1
趙宗儒趙宗儒，字秉文。 八代祖彤，仕後魏為征南將軍。 父驊，為秘書少監。 宗儒舉進士，初授弘文館校書郎。 滿歲，又以書判入高等，補陸渾主簿。 數月，征拜右拾遺，充翰林學士。 時父驊秘書少監，與父並命，出於一日，當時榮之。 建中四年，轉屯田員外郎，內職如故。 居父憂，免喪，授司門、司勛二員外郎。
Zhao Zongru, whose courtesy name was Bingwen. An ancestor eight generations back, named Tong, had served the Later Wei as General Who Pacifies the South. His father Hua held the post of Vice Director of the Secretariat. Zongru passed the jinshi examination and was first appointed as a collator in the Hongwen Library. When his term expired, he again scored in the top tier on the document examination and was appointed chief clerk of Luhun County. Within a few months he was called to court and appointed Right Reminder, and also served as a Hanlin Academician. At that time his father Hua was Vice Director of the Secretariat, and father and son received appointments on the same day—a distinction much remarked upon at the time. In 783 he was transferred to Vice Director of the Bureau of State Farms while retaining his inner-court posts. After observing mourning for his father, upon the end of mourning he was appointed vice director in both the Bureau of Gatekeepers and the Bureau of Merits.
2
貞元六年，領考功事，定百吏考績，黜陟公當，無所畏避。 右司郎中獨孤良器、殿中侍御史杜倫，各以過黜之。 尚書左丞裴郁、禦名中丞盧紹，比皆考中上，宗儒貶之中中。 又秘書少監鄭雲逵考其同官孫昌裔入上下，宗儒復入中上。 凡考之中上者，不過五十人，余多減入中中。 德宗聞而善之，遷考功郎中。
In 790 he took charge of the Bureau of Examination, set the performance ratings of the entire bureaucracy, and made promotions and demotions with impartial fairness, unafraid of anyone. Dugu Liangqi of the Right Department and Du Lun, a palace censor, were each demoted for misconduct. Pei Yu, Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and Lu Shao, Vice Censor-in-Chief, had both been rated upper-middle; Zongru downgraded each to middle-middle. When Vice Director of the Secretariat Zheng Yunkui had rated his fellow official Sun Changyi upper-lower, Zongru revised the rating to middle-upper. He allowed no more than fifty officials to receive a middle-upper rating; most others were downgraded to middle-middle. When Dezong heard of this he approved, and Zongru was promoted to Director of the Bureau of Examination.
3
丁夏憂，終喪，授吏部郎中。 十一年，遷給事中。 十二年，與諫議大夫崔損同日以本官同中書門下平章事，俱賜紫金魚袋。 十四年，罷相，為右庶子。
After completing mourning for his mother, he was appointed Director of the Bureau of Personnel. In 795 he was transferred to Attendant Censor. In 796 he and Remonstrance Counselor Cui Sun were on the same day appointed joint Grand Councilors under the Secretariat-Chancellery in their existing ranks, and both were granted purple-gold fish tally pouches. In 798 he left the chancellorship and was appointed Right Senior Companion of the Heir Apparent.
4
宗儒端居守道，勤奉朝請而已，德宗聞而嘉之。 二十年，遷吏部侍郎，召見，勞之曰：「知卿閉關六年，故有此拜。 曩者與先臣並命，尚念之耶？」 宗儒因俯伏流涕。 德宗崩，順宗命為德宗哀冊文，辭頗淒惋。
Zongru lived quietly, clung to the proper path, and attended court with steady diligence and little else; Dezong heard of this and praised him. In 804 he was promoted to Vice Director of the Bureau of Personnel. When summoned before the throne, the emperor said to him with kindness, "Knowing that you have kept to your seclusion for six years, you have earned this appointment. Do you still remember when you and your late father were appointed on the same day? Zongru bowed low to the ground and wept. After Dezong's death, Shunzong charged him with drafting the lamentation for the late emperor's burial register; the language was deeply sorrowful.
5
元和初，檢校禮部尚書，判東都尚書省事、兼御史大夫，充東都留守、畿汝都防禦使。 入為禮部、戶部二尚書，尋檢校吏部尚書，守江陵尹、兼御史大夫、荊南節度營田觀察等使。 散冗食之戍二千人。 六年，又入為刑部尚書。 八年，轉檢校吏部尚書、興元尹、兼御史大夫，充山南西道節度觀察等使。 九年，召拜御史大夫，俄遷檢校右僕射、河中尹、兼御史大夫、晉絳慈隰節度觀察等使。 赴鎮後，擅用供軍錢八千余貫，坐罰一月俸。 十一年七月，入為兵部尚書。 九月，改太子少傅，權知吏部尚書銓事。 十四年九月，拜吏部尚書。
Early in the Yuanhe reign he was appointed Acting Minister of Rites, with charge of the Eastern Capital Secretariat office, concurrent Censor-in-Chief, Eastern Capital Regent, and Metropolitan Defense Commissioner for the Ji and Ru circuits. He was recalled to serve as Minister of Rites and of Revenue, then soon appointed Acting Minister of Personnel as magistrate of Jiangling, with concurrent posts as Censor-in-Chief and Jingnan military, agricultural, and observation commissioner. He discharged two thousand superfluous garrison troops from the payroll. In the sixth year of Yuanhe he was again recalled as Minister of Justice. In the eighth year he was transferred to Acting Minister of Personnel and magistrate of Xingyuan, with concurrent posts as Censor-in-Chief and Shannan West military and observation commissioner. In the ninth year he was summoned as Censor-in-Chief; soon after he was made Acting Right Vice Director, magistrate of Hezhong, and concurrent military and observation commissioner for Jin, Jiang, Ci, and Li. After taking up his post he had diverted more than eight thousand strings of army-supply funds without authorization and was fined one month's salary. In the seventh month of the eleventh year he was recalled as Minister of War. In the ninth month he was made Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent and given temporary charge of personnel selection as acting Minister of Personnel. In the ninth month of the fourteenth year he was appointed Minister of Personnel.
6
穆宗即位，以初釋服，令尚書省官試先朝所征集應制舉人。 宗儒奏曰：「準今月十五日敕：比者先朝征集應制人等，已及時限，恐皆來自遠方，難於久住，酌宜審事，遂委有司定日就試。 如聞所集之人多已分散，須知審的，然後裁定，宜令所司商量聞奏者。 伏以制科所設，本在親臨，南省試人，亦非舊典。 今覃恩既畢，庶政惟新。 況山陵日近，公務繁迫，待問之士，就試非多。 臣等商量，恐須權罷。」 從之。 復拜太子少傅，判太常卿事。
When Muzong acceded, having just ended his mourning period, he ordered Department of State Affairs officials to examine the special-decree candidates whom the previous reign had summoned. Zongru submitted a memorial: "Pursuant to the edict of the fifteenth of this month: the special-decree candidates whom the late court had summoned have reached the deadline. Fearing that most have come from afar and cannot remain long, the throne judged it prudent to review the matter and charged the responsible offices with setting a date for the examination. I hear that most of those summoned have already dispersed; the facts must be verified before any decision, and the responsible offices should deliberate and report back. The special-decree examinations were established for the emperor's personal oversight; entrusting the examination to the Southern Directorate is likewise not established precedent. Now that the general amnesty has been proclaimed, every branch of government is being renewed. Moreover, with the imperial tomb rites approaching and official business pressing, few of the candidates awaiting examination would in fact present themselves. Your servants have deliberated and believe the examination should be suspended for the present. The emperor agreed. He was again appointed Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent and given charge of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
7
長慶元年二月，檢校右僕射，守太常卿。 太常有《師子樂》，備五方之色，非會朝聘享不作，幼君荒誕，伶官縱肆，中人掌教坊者移牒取之。 宗儒不敢違，以狀白宰相。 宰相以為事在有司執守，不合關白。 以宗儒怯不任事，改太子少師。
In the second month of 821 he was appointed Acting Right Vice Director while retaining the directorship of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices possessed the Lion Music, arrayed in the colors of the five directions, which was performed only at court assemblies, audiences, or tribute ceremonies. The young emperor was dissolute; actors ran wild, and a eunuch superintendent of the Music Academy sent an official request to take possession of it. Zongru did not dare refuse and reported the matter to the chief ministers. The chief ministers held that the responsible office should enforce the rules on its own and that there was no need to report upward. Judging Zongru timid and unfit for responsibility, the court transferred him to Junior Preceptor of the Heir Apparent.
8
寶歷元年，遷太子太保。 昭肅晏駕，為大明宮留守。 太和四年，拜檢校司空、兼太子太傅。 文宗召見，諮以理道。 對曰：「堯、舜之化，慈儉而已。 願陛下守而勿失。」 文宗嘉納之。 五年，宋申錫被誣，上召師保已下議其刑。 上以宗儒高年，宣令不拜。 尋拜疏請老。 六年，詔以司空致仕。 是歲九月卒，年八十七，廢朝，冊贈司徒。
In 825 he was promoted to Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. When Emperor Jingzong died, he was appointed regent of the Daming Palace. In 830 he was appointed Acting Minister of Works and Senior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. Wenzong summoned him and asked his counsel on the principles of governance. He answered, "The rule of Yao and Shun rested on compassion and frugality alone. May Your Majesty hold to them and never let them slip away. Wenzong praised his answer and accepted it. In the fifth year Song Shenxi was falsely accused; the emperor summoned the heir apparent's tutors and guardians and the ranks below to deliberate on his punishment. Because Zongru was of advanced age, the emperor directed that he need not perform the bow. Before long he submitted a memorial requesting retirement. In the sixth year an edict granted him retirement with the honorary rank of Minister of Works. He died that ninth month at the age of eighty-seven; court audiences were suspended, and he was posthumously enfeoffed as Minister of Education.
9
宗儒以文學進，前後三鎮方任，八領選部，略於儀矩，切於治生，時論以此少之。 竇易直竇易直，字宗玄，京兆人。 祖元昌，彭州九瀧縣令。 父彧，廬州刺史。 易直舉明經，為秘書省校書郎，再以判入等，授藍田尉。 累歷右司、兵部、吏部三郎中。 元和六年，遷御史中丞。 謝日，賜緋魚袋。 八年，改給事中。 九月，出為陜虢都防禦觀察使，仍賜紫。 入為京兆尹。 萬年尉韓晤奸贓事發，易直令曹官韋正晤訊之，得贓三十萬。 上意其未盡，詔重鞫，坐贓三百萬，貶易直金州刺史，正晤長流昭州。 十三年六月，遷宣州刺史、宣歙池都團練觀察等使。
Zongru had risen through literary accomplishment, held three regional commands in succession, and headed the selection bureau eight times. He was somewhat careless of ritual propriety and keen on managing his livelihood, for which contemporaries thought somewhat less of him. Dou Yizhi, whose courtesy name was Zongxuan, was a native of Jingzhao. His grandfather Yuanchang had been magistrate of Jiulong County in Peng Prefecture. His father Yu had served as prefect of Lu Prefecture. Yizhi passed the mingjing examination and was appointed collator in the Secretariat; after again scoring in the top tier on the document examination, he was appointed defender of Lantian. He successively served as director in the Right Department and in the Bureaus of War and of Personnel. In 811 he was promoted to Vice Censor-in-Chief. On the day he thanked the throne for his appointment he was granted a scarlet fish tally pouch. In the eighth year he was transferred to Attendant Censor. In the ninth month he was sent out as Metropolitan Defense and Observation Commissioner for Shan and Guo, and was again granted the purple robe. He was recalled to serve as Metropolitan Magistrate of Jingzhao. When the bribery of Han Wu, defender of Wannian, came to light, Yizhi ordered the bureau official Wei Zhengwu to investigate and uncovered three hundred thousand in illicit gains. The emperor suspected the investigation incomplete and ordered a new inquiry; the bribery was fixed at three million, Yizhi was demoted to prefect of Jin Prefecture, and Zhengwu was exiled to distant Zhao Prefecture. In the sixth month of the thirteenth year he was made prefect of Xuan and Metropolitan Training and Observation Commissioner for Xuan, She, and Chi.
10
長慶二年七月，汴州將李絺逐其帥李願，易直聞之，欲出官物以賞軍。 或謂易直曰：「賞給無名，卻恐生患。」 乃已。 軍士已聞之。 時江、淮旱，水淺，轉運司錢帛委積不能漕，州將王國清指以為賞，激諷州兵謀亂。 先事有告者，乃收國清下獄。 其黨數千，大呼入獄中，篡取國清而出之，因欲大剽。 易直登樓謂將吏曰：「能誅為亂者，每獲一人，賞十萬。」 眾喜，倒戈擊亂黨，並擒之。 國清等三百余人，皆斬之。 九月，以李德裕代還，為吏部侍郎。 十一月，改戶部，兼御史大夫，判度支。 四年五月，以本官同平章事，判使如故。 改門下侍郎，封晉陽郡公。
In the seventh month of 822 the Bianzhou general Li Qi expelled his commander Li Yuan; when Yizhi heard of it he wished to disburse official goods to reward the troops. Someone warned Yizhi, "Rewards given without proper cause may instead breed trouble. He abandoned the plan. The soldiers had already heard of it. The Yangzi and Huai regions were then in drought; the waterways were shallow, and money and silks accumulated by the transport office could not be moved by canal. The prefectural general Wang Guoqing pointed to these stores as promised rewards and incited the prefectural troops to plot rebellion. When someone reported the plot beforehand, Guoqing was arrested and imprisoned. Several thousand of his partisans stormed the prison shouting, seized Guoqing and freed him, and then prepared for large-scale pillage. Yizhi mounted the tower and told the generals and officials, "Whoever kills a rebel will receive ten thousand for each man taken. The troops rejoiced, turned their weapons on the rebels, and captured them all. Guoqing and more than three hundred others were all beheaded. In the ninth month Li Deyu replaced him; he returned to the capital as Vice Director of the Bureau of Personnel. In the eleventh month he was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue, with concurrent posts as Censor-in-Chief and director of the Treasury. In the fifth month of the fourth year he was appointed joint Grand Councilor in his existing rank, retaining his treasury duties. He was transferred to Vice Director of the Chancellery and enfeoffed as Duke of Jinyang.
11
寶歷元年七月，罷判度支。 大和二年十月罷相，檢校左僕射、平章事、襄州刺史、山南東道節度使。 五年，入為左僕射，判太常卿事。 十一月，檢校司空、鳳翔尹、鳳翔隴節度使。 六年，以疾求還京師。 七年四月卒，贈司徒，謚曰恭惠。
In the seventh month of 825 he was relieved of his treasury duties. In the tenth month of 828 he left the chancellorship and was appointed Acting Left Vice Director, Grand Councilor, prefect of Xiang, and Shannan East military commissioner. In the fifth year he was recalled as Left Vice Director and given charge of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. In the eleventh month he was appointed Acting Minister of Works, magistrate of Fengxiang, and military commissioner of Fengxiang and Long. In the sixth year he requested return to the capital on grounds of illness. He died in the fourth month of the seventh year and was posthumously enfeoffed as Minister of Education with the posthumous title Gonghui (Respectful and Gracious).
12
易直自入仕十年余，常居散秩，不應請辟； 及居方任，亦以公廉聞。 在相位，未嘗論用親黨，凡於公舉，即無所避。 然元和中，吏部尚書鄭餘慶議僕射上日儀制，不與隔品官亢禮。 易直時為御史中丞，奏駁餘慶所議。 及易直為左僕射，卻行隔品致敬之禮，時論非之。 李逢吉李逢吉，字虛舟，隴西人。 貞觀中學士李玄道曾孫。 祖顏，父歸期。 逢吉登進士第，釋褐授振武節度掌書記。 入朝為左拾遺、左補闕，改侍御史，充入吐蕃冊命副使、工部員外郎，又充入南詔副使。 元和四年，使還，拜祠部郎中，轉右司。 六年，遷給事中。 七年，與司勛員外郎李巨並為太子諸王侍讀。 九年，改中書舍人。 十一年二月，權知禮部貢舉、騎都尉，賜緋。 四月，加朝議大夫、門下侍郎、同平章事，賜金紫。 其貢院事，仍委禮部尚書王播署榜。
For more than ten years after entering office Yizhi often held unassigned rank and declined invitations to serve; when he held regional posts he was likewise known for fairness and integrity. As councilor he never promoted kin or partisans, and in all public recommendations he showed no favoritism. Yet during the Yuanhe reign Minister of Personnel Zheng Yuqing proposed that on a vice director's first audience day he should not exchange equal ceremonial bows with officials of separated rank. At the time Yizhi was Vice Censor-in-Chief and memorialized in rebuttal of Yuqing's proposal. When Yizhi became Left Vice Director, he himself performed the separated-rank bowing ceremony, for which contemporaries criticized him. Li Fengji, whose courtesy name was Xuzhou, was a native of Longxi. He was the great-grandson of Li Xuandao, an academician who served during the Zhenguan period. His grandfather was named Yan, and his father was named Guiqi. Fengji passed the jinshi examination, and upon taking up his first official post he was appointed chief secretary to the Zhenwu military commissioner. Called to the capital, he served as Left Reminder and Left Supplements Censor before being transferred to Attendant Censor; he then served as deputy envoy on the investiture mission to Tibet while holding the post of Vice Director of the Ministry of Works, and later as deputy envoy to Nanzhao. In 809, upon returning from his diplomatic mission, he was appointed Director of the Bureau of Rites and subsequently transferred to the Right Department. In 811 he was promoted to Supervising Secretary. In 812 he and Li Ju, Vice Director of the Bureau of Merits, were jointly appointed tutors to the crown prince and the imperial princes. In 814 he was transferred to the post of Drafting Secretary of the Secretariat. In February 816 he was placed in temporary charge of the civil service examinations under the Ministry of Rites, given the rank of Commandant of Cavalry, and granted the privilege of wearing the red official robe. In April he was promoted to Senior Grand Master of Discussion, appointed Vice Director of the Chancellery and Associate Grand Counselor, and awarded the gold seal and purple robe. For the examination compound, he still left the posting of the pass list to Wang Bo, the Minister of Rites.
13
逢吉天與奸回，妒賢傷善。 時用兵討淮、蔡，憲宗以兵機委裴度，逢吉慮其成功，密沮之，由是相惡。 及度親征，學士令狐楚為度制辭，言不合旨，楚與逢吉相善，帝皆黜之； 罷楚學士，罷逢吉政事，出為劍南東川節度使、檢校兵部尚書。
Fengji was naturally treacherous and devious, jealous of the talented and destructive toward the virtuous. While the court was campaigning against Huai and Cai, Emperor Xianzong entrusted military strategy to Pei Du; Fengji, fearing that Pei would succeed, secretly worked to thwart him, and from that time the two were bitter enemies. When Pei Du took the field in person, Hanlin Academician Linghu Chu drafted the imperial proclamation on his behalf, but its wording missed the emperor's intent; since Chu was close to Fengji, the emperor demoted both men; Chu was stripped of his Hanlin post, and Fengji was removed from the chief ministership and posted out as military commissioner of Jiannan East Circuit, with the honorary title of Minister of War.
14
穆宗即位，移襄州刺史、山南東道節度使。 逢吉於帝有侍讀之恩，遣人密結幸臣，求還京師。 長慶二年三月，召為兵部尚書。 時裴度亦自太原入朝。 以度招懷河朔功，復留度，與工部侍郎元稹相次拜平章事。 度在太原時，嘗上表論稹奸邪。 及同居相位，逢吉以為勢必相傾，乃遣人告和王傅于方結客，欲為元稹刺裴度。 及捕于方，鞫之無狀，稹、度俱罷相位，逢吉代度為門下侍郎平章事。 自是浸以恩澤結朝臣之不逞者，造作謗言，百端中傷裴度。 賴學士李紳、韋處厚等顯於上前，言度為逢吉排斥，而度於國有功，不宜擯棄，故得以僕射在朝。 時已失河朔，而王智興擅據徐州，李㝏據汴州。 國威不振，天下延頸俟度再秉國鈞，以攘暴亂。 及為逢吉嫁禍，奪其權，四海為之側目，朝士上疏論列者十餘人。 屬時君荒淫，政出群小，而度竟逐外籓。
After Muzong came to the throne, Fengji was transferred to serve as Prefect of Xiangzhou and military commissioner of Shannan East Circuit. Having once served as Muzong's tutor, Fengji owed the emperor a personal debt; he secretly cultivated the emperor's favorites in hopes of being recalled to the capital. In March 822 he was recalled to the capital and appointed Minister of War. At the same time Pei Du also arrived at court from Taiyuan. In recognition of Pei Du's success in winning over the Hebei frontier, the court kept him in the capital; he and Yuan Zhen, Vice Minister of Works, were appointed Grand Counselors in quick succession. While serving at Taiyuan, Pei Du had submitted a memorial accusing Yuan Zhen of treachery and wickedness. Once Pei Du and Yuan Zhen shared the chief ministership, Fengji expected them to destroy one another; he secretly reported that Yu Fang, Tutor of the Heir Apparent, was gathering swordsmen with the intent of having Yuan Zhen arrange the assassination of Pei Du. When Yu Fang was arrested and interrogated, no proof emerged; both Yuan Zhen and Pei Du were stripped of their chief ministerships, and Fengji replaced Pei Du as Vice Director of the Chancellery and Grand Counselor. Thereafter he steadily cultivated discontented officials with favors, fabricating slanders of every kind to undermine Pei Du. Thanks to Hanlin Academicians Li Shen and Wei Chuhou, who spoke openly before the throne, arguing that Pei Du had been driven out by Fengji despite his great service to the state and ought not be discarded, Pei Du was allowed to remain at court with the title of Director of the Department. By then the court had lost control of the Hebei frontier; Wang Zhixing had seized Xuzhou on his own authority, and Li Tong held Bianzhou. National prestige had collapsed; the whole empire looked to Pei Du to take up the reins of government once again and put down the rampant disorder. When Fengji framed him and stripped him of power, the whole empire looked on in dismay, and more than ten court officials submitted memorials protesting the injustice. The emperor was dissolute, power had passed to petty favorites, and in the end Pei Du was banished to a frontier post.
15
學士李紳有寵，逢吉惡之，乃除為中丞，又欲出於外。 乃以吏部侍郎韓愈為京兆尹，兼御史大夫，放臺參。 以紳褊直，必與愈爭。 及制出，紳果移牒往來。 愈性木強，遂至語辭不遜，喧論於朝。 逢吉乃罷愈為兵部侍郎，紳為江西觀察使。 紳中謝日，帝留而不遣。
The favored Hanlin Academician Li Shen aroused Fengji's hatred; Fengji had him appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief with the further aim of posting him outside the capital. He then appointed Han Yu, Vice Minister of Personnel, as Prefect of the Capital and concurrently Censor-in-Chief, granting him the right to conduct formal yamen inspections. Calculating that the rigid and blunt Li Shen would inevitably come into conflict with Han Yu, when the appointment was announced, Li Shen immediately began exchanging official dispatches with Han Yu. Han Yu's temperament was stubborn and inflexible, and the quarrel escalated to open discourtesy, creating a public uproar at court. Fengji then demoted Han Yu to Vice Minister of War and posted Li Shen out as Commissioner of Jiangxi. When Li Shen came to court to offer thanks for his appointment, the emperor kept him in the capital and refused to let him depart.
16
翼城人鄭註以醫藥得幸於中尉王守澄，逢吉令其從子仲言賂註，求結於守澄。 仲言辯譎多端，守澄見之甚悅。 自是，逢吉有助，事無違者。
Zheng Zhu of Yicheng had won Wang Shoucheng's favor through his medical skills; Fengji had his nephew Zhongyan bribe Zhu in order to cultivate Shoucheng. Zhongyan was eloquent and scheming in many ways; Shoucheng took an immediate liking to him. From that point on Fengji had powerful backing, and nothing he wanted was denied.
17
敬宗初即位，年方童丱，守澄從容奏曰：「陛下得為太子，逢吉之力也。 是時，杜元穎、李紳堅請立深王為太子。」 乃貶紳端州司馬。 朝士代逢吉鳴吠者，張又新、李續之、張權輿、劉棲楚、李虞、程昔範、姜洽、李仲言，時號「八關十六子」。 又新等八人居要劇，而胥附者又八人，有求於逢吉者，必先經此八人納賂，無不如意者。 逢吉尋封涼國公，邑千戶，兼右僕射。
When Jingzong first acceded to the throne, still little more than a boy, Shoucheng remarked to the emperor at leisure: "Your Majesty owes your position as crown prince to Li Fengji's efforts. At the time Du Yuanying and Li Shen had vigorously argued for making Prince Shen the heir apparent." Li Shen was accordingly demoted to Magistrate of Duan Prefecture. The court officials who served as Fengji's barkers included Zhang Youxin, Li Xuzhi, Zhang Quanyu, Liu Qichu, Li Yu, Cheng Xifan, Jiang Qia, and Li Zhongyan; they were known at the time as "the Eight Passes and Sixteen Sons." The eight, led by Zhang Youxin, held key posts, and eight more hangers-on clustered around them; anyone seeking Fengji's favor had first to pay bribes through these eight men, and no request went unsatisfied. Fengji was soon enfeoffed as Duke of Liang with a fief of one thousand households and appointed Right Director of the Department as well.
18
昭湣即位，左右屢言裴度之賢，曾立大勛，帝甚嘉之。 因中使往興元，即令問訊。
When Emperor Zhaomin came to the throne, his attendants repeatedly praised Pei Du's virtues and his great earlier achievements, and the emperor was much impressed. The emperor accordingly dispatched a palace envoy to Xingyuan to convey his regards.
19
寶歷初，度連上章請入覲。 逢吉之黨坐不安席，如矢攢身，乃相與為謀，欲沮其來。 張權輿撰「非衣小兒」之謠，傳於閭巷。 言度相有天分，應謠讖。 而韋處厚於上前解析，言權輿所撰之言。 既不能沮，又令衛尉卿劉遵古從人安再榮告武昭謀害逢吉。 武昭者，有才力，裴度破淮、蔡時獎用之，累奏為刺史。 及度被斥，昭以門吏久不見用，客於京師，途窮頗有怨言。 逢吉冀法司鞫昭行止，則顯裴度任用，以沮入朝之行。 逢吉又與同列李程不協。 太學博士李涉、金吾兵曹茅匯者，於京師貴遊間以氣俠相許，二人出入程及逢吉之門。 水部郎中李仍叔，程之族，知武昭郁郁恨不得官，仍叔謂昭曰：「程欲與公官，但逢吉阻之。」 昭愈憤怒，因酒與京師人劉審、張少騰說刺逢吉之言。 審以昭言告張權輿，乃聞於逢吉，即令茅匯召昭相見，逢吉厚相結托，自是疑怨之言稍息。 逢吉待茅匯尤厚，嘗與匯書云：「足下當字僕為『自求』，僕當字足下為『利見』」。 文字往來，其間甚密。 及裴度求覲，無計沮之，即令訐武昭事，以暴揚其跡。 再榮既告，李仲言誡匯曰：「言武昭與李程同謀則活，否則爾死。」 匯曰：「冤死甘心。 誣人以自免，予不為也。」 及昭下獄，逢吉之醜跡皆彰。 昭死，仲言流象州，茅匯流巂州，李涉流康州，李虞自拾遺為河南士曹。 敬宗待裴度益厚，乃自漢中召還，復知政事。
At the beginning of the Baoli reign, Pei Du repeatedly petitioned for permission to return to court. Fengji's faction could not sit still—they felt as if arrows were piercing their bodies—and they plotted together to block Pei Du's return. Zhang Quanyu composed a street ballad about "the not-clothed child," which spread through the neighborhoods. The ballad claimed that Pei Du as chief minister had a Heaven-granted destiny and fulfilled its prophetic omen. Wei Chuhou, however, explained before the throne that the ballad was Zhang Quanyu's own fabrication. When that failed to stop Pei Du, they had Liu Zungu, Commandant of the Guard, use his follower An Zairong to accuse Wu Zhao of plotting to assassinate Fengji. Wu Zhao was a man of ability and force; when Pei Du conquered Huai and Cai, Pei had taken him under his wing and repeatedly recommended him for prefectural posts. After Pei Du's dismissal, Zhao, who had long served as a retainer but received no appointment, lingered in the capital; impoverished and frustrated, he voiced considerable resentment. Fengji hoped that if the judicial authorities interrogated Wu Zhao, Pei Du's past patronage of him would be exposed and Pei Du's return to court could be blocked. Fengji was also at odds with his fellow chief minister Li Cheng. Li She, an Erudite of the Imperial Academy, and Mao Hui, a militia officer of the Gold Crow Guard, moved in the chivalrous circles of the capital's elite; both frequented the households of Li Cheng and Li Fengji. Li Rengshu, Director of the Bureau of Waterways and a kinsman of Li Cheng, knew that Wu Zhao was dejected over his failure to obtain a post; Rengshu told Zhao: "Li Cheng wants to give you an appointment, but Li Fengji is blocking it." Wu Zhao grew even angrier, and while drunk he discussed assassinating Fengji with two men of the capital, Liu Shen and Zhang Shaoteng. Liu Shen reported Wu Zhao's words to Zhang Quanyu, and the matter reached Fengji; Fengji had Mao Hui summon Wu Zhao, treated him with great favor, and won his loyalty—after which talk of suspicion and resentment gradually died down. Fengji showed Mao Hui particular favor; in one letter he wrote: "You should address me as 'Self-Seeking'; I shall address you as 'Profit Seen.'" They exchanged letters frequently, and their intimacy was very close. When Pei Du petitioned to come to court and they had no further means to stop him, they denounced the Wu Zhao affair to expose the whole trail of connections. After An Zairong made his accusation, Li Zhongyan warned Mao Hui: "If you say Wu Zhao and Li Cheng plotted together, you will live; otherwise you will die." Mao Hui replied: "I would willingly die wronged. I will not falsely accuse others to save myself." When Wu Zhao was thrown into prison, all of Fengji's sordid scheming came to light. Wu Zhao was executed; Li Zhongyan was exiled to Xiang Prefecture, Mao Hui to Su Prefecture, and Li She to Kang Prefecture; Li Yu was demoted from Reminder to Senior Clerk of Henan. Jingzong treated Pei Du with ever greater favor, recalled him from Hanzhong, and restored him to the chief ministership.
20
逢吉檢校司空、平章事、襄州刺史、山南東道節度使，仍請張又新、李續之為參佐。 太和二年，改汴州刺史、宣武軍節度使。 五年八月，入為太子太師、東都留守、東畿汝防禦使，加開府儀同三司。 八年，李訓用事。 三月，徵拜左僕射，兼守司徒。 時逢吉已老，病足，不任朝謁，即以司徒致仕。 九年正月卒，時年七十八。 贈太尉，謚曰成。 段文昌段文昌，字墨卿，西河人。 高祖志玄，陪葬昭陵，圖形凌煙閣。 祖德皎，贈給事中。 父諤，循州刺史，贈左僕射。 文昌家於荊州，倜儻有氣義，節度使裴胄知之而不能用。 韋臯在蜀，表授校書郎。 李吉甫刺忠州，文昌嘗以文幹之。 及吉甫居相位，與裴垍同加獎擢，授登封尉、集賢校理。 俄拜監察御史，遷補闕，改祠部員外郎。 元和十一年，守本官，充翰林學士。
Fengji was appointed Honorary Grand Marshal and Grand Counselor, posted as Prefect of Xiangzhou and military commissioner of Shannan East Circuit, and took Zhang Youxin and Li Xuzhi with him as staff officers. In 828 he was transferred to serve as Prefect of Bianzhou and military commissioner of the Xuanwu Army. In August 831 he was recalled to serve as Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince, Guardian of the Eastern Capital, and Commissioner for the Defense of the Eastern Capital and Ru regions, with the added honorific rank of Grand Master with Equipage equal to the Three Offices. In 834 Li Xun came to power. In March he was summoned and appointed Left Director of the Department while retaining the post of Grand Mentor. By then Fengji was elderly and crippled by foot ailments, unable to attend court; he retired with the title of Grand Mentor. He died in the first month of 835, at the age of seventy-eight. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Commandant and given the posthumous epithet Cheng. Duan Wenchang, whose courtesy name was Moqing, was a native of Xihe. His distinguished ancestor Duan Zhixuan was buried at Zhaoling in attendance upon the imperial tomb, and his portrait was placed in the Lingyan Pavilion. His grandfather Dejiao was posthumously granted the title of Supervising Secretary. His father E had served as Prefect of Xun Prefecture and was posthumously enfeoffed as Left Director of the Department. Wenchang made his home in Jingzhou; he was bold and generous, a man of honor; the military commissioner Pei Zhou recognized his talent but could not find a place for him. When Wei Gao governed Shu, he recommended Wenchang and had him appointed Collator. When Li Jifu served as prefect of Zhong Prefecture, Wenchang had once sought his patronage by presenting his writings. When Li Jifu rose to the chief ministership, he and Pei Ji jointly recommended Wenchang for advancement, appointing him Commandant of Dengfeng and Collator at the Hall of Worthies. He was soon appointed Investigating Censor, promoted to Supplements Censor, and transferred to Vice Director of the Bureau of Rites. In 816, while retaining his existing post, he was appointed Hanlin Academician.
21
文昌，武元衡之子婿也。 元衡與宰相韋貫之不協，憲宗欲召文昌為學士，貫之奏曰：「文昌志尚不修，不可擢居近密。」 至是貫之罷相，李逢吉乃用文昌為學士，轉祠部郎中，賜緋，依前充職。 十四年，加知制誥。 十五年，穆宗即位，正拜中書舍人，尋拜中書侍郎、平章事。
Wenchang was the son-in-law of Wu Yuanheng. Wu Yuanheng was at odds with Chief Minister Wei Guanzhi; when Emperor Xianzong wished to appoint Wenchang Hanlin Academician, Guanzhi memorialized: "Wenchang's character is unreformed; he is unfit for promotion to the inner circle of the throne." By then Wei Guanzhi had been removed from office, and Li Fengji appointed Wenchang Hanlin Academician, promoted him to Director of the Bureau of Rites, granted him the red robe, and left him in his previous post. In 819 he was additionally assigned to draft imperial edicts. In 820, when Muzong came to the throne, Wenchang was formally appointed Drafting Secretary of the Secretariat and soon afterward Vice Director of the Secretariat and Grand Counselor.
22
長慶元年，拜章請退。 朝廷以文昌少在西蜀，詔授西川節度使、同中書門下平章事。 文昌素洽蜀人之情，至是以寬政為治，嚴靜有斷，蠻夷畏服。 二年，雲南入寇，黔中觀察使崔元略上言，朝廷憂之，乃詔文昌禦備。 文昌走一介之使以喻之，蠻寇即退。
In 821 he submitted a memorial requesting to step down from office. Because Wenchang had spent his youth in western Shu, the court appointed him military commissioner of Xichuan and Grand Counselor. Wenchang had long understood the temperament of the people of Shu; once in office he governed with a lenient hand, combining firm discipline with calm decisiveness, and the frontier tribes submitted to his authority. In 822 Yunnan launched an invasion; Cui Yuanlue, Commissioner of Qianzhong, reported it to the throne; alarmed, the court ordered Wenchang to prepare the defenses. Wenchang dispatched a lone messenger to reason with them, and the invaders immediately withdrew.
23
敬宗即位，征拜邢部尚書，轉兵部，兼判左丞事。
When Jingzong came to the throne, Wenchang was summoned and appointed Minister of Justice, then transferred to the Ministry of War while concurrently handling the duties of the Left Vice Director.
24
文宗即位，遷御史大夫，尋檢校尚書右僕射、揚州大都督府長史、同平章事、淮南節度使。 太和四年，移鎮荊南。
When Emperor Wenzong came to the throne, Wenchang was promoted to Censor-in-Chief; soon he was provisionally appointed Right Director of the Department, Chief Administrator of Yangzhou Metropolitan Prefecture, Associate Chief Minister, and Military Commissioner of Huainan Circuit. In 830 he was transferred to take command of Jingnan Circuit.
25
文昌於荊、蜀皆有先祖故第，至是贖為浮圖祠。 又以先人墳墓在荊州，別營居第，以置祖禰影堂，歲時伏臘，良辰美景享薦之。 徹祭，即以音聲歌舞繼之，如事生者，搢紳非焉。
Wenchang owned ancestral family mansions in both Jing and Shu; he now reclaimed them and converted them into Buddhist shrines. Because his ancestors' tombs were in Jing Prefecture, he built a separate residence there, outfitting it with memorial halls for his forebears; at the midsummer and midwinter sacrifices, and whenever the season was fair, he would offer oblations. As soon as the rites were complete, he would have music and dancers perform, treating the dead as though they were still alive—a practice the officials deplored.
26
六年，復為劍南西川節度。 九年三月，賜春衣中使至，受宣畢，無疾而卒，年六十三，贈太尉。 有文集三十卷。
In 832 he was once again appointed Military Commissioner of Western Chuan in Jiannan Circuit. In the third month of 835, when the palace envoy arrived bearing the emperor's gift of spring robes and Wenchang had received the imperial message, he died suddenly without prior illness, at the age of sixty-three. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Commandant. His collected writings ran to thirty juan.
27
文昌布素之時，所向不偶。 及其達也，揚歷顯重，出入將相，洎二十年。 其服飾玩好、歌童妓女，茍悅於心，無所愛惜，乃至奢侈過度，物議貶之。 子成式。
In his early days as a commoner, nothing ever seemed to go Wenchang's way. Once he rose to power, he held one prestigious post after another, moving between the highest civil and military offices for nearly twenty years. Fine clothes, curios, singing boys, and courtesans—whatever gratified him, he lavished money on without restraint, until his extravagance became notorious and invited public censure. His son was Chengshi.
28
成式，字柯古，以廕入官，為秘書省校書郎。 研精苦學，秘閣書籍，披閱皆遍。 累遷尚書郎。 咸通初，出為江州刺史。 解印，寓居襄陽，以閑放自適。 家多書史，用以自娛，尤深於佛書。 所著《酉陽雜俎》傳於時。 宋申錫宋申錫，字慶臣。 祖素，父叔夜。 申錫少孤貧，有文學。 登進士第，釋褐秘書省校書郎。 韋貫之罷相，出湖南，辟為從事。 其後累佐使府。 長慶初，拜監察御史。 二年，遷起居舍人。 寶歷二年，轉禮部員外郎，尋充翰林侍講學士。
Chengshi, whose courtesy name was Kegu, entered government service by inherited privilege and was appointed Collator in the Secretariat. He applied himself to rigorous study and read every book in the Secret Pavilion collection. He rose through successive appointments to Director in the Secretariat. Early in the Xiantong era he was posted as Prefect of Jiang Prefecture. After leaving office he settled in Xiangyang, content to live in leisurely retirement. He kept a large library at home for his own amusement and was especially learned in Buddhist literature. His Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang enjoyed wide circulation in his day. Song Shenxi, whose courtesy name was Qingchen. His grandfather was Su and his father was Shuye. Shenxi lost his father early and grew up in poverty, yet he possessed genuine literary talent. He passed the jinshi examination and, upon entering service, was appointed Collator in the Secretariat. When Wei Guanzhi was dismissed from the chief ministership and posted to Hunan, he recruited Shenxi as a staff officer. He went on to serve on several successive commissioner staffs. Early in the Changqing era he was appointed Investigating Censor. In 822 he was promoted to Drafting Recorder. In 826 he was transferred to Vice Director of the Bureau of Rites and soon after appointed Hanlin Lecturer Academician.
29
申錫始自策名，及在朝行，清慎介潔，不趨黨與。 當長慶、寶歷之間，時風囂薄，朋比大扇。 及申錫被用，時論以為激勸。
From his first official appointment onward, and throughout his service at court, Shenxi was scrupulous, cautious, and incorruptible, and he kept aloof from factional alignments. During the Changqing and Baoli reigns, the political atmosphere was cynical and coarse, and partisan factionalism ran rampant. When Shenxi was brought into office, public opinion took his appointment as a signal to encourage rectitude and restrain corruption.
30
文宗即位，拜戶部郎中、知制誥。 太和二年，正拜中書舍人，復為翰林學士。
When Emperor Wenzong came to the throne, Shenxi was appointed Director in the Ministry of Revenue and charged with drafting imperial edicts. In 828 he was formally appointed Secretariat Drafter and reappointed Hanlin Academician.
31
初，文宗常患中人權柄太盛，自元和、寶歷，比致宮禁之禍。 及王守澄之領禁兵，恃其宿舊，跋扈尤甚。 有鄭註者，依恃守澄為奸利，出入禁軍，賣官販權，中外鹹扼腕視之。 文宗雅知之，不能堪。 申錫時居內廷，文宗察其忠厚，可任以事。 嘗因召對，與申錫從容言及守澄，無可奈何，令與外廷朝臣謀去之，且約命為宰相。 申錫頓首謝之。 未幾，拜左丞。 逾月，加平章事。 申錫素能謹直，寵遇超輩，時情大為屬望。 及到中書，剖斷循常，望實頗不相副。
Emperor Wenzong had long been troubled by the eunuchs' excessive power; ever since the Yuanhe and Baoli reigns, their dominance had repeatedly brought disaster upon the inner court. Once Wang Shoucheng took command of the palace guard, he leaned on his long-standing influence and became more overbearing than ever. A man named Zheng Zhu attached himself to Wang Shoucheng and used that connection for illicit profit, moving freely among the palace troops while buying and selling offices and peddling influence; officials and commoners alike watched in helpless fury. Emperor Wenzong was well aware of all this and found it intolerable. Shenxi was then serving in the inner court; the emperor saw that he was steadfast and trustworthy and could be relied upon for important matters. On one such private audience, the emperor spoke frankly with Shenxi about Wang Shoucheng; finding himself powerless to act alone, he instructed Shenxi to conspire with outer-court ministers to remove him, and pledged to appoint Shenxi chief minister in return. Shenxi kowtowed in gratitude. Before long he was appointed Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. A month later he was made Associate Chief Minister. Shenxi had always been known for his integrity; the exceptional favor shown him raised expectations throughout the court. Once he reached the chancellorship, however, his handling of affairs proved merely conventional, falling short of what people had hoped for.
32
太和五年，忽降中人召宰相入赴延英。 路隨、李宗閔、牛僧孺等既至中書東門，中人云：「所召無宋申錫。」 申錫始知被罪，望延英以笏叩頭而退。 隨等至，文宗以神策軍中尉王守澄所奏，得本軍虞候豆盧著狀，告宋申錫與漳王謀反，隨等相顧愕然。 初，守澄於浴堂以鄭註所構告於文宗，守澄即時於市肆追捕，又將以二百騎就靖恭裏屠申錫之家。 會內官馬存亮同入，諍於文宗曰：「謀反者適宋申錫耳，何不召南司會議。 今卒然如此，京師企足自為亂矣。」 守澄不能難，乃止。 乃召三相告之。 又遣右軍差人於申錫宅捕孔目官張全真、家人買子緣信等。 又於十六宅及市肆追捕胥吏，以成其獄。 文宗又召師保、僕射、尚書丞郎、常侍、給事、諫議、舍人、御史中丞、京兆尹、大理卿，同於中書及集賢院參驗其事。
In 831, palace eunuchs suddenly arrived with orders summoning the chief ministers to Yanying Hall. When Lu Sui, Li Zongmin, Niu Sengru, and the others reached the east gate of the Secretariat, the eunuch announced: "Song Shenxi is not among those summoned. Shenxi now realized he was under accusation; he faced Yanying Hall, touched his forehead to his ivory tally in obeisance, and withdrew. When the others arrived, Emperor Wenzong presented the memorial of Wang Shoucheng, Commander of the Divine Strategy Armies, along with a deposition by the army inspector Dou Luzhu, charging Song Shenxi and the Prince of Zhang with treason. The ministers stared at one another in shock. Shoucheng had first brought the fabricated accusation to the emperor in the bath hall; he immediately dispatched agents to scour the markets for suspects and was preparing to lead two hundred cavalrymen to Jinggong Lane to massacre Shenxi's entire household. The palace official Ma Cunliang happened to enter with them and urgently remonstrated with the emperor: "If the alleged rebel is merely Song Shenxi, why not convene the Outer Directorate for joint deliberation? If you act this suddenly, the entire capital will panic and descend into disorder of its own accord. Wang Shoucheng could offer no rebuttal and halted his plans. The emperor then summoned the three chief ministers and informed them. He also dispatched agents from the Right Army to Shenxi's residence to arrest Chief Clerk Zhang Quanzhen, the household slaves Mai Ziyuan and Xin, and others. Agents were also dispatched to the Sixteen Princely Residences and the market districts to hunt down minor officials, building the case as they went. Emperor Wenzong also summoned tutors, department directors, vice ministers and bureau directors, regular attendants, drafting attendants, remonstrance officials, drafting recorders, the vice censor-in-chief, the metropolitan prefect, and the chief judge of the Court of Judicial Review to examine the case jointly at the Secretariat and the Hall of Worthies.
33
翌日，開延英，召宰臣及議事官，帝自詢問。 左常侍崔玄亮，給事中李固言，諫議大夫王質，補闕盧鈞、舒元褒、羅泰、蔣系、裴休、竇宗直、韋溫，拾遺李群、韋端符、丁居晦、袁都等一十四人，皆伏玉階下奏以申錫獄付外，請不於禁中訊鞫。 文宗曰：「吾已謀於公卿大僚，卿等且出。」 玄亮固言，援引今古，辭理懇切。 玄亮泣涕久之，文宗意稍解，貶申錫為右庶子，漳王為巢縣公。 再貶申錫為開州司馬。
The next day the emperor convened an audience at Yanying Hall, summoning the chief ministers and all officials involved in the deliberations, and questioned them personally. Fourteen remonstrance officials—including Cui Xuanliang, Regular Attendant; Li Guyán, Drafting Attendant; Wang Zhi, Remonstrance and Review Grand Master; the Supplements Censors Lu Jun, Shu Yuanyao, Luo Tai, Jiang Xi, Pei Xiu, Dou Zongzhi, and Wei Wen; and the Reminder Censors Li Qun, Wei Duanfu, Ding Juhui, and Yuan Du—all prostrated themselves before the imperial steps and petitioned that Shenxi's case be transferred to the outer administration rather than tried within the palace precincts. Emperor Wenzong replied: "I have already consulted the senior ministers; you may all withdraw for now. Cui Xuanliang persisted, citing precedents from antiquity to the present, his argument measured but impassioned. Cui Xuanliang wept at length; the emperor's anger softened somewhat, and Shenxi was demoted to Right Companion to the Heir Apparent while the Prince of Zhang was reduced to Duke of Chaoxian. Shenxi was demoted a second time to military adjutant of Kai Prefecture.
34
初，申錫既得密旨，乃除王璠為京兆尹，以密旨喻之。 璠不能謀，而註與守澄知之，潛為其備。 漳王湊，文宗之愛弟也，賢而有人望。 豆盧著者，職屬禁軍，與註親表。 文宗不省其詐，乃罷申錫為庶子。 時京城恟々，眾庶嘩言，以為宰相真連十宅謀反，百僚震駭。 居一二日，方審其詐。 諫官伏閣懇論，文宗震怒，叱諫官令出者數四。 時中外屬望大僚三數人廷辯其事。 僕射竇易直曰：「人臣無將，將而必誅。」 聞者愕然。 唯京兆尹崔琯、大理卿王正雅連上疏請出內獄，且曰：「王師文未獲，即獄未具，請出豆盧著與申錫同付外廷勘。」 當時人情翕然推重。 初議申錫抵死，顧物論不可，又將投於嶺表。 文宗終悟外廷之言，乃有開州之命。
After receiving the emperor's secret instructions, Shenxi appointed Wang Fan metropolitan prefect and explained the secret plan to him. Wang Fan proved incapable of carrying out the plot, while Zheng Zhu and Wang Shoucheng learned of it and quietly set their countermeasures in place. Prince Cou of Zhang was Emperor Wenzong's beloved younger brother—a man of talent held in high public regard. Dou Luzhu held a post in the palace guard and was a kinsman of Zheng Zhu by marriage. Emperor Wenzong failed to see through the deception and demoted Shenxi to Right Companion to the Heir Apparent. The capital was in uproar; the populace clamored that the chief minister had genuinely conspired with the princely residences in treason, and officials throughout the court were shaken with fear. Only after a day or two did people realize the charge was fabricated. Remonstrance officials petitioned at the palace gate with urgent appeals; Emperor Wenzong flew into a rage and repeatedly ordered them to withdraw. At the time, officials throughout the empire looked to several senior ministers to argue the case openly at court. Dou Yizhi, Director of the Department, declared: "No subject may harbor rebellious intent; whoever does must be executed. All who heard him were stunned. Only the metropolitan prefect Cui Guan and the chief judge Wang Zhengya submitted repeated memorials calling for the case to be moved out of the inner prison, arguing: "Wang Shiwen has not yet been arrested, so the case remains incomplete—we ask that Dou Luzhu be handed over along with Shenxi to the outer court for a joint investigation. Public opinion at once rallied behind them in admiration. The initial plan was to execute Shenxi, but prevailing opinion would not allow it; the court then considered banishing him to the far south. Emperor Wenzong finally heeded the outer court's counsel and issued the order posting Shenxi to Kai Prefecture.
35
初，申錫既被罪，怡然不以為意，自中書歸私第，止於外廳，素服以俟命。 其妻出謂之曰：「公為宰相，人臣位極於此，何負天子反乎？」 申錫曰：「吾生被厚恩，擢相位，不能鋤去奸亂，反為所羅織，夫人察申錫，豈反者乎？」 因相與泣下。
When Shenxi first learned of the accusation, he remained composed; he left the Secretariat for his home, waited in the outer hall in undyed robes, and calmly awaited the emperor's decree. His wife came to him and said: "You rose to the chancellorship—the highest station any subject can reach. What could you possibly owe the emperor that would drive you to treason? Shenxi replied: "I have enjoyed the emperor's great favor all my life and was raised to the chancellorship, yet I failed to eradicate the corrupt and have instead been framed. Tell me honestly—do I look like a traitor?" Husband and wife wept together.
36
申錫自居內廷，及為宰相，以時風侈靡，居要位者尤納賄賂，遂成風俗，不暇更方遠害，且與貞元時甚相背矣。 申錫至此，約身謹潔，尤以公廉為己任，四方問遺，悉無所受。 既被罪，為有司驗劾，多獲其四方受領所還問遺之狀，朝野為之嘆息。
From his service in the inner court through his chancellorship, Shenxi found that extravagance prevailed and officials in high office routinely accepted bribes—a custom so entrenched that he could not easily reform it, and one that contrasted sharply with the standards of the Zhenyuan era. Shenxi nonetheless held himself to strict personal discipline and made public integrity his watchword, refusing every gift sent from any quarter. When officials investigated after his conviction, they uncovered numerous records of gifts offered from every direction—gifts Shenxi had accepted only to send back untouched. The discovery moved officials and commoners alike to sigh in sorrow.
37
七年七月，卒於開州。 詔曰：「申錫雖不能周慎，自抵憲章，聞其亡歿遐荒，良用悲惻。 宜許其歸葬鄉里，以示寬恩。」 開成元年九月，詔復申錫正議大夫、尚書左丞、同中書門下平章事、上柱國，賜紫，兼贈兵部尚書。 仍以其子慎微為城固縣尉。 李程李程，字表臣，隴西人。 父鹔伯。 程，貞元十二年進士擢第，又登宏辭科，累辟使府。 二十年，入朝為監察御史。 其年秋，召充翰林學士。
In the seventh month of 833 he died at Kai Prefecture. An edict declared: "Although Shenxi failed to exercise sufficient care and brought the law upon himself, learning that he died in a remote frontier post fills Us with deep sorrow. He shall be permitted burial in his home district as a sign of clemency. In September 836 an edict restored Shenxi's ranks of Grand Master of Discussion, Left Vice Director of the Secretariat, Co-signer of the Secretariat and Chancellery, and Upper Pillar of State, granted him the purple robe, and posthumously appointed him Minister of War. His son Shenwei was also appointed commandant of Chenggu County. Li Cheng, whose courtesy name was Biaochen, was a native of Longxi. His father's name was Subo. In 796 Li Cheng passed the jinshi examination and also passed the Hongci literary examination; he served on several successive commissioner staffs. In 804 he entered the capital as Investigating Censor. That same autumn he was summoned to serve as Hanlin Academician.
38
順宗即位，為王叔文所排，罷學士。 三遷為員外郎。 元和中，出為劍南西川節度行軍司馬。 十年，入為兵部郎中，尋知制誥。 韓弘為淮西都統，詔程銜命宣諭。 明年，拜中書舍人，權知京兆尹事。 十二年，權知禮部貢舉。 十三年四月，拜禮部侍郎。 六月，出為鄂州刺史、鄂嶽觀察使。 入為吏部侍郎，封渭源男，食邑三百戶。 敬宗即位之五月，以本官同平章事。
When Emperor Shunzong came to the throne, Wang Shuwen forced him out and he lost his Hanlin appointment. After three promotions he reached the rank of Vice Director. During the Yuanhe era he was posted as campaigning adjutant of the Western Chuan military commissioner in Jiannan Circuit. In 815 he returned to the capital as Director in the Ministry of War and soon after was charged with drafting imperial edicts. When Han Hong served as supreme commander of Huaixi, the emperor ordered Li Cheng to carry the imperial message and deliver the proclamation. The following year he was appointed Secretariat Drafter and given provisional authority as metropolitan prefect of Jingzhao. In 817 he was given provisional charge of the Ministry of Rites civil-service examination. In the fourth month of 818 he was appointed Vice Minister of Rites. That June he was posted as prefect of E Prefecture and observer of the E-Yue circuit. He returned to the capital as Vice Minister of Personnel, was enfeoffed as Baron of Weiyuan, and granted a fief of three hundred households. In the fifth month after Emperor Jingzong's accession, he retained his existing post and was made co-signer of the Secretariat and Chancellery.
39
敬宗沖幼，好治宮室，畋遊無度，欲於宮中營新殿。 程諫曰：「自古聖帝明王，以恭儉化天下。 陛下在諒闇之中，不宜興作，願以瓦木回奉園陵。」 上欣然從之。 程又奏請置侍講學士，數陳經義。 程辯給多智算，能移人主之意。 尋加中書侍郎，進封彭原郡公。 寶歷二年，罷相，檢校兵部尚書、同平章事、太原尹、北京留守、河東節度使。 太和四年三月，檢校尚書左僕射、平章事、河中尹、河中晉絳節度使。
Jingzong was still a boy, fond of palace construction and hunting without restraint, and now wished to erect a new hall within the palace. Li Cheng remonstrated: "Since antiquity, sage emperors and enlightened kings have transformed the realm through reverence and frugality. Your Majesty is still in mourning seclusion—it is not fitting to undertake new construction. I beg that these tiles and timbers be redirected to the imperial tombs instead." The emperor gladly assented. Li Cheng also memorialized for the appointment of lecturing academicians and repeatedly expounded the classics before the throne. Li Cheng was quick-witted and resourceful, and knew how to turn the emperor's mind. Soon after he was additionally appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat and advanced in rank to Duke of Pengyuan Commandery. In 826 he was dismissed from the chancellorship and appointed acting Minister of War, co-signer of the Secretariat and Chancellery, prefect of Taiyuan, garrison commander of the Northern Capital, and military commissioner of Hedong. In the third month of 830 he was appointed acting Left Vice Director of the Secretariat, chief minister, prefect of Hezhong, and military commissioner of the Hezhong-Jin-Jiang circuit.
40
六年，就加檢校司空。 七月，征為左僕射。 中謝日奏曰：「臣所忝官上禮，前後儀註不同。 在元和、長慶中，僕射數人上日，不受四品已下官拜。 近日再定儀註，四品已下官悉許受拜，王涯、竇易直已行之於前。 今御史臺云：『已聞奏，太常侍定取十五日上』。 臣進退未知所據。」 時中丞李漢以為受四品已下拜太重。 敕曰：「僕射上儀，近已詳定。 所緣拜禮，皆約令文，已經施行，不合更改。 宜準太和四年十一月六日敕處分。」
In 832 he was additionally appointed acting Grand Master of Works. In the seventh month he was recalled to the capital as Left Vice Director of the Secretariat. On the day of his formal audience of thanks he memorialized: "The court ceremony prescribed for the office I undeservedly hold has differed in the regulations before and since. During the Yuanhe and Changqing eras, on their investiture days several vice directors refused to receive bows from officials of fourth rank and below. The regulations were recently revised again to permit bows from all officials of fourth rank and below, and Wang Ya and Dou Yizhi have already followed this practice. Now the Censorate reports: 'Your memorial has been received; the Court of Ceremonies will finalize the matter on the fifteenth.' I do not know which practice I should follow." At the time Vice Censor-in-Chief Li Han argued that receiving bows from officials of fourth rank and below conferred too great an honor. An edict declared: "The court ceremony for the vice director has recently been fully determined. The bowing rites in question all follow the statutes; they are already in force and must not be altered. Dispose of the matter according to the edict of the sixth day of the eleventh month of the fourth year of Taihe."
41
程藝學優深，然性放蕩，不修儀檢，滑稽好戲，而居師長之地，物議輕之。 七年六月，檢校司空、汴州刺史、宣武軍節度使。 九年，復為河中晉絳節度使，就加檢校司徒。 開成元年五月，復入為右僕射，兼判太常卿事。 十一月，兼判吏部尚書銓事。 二年三月，檢校司徒，出為襄州刺史、山南東道節度使。 卒，有司謚曰繆。 子廓。
Li Cheng's learning in the arts was deep and excellent, yet his nature was unrestrained: he neglected ritual decorum, loved wit and jest, and because he held a senior mentor's station, public opinion held him lightly. In the sixth month of 833 he was appointed acting Grand Master of Works, prefect of Bian Prefecture, and military commissioner of the Xuanwu Army. In 835 he again became military commissioner of the Hezhong-Jin-Jiang circuit and was additionally appointed acting Grand Minister of Education. In the fifth month of 836 he returned to the capital as Right Vice Director of the Secretariat and was additionally charged with overseeing the Court of Ceremonies. In the eleventh month he was additionally charged with overseeing personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel. In the third month of 837 he was appointed acting Grand Minister of Education and posted as prefect of Xiang Prefecture and military commissioner of Shannan East Circuit. He died, and the responsible offices gave him the posthumous title Miu—"Erroneous." His son was Kuo.
42
廓進士登第，以詩名聞於時。 大中末，累官至潁州刺史，再為觀察使。 廓子晝，亦登進士第。 【贊】史臣曰：宗儒、易直，以寬柔養望，坐致公臺； 與時沈浮，壽考終吉，可謂能奉身矣。 逢吉起徒步而至鼎司，欺蔽幼君，依憑內豎，蛇虺其腹，毒害正人，而不與李訓同誅，天道福淫明矣。 申錫小器大謀，貶死為幸。 程不持士範，歿獲醜名。 君子操修，豈宜容易！
Kuo passed the jinshi examination and won renown in his day as a poet. In the late Dazhong era he rose through successive posts to prefect of Ying Prefecture and served twice as a circuit observer. Kuo's son Zhou also passed the jinshi examination. [Comment] The Historian comments: Zongru and Yizhi cultivated reputation through mildness and forbearance and attained the chief ministries without striving; They drifted with the times, lived long, and died in peace—one may say they knew how to preserve themselves. Fengji rose from commoner to the tripartite chancellorship, deceived the young emperor, relied on palace eunuchs, harbored vipers in his breast, and poisoned upright men—yet escaped execution alongside Li Xun. That Heaven favors the wicked could not be plainer. Shenxi was a small man with grand designs; to die in exile was his good fortune. Cheng failed to uphold the scholar's standard and in death earned an ugly posthumous name. A gentleman's self-cultivation—how lightly it must never be taken!
43
贊曰：趙、竇優柔，坐享公侯。 蝮蛇野葛，逢吉之流。 豈無令人？ 主輔謨猷。 程、錫弼諧，於道難周。
In praise: Zhao and Dou, gentle and yielding, sat at ease and enjoyed the ranks of marquis and duke. Vipers and wild poison—the kind to which Fengji belonged. Was there not a worthy man among them? A chief minister of counsel and strategy. Cheng and Xi as chief ministers—in the Way, they could not be whole.