1
廖紀王時中周期雍唐龍 〈（子汝楫）〉 王杲 〈（王暐）〉 周用 〈（宋景屠僑）〉 聞淵劉讱 〈（胡纘宗）〉 孫應奎 〈（余姚孫應奎方鈍）〉 聶豹李默 〈（萬鏜）〉 周延 〈（潘恩）〉 賈應春張永明胡松 〈（績溪胡松）〉 趙炳然
Biographies in this juan: Liao Ji, Wang Shizhong, Zhou Qiyong, and Tang Long. (His son Ruji)〉 Wang Gao. (Wang Wei)〉 Zhou Yong. (Song Jing and Tu Qiao)〉 Wen Yuan and Liu Ren. (Hu Zanzong)〉 Sun Yingkui. (Sun Yingkui of Yuyao and Fang Dun)〉 Nie Bao and Li Mo. (Wan Tang)〉 Zhou Yan. (Pan En)〉 Jia Yingchun, Zhang Yongming, and Hu Song. (Hu Song of Jixi)〉 Zhao Bingran.
2
廖紀，字時陳，東光人。 弘治三年進士。 授考功主事，屢遷文選郎中。 正德中，歷工部右侍郎。 提督易州山廠，羨金無所私。 遷吏部左、右侍郎。 世宗立，拜南京吏部尚書。 調兵部，參贊機務。 被論解職。
Liao Ji, courtesy name Shichen, came from Dongguang. He passed the jinshi examination in the third year of the Hongzhi reign. He began as a director in the Bureau of Appointments and rose repeatedly until he became department director of the Bureau of Selection. Under the Zhengde emperor he served as right vice minister of works. As supervisor of the Yizhou mountain depots he never kept surplus revenue for himself. He was promoted to left and right vice minister of personnel. When the Jiajing emperor came to the throne, Liao was appointed minister of personnel at Nanjing. He was moved to the Ministry of War to assist in military planning. Impeachment drove him from office.
3
嘉靖三年，「大禮」議既定，吏部尚書楊旦赴召，道劾張璁、桂萼。 璁、萼之黨陳洸遂劾旦而薦紀。 帝罷旦，以紀代之。 紀疏辭，言：「臣年已七十，精力不如喬宇，聰明不如楊旦。」 時宇、旦方為帝所惡，不許。 光祿署丞何淵請建世室，祀興獻帝，下廷議。 紀等執不可，帝弗從。 紀力爭曰：「淵所言，幹君臣之分，亂昭穆之倫，蔑祖宗之制，臣謹昧死請罷勿議。」 不納。 會廷臣多諍者，議竟寢。 已，條奏三事。 其末言人材當惜，謂：「正德之季，宗社幾危。 議者但知平定逆藩之功，而不知保護京師之力。 自陛下繼統，老成接踵去，新進連茹登，以出位喜事為賢，以淩分犯禮為貴。 伏望陛下於昔年致仕大臣，念其保護之勛，量行召用。 其他降職、除名、遣戍者，使得以才自效。」 帝但納其正士風、重守令二事而已。 三邊總督楊一清召還內閣，璁等欲起王瓊，紀推彭澤、王守仁，帝不允。 復以鄧廷璋、王憲名上，竟用憲。
In Jiajing 3, once the Great Rites debate was settled, Yang Dan, minister of personnel, was summoned to court and on the way impeached Zhang Cong and Gui E. Chen Guang, an ally of Cong and Gui E, then impeached Yang Dan and recommended Liao Ji in his place. The emperor removed Yang Dan and appointed Liao Ji minister in his stead. Liao memorialized to decline, writing, "I am already seventy; I lack Qiao Yu's energy and Yang Dan's sharpness." Yu and Dan were then out of favor with the emperor, and he would not allow Liao to step down. He Yuan, an assistant director in the Court of Imperial Entertainments, petitioned to build a Shishi hall to honor the Jiajing emperor's father, and the court was ordered to debate it. Liao and his colleagues insisted it must not be done, but the emperor would not heed them. Liao pressed the point: "Yuan's proposal trespasses on the bond between ruler and subject, scrambles the order of the ancestral lines, and scorns the institutions of the forefathers. I beg Your Majesty, at the risk of my life, to drop the plan and forbid further debate." The emperor did not accept his plea. Because many officials remonstrated, the proposal was eventually dropped. Later he submitted a memorial setting forth three proposals. The last urged the emperor to value talent, arguing, "At the close of the Zhengde reign the dynasty nearly perished. Commentators praise only the suppression of the rebel prince and forget those who held Beijing secure. Since Your Majesty's accession, seasoned ministers have departed in succession while newcomers rise like gourds on a vine; meddling beyond one's station is praised as talent, and trampling ritual hierarchy is treated as distinction. I beg Your Majesty to recall the retired elders who once shielded the throne and summon them back as their merits warrant. Let those demoted, struck from office, or exiled to the frontier also be allowed to serve according to their abilities." The emperor adopted only his proposals to reform official conduct and to strengthen local prefects and magistrates. When Yang Yiqing, supreme commander of the Three Frontiers, was recalled to the Grand Secretariat, Cong's faction wanted Wang Qiong restored, but Liao recommended Peng Ze and Wang Shouren; the emperor refused. He then nominated Deng Tingzhang and Wang Xian, and Wang Xian was appointed.
4
五年正月，御史張袞、喻茂堅、朱實昌以世廟禮成，請宥議禮得罪諸臣，璁、萼亦以為請，章俱下吏部。 紀等列上四十七人，卒報罷。 御史魏有本以劾郭勛、救馬永謫官，給事中沈漢等論救，帝不聽。 紀從容為言，且薦永及楊銳。 帝納之，有本得無謫。 紀在南都，持議與璁合，坐是劾罷。 璁輩欲引助己，遂首六卿。 而紀顧數與抵牾，璁輩亦不喜。 年老稱病乞歸，許之去。 初，《獻皇實錄》成，加太子太保。 至是進少保，賜敕乘傳，夫廩視故事有加。 卒，贈太傅，謚僖靖。
In the first month of Jiajing 5, after the ancestral temple rites were completed, censors Zhang Gun, Yu Maojian, and Zhu Shichang petitioned to pardon officials punished in the Rites debate; Cong and Gui E joined the plea, and all memorials went to the Ministry of Personnel. Liao and his colleagues submitted a list of forty-seven names, but the emperor ultimately refused. Censor Wei Youben was demoted for impeaching Guo Xun and defending Ma Yong; supervising secretaries led by Shen Han pleaded for him, but the emperor would not listen. Liao spoke calmly on Wei's behalf and also recommended Ma Yong and Yang Rui. The emperor agreed, and Wei Youben was spared demotion. While at Nanjing Liao had sided with Zhang Cong on policy and was impeached and removed for it. Cong's faction wanted his help and installed him at the head of the six ministries. Yet Liao often opposed them, and they in turn grew displeased with him. Citing age and illness, he asked to retire and was allowed to go home. When the Veritable Records of the Xian emperor were completed, he had been made grand guardian of the heir apparent. On his retirement he was promoted to junior guardian, granted imperial transport by relay, and given a larger allowance of bearers and grain than usual. He died and was posthumously made grand tutor with the posthumous title Xijing.
5
王時中，字道夫，黃縣人。 弘治三年進士。 授鄢陵知縣。 嘗出郊，旋風擁馬首。 時中曰：「冤氣也。」 跡得屍眢井，乃婦與所私者殺之，遂伏辜。 召拜御史，督察畿輔馬政。
Wang Shizhong, courtesy name Daofu, came from Huang County. He passed the jinshi examination in the third year of the Hongzhi reign. He was appointed magistrate of Yanling. Once on an outing beyond the city walls a whirlwind swirled about his horse's head. Shizhong said, "That is the breath of a wronged soul." Following the sign he found a corpse in an abandoned well; a woman and her lover had murdered the man, and both were punished. He was summoned to serve as censor supervising horse administration in the capital region.
6
正德初，請革近畿皇莊，不報。 吏部尚書馬文升致仕，時望屬劉大夏、閔珪。 時中詆珪和媚，大夏昏耄。 兩人各求退，焦芳遂得之，眾鹹咎時中。 出按宣、大，逮系武職貪汙者百余，為東廠太監邱聚所奏。 劉瑾捕時中下詔獄，荷重枷於都察院門。 時中病甚，其妻往省，遇都御史劉宇，哭且詬。 宇不得已言於瑾，釋之，謫戍鐵嶺衛。 瑾誅，起四川副使，遷湖廣按察使。 十二年以右僉都御史巡撫寧夏。
Early in the Zhengde reign he petitioned to abolish imperial estates near the capital, but received no answer. When Minister Ma Wensheng retired, public opinion favored Liu Daxia or Min Gui as his successor. Shizhong attacked Min Gui as obsequious and Liu Daxia as senile. Both men withdrew from consideration, Jiao Fang won the appointment, and many blamed Shizhong. On inspection tour in Xuanfu and Datong he arrested more than a hundred corrupt military officers, provoking an impeachment from Qiu Ju of the Eastern Depot. Liu Jin had him thrown into the imperial prison and made to wear a heavy cangue at the Censorate gate. As his illness worsened his wife visited him, met Censor-in-Chief Liu Yu, and wept while cursing him. Yu finally appealed to Jin, who released Wang and banished him to garrison duty at Tieling Guard. After Jin's execution he was restored as vice commissioner of Sichuan and later became surveillance commissioner of Huguang. In the twelfth year he was appointed right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of Ningxia.
7
世宗立，召為右副都御史。 父喪除，起故官。 會上章聖太后尊號，時中言本生二字不當去。 及上冊寶，百官陪列不至者九人，時中與焉。 帝責對狀，已而貰之。 歷兵部左侍郎，代李鉞為尚書。 中官黃英等多所陳請，時中皆執不可。 敘薊州平盜功，濫及通州守備鄢祐，為言官李鳴鶴等所劾。 時中乞休，且詆言者。 給事中劉世揚等言時中不當逞忿箝言官，帝乃切責時中，令歸聽勘。 嘉靖十年四月起復為兵部尚書。 御史郭希愈請重兵部侍郎之選，以邊臣有才者兩人分掌邊方、內地軍務。 吏部議從之。 時中言非祖宗臨時遣將意，帝遂從其議。 帝欲用王憲於兵部，乃調時中刑部尚書。 坐論御史馮恩獄，落職閑住。 始，恩疏詆時中，及是以寬恩得罪，時稱為長者。 久之，遇赦，復官致仕。
When the Jiajing emperor came to the throne, Wang was summoned as right vice censor-in-chief. After his mourning period ended he returned to his former post. When the empress dowager's honorific title was issued, he argued that the words "born of the original line" should not be dropped. When the imperial regalia were presented, nine officials failed to attend the ceremony, Wang among them. The emperor summoned him to answer for his absence but eventually pardoned him. He rose to left vice minister of war and succeeded Li Yue as minister. When eunuchs such as Huang Ying petitioned for favors, he consistently refused. In reporting merit for suppressing bandits at Jizhou he improperly included Tongzhou garrison commander Yan You and was impeached by censors led by Li Minghe. Wang asked to retire and insulted his critics. Supervising secretaries led by Liu Shiyang argued that Wang must not silence censors in anger; the emperor sharply rebuked him and ordered him home pending investigation. In the fourth month of Jiajing 10 he was recalled as minister of war. Censor Guo Xiyu proposed elevating the selection of vice ministers of war so that two capable frontier officials could divide border and interior military affairs. The Ministry of Personnel approved the proposal. Wang argued that this departed from the ancestral practice of dispatching generals ad hoc, and the emperor accepted his view. The emperor wanted Wang Xian at the Ministry of War and transferred Wang Shizhong to minister of justice. Because of his handling of censor Feng En's imprisonment he was dismissed and lived in retirement. Feng En had once memorialized against him, yet Wang lost office for being lenient toward En; contemporaries praised his magnanimity. Long afterward, after an amnesty, his rank was restored and he retired.
8
周期雍，字汝和，江西寧州人。 正德三年進士。 授南京御史。 劉瑾既誅，為瑾斥者悉起，而給事中李光翰、任惠、徐蕃、牧相、徐暹、趙士賢，御史貢安甫、史良佐、曹閔、王弘、葛浩、姚學禮、張鳴鳳、王良臣、徐鈺、趙佑、楊璋、朱廷聲、劉玉，部郎李夢陽、王綸、孫磐等，以兼劾群閹未得錄。 期雍偕同官王佩力請，皆召用。 兵部尚書王敞附瑾進，期雍請斥之。 焦芳、劉宇猶在列，而劉大夏、韓文、楊守隨、林瀚、張敷華未雪，期雍皆極論。 陳金討江西賊，縱苗殺掠，期雍發其狀。 尋清軍廣東，劾鎮守武定侯郭勛，金與勛皆被責。 出為福建僉事。 宸濠反，簡銳卒赴討。 會賊平乃還。 嘉靖初，為浙江參議。 討平溫、處礦盜，予一子官。 再遷湖廣按察使。 九年擢右僉都御史，巡撫順天。 薊州、密雲關堡數十，以避寇警移入內地，關外益無備，期雍悉修復之。 數列上便宜。 入為大理卿，歷刑部左、右侍郎，右都御史，拜刑部尚書。 大計京官，言官劾期雍納賄。 吏部白其誣，詔為飭言者。 十九年，郭勛修前郤，因風霾勸帝罷免大臣，期雍遂去位。 家居十年卒。
Zhou Qiyong, courtesy name Ruhe, came from Ningzhou in Jiangxi. He passed the jinshi examination in the third year of the Zhengde reign. He was appointed censor at Nanjing. After Liu Jin's execution most of his victims were restored, but supervising secretaries Li Guanghan, Ren Hui, Xu Fan, Mu Xiang, Xu Xian, and Zhao Shixian, censors Gong Anfu, Shi Liangzuo, Cao Min, Wang Hong, Ge Hao, Yao Xueli, Zhang Mingfeng, Wang Liangchen, Xu Yu, Zhao You, Yang Zhang, Zhu Tingsheng, and Liu Yu, and department directors Li Mengyang, Wang Lun, Sun Pan, and others who had jointly impeached the eunuch clique were left off the restoration list. Qiyong and his colleague Wang Pei pressed the case vigorously, and all were summoned back to office. Minister Wang Chang had risen through Jin's patronage, and Qiyong petitioned for his removal. Jiao Fang and Liu Yu still held office while Liu Daxia, Han Wen, Yang Shousui, Lin Han, and Zhang Fuhua remained unredeemed; Qiyong pressed each case forcefully. When Chen Jin campaigned against Jiangxi bandits he let the Miao kill and plunder; Qiyong exposed the abuse. While inspecting troops in Guangdong he impeached garrison commander Marquis Guo Xun of Wuding, and both Chen Jin and Xun were rebuked. He was appointed assistant commissioner of Fujian. When Prince Chenghao rebelled he raised crack troops and marched to suppress him. He returned only after the rebellion was crushed. Early in the Jiajing reign he became assistant administrator of Zhejiang. He suppressed bandits in the Wenzhou and Chuzhou mines and was granted an office for one son. He was promoted to surveillance commissioner of Huguang. In the ninth year he was made right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of Shuntian. Dozens of passes and forts at Jizhou and Miyun had been moved inland to escape bandit raids, leaving the frontier undefended; Qiyong restored them all. He repeatedly submitted practical proposals for reform. He became president of the Court of Judicial Review, rose through left and right vice minister of justice to right censor-in-chief, and was appointed minister of justice. At the great evaluation of capital officials, censors impeached Qiyong for accepting bribes. The Ministry of Personnel declared the charge false, and the emperor rebuked the accusers. In the nineteenth year Guo Xun settled old scores and, citing ominous storms, urged the emperor to dismiss senior ministers; Qiyong then resigned. He lived in retirement for ten years and died.
9
唐龍，字虞佐，蘭溪人。 受業於同縣章懋，登正德三年進士。 除郯城知縣。 禦大盜劉六，數敗之，加俸二等。 父喪，服除，征授御史，出按雲南。 錢寧義父參將盧和坐罪當死，寧為奏辯，下鎮撫覆勘。 會遣官錄囚，受寧屬欲出和，為龍所持，卒正其罪。 土官鳳朝明坐罪死，革世職。 寧令滇人為保舉，而矯旨許之。 龍抗疏爭，寢其事。 再按江西，疏趣張忠、許泰班師。 三司官從宸濠叛者猶居位，龍召數之曰：「脅從罔治，謂凡民耳。 若輩讀書食祿，何顏乃爾。」 立收其印綬。 擢陜西提學副使，遷山西按察使，召為太仆卿。 嘉靖七年改右僉都御史，總督漕運兼巡撫鳳陽諸府。 奏罷淮西官馬種牛，罷壽州正陽關榷稅，通、泰二州虛田租及漕卒船料，民甚德之。 召拜左副都御史，歷吏部左、右侍郎。
Tang Long, courtesy name Yuzuo, came from Lanxi. He studied under Zhang Mao of his county and passed the jinshi examination in Zhengde 3. He was appointed magistrate of Tancheng. Fighting the great bandit Liu Liu he won repeated victories and received a two-grade salary increase. After his mourning period he was summoned as censor and sent to investigate Yunnan. Qian Ning's adoptive father, assistant commander Lu He, faced a capital charge; Ning pleaded for him and the case was sent to the Embroidered-Uniform Guard for review. When prison reviewers arrived, an official beholden to Ning tried to release He, but Long held firm and He was punished. Native official Feng Chaoming faced execution and lost his hereditary post. Ning had Yunnan natives petition for him and forged an edict of approval. Long memorialized in protest and the matter was dropped. On a second tour of Jiangxi he urged Zhang Zhong and Xu Tai to withdraw their armies. Summoning commissioners who had followed Chenghao's rebellion, Long said, "Coerced followers go unpunished—that rule applies to commoners alone. You who read books and draw stipends—how can you show your faces? He immediately seized their seals and credentials. He became vice commissioner of education in Shaanxi, surveillance commissioner of Shanxi, and was summoned as minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud. In Jiajing 7 he was made right vice censor-in-chief, grand coordinator of grain transport, and concurrently grand coordinator of the Fengyang prefectures. He abolished official horse and cattle breeding west of the Huai, ended transit duties at Zhengyang Pass, and remitted vacant land rents and transport fees in Tong and Tai prefectures; the people praised him warmly. He was summoned as left vice censor-in-chief and rose to left and right vice minister of personnel.
10
十一年，陜西大饑。 吉囊擁眾臨邊，延綏告警。 詔進龍兵部尚書，總制三邊軍務兼理振濟，賫帑金三十萬以行。 龍奏行救荒十四事。 時吉囊居套中，西抵賀蘭山，限以黃河不得渡，用十皮為渾脫，渡入山後。 俺答亦自豐州入套為患。 龍用總兵官王效、梁震，數敗敵，屢被獎賚。 召為刑部尚書。 大猾劉東山構陷建昌侯張延齡，興大獄。 延齡，昭聖皇太后母弟，帝所惡也。 吏坐獄不窮竟去者數十人，龍獨執正東山罪。 「大禮」大獄及諸建言獲罪者，廷臣屢請寬，不能得。 會九廟成，覃恩，龍錄上充軍應赦者百四十人，率得宥，所不原惟豐熙、楊慎、王元正、馬錄、呂經、馮恩、劉濟、邵經邦而已。 考尚書六年滿，加太子少保。 以母老乞歸侍養。 久之，用薦起南京刑部尚書，就改吏部。 兵部尚書戴金罷，召龍代之。 太廟成，加太子太保。 尋代熊浹為吏部尚書。 龍有才，居官著勞績。 及為吏部，每事咨僚佐。 年老多疾，輒為所欺。 御史陳九德劾前選郎高簡罔上行私，並論龍衰暮，乃下簡詔獄。 龍引疾，未報。 吏科楊上林、徐良輔復論簡。 詔杖簡六十遣戍。 上林、良輔以不早言罷職，龍黜為民。 龍已有疾，輿出國門卒。 後數年，子修撰汝楫疏辯。 詔復官，贈少保，謚文襄。 龍故與嚴嵩善。 龍之罷，實夏言主之。 而汝楫素附嵩，得第一人及第。 官至左諭德。 後坐嵩黨奪官。
In the eleventh year Shaanxi suffered a great famine. Jibeng led a host to the frontier and Yan-Sui sounded the alarm. He was promoted to minister of war with overall command of the Three Frontiers and charge of famine relief, granted thirty thousand taels for the journey. Long submitted fourteen famine-relief measures. Jibeng held the Ordos and, blocked by the Yellow River from crossing west to Helan Mountain, used ten hides to make rafts and crossed into the rear hills. Altan also entered the Ordos from Fengzhou and raided. Long employed supreme commanders Wang Xiao and Liang Zhen, who repeatedly defeated the enemy and won imperial rewards. He was summoned as minister of justice. The great schemer Liu Dongshan framed Marquis Zhang Yanling of Jianchang and stirred up a major case. Zhang was the empress dowager's maternal younger brother, whom the emperor detested. Dozens of judicial officials had left the case unfinished; Long alone upheld Dongshan's guilt. In the Great Rites cases and other remonstrance prosecutions, the court repeatedly sought leniency in vain. When the nine temples were completed Long listed one hundred forty exiles eligible for amnesty; nearly all were pardoned, leaving only Feng Xi, Yang Shen, Wang Yuanzheng, Ma Lu, Lü Jing, Feng En, Liu Ji, and Shao Jingbang. After six years as minister he was made junior guardian of the heir apparent. Citing his mother's age, he asked to return home to care for her. Long afterward he was recommended as minister of justice at Nanjing and then transferred to personnel. When Minister Dai Jin was dismissed, Long was summoned to replace him. When the ancestral temple was completed he was made grand guardian of the heir apparent. He soon replaced Xiong Xian as minister of personnel. Long was talented and achieved notable merit in office. As minister of personnel he consulted subordinates on every matter. Old and often ill, he was repeatedly misled by them. Censor Chen Jiude impeached former selection director Gao Jian for deceiving superiors and criticized Long's senility; Gao was sent to prison. Long cited illness and awaited a reply. Supervising secretaries Yang Shanglin and Xu Liangfu again argued against Jian. An edict ordered Jian beaten sixty strokes and exiled to garrison duty. Shanglin and Liangfu were dismissed for not speaking sooner; Long was demoted to commoner status. Already ill, he died in his litter as it passed the capital gate. Years later his son, Hanlin compiler Zirui, memorialized in his defense. An edict restored his rank and posthumously made him junior guardian with the title Wenxiang. Long had once been friendly with Yan Song. In fact Xia Yan had chiefly engineered Long's dismissal. Zirui had long attached himself to Song and took first place in the metropolitan examination. He rose to left mentor of the heir apparent. Later, as a member of Song's faction, he was stripped of office.
11
王杲，字景初，汶上人。 正德九年進士。 授臨汾知縣。 擢御史，巡視陜西茶馬。 帝遣中官分守蘭、靖。 杲言窮邊饑歲，不宜設官累民，不報。 嘉靖三年，帝將遣中官督織造於蘇、杭，杲疏諫，不納。 久之，擢太仆少卿，改大理，再遷左副都御史，進戶部右侍郎。 河南大饑，命杲往振。 杲請急發帑金，詔賫臨清倉銀五萬兩以行。 既至，復請發十五萬兩。 全活不可勝計。 事竣，賜銀幣。 尋以右都御史總督漕運。 故事，繕運艘，軍三民七。 總兵官顧寰以軍民困敝，請發兩淮余鹽銀七十萬，戶部尚書李如圭不可。 杲請改折兩年漕運十之三，以所省轉輸費治運艘，勿重困軍民，報可。 逾年，入為戶部尚書。 後父安平侯方銳乞張家莊馬房地。 杲言此地二千余頃，正供所出，不可許，宜以大慈恩寺入官地二十頃予之。 帝從其議。 時國儲告匱，諸邊請增餉無虛月，四方多水旱，給事中李文進請議廣儲蓄。 杲列九事以獻，已又上制財用十事，帝鹹納之。 舊制，歲漕四百萬石。 杲以粟有余而用不足，遇災傷率改折以便民。 一日，帝見改折者過半，大驚，以詰戶部，杲等引罪。 敕自今務遵祖制，毋輕變。 杲掌邦計，事無不辦，帝深倚之。 後有詔買龍涎香，久不進，帝以此不悅。 給事中馬錫劾杲及巡倉御史艾樸受賄，給事中厲汝進言倉場尚書王暐亦然，並下獄。 杲、樸遣戍，暐斥為民。 杲竟卒於雷州戍所。 隆慶初，給事中辛自修等訟杲冤。 詔復官，賜祭葬，贈太子太保。
Wang Gao, courtesy name Jingchu, came from Wenshang. He passed the jinshi examination in Zhengde 9. He was appointed magistrate of Linfen. He was promoted to censor and inspected the tea and horse trade in Shaanxi. The emperor dispatched palace eunuchs to garrison Lan and Jing in rotation. Gao argued that in famine years the impoverished frontier should not bear new offices burdening the people; he received no reply. In Jiajing 3 the emperor planned to send eunuchs to supervise weaving in Suzhou and Hangzhou; Gao remonstrated in vain. He later became vice minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud, transferred to judicial review, rose to left vice censor-in-chief, and became right vice minister of revenue. When Henan suffered a great famine Gao was ordered to provide relief. Gao urgently requested treasury silver; the court granted fifty thousand taels from the Linqing granary. On arrival he requested another one hundred fifty thousand taels. Countless lives were saved. When the relief work ended he was rewarded with silver and silks. He soon became right censor-in-chief with overall charge of grain transport. By precedent transport vessels were repaired at three parts military cost and seven parts civilian. Supreme Commander Gu Huai, citing exhausted military and civilian labor, asked for seven hundred thousand taels from Huai salt surplus; Minister Li Rugui refused. Gao proposed commuting three-tenths of grain transport for two years and using the savings to repair vessels without further burdening troops and civilians; the court agreed. The following year he became minister of revenue. Later his father-in-law, Marquis Fang Rui of Anping, petitioned for horse-pasture land at Zhangjiazhuang. Gao said the two thousand-odd qing supplied regular tribute revenue and could not be granted; he proposed granting twenty qing of temple land from Daci'en instead. The emperor accepted his proposal. State reserves were depleted, the frontiers sought added pay monthly, and flood and drought were widespread; Supervising Secretary Li Wenjin asked the court to debate expanding reserves. Gao submitted nine proposals, then ten measures for controlling expenditures; the emperor accepted them all. Under the old system annual grain transport totaled four million piculs. Though grain stores were ample, expenditures ran short; Gao routinely allowed grain-tax commutation after disasters to ease the burden on the people. One day the emperor found that more than half the grain transport had been commuted and was alarmed; he questioned the Ministry of Revenue, and Gao and his colleagues took the blame. An edict commanded strict adherence to ancestral precedent and forbade casual changes. Gao ran state finances with nothing left undone, and the emperor relied on him heavily. Later the court ordered ambergris purchased, but delivery was long delayed and the emperor grew displeased. Supervising Secretary Ma Xi impeached Gao and depot inspector Ai Pu for bribery; Li Rujin said Granary Director Wang Wei was guilty as well, and all were imprisoned. Gao and Pu were banished to frontier garrison service; Wei was stripped of office and reduced to commoner status. Gao ultimately died at his place of exile in Leizhou. Early in the Longqing reign supervising secretaries led by Xin Zixiu petitioned to redress Gao's conviction. The throne restored his rank, granted state funeral rites, and posthumously made him grand guardian of the heir apparent.
12
王暐，句容人。 由進士除吉安推官。 從王守仁平宸濠，遷大理寺副。 爭「大禮」，下獄廷杖。 累遷右副都御史，巡撫江西。 歷兩京戶部侍郎，出督漕運，進尚書。 歷官著清操。
Wang Wei came from Jurong. As a jinshi he was appointed investigating prefect of Ji'an. He followed Wang Yangming in suppressing Chen Hao's rebellion and was promoted to vice director of the Court of Judicial Review. He joined the Great Rites protest, was imprisoned, and suffered court beating. He rose to right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of Jiangxi. He served as vice minister of revenue in both capitals, supervised grain transport, and was promoted to minister. Throughout his career he maintained an upright reputation.
13
周用，字行之，吳江人。 弘治十五年進士。 授行人。 正德初，擢南京兵科給事中。 父憂服闋，留補禮科。 已，乞南。 改南京兵科。 諫迎佛烏斯藏及以中旨遷黜尚書、都給事中等官，且請治鎮守江西中官黎安罪。 出為廣東參議，預平番禺盜，有功。 歷浙江、山東副使。 擢福建按察使，改河南右布政使。 代監司鞫南陽滯獄，獄為之空。 嘉靖八年擢右副都御史，巡撫南、贛。 召協理院事。 歷吏部左、右侍郎。 以起廢不當，尚書汪鋐委罪僚屬，乃調用南京刑部。 就遷右都御史，工、刑二部尚書。 九廟災，自陳致仕。 用端亮有節概。 既罷，中外皆惜之，頻有推薦。 久之，以工部尚書起督河道，數月，改漕運。 未上，召拜左都御史。 二品九年滿，加太子少保。 二十五年代唐龍為吏部尚書。 明年卒官。 贈太子太保，謚恭肅。 曾孫宗建，自有傳。
Zhou Yong, courtesy name Xingzhi, came from Wujiang. He passed the jinshi examination in Hongzhi 15. He was appointed bearer of imperial edicts. Early in Zhengde he was made supervising secretary in the Nanjing Bureau of War. After his father's mourning ended he stayed on as supervising secretary in the Bureau of Rites. He later asked to be posted to the south. He was moved to the Nanjing Bureau of War. He protested welcoming a Buddhist from U-Tsang and imperial rescripts demoting ministers and the chief supervising secretary, and demanded punishment for the eunuch Li An, military commissioner of Jiangxi. Posted to Guangdong as administration vice commissioner, he helped pacify bandits in Panyu with distinction. He served as administration vice commissioner in Zhejiang and Shandong. He was made surveillance commissioner of Fujian, then right administration commissioner of Henan. Acting for the supervising offices he cleared Nanyang's backlog of cases until the prisons stood empty. In Jiajing 8 he was made right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of southern Jiangxi and Ganzhou. He was recalled to assist in Censorate affairs. He served as left and right vice minister of personnel. When improper restorations of dismissed officials drew criticism, Minister Wang Qiao blamed his staff and Yong was moved to the Nanjing Ministry of Justice. He was soon promoted to right censor-in-chief and then minister of works and of justice. After fire destroyed the Nine Temples he offered his resignation. Yong was upright and principled in character. After he left office court and country alike regretted his loss, and he was repeatedly recommended for recall. Long afterward he was recalled as minister of works to supervise waterways, then after a few months shifted to grain transport. Before he could take up that post he was summoned as left censor-in-chief. After nine years at second rank he was made junior guardian of the heir apparent. In year 25 he succeeded Tang Long as minister of personnel. He died in office the following year. He was posthumously made grand guardian of the heir apparent with the title Gongsu. His great-grandson Zongjian has a separate biography.
14
用掌憲時，慎自持而已，無所獻替。 其後宋景、屠僑繼之，大略皆廉潔，與用相似。 景未久卒，而僑居職八年。 屬嚴嵩柄政，風紀不振。 議丁汝夔獄，受杖不能去。
As censor-in-chief Yong held himself carefully in check but offered little counsel. Song Jing and Tu Qiao followed him; all were broadly incorrupt like Yong. Jing died soon after taking office; Qiao served eight years. Under Yan Song's dominance court discipline collapsed. Debating the case of Ding Ruai, he was beaten at court and could not rise to leave.
15
宋景，字以賢，奉新人。 弘治十八年進士。 知睢州。 正德五年入為河南道御史。 故事，知州無改御史者，劉瑾創之也。 瑾誅，景引疾去。 嘉靖三年以薦補浙江僉事，進山西副使。 民饑為盜，殺守稟指揮。 景樹幟，令被脅者赴之。 賊鹹歸命，乃擒斬其魁。 四遷山西左布政使，累官南京吏、工二部尚書。 改兵部，參贊機務。 入為左都御史。 卒，贈太子少保、吏部尚書，謚莊靖。
Song Jing, courtesy name Yixian, came from Fengxin. He passed the jinshi examination in Hongzhi 18. He was appointed magistrate of Suizhou. In Zhengde 5 he became censor of the Henan circuit. By precedent prefects were not made censors; Liu Jin introduced the practice. After Jin's execution Jing cited illness and resigned. In Jiajing 3 he was recommended back as Zhejiang administration intendant and promoted to Shanxi administration vice commissioner. Starving people turned to banditry and killed the garrison commander and a brigade commander. Jing raised banners and summoned those who had been forced to join the rebels. The bandits all surrendered; he then captured and executed the ringleaders. Promoted four times he became left administration commissioner of Shanxi and eventually minister of personnel and of works at Nanjing. He was moved to the Ministry of War to assist in military planning. He was appointed left censor-in-chief. He died and was posthumously made junior guardian and minister of personnel with the title Zhuangjing.
16
屠僑，字安卿，吏部尚書滽再從子也。 正德六年進士。 授御史。 巡視居庸諸關。 武宗遣中官李嵩等捕虎豹，僑力言不可。 世宗時，歷左都御史。 卒，贈少保，謚簡肅。
Tu Qiao, courtesy name Anqing, was a grand-nephew of Minister of Personnel Tu Ze. He passed the jinshi examination in Zhengde 6. He was appointed censor. He inspected the Juyong and other frontier passes. When Emperor Wuzong sent eunuch Li Song to capture tigers and leopards, Qiao protested firmly. Under the Jiajing emperor he rose to left censor-in-chief. He died and was posthumously made junior guardian with the title Jiansu.
17
聞淵，字靜中，鄞人。 弘治十八年進士。 初授禮部主事，已，改刑部。 楊一清為吏部，調淵稽勛員外郎。 歷考功郎中，改掌文選，遷南京右通政。 嘉靖初，擢應天府尹，改尹順天。 累遷南京兵部右侍郎，攝部事。 薦馬永等十余人。 召為刑部右侍郎，遷左。 進南京刑部尚書，就移吏部。 召為刑部尚書。 周用卒，代為吏部尚書。 侍郎徐階得帝眷，前尚書率推讓之。 淵自以前輩，事取獨斷。 大學士夏言柄政，淵老臣，不能委曲徇。 及後議言獄，淵謂言事只任意，跡涉要君，請帝自裁決。 帝大怒，切責淵。 嚴嵩既殺言，勢益橫，部權無不侵，數以小故奪淵俸。 淵年七十矣，遂乞骸骨歸。 家居十四年卒。 先累加太子太保，卒贈少保，謚莊簡。
Wen Yuan, courtesy name Jingzhong, came from Yin county. He passed the jinshi examination in Hongzhi 18. He was first a secretary in the Ministry of Rites, then transferred to justice. When Yang Yiqing headed personnel, Yuan was made registrar in the Bureau of Imperial Lineages. He rose through the evaluation bureau, took charge of appointments, and became right vice commissioner of imperial entertainments at Nanjing. Early in Jiajing he was made prefect of Yingtian, then of Shuntian. He rose to right vice minister of war at Nanjing and acted as minister. He recommended more than ten men, including Ma Yong. He was recalled as right vice minister of justice and promoted to the left. He became minister of justice at Nanjing, then moved to personnel. He was summoned as minister of justice. When Zhou Yong died, Yuan succeeded him as minister of personnel. Vice Minister Xu Jie enjoyed imperial favor, and earlier ministers had deferred to him. Yuan, as the senior man, decided matters on his own. Grand Secretary Xia Yan dominated the court; Yuan, an elder statesman, would not bend to him. Later, debating Xia Yan's case, Yuan said Xia Yan had acted arbitrarily in ways that looked like coercing the throne and asked the emperor to judge for himself. The emperor flew into a rage and sharply rebuked Yuan. After Yan Song destroyed Xia Yan his power grew unchecked; he seized every ministry prerogative and repeatedly cut Yuan's salary on petty grounds. At seventy Yuan begged leave to retire. He lived in retirement fourteen years and died. He had earlier been made grand guardian of the heir apparent; on death he was posthumously made junior guardian with the title Zhuangjian.
18
淵居官始終一節。 晚扼權相，功名頗損。 在南刑部時，張璁先為曹屬，嘗題詩於壁，屬淵勒石後堂。 淵曰：「此尚書堂也，吾敢以相君故，為郎官勒石耶？」
Yuan maintained a single standard of conduct throughout his career. Late in life he opposed a powerful minister and his reputation suffered. While minister of justice at Nanjing, Zhang Cong—then a junior official—had written a poem on a wall and asked Yuan to carve it in the rear hall. Yuan replied: "This is a minister's hall. How could I carve stone for a bureau secretary just because he became chief minister?"
19
劉讱，鄢陵人。 父璟，刑部尚書。 讱登正德十二年進士，為寧國推官，攝蕪湖縣事。 武宗南巡，中貴索賄不得，系讱詔獄。 世宗立，復官。 尋擢御史，遷南京通政參議。 歷南京刑部尚書，召改北。
Liu Ren came from Yanling. His father Jing had been minister of justice. Ren passed the jinshi in Zhengde 12, became investigating prefect of Ningguo, and handled affairs in Wuhu county. During Wuzong's southern tour a palace eunuch who failed to extort a bribe had Ren thrown into prison by imperial order. When the Jiajing emperor ascended, Ren was restored to office. He was soon made censor, then moved to vice commissioner of transmission at Nanjing. He rose to minister of justice at Nanjing and was then recalled to the capital.
20
初，帝幸承天，河南巡撫胡纘宗嘗以事笞陽武知縣王聯。 聯尋為巡按御史陶欽夔劾罷。 聯素兇狡，嘗歐其父良，論死。 久之，以良請出獄。 復坐殺人，求解不得。 知帝喜告訐，乃摭纘宗迎駕詩「穆王八駿」語為謗詛。 言纘宗命己刊布，不從，屬欽夔論黜，羅織成大辟。 候長至日，令其子詐為常朝官，闌入闕門訟冤。 凡所不悅，若副都御史劉隅，給事中鮑道明，御史胡植、馮章、張洽，參議朱鴻漸，知府項喬、賈應春等百十人，悉構入之。 帝大怒，立遣官捕纘宗等下獄，命讱會法司嚴訊。 讱等盡得其誣罔，仍坐聯死，當其子詐冒朝官律斬，而為纘宗等乞宥。 帝既從法司奏坐聯父子辟，然心嗛纘宗，頗多詰讓，下禮部都察院參議。 嚴嵩為之解，乃革纘宗職，杖四十。 讱亦除名，法司正貳停半歲俸，郎官承問者下詔獄。 嵩以對制平獄有功，令兼支大學士俸，嵩辭乃允。 時法官率骫法徇上意。 稍執正，譴責隨至。 讱於是獄能持法，身雖黜，而天下稱之。
When the emperor first toured Chengtian, Henan grand coordinator Hu Zongzong had beaten Yangwu magistrate Wang Lian over a dispute. Lian was soon impeached and removed by touring censor Tao Qinkui. Lian was vicious by nature; he had beaten his father Liang and been sentenced to death. Eventually his father Liang secured his release from prison. He was convicted of murder again and could not win a reprieve. Knowing the emperor welcomed informers, he twisted Zongzong's welcoming poem and its line on King Mu's eight steeds into treasonous slander. He claimed Zongzong ordered publication and he refused; he blamed Qinkui for his dismissal and fabricated a capital charge. At the winter solstice he sent his son, disguised as a routine court officer, through the palace gates to cry injustice. He dragged into the case every enemy—vice censor Liu Yu, supervising secretary Bao Daoming, censors Hu Zhi, Feng Zhang, and Zhang Qia, commissioner Zhu Hongjian, prefects Xiang Qiao and Jia Yingchun, and scores more. The emperor flew into a rage, had Zongzong and others seized at once, and ordered Ren to conduct a rigorous joint trial with the judiciary. Ren's inquiry proved the charges false; Lian still faced death and his son the penalty for gate-crashing as a fake court officer, but Ren pleaded leniency for Zongzong and the others. Though he approved the death sentence on the Lians, the emperor still bore a grudge against Zongzong, rebuked him harshly, and referred the matter to the Ministry of Rites and Censorate. Yan Song smoothed things over; Zongzong lost his post and took forty blows. Ren was removed from office; senior judges forfeited half a year's pay and the clerks who handled the case went to prison. Song was offered an extra grand-secretary stipend for managing the trial to the emperor's liking; he refused and the grant was dropped. Judges then routinely twisted the law to suit the throne. The slightest independence brought immediate punishment. Ren held to the law in that trial; though dismissed himself, he won wide acclaim.
21
胡纘宗，陜西秦安人。 正德三年進士。 由檢討出為嘉定判官。 歷山東巡撫，改河南。
Hu Zongzong came from Qin'an in Shaanxi. He passed the jinshi in Zhengde 3. He left the Hanlin as Jiading assistant magistrate. He was grand coordinator of Shandong, then of Henan.
22
孫應奎，字文宿，洛陽人。 正德十六年進士。 授章丘知縣。 嘉靖四年入為兵科給事中，上疏言：「輔臣之任，必忠厚鯁亮、純白堅定者乃足當之。 今大學士楊一清雖練達國體，而雅性尚通，難以獨任。 張璁學博性偏，傷於自恃，猶飭厲功名，當抑其過而用之。 至於桂萼以梟雄桀驁之資，作威福，納財賄，阻抑氣節，私比黨與，勢侵六官，氣制言路，天下莫不怨憤。 乞鑒別三臣賢否，以定用舍。」 其意特右璁。 而帝因其奏，慰留一清，戒諭璁、萼。 既而同官王準、陸粲劾璁、萼罷相，準、粲亦下吏遠謫，以應奎首抗章不罪。 未幾，劾吏部尚書方獻夫，帝頗納其言。 獻夫援汪鋐為助，遂詘應奎議。 再遷戶科左給事中。 行人孽侃建言忤旨，下廷訊，詞連張璁。 應奎與同官曹汴揖璁避，且上疏言狀。 帝怒，下之詔獄，尋釋還職。 十一年大計天下庶官，王準謫富民典史。 應奎言汪鋐為璁、萼修郤，誣以不謹而黜之。 乞復準官，責鋐，為黨比戒。 吏部尚書王瓊亦言準當黜，乃謫應奎高平縣丞。 屢遷湖廣副使，督采大木，坐累復逮系。 尋釋還。 歷右副都御史，巡撫順天。 召理院事，遷戶部侍郎，進尚書。
Sun Yingkui, courtesy name Wensu, came from Luoyang. He passed the jinshi in Zhengde 16. He was made magistrate of Zhangqiu. In Jiajing 4 he became a war-bureau supervising secretary and wrote: "A chief minister must be loyal, upright, pure, and steadfast. Grand Secretary Yang Yiqing knows statecraft but is too easygoing to bear the burden alone. Zhang Cong is learned yet biased and self-willed; curb his excesses but keep him in service. Gui E is ruthless and domineering: he abuses power, takes bribes, crushes honest men, builds factions, bullies the ministries, and silences the censors—everyone hates him. Please judge these three ministers and decide whom to keep or remove. He clearly meant to side with Zhang Cong. The emperor used the memorial to keep Yang Yiqing and warn Zhang Cong and Gui E. When Wang Zhun and Lu Can toppled Cong and E they too were jailed and banished; Yingkui, having spoken first, went unpunished. He soon attacked Minister of Personnel Fang Xianfu, and the emperor largely agreed. Xianfu rallied Wang Qian and beat back Yingkui's case. He was promoted to left supervising secretary in the revenue bureau. Courier Nie Kan remonstrated against the throne and faced court trial; his testimony touched Zhang Cong. Yingkui and Cao Bian bowed to Cong and withdrew, then memorialized on the affair. The emperor jailed him, then soon freed him and restored his post. At the eleventh-year general review Wang Zhun was demoted to Fumin recorder. Yingkui charged that Wang Qian, doing Cong and E's dirty work, had falsely dismissed Zhun for "impropriety." He asked to restore Zhun, punish Qian, and warn against cliques. Personnel minister Wang Qiong backed the demotion, and Yingkui was sent down to Gaoping assistant magistrate. Promoted to Huguang vice commissioner, he oversaw timber levies, was implicated, and jailed again. He was soon released. He became right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of Shuntian. Recalled to head the Censorate, he became vice then minister of revenue.
23
俺答犯京師後，羽書旁午征兵餉。 應奎乃建議加派。 自北方諸府暨廣西、貴州外，其他量地貧富，驟增銀一百十五萬有奇，而蘇州一府乃八萬五千。 御史郭仁，吳人也，詣應奎請減，不從。 仁遂劾奏，應奎疏辨。 帝以仁不當私屬，調之外。 既而國用猶不足，應奎言：「今歲入二百萬，而諸邊費六百余萬，一切取財法行之已盡。 請令諸曹所隸官吏、儒士、廚役、校卒，悉去其冗者。 而臣部出入贏縮之數，亦綜其大綱，列籍進禦，使百司庶府鹹知為國惜財。」 報可。 三十一年正月命應奎條上京邊備用芻糧之數。 應奎言：「自臣入都至今，計正稅、加賦、余鹽五百余萬外，他所搜括又四百余萬。 而所出自諸邊年例二百八十萬外，新增二百四十五萬有奇，修邊振濟諸役又八百余萬。」 帝以耗費多，疑有侵冒，分遣科道官往諸邊核實。 給事中徐公遴劾應奎粗疏自用，遂改南京工部尚書，以方鈍代。 諸邊餉銀益增。 鈍計無所出，請令諸臣條上理財策。 議行二十九事，益纖屑傷大體。 應奎就移戶部，致仕歸，卒。
After Altan Khan struck near the capital, urgent orders multiplied for troops and money. Yingkui proposed a supplemental tax. Outside the north, Guangxi, and Guizhou, levies by local wealth added over 1.15 million taels—Suzhou alone paid eighty-five thousand. Censor Guo Ren of Wu asked for relief; Yingkui refused. Ren impeached him; Yingkui replied in defense. The emperor ruled Ren had lobbied improperly and posted him away. Revenue still fell short; Yingkui reported intake of two million against frontier costs above six million and said every fiscal device was spent. He urged cutting redundant staff in every ministry and office. He also asked for a summary ledger of ministry income and outgo so all agencies would husband public money. The throne approved. In the first month of year 31 the emperor ordered him to list capital and frontier grain stores. Yingkui reported that since he took office regular tax, surcharges, and salt had brought in over five million, with another four million squeezed elsewhere. Yet beyond the 2.8 million annual frontier quota, new charges topped 2.45 million and repair and relief another eight million. Suspecting waste and graft, the emperor sent censors to audit the frontiers. Xu Gonglin attacked Yingkui as rash; he was moved to Nanjing minister of works and Fang Dun took his place. Frontier appropriations kept rising. Unable to balance the books, Dun asked every minister for fiscal proposals. Twenty-nine schemes were adopted—petty measures that harmed sound policy. Yingkui later held the revenue ministry, retired, and died.
24
應奎為諫官，屢犯權貴，以風節自厲。 晚官計曹，一切為茍且計，功名大損於前。
As a censor he repeatedly challenged the mighty and held himself to high standards. Late as revenue minister he turned to shabby expedients and his fame fell far below his early years.
25
有與應奎同姓名者，余姚人，字文卿。 由進士授行人，擢禮科給事中。 疏劾汪鋐奸，忤旨下詔獄。 已復杖闕下，謫華亭縣丞。 鋐亦罷去。 兩孫給諫之名，並震於朝廷。 累官右副都御史，總理河道。 逾年罷歸。 為山東布政時，有創開膠萊河議者，應奎力言不可。 入覲，與吏部尚書爭官屬賢否，時稱其直。
Another Sun Yingkui, from Yuyao, courtesy name Wenqing, shared the name. A jinshi and courier, he rose to a rites-bureau supervising secretary. He impeached Wang Qian for corruption, angered the throne, and went to prison. He was beaten at court and demoted to Huating assistant magistrate. Wang Qian was dismissed too. Both Suns made their names as outspoken censors feared at court. He rose to right vice censor-in-chief and canal commissioner. He resigned after a year. As Shandong commissioner he firmly opposed plans to open the Jiao-Lai Canal. At court he argued with the personnel minister over officials' merit and was hailed for his frankness.
26
方鈍，巴陵人。 掌戶部七年，廉慎無過。 嚴嵩中之，詔改南京，遂乞骸骨歸。
Fang Dun came from Baling. He ran the revenue ministry seven years, thrifty and blameless. Yan Song undermined him; ordered to Nanjing, he retired home.
27
聶豹，字文蔚，吉安永豐人。 正德十二年進士。 除華亭知縣。 浚陂塘，民復業者三千余戶。 嘉靖四年召拜御史，巡按福建。 出為蘇州知府。 憂歸，補平陽知府。 山西頻中寇，民無寧居。 豹令富民出錢，罪疑者贖，得萬余金，修郭家溝、冷泉、靈石諸關隘，練鄉勇六千守之。 寇卻，廷議以豹為知兵。 給事中劉繪、大學士嚴嵩皆薦之。 擢陜西副使，備兵潼關。 大計拾遺，言官論豹在平陽乾沒，大學士夏言亦惡豹，逮下詔獄，落職歸。
Nie Bao, courtesy name Wenwei, came from Yongfeng in Ji'an. He passed the jinshi in Zhengde 12. He was made magistrate of Huating. He dredged ponds and dykes; over three thousand households returned to farming. In Jiajing 4 he was recalled as censor to inspect Fujian. He became Suzhou prefect. After mourning he was posted to Pingyang prefect. Bandits harried Shanxi and the people lived in fear. Bao levied the rich and ransomed doubtful cases for over ten thousand taels, rebuilt Guojia Ditch, Lengquan, and Lingshi passes, and drilled six thousand militia. The bandits retreated and the court deemed Bao militarily capable. Supervising secretary Liu Hui and Grand Secretary Yan Song recommended him. He was made Shaanxi vice commissioner defending Tong Pass. At the talent review censors accused him of embezzlement at Pingyang; Xia Yan opposed him; he was jailed, dismissed, and sent home.
28
二十九年秋，都城被寇。 禮部尚書徐階，豹知華亭時所取士也，為豹訟冤，言其才可大用。 立召拜右僉都御史，巡撫順天。 未赴，擢兵部右侍郎，尋轉左。 仇鸞請調宣、大兵入衛，豹陳四慮，謂宜固守宣、大，宣、大安則京師安。 鸞怒。 伺豹過無所得，乃已。 三十一年召翁萬達為兵部尚書，未至，卒，以豹代之。 奏上防秋事宜，又請增築京師外城，皆報可。 是年秋，寇大入山西，覆總兵官李淶軍，大掠二十日而去。 總督蘇祐反以大捷聞，為巡按御史毛鵬所發，章下兵部。 豹言：「寇雖有所掠，而我師斬獲過當，實上玄垂祐，陛下威靈所致。 宜擇吉祭告，論功行賞。」 帝喜。 進秩任子者數十人，豹亦加太子少保，蔭錦衣世千戶。 京師外城成，進太子少傅。 南北屢奏捷，及類奏諸邊功，豹率歸功玄祐，祭告行賞如初。 豹亦進太子太保。
In autumn of year 29 the capital was attacked. Rites minister Xu Jie—whom Bao had advanced at Huating—petitioned for him, saying his talent deserved high office. He was at once made right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of Shuntian. Before taking up the post he was made right then left vice minister of war. When Qiu Luan asked to bring Xuanfu and Datong troops to defend the capital, Bao urged four objections: hold Xuan and Dat firm, and the capital would be safe. Luan was furious. He tried to catch Bao out but found no pretext and dropped it. In year 31 Weng Wanda was summoned as war minister but died en route; Bao took his place. He proposed autumn defense measures and an outer capital wall; both were approved. That autumn raiders overran Shanxi, crushed commander Li Ze's army, looted for twenty days, and left. Coordinator Su You falsely claimed victory until censor Mao Peng exposed him and the case went to the war ministry. Bao argued that despite looting, Ming kills exceeded losses—Heaven and the emperor's majesty had prevailed. He urged a victory rite and rewards. The emperor was delighted. Dozens were promoted or had sons ennobled; Bao became junior guardian with a hereditary guard command. When the outer wall was finished he was made junior tutor of the heir apparent. As victories piled up, Bao again credited Heaven, ordered rites, and handed out rewards. He was made grand guardian of the heir apparent.
29
當是時，西北邊數遭寇，東南倭又起，羽書日數至。 豹本無應變才，而大學士嵩與豹鄉里，徐階亦入政府，故豹甚為帝所倚。 久之，寇患日棘，帝深以為憂。 豹卒無所謀畫，條奏皆具文，帝漸知其短。 會侍郎趙文華陳七事致仕，侍郎朱隆禧請設巡視福建大臣，開海濱互市禁，豹皆格不行。 帝大怒切責。 豹震懾請罪，復辨增官、開市之非，再下詔譙讓。 豹愈惶懼，條便宜五事以獻。 帝意終不懌，降俸二級。 頃之，竟以中旨罷，而用楊博代之。 歸數年卒，年七十七。 隆慶初，贈少保，謚貞襄。
The northwest was raided repeatedly and southeastern pirates grew; urgent reports arrived daily. Bao lacked crisis skill, but Yan Song was his townsman and Xu Jie was in power, so the emperor leaned on him. As raids worsened the emperor grew deeply anxious. Bao produced no real strategy; his papers were hollow, and the emperor saw his limits. When Zhao Wenhua retired on seven proposals and Zhu Longxi urged a Fujian inspector and coastal trade, Bao blocked both. The emperor raged and rebuked him harshly. Terrified, Bao apologized, defended his opposition to new posts and trade, and was rebuked again. More frightened than ever, he offered five practical proposals. The emperor cut his salary two grades. Soon a secret edict removed him; Yang Bo took his place. He died at home several years later, aged seventy-seven. In early Longqing he was posthumously made junior guardian with the title Zhenxiang.
30
豹初好王守仁良知之說，與辨難，心益服。 後聞守仁歿，為位哭，以弟子自處。 及系獄，著《困辨錄》，於王守仁說頗有異同雲。
He first admired Wang Shouren's teaching of innate knowing and, after debate, admired it more. When Shouren died he mourned him as a disciple. In prison he wrote Records of Hard Distinctions, partly diverging from Wang Shouren.
31
李默，字時言，甌寧人。 正德十六年進士。 選庶吉士。 嘉靖初，改戶部主事，進兵部員外郎。 調吏部，歷驗封郎中。 真人邵元節貴幸，請封誥，默執不予。 十一年為武會試同考官。 及宴兵部，默據賓席，欲坐尚書王憲上。 憲劾其不遜，謫寧國同知。 屢遷浙江左布政使，入為太常卿，掌南京國子監事。 博士等官得與科道選，自默發之。 歷吏部左、右侍郎，代夏邦謨為尚書。 自正德初焦芳、張彩後，吏部無侍郎拜尚書者。 默出帝特簡，蓋異數也。
Li Mo, courtesy name Shiyan, came from Ouning. He passed the jinshi in Zhengde 16. He was chosen a Hanlin bachelor. Early in Jiajing he became a revenue secretary, then war vice director. At the personnel ministry he rose through the honors bureau. Favored Daoist Shao Yuanjie sought ennoblement patents; Mo refused. In year 11 he co-examined the military metropolitan exam. At the war ministry banquet Mo took the guest seat above Minister Wang Xian. Xian impeached him for insolence and he was demoted to Ningguo associate prefect. He rose to Zhejiang left commissioner, then Nanjing vice minister of sacrifices directing the National University. Mo began selecting university doctors alongside censors and supervising secretaries. He became left and right vice minister, then replaced Xia Bangmo as personnel minister. Since Jiao Fang and Zhang Cai in early Zhengde, no vice minister had jumped straight to minister. The emperor's special choice of Mo was exceptional.
32
嚴嵩柄政，擅黜陟權。 默每持己意，嵩銜之。 會推遼東巡撫，列布政使張臬、謝存儒以上。 帝問嵩，嵩言其不任。 奪默職為民，以萬鏜代。 默掌銓僅七月。 逾年，鏜罷，特旨復用默。 已，命入直西內，賜直廬，許苑中乘馬。 尋進太子少保。 未幾，復命兼翰林學士。 給事中梁夢龍劾默徇私，帝為責夢龍。 會大計群吏，默戒門下謝賓客，同直大臣亦不得燕見，嵩甚恨。 趙文華視師還，默氣折之。 總督楊宜罷，嵩、文華欲用胡宗憲，默推王誥代，兩人恨滋甚。
Yan Song monopolized appointments. Mo often resisted him; Song resented it. For Liaodong grand coordinator, commissioners Zhang Nie and Xie Cunru topped the list. The emperor asked Song, who called them unfit. Mo was dismissed as a commoner; Wan Yong replaced him. He held the seals only seven months. A year later Yong fell and Mo was specially recalled. He entered the western inner court, received lodgings, and rode in the imperial park. He was soon made junior guardian. He was soon also made Hanlin academician. Liang Menglong charged favoritism; the emperor rebuked Menglong instead. At the general review Mo shut his door to guests, even colleagues—Song hated it. When Zhao Wenhua returned from the army Mo deferred to him. When Yang Yi fell, Song and Wenhua wanted Hu Zongxian; Mo backed Wang Gao, deepening their hatred.
33
初，文華為帝言余倭無幾，而巡按御史周如鬥以敗狀聞。 帝疑，數詰嵩。 文華謀所以自解，稔帝喜告訐。 會默試選人策問，言「漢武、唐憲以英睿興盛業，晚節用匪人而敗」，遂奏默誹謗。 且言：「殘寇不難滅，以督撫非人，敗衄。 由默恨臣劾其同鄉張經，思為報復。 臣論曹邦輔，即嗾給事中夏栻、孫浚媒孽臣。 延今半載，疆事日非。 昨推總督，又不用宗憲而用誥。 東南塗炭何時解？ 陛下宵旰憂何時釋？」 帝大怒，下禮部及法司議。 奏默偏執自用，失大臣體； 所引漢、唐事，非所宜言。 帝責禮部尚書王用賓等黨護，各奪俸三月，而下默詔獄。 刑部尚書何鰲遂引子罵父律絞。 帝曰：「律不著臣罵君，謂必無也。 今有之，其加等斬。」 錮於獄，默竟瘐死。 時三十五年二月也。
Wenhua had told the emperor few pirates remained, but censor Zhou Rudou reported defeats. The emperor doubted and pressed Song repeatedly. Wenhua, knowing the emperor welcomed informers, sought an escape. Mo's exam question cited Han Wu and Tang Xian failing through wicked late ministers; Wenhua called it slander. He added that remnant pirates were easy to crush but bad coordinators caused defeats. Mo resented my attack on his townsman Zhang Jing and sought revenge. When I criticized Cao Bangfu he set censors Xia Shi and Sun Jun on me. Frontier affairs have worsened for half a year. Yesterday he again chose Gao over Zongxian for grand coordinator. When will the southeast be saved? When will the emperor sleep easy? The emperor raged and referred the case to rites and the judiciary. They ruled Mo obstinate and unfit for high office; and his Han and Tang examples were improper. He punished rites minister Wang Yongbin and others for shielding Mo, cut their pay three months, and jailed Mo. Justice minister He Ao applied the son-cursing-father statute and urged strangulation. The emperor said the code had no minister-cursing-ruler clause because none was expected. Now increase it to decapitation. Imprisoned, Mo died of illness in jail. This was in the second month of year 35.
34
默博雅有才辨，以氣自豪。 同考武試，得陸炳為門生。 炳貴盛，力推轂。 默由外吏驟顯，有所恃，不附嵩。 凡有銓除，與爭可否，氣甚壯。 然性褊淺，用愛憎為軒輊，頗私鄉舊，以恩威自歸，士論亦不甚附之。 默既得罪，繼之者吳鵬、歐陽必進，視嵩父子意，承順惟謹，吏部權盡失。 隆慶中，復默官，予祭葬。 萬歷中，賜謚文湣。
Mo was learned and eloquent, proud by nature. He took Lu Bing as protégé in the military exam. When Lu Bing rose he pushed Mo hard. Suddenly elevated from local office, Mo had backing and refused to follow Song. He fought every appointment, boldly and openly. Yet he was petty, favored hometown ties, ruled by whim, and won little esteem. After Mo, Wu Peng and Ouyang Bijin obeyed the Songs and the personnel ministry lost all power. In Longqing his rank was restored and he received state burial. In Wanli he received the posthumous title Wenmin.
35
萬鏜，字仕鳴，進賢人。 父福，金華知府。 鏜登弘治十八年進士。 正德中，由刑部主事屢遷吏部文選郎中。 司署火，下獄，贖還職。 歷太常、大理少卿。 世宗嗣位，以鏜嘗貽書知縣劉源清，令預防宸濠，賚金幣。 尋遷順天府尹，累遷右副都御史。 歷兵部侍郎、右都御史，皆南京。 彗星見，應詔陳八事。 中言：「人邪正相懸，而形跡易混。 其大較有四：人主所取於下者，曰任怨，曰任事，曰恭順，曰無私； 而邪臣之恣強戾、好紛更、巧逢迎、肆攻訐者，其跡似之。 人主所惡於下者，曰避事，曰沽名，曰朋黨，曰矯激； 而正臣之守成法、恤公議、體群情、規君失者，其跡似之。 察之不精，則邪正倒置，而國是亂矣，此不可不慎也。 治天下貴實不貴文。 今陛下議禮制度考文，至明備矣，而於理財用人安民講武之道，或有缺焉。 願輟聲容之繁飾，略太平之美觀，而專從事於實用，斯治天下之道得矣。 至大禮大獄得罪諸臣，幽錮已久，乞量加寬錄。」 帝大怒，斥為民，令吏部錮勿用。
Wan Yong, courtesy name Shiming, came from Jinxian. His father Fu was Jinhua prefect. He passed the jinshi in Hongzhi 18. Under Zhengde he rose from punishments secretary to appointments director. When his office burned he was jailed, ransomed, and restored. He was vice minister of sacrifices and of judicial review. On the Jiajing succession Yong was rewarded for warning Liu Yuanqing against the Prince of Ning rebellion. He became Shuntian prefect, then right vice censor-in-chief. He held Nanjing posts as war vice minister and right censor-in-chief. When a comet appeared he memorialized eight reforms. He wrote that good and evil look alike outwardly. The ruler wants subordinates who bear blame, get things done, defer, and stay selfless; yet wicked men who are domineering, restless, flattering, and vicious look the same. What the ruler hates is shirking, grandstanding, faction, and showy austerity; yet honest men who uphold law, heed public opinion, and remonstrate look the same outwardly. Without careful judgment good and evil reverse and policy collapses—this demands caution. Governing the realm values substance over show. Ritual and scholarship are thorough, yet finance, appointments, welfare, and defense may still lack. Set aside pageantry and pursue practical governance—that is the true way to rule. Ministers long imprisoned after the Great Rites and Great Prison cases deserve measured amnesty. The emperor raged, made him a commoner, and barred the personnel ministry from using him.
36
家居十年，屢推薦，輒報罷。 同年生嚴嵩柄政，援引之。 湖廣蠟爾山蠻叛，起鏜副都御史，相機剿撫。 鏜納土指揮田應朝策，誘致其酋，督兵破之。 條上善後七事，帝鹹報可。 召鏜還。 未幾，銅平酋龍子賢復叛，御史繆文龍言鏜剿撫皆失。 詔下撫按官勘覆，歸罪於參將李經，事乃解。 鏜得為兵部侍郎。 遷南京刑、禮二部尚書。 召掌刑部。 俄代李默為吏部尚書。
For ten years at home every recommendation was rejected. Classmate Yan Song in power pulled him back in. Huguang's Laer Mountain Miao rebelled; Yong was made vice censor-in-chief to pacify them. Yong used native commander Tian Yingchao's plan to lure and crush the chiefs. Seven follow-up measures were approved. He was recalled. Soon Tongping chief Long Zixian rebelled again; censor Miu Wenlong blamed Yong's failure. Investigators blamed regional commander Li Jing and closed the case. Yong became vice minister of war. He became Nanjing minister of justice and of rites. He was recalled to head justice. He soon replaced Li Mo as personnel minister.
37
鏜既為嵩所引，每事委隨，又頗通饋遺。 撫治鄖陽都御史闕，鏜以通政使趙文華名上。 會給事中朱伯辰劾文華，文華上言：「納言之職，例不外推。 鏜意在出臣，又嗾所親伯辰論劾，欲去臣。 且鏜以侍郎起用，乃朦朧奏二品九年滿，得加太子少保。 又以不得一品，面謾腹誹，無大臣禮。」 帝怒，遂與伯辰並黜為民。 久之卒。 隆慶初，復官，贈太子太保。
Raised by Song, he deferred on everything and traded gifts freely. For Fuyang grand coordinator Yong ranked Zhao Wenhua first. Zhu Bochen impeached Wenhua, who replied that remonstrance should not be outsourced. Yong meant to oust me and incited Bochen to attack me. Raised from vice minister, he vaguely claimed nine years at second rank for junior guardian. Denied first rank, he mocked openly and slandered privately—no minister's decorum. The emperor dismissed Yong and Bochen as commoners. He died years later. In early Longqing his rank was restored and he was posthumously made grand guardian.
38
周延，字南喬，吉水人。 嘉靖二年進士。 除潛江知縣，改新會，擢兵科給事中。 時議新建伯王守仁罪，將奪其爵。 延抗疏為訟，坐謫太倉州判官。 歷南京吏部郎中，出為廣東參政。 撫安南，征黎寇，皆預，有功。 三遷廣東左布政使。 以右副都御史巡撫應天。 靖海寇林成亂。 進兵部右侍郎，提督兩廣軍務。 召為刑部左侍郎。 歷南京右都御史，吏、兵二部尚書。
Zhou Yan, courtesy name Nanqiao, came from Jishui. He passed the jinshi in Jiajing 2. He was magistrate of Qianjiang and Xinhui, then war-bureau supervising secretary. Court debated stripping Marquis Wang Shouren of his title. He defended Wang in a strong memorial and was demoted to Taicang assistant magistrate. He became a Nanjing personnel director, then Guangdong administration commissioner. He helped pacify Annam and fight Li rebels with merit. Promoted thrice he became left commissioner of Guangdong. He became right vice censor-in-chief and Yingtian grand coordinator. He quelled sea-bandit Lin Cheng. He became right vice war minister and two-Guang military director. He was summoned as left vice minister of justice. He was Nanjing right censor-in-chief, then personnel and war minister.
39
嘉靖三十四年召為左都御史。 帝用給事中徐浦議，令廷臣及督撫各舉邊才。 於是故侍郎郭宗臯，都御史曹邦輔、吳嶽，祭酒鄒守益，修撰羅洪先，御史吳悌、方涯，主事唐樞，參政周大禮、曹亨，參議劉誌，知府黃華在舉中。 御史羅廷唯駁曰：「浦疏本言邊才，而今廷臣乃以清修、苦節、實學、懿行舉，去初議遠矣。 況又有夤緣進者。 是假明詔開幸門。」 帝納其言，責吏部濫舉，命與都察院更議。 延與尚書吳鵬等言所舉皆人望，公無私。 帝終不悅，切責延等，而舉者悉報罷。 世宗時，海內賢士大夫被斥者眾，及是舉上，稍冀復用，而為廷唯所阻，自是皆不復召矣。
In Jiajing 34 he was summoned as left censor-in-chief. On Xu Pu's proposal the emperor ordered frontier talent recommendations. Former vice minister Guo Zonggao, censors Cao Bangfu and Wu Yue, Zou Shouyi, Luo Hongxian, and others were nominated. Luo Tingwei objected that nominees were scholars of virtue, not frontier fighters. Some nominees had pulled strings. That abuses the edict to open patronage. The emperor agreed, rebuked personnel for sloppy lists, and ordered a redo with the Censorate. Yan and Wu Peng insisted the nominees were worthy and impartial. The emperor remained angry, rebuked Yan, and rejected every nominee. Many banished scholars hoped for recall; Tingwei's block ended that hope.
40
延顏面寒峭，砥節奉公。 權臣用事，政以賄成，延未嘗有染。 然居臺端七年，無諫諍名。 卒官，贈太子太保，謚簡肅。 延卒，歐陽必進代。 逾月，遷吏部，乃以潘恩繼之。
Yan was stern-faced and incorruptible in office. When power sold offices Yan took no bribes. Yet seven years as censor-in-chief brought no fame for speaking out. He died in office, posthumously grand guardian with the title Jiansu. Ouyang Bijin succeeded him. A month later he went to personnel and Pan En took the Censorate.
41
恩，字子仁，上海人。 嘉靖二年進士。 授祁州知州，調繁鈞州。 鈞，徽王封國也，宗戚豪悍，恩約束之。 擢南京刑部員外郎。 遷廣西提學僉事，署按察使事。 有大猾匿靖江王所，捕之急，王不得已出之。 憾恩，誣以事，按無實得免。 累遷山東副使。 御史葉經以試錄忤旨，並恩下詔獄，謫廣東河源典史。 四遷，復為江西副使，進浙江左參政。 按部海鹽，倭猝至，圍城數匝。 恩與參將湯克寬、僉事姜頤力禦卻之。 俄遷浙江左布政使，以右副都御史巡撫河南。 偕按臣劾徽王載埨貪虐，遂奪國。 伊王典礻英驕橫，恩一切裁之。 河南民素苦藩府，恩制兩悍王，名大著。 久之，由刑部尚書改左都御史。
Pan En, courtesy name Ziren, came from Shanghai. He passed the jinshi in Jiajing 2. He was prefect of Qizhou, then busy Junzhou. At Prince of Hui's Junzhou En restrained violent kinsmen. He became Nanjing justice vice director. He became Guangxi education intendant acting surveillance commissioner. A great rogue hid with Prince of Jingjiang and was surrendered under pressure. The prince framed him; inquiry found nothing and he was cleared. He rose to Shandong vice commissioner. Censor Ye Jing offended the throne; En was jailed and demoted to Heyuan recorder. Restored through four promotions, he became Jiangxi vice commissioner then Zhejiang left commissioner. Inspecting Haiyan, he was besieged by sudden pirate attack. With Tang Kekuan and Jiang Yi he defended and repelled them. He became Zhejiang left commissioner, then Henan grand coordinator. He and the inspector impeached Prince of Hui heir Zaijun and stripped the fief. Prince of Yi heir Dian Ying was overbearing; En reined him in. Henan people suffered princely estates; En tamed two fierce princes and became famous. He moved from justice minister to left censor-in-chief.
42
子允端，為刑部主事。 吏部尚書郭樸，恩門生也，調之禮部。 給事中張益劾允端奔兢，恩溺愛，樸徇私。 帝置樸不問，改允端南京工部，令恩致仕。 萬歷初，賜存問。 卒年八十七。 贈太子少保，謚恭定。
His son Yunduan was a justice secretary. Personnel minister Guo Pu, his student, moved Yunduan to rites. Zhang Yi charged Yunduan's ambition; En favored him and Pu bent rules. Pu escaped blame; Yunduan went to Nanjing works and En retired. Early in Wanli he received an imperial visit in retirement. He died at eighty-seven. He was posthumously junior guardian with the title Gongding.
43
賈應春，字東陽，真定人。 嘉靖二年進士。 授南陽知縣，遷和州知州。 入為刑部郎中。 歷知潞安、開封二府。 遷陜西副使。 未赴，河南巡按陳蕙劾其貪濫，謫山東鹽運同知，蕙亦坐貶。 久之，由漢陽知府復遷陜西副使，進右參政。 寧羌賊起，會兵討平之。 遷按察使，左、右布政使，皆在陜西。 就拜右副都御史，巡撫其地。 三十二年進兵部右侍郎，總督三邊軍務。 俺答諸部歲擾邊，應春言：「諸邊間諜不通，每寇入莫測其向，我則無所不備。 兵分勢孤，往往失事。 夫寇將內犯，必聚眾治器，臘肉飼馬，傳箭祭旗，其形先露。 而我民被掠者，間亦臨邊傳報，頗有左驗。 使邊臣厚以官賞，令密偵候，視漫然散守者，功相十百。」 乃定賞格以請。 帝立從之。 其秋，寇大入延綏，殺掠五千余人。 應春督諸將邀擊，獲首功二百四十，以捷聞。 而巡按御史吉澄極言敗狀。 帝竟錄應春功，官其一子。 明年罷宣、大總督蘇祐，以應春代。 時秋防將屆，代應春者江東未至，令仍舊任。 套寇數萬人屯寧夏山後，先遣騎五百余入掠。 總兵官姜應熊守紅井以綴敵，而密遣精兵薄其營，斬首百四十余級，進應春右都御史。 逾月，寇別部入永昌、西寧，為守將所破。 番人入鎮羌，總兵官王繼祖擊敗之，並賜應春銀幣。 久之，寇五千騎犯環慶，為都督袁正所破，掠莊涼，守將邀斬百二十人，再予應春一子官。 在鎮數載，築邊垣萬一千八百余丈，以花馬池閑田二萬頃給軍屯墾，邊人賴之。 征拜南京戶部尚書。 論邊垣功，進秩一等。 旋召為刑部尚書，改戶部。 國用不足，應春以為言。 因命征不及七分者，所司毋遷官。 漕政廢弛，運艘多逋負，亦以應春言重其罰。 歲餘，致仕去。 卒，贈太子太保。
Jia Yingchun, courtesy name Dongyang, came from Zhending. He passed the jinshi in Jiajing 2. He was Nanyang magistrate, then Hezhou prefect. He became a justice director. He governed Lu'an and Kaifeng. He was promoted to Shaanxi vice commissioner. Before taking office Chen Hui impeached him for corruption; he was demoted to Shandong salt associate prefect and Hui too was punished. Later, from Hanyang prefect he returned as Shaanxi vice commissioner then right administration commissioner. He helped crush Ningqiang bandits. He became Shaanxi surveillance commissioner and left and right administration commissioner. He was made Shaanxi grand coordinator. In year 32 he became right vice war minister and three-frontier director-general. Yingchun said frontier spies failed: enemies struck unpredictably while Ming forces spread thin everywhere. Scattered troops often lose. Before raiding, enemies gather, arm, salt meat, feed horses, and signal—their signs show first. Plundered civilians sometimes bring corroborating border reports. Rich rewards for frontier spies would beat scattered garrison duty tenfold. He set spy reward rules and sought approval. The emperor approved at once. That autumn raiders killed over five thousand in Yan-sui. He led intercepts, took 240 heads, and reported victory. Touring censor Ji Cheng reported defeat instead. The emperor still rewarded Yingchun and ennobled a son. Next year he replaced Su You as Xuan-Dat grand coordinator. Jiang Dong had not arrived for autumn defense, so Yingchun stayed on. Tens of thousands camped behind Ningxia Mountain and sent 500 raiders first. Jiang Yingxiong held Hongjing while elite troops struck the camp for 140 heads; Yingchun was promoted. Another band hit Yongchang and Xining and was beaten. Tibetans at Zhenqiang were beaten; Yingchun received rewards. Five thousand raiders hit Huanqing; intercepts took 120 heads and another son was ennobled. He built 11,800+ zhang of wall and gave 20,000 mu at Huamachi to garrison farms. He was summoned as Nanjing revenue minister. Border-wall merit raised his rank one grade. He became justice minister, then revenue minister. He spoke on insufficient revenue. Where tax collection fell below seventy percent, no promotions were allowed. Transport defaults drew heavier penalties on his advice. After a year he retired. He died and was posthumously made grand guardian.
44
張永明，字鐘誠，烏程人。 嘉靖十四年進士。 除蕪湖知縣。 獻皇后梓宮南祔，所過繁費不貲。 永明堊江岸佛舍為殿，供器飾箔金，財用大省。 尋擢南京刑科給事中。 寇入大同，山西總督樊繼祖，巡撫史道、陳講等不能禦，永明偕同官論其罪。 已，又劾兵部尚書張瓚黷貨誤國，又劾大學士嚴嵩及子世蕃貪汙狀。 已，又劾兵部尚書戴金為御史巡鹽時，增余鹽羨銀，阻壞邊計。 疏雖不盡行，中外憚之。
Zhang Yongming, courtesy name Zhongcheng, came from Wucheng. He passed the jinshi in Jiajing 14. He was made Wuhu magistrate. The empress's southern burial procession cost enormously. He converted Buddhist halls into a mourning hall with gilt fittings and saved vast expense. He became Nanjing punishments supervising secretary. When Datong fell he indicted Fan Jizu, Shi Dao, and Chen Jiang. He impeached Zhang Zan and Yan Song and Shifan for corruption. He impeached Dai Jin for surplus-salt graft harming frontier policy. Not all charges stuck, but court and country feared him.
45
出為江西參議。 累遷雲南副使，山西左布政使。 以右副都御史巡撫河南。 伊王典礻英恣橫，永明發其惡，後竟伏辜。 四十年遷刑部右侍郎。 未上，改吏部，進左。 尋拜刑部尚書。 居數月，改左都御史。 條上飭歷撫按六事。 御史黃廷聘按浙歸，道湘潭，慢知縣陳安。 安發其裝，得所攜金銀貨幣。 廷聘皇恐謝，乃還之。 永明聞，劾罷廷聘。 浙江參政劉應箕先為廷聘論罷，見廷聘敗，摭其陰事自辨。 永明惡之，劾應箕，亦斥。
He became Jiangxi administration commissioner. He rose to Yunnan vice commissioner and Shanxi left commissioner. He became Henan grand coordinator. He exposed Prince of Yi heir Dian Ying, who was eventually punished. In year 40 he became right vice justice minister. Before taking office he became left personnel vice minister. He soon became justice minister. Months later he became left censor-in-chief. He proposed six reforms for touring officials. Censor Huang Tingpin insulted Xiangtan magistrate Chen An. Chen An searched his baggage and found gold and goods. Tingpin apologized and returned them. Yongming impeached and dismissed Tingpin. Liu Yingji, once dismissed by Tingpin, now defended himself with secret charges. Yongming impeached Yingji and removed him too.
46
故事，京官考滿，自翰林外皆報名都察院，修庭謁禮。 後吏部郎恃權，張濂廢報名，陸光祖廢庭謁。 永明榜令遵故事，列儀節奏聞，詔諸司遵守。 郎中羅良當考滿，先詣永明邸，約免報名庭謁乃過院。 永明怒，疏言：「此禮行百年，非臣所能損益。 良輕薄無狀，當罷。 又卿貳大臣考滿，詣吏部與堂官相見訖，即詣四司門揖，司官輒南面答揖，亦非禮，當改正。」 良疏辨，奪俸。 詔禮部會禮科議之，奏言：「永明議是。 自今吏部郎其承舊制。 九卿翰林官揖四司，當罷。」 詔可。
Capital officials except Hanlin once reported to the Censorate for courtyard audience. Later directors Zhang Lian and Lu Guangzu ended those rituals. He restored the rituals by edict. Director Luo Liang tried to skip rituals after lobbying Yongming. Yongming angrily defended century-old ritual. Liang is unworthy and should go. He also attacked ministers bowing to bureau clerks who bowed back facing south. Liang lost salary in reply. Rites and remonstrance bureau backed Yongming. Personnel directors must follow old ritual. Ministers must not bow to bureau clerks. The throne approved.
47
永明素清謹。 掌憲在嚴嵩罷後，以整飭綱維為己任。 會給事中魏時亮劾，永明力求去，詔許馳驛歸。 明年卒。 贈太子少保，謚莊僖。
Yongming was pure and careful. After Song fell he restored censorial discipline. Wei Shiliang impeached him; he retired by relay. He died the next year. He was posthumously junior guardian with the title Zhuangxi.
48
胡松，字汝茂，滁人。 幼嗜學，嘗輯古名臣章奏，慨然有用世誌。 登嘉靖八年進士，知東平州。 設方略捕盜，民賴以安。 再遷南京禮部郎中，歷山西提學副使。
Hu Song, courtesy name Ruma, came from Chu prefecture. He compiled ancient ministers' memorials and burned to serve. He passed the jinshi in Jiajing 8 and governed Dongping. His bandit-catching plans brought peace. He became Nanjing rites director then Shanxi education vice commissioner.
49
三十年秋，上邊務十二事，謂：
In autumn of year 30 he submitted twelve frontier proposals:
50
去秋俺答掠興、嵐，即傳箭征兵，克期深入。 守臣皆諗聞之。 而巡撫史道、總兵官王陛等備禦無素。 待其壓境，始以求貢上聞。 又陰致賄遺，令勿侵己分地，冀嫁禍他境。 今山西之禍，實大同貽之。 宜亟置重典，以厲諸鎮。
Last autumn Altan raided Xing-Lan and summoned troops for deep invasion. Defenders knew in advance. Yet Shi Dao and Wang Bi were habitually unprepared. Only when raiders arrived did they seek tribute by memorial. They bribed enemies to spare their own districts and harm others. Shanxi's disaster came from Datong's failure. Heavy punishment must warn all frontiers.
51
大同自兵變以來，壯士多逃漠北為寇用，今宜招使歸。 有攜畜產器械來者，聽其自有。 更給牛種費，優復數年。 則我捐金十萬，可得壯士二萬。 拊而用之，皆勁旅也。 孰與棄之以資強敵哉！
Datong mutiny refugees serving enemies should be recalled. Returnees may keep livestock and tools. Give seed oxen, funds, and tax relief. A hundred thousand taels could buy twenty thousand fighters. Win them over and they become crack troops. Better than abandoning them to the enemy!
52
大同最敵沖，為鎮巡者較諸邊獨難。 今宜不拘資格，精擇其人。 豐給祿廩，使得收召猛士，畜豢健丁。 又久其期，非十年不得代。 彼知不可驟遷，必不為茍且旦夕計，而邊圉自固。 又必稍寬文綱，非大幹憲典，言官毋得輕劾，以壞其成功。
Datong is the hardest frontier post. Choose the finest regardless of seniority. Pay them well to gather fighters. Ten-year terms would stop short-term thinking. Long terms would secure the frontier. Relax petty impeachment of frontier leaders.
53
至用間之道，兵家所貴。 今寇諜獲於山西者已數十人，他鎮類是。 故我之虛實，彼無不知。 今宜厚養死士，潛縱遣之。 得間則斬其名王、部長及諸用事貴人。 否亦可覘強弱虛實，而陰為備。
Espionage is militarily vital. Dozens of enemy spies were caught in Shanxi alone. So enemies know our every weakness. Maintain dead soldiers' families and send agents out. Kill enemy princes and chiefs when possible. Or spy to learn strength and prepare.
54
又寇貪而好利，我誠不愛金帛。 東賂黃、毛三衛以牽其左，西收亦不剌遺種，予善地，以綴其右，使首尾掣曳，自相狼顧，則我可起承其敝，坐收全勝矣。
Enemies love gold; use it freely. Bribe eastern and western tribes to divide the enemy, then strike when they fray.
55
他所條析，鹹切邊計。 帝嘉其忠懇，進秩左參政。
His other points all suited frontier needs. The emperor praised him and promoted him to left administration commissioner.
56
松疏上，當事者已惡其侵官。 及遷擢，益忌之。 不畀以兵柄，令於三關聽用，欲因以陷之。 寇大入，抵太原。 給事中馮良知遂劾松建言冒賞，無寸功。 紀功科道官張堯年、王珩劾總兵官張達等，並論松虛議無補，遂斥為民。 家居十余年。 屢薦，輒報罷。 至三十五年，以趙文華言，起陜西參政，分守平涼。 復條嚴保甲、均賦稅、置常平、簡伉健數事。 三遷江西左布政使，以右副都御史巡撫其地。 所部多盜，松奏設南昌、南豐、萬安三營，遣將討捕，以次削平。 進兵部右侍郎，巡撫如故。 以會討廣東巨寇張璉及援閩破倭功，兩賜銀幣。 居三年，召理部事。 進左侍郎，改吏部。 遷南京兵部尚書，參贊機務。 代郭樸為吏部尚書。 奏言：「撫按舉劾，每舉數十人，虛譽浮詞，往往失實。 所劾犯贓，僅擬降調； 罷軟貪殘，僅擬改教。 賞罰不當，人何所激勸？ 且巡撫歲終例有冊，第屬吏賢否，今皆寢閣，乞申飭其欺玩者。」 帝嘉納之。
Officials already hated his encroaching advice. Promotion made them hate him more. They denied him command and posted him at three passes to trap him. Raiders reached Taiyuan. Feng Zhixian charged Song with reckless talk and no merit. Merit censors joined in; Song was dismissed as a commoner. He lived at home over ten years. Every recommendation was rejected. In year 35 Zhao Wenhua had him made Shaanxi commissioner defending Pingliang. He proposed baojia, fair taxes, granaries, and strong militia. He rose to Jiangxi left commissioner and grand coordinator. He set three camps and pacified Jiangxi bandits in order. He became right vice war minister while staying coordinator. He twice received gold for crushing Zhang Lian and aiding Fujian against pirates. After three years he was recalled to the ministry. He became left vice minister then personnel vice minister. He became Nanjing war minister assisting military affairs. He replaced Guo Pu as personnel minister. He said touring officials' bulk recommendations were often false. Corrupt men were only demoted, not removed; the incompetent were merely sent to teach. Bad rewards and punishments could not inspire men. He asked to punish inspectors who shelved year-end reviews. The emperor approved.
57
松潔己好修，富經術，郁然有聲望。 晚主銓柄，以振拔淹滯為己任。 甫七月，病卒。 贈太子少保，謚恭肅。
Song was learned, frugal, and respected. Late as personnel minister he promoted the long-neglected. He died of illness after seven months. He was posthumously junior guardian with the title Gongsu.
58
時又有胡松者，字茂卿，績溪人。 正德九年進士。 嘉請時為御史。 桂萼薦王瓊，松論之。 忤旨，謫廉州推官。 累官工部尚書。 伊王欲拓其洛陽府第，計直十萬金，以十二賕嚴嵩，期必得。 松據祖制爭，乃止。 俺答入寇，仇鸞以邊眾入衛，欲悉召其眾實京師，移武庫仗於營，便給調。 松言邊兵外也而內之，武庫仗內也而外之，非所以重肘腋，杜微慎防也，執弗許。 尋引疾歸。 卒年八十三。 居家以孝友稱。
Another Hu Song, courtesy name Maoqing, came from Jixi. He passed the jinshi in Zhengde 9. Under Jiaqing he was a censor. He opposed Gui E's recommendation of Wang Qiong. He offended the throne and was demoted to Lianzhou investigating prefect. He rose to minister of works. Prince of Yi tried to bribe Yan Song for a costly Luoyang expansion. Song blocked it on ancestral precedent. Qiu Luan wanted all frontier troops in the capital and arsenal weapons in camps. Song refused: frontier troops inside and weapons outside endangered the capital. He soon retired ill. He died at eighty-three. At home he was famed for filial piety.
59
趙炳然，字子晦，劍州人。 嘉靖十四年進士。 除新喻知縣。 征拜御史。 與給事中李文進核宣、大、山西兵餉。 劾前後督撫樊繼祖、史道，監司楊銳，指揮馮世彪等一百七十七人侵冒罪，坐謫有差。 條上備邊十二事。 歷按雲南、浙江。 擢大理寺丞，進少卿。 尋改右僉都御史，巡撫湖廣。 進左副都御史，協理院事。
Zhao Bingran, courtesy name Zihui, came from Jianzhou. He passed the jinshi in Jiajing 14. He was made Xinyu magistrate. He was summoned as censor. With Li Wenjin he audited Xuan-Dat-Shanxi military funds. He impeached 177 officials for fund embezzlement with varied punishments. He listed twelve frontier defense measures. He inspected Yunnan and Zhejiang. He became judicial review vice director then vice minister. He became Huguang grand coordinator. He became left vice censor-in-chief assisting the Censorate.
60
浙江、福建總督胡宗憲下獄，詔罷總督毋設。 大學士徐階以浙江寇甫平，請設巡撫綏輯，遂進炳然兵部右侍郎兼右僉都御史往任之。 浙罹兵燹久，又當宗憲汰侈後，財匱力絀。 炳然廉以率下，悉更諸政令不便者，仍奏減軍需之半。 民皆屍祝之。
Hu Zongxian was jailed and the grand coordinator post abolished. Xu Jie asked for a Zhejiang grand coordinator; Bingran was sent. War-ravaged Zhejiang was broke after Zongxian's extravagance. He ruled frugally, reformed policy, halved military levies, and won popular blessing. People blessed him like a god.
61
福建巡撫遊震得請浙兵剿賊。 詔發義烏精兵一萬，命副總兵戚繼光將以往，仍諭炳然協剿。 炳然言：「福建所以致亂者，由將吏撫馭無術，民變為兵，兵變為盜耳。 今又驅浙兵以赴閩急，竊懼浙之復為閩也。 請令一意團練士著，使人各為用，家自為守，急則兵，緩則農，然後聚散兩有所歸。 即不得已而召募，亦必先本土後鄰壤，庶無釀禍本。」 又條上防海八事，中言：「蘇、松、浙江水師皆統於總兵，駐定海； 陸師皆統於副總兵，駐金山衛，並受總督節制。 今督府既革，則已判為二鎮，彼此牽制，不得調發。 請畫地分轄，各兼水陸軍務。」 俱報可。 其年，繼光破賊，瀕海余寇流入浙江。 官軍迎戰於連嶼、陡橋、石坪，斬首百余級。 新倭復犯石坪，將士乘勝殲之。 炳然以援剿功，再賜金幣，進右都御史兼兵部右侍郎。
You Zhen won Zhejiang troops for Fujian bandits. Ten thousand Yiwu troops under Qi Jiguang were sent with Bingran to coordinate. Bingran said Fujian's chaos came from bad civil control turning people into rebels. Sending Zhejiang troops to Fujian may ruin Zhejiang too. He urged local militia who farm in peace and fight in crisis. If recruiting, hire locals before outsiders. He also proposed eight coastal defense measures: Suzhou-Song-Zhejiang fleets answered to the regional commander at Dinghai; land forces under the vice commander at Jinshan—all under the grand coordinator. Without a coordinator the two commands cannot coordinate. Divide territory so each commander handles land and sea." All were approved. Jiguang won; remnant raiders fled into Zhejiang. Troops took 100+ heads at Lianyu, Douqiao, and Shiping. New raiders at Shiping were destroyed in pursuit.
62
給事中辛自修劾罷戎政都御史李鐩，請擇素知兵者代之。 乃召炳然為兵部尚書，協理戎政。 逾年，詔兼右都御史，總督宣、大、山西軍務。 新平、平遠、保平三堡密邇宣府，舊屬大同。 天城相去六十里，孤懸塞外，隔崇山，寇騎時出沒。 炳然奏添設參將，別為一營，報可。 尋以總兵官馬芳等卻敵功，被賚。 已，召還部，代楊博為尚書。 考滿，加太子少保。
For aid in suppression he was promoted and rewarded again. Xin Zixiu removed Li Jin and sought a military expert. Bingran was summoned as war minister assisting military administration. A year later he also directed Xuan-Dat-Shanxi. Forts Xinping, Pingyuan, and Baoping near Xuanfu once belonged to Datong. Tiancheng stood isolated beyond the pass where raiders roamed. He added a vice commander and separate camp. Ma Fang's repulse brought him rewards. Recalled, he replaced Yang Bo as minister.
63
炳然清勤練達，所至有聲績。 隆慶初，以病乞休去。 卒，贈太子太保，謚恭襄。
At term review he was made junior guardian. Bingran was pure, capable, and effective everywhere. Early in Longqing he retired ill.
64
贊曰：世宗朝，璁、萼、言、嵩相繼用事，六卿之長不得其職。 大都波流茅靡，淟，忍取容。 廖紀以下諸人，其矯矯者與！ 應奎司邦計，不能節以制度，顧務加賦以病民。 豹也碌碌，彌無足觀矣。
He died and was posthumously grand guardian with the title Gongxiang. The comment: under Shizong, Cong, E, Yan, and Song seized power and six ministers lost their roles. Most officials drifted, obsequious and compliant. Liao Ji and those below stood out. Yingkui taxed without institutions; Bao was mediocre and negligible.