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梁書卷第三十二列傳第二十六
Book of Liang, Volume 32, Biography 26
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Chen Qingzhi, styled Ziyun, came from Guoshan in Yixing commandery. From childhood he attended Emperor Wu. Emperor Wu loved weiqi and often played from dusk until dawn. His attendants all fell asleep from exhaustion, but Qingzhi alone stayed awake and answered every summons—behind this lay deep personal regard. When Emperor Wu marched east to take Jianye, Qingzhi followed. He rose to chief secretary, spent his fortune gathering followers, and always looked for a chance to prove himself. He was made a palace attendant.
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During the Putong reign, Yuan Faseng, the Wei inspector of Xu province, asked at Pengcheng to defect to Liang. Qingzhi was named General of Martial Prestige and, with Hu Longya and Cheng Jingjun, led troops to take him in. After returning he was made General of Manifest Valor and commander of the Civil Virtue corps, and again led two thousand men to install Prince Zong of Yuzhang as garrison commander at Xu province. Wei sent Prince Yanming of Anfeng and Prince Yu of Linhuai with twenty thousand men to block them, encamping at a place whose name in the text is partly lost (Zhi□). Yanming first sent his lieutenant Qiu Daqian to fortify Xunliang and watch the Liang forces along the frontier. Qingzhi pressed the stockade; a single charge broke it. Later Prince Zong of Yuzhang deserted to Wei. The army broke and fled, and no general could hold the men. Qingzhi cut through the passes and withdrew by night, bringing the troops out intact.
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In the seventh year of Putong, General Yuan Shu of the west marched on Shouchun. Qingzhi received acting credentials and overall command of the campaign. Li Xian, the Wei Inspector of Yu Province, sent his son Changjun to build two additional fortified towns in opposition. Qingzhi attacked them. When Xian's strength gave out he surrendered, and Qingzhi occupied his towns. He was made a direct attendant in the Eastern Palace and enfeoffed as Marquis of Guanzhong.
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大通元年，隸領軍曹仲宗伐渦陽。 魏遣征南將軍常山王元昭等率馬步十五萬來援，前軍至駝澗，去渦陽四十里。 慶之欲逆戰，韋放以賊之前鋒必是輕銳，與戰若捷，不足爲功，如其不利，沮我軍勢，兵法所謂以逸待勞，不如勿擊。 慶之曰：「魏人遠來，皆已疲倦，去我旣遠，必不見疑，及其未集，須挫其氣，出其不意，必無不敗之理。 且聞虜所據營，林木甚盛，必不夜出。 諸君若疑惑，慶之請獨取之。」 於是與麾下二百騎奔擊，破其前軍，魏人震恐。 慶之乃還與諸將連營而進，據渦陽城，與魏軍相持。 自春至冬，數十百戰，師老氣衰，魏之援兵復欲築壘於軍後，仲宗等恐腹背受敵，謀欲退師。 慶之杖節軍門曰：「共來至此，涉歷一歲，糜費糧仗，其數極多。 諸軍並無鬭心，皆謀退縮，豈是欲立功名，直聚爲抄暴耳。 吾聞置兵死地，乃可求生，須虜大合，然後與戰。 審欲班師，慶之別有密敕，今日犯者，便依明詔。」 仲宗壯其計，乃從之。 魏人掎角作十三城，慶之銜枚夜出，陷其四壘，渦陽城主王緯乞降。 所餘九城，兵甲猶盛，乃陳其俘馘，鼓噪而攻之，遂大奔潰，斬獲略盡，渦水咽流，降城中男女三萬餘口。 詔以渦陽之地置西徐州。 衆軍乘勝前頓城父。 高祖嘉焉，賜慶之手詔曰：「本非將種，又非豪家，觖望風雲，以至於此。 可深思奇略，善克令終。 開朱門而待賓，揚聲名於竹帛，豈非大丈夫哉！」
In the first year of Datong he served under Commander-in-Chief Cao Zhongzong in the attack on Guoyang. Wei sent General Who Conquers the South Prince Zhao of Changshan and others with a hundred and fifty thousand cavalry and infantry. The vanguard reached Tuojian, forty li from Guoyang. Qingzhi wanted to give battle. Wei Fang objected that the enemy vanguard would be picked troops: a victory would count for little, a defeat would sap the army's spirit. Better, as the strategists say, to let the weary come to you—do not engage. Qingzhi said, "The Wei troops have marched far and are already tired. They think we are still distant and will not expect a strike. Before they mass, we must break their spirit and hit them unawares—defeat is certain. Besides, their camp stands in thick woods—they will not march out at night. If you still doubt me, let me take them alone." He then led two hundred horsemen in a headlong charge, routed the vanguard, and threw the Wei army into panic. Qingzhi rejoined the other commanders, advanced in linked camps, took Guoyang, and settled into a standoff with the Wei forces. From spring through winter they fought scores of engagements until the army was worn down. Wei relief columns tried to build fortifications behind the Liang lines. Zhongzong and the others, fearing encirclement, planned to pull back. Qingzhi stood at the camp gate with his staff of authority and said, "We have all been here a full year. The grain and arms we have spent are beyond counting. The troops have no will to fight and only want to retreat. You did not come here for glory—you came to loot. They say armies on deadly ground fight to live. Wait until the enemy masses, then fight. If you mean to withdraw, I hold a secret order from the throne: anyone who retreats today dies by imperial command." Zhongzong was impressed and agreed. The Wei built thirteen linked strongpoints. Qingzhi led a silent night sortie, took four of them, and Guoyang's commander Wang Wei surrendered. The other nine posts still held strong garrisons. He paraded prisoners and severed heads, stormed them with drum and shout, and drove them into rout. The slaughter filled the Guo River; more than thirty thousand men and women in the surrendered towns came over. The court created Western Xu province on the Guoyang region. The victorious army pushed on and encamped at Chengfu. Emperor Wu was delighted and sent Qingzhi a personal note: "You were born neither to a general's house nor to a great clan, yet you reached for wind and cloud and have come this far. Think hard on bold strategy and see your career through to a worthy end. Open your gates to guests and let your name live in the histories—is that not the mark of a true man?"
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Early in Datong, Prince Hao of Beihai under Wei, citing turmoil at home, defected to Liang and asked to be set up as emperor of Wei. Emperor Wu agreed and named Qingzhi acting-credentials holder and General of Swift Valor to escort Hao north. At the Huan River, Hao took the Wei imperial title and gave Qingzhi full credentials as General Who Pacifies the North, army protector, and grand commander of the vanguard. They marched from Zhi county, took Yingcheng, and reached Suiyang. The Wei commander Qiu Daqian had seventy thousand men and ringed the route with nine fortified towns. Qingzhi attacked from dawn until mid-afternoon, took three strongpoints, and Daqian surrendered. General Who Conquers the East Prince Yuye of Jiyin marched with twenty thousand imperial guards to relieve Liang and Song and encamped at Kaocheng, a town moated on every side and strongly held. Qingzhi built floating stockades across the water, stormed the city, took Yuye alive, and seized seventy-eight hundred tax wagons. He pressed on to Daliang, where the defenders surrendered at sight of his banners. Hao promoted him to General of the Guard, inspector of Xu province, and Duke of Wudu. The army marched west again.
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魏左僕射楊昱、西阿王元慶、撫軍將軍元顯恭率御仗羽林宗子庶子衆凡七萬，據滎陽拒顥。 兵旣精強，城又險固，慶之攻未能拔。 魏將元天穆大軍復將至，先遣其驃騎將軍尒朱吐沒兒領胡騎五千，騎將魯安領夏州步騎九千，援楊昱； 又遣右僕射尒朱世隆、西荊州刺史王羆騎一萬，據虎牢。 天穆、吐沒兒前後繼至，旗鼓相望。 時滎陽未拔，士衆皆恐，慶之乃解鞍秣馬，宣喻衆曰：「吾至此以來，屠城略地，實爲不少； 君等殺人父兄，略人子女，又爲無算。 天穆之衆，並是仇讎。 我等才有七千，虜衆三十餘萬，今日之事，義不圖存。 吾以虜騎不可爭力平原，及未盡至前，須平其城壘，諸君無假狐疑，自貽屠膾。」 一鼓悉使登城，壯士東陽宋景休、義興魚天湣逾堞而入，遂克之。 俄而魏陣外合，慶之率騎三千背城逆戰，大破之，魯安於陣乞降，元天穆、尒朱吐沒兒單騎獲免。 收滎陽儲實，牛馬穀帛不可勝計。 進赴虎牢，尒朱世隆棄城走。 魏主元子攸懼，奔幷州。 其臨淮王元彧、安豊王元延明率百僚，封府庫，備法駕，奉迎顥入洛陽宮，御前殿，改元大赦。 顥以慶之爲侍中、車騎大將軍、左光祿大夫，增邑萬戶。 魏大將軍上黨王元天穆、王老生、李叔仁又率衆四萬，攻陷大梁，分遣老生、費穆兵二萬，據虎牢，刁宣、刁雙入梁、宋，慶之隨方掩襲，並皆降款。 天穆與十餘騎北渡河。 高祖復賜手詔稱美焉。 慶之麾下悉著白袍，所向披靡。 先是洛陽童謠曰：「名師大將莫自牢，千兵萬馬避白袍。」 自發銍縣至於洛陽，十四旬平三十二城，四十七戰，所向無前。
Left Vice Director Yang Yu, Prince Qing of Xi'a, and Pacification Army General Yuan Xiangong led seventy thousand imperial guards and cadets to hold Yingyang against Hao. Their troops were elite and the city formidable; Qingzhi could not break it at first. Yuan Tianmu's main army was closing in. He first sent Cavalry General Erzhu Tumener with five thousand barbarian horse and Cavalry Commander Lu An with nine thousand mixed troops from Xia province to reinforce Yang Yu; and Right Vice Director Erzhu Shilong and Western Jing inspector Wang Pi with ten thousand cavalry to hold Hulao. Tianmu and Tumener arrived in succession until enemy banners filled the horizon. Yingyang still held, and the men were afraid. Qingzhi had the horses unsaddled and fed, then addressed the army: "Since we crossed the border we have sacked cities and seized land without number; you have killed fathers and elder brothers and taken sons and daughters beyond counting. Tianmu's host are nothing but blood enemies. We are seven thousand against more than three hundred thousand. Today we fight with no thought of survival. Their cavalry cannot match us on open ground, but not until they are all here. Take the city first. Do not hesitate and make yourselves meat for the pot." At a single drumbeat he sent them up the walls. Song Jingxiu of Dongyang and Yu Tianmin of Yixing scrambled over the parapet and broke in; the city fell. Soon the Wei encirclement closed. Qingzhi led three thousand horse out from the city and shattered them. Lu An surrendered in the field; Tianmu and Tumener fled alone on horseback. They seized Yingyang's stores—cattle, horses, grain, and silk beyond reckoning. They advanced on Hulao; Erzhu Shilong abandoned the town and fled. The Wei emperor Yuan Ziyou fled in fear to Bing province. Prince Yu of Linhuai and Prince Yanming of Anfeng led the officials, sealed the treasuries, prepared the imperial train, and ushered Hao into the Luoyang palace. He took the throne hall, changed the reign title, and proclaimed a general amnesty. Hao made Qingzhi palace attendant, grand general of chariots and cavalry, and left grand master of splendid happiness, adding ten thousand households to his fief. Grand General Prince Tianmu of Shangdang, Wang Laosheng, and Li Shuren marched again with forty thousand, took Daliang, and sent Laosheng and Fei Mu with twenty thousand to hold Hulao while Diao Xuan and Diao Shuang pushed into Liang and Song. Qingzhi ambushed them wherever they moved, and they all surrendered. Tianmu fled north across the river with only a dozen riders. Emperor Wu sent another personal note of praise. Qingzhi's men all wore white robes and swept aside everything before them. A Luoyang children's rhyme had already run: "Famed commanders, do not think yourselves safe—thousands upon thousands flee the white robes." From Zhi county to Luoyang, in a hundred and forty days he took thirty-two cities in forty-seven battles and met no equal.
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初，元子攸止單騎奔走，宮衛嬪侍無改於常。 顥旣得志，荒於酒色，乃日夜宴樂，不復視事。 與安豊、臨淮共立姦計，將背朝恩，絕賓貢之禮； 直以時事未安，且資慶之之力用，外同內異，言多忌刻。 慶之心知之，亦密爲其計。 乃說顥曰：「今遠來至此，未伏尚多，若人知虛實，方更連兵，而安不忘危，須預爲其策。 宜啓天子，更請精兵； 並勒諸州，有南人沒此者，悉須部送。」 顥欲從之，元延明說顥曰：「陳慶之兵不出數千，已自難制； 今增其衆，寧肯復爲用乎？ 權柄一去，動轉聽人，魏之宗社，於斯而滅。」 顥由是致疑，稍成疏貳。 慮慶之密啓，乃表高祖曰：「河北、河南一時已定，唯尒朱榮尚敢跋扈，臣與慶之自能擒討。 今州郡新服，正須綏撫，不宜更復加兵，搖動百姓。」 高祖遂詔衆軍皆停界首。 洛下南人不出一萬，羌夷十倍，軍副馬佛念言於慶之曰：「功高不賞，震主身危，二事旣有，將軍豈得無慮？ 自古以來，廢昏立明，扶危定難，鮮有得終。 今將軍威震中原，聲動河塞，屠顥據洛，則千載一時也。」 慶之不從。 顥前以慶之爲徐州刺史，因固求之鎮。 顥心憚之，遂不遣。 乃曰：「主上以洛陽之地全相任委，忽聞舍此朝寄，欲往彭城，謂君遽取富貴，不爲國計，手敕頻仍，恐成僕責。」 慶之不敢復言。 魏天柱將軍尒朱榮、右僕射尒朱世隆、大都督元天穆、驃騎將軍尒朱吐沒兒、榮長史高歡、鮮卑、芮芮，勒衆號百萬，挾魏主元子攸來攻顥。 顥據洛陽六十五日，凡所得城，一時反叛。 慶之渡河守北中郎城，三日中十有一戰，傷殺甚衆。 榮將退，時有劉助者，善天文，乃謂榮曰：「不出十日，河南大定。」 榮乃縛木爲筏，濟自硤石，與顥戰於河橋，顥大敗，走至臨潁，遇賊被擒，洛陽陷。 慶之馬步數千，結陣東反，榮親自來追，值蒿高山水洪溢，軍人死散。 慶之乃落鬚髮爲沙門，間行至豫州，豫州人程道雍等潛送出汝陰。 至都，仍以功除右衛將軍，封永興縣侯，邑一千五百戶。
At first Ziyou had fled alone on horseback, yet the palace guards and consorts carried on as if nothing had changed. Once Hao had his prize, he gave himself to wine and women, feasting day and night and neglecting government. He and the princes of Anfeng and Linhuai plotted treachery, planning to turn on Liang and end the tribute owed the southern court; but the realm was not yet secure, so for the moment they still needed Qingzhi's sword—outward allies, inward enemies, their speech sharp with suspicion. Qingzhi saw through them and laid plans of his own in secret. He urged Hao, "We are far from home and many regions are not yet pacified. Once the enemy learns how few we are, they will mass again. In peace one must plan for danger. Ask the Son of Heaven for more elite troops; and order every province to send south all southerners held captive in the north." Hao was inclined to agree, but Yuan Yanming warned him, "Chen Qingzhi commands only a few thousand men, and they are already hard to control. If you swell his ranks, will he still serve you? Once power slips from your hands, you become everyone's puppet—and Wei's altars fall with you." From that Hao grew suspicious and their alliance frayed. Fearing a secret report from Qingzhi, he wrote Emperor Wu: "Hebei and Henan are pacified for now. Only Erzhu Rong still struts defiantly—your servant and Qingzhi can deal with him ourselves. The provinces have only just submitted and need gentle rule. More troops would only unsettle the people." Emperor Wu ordered all reinforcing armies to halt at the frontier. Fewer than ten thousand southerners held Luoyang, while Qiang and other tribesmen outnumbered them tenfold. Vice commander Ma Fonian told Qingzhi, "Great merit goes unrewarded, and power that awes one's lord endangers the man who wields it. With both true, can you have no fears? Since antiquity, men who deposed bad rulers, raised good ones, and rescued states in peril have rarely died in their beds. Your fame now shakes the central plains and the Yellow River frontier. Kill Hao, take Luoyang, and you seize a moment that comes once in a thousand years." Qingzhi refused. Hao had already named Qingzhi inspector of Xu, and Qingzhi pressed hard to take up that post. Hao feared to let him go and refused. He said, "The emperor has entrusted all of Luoyang to you. If he hears you mean to abandon that charge for Pengcheng, he will think you grasp at private gain and ignore the realm. His letters come one after another; I fear we will be blamed as servants who failed their master." Qingzhi said no more. Wei's Pillar of Heaven Erzhu Rong, Erzhu Shilong, Grand Commander Yuan Tianmu, Erzhu Tumener, Rong's chief clerk Gao Huan, and Xianbei and Rouran allies marched with a host they claimed numbered a million, bringing Emperor Ziyou along to crush Hao. Hao had held Luoyang sixty-five days when every city he had taken rose against him at once. Qingzhi crossed the river and held Beizhonglang fortress. In three days he fought eleven engagements with heavy casualties on both sides. Rong was ready to pull back when Liu Zhu, an expert in astronomy, told him, "Within ten days Henan will be fully pacified." Rong lashed logs into rafts, crossed at Xiashi, and met Hao at Heqiao. Hao was routed, fled to Linying, was seized by marauders, and Luoyang fell. Qingzhi withdrew east with a few thousand horse and foot. Erzhu Rong pursued in person. Floods on the Song and Gaoshan ranges drowned and scattered his army. He shaved his beard, took monk's robes, and stole his way to Yu province, where Cheng Daoyong and others smuggled him out through Ruyin. Back in the capital he was made General of the Right Guard for his service and enfeoffed as Marquis of Yongxing with a fief of fifteen hundred households.
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He was sent out with credentials as commander of Huai frontier forces, General of Stirring Martiality, and inspector of Northern Yan. A sorcerer-monk named Seng Qiang declared himself emperor, and the local magnate Cai Bolong rose in his support. Seng Qiang knew sleight-of-hand and they whipped each other into frenzy until their host reached thirty thousand. They took Northern Xu. Jiyin administrator Yang Qiwen fled; Zhongli administrator Shan Xibao was killed. Qingzhi was ordered to suppress them. The emperor went to Baixia and, at the farewell feast, told Qingzhi, "Jiang and Huai fighters are fierce and hard to meet head-on. Use strategy, not a pitched battle." Qingzhi took his orders and marched. Within ten days he had beheaded Bolong and Seng Qiang and sent their heads to court.
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In the second year of Zhongdatong he was made commander of the four provinces of Southern and Northern Si, Western Yu, and Yu, and inspector of Southern and Northern Si; his other posts remained unchanged. On reaching his post Qingzhi at once besieged Xuanhu. He routed Wei Inspector of Ying Province Lou Qi and Inspector of Yang Province Shiyun Bao on the Qin River, then defeated mobile headquarters commander Sun Teng, Grand Commander Hou Jin, Inspector of Yu Province Yao Xiong, and Inspector of Liang Province Sima Gong at Chucheng. He stood down the Yiyang garrison, halted supply convoys by land and water, and gave the river provinces a respite. He opened six thousand qing of farmland; within two years the granaries were full. Emperor Wu repeatedly praised and rewarded him. He also memorialized to abolish Southern Si province, restore Anlu commandery, and create Shangming commandery.
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In the second year of Datong, Wei sent Hou Jing with seventy thousand men against Chu. Inspector Huan He was overrun. Jing pushed on to the Huai and wrote Qingzhi urging surrender. The court sent Marquis Tui of Xiangtan, Xiahou Kui of the Right Guard, and others to reinforce him, but by the time they reached Lijiang Qingzhi had already beaten Jing. In bitter cold and snow Jing abandoned his baggage train and fled. Qingzhi gathered the spoils and returned. He was promoted to General of Humane Prestige. That year Yu province suffered famine. Qingzhi opened the granaries and saved many lives. Eight hundred residents led by Li Sheng petitioned for a stele in his honor, and the court approved. In the tenth month of the fifth year he died, aged fifty-six. He was posthumously made attendant cavalier at large and general of the left guard, with a full military band for his funeral. His posthumous title was Martial. The court ordered Yixing commandery to send five hundred laborers for the funeral.
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His fifth son was Xin, styled Junzhang. At seven he could ride and shoot. At twelve he followed his father to Luoyang, fell ill on the road, and returned to the capital. He visited Grand Herald Zhu Yi, who asked about conditions in the north. Xin piled earth to sketch a map and traced out the terrain with his finger. Yi was astonished.
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In the fourth year of Datong he served Prince Shaoling as attendant, commander of the Civil Virtue corps, and master of arms of the Right Guard, and was ordered to help defend Yiyang. Wei Yu inspector Yao Xiong was a famed northern fighter; his nephew Baole was exceptionally daring. While Qingzhi besieged Xuanhu, Xiong marched to relieve it. Baole asked for single combat. Xin spurred straight at him; Xiong's force broke and fled, and they took Qincheng. In the sixth year he was made General of Awesome Distance and lord of Xiaoxian, then dismissed for an official offense. In the tenth year the rebel Wang Qinzong rose in Bashan commandery. Xin was named General of Manifest Valor with acting credentials to suppress him. After Qinzong was crushed he was named garrison commander of Yinling and administrator of Northern Qiao, but illness kept him from taking office. He was then made outer troops officer under the cavalry general and soon administrator of Linchuan.
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In the second year of Taiqing, Hou Jing besieged Liyang. The court recalled Xin, but he reported, "Caishi needs a strong garrison at once. Wang Zhi's fleet is too light—I fear it will fail." He was hastily named General of Cloud Cavalry to replace Zhi. Before Xin reached Xiazhu, Jing had crossed the Yangzi. Xin was posted outside the walls on patrol and could not enter to defend. He tried to flee to Jingkou but was seized by Jing. Jing found Xin obliging and kept him for a long drinking bout, saying, "With you in hand I need no one else." He ordered Xin to rally his troops for service. Xin swore he would not comply. Jing had his officer Fan Taobang guard him closely. Xin persuaded Taobang to lead his men in surrender and kill Wang Wei and Song Zixian as proof of good faith. Taobang agreed. They sealed a pact, shot a message into the city, and sent Xin in by rope at night. Emperor Wu was delighted and ordered the surrender accepted at once, but the Heir Apparent hesitated for days. The matter leaked. Xin knew nothing and came down on schedule. Jing caught him and forced him to shoot another message into the city: "Taobang will send only a few dozen men inside first." Jing meant to follow in armor himself. Xin refused to write the letter, accepting death, and Jing killed him. He was thirty-three.
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Qin was resolute from childhood, and his agility surpassed others. He accompanied his father on the northern campaign and was appointed Direct Guard of the Eastern Palace. In Datong 1, he attacked Wei's Xiao city and took it. He then defeated Jiao Zhong, a detached general from Pengcheng, advanced to attack Nishan city, and defeated the two hundred thousand troops of its grand commander Liu Shu. He advanced to attack Longcheng and captured more than one thousand horses. He also defeated their great general Chai Ji, Gao Xuan, administrator of Xiangcheng, and the detached generals Fan Sinian, Zheng Chengzong, and others. He then attacked Juegu, Zhanglong, and Zicheng, but had not yet taken them when Yang Mu, Wei's defending general at Pengcheng, sent his son Xiaoyong with light troops to reinforce them; Qin met him and drove him off. He also defeated Liu Haiyou, Wei's inspector of Qiaozhou, returned to take Juegu, and seized his household. Yang Mu again sent commander Fan Sinian and detached general Cao Longya with tens of thousands to reinforce the city. Qin fought them, beheaded Longya in battle, and sent his head to the capital.
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He was again given acting credentials and command of Heng province's three commanderies to suppress rebellious tribes in Guiyang, Yangshan, and Shixing. He crushed them on arrival. He was enfeoffed as Baron of Anhuai with a fief of five hundred households. He also defeated the Tianqi tribal chief Wanshide. Heng inspector Yuan Qinghe was besieged by Yan Rong of Guiyang and sent for help. Qin marched to relieve him, routed Rong at Luoxi, and pacified the Changle hill country in one sweep. A secret order sent him toward Weixing by way of Nanzheng. When Wei general Tuoba Sheng raided Xiangyang he was ordered to reinforce. He received credentials as commander of Southern Liang, Southern Qin, Northern Qin, and Sha, was named General of Bright Valor and Colonel Who Pacifies the West, and inspector of Liang and Southern Qin. His fief grew by five hundred households and he was raised to marquis. He defeated Tongsheng and captured mobile headquarters commander Yuan Zili and the generals Xue Jun and Zhang Pusa. Yuan Luo, the Wei Inspector of Liang Province, then surrendered, and the Liang and Han regions were secured. He was promoted to General of Sagacious Martiality with two thousand additional households in his fief.
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He was soon reassigned with credentials as commander of Heng and Gui and inspector of Heng. Before he took up his post, Wei commanders Dong Shao and Zhang Xian besieged Nanzheng. Liang inspector Du Huaiyao called for aid. Qin marched to relieve them and routed Shao and Xian at Gaoqiao, taking more than three thousand heads. They fled; he pursued into Xie Pass and killed or captured nearly all of them. Western Wei chancellor Yuwen Heitai sent two thousand horses and asked for friendly relations. The court added attendant cavalier at large, promoted him to General of Humane Prestige, increased his fief by five hundred households, and ordered him to take up his post.
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Passing through Guang province he defeated the Li chieftains Chen Wenche and his brothers and took them captive. At Heng province he was promoted to General Who Pacifies the South, made Duke of Qujiang, and given five hundred more households. His rule in the province was benevolent. Officials and people petitioned the court for a commemorative stele, and the edict approved. He was recalled as attendant cavalier at large and general of the left guard, then reassigned as attendant cavalier, general who pacifies the south, and inspector of Guang. On reaching his post, the former inspector, Marquis of Nan'an, secretly had his cook poison Qin's food. Qin died, aged forty-two. He was posthumously made palace attendant and general of the central guard, with a military band for his funeral.
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The historiographer writes: Chen Qingzhi and Lan Qin both possessed true generalship. In victory and conquest they stand in the company of Lian Po, Li Mu, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing. Qingzhi was quick-witted and attended Emperor Wu from youth. Old favor, sober conduct, and the regalia of high office were glory enough for one life.