1
On wuzi in the first month of Zhenming 6, Zhu Hanbin, prefect of Cao, was appointed military commissioner of the Xuanwei Army at An. Wang Yanzhang—Kuangguo observation commissioner at Xu, acting commander of the Scattered Command, and honorary Grand Mentor—was made Kuangguo military commissioner and enfeoffed Marquis Who Opens the State, retaining his army posts.
2
On guichou in the second month Qian Chuanjing of Xuanzhou resumed duty with his former titles of honorary Grand Mentor and co-equal chief minister—he had been observing mourning for his mother. On dinghai in the third month Zhang Shaogui, former prefect of Shen, became Director of the Court of Judicial Review. On jihai in the fourth month of summer the throne proclaimed:
3
王者愛育萬方，慈養百姓，恨不驅之仁壽，撫以淳和。 而炎、黃有戰伐之師，堯、舜有干戈之用，諒不獲已，其猶病諸。 然則去害除妖，興兵動眾，殺黑龍而濟中土，刑白馬而誓諸侯，終能永逸暫勞，以至同文共軌，古今無異，方冊具存。 朕以眇末之身，托億兆之上，四海未乂，八年於茲，業業兢兢，日慎一日。 雖逾山越海，肅慎方來，而召雨征風，蚩尤尚在。 顧茲殘孽，勞我大邦，將士久於戰征，黎庶疲於力役。 木牛暫息，則師人有乏爨之憂； 流馬盡行，則丁壯有無聊之苦。 況青春告謝，朱夏已臨，妨我農時，迫我戎事。 永言大計，思致小康，宜覃在宥之恩，稍示殷憂之旨。 用兵之地，賦役實煩，不有蠲除，何使存濟。 除兩京已放免外，應宋、亳、輝、潁、鄆、齊、魏、滑、鄭、濮、沂、密、青、登、萊、淄、陳、許、均、房、襄、鄧、泌、隨、陝、華、雍、晉、絳、懷、汝、商等三十二州，應欠貞明四年終已前夏秋兩稅，並鄆、齊、滑、濮、襄、晉、輝等七州，兼欠貞明四年已前營田課利物色等，並委租庸使逐州據其名額數目矜放。 所在官吏，不得淹停製命，征督下民，致恩澤不及於鄉閭，租稅虛捐於帳籍。 其有私放遠年債負，生利過倍，自違格條，所在州縣，不在更興征理之限。 兗州城內，自張守進違背朝廷，結連蕃寇，久勞攻討，頗困生靈，言念傷殘，尋加給復。 應天下見禁罪人，如犯大辟合抵極刑者，宜示好生，特令減死。 除準格律常赦不原外，徒流已下，遞減一等。 除降官未經量移者與量移，已量移者便與復資雲。
A ruler should cherish all under heaven and care for the people, wishing he could lead them to long life in virtue and govern them in gentle peace. Even the Yellow and Flame emperors and Yao and Shun resorted to arms when they had no choice, though war grieved them. Removing scourges sometimes requires armies: legends tell of slaying the Black Dragon and swearing feudal lords at the white horse—brief hardship for lasting order, one law for all, as histories record. I, a man of little account set over millions, have ruled eight years while the realm remains unsettled, growing more careful each day. Distant peoples may submit, yet like Chiyou the storm of rebellion still rages. These rebels drain the empire: troops have fought for years and the people are worn down by labor levies. When supply wagons halt, soldiers fear empty pots; when every cart rolls, farmers suffer pointless toil. Spring is over and summer upon us—war now steals the season from the plow. Seeking a measure of peace, I mean to grant broad pardon and show how deeply the troubles weigh on me. War zones are crushed by taxes; without relief the people cannot endure. Besides remissions already granted in the two capitals, thirty-two prefectures may write off summer and autumn taxes through Zhenming 4; seven more may also write off garrison-field dues before that year—the Rent and Corvée commissioner will verify registers and remit by name. Magistrates must not stall the edict or squeeze the countryside, lest mercy fail to arrive while books show taxes paid in vain. Private lenders who charged more than double on old debts broke the law—officials may not reopen those claims. Yanzhou suffered years of siege after Zhang Shoujin’s rebellion; remembering the people’s wounds, the throne will soon restore its tax base. Those awaiting execution should be shown mercy and their sentences reduced. Except where law and ordinary amnesty forbid pardon, reduce penal exile and lesser crimes by one degree. Demoted officials not yet reassigned shall be moved; those already moved shall have rank and pay restored.
4
庚子，宗正卿朱守素上言：「請依前朝置匭院，令諫議大夫專判。」 從之，乃以右諫議大夫鄭韜光充知匭使。 乙巳，以右僕射兼門下侍郎、同平章事、監修國史、判度支、開國公敬翔為宏文館大學士、延質庫使、諸道鹽鐵轉運等使，餘如故。 以中書侍郎兼刑部尚書、平章事、集賢殿大學士、判戶部事鄭玨為監修國史、判度支。 以中書侍郎、平章事蕭頃為集賢殿大學士、判戶部事。 以尚書左丞李琪為中書侍郎、平章事。 丙午，吏部侍朗趙光胤為尚書左丞。 己酉，以河中護國軍節度副大使、知節度事、製置度支解縣池場等使、開府儀同三司、守太保、兼中書令、冀王友謙依前守太保、兼中書令，兼同州節度使，餘如故。 癸丑，鄜延節度使兼西面招討接應等使、檢校太保、兼中書令、渤海郡王高萬興進封延安王，賜號匡時定節功臣。 前衡州長史劉騭進所撰《地理手鏡》十卷。 己未，以租庸判官、尚書工部郎中張銳為戶部郎中，充崇政院學士。 辛酉，以前吏部侍郎盧協為禮部侍郎。
On gengzi Zhu Shousu, Director of the Imperial Clan, proposed: "Restore the Petition Box Court as in former reigns and put remonstrance grandees in sole charge of it." The throne agreed and named Right Remonstrance Grandee Zheng Taoguang Petition-Box commissioner. On yisi Jing Xiang—Right Vice Director, co-equal chief minister, national-history overseer, and Revenue head—became Hongwen grand academician and commissioner of the Extended Treasury and salt-and-iron transport, retaining his other posts. Zheng Jue, Secretariat Vice Minister and Households overseer, took over national history and Revenue. Xiao Qing, Vice Minister of the Secretariat and Grand Counselor, became grand academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies and overseer of the Ministry of Households. Li Qi, Left Secretariat Director, was promoted to Secretariat Vice Minister and chief minister. On bingwu Zhao Guangyin of Personnel became Left Secretariat Director. On jiyou Prince of Ji Zhu Youqian kept his Grand Preceptor and Secretariat Director titles and added Tongzhou military commissioner, retaining his other commissions. On guichou Gao Wanxing of Fuyan was made Prince of Yan'an with the merit epithet Merit Lord Who Stabilizes the Age and Sets the Seasons. Liu Chi, former senior adjutant of Hengzhou, submitted ten fascicles of his 《Geographic Hand Mirror》. On jiwei Zhang Rui, Rent and Corvée judge, became Households bureau director and Chongzheng Hall academician. On xinyou Lu Xie, former Personnel Vice Minister, was appointed Rites Vice Minister.
5
五月乙丑，故左衛上將軍齊奉國贈太傅。 詔曰：「應文武朝官，或有替罷多年，漂流在外者，宜令中書門下量才除授，勿使棲遲。 或有進士策名、累年未釋褐者，與初任一官； 已釋褐者，依前資敘用。」 乙酉，升宋州為大都督府，其餘廢大都督府額。
On yichou in the fifth month the late Qi Fengguo, Left Guard senior general, was posthumously honored as Grand Mentor. An edict declared: "Civil and military officials long unemployed and wandering should be given posts suited to their talent, lest they languish. Jinshi who never received their first appointment shall receive one office; those already robed shall be ranked by prior merit." On yiyou Songzhou became a Superior Metropolitan Prefecture while other such designations were abolished.
6
In the sixth month Liu Yan of Yan, Yin Hao of Hua, Wen Zhaotu of Chong, and Duan Ning of the Manor Estates marched on Tongzhou. Zhu Youqian of Hedong had seized Tongzhou and Cheng Quanhui, its commissioner, rode alone to the capital. Youqian installed his son Lingde as acting commissioner and asked for the seal; the court refused; Fearing resentment, the Emperor then named Youqian concurrent commissioner of Tong—but before the edict arrived Youqian rebelled and sought Jin’s aid, and punitive armies were dispatched.
7
On gengyin in the ninth month Palace Attendant Lang Gongyuan was sent as envoy of goodwill to the Khitan. The Prince of Jin sent Li Sizhao, Li Cunshen, and Wang Jianji to relieve Tongzhou and battle was joined under the walls. Our forces were beaten; the generals fell back with survivors to Luowen Stockade in Hua.
8
In the tenth month of winter the Chenzhou rebels Wu Yi and Dong Yi were put to death. Chenzhou commoners dabbled in heterodox cults, aping Buddhism while founding a sect called the "Supreme Vehicle." They abstained from meat, drew in the ignorant, mixed obscenity with worship, and met by night. Local officials looked the other way until the movement spread unchecked. Prefect Prince of Hui You Neng, favored as imperial kin, broke the law at will, and villains flocked to him. Wu Yi’s band grew to a thousand, pillaging the countryside while magistrates dared not act. By autumn they had swelled, linked with Huai tribes, and defeated every prefectural force the court sent. Chen, Ying, and Cai bore the worst of their ravages. They proclaimed Wu Yi emperor and installed their other leaders in offices. Imperial Guards and allied prefectural troops then crushed them, took eighty-odd chiefs including Wu Yi, and beheaded them in the capital market.
9
On guisi in the first month of Longde 1 an edict required the Censorate to inspect circuit memorial adjudicators, who after main court audience should offer respects at the Secretariat and Chancellery. Violations were to be memorialized by name. Officials granted court robes had to have Palace Gate commissioners submit their appointment records to the Secretariat and Chancellery, and new titles could be entered only after edict slips were received. On jiachen Wen Zhaotu was made Kuangguo military commissioner and observation commissioner of Chen, Xu, and Cai. Wang Yanzhang was named deputy Xuanyi military commissioner over Zheng, Hua, and Pu while keeping his Northern Campaign deputy Pacification post.
10
二月己未，以權知靜勝軍節度觀察留後、前汝州防禦使華溫琪為靜勝軍節度觀察留後，依前檢校太傅。 丙寅，以荊南節度使、檢校太師、兼中書令、渤海郡王高季昌為守中書令，依前荊南節度使。 庚午，以晉州建寧軍節度觀察留後劉玘為晉州節度使、檢校太保。 壬申，史館上言：「伏見北齊文士魏收著《後魏書》，於時自魏太武之初，至於北齊，書不獲就，乃大征百官家傳，刊總斟酌，隨條甄舉，搜訪遺亡，數年之間，勒為一代典籍，編在北史，固非虛言。 臣今請明下製，敕內外百官及前資士子、帝戚勳家，並各納家傳，具述父祖事行源流及才術德業灼然可考者，並纂述送史館。 如記得前朝會昌已後公私，亦任抄錄送官，皆須直書，不用文藻。 兼以兵火之後，簡牘罕存，應內外臣僚，曾有奏行公事，關涉製置，或討論沿革，或章疏文詞，有可采者，並許編錄送納。 候史館修撰之日，考其所上公事，與中書門下文案事相符會，或格言正辭詢訪不謬者，並與編載。 所冀忠臣名士，共流家國之耿光； 孝子順孫，獲記祖先之丕烈。 而且周德見乎殷紀，舜典存乎禹功，非唯十世可知，庶成一朝大典。 臣叨庸委任，獲領監修，將贖素食，輒幹元覽。」 詔從之。 鹽鐵轉運使敬翔奏：「請於雍州、河陽、徐州三處重置場院稅茶。」 從之。 己卯，禮部尚書、充西都副留守兼判尚書省事崔沂奏：「西京都省，凡有公事奏聞，常須借印施行，伏請鑄尚事省分司印一面。」 從之。 是月，鎮州大將王德明殺其帥王熔，自稱留後，遣使來求援。 宰臣敬翔請許之，租庸使趙岩等以為不可，乃止。
On jiwei in the second month Hua Wenqi became Jingsheng observation commissioner with his former honorary Grand Mentor title. On bingyin Gao Jichang of Jingnan was named acting Secretariat Director while remaining Jingnan commissioner. On gengwu Liu Qi became Jinzhou military commissioner and honorary Grand Preceptor. On renshen the Historiography Office memorialized: "Citing Wei Shou’s 《History of Later Wei》, unable to finish from Taiwu to Northern Qi, he gathered officials’ genealogies, sifted and recovered lost material, and within years produced a classic now preserved in the Northern History. We ask an edict requiring officials, scholars, kin, and meritorious houses to submit genealogies of verifiable ancestors and send compiled accounts to the Historiography Office. Memories of public affairs since Huichang may be copied in plain prose without ornament. Moreover, after the fires of war, documents rarely survive. Officials inside and outside the court who once memorialized on public business touching institutions, discussed precedents and changes, or wrote memorial language worth preserving may all compile and submit it. At compilation time their submissions will be checked against Secretariat files; verified material and sound phrases will enter the history. Thus loyal ministers and eminent men may shine in the annals of the realm; and filial descendants may preserve their forebears’ fame. As Zhou virtue appears in Yin records and Shun’s canon in Yu’s deeds, ten generations may be known and our dynasty’s great history completed. Humbly overseeing compilation, I venture this plea before your majesty." The throne approved. Jing Xiang, Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner, memorialized: "Please restore tea taxes at market yards in Yong, Heyang, and Xu." The request was granted. On jimao Cui Yi of Rites memorialized: "The Western Capital directorate must borrow seals for public business; please cast a branch seal for the directorate office." The throne agreed. That month Wang Deming of Zhenzhou murdered Wang Rong, declared himself acting commissioner, and asked for help. Jing Xiang favored acceptance; Zhao Yan and others refused, and the court declined.
11
On dinghai, first of the third month, Li Shu of Sacrificial Affairs proposed: "Ban private ordinations throughout the realm and forbid unauthorized purple robes and master titles. Candidates must pass court examination before ordination; those returning to lay life may do so freely." An edict ruled: "Purple robes and master titles on both capitals’ monastic avenues shall be listed by the Merit commissioner. Vacancies alone may be filled, and only monks of proven conduct and long discipline. At each Bright Sage Festival each avenue may ordain seven monks at the state altar. Provincial ordinations must use the capital altar, with certificates from Sacrificial Affairs. Only the two capitals’ avenues will keep monastic registrars; provincial registrars are abolished." On jichou Du Guangyi, former War bureau director, retired as Left Remonstrance Grandee. On renyin three counties were renamed at Secretariat Drafter Ma Gao’s request: Yan to Yanxia, Jiaoyi to Yifu, Hanzhu to Jiaoyuan.
12
In the fourth month of summer Prince of Hui You Neng of Chenzhou rebelled and marched on the capital. The Emperor sent armies to meet them and won. You Neng shut himself in Chenzhou; Zhang Hanjie was ordered to besiege him. Kaifeng’s Taikang, Xiangyi, and Yongqiu were told to levy summer tax only on grain still standing after Chen rebels swept through.
13
五月丙戌朔，製曰：
On bingxu, first of the fifth month, the throne proclaimed:
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朕聞惟辟動天，惟聖時憲，故君為善則天降之以福，為不善則降之以災。 朕以眇末之身，托於王公之上，不能荷先帝艱難之運，所以致蒼生塗炭之危。 兵革薦興，災害仍集，內省厥咎，蓋由朕躬。 故北有邊裔狡逞之師，西有蒲、同亂常之旅，連年戰伐，積歲轉輸，虔劉我士民，侵據我郡邑。 師無宿飽之饋，家無擔石之儲，而又水潦為災，蟲蝗作沴，戒譴作於上，怨谘聞於下。 而況骨肉之內，竊弄干戈，畿甸之中，輒為陵暴。 但責躬而罪己，敢怨天以尤人。 蓋朕無德以事上玄，無功以及兆庶，不便於時者未能去，有益於民者未能行。 處事昧於酌中，發令乖於至當，招致災患，引翼禍殃。 罪在朕躬，不敢自赦。 夙夜是懼，寢食靡寧，將勵己以息災，爰布澤而從欲。 今以薰風方扇，旭日初升，朔既視於正陽，曆宜更於嘉號。 庶惟新之令，敷華夏以同歡； 期克念之心，與皇王而合道。 其貞明七年，宜改為龍德元年，應天下見禁罪人，除大辟罪外，遞減一等。 德音到後，三日內疏理訖奏。 應欠貞明三年、四年諸色殘欠，五年、六年夏稅殘稅，並放。 侍衛親軍及諸道行營將士等第頒賜優賞，已從別敕處分。 左降官與量移，已經量移者與復資。 長流人各移近地，已經移者許歸鄉里，前資朝官，寄寓遠方，仰長吏津置赴闕。 內外文武常參官、節度使、留後、刺史、父母亡歿者並與封贈。 公私債負，納利及一倍已上者，不得利上生利。 先經陣歿將校，各與追贈雲。
Heaven answers the ruler’s virtue with blessing and his faults with disaster—such is the way of the sage-kings. I, unworthy upon the throne, failed to sustain my father’s hard-won realm and brought the people to ruin. War and calamity persist; the fault is mine alone. Northern barbarians raid; Pu and Tong rebel in the west—years of war have slaughtered our people and lost our towns. Troops go hungry, homes empty; flood and locust follow, heaven warns and the people murmur. Even kin have taken up arms; the capital itself has been terrorized. I blame only myself, not Heaven or my subjects. I have lacked virtue before heaven and merit for the people, failing to end what harms the age or do what helps it. My judgments have missed the mark and my edicts gone awry, inviting catastrophe. The fault is mine alone; I claim no exemption. I lie awake in dread and will reform myself, granting mercy to ease the realm. As summer begins and a new reign day dawns, the era name must change. Let renewal reach all the land in shared joy. And may my resolve match the way of the sage-kings. The seventh year of Zhenming becomes Longde 1; all prisoners except capital cases are reduced one degree. Courts must finish review within three days of the amnesty. Tax arrears from Zhenming 3 through 6 are forgiven. Guards and campaign troops received graded bonuses by separate edict. Demoted officials are reassigned; the reassigned regain rank. Exiles move closer or home; displaced officials shall be escorted to the capital. All ranking officials and commissioners may enfeoff deceased parents. Lenders who have recovered principal may not charge interest on interest. Officers killed in action receive posthumous honors.
15
Li Yan of the Xuanhe Treasury was given acting command of Yanzhou. On dinghai an edict said: "Suburban sacrifices brought largesse, but this era change had no rewards. The throne therefore granted a special bounty. Campaign bonuses sent to soldiers’ families should be announced by Huo Yanwei, Wang Yanzhang, and Zhang Hanjie." That month Liu Yan, Yanzhou commissioner and Hedong campaign commander, died.
16
17
秋七月，陳州朱友能降。 庚子，詔曰：「朕君臨四海，子育兆民，惟持不黨之心，庶葉無私之運。 其有齒予戚屬，雖深敦敘之情。 幹我國經，難固含宏之旨。 須遵常憲，以示至公。 特進、檢校太傅、使持節陳州刺史、兼御史大夫、上柱國、食邑三千戶惠王友能，列爵為王，頒條治郡，受元戎之寄任，處千里之封疆。 就進官資，巳登崇貴，時加錫賚，以表優隆。 宜切知恩，合思盡節，撫俗當申於仁政，佐時期效於忠規。 而狎彼小人，納其邪說，忽稱兵而向闕，敢越境以殘民，侵犯郊畿，驚撓輦轂，遠邇咸嫉，謀畫交陳。 及興問罪之師，旋驗知非之狀，瀝懇繼陳於章表，束身願赴於闕庭，備述艱危，覬加寬恕。 朕得不自為屈己，姑務安仁，特施貸法之恩，蓋舉議親之律。 詢於事體，抑有朝章，止行退責之文，用塞眾多之論。 可降封房陵侯。 於戲！ 君臣之禮，彼有不恭； 伯仲之恩，予垂立愛。 顧茲輕典，豈稱群情，凡在臣僚，當體朕意。」 甲辰，制以特進、檢校太傅、衡王友諒可封嗣廣王。
In the seventh month of autumn Zhu You Neng of Chenzhou surrendered. On gengzi the Emperor declared: "I rule all and seek impartial justice. Though kinship binds me to kinsmen, those who break the law cannot be indulged. Statute must prevail over favor. Prince of Hui You Neng of Chen—a prince with three thousand households, entrusted with a thousand li. He had been raised to the highest honors and showered with gifts. He should have repaid favor with loyalty and governed humanely. Instead he listened to villains, marched on the capital, ravaged the people, and terrified the court. Defeated, he begged forgiveness and offered to surrender at court. I humbled myself and showed kin mercy under commuted sentence. Yet statute required punishment; demotion alone answers the critics. He is demoted to Marquis of Fangling. Ah! Between ruler and subject he showed no respect; yet as brother I still show love. This light sentence may not satisfy opinion; officials should understand my intent." On jiachen Prince of Heng Zhu Youliang was enfeoffed as succeeding Prince of Guang.
18
In the tenth month of winter Dai Siyuan attacked Desheng’s north wall; Jin relief defeated him at Qi.
19
In the first month of Longde 2 Dai Siyuan raided Weizhou. While the Prince of Jin besieged Zhenzhou, Siyuan took Cheng'an and stormed Desheng’s north wall; Li Cunshen held firm. In the second month the Prince of Jin came up; Siyuan withdrew to Yang village. In the eighth month Duan Ning and Zhang Lang took Weizhou and sent captive commissioner Li Cunru to court. Dai Siyuan also seized Qimen, Gongcheng, and Xinxiang. West of Chan and south of Xiang fell to Liang; Jin lost a third of its stores.
20
In the third month of Longde 3 Li Jiyao of Luzhou offered the city to Liang. His father Li Sizhao had held Luzhou and died at Zhenzhou; the Prince of Jin meant to give the post to eldest son Jichou. Jiyao imprisoned Jichou, submitted to Liang, and sent two sons as hostages. Ze prefect Pei Yue refused the plot; Dong Zhang was sent to take Ze by force.
21
On jisi in the fourth month of summer the Prince of Jin took the Tang throne at Weizhou, renaming Tianyou 20 Tongguang 1. In the intercalary month on renyin Tang forces stormed Yan Prefecture and captured it. Inspection commissioner Liu Suoyan, former prefect of Chen, and Yan Yong, the prefecture commander, fled to the capital and were beheaded in the marketplace.
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In the fifth month Wang Yanzhang of Hua became Northern Campaign Pacification commissioner. On xinyou Wang Yanzhang sailed from Yang village and severed Desheng’s pontoon bridge. He stormed the south city, took it, and killed dozens. The Tang emperor abandoned Desheng’s north wall and concentrated at Yangliu. On jisi Wang Yanzhang and Duan Ning besieged Yangliu. On yihai in the sixth month the Tang emperor relieved Yangliu while secretly fortifying east of Bozhou. On wuzi Yanzhang and Du Yanqiu failed to storm Bozhou’s new works and fell back to Zou mouth.
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On dingwei in the seventh month the Tang emperor led his army south along the river. Wang Yanzhang left Zou mouth and returned to Yangliu. On jiwei he abandoned Yangliu for Yang village stockade. In the eighth month Duan Ning replaced Wang Yanzhang as northern commander. On wuzi Duan Ning camped at Wang village, crossed at Gaoling, and maneuvered along the river. Dong Zhang took Ze prefecture. On gengyin at Hucheng vanguard Kang Yanxiao defected with a hundred riders and betrayed Liang dispositions. The Emperor sent Wang Yanzhang of Hua to guard Yan’s eastern frontier. On wuchen in the ninth month Yanzhang crossed the Wen, lost at Difang, and retreated to Zhongdu.
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冬十月辛未朔，日有食之。 甲戌，唐帝引師襲中都，王彥章兵潰，於是彥章與監軍張漢傑及趙廷隱、劉嗣彬、李知節、唐文通、王山興等皆為唐人所獲。 翌日，彥章死於任城。 帝聞中都之敗，唐軍長驅將至，遣張漢倫馳驛召段凝於河上； 漢倫墜馬傷足，復限水潦，不能進。 時禁軍尚有四千人，朱圭請以拒唐軍，帝不從，登建國門召開封尹王瓚，謂之曰：「段凝未至，社稷係卿方略。」 瓚即驅軍民登城為備。 或勸帝西奔洛陽，趙岩曰：「勢已如是，一下此樓，誰心可保。」 乃止。 俄報曰：「晉軍過曹州矣！」 帝置傳國寶於臥內，俄失其所在，已為左右所竊迎唐帝矣。 帝召控鶴都將皇甫麟，謂之曰：「吾與晉人世仇，不可俟彼刀鋸，卿可盡我命，無令落仇人之手。」 麟不忍，帝曰：「卿不忍，將賣我耶！」 麟舉刀將自剄，帝持之，因相對大慟。 戊寅夕，麟進刃於建國樓之廊下，帝崩。 〈（《五代會要》：末帝年三十六。）〉 麟即時自剄。 遲明，唐軍攻封丘門，王瓚迎降。 唐帝入宮，妃郭氏號泣迎拜。 初，許州獻綠毛龜，宮中造室以蓄之，命曰「龜堂」。 帝嘗市珠於市，既而曰：「珠數足矣。」 眾皆以為不祥之言。 帝末年改名「瑱」字，一十一，十月一八日， 〈（案：此句疑有脫衍，蓋當時傅會者析「王」字為「一十一」，析「真」字為「十月一八」也。 《冊府元龜》作或解云「瑱」字，「一十一，十月一八」，知此句「日」字因下文有「日」字而衍，今姑仍其舊。）〉 果以一十一年至十月九日亡。
On xinwei, first of the tenth month of winter, the sun was eclipsed. On jiaxu the Tang emperor stormed Zhongdu; Yanzhang’s army broke; he, Zhang Hanjie, Zhao Tingyin, and others were taken. The next day Yanzhang was killed at Rencheng. Hearing of Zhongdu’s fall and Tang’s advance, the Emperor dispatched Zhang Hanlun to recall Duan Ning from the river; Hanlun fell, injured his foot, and floods blocked him. Four thousand guards remained; Zhu Gui begged to fight; the Emperor refused, climbed the Founding Gate, called Wang Zan, and said: "Until Duan Ning comes the realm rests on you." Wang Zan mobilized troops and civilians onto the walls. Some urged flight to Luoyang; Zhao Yan said: "Once you leave this tower, who will stand with you?" The Emperor stayed. Soon word came: "Jin has passed Caozhou!" He laid the seal in his chamber; it vanished—courtiers had stolen it to greet the Tang emperor. He called Huangfu Lin of the Crane-Controlled Guard: "Jin is my mortal foe—I will not await their swords; end my life lest I fall captive." Lin hesitated; the Emperor cried: "Will you betray me!" Lin moved to kill himself; the Emperor seized him and both wept. On wuyin at night Huangfu Lin killed the Emperor beneath the Founding Tower. (《Five Dynasties Institutional Compendium》: The Last Emperor was thirty-six.)〉 Huangfu Lin then killed himself. At dawn Tang forces took Fengqiu Gate; Wang Zan surrendered. The Tang emperor entered the palace; Consort Guo wept and bowed in welcome. Xu Prefecture had sent a green-haired tortoise; the palace built a "Tortoise Hall" to house it. The Emperor once bought pearls in the market and said: "There are enough pearls." All heard it as an ill omen. Late in his reign he took the name Zhen—omen-readers split the graphs into "one-ten-one" and "tenth-month eighteenth," (This line is corrupt: contemporaries likely read "Wang" as "one-ten-one" and "Zhen" as "tenth-month eighteenth." The 《Prime Tortoise》 reads "Zhen" the same way; the word "day" may be a duplicate from the next line—we retain the received text.)〉 He did die in his eleventh year on the ninth of the tenth month.
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Entering the Eastern Capital, the Tang emperor learned of the Last Emperor’s death and sighed: "Grudges need not pass to sons. We fought ten years; I regret never meeting him alive." He ordered Zhang Quanyi to bury the body; the head was kept at the Grand Altar. In Tianfu 2 of Later Jin, kin and former officials might reclaim Tang heads stored at the Grand Altar. Lou Jiying requested the head; when he fell from favor, An Chongruan of the Left Guard was ordered to bury it.
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The historian writes: The Last Emperor was kind but not martial, clear-sighted yet blind to traitors; lacking his forebears’ virtue and served by power-hungry ministers, he fell when a mighty foe swept in. Heaven decreed the end, but men too chose wrongly. Pity!