1
蕭翰耶律牒蠟耶律朗耶律劉哥 〈（盆都）〉 耶律海思耶律敵獵蕭革
Xiao Han, Yelü Diepa, Yelü Lang, and Yelü Liuge Pendu)〉 Yelü Haishi, Yelü Dilie, and Xiao Ge
2
蕭翰，一名敵烈，字寒真，宰相敵魯之子。 天贊初，唐兵圍鎮州，節度使張文禮遣使告急。 翰受詔與康末怛往救，克之，殺其將李嗣昭，拔石城。 會同初，領漢軍侍衛。 八年，伐晉，敗晉將杜重威，追至望都。 翰奏曰：「可令軍下馬而射。」 帝從其言，軍士步進。 敵人持短兵猝至，我軍失利。 帝悔之曰：「此吾用言之過至此！」 及從駕入汴，為宣武軍節度使。 會帝崩欒城，世宗即位。 翰聞之，委事於李從敏，徑趨行在。 是年秋，世宗與皇太后相拒於潢河橫渡，和議未定。 太后問翰曰：「汝何怨而叛？」 對曰：「臣母無罪，太后殺之，以此不能無憾。」 初耶律屋質以附太后被囚，翰聞而快之，即囚所謂曰：「汝嘗言我輩不及，今在狴犴，何也？」 對曰：「第願公不至如此！」 翰默然。 天祿二年，尚帝妹阿不裏。 後與天德謀反，下獄。 復結惕隱劉哥及其弟盆都亂，耶律石剌告屋質，屋持遽入奏之，翰等不伏。 帝不欲發其事，屋質固諍以為不可，乃詔屋質鞫按。 翰伏辜，帝竟釋之。 復與公主以書結明王安端反，屋質得其書以奏，翰伏誅。
Xiao Han, also called Dilie, whose style was Hanzhen, was the son of Chancellor Dilu. Early in the Tianzan era, Tang forces besieged Zhen Prefecture, and the military commissioner Zhang Wenli sent envoys begging for relief. Han received orders and marched to the rescue with Kang Moda; they took the city, killed the Tang general Li Sizhao, and seized Shicheng. At the start of the Huitong era, he commanded the Han-army guard corps. In the eighth year he campaigned against Jin, routed the Jin general Du Chongwei, and pursued him as far as Wangdu. Han submitted a memorial: "Have the army dismount and shoot." The emperor accepted his advice, and the troops advanced on foot. The enemy closed in at once with side arms, and our forces were beaten. The emperor repented and said, "This is what comes of heeding my own counsel!" When the court entered Bian, he was made military commissioner of the Xuanwu Army. When the emperor died at Luancheng, Shizong succeeded him. On hearing the news, Han left his duties to Li Congmin and hurried straight to the imperial camp. That autumn Shizong and the empress dowager faced each other at Huanghe Hengdu, and no settlement had yet been reached. The empress dowager asked Han, "What grievance drove you to rebel?" He answered, "My mother was innocent, yet Your Majesty put her to death—for that I cannot be without bitterness." Earlier Yelü Wuzhi had been imprisoned for siding with the empress dowager; when Han heard of it he was delighted, and at the prison he said, "You once claimed we were beneath you—now you sit in a cage; what of that?" Wuzhi answered, "I only hope you never come to this pass!" Han said nothing. In the second year of Tianlu he married the emperor's younger sister Abuli. Later he conspired to rebel with Tiande and was thrown into prison. He again joined with Tiyin Liuge and Liuge's younger brother Pendu in a plot; Yelü Shila reported it to Wuzhi, who rushed in to inform the throne, but Han and his fellows would not confess. The emperor did not wish to bring the matter to light, but Wuzhi argued strenuously that this could not stand, and the emperor ordered Wuzhi to investigate and try the case. Han confessed, yet the emperor ultimately set him free. He again conspired with the princess by letter to join Prince Ming'an Anduan in rebellion; Wuzhi obtained the letter and presented it to the throne, and Han was put to death after confessing.
3
牒蠟，字述蘭，六院夷離堇蒲古只之後。 天顯中，為中臺省右相。 會同元年，與趙思溫持節冊晉帝。 及我師伐晉，至滹沱河，降晉將杜重威，牒蠟功居多。 大同元年，平相州之叛，斬首數萬級。 世宗即位，遣使馳報，仍命牒蠟執偏將術者以來。 其使誤入術者營，術者得詔，反誘牒蠟，執送太后。 牒蠟亡歸世宗。 和約既成，封燕王，為南京留守。 天祿五年，察割弒逆，牒蠟方醉，其妻扶入察割之幕，因從之。 明旦，壽安王討亂，凡脅從者皆棄兵降； 牒蠟不降，陵遲而死。 妻子皆誅。 朗，字歐新，季父房罨古只之孫。 性輕佻，多力，人呼為「虎斯」。 天顯間以材勇進，每戰輒克，由是得名。 會同九年，太宗入汴，命知澶淵，控扼河渡。 天祿元年，燕、趙已南皆應劉知遠，朗與汴守蕭翰棄城歸闕。 先是，朗祖罨古只為其弟轄底詐取夷離堇，自是族中無任六院職事者； 世宗不悉其事，以朗為六院大王。 及察割作亂，遣人報朗曰：「事成矣！」 朗遣詳穩蕭胡裏以所部軍往，命曰：「當持兩端，助其勝者。」 穆宗即位，伏誅，籍其家屬。
Diepa, whose style was Shulan, was a descendant of Puguzhi, yilieqin of the Six Courts. During the Tianxian era he was right chancellor of the Central Secretariat. In the first year of Huitong he joined Zhao Siwen in bearing credentials to invest the Jin emperor. When the Liao army marched against Jin and reached the Hutuo River, the Jin general Du Chongwei surrendered, and Diepa's contribution was the greatest. In the first year of Datong he put down the rebellion at Xiang Prefecture and took tens of thousands of heads. When Shizong succeeded, he sent envoys at once with the news and also ordered Diepa to seize the deputy general Shuzhe and bring him in. The envoy mistakenly entered Shuzhe's camp; Shuzhe got the edict and instead lured Diepa in, seized him, and sent him to the empress dowager. Diepa escaped and rejoined Shizong. Once peace was made he was enfeoffed as Prince of Yan and appointed regent of the Southern Capital. In the fifth year of Tianlu, when Chagai murdered the emperor, Diepa was drunk; his wife helped him into Chagai's tent, and he went along. At dawn Prince Shou'an put down the rebellion; all who had been coerced laid down their arms and surrendered; Diepa refused to surrender and was executed by dismemberment. His wife and children were all executed. Lang, whose style was Ouxin, was a grandson of Yanguzhi of the younger father's house. He was frivolous by nature and immensely strong; people called him "Husi." During the Tianxian era he rose through talent and valor; he won every battle he fought and thereby made his name. In the ninth year of Huitong, when Taizong entered Bian, Lang was ordered to oversee Chanyuan and hold the river crossing. In the first year of Tianlu, Yan, Zhao, and all lands to the south rallied to Liu Zhiyuan; Lang and Bian's defender Xiao Han abandoned the city and returned to court. Earlier Lang's grandfather Yanguzhi had had the yilieqin title fraudulently taken by his younger brother Xiadi; from then on no one in the clan held office in the Six Courts; Shizong did not know the full story and appointed Lang great king of the Six Courts. When Chagai rebelled, he sent word to Lang: "It is done!" Lang sent the xiangwen Xiao Huli with his tribal troops and ordered, "Keep to both sides and help whichever side wins." When Muzong succeeded, Lang was put to death and his household was confiscated.
4
劉哥，字明隱，太祖弟寅底石之子。 幼驕狠，好陵侮人，長益凶狡。 太宗惡之，使守邊僥，累遷西南邊大詳穩。 會同十年，叔父安端從帝伐晉，以病先歸，與劉哥鄰居。 世宗立於軍中，安端議所往，劉哥首建附世宗之策，以本部兵助之。 時太后命皇太弟李胡率兵而南，劉哥、安端遇於泰德泉。 既接戰，安端墜馬。 王子天德馳至，欲以槍刺之。 劉哥以身衛安端，射天德，貫甲不及膚。 安端得馬復戰，太弟兵敗。 劉哥與安端朝於行在。 及和議成，太后問劉哥曰：「汝何怨而叛？」 對曰：「臣父無罪，太后殺之，以此怨耳。」 事平，以功為惕隱。 天祿中，與其弟盆都、王子天德、侍衛蕭翰謀反，耶律石剌發其事，劉哥以飾辭免。 後請帝博，欲因進酒弒逆，帝覺之，不果，被囚。 一日，召劉哥，鎖項以博。 帝問：「汝實反耶？」 劉哥誓曰：「臣若有反心，必生千頂疽死！」 遂貰之。 耶律屋質固諍，以為罪在不赦。 上命屋質按之，具服。 詔免死，流烏古部，果以千頂疽死。 弟盆都。
Liuge, whose style was Mingyin, was a son of Taizu's younger brother Yindishi. As a boy he was arrogant and brutal and loved to bully others; as a man he grew only more savage and cunning. Taizong disliked him and posted him to guard the Jiao frontier; he rose through repeated promotions to Grand Xiangwen of the southwestern border. In the tenth year of Huitong his uncle Anduan accompanied the emperor against Jin but came home early with illness and became Liuge's neighbor. When Shizong was proclaimed in the army, Anduan debated which side to take; Liuge was first to urge siding with Shizong and supported him with his tribal troops. The empress dowager had ordered the imperial younger brother Li Hu to march south with an army; Liuge and Anduan met him at Taide Spring. When battle was joined, Anduan was thrown from his horse. Prince Tiande galloped up and tried to run him through with a spear. Liuge shielded Anduan with his own body, shot at Tiande, and the arrow pierced his armor without touching his skin. Anduan remounted and fought on, and the younger brother's army was routed. Liuge and Anduan presented themselves at the imperial camp. After peace was made, the empress dowager asked Liuge, "What grievance made you rebel?" He answered, "My father was innocent, yet Your Majesty killed him—that is my grievance." When the affair was settled, he was made tiyin for his service. During the Tianlu era he plotted rebellion with his younger brother Pendu, Prince Tiande, and the guard Xiao Han; Yelü Shila exposed the plot, but Liuge talked his way free. Later he invited the emperor to gamble, planning to murder him when he served wine; the emperor sensed it, the plot failed, and Liuge was imprisoned. One day the emperor summoned Liuge and gambled with him while a collar was locked about his neck. The emperor asked, "Did you really rebel?" Liuge swore, "If I harbor rebellion in my heart, may I die of the thousand-headed carbuncle!" The emperor then pardoned him. Yelü Wuzhi argued strenuously that the offense was beyond pardon. The emperor ordered Wuzhi to investigate, and Liuge confessed everything. An edict spared his life and banished him to the Wugu tribe, where he did in fact die of the thousand-headed carbuncle. His younger brother Pendu.
5
盆都，殘忍多力，膚若蛇皮。 天祿初，以族屬為皮室詳穩。 二年，與兄劉哥謀反，免死，使於轄戛斯國。 既還，復預察割之亂，陵遲而死。
Pendu was cruel and immensely strong, and his skin resembled snakeskin. Early in the Tianlu era he was appointed Pishi Xiangwen by virtue of his clan ties. In the second year he joined his elder brother Liuge in rebellion, was spared execution, and was sent to the Kirghiz. After his return he again took part in Chagai's rebellion and was executed by dismemberment.
6
異母弟二人：化葛裏、奚蹇。 應歷初，無職任，以族子，甚見優禮。 三年，或告化葛裏、奚蹇與衛王宛謀逆，下獄，飾辭獲免。 四年春，復謀反，伏誅。
He had two younger half-brothers, Huagelü and Xijian. Early in the Yingli era they held no office, but as kinsmen of the imperial clan they were treated with great favor. In the third year someone accused Huagelü and Xijian of plotting treason with Prince Wei Wan; they were imprisoned but talked their way free. In the spring of the fourth year they rebelled again and were put to death.
7
海思，字鐸袞，隋國王釋魯之庶子。 機警口辯。 會同五年，詔求直言。 時海思年十八，衣羊裘，乘牛詣闕。 有司問曰：「汝何故來？」 對曰：「應詔言事。 茍不以貧稚見遺，亦可備直言之選。」 有司以聞。 會帝將出獵，使謂曰：「俟吾還則見之。」 海思曰：「臣以陛下急於求賢，是以來耳； 今反緩於獵，請從此歸。」 帝聞，即召見賜坐，問以治道。 命明王安端與耶律頗德試之，數日，安端等奏曰：「海思之材，臣等所不及。」 帝召海思問曰：「與汝言者何如人也？」 對曰：「安端言無收檢，若空車走峻阪； 頗德如著靴行曠野射鴇。」 帝大笑。 擢宣徽使，屢任以事。 帝知其貧，以金器賜之，海思即散於親友。 後從帝伐晉有功。 世宗即位於軍中，皇太后以兵逆於潢河橫渡。 太后遣耶律屋質責世宗自立。 屋質至帝前，諭旨不屈； 世宗遣海思對，亦不遜，且命之曰：「汝見屋質勿懼！」 海思見太后還，不稱旨。 既和，領太后諸局事。 穆宗即位，與冀王敵烈謀反，死獄中。
Haishi, whose style was Duogun, was a secondary son of Shilu, King of Sui. He was quick-witted and a gifted debater. In the fifth year of Huitong the court issued an edict calling for blunt counsel. Haishi was then eighteen; clad in a sheepskin coat, he rode an ox to the palace. The officials asked, "Why have you come?" He answered, "To respond to the edict and speak my mind. If you do not dismiss me for being poor and young, I may yet qualify among those chosen to speak plainly." The officials reported this to the throne. The emperor was about to go hunting and sent word: "Wait until I return, and then you shall be received." Haishi said, "I came because Your Majesty is eager to find worthy men; yet now you put the hunt first. I shall take my leave." When the emperor heard this, he summoned Haishi at once, gave him a seat, and questioned him on the art of government. He ordered Prince Ming'an Anduan and Yelü Pode to test him; after several days they reported, "Haishi's ability is beyond what we can match." The emperor summoned Haishi and asked, "What sort of men were those who tested you?" He answered, "Anduan's speech has no restraint—it is like driving an empty cart down a steep slope; Pode is like wearing boots to stalk bustards across open country." The emperor laughed aloud. He was promoted to commissioner of the Palace Secretariat and repeatedly entrusted with important duties. Knowing he was poor, the emperor gave him gold vessels, which Haishi immediately distributed among his kin and friends. Later he followed the emperor against Jin and distinguished himself. When Shizong was proclaimed in the army, the empress dowager marched against him with troops at Huanghe Hengdu. The empress dowager sent Yelü Wuzhi to rebuke Shizong for proclaiming himself emperor. Wuzhi came before Shizong and delivered the empress dowager's message without yielding; Shizong sent Haishi to answer, and he too was unyielding; Shizong even told him, "When you see Wuzhi, have no fear!" Haishi met the empress dowager and returned, having failed to satisfy the emperor. After peace was made, he oversaw the empress dowager's various bureaus. When Muzong succeeded, he plotted rebellion with Prince Ji Dilie and died in prison.
8
敵獵，字烏輦，六院夷離堇術不魯之子。 少多詐。 世宗即位，為群牧都林牙。 察割謀亂，官僚多被囚系。 及壽安王與耶律屋質率兵來討，諸黨以次引去。 察割度事不成，即詣囚所，持弓矢脅曰：「悉殺此曹！」 敵獵進曰：「殺何益於事？ 竊料屋質將立壽安王，故為此舉，且壽安未必知。 若遣人藉此為辭，庶可免。」 察割曰：「如公言。 誰可使者？」 敵獵曰：「大王若不疑，敵獵請與罨撒葛同往說之。」 察割遣之。 壽安王用敵獵計，誘殺察割，凡被脅之人無一被害者，皆敵獵之力。 亂既平，帝嘉賞，然未顯用。 敵獵失望，居常怏怏，結群不逞，陰懷不軌。 應歷三年，與其黨謀立婁國，事覺，陵遲死。
Dilie, whose style was Wulian, was the son of Shubulu, yilieqin of the Six Courts. From youth he was highly deceitful. When Shizong succeeded, he was appointed linya of the Directorate of Herds. When Chagai plotted rebellion, many officials were thrown into prison. When Prince Shou'an and Yelü Wuzhi marched against them with troops, the rebel factions withdrew one by one. Seeing that he could not prevail, Chagai went to the prison, took up bow and arrow, and threatened, "Kill them all!" Dilie came forward and said, "What good would killing do? I suspect Wuzhi means to set up Prince Shou'an—that is why he has done this, and Shou'an may not even know. Send someone with that as your plea and you may yet save yourselves." Chagai said, "You are right. Who shall go?" Dilie said, "If you do not doubt me, I ask to go with Yansage to negotiate with them." Chagai sent them off. Prince Shou'an used Dili's stratagem to lure Chagai out and kill him; not one of those who had been coerced was harmed, and that was entirely Dili's doing. After the rebellion was put down, the emperor praised and rewarded him but did not give him prominent office. Disappointed, Dilie lived in constant resentment, joined malcontents, and secretly plotted rebellion. In the third year of Yingli he conspired with his followers to set up Louguo; when the plot was discovered, he was executed by dismemberment.
9
蕭革，小字滑哥，字胡突堇，國舅房林牙和尚之子。 警悟多智數。 太平初，累遷官職。 遊近習間，以諛悅相比昵，為流輩所稱，由是名達於上。 重熙初，拜北面林牙。 十二年，為北院樞密副使。 帝嘗與近臣宴，謂革曰：「朕知卿才，故自拔擢，卿宜勉力！」 革曰：「臣不才，誤蒙聖知，無以報萬一，惟竭愚忠，安敢怠？」 明年，拜北府宰相。 十五年，改同知北院樞密事。 革怙寵專權，同僚具位而已。 時夷離畢耶律義先知革奸佞，因侍燕，言革所短，用之將敗事。 帝不聽。 一日，上令義先對革巡擲，義先酒酣曰：「臣備位大臣，縱不能進忠去佞，安能與賊博乎！」 革銜之，佯言曰：「公相謔，不既甚乎！」 義先詬詈不已。 帝怒，皇后解之曰：「義先酒狂，醒可治也。」 翌日，上詔革謂曰：「義先無禮，可痛繩之。」 革曰：「義先之才，豈逃聖鑒！ 然天下皆知忠直。 今以酒過為罪，恐咈人望。」 帝以革犯而不校，眷遇益厚。 其矯情媚上多此類。 拜南院樞密使，詔班諸王上，封吳王。 改知北院，進王鄭，兼中書令。 帝大漸，詔革曰：「大位不可一日曠，朕若弗寤，宜即令燕趙國王嗣位。」 清寧元年，復為南院樞密使，更王楚。 復徙北院，與國舅蕭阿剌同掌朝政。 革多私撓，阿剌每裁正之，由是有隙，出阿剌為東京留守。 會南郊，阿剌以例赴闕，帝訪群臣以時務，阿剌陳利病，言甚激切。 革伺帝意不悅，因譖曰：「阿剌恃寵，有慢上心，非臣子禮。」 帝大怒，縊阿剌於殿下。 後上知革奸計，寵遇漸衰。 八年，致仕，封鄭國王。 九年秋，革以其子為重元婿，革預其謀，陵遲殺之。
Xiao Ge, whose childhood name was Huage and whose style was Hutujin, was the son of Heshang, linya of the Guoju-fang. He was quick-witted and full of schemes. Early in the Taiping era he rose through a series of promotions. Among the emperor's intimates he curried favor with flattery and grew close to them; his peers praised him, and so his name reached the throne. At the start of the Chongxi era he was appointed northern linya. In the twelfth year he became vice commissioner of the northern bureau of military affairs. At a feast with his intimates the emperor said to Ge, "I know your ability, which is why I promoted you myself—you must do your utmost!" Ge replied, "I am without talent yet have wrongly won Your Majesty's favor; I can never repay you in the least, and can only offer my poor loyalty—how could I dare be remiss?" The following year he was appointed chancellor of the northern administration. In the fifteenth year he was made associate commissioner of the northern bureau of military affairs. Ge traded on imperial favor and held power alone; his colleagues were mere figureheads. At that time Yiliebi Yelü Yixian saw through Ge's treachery; at a court banquet he spoke of Ge's faults and warned that putting him in power would ruin the state. The emperor would not heed him. One day the emperor had Yixian play pitch-pot against Ge; Yixian, deep in his cups, said, "I may hold a minister's title in name only, but even if I cannot advance the loyal and drive out flatterers, how can I gamble with a traitor?" Ge nursed a grudge and said with feigned lightness, "Sir, you are only jesting—surely that is going too far!" Yixian went on cursing him without stop. The emperor was furious, but the empress intervened: "Yixian is drunk and unruly; when he sobers he can be set right." The next day the emperor told Ge privately, "Yixian was insolent—you may punish him as you see fit." Ge replied, "Your Majesty knows Yixian's ability only too well! Yet everyone knows his loyalty and integrity. To punish him now for a drunken offense would surely disappoint public expectation." The emperor, impressed that Ge had borne the insult without striking back, favored him all the more. His feigned devotion and flattery of the throne were mostly of this kind. He was made commissioner of the southern bureau of military affairs, ranked by edict above the princes, and enfeoffed as Prince of Wu. He was transferred to oversee the northern bureau, promoted to Prince of Zheng, and made concurrent zhongshu ling. As the emperor's illness grew grave, he told Ge, "The throne cannot stand empty even for a day; if I do not recover, you should at once have the Prince of Yan and Zhao succeed me." In the first year of Qingning he again became southern commissioner of military affairs and was retitled Prince of Chu. He was transferred back to the northern bureau and shared control of the government with Guoju Xiao Ala. Ge often bent affairs to private ends, and Ala repeatedly reined him in; a breach opened between them, and Ala was sent out as regent of the Eastern Capital. At the southern suburban rites Ala came to court as custom required; the emperor asked the ministers about current affairs, and Ala spoke out on what helped and harmed the state in terms so forceful they cut deep. Seeing the emperor's displeasure, Ge slandered him: "Ala trades on imperial favor and shows disrespect to Your Majesty—this is not how a subject should behave." The emperor flew into a rage and had Ala strangled below the palace hall. Later the emperor learned of Ge's treachery, and imperial favor toward him gradually faded. In the eighth year he retired and was made King of Zheng. In the autumn of the ninth year Ge married his son to Chongyuan; Ge took part in the conspiracy and was executed by dismemberment.