1
氏叔琮，尉氏人也。 唐中和末，應募為騎軍，初隸於龐師古，為伍長。 叔琮壯勇沈毅，膽力過人。 太祖討巢、蔡於陳、許間，叔琮奮擊，首出諸校，太祖壯之，自行伍間擢為後院馬軍都將。 時東伐徐、鄆，多曆年所，叔琮身當矢石，奮不顧命，觀者許焉。 累遷為指揮使，尋奏授宿州刺史、檢校右僕射。 太祖伐襄陽，叔琮失利，降為陽翟鎮遏使； 尋又捍禦晉軍於洹水有功，遷曹州刺史。 天復元年春，領大軍攻拔澤、潞，叔琮遂引兵北掠太原。 師還，除晉州節度使。 明年，太祖屯軍於岐下，晉軍潛襲絳州，前軍不利。 晉軍恃勝攻臨汾，叔琮嚴設備禦。 乃於軍中選壯士二人，深目虯須，貌如沙陀者，令就襄陵縣牧馬於道間。 蕃寇見之不疑，二人因雜其行間，俄而伺隙各擒一人而來。 晉軍大驚，且疑有伏兵，遂退據蒲縣。 時太祖遣朱友寧將兵數萬赴應，悉委叔琮節制。 既至，諸將皆欲休軍，叔琮曰：「若然，則賊必遁矣，遁則何功焉！」 因夜出，潛師截其歸路，遇晉軍遊騎數百，盡殺之； 遂攻其壘，拔之，斬獲萬餘眾，奪馬三百匹。 太祖聞之，喜謂左右曰：「殺蕃賊，破太原，非氏老不可！」 叔琮乃長驅收汾州，與晉人轉戰，直抵並壘。 軍回，以其功奏加檢校司空。 自後累年，晉軍不敢侵軼。 叔琮養士愛民，甚有能政。 天復三年，為鄜州留後，尋真領保大軍節度使、檢校司徒。 及昭宗東遷，征為右龍虎統軍，以衛洛陽。 天祐元年八月，與朱友恭同受太祖密旨，弑昭宗於大內。 既而責以軍政不理，貶白州司戶。 尋賜自盡。 叔琮將死，呼曰：「賣我性命，欲塞天下之謗，其如神理何！」 乾化二年，詔許歸葬。
Shi Shucong came from Weishi. In the last years of Zhonghe he joined the cavalry under Pang Shigu as a squad leader. Shucong was burly, brave, and steady; none matched his nerve. Fighting Huang Chao and Qin Zongquan between Chen and Xu, Shucong led the charge; the Founder pulled him from the ranks to command the rear-guard cavalry. Years of war in Xu and Yan saw Shucong take every blow without flinching; men who watched approved. He rose to commander, then to Suzhou prefect and acting Right Vice Director. After a defeat at Xiangyang the Founder reduced him to frontier commissioner at Yangzhai; Soon he held the Jin army at the Huan and was made prefect of Cao. Spring of Tianfu 1, the great army took Ze and Lu; Shucong marched north to raid Taiyuan. On the return he received Jinzhou as his command. Next year, with the Founder at Qi, Jin struck Jiang by stealth and the van was beaten. Emboldened by victory, the Jin army moved on Linfen; Shucong fortified every approach. He picked two broad-shouldered men with deep eyes, curling beards, and Shatuo looks, and set them to graze horses on the road near Xiangling. The raiders took no alarm; the two slipped among them and, seizing their chance, each dragged back a prisoner. The Jin host panicked at the thought of ambush and fell back to Pu county. The Founder sent Zhu Youning with an army of tens of thousands and gave Shucong full command. Once there, every general wanted rest; Shucong said, "Do that and they will run—and what glory is there in that?" That night he stole out, cut their retreat, and slaughtered several hundred Jin scouts; then stormed their camp, took it, killed or captured more than ten thousand, and seized three hundred horses. When word reached the Founder he told his staff, "To kill these barbarians and break Taiyuan we need none but Old Shi!" Shucong drove on to recover Fenzhou, traded blows with the Jin all the way to the walls of Bing. On the army's return his deeds won him acting Grand Master of Ceremonies. For years after, the Jin army did not dare cross the border. Shucong kept good men close and cared for the people; his rule was capable. In Tianfu 3 he became regent at Min, then full military governor of Baoda with acting Grand Tutor rank. When Zhaozong moved east, Shucong was called to guard Luoyang as commander of the Right Dragon-Tiger Guard. In the eighth month of Tianyou 1 he and Zhu Yougong, on the Founder's secret order, killed Zhaozong inside the palace. Soon he was blamed for slack command and demoted to registrar at Baizhou. Shortly thereafter he was ordered to take his own life. Facing death Shucong cried, "You sell my life to silence the world—what of heaven's judgment!" In Qianhua 2 an edict allowed his body to be brought home for burial.
2
朱友恭，壽春人，本姓李，名彥威。 瑽角事太祖，性穎利，善體太祖意，太祖憐之，因畜為己子，賜姓，初名克讓，後改之。 時初建左長劍都，以友恭董之。 從太祖四征，稍立軍功，累遷諸軍都指揮使、檢校左僕射。 乾寧中，授汝州刺史，加檢校司空。 光化初，淮夷侵鄂渚，武昌帥杜洪來乞師，太祖遣友恭將兵萬餘，濟江應援，引兵至龍沙、九江而還，軍聲大振。 時淮寇據黃州，友恭攻陷其壁，獲賊將瞿章，俘斬萬計。 途經安陸，因襲殺刺史武瑜，盡收其眾，以功為潁州刺史，加檢校司徒。 天復中，為武寧軍留後。 天祐初，昭宗東遷洛邑，征拜左龍虎統軍，以衛宮闕。 尋與氏叔琮同受太祖密旨，弑昭宗於洛陽宮。 既而太祖自河中至，責以慢於軍政，貶崖州司戶，復其本姓名，與氏叔琮同日賜死。
Zhu Yougong came from Shouchun; his birth name was Li Yanwei. A boy in the Founder's service, clever and quick to read his mood, he was adopted, given the Zhu surname, first Kerang, then Yougong. When the Left Long-Sword Corps was formed, Yougong was placed at its head. Four campaigns with the Founder won him steady promotions to army commander and acting Left Vice Director. Under Qianning he became prefect of Ru with acting Grand Master rank. Early Guanghua, when Huainan raiders struck Ezhou, Du Hong of Wuchang begged help; Yougong crossed the Yangzi with ten thousand men, swept to Longsha and Jiujiang, and returned to thunderous reputation. He stormed Huangzhou, took the rebel Qu Zhang, and killed or captured ten thousand. Passing Anlu he killed Prefect Wu Yu, absorbed his troops, and for that deed was made prefect of Ying with acting Grand Tutor rank. During Tianfu he served as regent of Wuning. Early Tianyou, when Zhaozong moved to Luoyang, Yougong was called to guard the palace as Left Dragon-Tiger commander. Soon he and Shi Shucong, on the same secret order, killed Zhaozong in the Luoyang palace. When the Founder came from Hezhong he accused Yougong of negligence, stripped him to registrar at Yazhou, restored the name Li Yanwei, and had him executed the same day as Shucong.
3
王重師，潁州長社人也。 材力兼人，沈嘿大度，臨事有權變，劍槊之妙，冠絕於一時。 唐中和末，蔡寇陷許昌，重師脫身而來，太祖異其狀貌，乃隸於拔山都。 每於軍前效用，頗出儕類。 文德中，令董左右長劍軍。 太祖伐上蔡，重師力戰有功。 及討兗、鄆，擢為指揮使，奏授檢校右僕射。 重師枕戈擐甲五六年，於齊、魯間凡經百餘戰，由是威震敵人。 尋授檢校司空，為潁州刺史。 乾寧中，太祖攻濮州，縱兵壞其墉，濮人因屯火塞其壞壘，煙焰亙空，人莫敢越。 重師方苦金瘡，臥於軍次，諸將或勉之，乃躍起，命壯士悉取軍中氈罽投水中，擲於火上，重師然後率精銳，持短兵突入，諸軍踵之，濮州乃陷。 重師為劍槊所傷，身被八九創，丁壯荷之還營，且將斃矣。 太祖驚惜尤甚，曰：「雖得濮壘，而失重師，奈何！」 亟命以奇藥療之，彌月始愈。 尋知平盧軍留後，加檢校司徒。 其後北伐幽、滄、鎮、定，屢與晉軍接戰，頗得士心，故多勝捷。 天祐中，授雍州節度使，加同平章事。 數年治戎恤民，頗有威惠。 開平中，為劉捍所構，太祖深疑之，然未有以發其事。 無何，擅遣裨將張君練縱兵深入邠、鳳，君練敗北。 太祖聞之，怒其專擅，因追而斬之。 〈（《通鑒》云劉捍至長安，王重師不為禮，捍譖之帝，曰：「重師潛與邠、岐通。」 甲申，貶溪州刺史，尋賜自盡，夷其族。）〉
Wang Chongshi came from Changshe in Yingzhou. Strong as three men, quiet and broad-minded, quick with expedients in crisis, his spear-work was unmatched in his day. When Cai rebels seized Xuchang at the end of Zhonghe, Chongshi broke free and fled to the Founder, who marveled at him and enrolled him in the Mount Uprooted Corps. In action he always outshone his fellows. Under Wende he took charge of the Left and Right Long-Sword armies. At Shangcai he fought with distinguished valor. In the Yan and Yan campaigns he rose to commander and acting Right Vice Director. For five or six years he slept in armor; between Qi and Lu he fought more than a hundred battles until the enemy feared his name. He was soon made acting Grand Master and prefect of Ying. At Puzhou in Qianning the breach was made, but defenders piled fire in the gap until smoke blotted the sky and no man would cross. Wounded, he lay in camp until his officers roused him; he leaped up, had men soak felt and fling it on the flames, then led elite troops with short blades through the gap—the army poured after and Puzhou fell. Spears left eight or nine wounds; bearers carried him back half dead. The Founder was stricken: "We have Puzhou but may lose Chongshi—what then!" He sent rare drugs; a full month passed before Chongshi could rise. He was soon made regent of Pinglu with acting Grand Tutor rank. Northern campaigns against You, Cang, Zhen, and Ding brought repeated clashes with Jin; he won his men's hearts and many victories. In Tianyou he became military governor of Yongzhou and Honorary Councilor. For years he drilled the army and cared for the people; awe and kindness attended his rule. In Kaiping Liu Han slandered him; the Founder grew suspicious but lacked cause to act. Then, without leave, he sent Zhang Junlian raiding into Bin and Feng; Junlian was routed. Hearing of it, the Founder raged at his insubordination, overtook him, and beheaded him. (The 《Zizhi Tongjian》 says Liu Han reached Chang'an and Chongshi refused him courtesy; Han told the Emperor, "Chongshi is in secret contact with Bin and Qi." On jiashen he was demoted to Xi, then ordered to die; his clan was destroyed.）〉
4
朱珍，徐州豐縣雍鳳里人也。 太祖初起兵，珍與龐師古、許唐、李暉、丁會、氏叔琮、鄧季筠、王武等八十餘人，以中涓從，摧堅陷陣，所向蕩決。 及太祖鎮汴，兼領招討使，署珍為宣武右職，以總腹心。 於是簡練軍伍，裁制綱紀，平巢破蔡，多珍之力也。
Zhu Zhen came from Yongfeng lane in Feng county, Xuzhou. When the Founder first took up arms, Zhen and more than eighty comrades—including Pang Shigu, Xu Tang, Li Hui, Ding Hui, Shi Shucong, Deng Jiyun, and Wang Wu—rode at his side and broke every line they met. When the Founder held Bian as punitive commissioner, he made Zhen his right hand at Xuanwu to command his trusted men. He drilled the ranks and enforced discipline; much of the victory over Chao and Cai was Zhen's doing.
5
始尚讓以驍騎五千人至繁臺，珍與龐師古、齊奉國等擊退之。 及黃巢敗，珍與並帥李克用追至冤句而還。 尋從太祖以汴、宋、亳之師入西華，破王夏寨，勇冠軍鋒，以功加秩。 光啟元年，署諸軍都指揮使，始為上將。 於是軍焦夷，敗蔡師鐵林三千人，盡俘其將。 復西至汝、鄭，南過陳、潁，繚宋、亳、滑、濮間，與蔡賊交戰，鏖伏襲殺，不知其數。 會滑州節度使安師儒戎政不治，太祖命珍與李唐賓率步騎以經略之。 始入境，遇大雪，令軍士無得休息，一夕馳至壁下，百梯並升，遂乘其墉，滑州平。 時太祖方謀齊師，乃遣珍往淄州募兵，行次任縣，東面都統齊克讓伏兵於孫師陂以邀珍，珍大破之。 進軍至牙山，都虞候張仁遇白珍曰：「軍有不齊者，當先斬本都將，後以狀聞，願許之。」 珍怒其專，乃斬仁遇以徇軍，由是諸將咸懼。 兵至乾封，與淄人戰於白草口，敗之。 青人以步騎二萬，列三寨於金嶺驛，珍與戰，連破之，殲其師，盡獲軍器戎馬。 是夕，攻博昌，大獲兵眾。 其後破盧瑭、張至及朱瑄、朱瑾之眾，平定曹、濮，未嘗不在戰中。
When Shang Rang brought five thousand horsemen to Fantai, Zhen, Pang Shigu, and Qi Fengguo beat them back. After Huang Chao's defeat Zhen pursued with Li Keyong of Bing as far as Yuanqu, then turned back. He followed the Founder into Xihua with armies from Bian, Song, and Bo, stormed Wang Xia's camp, led the van in valor, and won higher rank. In Guangqi 1 he became army commander—a full general at last. At Jiaoyi he smashed three thousand Iron Forest Guards of the Cai army and took every officer prisoner. West to Ru and Zheng, south through Chen and Ying, he ranged Song, Bo, Hua, and Pu fighting Cai rebels in ambush after battle beyond count. When An Shiru of Huazhou misgoverned his command, the Founder sent Zhen and Li Tangbin to seize the province. Snow met them at the border; he allowed no halt. In one night they were at the walls, a hundred ladders went up together, and Huazhou fell. While the Founder planned against Qi, Zhen went to Zizhou to raise troops; Qi Kerang ambushed him at Sunshi Slope near Ren county—Zhen broke him utterly. At Yashan, Inspector Zhang Renyu asked Zhen: "When a unit falters, let me kill its commander first and report after—grant me that right." Zhen, furious at the presumption, executed Renyu before the ranks, and every officer thereafter lived in fear. At Qianfeng he met the Qi army at Baicao Mouth and routed them. Twenty thousand Qi troops held three camps at Jinling Post; Zhen broke them in succession, destroyed the army, and took all arms and horses. That night he stormed Bochang and swelled his ranks with captives. He fought Lu Tang, Zhang Zhi, Zhu Xuan, and Zhu Jin, pacified Cao and Pu, and was never far from the fighting.
6
梁山之役，始與李唐賓不協。 珍在軍嘗私迎其室於汴，而不先請，太祖疑之，密令唐賓察之，二將不相下，因而交諍。 唐賓夜斬關還汴以訴，珍亦棄軍單騎而至，太祖兩惜之，故不罪，俾還於師。 復以踏白騎士入陳、亳間，以邀蔡人，遂南至斤溝，破淮西石璠之師二萬，擄璠以獻。 珍旋師自亳北趣靜戎，濟舟於滑，破黎陽、臨河、李固三鎮。 軍於內黃，敗樂從訓萬餘人，分命聶金、範居實略澶州，與魏師遇於臨黃； 魏軍有豹子軍二千人，戮之無噍類，威振河朔。 復攻淮西，至蔡，夾河而寨，敗賊將蕭皓之眾，皆擁於河溺死之。 進軍蔡州，營其西南，既破羊馬垣，遇雨班師。 珍以兵援劉讚，赴楚州，至襄山南，遇徐戎扼其路，珍乃攻豐，下之。 時溥乃以全師會戰於豐南吳康裏，珍乃收豐，破其三萬餘眾。 及蔡賊平，珍比諸將功居多。
At Liangshan he first clashed with Li Tangbin. Zhen had his wife brought to Bian without permission; the Founder suspected collusion and set Tangbin to watch—the two generals quarreled and would not yield. Tangbin broke through at night to complain at Bian; Zhen rode alone from the camp; the Founder valued both and sent them back without punishment. With scout horse he raided between Chen and Bo, drove south to Jingou, shattered Shi Fan's twenty thousand Huai troops, and brought Fan in chains. Turning north from Bo toward Jingrong, he crossed the river at Hua and took Liyang, Linhe, and Ligu. At Neihuang he beat Yue Congxun's ten thousand, sent Nie Jin and Fan Jushi against Caozhou, and met the Wei army at Linhuang; He slaughtered the two thousand Leopard Guards to the last man, and his name shook the north. Again in Huaixi he reached Cai, camped along both banks of the river, routed Xiao Hao's rebels, and drove them into the water to drown. He besieged Caizhou from the southwest, broke the outer rampart, then withdrew in the rain. Marching to aid Liu Zan at Chuzhou, he found Xu troops blocking the road south of Xiangshan and took Feng by storm. Shi Pu met him with his full army at Wukang li south of Feng; Zhen held the city and shattered thirty thousand. When Cai fell, his share of the credit exceeded every other general.
7
龍紀初，與諸將屯於蕭縣，以禦時溥，珍慮太祖自至，令諸軍葺馬廄以候巡撫，李唐賓之裨將嚴郊獨慢焉，軍候範權恃珍以督之。 唐賓素與珍不協，果怒，乃見以訴其事。 珍亦怒曰：「唐賓無禮！」 遂拔劍斬之，珍命騎列狀陳其事。 太祖初聞唐賓之死，驚駭，與敬翔謀，詐令有司收捕唐賓妻子下獄，以安珍心。 太祖遂徑往蕭縣，距蕭一舍，珍率將校迎謁，梁祖令武士執之，責其專殺，命丁會行戮。 都將霍存等數十人叩頭以救，太祖怒，以坐床擲之，乃退。
Early Longji he held Xiaoxian against Shi Pu; expecting the Founder's inspection, Zhen ordered every unit to rebuild its stables; Yan Jiao, Tangbin's lieutenant, alone was slack, and Fan Quan, backed by Zhen, pressed him. Tangbin had long hated Zhen; predictably furious, he went to the Founder to complain. Zhen snapped: "Tangbin has no manners! 」 He drew his sword and killed him, then had the cavalry file a report on what had happened. When the Founder first heard Tangbin was dead he was shocked; with Jing Xiang he pretended to arrest Tangbin's family to calm Zhen. The Founder rode straight to Xiao county; a stage short of the city Zhen came out with his officers to greet him; the Liang Founder had guards seize him, blamed him for killing on his own authority, and ordered Ding Hui to carry out the sentence. Several dozen commanders led by Huo Cun kowtowed to beg for his life; the Founder in rage hurled his couch at them, and they fell back.
8
李思安，陳留張亭里人也。 初事汴將楊彥洪為騎士。 好拳勇，未弱冠，長七尺，超然有乘時自奮之意。 唐中和三年，太祖鎮汴，嘗大閱戎旅，睹其材，甚偉之，因錫名思安，字貞臣。 思安善飛槊，所向披靡，每從太祖征伐，常馳馬出敵陣之後，測其厚薄而還。 或敵人有恃猛自炫者，多命取之，必鷹揚飆卷，擒馘於萬眾之中，出入自若，如蹈無人之地。 太祖甚惜之，命副王虔裕為踏白將。 時巢、蔡合從，太祖每遣偵邏，必率先獨往。 巢敗走，思安領所部百餘人追賊，殺戮掩奪，眾莫敢當。 尋領軍襲蔡寇於鄭，都將李唐賓馬躓而墜，思安援槊刺追者，唐賓復其騎而還。 又嘗與蔡人鬥，當陣生擒賊將柳行實。 其後渡長淮，下天長、高郵二邑，又拒孫儒，迫濠州，皆有奇績。 累遷為諸軍都指揮使，奏官至檢校左僕射，尋拜亳州刺史。 練兵禦寇，邊境肅然。 思安為性勇悍，每統戎臨敵，不大勝，必大敗。
Li Si'an came from Zhangting in Chenliu. He first served Yang Yanhong of Bian as a horse soldier. Fond of boxing and daring, he was seven feet tall before manhood and burned to make his mark in the world. In Zhonghe 3 of Tang, when the Founder held Bian he reviewed the troops, admired his build, and gave him the name Si'an, styled Zhenchen. Si'an wielded the flying lance to devastating effect and often rode alone behind enemy lines to test their strength before returning. When the foe put forward swaggering champions, he was sent to take them—swooping through ten thousand men to seize heads and ride out as if the field were empty. The Founder valued him and made him Wang Qianyu's deputy as Tread-White commander. While Huang Chao and the Cai rebels were allied, Si'an always went ahead alone whenever the Founder sent scouts. When Chao fled in defeat, Si'an led a hundred-odd men in pursuit, killing and looting until none dared face him. He later struck Cai rebels at Zheng; when Li Tangbin was thrown, Si'an speared the pursuers so Tangbin could remount and escape. In another fight with the Cai army he took their general Liu Xingshi alive in the front ranks. He then crossed the Huai, took Tianchang and Gaoyou, held off Sun Ru, and pressed Chuzhou—each exploit was remarkable. He rose to overall army commander and Acting Left Vice Director, then became prefect of Bozhou. He trained troops and held the border; the frontier grew quiet. Fierce by nature, Si'an in command either won a crushing victory or suffered a crushing defeat.
9
開平元年春，率兵伐幽州，營於桑乾河，擄獲甚眾，燕人大懼。 及軍回，率諸軍伐潞，累月不克，師人多逸。 太祖怒甚，詔疏其罪，盡奪其官爵，委本郡以民戶係焉。 逾歲起之，復令領兵，亦無巨績可紀。 太祖嘗因命將授鉞，謂左右曰：「李思安當敵果敢，無出其右者，然每遇藩方擇材，吾將用之，則敗聞必至，如是者二三矣，則知飛將數奇，前史豈虛言哉！」 乾化元年秋，又以為相州刺史。 思安自謂當擁旄仗鉞，及是殊不快意，但日循晏安，無意為政。 及太祖北征，以候騎之誤，落然無所具，而復壁壘荒圮，帑廩空竭，太祖怒，貶柳州司戶，尋賜死於相州。 〈（《通鑒》：開化元年丙午，至相州，刺史李思安不意帝猝至，落然無具，坐削官爵。 二年正月丁卯，帝至獲嘉，追思李思安去歲供饋有闕，貶柳州司戶，尋長流思安於崖州，賜死。）〉
In spring of Kaiping 1 he attacked Youzhou and camped on the Sanggan, taking many captives and terrifying the Yan. On the return march he besieged Lu for months without success, and many soldiers deserted. The Founder was furious, published his crimes, stripped every rank, and bound him to his home prefecture as a common household. A year later he was recalled to lead troops again, but still won no great fame. Once, as he gave axes to his generals, the Founder told his attendants: "Li Si'an is matchless in a fight, yet whenever I post him to a frontier command defeat follows—two or three times now. The old books were right about unlucky flying generals! 」 In autumn of Kaiping 1 he was again made prefect of Xiangzhou. Si'an had expected a military commission; bitterly disappointed, he idled in comfort and ignored government. On a northern campaign the Founder arrived unexpectedly; Si'an had nothing ready, his walls were broken, and his stores were bare. The Founder demoted him to Liuzhou registrar and soon had him executed at Xiangzhou. (The 《Zizhi Tongjian》 says: In Kaiping 1, bingwu year, the Emperor reached Xiangzhou; Prefect Li Si'an, caught unprepared, was stripped of rank on the spot. In year 2, first month, dingmao day, at Huojia he recalled Si'an's short rations the year before, demoted him to Liuzhou registrar, then exiled him to Yazhou and ordered his death.)〉
10
鄧季筠，宋州下邑人也。 少入黃巢軍，隸於太祖麾下。 及太祖鎮汴，首署為牙將，主騎軍。 伐鄆之役，生擒排陣將劉矯以獻。 唐大順初，唐帝命丞相張浚伐太原，太祖奉詔出師，西至高平，與晉人接戰，軍既不利，季筠為晉人所擒。 克用見之甚喜，釋縛，待以賓禮，俄典戎事。 季筠在並門凡四稔。 景福二年，晉軍攻邢台，季筠領偏師預其役，將及邢，邢人陣於郊，兩軍酣戰之際，季筠出陣，飛馬來歸； 太祖大加獎歎，賞賚甚厚。 時初置廳子都，最為親軍，命季筠主之，旋改統親騎，又遷將中軍。 天祐三年，奏授登州刺史，下車稱理。 登州舊無羅城，及季筠至郡，率丁壯以築之，民甚安之，因相與立碑以頌其績。 太祖受禪，改鄭州刺史，尋主兵於河中，為都指揮使。 時並人寇平陽，季筠接戰於洪洞，大克，拜華州防禦使。 又繼領龍驤等諸軍騎士，累官至檢校司空。 柏鄉之役，季筠臨陣前卻，太祖亦未之罪。 乾化二年春，太祖親伐鎮、定，駐於相州，因閱馬，怒其馬瘦，與魏博軍校何令稠、陳令勳同斬於纛下。
Deng Jiyun came from Xiayi in Songzhou. As a youth he joined Huang Chao and later entered the Founder's service. When the Founder held Bian he made Jiyun a personal guard officer commanding the cavalry. In the Yan campaign he took the enemy battle-line general Liu Jiao alive and presented him. Early in Dashun of Tang, the emperor sent Chancellor Zhang Jun against Taiyuan; the Founder marched west to Gaoping, was beaten, and Jiyun was captured by the Jin. Keyong was delighted, freed him, entertained him as a guest, and soon put him in charge of troops. Jiyun stayed at Taiyuan four years. In Jingfu 2 the Jin besieged Xingtai; Jiyun led a flank corps; as the armies fought outside Xing he broke from the line and galloped back to the Founder; The Founder praised him lavishly and gave rich rewards. He then formed the Hall Sons—the Founder's closest guard—and put Jiyun in command, soon made him head of the intimate cavalry and then of the central army. In Tianyou 3 he became prefect of Dengzhou and governed well from the day he arrived. Dengzhou had no outer wall; Jiyun raised labor to build one, the people were secure, and they set up a stele to praise him. At the founding of Liang he became prefect of Zhengzhou, then commanded the army at Hezhong as overall commander. When the Jin raided Pingyang he routed them at Hongdong and was made defense commissioner of Huazhou. He later led the Longxiang and other cavalry corps and rose to Acting Minister of Works. At Bai Bridge Jiyun pulled back in the fighting, yet the Founder did not punish him. In spring of Kaiping 2 the Founder attacked Zhen and Ding and halted at Xiangzhou; reviewing the horses, he found them lean and beheaded Jiyun with the Weibo officers He Lingchou and Chen Lingxun beneath his banner.
11
黃文靖，金鄉人。 少附於黃巢黨中，巢敗，歸於太祖，累署牙職，繼遷諸軍指揮使。 從太祖南平巢、蔡，北定兗、鄆，皆有功。 唐大順中，佐葛從周送朱崇節入潞。 會晉軍十餘萬近逼垣寨，文靖慮孤軍難守，乃與葛從周啟出師，文靖為殿，命矢刃皆外向，持重而還，晉人不敢逼。 其年冬，與康懷英渡淮，入壽春之境，下安豐、霍丘，至光州而還。 光化初，晉將李嗣昭、周德威寇於山東，文靖佐葛從周統大軍禦之。 至沙河，敗晉軍五千餘騎，遂逐之，越張公橋乃止。 後旬日，復與晉人戰於邢州之北，擒蕃將賁金鐵、慕容藤、李存建等百餘人，奪馬數千匹。 尋以功表授檢校左僕射、耀州刺史。 天祐二年春，命佐楊師厚深入淮甸，越壽春，侵廬江，軍至大獨山，遇淮夷，殺五千餘眾，振旅而還。 改蔡州刺史，加檢校司空，又遷潁州刺史。 太祖受禪，復為蔡州刺史，入為左神武統軍，又改左龍驤使。 乾化元年，從太祖北征，因閱馬得罪，命斬之。 文靖驍果善戰，諸將皆惜之。
Huang Wenjing came from Jinxiang. He had followed Huang Chao; after Chao's fall he joined the Founder, served in the guard corps, and rose to army commander. He fought south against Chao and Cai and north in Yan and Yun, winning merit in each. In Dashun of Tang he helped Ge Congzhou escort Zhu Chongjie into Lu. When more than a hundred thousand Jin troops pressed the camp, Wenjing and Ge Congzhou slipped out by night; Wenjing covered the rear with weapons turned outward and withdrew in good order while the Jin held back. That winter he crossed the Huai with Kang Huaiying, took Anfeng and Huoqiu in Shouzhou, reached Guangzhou, and returned. Early in Guanghua, when Li Sizhao and Zhou Dewei raided Shandong, Wenjing joined Ge Congzhou in commanding the main army against them. At Shahe he routed more than five thousand Jin horsemen and pursued them past Zhanggong Bridge before halting. Ten days later he fought again north of Xingzhou, capturing the Tatar generals Ben Jintie, Murong Teng, Li Cunjian, and more than a hundred others, with thousands of horses. Soon he was memorialized Acting Left Vice Director and prefect of Yaozhou. In spring of Tianyou 2 he aided Yang Shihou deep into the Huai, passed Shouchun, raided Lujiang, reached Great Solitary Mountain, killed more than five thousand Huai fighters, and returned in triumph. He became prefect of Cai with Acting Minister of Works, then moved to Yingzhou. At the Liang founding he was again prefect of Cai, then Left Divine Martial commander and Left Dragon Flying commissioner. In Kaiping 1 he joined the northern campaign; the horse review angered the Founder and he was executed. Wenjing was a fierce fighter whom every general regretted losing.
12
李讜，河中臨晉人。 少時遊秦、雍間，為人勇悍多力，甚有氣誼。 唐廣明初，黃巢陷長安，讜遂得仕於其間。 巢以讜為內樞密使，蓋讜曾委質於宦者，出入於宮禁間，巢以此用焉。 其後巢軍既敗，讜乃束身歸於太祖，署為左德勝騎軍都將。 從太祖討蔡賊，頗立軍功。 及東伐兗、鄆，以所部士伍俘獲甚眾，改元從騎將，表授檢校右僕射。 郴王友裕領兵攻澤州，時太祖駐大軍於盟津，乃令讜將兵越太行，授以籌謀。 讜頗違節度，久而無功。 太祖遣追還，廷責其罪，戮之於河橋。
Li Dang came from Linjin in Hezhong. In youth he wandered Qin and Yong; bold, fierce, and strong, he was famed for loyalty among friends. Early in Guangming of Tang, when Huang Chao took Chang'an, Dang entered his service. Chao made him inner privy commissioner, for Dang had once served eunuchs and knew the palace—Chao used him for that. After Chao's defeat Dang surrendered to the Founder and was made commander of the Left Victorious Virtue cavalry. He followed the Founder against the Cai rebels and won solid merit. In the eastern campaigns against Yan and Yun his men took many prisoners; he became a yuancong cavalry general and Acting Right Vice Director. When Prince of Chen Youyu besieged Zezhou the Founder camped at Meng Ford and sent Dang across the Taihang with full discretion over the plan. Dang disobeyed orders and after a long while had nothing to show. The Founder recalled him, rebuked him at court, and executed him at He Bridge.
13
史臣曰：叔琮而下，咸以鷹犬之才，適遇雲龍之會，勤勞王室，踐履將壇，然俱不得其死，豈不惜哉！ 得非鳥盡弓藏，理當如是耶？ 將梁祖之雄猜，無漢高之大度歟？ 乃知自古帝王，能保全功臣者，唯光武一人而已矣。 語曰：「弑父與君，亦不從也」，而叔琮、友恭從之，何也？ 既為盜蹠所嗾，豈免成濟之誅，臨終之言，益彰其醜也。
The historian writes: From Shuzong on, these men had the talent of hawks and hounds and met a dragon in the clouds; they toiled for the throne and stood on the general's dais—yet none died in his bed. How pitiable! When the birds are gone, does not every lord put away his bow? Is that not fate? Was the Liang Founder's jealous courage so far below Han Gaozu's breadth of mind? So of all emperors since antiquity, only Guangwu truly kept his merit ministers safe. The Analects says one must not obey even a father or lord in murder—yet Shuzong and Yougong obeyed. Why? Urged on by a Zhi, they could only share Cheng Ji's fate; their dying words exposed their shame all the more.