1
劉馥字元穎，沛國相人也。 避亂揚州，建安初，說袁術將戚寄、秦翊，使率衆與俱詣太祖。 太祖恱之，司徒辟為掾。 後孫策所置廬江太守李述攻殺揚州刺史嚴象，廬江梅乾、雷緒、陳蘭等聚衆數萬在江、淮間，郡縣殘破。 太祖方有袁紹之難，謂馥可任以東南之事，遂表為揚州刺史。
Liu Fu, style Yuanying, hailed from Xiang in Pei commandery. He took refuge from the disorder in Yangzhou. Early in the Jian'an reign he talked Yuan Shu's officers Qi Ji and Qin Yi into bringing their troops with him to join Cao Cao. Cao Cao took a liking to him, and the minister of education appointed him a staff clerk. Later the Lujiang prefect Li Shu, whom Sun Ce had put in office, attacked and killed Yangzhou Inspector Yan Xiang; Mei Gan, Lei Xu, Chen Lan, and others from Lujiang raised tens of thousands of followers between the Yangzi and the Huai, and commandery after commandery was broken and laid waste. Cao Cao was then mired in his struggle with Yuan Shao; judging Liu Fu capable of handling the southeast, he memorialized the throne and had him named Inspector of Yangzhou.
2
馥旣受命，單馬造合肥空城，建立州治，南懷緒等，皆安集之，貢獻相繼。 數年中恩化大行，百姓樂其政，流民越江山而歸者以萬數。 於是聚諸生，立學校，廣屯田，興治芍陂及茹陂、七門、吳塘諸堨以溉稻田，官民有畜。 又高為城壘，多積木石，編作草苫數千萬枚，益貯魚膏數千斛，為戰守備。
Once Liu Fu had his orders, he rode alone into the empty city of Hefei, set up the provincial government, won over Lei Xu and the bands to the south, brought them all peacefully under his authority, and tribute from the region began to flow in without interruption. In a few years the beneficent sway of his rule was everywhere felt; the people welcomed his administration, and refugees who crossed mountains and rivers to come home numbered in the tens of thousands. He then summoned literati, founded schools, expanded the military-colony system, and had the Shaoyi, Ruyi, Qimen, and Wutang embankments built up and regulated to irrigate the paddies, so that officials and commoners alike had surplus stored away. He likewise raised the city's walls and towers, stockpiled timber and stone, plaited millions of bundles of straw matting, and laid in thousands of hu of fish oil—all to ready Hefei for siege and defense.
3
建安十三年卒。 孫權率十萬衆攻圍合肥城百餘日，時天連雨，城欲崩，於是以苫蓑覆之，夜然脂照城外，視賊所作而為備，賊以破走。 揚州士民益追思之，以為雖董安于之守晉陽，不能過也。 及陂塘之利，至今為用。
He died in the thirteenth year of Jian'an. Sun Quan brought a hundred thousand men to invest Hefei for over a hundred days. Rain fell without ceasing until the walls threatened to give way; the defenders shored them with mats and thatch, and at night burned lard-oil lamps along the parapet to study the enemy's works and counter them. The attackers eventually broke and withdrew. The gentry and common folk of Yangzhou remembered him with increasing admiration, convinced that even Dong Anyu's storied defense of Jinyang had not surpassed what Liu Fu had left them. The irrigation works he began are still doing their work today.
4
子靖
Son: Liu Jing
5
〈《晉陽秋》曰：劉弘字叔和，熙之弟也。 弘與晉世祖同年，居同里，以舊恩屢登顯位。 自靖至弘，世不曠名，而有政事才。 晉西朝之末，弘為車騎大將軍開府，荊州刺史，假節都督荊、交、廣州諸軍事，封新城郡公。 其在江、漢，值王室多難，得專命一方，盡其器能。 推誠羣下，厲以公義，簡刑獄，務農桑。 每有興發，手書郡國，丁寧款密，故莫不感恱，顛倒奔赴，咸曰「得劉公一紙書，賢於十部從事也」。 時帝在長安，命弘得選用宰守。 徵士武陵伍朝高尚其事，牙門將皮初有勳江漢，弘上朝為零陵太守，初為襄陽太守。 詔書以襄陽顯郡，初資名輕淺，以弘壻夏侯陟為襄陽。 弘曰：「夫統天下者當與天下同心，治一國者當與一國推實。 吾統荊州十郡，安得十女壻，然後為治哉！」 乃表「陟姻親，舊制不得相監臨事，初勳宜見酬」。 報聽之，衆益服其公當。 廣漢太守辛冉以天子蒙塵，四方雲擾，進從橫計於弘。 弘怒斬之，時人莫不稱善。 《晉諸公贊》曰：于時天下雖亂，荊州安全。 弘有劉景升保有江漢之志，不附太傅司馬越。 越甚銜之。 會弘病卒。 子璠，北中郎將。〉
〈According to the Jin Yangchun, Liu Hong, courtesy name Shuhe, was the younger brother of Liu Xi. Liu Hong had been born the same year as Sima Yan and had grown up on the same street; those longstanding ties lifted him again and again to high office. From Liu Jing through Liu Hong no generation lacked a name worth remembering, and each showed a gift for practical government. Toward the close of the Western Jin, Liu Hong rose to general of chariots and cavalry with an independent command, governor of Jingzhou, bearer of the imperial baton as military overseer of Jing, Jiao, and Guang, and was invested duke of Xincheng. While he held the Yangzi and Han basins, the imperial house was beset by crises; he was left to rule his corner of the realm on his own authority and used every ounce of his ability. He dealt openly with his subordinates, spurred them with a sense of public duty, lightened penal administration, and pressed the planting of grain and the raising of silkworms. Whenever there was a project to undertake, he personally wrote letters to the commanderies and kingdoms, earnestly and in detail, so that none failed to be moved and pleased; they scrambled to hasten to him, all saying, "To obtain one sheet from Lord Liu is better than ten departmental aides." The Son of Heaven was then at Chang'an and authorized Liu Hong to appoint his own magistrates and governors. The recluse Wu Chao of Wuling had chosen a life of lofty seclusion, while the ya-general Pi Chu had distinguished himself along the Jiang and Han; Liu Hong recommended Wu Chao for Lingling and Pi Chu for Xiangyang. The rescript replied that Xiangyang was too important a seat for Pi Chu, whose rank and reputation were modest, and named Liu Hong's son-in-law Xiahou Zhi to the post instead. Liu Hong said, "Whoever holds the realm must think with the whole realm; whoever tends a single kingdom must seek true merit with all who serve it. I oversee ten commanderies in Jingzhou—am I supposed to need ten sons-in-law before I can govern them fairly!" He therefore memorialized: "Because Xiahou Zhi is my kinsman by marriage, precedent forbids his holding supervisory authority over me; Pi Chu's service deserves recognition." The court approved his plea, and the world only admired him the more for his even-handed justice. Xin Ran of Guanghan, seeing the emperor driven from his capital and the empire in turmoil, pressed on Liu Hong a scheme of opportunist ambition. Liu Hong had him put to death in anger; contemporaries unanimously applauded the deed. The Jin Zhugong zan observes that while the realm was falling apart, Jingzhou alone stayed calm. Liu Hong harbored something of Liu Biao's old dream of holding the Jiang and Han as a shield; he refused to throw in his lot with the grand tutor Sima Yue. Sima Yue nursed a deep grudge against him for it. Before matters could come to a head, Liu Hong fell ill and died. His son Liu Fan rose to north general of the central armies.〉
6
司馬朗
Sima Lang
7
司馬朗字伯達，河内溫人也。 〈司馬彪序傳曰：朗祖父雋，字元異，博學好古，倜儻有大度。 長八尺三寸，腰帶十圍，儀狀魁岸，與眾有異，鄉黨宗族咸景附焉。 位至穎川太守。 父防，字建公，性質直公方，雖閑居宴處，威儀不忒。 雅好《漢書名臣列傳》，所諷誦者數十萬言。 少仕州郡，歷官洛陽令、京兆尹，以年老轉拜骑都尉。 養志閭巷，闔門自守。 諸子雖冠成人，不命曰進不敢進，不命曰坐不敢坐，不指有所問不敢言，父子之間肅如也。 年七十一，建安二十四年終。 有子八人，朗最長，次即晉宣皇帝也。〉 九歲，人有道其父字者，朗曰：「慢人親者，不敬其親者也。」 客謝之。 十二，試經爲童子郎，監試者以其身體壮大，疑朗匿年，劾問。 朗曰：「朗之内外，累世長大，朗雖穉弱，無仰高之風，損年以求早成，非志所爲也。」 監試者異之。 後關東兵起，故冀州刺史李邵家居野王，近山險，欲徙居溫。 朗謂邵曰：「脣齒之喻，豈唯虞、虢，溫與野王即是也； 今去彼而居此，是爲避朝亡之期耳。 且君，國人之望也，今寇未至而先徙，帶山之縣必駭，是摇動民之心而開姦宄之原也，竊爲郡内憂之。」 邵不從。 邊山之民果亂，内徙，或爲寇鈔。
Sima Lang, courtesy name Boda, was a man of Wen in Henei. 〈Sima Biao's preface to the family history relates that Sima Lang's grandfather Jun, style Yuanyi, was erudite, loved the classics of antiquity, carried himself with unstudied grandeur, and had uncommon breadth of spirit. He stood eight feet three inches tall, his waist required a belt ten spans around, and his frame towered over other men; kinsmen and neighbors alike gathered beneath him as to a peak. He ascended as far as prefect of Yingchuan. His father Sima Fang, style Jiangong, was blunt, equitable, and exacting: even at home among family feasts his deportment never slipped. He doted on the Han shu's chapters on famous ministers and could chant several hundred thousand characters from them by heart. He began his career in local posts, served as magistrate of Luoyang and governor of the capital district, and in his later years was rotated into the position of colonel of cavalry. In retirement he cultivated his mind behind closed doors, mixing little with the world. Even after his sons came of age, none might step forward until summoned to come forward, none might sit until told to sit, none might speak until addressed; the distance between father and sons was as formal as a court audience. He died at seventy-one in the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an. Sima Fang left eight sons, Sima Lang the eldest and the future Emperor Xuan of Jin, Sima Yi, the next.〉 When he was nine, a guest used his father's courtesy name. Sima Lang replied, "Anyone who insults another man's parents cannot be honoring his own." The visitor apologized. At twelve he passed the classics examination for "child cadet" candidacy; the proctor, struck by his height and bulk, suspected him of lying about his age and formally challenged him. Sima Lang answered, "Men on both sides of my family have been tall for generations. I may be young, but I am not precocious; shaving years off my life story to get ahead early is not what I intend." The examiner conceded the point with admiration. Later, as armies rose east of the passes, the former Ji inspector Li Shao, who lived in Yewang near rugged hills, planned to relocate his household to the safer town of Wen. Sima Lang told him, "The lips-and-teeth proverb does not apply only to ancient Yu and Guo—Yewang and Wen stand in exactly that relationship; to abandon Yewang for Wen is simply to run from one impending collapse toward another. Moreover you are the man the county looks to; if you bolt before the enemy appears, every hill district along the border will panic—you would unsettle the people and invite every malcontent to move. For the commandery's sake I dread the thought." Li Shao would not listen. Sure enough the upland communities rose in disorder, drifted inward, or turned to pillage.
8
是時董卓遷天子都長安，卓因留洛陽。 朗父防爲治書御史，當徙西，以四方雲擾，乃遣朗將家屬還本縣。 或有告朗欲逃亡者，執以詣卓，卓謂朗曰：「卿與吾亡兒同歲，幾大相負！」 朗因曰：「明公以高世之德，遭陽九之會，清除羣穢，廣舉賢士，此誠虚心垂慮，將興至治也。 威德以隆，功業以著，而兵難日起，州郡鼎沸，郊境之内，民不安業，捐棄居產，流亡藏竄，雖四關設禁，重加刑戮，猶不絕息，此朗之所以於邑也。 願明公監觀往事，少加三思，即榮名並於日月，伊、周不足侔也。」 卓曰：「吾亦悟之，卿言有意！」 〈臣松之案：朗此對，但爲稱述卓功德，未相箴誨而已。 了不自申釋，而卓便云「吾亦悟之，卿言有意」！ 客主之辭如爲不相酬塞也。〉
At that time Dong Zhuo had transferred the imperial seat to Chang'an while he himself stayed on in Luoyang. Sima Fang, then a senior clerical official bound for the western capital, saw chaos everywhere and sent Sima Lang home at the head of the household instead. An informer accused Sima Lang of planning to abscond; he was arrested and hauled before Dong Zhuo, who said, "You are the same age as my dead son—how deeply you disappoint me!" Sima Lang replied, "You bear an ambition loftier than the times; fate has dealt you the harshest lot, yet you scourge corruption and promote the worthy—a sure sign you mean to found a reign of true peace. Your prestige spreads and your achievements shine, yet war flares day after day, every region seethes, and inside the capital district men cannot tend their farms or homes—they leave houses and fields empty and scatter into hiding. Not even blockades on every frontier nor doubled penalties can stop the exodus. That is what rends my heart. If you would study the lessons of history and think thrice on each step, your fame would rival sun and moon, and not even Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou could surpass you." Dong Zhuo answered, "I have begun to see that myself—your words carry weight!" 〈Pei Songzhi observes that Sima Lang's answer did nothing but praise Dong Zhuo's self-proclaimed virtues; it offered no real counsel. Sima Lang never really cleared his own motives, yet Zhuo blithely replied that he "understood" and that Sima Lang had spoken "to the point." The exchange reads like two people talking past one another.〉
9
朗知卓必亡，恐見留，即散財物以賂遺卓用事者，求歸鄉里。 到謂父老曰； 「董卓悖逆，爲天下所讎，此忠臣義士奮發之時也。 郡與京都境壤相接，洛東有成皋，北界大河，天下興義兵者若未得進，其勢必停於此。 此乃四分五裂戰爭之地，難以自安，不如及道路尚通，舉宗東到黎陽。 黎陽有營兵，趙威孫鄉里舊婚，爲監營謁者，統兵馬，足以爲主。 若後有變，徐復觀望未晚也。」 父老戀舊，莫有從者，惟同縣趙咨，將家屬俱與朗往焉。 後數月，關東諸州郡起兵，眾數十萬，皆集滎陽及河内。 諸將不能相一，縱兵鈔略，民人死者且半。 久之，關東兵散，太祖與呂布相持於濮陽，朗乃將家還溫。 時歲大饑，人相食，朗收恤宗族，教訓諸弟，不爲衰世解業。
Certain Dong Zhuo was doomed and afraid of being held hostage, Sima Lang lavished bribes on the tyrant's favorites and won permission to take his kin back to Henei. When he arrived he addressed the elders of the community: "Dong Zhuo flouts every moral law; the whole empire execrates him. This is the hour for loyal officers and men of honor to rise. Our commandery adjoins the heartland of the realm: Chenggao lies east of Luoyang, the Yellow River bounds us on the north. Any coalition marching in the emperor's name that cannot push farther west will stall on this ground. It is country doomed to be carved by rival armies—a poor place to sit out a storm. Better, while the roads still run clear, to escort your whole lineage east to Liyang. Liyang holds government troops, and my townsman Zhao Weisun, an old family connection by marriage, serves as the camp's attending secretary with soldiers under his command—enough to shield us if trouble comes. Should new dangers appear later, we can still judge the moment—there will be time enough to reconsider." The elders clung to their homesteads and refused to stir; only his fellow townsman Zhao Zi moved his household alongside Sima Lang's. A few months later the eastern allies rose by the hundred thousand, massing at Xingyang and inside Henei. Their commanders could not act as one and let their men pillage until nearly half the population perished. When at length those armies melted away, Cao Cao and Lu Bu were locked in stalemate at Puyang, and Sima Lang brought his people home to Wen. Famine stalked the land—men fed on one another—yet Sima Lang fed his kinsmen, schooled his younger brothers, and refused to let the collapse of the times excuse them from learning.
10
年二十二，太祖辟爲司空掾屬，除成皋令，以病去，復爲堂陽長。 其治務寬惠，不行鞭杖，而民不犯禁。 先時，民有徙充都内者，後縣調當作船，徙民恐其不辦，乃相率私還助之，其見愛如此。 遷元城令，入爲丞相主簿。 朗以爲天下土崩之勢，由秦滅五等之制，而郡國無蒐狩習戰之備故也。 今雖五等未可復行，可令州郡並置兵，外備四夷，内威不軌，於策爲長。 又以爲宜復井田。 往者以民各有累世之業，難中奪之，是以至今。 今承大亂之後，民人分散，土業無主，皆爲公田，宜及此時復之。 議雖未施行，然州郡领兵，朗本意也。 遷兗州刺史，政化大行，百姓稱之。 雖在軍旅，常粗衣恶食，俭以率下。 雅好人伦典籍，鄉人李觌等盛得名誉，朗常显贬下之； 後觌等敗，時人服焉。 锺繇、王粲著论云：「非圣人不能致太平。」 朗以爲「伊、颜之徒雖非圣人，使得數世相承，太平可致」。 〈魏書曰：文帝善朗论，命秘書录其文。 孫盛曰：繇既失之，朗亦未爲得也。 昔「汤舉伊尹，而不仁者远矣」。 易稱「颜氏之子，其殆庶幾乎！ 有不善未尝不知，知之未尝復行」。 由此而言，圣人之與大賢，行藏道一，舒卷斯同，御世垂風，理無降異； 升泰之美，豈俟积世哉？ 「善人爲邦百年，亦可以胜残去杀」。 又曰「不践迹，亦不入于室」。 數世之论，其在斯乎！ 方之大賢，固有間矣。〉
At twenty-two Cao Cao appointed him to the secretariat of the director of works, then magistrate of Chenggao; ill health forced him to resign, but he returned to office as chief of Tangyang. His rule favored mercy over severity—he never lifted rod or lash—yet his subjects respected the law. Earlier, peasants had been relocated into the inner capital district. When the county was later ordered to build warships, those deportees feared the burden would go unfinished and quietly came back in a body to help build them—such was the devotion he inspired. He was promoted to magistrate of Yuancheng, then recalled to serve as chief clerk of the chancellor's office. Sima Lang argued that the realm's fragmentation stemmed from Qin's abolition of the feudal ranks, which left the commanderies without the old seasonal drills that had kept them battle-ready. The five orders could not instantly be revived, he admitted, but every commandery should maintain a local militia—outwardly to garrison against border peoples, inwardly to cow local strongmen; that was the soundest long-term design. He also urged revival of the well-field pattern of land tenure. In earlier times families held land across generations, making resurvey and confiscation politically impossible, which was why reform had stalled. The great upheaval had uprooted millions and left vast tracts without clear owners—ideal moment, he said, to restore public allocation of fields. The court never adopted the full program, yet the system of regional levies that later emerged matched Sima Lang's intent. As inspector of Yanzhou he spread administrative reform and won universal praise. Even on campaign he dressed in rough cloth, ate plain fare, and set the example of austerity for his men. He cultivated a taste for works on moral character, and when neighbors such as Li Gu enjoyed inflated reputations, Sima Lang was quick to puncture their pretensions in public; when those same men later fell in scandal, contemporaries conceded he had seen through them. Zhong Yao and Wang Can had published a thesis: "Only a sage can achieve universal tranquility." Sima Lang countered that "men in the mold of Yi Yin and Yan Hui, though short of sagehood, could still deliver lasting peace if succession held steady for generations." 〈The Wei shu adds that Cao Pi admired his argument and had the palace secretariat copy it into the archives. Sun Sheng retorts that Zhong Yao was wrong—and Sima Lang no less so. The old text says, "When Tang lifted up Yi Yin, the cruel vanished far away." The Book of Changes praises "Yan Hui's sort" as coming nearest perfection. The Changes add, "He never fails to notice his own faults; once he sees them, he never repeats them." From this it follows that sage and near-sage walk the same path of service or withdrawal, expand or contract by the same rule, and set the tone for their age without a real gulf in principle; the glory of bringing the world to perfect calm need not wait for many lifetimes to pile up. The Analects promise that "if a good man held the state for a century, he could end cruelty and do away with executions." Confucius also says, "Without treading in another's footprints, one still may not reach the inner sanctum." So much for the argument that peace must wait on many reigns! Measured against a true paragon, Sima Lang still stood a step below.〉
11
初朗所與俱徙趙咨，官至太常，爲世好士。 〈咨字君初。 子酆字子，晉骠骑將軍，封東平陵公。 並見百官名 （志）。〉
Zhao Zi, who had fled east with Sima Lang, rose to minister of rituals and was celebrated in his day as a patron of learning. 〈Zhao Zi's courtesy name was Junchu. His son Zhao Feng—style Zi—became Jin's general of agile cavalry and received the ducal title of Dongpingling. Both men are listed in the roster of official titles. (from the monograph)
12
梁習字子虞，陳郡柘人也，爲郡纲纪。 太祖爲司空，辟召爲漳長，累轉乘氏、海西、下邳令，所在有治名。 還爲西曹令史，遷爲屬。 並土新附，習以别部司馬领並州刺史。 時承高幹荒亂之餘，胡狄在界，張雄跋扈，吏民亡叛，入其部落； 兵家拥眾，作爲寇害，更相扇動，往往釭跱。 習到官，诱谕招纳，皆礼召其豪右，稍稍荐舉，使詣幕府； 豪右已尽，乃次发諸丁强以爲義從； 又因大軍出征，分请以爲勇力。 吏兵已去之後，稍移其家，前後送鄴，凡數萬口； 其不從命者，興兵致讨，斩首千數，降附者萬计。 单于恭顺，名王稽颡，部曲服事供职，同於编户。 邊境肅清，百姓布野，勤勸农桑，令行禁止。 贡達名士，咸显於世，语在《常林傳》。
Liang Xi, style Ziyu, came from Zhe in Chen commandery and had risen to chief clerk of the local administration. While Cao Cao held the directorship of works, he called Liang Xi to office as magistrate of Zhang, then rotated him through Chengshi, Haixi, and Xiapi, each time leaving a record of capable rule. He was recalled to the western bureau as recording secretary and soon promoted into the chancellor's staff corps. When Bingzhou first came over, Liang Xi, though only a major commanding a detached column, was given concurrent charge as inspector of the province. The province still reeled from Gao Gan's rebellion: Xiongnu and Di pressed the frontier, Zhang Xiong bullied the countryside, and officials and peasants alike deserted into the steppe camps; garrison families with private armies turned to pillage, egged one another on, and formed hostile pockets that would not yield. Liang Xi set about coaxing leaders back to allegiance: he summoned the great houses with courtesy, advanced their names step by step, and brought them in to serve at headquarters; once the notables were exhausted, he drafted able-bodied freemen as sworn militia; whenever the field army marched, he detached contingents of those same men as assault troops. After the regular troops left, he shifted their dependents in waves to Ye until tens of thousands of mouths had been resettled; recalcitrants he struck down by the thousand; those who submitted he counted by the myriad. The chanyu bowed in submission, the great chiefs kowtowed, and tribal followings paid labor and grain levies on the same schedule as ordinary households. The frontier grew quiet, farmers returned to the open country, he pushed plough and loom with equal vigor, and his commands were obeyed to the letter. Recommended talents and noted scholars alike rose to fame—their stories are told in the biography of Chang Lin.
13
初，济阴王思與習俱爲西曹令史。 思因直日白事，失太祖指。 太祖大怒，教召主者，將加重辟。 時思近出，習代往對，已被收執矣，思乃驰還，自陳己罪，罪应受死。 太祖叹習之不言，思之识分，曰：「何意吾軍中有二義士乎？」 〈臣松之以爲習與王思，同寮而已，親非骨肉，義非刎颈，而以身代思，受不测之祸。 以之爲義，無乃乖先哲之雅旨乎！ 史遷云「死有重於太山，有轻於鸿毛」，故君子不爲苟存，不爲苟亡。 若使思不引分，主不加恕，則所謂自經於沟渎而莫之知也。 習之死義者，豈其然哉！〉 後同時擢爲刺史，思领豫州。 思亦能吏，然苛碎無大體，官至九卿，封列侯。 〈《魏略苛吏傳》曰：思與薛悌、郤嘉俱從微起，官位略等。 三人中，悌差挟儒术，所在名爲間省。 嘉與思事行相似。 文帝詔曰：「薛悌驳吏，王思、郤嘉纯吏也，各赐關内侯，以报其勤。」 思爲人雖烦碎，而晓练文書，敬賢礼士，倾意形勢，亦以是显名。 正始中，爲大司农，年老目瞑，瞋怒無度，下吏嗷然不知何据。 性少信，時有吏父病笃，近在外舍，自白求假。 思疑其不實，发怒曰：「世有思妇病母者，豈此謂乎！」 遂不與假。 吏父明日死，思無恨意。 其爲刻薄类如此。 思又性急，尝執笔作書，蝇集笔端，驱去復来，如是再三。 思恚怒，自起逐蝇不能得，還取笔掷地，蹋坏之。 時有丹陽施畏、鲁郡倪顗、南陽胡業亦爲刺史、郡守，時人謂之苛暴。 ◎又有高陽刘类，歷位宰守，苛慝尤其，以善修人事，不废於世。 嘉平中，爲弘农太守。 吏二百餘人，不與休假，专使爲不急。 过無轻重，辄捽其头，又亂杖挝之，牵出復入，如是數四。 乃使人掘地求钱，所在市里，皆有孔穴。 又外讬简省，每出行，陽敕督邮不得使官屬曲修礼敬，而阴识不来者，辄发怒中伤之。 性又少信，每遣大吏出，辄使小吏随覆察之，白日常自於墙壁間闚闪，夜使幹廉察諸曹，復以幹不足信，又遣铃下及奴婢使轉相检验。 尝案行，宿止民家。 民家二狗逐猪，猪惊走，头插栅間，号呼良久。 类以爲外之吏擅共饮食，不復徵察，便使伍百曳五官掾孫弼入，顿头责之。 弼以實對，类自愧不详，因讬問以他事。 民尹昌，年垂百歲，聞类出行，當經过，謂其兒曰：「扶我迎府君，我欲陳恩。」 兒扶昌在道左，类望見，呵其兒曰：「用是死人，使来見我。」 其视人無礼，皆此类也。 舊俗，民谤官長者有三不肯，謂遷、免與死也。 类在弘农，吏民患之，乃题其門曰：「刘府君有三不肯。」 类雖聞之，猶不能自改。 其後安東將軍司馬文王西征，路經弘农，弘农人告类荒耄不任宰郡，乃召入爲五官中郎將。〉
Wang Si of Jiyin had begun his career alongside Liang Xi as a western-bureau secretary. One day when it was Wang Si's turn on duty, he briefed Cao Cao and badly misread what the chancellor wanted. Cao Cao flew into a rage, demanded the responsible registrar, and prepared to execute him. Wang Si had stepped out on an errand; Liang Xi went to answer for him and was seized in his stead. Wang Si raced back, confessed his own fault, and declared himself worthy of death. Cao Cao marveled that Liang Xi had volunteered silence while Wang Si owned his duty, and exclaimed, "Could I really command two such men of honor?" 〈Pei Songzhi comments that Liang Xi and Wang Si were mere office mates—neither blood brothers nor sworn companions—yet Liang stepped forward to die in Wang's place and risked an unpredictable fate. To label that "heroic sacrifice" seems to trample the measured teaching of the ancients! Sima Qian said, "Death may be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a wild goose's down"; therefore the gentleman does not cling to life at random, nor throw life away at random. Had Wang Si refused to accept blame and his lord refused mercy, he would have ended as "a corpse in a ditch that nobody notices." Calling Liang Xi's act "dying for righteousness" strains credulity.〉 Later both men were raised to provincial inspector; Wang Si received Yuzhou. Wang Si remained a competent bureaucrat, but petty and fussy, never seeing the larger picture; he rose to one of the nine ministers and a full marquisate. 〈The Wei lue chapter on harsh magistrates notes that Wang Si, Xue Ti, and Xi Jia all climbed from humble posts to comparable rank. Of the three, Xue Ti alone leaned on Confucian learning and earned a reputation for lean, efficient government. Xi Jia and Wang Si governed in much the same fashion. Cao Pi's rescript read: "Xue Ti is the argumentative clerk; Wang Si and Xi Jia are the blunt, literal-minded ones—grant each a neighborhood marquisate for their long service." Picky though he was, Wang Si knew paperwork inside out, cultivated men of talent, and curried favor with the mighty, which kept his name in circulation. Under the Zhengshi reign he became minister of agriculture; blindness and ungovernable temper left his staff guessing what had set him off. He trusted no one. Once a clerk's father lay dying in an outbuilding, and the son asked leave to attend him. Wang Si decided it was a lie and shouted, "People invent dead wives and dying mothers every day—is this another of those stories!" He refused the request. The father died the following morning; Wang Si felt not the slightest remorse. Such was the meanness of his temper. He was also irascible: once, while drafting a letter, flies settled on his brush; he brushed them off three times and they returned. He sprang up to swat them, failed, snatched up the brush, hurled it down, and stamped it to splinters. Around the same time Shi Wei in Danyang, Ni Yi in Lu, and Hu Ye in Nanyang held provincial posts and were branded cruel magistrates. There was also Liu Lei of Gaoyang, whose successive prefectures were models of viciousness; because he flattered the right people, he nevertheless survived politically. During Jiaping he became prefect of Hongnong. He kept over two hundred clerks on duty without leave and set them to pointless busywork. Petty or serious, every slip earned a beating: he would grab a man by the hair, club him at random, drag him out and in again—four rounds of the same abuse. He ordered trenches dug through markets and lanes in a lunatic search for buried coin until the town was honeycombed with pits. Outwardly he preached austerity: whenever he toured the district he publicly forbade clerks to kneel in greeting, then secretly noted who stayed away and later punished them for disrespect. He trusted no subordinate: senior aides went out shadowed by juniors, he himself spied from alley corners by day, sent night patrols to watch each office, and still posted bell-guards and household slaves to cross-check one another. On one inspection tour he billeted himself in a peasant cottage. Two farm dogs cornered a pig; the beast panicked, wedged its head in the fence rails, and squealed endlessly. Liu Lei assumed his staff were feasting without permission. Without looking further, he had runners haul in chief clerk Sun Bi, beat his head on the floor, and berate him. Sun Bi told the truth; mortified at his own rashness, Liu Lei changed the subject to save face. A centenarian named Yin Chang heard the prefect was coming and told his son, "Help me out to the road—I want to thank him for his kindness." The old man waited by the roadside; Liu Lei spotted him and yelled at the son, "Why drag that corpse out to block my way!" His contempt for ordinary folk was habitual. Folk wisdom held that people might rail at a magistrate yet still dread three outcomes for him—transfer, dismissal, or death. Under Liu Lei's rule the people suffered so badly they chalked on his gate, "Our Prefect Liu refuses all three of those mercies." He saw the graffito and still could not mend his ways. Later, when Sima Zhao marched west through Hongnong, the locals petitioned that Liu Lei was too senile to govern; he was recalled to a sinecure as central gentleman of the household.〉
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張旣字德容，馮翊高陵人也。 年十六，為郡小吏。
Zhang Ji, style Derong, was a man of Gaoling in the Fengyi region. At sixteen he was already a junior clerk in the county office.
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〈《魏略》曰：旣世單家富，為人有容儀。 少小工書疏，為郡門下小吏，而家富。 自惟門寒，念無以自達，乃常畜好刀筆及版奏，伺諸大吏有乏者輒給與，以是見識焉。〉 後歷右職，舉孝廉，不行。 太祖為司空，辟，未至，舉茂才，除新豐令，治為三輔第一。 袁尚拒太祖於黎陽，遣所置河東太守郭援、並州刺史高幹及匈奴單于取平陽，發使西與關中諸將合從。 司隷校尉鍾繇遣旣說將軍馬騰等，旣為言利害，騰等從之。 騰遣子超將兵萬餘人，與繇會擊幹、援，大破之，斬援首。 幹及單于皆降。 其後幹復舉並州反。 河內張晟衆萬餘人無所屬，冦崤、澠閒，河東衞固、弘農張琰各起兵以應之。 太祖以旣為議郎，參繇軍事，使西徵諸將馬騰等，皆引兵會擊晟等，破之。 斬琰、固首，幹奔荊州。 封旣武始亭侯。
〈The Wei lue records that although Zhang Ji's clan was small it was rich, and he himself carried himself with polish. Even as a gate clerk he excelled at brush correspondence, while his family's wealth set him apart from other petty functionaries. Fearing his modest pedigree would block promotion, he stocked fine pens, ink knives, and wooden slips and quietly supplied any senior clerk who ran short—thus he came to be noticed.〉 He rose through weightier posts, earned nomination as filial and incorrupt, yet declined appointment. Cao Cao summoned him to the directorate of works; before he reported, another board named him for "outstanding talent," and as magistrate of Xinfeng he ranked first among the capital counties. Yuan Shang held Cao Cao at Liyang and sent his Hedong prefect Guo Yuan, Bingzhou inspector Gao Gan, and the Xiongnu chanyu to seize Pingyang while couriers negotiated a western alliance with the generals inside the passes. Colonel of the metropolitan guard Zhong Yao sent Zhang Ji to sway Ma Teng and the other Liangzhou generals; Zhang Ji laid out the stakes until they agreed to cooperate. Ma Teng released Ma Chao with ten thousand horse to join Zhong Yao; together they shattered Gao Gan and Guo Yuan and sent Guo Yuan's head to the camp. Gao Gan and the chanyu both capitulated. Gao Gan later rebelled again and seized Bingzhou. Zhang Sheng of Henei led ten thousand unattached bandits between Xiao and Mian; Wei Gu in Hedong and Zhang Yan in Hongnong rose in support. Cao Cao named Zhang Ji a consultant cadre on Zhong Yao's staff, sent him west to rally Ma Teng, and the combined force crushed Zhang Sheng. Zhang Yan and Wei Gu fell; Gao Gan bolted for Jingzhou. Zhang Ji received the village marquisate of Wushi.
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太祖將征荊州，而騰等分據關中。 太祖復遣旣喻騰等，令釋部曲求還。 騰已許之而更猶豫，旣恐為變，乃移諸縣促儲偫，二千石郊迎。 騰不得已，發東。 太祖表騰為衞尉，子超為將軍，統其衆。 後超反，旣從太祖破超於華陰，西定關右。 以旣為京兆尹，招懷流民，興復縣邑，百姓懷之。 魏國旣建，為尚書，出為雍州刺史。 太祖謂旣曰：「還君本州，可謂衣繡晝行矣。」 從征張魯，別從散關入討叛氐，收其麥以給軍食。 魯降，旣說太祖拔漢中民數萬戶以實長安及三輔。 其後與曹洪破吳蘭於下辯，又與夏侯淵討宋建，別攻臨洮、狄道，平之。
Just as Cao Cao prepared to strike south, Ma Teng and the western lords still partitioned Guanzhong among themselves. Cao Cao sent Zhang Ji again to urge Ma Teng to dissolve his host and come in. Ma Teng had given his word yet wavered; fearing a coup, Zhang Ji ordered every county to pile supplies and sent each two-thousand-bushel magistrate out to greet the court column. Cornered, Ma Teng marched east toward the capital. Cao Cao had Ma Teng named commandant of the guards while Ma Chao took command of the tribal host. After Ma Chao rose in revolt, Zhang Ji followed Cao Cao to crush him at Huayin and secure the western march. Zhang Ji was then made governor of the capital district, where he resettled refugees, rebuilt townships, and won the people's affection. When the duchy of Wei was founded he entered the ministry of the interior, then went out again as inspector of Yongzhou. Cao Cao told him, "Sending you home in silks by daylight is the ancient metaphor for honoring a man in his own country." On the Zhang Lu expedition he led a column through Sanguan against mutinous Di tribes and seized their winter wheat for the commissary. After Zhang Lu capitulated, Zhang Ji convinced Cao Cao to move tens of thousands of Hanzhong families into Chang'an and the three capital counties. He later joined Cao Hong in defeating Wu Lan at Xiabian and Xiahou Yuan in the campaign against Song Jian, himself clearing Lintao and Didao.
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是時，太祖徙民以充河北，隴西、天水、南安民相恐動，擾擾不安，旣假三郡人為將吏者休課，使治屋宅，作水碓，民心遂安。 太祖將拔漢中守，恐劉備北取武都氐以逼關中，問旣。 旣曰：「可勸使北出就穀以避賊，前至者厚其寵賞，則先者知利，後必慕之。」 太祖從其策，乃自到漢中引出諸軍，令旣之武都，徙氐五萬餘落出居扶風、天水界。 〈《三輔決錄注》曰：旣為兒童，為郡功曹游殷察異之，引旣過家，旣敬諾。 殷先歸，勑家具設賔饌。 及旣至，殷妻笑曰：「君其悖乎！ 張德容童昏小兒，何異客哉！」 殷曰：「卿勿怪，乃方伯之器也。」 殷遂與旣論霸王之略。 饗訖，以子楚託之； 旣謙不受，殷固託之，旣以殷邦之宿望，難違其旨，乃許之。 殷先與司隷校尉胡軫有隙，軫誣搆殺殷。 殷死月餘，軫得疾患，自說但言「伏罪，伏罪，游功曹將鬼來」。 於是遂死。 于時關中稱曰：「生有知人之明，死有貴神之靈。」 子楚字仲允，為蒲阪令。 太祖定關中時，漢興郡缺，太祖以問旣，旣稱楚才兼文武，遂以為漢興太守。 後轉隴西。 《魏略》曰：楚為人慷慨，歷位宰守，所在以恩德為治，不好刑殺。 太和中，諸葛亮出隴右，吏民騷動。 天水、南安太守各棄郡東下，楚獨據隴西，召會吏民，謂之曰：「太守無恩德。 今蜀兵至，諸郡吏民皆已應之，此亦諸卿富貴之秋也。 太守本為國家守郡，義在必死，卿諸人便可取太守頭持往。」 吏民皆涕淚，言「死生當與明府同，無有二心」。 楚復言：「卿曹若不願，我為卿畫一計。 今東二郡已去，必將寇來，但可共堅守。 若國家救到，寇必去，是為一郡守義，人人獲爵寵也。 若官救不到，蜀攻日急，爾乃取太守以降，未為晚也。」 吏民遂城守。 而南安果將蜀兵，就攻隴西。 楚聞賊到，乃遣長史馬顒出門設陣，而自於城上曉謂蜀帥，言：「卿能斷隴，使東兵不上，一月之中，則隴西吏人不攻自服； 卿若不能，虛自疲弊耳。」 使顒鳴鼓擊之，蜀人乃去。 後十餘日，諸軍上隴，諸葛亮破走。 南安、天水皆坐應亮破滅，兩郡守各獲重刑，而楚以功封列侯，長史掾屬皆賜拜。 帝嘉其治，詔特聽朝，引上殿。 楚為人短小而大聲，自為吏，初不朝覲，被詔登階，不知儀式。 帝令侍中贊引，呼「隴西太守前」，楚當言「唯」，而大應稱「諾」。 帝顧之而笑，遂勞勉之。 罷會，自表乞留宿衞，拜駙馬都尉。 楚不學問，而性好遊遨音樂。 乃畜歌者，琵琶、箏、簫，每行來將以自隨。 所在樗蒲、投壺，歡欣自娛。 數歲，復出為北地太守，年七十餘卒。〉
When Cao Cao shifted population north to fill Hebei, the western commanderies of Longxi, Tianshui, and Nan'an panicked; Zhang Ji exempted local officers from labor levies, set them to building houses and water-powered mills, and calm returned. As Cao Cao prepared to pull his garrison out of Hanzhong, he worried Liu Bei might seize the Wudu Di tribesmen and thrust toward Guanzhong, and he turned to Zhang Ji for counsel. Zhang Ji replied, "Urge those tribes to march north for grain and to escape your retreating columns; reward handsomely whoever arrives first so others will rush to follow." Cao Cao adopted the plan, personally brought the field army out of Hanzhong, and sent Zhang Ji into Wudu to relocate over fifty thousand Di households to the Fufeng–Tianshui frontier. 〈The Sanfu jue lu commentary records that in boyhood Zhang Ji caught the eye of the local merit clerk You Yin, who took him home—and the lad accepted the invitation with proper deference. You Yin hurried ahead and told his wife to lay on a full banquet for an honored guest. When Zhang Ji arrived, You Yin's wife laughed, "Have you lost your wits? Zhang Derong is only a dull-witted child—since when is he a guest of state?" You Yin answered, "Do not wonder at this boy—he has the makings of a frontier commander." He then sat down with Zhang Ji and discussed the grand strategy of empire. When the meal ended, he entrusted his son You Chu to Zhang Ji's care; Zhang Ji demurred until You Yin pressed the charge; unwilling to slight so respected an elder, he finally gave his word. You Yin had long feuded with metropolitan commandant Hu Zhen, who trumped up charges and had him executed. A month later Hu Zhen fell ill, raving nothing but "I confess—Merit Clerk You is coming for me with ghosts." He died on the spot. Guanzhong folk said of You Yin, "Alive, he knew how to pick men; dead, he still knew how to haunt his killer." You Chu, courtesy Zhongyun, later served as magistrate of Puban. While Cao Cao was pacifying Guanzhong the Hanxing prefecture fell vacant; asked for a nominee, Zhang Ji praised You Chu as a man of both pen and sword, and You Chu received the post. He was later rotated to Longxi. The Wei lue describes You Chu as open-handed; in every magistracy he ruled by kindness rather than the executioner's block. During the Taihe era Zhuge Liang drove into Longxi and the whole region trembled. The prefects of Tianshui and Nan'an bolted eastward, but You Chu stayed put in Longxi, called his officials together, and told them, "Your magistrate has done little enough for you. The Shu columns are at the border and every neighboring county has gone over—some might call this your chance for rank and riches. I was charged to hold this land for Wei, and honor demands I die here—if you prefer Shu, take my head as your passport." His clerks wept and swore, "We live or die with you, my lord—we will not turn." You Chu went on, "If that is not what you want, hear another course. The two eastern commanderies are already gone; the enemy will strike next—our sole hope is a common defense. If imperial reinforcements arrive, the Shu army will lift the siege, and every defender will earn titles and reward. If no help comes and the Shu pressure grows unbearable, then deliver me up—not before." The people accepted the plan and manned the walls. Nan'an's defectors soon led Shu troops against Longxi. Hearing the enemy approach, You Chu sent chief clerk Ma Yan to draw up outside the walls while he himself hailed the Shu commander from the parapet: "Seal the Long defile so relief cannot march west, and within a month Longxi will yield without a blow; fail in that, and you will only wear yourselves out for nothing." He ordered Ma Yan to beat the war drums; the Shu force withdrew. Ten days later Wei columns cleared the Long defile and Zhuge Liang broke off the siege. Tianshui and Nan'an fell for colluding with Shu and their prefects were harshly punished, whereas You Chu won a full marquisate and his staff received honors. The emperor commended his rule, summoned him to court, and escorted him personally to the dais. You Chu was a short man with a booming voice; having never attended court, he botched palace etiquette when first summoned. The usher intoned, "Longxi Prefect, advance!"—to which a courtier should murmur "Yes"; You Chu bellowed "Aye!" The emperor glanced back, laughed, and kindly put him at ease. After court he begged leave to remain as an imperial guardsman and was named chief commandant of the household for all purposes. You Chu cared little for books but doted on travel and music. He kept a troupe of singers and cartloads of pipa, zithers, and flutes wherever he went. In every posting he passed the time at dice games and pitch-pot, amusing himself without cease. Years later he returned to the field as prefect of Beidi and died in his seventies.〉
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是時，武威顏雋、張掖和鸞、酒泉黃華、西平麴演等並舉郡反，自號將軍，更相攻擊。 雋遣使送母及子詣太祖為質，求助。 太祖問旣，旣曰：「雋等外假國威，內生傲悖，計定勢足，後即反耳。 今方事定蜀，且宜兩存而鬬之，猶卞莊子之刺虎，坐收其斃也。」 太祖曰：「善。」 歲餘，鸞遂殺雋，武威王祕又殺鸞。 是時不置涼州，自三輔拒西域，皆屬雍州。 文帝即王位，初置涼州，以安定太守鄒岐為刺史。 張掖張進執郡守舉兵拒岐，黃華、麴演各逐故太守，舉兵以應之。 旣進兵為護羌校尉蘇則聲勢，故則得以有功。 旣進爵都鄉侯。 涼州盧水胡伊健妓妾、治元多等反，河西大擾。 帝憂之，曰：「非旣莫能安涼州。」 乃召鄒岐，以旣代之。 詔曰：「昔賈復請擊郾賊，光武笑曰：『執金吾擊郾，吾復何憂？』 卿謀略過人，今則其時。 以便宜從事，勿復先請。」 遣護軍夏侯儒、將軍費曜等繼其後。 旣至金城，欲渡河，諸將守以為「兵少道險，未可深入」。 旣曰：「道雖險，非井陘之隘，夷狄烏合，無左車之計，今武威危急，赴之宜速。」 遂渡河。 賊七千餘騎逆拒軍於鸇陰口，旣揚聲軍從鸇陰，乃潛由且次出至武威。 胡以為神，引還顯美。 旣已據武威，曜乃至，儒等猶未達。 旣勞賜將士，欲進軍擊胡。 諸將皆曰：「士卒疲倦，虜衆氣銳，難與爭鋒。」 旣曰：「今軍無見糧，當因敵為資。 若虜見兵合，退依深山，追之則道險窮餓，兵還則出候寇鈔。 如此，兵不得解，所謂『一日縱敵，患在數世』也。」 遂前軍顯美。 胡騎數千，因大風欲放火燒營，將士皆恐。 旣夜藏精卒三千人為伏，使參軍成公英督千餘騎挑戰，勑使陽退。 胡果爭奔之，因發伏截其後，首尾進擊，大破之，斬首獲生以萬數。 〈《魏略》曰：成公英，金城人也。 中平末，隨韓約為腹心。 建安中，約從華陰破走，還湟中，部黨散去，唯英獨從。 《典略》曰：韓遂在湟中，其壻閻行欲殺遂以降，夜攻遂，不下。 遂歎息曰：「丈夫困厄，禍起婚姻乎！」 謂英曰：「今親戚離叛，人衆轉少，當從羌中西南詣蜀耳。」 英曰：「興軍數十年，今雖罷敗，何有棄其門而依於人乎！」 遂曰：「吾年老矣，子欲何施？」 英曰：「曹公不能遠來，獨夏侯爾。 夏侯之衆，不足以追我，又不能乆留； 且息肩於羌中，以須其去。 招呼故人，綏會羌、胡，猶可以有為也。」 遂從其計，時隨從者男女尚數千人。 遂宿有恩於羌，羌衞護之。 及夏侯淵還，使閻行留後。 乃合羌、胡數萬將攻行，行欲走，會遂死，英降太祖。 太祖見英甚喜，以為軍師，封列侯。 從行出獵，有三鹿走過前，公命英射之，三發三中，皆應弦而倒。 公抵掌謂之曰：「但韓文約可為盡節，而孤獨不可乎？」 英乃下馬而跪曰：「不欺明公。 假使英本主人在，實不來此也。」 遂流涕哽咽。 公嘉其敦舊，遂親敬之。 延康、黃初之際，河西有逆謀。 詔遣英佐涼州平隴右，病卒。 《魏略》曰：閻行，金城人也，後名艷，字彥明。 少有健名，始為小將，隨韓約。 建安初，約與馬騰相攻擊。 騰子超亦號為健。 行嘗刺超，矛折，因以折矛撾超項，幾殺之。 至十四年，為約所使詣太祖，太祖厚遇之，表拜犍為太守。 行因請令其父入宿衞，西還見約，宣太祖教云：「謝文約：卿始起兵時，自有所逼，我所具明也。 當早來，共匡輔國朝。」 行因謂約曰：「行亦為將軍，興軍以來三十餘年，民兵疲瘁，所處又狹，宜早自附。 是以前在鄴，自啟當令老父詣京師，誠謂將軍亦宜遣一子，以示丹赤。」 約曰：「且可復觀望數歲中！」 後遂遣其子，與行父母俱東。 會約西討張猛，留行守舊營，而馬超等結反謀，舉約為都督。 及約還，超謂約曰：「前鍾司隷任超使取將軍，關東人不可復信也。 今超棄父，以將軍為父，將軍亦當棄子，以超為子。」 行諫約，不欲令與超合。 約謂行曰：「今諸將不謀而同，似有天數。」 乃東詣華陰。 及太祖與約交馬語，行在其後，太祖望謂行曰：「當念作孝子。」 及超等破走，行隨約還金城。 太祖聞行前意，故但誅約子孫在京師者。 乃手書與行曰：「觀文約所為，使人笑來。 吾前後與之書，無所不說，如此何可復忍！ 卿父諫議，自平安也。 雖然，牢獄之中，非養親之處，且又官家亦不能乆為人養老也。」 約聞行父獨在，欲使並遇害，以一其心，乃彊以少女妻行，行不獲已。 太祖果疑行。 會約使行別領西平郡。 遂勒其部曲，與約相攻擊。 行不勝，乃將家人東詣太祖。 太祖表拜列侯。〉 帝甚恱，詔曰：「卿踰河歷險，以勞擊逸，以寡勝衆，功過南仲，勤踰吉甫。 此勳非但破胡，乃永寧河右，使吾長無西顧之念矣。」 徙封西鄉侯，增邑二百，並前四百戶。
About then Yan Jun in Wuwei, He Luan in Zhangye, Huang Hua in Jiuquan, Qu Yan in Xiping, and others rebelled under their own battle flags and turned on one another. Yan Jun sent his mother and son to Cao Cao as hostages and begged for rescue. Cao Cao asked Zhang Ji, who answered, "Those men borrow your prestige while nursing their own pride; once secure they will betray you just the same. You are still busy with Shu; better let these wolves savage each other like Bian Zhuangzi's two tigers—then reap the exhausted survivor." Cao Cao said, "Excellent." Within a year He Luan murdered Yan Jun, then Wang Mi of Wuwei murdered He Luan. Liangzhou had been abolished, and everything from the capital districts westward fell under Yongzhou. When Cao Pi took the kingship he revived Liangzhou and named Zou Qi of Anding as its inspector. Zhang Jin of Zhangye imprisoned the sitting prefect and defied Zou Qi; Huang Hua and Qu Yan drove out their magistrates and joined the revolt. Zhang Ji marched in support of Su Ze, the Qiang protector, which let Su Ze win his victory. Zhang Ji was promoted to metropolitan village marquis. The Lu-shui Hu chieftains Yi Jianjiqie and Zhi Yuanduo rose in Liangzhou and threw the Hexi corridor into chaos. The emperor fretted aloud, "Only Zhang Ji can quiet Liangzhou." He recalled Zou Qi and sent Zhang Ji west in his stead. His rescript read: "When Jia Fu begged to crush the Yan rebels, Guangwu laughed and said that with his golden-mace guard leading the attack he had nothing left to fear. Your stratagems outclass any rival—this is the moment to use them. Act on your own authority; do not wait for prior approval." He ordered Xiahou Ru and Fei Yao to follow with supporting columns. When Ji reached Jincheng, wishing to cross the river, the various generals guarding thought "troops are few and the road perilous; one cannot deeply penetrate." Zhang Ji answered, "The defile is bad, but nothing like Jingxing; these barbarians are a rabble without Li Zuoche's wit; Wuwei is burning—speed is everything." He crossed the river at once. Seven thousand enemy horse blocked Zanyin Pass; Zhang Ji feinted toward Zanyin, then slipped along a side valley to emerge at Wuwei. The Hu took him for a god, broke, and fled toward Xianmei. Zhang Ji was already in Wuwei when Fei Yao arrived; Xiahou Ru still lagged behind. He feasted the troops and prepared to strike the Hu. His generals objected: "The men are spent and the nomads are fresh—this is no time to joust." Zhang Ji said, "We carry no grain—our only commissary is the enemy camp. Let them rally in the hills and we starve chasing them; let us turn back and they raid our rear. That is the mischief the histories call "spare the foe for one day, breed trouble for generations." He pushed straight to Xianmei. Thousands of Hu horse tried to burn the camp when a gale sprang up, and panic spread through the ranks. Zhang Ji hid three thousand picked men by night, sent staff officer Cheng Gongying forward with a thousand horse in a sham retreat. When the Hu rushed the bait, the ambush closed on their rear; front and rear hammered them, killing and capturing by the myriad. 〈The Wei lue identifies Cheng Gongying as a native of Jincheng. Late in the Zhongping reign he became a trusted follower of Han Yue (Han Sui). After Han Sui's rout at Huayin in the Jian'an years his host melted away—only Cheng Gongying stayed at his side. The Dian lue adds that while Han Sui sheltered in the Huang riverlands his son-in-law Yan Xing tried to murder him and defect, but the night attack failed. Han Sui sighed, "So a hero's ruin begins in his own family!" He told Cheng Gongying, "My kin have deserted me and my following has shrunk—we should cut southwest through the Qiang country into Shu." Cheng Gongying retorted, "We have borne arms for decades; defeat is no reason to flee our home ground and cling to another lord." Han Sui said, "I am an old man—what plan do you offer?" Ying said: "Lord Cao cannot come from afar; it is only Xiahou. His column is too small to run us down and too ill supplied to loiter. Let us rest among the Qiang until he withdraws. Recall our old allies, rally the Qiang and Hu, and we may yet recover." Han Sui agreed; he still had a few thousand followers, women and children among them. The Qiang remembered his past kindness and shielded him. When Xiahou Yuan pulled back he left Yan Xing to hold the rear. Han Sui then raised tens of thousands of Qiang and Hu against Yan Xing, who prepared to bolt; Han Sui died in the midst of it, and Cheng Gongying came over to Cao Cao. Cao Cao received Cheng Gongying with delight, named him army adviser, and enfeoffed him a full marquis. On a hunt three deer bounded past; Cao Cao told him to shoot—three arrows, three deer, each dropping at the twang. Cao Cao clapped and said, "You gave Han Sui your utmost—will you give me nothing?" Cheng Gongying slipped from the saddle and knelt. "I would not lie to you, my lord. Had my old master still lived, I would never have ridden to your camp." He broke down sobbing. Cao Cao honored his stubborn loyalty to a lost cause and treated him thereafter with personal respect. Around the change from Yankang to Huangchu, the Hexi corridor seethed with plots of rebellion. The court ordered Cheng Gongying west to help pacify Longyou; he died on duty. The Wei lue identifies Yan Xing of Jincheng, who later took the single-character surname Yan and the courtesy name Yanming. He was famed as a fighter in his youth and began as a junior officer under Han Sui. Early in the Jian'an era Han Sui and Ma Teng fought each other repeatedly. Ma Teng's son Ma Chao enjoyed the same reputation for toughness. In one clash Yan Xing's spear snapped against Ma Chao; he clubbed Ma Chao across the neck with the splintered shaft and nearly killed him. In the fourteenth year of Jian'an Han Sui sent him to Cao Cao, who received him lavishly and had him named prefect of Qianwei. Yan Xing asked to leave his father as a hostage in the capital, rode back to Han Sui, and delivered Cao Cao's message: "Tell Wenyue I know he took up arms under duress at first—that has never been in doubt. Tell him to come in soon and help set the house of Wei to rights." Yan Xing then urged Han Sui, "I have ridden with you for thirty years; our men are exhausted and our lands cramped—it is time to submit while we still can. That is why I volunteered my old father as a hostage at Ye; I hoped you would send a son as well, to show the court your good faith." Han Sui answered, "Let us watch how the wind blows a few years longer." In the end he did send a son east, along with Yan Xing's parents. When Han Sui marched west against Zhang Meng he left Yan Xing in charge of the base; Ma Chao and his allies then plotted revolt and named Han Sui their commander. When Han Sui came back, Ma Chao told him, "Zhong Yao once ordered me to arrest you—easterners cannot be trusted. I have abandoned my father to follow you; you must abandon your son and treat me as your heir." Yan Xing pleaded with Han Sui not to bind himself to Ma Chao. Han Sui replied, "Every captain has reached the same decision without a meeting—perhaps fate wills it." He therefore rode east to Huayin with the rebels. At the parley between Cao Cao and Han Sui, Yan Xing rode in Han Sui's train; Cao Cao called out, "Remember your duty as a son." After Ma Chao's rout Yan Xing retreated with Han Sui to Jincheng. Mindful of Yan Xing's earlier loyalty, Cao Cao executed only those of Han Sui's kin who were actually in the capital. He then wrote privately to Yan Xing: "Han Wenyue's antics would make any man laugh aloud. I have told him everything in letter after letter—how much more of this am I expected to swallow? Your father, the adviser, is safe for the moment. Still, a jail is no home for an old man, and the state cannot feed him forever." Learning that only Yan Xing's father still lived, Han Sui tried to embroil both in ruin to bind Yan Xing to him—he forced his own young daughter on Yan Xing as a wife, and Yan Xing could not refuse. The marriage made Cao Cao doubt Yan Xing's loyalty. Han Sui then detached Yan Xing to command Xiping. Yan Xing turned his retainers against his old patron and attacked Han Sui. Beaten, he shepherded his household east to surrender to Cao Cao. Cao Cao had him enfeoffed a full marquis.〉 The emperor was delighted and wrote: "You braved the river and its dangers, struck a rested foe with weary troops, and overcame great numbers with a handful—your service outshines Nan Zhong, your zeal outdoes Yin Jifu. You have done more than crush the barbarians: you have given the Hexi corridor lasting peace so that I need never again fear the western horizon." His fief was moved to Xixiang village, with two hundred extra households added to the four hundred he already held.
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酒泉蘇衡反，與羌豪鄰戴及丁令胡萬餘騎攻邊縣。 旣與夏侯儒擊破之，衡及鄰戴等皆降。 遂上疏請與儒治左城，築鄣塞，置烽候、邸閣以備胡。 〈《魏略》曰：儒字雋林，夏侯尚從弟。 初為鄢陵侯彰驍騎司馬，宣王為征南將軍，都督荊、豫州。 正始二年，朱然圍樊城，城中守將乙脩等求救甚急。 儒進屯鄧塞，以兵少不敢進，但作鼓吹，設導從，去然六七里，翱翔而還，使脩等遙見之，數數如是。 月餘，及太傅到，乃俱進，然等走。 時謂儒為怯，或以為曉以少疑衆，得聲救之宜。 儒猶以此召還，為太僕。〉 西羌恐，率衆二萬餘落降。 其後西平麴光等殺其郡守，諸將欲擊之，旣曰：「唯光等造反，郡人未必悉同。 若便以軍臨之，吏民羌胡必謂國家不別是非，更使皆相持著，此為虎傅翼也。 光等欲以羌胡為援，今先使羌胡鈔擊，重其賞募，所虜獲者皆以畀之。 外沮其勢，內離其交，必不戰而定。」 乃檄告諭諸羌，為光等所詿誤者原之； 能斬賊帥送首者當加封賞。 於是光部黨斬送光首，其餘咸安堵如故。
Su Heng of Jiuquan rose with the Qiang chief Lin Dai and over ten thousand Dingling Hu horsemen to raid the frontier counties. Zhang Ji and Xiahou Ru broke their force; Su Heng, Lin Dai, and their allies capitulated. Zhang Ji then memorialized for leave to work with Xiahou Ru on fortifying Zuocheng—palisades, beacon chains, and courier stations against further nomad raids. 〈The Wei lue gives Xiahou Ru's style as Juanlin, a cousin of Xiahou Shang. He began as chief of swift cavalry under Cao Zhang, marquis of Yanling, while Sima Yi held the southern command over Jing and Yu. In Zhengshi 2 Zhu Ran invested Fancheng, and the garrison commander Yi Xiu pleaded desperately for relief. Xiahou Ru halted at Dengsai with too few men to attack, yet staged a parade—music, banners, a slow ride within sight of the walls, then a withdrawal—repeating the charade for weeks to buoy the defenders' spirits. When Sima Yi arrived a month later, the combined columns advanced and Zhu Ran lifted the siege. Some mocked him as timid; others argued he had bluffed a larger host with a handful, the classic stratagem of sounding a false relief. Even so he was recalled and given the sinecure of minister coachman.〉 Western Qiang bands, over twenty thousand tents, submitted in fear. Later Qu Guang of Xiping murdered his prefect; generals clamored to attack, but Zhang Ji said, "Only Qu Guang's clique is guilty—the county need not share their guilt. Send troops now and every clerk, farmer, Qiang, and Hu will think the court blind to justice—they will lock arms with the rebels and hand the tiger its wings. Qu Guang counts on Qiang and Hu allies—turn those allies against him first: double the bounty on his head and let the tribes keep every captive and herd they take. Throttle him from without, split him from within, and he will fall without a pitched battle." He issued a proclamation to the Qiang bands, pardoning any who had been duped by Qu Guang; and promising noble rank to whoever brought him the rebels' heads. Qu Guang's own followers cut off his head; everyone else went quietly back to their fields.
20
子緝
His son Zhang Ji.
21
緝以中書郎稍遷東莞太守。 嘉平中，女為皇后，徵拜光祿大夫，位特進，封妻向為安城鄉君。 緝與中書令李豐同謀，誅。 語在《夏侯玄傳》。 〈《魏略》曰：緝字敬仲，太和中為溫令，名有治能。 會諸葛亮出，緝上便宜，詔以問中書令孫資，資以為有籌略，遂召拜騎都尉，遣參征蜀軍。 軍罷，入為尚書郎，以稱職為明帝所識。 帝以為緝之材能，多所堪任，試呼相工相之。 相者云：「不過二千石。」 帝曰：「何材如是而位止二千石乎？」 及在東莞，領兵數千人。 緝性吝於財而矜於勢，一旦以女徵去郡，還坐里舍，悒悒躁擾。 數為國家陳擊吳、蜀形勢，又嘗對司馬大將軍料諸葛恪雖得勝於邊土，見誅不乆。 大將軍問其故，緝云：「威震其主，功蓋一國，欲不死可得乎？」 及恪從合肥還，吳果殺之。 大將軍聞恪死，謂衆人曰：「諸葛恪多輩耳！ 近張敬仲縣論恪，以為必見殺，今果然如此。 敬仲之智為勝恪也。」 緝與李豐通家，又居相側近。 豐時取急出，子藐往見之，有所咨道。 豐被收，事與緝連，遂收送廷尉，賜死獄中，其諸子皆並誅。 緝孫殷，晉永興中為梁州刺史，見《晉書》。〉
His son Zhang Ji rose from gentleman of the palace secretariat to prefect of Dongguan. During Jiaping his daughter entered the palace as empress; he was recalled as grand master of splendid carriage with specially advanced rank, and his wife Xiang was titled lady of Ancheng village. He joined director Li Feng's plot and died for it. The story is told in the biography of Xiahou Xuan. 〈The Wei lue names him Zhang Ji, style Jingzhong, who as magistrate of Wen during Taihe earned a reputation for competence. When Zhuge Liang invaded, he forwarded useful proposals; Sun Zi judged him a strategist, so the court named him colonel of cavalry and attached him to the Shu expedition. After the campaign he became a gentleman of the interior; his efficiency caught Emperor Ming's eye. The emperor believed him fit for many posts and secretly had a face-reader study him. The physiognomist said: "Not more than two thousand shi." Emperor Ming asked, "How can a man of such parts top out at two thousand shi?" Yet when Zhang Ji governed Dongguan he already led thousands of soldiers. He was tight with money but vain of influence; the day his daughter's summons pulled him from his county, he sat brooding in a rented hovel, unable to settle. He repeatedly briefed the court on campaigns against Wu and Shu, and once told Sima Shi that Zhuge Ke, for all his frontier victories, would soon lose his head. Asked why, he answered, "His prestige overshadows his sovereign and his deeds swallow the state—how could he hope to live?" When Zhuge Ke returned from Hefei, Wu executed him as predicted. Sima Shi exclaimed, "Zhuge Ke was nothing but a mediocrity! Only the other day Zhang Jingzhong told me Ke would die for it—and so he has. Zhang Ji's foresight outclassed Zhuge Ke's." He was kin by marriage to Li Feng and lived next door to the chief minister. Once Li Feng left on sudden business; his son Li Miao dropped in on Zhang Ji for advice. When Li Feng fell, Zhang Ji was implicated, sent to the minister of justice, strangled in jail, and his sons were put to death with him. His grandson Zhang Yin became Jin's Liangzhou inspector in the Yongxing era—the Jin shu carries his biography.〉
22
溫恢字曼基，太原祁人也。 父恕，爲涿郡太守，卒。 恢年十五，送丧還歸鄉里，内足於財。 恢曰：「世方亂，安以富爲？」 一朝尽散，振施宗族。 州里高之，比之郇越。 舉孝廉，爲廪丘長，鄢陵、廣川令，彭城、鲁相，所在見稱。 入爲丞相主簿，出爲扬州刺史。 太祖曰：「甚欲使卿在親近，顾以爲不如此州事大。 故書云：‘股肱良哉！ 庶事康哉！ ’得無當得蒋济爲治中邪？」 時济見爲丹杨太守，乃遣济還州。 又语張辽、乐進等曰：「扬州刺史晓達軍事，動静與共咨議。」
Wen Hui, style Manji, came from Qi in Taiyuan commandery. His father Wen Shu had been prefect of Zhuo and died in office. At fifteen Wen Hui brought his father's coffin home and found himself heir to a considerable fortune. He said, "The world is sliding into chaos—what good is money hoarded in a jar?" In a single morning he gave it away to clansmen in need. Neighbors ranked him with the ancient paragon Xun Yue. Nominated filial and incorrupt, he served as chief of Linqiu, magistrate of Yanling and Guangchuan, and chancellor of Pengcheng and Lu, winning praise at every post. He was recalled to the chancellor's secretariat, then sent out as Yangzhou inspector. Cao Cao told him, "I would gladly keep you at my elbow, but Yangzhou matters more right now. The old text says, "Sturdy are the arms and legs! Then every task runs smoothly! Would not Jiang Ji suit you as chief clerk?" Jiang Ji was then prefect of Danyang; Cao Cao ordered him back to Yangzhou as Wen Hui's deputy. He instructed Zhang Liao, Yue Jin, and the other generals, "The Yangzhou inspector knows war—take him into counsel on every move."
23
建安二十四年，孫权攻合肥，是時諸州皆屯戍。 恢謂兗州刺史裴潜曰：「此間雖有贼，不足憂，而畏征南方有變。 今水生而子孝縣軍，無有远備。 關羽骁锐，乘利而進，必將爲患。」 於是有樊城之事。 詔書召潜及豫州刺史呂贡等，潜等缓之。 恢密语潜曰：「此必襄陽之急欲赴之也。 所以不爲急會者，不欲惊動远眾。 一二日必有密書促卿進道，張辽等又將被召。 辽等素知王意，後召前至，卿受其责矣！」 潜受其言，置辎重，更爲轻装速发，果被促令。 辽等寻各見召，如恢所策。
In Jian'an 24 Sun Quan struck at Hefei while every province kept troops in the field. Wen Hui told Yanzhou inspector Pei Qian, "Bandits here are nothing; I fear trouble on the southern front. The rivers are high and Cao Ren has left his army exposed without a deep defense. Guan Yu is swift and aggressive; he will seize the moment and become a real threat." Soon afterward came the siege of Fancheng. Imperial messengers summoned Pei Qian and Yu inspector Lu Gong, but they dragged their feet. Wen Hui whispered to Pei Qian, "This can only mean Xiangyang is in crisis. They avoid a general mobilization so as not to panic the whole realm. Within a day or two sealed orders will rush you forward, and Zhang Liao will be called in as well. Zhang Liao and the rest know how the king thinks; if you drag your feet until they are called in first, you will bear the blame yourself!" Pei Qian took the hint, shed his heavy baggage, switched to light gear, and galloped off—just as sealed orders arrived to hurry him forward. Zhang Liao and the others were each recalled soon after, exactly as Wen Hui had predicted.
24
文帝践阼，以恢爲侍中，出爲魏郡太守。 數年，遷凉州刺史，持节领护羌校尉。 道病卒，時年四十五。 詔曰：「恢有柱石之質，服事先帝，功勤明著。 及爲朕執事，忠於王室，故授之以萬里之任，任之以一方之事。 如何不遂，吾甚愍之！」 赐恢子生爵關内侯。 生早卒，爵絕。
When Cao Pi took the throne he named Wen Hui palace attendant, then sent him out as prefect of Wei commandery. A few years later he became Liangzhou inspector, baton in hand, with concurrent appointment as protector of the Qiang. He died of an illness on the march at forty-five. An edict mourned him: "Wen Hui had the mettle of a pillar; he served my late father with conspicuous zeal. In my own service he proved utterly loyal, which is why I gave him a frontier stretching ten thousand li. That promise was cut short—how deeply I grieve!" He enfeoffed Wen Hui's son Wen Sheng as a neighborhood marquis. Wen Sheng died young and the title lapsed.
25
恢卒後，汝南孟建爲凉州刺史，有治名，官至征東將軍。 〈魏略曰：建字公威，少與諸葛亮俱游學。 亮後出祁山，答司馬宣王書，使杜子绪宣意於公威也。〉
After Wen Hui's death Meng Jian of Runan succeeded him in Liangzhou with a strong record and rose to general who conquers the east. 〈The Wei lue gives Meng Jian, style Gongwei, as Zhuge Liang's fellow student in their wandering years. When Zhuge Liang marched to Qishan he sent Du Zixu to carry his greetings to Meng Jian in a letter answering Sima Yi.〉
26
贾逵字梁道，河東襄陵人也。 自爲兒童，戏弄常設部伍，祖父習異之，曰：「汝大必爲將率。」 口授兵法數萬言。 〈《魏略》曰：逵世爲著姓，少孤家贫，冬常無袴，过其妻兄柳孚宿，其明無何，著孚袴去，故時人謂之通健。〉 初爲郡吏，守绛邑長。 郭援之攻河東，所經城邑皆下，逵坚守，援攻之不拔，乃召单于並軍急攻之。 城將溃，绛父老與援要，不害逵。 绛人既溃，援聞逵名，欲使爲將，以兵劫之，逵不動。 左右引逵使叩头，逵叱之曰：「安有國家長吏爲贼叩头！」 援怒，將斩之。 绛吏民聞將杀逵，皆乘城呼曰：「負要杀我賢君，宁俱死耳！」 左右義逵，多爲请，遂得免。 〈《魏略》曰：援捕得逵，逵不肯拜，謂援曰：「王府君临郡积年，不知足下曷爲者也？」 援怒曰：「促斩之。」 諸將覆护，乃囚於壶關，闭著土窖中，以车轮盖上，使人固守。 方將杀之，逵從窖中謂守者曰：「此間無健兒邪，而當使義士死此中乎？」 時有祝公道者，與逵非故人，而適聞其言，怜其守正危厄，乃夜盗往引出，折械遣去，不语其姓名。〉 初，逵过皮氏，曰：「爭地先据者胜。」 及圍怎，知不免，乃使人間行送印绶歸郡，且曰「急据皮氏」。 援既並绛眾，將進兵。 逵恐其先得皮氏，乃以他计疑援谋人祝奥，援由是留七日。 郡從逵言，故得無敗。 〈《孫资别傳》曰：资舉河東计吏，到许，荐於相府曰：「逵在绛邑，帅厉吏民，與贼郭援交戰，力尽而敗，爲贼所俘，挺然直志，颜辭不屈； 忠言聞於大眾，烈节显於當時，雖古之直发、据鼎，罔以加也。 其才兼文武，誠時之利用。」 魏略曰：郭援破後，逵乃知前出己者爲祝公道。 公道，河南人也。 後坐他事，當伏法。 逵救之，力不能解，爲之改服焉。〉
Jia Kui, style Liangdao, was a man of Xiangling in Hedong. Even as a boy he lined up playmates like soldiers; his grandfather Jia Xi said, "This child will command armies." The old man drilled him in tens of thousands of characters of military classics by rote. 〈The Wei lue adds that the Jias were a great clan fallen on hard times: one winter the boy had no pants, spent the night with his brother-in-law Liu Fu, walked off in Liu Fu's breeches at dawn, and earned a reputation for brazen toughness.〉 He began as a county clerk and acting chief of Jiangyi. Guo Yuan's sweep through Hedong took every town until he reached Jia Kui's walls; unable to storm them, Guo Yuan called in the Xiongnu chanyu for a joint assault. As the walls began to give, the Jiang elders bargained with Guo Yuan to spare their magistrate. When the town fell, Guo Yuan, impressed by Jia Kui's name, tried to press him into service at sword point; Jia Kui did not stir. Guards tried to force him to kowtow; he snarled, "No magistrate of the Han kneels to rebels!" Guo Yuan flew into a rage and ordered his execution. The townsfolk swarmed the ramparts shouting, "Break your oath and you kill our good magistrate—we die with him!" Guo Yuan's officers, moved by Jia Kui's courage, pleaded until his life was spared. 〈The Wei lue quotes him telling Guo Yuan, "Prefect Wang has ruled this county for years—who exactly are you?" Guo Yuan roared, "Kill him at once." His own officers shielded him; Guo Yuan had Jia Kui flung into an earthen cell at Huguan, roofed with cart wheels and heavily guarded. As the executioner approached, Jia Kui shouted into the pit, "Is there no man of spirit left who would let a loyal officer rot here?" A stranger named Zhu Gongdao overheard, pitied his integrity, slipped in by night, freed him, broke his chains, and vanished without giving his name.〉 Earlier, passing Pishi, Jia Kui had said, "In a contest for terrain, the side that seizes the ground first wins." When the siege [the cited text, text] pressed, knowing he could not escape, he thereupon had someone by secret route send the seal-cord back to the commandery, and said "urgently occupy Pishi." Guo Yuan absorbed the Jiang garrison and prepared to march on. Fearing Guo Yuan would reach Pishi first, Jia Kui spread disinformation through Guo's adviser Zhu Ao and pinned him down for seven days. The commandery obeyed his warning and held the critical ground. 〈Sun Zi's supplementary biography records his memorial: "At Jiangyi Jia Kui rallied clerks and townsmen against Guo Yuan, fought until overwhelmed, fell captive, yet stood unbent; his defiance rang through the army—no ancient martyr who seized the sacrificial cauldron could surpass him. He unites civil and military gifts—exactly the man the times require." The Wei lue notes that only after Guo Yuan's defeat did Jia Kui learn his rescuer had been Zhu Gongdao. Zhu Gongdao came from Henan. Later he faced execution on another charge. Jia Kui tried to save him but could not; he mourned in changed robes.〉
27
後舉茂才，除渑池令。 高幹之反，張琰將舉兵以应之。 逵不知其谋，往見琰。 聞變起，欲還，恐見執，乃爲琰画计，如與同谋者，琰信之。 時縣寄治蠡城，城堑不固，逵從琰求兵脩城。 諸欲爲亂者皆不隐其谋，故逵得尽诛之。 遂脩城拒琰。 琰敗，逵以丧祖父去官，司徒辟爲掾，以議郎参司隶軍事。 太祖征馬超，至弘农，曰「此西道之要」，以逵领弘农太守。 召見计事，大悦之，謂左右曰：「使天下二千石悉如贾逵，吾何憂？」 其後发兵，逵疑屯田都尉藏亡民。 都尉自以不屬郡，言语不顺。 逵怒，收之，數以罪，挝折脚，坐免。 然太祖心善逵，以爲丞相主簿。 〈《魏略》曰：太祖欲征吳而大霖雨，三軍多不原行。 太祖知其然，恐外有谏者，教曰：「今孤戒严，未知所之，有谏者死。」 逵受教，謂其同寮三主簿曰：「今實不可出，而教如此，不可不谏也。」 乃建谏草以示三人，三人不获已，皆署名，入白事。 太祖怒，收逵等。 當送狱，取造意者，逵即言「我造意」，遂走詣狱。 狱吏以逵主簿也，不即著械。 謂狱吏曰：「促械我。 尊者且疑我在近职，求缓於卿，今將遣人来察我。」 逵著械適讫，而太祖果遣家中人就狱视逵。 既而教曰：「逵無恶意，原復其职。」 始，逵爲諸生，略览大義，取其可用。 最好春秋左傳，及爲牧守，常自课读之，月常一遍。 逵前在弘农，與典农校尉爭公事，不得理，乃发愤生瘿，後所病稍大，自启原欲令医割之。 太祖惜逵忠，恐其不活，教「謝主簿，吾聞‘十人割瘿九人死’」。 逵猶行其意，而瘿愈大。 逵本名衢，後改爲逵。〉 太祖征刘備，先遣逵至斜谷觀形勢。 道逢水衡，载囚人數十车，逵以軍事急，辄竟重者一人，皆放其餘。 太祖善之，拜谏議大夫，與夏侯尚並掌軍计。 太祖崩洛陽，逵典丧事。 〈《魏略》曰：時太子在鄴，鄢陵侯未到，士民颇苦劳役，又有疾疠，於是軍中骚動。 羣寮恐天下有變，欲不发丧。 逵建議爲不可秘，乃发哀，令内外皆入临，临讫，各安叙不得動。 而青州軍擅击鼓相引去。 眾人以爲宜禁止之，不從者讨之。 逵以爲「方大丧在殡，嗣王未立，宜因而抚之」。 乃爲作長檄，告所在给其廪食。〉 時鄢陵侯彰行越骑將軍，從長安来赴，問逵先王玺绶所在。 逵正色曰：「太子在鄴，國有储副。 先王玺绶，非君侯所宜問也。」 遂奉梓宫還鄴。
He was later nominated for outstanding talent and made magistrate of Mianchi. When Gao Gan rose, Zhang Yan of Mianchi prepared to join the revolt. Jia Kui, unaware of the plot, called on Zhang Yan. Learning of the uprising, he dared not flee openly; instead he feigned collusion, drafted plans for Zhang Yan, and won his confidence. The county seat had been shifted to Licheng with weak walls; Jia Kui asked Zhang Yan for laborers to strengthen them. Would-be rebels exposed their scheme in the work parties, and Jia Kui had them all put to death. He then refortified Licheng against Zhang Yan. After Zhang Yan fell, Jia Kui resigned to mourn his grandfather, was recalled to the ministry of education, then served as consultant on the metropolitan command staff. When the Grand Progenitor campaigned against Ma Chao, reaching Hongnong, said "this is the key to the western road," he had Kui concurrently act as Administrator of Hongnong. He was so pleased with Jia Kui's counsel that he said, "If every magistrate were like Jia Kui, I would sleep soundly." Later, mobilizing supplies, Jia Kui suspected the colony commandant of harboring runaway peasants. The commandant insisted he reported to the capital, not to the prefect, and answered insolently. Jia Kui had him arrested, listed his offenses, beat him until his leg broke, and lost his own post for excessive force. Cao Cao nevertheless valued his zeal and appointed him chief clerk of the chancellor. 〈The Wei lue tells how Cao Cao meant to strike Wu but torrential rains left the army unwilling to march. Knowing their mood, he forbade debate on pain of death: "I am mobilized and my target is secret—advise me and you die." Jia Kui told his fellow chief clerks, "This expedition is folly, yet the order forbids counsel—we must speak anyway." He drafted a memorial and bullied the three into cosigning it. Cao Cao arrested all four. Asked who had started the protest, Jia Kui cried, "I did," and bolted for the jail himself. The warden hesitated to shackle a chief clerk. Jia Kui snapped, "Shackle me now. The chancellor will think I am trading on my office to win favors—he is about to send a spy." The fetters had barely clicked when a household agent arrived to inspect him. Cao Cao then relented: "Jia Kui meant no harm—restore him." As a student he skimmed the classics for whatever served statecraft. He loved the Zuo commentary best; as a governor he reread it cover to cover every month. A losing argument with the colony commandant in Hongnong had left him with a goiter that swelled until he begged permission to have it cut out. Cao Cao, cherishing his loyalty, sent word: "Tell the chief clerk they say nine of ten who cut a wen die." Jia Kui insisted on surgery in any case, and the growth only worsened. His birth name had been Jia Qu; he later adopted the name Kui.〉 On the campaign against Liu Bei he sent Jia Kui ahead to scout Xie Valley. He met a government convoy—the text reads "Shuiheng"—with dozens of carts of prisoners; citing military urgency he retried one capital case and released the rest. Cao Cao approved, named him grandee remonstrant, and paired him with Xiahou Shang on operational planning. When Cao Cao died at Luoyang, Jia Kui directed the obsequies. 〈The Wei lue records that the heir was still at Ye, Cao Zhang had not arrived, corvée and plague had frayed morale, and the camp seethed with rumor. Some ministers urged suppressing news of the death lest the realm revolt. Jia Kui insisted on a public proclamation, staged the formal lament, then locked the camp in place until order returned. Yet the Qingzhou corps beat their drums and marched off on their own. Counselors wanted to hunt them down as deserters. Kui thought "just now great mourning is in the coffin hall, the successor king is not yet established—it is fitting thereby to soothe them." He drafted a long manifesto promising rations at every post along their route.〉 Cao Zhang galloped in from Chang'an as acting general of agile cavalry and demanded where the late king's seals were kept. Jia Kui answered coldly, "The heir is at Ye; the succession is already fixed. The late king's seals are no business of yours, my lord." He then convoyed the catafalque to Ye.
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文帝即王位，以鄴縣户數萬在都下，多不法，乃以逵爲鄴令。 月餘，遷魏郡太守。 〈《魏略》曰：初，魏郡官屬颇以公事期會有所急切，會聞逵當爲郡，舉府皆詣縣門外。 及遷書到，逵出門，而郡官屬悉當門，謁逵於车下。 逵抵掌曰：「詣治所，何宜如是！」〉 大軍出征，復爲丞相主簿祭酒。 逵尝坐人爲罪，王曰：「叔向猶十世宥之，况逵功德親在其身乎？」 從至黎陽，津渡者亂行，逵斩之，乃整。 至谯，以逵爲豫州刺史。 〈《魏略》曰：逵爲豫州。 逵進曰：「臣守天門，出入六年，天門始開，而臣在外。 唯殿下爲兆民计，無违天人之望。」〉 是時天下初復，州郡多不摄。 逵曰：「州本以御史出監諸郡，以六条詔書察長吏二千石已下，故其狀皆言严能鹰扬有督察之才，不言安静寬仁有恺悌之德也。 今長吏慢法，盗贼公行，州知而不纠，天下復何取正乎？」 兵曹從事受前刺史假，逵到官數月，乃還； 考竟其二千石以下阿縱不如法者，皆舉奏免之。 帝曰：「逵真刺史矣。」 布告天下，當以豫州爲法。 赐爵關内侯。
When Cao Pi became king, Ye county—tens of thousands of households under the capital's shadow—was rife with crime, so he named Jia Kui magistrate. Within a month he rose to prefect of Wei commandery. 〈The Wei lue tells how the Wei commandery staff, dreading overdue accounts, massed outside the county gate the day his appointment arrived. When Jia Kui emerged they mobbed his carriage for obeisance. He clapped his hands and barked, "Your office is in the yamen—not in my dust!"〉 On the next great expedition he resumed chief clerk and chancellor's libationer. When a subordinate's crime touched him, Cao Pi said, "Shu Xiang pardoned ten generations of kin—shall I be harsher on Jia Kui himself?" At the Liyang crossing he restored order by beheading rioters. At Qiao he named him Yu inspector. 〈The Wei lue, on his appointment as inspector of Yu Province, records: Jia Kui protested, "Six years I have guarded your northern gate; now it opens to your progress and I am left outside the capital. I beg you, my lord, to act for the people of the realm and not disappoint what Heaven and men expect of you."〉" The empire was only beginning to knit together again, and most provincial governments were still slack. Jia Kui explained, "Inspectors were meant to be the emperor's eyes—empowered by the six statutes to watch every magistrate below two-thousand-shi rank—so their reports praised hawks who terrorized local officials, never men known for mercy or ease. Today magistrates flout the law, brigands walk the roads, and the provincial office looks the other way—where then is the standard for the world?" A military aide still carried a forged commission from the previous inspector; Jia Kui voided it months into his tenure; then impeached every magistrate who had abetted lawlessness and had them cashiered. The emperor exclaimed, "Now that is a provincial inspector!" He ordered the story broadcast so every region might imitate Yu Province. Jia Kui received a neighborhood marquisate.
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吳將張婴、王崇率眾降。 太和二年，帝使逵督前將軍满宠、東莞太守胡質等四軍，從西陽直向東關，曹休從皖，司馬宣王從江陵。 逵至五將山，休更表贼有请降者，求深入应之。 詔宣王驻軍，逵東與休合進。 逵度贼無東關之備，必並軍於皖； 休深入與贼戰，必敗。 乃部署諸將，水陆並進，行二百里，得生贼，言休戰敗，权遣兵断夹石。 諸將不知所出，或欲待後軍。 逵曰：「休兵敗於外，路絕於内，進不能戰，退不得還，安危之機，不及終日。 贼以軍無後继，故至此； 今疾進，出其不意，此所謂先人以奪其心也，贼見吾兵必走。 若待後軍，贼已断險，兵雖多何益！」 乃兼道進軍，多設旗鼓爲疑兵，贼見逵軍，遂退。 逵据夹石，以兵粮给休，休軍乃振。 初，逵與休不善。 黄初中，文帝欲假逵节，休曰：「逵性刚，素侮易諸將，不可爲督。」 帝乃止。 及夹石之敗，微逵，休軍幾無救也。 〈魏略曰：休怨逵進迟，乃呵责逵，遂使主者敕豫州刺史往拾棄仗。 逵恃心直，謂休曰：「本爲國家作豫州刺史，不来相爲拾棄仗也。」 乃引軍還。 遂與休更相表奏，朝廷雖知逵直，猶以休爲宗室任重，两無所非也。 魏書云：休猶挟前意，欲以後期罪逵，逵終無言，時人益以此多逵。 習凿齒曰：夫賢人者，外身虚己，内以下物，嫌忌之名，何由而生乎？ 有嫌忌之名者，必與物爲對，存胜負於己身者也。 若以其私憾敗國殄民，彼雖倾覆，於我何利？ 我苟無利，乘之曷爲？ 以是稱说，臧获之心耳。 今忍其私忿而急彼之憂，冒難犯危而免之於害，使功显於明君，惠施於百姓，身登於君子之涂，義愧於敌人之心，雖豺虎猶將不觉所復，而况於曹休乎？ 然則济彼之危，所以成我之胜，不计宿憾，所以服彼之心，公義既成，私利亦弘，可謂善爭矣。 在於未能忘胜之流，不由於此而能济胜者，未之有也。〉
The Wu officers Zhang Ying and Wang Chong brought their commands over to Wei. In Taihe 2 the emperor put Jia Kui over four columns—Man Chong, Hu Zhi of Dongguan, and others—driving from Xiyang toward Dongguan while Cao Xiu advanced from Wan and Sima Yi from Jiangling. At Wujiang Mountain Cao Xiu reported that enemy deserters begged him to push deep into their lines. The court told Sima Yi to stand fast while Jia Kui swung east to reinforce Cao Xiu. Jia Kui judged that Wu had left Dongguan weak and would mass every spear at Wan; if Cao Xiu drove deep into that trap he would lose. He therefore marched land and water two hundred li, took a Wu prisoner who confirmed Cao Xiu's defeat and Sun Quan's blocking force at Jiashi. His generals hesitated, some urging delay until reinforcements arrived. Jia Kui said, "Cao Xiu is broken on the field and his retreat is sealed—he cannot fight on and cannot fall back; he has only hours to live. The enemy presses because they think no second column is coming; strike now while they least expect it—seize the initiative—and they will scatter at our approach. Wait for reinforcements and they will hold every pass—numbers will not help then!" He forced the march, threw up dummy camps of drum and banner, and the Wu lines melted away before him. He seized Jiashi, fed Cao Xiu's survivors, and the beaten army found its legs again. Jia Kui and Cao Xiu had long been at odds. In the Huangchu period Emperor Wen wished to grant Kui credentials; Xiu said: "Kui's nature is stubborn; he always insults and belittles the various generals—he cannot be commander." The emperor dropped the idea. After the Jiashi disaster it was clear: without Jia Kui, Cao Xiu's host would have perished to a man. 〈The Wei lue adds that Cao Xiu blamed Jia Kui for dawdling, berated him, and ordered the Yu inspector to police the battlefield for abandoned gear. Jia Kui answered hotly, "I was named inspector for the realm—not to pick up your cast-off arms for you." He marched his column away. The two men traded memorials of complaint; the court knew Jia Kui was right yet refused to censure an imperial prince. The Wei shu notes Cao Xiu still meant to punish him for slow marching; Jia Kui never answered back, which only deepened public esteem. Xi Zuochi asks how a true gentleman, who effaces himself to serve the common good, could earn a reputation for petty spite. Suspicion grows only in men who treat every issue as a personal contest. To ruin the state for a private grudge brings the foe down on oneself as well—what gain is that? If there is nothing to win, why press the attack? Anyone who applauds such malice thinks like a bondservant. Yet Jia Kui swallowed old anger to save a rival, risked his life to pull Cao Xiu from the fire, won credit for his sovereign and relief for the people, walked the high road of honor, and shamed the foe—conduct that would move savage beasts, let alone Cao Xiu. Rescuing him secured Wei's victory; forgetting the feud won his heart—public duty and private gain alike served: that is contention at its noblest. Men who cannot forget petty scores will never pull off such a rescue.〉
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會病笃，謂左右曰：「受國厚恩，恨不斩孫权以下見先帝。 丧事一不得有所脩作。」 薨，諡曰肅侯。 〈《魏書》曰：逵時年五十五。〉 子充嗣。 豫州吏民追思之，爲刻石立祠。 青龙中，帝東征，乘辇入逵祠，詔曰：「昨过项，見贾逵碑像，念之怆然。 古人有言，患名之不立，不患年之不長。 逵存有忠勋，没而見思，可謂死而不朽者矣。 其布告天下，以勸將来。」 〈《魏略曰：甘露二年，车驾東征，屯项，復入逵祠下，詔曰：「逵没有遺愛，歷世見祠。 追聞風烈，朕甚嘉之。 昔先帝東征，亦幸于此，親发德音，褒扬逵美，徘徊之心，益有慨然！ 夫礼賢之義，或扫其坟墓，或脩其門閭，所以崇敬也。 其扫除祠堂，有穿漏者补治之。」〉
On his deathbed he murmured, "The state loaded me with favors; my only regret is that I could not take Sun Quan's head to lay before the late emperor. Let my funeral be plain—no lavish works." He died and received the posthumous title Marquis Su—Solemn. 〈The Wei shu records he was fifty-five.〉 His son Jia Chong inherited the title. The people of Yu carved him a stele and built a shrine. During Qinglong Cao Rui's eastern tour took him to Jia Kui's shrine; he said, "Passing Xiang yesterday I saw his statue and was overcome. The ancients said to fear an unmade name, not a short life. Jia Kui served with loyalty in life and is loved in death—true immortality of reputation. Let the empire hear it, to hearten those who follow." 〈The Wei lue records that in Ganlu 2 the emperor halted at Xiang, visited the shrine again, and said, "Jia Kui's kindness outlived him; generation after generation honors him. Hearing anew of his fierce integrity, I am deeply moved. My father campaigned east and stopped here to praise him; standing where he stood, I feel the same awe. The rites tell us to honor the wise by tending their graves and doorways. Sweep his hall and patch every leak in the roof."〉"
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子充
His son Jia Chong.
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充，咸熙中爲中护軍。 〈《晉諸公赞》曰：充字公閭，甘露中爲大將軍長史。 高贵鄉公之難，司馬文王赖充以免。 爲晉室元功之臣，位至太宰，封鲁公。 諡曰武公。 《魏略列傳》以逵及李孚、杨沛三人爲一卷，今列孚、沛二人继逵後耳。
Jia Chong rose to central protector of the army under the Xianxi reign. 〈The Jin Zhugong zan names him Jia Chong, style Gonglü, chief clerk to Sima Zhao in the Ganlu years. When Cao Mao fell, Sima Zhao depended on Jia Chong to survive the crisis. He became a pillar of the Jin founding, rose to grand tutor, and was invested duke of Lu. His posthumous title was Duke Wu—Martial. The Wei lue once grouped Jia Kui with Li Fu and Yang Pei; here Li and Yang follow his section.
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◎孚字子宪，钜鹿人也。 興平中，本郡人民饑困。 孚爲諸生，當种薤，欲以成计。 有從索者，亦不與一茎，亦不自食，故時人謂能行意。 後爲吏。 建安中，袁尚领冀州，以孚爲主簿。 後尚與其兄谭爭斗，尚出軍詣平原，留别驾审配守鄴城，孚随尚行。 會太祖圍鄴，尚還欲救鄴。 行未到，尚疑鄴中守備少，復欲令配知外動止，與孚議所遣。 孚答尚言：「今使小人往，恐不足以知外内，且恐不能自達。 孚请自往。」 尚問孚：「當何所得？」 孚曰：「聞鄴圍甚坚，多人則觉，以爲直當將三骑足矣。」 尚從其计。 孚自选溫信者三人，不语所之，皆敕使具脯粮，不得持兵仗，各给快馬。 遂辭尚来南，所在止亭傳。 及到梁淇，使從者斫問事杖三十枚，系著馬邊，自著平上帻，將三骑，投暮詣鄴下。 是時大將軍雖有禁令，而刍牧者多。 故孚因此夜到，以鼓一中，自稱都督，歷北圍，循表而東，從東圍表，又循圍而南，步步呵责守圍將士，随轻重行其罚。 遂歷太祖營前，径南过，從南圍角西折，當章門，復责怒守圍者，收缚之。 因開其圍，驰到城下，呼城上人，城上人以绳引，孚得入。 配等見孚，悲喜，鼓譟稱萬歲。 守圍者以狀聞，太祖笑曰：「此非徒得入也，方且復得出。」 孚事讫欲得還，而顾外圍必急，不可復冒。 謂己使命當速反，乃阴心计，请配曰：「今城中谷少，無用老弱爲也，不如驱出之以省谷也。」 配從其计，乃復夜简别得數千人，皆使持白幡，從三門並出降。 又使人人持火，孚乃無何將本所從作降人服，随辈夜出。 時守圍將士，聞城中悉降，火光照曜。 但共觀火，不復视圍。 孚出北門，遂從西北角突圍得去。 其明，太祖聞孚已得出，抵掌笑曰：「果如吾言也。」 孚比見尚，尚甚欢喜。 會尚不能救鄴，破走至中山，而袁谭又追击尚，尚走。 孚與尚相失，遂詣谭，復爲谭主簿，東還平原。 太祖進攻谭，谭戰死。 孚還城，城中雖必降，尚擾亂未安。 孚权宜欲得見太祖，乃骑詣牙門，稱冀州主簿李孚欲口白密事。 太祖見之，孚叩头謝。 太祖問其所白，孚言「今城中强弱相陵，心皆不定，以爲宜令新降爲内所识信者宣傳明教。」 公謂孚曰：「卿便還宣之。」 孚跪请教，公曰：「便以卿意宣也。」 孚還入城，宣教「各安故業，不得相侵陵。」 城中以安，乃還报命，公以孚爲良足用也。 會爲所間，裁署冗散。 出守解長，名爲严能。 稍遷至司隶校尉，時年七十餘矣，其於精断無衰，而术略不損於故。 終於陽平太守。 孚本姓冯，後改爲李。
Li Fu, style Zixian, was a native of Julu. During Xingping his home commandery starved. As a student Li Fu planted chives, nursing some private scheme. Beggars got not a single stalk, nor did he eat them himself—contemporaries said he had iron resolve. He later entered clerical service. Under Yuan Shang's Ji governorship he became chief clerk. When Yuan brothers warred, Yuan Shang marched on Pingyuan, left Shen Pei to hold Ye, and Li Fu rode with him. Cao Cao then besieged Ye; Yuan Shang turned back to relieve it. Fearing Ye's garrison too thin, he needed word inside and discussed couriers with Li Fu. Li Fu said, "A common messenger will learn nothing and never get through. Let me go myself." Shang asked Fu: "What ought you obtain?" Li Fu answered, "The ring is tight—a crowd would be spotted; three horsemen can slip through." Yuan Shang agreed. He picked three trusted men, told them nothing, issued dried rations, forbade arms, and gave each a fast horse. They rode south, halting only at post stations. Near Liangqi he had thirty court staves cut and lashed to the saddlebags, donned a clerk's cap, and at dusk rode up to the siege lines with three men. Though Cao Cao had forbidden casual traffic, foragers still swarmed the lines. Li Fu used the hubbub to slip in by night: one drum tap, a shouted claim to be inspector-general, then a swagger along the north face, east along the cordon, south along the stakes, barking orders and "fining" sentries like a true staff officer. He even paraded past Cao Cao's headquarters, doubled the southwest angle, stormed up to Zhang Gate, and "arrested" the guards for show. Thus he broke the ring, raced to the walls, and was hauled up by rope. Shen Pei's garrison wept and cheered long life. When the report reached Cao Cao he laughed, "That man is not only inside—he will walk out again." Li Fu's errand done, he saw no safe way back through the lines. He told Shen Pei, "Grain is low—expel noncombatants to save food." Shen Pei agreed; that night thousands of "civilians" with white flags streamed from three gates as if deserting. Torches lit the exodus while Li Fu and his three men, dressed as refugees, mingled with the throng. The besiegers, hearing Ye had capitulated, gaped at the blaze. They watched the flames and forgot the perimeter. Li Fu slipped out the north gate and broke through the northwest cordon. At dawn Cao Cao learned he had escaped and clapped, "Just as I said." When Li Fu rejoined Yuan Shang, the prince rejoiced. Yuan Shang failed to save Ye, fled to Zhongshan, and was hounded by Yuan Tan. Separated from his lord, Li Fu entered Yuan Tan's service and returned to Pingyuan as his chief clerk. Cao Cao attacked Yuan Tan and killed him in battle. Li Fu re-entered Ye while it still seethed with disorder though surrender was certain. To calm the town he rode to Cao Cao's gate claiming Ji chief clerk Li Fu bore secret word. Cao Cao received him, and Li Fu kowtowed in apology. The Grand Progenitor asked what he wished to report orally; Fu said "Now inside the city strong and weak mutually bully, hearts are all not settled—I think it fitting to order those newly surrendered whom those within recognize and trust to spread and proclaim the enlightened instruction." Cao Cao told him, "Go back in and announce it." Li Fu knelt for wording; Cao Cao said, "Say whatever you think right." Fu returned into the city, proclaiming instruction "each settle in former occupation, must not mutually invade or bully." Order returned; he reported back, and Cao Cao marked him as a man to rely on. Slander soon relegated him to idle sinecures. He was sent out as magistrate of Xie, famed for harsh efficiency. He rose to metropolitan commandant past seventy, as sharp in judgment as ever and as cunning as in youth. He died in office as prefect of Yangping. His clan had been Feng; he later took the surname Li.
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◎杨沛字孔渠，冯翊萬年人也。 初平中，爲公府令史，以牒除爲新郑長。 興平末，人多饑窮，沛课民益畜乾椹，收幪豆，阅其有餘以补不足，如此积得千餘斛，藏在小仓。 會太祖爲兗州刺史，西迎天子，所將千餘人皆無粮。 过新郑，沛謁見，乃皆進乾椹。 太祖甚喜。 及太祖辅政，遷沛爲長社令。 時曹洪宾客在縣界，徵調不肯如法，沛先挝折其脚，遂杀之。 由此太祖以爲能。 累遷九江、東平、乐安太守，並有治迹。 坐與督軍爭斗，髡刑五歲。 输作未竟，會太祖出征在谯，聞鄴下颇不奉科禁，乃发教选鄴令，當得严能如杨沛比，故沛從徒中起爲鄴令。 已拜，太祖見之，問曰：「以何治鄴？」 沛曰：「竭尽心力，奉宣科法。」 太祖曰：「善。」 顾謂坐席曰：「諸君，此可畏也。」 赐其生口十人，绢百匹，既欲以励之，且以报乾椹也。 沛辭去，未到鄴，而軍中豪右曹洪、刘勋等畏沛名，遣家 （驰骑） 〔骑驰〕告子弟，使各自检敕。 沛爲令數年，以功能轉爲护羌都尉。 十六年，馬超反，大軍西讨，沛随軍，都督孟津渡事。 太祖已南过，其餘未毕，而中黄門前渡，忘持行轩，私北還取之，從吏求小船，欲独先渡。 吏呵不肯，黄門與吏爭言。 沛問黄門：「有疏邪？」 黄門云：「無疏。」 沛怒曰：「何知汝不欲逃邪？」 遂使人捽其头，與杖欲捶之，而逸得去，衣帻皆裂坏，自诉于太祖。 太祖曰：「汝不死爲幸矣。」 由是声名益振。 及關中破，代張既领京兆尹。 黄初中，儒雅並進，而沛本以事能見用，遂以議郎冗散里巷。 沛前後宰歷城守，不以私计介意，又不肯以事贵人，故身退之後，家無餘积。 治疾於家，借舍從兒，無他奴婢。 後占河南 （夕） 陽亭部荒田二顷，起瓜牛庐，居止其中，其妻子冻饿。 沛病亡，鄉人親友及故吏民爲殡葬也。〉
Yang Pei, style Kongqu, came from Wannian in Fengyi commandery. During Chuping he served the warlord's chancellery and was posted magistrate of Xinzheng on written recommendation. At the close of Xingping he taxed his people not in coin but in dried mulberries and beans, pooling surplus to feed the hungry until he had a thousand hu cached in a granary. When Cao Cao marched west as Yanzhou inspector to escort the emperor, his thousand-man column arrived starving. At Xinzheng Yang Pei presented the whole stock of dried mulberries. Cao Cao was delighted. Once Cao Cao held the capital, he moved Yang Pei to magistrate of Changshe. Guests of Cao Hong refused lawful levy; Yang Pei broke their legs, then executed them. Cao Cao judged him indispensable. He rose through prefectures of Jiujiang, Dongping, and Lean, each time leaving a record of firm rule. A brawl with an army inspector earned him five years' penal labor with shaved head. While still in the labor gang he was plucked for duty because Cao Cao, camped at Qiao, heard Ye was lawless and demanded a magistrate as ruthless as Yang Pei. At his audience Cao Cao asked, "How will you rule Ye?" Yang Pei answered, "With every ounce of zeal I will enforce your code." Cao Cao said, "Good." He turned to his courtiers and said, "Gentlemen, fear this man." He gave him ten captives, a hundred bolts of silk—to reward his zeal and repay the mulberries. Before Yang Pei reached Ye, great families such as Cao Hong and Liu Xun, dreading his reputation, sent household messengers riding at full gallop to warn sons and nephews to straighten out their conduct before the new magistrate arrived. After some years as magistrate he was promoted colonel of the Qiang. In the sixteenth year, when Ma Chao rebelled, Yang Pei followed the host and directed the crossing at Mengjin. Cao Cao had already crossed when a eunuch turned back for a forgotten palanquin canopy and demanded a private boat to overtake the army. The river clerk refused; the eunuch argued. Yang Pei demanded, "Where is your written order?" The yellow gate said: "There is no written order." Yang Pei shouted, "For all I know you are deserting!" He had the man seized and raised a club; the eunuch broke loose in torn clothes and ran to Cao Cao. Cao Cao told the eunuch, "You are lucky Yang Pei did not kill you." Yang Pei's name rang louder than ever. After Guanzhong fell he succeeded Zhang Ji as governor of the capital district. Under Huangchu's literary fashion a rough administrator like him was shelved as a consultant and left to rot in the lanes. He had never lined his pockets, never flattered the mighty, and so retired penniless. Ill at the end, he lodged with a nephew and kept no servants. Later he registered a claim to wasteland in Henan where the characters the cited text appear corrupt (the cited text probably stands for the cited text in the placename Xiyang) two qing of abandoned fields in the Xiyang postal precinct; he threw up a brushwood hut, lived in it, and his wife and children went cold and hungry. When he died, neighbors and old subordinates pooled what they had to bury him.〉
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【評】
Appraisal
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评曰：自漢季以来，刺史總統諸郡，賦政于外，非若曩時司察之而已。 太祖創基，迄終魏業，此皆其流稱誉有名實者也。 咸精達事機，威恩兼著，故能肅齊萬里，見述於後也。
The historian comments: Late Han turned provincial inspectors into regional governors who wielded real power abroad, not mere auditors of old. From Cao Cao's founding through Wei's end, the men in this scroll earned reputations that matched their deeds. Each mastered the moment, blended severity with mercy, and so kept the frontiers quiet for generations to remember.