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卷十五 梁書15: 列傳五 韓建 李罕之 馮行襲 孫德昭 趙克裕 張慎思

Volume 15 Book of Later Liang 15: Biographies 5 - Han Jian, Li Hanzhi, Feng Xingxi, Sun Dezhao, Zhao Keyu, Zhang Shensi

Chapter 15 of 舊五代史 · Old History of the Five Dynasties
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Chapter 15
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1
鹿 使使 使
Han Jian, styled Zuoshi, came from Changshe in Xuzhou. His father Shufeng served for generations as a guard officer. When Qin Zongquan held Caizhou he recruited fugitives; Jian joined as a soldier and rose to junior officer. Early in Zhonghe, Yang Fuguang of Zhongwu raised troops at Cai; Jian and townsman Wang Jian marched with Lu Yanhong to relieve the capital. After the rebels fell, Fuguang died suddenly. With Xizong in Shu, Yanhong marched to the court. Marching through the Qinling he raided towns and seized Xingyuan. Yanhong made himself commissioner and appointed Jian Shu prefect. Tian Lingzi lured Jian away from Yanhong with rich promises; Jian returned to court as Shence commander, Golden Guard general, and Tong Pass and Hua commissioner. After the ravaging of He and Tong he cleared land, urged farming, and within years restored refugees and prosperity. Illiterate at first, he studied daily while governing. He labeled household goods with his name until he learned to read. Soon he became Hua-Shang commissioner, Tong Pass commander, honorary Grand Marshal, and chief minister.
2
使使 西 使
Qianning 2 he marched with Maozhen and Xingyu on the capital, forced Wang Gong on Hezhong, and killed ministers. Wang Ke called Jin aid; when Jin crossed the river Zhaozong fled to Shimen. Month 4, year 3, imperial princes attacked Maozhen, were beaten, and the emperor reached Wei Bridge. At Fuping Jian welcomed the emperor and persuaded him east to Hua. Month 7, day 15, the emperor reached Hua with the court in train. He became Grand Secretary, capital pacification commissioner, Jingzhao prefect, and intercept commander. Long at Hua the emperor yearned for the palace and wept at West Creek feasts. Jian promised to rebuild the palace and restore the throne within a year or two. He put Jian in charge of rebuilding the capital and Daming Palace from Hua.
3
西 · 使 使 使 使 使 使 使使
Tianfu 1, month 11, Han Quanhui seized the emperor for Fengxiang; Jian helped. The Founder marched west from Hezhong. Sim Ye surrendered Tongzhou; the Founder besieged Hua and Jian surrendered. The Founder blamed him for intimidating the throne; Jian blamed Li Juchuan and the Founder killed Juchuan. (The 《Northern Dream》 says Jian admitted Juchuan wrote all his state papers. So he was beheaded. The 《New Book of Tang》 says Juchuan came to submit and argued policy. Jing Xiang feared rivalry and told Quanzhong, "Juchuan is brilliant but disloyal. That day Quanzhong killed him.)〉 Old army brothers, they reconciled and Jian became Xu commissioner. When the emperor moved east Jian became Youguo commissioner and Jingzhao prefect. At a feast in Shan the empress toasted the Founder; Jian trod his foot and the Founder feigned drunkenness and left. He staggered away as if drunk. Jian whispered that the emperor and empress plotted murder under cover of music. Tianyou 3 he was made Qing commissioner. At the abdication he became Minister of Works, chief minister, and salt-and-iron transport commissioner. Kaiping 2 he became Palace Secretary and Jianchang Palace commissioner. Year 3 he directed the Luo suburban rites. As chief minister he sometimes spoke bluntly to the throne. The stern Founder indulged Jian more than other ministers. Month 9 he became Grand Preceptor and left the government. (The 《Five Dynasties Institutes》 records limited court appearances as special favor.) A mark of favor.)〉 Year 4, month 4, he took Kuangguo and Chen-Xu-Cai with a pledge of no replacement. (The 《Institutes》 praises his rule at Xuchang and forbids replacement.) The court would not discuss replacing him.)〉 Qianhua 2, month 6, subordinate Zhang Hou murdered Jian in the yamen at fifty-eight.
4
Son Congxun, renamed Wenli, served as crown prince tutor at Hua and became Director of Fields. Early in the dynasty he was Capital Crimes director with purple robes before twenty. Sent to announce mourning at Chen and Xu, he died in the same mutiny as his father. Qianhua 3 he was posthumously named Grand Preceptor.
5
西 西 退 西
Li Hanzhi came from Xiangcheng in Chenzhou. His father Wen was a farming family for generations. Hanzhi was a fierce fighter of several men's strength. He failed as a scholar, became a monk, and was driven out everywhere for unruliness. Begging all day at Suozao without alms, he smashed his bowl, cast off his robes, and became a bandit. When Huang Chao rose he raided and became a bandit chief. When Chao crossed the Yangzi he defected to Tang; Gao Pian made him Guang commissioner. Zongquan drove him from Guang; he regrouped at Xiangcheng and Zhuge Shuang made him Huai commissioner. Guangqi opened with Shuang campaigning against Zongquan and posting Hanzhi at Song. Cai armies grew too strong to face. Zhonghe 4 Shuang made him Henan prefect and eastern capital regent. That year he lavishly hosted Keyong passing through Luoyang and bonded with him. He held three thousand men at Shengyi Monastery. Guangqi 1 Sun Ru besieged Luoyang; outnumbered, Hanzhi fled to Mianchi. Cai rebels held the capital a month, burning palaces and looting the people. They left only ashes and silence. Hanzhi rebuilt camps west of the market.
6
退 使 使 使 退
After Shuang died Liu Jing held Luoyang and feared Hanzhi. He killed officer Guo Qiu and lost the army's trust. Liu Jing ambushed him at Mianchi. Defeated, he held Qianhao. He beat Jing back and pursued to Luoyang. Jing held Jing'ai Monastery; Hanzhi held the imperial stable. He burned Jing'ai Monastery and slaughtered Jing's army. He pressed Heyang from Gong and crossed toward Sishui until Zhang Yan blocked the river. Young Zhongfang was ruled by Liu Jing; the officers were divided. Zhang Yan secretly allied with Hanzhi; Yan crossed to Hanzhi; together they attacked Heyang, lost, and fled to Huai. Winter brought Sun Ru's capture of Heyang. Zhongfang fled by boat; Sun Ru seized Heyang. Soon our armies beat Cai and Sun Ru abandoned Heyang. Hanzhi and Yan begged Taiyuan; Keyong sent An Jinjun and they retook Heyang. Keyong made Hanzhi commissioner and chief minister; and Yan Henan prefect and eastern capital regent. He and Yan swore blood brotherhood like Zhang Er and Chen Yu. Brave yet treacherous and greedy, he ruled without strategy and won no loyalty. He then raided Jin and Jiang from Heyang. His men lived by capture and cannibalism amid famine. After Youyu surrendered Jiang he besieged Jin; Wang Chongying begged the Founder for aid. Zhang Yan supplied grain efficiently while Hanzhi demanded endlessly. When Yan could not meet his demands Hanzhi flogged Henan clerks. He seized eastern tribute and Chongying plotted with Yan against him. Wende 1 spring Yan seized Heyang while Hanzhi attacked Pingyang; Hanzhi fled alone and his clan was captured. Fleeing to Taiyuan, Keyong made him Ze prefect while he still claimed Heyang. Month 3 Keyong sent Li Cunxiao with thirty thousand against Huai and Meng. Starving, Yan sent hostages and begged the Founder; the Founder sent Ge Congzhou and Niu Cunjie to Liuhe Store. When An Xiuxiu defected to Cai, Cunxiao withdrew and Hanzhi held Ze. Thereafter he ravaged Huai, Meng, Jin, and Jiang until the land lay empty of officials and people. Hezhong peasants who ventured out for fuel or water were taken. Even mountain strongholds fell to his raiders. On Mount Cloud-Touching between Pu and Jiang peasants had built a refuge; he took it with a hundred men and was nicknamed Li Cloud-Touching. For more than ten years his cannibal raids left the region a dead wilderness.
7
Qianning 2 Keyong campaigned against Bin and Feng and made Hanzhi his deputy. After Xingyu's death Hanzhi became honorary Grand Marshal with a thousand-household fief. He told Gai Yu, "Since Heyang I have served Keyong without reward. I am old and weary of war. Give me a small post to rest—then I will retire in a year or two. Gai Yu pleaded; Keyong was silent. Passed over for every command, he brooded until Gai Yu feared treachery and pleaded again. Keyong said, "It is not that I begrudge him a post; I keep him as Dong Zhuo kept Lü Bu—fierce but untrustworthy when fed."
8
使 使 西 使 使 使
Feng Xingxi, styled Zhengchen, came from Wudang. He rose through local command posts. During Zhonghe, bandit Sun Xi threatened Wudang and prefect Lü Yu was helpless. Xingxi met Xi on the river and claimed the people wanted the new prefect but feared his army. If Xi camped north of the river and let Xingxi go first to calm the town, all would be settled. Xi agreed. Across the river Xingxi ambushed and beheaded Xi; his band fled. Liu Jurong rewarded him with Jun prefecture. He cleared Long Mountain bandits who robbed tribute on the road to Shu. Ge Zuo made him deputy and garrison commander at Gukou on the Shu road. He took Jin from Maozhen's adopted son Jizhen and became Jin commissioner. He crushed Yang Shouliang marching on the capital through Jin and Shang. Jin was raised to a circuit under Xingxi as Rongzhao commissioner.
9
Harsh yet lucky, he saw locusts devoured by birds and gleanings appear when the people hungered. He used his power to serve the throne and kept his fame. Tall and marked with a blue face, he was called Feng Blue-Face.
10
Son Xu governed Qi and Qin. Son Deyan became Golden Guard general.
11
使
Sun Dezhao of Wuyuan in Yanzhou came from a line of prefectural officers. His father Weijing served Tang with distant Jingnan commission and Shence command. Dezhao inherited rank as Right Shence commander. Guanghua 3 eunuchs deposed Zhaozong and set up Prince De while none could resist. Cui Yin allied with the Founder and secretly plotted restoration. Someone persuaded Dezhao, (The 《Zizhi Tongjian》 says Cui Yin sent Shi Kan to win Dezhao. Dezhao wept when drunk; Shi Kan secured his pledge.)〉 Moved, Dezhao joined Sun Chenghui and Dong Congshi to restore the throne; Cui Yin sealed the pact in writing.
12
使使使
Tianfu 1, New Year's dawn, Dezhao ambushed and killed Liu Jishu; Chenghui seized Wang Zhongxian's faction. Zhaozong, imprisoned in the eastern palace, heard the uproar and feared. Dezhao cried, "Jishu is dead—open the gate and restore the emperor! The empress demanded the rebel's head before she would open the gate. They brought heads; Zhaozong wept and praised them. Cui Yin welcomed the emperor to Danfeng Tower and credited Dezhao with clearing the palace after the Founder killed the eunuchs' agents. Dezhao became honorary Grand Guardian and Jinghai commissioner; his allies received circuits, Li surname, merit titles, and Lingyan portraits. Rewards and favor were unmatched in their day.
13
西 使 使
Month 11 Han Quanhui took the emperor to Fengxiang; Chenghui and Congshi turned traitor with the eunuchs. Only Dezhao held his troops and with Lou Jingsi shielded Cui Yin and the court east of the street. The Founder sent gifts and entrusted him to keep order. Officials at Hua begged the Founder to restore the court. Entering the passes Dezhao met the Founder, who honored him and made him acting Tong commissioner. The people kept him as capital disposition commissioner with a million cash. He gave eight thousand men to the Founder, received a mansion, and went first to Luoyang. When the emperor moved east he became Left Valiant Guard general, then retired ill to his villa. At the abdication he was summoned as Left Collar Guard general. Kaiping 4 he became Left Golden Guard general and street commissioner. The Last Emperor sent him to Zhe but he failed audience and did not go. He was shifted to Right Martial Guard, then back to Left Golden Guard. He died in office and was posthumously named Grand Tutor; court mourned one day.
14
使
With Chenghui and Congshi he was called one of the "Three Envoy-Chancellors" for restoring the throne. Chenghui became Jihui and Congshi Yanbi under Maozhen's adoption. Later the eunuchs' faction fell and both were killed at the capital. Only Dezhao died a natural death with honor.
15
使 使
Zhao Keyu came from Heyang. His grandfather and father were army clerks. A guard officer who loved books and decorum, he won every commander's favor. He rose to command Hulao Pass. When Cai took Heyang he joined the Founder's Xuanyi army. In eastern campaigns against Xu and Yan he never failed the Founder. Within years he held Bo and Zheng. While Cai ravaged the east he fed and protected the people better than other lords. He became Heyang commissioner, then governed Xu, and entered court as Golden Guard general and honorary Grand Marshal. As marshal's left adjutant and six-army commander he acted as Taining commissioner after Yan fell. Within months he died suddenly. Early Kaiping he was posthumously named Grand Tutor.
16
The historian condemns Han Jian for holding Tong Pass yet harming the Tang house despite local good rule. Keyong rightly compared Hanzhi to Lü Bu. Xingxi and Dezhao served loyally and ended well, as they should. Keyu and the rest merit no reproach.
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