1
曹利用
Cao Liyong
2
曹利用，字用之，趙州寧晉人。 父諫，擢明經第，仕至右補闕，以武略改崇儀使。 利用少喜談辯，慷慨有志操。 諫卒，補殿前承旨，改右班殿直，遷為鄜延路走馬承受公事。
Cao Liyong, courtesy name Yongzhi, came from Ningjin in Zhao Prefecture. His father Jian had passed the Mingjing examination and risen to Right Supplementation Censor before being reassigned as Commissioner of Honored Ceremonies on account of his military ability. As a young man Liyong loved argument and debate and carried himself with generous, steadfast purpose. After Jian's death he was appointed a Palace Front Attendant, then made a Right Company Palace Guard, and later promoted to courier commissioner on the Fuyan Circuit.
3
景德元年，契丹寇河北，真宗幸澶州，射殺契丹大將撻覽，契丹欲收兵去，使王繼忠議和，擇可使契丹者。 利用適奏事行在，樞密院以利用應選，帝曰：「此重事也，毋輕用人。」 明日，樞密使王繼英又薦利用，遂授閤門祗候、崇儀副使，奉書詣契丹軍。 帝語利用曰：「契丹南來，不求地則邀賂爾。 關南地歸中國已久，不可許； 漢以玉帛賜單于，有故事。」 利用憤契丹，色不平，對曰：「彼若妄有所求，臣不敢生還。」 帝壯其言。
In the first year of the Jingde era the Khitan invaded Hebei. Emperor Zhenzong went to Chanyuan, where a shot killed the Khitan general Talan. The Khitan then wished to pull back their army and sent Wang Jizhong to discuss peace, asking for someone who could serve as envoy to them. Liyong happened to be presenting business at the traveling court, and the Bureau of Military Affairs put his name forward as a suitable choice. The emperor said, "This is a grave matter—do not appoint someone lightly." The next day the commissioner of military affairs Wang Jiying recommended Liyong again, and he was appointed Gate Attendant and Vice Commissioner of Honored Ceremonies and sent with an imperial letter to the Khitan camp. The emperor told Liyong, "The Khitan have marched south—if they are not after land, they will be pressing for gifts. The Guannan territory has belonged to China for many years and must not be conceded; the Han used to bestow jade and silks on the Chanyu—there is precedent for that." Liyong burned with anger at the Khitan; his face showed it as he answered, "If they press some improper demand, your servant will not dare return alive." The emperor was heartened by his words.
4
利用馳至軍中，耶律隆緒母見利用車上，車軛設橫板，布食器，召與飲食，其從臣重行坐。 飲食畢，果議關南地，利用拒之。 遣其臣韓杞來報命，利用再使契丹。 契丹母曰：「晉德我，畀我關南地，周世宗取之，今宜還我。」 利用曰：「晉人以地畀契丹，周人取之，我朝不知也。 若歲求金帛以佐軍，尚不知帝意可否，割地之請，利用不敢以聞。」 其政事舍人高正始遽前曰：「我引眾以來，圖復故地。 若止得金帛歸，則愧吾國人矣。」 利用曰：「子盍為契丹熟計，使契丹用子言，恐連兵結釁，不得而息，非國利也。」 契丹度不可屈，和議遂定，利用奉約書以歸。 擢東上閤門使、忠州刺史，賜第京師。 契丹遣使來聘，遂命利用迎勞之。
Liyong rode swiftly to the Khitan camp. The mother of Yelü Longxu noticed on his carriage a crossboard fitted to the yoke and food vessels set out; she summoned him to eat and drink while his attendant ministers sat in two rows. When the meal was over they did raise the question of Guannan, and Liyong refused. They sent their minister Han Qi to carry their reply, and Liyong was dispatched to the Khitan a second time. The Khitan empress dowager said, "Jin owed us gratitude and ceded Guannan to us; Emperor Shizong of Zhou seized it—now it ought to be returned to us." Liyong replied, "The Jin ceded that land to the Khitan and the Zhou took it back—our dynasty had no part in either transaction. If you ask each year for gold and silks to support your armies, I still do not know whether the emperor would consent—but a request to cede territory is something I dare not even report." Gao Zhengshi, an administrative affairs attendant, stepped forward abruptly and said, "I led our forces here to recover our former territory. If we go home with nothing but gold and silks, we will have shamed our people." Liyong said, "You would do well to think this through carefully for the Khitan. If they follow your counsel, I fear endless war and deepening enmity with no respite—that cannot serve your state's interest." Seeing that he could not be broken, the Khitan settled the peace, and Liyong returned bearing the treaty. He was promoted to Eastern Upper Gate Commissioner and made prefect of Zhongzhou, with a mansion granted him in the capital. When the Khitan sent envoys on a friendly visit, he was ordered to welcome and entertain them.
5
知宜州劉永規馭下殘酷，軍校乘眾怨，殺永規叛，陷柳城縣，圍象州，分兵掠廣州，嶺南騷動。 帝謂輔臣曰：「向者司天占候當用兵，朕固憂遠方守將非其人，以起邊釁，今果然。 曹利用曉方略，盡心於事，其以為廣南安撫使。」 利用至嶺外，遇賊武仙縣。 賊持健標，蒙采盾，衣甲堅利，鋒鏑不能入。 利用使士持巨斧長刀破盾，遂斬首以徇。 嶺南平，遷引進使。 歷客省使、嘉州防禦使，出為鄜延路總管。 大中祥符七年，拜樞密副使，加宣徽北院使、同知院事，進知院事，遂拜樞密使、同中書門下平章事。
Liu Yonggui, prefect of Yizhou, ruled his men with cruelty. Military officers, riding a wave of resentment, killed him and rebelled, took Liucheng County, besieged Xiangzhou, and sent detachments to raid Guangzhou, throwing all of Lingnan into turmoil. The emperor told his chief ministers, "The Directorate of Astronomy had lately foretold warfare. I had worried that distant frontier commanders might be the wrong men and provoke border trouble—and so it has proved. Cao Liyong understands strategy and throws himself wholeheartedly into his duties—appoint him Pacification Commissioner of Guangnan." Liyong reached the far south and met the rebels at Wuxian County. The rebels carried heavy standards, covered themselves with painted shields, and wore armor so tough that blades and arrowheads could not pierce it. Liyong ordered his men to take up great axes and long knives to smash the shields, then beheaded the enemy and displayed the heads as a warning. When Lingnan was pacified he was promoted to Commissioner of Introduction. He served in turn as Guest Reception Commissioner and Defender of Jiazhou, then was posted out as overall commander of the Fuyan Circuit. In the seventh year of Dazhong Xiangfu he was made vice commissioner of military affairs, then added as northern bureau commissioner of the palace directorate and associate director, advanced to director, and finally appointed commissioner of military affairs and associate grand councillor.
6
利用在位既久，頗恃功。 天禧二年，輔臣丁謂、李迪爭論帝前，迪斥謂奸邪，因言利用與之為朋黨。 利用曰：「以片文遇主，臣不如迪； 捐軀以入不測之虜，迪不逮臣也。」 迪坐是免，而利用以檢校太師兼太子少保為會靈觀使，進尚書右僕射。
Having held office for many years, Liyong began to lean heavily on his past service. In the second year of Tianxi the chief ministers Ding Wei and Li Di quarreled before the emperor. Di denounced Wei as treacherous and declared that Liyong was his partisan ally. Liyong said, "In winning the throne's favor through a brief memorial, I am no match for Di; but in risking my life to enter the unpredictable enemy camp, Di does not reach my level." Di was dismissed on this account, while Liyong was made director of the Huiling Temple with the honorary titles of grand preceptor and junior tutor to the heir apparent, and promoted to right vice director of the Imperial Secretariat.
7
乾興初，加左僕射兼侍中、武寧軍節度使、景靈宮使，詔如曹彬給公使錢歲萬緡。 契丹使者蕭從順桀驁，稱疾留館下，不時發。 朝廷遣使問勞，相望於道。 利用請一切罷之，從順乃引去。
At the beginning of Qianxing he was further made left vice director, palace attendant, military commissioner of the Wuning army, and director of the Jingling Palace, with an edict granting him ten thousand strings of public envoy funds each year, as had been done for Cao Bin. The Khitan envoy Xiao Congshun was arrogant and overbearing; he claimed illness and lingered at the guest house, refusing to depart on schedule. The court sent envoys one after another to inquire after him, their processions filling the road. Liyong asked that all such attentions cease, and Congshun then took his leave.
8
加司空。 舊制，樞密使雖檢校三司兼侍中、尚書令，猶班宰相下。 乾興中，王曾由次相為會靈觀使，利用由樞密使領景靈宮使，時重宮觀使，詔利用班曾上，議者非之。 未幾，曾進昭文館大學士、玉清昭應宮使，將告謝，而利用猶欲班曾上，閤門不敢裁。 帝與太后坐承明殿久之，遣押班趣班，閤門惶懼莫知所出，曾抗聲目吏曰：「但奏宰臣王曾等告謝。」 班既定，而利用怏怏不平。 帝使同列慰曉之，仍詔宰臣、樞密使序班如故事，而利用益驕，尚居次相張知白上。 尋召張旻於河陽，為樞密使，利用疑代己，始悔懼焉。
He was given the additional title of Minister of Works. Under the old regulations, even when a commissioner of military affairs held honorary rank in the three directorates together with the titles of palace attendant or director of the Imperial Secretariat, he still ranked below the chief councillors. During Qianxing Wang Zeng moved from secondary councillor to director of the Huiling Temple while Liyong, as commissioner of military affairs, also headed the Jingling Palace. Because the palace-temple directorship was highly valued at the time, an edict placed Liyong's court rank above Zeng's, which drew criticism. Before long Zeng was advanced to academician of the Hall of Spreading Culture and director of the Yujing Zhaoying Palace and was to present his thanks—but Liyong still wanted to rank above him, and the Gate Office dared not rule on the matter. The emperor and empress dowager sat in Chenming Hall for a long while and sent the usher to hurry the formation. The Gate Office was in a panic and did not know what to do. Zeng raised his voice and told the clerk, "Simply announce that the chief councillor Wang Zeng and others present their thanks." Once the order was settled, Liyong was left resentful and displeased. The emperor had his colleagues console and reason with him and also ordered that chief councillors and the commissioner of military affairs follow the old ranking—but Liyong grew still more arrogant and continued to place himself above the secondary councillor Zhang Zhibai. Soon Zhang Min was summoned from Heyang to be commissioner of military affairs. Liyong suspected he was meant to replace him and began to feel regret and fear.
9
初，章獻太后臨朝，中人與貴戚稍能軒輊為禍福，而利用以勳舊自居，不恤也。 凡內降恩，力持不予，左右多怨，太后亦嚴憚利用，稱曰侍中而不名。 利用奏事簾前，或以指爪擊帶鞓，左右指以示太后曰：「利用在先帝時，何敢爾邪？」 太后頷之。 利用奏抑內降恩難屢卻，亦有不得已從之者。 人揣知之，或紿太后曰：「蒙恩得內降輒不從，今利用家媼陰諾臣請，其必可得矣。」 下之而驗，太后始疑其私，頗銜怒。
When Empress Dowager Zhangxian first held court, eunuchs and noble kin could sway fortunes at will, but Liyong, counting himself among the dynasty's meritorious elders, paid no heed. Whenever internal edicts granted favors, he firmly refused to carry them out, earning much resentment from those around the throne. The empress dowager herself stood in awe of him and addressed him as "Palace Attendant" without using his name. When Liyong reported business before the curtain, he would sometimes tap his belt plaque with a fingernail. Those beside him pointed this out to the empress dowager and said, "In the late emperor's time, how would Liyong have dared behave like this?" The empress dowager nodded. Liyong reported that it was difficult to refuse internal edict favors repeatedly and that there were times when he had no choice but to comply. People sensed this, and some deceived the empress dowager, saying, "Whenever I received an internal edict Liyong would not comply—but now an old nurse in Liyong's household has secretly promised my request, so it will surely go through." The edict was issued and proved true. The empress dowager then first suspected his private dealings and nursed considerable anger.
10
內侍羅崇勳得罪，太后使利用召崇勳戒敕之，利用去崇勳冠幘，詬斥良久，崇勳恨之。 會從子汭為趙州兵馬監押，而州民趙德崇詣闕告汭不法事。 奏上，崇勳請往按治，遂窮探其獄。 汭坐被酒衣黃衣，令人呼萬歲，杖死。 初，汭事起，即罷利用樞密使，加兼侍中判鄧州。 及汭誅，謫左千牛衛將軍、知隨州。 又坐私貸景靈宮錢，貶崇信軍節度副使，房州安置，命內侍楊懷敏護送； 諸子各奪二官，沒所賜第，籍其貲，黜親屬十餘人。 宦者多惡利用，行至襄陽驛，懷敏不肯前，以語逼之，利用素剛，遂投繯而絕，以暴卒聞。
The inner attendant Luo Chongxun had committed an offense. The empress dowager had Liyong summon him to deliver a reprimand. Liyong removed Chongxun's cap and headcloth and berated him at length, and Chongxun came to hate him. It happened that his nephew Yan was military supervisor at Zhao Prefecture, and a local man named Zhao Dechong went to court to report Yan's misconduct. When the memorial reached the throne, Chongxun asked to go investigate and thoroughly probed the case. Yan was found guilty of being drunk, wearing yellow robes, and having someone shout "Long live the emperor!" He was beaten to death. As soon as the case against Yan arose, Liyong was removed as commissioner of military affairs and given the additional title of palace attendant with jurisdiction over Dengzhou. When Yan was executed, Liyong was demoted to general of the Left Thousand-Ox Guard and made prefect of Suizhou. He was punished again for privately lending out Jingling Palace funds, demoted to vice military commissioner of the Chongxin army, and placed under restraint in Fangzhou, with the inner attendant Yang Huaimin ordered to escort him; each of his sons was stripped of two ranks, the mansion that had been granted him was confiscated, his property was registered and seized, and more than ten kinsmen were dismissed from office. Many eunuchs hated Liyong. When they reached Xiangyang post station, Huaimin would not go forward and pressed him with words. Liyong had always been unyielding; he hanged himself, and his death was reported as sudden.
11
後其家請居鄧州，帝惻然許之，命其子內殿崇班淵監本州稅。 明道二年，追復節度兼侍中，後贈太傅，還諸子官，賜諡襄悼，命學士趙概作神道碑，帝為篆其額曰「旌功之碑」，詔歸所沒舊產。
Later his family asked permission to live in Dengzhou. The emperor compassionately agreed and ordered his son Yuan, an inner palace attendant of the Honored Company, to supervise tax collection in that prefecture. In the second year of Mingdao his military commission and palace attendant title were posthumously restored. Later he was given the posthumous title Grand Tutor, his sons' offices were returned, and he was granted the temple name Xiangdao. Academician Zhao Gai was ordered to compose his spirit-way stele, and the emperor personally wrote its title in seal script: "Stele Commemorating Merit." An edict returned the confiscated property.
12
利用性悍梗少通，力裁僥幸，而其親舊或有因緣以進者，故及於禍。 然在朝廷忠藎有守，始終不為屈，死非其罪，天下冤之。
Liyong was by nature fierce and inflexible, and he worked hard to cut off opportunists—yet some among his kin and friends had advanced through connections, and that was how he came to ruin. Yet in court he had been loyal and steadfast and never yielded. His death was not deserved, and people everywhere regarded it as an injustice.
13
孫繼鄴 〈附〉
Sun Jiye 〈Appended biography〉
14
孫繼鄴，字元嗣，其先金陵人。 祖謙，事李昪為長劍都指揮使，南伐閩，援兵不至，戰死。 父承睿時為小校，憤將兵者不如期，致其父沒，乃刺殺之，亡去，轉徙淮、楚間。 久之，入京師，以策上太宗，授左班殿直，終左藏庫使。
Sun Jiye, courtesy name Yuansi, came from Jinling. His grandfather Qian had served Li Bian as commander of the Long Sword Guard. On the southern campaign against Min, reinforcements never arrived and he died in battle. His father Chengrui was then a junior officer. Angered that the commanding officer had not arrived on schedule and so caused his father's death, he stabbed the man and fled, wandering between the Huai and Chu regions. After a long while he entered the capital, presented a stratagem to Emperor Taizong, and was appointed a Left Company Palace Guard. He ended his career as commissioner of the Left Storehouse.
15
繼鄴初以三班奉職監涔陽酒稅。 會宜州陳進反，曹利用辟以自隨，為前驅，破賊於象州大烏嶺。 以功遷左侍禁、端州兵馬監押。 徙秦州永寧砦，總徒城洛門，改西頭供奉官。 晁迥薦為閤門祗候，上御戎策十數事。 又用曹瑋薦，為鄜延路兵馬都監，徙知環州，累遷崇儀副使。 會修築洪德砦，與總兵者論事不協，絀為冀州兵馬都監，起知保安軍，徙涇州。 使契丹。
Jiye began as a Third Company Attendant supervising the wine tax at Cenyang. When Chen Jin of Yizhou rebelled, Cao Liyong recruited him to accompany him. Serving as vanguard, he defeated the rebels at Dawu Ridge in Xiangzhou. For his service he was promoted to Left Palace Guard and made military supervisor of Duanzhou. He was posted to Yongning Stockade in Qinzhou, oversaw conscript labor to build the city of Luomen, and was made a Western Head Attendant. Chao Jiong recommended him as Gate Attendant, and he presented more than ten items of military policy to the throne. On Cao Wei's recommendation he became overall military supervisor of the Fuyan Circuit, was transferred to serve as prefect of Huanzhou, and rose in stages to Vice Commissioner of Honored Ceremonies. During construction of Hongde Stockade he fell out with the overall commander over policy and was demoted to military supervisor of Jizhou. He was then raised to command the Bao'an Army and transferred to Jingzhou. He served as envoy to the Khitan.
16
樞密使曹利用欲用之，繼鄴惡其權盛，陰知利用將有禍，數以疾辭，遂除左龍武軍統軍致仕。 利用貶，復為崇儀副使，遷供備庫使、知石州，徙保州，領恩州刺史、知雄州。 累遷西上閤門使，擢為龍神衛四廂都指揮使、端州防禦使。 出為環慶路副都總管，道改涇原路，兼知渭州。 建言：「蕭關故道，前控大川，善水草，賊騎所從出也。 誠得屬羌，與奉賜，且羈其酋領，使為藩籬，則可無西顧憂矣。」 為步軍都虞候，徙真定路，卒。
Commissioner of military affairs Cao Liyong wished to employ him, but Jiye disliked his swollen power, secretly foresaw that Liyong would come to ruin, and repeatedly declined on grounds of illness until he was granted retirement as overall commander of the Left Dragon Martial Army. When Liyong was demoted, Jiye was restored as Vice Commissioner of Honored Ceremonies, made commissioner of the Equipment Storehouse and prefect of Shizhou, transferred to Baozhou, and given the titles of prefect of Enzhou and prefect of Xiongzhou. He rose in stages to Western Upper Gate Commissioner and was advanced to overall commander of the four companies of the Dragon Spirit Guard and Defender of Duanzhou. He was posted out as deputy overall commander of the Huanqing Circuit, was transferred en route to the Jingyuan Circuit, and concurrently served as prefect of Weizhou. He submitted a proposal: "The old road through Xiaoguan commands a great river valley with good water and pasture—it is the route enemy cavalry use to come forth. If we could truly win over the subordinate Qiang with stipends and keep their chieftains in check so they serve as a barrier, we could be free of worry over the western frontier." He was made chief adjutant of the foot soldiers, transferred to the Zhending Circuit, and died.
17
張耆，字元弼，開封人。 年十一，給事真宗藩邸，及即位，授西頭供奉官。 嘗與石知顒侍射苑中，連發中的，擢供備庫副使、帶御器械。
Zhang Qi, courtesy name Yuanbi, came from Kaifeng. At eleven he entered service in Prince Zhenzong's household. When Zhenzong ascended the throne, he was appointed a Western Head Attendant. Once he attended an archery session in the garden with Shi Zhiyong and hit the target repeatedly in succession. He was promoted to vice commissioner of the Equipment Storehouse and bearer of imperial arms.
18
咸平中，契丹犯邊，以功遷南作坊使、昭州刺史、天雄軍兵馬鈐轄。 邊兵未解，徙鎮州行營鈐轄，又徙定州。 契丹圍望都，耆與諸將從間道往援，比至，城已陷矣。 耆與敵戰，身被數創，殺契丹梟將。 遲明復戰，而王繼忠為契丹所執。 耆還，因言天道方利先舉者，請大舉討之，及上興師出境之日。 帝以問輔臣，以為不可。 遷昭州團練使、幷代州鈐轄。 明年，契丹兵復入，旁欲親征，耆奏邊事十餘條，多論兵貴持重及所以取勝者。 召還，入對，帝曰：「卿嘗請北伐，契丹入塞，與卿所請興師之日同，悔不用卿策。 今領守澶州而未得人，如何？」 耆請行。 帝喜，命為駕前西面鈐轄，令至澶州候契丹遠近。 耆馳騎往，改東面排陣鈐轄。
During the Xianping era the Khitan raided the frontier. For his service he was promoted to commissioner of the Southern Workshops, prefect of Zhaozhou, and military controller of the Tianxiong army. Before the frontier forces were stood down, he was transferred to military controller of the mobile camp at Zhenzhou, then again to Dingzhou. The Khitan besieged Wangdu. Qi and the other generals took a bypath to relieve the city, but by the time they arrived it had already fallen. Qi fought the enemy, took several wounds, and killed a renowned Khitan commander. At dawn he fought again, while Wang Jizhong was captured by the Khitan. When Qi returned, he said that Heaven's way currently favored whoever struck first. He asked for a major campaign against the Khitan, timed to coincide with the day the emperor raised troops and crossed the border. The emperor consulted his chief ministers, who judged the proposal inadvisable. He was transferred to regimental commissioner of Zhaozhou and military controller of Bing and Dai prefectures. The next year the Khitan invaded again. The emperor wished to take the field in person, and Qi submitted more than ten memorials on frontier affairs, most of them arguing that armies should be handled with restraint and explaining how to win. He was recalled for audience. The emperor said, "You once asked for a northern campaign. The Khitan entered the frontier on the very day you urged us to mobilize—I regret that we did not follow your plan. I am now directing the defense of Chanyuan but still lack the right man. What shall we do?" Qi volunteered to go. The emperor was pleased and made him western military controller before the imperial carriage, ordering him to Chanyuan to watch the Khitan's movements. Qi rode there at full speed and was reassigned as eastern array-formation military controller.
19
事平，會曹州趙諫告耆受金，為人求薦禮部，貶供備庫使、潞州都監。 久之，事稍辨，復官管勾皇城司。 帝以耆歷河東，稔邊事，召耆至宣和閣，問地里險易狀。 耆因言：「雲、應、蔚、朔四郡，間遣人以文移至幷、代間，非覘邊虛實，即欲熟道路。 宜密諭代州，使自雲、應、蔚至者由大石谷入，自朔至者由土墱入，餘間道皆塞之以示險。」 景德罷兵，耆與曹璨、李神祐、岑保正閱軍籍，請汰罷癃者。 遷英州防禦使、侍衛親軍馬軍都虞候。
After peace was restored, Zhao Jian of Caozhou reported that Qi had taken bribes to secure Ministry of Rites recommendations for others. Qi was demoted to commissioner of the Equipment Storehouse and chief supervisor of Luzhou. After a long while the matter was largely cleared up, and he was restored to office as overseer of the Imperial City Office. Because Qi had served in Hedong and knew frontier affairs well, the emperor summoned him to the Xuanhe Pavilion and questioned him about the terrain. Qi then said, "The four prefectures of Yun, Ying, Wei, and Shuo keep sending men with official documents into the country between Bing and Dai—either to spy out our frontier's strengths and weaknesses or to learn the roads by heart. We should secretly instruct Daizhou that arrivals from Yun, Ying, and Wei must enter by Dashigu, those from Shuo by Tuyong, and that all other bypaths should be blocked to show how difficult the country is." After the Jingde truce ended the war, Qi joined Cao Shen, Li Shenyou, and Cen Baozheng in reviewing military registers and asked that the infirm be weeded out. He was transferred to defender of Yingzhou and chief adjutant of the horse soldiers of the imperial guard.
20
從帝東封，遷絳州防禦使、殿前都虞候。 時建玉清宮，耆奏疏謂殫國財力，非所以承天意。 遷相州觀察使、馬軍副都指揮使。 從祀汾陰，授威塞軍節度使，進宣徽南院使兼樞密副使。 罷，判河陽。 丁父母憂，起復，徙武寧軍節度使，拜同中書門下平章事、判陳州。 累遷鎮安軍、淮南節度使、判壽州。 遣中書舍人張師德就賜告敕。 尋召為樞密使兼群牧制置使、會靈觀使。
He accompanied the emperor on the eastern Feng sacrifice and was transferred to defender of Jiangzhou and chief adjutant of the palace front. While the Jade Purity Palace was being built, Qi submitted a memorial arguing that the project would drain the state's finances and was no way to fulfill Heaven's intent. He was transferred to observation commissioner of Xiangzhou and vice commander-in-chief of the horse soldiers. He accompanied the sacrifice at Fenyin, was appointed military commissioner of the Weisai army, and was promoted to commissioner of the southern court of the palace secretariat together with vice commissioner of military affairs. Dismissed from those posts, he was assigned to administer Heyang. When his parents died he entered mourning but was recalled to service, transferred to military commissioner of the Wuning army, and appointed co-director of the secretariat-chancellery with charge of Chenzhou. He was successively made military commissioner of the Zhen'an army and the Huainan circuit and assigned to administer Shouzhou. The court sent Secretariat drafter Zhang Shide to deliver his appointment edict in person. Soon afterward he was recalled as commissioner of military affairs, and also made commissioner for pasturage administration and director of the Huiling Temple.
21
先名旻，至是表改名耆。 加尚書左僕射，歷河陽、泰寧、山南東道、昭德軍節度使，進兼侍中，封鄧國公。 章獻太后崩，以左僕射、護國軍節度出判許州，移襄、鄧、孟、許、陳、壽六州，封徐國公。
He had originally been named Min; at this point he submitted a memorial asking to change his name to Qi. He was further made left vice director of the Imperial Secretariat, served successively as military commissioner of Heyang, Taining, the Shannan East circuit, and the Zhaode army, was promoted to palace attendant as well, and was enfeoffed as duke of Deng. When Empress Dowager Zhangxian died, he left the capital as left vice director and military commissioner of the Huguo army to administer Xuzhou, was transferred among Xiang, Deng, Meng, Xu, Chen, and Shou, and was enfeoffed as duke of Xu.
22
耆為人重密，有智數，真宗在東宮，嘗命授以《論語》、《左氏春秋》，後又賜《宸戒》二十條及《聖政記》、《冊府元龜》，故頗知傳記及術數之學，言象緯輒中。 章獻太后微時嘗寓其家，耆事之甚謹。 及太后預政，寵遇最厚，賜第尚書省西，凡七百楹，安佚富盛逾四十年。 家居為曲闌，積百貨其中，與群婢相貿易。 有病者親為診切，以藥儥之，欲錢不出也。 所歷藩鎮，人頗以為擾。 然御諸子嚴，日一見之，即出就外舍，論者亦以此多之。 以太子太師致仕，卒，贈太師兼侍中，諡榮僖。
Qi was grave, secretive, and shrewd. While Zhenzong was crown prince he had been instructed in the Analects and the Zuo Tradition, and later received the twenty articles of Imperial Admonitions, the Record of Sagely Governance, and the Prime Tortoise of the Archive Hall. He therefore knew historical writing and numerological arts well, and his remarks on celestial signs often proved accurate. In her early days Empress Dowager Zhangxian had once stayed in his home, and Qi had served her with great care. Once the empress dowager entered politics, no one was favored more richly than he. She granted him a residence west of the Imperial Secretariat—seven hundred bays in all—and for more than forty years he lived in comfort and wealth. At home he built a curved market enclosure, stocked it with all sorts of goods, and traded with his maidservants. When someone fell ill he personally examined the patient and sold medicine by barter—if they wanted to pay in cash, he would not give them any. In the regions where he served as military commissioner, people generally found him a nuisance. Yet he was strict with his sons, seeing each of them once a day before sending them out to the outer quarters, and critics praised him for that as well. He retired as grand preceptor of the heir apparent and died. He was posthumously granted grand preceptor together with palace attendant, with the posthumous title Rongxi.
23
子二十四人。 得一，慶曆中守貝州，妖人王則作亂，不能死，又與之草禮儀，伏誅； 可一，坐與群婢賊殺其妻，棄市； 利一，團練使； 誠一，客省使、樞密都承旨。
He had twenty-four sons. Deyi served as prefect of Beizhou during the Qingli era. When the sorcerer Wang Ze rebelled he failed to die in defense of the city and even drafted ritual protocols for Wang Ze; he was executed; Keyi was executed in the marketplace for conspiring with the maidservants to murder his wife; Liyi became a regimental commissioner; Chengyi served as reception commissioner and chief palace aide of the bureau of military affairs.
24
子希一
Son: Xiyi
25
希一，字簡翁，以父耆蔭，累官引進使，在知冀、邢等九州。 貝州叛，希一先引兵至，得其水門。 猶絓兄得一累，監洪州鹽。 復為河北緣邊安撫副使。 請徙邊兵內地以寬糴費，每州歲為市平以糴邊穀，使人不能高下其價； 戍卒之孥給糧，先軍士一日，使其家為伍保，坐以逃亡之累，皆著為法。 徙成都利州路鈐轄、真定府路總管。
Xiyi, courtesy name Jianweng, entered office through his father Qi's privilege and rose to introducing commissioner, serving as prefect of nine prefectures including Ji and Xing. When Beizhou rebelled, Xiyi was the first to lead troops there and secured its water gate. Still held back by his brother Deyi's disgrace, he was made overseer of salt at Hongzhou. He was again made vice pacification commissioner on the Hebei frontier. He asked that frontier troops be moved inland to reduce grain-purchase costs, and that each prefecture set an annual fair price for buying frontier grain so that no one could manipulate the price; the families of garrison soldiers were to receive rations one day before the soldiers themselves, their households organized into mutual-responsibility groups liable for desertion, and all of this was written into law. He was transferred to military controller of the Chengdu-Lizhou circuit and overall commander of the Zhending circuit.
26
累使遼及館客，遼人嘗以雄州不當禁漁界河、及役白溝兩屬民為言。 希一曰：「界河之禁，起於大國統和年，今文移尚存。 白溝本輸中國田租，我太宗特除之，自是大國侵牟立稅，故名兩屬，惡有中國不役之理？」 遼人詞塞。 以均州防禦使提舉集禧觀，卒。 弟利一。
He repeatedly served as envoy to Liao and as host to Liao envoys. The Liao once complained that Xiongzhou should not forbid fishing on the border river and that corvée should not be levied on the dual-jurisdiction people of Baigou. Xiyi said, "The ban on the border river dates to your state's Tonghe era—the documents still exist. Baigou originally paid land tax to China, and our Taizong specially exempted it. Since then your state has encroached and imposed taxes, which is why the area is called dual jurisdiction—how could China have no right to levy corvée?" The Liao envoys were left speechless. As defender of Junzhou he was made director of the Jixi Temple and died. Younger brother: Liyi.
27
子利一
Son: Liyi
28
利一，字和叔。 以蔭補供奉官、光州都監。 提點京東、淮南刑獄，知莫、冀二州，為河北緣邊安撫都監兼閤門通事舍人、知廣信軍。
Liyi, courtesy name Heshu. Through yin privilege he was appointed an attendant and chief supervisor of Guangzhou. He served as judicial intendant for Jingdong and Huainan, prefect of Mo and Ji, chief frontier pacification supervisor of Hebei together with gate protocol attendant, and prefect of the Guangxin army.
29
諜告遼人宋元寇邊，利一置酒高會於譙門，元率眾遁去。 徙知保州、雄州，累遷西上閤門使、嘉州團練使。 遼人刺兩屬民為兵，民不堪其辱，利一綏來之。 有大姓舉族南徙，慕而來者至二萬。 利一發稟振恤，且移詰涿州，自是不敢復刺。
A spy reported that the Liao commander Song Yuan was raiding the frontier. Liyi held a grand banquet at the watchtower gate, and Yuan led his men and fled. He was transferred to Baozhou and Xiongzhou, and was successively promoted to western upper gate commissioner and regimental commissioner of Jiazhou. When the Liao conscripted dual-jurisdiction residents as soldiers, the people could not bear the abuse, and Liyi reassured them and won them over. One great clan moved south with its entire household, and those who followed in admiration numbered as many as twenty thousand. Liyi opened the granaries for relief and also sent a protest to Zhuozhou; after that the Liao did not dare conscript there again.
30
巡檢趙用有罪，坐不察舉，改衛州鈐轄。 久之，為定州路鈐轄，進馬步軍總管，徙真定、大名府路。 歷知代、滄、澶、鄭、相州，終雄州團練使。
When patrol inspector Zhao Yong committed an offense, Liyi was punished for failing to investigate and report it and was transferred to military controller of Weizhou. After a long while he became military controller of the Dingzhou circuit, was promoted to overall commander of the horse and foot soldiers, and was transferred to the Zhending and Daming circuits. He served successively as prefect of Dai, Cang, Chan, Zheng, and Xiang, and ended his career as regimental commissioner of Xiongzhou.
31
楊崇勳
Yang Chongxun
32
楊崇勳，字寶臣，薊州人。 祖守斌，事太祖為龍捷指揮使。 父全美，事太宗為殿前指揮使。 崇勳以父蔭為東西班承旨，事真宗於東宮。 帝嘗曰：「“聞若嗜學，吾授若書。」 崇勳自是稍通兵法及前代興廢之事。 真宗即位，遷左侍禁、西頭供奉官、寄班祗候。
Yang Chongxun, courtesy name Baochen, came from Jizhou. His grandfather Shoubin served Taizu as commander of the Dragon Swift army. His father Quanmei served Taizong as commander of the palace front. Chongxun entered office through his father's privilege as an attendant of the eastern and western companies and served Zhenzong when he was crown prince. The emperor once said, "I hear you love study—I shall teach you books." From then on Chongxun gradually mastered military methods and the rise and fall of earlier dynasties. When Zhenzong ascended the throne, he was transferred to left palace guard, western head attendant, and temporary gate attendant.
33
雷有終討王均，崇勳承受公事，以奏捷擢內殿崇班。 累遷西上閤門使、群牧都監，改副使，以左衛大將軍、恩州刺史為樞密都承旨，尋提舉樞密諸房、通進銀臺司事。 以英州防禦使為馬軍都虞候、並代州馬步軍副都總管，留為客省使、領群牧使。
When Lei Youzhong suppressed Wang Jun, Chongxun served as courier commissioner on the campaign and was promoted to inner palace attendant for reporting the victory. He was successively promoted to western upper gate commissioner and director of pasturage, then made vice director; as left guard general and prefect of Enzhou he became chief palace aide of the bureau of military affairs, and soon afterward oversaw the bureau's various offices and the affairs of the Silver Terrace Forwarding Office. As defender of Yingzhou he was made chief adjutant of the horse soldiers and vice overall commander of the horse and foot soldiers of Bing and Dai, while remaining reception commissioner and head of the pasturage commission.
34
真宗久不豫，寇準罷。 入內副都知周懷政謀奉帝為太上皇，傳位太子，復相準。 嘗以謀訪崇勳，崇勳以變告。 丁謂得其辭，夜造曹利用，共議發之。 翌日，誅懷政，擢崇勳鄧州觀察使，不拜，乃以內客省使領桂州觀察使，復兼群牧使。 初，群牧置使皆以文臣領之，崇勳曰：「馬者戰備，雖無事，可去邪？」
Zhenzong had long been ill, and Kou Zhun was dismissed. The inner deputy director Zhou Huaizheng plotted to make the emperor retired emperor, transfer the throne to the heir apparent, and restore Kou Zhun as chief councillor. He once sought Chongxun's counsel on the plot, and Chongxun reported the conspiracy. Ding Wei obtained his confession, visited Cao Liyong by night, and together they discussed exposing the plot. The next day Huaizheng was executed. Chongxun was promoted to observation commissioner of Dengzhou but declined the appointment, and was instead made inner reception commissioner with charge of Guizhou, again also heading the pasturage commission. At first the pasturage commission had always been headed by civil officials. Chongxun said, "Horses are military preparedness—even in peacetime, can they be done away with?"
35
章獻與仁宗言，先帝最稱崇勳質信，可任大事，乃進樞密使。 百官詣洪福院上章懿冊，退而立班奉慰，宰相張士遜過崇勳園飲，日中期不至。 御史中丞范諷劾奏，與士遜俱罷，以同平章事、河陽三城節度使判許州。 翌日，改陳州。 景祐初，懷政家人訟冤，遂罷同平章事，知壽州，徙亳州，復知陳州。
Zhangxian told Renzong that the late emperor had most praised Chongxun's honesty and trustworthiness and that he could be entrusted with great affairs, and Chongxun was then promoted to commissioner of military affairs. When the officials went to Hongfu Temple to present Empress Zhangyi's memorial tablet, withdrew, and stood in formation to offer condolences, chief councillor Zhang Shixun stopped at Chongxun's garden to drink and failed to arrive on time at midday. Censor-in-chief Fan Feng impeached them, and both were dismissed. Chongxun was made co-director of the secretariat-chancellery and military commissioner of the three cities of Heyang with charge of Xuzhou. The next day his assignment was changed to Chenzhou. At the beginning of the Jingyou era, Huaizheng's family petitioned that he had been wronged. Chongxun was then dismissed as co-director of the secretariat-chancellery, made prefect of Shouzhou, transferred to Bozhou, and again made prefect of Chenzhou.
36
契丹將渝盟，朝廷擇將備邊，崇勳請行，復拜同平章事、判定州。 既而老不任事，徙成德軍，又徙鄭州。 坐其子宗誨納賕枉法，以左衛上將軍致仕，改太子太保，卒。 贈太尉，諡恭密，尋改諡恭毅。
When the Khitan were about to break the treaty, the court chose generals to guard the frontier. Chongxun volunteered to go and was again appointed co-director of the secretariat-chancellery with charge of Dingzhou. Before long old age left him unfit for duty, and he was transferred to the Chengde army and then to Zhengzhou. Because his son Zonghui had taken bribes and perverted the law, he retired as left guard senior general, was reassigned as grand preceptor of the heir apparent, and died. He was posthumously granted grand commandant with the posthumous title Gongmi, which was soon changed to Gongyi.
37
崇勳性貪鄙，久任軍職。 當真宗時，每對，輒肆言中外事，喜中傷人，人以是畏之。 在藩鎮日，嘗役兵工作木偶戲人，塗以丹白，舟載鬻於京師。
Chongxun was greedy and base by nature and long held military office. During Zhenzong's reign, at every audience he would speak freely about affairs at court and abroad and delighted in slandering others, so people feared him. While serving as military commissioner he once forced soldiers to make puppet-theater figures, painted them red and white, and shipped them by boat to sell in the capital.
38
夏守恩
Xia Shouen
39
夏守恩，字君殊，幷州榆次人。 父遇，為武騎軍校，與契丹戰，歿。 時守恩才六歲。 補下班殿侍，給事襄王宮，累遷西頭供奉官。
Xia Shouen, courtesy name Junshu, came from Yuci in Bingzhou. His father Yu was a corporal in the Martial Cavalry army; he fought the Khitan and was killed. Shouen was then only six years old. He entered service as a lower-rank hall attendant in the Prince of Xiang's household and rose through several posts to Western Head Honored Attendant.
40
天聖初，加步軍副都指揮使、威塞軍節度使，為永定陵總管。 雷允恭、邢中和徙皇堂，穿地得水泉，土石相半，人疫，功不就。 守恩以聞，允恭等伏誅。 徙節河陽三城，歸本鎮，知澶、相、曹三州，幷代路馬步軍都總管，歷天雄、泰寧、武寧節度使，為真定府定州路都總管。
At the start of the Tiansheng era he was further appointed vice commander-in-chief of the foot soldiers and military commissioner of the Weisai army, with charge of the Yongding Mausoleum. When Lei Yunong and Xing Zhonghe moved the imperial coffin chamber, their digging struck a spring; earth and stone were intermixed, plague broke out among the workers, and the project failed. Shouen reported the matter, and Yunong and his associates were put to death. He was transferred to command the Three Cities of Heyang, returned to his home command, governed Chen, Xiang, and Cao, served as overall commander of horse and foot forces on the Bing-Dai circuit, held in turn the military commissioner posts of Tianxiong, Taining, and Wuning, and was made overall commander of Zhending prefecture and the Dingzhou circuit.
41
守恩所至，恃寵驕恣不法。 其子元吉通賂遺，市物多不予直。 定州通判李參發其贓，命侍御史趙及與大名府通判李鉞鞫問得實，法當死，帝命貸之，除名連州編管，卒貶所。
Wherever Shouen served, he leaned on imperial favor to behave arrogantly and outside the law. His son Yuanji trafficked in bribes and gifts, and when buying goods often refused to pay a fair price. When Dingzhou vice prefect Li Can exposed his corruption, the emperor ordered investigating censor Zhao Ji and Daming vice prefect Li Yue to examine the case; the charges were proved and the law called for death, but the emperor spared his life, stripped him of rank, and sent him into registered exile at Lianzhou, where he died.
42
弟守贇
Younger brother: Shouyun
43
守贇，字子美。 初，守恩給事襄王邸，王問其兄弟，守恩言守贇四歲而孤，日侍王邸，不得時撫養，心輒念之。 王為動容，即日召入宮，而憐其幼，聽就外舍。 後二年，復召入，王乳母齊國夫人使傅婢拊視之。
Shouyun, courtesy name Zimei. When Shouen first served in the Prince of Xiang's household, the prince asked about his brothers. Shouen said that Shouyun had been orphaned at four, spent his days in attendance at the prince's residence, and could not be cared for properly—yet Shouen always had him in mind. The prince was deeply moved and summoned Shouyun into the palace that same day, but pitying his youth allowed him to lodge outside. Two years later he was brought in again, and the prince's wet nurse, the Lady of Qi, assigned a nursemaid to look after him.
44
稍長，習通文字。 王為太子，守贇典工作事。 及即位，授右侍禁。 李繼遷叛，命使綏、夏伺邊釁，遷西頭供奉官、寄班祗候。 帝幸大名，為駕前走馬承受。 康保裔與賊戰，沒，部曲畏誅，聲言保裔降賊，密詔守贇往察之。 守贇變服入營中，廉問得狀，還奏稱旨。 詔恤保裔家，以守贇為真定路走馬承受公事。
As he grew a little older, he studied and mastered reading and writing. When the prince became heir apparent, Shouyun oversaw construction work. When the prince ascended the throne, Shouyun was appointed Right Palace Attendant. When Li Jiqian rebelled, he was sent to Sui and Xia to watch for signs of trouble on the frontier and was promoted to Western Head Honored Attendant and acting Gate Attendant. When the emperor visited Daming, he served as mounted courier in the imperial escort. Kang Baoyi fought the enemy and was killed; his men, fearing punishment, spread word that he had surrendered, and a secret edict ordered Shouyun to investigate. Shouyun changed clothes, entered the camp in disguise, learned the truth through inquiry, and on returning reported in a manner that pleased the emperor. An edict granted relief to Baoyi's family, and Shouyun was made commissioner of mounted courier affairs on the Zhending circuit.
45
帝幸澶淵及祀汾陰，皆為駕前巡檢，累遷東綾錦副使。 從幸亳州，命修行宮。 轉崇儀使、提舉倉草場。 帝甚親信之，遣中使問守贇曰：「欲管軍乎？ 為橫行使乎？」 守贇曰：「臣得日近冕旒足矣。」 尋遷西上閤門使、提舉諸司庫務，以右千牛衛大將軍、昭州刺史為樞密都承旨，兼領三班院。
On the emperor's visits to Chanyuan and the Fen Yin sacrifice, he served as inspector in the imperial escort and rose through several ranks to vice commissioner of Eastern Brocade. Accompanying the emperor to Bozhou, he was ordered to construct the traveling palace. He was transferred to commissioner of honored ceremonies and put in charge of the grain and fodder depot. The emperor trusted him deeply and sent a palace emissary to ask Shouyun, "Do you wish to command troops? Or to serve as a roving envoy?" Shouyun replied, "Your servant need only remain near the imperial presence day by day—that is enough. Soon afterward he was promoted to Western Upper Gate Commissioner and put in charge of the various bureaus' treasury affairs; with the titles of senior general of the Right Thousand-Ox Guard and prefect of Zhaozhou he was made chief liaison of the Bureau of Military Affairs and concurrently headed the Three-Rank Court.
46
每契丹使至，與楊崇勳迭為館伴副使，凡十餘年。 擢侍衛親軍步軍都虞候，改馬軍、幷代州都總管。 累遷步軍、馬軍殿前副都指揮使，建武、鎮東、保大軍節度使。 俄以修大內勞，除殿前都指揮使，徙定國軍節度使。
Whenever Khitan envoys arrived, he and Yang Chongxun alternated as deputy host commissioners for more than ten years. He was promoted to commandant of the palace guard foot soldiers, then transferred to commandant of the horse soldiers and overall commander of Bing and Dai. He rose through several ranks to vice commander-in-chief of the foot and horse soldiers before the throne hall and military commissioner of the Jianwu, Zhendong, and Baoda armies. Soon, for his work repairing the inner palace, he was made commander-in-chief before the throne hall and transferred to military commissioner of the Dingguo army.
47
守恩坐贓廢，守贇亦以鎮海軍節度使罷管軍，之本鎮。 逾年，徙定州路都總管，召知樞密院事。 既入見，帝問西事，守贇言：「平時小障屯兵馬不及千餘，賊兵盛至，固守不暇，安能出門邪？ 宜併其兵以據衝要，伺便邀擊，功或可成。」 帝然之。
When Shouen was dismissed for corruption, Shouyun too was relieved of troop command as military commissioner of the Zhenhai army and returned to his home command. A year later he was transferred to overall commander of the Dingzhou circuit and summoned to direct the Bureau of Military Affairs. After he had been received in audience, the emperor asked about western affairs. Shouyun said, "In normal times the small stockades hold fewer than a thousand troops; when the enemy comes in force there is barely time to hold the walls—how could anyone sally out? Their forces should be combined to hold the vital points, then wait for a chance to intercept and strike—success may yet be possible." The emperor agreed.
48
劉平、石元孫敗，人有以降賊誣告者。 守贇頗辨其枉，引康保裔事為質，自請將兵擊賊。 換宣徽南院使、陝西馬步軍都總管兼經略、安撫、緣邊招討使，命勾當御藥院張德明、黎用信掌御劍以隨之。 然守贇性庸怯，寡方略，不為士卒所服。
After Liu Ping and Shi Yuansun were defeated, some people falsely accused them of surrendering to the enemy. Shouyun argued forcefully that they had been wronged, cited the Kang Baoyi affair as precedent, and volunteered to lead troops against the enemy. He was transferred to commissioner of the Southern Court of the Privy Secretariat and overall commander of horse and foot forces in Shaanxi, with concurrent posts as frontier pacification, soothing, and border-recruitment commissioner; Zhang Deming and Li Yongxin of the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau were ordered to carry the imperial sword and accompany him. Yet Shouyun was by nature dull and timid, short on strategy, and not respected by the troops.
49
尋詔駐軍河中，居數月，徙屯鄜州。 其子隨為陝西緣邊招討副使。 時晏殊、宋綬知樞密院，又召守贇同知院事。 隨卒，守贇請罷，以宣徽南院使、天平軍節度使判澶州，以疾徙相州。 疾稍平，復為真定府定州等路都總管，未至，徙高陽關，就判瀛州。 卒，贈太尉，諡忠僖。
Soon an edict ordered him to encamp at Hezhong; after several months he moved his camp to Yanzhou. His son Sui was made deputy recruitment commissioner on the Shaanxi frontier. At the time Yan Shu and Song Shou directed the Bureau of Military Affairs, and Shouyun was again summoned as associate director. When Sui died, Shouyun asked to be relieved; as commissioner of the Southern Court of the Privy Secretariat and military commissioner of the Tianping army he was assigned to Chenzhou, then transferred to Xiangzhou because of illness. When his illness eased, he was again made overall commander of Zhending prefecture and the Dingzhou circuit and related routes; before he arrived he was transferred to Gaoyang Pass and assigned to administer Yingzhou. He died and was posthumously granted grand commandant with the posthumous title Zhongxi.
50
子隨
Son: Sui
51
元昊反，為鄜延路副都總管。 隨本名元亨，與元昊有嫌，因奏改焉。 尋徙環慶路，未幾，復還鄜延。 元昊為書及錦袍、銀帶投境上，以遺金明李士彬，且約與同叛。 候人得之，諸將皆疑士彬，獨隨曰：「此行間爾。 士彬與羌世仇，若有私約，通贈遺，豈使眾知邪？」 乃召士彬與飲，厚撫之。 士彬感泣，後數日，果擊賊，斬首獲羊馬自效。
When Yuanhao rebelled, he was made deputy overall commander of the Fuyan circuit. Sui's original name was Yuanheng; because he had a grievance with Yuanhao, he memorialized to have it changed. Soon he was transferred to the Huanqing circuit, and before long returned to Fuyan. Yuanhao sent a letter, a brocade robe, and a silver belt across the border as gifts for Li Shibin of Jinming, proposing that they rebel together. Border scouts seized the package; all the generals suspected Shibin, but Sui alone said, "This is simply a stratagem to sow division. Shibin and the Tangut are hereditary enemies—if there were a secret pact and gifts passed between them, would they let everyone know?" He then summoned Shibin to drink with him and treated him warmly. Shibin wept with gratitude; several days later he did attack the enemy, beheading foes and capturing sheep and horses to prove his loyalty.
52
及守贇知樞密院事，除耀州觀察使、知亳州。 劉平、石元孫敗，以隨知河中府。 守贇經略安撫陝西，留領會靈觀事。 守贇還，復為陝西副都總管兼緣邊招討副使。 帝曰：「朝廷方以邊事委卿，卿毋以父在機密為嫌。」 時隨已病，次陝州，卒。 贈昭信軍節度使，諡莊恪。 隨在邊陲無多戰功，然慎重少過。
When Shouyun became director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, Sui was made observation commissioner of Yaozhou and prefect of Bozhou. After Liu Ping and Shi Yuansun were defeated, Sui was made administrator of Hezhong prefecture. When Shouyun went to pacify and soothe Shaanxi, Sui remained in charge of affairs at Huiling Temple. When Shouyun returned, Sui again became deputy overall commander of Shaanxi and deputy frontier recruitment commissioner. The emperor said, "The court is now entrusting you with frontier affairs—do not let it trouble you that your father holds a post in the inner secretariat. By then Sui was already ill; he halted at Shaanzhou and died. He was posthumously granted military commissioner of the Zhaoxin army with the posthumous title Zhuangke. Sui won no great victories on the frontier, yet he was cautious and seldom erred.
53
論曰：曹利用投身不測之淵，以口舌啖契丹，使河北七十年無鋒鏑之虞，勳業固偉矣。 嶺南之戰，亦豈可少哉！ 恃功怙寵，禍萌而弗悟，可悲也已！ 耆、崇勳二夏奮闒茸，位將相，皆驕侈貪吝，恃私恩，違清議，君子所不取也。
Commentary: Cao Liyong risked his life in that perilous moment and talked the Khitan round with his words, keeping Hebei free of the clash of arms for seventy years—his achievement was truly great. Was his campaign in Lingnan not indispensable as well! Yet relying on his achievements and imperial favor, he failed to see disaster taking root—how lamentable! Zhang Qi, Yang Chongxun, and the two Xia rose from humble origins to the rank of general and minister, yet all were arrogant, extravagant, greedy, and stingy, relied on private favor, and defied public opinion—conduct no gentleman would approve.
54
狄青，字漢臣，汾州西河人。 善騎射。 初隸騎御馬直，選為散直。 寶元初，趙元昊反，詔擇衛士從邊，以青為三班差使、殿侍、延州指使。 時偏將屢為賊敗，士卒多畏怯，青行常為先鋒。 凡四年，前後大小二十五戰，中流矢者八。 破金湯城，略宥州，屠隆密、歲香、毛奴、尚羅、慶七、家口等族，燔積聚數萬，收其帳二千三百，生口五千七百。 又城橋子穀，築招安、豐林、新砦、大郎等堡，皆扼賊要害。 嘗戰安遠，被創甚，聞寇至，即挺起馳赴，眾爭前為用。 臨敵被發、帶銅面具，出入賊中，皆披靡莫敢當。
Di Qing, courtesy name Hanchen, came from Xihe in Fenzhou. He excelled at horsemanship and archery. At first he served in the Imperial Horse Guard and was selected as an unattached guard. At the beginning of the Baoyuan era, when Zhao Yuanhao rebelled, an edict chose guards for the frontier; Qing was made Three-Rank Envoy, hall attendant, and commandant of Yanzhou. Deputy generals were repeatedly defeated, the soldiers were mostly fearful, and on campaign Qing was often in the vanguard. Over four years he fought twenty-five engagements large and small and was struck by arrows eight times. He took Jintang city, raided Youzhou, slaughtered the Longmi, Suixiang, Maonu, Shangluo, Qingqi, Jiakou, and other clans, burned stores numbering in the tens of thousands, seized 2,300 tents, and took 5,700 captives. He also fortified Qiaozi Valley and built the forts of Zhao'an, Fenglin, Xinzhai, Dalang, and others, all blocking the enemy's vital points. Once, fighting at Anyuan, he was badly wounded; when he heard the enemy had arrived he roused himself at once and rode out, and all rushed forward to follow him. Facing the enemy he wore his hair loose and a bronze mask; passing in and out of the enemy ranks, all scattered before him and none dared stand against him.
55
尹洙為經略判官，青以指使見，洙與談兵，善之，薦於經略使韓琦、范仲淹曰：「此良將材也。」 二人一見奇之，待遇甚厚。 仲淹以《左氏春秋》授之曰：「將不知古今，匹夫勇爾。」 青折節讀書，悉通秦、漢以來將帥兵法，由是益知名。 以功累遷西上閤門副使，擢秦州刺史、涇原路副都總管、經略招討副使，又加捧日天武四廂都指揮使、惠州團練使。
Yin Zhu served as frontier pacification aide; Qing met him in his capacity as commandant. After discussing military affairs with him, Zhu was impressed and recommended him to frontier commissioners Han Qi and Fan Zhongyan, saying, "This man has the makings of a fine general. On first meeting him, the two found him remarkable and treated him with great favor. Fan Zhongyan taught him the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals and said, "A general who knows nothing of past and present has only a common man's courage. Qing applied himself to study, mastered the military methods of generals from Qin and Han onward, and from that time became still better known. Through merit he rose through several ranks to vice commissioner of the Western Upper Gate, was elevated to prefect of Qinzhou, deputy overall commander of the Jingyuan circuit, and deputy frontier pacification and recruitment commissioner, and was further made commander of all four companies of the Sun-Rising Heavenly Martial Guard and militia commissioner of Huizhou.
56
仁宗以青數有戰功，欲召見問以方略，會賊寇渭州，命圖形以進。 元昊稱臣，徙真定路副都總管，歷侍衛步軍殿前都虞候、眉州防禦使，遷步軍副都指揮使、保大安遠二軍節度觀察留後，又遷馬軍副都指揮使。
Because Qing had repeatedly won battles, Emperor Renzong wished to summon him and question him on strategy; just then the enemy raided Weizhou, and he was ordered to send up a portrait instead. When Yuanhao submitted as a vassal, Qing was transferred to deputy overall commander of the Zhending circuit, served in turn as commandant of the palace guard foot soldiers before the throne hall and defender of Meizhou, was promoted to vice commander-in-chief of the foot soldiers and military commissioner and observer of the Baoda and Anyuan armies with provisional jurisdiction, and was again promoted to vice commander-in-chief of the horse soldiers.
57
青奮行伍，十餘年而貴，是時面涅猶存。 帝嘗敕青傅藥除字，青指其面曰：「陛下以功擢臣，不問門地，臣所以有今日，由此涅爾，臣願留以勸軍中，不敢奉詔。」 以彰化軍節度使知延州，擢樞密副使。
Qing had risen from the ranks to eminence in little more than ten years, and the tattoo on his face still remained. The emperor once ordered Qing to apply medicine to remove the tattoo; Qing pointed to his face and said, "Your Majesty promoted me for merit without regard to family standing; the reason I have reached today is this tattoo, and I wish to keep it to encourage the army—I dare not obey the edict. He was made military commissioner of the Zhanghua army with charge of Yanzhou and elevated to vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs.
58
皇祐中，廣源州蠻儂智高反，陷邕州，又破沿江九州，圍廣州，嶺外騷動。 楊畋等安撫經制蠻事，師久無功。 又命孫沔、余靖為安撫使討賊，仁宗猶以為憂。 青上表請行，翌日入對，自言：「臣起行伍，非戰伐無以報國。 願得蕃落騎數百，益以禁兵，羈賊首致闕下。」 帝壯其言，遂除宣徽南院使、宣撫荊湖南北路、經制廣南盜賊事，置酒垂拱殿以遣之。 時智高還據邕州，青合孫沔、余靖兵次賓州。
In the Huangyou era, the Guangyuanzhou chieftain Nong Zhigao rebelled, took Yongzhou, overran nine prefectures along the river, besieged Guangzhou, and threw the region beyond the mountains into turmoil. Yang Tian and others were sent to pacify and direct affairs among the barbarians, but the campaign dragged on without success. Sun Mian and Yu Jing were again appointed pacification commissioners to suppress the rebels, yet Emperor Renzong still worried. Qing submitted a memorial asking to go; the next day he entered for audience and said, "I rose from the ranks; without fighting I have no way to repay the state. Give me several hundred tribal cavalry and add palace troops, and I will seize the rebel leader and bring him to court." The emperor was heartened by his words and appointed him commissioner of the Southern Court of the Privy Secretariat, pacification commissioner of the northern and southern circuits of Jing and Hu, and director of affairs against bandits in Guangnan; wine was set out in the Chui Gong Hall to send him off. Zhigao still held Yongzhou; Qing joined Sun Mian's and Yu Jing's forces and encamped at Binzhou.
59
先是，蔣偕、張忠皆輕敵敗死，軍聲大沮。 青戒諸將毋妄與賊鬥，聽吾所為。 廣西鈐轄陳曙乘青未至，輒以步卒八千犯賊，潰於崑崙關，殿直袁用等皆遁。 青曰：「令之不齊，兵所以敗。」 晨會諸將堂上，揖曙起，並召用等三十人，按以敗亡狀，驅出軍門斬之。 沔、靖相顧愕眙，諸將股慄。
Earlier Jiang Xie and Zhang Zhong had both underestimated the enemy, been defeated, and died, and army morale was badly shaken. Qing warned the generals not to engage the enemy rashly and to follow his lead. Guangxi military controller Chen Shu, before Qing had arrived, rashly led eight thousand foot soldiers against the enemy, was routed at Kunlun Pass, and palatial aide Yuan Yong and others all fled. Qing said, "When orders are not uniform, that is why armies are defeated. At dawn he assembled the generals in the hall, bowed and had Shu rise, summoned Yong and thirty others as well, charged them with defeat and flight, and had them driven out the army gate and beheaded. Sun Mian and Yu Jing looked at each other in shock; the generals trembled with fear.
60
已而頓甲，令軍中休十日。 覘者還，以為軍未即進。 青明日乃整軍騎，一晝夜絕昆侖關，出歸仁鋪為陣。 賊既失險，悉出逆戰。 前鋒孫節搏賊死山下，賊氣銳甚，沔等懼失色。 青執白旗麾騎兵，縱左右翼，出賊不意，大敗之，追奔五十里，斬首數千級，其黨黃師宓、儂建中智中及偽官屬死者五十七人，生擒賊五百餘人，智高夜縱火燒城遁去。 遲明，青按兵入城，獲金帛钜萬、雜畜數千，招復老壯七千二百嘗為賊所俘脅者，慰遣之。 梟黃師宓等邕州城下，斂屍築京觀於城北隅。 時賊屍有衣金龍衣者，眾謂智高已死，欲以上聞。 青曰：「安知非詐邪？ 寧失智高，不敢誣朝廷以貪功也。」 初，青之至邕也，會瘴霧昏塞，或謂賊毒水上流，士飲者多死，青殊憂之。 一夕，有泉湧砦下，汲之甘，眾遂以濟。
Then he halted the march and ordered the army to rest for ten days. When scouts returned, they reported that the army did not seem about to advance. The next day Qing marshaled his forces and in a single day and night crossed Kunlun Pass, emerging at Guirenpu to form battle lines. Having lost their strategic terrain, the rebels came out to meet them in battle. Vanguard Sun Jie fought the rebels and died at the foot of the mountain; the rebels' fighting spirit was fierce, and Sun Mian and the others turned pale with fear. Qing raised a white flag to direct the cavalry, sent the left and right wings forward, caught the rebels by surprise, and routed them completely. He pursued the fleeing enemy fifty li, beheaded several thousand, and among the dead were fifty-seven of Zhigao's followers Huang Shimi, Nong Jianzhong, and Zhizhong along with appointed officials. Over five hundred rebels were captured alive. That night Zhigao set fire to the city and fled. At dawn Qing restrained his troops and entered the city. He seized gold and silk numbering in the tens of thousands and livestock in the thousands, recalled seven thousand two hundred men and youths who had once been captured and coerced by the rebels, comforted them, and sent them home. He displayed the heads of Huang Shimi and others beneath Yongzhou, gathered the corpses, and built a victory mound at the northwest corner of the city. Among the rebel dead was a body dressed in a golden dragon robe; everyone thought Zhigao was dead and wanted to report it to the court. Qing said, "How do we know this is not a deception? Better to let Zhigao escape than deceive the court to claim credit." Earlier, when Qing reached Yongzhou, miasma and fog choked the air. Some said the rebels had poisoned the upstream water and many soldiers died from drinking; Qing was deeply worried. One night a spring gushed beneath the stockade; the water drawn from it was sweet, and the army was saved.
61
復為樞密副使，遷護國軍節度使、河中尹。 還至京師，帝嘉其功，拜樞密使，賜第敦教坊，優進諸子官秩。 初，青既行，帝每憂之曰：「青有威名，賊當畏其來。 左右使令，非青親信者不可； 雖飲食臥起，皆宜防竊發。」 乃馳使戒之。 及聞青已破賊，顧宰相曰：「速議賞，緩則不足以勸矣。」
He was again made vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs and transferred to military governor of the Huguo Army and governor of Hezhong. When he returned to the capital, the emperor praised his achievement, appointed him commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, granted him a mansion in Dunjiao Lane, and generously advanced the rank of his sons. Earlier, after Qing had departed, the emperor often expressed concern, saying, "Qing has a fearsome reputation; the rebels should fear his coming. Attendants and orders—none but his trusted men may serve; even in eating, drinking, lying down, and rising, he must guard against sudden attack. He then dispatched messengers at speed to warn him. When he heard Qing had already defeated the rebels, he turned to the chief ministers and said, "Deliberate rewards at once—delay will not be enough to encourage others."
62
始，交阯願出兵助討智高，余靖言其可信，具萬人糧於邕、欽待之。 詔以緡錢三萬賜交阯為兵費，許賊平厚賞之。 青既至，檄余靖無通使假兵，即上奏曰：「李德政聲言將步兵五萬、騎一千赴援，非其情實。 且假兵於外以除內寇，非我利也。 以一智高而橫蹂二廣，力不能討，乃假兵蠻夷，蠻夷貪得忘義，因而啟亂，何以禦之？ 請罷交阯助兵。」 從之。 賊平，人服其有遠略。
At the outset Jiaozhi had offered troops to help suppress Zhigao; Yu Jing said they were trustworthy and prepared rations for ten thousand men at Yong and Qin to await them. An edict granted Jiaozhi thirty thousand strings of cash as military expenses and promised rich rewards once the rebels were pacified. Once Qing arrived, he dispatched Yu Jing forbidding envoys and borrowed troops, then memorialized, "Li Dezheng claims he will send fifty thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry to our aid, but this is not his true intent. Moreover, borrowing foreign troops to suppress internal rebels is not to our advantage. That one Zhigao could rampage across the two Guang regions, and that we could not suppress him, does not justify borrowing troops from barbarians. Barbarians are greedy for gain and forget righteousness; if we stir them to rebellion, how could we repel them? I request that Jiaozhi's auxiliary troops be dismissed. The request was granted. Once the rebels were pacified, people admired his far-reaching strategy.
63
青在樞密四年，每出，士卒輒指目以相矜誇。 又言者以青家狗生角，且數有光怪，請出青於外以保全之，不報。 嘉祐中，京師大水，青避水徙家相國寺，行止殿上，人情頗疑，乃罷青為同中書門下平章事，出判陳州。 明年二月，疽發髭，卒。 帝發哀，贈中書令，諡武襄。
Qing served at the Bureau of Military Affairs for four years; whenever he went out, soldiers would point and gaze at him with pride. Memorialists also cited that a dog in Qing's house had grown horns and strange lights had appeared repeatedly, and asked that Qing be transferred outside the capital to preserve him; no response was given. During the Jiayou era, when the capital was badly flooded, Qing moved his household to Xiangguo Temple to escape the water and walked on the hall platform; public sentiment turned suspicious, and he was removed as co-administrator of the chancellery and dispatched to serve in Chenzhou. The following second month a carbuncle erupted at his beard and he died. The emperor mourned him, posthumously appointed him chief minister of the Central Secretariat, and gave him the posthumous title Wuxiang.
64
青為人慎密寡言，其計事必審中機會而後發。 行師先正部伍，明賞罰，與士同饑寒勞苦，雖敵猝犯之，無一士敢後先者，故其出常有功。 尤喜推功與將佐。 始，與孫沔破賊，謀一出青，賊既平，經制餘事，悉以諉沔，退若不用意者。 沔始歎其勇，既而服其為人，自以為不如也。 尹洙以貶死，青悉力賙其家事。 子諮、詠，並為閤門使。 詠數有戰功。
Qing was cautious, discreet, and sparing of words; in planning he always carefully judged the right moment before acting. On campaign he first set the ranks in order, made rewards and punishments clear, and shared hunger, cold, labor, and hardship with his men. Even when the enemy attacked suddenly, not one soldier dared hang back or rush ahead, and therefore his campaigns usually succeeded. He especially liked to give credit to his officers. When he and Sun Mian defeated the rebels, the plans had all come from Qing; once the rebels were pacified, he shifted all follow-up arrangements onto Mian and withdrew as if unconcerned. Sun Mian at first admired his bravery; afterward he came to admire his character and considered himself inferior. When Yin Zhu died in exile, Qing exerted himself to support his family's affairs. His sons Zi and Yong both served as gate attendants. Yong won military distinction on several occasions.
65
熙寧元年，神宗考次近世將帥，以青起行伍而名動夷夏，深沈有智略，能以畏慎保全終始，慨然思之，命取青畫像入禁中，御製祭文，遣使齎中牢祠其家。
In the first year of the Xining era, Emperor Shenzong reviewed recent generals. Because Qing had risen from the ranks yet his name resounded among Chinese and barbarians alike, because he was deep and reserved with strategy and could through caution preserve himself from beginning to end, the emperor thought of him with emotion, ordered his portrait taken into the inner palace, composed a sacrificial text himself, and sent envoys bearing sacrificial offerings to sacrifice at his home.
66
〈附〉 張玉孫節
〈Supplementary Biographies〉 Zhang Yu; Sun Jie
67
張玉，字寶臣，保定人。 以六班散直隸狄青麾下，築青澗、招安砦。 遇夏兵三萬，有馳鐵騎挑戰者，玉單持鐵簡出鬥，取其首及馬，軍中因號曰張鐵簡。 以狀聞。 仁宗曰：「真勇將也。」 以為本路同巡檢。 從征儂智高，抵歸仁驛，賊列三銳陳以逆官軍，軍小卻，玉率右廂突騎橫貫賊壘，賊大潰。 帝召見，使作銳陳於殿廷下，觀破賊之勢。 擢為廣西鈐轄，徙大名，進龍、神四廂都指揮使，為副都總管。
Zhang Yu, courtesy name Bao Chen, came from Baoding. Serving as a sixth-rank unattached guard under Di Qing, he built the Qingjian and Zhao'an stockades. When they encountered thirty thousand Xia troops, one enemy charged out on iron-armored cavalry to challenge them. Yu alone took an iron mace and fought him, taking his head and horse; the army thereafter called him Iron-Mace Zhang. The account was reported to the court. Emperor Renzong said, "A truly brave general. He was made co-inspector of the circuit. On the campaign against Nong Zhigao, at Guiren post station the rebels formed three sharp battle lines to oppose the government army. When the army fell back slightly, Yu led the right-wing shock cavalry straight through the rebel camps and routed them completely. The emperor summoned him for audience and had him demonstrate a sharp formation below the hall courtyard to show how he had broken the rebels. He was promoted to Guangxi military controller, transferred to Daming, advanced to commander of the four Dragon and Divine wings, and made deputy chief general.
68
諒祚攻大順城，玉以兵三千夜擊之，驚潰而去。 累遷昭州防禦使，徙涇原。 熙寧中，慶州卒叛，玉襲逐於石門，卒窮蹙請降，玉斬二百人，坐奪職，降為陵州團練使，居數月，復之。
When Liangzuo attacked Dashun city, Yu struck at night with three thousand troops and routed them in panic. He was promoted to defender of Zhaozhou and transferred to Jingyuan. During the Xining era, when Qingzhou soldiers rebelled, Yu pursued them at Shimen. When the rebels, pressed to extremity, requested surrender, he beheaded two hundred of them and was stripped of his post and demoted to regimental commander of Lingzhou; after several months he was restored.
69
王韶開熙河，玉遷宣州觀察使，為副都總管。 河北置三十七將，以玉為第一將。 入為馬步軍都虞候，卒，贈建雄留後。
When Wang Shao opened Xihe, Yu was transferred to observer of Xuanzhou and made deputy chief general. When thirty-seven generals were established in Hebei, Yu was made the first. He entered the capital as chief adjutant of the horse and foot armies, died, and was posthumously granted the title of Jianxiong military commissioner.
70
孫節，開封人。 少隸軍籍，以才勇補右侍禁。 與狄青同在延州，數攻破敵砦有功，累遷西京左藏庫副使。 及青討智高，辟隸麾下。 至歸仁鋪，節為前鋒，直前搏戰，賊銳甚，節鏖山下，俄中槍而沒。 特贈忠武軍節度留後，封其妻為仁壽郡君，官其子二人、從子三人，給諸司副使俸，終其喪。
Sun Jie came from Kaifeng. In youth he entered the military registers and for talent and bravery was appointed a right palace guard. He served with Di Qing at Yanzhou, repeatedly captured enemy stockades with distinction, and was promoted to vice director of the Western Capital Left Treasury. When Qing campaigned against Zhigao, he was recruited to serve under his command. At Guirenpu he served as vanguard and fought straight ahead. The rebels' fighting spirit was fierce; Jie battled at the foot of the mountain until he was soon struck by a spear and killed. He was specially granted the title of Zhongwu military commissioner, his wife was enfeoffed as Lady of Renshou Commandery, his two sons and three nephews were given office, and vice-director salaries were granted through the mourning period.
71
Disambig.svg参见：檢校司空左武衛上將軍郭公墓誌銘
See also: Epitaph for General Guo, Acting Minister of Works and General-in-Chief of the Left Martial Guard
72
郭逵，字仲通，其先自邢徙洛。 康定中，兄遵死於敵，錄逵為三班奉職，隸陝西范仲淹麾下。 仲淹勉以問學。 延安清剛社募兵誤殺熟羌，將論死，逵請而免之，活壯士十三人。 方議取靈武，逵曰：「地遠而食不繼，城大而兵不多，未見其利。」 未幾，涇原任福以全軍沒，人服其先見。
Guo Kui, courtesy name Zhongtong; his ancestors moved from Xing to Luoyang. During the Kangding era, when his elder brother Zun died fighting the enemy, Kui was enrolled as a third-rank attendant and placed under Fan Zhongyan in Shaanxi. Fan Zhongyan encouraged him to pursue learning. At Yan'an, Qinggang Society conscripts mistakenly killed assimilated Qiang and were to be sentenced to death; Kui pleaded for them and secured their release, saving thirteen stalwart men. Just as taking Lingwu was under discussion, Kui said, "The land is distant and supplies cannot follow, the city is large and troops are few—I see no advantage in it. Before long Ren Fu of Jingyuan lost his entire army, and people admired Kui's foresight.
73
陳執中安撫京東，奏為駐泊將。 執中與賓佐論當今名將，共推葛懷敏。 逵曰：「懷敏易與爾，他日必敗朝廷事。」 執中始怒，居數日，問曰：「君何以知葛懷敏非名將而敗事邪？」 曰：「喜功徼幸，徒勇無謀，可禽也。」 執中歎曰：「君真知兵，懷敏既覆師矣。」 為真定兵馬監押。
When Chen Zhizhong was pacification commissioner of Jingdong, he memorialized to appoint Kui a garrison general. Zhizhong and his staff discussed the famous generals of the day and together praised Ge Huaimin. Kui said, "Huaimin is easy to deal with, but one day he will surely ruin the court's affairs. Zhizhong was angry at first, but after several days asked, "How do you know Ge Huaimin is not a famous general and will ruin affairs? He said, "He loves achievement and seeks lucky chances, is merely brave without strategy—he can be captured. Zhizhong sighed and said, "You truly know war—Huaimin has already lost his army. He was made military supervisor of Zhending.
74
保州卒叛，田況遣逵往招之。 逵與亂者侍其臻嘗同事范仲淹，馳至城下，示以舊所佩紫囊。 臻識之，即與其黨韋貴、史克順皆再拜，邀逵登城。 既見，申諭禍福，眾或疑不即下，曰：「“若降，恐不免。」 逵請以身為質，於是開城降。 論功加閤門祗候、環慶兵馬都監。 遭母憂，不得解官，凡三請乃許。 慶帥杜杞贐以錢四十萬，謝弗受。 卒喪，為涇原都監。 拔古渭城，轉通事舍人，徙河北緣邊安撫都監。 副吳奎使契丹，值其主受尊號，入觀禮。 使還，黜為汾州都監。
When Baozhou soldiers rebelled, Tian Kuang sent Kui to negotiate their surrender. Kui and the rebel leader Shiqi Zhen had once served together under Fan Zhongyan; he galloped to the foot of the city wall and showed the purple pouch he had once worn. Zhen recognized it; he and his followers Wei Gui and Shi Keshun all bowed and invited Kui to ascend the wall. Once they met, he explained the consequences of their choices. Some hesitated to surrender, saying, "If we surrender, we fear we will not be spared. Kui offered himself as hostage, and thereupon they opened the city and surrendered. For his achievement he was promoted to gate attendant and military supervisor of Huanqing. When his mother died he was not permitted to leave office; only after three requests was he allowed to do so. Du Qi, military governor of Qing, sent a funeral gift of four hundred thousand cash; he politely declined. When mourning ended, he was made military supervisor of Jingyuan. He captured Guwei city, was transferred to diplomatic attendant, and moved to frontier pacification military supervisor of Hebei. As deputy to Wu Kui on a mission to the Khitan, he happened to arrive when their ruler received an honorific title and entered to observe the ceremony. On his return from the mission he was demoted to military supervisor of Fenzhou.
75
龐籍鎮河東，俾權忻州。 契丹來求天池廟地，籍不能決，以諉逵。 逵訪得太平興國中故牘，證為王土，檄報之，契丹愧伏。
When Pang Ji governed Hedong, he had Kui act as prefect of Xinzhou. When the Khitan came seeking Tiantci Temple land, Ji could not decide and shifted responsibility to Kui. Kui searched out old documents from the Taiping Xingguo era proving it was imperial territory, replied by dispatch, and the Khitan submitted in shame.
76
湖北溪蠻彭仕羲叛，加帶禦器械，為路鈐轄兼知澧州。 得蠻親信為鄉導，盡平諸隘，遂破其所居桃花州，仕羲棄城走，眾悉降。 遷禮賓使，徙南路鈐轄、知邵州。 武岡蠻反，逵討平之。 累遷容州觀察使。 仁宗山陵，以逵掌宿衛。 遷殿前都虞候，出為涇原路副都部署。
When the stream barbarians of Hubei rebelled under Peng Shiyi, he was given the title Master of Imperial Armaments and made circuit military controller and concurrently prefect of Li. With a trusted barbarian as guide he pacified all the passes, broke Peng Shiyi's stronghold at Taohua Prefecture, Shiyi abandoned the city and fled, and all surrendered. He was transferred to commissioner of ceremonial reception, moved to southern route military controller, and made prefect of Shao. When the Wugang barbarians rebelled, Kui suppressed and pacified them. He was promoted to observer of Rongzhou. At Emperor Renzong's mausoleum, Kui was placed in charge of the imperial guard. He was promoted to chief adjutant of the Palace Front, then sent out as deputy chief deployer of Jingyuan Circuit.
77
治平二年，以檢校太保同簽書樞密院，旋出領陝西宣撫使，判渭州。 逵雖立軍功，而驟躋政地，議者不厭，諫官、御史交論之，不聽。 神宗即位，遷靜難軍留後，召還。 言者復力爭，乃改宣徽南院使、判鄆州。 至鄆七日，徙鎮鄜延。
In the second year of the Zhiping era he was appointed honorary grand guardian and concurrent signatory of the Bureau of Military Affairs, then soon sent out to serve as Shaanxi pacification commissioner and administrator of Weizhou. Though Kui had earned military distinction, his sudden leap into high political office displeased the court. Remonstrating officials and censors attacked the appointment in turn, but the emperor would not heed them. When Emperor Shenzong acceded to the throne, Kui was transferred to military commissioner of the Jingnan Army and recalled to court. Critics again fought the appointment fiercely, and he was instead made commissioner of the Southern Court of the Privy Pavilion and administrator of Yan Prefecture. After only seven days at Yan Prefecture he was transferred to command at Yanyan.
78
种諤受嵬名山降，取綏州，夏人遂殺楊定。 朝論以邊釁方起，欲棄綏。 逵曰：「虜既殺王官，而又棄綏不守，見弱已甚。 且名山舉族來歸，當何以處？」 既而夏人欲以塞門、安遠二砦來易，朝廷許之。 逵曰：「此正商於六百里之策也。 非先交二砦，不可與。」 遣其屬趙禼、薛昌朝與夏使議，唯言砦基，禼曰：「二砦之北，舊有三十六堡，且以長城嶺為界，西平王祥符所移書固在也。」 虜使驚不能對，乃寢其請。 初，詔焚棄綏州，逵匿而不下。 至是，帝問大臣，皆莫知，逵始自劾向者違詔旨之罪，帝手詔褒答。
When Chong E accepted the surrender of Wei Mingshan and seized Suizhou, the Xia killed Yang Ding. Court opinion held that with border trouble just beginning, Suizhou should be abandoned. Kui said, "The barbarians have already killed a royal official, and we would abandon Suizhou as well—we would appear utterly weak. And if Mingshan brought his whole clan to submit, how would we treat them? Later the Xia wished to exchange the Saimen and Anyuan stockades for Suizhou, and the court agreed. Kui said, "This is precisely the policy of ceding six hundred li of Shangyu. Unless the two stockades are delivered first, Suizhou must not be given up. He sent his subordinates Zhao Xie and Xue Changchao to negotiate with the Xia envoy. When the envoy spoke only of stockade foundations, Xie said, "North of the two stockades there had formerly been thirty-six forts, with Changcheng Ridge as the boundary—the letter sent by the Prince of Xiping in the Xiangfu era still survives." The Xia envoy, startled, could not reply, and the request was dropped. Earlier an edict had ordered Suizhou burned and abandoned, but Kui concealed it and never issued the order. When the emperor asked his ministers about it, none knew. Kui then impeached himself for having earlier defied the edict, and the emperor answered with a personal edict praising him.
79
夏人又求以亡命景詢易名山，逵曰：「詢，庸人也，於事何所輕重！ 受之則不得不還名山，恐自是蕃酋無復敢向化矣。」 逵詗得殺楊定者首領姓名，諜告將斬之於境以謝罪，逵曰：「是且梟死囚以紿我。」 報曰：「必執李崇貴、韓道喜來。」 夏人言：「殺之矣。」 逵命以二人狀貌物色詰問虜，情得，乃執獻之。 加檢校太尉、雄武軍留後。
The Xia again sought to exchange the fugitive Jing Xun for Mingshan. Kui said, "Xun is a mediocre man—what does he matter in this affair! If we accepted, we would have to return Mingshan, and I fear no tribal chief would dare submit after that. Kui learned through espionage the names of the leaders who had killed Yang Ding. When a spy reported the Xia would behead them at the border as an apology, Kui said, "They will merely parade executed convicts to deceive us. He replied, "You must deliver Li Chonggui and Han Daoxi." The Xia said, "We have killed them. Kui had the two men's appearances used to identify and question the Xia envoys; when the truth came out, the men were seized and delivered. He was further appointed honorary grand commandant and military commissioner of the Xiongwu Army.
80
韓絳主种諤計圖橫山，與逵議出兵。 逵曰：「諤，狂生爾，朝廷徒以家世用之，必誤大事。」 絳怒，以為沮撓，奏召逵還。 明年，慶州亂，出判永興，徙秦州。 王韶開熙河，逵案其不法。 朝廷遣蔡確鞫之，謂逵誣罔，落宣徽使、知潞州。 徙太原，復宣徽使。
Han Jiang backed Chong E's plan to seize Hengshan and discussed sending troops with Kui. Kui said, "E is a reckless young man whom the court employs only for his family name—he will surely ruin everything. Jiang was furious, took this as obstruction, and memorialized to recall Kui. The next year, when Qingzhou rebelled, he was sent out to administer Yongxing and then transferred to Qinzhou. When Wang Shao opened Xihe, Kui investigated his illegal conduct. The court sent Cai Que to try the case, found that Kui had made false accusations, stripped him of his privy pavilion commission, and made him prefect of Lu Prefecture. He was transferred to Taiyuan and restored as privy pavilion commissioner.
81
交阯李乾德陷邕管，召為安南行營經略招討使兼荊湖、廣南宣撫使，請鄜延、河東舊吏士自隨。 將行，宴於便殿，賜中軍旗章劍甲以示寵。 次長沙，先遣將復邕、廉； 至廣西，討拔廣源州，降守將劉應紀； 又拔決裏隘，乘勝取桄榔、門州，大戰富良江，斬偽王子洪真。 乾德窮蹙，奉表歸命。 時兵夫三十萬人，冒暑涉瘴地，死者過半。 至是，與賊隔一水不得進，乃班師。 坐貶左衛將軍，西京安置，屏處十年。 哲宗立，復左屯衛大將軍致仕。 起知潞州，進廣州觀察使、知河中。 辭歸洛，改左武衛上將軍、提舉崇福宮，卒。 輟視朝一日，贈雄武軍節度使。
When Li Qiande of Jiaozhi captured Yong and Guan, Kui was recalled as pacification and suppression commissioner of the Annam field headquarters and concurrently pacification commissioner of Jinghu and Guangnan. He asked to bring experienced clerks and officers from Yanyan and Hedong with him. Before departing he was feasted in the Privy Hall and granted the central army flags, insignia, sword, and armor as a mark of imperial favor. At Changsha he first sent generals to recover Yong and Lian; Reaching Guangxi, he captured Guangyuan Prefecture and accepted the surrender of its defending general Liu Yingji; He also took Jueli Pass, pressed the advantage to seize Guanglang and Men Prefectures, fought a great battle on the Fu River, and beheaded the pretender's prince Hong Zhen. Qiande, driven to extremity, submitted a memorial surrendering to the dynasty. At the time three hundred thousand soldiers and laborers braved heat and crossed malarial lands; more than half died. At that point, separated from the enemy by a river and unable to advance, he withdrew the army. On that account he was demoted to general of the Left Guard, settled in the Western Capital, and kept in seclusion for ten years. When Emperor Zhezong acceded, he was restored as great general of the Left Tunwei Guard and granted retirement. He was recalled to serve as prefect of Lu Prefecture, then promoted to observer of Guangzhou and prefect of Hezhong. He declined office and returned to Luoyang, was made senior general of the Left Wuwei Guard and director of the Chongfu Palace, and died. Court audience was suspended for one day, and he was posthumously granted the title of military commissioner of the Xiongwu Army.
82
逵忼慨喜兵學，神宗嘗訪八陣遺法，對曰：「兵無常形，是特奇正相生之一法爾。」 因為帝論其詳。 在延安，使以教兵，久不就。 逵擇諸校習金鼓屯營者六十四人，使人教一隊，頃刻而成。 尤善用偏裨，每至所部，令人自言所能，暇日閱按之，故臨陣皆盡其技。
Kui was forthright and passionate, and loved the study of war. When Emperor Shenzong once asked about the surviving methods of the Eight Formations, he replied, "War has no fixed form—this is merely one method by which direct and indirect forces give rise to each other. He then expounded the details for the emperor. At Yan'an he was ordered to drill the troops, but for a long time made no progress. Kui selected sixty-four officers skilled in gongs, drums, encampment, and garrison, had each train one squad, and in no time the drill was complete. He was especially skilled at using junior officers. Whenever he arrived at his command he had men declare their own abilities and tested them on free days, so in battle each gave his full skill.
83
李復圭治慶州之敗，既斬李信、劉甫，又欲罪鄜延都巡檢使白玉。 玉見逵託以後事，且泣言不得終養母。 逵哀之，不遣，申救甚力，得免。 已而玉大捷於新砦，神宗謂逵曰：「白玉能以功補過，卿之力也。」 每戰，先招懷，後戰鬥，愛惜士卒，不妄加誅戮。 其殺賊婦女老弱者，皆不賞。 雖坐征南無功久廢，猶隱然為一時宿將云。
When Li Fugui investigated the defeat at Qingzhou, having already executed Li Xin and Liu Fu, he also sought to punish Yanyan circuit inspector Bai Yu. Yu visited Kui and entrusted him with his affairs after death, weeping that he would not be able to care for his mother through her final years. Kui pitied him, refused to let him go, and pleaded his case with great force until he was spared. Before long Yu won a great victory at Xincheng. Emperor Shenzong said to Kui, "Bai Yu was able to redeem his faults with merit—this is your doing. In every battle he first tried to win over the enemy and only then fought. He cherished his soldiers and did not impose death punishments recklessly. He gave no rewards to those who killed enemy women, the old, or the weak. Though the failed southern campaign had long sidelined him, he remained, it was said, a veteran general of his age.
84
論曰：宋至仁宗時，承平百年，武夫鷙卒遭時致位者雖有之，起健卒至政府，隱然為時名將，惟青與逵兩人爾。 青在邊境凡二十五戰，無大勝，亦無大敗，最後崑崙一舉，頗著奇雋。 考其識量，亦過人遠矣。 逵料葛懷敏之敗，如燭照龜卜，一時最為知兵。 雖南征無功，用違其長，又何尤焉。
The discussion runs thus: By Emperor Renzong's reign the Song had enjoyed a century of peace. Fierce warriors and tough soldiers who rose with the times were not unknown, but to rise from common soldier to the halls of government and stand as a celebrated general of the age—only Di Qing and Guo Kui. Qing fought twenty-five battles on the frontier—no great victory, yet no great defeat either. His final action at Kunlun was notably brilliant. When one considers his discernment and capacity, he too far surpassed ordinary men. Kui foresaw Ge Huaimin's defeat as clearly as candlelight or tortoise-shell divination—the foremost military mind of his age. Though the southern expedition came to nothing, his talent was put to the wrong use—how can he be blamed for that?