1
李珽，字公度，隴西敦煌人。 五世祖忠懿公憕，有大節，見《唐史》。 父縠，仕懿、僖朝，官至右諫議大夫。 珽聰悟，有才學，尤工詞賦。 僖宗朝，晉公王鐸提兵柄，鎮滑台，縠居賓席，鐸見珽，大賞歎之。 年二十四登進士第，解褐授校書郎，拜監察御史，俄丁內艱。 先是，父旅殯在遠，家貧無以襄事，與弟琪當臘雪以單縗扶杖，銜哀告人，由是兩克遷祔。 而珽日不過食一溢，恒羸臥喪廬中不能興。 大為時賢所歎。 憂闋，再征為御史，以瘠不起。 成汭之鎮荊州，辟為掌書記，逾時乃就。
Li Ting, styled Gongdu, came from Dunhuang in Longxi. His fifth-generation ancestor, Duke of Loyal Benevolence Cheng, was a man of great principle, as recorded in the 《History of Tang》. His father Gu had served under Emperors Yizong and Xizong and reached the post of Right Remonstrance Grand Master. Ting was quick-minded, widely read, and especially gifted at rhapsodies and fu. During Xizong's reign Duke of Jin Wang Duo held the armies at Huatai; Gu was among his retainers; when Duo met Ting he admired him greatly. At twenty-four he passed the jinshi, entered service as collating clerk, became investigating censor, and soon entered mourning for his mother. His father's coffin had long lain far from home and the family was too poor to bury him properly; Ting and his brother Qi, in deep winter snow, wore plain hemp mourning and leaned on staffs as they went begging in grief until they could bring both parents home for joint burial. Ting ate barely a dipper of food a day, grew gaunt, and for long stretches could not leave the mourning hut. Men of the age greatly admired him for it. When mourning ended he was summoned again as censor but was too frail to serve. When Cheng Yan took Jingzhou he made Ting his chief secretary; Ting delayed some time before accepting.
2
天復中，淮寇大舉圍夏口，逼巴陵，太祖患之，飛命成汭率水軍十萬援於鄂。 珽入言曰：「今舳艫容介士千人，載稻倍之，緩急不可動。 吳人剽輕，若為所絆，則武陵、武安皆我之仇也，將有後慮； 不如遣驍將屯巴陵，大軍對岸，一日不與戰，則吳寇糧絕，而鄂州圍解矣。」 汭性剛決，不聽。 淮人果乘風縱火，舟盡焚，兵盡溺，汭亦自沈於江，朗人、潭人遂入荊渚，一如所料。 未幾，襄帥趙匡凝復奏為掌記，入為左補闕。 又明年，太祖為元帥，以襄陽貳於己，率兵擊破之，趙匡凝奔揚州，太祖復署珽為天平軍掌書記。 一日，大會將佐，指珽曰：「此真書記也。」
During Tianfu Huai forces besieged Xiakou and threatened Baling; the Founder was alarmed and ordered Cheng Yan post-haste to Ezhou with a hundred thousand sailors. Ting advised him: "Each ship now carries a thousand fighting men and twice as much grain—it cannot maneuver when speed matters. The Wu are quick and light; if they pin you down, Wuling and Wu'an become our enemies and the rear is exposed; better to post bold officers at Baling and keep the main fleet on the far bank—one day without battle and the Wu run out of grain and Ezhou is saved." Cheng was stubborn and would not heed him. The Huai did ride the wind to burn the fleet; every ship was lost and every man drowned; Cheng drowned himself in the river; Lang and Tan troops then overran Jing—exactly as Ting had foretold. Soon Xiang commander Zhao Kuangning again named him chief recorder; he entered court as Left Supplementation Censor. The next year, as commander-in-chief, the Founder attacked disloyal Xiangyang, broke it, and drove Zhao Kuangning to Yangzhou; he again made Ting secretary of the Tianping army. One day at a council of officers he pointed to Ting and said, "There is a real secretary."
3
滄州節度使劉守文拒命，太祖引兵十餘萬圍之，久而未下，乃召珽草檄。 珽即就外次，筆不停綴，登時而成，大為太祖嗟賞。 受禪之歲，宰臣除為考功員外郎、知制誥，珽揣太祖未欲首以舊僚超拜清顯，三上章固辭，優詔褒允，尋以本官監曹州事。 曹去京數舍，吏民豪猾，前後十餘政，未有善罷者。 珽在任期歲，眾庶以寧。 入為兵部郎中、崇政院學士。 未幾，以許帥馮行襲疾甚，出為許州留後。 先是，行襲有牙兵二千，皆蔡人也，太祖深以為憂，乃遣珽馳往，以伺察之。 珽至傳舍，召將吏親加撫慰。 行襲欲使人代受詔，珽曰：「東首加朝服，禮也。」 乃於臥內宣詔，令善自補養，苟有不諱，子孫俱保後福。 行襲泣謝，遂解二印以授珽，代掌軍府事。 太祖覽奏曰：「予固知珽必辦吾事，行襲門戶不朽矣。」 乃以珽為匡國軍留後，尋征為左諫議大夫兼宣徽副使。 從征至魏縣，過內黃，因侍立於行廄，太祖顧曰：「此何故名內黃？」 珽曰：「河南有外黃、小黃，故此有內黃。」 又曰：「在何處？」 對曰：「秦有外黃都尉，理外黃，有故墉，今在雍丘。 小黃為高齊所廢，其故墉今在陳留。」 太祖稱獎數四。
When Cangzhou commissioner Liu Shouwen rebelled the Founder besieged him with more than a hundred thousand men; the city held for long months, and he called on Ting to draft the assault proclamation. Ting stepped to a side room and wrote without pause; the draft was done at once and the Founder marveled. In the year of the Founder's enthronement the chief ministers made him Acting Director of Examination and edict drafter; Ting sensed the Founder was loath to promote an old follower straight to a lofty post, declined three times in memorials, received a gracious edict of praise, and soon supervised Cao with his existing rank. Cao lay several stages from the capital; its officials and gentry were fierce; more than ten predecessors had left the post in disgrace. In one year under Ting the people were calm. He was recalled as Bureau Director in the Ministry of War and academician of the Court for Upholding Governance. Soon, because Xu commander Feng Xingxi was gravely ill, he was sent out as acting governor of Xu. Xingxi still had two thousand guard troops, all Cai men; the Founder was deeply uneasy and sent Ting post-haste to watch the situation. At the relay station Ting summoned the officers and comforted them in person. Xingxi wanted a proxy to receive the edict; Ting said, "To face east in court dress is the proper rite." He read the edict at the bedside, urging him to recover; should the worst come, his sons and grandsons would still enjoy lasting favor. Xingxi wept his thanks and handed Ting both seals to run the headquarters in his stead. Reading the report, the Founder said, "I knew Ting would handle this for me—Xingxi's line will endure." He made Ting acting governor of Kuangguo, then recalled him as Left Remonstrance Grand Master and Vice Commissioner of the Palace Secretariat. On campaign at Wei county he passed Neihuang; while attending the Founder at the traveling stable the Founder asked, "Why is this place called Neihuang?" Ting said, "South of the River are Waihuang and Xiaohuang, so this is Neihuang." The Founder asked, "Where were those?" He answered, "Qin had a Waihuang commandant; the old rampart is at Yongqiu today. Xiaohuang was abolished under Northern Qi; its old site is at Chenliu." The Founder praised him again and again.
4
及庶人友珪篡位，除右散騎常侍，充侍講學士。 內討之日，軍士大擾，珽其夕為亂兵所傷，卒於洛陽。 珽性孝友，與弟琪有敦睦之愛，為搢紳所稱。 〈（案：《歐陽史》有《裴迪》、《韋震傳》，今原文已佚，無可采補。）〉
When the commoner Yougui seized the throne, Ting was made Right Regular Cavalry Attendant and lecturer attendant. On the day of the inner punitive campaign the army rioted; that night disorderly soldiers wounded Ting, and he died in Luoyang. Ting was filial and brotherly; he and his brother Qi were deeply devoted, and the gentry praised them. (The 《Ouyang History》 contains biographies of Pei Di and Wei Zhen; the original passage is lost and cannot be restored.)〉
5
盧曾，字孝伯，其先范陽人也。 頗好書，有所執守。 始為齊州防禦使朱瓊從事，瓊降，預其謀，與之皆來。 瓊沒，太祖辟為宣義幕職。 曾性忠狷，好貢直，又不能取容於眾，每勳府宴語稍洽，曾率然糾正，輒又忤旨。 左長直軍使劉捍委任方重，曾亦不能平。 冀王友謙初定陝府，命曾往議事，有使院小將從行，嗜酒，荒逸過度。 曾復命，欲發其罪，致疏於袖中，累日未果言。 小將恐事泄，先誣告曾使酒，幾敗軍事，劉捍因證之，由是罷職，歸於齊之別墅。 俄而王師範起兵叛，太祖促召曾，謂之曰：「子能緩頰說青州使無背盟，吾不負子矣。」 曾持檄以往。 既至青，師範囚之，送於淮南，遇害。 後太祖暴師範之罪曰：「喪我骨肉，殺我賓僚。」 遂族誅之。 因召曾二子，皆授以官。
Lu Ceng, styled Xiaobo, was of Fanyang descent. He loved books and held firm convictions. He first served Qizhou defense commissioner Zhu Qiong; when Qiong surrendered he helped plan it and came over with him. After Qiong died the Founder took him onto the Xuanyi staff. Ceng was loyal and blunt, given to straight talk, and ill at ease in company; whenever princes of merit were at ease in banquet talk, he would suddenly correct them and give offense again. Left long-direct army commissioner Liu Kan was then in full favor; Ceng could not abide him either. When Prince of Ji Youqian first secured Shanzhou he sent Ceng to negotiate; a minor officer of the envoy bureau went with him, a drunkard and utterly dissolute. On his return Ceng meant to report the man's misconduct and kept a memorial in his sleeve, but for days could not bring himself to speak. The officer, fearing exposure, accused Ceng first of drunkenness on duty and nearly wrecked the mission; Liu Kan backed the charge; Ceng was dismissed and retired to a villa in Qi. Soon Wang Shifan rebelled; the Founder urgently summoned Ceng and said, "If you can persuade Qingzhou not to break faith, I will not fail you. Ceng took the edict and set out. At Qingzhou Shifan imprisoned him and sent him to Huainan, where he was killed. Later the Founder denounced Shifan's crimes, saying, "He destroyed my kin and slew my retainers." He then exterminated Shifan's clan. He then summoned Ceng's two sons and gave them both posts.
6
孫騭，滑台人。 嗜學知書，微有辭筆。 唐光啟中，魏博從事公乘億以女妻之，因教以箋奏程式。 時中原多難，文章之士，縮影竄跡不自顯。 億既死，魏帥以章表箋疏淹積，兼月不能發一字，或以騭為言，即署本職，主奏記事。 累遷職自支使、掌記至節度判官； 奏官自校書、御史郎官、中丞、檢校常侍至兵部尚書。 太祖禦天下，念潛龍時，騭奉其主，好問往來數十返，甚錄之。 開平三年，除右諫議大夫，滿歲，遷左散騎常侍。 騭雅好聚書，有《六經》、漢史洎百家之言，凡數千卷，皆簡翰精至，披勘詳定，得暇即朝夕耽玩，曾無少怠。 乾化二年春，太祖將議北巡，選朝士三十餘人扈從。 二月甲子，車駕發自洛陽。 禺中，次白馬頓，召文武官就食，以從臣未集，駐蹕以俟之； 又命飛騎促於道，而騭與諫議大夫張衍、兵部郎中張俊等累刻方至，太祖性本卞急，因茲大怒，並格殺於前墀。
Sun Zhi came from Huatai. He loved learning, was well read, and had some skill with the pen. In Guangqi, Weibo staff officer Gongcheng Yi gave him his daughter in marriage and taught him the forms of memorials and reports. The central plains were in turmoil; men of letters hid themselves and did not seek notice. After Yi died the Wei commander's desk was buried in memorials for more than a month with no reply sent; when Zhi was recommended he was put in charge of drafting at once. He rose from branch commissioner and chief recorder to circuit judicial commissioner; and through presented ranks from collating clerk and censor to bureau director, acting regular attendant, and Minister of War. When the Founder ruled the realm he remembered how Zhi had served him in his rise, their letters going back and forth dozens of times, and valued it highly. In Kaiping 3 he became Right Remonstrance Grand Master; after a year he was made Left Regular Cavalry Attendant. Zhi loved books; he owned several thousand scrolls of the 《Six Classics》, Han histories, and the masters, all finely copied and collated, and whenever he had a moment he read morning and night without slack. In the spring of Qianhua 2 the Founder planned a northern tour and chose more than thirty court officers to accompany him. On jiazi in the second month the imperial carriage left Luoyang. At midmorning they stopped at Baima post and called the civil and military officers to eat; the escort had not all arrived, so the procession waited; couriers were sent to hurry stragglers on the road, but Zhi, Remonstrance Grand Master Zhang Yan, Bureau Director Zhang Jun, and others arrived only after long delay; the Founder was by nature irascible, flew into a rage, and had them all beaten to death in the forecourt.
7
張俊，字彥臣。 祖、父咸有聞於時。 俊少孤，自修飾，善為五言詩，其警句頗為人所稱。 唐廣明中，黃巢犯京師，天子幸蜀，士皆竄伏窟穴，以保其生。 俊亦晦跡浮泛，不失其道。 及僖宗還京師，由校書郎、西畿尉登朝為御史、補闕、起居郎、司勳員外、萬年縣令，以事黜官峽中，將十年。 太祖即位，用宰臣薛貽矩為鹽鐵使，俊與貽矩同年登第，甚知其才，即奏為鹽鐵判官，遷職為禮部郎中，兼職如故。 乾化二年二月，扈從後至，與孫騭、張衍同日遇禍於白馬頓。
Zhang Jun, styled Yanchen. Both his grandfather and father were known in their day. Orphaned young, he cultivated himself, wrote fine five-character verse, and his striking lines won praise. In Guangming Huang Chao took the capital; the emperor fled to Shu; scholars hid wherever they could to survive. Jun too kept out of sight and drifted, yet never abandoned his principles. When Xizong returned he rose from collating clerk and western capital district magistrate to censor, supplementation official, attendance director, acting director in the Bureau of Merit, and magistrate of Wan'ian; an offense sent him into exile in the gorges for nearly ten years. When the Founder took the throne chief minister Xue Yiju became salt and iron commissioner; Jun had passed the jinshi with Yiju and knew his ability; he was soon made salt and iron judicial commissioner, then Bureau Director in the Ministry of Rites while keeping the same concurrent duties. In the second month of Qianhua 2 he came late on the northern tour and, with Sun Zhi and Zhang Yan, was killed the same day at Baima post.
8
張衍，字元用，河南尹魏王宗奭之猶子也。 其父死於兵間。 衍樂讀書為儒，始以經學就舉，不中選。 時諫議大夫鄭徽退居洛陽，以女妻之，遂令應辭科，不數上登第。 唐昭宗東遷，以宗奭勳力隆峻，衍由校書郎拜左拾遺，旋召為翰林學士。 太祖即位，罷之，特拜考功郎中，俄遷右諫議大夫。 衍巧生業，樂積聚。 太祖將北伐，頗以扈從間糜耗力用係意，屢幹托宰執求免是行； 太祖微聞之，又屬應召稽晚，與孫騭等同日遇禍。
Zhang Yan, styled Yuanyong, was a nephew of Henan prefect and Prince of Wei Zong Shi. His father had died in the wars. Yan loved the classics and first tried the civil service examination on classical learning but failed. Remonstrance Grand Master Zheng Hui, retired in Luoyang, gave him his daughter and had him try the literary examination; he passed after only a few attempts. When Zhaozong moved east, on Zong Shi's great merit Yan rose from collating clerk to Left Collector and Memorialist and was soon made Hanlin academician. When the Founder took the throne Yan was removed from the Hanlin post, made Acting Director of Examination, and soon Right Remonstrance Grand Master. Yan was shrewd at profit and loved to hoard wealth. As the Founder prepared a northern campaign Yan dreaded the cost of escort duty and repeatedly asked the chief ministers to excuse him from the journey; the Founder caught wind of it; when Yan was also slow to answer the summons he suffered the same fate as Sun Zhi that day.
9
杜荀鶴，池州人。 〈（辛文房《唐才子傳》：荀鶴，字彥之，牧之微子也。）〉 善為詩，辭句切理，為時所許。 既擢第，復還舊山。 〈（《唐才子傳》：荀鶴嘗謁梁王朱全忠，與之坐，忽無雲而雨，王以為天泣不祥，命作詩，稱意，王喜之。 荀鶴寒進，連敗文場，甚苦，至是送春官。 大順二年，裴贄侍郎放第八人登科，正月十日放榜，正荀鶴生朝也。 王希羽獻詩曰：「金榜曉懸生世日，玉書潛記上升時。 九華山色高千尺，未必高於第八枝。」 又，《唐新纂》云：荀鶴舉進士及第，東歸，過夷門，獻梁太祖詩句云：「四海九州空第一，不同諸鎮府封王。」 是則荀鶴之受知於梁祖舊矣，不待田頵之箋問而始被遇也。）〉 時田頵在宣州，甚重之。 頵將起兵，乃陰令以箋問至，太祖遇之頗厚。 及頵遇禍，太祖以其才表之，尋授翰林學士、主客員外郎。 既而恃太祖之勢，凡搢紳間己所不悅者，日屈指怒數，將謀盡殺之。 苞蓄未及泄丁重疾，旬日而卒。
Du Xunhe came from Chizhou. (Xin Wenfang's 《Records of Tang Talents》 says Xunhe, styled Yanzhi, was an illegitimate son of Du Mu.)〉 He wrote poetry with phrases that cut to the point and won contemporary praise. After passing the jinshi he went back to his old home in the hills. (The 《Records of Tang Talents》 records that Xunhe once visited Prince of Liang Zhu Quanzhong; as they sat together rain fell though the sky was clear; the prince took it as heaven weeping and ordered a poem; pleased with it, he was delighted. Xunhe had come up in poverty, failed again and again in the examinations, and suffered greatly before he was finally sent to the Ministry of Rites. In Dazhun 2 Vice Minister Pei Zan placed him eighth on the list; the roster was posted on the tenth day of the first month—Xunhe's own birthday. Wang Xiyu offered a poem: "At dawn the golden list marks the day of his birth; the jade register secretly records the hour of his rise. Mount Jiuhua stands a thousand feet high—yet hardly towers above the eighth place on the list." The 《Tang New Compilation》 adds: Xunhe took his jinshi degree, went east, passed Yimen, and gave the Liang Founder this verse: "First in all the realm—unlike the warlords made kings of their circuits." So the Liang Founder had known Xunhe long before Tian Yun's letter brought him to court.)〉 Tian Yun was then at Xuanzhou and held him in high esteem. When Yun prepared to rebel he secretly sent a letter of inquiry ahead; the Founder treated Xunhe very well. After Yun's fall the Founder praised his talent at court and soon made him Hanlin academician and supernumerary vice director of the Ministry of Reception. Soon, trusting in the Founder's favor, he daily counted on his fingers the courtiers he hated and plotted to kill them all. His grudges had not yet been acted on when he fell gravely ill and died within ten days.
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羅隱， 〈（《唐才子傳》：隱字昭諫。）〉 餘杭人。 詩名於天下，尤長於詠史，然多所譏諷，以故不中第，大為唐宰相鄭畋、李蔚所知。 隱雖負文稱，然貌古而陋。 畋女幼有文性，嘗覽隱詩卷，諷誦不已，畋疑其女有慕才之意。 一日，隱至第，鄭女垂簾而窺之，自是絕不詠其詩。 唐廣明中，因亂歸鄉里，節度使錢鏐辟為從事。 開平初，太祖以右諫議大夫征，不至。 魏博節度使羅紹威密表推薦，乃授給事中。 年八十餘，終於錢塘。 〈（《澗泉日記》云：唐光啟三年，吳越王表奏為錢塘令，遷著作郎，辟掌書記。 天祐三年，充判官。 梁開平二年，授給事中。 三年，遷發運使。 是年卒，葬於定山鄉。 金部郎中沈崧銘其墓。）〉 有文集數卷行於世。 〈（《唐才子傳》云：隱所著《讒書》、《讒本》、《淮海寓言》、《湘南應用集》、《甲乙集》、外集啟事等，並行於世。 《五代史補》：羅隱在科場，恃才傲物，尤為公卿所惡，故六舉不第。 時長安有羅尊師者，深於相術，隱以貌陋，恐為相術所棄，每與尊師接談，常自大以沮之。 及其累遭黜落，不得已始往問焉。 尊師笑曰：「貧道知之久矣，但以吾子決在一第，未可與語。 今日之事，貧道敢有所隱乎！ 且吾子之於一第也，貧道觀之，雖首冠群英，亦不過簿尉爾。 若能罷舉，東歸霸國以求用，則必富且貴矣。 兩途，吾子宜自擇之。」 隱懵然不知所措者數日。 鄰居有賣飯媼，見隱驚曰：「何辭色之沮喪如此，莫有不決之事否？」 隱謂知之，因盡以尊師之言告之。 媼歎曰：「秀才何自迷甚焉，且天下皆知羅隱，何須一第然後為得哉！ 不如急取富貴，則老婆之願也。」 隱聞之釋然，遂歸錢塘。 時錢鏐方得兩浙，置之幕府，使典軍中書檄，其後官給事中。 初，隱罷上中書之日，費窘，因抵魏謁鄴王羅紹威，將入其境，先貽書敘其家世，鄴王為侄。 幕府僚吏見其書，皆怒曰：「羅隱一布衣爾，而侄視大王，其可乎！」 紹威素重士，且曰：「羅隱名振天下，王公大夫多為所薄，今惠然肯顧，其何以勝！ 得在侄行，為幸多矣，敢不致恭，諸公慎勿言。」 於是擁旆郊迎，一見即拜，隱亦不讓。 及將行，紹威贈以百萬，他物稱是，仍致書於鏐謂叔父，鏐首用之。）〉
Luo Yin, (The 《Biographies of Tang Talents》 gives his style as Zhaojian.)〉 was from Yuhang. His verse was known everywhere; he excelled at historical poems but often mocked his betters, failed the examinations for it, and was nevertheless prized by chancellors Zheng Tian and Li Wei. For all his literary fame, Yin looked old and plain. Tian's daughter was literary; reading Yin's poems she could not stop reciting them, and Tian thought she admired the poet. When Yin visited the house the girl peeked through the curtain; from then on she never read his verse again. During Guangming he went home in the turmoil; Qian Liu of Zhexi took him on as staff. At the start of Kaiping the Founder called him to court as Right Remonstrance Counselor; he refused. Luo Shaowei of Wei-Bo secretly recommended him, and he was made Attendant Gentleman. He was over eighty when he died at Qiantang. (The 《Jianquan Diary》 says: In Guangqi 3 the King of Wuyue had him made magistrate of Qiantang, then drafting gentleman and chief secretary. In Tianyou 3 he was a judge-adviser. In Kaiping 2 of Liang he became Attendant Gentleman. In year 3 he was made grain transport commissioner. He died that year and was buried in Dingshan township. Shen Song of the Revenue Department wrote his tomb inscription.)〉 Several fascicles of his collected works still circulate. (The 《Biographies of Tang Talents》 lists his 《Book of Satire》, 《Satire Originals》, 《Parables of Huaihai》, 《Applied Collection of Xiangnan》, 《Jia-yi Collection》, memorial collections, and other works in circulation. The 《Supplement to the History of the Five Dynasties》 says: In the examinations Yin leaned on his talent, was proud and rude, and was so hated by the great families that he failed six times. In Chang'an there was a Master Luo skilled in physiognomy; Yin, fearing his looks would doom him, always bragged when they met to discourage a reading. After repeated failures he finally went to ask his fortune. The master laughed: "I have known you long—but you are fated for only one jinshi success, and until now I could not tell you. Today I dare hide nothing from you! Even if you topped the jinshi list, I see you rising no higher than a county clerk or sheriff. Quit the examinations, go east to the hegemon's court, and you will grow rich and honored. Two paths—choose between them. Yin was stunned and for days could not decide. A neighbor who sold meals saw his gloom and said: "Why so wretched—something you cannot decide? Thinking she might understand, he told her everything the master had said. She sighed: "Scholar, you fool yourself! Everyone knows Luo Yin—why must a degree be your only success? Take wealth and office now—that is what I wish for you. Relieved, he went straight back to Qiantang. Qian Liu had just taken the two Zhes; he put Yin in his secretariat to draft army papers and later made him Attendant Gentleman. Once, broke after failing the Secretariat exam, he went to Wei to see Luo Shaowei and beforehand sent a letter claiming kinship—the prince was his nephew. His staff read the letter and cried: "Luo Yin is a nobody—yet he calls the prince his nephew! Impossible! Shaowei, who loved scholars, said: "Luo Yin's name fills the realm; lords and ministers he has often scorned—now he honors me—how can I not be overwhelmed! To receive him as a nephew is already my luck; I dare not be cold—say nothing, gentlemen. He went out with banners to meet him at the suburbs, bowed at once, and Yin accepted without demur. On his departure Shaowei gave him a million cash and rich gifts, and wrote Qian Liu as to an uncle—Liu took him up at once.)〉
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仇殷，不知何郡人也。 開平中，仕至欽天監，明於象緯曆數，藝術精密，近無其比。 光化中，太祖在滑，遣密王友倫以兵三萬禦幽州之師十餘萬，深慮其不敵，召殷問曰：「陣可行乎？」 曰：「其十四日過禺中乎！」 又問之，曰：「賊敗塗地。」 又曰：「既望，當見捷書。」 果如其言，不失晷刻。 太祖之在長蘆也，諸將請攻壁，號令軍中，人負槁二圍，置千積，俄而雲集。 殷曰：「何用？」 或以所謀告之，殷曰：「我占矣，不見攻壁象，無乃自退乎！」 翌日，有騎馳報丁會以潞州叛，太祖令盡焚其槁而還，不克攻。 開平中，殷一日朝罷，過崇政院，使敬翔直閣，翔問之曰：「月犯房次星，其逼若綴，是何祥也？」 曰：「常度耳。」 殷欲不言，既過數步，自度不可默，乃反言曰：「三兩日當有不順語至，無或驟恐，宜先白上知。」 既二日，陝府奏同州劉知俊閉關作叛。 初，王景仁之出師也。 殷上言：「太陰虧，不利深入。」 太祖遽遣使止之，已敗於柏鄉矣。 殷所見觸類如是，不可備錄。 然而畏慎特甚，居常寢默，未嘗敢顯言。 縱言事跡，惟其語音，不可盡曉，以故屢貽責罰。 後卒於官。
Chou Yin came from a commandery that is not recorded. In Kaiping he reached Director of the Directorate of Astronomy, master of stars, calendars, and divination, unrivaled in his generation. In Guanghua, at Hua, the Founder secretly sent Prince of Mi Wang Youlun with thirty thousand men against more than a hundred thousand from Youzhou; fearing defeat, he asked Yin: "Can we give battle? Yin said: "On the fourteenth they will pass mid-morning! Asked again: "The enemy will be routed. He added: "On the sixteenth you will see the victory dispatch. Events matched his words to the very hour. At Changlu the generals urged an assault; the Founder ordered every soldier to carry two bundles of straw and pile a thousand stacks, which soon rose like clouds. Yin said: "What is the use? Told the plan, Yin said: "I have cast the signs—no image of storming walls; they will retreat on their own! Next day a courier reported Ding Hui's rebellion at Lu; the Founder had the straw burned and marched back without attacking. In Kaiping, leaving court one day Yin passed the Chongzheng Court where Jing Xiang was on duty; Xiang asked: "The moon encroaches on a star in Fang—the approach looks slow; what omen is this? Yin said: "Nothing unusual." He meant to say nothing; after a few steps he turned back: "In two or three days bad news will come—do not be alarmed; tell the Emperor first." Two days later Shaanxi reported that Liu Zhijun of Tong had shut the passes and rebelled. Earlier, when Wang Jingren took the field. Yin warned: "The moon is waning—deep advance is unlucky. The Founder hurriedly sent orders to halt him, but Jingren had already been beaten at Baixiang. Cases like these fill his record and cannot all be given here. Yet he was deeply cautious, usually kept silent, and never dared speak openly. When he did speak, his accent made him hard to understand, and he was often fined for it. He later died in office.
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段深，不知何許人。 開平中，以善醫待詔於翰林。 時太祖抱疾久之，其溲甚濁，僧曉微侍藥有征，賜紫衣師號，錫賚甚厚。 頃之疾發，曉微剝服色，去師號。 因召深問曰：「疾愈復作，草藥不足恃也，我左右粒石而效者眾矣，服之如何？」 深對曰：「臣嘗奉詔診切，陛下積憂勤，失調護，脈代芤而心益虛。 臣以為宜先治心，心和平而溲變清，當進飲劑，而不當粒石也。 臣謹案，《太倉公傳》曰：『中熱不溲者不可服石，石性精悍，有大毒。』 凡餌毒藥如甲兵，不得已而用之，非有危殆，不可服也。」 太祖善之，令進飲劑，疾稍愈，乃以幣帛賜之。
Duan Shen came from a place that is not recorded. In Kaiping, as a skilled physician, he served in the Hanlin. The Founder had been ill a long time with foul urine; the monk Xiaowei treated him with success and received purple robes, a master's title, and lavish rewards. When the illness returned, Xiaowei lost his robes and title. The Founder called Shen and asked: "I improved and relapsed—herbs are not enough; many at court swear by powdered stone—should I take it? Shen answered: "When I examined Your Majesty by order, I found long worry and overwork, poor care, a hollow pulse, and a weakening heart. Treat the heart first; when the heart is calm the urine will clear—give decoctions, not powdered stone. I cite the 《Biography of the Granary Lord》: "Internal heat with no urine forbids stone medicine; stone is sharp, fierce, and highly toxic. Poisonous drugs are like arms—use them only when there is no other way; without mortal danger, do not take them. The Founder agreed, took decoctions, improved somewhat, and rewarded him with silks.