1
耶律夷臘葛蕭海璃蕭護思蕭思溫蕭繼先
Yelü Yilage; Xiao Haili; Xiao Husi; Xiao Siwen; Xiao Jixian
2
蕭海璃，字寅的哂，其先遙輦氏時為本部夷離堇。 父塔列，天顯間為本部令穩。 海璃貌魁偉，膂力過人。 天祿間，娶明王安端女藹因翁主。 應歷初，察割亂，藹因連坐，繼娶嘲瑰翁主。 上以近戚，嘉其勤篤，命預北府宰相選。 頃之，總知軍國事。 時諸王多坐反逆，海璃為人廉謹，達政體，每被命按獄，多得其情，人無冤者，由是知名。 漢主劉承鈞每遣使入貢，必別致幣物，詔許受之。 年五十卒，帝湣悼，輟朝二日。
Xiao Haili, whose style name was Yin de Shen, came from a line that in Yaonian clan times had held the tribal chieftaincy of their division. His father Tale served as lingwen of the division during the Tianxian era. Haili was imposing in stature, with strength that surpassed ordinary men. During the Tianlu era he married Princess Aiyin, daughter of the Prince of Ming, An Duan. At the start of the Yingli era, when Chage rebelled, Aiyin was implicated with him; Haili then married Princess Chaogui. As a close kinsman, the emperor praised his diligence and ordered him into the pool for Northern Chancellery chancellor selection. Before long he was placed in overall charge of military and state affairs. When many princes were being convicted of treason, Haili's scrupulous character and grasp of government meant that whenever he was assigned to investigate a case he usually uncovered the truth, and no one was wrongfully punished — for which he became well known. Whenever the Northern Han ruler Liu Chengjun sent tribute envoys, he would also send separate gifts, and an edict permitted Haili to accept them. He died at fifty. The emperor mourned him and suspended court for two days.
3
蕭護思，字延寧，世為北院吏，累遷御史中丞，總典群牧部籍。 應歷初，遷左客省使。 未幾，拜御史大夫。 時諸王多坐事系獄，上以護思有才幹，詔窮治，稱旨，改北院樞密使，仍命世預宰相選。 護思辭曰：「臣子孫賢否未知，得一客省使足矣。」 從之。 上晚歲酗酒，用刑多濫，護思居要地，齪齪自保，未嘗一言匡救，議者以是少之。 年五十七卒。
Xiao Husi, style name Yanning, came from a family that had served for generations as Northern Court clerks. He rose to Vice Censor-in-Chief and oversaw the herd registers of the Group Herds Directorate. At the start of the Yingli era he was made Left Commissioner of the Guest Service. Before long he was appointed Censor-in-Chief. When many princes were imprisoned for crimes, the emperor, finding Husi capable, ordered a thorough investigation that pleased him. Husi was made Northern Privy Commissioner, and his line was still enrolled in chancellor selection. Husi declined: "I cannot know whether my descendants will prove worthy — one Guest Service commissioner is enough for them." The emperor agreed. In his later years the emperor drank heavily and punishments grew excessive. Husi held a key post but only huddled in self-protection and never once spoke up to correct him — for which critics despised him. He died at fifty-seven.
4
蕭思溫，小字寅古，宰相敵魯之族弟忽沒裏之子。 通書史。 太宗時為奚禿裏太尉，尚燕國公主，為群牧都林牙。 思溫在軍中，握齱修邊幅，僚佐皆言非將帥才。 尋為南京留守。 初，周人攻揚州，上遣思溫躡其後，憚暑不敢進，拔緣邊數城而還。 後周師來侵，圍馮母鎮，勢甚張。 思溫請益兵，帝報曰：「敵來，則與統軍司並兵拒之； 敵去，則務農作，勿勞士馬。」 會敵入束城，我軍退渡滹沱而屯。 思溫勒兵徐行，周軍數日不動。 思溫與諸將議曰：「敵眾而銳，戰不利則有後患。 不如頓兵以老其師，躡而擊之，可以必勝。」 諸將從之。 遂與統軍司兵會，飾他說請濟師。 周人引退，思溫亦還。 已而周主復北侵，與其將傅元卿、李崇進等分道並進，圍瀛州，陷益津、瓦橋、淤口三關，垂迫固安。 思溫不知計所出，但雲車駕旦夕至。 麾下士奮躍請戰，不從。 已而陷易、瀛、莫等州，京畿人皆震駭，往往遁入西山。 思溫以邊防失利，恐朝廷罪己，表請親征。 會周主榮以病歸，思溫退至益津，偽言不知所在。 遇步卒二千餘人來拒，敗之。 是年，聞周喪，燕民始安，乃班師。
Xiao Siwen, whose childhood name was Yingu, was the son of Humoli, a younger cousin of Chancellor Diru's clan. He was well versed in the classics and histories. Under Emperor Taizong he served as Grand Commandant of the Xi Tuli, married the Princess of Yan, and became Chief Intendant of the Herds Directorate. In camp Siwen was fussy about dress and decorum, and his staff all said he was no commander. He was soon appointed intendant of the Southern Capital. When the Zhou first attacked Yangzhou, the emperor sent Siwen to follow in their rear, but he shrank from the summer heat and would not advance, seized a few border towns, and withdrew. Later Zhou forces invaded again, besieged Fengmu garrison, and their momentum was formidable. Siwen asked for reinforcements. The emperor replied: "When the enemy comes, join the Commissariat and resist together; when they leave, see to the farming and do not weary the troops and horses." When the enemy entered Dongcheng, our army fell back across the Hutuo and made camp. Siwen led his troops forward at a deliberate pace, and the Zhou army held still for days. Siwen consulted the generals: "The enemy are numerous and keen — if we fight and fare badly, trouble will follow. Better to hold our ground and wear them down, then follow and strike — we can be sure of victory." The generals agreed. They then united with the Commissariat troops and, under another pretext, again asked for reinforcements. The Zhou withdrew, and Siwen returned as well. Soon the Zhou emperor invaded the north again. With Fu Yuanqing, Li Chongjin, and other generals advancing on separate routes, he besieged Yingzhou, captured the passes at Yijin, Wanqiao, and Yukou, and pressed toward Gu'an. Siwen had no plan to offer and could only say that the emperor's carriage would arrive at any moment. His men eagerly pressed him to fight; he refused. Yi, Ying, Mo, and other prefectures soon fell. People throughout the capital region were terrified, and many fled into the Western Hills. Fearing blame for the border defeat, Siwen memorialized asking the emperor to lead the campaign in person. When the Zhou emperor Shizong returned north ill, Siwen withdrew to Yijin and pretended not to know where the enemy were. He met a body of more than two thousand infantry blocking his way and defeated them. That year, when news of the Zhou emperor's death arrived, the people of Yan settled down, and he withdrew his army.
5
時穆宗湎酒嗜殺，思溫以密戚預政，無所匡輔，士論不與。 十九年，春蒐，上射熊而中，思溫與夷離畢牙裏斯等進酒上壽，帝醉還宮。 是夜，為庖人斯奴古等所弒。 思溫與南院樞密使高勛、飛龍使女裏等立景宗。 保寧初，為北院樞密使，兼北府宰相，仍命世預其選。 上冊思溫女為後，加尚書令，封魏王。 從帝獵閭山，為賊所害。
While Emperor Muzong drowned himself in wine and delighted in killing, Siwen, though a close kinsman in government, offered no correction — and learned opinion did not approve of him. In his nineteenth year, at the spring hunt, the emperor shot a bear and hit it. Siwen, Yilibi Yalisi, and others offered wine and wished him long life; the emperor returned to the palace drunk. That night he was assassinated by the kitchen servant Sinugu and his accomplices. Siwen, together with Southern Privy Commissioner Gao Xun, Dragon Flight Commissioner Nüli, and others, enthroned Emperor Jingzong. Early in the Baoning era he became Northern Privy Commissioner and Northern Chancellery chancellor, and his line was still enrolled in chancellor selection. The emperor made Siwen's daughter empress, appointed him Minister-in-Chief, and enfeoffed him as Prince of Wei. While accompanying the emperor on a hunt at Lü Mountain, he was killed by bandits.
6
蕭繼先，字楊隱，小字留只哥。 幼穎悟，叔思溫命為子，睿智皇后尤愛之。 乾亨初，尚齊國公主，拜駙馬都尉。 統和四年，宋人來侵，繼先率邏騎逆境上，多所俘獲，上嘉之，拜北府宰相。 自是出師，繼先必將本府兵先從。 拔狼山石壘，從破宋軍應州。 上南征，取通利軍，戰稱捷力。 及親征高麗，以繼先年老，留守上京。 卒，年五十八。 繼先雖處富貴，尚儉素，所至以善治稱，故將兵攻戰，未嘗失利，名重戚裏。
Xiao Jixian, whose style name was Yangyin and childhood name Liuzhige. Clever as a boy, he was adopted as a son by his uncle Siwen, and Empress Ruizhi was especially fond of him. Early in the Qianheng era he married the Princess of Qi and was made Chief Son-in-Law. In the fourth year of Tonghe, when the Song invaded, Jixian led border cavalry against their advance, took many captives, and was commended and made Northern Chancellery chancellor. From then on, whenever the army marched out, Jixian always led his bureau's troops in the van. He captured the stone fort at Langshan and helped rout the Song at Yingzhou. On the emperor's southern campaign he captured Tongli Army and was praised in battle for his vigor. When the emperor campaigned against Goryeo in person, Jixian, now elderly, was left to guard the Supreme Capital. He died at fifty-eight. Though wealthy and honored, Jixian still lived plainly. Wherever he was posted he was praised for good governance, and in command he never lost a fight — his reputation stood high among the imperial kin.
7
論曰：嗚呼！ 人君之過，莫大於殺無辜。 湯之伐桀也，數其罪曰「並告無辜於上下神祇」； 武王之伐紂也，數其罪曰「無辜籲天」； 堯之伐苗民也，呂侯追數其罪曰「殺戮無辜」。 跡是言之，夷臘葛之諫，凜凜庶幾古君子之風矣。 雖然，善諫者不諫於已然，蓋必先得於心術之微，如察脈者，先其病而治之，則易為功。 穆宗沈湎失德，蓋其資富強之勢以自肆久矣。 使群臣於造次動作之際，引諫彼諍，提而警之，以防其甚，則亦詎至是哉！ 於以知護思、思溫處位優重，耽祿取容，真鄙夫矣！ 若海璃之折獄，繼先之善治，可謂任職臣歟！
Appreciation: Alas! Of all a ruler's faults, none is greater than putting the innocent to death. When Tang attacked Jie, he recited his crimes: "You have together reported the innocent to the spirits above and below"; when Wu attacked Zhou, he recited his crimes: "The innocent cry to Heaven"; when Yao attacked the Miao, Marquis Lü pursued the charge: "Slaughtering the innocent." Judged by these precedents, Yilige's remonstrance was stern and commanding — nearly the bearing of the gentlemen of old. Yet a skilled remonstrator does not wait until the deed is done; he must catch the subtle turn of mind beforehand — like a physician who treats the pulse before illness breaks out, so the cure is easy. Emperor Muzong sank into debauchery and lost his virtue because he had long leaned on the empire's wealth and strength to indulge himself. Had his ministers, at every rash impulse, urged remonstrance and debate, lifted warnings before things went too far — how could matters have come to this! This shows that Husi and Siwen, for all their high rank, clung to salary and sought favor — nothing but contemptible men! As for Haili's judging of cases and Jixian's good governance — these may be called ministers who did their duty!