1
成汭，淮西人。 少年任俠，乘醉殺人，為仇家所捕，因落發為僧，冒姓郭氏。 〈（《新唐書》云：入蔡賊中，為賊帥假子，更姓名為郭禹。）〉 亡匿久之，及貴，方復本姓。 唐僖宗朝，為蔡州軍校，領本郡兵戍荊南，帥以其凶暴，欲害之，遂棄本軍奔於秭歸。 一夕，巨蛇繞其身，幾至於殞，乃祝曰：「苟有所負，死生惟命。」 逡巡，蛇亦解去。 後據歸州，招集流亡，練士伍，得兵千餘人，沿流以襲荊南，遂據其地。 朝廷即以旄鉞授之。 是時荊州經巨盜之後，居民才一十七家，汭撫輯凋殘，勵精為理，通商訓農，勤於惠養，比及末年，僅及萬戶。 汭性豪暴，事皆意斷，又好自矜伐，騁辯淩人，深為識者所鄙。
Cheng Rui came from west of the Huai. As a young man he killed someone in a drunken brawl, was hunted by the victim's kin, shaved his head as a monk, and took the surname Guo. (The 《New Book of Tang》 says he joined the Cai rebels as an adopted son and renamed himself Guo Yu.)〉 He lived in hiding for years and only restored his true name once he had risen. Under Xizong he was a Caizhou officer garrisoning Jingnan until his commander, fearing his violence, tried to kill him; he fled to Zigui with his troops. One night a giant snake coiled around him until he nearly died; he prayed, "If I am guilty, let fate decide." In time the snake loosened and slid away. He took Guizhou, rallied refugees into a thousand-man force, sailed downriver against Jingnan, and seized it. The court soon invested him with full military command. Jingzhou after the great devastations held only seventeen households; Rui rebuilt trade and agriculture until, by his last years, the city neared ten thousand families. Rui was domineering, arrogant in debate, and widely scorned by men of judgment.
2
初，澧、朗二州，本屬荊南，乾寧中，為土豪雷滿所據。 汭奏請割隸，唐宰相徐彥若執而不行，汭由是銜之。 及彥若出鎮南海，路過江陵，汭雖加延接，而猶怏怏。 嘗因對酒，語及其事，彥若曰：「令公位尊方面，自比桓、文。 雷滿者，偏州一草賊爾，令公盍不加兵，而反怨朝廷乎！」 汭赧然而屈。 〈（案：以下有闕文。）〉 累官至檢校太尉，封上穀郡王。 楊行密以兵圍鄂州，汭出師以援鄂，淮寇乘之，以火焚其艦，汭投江而死。 天祐三年夏，太祖以汭歿於王事，上表於唐帝，請為汭立廟於荊門，優詔可之。 〈（《五代史補》：鄭準，不知何許人，性諒直，能為文章，長於箋奏。 成汭鎮荊南，辟為推官。 汭嘗仇殺人，懼為吏所捕，改姓郭氏。 及為荊南節度使，命準為表，乞歸本姓。 準援筆而成，其略云：「臣門非冠蓋，家本軍戎。 親朋之內，盱睢為人報怨； 昆弟之間，點染無處求生。 背故國以狐疑，望鄰封而鼠竄。 名非霸越，乘舟難效於陶朱； 誌切投秦，出境遂稱於張祿。」 又云：「成為本姓，郭乃冒稱。 本避犯禁之辜，敢歸司寇； 別族受封之典，誠愧諸侯。 伏乞聖慈，許歸本姓」云云。 其表甚為朝廷所重。 後因汭生辰，淮南楊行密遣使致禮幣之外，仍貺《初學記》一部。 準忿然以為不可，謂汭曰：「夫《初學記》，蓋訓童之書爾，今敵國交聘，以此書為貺，得非相輕之甚耶！ 宜書責讓。」 汭不納，準自歎曰：「若然，見輕敵國，足彰幕府之無人也。 參佐無狀，安可久！」 遽請解職。 汭怒其去，潛使人於途中殺之。）〉
Li and Lang, once part of Jingnan, fell to the local strongman Lei Man in Qianning. Rui asked the court to annex them; Chancellor Xu Yanruo refused, and Rui nursed a grudge. When Yanruo passed Jiangling en route to his Nanhai post, Rui received him coldly despite the courtesies. At wine Yanruo said, "You rank yourself with Duke Huan and Duke Wen of Qi and Jin. Yet you resent the court over Lei Man, a mere frontier bandit—why not march against him instead?" Rui flushed and fell silent. (The text below is lost.)〉 He rose to honorary Grand General and was made Prince of Shanggu. When Yang Xingmi besieged Ezhou, Rui sailed to relieve it; the Huainan fleet burned his ships and he drowned himself in the river. Tianyou 3, summer: the Founder had the Tang court approve a temple for Rui at Jingmen, honoring his death in service. (The 《Supplement》 says Zheng Zhun, of unknown origin, was upright, literate, and expert at memorials. When Cheng Rui held Jingnan he made Zhun his investigating officer. After a feud killing he had taken the surname Guo to evade the law. As Jingnan commissioner he had Zhun draft a memorial to restore the name Cheng. Zhun wrote at once; it began, "My house wears no court caps; my family comes from the army. Among kin and friends, eyes glaring to settle others' scores; Among brothers, marked with blood and nowhere to live. I turned from my homeland in doubt and scurried to a neighbor like a cornered rat. I was no lord of Wu or Yue—by boat I could not follow Fan Li; My heart set on Qin, I crossed the border and called myself Zhang Lu." It added, "Cheng is my true name; Guo was a borrowed lie. I fled a capital crime; I dare submit again to justice; yet to hold a fief under a false name shames me before the lords. I kneel and beg Your Majesty to let me bear my true name again," and so on. The court held that memorial in high regard. On Rui's birthday Yang Xingmi sent gifts from Huainan—and added a copy of the 《Elementary Studies》. Zhun was furious and told Rui, "The 《Elementary Studies》 is a schoolbook for children. An enemy state sends it as a state gift—is that not open contempt? You should answer with a written rebuke." Rui refused. Zhun sighed, "Accept this and we show the enemy our staff has no one with spine. I cannot serve such a court any longer!" He resigned at once. Rui, enraged, had him murdered on the road home.)〉
3
杜洪者，江夏伶人。 鍾傳者，豫章小校。 唐光啟中，秦宗權凶焰飆起，屢擾江、淮，郡將不能城守。 洪、傳各為部校，因戰立威，逐其廉使，自稱留後，朝廷因而命之。 〈（《新唐書》：光啟二年，洪乘虛入鄂，自為節度使留後，僖宗即拜本軍節度使。 中和三年，傳逐江西觀察使高茂卿，遂有洪州，僖宗擢傳江西團練使，俄拜鎮南節度使。）〉 及為楊行密所攻，洪、傳首尾相應，皆遣求援於太祖； 太祖遣朱友恭赴之，大破淮寇於武昌，二鎮稍寧。 及行密乘勝急攻洪、鄂，洪復乞師於太祖； 太祖命荊南成汭率荊、襄舟師以赴之。 未至夏口，汭敗溺死，淮人遂陷鄂州，洪為其所擒，被害於廣陵市，時唐天復二年也。 〈（《九國誌·劉存傳》：存急焚鄂州城樓，梁援兵將突圍而出，諸將欲急擊之，存曰：「擊之賊必復入，復入則城愈固矣，不若聽其遁去。」 諸將皆曰：「善。」 是日城陷，擒杜洪父子，斬於廣陵市。）〉 天祐三年夏，太祖表請為洪立廟於其鎮，優詔可之。 太祖即位，詔贈太傅。 先是，鍾傳卒於江西，其子繼之， 〈（《九國誌·秦裴傳》：天祐三年，洪州鍾傳卒，州人立其子匡時。 江州刺史延規，傳之養子，忿不得立，以其郡納款，因授裴西南面行營招討使，攻匡時。 城陷，擒匡時以獻。）〉 尋為楊行密所敗，其地亦入於淮夷。 〈（《五代史補》：鍾傳雖起於商販，尤好學重士，時江西上流有名第者，多因傳薦，四遠騰然，謂之曰英明。 諸葛浩素有詞學，嘗為泗州管驛巡官，仰傳之風，因擇其所行事赫赫可稱者十條，列於啟事以投之。 十啟凡五千字，皆文理典贍，傳覽之驚歎，謂賓佐曰：「此啟事每一字可以千錢酬之。」 遂以五千貫贈，仍辟在幕下，其激勸如此。 上藍和尚，失其名，居於洪州上藍院，精究術數，大為鍾傳所禮。 一旦疾篤，往省之，且曰：「老夫於和尚可謂無間矣，和尚或不諱，得無一言相付耶！」 上藍強起，索筆作偈以援，其末云：「但看來年二三月，柳條堪作打鍾槌。」 偈終而卒。 傳得之，不能測。 洎明年春，淮帥引兵奄至，洪州陷，江南遂為楊氏有。 「打鍾」之偈，人始悟焉。）〉
Du Hong had been an entertainer in Jiangxia. Zhong Chuan was a low officer in Yuzhang. In Guangqi, Qin Zongquan ravaged the Jiang-Huai region until prefectural garrisons could no longer hold their walls. Hong and Chuan rose as unit commanders, fought their way to power, expelled their superiors, declared themselves acting governors, and won court recognition. (The 《New Book of Tang》 says that in Guangqi 2 Hong seized Ezhou, made himself acting commissioner, and Xizong confirmed him.) (In Zhonghe 3 Chuan expelled Gao Maoqing from Jiangxi, took Hongzhou, and was made training commissioner, then Zhennan military commissioner.)〉 When Yang Xingmi attacked them, Hong and Chuan backed each other and both appealed to the Founder; The Founder sent Zhu Yougong, who routed the Huainan army at Wuchang and gave the two regions brief relief. When Xingmi pressed the attack on Hong and E, Hong again begged the Founder for troops; The Founder ordered Cheng Rui of Jingnan to sail the Jing-Xiang fleet to his aid. Rui drowned in defeat before Xiakou; the Huainan army took Ezhou, seized Hong, and executed him at Guangling market in Tianfu 2. (The 《Nine States Chronicle》 says Liu Cun burned Ezhou's tower as Liang relief tried to break out. His officers wanted a hard strike; Cun said, "Hit them and they will rush back in and the wall will only tighten—let them go." The generals agreed." That day the city fell; Du Hong and his son were taken and beheaded at Guangling market.)〉 Tianyou 3, summer: the Founder won approval for a temple to Du Hong in his old command. After the Founder took the throne, Hong was posthumously named Grand Tutor. Earlier Zhong Chuan had died in Jiangxi and his son succeeded him, (The 《Nine States Chronicle》 says that in Tianyou 3 Zhong Chuan died at Hongzhou and the people set up his son Kuangshi.) Yan Gui, Chuan's adopted son and Jiangzhou prefect, resenting his exclusion, surrendered his prefecture; Qin Pei was sent to attack Kuangshi. The city fell and Kuangshi was captured and sent in.)〉 Soon Yang Xingmi defeated them and Jiangxi too passed to Huainan. (The 《Supplement》 says Chuan began as a trader but prized learning and patronized scholars; eminent Jiangxi families often owed their posts to him, and men far and wide called him "the enlightened." Zhuge Hao, a man of letters once posted at a Sizhou relay station, admired Chuan and sent a memorial listing ten of his finest deeds. Ten sections, five thousand characters, all polished; Chuan read them in wonder and told his staff, "Every character in this is worth a thousand cash." He gave five thousand strings, took Hao onto his staff, and rewarded talent that lavishly. A monk of Shanglan Monastery in Hongzhou, name forgotten, was a master of divination whom Chuan treated with great respect. When the monk fell gravely ill Chuan visited him and said, "I have held nothing back from you—won't you leave me one word before you go?" The monk roused himself, wrote a verse, and ended it, "Watch the second or third month next year—willow twigs will do for beating the bell." He died as soon as the verse was finished. Chuan could not make sense of it. Next spring the Huainan army swept in, Hongzhou fell, and the lower Yangzi passed to the Yang house. Only then did men grasp the "beat the bell" prophecy.)〉
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田頵，本揚府之大校也。 〈（《九國志》：頵字德臣，廬州合肥人。）〉 朱延壽，不知何許人。 〈（《九國志》：延壽，廬州舒城人。）〉 唐天祐初，楊行密雄據淮海，時頵為宣州節度使，延壽為壽州刺史。 頵以行密專恣跋扈，嘗移書諷之曰：「侯王守方，以奉天子，古之制也。 其或逾越者，譬如百川不朝於海，雖狂奔猛注，澶漫遐廣，終為涸土，不若恬然順流，淼茫無窮也。 況東南之鎮，楊為大，塵賤刀布，阜積金玉，願公上恒賦，頵將悉儲峙，具單車從。」 行密怒曰：「今財賦之行，必由於汴，適足以資於敵也。」 不從。 時延壽方守壽春， 〈（《九國志》：天復初，北司擁駕西幸，昭宗聞延壽有武幹，遣李儼間道齎詔授延壽蔡州節度使。）〉 直頵之事，密遣人告於頵曰：「公有所欲為者，願為公執鞭。」 頵聞之，頗會其志，乃召進士杜荀鶴具述其意，復語曰：「昌本朝，奉盟主，在斯一舉矣。」 即遣荀鶴具述密議，自間道至大梁。 太祖大悅，遽屯兵於宿州，以會其變。 不數月，事微泄，行密乃先以公牒征延壽， 〈（《新唐書》：行密妻，延壽姊也，遣辯士召延壽。 疑不肯赴，姊遣婢報，故延壽疾走揚州。）〉 次悉兵攻宣城，頵戎力寡薄，棄壁走，不能越境，為行密軍所得。 〈（《九國志》：行密別遣台濛、王茂章率步騎以往，頵委舟師於汪建、王壇，自出廣德迎戰，大為濛所敗，遂率殘眾遁保宛陵。 壇、建聞其敗，因盡以舟師歸款於行密。 十二月，頵出外州柵疾戰，橋陷馬墜，為外軍所殺。）〉 延壽飛騎赴命，邇揚州一舍，行密使人殺之。
Tian Yun had begun as a senior officer in the Yangzhou garrison. (The 《Nine States Chronicle》 gives his style Dechen and his home as Hefei in Luzhou.)〉 Zhu Yanzhou's origins are unknown. (The 《Nine States Chronicle》 says he came from Shucheng in Luzhou.)〉 Early in Tianyou, Yang Xingmi dominated the Huai-Hai region; Yun held Xuancheng and Yanzhou held Shou prefecture. Finding Yang Xingmi arrogant, Yun wrote to admonish him: "Princes are meant to guard their lands for the Son of Heaven—that is the ancient order. Whoever overreaches is like a stream that never reaches the sea: however fierce the flood, it ends in dust. Better to flow with the tide and never run dry. You are greatest in the southeast, piled with gold and goods. Send the regular tribute through me—I will store it and deliver it myself in one cart. Xingmi snapped, "Revenue now must pass through Bian—that only feeds our enemy." He refused. Yanzhou was then holding Shouchun, (The 《Nine States Chronicle》 says that early in Tianfu, with the court driven west, Zhaozong heard of Yanzhou's ability and sent Li Yan secretly to name him Cai commissioner.)〉 With Yun's plot in mind, he secretly sent word: "Whatever you intend, I will serve as your man." Yun took his meaning, summoned the scholar Du Xunhe, laid out the plan, and said, "To restore the dynasty and serve our ally—everything hangs on this." He sent Xunhe by secret road to Daliang with the full plot. The Founder was delighted and rushed troops to Suzhou to meet the plot. Within months the plot leaked; Xingmi summoned Yanshou by official order, (The 《New Book of Tang》 says Xingmi's wife was Yanshou's sister and sent a persuader to call him. Warned by his sister's maid, Yanshou galloped to Yangzhou.)〉 Xingmi then attacked Xuancheng; Yun, outmatched, fled the walls but was caught before he could escape the prefecture. (The 《Nine Kingdoms Annals》 says Xingmi sent Tai Meng and Wang Maozhang by land while Yun fought at Guangde, was routed, and fled to Wanyang with survivors. Wang Tan and Wang Jian heard of the defeat and surrendered the whole fleet to Xingmi. In the twelfth month Yun fought at the outer stockade; the bridge gave way, his horse fell, and the besiegers killed him.)〉 Yanshou galloped toward Yangzhou; a stage short of the city, Xingmi's men killed him.
5
其後，延壽部曲有逸境至者，具言其事。 又云：延壽之將行也，其室王氏勉延壽曰：「今若得兵柄，果成大志，是吉凶係乎時，非係於吾家也。 然願日致一介，以寧所懷。」 一日，介不至，王氏曰：「事可知矣！」 乃部分家仆，悉授兵器，遽闔中扉，而捕騎已至，不得入。 遂集家屬，阜私帑，發百燎，合州廨焚之。 既而稽首上告曰：「妾誓不以皎然之軀，為仇者所辱。」 乃投火而死。 〈（《五代史補》：楊行密據淮南，以妻弟朱氏眾謂之朱三郎者，行密署為泗州防禦使。 泗州素屯軍，朱氏驍勇，到任恃眾自負，行密雖悔，度力未能製，但姑息之，時議以謂行密事勢去矣。 居無何，行密得目疾，雖愈，且詐稱失明，其出入皆以人扶策，不爾則觸牆抵柱，至於流血，姬妾仆隸以為實然，往往無禮，首尾僅三年。 朱氏聞之，信而少懈馳，行密度其計必中，謂妻曰：「吾不幸臨老兩目如此，男女輩幼，苟不諱，則國家為他人所有。 今晝夜思忖，不如召泗州三舅來，使管勾軍府事，則吾雖死無恨。」 妻以為然，遽發使述其意而召之。 朱氏大喜，倍道而至。 及入謁，行密恐其覺，坐於中堂，以家人禮見。 朱氏頗有德色，方設拜，行密奮袖中鐵槌以擊之，正中其首，然猶宛轉號叫，久而方斃。 行密內外不測，即時升堂廳，召將吏等謂之曰：「吾所以稱兩目失明者，蓋為朱三。 此賊今擊殺，兩目無事矣，諸公知之否！」 於是軍府大駭，其仆妾嘗所無禮者皆自殺。 初，行密之在民間也，嘗為合肥縣手力，有過，縣令將鞭之，行密懼且拜。 會有客自外入，見行密每拜，則廳之前簷皆叩地，而令不之覺。 客知其非常，乃遽升廳揖令於他處，告以所見，令驚，遂恕之，且勸事郡以自奮。 行密度本郡不足依，乃投高駢。 駢死，秦彥、孫儒等作亂，行密連誅之，遂有淮南之地。）〉
Later fugitives from Yanshou's command told the full story. They said that before he left, his wife Lady Wang urged him: "If you win command and your great ambition succeeds, fortune and ruin ride on the times, not on our house. Yet send me one messenger each day to ease my heart. When a day passed without word, Lady Wang said, "It is clear— She armed the household, bolted the inner doors, and kept the arresting horsemen outside. She gathered her kin, piled the family treasury, lit a hundred fires, and burned the prefectural offices with them. Kowtowing, she declared, "I will not let my enemies dishonor this body. She threw herself into the flames and died. (The 《Supplement to the History of the Five Dynasties》 says Xingmi made his brother-in-law Zhu, called Third Master Zhu, defense commissioner of Sizhou. Sizhou was garrison country; Zhu was fierce and swaggered in office while Xingmi, unable to curb him, only indulged him—observers thought Xingmi had lost his grip. Soon he suffered an eye ailment; though healed, he feigned blindness for nearly three years, needing guides and colliding with walls until servants and concubines took it for truth and grew insolent. Zhu believed the blindness and relaxed his guard; Xingmi, sure his ruse had worked, told his wife: "I am old and blind, the children young—if we do not act, our realm will pass to another. Better summon your third brother from Sizhou to run headquarters—then I can die content. She agreed and sent envoys to summon him. Zhu was overjoyed and came at forced march. Fearing discovery, Xingmi received him in the central hall with family rites. As Zhu bowed, Xingmi struck him from his sleeve with an iron mallet; Zhu twisted and screamed a long while before he died. The court was stunned; Xingmi mounted the hall and told his officers: "I only pretended blindness for Zhu the Third. That traitor is dead and my eyes are sound—do you understand? The headquarters panicked; servants and concubines who had been insolent killed themselves. Once, as a corvée laborer in Hefei county, he faced a magistrate's whip and bowed in terror. A visitor saw each bow shake the eaves to the ground while the magistrate noticed nothing. The guest knew him extraordinary, warned the magistrate, won a pardon, and urged him to serve the prefecture. Finding Hefei too small, he entered Gao Pian's service. After Pian's death he destroyed Qin Yan and Sun Ru and seized Huainan.)〉
6
趙匡凝， 〈（《新唐書》：匡凝字光儀。）〉 蔡州人也。 父德諲，初事秦宗權為列校，當宗權強暴時，表為襄州留後。 唐光啟四年夏六月，德諲審宗權必敗，乃舉漢南之地以歸唐朝，仍遣使投分於太祖，兼誓戮力，同討宗權。 時太祖為蔡州四面行營都統使，乃表德諲為副，仍領襄州節度使。 蔡州平，以功累加官爵，封淮安王。 匡凝以父功為唐州刺史兼七州馬步軍都校。 及德諲卒，匡凝自為襄州留後，朝廷即以旄鉞授之。 作鎮數年，甚有威惠，累官至檢校太尉、兼中書令。 匡凝氣貌甚偉，好自修飾，每整衣冠，必使人持巨鑒前後照之。 對客之際，烏巾上微覺有塵，即令侍妓持紅拂以去之。 人有誤犯其家諱者，往往遭其木檟楚，其方嚴也如是。 光化初，匡凝以太祖有清口之敗，密附於淮夷，太祖遣氏叔琮率師伐之。 未幾，其泌州刺史趙璠越墉來降，隨州刺史趙匡璘臨陣就擒。 俄而康懷英攻下鄧州，匡凝懼，遣使乞盟，太祖許之，自是附庸於太祖。 及成汭敗於鄂州，匡凝表其弟匡明為荊南留後。 是時唐室微弱，諸道常賦多不上供，惟匡凝昆仲雖強據江山，然盡忠帝室，貢賦不絕。
Next was Zhao Kuangning, (The 《New Book of Tang》 gives his style as Guangyi.)〉 was a native of Cai prefecture. His father Dexin served Qin Zongquan as a column commander and was made acting commissioner of Xiang when Zongquan grew violent. In summer, month 6 of Guangqi 4, Dexin saw Zongquan would fall, surrendered Hannan to Tang, sent envoys to the Founder, and swore to destroy Zongquan together. The Founder, then overall commander against Cai, made Dexin his deputy and confirmed him as Xiang commissioner. After Cai fell he rose in rank and was enfeoffed Prince of Huai'an. Kuangning became Tang prefect inspector and overall commander of seven prefectures' horse and foot through his father's merit. When Dexin died Kuangning made himself acting commissioner and received the court commission. He ruled Xiang for years with authority and kindness and rose to Honorary Grand Marshal and concurrent Director of the Secretariat. Tall and vain, he had great mirrors held before and behind him whenever he dressed. If he sensed dust on his black cap before guests, maids brushed it away with red dusters. Anyone who breached his name taboo risked a beating with a wooden club. Early in Guanghua, after the Founder's defeat at Qingkou, Kuangning secretly sided with the Huai rebels and the Founder sent Shi Shucong against him. Soon his Bi inspector Zhao Fan climbed the wall to surrender and Suizhou inspector Zhao Kuanglin was taken in battle. Kang Huaiying took Deng; Kuangning sued for peace, the Founder agreed, and he became a vassal. After Cheng Rui fell at Ezhou, Kuangning had his brother Kuangming made acting Jingnan commissioner. While Tang weakened and most circuits withheld tribute, the Zhao brothers still sent loyal levies from their strongholds.
7
太祖將期受禪，以匡凝兄弟並據藩鎮，乃遣使先諭旨焉。 匡凝對使者流涕，答以受國恩深，豈敢隨時妄有他誌。 使者復命，太祖大怒。 天祐二年秋七月，遣楊師厚率師討之。 八月，太祖親領大軍南征，仍請削匡凝在身官爵。 及師厚濟江，匡凝以兵數萬逆戰，大為師厚所敗，匡凝乃燔其舟，單舸急棹，沿漢而遁於金陵。 後卒於淮南。 〈（《新唐書》云：師厚由陰穀伐木為梁，匡凝以兵二萬瀕江戰，大敗，乃燔州，單舸夜奔揚州。 行密見之，曰：「君在鎮，輕車重馬輸於賊，今敗，乃歸我邪！」 匡明亦謀奔淮南，子承規諫曰：「昔諸葛兄弟分仕二國，若適揚州，是自取疑也。」 匡明謂然，乃趨成都。 《歐陽史》云：行密厚遇匡凝，其後行密死，楊渥稍不禮之。 渥方宴食青梅，匡凝顧渥曰：「勿多食，發小兒熱。」 諸將以為慢，渥遣匡凝海陵，後為徐溫所殺。）〉 初，匡凝好聚書，及敗，楊師厚獲數千卷於第，悉以來獻。
As the Founder prepared to take the throne, he sent envoys ahead to the Zhao brothers holding the frontier commands. Kuangning wept before the envoy and said the state's grace was too deep for him to change sides with the times. The envoy returned; the Founder flew into a rage. In autumn, month 7 of Tianyou 2, he sent Yang Shihou to attack him. Month 8 the Founder marched south in person and had Kuangning stripped of rank. Shihou crossed the river; Kuangning met him with tens of thousands, was routed, burned his fleet, and fled alone up the Han to Jinling. He later died in Huainan. (The 《New Book of Tang》 says Shihou bridged Yin Valley, Kuangning lost twenty thousand along the river, burned the prefecture, and fled by night to Yangzhou. Xingmi greeted him: "You fed the enemy from your post—now you come to me defeated? Kuangming meant to flee to Huainan; his son Chenggui warned that like the Zhuge brothers serving rival states, going to Yangzhou would invite suspicion. Kuangming agreed and fled to Chengdu instead. Ouyang's 《History》 says Xingmi treated Kuangning well, but after Xingmi's death Yang Wo grew rude to him. At a feast Wo ate green plums; Kuangning warned, "Do not eat too many—they bring fever in children. Officers took it as insult; Wo exiled him to Hailing, where Xu Wen later killed him.)〉 Kuangning had loved books; after his defeat Shihou seized thousands of scrolls from his house and presented them to the Founder.
8
匡凝弟匡明，字讚堯，幼以父貴，一子出身，為江陵府文學。 及壯，以軍功曆繡、峽二州刺史。 成汭之敗，其兄匡凝表為荊南留後。 未至鎮，而朗、陵之兵先據其城矣。 匡明領兵逐之，遂鎮於渚宮。 天祐二年秋，太祖既平襄州，遣楊師厚乘勝以趨荊門。 匡明懼，乃舉族上峽奔蜀，王建待以賓禮。 及建稱帝，用為大理卿、工部尚書。 久之，卒於蜀。
His brother Kuangming, styled Zanyao, entered office young as a literary officer at Jiangling through their father's rank. Grown, he won military merit as inspector of Xiuxi and Xia. After Cheng Rui's defeat his brother made him acting Jingnan commissioner. Before he took office, Lang and Ling forces had already seized the city. Kuangming drove them off and held court at Zhugong. Autumn, Tianyou 2, after Xiang fell the Founder sent Shihou on toward Jingmen. Kuangming fled upriver to Shu with his clan; Wang Jian received him as an honored guest. When Wang Jian became emperor he made him Grand Court director and Minister of Works. He died in Shu many years later.
9
張佶，不知何郡人也。 〈（《九國志》，佶，京兆長安人。 乾寧初，以明經中第，累遷宣州從事，復為秦宗權行軍司馬。 後與劉建峰據湖南，推建峰為帥。）〉 唐乾寧初，劉建峰據湖南，獨邵州不賓，命都將馬殷討之，期歲未克，而建峰為部下所殺，軍亂，鄰寇且至。 是時，佶為行軍司馬，屬潭人謀帥，曰：「張行軍即所奉也。」 佶不得已而視事，旬日之間，威聲大振，寇亦解去。 〈（《九國志》，建峰將吏推佶為帥，佶將入府，常所乘馬忽爾踶齧不止，正中佶髀。 佶謂將吏曰：「吾非汝主，當迎馬公為之。」）〉 乃謂將吏曰：「佶才能不如馬公，況朝廷重藩，非其人不可。」 因以牘召，殷亦不疑，稟命而至。 佶受拜謁，禮畢，命升階讓殷為帥。 佶即趨下率眾抃賀。 乃自請率師代殷攻邵州，下之。 復為行軍司馬，垂二十年。 殷果立勳，甚德佶。 開平初，殷表佶為朗州永順軍節度使，累加檢校太傅、同平章事。 乾化元年夏四月，卒於位。 〈（《九國志》：乾化初，移鎮桂林，卒於治所。）〉 詔贈侍中。
Zhang Ji—his native commandery is unknown. (The 《Nine Kingdoms Annals》 says Ji was from Chang'an in Jingzhao. In early Qianning he passed the classics exam, served at Xuancheng, and became Qin Zongquan's campaign marshal. He later seized Hunan with Liu Jianfeng and made Jianfeng commander.)〉 Early in Qianning Liu Jianfeng held Hunan while Shaozhou held out; Ma Yin besieged it a year without success, then Jianfeng was murdered, the army mutinied, and enemies closed in. Ji was campaign marshal; the Tan garrison chose him, saying, "We want Commander Zhang. Ji took command unwillingly; within ten days his authority restored order and the enemies withdrew. (The 《Nine Kingdoms Annals》 says as Ji entered headquarters his usual mount kicked and bit him square in the thigh. Ji told the officers, "I am not your lord—bring Lord Ma." )〉 He told them, "I am no match for Ma Yin, and the court needs the right man for a frontier post. He summoned Yin by document; Yin came without suspicion. Ji received his bow, then stepped aside and installed Yin as commander. Ji hurried below and led the troops in acclaim. He then led troops in Yin's place, took Shaozhou, and delivered it. He served again as campaign marshal for nearly twenty years. Yin prospered and held Ji in deep esteem. Early in Kaiping Yin made him military commissioner of Langzhou's Yongshun army and Honorary Grand Tutor and Secretariat Fellow. Qianhua 1, summer month 4, he died in office. (The 《Nine States》 says he moved to Guilin early in Qianhua and died at his headquarters.)〉 The court posthumously made him Chamberlain Attendant.
10
雷滿， 〈（《新唐書》：滿字秉仁。）〉 武陵洞蠻也。 始為朗州小校，唐廣明初，王仙芝焚劫江陵。 是時，朝廷以高駢為節度使，駢擢滿為裨將，以領蠻軍。 駢移鎮淮南，復隸部曲，以悍獷趫健知名。 中和初，擅率部兵自廣陵逃歸於朗，沿江恣殘暴，始為荊人大患矣。 率一歲中三四移，兵入其郛，焚蕩驅掠而去。 唐朝姑務息兵，即以澧朗節度使授之。 累官至檢校太傅、同平章事。 滿貪穢慘毒，蓋非人類。 又嘗於府署浚一深潭，構大亭於其上，每鄰道使車經由，必召宴於中，且言：「此水府也，中有蛟龍，奇怪萬態，惟餘能遊焉。」 或酒酣對客，即取筵中寶器亂擲於潭中，因自褫其衣，裸露其文身，遽躍入水底，遍取所擲寶器，戲弄於水面，久之方出，復整衣就坐，其詭誕如此。
Lei Man, (The 《New Tang History》 gives his style as Bingren.)〉 came from the Wuling cave tribes. He began as a Langzhou corporal; when Wang Xianzhi sacked Jiangling in early Guangming, the court sent Gao Pian as commissioner, and Pian made Man a deputy to lead tribal levies. When Pian moved south, Man stayed in his retinue and won fame for ferocious speed. Early Zhonghe he deserted Guangling for Langzhou and raided the Yangzi—Jing's nightmare had begun. Three or four times a year his armies burned the suburbs and drove off the plunder. Tang bought peace and gave him the Li-Lang commission. He rose to honorary Grand Preceptor and Vice Grand Councilor. Man's greed and cruelty were scarcely human. He dug a deep pool at headquarters and built a pavilion over it; when envoys passed through he always feasted them there and boasted, "This is my water palace, full of dragons in ten thousand shapes—only I can swim it." When drunk he would hurl gold and jade from the table into the pool, strip to show his tattoos, dive after them, juggle them on the surface, then dress and sit down again—as grotesque as that.
11
及死，子彥恭繼之。 〈（《新唐書》：滿以天復元年卒，子彥威自立，弟彥恭結忠義節度使趙匡凝以逐彥威。）〉 蠻蜒狡獪，深有父風，燼墟落，榜舟楫，上下於南郡、武昌之間，殆無人矣。 又與淮、蜀結連，阻絕王命。 太祖詔湖南節度使馬殷、荊南節度使高季昌練精兵五千，遣將倪可福統之，下澧州，與潭兵合。 先是，滿塹沅江，以周其壘，門臨長橋，勢不可入。 殷極其兵力，攻圍周歲，彥恭食盡兵敗，間使求救於淮夷。 及淮軍來援，高季昌逆戰於治津馬頭岸，大破之，俄而攻陷朗州，彥恭單棹遁去。 馬殷擒其弟彥雄及逆黨七人，械送至闕，皆斬於汴橋下，時開平二年十一月也。
At his death his son Yiangong took over. (The 《New Tang History》 says he died in Tianfu 1; Yanwei seized power until Yiangong, with Zhao Kuangning, ousted him.)〉 Savage and sly like his father, he burned villages and raided by boat between Nanjun and Wuchang until hardly anyone remained. He allied with Huai and Shu and blocked the court's orders. The Founder ordered Ma Yin and Gao Jichang to send five thousand elite troops under Ni Kefu to take Li and join the Tan army. Man had moated the Yuan around his walls; the gate on the long bridge was impregnable. Yin besieged a full year; starving and beaten, Yiangong sent to the Huai for aid. When Huai reinforcements came, Gao Jichang routed them at Matou Bank, then took Langzhou as Yiangong fled alone in a skiff. Ma Yin seized Yanxiong and seven rebels, sent them to Bian—all were executed at Bian Bridge in Kaiping 2, month 11.
12
史臣曰：成汭、鍾、杜、田、朱之流，皆因否運，雄據大藩，雖無濟代之勞，且有勤王之節，功雖不就，誌亦可嘉，若較其誠明，則田頵、延壽斯為優矣。 匡凝一門昆仲，千里江山，失守藩垣，不克負荷，斯乃劉景升之子之徒歟！ 張佶有讓帥之賢，雷滿辱俾侯之寄，優劣可知矣。
The historian writes: Cheng Rui, Zhong, Du, Tian, Zhu and the like seized great domains in dark times; they lacked power to save the realm yet showed loyalty to the throne; merit failed but intent deserves praise—of them Tian Yun and Yanshou showed the truest hearts. The Kuangning brothers held a thousand li yet lost their domain and could not sustain it—were they not Liu Biao's sons reborn? Zhang Ji showed the grace to yield command; Lei Man shamed the trust of a commissioner—the contrast tells all.