Volume 270 Biographies 29: Yan Kan, Ju Kejiu, Zhao Feng, Su Xiao, Gao Fang, Feng Zan, Bian Xu, Wang Ming, Xu Zhongxuan, Yang Kerang, Duan Sigong, Hou Zhi, Li Fu, Wei Pi, Dong Shu

顏衎，字祖德，兗州曲阜人。自言兗國公四十五世孫。少苦學，治《左氏春秋》。梁龍德中擢第，解褐授北海主簿，以治行聞。再調臨濟令。臨濟多淫祠，有針姑廟者，里人奉之尤篤。衎至，即焚其廟。

Yan Kan, whose courtesy name was Zude, came from Qufu in Yanzhou. He claimed descent from the Duke of Yan, forty-five generations removed. As a youth he applied himself to learning and mastered the Zuo Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals. During the Longde reign of Later Liang he passed the civil examinations; on taking his first office he was made chief clerk of Beihai Commandery, where his capable administration won notice. He was transferred a second time and appointed magistrate of Linji. Linji abounded in unauthorized shrines, among them a temple to the Needle Goddess that the local people venerated with particular fervor. When Yan Kan took up his post, he burned the shrine at once.

後唐天成中，為鄒平令。符習初鎮天平，習，武臣之廉慎者，以書告屬邑毋聚斂為獻賀。衎未領書，以故規行之，尋為吏所訟。習遽召衎笞之，幕客軍吏咸以為辱及正人，習甚悔焉，即表為觀察推官，且塞前事。長興初，召拜太常博士，習力奏留之。習致仕，衎東歸養親。

In the Tiancheng reign of Later Tang he served as magistrate of Zouping. When Fu Xi first assumed command of Tianping Circuit—Fu Xi was a military man known for probity and caution—he wrote to the subordinate prefectures forbidding them to levy exactions as congratulatory tribute. Yan Kan had not yet received the letter and, following established practice, went ahead with the levy; before long his clerks brought suit against him. Fu Xi at once summoned Yan Kan and had him beaten with the rod. His staff officers and military clerks all felt that an upright man had been disgraced. Fu Xi was deeply remorseful; he immediately memorialized to have Yan Kan appointed push officer of the surveillance commission and hushed up the earlier affair. At the opening of the Changxing reign he was summoned and appointed Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, but Fu Xi vigorously memorialized to keep him in place. When Fu Xi retired from office, Yan Kan went east to nurse his parents at home.

未幾，房知溫鎮青州，復辟置幕下。知溫險愎，厚斂多不法，衎每極言之，不避其患。晉祖入洛，知溫恃兵力偃蹇，衎勸其入貢。知溫以善終，衎之力也。知溫諸子不慧，衎勸令以家財十萬餘上進。晉祖嘉之，歸功於衎。知溫子彥儒授沂州刺史，衎拜殿中侍御史。

Before long Fang Zhiwen assumed command of Qingzhou and again brought him onto his staff. Fang Zhiwen was treacherous and willful, extracting heavy levies by many illegal means. Yan Kan remonstrated with him to the limit and never shrank from provoking his wrath. When the founder of Later Jin entered Luoyang, Fang Zhiwen, trusting in his military power, behaved with arrogant defiance. Yan Kan urged him to submit tribute to the throne. That Fang Zhiwen died a natural death was Yan Kan's achievement. Fang Zhiwen's sons lacked ability; Yan Kan persuaded them to present more than a hundred thousand in family wealth to the court. The founder of Later Jin was pleased and credited the merit to Yan Kan. Fang Zhiwen's son Yanru was appointed prefect of Yizhou, and Yan Kan was appointed Palace Attendant Censor.

俄遷都官員外郎，充東都留守判官，改河陽三城節度副使、檢校左庶子，知州事。居半歲，得家問，父在青州有風痺疾，衎不奏棄官去侍疾，不復有仕宦意。歲餘，父疾不能起，衎親自掬矢，未嘗少倦。晉祖聞之，召為工部郎中、樞密直學士，連使促召至闕，辭曰：“臣無他才術，未知何人誤有聞達。望放臣還，遂其私養。 ”晉祖曰：“朕自知卿，非他人薦也。 ”俄廢樞密院，以本官奉朝請。逾年，上表請還侍養，授青州行營司馬。丁父憂，哀毀甚。俄召為駕部郎中、鹽鐵判官。以母老懇辭，有詔止守本官。

Shortly afterward he was promoted to Vice Director of the Ministry of Justice and served as administrative aide to the eastern capital's military commissioner; he was then reassigned as Vice Commissioner of the Hedong-Sancheng Military Commission and Acting Left Censor-in-Chief with charge of prefectural affairs. After half a year he received word from home that his father in Qingzhou was stricken with paralytic illness. Yan Kan submitted no memorial but simply abandoned his post to nurse him, and thereafter had no further wish for office. More than a year passed and his father's illness left him unable to rise from bed. Yan Kan personally removed his waste and never once showed fatigue. When the founder of Later Jin heard of this, he summoned Yan Kan to be Director of the Ministry of Works and a direct scholar on the staff of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and sent messenger after messenger to hurry him to court. Yan Kan declined, saying, "Your subject has no special talent or skill. I do not know through whose error word of me has reached Your Majesty." "I beg to be allowed to return home and fulfill my private duty of caring for my parents." The founder of Later Jin said, "I know you myself. It was not that others recommended you." Before long the Bureau of Military Affairs was abolished, and he attended court in his original rank. After more than a year he submitted a memorial asking to return and care for his parents and was appointed acting military aide on the Qingzhou campaign staff. When his father died he was overwhelmed with grief and wasted away in mourning. Shortly afterward he was summoned to be Director of the Bureau of Transport and Salt and Iron Commissions. Because his mother was elderly he earnestly declined the appointment; an edict ordered him to remain in his original office only.

未幾，復出為天平軍節度副使。開運末，授左諫議大夫，權判河南府，召拜御史中丞。喪亂之後，朝綱不振，衎執憲頗有風采。嘗上言：“才除御史者，旋授外藩賓佐，復有以私故細事求假外拜，州郡無參謁之儀，出入失風憲之體，漸恐四方得以輕易，百辟無所準繩。請自今藩鎮幕僚，勿得任臺官；雖親王、宰相出鎮，亦不得奏充賓佐。非奉制勘事，勿得出京，自餘不令釐雜務。 ”詔惟辟召入幕如故，餘從其請。復抗表求侍養，改戶部侍郎。衎又堅乞罷免，詔書褒許，即與其母東歸。

Before long he was again sent out as vice commissioner of the Tianping Military Commission. At the end of the Kaiyun reign he was appointed Left Remonstrance Censor and acting administrator of Henan Prefecture, then summoned and appointed Censor-in-Chief. After the age of turmoil court discipline had slackened, but in enforcing the law Yan Kan displayed considerable force of character. He once submitted a memorial saying, "Censors who have just been appointed are immediately given posts as staff to outer circuits; moreover some seek leave for outside appointments on account of trivial private affairs. In the prefectures and circuits there are no protocols for paying respects, and their comings and goings lose the dignity proper to the censorate. I fear that in time the regions will learn to treat the office lightly, and the hundred officials will have no standard to follow." "Henceforth let staff members of military commissions not be permitted to hold censorate posts;" "and even when imperial princes or chancellors go out to command circuits, they must not memorialize to have censors appointed to their staffs." "Unless commanded by edict to investigate a matter, they must not leave the capital; beyond that they must not be burdened with miscellaneous duties." An edict ruled that recruitment into staffs by direct summons would remain as before; the rest of his request was granted. He again submitted a memorial in protest asking to care for his parents and was reassigned as Vice Minister of Revenue. Yan Kan again firmly petitioned to be dismissed; the edict commended and granted his request, and he immediately set out east with his mother.

漢乾祐末，丁憂。服除，詔鄆州高行周津遣赴闕，衎辭以足疾，不至。周廣順初，起為尚書右丞，俄充端明殿學士。太祖征兗州，駐城下，遣衎往曲阜祠文宣王廟。城平，以衎權知州事。歸朝，權知開封。

At the end of the Gan you reign of Later Han he entered mourning. When mourning ended, an edict ordered Gao Xingzhou at Yanzhou to escort him to court, but Yan Kan declined on grounds of foot ailment and did not come. At the beginning of the Guangshun reign of Zhou he was recalled as Right Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue and shortly afterward was made a scholar of the Duanming Hall. When the founding emperor besieged Yanzhou and encamped below the walls, he dispatched Yan Kan to offer sacrifice at the temple of Confucius in Qufu. When the city fell, Yan Kan was given provisional charge of prefectural affairs. After returning to court he was given provisional charge of Kaifeng.

時王峻持權，衎與陳觀俱為峻所引用。會峻敗，觀左遷，衎罷職，守兵部侍郎。顯德初，上表求解官，授工部尚書，致仕還鄉里，臺閣縉紳祖餞都門外，冠蓋相望，時人榮之。建隆三年春，卒於家，年七十四。

At that time Wang Jun held power, and Yan Kan and Chen Guan were both brought in through Jun's patronage. When Jun fell, Chen Guan was demoted and Yan Kan was removed from office, retaining only the post of Vice Minister of War. At the beginning of the Xiande reign he submitted a memorial requesting release from office, was appointed Minister of Works, retired, and returned home. Officials of the central administration saw him off at the capital gate in such numbers that hats and carriages filled the road—a sight men of the time counted as an honor. In the spring of the third year of Jianlong he died at home, aged seventy-four.

衎守章句，無文藻，然諒直孝悌，為時所推。

Yan Kan clung to line-by-line classical study and had no literary polish, yet his integrity, filial piety, and brotherly devotion won the esteem of his contemporaries.

劇可久

Ju Kejiu

劇可久，字尚賢，涿州范陽人。沉毅方正，明律令。與馮道、趙鳳為友。後唐同光初，鳳薦於朝，補徐州司法，以幹職聞。召為大理評事，賜緋。踰年，遷大理正，坐誤治獄，責授登州司戶。遇赦，召為著作郎。仕晉，歷殿中少監、太子右諭德、大理少卿，賜金紫。晉祖崩，可久方在病告，有司糾以不赴國哀，坐免。未幾復官，遷大理卿。

Ju Kejiu, whose courtesy name was Shangxian, came from Fanyang in Zhuozhou. He was deep-spirited, resolute, and upright, and thoroughly versed in statutes and ordinances. He was friends with Feng Dao and Zhao Feng. At the beginning of the Tongguang reign of Later Tang, Zhao Feng recommended him to court; he was appointed judicial officer of Xuzhou and became known for his capable service. He was summoned to be reviewing officer of the Court of Judicial Review and granted the scarlet robe. After a year he was promoted to director of the Court of Judicial Review, but for error in handling a case he was demoted to registrar of Dengzhou. Upon a general amnesty he was summoned back as drafting secretary. Serving Later Jin, he successively held the posts of vice director of the Palace Administration, right tutor of the Heir Apparent, and vice director of the Court of Judicial Review, and was granted the gold seal and purple robe. When the founder of Later Jin died, Kejiu was then on sick leave; the relevant office impeached him for failing to attend the state mourning, and he was dismissed. Before long his office was restored and he was promoted to director of the Court of Judicial Review.

周廣順初，改太僕卿，復為大理卿。會鄭州民李思美妻詣御史臺訴夫私鬻鹽，罪不至死，判官楊瑛寘置以大辟。有司攝治瑛，瑛具伏。可久斷瑛失入，減三等，徒二年半。宰相王峻欲殺瑛，召可久謂之曰：“死者不可復生，瑛枉殺人，其可恕耶？ ”可久執議益堅，瑛得免死。由是忤峻，改太僕卿，分司西京。顯德三年，所舉官犯贓，可久坐停任。明年，復起為右庶子。

At the beginning of the Guangshun reign of Zhou he was reassigned as director of the Court of Imperial Studs, then again made director of the Court of Judicial Review. It happened that the wife of Li Simmei of Zhengzhou went to the censorate to accuse her husband of privately selling salt, an offense not warranting death, yet the judicial officer Yang Ying sentenced him to capital punishment. The relevant office arrested and tried Yang Ying, and Ying fully confessed. Kejiu judged Ying guilty of erroneous sentencing and reduced the penalty by three degrees, sentencing him to two and a half years of penal servitude. The chancellor Wang Jun wished to have Ying executed; he summoned Kejiu and said, "The dead cannot be brought back to life. Ying wrongly killed a man—can he be forgiven?" Kejiu held all the more firmly to his position, and Ying was spared death. For this he offended Jun and was reassigned as director of the Court of Imperial Studs with duty at the western capital. In the third year of Xiande an official he had recommended was found guilty of corruption, and Kejiu was suspended from office. The following year he was again recalled as right censor-in-chief.

世宗以刑書深古、條目繁細，難於檢討。又前後敕格重互，亦難詳審，於是中書門下奏曰：“伏以刑法者，御人之銜勒，救弊之斧斤，有國家者不可一日而廢也。雖堯、舜之世，亦不能捨此而致治。今奉制旨，刪定律令，有以見‘明罰敕法’之意也。竊以朝廷之所用者，《律》十二卷、《律疏》三十卷、《式》二十卷、《令》三十卷、《開成格》一十卷、《大中統類》一十二卷，後唐以來至漢末編敕三十二三卷，及國朝制敕等。律令則文辭古質，或難以詳明；格敕則條目繁多，或有所疑誤。將救舞文之弊，宜伸畫一之規。所冀民不陷刑，吏有所守。臣等商議，望準制旨施行。仍命侍御史知雜事張湜、太子右庶子劇可久、殿中侍御史率汀、職方郎中鄧守中、倉部郎中王瑩、司封員外郎賈玼、太常博士趙礪、國子博士李光贊、大理正蘇曉、太子中允王伸等十人編集新格，勒成部秩。律令之有難解者，就文訓釋；格敕之有繁雜者，隨事刪削；其有矛盾相違、輕重失宜者，盡從改正，無或拘牽。候畢日，委御史臺、尚書省四品以上及兩省五品以上官參詳可否，送中書門下議定。 ”從之。自是湜等於都省集議刪定，仍令大官供膳。五年，書成，凡三十卷，目曰《刑統》。宰相請頒天下，與律、疏、令、式並行。可久復拜大理卿。建隆三年，告老，改光祿卿致仕。卒，年七十七。

Emperor Shizong found the penal statutes archaic in language and their provisions excessively detailed, making them difficult to review. Furthermore, edicts and regulations from successive reigns overlapped and were likewise hard to examine with care. Thereupon the Secretariat and Chancellery memorialized, "We consider that penal statutes are the bridle with which one governs men and the axe with which one cuts away abuses—a state cannot abandon them even for a day." "Even in the age of Yao and Shun one could not dispense with them and achieve good order." "Now, following the imperial command to edit and fix the statutes and ordinances, one sees the intent of 'making punishments clear and laws instructive.'" "We note that what the court employs includes the twelve fascicles of Statutes, the thirty fascicles of Statutory Commentary, the twenty fascicles of Forms, the thirty fascicles of Ordinances, the ten fascicles of the Kaicheng Regulations, the twelve fascicles of the Da Zhong Comprehensive Categories, thirty-two or thirty-three fascicles of compiled edicts from Later Tang down to the end of Later Han, and the various dynastic edicts of our court as well." "As for statutes and ordinances, their language is ancient and plain, and in places they may be hard to clarify;" "as for regulations and edicts, their entries are numerous, and in places there may be doubtful errors." "To remedy the abuse of twisting the written law, it is fitting to extend a uniform standard." "What is hoped is that the people will not fall into punishment and officials will have something to uphold." "We your ministers, after deliberation, respectfully request that it be carried out in accordance with the imperial command." "We also request that the attendant censor and concurrent supervisor Zhang Mian, right censor-in-chief Ju Kejiu, palace attendant censor Shuai Ting, bureau director Deng Shouzhong, bureau director Wang Ying, vice director of the Bureau of Enfeoffments Jia Ci, erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Zhao Li, erudite of the Directorate of Education Li Guangzan, director of the Court of Judicial Review Su Xiao, and palace secretary Wang Shen—ten men in all—compile a new code and bring it to completion in organized fascicles." "Where statutes and ordinances contain passages hard to understand, gloss them according to the text;" "where regulations and edicts are redundant and complicated, delete according to the matter;" "where there are contradictions and conflicts, or where severity and leniency are inappropriate, amend them entirely without being constrained by precedent." "When the work is finished, let officials of the fourth rank and above in the Censorate and Secretariat and of the fifth rank and above in the two departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery jointly review whether it is acceptable and send it to the Secretariat and Chancellery for final deliberation." The request was granted. Thereafter Zhang Mian and the others met at the central secretariat to edit and fix the code, and the office of the grand provisioner was ordered to supply their meals. In the fifth year the work was completed—thirty fascicles in all, entitled the Comprehensive Penal Code. The chancellor requested that it be promulgated throughout the realm, to be applied together with the statutes, commentary, ordinances, and forms. Kejiu was again appointed director of the Court of Judicial Review. In the third year of Jianlong he requested retirement and was reassigned as director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices with permission to retire. He died, aged seventy-seven.

可久在廷尉四十年，用法平允，以仁恕稱。

Kejiu served at the judicial court for forty years; in applying the law he was even-handed and was known for benevolence and forbearance.

趙逢，字常夫，媯州懷戎人。性剛直，有吏幹。父崇，事劉守光為牙校。後唐天祐中，莊宗遣周德威平幽州，因誅崇。逢尚幼，德威錄為部曲，令與諸子同就學。及德威戰沒胡柳陂，逢乃遊學河朔間。久之西遊，客鳳翔李從曮門下。從曮卒，侯益領節制，逢又依之。漢乾祐中，益入為開封尹，表逢為巡官，逢不樂，乃求舉進士。是歲，禮部侍郎、集賢殿學士司徒翊典貢舉，擢登甲科。解褐授秘書郎、直史館。周廣順中，歷左拾遺、右補闕，皆兼史職。世宗嗣位，遷禮部員外郎、史館修撰。顯德四年，改膳部員外郎、知制誥。逾年，轉水部郎中，仍掌誥命，恭帝即位，賜金紫。

Zhao Feng, whose courtesy name was Changfu, came from Huairou in Gui Prefecture. By nature he was sternly upright and possessed administrative ability. His father Chong served Liu Shouguang as a military adjutant. In the Tianyou reign of Later Tang, Zhuangzong dispatched Zhou Dewei to pacify Youzhou and thereby executed Chong. Feng was still a child; Dewei enrolled him among his retainers and had him study together with his own sons. After De Wei was killed at Huliu Embankment, Feng set out to study in the lands north of the Yellow River. Some years later he went west and entered the household of Li Congyan, military governor of Fengxiang. When Congyan died, Hou Yi assumed control of the circuit, and Feng once again placed himself in his service. In the Qianyou period of Later Han, when Hou Yi came to the capital as prefect of Kaifeng and recommended Feng as a circuit inspector, Feng was unhappy with the post and petitioned to sit for the jinshi examination instead. That year Situ Yi, vice minister of rites and academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, presided over the examinations, and Feng passed in the highest tier. On completing his degree he was appointed secretariat gentleman and direct historiographer. During Later Zhou's Guangshun reign he served in turn as left remonstrance clerk and right supplementation clerk, retaining historiographical duties in both offices. When Emperor Shizong came to the throne, he was promoted to vice director in the ministry of rites and compiler at the historiography institute. In the fourth year of Xiande he was reassigned as vice director in the ministry of revenue and charged with drafting imperial edicts. A year later he was made director in the water ministry while still handling edicts; when Emperor Gong succeeded, he was granted the gold seal and purple robe of high rank.

宋初，拜中書舍人。太祖征澤、潞，逢從行。次河內，聞李筠擁兵入寇，又慮太行艱險，乃妄言墜馬傷足，留於懷州。駕還京，有密旨除拜，逢當草制，又稱疾不入。太祖謂宰相曰：“此人得非規避行役者耶？ ”對曰：“誠如聖言。 ”遂貶房州司戶。會恩，量移汝州司馬。

At the founding of the Song dynasty he was appointed secretariat drafter. When Taizu marched against Ze and Lu, Feng accompanied the campaign. When the army halted at Henei, Feng heard that Li Jun had raised troops and invaded, and he also dreaded the treacherous passes of the Taihang Mountains; he therefore falsely claimed he had fallen from his horse and injured his foot, and stayed behind at Huaizhou. When the emperor returned to the capital, a confidential appointment was decreed and Feng was to draft the commission—but again he pleaded illness and refused to report. Taizu said to the chief ministers, "Isn't this man trying to dodge campaign duty?" They answered, "Your Majesty reads him correctly." He was thereupon demoted to revenue assistant in Fang Prefecture. When a general amnesty was proclaimed, his sentence was reduced and he was transferred to defender of Ru Prefecture.

乾德初，召赴闕，授都官郎中、知制誥，充史館修撰、判館事。二年，改判昭文館。未幾，充樞密直學士，加左諫議大夫。蜀平，出知閬州。時部內盜賊攻州城，逢防禦有功。賊既平，誅滅者僅千家。妻朱氏病死京師，詔給葬事。代還，遷給事中，充職。六年，權知貢舉。

At the start of the Qiande reign he was recalled to court, appointed director in the ministry of justice and charged with drafting edicts, and made historiography compiler with concurrent direction of the institute. In the second year he was reassigned to direct the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Before long he was made privy council academician and promoted to left remonstration censor. After Shu was pacified he was sent out as prefect of Lang Prefecture. At the time bandits within the prefecture attacked the city walls, and Feng's defense earned him credit. After the bandits were suppressed, nearly a thousand households were executed in the purge. His wife Lady Zhu died of illness in the capital, and an edict provided for her burial. When his tour of duty ended and he returned, he was promoted to deputy censor and kept his post. In the sixth year he served as acting chief examiner for the civil service examinations.

太祖征太原，以逢為隨軍轉運使，鑄印賜之。會發諸道丁壯數十萬，築堤壅汾水灌晉陽城。逢白太祖乞效用，即命督其版築。時方盛暑，逢於烈日中親課力役，因而遘疾，輿歸京師。開寶八年，卒。

When Taizu campaigned against Taiyuan, Feng was made expedition transport commissioner, and a seal was cast and bestowed on him. At the time several hundred thousand laborers were levied from every circuit to build dikes damming the Fen River and flood the city of Taiyuan. Feng petitioned Taizu offering his services and was immediately ordered to supervise the construction. It was the height of summer; Feng personally oversaw the corvée under the blazing sun, fell ill as a result, and was carried back to the capital. In the eighth year of Kaibao he died.

逢敭歷清近，所至有聲，然傷慘酷，又言多詆訐，故縉紳目之為“鐵橛”。大中祥符三年，特詔錄其子極為三班借職。

Feng had risen through posts close to the throne and won a reputation wherever he served, yet he was given to harsh severity and his speech was rife with slander and abuse; the gentry therefore called him the Iron Spike. In the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu, a special edict enrolled his son Ji in a provisional third-class military post.

蘇曉，字表東，京兆武功人。父瓚，仕後唐，歷秘書少監。長興初，曉辟鄧州從事。漢祖鎮太原，表為觀察支使。周廣順初，由華州支使入為大理正。以讞獄有功，遷少卿。顯德中，歷屯田郎中。

Su Xiao, courtesy name Biaodong, was a native of Wugong in Jingzhao. His father Zan served Later Tang and rose to deputy director of the secretariat. At the beginning of the Changxing reign Xiao was engaged as an administrator under the prefect of Deng Prefecture. When the founder of Later Han was stationed at Taiyuan, he recommended Xiao as administrative aide to the provincial inspector. At the beginning of Later Zhou's Guangshun reign he came to the capital from his post as administrative aide at Hua Prefecture and was appointed senior judge of the court of judicial review. For merit in adjudicating criminal cases he was promoted to vice director. During the Xiande reign he served as director in the ministry of public works.

宋初，詔與竇儀、奚嶼、張希讓等同詳定《刑統》為三十卷及《編敕》四卷。建隆四年，權大理少卿事，遷度支郎中。乾德三年，出為淮南轉運使，建議榷蘄、黃、舒、廬、壽五州茶，置十四場，規其利，歲入百餘萬緡。開寶三年，遷司勳郎中，改西川轉運使，仍掌京城市征。

At the founding of Song, an edict ordered him, together with Dou Yi, Xi Yu, Zhang Xirang, and others, to compile in detail the Penal Code in thirty fascicles and the Compiled Statutes in four fascicles. In the fourth year of Jianlong he acted as vice director of the court of judicial review and was transferred to director in the ministry of revenue. In the third year of Qiande he was sent out as Huainan transport commissioner; he proposed a government monopoly on tea in the five prefectures of Qi, Huang, Shu, Lu, and Shou, establishing fourteen markets to regulate the trade, yielding annual revenue of more than a million strings of cash. In the third year of Kaibao he was transferred to director in the ministry of personnel and reassigned as transport commissioner for the western Sichuan circuit, while still supervising metropolitan market taxes.

先是，朝廷遣供備庫使李守信市木秦、隴間，守信盜官錢鉅萬，既受代，為部下所發，守信至中牟，自剄於傳舍。太祖命曉案之，逮捕甚眾。右拾遺、通判秦州馬適妻李，即守信息女。守信嘗用木為筏以遺適，曉得守信所送書以進，太祖將捨之，曉上章固請置於法，仍籍其家。餘所連及者，多至破產，盡得所隱沒官錢。擢拜曉右諫議大夫、判大理寺，賜金紫，遷左諫議大夫。七年，監在京商稅。九年六月，卒，年七十三。

Earlier the court had dispatched supply depot commissioner Li Shouxin to purchase timber in the Qin-Long region; Shouxin embezzled vast sums of government money. After he was relieved of office his subordinates exposed him, and when he reached Zhongmu he cut his own throat at the post station. Taizu ordered Xiao to investigate the case, and a great many people were arrested. The right remonstrance clerk and acting prefect of Qin Prefecture, Ma Shi, had a wife surnamed Li who was the daughter of Commissioner Li Shouxin. Shouxin had once sent a raft of timber as a gift to Shi. When Xiao obtained a letter Shouxin had written and presented it to the throne, Taizu was inclined to show leniency; Xiao submitted a memorial firmly insisting they be punished according to law, and their family property was confiscated. Of the others implicated, many were ruined, and all the concealed embezzled funds were recovered. Xiao was promoted to right remonstration censor with concurrent direction of the court of judicial review, granted the gold seal and purple robe, and then transferred to left remonstration censor. In the seventh year he supervised commercial taxes in the capital. In the sixth month of the ninth year he died at the age of seventy-three.

曉深文少恩，當時號為酷吏。及卒，無子，有一女甚鍾愛，亦先曉卒，人以為深刻所致。

Xiao pursued cases with severity and little mercy; at the time he was known as a harsh official. When he died he had no sons; he had one daughter whom he deeply cherished, and she too died before him. People regarded this as retribution for his harshness.

高防，字修己，幷州壽陽人。性沉厚，守禮法。累世將家。父從慶，戍天井關，與梁軍戰死。防年十六，護柩以歸。事母孝，好學，善為詩。初，張從恩為北京副留守，奏攝太原府倉曹掾。從恩移澶州防禦使，表為判官。有親校段洪進盜官木造器，市取其直。從恩聞之怒，將殺之。洪進懼，思緩其罪，紿曰：“判官使為之。 ”從恩召防詰之，防即引伏，洪進得免。從恩遺防錢十千、馬一匹遣之。防拜受而去，終不自明。既而悔之，命騎追及，防不得已而還，賓主如初。又居帳下歲餘，稍稍有言防自誣以活人，從恩益加禮重。從恩入為樞密副使，防授國子監丞。從恩留守西洛，又為推官。召拜殿中丞，充鹽鐵推官。以母憂去官，服除，隨從恩歷鄆、晉、潞三鎮判官。契丹入汴，晉主北行。從恩欲歸款契丹，召拜計議，防為陳逆順，請固守臣節。為左右所搖，從恩不用其言，遂歸契丹。既行，命副使趙行遷知留後，從恩所親王守恩為巡檢，與防同領郡事。防與守恩謀誅行遷，以城歸漢祖。漢祖召防赴太原，加檢校金部郎中。

Gao Fang, courtesy name Xiuji, was a native of Shouyang in Bing Prefecture. By nature he was grave and steady, and he observed ritual propriety. For generations his family had produced military officers. His father Congqing was garrisoned at Tianjing Pass and was killed fighting the Liang army. Fang was sixteen; he escorted the coffin home. He served his mother filially, loved learning, and was skilled at composing poetry. At first, when Zhang Congen was deputy military commissioner of the Northern Capital, he memorialized that Fang be appointed acting revenue clerk of Taiyuan Prefecture. When Congen was transferred to defender of Cao Prefecture, he recommended Fang as administrative judge. A personal guard commander, Duan Hongjin, stole government timber to make utensils and sold them for cash. When Congen heard of it he was furious and intended to execute him. Hongjin was terrified and sought to soften his punishment; he lied, "The administrative judge ordered me to do it." Congen summoned Fang to question him; Fang immediately confessed, and Hongjin was spared. Congen gave Fang ten thousand cash and a horse and dismissed him. Fang accepted with a bow and departed, never clearing his own name. Congen soon regretted it and sent riders to overtake him; Fang had no choice but to return, and host and guest were as before. After he remained under Congen's command for more than a year, word gradually spread that Fang had falsely incriminated himself to save a man's life, and Congen treated him with even greater respect. When Congen entered the capital as vice commissioner of the privy council, Fang was appointed assistant director of the directorate of education. When Congen remained to guard the Western Capital, Fang again served as legal secretary. He was summoned and appointed assistant director of the palace secretariat, and made legal secretary for the salt and iron commission. He left office to mourn his mother; when the mourning period ended he followed Congen through the three circuits of Yan, Jin, and Lu as administrative judge. When the Khitans entered Bian, the Jin ruler was taken north. Congen wished to submit to the Khitans; he was appointed to discuss plans, and Fang set forth the choice between rebellion and loyalty and urged him to hold to a subject's duty and stand firm. Those around him swayed him; Congen did not heed Fang's counsel and ultimately submitted to the Khitans. After he departed he appointed his deputy Zhao Xingqian acting military commissioner and his confidant Wang Shouen inspector; together with Fang they jointly administered the prefecture. Fang and Shouen plotted to kill Xingqian and surrender the city to the founder of Later Han. The founder of Later Han summoned Fang to Taiyuan and added to his title acting director in the ministry of revenue.

乾祐初，授屯田員外郎，改浚儀令。時楊邠用事，與防有隙，未幾，免職。居數月，夢一吏以白帕裹印，自門入授防，防寤而思曰：“白主刑，吾當為主刑官乎？ ”俄而周祖即位，起為刑部員外郎，吏齎印至，一如夢中所睹。改開封令，遷本府少尹，除刑部郎中。宿州民以刃殺妻，妻族受賂，偽言風狂病瘖。吏引律不加拷掠，具獄上請覆。防云：“其人風不能言，無醫驗狀，以何為證？且禁繫踰旬，亦當須索飲食。願再劾，必得其情。 ”周祖然之，卒置於法。

At the beginning of Qianyou he was appointed vice director in the ministry of public works and reassigned as magistrate of Junyi. At the time Yang Bin held power and had a rift with Fang; before long Fang was dismissed from office. After several months he dreamed that a clerk entered the gate and handed him a seal wrapped in white cloth. When Fang awoke he thought, "White governs punishment—am I to become chief punishment officer?" Before long Emperor Shizu of Later Zhou succeeded to the throne and recalled him as vice director in the ministry of justice; a clerk delivered the seal, exactly as he had seen in the dream. He was reassigned as magistrate of Kaifeng, promoted to vice prefect of that jurisdiction, and appointed director in the ministry of justice. A commoner of Suzhou killed his wife with a blade; the wife's clan accepted bribes and falsely claimed he had been struck by wind madness and could not speak. The clerks cited the statute, completed the case without torture, and submitted it for review. Fang said, "This man is said to be unable to speak because of wind—there is no medical verification. On what evidence is this based?" "Moreover, having been imprisoned for more than ten days, he must still have needed food and drink." "I ask that the case be reinvestigated—the truth will certainly come out." Emperor Shizu approved; in the end the man was executed according to law.

太祖還自陳橋，防所居為里民所略，詔賜綾絹、衣服、衾裯、鞍馬。及征李筠，防又為潞州東北路計度轉運使。澤、潞平，拜尚書左丞，賜銀器、綵帛、鞍勒馬。

When Taizu returned from Chen Bridge, Fang's residence had been plundered by local people; an edict bestowed silk, clothing, bedding, and saddle horses. When the expedition against Li Jun was launched, Fang again served as transport commissioner for the northeastern route of Lu Prefecture. When Ze and Lu were pacified, he was appointed left vice director in the ministry of works and bestowed silver vessels, colored silks, and saddled horses.

建隆二年，出知秦州，州與夏人雜處，罔知教養，防齊之以刑，舊俗稍革。州西北夕陽鎮，連山谷多大木，夏人利之。防議建採造務，闢地數百里，築堡要地。自渭而北，夏人有之；自渭而南，秦州有之。募卒三百，歲獲木萬章。夏部尚波於等率諸族千餘人涉渭，奪木筏，殺役兵。防出與戰，俘四十七人以獻。太祖慮擾邊郡，詔諭酋帥，賜所獲之俘錦袍、銀帶以遣之，遂罷採木之役，命吳廷祚為節度以代防。歸為樞密直學士，復出知鳳翔。乾德元年卒，年五十九。太祖甚悼惜，賜其子太府寺丞延緒詔曰：“爾父有幹蠱之才，懷匪躬之節，朕所毗倚。遽茲淪亡，聞之衋傷，不能自己。矧素尚清白，諒無餘資，殯殮所須，特宜優恤。今遣供奉官陳彥珣部署歸葬西洛，凡所費用，並從官給。”

In the second year of Jianlong he was sent out as prefect of Qin Prefecture. The prefecture bordered Tangut settlements where people knew nothing of education or nurture; Fang corrected them with punishments, and old customs were somewhat reformed. At Xiyang garrison in the northwest of the prefecture, valleys linked together held great timber that the Tanguts coveted. Fang proposed establishing a timber-cutting office, opening land for several hundred li, and building fortresses at strategic points. From the Wei River northward, the Tanguts held the forests; from the Wei River southward, Qin Prefecture held them. He recruited three hundred soldiers; each year they harvested ten thousand logs. Shangbo Yu and others of the Tangut tribes led more than a thousand men of various clans across the Wei, seized timber rafts, and killed corvée laborers. Fang went out and fought them, capturing forty-seven men whom he presented as prisoners. Taizu feared disturbing the border prefectures; he issued an edict the tribal chiefs, bestowed brocade robes and silver belts on the captives and sent them back, then abolished the timber-cutting operation and appointed Wu Tingzuo military commissioner to replace Fang. On his return he became privy council academician, then was again sent out as prefect of Fengxiang. He died in the first year of Qiande at the age of fifty-nine. Taizu deeply mourned him and bestowed on his son Yanxu, vice director of the grand treasury, an edict saying: "Your father possessed talent for governing and the integrity to devote himself wholly to duty—one upon whom I relied. Now he has suddenly passed away; the news pierces my heart, and I cannot restrain my grief. Moreover he was always known for upright purity and surely left no surplus wealth; for the needs of burial and encoffining he should receive special generous relief. Now I dispatch palace attendant Chen Yanxun to arrange his return burial in the Western Capital; all expenses shall be paid from government funds.

宋初，轉兵部郎中，加金紫階。瓚風神俊爽，善談論，有吏材，太祖甚寵之，擢拜左諫議大夫，出知舒州。境內有菰蒲魚鱉之饒，居民採以自給，防禦使司超盡征之，瓚奏奪民利，請蠲除，從之。建隆四年春，徙知廬州。乾德三年，以本官充樞密直學士。

At the beginning of Song he was transferred to director in the ministry of war and granted the gold-and-purple rank. Zan was handsome and alert in manner, eloquent in conversation, and gifted in administration; the Taizu favored him greatly, promoted him to Left Remonstrance Grandee, and sent him out to govern Shuzhou. The prefecture abounded in wild rice, reeds, fish, and turtles, which the people harvested to support themselves; the defense commissioner Si Chao taxed all of it. Zan submitted a memorial protesting that this robbed the people of their livelihood and asked that the levies be abolished; his request was granted. In the spring of the fourth year of the Jianlong era, he was transferred to govern Luzhou. In the third year of the Qiande era, he was appointed Privy Council direct scholar while retaining his existing rank.

時劍外初平，卒有亡命者散匿為盜，命瓚知梓州。無何，蜀軍校上官進率亡命三千餘人，掠民數萬，夜攻州城。瓚曰：“賊乘夜奄至，此烏合之眾，以箠梃相擊，必無固志。正可持重以鎮之，旦自潰矣。 ”城中止有雲騎兵三百，令分守城門。瓚坐城樓，密令促其更籌，未夜分擊五鼓，賊悉遁去。因縱兵追之，擒上官進，斬於市。誘其餘黨千餘人，並釋其罪，境內獲安。

At that time the lands beyond Jianmen had only just been pacified, and scattered deserters and fugitives roamed as bandits; Zan was appointed prefect of Zizhou. Before long, Shangguan Jin, an officer of the former Shu army, led more than three thousand fugitives, preyed upon tens of thousands of civilians, and attacked the prefectural city by night. Zan said, "The enemy came upon us suddenly in the night. They are a mob thrown together in haste; if they clash with clubs, they will have no steadfast will. We need only hold steady and keep our composure, and by dawn they will break apart on their own. In the city there were only three hundred Cloud Cavalry soldiers; he ordered them split up to guard the gates. Zan took his seat on the city tower and secretly ordered the watch shortened; before midnight the fifth watch drum was sounded, and the bandits all fled. He then sent troops in pursuit, captured Shangguan Jin, and had him beheaded in the marketplace. He drew out more than a thousand of the remaining followers and pardoned them all; peace was restored throughout the prefecture.

初，太祖欲任用瓚，常與趙普言瓚有奇材。普忌之，乃遣詣蜀平寇，潛令所親信從其行，密察其過，即亡入京師擊登聞鼓，訟瓚及監軍綾錦副使李美、通判殿中侍御史李檝受賕為姦事。急召歸闕，親問之，詞理屢屈，乃屬吏。既而普遣人至潼關，閱其囊裝，得金帶珍玩之物，皆封題將以賂劉嶅，嶅方在太宗幕府。瓚具伏，普言法當死，太祖欲貸之，普固執不可，乃削去名籍。瓚流登州沙門島，美配隸通州海門島，嶅免所居官。李檝者，嘗與王德裔佐王饒幕，太祖納孝明皇后，因識之。德裔輕率而檝謹厚，太祖薄德裔而厚檝，至是，檝特免配流。未幾，復為御史。

Earlier the Taizu had intended to put Zan to greater use and often told Zhao Pu that Zan possessed exceptional ability. Pu envied him, so he dispatched Zan to Shu to suppress bandits, secretly sent trusted men to accompany him and watch for faults, then had one of them flee to the capital, strike the Denunciation Drum, and accuse Zan, the army supervisor and Vice Commissioner of Brocade Li Mei, and the vice-prefect and Palace Attendant Censor Li Yi of taking bribes and abusing their offices. Zan was urgently recalled to court, and the emperor questioned him in person; his answers repeatedly collapsed under scrutiny, and he was handed over to the judicial officials. Pu then sent men to Tong Pass to inspect Zan's baggage and found gold belts and precious objects, all sealed and addressed as gifts intended to bribe Liu Jiao, who was then serving on the future Taizong's staff. Zan confessed to everything. Pu argued that the law required the death penalty; the Taizu wished to show mercy, but Pu stubbornly refused to allow it, and Zan's name was struck from the official register. Zan was exiled to Shamen Island in Dengzhou; Li Mei was sentenced to penal servitude on Haimen Island in Tongzhou; and Liu Jiao was removed from his post. Li Yi had once served with Wang Deyi on the staff of Wang Rao; when the Taizu married Empress Xiaoming, he came to know Yi. Wang Deyi was frivolous while Li Yi was cautious and upright; the Taizu disliked Deyi but held Yi in esteem, and on this occasion Yi was specially spared from penal exile. Before long he was restored to his post as a censor.

瓚在海上凡十年不得召，開寶末，遇赦放還。太宗即位，授左讚善大夫。太平興國元年冬，與禮部員外郎賈黃中、左補闕程能分掌左藏三庫。先是，貨泉與金帛通。至是，以帑藏充溢，乃命分之。二年，復賜金紫。明年，判大理寺，改度支判官，遷秘書少監，充職。四年，上親征太原，以瓚為隨駕三司判官。凱旋，改大理卿兼判秘書省。以足疾求解，優詔免朝請，令於本司視事。瓚抗章請退，除給事中致仕，復舊勳階。五年，卒，年六十七。子克忠，至內殿崇班、閤門祗候。

Zan spent ten years in exile on the coast without being recalled; toward the end of the Kaibao era he was released under a general amnesty and allowed to return. When the Taizong came to the throne, Zan was appointed Left Supporter of Goodness Grandee. In the winter of the first year of the Taiping Xingguo era, he joined Ministry of Rites Vice Director Jia Huangzhong and Left Supplementation Censor Cheng Neng in dividing responsibility for the three Left Vault treasuries. Previously, coin and silk had been kept in the same treasury. Now, because the treasuries were overflowing, an order was issued to divide them. In the second year he was again granted the gold-and-purple rank. The following year he served as acting director of the Court of Judicial Review, then became a revenue-section judge, was promoted to Vice Director of the Secretariat, and carried out his duties. In the fourth year the emperor personally marched against Taiyuan, and Zan was appointed Three Departments judge on the imperial campaign. After the victorious return he was made Chief Minister of Judicial Review and concurrently served as acting director of the Secretariat. Afflicted with a foot ailment, he asked to be relieved of duty; an edict graciously exempted him from court attendance and allowed him to manage affairs from his own office. Zan submitted a forceful memorial asking to retire; he was granted the title of Attendant Gentleman and allowed to retire, with his former honors and rank restored. In the fifth year he died, at the age of sixty-seven. His son Kezhong rose to the ranks of Internal Hall Elite Company commander and Gate Attendant.

宋初，詣衛州視秋稼及掌京倉。建隆二年，兄玕自河南令入為吏部員外郎，復以珝為洛陽令。兄弟迭尹赤邑，時人榮之。乾德初，召為倉部郎中。蜀平，命珝知三泉縣。開寶初，遷職方郎中，監京兆麴務，又掌永安軍榷貨，奏徙務揚州。有富民訴廣陵尉謝圖殺其父，本部收尉囚之，官吏推劾累三百日，獄未具，州以狀聞。詔珝案鞫，盡得其實。乃富民以私憾誣告尉，即反坐之。就命權知州事，仍兼榷貨務。罷郡，又兼掌酒稅鹽礬務。未幾，丁母憂，起復，知州事。會征江表，兼領淮南轉運使。金陵平，知江北諸州轉運事。

Early in the Song dynasty he was sent to Weizhou to inspect the autumn harvest and was put in charge of the capital granaries. In the second year of the Jianlong era, his elder brother Gan was transferred from magistrate of Henan into the capital as Ministry of Personnel Vice Director, and Xu was again appointed magistrate of Luoyang. The brothers took turns governing the imperial capital district, to the admiration of their contemporaries. At the start of the Qiande era he was recalled to serve as Bureau Director in the Ministry of Revenue. After the pacification of Shu, Xu was appointed magistrate of Sanquan County. At the beginning of the Kaibao era he was promoted to Bureau Director in the Ministry of War, placed in charge of the Jingzhao brewery office, and later also managed the Yong'an Army monopoly bureau, for which he memorialized to have the office moved to Yangzhou. A wealthy man accused the Guangling district captain Xie Tu of murdering his father; the local authorities arrested the captain and imprisoned him, but after more than three hundred days of investigation the case remained unresolved, and the prefecture reported the matter to the court. An edict ordered Xu to take up the case and conduct a full inquiry, and he uncovered the whole truth. It turned out that the wealthy man had brought a false charge out of private spite; Xu immediately reversed the accusation and punished the accuser instead. He was thereupon appointed acting prefect and continued concurrently to oversee the monopoly bureau. When he left that prefectural post, he also took charge of the wine tax, salt, and alum monopolies. Before long, upon the death of his mother, he was recalled from mourning to resume governing the prefecture. When the campaign against the lower Yangtze region began, he was also appointed Huainan transport commissioner. After Jinling was pacified, he oversaw transport affairs for the prefectures north of the Yangtze.

太宗即位，遷吏部郎中。召還，賜金紫，充廣南轉運使。初至，桂州守張頌卒。頌，濰州人，槁葬城外。舊制不許以族行，僕人乃分匿其家財，珝召官吏悉追取之，部送其柩歸濰州。又屬郡守與護軍有忿隙者，但奏令易地，不致之於罪釁。太平興國五年，代歸。拜右諫議大夫，領吏部選事。七年，移知開封府。明年夏，卒，年六十三。

When the Taizong came to the throne, Xu was promoted to Bureau Director in the Ministry of Personnel. He was recalled to court, granted the gold-and-purple rank, and appointed transport commissioner for Guangnan. Soon after his arrival, Zhang Song, the prefect of Guizhou, died. Song was a native of Weizhou and was given a simple burial outside the city walls. Under established rules, relatives were not allowed to accompany the coffin home, so the servants had divided and concealed his household goods; Xu summoned the officials, recovered everything, and had the coffin escorted back to Weizhou. Likewise, when prefects and garrison commanders were at odds, he merely memorialized to have them reassigned rather than pressing criminal charges. In the fifth year of the Taiping Xingguo era his successor arrived and he returned to the capital. He was appointed Right Remonstrance Grandee and placed in charge of personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel. In the seventh year he was transferred to serve as prefect of Kaifeng. The following summer he died, at the age of sixty-three.

珝精力有吏材，帝方欲倚用，及聞其卒，歎惜數四，賻其家絹四百匹，錢二十萬。珝一子早卒，以其從子俊為尉氏主簿。兄玕至金部郎中，弟玢右讚善大夫，從子仿至殿中丞，倚為比部員外郎。

Xu was vigorous and capable in administration, and the emperor had been on the point of relying on him more heavily; when he learned of Xu's death he sighed again and again in regret and granted the family four hundred bolts of silk and two hundred thousand cash. Xu's only son had died young, so his nephew Jun was appointed chief clerk of Weishi County. His elder brother Gan rose to Bureau Director in the Ministry of Revenue; his younger brother Bin became Right Supporter of Goodness Grandee; his nephew Fang reached the rank of Palace Court Director; and another nephew, Yi, became Vice Director in the Ministry of Revenue.

王明，字如晦，大名成安人。晉天福中，舉進士不第。驍騎將藥元福為原州刺史，辟為從事。馮暉節制靈武，表為觀察巡官。周廣順初，元福領陳州防禦使，奏署判官。會劉崇寇晉州，命元福將兵援之，事多諮於明。

Wang Ming, whose courtesy name was Ruhui, came from Cheng'an in Daming. During the Tianfu era of the Later Jin he sat for the jinshi examination but failed. When the Mounted Cavalry General Yao Yuanfu served as prefect of Yuanzhou, he recruited Ming as an aide. When Feng Hui held command over Lingwu, he recommended Ming as an inspection patrol officer. At the beginning of the Guangshun era of the Later Zhou, Yuanfu served as defense commissioner of Chenzhou and memorialized to appoint Ming as his judge. When Liu Chong attacked Jinzhou, Yuanfu was ordered to lead troops to its relief, and he consulted Ming on many matters.

先是，州縣吏部送丁壯餉糧，一夕，夫盡遁去。元福怒，盡驅官吏出軍門，將就戮。明馳往止之，入白元福曰：“今軍儲無闕，丁夫數萬人，文吏懦不能制，斬之何益，不如寬以待之。賊敗凱旋，公無專殺之名，不亦善乎？ ”元福感悟，盡免其死。既而崇眾宵遁，即命元福為建雄軍節度留鎮，因奏署明為書記，賜緋魚。

Earlier, prefectural and county officials had sent corvée laborers to deliver grain, but one night all the workers fled. Yuanfu flew into a rage, had all the officials driven outside the camp gate, and was on the point of executing them. Ming galloped up to stop him, went in, and said to Yuanfu, "The army's provisions are not wanting, and there are tens of thousands of laborers; the civil officials are too weak to control them. What good would executions do? Better to show forbearance and wait. When the enemy is beaten and we march home in victory, you will avoid the name of having killed officials on your own authority—is that not the better course? Yuanfu took the point and spared them all. Before long Liu Chong's army fled by night; Yuanfu was at once made military commissioner of the Jianxiong Army and left to hold the region, and he memorialized to appoint Ming as secretary and grant him the crimson robe and fish tally.

顯德初，元福移鎮陝，恃功多驕恣，明以直道規之，忤其左右，多毀明於元福，元福亦稍疏之。明以父病求歸省，元福數召明，明因謝絕之。詣闕上書，求任州縣，歷清平、郾城二縣令。

At the beginning of the Xiande era Yuanfu was transferred to Shanzhou; puffed up by his achievements, he grew arrogant and overbearing. Ming remonstrated with him on principle, offended those around Yuanfu, and many spoke ill of Ming to Yuanfu, who in turn gradually distanced himself from Ming. When Ming asked to return home because his father was ill, Yuanfu summoned him again and again, and Ming finally refused to come. He went to the capital and submitted a memorial asking for a post in the provinces, then served successively as magistrate of Qingping and Yancheng.

宋初，荊南高繼沖入覲，授彭門節鉞，以明為武寧軍節度掌書記。乾德初，召公卿近臣各舉清白有吏幹者一人，給事中馬士元以明塞詔，召為左拾遺。蜀平，選知榮州，代歸，遷右補闕。會用兵於嶺南，選為荊湖轉運使。開寶三年，大舉南征，以明為隨軍轉運使。山路險絕，舟車不通，但以丁壯數萬人轉遞，供億不闕。每下一郡一城，必先保其簿書，守其倉庫。既而賀州未下，明入與主帥計曰：“當急取之，恐援兵至，則我師勝負未可知。 ”諸將頗猶豫。明乃擐甲胄，率所部護送輜重卒百人，擁丁夫數千，畚鍤皆作，堙其塹，直抵城門。城中懼，開門納款，遂據有之。因抵廣州，賊眾十餘萬拒戰。是夕，大風發屋折木，眾乃驚懼。明與都部署潘美等謀，命丁夫數千人，人持二炬，間道先搗賊壘，大軍蓐食，陣以待之。俄而萬炬皆發，焚其柵。賊驚，果來犯，大軍因迎擊之，賊大敗，斬首數萬，劉鋹以城降。廣州平，為本道轉運使。太祖嘉其功，擢授秘書少監，領韶州刺史，充轉運使。俄以潘美、尹崇珂為嶺南轉運使，以明為副使。明遍歷部內，視民疾苦，舊無名科斂，悉條奏除之，嶺表遂安。

Early in the Song dynasty, when Gao Jichong of Jingnan came to court, he was granted command of Pengmen, and Ming was appointed secretary on the staff of the Wuning Army military commissioner. At the start of the Qiande era the court called on senior officials and close ministers each to recommend one man known for integrity and administrative skill; Attendant Gentleman Ma Shiyuan nominated Ming in response to the edict, and Ming was summoned to serve as left reminder. After the pacification of Shu he was chosen to govern Rongzhou; when his successor arrived he returned to the capital and was promoted to right supplementation censor. When troops were mobilized in Lingnan, he was chosen to serve as Jinghu transport commissioner. In the third year of the Kaibao era a great southern expedition was launched, and Ming was appointed transport commissioner attached to the army. The mountain routes were treacherous and impassable to boats and carts; Ming relied on relays of tens of thousands of laborers, yet the army's supplies never ran short. Whenever a prefecture or city fell, he made sure first to secure its documents and guard its storehouses. When Hezhou had still not fallen, Ming went in to confer with the commander-in-chief and said, "We must take it quickly; if enemy reinforcements arrive, the outcome of our campaign may become uncertain. The generals, however, were still hesitant. Ming then put on armor himself, led a hundred men from his own command escorting the baggage train, and marched several thousand laborers forward with shovels ready; they filled in the moat and advanced straight to the city gate. Terrified, the city opened its gates and submitted, and the army took possession of it. They then pressed on to Guangzhou, where more than one hundred thousand enemy troops met them in battle. That night a violent wind ripped roofs away and snapped trees, and the army was seized with fear. Ming conferred with the overall commander Pan Mei and the others. He sent several thousand laborers, each carrying two torches, along hidden paths to strike the enemy camp first, while the main army took a hurried meal and formed up to wait. Soon ten thousand torches blazed up together and set their stockades ablaze. The enemy, startled, came out to attack after all. The main army met them head on and routed them completely. Tens of thousands were beheaded, and Liu Chang surrendered the city. With Guangzhou pacified, he was appointed transport commissioner for the circuit. The Founder commended his achievement, promoted him to Vice Director of the Secretariat, made him Prefect of Shaozhou, and kept him on as transport commissioner. Soon Pan Mei and Yin Chongke were appointed Lingnan transport commissioners, with Ming as their deputy. Ming toured the entire circuit, looked into the people's hardships, and had every unlisted levy struck from the books. Lingnan was thus brought to peace.

七年，代歸，帝召見勞問，賜襲衣、金帶、鞍勒馬。是歲，將用師南唐，以明為黃州刺史，帝密授成算。明既視事，即完葺城壘，訓練士卒，眾莫解其意。俄而王師自荊渚乘戰艦而下，即以明為池州至岳州江路巡檢戰棹都部署。擊鄂州軍於江南，斬首三百級。又破萬餘人於武昌，殺江南軍七百人，拔樊山砦。破江州軍，斬首三千級。又破江南軍三百人於江中，獲船十餘艘。又擊敗湖口軍萬餘眾，奪戰艦五百艘。

In the seventh year he completed his tour and returned. The Emperor summoned him for an audience, praised his service, and bestowed court robes, a gold belt, and a saddled horse. That year, with war against Southern Tang in the offing, Ming was made Prefect of Huangzhou and secretly given the finished strategy. As soon as Ming assumed office, he repaired the walls and fortifications and drilled the troops. No one could fathom his purpose. Before long the imperial fleet came down the river from Jingzhou, and Ming was at once made overall commander of the river patrol and battle fleet from Chizhou to Yuezhou. He attacked the Ezhou army on the south bank of the river and took three hundred heads. At Wuchang he routed more than ten thousand men, killed seven hundred Southern Tang soldiers, and took Fanshan Stockade. He broke the Jiangzhou army and took three thousand heads. On the river he again destroyed three hundred Southern Tang troops and captured more than ten vessels. At Hukou he again routed more than ten thousand men and captured five hundred warships.

時南唐將朱令贇自上江領眾十五萬，連大艦沿流而下，將焚采石浮梁，抵金陵為援。明率所部舟師屯獨樹口，遣其子馳奏，請添造戰艦三百艘以襲令贇。帝曰：“非應急策也，令贇朝夕至，金陵之圍解矣。 ”乃密遣人諭明，令樹長木於洲浦間，若帆檣之狀。令贇望見之，果疑大軍襲其後，逗撓不敢進。明移檄諸軍，相為掎角，因督兵棹襲之。至小孤山，與諸軍合勢，大破之，擒令贇，眾赴水死者十五六。金陵平，詔明安撫諸郡，因命知洪州。太宗即位，兼領江南諸路轉運使。召為右諫議大夫，充三司副使。

At that time the Southern Tang general Zhu Lingyun was leading one hundred fifty thousand men downriver from the upper Yangtze in a line of great ships, intending to burn the pontoon bridge at Caishi and relieve Jinling. Ming stationed his fleet at Dushukou, sent his son posthaste with a memorial, and asked that three hundred more warships be built so he could strike Lingyun. The Emperor said, "That is no expedient for the crisis. Lingyun will be here in a day or two, and the siege of Jinling will be broken. " He then secretly sent word to Ming, telling him to raise tall poles among the sandbars and shorelines so they looked like a fleet of masts and sails. When Lingyun saw them from afar, he took them for a great army striking at his rear. He wavered and did not dare press forward. Ming sent proclamations to the other armies to coordinate their pincer movements, then drove the fleet forward in assault. At Xiaogushan he combined forces with the other armies and won a crushing victory. Lingyun was captured, and five or six men in ten drowned trying to escape into the water. After Jinling fell, an edict put Ming in charge of pacifying the prefectures, and he was then appointed Administrator of Hongzhou. When Taizong came to the throne, Ming also took charge of transport affairs for all the Jiangnan circuits. He was recalled to serve as Right Remonstrating Grandee and Vice Commissioner of the Three Departments.

太平興國七年，與侯陟同判三司事。八年，召分三司，各命使領之，改左諫議大夫，為鹽鐵使，遷給事中。雍熙四年，改光州刺史，出知幷州。端拱元年，代還。表求換秩，改禮部侍郎。會契丹擾邊，詔以明知真定府。契丹遁去。淳化初，詔歸闕，知京朝官差遣事。二年，卒，年七十三。

In the seventh year of Taiping Xingguo he and Hou Zhi jointly administered the Three Departments. In the eighth year the Three Departments were divided, each under its own commissioner. He was made Left Remonstrating Grandee and Salt and Iron Commissioner, and promoted to Supervising Censor-in-Chief. In the fourth year of Yongxi he was transferred to Prefect of Guangzhou and sent out to serve as Administrator of Bingzhou. In the first year of Duan Gong he completed his tour and returned. He submitted a memorial asking for a change of rank and was made Vice Minister of Rites. When the Khitan raided the frontier, an edict made Ming Administrator of Zhending Prefecture. The Khitan withdrew. At the beginning of Chunhua he was recalled to court by edict and put in charge of assignments for metropolitan officials. In the second year he died at the age of seventy-three.

子挺、扶，並進士及第。歷臺省，累為轉運使，皆知名。挺至殿中侍御史，扶嘗直集賢院，至工部員外郎。景德中，錄幼子掞為光祿寺主簿。大中祥符八年，又錄其孫師顏為三班借職，掞至殿中丞。

His sons Ting and Fu both passed the jinshi examination. They served in the censorate and secretariat, held transport commissions more than once, and were all men of note. Ting rose to Palace Attendant Censor. Fu once served on duty at the Hall of Assembled Worthies and reached the rank of Ministry of Works Vice Director. During the Jingde era his youngest son Shan was granted office by imperial favor as Registrar of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. In the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu his grandson Shiyan was again granted office as a probationary third-class officer. Shan rose to Palace Court Director.

許仲宣

Xu Zhongxuan

許仲宣，字希粲，青州人。漢乾佑中，登進士第，時年十八。周顯德初，解褐授濟陰主簿，考功員外郎張乂薦為淄州團練判官。宋初赴調，引對便殿。仲宣氣貌雄偉，太祖悅之。擢授太子中允，受詔知北海軍。仲宣度其山川形勢、地理廣袤可以為州郡，因畫圖上之，遂升為濰州。

Xu Zhongxuan, whose courtesy name was Xican, came from Qingzhou. In the Gan you era of the Later Han he passed the jinshi examination at the age of eighteen. At the beginning of the Xiande era of the Later Zhou he entered office as chief clerk of Jiyin. Zhang Yi, Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel, recommended him for the post of military training judge in Zizhou. At the founding of the Song he went to the capital for reassignment and was received in audience in the informal hall. Zhongxuan had a commanding presence, and the Founder took an immediate liking to him. He was promoted to Vice Supervisor of the Heir Apparent's Household and ordered by edict to administer Beihai Prefecture. Zhongxuan judged from its terrain, rivers, and extent that the region could support a full prefecture. He drew a map and submitted it, and the district was accordingly elevated to Weizhou.

初，議建牧馬監，令仲宣行視諸州，頗得善地。從征幷門，掌給納，四十餘州資糧悉能集事。帝益知其強幹。開寶四年，知荊南轉運事。及征江南，又兼南面隨軍轉運事，兵數十萬，供饋無闕。南唐平，以漕輓功拜刑部郎中。中謝日，召升殿獎諭，賜緋。九年，詔知永興軍府事。

When plans were first made to establish a horse-breeding directorate, Zhongxuan was sent to inspect the prefectures and found many excellent sites. On the campaign against Bingzhou he managed supply and receipt of provisions. Resources for more than forty prefectures were all gathered without a hitch. The Emperor came to appreciate his toughness and efficiency all the more. In the fourth year of Kaibao he was placed in charge of transport affairs in Jingnan. When the Jiangnan campaign began he also took on southern field transport duties. An army of hundreds of thousands was fed and supplied without a single lapse. After Southern Tang was pacified he was made Ministry of Justice Director in recognition of his transport work. On the day he formally thanked the throne for his appointment, he was summoned to the hall for commendation and given crimson robes. In the ninth year an edict made him Administrator of Yongxing Prefecture.

太宗嗣位，遷兵部郎中，驛召赴闕，賜金紫。授西川轉運使，屬西南夷寇鈔邊境，仲宣親至大度河，諭以逆順，示以威福，夷人率服。會言事者云江表用兵時，仲宣幹沒官錢，召還，令御史臺盡索財計簿鉤校，凡數年而畢，無有欺隱。

When Taizong succeeded to the throne, he was promoted to Ministry of War Director, summoned to court by urgent relay, and granted gold and purple insignia. He was appointed Sichuan transport commissioner. When southwestern tribes raided the frontier, he went in person to the Dadu River, spoke to them of loyalty and rebellion, showed them the rewards and penalties of empire, and the tribes submitted in large numbers. Just then a memorialist charged that during the Jiangnan campaign Zhongxuan had embezzled government funds. He was recalled, and the Censorate was ordered to gather every account book for audit. The investigation took several years and turned up no fraud.

改廣南轉運使，會征交州，其地炎瘴，士卒死者十二三，大將孫全興等失律，仲宣因奏罷其兵。不待報，即以兵分屯諸州。開庫賞賜，草檄書以諭交州。交州即送款內附，遣使修貢。仲宣復上章待罪，帝嘉之。

He was transferred to Guangnan transport commissioner. When a campaign against Jiaozhou was launched, the region's heat and miasma killed one or two soldiers in ten. The commander Sun Quanxing and others broke discipline, and Zhongxuan memorialized to withdraw the army. Without waiting for a reply, he immediately dispersed the troops to garrison the various prefectures. He opened the storehouses to distribute rewards and drafted proclamations to send to Jiaozhou. Jiaozhou at once submitted and came back into the fold, sending envoys to offer tribute. Zhongxuan then submitted another memorial accepting blame for acting on his own authority. The Emperor praised him.

太平興國六年冬，南郊畢，遷吏部郎中。八年，與膳部郎中、知雜滕中正，兵部郎中劉保勳，刑部郎中辛仲甫皆以久次郎署，擢升諫垣，仲宣為左諫議大夫。未幾，召還，以本官權度支。雍熙四年，出知廣州，未上，移知江陵府，俄改河南府。端拱中，遷給事中。淳化元年，卒，年六十一。

In the winter of the sixth year of Taiping Xingguo, after the southern suburb sacrifices were completed, he was promoted to Ministry of Personnel Director. In the eighth year he, together with Teng Zhongzheng of the Board of Rites with concurrent supervisory duty, Liu Baoxun of the Ministry of War, and Xin Zhongfu of the Ministry of Justice—all of them long-serving in the ministries—were promoted to remonstrance posts. Zhongxuan became Left Remonstrating Grandee. Before long he was recalled and, retaining his existing rank, was put in temporary charge of the Department of Revenue. In the fourth year of Yongxi he was sent out as Administrator of Guangzhou. Before he could take up the post he was transferred to Jiangling Prefecture, and soon after to Henan Prefecture. During the Duan Gong era he was promoted to Supervising Censor-in-Chief. In the first year of Chunhua he died at the age of sixty-one.

仲宣性寬恕，倜儻不檢，有心計。初，為濟陰主簿時，令與簿分掌縣印。令畜嬖妾，與其室爭寵，令弗能禁。嬖欲陷其主，竊取其印藏之，封識如故，以授仲宣。翌日署事，發匣，則無其印，因逮捕縣吏數輩及令、簿家人，下獄鞫問，果得之於令舍竈突中。令聞之，倉皇失措，仲宣處之晏然，人服其量。嘗從征江南，都部署曹彬令取陶器數萬，給士卒為燈具。仲宣已預料置，奉之如其數。其才幹類此。

Zhongxuan was by nature forgiving, free-spirited and careless of propriety, but sharp in counsel. When he was chief clerk of Jiyin, the magistrate and the chief clerk shared custody of the county seal. The magistrate kept a favorite concubine who competed with his wife for his affection, and he could not keep her in check. The concubine wanted to ruin her master. She stole the seal and hid it, leaving the wax seal on the case untouched, then handed the case to Zhongxuan. The next day, when he opened the case to conduct business, the seal was gone. He had several county clerks and the families of the magistrate and chief clerk arrested and interrogated under torture, and the seal was indeed found in the chimney of the magistrate's house. When the magistrate heard of it he was thrown into panic, but Zhongxuan remained perfectly calm. People admired his composure. On the Jiangnan campaign, the overall commander Cao Bin ordered tens of thousands of pottery vessels to be procured as lamps for the troops. Zhongxuan had already anticipated the need and supplied the full number. His ability was always of this sort.

子待用至國子博士；待問再舉及第，至殿中丞；待旦至比部員外郎。待用子巨源，亦登進士第。

His son Daiyong rose to Doctor of the Imperial Academy; Daiwen passed on a second attempt and rose to Palace Court Director; Daidan rose to Vice Director in the Ministry of Revenue. Daiyong's son Juyuan also passed the jinshi examination.

楊克讓

Yang Kerang

楊克讓，字慶孫，同州馮翊人。高祖公略，洪州都督。晉末，舉進士不第，州將劉繼勳辟為戶曹掾。漢乾祐中，本府節度張彥成表授掌書記。

Yang Kerang, whose courtesy name was Qingsun, came from Fengyi in Tongzhou. His grandfather Gonglüe had served as Military Governor of Hongzhou. At the end of the Later Jin he sat for the jinshi examination but failed. The prefectural commander Liu Jixun recruited him as an aide in the revenue section. In the Gan you era of the Later Han the military commissioner of his home circuit, Zhang Yancheng, recommended him as secretary.

周廣順初，彥成移鎮安陽、穰下，克讓以舊職從行。彥成入為執金吾，病篤，奏稱其材可用。克讓以彥成死未葬，不忍就祿，退居別墅，俟張氏子外除。時論稱之。歷鎮寧軍掌書記。顯德二年，調授鳳翔府司錄參軍，加兼監察御史，以祖母老解官歸養。未幾，改延州觀察推官，與通判宋琪並為節度使趙贊所禮。累加朝散大夫兼殿中侍御史，連以家難去職。

At the beginning of the Guangshun era of the Later Zhou, Yancheng was transferred to command at Anyang and Rangxia, and Kerang followed him in his old capacity. Yancheng entered the capital as Commander of the Metal Clutch Guard. Mortally ill, he memorialized that Kerang's talents should be put to use. Because Yancheng had died and was not yet buried, Kerang could not bring himself to take up the salary. He withdrew to a country villa and waited until Zhang's son received an outside appointment. Public opinion praised him for it. He served as secretary of Zhenning Army. In the second year of Xiande he was reassigned as recorder of Fengxiang Prefecture and additionally made Investigating Censor, then resigned to go home and care for his aged grandmother. Before long he was made judicial aide on the Yanzhou observation commission. He and the vice prefect Song Qi were both treated with respect by the military commissioner Zhao Zan. He was repeatedly promoted to Grandee of Palace Delight with concurrent Palace Attendant Censor, and repeatedly left office to observe mourning.

太祖素知其名，會贊入覲，復稱其才，即起為左補闕，掌蘄口榷貨務。乾德六年，知果州。上言願畢襄事，特賜緡錢，許葬畢赴任。開寶三年，就命為西川轉運副使，蜀民懷其善政，璽書褒美。代歸闕下，疏民利病十事，稱旨。太祖召升殿，賜坐勞問，面賜金紫。將大用，為侯陟所沮，事見陟傳。

The Founder had long known his reputation. When Zhao Zan came to court for audience he again praised Kerang's ability, and Kerang was at once appointed Left Supplementation Gentleman in charge of the Qikou Commodity Monopoly Office. In the sixth year of Qiande he was made Administrator of Guozhou. He memorialized that he wished first to complete his mourning obligations. He was specially granted cash for the funeral and permitted to take up his post only after the burial was finished. In the third year of Kaibao, he was appointed on the spot as deputy transport commissioner for the Sichuan circuit; the people of Shu remembered his benevolent rule, and the throne responded with a sealed edict of commendation. When his term ended and he returned to the capital, he submitted a memorial on ten matters affecting the people's welfare and hardship, and it met with the emperor's approval. Taizu had him summoned to the hall, offered him a seat and words of praise, and personally granted him gold and purple insignia. He was on the verge of major promotion when Hou Zhi blocked it—the affair is recounted in Hou's biography.

征南唐，命克讓知昇州行府。昇州平，就知州事兼水陸計度轉運使事，加兵部員外郎。太平興國初，就加刑部郎中、知大名府。會錢俶、陳洪進來歸疆土，以克讓為兩浙西南路轉運使。泉州民嘯聚為盜，克讓在福州，即率其屯兵至泉州，與王明、王文寶共討平之。四年，徙知廣州，俄兼轉運市舶使。明年，卒，年六十九。

During the campaign against Southern Tang, Kerang was ordered to administer the provisional prefectural headquarters at Shengzhou. Once Shengzhou was pacified, he assumed prefectural duties while also serving as commissioner for land and water transport; he was promoted to vice director in the Ministry of War. At the opening of the Taiping Xingguo era, he was further promoted to director in the Ministry of Justice and appointed prefect of Daming. When Qian Shu and Chen Hongjin came to surrender their domains, Kerang was appointed transport commissioner of the Southwest Route in the Two Zhes. When the people of Quanzhou rose in a clamorous bandit gathering, Kerang was at Fuzhou; he at once led his garrison troops to Quanzhou and, with Wang Ming and Wang Wenbao, jointly suppressed them. In the fourth year he was transferred to Guangzhou as prefect, and soon afterward also served concurrently as transport commissioner and superintendent of maritime trade. The following year he died, at the age of sixty-nine.

克讓少好學，手寫經籍，盈於篋笥。多收圖畫墨跡。歷官廉謹幹局，所至有聲。每視事，自旦至暮，或通夕，斷決如流，無有凝滯，當時稱為能吏。

Kerang loved learning from his youth and copied the classics by hand until his cases and boxes overflowed. He also amassed a large collection of paintings and calligraphic works. In office after office he proved incorruptible, careful, and capable, and wherever he served he won renown. Whenever he held office he worked from dawn to dusk, sometimes all night, deciding cases as smoothly as flowing water without a moment's hesitation; men of the time hailed him as an able official.

子希閔，字無間。生而失明，令諸弟讀經史，一歷耳輒不能忘。屬文善緘尺，趙普守西洛，府中箋疏，皆希閔所為。將奏署本府掾，固辭不受，普優加給贍。張齊賢、李沆、薛惟吉、張茂宗繼領府事，皆優待之。卒，年三十九，有集二十卷。自教三子：日華，日嚴，日休，皆登進士第。日華都官員外郎，日嚴職方員外郎，日休殿中丞。希閔弟希甫，淳化三年進士，至屯田員外郎。從子日宣，亦登進士第。

His son was Xi Min, courtesy name Wujian. Born blind, he had his younger brothers read the classics and histories to him; a single hearing was enough for him never to forget. He was gifted at composition and skilled with letters and memorials; when Zhao Pu governed the Western Capital, every document and memorial from the prefectural office was written by Xi Min. When Zhao Pu was about to recommend him for a staff post in the prefectural office, Xi Min firmly refused; Zhao Pu treated him with especial favor and provided for his support. Zhang Qixian, Li Hang, Xue Weiji, and Zhang Maozong succeeded one another as prefect, and each treated him with favor. He died at thirty-nine, leaving a collected works in twenty juan. He personally taught three sons—Rihua, Riyan, and Rixiu—all of whom attained the jinshi degree. Rihua rose to vice director in the Ministry of State Affairs, Riyan to vice director in the Ministry of Personnel, and Rixiu to palace assistant imperial censor. Xi Min's younger brother Xi Fu passed the jinshi examination in the third year of Chunhua and rose to vice director in the Ministry of Public Works. A nephew, Rixuan, also attained the jinshi degree.

段思恭

Duan Sigong

段思恭，澤州晉城人。曾祖約，定州司戶。祖昶，神山令。父希堯，晉祖鎮太原，辟為從事，與桑維翰同幕府。晉有天下，希堯累歷清顯。思恭以門蔭奏署鎮國軍節度使官。天福中，希堯任棣州刺史兼權鹽礬制置使。思恭解官侍養，奉章入貢，改國子四門博士，賜緋。開運初，出為華、商等州觀察支使。劉繼勳節制同州，辟為掌書記。繼勳入朝，會契丹入汴，軍士喧噪，請立思恭為州帥，思恭諭以禍福，拒而弗從，乃止。

Duan Sigong was a native of Jincheng in Ze prefecture. His great-grandfather Yue served as registrar of Ding prefecture. His grandfather Chang was magistrate of Shenshan. His father Xiyao, when the Jin founder held Taiyuan, was recruited as a staff aide and served in the same headquarters as Sang Weihan. Once the Jin dynasty held the realm, Xiyao rose through a succession of eminent offices. Sigong entered office through hereditary privilege and was registered as an officer on the staff of the Zhenguo Army military governor. During the Tianfu era, Xiyao served as prefect of Di prefecture and concurrently as provisional commissioner for salt and alum production. Sigong resigned to attend his father, presented a memorial in tribute, was reassigned as erudite of the Four Gates at the Directorate of Education, and was granted crimson robes. At the beginning of Kaiyun he was sent out as administrative aide to the military governor of Hua, Shang, and neighboring prefectures. When Liu Jixun took command of Tong prefecture, he recruited Sigong as chief secretary. When Liu Jixun went to court, the Khitans entered Bian; the soldiers clamored to make Sigong prefectural commander. Sigong reasoned with them about the consequences, refused to accept, and at last they desisted.

漢祖建國，授左補闕。隱帝時，蝗，詔遍祈山川。思恭上言：“赦過宥罪，議獄緩刑，苟獄訟平允，則災害不生。望令諸州速決重刑，無致淹濫，必召和氣。 ”從之。歷度支、駕部。周顯德中，定濱州田賦，世宗嘉之，賜金紫。丁外艱，服闋，拜左司員外郎。

When the founder of Han established his dynasty, Sigong was appointed remonstrance official of the left. During the reign of Emperor Yindi there was a locust plague, and an edict ordered prayers offered at mountains and rivers throughout the realm. Sigong memorialized: "To pardon offenses and remit punishments, to review cases and ease penalties—if litigation is judged fairly, calamities will not arise. I ask that Your Majesty order the prefectures to decide grave cases swiftly and not let them linger in delay; this will surely summon harmonious qi." The emperor approved. He served in the ministries of revenue and of imperial carriages. During the Xiande era of Zhou he fixed the land tax of Bin prefecture; Shizong commended him and granted him gold and purple insignia. After his father's death, when mourning was complete, he was appointed vice director of the left bureau.

建隆二年，除開封令，遷金部郎中。乾德初，平蜀，通判眉州。時亡命集眾，攻逼州城，刺史趙廷進懼不能敵，將奔嘉州，思恭止之，因率屯兵與賊戰彭山。軍人皆觀望無鬥志，思恭募軍士先登者厚賞，於是諸軍賈勇，大敗賊，思恭矯詔以上供錢帛給之。後度支請按其罪，太祖憐其果幹，不許，令知州事。丁母憂，起復，俄召為考功郎中，知泗州。

In the second year of Jianlong he was made magistrate of Kaifeng, then promoted to director in the ministry of revenue. At the beginning of Qiande, after Shu was pacified, he served as vice-prefect of Mei prefecture. At that time fugitives gathered in force and pressed the prefectural city; Prefect Zhao Tingjin, fearing he could not hold them off, was about to flee to Jia prefecture. Sigong stopped him and led the garrison troops to fight the bandits at Pengshan. The soldiers all hung back without fighting spirit. Sigong promised lavish rewards to whoever scaled the walls first; the troops then summoned their courage, routed the bandits, and Sigong forged an imperial order to pay them from tribute funds and goods. Later the ministry of revenue asked that his offense be prosecuted; Taizu, taking pity on his bold decisiveness, refused and ordered him to assume prefectural duties. After his mother's death he was recalled from mourning; soon he was summoned as director in the ministry of personnel and appointed prefect of Si prefecture.

會馮繼業自靈州舉宗來朝，帝以思恭代知州事，仍語之曰：“馮繼業言靈州非衛、霍名將鎮撫之不可，汝其往哉？ ”思恭曰：“臣奉詔而往，必能治之。 ”帝壯之，賜窄衣、金帶、錢二百萬，仍以途涉諸部，令別齎金帛以遺之。思恭下車，矯繼業之失，綏撫夷落，訪求民病，悉條奏免之。俄而回鶻入貢，路出靈州，交易於市，思恭遣吏市硇砂，吏爭直，與之競。思恭釋吏，械其使，數日貰之。使還訴其主，復遣使齎牒詣靈州問故，思恭理屈不報。自是數年，回鶻不復朝貢。

When Feng Jiye came from Lingzhou with his clan to pay court, the emperor had Sigong replace him and said, "Feng Jiye says Lingzhou cannot be held without a commander of Wei Qing or Huo Qubing's stature—will you go?" Sigong replied, "Your servant goes at imperial command; I shall surely be able to govern it." The emperor admired his resolve and granted him close-fitting robes, a gold belt, and two million cash; and because his route would pass through several circuits, he was also ordered to carry separate gifts of gold and silk to bestow along the way. When Sigong took office, he corrected Feng Jiye's missteps, soothed the frontier tribes, sought out the people's grievances, and memorialized them all for exemption or relief. Soon afterward Uyghur tribute envoys passed through Lingzhou and traded in the markets; Sigong sent an official to buy sal ammoniac, and the official haggled over the price and quarreled with them. Sigong released his official and put the envoy in fetters; after several days he ransomed him. The envoy returned and complained to his ruler, who sent another envoy with a document to Lingzhou demanding an explanation; Sigong, unable to answer satisfactorily, made no reply. From that time onward, for several years the Uyghurs ceased coming to court with tribute.

思恭以門資歷顯官，不知書，無學術；然踐更吏事，所至亦著勤績。子惟一至太常博士、三司度支判官。從子惟幾，第進士，仕至兵部員外郎。

Sigong had risen to high office through family privilege; he could not read and had no scholarly training; yet through long experience in administrative affairs, wherever he served he also left a record of diligent achievement. His son Wei Yi rose to erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and judicial officer of the transport commission's revenue bureau. A nephew, Wei Ji, passed the jinshi examination and served as far as vice director in the Ministry of War.

侯陟，淄州長山人。漢末，舉明經。周廣順初，試校書郎，為西州回鶻國信使判官，還補雷澤主簿。司門員外郎姚恕凡四薦陟，為襄城令、汝州防禦判官、濮陽襄邑令。建隆初，為冤句令，以清幹聞。二年，擢為左拾遺，仍知縣事。節度袁彥頗為不法，陟抗章言之，彥上表謝，自陳無罪，太祖亦不窮治。四年，令兼領本縣屯兵，俄改淮南轉運使，賜緋衣、黑銀帶，遷右補闕。乾德三年，就改侍御史。明年，入為左司員外郎、度支判官。朝議欲以本官領省事，改度支員外郎，依前充判官。開寶五年，復為左司員外郎。六年，權判吏部銓，俄賜金紫。十二月，詔與戶部員外郎、知制誥王祐等同知貢舉，未鎖宿，出知揚州。會出師收金陵，陟以所部敗南唐軍千人於宣化城。俄為部下所訟，追赴闕，陟度理窮，乃求哀盧多遜，多遜素與陟善，為其畫計。時江表未拔，太祖厭兵，南土暑熾，軍卒疫死，方議休兵，以為後圖。陟適從揚州來，知金陵危甚，多遜令上急變求見。陟時被病，令掖入，即大言曰：“南唐平在朝夕，陛下奈何欲班師，願急取之。臣若誤陛下，願夷三族。 ”上屏左右，召升殿問狀，遂寢前議，並赦陟罪，復知吏部選事。

Hou Zhi was a native of Changshan in Zi prefecture. Late in the Han dynasty he passed the examination in the classics. At the beginning of Guangshun in Zhou he was tested and appointed collator; he served as judicial officer to the envoy to the Uyghurs of Xizhou, and on his return was appointed registrar of Leize. Yao Shu of the ministry of justice recommended Zhi four times in all, securing him posts as magistrate of Xiangcheng, defense commissioner aide at Ruzhou, and magistrate of Xiangyi in Puyang. At the beginning of Jianlong he was magistrate of Yuanqu, known for integrity and competence. In the second year he was promoted to remonstrance official of the left while continuing to administer the county. The military governor Yuan Yan was flagrantly lawless; Zhi submitted a bold memorial denouncing him. Yan answered with a memorial of apology pleading innocence, and Taizu did not press the matter further. In the fourth year he was ordered to command the county garrison concurrently; soon he was made transport commissioner of Huainan, granted crimson robes and a black-silver belt, and promoted to remonstrance official of the right. In the third year of Qiande he was made investigating censor. The following year he entered court as vice director of the left bureau and judicial officer of the revenue bureau. Court discussion wished him to head the bureau in his present rank; his title was changed to vice director in the revenue bureau while he continued as judicial officer as before. In the fifth year of Kaibao he was again made vice director of the left bureau. In the sixth year he served as acting head of the ministry of personnel's selection board; soon he was granted gold and purple insignia. In the twelfth month an edict appointed him to administer the examinations jointly with Wang You, vice director in the ministry of revenue and drafter of edicts; before the examiners were sealed in, he was sent out as prefect of Yangzhou. When the army marched to take Jinling, Zhi with his command defeated a thousand Southern Tang troops at Xuanhua fortress. Soon his subordinates sued him and he was recalled to court; seeing that his case was hopeless, Zhi pleaded with Lu Duosun, who had long been on good terms with him and now devised a plan on his behalf. At that time the lower Yangzi had not yet been taken; Taizu was weary of war, the south blazed with heat, and soldiers were dying of plague; the court was debating a halt to the campaign and a plan for another day. Zhi had just arrived from Yangzhou and knew Jinling was in dire peril; Lu Duosun told him to seek an urgent audience and report a sudden turn in affairs. Zhi was then ill and was helped into audience; he at once declared loudly, "Southern Tang will fall within days—Your Majesty, why withdraw the army? I urge you to take it at once. If I have misled Your Majesty, let my three clans be exterminated." The emperor dismissed those around him and summoned Zhi to the hall to question him; the earlier deliberation was set aside, Zhi's offenses were pardoned, and he was restored to charge of personnel selection.

太平興國初，遷戶部郎中。俄而選人有妄冒，事發，詞涉於陟。南曹雷德驤將奏劾之，陟造便殿自首，出為河北轉運使。征太原，為太原東路轉運使。駕還，次鎮州，命先還上都供頓軍需。以功遷左諫議大夫，權御史中丞事。五年，同知貢舉。開寶末，趙普在中書，陟嘗上疏言其短。至是，普再入相，陟頗憂恚。六年，南郊畢，加給事中。七年，三司使王仁贍左降，以陟與王明同判三司。八年，卒，贈工部尚書。

At the beginning of Taiping Xingguo he was promoted to director in the ministry of revenue. Soon an examinee was found to have fraudulently claimed credentials; when the case broke, testimony implicated Zhi. Lei Dexiang of the southern office was about to memorialize for impeachment; Zhi went to the private hall and confessed, and was sent out as transport commissioner of Hebei. During the campaign against Taiyuan he served as transport commissioner of the eastern route at Taiyuan. When the imperial procession returned and halted at Zhen prefecture, he was ordered to go ahead to the capital to supply provisions for the army. For his service he was promoted to grand remonstrance official of the left and acting vice censor-in-chief. In the fifth year he jointly administered the examinations. Late in Kaibao, while Zhao Pu was in the secretariat, Zhi had once memorialized pointing out his faults. Now Zhao Pu entered the chancellery again, and Zhi was deeply anxious and resentful. In the sixth year, after the southern suburban sacrifice, he was given the additional title of attendant gentleman. In the seventh year, when Commissioner of the Three Bureaus Wang Renshan was demoted, Zhi was appointed with Wang Ming to jointly oversee the Three Bureaus. In the eighth year he died; posthumously he was made minister of works.

陟有吏幹，性狡獪，好進，善事權貴，巧中傷人。太祖嘗召刑部郎中楊克讓，命坐與語，且諭以將大用。陟素忌克讓，偵知之。因奏事，上問識楊克讓否，陟曰：“臣與克讓甚善，知其人才識，朝廷佳士也。近聞其自言上許以大用，多市白金作飲器以自奉，臣頗怪之。 ”上怒，亟令克讓出典郡。其險詖如此。

Zhi had real administrative talent, but his nature was crafty and cunning; he loved advancement, cultivated the powerful, and was adept at harming others by insinuation. Taizu once summoned Yang Kerang, director in the ministry of justice, had him seated and conversed with him, hinting that he would soon be greatly promoted. Zhi had long envied Kerang and learned of this through secret watch. While presenting business at audience, the emperor asked whether he knew Yang Kerang; Zhi said, "Your servant is on very good terms with Kerang; I know his talent and discernment—he is an excellent man of the court." Recently I heard that he himself claimed the Emperor had promised him high office, and that he had been buying large quantities of white gold to fashion drinking vessels for his own enjoyment. I find this most suspicious. The Emperor was enraged and immediately ordered Kerang transferred out to govern a prefecture. Such was the treachery and malice of his ways.

李符，字德昌，大名內黃人。漢乾祐中，郭從義討趙思綰於京兆，辟符在幕府，表為京兆府戶曹掾。歷郿縣主簿、保義軍節度推官。丁內艱，服除，調汝州防禦判官，權知州事。右庶子楊恪薦為大理正。乾德中，知歸州轉運司制置。

Li Fu, whose courtesy name was Dechang, came from Neihuang in Daming prefecture. During the Qianyou era of the Later Han, when Guo Congyi campaigned against Zhao Sixuan in Jingzhao, he recruited Fu into his staff and memorialized to appoint him registrar of the household section in the Jingzhao prefectural government. He served in turn as chief clerk of Mei County and as investigating officer on the staff of the Baoyi military governor. After his father's death he observed mourning; when the mourning period ended he was assigned as defense commissioner of Ruzhou and served as acting prefect. Yang Ke, Right Assistant to the Heir Apparent, recommended him for appointment as chief judge of the Court of Judicial Review. During the Qiande era he was put in charge of provisioning for the Guizhou transport commission.

歸朝，以京西諸州錢帛不登，選知京西南面轉運事。奏便宜百餘條，凡四十八事，命著為令，賜緋魚。因奏對稱旨，遷起居郎。後荊湖轉運許仲宣隨軍討南唐，詔符赴荊湖調發芻糧，符領船數千艘順流而下。事畢，賜金紫。符又建議鑿橫江河以通漕運，發和州三縣丁壯給其役。太祖欲幸西京，有事於南郊。符上書陳八難曰：“京邑凋弊，一也；宮闕不備，二也；郊廟未修，三也；百司不具，四也；畿內民用，五也；軍食不充，六也；壁壘未設，七也；千乘萬騎盛暑扈行，八也。 ”不從。禮畢還京，改比部員外郎、判刑部。

After returning to court, because revenues in grain and silk from the western prefectures of the capital region were falling short, he was selected to manage transport affairs in the southwestern capital area. He submitted more than a hundred practical recommendations covering forty-eight matters; the Emperor ordered them codified as statutes and granted him the red robe and fish pouch of office. Because his responses during audience pleased the Emperor, he was promoted to recorder of the Emperor's movements. Later, when Jinghu transport commissioner Xu Zhongxuan accompanied the army against Southern Tang, an edict ordered Fu to go to Jinghu to mobilize fodder and grain; Fu led several thousand boats downstream. When the task was complete, he was granted the gold seal and purple robe. Fu also proposed cutting the Hengjiang River to open canal transport, drafting able-bodied men from three counties of Hezhou for the work. The Founding Emperor wished to visit the Western Capital and perform the southern suburban sacrifices. Fu submitted a memorial setting forth eight difficulties, saying, "The capital region is depleted and ruined — the first; the palace halls are not ready — the second; the suburban altars and ancestral temples have not been repaired — the third; the hundred offices are not fully staffed — the fourth; the livelihood of the people within the capital districts is strained — the fifth; military provisions are insufficient — the sixth; fortifications have not been put in place — the seventh; a train of a thousand chariots and ten thousand riders escorting the journey in the height of summer — the eighth." His advice was not followed. After the rites were completed and he returned to the capital, he was made vice director of the Ministry of Revenue and given concurrent charge of the Ministry of Justice.

太平興國初，遷駕部，轉祠部郎中，知廣州兼轉運使。二年，符圖海外諸城及嶺外花木各一以獻。在任有善政，民為立生祠。五年，召為右諫議大夫、判吏部銓兼大理寺理。三司副使范旻得罪，以符代之。賜白金三千兩。車駕幸大名，領行在三司。未幾，坐與官屬競課最，罷職守本官。

At the beginning of the Taiping Xingguo era he was transferred to the Ministry of Transport, then promoted to director in the Ministry of Rites, and appointed prefect of Guangzhou while also serving as transport commissioner. In the second year he charted each of the overseas cities and one specimen of every flower and tree from beyond the ranges, presenting them as tribute. His administration was marked by good policies, and the people erected a living shrine in his honor. In the fifth year he was recalled as Right Remonstrance Counselor, with concurrent charge of personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel and judicial review in the Court of Judicial Review. When Vice Commissioner of the Three Departments Fan Min fell from favor, Fu replaced him. He was granted three thousand taels of white gold. When the imperial carriage visited Daming, he headed the Three Departments at the traveling palace. Before long, for competing with subordinates over performance rankings, he was stripped of his additional duties but retained his nominal rank.

七年春，開封尹秦王廷美出守西京，以符知開封府。廷美事發，太宗令歸第省過。趙普令符上言：“廷美在西洛非便，恐有他變，宜遷遠郡，以絕人望。 ”遂有房陵之貶。普恐泄言，坐符用刑不當，貶寧國軍行軍司馬。盧多遜貶崖州也，符白普曰：“珠崖雖遠在海中，而水土頗善。春州稍近，瘴氣甚毒，至者必死，願徙多遜處之。 ”普不答。先是，太宗尹京，符因宋琪薦弭德超事藩邸。符貶，德超為樞密副使，屢稱其冤。會德超以事貶，帝惡其朋黨，徙符嶺表，普移符知春州。至郡歲餘卒，年五十九。

In the spring of the seventh year, when Prince of Qin Tingmei, as prefect of Kaifeng, went out to guard the Western Capital, Fu was made acting prefect of Kaifeng. When Tingmei's affair came to light, Taizong ordered him to return home and reflect on his faults. Zhao Pu had Fu submit a memorial saying, "Tingmei is ill placed in the Western Capital; I fear other disturbances may arise. He should be transferred to a distant prefecture to cut off people's hopes." Thus came his banishment to Fangling. Pu feared that words had leaked; citing Fu's improper use of punishment, he had Fu demoted to military adjutant of the Ningguo Army. When Lu Duoxun was banished to Yazhou, Fu told Zhao Pu, "Though Zhuya is far out at sea, its land and water are rather good. Chunzhou is somewhat nearer, but its malarial vapors are extremely poisonous — those sent there invariably die. I wish Duoxun might be moved there instead." Pu did not reply. Earlier, when Taizong was prefect of the capital, Fu had recommended Mi Dechao through Song Qi to serve at the princely residence. When Fu was demoted, Dechao became Vice Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs and repeatedly declared his innocence. When Dechao was also demoted over an affair, the Emperor, disliking their faction, moved Fu beyond the ranges; Zhao Pu had him reassigned as prefect of Chunzhou. After little more than a year in the prefecture he died, aged fifty-nine.

符無文學，有吏幹，好希人主意以求進用，終以此敗。至道二年，郊祀，追復右諫議大夫。祥符五年，錄其子璜試將作監主簿。

Fu had no literary attainments but possessed administrative talent; he liked to guess what superiors wanted in order to advance, and in the end was ruined by this. In the second year of Zhidao, at the suburban sacrifice, he was posthumously restored to Right Remonstrance Counselor. In the fifth year of Xiangfu, his son Huang was granted trial appointment as registrar of the Directorate of Palace Buildings.

太祖即位，改作坊副使。時楊承信帥河中，或言其反側未安，命丕賜承信生辰禮物，陰察之。還，言其無狀。太祖嘗召對，語丕曰：“作坊久積弊，爾為我修整之。 ”丕在職盡力，以久次轉正使。開寶九年，領代州刺史。凡典工作十餘年，討澤潞、維揚，下荊廣，收川峽，征河東，平江南，太祖皆先期諭旨，令修創器械，無不精辦。舊床子弩射止七百步，令丕增造至千步。及改繡衣鹵簿，亦專敕丕裁製。丕撤本坊舊屋，為舍衢中，收僦直及鬻死馬骨，歲得錢七千餘緡，工匠有喪者均給之。太祖幸洛郊祀，三司使王仁贍議雇民車牛運法物，太祖以勞民，不悅，召丕議之。丕請揀本坊匠少壯者二千餘，分為遞鋪輸之，時以為便。

When the Founding Emperor took the throne, he was made deputy director of the workshops. At the time Yang Chengxin commanded Hexzhong; some said he was still restive and disloyal. Pi was ordered to present Yang with birthday gifts while secretly observing him. On his return he reported that Yang showed no disloyal conduct. The Founding Emperor once summoned him for audience and said, "The workshops have long been riddled with abuses. You must overhaul them for me." Pi exerted himself fully in office and, through long service, was promoted to full director. In the ninth year of Kaibao he was made prefect of Daizhou. Over more than ten years managing the workshops, through campaigns against Ze-Lu, Weiyang, the reduction of Jing-Guang, the recovery of Chuan-Xia, the eastern He campaign, and the pacification of Jiangnan, the Founding Emperor always issued instructions in advance ordering the manufacture and repair of weapons and equipment, all of which Pi handled with meticulous excellence. The old bed crossbow shot only seven hundred paces; Pi was ordered to improve it so that it reached a thousand paces. When the embroidered ceremonial guard of honor was redesigned, he alone was specially ordered to oversee the work. Pi demolished the workshop's old buildings and put up rental houses along the thoroughfares; from rents and the sale of dead horses' bones he collected more than seven thousand strings of cash a year, which was distributed equally among craftsmen who suffered bereavements. When the Founding Emperor went to Luoyang for the suburban sacrifice, Three Departments Commissioner Wang Renshan proposed hiring civilian carts and oxen to transport ritual objects; the Emperor, displeased at burdening the people, summoned Pi to discuss the matter. Pi proposed selecting more than two thousand young and strong artisans from the workshops and dividing them into relay stations for transport; at the time this was regarded as convenient.

雍熙四年，代郝正為戶部使。端拱初，遷度支使。是冬，出為黃州刺史。還朝，召對便坐，賜御書《急就章》、《朱邸集》。丕退作歌以獻，因自述願授臺省之職。太宗面諭曰：“知卿本儒生，然清望官奉給不若刺史之優也。 ”淳化初，改汝州刺史。歷知鳳州，改襄州。境內久旱，丕以誠禱之，一夕，雨沾足。明年，召還，屢求退居西洛，不許。

In the fourth year of Yongxi he replaced Hao Zheng as commissioner of the Household Ministry. At the beginning of Duangong he was promoted to commissioner of the Expenditure Ministry. That winter he was sent out as prefect of Huangzhou. Returning to court, he was summoned to an informal audience and granted the Emperor's own copies of the Jijiuzhang and the Zhudi Collection. Pi withdrew and composed a song to present, stating in it his wish to receive an appointment in the central ministries. Taizong told him face to face, "I know you were originally a scholar, but the stipend of a prestige post in the central administration is not as generous as that of a prefect." At the beginning of Chunhua he was reassigned as prefect of Ruzhou. He served as prefect of Fengzhou and was then reassigned to Xiangzhou. After long drought within his jurisdiction, Pi prayed with sincerity; in one night rain fell in abundance. The next year he was recalled; he repeatedly asked to retire to the Western Capital but was not permitted.

四年，表求致仕，授左武衛大將軍，仍領汝州刺史。俄判金吾街仗。初，六街巡警皆用禁卒，至是，詔左右街各募卒千人，優以廩給，使傳呼備盜。丕以新募卒引對，遂分四營，營設五都，一如禁兵之制。五年，改領郢州刺史。俄改領復州，遷左驍衛大將軍。咸平二年，卒，年八十一。

In the fourth year he memorialized requesting retirement; he was granted the post of Grand General of the Left Martial Guard while still retaining the prefecture of Ruzhou. Soon afterward he was given concurrent charge of the Gold Crow Street guard. Initially patrol of the six streets all used palace guards; now an edict ordered each of the left and right streets to recruit a thousand men, generously rationed, to call out alarms and guard against thieves. Pi presented the newly recruited men for audience and then divided them into four camps, each camp with five companies, exactly like the palace guard system. In the fifth year he was reassigned to serve as prefect of Ezhou. Soon he was transferred to Fuzhou and promoted to Grand General of the Left Martial Steeds Guard. In the second year of Xianping he died, aged eighty-one.

丕好歌詩，頗與士大夫遊接，有時稱。南唐主李煜妻卒，遣丕充吊祭使，且使觀其意趣。煜邀丕登昇元閣賦詩，丕有“朝宗海浪拱星辰”之句，以風動之。太宗嘗賜詩，令丕與柴禹錫和焉。

Pi loved songs and poetry and associated quite freely with scholar-officials; he enjoyed some contemporary renown. When the consort of Southern Tang ruler Li Yu died, Pi was sent as condolence envoy, and also to observe Li's intentions and disposition. Yu invited Pi to ascend the Shengyuan Pavilion to compose poetry; Pi wrote the line "The tide toward the sovereign, sea waves bowing to the stars," using the poem as indirect remonstrance to move him. Taizong once bestowed a poem and ordered Pi and Chai Yuxi to compose matching verses.

太祖乾德初，遷主客員外郎。上書請伐蜀，蜀平，通判劍州。會全師雄叛，攻劍。刺史張仁謙足疾不能戰，欲棄城走。樞固爭，戰賊敗之，因招餘眾降。仁謙飲樞令醉，密殺降數百，誣奏樞與賊通。會中使自成都還，備言其事，太祖並召之，庭辯曲直，仁謙遂屈。下御史臺鞫之，黜宋州教練使，以樞嘗貢西伐計，遷比部郎中。三年，出兼桂陽監使，上書請伐廣南。詔益桂陽戍卒三千，令樞統之。

At the beginning of Qiande under Taizu, he was promoted to vice director in the Ministry of Reception. He submitted a memorial requesting a campaign against Shu; when Shu was pacified he was made military vice-prefect of Jianzhou. When Quan Shixiong rebelled and attacked Jian. Prefect Zhang Renqian had a foot ailment and could not fight; he wished to abandon the city and flee. Shu firmly opposed this, fought the rebels and defeated them, then recruited the remaining men to surrender. Renqian got Shu drunk, secretly killed several hundred who had surrendered, and falsely memorialized that Shu had colluded with the rebels. When an imperial envoy returned from Chengdu and gave a full account of the affair, Taizu summoned both men and held a court debate on right and wrong; Renqian was finally confounded. The case was sent to the Censorate for investigation; Renqian was demoted to training commissioner of Songzhou, and because Shu had once submitted a plan for the western campaign, he was promoted to director in the Ministry of Revenue. In the third year he was sent out as commissioner of the Guiyang garrison and submitted a memorial requesting a campaign against Guangnan. An edict added three thousand garrison troops at Guiyang and ordered Shu to command them.

開寶二年，又上方略。會劉鋹令內侍曾居實侵桂陽，樞擊退之。三年，大舉伐鋹，令樞率兵趨連口，克之。改兵部郎中，權知連州兼行營招撫使。嶺南平，賜錢三百萬。四年，移知襄州，又為河北轉運使，改判西京留司御史臺。

In the second year of Kaibao he again submitted strategic plans. When Liu Chang sent the eunuch Zeng Jushi to encroach on Guiyang, Shu attacked and drove him back. In the third year a major campaign was launched against Liu Chang; Shu was ordered to lead troops to Liankou and take it. He was made director in the Ministry of War, acting prefect of Lianzhou and concurrently commissioner for camp pacification. When Lingnan was pacified he was granted three million in cash. In the fourth year he was reassigned as prefect of Xiangzhou, then served as Hebei transport commissioner, and was made acting chief judge of the Western Capital branch of the Censorate.

初，樞罷桂陽監，以右讚善大夫孔璘代之。璘通《三禮》，嘗講學於河朔。擢第，歷州縣。及升朝，蒞桂陽，歲滿，以太子洗馬趙瑜代之。

Initially, when Shu left the Guiyang commission, Right Supporter of the Heir Apparent Kong Lin replaced him. Kong was versed in the Three Ritual Classics and had lectured in the Hebei region. After passing the examination he served in prefectural and county posts. When he entered court service and took up Guiyang, at the end of his term the Heir Apparent's Stud Groom Zhao Yu replaced him.

瑜，趙州人。家世豪右，自言諳練邊事。開寶中，命為易州通判，歲滿，移桂陽。瑜至，即稱疾，遂以著作郎張侃代之。侃至月餘，奏瑜在任累月，得羨銀數千斤，雖送官而不具數聞，計樞與璘隱沒可知矣。詔下御史案之，獄具。有司計盜贓法，俱當死。太祖曰：“趙瑜非自盜，但不能發擿耳。 ”樞、璘並坐死，瑜決杖流海島。擢侃為屯田員外郎。

Yu was a native of Zhaozhou. His family had long been powerful local gentry; he claimed expert familiarity with frontier affairs. During Kaibao he was appointed military vice-prefect of Yizhou; when his term ended he was moved to Guiyang. When Yu arrived he immediately claimed illness; accordingly Copying Editor Zhang Kan replaced him. After little more than a month in office, Kan memorialized that during his many months in post Yu had obtained several thousand jin of surplus silver; though he turned it over to the government he did not report the full amount — clearly Shu and Kong had concealed their own takings. An edict sent the Censorate to investigate; the case was fully established. The relevant offices calculated the penalty for embezzlement of official property; all were liable to death. Taizu said, "Zhao Yu did not steal for himself; he simply failed to expose the crime." Shu and Kong were both put to death; Yu was beaten with the cane and banished to an island beyond the sea. Kan was promoted to vice director in the Ministry of Public Works.

論曰：顏衎振舉風憲，不避強禦。劇可久居廷尉之任，以平允聞。趙逢果斷之士，而獨尚嚴酷，處之要密之職，則非所宜。蘇曉銳意深刻，樂致人罪，後嗣衰謝，厥報不誣。高防陳逆順以聳臣節，體明慎而究疑獄，治跡清操，沒而彌章。若其自誣以救人之死，古人何加焉。馮瓚省關市之苛賦，設方略以擊賊，功若可稱，而巧宦任數，竟致傾敗，理固然矣。邊珝、王明、許仲宣、楊克讓當官效用，以清幹稱。然仲宣寬簡持重，造次不撓，蓋人之難能者。王明累參戎事，預立戰功，至若開諭元福，止其暴誅，此赴蹈之仁也。段思恭遏亂兵，擊群寇，便宜從事，以著奇績，斯亦可矣。然不能動遵規矩，速訟左降者再焉。侯陟吏才適用，患在忮刻。李符博通時務，乃事深文，以致投荒自弊，遂為口實。魏丕久典工效，以濟戎用，至於平反冤盜之獄，救楊承信之誣，善尤可稱。董樞論平吳伐蜀及取廣南，咸克舉之，且多戰功，而以貪墨取敗。惜哉！

Commentary: Yan Kan upheld the standards of law and censure without shying from the powerful. Ju Kejiu held the office of chief judge and was known for fairness. Zhao Feng was a man of resolute decision, yet he favored severity alone; for posts requiring secrecy and discretion he was not well suited. Su Xiao was keen on harsh severity and delighted in bringing others to guilt; his descendants declined and faded — the retribution was no empty warning. Gao Fang set forth loyalty and treason to uphold the integrity of ministers; he was clear-minded and cautious in examining doubtful cases; his record in governance and moral conduct grew only more manifest after death. As for his falsely incriminating himself to save another's life — what could the ancients have added to such an act? Feng Zan reduced harsh taxes at market passes and devised plans to strike rebels; his achievements might be praised, yet as a scheming official who relied on trickery he ended in ruin — such is the way of things. Bian Xu, Wang Ming, Xu Zhongxuan, and Yang Kerang served effectively in office and were known for integrity and competence. Yet among them Xu Zhongxuan was broad, simple, and steady, unshaken even in haste — a thing hard for men to achieve. Wang Ming repeatedly took part in military affairs and won early merit; as when he persuaded Yuan Fu and halted a massacre — that was the humanity of one who would risk himself for others. Duan Sigong checked mutinous troops, struck bandit gangs, and acted on his own authority to achieve remarkable feats — this too was commendable. Yet he could not be moved to keep to the rules; twice he was demoted for rushing into litigation. Hou Zhi's administrative talent suited the needs of office; his failing lay in spite and harshness. Li Fu was broadly versed in affairs of the age, yet he pursued harsh legal interpretations, exiling himself to his own ruin and furnishing others with grounds for reproach. Wei Pi long managed the workshops to supply military needs; in reversing wrongful robbery prosecutions and dispelling the false charges against Yang Chengxin, his good deeds are especially worth praising. Dong Shu proposed the pacification of Wu, the Shu campaign, and the seizure of Guangnan — all were successfully carried out, and he won many battle achievements — yet he ended in failure through graft and embezzlement. A pity!

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