1
太祖武皇帝,沛國譙人也,姓曹,諱操,字孟德,漢相國參之後。 〈〔《曹瞞傳》曰:〕太祖一名吉利,小字阿瞞。 王沈《魏書》曰:其先出於黃帝。 當高陽世,陸終之子曰安,是爲曹姓。 周武王克殷,存先世之後,封曹俠於邾。 春秋之世,與於盟會,逮至戰國,爲楚所滅。 子孫分流,或家于沛。 漢高祖之起,曹參以功封平陽侯,世襲爵土,絕而復紹,至今適嗣國於容城。〉 桓帝世,曹騰爲中常侍大長秋,封費亭侯。 〈司馬彪《續漢書》曰:騰父節,字元偉,素以仁厚稱。 鄰人有亡豕者,與節豕相類,詣門認之,節不與爭; 後所亡豕自還其家,豕主人大慙,送所認豕,并辭謝節,節笑而受之。 由是鄉黨貴歎焉。 長子伯興,次子仲興,次子叔興。 騰字季興,少除黃門從官。 永寧元年,鄧太后詔黃門令選中黃門從官年少溫謹者,配皇太子書,騰應其選。 太子特親愛騰,飲食賞賜與衆有異。 順帝即位,爲小黃門,遷至中常侍大長秋。 在省闥三十餘年,歷事四帝,未甞有過。 好進達賢能,終無所毀傷。 其所稱薦,若陳留虞放、邊韶、南陽延固、張溫、弘農張奐、潁川堂谿典等,皆致位公卿,而不伐其善。 蜀郡太守因計吏修敬於騰,益州刺史种暠於函谷關搜得其牋,上太守,并奏騰內臣外交,所不當爲,請免官治罪。 帝曰:「牋自外來,騰書不出,非其罪也。」 乃寑暠奏。 騰不以介意,常稱歎暠,以爲暠得事上之節。 暠後爲司徒,語人曰:「今日爲公,乃曹常侍恩也。」 騰之行事,皆此類也。 桓帝即位,以騰先帝舊臣,忠孝彰著,封費亭侯,加位特進。 太和三年,追尊騰曰高皇帝。〉 養子嵩嗣,官至太尉,莫能審其生出本末。 〈《續漢書》曰:嵩字巨高。 質性敦慎,所在忠孝。 爲司隷校尉,靈帝擢拜大司農、大鴻臚,代崔烈爲太尉。 黃初元年,追尊嵩曰太皇帝。 吳人作《曹瞞傳》及郭頒《世語》並云:嵩,夏侯氏之子,夏侯惇之叔父。 太祖於惇爲從父兄弟。〉 嵩生太祖。
Emperor Wu, canonically titled Grand Progenitor, came from Qiao in Pei commandery. His clan name was Cao; his given name Cao (taboo form); his courtesy name Mengde. His line traced back to Cao Shen, who had served the Han as Chancellor of State. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan adds that Cao Cao was also called Jili and was known in childhood as A Man. Wang Chen's Book of Wei traces his ancestry to the Yellow Emperor. In the line of Gaoyang, Lu Zhong's son An founded what became the Cao clan. When King Wu of Zhou overthrew Shang, he preserved ancient noble lines and enfeoffed Cao Xia in Zhu. Through the Spring and Autumn era that state joined the great alliances; by the Warring States period Chu had swallowed it. The family scattered, and one branch settled in Pei. When Liu Bang founded the Han, Cao Shen earned the marquisate of Pingyang; the title passed down through the generations, was once broken, then restored, and the rightful heir still holds an enfeoffment at Rongcheng today.〉 Under Emperor Huan, Cao Teng rose to senior eunuch and chief steward to the empress, and received the title of marquis of Feiting. 〈Sima Biao's Continuation of the Han History records that Cao Teng's father, Jie (courtesy Yuanwei), was widely known for kindness and generosity. A neighbor who had lost a pig insisted the one at Jie's door was his; Jie yielded without argument. The runaway pig soon wandered home. Mortified, the neighbor brought back Jie's animal and apologized; Jie accepted both with a smile. From then on his community held him in high regard. His sons were Boxing, Zhongxing, and Shuxing, in birth order. Cao Teng, courtesy Jixing, entered service young as a Yellow Gate attendant. In 120 CE, Empress Dowager Deng ordered the selection of steady young pages to tutor the crown prince; Cao Teng was chosen. The crown prince singled him out for meals and largesse. When Emperor Shun came to the throne, Cao Teng advanced from junior Yellow Gate attendant to senior eunuch and chief steward to the empress. For more than thirty years inside the palace he served four sovereigns without a stain on his record. He delighted in promoting talent and never used his influence to ruin anyone. Men he backed — Yu Fang and Bian Shao of Chenliu, Yan Gu and Zhang Wen of Nanyang, Zhang Huan of Hongnong, Tangxi Dian of Yingchuan, and others — all rose to the highest offices, yet he never bragged about his part in their careers. A Shu prefect tried to curry favor with Cao Teng through his clerk; Inspector Chong Hao intercepted the letter at Hangu Pass, informed the court, and charged the powerful eunuch with unauthorized external correspondence. The emperor replied, "The letter came from outside the palace; Cao Teng sent nothing out, so he is blameless." He shelved Chong Hao's accusation. Cao Teng bore no grudge and instead praised Chong Hao for understanding how a loyal official should serve his sovereign. Years later, as Minister of Education, Chong Hao told people, "My rank as duke today is due to Regular Attendant Cao's kindness." Cao Teng's public life was marked by such magnanimity. Emperor Huan honored him as a veteran of the previous reign, enfeoffed him at Feiting, and advanced him to the exalted rank of tejin. In 229 CE, the third year of Taihe, he was posthumously canonized as Emperor Gao.〉 His adopted son Cao Song inherited the title and rose to grand commandant, though his true parentage remained obscure. 〈The Continuation of the Han History gives Cao Song's courtesy name as Jugao. He was steady and conscientious, and loyal wherever he served. He was colonel director of retainers; Emperor Ling then promoted him to grand minister of agriculture and grand herald, and finally made him grand commandant in place of Cui Lie. In 220 CE, the first year of Huangchu, Cao Song was posthumously honored as grand emperor. Wu lore and Guo Ban's Shi Yu both claim Cao Song was actually a Xiahouson of Xiahou Dun's uncle. That would make Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun cousins on the male side.〉 Cao Song was Cao Cao's father.
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太祖少機警,有權數,而任俠放蕩,不治行業,故世人未之奇也; 〈《曹瞞傳》云:太祖少好飛鷹走狗,游蕩無度,其叔父數言之於嵩。 太祖患之,後逢叔父於路,乃陽敗面喎口; 叔父怪而問其故,太祖曰:「卒中惡風。」 叔父以告嵩。 嵩驚愕,呼太祖,太祖口貌如故。 嵩問曰:「叔父言汝中風,已差乎?」 太祖曰:「初不中風,但失愛於叔父,故見罔耳。」 嵩乃疑焉。 自後叔父有所告,嵩終不復信,太祖於是益得肆意矣。〉 惟梁國橋玄、南陽何顒異焉。 玄謂太祖曰:「天下將亂,非命世之才不能濟也,能安之者,其在君乎!」 〈《魏書》曰:太尉橋玄,世名知人,覩太祖而異之,曰:「吾見天下名士多矣,未有若君者也! 君善自持。 吾老矣! 願以妻子爲託。」 由是聲名益重。 《續漢書》曰:玄字公祖,嚴明有才略,長於人物。 張璠《漢紀》曰:玄歷位中外,以剛斷稱,謙儉下士,不以王爵私親。 光和中爲太尉,以久病策罷,拜太中大夫,卒,家貧乏產業,柩無所殯。 當世以此稱爲名臣。 《世語》曰:玄謂太祖曰:「君未有名,可交許子將。」 太祖乃造子將,子將納焉,由是知名。 孫盛異同雜語云:太祖甞私入中常侍張讓室,讓覺之; 乃舞手戟於庭,踰垣而出。 才武絕人,莫之能害。 博覽群書,特好兵法,抄集諸家兵法,名曰接要,又注孫武十三篇,皆傳於世。 甞問許子將:「我何如人?」 子將不荅。 固問之,子將曰:「子治世之能臣,亂世之姦雄。」 太祖大笑。〉 年二十,舉孝廉爲郎,除洛陽北部尉,遷頓丘令, 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:太祖初入尉廨,繕治四門。 造五色棒,縣門左右各十餘枚,有犯禁者,不避豪彊,皆棒殺之。 後數月,靈帝愛幸小黃門蹇碩叔父夜行,即殺之。 京師斂迹,莫敢犯者。 近習寵臣咸疾之,然不能傷,於是共稱薦之,故遷爲頓丘令。〉 徵拜議郎。 〈《魏書》曰:太祖從妹夫㶏彊侯宋奇被誅,從坐免官。 後以能明古學,復徵拜議郎。 先是大將軍竇武、太傅陳蕃謀誅閹官,反爲所害。 太祖上書陳武等正直而見陷害,姦邪盈朝,善人壅塞,其言甚切; 靈帝不能用。 是後詔書勑三府:舉奏州縣政理無效,民爲作謠言者免罷之。 三公傾邪,皆希世見用,貨賂並行,彊者爲怨,不見舉奏,弱者守道,多被陷毀。 太祖疾之。 是歲以災異博問得失,因此復上書切諫,說三公所舉奏專回避貴戚之意。 奏上,天子感寤,以示三府責讓之,諸以謠言徵者皆拜議郎。 是後政教日亂,豪猾益熾,多所摧毀; 太祖知不可匡正,遂不復獻言。〉
Young Cao Cao was sharp and resourceful but swaggered as a brawling rake, neglecting steady study, so contemporaries saw nothing remarkable in him. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says he spent his youth hawking and hunting, roaming without restraint, until his uncle kept reporting him to Cao Song. Annoyed by the tattling, he once met his uncle on the road and pretended to have a stroke-twisted mouth, slack features, the whole performance. When his uncle asked what was wrong, Cao Cao gasped, "I was suddenly struck by an ill wind." The uncle hurried the news to Cao Song. Cao Song rushed out in alarm, only to find his son looking perfectly healthy. Cao Song asked, "Your uncle said you had a stroke. Are you recovered?" Cao Cao replied, "I was never ill; I only lost my uncle's goodwill, so he slandered me." From then on Cao Song doubted his brother's reports. After that his uncle's complaints fell on deaf ears, and Cao Cao could misbehave with impunity.〉 Only Qiao Xuan of Liang and He Yong of Nanyang saw something exceptional in him. Qiao Xuan told him, "The empire is sliding toward chaos; only a genius of the age can save it, and that man may be you!" 〈The Book of Wei records that Grand Commandant Qiao Xuan, famed for reading character, exclaimed on meeting Cao Cao, "I have known every luminary of our age, and none compares to you. Mind how you carry yourself. I am an old man now. I charge you with my family's future." From that moment his name carried real weight at court. The Continuation of the Han History describes Qiao Xuan (courtesy Gongzu) as stern, capable, and gifted at sizing people up. Zhang Fan's Han Annals adds that Qiao Xuan served in the provinces and capital, was known for firm decisions and modesty toward inferiors, and never traded on rank for his relatives. During the Guanghe era he rose to grand commandant, then retired ill as a grand palace counselor; he died so poor that his kin could barely bury him. Contemporaries hailed him as a model minister. The Shi Yu records Qiao Xuan telling Cao Cao, "You do not yet have a reputation; you should befriend Xu Zijiang." Cao Cao called on Xu Shao, who took him in, and his fame spread from that introduction. Sun Sheng's Miscellaneous Tales of Agreement and Disagreement claims Cao Cao once slipped into eunuch Zhang Rang's quarters and was spotted. He waved a short halberd in the courtyard, vaulted the wall, and escaped. His fighting skill was so extraordinary that no one could touch him. He read widely, loved strategy, compiled excerpts from military treatises under the title Essentials Drawn Together, and annotated Sunzi's thirteen chapters, works that circulated for generations. He once asked Xu Shao, "What kind of man am I?" Xu Shao refused to answer. Pressed again, Xu Shao replied, "In a well-ordered age you would be an outstanding minister; in disorder you would dominate as a formidable power." Cao Cao roared with laughter.〉 At twenty he entered office on the Filial-and-Incorrupt list, became a gentleman cadet, served as captain of the northern district of Luoyang, then was named magistrate of Dunqiu county. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says that on taking up his post in Luoyang he immediately set his yamen in order, including the four gates. He hung colored clubs by each gate and bludgeoned every curfew-breaker, powerful house or petty thief alike. Months later a kinsman of the favored eunuch Jian Shuo violated the night curfew; Cao Cao had him beaten to death on the spot. The capital went quiet; no one dared test him. Palace favorites seethed but could not strike him, so they conspired to praise him upward and bundle him off as magistrate of Dunqiu.〉 He was recalled to the capital as a gentleman consultant. 〈The Book of Wei notes his dismissal when his wife's cousin Song Qi, marquis of Yinqiang, was executed. His classical scholarship later won him a second appointment as gentleman consultant. Earlier, Grand General Dou Wu and Grand Tutor Chen Fan had tried to purge the eunuchs and were themselves destroyed. Cao Cao submitted a blunt memorial charging that honest men had been murdered while villains choked the court. Emperor Ling ignored it. Soon an edict ordered the three bureaus to dismiss local officials whose misrule had provoked popular lampoons. The Three Excellencies were venal time-servers; bribery decided cases, the ruthless escaped impeachment, and principled minor officials were ruined. Cao Cao despised the corruption. When omens prompted a policy review, he fired off another memorial accusing the Three Excellencies of shielding well-connected wrongdoers. The emperor took the point, showed the memorial to the three bureaus, rebuked them, and appointed the lampooned officials as gentlemen consultants. Yet governance only worsened, predators grew bolder, and honest men were torn down faster than ever. Seeing no hope of reform, Cao Cao fell silent.〉
3
光和末,黃巾起。 拜騎都尉,討潁川賊。 遷爲濟南相,國有十餘縣,長吏多阿附貴戚,贓污狼藉,於是奏免其八; 禁斷淫祀,姦宄逃竄,郡界肅然。 〈《魏書》曰:長吏受取貪饕,依倚貴勢,歷前相不見舉; 聞太祖至,咸皆舉免,小大震怖,姦宄遁逃,竄入他郡。 政教大行,一郡清平。 初,城陽景王劉章以有功於漢,故其國爲立祠,青州諸郡轉相倣效,濟南尤盛,至六百餘祠。 賈人或假二千石輿服導從作倡樂,奢侈日甚,民坐貧窮,歷世長吏無敢禁絕者。 太祖到,皆毀壞祠屋,止絕官吏民不得祠祀。 及至秉政,遂除姦邪鬼神之事,世之淫祀由此遂絕。〉 久之,徵還爲東郡太守; 不就,稱疾歸鄉里。 〈《魏書》曰:於是權臣專朝,貴戚橫恣。 太祖不能違道取容。 數數干忤,恐爲家禍,遂乞留宿衞。 拜議郎,常託疾病,輙告歸鄉里; 築室城外,春夏習讀書傳,秋冬弋獵,以自娛樂。〉
Near the close of the Guanghe era the Yellow Turban rebellion broke out. He was named chief of cavalry and sent to suppress the rebels in Yingchuan. As chancellor of Jinan he purged eight corrupt magistrates out of more than ten who had been currying favor with great houses. He banned illicit shrines, drove off criminals, and brought the commandery to order. 〈The Book of Wei notes that magistrates had grown fat on bribes and noble protection while successive chancellors looked the other way. When Cao Cao arrived, officials were cashiered wholesale; high and low trembled, and wrongdoers bolted to neighboring jurisdictions. Sound administration took hold and the entire commandery grew calm. Shrines to Prince Liu Zhang of Chengyanghonored for aiding the Hanhad multiplied across Qingzhou until Jinan alone held over six hundred. Merchants paraded in faux ministerial splendor with musicians and outriders while the people grew poorer, and no previous governor had dared stop them. Cao Cao tore down the shrines and forbade officials and commoners from offering sacrifice there. Once he held real authority he stamped out such superstitious abuses for good.〉 Eventually he was recalled to serve as prefect of Dong commandery. He declined the post, citing illness, and retired to his home district. 〈The Book of Wei records that, by then, dominant ministers controlled the government while imperial in-laws threw their weight about unchecked. Cao Cao refused to abandon principle just to stay in office. He kept rubbing powerful men the wrong way and, fearing for his kin, asked to be kept on palace night duty instead. As a gentleman consultant he habitually cited illness and took repeated leaves to go home. Outside the city walls he put up a retreat where he read through the warm months and hunted through the cold ones for his own diversion.〉
4
頃之,冀州刺史王芬、南陽許攸、沛國周旌等連結豪傑,謀廢靈帝,立合肥侯,以告太祖,太祖拒之。 芬等遂敗。 〈司馬彪《九州春秋》曰:於是陳蕃子逸與術士平原襄楷會於芬坐,楷曰:「天文不利宦者,黃門、常侍貴族滅矣。」 逸喜。 芬曰:「若然者,芬願驅除。」 於是與攸等結謀。 靈帝欲北巡河間舊宅,芬等謀因此作難,上書言黑山賊攻劫郡縣,求得起兵。 會北方有赤氣,東西竟天,太史上言「當有陰謀,不宜北行」,帝乃止。 勑芬罷兵,俄而徵之。 芬懼,自殺。 《魏書》載太祖拒芬辭曰:「夫廢立之事,天下之至不祥也。 古人有權成敗計輕重而行之者,伊尹、霍光是也。 伊尹懷至忠之誠,據宰臣之勢,處官司之上,故進退廢置,計從事立。 及至霍光受託國之任,藉宗臣之位,內因太后秉政之重,外有羣卿同欲之勢,昌邑即位日淺,未有貴寵,朝乏讜臣,議出密近,故計行如轉圜,事成如摧朽。 今諸君徒見曩者之易,未覩當今之難。 諸君自度,結衆連黨,何若七國? 合肥之貴,孰若吳、楚? 而造作非常,欲望必克,不亦危乎!」〉
Soon Wang Fen of Ji, Xu You of Nanyang, Zhou Jing of Pei, and other local notables conspired to depose Emperor Ling in favor of the prince of Hefei; they sounded out Cao Cao, who turned them down flat. The plot collapsed and Wang Fen's party fell apart. 〈Sima Biao's Spring and Autumn of the Nine Provinces relates how Chen Yi, son of Chen Fan, met the prognosticator Xiang Kai of Pingyuan at Wang Fen's house. Xiang said, "The heavenly patterns are unfavorable to the eunuchs; the noble houses of the Yellow Gates and Regular Attendants will be destroyed." Chen Yi was delighted. Wang Fen replied, "If that is the omen, I will lead the purge." He then sealed the conspiracy with Xu You and the rest. Emperor Ling planned a northern progress to his old Hejian estates; Wang Fen meant to use the journey as cover, filing false reports of Black Mountain raids so he could mobilize an army. A band of crimson mist then stretched from horizon to horizon in the north; the court astronomers reported, "There will be a hidden plot; it is not fitting to travel north," and the emperor canceled the trip. The court ordered Wang Fen to disband his levies, then summoned him to the capital. Cornered, Wang Fen took his own life. The Book of Wei preserves Cao Cao's answer to Wang Fen: "Deposing one sovereign and raising another is the darkest business a subject can touch. The ancients who dared it—Yi Yin and Huo Guang—weighed every risk before they moved. Yi Yin commanded absolute trust, held the chief minister's leverage, and stood over the bureaucracy, so his every move to install or remove a ruler carried the weight of law. Huo Guang inherited a mandate to steady the realm, spoke with the authority of an imperial clansman, had the empress dowager's backing inside the palace and a bloc of ministers outside, faced a boy king with no roots in power, and could act in closed session. His coup turned as smoothly as a wheel; the old regime crumbled like dry rot. You are dazzled by how easy it looked in the old stories and blind to how hard it would be today. Honestly weigh your coalition against the rebel kingdoms of the Han civil war, are you stronger? Is a minor prince of Hefei as formidable as the old kingdoms of Wu and Chu? Yet you mean to stage a coup and expect a sure win—is that not courting ruin?"〉"
5
金城邊章、韓遂殺刺史郡守以叛,衆十餘萬,天下騷動。 徵太祖爲典軍校尉。 會靈帝崩,太子即位,太后臨朝。 大將軍何進與袁紹謀誅宦官,太后不聽。 進乃召董卓,欲以脅太后, 〈《魏書》曰:太祖聞而笑之曰:「閹豎之官,古今宜有,但世主不當假之權寵,使至於此。 旣治其罪,當誅元惡,一獄吏足矣,何必紛紛召外將乎? 欲盡誅之,事必宣露,吾見其敗也。」〉 卓未至而進見殺。 卓到,廢帝爲弘農王而立獻帝,京都大亂。 卓表太祖爲驍騎校尉,欲與計事。 太祖乃變易姓名,間行東歸。 〈《魏書》曰:太祖以卓終必覆敗,遂不就拜,逃歸鄉里。 從數騎過故人成臯呂伯奢; 伯奢不在,其子與賔客共劫太祖,取馬及物,太祖手刃擊殺數人。 《世語》曰:太祖過伯奢。 伯奢出行,五子皆在,備賔主禮。 太祖自以背卓命,疑其圖己,手劔夜殺八人而去。 孫盛雜記曰:太祖聞其食器聲,以爲圖己,遂夜殺之。 旣而悽愴曰:「寧我負人,毋人負我!」 遂行。〉 出關,過中牟,爲亭長所疑,執詣縣,邑中或竊識之,爲請得解。 〈《世語》曰:中牟疑是亡人,見拘於縣。 時掾亦已被卓書; 唯功曹心知是太祖,以世方亂,不宜拘天下雄儁,因白令釋之。〉 卓遂殺太后及弘農王。 太祖至陳留,散家財,合義兵,將以誅卓。 冬十二月,始起兵於己吾, 〈《世語》曰:陳留孝廉衞茲以家財資太祖,使起兵,衆有五千人。〉 是歲中平六年也。
Bian Zhang and Han Sui in Jincheng murdered their provincial superiors and rose in revolt with well over a hundred thousand followers, throwing the empire into panic. Cao Cao was called to the capital as colonel director of the army. Emperor Ling died just then; the heir came to the throne while the empress dowager ruled from behind the curtain. Grand General He Jin and Yuan Shao planned to slaughter the eunuchs, but the empress dowager blocked them. He Jin then summoned Dong Zhuo from the west, hoping to intimidate the empress dowager into yielding, 〈The Book of Wei says Cao Cao laughed when he heard the plan: "Eunuchs are an old evil, but no sovereign should have pampered them until they grew this dangerous. Once their guilt is fixed, behead the ringleaders; one stern warden could do it—why drag frontier armies into the capital? Try to wipe out every eunuch at once and the plot will leak; I already see He Jin's downfall."〉" Dong Zhuo had not reached Luoyang when He Jin was cut down. Dong Zhuo entered the city, demoted the young emperor to prince of Hongnong, set Liu Xie on the throne as Emperor Xian, and plunged the capital into chaos. Dong Zhuo recommended Cao Cao for the post of colonel of valorous cavalry and wanted his counsel. Cao Cao assumed a false identity and slipped away eastward toward home. 〈The Book of Wei adds that Cao Cao was sure Dong Zhuo would fall, so he never took the commission and fled homeward. With a handful of riders he stopped to visit his old acquaintance Lü Boshe at Chenggao; Lü was away; his son and house guests tried to rob Cao Cao of his mounts and baggage, and Cao Cao cut several of them down with his own blade. The Shi Yu offers a different version of the same visit. Lü Boshe was out, but his five sons were home and laid out a full guest reception. Cao Cao knew he was a fugitive from Dong Zhuo; he imagined treachery, drew his sword in the dark, slaughtered eight people, and fled. Sun Sheng's Miscellany says he mistook the clatter of kitchenware for an ambush and murdered the household in the night. Walking away in anguish, he muttered, "I would rather wrong the world than let the world wrong me!" Then he pressed on.〉 Beyond the pass, at Zhongmou, a suspicious post chief arrested him; locals who quietly knew who he was interceded until the magistrate let him go. 〈The Shi Yu says the county took him for a runaway and jailed him. By then the yamen staff already held Dong Zhuo's wanted notices; but the merit officer privately recognized Cao Cao and, arguing that these times called for heroes rather than shackles, persuaded the magistrate to release him.〉 Dong Zhuo then murdered the empress dowager and the deposed boy emperor. Cao Cao reached Chenliu, spent his family fortune, and began recruiting a loyal army to bring down Dong Zhuo. That winter, in the twelfth month, he first raised an army at Jiwu, 〈The Shi Yu records that Wei Zi, a filial-and-incorrupt graduate of Chenliu, bankrolled Cao Cao's first levy of five thousand men.〉 The year was 189 CE, the sixth year of the Zhongping era.
6
初平元年春正月,後將軍袁術、冀州牧韓馥、 〈《英雄記》曰:馥字文節,潁川人。 爲御史中丞。 董卓舉爲冀州牧。 于時冀州民人殷盛,兵糧優足。 袁紹之在勃海,馥恐其興兵,遣數部從事守之,不得動搖。 東郡太守橋瑁詐作京師三公移書與州郡,陳卓罪惡,云「見逼迫,無以自救,企望義兵,解國患難。」 馥得移,請諸從事問曰:「今當助袁氏邪,助董卓邪?」 治中從事劉子惠曰:「今興兵爲國,何謂袁、董!」 馥自知言短而有慙色。 子惠復言:「兵者凶事,不可爲首; 今宜往視他州,有發動者,然後和之。 冀州於他州不爲弱也,他人功未有在冀州之右者也。」 馥然之。 馥乃作書與紹,道卓之惡,聽其舉兵。〉 豫州刺史孔伷、 〈《英雄記》曰:伷字公緒,陳留人。 張璠《漢紀》,載鄭泰說卓云:「孔公緒能清談高論,噓枯吹生。」〉 兖州刺史劉岱、 〈岱,劉繇之兄,事見《吳志》。〉 河內太守王匡、 〈《英雄記》曰:匡字公節,泰山人。 輕財好施,以任俠聞。 辟大將軍何進府進符使,匡於徐州發彊弩五百西詣京師。 會進敗,匡還鄉里。 起家,拜河內太守。 謝承《後漢書》曰:匡少與蔡邕善。 其年爲卓軍所敗,走還泰山,收集勁勇得數千人,欲與張邈合。 匡先殺執金吾胡母班。 班親屬不勝憤怒,與太祖并勢,共殺匡。〉 勃海太守袁紹、陳留太守張邈、東郡太守橋瑁、 〈《英雄記》曰:瑁字元偉,玄族子。 先爲兖州刺史,甚有威惠。〉 山陽太守袁遺、 〈遺字伯業,紹從兄。 爲長安令。 河間張超甞薦遺于太尉朱儁,稱遺「有冠世之懿,幹時之量。 其忠允亮直,固天所縱; 若乃包羅載籍,管綜百氏,登高能賦,覩物知名,求之今日,邈焉靡儔。」 事在超集。 《英雄記》曰:紹後用遺爲揚州刺史,爲袁術所敗。 太祖稱「長大而能勤學者,惟吾與袁伯業耳。」 語在文帝《典論》。〉 濟北相鮑信 〈信事見子《勛傳》。〉 同時俱起兵,衆各數萬,推紹爲盟主。 太祖行奮武將軍。
In the first month of spring, 190 CE, the first year of Chuping, Rear General Yuan Shu, Ji Inspector Han Fu, 〈The Record of Heroes gives Han Fu's courtesy name as Wenjie and his origin as Yingchuan. He had been assistant secretary in the censorate. Dong Zhuo named him inspector of Ji province. Ji was populous and rich in men and supplies. While Yuan Shao held Bohai, Han Fu feared he would mobilize and posted several aides to hem him in. Qiao Mao, governor of Dongjun, forged a circular from the capital's three excellencies denouncing Dong Zhuo and begging the provinces to march: "We are helpless in Luoyang; only a loyal coalition can save the dynasty." Han Fu read the letter and polled his staff: "Do we back the Yuans or Dong Zhuo?" Headquarters clerk Liu Zihui snapped, "We mobilize for the Han, not to pick between Yuan and Dong!" Han Fu flushed, knowing he had misspoken. Liu Zihui went on, "War is a curse; no province should fire the first shot; wait until another region moves, then fall in with the coalition. Ji is no weaker than its neighbors, and no one else has a better claim to lead." Han Fu agreed. He wrote Yuan Shao listing Dong Zhuo's crimes and authorized him to take the field.〉 Inspector Kong Zhou of Yu province, 〈The Record of Heroes identifies Kong Zhou (courtesy Gongxu) as a native of Chenliu. Zhang Fan's Han Annals quotes Zheng Tai warning Dong Zhuo that Kong Zhou is a brilliant talker who "can make the dead seem alive" with rhetoric alone.〉 Yan Inspector Liu Dai, 〈Liu Dai was the elder brother of Liu Yao; his career is noted in the Book of Wu.〉 Henei Governor Wang Kuang, 〈The Record of Heroes gives Wang Kuang (courtesy Gongjie) as a man of Taishan. He was open-handed and famed as a brawling man of honor. He Jin recruited him as an envoy; Wang Kuang shipped five hundred crack crossbowmen from Xu toward Luoyang. He Jin fell before they arrived, and Wang Kuang marched home. He later rose from private life to governor of Henei. Xie Cheng's Later Han History notes that Wang Kuang and Cai Yong were close in youth. That year Dong Zhuo's troops routed him; he fled to Taishan, scraped together a few thousand fighters, and meant to link up with Zhang Miao. Along the way he murdered Chief of the Metropolitan Guards Humu Ban. Ban's relatives, beside themselves with fury, allied with Cao Cao and put Wang Kuang to the sword. Bohai Governor Yuan Shao, Chenliu Governor Zhang Miao, Dongjun Governor Qiao Mao, 〈The Record of Heroes calls Qiao Mao (courtesy Yuanwei) a kinsman of Qiao Xuan. He had previously governed Yan with a firm but fair hand.〉 Shanyang Governor Yuan Yi, 〈Yuan Yi (courtesy Boye) was Yuan Shao's elder cousin. He had been magistrate of Chang'an. Zhang Chao of Hejian once urged Grand Commandant Zhu Jun to notice Yuan Yi, praising his "virtue above his generation and judgment fit for the age. His loyalty and candor are plainly heaven-given; as for mastering the canon, surveying every school, composing fu from a height, and naming whatever he saw, you will not find his like today." The full text survives in Zhang Chao's literary collection. The Record of Heroes adds that Yuan Shao later made Yuan Yi inspector of Yang, where Yuan Shu destroyed him. Cao Cao once remarked, "Of all the men who kept studying after they came of age, only Yuan Yi and I really kept at it." The remark is quoted in Emperor Wen's Treatise on Literature. Bao Xin, chancellor of Jibei, 〈his career is summarized under his son Bao Xun's biography.〉 All rose together, each with tens of thousands of men, and chose Yuan Shao as alliance chief. Cao Cao served as acting general who inspires martial might.
7
二月,卓聞兵起,乃徙天子都長安。 卓留屯洛陽,遂焚宮室。 是時紹屯河內,邈、岱、瑁、遺屯酸棗,術屯南陽,伷屯潁川,馥在鄴。 卓兵彊,紹等莫敢先進。 太祖曰:「舉義兵以誅暴亂,大衆已合,諸君何疑? 向使董卓聞山東兵起,倚王室之重,據二周之險,東向以臨天下; 雖以無道行之,猶足爲患。 今焚燒宮室,劫遷天子,海內震動,不知所歸,此天亡之時也。 一戰而天下定矣,不可失也。」 遂引兵西,將據成臯。 邈遣將衞茲分兵隨太祖。 到熒陽汴水,遇卓將徐榮,與戰不利,士卒死傷甚多。 太祖爲流矢所中,所乘馬被創,從弟洪以馬與太祖,得夜遁去。 榮見太祖所將兵少,力戰盡日,謂酸棗未易攻也,亦引兵還。
In the second month Dong Zhuo learned the coalition had risen and relocated the imperial court to Chang'an. He stayed to hold Luoyang and burned the palace quarter. Yuan Shao held Henei; Zhang Miao, Liu Dai, Qiao Mao, and Yuan Yi camped at Suanzao; Yuan Shu at Nanyang; Kong Zhou at Yingchuan; Han Fu remained in Ye. Dong Zhuo's army was too strong for any of them to move first. Cao Cao said, "We took up arms to crush a tyrant; the coalition is assembled—why do you shrink from striking? If Dong Zhuo had seized the two capitals, wrapped himself in the emperor's legitimacy, and menaced the east from those fortress passes, even ruling viciously he would still have been a serious threat. Instead he torches Luoyang, drags the sovereign west, and leaves the empire reeling with no rallying point—this is Heaven handing us our moment. One hard blow could finish him; we must not miss it." He marched west to seize Chenggao. Zhang Miao detached Wei Zi with a column to accompany Cao Cao. At Yingyang on the Bian River they ran into Xu Rong; the fight went badly and casualties were heavy. Cao Cao took a stray arrow and his mount was cut down; his cousin Cao Hong gave him a horse and he escaped under cover of night. Xu Rong saw how few men Cao Cao had yet how fiercely they fought all day and judged Suanzao too tough a nut; he withdrew as well.
8
太祖到酸棗,諸軍兵十餘萬,日置酒高會,不圖進取。 太祖責讓之,因爲謀曰:「諸君聽吾計,使勃海引河內之衆臨孟津,酸棗諸將守成臯,據敖倉,塞轘轅、太谷,全制其險; 使袁將軍率南陽之軍軍丹、析,入武關,以震三輔:皆高壘深壁,勿與戰,益爲疑兵,示天下形勢,以順誅逆,可立定也。 今兵以義動,持疑而不進,失天下之望,竊爲諸君耻之!」 邈等不能用。
Back at Suanzao the allies mustered over a hundred thousand men but spent their days feasting instead of advancing. Cao Cao rebuked them and laid out a plan: "Let Yuan Shao from Bohai drive the Henei host against Mengjin; hold Chenggao and Aocang, plug Huanyuan and Daigu, and seal every choke point; let Yuan Shu march the Nanyang troops to Dan and Xi, punch through Wuguan, and threaten the Guanzhong heartland. Raise high walls, refuse pitched battle, feint everywhere, and show the empire that legitimacy lies with us against the usurper—peace would follow quickly. Yet here we stand, righteous banners raised, paralyzed by doubt—the whole realm is watching, and I am ashamed for you!" Zhang Miao and the rest ignored him.
9
太祖兵少,乃與夏侯惇等詣揚州募兵,刺史陳溫、丹楊太守周昕與兵四千餘人。 還到龍亢,士卒多叛。 〈《魏書》曰:兵謀叛,夜燒太祖帳,太祖手劔殺數十人,餘皆披靡,乃得出營; 其不叛者五百餘人。〉 至銍、建平,復收兵得千餘人,進屯河內。
Short of men, Cao Cao went with Xiahou Dun to Yang province to recruit; Inspector Chen Wen and Danyang governor Zhou Xin furnished a little over four thousand soldiers. On the march back, near Longkang, most of the recruits mutinied. 〈The Book of Wei says the mutineers torched his tent at night; he cut down dozens with his sword while the rest fled, and only then broke out of the camp; leaving barely five hundred loyal men.〉 At Zhi and Jianping he scraped together another thousand-odd troops and moved to camp in Henei.
10
劉岱與橋瑁相惡,岱殺瑁,以王肱領東郡太守。
Liu Dai feuded with Qiao Mao, murdered him, and installed Wang Gong as acting governor of Dongjun.
11
袁紹與韓馥謀立幽州牧劉虞爲帝,太祖拒之。 〈《魏書》載太祖荅紹曰:「董卓之罪,暴於四海,吾等合大衆興義兵,遠近莫不響應,此以義動故也。 今幼主微弱,制於姦臣,未有昌邑亡國之釁,而一旦改易,天下其孰安之? 諸君北面,我自西向。」〉 紹又甞得一玉印,於太祖坐中舉向其肘,太祖由是笑而惡焉。 〈《魏書》曰:太祖大笑曰:「吾不聽汝也。」 紹復使人說太祖曰:「今袁公勢盛兵彊,二子已長,天下羣英,孰踰於此?」 太祖不應。 由是益不直紹,圖誅滅之。〉
Yuan Shao and Han Fu wanted to enthrone Liu Yu, inspector of Youzhou; Cao Cao refused to go along. 〈The Book of Wei preserves his reply: "Dong Zhuo's guilt is known everywhere; we raised a host in the name of righteousness and the realm answered—because the cause was just. The boy emperor is frail and trapped by villains, but he is no deposed King of Changyi; to swap thrones overnight would unsettle everyone under Heaven. You may press north toward Youzhou; I will keep facing west against Dong Zhuo."〉" Yuan Shao once flashed a jade imperial seal at Cao Cao during a banquet; Cao Cao laughed it off and marked him as dangerous. 〈The Book of Wei says Cao Cao roared with laughter and answered, "I am not listening." Yuan Shao sent another envoy: "Lord Yuan's power is unmatched, his sons are grown, and no hero in the land surpasses him—will you not follow him?" Cao Cao gave no answer. He thought even less of Yuan Shao's integrity after that and began plotting his destruction.〉
12
二年春,紹、馥遂立虞爲帝,虞終不敢當。
In the spring of the second year Yuan Shao and Han Fu proclaimed Liu Yu emperor anyway; Liu Yu never dared take the throne.
13
夏四月,卓還長安。
In the fourth month of summer Dong Zhuo withdrew to Chang'an.
14
秋七月,袁紹脅韓馥,取冀州。
In the seventh month of autumn Yuan Shao bullied Han Fu out of Ji province.
15
黑山賊于毒、白繞、眭固等 〈眭,申隨反。〉 十餘萬衆略魏郡、東郡,王肱不能禦,太祖引兵入東郡,擊白繞於濮陽,破之。 袁紹因表太祖爲東郡太守,治東武陽。
The Black Mountain chiefs Yu Du, Bai Rao, Sui Gu, and company 〈Commentarial gloss: the surname graph Sui is read sui (fanqie spelling shen-sui).〉 They led over a hundred thousand men in plundering Wei and Dong commanderies. Wang Gong could not stop them, so Cao Cao entered Dong commandery, struck Bai Rao at Puyang, and broke his force. Yuan Shao then had him appointed governor of Dong commandery with his seat at Dongwuyang.
16
三年春,太祖軍頓丘,毒等攻東武陽。 太祖乃引兵西入山,攻毒等本屯。 〈《魏書》曰:諸將皆以爲當還自救。 太祖曰:「孫臏救趙而攻魏,耿弇欲走西安攻臨菑。 使賊聞我西而還,武陽自解也; 不還,我能敗其本屯,虜不能拔武陽必矣。」 遂乃行。〉 毒聞之,棄武陽還。 太祖要擊眭固,又擊匈奴於夫羅於內黃,皆大破之。 〈《魏書》曰:於夫羅者,南單于子也。 中平中,發匈奴兵,於夫羅率以助漢。 會本國反,殺南單于,於夫羅遂將其衆留中國。 因天下撓亂,與西河白波賊合,破太原、河內,抄略諸郡爲寇。〉
In the third year's spring Cao Cao was at Dunqiu while Yu Du besieged Dongwuyang. He swung west into the hills to storm the bandits' home base instead. 〈The Book of Wei says every general wanted to march back to relieve the city. Cao Cao said, "Sun Bin relieved Zhao by striking Wei; Geng Yan saved himself by threatening Linzi while the enemy held Xi'an. If Yu Du hears we are in the mountains and pulls back, Dongwuyang lifts the siege by itself; if he refuses to turn, I crush his base and he still cannot take Dongwuyang." He marched as planned.〉 Yu Du heard and abandoned the siege to race home. Cao Cao ambushed Sui Gu, then smashed the Xiongnu chieftain Yufuluo at Neihuang. 〈The Book of Wei identifies Yufuluo as a son of the southern Xiongnu shanyu. During the Zhongping era the court called out Xiongnu auxiliaries, and Yufuluo led his contingent to aid the Han. When rebellion at home killed the shanyu, Yufuluo kept his warriors in China instead of returning. As the empire unraveled he merged with the White Wave rebels of Xihe, ravaged Taiyuan and Henei, and raided commanderies across the north.〉
17
夏四月,司徒王允與呂布共殺卓。 卓將李傕、郭汜等殺允攻布,布敗,東出武關。 傕等擅朝政。
In the fourth month of summer Minister Wang Yun and Lü Bu assassinated Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo's generals Li Jue and Guo Si struck back, killed Wang Yun, and drove Lü Bu east through Wuguan. Li Jue and his clique seized control of the government.
18
青州黃巾衆百萬入兖州,殺任城相鄭遂,轉入東平。 劉岱欲擊之,鮑信諫曰:「今賊衆百萬,百姓皆震恐,士卒無鬬志,不可敵也。 觀賊衆羣輩相隨,軍無輜重,唯以鈔略爲資,今不若畜士衆之力,先爲固守。 彼欲戰不得,攻又不能,其勢必離散,後選精銳,據其要害,擊之可破也。」 岱不從,遂與戰,果爲所殺。 〈《世語》曰:岱旣死,陳宮謂太祖曰:「州今無主,而王命斷絕,宮請說州中,明府尋往牧之,資之以收天下,此霸王之業也。」 宮說別駕、治中曰:「今天下分裂而州無主; 曹東郡,命世之才也,若迎以牧州,必寧生民。」 鮑信等亦謂之然。〉 信乃與州吏萬潛等至東郡迎太祖領兖州牧。 遂進兵擊黃巾於壽張東。 信力戰鬬死,僅而破之。 〈《魏書》曰:太祖將步騎千餘人,行視戰地,卒抵賊營,戰不利,死者數百人,引還。 賊尋前進。 黃巾爲賊久,數乘勝,兵皆精悍。 太祖舊兵少,新兵不習練,舉軍皆懼。 太祖被甲嬰冑,親巡將士,明勸賞罰,衆乃復奮,承間討擊,賊稍折退。 賊乃移書太祖曰:「昔在濟南,毀壞神壇,其道乃與中黃太一同,似若知道,今更迷惑。 漢行已盡,黃家當立。 天之大運,非君才力所能存也。」 太祖見檄書,呵之罪,數開示降路; 遂設奇伏,晝夜會戰,戰輙禽獲,賊乃退走。〉 購求信喪不得,衆乃刻木如信形狀,祭而哭焉。 追黃巾至濟北。 乞降。 冬,受降卒三十餘萬,男女百餘萬口,收其精銳者,號爲青州兵。
A Qingzhou Yellow Turban horde said to number a million poured into Yan, killed Rencheng's chancellor Zheng Sui, and rolled on toward Dongping. Liu Dai wanted to attack at once. Bao Xin warned, "They number a million, the people are terrified, and our men have no stomach for a stand-up fight. Look at how they swarm without wagons or grain trains, living entirely on plunder. Better husband our strength and dig in behind solid walls. Denied battle, unable to storm us, they will fall apart; then we can sortie with picked troops at the decisive point and break them." Liu Dai refused, gave battle, and was killed. 〈The Shi Yu says that after Liu Dai fell, Chen Gong told Cao Cao, "Yan has no governor and the court cannot speak; let me rally the province behind you as its shepherd and you can use it to reunify the empire." Chen Gong urged the staff: "The empire is shattered and Yan has no leader; Cao Cao of Dong commandery is the man for this hour; make him inspector and he will bring the people peace." Bao Xin and the others agreed.〉 Bao Xin went with Wan Qian and other officials to Dongjun and invited Cao Cao to become inspector of Yan. He then marched against the Yellow Turbans east of Shouzhang. Bao Xin died fighting hard; Cao Cao only barely won. 〈The Book of Wei says he reconnoitered with a thousand-odd horse and foot, blundered into the enemy camp, lost several hundred men in a sharp skirmish, and pulled back. The rebels pressed forward. Veteran rebels, they had won so often that every man fought like a picked warrior. Cao Cao's core troops were few, his recruits green, and the whole army was rattled. He donned armor, toured the lines in person, spelled out rewards and penalties, and steadied the men until they rallied; probing attacks gradually forced the enemy back. They sent him a letter: "At Jinan you smashed our shrines; your teaching then matched the Central Yellow Unity sect; you seemed to understand the Way, yet now you oppose Heaven. The Han mandate is spent; the Yellow Heaven must rise. The great wheel of fate is not something your talents can hold back." Cao Cao ridiculed the manifesto, denounced their crimes, and kept offering terms of surrender; then laid ambushes, fought round the clock, took prisoners in every clash, and drove the rebels into full retreat. Bao Xin's body was never found, so the army carved a wooden effigy, offered sacrifice, and mourned him. They chased the Yellow Turbans into Jibei. The rebels asked to capitulate. That winter he accepted over three hundred thousand soldiers and more than a million civilians, enrolled the best fighters, and organized them as the famed Qingzhou Army.
19
袁術與紹有隙,術求援於公孫瓚,瓚使劉備屯高唐,單經屯平原,陶謙屯發干,以逼紹。 太祖與紹會擊,皆破之。
Yuan Shu quarreled with Yuan Shao and begged Gongsun Zan for help; Zan posted Liu Bei at Gaotang, Shan Jing at Pingyuan, and Tao Qian at Fagan to squeeze Yuan Shao. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao attacked together and broke every thrust.
20
四年春,軍鄄城。 荊州牧劉表斷術糧道,術引軍入陳留,屯封丘,黑山餘賊及於夫羅等佐之。 術使將劉詳屯匡亭。 太祖擊詳,術救之,與戰,大破之。 術退保封丘,遂圍之,未合,術走襄邑,追到太壽,決渠水灌城。 走寧陵,又追之,走九江。 夏,太祖還軍定陶。
In the spring of the fourth year his headquarters lay at Juancheng. Liu Biao, inspector of Jingzhou, severed Yuan Shu's supply lines, so Yuan Shu drove into Chenliu and camped at Fengqiu with Black Mountain remnants and Yufuluo in support. He stationed Liu Xiang at Kuangting. Cao Cao struck Liu Xiang; when Yuan Shu tried to relieve him, Cao Cao routed him badly. Yuan Shu fell back to Fengqiu; Cao Cao besieged him, but before the ring closed Yuan fled to Xiangyi; Cao Cao chased him to Taishou and broke a dyke to flood the town. Yuan ran to Ningling, then to Jiujiang under pursuit. That summer Cao Cao withdrew his army to Dingtao.
21
下邳闕宣聚衆數千人,自稱天子; 徐州牧陶謙與共舉兵,取泰山華、費,略任城。 秋,太祖征陶謙,下十餘城,謙守城不敢出。
Que Xuan of Xiapi raised a few thousand followers and declared himself emperor; Xuzhou governor Tao Qian joined him, seized Hua and Fei in Taishan, and raided Rencheng. That autumn Cao Cao invaded Tao Qian, captured over ten towns, and penned him up behind his walls.
22
是歲,孫策受袁術使渡江,數年閒遂有江東。
The same year Sun Ce crossed the Yangzi on Yuan Shu's orders and within a few years held the lands south of the river.
23
興平元年春,太祖自徐州還,初,太祖父嵩去官後還譙,董卓之亂,避難琅邪,爲陶謙所害,故太祖志在復讎東伐。 〈《世語》曰:嵩在泰山華縣。 太祖令泰山太守應劭送家詣兖州,劭兵未至,陶謙密遣數千騎掩捕。 嵩家以爲劭迎,不設備。 謙兵至,殺太祖弟德於門中。 嵩懼,穿後垣,先出其妾,妾肥,不時得出; 嵩逃于厠,與妾俱被害,闔門皆死。 劭懼,棄官赴袁紹。 後太祖定冀州,劭時已死。 韋曜《吳書》曰:太祖迎嵩,輜重百餘兩。 陶謙遣都尉張闓將騎二百衞送,闓於泰山華、費間殺嵩,取財物,因奔淮南。 太祖歸咎於陶謙,故伐之。〉 夏,使荀彧、程昱守鄄城,復征陶謙,拔五城,遂略地至東海。 還過郯,謙將曹豹與劉備屯郯東,要太祖。 太祖擊破之,遂攻拔襄賁,所過多所殘戮。 〈孫盛曰:夫伐罪弔民,古之令軌; 罪謙之由,而殘其屬部,過矣。〉
In the spring of Xingping 194 Cao Cao marched back from Xuzhou. His father Cao Song had retired to Qiao, fled the Dong Zhuo turmoil to Langye, and died at Tao Qian's hands, so Cao Cao's eastern campaigns were driven by vengeance. 〈The Shi Yu places Cao Song at Hua county in Taishan. Cao Cao told Taishan governor Ying Shao to escort the family into Yan, but before Ying Shao arrived Tao Qian sent several thousand horsemen on a secret raid. The Cao household mistook them for Ying Shao's escort and let their guard down. Tao Qian's men arrived and cut down Cao Cao's brother Cao De in the doorway. Cao Song panicked, broke through the back wall, and tried to push his plump concubine out first; she stuck in the breach; Cao Song hid in the latrine with her and both were butchered; the entire household perished. Ying Shao fled his post and threw in with Yuan Shao. By the time Cao Cao conquered Ji, Ying Shao was already dead. Wei Yao's Book of Wu records that Cao Song traveled with over a hundred wagonloads of luggage. Tao Qian sent Commandant Zhang Kai with two hundred horsemen as escort; between Hua and Fei in Taishan, Zhang Kai murdered Cao Song for his treasure and bolted to Huainan. Cao Cao blamed Tao Qian anyway and used it as the pretext for war.〉 That summer he left Xun Yu and Cheng Yu to hold Juancheng while he struck Tao Qian again, seized five towns, and swept eastward into Donghai. On the way back past Tan, Tao Qian's general Cao Bao and Liu Bei blocked the road east of the city. Cao Cao smashed their line, stormed Xiangben, and left a trail of atrocities across the countryside. 〈Sun Sheng observes that punishing the guilty while sparing the innocent is the classical standard of conquest; Tao Qian was the culprit, yet massacring his people was going too far.〉
24
會張邈與陳宮叛迎呂布,郡縣皆應。 荀彧、程昱保鄄城,范、東阿二縣固守,太祖乃引軍還。 布到,攻鄄城不能下,西屯濮陽。 太祖曰:「布一旦得一州,不能據東平,斷亢父、泰山之道,乘險要我,而乃屯濮陽,吾知其無能爲也。」 遂進軍攻之。 布出兵戰,先以騎犯青州兵。 青州兵奔,太祖陳亂馳突火出,墜馬,燒左手掌。 司馬樓異扶太祖上馬,遂引去。 〈袁暐《獻帝春秋》曰:太祖圍濮陽,濮陽大姓田氏爲反閒,太祖得入城。 燒其東門,示無反意。 及戰,軍敗。 布騎得太祖而不知是,問曰:「曹操何在?」 太祖曰:「乘黃馬走者是也。」 布騎乃釋太祖而追黃馬者。 門火猶盛,太祖突火而出。〉 未至營止,諸將未與太祖相見,皆怖。 太祖乃自力勞軍,令軍中促爲攻具,進復攻之,與布相守百餘日。 蝗蟲起,百姓大餓,布糧食亦盡,各引去。
Then Zhang Miao and Chen Gong mutinied, opened Yan to Lü Bu, and the whole province flipped. Xun Yu and Cheng Yu held Juancheng while Fan and Dong'e counties stood fast, allowing Cao Cao to wheel his army homeward. Lü Bu besieged Juancheng without success, then shifted west to Puyang. Cao Cao said, "Lü Bu seized a province overnight yet failed to seal Dongping, block Kangfu and Taishan, and ambush me in the defiles; instead he sits in Puyang. That tells me he is no strategist." He pressed the attack. Lü Bu sortied and led his horse first against the Qingzhou Army. The Qingzhou men broke; Cao Cao's line collapsed; he charged through flames, was thrown, and scorched his left palm. Staff officer Lou Yi hoisted him onto a horse and they rode clear. 〈Yuan Wei's chronicle says the Tian clan of Puyang feigned defection and lured Cao Cao inside the walls. They torched the east gate to signal there would be no turning back. When the trap sprang, Cao Cao's force was routed. Lü Bu's horsemen seized Cao Cao without recognizing him and demanded, "Where is Cao Cao?" Cao Cao pointed at another rider: "The man on the dun horse—that is Cao Cao." They let him go and galloped after the decoy. With the gate still blazing, he punched back through the flames and escaped.〉 Before he reached headquarters his officers, not having seen him return, were terrified. He rallied the men in person, ordered siege gear rushed forward, and settled into a hundred-day standoff with Lü Bu. Locusts devoured the crops, the people starved, Lü Bu ran out of grain, and both sides drew apart.
25
秋九月,太祖還鄄城。 布到乘氏,爲其縣人李進所破,東屯山陽。 於是紹使人說太祖,欲連和。 太祖新失兖州,軍食盡,將許之。 程昱止太祖,太祖從之。 冬十月,太祖至東阿。
In the ninth month of autumn he withdrew to Juancheng. Lü Bu pulled into Chengshi, where local magnate Li Jin defeated him, so he fell back east to Shanyang. Yuan Shao then sent envoys seeking an alliance. Fresh from losing Yan and out of supplies, Cao Cao was ready to agree. Cheng Yu talked him out of it, and he listened. In the tenth month of winter he reached Dong'e.
26
是歲穀一斛五十餘萬錢,人相食,乃罷吏兵新募者。 陶謙死,劉備代之。
Grain hit five hundred thousand cash a hu; cannibalism appeared; he had to disband newly raised units. When Tao Qian died, Liu Bei took Xuzhou in his place.
27
二年春,襲定陶。 濟陰太守吳資保南城,未拔。 會呂布至,又擊破之。 夏,布將薛蘭、李封屯鉅野,太祖攻之,布救蘭,蘭敗,布走,遂斬蘭等。 布復從東緍與陳宮將萬餘人來戰,時太祖兵少,設伏,縱奇兵擊,大破之。 〈《魏書》曰:於是兵皆出取麥,在者不能千人,屯營不固。 太祖乃令婦人守陴,悉兵拒之。 屯西有大隄,其南樹木幽深。 布疑有伏,乃相謂曰:「曹操多譎,勿入伏中。」 引軍屯南十餘里。 明日復來,太祖隱兵隄裏,出半兵隄外。 布益進,乃令輕兵挑戰,旣合,伏兵乃悉乘隄,步騎並進,大破之,獲其龍車,追至其營而還。〉 布夜走,太祖復攻,拔定陶,分兵平諸縣。 布東奔劉備,張邈從布,使其弟超將家屬保雍丘。 秋八月,圍雍丘。 冬十月,天子拜太祖兖州牧。 十二月,雍丘潰,超自殺。 夷邈三族。 邈詣袁術請救,爲其衆所殺,兖州平,遂東略陳地。
In the spring of the second year he struck Dingtao by surprise. Jiyin governor Wu Zi held the southern citadel and Cao Cao could not crack it. Then Lü Bu arrived and Cao Cao defeated him again. That summer Lü Bu's generals Xue Lan and Li Feng camped at Juye; Cao Cao attacked, Lü Bu tried to relieve them, Xue Lan fell, Lü Bu ran, and Cao Cao beheaded Lan and his officers. Lü Bu returned from Dongmin with Chen Gong and ten thousand men; outnumbered, Cao Cao laid ambushes and routed them with a sudden strike. 〈The Book of Wei notes that most men were out harvesting wheat, fewer than a thousand remained in camp, and the palisade was weak. He put women on the walls with every able fighter left in line. West of camp ran a long embankment with a dark wood to the south. Lü Bu smelled a trap and warned his men, "Cao Cao is a trickster; do not march into an ambush." He halted his host more than ten li to the south. Next day Cao Cao hid the bulk of his force behind the dyke and showed only half beyond it. Lü Bu pushed closer; Cao Cao sent skirmishers to draw him in, then unleashed the men hidden on the dyke in a combined arms rush, captured Lü Bu's command chariot, and chased him to his camp before pulling back.〉 Lü Bu fled by night; Cao Cao retook Dingtao, then detached columns to secure the county seats. Lü Bu ran east to Liu Bei; Zhang Miao went with him and posted his brother Zhang Chao to defend Yongqiu with the families. In the eighth month of autumn he invested Yongqiu. In the tenth month of winter the emperor formally named him inspector of Yan. In the twelfth month Yongqiu fell; Zhang Chao committed suicide. Zhang Miao's three degrees of kin were extirpated. Zhang Miao begged Yuan Shu for aid and was murdered by Shu's men; with Yan pacified, Cao Cao swept east into Chen.
28
是歲,長安亂,天子東遷,敗于曹陽,渡河幸安邑。
That year Luoyang-Chang'an convulsed; the emperor fled east, was beaten at Caoyang, crossed the Yellow River, and found refuge at Anyi.
29
太祖將迎天子,諸將或疑,荀彧、程昱勸之,乃遣曹洪將兵西迎,衞將軍董承與袁術將萇奴拒險,洪不得進。
Cao Cao meant to escort the emperor west; some generals hesitated until Xun Yu and Cheng Yu pressed the case. He sent Cao Hong west, but Guards General Dong Cheng and Yuan Shu's general Chang Nu held the defiles and blocked him.
30
汝南、潁川黃巾何儀、劉辟、黃邵、何曼等,衆各數萬,初應袁術,又附孫堅。 二月,太祖進軍討破之,斬辟、邵等,儀及其衆皆降。 天子拜太祖建德將軍,夏六月,遷鎮東將軍,封費亭侯。 秋七月,楊奉、韓暹以天子還洛陽, 〈《獻帝春秋》曰:天子初至洛陽,幸城西故中常侍趙忠宅。 使張楊繕治宮室,名殿曰揚安殿,八月,帝乃遷居。〉 奉別屯梁。 太祖遂至洛陽,衞京都,暹遁走。 天子假太祖節鉞,錄尚書事。 〈《獻帝紀》曰:又領司隷校尉。〉 洛陽殘破,董昭等勸太祖都許。 九月,車駕出轘轅而東,以太祖爲大將軍,封武平侯。 自天子西遷,朝廷日亂,至是宗廟社稷制度始立。 〈張璠《漢紀》曰:初,天子敗於曹陽,欲浮河東下。 侍中太史令王立曰:「自去春太白犯鎮星於牛斗,過天津,熒惑又逆行守北河,不可犯也。」 由是天子遂不北渡河,將自軹關東出。 立又謂宗正劉艾曰:「前太白守天關,與熒惑會; 金火交會,革命之象也。 漢祚終矣,晉、魏必有興者。」 立後數言於帝曰:「天命有去就,五行不常盛,代火者土也,承漢者魏也,能安天下者,曹姓也,唯委任曹氏而已。」 公聞之,使人語立曰:「知公忠於朝廷,然天道深遠,幸勿多言。」〉
Bands under He Yi, Liu Pi, Huang Shao, He Man, and others mustered tens of thousands each in Runan and Yingchuan, having first answered Yuan Shu and then thrown in with Sun Jian's camp in the south. In the second month Cao Cao marched against them, killed Liu Pi and Huang Shao, and accepted He Yi's surrender. The court named him General Who Establishes Virtue, then in the sixth month of summer promoted him to general who guards the east and enfeoffed him at Feiting. In the seventh month of autumn Yang Feng and Han Xian escorted the emperor back toward Luoyang, 〈The chronicle says the emperor first lodged in the old mansion of the eunuch Zhao Zhong in Luoyang's west ward. Zhang Yang was told to patch up the halls, naming one the Hall of Yang'an; in the eighth month the court moved in.〉 Yang Feng camped separately at Liang. Cao Cao entered Luoyang to secure the capital while Han Xian bolted. The emperor invested him with the ceremonial axe and authority over the Secretariat. 〈The imperial diary adds that he also took the colonel director of retainers post.〉 With Luoyang in ruins, Dong Zhao and others urged him to move the seat to Xu. In the ninth month the court passed east through Huanyuan, named Cao Cao grand commandant, and enfeoffed him as marquis of Wuping. Since the emperor's flight west the government had unraveled; only now were rites for the state shrines properly restored. 〈Zhang Fan's Han Annals says that after Caoyang the emperor first meant to ride the Yellow River downstream toward the east. Palace attendant and grand astrologer Wang Li warned, "Since last spring, Venus has overtaken Saturn in Ox and Dipper and passed the Celestial Ford, while Mars has moved retrograde and kept station at the North River; this must not be violated." The emperor therefore gave up crossing the river north and prepared to leave east through Zhiguan. Wang Li also told Liu Ai, director of the imperial clan, "Venus had already lingered at the Celestial Gate and conjoined Mars; a conjunction of metal and fire portends revolution. The Han mandate is spent; Jin or Wei will produce the next power." Afterward Wang Li kept telling the throne that the five phases cycled, earth would follow fire, Wei would follow Han, and only the house of Cao could pacify All under Heaven." Cao Cao heard of it and sent word: "I know you are loyal, but Heaven's secrets are not for public chatter."〉
31
天子之東也,奉自梁欲要之,不及。 冬十月,公征奉,奉南奔袁術,遂攻其梁屯,拔之。 於是以袁紹爲太尉,紹恥班在公下,不肯受。 公乃固辭,以大將軍讓紹。 天子拜公司空,行車騎將軍。 是歲用棗祗、韓浩等議,始興屯田。 〈《魏書》曰:自遭荒亂,率乏糧穀。 諸軍並起,無終歲之計,饑則寇略,飽則棄餘,瓦解流離,無敵自破者不可勝數。 袁紹之在河北,軍人仰食桑椹。 袁術在江、淮,取給蒲蠃。 民人相食,州里蕭條。 公曰:「夫定國之術,在於彊兵足食,秦人以急農兼天下,孝武以屯田定西域,此先代之良式也。」 是歲乃募民屯田許下,得穀百萬斛。 於是州郡例置田官,所在積穀。 征伐四方,無運糧之勞,遂兼滅羣賊,克平天下。〉
As the court moved east, Yang Feng tried to cut it off from Liang but arrived too late. In the tenth month of winter Cao Cao struck Yang Feng, who fled south to Yuan Shu; Cao Cao then stormed his camp at Liang. The court named Yuan Shao grand commandant, but Yuan Shao refused the post because it ranked below Cao Cao. Cao Cao insisted on stepping aside and gave Yuan Shao the grand commandant title instead. The emperor then appointed him minister of works with acting authority as chariot-and-cavalry general. That year, on the advice of Zao Zhi, Han Hao, and others, he inaugurated the military colony system. 〈The Book of Wei notes that years of famine had emptied every granary. Armies sprang up everywhere with no long-term logistics: they looted when hungry, wasted surplus when fed, and collapsed of their own disorder beyond counting. North of the river Yuan Shao's men lived on mulberries. Between the Yangzi and the Huai, Yuan Shu's troops scraped by on shellfish. Cannibalism spread and the countryside went bare. Cao Cao declared, "To stabilize a state you need strong armies and full granaries: Qin unified China by pushing agriculture, Han Wudi held the west with tuntian farms; we should follow their example." That year he recruited settlers for colonies around Xu and harvested a million hu of grain. Provinces and commanderies followed suit with colony overseers, and grain piled up in every district. Free of long supply trains, he could campaign in every direction, wipe out the rebels, and bring the realm to heel.
32
呂布襲劉備,取下邳。 備來奔。 程昱說公曰:「觀劉備有雄才而甚得衆心,終不爲人下,不如早圖之。」 公曰:「方今收英雄時也,殺一人而失天下之心,不可。」
Lü Bu surprised Liu Bei and seized Xiapi. Liu Bei fled to Cao Cao. Cheng Yu urged, "Liu Bei is a hero who owns men's hearts; he will never serve under you—deal with him now." Cao Cao answered, "This is the hour to win allies; murdering him would cost me the world's trust."
33
張濟自關中走南陽。 濟死,從子繡領其衆。
Zhang Ji quit the Guanzhong war zone and marched into Nanyang. When Zhang Ji died, his nephew Zhang Xiu inherited the command.
34
二年春正月,公到宛。 張繡降,旣而悔之,復反。 公與戰,軍敗,爲流矢所中,長子昂、弟子安民遇害。 〈《魏書》曰:公所乘馬名絕影,爲流矢所中,傷頰及足,并中公右臂。 《世語》曰:昂不能騎,進馬於公,公故免,而昂遇害。〉 公乃引兵還舞陰,繡將騎來鈔,公擊破之。 繡奔穰,與劉表合。 公謂諸將曰:「吾降張繡等,失不便取其質,以至于此。 吾知所以敗。 諸卿觀之,自今已後不復敗矣。」 遂還許。 〈《世語》曰:舊制,三公領兵入見,皆交戟叉頸而前。 初,公將討張繡,入覲天子,時始復此制。 公自此不復朝見。〉
In the first month of spring, 197 CE, he reached Wan. Zhang Xiu capitulated, had second thoughts, and rose again. The fight went badly: Cao Cao was wounded by a stray bolt, and his eldest son Cao Ang and nephew Cao Anmin were killed. 〈The Book of Wei says his mount Jueying took bolts in the jaw and leg and a hit on Cao Cao's right arm as well. The Shi Yu adds that Cao Ang, unable to ride, gave his father a horse and died so Cao Cao could escape.〉 Cao Cao fell back to Wuyin, turned on Zhang Xiu's pursuing cavalry, and beat them off. Zhang Xiu fled to Rang and linked up with Liu Biao. He told his officers, "I accepted Zhang Xiu's surrender without taking hostages when I had the chance; that is how we came to this. Now I know why we lost. Mark this lesson: it will not happen again on my watch." Then he withdrew to Xu. 〈The Shi Yu notes an old rule that commanders entering audience crossed halberds at their throats as a security ritual. That ritual had just been revived when Cao Cao went to court before the Wan campaign. Afterward Cao Cao stopped appearing for formal audiences.〉
35
袁術欲稱帝於淮南,使人告呂布。 布收其使,上其書。 術怒,攻布,爲布所破。 秋九月,術侵陳,公東征之。 術聞公自來,棄軍走,留其將橋蕤、李豐、梁綱、樂就; 公到,擊破蕤等,皆斬之。 術走渡淮。 公還許。
Yuan Shu planned to declare an empire south of the Huai and sent word to Lü Bu. Lü Bu seized the messenger and forwarded Yuan Shu's letter to the capital. Yuan Shu attacked in fury and Lü Bu smashed him. In the ninth month of autumn Yuan Shu struck Chen; Cao Cao marched east against him. Yuan Shu ran at the news, leaving Qiao Rui, Li Feng, Liang Gang, and Yue Jiu to cover his retreat; Cao Cao crushed that rear guard and executed every officer. Yuan Shu escaped across the Huai. Cao Cao returned to Xu.
36
公之自舞陰還也,南陽、章陵諸縣復叛爲繡,公遣曹洪擊之,不利,還屯葉,數爲繡、表所侵。 冬十一月,公自南征,至宛。 〈《魏書》曰:臨淯水,祠亡將士,歔欷流涕,衆皆感慟。〉 表將鄧濟據湖陽。 攻拔之,生禽濟,湖陽降。 攻舞陰,下之。
After Wuyin, Nanyang and Zhangling counties went over to Zhang Xiu again; Cao Hong was beaten back to Ye and harried by Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao. In the eleventh month of winter he led a southern drive to Wan. 〈The Book of Wei says he sacrificed by the Yu River for the fallen of Wan and wept until the whole army wept with him.〉 Liu Biao's officer Deng Ji held Huyang. He stormed the town, took Deng Ji alive, and Huyang submitted. He then seized Wuyin.
37
三年春正月,公還許,初置軍師祭酒。 三月,公圍張繡於穰。 夏五月,劉表遣兵救繡,以絕軍後。 〈《獻帝春秋》曰:袁紹叛卒詣公云:「田豐使紹早襲許,若挾天子以令諸侯,四海可指麾而定。」 公乃解繡圍。〉 公將引還,繡兵來,公軍不得進,連營稍前。 公與荀彧書曰:「賊來追吾,雖日行數里,吾策之,到安衆,破繡必矣。」 到安衆,繡與表兵合守險,公軍前後受敵。 公乃夜鑿險爲地道,悉過輜重,設奇兵。 會明,賊謂公爲遁也,悉軍來追。 乃縱奇兵步騎夾攻,大破之。 秋七月,公還許。 荀彧問公:「前以策賊必破,何也?」 公曰:「虜遏吾歸師,而與吾死地戰,吾是以知勝矣。」
In the first month of spring, 198 CE, he returned to Xu and created the post of military counsellor (jijiu). In the third month he invested Zhang Xiu at Rang. In the fifth month of summer Liu Biao sent a column to relieve Zhang Xiu and threaten Cao Cao's rear. 〈A defector from Yuan Shao reported to Cao Cao, "Tian Feng urged Shao to strike Xu early; if he seized the Son of Heaven to command the lords, the four seas could be settled at a gesture." Cao Cao broke off the siege of Rang.〉 As he withdrew, Zhang Xiu pressed so hard that he could only creep forward in a linked-camp formation. He wrote Xun Yu, "The enemy is on my tail and we crawl along, but I know I will crush Zhang Xiu once we reach Anzhong." At Anzhong, Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao sealed the defiles and pinned him front and rear. By night he dug a covered way through the rough ground, slipped his baggage through, and planted an ambush. At dawn the rebels thought he had bolted and threw their whole force forward. He sprang the trap with horse and foot and shattered them. In the seventh month of autumn he was back in Xu. Xun Yu asked Cao Cao, "Earlier you predicted that the enemy would certainly be broken. Why?" Cao Cao answered, "They barred my retreat yet forced a battle where I had nothing to lose—that is how I knew I would win."
38
呂布復爲袁術使高順攻劉備,公遣夏侯惇救之,不利。 備爲順所敗。 九月,公東征布。 冬十月,屠彭城,獲其相侯諧。 進至下邳,布自將騎逆擊。 大破之,獲其驍將成廉。 追至城下,布恐,欲降。 陳宮等沮其計,求救於術,勸布出戰,戰又敗,乃還固守,攻之不下。 時公連戰,士卒罷,欲還,用荀攸、郭嘉計,遂決泗、沂水以灌城。 月餘,布將宋憲、魏續等執陳宮,舉城降,生禽布、宮,皆殺之。 太山臧霸、孫觀、吳敦、尹禮、昌狶各聚衆。 布之破劉備也,霸等悉從布。 布敗,獲霸等,公厚納待,遂割青、徐二州附于海以委焉,分琅邪、東海、北海爲城陽、利城、昌慮郡。
Lü Bu again sent Gao Shun against Liu Bei for Yuan Shu; Xiahou Dun's relief column failed. Liu Bei was routed by Gao Shun. In the ninth month Cao Cao marched east against Lü Bu. In the tenth month of winter he sacked Pengcheng and took its chancellor Hou Xie. At Xiapi, Lü Bu led cavalry out to meet him. Cao Cao crushed the sortie and captured Lü Bu's champion Cheng Lian. Cao Cao drove him under the walls of Xiapi until Lü Bu panicked and offered to yield. Chen Gong blocked surrender, begged Yuan Shu for help, and talked Lü Bu into another sortie; after another defeat Lü Bu sealed himself inside, and the siege held. His men were exhausted and wanted to quit until Xun You and Guo Jia persuaded him to break the Si and Yi rivers and flood Xiapi. A month later Song Xian and Wei Xu bound Chen Gong, opened the gates, and surrendered; Lü Bu and Chen Gong were executed. Zang Ba of Taishan, Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and Chang Xi each led bandit hosts. They had all followed Lü Bu after he defeated Liu Bei. After Lü Bu fell, Cao Cao enrolled them with lavish favor, carved out the coastal tracts of Qing and Xu for their fiefs, and split Langye, Donghai, and Beihai into new commanderies.
39
初,公爲兖州,以東平畢諶爲別駕。 張邈之叛也,邈劫諶母弟妻子; 公謝遣之,曰:「卿老母在彼,可去。」 諶頓首無二心,公嘉之,爲之流涕。 旣出,遂亡歸。 及布破,諶生得,衆爲諶懼,公曰:「夫人孝於其親者,豈不亦忠於君乎! 吾所求也。」 以爲魯相。 〈《魏書》曰:袁紹宿與故太尉楊彪、大長秋梁紹、少府孔融有隙,欲使公以他過誅之。 公曰:「當今天下土崩瓦解,雄豪並起,輔相君長,人懷怏怏,各有自爲之心,此上下相疑之秋也,雖以無嫌待之,猶懼未信; 如有所除,則誰不自危? 且夫起布衣,在塵垢之間,爲庸人之所陵陷,可勝怨乎! 高祖赦雍齒之讎而羣情以安,如何忘之?」 紹以爲公外託公義,內實離異,深懷怨望。 臣松之以爲楊彪亦曾爲魏武所困,幾至於死,孔融竟不免於誅滅,豈所謂先行其言而後從之哉! 非知之難,其在行之,信矣。〉
Earlier, as inspector of Yan, he had named Bi Chen of Dongping as chief clerk. When Zhang Miao mutinied he took Bi Chen's family hostage; Cao Cao dismissed him with regrets: "Your mother is in enemy hands; you should go." Bi Chen swore he would not waver; Cao Cao praised him and wept. Once outside the lines he bolted to the rebels anyway. When Bi Chen was taken alive, everyone expected execution; Cao Cao said, "A man that filial to his parents must be loyal to his lord as well. That is exactly the man I want." He appointed him chancellor of Lu. 〈The Book of Wei says Yuan Shao wanted Cao Cao to trump up charges against Yang Biao, Liang Shao, and Kong Rong. Cao Cao refused: "The realm is shattered; every warlord minds his own ambition; trust is already thin; even if I treat men openly they may still doubt me; if I start killing notables, who will feel safe? Besides, we all rose from common ranks and petty slights in the mud; who is free of old grudges? Gaozu forgave Yong Chi and won every heart; should I forget that lesson?" Yuan Shao decided Cao Cao was only mouthing principle while secretly dividing the coalition, and nursed a deep grudge. Pei Songzhi notes that Yang Biao was later cornered by Cao Cao almost to death and Kong Rong was executed anyway, hardly proof that fine words were followed by fine deeds. Knowing is easy; doing is hard. That much is certain.
40
四年春二月,公還至昌邑。 張楊將楊醜殺楊,眭固又殺醜,以其衆屬袁紹,屯射犬。 夏四月,進軍臨河,使史渙、曹仁渡河擊之。 固使楊故長史薛洪、河內太守繆尚留守,自將兵北迎紹求救,與渙、仁相遇犬城。 交戰,大破之,斬固。 公遂濟河,圍射犬。 洪、尚率衆降,封爲列侯,還軍敖倉。 以魏种爲河內太守,屬以河北事。
In the second month of spring, 199 CE, he reached Changyi. Zhang Yang's officer Yang Chou murdered him; Sui Gu killed Yang Chou and led the troops to Yuan Shao, camping at Shequan. In the fourth month of summer he moved to the Yellow River and sent Shi Huan and Cao Ren across to attack. Sui Gu left Xue Hong and Miao Shang to hold the base while he rode north to beg Yuan Shao for aid; he ran into Shi Huan and Cao Ren at Quancheng. They fought, routed him, and beheaded Sui Gu. Cao Cao crossed the river and invested Shequan. Xue Hong and Miao Shang surrendered with their men and received full marquisates; Cao Cao withdrew to Aocang. He named Wei Chong governor of Henei to handle the north bank.
41
初,公舉种孝廉。 兖州叛,公曰:「唯魏种且不棄孤也。」 及聞种走,公怒曰:「种不南走越、北走胡,不置汝也!」 旣下射犬,生禽种,公曰:「唯其才也!」 釋其縛而用之。
Cao Cao had once nominated Wei Chong on the Filial-and-Incorrupt list. When Yan mutinied he said, "Only Wei Chong will never desert me." Learning that Wei Chong had bolted, he swore, "Unless he flees to the southern tribes or the steppe, I will have his head!" When Shequan fell and Wei Chong was taken alive, Cao Cao exclaimed, "What a man!" He cut his bonds and put him back to work.
42
是時袁紹旣并公孫瓚,兼四州之地,衆十餘萬,將進軍攻許,諸將以爲不可敵,公曰:「吾知紹之爲人,志大而智小,色厲而膽薄,忌克而少威,兵多而分畫不明,將驕而政令不一,土地雖廣,糧食雖豐,適足以爲吾奉也。」 秋八月,公進軍黎陽,使臧霸等入青州破齊、北海、東安,留于禁屯河上。 九月,公還許,分兵守官渡。 冬十一月,張繡率衆降,封列侯。 十二月,公軍官渡。
Yuan Shao had swallowed Gongsun Zan and held four provinces with a hundred thousand men, poised to strike Xu. His officers were daunted, but Cao Cao said, "I know Yuan Shao: big schemes and small wit, fierce looks and a timid heart, jealous of subordinates, confused command, arrogant generals, and no unified policy. His wide lands and rich grain will only end up supplying me." In the eighth month of autumn he moved to Liyang, sent Zang Ba into Qingzhou against Qi, Beihai, and Dong'an, and posted Yu Jin along the river. In the ninth month he was back in Xu, detaching a force to hold Guandu. In the eleventh month Zhang Xiu capitulated with his army and received a full marquisate. In the twelfth month his headquarters shifted to Guandu.
43
袁術自敗於陳,稍困,袁譚自青州遣迎之。 術欲從下邳北過,公遣劉備、朱靈要之。 會術病死。 程昱、郭嘉聞公遣備,言於公曰:「劉備不可縱。」 公悔,追之不及。 備之未東也,陰與董承等謀反,至下邳,遂殺徐州刺史車冑,舉兵屯沛。 遣劉岱、王忠擊之,不克。 〈《獻帝春秋》曰:備謂岱等曰:「使汝百人來,其無如我何; 曹公自來,未可知耳!」 《魏武故事》曰:岱字公山,沛國人。 以司空長史從征伐有功,封列侯。 《魏略》曰:王忠,扶風人,少爲亭長。 三輔亂,忠饑乏噉人,隨輩南向武關。 值婁子伯爲荊州遣迎北方客人; 忠不欲去,因率等仵逆擊之,奪其兵,聚衆千餘人以歸公。 拜忠中郎將,從征討。 五官將知忠甞噉人,因從駕出行,令俳取冢間髑髏繫著忠馬鞍,以爲歡笑。〉
After his defeat at Chen, Yuan Shu grew desperate; Yuan Tan sent from Qingzhou to fetch him. Yuan Shu meant to cross north near Xiapi; Cao Cao sent Liu Bei and Zhu Ling to block him. Yuan Shu died of illness on the way. Cheng Yu and Guo Jia warned, "You must not let Liu Bei go." Cao Cao regretted the order but could not overtake him. Before marching east Liu Bei had secretly joined Dong Cheng's plot; at Xiapi he murdered Inspector Che Zhou of Xuzhou and raised an army at Pei. Cao Cao sent Liu Dai and Wang Zhong; they failed. 〈The chronicle quotes Liu Bei taunting Liu Dai: "Send a hundred men and you still cannot touch me; we will see what happens if Cao Cao comes in person!" The Wei Wu anecdotes identify Liu Dai (courtesy Gongshan) as a native of Pei. He had served as chief clerk under the minister of works on campaign and earned a full marquisate. The Brief Account of Wei describes Wang Zhong of Fufeng as a former village chief. When Guanzhong collapsed he starved to the point of cannibalism and drifted south with refugees toward Wuguan. Lou Zibo, acting for Jingzhou, had sent men to escort northern refugees south; Wang Zhong refused to disarm, ambushed the escort, seized their arms, rallied a thousand followers, and brought them to Cao Cao. Cao Cao named Wang Zhong a general of the household and took him on campaign. The heir apparent knew Wang Zhong's grim past and once, on a ride, had clowns tie graveyard skulls to his saddle for a cruel joke.〉
44
廬江太守劉勳率衆降,封爲列侯。
Lujiang governor Liu Xun capitulated with his army and received a full marquisate.
45
五年春正月,董承等謀泄,皆伏誅。 公將自東征備,諸將皆曰:「與公爭天下者,袁紹也。 今紹方來而棄之東,紹乘人後,若何?」 公曰:「夫劉備,人傑也,今不擊,必爲後患。 〈孫盛《魏氏春秋》云:荅諸將曰:「劉備,人傑也,將生憂寡人。」 臣松之以爲史之記言,旣多潤色,故前載所述有非實者矣,後之作者又生意改之,於失實也,不亦彌遠乎! 凡孫盛製書,多用左氏以易舊文,如此者非一。 嗟乎,後之學者將何取信哉? 且魏武方以天下勵志,而用夫差分死之言,尤非其類。〉 袁紹雖有大志,而見事遟,必不動也。」 郭嘉亦勸公,遂東擊備,破之,生禽其將夏侯博。 備走奔紹,獲其妻子。 備將關羽屯下邳,復進攻之,羽降。 昌狶叛爲備,又攻破之。 公還官渡,紹卒不出。
In the first month of spring, 200 CE, the belt edict conspiracy was exposed and its members executed. As Cao Cao prepared to march east against Liu Bei, his generals warned, "Yuan Shao is your real rival for the empire. Yuan Shao is closing in; if you turn east he will stab you in the rear; what then?" Cao Cao replied, "Liu Bei is a hero; if I do not crush him now he will haunt us later. 〈Sun Sheng's Wei Annals quotes him telling the generals that Liu Bei was a rival fit to trouble even a king. Pei Songzhi remarks that historians polish dialogue, earlier accounts may be false, and later compilers invent still more so; truth drifts further away. Sun Sheng habitually rewrote old passages in the style of the Zuo Commentary, and not only here. How, then, is a later reader to know what to believe? Besides, Cao Cao was rallying the empire under himself; putting in his mouth a line borrowed from King Fuchai of Wu rings false."〉 Yuan Shao may dream big, but he is slow to act; he will not move in time." Guo Jia seconded the plan; Cao Cao struck east, defeated Liu Bei, and took his general Xiahou Bo alive. Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao while Cao Cao seized his family. Guan Yu held Xiapi for Liu Bei; Cao Cao attacked again and won his surrender. Chang Xi rose for Liu Bei and was crushed in turn. Cao Cao was back at Guandu before Yuan Shao stirred.
46
二月,紹遣郭圖、淳于瓊、顏良攻東郡太守劉延於白馬,紹引兵至黎陽,將渡河。 夏四月,公北救延。 荀攸說公曰:「今兵少不敵,分其勢乃可。 公到延津,若將渡兵向其後者,紹必西應之,然後輕兵襲白馬,掩其不備,顏良可禽也。」 公從之。 紹聞兵渡,即分兵西應之。 公乃引軍兼行趣白馬,未至十餘里,良大驚,來逆戰。 使張遼、關羽前登,擊破,斬良。 遂解白馬圍,徙其民,循河而西。 紹於是渡河追公軍,至延津南。 公勒兵駐營南阪下,使登壘望之,曰:「可五六百騎。」 有頃,復白:「騎稍多,步兵不可勝數。」 公曰:「勿復白。」 乃令騎解鞍放馬。 是時,白馬輜重就道。 諸將以爲敵騎多,不如還保營。 荀攸曰:「此所以餌敵,如何去之!」 紹騎將文醜與劉備將五六千騎前後至。 諸將復白:「可上馬。」 公曰:「未也。」 有頃,騎至稍多,或分趣輜重。 公曰:「可矣。」 乃皆上馬。 時騎不滿六百,遂縱兵擊,大破之,斬醜、良。 醜、良皆紹名將也,再戰,悉禽,紹軍大震。 公還軍官渡。 紹進保陽武。 關羽亡歸劉備。
In the second month Yuan Shao sent Guo Tu, Chunyu Qiong, and Yan Liang against Liu Yan at Baima while he massed at Liyang to ford the Yellow River. In the fourth month of summer Cao Cao marched north to relieve Liu Yan. Xun You said, "We are outnumbered; we must split their forces. Feign a crossing at Yanjin to draw Yuan Shao west, then hit Baima with a flying column and bag Yan Liang before he can react." Cao Cao took the advice. Yuan Shao heard of the feint and peeled off a wing to face west. Cao Cao raced to Baima; within ten li Yan Liang woke to the danger and hurried out to fight. He sent Zhang Liao and Guan Yu forward and they broke the line, taking Yan Liang's head. He lifted the siege, evacuated the people of Baima, and withdrew along the river's west bank. Yuan Shao crossed in pursuit and caught Cao Cao south of Yanjin. Cao Cao drew up south of a ridge and had scouts report: "Only five or six hundred horsemen." Soon they revised the count: "More cavalry arriving, foot soldiers beyond counting." Cao Cao said, "Say no more." He ordered his men to slip saddles and let the horses graze. The baggage train from Baima was strung out on the road. His officers wanted to pull back to the fortified camp. Xun You snapped, "That train is bait; we must not abandon it!" Wen Chou and Liu Bei arrived with five or six thousand horse from two directions. The staff urged, "Time to saddle up." Cao Cao said, "Not yet." More enemy horse poured in; detachments peeled off toward the wagons. Cao Cao said, "Now." Every man mounted. With fewer than six hundred horsemen he charged, shattered the Yuan vanguard, and took Wen Chou's head. Yuan Shao had now lost two of his champion generals in succession; his army reeled. Cao Cao withdrew to Guandu. Yuan Shao fell back to fortify Yangwu. Guan Yu deserted and rejoined Liu Bei.
47
八月,紹連營稍前,依沙塠爲屯,東西數十里。 公亦分營與相當,合戰不利。 〈習鑿齒《漢晉春秋》曰:許攸說紹曰:「公無與操相攻也。 急分諸軍持之,而徑從他道迎天子,則事立濟矣。」 紹不從,曰:「吾要當先圍取之。」 攸怒。〉 時公兵不滿萬,傷者十二三。 〈臣松之以爲魏武初起兵,已有衆五千,自後百戰百勝,敗者十二三而已矣。 但一破黃巾,受降卒三十餘萬,餘所吞并,不可悉紀; 雖征戰損傷,未應如此之少也。 夫結營相守,異於摧鋒決戰。 本紀云:「紹衆十餘萬,屯營東西數十里。」 魏太祖雖機變無方,略不世出,安有以數千之兵,而得逾時相抗者哉? 以理而言,竊謂不然。 紹爲屯數十里,公能分營與相當,此兵不得甚少,一也。 紹若有十倍之衆,理應當悉力圍守,使出入斷絕,而公使徐晃等擊其運車,公又自出擊淳于瓊等,揚旌往還,曾無抵閡,明紹力不能制,是不得甚少,二也。 諸書皆云公坑紹衆八萬,或云七萬。 夫八萬人奔散,非八千人所能縛,而紹之大衆皆拱手就戮,何緣力能制之? 是不得甚少,三也。 將記述者欲以少見奇,非其實錄也。 按《鍾繇傳》云:「公與紹相持,繇爲司隷,送馬二千餘匹以給軍。」 本紀及《世語》並云公時有騎六百餘匹,繇馬爲安在哉?〉 紹復進臨官渡,起土山地道。 公亦於內作之,以相應。 紹射營中,矢如雨下,行者皆蒙楯,衆大懼。 時公糧少,與荀彧書,議欲還許。 彧以爲「紹悉衆聚官渡,欲與公決勝敗。 公以至弱當至彊,若不能制,必爲所乘,是天下之大機也。 且紹,布衣之雄耳,能聚人而不能用。 夫以公之神武明哲而輔以大順,何向而不濟!」 公從之。
In the eighth month Yuan Shao linked his camps along sand ridges for dozens of li east and west. Cao Cao matched him camp for camp but lost the pitched clash. 〈Xi Zuochi's Han–Jin Annals records Xu You telling Yuan Shao, "You should not attack Cao Cao directly. Split your host to hold him while you seize another route to the emperor; victory will follow." Yuan Shao refused: "I mean to crush him here first." Xu You stalked off in fury. The text claims Cao Cao had fewer than ten thousand men and twenty or thirty percent casualties. 〈Pei Songzhi notes that Cao Cao began with five thousand men, won far more than he lost, and rarely suffered shattering defeats. One victory alone added three hundred thousand surrendered Yellow Turbans, to say nothing of other annexations; so even with attrition his army at Guandu could hardly have been that small. A long siege differs from a single shock battle. The main biography says, "Yuan Shao had more than a hundred thousand troops, with camps stretching several dozen li east and west." However brilliant Cao Cao was, he could not have held Yuan Shao for months with only a few thousand men. On the merits, I do not believe the figure. First, Yuan Shao's line stretched for dozens of li; Cao Cao matched him camp for camp, so he must have had substantial numbers. Second, if Yuan Shao had truly outnumbered him ten to one he could have sealed every road, yet Cao Cao sent Xu Huang against his supply trains, rode out against Chunyu Qiong, and rode the lines freely; Yuan Shao plainly could not pin him with a tiny force. Sources agree Cao Cao executed seventy or eighty thousand of Yuan Shao's surrendered men. You cannot round up eighty thousand fugitives with eight hundred guards; that they submitted meekly to massacre shows Cao Cao's army was not a token handful. Third, his force at Guandu could not have been negligible. Historians shrink the numbers for drama, not accuracy. Zhong Yao's biography says, "When Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were locked in confrontation, Yao, as Colonel Director of Retainers, sent more than two thousand horses to supply the army." Yet the annals and Shi Yu speak of only six hundred cavalry on hand; where did Zhong Yao's remounts go? Yuan Shao pushed up to Guandu again, building mounds and mining toward Cao Cao's lines. Cao Cao countered with his own mounds and countermines. Yuan archers filled the sky; men had to crawl under shields and morale sagged. Short of grain, Cao Cao wrote Xun Yu about pulling back to Xu. Xun Yu replied, "Yuan Shao has gathered all his forces at Guandu, wishing to decide victory and defeat with you. Cao Cao's weakest moment faces Yuan Shao's strongest; if he yields now Yuan Shao will own the empire. Yuan Shao is a bully from the ranks who can recruit talent but cannot wield it. You combine military genius with the legitimacy of serving the Han; no campaign can fail you." Cao Cao held his ground.
48
孫策聞公與紹相持,乃謀襲許,未發,爲刺客所殺。
Sun Ce planned to strike Xu while Cao Cao was pinned at Guandu but was cut down by assassins before he moved.
49
汝南降賊劉辟等叛應紹,略許下。 紹使劉備助辟,公使曹仁擊破之。 備走,遂破辟屯。
Runan bandits such as Liu Pi who had surrendered rose for Yuan Shao and raided the approaches to Xu. Yuan Shao sent Liu Bei to help Liu Pi; Cao Ren crushed them. Liu Bei ran; Cao Ren stormed Liu Pi's camp.
50
袁紹運穀車數千乘至,公用荀攸計,遣徐晃、史渙邀擊,大破之,盡燒其車。 公與紹相拒連月,雖比戰斬將,然衆少糧盡,士卒疲乏。 公謂運者曰:「却十五日爲汝破紹,不復勞汝矣。」 冬十月,紹遣車運穀,使淳于瓊等五人將兵萬餘人送之,宿紹營北四十里。 紹謀臣許攸貪財,紹不能足,來奔,因說公擊瓊等。 左右疑之,荀攸、賈詡勸公。 公乃留曹洪守,自將步騎五千人夜往,會明至。 瓊等望見公兵少,出陳門外。 公急擊之,瓊退保營,遂攻之。 紹遣騎救瓊。 左右或言「賊騎稍近,請分兵拒之」。 公怒曰:「賊在背後,乃白!」 士卒皆殊死戰,大破瓊等,皆斬之。 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:公聞攸來,跣出迎之,撫掌笑曰:「子卿遠來,吾事濟矣!」 旣入坐,謂公曰:「袁氏軍盛,何以待之? 今有幾糧乎?」 公曰:「尚可支一歲。」 攸曰:「無是,更言之!」 又曰:「可支半歲。」 攸曰:「足下不欲破袁氏邪,何言之不實也!」 公曰:「向言戲之耳。 其實可一月,爲之柰何?」 攸曰:「公孤軍獨守,外無救援而糧穀已盡,此危急之日也。 今袁氏輜重有萬餘乘,在故市、烏巢,屯軍無嚴備; 今以輕兵襲之,不意而至,燔其積聚,不過三日,袁氏自敗也。」 公大喜,乃選精銳步騎,皆用袁軍旗幟,銜枚縛馬口,夜從間道出,人抱束薪,所歷道有問者,語之曰:「袁公恐曹操鈔略後軍,遣兵以益備。」 聞者信以爲然,皆自若。 旣至,圍屯,大放火,營中驚亂。 大破之,盡燔其糧穀寶貨,斬督將眭元進、騎督韓莒子、呂威璜、趙叡等首,割得將軍淳于仲簡鼻,未死,殺士卒千餘人,皆取鼻,牛馬割脣舌,以示紹軍。 將士皆怛懼。 時有夜得仲簡,將以詣麾下,公謂曰:「何爲如是?」 仲簡曰:「勝負自天,何用爲問乎!」 公意欲不殺。 許攸曰:「明且鑒於鏡,此益不忘人。」 乃殺之。〉 紹初聞公之擊瓊,謂長子譚曰:「就彼攻瓊等,吾攻拔其營,彼固無所歸矣!」 乃使張郃、高覽攻曹洪。 郃等聞瓊破,遂來降。 紹衆大潰,紹及譚棄軍走,渡河。 追之不及,盡收其輜重圖書珎寶,虜其衆。 〈《獻帝起居注》曰:公上言「大將軍鄴侯袁紹前與冀州牧韓馥立故大司馬劉虞,刻作金璽,遣故任長畢瑜詣虞,爲說命錄之數。 又紹與臣書云:『可都鄄城,當有所立。』 擅鑄金銀印,孝廉計吏,皆往詣紹。 從弟濟陰太守敘與紹書云:『今海內喪敗,天意實在我家,神應有徵,當在尊兄。 南兄臣下欲使即位,南兄言,以年則北兄長,以位則北兄重。 便欲送璽,會曹操斷道。』 紹宗族累世受國重恩,而凶逆無道,乃至於此。 輙勒兵馬,與戰官渡,乘聖朝之威,得斬紹大將淳于瓊等八人首,遂大破潰。 紹與子譚輕身迸走。 凡斬首七萬餘級,輜重財物巨億。」〉 公收紹書中,得許下及軍中人書,皆焚之。 〈《魏氏春秋》曰:公云:「當紹之彊,孤猶不能自保,而況衆人乎!」〉 冀州諸郡多舉城邑降者。
When a train of several thousand grain wagons arrived, Cao Cao used Xun You's plan: Xu Huang and Shi Huan intercepted it, routed the escort, and burned every cart. Months of stalemate brought Cao Cao some tactical wins but left him short of men, out of grain, and with exhausted troops. He told his quartermasters, "Give me fifteen more days and I will finish Yuan Shaothen you can rest." In the tenth month of winter Yuan Shao sent Chunyu Qiong with five officers and ten thousand men to convoy supply wagons, camping forty li north of the main Yuan lines. Xu You, angry that Yuan Shao would not line his pockets, defected and urged a night strike on Chunyu Qiong. Staff officers were wary until Xun You and Jia Xu backed the gamble. Cao Cao left Cao Hong to hold Guandu and took five thousand picked horse and foot on a night march, arriving at dawn. Chunyu Qiong saw how small the column was and drew up outside his palisade. Cao Cao hit him hard, drove him inside, and stormed the camp. Yuan Shao sent cavalry to relieve him. Aides warned, "Enemy horse is closing in behind us; detach a screen." Cao Cao roared, "The enemy is on our rear and you tell me now!" His men fought to the last breath, shattered Chunyu Qiong, and executed the whole command group. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says Cao Cao ran out barefoot to greet Xu You, clapping his hands: "Your coming from afar means my cause is won!" Once seated, Xu You asked Cao Cao, "Yuan Shao's army is strong; how will you meet it? How many days of grain do you have left?" Cao Cao answered, "About a year's worth." Xu You snapped, "Nonsense. Try again." Cao Cao revised it to six months." If you will not be straight with me," Xu You pressed, "how can we break Yuan Shao?" Cao Cao laughed, "The first answers were a joke. In truth I have perhaps a month. What now?" You are isolated, out of supplies, and out of time," Xu You said flatly. More than ten thousand supply wagons sit at Gushi and Wuchao with slack guard duty; hit them with a flying column, burn the depots, and Yuan Shao will collapse within three days." Delighted, Cao Cao picked crack infantry and cavalry, dressed them all in Yuan army colors, gagged the horses, marched by night along a side road, and had each man carry bundles of brushwood. Whenever anyone along the road questioned them, they said, "Lord Yuan fears Cao Cao will raid his rear army, so he has sent troops to strengthen its defenses." The sentries swallowed the tale and stood down. They ringed Wuchao, torched the stacks, and threw the depot into panic. They annihilated the garrison, incinerated grain and treasure, took the heads of Sui Yuanjin, Han Juzi, Lü Weihuang, Zhao Rui, and others, sliced the nose from the still-living Chunyu Qiong (courtesy Zhongjian), mutilated over a thousand prisoners, and hacked the lips and tongues off draft animals to horrify Yuan Shao's host. Yuan Shao's men shook with terror. When night raiders dragged in the mutilated Chunyu Qiong, Cao Cao asked him, "Why did you let it come to this?" Chunyu Qiong snarled, "Win or lose is heaven's business—why ask me?" Cao Cao was inclined to spare him. Xu You warned, "Tomorrow he will glare at you from every mirror—he will never forget this humiliation." Cao Cao had him executed. When Yuan Shao first learned of the raid on Wuchao, he told Yuan Tan, "Let Cao Cao waste strength on Qiong while I storm his main camp; he will have nowhere to run!" He ordered Zhang He and Gao Lan to storm Cao Hong. Hearing Wuchao had fallen, Zhang He and Gao Lan defected. Yuan Shao's army dissolved; he and Yuan Tan abandoned the field and fled north across the Yellow River. Cao Cao could not overtake them but seized every wagon, archive, and trophy and rounded up the fugitives. 〈The court diary preserves Cao Cao's bill of indictment: "General-in-Chief and Marquis of Ye Yuan Shao formerly joined with Governor Han Fu of Ji Province to install the former Grand Marshal Liu Yu, cast a golden seal, and sent the former chief clerk Bi Yu to Liu Yu to explain the reckoning of the mandate. Yuan Shao also wrote proposing Juancheng as a new capital "when the time comes to act." He minted private gold and silver seals while graduates and clerks flocked to his camp. His cousin Xu, governor of Jiyin, wrote that heaven favored the Yuans and the elder brother should take the throne. Yuan Shu's followers wanted him crowned, but Yuan Shu argued that Yuan Shao was senior in years and rank. They were ready to hand over the seal when Cao Cao blocked the roads. The Yuan clan had enjoyed generations of imperial favor yet turned traitor to this degree. I therefore fought them at Guandu in the emperor's name, beheaded eight of their senior generals including Chunyu Qiong, and shattered their army. Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan fled with only their persons. The tally ran to more than seventy thousand heads taken, with booty beyond reckoning."〉" In Yuan Shao's correspondence he found letters from his own capital and even his officers; he burned them all unread. 〈The Wei Annals quotes his explanation: "At Yuan Shao's height I could barely save myself; who could blame others for wavering?"〉 Ji province's towns opened their gates in droves.
51
初,桓帝時有黃星見於楚、宋之分,遼東殷馗 〈馗,古逵字,見三蒼。〉 善天文,言後五十歲當有真人起於梁、沛之閒,其鋒不可當。 至是凡五十年,而公破紹,天下莫敵矣。
During Emperor Huan's reign a yellow star appeared over the Chu–Song sky sector; Yin Kui of Liaodong 〈The commentary treats Kui as an archaic spelling of the homophone kui, citing the San Cang lexicon.〉 He was an astronomer who predicted that within fifty years a "true man" would rise between Liang and Pei with irresistible force. Fifty years later Cao Cao broke Yuan Shao and stood unrivaled.
52
六年夏四月,揚兵河上,擊紹倉亭軍,破之。 紹歸,復收散卒,攻定諸叛郡縣。 九月,公還許。 紹之未破也,使劉備略汝南,汝南賊共都等應之。 遣蔡揚擊都,不利,爲都所破。 公南征備。 備聞公自行,走奔劉表,都等皆散。
In the fourth month of summer, 201 CE, he paraded along the Yellow River and crushed Yuan Shao's remnant force at Cangting. Yuan Shao rallied stragglers and reconquered wavering counties in Hebei. In the ninth month Cao Cao was back in Xu. Before Guandu Yuan Shao had sent Liu Bei to plunder Runan, where bandits like Gong Du rose in support. Cai Yang was sent against Gong Du and was routed. Cao Cao marched south against Liu Bei. Hearing Cao Cao was leading in person, Liu Bei bolted to Liu Biao and Gong Du's bands melted away.
53
七年春正月,公軍譙,令曰:「吾起義兵,爲天下除暴亂。 舊土人民,死喪略盡,國中終日行,不見所識,使吾悽愴傷懷。 其舉義兵已來,將士絕無後者,求其親戚以後之,授上田,官給耕牛,置學師以教之。 爲存者立廟,使祀其先人,魂而有靈,吾百年之後何恨哉!」 遂至浚儀,治睢陽渠,遣使以太牢祀橋玄。 〈襃賞令載公祀文曰:「故太尉橋公,誕敷明德,汎愛博容。 國念明訓,士思令謨。 靈幽體翳,邈哉晞矣! 吾以幼年,逮并堂室,特以頑鄙之姿,爲大君子所納。 增榮益觀,皆由獎助,猶仲尼稱不如顏淵,李生之厚歎賈復。 士死知己,懷此無忘。 又承從容約誓之言:『殂逝之後,路有經由,不以斗酒隻雞過相沃酹,車過三步,腹痛勿怪!』 雖臨時戲笑之言,非至親之篤好,胡肯爲此辭乎? 匪謂靈忿,能詒己疾,懷舊惟顧,念之悽愴。 奉命東征,屯次鄉里,北望貴土,乃心陵墓。 裁致薄奠,公其尚饗!」〉 進軍官渡。
In the first month of spring, 202 CE, he camped at Qiao and proclaimed, "I took up arms to purge the realm of tyranny. Yet in my home country the dead are so many that I walk all day without recognizing a face, and it breaks my heart. For every officer and man who died childless, I will find kin to carry his line, grant them good land, oxen from the government, and teachers for their children. For the living I will raise shrines to their ancestors; if the dead can know, I shall go to my grave without regret." He then went to Junyi, repaired the Suiyang waterway, and sent a grand sacrifice to Qiao Xuan's spirit. 〈The reward edict preserves his elegy: "Grand Commandant Qiao spread bright virtue and embraced all the world. The state recalls his teaching; scholars cherish his counsel. The spirit is veiled in darkness; the body lies far away in the long night. In my youth I came to your door, a rough boy whom a great man nonetheless welcomed. Whatever honor I gained came from your praise, as Confucius ranked below Yan Hui and Li Sheng marveled at Jia Fu. A knight dies for his patron; I have never forgotten. You once joked: 'After I am gone, if you pass my tomb without pouring a peck of wine and offering a chicken, do not blame me if your belly aches three paces on. Only the closest friends banter like that. I do not claim your ghost would punish me; only memory of you fills me with grief. Ordered east, I halt in my home district and turn my heart toward your grave northward. Accept this poor offering; may you feast, noble sir!"〉" He then moved his headquarters to Guandu.
54
紹自軍破後,發病歐血,夏五月死。 小子尚代,譚自號車騎將軍,屯黎陽。 秋九月,公征之,連戰。 譚、尚數敗退,固守。
Broken by defeat, Yuan Shao began vomiting blood and died in the fifth month of summer. Yuan Shang succeeded him while Yuan Tan proclaimed himself chariot-and-cavalry general and camped at Liyang. In the ninth month of autumn Cao Cao attacked them in a series of fights. The Yuan brothers lost ground and dug in.
55
八年春三月,攻其郭,乃出戰,擊,大破之,譚、尚夜遁。 夏四月,進軍鄴。 五月還許,留賈信屯黎陽。
In the third month of spring, 203 CE, he stormed their outer rampart, drew them out, routed them, and the brothers fled by night. In the fourth month of summer he advanced on Ye. In May he withdrew to Xu, leaving Jia Xin at Liyang.
56
己酉,令曰:「《司馬法》『將軍死綏』, 〈《魏書》云:綏,却也。 有前一尺,無却一寸。〉 故趙括之母,乞不坐括。 是古之將者,軍破於外,而家受罪於內也。 自命將征行,但賞功而不罰罪,非國典也。 其令諸將出征,敗軍者抵罪,失利者免官爵。」 〈《魏書》載庚申令曰:「議者或以軍吏雖有功能,德行不足堪任郡國之選,所謂『可與適道,未可與權』。 管仲曰:『使賢者食於能則上尊,鬬士食於功則卒輕於死,二者設於國則天下治。』 未聞無能之人,不鬬之士,並受祿賞,而可以立功興國者也。 故明君不官無功之臣,不賞不戰之士; 治平尚德行,有事賞功能。 論者之言,一似管窺虎歟!」〉
On jiyou day he promulgated: "The Sima fa says the general dies rather than retreat, 〈the Book of Wei glossing sui as "yield ground, advance a foot, never yield an inch."〉 Hence Zhao Kuo's mother begged exemption from his punishment. Ancient law held generals accountable: defeat abroad meant punishment for the family at home. Yet we have rewarded victory without punishing failure; that cannot stand. Henceforth any general who suffers rout shall face criminal charges, and any who loses ground shall lose title and rank." 〈A further edict (gengshen) said, "Some critics say that although military officers have merit, their virtue and conduct are not sufficient for commandery and kingdom appointments, what is called 'able to follow the Way, but not yet able to adapt to circumstance. Guan Zhong said talent must be paid for rank and fighters for deeds if the state is to thrive. Paying drones who never fight cannot build an empire. A wise ruler gives no office without merit and no pay without battle; peace calls for virtue, crisis calls for results. Critics who dismiss soldiers are peering at a tiger through a reed!"〉"
57
秋七月,令曰:「喪亂已來,十有五年,後生者不見仁義禮讓之風,吾甚傷之。 其令郡國各修文學,縣滿五百戶置校官,選其鄉之俊造而教學之,庶幾先王之道不廢,而有以益於天下。」
In the seventh month of autumn, he issued an order: "Fifteen years have passed since mourning and chaos began; those born afterward have not seen the customs of benevolence, righteousness, ritual, and deference. I am deeply grieved by this. Let each commandery and kingdom cultivate literary learning. In counties with five hundred households or more, establish school officials and select the talented men of their villages to teach them, so that perhaps the Way of the former kings will not be abandoned and there will be benefit to all under heaven."
58
八月,公征劉表,軍西平。 公之去鄴而南也,譚、尚爭冀州,譚爲尚所敗,走保平原。 尚攻之急,譚遣辛毗乞降請救。 諸將皆疑,荀攸勸公許之, 〈《魏書》曰:公云:「我攻呂布,表不爲寇,官渡之役,不救袁紹,此自守之賊也,宜爲後圖。 譚、尚狡猾,當乘其亂。 縱譚挾詐,不終束手,使我破尚,徧收其地,利自多矣。」 乃許之。〉 公乃引軍還。 冬十月,到黎陽,爲子整與譚結婚。 〈臣松之案:紹死至此,過周五月耳。 譚雖出後其伯,不爲紹服三年,而於再朞之內以行吉禮,悖矣。 魏武或以權宜與之約言; 今云結婚,未必便以此年成禮。〉 尚聞公北,乃釋平原還鄴。 東平呂曠、呂翔叛尚,屯陽平,率其衆降,封爲列侯。 〈《魏書》曰:譚之圍解,陰以將軍印綬假曠。 曠受印送之,公曰:「我固知譚之有小計也。 欲使我攻尚,得以其閒略民聚衆,比尚之破,可得自彊以乘我弊也。 尚破我盛,何弊之乘乎?」〉
In the eighth month he marched against Liu Biao and camped at Xiping. As Cao Cao turned south from Ye, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang fought for Hebei; Shang drove Tan into Pingyuan. Yuan Shang pressed the siege until Yuan Tan sent Xin Pi to offer submission and beg aid. The staff hesitated, but Xun You urged Cao Cao to accept. 〈The Book of Wei quotes him calling Liu Biao a passive "self-guarding thief" who never helped Lü Bu or Yuan Shao. The Yuan brothers are treacherous; we should exploit their civil war. Even if Yuan Tan is lying, crushing Yuan Shang for him still wins us most of Hebei." He agreed to the alliance. He wheeled his army north again. In the tenth month of winter he reached Liyang and betrothed his son Cao Zheng to Yuan Tan's daughter. 〈Pei Songzhi notes that fewer than six months had passed since Yuan Shao's death. Yuan Tan had been posthumously adopted to an uncle's line yet held a wedding while still in mourning for Yuan Shaoa breach of ritual. Cao Cao may have treated the match as a political expedient; so the betrothal need not have been consummated that same year. Yuan Shang abandoned the siege of Pingyuan and rushed back to Ye when he heard Cao Cao was marching north. Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang of Dongping mutinied against Yuan Shang, camped at Yangping, came over with their troops, and received full marquisates. 〈The Book of Wei says Yuan Tan secretly handed his general's credentials to Lü Kuang after the siege lifted. Lü Kuang delivered the seal to Cao Cao, who said, "I knew Yuan Tan was playing games. He wanted me to wear down Yuan Shang while he plundered and recruited; once Shang fell he meant to grow strong on my fatigue. Once Yuan Shang is gone I will be at peak strength; what opening would he find?"〉"
59
九年春正月,濟河,遏淇水入白溝以通糧道。 二月,尚復攻譚,留蘇由、審配守鄴。 公進軍到洹水,由降。 旣至,攻鄴,爲土山、地道。 武安長尹楷屯毛城,通上黨糧道。 夏四月,留曹洪攻鄴,公自將擊楷,破之而還。 尚將沮鵠守邯鄲, 〈沮音菹,河朔閒今猶有此姓。 鵠,沮授子也。〉 又擊拔之。 易陽令韓範、涉長梁岐舉縣降,賜爵關內侯。 五月,毀土山、地道,作圍壍,決漳水灌城; 城中餓死者過半。 秋七月,尚還救鄴,諸將皆以爲「此歸師,人自爲戰,不如避之」。 公曰:「尚從大道來,當避之; 若循西山來者,此成禽耳。」 尚果循西山來,臨滏水爲營。 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:遣候者數部前後參之,皆曰「定從西道,已在邯鄲」。 公大喜,會諸將曰:「孤已得冀州,諸君知之乎?」 皆曰:「不知。」 公曰:「諸君方見不久也。」〉 夜遣兵犯圍,公逆擊破走之,遂圍其營。 未合,尚懼。 故豫州刺史陰夔及陳琳乞降,公不許,爲圍益急。 尚夜遁,保祁山,追擊之。 其將馬延、張顗等臨陣降,衆大潰,尚走中山。 盡獲其輜重,得尚印綬節鉞,使尚降人示其家,城中崩沮。 八月,審配兄子榮夜開所守城東門內兵。 配逆戰,敗,生禽配,斬之,鄴定。 公臨祀紹墓,哭之流涕; 慰勞紹妻,還其家人寶物,賜雜繒絮,廩食之。 〈孫盛云:昔者先王之爲誅賞也,將以懲惡勸善,永彰鑒戒。 紹因世艱危,遂懷逆謀,上議神器,下干國紀。 荐社汙宅,古之制也。 而乃盡哀於逆臣之冢,加恩於饕餮之室,爲政之道,於斯躓矣。 夫匿怨友人,前哲所恥,稅驂舊館,義無虛涕,苟道乖好絕,何哭之有! 昔漢高失之於項氏,魏武遵謬於此舉,豈非百慮之一失也。〉
In the first month of spring, 204 CE, he bridged the Yellow River, diverted the Qi into Baigou, and opened a supply line. In the second month Yuan Shang struck Yuan Tan again, leaving Su You and Shen Pei to hold Ye. Cao Cao reached the Huan River and Su You capitulated. He invested Ye with siege mounds and saps. Wu'an magistrate Yin Kai held Maocheng, keeping the Shangdang supply line open for Ye. In the fourth month of summer he left Cao Hong before Ye while he personally routed Yin Kai. Yuan Shang's officer Ju Hu defended Handan, 〈The surname Ju is still heard in Hebei, pronounced like the pickle character zu.) Ju Hu was the son of Yuan Shao's adviser Ju Shou. Cao Cao took Handan as well. Han Fan of Yiyang and Liang Qi of She surrendered whole counties and received guannei marquis rank. In May he tore down the mounds, ringed Ye with a wall, and broke the Zhang River banks to flood it; more than half the population inside starved. When Yuan Shang marched to relieve Ye in the seventh month, his officers all said, "This is a returning army; every man will fight for himself. It would be better to avoid them." Cao Cao said, "If he comes by the main road, sidestep him; if he threads the western hills, we have him." Yuan Shang took the mountain track and camped on the Fushui as predicted. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says that several scout parties checked front and rear, and all reported, "They are certainly taking the western road and are already at Handan." Cao Cao gathered his generals and announced, "Ji province is already mine; did you know?" They answered, "No, my lord." You will see for yourselves soon enough."〉 Yuan Shang probed the siege by night; Cao Cao counterattacked, drove him off, and bottled his camp. Before the ring closed Yuan Shang panicked. Yin Kui and Chen Lin offered to yield, but Cao Cao refused and tightened the noose. Yuan Shang bolted to Qishan; Cao Cao pursued. Ma Yan, Zhang Yi, and other officers defected in the field; the army collapsed and Yuan Shang fled to Zhongshan. Cao Cao seized the baggage train, Yuan Shang's imperial regalia, and paraded captives before Ye until the defenders broke. In the eighth month Shen Rong, Shen Pei's nephew, opened the east gate he commanded to Cao Cao's men. Shen Pei sortied, was taken alive, executed, and Ye fell. Cao Cao visited Yuan Shao's grave and wept openly; he comforted the Yuan widow, restored her household goods, gave her silks and staples from the state granary. 〈Sun Sheng argues that ancient kings used reward and punishment to teach the realm, while Yuan Shao exploited chaos to grasp at the throne and trample law. His line deserved extirpation by classical standards. Yet Cao Cao wept at the tomb of a rebel and pampered his kin; that is a stumble in statecraft. The sages despised feigned friendship; duty does not demand hollow tears once bonds are broken. Gaozu erred with Xiang Yu's burial; Cao Cao repeats the mistake.
60
初,紹與公共起兵,紹問公曰:「若事不輯,則方面何所可據?」 公曰:「足下意以爲何如?」 紹曰:「吾南據河,北阻燕、代,兼戎狄之衆,南向以爭天下,庶可以濟乎?」 公曰:「吾任天下之智力,以道御之,無所不可。」 〈《傅子》曰:太祖又云:「湯、武之王,豈同上哉? 若以險固爲資,則不能應機而變化也。」〉
When they first raised armies together, Yuan Shao asked Cao Cao, "If the affair cannot be brought together, what region could we occupy?" Cao Cao returned the question: "What would you choose?" Yuan Shao said, "I would occupy the river to the south, block Yan and Dai to the north, combine the forces of the Rong and Di, and face south to contend for all under heaven. Might that be enough to succeed?" Cao Cao answered, "I will use every talent the realm offers and lead them by principle; then no direction is closed to me." 〈The Master Fu records Cao Cao adding, "The founders Tang and Wu were not mere regional lords. Lean only on terrain and you cannot adapt when fortune shifts."〉"
61
九月,令曰:「河北罹袁氏之難,其令無出今年租賦!」 重豪彊兼并之法,百姓喜恱。 〈《魏書》載公令曰:「有國有家者,不患寡而患不均,不患貧而患不安。 袁氏之治也,使豪彊擅恣,親戚兼并; 下民貧弱,代出租賦,衒鬻家財,不足應命; 審配宗族,至乃藏匿罪人,爲逋逃主。 欲望百姓親附,甲兵彊盛,豈可得邪! 其收田租畝四升,戶出絹二匹、緜二斤而已,他不得擅興發。 郡國守相明檢察之,無令彊民有所隱藏,而弱民兼賦也。」〉 天子以公領冀州牧,公讓還兖州。
In the ninth month he issued an order: "Hebei has suffered the Yuan clan's disaster; let no taxes or levies be collected from it this year!" He tightened laws against great-clan land-grabs, and the people rejoiced. 〈The Book of Wei quotes his edict: "Those who possess states and households do not worry about scarcity, but about inequality; they do not worry about poverty, but about unrest. Under the Yuans the mighty seized what they wished and relatives swallowed neighbors' land; the poor paid their lords' taxes, sold their goods, and still could not satisfy collectors; Shen Pei's kin harbored fugitives and sheltered outlaws. How could such a regime win the people or a strong army! He fixed the rate at four sheng of grain per mu and two bolts of silk plus two jin of floss per household, forbidding any extra exactions. Local magistrates must audit accounts so the rich cannot hide income and the poor cannot be double-taxed."〉" The court named him inspector of Ji, but he yielded the title and kept Yan instead.
62
公之圍鄴也,譚略取甘陵、安平、勃海、河閒。 尚敗,還中山。 譚攻之,尚奔故安,遂并其衆。 公遺譚書,責以負約,與之絕婚,女還,然後進軍。 譚懼,拔平原,走保南皮。 十二月,公入平原,略定諸縣。
While Ye was under siege Yuan Tan snapped up Ganling, Anping, Bohai, and Hejian. Yuan Shang fell back to Zhongshan. Yuan Tan attacked; Yuan Shang fled to Gu'an and Yuan Tan absorbed his army. Cao Cao wrote denouncing the broken pact, annulled the betrothal, sent the bride home, and marched. Yuan Tan abandoned Pingyuan and bolted to Nanpi. In the twelfth month he occupied Pingyuan and secured its counties.
63
十年春正月,攻譚,破之,斬譚,誅其妻子,冀州平。 〈《魏書》曰:公攻譚,旦及日中不決; 公乃自執桴鼓,士卒咸奮,應時破陷。〉 下令曰:「其與袁氏同惡者,與之更始。」 令民不得復私讎,禁厚葬,皆一之於法。 是月,袁熙大將焦觸、張南等叛攻熙、尚,熙、尚奔三郡烏丸。 觸等舉其縣降,封爲列侯。 初討譚時,民亡椎冰, 〈臣松之以爲討譚時,川渠水凍,使民椎冰以通舩,民憚役而亡。〉 令不得降。 頃之,亡民有詣門首者,公謂曰:「聽汝則違令,殺汝則誅首,歸深自藏,無爲吏所獲。」 民垂泣而去; 後竟捕得。
In the first month of spring, 205 CE, he stormed Nanpi, killed Yuan Tan, executed his family, and pacified Ji. 〈The Book of Wei says the assault stalled from dawn until noon; then Cao Cao beat the war drums himself and the men carried the walls in one rush. He issued an order: "Those who shared the Yuan clan's evil shall be allowed to begin anew." Private feuds, extravagant funerals, and all other matters were brought under uniform law. That same month Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan mutinied against Yuan Xi, who fled with Yuan Shang to the Wuhuan of the three commanderies. They surrendered their districts and received full marquisates. During the Nanpi campaign peasants fled the corvée of ice-breaking, 〈Pei Songzhi explains that frozen rivers forced laborers to break ice for supply boats, and many ran away. An edict forbade accepting those deserters. When runaways appeared at headquarters, Cao Cao told them, "If I spare you I break my decree; if I execute you I punish capitulation; slip away and hide where officials cannot find you." They left in tears; yet were caught afterward anyway.
64
夏四月,黑山賊張燕率其衆十餘萬降,封爲列侯。 故安趙犢、霍奴等殺幽州刺史、涿郡太守。 三郡烏丸攻鮮于輔於獷平。 〈《續漢書》郡國志曰:獷平,縣名,屬漁陽郡。〉 秋八月,公征之,斬犢等,乃渡潞河救獷平,烏丸奔走出塞。
In the fourth month of summer Zhang Yan of the Black Mountains surrendered over a hundred thousand men and became a full marquis. Zhao Du and Huo Nu of Gu'an murdered the inspector of You and the governor of Zhuo. The Wuhuan of three commanderies besieged Xianyu Fu at Guangping. 〈The Later Han geography notes Guangping as a Yuyang county. In the eighth month of autumn he executed the rebels, crossed the Lu River, relieved Guangping, and drove the Wuhuan beyond the frontier.
65
九月,令曰:「阿黨比周,先聖所疾也。 聞冀州俗,父子異部,更相毀譽。 昔直不疑無兄,世人謂之盜嫂; 弟五伯魚三娶孤女,謂之撾婦翁; 王鳳擅權,谷永比之申伯; 王商忠議,張匡謂之左道:此皆以白爲黑,欺天罔君者也。 吾欲整齊風俗,四者不除,吾以爲羞。」 冬十月,公還鄴。
In the ninth month he issued an order: "Forming factions and cliques was what the former sages detested. He had heard that in Ji fathers and sons in rival offices traduce each other for factional gain. Zhi Buyi had no brother yet rumor called him his sister-in-law's seducer; Fifth Brother Yu thrice wed an orphan and gossip mocked his fathers-in-law; Wang Feng's faction drew praise from Gu Yong like the Earl of Shen; loyal Wang Shang was smeared as a sorcerer, all lies that invert truth and cheat the throne. Until such slander stops I will be ashamed of my rule." In the tenth month of winter he returned to Ye.
66
初,袁紹以甥高幹領并州牧,公之拔鄴,幹降,遂以爲刺史。 幹聞公討烏丸,乃以州叛,執上黨太守,舉兵守壺關口。 遣樂進、李典擊之,幹還守壺關城。 十一年春正月,公征幹。 幹聞之,乃留其別將守城,走入匈奴,求救於單于,單于不受。 公圍壺關三月,拔之。 幹遂走荊州,上洛都尉王琰捕斬之。
Yuan Shao had put his nephew Gao Gan over Bing; after Ye fell Gao Gan submitted and stayed on as inspector. When Cao Cao marched against the Wuhuan, Gao Gan revolted, seized the Shangdang governor, and blocked Hukou. Yue Jin and Li Dian attacked until Gao Gan fell back inside Hukou city. In the first month of spring, 206 CE, he marched against Gao Gan. Gao Gan abandoned his deputy, fled to the Xiongnu for aid, and the shanyu refused him. After a three-month siege he took Hukou pass. Gao Gan bolted toward Jingzhou; Shangluo commandant Wang Yan ran him down and executed him.
67
秋八月,公東征海賊管承,至淳于,遣樂進、李典擊破之,承走入海島。 割東海之襄賁、郯、戚以益琅邪,省昌慮郡。 〈《魏書》載十月乙亥令曰:「夫治世御衆,建立輔弼,誡在面從,詩稱『聽用我謀,庶無大悔』,斯實君臣懇懇之求也。 吾充重任,每懼失中,頻年已來,不聞嘉謀,豈吾開延不勤之咎邪? 自今已後,諸掾屬治中、別駕,常以月旦各言其失,吾將覽焉。」〉
In the eighth month of autumn he marched east against the pirate Guan Cheng, reached Chunyu, sent Yue Jin and Li Dian to defeat him, and Guan Cheng fled to offshore islands. He transferred Xiangben, Tan, and Qi from Donghai to Langye commandery and abolished Changlu. 〈The Book of Wei preserves his yihai-day edict of the tenth month: "In governing an age and directing the people, one establishes assistants and supporters; the warning lies in those who agree to one's face. The Classic of Poetry says, 'Listen and use my counsel, and perhaps there will be no great regret.' This is truly the earnest request of ruler and ministers. I bear a heavy burden and fear misjudgment; for years I have heard too few good plans; is that my fault for not inviting criticism? Henceforth every chief clerk shall on the first of each month report my faults for my review."〉"
68
三郡烏丸承天下亂,破幽州,略有漢民合十餘萬戶。 袁紹皆立其酋豪爲單于,以家人子爲己女,妻焉。 遼西單于蹋頓尤彊,爲紹所厚,故尚兄弟歸之,數入塞爲害。 公將征之,鑿渠,自呼沲入泒水, 〈泒音孤。〉 名平虜渠; 又從泃河口 〈泃音句。〉 鑿入潞河,名泉州渠,以通海。
Exploiting civil war, the Wuhuan of three commanderies overran You and carried off a hundred thousand Han households. Yuan Shao recognized their chiefs as shanyus and sealed the alliances by marrying them to women he claimed as daughters. Tadun of Liaoxi was the strongest of these clients and had been favored by Yuan Shao, so the Yuan brothers fled to him and raided inside the frontier again and again. To supply the northern expedition he cut a canal from the Hutuo River into the Gu River, 〈The commentary gives the reading of that place-name graph as gu.〉 He named it the Pacify-the-Barbarians Canal; then from the mouth of the Ju River 〈The commentary reads the river name graph as ju.〉 He cut through to the Lu River in a channel called the Quanzhou Canal to link the interior with the sea.
69
十二月春二月,公自淳于還鄴。 丁酋,令曰:「吾起義兵誅暴亂,於今十九年,所征必克,豈吾功哉? 乃賢士大夫之力也。 天下雖未悉定,吾當要與賢士大夫共定之; 而專饗其勞,吾何以安焉! 其促定功行封。」 於是大封功臣二十餘人,皆爲列侯,其餘各以次受封,及復死事之孤,輕重各有差。 〈《魏書》載公令曰:「昔趙奢、竇嬰之爲將也,受賜千金,一朝散之,故能濟成大功,永世流聲。 吾讀其文,未甞不慕其爲人也。 與諸將士大夫共從戎事,幸賴賢人不愛其謀,羣士不遺其力,是以夷險平亂,而吾得竊大賞,戶邑三萬。 追思竇嬰散金之義,今分所受租與諸將掾屬及故戍於陳、蔡者,庶以疇荅衆勞,不擅大惠也。 宜差死事之孤,以租穀及之。 若年殷用足,租奉畢入,將大與衆人悉共饗之。」〉
In the second month of spring of the twelfth year of Jian'an he returned from Chunyu to Ye. On the dingyou day he proclaimed, "Nineteen years ago I took up arms against tyranny; every campaign has succeeded, but the credit is not mine alone. It belongs to the worthy men who have served with me. The empire is not yet at peace, and I mean to finish the work with you; yet I alone would swallow the glory; how could I rest easy! Hurry to register merit and grant fiefs." He then ennobled over twenty chief followers as full marquises, ranked the rest in order, and pensioned the orphans of the fallen according to merit. 〈The Book of Wei quotes his order: "Formerly, when Zhao She and Dou Ying served as generals, they received a thousand in gold and scattered it in a single morning. Thus they could accomplish great achievements and leave a lasting reputation. Whenever I read their stories I admire them. You have shared every campaign; thanks to your counsel and courage we have crushed rebels while I alone have amassed thirty thousand households of fief. In Dou Ying's spirit I now share my rents with officers and with veterans of the Chen–Cai garrisons so the reward is not mine alone. Orphans of the fallen shall be graded for grain stipends. When the harvest is full and taxes are in, I will feast the whole host with you."〉"
70
將北征三郡烏丸,諸將皆曰:「袁尚,亡虜耳,夷狄貪而無親,豈能爲尚用? 今深入征之,劉備必說劉表以襲許。 萬一爲變,事不可悔。」 惟郭嘉策表必不能任備,勸公行。 夏五月,至無終。 秋七月,大水,傍海道不通,田疇請爲鄉導,公從之。 引軍出盧龍塞,塞外道絕不通,乃壍山堙谷五百餘里,經白檀,歷平岡,涉鮮卑庭,東指柳城。 未至二百里,虜乃知之。 尚、熙與蹋頓、遼西單于樓班、右北平單于能臣抵之等,將數萬騎逆軍。 八月,登白狼山,卒與虜遇,衆甚盛。 公車重在後,被甲者少,左右皆懼。 公登高,望虜陳不整,乃縱兵擊之,使張遼爲先鋒,虜衆大崩,斬蹋頓及名王已下,胡、漢降者二十餘萬口。 遼東單于速僕丸及遼西、北平諸豪,棄其種人,與尚、熙奔遼東,衆尚有數千騎。 初,遼東太守公孫康恃遠不服。 及公破烏丸,或說公遂征之,尚兄弟可禽也。 公曰:「吾方使康斬送尚、熙首,不煩兵矣。」 九月,公引兵自柳城還, 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:時寒且旱,二百里無復水,軍又乏食,殺馬數千匹以爲糧,鑿地入三十餘丈乃得水。 旣還,利問前諫者,衆莫知其故,人人皆懼。 公皆厚賞之,曰:「孤前行,乘危以徼倖,雖得之,天所佐也,顧不可以爲常。 諸君之諫,萬安之計,是以相賞,後勿難言之。」〉 康即斬尚、熙及速僕丸等,傳其首。 諸將或問:「公還而康斬送尚、熙,何也?」 公曰:「彼素畏尚等,吾急之則并力,緩之則自相圖,其勢然也。」 十一月至易水,代郡烏丸行單于普富盧、上郡烏丸行單于那樓將其名王來賀。
Before the northern expedition his generals argued, "Yuan Shang is a beaten refugee; the tribes care nothing for kin; why would they fight for him? If we march deep into the steppe, Liu Bei will talk Liu Biao into striking Xu. If the capital falls we cannot undo it." Only Guo Jia judged that Liu Biao would never give Liu Bei real authority and urged the march. In the fifth month of summer he reached Wuzhong. In the seventh month of autumn floods blocked the coast road; Tian Chou offered to guide a mountain detour and Cao Cao accepted. He threaded Lulong Pass, cut a five-hundred-li road through mountains and valleys past Baitan and Pinggang, crossed Xianbei territory, and aimed for Liucheng. Within two hundred li the enemy learned of his approach. Yuan Shang, Yuan Xi, Tadun, Louban of Liaoxi, Nengchen Dizhi of Right Beiping, and others met him with tens of thousands of cavalry. In the eighth month he climbed White Wolf Mountain and stumbled into a huge enemy host. His wagons lagged behind, few men wore armor, and his staff was terrified. From the height he saw their ranks were loose, ordered a charge with Zhang Liao in the lead, shattered them, killed Tadun and other chieftains, and accepted over two hundred thousand Hu and Han capitulations. Supuyan of Liaodong and western notables abandoned their people and fled to Liaodong with the Yuan brothers, still trailing a few thousand horse. Liaodong governor Gongsun Kang had long defied the court from his remote seat. Some urged an immediate strike on Liaodong to bag the Yuan brothers. Cao Cao said, "I will let Gongsun Kang send me their heads; no need to march." In the ninth month he withdrew his army from Liucheng, 〈the Cao Man Zhuan describes bitter cold and drought, two hundred li without water, forced slaughter of thousands of horses for meat, and wells sunk thirty zhang before water came. Back in camp he sharply questioned the officers who had opposed the expedition; no one knew why and everyone feared punishment. Instead he rewarded them richly: "I took a reckless gamble and won by heaven's help; that cannot be the rule. Your warnings were the safe course; take this reward and never fear to speak your minds again."〉" Gongsun Kang executed Yuan Shang, Yuan Xi, Supuyan, and their party and sent the heads south. Some officers asked, "Why did Gongsun Kang behead and send Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi only after you withdrew?" Cao Cao answered, "Kang feared the Yuans; pressure would unite them, slackness would set them at each other's throats." In the eleventh month at the Yi River, Wuhuan acting shanyus Pulu of Dai and Lou of Shang led their chiefs to pay homage.
71
十三年春正月,公還鄴,作玄武池以肄舟師。 〈肄,以四反。 三蒼曰:「肄,習也。」〉 漢罷三公官,置丞相、御史大夫。 夏六月,以公爲丞相。 〈《獻帝起居注》曰:使太常徐璆即授印綬。 御史大夫不領中丞,置長史一人。 《先賢行狀》曰:璆字孟平,廣陵人。 少履清爽,立朝正色。 歷任城、汝南、東海三郡,所在化行。 被徵當還,爲袁術所劫。 術僭號,欲授以上公之位,璆終不爲屈。 術死後,璆得術璽,致之漢朝,拜衞尉太常; 公爲丞相,以位讓璆焉。〉
In the first month of spring, 208 CE, he returned to Ye and dug the Black Warrior Pool to train the fleet. 〈The gloss prescribes the fourth tone for the graph read yi. The San Cang lexicon glosses that graph (read yi) as "drill" or "practice."〉 The Han court abolished the three excellencies and created the posts of chancellor and imperial counselor. In the sixth month of summer he was named chancellor. 〈The court diary records Minister Xu Qiu presenting the seals of office. The new imperial counselor post came with a chief clerk and without the old censorate tie. The Worthies' Conduct describes Xu Qiu (courtesy Mengping) of Guangling. In youth he was known for integrity and stern dignity at court. As governor of Rencheng, Runan, and Donghai he left a record of good rule. Yuan Shu intercepted him when he was recalled to the capital. When Yuan Shu declared himself emperor he offered Xu Qiu exalted rank, but Xu Qiu refused to yield. After Yuan Shu's death Xu Qiu brought the imperial seal to the Han court and was named minister of the guards and minister of ceremonies; when Cao Cao became chancellor he tried to yield precedence to Xu Qiu.
72
秋七月,公南征劉表。 八月,表卒,其子琮代,屯襄陽,劉備屯樊。 九月,公到新野,琮遂降,備走夏口。 公進軍江陵,下令荊州吏民,與之更始。 乃論荊州服從之功,侯者十五人,以劉表大將文聘爲江夏太守,使統本兵,引用荊州名士韓嵩、鄧義等。 〈衞恒《四體書勢序》曰:上谷王次仲善隷書,始爲楷法。 至靈帝好書,世多能者。 而師宜官爲最,甚矜其能,每書,輙削焚其札。 梁鵠乃益爲版而飲之酒,候其醉而竊其札,鵠卒以攻書至選部尚書。 於是公欲爲洛陽令,鵠以爲北部尉。 鵠後依劉表。 及荊州平,公募求鵠,鵠懼,自縛詣門,署軍假司馬,使在祕書,以勤書自効。 公甞懸著帳中,及以釘壁玩之,謂勝宜官。 鵠字孟皇,安定人。 魏宮殿題署,皆鵠書也。 皇甫謐逸士傳曰:汝南王儁,字子文,少爲范滂、許章所識,與南陽岑晊善。 公之爲布衣,特愛儁; 儁亦稱公有治世之具。 及袁紹與弟術喪母,歸葬汝南,儁與公會之,會者三萬人。 公於外密語儁曰:「天下將亂,爲亂魁者必此二人也。 欲濟天下,爲百姓請命,不先誅此二子,亂今作矣。」 儁曰:「如卿之言,濟天下者,舍卿復誰?」 相對而笑。 儁爲人外靜而內明,不應州郡三府之命。 公車徵,不到,避地居武陵,歸儁者一百餘家。 帝之都許,復徵爲尚書,又不就。 劉表見紹彊,陰與紹通,儁謂表曰:「曹公,天下之雄也,必能興霸道,繼桓、文之功者也。 今乃釋近而就遠,如有一朝之急,遙望漠北之救,不亦難乎!」 表不從。 儁年六十四,以壽終于武陵,公聞而哀傷。 及平荊州,自臨江迎喪,改葬于江陵,表爲先賢也。〉 益州牧劉璋始受徵役,遣兵給軍。 十二月,孫權爲備攻合肥。 公自江陵征備,至巴丘,遣張憙救合肥。 權聞憙至,乃走。 公至赤壁,與備戰,不利。 於是大疫,吏士多死者,乃引軍還。 備遂有荊州、江南諸郡。 〈《山陽公載記》曰:公船艦爲備所燒,引軍從華容道步歸,遇泥濘,道不通,天又大風,悉使羸兵負草填之,騎乃得過。 羸兵爲人馬所蹈藉,陷泥中,死者甚衆。 軍旣得出,公大喜,諸將問之,公曰:「劉備,吾儔也。 但得計少晚; 向使早放火,吾徒無類矣。」 備尋亦放火而無所及。 孫盛異同評曰:案吳志,劉備先破公軍,然後權攻合肥,而此記云權先攻合肥,後有赤壁之事。 二者不同,吳志爲是。〉
In the seventh month of autumn he marched south against Liu Biao. Liu Biao died in the eighth month; Liu Cong held Xiangyang while Liu Bei was at Fan. In the ninth month Cao Cao reached Xinye; Liu Cong capitulated and Liu Bei fled toward Xiakou. He pushed on to Jiangling and proclaimed amnesty and a new beginning for the people of Jingzhou. He ennobled fifteen men for surrendering Jingzhou, named Wen Pin governor of Jiangxia with his old command, and enrolled Han Song, Deng Yi, and other local luminaries. 〈Wei Heng's preface credits Wang Cizhong of Shanggu with the first regular-script forms of clerical hand. Emperor Ling's passion for calligraphy produced many masters. Shi Yiguan was the finest but so vain that he burned every draft. Liang Hu got him drunk, stole his drafts, and parlayed the hand into an appointment as minister of personnel. Cao Cao first offered him Luoyang magistrate; Liang Hu chose the northern district captaincy instead. Liang Hu later served Liu Biao. After the conquest Liang Hu surrendered bound, was made acting army marshal on staff, and worked in the secretariat to redeem himself by brushwork. Cao Cao hung Liang Hu's calligraphy in his tent and on his wall, judging it finer than Shi Yiguan's. Liang Hu (courtesy Menghuang) came from Anding. He wrote the plaques for Wei palace halls. Huangfu Mi's recluses text tells of Wang Jun (courtesy Ziwen) of Runan, noted by Fan Pang and Xu Zhang, friend of Cen Zhi of Nanyang. While still a commoner Cao Cao was especially close to Wang Jun; Wang Jun in turn said Cao Cao had what it takes to rule the realm. At the Yuans' mother's funeral in Runan, thirty thousand mourners saw Cao Cao and Wang Jun meet. Cao Cao whispered to Wang Jun, "Chaos is coming, and those two will lead it. If we mean to save the empire we must kill those two first or the storm will break." Wang Jun replied, "If anyone can save the age after them, it is you." They looked at each other and laughed. Wang Jun was outwardly calm and inwardly shrewd and ignored every official summons. He ignored imperial summons, retired to Wuling, and drew more than a hundred families with him. When the court moved to Xu he was summoned as secretary and again refused. Liu Biao secretly favored Yuan Shao while Shao was strong; Wang Jun told Biao, "Lord Cao is the hero of all under heaven. He will surely be able to raise the Way of the hegemon and continue the achievements of Duke Huan and Duke Wen. You snub your neighbor to court a distant ally; when crisis strikes, a plea across the desert will come too late!" Liu Biao would not listen. Wang Jun died at sixty-four in Wuling; Cao Cao grieved when he heard. After taking Jingzhou Cao Cao met the hearse at the river, reburied Wang Jun at Jiangling, and honored him as a sage of old. Yi province governor Liu Zhang for the first time answered a levy and sent troops to reinforce Cao Cao's host. That December Sun Quan struck Hefei to relieve Liu Bei's pressure. Cao Cao marched from Jiangling against Liu Bei, reached Baqiu, and sent Zhang Xi to reinforce Hefei. Sun Quan withdrew when Zhang Xi approached. At Chibi he fought Liu Bei and lost. A plague swept the army; he abandoned the campaign and withdrew. Liu Bei took Jingzhou and the Jiangnan commanderies. 〈The Shan gong zai ji describes Liu Bei's fireship attack, then Cao Cao's retreat down the Huarong trail through mud and a gale, packing the mire with straw so cavalry could cross. The straw-bearers were trampled into the morass and died in great numbers. Once clear of the trap he crowed to his generals, "Liu Bei is my match. His plan was just a beat too slow; had he fired earlier, none of us would have escaped." Liu Bei did try to burn the retreat later, but too late to catch them. Sun Sheng notes that the Wu zhi order of events differs from this account of Hefei before Chibi. The Wu chronicle is the reliable sequence.
73
十四年春三月,軍至譙,作輕舟,治水軍。 秋七月,自渦入淮,出肥水,軍合肥。 辛未,令曰:「自頃已來,軍數征行,或遇疫氣,吏士死亡不歸,家室怨曠,百姓流離,而仁者豈樂之哉? 不得已也。 其令死者家無基業不能自存者,縣官勿絕廩,長吏存卹撫循,以稱吾意。」 置揚州郡縣長吏,開芍陂屯田。 十二月,軍還譙。
In the third month of spring, 209 CE, he reached Qiao, built light craft, and drilled the fleet. In the seventh month of autumn he moved from the Guo into the Huai, then up the Fei to camp at Hefei. On xinwei day he issued an order: "Recently the army has repeatedly gone on campaign. Sometimes it has met with epidemic qi, officers and soldiers have died and not returned, households have been left resentful and empty, and the common people have been displaced. Could a humane man take pleasure in this? It was necessity, not choice. He ordered counties to keep rations flowing to destitute military families and sent officers to comfort them." He appointed Yangzhou local officials and opened military farms at Shao Lake. That December the army was back in Qiao.
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十五年春,下令曰:「自古受命及中興之君,曷甞不得賢人君子與之共治天下者乎! 及其得賢也,曾不出閭巷,豈幸相遇哉? 上之人不求之耳。 今天下尚未定,此特求賢之急時也。 『孟公綽爲趙、魏老則優,不可以爲滕、薛大夫』。 若必廉士而後可用,則齊桓其何以霸世! 今天下得無有被褐懷玉而釣於渭濵者乎? 又得無盜嫂受金而未遇無知者乎? 二三子其佐我明揚仄陋,唯才是舉,吾得而用之。」 冬,作銅爵臺。 〈《魏武故事》載公十二月己亥令曰:「孤始舉孝廉,年少,自以本非巖穴知名之士,恐爲海內人之所見凡愚,欲爲一郡守,好作政教,以建立名譽,使世士明知之; 故在濟南,始除殘去穢,平心選舉,違迕諸常侍。 以爲彊豪所忿,恐致家禍,故以病還。 去官之後,年紀尚少,顧視同歲中,年有五十,未名爲老,內自圖之,從此却去二十年,待天下清,乃與同歲中始舉者等耳。 故以四時歸鄉里,於譙東五十里築精舍,欲秋夏讀書,冬春射獵,求底下之地,欲以泥水自蔽,絕賔客往來之望,然不能得如意。 後徵爲都尉,遷典軍校尉,意遂更欲爲國家討賊立功,欲望封侯作征西將軍,然後題墓道言『漢故征西將軍曹侯之墓』,此其志也。 而遭值董卓之難,興舉義兵。 是時合兵能多得耳,然常自損,不欲多之; 所以然者,多兵意盛,與彊敵爭,儻更爲禍始。 故汴水之戰數千,後還到揚州更募,亦復不過三千人,此其本志有限也。 後領兖州,破降黃巾三十萬衆。 又袁術僭號於九江,下皆稱臣,名門曰建號門,衣被皆爲天子之制,兩婦預爭爲皇后。 志計已定,人有勸術使遂即帝位,露布天下,荅言『曹公尚在,未可也』。 後孤討禽其四將,獲其人衆,遂使術窮亡解沮,發病而死。 及至袁紹據河北,兵勢彊盛,孤自度勢,實不敵之,但計投死爲國,以義滅身,足垂於後。 幸而破紹,梟其二子。 又劉表自以爲宗室,包藏姧心,乍前乍却,以觀世事,據有當州,孤復定之,遂平天下。 身爲宰相,人臣之貴已極,意望已過矣。 今孤言此,若爲自大,欲人言盡,故無諱耳。 設使國家無有孤,不知當幾人稱帝,幾人稱王。 或者人見孤彊盛,又性不信天命之事,恐私心相評,言有不遜之志,妄相忖度,每用耿耿。 齊桓、晉文所以垂稱至今日者,以其兵勢廣大,猶能奉事周室也。 論語云『三分天下有其二,以服事殷,周之德可謂至德矣』,夫能以大事小也。 昔樂毅走趙,趙王欲與之圖燕,樂毅伏而垂泣,對曰:『臣事昭王,猶事大王; 臣若獲戾,放在他國,沒世然後已,不忍謀趙之徒隷,況燕後嗣乎!』 胡亥之殺蒙恬也,恬曰:『自吾先人及至子孫,積信於秦三世矣; 今臣將兵三十餘萬,其勢足以背叛,然自知必死而守義者,不敢辱先人之教以忘先王也。』 孤每讀此二人書,未曾不愴然流涕也。 孤祖父以至孤身,皆當親重之任,可謂見信者矣,以及子桓兄弟,過於三世矣。 孤非徒對諸君說此,也常以語妻妾,皆令深知此意。 孤謂之言:『顧我萬年之後,汝曹皆當出嫁,欲令傳道我心,使他人皆知之。』 孤此言皆肝鬲之要也。 所以勤勤懇懇敘心腹者,見周公有金縢之書以自明,恐人不信之故。 然欲孤便爾委捐所典兵衆以還執事,歸就武平侯國,實不可也。 何者? 誠恐己離兵爲人所禍也。 旣爲子孫計,又己敗則國家傾危,是以不得慕虛名而處實禍,此所不得爲也。 前朝恩封三子爲侯,固辭不受,今更欲受之,非欲復以爲榮,欲以爲外援,爲萬安計。 孤聞介推之避晉封。 申胥之逃楚賞,未甞不捨書而歎,有以自省也。 奉國威靈,仗鉞征伐,推弱以克彊,處小而禽大,意之所圖,動無違事,心之所慮,何向不濟,遂蕩平天下,不辱主命,可謂天助漢室,非人力也。 然封兼四縣,食戶三萬,何德堪之! 江湖未靜,不可讓位; 至於邑土,可得而辭。 今上還陽夏、柘、苦三縣戶二萬,但食武平萬戶,且以分損謗議,少減孤之責也。」〉
In the spring of 210 CE he issued an order: "From antiquity, has any ruler who received the mandate or restored an age ever failed to have worthy men and gentlemen to govern all under heaven with him? Worthies are found in every ward; luck has little to do with it. Rulers fail because they do not search them out. With the empire still unsettled, recruitment is urgent. He quoted the Analects: not every talent fits every post. If only the spotless may serve, how did Duke Huan ever build a hegemony? Are there no Jiang Taigongs in coarse cloth along the Wei? Are there no Chen Pings, slandered for scandal, awaiting a discerning eye? Help me lift hidden talent wherever merit lies; I will use it." That winter he raised the Bronze Sparrow Terrace at Ye. 〈The Wei Wu anecdotes preserve his jihai-day memoir of 210 CE: "When I was first recommended as filial and incorrupt, I was young. I knew that I was not a man famed from mountain retreats, and feared that people within the seas would see me as ordinary and foolish. I wished to become governor of one commandery, govern and teach well, establish a reputation, and make the scholars of the age know me clearly; so at Jinan he purged corruption, held fair selections, and defied the eunuchs, which earned the hatred of magnates and forced him home on sick leave, planning to sit out twenty years of chaos until he could re-enter office with peers his age, building a study fifty li east of Qiao for reading, hunting, and obscurity, though peace eluded him, until summons pulled him back with a new dream: to earn the title general who campaigns west and a modest epitaph for his tomb, then Dong Zhuo's coup forced him to arms. He could have swollen his ranks but deliberately kept armies small, fearing that swollen hosts provoke stronger foes and fresh catastrophe, so he fought at Bianshui with thousands and later raised barely three thousand in Yangzhou, his self-imposed ceiling, until Yan province and three hundred thousand surrendered Turbans changed the scale, while Yuan Shu played emperor at Jiujiang with court dress and rival empresses, yet even Yuan Shu knew better than to proclaim the throne while Cao Cao lived, until Cao Cao smashed his armies and watched him die broken, then faced Yuan Shao in Hebei outmatched yet ready to die for the Han, and by fortune broke him and his sons, then unmasked Liu Biao's vacillating treason and took Jingzhou, until he stood as chancellor at the summit of any subject's career, and tells this story not to boast but to leave nothing unsaid. Without me at the helm, countless warlords would have crowned themselves emperors or kings. Because I am powerful and skeptical of omens, people whisper that I aim at the throne; the suspicion gnaws at me. Duke Huan and Duke Wen are praised because great power did not stop them from serving the Zhou king. The Analects praises King Wen for holding two-thirds of the realm yet serving Shangthe strong serving the weak. When King Zhao of Zhao asked the exile Yue Yi to plot against Yan, Yue Yi wept and said: 'I serve Zhao as I served Yan; even exiled I would not scheme against Zhao's meanest slave, let alone Yan's descendants. When Huhai killed Meng Tian, the general said: 'My family has served Qin faithfully for three generations; though I commanded three hundred thousand men and could have revolted, I chose death from loyalty to Qin's old kings. Cao Cao says he weeps every time he reads those speeches. His family had held the Han's highest trust for three generations down to Cao Pi and his brothers. He repeated the same confession to his wives and concubines so they would understand. He told them that after his death they should remarry so the world would know his loyalty was not feigned. These are words straight from the guts. Like the Duke of Zhou's golden-coffer oath, he writes to be believed. Yet he cannot simply disband his armies and retire to his Wuping marquisate. Why not? Because stripped of troops he would be murdered. His fall would topple the state, so he refuses empty honor that invites real ruin. He once refused three son's marquisates but now accepts them as political hostages for safety. He cites Jie Tui refusing Jin rewards, and Shen Xu fleeing Chu honors, and sets the book aside to reflect. Yet wielding Han authority he turned weakness to strength, small to great, and pacified the realm by heaven's favor, not his own might alone. Four counties and thirty thousand households are more than his virtue deserves. The south is still restless, so he cannot resign command; but he can give back fief income. He therefore returns twenty thousand households from three counties and keeps only ten thousand at Wuping to silence critics."〉"
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十六年春正月, 〈《魏書》曰:庚辰,天子報:減戶五千,分所讓三縣萬五千封三子,植爲平原侯,據爲范陽侯,豹爲饒陽侯,食邑各五千戶。〉 天子命公世子丕爲五官中郎將,置官屬,爲丞相副。 太原商曜等以大陵叛,遣夏侯淵、徐晃圍破之。 張魯據漢中,三月,遣鍾繇討之。 公使淵等出河東與繇會。
In the first month of spring, 211 CE, 〈the court answered on gengchen: accept the five-thousand-household cut and split the yielded fifteen thousand among Cao Zhi, Cao Ju, and Cao Bao as marquises of five thousand households each. The emperor named Cao Pi general of the household for the five offices with full staff as the chancellor's deputy. Shang Yao of Taiyuan rebelled at Daling; Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang crushed the revolt. In the third month he sent Zhong Yao against Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. He ordered Xiahou Yuan east from Hedong to join Zhong Yao.
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是時關中諸將疑繇欲自襲,馬超遂與韓遂、楊秋、李堪、成宜等叛。 遣曹仁討之。 超等屯潼關,公勑諸將:「關西兵精悍,堅壁勿與戰。」 秋七月,公西征, 〈《魏書》曰:議者多言「關西兵彊,習長矛,非精選前鋒,則不可以當也」。 公謂諸將曰:「戰在我,非在賊也。 賊雖習長矛,將使不得以刺,諸君但觀之耳。」〉 與超等夾關而軍。 公急持之,而潛遣徐晃、朱靈等夜渡蒲阪津,據河西爲營。 公自潼關北渡,未濟,超赴船急戰。 校尉丁斐因放牛馬以餌賊,賊亂取牛馬,公乃得渡, 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:公將過河,前隊適渡,超等奄至,公猶坐胡牀不起。 張郃等見事急,共引公入船。 河水急,北渡,流四五里,超等騎追射之,矢下如雨。 諸將見軍敗,不知公所在,皆惶懼,至見,乃悲喜,或流涕。 公大笑曰:「今日幾爲小賊所困乎!」〉 循河爲甬道而南。 賊退,拒渭口,公乃多設疑兵,潛以舟載兵入渭,爲浮橋,夜,分兵結營於渭南。 賊夜攻營,伏兵擊破之。 超等屯渭南,遣信求割河以西請和,公不許。 九月,進軍渡渭。 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:時公軍每渡渭,輒爲超騎所衝突,營不得立,地又多沙,不可築壘。 婁子伯說公曰:「今天寒,可起沙爲城,以水灌之,可一夜而成。」 公從之,乃多作縑囊以運水,夜渡兵作城,比明,城立,由是公軍盡得渡渭。 或疑于時九月,水未應凍。 臣松之案《魏書》:公軍八月至潼關,閏月北渡河,則其年閏八月也,至此容可大寒邪!〉 超等數挑戰,又不許; 固請割地,求送任子,公用賈詡計,偽許之。 韓遂請與公相見,公與遂父同歲孝廉,又與遂同時儕輩,於是交馬語移時,不及軍事,但說京都舊故,拊手歡笑。 旣罷,超等問遂:「公何言?」 遂曰:「無所言也。」 超等疑之。 〈《魏書》曰:公後日復與遂等會語,諸將曰:「公與虜交語,不宜輕脫,可爲木行馬以爲防遏。」 公然之。 賊將見公,悉於馬上拜,秦、胡觀者,前後重沓,公笑謂賊曰:「爾欲觀曹公邪? 亦猶人也,非有四目兩口,但多智耳!」 胡前後大觀。 又列鐵騎五千爲十重陣,精光耀日,賊益震懼。〉 他日,公又與遂書,多所點竄,如遂改定者; 超等愈疑遂。 公乃與克日會戰,先以輕兵挑之,戰良久,乃縱虎騎夾擊,大破之,斬成宜、李堪等。 遂、超等走涼州,楊秋奔安定,關中平。 諸將或問公曰:「初,賊守潼關,渭北道缺,不從河東擊馮翊而反守潼關,引日而後北渡,何也?」 公曰:「賊守潼關,若吾入河東,賊必引守諸津,則西河未可渡,吾故盛兵向潼關; 賊悉衆南守,西河之備虛,故二將得擅取西河; 然後引軍北渡,賊不能與吾爭西河者,以有二將之軍也。 連車樹柵,爲甬道而南, 〈臣松之案:漢高祖二年,與楚戰滎陽京、索之間,築甬道屬河以取敖倉粟。 應劭曰:「恐敵鈔輜重,故築垣牆如街巷也。」 今魏武不築垣牆,但連車樹柵以扞兩面。〉 旣爲不可勝,且以示弱。 渡渭爲堅壘,虜至不出,所以驕之也; 故賊不爲營壘而求割地。 吾順言許之,所以從其意,使自安而不爲備,因畜士卒之力,一旦擊之,所謂疾雷不及掩耳,兵之變化,固非一道也。」 始,賊每一部到,公輒有喜色。 賊破之後,諸將問其故。 公荅曰:「關中長遠,若賊各依險阻,征之,不一二年不可定也。 今皆來集,其衆雖多,莫相歸服,軍無適主,一舉可滅,爲功差易,吾是以喜。」
The western lords feared Zhong Yao meant to attack them, so Ma Chao, Han Sui, Yang Qiu, Li Kan, Cheng Yi, and others mutinied. He sent Cao Ren against them. Ma Chao and the others occupied Tong Pass; Cao Cao instructed the generals, "The troops west of the pass are elite and fierce. Hold firm behind walls and do not fight them." In the seventh month of autumn he marched west, 〈The Book of Wei says that many advisers said, "The troops west of the pass are strong and are practiced with long spears. Unless we select an elite vanguard, we cannot face them," Cao Cao told the generals, "The battle lies with me, not with the enemy. They may drill long spears; I will keep them from thrusting. Watch me."〉" He faced Ma Chao across Tong Pass. He pinned Ma Chao frontally while Xu Huang and Zhu Ling slipped across Puban at night to camp west of the river. During his own northward crossing Ma Chao stormed the ferries before the army was over. Colonel Ding Fei stampeded draft animals as a decoy; the rebels scattered to round them up and Cao Cao got across, 〈the Cao Man Zhuan adds that Ma Chao caught him still seated on a camp stool, until Zhang He and others dragged him aboard, then the current swept the boat four or five li downstream under a rain of arrows, while officers who thought him lost wept with relief when he appeared, and he laughed, "Nearly done in by young bravos today!"〉 He then drove a covered gallery south along the bank. When the enemy fell back to the Wei estuary he feinted broadly, ferried troops across the Wei by night on pontoon bridges, and planted camps on the south bank. A night raid on Cao Cao's camp walked into an ambush and was shattered. Ma Chao's coalition camped south of the Wei and offered to trade the west bank for peace; Cao Cao refused. In the ninth month he forced the crossing of the Wei. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says Ma Chao's horse kept disrupting each crossing and the sandy soil would not hold walls. Lou Zibo advised Cao Cao, "The weather is cold now. You can raise a wall of sand and pour water over it; it can be completed in one night." Cao Cao followed the plan, ferried water in silk sacks, raised frozen sand walls overnight, and got his whole army across the Wei. Skeptics noted that September seemed early for ice. Pei Songzhi checks the Wei Shu: the army reached Tong in the eighth month and crossed north in an intercalary eighth month, so deep cold by the Wei crossing is plausible. Ma Chao baited him repeatedly; Cao Cao still refused battle; they begged for a territorial settlement and hostages; Cao Cao followed Jia Xu's advice and pretended to agree. Han Sui asked for a parley; he and Cao Cao had been recommended the same year as Sui's father had been, so they sat horse to horse reminiscing about Luoyang like old friends, never touching strategy. Afterward Ma Chao demanded, "What did Cao Cao say?" Han Sui answered, "Nothing important." The western lords began to doubt Han Sui. 〈The Book of Wei says that when Cao Cao met again with Han Sui and the others on a later day, the generals said, "When you speak with the captives, you should not go lightly and exposed. A wooden horse barricade can be made to block and guard the way." Cao Cao agreed. Enemy chiefs saluted from the saddle while crowds of Qiang and Hu pressed close; Cao Cao laughed, "So you want a look at Cao Cao? He has the same face as anyone else, just a busier mind!" The nomad spectators surged forward for a better view. Five thousand armored horse in ten ranks glittered in the sun until the rebels were paralyzed with fear. Later Cao Cao sent Han Sui a letter visibly edited as if Han Sui had altered it himself; deepening Ma Chao's distrust of Han Sui. He then set a battle day, skirmished until the enemy tired, and unleashed his heavy cavalry to crush them, killing Cheng Yi, Li Kan, and others. Han Sui and Ma Chao fled west, Yang Qiu to Anding, and the Guanzhong plain was his. Some officers asked Cao Cao, "At first, when the enemy held Tong Pass and the road north of the Wei was open, why did you not strike Fengyi from Hedong, but instead hold at Tong Pass and only cross north after drawing out the days?" Cao Cao said, "The enemy held Tong Pass. If I had entered Hedong, the enemy would certainly have drawn back to guard the fords, and the Western River could not have been crossed. Therefore I massed troops toward Tong Pass; emptying the west bank so Xu Huang and Zhu Ling could seize it, which let him cross north while Ma Chao could not contest the west bank. He then linked wagons and stakes into a gallery southward, 〈Pei Songzhi cites Gaozu's siege gallery to Aocang between Jingyang and Jingsuo, Ying Shao glossing the gallery as a walled lane to protect supplies, while Cao Cao used only wagon lines and stakes for flank cover."〉 He looked invulnerable yet acted weak on purpose. South of the Wei he dug in and refused sorties to lull the enemy into arrogance; so Ma Chao neglected fortifications and begged for a partition deal instead. Cao Cao agreed to buy time, let them relax their guard, then hit them with stored fury like lightning before they could cover their ears; war has many faces." At first he smiled wider every time another rebel column arrived. After the victory they asked why he had looked pleased. Cao Cao answered, "Guanzhong is long and distant. If the enemy had each relied on dangerous positions, campaigning against them could not have settled it in one or two years. but they had massed in one place without unity or single command, so one blow could end them; that was cause for joy."
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冬十月,軍自長安北征楊秋,圍安定。 秋降,復其爵位,使留撫其民人。 〈《魏略》曰:楊秋,黃初中遷討寇將軍,位特進,封臨涇侯,以壽終。〉 十二月,自安定還,留夏侯淵屯長安。
In the tenth month of winter he marched from Chang'an against Yang Qiu and besieged Anding. Yang Qiu surrendered, kept his titles, and was left to pacify his district. 〈The Brief Account of Wei adds that Yang Qiu later rose to general who attacks bandits, tejin rank, marquis of Linjing, and died of old age. In December he withdrew from Anding, leaving Xiahou Yuan in Chang'an.
78
十七年春正月,公還鄴。 天子命公贊拜不名,入朝不趨,劔履上殿,如蕭何故事。 馬超餘衆梁興等屯藍田,使夏侯淵擊平之。 割河內之蕩陰、朝歌、林慮,東郡之衞國、頓丘、東武陽、發干,鉅鹿之廮陶、曲周、南和,廣平之任城,趙之襄國、邯鄲、易陽以益魏郡。
In the first month of spring, 212 CE, he was back in Ye. The emperor granted him Xiao He's honors: no name called in court, no need to trot in audience, sword and shoes in the hall. Ma Chao's lieutenant Liang Xing held Lantian until Xiahou Yuan wiped him out. He transferred a long list of counties from Henei, Dongjun, Julu, Guangping, and Zhao into the enlarged Wei commandery around Ye.
79
冬十月,公征孫權。
In the tenth month of winter he marched against Sun Quan.
80
十八年春正月,進軍濡須口,攻破權江西營,獲權都督公孫陽,乃引軍還。 詔書并十四州,復爲九州。 夏四月,至鄴。
In the first month of spring, 213 CE, he struck Ruxu, took Sun Quan's west-bank camp and commander Gongsun Yang, then withdrew. An edict collapsed the fourteen provinces back into the nine ancient provinces. In the fourth month of summer he arrived in Ye.
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五月丙申,天子使御史大夫郗慮持節策命公爲魏公 〈《續漢書》曰:慮字鴻豫,山陽高平人。 少受業於鄭玄,建安初爲侍中。 虞溥《江表傳》曰:獻帝甞特見慮及少府孔融,問融曰:「鴻豫何所優長?」 融曰:「可與適道,未可與權。」 慮舉笏曰:「融昔宰北海,政散民流,其權安在也!」 遂與融互相長短,以至不睦。 公以書和解之。 慮從光祿勳遷爲大夫。〉 曰:
On the bingshen day of the fifth month the emperor sent Imperial Counselor Xi Chu with credentials to ennoble Cao Cao as duke of Wei 〈The Continuation of the Han History identifies Xi Chu (courtesy Hongyu) of Gaoping in Shanyang. He had studied under Zheng Xuan and became a palace attendant early in the Jian'an era. Yu Pu's southern chronicle says the emperor once received Xi Chu and Minister of the Lesser Treasury Kong Rong together and asked Rong, "In what is Hongyu superior?" Kong Rong answered, "You can discuss the Way with him, not power politics." Xi Chu shot back, raising his hu tablet, "When Rong ruled Beihai the people fled; where was his power?" They traded barbs until they were enemies. Cao Cao wrote letters to patch things up. Xi Chu was later promoted from grand master of splendid carriage to imperial counselor. The investiture text began:
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朕以不德,少遭愍凶,越在西土,遷于唐、衞。 當此之時,若綴旒然, 〈《公羊傳》曰:「君若贅旒然。 贅猶綴也。」 何休云:「旒,旂旒也。 以旒譬者,言爲下所執持東西也。」〉 宗廟乏祀,社稷無位; 羣凶覬覦,分裂諸夏,率土之民,朕無獲焉,即我高祖之命將墜于地。 朕用夙興假寐,震悼于厥心,曰「惟祖惟父,股肱先正, 〈文侯之命曰:「亦惟先正。」 鄭玄云:「先正,先臣。 謂公卿大夫也。」〉 其孰能恤朕躬」? 乃誘天衷,誕育丞相,保乂我皇家,弘濟于艱難,朕實賴之。 今將授君典禮,其敬聽朕命。
The emperor speaks: We, unworthy, suffered exile in the west, shuttled between Tang and Wei, dangling like a king whose tassels are tugged by others; 〈The Gongyang Commentary says, "The ruler is like excess banner tassels. meaning "excess" like something hung," He Xiu says, "The liu are the tassels of a banner. pulled this way and that by inferiors."〉" Ancestral rites ceased and the state altars stood empty; rebels carved up China while We held no true realm and Gaozu's mandate nearly fell to earth. We rise before dawn and sleep uneasily, shaken and grieved in Our heart, saying, "O ancestors, O fathers, former upright ministers who were Our arms and legs, 〈quoting the "Charge to Wen" on "the former upright," Zheng Xuan glossing that as former ministers, meaning the high ministers of the court."〉 Who then will pity Us?" Heaven then sent the chancellor to steady the throne and carry Us through peril; We lean entirely on him. Now We confer the ducal rites; listen with care to Our charge.
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昔者董卓初興國難,羣后釋位以謀王室, 〈《左氏傳》曰:「諸侯釋位以間王政。」 服虔曰:「言諸侯釋其私政而佐王室。」〉 君則攝進,首啟戎行,此君之忠于本朝也。 後及黃巾反易天常,侵我三州,延及平民,君又翦之,以寧東夏,此又君之功也。 韓暹、楊奉專用威命,君則致討,克黜其難,遂遷許都,造我京畿,設官兆祀,不失舊物,天地鬼神於是獲乂,此又君之功也。 袁術僭逆,肆於淮南,懾憚君靈,用丕顯謀,蘄陽之役,橋蕤授首,稜威南邁,術以隕潰,此又君之功也。 迴戈東征,呂布就戮,乘轅將返,張楊殂斃,眭固伏罪,張繡稽服,此又君之功也。 袁紹逆亂天常,謀危社稷,憑恃其衆,稱兵內侮,當此之時,王師寡弱,天下寒心,莫有固志,君執大節,精貫白日,奮其武怒,運其神策,致屆官渡,大殲醜類, 〈詩曰:「致天之屆,于牧之野。」 鄭玄云:「屆,極也。」 鴻範曰:「鯀則殛死。」〉 俾我國家拯於危墜,此又君之功也。 濟師洪河,拓定四州,袁譚、高幹,咸梟其首,海盜奔迸,黑山順軌,此又君之功也。 烏丸三種,崇亂二世,袁尚因之,逼據塞北,束馬縣車,一征而滅,此又君之功也。 劉表背誕,不供貢職,王師首路,威風先逝,百城八郡,交臂屈膝,此又君之功也。 馬超、成宜,同惡相濟,濵據河、潼,求逞所欲,殄之渭南,獻馘萬計,遂定邊境,撫和戎狄,此又君之功也。 鮮卑、丁零,重譯而至,箄于、白屋,請吏率職,此又君之功也。 君有定天下之功,重之以明德,班敘海內,宣美風俗,旁施勤教,恤慎刑獄,吏無苛政,民無懷慝; 敦崇帝族,表繼絕世,舊德前功,罔不咸秩; 雖伊尹格于皇天,周公光于四海,方之蔑如也。
The text turns to Cao Cao's merit list: when Dong Zhuo first struck, lords left their posts to rescue the dynasty, 〈The Zuo Commentary says, "The lords set aside their positions to assist the royal government." Fu Qian explaining that they gave up local power to serve Zhou."〉 While you, Duke, marched first in the vanguard—that was loyalty to the Han. When the Yellow Turbans ravaged three provinces you exterminated them and calmed the east. You purged Han Xian and Yang Feng, moved the court to Xu, restored offices and rites, and brought peace to heaven and earth. You broke Yuan Shu at Qiyang, beheaded Qiao Rui, and drove Shu to ruin. You executed Lü Bu, destroyed Zhang Yang, forced Sui Gu and Zhang Xiu to yield. When Yuan Shao menaced the throne with superior numbers you held fast to duty, struck at Guandu, and annihilated his army, 〈The Odes says, "Bringing Heaven's limit to the wilds of Mu." Zheng Xuan glossing "limit" as utmost, and the Hong fan on executing the wicked."〉 You snatched the dynasty from the brink of ruin. You crossed the Yellow River, secured four provinces, took the heads of Yuan Tan and Gao Gan, scattered pirates, and pacified the Black Mountains. You crushed the Wuhuan whom Yuan Shang had sheltered beyond the passes in one winter campaign. When Liu Biao withheld tribute your host made every city in Jingzhou kneel. You destroyed Ma Chao and Cheng Yi at the Wei, counted ten thousand ears of the slain, and pacified the frontier tribes. Xianbei, Dingling, Bi, and Baiwu tribes sent envoys and accepted Han officials. You ordered the realm, spread humane rule, taught diligently, judged fairly, and left officials and commoners without grievance; you honored the Liu clan, restored ruined houses, and ennobled every past worthy; yet beside you even Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou shrink to nothing.
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朕聞先王並建明德,胙之以土,分之以民,崇其寵章,備其禮物,所以藩衞王室,左右厥世也。 其在周成,管、蔡不靜,懲難念功,乃使邵康公賜齊太公履,東至于海,西至于河,南至于穆陵,北至于無棣,五侯九伯,實得征之,世祚太師,以表東海; 爰及襄王,亦有楚人不供王職,又命晉文登爲侯伯,錫以二輅、虎賁、鈇鉞、秬鬯、弓矢,大啟南陽,世作盟主。 故周室之不壞,繄二國是賴。 今君稱丕顯德,明保朕躬,奉荅天命,導揚弘烈,緩爰九域,莫不率俾, 〈盤庚曰:「綏爰有衆。」 鄭玄曰:「爰,於也,安隱於其衆也。」 君奭曰:「海隅出日,罔不率俾。」 率,循也。 俾,使也。 四海之隅,日出所照,無不循度而可使也。〉 功高于伊、周,而賞卑於齊、晉,朕甚恧焉。 朕以眇眇之身,託于兆民之上,永思厥艱,若涉淵冰,非君攸濟,朕無任焉。 今以冀州之河東、河內、魏郡、趙國、中山、常山、鉅鹿、安平、甘陵、平原凡十郡,封君爲魏公。 錫君玄土,苴以白茅; 爰契爾龜,用建冢社。 昔在周室,畢公、毛公入爲卿佐,周、邵師保出爲二伯,外內之任,君實宜之,其以丞相領冀州牧如故。 又加君九錫,其敬聽朕命。
The edict continues: ancient kings enfeoffed the worthy with land, people, and full rites to guard the Zhou line, as when Duke of Zhou, troubled by Guan and Cai, sent Duke of Shao to invest Jiang Taigong with authority from sea to river, Muleng to Wudi, with right to chastise any feudal lord, making Qi the eastern bulwark of Zhou; Under King Xiang of Zhou, when Chu withheld tribute, Jin Wend of Jin was named hegemon with the paired chariots, royal guard, ritual axes, sacrificial ale, and bows; he opened Nanyang and his line chaired the feudal alliances for generations. The house of Zhou owed its survival to Qi and Jin. You now shine with virtue, shelter the throne, answer Heaven, spread order, and pacify the nine domains so that all submit, 〈as Pan Geng says of "bringing peace to the people," Zheng Xuan glossing yuan as "thereby" and the sense as settling the people, The Lord Shi says, "To the sea's corner where the sun rises, none failed to follow and serve." shu meaning "to follow," bi meaning "to employ," so that all within the sun's reach follows law and serves the throne. Your deeds outshine Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou, yet your fief is smaller than Qi or Jin ever received; We blush at the mismatch. We stand a frail child on the people's shoulders, dreading every step like thin ice over a pit; without you to bridge it We are lost. We therefore enfeoff you as duke of Wei over Hedong, Henei, Wei, Zhao, Zhongshan, Changshan, Julu, Anping, Ganling, and Pingyuanten commanderies of Ji. You receive the black earth and white reed bundle of a true vassal; divine the tortoise and raise altars to Heaven and Earth for Wei. As Bi and Mao served inside court while Zhou and Shao held the two bols outside, you shall match both roles: remain chancellor and inspector of Ji as before. We now add the nine ritual gifts; hear each charge with care.
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以君經緯禮律,爲民軌儀,使安職業,無或遷志,是用錫君大輅、戎輅各一,玄牡二駟。 君勸分務本,穡人昏作, 〈盤庚曰:「墮農自安,不昏作勞。」 鄭玄云:「昏,勉也。」〉 粟帛滯積,大業惟興,是用錫君衮冕之服,赤舄副焉。 君敦尚謙讓,俾民興行,少長有禮,上下咸和,是用錫君軒縣之樂,六佾之舞。 君翼宣風化,爰發四方,遠人革面,華夏充實,是用錫君朱戶以居。 君研其明哲,思帝所難,官才任賢,羣善必舉,是用錫君納陛以登。 君秉國之鈞,正色處中,纖豪之惡,靡不抑退,是用錫君虎賁之士三百人。 君糾虔天刑,章厥有罪, 〈「糾虔天刑」語出《國語》,韋昭注曰:「糾,察也。 虔,敬也。 刑,法也。」〉 犯關干紀,莫不誅殛,是用錫君鈇鉞各一。 君龍驤虎視,旁眺八維,掩討逆節,折衝四海,是用錫君彤弓一,彤矢百,玈弓十,玈矢千。 君以溫恭爲基,孝友爲德,明允篤誠,感于朕思,是用錫君秬鬯一卣,珪瓚副焉。 魏國置丞相已下羣卿百寮,皆如漢初諸侯王之制。 往欽哉,敬服朕命! 簡恤爾衆,時亮庶功,用終爾顯德,對揚我高祖之休命! 〈後漢尚書左丞潘勗之辭也。 勗字元茂,陳留中牟人。 《魏書》載公令曰:「夫受九錫,廣開土宇,周公其人也。 漢之異姓八王者,與高祖俱起布衣,刱定王業,其功至大,吾何可比之?」 前後三讓。 於是中軍師王凌、謝亭侯荀攸、前軍師東武亭侯鍾繇、左軍師涼茂、右軍師毛玠、平虜將軍華鄉侯劉勳、建武將軍清苑亭侯劉若、伏波將軍高安侯夏侯惇、揚武將軍都亭侯王忠、奮威將軍樂鄉侯劉展、建忠將軍昌鄉亭侯鮮于輔、奮武將軍安國亭侯程昱、太中大夫都鄉侯賈詡、軍師祭酒千秋亭侯董昭、都亭侯薛洪、南鄉亭侯董蒙、關內侯王粲、傅巽、祭酒王選、袁奐、王朗、張承、任藩、杜襲、中護軍國明亭侯曹洪、中領軍萬歲亭侯韓浩、行驍騎將軍安平亭侯曹仁、領護軍將軍王圖、長史萬潛、謝奐、袁霸等勸進曰:「自古三代,胙臣以土,受命中興,封秩輔佐,皆所以襃功賞德,爲國藩衞也。 徃者天下崩亂,羣凶豪起,顛越跋扈之險,不可忍言。 明公奮身出命以徇其難,誅二袁篡盜之逆,滅黃巾賊亂之類,殄夷首逆,芟撥荒穢,沐浴霜露二十餘年,書契已來,未有若此功者。 昔周公承文、武之迹,受已成之業,高枕墨筆,拱揖羣后,商、奄之勤,不過二年,呂望因三分有二之形,據八百諸侯之勢,暫把旄鉞,一時指麾,然皆大啟土宇,跨州兼國。 周公八子,並爲侯伯,白牡騂剛,郊祀天地,典策備物,擬則王室,榮章寵盛如此之弘也。 逮至漢興,佐命之臣,張耳、吳芮,其功至薄,亦連城開地,南面稱孤。 此皆明君達主行之於上,賢臣聖宰受之於下,三代令典,漢帝明制。 今比勞則周、呂逸,計功則張、吳微,論制則齊、魯重,言地則長沙多; 然則魏國之封,九錫之榮,況於舊賞,猶懷玉而被褐也。 且列侯諸將,幸攀龍驥,得竊微勞,佩紫懷黃,蓋以百數,亦將因此傳之萬世,而明公獨辭賞於上,將使其下懷不自安,上違聖朝歡心,下失冠帶至望,忘輔弼之大業,信匹夫之細行,攸等所大懼也。」 於是公勑外爲章,但受魏郡。 攸等復曰:「伏見魏國初封,聖朝發慮,稽謀羣寮,然後策命; 而明公久違上指,不即大禮。 今旣虔奉詔命,副順衆望,又欲辭多當少,讓九受一,是猶漢朝之賞不行,而攸等之請未許也。 昔齊、魯之封,奄有東海,疆域井賦,四百萬家,基隆業廣,易以立功,故能成翼戴之勳,立一匡之績。 今魏國雖有十郡之名,猶減於曲阜,計其戶數,不能參半,以藩衞王室,立垣樹屏,猶未足也。 且聖上覽亡秦無輔之禍,懲曩日震蕩之艱,託建忠賢,廢墜是爲,願明公恭承帝命,無或拒違。」 公乃受命。 《魏略》載公上書謝曰:「臣蒙先帝厚恩,致位郎署,受性疲怠,意望畢足,非敢希望高位,庶幾顯達。 會董卓作亂,義當死難,故敢奮身出命,摧鋒率衆,遂值千載之運,奉役目下。 當二袁炎沸侵侮之際,陛下與臣寒心同憂,顧瞻京師,進受猛敵,常恐君臣俱陷虎口,誠不自意能全首領。 賴祖宗靈祐,醜類夷滅,得使微臣竊名其間。 陛下加恩,授以上相,封爵寵祿,豐大弘厚,生平之願,實不望也。 口與心計,幸且待罪,保持列侯,遺付子孫,自託聖世,永無憂責。 不意陛下乃發盛意,開國備錫,以貺愚臣,地比齊、魯,禮同藩王,非臣無功所宜膺據。 歸情上聞,不蒙聽許,嚴詔切至,誠使臣心俯仰偪迫。 伏自惟省,列在大臣,命制王室,身非己有,豈敢自私,遂其愚意,亦將黜退,令就初服。 今奉疆土,備數藩翰,非敢遠期,慮有後世; 至於父子相誓終身,灰軀盡命,報塞厚恩。 天威在顏,悚懼受詔。」〉
First gift: for ordering law and livelihood so none stray from duty, the paired state chariots with black four-horse teams. Second: for urging harvest and husbandry, for the farmers' tireless labor, 〈Pan Geng says, "If farmers ruin themselves with ease and do not labor diligently." Zheng Xuan glossing "dusk toil" as striving without cease."〉 Third: for overflowing granaries and silks, the nine-symbol court robes and crimson shoes. Fourth: for teaching humility and harmony, the hall music and six-row dance of a lord. Fifth: for civilizing frontier and heartland alike, vermilion-lacquered palace gates. Sixth: for wise appointments, the raised inner steps to the hall. Seventh: for crushing corruption from the center, three hundred royal guardsmen. Eighth: for enforcing justice and exposing guilt, 〈from the Guo yu, Wei Zhao glossing jiu as "examine, qian as "reverent, xing as "law."〉" Therefore We grant you axe and halberd, one each—the regalia of execution. Ninth: for commanding campaigns in every quarter, the crimson and black bows with their full quivers. Tenth: for filial loyalty that touched the throne, the black-millet sacrificial ale with jade dipper. Wei may copy the full Han royal bureaucracy under its duke. Accept these honors and serve Our mandate faithfully. Rule your people with care, fulfill every duty, and bring glory to the Han house your ancestors served. 〈Pei Songzhi credits the edict to Pan Xu of the Han secretariat.) Pan Xu (courtesy Yuanmao) came from Zhongmou in Chenliu. Cao Cao's order recorded in the Wei Shu said, "As for receiving the nine bestowments and broadly opening territory, the Duke of Zhou was the man for that. Han's eight non-Liu kings who rose with Gaozu built an empire; he could not rank beside them." He refused the bundle three separate times. Wang Ling, Xun You, Zhong Yao, Liang Mao, Mao Jie, Liu Xun, Liu Ruo, Xiahou Dun, Wang Zhong, Liu Zhan, Xianyu Fu, Cheng Yu, Jia Xu, Dong Zhao, Xue Hong, Dong Meng, Wang Can, Fu Xun, Wang Xuan, Yuan Huan, Wang Lang, Zhang Cheng, Ren Fan, Du Xi, Cao Hong, Han Hao, Cao Ren, Wang Tu, Wan Qian, Xie Huan, Yuan Ba, and others then urged him to accept the duchy, saying, "From antiquity, when the Three Dynasties granted ministers land, received the mandate, restored an age, and bestowed ranks on assistants, it was always to praise merit and reward virtue, and to make them shields and guards of the state. They recalled the warlords' chaos when the realm nearly fell. They praised Cao Cao's twenty years of campaigns that crushed the Yuans, Yellow Turbans, and every rebel without parallel in recorded history. They compared him to the Duke of Zhou and Lü Wang, who despite easier inheritances still carved out vast domains. Zhou's eight sons all became lords with full royal-style sacrifices and honors. Even minor helpers at Han's founding like Zhang Er and Wu Rui became kings of wide domains. Such rewards were always how wise emperors treated founding ministers. By labor Zhou and Lü Wang had it easier; by merit Zhang and Wu were smaller men; Qi and Lu held heavier titles; Changsha held more land; yet your Wei fief and nine tins are still modest beside those old precedents, like pearls hidden under a beggar's cloak. Hundreds of officers owe their purple sashes to your rise; if you alone refuse the throne's thanks, you unsettle your men, disappoint the emperor, and betray the cause for false modesty; they beg you not to do it." Cao Cao then filed a memorial saying he would accept only Wei commandery. Xun You and the others replied, "We humbly observe that when Wei was first enfeoffed, the sage court formed its plans and consulted the assembled officials before issuing the patent; while he kept defying the emperor's will by delaying the full acceptance. Now that he had bowed to the edict, taking only one part of nine would still nullify the court's intent and their petition. Qi and Lu once held the eastern sea with four million households, making hegemony easy. Wei's ten commanderies are smaller than Qufu alone by household count, insufficient even as a bulwark for the Han. The Son of Heaven, mindful of Qin's fall without allies, leans on you to shore up the dynasty; accept fully and do not resist." Cao Cao then accepted the ducal investiture. The Wei lüe preserves his thank-you memorial: "Your servant received the late emperor's deep kindness, reached office in the palace bureaus, and, being by nature weary and indolent, felt his hopes fully satisfied. I did not dare hope for high rank or almost-visible prominence. Then fortune raised him to serve the emperor. At the height of the Yuan war he and the emperor had expected to die together. Heaven allowed him to survive and earn a name. Each promotion exceeded his wildest hopes. He had hoped only to keep a marquisate for his heirs in peace. The new duchy rivaled Qi and Lu in ritual rank beyond his deserts. Repeated refusals met only sterner edicts. He knew his life belonged to the state and could not indulge private modesty without being removed. Accepting the fief he thinks not of dynastic ambition but of duty, and swears father and son will spend life and ash repaying the Han. He ends trembling before Heaven's command."〉"
86
秋七月,始建魏社稷宗廟。 天子娉公三女爲貴人,少者待年於國。 〈《獻帝起居注》曰:使使持節行太常大司農安陽亭侯王邑,齎璧、帛、玄纁、絹五萬匹之鄴納娉,介者五人,皆以議郎行大夫事,副介一人。〉 九月,作金虎臺,鑿渠引漳水入白溝以通河。 冬十月,分魏郡爲東西部,置都尉。 十一月,初置尚書、侍中、六卿。 〈《魏氏春秋》曰:以荀攸爲尚書令,涼茂爲僕射,毛玠、崔琰、常林、徐奕、何夔爲尚書,王粲、杜襲、衞覬、和洽爲侍中。〉
In the seventh month of autumn Wei raised its own altars of soil and grain and ancestral shrine. The emperor took three of Cao Cao's daughters as imperial consorts, the youngest to come of age in Wei. 〈The diary lists the embassy of Wang Yi with silks and five matchmakers sent to Ye for the betrothal.〉 In the ninth month he built the Golden Tiger Terrace and linked the Zhang to Baigou toward the Yellow River. In the tenth month of winter he split Wei commandery into east and west with commandants. In the eleventh month he created the secretariat, palace attendants, and six ministers for Wei. 〈The Wei Annals names Xun You, Liang Mao, Mao Jie, Cui Yan, Wang Can, Du Xi, and others for the new posts.
87
馬超在漢陽,復因羌、胡爲害,氐王千萬叛應超,屯興國。 使夏侯淵討之。
Ma Chao stirred Qiang and Hu in Hanyang; Di chief Qianwan joined him at Xingguo. He sent Xiahou Yuan against them.
88
十九年春正月,始耕籍田。 南安趙衢、漢陽尹奉等討超,梟其妻子,超奔漢中。 韓遂徙金城,入氐王千萬部,率羌、胡萬餘騎與夏侯淵戰,擊,大破之,遂走西平。 淵與諸將攻興國,屠之。 省安東、永陽郡。
In the first month of spring, 214 CE, he first performed the royal plowing rite. Zhao Qu and Yin Feng of Nan'an turned on Ma Chao, killed his family, and drove him to Hanzhong. Han Sui joined Qianwan with ten thousand allied horse to fight Xiahou Yuan; Xiahou Yuan smashed the coalition and Han Sui fled to Xiping. Xiahou Yuan stormed Xingguo and put it to the sword. He abolished Andong and Yongyang commanderies.
89
安定太守毌丘興將之官,公戒之曰:「羌,胡欲與中國通,自當遣人來,慎勿遣人徃。 善人難得,必將教羌、胡妄有所請求,因欲以自利; 不從便爲失異俗意,從之則無益事。」 興至,遣校尉范陵至羌中,陵果教羌,使自請爲屬國都尉。 公曰:「吾預知當爾,非聖也,但更事多耳。」 〈《獻帝起居注》曰:使行太常事大司農安陽亭侯王邑與宗正劉艾,皆持節,介者五人,齎束帛駟馬,及給事黃門侍郎、掖庭丞、中常侍二人,迎二貴人于魏公國。 二月癸亥,又於魏公宗廟授二貴人印綬。 甲子,詣魏公宮延秋門,迎貴人升車。 魏遣郎中令、少府、博士、御府乘黃廄令、丞相掾屬侍送貴人。 癸酉,二貴人至洧倉中,遣侍中丹將宂從虎賁前後駱驛往迎之。 乙亥,二貴人入宮,御史大夫、中二千石將大夫、議郎會殿中,魏國二卿及侍中、中郎二人,與漢公卿並升殿宴。〉
As Muqiu Xing left for Anding, Cao Cao warned him, "If the Qiang and Hu wish to communicate with the Central States, they should send people themselves. Be careful not to send people there. Meddling Han clerks would teach the tribes to make impossible demands for private gain; refusing offends them; granting harms the state: no win." Muqiu Xing ignored the warning: his colonel Fan Ling coached the Qiang to petition for a dependent-state commandancy. Cao Cao remarked, "I foresaw that, not prophecy, just experience." 〈The Emperor Xian diary says Wang Yi, acting Minister of Ceremonies and Grand Minister of Agriculture, and Liu Ai, Director of the Imperial Clan, were sent with staffs, silk, teams of four horses, palace attendants, and eunuchs to escort the two elder consorts from Wei toward the capital. On guihai in the second month the two consorts received seals in the Wei ancestral temple. On jiazi they were escorted through Yanqiu Gate into the carriages. Wei officials accompanied the escort. On guiyou they reached Weicang; palace attendants and tiger guards relayed them onward. On yihai they entered the Luoyang palace for a joint Han–Wei banquet.〉
90
三月,天子使魏公位在諸侯王上,改授金璽,赤紱、遠遊冠。 〈《獻帝起居注》曰:使左中郎將楊宣、亭侯裴茂持節、印授之。〉
In the third month the emperor ranked the duke of Wei above all kings and reissued the gold seal, crimson ribbons, and far-roaming crown. 〈Yang Xuan and Pei Mao delivered the new regalia.
91
秋七月,公征孫權。 〈《九州春秋》曰:參軍傅幹諫曰:「治天下之大具有二,文與武也; 用武則先威,用文則先德,威德足以相濟,而後王道備矣。 往者天下大亂,上下失序,明公用武攘之,十平其九。 今未承王命者,吳與蜀也,吳有長江之險,蜀有崇山之阻,難以威服,易以德懷。 愚以爲可且按甲寢兵,息軍養士,分土定封,論功行賞,若此則內外之心固,有功者勸,而天下知制矣。 然後漸興學校,以導其善性而長其義節。 公神武震於四海,若修文以濟之,則普天之下,無思不服矣。 今舉十萬之衆,頓之長江之濵,若賊負固深藏,則士馬不能逞其能,奇變無所用其權,則大威有屈而敵心未能服矣。 唯明公思虞舜舞干戚之義,全威養德,以道制勝。」 公不從,軍遂無功。 幹字彥材,北地人,終於丞相倉曹屬。 有子曰玄。〉
In the seventh month of autumn he marched again against Sun Quan. 〈Fu Gan's Jiuzhou chunqiu memorial said, "The great tools for ordering all under heaven are two: civil culture and martial force; Using force, establish awe first; using civil rule, establish virtue first; when awe and virtue reinforce each other, the kingly way is complete. Fu Gan continued: when the empire collapsed you restored order by force nine-tenths of the way. Only Wu and Shu remain; the Yangzi and Shu passes yield to virtue more readily than to terror. He urged demobilization, rewards for merit, and consolidation so the realm sees stable rule. Then build schools to shape character and ritual. Your military fame already fills the seas; add civil arts and the world will submit willingly. Parking an army on the Long River while Sun Quan digs in wastes men and gains nothing. May Your Enlightened Lordship think of Yu Shun's meaning in dancing with shield and axe, preserve awe, nourish virtue, and conquer by the Way." Cao Cao ignored him and the campaign failed. Fu Gan (courtesy Yancai) of Beidi died in office as a chancellor's granary clerk. His son was named Fu Xuan.
92
初,隴西宋建自稱河首平漢王,聚衆枹罕,改元,置百官,三十餘年。 遣夏侯淵自興國討之。 冬十月,屠枹罕,斬建,涼州平。
Song Jian of Longxi had ruled Fuhan as a self-styled king for over thirty years. Xiahou Yuan marched from Xingguo against him. In the tenth month of winter Cao Cao took Fuhan, executed Song Jian, and pacified Liangzhou.
93
公自合肥還。
He returned from Hefei.
94
十一月,漢皇后伏氏坐昔與父故屯騎校尉完書,云帝以董承被誅怨恨公,辭甚醜惡,發聞,后廢黜死,兄弟皆伏法。 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:公遣華歆勒兵入宮收后,后閉戶匿壁中。 歆壞戶發壁,牽后出。 帝時與御史大夫郗慮坐,后被髮徒跣過,執帝手曰:「不能復相活邪?」 帝曰:「我亦不自知命在何時也。」 帝謂慮曰:「郗公,天下寧有是乎!」 遂將后殺之,完及宗族死者數百人。〉
In November Empress Fu fell because letters to her father Fu Wan showed she and the emperor resented Cao Cao after Dong Cheng's death; she was deposed and killed with her kin. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says Hua Xin stormed the palace while the empress hid in a wall cavity. Hua Xin broke in and dragged her out. She clutched the emperor's hand barefoot and said, "Can you no longer save me?" The emperor said, "I myself do not know when my own fate will come." He turned to Xi Chu, "Can the world hold such cruelty?" They took her away to die; Fu Wan's clan lost hundreds.
95
十二月,公至孟津。 天子命公置旄頭,宮殿設鍾虡。 乙未,令曰:「夫有行之士未必能進取,進取之士未必能有行也。 陳平豈篤行,蘇秦豈守信邪? 而陳平定漢業,蘇秦濟弱燕。 由此言之,士有偏短,庸可廢乎! 有司明思此義,則士無遺滯,官無廢業矣。」 又曰:「夫刑,百姓之命也,而軍中典獄者或非其人,而任以三軍死生之事,吾甚懼之。 其選明達法理者,使持典刑。」 於是置理曹掾屬。
In December he reached Meng Ford. The emperor granted him plumed guard and palace bell-stands. On yiwei day he issued an order: "Men of conduct are not necessarily able to press forward and seize opportunity, and men who press forward are not necessarily men of conduct. Chen Ping was hardly a saint; Su Qin was hardly loyal. Yet they saved Han and Yan. Therefore never discard a man for a single flaw. If the responsible officials clearly consider this meaning, then no scholar will be left stuck and no office will be left neglected." He added, "Punishment is the life of the common people, yet those who handle prisons in the army are sometimes not the right men. To entrust them with matters of life and death for the three armies greatly frightens me. Appoint only clear-minded jurists to run military justice." He created the law bureau staff.
96
二十年春正月,天子立公中女爲皇后。 省雲中、定襄、五原、朔方郡,郡置一縣領其民,合以爲新興郡。
In the first month of spring, 215 CE, his middle daughter became empress. He merged northern border commanderies into Xinxing with one county seat each.
97
三月,公西征張魯,至陳倉,將自武都入氐; 氐人塞道,先遣張郃、朱靈等攻破之。 夏四月,公自陳倉以出散關,至河池。 氐王竇茂衆萬餘人,恃險不服,五月,公攻屠之。 西平、金城諸將麴演、蔣石等共斬送韓遂首。 〈《典略》曰:遂字文約,始與同郡邊章俱著名西州。 章爲督軍從事。 遂奉計詣京師,何進宿聞其名,特與相見,遂說進使誅諸閹人,進不從,乃求歸。 會涼州宋揚、北宮玉等反,舉章、遂爲主,章尋病卒,遂爲揚等所劫,不得已,遂阻兵爲亂,積三十二年,至是乃死,年七十餘矣。 劉艾《靈帝紀》曰:章,一名元。〉 秋七月,公至陽平。 張魯使弟衞與將楊昂等據陽平關,橫山築城十餘里,攻之不能拔,乃引軍還。 賊見大軍退,其守備解散。 公乃密遣解𢢼、高祚等乘險夜襲,大破之,斬其將楊任,進攻衞,衞等夜遁,魯潰奔巴中。 公軍入南鄭,盡得魯府庫珍寶。 〈《魏書》曰:軍自武都山行千里,升降險阻,軍人勞苦; 公於是大饗,莫不忘其勞。〉 巴、漢皆降。 復漢寧郡爲漢中; 分漢中之安陽、西城爲西城郡,置太守; 分錫、上庸郡,置都尉。
In the third month he marched on Hanzhong via Chencang toward Wudu and the Di country; the Di blocked the road until Zhang He and Zhu Ling cleared it. In the fourth month of summer he passed San Pass from Chencang to Hechi. Di king Dou Mao held defiles with ten thousand men until Cao Cao stormed and slaughtered them in May. Qu Yan and Jiang Shi of Xiping and Jincheng sent in Han Sui's head. 〈The Dian lüe gives Han Sui (courtesy Wenyue) and his early fame with Bian Zhang. Bian Zhang was an army supervisor clerk. Han Sui once urged He Jin to purge the eunuchs, failed, and went home. Later mutineers forced Han Sui and Bian Zhang to lead; Zhang died; Han Sui rebelled for thirty-two years until his seventies when his own men killed him. Liu Ai notes Bian Zhang was also called Yuan. In the seventh month of autumn he reached Yangping. Zhang Wei and Yang Ang held a ten-li wall at Yangping until Cao Cao withdrew, seemingly beaten. Seeing retreat, the defenders relaxed. Cao Cao sent Xie Xiao and Gao Zuo on a night climb, routed them, killed Yang Ren, and drove Zhang Wei away so Zhang Lu fled toward Ba. Entering Nanzheng, the Hanzhong administrative seat, he seized Zhang Lu's hoard. 〈The Book of Wei notes the brutal march through Wudu mountains, then feasted the army in gratitude for their ordeal. Ba commandery and Hanzhong submitted. He restored Hanning as Hanzhong commandery; split Anyang and Xicheng from Hanzhong into a new Xicheng commandery with a governor; and carved Xi and Shangyong with commandants.
98
八月,孫權圍合肥,張遼、李典擊破之。
In the eighth month Sun Quan besieged Hefei until Zhang Liao and Li Dian broke the siege.
99
九月,巴七姓夷王朴胡、賨邑侯杜濩舉巴夷、賨民來附, 〈孫盛曰:朴音浮。 濩音戶。〉 於是分巴郡,以胡爲巴東太守,濩爲巴西太守,皆封列侯。 天子命公承制封拜諸侯守相。 〈孔衍《漢魏春秋》曰:天子以公典任于外,臨事之賞,或宜速疾,乃命公得承制封拜諸侯守相,詔曰:「夫軍之大事,在茲賞罰,勸善懲惡,宜不旋時,故《司馬法》曰『賞不逾日』者,欲民速覩爲善之利也。 昔在中興,鄧禹入關,承制拜軍祭酒李文爲河東太守,來歙又承制拜高峻爲通路將軍,察其本傳,皆非先請,明臨事刻印也,斯則世祖神明,權達損益,蓋所用速示威懷而著鴻勳也。 其春秋之義,大夫出疆,有專命之事,苟所以利社稷安國家而已。 況君秉任二伯,師尹九有,實征夷夏,軍行蕃甸之外,失得在於斯須之間,停賞俟詔以滯世務,固非朕之所圖也。 自今已後,臨事所甄,當加寵號者,其便刻印章假授,咸使忠義得相獎勵,勿有疑焉。」〉
In the ninth month Pu Hu, Yi king of the seven Ba clans, and Du Hu, lord of the Cong district, led Ba and Cong tribes to surrender, 〈Sun Sheng says: Pu is read like fu. The gloss reads the graph as hu.〉 Ba was split; Pu Hu became governor of Badong and Du Hu of Baxi, both full marquises. The emperor authorized Cao Cao to appoint regional lords and governors on his own authority. 〈Kong Yan records an edict: "The great affairs of the army lie in rewards and punishments, encouraging good and punishing evil, and should not wait even a moment. Therefore the Sima fa says, 'Rewards do not pass the day,' wishing the people quickly to see the benefit of doing good. The edict compared this to Emperor Guangwu's restoration, when Deng Yu entered the passes and appointed Li Wen as grand administrator of Hedong, and Lai Xi appointed Gao Jun as General Who Opens the Road, both commissioning officers in the field without prior imperial approval. The Spring and Autumn allows ministers abroad sole discretion for the state's good. You command like the ancient two bols beyond the capital; waiting for Luoyang on every promotion would cripple the war effort. Henceforth carve seals and commission on your own judgment to keep loyalty rewarded without delay."〉"
100
冬十月,始置名號侯至五大夫,與舊列侯、關內侯凡六等,以賞軍功。 〈《魏書》曰:置名號侯爵十八級,關中侯爵十七級,皆金印紫綬; 又置關內外侯十六級,銅印龜紐墨綬; 五大夫十五級,銅印環紐,亦墨綬,皆不食租,與舊列侯關內侯凡六等。 臣松之以爲今之虛封蓋自此始。〉
In the tenth month of winter he created six grades of military nobility from title marquis down to grandee fifth class. 〈The Book of Wei lists eighteen ranks of title marquis and seventeen of Guanzhong marquis with gold and purple, sixteen ranks of inner/outer Guanzhong marquis with copper turtle seals, and fifteen ranks of grandee fifth class with ring-knob copper seals, none with rent fiefs, six grades in all beside old marquises. Pei Songzhi marks this as the start of purely nominal nobility.
101
十一月,魯自巴中將其餘衆降。 封魯及五子皆爲列侯。 劉備襲劉璋,取益州,遂據巴中; 遣張郃擊之。
In November Zhang Lu surrendered from Ba with his remaining followers. Zhang Lu and his five sons all received full marquisates. Liu Bei seized Yizhou from Liu Zhang and pushed into Ba; Cao Cao sent Zhang He against him.
102
十二月,公自南鄭還,留夏侯淵屯漢中。 〈是行也,侍中王粲作五言詩以美其事,曰:「從軍有苦樂,但問所從誰。 所從神且武,安得久勞師? 相公征關右,赫怒振天威,一舉滅獯虜,再舉服羌夷,西牧邊地賊,忽若俯拾遺。 陳賞越山嶽,酒肉踰川坻,軍中多饒飫,人馬皆溢肥,徒行兼乘還,空出有餘資。 拓土三千里,往反速如飛,歌舞入鄴城,所願獲無違。」〉
In December he left Nanzheng for Ye, leaving Xiahou Yuan in Hanzhong. 〈Wang Can's poem on the campaign begins, "War brings joy and woeit depends whom you serve. Follow a divine commander and the march feels short. It praises the western campaign smashing Hu and Qiang like picking up pebbles. It boasts rich feasts, fat horses, and soldiers returning laden with booty. It ends with a triumphal entry into Ye after three thousand li gained."〉"
103
二十一年春二月,公還鄴。 〈《魏書》曰:辛未,有司以太牢告至,策勳于廟,甲午始春祠,令曰:「議者以爲祠廟上殿當解履。 吾受錫命,帶劔不解履上殿。 今有事于廟而解履,是尊先公而替王命,敬父祖而簡君主,故吾不敢解履上殿也。 又臨祭就洗,以手擬水而不盥。 夫盥以絜爲敬,未聞擬向不盥之禮,且『祭神如神在』,故吾親受水而盥也。 又降神禮訖,下階就幕而立,須奏樂畢竟,似若不愆,烈祖遲祭,不速訖也。 故吾坐俟樂闋送神乃起也。 受胙納神以授侍中,此爲敬恭不終實也,古者親執祭事,故吾親納于神,終抱而歸也。 仲尼曰『雖違衆,吾從下』,誠哉斯言也。」〉 三月壬寅,公親耕籍田。 〈《魏書》曰:有司奏:「四時講武於農隙。 漢承秦制,三時不講,唯十月都試車馬,幸長水南門,會五營士爲八陣進退,名曰乘之。 今金革未偃,士民素習,自今已後,可無四時講武,但以立秋擇吉日大朝車騎,號曰治兵,上合禮名,下承漢制。」 奏可。〉 夏五月,天子進公爵爲魏王。 〈《獻帝傳》載詔曰:「自古帝王,雖號稱相變,爵等不同,至乎襃崇元勳,建立功德,光啟氏姓,延于子孫,庶姓之與親,豈有殊焉。 昔我聖祖受命,刱業肇基,造我區夏,鑒古今之制,通爵等之差,盡封山川以立藩屏,使異姓親戚,並列土地,據國而王,所以保乂天命,安固萬嗣。 歷世承平,臣主無事。 世祖中興而時有難易,是以曠年數百,無異姓諸侯王之位。 朕以不德,繼序弘業,遭率土分崩,羣兇縱毒,自西徂東,辛苦卑約。 當此之際,唯恐溺入于難,以羞先帝之聖德。 賴皇天之靈,俾君秉義奮身,震迅神武,捍朕于艱難,獲保宗廟,華夏遺民,含氣之倫,莫不蒙焉。 君勤過稷、禹,忠侔伊、周,而掩之以謙讓,守之以彌恭,是以往者初開魏國,錫君土宇,懼君之違命,慮君之固辭,故且懷志屈意,封君爲上公,欲以欽順高義,須俟勳績。 韓遂、宋建,南結巴、蜀,羣逆合從,圖危社稷,君復命將,龍驤虎奮,梟其元首,屠其窟栖。 曁至西征,陽平之役,親擐甲冑,深入險阻,芟夷蝥賊,殄其兇醜,盪定西陲,懸旌萬里,聲教遠振,寧我區宇。 蓋唐、虞之盛,三后樹功,文、武之興,旦、奭作輔,二祖成業,英豪佐命; 夫以聖哲之君,事爲己任,猶錫士班瑞以報功臣,豈有如朕寡德,仗君以濟,而賞典不豐,將何以荅神祇慰萬方哉? 今進君爵爲魏王,使使持節行御史大夫、宗正劉艾奉策璽玄土之社,苴以白茅,金虎符第一至第五,竹使符第一至十。 君其正王位,以丞相領冀州牧如故。 其上魏公璽綬符冊。 敬服朕命,簡恤爾衆,克綏庶績,以揚我祖宗之休命。」 魏王上書三辭,詔三報不許。 又手詔曰:「大聖以功德爲高美,以忠和爲典訓,故刱業垂名,使百世可希,行道制義,使力行可效,是以勳烈無窮,休光茂著。 稷、契載元首之聦明,周、邵因文、武之智用,雖經營庶官,仰歎俯思,其對豈有若君者哉? 朕惟古人之功,美之如彼,思君忠勤之績,茂之如此,是以每將鏤符析瑞,陳禮命冊,寤寐慨然,自忘守文之不德焉。 今君重違朕命,固辭懇切,非所以稱朕心,而訓後世也。 其抑志撙節,勿復固辭。」 《四體書勢序》曰:梁鵠以公爲北部尉。 《曹瞞傳》曰:爲尚書右丞司馬建公所舉。 及公爲王,召建公到鄴,與歡飲,謂建公曰:「孤今日可復作尉否?」 建公曰:「昔舉大王時,適可作尉耳。」 王大笑。 建公名防,司馬宣王之父。 臣松之案《司馬彪序傳》,建公不爲右丞,疑此不然,而王隱《晉書》云趙王篡位,欲尊祖爲帝,博士馬平議稱京兆府君昔舉魏武帝爲北部尉,賊不犯界,如此則爲有徵。〉 代郡烏丸行單于普富盧與其侯王來朝。 天子命王女爲公主,食湯沐邑。 秋七月,匈奴南單于呼廚泉將其名王來朝,待以客禮,遂留魏,使右賢王去卑監其國。 八月,以大理鍾繇爲相國。 〈《魏書》曰:始置奉常宗正官。〉
In the second month of spring, 216 CE, he was back in Ye. 〈The Wei Shu records his spring sacrifice order: "Some critics think that one should remove one's shoes when ascending the hall in the ancestral temple. because his nine-tins privilege allowed sword and shoes in the Han hall, so removing shoes only for ancestors would slight the emperor's grant. He also refused the empty hand-wetting ritual at the lavabo, insisting on a real ablution because the spirits are present. He waited under the canopy until the music ended rather than rushing the spirits away, so he sat through the final cadence before rising. He personally carried the offering to the spirit instead of delegating to attendants. He quotes Confucius on following the lower ritual path when the crowd is wrong."〉" On renyin in the third month he plowed the sacred field again. 〈Officials memorialized, "In the four seasons, military drills are held in the slack times between farming. while Han had dropped to a single October review at Changshui with five camps in eight formations, They proposed scrapping quarterly drills in wartime and holding one grand review each Start of Autumn, called "ordering troops," to match classical language and Han precedent." The emperor approved the memorial. In the fifth month of summer the emperor raised him to king of Wei. 〈The Xian di zhuan preserves the king-making edict: "From antiquity, though emperors and kings have changed their titles and their ranks have differed, when it came to honoring founding merit, establishing achievements, glorifying a surname, and extending it to descendants, how could there be a difference between distant surnames and kin? praising Han founders for enfeoffing all worthy lines to guard the mandate, and long eras of peace between ruler and ministers, until Guangwu's restoration left centuries without non-Liu kings until your rise. The edict continues: the emperor claims unworthiness while chaos ran from west to east. He feared disgracing the Han ancestors. Heaven sent Cao Cao to save the altars and every living Han subject. Your labors exceed ancient worthies yet you stayed humble, so the court first made you duke of Wei only, waiting to reward true merit. When Han Sui and Song Jian allied with Shu you sent generals who took their heads. At Yangping you wore armor yourself and cleared the west to the horizon. He compares the achievement to Tang, Yu, Wen, Wu, and their ministers. Even sage kings rewarded helpers richly; how can a weak emperor repay you so poorly? He advances Cao Cao to king of Wei with Liu Ai bearing seals, soil bundle, and tallies one through five and one through ten. Assume kingship while remaining chancellor and inspector of Ji. Return the old duke of Wei insignia. Respectfully obey Our command, choose and care for your people, bring the many tasks to peace, and thereby raise the fine mandate of Our ancestors." Cao Cao declined three times; the court refused three times. A personal edict said, "Great sages take merit and virtue as high beauty and loyalty and harmony as standard teachings. Therefore they founded enterprises and left names, so that a hundred generations could look up to them; they practiced the Way and established rightness, so that those who exert themselves could imitate them. Thus their fierce achievements were inexhaustible and their fine radiance was abundant. It asks whether even Ji, Qi, Zhou, and Shao matched Cao Cao's burden. The emperor says he loses sleep over how to honor such service. Further refusal would frustrate the court and mislead posterity. Accept the crown and stop refusing." The calligraphy preface notes Liang Hu once made Cao Cao northern district captain. The Cao Man Zhuan says Sima Fang recommended him. After Cao Cao became king, he summoned Lord Jian to Ye, drank joyfully with him, and said to him, "Could I still serve as a captain today?" Lord Jian replied, "When I recommended Your Majesty in the past, you were just fit to serve as a captain." Cao Cao roared with laughter. Sima Fang was the father of Sima Yi. Pei Songzhi doubts Sima Fang was right aide but cites a Jin source linking the recommendation to Cao Cao's early police post.〉 Wuhuan acting shanyu Pulu of Dai brought his chiefs to audience. The emperor made Cao Cao's daughter a princess with bath-town revenue. Southern Xiongnu shanyu Huchuquan came to court, was honored as a guest, then kept in Wei while Qubei ruled the steppe for him. In the eighth month Zhong Yao became prime minister. 〈The Book of Wei records new minister of ceremonies and imperial clan posts.
104
冬十月,治兵, 〈《魏書》曰:王親執金鼔以令進退。〉 遂征孫權,十一月至譙。
In the tenth month of winter he held the troop review, 〈beating the signal drum himself. Then he marched on Wu and reached Qiao in November.
105
二十二年春正月,王軍居巢,二月,進軍屯江西郝谿。 權在濡須口築城拒守,遂逼攻之,權退走。 三月,王引軍還,留夏侯惇、曹仁、張遼等屯居巢。
In spring 217 his host camped at Juchao, then moved to Haoxi west of the Yangzi. Sun Quan walled Ruxu until Cao Cao pressed him and he withdrew. In March he withdrew, leaving Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and Zhang Liao at Juchao.
106
夏四月,天子命王設天子旌旗,出入稱警蹕。 五月,作泮宮。 六月,以軍師華歆爲御史大夫。 〈《魏書》曰:初置衞尉官。 秋八月,令曰:「昔伊摯、傅說出於賤人,管仲,桓公賊也,皆用之以興。 蕭何、曹參,縣吏也,韓信、陳平負汙辱之名,有見笑之恥,卒能成就王業,聲著千載。 吳起貪將,殺妻自信,散金求官,母死不歸,然在魏,奏人不敢東向,在楚則三晉不敢南謀。 今天下得無有至德之人放在民間,及果勇不顧,臨敵力戰; 若文俗之吏,高才異質,或堪爲將守; 負汙辱之名,見笑之行,或不仁不孝而有治國用兵之術:其各舉所知,勿有所遺。」〉 冬十月,天子命王冕十有二旒,乘金根車,駕六馬,設五時副車,以五官中郎將丕爲魏太子。
In April the emperor granted imperial banners and cleared-road ceremony. In May he built the Pan Palace at Ye. In June Hua Xin became imperial counselor. 〈First minister of the guards was appointed. His famous talent edict of the eighth month said, "In the past, Yi Zhi and Fu Yue came from lowly men, and Guan Zhong was Duke Huan's enemy, yet all were employed and thereby brought their states to rise. Xiao He, Cao Shen, Han Xin, and Chen Ping had humble or scandalous pasts yet built the Han. Even ruthless Wu Qi froze Qin and Jin when he served Wei and Chu. There may be hidden sages and fearless warriors; civil officials of unusual ability fit for command; recommend scoundrels with statecraft anyway."〉" In October the emperor gave twelve-tassel crown, six-horse imperial chariot, five-seasons escort, and named Cao Pi heir.
107
劉備遣張飛、馬超、吳蘭等屯下辯; 遣曹洪拒之。
Liu Bei posted Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, and Wu Lan at Xiabian; Cao Cao sent Cao Hong to hold them.
108
二十三年春正月,漢太醫令吉本與少府耿紀、司直韋晃等反,攻許,燒丞相長史王必營, 〈《魏武故事》載令曰:「領長史王必,是吾披荊棘時吏也。 忠能勤事,心如鐵石,國之良吏也。 蹉跌久未辟之,捨騏驥而弗乘,焉遑遑而更求哉? 故教辟之,已署所宜,便以領長史統事如故。」〉 必與潁川典農中郎將嚴匡討斬之。 〈《三輔決錄注》曰:時有京兆金禕字德禕,自以世爲漢臣,自日磾討莽何羅,忠誠顯著,名節累葉。 覩漢祚將移,謂可季興,乃喟然發憤,遂與耿紀、韋晃、吉本、本子邈、邈弟穆等結謀。 紀字季行,少有美名,爲丞相掾,王甚敬異之,遷侍中,守少府。 邈字文然,穆字思然,以禕慷慨有日磾之風,又與王必善,因以閒之,若殺必,欲挾天子以攻魏,南援劉備。 時關羽彊盛,而王在鄴,留必典兵督許中事。 文然等率雜人及家僮千餘人夜燒門攻必,禕遣人爲內應,射必中肩。 必不知攻者爲誰,以素與禕善,走投禕,夜喚德禕,禕家不知是必,謂爲文然等,錯應曰:「王長史已死乎? 卿曹事立矣!」 必乃更他路奔。 一曰:必欲投禕,其帳下督謂必曰:「今日事竟知誰門而投入乎?」 扶必奔南城。 會天明,必猶在,文然等衆散,故敗。 後十餘日,必竟以創死。 《獻帝春秋》曰:收紀、晃等,將斬之,紀呼魏王名曰:「恨吾不自生意,竟爲羣兒所誤耳!」 晃頓首搏頰,以至於死。 《山陽公載記》曰:王聞王必死,盛怒,召漢百官詣鄴,令救火者左,不救火者右。 衆人以爲救火者必無罪,皆附左; 王以爲「不救火者非助亂,救火乃實賊也」。 皆殺之。〉
In spring 218 Ji Ben, Geng Ji, and Wei Huang rose in Xu, torched Wang Bi's yamen, 〈Cao Cao's order recorded in the Wei Wu anecdotes said, "Acting Chief Clerk Wang Bi was an official of mine when I was cutting through brambles. Loyal, tireless, iron-willed—a model clerk. He regrets having delayed promoting him. He had just appointed Wang Bi chief clerk of Xu."〉" Wang Bi and Yan Kuang crushed the coup and executed the rebels. 〈The commentary names Jin Yi of Jingzhao, who boasted a Han-loyalist pedigree from Jin Midi. Seeing the Han failing, he plotted with Geng Ji, Wei Huang, the Ji family, and others. Geng Ji (courtesy Jixing) had been a trusted chancellor aide promoted to palace attendant and minister of the lesser treasury. Ji Miao and Ji Mu worked through Jin Yi, who was close to Wang Bi, hoping to kill Wang Bi, seize the emperor, and join Liu Bei. With Guan Yu ascendant and Cao Cao in Ye, Wang Bi held Xu. They stormed the gate at night, Jin Yi's men inside shot Wang Bi in the shoulder. Wang Bi fled to Jin Yi's house. Jin Yi's family did not know it was Wang Bi and, thinking he was Wen Ran and the others, answered by mistake, "Is Chief Clerk Wang dead? so your plot has succeeded!" Realizing the trap, Wang Bi ran another way. Another version says that when Wang Bi wished to flee to Jin Yi, his subordinate commander told him, "In today's affair, how can you know whose gate you are entering?" The adjutant helped him reach the south city. At dawn Wang Bi still lived and the rebels melted away. Wang Bi died of his wounds days later. At execution, Geng Ji called out the King of Wei's name and said, "I regret that I did not produce the plan myself and was ultimately misled by these boys!" Wei Huang wept and beat his face until the blade fell. Furious at Wang Bi's death, Cao Cao summoned Luoyang officials to Ye and ordered fire-fighters left, non-fighters right. Everyone crowded left thinking fire-fighters were safe, but Cao Cao considered, "Those who did not fight the fire were not helping the disorder; those who fought the fire were the true rebels," and executed everyone who had fought the blaze.
109
曹洪破吳蘭,斬其將任夔等。 三月,張飛、馬超走漢中,陰平氐強端斬吳蘭,傳其首。
Cao Hong defeated Wu Lan and killed Ren Kui. In March Zhang Fei and Ma Chao withdrew; Qiang Duan of Yinping Di killed Wu Lan and sent the head.
110
夏四月,代郡、上谷烏丸無臣氐等叛,遣鄢陵侯彰討破之。 〈《魏書》載王令曰:「去冬天降疫癘,民有凋傷,軍興于外,墾田損少,吾甚憂之。 其令吏民男女:女年七十已上無夫子,若年十二已下無父母兄弟,及目無所見,手不能作,足不能行,而無妻子父兄產業者,廩食終身。 幼者至十二止,貧窮不能自贍者,隨口給貸。 老耄須待養者,年九十已上,復不事,家一人。」〉
In April Wuhuan Wuchenshi rebelled in Dai and Shanggu; Cao Zhang crushed them. 〈An edict recorded in the Wei Shu said, "Last winter Heaven sent epidemic pestilence, the people suffered loss and injury, the army was raised abroad, and cultivated fields were reduced. I am deeply worried by this. It orders lifelong grain for the blind, crippled, childless elderly, and orphans under twelve. Aid for minors ends at twelve; other poor get ration loans. Households with dependents over ninety get one corvée exemption."〉"
111
六月,令曰:「古之葬者,必居瘠薄之地。 其規西門豹祠西原上爲壽陵,因高爲基,不封不樹。 周禮冢人掌公墓之地,凡諸侯居左右以前,卿大夫居後,漢制亦謂之陪陵。 其公卿大臣列將有功者,宜陪壽陵,其廣爲兆域,使足相容。」
In June he issued an order: "Those buried in antiquity always occupied poor and barren land. He chose the plateau west of Ximen Bao's shrine for a low unmarked tumulus. He cites Zhou and Han rules on clustering tombs around the royal mound. Meritorious officers may be buried beside him in ample ground."
112
秋七月,治兵,遂西征劉備,九月,至長安。
In July he reviewed troops and marched to Chang'an in September.
113
冬十月,宛守將侯音等反,執南陽太守,劫略吏民,保宛。 初,曹仁討關羽,屯樊城,是月使仁圍宛。
In October Hou Yin seized Wan, took the governor hostage, and rebelled. Cao Ren had been facing Guan Yu at Fan; he was now ordered to invest Wan.
114
二十四年春正月,仁屠宛,斬音。 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:是時南陽間苦繇役,音於是執太守東里襃,與吏民共反,與關羽連和。 南陽功曹宗子卿往說音曰:「足下順民心,舉大事,遠近莫不望風; 然執郡將,逆而無益,何不遣之。 吾與子共戮力,比曹公軍來,關羽兵亦至矣。」 音從之,即釋遣太守。 子卿因夜踰城亡出,遂與太守收餘民圍音,會曹仁軍至,共滅之。〉
In spring 219 Cao Ren took Wan and executed Hou Yin. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan blames harsh corvée for Hou Yin's revolt with Guan Yu. Zong Ziqing went to persuade Hou Yin, saying, "You follow the people's hearts and raise a great enterprise; near and far, none fail to look to the wind. and he should free the governor. I will join you in exerting all our strength, and by the time Lord Cao's army comes, Guan Yu's troops will also have arrived." Hou Yin freed the governor. Zong Ziqing escaped, rallied loyalists, and joined Cao Ren to end the siege.
115
夏侯淵與劉備戰於陽平,爲備所殺。 三月,王自長安出斜谷,軍遮要以臨漢中,遂至陽平。 備因險拒守。 〈《九州春秋》曰:時王欲還,出令曰「雞肋」,官屬不知所謂。 主簿楊脩便自嚴裝,人驚問脩:「何以知之?」 脩曰:「夫雞肋,棄之如可惜,食之無所得,以比漢中,知王欲還也。」〉
Xiahou Yuan fell to Liu Bei at Yangping. In March Cao Cao took Xie Valley toward Hanzhong and Yangping. Liu Bei held the defiles. 〈The Jiuzhou chunqiu says he muttered "chicken ribs" when debating retreat; Yang Xiu immediately packed his gear, and people were startled and asked Xiu, "How did you know?" Yang Xiu said, "Chicken ribs: throwing them away feels wasteful, yet eating them yields nothing. Hanzhong is the same; the king intends to pull back."〉
116
夏五月,引軍還長安。
In the fifth month of summer he withdrew to Chang'an.
117
秋七月,以夫人卞氏爲王后。 遣于禁助曹仁擊關羽。 八月,漢水溢,灌禁軍,軍沒,羽獲禁,遂圍仁。 使徐晃救之。
In the seventh month of autumn Lady Bian became queen. He sent Yu Jin to reinforce Cao Ren against Guan Yu. In August the Han River rose, drowned Yu Jin's corps, Guan Yu captured Yu Jin, and tightened the siege of Cao Ren. He ordered Xu Huang to relieve the siege.
118
九月,相國鍾繇坐西曹掾魏諷反免。 〈《世語》曰:諷字子京,沛人,有惑衆才,傾動鄴都,鍾繇由是辟焉。 大軍未反,諷潛結徒黨,又與長樂衞尉陳禕謀襲鄴。 未及期,禕懼,告之太子,誅諷,坐死者數十人。 王昶家誡曰「濟陰魏諷」,而此云沛人,未詳。〉
In September Zhong Yao lost his post as prime minister when his western-bureau clerk Wei Feng plotted treason. 〈The Shi Yu describes Wei Feng (Zijing) of Pei as a charismatic schemer whom Zhong Yao had employed. While the main army was away Wei Feng conspired with Chen Wei to seize Ye. Chen Wei panicked, informed the crown prince, and Wei Feng was executed along with dozens of accomplices. Wang Chang's Family Admonition says, "Wei Feng of Jiyin," yet this passage calls him a man of Pei; it is not clear which is right.〉
119
冬十月,軍還洛陽。 〈《曹瞞傳》曰:王更脩治北部尉廨,令過於舊。〉 孫權遣使上書,以討關羽自效。 王自洛陽南征羽,未至,晃攻羽,破之,羽走,仁圍解。 王軍摩陂。 〈《魏略》曰:孫權上書稱臣,稱說天命。 王以權書示外曰:「是兒欲踞吾著爐火上邪!」 侍中陳羣、尚書桓階奏曰:「漢自安帝已來,政去公室,國統數絕,至於今者,唯有名號,尺土一民,皆非漢有,期運久已盡,歷數久已終,非適今日也。 是以桓、靈之閒,諸明圖緯者,皆言『漢行氣盡,黃家當興』。 殿下應期,十分天下而有其九,以服事漢,羣生注望,遐邇怨歎,是故孫權在遠稱臣,此天人之應,異氣齊聲。 臣愚以爲虞、夏不以謙辭,殷、周不吝誅放,畏天知命,無所與讓也。」 《魏氏春秋》曰:夏侯惇謂王曰:「天下咸知漢祚已盡,異代方起。 自古已來,能除民害爲百姓所歸者,即民主也。 今殿下即戎三十餘年,功德著於黎庶,爲天下所依歸,應天順民,復何疑哉!」 王曰:「『施於有政,是亦爲政』。 若天命在吾,吾爲周文王矣。」 《曹瞞傳》及《世語》並云桓階勸王正位,夏侯惇以爲宜先滅蜀,蜀亡則吳服,二方旣定,然後遵舜、禹之軌,王從之。 及至王薨,惇追恨前言,發病卒。 孫盛評曰:夏侯惇恥爲漢官,求受魏印,桓階方惇,有義直之節; 考其傳記,《世語》爲妄矣。〉
In the tenth month of winter the army reached Luoyang. 〈The Cao Man Zhuan says he rebuilt the compound of his old northern-district captaincy and made it grander than before.〉 Sun Quan wrote offering to strike Guan Yu to show loyalty. Cao Cao marched south for Guan Yu but Xu Huang defeated him first, lifting the siege of Fan. He camped at Mopo. 〈The Wei lüe says Sun Quan submitted as vassal and flattered the Mandate of Heaven. Cao Cao showed Sun Quan's letter to outsiders and said, "Does this boy want to set me over a blazing stove?" Chen Qun and Huan Jie memorialized, "Since Emperor An, Han's government has left the imperial house, and the state line has repeatedly been cut off. Down to the present there is only a name and title; not a foot of soil or a single commoner belongs to Han. Its appointed span has long been exhausted, and its calendrical count has long ended; this is not only the case today. They cited omens that the Yellow Heaven would replace Han. They urged him to take the throne since he held nine-tenths of the realm and even Sun Quan acknowledged it. In our foolish opinion, Yu and Xia did not use modest refusals, and Yin and Zhou did not begrudge execution and exile. Fearing Heaven and knowing the mandate, there is nothing to yield to." The Wei Annals records Xiahou Dun telling the king, "All under heaven know that Han's fortune is exhausted and that a different age is about to arise. Whoever saves the people is their true ruler. After more than thirty years at war your merit is plain to the common people; you are the pillar they lean on. Heaven and the multitude are aligned—why hesitate further?" Cao Cao said, "'Applying oneself to government: this too is government. If Heaven's mandate rests with me, I will be King Wen of Zhou." Other sources say Huan Jie urged enthronement while Xiahou Dun wanted Shu conquered first; the king agreed with the latter. When Cao Cao died, Xiahou Dun brooded over what he had said before, sickened, and passed away. Sun Sheng argues that Xiahou Dun was eager for Wei titles while posing as a Han servant, whereas Huan Jie confronted him and kept his integrity; and when the sources are compared, the Shi Yu story does not hold up.〉
120
二十五年春正月,至洛陽。 權擊斬羽,傳其首。
In the first month of spring, 220 CE, he reached Luoyang. Sun Quan killed Guan Yu and sent the head north.
121
庚子,王崩于洛陽,年六十六。 〈《世語》曰:太祖自漢中至洛陽,起建始殿,伐濯龍祠而樹血出。 《曹瞞傳》曰:王使工蘇越徙美棃,掘之,根傷盡出血。 越白狀,王躬自視而惡之,以爲不祥,還遂寑疾。〉 遺令曰:「天下尚未安定,未得遵古也。 葬畢,皆除服。 其將兵屯戍者,皆不得離屯部。 有司各率乃職。 斂以時服,無藏金玉珍寶。」 謚曰武王。 二月丁卯,葬高陵。
On gengzi day he died in Luoyang at sixty-six. 〈The Shi Yu records an omen: while building Jianshi Hall he had a tree felled at the Zhuolong Shrine and it bled like a wound. The Cao Man Zhuan adds a bleeding pear root when transplanting. Su Yue reported it; Cao Cao went to look, hated the sign, took it as a bad omen, and soon afterward fell ill.〉 His final order said, "All under heaven is not yet settled, so we cannot follow antiquity. Mourning should end with the burial. Garrison troops must stay at their posts. Officials should keep working. Shroud me in ordinary seasonal clothes; do not store gold, jade, or precious treasures." He was given the posthumous title King Wu. On dingmao in the second month he was buried at Gaoling.
122
〈《魏書》曰:太祖自統御海內,芟夷羣醜,其行軍用師,大較依孫、吳之法,而因事設奇,譎敵制勝,變化如神。 自作兵書十萬餘言,諸將征伐,皆以新書從事。 臨事又手爲節度,從令者克捷,違教者負敗。 與虜對陣,意思安閑,如不欲戰,然及至決機乘勝,氣勢盈溢,故每戰必克,軍無幸勝。 知人善察,難眩以偽,拔于禁、樂進於行陣之間,取張遼、徐晃於亡虜之內,皆佐命立功,列爲名將; 其餘拔出細微,登爲牧守者,不可勝數。 是以刱造大業,文武並施,御軍三十餘年,手不捨書,晝則講武策,夜則思經傳,登高必賦,及造新詩,被之管絃,皆成樂章。 才力絕人,手射飛鳥,躬禽猛獸,甞於南皮一日射雉獲六十三頭。 及造作宮室,繕治器械,無不爲之法則,皆盡其意。 雅性節儉,不好華麗,後宮衣不錦繡,侍御履不二采,帷帳屏風,壞則補納,茵蓐取溫,無有緣飾。 攻城拔邑,得靡麗之物,則悉以賜有功,勳勞宜賞,不吝千金,無功望施,分豪不與,四方獻御,與羣下共之。 常以送終之制,襲稱之數,繁而無益,俗又過之,故預自制終亡衣服,四篋而已。〉
〈The Wei shu praises Cao Cao for clearing the realm: his campaigns followed Sunzi and Wuzi, yet he improvised stratagems and outthought every opponent. He wrote over one hundred thousand characters of military doctrine, and his commanders fought by that new manual. In the field he micromanaged orders: obedience brought victory, disobedience brought rout. Against an enemy line he looked almost indifferent to battle, yet at the decisive stroke his fury surged, and he won every engagement by skill, not fortune. He read people shrewdly: Yu Jin and Le Jin rose from the ranks, Zhang Liao and Xu Huang from defeated enemies, yet each became a pillar general. Countless others he pulled from obscurity into governorships and magistracies. He built a state with both pen and sword: thirty years of command without neglecting study—days for strategy, nights for the classics, and every climb inspired a poem that became court music. His physical power was legendary—hawking on the wing, wrestling beasts—and at Nanpi he bagged sixty-three pheasants in one day. Palace works and armory refits all bore his personal standards, worked out down to the last detail. He lived plainly: no brocade in the harem, single-color footwear for servants, patched drapes instead of new silks, and bedding chosen for warmth, not display. Spoils of conquest went to the deserving; he paid fortunes for real merit and refused a copper to favor-seekers, while sharing regional gifts with his staff. He despised wasteful funeral pomp and pre-made his own winding-sheet—four small boxes of clothes, nothing more.〉
123
〈《傅子》曰:太祖愍嫁娶之奢僭,公女適人,皆以皁帳,從婢不過十人。〉
〈The Fu zi adds that he curbed bridal excess: ducal brides had plain black hangings and no more than ten attendants.〉
124
〈張華《博物志》曰:漢世,安平崔瑗、瑗子寔、弘農張芝、芝弟昶並善草書,而太祖亞之。 桓譚、蔡邕善音樂,馮翊山子道、王九真、郭凱等善圍棊,太祖皆與埒能。 又好養性法,亦解方藥,招引方術之士,廬江左慈、譙郡華他、甘陵甘始、陽城郄儉無不畢至,又習啖野葛至一尺,亦得少多飲鴆酒。〉
〈Zhang Hua lists the great Han calligraphers—Cui Yuan and Cui Shi, Zhang Zhi and Zhang Chang—and places Cao Cao a close second. He could hold his own with Huan Tan and Cai Yong in music and with noted weiqi masters of the day. He dabbled in longevity lore and pharmacology, inviting Zuo Ci, Hua Tuo, Gan Shi, Qie Jian, and others; he even trained himself to swallow wild kudzu by the foot and to tolerate poison wine in quantity.〉
125
〈《傅子》曰:漢末王公,多委王服,以幅巾爲雅,是以袁紹、崔豹之徒,雖爲將帥,皆著縑巾。 魏太祖以天下凶荒,資財乏匱,擬古皮弁,裁縑帛以爲帢,合于簡易隨時之義,以色別其貴賤,于今施行,可謂軍容,非國容也。〉
〈Late Han magnates affected scholar's headcloths instead of court dress—even generals like Yuan Shao and Cui Bao wrapped their heads in silk. Cao Cao introduced the plain silk qia as wartime headgear—color-coded for rank—a practical field style rather than full court regalia.〉
126
〈《曹瞞傳》曰:太祖爲人佻易無威重,好音樂,倡優在側,常以日達夕。 被服輕綃,身自佩小鞶囊,以盛手巾細物,時或冠帢帽以見賔客。 每與人談論,戲弄言誦,盡無所隱,及歡恱大笑,至以頭沒柸案中,肴膳皆沾洿巾幘,其輕易如此。 然持法峻刻,諸將有計畫勝出己者,隨以法誅之,及故人舊怨,亦皆無餘。 其所刑殺,輒對之垂涕嗟痛之,終無所活。 初,袁忠爲沛相,甞欲以法治太祖,沛國桓邵亦輕之,及在兖州,陳留邊讓言議頗侵太祖,太祖殺讓,族其家。 忠、邵俱避難交州,太祖遣使就太守止燮盡族之。 桓邵得出首,拜謝於庭中,太祖謂曰:「跪可解死邪!」 遂殺之。 甞出軍,行經麥中,令「士卒無敗麥,犯者死」。 騎士皆下馬,付麥以相付,於是太祖馬騰入麥中,勑主簿議罪; 主簿對以春秋之義,罰不加於尊。 太祖曰:「制法而自犯之,何以帥下? 然孤爲軍帥,不可自殺,請自刑。」 因援劔割髮以置地。 又有幸姬常從晝寢,枕之卧,告之曰:「須臾覺我。」 姬見太祖卧安,未即寤,及自覺,棒殺之。 常討賊,廩穀不足,私謂主者曰:「如何?」 主者曰:「可以小斛以足之。」 太祖曰:「善。」 後軍中言太祖欺衆,太祖謂主者曰:「特當借君死以猒衆,不然事不解。」 乃斬之,取首題徇曰:「行小斛,盜官穀,斬之軍門。」 其酷虐變詐,皆此之類也。〉
〈The Cao Man zhuan paints him as irreverent and music-mad, keeping entertainers with him from morning till night. He dressed lightly, tucked a kerchief in a belt pouch, and sometimes received visitors in a casual qia cap. In conversation he joked without reserve, and in mirth he might bury his face in the dishes until sauce stained his headgear. Yet the law was ruthless: any general who outshone him could die for it, and old scores were settled in blood. He wept theatrically over men he executed, but never spared them. Yuan Zhong and Huan Shao had once slighted him; later, when Bian Rang mocked him in Yanzhou, Cao Cao had Bian killed and his kin wiped out. When Yuan Zhong and Huan Shao fled to Jiaozhou, he sent orders through the local governor to extirpate both families. Huan Shao came out to beg pardon on his knees; Cao Cao sneered, "Think kneeling saves you?" Then he had him executed. On a march through wheat, he ordered, "Soldiers must not damage the wheat; violators will die." The troopers dismounted and shifted the crop aside by hand—yet his own mount broke into the field, and he told his chief clerk to rule on the breach. The clerk cited the Chunqiu principle that law does not bind the sovereign. Cao Cao replied, "How can I legislate a rule and break it before the ranks? As commander-in-chief he could not execute himself, so he proposed a substitute punishment." He drew his sword, sheared off his hair, and threw it down as symbolic execution. A favorite concubine once attended him during a daytime nap, lay with his head on her lap, and he told her, "Wake me after a little while." She let him sleep on; when he woke on his own, he beat her to death for disobeying. Once, while campaigning against bandits, army grain ran short, and he privately asked the quartermaster, "What should be done?" The quartermaster said, "We can use smaller scoops to make it suffice." Cao Cao said, "Good." When the troops later said Cao Cao had deceived them, Cao Cao told the quartermaster, "I must borrow your death to satisfy the men. Otherwise the matter cannot be resolved." He then beheaded him, took the head, and displayed it with a placard: "He used small scoops and stole official grain; he is beheaded at the army gate." Such episodes typify his cruelty and cunning.〉
127
評曰:漢末,天下大亂,雄豪並起,而袁紹虎眎四州,彊盛莫敵。 太祖運籌演謀,鞭撻宇內,擥申、商之法術,該韓、白之奇策,官方授材,各因其器,矯情任筭,不念舊惡,終能總御皇機,克成洪業者,惟其明略最優也。 抑可謂非常之人,超世之傑矣。
The historian's verdict: in the late Han collapse Yuan Shao dominated four provinces and seemed unstoppable. Cao Cao matched Legalist rigor with Han Xin–style stratagem, matched men to posts, mastered his passions, forgave old slights when useful, and seized the mandate—above all because his political vision was unmatched. He ranks among the rare figures who tower above their times.