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卷八十三 晉書9: 少帝本紀三

Volume 83 Book of Later Jin 9: Emperor Shao 3

Chapter 83 of 舊五代史 · Old History of the Five Dynasties
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1
殿 使 使使 使使 使 使使 使殿 使 使使使使 使使 使
On the first day of the seventh month in autumn of Kaiyun 1, xinwei, the Emperor held court in Chongyuan Hall, granted a general amnesty, and renamed the ninth year of Tianfu as the first year of Kaiyun. All prefectures in Hebei that had been ravaged by the Khitan were granted exemption from this year's autumn tax. Soldiers and officers in the various armies received graded bonuses according to merit. Forced loans of cash and silk levied by the prefectures were to stop the moment the amnesty arrived; contributors of a thousand strings or more were freed from labor corvée, and those of ten thousand strings or more were to receive senior associate appointments in their home prefecture. That day the amnesty proclamation had not yet finished when a violent thunderstorm broke out, and the ceremony was cut short in haste. Several hundred people in the capital were killed by the earthquake, and inside the Gate of Virtuous Clarity the head of a stone dragon was shaken loose; the learned took stone to be the dynastic surname of the house—a dire omen indeed. On guiyou, Ma Quanjie, military governor of Dingzhou, was appointed military commissioner of Yedu and concurrently Vice Grand Counselor; An Shenhui, military governor of Zhaoyi, was transferred to Xingzhou as military governor and given the honorary title of Grand Preceptor. On yihai, Wang Zhou, former military governor of Shaanzhou, was made honorary Grand Marshal and appointed military governor of Dingzhou; Zhang Cong'en, military commissioner of Yedu, became military governor of Yanzhou. The ritual officials reported: "When the Son of Heaven completes three years of mourning, he offers the he sacrifice in the Grand Temple. Mourning for Emperor Gaozu, the Sagely, Cultured, Martial, and Virtuously Bright Filial Emperor, ends this eighth month; the great he rite should be held in the tenth month, and the winter seasonal sacrifices should be changed from jian to he." The court approved. On dingchou, Tao Gu moved from Vice Director of Parks and Forests with edict-drafting duties to Director of the Bureau of Granaries while retaining his drafting post; Wu Deqian, Director of the Court of Judicial Review, became Director of the Palace Library and retired. On xinsi, Li Congmin, commander of the Left Dragon Martial Army, was appointed military governor of Luzhou; Ma Xigao, Protector-General of the Heavenly Stratagem Office and military governor of Guizhou with charge of Langzhou, received the honorary title of Grand Preceptor. On renwu, Jinzhou was downgraded to a defense command and Laizhou to a standard prefecture. Tian Min, Vice Minister of Revenue, became Vice Minister of War; Li Xiang, Vice Minister of Justice, was made Right Assistant Director of the Department of State Affairs; Feng Yu, regimental commissioner of Yingzhou, was appointed Vice Minister of Revenue and Academician of the Duanming Hall; Zhao Shangjiao, Attendant Drafting Secretary of the Secretariat, became Vice Minister of Justice. On jichou, Sang Weihan, Commissioner of Military Affairs and Grand Counselor, became Grand Academician of the Hongwen Institute; Liu Gou, Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and Duke of Qiao, was named Acting Minister of Works with concurrent posts as Vice Director of the Chancellery, Grand Councilor, Supervisor of the National History, and Controller of the Three Commissions; chief ministers Li Song and He Ning received promotions in rank and fief. On gengyin, Liu Jixun moved from the North to the South Court of the Palace Secretariat; Dong Yu, Commissioner of the Three Commissions, took over the North Court post. On xinmao, Shi Yun, former military governor of Shaanzhou, was appointed military governor of Dengzhou. Li Chengfu, military governor of Tongzhou, died and was posthumously honored as Grand Tutor.
2
· 宿 使使使西使使使使使使使使使使使使使使使使使使使使 使 使使 使 使使
In the eighth month, on xinchou, fifteen generals were ordered to take the field against the Khitan, (From the 《Outline History of the Eastern Capital》 · Biography of Fan Zhi: The Deposed Emperor of Jin ordered fifteen generals on campaign. That night Fan Zhi was on palace duty. The Deposed Emperor told the academicians to divide the drafting of the edicts among themselves, but Fan Zhi said, "The palace gates are shut—we must not risk leaking military secrets." He therefore drafted them all himself.)〉 Liu Zhiyuan, military commissioner of the Northern Capital, became overall commander of the northern campaign; Du Wei of Zhenzhou, overall commander for suppression; Zhang Cong'en of Yanzhou, overall supervisor of horse and foot; Jing Yanguang, military commissioner of the Western Capital, overall array marshal; Zhao Zaili of Xuzhou, overall deputy commander; An Shuqian of Jinzhou, left-wing array marshal; former Yanzhou governor An Shenxin, right-wing cavalry array marshal; An Shenqi of Hezhong, overall commander of horse and foot; Fu Yanqing of Heyang, left-wing cavalry commander; Huangfu Yu of Huazhou, right-wing horse-and-foot commander; Zhang Yanzhe of the Right Divine Martial Army, cavalry array marshal; Wang Tingyin of Cangzhou, left-wing cavalry commander; Song Yanyun of Shaanzhou, right-wing infantry commander; former Jinzhou governor Tian Wu, left-wing infantry array marshal; and Pan Huan of the Left Divine Martial Army, right-wing infantry array marshal. On renyin, King Yanxi of Min was murdered by his officers Lian Chongyu and Zhu Wenjin; the troops installed Zhu Wenjin as acting military commissioner, proclaimed the Tianfu era name, and sent word by a back channel. On jiachen, Lu Wenji rose from Junior to Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent; Li Lin from Junior to Grand Guardian; Li Yi moved from Justice to Revenue; Situ Xu from Attendant Censor to Right Regular Attendant of the Cavalry; and She Congruan, prefect of Fu, was named Protector-General Pacifying the North and military governor of Zhenwu. That night Mars entered the mansion of the Southern Dipper. On yisi, an edict reinstated the Classicist and Youth examination tracks. On jiyou, Wang Lingwen, military governor of Dengzhou, was transferred to Yanzhou. On guichou, Zhu Wenjin, regent of the Weiwu Army and acting ruler of Min, received the honorary title of Grand Preceptor and was confirmed as military governor of the Weiwu Army at Fuzhou with authority over Min. On guihai, Chanzhou was raised to a full military commission under the army name Zhenning, with Bozhou detached to serve as its subordinate prefecture. On jiazi, Shi Wei, military governor of Yanzhou, was appointed military governor of Chanzhou.
3
祿 使使 使
On the first day of the ninth month, gengwu, the sun was eclipsed. On yiyou, Wei Xun, Vice Minister of Revenue, became Mentor of the Heir Apparent; former Di prefect Duan Xiyao, Vice Minister of Revenue; and Zhang Renyuan, Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, Director of the Court of Judicial Review. On jichou, Fu Meng, Vice Minister of Rites, died. On renchen, Taiyuan reported that Bai Wenke, prefect of Dai, had routed the Khitan at Qilifeng, taking more than a thousand heads and seventy-odd officers alive. On guisi, Zhai Guangye, former defense commissioner of Longzhou, was appointed Commissioner of the North Court of the Palace Secretariat. On jihai, court mourning was observed for Wang Tingyin, military governor of Cangzhou, who was posthumously honored as Grand Counselor of the Secretariat.
4
使 使使
In the tenth month of winter, on renyin, Qian Hongzuo, military governor of the Two Zhes and King of Wuyue, received the honorary title of Acting Grand Marshal. On gengxu, Zhao Zaili of Xuzhou, deputy commander of the northern horse-and-foot forces, became deputy overall commander of the northern campaign, and Ma Quanjie, military commissioner of Yedu, deputy commander for suppression. On jiayin, Jia Wei, Recorder of the Heir Apparent with edict-drafting duties, became Director of the Bureau of Household Registers while retaining his drafting post. On wuwu, an edict declared:
5
We have reverently received the late emperor's charge and succeeded to the great foundation of the realm. We constantly fear collapse and doubt our strength to bear the burden; from midnight until the sun sets we dare not rest, and waking each evening in vigil and each morning in dread, we live in reverent awe. Yet grace and trust have not been established, virtue and instruction have not spread, the principles of rule remain unclear, and signs of blame have appeared.
6
使 使
In recent years disasters and pestilence have recurred, harvests have failed, and corpses line the roads—Heaven's rebuke for our feeble virtue. War still rages and the borders are troubled on every side. When the granaries run short, we seize the people's grain; when the treasury fails, we levy the people's wealth; when troops are lacking, we conscript men from the registers; when war horses fall short, we press the people's mounts into service. Though necessity may excuse these acts, what can be said for the justice of them! We have learned that the envoys we dispatched utterly failed our intent: rather than urging and instructing the people, they met them with harsh punishments. Hearing this ourselves, we are all the more ashamed and grieved. Soon border officials rebelled and enemy horsemen crossed the frontier, so that our armies know no rest, soldiers endure the hardships of campaign, and the people flee like startled game; the sick have not recovered, yet levies press on—at the thought of this, how can we eat or sleep in peace! Must we not examine our faults, turn inward in self-reproach, cut expenditures to the bone, and strive to restore peace? We should cut useless spending, drop nonessential tasks, choose substance over display, and practice thrift—honoring the late emperor's kindness and frugality and emulating the plain virtue of kings of old.
7
Recently the manufacture of arms has cost too much; what we need is strength and durability, not ornament; henceforth workshops must not trim weapons with gold or silver. We have never cared for the chase; for court dress and equipage we especially wish to banish luxury; no prefecture in the realm may present precious curios, playthings, hawks, or hunting dogs as tribute. Sage rulers of old wore plain clothes and ate simple fare; how much more should we of meager virtue do the same! Henceforth the palace kitchens shall serve fewer dishes; clothing, curtains, and hangings shall shed ornament and serve only to keep off cold and heat. Lofty halls and carved walls were condemned by the ancients, jade cups and ivory chopsticks by former ages; henceforth all construction must avoid excessive plaster and carving, and every unreasonable expense within the palace is forbidden.
8
Alas! Having inherited the sacred charge and taken the throne, we are ignorant of the highest Way and tread as upon spring ice. Disasters now ravage the land and the state staggers; in this hour we confess our faults and offer sincere repentance, hoping the future may yet be redeemed. We call upon princes, ministers, noble kin, and great houses to open their hearts, follow this course, and together bring prosperity and peace. Let every official take this edict to heart.
9
便 使 使使使使使 使使使使使
In the eleventh month, on renshen, an edict declared: "The barbarian foe is not yet subdued and the borders remain troubled; though there is no raid today, defenses must be strengthened everywhere. We shall personally lead our armies and don armor ourselves; when word comes that the enemy is driving south, we shall march north at once—no fixed date need be announced in advance. The Three Commissions shall plan all supplies in advance, and every office whose staff will accompany Us shall keep travel arrangements in constant readiness," the edict concluded. On jimao, Liang Hanzhang, prefect of Chen, was appointed overall commander of the palace guard cavalry. On renwu, He Jian of Beizhou became military governor of Chanzhou and right-wing cavalry array marshal of the northern campaign, while Shi Wei of Chanzhou was transferred to Beizhou. On bingxu, former Jinzhou governor Tian Wu was appointed military governor of Cangzhou and overall commander of the northern campaign's right-wing infantry; former Xiangzhou governor Guo Jin became military governor of Yanzhou.
10
使 使
On the first day of the twelfth month, jihai, the Emperor visited Gao Gate and shot a white hare. On guichou, Zhu Wenjin, military governor of Fuzhou, was made Co-Grand Councilor and enfeoffed as King of Min. On dingsi, Yang Guangyuan of Qingzhou surrendered. Guangyuan's sons Chengxun and the rest beheaded the observation commissioner Qiu Tao and the officers Bai Yanzuo, Yang Zhan, Du Yanshou, and others, and sent their heads to Li Shouzhen, the commander for suppression; then they set fires, raised a great uproar, seized their father and held him in a private house, surrendered the city, and dispatched Wang Derou, magistrate of Jimo, to present a memorial awaiting judgment. Yang Guangyuan also sent his aide Yang Lin with a memorial begging for execution. An edict granted him pardon.
11
便 使 詿 使使使使使 使使 使使使使使
In the intercalary month, on gengwu, Yang Chengxin was appointed General of the Right Forest of Feathers Army and Chengzuo General of the Right Valiant Cavalry Guard. Both were Guangyuan's sons, who had come to court first to plead guilty; they were therefore specially granted these posts. On guiyou, Li Shouzhen reported that Yang Guangyuan had died. When Guangyuan had submitted his surrender memorial, the Emperor, remembering that he had once submitted at Taiyuan, wished to spare him; but critics said, "How can treason of such magnitude be pardoned!" He therefore ordered Shouzhen to act as he saw fit. Shouzhen had him strangled and reported that he had died of illness. On yiyou, Zhang Wandi, former prefect of Deng, was stripped of rank and executed; Yang Lin, Qingzhou military commissioner, was banished to Weizhou; Ren Miao, chief secretary, to Yuanzhou; and Xu Yan, administrative aide, to Wuzhou. Even future amnesties would not restore them—all on account of Yang Guangyuan's rebellion. Dou Zhengu, Minister of Works and acting chief examiner, reported: "Jinshi and other candidates taking the policy examination formerly tested at night, with a limit of three candles; in Tiancheng 2 this was changed to daytime testing, and we now ask to restore the night examination." The court approved. A partial amnesty was proclaimed for criminals in Qingzhou; meritorious soldiers received generous rewards; and officials and commoners misled by Yang Guangyuan were not prosecuted. Li Shouzhen, commander for suppression at the Qingzhou camp and military governor of Yanzhou with charge of the palace guard, was made Co-Grand Councilor; Fu Yanqing, deputy commander for suppression and military governor of Heyang, was transferred to Xuzhou. On bingxu, Qingzhou was downgraded to a defense command, and Yang Chengxun, prefect of Laizhou, was appointed defense commissioner of Ruzhou. On jichou, Dou Zhengu moved from Works to Rites; Wang Yan from Director of Sacrifices to Works; Wang Song from Left Assistant Director to Director of Sacrifices; and former Right Assistant Director Long Min to Left Assistant Director. On guisi, Li Jianchong, former defense commissioner of Anzhou, became military regent of Heyang; Zhai Guangye, Palace Secretariat commissioner, defense commissioner of Qingzhou; and Li Yantao, commissioner of the Inner Clients Bureau, commissioner of the North Court of the Palace Secretariat. On jiawu, Bian Guangfan, Attendant Censor, became Left Regular Attendant of the Cavalry; Li Gu, Direct Academician of Military Affairs and Director of the Bureau of Personnel, was made Attendant Censor while retaining his former duties. That month Yelü Deguang of the Khitan and Zhao Yanshou invaded at the head of the full army, besieged Hengzhou, and sent detachments to seize Gucheng, Gaocheng, Yuanshi, Gaoyi, Zhaoqing, Ningjin, Puze, Luancheng, Baixiang, and other counties; the vanguard reached Xingzhou, and every prefecture in Hebei sent urgent alarms. An edict ordered Zhang Cong'en, Ma Quanjie, and An Shenqi to take the field and encamp at Xingzhou, while Zhao Zaili encamped at Yedu.
12
退 西 使使 使 使使 使 使 {}使 使 西 退 使 使 使使使 退 使 使
On the new moon of the first month of spring in Kaiyun 2, wuxu, the Emperor declined the customary court felicitations, being still unwell. On jihai, Zhang Cong'en withdrew his troops from Xingzhou to Xiangzhou, and panic spread among the people. Zhao Zaili fell back to Chazhou; Ma Quanjie returned to Yedu; Zhang Yanzhe, Right Commander of the Spirit Martial Army, was posted at Liyang; and Jing Yanguang, regent of the Western Capital, was ordered to hold Huliang Ford. The Khitan attacked Xingzhou. Palace Cavalry Commander Liang Hanzhang was made defense commissioner of Zhengzhou while keeping his military command. Liu Zaiming, defense commissioner of Qizhou, was appointed regent of Xiangzhou. On guimao, Meng Chenghui, commissioner of the Clients Bureau, was promoted to commissioner of the Inner Clients Bureau. Huazhou reported that from the second through the fourth of the month no beacon signals had come in from the Xiangzhou line. On jiachen, Song Guangye, former defense commissioner of Ruzhou, was appointed Grand General of the Left Victorious Guard. An edict awarded titles of meritorious service to the Qingzhou field officers, from deputy horse-and-arms commander on up. On yisi, the Emperor returned to his normal diet. Yuan [Yi], Senior General of the Left Martial Guard, was appointed commissioner of the Clients Bureau while keeping his rank as senior general. An edict ordered Huangfu Yu, military governor of Huazhou, to march on Xingzhou and Ma Quanjie on Xiangzhou. The Khitan struck Ming and Ci, crossed into Yedu's northwestern marches, and alarms poured in from every side. On renzi, the imperial army and the Khitan confronted each other north of the Anyang River at Xiangzhou. Huangfu Yu and Murong Yanchao led the vanguard against enemy cavalry at Yulin Post; Yu's horse took a stray arrow and he barely got away. (From the 《History of Liao》: Huangfu Yu and Murong Yanchao, prefect of Pu, led a thousand cavalry to scout the Liao forces. At Yedu they encountered tens of thousands of Liao troops and fought their way back. At Yulin Post fresh Liao forces closed in; Yu and Yanchao battled fiercely for more than a hundred bouts. When Yu's horse fell he continued on foot until An Shenqi led cavalry across the river to their aid, and the Liao army withdrew.)〉 That night Zhang Cong'en pulled back to Liyang, leaving only five hundred men to hold the Anyang River bridge. Then Prefect Fu Yanlun and his officers conferred: "Tonight everything is in turmoil and no man's mind is settled. Five hundred exhausted soldiers cannot hold this bridge!" They withdrew at once into Xiangzhou, shut the gates, and made ready to defend the city. At daybreak more than ten thousand enemy horsemen were already formed north of the Anyang River. Yanlun had drums beaten and banners raised on the walls with a great shout, and the enemy could not gauge his strength. By the hour of chen they crossed the river and marched south, drawing up every armored horseman below the walls as though preparing to storm the city. Yanlun said, "These enemies are about to pull away." He sent five hundred armored men out through the north gate with bows and crossbows at the ready; the Khitan, as he had foreseen, withdrew. While Huangfu Yu was fighting at Yulin Post, by evening the enemy ranks panicked one another, crying, "All the Jin armies have come!" The Khitan ruler, then at Handan, heard it and fled north at once; the imperial army likewise fell back south to Liyang. On jiayin, Li Jianchong, regent of Heyang, was appointed regent of Xingzhou, and Fang Tai, defense commissioner of Fengzhou (Note: the original text is missing at this point.)〉 He was appointed regent of Heyang. An edict ordered Li Shouzhen to encamp at Huazhou, and Li Yantao, commissioner of the North Court of the Palace Secretariat, was made acting overall deputy commander of the palace horse and foot armies. The Martial Stability Armies of every circuit were redesignated the Heavenly Majesty Army. On jiwei, Li Congwen, former military governor of Xuzhou, was made overall pacification commander of the northern campaign; Zhang Cong'en, military governor of Yanzhou, was appointed acting regent of the Eastern Capital. On xinyou, Xiangzhou reported that the Khitan had pulled back and that villagers who had fled the raids had been sent home to resume their planting. At first, with his illness only just abating, the Emperor was not yet fit to take personal command; then Zhang Cong'en and Ma Quanjie reported in turn that enemy armies swarmed everywhere, and Du Wei at Hengzhou warned that the crisis was acute. The Emperor said, "The northern foe is still abroad—how can I sleep easy? We must throw every man into one great battle to rescue the people of the north. If we linger in comfort and doubt, everything north of the Yellow River will fall to the invaders." That same day he ordered the generals to muster and inspect the troops and settle the plan of campaign. On xinyou, an edict proclaimed the Emperor's personal expedition. Five commanders who had served under Yang Guangyuan, including Zhang Jiong, were put to death—for war was at hand, and the court feared they might incite mutiny. On guihai, Li Gu, Direct Academician of the Bureau of Military Affairs, was made deputy commissioner of the Three Commissions with charge of capital-side Three Commissions business. On yichou, the imperial procession left the capital. That month, patterns like flowering trees appeared on the spring ice above the capital's northern moat—several dozen in all, as vivid as paintings—and crowds of onlookers filled the streets.
13
使 使 使使使 使 使使使使使使使使使使使 殿使
On the new moon of the second month, wuchen, the imperial train stopped at Huazhou. On jisi he crossed the floating bridge, went to Liyang to review the troops, and returned to Huazhou that evening. Tian Wu, military governor of Cangzhou, was made overall deployment commander of the northeastern campaign. On jiaxu he proceeded to Chazhou and appointed Jing Yanguang overall controller of the escort horse and foot armies. On bingzi the armies were reviewed in grand array at Qicheng, with the Emperor presiding in person. On wuyin, Ma Quanjie, deputy pacification commander of the northern campaign, Li Shouzhen, overall supervisor of the field headquarters, Zhang Yanzhe, Right Commander of the Spirit Martial Army, and others marched out with the vanguard. On jimao, Fu Yanqing, military governor of Xuzhou, was made overall cavalry commander of the northern campaign, and Pan Huan, Left Commander of the Spirit Martial Army, overall infantry commander. On xinsi he inspected the old fort at Yang Village. Fu Yanqing, Huangfu Yu, and Li Yin advanced with the combined armies. Bian Guangfan, Left Regular Attendant of the Cavalry, was appointed Direct Academician of the Bureau of Military Affairs. An edict to the Hebei prefectures directed that wherever Khitan horsemen had passed, local authorities were to gather and bury officials and commoners who had been slain and perform such mourning rites as the case allowed. An edict ordered Du Wei at Hengzhou to unite with Ma Quanjie and the others and advance. On bingxu he reviewed horses at Iron Mound, then inspected the camps of Zhao Zaili and Li Congwen. That day brought heavy snow. On wuzi, An Shenqi and Liang Hanzhang marched north on campaign. Zhe Congruan, defense commissioner of Fuzhou, reported that he had besieged the Khitan at Shengzhou, taken it, and saw the advancing army pressing toward Shuozhou. On jiawu, An Shenqi, military governor of Hezhong, became overall deputy commander of the northern campaign horse and foot; Fu Yanqing of Xuzhou, overall commander of the left wing; Huangfu Yu of Huazhou, overall commander of the right wing; Palace Cavalry Commander Liang Hanzhang, overall commander of both cavalry wings; Palace Infantry Commander Li Yin, overall commander of both infantry wings; Left Spirit Martial Commander Zhang Yanzhe, overall array marshal of both cavalry wings; and Right Spirit Martial Commander Pan Huan, array marshal of both infantry wings. On bingshen, Feng Yu, Direct Academician of the Duanming Hall and Vice Minister of Revenue, was promoted to Minister of Revenue and appointed military affairs commissioner.
14
使使使 滿 退滿 退 滿 · 鹿 使 退 ·
In the third month, on wuxu, the Khitan took Qizhou; Prefect Shen Bin died defending it. On yisi, Left Remonstrance Official Yuan Fanxian, who had earlier been taken by the Khitan, fled from the enemy camp and returned. Du Wei reported that he was marching the main army toward Dingzhou with Li Shouzhen, Ma Quanjie, An Shenqi, and Huangfu Yu. An Shenyao, prefect of Yizhou, reported that on the third night of the second month he had sent stout men to raid the enemy camp and killed more than ten men. That day, Fu Yanqing was made overall array marshal of both horse-and-foot wings of the northern campaign; Huangfu Yu, left-wing array marshal; and Wang Zhou, right-wing array marshal. On dingwei he hunted at Qicheng, then inspected the camps of Jing Yanguang and An Shenxin. On gengxu the imperial army attacked Taizhou, and Prefect Jin Tingqian surrendered the city. Yizhou reported that Sun Fangjian, garrison commander at Langshan Pass, had routed more than a thousand Khitan, beheaded the Khitan general Xieli Xianggong, and sent his captured wife as tribute. On jiayin, Du Wei reported the recovery of Mancheng and the capture of the Khitan leader Molie Xianggong along with two thousand Khitan and Han troops. Li Yun, former Minister of Revenue, was appointed Minister of War. On yimao, Du Wei reported the recovery of Suicheng. On bingchen came word that the main army had pulled back from Suicheng to Mancheng. Just then men from the command of the enemy general Zhao Yanshou defected, reporting, "Yesterday the Khitan ruler reached Gubeikou; fugitives from Youzhou brought word that Han armies were marching down in strength and had retaken Taizhou. He then ordered every division to send its baggage back through the passes and pull the light cavalry away. The Khitan ruler is coming south at the head of more than fifty thousand horsemen in overwhelming force; his vanguard will reach us tomorrow—make ready at once." Du Wei and Li Shouzhen conferred: "Our grain cannot keep pace; we are deep in enemy country and now face a massive foe—this is the path to annihilation. Better to fall back to Taizhou, watch the enemy's strength, and meet them from there." The troops all agreed. That day they fell back to Mancheng. On dingsi they reached Taizhou. On wuwu the Khitan vanguard was already on the field. On jiwei the main army marched south from Taizhou with the Khitan treading on its heels. That day they encamped at Yangcheng. On gengshen enemy cavalry closed in like a moving rampart; our infantry drew up in square formation to receive them. Elite cavalry were sent to hit the enemy; after more than twenty clashes and a march of more than ten li southward, the enemy's pressure eased and they crossed the White Ditch and withdrew. On xinyou, Du Wei called the generals together and said, "The Khitan ruler has come in person—this is the enemy himself. Unless we fight to the blood, none of us will get out alive." The generals assented. That day enemy cavalry wheeled around the imperial army, keeping several li away. The next day our army marched in formed ranks; Khitan and Han traded blows until the battle cries shook the ground; after barely more than ten li, men and horses were starving and spent. On guihai the main army made camp below Baituanwei Village. Men and horses were alike parched with thirst; within the camp they dug wells, but the moment water appeared the sides caved in; soldiers squeezed mud and drank the drippings. Enemy forces ringed them in and slowly drew the noose tighter around the camp. (From the 《Song History · Biography of Yao Yuanfu》: The Jin army drew up in square formation and erected caltrop palisades for a marching encampment; the Khitan sent flanking troops around behind the formation and severed the grain road.)〉 That day a violent northeast wind rose, whipping up dust and breaking trees. The Khitan ruler, seated in his carriage, told his host, "Every Han army is here—this is all there is. Today we can take them alive, and then the realm will be ours." He ordered his men to dismount and tear up the antler palisades; arrows fell like rain. The soldiers roared, "Commander for suppression, why will you not commit the army and instead leave the men to die for nothing!" The generals all urged an attack. Du Wei said, "Wait until the wind eases and see whether they advance or retreat." Shouzhen said, "This wind is on our side. They outnumber us, and in this pitch-dark wind no one can tell how many they are. If we wait for the wind to die, none of us will survive." He then ordered the whole army to attack the enemy together. Zhang Yanzhe, Fu Yanqing, Huangfu Yu, and others led the cavalry in a furious charge; the wind howled harder still and sand blotted out the sky like night, and the enemy was routed. (From the 《Song History》 · Biography of Fu Yanqing: The Jin army was downwind, and as battle was joined their bows and crossbows were useless. Yanqing told Zhang Yanzhe and Huangfu Yu, "Better to fight to the death than be taken alive—and we may not die at all." Yanzhe agreed; they sent troops quietly around the enemy's rear and struck with the wind at their backs, routing the Khitan. Also, from the 《Song History》 · Biography of Yao Yuanfu: Shouzhen and Yuanfu conferred: "The troops are starving and parched; if we wait for the wind to shift before fighting, we are finished. They assume we cannot fight into the wind; we should surprise them—classic military audacity." Yuanfu led his men out through the abatis; the other generals joined in, and the Khitan were routed.)〉 Infantry and cavalry pressed the pursuit together for more than twenty li. East of Yangcheng the enemy began to form ranks; our cavalry struck again, and they crossed the river and fled. Shouzhen said, "Today we reached the brink of ruin; thanks to your desperate fighting, we have been saved. For two days men and horses have gone without water; now that they have drunk their fill they are sluggish. We should withdraw quickly to Dingzhou and return intact—that is the wisest course." The generals thereupon reformed their columns and withdrew. The Khitan ruler had been riding in his carriage; when he fled in defeat the carriage covered more than ten li, but as pursuit closed in he seized a Bactrian camel, mounted it, and escaped. On yichou, Du Wei and the main army withdrew from Dingzhou and entered Hengzhou.
15
西 使 使 使使 使 使使 使 使 使 西 使 使
In the fourth month of summer, on bingzi, as the Emperor was about to return to the capital, envoys were sent to the Western Capital to report to Heaven and Earth, the ancestral temples, and the altars of state. On xinsi, the imperial procession left Chanzhou. On jiashen, the court reached the capital and granted a partial amnesty to prisoners in the capital. On jihai, an edict restored Yedu as headquarters of the Tianxiong Army. On gengyin, Liu Zhiyuan, military governor of Hedong, was enfeoffed as Prince of Beiping; Du Wei of Hengzhou received the honorary title of Acting Grand Tutor; Zhao Zaili of Xuzhou was transferred to Yanzhou; Gao Xingzhou, military governor of Songzhou and overall commander of the palace guard horse and foot, was transferred to Yanzhou while keeping his guard command; Ma Quanjie, military commissioner of Yedu, became military governor of the Tianxiong Army; Li Shouzhen of Yanzhou, deputy commander of the palace guard, was transferred to Songzhou and given the honorary title of Grand Preceptor and the post of Deputy Overall Commander of the palace guard; An Shenqi of Hezhong was made Vice Grand Counselor and transferred to Xuzhou; Fu Yanqing of Xu Prefecture was made Co-Grand Councilor and transferred to Xuzhou; Huangfu Yu of Huazhou was made Co-Grand Councilor. On renchen, Jing Yanguang, military commissioner of the Western Capital, received an enlarged fief and a new merit-title; Hou Yi of Taizhou was transferred to Hezhong; Wang Zhou of Dingzhou received the honorary title of Grand Preceptor.
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