1
自古后族，能以德禮進退、全宗保名者，鮮矣。 蓋恃宮掖之寵，接宴私之歡，高爵厚祿驕其內，聲色服玩惑於外； 莫知師友之訓，不達危亡之道。 故以中才處之，罕不覆敗； 亦由重植之木，自然顛披也。 明哲之君，知驕侈之易滿，榮寵之難保； 授任各當其才，祿位不過其量； 告之以天命不易，誡之以大義滅親； 使居無過之地，永享不貲之福，與國終始，不失其所以親也。 《易》曰：「震來虩虩，恐致福也。」 又曰：「婦子嘻嘻，失家節也。」 與其愛而失節，曷若懼而致福？ 魏氏懲漢人之敗，著矯枉之法：幼主嗣位，母后不得臨朝； 外氏無功，時主不得封爵。 雖曰刻薄，而卞、甄之族，竟無大過。 皇唐受命，長孫、竇氏以勛賢任職，而武氏、韋氏以盈滿致覆。 夫廢興者，豈天命哉，蓋人事也！ 竇威、長孫無忌各自有傳，其餘載其得失，為《外戚傳》，以存鑒誡焉。
Since ancient times, few families of empresses have managed to rise and fall with propriety, keep their house intact, and preserve a good name. They leaned on palace favor and private revelry; within, lofty rank and rich stipends bred arrogance, while without, music, women, finery, and luxuries led them astray. They never learned the lessons of mentors and companions, nor understood how dynasties fall. Given only middling ability, they seldom escaped ruin. It is like a tree grown too tall—it must eventually fall. A clear-sighted sovereign knows that pride and excess are soon exhausted, while honor and favor are hard to hold. They assign offices suited to each man's ability and never grant salary or rank beyond what he deserves. They teach that Heaven's mandate is not to be trifled with and admonish them with the duty to subordinate kin to the greater good. Thus they keep their kin blameless, blessed for life, bound to the realm from first to last without forfeiting the ties that make them family. The Book of Changes says: "Thunder comes with dread—through fear one may win blessing." It also says: "When wife and children only laugh and play, the household loses its discipline." Better to inspire fear and gain blessing than to indulge with love and lose all restraint. Learning from the Han collapse, Wei enacted corrective statutes: when a child emperor succeeded, the empress dowager could not govern from court; and maternal kin without merit could not be ennobled by the reigning sovereign. Harsh as these rules seemed, the Bian and Zhen clans never committed any grave offense. When Tang received Heaven's mandate, the Zhangsun and Dou served for merit and talent, while the Wu and Wei were destroyed because they had grown too full of power. Whether a house rises or falls—is that fate? It is what men make of it! Dou Wei and Zhangsun Wuji have separate biographies; the rest are gathered here in the Affinal Kin, that their successes and failures may serve as warning.
2
=獨孤懷恩=
Dugu Huai'en
3
獨孤懷恩，元貞皇后弟之子也。 父整，隋涿郡太守。 懷恩幼時，以獻皇后之侄，養於宮中。 後仕為鄠縣令。 高祖平京城，授長安令。 在職嚴明，甚得時譽。 及高祖受禪，擢拜工部尚書。 時虞州刺史韋義節擊堯君素於蒲州，而義節文吏怯懦，頻戰不利。 高祖遣懷恩代總其眾。 懷恩督兵城下，為賊所拒，頻戰不利。 高祖切讓之，因是怨望。 高祖嘗戲之曰：「弟姑子悉為天子，次當舅子乎？」 懷恩遂自以為符命，每扼腕曰：「我家豈女獨富貴耶？」 由是陰圖異計。
Dugu Huai'en was a nephew of Empress Yuanzhen. His father Zheng had been prefect of Zhuo commandery under the Sui. As a boy, being a nephew of Empress Xian, Huai'en was raised inside the palace. He later served as magistrate of E county. When Gaozu took the capital, Huai'en was made magistrate of Chang'an. In office he was strict and fair, and won wide praise. When Gaozu took the throne, Huai'en was promoted to Minister of Works. At the time Wei Yijie, prefect of Yu, was besieging Yao Junsu at Pu, but Yijie was a timid civil official and kept losing in battle. Gaozu sent Huai'en to replace him and take command of the army. Huai'en led troops to the walls but was beaten back; battle after battle went against him. Gaozu rebuked him harshly, and from that time Huai'en nursed a grievance. Gaozu once teased him: "Your sister's sons have all become emperors—should the next be your sister's son?" Huai'en took this as a portent of destiny and would clench his fist, saying, "Must our house prosper only through women?" From then on he secretly plotted treason.
4
時虞鄉南山多群盜。 劉武周將宋金剛寇陷澮州，高祖悉發關中卒以隸太宗，屯於柏壁。 懷恩遂與解縣令榮靜、前五原縣主簿元君寶謀引王行本兵及武周連和，與山賊劫永豐倉而斷柏壁糧道，割河東地以啗武周。 事臨發，會夏縣人呂崇茂殺縣令，據縣起兵，應武周。 高祖遣懷恩與永安王孝基、陜州總管於筠、內史侍郎唐儉攻崇茂。 宋金剛潛兵來襲，諸將盡沒。 君寶與開府劉讓亦同陷於賊中，遂泄懷恩之謀。 既而懷恩逃歸，高祖復令率師攻蒲州。 唐儉在賊中，說賊將尉遲敬德，請使讓還，連和罷兵，遂使發其事。 會堯君素為其下所殺，小帥王行本以蒲州降，懷恩勒兵入據其城。 高祖將濟河，已御舟矣，會讓至，乃使召懷恩，懷恩不知事已泄，輕舟來赴。 及中流而執之，收其黨按驗，遂誅之，時年三十六，籍沒基家。
At that time bandit bands were numerous in the southern hills of Yu district. Song Jingang, a general of Liu Wuzhou, seized Fen; Gaozu sent every soldier in Guanzhong to serve under the Prince of Qin and encamped at Baiyu. Huai'en conspired with Rong Jing, magistrate of Jie, and Yuan Junbao, former registrar of Wuyuan, to bring in Wang Xingben's army, ally with Wuzhou, join the hill bandits in raiding Yongfeng granary, sever Baiyu's supply line, and cede Hedong to Wuzhou. Just as the plot was about to unfold, Lü Chongmao of Xia county killed the magistrate, seized the county, and rose in support of Wuzhou. Gaozu sent Huai'en with Prince Yong'an Xiaoji, Yu Yun, military governor of Shan, and Tang Jian, vice director of the Secretariat, to attack Chongmao. Song Jingang struck in secret and wiped out the entire force. Junbao and Liu Rang, a defender-in-chief, were also captured, and they disclosed Huai'en's conspiracy. Huai'en escaped and returned; Gaozu again ordered him to lead an army against Pu. Tang Jian, still a prisoner, persuaded the rebel general Yuchi Jingde to send Liu Rang back in exchange for peace—and so the plot came to light. Yao Junsu was killed by his own men; the minor commander Wang Xingben surrendered Pu, and Huai'en marched in and took the city. Gaozu was about to cross the river and had already boarded his boat when Rang arrived; he sent for Huai'en, who, not knowing the plot was known, came swiftly in a small craft. Midstream they seized him, arrested his accomplices, and put him to death. He was thirty-six; his family's property was confiscated.
5
=竇德明=
Dou Deming
6
竇德明，太穆順聖皇后兄之孫也。 祖照，尚後魏文帝女義陽公主，封鉅鹿公。 父彥，襲父封，仕隋為西平郡守。 德明少師事陳留王孝逸，頗涉文史。 會漢王諒作亂，遣其將綦良攻黎州。 德明時年十八，募得五千人，倍道而進，號令嚴整，一戰破之。 以功累拜齊王府屬，坐事免。 及義師圍長安，永安王孝基、襄邑王神符、江夏王道宗及高祖之婿竇誕、趙慈景並繫獄，隋將衛文升、陰世師欲殺之。 德明謂文升曰：「罪不在此輩，殺之無傷於彼，適足招怨。」 文升乃止。 及謁見高祖，竟不自言，時人稱其長者。 武德初，拜考功郎中。 從太宗擊王世充，頻有戰功，封顯武男。 貞觀初，歷常、愛二州刺史。 尋卒。
Dou Deming was a grandson of Empress Taimu's elder brother. His grandfather Zhao married Princess Yiyang, daughter of Emperor Wen of Northern Wei, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Julu. His father Yan inherited the title and served the Sui as prefect of Xiping commandery. In youth Deming studied under Wang Xiaoyi, Prince of Chenliu, and gained a solid grounding in literature and history. When Prince Han Liang rebelled, he sent his general Qi Liang to attack Li prefecture. Deming was eighteen; he raised five thousand men, forced the march, kept discipline tight, and routed the enemy in a single battle. For this feat he rose to an appointment on the staff of the Prince of Qi, but later was dismissed after an offense. When the rebel army besieged Chang'an, Princes Yong'an Xiaoji, Xiangyi Shenfu, and Jiangxia Daozong, together with Gaozu's sons-in-law Dou Dan and Zhao Cijing, were all in prison; the Sui generals Wei Wensheng and Yin Shishi meant to execute them. Deming told Wensheng, "These men are not guilty; killing them would not hurt the enemy but would only breed hatred." Wensheng held his hand. When he later met Gaozu, he never mentioned what he had done; contemporaries called him a man of true dignity. Early in the Wude era he was made a director in the Bureau of Appointments. He followed Taizong against Wang Shichong, won repeated victories, and was enfeoffed as Baron of Xianwu. Early in Zhenguan he served in turn as prefect of Chang and Ai prefectures. He died soon after.
7
弟德玄，高宗時為左相。 德玄子懷貞。
His younger brother Dexuan served as left chancellor under Gaozong. Dexuan's son was Huaizhen.
8
懷貞，少有名譽，時兄弟宗族，並以輿馬為事，懷貞獨折節自修，衣服儉素。 聖歷中為清河令，治有能名。 俄歷越州都督、揚州大都督府長史，所在皆以清幹著稱。
Huaizhen was known from youth for integrity; while kinsmen flaunted carriages and horses, he alone lived modestly in plain dress. During the Shenglu era he was magistrate of Qinghe and earned a name for capable rule. He soon served as governor of Yue and chief administrator of Yang prefecture, winning praise everywhere for probity and competence.
9
，累遷御史大夫，兼檢校雍州長史。 時韋庶人及安樂公主等干預朝政。 懷貞每諂順委曲取容，改名從一，以避后父之諱，自是名稱日損。 庶人微時乳母王氏，本蠻婢也，特封莒國夫人，嫁為懷貞妻。 俗謂乳母之婿為阿沄，懷貞每因謁見之次及進表疏，列在官位，必曰「皇后阿沄」，時人或以「國沄」呼之，初無慚色。 宦官用權，懷貞尤所畏敬，每視事聽訟，見無須者，誤以接之。 監察御史魏傳弓嘗以內常侍輔信義尤縱暴，將奏劾之。 懷貞曰：「輔常侍深為安樂公主所信任，權勢甚高，言成禍福，何得輒有彈糾？」 傳弓曰：「今王綱漸壞，君子道消，正由此輩擅權耳！ 若得今日殺之，明日受誅，無所恨。」 懷貞無以答，但固止之。
He rose to censor-in-chief and concurrently acting chief administrator of Yong prefecture. At that time Empress Wei (while still consort) and Princess Anle meddled in government. Huaizhen flattered and curried favor at every turn; he changed his name to Congyi to avoid the empress's father's taboo name, and his reputation sank further. Lady Wang, the empress's former wet nurse, had been a barbarian slave; she was ennobled as Lady of Ju and married to Huaizhen. A wet nurse's son-in-law was vulgarly called "Ayun"; in audiences and memorials Huaizhen always signed himself "the Empress's Ayun," and people mocked him as "State Ayun"—yet he felt no shame. Eunuchs held power, and Huaizhen feared them above all; when hearing cases, he would bow to any beardless man, mistaking him for a eunuch. Investigating censor Wei Chuanggong once prepared to impeach the inner attendant Fu Xinyi for his outrageous conduct. Huaizhen said, "Attendant Fu enjoys Princess Anle's deepest trust; his word makes or breaks men—how dare you impeach him?" Chuanggong replied, "The royal order is crumbling and upright men are silenced—because of men like him! If I can kill him today and die tomorrow, I will not regret it." Huaizhen could only argue and forcibly restrain him.
10
韋庶人敗，左遷濠州司馬。 尋擢授益州大都督府長史。 以附會太平公主，累拜侍中、兼御史大夫，代韋安石為尚書左僕射，監修國史，賜爵魏國公。
When Empress Wei fell, Huaizhen was demoted to military aide of Hao prefecture. He was soon promoted to chief administrator of Yi prefecture. Currying favor with Princess Taiping, he rose to palace attendant and censor-in-chief, replaced Wei Anshi as left vice director of the Secretariat, supervised the national history, and was made Duke of Wei.
11
睿宗為金仙、玉真二公主創立兩觀，料功甚多，時議皆以為不可。 唯懷貞贊成其事，躬自監役。 懷貞族弟詹事司直維鍌謂懷貞曰：「兄位極臺袞，當思獻可替否，以輔明主。 奈何校量瓦木，廁跡工匠之間，欲令海內何所瞻仰也？」 懷貞不能對，而監作如故。 時人為之語曰：「竇僕射前為韋氏國沄，後作公主邑丞。」 言懷貞伏事公主，同於邑官也。
Ruizong ordered two monasteries built for Princesses Jinxian and Yuzhen; the project was vast, and nearly everyone said it should not be done. Only Huaizhen approved it and personally supervised construction. His kinsman Wei Chou, a clerk in the heir apparent's household, said, "Brother, you stand at the pinnacle of power; you should counsel the throne, not flatter it. Why measure tiles and timber and stand among laborers—what will the empire think of you?" Huaizhen had no answer but kept supervising as before. People said of him: "Vice Director Dou was once the Wei clan's State Ayun; now he is the princesses' district clerk." Meaning he served the princesses like a petty local official.
12
，太平公主逆謀事泄，懷貞懼罪，投水而死。 追戮其屍，改姓毒氏。
When Princess Taiping's plot was exposed, Huaizhen, fearing punishment, drowned himself. His corpse was posthumously punished and his clan name changed to Du (Poison).
13
德明族弟孝諶。
Deming's kinsman Xiaochen.
14
孝諶，刑部尚書誕之子，昭成順聖皇后父也。 則天時，歷太常少卿、潤州刺史。 ，后母龐氏被酷吏所陷，誣與后咒詛不道，孝諶左遷羅州司馬而卒。
Xiaochen was son of Dan, minister of justice, and father of Empress Zhaocheng. Under Empress Wu he served as vice minister of rites and prefect of Run. The empress's mother Lady Pang was framed by a cruel official for witchcraft against the throne; Xiaochen was demoted to military aide of Luo and died there.
15
子希瑊、希球、希瓘，並流嶺南。 神龍初，隨例雪免。 景雲年，追贈李諶太尉、邠國公，希瑊襲爵。 玄宗即位，加贈孝諶太保，希瑊等以舅氏，甚見優寵。
His sons Xizhen, Xiqiu, and Xichan were all exiled to the far south. At the start of the Shenlong restoration they were pardoned with the rest. In the Jingyun era Li Chen was posthumously made grand marshal and Duke of Bin; Xizhen inherited the title. When Xuanzong ascended the throne, Xiaochen was further honored as grand guardian; as the emperor's uncles, Xizhen and his brothers were lavishly favored.
16
希瑊累遷太子少傅、豳國公，尋卒。
Xizhen rose to junior tutor of the heir apparent and Duke of Bin; he died soon after.
17
希球官至太子賓客，封冀國公，卒。 及卒，謚曰靖。
Xiqiu became guest of the heir apparent and Duke of Ji; he died in office. He was posthumously titled Tranquil (Jing).
18
希瓘初賜爵畢國公，後改名。 初為左散騎常侍，及希球卒，因授開府儀同三司。 玄宗以早失太后，尤重外家，兄弟三人皆國公，食實封。
Xichan was first made Duke of Bi; the enfeoffment was later renamed. He first served as left attendant of the palace horse; when Xiqiu died, he was appointed commissioner with the same privileges as the three excellencies. Having lost his mother early, Xuanzong cherished his maternal relatives all the more; all three brothers became dukes with income-bearing fiefs.
19
子鍔，又尚玄宗女永昌長公主，恩寵賜賚，實為厚矣。 而兄弟皆貪鄙，過自封植，又甚之。
His son E also married Xuanzong's daughter, Princess Yongchang; the favor and gifts showered on them were truly great. Yet the brothers were greedy and vulgar, and in building up their own power they went even further.
20
，有竇勉潛交巫祝，勉犯法，坐信其詭說，被停官，放歸田園。 尋以尊老，又授開府儀同三司，依舊朝會。 十三載十二月卒，玄宗哭於行在，贈司徒。 財貨鉅萬。
Dou Mian secretly consorted with shamans; when Mian broke the law, Xichan was punished for trusting his deceitful counsel, dismissed from office, and sent home to his estate. Soon afterward, in recognition of his advanced age, he was again granted the rank of commissioner with three-excellency privileges and resumed attendance at court. He died in the twelfth month of the thirteenth year; Xuanzong wept at the imperial camp and posthumously made him grand mentor. His estate was worth tens of thousands of strings of cash.
21
從父弟維鍌，好學，以撰著為業。 時宗族咸以外戚，崇飾輿馬，維鍌獨清儉自守。 中書令張說、黃門侍郎盧藏用、給事中裴子餘皆與之親善。 官至水部郎中卒。 撰《吉凶禮要》二十卷，行於代。
His paternal cousin Wei Jian was devoted to learning and made writing his life's work. At the time the whole clan, as imperial in-laws, decked out their carriages and horses; Wei Jian alone lived plainly and kept himself in check. Chief Minister Zhang Yue, Vice Minister Lu Cangyong of the Yellow Gate, and Supervising Secretary Pei Ziyu were all close friends of his. He rose to director in the Water Bureau and died in office. He wrote Essentials of Auspicious and Inauspicious Rites in twenty volumes, which circulated widely in his day.
22
=長孫敞=
Zhangsun Chang
23
長孫敞，文德順聖皇后之叔父也。 仕隋為左衛郎將。 煬帝幸江都，留敞守京城禁苑。 及義旗入關，率子弟迎謁於新豐，從平京城，以功除將作少監。 出為杞州刺史。 貞觀初，坐贓免。 太宗以后親，常令內給絹以供私費。 尋拜宗正少卿，致仕加金紫光祿大夫，累封平原郡公。 卒，贈幽州都督，謚曰良，陪葬昭陵。 從父弟操敞從父弟操，周大司徒、薛國公覽之子也。 武德中，為陜東道行臺金部郎中，出為陜州刺史。 自州東引水入城，以代井汲，百姓於今利之。 貞觀中，歷洺州刺史、益揚二州都督府長史，並有善政。 二十三年，以子詮尚太宗女新城公主，拜岐州刺史。 永徽初，加金紫光祿大夫，賜爵樂壽男。 尋卒，贈吏部尚書、并州都督，謚曰安。
Zhangsun Chang was the uncle of Empress Wende Shunsheng. Under the Sui he served as commandant of the Left Guard. When Emperor Yang traveled to Jiangdu, he left Chang to guard the imperial park at the capital. When the rebel banner entered the pass, he led his sons and kinsmen to greet the new regime at Xinfeng; he took part in pacifying the capital and, for his service, was made vice director of the directorate of works. He was posted as prefect of Qi. Early in Zhenguan he was dismissed for embezzlement. As the empress's relative, he regularly received silk from the inner palace to cover his personal expenses. He was soon made vice director of the court of the imperial clan; on retirement he received the rank of grand master of splendor with golden seal and purple ribbon, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Pingyuan. He died and was posthumously made area commander of Youzhou, given the posthumous name Good (Liang), and buried beside Zhaoling. Paternal cousin Cao. Zhangsun Chang's paternal cousin Cao was the son of Lan, grand minister of Zhou and Duke of Xue. During Wude he served as director in the gold bureau of the Shaanxi-East circuit headquarters, then was posted as prefect of Shaan. He channeled water from east of the prefecture into the city to replace drawing from wells, and the people still benefit from it today. Under Zhenguan he served in turn as prefect of Ming and as chief administrator of the Yi and Yang area commands, earning a reputation for good government in each post. In the twenty-third year, because his son Quan married Taizong's daughter Princess Xincheng, he was appointed prefect of Qi. Early in Yonghui he was given the rank of grand master of splendor with golden seal and purple ribbon and enfeoffed as Baron of Leshou. He died soon after and was posthumously made minister of personnel and area commander of Bingzhou, with the posthumous name Peaceful (An).
24
詮官至尚書奉御。 詮即侍中韓瑗妻弟也。 及瑗得罪，事連於詮，減死配流巂州。 詮至流所，縣令希旨杖殺之。 趙持滿詮之甥有趙持滿者，工書善射，力搏猛獸，捷及奔馬； 而親仁愛眾，多所交結，京師無貴賤皆愛慕之。 初為涼州長史，嘗逐野馬，自後射之，無不洞於胸腋，邊人深伏之。 許敬宗懼其作難，誣與詮及無忌同反。 及拷訊，終無異詞，且曰：「身可殺，辭不可奪。」 吏竟代為款以殺之。
Quan rose to palatial equerry of the imperial secretariat. Quan was the younger brother of Palace Counselor Han Yuan's wife. When Yuan fell from grace, Quan was implicated; his death sentence was commuted and he was exiled to Qian. When Quan reached his place of exile, the county magistrate, eager to please his superiors, had him beaten to death. Zhao Chiman, Quan's nephew. There was a man named Zhao Chiman, skilled in calligraphy and archery, strong enough to wrestle wild beasts and quick as a running horse; He was warm and generous toward others and had wide connections; in the capital, high and low alike admired him. He first served as chief administrator of Liang; once, chasing wild horses, he shot them from behind and never failed to pierce chest or flank; the frontier people deeply respected him. Xu Jingzong, fearing he might stir up trouble, falsely accused him of plotting rebellion with Quan and Wuji. Under torture he never changed his story and said, "You may kill my body, but you cannot wrest my confession from me. The clerks finally forged a confession in his name and executed him.
25
=武承嗣=
Wu Chengsi
26
武承嗣，荊州都督士矱之孫，則天順聖皇后兄子也。 初，士矱娶相里氏，生元慶、元爽。 又娶楊氏，生三女：長適越王府功曹賀蘭越石，次則天，次適郭氏。 士矱卒後，兄子惟良、懷運及元爽等遇楊氏失禮。 及則天立為皇后，追贈士矱為司徒、周忠孝王，封楊氏代國夫人。 賀蘭越石早卒，封其妻為韓國夫人。 尋又加贈士矱為太尉，楊氏改封為榮國夫人。 時元慶仕為宗正少卿，元爽為少府少監，惟良為衛尉少卿。 榮國夫人恨其疇日薄己，諷皇后抗疏請出元慶等為外職，佯為退讓，其實惡之也。 於是元慶為龍州刺史，元爽為濠州刺史，惟良為始州刺史。 元慶至州病卒，元爽自濠州又配流振州而死。
Wu Chengsi was grandson of Jingzhou area commander Shi Huo and nephew of Empress Zetian Shunsheng. At first Shi Huo married a woman of the Xiangli clan and had Yuanshi and Yuanshuang. He also married a woman of the Yang clan and had three daughters: the eldest married Helan Yueshi, registrar in the household of the Prince of Yue; the second was Zetian; the third married into the Guo clan. After Shi Huo died, his brother's sons Weiliang and Huaiyun, along with Yuanshuang and the others, treated Lady Yang discourteously. When Zetian became empress, Shi Huo was posthumously made minister of works and Loyal and Filial King of Zhou, and Lady Yang was enfeoffed as Lady of Dai. Helan Yueshi died young, and his wife was enfeoffed as Lady of Han. Soon Shi Huo was further honored as grand marshal, and Lady Yang was re-enfeoffed as Lady Rongguo. At the time Yuanshi was vice director of the court of the imperial clan, Yuanshuang was vice director of the palace handicrafts office, and Weiliang was vice director of the guard. Lady Rongguo resented the way they had once treated her; she urged the empress to submit a bold memorial asking that Yuanshi and the others be sent to provincial posts, pretending humility while in fact loathing them. Thereupon Yuanshi was made prefect of Long, Yuanshuang prefect of Hao, and Weiliang prefect of Shi. Yuanshi reached his prefecture and died of illness; Yuanshuang was exiled from Hao to Zhen and died there.
27
乾封年，惟良與弟淄州刺史懷運，以嶽牧例集於泰山之下。 時韓國夫人女賀蘭氏在宮中，頗承恩寵。 則天意欲除之，諷高宗幸其母宅，因惟良等獻食，則天密令人以毒藥貯賀蘭氏食中，賀蘭氏食之，暴卒，歸罪於惟良、懷運，乃誅之。 仍諷百僚抗表請改其姓為蝮氏，絕其屬籍。 元爽等緣坐配流嶺外而死，乃以韓國夫人之子敏之為士矱嗣，改姓武氏，累拜左侍極、蘭臺太史，襲爵周國公。 仍令鳩集學士李嗣真、吳兢之徒，於蘭臺刊正經史，並著撰傳記。
In the Qianfeng era, Weiliang and his brother Huaiyun, prefect of Zi, assembled at the foot of Mount Tai according to the custom for frontier governors. At the time the daughter of Lady of Han, a Helan, was in the palace and enjoyed considerable favor. Zetian intended to destroy them; she induced Gaozong to visit her mother's house, and when Weiliang and the others presented food, she secretly had poison placed in Lady Helan's portion; Lady Helan ate and died suddenly; the blame was laid on Weiliang and Huaiyun, and they were put to death. She also urged the officials to submit bold memorials asking that their surname be changed to Viper and their clan registry cut off. Yuanshuang and the others were implicated, exiled beyond the mountains, and died; then Minzhi, son of Lady of Han, was made Shi Huo's heir, took the surname Wu, rose to left palace attendant and grand astrologer of the Orchid Terrace, and inherited the dukedom of Zhou. He was also ordered to assemble scholars such as Li Sizhen and Wu Jing at the Orchid Terrace to revise the classics and histories and to write biographies and chronicles.
28
敏之既年少色美，烝於榮國夫人，恃寵多愆犯，則天頗不悅之。 ，榮國夫人卒，則天出內大瑞錦，令敏之造佛像追福，敏之自隱用之。 又司衛少卿楊思儉女有殊色，高宗及則天自選以為太子妃，成有定日矣，敏之又逼而淫焉。 及在榮國服內，私釋衰绖，著吉服，奏妓樂。 時太平公主尚幼，往來榮國之家，宮人侍行，又嘗為敏之所逼。 俄而奸汙事發，配流雷州，行至韶州，以馬韁自縊而死。
Minzhi was young and handsome; he had an affair with Lady Rongguo; trusting in favor, he repeatedly overstepped, and Zetian grew deeply displeased. When Lady Rongguo died, Zetian brought out precious brocade from the inner palace and ordered Minzhi to commission a Buddhist image for her merit; Minzhi kept it for himself instead. The daughter of Vice Director Yang Sijian of the palace revenues was exceptionally beautiful; Gaozong and Zetian had personally chosen her as crown princess and even set the wedding date, yet Minzhi forced himself on her. During mourning for Lady Rongguo, he privately cast off his mourning clothes, put on festive dress, and entertained himself with music and dancing girls. Princess Taiping was still young then; when she visited Lady Rongguo's house with palace women in attendance, she too was once assaulted by Minzhi. Before long his crimes of debauchery came to light; he was exiled to Lei, and on the road at Shao he hanged himself with a horse bridle.
29
承嗣，元爽子也。 敏之死後，自嶺南召還，拜尚衣奉御，襲祖爵周國公。 俄遷秘書監。 則天臨朝，追尊士矱為忠孝太皇，置崇先府官屬，五代祖已下，皆為王。 嗣聖元年，以承嗣為禮部尚書。 尋除太常卿、同中書門下三品。 垂拱中，轉春官尚書，依舊知政事。 ，代蘇良嗣為文昌左相、同鳳閣鸞臺三品，兼知內史事。
Chengsi was Yuanshuang's son. After Minzhi's death he was recalled from the far south, appointed palatial equerry of the imperial wardrobe, and inherited his grandfather's dukedom of Zhou. He was soon promoted to director of the imperial library. When Zetian took the throne, Shi Huo was posthumously honored as the Loyal and Filial Grand Emperor; the Chongxian Office and its staff were established, and from the fifth-generation ancestor downward all were made kings. In the first year of Sisheng, Chengsi was appointed minister of rites. He was soon made minister of ceremonials with rank equal to the three top ministers. During Chuigong he was transferred to minister of personnel and continued to manage state affairs. He replaced Su Liangsi as left minister of the Hall of Literary Glory with rank equal to the three top ministers, and concurrently managed secretariat affairs.
30
，於東都創置武氏七廟，追尊周文王為始祖文皇帝，王子武為睿祖康皇帝，云武氏之先也。 后五代祖贈太原靖王居常為嚴祖成皇帝，高祖贈趙肅恭王克己為肅祖章敬皇帝，曾祖贈魏康王儉為烈祖昭安皇帝，祖贈周安成王華為顯祖文穆皇帝，考忠孝太皇為太祖孝明高皇帝，妣皆隨帝號曰皇后。 元慶為梁憲王，元爽為魏德王。 又追封伯父及兄弟俱為王，諸姑姊為長公主。 於是封承嗣為魏王，元慶子夏官尚書三思為梁王，后從父兄子納言攸寧為建昌王，太子通事舍人攸歸為九江王，司禮卿重規為高平王，左衛親府中郎將載德為潁川王，右衛將軍攸暨為千乘王，司農卿懿宗為河內王，左千牛中郎將嗣宗為臨川王，右衛勛二府中郎將攸宜為建安王，尚乘直長攸望為會稽王，太子通事舍人攸緒為安平王，攸止為恆安王。 又封承嗣男延基為南陽王，延秀為淮陽王，三思男崇訓為高陽王，崇烈為新安王，后兄子贈陳王承業男延暉為嗣陳王，延祚為咸安王。
At the eastern capital he established seven ancestral temples for the Wu clan, posthumously honoring King Wen of Zhou as Founding Ancestor and Literary Emperor and Prince Wu as Sagacious Ancestor and Princely Emperor, claiming them as forebears of the Wu house. The empress's fifth-generation ancestor Juchang, posthumously King Jing of Taiyuan, was made Stern Ancestor and Accomplished Emperor; high ancestor Keji, posthumously King Su and Gong of Zhao, was made Reverent Ancestor and Manifestly Respectful Emperor; great-great-grandfather Jian, posthumously King Kang of Wei, was made Glorious Ancestor and Illustrious Peaceful Emperor; grandfather Hua, posthumously King Ancheng of Zhou, was made Prominent Ancestor and Literary and Solemn Emperor; father the Loyal and Filial Grand Emperor was made Great Ancestor and Filial and Illustrious High Emperor; and each man's wife received a matching empress title. Yuanshi was made Prince Liangxian, and Yuanshuang Prince Weide. Paternal uncles and brothers were also posthumously made princes, and aunts and elder sisters were made grand princesses. Thereupon Chengsi was made Prince of Wei; Yuanshi's son Sansi, minister of personnel, was made Prince of Liang; the empress's paternal cousin's son Youning, censor-in-chief, was made Prince of Jianchang; Yougui, attendant of the heir apparent's communications, was made Prince of Jiujiang; Chonggui, minister of rites, was made Prince of Gaoping; Zaidé, captain in the Left Guard household guards, was made Prince of Yingchuan; Youji, general of the Right Guard, was made Prince of Qiansheng; Yizong, minister of revenue, was made Prince of Henan; Sizong, captain of the Left Imperial Stables, was made Prince of Linchuan; Youyi, captain in the Right Guard meritorious service office, was made Prince of Jian'an; Youwang, chief steward of the imperial stud, was made Prince of Kuaiji; Youxu, attendant of the heir apparent's communications, was made Prince of Anping; and Youzhi was made Prince of Heng'an. Chengsi's sons Yanji and Yanxiu were also made Prince of Nanyang and Prince of Huaiyang; Sansi's sons Chongxun and Chonglie were made Prince of Gaoyang and Prince of Xin'an; and the empress's brother's son, posthumously Prince of Chen Chengye's son Yanhui, was made Heir Prince of Chen, and Yanzuo was made Prince of Xian'an.
31
承嗣嘗諷則天革命，盡誅皇室諸王及公卿中不附己者，承嗣從父弟三思又盛贊其計，天下於今冤之。 俄又賜承嗣實封千戶，仍監修國史。 承嗣自為次當為皇儲，令鳳閣舍人張嘉福諷諭百姓抗表陳請，則天竟不許。 ，授特進。 尋拜太子太保，罷知政事。 承嗣以不得立為皇太子，怏怏而卒，贈太尉、并州牧，謚曰宣。
Chengsi once urged Zetian to seize the throne and execute every imperial prince and every high minister who would not support him; his paternal cousin Sansi strongly endorsed the plan — to this day the realm considers it a great injustice. Soon Chengsi was granted a taxable fief of one thousand households and was put in charge of compiling the national history. Chengsi believed he should be next in line for the throne; he had Drafting Attendant Zhang Jiafu of the Phoenix Pavilion incite the people to submit petitions on his behalf — but Zetian refused. He was granted the rank of special advancement. He was soon made grand tutor of the heir apparent and removed from managing state affairs. Chengsi, bitter that he was never made crown prince, died in resentment; he was posthumously made grand marshal and governor of Bingzhou, with the posthumous name Proclaiming (Xuan).
32
子延基襲爵，則天避其父名，封為繼魏王。 尋與其妻永泰郡主及懿德太子等，話及張易之兄弟出入宮中，恐有不利，後忿爭不協，泄之，則天聞而大怒，咸令自殺。 復以承嗣次子延義為繼魏王。
His son Yanji inherited the title; to avoid his father's name, Zetian enfeoffed him as Heir Prince of Wei. Soon he, his wife the Princess of Yongtai, Crown Prince Yide, and others discussed the Zhang Yizhi brothers' comings and goings in the palace and feared trouble; later, after an angry quarrel, the matter was leaked; when Zetian heard of it she was furious and ordered them all to take their own lives. Chengsi's second son Yanyi was then made Heir Prince of Wei.
33
中宗即位，侍中敬暉等以唐室中興，武氏諸王宜削其王爵，乃率群官上表曰：
When Zhongzong ascended the throne, Palace Counselor Jing Hui and others, holding that the Tang restoration required stripping the Wu princes of their royal titles, led the officials in submitting a memorial that read:
34
中書舍人岑義之詞也。 上答曰：
The memorial was drafted by Secretariat Attendant Cen Yi. The emperor replied:
35
於是降封梁王三思為德靜郡王，量減實封二百戶，定王、駙馬都尉攸暨為樂壽郡王，河內郡王懿宗為耿國公，建昌郡王攸寧為江國公，會稽郡王攸望為鄴國公，臨川郡王嗣宗為管國公，建安郡王攸宜為息國公，高平郡王重規為鄶國公，繼魏王延義為魏國公，安平郡王攸緒為巢國公，高陽郡王、駙馬都尉崇訓為酆國公，淮陽郡王延秀為桓國公，咸安郡王延祚為咸安郡公。
Thereupon Prince of Liang Sansi was demoted to Duke of Dejing, with his taxable fief reduced by two hundred households; Prince of Ding and imperial stud commandant Youji was made Duke of Leshou; Duke of Henan Yizong was made Duke of Geng; Duke of Jianchang Youning was made Duke of Jiang; Duke of Kuaiji Youwang was made Duke of Ye; Duke of Linchuan Sizong was made Duke of Guan; Duke of Jian'an Youyi was made Duke of Xi; Duke of Gaoping Chonggui was made Duke of Kuai; Heir Prince of Wei Yanyi was made Duke of Wei; Duke of Anping Youxu was made Duke of Chao; Duke of Gaoyang and imperial stud commandant Chongxun was made Duke of Feng; Duke of Huaiyang Yanxiu was made Duke of Huan; and Duke of Xian'an Yanzuo was made Duke of Xian'an.
36
中宗時，嗣宗至曹州刺史，攸宜工部尚書，重規岐州刺史，相次病卒。 攸望至太常卿，左遷春州司馬而死。 延秀伏誅後，武氏宗屬緣坐誅死及配流，殆將盡矣。 ，制削士彟帝號，依舊追贈太原王，妻楊氏亦削后號，依舊為太原王妃。 承嗣子延秀延秀，承嗣第二子也。 則天時，突厥默啜上言有女請和親，制延秀與閻知微俱往突厥，將親迎默啜女為妻。 既而默啜執知微，入冠趙、定等州，故延秀久不得還。 神龍初，默啜更請通和，先令延秀送款，始得歸，封桓國公，又授左衛中郎將。 時武崇訓為安樂公主婿，即延秀從父兄，數引至主第。 延秀久在蕃中，解突厥語，常於主第，延秀唱突厥歌，作胡旋舞，有姿媚，主甚喜之。 及崇訓死，延秀得幸，遂尚公主。
Under Zhongzong, Sizong rose to prefect of Cao, Youyi to minister of works, and Chonggui to prefect of Qi; they died of illness in succession. Youwang rose to minister of ceremonials, was demoted to military aide of Chun, and died there. After Yanxiu was executed, Wu clansmen implicated in his case were killed or exiled until almost none remained. An edict stripped Shi Huo of his imperial title and restored his posthumous rank as King of Taiyuan; his wife Lady Yang also lost her empress title and was again styled Lady of Taiyuan. Chengsi's son Yanxiu. Yanxiu was Chengsi's second son. Under Zetian, the Turkic ruler Mochuo reported that he had a daughter and sought a marriage alliance; Yanxiu was ordered to go with Yan Zhiwei to the Turks to fetch Mochuo's daughter as his bride. Soon Mochuo seized Zhiwei and invaded Zhao, Ding, and other prefectures, so Yanxiu was unable to return for a long time. Early in the Shenlong era, Mochuo again sought peace and first required Yanxiu to deliver a pledge of submission; only then was Yanxiu allowed to return; he was enfeoffed as Duke of Huan and appointed captain in the Left Guard. At the time Wu Chongxun was married to Princess Anle; as Yanxiu's paternal cousin, he often brought Yanxiu to the princess's residence. Yanxiu had spent years among the Turks and knew their language; at the princess's residence he would sing Turkic songs and perform the whirling Hu dance with seductive grace, and the princess doted on him. After Chongxun died, Yanxiu won the princess's favor and married her.
37
主，韋后所生男女中最小。 初，中宗遷於房州，欲達州境，生於路次。 性惠敏，容質秀絕。 中宗、韋后愛龐日深，恣其所欲，奏請無不允許。 恃寵橫縱，權傾天下，自王侯宰相已下，除拜多出其門。 所營第宅並造安樂佛寺，擬於宮掖，巧妙過之。 令楊務廉於城西造定昆池於其莊，延袤數里。 出降之時，以皇后仗發於宮中，中宗與韋后御安福門觀之，燈燭供擬，徹明如晝。 延秀拜度日，授太常卿，兼右衛將軍、駙馬都尉，改封恆國公，實封五百戶。 廢休祥宅，於金城坊造宅，窮極壯麗，帑藏為之空竭。 崇訓子數歲，因加金紫光祿大夫、太常卿同正員、左衛將軍，封鎬國公，賜實封五百戶，以嗣其父。 公主產男滿月，中宗、韋后幸其第，就第放赦，遣宰臣李嶠、文士宋之問、沈佺期、張說、閻朝隱等數百人賦詩美之。
The princess was the youngest child born to Empress Wei. When Zhongzong was first sent into exile at Fang Prefecture, she was born on the road before he even reached the border. She was clever by nature and possessed extraordinary beauty. Zhongzong and Empress Wei grew ever more devoted to her, granting her every wish; no petition she submitted was ever refused. Drunk on imperial favor, she acted with reckless arrogance; her influence overshadowed the empire, and from princes and chancellors on down, most appointments issued from her door. The mansions she built and the Anle Buddhist Temple she erected were modeled on the palace itself—and surpassed it in craftsmanship. She had Yang Wulian construct the Dingkun Pond at her manor west of the capital, a lake stretching several li. For her wedding procession, the empress's honor guard marched out from the palace; Zhongzong and Empress Wei watched from the Anfu Gate as lanterns and candles lit the scene bright as noon. After the wedding rites, Yanxiu was made Minister of Ceremonies, concurrently general of the Right Guard and imperial son-in-law commandant; his title was changed to Duke of Heng with a taxable fief of five hundred households. The Xiuxiang mansion was torn down and a new residence built in Jincheng Ward of breathtaking extravagance, draining the treasury dry. Chongxun's son, only a few years old, was promoted to grand master of the gold seal and purple ribbon, senior advisor to the minister of ceremonies with full salary, general of the Left Guard, and enfeoffed as Duke of Hao with five hundred taxable households to succeed his father. When the princess's son completed his first month, Zhongzong and Empress Wei visited her home, proclaimed an amnesty on the spot, and sent several hundred court ministers and poets—including Li Qiao, Song Zhiwen, Shen Quanqi, Zhang Yue, and Yan Chaoyin—to write celebratory verses.
38
延秀既恃恩，放縱無所忌憚。 又公主府倉曹符鳳知延秀有不臣之心，遂說曰：「今天下蒼生，猶以武氏為念，大周必可再興。 按讖書云『黑衣神孫披天裳』，駙馬即神皇之孫也。」 每勸令著皁襖子以應之。 及韋庶人敗，延秀與公主在內宅，格戰良久。 皆斬之。 後追貶為悖逆庶人。 元慶子三思三思，元慶子也。 少以后族累轉右衛將軍。 則天臨朝，擢拜夏官尚書。 及革命，封梁王，賜實封一千戶。 尋拜天官尚書。 ，轉春官尚書，監修國史。 ，檢校內史。 二年，進拜特進、太子賓客，仍並依舊監修國史。
Emboldened by imperial favor, Yanxiu gave himself over to unrestrained excess without a trace of fear. Fu Feng, a warehouse clerk in the princess's household, sensed Yanxiu's disloyal ambitions and urged him: "The people still yearn for the Wu clan—the Great Zhou can rise again. Prophetic texts say, 'The divine grandson in black spreads the heavenly robe'—and you, the imperial son-in-law, are that divine emperor's grandson." He repeatedly urged Yanxiu to wear black jackets to fulfill the prophecy. When Empress Wei fell, Yanxiu and the princess barricaded themselves in the inner quarters and fought a prolonged hand-to-hand battle. Both were beheaded. Afterward she was posthumously stripped of rank and condemned as a treasonous commoner. Yuanshi's son Sansi. Sansi was Yuanshi's son. In his youth he rose through empress-kin connections to become general of the Right Guard. When Zetian took power, he was promoted to minister of personnel. At the founding of her new dynasty, he was enfeoffed as Prince of Liang with a taxable fief of one thousand households. He was soon appointed minister of the interior. He was transferred to minister of rites and put in charge of compiling the national history. He served as acting secretary of the interior. In the second year he was promoted to special advancement and mentor to the heir apparent, while continuing to oversee the national history as before.
39
三思略涉文史，性傾巧便僻，善事人，由是特蒙信任。 則天數幸其第，賞賜甚厚。 時薛懷義、張易之、昌宗皆承恩顧。 三思與承嗣每折節事之。 懷義欲乘馬，承嗣、三思必為之執轡。 又贈昌宗詩，盛稱昌宗才貌是王子晉後身，仍令朝士遞相屬和。 三思又以則天厭居深宮，又欲與張易之、昌宗等扈從馳騁，以弄其權。 乃請創造三陽宮於嵩高山，興泰宮於萬壽山，請則天每歲臨幸，前後工役甚眾，百姓怨之。
Sansi had a modest literary education and a gift for clever, unscrupulous flattery; he knew how to win people over and thereby earned extraordinary trust. Zetian visited his home again and again and showered him with lavish gifts. At the time Xue Huaiyi, Zhang Yizhi, and Zhang Changzong all enjoyed the empress's intimate favor. Sansi and Chengsi abased themselves to wait on these favorites. Whenever Huaiyi wanted to ride, Chengsi and Sansi would hold his stirrups. He also wrote Changzong a poem comparing his talent and looks to the reincarnation of Prince Zijing, and had court officials compose matching verses in succession. Sansi also knew Zetian chafed at palace confinement and wanted to ride and hunt alongside Zhang Yizhi, Changzong, and the others so he could exercise power at her side. He therefore proposed building the Sanyang Palace on Mount Song and the Xingtai Palace on Mount Wanshou, urging Zetian to visit each year; the massive conscription of labor before and after provoked widespread public resentment.
40
神龍初，進拜司空、同中書門下三品，加實封五百戶，固辭不受。 未幾，隨例降封為德靜郡王，量減實封二百戶。 尋拜左散騎常侍，則天遺制令復其所減實封。
Early in the Shenlong era he was promoted to minister of works and co-minister of the secretariat and chancellery of the third rank, with an additional five hundred taxable households, but firmly refused the appointment. Before long, following the general demotion of the Wu clan, he was reduced to Prince of Dejing Commandery and lost two hundred taxable households. He was soon appointed left regular attendant of the cavalry; Zetian's dying edict restored the taxable households that had been taken away.
41
初，敬暉等立功後，掌知國政，三思慮其更為己患，而令其子崇訓因安樂公主構誣敬暉等，並流於嶺表而死。 自是三思威權日盛，軍國政事，多所參綜。 敬暉等所斥黜者，皆能引復舊職，令百官復修則天之法。 時人皆言其陰懷篡逆，以比曹孟德、司馬仲達。
After Jing Hui and his allies seized power for restoring the Tang, Sansi feared they would turn on him; through Princess Anle his son Chongxun fabricated charges against them, and they were all exiled beyond the mountains to their deaths. From then on Sansi's power swelled daily, and he meddled in both military and civil governance. He restored to office everyone Jing Hui had removed and ordered the bureaucracy to revert to Zetian's policies. Contemporaries whispered that he secretly plotted usurpation, comparing him to Cao Cao and Sima Yi.
42
雍州人韋月將、高軫等並上疏言三思父子必為逆亂。 三思知而求索其罪。 有司希旨，奏：「月將坐當棄市，軫配流嶺外」。 黃門侍郎宋璟執奏云：「月將所犯，不合至死。」 三思怒，竟斥宋璟為外職。 三思既猜嫉正士，嘗言「不知何等名作好人，唯有向我好者，是好人耳。」 又與其所親兵部尚書宗楚客、將作大匠宗晉卿、太府卿紀處訥、鴻臚卿甘元柬遞相引致，幹黷時政。 侍御史周利用、冉祖雍，太僕丞李悛，光祿丞宋之遜，監察御史姚紹之等五人，常為其耳目，時人呼為「三思五狗」。
Wei Yuejiang of Yong Prefecture, Gao Zhen, and others submitted memorials warning that Sansi and his son were bound to rebel. When Sansi learned of this, he set out to find grounds to prosecute them. The judicial offices, eager to please him, recommended: "Yuejiang deserves execution by quartering; Zhen should be exiled beyond the mountains." Vice Director Song Jing of the Yellow Gate protested: "Yuejiang's offense does not merit death." Enraged, Sansi had Song Jing banished to a provincial post. Sansi, already paranoid toward upright officials, once declared, "I don't know what makes a good man—only those who are good to me count as good." He also colluded with his cronies—Minister of War Zong Chuke, Commissioner of Imperial Construction Zong Jinqing, Minister of the Treasury Ji Chune, and Minister of Diplomatic Reception Gan Yuanjian—recklessly meddling in state affairs. Supervising censor Zhou Liyong, Ran Zuyong, assistant commissioner of the imperial stud Li Quan, assistant director of the court of imperial entertainments Song Zhixun, and investigating censor Yao Shaozhi—these five served as his spies, and people called them "Sansi's Five Dogs."
43
中宗尋又制：武氏崇恩廟，一依天授時舊禮享祭，其吳陵、順陵，並置官員，皆三思意也。
Zhongzong soon decreed that the Wu clan's Chong'en Temple be maintained under the sacrificial rites of the Tianshou era, and that officials be appointed for the Wu and Shun tombs—all at Sansi's urging.
44
三思既與韋庶人及上官昭容私通，嘗忌節湣太子，又因安樂公主密謀廢黜之。 三年七月，太子率羽林大將軍李多祚等，發左右羽林兵，殺三思及其子崇訓於其第，並殺其親黨十餘人。 俄而事變，太子既死，中宗為三思舉哀，廢朝五日，贈太尉，追封梁王，謚曰宣。 安樂公主又以節湣太子首致祭於三思及崇訓靈柩前。 睿宗踐祚，以三思父子俱有逆節，制令斫棺暴屍，平其墳墓。 三思子崇訓崇訓，三思第二子也。 則天時，封為高陽郡王。 長安中，尚安樂郡主。 時三思用事於朝，欲寵其禮。 中宗為太子在東宮，三思宅在天津橋南，自重光門內行親迎禮，歸於其宅。 三思又令宰臣李嶠、蘇味道，詞人沈佺期、宋之問、徐彥伯、張說、閻朝隱、崔融、崔湜、鄭愔等賦《花燭行》以美之。 其時張易之、昌宗、宗楚客兄弟貴盛，時假詞於人，皆有新句。 崇訓授左衛中郎將。 神龍元年，拜駙馬都尉，遷太常卿，兼左衛將軍。 降封酆國公，仍賜實封五百戶，尋徙封鎬國公。 二年，兼太子賓客，攝左衛將軍。 及為節湣太子所殺，優制贈開府儀同三司，追贈魯王，謚曰忠。 從祖弟懿宗懿宗，則天伯父士逸之孫也。 父元忠，高宗時仕至倉部郎中。 天授年，封士逸為蜀王，懿宗封為河內郡王，歷遷洛州長史、左金吾衛大將軍。 萬歲通天年中，契丹賊帥孫萬榮寇河北，命懿宗為大總管討之。 軍次趙州，用聞賊將至冀州，懿宗懼，便欲棄軍而遁。 人或謂曰：「賊眾極多，然其軍無輜重，以抄掠為資，若按兵以守，勢必離散，因而擊之。 可有大功也。」 懿宗不聽，遂退據相州，時人嗤其怯懦。 由是賊眾進屠趙州而去。 尋又令懿宗安撫河北諸州。
Sansi, who was already secretly involved with Empress Wei and Shangguan Zhaorong, had long resented Crown Prince Jiemin and conspired with Princess Anle to have him deposed. In the seventh month of the third year, the crown prince led General of the Feathered Forest Li Duozuo and others in mobilizing the Left and Right Feathered Forest armies, killing Sansi and his son Chongxun at Sansi's residence along with more than ten of their close associates. When the coup reversed itself and the crown prince was killed, Zhongzong mourned Sansi, suspended court for five days, posthumously made him grand commandant and Prince of Liang, and gave him the posthumous title Xuan. Princess Anle even had Crown Prince Jiemin's severed head brought to Sansi and Chongxun's coffins as an offering. When Ruizong took the throne, he ordered Sansi and his son's coffins opened, their corpses exposed, and their tombs demolished for their treason. Sansi's son Chongxun. Chongxun was Sansi's second son. Under Zetian he was enfeoffed as Prince of Gaoyang Commandery. During the Chang'an era he married the Princess of Anle Commandery. Sansi then dominated the court and wanted the wedding celebrated with extraordinary pomp. With Zhongzong still crown prince in the Eastern Palace, Sansi's mansion stood south of the Tianjin Bridge; the formal bride-fetching procession set out from within the Chongguang Gate and returned to Sansi's home. Sansi also commissioned chancellors Li Qiao and Su Weidao and poets Shen Quanqi, Song Zhiwen, Xu Yanbo, Zhang Yue, Yan Chaoyin, Cui Rong, Cui Shi, and Zheng Yin to compose "Song of the Flower Candle" in celebration. Zhang Yizhi, Changzong, and the Zong Chuke brothers were then at the height of power and often had ghostwriters supply them with polished new lines. Chongxun was appointed captain in the Left Guard. In the first year of Shenlong he was made imperial son-in-law commandant, then minister of ceremonies and concurrently general of the Left Guard. He was demoted to Duke of Feng but kept a taxable fief of five hundred households; soon his title was changed to Duke of Hao. In the second year he was made mentor to the heir apparent and acting general of the Left Guard. After Crown Prince Jiemin killed him, an extraordinary edict posthumously granted him the rank of grand preceptor with the protocol of the three ducal ministers, made him Prince of Lu, and gave him the posthumous name Loyal. Paternal cousin Yizong. Yizong was the grandson of Zetian's paternal uncle Shiyi. His father Yuanzhong rose during Gaozong's reign to bureau director of granaries in the ministry of revenue. In the Tianshou era Shiyi was enfeoffed as Prince of Shu and Yizong as Prince of Henan Commandery; Yizong later served as chief administrator of Luo Prefecture and general of the Left Golden Crow Guard. During the Wansui Tongtian era, when the Khitan chieftain Sun Wanrong raided Hebei, Yizong was appointed supreme commander to suppress him. His army halted at Zhao Prefecture; when he heard the rebels were heading for Ji Prefecture, Yizong panicked and wanted to abandon his troops and flee. Someone advised him: "The enemy is vast, but they carry no supplies and live by looting; if you hold your ground, they will scatter—then strike. You can win a great victory." Yizong refused to listen, retreated to Xiang Prefecture, and was widely ridiculed for his cowardice. The rebels then marched on, massacred Zhao Prefecture, and withdrew. Yizong was soon ordered to pacify the prefectures of Hebei.
45
先是，百姓有脅從賊眾，後得歸來者。 懿宗以為同反，總殺之。 仍生刳取其膽，後行刑，流血盈前，言笑自若。 初。 孫萬榮別帥何阿小攻陷冀州，亦多屠害士女。 至是，時人號懿宗與阿小為兩何，為之語曰：「唯此兩何，殺人最多。」 懿宗又自天授已來，嘗受中旨，推鞫制獄，王公大臣，多被陷成其罪，時人以為周興、來俊臣之亞焉。 神龍初，隨例降爵，封耿國公，累轉懷州刺史，尋卒。 從父弟攸暨攸暨，則天伯父士讓孫也。 天授中，封士讓為楚王，攸暨封千乘郡王。 賜爵實封三百戶。 兄攸寧為建昌郡王，實封四百戶。 攸寧歷遷鳳閣侍郎、納言、冬官尚書，病卒。
Earlier, many locals had been forced to join the rebels and later made their way home. Yizong treated them all as collaborators and had them executed. He even had their gall cut out while they were still alive; as the killing continued and blood pooled at his feet, he chatted and laughed as if unmoved. Earlier still, Sun Wanrong's lieutenant He Axiao had captured Ji Prefecture and slaughtered countless civilians. By then people nicknamed Yizong and Axiao "the two Hes," coining the saying: "These two Hes alone have killed the most." From the Tianshou era on, Yizong had also carried out secret interrogations by imperial order; princes and ministers alike were often framed on his word, and contemporaries ranked him just below Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen among the dynasty's torturers. Early in the Shenlong era he was demoted under the general reduction of Wu titles to Duke of Geng, later served as prefect of Huai Prefecture, and soon died. Paternal cousin Youji. Youji was the grandson of Zetian's paternal uncle Shirang. During the Tianshou era Shirang was enfeoffed as Prince of Chu and Youji as Prince of Qiansheng Commandery. He received a noble title with a taxable fief of three hundred households. His elder brother Youning was Prince of Jianchang Commandery with four hundred taxable households. Youning served successively as vice director of the Phoenix Pavilion, censor-in-chief, and minister of works before dying of illness.
46
攸暨初為右衛中郎將，尚太平公主，授駙馬都尉。 累遷右衛將軍，進封定王，又加實封三百戶。 俄又改安定郡王，歷遷司禮卿、左散騎常侍，加特進。 神龍中，拜司徒，復封定王，實封滿一千戶，固辭不拜。 尋而隨例降封樂壽郡王，拜右散騎常侍，加開府儀同三司。 延秀等誅後，又降封楚國公。 卒，贈太尉、并州大都督，追封定王。 尋以公主謀逆，令平毀其墓。
Youji began as captain in the Right Guard; he married Princess Taiping and was appointed imperial son-in-law commandant. He rose to general of the Right Guard, was advanced to Prince of Ding, and received an additional three hundred taxable households. He was soon made Prince of Anding Commandery, served as minister of rites and left regular attendant of the cavalry, and was granted special advancement. During the Shenlong era he was offered the post of minister of education and restoration as Prince of Ding with a full thousand taxable households, but firmly declined. He was soon demoted under precedent to Prince of Leshou Commandery, appointed right regular attendant of the cavalry, and granted the rank of grand preceptor with the protocol of the three ducal ministers. After Yanxiu and the others were executed, he was demoted again to Duke of Chu. When he died, he was posthumously made grand commandant and grand governor of Bingzhou and enfeoffed as Prince of Ding. Soon after the princess's treason plot, the court ordered his tomb demolished.
47
太平公主者，高宗少女也。 以則天所生，特承恩寵。 初，永隆年降駙馬薛紹。 紹，垂拱中被誣告與諸王連謀伏誅，則天私殺攸暨之妻以配主焉。 公主豐碩，方額廣頤，多權略，則天以為類己，每預謀議，宮禁嚴峻，事不令泄。 公主亦畏懼自檢，但崇飾邸第。 二十餘年，天下獨有太平一公主，父為帝，母為后，夫為親王，子為郡王，貴盛無比。 永淳已前朝制，親王食實封八百戶，有至一千戶； 公主出降三百戶，公主加五十戶。 太平食湯沐之邑一千二百戶，聖歷初加至三千戶。
Princess Taiping was Emperor Gaozong's youngest daughter. As Zetian's own daughter, she enjoyed extraordinary favor. In the Yonglong era she was first married to the imperial son-in-law Xue Shao. During the Chuigong era Shao was falsely accused of plotting with the princes and executed; Zetian secretly had Youji's wife killed so the princess could marry Youji. Full-bodied, with a broad forehead and cheeks, she was clever in intrigue. Zetian saw in her a kindred spirit and brought her into every counsel; palace security was strict and nothing was allowed to leak out. The princess too was cautious and self-restrained, limiting herself to sumptuous embellishment of her residence. For more than twenty years no one in the empire matched Princess Taiping: emperor for a father, empress for a mother, an imperial prince for a husband, commandery princes for sons — her glory was unmatched. Before the Yongchun era, imperial princes normally received taxable fiefs of eight hundred households, some as many as a thousand; princesses received three hundred households upon marriage, plus an additional fifty. Taiping held a fief of twelve hundred households for her support; at the start of the Shenglì era this rose to three thousand.
48
，預誅張易之謀有功，進號鎮國太平公主，相王加號安國相王，並食實封通前五千戶，賞賜不可勝紀。 公主孽氏二男二女，武氏二男一女，並食實封。 又相王、衛王重俊、成王千里宅，遣衛士宿衛，環其所居，十步置一仗舍，持兵巡僥，同於宮禁。 太平、長寧、安樂三公主，置鋪一如親王。 二年正月，置公主府。 ，公主男崇簡、崇敏、崇行，同授三品，與漁陽王兄弟四人同制。 時中宗仁善，韋后、上官昭容用事禁中，皆以為智謀不及公主，甚憚之。 公主日益豪橫，進達朝士，多至大官，詞人後進造其門者，或有貧窘，則遺之金帛，士亦翕然稱之。
For her role in the plot against Zhang Yizhi, she was given the title Pacifying-the-Realm Princess Taiping and the Prince of Xiang became Pacifying-the-Realm Prince of Xiang; their combined taxable fiefs reached five thousand households, with rewards beyond reckoning. Her children by concubines—two sons and two daughters—and her Wu-clan children—two sons and one daughter—all received taxable fiefs. Guard detachments were posted around the mansions of the Prince of Xiang, Prince of Wei Chongjun, and Prince of Cheng Qianli; an armory was set up every ten paces, armed patrols circled their compounds — security rivaling the inner palace. Princesses Taiping, Changning, and Anle were granted commercial establishments equal to those of imperial princes. In the first month of the second year of Jinglong, official princess households were established. Her sons Chongjian, Chongmin, and Chongxing were all appointed to third rank, on the same terms granted the Prince of Yuyang's four brothers. Zhongzong was mild by nature; Empress Wei and Shangguan Zhaorong ran affairs inside the palace, but both knew themselves outmatched by the princess in wit and strategy and feared her deeply. She grew daily more arrogant, advancing courtiers—many to high office. Young poets and scholars who visited her door in poverty received gold and silk, and the literati praised her lavishly.
49
及六月，韋后作逆稱制，偽尊溫王。 玄宗居臨淄邸，憤之，將清內難。 公主又預其謀，令男崇簡從之。 及立溫王，數日，天下之心歸於相府，難為其議。 公主入啟幼主，以王室多故，資於長君，乃提下幼主，因與玄宗、大臣尊立睿宗。 公主頻著大勛，益尊重，乃加實封五千戶，通前滿一萬戶。 公主子崇行、崇敏、崇簡三人，封異姓王； 崇行國子祭酒，四人九卿三品。 每入奏事，坐語移時，所言皆聽。 薦人或驟歷清職，或至南北衙將相，權移人主。 軍國大政，事必參決，如不朝謁，則宰臣就第議其可否。
In the sixth month Empress Wei usurped power and installed Prince Wen as a puppet ruler. Xuanzong, living at the Linzi residence, was furious and prepared to put down the coup. The princess joined the plot and sent her son Chongjian to support him. Within days of Prince Wen's enthronement, public sentiment shifted to the Prince of Xiang, making the original plan untenable. The princess persuaded the child emperor that the throne needed an experienced ruler; she had him step down, and with Xuanzong and the ministers enthroned Ruizong. For her repeated great service she was held in still higher esteem and granted five thousand additional taxable households, bringing her total to ten thousand. Her sons Chongxing, Chongmin, and Chongjian were enfeoffed as princes bearing non-imperial surnames; Chongxing became chancellor of the Directorate of Education; four family members held third-rank posts among the nine ministries. Whenever she came to audience she would sit and talk at length, and the emperor accepted all she proposed. Her protégés leapt into prestigious posts or rose to chancellor and general in the central and military administrations; real power shifted from the throne. On all major civil and military matters she had a decisive voice; when she skipped court, chancellors came to her mansion to consult her.
50
公主由是滋驕，田園遍於近甸膏腴，而市易造作器物，吳、蜀、嶺南供送，相屬於路。 綺疏寶帳，音樂輿乘，同於宮掖。 侍兒披羅綺，常數百人，蒼頭監嫗，必盈千數。 外州供狗馬玩好滋味，不可紀極。 有胡僧惠範，家富於財寶，善事權貴，公主與之私，奏為聖善寺主，加三品，封公，殖貨流於江劍。 公主懼玄宗英武，乃連結將相，專謀異計。 其時宰相七人，五出公主門，常元楷、李慈掌禁兵，常私謁公主。
She grew ever more arrogant. Her estates covered the fertile suburbs near the capital; goods from Wu, Shu, and Lingnan streamed along the roads to supply her trade and workshops. Her carved screens, jeweled hangings, musicians, and carriages rivaled the inner palace. Hundreds of maids in silks waited on her; male servants and stewardesses numbered over a thousand. Outlying prefectures sent hounds, horses, luxuries, and delicacies beyond counting. A foreign monk named Huifan, enormously wealthy and adept at currying favor with the powerful, became her lover. She had him appointed abbot of Shengshan Temple, raised to third rank, and enfeoffed as duke; his commercial ventures spread through the Yangzi and Sichuan region. Fearing Xuanzong's martial prowess, she built a faction among generals and chancellors and plotted treason. Of the seven chancellors then in office, five were her clients; Chang Yuankai and Li Ci, who controlled the palace guard, visited her privately.
51
七月，玄宗在武德殿，事漸危逼，乃勒兵誅其黨竇懷貞、蕭至忠、岑羲等，公主遽入山寺，數日方出，賜死於家。 公主諸子及黨與死者數十人。 籍其家，財貨山積，珍奇寶物，侔於御府，馬牧羊牧田園質庫，數年徵斂不盡。 惠範家產亦數十萬貫。 惟良子攸緒攸緒，惟良子也。 少有志行。 天授中封安平郡王，歷遷殿中監，出為揚州大都督府長史。 聖歷中，棄官隱於嵩山，以琴書藥餌為務。 中宗即位，以車安備禮徵之，降書曰：
In the seventh month, as the crisis mounted at Wude Hall, Xuanzong mobilized troops and executed her allies Dou Huaiyi, Xiao Zhizhong, and Cen Xi. The princess fled to a mountain monastery; days later she emerged and was ordered to take her own life at home. Dozens of her sons and followers were killed. When her estate was confiscated, wealth piled like mountains and treasures rivaled the imperial storehouse; horses, flocks, farms, gardens, and pawnshops yielded levies for years without being exhausted. Huifan's estate too was worth several hundred thousand strings of cash. You Xu. You Xu was a son of Weiliang. From youth he showed purpose and integrity. During the Tianshou era he was made Prince of Anping Commandery, served as director of the palace administration, and was appointed chief administrator of Yangzhou. During the Shenglì era he quit office and withdrew to Mount Song, devoting himself to music, study, and medicine. When Zhongzong took the throne, he summoned You Xu with a carriage and full honors and issued an imperial letter saying:
52
攸緒應召至都，授太子賓客。 尋請歸嵩山，制從之，令京官五品已上餞送於定鼎門外。
You Xu answered the summons to the capital and was appointed mentor to the heir apparent. He soon asked to return to Mount Song; the emperor agreed and ordered officials of fifth rank and above to escort him out through the Dingding Gate.
53
及三思、延秀等構逆，諸武多坐誅戮，唯攸緒以隱居不預其禍，時論美之。 睿宗即位，又降敕曰：「頃以賊臣結黨，后族擅權，扇動宮闈，肆行鴆毒。 靈祇所感，奸惡伏誅； 今得宗社乂安，天地交泰。 卿久厭簪紱，早慕林泉，守道不回，見幾而作，興言高尚，有足嘉稱。 但怒用不遷，罪無相及，為善有驗，卿之謂與！ 或慮驚疑，故令慰謝。」 其見重如此。 尋徵為太子賓客，不就。 ，攸緒又請就廬山居止，制不許。 仍令州縣數加存問，不令外人侵擾。 十一年卒，年六十九。 薛懷義薛懷義者，京兆鄠縣人，本姓馮，名小寶。 以鬻臺貨為業，偉形神，有膂力，為市於洛陽，得幸於千金公主侍兒。 公主知之，入宮言曰：「小寶有非常材用，可以近侍。」 因得召見，恩遇日深。 則天欲隱其跡，便於出入禁中，乃度為僧。 又以懷義非士族，乃改姓薛，令與太平公主婿薛紹合族，令紹以季父事之。 自是與洛陽大德僧法明、處一、惠儼、稜行、感德、感知、靜軌、宣政等在內道場念誦。 懷義出入乘廄馬，中官侍從，諸武朝貴，匍匐禮謁，人間呼為薛師。
When Sansi, Yanxiu, and others rose in treason, most of the Wu clan were executed; You Xu alone escaped disaster through reclusion, and contemporaries praised his foresight. When Ruizong took the throne, he issued another edict: "Recently traitorous ministers formed factions, the empress's clan seized power, stirred turmoil in the inner palace, and poison ran rampant. Heaven and earth moved, and the wicked were destroyed; Now the altars of state are secure and heaven and earth are at peace. You long ago wearied of office and yearned for the wilderness; steadfast in the Way, you saw danger and acted in time. Such lofty conduct deserves praise. Yet wrath did not touch the worthy, guilt did not extend to you, and virtue was rewarded — was this not true in your case? Lest you remain alarmed or doubtful, I send this reassurance." Such was the esteem in which he was held. He was soon summoned again as mentor to the heir apparent but declined. You Xu then asked to live on Mount Lu, but the emperor refused. He ordered local officials to watch over him and forbade outsiders to harass him. He died in the eleventh year of Kaiyuan, at sixty-nine. Xue Huaiyi was from Hu County in Jingzhao, originally named Feng Xiaobao. He made his living as a peddler; tall and powerfully built, he sold his wares in Luoyang and won the favor of a maid in Princess Qianjin's household. When the princess learned of him, she entered the palace and said, "Xiaobao has exceptional gifts and should serve at court." He was summoned to audience, and imperial favor toward him grew daily. To conceal his visits to the inner palace, Zetian had him ordained as a monk. Because he was not of a gentry clan, she gave him the surname Xue, had him incorporated into Princess Taiping's son-in-law Xue Shao's clan, and ordered Shao to treat him as a younger uncle. Thereafter he chanted sutras in the inner chapel with Luoyang's senior monks Faming, Chuyi, Huiyan, Lengxing, Gande, Ganzhī, Jinggui, and Xuanzheng. He rode imperial horses attended by eunuchs; Wu clansmen and court nobles prostrated themselves before him; people called him Master Xue.
54
垂拱初，說則天於故洛陽城西修故白馬寺，懷義自護作。 寺成，自為寺主。 頗恃恩狂蹶，其下犯法，人不敢言。 右臺御史馮思勖屢以法劾之； 懷義遇勖於途，令從者毆之，幾死。 又於建春門內敬愛寺別造殿宇，改名佛授記寺。
Early in the Chuigong era he persuaded Zetian to rebuild the old White Horse Temple west of Luoyang, and personally supervised the work. When it was finished, he made himself abbot. Drunk on imperial favor, he grew wildly arrogant; no one dared report the crimes of his followers. Right censor Feng Siyou repeatedly impeached him under the law; Huaiyi met You on the road and had his followers beat him nearly to death. He also built a separate hall within Jing'ai Temple inside the Jianchun Gate and renamed it Foshouji Temple.
55
，拆乾元殿，於其地造明堂，懷義充使督作。 凡役數萬人，曳一大木千人，置號頭，頭一㘚，千人齊和。 明堂大屋凡三層，計高二百尺。 又於明堂北起天堂，廣袤亞於明堂。 懷義以功拜左威衛大將軍，封梁國公。
The Qianyuan Hall was demolished and the Bright Hall erected on its site, with Huaiyi appointed commissioner to supervise the work. Tens of thousands were conscripted; a thousand men hauled each great log, a foreman calling the chant to keep them in rhythm. The Bright Hall rose three stories to a height of two hundred feet. North of the Bright Hall he raised the Hall of Paradise, slightly smaller in scale. For his service Huaiyi was made general of the Left Weiwu Guard and enfeoffed as Duke of Liang.
56
永昌中，突厥默啜犯邊，以懷義為清平道大總管，率軍擊之，至單於臺，刻石紀功而還。 加輔國大將軍，進右衛大將軍，改封鄂國公、柱國，賜帛二千段。
During the Yongchang era, when the Türk khagan Mo-chuo raided the frontier, Huaiyi was made grand commander of the Qingping circuit, marched against him to the Chanyu Terrace, carved a victory stele, and returned. He was promoted to general who assists the state, then general of the Right Guard, made Duke of E and pillar of the state, and given two thousand bolts of silk.
57
懷義與法明等造《大雲經》，陳符命，言則天是彌勒下生，作閻浮提主，唐氏合微。 故則天革命稱周，懷義與法明等九人並封縣公，賜物有差，皆賜紫袈娑、銀龜袋。 其偽《大雲經》頒於天下寺，各藏一本，令升高座講說。 則天將革命，誅殺宗屬諸王，唯千金公主以巧媚善進奉獨存； 抗疏請以則天為母，因得曲加恩寵，改邑號為延安大長公主，加實封，賜姓武氏。 以子克乂娶魏王武承嗣女，內門參問，不限早晚，見則盡歡。
Huaiyi and Faming forged the Scripture of Great Cloud, proclaiming that Zetian was Maitreya incarnate, lord of this world, and that the Tang dynasty's mandate was spent. When Zetian seized power and proclaimed the Zhou dynasty, Huaiyi, Faming, and seven others were all enfeoffed as county dukes with gifts of purple robes and silver tortoise pouches. The forged scripture was distributed to every temple in the empire, each ordered to keep a copy and preach it from the high seat. As Zetian prepared to seize the throne and slaughter the imperial clan, only Princess Qianjin survived through clever flattery and generous tribute; she memorialized to acknowledge Zetian as her mother, won extraordinary favor, was made Great Eldest Princess of Yan'an with additional fiefs, and given the Wu surname. Her son Keyi married Wu Chengsi's daughter; she visited the inner palace without restriction and was always received with full hospitality.
58
，默啜復犯塞，又以懷義為代北道行軍大總管，以李多祚、蘇宏暉為將。 未行，改朔方道行軍大總管，以內史李昭德為行軍長史，鳳閣侍郎、平章事蘇味道為行軍司馬，契苾明、曹仁師、沙咤忠義等十八將軍以討之。 未行虜退，乃止。
When Mo-chuo raided again, Huaiyi was made grand commander of the Daibei campaign army, with Li Duozuo and Su Honghui as his generals. Before he could march, his command was changed to grand commander of the Shuofang campaign army; Li Zhaode was chief administrator, Su Weidao chief of staff, and Qibi Ming, Cao Renshi, Shazha Zhongyi, and eighteen other generals joined the expedition. The enemy withdrew before the army marched, and the campaign was cancelled.
59
懷義後厭入宮中，多居白馬寺，刺血畫大像，選有膂力白丁度為僧，數滿千人。 侍御史周矩疑其奸，奏請劾之，不許。 固請之，則天曰：「卿且退，朕即令去。」 矩至臺，薛師亦至，乘馬蹋階而下，便坦腹於床。 矩召臺吏，將按之，遽乘馬而去。 矩具以聞，則天曰：「此道人風病，不可苦問。 所度僧任卿勘當。」 矩按之，窮其狀以聞，諸僧悉配遠州。 遷矩天官員外郎，竟為薛師所構，下獄，免官。
Huaiyi later tired of the palace and spent most of his time at White Horse Temple, painting a great icon in his own blood and ordaining a thousand muscular commoners as monks. Attending censor Zhou Ju suspected wrongdoing and requested permission to investigate, but was refused. When he pressed again, Zetian said, "Withdraw for now; I shall send him to you shortly." At the censorate Master Xue appeared, rode his horse down the steps, and sprawled bare-bellied on a couch. Ju called clerks to question him, but Huaiyi remounted and rode off. Ju reported everything; Zetian said, "This monk has a palsy; he cannot be questioned harshly. Investigate the monks he ordained as you see fit." Ju did so, established the facts, and reported; all the monks were exiled to distant prefectures. Ju was promoted to assistant director in the Ministry of Personnel but was eventually framed by Master Xue, imprisoned, and dismissed from office.
60
後有御醫沈南璆得幸，薛師恩漸衰，恨怒頗甚。 證聖中，乃焚明堂、天堂，並為灰燼，則天愧而隱之，又令懷義充使督作。 乃於明堂下置九州鼎，鑄銅為十二屬形象，置於本辰位，皆高一丈，懷義率人作號頭安置之。
Later the imperial physician Shen Nan'yu won the empress's favor, and Huaiyi's influence waned; he grew bitter and furious. During the Zhengsheng reign he burned the Bright Hall and Paradise to ashes; Zetian, ashamed, kept it quiet and again put Huaiyi in charge of rebuilding. Below the Bright Hall he set up the Nine Provinces cauldrons and cast copper figures of the twelve zodiac animals, each a zhang tall, placed in their proper positions; Huaiyi led work crews to install them.
61
其後益驕倨，則天惡之，令太平公主擇膂力婦人數十，密防慮之。 人有發其陰謀者，太平公主乳母張夫人令壯士縛而縊殺之，以輦車載屍送白馬寺。 其侍者僧徒，皆流竄遠惡處。
He grew ever more arrogant; Zetian loathed him and had Princess Taiping choose several dozen muscular women to watch him in secret. When his secret plots were exposed, Princess Taiping's wet nurse Lady Zhang had him bound and strangled; his corpse was carried by carriage to White Horse Temple. His attendant monks were all banished to remote, harsh regions.
62
=韋溫=
= Wei Wen =
63
韋溫，中宗韋庶人從父兄也。 父玄儼，高宗末官至許州刺史。 玄儼弟玄貞，初為普州參軍，以女為皇太子妃，擢拜豫州刺史。 中宗嗣位，妃為后。 及帝降為廬陵王，玄貞配流欽州而死。 后母崔氏，為欽州首領寧承兄弟所殺。
Wei Wen was a paternal cousin of Empress Wei, consort of Emperor Zhongzong. His father Xuanran served as prefect of Xu Prefecture in the final years of Gaozong's reign. Xuanran's younger brother Xuanzhen had been a staff officer in Pu Prefecture; when his daughter became crown prince's consort, he was promoted to prefect of Yu Prefecture. When Zhongzong took the throne, she became empress. When the emperor was reduced to Prince of Luling, Xuanzhen was exiled to Qin Prefecture and died there. The empress's mother, Lady Cui, was killed by the brothers of Ning Cheng, a chieftain in Qin Prefecture.
64
玄貞有四子：洵、浩、洞、泚，亦死於容州。 后二妹，逃竄獲免，間行歸長安。
Xuanzhen had four sons—Xun, Hao, Dong, and Ci—who also died in Rong Prefecture. The empress's two younger sisters fled, evaded capture, and made their way back to Chang'an by secret paths.
65
及中宗復位，韋氏復為皇后。 其日，追贈玄貞為上洛郡王。 左拾遺賈虛己上疏諫曰：「孔子曰：『惟名與器，不可以假人。』 且非李氏而王，自古盟書所棄。 今陛下創制謀始，垂範將來，為皇王令圖，子孫明鏡。 匡復未幾，后族有私，臣雖庸愚，尚知未可； 史官執簡，必是直書。 今萬姓颙然，聞一善令，莫不途歌里頌，延頸向風，欣然慕化，日恐不及。 陛下奈何行私惠，使樵夫議之。 即先朝贈太原王，殷鑒不遠。 同雲生於膚寸，尋木起於蘗栽，誠可惜也。 渙汗既行，難改成命，臣望請皇后抗表固辭，使天下知弘讓之風，彤管著沖謙之德，是則巍巍聖鑒，無得而稱。」 疏奏不省。
When Zhongzong was restored to the throne, Lady Wei was again made empress. That same day Xuanzhen was posthumously ennobled as Prince of Shangluo. Left Reminder Jia Xuji submitted a memorial of remonstrance: "Confucius said, 'Titles and the instruments of office must not be lent to others. Moreover, making non-Li clans kings has been forbidden in oaths since antiquity. Your Majesty is now founding institutions and setting a pattern for generations—a model for sovereigns and a mirror for your descendants. Barely restored, the empress's kin already receive private favors; though I am dull, I know this cannot stand; the historiographers will surely set it down without flattery. The people look up in hope; at every good decree they sing in the streets and praise in the lanes, turning toward reform with joy, afraid only of falling behind. How can Your Majesty grant private favors and let woodcutters gossip about it? The previous dynasty's ennoblement of the Prince of Taiyuan is a warning close at hand. Storm clouds gather from a patch no wider than a hand; great trees spring from a stump—what a waste to let small beginnings grow into ruin. The decree has gone forth and cannot easily be withdrawn; I beg that the empress submit a memorial firmly declining, so the realm may know the virtue of yielding and history record her modesty—then Your Majesty's wisdom would be beyond praise." The memorial was submitted and ignored.
66
尋又追贈玄貞為太師、雍州牧、益州大都督； 玄儼為特進、并州大都督、魯國公。 遣使迎玄貞及崔氏喪柩歸京師。 又遣廣州都督周仁軌率兵討斬寧承兄弟，以其首祭於崔氏。 擢拜仁軌左羽林大將軍，賜爵汝南郡公，食實封五百戶。 及玄貞等柩將至，上與后登長樂宮，望喪而泣。 加贈玄貞為酆王，謚曰文獻，仍號其廟曰褒德，陵曰榮先。 各置官員，並給戶一百人守衛灑掃。 又贈玄貞子洵為吏部尚書、汝南郡王，浩太常卿、武陵郡王，洞衛尉卿、淮南郡王，泚太僕卿、上蔡郡王，亦遣使迎其喪柩於京師。
Soon Xuanzhen was again posthumously honored as Grand Preceptor, Governor of Yong Province, and Grand Protector-General of Yi Province; Xuanran as Special Advancement, Grand Protector-General of Bing Province, and Duke of Lu. Envoys were dispatched to bring the coffins of Xuanzhen and Lady Cui back to the capital. He also sent Guangzhou Protector-General Zhou Rengui with troops to attack and behead the Ning Cheng brothers, offering their heads before Lady Cui's coffin. Rengui was promoted to Left General of the Feathered Forest Guard, enfeoffed as Duke of Runan, with an estate of five hundred households. As the coffins of Xuanzhen and the others neared the capital, the emperor and empress climbed Changle Palace, gazed toward the procession, and wept. Xuanzhen was further ennobled posthumously as Prince of Feng, with the posthumous name Wenxian; his temple was called Baode and his tomb Rongxian. Officials were appointed for each site, and one hundred households were assigned to guard and maintain them. Xuanzhen's sons were also honored posthumously: Xun as Minister of Personnel and Prince of Runan; Hao as Minister of Ceremonies and Prince of Wuling; Dong as Minister of the Guard and Prince of Huainan; Ci as Minister of the Stud and Prince of Shangcai—and envoys were sent to bring their coffins to the capital.
67
溫，神龍中累遷禮部尚書，封魯國公。 弟湑，左羽林將軍，封曹國公。 后妹夫陸頌為國子祭酒，馮太和為太常少卿，太和尋卒，又適嗣虢王邕。 湑子捷，尚成安公主，溫從祖弟濯，尚定安公主，皆拜駙馬都尉。
During the Shenlong era Wen rose to Minister of Rites and was enfeoffed as Duke of Lu. His younger brother Xu was Left General of the Feathered Forest Guard and Duke of Cao. The empress's brothers-in-law Lu Song became Chancellor of the Directorate of Education and Feng Taihe Vice Minister of Ceremonies; Taihe soon died, and his widow then married Heir Apparent Yong of Guo. Xu's son Jie married Princess Cheng'an, and Wen's third cousin Zhuo married Princess Ding'an; both were made imperial sons-in-law.
68
，溫遷太子少保、同中書門下三品，仍遙授揚州大都督。 溫等既居榮要，燻灼朝野，時人比之武氏。 湑及陸頌相次病卒，賻贈甚厚。 及中宗崩，后令溫總知內外兵馬，守援宮掖。 又引從子播、族弟璇、弟捷、濯等，分掌屯營及左右羽林軍。 臨淄王討韋氏，溫等皆坐斬，宗族無少長皆死，語在《韋庶人傳》。 睿宗即位，仍令削平玄貞及洵等墳墓。
, Wen was promoted to junior mentor of the heir, chancellor of the second rank, and titular grand protector-general of Yang Prefecture. Once Wen and his kin held power, their glare scorched court and countryside; people compared them to the Wu clan. Xu and Lu Song died of illness in succession; the mourning gifts were lavish. When Zhongzong died, the empress put Wen in charge of all palace and field forces to defend the inner quarters. She also installed his nephew Bo, clansman Xuan, younger brother Jie, Zhuo, and others to command encampment troops and the Left and Right Feathered Forest Guards. When the Prince of Linzi moved against the Wei faction, Wen and the rest were executed; the whole clan, young and old, was wiped out—the full account is in the Biography of Empress Wei. When Ruizong took the throne, he ordered the tombs of Xuanzhen, Xun, and the others leveled.
69
=王仁皎=
= Wang Renjiao =
70
王仁皎，玄宗王庶人父也。 景龍中，官至長上果毅。 玄宗即位，以后父，歷將作大匠、太僕卿，遷開府儀同三司，封祁國公。 仁皎不預朝政，但厚自奉養，積子女財貨而已。 卒，贈太尉，官供葬事。 柩車既發，上於望春亭遙望之，令張說為其碑文，玄宗親書石焉。 子守一。
Wang Renjiao was the father of Emperor Xuanzong's consort Wang. During the Jinglong era he rose to the rank of Changshang Brave Captain. When Xuanzong took the throne, as the empress's father he served as Director of Palace Works and Minister of the Stud, then rose to Grand General of the State with Extraordinary Honors and was enfeoffed as Duke of Qi. Renjiao stayed out of politics and lived in luxury, hoarding wealth and raising a large family—that was all he did. When he died he was posthumously honored as Grand Commandant, and the state provided his funeral. When the coffin departed, the emperor watched from Wangchun Pavilion, had Zhang Yue write the epitaph, and personally inscribed the stone. His son was Shouyi.
71
守一與后雙生。 守一與玄宗有舊，及上登極，以清陽公主妻之。 從討蕭至忠、岑羲等有功，自尚乘奉御遷殿中少監，特封晉國公，累轉太子少保。 父卒，襲爵祁國公。 十一年，坐與庶人潛通左道，左遷柳州司馬，行至藍田驛，賜死。 守一性貪鄙，積財巨萬，及籍沒其家，財帛不可勝計。
Shouyi and the empress were twins. Shouyi had known Xuanzong since youth; when the emperor took the throne, he married him to Princess Qingyang. For merit in the campaign against Xiao Zhizhong and Cen Xi, he rose from groom-in-waiting to vice director of the palace service, was specially enfeoffed Duke of Jin, and eventually became junior mentor of the heir. When his father died, he inherited the dukedom of Qi. In the eleventh year he was convicted of secretly communicating with the deposed consort through sorcery, demoted to military adjutant of Liuzhou, and granted death at Lantian Post. Shouyi was greedy and vulgar by nature and amassed vast wealth; when his property was confiscated, the money and silk could not be counted.
72
=吳溆=
= Wu Xu =
73
吳溆，章敬皇后之弟也，濮州濮陽人。 祖神泉，位終縣令。 父令珪，益州郫縣丞。 ，代宗始封拜外族，贈神泉司徒，令珪太尉，令珪母弟前宣城令令瑤為開府儀同三司、太子家令，封濮陽郡公； 中郎將令瑜為開府儀同三司、太子諭德、濟陽郡公。 漵時為盛王府錄事參軍，拜開府儀同三司、太子詹事、濮陽郡公。 以元舅遷鴻臚少卿、金吾將軍。 建中初，遷大將軍。 漵雖居戚屬，恭遜謙和，人皆重之。
Wu Xu was the younger brother of Empress Zhangjing and a native of Puyang in Pu Prefecture. His grandfather Shenquan ended his career as a county magistrate. His father Linggui was assistant magistrate of Pi County in Yi Prefecture. , when Daizong first enfeoffed maternal kin, Shenquan was posthumously made Minister of Education, Linggui Grand Commandant, and Linggui's younger maternal half-brother, the former magistrate of Xuancheng Lingyao, Grand General with Extraordinary Honors and household steward of the heir, Duke of Puyang; Middle General Lingyu as Grand General with Extraordinary Honors, mentor to the heir, and Duke of Jiyang. At the time Xu was recorder on the staff of the Prince of Sheng; he was appointed Grand General with Extraordinary Honors, grand mentor of the heir, and Duke of Puyang. As the empress's uncle he was promoted to vice director of the Court of State Ceremonies and general of the Golden Guard. At the beginning of the Jianzhong era he was promoted to great general. Though an imperial in-law, Xu was courteous and modest, and everyone respected him.
74
涇師之亂，從幸奉天，盧杞、白志貞謂德宗曰：「臣細觀硃泚心跡，必不至為戎首，佇當效順。 宜擇大臣一人，入京師慰諭，以觀其心。」 上召從幸群臣言之，皆憚其行。 漵起奏曰：「不以臣才望無堪，臣願北行。」 德宗甚悅。 漵退而謂人曰：「人臣食君之祿，死君之難，臨危自計，非忠也。 吾忝戚屬，今日委身於賊，誠知必死，不欲聖情慊於無人犯難也。」 即日賫詔見泚，深陳上待屬之意。 時泚逆謀已定，貌雖從命，而心已異，乃留漵於客省，竟被害。 上聞之，悲悼不已，贈太子太傅，賜其家實封二百戶，一子五品正員官，敕收城日葬事官給。 弟湊。
During the Jingshi mutiny, as the emperor fled to Fengtian, Lu Qi and Bai Zhizhen told Dezong, "We have watched Zhu Ci closely; he will surely not lead the rebellion and will soon submit. Choose a senior minister to enter the capital and reassure him, and we can see where his heart lies." The emperor asked the officials who had accompanied him; all shrank from the mission. Xu rose and said, "Never mind that my talent and rank are unworthy—I am willing to go north." Dezong was greatly pleased. Xu withdrew and told others, "A minister who eats the ruler's grain should die in the ruler's peril; to weigh one's own safety in crisis is not loyalty. I am an imperial in-law; today I throw myself among the rebels knowing I must die, because I cannot bear that the emperor should be troubled that no one would face the danger." That same day he carried the edict to Zhu Ci and earnestly conveyed the emperor's goodwill toward his followers. By then Zhu Ci's treason was already fixed; though he appeared to comply, his heart had turned; he detained Xu in the guest lodge, and Xu was killed. When the emperor heard, he grieved deeply; Xu was posthumously made Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent, his family granted two hundred taxable households and one son a regular fifth-rank post, and an edict promised state funeral rites when the capital was recovered. His younger brother was Cou.
75
湊，寶歷中與兄漵同日開府，授太子詹事，俱封濮陽郡公。 湊以兄弟三品，固辭太過，乞授卑官。 乃以湊檢校太子賓客，兼太子家令，充十宅王使。 累轉左金吾衛大將軍。
Cou, in the Baoli era, received grand general honors on the same day as his elder brother Xu and was appointed grand mentor of the heir; both were enfeoffed as Dukes of Puyang. Cou felt it excessive for both brothers to hold third rank and firmly asked for a lesser appointment. He was then made acting grand mentor of the heir, concurrently household steward of the heir and commissioner of the Ten Princely Residences. He was later promoted to left general of the Golden Guard.
76
湊小心謹慎，智識周敏，特承顧問，偏見委信。 大歷中，滑帥令狐彰、汴帥田神功相次歿於理所，時籓方兵驕，乘戎帥喪亡，人情多梗。 代宗命湊銜命撫慰，至必委曲說諭，隨所欲為之奏請，皆得軍民和協，帝深重之。
Cou was cautious and quick-witted; the emperor consulted him often and singled him out for trust. In the Dali era the governors of Hua, Linghu Zhang, and Bian, Tian Shengon, died in succession at their posts; frontier troops were unruly, and with the commanders gone unrest spread. Daizong sent Cou on imperial commission to reassure them; wherever he went he spoke persuasively and memorialized whatever they asked; civil and military affairs settled, and the emperor valued him highly.
77
宰臣元載弄權，招致賄賂，醜跡日彰。 帝惡之，將加之法，恐左右泄漏，無與言者，唯與湊密計圖之。 及收載於內侍省，同列王縉，其黨楊炎、王昂、韓洄、包佶、韓會等，皆當從坐籍沒。 湊諫救百端，言「法宜從寬，縉等從坐，理不至死。 若不降以等差，一例極刑，恐虧損聖德。」 由是縉等得減死，流貶之。
Chancellor Yuan Zai abused his power and took bribes; his corruption grew daily more obvious. The emperor hated him and planned to punish him by law, but feared leaks among his attendants; he confided in no one but Cou. When Zai was arrested in the Directorate of Palace Attendants, his colleague Wang Jin and his allies Yang Yan, Wang Ang, Han Hui, Bao Ji, Han Hui, and others were all liable to complicity and confiscation. Cou argued at length to save them: "The law should be applied with mercy; Jin and the others, though complicit, do not deserve death. If all are punished alike with the death penalty, I fear it will tarnish Your Majesty's virtue." Jin and the others were spared death and exiled instead.
78
大歷末，丁繼母喪免。 建中初，起為右衛將軍，兼通州刺史。 貞元初，入為太子賓客，出為福州刺史、御史中丞、福建觀察使。 為政勤儉清苦，美譽日聞。 宰相竇參以私怨惡之，數加譖毀，又言湊風病，不任趨馳。 德宗召湊至京師，對於別殿，上令殿上行走，以驗其病否，由是悟參之誣，因是惡參。 尋以湊為陜州大都督府長史、陜虢觀察使，以代參之黨李翼。 會劉玄佐卒，以湊檢校兵部尚書、汴州刺史、御史大夫、宣武軍節度使。
At the end of the Dali era he left office to mourn his stepmother. At the beginning of Jianzhong he was recalled as general of the Right Guard and prefect of Tong Prefecture. At the beginning of Zhenyuan he returned as grand mentor of the heir, then went out as prefect of Fu, censor-in-chief, and Fujian observation commissioner. In office he was diligent, frugal, and austere, and his reputation for integrity spread daily. Chancellor Dou Can bore him a private grudge, slandered him again and again, and claimed Cou suffered from paralysis and could no longer keep pace with urgent duties. Dezong summoned Cou to the capital and received him in a side hall, then had him walk back and forth across the hall to test his ailment. Seeing that Can had lied, the emperor turned against him. Cou was soon made chief administrator of Shaanzhou and Shaan-Guo observation commissioner, replacing Can's ally Li Yi. When Liu Xuanzuo died, Cou was appointed acting minister of war, prefect of Bian, censor-in-chief, and military governor of the Xuanwu Army.
79
時汴州軍亂，殺牙將曹金岸、縣令李邁，謀立玄佐子士寧。 上將遣兵送湊赴鎮，召宰臣議。 竇參深沮其行，恐軍中拒命，乃召湊回，授右金吾衛大將軍，而以梁宋節鉞授士寧。
At the time the Bian garrison mutinied, killing adjutant Cao Jin'an and magistrate Li Mai and plotting to install Xuanzuo's son Shining. The emperor was about to send troops to escort Cou to his command and summoned the chief ministers to discuss the matter. Dou Can blocked the move, fearing the troops would refuse to obey; he recalled Cou, made him right general of the Golden Guard, and gave the Liang-Song commission to Shining instead.
80
春夏旱，穀貴，人多流亡。 京兆尹韓臯以政事不理黜官。 上召湊，面授京兆尹，即日令視事，經宿方下制。 湊孜孜為理，以勤儉為務，人樂其政。 時宮中選內官買物於市，倚勢強買物，不充價，人畏而避之，呼為「宮市」。 掌賦者多與中貴人交結假借，不言其弊。 湊為京尹，便殿從容論之，曰：「物議以中人買物於市，稍不便於人，此事甚細，虛掇流議。 凡宮中所須，責臣可辦，不必更差中使。 若以臣府縣外吏，不合預聞宮中所須，則乞選內官年高謹重者，充宮市令，庶息人間論議。」 又奏：「掌閑彍騎、飛龍內園、芙蓉及禁軍諸司等使，雜供手力資課太多，量宜減省。」 上多從之。
Spring and summer brought drought; grain prices soared, and many people fled their homes. Metropolitan Governor Han Gao was dismissed for mismanaging affairs. The emperor summoned Cou, personally appointed him metropolitan governor of Jingzhao, and had him take office that same day; the formal edict followed only after a night had passed. Cou governed with tireless diligence and made thrift his watchword; the people welcomed his rule. At the time the palace sent eunuchs into the markets to buy goods; trading on their power, they seized merchandise without paying fair price. People feared them and stayed away, calling the practice the Palace Market. Most tax officials cultivated ties with palace favorites and lent them their authority, saying nothing about the abuses. As metropolitan governor, Cou raised the matter at ease in the informal hall: "Public talk holds that palace agents buying in the market is a nuisance to the people. The affair is trifling, yet it stirs idle rumor. Whatever the palace needs, your subject can provide it; there is no need to dispatch palace envoys again. If a prefectural official like me ought not even hear of palace needs, then I beg that aged, prudent eunuchs be chosen as Palace Market commissioners, so public talk may quiet down." He also memorialized: "The commissioners of palace leisure, guard cavalry, Flying Dragon inner gardens, Hibiscus, and the various palace guard offices levy far too much corvée labor and supplies; these levies should be cut back as appropriate." The emperor largely agreed.
81
初，府掾吏以湊起自戚籓，不諳簿領，凡有疑獄難決之事，多候湊將出時方呈，冀免指擿瑕病。 湊雖倉卒閱視，必指其奸幸之處，下筆決斷，無毫厘之差。 掾吏非大過，不行笞責； 而召面按問，詰責而釋之。 吏尤惕厲，庶務咸舉。
At first the prefectural clerks, thinking Cou had risen from consort kin circles and knew little of ledgers, waited until he was about to leave before presenting doubtful cases they could not resolve, hoping to escape having their faults exposed. Even when he reviewed cases in haste, Cou always found the points of fraud and favoritism and decided them with his brush without the slightest error. For clerks whose faults were not grave, he did not have them beaten; he summoned them for questioning face to face, rebuked them, and let them go. The clerks grew all the more wary, and every routine matter was properly handled.
82
文敬太子、義章公主相繼薨歿，上深追念，葬送之儀頗厚。 召集工役，載土築墳，妨民農務。 湊候上顧問，極言之。 宗屬門吏以湊論諫太繁，恐上厭苦，每以簡約規之。 湊曰：「聖上明哲，憂勞四海，必不以公主、太子之鐘念而忽疲民。 但人多順旨不言，若再三啟諫，必動宸情，則生民受賜。 長吏不言，是為阿旨。 如窮民上訴，罪在何人？」 議者重之。 以能政，兼兵部尚書。 官街樹缺，所司植榆以補之，湊曰：「榆非九衢之玩。」 亟命易之以槐。 及槐陰成而湊卒，人指樹而懷之。
Crown Prince Wenjing and Princess Yizhang died in succession. The emperor mourned them deeply, and their funeral rites were lavish. Laborers were summoned to haul earth and raise tombs, disrupting the people's farm work. When the emperor asked his view, Cou spoke out as forcefully as he could. Clerks in the imperial clan household, fearing the emperor would weary of Cou's many remonstrances, often urged him to be brief. Cou said: "Our sage ruler is enlightened and toils for all under heaven. He will surely not, for lingering grief over the princess and crown prince, neglect a people already worn down. But most people simply follow the imperial will and keep silent. If one remonstrates again and again, the emperor's heart will surely be moved, and the people will benefit. For a chief official to keep silent is to flatter the throne. If the poor appeal above, on whom will the blame fall?" Commentators respected him for it. For his able governance he was additionally made minister of war. Where official avenues lacked trees, the responsible office planted elms to fill the gaps. Cou said: "Elms are not fit for the capital's great thoroughfares." He immediately ordered them replaced with locust trees. When the locust shade had grown and Cou died, people pointed to the trees and remembered him fondly.
83
湊於德宗為老舅，漢魏故事，多退居散地，才免罪戾而已。 湊自貞元已來，特承恩顧，歷中外顯貴，雖聖獎隆深，亦由湊小心辦事，奉職有方故也。
Cou was Dezong's maternal uncle by marriage. Han and Wei precedent mostly kept such men in idle posts, barely spared from disgrace. Since the Zhenyuan era Cou had enjoyed special favor and held prominent posts at court and in the provinces. Though the emperor's praise ran deep, it owed much to Cou's careful handling of affairs and steady service.
84
湊既疾，不召巫醫，藥不入口，家人泣而勉之。 對曰：「吾以凡才，濫因外戚進用，起家便授三品，歷顯位四十年，壽登七十，為人足矣，更欲何求？ 古之以親戚進用者，罕有善終，吾得歸全以侍先人，幸也。」 德宗知之，令御醫進藥，不獲已，服之。 四月卒，時年七十一，贈尚書左僕射，罷朝一日。
When Cou fell ill he would not call shamans or physicians and would take no medicine. His family wept and pleaded with him. He replied: "I am a man of ordinary talent, unworthily raised through consort kin ties. At the start of my career I was given third rank, held high office for forty years, and have reached seventy — enough for any man. What more could I want? Of old, consort kin raised to power rarely died in peace. That I may end whole and join my ancestors is fortune enough." When Dezong learned of this, he sent the imperial physician with medicine. Unable to refuse, Cou took it. He died in the fourth month at seventy-one. He was posthumously made left vice director of the Department of State Affairs, and court business was suspended for one day.
85
=竇覦=
= Dou Yi =
86
竇覦，昭成皇后族侄。 父光，華原尉。 覦以親廕，釋褐右衛率府兵曹參軍。 鄜坊節度臧希讓奏為判官，累授監察殿中侍御史、檢校工部員外郎、坊州刺史。 ，討李懷光於河中，詔覦以坊州兵七百人屯邰陽。 賊平，以功兼御史中丞。 遷同州刺史，入朝為戶部侍郎。
Dou Yi was a clansman nephew of Empress Zhaocheng. His father Guang served as ward commander of Huayuan. Yi entered office through kin privilege as army adjutant in the Right Guard colonel's office. Zang Xirang, military governor of Fufang, recommended him as aide. He rose through supervising censor, palace censor, acting vice minister of works, and prefect of Fang. When Li Huaiguang was attacked at Hezhong, an edict ordered Yi to station seven hundred Fang troops at Taiyang. After the rebels were crushed, he was additionally made censor-in-chief for his service. He was transferred to prefect of Tong, then entered court as vice minister of revenue.
87
覦無他才伎，為吏有計數，又以韓滉子婿，故籓府辟召，遂歷牧守。 宰相竇參，覦再從侄。 參少依覦，及參秉政，力薦於朝，故有貳卿之拜。 數月，為揚州大都督府長史、御史大夫、充淮南節度副大使、知節度事，既非德舉，人咸薄之。 赴鎮旬日，暴卒，詔贈禮部尚書。
Yi had no other gifts. As an official he was shrewd, and as Han Huang's son-in-law he was repeatedly recruited by provincial governments, eventually serving as prefect and governor. Chancellor Dou Can was Yi's second cousin once removed. Can had relied on Yi in youth; once in power he pushed hard for him at court, which earned Yi a second-ranked ministerial appointment. Within months he was made chief administrator of Yangzhou, censor-in-chief, deputy military governor of Huainan, and acting governor. Since the appointment owed nothing to merit, everyone looked down on him. Ten days after reaching his post he died suddenly. An edict posthumously made him minister of rites.
88
=柳晟=
= Liu Sheng =
89
柳晟者，肅宗皇后之甥。 母和政公主。 父潭，官至太僕卿、駙馬都尉。 晟少無檢操，代宗於諸甥之中，特加撫鞠，俾與太子、諸王同學，授詩書，恩寵罕比。 累試太常卿。
Liu Sheng was a nephew of Emperor Suzong's empress. His mother was Princess Hezheng. His father Tan rose to minister of the imperial stud and commandant-escort. Sheng was unrestrained in youth. Among all his nephews Daizong singled him out for nurture, had him study with the crown prince and the princes, and taught him the classics. Few enjoyed such favor. He was repeatedly appointed minister of imperial observances on probation.
90
德宗即位，以與晟幼同硯席，尤親之。 涇師之亂，從幸奉天，晟密啟曰：「願受詔入京城，遊說群賊，冀其攜貳。」 德宗壯而許之。 晟與賊帥多有舊，出入其門說誘之。 事泄，為硃泚所擒，械之於獄。 晟有力，乃於獄中穿垣破械而遁，落發為僧，間道歸行在。 遷將作少監。 元和初，檢校工部尚書、興元尹、山南西道節度使。 罷鎮入朝，以違詔進奉，為御史元稹所劾，詔宥之。 俄充入回鶻冊立使，復命，遷左金吾衛大將軍。 卒，贈太子少保。
When Dezong ascended the throne, he was especially close to Sheng because they had shared desk and mat as boys. During the Jingzhou mutiny, as the emperor fled to Fengtian, Sheng secretly reported: "I beg to receive an edict to enter the capital and win over the rebel bands, hoping to divide their loyalties." Dezong admired his courage and agreed. Sheng had old ties with many rebel leaders and went in and out among them to win them over. The plot leaked. Zhu Ci captured him and shackled him in prison. Sheng was strong. He broke through the prison wall, shattered his shackles, shaved his head as a monk, and by hidden paths made his way back to the imperial camp. He was promoted to vice director of palace construction. At the beginning of Yuanhe he was made acting minister of works, governor of Xingyuan, and military governor of Shannan West Circuit. After leaving his post he returned to court. Censor Yuan Zhen impeached him for submitting tribute in violation of an edict, but an imperial pardon spared him. Soon he served as envoy to invest the Uyghur khan. On his return he was made left general of the Golden Guard. He died and was posthumously made junior tutor to the heir.
91
=王子顏=
= Wang Ziyan =
92
王子顏，瑯邪臨沂人，莊憲皇后之父也。 祖思敬，少從軍，累試太子賓客。 父難得，有勇決，善騎射，天寶初為河源軍使。 吐蕃贊普王子郎支都有勇，乘諳真馬，寶鈿裝鞍，出陣求鬥，無敢與校者。 難得挾槍奮馬突前，刺殺郎支都，斬其首，傳於京師。 軍還，玄宗召見之，令於殿前乘馬挾槍作刺郎支都之狀。 賜以錦袍金帶，累拜金吾將軍同正員。
Wang Ziyan, a native of Langya Linyi, was the father of Empress Zhuangxian. His grandfather Sijing entered the army in youth and was repeatedly appointed grand mentor of the heir on probation. His father Nan De was bold and resolute and skilled at mounted archery. At the beginning of the Tianbao era he served as commissioner of the Heyuan Army. The Tibetan emperor's son Langzhidu was a fierce warrior. Riding a well-trained horse with a jeweled saddle, he rode out to challenge the Tang lines, and none dared meet him. Nan De seized his lance, spurred his horse forward, ran Langzhidu through, cut off his head, and sent it to the capital. When the army returned, Xuanzong summoned him and had him ride before the hall with lance in hand, reenacting the killing of Langzhidu. He was granted a brocade robe and gold belt and was successively promoted to regular captain of the Golden Guard.
93
，從哥舒翰擊吐蕃於積石，虜吐谷渾王子悉弄參及子婿悉頰藏而還，累拜左武衛將軍、關西遊奕使。 九載，擊吐蕃，收五橋，拔樹敦城，補白水軍使。 十三載，從收九曲，加特進。
Following Geshu Han he struck the Tibetans at Jishi, captured the Tuyuhun prince Sinong Can and his son-in-law Sinu Cang, and returned. He was successively made general of the Left Martial Guard and roaming inspector of Guanxi. In the ninth year he attacked Tibet, took Wuqiao, captured Shudun city, and was made commissioner of the Baishui Army. In the thirteenth year he took part in recovering the Nine Bends and was granted extraordinary promotion.
94
祿山之叛，從哥舒翰戰於潼關； 關門不守，從肅宗幸靈武。 時行在闕軍賞，難得進絹三千疋及金銀器等。 至德初，試衛尉卿、興平軍使，兼鳳翔都知兵馬使。 進收京城，與賊軍戰。 其下靳元曜戰酣墮馬，難得馳救之，賊射之中眉，皮穿披下鄣目。 難得自拔去箭，並皮掣洛，馳馬復戰，血流被面，而抗賊不已。 肅宗深嘉之。 從郭子儀攻安慶緒於相州，累封瑯邪郡公，英武軍使。 卒，贈潞州大都督。
When An Lushan rebelled, he fought with Geshu Han at Tong Pass; when the pass fell, he followed Suzong to Lingwu. At the time the mobile court lacked funds for military rewards. Nan De presented three thousand bolts of silk and gold and silver vessels. At the beginning of the Zhide era he was appointed minister of the guard, commissioner of the Xingping Army, and concurrently director of military affairs at Fengxiang. Advancing to recover the capital, he fought the rebel army. His subordinate Jin Yuanyao, fighting fiercely, was thrown from his horse. Nan De galloped to his rescue, but rebels shot him in the brow; the skin tore and the cheek flap of his helmet fell over his eyes. Nan De pulled out the arrow himself, skin tearing as he yanked it free, then spurred his horse back into battle. Blood covered his face, yet he kept fighting the rebels without pause. Suzong praised him deeply. Following Guo Ziyi he attacked An Qingxu at Xiang. He was successively enfeoffed Duke of Langya and made commissioner of the Yingwu Army. He died and was posthumously made grand governor of Lu.
95
子顏少從父征役，累官金紫光祿大夫、檢校衛尉卿，生后而卒。 順宗內禪，以后生憲宗皇帝，褒贈先代：思敬司徒，難得太傅，子顏太師。
Ziyan followed his father on campaign from youth and rose to grand master of golden light and acting minister of the guard. He died after the empress was born. When Shunzong abdicated and the empress bore Emperor Xianzong, earlier generations were honored posthumously: Sijing as grand tutor, Nan De as grand preceptor, and Ziyan as grand master.
96
顏子重榮，官至福王傅； 用，官至太子賓客、金吾將軍。
Ziyan's son Chongrong rose to tutor of the Prince of Fu; Yong rose to grand mentor of the heir and general of the Golden Guard.
97
贊曰：戚里之賢，避寵畏權。 不恤禍患，鮮能保全。 福盈者敗，勢壓者顛。 武之惟良，明於自然。
In praise: Among worthy consort kin, some shunned favor and feared power. Those who ignored the threat of ruin rarely kept themselves whole. When blessing overflows, ruin follows; when power presses too hard, it topples. Among the Wu, only Weiliang grasped the way things naturally are.