing Gate. Yi shattered Fang losing five thousand. Fang fortified beyond Kuai Bridge with granaries. Yi and Hui attacked Fang without luck. Fang withdrew to Chang'an after Yi fell. Hui named Yong Grand Tutor and Yongzhou governor. Yong replaced Tan with Prince Ying as heir.
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左衛將軍陳眕奉天子伐穎，顒又遣方率兵二萬救鄴。 天子已幸鄴。 方屯兵洛陽。 及王浚等伐穎，穎挾天子歸洛陽。 方將兵入殿中，逼帝幸其壘，掠府庫，將焚宮廟以絕眾心。 盧志諫，乃止。 方又逼天子幸長安。 顒及選置百官，改秦州為定州。 及東海王越起兵徐州，西迎大駕，關中大懼，方謂顒曰：「方所領猶有十餘萬眾，奉送大駕還洛宮，使成都王反鄴，公自留鎮關中，方北討博陵。 如此，天下可小安，無復舉手者。」 顒慮事大難濟，不許。 乃假劉喬節，進位鎮東大將軍，遣成都王穎總統樓褒、王闡等諸軍，據河橋以距越。 王浚遣督護劉根，將三百騎至河上。 闡出戰，為根所殺。 穎頓軍張方故壘，范陽王虓遣鮮卑騎與平昌、博陵眾襲河橋，樓褒西走，追騎至新安，道路死者不可勝數。
Chen Zhen attacked Ying while Yong reinforced Ye. Hui was already at Ye. Zhang Fang held Luoyang. Ying brought Hui back from Ye. Fang looted Luoyang and meant to torch the palace. Lu Zhi stopped the burning. Fang dragged Hui west. Yong reshuffled offices and renamed Qin to Ding. Fang proposed returning Hui while Yong stayed west. Peace would return without further risings." Yong refused. Yong armed Liu Qiao and Prince Ying to hold the Yellow River bridge. Wang Jun sent Liu Gen to the ford. Wang Chan fell to Liu Gen. Coalition smashed Lou Bao at the bridge.
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初，越以張方劫遷車駕，天下怨憤，唱義與山東諸侯克期奉迎，先遣說顒，令送帝還都，與顒分陝而居。 顒欲從之，而方不同。 及東軍大捷，成都等敗，顒乃令方親信將郅輔夜斬方，送首以示東軍。 尋變計，更遣刁默守潼關，乃咎輔殺方，又斬輔。 顒先遣將呂朗等據滎陽，范陽王虓司馬劉琨以方首示朗，於是朗降。 時東軍既盛，破刁默以入關，顒懼，又遣馬瞻、郭傳于霸水禦之，瞻等戰敗散走。 顒乘單馬，逃於太白山。 東軍入長安，大駕旋，乙太弟太保梁柳為鎮西將軍，守關中。 馬瞻等出詣柳，因共殺柳於城內。 瞻等與始平太守梁邁合從，迎顒于南山。 顒初不肯入府，長安令蘇眾、記室督硃永勸顒表稱柳病卒，輒知方事。 弘農太守裴暠、秦國內史賈龕、安定太守賈疋等起義討顒，斬馬瞻、梁邁等。 東海王越遣督護麋晃率國兵伐顒。 至鄭，顒將牽秀距晃，晃斬秀，並其二子。 義軍據有關中，顒保城而已。
Prince Yue rallied east against Fang's seizure of Hui. Yong wavered but Fang refused. Yong sacrificed Zhang Fang's head to appease the east. He double-crossed Zhi Fu after using him. Liu Kun showed Fang's head and took Xingyang. Eastern allies smashed Yong's Bashui line. Yong fled to Taibai Mountain. Eastern troops recovered Chang'an. Ma Zhan murdered Liang Liu inside Chang'an. They welcomed Yong from the hills. Yong plotted his return with forged Liu death. Heartland prefects rose and executed Ma Zhan. Prince Yue sent Mi Huang against Yong. Mi Huang killed Qian Xiu at Zheng. Yong was trapped in Chang'an.
82
永嘉初，詔書以顒為司徒，乃就征。 南陽王模遣將梁臣于新安雍谷車上扼殺之，並其三子。 詔以彭城元王植子融為顒嗣，改封樂成縣王。 薨，無子。 建興中，元帝又以彭城康王釋子欽為融嗣。
Yongjia summoned Yong as minister. Prince Mo assassinated Yong en route. Court adopted Rong as Yong's heir. Rong died heirless. Yuan Di assigned Qin as heir.
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東海孝獻王越
Sima Yue, Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai
84
東海孝獻王越，字元超，高密王泰之次子也。 少有令名，謙虛持布衣之操，為中外所宗。 初以世子為騎都尉，與駙馬都尉楊邈及琅邪王伷子繇俱侍講東宮，拜散騎侍郎，曆左衛將軍，加侍中。 討楊駿有功，封五千戶侯。 遷散騎常侍、輔國將軍、尚書右僕射，領遊擊將軍。 復為侍中，加奉車都尉，給溫信五十人，別封東海王，食六縣。 永康初，為中書令，徙侍中，遷司空，領中書監。
Prince Yue courtesy Yuanchao—second son of Prince Tai of Gaomi. Renowned for humility. He tutored the heir with Yang Miao and Sima Yao. He earned a marquisate crushing Yang Jun. He rose to secretary deputy and raid general. He became Prince of Donghai with fifty messengers. Under Yongkang he headed Secretariat and became minister.
85
成都王穎攻長沙王乂，乂固守洛陽，殿中諸將及三部司馬疲于戰守，密與左衛將軍硃默夜收乂別省，逼越為主，啟惠帝免乂官。 事定，越稱疾遜位。 帝不許，加守尚書令。 太安初，帝北征鄴，以越為大都督。 六軍敗，越奔下邳，徐州都督、東平王楙不納，越徑還東海。 成都王穎以越兄弟宗室之美，下寬令招之，越不應命。 帝西幸，以越為太傅，與太宰顒夾輔朝政，讓不受。 東海中尉劉洽勸越發兵以備穎，越以洽為左司馬，尚書曹馥為軍司。 既起兵，楙懼，乃以州與越。 越以司空領徐州都督，以楙領兗州刺史。 越三弟並據方任征伐，輒選刺史守相，朝士多赴越。 而河間王顒挾天子，發詔罷越等，皆令就國。 越唱義奉迎大駕，還復舊都，率甲卒三萬，西次蕭縣。 豫州刺史劉喬不受越命，遣子祐距之，越軍敗。 范陽王虓遣督護田徽以突騎八百迎越，遇祐於譙，祐眾潰，越進屯陽武。 山東兵盛，關中大懼，顒斬送張方首求和，尋變計距越。 越率諸侯及鮮卑許扶曆、駒次宿歸等步騎迎惠帝反洛陽。 詔越乙太傅錄尚書，以下邳、濟陽二郡增封。
Palace guards seized Yi and forced Prince Yue to lead. Yue feigned resignation. Hui refused and named him recording minister. Tai'an northern march made Yue commander. Six hosts lost—Yue fled to Donghai. Prince Ying summoned Yue—ignored. Western court named Yue Grand Tutor—declined. Liu Qia spurred Prince Yue's army. Prince Mao yielded Xuzhou to Yue. Yue took Xuzhou and gave Mao Yanzhou. Yue clan dominated appointments. Yong ordered princes home. Prince Yue marched west from Xuzhou. Liu Qiao defied Yue and beat him. Tian Hui rescued Yue at Qiao. Yong offered Fang's head then relented. Prince Yue escorted Hui east with tribal horse. Hui restored Yue as tutor with added fiefs.
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及懷帝即位，委政於越。 吏部郎周穆，清河王覃舅，越之姑子也，與其妹夫諸葛玫共說越曰：「主上之為太弟，張方意也。 清河王本太子，為群凶所廢。 先帝暴崩，多疑東宮。 公盍思伊、霍之舉，以寧社稷乎？」 言未卒，越曰：「此豈宜言邪！」 遂叱左右斬之。 以玫、穆世家，罪止其身，因此表除三族之法。 帝始親萬機，留心庶事，越不悅，求出籓，帝不許。 越遂出鎮許昌。
Huai left policy to Yue. Zhou Mu urged restoring Tan. Tan was true heir. Sudden death bred suspicion. Why not play Yi Yin? Yue cut them off. He executed Zhou Mu and Zhuge Mei. He spared their kin but ended three-clan punishment. Huai tried ruling—Yue sulked. Yue moved to Xuchang.
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永嘉初，自許昌率苟晞及冀州刺史丁劭討汲桑，破之。 越還于許，長史潘滔說之曰：「兗州天下樞要，公宜自牧。」 及轉苟晞為青州刺史，由是與晞有隙。
Yongjia saw him crush Ji Sang from Xuchang. Pan Tao urged taking Yanzhou. Moving Gou Xi soured their alliance.
88
尋詔越為丞相，領兗州牧，督兗、豫、司、冀、幽、并六州。 越辭丞相不受，自許遷於鄄城。 越恐清河王覃終為儲副，矯詔收付金墉城，尋害之。
Court named Yue chancellor over six provinces. He refused title and camped Juancheng. Yue murdered Tan at Brick Granary.
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王彌入許，越遣左司馬王斌率甲士五千人入衛京都。 鄄城自壞，越惡之，移屯濮陽，又遷于滎陽。 召田甄等六率，甄不受命，越遣監軍劉望討甄。 初，東嬴公騰之鎮鄴也，攜并州將田甄、甄弟蘭、任祉、祁濟、李惲、薄盛等部眾萬餘人至鄴，遣就谷冀州，號為乞活。 及騰敗，甄等邀破汲桑於赤橋，越以甄為汲郡，蘭為钜鹿大守。 甄求魏郡，越不許，甄怒，故召不至。 望既渡河，甄退。 李惲、薄盛斬田蘭，率其眾降，甄、祉、濟棄軍奔上黨。
Yue sent Wang Bin to Luoyang against Wang Mi. Juancheng fell—Yue relocated. Tian Zhen defied orders. Teng brought Begging Survival troops from Bing. After Teng fell, Tian Zhen broke Ji Sang at Red Bridge; Sima Yue rewarded him with Ji commandery and made Tian Lan governor of Julu. Tian Zhen asked for Wei commandery; Yue refused; Zhen sulked and ignored further summons. When Surveillance Officer Liu Wang crossed the Yellow River, Tian Zhen pulled back. Li Yun and Bo Sheng killed Tian Lan and surrendered his force; Tian Zhen, Ren Zhi, and Qi Ji bolted and ran for Shangdang.
90
越自滎陽還洛陽，以太學為府。 疑朝臣貳己，乃誣帝舅王延等為亂，遣王景率甲士三千人入宮收延等，付廷尉殺之。 越解兗州牧，領司徒。 越既與苟晞構怨，又以頃興事多由殿省，乃奏宿衛有侯爵者皆罷之。 時殿中武官並封侯，由是出者略盡，皆泣涕而去。 乃以東海國上軍將軍何倫為右衛將軍，王景為左衛將軍，領國兵數百人宿衛。
Sima Yue came back from Xingyang to Luoyang and quartered his staff in the Imperial Academy. Paranoid about the bureaucracy, he framed Emperor Huai's uncle Wang Yan for treason, sent Wang Jing with three thousand guards into the palace, and had Yan and his alleged accomplices executed. He stepped down as Yanzhou shepherd and took the portfolio of Minister of Education. Already at odds with Gou Xi, he blamed palace insiders for recent unrest and cashiered every night guard who held a marquisate. Those martial officers had all been made marquises; nearly every one left his post in tears. He assigned He Lun of Donghai's superior army to the Right Guard, Wang Jing to the Left Guard, and left several hundred royal troops to watch the palace.
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越自誅王延等，大失眾望，而多有猜嫌。 散騎侍郎高韜有憂國之言，越誣以訕謗時政害之，而不自安。 乃戎服入見，請討石勒，且鎮集兗、豫以援京師。 帝曰：「今逆虜侵逼郊畿，王室蠢蠢，莫有固心。 朝廷社稷，倚賴於公，豈可遠出以孤根本！」 對曰：「臣今率眾邀賊，勢必滅之。 賊滅則不逞消殄，已東諸州職貢流通。 此所以宣暢國威，籓屏之宜也。 若端坐京輦以失機會，則釁弊日滋，所憂逾重。」 遂行。 留妃裴氏，世子、鎮軍將軍毗，及龍驤將軍李惲並何倫等守衛京都。 表以行台隨軍，率甲士四萬東屯于項，王公卿士隨從者甚眾。 詔加九錫。 越乃羽檄四方曰：「皇綱失禦，社稷多難，孤以弱才，備當大任。 自頃胡寇內逼，偏裨失利，帝鄉便為戎州，冠帶奄成殊域，朝廷上下，以為憂懼。 皆由諸侯蹉跎，遂及此難。 投袂忘履，討之已晚。 人情奉本，莫不義奮。 當須合會之眾，以俟戰守之備。 宗廟主上，相賴匡救。 檄至之日，便望風奮發，忠臣戰士效誠之秋也。」 所征皆不至。 而苟晞又表討越，語在《晞傳》。 越以豫州刺史馮嵩為左司馬，自領豫州牧。
Murdering Wang Yan destroyed his credibility and fed endless mistrust. When Gao Tao voiced patriotic concern, Yue framed him for defaming the court and had him killed, yet remained uneasy. He appeared in armor, pledging to strike Shi Le while rallying Yan and Yu to shield Luoyang. Emperor Huai replied that rebels besieged the capital region and the court had lost its nerve. The throne depends on you—how can you abandon the capital?" Yue insisted his army would intercept the enemy and crush them. Victory, he said, would pacify the east and restore tribute routes. That, he argued, would project imperial prestige along the border marches. Staying put, he warned, would only deepen the crisis. He marched anyway. He left Consort Pei, heir Pi, Li Yun, He Lun, and others to hold Luoyang. His field headquarters followed forty thousand armored men to Xiang; a host of nobles and officials trailed along. The throne stacked the nine ceremonial gifts on him. He issued a manifesto lamenting lost control and naming himself the burdened rescuer of the dynasty. He described barbarian pressure, defeated wings, and the heartland slipping into foreign hands. He blamed rival princes for dithering until disaster struck. They had stirred too late—vengeance now came behind events. Loyalty to the throne, he urged, should galvanize every commander. He called for united armies ready to fight and hold ground. Altar and emperor alike needed joint rescue. He proclaimed this the moment for loyalists to answer. Nobody responded. Gou Xi attacked him—the story belongs to Gou's biography. He named Feng Song Left Major and took the Yuzhou shepherd's seal himself.
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越專擅威權，圖為霸業，朝賢素望，選為佐吏，名將勁卒，充於己府，不臣之跡，四海所知。 而公私罄乏，所在寇亂，州郡攜貳，上下崩離，禍結釁深，遂憂懼成疾。 永嘉五年，薨于項。 秘不發喪。 以襄陽王范為大將軍，統其眾。 還葬東海。 石勒追及于苦縣甯平城，將軍錢端出兵距勒，戰死，軍潰。 勒命焚越柩曰：「此人亂天下，吾為天下報之，故燒其骨以告天地。」 於是數十萬眾，勒以騎圍而射之，相踐如山。 王公士庶死者十餘萬。 王彌弟璋焚其餘眾，並食之。 天下歸罪於越。 帝發詔貶越為縣王。
He hoarded power like a warlord: eminent ministers became his clerks, elite troops his household guard—everyone knew he no longer behaved as a subject. Exhaustion and rebellion everywhere, provinces turning coat, court split—fear sickening him. He died in Yongjia year five at Xiang. His staff hid the corpse. Prince Fan of Xiangyang took command of the army. His body went home to Donghai for burial. Shi Le caught the procession at Ningping in Ku county; Qian Duan died resisting and the column dissolved. Shi Le burned Yue's coffin, calling it cosmic justice. His horsemen surrounded hundreds of thousands and shot them into a writhing heap. Over a hundred thousand nobles and commoners died. Wang Mi's brother Wang Zhang burned survivors and fed on the dead. The realm blamed Yue for the catastrophe. Emperor Huai stripped him to a county-level princedom.
93
何倫、李惲聞越之死，秘不發喪，奉妃裴氏及毗出自京邑，從者傾城，所經暴掠。 至洧倉，又為勒所敗，毗及宗室三十六王俱沒於賊。 李惲殺妻子奔廣宗，何倫走下邳。 裴妃為人所略，賣于吳氏，太興中，得渡江，欲招魂葬越。 元帝詔有司詳議，博士傅純曰：「聖人制禮，以事緣情，設塚槨以藏形，而事之以凶； 立廟祧以安神，而奉之以吉。 送形而往，迎精而還。 此墓廟之大分，形神之異制也。 至於室廟寢廟祊祭非一處，所以廣求神之道，而獨不祭於墓，明非神之所處也。 今亂形神之別，錯廟墓之宜，違禮制義，莫大於此。」 於是下詔不許。 裴妃不奉詔，遂葬越於廣陵。 太興末，墓毀，改葬丹徒。
He Lun and Li Yun smuggled Consort Pei and Pi out of Luoyang without mourning Yue publicly; their train looted half the city. Near the Wei granary Shi Le smashed them; Pi and thirty-six imperial princes perished. Li Yun slaughtered his family and ran to Guangzong; He Lun fled toward Xiapi. Kidnappers sold Consort Pei into the Wu household; she later crossed south in Taixing and wanted a soul-summoning burial for Yue. Emperor Yuan asked the ministry; Fu Chun argued that burial rites hide the body under ill-omened observance. Ancestral temples house the spirit under auspicious cult. You escort the corpse out and welcome the spirit home by another path. Graves and temples answer to different rules for body and soul. Because worship ranges across shrines, the dead are not venerated at the burial mound—that place is not the spirit's seat. Equating tomb cult with temple rites, he said, was the grossest breach of ritual. The court refused her request. She buried him at Guangling anyway. Late in Taixing robbers broke the tomb; he was moved to Dantu.
94
初，元帝鎮建鄴，裴妃之意也，帝深德之，數幸其第，以第三子沖奉越後。 薨，無子，成帝以少子奕繼之。 哀帝徙奕為琅邪王，而東海無嗣。 隆安初，安帝更以會稽忠王次子彥璋為東海王，繼沖為曾孫。 為桓玄所害，國除。
Consort Pei had urged Emperor Yuan to base himself at Jianye; grateful, he adopted her cause and let his third son Chong continue Yue's posterity. When Chong died without issue, Emperor Cheng placed his youngest son Yi in the line. Emperor Ai transferred Yi to Langye, leaving Donghai vacant. Early in Long'an, Emperor An named Yanzhang, Prince Zhong of Kuaiji's second son, Prince of Donghai to continue Chong's line. Huan Xuan killed him and abolished the fief.
95
史臣曰：昔高辛撫運，釁起參商； 宗周嗣曆，禍纏管、蔡。 祥觀曩冊，逖聽前古，亂臣賊子，昭鑒在焉。 有晉鬱興，載崇籓翰，分茅錫瑞，道光恆典； 儀台飾袞，禮備彝章。 汝南以純和之姿，失於無斷； 楚隱習果銳之性，遂成凶很。 或位居朝右，或職參近禁，俱為女子所詐，相次受誅，雖曰自貽，良可哀也！ 倫實庸瑣，見欺孫秀，潛構異圖，煽成奸慝。 乃使元良遘怨酷，上宰陷誅夷，乾耀以之暫傾，皇綱於焉中圮。 遂裂冠毀冕，幸百六之會； 綰璽揚纛，窺九五之尊。 夫神器焉可偷安，鴻名豈容妄假！ 而欲托茲淫祀，享彼天年，凶暗之極，未之有也。 冏名父之子，唱義勤王，摧偽業于既成，拯皇輿於已墜，策勳考績，良足可稱。 然而臨禍忘憂，逞心縱欲，曾不知樂不可極，盈難久持，笑古人之未工，忘己事之已拙。 向若采王豹之奇策，納孫惠之嘉謀，高謝袞章，永表東海，雖古之伊、霍，何以加焉！ 長沙材力絕人，忠概邁俗，投弓掖門，落落標壯夫之氣； 馳車魏闕，懍懍懷烈士之風。 雖復陽九數屯，在三之情無奪。 撫其遺節，終始可觀。 穎既入總大權，出居重鎮，中台藉以成務，東夏資其宅心，乃協契河間，共圖進取。 而顒任李含之狙詐，杖張方之陵虐，遂使武閔喪元，長沙授首，逞其無君之志，矜其不義之強。 鑾駕北巡，異乎有征無戰； 乘輿西幸，非由望秩觀風。 若火燎原，猶可撲滅，矧茲安忍，能無及乎！ 東海糾合同盟，創為義舉，匡復之功未立，陵暴之釁已彰，罄彼車徒，固求出鎮。 既而帝京寡弱，狡寇憑陵，遂令神器劫遷，宗社顛覆，數十萬眾並垂餌於豺狼，三十六王咸隕身於鋒刃。 禍難之極，振古未聞。 雖及焚如，猶為幸也。 自惠皇失政，難起蕭牆，骨肉相殘，黎元塗炭，胡塵驚而天地閉，戎兵接而宮廟隳，支屬肇其禍端，戎羯乘其間隙，悲夫！ 《詩》所謂「誰生厲階，至今為梗」，其八王之謂矣。
The chroniclers say: ancient Gaoxin saw strife flare between Shen and Shang. Zhou's succession snared Guan and Cai in revolt. History leaves traitors nowhere to hide. Jin ennobled kin, handed out jade tokens, and wrapped the act in shining precedent. Regalia and ritual crowned each prince properly. Runan's gentle temper left him irresolute. Chu's aggressive streak curdled into cruelty. Whether at court or in the harem, women outplayed them—each died in turn, pitiable even if self-inflicted. Lun was a vulgar pawn of Sun Xiu's conspiracy. He destroyed the heir and top ministers; the throne flickered and the dynastic net tore. Regalia shattered when fate hit its crisis. He grasped the seal and eyed the throne. The mandate cannot be stolen; the imperial style cannot be faked. Seeking long life through foul worship—nothing viler. Jiong rallied loyal armies, broke the usurper, and restored the carriage—his record deserved praise. Yet amid peril he chased pleasure, mocked the wise, and missed his own folly. Had he taken Wang Bao and Sun Hui's advice—abdicating glory for exile east of the sea—he might have rivaled Yi Yin or Huo Guang. Changsha's Yi matched peerless courage with loyalty—at Ye Gate he dropped bow and stood like a champion. He drove on the Wei palace tiers with martyr fire in his eyes. Ill omens multiplied, yet kinship duty held. His steadfast honor stands clear from first to last. Ying ruled from court and camp alike, then allied with Prince Yong of Hejian for further grabs. Yong wielded Li Han and Zhang Fang until Wu Min fell and Changsha died—flaunting treason and brute force. The imperial train went north—no peaceful punitive march. The throne fled west—not a ritual tour of the provinces. Grassfires can be stamped out—this cruelty spread unchecked. Donghai's league claimed restoration yet bullied the throne—before victory he drained the capital guard and bolted to a frontier command. Luoyang collapsed; regalia moved, altars fell—hundreds of thousands fed wolves while thirty-six princes died by the sword. No age had seen ruin so complete. Even fiery slaughter seemed mercy beside what followed. After Emperor Hui lost control, kin slaughtered kin while commoners burned; northern alarms sealed heaven and earth, barbarian blades smashed the palace—the princes opened the breach for Rong and Jie hordes—alas! As the Songs ask who carved the stairway of ruin still blocking the realm—these eight princes did.
96
贊曰：亮總朝政，瑋懷職競。 讒巧乘間，豔妻過聽。 構怨連禍，遞遭非命。 倫實下愚，敢竊龍圖，亂常奸位，遄及嚴誅。 偉哉武閔！ 首創宏謨。 德之不建，良可悲夫！ 長沙奉國，始終靡慝； 功虧一簣，奄罹殘賊。 章度勤王，效立名揚； 合從關右，犯順爭強，事窮勢蹙，俱為亂亡。 元超作輔，出征入撫，敗國喪師，無君震主。 焚如之變，抑惟自取。
Encomium: Liang ran the court; Wei craved higher station. Slander slipped through when favored wives believed too fast. Hatred chained into disaster; each prince died an unnatural death. Lun was a dull criminal who seized the dragon throne and paid at once with execution. The Grand Prince Wu Min! He struck first for the righteous cause. Virtue never matched ambition—a bitter pity. The Prince of Changsha served loyally without secret treachery. Victory was one basket short—then rebels cut him down. Zhangdu's Ying mobilized for the sovereign and won renown. West-of-the-pass alliance turned into defiance—both camps collapsed together. Yuanchao's Yue steered court and campaign yet ruined armies, snubbed his emperor, and terrified the throne. That fiery ending—nothing but self-invited ruin.