1
耶律解裏耶律拔裏得耶律朔古耶律魯不古趙延壽高模翰趙思溫耶律漚裏思張礪
Yelu Jieli, Yelu Balide, Yelu Shuogu, Yelu Lubugu, Zhao Yanshou, Gao Mohan, Zhao Siwen, Yelu Oulisi, and Zhang Li
2
耶律解裏，字潑單，突呂不部人，世為小吏。 解裏早隸太宗麾下，擢為軍校。 天顯間，唐攻定州，既陷，解裏為唐兵所獲。 晉高祖立，始歸國。 太宗貰其罪，拜御史大夫。 會同九年伐晉，師次滹沱河，奪中渡橋，降其將杜重威。 上命解裏與降將張彥澤率騎兵三千疾趨河南，所至無敢當其鋒。 既入汴，解裏等遷晉主重貴於開封府。 彥澤恣殺掠，亂宮掖，解裏不能禁，百姓騷然，莫不怨憤。 車駕至京，數彥澤罪，斬於市，汴人大悅。 解裏亦被詰責，尋釋之。 天祿間，加守太子太傅。 應歷初，置本部令穩，解裏世其職，卒。
Yelu Jieli, whose courtesy name was Podan, came from the Tülübu tribe; his family had served as petty clerks for generations. Jieli entered Emperor Taizong's service while still young and was promoted to army cadet. During the Tianxian era, when Tang attacked Dingzhou and took it, Jieli was captured by the Tang army. Only when Emperor Gaozu of Later Jin took the throne did he return home. Emperor Taizong pardoned his offense and appointed him Grand Censor. In the ninth year of Huitong, when the army marched against Jin, it halted at the Hutuo River, seized the Zhongdu Bridge, and forced the Jin general Du Chongwei to surrender. The emperor ordered Jieli and the surrendered general Zhang Yanze to lead three thousand horsemen in a swift drive into Henan; nowhere they went did anyone dare stand against their charge. Once they had entered Bian, Jieli and his party relocated the Jin emperor Chonggui to Kaifeng prefecture. Yanze killed and plundered at will and threw the inner palace into chaos; Jieli could not stop him, the people were in an uproar, and everyone seethed with resentment. When the emperor reached the capital, he recounted Yanze's crimes and had him beheaded in the marketplace, to the great joy of the people of Bian. Jieli was questioned and rebuked as well, but was soon released. During the Tianlu era he was further appointed Guardian of the Heir Apparent Grand Tutor. At the start of the Yingli era the post of tribal chief wen of the department was created; Jieli held it as a hereditary office in his line and then died.
3
耶律拔裏得，字孩鄰，太祖弟剌葛之子。 太宗即位，以親愛見任。 會同七年，討石重貴，拔裏得進圍德州，下之，擒刺史師居璠等二十七人。 九年，再舉兵，次滹沱河，降杜重威，戰功居多。 太宗入汴，以功授安國軍節度使，總領河北道事。 師還，州郡往往叛，以應劉知遠，拔裏得不能守而歸。 世宗即位，遷中京留守，卒。
Yelu Balide, whose courtesy name was Hailin, was the son of Chige, a younger brother of Emperor Taizu. When Taizong came to the throne, Balide was placed in office on account of their close kinship and affection. In the seventh year of Huitong, during the campaign against Shi Chonggui, Balide advanced to besiege Dezhou, captured the city, and took the prefect Shi Jufan and twenty-seven others prisoner. In the ninth year the army marched again, camped at the Hutuo River, and forced Du Chongwei to surrender; Balide's share of the fighting was the greatest of all. When Taizong entered Bian, Balide was appointed military governor of the Anguo army for his achievements and put in overall charge of the Hebei circuit. After the army withdrew, prefectures and districts rose in revolt one after another to rally to Liu Zhiyuan; Balide could not hold the territory and came back. When Emperor Shizong came to the throne, Balide was moved to regent of the Central Capital, where he died.
4
耶律魯不古，字信寧，太祖從侄也。 初，太祖制契丹國字，魯不古以贊成功，授林牙、監修國史。 後率偏師，為西南邊大詳穩，從伐党項有功。 會河東節度使石敬瑭為其主所討，遣人求援，魯不古導送於朝，如其請。 帝親率師往援，魯不古從擊唐將張敬達於太原北，敗之。 會同初，從討党項，俘獲最諸將，師還。 天祿中，拜於越。 六年，為北院大王。 終年五十五。
Yelu Lubugu, whose courtesy name was Xinning, was a paternal cousin of Emperor Taizu. When Taizu first devised the Khitan national script, Lubugu helped bring the project to completion and was appointed linya and supervisor of the national history. Later he led a detached force, became great xianwen on the southwestern frontier, and distinguished himself in campaigns against the Tangut. When the Hedong military governor Shi Jingtang was attacked by his own ruler and sent envoys to seek help, Lubugu escorted them to court and the plea was granted as requested. The emperor led the army in person to relieve him; Lubugu joined the attack on the Tang general Zhang Jingda north of Taiyuan and routed him. Early in the Huitong era he took part in the campaign against the Tangut; among the generals his haul of prisoners was the greatest, and then the army returned. During the Tianlu era he was made yuyue. In the sixth year he became Great King of the Northern Court. He died at the age of fifty-five.
5
趙延壽，本姓劉，恒山人。 父邟，令蓚。 梁開平初，滄州節度使劉守文陷蓚，其稗將趙德鈞獲延壽，養以為子。 少美容貌，好書史。 唐明宗先以女妻之，及即位，封其女為興平公主，拜延壽駙馬都尉、樞密使。 明宗子從榮恃權跋扈，內外莫不震懾，延壽求補外避之，出為宣武軍節度使。 清泰初，加魯國公，復為樞密使，鎮許州。 石敬瑭發兵太原，唐遣張敬達往討。 會敬達敗保晉安寨，延壽與德鈞往救，聞晉安已破，走團柏峪。 太宗追及，延壽與其父俱降。 明年，德鈞卒，以延壽為幽州節度使，封燕王。 及改幽州為南京，遷留守，總山南事。 天顯末，以延壽妻在晉，詔取之以歸。 自是益自激昂圖報。 會同初，帝幸其第，加政事令。 六年冬，晉人背盟，帝親征，延壽為先鋒，下貝州，授魏、博等州節度使，封魏王。 敗晉軍於南樂，獲其將賽項羽。 軍元城，晉將李守貞、高行周率兵來逆，破之。 至頓丘，會大霖雨，帝欲班師，延壽諫曰：「晉軍屯河濱，不敢出戰，若徑入澶州，奪其橋，則晉不足平。」 上然之。 適晉軍先歸澶州，高行周至析城，延壽將輕兵逆戰； 上親督騎士突其陣，敵遂潰。 師還，留延壽徇貝、冀、深三州。 八年，再伐晉，晉主遣延壽族人趙行實以書來招。 時晉人堅壁不出，延壽紿曰：「我陷虜久，寧忘父母之邦？ 若以軍逆，我即歸。」 晉人以為然，遣杜重威率兵迎之。 延壽至滹沱河，據中渡橋，與晉軍力戰，手殺其將王清，兩軍相拒。 太宗潛由他渡濟，留延壽與耶律朔古據橋，敵不能奪，屢敗之，杜重威掃厥眾降。 上喜，賜延壽龍鳳赭袍，且曰：「漢兵皆爾所有，爾宜親往撫慰。」 延壽至營，杜重威、李守貞迎謁馬首。
Zhao Yanshou, whose original surname was Liu, came from Hengshan. His father Kuai had been magistrate of Shuo. Early in the Liang Kaiping era, when Cangzhou military governor Liu Shouwen seized Shuo, his lieutenant Zhao Dejun captured Yanshou and adopted him as a son. As a youth he was handsome and loved books and history. Emperor Mingzong of Tang had already married a daughter to him; when he came to the throne he enfeoffed her as Princess of Xingping and appointed Yanshou imperial son-in-law commandant and commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Mingzong's son Congrong wielded power arrogantly, and everyone inside and outside the court trembled before him; Yanshou asked for a provincial post to keep clear of him and was sent out as military governor of the Xuanwu army. Early in the Qingtai era he was made Duke of Lu, again became commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and took charge at Xuzhou. When Shi Jingtang raised an army at Taiyuan, Tang dispatched Zhang Jingda to suppress him. When Jingda was beaten back and held Jin'an stockade, Yanshou and Dejun marched to relieve him; learning that Jin'an had already fallen, they fled to Tuanbai Valley. Taizong caught up with them, and Yanshou and his father both surrendered. The following year Dejun died; Yanshou was appointed military governor of Youzhou and enfeoffed as King of Yan. When Youzhou was redesignated the Southern Capital, he was moved to regent there with overall authority over affairs south of the mountains. Late in the Tianxian era, because Yanshou's wife was still in Jin territory, an edict was issued to fetch her and bring her home. From that time on he burned all the more fiercely to repay the favor. Early in the Huitong era the emperor visited his home and further appointed him chief of governmental affairs. In the winter of the sixth year, when Jin broke the alliance, the emperor marched in person with Yanshou as vanguard; he captured Beizhou, was appointed military governor of Wei, Bo, and other prefectures, and was enfeoffed as King of Wei. He routed the Jin army at Nanle and took their general Sai Xiangyu prisoner. When the army was at Yuancheng, the Jin generals Li Shouzhen and Gao Xingzhou came out to meet him with their forces, and he put them to rout. At Dunqiu a great downpour struck, and the emperor wanted to withdraw. Yanshou urged him, saying, "The Jin forces are camped on the river and dare not come out; if we press straight into Chunzhou and seize their bridge, Jin will not be hard to subdue. The emperor agreed. By then the Jin army had already fallen back to Chunzhou; when Gao Xingzhou reached Xicheng, Yanshou led light troops out to give battle; the emperor personally directed the cavalry in a charge through their lines, and the enemy broke and fled. On the army's return, Yanshou was left behind to bring the three prefectures of Bei, Ji, and Shen to heel. In the eighth year the army marched against Jin again; the Jin ruler sent Yanshou's kinsman Zhao Xingshi with a letter inviting him to defect. The Jin were holding their walls and refusing battle; Yanshou deceived them, saying, "I have been a captive so long—could I forget the land of my fathers? Send an army to meet me and I will come home at once. The Jin took him at his word and sent Du Chongwei with an army to welcome him. Yanshou reached the Hutuo River, seized the Zhongdu Bridge, and fought the Jin army fiercely; he killed their general Wang Qing with his own hand, and the two armies remained locked in stalemate. Taizong secretly crossed at another ford, leaving Yanshou and Yelu Shuogu to hold the bridge; the enemy could not take it, and after repeated defeats Du Chongwei surrendered with his entire force. The emperor was delighted, gave Yanshou a dragon-and-phoenix ochre robe, and said, "All these Han soldiers are yours now; you should go in person to reassure them. When Yanshou reached the camp, Du Chongwei and Li Shouzhen came out to pay their respects at his stirrup.
6
高模翰，一名松，渤海人。 有膂力，善騎射，好談兵。 初，太祖平渤海，模翰避地高麗，王妻以女。 因罪亡歸。 坐使酒殺人下獄，太祖知其才，貰之。 天顯十一年七月，唐遣張敬達、楊光遠帥師五十萬攻太原，勢銳甚。 石敬瑭遣人求救，太宗許之。 九月，征兵出雁門，模翰與敬達軍接戰，敗之，太原圍解。 敬瑭夜出謁帝，約為父子。 帝召模翰等賜以酒饌，親饗士卒，士氣益振。 翌日，復戰，又敗之。 敬達鼠竄晉安寨，模翰獻俘於帝。 會敬瑭自立為晉帝，光遠斬敬達以降，諸州悉下。 上諭模翰曰：「朕自起兵，百餘戰，卿功第一，雖古名將無以加。」 乃授上將軍。 會同元年，冊禮告成，宴百官及諸國使於二儀殿。 帝指模翰曰：「此國之勇將，朕統一天下，斯人之力也。」 群臣皆稱萬歲。 及晉叛盟，出師南伐。 模翰為統軍副使，與僧遏前驅，拔赤城，破德、貝諸寨。 是冬，兼總左右鐵鷂子軍，下關南城邑數十。 三月，敕虎官楊覃赴乾寧軍，為滄州節度使田武名所圍，模翰與趙延壽聚議往救。 俄有光自模翰目中出，縈繞旗矛，焰焰如流星久之。 模翰喜曰：「此天贊之祥！」 遂進兵，殺獲甚眾。 以功加侍中。 略地鹽山，破饒安，晉人震怖，不敢接戰。 加太傅。 晉以魏府節度使杜重威領兵三十萬來拒，模翰謂左右曰：「軍法在正不在多。 以多陵少，不義必敗。 其晉之謂乎！」 詰旦，以麾下三百人逆戰，殺其先鋒梁漢璋，餘兵敗走。 手詔褒美，比漢之李陵。 頃之，杜重威等復至滹沱河，帝召模翰問計。 上善其言曰：「諸將莫及此。」 乃令模翰守中渡橋。 及戰，復敗之，上曰：「朕憑高觀兩軍之勢，顧卿英銳無敵，如鷹逐雉兔。 當圖形麟閣，爵貤後裔。」 已而杜重威等降。 車駕入汴，加特進檢校太師，封悊郡開國公，賜璽書、劍器。 為汴州巡檢使，平汜水諸山土賊，遷鎮中京。 天祿二年，加開府儀同三司，賜對衣、鞍勒、名馬。 應歷初，召為中臺省右相。 至東京，父老歡迎曰：「公起戎行，致身富貴，為鄉里榮，相如、買臣輩不足過也。」 九年正月，遷左相，卒。
Gao Mohan, who was also known as Song, came from Bohai. He was powerfully built, excelled at riding and archery, and loved to talk of military affairs. When Taizu first pacified Bohai, Mohan fled to Goryeo, where the king gave him a daughter in marriage. After committing an offense he fled back home. He was jailed for killing a man while drunk; Taizu recognized his ability and pardoned him. In the seventh month of the eleventh year of Tianxian, Tang sent Zhang Jingda and Yang Guangyuan at the head of five hundred thousand men against Taiyuan; their advance was fierce. Shi Jingtang sent envoys to beg for aid, and Taizong agreed. In the ninth month the army was levied and marched out through Yanmen Pass; Mohan engaged Jingda's force, routed it, and the siege of Taiyuan was raised. Jingtang came out by night to pay homage to the emperor and agreed to enter a father-and-son bond with him. The emperor summoned Mohan and his fellows, gave them wine and food, and personally feasted the troops, and their spirit soared. The next day they fought again and routed them once more. Jingda scurried like a rat into Jin'an stockade; Mohan presented prisoners to the emperor. When Jingtang declared himself emperor of Jin, Guangyuan killed Jingda and surrendered, and every prefecture fell in line. The emperor told Mohan, "Since I first took up arms, through more than a hundred battles your merit has stood first; not even the great generals of antiquity could surpass it. He was then appointed General-in-Chief. In the first year of Huitong, when the enthronement rites were complete, he held a banquet for the officials and envoys of the various states in the Hall of the Two Principles. The emperor pointed to Mohan and said, "Here is this state's bravest general; when I brought all under Heaven to heel, it was this man's doing. All the ministers shouted "Long live the emperor!" When Jin broke the alliance, the army marched south on campaign. Mohan served as deputy army commander; with Senge in the van he captured Chicheng and stormed the stockades at De, Bei, and elsewhere. That winter he also took command of the left and right Iron Hawk regiments and captured several dozen walled towns south of the pass. In the third month the tiger officer Yang Tan was dispatched to Qianning army, where Cangzhou military governor Tian Wuming besieged him; Mohan and Zhao Yanshou held council and set out to relieve him. Suddenly a light shot from Mohan's eyes, wound around the flags and spears, and blazed like a meteor for a long time. Mohan rejoiced and said, "This is Heaven's blessing upon us! He then pressed forward, killing and capturing a great host. For his achievements he was further appointed Palace Attendant. He overran Yanshan, stormed Rao'an, and the Jin were so terrified they dared not give battle. He was appointed Grand Tutor. Jin sent Wei prefecture military governor Du Chongwei with three hundred thousand men to oppose him; Mohan told his attendants, "The art of war rests on justice, not on numbers. To crush the few with the many is unjust and is bound to end in defeat. Is that not exactly Jin's case! At dawn the next day he met them with three hundred men under his command, killed their vanguard Liang Hanzhang, and the rest broke and fled. The emperor wrote him a personal edict of praise, comparing him to Li Ling of Han. Before long Du Chongwei and his force were again at the Hutuo River; the emperor summoned Mohan to ask his counsel. The emperor approved his plan and said, "None of the other generals can equal this. He then ordered Mohan to hold the Zhongdu Bridge. In the fighting they routed the enemy again; the emperor said, "From the heights I watched both armies; seeing how fierce and unmatched you were, it was like a hawk chasing pheasant and hare. Your portrait belongs in the Qilin Pavilion, and noble rank should descend to your heirs. Before long Du Chongwei and his men surrendered. When the emperor entered Bian, Mohan was further made Special Advancement and Acting Grand Preceptor, enfeoffed as Duke of the Ti Commandery state, and given an imperial letter and ceremonial sword. He served as inspection commissioner of Bianzhou, pacified the mountain bandits around Sishui, and was transferred to garrison the Central Capital. In the second year of Tianlu he was further appointed Honored Companion with the Three Excellencies and given matching robes, saddle and bridle, and a fine horse. At the start of the Yingli era he was summoned to serve as Right Chancellor of the Central Secretariat. When he reached the Eastern Capital, the local elders welcomed him, saying, "You rose from the ranks to wealth and honor and have brought glory to our home—men like Sima Xiangru and Zhu Maichen are not your equal. In the first month of the ninth year he was moved to Left Chancellor and died.
7
趙思溫，字文美，盧龍人。 少果銳，膂力兼人，隸燕帥劉仁恭幕。 李存勖問罪於燕，思溫統偏師拒之。 流矢中目，裂裳漬血，戰猶不已。 為存勖將周德威所擒，存勖壯而釋其縛。 久之，日見信用。 與梁戰於莘縣，以驍勇聞，授平州刺史，兼平、營、薊三州都指揮使。 神冊二年，太祖遣大將經略燕地，思溫來降。 及伐渤海，以思溫為漢軍都團練使，力戰，拔扶餘城。 身被數創，太祖親為調藥。 太宗即位，以功擢檢校太保、保靜軍節度使。 天顯十一年，唐兵攻太原，石敬瑭遣使求救，上命思溫自嵐、憲間出兵援之。 既罷兵，改南京留守、盧龍軍節度使、管內觀察處置等使、開府儀同三司，兼侍中，賜協謀靜亂翊聖功臣，尋改臨海軍節度使。 會同初，從耶律牒摐使晉行冊禮，還，加檢校太師。 二年，有星隕於庭，卒。 上遣使賻祭，贈太師、魏國公。 子延照、延靖，官至使相。
Zhao Siwen, whose courtesy name was Wenmei, came from Lulong. As a youth he was bold and keen, possessed the strength of several men, and served on the staff of the Yan commander Liu Rengong. When Li Cunxu marched against Yan, Siwen led a detached force to hold him off. A stray arrow struck his eye; he tore his robe to staunch the blood and still would not stop fighting. Cunxu's general Zhou Dewei captured him; impressed by his spirit, Cunxu had his bonds cut. In time he won greater trust each day. He fought the Liang at Shen county and won fame for fierce courage; he was made prefect of Pingzhou and overall commander of Ping, Ying, and Ji. In the second year of Shence, when Taizu sent a great general to take charge of the Yan region, Siwen came over to surrender. In the campaign against Bohai he was made overall regimental commissioner of the Han forces; he fought hard and captured Fuyu. He was wounded several times, and Taizu personally prepared medicine for him. When Taizong came to the throne, Siwen was promoted for his achievements to Acting Grand Guardian and military governor of the Baojing army. In the eleventh year of Tianxian, when Tang attacked Taiyuan, Shi Jingtang sent envoys begging for aid; the emperor ordered Siwen to march out through Lan and Xian to relieve the city. When the campaign ended he became regent of the Southern Capital, military governor of Lulong, commissioner for observation and disposition within the circuit, Honored Companion with the Three Excellencies, and concurrent Palace Attendant, and was granted the title Merit Lord Who Conspires in Counsel, Pacifies Disorder, and Assists the Sage; soon after he was transferred to military governor of the Linhai army. Early in the Huitong era he accompanied Yelu Diezeng to Jin on the investiture mission; on his return he was further appointed Acting Grand Preceptor. In the second year a meteor fell in his courtyard, and he died. The emperor sent envoys with funeral gifts and sacrifices and posthumously enfeoffed him Grand Preceptor and Duke of Wei. His sons Yanzhao and Yanjing both rose to the rank of commissioner-chancellor.
8
耶律漚裏思，六院夷離堇蒲古只之後。 負勇略，每戰被重鎧，揮鐵槊，所向披靡。 會同間，伐晉，上至河而獵，適海東青鶻搏雉，晉人隔水以鴿引去。 上顧左右曰：「誰為我得此人？」 漚裏思請內廄馬，濟河擒之，並殺救者數人還。 上大悅，優加賞賚。 既而晉將杜重威逆於望都，據水勒戰。 漚裏思介馬突陣，余軍繼之。 被圍，眾言陣薄處可出，漚裏思曰：「恐彼有他備。」 竟引兵沖堅而出； 回視眾所指，皆大塹也。 其料敵多此類。 是年，總領敵烈皮室軍，坐私免部曲，奪官，卒。
Yelu Oulisi was descended from Puguzhi, yilijin of the Six Courts. Bold and resourceful in war, he always wore heavy armor, swung an iron spear, and swept everything before him. During the Huitong campaign against Jin, the emperor went hunting by the river; a eastern-sea green falcon had just struck a pheasant when Jin men across the water lured it away with a homing pigeon. The emperor turned to his attendants and said, "Who will bring that man to me? Oulisi asked for a horse from the imperial stables, crossed the river and captured the man, killed several rescuers, and returned. The emperor was delighted and rewarded him handsomely. Soon afterward the Jin general Du Chongwei met them at Wangdu, holding the river line and forcing a fight. Oulisi spurred his horse through the enemy line, and the rest of the army followed. Surrounded, his men said they could break out where the enemy line was thin; Oulisi said, "They may have another trap there. In the end he led his men in a charge straight through the strongest point of the line and broke out; and when he looked back at the spot his men had indicated, it was nothing but deep trenches. His judgment of the enemy was often of this sort. That year he took command of the Dilie pishi army; for privately dismissing men from his command he was stripped of rank and died.
9
張礪，磁州人，初仕唐為掌書記，遷翰林學士。 會石敬瑭起兵，唐主以礪為招討判官，從趙德鈞援張敬達於河東。 及敬達敗，礪入契丹。 後太宗見礪剛直有文彩，擢翰林學士。 礪臨事必盡言，無所避，上益重之。 未幾，謀亡歸，為追騎所獲。 上責曰：「汝何故亡？」 礪對曰：「臣不習北方土俗，飲食居處，意常郁郁，以是亡耳。」 上顧通事高彥英曰：「朕嘗戒汝善遇此人，何乃使失所而亡？ 礪去，可再得耶？」 遂杖彥英而謝礪。 會同初，升翰林承旨，兼吏部尚書，從太宗伐晉。 入汴，諸將蕭翰、耶律郎五、麻答輩肆殺掠，礪奏曰：「今大遼始得中國，宜以中國人治之，不可專用國人及左右近習。 茍政令乖失，則人心不服，雖得之亦將失之。」 上不聽。 改右僕射，兼門下侍郎、平章事。 頃之，車駕北還，至欒城崩。 時礪在恒州，蕭翰與麻答以兵圍其第。 礪方臥病，出見之。 翰數之曰：「汝何故於先帝言國人不可為節度使？ 我以國舅之親，有征伐功，先帝留我守汴，以為宣武軍節度使，汝獨以為不可。 又譖我與解裏好掠人財物子女。 今必殺汝！」 趣令鎖之。 礪抗聲曰：「此國家大體，安危所系，吾實言之。 欲殺即殺，奚以鎖為？」 麻答以礪大臣，不可專殺，乃救止之。 是夕，礪恚憤卒。
Zhang Li came from Cizhou; he first served Tang as a secretarial aide and was later promoted to Hanlin academician. When Shi Jingtang rebelled, the Tang ruler made Li judge on the pacification campaign and sent him with Zhao Dejun to relieve Zhang Jingda in Hedong. After Jingda was defeated, Li went over to the Khitan. Later Taizong saw that Li was upright and gifted with letters and appointed him Hanlin academician. In office Li always spoke his mind fully and held nothing back, and the emperor came to esteem him all the more. Before long he plotted to escape home and was caught by pursuing horsemen. The emperor rebuked him: "Why did you run away? Li answered, "I am not used to northern ways of eating, drinking, and living; I have been miserable—that is why I fled. The emperor turned to the interpreter Gao Yanying and said, "I told you to treat this man well—how could you drive him to flee? If Li were lost, could we ever get him back? He had Yanying beaten and apologized to Li. Early in Huitong he was promoted to Hanlin commissioner and concurrent Minister of Personnel, and accompanied Taizong on the campaign against Jin. After entering Bian, generals such as Xiao Han, Yelu Langwu, and Mada killed and plundered at will; Li memorialized, "Great Liao has only just won China; it should be governed by Chinese, not entrusted solely to Khitan and personal favorites. If policy goes wrong, the people will not submit; even having won the realm, you will lose it again. The emperor would not listen. He was made Right Vice Director and concurrent Vice Director of the Chancellery and Grand Councilor. Before long the emperor headed north; at Luancheng he died. Li was then at Hengzhou; Xiao Han and Mada surrounded his house with soldiers. Li was bedridden with illness but came out to meet them. Han rebuked him: "Why did you tell the late emperor that Khitan must not be made military governors? As the emperor's uncle by marriage, with campaign merit, I was left by the late emperor to hold Bian as military governor of the Xuanwu army—you alone said I could not. You also slandered me and Jieli as men who loved to seize people's goods and daughters. Today I will kill you! He ordered him bound at once. Li answered boldly, "This touches the fundamental order of the state and its safety—I spoke the truth. Kill me if you will—why bother to bind me? Mada argued that Li was a senior minister and could not be killed on private authority, and held Han back. That night Li died of grief and anger.
10
論曰：初，晉因遼之兵而得天下，故兼臣禮而父事之，割地以為壽，輸帛以為貢。 未久也，而會同之師次滹沱矣。 豈群帥貪功黷武而致然歟？ 抑所謂信不由衷也哉？ 模翰以功名自終，可謂良將。 若延壽之勛雖著，至於覬覦儲位，謬矣，利令智昏，固無足議。 若乃成末釁以虧俊功，如解裏者，何譏焉！
The commentary says: At first Jin had won the realm with Liao's armies, and so treated Liao both as lord and as father, ceding land as a birthday gift and sending silk as tribute. Before long the Huitong army was camped on the Hutuo. Was it because the commanders were greedy for glory and addicted to war? Or was it simply that their loyalty was never sincere? Mohan died with his reputation intact and may truly be called a fine general. Yanshou's achievements were great, but in coveting the heir's throne he was deluded; gain had blinded his judgment, and he is hardly worth debating. As for those who let a late misstep spoil splendid service, like Jieli—what reproach is there to make!