1
薛舉，河東汾陰人也。 其父汪，徙居金城。 舉容貌瑰偉，凶悍善射，驍武絕倫，家產巨萬，交結豪猾，雄於邊朔。 初，為金城府校尉。 大業末，隴西群盜蜂起，百姓飢餒，金城令郝瑗，募得數千人，使舉討捕。 授甲於郡中，吏人咸集，置酒以饗士。 舉與其子仁杲及同謀者十三人，於座中劫瑗，矯稱收捕反者，因發兵囚郡縣官，開倉以賑貧乏。 自稱西秦霸王，建元為秦興，封仁杲為齊公，少子仁越為晉公。 有宗羅睺者，先聚黨為群盜，至是帥眾會之，封為義興公，餘皆以次封拜。 掠官收馬，招集群盜，兵鋒甚銳，所至皆下。 隋將皇甫綰屯兵一萬在枹罕，舉選精銳二千人襲之，與綰軍遇於赤岸，陳兵未戰，俄而風雨暴至。 初，風逆舉陣，而綰不擊之； 忽返風，正逆綰陣，氣色昏昧，軍中擾亂。 舉策馬先登，眾軍從之，隋軍大潰，遂陷枹罕。 時羌首鐘利俗擁兵二萬在岷山界，盡以眾降舉，兵遂大振。 進仁杲為齊王，授東道行軍元帥； 仁越為晉王，兼河州刺史； 羅睺為義興王，以副仁杲。 總兵略地，又克鄯、廓二州，數日間，盡有隴西之地，眾至十三萬。
Xue Ju came from Fenyin in Hedong. His father Wang had relocated the household to Jincheng. Ju was striking in bearing, fierce, and an expert archer, with martial prowess beyond compare. His household possessed vast wealth, he cultivated ties with powerful local strongmen, and he dominated the northern marches. He began his career as a company commander in the Jincheng prefectural guard. Late in the Daye reign, bandit armies swarmed across Longxi and the people faced famine. Jincheng Magistrate Hao Yuan recruited several thousand men and put Ju in command to hunt the raiders down. When armor was issued in the commandery, officials and clerks alike gathered, and a feast was laid out for the soldiers. At the banquet Ju, his son Rengao, and thirteen confederates seized Yuan, claiming they were rounding up rebels. They mobilized troops, imprisoned the commandery and county officials, and opened the granaries to feed the destitute. He proclaimed himself Overlord of Western Qin, adopted the era name Qin Xing, made Rengao Duke of Qi, and his younger son Renyue Duke of Jin. A brigand chief named Zong Luohou, who had long led a band of raiders, now brought his followers to Ju's banner. Ju enfeoffed him as Duke of Yixing and granted ranks to the others in turn. He seized government herds, rounded up horses, and recruited bandits from every quarter. His army struck with devastating force, and every place he reached fell to him. Sui general Huangfu Wan had ten thousand men encamped at Fuhan. Ju selected two thousand crack troops for a surprise attack. The armies met at Chian and had just formed for battle when a violent storm burst upon them. At first the wind blew straight into Ju's ranks, yet Wan held his attack; then the wind swung around and drove full into Wan's line. The sky darkened and his troops fell into chaos. Ju spurred ahead at the head of the charge, his whole army surging after him. The Sui army collapsed in rout, and Fuhan fell. The Qiang chieftain Zhong Lisu then held twenty thousand men along the Minshan border. He surrendered his entire following to Ju, and Ju's power swelled dramatically. Rengao was elevated to Prince of Qi and named commander-in-chief of the eastern campaign; Renyue became Prince of Jin and concurrently Governor of Hezhou; Luohou was made Prince of Yixing to serve as Rengao's second-in-command. He marched at the head of his armies to seize territory, capturing Shan and Kuo prefectures as well. Within days he controlled all of Longxi, and his forces grew to one hundred thirty thousand.
2
十三年秋七月，舉僭號於蘭州，以妻鞠氏為皇后，母為皇太后，起墳塋，置陵邑，立廟於城南。 其月，舉陳兵數萬，出拜墓，禮畢大會。 仁杲進兵圍秦州。 仁越兵趨劍口，至河池郡，太守蕭瑀拒退之。 舉命其將常仲興渡河擊李軌，與軌將李贇大戰於昌松，仲興敗績，全軍陷於軌。 及仁杲克秦州，舉自蘭州遷都之。 遣仁杲引軍寇扶風郡，汧源賊帥唐弼率眾拒之，兵不得進。 初，弼起扶風，立隴西李弘芝為天子，有徒十萬。 舉遣使招弼，弼殺弘芝，引軍從舉。 仁杲因弼弛備，襲破之，並有其眾，弼以數百騎遁免。 舉勢益張，軍號三十萬，將圖京師。 會義兵定關中，遂留攻扶風。 太宗帥師討敗之，斬首數千級，追奔至隴坻而還。 舉又懼太宗逾隴追之，乃問其眾曰：「古來天子有降事否？」 偽黃門侍郎褚亮曰：「昔越帝趙佗卒歸漢祖，蜀主劉禪亦仕晉朝，近代蕭琮，至今猶貴。 轉禍為福，自古有之。」 其衛尉卿郝瑗趨而進曰：「皇帝失問。 褚亮之言，又何悖也！ 昔漢祖屢經敗績，蜀先主亟亡妻子，戰之利害，何代無之？ 安得一戰不捷，而為亡國之計也！」 舉亦悔之，答曰：「聊發此問，試君等耳。」 乃厚賞瑗，引為謀主。 瑗又勸舉連結梁師都，共為聲勢，厚賂突厥，餌其戎馬，合從併力，進逼京師。 舉從其言，與突厥莫賀咄設謀取京師。 莫賀咄設許以兵隨之，期有日矣。 會都水監宇文歆使於突厥，歆說莫賀咄設，止其出兵，故舉謀不行。
In the seventh month of autumn in his thirteenth regnal year he declared himself emperor at Lanzhou. He made his wife, Lady Qu, empress and his mother empress dowager, laid out imperial tombs with a mausoleum district, and built a ancestral temple south of the city. That month he paraded tens of thousands of troops to the tombs for the rites of homage, then held a grand assembly when the ceremony was done. Rengao marched forward and laid siege to Qinzhou. Renyue drove toward Jiankou and reached Hechi Commandery, where Prefect Xiao Yu beat his army back. Ju sent his general Chang Zhongxing across the river to strike Li Gui. At Changsong he fought Gui's general Li Yun and suffered a crushing defeat; his whole army was lost to Gui. After Rengao captured Qinzhou, Ju moved his capital there from Lanzhou. He dispatched Rengao to raid Fufeng Commandery, but the Qianyuan bandit chief Tang Bing rallied his men to block the advance, and the army could not get through. Bing had first risen in Fufeng, enthroned Li Hongzhi of Longxi as emperor, and gathered a host of one hundred thousand. Ju sent envoys to recruit Bing, who killed Hongzhi and marched his forces to Ju's side. While Bing's guard was down, Rengao ambushed and shattered him, absorbing his entire force. Bing fled with only a few hundred horsemen. Ju's power swelled further. His army was said to number three hundred thousand, and he set his sights on the capital. But the loyalist armies were then securing Guanzhong, so he stayed behind to keep hammering at Fufeng. Taizong led an army against him, routed his forces, and took several thousand heads. He chased the fugitives to Longqi before turning back. Ju now feared Taizong would cross the Long Mountains in pursuit and asked his followers, "Has any emperor in history ever surrendered?" His false Household Attendant Chu Liang replied, "The Yue emperor Zhao Tuo eventually submitted to the Han founder; Liu Shan of Shu served the Jin; and in our own day Xiao Cong still enjoys high standing. Turning disaster into fortune is an old story." His Commandant of the Guards Hao Yuan stepped forward urgently and said, "Your Majesty has asked the wrong question. Chu Liang's counsel is perverse! The Han founder suffered defeat after defeat; the founder of Shu repeatedly lost wife and children. What age has been spared the swings of war? How can a single lost battle justify talk of surrendering a kingdom!" Ju regretted the question as well and said, "I asked only to test you." He richly rewarded Yuan and made him his chief strategist. Yuan urged Ju to ally with Liang Shidu for mutual support, lavish bribes on the Turks to secure their cavalry, join forces in alliance, and drive on the capital. Ju took his counsel and plotted with the Turkic leader Moheduo she to take the capital. Moheduo she promised troops would follow, and a day was fixed for the move. At that moment Yuwen Xin of the Directorate of Waterways was on mission to the Turks and persuaded Moheduo she to hold back his army, so Ju's scheme came to nothing.
3
武德元年，豐州總管張長遜進擊宗羅睺，舉悉眾來援，軍屯高墌，縱兵虜掠，至於豳、岐之地。 太宗又率眾擊之，軍次高墌城，度其糧少，意在速戰，乃命深溝堅壁，以老其師。 未及與戰，會太宗不豫，行軍長史劉文靜、殷開山請觀兵於高墌西南，恃眾不設備，為舉兵掩乘其後。 太宗聞之，知其必敗，遽與書責之。 未至，兩軍合戰，竟為舉所敗，死者十五六，大將慕容羅睺、李安遠、劉弘基皆陷於陣。 太宗歸於京師，舉軍取高墌，又遣仁杲進圍寧州。 郝瑗言於舉曰：「今唐兵新破，將帥並擒，京師騷動，可乘勝直取長安。」 舉然之。 臨發而舉疾，召巫視之，巫言唐兵為祟，舉惡之，未幾而死。 舉每破陣，所獲士卒皆殺之，殺人多斷舌、割鼻，或碓搗之。 其妻性又酷暴，好鞭撻其下，見人不勝痛而宛轉於地，則埋其足，才露腹背而捶之。 由是人心不附。 仁杲代董其眾，偽謚舉為武皇帝，未葬而仁杲滅。
In the first year of Wude, Fengzhou commander Zhang Changsun attacked Zong Luohou. Ju marched out with his whole army to relieve him, encamped at Gaoping, and unleashed raiders across Bin and Qi. Taizong marched out again and halted at Gaoping. Seeing that the enemy was short of grain and eager for a quick fight, he ordered deep entrenchments and strong walls to wear them down. Before battle could be joined Taizong fell ill. Campaign chief clerk Liu Wenjing and Yin Kaishan asked to inspect the troops southwest of Gaoping. Confident in their numbers, they took no precautions, and Ju's army fell on them from behind. Hearing of this, Taizong knew disaster was coming and sent an urgent letter of rebuke. The letter had not yet arrived when the armies clashed and were routed by Ju. Fifteen or sixteen men in every hundred were killed, and the great generals Murong Luohou, Li Anyuan, and Liu Hongji were all captured in the battle. Taizong withdrew to the capital. Ju seized Gaoping and sent Rengao on to besiege Ningzhou. Hao Yuan told Ju, "The Tang army has just been shattered, its commanders taken, and the capital is in uproar. You can strike while victory is hot and march straight on Chang'an." Ju agreed. On the eve of departure Ju fell ill. A shaman he summoned declared that Tang spirits were tormenting him. Ju took the omen badly and died not long after. Whenever Ju broke an enemy line he slaughtered every captive. Many he killed by cutting out their tongues or slicing off their noses, or pounding them in a mortar. His wife was equally brutal, delighting in flogging subordinates. When a victim writhed on the ground in agony she would bury his feet and beat only the belly and back left exposed. For this reason their followers' loyalty waned. Rengao took command of his forces, gave Ju the posthumous title Martial Emperor, and was destroyed before the funeral rites were finished.
4
〈子〉 薛仁杲
〈His son〉 Xue Rengao
5
仁杲，舉長子也，多力善騎射，軍中號為萬人敵。 然所至多殺人，納其妻妾。 獲庾信子立，怒其不降，磔於猛火之上，漸割以啖軍士。 初，拔秦州，悉召富人倒懸之，以醋灌鼻，或杙其下竅，以求金寶。 舉每誡之曰：「汝智略縱橫，足辦我家事，而傷於苛虐，與物無恩，終當覆我宗社。」 舉死，仁杲立於折墌城，與諸將帥素多有隙，及嗣位，眾咸猜懼。 郝瑗哭舉悲思，因病不起，自此兵勢日衰。
Rengao, Ju's eldest son, was immensely strong and a master of mounted archery. The army called him a match for ten thousand men. Wherever he marched he slaughtered freely and seized men's wives and concubines. He captured Li, son of the poet Yu Xin, and enraged by his refusal to submit had him dismembered over a roaring fire, cutting flesh piece by piece to feed the troops. When he first seized Qinzhou he rounded up the wealthy, hung them head down, poured vinegar into their nostrils, or drove stakes through their lower bodies to wring out gold and jewels. Ju often warned him, "Your schemes are resourceful enough to carry our house, but your cruelty and want of mercy toward others will in the end destroy our line and our kingdom." After Ju's death Rengao held court at Zheyuancheng. He had long been at odds with many of his generals, and when he took the throne his followers were rife with suspicion and fear. Hao Yuan mourned Ju in grief until illness laid him low, and from that day their military strength steadily waned.
6
自劉文靜為舉所敗後，高祖命太宗率諸軍以擊仁杲，師次高墌，而堅壁不動。 諸將咸請戰，太宗曰：「我士卒新敗，銳氣猶少。 賊以勝自驕，必輕敵好鬥，故且閉壁以折之。 待其氣衰而後奮擊，可一戰而破，此萬全計也。」 乃令軍中曰：「敢言戰者斬。」 相持者久之。 仁杲勇而無謀，兼糧饋不屬，將士稍離，其內史令翟長孫以其眾來降，仁杲妹夫偽左僕射鐘俱仇以河州歸國。 太宗知其可擊，遣將軍龐玉擊賊將宗羅睺於淺水原。 兩軍酣戰，太宗以勁兵出賊不意，奮擊大破之。 乘勝進薄其折墌城，仁杲窮蹙，率偽百官開門降，太宗納之。 王師振旅，以仁杲歸於京師，及其首帥數十人皆斬之。 舉父子相繼偽位至滅，凡五年，隴西平。
After Liu Wenjing's defeat by Ju, Gaozu ordered Taizong to lead the armies against Rengao. The army halted at Gaoping and held behind stout walls without giving battle. The generals all pressed for battle. Taizong said, "Our men have just suffered defeat and their fighting spirit is still low. The rebels are drunk on victory and will surely grow reckless and eager to fight. For now we hold the walls to break their spirit. When their ardor fades we will strike with full force and break them in one battle. That is the sure plan." He then proclaimed through the army, "Anyone who speaks of giving battle will be beheaded." The stalemate dragged on for a long time. Rengao was bold but lacked strategy, supplies failed to reach him, and his officers and men began to slip away. His Director of the Imperial Secretariat Zhai Zhangsun defected with his troops, and Rengao's brother-in-law, the false Left Vice Director Zhong Juqiu, surrendered Hezhou to the Tang. Seeing the moment ripe, Taizong sent General Pang Yu to strike the rebel general Zong Luohou at Qianshuiyuan. As the two armies grappled in fierce combat, Taizong led elite troops in an unexpected thrust and shattered the enemy line. Pressing the victory he advanced on Zheyuancheng. Cornered, Rengao led his false court out to open the gates in surrender, and Taizong accepted. The imperial army marched home in triumph with Rengao to the capital, and several dozen of his chieftains were beheaded. Father and son had held the false throne in succession until their destruction, a span of five years in all, and Longxi was pacified.
7
李軌，字處則，武威姑臧人也。 有機辯，頗窺書籍，家富於財，賑窮濟乏，人亦稱之。 大業末，為鷹揚府司馬。 時薛舉作亂於金城，軌與同郡曹珍、關謹、梁碩、李贇、安修仁等謀曰：「薛舉殘暴，必來侵擾，郡官庸怯，無以御之。 今宜同心戮力，保據河右，以觀天下之事，豈可束手於人，妻子分散！」 乃謀共舉兵，皆相讓，莫肯為主。 曹珍曰：「常聞圖讖云『李氏當王』。 今軌在謀中，豈非天命也？」 遂拜賀之，推以為主。 軌令修仁夜率諸胡入內苑城，建旗大呼，軌於郭下聚眾應之，執縛隋虎賁郎將謝統師、郡丞韋士政。 軌自稱河西大涼王，建元安樂，署置官屬，並擬開皇故事。 初，突厥曷娑那可汗率眾內屬，遣弟闕達度闕設領部落在會寧川中，有二千餘騎，至是自稱可汗，來降於軌。
Li Gui, whose courtesy name was Chuze, came from Guzang in Wuwei. Quick-witted and articulate, he had some learning from books. His household was wealthy, and he was known for relieving the poor and aiding the needy, which won him praise. Late in the Daye reign he served as military aide in the Eagle-Flying Guard. When Xue Ju rose in rebellion at Jincheng, Gui met with his countrymen Cao Zhen, Guan Jin, Liang Shuo, Li Yun, An Xiuren, and others and said, "Xue Ju is brutal and will surely raid us. The commandery officials are timid and incompetent and cannot hold him off. We should unite in purpose, hold the lands west of the Yellow River, and watch how the empire unfolds. How can we sit idle while our wives and children are torn apart!" They resolved to raise troops together, yet each deferred to the others and none would take command. Cao Zhen said, "I have often heard prophetic texts declare, 'The house of Li shall reign. Gui stands among us in this plot—is that not Heaven's mandate?" They bowed in congratulation and pressed him to lead. Gui sent Xiuren by night to lead the frontier peoples into the Inner Garden city, raise banners, and raise the cry. Gui rallied followers outside the walls to join them and seized the Sui Tiger-Gallant General Xie Tongshi and commandery aide Wei Shizheng. Gui proclaimed himself Great King of Liang of Hexi, adopted the era name Anle, appointed a full bureaucracy, and modeled his court on Kaihuang precedents. Earlier the Turkic khan Tumen had submitted with his people and sent his younger brother Quedu du she to camp with more than two thousand horsemen in the Huining valley. They now styled themselves khans in their own right and submitted to Gui.
8
其年，軌殺其吏部尚書梁碩。 初，軌之起也，碩為謀主，甚有智略，眾咸憚之。 碩見諸胡種落繁盛，乃陰勸軌宜加防察，與其戶部尚書安修仁由是有隙。 又軌子仲琰懷恨，形於辭色，修仁因之構成碩罪，更譖毀之，雲其欲反，軌令齎鴆就宅殺焉。 是後，故人多疑懼之，心膂從此稍離。 時高祖方圖薛舉，遣使潛往涼州與之相結，下璽書，謂之為從弟。 軌大悅，遣其弟懋入朝，獻方物。 高祖授懋大將軍，遣還涼州。 又令鴻臚少卿張侯德持節，冊拜為涼州總管，封涼王，給羽葆鼓吹一部。 軌召群僚廷議曰：「今吾從兄膺受圖籙，據有京邑，天命可知，一姓不宜競立，今去帝號受冊可乎？」 曹珍進曰：「隋失天下，英雄競逐，稱王號帝，鼎峙瓜分。 唐國自據關中，大涼自處河右，己為天子，奈何受人官爵？ 若欲以小事大，宜依蕭察故事，自稱梁帝而稱臣於周。」 軌從之。
That year Gui killed his Director of the Ministry of Personnel, Liang Shuo. When Gui first rose, Shuo had been his chief strategist, a man of keen intelligence whom everyone feared. Seeing the frontier tribes growing strong, Shuo secretly urged Gui to tighten his guard against them, and for this he fell out with his Director of the Ministry of Revenue, An Xiuren. Gui's son Zhongyan also bore a grudge that showed plainly in his words and face. Xiuren used this to frame Shuo and spread further slander that he planned rebellion. Gui sent poison to Shuo's house and had him killed. After this his old companions grew suspicious and afraid, and his closest supporters gradually drifted away. Gaozu was then planning his campaign against Xue Ju and sent secret envoys to Liangzhou to ally with Gui, issuing an imperial letter that addressed him as younger cousin. Gui was delighted and sent his younger brother Mao to court with local tribute. Gaozu appointed Mao Great General and sent him back to Liangzhou. He also sent Vice Director of the Court of Diplomatic Reception Zhang Houde with credentials to invest Gui as Commander-in-Chief of Liangzhou, enfeoff him as King of Liang, and grant a full set of imperial parasols and martial music. Li Gui summoned his ministers for a court debate. "My cousin has received Heaven's mandate and taken the capital," he said. "The signs are clear — two dynasties should not compete. Should we give up our imperial title and accept Tang investiture instead? Cao Zhen stepped forward. "The Sui has lost the empire," he said. "Heroes are racing to seize it — kings and emperors spring up everywhere, each holding a piece of the realm like rival tripods dividing the land. Tang holds Guanzhong; we hold Hexi as Great Liang. We are already emperors in our own right — why should we accept titles and offices from anyone else? If you truly mean to serve the stronger power as the weaker one, follow the example of Xiao Cha: call yourself Emperor of Liang, but acknowledge Zhou as your sovereign." Li Gui agreed.
9
二年，遣其尚書左丞鄧曉隨使者入朝，表稱皇從弟大涼皇帝臣軌而不受官。 時有胡巫惑之曰：「上帝當遣玉女從天而降。」 遂徵兵築台以候玉女，多所糜費，百姓患之。 又屬年飢，人相食，軌傾家賑之，私家罄盡，不能周遍。 又欲開倉給粟，召眾議之。 珍等對曰：「國以人為本，本既不立，國將傾危，安可惜此倉粟，而坐觀百姓之死乎？」 其故人皆云，給粟為便。 謝統師等隋舊官人，為軌所獲，雖被任使，情猶不附。 每與群胡相結，引進朋黨，排軌舊人，因其大餒，欲離其眾。 乃詬珍曰：「百姓餓者自是弱人，勇壯之士終不肯困，國家倉粟須備不虞，豈可散之以供小弱？ 僕射苟悅人情，殊非國計。」 軌以為然，由是士庶怨憤，多欲叛之。
In the second year he sent his Minister of the Left, Deng Xiao, to Chang'an with the Tang envoy. Deng's memorial addressed the Tang emperor as his imperial cousin and styled Li Gui "Emperor of Great Liang, your subject Gui" — but Li Gui refused to accept any Tang office. A Hu shaman then deceived him, saying, "Heaven will send a jade maiden down from the sky. Li Gui conscripted labor and built a platform to await her. The project squandered vast sums, and the people groaned under the burden. Famine followed. People ate one another. Li Gui poured out his family's wealth to feed the starving, but his private stores ran dry and he could not help everyone. He then proposed opening the state granaries and distributing grain, and called his advisers together to debate the idea. Cao Zhen and his allies replied, "A state lives or dies by its people. If the people collapse, the state collapses with them. How can we hoard this grain and watch the common folk starve? Li Gui's old followers agreed that opening the granaries was the right move. Xie Tongshi and other former Sui officials whom Li Gui had captured and put to work still did not feel loyal to him at heart. They kept allying with the Hu factions, bringing in their own cliques and pushing aside Li Gui's old men. Exploiting the famine, they hoped to peel his followers away. They attacked Cao Zhen directly. "The starving are the weak," they said. "Strong men will never go hungry. State grain must be kept for emergencies — why pour it out for the helpless? The Vice-President is pandering to the crowd. That is no way to run a state. Li Gui agreed with them. Gentry and commoners alike turned resentful, and many began looking for a way out.
10
初，安修仁之兄興貴先在長安，表請詣涼州招慰軌。 高祖謂曰：「李軌據河西之地，連好吐谷渾，結援於突厥，興兵討擊，尚以為難，豈單使所能致也？」 興貴對曰：「李軌凶強，誠如聖旨。 今若諭之以逆順，曉之以禍福，彼則憑固負遠，必不見從。 何則？ 臣於涼州，奕代豪望，凡厥士庶，靡不依附。 臣之弟為軌所信任，職典樞密者數十人，以此候隙圖之，易於反掌，無不濟矣。」 高祖從之。 興貴至涼州，軌授以左右衛大將軍，又問以自安之術，興貴諭之曰：「涼州僻遠，人物凋殘，勝兵雖余十萬，開地不過千里，既無險固，又接蕃戎，戎狄豺狼，非我族類，此而可久，實用為疑。 今大唐據有京邑，略定中原，攻必取，戰必勝，是天所啟，非人力焉。 今若舉河西之地委質事之，即漢家竇融，未足為比。」 軌默然不答，久之，謂興貴曰：「昔吳濞以江左之兵，猶稱己為『東帝』； 我今以河右之眾，豈得不為『西帝』？ 彼雖強大，其如帝何？ 君與唐為計，誘引於我，酬彼恩遇耳。」 興貴懼，乃偽謝曰：「竊聞富貴不在故鄉，有如衣錦夜行。 今合家子弟並蒙信任，榮慶實在一門，豈敢興心，更懷他志？」 興貴知軌不可動，乃與修仁等潛謀，引諸胡眾起兵圖軌，將圍其城，軌率步騎千餘出城拒戰。 先時，有薛舉柱國奚道宜，率羌兵三百人亡奔於軌，既許其刺史而不授之，禮遇又薄，深懷憤怨。 道宜率所部共修仁擊軌，軌敗入城，引兵登陴，冀有外救。 興貴宣言曰：「大唐使我來殺李軌，不從者誅及三族！」 於是諸城老幼皆出詣修仁。 軌嘆曰：「人心去矣，天亡我乎！」 攜妻子上玉女台，置酒為別，修仁執之以聞。 時鄧曉尚在長安，聞軌敗，舞蹈稱慶。 高祖數之曰：「汝委質於人，為使來此，聞軌淪陷，曾無蹙容，苟悅朕情，妄為慶躍。 既不能留心於李軌，何能盡節於朕乎？」 竟廢而不齒。 軌尋伏誅，自起至滅三載，河西悉平。 詔授興貴右武候大將軍、上柱國，封涼國公，食實封六百戶，賜帛萬段； 修仁左武候大將軍，封申國公，並給田宅，食實封六百戶。
Earlier, An Xinggui — elder brother of An Xiuren — had been in Chang'an and petitioned to go to Liangzhou to win Li Gui over peacefully. Emperor Gaozu said to him, "Li Gui holds Hexi, keeps friendly ties with Tuyuhun, and has Turkic backing. Even a military campaign would be hard — how could one envoy alone bring him in? Xinggui replied, "Li Gui is fierce and formidable — Your Majesty is right. If we try to lecture him on loyalty and treason, blessings and ruin, he will hide behind his distance and his walls and never listen. Why? In Liangzhou my family has been a leading house for generations. Gentry and commoners alike look to me. My brother enjoys Li Gui's trust, and dozens of men around him hold the keys to state secrets. Wait for the right moment and strike — it would be as easy as turning my hand. It cannot fail." Emperor Gaozu approved the plan. When Xinggui reached Liangzhou, Li Gui made him Grand General of the Left and Right Guards and asked how he might secure his position. Xinggui urged him, "Liangzhou is remote and its people are exhausted. You may have a hundred thousand soldiers left, but your domain stretches barely a thousand li. You have no natural defenses, and barbarian peoples press your borders — wolves who are not of our kind. How long can such a hold last? I have my doubts. Great Tang now holds the capital and has largely pacified the Central Plains. Its armies take what they attack and win every battle they fight. Heaven is opening the way — this is not mere human strength. Submit Hexi now and swear allegiance, and your reward will outshine even Dou Rong of the Han. Li Gui said nothing for a long time. At last he told Xinggui, "In the old days Wu Pi commanded the armies of the lower Yangtze and still called himself the Eastern Emperor. With the armies of Hexi at my back, how can I not be the Western Emperor?" However strong they are, what can they do to an emperor? You are scheming for Tang, trying to lure me in — repayment for the favor they showed you." Alarmed, Xinggui feigned remorse. "They say wealth and honor are not found in one's hometown," he said, "like wearing brocade and walking at night. My whole family now enjoys your trust; our honor rests in one house. How could I dare turn my heart elsewhere?" Seeing that Li Gui would not budge, Xinggui secretly joined An Xiuren and the others to rouse the Hu factions in revolt. As they prepared to besiege the city, Li Gui led more than a thousand foot and horse soldiers out to fight. Earlier, Xi Daoyi, a pillar of state under Xue Ju, had fled to Li Gui with three hundred Qiang soldiers. Li Gui had promised him a governorship but never delivered it, and treated him coldly besides. Daoyi burned with resentment. Daoyi led his men with An Xiuren against Li Gui. Li Gui was beaten back into the city, climbed the walls with his troops, and waited for outside help that never came. Xinggui proclaimed, "Great Tang sent me to kill Li Gui! Whoever does not submit will be executed to the third degree of kin! At that, the old and young of every district came out to surrender to An Xiuren. Li Gui sighed, "The people's hearts have left me. Is Heaven destroying me? He took his wife and children up to the Jade Maiden Platform, poured a farewell cup of wine, and An Xiuren seized him and sent word of the capture. Deng Xiao was still in Chang'an at the time. When he heard that Li Gui had fallen, he danced for joy. Emperor Gaozu rebuked him. "You pledged yourself to Li Gui and came here as his envoy. When you heard he had fallen, you did not even look troubled — you danced to please me instead. If you could not stay loyal to Li Gui, how can you be loyal to me? In the end he was dismissed and never employed again. Li Gui was soon executed. From his rise to his fall took three years, and all of Hexi was pacified. An edict appointed An Xinggui General of the Right Martial Guard and Supreme Pillar of State, enfeoffed him as Duke of Liang with a fief of six hundred households, and granted him ten thousand bolts of silk; and made An Xiuren General of the Left Martial Guard and Duke of Shen. Both men received fields and residences, with fiefs of six hundred households each.
11
劉武周 〈附苑君璋〉
Liu Wuzhou 〈Appendix: Yuan Junzhang〉
12
劉武周，河間景城人。 父匡，徙家馬邑。 匡嘗與妻趙氏夜坐庭中，忽見一物，狀如雄雞，流光燭地，飛入趙氏懷，振衣無所見，因而有娠，遂生武周。 驍勇善射，交通豪俠。 其兄山伯每誡之曰：「汝不擇交遊，終當滅吾族也。」 數詈辱之。 武周因去家入洛，為太僕楊義臣帳內，募征遼東，以軍功授建節校尉。 還家，為鷹揚府校尉。 太守王仁恭以其州里之雄，甚見親遇，每令率虞候屯於閣下。 因與仁恭侍兒私通，恐事洩，又見天下已亂，陰懷異計，乃宣言於郡中曰：「今百姓飢餓，死人相枕於野，王府尹閉倉不恤，豈憂百姓之意乎！」 以此激怒眾人，皆發憤怨。 武周知眾心搖動，因稱疾不起，鄉閭豪傑多來候問，遂椎牛縱酒大言曰：「盜賊若此，壯士守志，並死溝壑。 今倉內積粟皆爛，誰能與我取之？」 諸豪傑皆許諾。 與同郡張萬歲等十餘人候仁恭視事，武周上謁，萬歲自後而入，斬仁恭於郡廳，持其首出徇郡中，無敢動者。 於是開廩以賑窮乏，馳檄境內，其屬城皆歸之，得兵萬餘人。
Liu Wuzhou was a native of Jingcheng in Hejian Commandery. His father Liu Kuang moved the family to Mayi. One night Kuang and his wife Lady Zhao were sitting in the courtyard when they saw something shaped like a rooster, its radiance lighting the ground. It flew into Lady Zhao's bosom; when she shook her robes, nothing remained. She conceived and bore Liu Wuzhou. He was fierce and skilled with the bow, and kept company with bold men of the roads. His elder brother Shanbo often warned him, "You choose your friends without care. One day you will destroy our whole clan. He scolded and humiliated him again and again. Wuzhou left home for Luoyang and entered the service of Grand Master of Horse Yang Yichen. Recruited for the Liaodong campaign, he earned the rank of Establishing-the-Command Pennant Commandant for his military service. When he returned home he became a commandant in the Soaring Hawk Guard. Prefect Wang Rengong, recognizing him as a local champion, treated him with great favor and often had him lead patrol troops stationed beneath the gate tower. He had an affair with one of Rengong's maids. Fearing exposure, and seeing the empire already in chaos, he began plotting in secret. He spread word through the prefecture: "The people are starving and the dead lie piled in the fields, yet the prefect keeps the granaries shut. Does he care for the people at all? The speech enraged the people, and resentment spread everywhere. Seeing that the people's hearts were wavering, Wuzhou feigned illness and stayed abed. Local heroes came to visit him in numbers. He slaughtered an ox, poured wine freely, and declared, "With bandits running wild like this, an honest man who keeps his honor will die in the ditches with the rest. The grain in the granaries is rotting away. Who will take it with me? The heroes all pledged to follow him. He and more than ten men of the prefecture, including Zhang Wansui, waited until Rengong was holding court. Wuzhou paid his respects while Wansui slipped in from behind and cut Rengong down in the hall. Wansui carried the head through the prefecture as a warning — no one dared move. They opened the granaries to feed the destitute and sent proclamations across the region. Dependent cities submitted one after another, and Wuzhou raised more than ten thousand troops.
13
武周自稱太守，遣使附於突厥。 隋雁門郡丞陳孝意、虎賁將王智辯合兵討之，圍其桑乾鎮。 會突厥大至，與武周共擊智辯，隋師敗績。 孝意奔還雁門，部人殺之，以城降於武周。 於是襲破樓煩郡，進取汾陽宮，獲隋宮人以賂突厥，始畢可汗以馬報之，兵威益振。 及攻陷定襄，復歸於馬邑。 突厥立武周為定楊可汗，遺以狼頭纛。 因僭稱皇帝，以妻沮氏為皇后，建元為天興。 以衛士楊伏念為左僕射，妹婿同縣人苑君璋為內史令。 先是，上谷人宋金剛有眾萬餘人，在易州界為群盜，定州賊帥魏刀兒與相表裡。 後刀兒為竇建德所滅，金剛救之，戰敗，率餘眾四千人奔武周。 武周聞金剛善用兵，得之甚喜，號為宋王，委以軍事，中分家產遺之。 金剛亦深自結納，遂出其妻，請聘武周之妹。 又說武周入圖晉陽，南向以爭天下。 武周授金剛西南道大行台，令率兵二萬人侵并州，軍黃虵鎮。 又引突厥之眾，兵鋒甚盛，襲破榆次縣，進陷介州。 高祖遣太常少卿李仲文率眾討之，為賊所執，一軍全沒。 仲文後得逃還。 復遣右僕射裴寂拒之，戰又敗績。 武周進逼，總管齊王元吉委城遁走，武周遂據太原。 遣金剛進攻晉州，六日，城陷，右驍衛大將軍劉弘基沒於賊。 進取澮州，屬縣悉下。
Wuzhou declared himself prefect and sent envoys to submit to the Turks. Chen Xiaoyi, assistant prefect of Yanmen, and Tiger Guard General Wang Zhibian joined forces against him and besieged his post at Sanggan. The Turks arrived in force. Together with Wuzhou they struck Zhibian and routed the Sui army. Xiaoyi fled back to Yanmen, but his own followers killed him and surrendered the city to Wuzhou. He then stormed Loufan Commandery and seized Fenyang Palace, taking Sui palace women to bribe the Turks. Khan Shibi repaid him with horses, and his military prestige grew ever stronger. After capturing Dingxiang he returned to Mayi. The Turks installed him as Dingyang Khan and gave him a wolf-head banner. He then declared himself emperor, made his wife Lady Ju empress, and adopted the era name Tianxing. He appointed guardsman Yang Fuxian as Left Vice-President and his brother-in-law Yuan Junzhang, a man of the same county, as Director of the Inner Secretariat. Earlier, Song Jingang of Shanggu had more than ten thousand men and roved as a bandit chief on the Yizhou border. Wei Daoer, a rebel leader in Dingzhou, coordinated with him from within and without. Later Wei Daoer was destroyed by Dou Jiande. Jingang went to his rescue, was defeated, and fled to Wuzhou with four thousand survivors. Hearing that Jingang was a skilled commander, Wuzhou was delighted. He styled him King of Song, put him in charge of military affairs, and gave him half his household wealth. Jingang bound himself to Wuzhou in return, set aside his own wife, and asked to marry Wuzhou's sister. He also urged Wuzhou to strike at Jinyang and turn south to contest the empire. Wuzhou made Jingang Grand Commissioner of the Southwest Route and ordered him to lead twenty thousand men against Bingzhou, encamping at Huangshe Post. With Turk reinforcements his army's momentum grew fierce. He stormed Yuci County and advanced to take Jiezhou. Emperor Gaozu sent Director of Ceremonial Li Zhongwen against him with an army. The rebels captured Zhongwen and wiped out his entire force. Zhongwen later escaped and made his way back. Gaozu then sent Right Vice-President Pei Ji to block them, but Pei was defeated again. Wuzhou pressed forward. Governor General Prince of Qi Li Yuanji abandoned the city and fled, and Wuzhou took Taiyuan. He sent Jingang against Jinzhou. On the sixth day the city fell, and Right Martial Guard General Liu Hongji was captured by the rebels. He advanced on Fenzhou, and all its subordinate counties fell.
14
夏縣人呂崇茂殺縣令，自號魏王，以應賊。 河東賊帥王行本又密與金剛連和，關中大駭。 高祖命太宗益兵進討，屯於柏壁，相持者久之。 又命永安王孝基、陝州總管於筠、工部尚書獨孤懷恩、內史侍郎唐儉進取夏縣，不能克，軍於城南。 崇茂與賊將尉遲敬德襲破孝基營，諸軍並陷，四將俱沒。 敬德還澮州，太宗邀擊於美良川，大破之。 敬德與賊將尋相又援王行本於蒲州，太宗復破之於蒲州。 高祖親幸蒲津關，太宗自柏壁輕騎謁高祖於行在所。 宋金剛遂圍絳州。 及太宗還，金剛懼而引退。 武周復攻李仲文於浩州，頻戰皆敗，又饋運不屬，賊眾大餒，於是金剛遂遁。 太宗復追及金剛於雀鼠谷，一日八戰，皆破之，俘斬數萬人，獲輜重千餘兩。 金剛走入介州，王師逼之。 金剛尚有眾二萬，出其西門，背城而陣，太宗與諸將力戰破之，金剛輕騎遁走。 其驍將尉遲敬德、尋相、張萬歲收其精兵，舉介州及永安來降。 武周大懼，率五百騎棄并州北走，自乾燭谷亡奔突厥。 金剛復收其亡散以拒官軍，人莫之從，與百餘騎復奔突厥。 太宗進平并州，悉復故地。 未幾，金剛背突厥而亡，將還上谷，為追騎所獲，腰斬之。 武周又欲謀歸馬邑，事洩，為突厥所殺。 武周自初起至死，凡六載。 初，武周引兵南侵，苑君璋說曰：「唐主舉一州之兵，定三輔之地，郡縣影附，所向風靡，此固天命，豈曰人謀？ 且并州已南，地形險阻，若懸軍深入，恐後無所繼，不如連和突厥，結援唐朝，南面稱孤，足為上策。」 武周不聽，遣君璋守朔州，遂侵汾、晉。 及敗，泣謂君璋曰：「恨不用君言，乃至於此！」
Lü Chongmao of Xia County killed the county magistrate, declared himself King of Wei, and joined the rebels. Hedong rebel leader Wang Xingben also secretly coordinated with Jingang, throwing the Guanzhong region into alarm. Emperor Gaozu ordered the Prince of Qin to reinforce his army and advance against them. He encamped at Baiyu, and the two sides faced each other for a long time. He also ordered Prince Yong'an Li Xiaoji, Shaanzhou Governor General Yu Jun, Minister of Works Dugu Huai'en, and Secretariat Vice-Director Tang Jian to take Xia County. They failed to capture it and encamped south of the city. Chongmao and rebel general Yuchi Jingde raided Xiaoji's camp and broke it. Every Tang force there collapsed, and all four generals were captured or killed. Jingde withdrew to Fenzhou. The Prince of Qin intercepted him at Meiliang River and routed his army. Jingde and rebel general Xun Xiang went to aid Wang Xingben at Pu Prefecture, but the Prince of Qin defeated them there as well. Emperor Gaozu went in person to Pu Ford. The Prince of Qin rode lightly from Baiyu to meet him at the imperial camp. Song Jingang then besieged Jiang Prefecture. When the Prince of Qin returned, Jingang grew fearful and pulled back. Wuzhou again attacked Li Zhongwen at Haozhou, but battle after battle ended in defeat. Supplies ran out, the rebel army grew desperately hungry, and Jingang finally fled. The Prince of Qin pursued Jingang to Quezu Valley and fought eight battles in a single day, winning every one. He captured or killed tens of thousands of men and seized more than a thousand supply wagons. Jingang retreated into Jie Prefecture, where the imperial army closed in on him. Jingang still commanded twenty thousand men. He marched out the west gate and drew up his lines with the city walls at his back. The Prince of Qin and his generals fought fiercely and broke his army, and Jingang escaped with a small cavalry force. His fierce generals Yuchi Jingde, Xun Xiang, and Zhang Wansui rallied his best troops, surrendered Jie Prefecture and Yong'an, and defected to the Tang. Wuzhou was panic-stricken. He abandoned Bingzhou with five hundred cavalry, fled north through Qianzhu Valley, and sought refuge with the Turks. Jingang tried once more to rally his scattered troops to resist the imperial army, but no one would follow. He fled to the Turks again with just over a hundred horsemen. The Prince of Qin advanced, pacified Bingzhou, and restored all the lost territories. Before long Jingang abandoned the Turks and fled, intending to return to Shanggu, but pursuing horsemen captured him and cut him in two at the waist. Wuzhou also plotted to return to Mayi, but when the plan was discovered the Turks killed him. From his first rise to his death, Liu Wuzhou's cause had lasted six years. Early on, as Wuzhou led his army south in invasion, Yuan Junzhang urged him: "The Tang ruler mobilized the forces of a single province and secured the Three Adjuncts. Commanderies and counties rallied to him at once; wherever his armies marched, resistance collapsed. That is plainly Heaven's mandate—how could mere human strategy account for it? And south of Bingzhou the terrain is rugged and treacherous. If we drive a detached army deep into enemy country, we may find nothing to sustain us. Better to ally with the Turks, maintain ties with the Tang, and hold the south as an independent power. That is the wisest course." Wuzhou ignored this advice. He left Junzhang to hold Shuozhou and marched into Fen and Jin. After his defeat, he wept and told Junzhang, "I regret not heeding your counsel—and now it has come to this!"
15
武周既死，突厥又以君璋為大行臺，統其餘眾，仍令郁射設督兵助鎮。 高祖遣諭之，君璋部將高滿政謂君璋曰：「夷狄無禮，本非人類，豈可北面事之？ 不如盡殺突厥以歸唐朝。」 君璋不從，滿政因人心夜逼君璋，君璋亡奔突厥。 滿政遂以城來降，拜朔州總管，封榮國公。
After Wuzhou's death the Turks made Junzhang Grand Secretariat in chief, put him in command of the remaining forces, and ordered Yushe to bring troops to help garrison the region. Emperor Gaozu sent envoys to win him over. Junzhang's subordinate Gao Manzheng told him, "These barbarians know no propriety—they are not men like us. How can we bow north and serve them? Better to slaughter every Turk among us and surrender to the Tang." Junzhang refused. Manzheng seized on popular discontent and forced Junzhang's hand by night. Junzhang fled to the Turks. Manzheng surrendered the city, was appointed Governor General of Shuozhou, and enfeoffed as Duke of Rong.
16
明年，君璋復引突厥來攻馬邑，滿政死之，君璋盡殺其黨而去，退保恆安。 君璋所部稍稍離散，勢蹙請降，高祖許之，遣使賜以金券。 會突厥頡利可汗復遣召之，君璋猶豫未決。 其子孝政曰：「劉武周足為殷鑑。 今既降唐，又歸頡利，取滅之道也。 糧儲已盡，人情悉離，如更遲留，變生肘腋。」 恆安人郭子威說君璋曰：「恆安之地，王者舊都，山川形勝，足為險固。 突厥方強，為我唇齒。 據此堅城，足觀天下之變，何乃欲降於人也？」 君璋然其計，乃執我行人送於突厥，與突厥合軍寇太原之北境。 君璋復見頡利政亂，竟率所部來降，拜安州都督，封芮國公，賜實封五百戶。
The next year Junzhang brought the Turks to attack Mayi again. Manzheng was killed in battle. Junzhang slaughtered his followers and withdrew to hold Heng'an. Junzhang's followers gradually melted away. With his position desperate, he asked to surrender. Gaozu accepted and sent envoys bearing a written pardon. Just then the Turkic khan Jieli summoned him again, and Junzhang hesitated, unable to decide. His son Xiaozheng said, "Liu Wuzhou is warning enough. Having already surrendered to the Tang, to turn back to Jieli is to choose the road to ruin. Our stores are empty and our men have lost heart. If we linger, treachery will erupt at our very side." Guo Ziwei of Heng'an urged Junzhang: "Heng'an was once a royal capital. Its mountains and rivers make it a natural fortress. The Turks are strong now—they are our vital ally. Hold this stronghold and we can watch how the world turns. Why surrender to another power at all?" Junzhang agreed. He seized Tang envoys and handed them over to the Turks, then combined forces with them to raid the northern marches of Taiyuan. When Junzhang saw that Jieli's regime had fallen into chaos, he finally surrendered with his followers. He was made Governor of An Prefecture, enfeoffed as Duke of Rui, and granted a fief of five hundred households.
17
高開道
Gao Kaidao
18
三年，復稱燕王，建元，署置百官。 羅藝在幽州，為竇建德所圍，告急於開道，乃率二千騎援之。 建德懼其驍銳，於是引去。 開道因藝遣使來降，詔封北平郡王，賜姓李氏，授蔚州總管。 時幽州大飢，開道許給之粟，藝遣老弱就食，開道皆厚遇之。 藝甚悅，不以為虞，乃發兵三千人、車數百乘、驢馬千餘匹，請粟於開道。 悉留之，北連突厥，告絕於藝，復稱燕國。
In the third year he again proclaimed himself King of Yan, adopted a reign title, and set up a full court of officials. Luo Yi at Youzhou was besieged by Dou Jiande and sent an urgent plea to Kaidao. Kaidao led two thousand horsemen to his relief. Jiande, fearing his fierce veterans, withdrew. Through Yi, Kaidao sent envoys to surrender. The throne enfeoffed him as Prince of Beiping Commandery, granted him the surname Li, and appointed him Governor General of Yu Prefecture. Youzhou was in the grip of famine. Kaidao offered to supply grain, and Yi sent the old and weak to receive it. Kaidao welcomed them all generously. Yi was delighted and saw no cause for alarm. He dispatched three thousand soldiers, several hundred wagons, and more than a thousand donkeys and horses to fetch grain from Kaidao. Kaidao kept them all, made an alliance with the Turks in the north, broke with Yi, and declared himself King of Yan once more.
19
是歲，劉黑闥入寇山東，開道與之連和，引兵攻易州，不克而退。 又遣其將謝稜詐降於藝，請兵援接，藝出兵應之，將至懷戎，稜襲破藝兵。 開道又引突厥頻來為寇，恆、定、幽、易等州皆罹其患。 突厥頡利可汗攻馬邑，以開道兵善為攻具，引之陷馬邑而去。 時天下大定，開道欲降，自以數翻復，終恐致罪，又北恃突厥之眾。 其將士多山東人，思還本士，人心頗離。 先是，劉黑闥亡將張君立奔於開道，因與其將張金樹潛相結連。 時開道親兵數百人，皆勇敢士也，號為「義兒」，常在閣內。 金樹每督兵於閣下。 金樹將圍開道，潛令數人入其閣內，與諸義兒陽為遊戲，至日將夕，陰斷其弓弦，又藏其刀，伏聚其槊於床下。 迨暝，金樹以其徒大呼來攻閣下，向所遣人抱義兒槊一時而出，諸義兒遽將出戰，而弓弦皆絕，刀仗已失。 君立於外城舉火相應，表裡驚擾。 義兒窮蹙，爭歸金樹。 開道知不免，於是擐甲持兵坐堂上，與其妻妾樂酣宴。 金樹之黨憚其勇，不敢逼。 天將曉，開道先縊其妻妾及諸子而後自殺。 金樹陳兵，執其義兒，皆斬之。 又殺張君立，死者五百餘人，遂歸國。 開道自初起至滅，凡八歲。 以其地為媯州。
That year Liu Heita raided the Shandong region. Kaidao allied with him, marched against Yi Prefecture, failed to take it, and withdrew. He sent his general Xie Leng to feign surrender to Yi and request reinforcements. Yi marched out to meet him, but as his force neared Huairou, Leng ambushed and routed it. Kaidao repeatedly led Turkic raids. Heng, Ding, You, Yi, and neighboring prefectures all suffered. When the Turkic khan Jieli attacked Mayi, he brought Kaidao's men along for their skill at siegecraft. They took Mayi and withdrew. By then the realm was largely pacified. Kaidao wanted to surrender, but having switched sides so often he feared he would be punished. He also counted on Turkic strength in the north. Most of his officers and soldiers were Shandong men who longed for home, and morale began to fracture. Earlier, Liu Heita's fugitive general Zhang Junli had taken refuge with Kaidao and secretly conspired with Kaidao's officer Zhang Jinshu. Kaidao kept several hundred personal troops, all fearless fighters known as his "adopted sons," who stayed within his inner quarters. Jinshu drilled his men daily beneath the pavilion. Preparing to move against Kaidao, Jinshu secretly sent several men into the inner quarters to play with the adopted sons. As evening approached, they quietly cut every bowstring, hid their blades, and stacked their spears under the beds. At dusk Jinshu and his men stormed the pavilion with a shout. His agents inside seized the adopted sons' spears and burst out together. The adopted sons rushed to fight, but their bowstrings were cut and their weapons gone. Junli lit signal fires in the outer city. Chaos erupted inside and out. Cornered, the adopted sons turned to Jinshu en masse. Knowing he could not escape, Kaidao donned armor, took up his weapons, and seated himself in the hall to drink and feast with his wives and concubines. Jinshu's men feared his fighting spirit and did not dare approach. Near dawn Kaidao hanged his wives, concubines, and sons, then killed himself. Jinshu paraded his troops, seized the adopted sons, and beheaded them all. He also killed Zhang Junli. More than five hundred died in all. Then he submitted to the Tang. From his first rise to his fall, Gao Kaidao's cause lasted eight years. His territory was reorganized as Gui Prefecture.
20
劉黑闥
Liu Heita
21
劉黑闥，貝州漳南人。 無賴，嗜酒，好博弈，不治產業，父兄患之。 與竇建德少相友善，家貧，無以自給，建德每資之。 隋末亡命，從郝孝德為群盜，後歸李密為裨將。 密敗，為王世充所虜。 世充素聞其勇，以為騎將。 見世充所為而竊笑之，乃亡歸建德，建德署為將軍，封漢東郡公，令將奇兵東西掩襲。 黑闥既遍游諸賊，善觀時變，素驍勇，多奸詐。 建德有所經略，必令專知斥候，常間入敵中覘視虛實，或出其不意，乘機奮擊，多所克獲，軍中號為神勇。 及建德敗，黑闥自匿於漳南，杜門不出。 會高祖征建德故將，范願、董康買、曹湛、高雅賢等將赴長安，願等相與謀曰：「王世充以洛陽降，其下驍將公卿、單雄信之徒皆被夷滅，我輩若至長安，必無保全之理。 且夏王往日擒獲淮安王，全其性命，遣送還之。 唐家今得夏王，即加殺害，我輩殘命，若不起兵報仇，實亦恥見天下人物。」 於是相率復謀反叛。 卜以劉氏為主吉，共往漳南，見建德故將劉雅告之，且請。 雅曰：「天下已平，樂在丘園為農夫耳。 起兵之事，非所願也。」 眾怒，殺雅而去。 范願曰：「漢東公劉黑闥果敢多奇略，寬仁容眾，恩結於士卒。 吾久常聞劉氏當有王者，今舉大事，欲收夏王之眾，非其人莫可。」 遂往詣黑闥，以告其意。 黑闥大悅，殺牛會眾，舉兵得百餘人，襲破漳南縣。 貝州刺史戴元詳、魏州刺史權威合兵擊之，並為黑闥所敗，元詳及威皆沒於陣。 黑闥盡收其器械及餘眾千餘人，於是范願、高雅賢等宿舊左右漸來歸附，眾至二千人。
Liu Heita was a native of Zhangnan in Bei Prefecture. He was a wastrel who loved wine and gambling and neglected the family estate. His father and elder brothers despaired of him. From youth he was on friendly terms with Dou Jiande. His family was poor and could not support him, and Jiande often helped him with money. At the end of the Sui he turned outlaw, joined Hao Xiaode's band of raiders, and later entered Li Mi's service as a lieutenant. When Li Mi was defeated, Heita was captured by Wang Shichong. Shichong had long heard of his bravery and made him a cavalry commander. He came to scorn Shichong's conduct and secretly mocked it. He fled back to Jiande, who made him a general, enfeoffed him as Duke of Handong Commandery, and put him in charge of raiding parties that struck east and west in surprise. Having served under one rebel lord after another, Heita had learned to read the times. He was naturally fierce and cunning. Whenever Jiande planned a campaign he put Heita in charge of reconnaissance. Heita often infiltrated enemy lines to probe their strength, then struck without warning and won repeated victories. The army called him Spirit-Brave. When Jiande was defeated, Heita went into hiding at Zhangnan and refused to leave his home. Just then Emperor Gaozu summoned Jiande's former generals—Fan Yuan, Dong Kangmai, Cao Zhan, Gao Yaxian, and others—to Chang'an. They conferenced among themselves: "When Wang Shichong surrendered Luoyang, his bravest commanders and ministers, men like Dan Xiongxin, were all executed. If we go to Chang'an, we will not survive. And when our King of Xia captured Prince Huai'an, he spared his life and sent him home unharmed. Yet the Tang seized our King of Xia and killed him at once. We are men with nothing left to lose. If we do not rise to avenge him, how can we face the world?" With that they joined together to plot rebellion once more. Divination indicated that a man surnamed Liu should lead them. They went to Zhangnan to see Jiande's former general Liu Ya, told him their plan, and asked him to take command. Ya replied, "The realm is at peace. I am content to live as a farmer in the countryside. I want no part of rebellion." Enraged, they killed him and left. Fan Yuan said, "Liu Heita, Duke of Handong, is bold and resourceful, generous with his men, and beloved by the troops. Prophecy has long said a Liu would rule. If we mean to rally the King of Xia's followers, no one else will do." They went to Heita and laid out their plan. Heita was delighted. He slaughtered an ox to feast his followers, gathered a force of just over a hundred men, and seized Zhangnan County by surprise. Bei Prefecture Governor Dai Yuanxiang and Wei Prefecture Governor Quan Wei joined forces against him, but Heita defeated them both. Yuanxiang and Quan Wei were killed in battle. Heita took all their weapons and more than a thousand surviving troops. Fan Yuan, Gao Yaxian, and other old comrades from Jiande's days gradually rallied to him until his force reached two thousand.
22
武德四年七月，設壇於漳南，祭建德，告以舉兵之意，自稱大將軍。 淮安王神通、將軍秦武通、王行敏前後討之，皆為所敗。 於是移書趙、魏，其建德將士，往往殺官吏以應。 黑闥北連懷戎賊帥高開道，兵鋒甚銳，進至宗城，有眾數萬。 黎州總管李世勣不能拒，棄城走保洺州。 黑闥追擊破之，步卒五千人，皆歿於陣，世勣與武通僅以身免。 黑闥又征王琮為中書令，劉斌為中書侍郎，以掌文翰。 遣使北連突厥，頡利可汗遣俟斤宋耶那，率胡騎從之。 黑闥軍大振，進陷相州。 半歲，悉復建德故地。 兗州賊帥徐圓朗舉齊、兗之地以附於黑闥，其勢益張。
In the seventh month of Wude 4 he raised an altar at Zhangnan, offered sacrifices to Jiande, announced his intent to rebel, and proclaimed himself Grand General. Prince Huai'an Li Shitong, General Qin Wutong, and Wang Xingmin attacked him in turn, and he defeated them all. He sent messages across Zhao and Wei, and Jiande's former officers and soldiers often killed local officials to join him. Heita allied with Gao Kaidao, the rebel chief at Huairou. His army swept forward to Zongcheng with tens of thousands of men. Lizhou Governor General Li Shiji could not hold him off. He abandoned his post and withdrew to Ming Prefecture. Heita pursued and routed him. Five thousand foot soldiers fell on the field. Li Shiji and Qin Wutong barely escaped with their lives. Heita appointed Wang Cong Secretariat Director and Liu Bin Vice-Director to manage his civil administration. He sent envoys north to treat with the Turks. Khan Jieli dispatched the yabgu Song Yena at the head of Turkic horse to join him. With his strength renewed, Heita advanced and took Xiang Prefecture. Within half a year he had reconquered all of Jiande's former territory. Xu Yuanlang, a rebel leader in Yan Prefecture, brought Qi and Yan under Heita's banner, and Heita's power swelled further.
23
五年正月，黑闥至相州，僭稱漢東王，建元為天造。 以范願為左僕射，董康買為兵部尚書，高雅賢為右領軍，又引建德時文武悉復本位，都於洺州。 其設法行政，皆師建德而攻戰勇決過之。 於是太宗又自請統兵討之，師次衛州，黑闥數以兵挑戰，輒為官軍所挫。 黑闥懼，委相州，而退保於列人營。 時洺水縣人請為內應，太宗遣總管羅士信入城據守，黑闥又攻陷其城，士信死之，遂據洺州。 三月，太宗阻洺水列營以逼之，分遣奇兵，斷其糧道。 黑闥又數挑戰，太宗堅壁不應，以挫其鋒。 黑闥城中糧盡，太宗度其必來決戰，預擁洺水上流，謂守堤吏曰：「我擊賊之日，候賊半度而決堰。」 黑闥果率步騎二萬渡洺水而陣，與官軍大戰，賊眾大潰，水又大至，黑闥眾不得渡，斬首萬餘級，溺死者數千人。 黑闥與范願等以千餘人奔於突厥，山東悉定。 太宗遂引軍於河南以討徐圓朗。
In the first month of Wude 5, Heita reached Xiang Prefecture, declared himself King of Handong, and adopted the era name Tiancao ("Heaven's Creation"). He made Fan Yuan Left Vice Director, Dong Kangmai Minister of War, and Gao Yaxian Right Army Inspector, restored Jiande's former officials to their old ranks, and established his capital at Ming Prefecture. He modeled his laws and government on Jiande's, but in combat he was even fiercer and more decisive. The Prince of Qin volunteered to lead the campaign himself. When his army reached Wei Prefecture, Heita repeatedly offered battle, but the imperial forces beat him back each time. Heita grew alarmed, gave up Xiang Prefecture, and withdrew to fortify the camp at Lieren. Locals in Ming River County offered to act as collaborators inside the city. The Prince of Qin sent Governor General Luo Shixin to hold it, but Heita stormed the city and killed Shixin, then took Ming Prefecture. In the third month the Prince of Qin camped along the Ming River to hem him in, and sent raiding parties to cut his supply lines. Heita provoked battle again and again, but Taizong held his walls and refused to engage, wearing down the rebels' fighting spirit. When grain in Heita's city ran out, Taizong expected a desperate sortie. He had the upper Ming River dammed in advance and told the dike guards, "On the day we attack, wait until the rebels are half across the river, then break the dam." Heita led twenty thousand foot and horse across the Ming and drew up for battle. The imperial army shattered them, the released flood swept down, and the rebels could not recross. More than ten thousand were beheaded and several thousand drowned. Heita fled to the Turks with Fan Yuan and a little over a thousand followers, and Shandong was fully pacified. Taizong then marched into Henan to subdue Xu Yuanlang.
24
六月，黑闥復借兵於突厥，來寇山東。 七月，至定州，其舊將曹湛、董康買先亡在鮮虞，復聚兵以應黑闥。 高祖遣淮陽王道玄、原國公史萬寶討之，戰於下博，王師敗績，道玄死於陣，萬寶輕騎逃還。 由是河北諸州盡叛，又降於黑闥，旬日間悉復故城，復都洺州。 十一月，高祖遣齊王元吉擊之，遲留不進。 又令隱太子建成督兵進討，頻戰大捷。 六年二月，又大破之於館陶，黑闥引軍北走。 建成與元吉合千餘騎屯於永濟渠，縱騎擊之，黑闥敗走，命騎將劉弘基追之。 黑闥為王師所蹙，不得休息，道遠兵疲，比至饒陽，從者才百餘人，眾皆餒，入城求食。 黑闥所署饒州刺史葛德威出門迎拜，延之入城。 黑闥初不許，德威謬為誠敬，涕泣固請。 黑闥乃進，至城傍，德威勒兵執之，送於建成，斬於洺州，山東復定。
In the sixth month Heita borrowed Turk troops again and raided Shandong. In the seventh month he reached Dingzhou. His former generals Cao Zhan and Dong Kangmai, who had taken refuge in Xianyu, rallied forces to join him. Gaozu sent Prince Huaiyang Li Daoxuan and Duke of Yuanguo Shi Wanbao against him. At Xiabo the Tang army was routed; Daoxuan fell in battle and Wanbao escaped with a handful of horsemen. Every prefecture in Hebei turned rebel and submitted to Heita again. Within ten days he had recovered his old cities and re-established his capital at Mingzhou. In the eleventh month Gaozu sent Prince of Qi Li Yuanji against him, but Yuanji stalled and would not press forward. He then put Crown Prince Chengjian in command of the campaign, and the Tang forces won victory after victory. In the second month of the sixth year Chengjian routed Heita again at Guantao, and Heita fled north. Chengjian and Yuanji united over a thousand horsemen at the Yongji Canal and unleashed a cavalry charge. Heita broke and ran, and Chengjian sent Liu Hongji in pursuit. Harried by the imperial army without rest, his men exhausted by the long flight, Heita reached Raoyang with barely a hundred followers left, all starving, and went into the city to find food. Ge Dewei, Heita's appointed prefect of Raoyang, came out to greet him with bows and invited him into the city. Heita refused at first, but Dewei feigned deep devotion, weeping and begging until Heita consented. Heita advanced to the city wall, where Dewei's troops seized him and sent him to Chengjian. He was beheaded at Mingzhou, and Shandong was pacified once more.
25
徐圓朗
Xu Yuanlang
26
徐圓朗者，兗州人也。 隋末，亡命為群盜，據本郡，縱兵略地，自琅邪巳西，北至東平，盡有之，勝兵二萬餘人。 初附於李密，密敗，歸王世充。 及洛陽平，歸國，拜兗州總管，封魯郡公。 高祖令葛國公盛彥師安輯河南，行至任城。 會劉黑闥作亂，潛結於圓朗，因執彥師舉兵應黑闥，自稱魯王。 黑闥以圓朗為大行台元帥，兗、鄆、陳、杞、伊、洛、曹、戴等八州豪猾，皆殺其長吏以應之。 太宗平黑闥，進師曹州，遣淮安王神通及李世勣攻之。 圓朗數出戰，不利，城內百姓爭逾城降。 圓朗窮蹙，與數騎棄城夜遁，為野人所殺，其地悉平。
Xu Yuanlang came from Yanzhou. Late in the Sui he became an outlaw bandit chief, seized his home commandery, and sent raiders across the land from Langye west to Dongping in the north, fielding more than twenty thousand fighting men. He first served Li Mi; when Mi fell he joined Wang Shicong. When Luoyang fell he submitted to the Tang, was made Commander-in-Chief of Yanzhou, and enfeoffed as Duke of Lu. Gaozu sent Duke of Geguo Sheng Yanshi to pacify Henan, and he reached Rencheng. When Liu Heita rebelled, Yuanlang secretly joined him, seized Yanshi, raised troops in Heita's cause, and proclaimed himself King of Lu. Heita named Yuanlang commander-in-chief of his great eastern headquarters. Local strongmen across eight prefectures—Yan, Yun, Chen, Qi, Yi, Luo, Cao, and Dai—killed their officials to join the revolt. After Taizong crushed Heita he marched on Cao Prefecture and sent Prince Huai'an Li Shentong and Li Shiji against Yuanlang. Yuanlang fought repeated sorties without success, while townspeople scrambled over the walls to surrender. Cornered, Yuanlang fled the city by night with a few horsemen and was killed by country folk. His territory was fully pacified.
27
史臣曰：薛舉父子勇悍絕倫，性皆好殺，仁杲尤甚，無恩眾叛，雖猛何為？ 李軌竊據鷹揚，僭號河西，安隋朝官屬，不奪其財； 破李贇甲兵，放還其眾，是其興也。 及殺害謀主，崇信妖巫，眾叛親離，其亡也，宜哉！ 武周始為鼠竊，偶恣鴟張，不用君璋之謀，竟為突厥所殺。 苑君璋及總餘眾，別生異圖，見頡利歸朝，亦是見機者也。 黑闥、開道，勇而無謀，顧其行師，祗是狂賊，皆為麾下所殺，馭眾之道謬哉。
The historiographer writes: Father and son Xue Ju were ferociously brave beyond compare, both bloodthirsty by nature, Rengao worst of all. Devoid of mercy, they lost the loyalty of their followers—of what use was all that violence? Li Gui seized power from the Eagle-Flying guard and proclaimed himself in Hexi, reassuring Sui officials and leaving their property untouched; he defeated Li Yun's army and sent the captives home—that was how he rose. But when he murdered his chief strategist and put his faith in sorcerers, his followers and kin deserted him—small wonder he fell! Wuzhou began as a petty bandit and briefly spread his wings; ignoring Junzhang's counsel, he was killed by the Turks in the end. Yuan Junzhang and what remained of the host pursued their own designs; when they saw Jieli submit to the Tang, that too was reading the moment aright. Heita and Kaidao were bold but lacked strategy; judged by how they led armies, they were mere mad raiders, each killed by his own men—how wrong their way of commanding followers was!
28
贊曰：國無紀綱，盜興草澤。 不有隋亂，焉知唐德？
The encomium reads: When the state loses its discipline, brigands rise from the wild margins. Without the chaos of Sui, who would have known the virtue of Tang?