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韓建,字佐時,許州長社人。 父叔豐,世為牙校。 初,秦宗權之據蔡州,招合亡命,建隸為軍士,累轉至小校。 唐中和初,忠武監軍楊復光起兵於蔡,宗權遣其將鹿宴宏赴之,建與里人王建俱隸宴宏軍,入援京師。 賊平,復光暴卒。 時僖宗在蜀,宴宏率所部赴行在。 路出南山,因攻剽郡邑,據有興元。 宴宏自為留後,以建為蜀郡刺史。 唐軍容使田令孜密遣人誘建,啖以厚利,建時懼為宴宏所並,乃率所部歸行在,令孜補為神策都校、金吾將軍,出為潼關防禦使兼華州刺史。 河、潼經大寇之後,戶口流散,建披荊棘,辟汙萊,勸課農事,樹植蔬果,出入閭裏,親問疾苦,不數年,流亡畢復,軍民充實。 建比不知書,治郡之暇,日課學習。 遣人於器皿、床榻之上各題其名,建視之既熟,乃漸通文字。 俄遷華商節度、潼關守捉等使,累加檢校太尉、平章事。
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. At the beginning of the Tang dynasty's Zhonghe era, Yang Fuguang, military supervisor of the Zhongwu Army, raised troops at Cai. Qin Zongquan sent his general Lu Yanhong to join him; Han Jian and his fellow townsman Wang Jian then joined Yanhong's army and entered the capital to reinforce it. 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 Yan Hong with rich promises. Fearing that Yan Hong would absorb him, Jian led his troops back to the traveling court, where Lingzi appointed him Shence column commander and Golden Guard general, then sent him out as Tong Pass defense commissioner and concurrently prefect of Huazhou. 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 had the names of vessels, beds, and couches written on them and, once familiar with the labels, gradually learned to read. Soon he became Hua-Shang commissioner, Tong Pass commander, honorary Grand Marshal, and chief minister.
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In Qianning 2 Jian joined Li Maozhen of Fengxiang and Wang Xingyu of Binzhou in marching troops to the capital. They pressured Emperor Zhaozong to appoint Wang Gong military governor of Hezhong and killed senior ministers in the capital. Wang Ke called Jin aid; when Jin crossed the river Zhaozong fled to Shimen. In the fourth month of year 3, Emperor Zhaozong sent the Princes of Yan and Tong at the head of the palace troops to attack Li Maozhen. Maozhen defeated them, and the emperor fled to 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. Zhaozong had long been in Hua Prefecture and yearned to return to the palace. On flower mornings and moonlit evenings he would tour and feast at West Creek with his ministers, compose songs and poems, and weep with sighs. Jian said calmly, "Your servant will repair the great inner palace for Your Majesty and win the feudatories' trust—in one or two years restoration is sure." He put Jian in charge of rebuilding the capital and Daming Palace from Hua.
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In month 2 of the fourth year someone accused eight princes including Prince Mu of plotting against Jian; he imprisoned them, dismissed twenty thousand rear guards, and killed Pengri chief Li Yun. The emperor grew weaker still and lost his guards. Month 8 he besieged the Sixteen Residences; Prince Tong and ten other princes were killed at Shidi Valley as alleged traitors. He also killed Ma Daoyin and Xu Yanshi and demoted Zhu Pu, all Zhaozong favorites. Jian soon added Tongzhou commissioner. Guanghua 1 elevated Hua to Xingde Prefecture and made Jian its intendant. Month 8 the emperor returned to the capital. Month 9 he became Grand Tutor, Duke of Xu, and received an iron certificate.
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天復元年十一月,宦官韓全誨迫天子幸鳳翔,建亦預其謀。 太祖聞之,自河中引軍而西。 前鋒至同州,建判官司馬鄴以城降,遂移軍迫華州,建懼乞降。 太祖責以脅君之罪,建拜伏稱從事李巨川之謀也,太祖即誅巨川。 〈(《北夢瑣言》:韓建曰:「某不識字,凡朝廷章奏、鄰封書檄,皆巨川為之。」 因斬之。 《新唐書·李巨川傳》云:巨川詣軍門納款,因言當世利害。 全忠屬官敬翔以文翰事左右,疑巨川用則全忠待己或衰,乃詭說曰:「巨川誠奇才,顧不利主人,若何!」 是日,全忠殺之。)〉 太祖與建素有軍中昆弟之契,及見,其怒驟息,尋表建為許州節度使。 昭宗東遷,以建為佑國軍節度使、京兆尹。 車駕至陝,召太祖與建侍宴,宮妓奏樂,何皇后舉觴以賜太祖,建躡足,太祖遽起曰:「臣醉不任。」 偽若顛仆即去。 建私謂太祖曰:「上與宮人附耳而語,幕下有兵仗聲,恐圖王爾。」 天祐三年,改青州節度使。 及受禪,征為司徒、平章事,充諸道鹽鐵轉運使。 開平二年,加侍中,充建昌宮使。 三年,郊祀於洛,以建為大禮使。 建為上宰,每謁見,時有直言。 太祖為性剛嚴,群下將迎不暇,待建稍異,故優容之。 九月,冊拜太保,罷知政事。 〈(《五代會要》:開平三年十月,詔曰:太保韓建,每月旦、十五日入閣稱賀,即令赴朝參,餘時弗入見。 示優禮也。)〉 四年三月,除匡國軍節度使、陳許蔡觀察使,仍令中書不議除替。 〈(《五代會要》:乾化元年正月,敕:許昌雄鎮,太保韓建,朕用以布政,民耕盜止,久居其位,庶可勝殘矣。 宜令中書門下不計年月,勿議替。)〉 乾化二年六月,朝廷新有內難,人心動搖,部將張厚因作亂,害建於衙署,時年五十八。
Tianfu 1, month 11, Han Quanhui seized the emperor for Fengxiang; Jian helped. The Founder marched west from Hezhong. The vanguard reached Tongzhou, where Jian's staff officer Sima Ye surrendered the city. The Founder then shifted his army against Huazhou, and Jian, afraid, begged to surrender. The Founder blamed him for intimidating the throne; Jian blamed Li Juchuan and the Founder killed Juchuan. (The 《Northern Dream》 says Jian admitted, "I cannot read; Juchuan wrote all my court papers and neighboring letters." 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 truly a rare talent, but he is not good to his lord—what then!" That day Quanzhong killed him.)〉 They had long been bound as brothers-in-arms. On seeing Jian, his anger quickly subsided, and before long he petitioned for Jian to be appointed military governor of Xu Prefecture. 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 hastily rose saying, "Your subject is drunk and cannot bear it." He staggered away as if drunk. Jian whispered to the Founder, "The emperor and empress are whispering; I heard weapons beneath the curtain—they may be plotting against you." 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. In the ninth month he was appointed Grand Guardian and left the government. (The 《Institutes of the Five Dynasties》 records that in the tenth month of Kaiping 3, an edict ordered Grand Guardian Han Jian to enter the hall to offer congratulations on the first and fifteenth of each month and then attend court; at other times he was not to appear. A mark of favor.)〉 In the third month of the fourth year, he took Kuangguo and Chen-Xu-Cai with a pledge of no replacement. (The 《Institutes of the Five Dynasties》 records that in the first month of Qianhua 1, an edict praised the powerful stronghold of Xuchang and Grand Guardian Han Jian's government there: the people tilled their fields, banditry ceased, and by remaining long in office he might overcome lawlessness. The court would not discuss replacing him.)〉 Qianhua 2, month 6, subordinate Zhang Hou murdered Jian in the yamen at fifty-eight.
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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.
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李罕之,陳州項城人。 父文,世田家。 罕之拳勇趫捷,力兼數人。 少學為儒,不成,又落發為僧,以其無賴,所至不容。 曾乞食於酸棗縣,自旦至晡,無與之者,乃擲缽於地,毀棄僧衣,亡命為盜。 會黃巢起曹、濮,罕之因合徒作剽,漸至魁首。 及賊巢渡江,罕之因以兵將背賊歸於唐,高駢錄其功,表為光州刺史。 歲餘,為蔡賊秦宗權寇迫,不能守,乃棄郡歸項城,收合餘眾,依河陽諸葛爽,爽署為懷州刺史。 光啟初,僖宗以爽為東南面招討,以擊宗權,爽乃表罕之為副,令將兵屯宋州。 蔡寇凶焰日熾,兵鋒不敵。 中和四年,爽表罕之為河南尹、東都留守。 是歲,李克用脫上源之難,斂軍西歸,路由洛陽,罕之迎謁,供帳館待甚優,因與克用厚相結托。 時罕之有眾三千,以聖善寺為府。 光啟元年,蔡賊秦宗權遣將孫儒來攻,罕之對壘數月,以兵少備竭,委城而遁,西保於澠池。 蔡賊據京城月餘,焚燒宮闕,剽剝居民。 賊既退去,鞠為煨燼,寂無雞犬之音。 罕之復引其眾,築壘於市西。
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. At the beginning of Guangqi, Emperor Xizong appointed Zhuge Shuang commander of the campaign forces on the southeastern front against Qin Zongquan. Shuang then petitioned for Hanzhi to serve as his deputy and sent him with troops to garrison Song Prefecture. 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.
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明年冬,諸葛爽死,其將劉經推爽子仲方為帥,經懼罕之難製,自引兵鎮洛陽。 罕之部曲有李瑭、郭璆者,情不相葉,欲相圖害,罕之怒,誅璆,軍情由是不睦。 劉經因其有間,掩擊罕之於澠池。 軍亂,保乾壕。 經急攻之,為罕之所敗,罕之乘勝追至洛陽。 時經保敬愛寺,罕之保苑中飛龍廄。 罕之激勵其眾攻敬愛寺,數日,因風縱火,盡燔之,經眾奔竄,追斬殆盡。 罕之進逼河陽,營於鞏縣,陳舟於汜水,將渡,諸葛仲方遣將張言率師拒於河上。 時仲方年幼,政在劉經,諸將心多不附。 張言密與罕之修好; 經知其謀,言懼,引眾渡河歸罕之,因合勢攻河陽,為經所敗,罕之與言退保懷州。 冬,蔡將孫儒陷河陽。 仲方泛輕舟來奔,孫儒遂自稱節度使。 俄而蔡賊為我軍所敗,孫儒棄河陽歸蔡。 罕之與言收合其眾,求援於太原,李克用遣澤州刺史安金俊率騎助之,遂收河陽。 克用表罕之為節度、同平章事; 又表言為河南尹、東都留守。 罕之既與言患難交契,刻臂為盟,永同休戚,如張耳、陳餘之義也。 罕之雖有膽決,雄猜翻覆,而撫民禦眾無方略,率多苛暴,性復貪冒,不得士心。 既得河陽,出兵攻晉、絳。 時大亂之後,野無耕稼,罕之部下以俘剽為資,啖人作食。 絳州刺史王友遇以城降,罕之乃進攻晉州,河中王重盈遣使求援於太祖。 時張言治軍有法,善積聚,勤於播植,軍儲不乏。 言輸粟於罕之,以給其軍,罕之求索無限,言頗苦之,力不能應,罕之則錄河南府吏笞責之。 東諸侯修貢行在,多為罕之邀留,王重盈苦其侵削,密結張言請圖之。 文德元年春,會罕之盡出其眾攻平陽,言夜出師掩擊河陽,罕之無備,單步僅免,舉族為言所俘。 罕之奔於太原,李克用表為澤州刺史,仍領河陽節度使。 三月,克用遣其將李存孝率師三萬助之,來攻懷、孟。 城中食盡,備豫皆竭,張言遣其孥入質,且求救於太祖; 太祖遣葛從周、牛存節赴之,逆戰於流河店。 會晉將安休休以一軍奔於蔡,存孝引軍而退,罕之保於澤州。 自是罕之日以兵寇鈔懷、孟、晉、絳,數百里內,郡邑無長吏,閭裏無居民。 河內百姓,相結屯寨,或出樵汲,即為俘馘。 雖奇峰絕磴,梯危架險,亦為罕之部眾攻取。 先是,蒲、絳之間有山曰摩雲,邑人立柵於上,以避寇亂; 罕之以百餘人攻下之,軍中因號罕之為李摩雲。 自是數州之民,屠啖殆盡,荊棘蔽野,煙火斷絕,凡十餘年。
The next winter Zhuge Shuang died. His general Liu Jing acclaimed Shuang's son Zhongfang as commander, but, fearing Hanzhi could not be controlled, Liu Jing personally led troops to garrison Luoyang. Two of Hanzhi's officers, Li Tang and Guo Qiu, were at odds and plotted against each other. Hanzhi angrily executed Qiu, after which dissension spread through the army. 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; He also petitioned for Zhang Yan to be appointed Administrator of Henan and Regent of the Eastern Capital. 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. Wang Youyu, prefect of Jiang Prefecture, surrendered the city; Hanzhi then advanced to attack Jin Prefecture, and Wang Chongying of Hezhong sent envoys requesting aid from the Founder. 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.
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In Qianning 2 Li Keyong marched out against Binzhou and Fengxiang and camped north of the Wei River. The emperor appointed him commander-in-chief of the Binzhou campaign, and Keyong then petitioned for Hanzhi to serve as his deputy. After Xingyu's death Hanzhi became honorary Grand Marshal with a thousand-household fief. He told Gai Yu, "Since losing Heyang I have relied on great patronage, yet for years I have shown no achievement. In recent years I have wearied of campaigns—this old man is aged and can do no more. I beg our prince and the Grand Tutor to pity me with a small post to rest my troops and heal my illness—in one or two years I would retire to my rabbit burrow. That would be fortune." 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."
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Guanghua 1, month 12, after Xue Zhiqin died as Lu commander, Hanzhi marched from Ze into Lu, declared himself commissioner, and told Keyong, "With Zhiqin dead and no successor yet, I feared raiders and garrisoned Lu without orders." Keyong sent Li Zhaosi against him; Hanzhi seized Ma Gai, Yi Duo, He Wanyou, Fu Yao, and others and sent his son Hao to the Founder for help. (The 《New Book of Tang》: Quanzhong memorialized Hanzhi as Zhaoyi military commissioner.) Hanzhi then fell suddenly ill and could not govern. The following year, in the sixth month, when Hanzhi became gravely ill, the Founder ordered Ding Hui to replace him and transferred Hanzhi to serve as military governor of Heyang; he died at a relay station in Huai at fifty-eight. Son Hao brought the coffin by boat to bury him in Heyin. Kaiping 2 spring he was posthumously named Chief Minister.
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馮行襲,字正臣,武當人也。 曆職為本郡都校。 中和中,僖宗在蜀,有賊首孫喜者,聚徒數千人慾入武當,刺史呂煜惶駭無策略。 行襲伏勇士於江南,乘小舟逆喜,謂喜曰:「郡人得良牧,眾心歸矣,但緣兵多,民懼擄掠。 若駐軍江北,領肘腋以赴之,使某前導,以安慰士民,可立定也。」 喜然之。 既渡江,軍吏迎謁,伏甲奮起,行襲擊喜仆地,仗劍斬之,其黨盡殪,賊眾在江北者悉奔潰。 山南節度使劉巨容以功上言,尋授均州刺史。 州西有長山,當襄、漢、蜀路,群賊屯據,以邀劫貢奉,行襲又破之。 洋州節度使葛佐奏辟為行軍司馬,請將兵鎮穀口,通秦、蜀道,由是益知名。 李茂貞遣養子繼臻竊據金州,行襲攻下之,因授金州防禦使。 時興元楊守亮將襲京師,道出金、商,行襲逆擊,大破之。 詔升金州為節鎮,以戎昭軍為額,即以行襲為節度使。
Feng Xingxi, styled Zhengchen, came from Wudang. He rose through local command posts. During Zhonghe, while Emperor Xizong was in Shu, a bandit leader named Sun Xi gathered several thousand followers and tried to enter Wudang. Prefect Lü Yu panicked and had no plan. Xingxi met Xi on the river and told him, "The people have a good shepherd and their hearts have turned to him, but your troops are many and the people fear plunder. If you camp north of the river and let me go ahead to calm soldiers and people, all can be settled at once." 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.
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When the Founder marched west, Xingxi sent deputy Lu Chongju for orders. When Zhaozong went to Fengxiang the Founder marched to meet him but lingered outside. Han Quanhui sent Xi Wenyan and twenty eunuchs with forged orders to raise Jiang-Huai troops at Jin and threaten the Founder; Xingxi killed them and sent the edicts to the Founder. In Tianyou 1 he concurrently became military governor of Yang Prefecture. In the Jing-Xiang campaign Xingxi sent son Xu by river to Jun and Fang; rewarded, he became Kuangguo commissioner. Taking office he executed clerk Zhang Cheng and terrified the prefecture. For three years at Xu he sent two hundred thousand piculs of extra grain beyond tribute. At the suburban rites Xingxi came to court with lavish gifts and exceptional honor. Du Xiao wrote his merit stele; he rose to concurrent chief minister and Grand Marshal. He died in Kaiping; mourning paused one day; posthumously Grand Tutor, loyal and respectful.
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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 imposing, with a blue mark on his face, he was called "Feng Blue-Face."
14
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.
15
天復元年正月一日未旦,逆豎左軍容劉季述早入,德昭伏甲要路以俟,追其前驅,邀而斬之,孫承誨等分捕左軍容王仲先黨伍。 唐昭宗方幽辱東內,聞外喧,大恐。 德昭馳至,扣閣曰:「逆賊劉季述伏誅矣,請上皇開鑰復皇帝位。」 皇后何氏呼曰:「汝可進逆人首,門乃可開。」 俄而承誨、從實俱以馘獻,昭宗悲而嘉之。 於是丞相崔胤奉迎禦丹鳳樓,率百辟待罪,泣且奏曰:「臣居大位,不能討奸,賴東平王全忠首奮忠貞,誅殺邸吏,遂致德昭等擒戮妖逆,再清禁闈。」 即日議功,以德昭為檢校太保、靜海軍節度使,承誨邕州節度使,從實容州節度使,並同平章事,錫姓李,賜號扶傾濟難忠烈功臣,圖形淩煙閣,俱留京師。 錫賚宴賞之厚,恩寵權幸之勢,近代罕比。
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 galloped up, knocked on the gate, and cried, "The rebel Liu Jishu has been executed—open the gate and restore the emperor!" The empress called out, "Bring the rebel's head—then the gate may open." They brought heads; Zhaozong wept and praised them. Cui Yin welcomed the emperor at Danfeng Tower, led the assembled officials in awaiting punishment, and wept as he memorialized, "I hold high office yet was unable to suppress the traitors. Thanks to Zhu Quanzhong, Prince of Dongping, who first displayed loyal resolve and killed the palace agents, Dezhao and the others were able to capture and execute the wicked rebels and cleanse the palace once more." 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.
16
其年十一月,閹宦韓全誨縱火脅昭宗西幸鳳翔,承誨、從實並變節,為中官所誘,始欲驅擁百僚,將圖出令。 而德昭獨按兵,與太祖親吏婁敬思葉力衛丞相及文武百官,與長安吏民保於街東,免為所劫。 太祖遣從事相繼勞問,遺以龍鳳劍、鬥雞紗,委令製輯。 於是百官次華州,連狀請太祖迎奉。 及大旆入關,德昭以軍禮上謁,立道左,太祖命左右扶騎控至長安,賜與甚厚,署權知同州節度留後。 將赴任,復徇民請,留充兩街製置使,賜錢百萬。 德昭以本部兵八千人獻於太祖,由是愈見賞重,又賜甲第一區,俾先還洛陽。 及昭宗東遷,奏授左威衛上將軍,以疾免,歸於別墅。 太祖受禪,以左領衛上將軍征赴闕。 開平四年,拜左金吾大將軍,充街使。 末帝即位,俾將命於兩浙,對見失儀,不果行。 尋改授右武衛上將軍,俄復左金吾大將軍。 卒於官,詔贈太傅,輟視朝一日。
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. When the Founder's banner entered the passes, Dezhao paid his respects with military rites and stood at the left of the road. The Founder ordered attendants to help him mount and escort him by the reins to Chang'an, gave him lavish gifts, and appointed him acting military commissioner of Tongzhou. 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.
17
With Chenghui and Congshi he was called one of the "Three Envoy-Chancellors" for restoring the throne. Chenghui changed his name to Jihui and Congshi to Yanbi; both were adopted by Li Maozhen. Later the eunuchs' faction fell and both were killed at the capital. Only Dezhao died a natural death with honor.
18
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. During the Guangqi era, when Cai bandits captured Heyang, Keyu led his command over to the Founder and was attached to the 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. At the beginning of Kaiping he was posthumously granted the title Grand Guardian.
19
Zhang Shensi came from Qinghe. Defecting from Huang Chao, he rose through commands to overall army commander. He distinguished himself pacifying Chao, Cai, Yan, and Yun and became honorary Minister of Works and Song chief secretary. In Guanghua he became honorary Right Vice Director and acting Bo commissioner. Tianfu 3, for welcoming the emperor with the Founder, he received the title Welcome-the-Carriage Merit Minister and became Ruzhou commissioner. Tianyou 1 he became Left Dragon Martial commander. That winter he became Xu Kuangguo commissioner. Next year, month 11, he acted as Xuzhou Wuning commissioner. At the abdication he entered as Left Golden Guard great general. Kaiping 2 he governed Song, then again became Left Golden Guard great general. Winter, year 3, as Cai commissioner greed cost him popular support and he was recalled. Soon after returning from the northern campaign he fell ill at his Luoyang home. His household discipline failed and his son murdered him.
20
The historian says: Han Jian met the Tang house in its declining fortune and held the crucial ground of Tong Pass, yet he could not shield the royal house. Instead he devoted himself to cutting down the imperial branches. Though he had the ability to enrich local customs, how could that offset the fault of disloyalty? Hanzhi possessed a fierce, heroic spirit but harbored schemes of changing allegiance. The Martial Emperor compared him to Lü Bu; in this he truly knew the man. Xingxi and Dezhao served loyally and ended well, as they should. Keyu and the rest merit no reproach.