1
乾祐三年春正月己亥朔，帝不受朝賀。 鳳翔行營都部署趙暉奏，前月二十四日，收復鳳翔，逆賊王景崇舉族自燔而死。 丁未，鳳翔節度使、充西南行營都部署趙暉加兼侍中。 戊申，密州刺史王萬敢奏，奉詔領兵入海州界，至荻水鎮，俘掠焚蕩，更請益兵。 詔前沂州刺史郭瓊率禁軍赴之。 庚午，前永興軍節度副使安友規除名，流登州沙門島。 先是，友規權知永興軍府事，及趙思綰之奔沖，友規失守城池，至是乃正其罪焉。 癸亥，以前邠州節度使宋彥筠為太子太師致仕。 丙寅，分命使臣赴永興、鳳翔、河中，收葬用兵已來所在骸骨。 時已有僧聚髑髏二十萬矣。 前沂州刺史郭瓊奏，部署兵士，深入海州賊界。 是月，有狐登明德樓，主者獲之，狐毛長而腹下別有二足。
On the new moon of the first month of spring in Qianyou 3, the emperor declined the usual court congratulations. Zhao Hui, commander of the Fengxiang field headquarters, reported that on the twenty-fourth of the previous month Fengxiang had been retaken and that the rebel Wang Jingchong had burned himself to death along with his whole family. On dingwei, Zhao Hui—Fengxiang commissioner and commander of the southwestern campaign—was also made Vice Grand Councilor. On wushen, Mizhou prefect Wang Wang'an reported that under imperial orders he had marched into Haizhou territory, raided and burned Dishui town, and now asked for more troops. The court ordered former Yizhou prefect Guo Qiong to march the palace guard to reinforce him. On gengwu, An Yougui, former deputy commissioner at Yongxing, was disgraced and exiled to Shamen Island off Dengzhou. Yougui had been acting commander at Yongxing; when Zhao Siyun made his sudden assault he lost the city, and only now was he punished for it. On guihai, former Binzhou commissioner Song Yanyun was appointed Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent and retired from office. On bingyin, the court sent separate envoys to Yongxing, Fengxiang, and Hezhong to gather and bury the war dead scattered since hostilities began. Monks had already collected two hundred thousand skulls. Former Yizhou prefect Guo Qiong reported that he had pushed his troops deep into Haizhou rebel territory. That month a fox climbed Mingde Tower; when attendants caught it, its fur was unusually long and it had a second pair of feet under its belly.
2
On xinsi in the second month, Qingzhou reported that Guo Qiong's detachment had returned from Haizhou to the province. On jiashen, Bureau of Military Affairs commissioner Guo Wei came back from his border inspection. On dinghai, Ruzhou defender Liu Shenjiao died. On yiwei, former Anzhou commissioner Liu Suining became Left Martial Guard general; Fuzhou commissioner Jiao Jixun became Right Martial Guard general; and former Yongxing commissioner Zhao Zan became Left Valiant Cavalry general.
3
On jihai in the third month, Xuzhou forwarded thirty-three captured Huainan officers, including Li Hui; after a public parade they were clothed and sent home. That month the regional commanders Gao Xingzhou (Yedu), Fu Yanqing (Yanzhou), Murong Yanchao (Yunzhou), Bai Wenke (western capital), Wu Xingde (Zhenzhou), Yang Xin (Anzhou), Chang Si (Luzhou), and Zhe Congruan (Fuzhou) all arrived at court for the Jiaqing festival. On wuwu the emperor banqueted his officials in Yongfu Hall and, for the first time, had music played. On renxu, Gao Xingzhou moved from Yedu to Yunzhou and Fu Yanqing from Yanzhou to Qingzhou, each with an enlarged noble fief. On jiazi, western-capital regent Bai Wenke, Luzhou's Chang Si, and Zhenzhou's Wu Xingde all gained enlarged fiefs, while Murong Yanchao moved from Yunzhou to Yanzhou.
4
夏四月戊辰朔，邢州薛懷讓移鎮同州，相州郭謹、河陽李暉並進邑封。 庚午，府州折從阮移鎮鄧州。 辛未，故深州刺史史萬山贈太傅。 先是，契丹入邊，萬山城守，郭威遣索萬進率騎七百屯深州。 一日，契丹數千騎迫州東門，萬山父子率兵百餘人襲之。 契丹偽退十餘里，而伏兵發，萬山血戰，急請救於萬進，萬進勒兵不出，萬山死之， 〈（《遼史·世宗紀》：天祿三年殺深州刺史史萬山。）〉 契丹亦解去。 時論以萬進為罪，故加萬山贈典焉。 壬申，華州劉詞移鎮邢州，安州楊信移鎮鄜州，貝州王令溫移鎮安州，並加邑封。 以鄜州留後王饒為華州節度使，以其來朝故也。 丁丑，尚食奉御王紹隱除名，流沙門島，坐匿軍營女口也。 辛巳，以宣徽北院使吳虔裕為鄭州防禦使。 時樞密使楊邠上章乞解樞機，帝命中使諭之曰：「樞機之職，舍卿用誰？ 忽有此章，莫有人離間否？」 虔裕在傍揚言曰：「樞密重地，難以久處，俾後來者叠居，相公辭讓是也。」 中使還具奏，帝不悅，故有是命。 壬午，以樞密使郭威鄴都留守，依前樞密使。 詔河北諸州，應兵甲、錢帛、糧草一稟郭威處分。 癸未，府州永安軍額宜停，命降為團練州。 戊子，翰林學士承旨、戶部尚書王仁裕罷職，守兵部尚書。 左千牛上將軍張瓘卒。 庚寅，以西南面水陸轉運使、尚書工部侍郎李穀為陳州刺史。 左金吾上將軍致仕馬萬卒。 甲午，以前華州節度使安審信為左衛上將軍，以前潞州節度使張從恩為右衛上將軍。
At the summer new moon of the fourth month, Xingzhou's Xue Huairang went to Tongzhou, while Xiangzhou's Guo Jin and Heyang's Li Hui received enlarged fiefs. On gengwu, Fuzhou commissioner Zhe Congruan was reassigned to Dengzhou. On xinwei the late Shenzhou prefect Shi Wanshan was posthumously honored as Grand Mentor. When the Khitan had invaded, Wanshan had defended the city while Guo Wei sent Suo Wanjin with seven hundred cavalry to hold Shenzhou. One day several thousand Khitan riders pressed the east gate; Wanshan and his son led just over a hundred men in a counterattack. The Khitan pretended to withdraw ten-odd li, then sprang an ambush; Wanshan fought on until he was covered in blood and begged Wanjin for help, but Wanjin kept his men in camp and Wanshan was killed. (From the History of Liao, Annals of Emperor Shizong: in Tianlu 3 the Khitan killed Shenzhou prefect Shi Wanshan.) The Khitan then withdrew as well. Public opinion blamed Wanjin, which is why Wanshan received a posthumous enfeoffment. On renshen, Liu Ci moved from Huazhou to Xingzhou, Yang Xin from Anzhou to Fuzhou, and Wang Lingwen from Beizhou to Anzhou, each with an enlarged fief. Fuzhou acting commissioner Wang Rao became Huazhou commissioner in reward for attending court. On dingchou, imperial-food commissioner Wang Shaoyin was disgraced and exiled to Shamen Island for hiding women taken from army camps. On xinsi, northern secretariat commissioner Wu Qianyu was appointed defender of Zhengzhou. Bureau commissioner Yang Bin asked to step down; the emperor sent a palace envoy to say, "Who but you could hold this post? This sudden memorial—has someone turned you against us?" Wu Qianyu, standing nearby, called out, "The bureau is too heavy to keep for long; better to let successors take turns—your resignation is the right move." When the envoy reported this, the emperor was displeased and therefore sent Qianyu away to Zhengzhou. On renwu, bureau commissioner Guo Wei became Yedu regent while keeping his bureau title. An edict placed all armor, cash, silk, and grain of the Hebei prefectures under Guo Wei's authority. On guimao, Fuzhou's Yong'an army designation was abolished and the prefecture downgraded to a training command. On wuzi, Hanlin ex officio and revenue minister Wang Renyu was demoted to war minister. Left Palace Guard general Zhang Guan died. On gengyin, southwestern transport commissioner and vice minister of works Li Gu became Chenzhou prefect. Retired Left Golden Guard general Ma Wan died. On jiawu, former Huazhou commissioner An Shenxin became Left Imperial Guard general and former Luzhou commissioner Zhang Cong'en Right Imperial Guard general.
5
At the fifth-month new moon the emperor held audience in Chongyuan Hall. On bingwu the emperor's brother Liu Chengxun, Xingyuan commissioner, was named Kaifeng mayor and concurrent Zhongshu Ling but had not yet left the palace. On jiazi an edict required: "Every prefecture shall raise local militia—five hundred men for major cities, three hundred for upper, two hundred for lower—register them, train them in ranks, and use them to defend the walls."
6
閏月癸巳，京師大風雨，壞營舍，吹鄭門扉起，十數步而墮，拔大木數十，震死者六七人，水平地尺餘，池隍皆溢。 是月，宮中有怪物，投瓦石，擊窗撼扉，人不能制。
On guisi in the intercalary month a violent storm wrecked barracks, tore the Zheng Gate leaves loose and dropped them ten paces away, uprooted dozens of trees, killed six or seven people with lightning, flooded streets a foot deep, and overflowed every moat. That month something in the palace hurled tiles and stones, battered windows and doors, and no one could stop it.
7
On gengzi in the sixth month, directorate libationer Tian Min became right vice minister. On guimao, retired grand master of the stud Xie Pan died and audiences were halted for a day. Zhengzhou reported a Yellow River breach on the Yuanwu county line. On yimao the observatory reported Saturn retrograde outside the Supreme Palace's left gate: since the eighth month of wushen it had entered the western enclosure, brushed Shangjiang, Ping, and Zhifa, shuttled until the eleventh month of jiyou, then exited left moving direct; since the tenth of this year's first month it had retrograded again into the eastern wall to the left gate.
8
On gengwu in the seventh month Heyang reported the river up thirty-five feet. On yihai Cangzhou reported rainfall totaling about twelve feet. Anzhou reported canal flooding seven feet deep inside the city walls. On bingzi the emperor held audience in Chongyuan Hall, invested the empress dowager, and had chief minister Su Fengji conduct the ceremony. On xinsi the three departments reported: "Magistrates, recorders, and aides should receive salary households scaled to registered population—for counties of three thousand households or more, the magistrate ten thousand cash monthly and the chief clerk eight thousand; for two thousand or more, the magistrate eight thousand and the chief clerk five thousand; below two thousand, the magistrate six thousand and the chief clerk four thousand. Each salary household would pay five hundred cash monthly, drawn from middling taxpayers in the district. Recorder and judicial aides would be paid at whichever county or prefectural rate was higher, and their salary households would be exempt from county corvée." The proposal was approved.
9
On xinhai in the eighth month Mengzhou's city god was enfeoffed King of Spiritual Response at Hunan's request. Sea raiders had been besieging the city; after townspeople prayed to the god the walls held, prompting the petition. On xinyou, giving-attendant Tao Gu asked to end the five-day inner-audience rotation of memorials. The court agreed. On renxu, war vice minister Yu Dechen became censor-in-chief and Bian Wei war vice minister.
10
On xinsi in the ninth month Langzhou commissioner Ma Xie asked for a separate lodging compound in the capital. The request was denied. Xie and his brother Hunan commissioner Xiguang were then locked in a bitter feud, which explains the petition. The emperor held that Hunan already had capital lodgings and refused a second compound, but did issue an edict urging the brothers to reconcile.
11
On jihai in the tenth month the emperor hunted near the city. On bingwu, Hunan's Ma Xiguang sent a memorial claiming that Jingnan, Huainan, and Guangnan were conspiring to carve up Hunan and Xiang and pleading for a short troop deployment. The court was debating intervention when domestic crisis broke out and the plan was abandoned. On dingwei, two-Zhe ruler Qian Hongchu was named commander-in-chief of all circuits. On wushen, Zhangde commissioner Guo Jin died. On guichou, former Tongzhou commissioner Zhang Yanyun became Xiangzhou commissioner. On xinyou the moon crossed the Heart mansion's great star.
12
十一月甲子朔，日有食之。 乙丑，永州唐將軍祠贈太保，從湖南請也。 己巳，日南至，帝御崇元殿受朝賀，仗衛如式。 辛未，詔侍衛步軍都指揮使王殷將兵屯澶州。 丙子，誅樞密使楊邠、侍衛都指揮使史宏肇、三司使王章，夷其族。 是日平旦，甲士數十人由廣政殿出，至東廡下，害邠等於閣內，死於亂刃之下。 又誅宏肇弟小底軍都虞候宏朗、如京使甄彥奇、內常侍辛從審、楊邠子比部員外郎廷侃、右衛將軍廷偉、右贊善大夫廷倚、王章侄右領衛將軍旻、子婿戶部員外郎張貽肅、樞密院副承宣郭颙、控鶴都虞候高進、侍衛都承局荊南金、三司都勾官柴訓等。 分兵收捕邠等家屬及部曲傔從，盡戮之。 少頃，樞密承旨聶文進急召宰臣百僚，班於崇元殿，庭宣曰：「楊邠、史宏肇、王章等同謀叛逆，欲危宗社，並斬之，與卿等同慶。」 班退，召諸軍將校至萬歲殿，帝親諭史宏肇等欲謀逆亂之狀，且言：「宏肇等欺朕年幼，專權擅命，使汝輩常懷憂恐，自此朕自與汝等為主，必無橫憂也。」 諸軍將校拜謝而退。 召前任節度使、刺史、統軍等上殿諭之。 帝遣軍士守捉宮城諸門，比近日旰，朝臣步出宮門而去。 是日晴霽無雲，而昏霧濛濛，有如微雨，人情惴恐。 日將午，載楊邠等十餘屍，分暴於南北市。 是日，帝遣腹心賫密詔往澶州、鄴都，令澶州節度使李洪義誅侍衛步軍都指揮使王殷，令鄴都屯駐護聖左廂都指揮使郭崇、奉國左廂都指揮使曹英害樞密使郭威及宣徽使王峻。 急詔鄆州高行周、青州符彥卿、永興郭從義、兗州慕容彥超、同州薛懷讓、鄭州吳虔裕、陳州李穀等赴闕。 以宰臣蘇逢吉權知樞密院事，前青州劉銖權知開封府事，侍衛馬軍都指揮使李洪建判侍衛司事，內客省使閻晉卿權侍衛馬軍都指揮使。
The eleventh-month new moon brought a solar eclipse. On yichou Yongzhou's General Tang shrine received a posthumous Grand Guardian title at Hunan's request. On jisi, the winter solstice, the emperor took congratulations in Chongyuan Hall with full ceremonial guard. On xinwei an edict sent palace-guard foot commander Wang Yin to encamp at Chanzhou. On bingzi, bureau commissioner Yang Bin, guard commander Shi Hongzhao, and three-departments commissioner Wang Zhang were put to death and their families wiped out. At dawn that day dozens of soldiers left Guangzheng Hall for the east wing and cut down Bin and his colleagues in a side room. The purge also took Hongzhao's brother Honglang, capital envoy Zhen Yanqi, attendant Xin Congshen, Yang Bin's sons Tingkan, Tingwei, and Tingyi, Wang Zhang's nephew Min and son-in-law Zhang Yisu, bureau deputy herald Guo Ying, crane-guard commander Gao Jin, guard staff officer Jingnan Jin, and three-departments auditor Chai Xun, among others. Separate detachments hunted down their kin, retainers, and clients and killed them all. Moments later bureau herald Nie Wenjin assembled the ministers in Chongyuan Hall and announced from the courtyard, "Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, and Wang Zhang had plotted treason, had been executed, and that all should rejoice." After dismissal he gathered commanders in Wansui Hall, accused Hongzhao's party of treason, and said, "They bullied a young emperor, seized power, and kept you in fear—from now on I rule for you myself and you need not dread sudden ruin." The commanders bowed and left. Former commissioners, prefects, and army inspectors were called in and addressed. Troops sealed the palace gates; courtiers did not leave until near dusk, far later than usual. Though the sky was clear, a dull haze like drizzle hung over the city and fear spread among the people. Near noon a dozen-odd bodies, including Yang Bin's, were paraded and displayed in both markets. That day he sent a secret edict to Chanzhou and Yedu ordering Li Hongyi to kill Wang Yin and ordering Guo Chong and Cao Ying to murder Guo Wei and Wang Jun. Emergency orders called Gao Xingzhou, Fu Yanqing, Guo Congyi, Murong Yanchao, Xue Huairang, Wu Qianyu, Li Gu, and others to the capital. Su Fengji took acting charge of the bureau, former Qingzhou commissioner Liu Zhu acting Kaifeng mayor, guard horse commander Li Hongjian managing guard affairs, and inner-service commissioner Yan Jinqing acting horse commander.
13
丁丑，澶州節度使李洪義受得密詔，知事不克，乃引使人見王殷。 殷與洪義遣本州副使陳光穗賫所受密詔，馳至鄴都。 〈（《宋史》：少帝遣供奉官孟業賫密詔，令洪義殺王殷。 洪義素怯懦，慮殷覺，遷延不敢發，遽引業見殷。 殷乃錮業，送密詔於周祖。）〉 郭威得之，即召王峻、郭崇、曹英及諸軍將校，至牙署視詔，兼告楊、史諸公冤枉之狀，且曰：「汝等當奉行詔旨，斷予首以報天子，自取功名。」 郭崇等與諸將校前曰：「此事必非聖意，即是李業等竊發，假如此輩便握權柄，國得安乎！ 事可陳論，何須自棄，致千載之下被此惡名。 崇等願從公入朝，面自洗雪。」 於是將校等請威入朝，以除君側之惡，共安天下。 〈（《東都事略》：漢隱帝遣使害太祖，魏仁浦曰：「公有大功於朝廷，握強兵，臨重鎮，以讒見疑，豈可坐而待斃！」 教以易其語，雲誅將士，以激怒眾心。 太祖納其言。）〉 翌日，郭威以眾南行。 戊寅，鄴兵至澶州。 庚辰，至滑州，節度使宋延渥開門迎降。 是日，詔前開封尹侯益、前鄜州節度使張彥超、權侍衛馬軍都指揮使閻晉卿、鄭州防禦使吳虔裕等，率禁軍赴澶州守捉。
On dingchou, Chanzhou commissioner Li Hongyi received the secret edict, saw the plot would fail, and brought the envoy to Wang Yin. Yin and Hongyi sent vice commissioner Chen Guangsu with the edict at full speed to Yedu. (From the History of Song: the young emperor sent tribute officer Meng Ye with a secret edict for Hongyi to kill Wang Yin. Hongyi was by nature cowardly, feared discovery, hesitated, then abruptly presented Ye to Yin. Yin imprisoned Ye and forwarded the secret edict to the Zhou founder.)〉 Guo Wei summoned Wang Jun, Guo Chong, Cao Ying, and his commanders, showed them the edict, described how Yang Bin and Shi Hongzhao had been wronged, and said, "Obey the edict—cut off my head for the emperor and win your reward." Guo Chong and the others stepped forward: "This cannot be the emperor's will—it must be Li Ye's clique. If they hold power, how can the realm be safe? The case can be argued—why destroy yourselves and earn infamy for ages? Chong and the others asked to follow him to court and clear their names in person." The commanders then urged Wei to march on the capital, purge the emperor's evil counselors, and settle the realm. (From the Summary of Affairs in the Eastern Capital: Emperor Yin sent agents to kill Guo Wei. Wei Renpu said, "You have great service, command a powerful army, and hold a key post—slandered and suspected, how can you sit and die?" He told them to alter the wording to call for executing the soldiers and stir popular anger. Guo Wei took his advice.)〉 The next day Guo Wei marched south. On wuyin the Yedu force reached Chanzhou. On gengchen they reached Huazhou; commissioner Song Yanwo opened the gates in surrender. That day an edict sent former Kaifeng mayor Hou Yi, former Fuzhou commissioner Zhang Yanchao, acting guard horse commander Yan Jinqing, Zhengzhou defender Wu Qianyu, and others with the palace guard to hold Chanzhou.
14
辛巳，帝之小豎嵒脫自北回。 先是，帝遣嵒脫偵鄴軍所至，為遊騎所獲，郭威即遣回，因令附奏赴闕之意，仍以密奏置嵒脫衣領中。 帝覽奏，即召李業示之，聶文進、郭允明在傍，懼形於色。 初議車駕幸澶州，及聞鄴兵已至河上，乃止。 帝大懼，私謂宰臣竇貞固等曰：「昨來之事，太草草耳！」 李業等請帝傾府庫以給諸軍，宰相蘇禹珪以為未可。 業拜禹珪於帝前，曰：「相公且為官家，莫惜府庫。」 遂下令侍衛軍人給二十緡，下軍各給十緡，其北來將士亦準此。 仍遣北來將士在營子弟各賫家問，向北諭之。 壬午，鄴軍至封丘。 慕容彥超自鎮馳至，帝遂以軍旅之事委之。 〈（《宋史·侯益傳》云：周太祖起兵，隱帝議出師禦之。 益獻計曰：「王者無敵於天下，兵不宜輕出，況大名戍卒，家屬盡在京城，不如閉關以挫其銳，遣其母妻發降以招之，可不戰而定。」 慕容彥超以為益衰老，作懦夫計，沮之。）〉 彥超謂帝曰：「陛下勿憂，臣當生致其魁首。」 彥超退，見聶文進，詢北來兵數及將校名氏，文進告之。 彥超懼，曰：「大是劇賊，不宜輕耳！」 又遣袁鳷、劉重進、王知則等出師，以繼前軍。 慕容彥超以大軍駐於七里郊，掘塹以自衛，都下率坊市出酒食以餉軍。 癸未，車駕勞軍，即日還宮。 翌日，慕容彥超揚言曰：「官家宮中無事，明日再出，觀臣破賊。」 甲申，車駕復出，幸七里店軍營。 王師陣於劉子陂，與鄴軍相望。 太后以帝至晚在外，遣中使謂聶文進曰：「賊軍在近，大須用意！」 文進曰：「有臣在，必不失策，縱有一百個郭威，亦當生擒之耳！」 彥超輕脫，先擊北軍，郭威命何福進、王彥超、李筠等大合騎以乘之。 彥超退卻，死者百餘人，於是諸軍奪氣，稍稍奔於北軍。 吳虔裕、張彥超等相繼而去，慕容彥超以部下十數騎奔兗州。 是夜，帝與宰臣從官宿於野次，侯益、焦繼勛潛奔鄴軍。
The emperor's young attendant Yan Tuo returned from the north. The emperor had sent Yan Tuo to scout the Yedu army; scouts seized him, but Guo Wei sent him back with a collar-hidden memorial stating his intent to come to court. The emperor read it, summoned Li Ye, and Nie Wenjin and Guo Yunming beside him showed their fear. They had planned an imperial visit to Chanzhou but halted when news came that the Yedu army had reached the Yellow River. Terrified, he told chief minister Dou Zhengu, "Yesterday's business was far too rash!" Li Ye urged emptying the treasury for the troops; Su Yugui objected. Ye bowed to Yugui before the emperor: "Minister, serve the ruler—spare not the treasury." Orders followed: twenty strings for palace guards, ten for lower guards, the same for northern troops. Sons and brothers of northern troops in camp were sent family messages to carry north. On renwu the Yedu army reached Fengqiu. Murong Yanchao raced from his province and the emperor put the campaign in his hands. (From the History of Song, biography of Hou Yi: when Guo Wei rebelled, Emperor Yin debated marching against him. Yi proposed: "The Son of Heaven has no peer—armies should not march lightly. Daming troops have kin in the capital; close the passes, send their families with surrender appeals, and win without fighting." Murong Yanchao called Yi senile and his plan cowardly, and blocked it.)〉 Yanchao told the emperor, "Do not worry, Majesty—I will take their leader alive." Afterward Yanchao asked Nie Wenjin the northern army's strength and commanders. Yanchao grew afraid: "These are fierce enemies—not to be treated lightly!" He sent Yuan Ji, Liu Zhongjin, Wang Zhize, and others to reinforce the vanguard. Yanchao encamped at Seven-Li, dug trenches, and the city markets supplied food and drink. On guimao the emperor reviewed the troops and returned the same day. Next day Yanchao announced, "The palace is secure; tomorrow the emperor will watch me break the rebels." On jiashen the emperor again visited the Seven-Li camp. Imperial forces formed at Liuzi Slope opposite the Yedu army. The dowager, worried the emperor was out late, told Nie Wenjin, "The rebels are close—take care!" Wenjin replied, "I am here—we cannot fail; even a hundred Guo Weis I would seize alive!" Yanchao rashly attacked the northern wing; Guo Wei sent He Fujin, Wang Yanchao, Li Yun, and others with massed cavalry against him. Yanchao retreated with a hundred-odd dead; imperial morale collapsed and men drifted to Guo Wei. Wu Qianyu and Zhang Yanchao fled; Murong Yanchao escaped to Yanzhou with a dozen horsemen. That night the emperor camped in the open with his ministers; Hou Yi and Jiao Jixun defected to Guo Wei.
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At dawn on yiyou the emperor rode to Yuanhua Gate; Liu Zhu on the wall asked his escort, "Where is the army?" Then he shot at the attendants. The emperor turned back with Su Fengji and Guo Yunming to a northwest village; Yunming, seeing all was lost, killed the emperor with his blade. He was twenty. Su Fengji and Guo Yunming also killed themselves. That day Guo Wei entered by Yingchun Gate; troops looted until fires burned everywhere and order returned only by the next dusk. Former Huazhou commissioner Bai Zaiyun was killed by mutineers; personnel vice minister Zhang Yun fell from a building and died. Once in the capital, Guo Wei ordered the emperor's coffin moved to Taiping Palace. Some said, "Follow the Wei noble village lord precedent and bury him with ducal rites." Guo Wei said, "In my wanderings I could not protect the emperor and it came to this—if I demote him too, what will men say of me?" An edict set a mourning day and named former imperial-clan director Liu Hao to direct the rites. On bingxu the dowager issued a proclamation:
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Founding emperor Gaozu ended chaos, made the house a state, rescued the people, and built the dynasty in hardship; he had barely settled the realm when he died. Bureau commissioner Guo Wei, Yang Bin, guard commander Shi Hongzhao, and three-departments commissioner Wang Zhang received the deathbed charge, installed the young ruler, and together stabilized the realm. Soon rebellions linked, Wu and Shu invaded, the Khitan raided, and the people and altars trembled. Guo Wei took command, fought in person, swept the field, pacified foreign enemies, and quieted the heartland. With foes still active he was sent to Yedu to secure the frontier and ease the court's vigilance. Yet villains conspired, hid blades in the hall, murdered loyal ministers, and lied to the young emperor; innocents were slaughtered and cried injustice. They also sent secret agents with forged orders to kill Guo Wei, Wang Jun, and Wang Yin. Men knew they were guiltless; Heaven would not help traitors.
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Now Guo Wei, Wang Jun, Li Hongyi, military commissioner of Chanzhou, former defenders He Fujin of Caozhou and Wang Yanchao of Fuzhou, former Bozhou prefect Li Yun, northern field horse-and-foot commander Guo Chong, infantry commander Cao Ying, Guarding-the-Sacred commanders Bai Chongzan, Suo Wanjin, Tian Jingxian, Fan Aineng, Li Wanquan, and Shi Yanchao, Serving-the-State commanders Zhang Duo, Wang Hui, and Hu Li, crossbow commander He Yun, and others have led their armies directly here to secure the altars of state. Rebels Li Ye, Yan Jinqing, Nie Wenjin, Hou Zan, Guo Yunming, and others coerced the emperor, fought at the suburbs, and when spent murdered him—a crime unheard of in history.
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Now the villains are gone and all hearts rejoice. The throne cannot stay empty; affairs cannot wait—choose a worthy ruler to settle the realm. Hedong's Chong and Xu's Xin are Gaozu's brothers; Xu's Yun and Kaifeng's Chengxun are his sons—all imperial kin who should be considered for succession.
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樞密使郭威以蕭墻變起，宗祏無奉，率群臣候太后，請定所立，且言：「開封尹承勛，高祖皇帝之愛子也，請立為嗣。」 太后告以承勛羸病日久，不能自舉。 周太祖與諸將請視承勛起居，及視之，方信，遂議立高祖從子、徐州節度使赟為嗣。 己丑，太后誥曰：「天未悔禍，喪亂宏多，嗣王幼沖，群兇蔽惑，構奸謀於造次，縱毒蠆於斯須，將相大臣，連頸受戮，股肱良佐，無罪見屠，行路咨嗟，群心扼腕，則高祖之洪烈將墜於地。 賴大臣郭威等，激揚忠義，拯濟顛危，除惡蔓以無遺，俾綴旒之不絕。 宗祧事重，纘繼才難，既聞將相之謀，復考蓍龜之兆，天人協贊，社稷是依。 徐州節度使赟，稟上聖之資，抱中和之德，先皇如子，鐘愛特深，固可以子育兆民，君臨萬國，宜令所司擇日備法駕奉迎即皇帝位。 於戲！ 神器至重，天步方艱，致理保邦，不可以不敬，貽謀聽政，不可以不勤，允執厥中，祗膺景命。」 是日，遣前太師馮道等往徐奉迎。 周太祖以嗣君未至，萬機不可暫曠，率群臣請太后臨朝，誥答曰：「昨以奸邪構釁，亂我邦家，勛德效忠，剪除兇慝，俯從人欲，已立嗣君，宗社危而再安，紀綱壞而復振。 皇帝法駕未至，庶事方殷，百辟上言，請予蒞政，宜允輿議，權總萬機，止於浹旬，即復明辟」云。 按前代故事，太上皇稱誥，太皇太后、皇太后曰令，今雲誥，有司誤也。 以宣徽南院使王峻為樞密使，右神武統軍袁鳷為宣徽南院使，陳州刺史李穀權判三司，步軍都指揮使王殷為侍衛親軍馬步都指揮使，護聖左廂都指揮使郭崇為侍衛馬軍都指揮使，奉國左廂都指揮使曹英為侍衛步軍都指揮使。 鎮州、邢州馳奏，契丹寇洺州，陷內丘縣。 時契丹永康王烏裕率部族兩道入邊，內丘城小而固，契丹攻之，五日不下，敵人傷者甚眾。 時有官軍五百，在城防戍，攻急，官軍降於敵，屠其城而去。 〈（《遼史·世宗紀》：十月，自將南伐，攻下安平、內丘、束鹿等城，大獲而還。）〉 庚寅，樞密使郭威奏，左軍巡勘得飛龍使後贊款伏，與蘇逢吉、李業、閻晉卿、聶文進、郭允明等同謀，令散員都虞候奔德等下手殺害史宏肇等。 權開封尹劉銖具伏，朋附李業為亂，屠害將相家屬。 其劉銖等準誥旨處置訖，並蘇逢吉、郭允明、閻晉卿、聶文進首級，並梟於南北市，其骨肉放棄。 辛卯，河北諸州馳報，契丹深入。 太后誥曰：「王室多故，邊境未寧，內難雖平，外寇仍熾。 據北面奏報，強敵奔沖，繼發兵師，未聞平殄，須勞上將，暫自臨戎。 宜令樞密使郭威部署大軍，早謀掩擊。 其軍國庶事，權委宰臣竇貞固、蘇禹珪、樞密使王峻等商量施行。 在京馬步兵士，委王殷都大提舉。」
Guo Wei, with no heir at the altars, asked the dowager to choose a successor and said, "Kaifeng mayor Chengxun is Gaozu's beloved son—please establish him as successor." The dowager said Chengxun had been gravely ill and could not govern. Guo Wei and the generals inspected Chengxun, found it true, and settled on Gaozu's nephew, Xuzhou commissioner Yun. On jichou the dowager proclaimed: "Heaven has not yet repented of calamity; disorder and ruin are many; the young successor is deceived; vicious men formed wicked plots in haste; ministers and loyal assistants were slaughtered without cause; travelers sighed and hearts clutched their wrists—Gaozu's great enterprise would fall to earth. Guo Wei and loyal ministers had crushed the villains and preserved the line. With omens and ministers aligned, succession must proceed. Xuzhou commissioner Yun, deeply loved by the late emperor, should be welcomed to the throne on a chosen day. Alas! The throne is weighty, the times hard—rule with reverence and diligence and hold the center." That day former grand preceptor Feng Dao was sent to Xu to escort him. With the heir not yet arrived, Guo Wei asked the dowager to rule temporarily; her proclamation answered: "Yesterday vicious traitors disturbed our state; loyal merit cut down the villains; bowing to popular will a successor was established; the altars were perilous and again secure, statutes broken and again restored. Until the emperor arrives she would temporarily rule the myriad affairs for ten days, then restore him." By precedent retired emperors used proclamation and dowagers used order; here proclamation was an error of the offices. Wang Jun became bureau commissioner, Yuan Ji southern commissioner, Li Gu acting three departments, Wang Yin guard commander, Guo Chong horse commander, Cao Ying foot commander. Zhenzhou and Xingzhou reported Khitan raids on Mingzhou and the fall of Neiqiu. Khitan prince Wuyu invaded in two columns; Neiqiu, though small, held five days and inflicted heavy Khitan losses. Five hundred defenders surrendered under pressure; the Khitan sacked the city and withdrew. (From the History of Liao, Annals of Emperor Shizong: in the tenth month he campaigned south, took Anping, Neiqiu, Shulu, and others, and returned with great spoils.) On gengyin Guo Wei reported Hou Zan's confession of plotting with Su Fengji, Li Ye, and others to murder Shi Hongzhao. Acting Kaifeng mayor Liu Zhu confessed he had followed Li Ye and massacred ministers' families. Liu Zhu and the rest were executed; Su Fengji, Guo Yunming, Yan Jinqing, and Nie Wenjin's heads were displayed in both markets. On xinmao Hebei reported deep Khitan penetration. The dowager proclaimed: "The house has many troubles; borders are unsettled; though internal strife is over, foreign foes still rage. Northern reports say the enemy rushes in; armies have failed— a senior general must take the field. Guo Wei should deploy the main force and strike quickly. State affairs are temporarily entrusted to Dou Zhengu, Su Yugui, Wang Jun, and others. Capital palace horse and foot troops were placed under Wang Yin's overall command."
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十二月甲午朔，郭威領大軍北征。 丁酉，以翰林學士、尚書戶部侍郎、知制誥範質為樞密副使。 〈（《東都事略》：周太祖征李守貞，每朝廷遣使賫詔，處分軍事，皆中機會，太祖問：「誰為此辭？」 使者以範質對，太祖曰：「宰相器也。」 太祖起兵入京師，遽令草太后誥及議迎湘陰公儀註。 乃白太后，以質為兵部侍郎、樞密副使。）〉 陜州李洪信奏，馬步都指揮使聶召、奉國指揮使楊德、護聖指揮使康審澄等，與節度使判官路濤、掌書記張洞、都押衙楊紹等，同情謀叛，並殺之。 惟康審澄夜中放火斬關，奔歸京師。 初，朝議以諸道方鎮皆是勛臣，不諳政理，其都押衙孔目官，令三司軍將內選才補之，藩帥不悅，故洪信因朝廷多故，誣奏加害焉。 壬寅，湖南上言，朗州馬希萼引五谿蠻及淮南洪州軍來攻當道，望量差兵士於淮境牽引。 乙巳，遣前淄州刺史陳恩讓領軍入淮南界，以便宜進取。 辛亥，遣宰相蘇禹珪及朝臣十員，往宋州迎奉嗣君。 壬子，樞密使郭威次澶州，何福進已下及諸軍將士，扶擁威請為天子，即日南還。 威上章於太后，言為諸軍所迫班師。 庚申，威至北郊，駐軍於臯門村。 許州巡檢、前申州刺史馬鐸奏，節度使劉信自殺。 壬戌，奉太后誥，命樞密使侍中郭威監國，中外庶事，並取監國處分。 先是，樞密使王峻以湘陰公已在宋州，慮聞澶州之事，左右變生，遣侍衛馬軍指揮使郭崇率七百騎往衛之。 〈（《東都事略·郭崇傳》：王峻遣崇率七百騎拒瑽，遇於睢陽，崇曰：「澶州兵變，遣崇來衛乘輿，非有他也。」 具言軍情有屬，天命已定，瑽執崇手而泣，崇即送瑽就館。）〉 己未，太后誥曰：「比者，樞密使郭威，誌安社稷，議立長君，以徐州節度使赟，高祖近親，立為漢嗣，爰自藩鎮，征赴京師。 雖誥命尋行，而軍情不附，天道在北，人心靡東，適當改卜之初，俾膺分土之命。 赟可降授開府儀同三司、檢校太師、上柱國，封湘陰公，食邑三千戶，食實封五百戶。」
At the twelfth-month new moon Guo Wei led the main army north. On dingyou, Hanlin academician and revenue vice minister Fan Zhi became bureau vice commissioner. (From the Summary of Affairs in the Eastern Capital: campaigning against Li Shouzhen, Guo Wei found every court edict on military affairs perfectly timed and asked, "Who wrote them?" The envoy named Fan Zhi; Guo Wei said, "Chief-minister timber." Entering the capital he ordered Fan Zhi to draft the dowager's proclamation and rites to welcome the lord of Xiangyin. He then had Zhi made war vice minister and bureau vice commissioner.)〉 Li Hongxin reported Nie Zhao, Yang De, Kang Shencheng, and others plotting with his staff Lu Tao, Zhang Dong, and Yang Shao—all were executed. Only Kang Shencheng burned the gate at night and fled to the capital. The court had wanted to replace merit-commanders' staff with three-departments talent; the commanders resented it, and Hongxin used the crisis to frame them. Hunan reported Ma Xie of Langzhou attacking with Five-Divine-Man tribes and Hongzhou troops and asked for troops on the Huainan border to distract them. On yisi former Zizhou prefect Chen Enrang entered Huainan with orders to act as circumstances allowed. On xinhai chief minister Su Yugui and ten officials went to Songzhou to welcome the heir. On renzi Guo Wei stopped at Chanzhou; He Fujin and the commanders forced him to become emperor and turned south the same day. Guo Wei memorialized the dowager that the armies had forced his return. On gengshen he reached the northern suburb and camped at Gaomen village. Xu Prefecture inspector Ma Duo reported that military commissioner Liu Xin had committed suicide. On renxu the dowager ordered vice grand councilor Guo Wei to supervise the state with full civil and military authority. Earlier Wang Jun, fearing trouble when the lord of Xiangyin heard of Chanzhou, sent Guo Chong with seven hundred cavalry to guard him. (From the Summary of Affairs in the Eastern Capital, biography of Guo Chong: Jun sent Chong with seven hundred riders to meet Yun at Suiyang. Chong said, "The Chanzhou troops mutinied; I came only to guard the imperial carriage—there is no other intent." He said the army's will was settled and Heaven's mandate fixed; Yun wept, grasped his hand, and Chong escorted him to his quarters.)〉 On jiwei the dowager proclaimed: "Recently Guo Wei, intending to settle the altars, deliberated establishing a senior ruler; Xuzhou commissioner Yun, Gaozu's close kinsman, was established as Han successor and summoned from his post to the capital. Though the edict went out, the armies would not follow; Heaven favored the north, not the east; at the change of fortune he received a new mandate. Yun was demoted to acting grand master of the palace, inspecting grand preceptor, pillar of state, duke of Xiangyin with three thousand households and five hundred seal."
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明年正月丁卯，太后誥，奉符寶於監國，可即皇帝位。 周太祖踐阼，奉太后為母，遷於西宮，上尊號曰昭聖太后。 是月十五日，周太祖與百僚詣帝殯宮，成服親奠，不視朝七日。 又詔太常定謚曰「隱」。 以其年八月二日，復遣前宗正卿劉皞護靈盾，備儀仗，葬於許州陽翟縣之潁陵，祔神主於高祖之寢宮。 帝姿貌白晰，眉目疏朗，未即位時，目多閃掣，唾洟不止，即位之始，遽無此態，及內難將作，復如故。 帝自關西平定之後，稍自驕易，然畏憚大臣，未至縱恣。 嘗因乾象差忒，宮中或有怪異，召司天監趙延乂訊其休咎，延乂對以修德即無患，既退，遣中使就問延乂曰：「何者為德？」 延乂勸讀《貞觀政要》。 邇後與聶文進、郭允明、後贊狎習，信其邪說，以至於敗。 高祖之征鄴城也，一日，帝語太祖曰：「我夜來夢爾為驢，負我升天，既舍爾，俄變為龍，舍我南去，是何祥也？」 周太祖撫掌而笑。 冥符蚃，豈偶然哉！
Next year's first month, dingmao, the dowager delivered the regalia to the regent to take the throne. When Guo Wei took the throne he honored the dowager as mother, moved her to the western palace, and titled her Zhaosheng Empress Dowager. On the fifteenth the Zhou founder and officials went to the late emperor's hall, mourned in person, and suspended court seven days. An edict fixed his posthumous title as "Yin." On the second of the eighth month Liu Hao escorted the coffin with full rites to Ying tomb in Yangdi, Xuzhou, and placed the tablet in Gaozu's shrine. He was fair-skinned with clear, sparse brows and eyes; before reigning his eyes twitched and he spat constantly—at his accession this stopped, but it returned when the palace coup neared. After the northwest was pacified he grew somewhat arrogant but still feared his senior ministers and did not run wild. Once, troubled by omens or palace omens, he asked astronomer Zhao Yanyi about fortune; Yanyi said cultivate virtue. The emperor then asked, "What is virtue?" Yanyi urged him to read the Essentials of Government from the Zhenguan Reign. Later he grew close to Nie Wenjin, Guo Yunming, and Hou Zan, trusted their evil counsel, and was ruined. During Gaozu's Yedu campaign the emperor told Guo Wei, "I dreamed you were a donkey carrying me to Heaven, then a dragon that left me south—what omen is that?" Guo Wei clapped and laughed. Heaven's hidden mandate—hardly accidental!
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The historian writes: Emperor Yin took a newly founded realm while still very young. The ruler who received the mandate lacked the virtue of Yu or Tang; and his ministers were no Yi or Lü. To wish to preserve lasting fortune and an unshakable foundation was impossible. He crushed the three western rebellions yet nurtured palace villains and fell to their treachery. No house in history fell faster than his. Alas! It was bad human counsel, not Heaven suddenly withdrawing the mandate.