Volume 124 Records 24: Murong Bao; Murong Sheng; Murong Xi; Murong Yun

慕容寶慕容盛慕容熙慕容雲

Murong Bao; Murong Sheng; Murong Xi; Murong Yun

慕容寶，字道祐，垂之第四子也。少輕果無志操，好人佞己。苻堅時為太子洗馬、萬年令。堅淮肥之役，以寶為陵江將軍。及為太子，砥礪自修，敦崇儒學，工談論，善屬文，曲事垂左右小臣，以求美譽。垂之朝士翕然稱之，垂亦以為克保家業，甚賢之。

Murong Bao, whose courtesy name was Daoyou, was the fourth son of Murong Chui. As a young man he was rash and unrestrained, lacking moral resolve, and delighted in those who flattered him. Under Fu Jian he held the posts of crown prince's attendant and magistrate of Wannian. During Fu Jian's campaign on the Huai and Fei rivers, Bao was appointed General Who Crosses the Yangtze. After he was named crown prince, he set himself to self-improvement, championed Confucian learning, excelled in debate and literary composition, and ingratiated himself with the lesser officials around Murong Chui in pursuit of a shining reputation. Chui's courtiers praised him in unison, and Chui himself believed he could safeguard the family's inheritance and held him in high regard.

垂死，其年寶嗣偽位，大赦境內，改元為永康。以其太尉庫辱官偉為太師、左光祿大夫，段崇為太保，其餘拜授各有差。遵垂遺令，校閱戶口，罷諸軍營分屬郡縣，定士族舊籍，明其官儀，而法峻政嚴，上下離德，百姓思亂者十室而九焉。

When Chui died that year, Bao took the throne, granted a general amnesty throughout the realm, and proclaimed the Yongkang era. He made his grand commandant, the Kuru official Wei, grand preceptor and minister of the left with the Splendor of Light title; Duan Chong he made grand tutor; the remainder received promotions in varying degrees. He carried out Chui's dying instructions by auditing household registers, dissolving military camps and folding them into the civil counties, fixing the hereditary registers of the aristocratic clans, and clarifying official protocols—yet his laws were severe, his rule harsh, the court and the people grew apart, and in nine households out of ten the people were ready for revolt.

初，垂以寶塚嗣未建，每憂之。寶庶子清河公會多材藝，有雄略，垂深奇之。及寶之北伐，使會代攝宮事，總錄、禮遇一同太子，所以見定旨也。垂之伐魏，以龍城舊都，宗廟所在，復使會鎮幽州，委以東北之重，高選僚屬以崇威望。臨死顧命，以會為寶嗣，而寶寵愛少子濮陽公策，意不在會。寶庶長子長樂公盛自以同生年長，恥會先之，乃盛稱策宜為儲貳，而非毀會焉。寶大悅，乃訪其趙王麟、高陽王隆，麟等咸希旨贊成之。寶遂與麟等定計，立策母段氏為皇后，策為皇太子，盛、會進爵為王。策字道符，年十一，美姿貌，而蠢弱不慧。

Earlier, Murong Chui had worried constantly because Bao had not yet named an heir. Bao's son by a concubine, Hui, Duke of Qinghe, was gifted in many arts and possessed a bold strategic mind; Chui was deeply impressed by him. When Bao marched north on campaign, he left Hui to manage palace affairs in his stead, with authority and ceremonial standing equal to the crown prince's—making plain that Hui was the intended successor. When Chui attacked Wei, he again stationed Hui at You Province to guard Longcheng, the old capital and seat of the ancestral temple, entrusting him with the defense of the northeast and appointing eminent subordinates to bolster his authority. On his deathbed Chui charged that Hui should succeed Bao, but Bao favored his younger son Ce, Duke of Puyang, and had no intention of installing Hui. Bao's eldest son by a concubine, Sheng, Duke of Changle, resented that Hui, though born of the same mother, had been placed ahead of him; he loudly praised Ce as the rightful heir while denigrating Hui. Bao was delighted and consulted the Prince of Zhao, Lin, and the Prince of Gaoyang, Long; they all told him what he wished to hear and endorsed the plan. Bao then settled the matter with Lin and the others: he made Ce's mother of the Duan clan empress, named Ce crown prince, and promoted Sheng and Hui to princely rank. Ce, whose courtesy name was Daofu, was eleven years old, handsome in bearing, but slow-witted and lacking in intelligence.

魏伐并州，驃騎農逆戰，敗績，還于晉陽，司馬慕輿嵩閉門距之。農率騎數千奔歸中山，行及潞川，為魏追軍所及，餘騎盡沒，單馬遁還。寶引群臣於東堂議之。中山尹苻謨曰：「魏軍強盛，千里轉鬥，乘勝而來，勇氣兼倍，若逸騎平原，形勢彌盛，殆難為敵，宜度險距之。」中書令晆邃曰：「魏軍多騎，師行剽銳，馬上齎糧，不過旬日。宜令郡縣聚千家為一堡，深溝高壘，清野待之。至無所掠，資食無出，不過六旬，自然窮退。」尚書封懿曰：「今魏師十萬，天下之勍敵也。百姓雖欲營聚，不足自固，是則聚糧集兵以資強寇，且動眾心，示之以弱，阻關距戰，計之上也。」慕容麟曰：「魏今乘勝氣銳，其鋒不可當，宜自完守設備，待其弊而乘之。」於是修城積粟，為持久之備。

When Wei attacked Bing Province, the Flying Cavalry General Nong fought them and was defeated; on his return to Jinyang the marshal Murong Song shut the gates against him. Nong fled with several thousand horsemen toward Zhongshan; at the Lu River Wei pursuers overtook him, his escort was wiped out, and he escaped alone on a single horse. Bao convened his ministers for counsel in the Eastern Hall. Fu Mo, governor of Zhongshan, said: "The Wei army is formidable. Having marched a thousand li and riding the momentum of victory, their spirit is doubled. If their light cavalry sweep the open plain, their advantage will only grow—we should hold difficult ground and block them." The palace secretary Qi Sui said: "The Wei forces are mostly cavalry, marching in swift raiding columns with grain carried on horseback—they cannot sustain themselves for more than ten days. Let every commandery and county gather households into forts of a thousand families each, dig deep moats, raise high walls, and strip the countryside bare to wait them out. Once they have nothing to loot and no supplies to draw on, within sixty days they will withdraw of their own accord, spent and starving." Feng Yi, minister of works, said: "The Wei host now numbers a hundred thousand—the most formidable foe in the realm. Even if the people try to fortify themselves, they cannot hold out; we would only stockpile grain and troops for the enemy, unsettle the people, advertise weakness, and forfeit the advantage of blocking the passes in battle—that is the superior strategy." Murong Lin said: "Wei rides the tide of victory with keen morale; their edge cannot be met head-on. We should fortify our defenses and wait for them to weaken, then strike." They accordingly repaired the walls, stockpiled grain, and prepared for a long siege.

魏攻中山不克，進據博陵魯口，諸將望風奔退，郡縣悉降于魏，寶聞魏有內難，乃盡眾出距，步卒十二萬，騎三萬七千，次於曲陽柏肆。魏軍進至新梁。寶憚魏師之銳，乃遣征北隆夜襲魏軍，敗績而還。魏軍方軌而至，對營相持，上下兇懼，三軍奪氣。農、麟勸寶還中山，乃引歸。魏軍追擊之，寶、農等棄大軍，率騎二萬奔還。時大風雪，凍死者相枕於道。寶恐為魏軍所及，命去袍杖戎器，寸刃無返。

Wei failed to take Zhongshan and advanced to hold Boling Lukou; generals fled before them and commanderies and counties surrendered. Hearing that Wei was troubled within, Bao marched out his entire army—120,000 foot and 37,000 horse—and encamped at Quyang Baixi. The Wei army advanced to Xinliang. Fearing the Wei army's sharp edge, Bao sent Long on a night raid; Long was beaten and driven back. The Wei army arrived in tight formation and the two hosts faced each other across the lines. Dread spread through the ranks and the army's spirit collapsed. Nong and Lin urged Bao to withdraw to Zhongshan, and he turned back. Wei pursued. Bao, Nong, and the others abandoned the main army and fled back with twenty thousand horsemen. A blizzard struck; the dead lay heaped along the road where men had frozen. Fearing capture, Bao ordered robes, staffs, and weapons discarded—not a blade was carried home.

魏軍進攻中山，屯于芳林園。其夜尚書慕容皓謀殺寶，立慕容麟。皓妻兄蘇泥告之，寶使慕容隆收皓，皓與同謀數十人斬關奔魏。麟懼不自安，以兵劫左衛將軍、北地王精，謀率禁旅弑寶。精以義距之，麟怒，殺精，出奔丁零。

The Wei army advanced on Zhongshan and encamped at Fanglin Garden. That night the minister Murong Hao plotted to kill Bao and install Murong Lin. Hao's brother-in-law Su Ni betrayed the plot; Bao sent Murong Long to seize Hao, but Hao and several dozen conspirators broke through the gate and fled to Wei. Lin, uneasy in his guilt, seized the left guard general, Prince of Beidi Jing, and plotted to lead the palace guard in assassinating Bao. Jing resisted on grounds of loyalty; Lin in fury killed him and fled to the Dingling.

初，寶聞魏之來伐也，使慕容會率幽、并之眾赴中山，麟既叛，寶恐其逆奪會軍，將遣兵迎之。麟侍郎段平子自丁零奔還，說麟招集丁零，軍眾甚盛，謀襲會軍，東據龍城。寶與其太子策及農、隆等萬餘騎迎會於薊，以開封公慕容詳守中山。會傾身誘納，繕甲厲兵，步騎二萬，列陣而進，迎寶薊南。寶分其兵給農，隆，遣西河公庫辱官驥率眾三千助守中山。會以策為太子，有恨色。寶以告農、隆，俱曰：「會一年少，專任方事，習驕所致，豈有他也。臣當以禮責之。」幽平之士皆懷會威德，不樂去之，咸請曰：「清河王天資神武，權略過人，臣等與之誓同生死，感王恩澤，皆勇氣自倍。願陛下與皇太子、諸王止駕薊宮，使王統臣等進解京師之圍，然後奉迎車駕。」寶左右皆害其勇略，譖而不許，眾咸有怨言。左右勸寶殺會，侍御史仇尼歸聞而告會曰：「左右密謀如是，主上將從之。大王所恃唯父母也，父已異圖；所杖者兵也，兵已去手，進退路窮，恐無自全之理。盍誅二王，廢太子，大王自處東宮，兼領將相，以匡社稷。」會不從。寶謂農、隆曰：「觀會為變，事當必然，宜早殺之。不爾，恐成大禍。」農曰：「寇賊內侮，中州紛亂，會鎮撫舊都，安眾寧境，及京師有難，萬里星赴，威名之重，可以振服戎狄。又逆跡未彰，宜且隱忍。今社稷之危若綴旒然，復內相誅戮，有損威望。」寶曰：「會逆心已成，而王等仁慈，不欲去之，恐一旦釁發，必先害諸父，然後及吾。事敗之後，當思朕言。」農等固諫，乃止。會聞之彌懼，奔于廣都黃榆穀。會遣仇尼歸等率壯士二千餘人分襲農、隆，隆是夜見殺，農中重創。既而會歸於寶，寶意在誅會，誘而安之，潛使左衛慕輿騰斬會，不能傷。會復奔其眾，於是勒兵攻寶。寶率數百騎馳如龍城，會率眾追之，遣使請誅左右佞臣，並求太子，寶弗許。會圍龍城，侍御郎高雲夜率敢死士百餘人襲會，敗之，眾悉逃散，單馬奔還中山，乃逾圍而入，為慕容詳所殺。

When Bao first heard of Wei's invasion he had summoned Murong Hui with the armies of You and Bing. After Lin's rebellion he feared Hui would turn the host against him and prepared to send troops to receive him. Lin's attendant Duan Pingzi fled back from the Dingling and reported that Lin was rallying Dingling warriors in great numbers, intending to strike Hui's army and seize Longcheng in the east. Bao rode out with Ce, Nong, Long, and more than ten thousand horsemen to meet Hui at Ji, leaving Murong Xiang, Duke of Kaifeng, to defend Zhongshan. Hui worked to win men's loyalty, repaired armor and sharpened weapons, and marched south of Ji with twenty thousand foot and horse in battle order to receive Bao. Bao divided his force between Nong and Long and sent Ji, Duke of Xihe, with three thousand men to reinforce Zhongshan. When Hui learned Ce had been named crown prince, resentment showed on his face. Bao told Nong and Long; both said: "Hui is young, entrusted alone with frontier command, and has grown proud through long habit—there is surely no deeper design. We shall rebuke him as propriety requires." The men of You and Ping revered Hui and would not leave him; they petitioned: "The Prince of Qinghe is endowed with divine martial talent and stratagems beyond any other. We have sworn to live and die with him, and under your grace our courage is doubled. We beg Your Majesty, the crown prince, and the princes to remain at Ji; let the prince lead us to lift the siege of the capital, and then we shall escort you home." Bao's attendants feared Hui's courage and stratagem, slandered him, and the request was denied; discontent spread through the ranks. Attendants urged Bao to kill Hui; the attendant censor Chou Nigui heard and warned Hui: "Those around the throne are plotting this in secret; the sovereign will heed them. All you rely on are your parents, and your father already plots against you; your troops are already slipping from your grasp. With neither advance nor retreat left, I fear you cannot save yourself. Why not kill the two princes, depose the crown prince, take the Eastern Palace for yourself, and hold both civil and military command to save the state?" Hui refused. Bao told Nong and Long: "Hui means to rebel; it is inevitable. We should kill him at once. Otherwise a great disaster will follow." Nong said: "Enemies press within and the heartland is in turmoil. Hui pacifies the old capital and keeps the borders quiet; when the capital is threatened he hurries a thousand li to the rescue. His prestige alone can overawe the barbarians. His treason is not yet open; we should endure a while longer. The altars hang by a thread; fratricide now would only weaken us." Bao said: "Hui's rebellion is already formed, yet you are too merciful to act. Once he strikes, he will kill the princes first and then come for me. When disaster comes, remember what I told you." Nong and the others remonstrated firmly, and he desisted. Hui heard and grew more afraid; he fled to the Huangyu Valley in Guangdu. Hui sent Chou Nigui with more than two thousand men to strike Nong and Long; Long was killed that night and Nong gravely wounded. Hui then returned to Bao. Bao meant to kill him, lulled him with reassurances, and secretly sent Murong Teng of the left guard to strike him down—but Teng could not harm him. Hui fled again to his troops and marshaled them to attack Bao. Bao fled with several hundred horsemen toward Longcheng. Hui pursued and sent envoys demanding the execution of Bao's flatterers and the surrender of the crown prince; Bao refused. Hui besieged Longcheng. That night the attendant Gao Yun led more than a hundred dare-to-die men against Hui, routed him, and his army scattered. Hui rode alone back to Zhongshan, slipped through the siege, entered the city, and was killed by Murong Xiang.

詳僭稱尊號，置百官，改年號。荒酒奢淫，殺戮無度，誅其王公以下五百餘人，內外震局，莫敢忤視。城中大饑，公卿餓死者數十人。麟率丁零之眾入中山，斬詳及其親党三百餘人，復僭稱尊號。中山饑甚，麟出據新市，與魏師戰於義台，麟軍敗績。魏師遂人中山，麟乃奔鄴。

Xiang seized the imperial title, appointed the full bureaucracy, and changed the era name. He drowned himself in wine and lust, slaughtered without measure, and executed more than five hundred princes, dukes, and officials; the court and the realm trembled, and none dared meet his gaze. Famine gripped the city and dozens of high ministers starved to death. Lin led the Dingling into Zhongshan, killed Xiang and more than three hundred of his kin and partisans, and again seized the throne. Zhongshan starved; Lin marched out to hold Xincheng and fought Wei at Yitai, where his army was routed. Wei entered Zhongshan; Lin fled to Ye.

慕容德遣侍郎李延勸寶南伐，寶大悅，慕容盛切諫，以為兵疲師老，魏新平中原，宜養兵觀釁，更俟他年。寶將從之。撫軍慕輿騰進曰：「今眾旅已集，宜乘新定之機以成進取之功。人可使由之，而難與圖始，惟當獨決聖慮，不足廣采異同，以沮亂軍議也。」寶曰：「吾計決矣，敢諫者斬！」寶發龍城，以慕輿騰為前軍大司馬，慕容農為中軍，寶為後軍，步騎三萬，次於乙連。長上段速骨、宋赤眉因眾軍之憚役也，殺司空、樂浪王宙，逼立高陽王崇。寶單騎奔農，仍引軍討速骨。眾咸憚征幸亂，投杖奔之。騰眾亦潰，寶、農馳還龍城。蘭汗潛與速骨通謀，速骨進師攻城，農為蘭汗所譎，潛出赴賊，為速骨所殺。眾皆奔散，寶與慕容盛、慕輿騰等南奔。蘭汗奉太子策承制，遣使迎寶，及於薊城。寶欲還北，盛等咸以汗之忠款虛實未明，今單馬而還，汗有貳志者，悔之無及。寶從之，乃自薊而南。至黎陽，聞慕容德稱制，懼而退。遣慕輿騰招集散兵于钜鹿，慕容盛結豪桀于冀州，段儀、段溫收部曲于內黃，眾皆響會，克期將集。會蘭汗遣左將軍蘇超迎寶，寶以汗垂之季舅，盛又汗之壻也，必謂忠款無貳，乃還至龍城。汗引寶入于外邸，弑之，時年四十四，在位三年，即隆安三年也。汗又殺其太子策及王公卿士百餘人。汗自稱大都督、大將軍、大單于、昌黎王。盛僭位，偽諡寶惠湣皇帝，廟號烈宗。

Murong De sent the attendant Li Yan to urge a southern campaign; Bao was delighted. Murong Sheng remonstrated earnestly that the army was exhausted, Wei had only just pacified the central plains, and they should rest their forces, watch for weakness, and wait another year. Bao was about to heed him. The pacification general Murong Teng urged: "The army is assembled; we should seize this moment of their fresh settlement to win a decisive victory. Men can be led once the course is set, but they cannot help plan the start. Your Majesty alone must decide; do not canvass every dissenting voice and paralyze the council of war." Bao said: "My mind is made up. Whoever dares object will be beheaded!" Bao marched from Longcheng, made Murong Teng grand marshal of the vanguard, Murong Nong commander of the center, and himself commander of the rear, and encamped at Yilian with thirty thousand foot and horse. The senior officer Duan Sugui and Song Chimei, exploiting the army's fear of forced labor, killed Zhou, prince of Lelang and minister of works, and forced the Prince of Gaoyang, Chong, onto the throne. Bao fled alone to Nong and still led troops against Sugui. The soldiers feared the campaign and the chaos of fate; they threw down their weapons and joined the rebels. Teng's force collapsed as well; Bao and Nong galloped back to Longcheng. Lan Han secretly allied with Sugui. Sugui advanced on the city; Nong was deceived by Lan Han, slipped out to join the enemy, and was killed by Sugui. The army scattered; Bao fled south with Murong Sheng, Murong Teng, and the rest. Lan Han set Ce up as regent and sent envoys to welcome Bao, meeting him at Ji. Bao wished to return north; Sheng and the others argued that Han's loyalty was still unproved—if he rode north alone and Han turned treacherous, it would be too late for regret. Bao agreed and turned south from Ji. At Liyang he heard Murong De had taken power and drew back in alarm. He sent Murong Teng to rally scattered troops at Julu; Murong Sheng gathered bold men in Ji Province; Duan Yi and Duan Wen mustered their bands at Neihuang; men answered from every side and a day was set to assemble. When Lan Han sent the left general Su Chao to welcome him, Bao—reasoning that Han was Chui's brother-in-law and Sheng his son-in-law—trusted his loyalty and returned to Longcheng. Han received Bao in the outer residence and assassinated him. He was forty-four, had reigned three years, in the third year of Longan. Han also killed the crown prince Ce and more than a hundred princes, dukes, and ministers. Han styled himself grand commander, grand general, grand chanyu, and king of Changli. Sheng seized the throne and posthumously titled Bao Emperor Hui Min, with the temple name Lie Zong.

皝之遷于龍城也，植松為社主。及秦滅燕，大風吹拔之。後數年，社處忽有桑二根生焉。先是，遼川無桑，及廆通于晉，求種江南，平州桑悉由吳來。廆終而垂以吳王中興，寶之將敗，大風又拔其一。

When Murong Huang moved the capital to Longcheng, he planted pines as the spirit of the soil altar. When Qin destroyed Yan, a great wind uprooted the pines. Years later, two mulberry shoots suddenly appeared at the altar site. Formerly Liaochuan had no mulberry; when Murong Wu opened relations with Jin he sought seedlings from the south, and all Ping Province's mulberry came from Wu. When Wu died, Chui styled himself King of Wu in restoration; as Bao's fall approached, the great wind uprooted one of the mulberries again.

盛字道運，寶之庶長子也。少沈敏，多謀略。苻堅誅慕容氏，盛潛奔於沖。及沖稱尊號，有自得之志，賞罰不均，政令不明。盛年十二，謂叔父柔曰：「今中山王智不先眾，才不出下，恩未施人，先自驕大，以盛觀之，鮮不覆敗。」俄而沖為段木延所殺，盛隨慕容永東如長子，謂柔曰：「今崎嶇於鋒刃之間，在疑忌之際，愚則為人所猜，智則危甚巢幕，當如鴻鵠高飛，一舉萬里，不可坐待罟網也。」於是與柔及弟會間行東歸於慕容垂。遇盜陝中，盛曰：「我六尺之軀，入水不溺，在火不焦，汝欲當吾鋒乎！試豎爾手中箭百步，我若中之，宜慎爾命，如其不中，當束身相授。」盜用豎箭，盛一發中之。盜曰：「郎貴人之子，故相試耳。」資而遣之。歲餘，永誅俊、垂之子孫，男女無遺。盛既至，垂問以西事，畫地成圖。垂笑曰：「昔魏武撫明帝之首，遂乃侯之，祖之愛孫，有自來矣。」於是封長樂公。驍勇剛毅，有伯父全之風烈。

Sheng, whose courtesy name was Daoyun, was Bao's eldest son by a concubine. As a youth he was reserved and sharp, full of stratagems. When Fu Jian slaughtered the Murong clan, Sheng fled secretly to Murong Chong. When Chong took the throne he grew self-satisfied; rewards and punishments were arbitrary and his orders unclear. At twelve Sheng told his uncle Rou: "The Prince of Zhongshan lacks the wisdom to lead and the talent to excel his followers; he has shown no grace to men yet already struts with pride. I see few who will not come to ruin." Soon Chong was killed by Duan Muyan. Sheng followed Murong Yong east to Changzi and told Rou: "We are battered among swords in an age of suspicion—play the fool and men will suspect you; play the wise and you are a bird in a burning nest. We must fly like wild geese ten thousand li at a stroke; we cannot wait for the net." He and Rou and his younger brother Hui stole eastward to join Murong Chui. Bandits waylaid them in the Shan passes. Sheng cried: "This six-foot frame neither drowns nor burns—do you wish to test my blade? Plant your arrow a hundred paces off. If I strike it, spare us; if I miss, I yield myself bound." The bandit set the arrow; Sheng struck it with a single shot. The bandit said: "Young lord, you are a nobleman's son—I was only testing you." He gave them provisions and let them go. A year later Yong executed Jun and every descendant of Chui, male and female, without exception. When Sheng arrived, Chui questioned him about the west; he traced a map on the ground. Chui laughed: "When Cao Cao stroked Emperor Ming's head he later made him a marquis—a grandfather's love for his grandson runs deep." He thereupon enfeoffed him as Duke of Changle. Fierce, brave, and resolute, he bore his uncle Quan's martial spirit.

寶即偽位，進爵為王。寶自龍城南伐，盛留統後事，及段速骨作亂，馳出迎衛。寶幾為速骨所獲，賴盛以免。盛屢進奇策於寶，寶不能從，是以屢敗。寶既如龍城，盛留在後。寶為蘭汗所殺，盛馳進赴哀，將軍張真固諫以為不可，盛曰：「我今投命，告以哀窮。汗性愚近，必顧念婚姻，不忍害我。旬月之間，足展吾志。」遂人赴喪。汗妻乙氏泣涕請盛，汗亦哀之，遣其子穆迎盛，舍之宮內，親敬如舊。汗兄提、弟難勸汗殺盛，汗不從。慕容奇，汗之外孫也，汗亦宥之。奇入見盛，遂相與謀。盛遣奇起兵於外，眾至數千。汗遣蘭提討奇。提驕很淫荒，事汗無禮，盛因間之於汗曰：「奇，小兒也，未能辦此，必內有應之者。提素驕，不可委以大眾。」汗因發怒，收提誅之，遣其撫軍仇尼慕率眾討奇。汗兄弟見提之誅，莫不危懼，皆阻兵背汗，襲敗慕軍。汗大懼，遣其子穆率眾討之。穆謂汗曰：「慕容盛，我之仇也。奇今起逆，盛必應之。兼內有蕭牆之難，不宜養心腹之疾。」汗將誅盛，引見察之。盛妻以告，於是偽稱疾篤，不復出入，汗乃止。有李旱、衛雙、劉志、張豪、張真者，皆盛之舊昵，蘭穆引為腹心。旱等屢入見盛，潛結大謀。會穆討蘭難等斬之，大饗將士，汗、穆皆醉。盛夜因如廁，袒而逾牆，入於東宮，與李旱等誅穆，眾皆踴呼，進攻汗，斬之。汗二子魯公和、陳公楊分屯令支、白狼，遣李旱、張真襲誅之。於是內外怗然，士女咸悅，盛謙揖自卑，不稱尊號。其年，以長樂王稱制，赦其境內，改元曰建平。諸王降爵為公，文武各復舊位。

When Bao took the throne, Sheng was promoted to princely rank. When Bao marched south from Longcheng, Sheng stayed to manage affairs in the rear; when Duan Sugui rebelled, he galloped out to protect him. Bao nearly fell to Sugui and was saved only by Sheng. Sheng repeatedly offered bold stratagems to Bao, but Bao would not heed them, and so suffered repeated defeats. When Bao went to Longcheng, Sheng remained in the rear. When Lan Han killed Bao, Sheng hurried to mourn. General Zhang Zhengu urged him not to go, but Sheng said: "I go now to throw myself on their mercy and declare my grief. Han is dull and shortsighted; he will remember our marriage and not harm me. Within a month I shall have room to act." He went in to attend the funeral. Han's wife Lady Yi wept and pleaded for Sheng; Han pitied him too, sent his son Mu to welcome him, housed him in the palace, and treated him with the old intimacy. Han's elder brother Ti and younger brother Nan urged him to kill Sheng; Han refused. Murong Qi, Han's grandson by a daughter, Han spared as well. Qi came to see Sheng and they plotted together. Sheng sent Qi to raise troops abroad; several thousand gathered. Han sent Lan Ti against Qi. Ti was arrogant, cruel, and dissolute and treated Han without respect; Sheng slandered him to Han: "Qi is a boy and cannot do this alone—someone inside must be helping him. Ti is too arrogant to command a great army." Han in fury arrested and killed Ti and sent his pacification general Chou Nimu against Qi. Han's brothers, seeing Ti killed, feared for themselves, took arms against Han, and routed Mu's army. Han in great fear sent his son Mu to attack them. Mu told Han: "Murong Sheng is my enemy. Qi rebels now; Sheng will surely join him. With trouble in the inner court we should not harbor a disease at the heart." Han was about to kill Sheng and summoned him to read his face. Sheng's wife warned him; he feigned grave illness and did not leave his quarters, and Han desisted. Li Han, Wei Shuang, Liu Zhi, Zhang Hao, and Zhang Zhen were Sheng's old intimates whom Lan Mu had drawn into his inner circle. They visited Sheng again and again and secretly formed a great conspiracy. When Mu attacked and killed Lan Nan, he feasted his officers; Han and Mu both drank deep. Sheng slipped out at night as if to the privy, stripped, scaled the wall, entered the Eastern Palace, and with Li Han and the others killed Mu. The soldiers shouted; they attacked Han and beheaded him. Han's sons He, duke of Lu, and Yang, duke of Chen, held separate garrisons at Lingzhi and Bailang; Sheng sent Li Han and Zhang Zhen to kill them. Within and without grew calm; men and women rejoiced. Sheng with humble courtesy declined the imperial title. That year he styled himself Prince of Changle, held the government, amnestied the realm, and proclaimed the Jianping era. Princes were demoted to dukes; civil and military officers resumed their former posts.

初，慕容奇聚眾于建安，將討蘭汗，百姓翕然從之。汗遣兄子全討奇，奇擊滅之，進屯乙連。盛既誅汗，命奇罷兵，奇遂與丁零嚴生、烏丸王龍之阻兵叛盛，引軍至橫溝，去龍城十里。盛出兵擊敗之，執奇而還，斬龍、生等百餘人。盛於是僭即尊位，大赦殊死已下，追尊伯考獻莊太子全為獻莊皇帝，尊寶後段氏為皇太后，全妃丁氏為獻莊皇后，諡太子策為獻哀太子。盛幽州刺史慕容豪、尚書左僕射張通、昌黎尹張順謀叛，盛皆誅之。改年為長樂。有犯罪者，十日一自決之，無撾捶之罰，而獄情多實。

Earlier Murong Qi had gathered troops at Jian'an to attack Lan Han, and the people flocked to him. Han sent his nephew Quan against Qi; Qi destroyed him and advanced to encamp at Yilian. After Sheng killed Han he ordered Qi to disband; Qi instead joined the Dingling Yan Sheng and the Wuhuan king Long Zhi in rebellion, marching to Henggou ten li from Longcheng. Sheng marched out, defeated them, seized Qi, and beheaded Long, Sheng, and more than a hundred men. Sheng then took the throne, granted amnesty short of death, posthumously honored his father's elder brother Quan as Emperor Offered Splendor, made Bao's consort of the Duan clan empress dowager, Quan's wife Lady Ding empress offered splendor, and gave Ce the posthumous title Offered Lament Crown Prince. Sheng's governor of You Murong Hao, left vice minister Zhang Tong, and governor of Changli Zhang Shun plotted rebellion; Sheng executed them all. He changed the era name to Changle. Criminals confessed once every ten days; there was no flogging, yet cases in the prisons were largely truthful.

高句驪王安遣使貢方物，有雀素身綠首，集於端門，棲翔東園，二旬而去，改東園為白雀園。

The king of Koguryo sent tribute; a sparrow white-bodied and green-headed gathered at the main gate, dwelt in the Eastern Garden twenty days, then departed; the garden was renamed White Sparrow Garden.

盛聽詩歌及周公之事，顧謂群臣曰：「周公之輔成王，不能以至誠感上下，誅兄弟以杜流言，猶擅美于經傳，歌德於管弦。至如我之太宰桓王，承百王之季，主在可奪之年，二寇窺窬，難過往日，臨朝輔政，群情緝穆，經略外敷，辟境千里，以禮讓維宗親，德刑制群後，敦睦雍熙，時無二論。勳道之茂，豈可與周公同日而言乎！而燕詠闕而不論，盛德掩而不述，非所謂也。」乃命中書更為《燕頌》以述恪之功焉。又引中書令常忠、尚書陽璆、秘書監郎敷於東堂，問曰：「古來君子皆謂周公忠聖，豈不謬哉！」璆曰：「周公居攝政之重，而能達群臣之名，及流言之謗，致烈風以悟主，道契神靈，義光萬代，故累葉稱其高，後王無以奪其美。」盛曰：「常令以為何如？」忠曰：「昔武王疾篤，周公有請令之誠，流言之際，義感天地，楚撻伯禽以訓就王德。周公為臣之忠，聖達之美，《詩》《書》已來未之有也。」盛曰：「異哉二君之言！朕見周公之詐，未見其忠聖也。昔武王得九齡之夢，白文王，文王曰：「我百，爾九十，吾與爾三焉。」及文王之終，已驗武王之壽矣。武王之算未盡而求代其死，是非詐乎！若惑於天命，是不聖也。據攝天位而丹誠不見，致兄弟之間有干戈之事。夫文王之化，自近及遠，故曰刑于寡妻，至於兄弟。周公親違聖父之典而蹈嫌疑之蹤，戮罰同氣以逞私忿，何忠之有乎！但時無直筆之史，後儒承其謬談故也。」忠曰：「啟金縢而返風，亦足以明其不詐。遭二叔流言之變，而能大義滅親，終安宗國，復子明辟，輔成大業，以致太平，制禮作樂，流慶無窮，亦不可謂非至德也。」盛曰：「卿徒因成文而未原大理，朕今相為論之。昔周自後稷積德累仁，至於文、武。文、武以大聖應期，遂有天下。生靈仰其德，四海歸其仁。成王雖幼統洪業，而卜世修長，加呂、召、毛、畢為之師傅。若無周公攝政，王道足以成也。周公無故以安危為己任，專臨朝之權，闕北面之禮。管、蔡忠存王室，以為周公代主非人臣之道，故言公將不利於孺子。周公當明大順之節，陳誠義以曉群疑，而乃阻兵都邑，擅行誅戮。不臣之罪彰于海內，方貽王《鴟鴞》之詩，歸非於主，是何謂乎！又周公舉事，稱告二公，二公足明周公之無罪而坐觀成王之疑，此則二公之心亦有猜于周公也。但以疏不間親，故寄言于管、蔡，可謂忠不見於當時，仁不及于兄弟。知群望之有歸，天命之不在己，然後返政成王，以為忠耳。大風拔木之征，乃皇天祐存周道，不忘文、武之德，是以赦周公之始愆，欲成周室之大美。考周公之心，原周公之行，乃天下之罪人，何至德之謂也！周公復位，二公所以杜口不言其本心者，以明管、蔡之忠也。」

Listening to songs about the Duke of Zhou, Sheng told his ministers: "The Duke of Zhou assisted King Cheng yet could not move court and people with perfect sincerity; he killed his brothers to silence rumor, yet still monopolized praise in the classics and songs. My grand preceptor Prince Huan inherited an age when the throne could be seized, when two enemies watched and hardship surpassed any former day—yet he governed with harmony, opened territory a thousand li abroad, bound the clan with ritual, ruled the host with law and grace, and none disputed his rule. Can such merit be named in the same breath as the Duke of Zhou's! Yet Yan's songs pass in silence and his great virtue goes unrecorded—is that fitting?" He ordered the palace secretariat to compose a new "Ode of Yan" recounting Ke's achievements. He summoned the palace secretary Chang Zhong, minister Yang Qiu, and director Lang Fu to the Eastern Hall and asked: "Ancient gentlemen all call the Duke of Zhou loyal and sagely—is that not mistaken?" Qiu said: "The Duke bore regency yet revealed every minister's name; when slander rose he moved heaven's wind to awaken the king—the Way matched the spirits, righteousness shines through the ages, and no later king can deny his glory." Sheng asked: "What does Director Chang think?" Zhong said: "When King Wu lay gravely ill, the Duke prayed to yield his years; amid slander his righteousness moved heaven and earth; he whipped Bo Qin to complete the king's virtue. His loyalty as minister and sagely penetration—since the Odes and Documents none has matched him." Sheng said: "Strange words, both of you! I see the Duke of Zhou's deceit, not his loyalty and sagacity. "King Wu once dreamed the nine-year span and told King Wen; Wen said: 'I have a hundred years, you ninety; I give you three.'" When Wen died, Wu's allotted span had already been fulfilled. Wu had years left yet sought to die in another's stead—is that not deceit? If he misunderstood heaven's mandate, he was not sagely. He seized heaven's throne yet showed no true loyalty, and set brother against brother in arms. Wen's teaching spread from near to far—'he modeled punishment on his wife, reaching even to his brothers.' The Duke violated his sage father's law, walked in suspicion, and killed kin to vent private wrath—where is the loyalty? But no historian wrote straight; later Confucians repeated the error—that is all." Zhong said: "Opening the golden coffer and stilling the wind proves he was not deceitful. Amid the Two Uncles' slander he could sacrifice kin for the state, secure the realm, restore the king, achieve peace, establish ritual and music, and bless posterity—can that be called less than utmost virtue?" Sheng said: "You only repeat finished texts and have not traced the great principle; I shall argue it with you now. Zhou from Hou Ji onward accumulated virtue until Wen and Wu. Wen and Wu with great sagacity answered the age and won the realm. The people looked up to their virtue; the four seas returned to their benevolence. Though Cheng was young when he inherited the throne, the dynasty's span was secure, and Lu, Shao, Mao, and Bi were his tutors. Without the Duke's regency the kingly Way would have sufficed. Without cause the Duke made the realm's safety his own, monopolized court authority, and neglected the rites of facing north. Guan and Cai loyally served the house and held that the Duke's replacing the king was no minister's way; they said the Duke would harm the young king. The Duke should have proclaimed great obedience and dispelled doubt with sincerity; instead he blocked the capital with troops and executed on his own authority. His disloyalty was manifest throughout the realm; he would present the king the "Owl" poem and lay blame on his sovereign—what is that! When the Duke acted he reported to the Two Dukes, who could have cleared him yet watched Cheng's doubts—so the Two Dukes too suspected him. Because the distant may not divide the near they spoke through Guan and Cai—loyalty was unseen in their day, benevolence never reached their brothers. Knowing the people's hopes lay elsewhere and heaven's mandate was not his, only then did he return power to Cheng—that alone was called loyalty. The great wind uprooting trees shows heaven blessing Zhou and remembering Wen and Wu's virtue—pardoning the Duke's first fault to perfect the house of Zhou. Weigh the Duke's heart and trace his deeds—he was heaven's criminal; how call that utmost virtue! When the Duke returned to power the Two Dukes kept silent to make clear Guan and Cai's loyalty."

又謂常忠曰：「伊尹、周公孰賢？」忠曰：「伊尹非有周公之親而功濟一代，太甲亂德，放于桐宮，思愆改善，然後復之。使主無怨言，臣無流謗，道存社稷，美溢來今，臣謂伊尹之勳有高周旦。」盛曰：「伊尹以舊臣之重，顯阿衡之任，太甲嗣位，君道未洽，不能竭忠輔導。而放黜桐宮，事同夷羿，何周公之可擬乎！」郎敷曰：「伊尹處人臣之位，不能匡制其君，恐成、湯之道墜而莫就，是以居之桐宮，與小人從事，使知稼穡之艱難，然後返之天位，此其忠也。」盛曰：「伊尹能廢而立之，何不能輔之以至於善乎？若太甲性同桀紂，則三載之間未應便成賢後，如其性本休明，義心易發，當務盡匡規之理以弼成君德，安有人臣幽主而據其位哉！且臣之事君，惟力是視，奈何挾智藏仁以成君惡！夫太甲之事，朕已鑒之矣。太甲，至賢之主也，以伊尹曆奉三朝，績無異稱，將失顯祖委授之功，故匿其日月之明，受伊尹之黜，所以濟其忠貞之美。夫非常之人，然後能立非常之事，非常人之所見也，亦猶太伯之三讓，人無德而稱焉。」敷曰：「太伯三以天下讓，至仲尼而後顯其至德。太甲受謗於天下，遭陛下乃申其美。」因而談宴賦詩，賜金帛各有差。

He also asked Chang Zhong: "Which was worthier—Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou?" Zhong said: "Yi Yin lacked the Duke's kinship yet his merit saved a generation. Tai Jia's conduct was disorderly; Yi Yin placed him in the Tong Palace until he reformed, then restored him. Sovereign and minister were at peace, the altars stood firm, and his glory endures—I hold Yi Yin's achievement above the Duke of Zhou's." Sheng said: "Yi Yin as an old minister held the chief regency; when Tai Jia succeeded the kingly Way was unsettled, yet he failed to guide him with full loyalty. He deposed him to the Tong Palace like Yi of Xia—how compare him to the Duke of Zhou!" Lang Fu said: "Yi Yin as minister could not correct his king, fearing Cheng and Tang's Way would fail; he kept Tai Jia in the Tong Palace among common men until he knew farming's hardship, then restored him—that was loyalty." Sheng said: "If Yi Yin could depose and restore him, why could he not guide him to virtue! If Tai Jia were like Jie or Zhou, three years would not make a sage; if he were naturally bright, Yi Yin should have guided him without seizing the throne. How can a minister imprison his king and hold his seat! A minister serves by giving all his strength—how can he hoard wisdom and hide benevolence to complete his king's ruin! I have already judged the affair of Tai Jia. Tai Jia was a most worthy king; Yi Yin served three reigns without equal praise and nearly wasted the founding kings' trust—so he accepted deposition to perfect the beauty of loyal integrity. Only an extraordinary man can do an extraordinary thing—like Taibo's three yieldings, of whom the world said there was no virtue." Fu said: "Taibo thrice yielded the realm; only Confucius revealed his utmost virtue. Tai Jia was slandered throughout the realm; only now under Your Majesty is his virtue declared." They feasted, composed poems, and bestowed gold and silk according to rank.

遼西太守李郎在郡十年，威制境內，盛疑之，累征不赴。以母在龍城，未敢顯叛，乃陰引魏軍，將為自安之計，因表請發兵以距寇。盛曰：「此必詐也。」召其使而詰之，果驗，盡滅其族，遣輔國將軍李旱率騎討之。師次建安，召旱旋師。朗聞其家被誅也，擁三千餘戶以自固。及聞旱中路而還，謂有內變，不復為備，留其子養守令支，躬迎魏師于北平。旱候知之，襲克令支，遣廣威孟廣平率騎追朗，及於無終，斬之。初，盛之追旱還也，群臣莫知其故。旱既斬朗，盛謂群臣曰：「前以追旱還者，正為此耳。朗新為叛逆，必忌官威，一則鳩合同類，劫掠良善，二則亡竄山澤，未可卒平，故非意而還，以盈怠其志，卒然掩之，必克之理也。」群臣皆曰：「非所及也。」

Li Lang, governor of Liaoxi, had ruled ten years with iron control of the borders; Sheng suspected him and summoned him repeatedly, but he did not come. His mother was in Longcheng, so he dared not rebel openly; he secretly courted Wei for safety and memorialized asking to send troops against invaders. Sheng said: "This is surely a ruse." He questioned the envoy and confirmed the plot; he exterminated Lang's clan and sent the pacification general Li Han with cavalry against him. When the army reached Jian'an, Sheng recalled Han. Hearing his family was executed, Lang gathered more than three thousand households to fortify himself. Hearing Han was turning back, he thought there was internal strife, relaxed his guard, left his son Yang at Lingzhi, and went in person to welcome Wei at Beiping. Han learned of this, stormed Lingzhi, sent Meng Guangping with cavalry after Lang, caught him at Wuzhong, and beheaded him. When Sheng recalled Han, none of the ministers knew why. After Han killed Lang, Sheng told the ministers: "I recalled Han for just this reason. Lang had just rebelled and feared official power—he would either rally allies to plunder the innocent or flee into the hills. I recalled Han unexpectedly to lull him, then struck suddenly—that is how he had to fall." The ministers all said: "Beyond our understanding."

李旱自遼西還，聞盛殺其將衛雙，懼，棄軍奔走。既而歸罪，復其爵位。盛謂侍中孫勍曰：「旱總三軍之任，荷專征之重，不能杖節死綏，無故逃亡，考之軍正，不赦之罪也。然當先帝之避難，眾情離貳，骨肉忘其親，股肱失忠節，旱以刑餘之體，效力盡命，忠款之至，精貫白日。朕故錄其忘身之功，免其丘山之罪耳。」

Li Han, returning from Liaoxi, heard Sheng had killed his general Wei Shuang and fled in terror. He later submitted and his rank and fief were restored. Sheng told the attendant Sun Qin: "Han commanded the three armies with independent authority; he could not die at his post but fled without cause—in military law that is unpardonable. Yet when the former emperor fled in hardship, kin forgot kin and ministers forgot loyalty—Han, though mutilated, gave his life with loyalty shining like the sun. I record his merit of self-sacrifice and pardon his crime as great as a hill."

盛去皇帝之號，稱庶人大王。

Sheng laid aside the imperial title and styled himself Great King, a commoner in name.

魏襲幽州，執刺史盧溥而去。遣孟廣平援之，無及。

Wei raided You Province, seized Governor Lu Pu, and carried him off. He sent Meng Guangping to aid him, but too late.

盛率眾三萬伐高句驪，襲其新城、南蘇，皆克之，散其積聚，徙其五千餘戶於遼西。

Sheng led thirty thousand against Koguryo, stormed Xincheng and Nansu, dispersed their stores, and moved more than five thousand households to Liaoxi.

盛引見百遼於東堂，考詳器藝，超拔者十有二人。命百司舉文武之士才堪佐世者各一人。立其子遼西公定為太子，大赦殊死已下。宴其群臣於新昌殿，盛曰：「諸卿各言其志，朕將覽之。」七兵尚書丁信年十五，盛之舅子也，進曰：「在上不驕，高而不危，臣之願也。」盛笑曰：「丁尚書年少，安得長者之言乎！」盛以威嚴馭下，驕暴少親，多所猜忌，故信言及之。

Sheng received a hundred men of Liao in the Eastern Hall, examined their talents, and elevated twelve of outstanding ability. He ordered every office to recommend one civil or military man fit to aid the age. He named his son Ding, Duke of Liaoxi, crown prince and granted amnesty short of death. Feasting his ministers in Xinchang Hall, Sheng said: "Each of you speak your mind; I shall hear it." Ding Xin, minister of the seven armies, fifteen and Sheng's nephew, said: "Not to be arrogant when high, to stand tall yet not fall—that is my wish." Sheng laughed: "Minister Ding is young—how does he speak like an elder!" Sheng ruled with stern authority; the proud had few friends and he suspected much—hence Xin's words.

盛討庫莫奚，大虜獲而還。左將軍慕容國與殿中將軍秦輿、段贊等謀率禁兵襲盛，事覺，誅之，死者五百餘人。前將軍、思悔侯段璣、輿子興、贊子泰等，因眾心動搖，夜於禁中鼓躁大呼。盛聞變，率左右出戰，眾皆披潰。俄而有一賊從暗中擊傷盛，遂輦升前殿，申約禁衛，召叔父河間公熙屬以後事。熙未至而盛死，時年二十九，在位三年。偽諡昭武皇帝，墓號興平陵，廟號中宗。

Sheng attacked the Kumo Xi and returned with great spoils. The left general Murong Guo with Qin Yu, Duan Zan, and others plotted to strike Sheng with the palace guard; the plot was discovered and more than five hundred were executed. The forward general Duan Ji, Xing son of Yu, and Tai son of Zan, exploiting shaken morale, beat drums and shouted within the palace by night. Sheng heard the uproar, led his guards out to fight; the mob scattered. Soon an assassin struck Sheng from the dark; he was carried to the front hall, rallied the guard, and summoned his uncle Xi, Duke of Hejian, to entrust affairs. Xi had not yet arrived when Sheng died, aged twenty-nine, in the third year of his reign. He was posthumously titled Emperor Zhaowu; his tomb was Xingping Mausoleum and his temple name Zhong Zong.

盛幼而羈賤流漂，長則遭家多難，夷險安危，備嘗之矣。懲寶暗而不斷，遂峻機威刑，織芥之嫌，莫不裁之於未萌，防之於未兆。於是上下振局，人不自安，雖忠誠親戚亦皆離貳，舊臣靡不夷滅，安忍無親，所以卒於不免。是歲隆安五年也。

Sheng in youth knew bondage and exile; grown, he endured endless family calamity—ease and peril, safety and danger, he tasted them all. Chastising Bao's blindness and indecision, he sharpened authority and punishment; the slightest grudge was cut off before it sprouted. Court and people trembled; even loyal kin turned away and old ministers were destroyed—cruel and kinless—and so he could not escape his end. This was the fifth year of Longan.

熙字道文，垂之少子也。初封河間王。段速骨之難，諸王多被其害，熙素為高陽王崇所親愛，故得免焉。蘭汗之篡也，以熙為遼東公，備宗祀之義。盛初即位，降爵為公，拜都督中外諸軍事、驃騎大將軍、尚書左僕射，領中領軍。從征高句驪、契丹，皆勇冠諸將。盛曰：「叔父雄果英壯，有世祖之風，但弘略不如耳。」

Xi, whose courtesy name was Daowen, was Chui's youngest son. He was first enfeoffed as Prince of Hejian. In Duan Sugui's rebellion many princes perished; Xi was beloved by Prince of Gaoyang Chong and so escaped. When Lan Han usurped, he made Xi Duke of Liaodong to maintain the ancestral rites. When Sheng first took the throne, Xi was demoted to duke and made commander-in-chief of all armies, flying cavalry grand general, left vice minister of works, and central commander of the guard. On campaigns against Koguryo and the Khitan his courage led every general. Sheng said: "Uncle is heroic and stalwart, with Shizu's spirit—but his broad strategy falls short."

及盛死，其太后丁氏以國多難，宜立長君。群望皆在平原西元，而丁氏意在於熙，遂廢太子定，迎熙入宮。群臣勸進，熙以讓元，元固以讓熙，熙遂僭即尊位。誅其大臣段璣、秦興等，並夷三族。元以嫌疑賜死。元字道光，寶之第四子也。赦殊死已下，改元曰光始，改北燕台為大單于台，置左右輔，位次尚書。

When Sheng died, Empress Dowager Ding, because the state was in turmoil, held that a mature ruler should be installed. Popular hope rested on Yuan of Pingyuan, but Lady Ding favored Xi; they deposed Crown Prince Ding and welcomed Xi to the palace. The ministers urged him forward; Xi yielded to Yuan, Yuan firmly yielded to Xi, and Xi took the throne. He executed the great ministers Duan Ji, Qin Xing, and others and exterminated their three clans. Yuan was forced to die on suspicion. Yuan, whose courtesy name was Daoguang, was Bao's fourth son. He granted amnesty short of death, proclaimed the Guangshi era, renamed the Northern Yan Terrace the Grand Chanyu Terrace, and established left and right assistants ranking below the minister of works.

初，熙烝于丁氏，故為所立。及寵倖苻貴人，丁氏怨恚呪詛，與兄子七兵尚書信謀廢熙。熙聞之，大怒，逼丁氏令自殺，葬以後禮，誅丁信。

Earlier Xi had violated propriety with Lady Ding, and therefore she installed him. When he favored Lady Fu, Lady Ding cursed in rage and with her nephew Ding Xin plotted to depose Xi. Xi in fury forced Lady Ding to kill herself, buried her with consort's rites, and executed Ding Xin.

熙狩于北原，石城令高和殺司隸校尉張顯，閉門距熙。熙率騎馳返，和眾皆投杖，熙入誅之。於是引見州郡及單于八部耆舊於東宮，問以疾苦。

Xi hunted on the northern plain; the magistrate of Shicheng Gao He killed the director Zhang Xian, shut the gates, and barred Xi. Xi galloped back; He and his men threw down their weapons; Xi entered and killed him. He then received governors and the eight tribal elders of the chanyu in the Eastern Palace and asked after their hardships.

大築龍騰苑，廣袤十餘里，役徒二萬人。起景雲山于苑內，基廣五百步，峰高十七丈。又起逍遙宮、甘露殿，連房數百，觀閣相交。鑿天河渠，引水入宮。又為其昭儀苻氏鑿曲光海、清涼池。季夏盛暑，士卒不得休息，暍死者太半。熙游于城南，止大柳樹下，若有人呼曰：「大王且止。。」熙惡之，伐其樹，乃有蛇長丈餘，從樹中而出。

He built Longteng Garden, more than ten li across, with twenty thousand corvée laborers. Within the garden he raised Jingyun Mountain, five hundred paces at the base and seventeen zhang high. He also built Xiaoyao Palace and Ganlu Hall—hundreds of linked chambers with towers and pavilions intertwined. He dug the Tianhe Canal to bring water into the palace. For his lady of bright composure, Lady Fu, he dug Quguang Sea and Qingliang Pool. In midsummer heat the laborers could not rest; more than half died of sunstroke. Xi toured south of the city and stopped under a great willow; someone seemed to call: "Great King, halt. Xi in disgust felled the tree, and a serpent more than a zhang long emerged from within.

立其貴嬪苻氏為皇后，赦殊死已下。

He made his honored consort Lady Fu empress and granted amnesty short of death.

熙北襲契丹，大破之。

Xi raided the Khitan in the north and routed them.

昭儀苻氏死，偽諡湣皇后。贈苻謨太宰，諡文獻公。二苻並美而豔，好微行遊宴，熙弗之禁也。請謁必從，刑賞大政無不由之。初，昭儀有疾，龍城人王溫稱能療之，未幾而卒，熙忿其妄也，立於公車門支解溫而焚之。其後好游田，熙從之，北登白鹿山，東過青嶺，南臨滄海，百姓苦之，士卒為豺狼所害及凍死者五千餘人矣。會高句驪寇燕郡，殺略百餘人。熙伐高句驪，以苻氏從，為沖車地道以攻遼東。熙曰：「待剗平寇城，朕當與後乘輦而入，不聽將士先登。」於是城內嚴備，攻之不能下。會大雨雪，士卒多死，乃引歸。

Lady Fu of bright composure died; she was posthumously titled Empress Min. He gave Fu Mo the post of grand preceptor and the posthumous title Duke of Literature and Offered. Both Fu ladies were beautiful and fond of disguised outings and feasts; Xi did not forbid them. He always accompanied their audiences; punishments, rewards, and major policy all proceeded from them. When Lady Fu fell ill, Wang Wen of Longcheng claimed he could cure her; she soon died. Xi in rage had Wen dismembered at the public gate and burned. He then loved the hunt; Xi followed him north to Bailu Mountain, east over Qing Ridge, south to the sea—the people suffered; more than five thousand soldiers died of wolves or frost. Koguryo raided Yan Commandery and killed and plundered more than a hundred people. Xi attacked Koguryo with Lady Fu in train, building rams and tunnels against Liaodong. Xi said: "When the rebel city is leveled I shall enter in the rear carriage with the empress; I forbid the soldiers to climb first." The city made strict preparations and the attack failed. Heavy rain and snow killed many soldiers; he withdrew.

擬鄴之鳳陽門，作弘光門，累級三層。

Modeling Ye's Fengyang Gate, he built the Hongguang Gate with three tiers of steps.

熙與苻氏襲契丹，憚其眾盛，將還，苻氏弗聽，遂棄輜重，輕襲高句驪，周行三千餘里，士馬疲凍，死者屬路。攻木底城，不克而還。

Xi raided the Khitan with Lady Fu; fearing their numbers he turned back, but she refused. He abandoned baggage for a light strike on Koguryo, marching three thousand li; men and horses froze and the dead lined the road. He attacked Mudi city, failed, and withdrew.

盡殺寶諸子。大城肥如及宿軍，以仇尼倪為鎮東大將軍、營州刺史，鎮宿軍，上庸公懿為鎮西將軍、幽州刺史，鎮令支；尚書劉木為鎮南大將軍、冀州刺史，鎮肥如。

He executed all of Bao's sons. He fortified Feiru in Dacheng and Sujun, made Chou Nini pacification general of the east and governor of Ying to garrison Sujun, and Yi, duke of Shangyong, pacification general of the west and governor of You to garrison Lingzhi; and Liu Mu, minister of works, pacification general of the south and governor of Ji to garrison Feiru.

為苻氏起承華殿，高承光一倍，負土於北門，土與穀同價。典軍杜靜載棺詣闕，上書極諫。熙大怒，斬之。苻氏嘗季夏思凍魚膾，仲冬須生地黃，皆下有司切責，不得，加以大辟，其虐也如此。苻氏死，熙悲號躃踴，若喪考妣，擁其屍而撫之曰：「體已就冷，命遂斷矣！」於是僵僕氣絕，久而乃蘇。大斂既訖，復啟其棺而與交接。服斬縗，食粥。制百僚于宮內哭臨，令沙門素服。使有司案檢哭者，有淚以為忠孝，無則罪之，於是群臣震懼，莫不含辛以為淚焉。慕容隆妻張氏，熙之嫂也，美姿容，有巧思。熙將以為苻氏之殉，欲以罪殺之，乃毀其禭靴，中有弊氈，遂賜死。三女叩頭求哀，熙不許。制公卿已下至於百姓，率戶營墓，費殫府藏。下錮三泉，周輸數里，內則圖畫尚書八坐之象。熙曰：「善為之，朕將隨後入此陵。」識者以為不祥。其右僕射韋璆等並懼為殉，沐浴而待死焉。號苻氏墓曰征平陵。熙被髮徒跣，步從苻氏喪。轜車高大，毀北門而出。長老竊相謂曰：「慕容氏自毀其門，將不久也。」

For Lady Fu he built Chenghua Hall, twice as high as Chengguang; corvée at the north gate made earth as costly as grain. The director of the army Du Jing brought a coffin to the gate and memorialized in strongest protest. Xi in fury beheaded him. Lady Fu once craved frozen fish in midsummer and fresh rehmannia in midwinter; the offices were driven with threats and failure brought death—such was their cruelty. When Lady Fu died, Xi wailed and stamped as for father and mother, embraced her corpse and cried: "The body is cold, life is ended!" He stiffened and ceased breathing, reviving only after long moments. After the great encoffining he opened the coffin again and lay with her corpse. He wore deepest mourning hemp and ate only gruel. He ordered the hundred officials to mourn within the palace and monks to wear white. He had mourners inspected: tears meant loyalty, dryness meant guilt; the ministers trembled and squeezed out bitter tears. Murong Long's wife Lady Zhang, Xi's sister-in-law, was beautiful and clever. Xi meant to bury her with Lady Fu; to kill her on a charge he ruined her burial boots—worn felts were found inside—and sentenced her to death. Her three daughters begged on their knees; Xi refused. He ordered every household from dukes to commoners to build tombs, exhausting the treasury. Below he set triple springs encircling several li, painted within with the eight seats of the masters of writing. Xi said: "Do it well—I shall follow into this tomb afterward." The knowing called it ill-omened. His right vice minister Wei Qiu and others feared living burial and bathed awaiting death. He named Lady Fu's tomb Zhengping Mausoleum. Xi with hair loose and feet bare walked in Lady Fu's funeral train. The bier carriage was so tall they destroyed the north gate to pass it out. The elders whispered: "The Murong destroy their own gate—they will not last."

中衛將軍馮跋、左衛將軍張興，先皆坐事亡奔，以熙政之虐也，與跋從兄萬泥等二十二人結盟，推慕容雲為主，發尚方徒五千餘人閉門距守。中黃門趙洛生奔告之，熙曰：「此鼠盜耳，朕還當誅之。」乃收發貫甲，馳還赴難。夜至龍城，攻北門不克，遂敗，走入龍騰宛，微服隱于林中，為人所執，雲得而弑之，及其諸子同殯城北。時年二十三，在位六年。雲葬之於苻氏墓，偽諡昭文皇帝。

Feng Ba, central guard general, and Zhang Xing, left guard general, both fugitives from earlier crimes, because Xi's rule was cruel allied with Ba's cousin Wan Ni and twenty-two others, made Murong Yun their leader, and shut the gates with five thousand convict laborers. The palace attendant Zhao Luosheng fled to report; Xi said: "Rat thieves—I shall return and kill them." He gathered armor and galloped back. By night he reached Longcheng, failed at the north gate, fled into Longteng Garden, hid in the woods in disguise, was seized; Yun killed him and buried him with his sons north of the city. He was twenty-three and had reigned six years. Yun buried him at Lady Fu's tomb and posthumously titled him Emperor Zhaowen.

垂以孝武帝太元八年僭立，至熙四世，凡二十四年，以安帝義熙三年滅。初，童謠曰：「一束槁，兩頭然，禿頭小兒來滅燕。」槁字上有草，下有禾，兩頭然則禾草俱盡而成高字。雲父名拔，小字禿頭，三子，而雲季也。熙竟為雲所滅，如謠言焉。

Chui usurped rule in the eighth year of Taiyuan; through four generations to Xi was twenty-four years; the state perished in the third year of Yixi. A children's song had said: "A bundle of straw burning at both ends—a bald-headed boy comes to destroy Yan." The character for straw has grass above and grain below; burning both ends leaves the character Gao. Yun's father was named Ba, childhood name Bald Head; of three sons Yun was the youngest. Xi was destroyed by Yun, as the song foretold.

慕容雲，字子雨，寶之養子也。祖父和，高句驪之支庶，自雲高陽氏之苗裔，故以高為氏焉。雲沈深有局量，厚重希言，時人咸以為愚，唯馮跋奇其志度而友之。寶之為太子，雲以武藝給事侍東宮，拜侍御郎，襲敗慕容會軍。寶子之，賜姓慕容氏，封夕陽公。

Murong Yun, whose courtesy name was Ziyu, was Bao's adopted son. His grandfather He was a collateral line of Koguryo; Yun claimed descent from Gaoyang and took Gao as surname. Yun was deep, reserved, and sparing of speech; the world thought him a fool—only Feng Ba saw his ambition and befriended him. When Bao was crown prince, Yun served the Eastern Palace with martial skill, was made attendant, and defeated Murong Hui's army. Bao adopted him, gave him the surname Murong, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Xiyang.

熙之葬苻氏也，馮跋詣雲，告之以謀。雲懼曰：「吾嬰疾歷年，卿等所知，願更圖之。」跋逼曰：「慕容氏世衰，河間虐暴，惑妖淫之女而逆亂天常，百姓不堪其害，思亂者十室九焉，此天亡之時也。公自高氏名家，何能為他養子！機運難邀，千歲一時，公焉得辭也！」扶之而出。雲曰：「吾疾苦日久，廢絕世務。卿今興建大事，謬見推逼。所以徘徊，非為身也，實惟否德不足以濟元元故耳。」跋等強之，雲遂即天王位，復姓高氏，大赦境內殊死以下，改元曰正始，國號大燕。署馮跋侍中、都督中外諸軍事、征北大將軍、開府儀同三司、錄尚書事、武邑公，封伯、子、男，鄉、亭侯者五十餘人，士卒賜穀帛有差。熙之群官，復其爵位。立妻李氏為天王後，子彭為太子。越騎校尉慕輿良謀叛，雲誅之。

When Xi buried Lady Fu, Feng Ba came to Yun with the plot. Yun in fear said: "I have been ill for years, as you know; choose another leader." Ba pressed him: "The Murong decline; Xi is cruel, ruled by a witch, and perverts heaven's law—the people cannot bear it and nine in ten wish rebellion. Heaven destroys them now. You are of the noble house of Gao—how remain another's adopted son! Fortune comes once in a thousand years—how can you refuse!" They raised him and led him out. Yun said: "My illness is long; I have left the world behind. You raise a great affair and wrongly force me forward. I hesitate not for myself but because my virtue cannot save the people." Ba and the others forced him; Yun took the title Heavenly King, resumed the surname Gao, amnestied the realm, proclaimed the Zhengshi era, and named the state Great Yan. He made Feng Ba attendant-in-ordinary, commander-in-chief, northern expedition grand general, commissioner equal to the three excellencies, director of the masters of writing, and duke of Wuyi; enfeoffed more than fifty marquises and earls; soldiers received grain and silk by rank. Xi's officials all had rank and fief restored. He made his wife Lady Li heavenly queen and his son Peng crown prince. The rapid cavalry commandant Murong Liang plotted rebellion; Yun executed him.

雲臨東堂，幸臣離班、桃仁懷劍執紙而入，稱有所啟，拔劍擊雲，雲以幾距班，桃仁進而弑之。馮跋遷雲屍於東宮，偽諡惠懿皇帝。雲自以無功德而為豪桀所推，常內懷懼，故寵養壯士以為腹心。離班、桃仁等並專典禁衛，委之以爪牙之任，賞賜月至數千萬，衣食臥起皆與之同，終以此致敗雲。

At the Eastern Hall, favored ministers Li Ban and Taoren entered with swords claiming to report, struck Yun—he blocked Ban with a table—and Taoren advanced and killed him. Feng Ba moved Yun's body to the Eastern Palace and posthumously titled him Emperor Huiyi. Yun, having no merit yet pushed forward by bold men, lived in inner fear and so favored stalwarts as his claws and teeth. Li Ban, Taoren, and others held the palace guard exclusively; he gave them tens of millions monthly, shared food and bed with them—and through this was destroyed.

史臣曰：四星東聚，金陵之氣已分；五馬南浮，玉塞之雄方擾。市朝屢改，艱虞靡息。慕容垂天資英傑，威震本朝，以雄略見猜而庇身寬政，永固受之而以禮，道明事之而畢力。然而隼質難羈，狼心自野。淮南失律，三甥之謀已構；河朔分麾，五木之祥雲啟。斬飛龍而遐舉，逾石門而長邁，遂使翟氏景從，鄴師宵逸，收羅趙、魏，驅駕英雄。叩囊餘奇，摧五萬于河曲；浮船秘策，招七郡于黎陽。返遼陰之舊物，創中山之新社，類帝禋宗，僭擬斯備。夫以重耳歸晉，賴五臣之功；句踐紿吳，資五千之卒。惡有業殊二霸，眾微一旅，掎拔而傾山嶽，騰嘯而禦風雲！雖衛人忘亡復傳于東國，任好余裕伊愧於西鄰，信苻氏之奸回，非晉室之鯨鯢矣。

The historian writes: When the four stars gathered in the east, Jinling's fate was already divided; when the five horses floated south, the frontier heroes were in turmoil. Markets and courts shifted endlessly; hardship never ceased. Murong Chui was a natural hero, awe-inspiring at home; suspected for his bold strategy he sheltered under lenient rule; Fu Jian received him with ritual, and he served with all his strength. Yet falcon nature cannot be bound, wolf heart runs wild. Huainan lost order—the three nephews' plot was formed; north of the Yellow River banners divided—the omen of the Five Mu opened. He struck down the flying dragon and soared away, crossed Shimen and marched far—Di clans followed, Ye's armies fled by night; he gathered Zhao and Wei and drove heroes before him. Drawing on hidden stratagems, he crushed fifty thousand at the river bend; with secret plans on floating boats he won seven commanderies at Liyang. He recovered Liaoyin's old lands, founded Zhongshan's new state; mimicking imperial rites, usurpation was complete. How could one brigade pry down mountains and ride wind and clouds—yet he did, though unlike the two hegemons in scale! Though Wey forgot extinction in the east and Duke Mu of Qin was shamed in the west—Fu Jian's treachery was not Jin's whale. Bao rose on empty reputation, ruled with harsh law; inner court seethed, fierce enemies pressed without—his poison turned on himself. Sheng matched filial brotherhood in secret, civil and martial unbroken; he hid his light, pacified foes, blamed himself and yielded peril—a graceful captive of a turbid age.

寶以浮譽獲升，峻文禦俗，蕭牆內憤，勍敵外陵，雖毒不被物而惡足自剿。盛則孝友冥符，文武不墜，韜光而夷仇賊，罪己而遜高危，翩翩然濁世之佳虜矣。熙乃地非奧主，舉因淫德。驪戎之態，取悅于匡床；玄妻之姿，見奇於鬒發。蕩輕舟于曲光之海，望朝涉于景雲之山，飾土木於驕心，窮怨嗟於蕞壤，宗祀夷滅，為馮氏之驅除焉。

Xi was no hidden lord of the land; he rose entirely through lust. Li Rong's manner pleased on the couch; Xuan Qi's beauty was marvelled at in her black hair. He floated on Quguang's sea, gazed from Jingyun's heights, adorned earth and wood to feed pride, exhausted the realm in lament—ancestral rites perished, and the Feng clan drove him away. The eulogy says: Barbarians relied on force; mountains and rivers seethed. Heaven had not yet repented; men were not equal to the task.

贊曰：戎狄憑陵，山川沸騰。天未悔禍，人非與能。疾走而捷，先鳴則興。道明烈烈，鞭笞豪傑。掃燕夷魏，釗屠永滅。大盜潛移，鴻名遂竊。寶心生亂，盛清家難。熙極驕淫，人懷憤惋。孽貽身咎，災無以逭。

Swift running, keen striking—who calls first, rises. Daoming blazing bright, whipping heroes. Swift running, keen striking—who calls first, rises. Daoming blazing bright, whipping heroes. He swept Yan, pacified Wei, cut down foes forever. The great robber shifted in secret; the great name was stolen. Bao's heart bred disorder; Sheng cleared family hardship. Xi reached utmost pride and lust; men nursed indignant rage. Sin brought bodily ruin; calamity could not be escaped.

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