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列傳第一百三十一
Biography 131
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史憲誠子孝章何進滔子弘敬韓允忠子簡樂彥禎子從訓羅弘信子威
Shi Xiancheng and his son Xiaozhang; He Jintao and his son Hongjing; Han Yunzhong and his son Jian; Le Yanzhen and his son Congxun; Luo Hongxin and his son Wei
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史憲誠，其先出於奚虜，今為靈武建康人。 祖道德，開府儀同三司、試太常卿、上柱國、懷澤郡王。 父周洛，為魏博軍校，事田季安，至兵馬大使、銀青光祿大夫、檢校太子賓客、兼御史中丞、柱國、北海郡王。 憲誠始以材勇，隨父歷軍中右職，兼監察御史。 元和中，田弘正討李師道，令憲誠以先鋒四千人濟河，累下其城柵。 復以大軍齊進，乘勢逐北，魏之全師迫於鄆之城下。 師道窮蹙，劉悟斬首投魏軍。 錄功，超授憲誠兼中丞。
Shi Xiancheng's family originally came from the Xi people; he was registered as a native of Jiankang in Lingwu. His grandfather Daode had been Grand General with Honorary Staff of Three Offices, Acting Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, Supreme Pillar of State, and Duke of Huaize. His father Zhou Luo had served as a Wei-Bo regimental officer under Tian Ji'an, eventually reaching Army-and-Horse Commissioner, Silver-Gleam Glory Grand Master, Acting Crown Prince's Guest, concurrent Censor-in-Chief, Pillar of State, and King of Beihai. Xiancheng first distinguished himself by talent and courage, rising through senior army posts alongside his father, and also held the post of Investigating Censor. During the Yuanhe era, when Tian Hongzheng marched against Li Shidao, he sent Xiancheng with four thousand vanguard troops across the river; they took one enemy stockade after another. The main army then advanced in force. Riding the momentum of victory, he pursued the enemy until the entire Wei force stood before the walls of Yan. Shidao was cornered; Liu Wu cut off his head and turned it over to the Wei forces. For his merit he was specially promoted to concurrent Vice Censor-in-Chief.
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鎮州王承宗死，弘正自魏移領鎮州。 居數月，為王廷湊所殺，遂以兵叛。 朝廷以弘正子布為魏博節度使，領兵討伐，俾復父冤。 時幽州硃克融援助廷湊，布不能制，因自引決，軍情囂然。
When Wang Chengzong of Zhenzhou died, Hongzheng left Wei to assume control of Zhenzhou. Within a few months Hongzheng was murdered by Wang Tingcou, who then rose in armed rebellion. The court appointed Hongzheng's son Bu military governor of Wei-Bo and sent him to campaign against the rebels so he might avenge his father. Zhu Kerong of Youzhou was then supporting Tingcou. Bu could not bring the situation under control and took his own life, leaving the army in turmoil.
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憲誠為中軍都知兵馬使，乘亂以河朔舊事動其人心，諸軍即擁而歸魏，共立為帥，國家因而命之。 時克融、廷湊並據兵為亂，憲誠喜得旄節，雖外順朝旨，而中與硃、王為輔車之勢，長慶二年正月也。
Xiancheng was commander of the central army. Exploiting the chaos, he appealed to old Hebei loyalties and swayed the troops. The armies acclaimed him, returned to Wei, and made him their commander; the court thereupon confirmed the appointment. Kerong and Tingcou were both in rebellion with their armies. Xiancheng was pleased to receive the commissioner's symbols of authority. Though he outwardly obeyed the court, inwardly he and Zhu and Wang were bound together like linked chariots. This was in the first month of Changqing 2 (822).
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尋遣司門郎中韋文恪宣慰。 時李㝏為亂，與憲誠書問交通。 憲誠表請與㝏節鉞，仍於黎陽艤舟，示欲渡河。 及見文恪，舉止驕倨，其言甚悖。 旋聞絺為帳下所殺，乃從改過，謂文恪曰：「憲誠蕃人，猶狗也，唯能識主。 雖被棒打，終不忍離。」 其狡譎如此。 朝廷每為優容，尋加左僕射。 敬宗即位，進秩司空。
Before long the court sent Secretariat Director Wei Wenke as imperial envoy to offer reassurance. Li Zong was then in rebellion and was exchanging messages with Xiancheng. Xiancheng petitioned the throne to share military authority with Li Zong and moored boats at Liyang as though preparing to cross the river. When he received Wenke, his manner was arrogant and his words openly defiant. When he soon learned that Li Zong had been killed by his own men, he changed his tune and told Wenke, "Xiancheng is a barbarian—no better than a dog, and a dog knows only its master. Even when beaten with a stick, it will not willingly leave its master's side. Such was the extent of his cunning and duplicity. The court repeatedly indulged him, and soon promoted him to Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. When Emperor Jingzong took the throne, Xiancheng was promoted to Minister of Works.
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太和二年，滄景節度使李全略卒，其子同捷竊據軍城，表邀符節，舉兵伐之。 先是，憲誠與全略婚媾，及同捷叛，復潛以糧餉為助。 上屢發使申諭，尋又就加平章事。 憲誠嘗遣驍將至闕下，恣為張大，宰相韋處厚以語折剉之，憲誠不敢復與同捷為應。 時憲誠示出師共討同捷。 及滄景平，加司徒。 憲誠心不自安，乃遣子孝章入覲，又飛章願以所管奉命。 上嘉之。 乃加侍中，移鎮河中。 憲誠素懷向背，不能以忠誠感激其眾。 未及出城，太和三年六月二十六日夜，為軍眾所害，冊贈太尉。
In Taihe 2 (828) the Cangjing military governor Li Quanlue died. His son Tongjie seized the garrison city, petitioned for the commissioner's credentials, and Xiancheng raised an army against him. Xiancheng had earlier been connected to Quanlue by marriage. When Tongjie rebelled, he secretly sent him grain and supplies. The emperor repeatedly sent envoys to warn him, yet soon promoted him to Grand Councilor as well. Xiancheng once sent bold generals to the capital to boast of his power. Grand Councilor Wei Chuhou rebuked them sharply, and Xiancheng dared not coordinate with Tongjie again. Xiancheng then made a show of taking the field against Tongjie. When Cangjing was pacified, he was promoted to Minister of Education. Uneasy in his own mind, Xiancheng sent his son Xiaozhang to the capital and urgently petitioned to surrender his command to the throne. The emperor praised his loyalty. Xiancheng was made Palace Attendant and transferred to the Hezhong command. Xiancheng had long been of two minds, and he could not win his troops over with genuine loyalty. Before he could even leave the city, on the night of the twenty-sixth day of the sixth month of Taihe 3 (829) his own troops killed him. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor.
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孝章，幼聰悟好學。 元和中，李醞為魏帥，取大將子弟列於軍籍。 孝章倡言願效文職，醞奇之，令攝府參軍。 及憲誠領節鉞，改士曹參軍、兼監察御史，賜緋。 孝章以父在鎮多違朝旨，嘗雪涕極諫，備陳逆順之理。 朝廷聞而嘉之，乃授檢校太子左諭德、兼侍御史，充節度副使。 累遷至散騎常侍、兼御史大夫，賜紫。 領本道兵同平滄景，加工部尚書。 尋請赴闕，文宗慰勞甚厚，憲誠亦因懇乞朝覲。 上知憲誠之入覲，自孝章之謀，遂加禮部尚書，分相、衛、澶三州別為一鎮，俾孝章領之。 孝章未到鎮，憲誠遇害。 上以孝章有忠節，起復為右金吾衛將軍。 間歲，授鄜坊節度使。 居四年，遷於滑。 一歲，入為右領軍大將軍，改右金吾大將軍，俄授邠寧節度。
Xiaozhang was clever and studious from childhood. During the Yuanhe era, when Li Yun commanded Wei, he enrolled the sons of senior officers on the army rolls. Xiaozhang spoke up saying he wished to serve in a civil post. Yun was impressed and appointed him acting staff adjutant. When Xiancheng received his commission, Xiaozhang was made staff officer in the Bureau of Personnel and concurrent Investigating Censor, with scarlet robes bestowed on him. Because his father at his post often defied the court, Xiaozhang once wept as he remonstrated with him at length on the difference between loyalty and rebellion. When the court learned of this it praised him, appointing him Acting Left Mentor of the Heir Apparent, concurrent Attending Censor, and deputy military governor. He rose in due course to Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary and concurrent Censor-in-Chief, with purple robes bestowed on him. Leading troops from his circuit, he helped pacify Cangjing and was made Minister of Works. He soon asked to go to the capital, where Emperor Wenzong received him with generous praise. Xiancheng also earnestly petitioned for permission to come to court. The emperor knew that Xiancheng's visit was Xiaozhang's doing. He promoted Xiaozhang to Minister of Rites, carved out Xiang, Wei, and Chan prefectures as a separate command, and put Xiaozhang in charge of it. Before Xiaozhang could take up his new post, Xiancheng was killed. Honoring Xiaozhang's loyalty, the emperor recalled him from mourning to serve as General of the Right Golden Guard. A year later he was appointed military governor of Bianfang. After four years he was transferred to the Hua command. After one year he was recalled to the capital as Grand General of the Right Leading Army, then transferred to Grand General of the Right Golden Guard, and soon after was appointed military governor of Binning.
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孝章歷三鎮，雖無異績，而謹身畏法，以保初終。 開成三年十月卒，贈右僕射。
Xiaozhang held three commands. He won no great distinction, but by living carefully within the law he preserved himself from first to last. He died in the tenth month of Kaicheng 3 (838) and was posthumously made Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
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何進滔，靈武人也。 曾祖孝物，祖俊，並本州軍校。 父默，夏州衙前兵馬使，檢校太子賓客，試太常卿。 以進滔之貴，贈左散騎常侍。 進滔客寄於魏，委質軍門，事節度使田弘正。 弘正奉詔討鄆州，破李師道，時進滔為衙內都知兵馬使，以功授兼侍御史。 太和三年，軍眾害史憲誠，連聲而呼曰：「得衙內都知兵馬使何端公知留後，即三軍安矣。」 推而立之。 朝廷因授進滔左散騎常侍、魏博等州節度觀察處置等使。 為魏帥十餘年，大得民情，累官至司徒、平章事卒。
He Jintao was a native of Lingwu. His great-grandfather Xiaowu and grandfather Jun had both been military officers in their home prefecture. His father Mo had been Army-and-Horse Commissioner at the Xiazhou yamen, Acting Crown Prince's Guest, and Acting Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. When Jintao rose to prominence, Mo was posthumously made Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary. Jintao had come to Wei as a guest and entered military service under the military governor Tian Hongzheng. When Hongzheng campaigned against Yan at the court's order and defeated Li Shidao, Jintao was commissioner of military affairs within the yamen and was made concurrent Attending Censor for his service. In Taihe 3 (829) the troops killed Shi Xiancheng and shouted as one, "If Lord He Duangong, commissioner of military affairs within the yamen, becomes acting regent, the whole army will be secure. They acclaimed him and installed him in command. The court thereupon appointed Jintao Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary and military governor of Wei-Bo and associated prefectures. He commanded Wei for more than ten years and won the people's affection. He rose in due course to Minister of Education and Grand Councilor, and died in office.
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子弘敬襲其位。 朝廷時遣河中帥李執方、滄州帥劉約各遣使勸令歸闕，別俟朝旨。 弘敬不從，竟就加節制。 及劉稹反，不時起兵。 鎮州王元逵下邢、洺二州，兵次上黨，弘敬方出師壓境。 大中後，宣宗務其姑息，繼加官爵，亦至使相。 咸通初，卒。 子全皞嗣之。 朝廷尋降符節，累官亦至同平章事。 十一年，為軍人所害。 子孫相繼，四十餘年。
His son Hongjing succeeded him. The court repeatedly sent envoys through Li Zhifang of Hezhong and Liu Yue of Cangzhou urging him to come to the capital and await further orders. Hongjing refused, and in the end received the full commission. When Liu Zhen rebelled, he failed to mobilize his troops promptly. Wang Yuankui of Zhenzhou had already taken Xing and Ming, and his army had reached Shangdang, before Hongjing finally marched out to threaten the border. After the Dazhong era Emperor Xuanzong indulged him with successive promotions until he too reached the rank of commissioner-councilor. He died early in the Xiantong era (860). His son Quanhao succeeded him. The court soon issued him the commissioner's credentials, and he too rose in due course to concurrent Grand Councilor. In the eleventh year of his rule he was killed by his own troops. Father and son had held the post in succession for more than forty years.
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韓允忠，魏州人也。 舊名君雄，懿宗改賜今名。 父國昌，歷本州右職。 會昌中，從何弘敬破劉稹，以功為貝州刺史、兼御史中丞。 以允忠故，累贈兵部尚書。 允忠少仕軍門，繼升裨校。 潞州之役，亦與其行。 咸通十一年，何全皞為軍眾所殺，推允忠為帥。 時僖宗為普王，即降詔遙領節度，授允忠左散騎常侍、兼御史中丞，充節度觀察留後。 不數月，轉檢校工部尚書、魏州大都督府長史、充魏博節度觀察等使。 累加至檢校司空、同平章事。 乾符元年十一月卒，年六十一。 累贈太尉。
Han Yunzhong was a native of Weizhou. His original name was Junxiong; Emperor Yizong gave him his present name. His father Guochang had held senior posts in the local army. During the Huichang era he followed He Hongjing in defeating Liu Zhen and was made prefect of Bei and concurrent Censor-in-Chief for his service. Because of Yunzhong's eminence, Guochang was posthumously promoted in stages to Minister of War. Yunzhong entered military service young and rose through the ranks to deputy commander. He also took part in the Luzhou campaign. In Xiantong 11 (870) He Quanhao was killed by his troops, who acclaimed Yunzhong as their commander. Emperor Xizong was then Prince of Pu; he immediately issued an edict appointing Yunzhong Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary and concurrent Censor-in-Chief as acting military governor and observation commissioner. Within a few months he was made Acting Minister of Works, chief administrator of Weizhou, and full military governor of Wei-Bo. He rose in due course to Acting Minister of Works and concurrent Grand Councilor. He died in the eleventh month of Qianfu 1 (874) at the age of sixty-one. He was posthumously promoted in stages to Grand Preceptor.
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子簡，自允忠初授戎帥，便為節度副使。 乾符初，累官至檢校工部尚書。 允忠卒，即起復為節度觀察留後。 逾月，加檢校右僕射。 其後累加至侍中，封昌黎郡王。
His son Jian had been made deputy military governor as soon as Yunzhong received his commission. By the beginning of the Qianfu era he had risen to Acting Minister of Works. When Yunzhong died, Jian was immediately recalled from mourning to serve as acting military governor. A month later he was made Acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. He was subsequently promoted in stages to Palace Attendant and enfeoffed as King of Changli.
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樂彥禎，魏州人也。 父少寂，歷澶、博、貝三州刺史，贈工部尚書。 彥禎少為本州軍校。 韓簡之領節旄也，以彥禎為馬步軍都虞候，轉博州刺史。 下河陽，走諸葛爽。 有功，遷澶州刺史。 簡再討河陽之敗也。 彥禎以一軍先歸，魏人遂共立之。 朝廷尋授檢校工部尚書，知魏博留後。 俄加戶部尚書，充節度觀察處置等使。 中和四年，累加至尚書左僕射、同平章事。 僖宗自蜀回，加開府儀同三司，冊拜司徒。
Le Yanzhen was a native of Weizhou. His father Shaoji had served as prefect of Chan, Bo, and Bei in turn and was posthumously made Minister of Works. Yanzhen had been a regimental officer in the local army from youth. When Han Jian took command, he made Yanzhen chief commandant of cavalry and infantry, then transferred him to prefect of Bo. He attacked Heyang and drove off Zhuge Shuang. For this achievement he was transferred to prefect of Chan. This was during Han Jian's second failed campaign against Heyang. Yanzhen brought his division home first, and the Wei troops thereupon acclaimed him as their commander. The court soon appointed him Acting Minister of Works and acting regent of Wei-Bo. He was soon made Minister of Revenue and full military governor of Wei-Bo. In Zhonghe 4 he rose in due course to Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and concurrent Grand Councilor. When Emperor Xizong returned from Shu, Yanzhen was made Grand General with Honorary Staff of Three Offices and ceremonially appointed Minister of Education.
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彥禎志滿驕大，動多不法。 一旦征六州之眾，板築羅城，約河門舊堤，周八十里，月餘而畢，人用怨咨。
Yanzhen grew arrogant and overbearing, and his conduct was often lawless. He once conscripted labor from all six prefectures to build an outer wall along the old Hemen dike, eighty li around. The work took just over a month, and the people groaned under the burden.
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又其子從訓天資悖逆。 王鐸自滑移鎮滄州，過魏郊，從訓見其女妓，利之，先伏兵於漳南高雞泊，俟鐸之至，圍而害之，掠其所有。 時朝廷微弱，不能詰。 魏人素知鐸名望，議者惜之，而罪從訓。 從訓又召亡命之徒五百餘輩，出入臥內，號為「子將」，委以腹心。 軍人籍籍，各有異議。 從訓聞而忌之，易服遁出，止於近縣。 彥禎因命為六州都指揮使。 未幾，又兼相州刺史。 到任之後，般輦軍器，取索錢帛，使人來往，交午塗路，軍府疑貳。
His son Congxun was by nature violent and rebellious. When Wang Duo was transferred from Hua to Cangzhou and passed through Wei territory, Congxun saw his female entertainers and coveted them. He hid troops at Gaojipo south of Zhang, waited for Duo to arrive, surrounded and killed him, and plundered everything he had. The court was too weak to hold him accountable. The people of Wei had long respected Duo's standing; public opinion mourned him and condemned Congxun. Congxun also gathered more than five hundred outlaws who came and went freely in his private quarters. He called them "son-generals" and treated them as his closest confidants. The troops murmured among themselves, each faction nursing its own grievance. When Congxun heard of this he grew suspicious, changed clothes, slipped out of the city, and lodged in a nearby county. Yanzhen then appointed him overall commander of the six prefectures. Before long he was also made prefect of Xiang. Once in office he shuttled weapons and extorted money and silk, sending couriers back and forth until the roads were crowded day and night. The headquarters grew suspicious and uneasy.
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彥禎危憤而卒，眾推都將趙文㺹知留後事。 從訓自相州領兵三萬餘人至城下，文㺹按兵不出。 眾懷疑懼，復害文㺹，推羅弘信為帥。 弘信以兵出戰，敗之。 從訓招集餘眾，次於洹水。 弘信遣將程公佐領兵討擊，大敗之，梟從訓首於軍門，時文德元年春也。
Yanzhen died in distress and anger. The troops acclaimed Chief Commander Zhao Wenkan to manage affairs as acting regent. Congxun marched from Xiang with more than thirty thousand men and camped before the city. Wenkan held his troops inside and would not come out. The troops, fearful and suspicious, killed Wenkan in turn and acclaimed Luo Hongxin as their commander. Hongxin marched out to fight and defeated him. Congxun rallied his remaining forces and encamped on the Huan River. Hongxin sent the general Cheng Gongzuo against him, routed his army, and displayed Congxun's head at the camp gate. This was in the spring of Wende 1.
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羅弘信，字德孚，魏州貴鄉人。 曾祖秀，祖珍，父讓，皆為本州軍校。 弘信少從戎役，歷事節度使韓簡、樂彥禎。 光啟末，彥禎子從訓忌牙軍，出居於外，軍眾廢彥禎，推趙文㺹權主軍州事。 眾復以為不便，因推弘信為帥。 先是，有鄰人密謂弘信曰：「某嘗夜遇一白鬚翁，相告雲，君當為土地主。 如是者再三。」 弘信竊異之。 及廢文㺹，軍人聚呼曰：「孰願為節度使者？」 弘信即應之曰：「白鬚翁早以命我。」 眾乃環而視之，曰：「可也。」 由是立之。 僖宗聞之，文德元年四月，詔加工部尚書，權知節度留後。 七月，復加金紫光祿大夫、檢校尚書右僕射，充魏博節度觀察處置等使。 龍紀中，加檢校司空、同平章事，封豫章郡公。
Luo Hongxin, courtesy name Defu, was a native of Guixiang in Weizhou. His great-grandfather Xiu, grandfather Zhen, and father Rang had all been military officers in the local army. Hongxin entered military service young and served under the military governors Han Jian and Le Yanzhen. At the end of the Guangqi era, Yanzhen's son Congxun, fearing the yamen guard, moved outside the city. The troops deposed Yanzhen and put Zhao Wenkan in charge of military and civil affairs. The troops soon found this arrangement unsatisfactory and acclaimed Hongxin as their commander instead. Earlier a neighbor had told Hongxin in secret, "One night I met a white-bearded old man who said to me, 'Your neighbor shall be lord of this land. This happened again and again.' Hongxin had privately wondered at this. When Wenkan was removed, the soldiers gathered and shouted, "Who will be military governor? Hongxin answered at once, "The white-bearded old man long ago destined me for it." The men surrounded him and said, "He will do." On that basis they installed him. When Emperor Xizong learned of this, in the fourth month of Wende 1 he was made Minister of Works and acting military governor. In the seventh month he was made Golden-Gleam Glory Grand Master, Acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and full military governor of Wei-Bo. During the Longji era he was made Acting Minister of Works and concurrent Grand Councilor, and enfeoffed as Duke of Yuzhang.
19
乾寧中，硃全忠急攻兗鄆，硃瑄求援於太原。 太原發軍，假道於魏，令大將李存信屯莘縣。 存信御軍無法，侵魏之芻牧，弘信不平之。 全忠復遣人謂之曰：「太原志吞河朔，回戈之日，貴道堪憂。」 弘信乃托好於汴，出師三萬攻存信，敗之。 太原怒，舉兵攻魏，營於觀音門外。 汴將葛從周援之，屯於洹水。 李克用子落落時為鐵林軍使，為從周所擒，乃退歸。 自是太原之師，每歲侵擾相、魏，魏人患之。
During the Qianning era Zhu Quanzhong pressed his attack on Yan and Yanzhou, and Zhu Xuan sought help from Taiyuan. Taiyuan sent an army through Wei by permission and stationed the great general Li Cunxin at Shen county. Cunxin disciplined his troops poorly and encroached on Wei's fodder and pastures. Hongxin resented this. Quanzhong sent another envoy to warn him, "Taiyuan means to swallow all of Hebei. When they turn their spears homeward, your circuit will be in peril. Hongxin then feigned friendship with Bian, marched thirty thousand men against Cunxin, and defeated him. Taiyuan was furious and marched on Wei, encamping outside Guanyin Gate. Ge Congzhou of Bian came to his aid and encamped on the Huan River. Li Keyong's son Luoluo, then commander of the Iron Forest Army, was captured by Congzhou, and the Taiyuan army withdrew. Thereafter the Taiyuan army raided Xiang and Wei year after year, to the great distress of the Wei people.
20
硃全忠方事兗鄆，懼弘信離貳，每歲時賂遺，必卑辭厚禮答貺。 全忠對魏使北面拜而受之，曰：「六兄比予倍年已上，兄弟之國，安得以常鄰遇之。」 弘信以為厚己，亦推心焉。 弘信累官至檢校太師、守侍中、臨清王。 光化元年九月卒，年六十三，贈太師，追封北平王，謚曰莊肅。 子威。
Quanzhong was then occupied with Yan and Yanzhou and feared Hongxin might turn against him. Every year he sent gifts, and Hongxin always replied with humble words and lavish courtesy. Quanzhong would bow northward to Wei's envoy as he received the gifts, saying, "Sixth Elder Brother is more than twice my age. As brother states, how can we treat each other as ordinary neighbors? Hongxin took this as genuine regard for himself and gave Quanzhong his trust in return. Hongxin rose in due course to Acting Grand Preceptor, Guardian Palace Attendant, and King of Linqing. He died in the ninth month of Guanghua 1 at the age of sixty-three. He was posthumously made Grand Preceptor, enfeoffed as King of Northern Ping, and given the posthumous title Zhuangsu. His son was Wei.
21
威，字端己。 文德初，授左散騎常侍，充天雄軍節度副使。 自龍紀至乾寧，十年之中，累加官爵。 弘信卒，襲父位為留後，朝廷從而命之。 天復末，累加至檢校太傅、兼侍中、長沙王。 天祐初，授檢校太尉、守侍中，進封鄴王，賜號「忠勤宣力致理功臣」。
Wei, courtesy name Duanji. At the beginning of the Wende era he was appointed Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary and deputy military governor of the Tianxiong Army. From the Longji through the Qianning eras, he accumulated offices and titles over ten years. When Hongxin died, Wei succeeded him as acting regent, and the court confirmed the appointment. By the end of the Tianfu era he had risen to Acting Grand Tutor, concurrent Palace Attendant, and King of Changsha. Early in the Tianyou era he was made Acting Grand Commandant and Guardian Palace Attendant, promoted to King of Ye, and granted the title Meritorious Minister of Loyal Diligence, Proclaiming Power, and Ordering Governance.
22
魏之牙中軍者，自至德中，田承嗣盜據相、魏、澶、博、衛、貝等六州，召募軍中子弟置之部下，遂以為號。 皆豐給厚賜，不勝驕寵。 年代浸遠，父子相襲，親黨膠固。 其凶戾者，強買豪奪，逾法犯令，長吏不能禁。 變易主帥，有同兒戲，如史憲誠、何進滔、韓君雄、樂彥禎，皆為其所立。 優獎小不如意，則舉族被害。 威懲其往弊，雖以貨賂姑息，而心銜之。
Wei's yamen guard army dated from the Zhide era, when Tian Chengsi seized Xiang, Wei, Chan, Bo, Wei, and Bei and the other six prefectures. He enrolled soldiers' sons and younger brothers in his personal following, and they took that as their name. They were lavishly paid and rewarded until pride and indulgence knew no bounds. As generations passed, fathers and sons succeeded one another in the ranks, and kinship ties grew iron-hard. The most violent among them extorted goods by force, broke the law with impunity, and local officials could not restrain them. Replacing commanders was child's play to them. Shi Xiancheng, He Jintao, Han Junxiong, and Le Yanzhen had all been installed by the guard. If rewards fell the least bit short of their expectations, entire clans were slaughtered. Wei was determined to end these abuses. Though he placated the guard with gifts and bribes, he nursed a deep grievance against them.
23
威嗣世之明年，正月，幽州劉仁恭擁兵十萬，謀亂河朔，進陷貝州，長驅攻魏。 威求援於汴。 硃全忠遣將李思安屯於洹水。 葛從周自邢、洺引軍入魏。 燕將劉守文、單可及攻汴軍於內黃。 思安逆戰，大敗之，乘勝追躡。 從周出會掩擊，覆敗燕軍，斬首三萬。 三年，威引汴軍攻滄州以報之。 自是，威感全忠援助之恩，合從景附。
In the first month of the year after Wei succeeded his father, Liu Rengong of Youzhou marched a hundred thousand men to stir trouble in Hebei, seized Bei prefecture, and drove straight at Wei. Wei sought help from Bian. Zhu Quanzhong sent the general Li Si'an to encamp on the Huan River. Ge Congzhou marched from Xing and Ming into Wei. The Yan generals Liu Shouwen and Shan Keji attacked the Bian army at Neihuang. Si'an met them in battle, routed them, and pursued the fleeing army. Congzhou came out to join the attack from ambush, crushed the Yan army, and took thirty thousand heads. In the third year Wei led Bian troops against Cangzhou in retaliation. From then on Wei was grateful for Quanzhong's aid and drew ever closer to him in alliance.
24
天祐二年七月十三日夜，牙軍裨校李公佺作亂，威僅以身免。 公佺出奔滄州。 自是愈懼，遣使求援於全忠，密謀破之。 全忠遣李思安會魏博軍，再攻滄州。 全忠女妻威子廷規，先是卒。 全忠遣長直軍校馬嗣勳選兵千人，密於輿中實兵甲入魏，言助女葬事。 三年正月五日，嗣勳至，全忠親率大軍濟河，言視行營於滄景。 威欲因而出迎，至期，即假全忠帳下銳卒入而夾攻之。 牙軍頗疑，堅請不出。 威恐洩其事，慰納之。 是月十四日夜，率廝養百十輩，與嗣勳合攻之。 時宿於牙城者千人，遲明殺之殆盡； 凡八千家，皆破其族。 魏軍攻滄州者，在歷亭聞有變，其將史仁遇擁之，保於高唐。 六州之內，皆為讎敵，累月平之。 威仕梁數年後卒，年三十四，位至守太師、兼中書令，贈尚書令，謚曰貞壯。
On the night of the thirteenth day of the seventh month of Tianyou 2, yamen guard deputy Li Gongxian mutinied, and Wei barely escaped with his life. Gongxian fled to Cangzhou. Wei grew still more fearful and sent envoys to Quanzhong for aid, secretly plotting to destroy the guard. Quanzhong sent Li Si'an with Wei-Bo troops to attack Cangzhou again. Quanzhong's daughter had been married to Wei's son Tinggui, who had recently died. Quanzhong sent the long-service officer Ma Sixun with a thousand picked men, weapons hidden in funeral carts, under the pretext of attending his daughter's burial in Wei. On the fifth day of the first month of the third year Sixun arrived, and Quanzhong personally led a great army across the river, claiming he was inspecting the Cangjing front. Wei planned to go out to welcome him and, when the day came, let Quanzhong's elite troops into the city to attack the guard from both sides. The guard grew suspicious and insisted he stay inside. Fearing his plot would leak out, Wei soothed them and agreed to stay. On the night of the fourteenth he led a hundred-odd personal retainers and joined Sixun in the attack. By dawn nearly all of the thousand men quartered in the yamen city had been killed; eight thousand households in all had their entire clans wiped out. The Wei troops besieging Cangzhou, encamped at Liting, heard of the upheaval. Their commander Shi Renyu held them together and withdrew to Gaotang. Throughout the six prefectures every survivor became an enemy, and it took months to pacify the region. Wei served the Liang court for several years and died at thirty-four, having reached Guardian Grand Preceptor and concurrent Chief Minister of the Secretariat. He was posthumously made Director of the Department of State Affairs with the posthumous title Zhenzhuang.
25
威性明敏，達於吏道。 伏膺儒術，招納文人，聚書至萬卷。 每花朝月夕，與賓佐賦詠，甚有情致。 錢塘人羅隱者，有當世詩名，自號「江東生」。 威遣使賂遺，敘其宗姓，推為叔父。 隱亦集其詩寄之。 威酷嗜其作，目己所為曰《偷江東集》，凡五卷，今鄴中人士諷詠之。
Wei was intelligent and quick-witted and skilled in administration. He revered Confucian learning, gathered scholars about him, and amassed a library of ten thousand scrolls. On spring days and moonlit nights he would compose poetry with his staff, with real grace and feeling. Luo Yin of Qiantang enjoyed great renown as a poet of his day and styled himself the Eastern River Student. Wei sent envoys with gifts, traced their shared clan ancestry, and treated Yin as his uncle. Yin in turn sent Wei a collection of his poems. Wei adored his work and titled his own compositions Collected Poems Pilfered from the Eastern River, five scrolls in all. They are still recited among the gentry of Ye.
26
史臣曰：魏、鎮、燕三鎮，不能制之也久矣。 兵強地廣，合從連衡。 爵命雖假於朝廷，群臣自謀於元帥。 如史憲誠等五家，其初皆因此而得之，其後亦因此而失之。 蓋不知取之以權，守之以仁，則遠矣。 若善繼者，史氏、羅氏之二子有焉，其餘不足觀也。
The historiographer comments: The court has long been unable to control the three commands of Wei, Zhen, and Yan. Their armies were strong and their territories vast; they formed alliances and played the balance of power. Though titles came from the court on paper, the ministers plotted with their own commanders. The five houses represented here, beginning with Shi Xiancheng, all gained their power in this way—and lost it in the same way. They did not understand that power seized by force must be held by benevolence; without that wisdom, ruin was inevitable. Among those who governed well, only the sons of the Shi and Luo families qualify; the rest are hardly worth notice.
27
贊曰：逆取順守，古亦有之。 如其逆守，滅亡必隨。 史、何、韓、樂，世數盛衰。 足以為鑒，念茲在茲。
Eulogy: Seizing power by force yet ruling with obedience to the throne—history offers precedents even for that. But to seize power by rebellion and cling to it by rebellion is to invite certain ruin. The houses of Shi, He, Han, and Le rose and fell across the generations. Let their fate be a warning—let this lesson never be forgotten.