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卷十五 本紀第十五: 憲宗下

Volume 15 Annals 15: Xianzong 2

Chapter 15 of 舊唐書 · Old Book of Tang
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1
西使 使
In Yuanhe 7's first month, on jisi the court made Zhao Zongru acting personnel minister and Shannan West military commissioner. On gengwu Wang Shao took charge of revenue. On xinwei Yuan Yifang went to Yan-Fang-Dan-Yan and Li Qian became Jingzhao intendant. That night Mars was eclipsed by the moon. On renshen three counties were abolished. On guiyou a flood wrecked the Eastern Surrender Fort.
2
西使 使覿覿 使覿使 便
The second month opened on gengyin. On renchen an edict ordered 300,000 shi of relief grain for the drought-stricken capital. Spring loans from Yuanhe 6 were forgiven as well. On xinchou rites for vice premiers entering office were revised. On renyin Xu Mengrong became Henan intendant. On xinhai Pei Bing died in Shannan West. On guichou Tibet envoys could no longer buy favors from regular officials. The old practice of selling posts to fund envoys' gifts was abolished as improper. An edict on currency reform began: Let cash circulate and ease the countryside. Officials were to report remedies. Thus ended the edict.
3
The third month reached jiwei. On xinyou the Qujiang spring banquet was cancelled for the crown prince's funeral. On gengwu drought amnesty reviews were ordered.
4
使
The fourth month opened on wuzi. On guisi the court mandated mulberry planting and annual inspection. On xinhai Wang Bo reported 6.86 million strings in salt and iron revenue.
5
The fifth month opened on wuwu. On gengshen the emperor challenged reports that Wu-Yue had suffered severe flood and drought. Li Jiang countered that Zhe and Huainan reports still showed drought. Those regional commanders are men the throne trusts. A bad censor flatters; that is the face of treachery. Delegation to great ministers must not be undermined by petty informers. Name the censor and punish him under law. The emperor agreed. The throne exists to succor the people; one failed harvest demands relief — never doubt it! I spoke rashly in questioning it. Li Jiang and the others bowed in thanks. On guihai Mars neared the Supreme Palace's Right Enforcement star.
6
使祿 使使
In the sixth month dragons were reported rising from a Shuzhou pool and crossing six li. On guisi Du You was finally allowed to retire as Senior Tutor with twice-monthly audience. On jihai the moon neared the Southern Dipper. Zhenzhou's armory burned and its stores were destroyed. Wang Chengzong, long rebellious, feared divine punishment and massacred his armory clerks. On yichou Wang Ya joined the drafting office. On yihai Prince You became crown prince Heng. On jimao Kim Eom-seung was enfeoffed King of Silla with full ceremonial rank. Lady Jeong was named his royal consort.
7
使 使 使 使使 便 使
In the eighth month three new Silla envoys received halberds by precedent. On wuxu Tian Ji'an of Weibo died. On xinchou Dangqu county was abolished. On jiachen Fang Shi died. On bingwu Fan Chuanzheng took Xuanshe. A decree required annual winter recommendations for outgoing prefectural officials of fifth rank and above. Capital commissioners and censorial staff were included; fifth-rank and capital posts could transfer after thirty months; other offices after thirty-six. Incidents before review added ten months to the term. Thus ended the edict. On xinhai Xue Ping became Yicheng military commissioner.
8
使 使 使祿使 使
In the tenth month Weibo's troops installed Tian Xing. After Tian Ji'an's death his eleven-year-old son ruled in name while Jiang Shize manipulated the army. Troops surrounded Tian Xing and forced him prostrate before they would listen. Tian Xing said they must spare the boy vice ambassador. The soldiers assented. They killed Jiang Shize and a dozen confederates. Huaijian was sent to Chang'an the same day. On jiachen Tian Xing was formally made Weibo military commissioner. On gengxu five princes received new taboo names. Yuan Zi became Minister of Revenue.
9
使 鹿 使 便 西使 使 西使 簿 使 輿 使西使 使
The eleventh month opened on bingchen. On yichou Pei Du was sent to Weibo with 1.5 million strings to reward the armies. Six prefectures were to broadcast the decree. On xinwei Du You died in retirement. Pan Mengyang reported a qilin eating auspicious grain in Longzhou. Deer ringed the beast in blinding light. A painting was sent to court. On yihai Li Fengji and Li Ju became tutors to the heir and princes. On wuyin Zheng Yuqing sought three examiners; Yang Yuling objected. Examiners were limited to passers; on jimao Cui Pang died. On xinsi Tian Huaijian was honored at court with a house and grain. On jiashen Pei Kan took Jiangxi. The twelfth month opened with Zheng Yuqing made crown prince tutor. On bingchen Yang Guihou was demoted for hijacking the ritual hall for his wedding. On wuxu Pei Xiang went to Tongzhou. On jihai Weibo asked the Ministry to fill 253 posts. Yuanhe 8 opened on yimao. On gengwu Dayan Yi became King of Bo Hai. On xinwei Quan Deyu left the Secretariat but kept Rites. On guiwei Li Yijian went to Xichuan. Yuan Zi took Shannan East.
10
殿 祿 西使祿使 殿
The second month opened on yiyou. On xinmao Tian Xing received the name Hongzheng. Li Jifu presented three geographical works to the throne. Yu Di's son Yu Min murdered a slave and hid the corpse. Yu Di and Jiyou waited in mourning dress for judgment. Yu Di was demoted to Prince En's tutor. Yu Min was exiled to Leizhou in chains. Yu Jiyou was stripped of office for hiding palace women and abetting his brother. Two more sons on Yu Di's stipend were suspended. Briber Liang Zhengyan and monk Jianxu were beaten to death. On jiazi Wu Yuanheng returned to the Grand Council. On xinwei the emperor prayed in the palace and rain followed. On bingzi a storm damaged Chongling and broke six gate halberds.
11
使使使 使使 西 仿 歿
The fourth month opened on guiwei. On yiyou Fang Qi took Gui and Dou Qun took Yong-Guan. On bingxu the court spent 500,000 strings to buy cloth and stabilize prices. Yuan Yifang died; Xue Bei succeeded him in Yan-Fang. On yiwei a monstrous pig was reported in the western market. Monk Jianxu bribed Du Huangchang through Gao Chongwen's forty-five thousand strings. Wu Ping was exiled; the dead men's bribes went uninvestigated and Du Zai was freed. On xinhai Tian Hongzheng received 200,000 strings for grain. On gengshen Zhang Hongjing proposed restoring ancient Shun city.
12
使 輿
The sixth month opened on xinsi. Heavy rains kept the emperor from Yanying audiences for fifteen days. That day he ordered ministers to attend every three days regardless of rain. On yiyou Pei Ji died in retirement. On bingxu Han Gao took Zhongwu with acting personnel rank. On gengyin a capital storm killed many under collapsed roofs. Flooded roads halted travel across the region. On xinchou two hundred cartloads of palace women were freed after the floods. On renyin the emperor ordered several ministers to submit old poems.
13
輿 使使 使 使 使使 使
The seventh month opened on xinhai. On guichou Quan Deyu became Luoyang guardian with personnel rank. On dingmao Li Guangjin took Lingwu. On guiyou Peng Zhongxian rebuilt Xingtang Abbey with a passage to the palace. That night the moon neared the Five Feudatories. On dingchou Fang Qi was demoted from Gui. Fang Qi's clerk had bribed the Ministry for an early commission. The throne then sent the real patent: Qi had held a forged one for five days. The emperor punished the Ministry and demoted Qi. Ma Zong took Gui; Zhang Kan took Annan. Xue Bei died in Yan-Fang.
14
使 使 使使
The eighth month opened on xinsi. On guiwei Pei Xingli replaced the aged Zhang Kan in Annan. On dinghai Pei Wu took Yan-Fang. On jiawu descendants of loyal martyrs were ordered rewarded. On jiawu Venus neared the Chariot constellation. On xinchou Pan Mengyang entered revenue; Lu Tan took Dongchuan. On yisi the Heavenly Martial Army was absorbed into the Divine Strategy.
15
西 便 西 使 使
The ninth month opened on gengxu. On bingchen Li Shidao's hawks were sent back. On wuwu the court feasted ministers at Qujiang. An edict condemned selling southern people as gifts across Lingnan and Fujian. Violators' superiors would be punished. Thus ended the edict. Wu Shaoyang of Huaixi sent three hundred horses. On bingyin an edict praised commuting death to frontier service. Light crimes in the heartland could no longer be exiled to the far northwest garrisons. Thus ended the edict; on wuchen Dou Yizhi took Shan-Guo with gold-purple rank. On wuchen Dou Yizhi took Shan-Guo with gold-purple rank. On renshen Yu Di became crown prince guest. Wang Bi became Right Guard general. Hanlin white-hemp drafts had marked ministerial commissions. Wang Bi ended Secretariat drafting of such commissions, establishing precedent.
16
西 使使 使 使使 使使 鷿
Court music again used the great drum. The tenth month opened on gengchen. On jichou Mars neared the Supreme Palace rampart. On gengyin Liu Gongchuo took the middle Yangzi circuits. On xinmao Zhu Zhongliang died. On renchen Han Hong presented three hundred court music pieces. On jisi Li Daogu took Qianzhong and Zhang Zhengfu took Hunan. On bingxu snow closed court and killed birds and people. On wuxu Su Guangrong took Jingyuan. Wei Hongjing kept his post despite omitting Su Guangrong's merits in the draft.
17
使 使
On renchen Zhenwu reported a thousand Uyghur riders at Pelican Spring. The eleventh month opened on gengxu. On bingchen Pei Ciyuan became Henan intendant. On bingyin Yanzhou was subordinated to Xia. On dingmao Xue Qian took Fujian. Liu Changyi died. On guiyou Xi Shimei reported armies feeding at Linming. The capital region lost 38,000 qing to flood, drought, and frost.
18
使 便 歿 使使使使 使 使便 使 西
Li Qian went to Yan-Fang; Pei Wu became Jingzhao intendant. On xinsi granted estates and shops could be sold and taxes routed to local government. An edict praised Zhang Maozhao's Hebei loyalty. His heirs were granted two thousand bolts of silk yearly in spring and autumn. Ministers petitioned to make Virtuous Consort Guo empress. On bingxu Ma Zong took Lingnan and Cui Yong took Gui. On gengyin Ma Pingyang took Yong-Guan. Zhenwu mutinied, expelling Li Jinxian and killing his family. Zhang Xu was sent with two thousand men and discretionary power to punish. On bingwu Tian Jin took Xia-Sui-Yin. Floods at Hua were eased when Ping and Hongzheng reopened an ancient Yellow River channel. Yuanhe 9 opened on jiyou. On yimao fog and snow blanketed the capital. Li Jifu's resignations were refused. On yihai Zhang Xu executed 252 Zhenwu mutineers.
19
使 使
Pan Mengyang also took northern garrison farms. On dingchou Gu Jinxian was demoted and Lu Chaojian punished. On dingwei famine amnesty and 300,000 shi of relief were ordered. On bingshen Zhenwu received twenty thousand bolts of silk. On dingyou the moon neared Antares. On guimao Li Jiang left the council but kept Rites after repeated resignations.
20
使 西使 殿
The third month opened on jiyou. On bingchen a Xi earthquake killed over a hundred. On gengshen a Guangzhou sorcerer tried to enlist Yang Yuling. Yang Yuling arrested and executed him. On xinyou Zheng Yuqing took Shannan West and the censorate. On dingmao late frost destroyed mulberries. Two sons of high officials were summoned and permitted imperial marriages.
21
The fourth month opened on wuyin. On gengyin Hun Zhen was ordered enshrined with Dezong.
22
使 使
In the fifth month Zheng Yin became Minister of Works. Youzhou was moved; drought grain sales from the Great Granary fed the hungry. Youzhou was moved; drought grain sales from the Great Granary fed the hungry. On yichou Prince Gui of Gui, son of the emperor, died. Drought brought remission of capital summer tax and seed loans.
23
使 使 使使使使 西使 使 使
The sixth month opened on bingzi. On wuyin Zhou Huaiyi died and court mourned one day. Court mourning for a frontier commissioner began with Huaiyi. On gengchen Hun Gao took Yiwu and Ding. On bingxu Yan Chonggan took Feng and Tiantede defense. On bingyin a hostel for tributary guests opened north of Changxing. On renyin Kong Zhe took Hua and Tong Pass. On renyin Zhang Hongjing joined the Grand Council while keeping Justice.
24
使 祿殿
The seventh month opened on bingwu. On yiwei Zhao Zongru took Hedong with vice premier rank. On wuchen Du Bian married Princess Qiyang with high court rank.
25
使
The intercalary eighth month opened on yisi. On xinyou Wu Chongyin added Ru prefect. On renxu Wang Ya and Wei Shou tutored the heir and princes. On jihai Tian Hongzheng was promoted and his armies rewarded.
26
使 使使 使使 西使 使 使使
In the ninth month Li Guangyan took Chen and Zhongwu command. On bingxu Yuan Zi took Jingnan. Yan Shou took Shannan East. On jichou the moon eclipsed the Chariot. Wu Shaoyang died; his son Yuanji hid the death, took the army, and raided four counties. Imperial mourners were turned away. On renchen Zhenla presented tribute. On wuxu Wang E joined the council; Meng Jian took Zhedong. Wu Shaoyang was posthumously honored as vice premier.
27
使使使 西 使使
The tenth month opened on jiachen. On bingwu Li Jifu died. On jiayin Linghu Chu entered drafting. On renxu Han Gao took Personnel; Li Guangyan took Zhongwu. An edict on the Huai campaign opened: Ten years on the throne I have ruled from dawn to dusk for harmony. Huaixi has defied the court. Its heir seized power and raids the borders. Soldiers serve under compulsion, not loyalty. I would lift the net on three sides and offer the two-stairway peace. Yan Shou was named pacification commissioner for Shen-Guang-Cai. Cui Tanjun was named campaign supervisor. On wuchen Lü Yuanying became Luoyang guardian. Luoyang guardians once received banners like commissioners; Yuanying received none. Censors protested; the emperor ended grants for Hua, Ru, and Shou as well. Thus ended the edict.
28
使 使 使 使 使
The eleventh month opened on jiaxu. On jiashen Han Gao became crown prince guest. On jiawu Hu Zheng took Zhenwu. On dingyou Fan Xichao died. On wuxu Pei Du became vice censor-in-chief; Guo Zhao took Binning; Linghu Chu entered the Hanlin. The twelfth month opened on jiachen. On dingwei Zhang Xu died. On xinhai Yan Juyuan died. On guichou Wang Shao died. On jiwei Meng Yuanyang died. On bingyin Zhao Chang died. On wuchen Wei Guanzhi joined the Grand Council. Yuanhe 10 opened on guiyou. On yiyou Han Hong was confirmed Grand Tutor while keeping the council. On bingchen Yan Shou camped at the Cai border. On jihai Wu Yuanji was posthumously stripped of rank. On gengzi Gui moved Fu prefecture back to its old seat.
29
退 使 使
The second month opened on guimao. On jiachen Yan Shou was routed at Ciqu and fell back to Tang. Sons of Tian Hongzheng and Han Hong joined Li Guangyan against Huaixi. On xinhai Li Jiang took Hua. On renxu Liu Fu murdered Yan Chonggan at Feng. On jisi Li Hui took Jingyuan.
30
西使 西 使
In the third month Li Fengxian took Feng. On jimao Li Cheng entered drafting. On yiyou five exiled scholars were appointed distant prefects. Pei Du moved Liu Yuxi nearer for his aged mother. Cui Bin was posthumously honored as Minister of Rites. Li Guangyan won at Nandun. On xinhai rebels burned the Heyin depot and millions in stores. Lü Yuanying executed garrison officers who failed to fight the Heyin fire. The capital panicked after the Heyin arson. On renxu Xu Jun took Yong-Guan.
31
西 使
The fifth month opened on xinwei. On xinsi Pei Du also took Justice. Pei Du's Huaixi counsel earned him the concurrent Justice post. On bingchen Li Guangyan crushed the rebels at Huiqu. A dozen circuits had besieged Shen and Cai without victory. Pei Du had predicted only Li Guangyan would win. Victory at Huiqu vindicated Pei Du before the court.
32
使 西 使
The sixth month opened on xinchou. On guimao Wang Chengzong's men murdered Wu Yuanheng in Jing'an Ward; the same night Pei Du was wounded in Tonghua but survived. Chang'an locked down with guards at every gate; ministers rode under armed escort with searches at every ward; powerful officials armed their household retinues. Days passed without arresting the killers. Xu Mengrong wept before the throne that the killers still roamed free. The emperor raged at his tears. A ten-thousand-string bounty and fifth rank were offered; concealment meant family execution. Twenty thousand strings were displayed in the markets. Even walled mansions of generals were searched. On gengxu Wang Shize named Zhang Yan's gang as Chengzong's agents; eight were executed. On yichou wounded Pei Du was elevated to the Grand Council.
33
使 使使 使 使 使使
The seventh month opened with Li Guangjin's death. On xinwei Du Shuliang took Lingwu. An edict against Wang Chengzong began: We treated him as a loyal vassal. Instead he turned arrogant and lawless. His ancestors' merit bought him repeated pardon. His plots only grew clearer. His wickedness finally overflowed. He murdered Wu Yuanheng and wounded Pei Du without restraint. His guilt is now plain and appalling. Tribute was cut and two counties returned to Liu Zong. Chengzong's kin were exiled to distant posts. Thus ended the edict. Chengzong's earlier blame of Wu Yuanheng had been suppressed. His new insults were shown to ministers, who demanded punishment. On bingxu Li Hui died; Wang Qian took Jingyuan. On yiwei Pei Wu was demoted to Agriculture for failing to catch assassins.
34
使 使殿 使
The eighth month opened with a solar eclipse. On bingyin Kaling sent exotic birds and treasures. Li Shidao plotted with monk Yuanjing to burn Luoyang when troops were away. Lü Yuanying crushed the plot after Chang Jin and Li Zaixing informed. Yuanjing was named the mastermind. At the block Yuanjing cried that his plot had failed to make Luoyang bleed. Thus ended his words.
35
使西
In the ninth month Han Hong commanded the Huaixi front. On dingyou Han Gao became Minister of War.
36
使 使 輿
In the tenth month Shannan East split; Li Xun took the western half. Gao Xiayu took Tang-Sui-Deng. Quan Deyu's revised Statutes in thirty scrolls were adopted. On renzi Yu Di returned as Minister of Revenue.
37
使
In the eleventh month 550,000 bolts were issued to the armies. On yihai Yan Shou became crown prince tutor. On wuyin rebels burned Xianling. Zhenwu and Yiwu were ordered against Chengzong.
38
使 使 宿 使 竿
On a winter night Venus crossed Saturn. On jiachen Li Yuan slew two thousand of Li Shidao's men. On renzi Lü Yuanying sought local Sanhe youths to guard Luoyang. On jiayin Shanyin county was restored. On gengshen new south-pointing chariots and mile-drums were built. Seventy-two palace women were released to temples or kin. On yichou Wang E died. Seven frontier states sent tribute that year. Yuanhe 11 opened without New Year audience because armies were in the field. On jisi Zhang Hongjing took Taiyuan and Hedong. On wuyin the emperor asked ministers to debate the war. Submit plans for attack, defense, and amnesty. On gengchen Qian Hui and Xiao Fu kept their posts after urging peace. On guiwei Chengzong was stripped and his fief given to Wu Jun's son. Hedong and Hebei were ordered to reinforce the offensive. On jiashen forty-seven halberds were stolen from Jianling. On jiazi Li Guangyan reported victory.
39
In the second month the Tibetan king died. Li Fengji joined the Grand Council. Forty thousand bolts rewarded the Hebei armies. On jiayin Li Jiang became Minister of War. On bingchen the moon eclipsed the Heart. On wuwu the Nanzhao ruler died.
40
殿 西殿使 使
In the third month the empress dowager died at Xingqing. Court mourning began with Pei Du directing rites and Han Gao guarding Daming. On xinwei routine business was routed through the Secretariat. On guiyou mourning envoys were sent empire-wide. On jiaxu the emperor met ministers outside Zichen. On jimao Li Fengji directed the dowager's burial. Fifty thousand bolts were allotted to the burial. On jichou the moon neared Saturn.
41
西使使 宿
In the fourth month Li Yijian notified Nanzhao of the mourning. Border posts notifying foreign states after mourning was old law. On gengxu Yang Yuling was demoted for supply failures. On dingsi Xu and Su received 80,000 shi of famine relief.
42
宿
On a fifth-month night Chen and Sui met at the Well. Youzhou mutinied and expelled Luo Yi. On renshen Li Guangyan took Lingyun Stockade.
43
退 便
In the sixth month Gao Xiayu's defeat at Iron City revived calls to end the war. The emperor refused to abandon the campaign after one defeat. Debate strategy only, not retreat. That night the moon eclipsed a Heart companion star. On gengxu Tian Hongzheng camped at Nangong against Chengzong. On xinyou the dowager received the posthumous name Zhuangxian.
44
使 使 使使使 使 使
In the seventh month Gao Xiayu was demoted after Iron City. Zheng Quan took Shannan East; Yuan Zi took Tang and the Zhangyi front; Pei Wu took Jingnan. Yang Min was named Tang commander. A soldier was paired with the scholar Yuan Zi. On renwu Xuanwu reported victory.
45
西
In the eighth month Wei Guanzhi left the council for Personnel. He had argued to spare Chengzong and focus on Yuanji, clashing with Pei Du. On wushen a typhoon wrecked Rongzhou. On jiashen Zhuangxian was enshrined at Fengling.
46
使 宿
In the ninth month Raozhou reported floods that drowned 170. On bingzi Wei Guanzhi was sent to Hunan. On xinwei Zhang Su exiled a bloc of Wei Guanzhi's allies to remote prefects. On yiyou the Cai front reported Lingyun Stockade taken.
47
輿西使 使西使 西
In the tenth month Quan Deyu took Shannan West. On bingyin Liu Zong joined the council and Li Shidao was promoted. Li Shidao feigned loyalty after Lingyun fell. On gengwu Wang Sui and Yao Song, fiscal specialists, took rich circuits. They were chosen to fund the war through revenue posts. On renshen non-urgent memorials were barred from express relay. On dingchou half a million strings went to the armies. On a wuyin night the moon crossed Sui. On xinsi Liang Shou supervised the Huaixi armies. He was given five hundred blank commissions and treasure besides. Earth and Mars met at Xu and Wei on wuzi night.
48
使 使使 使 使 西
Chen Chu took the Yiwu command on bingwu. Wang Ya entered the council on dingwei. Li Su received the Tang-Sui-Deng commission on jiayin. A Ying River grain transport office was created. Grain ran from Huaiyin up the Huai and Ying to Yan City in staged hauls. The route delivered fifty thousand shi and vast fodder stores. Bian transport costs fell by seventy-six thousand strings. Yongguan reported a massacre at Yan on jiwei. Fire destroyed Weiyang Palace and the Feilong pasture. Floods ravaged the capital region and lower Yangtze circuits. Winter thunder and spring blossoms out of season marked the year. Border peoples sent tribute missions. Yuanhe 12 opened without New Year audience because of the Huai campaign. Hun Gao was demoted for botching the rebel campaign on guiwei. Yuan Zi was exiled for urging an end to the war on jiashen. Stars shone through rain on yiyou night. A comet blazed south of Bi for three nights on wuzi.
49
簿 使
Inner stores funded the campaign on renshen. Beijing residents were grouped for traitor hunts on gengzi. Hebei agents tried to panic Chang'an, prompting household searches. Captured ledgers showed Tong Pass clerks had aided rebels, not street searches. A camp Yan City was set up for surrenders on gengshen. Li Daogu stormed Shenzhou's outer wall and was thrown back on jiayin.
50
Heshimei lost a thousand men at Baixiang on renxu. Cheng Zhigong of Cangzhou was renamed Quan on wuchen. Zhang Zhongfang was banished for disputing Li Jifu's posthumous title. Li Jifu's posthumous name was fixed as Loyal. The moon crossed the rear Heart star on dingchou. Wu Xiulin surrendered Wencheng to Li Su on guiwei.
51
西
Li Guangyan shattered a rebel host at Yan City on xinmao. Yu Jiyou caroused through mourning with Liu Shifu on xinchou. Jiyou lost his titles, was flogged, and sent to Zhongzhou; Shifu was flogged and exiled to Lianzhou; Yu Di was demoted for failing to control his son. Charity grain from the Great Granary was sold in the west on jiyou. Wu Fang was renamed Suiping and relocated on gengxu. Yan City fell to Deng Huaijin and Dong Chang on dingmao. Hail at Weinan killed people on jiaxu. Hebei operations were suspended to finish Huai-Cai on bingzi.
52
使 使
The fifth month opened on gengyin. Li Su reported Wu Fang victory and Li You's capture on guisi. Xu Mengrong became Luoyang regent on jihai. Luoyang supply lines were stripped of oxen; farmers plowed with donkeys. Four hundred corridor rooms ringed the Pool of Immortals on jiyou.
53
使 使 殿
Cheng Yi replaced Wang Bo as salt commissioner on jiwei. Cheng Yi bought the post with 1.85 million in recovered army funds. Wu Yuanji petitioned to surrender on renxu. Yuanji wanted to yield but his staff held him back. A cloudburst flooded markets and shook Hanyuan Hall on yiyou.
54
使 滿 滿 使 使使西使 西使 宿
The seventh month opened on wuzi. Dingzhou famine donors could buy office on renchen. Hebei floods stood two zhang deep in places. Yu Di's retirement plea was denied on jiachen. Cui Yong died as Lingnan commissioner. An edict set five-year terms before demoted officials could transfer; amnesties before five years would follow their own rules; capital crimes still required imperial approval. Kong Zong took Lingnan on gengxu. Pei Du was sent to command the Zhangyi campaign on bingchen. Cui Qun joined the council the same day. Ma Zong became Pei Du's deputy commissioner; Han Yu joined the Zhangyi staff; Li Zhengfeng, Feng Su, and Li Zongmin went as Du's secretaries. Yan City became the field capital of Cai.
55
使
The eighth month opened on wuwu. Pei Du left for the front with Shence escort on gengshen. Pei Du wept at the gate and received an imperial rhinoceros belt. Xin Mi replaced Heshimei at Zhaoyi. Heshimei and Meng Jian were promoted to central posts. Zhang Zhengfu became Henan Intendant on wuchen. Pei Du arrived at Yan City on jiashen.
56
使 使使 使
The ninth month opened on dinghai. Imperial luxuries were liquidated for the campaign on wuzi. The Censorate petitioned on jiawu: "Concurrent appointees had been ranked by name order, so late arrivals could leapfrog seniors. They asked to rank by appointment date instead. The throne ruled name order held for one month after appointment; then edict order would govern seating. Lu Tan died in the east on wuxu. Dou Yizhi was exiled for a coerced confession on jihai. The vice censor became Capital Intendant on xinchou. Wei Guanzhi was sidelined to the heir's household on renyin. Cui Yuanlue became censor-in-chief on yisi. Li Fengji was sent to Sichuan on dingwei. Yuan Zi returned to Hunan as observer on gengzi.
57
使使 使西 西 西
Pei Du nearly died inspecting ditches when rebels struck on renshen. He barely escaped capture. The court sent the Yuanhe slander reader to the historians on guiyou. Li Yong entered the council; Wei Cigong took Huainan on jiashen. Li Su captured Wu Yuanji in Cai City on jimao; Huai-West fell. An edict on jiashen ordered Han Hong and Pei Du to report Huai merit rolls; no Huai soldier was to be prosecuted; and the region received two years' tax relief. That closed the Huai-West amnesty edict.
58
西 西使使 使 使使 使使 西 西使 使使 殿 宿 西使
Xianzong took the Huai captives at Xing'an Gate on bingxu. Wu Yuanji was executed at Lone Willow after a public parade; Lady Shen went to the palace workshops; his kin were exiled and then killed; seven aides including Liu Xie were beheaded. Li Su was richly rewarded with the Shannan East command; Han Hong received a palace title; Li Guangyan and Wu Zhongyin were made honorary works ministers. Han Gongwu and Tian Bu were promoted for the victory. Prince En died on jiawu. Yan City became Yin prefecture with three counties. Pei Du was ennobled Duke of Jin on wushen; Ma Zong took the Zhangyi and Yin commands. Han Yu became penal vice minister on bingzi. Floods struck Henan and Hebei that year. Yuanhe 13 opened with audience and empire-wide amnesty. Confucius' line received the hereditary dukedom on jichou. Zhang Su was dispatched to reassure Li Shidao on gengyin. Wang Bo went west as Sichuan commissioner on xinchai.
59
殿
A three-day victory feast filled Linde Hall in the second month.
60
西使 使 使
Li Yijian became chief censor on gengyin. Zheng Qian became Luoyang regent on bingyin. Li Yijian entered the council on gengzi. Li Yong left the council but kept Revenue. Zheng Yuqing became left vice director on dingwei. An edict ordered fairer sharing of official duty-field harvests. A minister offered two prefectures to atone at court. Xu Mengrong died on renxu. Wang Chengzong's rank was restored on gengchen. Zheng Quan took the Transocean command.
61
使 使使使使使 使使 使
Li Weijian died in Fengxiang on yiyou. The moon neared the rear Heart star on yiwei. Li Guangyan and Ma Zong swapped central China commands on bingchen. Li Su went to Fengxiang; Parhae's king was enfeoffed on xinchou. Meng Jian took Shannan East on bingwu.
62
使 使
An eclipse marked the sixth-month opening. Yuan Zi died in Hunan on yichou. Cheng Quan took Binning on dingchou. Inner silk and cash funded the eastern campaign.
63
使使 使 使 使使 使
Li Su was shifted to Wuning on guiwei. Tian Hongzheng received an honorary works title on jiashen. Li Shidao was outlawed and five armies marched on Ziqing on yiyou. Li Yijian went south to Huainan on xinchou. Circuit revenue and garrison-farm titles were stripped on jiyou. Zheng Yuqing took Fengxiang on gengxu.
64
西使 宿 西使輿
Wang Ya left the council on renzi. Cui Cong took Shannan West on wuwu. Venus neared the Left Enforcer on jiaxu. An edict narrowed kinship avoidance rules on yihai. Yang Sifu's forced stay prompted the clarification. Three mansions piled at Axle on dingchou. Quan Deyu died on wuyin.
65
使 使使 退
Gao Xiayu took the northern frontier on jiashen. Huangfu Bo entered the council while keeping Revenue on jiachen. Cheng Yi joined the council and kept salt transport. Fiscal hardliners took the premiership for money. Pei Du and Cui Qun protested in vain. Both offered to resign. Mars approached the Weeping star. Silk was rushed to the eastern front on dingwei.
66
使 使 使 使使使
Tibet hit You on jiayin. Lingwu claimed a twenty-thousand-man victory on renxu. Wei Cigong died on guihai. Hao Qi reported retaking Yuanzhou on jiazi. The moon neared Mao that night. Xue Ping took Yicheng on bingzi; Li Guangyan moved to Zhongwu at Xu.
67
使使 使
Xiazhou reported routing fifty thousand Tibetans on xinsi. Lingwu took Changle's outer wall. Alchemist Liu Bi was made Taizhou prefect on dinghai. Censors protested the alchemist appointment in vain. Wu Zhongyin took Transocean on renyin. Linghu Chu took Heyang on dingwei.
68
宿
Corvée rations for palace guards were cut on xinhai. Captured Ziqing officers were freed to encourage defections on wuyin. Xianzong warned his ministers against faction-making. He admitted slander was hard to tell apart. Pei Du said deeds reveal the man. Xianzong said talk is cheap. He ordered ministers to match words with deeds. The council thanked him and vowed effort; they begged him to rule by example, not edict alone. He took the rebuke well. Many foreign states sent tribute that year. Yuanhe 14 opened without audience while armies were in the field. The inner music school returned on renwu. Wuning troops won at Jinxiang on dinghai. Buddha relics from Famen set off a donation frenzy in Chang'an. Han Yu denounced the relic cult in a memorial. Han Yu was exiled to Chaozhou on guisi. Weibo routed rebels at Dong'e on bingchen. Li Zongshi was executed on xinsi. He had resisted Zheng Quan's appointment until the army expelled him. The moon neared the Dipper leader on guimao night. Weibo won again at Yanggu on bingwu.
69
使 使使 使 殿 使殿使
Yan Mo took Qianzhong on jiyou. Ziqing troops were ordered to spare civilians on yimao. Wang Chengzong received flood relief silk. Meng Jian was fined for an irregular magistrate appointment. Liu Wu killed Li Shidong and surrendered Ziqing on renxu. Court celebrated Ziqing's fall at Xuanzheng on jiazi. Tian Hongzheng presented prisoners at Xing'an on jisi. Liu Wu was enfeoffed and sent to Yicheng on gengwu. Tian Hongzheng entered the council on guiyou.
70
殿 使 使使 使使 西使 使
The third month opened on jimao. A Linde feast marked the Shandong victory on dingyou. Ma Zong took the Yan-Pu-Cao command; Xue Ping received Pinglu on jichou; Wang Sui took Yi while Shidao's twelve prefectures were split three ways. Li Xiao died in Zhexi on gengyin. Shidao's family was punished on xinmao. Wei Zhongxing took Hua and Tong Pass on yiwei. Xianzong told his ministers that hearing truth was hard. Appointment required wholehearted service, yet officials still played favorites in office. He claimed growing insight despite modest self-appraisal. He cited the Yuanhe slander reader as his moral guidebook. Cui Qun said open cases are easy, but fraud makes judgment hard. He quoted Confucius on mob opinion and whispered slander. Honest appointment and law, he said, would end deceit. He praised the emperor's historical reading. Linghu Tong was made Right Guard general. Cui Zhi blocked Tong's promotion for a military failure. The throne overruled Cui Zhi for the father's service.
71
使 使 使便使 使 使 使
The fourth month opened on wushen. Venus marched toward the Eastern Well on yimao. Li Yuan took Fengxiang on wuwu. An edict centralized sub-prefecture troops under civil prefects; prefects with military titles kept their own quotas; otherwise troops fell to the circuit adjutant. Frontier forts on tribal borders were exempt. Cheng Yi died on xinwei. Pei Du was sent to Hedong on bingzi.
72
使 使 使 使使 使 使 使西使
Liu Gongchuo took salt transport on wuyin. Li Ting took the northwest on gengchen. Zhang Hongjing entered central Personnel on bingxu; Li Guangyan marched six thousand men to the northwest. Heshimei took Zhongwu on gengyin. The moon neared Antares that night. A Linhai stud farm was placed under Huainan on jihai. Shidao's female kin were spared harsh confiscation. Dou Yizhi went to Run; Han Hong sent silk and entertainers for Ziqing. The court sent the musicians back.
73
使使 使 使 西使
The sixth month opened on dingwei. Yuan Xi took Xuan-She on guichou. Gui Deng became works minister on gengshen. Pei Yi took Fujian. Dingzhou was restored to upper-prefecture rank on xinyou. Li Jiang took Hezhong on jiazi. Hu Zheng was sent to inspect northwest defenses on guiyou.
74
殿 使使 使 使使 使 使 使
The seventh month reached dingchou. Han Hong presented himself at court on wuyin. Xue Pin died on jimao. The moon occulted Antares on yiyou night. Officials proposed a grand honorific on xinsi. He took the title and amnestied the empire the same day. Capital taxes were cut four hundred cash per string; and pre-Yuanhe 5 arrears were forgiven. Han Hong gave lavish gifts on jiawu. Linghu Chu entered the council on dingyou. Wei Zhengwu took Yongguan on renyin. Wei Yitong took Heyang on guimao. Wang Sui was killed in the Yi mutiny. Cao Hua was sent to crush Yi on jiachen. Jinzhou defense was abolished on yisi.
75
使使使 使使 退 殿 使
The eighth month opened on dingwei. Han Hong was made Secretariat director on yiyou. A Linhan stud was set under Shannan East on jiayin. Wang Chengzong received an honorary vice-directorship on wuwu. Tian Hongzheng arrived at court on jiwei. Xianzong said state business could not wait even on holidays. He ordered ministers to seek audience at Yanying whenever needed. Cui Qun tried to leave in the heat. Xianzong kept the council despite summer heat. The audience ran long. Tian Hongzheng's officers were feasted on dinghai. Heshimei died on wuchen.
76
使 使祿
The ninth month opened on bingzi. Xiao You offered antiquities on wuyin. Wang Bian was executed for the Yi revolt. Li Xun took Zhongwu on guiwei. Tian Ji was demoted on gengyin. He had provoked Tibet by plundering Dangxiang. Zheng Yuqing took the university on jiawu. Tian Rong was honored in Luoyang on xinchou. Tian Hongzheng received a real fief on jiachen. He had asked to stay in Chang'an three times in vain. Xianzong asked why Xuanzong's reign faded after Kaiyuan 16. Cui Qun said early Xuanzong knew common hardship, and great ministers kept him honest until order returned. Comfort then drew him to flatterers, until Rong, Linfu, and Guozhong brought ruin. He urged Xianzong to imitate early Kaiyuan, not late Tianbao. The speech targeted Huangfu Bo on the council.
77
The tenth month opened on bingwu. Annan troops massacred Li Xianggu's house on renxu. Gui Zhongwu took Annan; Han Yu was moved nearer court. Tibet raided Yan that month.
78
使
Li Yong became Luoyang regent on yihai. Shi Jingfeng beat Tibet at Yan and was rewarded on xinmao. Zheng Quan took the right capital street on dingyou. Pei Pei warned against Liu Bi's elixir, and asked the alchemist to test it for a year first. Xianzong was enraged. Pei Pei was exiled to Jiangling on jihai.
79
使 使 使 使 使使 使 殿 使 殿 西
The twelfth month opened on yisi. A levy on officials would fund the university. Cui Qun was sent to Hunan on yimao. Huangfu Bo had engineered his fall. The capital hated Huangfu Bo for it. Yuanhe 15 opened without New Year rites because of elixir sickness. Wang Chengzong won more civil posts in his circuit on gengchen. Cui Qun returned to fiscal office on renwu. Cao Hua moved the Yi-Hai command to Yanzhou amid seventeen days of gloomy weather. The moon brushed Antares on bingchen. Three Qi counties were merged away. Liu Wu presented himself at court. Xianzong met Liu Wu at Linde on wuxu. Liu Wu's appearance eased panic while the emperor stayed ill. Han Cui took Yan-Fang on gengzi. Xianzong died at forty-three that night in Daming Palace. Rumor blamed eunuch Chen Hongzhi for regicide; annalists kept silent. The death edict was read on xinchou. The guard moved west on renyin.
80
In the fifth month he received temple name Xianzong. He was buried at Jingling on gengshen.
81
退
Historian Jiang Xi wrote that young Xianzong devoured Tang exemplars and confessed his inferiority to Taizong and Xuanzong. He knew even sage kings needed loyal ministers, not solo rule. He held long Yanying sessions until late afternoon. Since Zhenyuan 10 the throne had lost power to the provinces. Dezong bypassed chancellors for fiscal cronies like Pei Yanling. Xianzong restored civil rule to the council after decades of eunuch and fiscal sway. Order returned and he crushed the great rebellions. Jiang Xi ranked his strategic genius among Tang's rarest restorers. Yet fiscal hardliners and exiling Pei Du and Cui Qun marred the late reign. Had he lived longer and avoided elixirs and eunuch murder, fuller order might have followed.
82
耀
The eulogy opens: after Zhenyuan, rebels held the realm. Xianzong's majesty crushed their uprising. His ministers paired virtue with force. Yuanhe rule lived on in praise.
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