1
侯益，汾州平遙人。 祖父以農為業。 唐光化中，李克用據太原，益以拳勇隸麾下。 從莊宗攻大名，先登，擒軍校，擢為馬前直副兵馬使。 征劉守光，先登，遷軍使。 破洺州，為機石傷足，莊宗親以藥傅其瘡。 及愈，改護衛指揮使。 梁小將李立、李建以驍勇聞，軍中憚之。 會莊宗與梁人戰河上，益挺身出鬥，擒其二將，遷馬前直指揮使。 莊宗入汴，為本直副都校。 從明宗討趙在禮於鄴。 會諸軍推戴明宗，益脫身歸洛，莊宗撫其背出涕。
Hou Yi was a native of Pingyao in Fen Prefecture. His grandfather made his living as a farmer. During the Guanghua era of Tang, when Li Keyong held Taiyuan, Hou Yi entered his service on account of his skill in boxing and his bravery. He followed Emperor Zhuangzong in the assault on Daming, was the first man over the wall, captured an enemy officer, and was promoted to deputy commander of the Vanguard Guard. In the campaign against Liu Shouguang he again led the assault and was promoted to army commissioner. At the capture of Ming Prefecture he was struck in the foot by a catapult stone; Emperor Zhuangzong personally dressed the wound. After he recovered he was appointed commander of the Imperial Guard. The Liang junior generals Li Li and Li Jian were renowned for their ferocity, and the army stood in awe of them. When Emperor Zhuangzong fought the Liang along the Yellow River, Hou Yi stepped forward to fight, captured both generals, and was made commander of the Vanguard Guard. When Emperor Zhuangzong entered Bian, Hou Yi was appointed deputy commander of the main guard unit. He followed Emperor Mingzong in the campaign against Zhao Zaili at Ye. When the armies acclaimed Emperor Mingzong, Hou Yi made his way back to Luoyang; Emperor Zhuangzong stroked his back and wept.
2
明宗立，益面縛請罪，明宗曰：「爾盡忠節，又何罪也。」 改本直左廂都校。 天成初，朱守殷據夷門叛，益率所部斬關先入。 轉左右馬前從馬直都校、領潘州刺史。 王都據定州叛，益從王晏球攻討。 會契丹來援，益逆擊之，破其眾唐河北，克其城，授寧州刺史。 入為羽林軍五十指揮都校、領費州刺史。
When Emperor Mingzong took the throne, Hou Yi came with his hands bound to ask pardon. The emperor said, "You have done your duty with loyalty and integrity—what crime have you committed?" He was made commander of the left wing of the main guard. Early in the Tiancheng era, when Zhu Shouyin rebelled and seized Yimen, Hou Yi led his men through the gate in the van of the assault. He was promoted to commander of the left and right vanguard horse guards and concurrently appointed prefect of Pan Prefecture. When Wang Du rebelled and held Ding Prefecture, Hou Yi joined Wang Yanqiu in the punitive campaign. When the Khitan came to their relief, he met them in a counterattack, routed their forces in Hebei, captured their city, and was appointed prefect of Ning Prefecture. He was recalled to the capital as commander of the fifty companies of the Imperial Forest Army and concurrently appointed prefect of Fei Prefecture.
3
時夏帥李仁福卒，子彜超擅命自立，以邀節鋮，命益帥師討之。 明宗不豫，遽追還。
At that time the Xia commander Li Renfu died; his son Yichao seized power on his own authority to demand a military commission, and Hou Yi was ordered to lead an army against him. When Emperor Mingzong fell ill, he was hurriedly recalled.
4
應順初，潞王舉兵鳳翔，以益為西面行營都虞侯。 益知軍情必變，稱疾不奉詔，執政怒，出為商州刺史。 蜀軍寇金州，益率鎮兵襲擊，大破之。 詔賜襲衣、名馬，加西面行營都巡檢使。
Early in the Yingshun era, when the Prince of Lu raised troops at Fengxiang, Hou Yi was appointed chief adjutant of the western campaign headquarters. Hou Yi knew the army's loyalty would not hold, pleaded illness and refused the order; the chief ministers were angered and he was posted out as prefect of Shang Prefecture. When Shu forces raided Jin Prefecture, he led the garrison in a surprise attack and routed them completely. He was granted ceremonial robes and a famous horse by edict and was additionally appointed chief inspector of the western campaign headquarters.
5
晉初，召為奉國都校、領光州防禦使。 范延光反大名，張從賓據河陽為聲援。 晉祖召益，謂曰：「宗社危若綴旒，卿能為朕死耶？」 益曰：「願假銳卒五千人，破賊必矣。」 以益為西面行營副都部署，率禁兵數千人，次虎牢。 從賓軍萬餘人，夾汜水而陣。 益親鼓，士乘之，大敗其眾，擊殺殆盡，汜水為之不流，從賓乘馬入水溺死。 築京觀，刻石紀功，晉祖大喜，拜河陽三城節度，充鄴都行營都虞候。 會延光以城降，移鎮潞州。
Early in the Jin dynasty he was recalled as commander of the Fengguo Army and concurrently appointed military governor of Guang Prefecture. Fan Yanguang rebelled at Daming, while Zhang Congbin held Heyang to support him. The Jin founder summoned Hou Yi and said, "The realm hangs by a thread—will you give your life for me?" Hou Yi replied, "Give me five thousand elite troops and I shall surely break the rebels." He was made deputy commander-in-chief of the western campaign headquarters, led several thousand imperial troops, and encamped at Hulao. Congbin's army of more than ten thousand men drew up along both banks of the Si River. Hou Yi beat the drums in person; the men took heart, routed the enemy utterly, and killed nearly all of them until the Si ran with blood; Congbin rode into the river and drowned. He raised a victory mound of enemy skulls and set up a stone monument to record his achievement. The Jin founder was overjoyed, appointed him military governor of the Three Cities of Heyang, and made him chief adjutant of the Ye capital campaign headquarters. When Yanguang surrendered the city, Hou Yi was transferred to Lu Prefecture.
6
天福四年，晉祖追念虎牢之功，遷武寧軍節度、同平章事，遣中使謂益曰：「朕思卿前年七月九日大立戰功，故復以此月此日徙卿鎮彭門，領相印。」 仍賜門戟，改鄉里為將相鄉勳賢里，九月，徐州大火，益出金、粟振之。
In the fourth year of Tianfu the Jin founder recalled his victory at Hulao, transferred him to military governor of the Wuning Army with the title of co-equal chief minister, and sent a palace envoy to say, "I remember the great victory you won on the ninth day of the seventh month two years ago, and so on this same month and day I am posting you to Peng Gate with the chief minister's seal." He was also granted halberds for his gate, and his home district was renamed General-and-Minister Village, Meritorious Worthies Lane. In the ninth month a great fire struck Xuzhou, and he distributed gold and grain for relief.
7
明年，徙鎮秦州，充西面都部署。 階州義軍校王君懷苦其刺史暴虐，率眾數千投蜀，請為先鋒，下秦、成諸州。 益聞之懼，請援於朝； 又潛遺書於蜀將，以達誠意。 少帝聞之，疑為邊患，議徙於內地。 會蒲帥安審琦移鎮許下，以益為河中尹、護國軍節度。
The following year he was transferred to Qin Prefecture as commander-in-chief on the western front. Wang Junhuai, an officer of the volunteer army of Jie Prefecture, resenting his prefect's cruelty, led several thousand men to defect to Shu, offered to serve as vanguard, and overran Qin, Cheng, and other prefectures. Hou Yi was alarmed when he heard of it and asked the court for reinforcements; and also secretly sent letters to Shu generals to declare his good faith. When the Young Emperor heard of this, he suspected a border threat and discussed transferring him inland. When the Pu commander An Shenqi was transferred to Xu, Hou Yi was made prefect of Hezhong and military governor of the Huguo Army.
8
契丹入汴，益率僚屬歸京師，詣契丹主，自陳不預北伐之謀。 契丹授以鳳翔節度。
When the Khitan entered Bian, Hou Yi led his staff to the capital, presented himself to the Khitan ruler, and declared that he had had no part in plotting the northern campaign. The Khitan appointed him military governor of Fengxiang.
9
漢祖即位，加兼侍中。 益自以嘗受契丹命，聞漢兵入洛，憂之，浚城隍為備，孟昶遣益所親掌樞密王處回賫書招益，復遣綿州刺史吳崇惲厚遺之。 崇惲本秦州押衙，益故吏也，及何重建為帥遣崇惲奉表以階、秦歸蜀，授刺史，故昶遣之。 益遂與其子歸蜀，昶令重建率川兵數萬出大散關以應之。 漢祖知其事，遣客省使王景崇率禁軍數千，倍道趨岐下，召益入朝。 時漢祖已不豫，召至臥內，謂之曰：「侯益貌順朝廷，心懷攜貳。 爾往至彼，如益來，即置勿問； 茍遲疑不決，即以便宜從事。」 景崇至京兆，合岐、雍、邠、涇之師以破蜀軍。 益懼，即謀入朝。 會聞漢祖崩，景崇欲誅益，慮隱帝不知先朝密旨。 從事程渥，景崇里人也，益因遣之說景崇曰：「君致位通顯，亦可少知止足，何必懷禍人之心，為已甚之事乎。 況侯君親戚爪牙甚眾，事若妄發，禍亦旋踵至矣。」 景崇怒曰：「子去，勿為遊說，吾將族爾！」 益知不用渥言，即率數十騎奔入朝。 隱帝遣侍臣問益結連蜀軍之由，益對曰：「臣欲誘之出關，掩殺之耳。」 隱帝笑之。 益厚賂史弘肇輩，言景崇之橫恣。 諸權貴深庇護之，乃授以開封尹兼中書令。 俄封魯國公。 景崇聞之，遂據城叛，益親屬在城中餘七十口悉為景崇所害。
When the Han founder took the throne, Hou Yi was additionally appointed palace attendant. Hou Yi, knowing he had once accepted appointment from the Khitan, was anxious when he heard Han troops had entered Luoyang and strengthened his walls and moats. Meng Chang sent Wang Chuhui, whom Yi trusted and who directed the Bureau of Military Affairs, with a letter to win him over, and also sent Wu Chongyun, prefect of Mian Prefecture, with lavish gifts. Chongyun had originally been an adjutant at Qin Prefecture and had been Yi's subordinate; when He Chongjian became commander he sent Chongyun with a memorial offering Jie and Qin to Shu and was made prefect—hence Chang sent him. Hou Yi then went to Shu with his son; Chang ordered Chongjian to lead tens of thousands of Sichuan troops through Dasanguan to support him. The Han founder learned of this and sent the Reception Bureau commissioner Wang Jingchong with several thousand imperial troops by forced march to Qi to summon Hou Yi to court. The Han founder was already ill; he summoned Jingchong to his bedside and said, "Hou Yi looks obedient to the court but harbors divided loyalties in his heart. When you arrive, if Hou Yi comes to court, leave him be; if he hesitates, act at your own discretion." Jingchong reached Jingzhao, combined the armies of Qi, Yong, Bin, and Jing, and defeated the Shu forces. Hou Yi was alarmed and at once planned to go to court. When he heard the Han founder had died, Jingchong wished to execute Hou Yi but feared the Hidden Emperor did not know the previous emperor's secret instructions. The staff officer Cheng Wo was from Jingchong's home district; Hou Yi sent him to persuade Jingchong, saying, "You have risen to high rank and ought to know when enough is enough—why harbor murderous intent and go too far? Moreover, Lord Hou has many kin and retainers; if you act rashly, disaster will follow at once." Jingchong said angrily, "Be gone—do not lobby me; I shall exterminate your clan!" Knowing his plea had failed, Hou Yi at once led several dozen horsemen in a dash to court. The Hidden Emperor sent a palace attendant to ask why he had colluded with Shu troops; Hou Yi replied, "I meant to lure them out of the pass and destroy them in an ambush." The Hidden Emperor laughed at this. Hou Yi lavished bribes on Shi Hongzhao and his faction, accusing Jingchong of arrogance and abuse of power. The powerful ministers shielded him closely, and he was appointed prefect of Kaifeng and concurrently chief minister of the Secretariat. Shortly afterward he was enfeoffed as Duke of Lu. When Jingchong heard of this, he rebelled and held the city; more than seventy of Hou Yi's kin and dependents still in the city were all killed by Jingchong.
10
及周祖起兵，隱帝議出師禦之，益獻計曰：「王者無敵於天下，兵不宜輕出，況大名戍卒家屬盡在京城，不如閉關以挫其銳，遣其母妻發降以招之，可不戰而定。」 慕容彥超以為益衰老，作懦夫計，沮之。 隱帝遣益與彥超及張彥超、閻晉卿，吳虔裕守澶州。 至赤岡，周師奄至，戰留子陂，漢軍不利。 益臨陣，見士卒無鬥志，又占候不祥，乃與焦繼勳等夜謁周祖，周祖慰勞遣還。
When the Zhou founder raised troops, the Hidden Emperor discussed sending an army against him; Hou Yi offered a plan: "A true king has no match under Heaven; troops should not be sent out lightly. The families of the Daming garrison are all in the capital—better to close the passes and blunt their momentum, send out their mothers and wives with offers of surrender to win them over, and settle the matter without fighting." Murong Yanchao thought Hou Yi was old and feeble and making a coward's plan, and opposed it. The Hidden Emperor sent Hou Yi with Yanchao, Zhang Yanchao, Yan Jinqing, and Wu Qianyu to hold Chun Prefecture. At Chigang the Zhou army suddenly arrived; they fought at Liuzi Slope and the Han army was defeated. At the battle line Hou Yi saw the soldiers had no fighting spirit, and his divinations were inauspicious; he then visited the Zhou founder by night with Jiao Jixun and others; the Zhou founder comforted him and sent him back.
11
太祖即位，遣賜器幣，歲一來朝，太祖以耆舊厚待之。 乾德初，郊祀，詔綴中書門下班，禮與丞相等。 三年，卒，年八十，贈中書令。
When Emperor Taizu took the throne, he sent gifts of vessels and silks; Hou Yi came to court once a year, and the emperor treated this elder statesman with great favor. Early in Qiande, at the suburban sacrifice, an edict placed him in the rear rank at the Secretariat Gate, with ceremonial standing equal to chief ministers. In the third year he died, aged eighty, and was posthumously appointed chief minister of the Secretariat.
12
五子：仁愿、仁矩、仁寶、仁遇、仁興。 仁愿至左金吾衛大將軍、蓬州刺史； 仁遇，西京內園使； 仁興，右屯衛將軍。 仁願子延濟，西京作坊使、康州刺史。
He had five sons: Renyuan, Renju, Renbao, Renyu, and Renxing. Renyuan rose to great general of the Left Golden Crow Guard and prefect of Peng Prefecture; Renyu was commissioner of the Western Capital inner gardens; Renxing was a general of the Right Garrison Guard. Renyuan's son Yanji was commissioner of the Western Capital workshops and prefect of Kang Prefecture.
13
子仁矩
Son: Renju
14
仁矩從益為商州牙校。 益之討張從賓也，仁矩首犯賊鋒，以功領蓬州刺史，充河南牙職。 從益歷潞、徐、秦三鎮。 開運初，入為氈毯使，出為天平行軍司馬。
Renju followed Hou Yi as a yamen adjutant at Shang Prefecture. When Hou Yi campaigned against Zhang Congbin, Renju was first to strike the rebel van; for his merit he was made prefect of Peng Prefecture and served as Henan yamen officer. He followed Hou Yi through his postings at Lu, Xu, and Qin. Early in Kaiyun he was recalled as felt-and-carpet commissioner and then posted as campaign marshal of Tianping.
15
漢妝，授隰州刺史，至郡決滯訟，一日釋繫囚百餘，獄為之空，民情悅服。 仕周，歷左羽林將軍，出為泗州刺史，改通州，兼屯田鹽鐵監使。
When the Han dynasty was founded he was appointed prefect of Xi Prefecture; on reaching his post he cleared backlogged cases and in one day released more than a hundred prisoners—the jails were emptied and the people were pleased. Under the Zhou he served as general of the Left Forest Guard, was posted as prefect of Si Prefecture, transferred to Tong Prefecture, and concurrently served as commissioner of farming, salt, and iron.
16
宋初，歷祁、雄二州刺史。 治軍有方略，歷數郡，咸有善政。 開寶二年，卒年五十六。 太祖甚惜之，特命中使護喪。 子延廣、延之、咸平二年進士及弟。
Early in the Song he successively governed Qi and Xiong prefectures. He governed troops with sound method; in every commandery he served he left a record of good administration. In the second year of Kaibao he died, aged fifty-six. Emperor Taizu deeply regretted his loss and specially ordered a palace envoy to oversee the funeral. His sons were Yanguang and Yanzhi; the latter passed the jinshi examination in the second year of Xianping.
17
子仁寶
Son: Renbao
18
仁寶以蔭遷太子中允，即趙普妹婿。 盧多遜與普有隙，普罷相，即以仁寶知邕州。 州之右江生毒藥樹，宣化縣人常采貨之。 仁寶以聞，詔盡伐去。 九年不代。 太平興國中，上言陳取交州之策，太宗大喜，令馳驛召歸。 多遜遽奏曰：「若召仁寶，其謀必泄，蠻夷增備，未易取也。 不如授仁寶飛輓之任，且經度之，別遣偏將發荊湖士卒一二萬人，長驅而往，勢必萬全。」 帝以為然。 遂以仁寶為交州水陸計度轉運使。 前軍發，遇賊鋒甚盛，援兵不繼，遇害死江中。 太宗聞之，甚悼惜，特贈工部侍郎，錄其子延齡、延世並為齋郎。 延齡至殿中丞。 延世至太子中舍。
Renbao was promoted by yin privilege to attendant in the crown prince's household; he was also the son-in-law of Zhao Pu's younger sister. Lu Duosun bore a grudge against Zhao Pu; when Pu was removed as chief minister, Renbao was at once made prefect of Yong Prefecture. On the prefecture's You River grew poisonous trees; the people of Xuanhua County often gathered them for sale. Renbao reported this, and an edict ordered them all cut down. He was not replaced for nine years. During Taiping Xingguo he memorialized with a plan to take Jiaozhou; Emperor Taizong was greatly pleased and ordered him summoned back by express relay. Duosun hurriedly memorialized: "If Renbao is summoned, the plan will surely leak; the barbarians will strengthen their defenses, and the place will not be easy to take. Better to give Renbao charge of rapid transport and let him plan the operation, and separately send a subordinate general to raise ten or twenty thousand troops from Jinghu and drive straight forward—the outcome will surely be secure." The emperor agreed. Renbao was then appointed commissioner for planning and transport by land and water for Jiaozhou. The vanguard set out, met a very strong rebel force, reinforcements failed to arrive, and he was killed in the river. When Emperor Taizong heard of it he deeply mourned him, posthumously appointed him vice minister of the Works, and enrolled his sons Yanling and Yanshi as ritual officers. Yanling rose to palace director. Yanshi rose to attendant in the crown prince's household.
19
孫延廣
Grandson: Yanguang
20
延廣，初在繈褓中，遭王景崇之難，乳母劉氏以己子代延廣死。 劉氏行丐抱持延廣至京師還益。 延廣父歷通、祁、雄三州刺史，悉以補牙職。 仁矩在雄州日，方飲宴，虜數十騎白晝入州城，居民驚擾。 延廣引親信數騎馳出衙門，射殺其酋長一人，斬首數級，悉禽其餘黨。 延廣持首級以獻，仁矩喜，拊其背曰：「興吾門者必汝也。」 監軍李漢超以其事聞，詔書褒美，賜錦袍銀帶。
Yanguang, while still an infant, suffered Wang Jingchong's massacre; his wet nurse Lady Liu had her own son die in his place. Lady Liu went begging, carrying Yanguang to the capital and returning him to Hou Yi. Yanguang's father served successively as prefect of Tong, Qi, and Xiong, and appointed him to yamen posts in all three. When Renju was at Xiong Prefecture, while he was at a banquet, several dozen barbarian horsemen entered the city in broad daylight and threw the populace into alarm. Yanguang led several trusted horsemen in a dash from the yamen gate, shot and killed one of their chiefs, took several heads, and captured the rest of the band. Yanguang presented the heads; Renju was pleased, clapped his back, and said, "You are the one who will raise our house." The army supervisor Li Hanchao reported the affair; an edict praised him and bestowed a brocade robe and silver belt.
21
仁矩卒，補西頭供奉官。 從党進討太原。 太平興國初，預修永昌陵，出護延州軍兼緣邊巡檢，善撫士卒，下樂為用，戎人畏服，遷閣門祗候。 會西北戎入寇，邊人擾亂，求可使徼巡者。 近臣言：「延廣將家子，習邊事無出其右。」 延廣時被病，強起之，遷崇儀副使，充同、鄜、坊、延、丹緣邊都巡檢使。 延廣力疾入辭，太宗賜以名藥及方，遣太醫隨侍，其疾亦尋愈。 戎人聞延廣之至，不敢復為寇亂。
When Renju died, Yanguang was appointed attendant of the western bureau. He followed Dang Jin in the campaign against Taiyuan. Early in Taiping Xingguo he took part in building the Yongchang Mausoleum, was posted to guard the Yanzhou army and serve as frontier inspector; he treated his soldiers well, his men gladly followed him, the barbarians feared and submitted, and he was transferred to palace gate attendant. When northwestern barbarians raided and the border was thrown into turmoil, the court sought someone who could patrol the frontier. A court intimate said, "Yanguang is a general's son and in frontier affairs has no superior." Yanguang was then ill but was ordered to take the post anyway, promoted to deputy commissioner of honored ritual, and made chief frontier inspector of Tong, Fu, Fang, Yan, and Dan. Yanguang came to take leave despite his illness; Emperor Taizong bestowed famous medicines and prescriptions and sent an imperial physician to attend him, and he soon recovered. When the barbarians heard Yanguang had arrived, they dared not raid again.
22
叛卒劉渥嘯聚亡命數百人，寇耀州富平縣，謀入京兆，其勢甚盛。 所過殺居民，奪財物，縱火而去，關右騷然。 延廣率兵數百，自間道追之，會渥於富平西十五里，渥眾已千餘人，相持久之。 渥素憚延廣，傳言：「我草間求活，觀死如鴻毛耳； 侯公家世富貴，奈何不思保守，而與亡卒爭一旦之命於鋒鏑之下？」 延廣怒，因擊之，挺身與渥鬥大樹下，斷渥右臂，渥脫走，乘勢大破其眾。 渥創甚，止谷中，後數日為追兵所獲。 渥素號驍勇無敵，至是為延廣所殺，群盜喪氣，餘黨稍稍自歸，關右以定。 上嘉之，擢拜崇儀使。
The mutineer Liu Wo gathered several hundred outlaws, raided Fuping County in Yao Prefecture, plotted to enter Jingzhao, and his force was very strong. Where they passed they killed inhabitants, seized goods, set fires and moved on, and the region west of the pass was thrown into uproar. Yanguang led several hundred troops by a hidden path in pursuit, met Wo fifteen li west of Fuping—Wo's band already numbered more than a thousand—and they faced each other in stalemate. Wo had always feared Yanguang and sent word: "I seek life in the wild; I regard death as lighter than a goose feather; Lord Hou's family has been rich and noble for generations—why not think of preserving yourself rather than contending with desperate men for a moment's life under blades and arrows?" Yanguang was enraged and attacked; he stepped forward and fought Wo beneath a great tree, severed Wo's right arm, Wo broke away and fled, and Yanguang took the momentum and routed his forces utterly. Wo was badly wounded and halted in a valley; several days later he was captured by pursuing troops. Wo had been famed as matchlessly fierce and brave; now he was killed by Yanguang, the bandits lost heart, the remaining followers gradually surrendered, and the region west of the pass was pacified. The emperor commended him and promoted him to commissioner of honored ritual.
23
淳化二年，李繼遷始擾夏臺，即命延廣領獎州刺史、知靈州，賜金帶名馬。 會趙保忠陰結繼遷，朝廷命騎將李繼隆率兵問罪，以延廣護其軍。 既而夏臺平，保忠就縛。 手詔褒美，錫賚甚厚。 師還，留為延州鈐轄。 會節帥田重進老耄，郡中不治，以延廣同知州事兼緣邊都巡檢使。
In the second year of Chunhua, when Li Jiqian first began to harass Xia Terrace, Yanguang was appointed prefect of Jia Prefecture and governor of Ling Prefecture, and was granted a gold belt and a famous horse. When Zhao Baozhong secretly allied with Jiqian, the court ordered the cavalry general Li Jilong to lead troops against them, with Yanguang as army protector. Soon Xia Terrace was pacified and Baozhong was captured. An imperial autograph edict praised him and the rewards were very generous. When the army returned, he was retained as commander at Yanzhou. When the military governor Tian Chongjin grew old and feeble and the commandery was poorly governed, Yanguang was made co-administrator of the prefecture and concurrently chief frontier inspector.
24
先是，延廣知靈州，部下嚴整，戎人悅服，李繼遷素避其鋒。 監軍康贊元害其功，誣奏延廣得虜情，恐後倔強難制。 遽詔還，以慕容德豐代之，部內甚不治。 至道間，繼遷寇靈州，朝廷謀帥，同知樞密院事錢若水稱延廣可使，就拜寧州團練使、知靈州兼兵馬都部署。 賜白金二千兩，歲增給錢二百萬。 戎人塞道，郵傳饋餫皆不通，延廣獨引數十騎之鎮，戎人素服其威名，皆相率引避。
Earlier, when Yanguang governed Ling Prefecture, his subordinates were disciplined, the barbarians were pleased and submitted, and Li Jiqian had always avoided confronting him. The army supervisor Kang Zanyuan envied his merit and falsely memorialized that Yanguang had won the barbarians' favor and might later prove stubborn and hard to control. He was hurriedly recalled by edict and Murong Defeng replaced him; the commandery was very poorly governed thereafter. During Zhidao, when Jiqian raided Ling Prefecture, the court sought a commander; the co-director of the Bureau of Military Affairs Qian Ruoshui recommended Yanguang, and he was appointed regimental commissioner of Ning Prefecture, governor of Ling Prefecture, and concurrently overall commander of troops and horses. He was granted two thousand taels of white gold and an annual supplement of two million cash. The barbarians blocked the roads and postal relay and supply transport were all cut off; Yanguang alone led several dozen horsemen to his post; the barbarians had long respected his renown and all drew aside to give way.
25
二年春，被病，上遣御醫馳驛視之。 醫至，疾已亟，延廣謂中使李知信曰：「延廣自度必不起，家世受國恩，今日得死所矣，但恨未立尺寸功以報上耳。」 言訖而卒，年五十。 上聞之為出涕，賵賻甚厚，以其子為六品正員官。 子紹隆，東染院使、帶御器械。 紹隆子宗亮，右侍禁、閣門祗候。
In the spring of the second year he fell ill; the emperor sent an imperial physician by express relay to examine him. When the physician arrived the illness was already grave; Yanguang said to the palace envoy Li Zhixin, "I know I shall not recover; our house has received the state's grace for generations—today I have found the place to die, but I regret only that I have not achieved the slightest merit to repay the sovereign." When he had spoken he died, aged fifty. When the emperor heard of it he wept; the funeral gifts were very generous and his son was made a regular sixth-rank official. His son Shaolong was commissioner of the eastern dye works and bearer of imperial arms. Shaolong's son Zongliang was right palace guard and palace gate attendant.
26
張從恩
Zhang Cong'en
27
張從恩，幷州太原人。 父存信，振武軍節度。 後唐明宗微時，嘗隸存信麾下。 時從恩尚幼，頗無賴，明宗甚薄之，及即位，止授散秩。 從恩不得志，乃退歸太原。
Zhang Cong'en was a native of Taiyuan in Bing Prefecture. His father Cunxin was military governor of the Zhenwu Army. When Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang was still obscure, he had once served under Cunxin. At that time Cong'en was still young and rather unruly; Mingzong thought little of him, and when he took the throne he gave him only an honorary post. Cong'en could not fulfill his ambitions and retired to Taiyuan.
28
晉祖鎮河東，為少帝娶從恩女。 晉初，以外戚擢為右金吾衛將軍，未幾，改刺貝州，遷北京副留守，移授澶州防禦使。 歷樞密副使、宣徽南院使、權西京留守，俄判三司。 安從進叛於襄陽，以從恩為行營兵馬都監。
When the Jin founder governed Hedong, he took Cong'en's daughter as wife for the Young Emperor. Early in the Jin dynasty, as an imperial in-law he was promoted to general of the Right Golden Crow Guard; before long he was made prefect of Bei Prefecture, transferred to deputy protector of the northern capital, and then appointed military governor of Chun Prefecture. He served successively as deputy director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, commissioner of the southern Bureau of the Palace Secretariat, acting protector of the western capital, and soon afterward as controller of the three fiscal bureaus. When An Congjin rebelled at Xiangyang, Cong'en was made overall supervisor of troops and horses of the campaign headquarters.
29
少帝嗣位，襄陽平，遷檢校太尉、開封尹，充東京留守。 少帝自鄴歸汴，改鄴都留守。 錫賚加等，仍賜銀裝肩輿二，俾迎其家。 明年，契丹擾河朔，從恩僅能完守。 尋加同中書門下平章事。 是歲，契丹將趙延昭據甘陵，命從恩為貝州行營都部署。 從恩至，延昭遁去。 詔與杜重威合兵三萬北伐。
When the Young Emperor succeeded, Xiangyang was pacified, and Cong'en was transferred to honorary grand marshal and prefect of Kaifeng, serving as protector of the eastern capital. When the Young Emperor returned from Ye to Bian, Cong'en was made protector of the Ye capital. His rewards were increased by one grade, and two silver-mounted sedan chairs were also bestowed so that he might bring his family. The next year the Khitan harassed Hebei; Cong'en was barely able to hold his defenses. Shortly afterward he was made co-equal chief minister of the Secretariat-Chancellery. That year the Khitan general Zhao Yanzhao held Ganling; Cong'en was ordered to be overall commander of the Bei Prefecture campaign headquarters. When Cong'en arrived, Yanzhao fled. An edict ordered him to join Du Chongwei with thirty thousand troops in a northern campaign.
30
開運初，改天平軍節度。 契丹復擾邊，命十五將北征，以從恩充北面行營都監。 二年，移鎮晉州，又改潞州。 及契丹入汴，從恩欲降，從事高防諫曰：「公晉室之親，宜盡臣節。」 從恩不聽，乃棄城而去。 巡檢使王守恩悉取其家財，以城歸漢祖。 漢祖至汴。 從恩惶懼不敢出。 漢祖召賜襲衣、金帶、鞍勒馬、器幣以安慰之。 尋拜右衛上將軍，奉朝請。
Early in Kaiyun he was transferred to military governor of the Tianping Army. The Khitan again harassed the border; fifteen generals were ordered on a northern expedition, with Cong'en as overall supervisor of the northern campaign headquarters. In the second year he was transferred to Jin Prefecture, then to Lu Prefecture. When the Khitan entered Bian, Cong'en wished to surrender; his staff officer Gao Fang remonstrated, "You are kin of the Jin house and ought to fulfill your ministerial duty." Cong'en would not listen and abandoned the city and fled. The inspector Wang Shou'en seized all his household property and surrendered the city to the Han founder. The Han founder reached Bian. Cong'en was fearful and did not dare come out. The Han founder summoned him and bestowed ceremonial robes, a gold belt, a saddled horse, and vessels and silks to comfort him. Shortly afterward he was made senior general of the Right Guard and court attendant.
31
周初，迂左金吾衛上將軍。 周祖征兗州，從恩從行。 世宗嗣位，加檢校太師，封褒國公。 宋初，改封許國公，久之，以病免。 乾德四年，卒，年六十九。
Early in the Zhou dynasty he was transferred to senior general of the Left Golden Crow Guard. When the Zhou founder campaigned against Yan Prefecture, Cong'en accompanied the expedition. When Emperor Shizong succeeded, Cong'en was given the honorary title of grand preceptor and enfeoffed as Duke of Bao. Early in the Song his fief was changed to Duke of Xu; after a long time he was relieved on account of illness. In the fourth year of Qiande he died, aged sixty-nine.
32
扈彥珂
Hu Yanke
33
扈彥珂，代州雁門人。 幼事王建立，以謹厚稱。 晉天福中，建立節制潞州，卒，遺表薦彥珂，得補河東節度左都押衙。 會漢祖自太原建號，擢為宣徽南院使。 未幾，授鎮國軍節度，華商等州觀察、處置等使。
Hu Yanke was a native of Yanmen in Dai Prefecture. In youth he served Wang Jianli and was known for prudence and steadiness. In the Tianfu era of Jin, Jianli governed Lu Prefecture; when he died his final memorial recommended Yanke, who was appointed left chief adjutant of the Hedong military governorship. When the Han founder proclaimed his reign from Taiyuan, Yanke was promoted to commissioner of the southern Bureau of the Palace Secretariat. Before long he was appointed military governor of the Zhenguo Army and commissioner for observation and disposition of Hua, Shang, and other prefectures.
34
乾祐初，河中李守貞、永興趙思綰、鳳翔王景崇並據城叛，周祖為樞密使，總兵出征，道出華州。 時議多以先討景崇、思綰為便，周祖意未決，彥珂曰：「三叛連衡，推守貞為主，宜先擊河中； 河中平，則永興、鳳翔失勢矣。 今舍近圖遠，若景崇、思綰逆戰於前，守貞兵其後，腹背受敵，為之奈何？」 周祖從其言，及平河中，以功遷護國軍節度。 時蒲人雕弊，思得良帥鎮撫。 彥珂暗弱，朝議少之。
Early in Qianyou, Li Shouzhen at Hezhong, Zhao Sizhen at Yongxing, and Wang Jingchong at Fengxiang all rebelled and held their cities; the Zhou founder was director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and led troops on campaign, passing through Hua Prefecture. At the time opinion mostly favored first attacking Jingchong and Sizhen; the Zhou founder had not decided; Yanke said, "The three rebels are allied and make Shouzhen their leader—Hezhong should be struck first; when Hezhong is pacified, Yongxing and Fengxiang lose their strength. Now to abandon what is near and aim at what is far—if Jingchong and Sizhen meet us in battle in front and Shouzhen's troops come from behind, we shall be attacked front and rear—what then can be done?" The Zhou founder followed his advice; when Hezhong was pacified, Yanke was transferred to military governor of the Huguo Army for his merit. At that time the people of Pu were worn and impoverished and longed for a good commander to pacify and comfort them. Yanke was dull and weak, and court opinion thought little of him.
35
薛懷讓
Xue Huairang
36
薛懷讓，其先戎人，徙居太原。 少勇敢，喜戰鬥。 後唐莊宗在鎮，得隸帳下，累歷軍職。 明宗時，改神武右廂都校、領獎州刺史。 東川董璋遣懷讓率本軍從晉祖討賊，賊平，遷絳州刺史。 清泰初，移申州。 明年，表乞罷郡赴代北軍，力陳不允。
Xue Huairang's ancestors were barbarians who moved to settle at Taiyuan. In youth he was brave and fond of fighting. When Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang was at his post, Huairang came under his command and rose through successive military posts. Under Emperor Mingzong he was made commander of the right wing of the Divine Martial Guard and concurrently prefect of Jiao Prefecture. Dong Zhang of Eastern Chuan sent Huairang to lead his own army with the Jin founder against the rebels; when the rebels were pacified he was transferred to prefect of Jiang Prefecture. Early in the Qingtai era he was transferred to Shen Prefecture. The following year he memorialized asking to relinquish his prefecture and join the armies north of Dai; though he pleaded forcefully, the request was denied.
37
晉天福中，范延光叛於鄴，以懷讓為招收使。 及戰，中流矢，詔賜湯藥存問。 又歷沂、遼、密、懷四州刺史，所至無善政，頗事誅斂。 楊光遠反青州，召懷讓至闕，賜襲衣、玉帶，為行營先鋒都指揮使，以功改宿州團練使。
During the Tianfu era of Jin, when Fan Yanguang rebelled at Ye, Huairang was appointed pacification commissioner. In the fighting he was hit by a stray arrow; the court sent medicinal broth and words of concern. He then served in turn as prefect of Yi, Liao, Mi, and Huai; nowhere did he govern well, and he was much given to extortion. When Yang Guangyuan rebelled at Qing Prefecture, Huairang was summoned to court, given ceremonial robes and a jade belt, and made chief commander of the campaign vanguard; for his service he was transferred to regimental commissioner of Su Prefecture.
38
會契丹南侵，少帝幸澶州，遣懷讓與李守貞、皇甫遇、梁漢璋率兵萬人緣河而下，以守汶陽。 時契丹歲擾邊陲，朝廷擇驍將守要郡，命懷讓為洺州團練使。 會符彥卿北討契丹，以懷讓為馬軍左廂排陣使。 又從北面都招討杜重威為先鋒都指揮使。 及重威降契丹於中渡橋，懷讓亦在籍中，非其志也。
When the Khitan invaded from the north, the Lesser Emperor went to Dan Prefecture and dispatched Huairang, Li Shouzhen, Huangfu Yu, and Liang Hanzhang with ten thousand men downstream along the river to hold Wenyang. The Khitan raided the frontier every year, and the court chose its fiercest generals for the key prefectures; Huairang was made regimental commissioner of Ming Prefecture. When Fu Yanqing marched north against the Khitan, Huairang was appointed array deployment commissioner of the left wing of the cavalry. He also served under the northern chief pacification commissioner Du Chongwei as chief commander of the vanguard. When Chongwei surrendered to the Khitan at Zhongdu Bridge, Huairang was listed among the surrendered as well, though that was not his wish.
39
契丹主北歸，留麻答守鎮州，麻答遣步健督洺州供運。 懷讓聞漢祖舉義晉陽。 即殺步健，奉表歸漢，漢祖遣郭從義分兵萬餘，與懷讓取邢州。 時偽帥劉鐸守邢臺，堅壁拒之，不克而還。 麻答遣副將楊安以八百騎攻懷讓，又命剛鐵將三百騎繼之。 懷讓戰不勝，退保本州，契丹大掠其封內。 及麻答為鎮軍所逐，楊安亟遁，鐸又納款漢祖。 懷讓乘其不虞，遣人紿鐸云：「我奉詔為邢州帥，今率眾襲契丹，請置頓於郡。」 鐸無拒心，輒開門迎之，懷讓殺鐸，奪其城。 漢祖即授以安國軍節度。
The Khitan ruler withdrew north, leaving Moda to hold Zhen Prefecture; Moda sent Bujian to oversee supply shipments from Ming Prefecture. Huairang learned that the Han founder had risen in revolt at Taiyuan. He at once killed Bujian, submitted a memorial declaring allegiance to Han, and the Han founder sent Guo Congyi with more than ten thousand troops to join Huairang in taking Xing Prefecture. The pretender commander Liu Duo held Xing city behind stout walls and refused battle; unable to take it, they withdrew. Moda sent his deputy Yang An with eight hundred horsemen against Huairang, and ordered Gangtie to follow with three hundred more. Huairang was defeated and fell back to defend his prefecture while the Khitan plundered his domain. When Moda was driven out by the Zhen garrison, Yang An fled at once, and Duo again submitted to the Han founder. Huairang took advantage of their guard being down and sent a man to deceive Duo, saying, "I have been appointed by edict commander of Xing Prefecture; I am now leading troops to strike the Khitan and ask to encamp in your prefecture." Duo had no thought of refusing and opened the gates to welcome him; Huairang killed Duo and took the city. The Han founder at once appointed him military governor of the Anguo Army.
40
隱帝即位，移鎮同州。 及殺楊邠等，急召懷讓至闕。 會北郊兵敗，懷讓降於周祖。
When Emperor Yindi came to the throne, Huairang was transferred to Tong Prefecture. After Yang Bin and the others were killed, Huairang was urgently summoned to court. When the army was defeated at the northern suburb, Huairang surrendered to the Zhou founder.
41
周祖登位，賜襲衣、金帶、鞍勒馬，遣還任，加同平章事。 劉崇入寇，懷讓表求西征，詔褒之。 夏陽富人張廷徽誣告趙隱等五人為盜殺人，且厚賂懷讓子有光。 懷讓知之，即諷吏掠治隱等，強伏之，遣掌書記李炳、親校賈進蒙追、判官劉震等，鍛成其獄，隱等皆棄市。 家人詣闕訴冤，懷讓亦自入朝，遽獻錢百萬，請開宴，不納。 俄捕獲本賊，下御史臺鞫問，懷讓懼，獻馬十匹，復不納。 有司請逮懷讓繫獄，周祖以宿將，釋不問，杖流震等。 俄以懷讓為左屯衛上將軍。
When the Zhou founder took the throne, he granted Huairang ceremonial robes, a gold belt, and a saddled horse, sent him back to his post, and made him provisional Grand Councilor. When Liu Chong invaded, Huairang memorialized asking to march west; the court praised him in an edict. Zhang Tinghui, a wealthy man of Xiayang, falsely accused Zhao Yin and four others of robbery and murder, and also gave heavy bribes to Huairang's son Youguang. Learning of this, Huairang at once prompted officials to torture Zhao Yin and the others until they confessed, then sent his chief secretary Li Bing, personal officers Jia Jin and Meng Zhui, and judicial aide Liu Zhen and others to manufacture the case; Zhao Yin and the rest were all executed in the marketplace. The victims' families went to court to plead their innocence; Huairang also came to court and hastily offered a million in cash, asking to host a banquet, but the gifts were refused. Before long the real culprits were captured and interrogated by the Censorate; Huairang, afraid, offered ten horses, but they too were refused. The authorities asked that Huairang be arrested and imprisoned, but the Zhou founder, treating him as a veteran general, released him without punishment and had Zhen and the others beaten and banished. Soon afterward Huairang was appointed general of the Left Garrison Guard.
42
懷讓好畜馬駝，馬有大烏小烏者，尤奇駿。 漢隱帝使求之，吝而不獻。 及罷節鎮，環衛祿薄，猶有馬百匹、橐駝三十頭，傾資以給芻粟，朝夕閱視為娛。 家人屢勸鬻以供費，懷讓不聽。 及死，童僕剺面以哭，蓋其俗也。
Huairang loved keeping horses and camels; he had horses named Great Crow and Little Crow that were especially fine and swift. Emperor Yindi of Han sent envoys to request them, but Huairang was reluctant and refused to give them up. After he lost his military governorship, his palace guard stipend was thin, yet he still kept a hundred horses and thirty camels, spending his whole fortune on fodder and inspecting them morning and evening for pleasure. His family repeatedly urged him to sell them to meet expenses, but Huairang would not listen. When he died, his servants and retainers gashed their faces in mourning, as was their custom.
43
趙贊，字元輔，本名美，後改焉。 幽州薊人。 祖德鈞，後唐盧龍節度，封北平王。 父延壽，尚明宗女興平公主，至樞密使、忠武軍節度。
Zhao Zan, courtesy name Yuanfu, was originally named Mei and later changed his name. He was a native of Ji in You Prefecture. His grandfather Dejun was military governor of Lulong under Later Tang and was enfeoffed as Prince of Beiping. His father Yanshou married Emperor Mingzong's daughter, Princess Xingping, and rose to director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and military governor of the Zhongwu Army.
44
贊幼聰慧，明宗甚愛之，與諸子、外孫石氏並育於六宅。 暇日，因遍閱諸孫數十人，目贊曰：「是兒令器也。」 贊七歲誦書二十七卷，應神童舉。 明宗詔曰：「都尉之子，太尉之孫，幼能誦書，弱不好弄，克彰庭訓，宜錫科名，可特賜童子及弟。 仍附長興三年禮部春榜。」 久之，延壽出鎮宣武軍，因奏署牙內都校。
Zan was clever as a child, and Emperor Mingzong loved him dearly; he was raised together with the emperor's sons and the Shi clan grandsons in the Six Residences. One day of leisure, as he looked over several dozen grandsons, he fixed his eyes on Zan and said, "This boy is promising material." At seven Zan could recite twenty-seven volumes of the classics and entered the child prodigy examination. Emperor Mingzong issued an edict saying, "Son of a commandant, grandson of a grand commandant, able to recite the classics in youth, delicate and not fond of play, clearly reflecting family instruction—he should be granted an examination title; he is specially awarded the child prodigy jinshi degree. He was also entered on the spring roster of the Ministry of Rites for the third year of Changxing." After some time, when Yanshou went out to govern the Xuanwu Army, he memorialized to appoint Zan chief garrison commander.
45
清泰末，晉祖起幷門，命延壽以樞密使將兵屯上黨，德鈞將本軍自幽州來會。 時晉祖以契丹之援，引兵南下，德鈞父子降晉，契丹主盡錮之北去，贊獨與母公主留西洛。 天福三年，晉祖命贊奉母歸薊門，契丹署為金吾將軍。 數年，契丹以延壽為范陽節度，又署贊為牙內都校。 開運末，契丹主將謀南侵，委政延壽。 及平原陷，贊復受契丹署為河中節度。 延壽從契丹北歸，贊得留鎮河中。
At the end of Qingtai the Jin founder rose at Bingmen; he ordered Yanshou, as director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, to lead troops and encamp at Shangdang, while Dejun brought his own army from You Prefecture to join him. The Jin founder then, with Khitan support, marched south; Dejun and his son surrendered to Jin, and the Khitan ruler had them all shackled and taken north; Zan alone remained in Western Luoyang with his mother the princess. In the third year of Tianfu the Jin founder ordered Zan to escort his mother home to Jimen; the Khitan appointed him general of the Jinwu Guard. Several years later the Khitan made Yanshou military governor of Fanyang and again appointed Zan chief garrison commander. At the end of Kaiyun the Khitan ruler planned a southern invasion and entrusted affairs of state to Yanshou. When Pingyuan fell, Zan again received Khitan appointment as military governor of Hezhong. Yanshou followed the Khitan north, but Zan was allowed to remain governing Hezhong.
46
未幾，漢祖起晉陽，贊奉表勸進，漢祖加檢校太尉，仍鎮河中。 改京兆尹、晉昌軍節度。 贊懼漢疑已，潛遣親吏趙仙奉表歸蜀。 判官李恕者，本延壽賓佐，深所委賴，至家事亦參之。 及贊出鎮，從為上介。 至是，恕語贊曰：「燕王入遼，非所願也，漢方建國，必務懷柔，公若泥首歸朝，必保富貴，狠狽入蜀，理難萬全。 儻復不容，後悔無及。 公能聽納，請先入朝，為公申理。」 贊即遣恕詣闕。 漢祖見恕，問贊何以附蜀，恕曰：「贊家在燕薊，身受契丹之命，自懷憂恐，謂陛下終不能容，招引西軍，蓋圖茍免。 臣意國家甫定，務安臣民，所以令臣乞哀求覲。」 漢祖曰：「贊之父子亦吾人也，事契丹出於不幸。 今聞延壽落於陷穽，吾忍不容贊耶？」 恕未還，贊已離鎮入朝，即命為左驍衛上將軍，徙恕邠州判官。
Before long the Han founder rose at Taiyuan; Zan submitted a memorial urging his accession, and the Han founder added the title of honorary Grand Commandant while leaving him in command at Hezhong. He was transferred to metropolitan governor of Jingzhao and military governor of the Jinchang Army. Fearing that Han would suspect him, Zan secretly sent his personal clerk Zhao Xian with a memorial submitting to Shu. The judicial aide Li Shu had originally been Yanshou's retainer and was deeply trusted; even household affairs were entrusted to him. When Zan went out to govern, Shu followed him as chief aide. At this point Shu said to Zan, "The Prince of Yan's entry into Liao was not of his own choosing; Han is just founding its state and is sure to pursue conciliation; if you prostrate yourself and return to court, wealth and honor are assured, but to flee in disarray into Shu can hardly be fully safe. If you are rejected again, it will be too late for regret. If you will heed this advice, let me go to court first and plead your case for you." Zan at once sent Shu to court. The Han founder received Shu and asked why Zan had turned to Shu; Shu said, "Zan's family is in Yan and Ji; he had borne Khitan appointments and feared within himself that Your Majesty would never tolerate him; drawing western troops was merely an attempt to save himself. I believe the state has only just been established and seeks to reassure its subjects and people; therefore I beg tearfully to request an audience." The Han founder said, "Zan and his father are also our people; serving the Khitan arose from misfortune. Now I hear Yanshou has fallen into a trap—how could I bear not to tolerate Zan?" Before Shu returned, Zan had already left his post and entered court; he was at once appointed general of the Left Brave Guard, and Shu was transferred to judicial aide of Bin Prefecture.
47
贊仕周，歷左右羽林、左龍武三統軍。 世宗南征，初遣贊率師巡警壽州城外，俄命為淮南道行營左廂排陣使。 世宗歸京，留贊與諸將分兵圍壽春，贊獨當東面。 諸將戰多不利，贊獨持重，自秋涉冬，未嘗挫衄。 及受詔移軍，尺椽片瓦，悉輦而行，城中人無敢睥睨者。 會吳遣驍將魯公綰帥十餘萬眾泝淮奄至，跨山為柵，阻肥水，俯瞰城中。 時大軍已解圍，贊與大將楊承信將輕騎斷吳人饟路，又獨以所部襲破公綰軍，為流矢所中。
Under Zhou, Zan successively commanded the Left and Right Forest Guards and the Left Dragon Martial Guard. When Emperor Shizong marched south, he first sent Zan to lead troops on patrol outside Shou Prefecture; soon Zan was made array deployment commissioner of the left wing of the Huainan Circuit field headquarters. When Emperor Shizong returned to the capital, he left Zan with the other generals to divide their forces and besiege Shouchun; Zan alone held the eastern sector. The other generals met with many setbacks in battle, but Zan alone held firm; from autumn through winter he never suffered defeat. When he received orders to shift his army, every rafter and tile was carted away, and no one in the city dared even to look askance. Wu then sent the fierce general Lu Gongwan with more than a hundred thousand men upstream on the Huai to arrive suddenly; they built palisades across the hills, blocked the Fei River, and looked down on the city. By then the main army had lifted the siege; Zan and the great general Yang Chengxin led light cavalry to cut Wu supply lines, and Zan alone with his own division struck and broke Gongwan's army, though he was hit by a stray arrow.
48
世宗再征壽春，命造橋渦口，以通濠、泗。 令騎帥韓令坤董其役，俾贊副之。 屬霖雨淮水漲溢，濠人謀乘輕舟奄焚其橋，贊覘知之，設伏橋下。 濠人果至，贊令強弩亂發，殺獲甚眾。 及世宗移兵趣濠，以牛革蒙大盾攻城，贊親督役，矢集於胄，中被重傷，猶力戰，遂拔其羊馬城，刺史唐景思死焉，團練使郭廷請以城降。 世宗詔褒美之。 又以所部兵巡撫滁、和之間，破吳人五百於石潭橋。 淮南平，以戰功多，授保信軍節度。 贊入視事，盡去苛政，務從寬簡，居民便之。 恭帝即位，加開府階。
When Emperor Shizong marched against Shouchun again, he ordered a bridge built at Wokou to connect Hao and Si. He ordered the cavalry commander Han Lingkun to oversee the work and had Zan assist him. During the rainy season the Huai River swelled and overflowed; the people of Hao planned to take light boats and burn the bridge by surprise, but Zan learned of it through reconnaissance and set an ambush beneath the bridge. The people of Hao came as expected; Zan ordered his crossbowmen to fire at will, killing and capturing a great many. When Emperor Shizong shifted troops toward Hao, they covered great shields with ox hide to assault the walls; Zan personally supervised the work; arrows clustered on his helmet and he was seriously wounded in the chest, yet he fought on fiercely, took the outer sheep-and-horse wall, Prefect Tang Jingsi died in the fighting, and regimental commissioner Guo Tingqing surrendered the city. Emperor Shizong issued an edict praising him. He also led his own troops on patrol between Chu and He and defeated five hundred Wu troops at Shitan Bridge. When Huainan was pacified, for his many battle merits he was appointed military governor of the Baoxin Army. When Zan took up his post, he removed all harsh policies and strove for leniency and simplicity, to the residents' benefit. When Emperor Gongdi came to the throne, Zan was granted the rank of commissioner of a capital office.
49
宋初，加檢校太師，移忠正軍節度，預平維揚。 歲餘，改鎮延州，受密旨許以便宜行事。 將及州境，乃前後分置步騎，綿綿不絕，林莽之際，遠見旌旗，所部羌、渾來迎，無不懾服。
Early in the Song he was made honorary Grand Preceptor, transferred to military governor of the Zhongzheng Army, and took part in the pacification of Weiyang. After a little over a year he was transferred to Yan Prefecture and received a secret edict permitting him to act at his discretion. As he neared the prefectural border, infantry and cavalry were deployed before and behind in an unbroken stream; amid the forests and brush banners could be seen from afar, and the Qiang and Hun under his command came to welcome him, all awed into submission.
50
乾德六年，移建雄軍節度。 秋，命將征太原，以贊為邠州路部署。 開寶二年，太祖將討晉陽，又以為河東道行營前軍馬步軍都虞候。 車駕薄城下，分軍四面，贊扼其西偏。 幷人乘晦自突門潛犯贊壘，贊率眾擊之，久而方退，弩矢貫足。 太祖勞問數四，賜良藥傅之。 四年，議鎮鄜州。
In the sixth year of Qiande he was transferred to military governor of the Jianxiong Army. That autumn, when an expedition against Taiyuan was ordered, Zan was made deployment commissioner of the Bin Prefecture route. In the second year of Kaibao, when Taizu was about to attack Jinyang, Zan was again made chief adjutant of the vanguard horse and foot armies of the Hedong Circuit field headquarters. When the imperial carriage drew near beneath the walls, the army was divided on four sides and Zan held the western flank. The Bing men took advantage of darkness to steal out through the sally port and secretly attack Zan's camp; Zan led his troops to repel them, and only after a long fight did they withdraw; a crossbow bolt pierced his foot. Taizu repeatedly expressed his concern and bestowed fine medicine to dress the wound. In the fourth year it was proposed that he govern Fu Prefecture.
51
贊頗知書，喜為詩，容止閑雅，接士大夫以禮，馭眾有方略。 其為政雖無異跡，而吏民畏服，亦近代賢帥也。
Zan was fairly learned and fond of composing poetry; graceful and refined in bearing, he received scholar-officials with courtesy and had strategy in commanding troops. Though his governance showed no extraordinary feats, officials and people alike feared and respected him; he was among the worthy commanders of recent times.
52
李繼勳
Li Jixun
53
李繼勳，大名元城人。 周祖領鎮，選隸帳下。 廣順初，補禁軍列校，累遷至虎捷左廂都指揮使、領永州防禦使。 顯德初，遷侍衛步軍都指揮使、領昭武軍節度。 歲餘，改領曹州。
Li Jixun was a native of Yuancheng in Daming. When the Zhou founder held his military post, Jixun was selected to serve under his command. At the beginning of the Guangshun era he joined the imperial guard as a company commander and rose through successive promotions to commander of the left wing of the Tiger Dash Guard, concurrently serving as defense commissioner of Yong Prefecture. At the beginning of the Xiande era he was promoted to commander of the Palace Infantry Guard and concurrently appointed military commissioner of the Zhaowu Army. After a little over a year he was reassigned to govern Cao Prefecture.
54
世宗親征淮上，令繼勳領兵屯壽州城南，進洞屋、雲梯，以攻其城。 繼勳怠於守禦，為其所敗，死者數萬，梯、屋悉皆被焚。 召歸闕，出為河陽三城節度。 議者以為失責帥之義。 及再幸壽春回，左授繼勳右武衛大將軍，又以其掌書記陳南金裨贊無狀，並黜之。
When Emperor Shizong personally campaigned on the Huai River, he ordered Jixun to lead troops to encamp south of Shou Prefecture and advance tunnel-approaches and siege towers to assault the city. Jixun had been negligent in his defenses and was routed; tens of thousands were killed, and the siege ladders and tunnel-approaches were burned to ashes. He was recalled to the capital and appointed military commissioner of the Three Cities of Heyang. Commentators held that this failed to uphold the principle of holding a commander accountable for defeat. When the emperor returned from his second visit to Shouchun, Jixun was demoted to grand general of the Right Martial Guard; his chief secretary Chen Nanjin, who had assisted him without distinction, was dismissed as well.
55
宋初，加檢校太尉。 太祖平澤、潞，繼勳朝於行在，即以為昭義軍節度。 是秋，率師入河東，燔平遙縣，俘獲甚眾。 建隆二年，冬，又敗幷軍千餘人，斬首百餘級，獲其遼州刺史傅延彥及弟延勳來獻。
At the founding of the Song dynasty he was given the additional title of honorary grand marshal. When Emperor Taizu pacified Ze and Lu, Jixun came to pay court at the field headquarters and was immediately appointed military commissioner of the Zhaoyi Army. That autumn he led his army into Hedong, burned Pingyao County, and took a great many captives and spoils. In the winter of the second year of Jianlong he again routed more than a thousand Bing troops, took over a hundred heads, and captured Liaozhou prefect Fu Yanyan and his younger brother Yanxun, whom he sent in as captives.
56
乾德二年，詔與康延沼、尹訓率步騎萬餘攻遼州，太原將郝貴超領兵來援，戰於城下，繼勳大敗之。 州將杜延韜危蹙，與拱衛都指揮使冀進、兵馬都監供奉官侯美籍部下兵三千送欵於繼勳。 即遣內供奉官都知慕容延忠入奏，詔褒之。 未幾，幷人誘契丹步騎六萬人來取遼州，復遣繼勳與羅彥瓌、郭進、曹彬等領六萬眾赴之，大破契丹及太原軍於城下。 五年，加同平章事。
In the second year of Qiande he was ordered together with Kang Yanzhao and Yin Xun to lead more than ten thousand infantry and cavalry against Liaozhou; when Taiyuan general Hao Guichao marched to relieve the city, Jixun routed his forces beneath the walls. The prefectural commander Du Yantao, hard pressed, together with Guard commander Ji Jin and horse-and-army overseer Hou Mei, a palace attendant, registered three thousand men under their command and surrendered to Jixun. He immediately sent Inner Palace Attendant and Director Murong Yanzhong to report to the throne, and the emperor issued an edict commending him. Before long the Bing induced sixty thousand Khitan troops to march on Liaozhou; Jixun was again sent with Luo Yangui, Guo Jin, Cao Bin, and others at the head of sixty thousand men, and beneath the city walls he inflicted a crushing defeat on the Khitan and Taiyuan forces. In the fifth year he was made co-director of the Department of State Affairs.
57
開寶初，將征河東，以繼勳為行營前軍都部署，敗幷人於渦河。 二年，太祖親征河東，命繼勳為行營前軍都部署。 駕至城下，分軍四面，繼勳柵其南。 三年春，移鎮大名。 太平興國初，加兼侍中。 俄以疾求歸洛陽，許之，賜錢千萬、白金萬兩。 是秋，上表乞骸骨，拜太子太師致仕，朝會許綴中書門下班。 尋卒，年六十二，贈中書令。
At the beginning of Kaibao, as a campaign against Hedong was being prepared, Jixun was appointed chief deployments officer of the field headquarters advance army and defeated the Bing forces at the Wo River. In the second year Emperor Taizu personally campaigned against Hedong and appointed Jixun chief deployments officer of the field headquarters advance army. When the emperor reached the city he divided his forces on four sides; Jixun established a fortified camp on the south. In the spring of the third year he was transferred to govern Daming. At the beginning of the Taiping Xingguo era he was additionally appointed palace attendant. Before long, citing illness, he asked to retire to Luoyang; the request was granted, and he was given ten million coins and ten thousand taels of silver. That autumn he submitted a memorial requesting retirement; he was appointed Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent and allowed to retire, and at court assemblies he was permitted to take his place at the rear of the Chancellery roster. He died soon afterward at the age of sixty-two and was posthumously invested as Director of the Chancellery.
58
繼勳累歷藩鎮，所至無善政，然以質直稱。 信奉釋氏。 與太祖有舊，故特承寵遇。
Jixun served repeatedly in regional commands and achieved no notable governance wherever he went, yet he was esteemed for his straightforward character. He was a devout follower of Buddhism. He had long-standing ties with Emperor Taizu and therefore enjoyed special favor at court.
59
弟繼偓，亦有武勇，周顯德末，補內殿直。 宋初，累歷軍職。 開寶中，為步軍副都軍頭。 太平興國三年，遷內外馬步軍副都軍頭。 坐事改右衛率府率。 六年，加本衛將軍、領獎州刺史。 累至龍衛右廂都指揮使、領本州團練使。
His younger brother Jiwo was also a man of martial valor; at the end of the Zhou Xiande era he was appointed to the Inner Hall Direct Corps. At the founding of the Song dynasty he rose through a series of military posts. During the Kaibao era he served as deputy chief of the infantry army. In the third year of Taiping Xingguo he was promoted to deputy chief of the inner and outer horse and infantry armies. After a disciplinary offense he was reduced to captain of the Right Guard. In the sixth year he was additionally made a general of his guard and concurrently appointed prefect of Jiang Prefecture. Through successive promotions he rose to commander of the right wing of the Dragon Guard and concurrently served as regimental trainer of his home prefecture.
60
繼勳子守恩至如京使； 守元至北作坊使； 守徽為崇儀副使。
Jixun's son Shou'en rose to the post of Palace Messenger for Capital Affairs; Shouyuan rose to Commissioner of the Northern Workshops; Shouhui served as Vice Commissioner of the Lofty Ceremonies Office.
61
藥元福
Yao Yuanfu
62
藥元福，幷州晉陰人。 幼有膽氣，善騎射。 初事邢帥王檀為廳頭軍使，以勇敢聞。 事後唐，為拱衛、威和親從馬鬥軍都校，天平軍內外馬軍都指揮使。 晉天福中，為深州刺史。
Yao Yuanfu was a native of Jinyin in Bing Prefecture. From youth he was bold and spirited and skilled in horsemanship and archery. At first he served Xing governor Wang Tan as a hall-head army commander and was known for his bravery. Under Later Tang he served as a company commander of the Guard and Weihe intimate-follower horse guard, and as commander of the inner and outer horse armies of the Tianping Army. During the Tianfu era of Later Jin he served as prefect of Shen Prefecture.
63
開運初，契丹陷甘陵，圍魏郡，師次於河。 少帝駐軍澶淵，契丹陣於城北，東西連亙，掩城兩隅，登陴望之，不見其際。 元福以左千牛衛將軍領兵居陣東偏。 澶民有馬破龍者告契丹曰：「先攻其東，即浮梁可奪。」 契丹信之，盡銳來戰。 元福與慕容鄴各領二百騎為一隊，躍出而鬥，元福奮鐵撾擊契丹，斃者數人，左右馳突，無不披靡，契丹兵潰。 少帝登城，見元福力戰，召撫之曰：「汝奮不顧命，雖古之忠烈無以過之。」 元福三馬皆中流矢，少帝擇名馬賜之。 明日將戰，面授元福鄭州刺史，為權臣所沮，止刺原州，俄改泰州。
At the beginning of Kaiyun the Khitan captured Ganling and besieged Wei commandery, and the imperial army halted at the river. Emperor Shao encamped at Chanyuan; the Khitan drew up their lines north of the city, stretching endlessly east and west and covering both corners of the walls; from the battlements one could not see where their ranks ended. Yuanfu, commanding troops as general of the Left Thousand-Ox Guard, held the eastern flank of the line. A man of Chanyuan named Ma Polong told the Khitan: "If you attack the east first, the pontoon bridge can be seized." The Khitan took him at his word and committed their full strength to the assault. Yuanfu and Murong Ye each led a two-hundred-man cavalry unit in a charge; Yuanfu swung an iron mace and felled several Khitan warriors, then drove through their ranks in every direction until none could stand before him and the Khitan army broke and fled. Emperor Shao mounted the wall and, seeing Yuanfu fighting with such ferocity, summoned him and said: "You fight as if life meant nothing—even the greatest heroes of antiquity could not surpass you." All three of Yuanfu's horses had been wounded by arrows; the emperor selected fine horses and gave them to him. The next day, on the eve of battle, the emperor personally appointed Yuanfu prefect of Zheng Prefecture; blocked by a powerful minister, he was given only Yuan Prefecture, and soon was transferred to Tai Prefecture.
64
明年，契丹復入。 命元福與李守貞、符彥卿、皇甫遇、張彥澤等禦之於陽城，為右廂副排陣使。 晉師列方陣，設拒馬為行砦。 契丹以奇兵出陣後，斷糧道，晉人乏水，士馬饑渴，鑿井未及泉，土輒壞塞，契丹順風揚塵，諸將皆曰：「彼勢甚銳，俟風反與戰，破之必矣。」 守貞與元福謀曰：「軍中饑渴已甚，若俟風反出戰，吾屬為虜矣！ 彼謂我不能逆風以戰，宜出其不意以擊之，此兵家之奇也。」 元福乃率麾下騎，開拒馬出戰，諸將繼至，契丹大敗，追北二十餘里，殺獲甚眾，敵帥與百餘騎遁去。 以元福為威州刺史。
The following year the Khitan invaded again. Yuanfu was ordered together with Li Shouzhen, Fu Yanqing, Huangfu Yu, Zhang Yanze, and others to meet the invaders at Yangcheng, serving as deputy battle-array officer of the right wing. The Jin army formed a square battle formation and erected caltrop barriers as a marching encampment. The Khitan sent a flanking force behind the Jin lines and cut their supply route; the Jin were short of water, and men and horses were parched with hunger and thirst; wells caved in before they reached water; with the wind at their backs the Khitan raised blinding dust; the generals all said: "The enemy's momentum is too strong—wait until the wind shifts, then fight, and we are sure to break them." Shouzhen and Yuanfu conferred: "The men are already desperate with hunger and thirst—if we wait for the wind to shift before we fight, we shall all be taken captive! They assume we dare not fight into the wind; we should strike when they least expect it—that is the kind of surprise the art of war demands." Yuanfu then led his cavalry through the caltrop barriers and charged; the other generals followed, and the Khitan were routed; the Jin pursued them more than twenty li, inflicting heavy casualties; the enemy commander fled with barely a hundred horsemen. Yuanfu was appointed prefect of Wei Prefecture.
65
會靈武節度王令溫以漢法治蕃部，西人苦之，共謀為亂，三族酋長拓跋彥超、石存、乜廝褒率眾攻靈州。 令溫遣人間道入奏，乃以河陽節度馮暉鎮朔方，召關右兵進討，以元福將行營騎兵。 元福與暉出威州土橋西，遇彥超兵七千餘，邀暉行李。 元福轉戰五十里，殺千級，禽三十餘人，又遣部校援出令溫，護送洛下。
When Lingwu military commissioner Wang Lingwen governed the tribal peoples by Han law, the western peoples suffered under it; they jointly plotted rebellion, and the chieftains of three tribes—Tuoba Yanchao, Shi Cun, and Nie Sichou—led their followers in an attack on Ling Prefecture. Lingwen sent word to the throne by a secret route; Feng Hui, military commissioner of Heyang, was posted to garrison Shuofang, troops from west of the Pass were called up for a punitive campaign, and Yuanfu was appointed to command the field headquarters cavalry. Yuanfu and Hui marched west from Tugiao in Wei Prefecture and encountered more than seven thousand of Yanchao's troops, who waylaid Hui's baggage train. Yuanfu fought a running battle for fifty li, killing a thousand of the enemy and taking more than thirty prisoners; he also sent a subordinate officer to rescue Lingwen and escort him to Luoyang.
66
朔方距威州七百里，無水草，號旱海，師須賫糧以行，至耀德食盡，比明，行四十里。 彥超等眾數萬，布為三陣，扼要路，據水泉，以待暉軍，軍中大懼。 暉遣人賂以金帛，求和解，彥超許之。 使者往復數四，至日中，列陣如故。 元福曰：「彼知我軍饑渴，邀我於險，既許和解而日中未決，此豈可信哉？ 欲困我耳。 遷延至暮，則吾黨成禽矣。」 暉驚曰：「奈何？」 元福曰：「彼雖眾而精兵絕少，依西山為陣者是也，餘不足患。 元福請以麾下騎先擊西山兵，公但嚴陣不動，俟敵少卻，當舉黃旗為號； 旗舉則合勢進擊，敗之必矣。」 暉然其策，遂率眾進擊，敵眾果潰。 元福即舉黃旗以招暉，暉軍繼進，彥超大敗，橫屍蔽野。 是夕，入清邊軍。 明日，至靈州。 元福還郡，詔賜暉、元福衣帶繒帛銀器。
Shuofang lay seven hundred li from Wei Prefecture across a waterless wasteland known as the Dry Sea, and the army had to carry its own provisions; by the time they reached Yaode their food was gone, and by dawn they had marched another forty li. Yanchao's forces numbered in the tens of thousands; they deployed in three lines, blocked the vital pass, held the water springs, and awaited Hui's army; great fear spread through the ranks. Hui sent envoys bearing gold and silks to negotiate a settlement, and Yanchao agreed. Envoys shuttled back and forth repeatedly, yet by midday the enemy lines remained unchanged. Yuanfu said: "They know our men are starving and parched and have trapped us on difficult ground; they promised peace yet by midday nothing is settled—how can we trust them? They mean only to wear us down. If we delay until nightfall, we shall all be taken prisoner." Hui exclaimed in alarm: "What are we to do?" Yuanfu said: "They are many but their crack troops are few—the men lined up along the western hills are the real threat; the rest we need not fear. Yuanfu proposed to lead his cavalry in a first strike against the western-hill troops: "Your Lordship need only hold your formation steady; when the enemy begins to give ground, raise a yellow flag as the signal; When the flag goes up, combine forces and attack together—they cannot fail to be broken." Hui approved the plan and led his forces forward; the enemy ranks broke and fled as predicted. Yuanfu raised the yellow flag to signal Hui; Hui's army pressed forward and Yanchao was utterly routed, until corpses carpeted the plain. That evening they reached Qingbian garrison. The next day they arrived at Ling Prefecture. After Yuanfu returned to his command, an edict awarded Hui and Yuanfu robes, belts, silks, and silver vessels.
67
漢乾祐中，從趙暉討王景崇於鳳翔。 時兵力寡弱，不滿萬人，蜀兵數萬來援，景崇至寶雞，依山列柵。 都監李彥從以數千人擊蜀軍，眾寡不敵，漢軍少卻。 元福領數百騎自後驅之，下令還顧者斬，眾皆殊死戰，大敗蜀兵，追至大散關，殺三千餘人，餘皆棄甲遁去。 鳳翔平，以功遷淄州刺史。
During the Gan'you era of Later Han he followed Zhao Hui in the campaign against Wang Jingchong at Fengxiang. At the time their forces were weak, numbering fewer than ten thousand; tens of thousands of Shu troops came to Wang Jingchong's aid; Jingchong reached Baoji and erected palisades along the hills. Overseer Li Yancong led several thousand men against the Shu forces but was outnumbered, and the Han army gave ground. Yuanfu led several hundred cavalry and drove the men forward from the rear, decreeing death for anyone who turned back; the soldiers fought as if their lives depended on it and routed the Shu army; the pursuit reached Dasan Pass, where more than three thousand were killed and the rest threw off their armor and fled. When Fengxiang was pacified he was promoted to prefect of Zi Prefecture for his achievements.
68
周廣順初，王彥超討徐州叛將楊溫，以元福為行營兵馬都監。 數月克之，率師還京，改陳州防禦使。
At the beginning of Zhou Guangshun, Wang Yanchao campaigned against Yang Wen, the rebel general of Xuzhou, with Yuanfu as horse-and-army overseer of the field headquarters. The city fell after several months; he led his army back to the capital and was appointed defense commissioner of Chen Prefecture.
69
未幾，劉崇引契丹擾晉州，命樞密使王峻率兵拒之，以元福為西北面都排陣使。 軍過蒙坑，崇夜燒營遁。 峻令元福與仇超、陳思讓追至霍邑，既行，又遣止之。 元福謂思讓等曰：「劉崇召契丹擾邊，志在疲弊中國，今兵未交而遁，宜追奔深入，以挫其勢。」 諸將畏懦，遂止。 周祖知其事，明年，因調兵戍晉州，謂左右曰：「去年劉崇之遁，若從藥元福之言，則無邊患矣。」
Before long Liu Chong induced the Khitan to raid Jin Prefecture; Grand Councilor Wang Jun was ordered to oppose them, with Yuanfu as chief battle-array officer of the northwest sector. As the army passed Mengkeng, Chong burned his camp and fled under cover of night. Jun ordered Yuanfu, Qiu Chao, and Chen Siliang to pursue as far as Huoyi, but after they had set out he sent orders to halt the pursuit. Yuanfu said to Siliang and the others: "Liu Chong brought in the Khitan to harry our borders, aiming to exhaust the realm; he has fled before a blow has been struck—we should pursue him deep into enemy territory and break his momentum." The other generals lost their nerve and called off the pursuit. When the Zhou founder learned of this, the following year, as he mobilized troops to garrison Jin Prefecture, he said to his attendants: "Had we heeded Yao Yuanfu's advice when Liu Chong fled last year, we would not face these border troubles now."
70
俄與曹英、向訓討慕容彥超於兗州，元福為行營馬步軍都虞候。 詔元福自晉州率所部入朝，即遣東行，賜六銖、袍帶、鞍馬、器仗。 周祖謂曰：「比用曹州防禦使鄭璋，我度彥超兇狡，多計謀，恐璋不能集事，選爾代之。 已敕曹英、向訓不令以軍禮見汝。」 及至軍中，英、訓皆尊禮之，當時有為宿將。 築連城以圍兗，彥超晝夜出兵，元福屢擊敗之，遂閉壁不敢出。 十餘日，元福營柵皆就，又穴地及築土山，百道攻其城。 會周祖親征，元福以所部先入羊馬城，諸軍鼓噪角進，拔之。 以功授建雄軍節度。
Soon he joined Cao Ying and Xiang Xun in the campaign against Murong Yanchao at Yan Prefecture, serving as chief adjutant of the field headquarters horse and infantry armies. An edict ordered Yuanfu to lead his command from Jin Prefecture to court; he was immediately sent east and given a six-zhu weight ornament, robe and belt, saddle horse, and weapons. The Zhou founder told him: "I had appointed Zheng Zhang, defense commissioner of Cao Prefecture, to this command, but Yanchao is vicious and cunning and full of stratagems; I feared Zhang would not prevail, so I chose you to take his place. I have already instructed Cao Ying and Xiang Xun not to treat you as a subordinate in military matters." When he joined the army, Ying and Xun both treated him with every mark of respect; he was regarded at the time as a veteran commander. They built a chain of fortifications to besiege Yan Prefecture; Yanchao sent sorties day and night, but Yuanfu repulsed them again and again until Yanchao shut the gates and dared not come out. After more than ten days, Yuanfu's camp fortifications were all in place. His men also dug tunnels and piled earthen mounds, then assailed the city from every side. When the Zhou founder arrived to take command in person, Yuanfu led his own troops in first at Yangma City. The armies raised a clamor of drums and horns as they pressed forward and captured the place. For this achievement he was made military governor of the Jianxiong Army.
71
世宗高平之戰，劉崇敗走太原，遂縱兵圍其城。 以元福為同州節度，充太原四面壕砦都部署。 時攻具悉備，城中危急，以糧運不繼，詔令班師。 元福上言曰：「進軍甚易，退軍甚難。」 世宗曰：「一以委卿。」 遂部分卒伍為方陣而南，元福以麾下為後殿，崇果出兵來追，元福擊走之。 師還，加檢校太尉，移鎮陜州。 又歷定、廬、曹三鎮。
After Emperor Shizong's victory at Gaoping, Liu Chong was routed and fled back to Taiyuan, where the Zhou army pressed on and laid siege to the city. Yuanfu was appointed military governor of Tong Prefecture and put in overall charge of the trenches and strongpoints surrounding Taiyuan on every side. By then the siege equipment was complete and the city was in desperate straits, yet grain supplies could not be maintained, so the court ordered the army to withdraw. Yuanfu memorialized the throne: "It is easy to advance, but far harder to retreat." The emperor replied, "I leave the whole matter in your hands." The army was then formed into square battle arrays and marched south, with Yuanfu and his own troops serving as rear guard. Liu Chong did send forces in pursuit, but Yuanfu beat them back. After the army came home, he was given the honorary title of Grand Commandant and transferred to serve as prefectural commander at Shaan Prefecture. He later held successive commands at Ding, Lu, and Cao as well.
72
宋初，加檢校太師。 九月卒，年七十七，贈侍中。
At the founding of the Song dynasty, he was further promoted to honorary Grand Preceptor. He died in the ninth month at the age of seventy-seven and was posthumously ennobled as Palace Attendant.
73
元福雖老，筋骨不衰，人或言其氣貌益壯，當復領兵，必大喜，曲致禮待，或加以贈遣，時稱驍將。
Though advanced in years, Yuanfu remained physically vigorous. Whenever someone suggested that he looked stronger than ever and might take the field again, he would be overjoyed; people treated him with elaborate courtesy and often sent gifts, and he was widely regarded as a formidable commander.
74
趙晁，真定人。 初事杜重威為列校。 重威誅，屬周祖鎮鄴中，晁因委質麾下。 周祖開國，擢為作坊副使。 慕容彥超據兗州叛，以晁為行營步軍都監。 兗州平，轉作坊使。 晁自以逮事霸府，復有軍功，而遷拜不滿所望，居常怏怏。 時樞密使王峻秉政，晁疑其軋己。 一日使酒詣其第，毀峻，峻不之責。 世宗嗣位，改控鶴左廂都指揮使、領賀州刺史。
Zhao Chao was a native of Zhending. He first served under Du Chongwei as a company commander. After Chongwei was put to death, Chao offered his allegiance to the Zhou founder when the latter was stationed at Ye. When the Zhou dynasty was established, he was promoted to deputy commissioner of the imperial workshops. When Murong Yanchao rebelled and seized Yan Prefecture, Chao was appointed superintendent of the campaign infantry. After Yan Prefecture was pacified, he was transferred to commissioner of the workshops. Chao felt that, having served the Zhou founder's headquarters from early on and earned military distinction besides, his promotions had not matched his expectations, and he was often sullen. Wang Jun, the chief councilor of the Bureau of Military Affairs, was then in power, and Chao suspected that he was being deliberately sidelined. One day, in his cups, he went to Jun's house and abused him to his face, yet Jun did not punish him. When Emperor Shizong came to the throne, Chao was made commander of the left wing of the Controlled Cranes Guard and concurrently prefect of He Prefecture.
75
從征劉崇，轉虎捷右廂都指揮使、領本州團練使兼行營步軍都指揮使。 軍至河內，世宗意在速戰，令晁倍道兼行。 晁私語通事舍人鄭好謙曰：「賊勢方盛，未易敵也，宜持重以挫其銳。」 好謙以所言入白，世宗怒曰：「汝安得此言，必他人所教。 言其人，則舍爾； 不言，當死！」 好謙懼，遂以實對。 世宗即命並晁械於州獄，軍回始赦之。
On the campaign against Liu Chong, he was transferred to commander of the right wing of the Fierce Tigers Guard, made regimental commissioner of his home prefecture, and appointed commander of the campaign infantry. When the army reached Henei, Emperor Shizong wanted a quick decision and ordered Chao to force the march at top speed. Chao took Zheng Haoqian, a palace usher, aside and said, "The enemy is at the height of his power and will not be easy to face. We ought to proceed cautiously and wear down his momentum." Haoqian repeated this to the emperor, who flew into a rage. "How dare you say such a thing? Someone must have put you up to it. Name the man who said it, and I will spare you; if you refuse to speak, you die!" Terrified, Haoqian told him the whole truth. The emperor at once had Chao shackled and thrown into the prefectural prison as well; he was not pardoned until the army returned.
76
及征淮南，改虎捷左廂、領閬州防禦使，充前軍行營步軍都指揮使，又為緣江步軍都指揮使。 時李重進敗吳人於正陽，以降卒三千人付晁，晁一夕盡殺之。 世宗不之罪。 壽春平，拜檢校太保、河陽三城節度、孟懷等州觀察措置等使。 恭帝即位，加檢校太傅。
On the campaign against Huainan, he was transferred to the left wing of the Fierce Tigers Guard, made defense commissioner of Lang Prefecture, and appointed commander of both the vanguard campaign infantry and the riverine infantry forces. When Li Chongjin routed the Wu army at Zhengyang, he turned three thousand prisoners over to Chao, who had every one of them slaughtered in a single night. Emperor Shizong did not hold him accountable. After Shouchun fell, he was made honorary Grand Guardian, military governor of the Heyang Three Cities, and commissioner overseeing observation and administration in Meng, Huai, and neighboring prefectures. When Emperor Gong came to the throne, he was further promoted to honorary Grand Tutor.
77
宋初，加檢校太尉。 未幾，以疾歸京師，卒，年五十二。 太祖甚悼之，贈太子太師，再贈侍中。
At the founding of the Song dynasty, he was promoted to honorary Grand Commandant. Before long he fell ill, returned to the capital, and died at the age of fifty-two. Emperor Taizu mourned him deeply, posthumously ennobling him as Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent and later elevating the grant to Palace Attendant.
78
晁身長七尺，儀貌雄偉，好聚斂，處方鎮以賄聞。 以周初與宣祖分掌禁軍，有宗盟之分，故太祖常優禮之，再加贈典焉。 子延溥。
Chao stood seven feet tall, with a commanding presence. He was greedy for gain, and while serving in regional commands he became notorious for corruption. In the early Zhou years he and the Founding Ancestor had shared command of the palace army and stood in the relation of sworn brothers, so Emperor Taizu always treated him with exceptional courtesy and later added further posthumous honors as well. His son was Yanbo.
79
子延溥
Son: Yanbo
80
延溥，周顯德中，以父任補左班殿直。 宋初，為鐵騎指揮使。 開寶初，太祖親征晉陽，太宗守京邑，延溥以所部為帳下牙軍，轉殿前散員指揮使。 九年，改鐵騎都虞候。
Yanbo, during the Zhou Xiande era, received an appointment through his father's influence and was made a left-rank palace guard. At the founding of the Song dynasty, he was made commander of the Iron Cavalry. Early in the Kaibao era, when Emperor Taizu marched in person against Jinyang and the future Emperor Taizong remained to guard the capital, Yanbo served with his own troops as a personal guard in the field headquarters and was then made commander of the Palace Front's miscellaneous guards. In the ninth year he was made deputy commander of the Iron Cavalry.
81
五年，殿前白進超卒，即日以延溥為日騎、天武左右廂都指揮使，兼權殿前都虞候事。 坐遣親吏市竹木所過關渡稱制免算，責授登州團練使，令赴任。 是冬，帝北巡至大名，復以延溥為本州防禦使，即命為幽州東路行營壕砦都監。 詔修緣邊城壘。 逾年，加涼州觀察使，仍判登州。 又為鎮州兵馬都部署，俄判霸州。
In the fifth year, Bai Jinchao of the Palace Front died, and that same day Yanbo was appointed commander of the left and right wings of the Sun Cavalry and Celestial Martial Guards, with concurrent acting authority as deputy commander of the Palace Front. He was punished for sending a personal clerk to purchase bamboo and timber and having tolls waived at every pass and crossing by falsely claiming an imperial exemption; he was demoted to regimental commissioner of Deng Prefecture and ordered to take up his post at once. That winter, when the emperor toured the north as far as Daming, Yanbo was restored as defense commissioner of that prefecture and at once appointed superintendent of trenches and fortifications for the eastern Youzhou campaign headquarters. He was ordered by edict to repair the fortified cities along the frontier. A little over a year later he was promoted to observation commissioner of Liang Prefecture while continuing to administer Deng Prefecture. He was next made chief deployer of troops and horses at Zhen Prefecture, and shortly afterward was given concurrent charge of Ba Prefecture as well.
82
雍熙二年，改蔚州觀察使，判冀州。 會命曹彬等北征，又與內衣庫使張紹勍、引進副使董愿為幽州西北道行營都監。 師還，命知貝州，改滑州部署。 四年，再知貝州，以疾求代，代未至，卒，年五十。 贈天德軍節度。
In the second year of Yongxi he was made observation commissioner of Yu Prefecture and administrator of Ji Prefecture. When Cao Bin and others were sent on the northern expedition, he was again appointed, together with Zhang Shaoxing of the Inner Garment Store and Deputy Usher Dong Yuan, superintendent of the northwest Youzhou campaign headquarters. After the army returned, he was appointed prefect of Bei Prefecture and then transferred to deployer at Hua Prefecture. In the fourth year he again served as prefect of Bei Prefecture. When illness forced him to request a successor, he died before the replacement arrived, at the age of fifty. He was posthumously ennobled as military governor of the Tiande Army.
83
子承彬，至內殿崇班。 承彬子咸一，為虞部員外郎，知宗正丞事。 咸熙，天聖八年進十及第。
His son Chengbin rose to the rank of honored officer of the Inner Hall. Chengbin's son Xianyi served as an external secretary in the Ministry of Works and handled the duties of the director of the Imperial Clan Court. Xianxi passed the jinshi examination in the eighth year of Tiansheng.
84
論曰：侯益在晉、漢時，數為反覆，觀其受命契丹，私交偽蜀，赤岡之戰，復夜謁周祖，宗屬長幼，遭景崇鯨鯢，殆無噍類，推其心跡，豈懷貳之罰歟？ 薛懷讓、趙晁為將，皆忍於殺降。 晁子延溥，能救後至之誅，雖父子之親，仁暴相戾有若是者。 餘皆逢時奮武，致身榮顯。 扈彥珂請擊河中，卒用其策，愚者之一慮云。
The commentators observe: During the Jin and Han dynasties, Hou Yi changed sides again and again. He accepted Khitan orders, maintained secret ties with the puppet Shu regime, and at the Battle of Chigang again went by night to pay court to the Zhou founder; his kinsmen, young and old, were engulfed by Liu Chong's fury until scarcely a soul survived. Judging by his conduct and its consequences, was this not the penalty for a treacherous heart? As commanders, both Xue Huairang and Zhao Chao were merciless toward prisoners who had surrendered. Chao's son Yanbo, by contrast, could intercede to spare men condemned for tardiness; even between father and son, kindness and brutality could stand so far apart. The others all seized their moment on the battlefield and rose to wealth and distinction. Hu Yanke proposed an attack on Hezhong, and in the end his plan was adopted—a rare stroke of insight from an otherwise foolish man.