1
李崧，深州饒陽人。 父舜卿，本州錄事參軍。 崧幼而聰敏，十餘歲為文，家人奇之。 弱冠，本府署為參軍。 其父嘗謂宗人李鏻曰：「大醜生處，形奇氣異，前途應不居徒勞之地，賴吾兄誨激之。」 大醜即崧之小字也。 同光初，魏王繼岌為興聖宮使，兼領鎮州節鉞，崧以參軍從事。 時推官李蕘掌書，崧見其起草不工，密謂掌事呂柔曰：「令公皇子，天下瞻望，至於尺牘往來，章表論列，稍須文理合宜。 李侍御起草，未能盡善。」 呂曰：「公試代為之。」 呂得崧所作，示盧質、馮道，皆稱之。 繇是擢為興聖宮巡官，獨掌奏記。 莊宗入洛，授太常寺協律郎。 王師伐蜀，繼岌為都統，以崧掌書記。 蜀平，樞密使郭崇韜為宦官誣構，繼岌遂殺崇韜父子，外尚未知。 崧白繼岌曰：「王何為作此危事？ 至於不容崇韜，至洛誅之未晚。 今懸軍五千里，無咫尺書詔，便殺重臣，非謀也。」 繼岌曰：「吾亦悔之。」 崧召書吏三四人，登樓去梯，取黃紙矯寫詔書，倒使都統印發之。 翌日，告諸軍，軍情稍定。 及自蜀還，明宗革命，任圜以宰相判三司，用崧為鹽鐵推官，賜緋。 丁內艱，歸鄉里。 服闋，鎮帥範延光奏署掌書記。 延光為樞密使，拜拾遺，直樞密院，遷補闕、起居郎、尚書郎，充職如故。 長興末，改翰林學士。 清泰初，拜端明殿學士、戶部侍郎。
Li Song was a native of Raoyang in Shen Prefecture. His father Shunqing had been recording officer and military adjutant of that prefecture. From childhood Song was quick-witted; by his mid-teens he was already writing essays, and his family marveled at him. At twenty he took a post as military adjutant in the local prefectural office. His father once told his kinsman Li Lin, "Where Dachou was born, the boy's looks were odd and his spirit unlike others; he is not meant to waste his life in drudgery—it will be up to my elder brother to teach and urge him on." Dachou" was Song's childhood name. Early in the Tongguang reign, Prince Wei Ji Ji served as director of the Xingsheng Palace while also holding the military commission of Zhen Prefecture, and Song went with him as adjutant. The investigating censor Li Yao then handled correspondence, and Song, finding his drafts clumsy, quietly told the steward Lü Rou, "The prince—the commander's son—is the hope of the realm; whatever letters and memorials go out should at least be literate and apt. Censor Li's drafts are not quite up to the mark. Lü replied, "Why don't you try drafting them yourself?" Lü took what Song had written and showed it to Lu Zhi and Feng Dao, and both praised it. On that account he was promoted to touring officer of the Xingsheng Palace and given sole charge of memorials and reports. When Emperor Zhuangzong entered Luoyang, Song was made harmonizing officer in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When the imperial forces marched against Shu, Ji Ji was overall commander and Song served as his chief secretary. After Shu fell, eunuchs framed Military Affairs Commissioner Guo Chongtao, and Ji Ji killed Chongtao and his son; the news had not yet spread beyond their camp. Song said to Ji Ji, "Your Highness, why do this reckless thing? If Chongtao cannot be tolerated, you could still put him to death after you reach Luoyang. Your army is five thousand li from home with no word from the throne, yet you have killed a great minister—that is no sound policy. Ji Ji said, "I regret it as well." Song called three or four clerks, had them climb a tower and pull up the ladder, forged an edict on yellow paper, and had it issued with the overall commander's seal impressed upside down. The next day he announced it to the troops, and army morale gradually settled. After the return from Shu, Emperor Mingzong took the throne; Ren Huan, serving as chancellor in charge of the Three Departments, appointed Song salt-and-iron investigating officer and gave him crimson robes. When his mother died he went into mourning and returned home. After mourning he was appointed chief secretary on Fan Yanguang's recommendation as military governor. When Yanguang became military affairs commissioner, Song was made remonstrance official and attached to the Bureau of Military Affairs; he rose through censor, recorder of the ruler's movements, and secretariat posts while keeping his original duties. Near the end of the Changxing reign he was made a Hanlin academician. Early in the Qingtai reign he was made Duanming Hall academician and vice minister of revenue.
2
先是，長興三年冬，契丹入雲中，朝廷欲命重將鎮太原。 時晉祖為六軍副使，以秦王從榮不軌，懇求外任，深有北門之望，而大臣以晉高祖方權兵柄，難以議之。 一日，明宗怒其未奏，範延光、趙延壽等無對，退歸本院，共議其事，方欲以康義誠為之。 時崧最在下位，聳立請曰：「朝廷重兵多在北邊，須以重臣為帥，以某所見，非石太尉不可也。」 會明宗令中使促之，眾乃從其議。 翌日，晉祖既受太原之命，使心腹達意於崧云：「壘浮圖須與合卻尖。」 蓋感之深也。 及清泰末，晉祖入洛，崧與呂琦俱竄匿於伊闕民家。 旬日，晉高祖召為戶部侍郎，判戶部。 逾月，拜中書侍郎、同平章事，與桑維翰並兼樞密使。 維翰鎮相州，未幾，廢樞密院，事歸中書，加尚書右僕射。 從幸鄴，丁外艱，恩制起復，崧上章數四，懇辭其命，優詔不允。 復上章，不報，崧不得已而視事。 晉少帝嗣位，復用桑維翰為樞密使，命崧兼判三司。 未幾，代維翰為樞密使，與馮玉對掌機密。 開運末，崧、玉信契丹之詐，經略瀛、鄭，中渡之敗，落其奸謀。 契丹入京師，趙延壽、張礪素稱崧之才，契丹主善遇之，以崧為太子太師，充樞密使。 契丹主嘗謂左右曰：「我破南朝，只得李崧一人而已。」 從契丹北行，留於鎮州。
Earlier, in the winter of Changxing year three, the Khitans entered Yunzhong, and the court wanted a senior general posted to Taiyuan. The future Jin founder was then deputy commander of the Six Armies; with Prince Qin Congrong plotting treason, he urgently sought a post away from court and dearly hoped for the northern command, yet the senior ministers, knowing he already held the armies, hesitated to broach the appointment. One day Mingzong, furious that no memorial had come in, got no answer from Fan Yanguang, Zhao Yanshou, and the others; they withdrew to their bureau, debated the post together, and were on the point of naming Kang Yicheng. Song ranked lowest in the room; he stood up and said, "Most of the court's heavy troops are in the north—we need a senior minister in command, and in my view only Grand Marshal Shi will serve. Just then Mingzong sent a palace envoy to hurry them along, and the group adopted Song's view. The next day, once the Jin founder had the Taiyuan appointment, he sent a confidant to tell Song, "When you raise a pagoda, the spire has to be set on top"—meaning Song had made his rise possible. So deep was his gratitude. Late in Qingtai, when the Jin founder entered Luoyang, Song and Lü Qi went into hiding in a villager's home at Yique. Within ten days Jin Gaozu summoned him back as vice minister of revenue in charge of the ministry. A month later he was made vice director of the Secretariat, co-equal councilor of state, and shared the military affairs commission with Sang Weihan. Weihan went to govern Xiang Prefecture; soon the military affairs bureau was abolished and its business reverted to the Secretariat, and Song was promoted to right vice director of the Department of State Affairs. While accompanying the emperor to Ye he lost his father; an edict recalled him from mourning, but Song memorialized four times to decline, and each gracious reply refused him. He memorialized again without answer and at last took up office against his will. When the young Jin emperor succeeded, Sang Weihan was again military affairs commissioner, and Song was put in charge of the Three Departments as well. Soon he replaced Weihan as military affairs commissioner and shared confidential state business with Feng Yu. Late in Kaiyun, Song and Yu trusted Khitan promises, directed operations at Ying and Zheng, and at the Zhongdu rout walked into their trap. When the Khitans took the capital, Zhao Yanshou and Zhang Li had long praised Song's ability; the Khitan ruler treated him kindly, made him grand preceptor of the heir apparent, and kept him as military affairs commissioner. The Khitan ruler once told his attendants, "In conquering the southern dynasty I have won only Li Song. He started north with the Khitans but was left behind at Zhen Prefecture.
3
高祖平汴、洛，乃以崧之居第賜蘇逢吉，第中宿藏之物，皆為逢吉所有。 是年秋，鎮州逐麻答，崧與馮道、和凝十數人歸闕，授太子太傅。 崧對朝之權右，謙挹承顏，未嘗忤旨。 嘗以宅券獻蘇逢吉，不悅。 崧二弟嶼、㠖，酣酒無識，與楊邠、蘇逢吉子弟杯酒之間，時言及奪我居第，逢吉知之。 〈（《宋史·陶蒨傳》：李崧以宅券獻逢吉，逢吉不悅，而崧子弟數出怨言，崧懼，移疾不出。 崧族子昉，嘗往候崧，崧語昉曰：「邇來朝廷於我有何議？」 昉曰：「無他，聞唯陶給事往往於稠人中厚誣叔父。」 崧嘆曰：「蒨自單州判官，吾取為集賢校理，不數年擢掌詔命，吾何負於陶氏子哉！」 及崧遇禍，昉嘗因公事詣蒨，蒨問昉：「識李侍郎否？」 昉斂衽應曰：「遠從叔耳。」 蒨曰：「李氏之禍，蒨出力焉。」 昉聞之汗出。）〉 有部曲葛延遇者，逋李嶼船傭，嶼撻之，督其所負，遇有同輩李澄亦事逢吉，葛延遇夜寄宿於澄家，以嶼見督情告，遂一夕同謀告變。 逢吉覽狀示史宏肇，其日逢吉遣吏召崧至第，從容語及葛延遇告變之事，崧以幼女為托，逢吉遣吏送於侍衛獄。 既行，崧恚曰：「自古未有不亡之國，不死之人。」 及為吏所鞫，乃自誣伏罪，舉家遇害，少長悉屍於市，人士冤之。 〈（《東都事略·王溥傳》：世宗嘗問：「漢相李崧蠟彈書結契丹，有記其詞者否？」 溥曰：「崧有此，肯示人耶？ 蘇逢吉輩陷之爾。」 世宗遂優贈崧官。）〉 崧與徐臺符同學相善，乾祐三年秋，臺符夢崧謂曰：「予之冤橫，得請於帝矣。」 及蘇、史之誅，並梟首於市，當崧所誅之地。 未幾，葛延遇、李澄亦以戮死。 〈（《宋史·李昉傳》：晉侍中崧，與昉同宗且同里，時人謂崧為「東李家」，昉為「西李」。 漢末，崧被誅，至宋，其子璨自蘇州常熟縣令赴調，昉為訟其父冤，且言周太祖已為昭雪，贈官，還其田宅，錄璨而官之。 然璨幾五十，尚淹州縣之職。 詔授璨著作佐郎，後官至資善大夫。）〉
After Gaozu pacified Bian and Luoyang, he gave Song's house to Su Fengji, along with everything Song had kept there. That autumn Zhen Prefecture expelled Maduo; Song returned to court with Feng Dao, He Ning, and a dozen others and was made grand tutor of the heir apparent. Though powerful at court, Song was humble and obliging before the throne and never crossed the emperor. He once offered Su Fengji the deed to his former house, and Fengji took offense. Song's younger brothers Yu and Xiu, drunken and rash, would complain over wine with the sons of Yang Bin and Su Fengji that their home had been taken; Fengji heard of it. (History of Song, Biography of Tao Qian: Li Song gave Fengji the deed to his house; Fengji was offended, while Song's sons and nephews kept voicing grievances, so Song, afraid, pleaded illness and stayed away from court.) Song's kinsman Fang once called on him, and Song asked, "Has the court been saying anything about me lately? Fang said, "Nothing else—only that Attendant Tao often speaks harshly against you in public gatherings." Song sighed, "Qian was only a Shan prefecture judge when I brought him into the Hall of Assembled Worthies; within a few years I had him drafting edicts—what did I ever do to that Tao boy?" After Song's fall, Fang once visited Qian on business; Qian asked, "Do you know Vice Director Li?" Fang straightened his robe and answered, "My distant uncle." Qian said, "I had a hand in the Li family's ruin." Fang broke into a sweat at the words.)〉 A retainer named Ge Yanyu owed Li Yu for boat hire; Yu beat him and demanded payment. Yanyu had a fellow named Li Cheng who also served Fengji; one night Ge stayed at Cheng's house, told him how Yu had hounded him, and that night the two plotted to accuse the Li family of treason. Fengji read the accusation and showed it to Shi Hongzhao; that day he sent clerks to bring Song to his house, mentioned Ge Yanyu's treason report in an easy tone, took Song's plea for his young daughter, and had clerks escort him to the guards' prison. As he was led away, Song said bitterly, "Since antiquity no state has failed to fall and no man has escaped death. Under interrogation he falsely confessed; his whole family was killed, young and old left dead in the market, and men of letters called it a gross injustice. (Brief Account of the Eastern Capital, Biography of Wang Pu: Emperor Shizong once asked, "Did the Han chancellor Li Song use a wax-sealed letter to ally with the Khitans—is there any record of what it said? Pu said, "If Song had done that, would he have let anyone see it? Su Fengji and his crowd framed him, that is all." Shizong then posthumously restored Song's honors.)〉 Song and Xu Taifu had been classmates and close friends; in the autumn of Qianyou year three, Taifu dreamed that Song told him, "My grievous wrong will now be heard in Heaven. When Su and Shi were executed, their heads were displayed in the market at the very spot where Song had died. Soon Ge Yanyu and Li Cheng were executed as well. (History of Song, Biography of Li Fang: Jin palace attendant Song was Fang's clansman and fellow townsman; people called Song "the eastern Li" and Fang "the western Li.") At the end of Later Han, Song was executed; under the Song his son Can came up from magistrate of Changshu in Suzhou to the capital; Fang pleaded his father's case, noting that Zhou Taizu had already cleared Song's name, restored his rank, returned his lands and house, and enrolled Can in office. Yet Can was nearly fifty and still held only a county post. An edict made Can an assistant in the Bureau of Authorship; he later rose to grand master for the heir apparent's studies.)〉
4
蘇逢吉，長安人。 父悅，逢吉母早喪，而悅鰥居，旁無侍者。 性嗜酒，雖所飲不多，然漱醪終日。 他人供膳，皆不稱旨，俟逢吉庖炙，方肯下箸。 悅初仕蜀，官升朝列，逢吉初學為文，嘗代父染翰。 悅嘗為高祖從事，甚見禮遇，因從容薦逢吉曰：「老夫耄矣，才器無取。 男逢吉粗學援毫，性復恭恪，如公不以犭屯犬之微，願令事左右。」 高祖召見，以神精爽惠，甚憐之。 有頃，擢為賓佐，凡有謀議，立侍其側。 高祖素嚴毅，及鎮太原，位望崇重，從事稀得謁見，惟逢吉日侍左右。 兩使文簿，堆案盈幾，左右不敢輒通，逢吉置於懷袖，俟其悅色則諮之，多見其可。
Su Fengji was a native of Chang'an. His father Yue lost Fengji's mother early and lived alone as a widower with no one to wait on him. He loved wine; though he drank little, he kept rinsing his mouth with fresh brew all day. Food others prepared never suited him; he would eat only after Fengji had cooked. Yue had first served Shu and risen to court rank; Fengji was learning to write and sometimes drafted documents for his father. Yue had served Gaozu as an aide and was well treated; he casually recommended Fengji, saying, "I am old and have no talent worth offering. My son Fengji has some schooling with the brush and a respectful nature; if you would not scorn this worthless fellow, I ask that he serve at your side. Gaozu summoned him, found him bright and quick-witted, and took a strong liking to him. Soon he was promoted to staff adviser and stood at Gaozu's side whenever counsel was needed. Gaozu had always been stern; posted to Taiyuan with high rank and prestige, his aides rarely saw him—only Fengji attended him day after day. Papers from the two commissioners piled his desk high; attendants dared not pass them in, but Fengji slipped them into his sleeve and, when Gaozu was in good humor, presented them—most won approval.
5
高祖建號於太原，逢吉自節度判官拜同平章事、集賢殿大學士。 車駕至汴，朝廷百司庶務，逢吉以為己任，參決處置，並出胸臆，雖有當有否，而事無留滯。 會翰林學士李濤從容侍帝，言及霸府二相，官秩未崇，逢吉旋加吏部尚書，未幾，轉左僕射，監修國史。 從征杜重威於鄴下，數乘醉抵辱周太祖。 及高祖大漸，與楊邠、史宏肇等臥內同受顧命。 李濤與逢吉論甥舅之契，相得甚歡，濤之入相，逢吉甚有力焉。 會濤上章，請出兩樞密為方鎮，帝怒，罷濤相，勒歸私第，時論疑濤承逢吉之風旨。 先是，高祖踐阼之後，逢吉與蘇禹珪俱在中書，有所除拜，多違舊制，用舍升降，率意任情，至有自白丁而升宦路、由流外而除令錄者，不可勝數。 物論紛然。 高祖方倚信二相，莫敢言者。 逢吉尤貪財貨，無所顧避，求進之士，稍有物力者，即遣人微露風旨，許以美秩。 及楊邠為相，稍奪二蘇之權，自是盡斂手而已。 邠每懲二蘇之失，艱於除拜，至於諸司補吏，與門胄出身，一切停罷。 時論以邠之蔽，固亦由逢吉、禹珪本不能至公於物之所致也。 初，高祖至汴，以故相馮道、李崧為契丹所俘，佇於真定，乃以崧第賜逢吉，道第賜禹珪，崧於西洛有別業，亦為逢吉所有。 及真定逐契丹，崧、道歸朝，崧弟嶼以逢吉占據其第，時出怨言。 未幾，崧以西京宅券獻於逢吉，不悅。 會崧有仆夫欲誣告謀反，逢吉誘致其狀，即告史宏肇，令逮捕其家。 逢吉遣直省吏召崧至第，即令監至侍衛獄。 翌日，所司以獄辭上，其李嶼款招云：「與兄崧、弟鳷，與家僮二十人商議，比至山陵發引之時，同放火謀亂，其告是實。」 蓋自誣之辭也。 逢吉仍以筆添註「二十人」字為「五十人」，封下有司，盡誅崧家。 時人冤之，歸咎於逢吉。
When Gaozu proclaimed his reign at Taiyuan, Fengji rose from military governor's judge to co-equal councilor and grand academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. When the court reached Bian, Fengji took charge of the hundred offices' business; he decided everything from his own judgment—right or wrong—and nothing stalled. When Hanlin academician Li Tao, attending the emperor casually, remarked that the two chancellors from the hegemonic headquarters were not yet high in rank, Fengji was promptly made minister of personnel; soon he became left vice director and oversaw the national history. On the campaign against Du Chongwei at Ye, he repeatedly insulted the future Zhou Taizu while drunk. When Gaozu fell gravely ill, he received the dying charge in the inner chamber along with Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, and the others. Li Tao and Fengji were related as nephew and uncle by marriage and were on excellent terms; Fengji had done much to put Tao in the chancellorship. When Tao memorialized to send the two military commissioners out as regional governors, the emperor was furious, stripped him of the chancellorship, and sent him home; contemporaries suspected he was acting on Fengji's cue. Earlier, after Gaozu took the throne, Fengji and Su Yugui sat in the Secretariat and often broke precedent in appointments, promoting and demoting at whim—even elevating commoners to office and outsiders to magistracies beyond number. Public opinion was in uproar. Gaozu still trusted the two chancellors, and no one dared object. Fengji was especially greedy and unscrupulous; anyone seeking office who had even modest wealth would get a subtle hint and a promise of a fine post. When Yang Bin became chancellor, he gradually stripped the two Sus of power, and from then on they could only keep their hands in their sleeves. Each time Yang Bin punished the two Sus for their abuses he tightened appointments—even routine clerkships and posts gained by family pedigree were stopped entirely. Public opinion held that Bin's excess was also because Fengji and Yugui had never been fair in the first place. When Gaozu first reached Bian, former chancellors Feng Dao and Li Song, held by the Khitans at Zhending, were still away; he gave Song's house to Fengji and Dao's to Yugui, and Song's estate in western Luoyang went to Fengji as well. After Zhending expelled the Khitans, Song and Dao returned; Song's brother Yu, whose house Fengji still held, sometimes complained openly. Soon Song offered Fengji the deed to his western capital property, and Fengji took offense. When one of Song's servants tried to frame him for treason, Fengji drew out a written accusation, reported it to Shi Hongzhao, and had the whole household arrested. Fengji sent a secretariat clerk to bring Song to his house and at once had him placed in the guards' prison. The next day the authorities filed the confession; Li Yu's statement read, "My brother Song, my brother Zhi, and I, with twenty household slaves, agreed to set fires and raise rebellion when the tomb procession departed—this report is true. It was plainly a forced confession. Fengji altered "twenty men" to "fifty men" in the document, sealed it, and sent it down; the offices put Song's entire family to death. The people called it unjust and laid the blame on Fengji.
6
逢吉深文好殺，從高祖在太原時，嘗因事，高祖命逢吉靜獄，以祈福祐，逢吉盡殺禁囚以報。 及執朝政，尤愛刑戮。 朝廷患諸處盜賊，遣使捕逐，逢吉自草詔意云：「應有賊盜，其本家及四鄰同保人，並仰所在全族處斬。」 或謂逢吉曰：「為盜者族誅，猶非王法，鄰保同罪，不亦甚乎？」 逢吉堅以為是，竟去「全族」二字。 時有鄆州捕賊使臣張令柔盡殺平陰縣十七村民，良由此也。 逢吉性侈靡，好鮮衣美食，中書供膳，鄙而不食，私庖供饌，務盡甘珍。 嘗於私第大張酒樂以召權貴，所費千餘緡。 其妻武氏卒，葬送甚盛，班行官及外州節制，有與逢吉相款洽者，皆令賫送綾羅絹帛，以備縞素。 失禮違度，一至如此。 又性不拘名教，繼母死不行服，妻死未周，其子並授官秩。 有庶兄自外至，不白逢吉，便見諸子，逢吉怒，且懼他日淩弱其子息，乃密白高祖，誣以他事杖殺之。
Fengji loved harsh laws and bloodshed; at Taiyuan with Gaozu, when ordered to "quiet the prisons" for a blessing, he killed every prisoner to report the task done. In power he especially favored punishments and executions. With bandits troubling the realm, Fengji drafted an edict: "Wherever bandits appear, their families and four neighboring guarantors shall all be put to death by local authorities. Someone told Fengji, "Clan execution for thieves is not royal law; punishing guarantors alike—is that not extreme?" Fengji insisted he was right and finally struck only the words "full clan." The Yun prefecture bandit-hunter Zhang Lingrou then killed seventeen villagers of Pingyin County—because of this edict. Extravagant by nature, he loved fine dress and food, scorned the Secretariat's table, and had his private kitchen serve only the richest fare. Once at his home he threw a lavish feast for the powerful that cost more than a thousand strings of cash. When his wife Lady Wu died, the funeral was lavish; every official and outer prefecture commissioner on good terms with him was told to send silk for mourning. He violated ritual and exceeded all bounds of propriety. He also scorned ritual propriety: he did not mourn his stepmother; before his wife had been dead a year, his sons received official ranks. A half-brother arrived unannounced and visited his sons; Fengji, angry and fearing future harm to his children, secretly accused him to Gaozu and had him beaten to death on false charges.
7
乾祐二年秋，加守司空。 周太祖之將鎮鄴也，逢吉奏請落樞密使，隱帝曰：「有前例否？」 逢吉奏曰：「樞密之任，方鎮帶之非便。」 史宏肇曰：「兼帶樞密，所冀諸軍稟畏。」 竟從宏肇之議。 宏肇怨逢吉之異己，逢吉曰：「此國家之事也，且以內制外則順，以外制內豈得便耶！」 事雖不從，物議多之。 居無何，王章張飲，會逢吉與史宏肇有謔言，大為宏肇所詬，逢吉不校，幾至毆擊，逢吉馳馬而歸，自是將相失歡。 逢吉欲希外任，以紓宏肇之怒，既而中輟。 人問其故，逢吉曰：「茍領一方鎮，只消得史公一處分。 則為齏粉矣。」 李業輩惡宏肇、楊邠等，逢吉知之，每見業等，即微以言激怒之。 及宏肇等被害，逢吉不預其謀，聞變驚駭，即受宣徽，權知樞密院事。 尋令草制正授，制入，聞鄴兵至澶州乃止。 事急，逢吉謂人曰：「蕭墻之變，太覺匆遽，主上若有一言見問，必不至是矣。」 數夕宿於金祥殿之東，謂天官正王處訥曰：「夜來就枕未瞑，已見李崧在傍，生人與死人相接，無吉事也。」 及周太祖自鄴至汴，官軍敗於劉子陂，是夕逢吉宿於七里郊，與同舍痛飲，醉將自刎，左右止之。 至曙，與隱帝同抵民舍，遂自殺。 周太祖定京城，與聶文進等同梟於北市，釋其家族。 其梟首之處，適當李崧冤死之地。 廣順初，詔就西京賜其子莊宅各一區。 〈（《五代史補》：高祖在河東幕府，闕書記，朝廷除前進士丘廷敏為之，以高祖有異志，恐為所累，辭疾不赴，遂改蘇逢吉。 未幾，契丹南侵，高祖仗順而起，兵不血刃而天下定，逢吉以佐命功，自掌書記拜中書侍郎、平章事。 逾年，廷敏始選授鳳翔麟遊縣令。 過堂之日，逢吉戲之，且撫所坐椅子曰：「合是長官坐，何故讓與鄙夫耶？」 廷敏遂漸悚而退。）〉
In the autumn of Qianyou year two he was made acting minister of works. When the future Zhou Taizu was to take Ye, Fengji asked to strip him of the military commission; the Hidden Emperor asked, "Is there precedent? Fengji replied, "A regional commander should not also hold the military commission." Shi Hongzhao said, "We want him to hold the commission so the armies will fear him." They followed Hongzhao's view in the end. Hongzhao resented Fengji's dissent; Fengji said, "This is a state matter; inner rule over outer is proper—how can outer rule over inner be right? Though his view was rejected, public opinion largely sided with him. Soon at Wang Zhang's banquet, banter between Fengji and Shi Hongzhao turned into fierce abuse; Fengji held his tongue and nearly came to blows, then galloped home—after that the chancellor and commissioner were estranged. Fengji hoped for an outside post to appease Hongzhao, but soon gave it up. Asked why, Fengji said, "If I held a regional command, one order from Lord Shi would be enough. And I would be ground to dust. Li Ye's faction hated Hongzhao and Yang Bin; Fengji knew it and subtly goaded them whenever he met them. When Hongzhao and the others were killed, Fengji had not plotted it; shocked by the coup, he took the palace treasury post and acted as military commissioner. He was told to draft the formal appointment; when the draft was submitted, word that Ye's army had reached Chanzhou halted it. In the crisis he said, "This palace upheaval came too suddenly; if the emperor had asked me one question, it would never have come to this. For nights he lodged east of Jinxian Hall and told the chief astronomer Wang Chun'e, "Last night before sleep I saw Li Song beside me—the living meeting the dead bodes ill." When Zhou Taizu came from Ye to Bian and the army was beaten at Liuzi Slope, that night Fengji lodged at Qili, drank heavily with companions, and was stopped as he tried to kill himself. At dawn he and the Hidden Emperor reached a commoner's house, and there he killed himself. When Zhou Taizu secured the capital, he and Nie Wenjin and others were displayed at the north market; their families were spared. The display spot was exactly where Li Song had been unjustly executed. Early in Guangshun an edict gave each of his sons a mansion in the western capital. (Supplement to the History of the Five Dynasties: At Hedong headquarters the secretariat was vacant; the court named the former jinshi Qiu Tingmin, who, fearing Gaozu's rebellion would implicate him, pleaded illness; Su Fengji was appointed instead.) Soon the Khitans invaded; Gaozu rose in support of Shun and took the realm without bloodshed; Fengji, for aiding the founding, rose from chief secretary to vice director and councilor. More than a year later Tingmin was finally appointed magistrate of Linyou in Fengxiang. On the day he passed the hall, Fengji teased him, patting his chair: "This seat should be yours—why yield it to a nobody? Tingmin withdrew, increasingly afraid.)〉
8
李鏻，唐宗屬也。 父洎，韶州刺史。 伯父湯，咸通中為給事中。 懿宗除乳母楚國夫人婿為夏州刺史，湯封還制書，詔曰：「朕少失所親，若非楚國夫人鞠養，則無朕此身，雖非朝典，望卿放下，仍今後不得援以為例。」 湯乃奉詔，其諒直如此。
Li Lin was of the Tang imperial clan. His father Ji was prefect of Shao. His elder uncle Tang had been an attendant in the Xiantong era. Emperor Yizong made the wet nurse the Lady of Chu's son-in-law prefect of Xia; Tang returned the edict; the emperor wrote, "I lost my parents young; without the Lady of Chu's care I would not live; though not precedent, set this aside and cite it no more. Tang obeyed—such was his blunt integrity.
9
鏻少舉進士，累舉不第。 客遊河朔，稱清海軍掌書記，謁定州王處直，不見禮。 鏻即脫綠被緋，入常山謁要人李宏規，以宗姓請兄事之，由是得進。 趙王镕辟為從事，镕卒，復為王德明賓客。 德明使鏻聘於唐莊宗，鏻密疏德明之罪，且言可圖之狀，莊宗嘉之。 及常山平，以鏻為霸府支使。 嘗從容請於莊宗曰：「鏻有四子，請誅之。」 莊宗問其故，對曰：「此輩生於常山，稟勃亂之氣，不可留也。」 莊宗笑而止。 同光初，授宗正卿，俄兼工部侍郎。 常山有唐啟運陵，鏻受富民李守恭賂，署為陵臺令，守恭暴橫，為長吏所訴，按之以聞，鏻左授司農少卿，削金紫，未幾，出為河府副使。 明宗即位，歷兵部、戶部侍郎，工部、戶部尚書。 長興中，以與明宗有舊，常貯入相之意，從容謂時相曰：「唐祚中興，宜敦敘宗室，才高者合居相位。 仆雖不才，曾事莊宗霸府，見今上於藩邸時。 家代重侯累相，靖安李氏，不在諸族之下； 論才較藝，何讓眾人。 久置仆於朝行，諸君安乎？」 馮道、趙鳳每怒其僭。 有頃，鏻因淮南細人言事，乃謂樞密使安重誨曰：「偽吳欲歸國久矣，若朝廷先遣使諭之，則旋踵而至矣。」 重誨然之，以玉帶與細人，令往淮南為信，久而不反，由是出鏻為兗州行軍司馬。 得代歸闕，復為戶部尚書，尋轉兵部尚書，有頃兼判太常卿事。 嘗權典選部，銓綜失序，物論非之。 晉天福中，守太子少保。 開運中，遷太子太保。 高祖至闕，授守司徒，數月而卒，年八十八。 詔贈太傅。
Lin took the jinshi examination repeatedly in youth and failed. As a guest in Hebei he styled himself chief secretary of the Qinghai Army and called on Wang Chuzhi of Ding, who slighted him. He shed his official robes, went to Changshan, called on Li Honggui as a clansman asking to serve him as elder brother, and thereby advanced. Prince Zhao Rong made him an aide; after Rong's death he served Wang Deming as guest. Deming sent him on embassy to Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong; Lin secretly reported Deming's crimes and how he could be taken; Zhuangzong praised him. When Changshan fell, Lin was made branch secretary at the hegemonic headquarters. He once casually asked Zhuangzong, "I have four sons—please execute them. Zhuangzong asked why; he said, "Born in Changshan, they bear its turbulent spirit—they cannot be kept." Zhuangzong laughed and refused. Early in Tongguang he was director of the imperial clan court and soon vice minister of works. Changshan holds the Tang Qiyun tomb; Lin took a bribe from Li Shougong and made him tomb magistrate; Shougong's violence was reported; Lin was demoted to vice minister of agriculture, stripped of gold and purple, then sent out as He prefecture deputy commissioner. Under Mingzong he served as vice ministers of war and revenue and as ministers of works and revenue. In Changxing, with old ties to Mingzong, he often hoped for the chancellorship and told the chancellors, "The Tang restoration should honor the clan; the able should hold the highest office. Though I lack talent, I served Zhuangzong's headquarters and knew the present emperor in his princely days. For generations my house produced marquises and chancellors; the Jing'an Li are not beneath other clans; in talent and skill, why should I yield to others? Keeping me so long in routine posts—are you at ease? Feng Dao and Zhao Feng were angered each time by his presumption. Soon, on a Huainan informer's report, he told An Chonghui, "Wu has long wished to submit; if the court sends an envoy, they will come at once. Chonghui agreed and gave the man a jade belt as envoy to Huainan; he never returned; Lin was sent out as Yan prefecture marching adjutant. Returning to court he was again minister of revenue, soon minister of war, and before long acting director of imperial sacrifices. He once ran personnel selection; his judgments were disorderly and opinion condemned him. In Jin's Tianfu era he was junior tutor of the heir apparent. In Kaiyun he was promoted to grand tutor of the heir apparent. When Gaozu reached court he was made acting minister of works; he died several months later at eighty-eight. An edict posthumously made him grand tutor.
10
龍敏，字欲訥，幽州永清人。 少學為儒，仕鄉里為假掾。 劉守光不道，敏避地浮陽，會戴思遠渡河而南，乃從之。 鄉人周知裕仕梁為裨將，敏往依焉，知裕屢薦不調，敏丐遊都邑累年。 唐莊宗定魏博，敏聞故人馮道為霸府記室，乃客於河中，歲歸太原，館於馮道之家，監軍使張承業即署敏為巡官，典監軍奏記。 莊宗平河、洛，征為司門員外郎，以家貧乏養，求為興唐少尹。 逾年，丁母喪，退居鄴下，會趙在禮據鄴城，以敏鄉人，強起令署事，又為亂軍所迫，敏不敢拒。 明年，在禮鎮浮陽，敏復居喪制，服闋，除戶部郎中，改諫議大夫、御史中丞。 時敏父鹹式年七十，鹹式之父年九十餘，供養二尊，朝夕無懈。 鹹式以敏貴，得秘書監致仕。 敏為兵部侍郎，奉使幽州，鄉里耆舊留宴盡歡。 馮赟為北京留守，奏敏為副，赟入掌樞密，敏為吏部侍郎。
Long Min, styled Yun'e, was from Yongqing in You Prefecture. In youth he studied Confucian learning and served his district as acting clerk. Liu Shouguang was tyrannical; Min fled to Fuyang; when Dai Siyuan crossed south, he followed. His townsman Zhou Zhiyu was a Liang adjutant; Min relied on him; Zhiyu recommended him in vain; Min begged to wander the capital for years. When Zhuangzong pacified Weibo, Min heard Feng Dao was chief secretary; he lodged in Hedong, yearly visiting Taiyuan and staying with Feng Dao; Zhang Chengye appointed him touring officer in charge of memorials. When Zhuangzong took the Yellow and Luo region, Min was summoned as vice director of the gate office; poor and unable to support his family, he asked to be vice governor of Xingtang. A year later his mother died; he retired to Ye; Zhao Zaili, holding Ye, forced the townsman Min to serve; mutinous troops compelled him and he dared not refuse. The next year Zaili governed Fuyang; Min mourned again; after mourning he was director in the ministry of revenue, then remonstrance official and censor in chief. Min's father Xianshi was seventy; Xianshi's father was over ninety; they supported both elders without slackening. Because Min was honored, Xianshi was made secretariat supervisor and retired. As vice minister of war on embassy to You, old friends feasted him endlessly. Feng Yun, regent of the northern capital, made Min his deputy; when Yun took military affairs, Min was vice minister of personnel.
11
敏學術不甚長，然外柔而內剛，愛決斷大計。 清泰末，從唐末帝在懷州，時趙德鈞父子有異圖，晉安寨旦夕憂陷，末帝計無從出，問計於從臣。 敏奏曰：「臣有一計，請以援兵從東丹王李贊華取幽州路趨西樓，契丹主必有北顧之患。」 末帝然之，而不能用。 敏又謂末帝親將李懿曰：「君連姻帝戚，社稷之危，不俟翹足，安得默默茍全耶！」 懿因籌德鈞必破蕃軍之狀，敏曰：「仆燕人也，諳趙德鈞之為人，膽小謀拙，所長者守城寨、嬰壕塹、篤勵健兒耳！ 若見大敵，奮不顧身，摧堅陷陣，必不能矣。 況名位震主，奸以謀身乎！ 仆有狂策，不知濟否，茍能必行，亦救寨之一術也。」 懿請言之，曰：「如聞駕前馬僅有五千匹，請於其間選壯馬精甲健夫千人，仆願與郎萬金二人 〈（《通鑒》：郎萬金為陳州刺史。 胡三省云：萬金，當時勇將也。）〉 路出山，夜冒敵騎，循山入大寨，千騎之內，得其半濟，則寨無虞矣。 張敬達等幽閉，不知朝廷援兵近遠，若知大軍在團柏谷中，雖鐵障亦可沖踏，況敵騎乎！」 末帝聞之曰：「龍敏之心極壯，用之晚矣。」 人亦以為大言，然其慷慨感激，皆此類也。
Min's scholarship was not deep, but outwardly gentle and inwardly firm, he loved deciding great plans. At Qingtai's end he was with the Tang final emperor at Huai; the Zhao Dejun father and son plotted; the Jin'an camp feared collapse; the emperor asked his followers for a plan. Min said, "I have a plan: take relief troops with the eastern Danyu king Li Zanhua by the Youzhou road to Xilou—the Khitan ruler will have to look north. The final emperor agreed but could not adopt it. Min also told Li Yi, "You are the emperor's kin by marriage; the realm's peril is immediate—how can you seek only your own safety? Yi reckoned Dejun would break the barbarians; Min said, "I am a Yan man and know Dejun—timid in counsel, good only at holding forts, digging ditches, and cheering stout soldiers! Before a great foe he will not throw himself forward, break lines, and charge—he cannot. And when fame and rank overshadow the throne, is he not scheming for himself? I have a bold plan—I do not know if it will work, but if it can be done, it may yet save the camp." Yi asked him to explain; he said, "I hear there are only five thousand horses with the imperial train—choose a thousand stout mounts, fine armor, and strong men; I wish to go with Lang Wanjin and you two (Comprehensive Mirror: Lang Wanjin was prefect of Chen. Hu Sansheng notes: Wanjin was a renowned warrior of the day.)〉 By a mountain path, strike the enemy cavalry by night, follow the mountain into the great camp, and catch half their thousand riders mid-crossing—the camp will be safe. Zhang Jingda and the rest are trapped and do not know whether relief is near; if they knew the main army was in Tuanbai Valley, even iron barriers could be broken—how much more enemy cavalry! The final emperor said, "Long Min's heart is exceedingly bold—we employed him too late." Others called it bravado, yet his generous passion was always of this kind.
12
子袞，登進士第，文彩遒雋。 仕周為左拾遺、直史館，早卒。
His son Gun passed the jinshi; his prose was forceful and elegant. In Zhou he was left remonstrance official and direct historiographer and died young.
13
張允，鎮州束鹿人。 父徵。 允幼學為儒，仕本州為參軍。 張文禮之據州叛，莊宗致討，允隨文禮子處瑾請降於鄴，不許，與處瑾並系於獄。 鎮、冀平，宥之，留於鄴，署本府功曹。 趙在禮嬰城叛，署節度推官，從歷滄、兗二鎮書記，入為監察御史，歷右補闕、起居舍人，充宏文館直學士、水部員外郎、知制誥。 清泰初，皇子重美為河南尹，典六軍諸衛事，時朝廷選參佐，以允剛介，改給事中，充六軍判官。 尋罷職，轉左散騎常侍。
Zhang Yun was from Shulu in Zhen Prefecture. His father was Zheng. Yun studied Confucian learning in youth and served his prefecture as military adjutant. When Zhang Wenli rebelled and held the prefecture, Zhuangzong attacked; Yun followed Wenli's son Chujin to sue for surrender at Ye, was refused, and was imprisoned with Chujin. When Zhen and Ji were pacified he was spared, stayed at Ye, and was made merit officer of the prefectural office. When Zhao Zaili rebelled and held the city he was military investigating officer; he served as secretary at Cang and Yan, entered as investigating censor, rose through right censor and recorder, was Hongwen Hall academician, vice director of water, and drafted edicts. Early in Qingtai Prince Chongmei governed Henan and the Six Armies guards; Yun's stern integrity won him appointment as attendant and Six Armies judge. Soon he left that post and became left regular cavalry attendant.
14
晉天福初，允以國朝頻有肆赦，乃進「駁赦論」，曰：「《管子》云：『凡赦者小利而大害，久而不勝其禍； 無赦者小害而大利，久而不勝其福。』 又《漢紀》云：『吳漢疾篤，帝問所欲言。 對曰：唯願陛下無為赦耳。』 如是者何？ 蓋行赦不以為恩，不行赦亦不以為無恩，為罰有罪故也。 竊觀自古帝王，皆以水旱則降德音而宥過，開狴牢以放囚，冀感天心以救其災者，非也。 假有二人訟，一有罪，一無罪，若有罪者見舍，則無罪者銜冤，銜冤者彼何疏，見舍者此何親乎？ 如此則是致災之道，非救災之術也。 自此小民遇天災則喜，皆相勸為惡，曰國家好行赦，必赦我以救災，如此即是國家教民為惡也。 且天道福善禍淫，若以舍為惡之人，而便變災為福，則又是天助其惡民也。 細而論之，必不然矣。 儻或天降之災，蓋欲警誡人主。 節嗜欲，務勤儉，恤鰥寡，正刑罰，不濫舍有罪，不僭殺無辜，使美化行於下，聖德聞於上，則雖有水旱，亦不為沴矣。 豈以濫舍有罪，而反能救其災乎？ 彰其德乎？ 是知赦之不可行也明哉！」 帝覽而嘉之，降詔獎飾，仍付史館。
Early in Jin's Tianfu era, with frequent general amnesties, Yun submitted a "Refutation of Amnesty," citing the Guanzi: "Amnesty brings small profit and great harm—in time the harm prevails; no amnesty is small harm and great profit—in time the blessing prevails. The Han Annals also say: Wu Han lay gravely ill; the emperor asked what he wished to say. He replied: I only wish Your Majesty never to grant amnesty. Why is this? Amnesty is not grace, and withholding it is not cruelty—punishment belongs to the guilty. Since antiquity emperors facing flood or drought have issued virtuous edicts, pardoned crimes, and opened prisons to move Heaven—this is wrong. If two litigants stand, one guilty and one innocent, pardoning the guilty leaves the innocent aggrieved—why favor the guilty and wrong the innocent? That is the way to invite disaster, not to end it. Then commoners facing disaster rejoice and urge one another to crime, saying the state loves amnesty and will pardon them to end the calamity—the state thus teaches evil. Heaven blesses the good and punishes the wicked; to pardon the wicked and turn disaster to blessing is to make Heaven aid the wicked. Examined closely, it cannot be so. Perhaps Heaven sends disaster to warn the ruler. Restrain desire, practice thrift, pity widows and orphans, correct punishments, do not rashly pardon the guilty or kill the innocent—let virtue spread below and sagely fame above—then flood and drought will not harm. How can rash pardon of the guilty save disaster? Or display his virtue? Thus it is clear amnesty must not be practiced!" The emperor read it with praise, issued a reward edict, and sent it to the Historiography.
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五年，遷禮部侍郎，凡三典貢部，改御史中丞，轉兵部侍郎、知制誥，充翰林學士承旨。 契丹入京城，落職守本官。 〈（《東都事略·劉溫叟傳》：契丹入京師，溫叟懼隨契丹北徙，與承旨張允求去職。 契丹主怒，欲黜為縣令。 趙延壽曰：「學士不稱職而求解者，罷之可也。」 得不黜。）〉 乾祐初，授吏部侍郎。 自誅史宏肇後，京城士庶，連甍恐悚，允每朝退，即宿於相國寺僧舍。 及北軍入京師，允匿於佛殿藻井之上，墜屋而卒，時年六十五。
In year five he was vice minister of rites, thrice ran the examinations, became censor in chief, then vice minister of war, edict drafter, and chief Hanlin academician. When the Khitans took the capital he was demoted but kept his original rank. (Brief Account of the Eastern Capital, Biography of Liu Wensou: When the Khitans entered the capital, Wensou feared being taken north and with Chief Academician Zhang Yun sought to resign. The Khitan ruler was angry and wished to demote him to county magistrate. Zhao Yanshou said, "When an academician is unfit and asks to leave, dismissal suffices. He was not demoted.)〉 Early in Qianyou he was vice minister of personnel. After Hongzhao's execution the capital lived in terror; after each court session Yun slept in a monk's cell at Xiangguo Temple. When the northern army entered the capital he hid in the Buddha hall ceiling, fell through, and died at sixty-five.
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子鸞，仕皇朝為太常少卿。
His son Luan served the Song as vice director of imperial sacrifices.
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任延皓，并州人也。 業術數風雲之事。 晉高祖在太原重圍時，高祖最為親要，延皓以本業請見，高祖甚加禮遇。 晉天福初，延皓授太原掾，尋改交城、文水令，皆高祖慰薦之力也。 高祖鎮太原，延皓多言外事，出入無間，高祖左右皆憚之。 在文水聚斂財賄，民欲陳訴，延皓知之。 一日，先誣告縣吏結集百姓，欲劫縣庫。 高祖怒，遣騎軍並擒縣民十數，族誅之，冤枉之聲，聞於行路。 高祖即位，累官至殿中監，恃寵使氣，人望而畏之，雖宰輔之重，延皓視之蔑如也。 劉崇在河東，日常切齒。 及魏王承訓薨，歸葬太原，令延皓擇葬地，時有山岡僧謂劉崇曰：「魏王葬地不吉，恐有重喪。」 未幾，高祖崩，崇以僧言奏之，乃配流延皓於麟州。 路由文水，市民擲瓦毆罵甚眾，吏人救之僅免。 既至貶所，劉崇令人殺之，籍沒其家。
Ren Yanhao was from Bing Prefecture. He mastered numerology and divination by wind and cloud. When Jin Gaozu was besieged at Taiyuan, Yanhao was among his most trusted; he sought audience by his arts and was greatly honored. Early in Tianfu he was Taiyuan clerk, then magistrate of Jiaocheng and Wenshui on Gaozu's recommendation. When Gaozu governed Taiyuan, Yanhao spoke constantly of outside affairs and came and went freely; even his close attendants feared him. At Wenshui he extorted wealth; when the people meant to complain, he learned of it. One day he first accused the county clerks of rallying the people to loot the treasury. Gaozu sent cavalry who seized a dozen county people and executed their clans; cries of injustice filled the roads. When Gaozu took the throne Yanhao rose to palace director; arrogant with favor, he was feared at sight; even chancellors he treated with contempt. Liu Chong at Hedong gnashed his teeth at him daily. When Prince Wei Cheng Xun died and was buried at Taiyuan, Yanhao chose the site; a hill monk told Liu Chong, "The burial ground is ill-omened; I fear further mourning. Soon Gaozu died; Chong reported the monk's words and Yanhao was banished to Lin Prefecture. Passing Wenshui, townspeople pelted him with tiles and cursed him; clerks barely saved him. At his place of exile Chong had him killed and his property confiscated.
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史臣曰：李崧仕唐、晉之兩朝，聳伊、臯之重望，考其器業，無忝臺衡。 會多僻之朝，被參夷之戮，人之不幸，天亦難忱。 逢吉秉蛇虺之心，竊夔、龍之位，殺人不忌，與國俱亡。 李崧之冤血未銷，逢吉之梟首斯至，冥報之事，安可忽諸！ 自李鏻而下，凡數君子者，皆踐履朝行，彰施帝載，國華邦直，斯焉在哉！ 惟延皓之醜行，宜乎不得其死矣。
The historian writes: Li Song served Tang and Jin, bearing the weight of Yi and Gao; in capacity and achievement he did not disgrace the highest office. In a crooked age he suffered execution that wiped out his clan—man's misfortune, and Heaven is hard to fathom. Fengji bore a viper's heart, usurped Kui and Long's place, killed without scruple, and perished with the state. Song's unjust blood was not dry when Fengji's head was displayed—hidden retribution must not be ignored! From Li Lin down, these gentlemen walked the court ranks and shone in the imperial record—national grace and integrity dwell here! Only Yanhao's vile conduct—fitting that he died as he did.