Volume 1 Annals 1: Taizu 1

本紀第一太祖一

Annals 1: Taizu, Part One

太祖開天行道肇紀立極大聖至神仁文義武俊德成功高皇帝，諱元璋，字國瑞，姓朱氏。先世家沛，徙句容，再徙泗州。父世珍，始徙濠州之鐘離。生四子，太祖其季也。母陳氏，方娠，夢神授藥一丸，置掌中有光，吞之，寤，口餘香氣。及產，紅光滿室。自是夜數有光起，鄰里望見，驚以為火，輒奔救，至則無有。比長，姿貌雄傑，奇骨貫頂。志意廓然，人莫能測。

Taizu, the Supreme Emperor who opened Heaven's way, established the founding era, and set the cosmic pole—supremely sage and divine, benevolent in culture and righteous in war, of outstanding virtue and successful accomplishment—was tabooed Yuanzhang, styled Guorui, and surnamed Zhu. His family had first lived in Pei, then moved to Jurong, and moved again to Sizhou. His father Zhu Shizhen later moved the family to Zhongli in Haozhou. He had four sons; Taizu was the youngest. His mother, Lady Chen, while pregnant dreamed that a god gave her a single pill; when she held it in her palm it glowed, and after she swallowed it she awoke with a sweet fragrance still on her lips. At his birth, red light filled the room. After that, lights often appeared at night; neighbors who saw them, thinking the house was on fire, would rush to help, only to find nothing when they arrived. As he grew, his bearing was heroic and imposing, with an extraordinary bone ridge running along the crown of his head. His ambitions were vast and unfathomable; no one could read his mind.

至正四年，旱蝗，大飢疫。太祖時年十七，父母兄相繼歿，貧不克葬。裡人劉繼祖與之地，乃克葬，即鳳陽陵也。太祖孤無所依，乃入皇覺寺為僧。逾月，游食合肥。道病，二紫衣人與俱，護視甚至。病已，失所在。凡歷光、固、汝、潁諸州三年，復還寺。當是時，元政不綱，盜賊四起。劉福通奉韓山童假宋後起潁，徐壽輝僭帝號起蘄，李二、彭大、趙均用起徐，眾各數萬，並置將帥，殺吏，侵略郡縣，而方國珍已先起海上。他盜擁兵據地，寇掠甚眾。天下大亂。

In the fourth year of the Zhizheng reign, drought and locusts brought famine and plague on a vast scale. Taizu was then seventeen; his parents and elder brother died one after another, and he was too poor to bury them properly. A neighbor, Liu Jizu, gave him land so that he could bury them at last—the site that became the Fengyang mausoleum. Left alone with no one to depend on, Taizu entered Huangjue Temple and became a monk. After a little more than a month he went out to beg for food around Hefei. On the road he fell ill; two men dressed in purple went with him and watched over him with extraordinary care. When he recovered, they had vanished without a trace. He spent three years wandering through Guang, Gu, Ru, and Ying and other prefectures, then returned to the temple. By then Yuan rule had lost its grip, and rebels sprang up everywhere. Liu Futong backed Han Shantong, who claimed Song descent, and rose in Ying; Xu Shouhui declared himself emperor at Qi; Li Er, Peng Da, and Zhao Junyong rose in Xu—each commanding tens of thousands of men, appointing generals, killing officials, and ravaging commanderies and counties—while Fang Guozhen had already taken to the sea before them. Countless other marauders seized territory and preyed on the land. The empire fell into utter chaos.

十二年春二月，定遠人郭子興與其黨孫德崖等起兵濠州。元將徹里不花憚不敢攻，而日俘良民以邀賞。太祖時年二十四，謀避兵，卜於神，去留皆不吉。乃曰：「得毋當舉大事乎？」卜之吉，大喜，遂以閏三月甲戌朔入濠見子興。子興奇其狀貌，留為親兵。戰輒勝，遂妻以所撫馬公女，即高皇后也。子興與德崖齟齬，太祖屢調護之。秋九月，元兵復徐州，李二走死，彭大、趙均用奔濠，德崖等納之。子興禮大而易均用，均用怨之。德崖遂與謀，伺子興出，執而械諸孫氏，將殺之。太祖方在淮北，聞難馳至，訴於彭大。大怒，呼兵以行，太祖亦甲而擁盾，發屋出子興，破械，使人負以歸，遂免。是冬，元將賈魯圍濠。太祖與子興力拒之。

In the second month of spring in the twelfth year, Guo Zixing of Dingyuan and his followers Sun Deya and others raised an army at Haozhou. The Yuan general Chelibuhua was afraid to attack them and instead seized innocent civilians every day to claim rewards for victories. Taizu was then twenty-four; wishing to escape the fighting, he divined before the temple god, but both staying and leaving came back ill-omened. He then said, "Does this mean I am meant to undertake a great enterprise?" When he cast lots again the omen was favorable. Overjoyed, on the first day of the intercalary third month, jiaxu, he entered Haozhou and presented himself to Guo Zixing. Guo Zixing was struck by his appearance and kept him as a personal guard. He won every battle he fought, and Guo Zixing gave him in marriage the daughter of his foster father Lord Ma—who became Empress Gao. When Guo Zixing and Sun Deya fell out, Taizu repeatedly mediated between them. In the ninth month of autumn Yuan forces retook Xuzhou; Li Er fled and died; Peng Da and Zhao Junyong fled to Haozhou, where Sun Deya and the others admitted them. Guo Zixing honored Peng Da but looked down on Zhao Junyong, who took offense. Sun Deya then conspired with Junyong; when Guo Zixing went out they seized him, shackled him at the Sun compound, and were about to kill him. Taizu was then north of the Huai; hearing of the danger he rode hard to Haozhou and appealed to Peng Da. Peng Da flew into a rage and mustered troops to march; Taizu donned armor, took up a shield, broke through the roof to free Guo Zixing, broke his shackles, and had men carry him home on their backs—thus saving his life. That winter the Yuan general Jia Lu besieged Haozhou. Taizu and Guo Zixing resisted the siege with all their strength.

十三年春，賈魯死，圍解。太祖收里中兵，得七百人。子興喜，署為鎮撫。時彭、趙所部暴橫，子興弱，太祖度無足與共事，乃以兵屬他將，獨與徐達、湯和、費聚等南略定遠。計降驢牌寨民兵三千，與俱東。夜襲元將張知院於橫澗山，收其卒二萬。道遇定遠人李善長，與語，大悅，遂與俱攻滁州，下之。是年，張士誠據高郵，自稱誠王。

In the spring of the thirteenth year Jia Lu died and the siege was raised. Taizu recruited men from the neighborhood and raised seven hundred troops. Guo Zixing was delighted and appointed him pacification commissioner. Peng Da's and Zhao Junyong's men were brutal and overbearing, and Guo Zixing was too weak; Taizu decided he could not serve under them for long. He left his troops with another commander and marched south with only Xu Da, Tang He, Fei Ju, and others to take Dingyuan. He planned to win over the three thousand militia of the Donkey Brand stockade and march east with them. By night he attacked the Yuan commander Zhang at Hengjian Mountain and absorbed his twenty thousand soldiers. On the march he met Li Shanchang of Dingyuan; after talking with him he was greatly pleased, and together they attacked and captured Chuzhou. That year Zhang Shicheng held Gaoyou and proclaimed himself King Cheng.

十四年冬十月，元丞相脫脫大敗士誠於高郵，分兵圍六合。太祖曰：「六合破，滁且不免。」與耿再成軍瓦梁壘，救之。力戰，衛老弱還滁。元兵尋大至，攻滁，太祖設伏誘敗之。然度元兵勢盛且再至，乃還所獲馬，遣父老具牛酒謝元將曰：「守城備他盜耳，奈何舍巨寇戮良民？」元兵引去，城賴以完。脫脫既破士誠，軍聲大振，會中讒，遽解兵柄，江淮亂益熾。

In the tenth month of winter in the fourteenth year the Yuan chancellor Toghto routed Zhang Shicheng at Gaoyou and detached forces to besiege Liuhe. Taizu said, "If Liuhe falls, Chuzhou will not be spared." He marched with Geng Zaocheng's army to Walang stockade to relieve the siege. After fierce fighting he escorted the old and weak back to Chuzhou. Yuan forces soon arrived in strength and attacked Chuzhou; Taizu laid an ambush and lured them into a rout. Yet judging that the Yuan army was strong and would return, he sent back the horses they had taken and had the elders bring cattle and wine to thank the Yuan commander, saying, "We held the city only against other bandits—why leave the great rebel to butcher innocent people?" The Yuan army withdrew, and the city was spared. After defeating Zhang Shicheng, Toghto's fame shook the land; then court intrigue suddenly stripped him of command, and chaos along the Jiang-Huai grew worse than ever.

十五年春正月，子興用太祖計，遣張天祐等拔和州，檄太祖總其軍。太祖慮諸將不相下，秘其檄，期旦日會廳事。時席尚右，諸將先入，皆踞右。太祖故後至，就左。比視事，剖決如流，眾瞠目不能發一語，始稍稍屈。議分工甓城，期三日。太祖工竣，諸將皆後。於是始出檄，南面坐曰：「奉命總諸公兵，今甓城皆後期，如軍法何？」諸將皆惶恐謝。乃搜軍中所掠婦女縱還家，民大悅。元兵十萬攻和，拒守三月，食且盡，而太子禿堅、樞密副使絆住馬、民兵元帥陳野先分屯新塘、高望、雞籠山以絕餉道。太祖率眾破之，元兵皆走渡江。三月，郭子興卒。時劉福通迎立韓山童子林兒於亳，國號宋，建元龍鳳。檄子興子天敘為都元帥，張天祐、太祖為左右副元帥。太祖慨然曰：「大丈夫寧能受制於人耶？」遂不受。然念林兒勢盛，可倚藉，乃用其年號以令軍中。

In the first month of spring in the fifteenth year Guo Zixing, following Taizu's plan, sent Zhang Tianyou and others to take Hezhou and ordered Taizu to command the whole force. Taizu feared the generals would not accept his authority, so he kept the order secret and summoned them to the hall the next morning. Seating still honored the right in those days; the generals entered first and all took the right-hand seats. Taizu deliberately arrived late and took a seat on the left. When he presided over affairs his judgments flowed like water; the others stared in silence, unable to speak, and only then began to yield. They agreed to divide the work of repairing the city wall, with three days to finish. Taizu finished on time; every other commander was late. Then he produced the order, sat facing south, and said, "By order I command all your troops. The wall work is overdue—what does military law require?" The generals were terrified and apologized. He then searched out women the troops had seized and sent them home; the people rejoiced. A hundred thousand Yuan troops besieged Hezhou; after three months food was nearly gone, while Crown Prince Toghon, Associate Privy Councillor Banzhuma, and militia commander Chen Yexian camped at Xintang, Gaowang, and Jilong Mountain to cut the supply routes. Taizu led his men to defeat them, and the Yuan forces fled across the river. In the third month Guo Zixing died. By then Liu Futong had installed Han Shantong's son Lin'er at Bo as emperor of Song, with the reign title Longfeng. He appointed Guo Zixing's son Tianxu supreme commander and Zhang Tianyou and Taizu left and right deputy commanders. Taizu said with feeling, "Can a true man willingly serve under another?" He refused the appointment. Yet because Lin'er's power was strong and might be useful, he still used the Song reign title to command his troops.

夏四月，常遇春來歸。五月，太祖謀渡江，無舟。會巢湖帥廖永安、俞通海以水軍千艘來附，太祖大喜，往撫其眾。而元中丞蠻子海牙扼銅城閘、馬場河諸隘，巢湖舟師不得出。忽大雨，太祖喜曰：「天助我也!」遂乘水漲，從小港縱舟還。因擊海牙於峪溪口，大敗之，遂定計渡江。諸將請直趨集慶。太祖曰：「取集慶必自採石始。採石重鎮，守必固，牛渚前臨大江，彼難為備，可必克也。」六月乙卯，乘風引帆，直達牛渚。常遇春先登，拔之。採石兵亦潰。緣江諸壘悉附。諸將以和州飢，爭取資糧謀歸。太祖謂徐達曰：「渡江幸捷，若舍而歸，江東非吾有也。」乃悉斷舟纜，放急流中，謂諸將曰：「太平甚近，當與公等取之。」遂乘勝拔太平，執萬戶納哈出。總管靳義赴水死，太祖曰：「義士也」，禮葬之。揭榜禁剽掠。有卒違令，斬以徇，軍中肅然。改路曰府。置太平興國翼元帥府，自領元帥事，召陶安參幕府事，李習為知府。時太平四面皆元兵。右丞阿魯灰、中丞蠻子海牙等嚴師截姑孰口，陳野先水軍帥康茂才以數萬眾攻城。太祖遣徐達、鄧愈、湯和逆戰，別將潛出其後，夾擊之，擒野先，並降其眾，阿魯灰等引去。秋九月，郭天敘、張天祐攻集慶，野先叛，二人皆戰死，於是子興部將盡歸太祖矣。野先尋為民兵所殺，從子兆先收其眾，屯方山，與海牙掎角以窺太平。冬十二月壬子，釋納哈出北歸。

In the fourth month of summer Chang Yuchun came over to his side. In the fifth month Taizu planned to cross the Yangzi but had no boats. Just then the Chaohu leaders Liao Yong'an and Yu Tonghai came with a fleet of a thousand ships; Taizu was overjoyed and went to win over their men. But the Yuan vice censor-in-chief Manzi Haiya held Tongcheng Sluice, Machang River, and other choke points, so the Chaohu fleet could not break out. Suddenly a great rain fell; Taizu exclaimed, "Heaven is helping me!" and rode the flood through side channels back to safety with his boats. He then attacked Haiya at Yuxi mouth and routed him, and so settled on the plan to cross the Yangzi. The generals urged a direct march on Jiqing. Taizu said, "To take Jiqing we must begin at Caishi. Caishi is a major strongpoint and will be heavily defended, but Niuzhu lies open to the great river—they will be hard pressed to guard it, and we can surely take it." On yimao day in the sixth month he caught the wind, raised sail, and went straight to Niuzhu. Chang Yuchun led the assault and took it. The Caishi garrison also broke and fled. Every riverside fort along the bank submitted. Because Hezhou was starving, the generals quarreled over supplies and wanted to turn back. Taizu told Xu Da, "We were lucky to cross the river—if we abandon this ground and go back, everything east of the river will slip from our hands." He cut every mooring rope and let the boats drift down the swift current, telling his commanders, "Taiping is close—we will take it together." Riding the momentum of victory he took Taiping and captured the ten-thousand-household commander Naha'er. The supervisor Jin Yi drowned himself; Taizu said, "A man of honor," and buried him with full rites. He posted notices forbidding looting. When a soldier broke the rule he beheaded him as an example, and discipline in the army became iron. He converted the circuit administration into a prefecture. He established the Taiping Xingguo wing headquarters and took command himself; he summoned Tao An to his staff and appointed Li Xi prefect. Taiping was then surrounded on every side by Yuan forces. The right vice censor-in-chief Aruhui, the censor-in-chief Manzi Haiya, and others massed troops at the Gushu crossing; Chen Yexian's naval commander Kang Maocai besieged the city with tens of thousands of men. Taizu sent Xu Da, Deng Yu, and Tang He to meet them head-on while another column slipped behind them; attacking from both sides they captured Chen Yexian and won over his troops, and Aruhui and the others withdrew. In the ninth month of autumn Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou attacked Jiqing; Chen Yexian turned traitor and both died in battle; from then on all of Guo Zixing's former officers passed to Taizu. Chen Yexian was soon killed by local militia; his nephew Zhao Xian gathered the remnant forces and camped at Fang Mountain, joining Haiya to threaten Taiping from two sides. On renzi day in the twelfth month of winter he released Naha'er to return north.

十六年春二月丙子，大破海牙於採石。三月癸未，進攻集慶，擒兆先，降其眾三萬六千人，皆疑懼不自保。太祖擇驍健者五百人入衛，解甲酣寢達旦，眾心始安。庚寅，再敗元兵於蔣山。元御史大夫福壽，力戰死之，蠻子海牙遁歸張士誠，康茂才降。太祖入城，悉召官吏父老諭之曰：「元政氵賣擾，干戈蜂起，我來為民除亂耳，其各安堵如故。賢士吾禮用之，舊政不便者除之，吏毋貪暴殃吾民。」民乃大喜過望。改集慶路為應天府，辟夏煜、孫炎、楊憲等十余人，葬御史大夫福壽，以旌其忠。

On bingzi day in the second month of spring in the sixteenth year he routed Haiya at Caishi. On guiwei day in the third month he advanced on Jiqing, captured Zhao Xian, and absorbed his thirty-six thousand men, who were all fearful and uneasy. Taizu picked five hundred of the sturdiest men for his personal guard, laid aside his armor, and slept soundly until dawn; only then did their minds ease. On gengyin day he defeated the Yuan army again at Jiangshan. The Yuan censor-in-chief Fushou fought to the death; Manzi Haiya fled to Zhang Shicheng; Kang Maocai surrendered. Taizu entered the city and called in the officials and elders, telling them, "Yuan rule has collapsed into chaos and war swarms everywhere—I have come only to deliver the people from disorder. Go on living in peace as before. Men of talent I shall honor and employ; harmful old practices I shall abolish; and officials must not prey on the people with greed or violence." The people rejoiced beyond anything they had hoped for. He renamed the Jiqing circuit Yingtian Prefecture, recruited Xia Yu, Sun Yan, Yang Xian, and more than a dozen others, buried Censor-in-Chief Fushou, and honored his loyalty.

當是時，元將定定扼鎮江，別不華、楊仲英屯寧國，青衣軍張明鑒據揚州，八思爾不花駐徽州，石抹宜孫守處州，其弟厚孫守婺州，宋伯顏不花守衢州，而池州已為徐壽輝將所據，張士誠自淮東陷平江，轉掠浙西。太祖既定集慶，慮士誠、壽輝強，江左、浙右諸郡為所並，於是遣徐達攻鎮江，拔之，定定戰死。夏六月，鄧愈克廣德。

At that time Yuan generals held the land on every side: Dingding at Zhenjiang, Biebuhua and Yang Zhongying at Ningguo, Zhang Mingjian's Green-Clothes Army at Yangzhou, Basibuhua at Huizhou, Shimo Yisun at Chuzhou with his brother Housun at Wuzhou, Song Boyanbuhua at Quzhou, Chizhou already in the hands of Xu Shouhui's officer, and Zhang Shicheng, having overrun the Huai east, had seized Pingjiang and was raiding western Zhe. Once Jiqing was secure, Taizu worried that Shicheng and Shouhui were too strong and would swallow the Jiang-left and Zhe-right commanderies, so he sent Xu Da against Zhenjiang; the city fell and Dingding died in battle. In the sixth month of summer Deng Yu captured Guangde.

秋七月己卯，諸將奉太祖為吳國公。置江南行中書省，自總省事，置僚佐。貽書張士誠，士誠不報，引兵攻鎮江。徐達敗之，進圍常州，不下。九月戊寅，如鎮江，謁孔子廟。遣儒士告諭父老，勸農桑，尋還應天。

In the seventh month of autumn, on jimao day, his commanders proclaimed Taizu Duke of Wu. He established the Jiangnan Branch Secretariat, took charge of its affairs himself, and appointed a staff. He wrote to Zhang Shicheng, who made no reply and instead marched on Zhenjiang. Xu Da routed him and pressed the siege of Changzhou, which still held out. On wuyin day in the ninth month he went to Zhenjiang and paid his respects at the Temple of Confucius. He sent scholars to address the elders, urged farming and sericulture, and soon returned to Yingtian.

十七年春二月，耿炳文克長興。三月，徐達克常州。夏四月丁卯，自將攻寧國，取之，別不華降。五月，上元、寧國、句容獻瑞麥。六月，趙繼祖克江陰。秋七月，徐達克常熟。胡大海克徽州，八思爾不花遁。冬十月，常遇春克池州，繆大亨克揚州，張明鑒降。十二月己丑，釋囚。是年，徐壽輝將明玉珍據重慶路。

In the second month of spring in the seventeenth year Geng Bingwen captured Changxing. In the third month Xu Da took Changzhou. On dingmao day in the fourth month of summer he led the assault on Ningguo in person, took the city, and Biebuhua surrendered. In the fifth month Shangyuan, Ningguo, and Jurong presented wheat with double ears—a propitious sign. In the sixth month Zhao Jizu took Jiangyin. In the seventh month of autumn Xu Da took Changshu. Hu Dahai took Huizhou and Basibuhua fled. In the tenth month of winter Chang Yuchun took Chizhou; Miao Daheng took Yangzhou and Zhang Mingjian surrendered. On jichou day in the twelfth month he released prisoners. That year Xu Shouhui's general Ming Yuzhen held the Chongqing region.

十八年春二月乙亥，以康茂才為營田使。三月己酉，錄囚。鄧愈克建德路。夏四月，徐壽輝將陳友諒遣趙普勝陷池州。是月，友諒據龍興路。五月，劉福通破汴梁，迎韓林兒都之。初，福通遣將分道四齣，破山東，寇秦晉，掠幽薊，中原大亂，太祖故得次第略定江表。所過不殺，收召才雋，由是人心日附。冬十二月，胡大海攻婺州，久不下，太祖自將往擊之。石抹宜孫遣將率車師由松溪來援，太祖曰：「道狹，車戰適取敗耳。」命胡德濟迎戰於梅花門，大破之，婺州降，執厚孫。先一日，城中人望見城西五色雲如車蓋，以為異，及是乃知為太祖駐兵地。入城，發粟振貧民，改州為寧越府。辟范祖干、葉儀、許元等十三人分直講經史。戊子，遣使招諭方國珍。

On yihai day in the second month of spring in the eighteenth year he appointed Kang Maocai commissioner of military colonies. On jiyou day in the third month he reviewed criminal cases. Deng Yu took Jiande. In the fourth month of summer Chen Youliang, a general of Xu Shouhui, sent Zhao Pusheng to seize Chizhou. That same month Youliang took Longxing. In the fifth month Liu Futong captured Bianliang and moved Han Lin'er's court there. Earlier Liu Futong had sent armies in four directions, overrun Shandong, raided Qin and Jin, and plundered You and Ji until the central plain was in chaos—giving Taizu the opening to secure the Yangzi lands one by one. Wherever he marched he forbade slaughter and gathered men of talent, and day by day more hearts turned to him. In the twelfth month of winter Hu Dahai besieged Wuzhou without success, and Taizu marched to take command in person. Shimo Yisun sent a relief column with war chariots from Songxi; Taizu said, "The road is narrow—chariots are a recipe for defeat." He ordered Hu Deji to meet them at Meihua Gate, routed them completely, took Wuzhou, and captured Housun. The day before, the townspeople had seen five-colored clouds like a carriage canopy west of the city and marveled; only now did they learn it marked the place where Taizu had camped. He entered the city, opened the granaries to feed the poor, and renamed the prefecture Ningyue. He recruited Fan Zugan, Ye Yi, Xu Yuan, and thirteen others to lecture on the classics and histories in shifts. On wuzi day he sent envoys to summon Fang Guozhen to allegiance.

十九年春正月乙巳，太祖謀取浙東未下諸路。戒諸將曰：「克城以武，戡亂以仁。吾比入集慶，秋毫無犯，故一舉而定。每聞諸將得一城不妄殺，輒喜不自勝。夫師行如火，不戢將燎原。為將能以不殺為武，豈惟國家之利，子孫實受其福。」庚申，胡大海克諸暨。是月，命寧越知府王宗顯立郡學。三月甲午，赦大逆以下。丁巳，方國珍以溫、台、慶元來獻，遣其子關為質，不受。夏四月，俞通海等復池州。時耿炳文守長興，吳良守江陰，湯和守常州，皆數敗士誠兵。太祖以故久留寧越，徇浙東。六月壬戌，還應天。秋八月，元察罕帖木兒復汴梁，福通以林兒退保安豐。九月，常遇春克衢州，擒宋伯顏不花。冬十月，遣夏煜授方國珍行省平章，國珍以疾辭。十一月壬寅，胡大海克處州，石抹宜孫遁。時元守兵單弱，且聞中原亂，人心離散，以故江左、浙右諸郡，兵至皆下，遂西與友諒鄰。

On yisi day in the first month of spring in the nineteenth year Taizu planned the conquest of the remaining routes in eastern Zhe. He warned his commanders, "Take cities by force, but pacify disorder with humanity. When I entered Jiqing I did not harm so much as a hair, and the city fell in a single stroke. Whenever I hear that a commander has taken a city without slaughter, I cannot contain my joy. An army on the march is like fire unchecked—it will burn the plain. A commander who makes restraint his weapon serves not only the state—his descendants will reap the blessing." On gengshen day Hu Dahai took Zhuji. That month he ordered Wang Zongxian, prefect of Ningyue, to establish a prefectural school. On jiawu day in the third month he granted amnesty short of great treason. On dingsi day Fang Guozhen offered Wen, Tai, and Qingyuan and sent his son Guan as a hostage; Taizu refused the hostage. In the fourth month of summer Yu Tonghai and others recovered Chizhou. Geng Bingwen held Changxing, Wu Liang Jiangyin, and Tang He Changzhou—each had beaten Shicheng's armies again and again. Taizu therefore lingered at Ningyue while he secured eastern Zhe. On renxu day in the sixth month he returned to Yingtian. In the eighth month of autumn the Yuan general Chaghan Temür retook Bianliang and Liu Futong withdrew Han Lin'er to Bo'anfeng. In the ninth month Chang Yuchun took Quzhou and captured Song Boyanbuhua. In the tenth month of winter he sent Xia Yu to offer Fang Guozhen the post of branch secretariat pacification commissioner; Guozhen pleaded illness and declined. On renyin day in the eleventh month Hu Dahai took Chuzhou and Shimo Yisun fled. Yuan garrisons were thin and news of chaos in the north had broken their morale, so commandery after commandery in Jiang-left and Zhe-right fell as his armies approached, until he shared a western border with Youliang.

二十年春二月，元福建行省參政袁天祿以福寧降。三月戊子，征劉基、宋濂、章溢、葉琛至。夏五月，徐達、常遇春敗陳友諒於池州。閏月丙辰，友諒陷太平，守將硃文遜，院判花雲、王鼎，知府許瑗死之。未幾，友諒弒其主徐壽輝，自稱皇帝，國號漢，盡有江西、湖廣地，約士誠合攻應天，應天大震。諸將議先復太平以牽之，太祖曰：「不可。彼居上游，舟師十倍於我，猝難復也。」或請自將迎擊，太祖曰：「不可。彼以偏師綴我，而全軍趨金陵，順流半日可達，吾步騎急難引還，百里趨戰，兵法所忌，非策也。」乃馳諭胡大海搗信州牽其後，而令康茂才以書紿友諒，令速來。友諒果引兵東。於是常遇春伏石灰山，徐達陣南門外，楊璟屯大勝港，張德勝等以舟師出龍江關，太祖親督軍盧龍山。乙丑，友諒至龍灣，眾欲戰，太祖曰：「天且雨，趣食，乘雨擊之。」須臾，果大雨，士卒競奮，雨止合戰，水陸夾擊，大破之，友諒乘別舸走。遂復太平，下安慶，而大海亦克信州。初，太祖令茂才紿友諒，李善長以為疑。太祖曰：「二寇合，吾首尾受敵，惟速其來而先破之，則士誠膽落矣。」已而士誠兵竟不出。丁卯，置儒學提舉司，以宋濂為提舉，遣子標受經學。六月，耿再成敗石抹宜孫於慶元，宜孫戰死，遣使祭之。秋九月，徐壽輝舊將歐普祥以袁州降。冬十二月，復遣夏煜以書諭國珍。

In the second month of spring in the twentieth year Yuan Tianlu, associate administrator of the Fujian Branch Secretariat, surrendered Funing. On wuzi day in the third month he summoned Liu Ji, Song Lian, Zhang Yi, and Ye Chen to court. In the fifth month of summer Xu Da and Chang Yuchun defeated Chen Youliang at Chizhou. On bingchen day in the intercalary month Youliang seized Taiping; the defender Zhu Wensun, Vice Commissioners Hua Yun and Wang Ding, and Prefect Xu Yuan were killed. Soon after, Youliang murdered his master Xu Shouhui, declared himself emperor of Han, held all Jiangxi and Huguang, and joined Zhang Shicheng in a planned assault on Yingtian—the capital was thrown into alarm. His commanders urged recapturing Taiping first to pin Youliang down; Taizu said, "No. He holds the upper river; his fleet outnumbers ours ten to one—we cannot retake Taiping in a rush." Some urged him to lead the army out to meet them; Taizu said, "No. He would tie us down with a diversion while his main fleet raced for Jinling—half a day's sail downstream. Our foot and horse could not turn back in time; to fight a hundred li from home is what doctrine forbids." He galloped orders to Hu Dahai to raid Xinzhou and threaten Youliang's rear, and had Kang Maocai lure him east with a forged letter. Youliang took the bait and marched east. Chang Yuchun hid at Lime Mountain, Xu Da formed line at the south gate, Yang Jing held Dasheng Harbor, Zhang Desheng and others took the fleet out through Longjiang Pass, and Taizu commanded in person from Lulong Mountain. On yichou day Youliang reached Longwan; his men wanted to fight at once; Taizu said, "Rain is coming—eat first, then strike in the storm." Rain burst upon them; the troops fought all the harder; when it cleared they closed on land and water together, shattered the Han fleet, and Youliang fled in a small boat. He recovered Taiping, took Anqing, and Hu Dahai seized Xinzhou as well. Earlier Taizu had ordered Maocai's ruse; Li Shanchang had doubted it. Taizu said, "With both enemies allied we would be caught between them—only by drawing Youliang in and breaking him first will Shicheng lose heart." In the end Zhang Shicheng's troops never marched. On dingmao day he established the Confucian Learning Promotion Office under Song Lian and set his son Biao to the classics. In the sixth month Geng Zaocheng defeated Shimo Yisun at Qingyuan; Yisun fell in battle and Taizu sent envoys to sacrifice to him. In the ninth month of autumn Ou Pu Xiang, a former officer of Xu Shouhui, surrendered Yuanzhou. In the twelfth month of winter he again sent Xia Yu with a letter summoning Guozhen.

二十一年春二月甲申，立鹽茶課。己亥，置寶源局。三月丁丑，改樞密院為大都督府。元將薛顯以泗州降。戊寅，國珍遣使來謝，飾金玉馬鞍以獻。卻之曰：「今有事四方，所需者人材，所用者粟帛，寶玩非所好也。」秋七月，友諒將張定邊陷安慶。八月，遣使於元平章察罕帖木兒。時察罕平山東，降田豐，軍聲大振，故太祖與通好。會察罕方攻益都未下，太祖乃自將舟師征陳友諒。戊戌，克安慶，友諒將丁普郎、傅友德迎降。壬寅，次湖口，追敗友諒於江州，克其城，友諒奔武昌。分徇南康、建昌、饒、蘄、黃、廣濟，皆下。冬十一月己未，克撫州。

On jiashen day in the second month of spring in the twenty-first year he instituted taxes on salt and tea. On jihai day he established the Bureau of the Precious Source. On dingchou day in the third month he reorganized the Bureau of Military Affairs as the Chief Military Commission. The Yuan general Xue Xian surrendered Sizhou. On wuyin day Guozhen sent envoys with thanks and offered a saddle mounted in gold and jade. He refused, saying, "With the realm still unsettled I need men of talent and stores of grain and cloth—gems and curios are not to my taste." In the seventh month of autumn Youliang's general Zhang Dingbian seized Anqing. In the eighth month he sent envoys to the Yuan associate administrator Chaghan Temür. Chaghan had just pacified Shandong and won over Tian Feng, and his fame shook the north, so Taizu opened friendly relations with him. While Chaghan was still besieging Yidu, Taizu led the fleet in person against Chen Youliang. On wuxu day he took Anqing; Youliang's generals Ding Pulang and Fu Youde came out to surrender. On renyin day he halted at Hukou, pursued Youliang to Jiangzhou, routed him, and took the city; Youliang fled to Wuchang. Detached columns then secured Nankang, Jianchang, Rao, Qi, Huang, and Guangji, all of which submitted. On jiwei day in the eleventh month of winter he took Fuzhou.

二十二年春正月，友諒江西行省丞相胡廷瑞以龍興降。乙卯，如龍興，改為洪都府。謁孔子廟。告諭父老，除陳氏苛政，罷諸軍需，存恤貧無告者，民大悅。袁、瑞、臨江、吉安相繼下。二月，還應天。鄧愈留守洪都。癸未，降人蔣英殺金華守將胡大海，郎中王愷死之，英叛降張士誠。處州降人李祐之聞變，亦殺行樞密院判耿再成反，都事孫炎、知府王道同、元帥硃文剛死之。三月癸亥，降人祝宗、康泰反，陷洪都，鄧愈走應天，知府葉琛、都事萬思誠死之。是月，明玉珍稱帝於重慶，國號夏。夏四月己卯，邵榮復處州。甲午，徐達復洪都。五月丙午，硃文正、趙德勝、鄧愈鎮洪都。六月戊寅，察罕以書來報，留我使人不遣。察罕尋為田豐所殺。秋七月丙辰，平章邵榮、參政趙繼祖謀逆，伏誅。冬十二月，元遣尚書張昶航海至慶元，授太祖江西行省平章政事，不受。察罕子擴廓帖木兒致書歸使者。

In the first month of spring in the twenty-second year Hu Tingrui, Youliang's Jiangxi branch secretariat chancellor, surrendered Longxing. On yimao day he went to Longxing and renamed it Hongdu Prefecture. He paid his respects at the Temple of Confucius. He addressed the elders, lifted the Chen regime's harsh exactions, ended military levies, and relieved the destitute who had nowhere to turn; the people were overjoyed. Yuanzhou, Ruizhou, Linjiang, and Ji'an surrendered one after another. In the second month he returned to Yingtian. Deng Yu was left to hold Hongdu. On guiwei day the defector Jiang Ying murdered Hu Dahai, the Jinhua garrison commander; the secretary Wang Kai perished with him; and Ying went over to Zhang Shicheng. Li Youzhi, another Chuzhou defector, heard the news and likewise killed Geng Zaicheng, the acting military affairs judge, and rose in revolt; the administrative officer Sun Yan, Prefect Wang Daotong, and Marshal Zhu Wengang were slain. On guihai day in the third month the defectors Zhu Zong and Kang Tai rebelled and seized Hongdu; Deng Yu fled to Yingtian; Prefect Ye Chen and Administrative Officer Wan Sicheng were killed. That same month Ming Yuzhen declared himself emperor at Chongqing, taking Xia as his dynastic name. On jimao day in the fourth month of summer Shao Rong recaptured Chuzhou. On jiawu day Xu Da recovered Hongdu. On bingwu day in the fifth month Zhu Wenzhang, Zhao Desheng, and Deng Yu took up the defense of Hongdu. On wuyin day in the sixth month Chaghan replied by letter yet held our envoys and refused to release them. Before long Chaghan was killed by Tian Feng. On bingchen day in the seventh month of autumn Pingzhang Shao Rong and Participating Administrator Zhao Jizu plotted treason and were put to death. In the twelfth month of winter the Yuan dispatched Minister Zhang Chang by sea to Qingyuan to offer Taizu the post of Jiangxi Branch Secretariat pingzhang; he declined. Chaghan's son Köke Temür wrote in reply and sent the envoys home.

二十三年春正月丙寅，遣汪河報之。二月壬申，命將士屯田積谷。是月，友諒將張定邊陷饒州。士誠將呂珍破安豐，殺劉福通。三月辛丑，太祖自將救安豐，珍敗走，以韓林兒歸滁州，乃還應天。夏四月壬戌，友諒大舉兵圍洪都。乙丑，諸全守將謝再興叛，附於士誠。五月，築禮賢館。友諒分兵陷吉安，參政劉齊、知府硃叔華死之。陷臨江，同知趙天麟死之。陷無為州，知州董會死之。秋七月癸酉，太祖自將救洪都。癸未，次湖口，先伏兵涇江口及南湖觜，遏友諒歸路，檄信州兵守武陽渡。友諒聞太祖至，解圍，逆戰於鄱陽湖。友諒兵號六十萬，聯巨舟為陣，樓櫓高十余丈，綿亙數十里，旌旗戈盾，望之如山。丁亥，遇於康郎山，太祖分軍十一隊以御之。戊子，合戰，徐達擊其前鋒，俞通海以火砲焚其舟數十，殺傷略相當。友諒驍將張定邊直犯太祖舟，舟膠於沙，不得退，危甚，常遇春從旁射中定邊，通海復來援，舟驟進，水涌太祖舟，乃得脫。己丑，友諒悉巨艦出戰，諸將舟小，仰攻不利，有怖色。太祖親麾之，不前，斬退縮者十余人，人皆殊死戰。會日晡，大風起東北，乃命敢死士操七舟，實火藥蘆葦中，縱火焚友諒舟。風烈火熾，煙焰漲天，湖水盡赤。友諒兵大亂，諸將鼓噪乘之，斬首二千余級，焚溺死者無算，友諒氣奪。辛卯，復戰，友諒復大敗。於是斂舟自守，不敢更戰。壬辰，太祖移軍扼左蠡，友諒亦退保渚磯。相持三日，其左、右二金吾將軍皆降。友諒勢益蹙，忿甚，盡殺所獲將士。而太祖則悉還所俘，傷者傅以善藥，且祭其親戚諸將陣亡者。八月壬戌，友諒食盡，趨南湖觜，為南湖軍所遏，遂突湖口。太祖邀之，順流搏戰，及於涇江。涇江軍復遮擊之，友諒中流矢死。張定邊以其子理奔武昌。九月，還應天，論功行賞。先是，太祖救安豐，劉基諫不聽。至是謂基曰：「我不當有安豐之行。使友諒乘虛直搗應天，大事去矣。乃頓兵南昌，不亡何待。友諒亡，天下不難定也。」壬午，自將征陳理。是月，張士誠自稱吳王。冬十月壬寅，圍武昌，分徇湖北諸路，皆下。十二月丙申，還應天，常遇春留督諸軍。

In the first month of spring in the twenty-third year, on bingyin day, he dispatched Wang He to answer the letter. On renshen day in the second month he ordered his troops to open military colonies and build up grain reserves. That month Youliang's general Zhang Dingbian seized Raozhou. Shicheng's general Lü Zhen overran Anfeng and killed Liu Futong. On xinchou day in the third month Taizu marched in person to relieve Anfeng; Lü Zhen was routed and fled; he escorted Han Lin'er back to Chuzhou and then returned to Yingtian. On renxu day in the fourth month of summer Youliang mobilized a large force and laid siege to Hongdu. On yichou day the Zhuji commander Xie Zaixing defected to Shicheng. In the fifth month he erected the Hall of Honoring the Worthy. Youliang detached columns that captured Ji'an; Participating Administrator Liu Qi and Prefect Zhu Shuhua were killed. Linjiang fell; Vice-Prefect Zhao Tianlin was slain. Wuwei Prefecture was lost; Prefect Dong Hui was killed. On guiyou day in the seventh month of autumn Taizu set out in person to relieve Hongdu. On guiwei day he encamped at Hukou, planted ambushes at the Jing River mouth and Nanhu Promontory to cut off Youliang's retreat, and summoned the Xizhou troops to guard Wuyang Ford. When Youliang learned that Taizu had come, he raised the siege and gave battle on Poyang Lake. Youliang's host was claimed at six hundred thousand men; he chained vast warships into a floating fortress, with fighting towers more than ten zhang tall spanning tens of li—banners, spears, and shields heaped like hills on the water. On dinghai day the two fleets met off Kanglang Mountain, and Taizu arrayed his force in eleven columns to meet them. On wuzi day the fleets closed; Xu Da smashed the vanguard while Yu Tonghai's fire lances set several dozen enemy ships ablaze; casualties on both sides were about even. Youliang's fierce general Zhang Dingbian bore straight down on Taizu's vessel, which grounded on a shoal and could not back away; the peril was acute until Chang Yuchun winged him with an arrow and Yu Tonghai fought his way back in—the boat lurched free as a swell lifted it, and Taizu at last broke clear. On jichou day Youliang committed his entire tower-fleet; Taizu's captains, in smaller craft forced to attack upward, lost heart. Taizu himself drove them forward, yet they hung back; he executed more than ten who flinched, and thereafter all fought as if they had nothing left to lose. As dusk fell a gale sprang up from the northeast; he sent seven fire-ships manned by volunteers, their holds stuffed with gunpowder and reeds, straight into Youliang's line. Wind and flame together roared; smoke blotted out the sky and the lake ran red. Youliang's host collapsed in chaos; Taizu's generals stormed in with drums and war cries, taking more than two thousand heads while the burned and drowned were beyond reckoning; Youliang's will was shattered. On xinmao day battle was joined once more and Youliang suffered another crushing defeat. He then drew his fleet into a defensive cluster and would not offer battle again. On renchen day Taizu shifted his force to seal Zuoli, while Youliang fell back to fortify Zhuji Promontory. The two sides glared at each other across the water for three days until both of Youliang's jinwu generals, left and right, came over. Youliang's plight tightened by the hour; in a fury he put every captive officer and soldier to the sword. Taizu, for his part, sent every prisoner home, tended the wounded with fine medicines, and sacrificed for his kin and for the generals who had fallen in the fighting. On renxu day in the eighth month, with provisions gone, Youliang made for Nanhu Promontory, was checked by the troops posted there, and then tried to burst through at Hukou. Taizu intercepted him and fought down the current until the battle reached the Jing River. The force at the Jing River barred his path and struck again; Youliang took a stray arrow and died. Zhang Dingbian escaped to Wuchang with Youliang's son Chen Li. In the ninth month he returned to Yingtian and dispensed rewards according to merit. Earlier, when Taizu marched to relieve Anfeng, Liu Ji had warned against it, but he would not heed him. Now he told Ji, "I should never have gone to Anfeng. Had Youliang exploited the opening to drive straight at Yingtian, the great enterprise would have been lost. Instead he massed his troops at Nanchang—how could he not have been destroyed? With Youliang gone, pacifying the realm will not be hard." On renwu day he took the field in person against Chen Li. That month Zhang Shicheng declared himself King of Wu. On renyin day in the tenth month of winter he invested Wuchang while detached forces swept the Hubei circuits, all of which fell. On bingshen day in the twelfth month he returned to Yingtian, leaving Chang Yuchun to direct the siege forces.

二十四年春正月丙寅朔，李善長等率群臣勸進，不允。固請，乃即吳王位。建百官。以善長為右相國，徐達為左相國，常遇春、俞通海為平章政事，諭之曰：「立國之初，當先正紀綱。元氏暗弱，威福下移，馴至於亂，今宜鑒之。」立子標為世子。二月乙未，復自將征武昌，陳理降，漢、沔、荊、岳皆下。三月乙丑，還應天。丁卯，置起居注。庚午，罷諸翼元帥府，置十七衛親軍指揮使司，命中書省辟文武人材。夏四月，建祠，祀死事丁普郎等於康郎山，趙德勝等於南昌。秋七月丁丑，徐達克盧州。戊寅，常遇春徇江西。八月戊戌，復吉安，遂圍贛州。達徇荊、湘諸路。九月甲申，下江陵，夷陵、潭、歸皆降。冬十二月庚寅，達克辰州，遣別將下衡州。

On the new moon, bingyin day, in the first month of spring in the twenty-fourth year, Li Shanchang and the other ministers urged him to take the imperial title; he refused. When they pressed him again, he accepted the title King of Wu. He established a full civil and military administration. He named Shanchang right chancellor, Xu Da left chancellor, and Chang Yuchun and Yu Tonghai pingzhang, telling them, "In founding a state one must first set discipline and law in order. The Yuan grew dim and feeble until power slipped to the base and disorder followed in train; take that as a warning." He named his son Biao heir apparent. On yiwei day in the second month he marched on Wuchang in person again; Chen Li surrendered, and Han, Mian, Jing, and Yue all submitted. On yichou day in the third month he returned to Yingtian. On dingmao day he instituted the office of court diarist. On gengwu day he abolished the wing marshal headquarters, created seventeen personal-army guard commands, and ordered the Secretariat to recruit men of civil and military talent. In the fourth month of summer he raised shrines to the fallen—Ding Pulang and his comrades at Kanglang Mountain, Zhao Desheng and his at Nanchang. On dingchou day in the seventh month of autumn Xu Da captured Luzhou. On wuyin day Chang Yuchun swept Jiangxi. On wuxu day in the eighth month he recovered Ji'an and then invested Ganzhou. Xu Da campaigned through the Jing and Xiang circuits. On jiashen day in the ninth month he took Jiangling; Yiling, Tan, and Gui all came over. On gengyin day in the twelfth month of winter Xu Da seized Chenzhou and detached a column to take Hengzhou.

二十五年春正月己巳，徐達下寶慶，湖湘平。常遇春克贛州，熊天瑞降。遂趨南安，招諭嶺南諸路，下韶州、南雄。甲申，如南昌，執大都督硃文正以歸，數其罪，安置桐城。二月己丑，福建行省平章陳友定侵處州，參軍胡深擊敗之，遂下浦城。丙午，士誠將李伯升攻諸全之新城，李文忠大敗之。夏四月庚寅，常遇春徇襄、漢諸路。五月乙亥，克安陸。己卯，下襄陽。六月壬子，硃亮祖、胡深攻建寧，戰於城下，深被執，死之。秋七月，令從渡江士卒被創廢疾者養之，死者贍其妻子。九月丙辰，建國子學。冬十月戊戌，下令討張士誠。是時，士誠所據，南至紹興，北有通、泰、高郵、淮安、濠、泗，又北至於濟寧。乃命徐達、常遇春等先規取淮東。閏月，圍泰州，克之。十一月，張士誠寇宜興，徐達擊敗之，遂自宜興還攻高郵。

On jisi day in the first month of spring in the twenty-fifth year Xu Da took Baojing, and Hunan and the Xiang basin were pacified. Chang Yuchun captured Ganzhou and Xiong Tianrui surrendered. He then drove toward Nan'an, won over the Lingnan circuits by proclamation, and took Shaozhou and Nanxiong. On jiashen day he went to Nanchang, arrested Grand Commander Zhu Wenzhang, brought him home, arraigned him for his offenses, and confined him at Tongcheng. On jichou day in the second month Chen Youding, pingzhang of the Fujian Branch Secretariat, attacked Chuzhou; Staff Officer Hu Shen routed him and then captured Pucheng. On bingwu day Shicheng's general Li Bosheng assaulted Zhuji's new fortress; Li Wenzhong crushed him. On gengyin day in the fourth month of summer Chang Yuchun campaigned through the Xiang and Han circuits. On yihai day in the fifth month he captured Anlu. On jimao day he took Xiangyang. On renzi day in the sixth month Zhu Liangzu and Hu Shen assaulted Jianning and battled beneath the walls; Hu Shen was taken and killed. In the seventh month of autumn he decreed pensions for the men who had crossed the Yangzi and been wounded or crippled, and support for the families of the dead. On bingchen day in the ninth month he founded the National University. On wuxu day in the tenth month of winter he ordered a campaign against Zhang Shicheng. At that time Shicheng's domain stretched south to Shaoxing and north through Tongzhou, Taizhou, Gaoyou, Huai'an, Hao, and Si to Jining. He then ordered Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and the rest to secure Huai east first. In the intercalary month he invested Taizhou and captured it. In the eleventh month Zhang Shicheng struck at Yixing; Xu Da beat him off and, swinging from Yixing, laid siege to Gaoyou.

二十六年春正月癸未，士誠窺江陰，太祖自將救之，士誠遁，康茂才追敗之於浮子門。太祖還應天。二月，明玉珍死，子升自立。三月丙申，令中書嚴選舉。徐達克高郵。夏四月乙卯，襲破士誠將徐義水軍於淮安，義遁，梅思祖以城降。濠、徐、宿三州相繼下，淮東平。甲子，如濠州省墓，置守冢二十家，賜故人汪文、劉英粟帛。置酒召父老飲，極歡，曰：「吾去鄉十有余年，艱難百戰，乃得歸省墳墓，與父老子弟復相見。今苦不得久留歡聚為樂。父老幸教子弟孝弟力田，毋遠賈，濱淮郡縣尚苦寇掠，父老善自愛。」令有司除租賦，皆頓首謝。辛未，徐達克安豐，分兵敗擴廓於徐州。夏五月壬午，至自濠。庚寅，求遺書。秋八月庚戌，改築應天城，作新宮鐘山之陽。辛亥，命徐達為大將軍，常遇春為副將軍，帥師二十萬討張士誠。御戟門誓師曰：「城下之日，毋殺掠，毋毀廬舍，毋發丘壟。士誠母葬平江城外，毋侵毀。」既而召問達、遇春，用兵當何先。遇春欲直搗平江。太祖曰：「湖州張天騏、杭州潘原明為士誠臂指，平江窮蹙，兩人悉力赴援，難以取勝。不若先攻湖州，使疲於奔命。羽翼既披，平江勢孤，立破矣。」甲戌，敗張天騏於湖州，士誠親率兵來援，覆敗之於皁林。九月乙未，李文忠攻杭州。冬十月壬子，遇春敗士誠兵於烏鎮。十一月甲申，張天騏降。辛卯，李文忠下余杭，潘原明降，旁郡悉下。癸卯，圍平江。十二月，韓林兒卒。以明年為吳元年，建廟社宮室，祭告山川。所司進宮殿圖，命去雕琢奇麗者。是歲，元擴廓帖木兒與李思齊、張良弼構怨，屢相攻擊，朝命不行，中原民益困。

On guimao day in the first month of spring in the twenty-sixth year Shicheng tested Jiangyin; Taizu marched to its relief in person; Shicheng withdrew; and Kang Maocai ran him down and routed him at Fuzi Gate. Taizu returned to Yingtian. In the second month Ming Yuzhen died, and his son Sheng took power. On bingshen day in the third month he ordered the Secretariat to tighten standards for official recruitment. Xu Da captured Gaoyou. On yimao day in the fourth month of summer he surprised and shattered Xu Yi's fleet at Huai'an; Xu Yi fled and Mei Sizu surrendered the city. Hao, Xu, and Su prefectures fell one after another, and Huai east was pacified. On jiazi day he went to Haozhou to tend the family graves, posted twenty households to keep them, and gave grain and cloth to old friends Wang Wen and Liu Ying. He set out wine and called the village elders to drink with him in high spirits, saying, "I left home more than ten years ago and fought a hundred bitter battles before I could come back to tend the graves and stand among you elders and your sons and brothers again. Now I grieve that I cannot stay long enough to enjoy this reunion. Teach your sons and younger brothers filial piety, brotherly duty, and hard work in the fields—do not wander far to trade. The counties along the Huai still suffer raids; look after yourselves well." He ordered the local offices to waive rent and taxes, and the elders all bowed their heads in thanks. On xinwei day Xu Da captured Anfeng and detached a column that routed Köke Temür at Xuzhou. In the fifth month of summer, on renwu day, he returned from Haozhou. On gengyin day he ordered a search for lost books. In the eighth month of autumn, on gengxu day, he rebuilt the walls of Yingtian and began a new palace on the southern face of Bell Mountain. On xinhai day he named Xu Da grand general and Chang Yuchun vice grand general and gave them two hundred thousand men to campaign against Zhang Shicheng. At the Ceremonial Halberd Gate he swore in the army, saying, "When the city falls: no killing, no looting, no wrecking homes, no opening tombs. Shicheng's mother lies buried outside Pingjiang—do not touch her mound." He then called in Xu Da and Chang Yuchun and asked where the army should strike first. Yuchun wanted to march straight on Pingjiang. Taizu said, "Zhang Tianqi at Huzhou and Pan Yuanming at Hangzhou are Shicheng's arms and eyes. Pingjiang is desperate; both will rush to its aid with everything they have, and victory will be hard. Better to take Huzhou first and wear them down running to and fro. Clip his wings and Pingjiang will stand alone—then it will fall in a stroke." On jiaxu day he defeated Zhang Tianqi at Huzhou; Shicheng led the relief army in person and was routed again at Zaolin. On yichou day in the ninth month Li Wenzhong attacked Hangzhou. On renzi day in the tenth month of winter Yuchun defeated Shicheng's army at Wuzhen. On jiashen day in the eleventh month Zhang Tianqi surrendered. On xinmao day Li Wenzhong took Yuhang; Pan Yuanming surrendered and the neighboring prefectures fell one after another. On guimao day he laid siege to Pingjiang. In the twelfth month Han Lin'er died. The following year was proclaimed the inaugural year of Wu; state temples, altars, and palaces were raised, and offerings were announced to the rivers and mountains. The responsible offices submitted palace designs; he ordered away carving, ornament, and exotic luxury. That year the Yuan general Köke Temür fell out with Li Siqi and Zhang Liangbi; they attacked one another again and again, imperial orders no longer ran, and the people of the central plain grew still poorer.

二十七年春正月戊戌，諭中書省曰：「東南久罹兵革，民生凋敝，吾甚憫之。且太平、應天諸郡，吾渡江開創地，供億煩勞久矣。今比戶空虛，有司急催科，重困吾民，將何以堪。其賜太平田租二年，應天、鎮江、寧國、廣德各一年。」二月丁未，傅友德敗擴廓將李二於徐州，執之。三月丁丑，始設文武科取士。夏四月，方國珍陰遣人通擴廓及陳友定，移書責之。五月己亥，初置翰林院。是月，以旱減膳素食，復徐、宿、濠、泗、壽、邳、東海、安東、襄陽、安陸及新附地田租三年。六月戊辰，大雨，群臣請復膳。太祖曰：「雖雨，傷禾已多，其賜民今年田租。」癸酉，命朝賀罷女樂。秋七月丙子，給府州縣官之任費，賜綺帛，及其父母妻長子有差，著為令。己丑，雷震宮門獸吻，赦罪囚。庚寅，遣使責方國珍貢糧。八月癸丑，圜丘、方丘、社稷壇成。九月甲戌，太廟成。硃亮祖帥師討國珍。戊寅，詔曰：「先王之政，罪不及孥。自今除大逆不道，毋連坐。」辛巳，徐達克平江，執士誠，吳地平。戊戌，遣使致書於元主，送其宗室神保大王等北還。辛丑，論平吳功，封李善長宣國公，徐達信國公，常遇春鄂國公，將士賜賚有差。硃亮祖克台州。癸卯，新宮成。

In the first month of spring in the twenty-seventh year, on wuxu day, he told the Secretariat, "The southeast has long known war; the people's livelihood is in ruins, and I pity them deeply. Taiping, Yingtian, and the other commanderies are the lands I won when I crossed the Yangzi; they have borne the army's supplies for years. Household after household stands empty, yet the offices press for taxes as if in haste and crush my people again—how can they endure it? Remit Taiping's field rent for two years, and that of Yingtian, Zhenjiang, Ningguo, and Guangde one year each." On dingwei day in the second month Fu Youde defeated Köke Temür's general Li Er at Xuzhou and took him prisoner. On dingchou day in the third month civil and military examinations for selecting officials were instituted for the first time. In the fourth month of summer Fang Guozhen secretly sent men to open contact with Köke Temür and Chen Youding; Taizu wrote him a stern letter of rebuke. On jihai day in the fifth month the Hanlin Academy was established for the first time. That month, because of drought he cut his meals and ate plain food; he also remitted field rent for three years in Xuzhou, Suzhou, Haozhou, Sizhou, Shou, Pi, East Sea, Andong, Xiangyang, Anlu, and the newly submitted regions. On Wuchen day in the sixth month heavy rain fell; the ministers asked that he restore his usual fare. Taizu said, "Even with rain, much grain is already lost—remit this year's field rent for the people." On guiyou day he ordered female musicians removed from court ceremonies. In the seventh month of autumn, on bingzi day, he granted traveling expenses to officials taking up posts in prefectures, departments, and counties, with graded gifts of silk and brocade for their parents, wives, and eldest sons, and made this a standing regulation. On jichou day lightning struck the beast finials on the palace gate; prisoners were pardoned. On gengyin day he sent envoys to demand grain tribute from Fang Guozhen. On guichou day in the eighth month the Round Mound, Square Mound, and Altars of Soil and Grain were completed. On jiaxu day in the ninth month the Imperial Ancestral Temple was completed. Zhu Liangzu led an army against Guozhen. On wuyin day an edict declared, "Under the ancient kings, guilt did not reach a man's wife and children. Henceforth, except for great treason and unrighteous conduct, there shall be no guilt by association." On xinsi day Xu Da took Pingjiang, captured Shicheng, and Wu territory was pacified. On wuxu day he sent envoys with a letter to the Yuan emperor and sent the Yuan imperial clansmen north, including Prince Shenbao. On xinchou day he reviewed merit in pacifying Wu: Li Shanchang was made Duke of Xuan, Xu Da Duke of Xin, Chang Yuchun Duke of E, and officers and soldiers received graded rewards. Zhu Liangzu captured Taizhou. On guimao day the new palace was completed.

冬十月甲辰，遣起居注吳琳、魏觀以幣求遺賢於四方。丙午，令百官禮儀尚左。改李善長左相國，徐達右相國。辛亥，祀元臣余闕於安慶，李黼於江州。壬子，置御史台。癸丑，湯和為征南將軍，吳禎副之，討國珍。甲寅，定律令。戊午，正郊社、太廟雅樂。

On jiachen day in the tenth month of winter he sent imperial diarists Wu Lin and Wei Guan with gifts to seek worthy men in every quarter. On bingwu day he ordered that official ceremony honor the left. Li Shanchang was made left chief councillor and Xu Da right chief councillor. On xinhai day he offered sacrifice to the Yuan loyalists Yu Que at Anqing and Li Fu at Jiangzhou. On renzi day the Censorate was established. On guichou day Tang He was made grand general for the southern expedition and Wu Zhen his deputy, to campaign against Guozhen. On jiayin day laws and ordinances were promulgated. On wuwu day the ceremonial music of the suburban altars and Imperial Temple was set right.

庚申，召諸將議北征。太祖曰：「山東則王宣反側，河南則擴廓跋扈，關隴則李思齊、張思道梟張猜忌，元祚將亡，中原塗炭。今將北伐，拯生民於水火，何以決勝？」遇春對曰：「以我百戰之師，敵彼久逸之卒，直搗元都，破竹之勢也。」太祖曰：「元建國百年，守備必固，懸軍深入，饋餉不前，援兵四集，危道也。吾欲先取山東，撤彼屏蔽，移兵兩河，破其籓籬，拔潼關而守之，扼其戶檻。天下形勝入我掌握，然後進兵，元都勢孤援絕，不戰自克。鼓行而西，雲中、九原、關隴可席捲也。」諸將皆曰善。

On gengshen day he summoned his commanders to discuss the northern expedition. Taizu said, "In Shandong Wang Xuan is unreliable; in Henan Köke Temür is arrogant; in Guan and Long Li Siqi and Zhang Sidao are fierce, jealous, and suspicious. The Yuan mandate is failing and the central plain is charred earth. We are about to march north and lift the people out of fire and flood—how shall we win?" Yuchun answered, "Pit our army, hardened in a hundred battles, against their troops long at ease, and a straight drive on the Yuan capital will go like splitting bamboo." Taizu said, "The Yuan have ruled a hundred years; their defenses must be strong. To march deep with no supplies coming up behind while reinforcements gather on every side—that is a deadly road. I mean first to take Shandong and strip away their screen, then shift to the two rivers and break their outer fence, seize Tong Pass and hold it, and choke their doorway. When the empire's strong points are in our hands, we advance; the Yuan capital will stand alone without aid and fall without a fight. Then march west in force and Yunzhong, Jiuyuan, Guan, and Long can be swept up in turn." All the commanders agreed that the plan was sound.

甲子，徐達為征虜大將軍，常遇春為副將軍，帥師二十五萬，由淮入河，北取中原。胡廷瑞為征南將軍，何文輝為副將軍，取福建。湖廣行省平章楊璟、左丞周德興、參政張彬取廣西。己巳，硃亮祖克溫州。十一月辛巳，湯和克慶元，方國珍遁入海。壬午，徐達克沂州，斬王宣。己丑，廖永忠為征南副將軍，自海道會和討國珍。乙未，頒《大統曆》。辛丑，徐達克益都。十二月甲辰，頒律令。丁未，方國珍降，浙東平。張興祖下東平，兗東州縣相繼降。己酉，徐達下濟南。胡廷瑞下邵武。癸丑，李善長帥百官勸進，表三上，乃許。甲子，告於上帝。庚午，湯和、廖永忠由海道克福州。

On jiazi day Xu Da was made grand general for the extermination of the barbarians and Chang Yuchun vice grand general, leading two hundred fifty thousand men from the Huai into the Yellow River to take the central plain. Hu Tingrui was made grand general for the southern expedition and He Wenhui vice grand general, to conquer Fujian. Yang Jing, left branch secretariat administrator of Huguang, Zhou Dexing vice administrator, and Zhang Bin administrative commissioner were sent to take Guangxi. On jisi day Zhu Liangzu captured Wenzhou. On xinsi day in the eleventh month Tang He took Qingyuan; Fang Guozhen fled to the sea. On renwu day Xu Da took Yizhou and beheaded Wang Xuan. On jichou day Liao Yongzhong was made vice grand general for the southern expedition and joined Tang He by sea to attack Guozhen. On yiwei day the Dadu Calendar was promulgated. On xinchou day Xu Da captured Yidu. On jiachen day in the twelfth month laws and ordinances were promulgated. On dingwei day Fang Guozhen surrendered and eastern Zhe was pacified. Zhang Xingzu took Dongping; commanderies and counties east of Yan submitted one after another. On jiyou day Xu Da took Jinan. Hu Tingrui took Shaowu. On guichou day Li Shanchang led the hundred officials in urging him to take the throne; three times they submitted the memorial before he assented. On jiazi day he announced his accession to God on High. On gengwu day Tang He and Liao Yongzhong took Fuzhou by sea.

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