1
建隆初，始平李重進，太祖素知贊材幹，可委以完葺，即令知揚州。 既行，舟覆於閶橋下，溺死，親屬隨沒者三人。 上甚嗟悼，謂左右曰：「溺吾樞密使矣！」 蓋將大用也。 賻其家絹三百匹，米、麥各二百斛。
Early in the Jianlong reign, after Li Chongjin's rebellion was first put down, Emperor Taizu had long recognized Wang Zan's ability and judged him fit to oversee full reconstruction; he promptly made him prefect of Yangzhou. Shortly after he departed, his boat overturned below Chang Bridge; he drowned, and three kinsmen traveling with him were lost as well. The emperor grieved deeply and said to his attendants, "I have drowned my Privy Councilor!" —for he had clearly been on the verge of major promotion. His family received three hundred bolts of silk in condolence gifts, along with two hundred hu of rice and two hundred hu of wheat.
2
張保續
Zhang Baoxu
3
張保續，字嗣光，京兆萬年人。 父洪，唐左武衛上將軍，保續以蔭補太廟齋郎。 梁貞明中，調補臨濟尉，選充四方館通事舍人。 後唐天成初，領瓜州官告國信副使。 郊祀，改右贊善大夫。 晉天福中，歷太府、光祿二少卿，職同正，領通事舍人。 開運二年，契丹入寇，杜重威、李守貞、符彥卿等率兵禦之。 命保續馳騎往來軍中諭機事。 既而大破敵於陽城，使還，以本官充西上閤門副使。 明年，使荊南，復命轉東上閤門副使。 契丹犯闕，被驅北徙，留范陽，歲餘逃歸。
Zhang Baoxu, whose courtesy name was Siguang, came from Wannian in the Jingzhao region. His father Zhang Hong had been a senior general of the Tang Left Martial Guard; Baoxu received an initial appointment as Grand Temple Aide through his father's privilege. During the Liang Zhenming era he was reassigned as commandant of Linji and then chosen to serve as a communications attendant at the Office of Foreign Affairs. At the start of the Later Tang Tiancheng reign he served as deputy envoy on the imperial credential mission to Guazhou. After the suburban sacrifice he was promoted to Right Assistant in the Palace Library. During the Jin Tianfu period he served in succession as junior minister of the Grand Treasury and of the Directorate of Imperial Entertainments, with duties equivalent to the full ministers, while also retaining his post as communications attendant. In the second year of Kaiyun the Khitan invaded, and Du Chongwei, Li Shouzhen, Fu Yanqing, and others led armies to meet them. Baoxu was ordered to ride between the armies and relay operational instructions. Soon afterward the enemy suffered a major defeat at Yangcheng; when he returned he was appointed Western Upper Gate deputy commissioner at his existing rank. The following year he was sent on a mission to Jingnan, and on his return was transferred to Eastern Upper Gate deputy commissioner. When the Khitan seized the capital he was forced north with the court, remained at Fanyang for over a year, and then escaped back to the south.
4
漢乾祐初，出為隴州防禦使。 周祖革命，召為東上閤門副使，從平慕容彥超。 累遷引進副使、知閤門事。 世宗即位，授西上閤門使。 明年，進秩東上閤門使。 從上征淮南，會壽州納款，遣保續先往慰撫，及劉仁贍率將卒出降，以功遷判四方館事，就遷客省使。 從平瓦橋關，奉使吳越。
Early in the Later Han Qianyou reign he was appointed defense commissioner of Longzhou. When Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou seized power, Baoxu was recalled as Eastern Upper Gate deputy commissioner and took part in suppressing Murong Yanchao. He rose in succession to Reception deputy commissioner and supervisor of gate protocol. When Emperor Shizong acceded, he was appointed Western Upper Gate commissioner. The following year he was promoted to Eastern Upper Gate commissioner. He accompanied the emperor on the campaign against Huainan; when Shouzhou surrendered he was sent ahead to reassure the populace, and after Liu Renzhan led his troops out to submit he was rewarded with oversight of the Office of Foreign Affairs and soon after with the post of guest-relations commissioner. He took part in the pacification of Waqiao Pass and was then dispatched on a mission to Wu-Yue.
5
宋初，遷衛尉卿，判四方館、客省、閤門事。
Early in the Song he was promoted to Commandant of the Guards while concurrently overseeing the Office of Foreign Affairs, the guest-relations office, and gate protocol.
6
保續性介直，好儉素，在閤門前後四十年，善宣贊辭，令聽者傾聳。 累使藩國不辱命。 歷事六朝，未嘗有過。 從征李筠，以足疾留河內，後歸京師。 建隆三年，卒，年六十四。
Baoxu was upright and frugal by nature; he spent roughly forty years in gate service, where his ceremonial announcements were so compelling that listeners would straighten in attentive awe. On repeated missions to vassal states he never failed in his charge. He served six successive dynasties without a single recorded lapse. During the campaign against Li Jun he was left at Henei because of a foot ailment and later returned to the capital. He died in the third year of Jianlong, at the age of sixty-four.
7
趙玭，澶州人。 家富於財。 晉天福中，以納粟助邊用，補集賢小史，調濮州司戶參軍。 刺史白重進以其年少，欲試以事，因以滯獄授之。 玭為平決，悉能中理。 重進移刺虢、成二州，連辟為從事。 會契丹構難，秦帥何重建獻地於蜀，孟知祥署高彥儔秦州節度，成為支郡，因署玭秦、成、階等州觀察判官。
Zhao Pin was a native of Danzhou. His family was wealthy. During the Jin Tianfu period he contributed grain to support frontier expenses and received a supplemental post in the Hall of Assembled Worthies, then was assigned as revenue adjutant in Puzhou. Because he was young, Prefect Bai Chongjin wished to test his ability and therefore assigned him the backlog of stalled court cases. Pin cleared and decided them all, and in every case his judgments were sound. When Chongjin was transferred to govern Guo and Cheng prefectures he repeatedly recruited Pin as a staff officer. When the Khitan stirred up trouble, the Qin commander He Chongjian surrendered his territory to Shu; Meng Zhixiang appointed Gao Yanchou military commissioner of Qinzhou, with Cheng as a subordinate prefecture, and made Pin observation judge for Qin, Cheng, Jie, and related prefectures.
8
周顯德初，命王景帥兵討秦鳳。 彥儔出兵救援，未至，聞軍敗，因潰歸。 玭閉門不納，召官屬諭之曰：「今中朝兵甲無敵於天下，自用師西征，戰無不勝。 蜀中所遣，將皆武勇者，卒皆驍銳者，然殺戮遁逃之外，幾無孑遺。 我輩安忍坐受其禍？ 去危就安，當在今日。」 眾皆俯伏聽命。 玭遂以城歸朝。 世宗欲命以藩鎮，宰相范質不可，乃授郢州刺史，歷汝、密、澤三州刺史。
Early in the Zhou Xiande reign Wang Jing was ordered to lead an army against Qin and Feng. Yanchou marched out to relieve them, but before he arrived he heard the army had been defeated and fled back in disarray. Pin shut the gates and refused him entry, then summoned the officials and said, "The central court's armies are now unmatched in the realm; since the western campaign began they have won every battle. The forces Shu has sent—all their commanders were fierce warriors and all their troops elite fighters—yet apart from the killed and the fugitives, scarcely a man has returned. How can we sit still and invite such disaster upon ourselves? To leave danger for safety—we must act today." Everyone bowed low and accepted his command. Pin then surrendered the city to the central court. Shizong wished to give him a military governorship, but Chancellor Fan Zhi opposed it; he was instead appointed prefect of Ezhou and later served in succession as prefect of Ru, Mi, and Ze.
9
建隆中，入為宗正卿。 乾德初，出為泰州刺史。 二年，改左監門衛大將軍、判三司。 玭狂躁婞直，多忤上旨，太祖頗優容之。 嘗廉得宰相趙普私市秦、隴大木事，潛以奏白，然懼普知，因稱足疾求解職。 五年春，罷使，守本官。 自是累獻密疏，皆留中不出，常疑普中傷。 六年，詣闕，納所授告命，詔勒歸私第。 又請退居鄆州，不許。 玭不勝忿，踰年，伺普入朝，馬前揚言其短。 上聞之，召玭及普於便殿，面質其事。 玭大言詆普販木規利，上怒，促令集百官逐普，且諭其事。 王溥等奏玭誣罔大臣，普事得解。 上詰責玭，命武士撾之，令御史鞫於殿庭。 普為營救，得寬其罰，黜為汝州牙校。 太平興國三年卒，年五十八。
During the Jianlong reign he was recalled to the capital as Director of the Imperial Clan. Early in the Qiande reign he was appointed prefect of Taizhou. In the second year he was made senior general of the Left Gate Guard and placed in charge of the Three Departments. Pin was impulsive, blunt, and obstinate, and often ran counter to the emperor's wishes, yet Taizu treated him with considerable forbearance. He once uncovered evidence that Chancellor Zhao Pu had been privately trading large timber from Qin and Long, reported it secretly to the throne, but fearing that Pu would find out he pleaded foot ailment and asked to resign his post. In the spring of the fifth year he was relieved of his special assignment and retained only his base rank. Thereafter he repeatedly submitted confidential memorials, all of which were kept within and never acted upon; he constantly suspected that Pu was working against him behind the scenes. In the sixth year he came to court, surrendered his commission of appointment, and was ordered by edict to return to his private residence. He also asked permission to retire to Yanzhou, but the request was denied. Unable to contain his anger, Pin waited more than a year until Pu was entering court and then shouted out his faults in front of Pu's horse. When the emperor heard of this he summoned Pin and Pu to the informal hall and confronted them directly about the affair. Pin loudly accused Pu of trading timber for private gain; the emperor flew into a rage and urgently ordered all officials assembled to drive Pu from office, explaining the charges to them. Wang Pu and others reported that Pin had falsely accused a senior minister, and the case against Pu was dropped. The emperor rebuked Pin, ordered guards to beat him with rods, and had the censor try his case in the palace courtyard. Pu intervened on his behalf, and his punishment was lightened to demotion as a military adjutant in Ruzhou. He died in the third year of Taiping Xingguo, at the age of fifty-eight.
10
盧懷忠
Lu Huaizhong
11
盧懷忠，瀛州河間人。 少有膂力，善騎射。 漢乾祐初，寓居河中，值李守貞之叛，周祖圍其城，懷忠夜踰城出見，陳攻取便宜。 河中平，奏補供奉官。 從征慕容彥超於兗州。 顯德初，監沂州軍，以所部破海州，功居多。 世宗議北征，先遣懷忠按視出師道路。 三關平，遷如京副使。
Lu Huaizhong was a native of Hejian in Yingzhou. In his youth he was powerfully built and skilled in horsemanship and archery. Early in the Later Han Qianyou reign he was living in Hedong when Li Shouzhen rebelled; as Zhou Taizu besieged the city, Huaizhong climbed over the wall by night to meet him and offered practical advice on how to take it. After Hedong was pacified he was recommended for appointment as a palace attendant. He took part in the campaign against Murong Yanchao at Yanzhou. Early in the Xiande reign he supervised the army at Yizhou; his troops captured Haizhou, and he earned the lion's share of the credit. When Shizong planned the northern campaign he first sent Huaizhong to reconnoiter the army's line of march. After the Three Passes were pacified he was promoted to Capital Reception deputy commissioner.
12
宋初，遷內酒坊副使。 會朗州軍亂，太祖將出師致討，遣懷忠使荊南，因謂曰：「江陵人情去就，山川向背，我欲盡知之。」 懷忠使還，奏曰：「繼沖甲兵雖整，而控弦不過三萬； 年穀雖登，而民苦於暴斂。 南邇長沙，東距金陵，西迫巴蜀，北奉朝廷。 觀其形勢，蓋日不暇給矣。」 太祖召宰相范質等謂曰：「江陵四分五裂之國，今出師湖南，假道荊渚，因而下之，萬全策也。」 即以懷忠為前軍步軍都監。 荊湖平，以功遷內酒坊使。
Early in the Song he was appointed deputy commissioner of the Inner Wine Workshop. When the army at Langzhou mutinied and Taizu prepared to march out against them, he sent Huaizhong on a mission to Jingnan and told him, "I want to know everything about Jiangling—the people's loyalties, the lay of the land, which routes favor attack and which do not." When Huaizhong returned he reported, "Jichong's forces are well equipped, but he has no more than thirty thousand archers under arms; although the harvest was good, the people are ground down by harsh levies. To the south lies Changsha, to the east Jinling blocks the way, to the west Ba-Shu presses in, and to the north it must answer to the court. Judging by its strategic position, the regime can barely keep its head above water." Taizu summoned Chancellor Fan Zhi and the others and said, "Jiangling is a realm already torn apart; if we march on Hunan now and borrow the route through Jingzhou to bring it down as well, that is the surest plan." He then appointed Huaizhong overseer of the vanguard infantry. After Jing and Hu were pacified he was promoted to commissioner of the Inner Wine Workshop for his service.
13
乾德二年，改判四方館事，知江陵府。 四年，王師伐蜀。 江陵當峽、江會衝，以供億之勞，遷客省使。 又明年，使江南還，中途遇疾，肩輿歸京師。 太祖遣醫丸艾以賜之，未幾卒，年四十九。 大中祥符四年，錄其子熙為校書郎。
In the second year of Qiande he was placed in charge of the Office of Foreign Affairs while serving as prefect of Jiangling. In the fourth year the imperial army marched against Shu. Because Jiangling lay at the junction of the Gorges and the Yangzi and bore the burden of supplying the campaign, he was transferred to guest-relations commissioner. The following year, while returning from a mission to Jiangnan, he fell ill on the road and was carried back to the capital in a sedan chair. Taizu sent physicians with medicines and moxibustion supplies as gifts, but he died soon afterward, at the age of forty-nine. In the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu his son Xi was granted appointment as collator.
14
王繼勳
Wang Jixun
15
王繼勳，陝州平陸人。 隸河中府為牙校。 李守貞之叛，令繼勳據潼關，為郭從義所破，走還河中。 俄白文珂、劉詞領兵至城下，守貞又遣繼勳與其愛將聶知遇夜出攻河西砦，復為漢兵所敗，被創而遁。 繼勳度守貞必敗，遂踰城出降，周祖奏補供奉官。 廣順初，領汾州刺史，充晉、磁、隰等州緣邊巡檢，歷憲、麟、石、磁四州刺史。
Wang Jixun was a native of Pinglu in Shaanzhou. He served as a military adjutant in Hedong prefecture. During Li Shouzhen's rebellion he was ordered to hold Tong Pass; Guo Congyi defeated him and he fled back to Hedong. Soon Bai Wenke and Liu Ci brought their armies to the city walls; Shouzhen again sent Jixun with his favorite general Nie Zhiyu to attack the stockade west of the river by night, but Han forces defeated them again and Jixun escaped wounded. Jixun concluded that Shouzhen was doomed, climbed over the wall to surrender, and Zhou Taizu recommended him for appointment as palace attendant. Early in the Guangshun reign he served as prefect of Fenzhou and as frontier inspector for Jin, Ci, Xi, and neighboring prefectures, and later governed in succession the prefectures of Xian, Lin, Shi, and Ci.
16
宋初，遷磁州團練使，坐境上用兵失律、荊罕儒陷陣，責授右監門衛率。 初平荊襄，命權知道州，未幾，授本州刺史。 州境與廣南接，劉鋹屢引兵入寇，繼勳因上言嶺表可圖之狀。 及王師南伐，以為賀州道行營馬步軍都監。 繼勳有武勇，在軍陣，常用鐵鞭、鐵槊、鐵楇，軍中目為「王三鐵」。
Early in the Song he was made regimentation commissioner of Cizhou; because he had violated regulations in deploying troops within his jurisdiction and Jing Hanru had been killed in battle, he was demoted to colonel of the Right Gate Guard. When Jing and Xiang were first pacified he was appointed acting prefect of Daozhou and soon after confirmed in that post. His prefecture bordered Guangnan, and Liu Chang repeatedly led raids across the border; Jixun therefore submitted a memorial on how the Lingnan region might be conquered. When the imperial army marched south he was appointed overseer of cavalry and infantry on the Hezhou campaign route. Jixun was a fierce fighter; in battle he habitually wielded an iron whip, iron spear, and iron mace, and the troops called him "Wang Three Irons."
17
丁德裕
Ding Deyu
18
丁德裕，洺州臨洺人。 父審琦，彰武軍節度。 周廣順初，以蔭補供奉官。 宋初，歷通事舍人、西上閤門副使。 建隆三年，遷東上閤門使。 從慕容延釗平荊湖，以功授引進使。 又與潘美、尹崇珂克郴州，遷客省使。 乾德五年，遷內客省使。 時成都初平，群寇大起，用為西川都巡檢使，與閤門副使張延通同率師討之，擒賊帥康祚，磔於市。 歲餘，盡平其黨。 頗與延通不協，歸朝，告其陰事，延通坐棄市。 又奏轉運使、禮部郎中李鉉嘗醉酒，言涉指斥。 上怒，驛召鉉下御史案之。 鉉言德裕在蜀日屢以事請求，多拒之，皆有狀。 御史以聞。 太祖悟，止坐鉉酒失，責授左贊善大夫。 未幾，德裕亦出知潞州。
Ding Deyu was a native of Linming in Mingzhou. His father Ding Shenqi was military commissioner of the Zhangwu Army. Early in the Later Zhou Guangshun reign he entered service as a palace attendant through his father's privilege. Early in the Song he served in succession as communications attendant and Western Upper Gate deputy commissioner. In the third year of Jianlong he was promoted to Eastern Upper Gate commissioner. He took part in Murong Yanzhou's pacification of Jing and Hu and was appointed Reception commissioner for his service. He then joined Pan Mei and Yin Chongke in capturing Chenzhou and was promoted to guest-relations commissioner. In the fifth year of Qiande he was made Inner Guest Relations commissioner. When Chengdu had only recently been pacified and banditry flared across the region, he was appointed chief inspector of Xichuan; he and gate deputy commissioner Zhang Yantong led troops against the rebels, captured the bandit chief Kang Zuo, and had him torn apart in the marketplace. Within a year he had eliminated their entire faction. He had fallen out badly with Yantong; on returning to court he denounced Yantong's secret misconduct, and Yantong was executed in the marketplace. He also reported that transport commissioner and Ministry of Rites bureau director Li Xuan had once spoken seditiously while drunk. The emperor was furious and ordered Li Xuan brought back by courier to face investigation by the censorate. Li Xuan replied that while Deyu was in Shu he had repeatedly made improper requests, most of which Xuan had refused—and he had records to prove it. The censorate reported this to the throne. Taizu saw through the affair, punished Li Xuan only for his drunken lapse, and demoted him to Left Assistant in the Palace Library. Soon afterward Deyu was also sent out to serve as prefect of Lizhou.
19
會征江南，遣德裕為常州行營兵馬都監，領吳越兵，助主帥進討。 常州平，命權知州事。 又改昇州東南路行營都監，敗潤州軍五千餘於城下。 及拔潤州，移領常、潤等州經略巡檢使。 德裕以傾險為眾所惡，恃勢剛狠，不恤士卒，黷貨無厭，越人苦之。 錢俶奏其事，貶房州刺史，卒。
During the campaign against Jiangnan he was appointed overseer of cavalry and infantry on the Changzhou campaign route, commanding Wu-Yue troops to support the main force. After Changzhou fell he was appointed acting prefect. He was then made overseer of the Shenzhou Southeastern Route campaign and defeated more than five thousand Runzhou troops below the city walls. After Runzhou was captured he was placed in charge of strategic inspection for Chang, Run, and neighboring prefectures. Deyu was widely hated for his treachery; he abused his authority with brutal harshness, neglected his troops, and extorted bribes without end, and the people of Yue suffered under him. Qian Chu reported his conduct to the throne; Deyu was demoted to prefect of Fangzhou, where he died.
20
張延通
Zhang Yantong
21
張延通，潞州潞城人。 父彥成，周右金吾衛上將軍。 延通性穎悟，有才幹，蔭補供奉官。 宋初，歷通事舍人，遷東上閤門副使。 開寶中，為西川兵馬都監。 太祖以蜀寇未平，命同內客省使丁德裕、引進副使王班、內臣張嶼領兵屯蜀部。 德裕頗專恣，延通面質其短，德裕銜之。 又與張嶼不協，延通亦為和解之，德裕疑延通與嶼為黨，益不悅。 會太祖征太原，有使自行在至，備言太祖當盛暑躬冒矢石，勞頓萬狀。 延通曰：「主上勤勞若此，而吾輩日享安樂。」 蓋言不自安也。 德裕不答。 會張嶼先歸闕，太祖賜予甚厚。 延通、德裕繼至，則召延通顧問，而待德裕稍薄。 德裕頗疑懼，遂奏延通嘗對眾言涉指斥，且多不法事，指嶼為黨。 太祖怒，即收延通、張嶼及王班下御史臺鞫之，延通等引伏。 太祖始欲捨之，及引問，延通抗對不遜，遂斬之。 嶼、班並內臣王仁吉並仗脊，嶼配流沙門島，班許州，仁吉西窯務，時開寶二年也。
Zhang Yantong was a native of Lucheng in Lizhou. His father Zhang Yancheng had been a senior general of the Later Zhou Right Golden Crow Guard. Yantong was quick-witted and capable; he entered service as a palace attendant through his father's privilege. Early in the Song he served as communications attendant and was promoted to Eastern Upper Gate deputy commissioner. During the Kaibao reign he served as overseer of cavalry and infantry in Xichuan. Because banditry in Shu had not yet been suppressed, Taizu ordered him to join Inner Guest Relations commissioner Ding Deyu, Reception deputy commissioner Wang Ban, and inner attendant Zhang Yu in garrisoning troops in the Shu region. Deyu was domineering and arbitrary; Yantong confronted him openly about his misconduct, and Deyu bore a grudge. He also clashed with Zhang Yu; Yantong tried to mediate between them, but Deyu suspected Yantong and Yu were in league and grew even more hostile. During Taizu's campaign against Taiyuan an envoy arrived from headquarters reporting that the emperor, in the height of summer, was personally braving enemy fire and utterly worn down by the effort. Yantong said, "Our lord labors like this, while we enjoy ease every day." —he meant that he himself felt uneasy about it. Deyu made no reply. When Zhang Yu returned to court first, Taizu rewarded him lavishly. When Yantong and Deyu arrived afterward, Taizu summoned Yantong for consultation while treating Deyu with noticeably less favor. Alarmed and fearful, Deyu memorialized that Yantong had once spoken seditiously before the troops and had committed numerous illegal acts, naming Yu as his accomplice. Taizu was enraged and had Yantong, Zhang Yu, and Wang Ban arrested and interrogated by the Censorate; they confessed. Taizu had initially intended to spare them, but when Yantong was brought for questioning he answered defiantly and disrespectfully, and was executed. Yu, Ban, and inner attendant Wang Renji were flogged; Yu was exiled to Liushamen Island, Ban to Xuzhou, and Renji to the Western Kiln Office—in the second year of Kaibao.
22
梁迥，博州聊城人。 少為吏部小史。 周世宗在藩邸日，得給事左右。 及嗣位，補殿直，改供奉官，四遷至左藏庫使。
Liang Jiong was a native of Liaocheng in Bozhou. In his youth he served as a junior clerk in the Ministry of Personnel. When Shizong of Later Zhou was still a prince, Jiong came to serve in his household. When Shizong succeeded to the throne, Jiong was appointed palace guard, then palace attendant, and rose through four promotions to commissioner of the Left Treasury.
23
太祖將討西蜀，以迥監秦州戍兵。 蜀平，改監霸州兵，轉宮苑使。 從征太原還，會命蜀州刺史聶章為沁州兵馬部署，以迥監其軍。 無何，幷人入寇，迥與閻彥進同率兵擊敗之，以功遷東上閤門使。 開寶五年，命為廣南道兵馬都監兼諸州巡檢。
When Taizu prepared to campaign against Western Shu, Jiong was placed in charge of the garrison at Qinzhou. After Shu was pacified he was reassigned to oversee troops at Bazhou and then promoted to commissioner of the Palace Parks. On returning from the Taiyuan campaign, when Shuzhou prefect Nie Zhang was appointed deployment commissioner for Qinzhou, Jiong was assigned to supervise his army. Soon afterward Bing forces invaded; Jiong and Yan Yanjin led troops to defeat them, and he was promoted to Eastern Upper Gate commissioner for his service. In the fifth year of Kaibao he was appointed overseer of cavalry and infantry on the Guangnan route and concurrent inspector of the prefectures in that region.
24
八年，奉使江南。 迥素貪冒，外務矯飾，初若嚴毅不可犯，雖饋食亦不受，江南人頗憚之。 既而奉以貲貨，殆直數萬緡，迥即大喜過望，登舟縱酒，繼日宴樂。 及歸，戀戀不發，人多笑之。 暨王師伐金陵，命迥與潘美、劉遇率步兵先赴荊南。 且以迥護行營步兵及左廂戰棹，與吳人戰采石，殺獲甚眾。 江南平，以功領順州團練使。
In the eighth year he was sent on a mission to Jiangnan. Jiong had always been greedy and grasping; outwardly he affected austerity, at first seeming stern and unapproachable and refusing even gifts of food, so the people of Jiangnan were much in awe of him. But when they presented him with goods worth nearly ten thousand strings of cash, he was overjoyed, boarded his boat, and gave himself to wine and feasting for days on end. When it was time to return he lingered reluctantly, and many people laughed at him. When the imperial army marched on Jinling, Jiong was ordered to join Pan Mei and Liu Yu in leading infantry ahead to Jingnan. He was also assigned to protect the campaign infantry and the left-wing war boats; at Caishi he fought the Wu forces and killed or captured a great many of the enemy. After Jiangnan was pacified he was made regimentation commissioner of Shunzhou for his service.
25
太宗即位，判四方館事，領禁軍戍澤州。 太平興國三年，錢俶來朝，命往淮、泗迎勞。 夏，汴水大決，詔迥發畿內丁男三千護塞汴口。 四年，征太原，以迥為行營前軍馬步軍都監，督軍攻城，中流矢四。 車駕還，命與孟玄哲、崔翰率兵屯定州，以功遷引進使。 五年，受詔與潘美城幷州於三交，及築緣邊堡障。 七年，李繼遷寇邊，以迥領兵護銀、夏州。 八年，召歸，授唐州防禦使，令赴職。
When Emperor Taizong acceded, Jiong was placed in charge of the Office of Foreign Affairs while commanding the imperial guard garrison at Zezhou. In the third year of Taiping Xingguo, when Qian Chu came to court, Jiong was sent to the Huai and Si region to welcome and entertain him. That summer the Bian River burst its banks; Jiong was ordered to mobilize three thousand men from the capital region to reinforce the breach at the river mouth. In the fourth year, during the campaign against Taiyuan, he served as overseer of the vanguard cavalry and infantry, directed the assault on the city, and was struck by four arrows. When the emperor returned, he was ordered to join Meng Xuanzhe and Cui Han in garrisoning Dingzhou, and was promoted to Reception commissioner for his service. In the fifth year he was ordered to join Pan Mei in fortifying Bingzhou at Sanjiao and in building frontier fortifications. In the seventh year, when Li Jiqian raided the frontier, Jiong was sent to lead troops in defense of Yin and Xia prefectures. In the eighth year he was recalled and appointed defense commissioner of Tangzhou with orders to take up his post.
26
雍熙二年，繼遷誘殺都巡檢使曹光實，乘勢數寇邊。 復召迥為銀、夏都巡檢使，赴邊捍禦之。 三年夏，卒於銀州官舍，年五十九。
In the second year of Yongxi, Li Jiqian lured and killed chief inspector Cao Guangshi and took advantage of the situation to raid the frontier repeatedly. Jiong was again summoned and appointed chief inspector of Yin and Xia prefectures and sent to the frontier to repel him. He died in the summer of the third year at the official residence in Yinzhou, at the age of fifty-nine.
27
迥性粗率，尤不喜文士，故事，節帥出鎮及來朝，便殿宴勞，翰林學士皆預坐。 開寶中，迥為閤門使，白太祖曰：「陛下宴犒將帥，安用此輩預坐？」 自是罷之。 至淳化中，翰林學士蘇易簡白於太宗，始復預焉。 大中祥符八年，錄迥子廷翰為奉職。
Jiong was blunt and rough by nature and especially disliked literary men. By precedent, when military commissioners departed for their commands or came to court, they were entertained in the informal hall, and Hanlin academicians were always seated among the guests. During the Kaibao reign, when Jiong was a gate commissioner, he told Taizu, "When Your Majesty feasts and rewards generals, why should these fellows be seated with them?" From then on the practice was discontinued. In the Chunhua reign Hanlin academician Su Yijian appealed to Taizong, and the practice was restored. In the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu his son Tinghan was granted appointment as an attendant.
28
史珪，河南洛陽人。 父暉，晉嚴衛指揮使。 珪少以武勇隸軍籍，周顯德中，遷小校。 太祖領禁衛，以珪給事左右。 及受禪，用為御馬直隊長，四遷馬步軍副都軍頭兼控鶴、弓弩、大劍都指揮使。 開寶六年，加都軍頭，領毅州刺史。
Shi Gui was a native of Luoyang in Henan. His father Shi Hui had been commandant of the Jin Yanwei Guard. In his youth Gui entered the army rolls for his martial prowess; during the Later Zhou Xiande reign he was promoted to junior officer. When Taizu commanded the imperial guard, Gui served in his personal entourage. When Taizu took the throne, Gui was made squad leader of the Imperial Horse Guard and rose through four promotions to deputy commander-in-chief of the Cavalry and Infantry Army while concurrently commanding the Crane Control, Bow and Crossbow, and Great Sword units. In the sixth year of Kaibao he was promoted to commander-in-chief and appointed prefect of Yizhou.
29
太祖初臨御，欲周知外事，令珪博訪。 珪廉得數事白於上，驗之皆實，由是信之，後乃漸肆威福。 民有市官物不當價者，珪告其欺罔，當置法，列肆無不側目。 上聞之，因下詔曰：「古人以獄市為寄者，蓋知小民唯利是從，不可盡法而繩之也。 況先甲之令，未嘗申明。 苟陷人於刑，深非理道。 將禁其二價，宜示以明文，自今應市易官物，有妄增價直欺罔官錢者，案鞫得實，並以枉法論。 其犯在詔前者，一切不問。」 自是珪不復敢言。
When Taizu first took the throne, wishing to learn all he could about affairs beyond the court, he ordered Gui to conduct wide-ranging inquiries. Gui uncovered several matters and reported them to the throne; when investigated, all proved true, and the emperor came to trust him—but Gui gradually began to abuse his influence. When commoners sold government goods at improper prices, Gui denounced them for fraud and demanded legal punishment, and every shop in the market watched in alarm. When the emperor heard of this he issued an edict: "The ancients who 'entrusted' the courts and markets to officials understood that common people follow profit and cannot all be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Moreover the prior regulations had never been clearly announced. To punish people under such circumstances would be deeply unjust. To prohibit overcharging, the rules should be set out in writing: from now on, anyone who fraudulently inflates the price when trading in government goods shall, once the facts are established through investigation, be prosecuted under the statute on perverting the law. Offenses committed before this edict shall not be prosecuted." From then on Gui no longer dared to raise such matters.
30
時德州刺史郭貴知邢州，國子監丞梁夢昇知德州，貴族人親吏之在德州者頗為姦利，夢昇以法繩之。 貴素與珪善，遣人以其事告珪，圖去夢昇。 珪悉記於紙，將伺便言之。 一日，上因言：「爾來中外所任，皆得其人。」 珪遽曰：「今之文臣，亦未必皆善。」 乃探懷中所記以進，曰：「秖如知德州梁夢昇欺蔑刺史郭貴，幾至於死。」 上曰：「此必刺史所為不法。 夢昇，真清強吏也。」 因以所記紙付中書曰：「即以夢昇為贊善大夫。」 既又曰：「與左贊善。」 珪以譖不行，居常怏怏。 九年，坐漏泄禁中語，出為光州刺史。 會歲饑，淮、蔡民流入州境，珪不待聞，即開倉減價以糶，所全活甚眾，吏民詣闕請植碑頌德者數百人。
At that time Dezhou prefect Guo Gui was serving as acting prefect of Xingzhou, while Directorate of Education aide Liang Mengsheng governed Dezhou; Guo's kinsmen and personal clerks in Dezhou were engaged in corrupt dealings, and Mengsheng restrained them by law. Guo had long been friendly with Shi Gui and sent someone to report the affair to him, hoping to have Mengsheng removed. Gui wrote everything down and waited for a suitable moment to bring it up. One day the emperor remarked, "Of late all appointments at court and in the provinces have been well chosen." Gui quickly interjected, "Today's civil officials are not necessarily all worthy either." He then produced the notes from his sleeve and said, "Take, for example, Dezhou administrator Liang Mengsheng, who insulted and humiliated Prefect Guo Gui almost to the point of killing him." The emperor said, "This must mean the prefect himself acted unlawfully. Mengsheng is a truly upright and forceful official." He then handed the paper to the Secretariat and said, "Appoint Mengsheng immediately as Assistant in the Palace Library." Then he added, "Make it Left Assistant." When Gui's slander failed, he remained chronically resentful. In the ninth year he was demoted to prefect of Guangzhou for leaking palace secrets. When famine struck, refugees from Huai and Cai poured into his prefecture. Without waiting for orders from the capital, Gui opened the granaries and sold grain at reduced prices, saving a great many lives. Several hundred officials and commoners went to court to ask that a stele be erected in praise of his virtue.
31
太平興國初，以為揚、楚等九州都巡檢使。 四年，征太原，命珪與彰信軍節度劉遇攻城北面。 從征幽州，坐所部逗撓失律，責授定武行軍司馬。 數月，召為右衛將軍、領平州刺史。 督浚惠民河，自尉氏達京九十里，數旬而畢，民咸便之。 會江、淮民麹謀首等數十百人聚為盜，命珪率龍猛騎兵五百往捕，悉獲之。 六年，遷隰州刺史，知保州、靜戎軍。 上緣邊便宜十五事，皆從之。
Early in the Taiping Xingguo reign he was made chief inspector of Yang, Chu, and nine other prefectures. In the fourth year, during the campaign against Taiyuan, he and Liu Yu, military commissioner of the Zhangxin Army, were ordered to assault the northern wall of the city. On the campaign against Youzhou his unit was found guilty of delay and dereliction of duty, and he was demoted to vice marshal of the Dingwu campaign army. A few months later he was recalled to serve as general of the Right Guard and concurrently prefect of Pingzhou. He supervised dredging the Huimin Canal from Weishi to the capital—a distance of ninety li—and finished the work within a few weeks, to the great benefit of the local population. When several dozen people from the Jianghuai region, led by Qu Mou, banded together as outlaws, Gui was ordered to take five hundred Dragon Fierce cavalrymen after them and captured them all. In the sixth year he was transferred to prefect of Xizhou and placed in charge of Baozhou and the Jingrong garrison. He submitted fifteen practical recommendations for frontier administration, and the emperor approved every one.
32
雍熙中，從曹彬征幽州，為押陣部署，以所部下涿州。 師還，卒，年六十一。 珪多智數，好以甘言小惠取譽於人，故所至不忍其去云。
During the Yongxi reign he joined Cao Bin's campaign against Youzhou as battle-line deployment commissioner and marched his command as far as Zhuozhou. He died after the army returned, at the age of sixty-one. Gui was resourceful and fond of winning favor with flattering words and small kindnesses, so wherever he served the people were loath to see him go.
33
田欽祚
Tian Qinzuo
34
田欽祚，潁州汝陰人。 父令方，漢虢州團練使。 帳下伶人靖邊庭妻有美色，令方私之，邊庭不勝忿。 會陝西三叛連衡，關輔間人情大擾。 邊庭率其徒數人夜縋入州廨，害令方，因掠郡民投趙思綰，至潼關，與守關使者戰，遂敗散。 朝廷錄欽祚為殿直，改供奉官。 周世宗征淮南，為前軍都監。 從征關南還，會塞澶淵決河，命欽祚領禁兵護役，因令督治澶州城。 淮人寇高密，刺史王萬威求濟師，命欽祚領州兵援之，既至，圍解。
Tian Qinzuo was a native of Ruyin in Yingzhou. His father Tian Lingfang had been regimentation commissioner of Guozhou under the Later Han. Jing Bianting, a performer in Lingfang's household, had a beautiful wife whom Lingfang seduced; Bianting was consumed with rage. At that time the three rebel leaders of Shaanxi had joined forces, and public feeling throughout the Guanzhong region was in turmoil. Bianting led a handful of followers who lowered themselves by rope into the prefectural office at night, murdered Lingfang, plundered the local population, and fled to join Zhao Sixuan. At Tong Pass they fought the garrison and were routed. The court granted Qinzuo appointment as a palace attendant and soon promoted him to palace attendant of the inner service. When Shizong campaigned against Huainan, Qinzuo served as overseer of the vanguard army. After the Guannan campaign he returned just as work began to close a Yellow River breach at Chentyuan. Qinzuo was ordered to lead imperial troops to guard the project and to supervise repairs to the walls of Cangzhou. When raiders from the Huai region attacked Gaomi, Prefect Wang Wanwei asked for reinforcements. Qinzuo was sent with local troops to relieve the city, and the siege was broken as soon as he arrived.
35
宋初，遷閤門通事舍人。 乾德二年冬，討蜀，為北路先鋒都監，令乘傳往來宣達機事。 孟昶降，奉捷書馳奏，遷西上閤門副使。 蜀土寇亂，又遣欽祚率師討平之。 四年春，幷人寇樂平，從羅彥瓌拒之，獨以所部三千人破寇，擒副將一人，俘獲甚眾，以功遷西上閤門使。 開寶二年，又與何繼筠破賊兵於石嶺關，領賀州刺史，判四方館使。 三年，契丹寇中山，以欽祚為定州路兵馬都部署。 與戰遂城，自旦及晡，殺傷甚眾。 欽祚馬中流矢踣，騎士王超授欽祚以馬，軍復振，敵解去。 朝廷將議討江表，遣欽祚覘之，還奏合旨，江南所得寶貨直三千萬，悉以賜欽祚。 會興師，首命欽祚與曹彬、李漢瓊率騎軍先赴江陵，就命為昇州西南路行營馬軍兼左廂戰棹都監。 領兵敗吳軍萬餘於溧水，斬其主帥李雄等五人，擒裨將二人。 進圍金陵，為南面攻城部署。 既平，以功加領汾州防禦使。
Early in the Song dynasty he was promoted to communications attendant of the Inner Gate Office. In the winter of the second year of Qiande, during the Shu campaign, he served as overseer of the northern-route vanguard and was charged with riding the post roads to convey military intelligence. When Meng Chang surrendered he raced back with the victory report and was promoted to Western Upper Gate deputy commissioner. When banditry broke out across Shu, he was again sent to lead troops and put the disturbances down. In the spring of the fourth year, when forces from Bing raided Leping, he joined Luo Yanrang in the defense and, with only his own three thousand men, routed the enemy, captured a deputy commander, and took a large number of prisoners. For this he was promoted to Western Upper Gate commissioner. In the second year of Kaibao he and He Jiyun again defeated rebel forces at Shiling Pass. He was then made prefect of Hezhou and placed in charge of the Office for Tributary Affairs. In the third year, when Khitan forces raided Zhongshan, he was appointed overall deployment commissioner for military affairs on the Dingzhou route. He fought at Suicheng from dawn until late afternoon, and casualties on both sides were heavy. Qinzuo's horse was hit by an arrow and collapsed, but the cavalryman Wang Chao gave him his own mount. The army rallied and the enemy withdrew. As the court prepared to discuss a campaign against the lower Yangzi region, Qinzuo was sent to reconnoiter. His report pleased the emperor, and the entire thirty-million-worth of treasure seized in Jiangnan was given to him. When war was declared he was among the first ordered, with Cao Bin and Li Hanqiong, to lead the cavalry to Jiangling. At the same time he was made overseer of cavalry on the Xingzhou Southwest Route campaign staff and of the left-wing battle fleet. He led his troops to defeat more than ten thousand Wu soldiers at Lishui, beheaded the enemy commander Li Xiong and four other senior officers, and captured two deputy commanders. He pressed on to besiege Jinling as deployment commissioner for the southern assault. After the region was pacified he was additionally made defense commissioner of Fenzhou for his service.
36
太平興國初，遷引進使，為晉州都鈐轄。 太原驍將楊業率眾寇洪洞縣，欽祚擊敗之，斬首千餘級，獲馬數百。 太宗賜欽祚白金五千兩，令市宅。 四年，從征太原，護前鋒騎兵，屯石嶺關以扞契丹。
Early in the Taiping Xingguo reign he was promoted to Reception commissioner and appointed chief regimentation commissioner of Jinzhou. When Yang Ye, a formidable Taiyuan commander, led a raid against Hongdong County, Qinzuo routed him, took more than a thousand heads, and seized several hundred horses. Taizong rewarded him with five thousand taels of silver and told him to purchase a house. In the fourth year he joined the Taiyuan campaign, escorted the vanguard cavalry, and held Shiling Pass to block the Khitan.
37
欽祚性剛戾負氣，多所忤犯，與主帥郭進不協，進戰功高，屢為欽祚所陵，心不能甘，遂自縊死。 初，賊兵奄至，進出戰，欽祚但閉壁自守，既去，又不追。 所受月奉芻粟，多販鬻規利，為部下所訴，責授睦州團練使。 車駕北巡，以為幽州西路行營壕砦都監。 六年秋，改房州團練使，逾年，又改柳州。 嶺外多瘴氣，因遘疾，累表乞生還闕下。 上憐之，遷郢州團練使。 在郡二年，入覲，欽祚見上，涕泣不已。 以為銀、夏、綏、宥都巡檢使，俄召還。 會征幽州，命欽祚與宣徽南院使郭守文為排陣使。 時欽祚已被病，受詔不勝喜，一夕，卒。
Qinzuo was harsh, arrogant, and quick to give offense. He clashed with his commander Guo Jin, a man of distinguished battle record whom Qinzuo repeatedly humiliated until Jin, unable to bear the shame, hanged himself. On one occasion, when enemy troops suddenly appeared, Jin went out to fight while Qinzuo merely shut the gates and held the walls; after the enemy withdrew he made no attempt to pursue. He was reported by his subordinates for selling off much of the fodder and grain issued as his monthly stipend for private profit, and was demoted to regimentation commissioner of Muzhou. During the emperor's northern tour he was appointed overseer of trenches and fortifications on the western wing of the Youzhou campaign staff. In the autumn of the sixth year he was transferred to regimentation commissioner of Fangzhou, and a year later was moved to Liuzhou. The malarial air of the far south made him ill, and he repeatedly petitioned to be allowed to return alive to the capital. The emperor took pity on him and transferred him to regimentation commissioner of Yingzhou. After two years in office he came to court for an audience and wept continuously before the emperor. He was appointed chief inspector of Yin, Xia, Sui, and You, and was soon recalled to the capital. When the campaign against Youzhou was ordered, he and Guo Shouwen, commissioner of the Southern Bureau of the Palace Secretariat, were appointed battle-array commissioners. By then Qinzuo was already ill. Overjoyed at receiving the order, he died that very night.
38
欽祚性陰狡，尤不喜儒士，好狎侮同列，人多惡之。 子承誨，仕至供奉官、閤門祗候； 承說，至崇儀副使。
Qinzuo was secretive and cunning, had little use for scholars, and delighted in belittling his peers; he was widely disliked. His son Chenghui rose to the posts of palace attendant and gate usher. His son Chengshuo rose to Honored Ceremonial deputy commissioner.
39
侯贇，幷州太原人。 父義，漢遼州刺史。 贇以蔭補殿前承旨。 周顯德中，再遷至供奉官，使江南，復命領三門、集津發運使。
Hou Yun was a native of Taiyuan in Bingzhou. His father Hou Yi had been prefect of Liaozhou under the Later Han. Yun entered service through his father's privilege as an attendant of the Palace Front Office. During the Later Zhou Xiande reign he was promoted twice to palace attendant, served as envoy to Jiangnan, and on his return was put in charge of transport at Sanmen and Jijin.
40
王文寶
Wang Wenbao
41
王文寶，開封陽武人，以任子補殿直。 太平興國初，累遷至軍器庫使。 嘗使契丹。 會陳洪進獻漳、泉地，以文寶監泉州兵。 群盜大起，文寶與轉運使楊克讓、知州喬惟岳共討平之。 以功領媯州刺史，加內弓箭庫使。 二年，京西轉運使程能議開新河，自襄、漢至京師，引白河水注焉，以通湘、潭之漕。 詔發唐、鄧、汝、潁、許、蔡、陳、鄭丁夫數萬赴其役，又發諸州兵萬人助之。 命文寶與六宅使李繼隆、作坊副使李仁祐、劉承珪分往護作。 既而地高水下，不能通，卒堙廢焉。 雍熙四年，改東上閤門使，歷知涇、延二州。 會遼人寇通遠軍，命文寶率師致討，還遷判四方館事。
Wang Wenbao was a native of Yangwu in Kaifeng and entered service as a palace attendant through the privilege granted to officials' sons. Early in the Taiping Xingguo reign he rose through successive promotions to commissioner of the Armory. He once served as envoy to the Khitan. When Chen Hongjin surrendered Zhang and Quan, Wenbao was assigned to supervise the troops at Quanzhou. When banditry erupted on a large scale, Wenbao joined Transport Commissioner Yang Kerang and Prefect Qiao Weiyue in suppressing the uprising. For his service he was made prefect of Guizhou and additionally appointed commissioner of the Inner Bow and Crossbow Armory. In the second year, Jingxi Transport Commissioner Cheng Neng proposed digging a new canal from Xiangyang and Hanzhong to the capital, feeding it with water from the Bai River to link the grain routes of Xiang and Tan to the capital. An edict called up tens of thousands of corvée laborers from Tang, Deng, Ru, Ying, Xu, Cai, Chen, and Zheng, and ten thousand troops from various prefectures were also sent to help. Wenbao was ordered to join Li Jilong, commissioner of the Six Residences Office, Workshop Deputy Commissioner Li Renyou, and Liu Chenggui in supervising separate sections of the project. The terrain proved too high for the water to flow through, the canal never connected, and the project was finally filled in and abandoned. In the fourth year of Yongxi he was made Eastern Upper Gate commissioner and served in succession as prefect of Jing and Yan. When Liao forces attacked Tongyuan Army, Wenbao was ordered to lead a punitive expedition, and on his return was promoted to head the Office for Tributary Affairs.
42
文寶歷內職三十年，雅好言外事，太祖、太宗頗信任之，中外咸畏其口。 出為高陽關兵馬鈐轄，淳化二年，卒於官。
Wenbao spent thirty years in palace service, was fond of discussing foreign affairs, and enjoyed considerable trust from both Taizu and Taizong; officials at court and beyond feared what he might say. He was sent out as regimentation commissioner of the forces at Gaoyang Pass and died in office in the second year of Chunhua.
43
翟守素
Di Shousu
44
翟守素，濟州任城人。 父溥，晉左司禦率府率。 守素以父任為殿直，曆漢、周，遷供奉官，領承天軍使。 乾德中，為引進副使，從王全斌伐蜀，以往來馳告軍事為職。 蜀平，擢判四方館事。 以兩川餘寇未殄，慮致騷動，再令守素入蜀經略諸郡，分兵以防遏之。
Di Shousu was a native of Rencheng in Jizhou. His father Di Pu had been chamberlain of the Left Palace Guard under the Jin. Shousu entered service as a palace attendant through his father's privilege, served through the Later Han and Later Zhou, was promoted to palace attendant, and commanded the Chengtian Army. During the Qiande reign he served as Reception deputy commissioner on Wang Quanbin's Shu campaign, charged with riding the post roads to convey military reports. After Shu was pacified he was promoted to head the Office for Tributary Affairs. Because bandit remnants in the Two Rivers region had not yet been eliminated and might stir unrest, Shousu was again sent into Shu to oversee the prefectures and garrison troops to contain them.
45
開寶中，會麟、府內屬戎人爭地不決，因致擾亂，命守素馳往撫喻。 守素辨其曲直，戎人悅服。 從征太原，命海州刺史孫方進圍汾州，守素監其軍，轉引進使。
During the Kaibao reign, when affiliated tribal peoples of Lin and Fu fell into dispute over land and the quarrel turned violent, Shousu was ordered to go at once and settle the matter. Shousu judged the rights and wrongs of the case, and the tribes accepted his ruling with satisfaction. On the Taiyuan campaign he supervised the forces of Sun Fangjin, prefect of Haizhou, in the siege of Fenzhou, and was then promoted to Reception commissioner.
46
開寶三年，命為劍南十州都巡檢使，東上閣門使郭崇信副之。 賜守素錢五百萬，入謝日，復遣為岐帥符彥卿官告使。 守素辭以錫齎優厚，不敢更當奉使之詔，上不許。 九年，吳越國王錢俶來朝，命守素護諸司供帳，迎勞郊外。 並壘未下，詔與洺州防禦使郭進率兵深入其境，蹈藉禾稼，守素多所虜獲。 太宗即位，遷客省使，領憲州刺史。
In the third year of Kaibao he was made chief inspector of ten prefectures in Jiannan, with Guo Chongxin, Eastern Upper Gate commissioner, as his deputy. The court granted him five million cash, and on the day he came to give thanks he was again dispatched as credential envoy to Fu Yanqing, military commissioner of Qi. Shousu declined, saying the reward was already more than generous and he did not dare accept another envoy appointment, but the emperor would not hear of it. In the ninth year, when King Qian Chu of Wuyue came to court, Shousu was ordered to supervise the provisioning of the visit and to welcome him outside the city. While the Taiyuan fortresses still held out, he and Guo Jin, defense commissioner of Mingzhou, were ordered to lead a deep raid into enemy territory, trampling the crops; Shousu brought back a large haul of captives and plunder. When Taizong took the throne, Shousu was promoted to guest-relations commissioner and made prefect of Xianzhou.
47
太平興國三年夏，河決滎陽，詔守素發鄭之丁夫千五百人，與卒千人領護塞之。 是秋，梅山洞蠻恃險叛命，詔遣守素率諸州屯兵往擊之。 值霖雨彌旬，弓弩解弛，不堪用，明日，將接戰，守素一夕令削木為弩。 及旦，賊奄至，交射之，賊遂敗。 乘勝逐北，盡平其巢穴。 先是，數郡大吏、富人多與賊帥包漢陽交通，既而得其書訊數百封，守素並焚之，反側以定。 俄而錢俶獻浙右之地，詔守素為兩浙諸州兵馬都監，安撫諸郡，人心甚悅，即以知杭州。 歲滿，為西京巡檢使。 秦王廷美以事勒歸私第，以守素權知河南府兼留守司事，屬洛陽歲旱艱食，多盜，上憂之。 守素既至，漸以寧息。 未幾，遷商州團練使。
In the summer of the third year of Taiping Xingguo the Yellow River broke its banks at Xingyang, and Shousu was ordered to mobilize fifteen hundred corvée laborers from Zheng and a thousand soldiers to supervise the repair. That autumn the Meishan cave tribes rebelled, trusting in their rugged terrain, and Shousu was ordered to lead garrison troops from several prefectures against them. After more than ten days of steady rain their bows and crossbows had warped and were useless. On the eve of battle Shousu had his men carve wooden crossbows in a single night. At dawn the rebels attacked without warning; both sides exchanged volleys, and the rebels were routed. He pressed the victory, pursued the fleeing enemy, and wiped out their strongholds entirely. Many senior officials and wealthy men in several prefectures had been in contact with the rebel leader Bao Hanyang. When several hundred of their letters were seized, Shousu burned them all, and the region settled down. Soon afterward Qian Chu surrendered the lands of western Zhejiang. Shousu was appointed overall military overseer of the Liangzhe prefectures to pacify the region, won wide approval, and was immediately made prefect of Hangzhou. When his term expired he was appointed inspector commissioner of the Western Capital. When Prince Tingmei of Qin was forced to retire to his private residence, Shousu was made acting prefect of Henan and placed in charge of the capital-guard commissioner's office. Luoyang was suffering drought, food was scarce, and banditry was rife, and the emperor was deeply concerned. After Shousu took up his post, order was gradually restored. Before long he was transferred to regimentation commissioner of Shangzhou.
48
雍熙二年，改知延州。 自劉廷讓敗於君子館，河朔諸州城壘多圮。 四年，詔守素與田仁朗、王繼恩、郭延濬分路按行，發諸州鎮兵增築，護其役。 賜白金三十兩，留充天雄軍兵馬鈐轄、知大名府，改知潞州。 會建方田，命為代北方田都部署、并州兵馬鈐轄，從屯夏州，改知鳳翔府。
In the second year of Yongxi he was appointed administrator of Yanzhou. After Liu Tingrang's defeat at Junzi Lodge, the fortifications of the Hebei prefectures lay largely in ruins. In the fourth year Shousu was ordered, together with Tian Renlang, Wang Jien, and Guo Yanjun, to tour the region by separate routes, mobilize garrison troops from the prefectures to rebuild the walls, and supervise the work. He received thirty taels of white gold, was retained as army overseer of the Tianxiong Army and administrator of Daming prefecture, and later transferred to administer Lizhou. When the square-field system was introduced he was appointed overall deployment commissioner for the northern fields and army overseer of Bingzhou, garrisoned at Xiazhou, and later made administrator of Fengxiang prefecture.
49
淳化中，夏帥趙保忠上言，其弟繼遷誘戎人為寇，且求援師。 詔守素率兵復屯夏州，未幾，又徙石州，以老病上疏求歸本郡，從之。 三年，卒，年七十一。
During the Chunhua reign the Xia commander Zhao Baozhong reported that his younger brother Jiqian was inciting the tribes to raid and asked for reinforcements. Shousu was ordered to lead troops back to garrison Xiazhou; soon afterward he was transferred to Shizhou, and citing age and illness he memorialized to return to his home region, which was granted. He died in the third year, at the age of seventy-one.
50
守素逮事四朝，綿歷內職五十餘年。 性謹慎，寬仁容眾，所至有治績。 凡斷大辟獄，雖罪狀明白，仍遍詢僚寀，僉同而後決； 屬吏有過不麵折，必因公宴援往事之相類者言其獲咎，以微警之。 新進後生多至節帥，而守素久次不遷，殊無隕獲意，時論以此多之。
Shousu served four successive dynasties and held palace appointments for more than fifty years. He was cautious by nature, generous and tolerant of others, and left a record of effective governance wherever he served. In every capital case, even when the facts were clear, he would consult all his staff and proceed only after unanimous agreement; when a subordinate erred he never rebuked him to his face but at a public banquet would cite a similar past case in which someone had been punished, as a subtle warning. Many younger men rose to military commissioner rank while Shousu remained long in place without promotion, yet he showed no resentment; public opinion greatly admired him for it.
51
王侁，字秘權，開封浚儀人。 父樸，周樞密使，侁以父任太仆寺丞。 樸卒，世宗幸其第，召見諸孤，以侁為東頭供奉官。 開寶中，征江南，命侁率師戍桐城。 王師渡江，與樊若水同知池州，領兵敗江南軍四千餘於宣州。 金陵平，加閣門祗候。
Wang Shen, whose courtesy name was Miquan, came from Junyi in Kaifeng. His father Wang Pu had been Privy Councilor under the Later Zhou; Shen received appointment as vice director of the Grand Stud through his father's privilege. When Pu died, Shizong visited his home, received his orphaned sons, and appointed Shen Eastern Head palace attendant. During the Kaibao campaign against Jiangnan he was ordered to lead troops in garrison at Tongcheng. When the imperial army crossed the Yangzi he served with Fan Ruoshui as joint administrator of Chizhou and defeated more than four thousand Jiangnan troops at Xuanzhou. After Jinling fell he was promoted to gate attendant.
52
太平興國初，預討梅山洞蠻。 契丹使來貢，詔侁送於境上。 還，使靈州、通遠軍。 及旋，言主帥所留牙兵率與邊人交結，頗桀黠難製，歲久當慮，請悉代之。 太宗因遣侁調內郡卒往代之。 戍者聞代，多不願還。 侁察其中旅拒者斬之以徇，眾皆悚息，遂將以還。 一歲中數往來西邊，多奏便宜，上多聽用，遷通事舍人。
Early in the Taiping Xingguo reign he took part in suppressing the Meishan cave tribes. When Khitan tribute envoys arrived, Shen was ordered to escort them to the frontier. On his return he was sent on missions to Lingzhou and the Tongyuan Army. On returning he reported that the adjutants left behind by frontier commanders had largely formed ties with local tribes, were fierce and unruly, and that after long service they posed a risk; he asked that they all be replaced. Taizong accordingly sent Shen to bring in troops from the interior prefectures to replace them. When the garrison troops learned they were to be replaced, most were unwilling to return. Shen identified those who resisted and executed them as an example; the rest were cowed into submission, and he led them back. Within a year he made several trips to the western frontier, submitted numerous practical proposals that the emperor largely adopted, and was promoted to communications attendant.
53
四年，從征太原，以侁護陽曲、塌地、石嶺關諸屯，賜廄馬介胄。 五月，即城下轉東上閣門副使。 晉陽平，留為嵐、憲巡檢。 九年，代還，遷西上閣門使，賜錢百萬。 河西三族首領折遇乜叛入李繼遷，侁帥師討擒之，以功領蔚州刺史。 王師北征，命為并州駐泊都監，又為雲、應等州兵馬都監。
In the fourth year, during the campaign against Taiyuan, he was assigned to protect the garrisons at Yangqu, Tadi, and Shiling Pass and was granted horses and armor from the imperial stables. In the fifth month, while still at the city walls, he was promoted to Eastern Upper Gate deputy commissioner. After Jinyang fell he was left behind as inspector of Lan and Xian prefectures. In the ninth year, when his tour ended, he was promoted to Western Upper Gate commissioner and granted one million in cash. Zhe Yuye, leader of the Hexi Three Clans, rebelled and joined Li Jiqian; Shen led troops to capture him and was appointed prefect of Youzhou for his service. During the northern campaign he was appointed garrison overseer at Bingzhou and also army overseer for Yun, Ying, and related prefectures.
54
侁性剛愎，以語激楊業，業因力戰陷於陣，侁坐除名，配隸金州，事載《楊業傳》。 會赦，移均州團練副使。 淳化五年召還，道病，至京師卒。
Shen was obstinate and headstrong; he goaded Yang Ye with his words, and Ye fought to the death and fell in battle. Shen was stripped of his rank and assigned to Jinzhou; the affair is recorded in the 《Biography of Yang Ye》. After an amnesty he was transferred to deputy regimentation commissioner of Junzhou. In the fifth year of Chunhua he was recalled to court, fell ill on the journey, and died after reaching the capital.
55
弟僎，供奉官、閤門祗候，坐征交阯軍敗誅； 備、偃並進士及第，偃至太常博士。
His younger brother Zhuan, a palace attendant and gate attendant, was executed for the defeat of the army in the campaign against Jiaozhi; Bei and Yan both passed the jinshi examination; Yan rose to Doctor of the Grand Temple.
56
樸弟格，宋初為右補闕、直史館，至都官員外郎、廣南轉運使。 格子侗，太平興國進士，至都官員外郎。
Pu's younger brother Ge served early in the Song as Right Remonstrator and direct historian of the Historiography Institute, and rose to external bureau director of the Ministry of Justice and transport commissioner of Guangnan. Ge's son Tong passed the jinshi examination in the Taiping Xingguo reign and rose to external bureau director of the Ministry of Justice.
57
劉審瓊
Liu Shenqiong
58
劉審瓊，涿州范陽人。 家素貧。 漢乾祐中，湘陰公鎮彭門，審瓊始隸帳下。 周祖受命，遁去，依永興軍節度劉詞，頗委任之。 詞卒，屬太祖節鎮，給事左右。 及受禪，補殿直。 從平澤、潞，改供奉官。
Liu Shenqiong was a native of Fanyang in Zhuozhou. His family had always been poor. During the Later Han Qianyou reign, when the Prince of Xiangyin held Pengmen, Shenqiong first entered his service. When Zhou Taizu seized power he left that service and attached himself to Liu Ci, military commissioner of the Yongxing Army, who entrusted him with considerable responsibility. After Liu Ci died he entered the service of Taizu, then a military commissioner, and attended him personally. When Taizu took the throne he was appointed palace guard. He took part in the pacification of Ze and Lu prefectures and was promoted to palace attendant.
59
開寶中，累遷至軍器庫使。 會樞密使李崇矩門人鄭伸擊登聞鼓，誣告崇矩受太原席羲叟黃金，私結翰林學士扈蒙，以甲科私羲叟，引審瓊為證。 上怒，召審瓊詰問，審瓊具言其誣枉，得解，遂出知鎮州。 七年，太宗征河東，駐蹕月餘，儲㣥無闕，遷領檀州刺史、知潭州。 州素多火，日調民積水為防，民甚勞之。 審瓊至，悉罷之，以為民便。 徙知河陽。 淳化三年，受代歸，陳衰老，乞正受郡符。 上閔其舊人，授坊州刺史。 至道三年，卒於官。
During the Kaibao reign he rose in succession to commissioner of the Arsenal. Li Chongju's follower Zheng Shen struck the Denunciation Drum and falsely accused Chongju of accepting gold from Xi Aisou of Taiyuan and colluding with Hanlin academician Hu Meng to award Aisou the top examination rank, naming Shenqiong as a witness. The emperor was furious and summoned Shenqiong for questioning; Shenqiong fully exposed the false accusation, the case was dropped, and he was sent out as prefect of Zhenzhou. In the seventh year, when Taizong campaigned against Hedong and halted for more than a month, Shenqiong supplied the army without shortfall and was promoted to prefect of Tanzhou while serving as administrator of Chizhou. The prefecture had long suffered frequent fires, and the people were daily mobilized to store water as a precaution, which imposed a heavy burden on them. When Shenqiong arrived he abolished the practice entirely, to the great relief of the people. He was transferred to serve as administrator of Heyang. In the third year of Chunhua, when his successor arrived, he returned to court, cited his advanced age, and asked for a formal prefectural appointment. The emperor, pitying an old companion, appointed him prefect of Fangzhou. He died in office in the third year of Zhidao.
60
審瓊嘗給事外諸侯，雅善酒令博鞠，年八十餘，筋力不衰，髭髮黳黑。 孫爽，進士及第，後為祠部員外郎、秘閣校理。
Shenqiong had once served various regional lords and was adept at drinking games, gambling, and cuju; even past eighty his strength did not fail him, and his beard and hair remained dark. His grandson Shuang passed the jinshi examination and later served as external bureau director of the Ministry of Rites and collator of the Secretariat.
61
論曰：王贊奮跡小校，有奉公之節，繩姦列郡，不畏強禦。 保續單車出使，不辱君命。 懷忠識荊渚之將危。 繼勳知番禺之可取。 侯贇久治邊郡。 文寶數護屯兵：斯各一時之效也。 德裕、梁迥、欽祚、王侁皆練習戎旅，頗著勳勞，然率強戾而乏溫克，以速於戾，斯乃明哲之所戒。 比以剛險蒙悔吝，珪以發擿肆威福，其不逞者歟！ 守素不事躁競，審瓊克享期頤。 《易》曰：「視履考祥，其旋元吉。」 此之謂也。
The commentators say: Wang Zan rose from the ranks as a junior officer, upheld the duty of public service, restrained wrongdoing across the prefectures he governed, and did not flinch before the powerful. Zhang Baoxu traveled alone on diplomatic missions and never failed in his charge. Lu Huaizhong foresaw the imminent peril of Jingzhou. Wang Jixun saw that Panyu could be conquered. Hou Yun long administered the frontier prefectures. Wang Wenbao repeatedly oversaw frontier garrisons—these were each timely contributions in their own way. Ding Deyu, Liang Jiong, Tian Qinzuo, and Wang Shen were all seasoned in military affairs and won considerable distinction, yet they were habitually harsh and lacked self-restraint; to rush into violence is what the wise counsel against. The former group met disgrace through stubborn treachery; Shi Gui abused his power through denunciation and exposure—were these not men who could not contain themselves! Di Shousu did not strive rashly for advancement; Liu Shenqiong lived out his full span of years. The 《Book of Changes》 says, "He observes his conduct and examines the omens; when he turns back, there is supreme good fortune." This is what is meant.