Volume 161 Biographies 111: Li Guangjin, Wu Zhongyin, Wang Pei, Li Gong, Li You, Dong Zhongzhi, Yang Yuanqing, Liu Wu, Liu Mian, Shi Xiong

李光進，本河曲部落稽阿跌之族也。父良臣，襲雞田州刺史，隸朔方軍。光進姊適舍利葛旃，殺僕固瑒而事河東節度使辛雲京。光進兄弟少依葛旃，因家於太原。

Li Guangjin came from the Jie'adie people of the Hequ tribes. His father Liangchen succeeded to the governorship of Jitian Prefecture and served under the Shuofang Army. Guangjin's sister married Sheli Gezhan, who slew Pugu Chang and went over to Hedong governor Xin Yunjing. The Guangjin brothers were raised under Gezhan's care and settled their household in Taiyuan.

光進勇毅果敢，其武藝兵略次於葛旃。肅宗自靈武觀兵，光進從郭子儀破賊，收兩京，累有戰功。至德中，授代州刺史，封范陽郡公，食邑二百戶。上元初，郭子儀為朔方節度，以軍討大同、橫野、清夷，范陽及河北殘寇，用光進為都知兵馬使。尋遷渭北節度使。永泰初，進封武威郡王。大歷四年，檢校戶部尚書，知省事。未幾，又轉檢校刑部尚書、兼太子太保。是歲冬十月，葬母於京城之南原，將相致祭者凡四十四幄，窮極奢靡，城內士庶，觀者如堵。

Guangjin was brave and decisive; only Gezhan surpassed him in arms and strategy. When Suzong inspected the army at Lingwu, Guangjin followed Guo Ziyi against the rebels, helped recover the two capitals, and won distinction again and again. During Zhide he was made governor of Daizhou and enfeoffed as Duke of Fanyang with a fief of two hundred households. Early in Shangyuan, as Guo Ziyi campaigned from Shuofang against rebel holdouts in Datong, Hengye, Qingyi, Fanyang, and Hebei, Guangjin was appointed chief controller of military affairs. He was soon transferred to military governor of Weibei. Early in Yongtai he was promoted to Prince of Wuwei. In the fourth year of Dali he was made acting minister of revenue with charge of routine Secretariat business. Before long he was transferred to acting minister of justice and concurrent grand mentor of the crown prince. That winter, in the tenth month, he buried his mother on the southern plateau outside the capital. Ministers and generals who came to sacrifice pitched forty-four tents, with extravagance pushed to the limit, while townsfolk and commoners watched in a throng that blocked the streets.

元和四年，王承宗反。范希朝引師救易定，表光進為步都虞候，戰於木刀溝，光進有功。六年，拜銀青光祿大夫、檢校工部尚書，充單於大都護、振武節度使。詔以光進夙有誠節，克著茂勛，賜姓李氏。其弟光顏除洺州刺史，充本州團練使。兄弟恩澤同時，人皆嘆異。八年，遷靈武節度使。光進嘗從馬燧救臨洺，戰洹水，收河中，皆有功。前後軍中之職，無所不歷；中丞、大夫悉曾兼帶。先是救易定之師，光進、光顏皆在其行，故軍中呼光進為大大夫，光顏為小大夫。十年七月卒。

In the fourth year of Yuanhe, Wang Chengzong rose in rebellion. Fan Xichao marched to relieve Yiding, recommended Guangjin as infantry chief commandant, and at Mudao Gully Guangjin won credit. In the sixth year he was appointed silver-cyan grand guardian of the imperial park, acting minister of works, grand protector-general of the Xiongnu, and military governor of Zhenwu. An edict cited Guangjin's long-standing loyalty and splendid achievements and granted him the surname Li. His younger brother Guangyan was appointed governor of Mingzhou and military training commissioner of that prefecture. The brothers received imperial favor at the same time, and everyone marveled at it. In the eighth year he was transferred to military governor of Lingwu. Guangjin had followed Ma Sui to relieve Linming, fought at the Huan River, and helped recover Hezhong, distinguishing himself each time. Over the years he had held every military post in the army; and had held every combination of censor-in-chief and grandee titles as well. On the earlier expedition to relieve Yiding, both Guangjin and Guangyan had marched in the same force, so the troops called Guangjin "Elder Grandee" and Guangyan "Younger Grandee." He died in the seventh month of the tenth year.

光進兄弟少以孝睦推於軍中。及居母喪，三年不歸寢室。光顏先娶妻，其母委以家事。母卒，光進始娶。光顏使其妻奉管籥、家籍、財物，歸於其姒。光進命反之，且謂光顏曰：「新婦逮事母，嘗命以主家，不可改也。」因相持泣良久，乃如初。卒時年六十五，贈尚書左僕射。

From youth the Guangjin brothers were esteemed in the army for filial devotion and brotherly harmony. While mourning their mother, they did not enter the marital bedchamber for three years. Guangyan had married first, and their mother put him in charge of the household through his wife. Only after their mother died did Guangjin marry. Guangyan had his wife hand over the keys, household registers, and property to their elder sister-in-law. Guangjin ordered this reversed and told Guangyan, "Your wife served our mother from the first and was charged with running the household. That cannot be changed. They embraced and wept together for a long time, and afterward everything was as before. He died at sixty-five and was posthumously made left vice director of the Department of State Affairs.

光顏與兄光進以葛旃善騎射，兄弟自幼皆師之，葛旃獨許光顏之勇健，己不能逮。及長，從河東軍為裨將，討李懷光、楊惠琳，皆有功。後隨高崇文平蜀，搴旗斬將，出入如神，由是稍稍知名。自憲宗元和已來，歷授代、洺二州刺史、兼御史大夫。

Because Gezhan excelled at mounted archery, Guangyan and his elder brother Guangjin had studied under him from childhood. Gezhan alone acknowledged that Guangyan's courage and strength exceeded his own. When he came of age he served in the Hedong army as a deputy commander and distinguished himself in campaigns against Li Huiguang and Yang Huilin. Later he followed Gao Chongwen in pacifying Shu, seizing banners and slaying enemy generals, moving through the battle lines like a spirit, and from this gradually won fame. Since Xianzong's Yuanhe reign he had successively been appointed governor of Dai and Ming prefectures, concurrently serving as censor-in-chief.

九年，將討淮、蔡，九月，遷陳州刺史，充忠武軍都知兵馬使。逾月，遷忠武軍節度使、檢校工部尚書。會朝廷征天下兵，環申、蔡而討吳元濟，詔光顏以本軍獨當一面。光顏於是引兵臨溵水，抗洄曲。明年五月，破元濟之師於時曲。初，賊眾晨壓光顏之壘而陣，光顏不得出，乃自毀其柵之左右，出騎以突之。光顏將數騎冒堅而沖之，出入者數四。賊眾盡識，矢集於身如蝟。其子攬光顏馬鞅，止其深入。光顏舉刃叱之，乃退。於是人爭奮躍。賊乃大潰，死者數千人。捷聲至京師，人人相賀。時伐蔡之師，大小凡十余鎮，自裴度使還，唯奏光顏勇而知義，終不辱命。至是，果立功焉。是歲十一月，光顏又與懷汝節度烏重胤同破元濟之眾於小溵河，平其柵。

In the ninth year, as a campaign against Huai and Cai was planned, in the ninth month he was transferred to governor of Chenzhou and chief controller of military affairs for the Zhongwu Army. A month later he was made military governor of the Zhongwu Army and acting minister of works. The court summoned armies from throughout the realm to surround Shen and Cai and campaign against Wu Yuanji, and Guangyan was ordered to hold one front alone with his own army. Guangyan thereupon led his troops to the Yin River and confronted the rebels at Huaiqu. The next year, in the fifth month, he defeated Yuanji's army at Shiqu. At first the rebels pressed Guangyan's camp at dawn and formed their lines. Unable to break out, he had the palisades on his flanks torn down and led cavalry in a charge against them. Guangyan led a few horsemen straight through the enemy lines, charging in and out four times. The rebels all recognized him, and arrows clustered on his body like quills on a hedgehog. His son seized the crupper of Guangyan's horse and stopped him from driving deeper into the enemy. Guangyan raised his blade and shouted him down, and only then did he withdraw. At this the men all strove forward with renewed zeal. The rebels broke and fled in disorder, and several thousand were killed. News of the victory reached the capital, and everyone congratulated one another. At the time the armies campaigning against Cai numbered more than a dozen commands large and small. After Pei Du returned from his mission, he reported only that Guangyan was brave, understood righteousness, and would never fail his charge. On this occasion he indeed won distinction. That eleventh month Guangyan joined Huairu governor Wu Zhongyin in defeating Yuanji's forces on the Xiao Yin River and leveling their stockade.

初，都統韓弘令諸軍齊攻賊城，賊又徑攻烏重胤之壘。重胤禦之，中數槍，馳請救於光顏。光顏以小溵橋賊之堡也，乘其無備，使田穎、宋朝隱襲而取之。乃平其城塹，由是克救重胤。韓弘以光顏違令，取穎及朝隱將戮之。穎及朝隱勇而材，軍中皆惋惜之。光顏畏弘不敢留。會中使景忠信至，知其情，乃矯詔令所在械系之。走馬入見，具以本末聞。憲宗赦忠信矯詔罪，令即往釋穎及朝隱。弘及光顏叠以表論。憲宗謂弘使曰：「穎等違都統令，固當處死。但光顏以其襲賊有功，亦可宥之。軍有三令五申，宜舍此以收來效。」及以詔諭弘，弘不悅。十一年，光顏連敗元濟之眾，拔賊淩雲柵，憲宗大悅，賜其告捷者奴婢銀錦。進位檢校尚書左僕射。

At first supreme commander Han Hong ordered all the armies to attack the rebel city together, but the rebels then struck directly at Wu Zhongyin's camp. Zhongyin held them off, was struck by several spears, and galloped to Guangyan to beg for relief. Guangyan knew the Xiao Yin bridge was the rebels' strongpoint. Taking advantage of their unpreparedness, he sent Tian Ying and Song Chaoyin to raid and seize it. He then leveled their walls and moats, and in this way was able to rescue Zhongyin. Han Hong, on the grounds that Guangyan had disobeyed orders, seized Ying and Chaoyin and was about to execute them. Ying and Chaoyin were brave and talented, and everyone in the army regretted their fate. Guangyan feared Hong and did not dare keep them. When the palace envoy Jing Zhongxin arrived and learned the situation, he forged an edict ordering that they be shackled wherever found. He galloped in to an audience and reported the whole course of events. Xianzong pardoned Zhongxin for forging the edict and ordered him to go at once and release Ying and Chaoyin. Hong and Guangyan submitted memorial after memorial arguing the case. Xianzong told Hong's envoy, "Ying and the others disobeyed the supreme commander's orders and certainly ought to be put to death. But because Guangyan's raid on the rebels achieved merit, they may also be pardoned. The army has its repeated commands and prohibitions. It is fitting to set this aside in order to win future service. When the edict was conveyed to Hong, he was displeased. In the eleventh year Guangyan repeatedly defeated Yuanji's forces and captured the rebels' Lingyun stockade. Xianzong was greatly pleased and rewarded the bearer of the victory report with slaves, silver, and brocade. He was advanced to acting left vice director of the Department of State Affairs.

十二年四月，光顏敗元濟之眾三萬於郾城。其將張伯良奔於蔡州，殺其賊什二三，獲馬千匹，器甲三萬聯，皆畫雷公符。仍書云：「速破城北軍。」尋而郾城守將鄧懷金請以城降。光顏許之，而收郾城。

In the fourth month of the twelfth year Guangyan defeated thirty thousand of Yuanji's troops at Yancheng. His general Zhang Boliang fled to Caizhou, killing two or three tenths of the rebels. They captured a thousand horses and thirty thousand sets of armor and weapons, all painted with the Thunder Lord talisman. They also bore an inscription reading, "Quickly break the army north of the city. Shortly thereafter Yancheng's defending general Deng Huaijin asked to surrender the city. Guangyan agreed and took possession of Yancheng.

初，鄧懷金以官軍圍青陵城，絕其歸路，懷金懼，謀於郾城令董昌齡。昌齡母素誡其子令降，昌齡因此勸懷金歸款於光顏，且曰：「城中之人，父母妻子皆質於蔡州，如不屈而降，則家盡屠矣。請來攻城，我則舉烽求救。救兵將至，官軍逆擊之必敗，此時當以城降。」光顏從之，賊果敗走。於是昌齡執印，帥吏列於門外，懷金與諸將素服倒戈列於門內；光顏受降，乃入羅城，其城自壞五十余步。

At first, with government troops besieging Qingling and cutting off his line of retreat, Huaijin was afraid and consulted Yancheng magistrate Dong Changling. Changling's mother had always admonished her son to surrender. Changling therefore urged Huaijin to submit to Guangyan, saying, "The people in the city have parents, wives, and children all held hostage in Caizhou. If you do not pretend to resist before surrendering, their families will all be slaughtered. Ask them to come attack the city, and I will raise beacon fires to call for rescue. When the relief force arrives, the government troops will surely be defeated if they strike against it. At that moment you should surrender the city. Guangyan followed this plan, and the rebels indeed fled in defeat. Thereupon Changling held the seal while the clerks and officers lined up outside the gate. Huaijin and the generals, dressed in white with weapons reversed, lined up inside the gate. Guangyan accepted the surrender and then entered the outer city, where fifty-odd paces of the wall collapsed of themselves.

時韓弘為汴帥，驕矜倔強。常倚賊勢索朝廷姑息，惡光顏力戰，陰圖撓屈，計無所施。遂舉大梁城求得一美婦人，教以歌舞弦管六博之藝，飾之以珠翠金玉衣服之具，計費數百萬，命使者送遺光顏，冀一見悅惑而怠於軍政也。使者即賫書先造光顏壘曰：「本使令公德公私愛，憂公暴露，欲進一妓，以慰公征役之思，謹以候命。」光顏曰：「今日已暮，明旦納焉。」詰朝，光顏乃大宴軍士；三軍鹹集，命使者進妓。妓至，則容止端麗，殆非人間所有，一座皆驚。光顏乃於座上謂來使曰：「令公憐光顏離家室久，舍美妓見贈，誠有以荷德也。然光顏受國家恩深，誓不與逆賊同生日月下。今戰卒數萬，皆背妻子，蹈白刃，光顏奈何以女色為樂？」言訖，涕泣嗚咽。堂下兵士數萬，皆感激流涕。乃厚以縑帛酬其來使，俾領其妓自席上而回，謂使者曰：「為光顏多謝令公。光顏事君許國之心，死無貳矣！」自此兵眾之心，彌加激勵。

At the time Han Hong was military governor of Bian and was arrogant, proud, and obstinate. He often relied on the rebels' strength to demand indulgence from the court, hated Guangyan's hard fighting, and secretly plotted to thwart him, but could find no means to do so. He then searched the great city of Daliang until he found a beautiful woman, taught her song, dance, string music, and dice, adorned her with pearls, jade, gold, and fine garments at a cost of several million, and sent an envoy to present her to Guangyan, hoping that one sight of her would delight and distract him and make him slacken in military affairs. The envoy first brought a letter to Guangyan's camp, saying, "Our commander, out of public and private regard for your virtue, is concerned that you endure exposure in the field and wishes to send a courtesan to comfort your thoughts on campaign. I await your command. Guangyan said, "It is already evening today. I shall receive her tomorrow morning." At dawn Guangyan gave a great feast for his troops. The whole army assembled, and he ordered the envoy to present the courtesan. When the courtesan arrived, her bearing was graceful and lovely, as if scarcely of this world, and everyone at the feast was astonished. Guangyan then said to the envoy at the feast, "Your commander pities Guangyan for being long away from home and has sent this beautiful courtesan as a gift. I am truly grateful for such kindness. Yet Guangyan has received deep favor from the state and swears not to live under the same sun and moon as the rebel traitors. Now tens of thousands of fighting men have left wives and children behind and tread on naked blades. How can Guangyan take pleasure in women's beauty? When he had finished speaking, he wept and sobbed. The tens of thousands of soldiers below the hall were all moved to tears. He then richly rewarded the envoy with silk and had him lead the courtesan back from the feast, saying to the envoy, "Convey Guangyan's deep thanks to your commander. Guangyan's heart in serving his ruler and pledging himself to the state will never waver unto death! From this the hearts of the troops were stirred all the more.

及裴度至行營，率賓從於方城沱口觀板築、五溝。賊遽至，註弩挺刃，勢將及度。光顏決戰於前以卻之。時光顏預慮其來，先使田布以二百騎伏於溝中，出賊不意交擊之，度方獲免。布又先扼其溝中歸路，賊多棄騎越溝，相牽墜壓而死者千余人。是日微光顏之救，度幾陷矣。是月，賊知光顏勇冠諸將，乃悉其眾出當光顏之師。時李愬乘其無備，急引兵襲蔡州，拔之，獲元濟。董重質棄洄曲軍，入城降愬。光顏知之，躍馬入賊營，大呼以降，賊眾萬余人，皆解甲投戈請命。賊平，加檢校司空。

When Pei Du arrived at the field headquarters, he led his guests and attendants to Fangcheng Tuokou to inspect the stockade building and the Wugou works. The rebels suddenly arrived, strung their crossbows and brandished their blades, and were about to reach Du. Guangyan met them head-on in a pitched battle and drove them back. Guangyan had foreseen the attack. He sent Tian Bu ahead with two hundred horsemen to hide in a ravine, then struck the rebels from an unexpected angle; Pei Du barely escaped. Bu had already cut off their escape through the ravine. Many rebels threw down their mounts and tried to scramble across; more than a thousand perished in the tangle, dragging one another down. Had Guangyan not come to the rescue that day, Pei Du would nearly have been lost. That month the rebels, knowing Guangyan outmatched every other commander in valor, threw their whole army against his line. Li Su seized the moment while they were unprepared, rushed his army against Cai Prefecture, took the city, and captured Yuanji. Dong Chongzhi deserted the Huaiqu garrison, entered the city, and submitted to Li Su. Guangyan heard the news, spurred his horse straight into the rebel camp, and cried out for surrender. More than ten thousand men laid down arms and armor and begged for their lives. After the rebellion was crushed, he was promoted to acting grand preceptor.

十三年春，命中官宴光顏於居第，賜芻米二十余車。憲宗又禦麟德殿召對，賜金帶錦彩。朝廷東討李師道，授光顏義成軍節度使。至鎮，尋赴行營。數旬之內，再敗賊軍於濮陽，殺戮數千人，進軍深入。

In the spring of the thirteenth year, the court sent eunuchs to feast Guangyan at his home and granted him more than twenty wagonloads of fodder and grain. Xianzong then summoned him to the Linde Hall, questioned him in person, and rewarded him with a gold belt and brocades. As the court marched east against Li Shidao, Guangyan was made military governor of Yicheng. He had scarcely arrived at his command when he went on to join the field headquarters. In the space of a few weeks he twice routed the rebels at Puyang, killing several thousand, and pressed deep into their territory.

十四年，西蕃入寇，移授邠寧節度使。時鹽州為吐蕃所毀，命李文悅為刺史，令光顏充勾當修築鹽州城使。仍許以陳許六千人隨赴邠寧。是歲，吐蕃侵涇原。自田縉鎮夏州，以貪猥侵撓党項羌，乃引吐蕃入寇。及蕃軍攻涇州，邊將郝玼血戰始退。初，光顏聞賊攻涇州，料兵赴救，邠師喧然曰：「人給五十千而不識戰陣，彼何人也！常額衣資不得而前蹈白刃，此何人也！」憤聲恟々不可遏。光顏素得士心，曲為陳說大義，言發涕流。三軍感之，亦泣下，乃欣然即路，擊賊退之。

In the fourteenth year, with the Tibetans raiding from the west, he was transferred to command Binning. Yan Prefecture lay in ruins after Tibetan attacks. Li Wenyue was named prefect, and Guangyan was put in charge of rebuilding the city's walls. He was allowed to take six thousand troops from Chen and Xu with him to Binning. That same year the Tibetans struck Jingyuan. From the time Tian Ji governed Xia Prefecture, his greed and bullying of the Tangut Qiang had provoked Tibetan incursions. When the Tibetans besieged Jing Prefecture, the frontier commander Hao Ci bled them in fierce fighting before they retreated. When Guangyan heard the enemy was pressing Jing Prefecture, he mustered his men to march to its relief. The Binning troops erupted in protest: "They give those men fifty thousand cash apiece, and they can't even hold a battle line — who are they, anyway? We never see our regular wages or kit, yet we're the ones marched out to walk into naked steel — what kind of men are we supposed to be! Their fury swelled into a clamor no one could quiet. Guangyan had long held the army's loyalty. He pleaded the larger cause with such feeling that tears ran down his face as he spoke. The entire host was moved to tears. They then took the road willingly, struck the enemy, and beat them back.

穆宗即位，就加特進，仍與一子四品正員官。尋詔赴闕，賜開化裏第，進加同中書門下平章事。穆宗以光顏功冠諸將，故召赴闕，宴賜優給。已而帶平章復鎮，所以報勛臣也。

On Muzong's accession, Guangyan was at once raised to grand censor, and one of his sons received a regular fourth-rank post. He was soon called to the capital, given a mansion on Kaihua Lane, and elevated to co-director of the Secretariat. Muzong, holding Guangyan's deeds above every other general's, summoned him to court and lavished feasts and gifts upon him. Before long he went back to the frontier still bearing the title of chief minister — the court's way of honoring a man who had earned it.

汴州李絺逐其帥叛，詔光顏率陳許之師討之。營於尉氏，俄而誅絺。遷太原尹、北京留守、河東節度使，進階開府儀同三司，仍於正衙受冊司徒兼侍中。二年九月卒，年六十六，廢朝三日，贈太尉，謚曰忠。

When Li Xi of Bianzhou expelled his commander and rose in revolt, Guangyan was commanded to lead the Chen-Xu forces against him. He pitched camp at Weishi, and within a short time Li Xi was put to death. He was made governor of Taiyuan, garrison commander of the Northern Capital, and military governor of Hedong; advanced to senior general of the palace with honorary three excellencies; and in the main hall received formal investiture as grand preceptor and grand tutor. He died in the ninth month of the second year, aged sixty-six. Court mourning lasted three days. He was posthumously made grand commandant and given the posthumous name Loyal.

烏重胤，潞州牙將也。元和中，王承宗叛，王師加討。潞帥盧從史雖出軍，而密與賊通。時神策行營吐突承璀與從史軍相近，承璀與重胤謀，縛從史於帳下。是日，重胤戒嚴，潞軍無敢動者。憲宗賞其功，授潞府左司馬，遷懷州刺史，兼充河陽三城節度使。會討淮、蔡，用重胤壓境，仍割汝州隸河陽。自王師討淮西三年，重胤與李光顏掎角相應，大小百余戰，以至元濟誅。就加檢校尚書右僕射，轉司空。蔡將有李端者，過溵河降重胤。其妻為賊束縛於樹，臠食至死，將絕，猶呼其夫曰：「善事烏僕射。」其得人心如此。

Wu Chongyin served as a garrison officer in Lu Prefecture. In the Yuanhe reign, Wang Chengzong rose in rebellion, and the imperial armies marched to crush him. Lu Congshi, the Lu commander, marched his men out in name but secretly trafficked with the enemy. Tuhutu Chengchan of the Shence Field Army was then encamped near Congshi's force. Chengchan plotted with Chongyin and seized Congshi in his own tent. That day Chongyin put the camp under strict guard, and not a man in the Lu army dared move. Xianzong rewarded the deed by making him left deputy military commissioner of Lu, then prefect of Huaizhou and military governor of the Three Cities of Heyang. When the Huai-Cai campaign opened, Chongyin was deployed to pin the enemy along the frontier, and Runan Prefecture was transferred to Heyang's jurisdiction. Through the three-year war against Huai-West, Chongyin and Li Guangyan worked in concert, fighting more than a hundred engagements, large and small, until Yuanji was brought to justice. He was promptly made acting vice director of the right Secretariat and then grand preceptor. One of the Cai commanders, Li Duan, crossed the Wen River and defected to Chongyin. The rebels tied his wife to a tree and cut flesh from her living body until she died. Even at the end she called to her husband: "Serve Vice Director Wu faithfully. That was how deeply he had won men's hearts.

元和十三年，代鄭權為橫海軍節度使。既至鎮，上言曰：「臣以河朔能拒朝命者，其大略可見。蓋刺史失其職，反使鎮將領兵事。若刺史各得職分，又有鎮兵，則節將雖有祿山、思明之奸，豈能據一州為叛哉？所以河朔六十年能拒朝命者，只以奪刺史、縣令之職，自作威福故也。臣所管德、棣、景三州，已舉公牒，各還刺史職事訖，應在州兵，並令刺史收管。又景州本是弓高縣，請卻廢為縣，歸化縣本是草市，請廢縣依舊屬德州。」詔並從之。由是法制修立，各歸名分。

In the thirteenth year of Yuanhe he succeeded Zheng Quan as military governor of the Henghai Army. On taking command he memorialized the throne: "Your servant believes the reason Hebei has been able to defy the court is already plain to see. Prefects have been stripped of their proper duties, while garrison commanders have seized military authority instead. If every prefect held his rightful office and garrison troops answered to the throne, then even a commissioner with the cunning of An Lushan or Shi Siming could not hold one prefecture and rebel. Hebei has defied the court for sixty years only because prefects and magistrates were dispossessed of their posts, leaving the military governors to rule by whim. In De, Di, and Jing, the three prefectures under my command, I have already issued orders restoring each prefect to his duties and putting all local troops under prefectural control. Jing Prefecture was once Gonggao County — I ask that it be abolished and made a county again. Guihua County began as a country market — I ask that it be abolished and returned to De Prefecture as before. The throne approved every request. From that point the laws were set in order and every office resumed its proper name and rank.

及屯軍深州，重胤以朝廷制置失宜，賊方憑淩，未可輕進，觀望累月。穆宗急於誅叛，遂以杜叔良代之，以重胤檢校司徒，兼興元尹，充山南西道節度使。召至京師，復以本官為天平軍節度、鄆曹濮等州觀察等使。李同捷據滄州，請襲父位，朝廷不從。議者慮狡童拒命，欲以重臣代。乃移鎮兗海，加太子太師、平章事，俾兼領滄景節度，仍舊割齊州隸之，蓋望不勞師而底定。制出旬日，重胤卒，贈太尉。

When he encamped at Shen Prefecture, Chongyin concluded that the court's strategy was unsound and the rebels still held the upper hand, so a reckless advance would be folly. He held his position and waited for months. Muzong, impatient to finish the rebellion, replaced him with Du Shuliang and made Chongyin honorary grand preceptor, governor of Xingyuan, and military governor of Shannan West Circuit. Called to the capital, he was once more given his former rank as military governor of Tianping and oversight commissioner over Yan, Cao, Pu, and neighboring prefectures. Li Tongjie occupied Cang Prefecture and asked to inherit his father's command; the court refused. Advisers worried the young rebel would resist and urged that a senior commander replace the current general. So he was shifted to Yan-Hai, made grand preceptor of the crown prince and chief minister, and told to take over Cang-Jing as well, with Qi Prefecture again placed under his command — the court hoping to settle the affair without another campaign. Ten days after the appointment was promulgated, Chongyin died. He was posthumously made grand commandant.

重胤出自行間，及為長帥，赤心奉上。能與下同甘苦，所至立功，未嘗矜伐。而善待賓寮，禮分同至，當時名士，鹹願依之。身歿之日，軍士二十余人，皆割股肉以為祭酹，雖古之名將，無以加焉。

Chongyin came up through the ranks, and once he held high command he served the throne with an open heart. He shared the soldiers' hardships and comforts, won victories wherever he was sent, and never vaunted his deeds. He treated his officers and guests with exceptional courtesy, and leading men of the age were eager to serve under him. On the day he died, more than twenty soldiers cut flesh from their own thighs as offerings to his spirit — a devotion that not even the great generals of old could exceed.

子漢弘嗣，起復授左領軍衛將軍。漢弘上表乞終服紀，文宗嘉詔從之。服闋，方授官。

His son Han Hongsi was recalled from mourning and appointed general of the left imperial guard. Han Hong petitioned to finish his full term of mourning. Wenzong praised his filial intent and granted it. Not until his mourning ended was the appointment formally conferred.

王沛，許州人。年十八，有勇決。許州節度使上官涚奇其才，以女妻之，署為牙門將。及涚卒，子婿田偁迫脅涚子，欲邀襲位，懼監軍使不順其事，將結謀伏兵以圖之。沛竊知其謀，密告監軍，因盡擒其黨於伏匿之所。監軍範日用以其事聞，德宗乃以陳許行軍司馬劉昌裔總統其軍，賜沛手詔，令護涚之子赴上都。既至，召見，德宗謂之曰：「據卿忠義，寵宜加等。但昌裔所奏，只請加監察御史，朕意殊為不足。卿速歸，便宣付昌裔，更令奏來。」遂驛騎而還。未至許州，拜開府儀同三司、兼御史中丞，依前本職。

Wang Pei came from Xu Prefecture. By eighteen he was already bold and decisive. Shangguan Shui, military governor of Xu, took notice of his ability, gave him his daughter in marriage, and made him a garrison officer. After Shui's death, his son-in-law Tian Cheng intimidated Shui's son and tried to seize the command for himself. Fearing the army supervisor would block the scheme, he plotted to lay an ambush. Pei learned of the plot in secret, warned the army supervisor, and had the whole faction seized at their hiding place. The army supervisor Fan Riyong reported the affair. Dezong put Liu Changyi, campaigning marshal of Chen-Xu, in overall command and sent Pei an imperial letter ordering him to escort Shui's son to the capital. When Pei arrived and was summoned before the throne, Dezong told him, "For loyalty such as yours, reward should rise by more than one step. Yet Changyi's memorial asks only for supervising censor — far too little in my judgment. Go back at once, deliver my word to Changyi, and have him submit a new recommendation. Pei then galloped home by relay horse. Before he reached Xu Prefecture, he was named senior general of the palace with honorary three excellencies and vice censor-in-chief, while keeping his former post.

吳元濟反，李光顏受命攻討，奇沛節概，署行營兵馬使，別統勁兵屯於近郊。及軍合，連破蔡寇。頻詔進軍，諸將觀望，無敢先渡溵河。沛率兵五千，夜渡溵河合流口，徑扼賊喉而成城。自是，河陽、宣武、太原、魏博等軍繼渡，掎角進攻郾城。沛先結壘與賊對，賊將鄧懷金率眾面縛而降。蔡賊平。沛隨李光顏入朝，光顏具陳沛功，加御史大夫。

When Wu Yuanji rebelled, Li Guangyan was sent to suppress him. Struck by Pei's strength of character, he made him field army commander and gave him a picked force encamped outside the city. Once the armies joined, they broke the Cai forces again and again. Imperial orders to advance came again and again, yet the generals hung back — none would be first to cross the Wen River. Pei took five thousand men, forded the Wen at its confluence by night, and seized the enemy's vital crossing, building a fortified camp there. After that the armies of Heyang, Xuanwu, Taiyuan, Weibo, and others crossed in turn and closed on Yancheng from several sides. Pei first raised fortifications opposite the enemy lines. The rebel commander Deng Huaijin came forward with his hands bound and surrendered. The Cai rebellion was crushed. Pei went to court with Li Guangyan, who laid out his achievements in full. Pei was promoted to censor-in-chief.

既還鎮，光顏受詔討鄆寇。及李師道誅，詔分許州兵戍於邠，以沛為都將，救鹽州，擊退吐蕃。以功加寧州刺史，遷陳州。李絺反，詔沛兼忠武節度副使，率師討絺。絺平，加檢校右散騎常侍，遷兗海沂密節度、觀察等使。此邦新造，人情獷驁，沛明申法令，選蒐軍政，期年大理。明年，改檢校工部尚書，充忠武軍節度、陳許蔡觀察等使。卒於鎮，贈右僕射。子逢。

Back in the field, Guangyan was ordered to campaign against the Yan rebels. After Li Shidao's execution, part of the Xu garrison was sent to Bin. Pei served as chief commander, relieved Yan Prefecture, and drove back the Tibetans. For this service he was made prefect of Ningzhou and transferred to Chen Prefecture. When Li Xi rebelled, Pei was named deputy military governor of Zhongwu and sent to suppress him. After Li Xi was put down, Pei was made honorary right regular mounted attendant and military governor and oversight commissioner of Yan-Hai, Yi, and Mi. The territory was newly pacified and the people rough and hard to govern. Pei made the laws plain, tightened military and civil discipline, and within a year the region was well ordered. The following year he became honorary minister of works, military governor of Zhongwu, and oversight commissioner over Chen, Xu, and Cai. He died in command and was posthumously made vice director of the right Secretariat. His son was Wang Feng.

逢，少沈勇，從父征伐有功，為忠武都知兵馬使。太和中，入宿衛，歷諸衛將軍。從石雄、劉沔破回紇於天德。性果決，用法嚴。其時有二千人不上陣，官賜賞給，逢皆不與。或非之，逢曰：「健兒向前冒白刃，若無功而賞，其如冒刃者何？」王宰攻劉稹，逢領陳許七千人屯翼城，代田令昭。賊平，檢校左散騎常侍。累遷至忠武軍節度、陳許觀察等使。

Feng was steady and courageous from boyhood. He campaigned with his father to good effect and became chief controller of military affairs for Zhongwu. In the Taihe reign he entered the palace guard and rose through commands in several guard regiments. He fought under Shi Xiong and Liu Mian to defeat the Uyghurs at Tiande. By nature he was decisive, and he enforced the law without leniency. At the time, two thousand soldiers had not gone into battle. When the authorities handed out rewards, Feng refused to give any of them a share. Some objected, but Feng said: 'My men marched forward into naked steel. If I reward men who did nothing, what honor is left for those who truly risked their lives? When Wang Zai marched against Liu Cong, Feng took seven thousand Chen-Xu troops to hold Yicheng, relieving Tian Lingzhao. After the rebellion was crushed, he was made Acting Left Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry. He rose through successive appointments until he held the posts of Military Commissioner of the Zhongwu Army and Observation Commissioner of Chen-Xu.

李珙，山東甲姓，代修婚姻。至珙，不好讀書，唯以弓馬為務。長六尺余，氣貌魁岸。嘗詣澤潞謁李抱真，異之，將選為衙門將，旋以酒酣使氣，復欲棄之。都將王虔休謂抱真曰：「李珙，奇士也，若不能用，不如殺之，無為他人所得。」

Li Gong belonged to one of Shandong's great clans, a house that for generations had cemented its standing through marriage alliances. Gong himself cared little for books and gave himself over entirely to archery and horsemanship. He stood more than six chi tall, with a frame and presence that seemed carved from granite. Once he visited Li Baozhen in Ze-Lu. Baozhen was impressed and was on the point of making him a gate guard general, but Gong grew arrogant in his cups, and Baozhen nearly turned his back on him. The commander Wang Qianxiu told Baozhen, 'Li Gong is no ordinary man. If you will not employ him, kill him—do not let some rival win him over.'

抱真死，虔休為帥，乃依虔休，累為昭義大將。吐突承璀之擒盧從史，烏重胤實預其謀，珙初不知，將救從史。聞重胤受朝旨，乃觀望不進，重胤以此德之。後領河陽，乃置於麾下。然朝廷以與從史厚善，竟出為北邊一校。

After Baozhen's death, when Qianxiu took command, Gong entered his service and rose step by step to become a senior general of Zhaoyi. When Tutu Chengcui seized Lu Congshi, Wu Chongyin had secretly helped plan the affair. Gong knew nothing of this at first and was preparing to ride to Congshi's rescue. When he learned that Chongyin had received the court's commission, he halted and did not move forward, and Chongyin counted this as a debt of gratitude. Later, once Chongyin assumed command of Heyang, he brought Gong under his banner. The court, however, remembered his close friendship with Congshi and in the end relegated him to a lowly post on the northern frontier.

元和十年，征淮西，重胤懇表為諸道行營都虞候，詔特從之，俄以母憂去職。服闋，除右武衛上將軍。長慶四年八月卒，年六十四，廢朝一日。

In the tenth year of Yuanhe, when the empire marched on Huaixi, Chongyin pleaded earnestly to have him made overall adjutant of the expeditionary camps. The throne granted the request, but before long Gong resigned to observe mourning for his mother. When his mourning was complete, he was appointed Senior General of the Right Martial Guard. He died in the eighth month of the fourth year of Changqing, at sixty-four. The court suspended audiences for a day.

李祐，本蔡州牙將。事吳元濟，驍勇善戰。自王師討淮西，祐為行營將，每抗官軍，皆憚之。元和十二年，為李愬所擒。愬知祐有膽略，釋其死，厚遇之。推誠定分，與同寢食，往往帳中密語，達曙不寐。人有耳屬於外者，但屢聞祐感泣聲。而軍中以前時為祐殺傷者多，營壘諸卒會議，皆恨不殺祐。愬以眾情歸怨，慮不能全，因送祐於京師，乃上表救之。憲宗特恕，遂遣祐賜愬。愬大喜，即以三千精兵付之。祐聽言，無有所疑，竟以祐破蔡，擒元濟。以功授神武將軍，遷金吾將軍、檢校左散騎常侍、夏州刺史、御史大夫、夏綏銀宥節度使。

Li You had begun as a garrison officer in Cai Prefecture. He served Wu Yuanji—a man fierce in spirit, bold in action, and formidable on the battlefield. Once the imperial armies marched against Huaixi, You became an expeditionary general, and every time he stood in their path the government troops feared him. In the twelfth year of Yuanhe, Li Su took him prisoner. Su saw that You possessed both courage and cunning, spared his life, and treated him with great favor. Su opened his heart to him, fixed his place at his side, and shared bed and board with him. Often they talked alone in the tent until dawn, neither man sleeping. Men listening outside the tent heard again and again the sound of You weeping. Yet many in the army had fallen to You's hand in earlier battles, and when the men gathered in camp they cursed Su for not having killed him. Seeing the army's anger turn against You, Su feared he could not protect him and sent him to the capital while memorializing the throne to spare his life. Emperor Xianzong granted a special pardon and returned You to Su as a gift from the throne. Su was overjoyed and at once placed three thousand picked troops under his command. Su believed every word he said without hesitation, and in the end it was You who broke Cai and seized Yuanji. For this service he was made General of the Divine Martial Guard, then promoted through the ranks to General of the Golden Guard, Acting Left Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, Prefect of Xia, Censor-in-Chief, and Military Commissioner of Xia, Sui, Yin, and You.

寶歷初，入為右金吾大將軍。尋以吐蕃入寇，出為涇州刺史、涇原節度使。太和初，討李同捷，遷檢校戶部尚書、滄州刺史、滄德景節度使。太和三年五月卒。

At the opening of the Baoli reign he was recalled to serve as Senior General of the Right Golden Guard. When Tibet raided the borders, he was sent out as Prefect of Jing and Military Commissioner of Jingyuan. At the start of the Taihe reign, during the campaign against Li Tongjie, he was made Acting Minister of Revenue, Prefect of Cang, and Military Commissioner of Cang, De, and Jing. He died in the fifth month of the third year of Taihe.

董重質，本淮西牙將，吳少誠之子婿也。性勇悍，識軍機，善用兵。及元濟拒命，重質又為謀主，領大軍當王師，連歲不拔，皆重質之謀也。元和十二年，宰相裴度督兵淮西，至郾城，元濟乃悉發左右及守城之卒，委重質而拒度。時李愬乘虛入蔡。既擒元濟，重質之家在蔡，愬乃安恤之，仍使其子持書禮以召重質。重質見其子，知城已陷，及元濟囚窘之狀，乃慨然以單騎歸愬，白衣叩伏。愬揖登階，以賓禮與之食。憲宗欲殺之，愬奏許以不死而來降，請免之，且乞於本軍驅使。於是，貶春州司戶參軍。

Dong Chongzhi had been a garrison officer in Huaixi and was married to a daughter of Wu Shaoqing. He was by nature fierce and resolute, understood the machinery of war, and knew how to command men. When Yuanji rebelled, Chongzhi again became chief strategist, leading the main force against the imperial armies. Year after year the government could not break them—and year after year, the reason was Chongzhi. In the twelfth year of Yuanhe, Chancellor Pei Du took command of the Huaixi campaign. When he reached Yancheng, Yuanji emptied the city of his personal guard and garrison troops and put them all under Chongzhi to hold Du at bay. Meanwhile Li Su slipped through the gap and entered Cai. Once Yuanji was taken, Su learned that Chongzhi's family were still in Cai. He saw to their safety and sent Chongzhi's son with a letter and gifts to call him in. When Chongzhi met his son and learned that the city had fallen—and saw Yuanji broken and in chains—he rode alone to Su in plain clothes and threw himself face down before him. Su raised him with a bow, led him up the steps, and received him as an honored guest at table. Emperor Xianzong wanted him executed, but Su argued that he had promised Chongzhi his life in return for surrender, begged that the promise be kept, and asked to employ him in his own command. The court thereupon demoted him to Registrar of Chun Prefecture.

明年，轉太子少詹事，委武寧軍收管驅使，仍加金紫。十五年，征入，授左神武軍將軍，知軍事，兼御史中丞。仍賜金帛，與有功者等。尋授鹽州刺史，又遷左右神策及諸道劍南西川行營節度使、檢校左散騎常侍。太和四年，又轉夏綏銀宥節度使。五年，就加檢校工部尚書。重質訓兵立法，羌戎畏服。八年八月卒，贈尚書右僕射。

The following year he was made Junior Steward of the Heir Apparent, assigned to the Wuning Army for service, and honored with the gold seal and purple robe. In the fifteenth year he was recalled and made General of the Left Divine Martial Army with charge of military affairs, while also serving as Vice Censor-in-Chief. He received gold and silk as well, the same reward given to men of proven merit. Soon he was made Prefect of Yan, then transferred to command the Left and Right Divine Strategy Armies and the Xichuan expedition in Jiannan, with the additional title of Acting Left Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry. In the fourth year of Taihe he was again transferred to Military Commissioner of Xia, Sui, Yin, and You. In the fifth year he received the additional title of Acting Minister of Works. Chongzhi drilled his soldiers and set firm regulations, and the Qiang and Rong tribes feared and obeyed him. He died in the eighth month of the eighth year and was posthumously honored as Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat.

楊元卿，祖子華，德州安陵縣丞。父寓，申州鐘山縣令。元卿少孤，慷慨有才略。及冠，尚漂蕩江嶺之表，縱遊放言，人謂之狂生。時吳少誠專蔡州，朝廷姑息之。元卿白衣謁見，署以劇縣，旋辟為從事，奏授試大理評事。亦事少陽，後奏轉監察裏行。因上奏，宰相李吉甫深加慰納，自是一歲或再隨奏至京師。元卿每與少陽言，諭以大義。乃為兇黨所構，賴節度判官蘇肇保持，故免。元卿潛奉朝廷，內耗少陽之事。

Yang Yuanqing's grandfather Zihua had served as Assistant Magistrate of Anling County in De Prefecture. His father Yu had been Magistrate of Zhongshan County in Shen Prefecture. Yuanqing lost his father early, yet he grew up open-handed and sharp-minded. Even after he came of age he roamed the river lands and southern hills, speaking whatever came to mind. People called him a wild young man. At that time Wu Shaoqing held Cai Prefecture in his grip, and the court chose to appease him. Yuanqing came to him unarmed and unadorned, was given a hard county to govern, and was soon taken on as an aide. A memorial secured him the probationary post of Assessor of the Court of Judicial Review. He later served Wu Shaoyang as well and was eventually promoted by memorial to Acting Investigating Censor. His memorials reached the capital, and Chancellor Li Jifu welcomed him warmly. After that he traveled to the capital once or twice a year with each round of submissions. Yuanqing often spoke with Shaoyang, trying to turn him with the language of loyalty and larger obligation. The rebel hardliners then plotted against him, and he survived only because the commissioner's aide Su Zhao shielded him. In secret Yuanqing served the court, weakening Shaoyang's power from within.

及少陽死，其子元濟繼立。元卿說曰：「先尚書性吝，諸將皆饑寒。今須布惠以自固也。府中有無，元卿熟知之，曷若散聘諸道，卑辭厚禮，以丈人行呼群帥，庶幾一助，而諸將大獲矣。元卿願將留後表上聞，朝廷安得不從哉？」元濟許之。元卿即日離蔡，以賊勢盈虛條奏，潛請詔諸道拘留使者。及元濟覺，元卿妻陳氏並四男並為元濟所殺，同圬一射垛。蘇肇以保持元卿，亦同日被害。詔授元卿嶽王府司馬，尋遷太子僕射。

When Shaoyang died, his son Yuanji took his place. Yuanqing urged him, saying, 'Your father was miserly by nature, and the generals have gone hungry and cold. If you wish to hold your position, you must win them with generosity. I know exactly what the treasury holds and what it lacks. Why not send envoys to the other circuits with humble words and rich gifts, treating their commanders as elders? You may win some outside help, and the generals will feast. Let me carry your regent's memorial to the throne. The court will hardly refuse. Yuanji agreed. That same day Yuanqing left Cai. He sent up a detailed report on the rebels' strengths and weaknesses and secretly asked the throne to order every circuit to detain the envoys. When Yuanji discovered the betrayal, he killed Yuanqing's wife Lady Chen and their four sons and heaped them into a single grave mound. Su Zhao, who had shielded Yuanqing, was killed that same day. The throne appointed Yuanqing Assistant Master of the Yue Royal Household, and soon promoted him to Vice Director of the Heir Apparent's Palace.

元和十三年，授蔡州刺史、兼御史中丞。未行，改授光祿少卿。初，朝廷比令元卿與李愬會議，於唐州東境選要便處，權置行蔡州。如百姓官健有歸順者，便準敕優恤，必令全活。既而召見，元卿遽奏請借度支錢，及言事頗多不合旨。宰相裴度亦以諸將討賊三年，功成在旦暮，如更分土地與元卿，即恐相侵生事，故罷前命而改授焉。是歲，既平淮西，元卿奏曰：「淮西甚有寶貨及犀帶，臣知之，往取必得。」上曰：「朕本討賊，為人除害，今賊平人安，則我求之得矣。寶貨犀帶，非所求也，勿復此言。」是月，詔授左金吾衛將軍。未幾，改汾州刺史，復征為左金吾衛將軍。

In the thirteenth year of Yuanhe he was made Prefect of Cai and Vice Censor-in-Chief. Before he could take up the post, the appointment was changed to Vice Director of the Imperial Brightness Office. Earlier the court had ordered Yuanqing and Li Su to meet and, on Tang Prefecture's eastern frontier, choose a defensible site for a provisional Cai government. Any civilian or soldier who came over was to be treated generously under imperial decree and kept alive. When he was summoned to court, Yuanqing immediately asked to borrow funds from the treasury and spoke at length on matters the emperor did not wish to hear. Chancellor Pei Du also reasoned that after three years of war success was near; granting Yuanqing his own territory now would only breed friction and fresh trouble. The earlier commission was withdrawn and he was given another post instead. That year, after Huaixi fell, Yuanqing memorialized: 'There is great wealth in Huaixi—treasure, goods, rhinoceros-horn belts. I know where it lies, and if sent I can bring it back. The emperor replied, 'I raised this army to destroy evil and save the people. The rebels are broken and the land is at peace—that is the victory I wanted. Treasure and rhinoceros belts are not what I seek. Do not raise this again.' That month an edict made him General of the Left Golden Guard. Soon he was sent out as Prefect of Fen, then recalled once more as General of the Left Golden Guard.

長慶初，易置鎮、魏守臣。元卿詣宰相深陳利害，並具表其事。後穆宗感悟，賜白玉帶，旋授檢校左散騎常侍、涇州刺史、涇原渭節度觀察等使，兼充四鎮北庭行軍。元卿乃奏置屯田五千頃，每屯築墻高數仞，鍵閉牢密，卒然寇至，盡可保守。加檢校工部尚書。營田成，復加使號。居六年，涇人論奏，為立德政碑，移授懷州刺史，充河陽三城節度觀察等使。太和五年，就加檢校司空，進階光祿大夫，以其營田納粟二十萬石，以裨經費故也。是歲，改授汴宋亳觀察等使。凡所廢置，皆有弘益，詔並從之。年七十，寢疾，歸洛陽，詔授太子太保。是歲八月卒，廢朝三日，贈司徒。元卿始以毀家效順，累授方鎮。然性險巧，所至好聚斂，善結交，涇人得情，亦由此也。

At the start of the Changqing reign the court reshuffled the commanders of Zhen and Wei. Yuanqing went before the chancellors, laid out the risks at length, and submitted a full memorial on the subject. Emperor Muzong eventually saw the wisdom of it, granted him a white jade belt, and soon made him Acting Left Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, Prefect of Jing, Military Commissioner and Observation Commissioner of Jingyuan and Wei, and commander of the Four Garrisons and Northern Court expedition. Yuanqing then proposed five thousand qing of frontier farms, each settlement walled several ren high and sealed tight, so that sudden raids could be weathered and every store of grain preserved. He received the additional title of Acting Minister of Works. When the farms were finished, his commission was expanded again. After six years the people of Jing petitioned the throne and raised a stele to his good rule. He was then transferred to Huai as prefect and made Military Commissioner and Observation Commissioner of the Three Cities of Heyang. In the fifth year of Taihe he was further honored as Acting Grand Master of Works and promoted to Grand Master of Imperial Brightness, in recognition of the two hundred thousand shi of grain his farms had delivered to the treasury. That same year he was reassigned as Observation Commissioner of Bian, Song, and Bo. Every reform he proposed brought real benefit, and the throne approved them all. At seventy he fell ill, returned to Luoyang, and was appointed Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. He died that year in the eighth month. Audiences were suspended for three days, and he was posthumously honored as Minister of Education. Yuanqing had first proved his loyalty by sacrificing his family, and rose through repeated appointments to command whole regions. Yet he was by nature cunning and grasping. Wherever he went he hoarded wealth and cultivated allies, and the people of Jing warmed to him for that reason too.

子延宗，開成中為磁州刺史，坐謀逐河陽節度使以自立，為其黨所告，臺司推鞫得實，誅之。

His son Yanzong served as Prefect of Ci in the Kaicheng reign. He plotted to oust the Military Commissioner of Heyang and rule in his stead, was betrayed by his own confederates, convicted after investigation by the censorial court, and executed.

劉悟，正臣之孫也。正臣本名客奴。天寶末，祿山叛，平盧軍節度使柳知晦受賊偽署。客奴時職居牙門，襲殺知晦，馳章以聞。授平盧軍節度使，賜名正臣。

Liu Wu was the grandson of Liu Zhengchen. Zhengchen had originally been named Kenü—Guest-Slave. At the close of the Tianbao reign, An Lushan rose in rebellion, and Liu Zhihui, military governor of the Pinglu Army, accepted a bogus appointment from the rebels. Kenü, who then served in the headquarters guard, launched a surprise attack and killed Zhihui, then galloped off a memorial to report what he had done. He was appointed military governor of the Pinglu Army and given the honorific name Zhengchen—Righteous Minister.

悟少有勇力。叔逸準為汴帥，積緡錢數百萬於洛中；悟輒破扃鐍，悉盜用之。既而懼，亡歸李師古。始亦未甚知，後因擊球馳突，沖師古馬仆，師古怒，將斬之。悟猛以氣語押觸師古，師古奇而免之。因令管壯士，將後軍，累署衙門右職，奏授淄青節度都知兵馬使、兼監察御史。

From youth Wu was known for his courage and physical prowess. His uncle Yi Zhun, commander of Bian, had amassed several million strings of cash in Luoyang; Wu broke open the locks and stole the entire hoard for his own use. Fearing the consequences, he fled and took refuge with Li Shigu. At first Shigu thought little of him. Later, during a polo match, Wu charged recklessly and knocked Shigu from his horse. Shigu flew into a rage and was about to have him executed. Wu answered back boldly, pressing close with defiant words—and Shigu, struck by his spirit, let him live. Shigu then put him in charge of picked fighting men and the rearguard. He rose through a series of senior headquarters posts until he was memorialized for appointment as overall commander of the Ziqing forces and concurrent censor.

元和末，憲宗既平淮西，下詔誅師道。遣悟將兵拒魏博軍，而數促悟戰。悟未及進，馳使召之。悟度使來必殺己，乃偽疾不出，令都虞候往迎之。使者亦果以誠告其人，雲「奉命殺悟以代悟」。都虞候即時先還，悟劾之得其實，乃召諸將與謀曰：「魏博田弘正兵強，出戰必敗，不出則死。今天子所誅者，司空一人而已，悟與公等皆為所驅迫，使就其死。何如殺其來使，整戈以取鄆，立大功，轉危亡為富貴耶！」眾咸曰：「善，唯都將所命！」悟於是立斬其使，以兵取鄆，圍其內城，兼以火攻其門。不數刻，擒師道並男二人，並斬其首以獻。擢拜悟檢校工部尚書、兼御史大夫、義成軍節度使，封彭城郡王，仍賜實封五百戶，錢二萬貫，莊、宅各一區。十五年正月入覲，又加檢校兵部尚書，余如故。

At the end of the Yuanhe era, after Emperor Xianzong had pacified the Huai West circuit, the throne issued an edict calling for Li Shidao's destruction. Wu was dispatched to lead troops against the Weibo army, but Shidao repeatedly pressed him to give battle. Before Wu could advance, Shidao sent a courier at full gallop to summon him. Wu concluded that the envoy had come to kill him. He feigned illness and refused to go out, sending his chief adjutant to meet the messenger instead. The messenger did in fact confide the truth to the adjutant, saying, "I carry orders to kill Wu and put someone else in his place." The chief adjutant hurried back ahead of the envoy. Wu questioned him, learned the truth, and then summoned his officers to counsel with them. "Tian Hongzheng of Weibo commands a powerful force," he said. "If we go out to fight, we are certain to be defeated; if we refuse, we die anyway. All the Son of Heaven truly wants is the Minister of Works himself. Wu and the rest of you are being driven forward only to die in his place. Why not kill the envoy, take up our arms, and seize Yan for ourselves? We would win a great victory and turn disaster into wealth and honor! All cried out as one, "Well said! We await only our commander's word!" Wu immediately executed the messenger, marched on Yan, besieged the inner city, and set fire to the gates. In less than an hour he captured Shidao together with two of his sons, beheaded all three, and sent their heads as trophies. Wu was promoted to acting Minister of Works, concurrent Grand Censor, and military governor of the Yicheng Army. He was enfeoffed as Prince of Pengcheng, granted five hundred households of permanent fief income, twenty thousand strings of cash, and one country estate and one city residence. In the first month of the fifteenth year he came to court for an audience and was further made acting Minister of War; his other titles remained unchanged.

穆宗即位，以恩例遷檢校尚書右僕射。是歲十月，移鎮澤潞，旋以本官兼平章事。

When Emperor Muzong took the throne, Wu was transferred by imperial favor to acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. That same year, in the tenth month, he was transferred to command at Zelu-Lu, and shortly afterward was given his existing rank together with the title of Grand Councillor.

長慶元年，幽州大將硃克融叛，囚其帥張弘靖，朝廷求名將以鎮漁陽。乃加悟檢校司空、平章事，充盧龍軍節度使。悟以幽州方亂，未克進討，請授之節鉞，徐圖之。乃復以悟為澤潞節度，拜檢校司徒，兼太子太傅，依前平章事。時監軍劉承偕頗恃恩權，常對眾辱悟；又縱其下亂法，悟不能平。異日有中使至，承偕宴之，請悟，悟欲往。左右皆曰：「往則必為其困辱矣！」軍眾因亂，悟不止之。乃擒承偕至牙門，殺其二仆，欲並害承偕，悟救之獲免。朝廷不獲已，貶承偕。自是悟頗縱恣，欲效河朔三鎮。朝廷失意不逞之徒，多投寄潞州以求援。往往奏章論事，辭旨不遜。

In the first year of the Changqing era, the Youzhou general Zhu Kerong rebelled and imprisoned his commander Zhang Hongjing. The court searched for a celebrated general to secure Yuyang. Wu was accordingly promoted to acting Grand Master of Works and Grand Councillor, and appointed military governor of the Lulong Army. Wu judged that Youzhou was still in turmoil and could not be subdued at once. He asked that the command be granted to him so he might take it in hand gradually. The court then restored him as military governor of Zelu, appointed him acting Grand Preceptor and Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, and left him in place as Grand Councillor. At the time the army supervisor Liu Chengjie leaned heavily on imperial favor and often humiliated Wu before the assembled troops; he also let his subordinates break the law at will, and Wu could not restrain them. On another occasion a palace envoy arrived. Chengjie gave him a banquet and invited Wu to attend. Wu meant to go. His attendants all said, "If you go, they are sure to trap and humiliate you! The troops thereupon broke into disorder, and Wu made no move to stop them. They seized Chengjie and dragged him to the headquarters gate, killed his two attendants, and were about to kill Chengjie himself. Wu intervened and saved him. The court, left with no good choice, demoted Chengjie. From then on Wu grew increasingly lawless, seeking to imitate the three Hebei circuits. Men in the capital who had fallen from favor and could not get their way often fled to Luzhou to seek Wu's protection. They repeatedly submitted memorials on public affairs, their language insolent and defiant.

寶歷元年九月病卒，贈太尉。遺表請以其子從諫繼纘戎事。敬宗下大臣議。僕射李絳以澤潞內地，與三鎮事理不同，不可許。宰相李逢吉、中尉王守澄受其賂，曲為奏請。

In the ninth month of the first year of the Baoli era he died of illness. He was posthumously honored as Grand Preceptor. In his deathbed memorial he asked that his son Liu Congjian succeed him in command of the army. Emperor Jingzong referred the request to his chief ministers for deliberation. Vice Director Li Jiang argued that Zelu-Lu lay in the interior and was fundamentally unlike the three Hebei circuits; the request ought not be granted. Chancellor Li Fengji and the chief eunuch Wang Shoucheng accepted bribes from the Liu family and twisted their memorial into a favorable recommendation.

先是，有蕭洪者，詐稱太后弟，因仇士良保任，許之厚賂。及洪累授方鎮，納賂不滿士良之誌，士良怒，遣人上書論洪非太后之親，又以蕭本者為太后弟。從諫深知內宮之故，乃自潞府飛章論之曰：「臣聞造偽以亂真者，匹夫知之尚不可，況天下皆知乎？執疏以為親者，在匹夫之家尚不可，況處大國之朝乎？臣受國恩深，奉公心切，知有此失，安敢不言！伏唯皇帝陛下仁及萬方，孝敦九族，而推心無黨，唯理是求。微臣所以不避直言，切論深事。伏見金吾將軍蕭本，稱是太后親弟，受此官榮。今喧然國都，迨聞籓府，自上及下，異口同音，皆言蕭弘是真，蕭本是偽。臣傍聽眾論，遍察群情，鹹思發明，以正名分。今年二月，其蕭弘投臣當道，求臣上聞，自言：比者福建觀察使唐扶及監軍劉行立具審根源，已曾論奏。其時屬蕭本得為外戚，來自左軍，臺司既不敢研窮，聖意遂勒還鄉里。自茲議論，轉益沸騰。臣亦令潛問左軍，榷論大體，而士良推至公之道，發不黨之言。蓋蕭本自度孤危，妄有憑恃。伏以名居國舅，位列朝班，而真偽不分，中外所恥。切慮皇太后受此罔惑，已有恩情，若含垢於一時，終取笑於千古。伏乞追蕭弘赴闕，與蕭本對推，細詰根源，必辨真偽。」詔令三司使推按。帝以二蕭雖詐，托名太后之宗，不欲誅之，俱流嶺表。從諫進位檢校司徒。會昌三年卒。

Earlier there had been a man named Xiao Hong who falsely claimed to be the Empress Dowager's younger brother. With Qiu Shiliang's protection and patronage, he had promised lavish bribes. When Hong received one regional appointment after another yet failed to pay bribes large enough to satisfy Shiliang, Shiliang grew furious. He had someone submit a memorial declaring that Hong was not the Empress Dowager's kinsman, and naming a certain Xiao Ben as her true younger brother instead. Congjian knew the inner-palace intrigue behind the affair. From Luzhou he sent an urgent memorial, writing: "I have heard that to manufacture falsehood and confuse what is true is something even a common man, once he knows of it, cannot abide—how much less when all the realm knows? To cling to a written claim of kinship is intolerable even in a commoner's household—how much more in the court of a great empire? I have received deep grace from the state and serve the public with all my heart. Knowing this wrong, how dare I remain silent! Your Majesty's benevolence reaches every corner of the realm, your filial devotion embraces the nine degrees of kin, and you govern with an open heart, free of faction, seeking only what is right. That is why I do not shrink from blunt speech in urgently addressing this grave matter. I observe that General of the Golden Crow Guard Xiao Ben claims to be the Empress Dowager's own younger brother and has received rank and honor on that basis. Now the uproar fills the capital and reaches every regional command. From highest to lowest, all speak with one voice: Xiao Hong is the true kinsman; Xiao Ben is the impostor. Having listened to public discussion and weighed the mood of the court and the realm, I earnestly wish to bring the truth to light and set names and ranks right. This second month Xiao Hong came to my jurisdiction and asked me to report upward. He stated that Fujian observation commissioner Tang Fu and army supervisor Liu Xingli had already traced the matter to its roots and submitted memorials on it. At that time Xiao Ben had already become an imperial affinal kinsman with backing from the Left Army. The censorate did not dare pursue the investigation to the end, and by imperial order he was sent back to his home district. Since then the controversy has only grown more heated. I also made discreet inquiries in the Left Army and weighed the broader principles. Shiliang upheld the way of utmost fairness and spoke without partiality. Surely Xiao Ben, finding himself isolated and imperiled, presumptuously sought something to lean on. To bear the title of imperial maternal uncle and sit in the ranks of court, yet leave truth and falsehood undistinguished—this shames the court before all within and without. I deeply fear that the Empress Dowager, deceived by this fraud, has already formed ties of affection. If she swallows this disgrace for the moment, she will be mocked for a thousand years. I humbly beg that Xiao Hong be summoned to court, confronted with Xiao Ben, and the origins examined in detail until truth and falsehood are settled beyond doubt. An edict ordered the commissioners of the Three Offices to investigate and adjudicate the case. The Emperor, though both Xiao men had lied by claiming kinship with the Empress Dowager's clan, did not wish to put them to death. Both were banished to the Lingnan region. Congjian was promoted to acting Grand Preceptor. He died in the third year of the Huichang era.

大將郭誼等匿喪，用其侄稹權領軍務。時宰相李德裕用事，素惡從諫之奸回，奏請劉稹護喪歸洛，以聽朝旨。稹竟叛。德裕用中丞李回奉使河朔，說令三鎮加兵討稹；乃削奪稹官，命徐許滑孟魏鎮幽并八鎮之師，四面進攻。四年，郭誼斬稹，傳首京師。

The generals Guo Yi and others concealed his death and had his nephew Liu Zhen provisionally take command of the army. At the time Chancellor Li Deyu held power and had long despised Congjian's treacherous ways. He memorialized asking that Liu Zhen escort the bier back to Luoyang and await the court's orders. Zhen rebelled in the end. Deyu dispatched Censor-in-Chief Li Hui on a mission to Hebei to persuade the three circuits to send additional troops against Zhen; Zhen's offices were then stripped away, and armies from the eight circuits—Xu, Xu, Hua, Meng, Wei, Zhen, You, and Bing—were ordered to advance against him from every side. In the fourth year Guo Yi executed Zhen and sent his head to the capital.

從諫妻裴氏。初，稹拒命，裴氏召集大將妻同宴，以酒為壽，泣下不能已。諸婦請命，裴曰：「新婦各與汝夫文字，勿忘先相公之拔擢，莫效李丕背恩，走投國家。子母為托，故悲不能已也。」諸婦亦泣下，故潞將叛誌益堅。稹死，裴亦以此極刑。稹族屬昆仲九人，皆誅。

Congjian's wife was Lady Pei. When Zhen first defied the court's orders, Lady Pei summoned the generals' wives to a banquet, raised wine in toast, and wept without stopping. The women asked what ailed her. Lady Pei said, "Each of you, take written words to your husbands: do not forget how the late prime minister raised you up. Do not follow Li Pi in betraying past kindness and going over to the imperial court. I weep because I entrust my son and his mother to you—that is why my grief will not cease. The women wept as well, and the Lu generals' resolve to rebel grew all the firmer. When Zhen was killed, Lady Pei too was punished with the utmost severity for this. Nine brothers among Zhen's clan were all put to death.

劉沔，許州牙將也。少事李光顏為帳中親將。元和末，光顏討吳元濟，常用沔為前鋒。蔡將有董重質者，守洄曲，其部下乘騾即戰，號「騾子軍」，最為勁悍，官軍常警備之。沔驍銳善騎射，每與騾軍接戰，必冒刃陷堅，俘馘而還，故忠武一軍，破賊第一。淮、蔡平，隨光顏入朝。憲宗留宿衛，歷三將軍。歷鹽州刺史、天德軍防禦使，在西北邊累立奇效。

Liu Mian was a headquarters officer of Xuzhou. In his youth he served Li Guangyan as a personal officer on his staff. At the end of the Yuanhe era, when Guangyan campaigned against Wu Yuanji, he regularly used Mian as his vanguard. Among the Cai generals was Dong Chongzhi, who held Huaiqu. His men fought mounted on mules and were called the Mule Army—the fiercest force of all, against whom the imperial troops were always on guard. Mian was bold, sharp, and skilled in mounted archery. Whenever he clashed with the Mule Army he plunged through blade and wall, took heads, and returned victorious. In the Zhongwu army he ranked first in breaking the enemy. When Huai and Cai were pacified, he entered the capital with Guangyan. Emperor Xianzong kept him in the palace guard, where he rose through three generalships. He served as prefect of Yanzhou and defensive commissioner of the Tiande Army, winning repeated extraordinary victories on the northwest frontier.

太和末，河西党項羌叛。沔以天德之師屢誅其酋渠，移授振武節度使，檢校右散騎常侍、單於大都護。開成中，党項雜虜大擾河西。沔率吐渾、契苾、沙陁三部落等諸族萬人、馬三千騎，徑至銀、夏討襲，大破之。俘獲萬計，告捷而還。以功加檢校戶部尚書。會昌初，回紇部饑，烏介可汗奉太和公主至漢南求食。過杷頭峰，犯雲、朔、北川。朝廷以太原重地，控扼諸戎，乃移沔河東節度使、檢校尚書左僕射、太原尹、北京留守。詔與幽州張仲武協力招撫回鶻，竟破虜寇，迎公主還宮。以功進位檢校司空，尋改滑州刺史、義成軍節度使。

At the end of the Taihe era the Tangut Qiang of Hexi rebelled. With the Tiande army Mian repeatedly killed their chieftains. He was transferred to serve as military governor of Zhenwu, acting Right Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Chief Protector of the Chanyu Protectorate. During the Kaicheng era Tangut and other frontier peoples greatly ravaged Hexi. Mian led ten thousand men from the Tuyuhun, Qibi, Shatuo, and other allied tribes, with three thousand horsemen, straight into Yin and Xia to strike and raid, inflicting a crushing defeat. Captives and booty numbered in the tens of thousands. He reported victory and returned. For this achievement he was further made acting Minister of Revenue. At the beginning of the Huichang era the Uyghur tribes suffered famine. Khan Wujie led Princess Taihe south of the frontier to seek food. Passing Potou Peak, they raided Yun, Shuo, and northern Bing. The court, judging Taiyuan a vital strongpoint controlling the frontier peoples, transferred Mian to military governor of Hedong, acting Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, prefect of Taiyuan, and Protector of the Northern Capital. He was ordered to join Zhang Zhongwu of Youzhou in winning over the Uyghurs by force and persuasion. In the end they broke the invaders and escorted the princess back to the palace. For this achievement he was promoted to acting Grand Master of Works. Soon afterward he was reassigned as prefect of Hua and military governor of the Yicheng Army.

四年，潞帥劉從諫卒，子稹匿喪，擅主留務，要求旌鉞。武宗怒，命忠武節度使王宰、徐州節度李彥佐等，充潞府西南面招撫使。遂復授沔太原節度，充潞府北面招討使。沔與張仲武不協，方征兵幽州，乃移沔為鄭滑節度使，進位檢校司徒。既而以疾求歸洛陽，授太子太保，卒。

In the fourth year, Liu Congjian, military commissioner of Lu, died. His son Zhen hid the death, seized control of the circuit on his own authority, and demanded the imperial battle-axes that would confirm his command. Enraged, Emperor Wuzong appointed Wang Zai of Zhongwu, Li Yanzuo of Xuzhou, and others as pacification commissioners for the southwestern approach to Lu. Mian was then restored as military commissioner of Taiyuan and made punitive commissioner for the northern approach to Lu. Mian and Zhang Zhongwu were at odds. While the court was raising troops in Youzhou, Mian was transferred to command Zheng-Hua and promoted to acting grand preceptor. Soon after, pleading illness, he asked to retire to Luoyang. He was named grand preceptor of the heir apparent and died.

初，沔為忠武小校，從李光顏討淮西，為捉生將。前後遇賊血戰，鋒刃所傷，幾死者數四。嘗傷重臥草中，月黑不知歸路，昏然而睡，夢人授之雙燭，曰：「子方大貴，此行無患，可持此而還。」既行，炯然有雙光在前。自後破虜危難，每行常有此光。及罷鎮後，雙光息。五年，李德裕出鎮，罷沔為太子太保。明年，以太子太保致仕卒。

In his early days Mian was a junior officer in Zhongwu. He followed Li Guangyan against Huaidong and served as a capture-alive officer. Again and again he fought the enemy hand to hand. Cut by blade and point, he nearly died four separate times. Once, badly wounded, he lay hidden in the grass. The moon was black and he had lost the road home. He drifted into sleep, and in a dream a man gave him two candles, saying, "You are destined for greatness. This journey will not harm you. Take these and go back. When he went on, two bright lights shone ahead of him. After that, whenever he broke through the enemy in peril, the twin lights appeared before him on the march. Once he was stripped of his command, the twin lights disappeared. In the fifth year Li Deyu left the capital for a provincial posting, and Mian was removed from command and made grand preceptor of the heir apparent. The following year he retired as grand preceptor of the heir apparent and died.

石雄，徐州牙校也。王智興之討李同捷，以雄為石廂捉生兵馬使。勇敢善戰，氣淩三軍。自智興以兵臨賊境，率先收棣州，雄先驅渡河，前無堅陣。徐人伏雄之撫待，惡智興之虐，欲逐之而立雄。智興以軍在賊境，懼其變生，因其立功，請授一郡刺史。朝廷征赴京師，授壁州刺史。智興尋殺雄之素相善諸將士百余人，仍奏雄搖動軍情，請行誅戮。文宗雅知其能，惜之，乃長流白州。

Shi Xiong was a garrison officer in Xuzhou. When Wang Zhixing marched against Li Tongjie, he appointed Xiong commander of the Stone Flank capture-alive cavalry. Brave and formidable in battle, his presence dominated the entire army. From the moment Zhixing brought his army to the rebel frontier and took Di Prefecture first, Xiong led the vanguard across the river and no enemy line could hold him. The soldiers of Xuzhou loved Xiong for his kindness and hated Zhixing for his brutality. They wanted to oust Zhixing and put Xiong in command. With his army deep in enemy country, Zhixing feared a mutiny. Using Xiong's battlefield record as pretext, he asked the court to give Xiong a prefectural governorship. The court recalled him to the capital and appointed him governor of Bizhou. Zhixing then slaughtered more than a hundred officers and men who had been close to Xiong, and reported that Xiong had undermined army morale, asking that he be put to death. Emperor Wenzong had long known his worth and was reluctant to destroy him, so he was exiled to distant Baizhou instead.

太和中，河西党項擾亂，選求武士。乃召還，隸振武劉沔軍為裨將，累立破羌之功。文宗以智興故，未甚提擢，而李紳、李德裕以崔群舊將，素嘉之。

During the Tahe era, Tangut unrest broke out west of the river, and the court went looking for fighting men. He was recalled and placed under Liu Mian in the Zhenwu army as a deputy commander, winning repeated victories over the Qiang. Because of Zhixing, Emperor Wenzong did not advance him far, though Li Shen and Li Deyu, both old associates of Cui Qun, had admired him for years.

會昌初，回鶻寇天德，詔命劉沔為招撫回鶻使。三年，回鶻大掠雲、朔北邊，牙於五原。沔以太原之師屯於雲州。沔謂雄曰：「黠虜離散，不足驅除。國家以公主之故，不欲急攻。今觀其所為，氣淩我輩。若稟朝旨，或恐依違。我輩捍邊，但能除患，專之可也。公可選驍健，乘其不意，徑趨虜帳，彼以疾雷之勢，不暇枝梧，必棄公主亡竄。事茍不捷，吾自繼進，亦無患也。」雄受教，自選勁騎，得沙陁李國昌三部落，兼契苾拓拔雜虜三千騎，月暗夜發馬邑，徑趨烏介之牙。時虜帳逼振武，雄既入城，登堞視其眾寡。見氈車數十，從者皆衣硃碧，類華人服飾。雄令諜者訊之：「此何大人？」虜曰：「此公主帳也。」雄喻其人曰：「國家兵馬欲取可汗。公主至此，家國也，須謀歸路。俟兵合時不得動帳幕。」雄乃大率城內牛馬雜畜及大鼓，夜穴城為十余門。遲明，城上立旗幟炬火，乃於諸門縱其牛畜，鼓噪從之，直犯烏介牙帳。炬火燭天，鼓噪動地，可汗惶駭莫測，率騎而奔。雄率勁騎追至殺胡山，急擊之。斬首萬級，生擒五千，羊馬車帳皆委之而去。遂迎公主還太原。以功加檢校左散騎常侍、豐州刺名、兼御史大夫、天德防禦等使。

At the opening of the Huichang era the Uyghurs raided Tiande, and Liu Mian was appointed commissioner for pacifying the Uyghurs. In the third year the Uyghurs ravaged the northern borders of Yun and Shuo and made their camp at Wuyuan. Mian stationed the Taiyuan army at Yunzhou. Mian told Xiong, "These cunning barbarians are scattered and hardly worth a full campaign to drive off. Because of the princess, the court does not want to attack in force. Yet look at what they are doing now—they treat us with open contempt. If we wait for orders from the capital, we may only get delay and indecision. Our duty on the frontier is to remove the threat. We can decide this ourselves. Choose your best fighters, take them by surprise, and strike straight at their camp. Hit them like thunder and they will not have time to brace themselves—they will abandon the princess and run. If it fails, I will come up behind you myself. There is nothing to fear. Xiong took the order. He picked elite cavalry himself—three Shatuo clans under Li Guochang, plus three thousand Qibi, Toba, and other allied riders—and on a moonless night marched out of Mayi straight for Wujie's camp. The barbarian camp was then pressing on Zhenwu. Xiong entered the city and climbed the wall to count their strength. He saw several dozen felt-wheeled carts, their attendants dressed in red and green like Chinese servants. Xiong sent a spy to ask, "Whose tent is that? The barbarians replied, "That is the princess's tent." Xiong told the man, "The imperial army is coming for the khan. The princess has come home to her own country. She must be given a road back. When the fighting begins, do not move her tent. Xiong then rounded up every ox, horse, and beast in the city, along with great drums, and by night broke more than ten gates through the wall. At daybreak banners and torches went up on the walls. From every gate he turned the livestock loose, drums roaring behind them, and drove straight at Wujie's camp. Torches blazed across the sky and the din shook the ground. The khan, terrified out of his wits, fled with his riders. Xiong chased him with elite cavalry to Mount Shahu and struck hard. They took ten thousand heads, captured five thousand alive, and left sheep, horses, carts, and tents behind as they withdrew. Then they escorted the princess back to Taiyuan. For this victory he was promoted to acting left regular palace attendant, governor of Feng Prefecture, concurrent censor-in-chief, and commissioner of Tiande defense, among other honors.

雄沈勇徇義，臨財甚廉。每破賊立功，朝廷特有賜與，皆不入私室；置於軍門，首取一分，余並分給，以此軍士感義，皆思奮發。累遷檢校左僕射、河中尹、河中晉絳節度使。

Xiong was thoughtful and resolute, devoted to duty, and scrupulously honest with money. Whenever he defeated the enemy and won merit, the special rewards the court sent never went into his private rooms. He put them at the camp gate, took one share for himself, and handed out the rest. The men were moved by his fairness and fought all the harder for it. He rose in turn to acting left vice premier, prefect of Hezhong, and military commissioner of Hezhong-Jin-Jiang.

俄而昭義劉從諫卒，其子稹擅主軍務，朝議問罪。令徐帥李彥佐為潞府西南面招撫使，以晉州刺史李丕為副。時王宰在萬善柵，劉沔在石會，相顧未進。雄受代之翌日，越烏嶺，破賊五砦，斬獲千計。武宗聞捷大悅，謂侍臣曰：「今之義而有勇，罕有雄之比者。」雄既率先破賊，不旬日，王宰收天井關，何弘敬、王元逵亦收磁洺等郡。先是潞州狂人折腰於市，謂人曰：「雄七千人至矣。」劉從諫捕而誅之。及稹危蹙，大將郭誼密款請斬稹歸朝，軍中疑其詐。雄倡言曰：「賊稹之叛，郭誼為謀主。今請斬稹，即誼自謀，又何疑焉？」武宗亦以狂人之言，詔雄以七千兵受降。雄即徑馳潞州降誼，盡擒其黨與。賊平，進加檢校司空。

Before long Liu Congjian of Zhaoyi died. His son Zhen took command of the army on his own authority, and the court resolved to punish him. Li Yanzuo of Xuzhou was made pacification commissioner for the southwestern approach to Lu, with Li Pi, governor of Jin Prefecture, as his deputy. Wang Zai held Wanshan stockade and Liu Mian was at Shihui. The two armies hung back and would not move. The day after Xiong took over the command, he crossed Wuling, smashed five rebel forts, and killed or captured more than a thousand men. When Emperor Wuzong heard the news he was delighted and told his ministers, "Among the men of our day who combine righteousness with courage, few can match Xiong. After Xiong broke the rebels first, Wang Zai took Tianjing Pass within ten days, and He Hongjing and Wang Yuankui recovered Ci, Ming, and the other prefectures. Earlier a madman in Lu had bent double in the marketplace and cried out, "Xiong and seven thousand men are coming! Liu Congjian had him arrested and executed. When Zhen was cornered, the senior general Guo Yi secretly offered to kill Zhen and surrender to the court, but the army suspected a trick. Xiong declared openly, "Guo Yi was the chief architect of Zhen's rebellion. Now he offers to kill Zhen—that is his own design. Why should we doubt him? Emperor Wuzong, remembering the madman's prophecy as well, ordered Xiong to accept the surrender with seven thousand men. Xiong rode straight to Lu, accepted Yi's surrender, and seized all his followers. When the rebellion was crushed, he was further promoted to acting minister of works.

王宰，智興之子，於雄不足，雄以轅門子弟善禮之。然討潞之役，雄有始卒之功，宰心惡之。及李德裕罷相，宰黨排擯雄，罷鎮。既而聞德裕貶，發疾而卒。

Wang Zai was Zhixing's son and no match for Xiong in ability, yet Xiong treated him with courtesy as a fellow soldier's son. But in the Lu campaign Xiong had done the decisive work from start to finish, and Zai hated him for it. When Li Deyu fell from power, Zai's faction forced Xiong out and stripped him of his command. Soon afterward, on hearing that Deyu had been banished, he took ill and died.

史臣曰：古所謂名將者，不必蒙輪拔距之材，拉虎批熊之力；要當以義終始，好謀而成。而阿跌昆仲，稟氣陰山，率多令範。讓家權於主婦，拒美妓於奸臣；章武恢復之功，義師之效也。重胤忠於事上，仁於撫下，淮、蔡之役，勛亞光顏；殿邦之臣也，不可多得。王沛之擒僚婿，李祐之執賊渠，皆因事立功，轉禍為福。智則智矣，仁者不為！而劉悟自恃太尤，世邀纘襲，至於赤族，報亦晚耶！雄、沔負羽邊城，聲馳沙漠，奉迎貴主，摧破昆戎，不亦壯乎！雄能感於知己，不為無義，美哉！

The historiographer writes: The great generals of old were not necessarily men who could crouch beneath chariot wheels or outjump a spear-throw, nor men with the brute strength to wrestle tigers and bears. What mattered was to keep faith from first to last and win through careful planning. The Adie brothers, bred in the shadow of the Yin Mountains, mostly lived up to noble example. They yielded household authority to their wives and refused the gift of courtesans from corrupt ministers. The restoration won under Emperor Wuzong was the fruit of righteous soldiery. Chongyin was loyal to his superiors and humane toward his men. In the Huai-Cai campaign his merit stood second only to Guangyan's. Men who truly stabilize the realm are not easily found. Wang Pei seized his rebel son-in-law and Li You captured the rebel chieftain—both turned accident into achievement and disaster into reward. Clever they were—but a man of true humanity would not have done such things! Yet Liu Wu, swollen with pride and grasping at hereditary command generation after generation, brought extinction on his whole house—was not the reckoning long overdue? Xiong and Mian carried the frontier on their shoulders, their fame ringing across the desert; they brought home a princess and broke the northern tribes—what could be more glorious? That Xiong could repay those who believed in him and would not abandon righteousness—how admirable!

贊曰：淮、鄆砥平，義將輸誠。二兇受縛，亦其同惡。毀義棄忠，必殄爾宗。孰稱善將？劉沔、石雄。

The encomium reads: When Huai and Yan were pacified, loyal generals gave their allegiance. When the two villains were taken, their fellow conspirators shared their doom. Break faith and cast aside loyalty, and your house will be destroyed to the last man. Who deserves to be called a true general? Liu Mian and Shi Xiong.

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