Volume 304 Biographies 63: Zhou Wei, Liang Ding, Fan Zhengci, Liu Shidao, Wang Ji, Fang Xie, Cao Yingshu, Liu Yuan Yu, Yang Gao, Zhao Ji, Liu Shi, Wang Bin, Zhong Jian

周渭，字得臣，昭州恭城人。幼孤，養於諸父。力學，工為詩。劉鋹據五嶺，昭州皆其地也，政繁賦重，民不聊生。渭率鄉人六百逾嶺，將避地零陵。未至，賊起，斷道絕糧，復還恭城，則廬舍煨燼，遂奔道州。為盜所襲，渭脫身北上。

Zhou Wei, whose style name was Dechen, came from Gongcheng in Zhaozhou. He lost his parents young and was brought up by his father's brothers. He applied himself to learning and was skilled at writing verse. Liu Chang controlled the Five Ridges, and Zhaozhou lay entirely within his domain. Administration was burdensome and levies crushing, until the people could scarcely survive. Wei led six hundred men from his district over the ranges, planning to take refuge in Lingling. Before they arrived, rebels rose up, the roads were cut, and food ran out. They turned back toward Gongcheng only to find the dwellings reduced to embers, and so they pressed on to Daozhou. Bandits fell upon them, but Wei broke free and made his way north.

建隆初，至京師，為薛居正所禮。上書言時務，召試，賜同進士出身，解褐白馬主簿。縣大吏犯法，渭即斬之。上奇其才，擢右讚善大夫。時魏帥符彥卿專恣，朝廷選常參官強幹者蒞其屬邑，以渭知永濟縣。彥卿郊迎，渭揖於馬上，就館始與相見，略不降屈。縣有盜傷人而逸，渭捕獲，並暴廋匿者按誅之，不以送府。

Early in the Jianlong reign he reached the capital, where Xue Juzheng treated him with respect. He memorialized the throne on current affairs, was called in for an examination, and was granted status as a tong jinshi; he then left office robes behind to serve as registrar of Baima. When a senior clerk in the county broke the law, Wei had him beheaded on the spot. The emperor was struck by his ability and promoted him to Right Palace Companion. Fu Yanqing, military commissioner of Wei, ruled with arrogant license, so the court chose a forceful regular official to govern one of his subordinate counties and appointed Wei magistrate of Yongji. Yanqing came out to greet him beyond the walls, but Wei merely bowed from the saddle and did not meet him properly until he reached the lodge, showing scarcely any deference. When a robber in the county wounded someone and fled, Wei seized him, exposed those who had hidden him, and punished them all by law without sending the case up to the prefecture.

乾德中，通判興州。州領罝口砦多戍兵，監軍敖很，縱其下為暴，居人苦之。渭馳往諭以禍福，斬其軍校，眾皆懾服。詔書嘉獎，命兼本砦鈐轄。開寶元年，鳳州七房冶主吏盜隱官銀，擇渭往代。周歲，羨課數倍，賜緋魚，又遷知棣州。殿直傅延翰為監軍，謀作亂走契丹，為部下所告，渭擒之以聞；命械至闕下，鞫得實，斬於西市。渭在郡以簡肅稱，及還，吏民遮道泣留，俄詔賜錢百萬。

During the Qiande reign he served as vice-prefect of Xingzhou. The prefecture oversaw Zykou Stockade, where many troops were stationed. The army supervisor was overbearing and let his men run wild, to the great misery of the local people. Wei hurried there, warned them of the consequences, beheaded their officers, and the troops all submitted in fear. An imperial edict commended him and appointed him concurrently to command that stockade. In the first year of Kaibao the chief clerk at the Qifangye smeltery in Fengzhou concealed stolen official silver, and Wei was selected to take his place. Within a year the surplus in tax receipts had multiplied several times over. He was granted scarlet robes and fish insignia, and was soon transferred to govern Dizhou. Fu Yanhan, a palace attendant serving as army supervisor, plotted rebellion and flight to the Khitan; his subordinates informed on him, and Wei seized him and reported the matter; He was ordered brought to the capital in fetters; the inquiry established the facts, and he was executed at the West Market. In the prefecture Wei was known for his severity and restraint. When he left, officials and commoners blocked the road in tears, begging him to remain; soon an edict granted him a million cash.

太平興國二年，為廣南諸州轉運副使。初，渭之入中原，妻子留恭城。開寶三年，平廣南，詔昭州訪求，賜錢米存恤之。及是，渭始還故里，鄉人以為榮。渭奏去劉鋹時稅算之繁者，重定田賦，興學校。遷殿中丞。屬有事交阯，主將逗撓無功。有二敗卒擐甲先至邕州市，奪民錢，渭捕斬之。後至者悉令解甲以入，訖無敢犯。移書交阯，諭朝廷威信，將刻日再舉。黎桓懼，即遣使入貢。就加監察御史，在嶺南凡六年。徙知揚州，進殿中侍御史，改兩浙東、西路轉運使，入為鹽鐵判官。遷侍御史，曆判戶部、度支二勾院，出知亳州，賜金紫，俄換宋州。加職方員外郎，為益州轉運使。坐從子違詔市馬，黜為彰信軍節度副使。咸平二年，真宗聞其清節，召還，將復用，詔下而卒，年七十七。上閔其貧不克葬，賻錢十萬，以其子建中為乘氏主簿。

In the second year of Taiping Xingguo he was made vice transport commissioner for the Guangnan circuits. When Wei had first gone north into the Central Plains, his wife and children had remained behind in Gongcheng. In the third year of Kaibao, after Guangnan was pacified, an edict directed Zhaozhou to search for them and granted cash and grain for their relief. Now, for the first time, Wei was able to return home, and his neighbors took it as a mark of honor. Wei memorialized to remove the heavy taxes and assessments left from Liu Chang's rule, to fix land levies anew, and to establish schools. He was promoted to Palace Inside Gentleman. At the time hostilities had broken out with Jiaozhi, and the commanding general dallied without success. Two routed soldiers in armor reached Yongzhou City ahead of the army and robbed the people; Wei seized and executed them. All who came after were ordered to lay aside their armor before entering, and in the end none dared transgress. He sent a dispatch to Jiaozhi setting forth the court's authority and warning that another campaign would be mounted on a fixed day. Li Huan was frightened and at once sent envoys to offer tribute. He was then promoted to Investigating Censor and spent six years in all in the Lingnan region. He was transferred to govern Yangzhou, promoted to Palace Attendant Inside Censor, made transport commissioner for the eastern and western circuits of the Two Zhes, and then entered the capital as judicial commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau. He was promoted to Attendant Censor, served in turn as judicial officer of the Revenue and Expenditure Bureaus, went out to govern Bozhou, was granted gold and purple insignia, and soon was transferred to Songzhou. He was promoted to Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Ministry of Personnel and appointed transport commissioner of Yizhou. Because his nephew had violated an edict by buying horses, he was demoted to vice military commissioner of Zhangxin Army. In the second year of Xianping, Zhenzong heard of his integrity, recalled him, and was about to employ him again, but the edict had scarcely been issued when he died, at the age of seventy-seven. The emperor, pitying his poverty and inability to afford burial, granted one hundred thousand in funeral funds and appointed his son Jianzhong registrar of Chengshi.

渭妻莫荃，賢婦人也。渭北走時，不暇與荃訣，二子孩幼，荃尚少，父母欲嫁之。荃泣誓曰：「渭非久困者，今違難遠適，必能自奮。」於是親蠶績碓舂，以給朝夕，二子皆畢婚娶。凡二十六年，復見渭，時人異之。朱昂著《莫節婦傳》紀其事。

Wei's wife, Mo Quan, was a woman of exemplary virtue. When Wei fled north he had no chance to bid Quan farewell. Their two sons were still small, and Quan herself was young; her parents wished to marry her off again. Quan wept and vowed: "Wei is not a man to remain long in hardship. Though he flees far in peril now, he will surely make his way." Thereafter she raised silkworms herself, spun thread, and pounded grain to meet their daily needs, and saw both sons through marriage in full. After twenty-six years in all she saw Wei again, and people of the day marveled at it. Zhu Ang wrote The Biography of Lady Mo the Chaste Woman to commemorate her story.

梁鼎，字凝正，益州華陽人。祖鉞，仕蜀為劍門關使。父文獻，乘氏令。鼎，太平興國八年進士甲科，解褐大理評事、知秭歸縣，再遷著作佐郎。端拱初，獻《聖德徽號頌》萬餘言，試文，遷殿中丞、通判歙州，以能聲聞，有詔嘉獎。徙知吉州，民有蕭甲者，豪猾為民患，鼎暴其凶狀，杖脊黥面徙遠郡。太宗尤賞其強幹，代還，賜緋魚，舊例當給銀寶瓶帶，太宗特以犀帶賜之，記其名於御屏。

Liang Ding, whose style name was Ningzheng, was a native of Huayang in Yizhou. His grandfather Qian had served Shu as commissioner of Jianmen Pass. His father Wengxian had been magistrate of Chengshi. In the eighth year of Taiping Xingguo Ding passed the jinshi examination in the top grade, took his first post as reviewer of the Court of Judicial Review and magistrate of Zigui, and was twice promoted to Assistant Archivist. Early in the Duangong reign he presented an ode of more than ten thousand characters in praise of the sage virtue and august designation, underwent a literary examination, and was promoted to Palace Inside Gentleman and vice-prefect of Shezhou; his reputation for ability won an edict of commendation. Transferred to govern Jizhou, he found among the people a man named Xiao Jia, overbearing and cunning, a scourge to the district. Ding exposed his crimes, had his back flogged and his face tattooed, and exiled him to a distant prefecture. Taizong especially valued his forcefulness. When he returned on rotation he was granted scarlet robes and fish insignia. By precedent he should have received a silver precious-vase belt, but Taizong personally gave him a rhinoceros-horn belt instead and entered his name on the imperial screen.

淳化中，上言曰：「《書》云：『三載考績，三考黜陟幽明。』此乃堯、舜氏所以得賢人治天下也。三代而下，典章尚存，兩漢以還，沿革可見。至於唐室，此道尤精，有考功之司，明考課之令，下自簿尉，上至宰臣，皆歲計功過，較定優劣，故人思激厲，績效著聞。五代兵革相繼，禮法陵夷，顧惟考課之文，祇拘州縣之輩，黜陟既異，名存實亡。且夫今之知州，即古之刺史，治狀顯著者，朝廷不知；方略蔑聞者，任用如故。大失勸懲之理，浸成苟且之風。是致水旱薦臻，獄訟填溢，欲望天下承平，豈可得也。伏惟陛下繼二聖之丕圖，為億兆之司牧，念百官之未乂，思四海之未康，特詔有司，申明考績之法，庶幾官得其人，民受其賜矣。」

During the Chunhua era he memorialized: "The Book of Documents says: 'After three years examine merit; after three examinations dismiss the incompetent and promote the capable. This is how Yao and Shun obtained worthy men to govern the realm. From the Three Dynasties onward the institutions still survived, and from the Two Han the successive changes can be traced. Under the Tang this practice was especially refined: there was a Bureau of Merit Examination and clear regulations for assessment. From clerks and assistants up to chancellors, each year merit and fault were reckoned and excellence and failure distinguished, so men strove to excel and achievements stood out. The Five Dynasties, with war upon war, saw rites and law decay. As for the texts on merit examination, they applied only to prefectural and county officials; promotion and demotion had lost their meaning, and the form survived without the substance. Moreover, today's prefects are the ancient provincial governors. Those whose governance was outstanding—the court never learned of them; those of whom no strategy was ever heard were employed as before. This gravely betrayed the principle of reward and punishment and gradually bred a habit of lax compliance. Hence floods and droughts came in succession, lawsuits overflowed the courts—how could one hope for peace under Heaven? Your Majesty has succeeded the great enterprise of the two sage emperors and is shepherd to the hundred millions. Pondering that the hundred officials are not yet well governed and that the four seas are not yet at peace, I beg that Your Majesty specially decree the responsible offices to clarify the law of merit examination, so that officials may be rightly chosen and the people receive its benefit."

俄為開封府判官，遷太常博士、三司右計判官，又為總計判官，會復三部，換度支判官。至道初，鼎洎陳堯叟建議興三白渠，及陳、許、鄧、穎、蔡、宿、亳數州用水利墾田，事具《食貨志》。遷都官員外郎、江南轉運副使，就改起居舍人，徙陝西。二年，五將分道擊李繼遷，李繼隆擅出赤檉路無功，還奏軍儲失期，鼎坐削三任。復為殿中丞，領職如故。以母老求郡，曆知徐、密二州。真宗踐位，復舊官。咸平四年，遷兵部員外郎、知制誥，賜金紫。時三司督逋負嚴急，有久被留係者，命鼎與薛映按籍詳定，多所蠲免。逾月，拜右諫議大夫、度支使。

Soon he was made judicial officer of Kaifeng Prefecture, promoted to Erudite of the Imperial Sacrifices and Right Calculator of the Three Bureaus, then aggregate calculator; when the three departments were restored he was transferred to Expenditure judicial officer. At the beginning of the Zhidao reign Ding and Chen Yaosou proposed reviving the Sanbai Canal and using irrigation to reclaim land in Chen, Xu, Deng, Ying, Cai, Su, Bo, and several other prefectures; the matter is recorded in full in the Treatise on Food and Goods. He was promoted to Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Court of the Imperial Clan and vice transport commissioner of Jiangnan, then at once made Drafting Attendant and transferred to Shaanxi. In the second year five generals attacked Li Jiqian by separate routes. Li Jilong on his own took the Chichan Road without success, then returned and reported that military provisions had failed to arrive on schedule; Ding was punished by demotion of three ranks. He was restored to Palace Inside Gentleman and retained his duties as before. Because his mother was elderly he requested a prefectural post and successively governed Xu and Mi. When Zhenzong acceded to the throne, his former rank was restored. In the fourth year of Xianping he was promoted to Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Ministry of War and Drafting Attendant, and was granted gold and purple insignia. At the time the Three Bureaus pressed urgently for collection of arrears, and some had long been detained. The emperor ordered Ding and Xue Ying to examine the registers in detail, and many debts were remitted. After more than a month he was appointed Right Remonstrance and Reviser and Expenditure Commissioner.

時西鄙未寧，建議陝西禁解池鹽，所在官鬻，詔從之。以鼎為製置使，楊覃為轉運使，張賀副之，又以內殿崇班杜承睿同製置鹽事。議者多言：「邊民舊食青鹽，其價甚賤。洎禁青鹽以困賊，令商賈入粟，運解鹽於緣邊，價直與蕃鹽不相遠，故蕃部齎鹽至者，不能貨鬻。今若禁解池鹽，與內地同價，則民必冒禁復市青鹽，乃資盜糧也。」時劉綜為陝西轉運使，鼎奏罷之。綜歸朝，亦密陳其非便。鼎既行，即移文禁止鹽商，所在約束乖當，延州劉廷偉、慶州鄭惟吉皆不從規畫。

The western frontier was not yet settled. He proposed prohibiting private trade in salt from the Jiechi ponds in Shaanxi and having officials sell it locally; the court approved. Ding was made commissioner for the arrangement, Yang Tan transport commissioner, Zhang He his deputy, and Inner Palace Attendant Du Chengrui was also appointed to oversee salt affairs jointly. Critics said repeatedly: "The border people have long eaten green salt, and its price is very low. When green salt was banned to weaken the enemy and merchants were required to bring grain in exchange for government salt transported to the border, the price differed little from tribal salt, so tribesmen who brought salt could not sell it. If Jiechi salt is now banned and sold at inland prices, the people will surely violate the prohibition and buy green salt again, thereby supplying grain to the bandits." At the time Liu Zong was Shaanxi transport commissioner; Ding memorialized to have him removed. When Zong returned to court he also secretly memorialized against the policy. Once Ding had set out he immediately issued documents prohibiting salt merchants, but the local restrictions were ill judged; Liu Tingwei of Yanzhou and Zheng Weiji of Qingzhou both refused to follow his plan.

又鼎奏運咸陽倉粟以實邊，粟已陳腐，鼎即與民，俟秋收易新粟，朝廷聞而止之，上封章密陳其煩擾者甚眾，鼎始謀多沮，遂令林特乘傳與永興張詠會鼎等同議可否，於是依舊通鹽商。鼎坐首議改作非是，詔罷度支使，守本官。未幾，丁內艱，起復。景德初，知三班院、通進銀台司兼門下封駁事，出知鳳翔府。以居憂哭泣傷目，表求判西京留司御史臺。三年，卒，年五十二，賜二子出身。

Ding also memorialized to transport grain from the Xianyang granary to supply the border. The grain was already stale, and Ding at once distributed it to the people, intending to exchange it for new grain after the autumn harvest. When the court heard of this it halted the plan. Sealed memorials in great number complained of the harassment. Many of Ding's initial plans were thwarted, and the emperor ordered Lin Te to travel by fast relay to meet with Zhang Yong of Yongxing and Ding and others to discuss whether the policy should stand; thereupon the former practice of allowing salt merchants was restored. Ding was held responsible as chief advocate of an ill-advised change; an edict removed him as Expenditure Commissioner while letting him retain his base rank. Before long he entered mourning for his mother but was recalled from mourning to serve. At the beginning of the Jingde reign he oversaw the Three-Ban Court and the Bureau for Forwarding Memorials and the Silver Terrace, concurrently handling gate seal and revision affairs, then went out to govern Fengxiang Prefecture. Because mourning and weeping had injured his eyes, he memorialized requesting appointment as judicial commissioner of the Western Capital retention censorate. In the third year he died, at the age of fifty-two; his two sons were granted official status.

鼎偉姿貌，磊落尚氣，有介節，居官峻厲，名稱甚茂。好學，工篆、籀、八分。嘗著《隱書》三卷，《史論》二十篇，《學古詩》五十篇。子申甫、吉甫。

Ding had a imposing bearing, was open and bold in spirit, possessed integrity, was stern in office, and enjoyed a flourishing reputation. He loved learning and excelled at seal, large seal, and clerical scripts. He once wrote three fascicles of Hidden Writings, twenty essays of Discussions on History, and fifty poems of Studying Antiquity. His sons were Shenfu and Jifu.

范正辭

Fan Zhengci

范正辭，字直道，齊州人。父勞謙，獲嘉令。正辭治《春秋公羊》、《穀梁》，登第，調補安陽主簿。開寶中，判入等，遷國子監丞、知戎州，改著作佐郎。代還，治逋欠於淄州，轉運使稱其能，轉左讚善大夫，就知淄州。太宗征河東，諸州部糧多不及期，正辭所部長山縣吏張秀督民輸，受錢二千，即杖殺之，郡中畏服。

Fan Zhengci, whose style name was Zhidao, was a native of Qizhou. His father Laoqian had been magistrate of Huojia. Zhengci studied the Gongyang and Guliang commentaries on the Spring and Autumn Annals, passed the civil examination, and was assigned as registrar of Anyang. During the Kaibao reign his examination placement entered the top grade; he was promoted to Gentleman of the Directorate of Education and magistrate of Rongzhou, then transferred to Assistant Archivist. On returning from rotation he collected tax arrears in Zizhou; the transport commissioner praised his ability, and he was promoted to Left Palace Companion and appointed to govern Zizhou. When Taizong campaigned against Hedong, many prefectures failed to deliver grain on schedule. In Zhengci's jurisdiction the Changshan county clerk Zhang Xiu supervised the people's deliveries and accepted two thousand cash in bribes; Zhengci had him beaten to death on the spot, and the commandery submitted in awe.

太平興國中，改殿中丞，通判棣、深二州，遷國子博士。御史中丞劉保勳奏充台直，會有言饒州多滯訟，選正辭知州事，至則宿係皆決遣之，胥吏坐淹獄停職者六十三人。會詔令料州兵送京師，有王興者，懷土憚行，以刃故傷其足，正辭斬之。興妻詣登聞上訴，太宗召見，正辭廷辨其事。正辭曰：「東南諸郡，饒實繁盛，人心易動。興敢扇搖，苟失控馭，則臣無待罪之地矣。」上壯其敢斷，特遷膳部員外郎，充江南轉運副使，賜錢五十萬。

During the Taiping Xingguo era he was made Palace Inside Gentleman and vice-prefect of Di and Shen, then promoted to Erudite of the Imperial Academy. Vice Censor-in-Chief Liu Baoxun memorialized to appoint him as a court rectifier. At the time Raozhou was said to have many backlogged lawsuits, and Zhengci was chosen to manage the prefecture. When he arrived he cleared all long-pending cases, and sixty-three clerks were suspended for keeping prisoners too long. An edict ordered prefectural troops mustered and sent to the capital. A man named Wang Xing, unwilling to leave home, deliberately wounded his foot with a blade; Zhengci had him executed. Wang Xing's wife appealed at the Palace of Direct Appeal. Taizong summoned her for an audience, and Zhengci argued the case before the court. Zhengci said: "Among the southeastern prefectures, Raozhou is truly prosperous, and the people's hearts are easily stirred. Wang Xing dared to incite disorder. Had I lost control, I would have had nowhere to await punishment." The emperor admired his bold decisiveness, specially promoted him to Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Ministry of Rites, made him vice transport commissioner of Jiangnan, and granted five hundred thousand cash.

饒州民甘紹者，積財钜萬，為群盜所掠，州捕係十四人，獄具，當死。正辭按部至，引問之，囚皆泣下，察其非實，命徙他所訊鞫。既而民有告群盜所在者，正辭潛召監軍王願掩捕之。願未至，盜遁去，正辭即單騎出郭二十里，追及之。賊控弦持肖來逼，正辭大呼，以鞭擊之，中賊雙目，執之。賊自刃不殊，餘賊渡江散走，追之不獲，旁得所棄贓。賊尚有餘息，正辭即載歸，令醫傅藥，創既愈，按其奸狀，伏法，而前十四人皆得釋。

A Raozhou man named Gan Shao had amassed wealth in the tens of millions and was plundered by a band of robbers. The prefecture arrested fourteen men; the case was complete and they were sentenced to death. When Zhengci arrived on his inspection tour he summoned and questioned them. The prisoners all wept; seeing the case was false, he ordered them transferred elsewhere for interrogation. Later someone reported where the bandits were. Zhengci secretly summoned the army supervisor Wang Yuan to make a surprise arrest. Before Wang Yuan arrived the bandits fled. Zhengci at once rode out alone twenty li beyond the city wall, pursued them, and overtook them. The bandits drew their bows and advanced with blades drawn. Zhengci shouted and struck with his whip, hitting a bandit in both eyes, and seized him. The bandit stabbed himself but was not killed. The rest fled across the river and scattered and could not be caught, but along the way they recovered the abandoned booty. The bandit still breathed. Zhengci at once brought him back, had a doctor treat him, and when the wound healed investigated his crimes and executed him by law; the earlier fourteen were all released.

端拱二年，代歸，與洛苑副使綦仁澤、西京作坊副使尹宗諤同監折中倉。先是，令商人輸米豆而以茶鹽酬其直，謂之「折中」，復有言其弊，罷之，至是復置焉。遷倉部員外郎，同知幕府州縣官考課，改判刑部，曆戶部、鹽鐵二判官，遷考功員外郎，通判定、揚、杭三州。真宗即位，遷膳部郎中，召判三司勾院，俄復為鹽鐵判官。咸平二年，出為河東轉運使。三年，以本官兼侍御史知雜事。

In the second year of Duangong he returned on rotation and, together with Vice Commissioner of the Imperial Parks Qi Renze and Vice Commissioner of the Western Capital Workshops Yin Zong'e, jointly supervised the Zhongzhe Granary. Earlier merchants had been required to deliver rice and beans and be paid in tea and salt—called "zhongzhe." Critics spoke of its abuses and it was abolished; now it was restored. He was promoted to Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Ministry of Revenue, jointly oversaw merit examination of prefectural and county officials under the military commission, transferred to judicial officer of the Ministry of Punishments, served in turn as judicial officer of the Revenue and Salt and Iron Bureaus, was promoted to Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Ministry of Personnel, and served as vice-prefect of Ding, Yang, and Hang. When Zhenzong acceded he was promoted to Gentleman Inside the Ministry of Rites, summoned as judicial officer of the Three Bureaus Audit Office, and soon made Salt and Iron judicial officer again. In the second year of Xianping he went out as Hedong transport commissioner. In the third year he concurrently served as Attendant Censor Managing Miscellaneous Affairs in his base office.

時李昌齡自忠武行軍起知梓州，董儼知壽州，王德裔、楊緘皆任轉運使，後失官宰畿邑。正辭上言：「昌齡輩貪墨著聞，願陛下罷其民政。」詔追還儼敕，餘悉代之。又言：「治民之官，牧宰為急。」舉吳奮等五人堪任大郡，復請令奮等各舉知縣、縣令，從之。坐鞫任懿獄，貶滁州團練副使。會赦，復為倉部考功員外郎、通判鄆州，知淮陽軍，復膳部郎中，以年老，求監兗州商稅。大中祥符三年四月卒，年七十五。子識、諷，並進士及第。

At the time Li Changling had risen from the Zhongwu army march to govern Zizhou; Dong Yan governed Shouzhou; Wang Deyi and Yang Jian had all served as transport commissioners, then later lost office and governed counties in the capital region. Zhengci memorialized: "Changling and the others are notorious for corruption. I beg Your Majesty to remove them from civil administration." An edict recalled Dong Yan's appointment; the rest were all replaced. He also said: "Of officials who govern the people, pastoral administrators are the most urgent." He recommended Wu Fen and four others as fit to govern major prefectures, and further asked that Fen and the others each recommend county magistrates; the court approved. He was punished for investigating the Ren Yi case and was demoted to vice military training commissioner of Chuzhou. After an amnesty he was restored as Subordinate Section Member Outside the Offices of Revenue and Personnel for merit examination, vice-prefect of Yanzhou, and governor of Huaiyang Army, then restored to Gentleman Inside the Ministry of Rites; because of his age he requested to supervise Yanzhou commercial tax. In the fourth month of the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu he died, at the age of seventy-five. His sons were Shi and Feng; both passed the jinshi examination.

子諷

Son Feng

諷，字補之，以蔭補將作監主簿，獻《東封賦》，遷太常寺奉禮郎。又獻所為文，召試入等，出知平陰縣。會河決王陵埽，水去而土肥，失阡陌，田訟不能決，諷分別疆畔，著為券，民持去不復爭。諷辨數激昂，喜為名聲，然亦操持在己，吏不敢欺。為縣存視貧弱，至豪猾大家，峻法治之。

Feng, whose style name was Buzhi, entered office by privilege as chief clerk of the Directorate of Imperial Works, presented a rhapsody on the Eastern Feng, and was promoted to Usher of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. He again presented his writings, was summoned for examination and placed in the top grade, and went out as magistrate of Pingyin. When the Yellow River broke at Wangling embankment, the water receded and left rich soil, but field boundaries were lost and land disputes could not be settled. Feng distinguished the boundaries, drew up deeds, and the people took them away without further quarreling. Feng was eloquent and forceful in debate and liked to win renown, yet he also held himself strictly so clerks did not dare deceive him. In governing the county he looked after the poor and weak, but toward powerful families and local bullies he applied stern law.

舉進士第，遷大理評事、通判淄州。歲旱蝗，他穀皆不立，民以蝗不食菽，猶可藝，而患無種，諷行縣至鄒平，發官廩貨民。縣令爭不可，諷曰：「有責，令無預也。」即出貸三萬斛；比秋，民皆先期而輸。徙知梁山軍，以母老不行，得通判鄆州。時知州李迪貶衡州副使，宰相丁謂戒使者持詔書促上道，諷輒留迪數日，為治裝祖行。詔塞決河，州募民入芻揵，而城邑與農戶等，諷曰：「貧富不同而輕重相若，農民必大困。且詔書使度民力，今則均取之，此有司誤也。也。」即改符，使富人輸三之二，因請下諸州以鄆為率，朝廷從其言。

He passed the jinshi examination and was promoted to reviewer of the Court of Judicial Review and vice-prefect of Zizhou. In a year of drought and locusts other grains would not grow. The people knew locusts do not eat beans and could still plant them, but feared having no seed. Feng went through the counties to Zouping and distributed grain from the government granary to loan the people. The county magistrate objected that it could not be done. Feng said: "If there is blame, the magistrate need not be involved." At once he lent out thirty thousand hu; By autumn the people had all repaid ahead of schedule. He was transferred to govern Liangshan Army, but because his mother was elderly he could not go and obtained the post of vice-prefect of Yanzhou instead. At the time the prefect Li Di was demoted to vice commissioner of Hengzhou. Chancellor Ding Wei instructed the envoy to press the edict and hurry him on the road. Feng kept Di several days to prepare his baggage and give him a farewell feast. An edict ordered the river breach sealed. The prefecture recruited people to deliver fodder, treating city dwellers and farming households alike. Feng said: "Rich and poor differ, yet the burden is equal—the farmers will surely suffer greatly. Moreover the edict ordered measuring the people's strength, yet now it is levied equally—this is the fault of the responsible office. " At once he changed the warrant so the wealthy paid two-thirds, and requested that all prefectures take Yan as the standard; the court approved.

徙知廣濟軍，民避水堤居，凡給徭於官者，諷悉縱使護其家，奏除其租賦。累遷太常博士，以疾監舒州靈仙觀。尚御藥張懷德至觀齋祠，諷頗要結之，懷德薦於章獻太后，遂召還。問所欲言，對曰：「今權臣驕悍，將不可製。」蓋指曹利用也。利用貶，拜右司諫、三司度支判官。百官轉對，敕近臣閱視其可行者，類次以聞。諷奏曰：「非上親覽決可否，則誰肯為陛下極言者。」玉清昭應宮災，下有司治火所起，諷曰：「此天之戒告，乃復置獄以窮治之，非所以應天也。」獄由是得解。議者疑復修，諷上書諫：「山木已盡，人力已竭，宮必不成。臣知朝廷亦不為此，其如疑天下何。宜詔示四方，使明知之。」於是下詔罷修。改尚書禮部員外郎兼侍御史知雜事。

Transferred to govern Guangji Army, he found the people living on flood dikes. For all who performed corvée for the government he let them stay to guard their homes and memorialized to exempt their rent and taxes. He was repeatedly promoted to Erudite of the Imperial Sacrifices; because of illness he was made supervisor of the Lingxian Abbey in Shuzhou. Zhang Huaide, who attended to imperial medicine, came to the abbey to perform sacrifices. Feng sought to cultivate ties with him, and Huaide recommended him to Empress Zhangxian; he was then summoned back. Asked what he wished to say, he replied: "The powerful ministers are now arrogant and fierce and will soon be beyond control." This referred to Cao Utilize. When Cao Utilize was demoted, Feng was appointed Right Secretariat Remonstrator and Expenditure judicial commissioner of the Three Bureaus. When the hundred officials took turns presenting policy proposals, an edict ordered nearby officials to review what was feasible, classify them, and report in order. Feng memorialized: "Unless Your Majesty personally reads and decides what is feasible, who will dare speak forthrightly for Your Majesty?" When the Yushan Zhaoying Palace burned, subordinates were ordered to investigate where the fire started. Feng said: "This is Heaven's warning, yet we set up prisons to investigate exhaustively—this is not how to respond to Heaven." The prison case was thereby dismissed. Critics doubted rebuilding. Feng memorialized in remonstrance: "The mountain timber is exhausted and human strength spent—the palace cannot be completed. I know the court will not do this either, but what of the doubts of all under Heaven? An edict should be issued to the four quarters so that all may know clearly." Thereupon an edict was issued halting reconstruction. He was made Subordinate Section Member Outside the Office of the Ministry of Rites concurrently Attendant Censor Managing Miscellaneous Affairs.

錢惟演自許州來朝，圖相位，諷奏：「惟演嘗為樞密使，以皇太后姻屬罷之，示天下以不私，固不可復用。」遂以惟演守河南。使契丹，道過幽州北，見原野平曠，慨然曰：「此為戰地，不亦信哉。」遼人相目不敢對。擢天章閣待制、知審刑院，出知青州，再遷戶部郎中。時山東饑，宰相王曾，青人，家積粟多，諷發取數千斛濟饑民，因請遣使安撫京東。入為右諫議大夫、權御史中丞。又請益漕江、淮米百萬，自河陽、河陰東下以賑貸之。錢惟演倡議獻、懿二太后宜祔真宗廟室，諷彈奏之；及言其在太后時權寵甚盛，且與後族連姻，請絀去。仁宗不聽，諷袖告身以對曰：「陛下不聽臣言，臣今奉使山陵，而惟演守河南，臣早暮憂刺客。願納此，不敢復為御史中丞矣。」帝不得已可之，諷乃趨出，遂貶惟演隨州。

Qian Weiyan came to court from Xuzhou seeking the chancellorship. Feng memorialized: "Weiyan once served as Bureau Director of Military Affairs and was removed because of kinship with the Empress Dowager, showing the realm that the court is impartial—he certainly cannot be reused." Thereupon Weiyan was made defender of Henan. Sent as envoy to the Khitan, he passed north of Youzhou, saw the open plains, and sighed: "This is battleground—is it not so?" The Liao people looked at one another and did not dare reply. He was promoted to Attendant of the Heavenly Writings Pavilion and director of the Court of Judicial Review, went out to govern Qingzhou, and was again promoted to Gentleman Inside the Ministry of Revenue. At the time Shandong suffered famine. Chancellor Wang Zeng, a native of Qing, had much grain stored away. Feng had tens of thousands of hu taken to relieve the hungry and requested that envoys be sent to pacify Jingdong. He entered the capital as Right Remonstrance and Reviser and acting Censor-in-Chief. He again requested increasing transport of Jiang-Huai rice by one million hu, shipping it down from Heyang and Heyin eastward for relief and loans. Qian Weiyan proposed that the two empresses Xian and Yi be enshrined in Zhenzong's temple room; Feng impeached him; and stated that during the Empress Dowager's time his power and favor had been very great and that he was allied by marriage with the empress's clan, requesting that his purple robe be removed. Renzong would not listen. Feng took out his commission and said: "Your Majesty does not heed my words. I am now going on mission to the imperial tombs while Weiyan guards Henan—I fear assassins morning and evening. I beg to surrender this and dare not again serve as Censor-in-Chief." The emperor had no choice but to consent. Feng then hurried out, and Weiyan was demoted to Suizhou.

陳堯佐罷參知政事，有王文吉者，告堯佐謀反，仁宗遣中官訊問，復以屬諷。夜中被旨究詰，旦得其誣狀奏之。時上章懿皇后諡，宰相張士遜、樞密使楊崇勳日中不赴慰班，諷彈士遜與崇勳，俱罷。諷嘗侍對，帝語及郭后亡子。諷言亡子大義當廢，陰合帝旨，以龍圖閣直學士權三司使。時狄棐為直學士已久，諷盛氣淩棐，宰相李迪右之，遂特詔班棐上，論者非之。尋轉閣學士，又疾免三司使，改翰林侍讀學士、管勾祥源觀。徙會靈觀，復改閣學士、給事中、知兗州。

Chen Yaozuo was removed as Associate Administrator. A man named Wang Wenji reported that Yaozuo plotted rebellion. Renzong sent a palace attendant to inquire and again entrusted the case to Feng. In the night he received orders for exhaustive interrogation; by dawn he had obtained proof of the false charges and memorialized. At the time the posthumous title of Empress Zhangyi was being granted. Chancellor Zhang Shirun and Bureau Director Yang Chongxun did not attend the noon condolence rotation. Feng impeached Shirun and Chongxun, and both were removed. Feng once attended in audience when the emperor spoke of Empress Guo's deceased son. Feng said that by great principle the deceased son ought to be disowned—a view that secretly matched the emperor's intent—and he was made Direct Academician of the Dragon Diagrams Hall and acting Three Bureaus Commissioner. At the time Di Cai had long been Direct Academician. Feng with overbearing manner looked down on him, and Chancellor Li Di favored Feng; thereupon a special edict ranked Cai above him—critics faulted this. Soon he was transferred to Pavilion Academician; again because of illness he was relieved of the Three Bureaus Commissionership and made Hanlin Palace Attendant Reader and overseer of Xiangyuan Abbey. He was transferred to Huiling Abbey, then again made Pavilion Academician, Giving Huangmen Attendant, and governor of Yanzhou.

既至郡，而龐籍為廣南東路轉運使，未行，上言：「向為侍御史，嘗奏彈諷以三司使曲為左藏監庫吳守則奏課遷官。尚美人同父弟娶守則女，諷以銀鞍勒遺守則相結納。既出兗州，乃紿言貧，假翰林白金器數千兩自隨，而增產於齊州，市官田虧平估。」置獄於南京劾之，諷坐方聽旨擅馳驛還兗州，當贖。籍所奏有不實，當免官。宰相呂夷簡嫉諷詭激，特貶諷武昌軍節度行軍司馬；貸籍，止降官知臨江軍。由是宰相李迪等坐親善諷皆斥。

After he reached the prefecture, Pang Ji was Eastern Guangnan transport commissioner and had not yet departed. He memorialized: "Formerly, as Attendant Censor, I once impeached Feng for, as Three Bureaus Commissioner, bending the law to have Left Treasury Supervisor Wu Shouze promoted by merit memorial. The Honored Beauty's younger brother by the same father had married Shouze's daughter; Feng gave Shouze a silver saddle and bridle to form a connection. After leaving Yanzhou he falsely claimed poverty and borrowed several thousand taels' worth of Hanlin white-gold vessels to take with him, yet increased his property in Qizhou by buying government fields below fair estimate." A case was set up at Nanjing to investigate. Feng was punished for rashly using the relay post to return to Yanzhou while awaiting orders—liable to commutation. What Pang Ji memorialized was partly untrue—he should be removed from office. Chancellor Lü Yijian resented Feng's crafty sharpness and specially demoted Feng to military affairs secretary of Wuchang Army; Pang Ji was pardoned and only demoted to govern Linjiang Army. Thereupon Chancellor Li Di and others, for befriending Feng, were all expelled.

歲中徙保信軍，聽居舒州持母喪，又許歸齊州。日飲酒自縱，為時所譏。服除，改將作少監、知淮陽軍，遷光祿卿、知陝州，道改潞州。入見帝言：「元昊不可擊，獨以兵守要害，捍侵掠，久當自服。倘內修百度，躬節儉，如祖宗故事，則疆事不足憂。」復給事中，卒。

Mid-year he was transferred to Baoxin Army, permitted to live in Shuzhou while observing mourning for his mother, and also permitted to return to Qizhou. He drank wine daily and indulged himself, and was ridiculed by his contemporaries. When mourning ended he was made Vice Director of Imperial Works and governor of Huaiyang Army, promoted to Chamberlain for Imperial Insignia and governor of Shaanzhou, and on the road was transferred to Luzhou. On audience he told the emperor: "Yuan Hao cannot be attacked. Hold the army only at strategic points and repel raids—in time he will submit of himself. If within the court you cultivate the hundred measures and personally practice frugality as the ancestors did, then frontier affairs need not worry." He was restored to Giving Huangmen Attendant and died.

諷嘗建議朝廷當差擇能臣，留以代大臣之不稱職者。大臣聞而惡之。又數短參知政事王隨於帝前，因奏：「外人謂臣逐隨將取其位，願先出臣，為陛下引奸邪去，而朝廷清矣。」又嘗與張士遜議事不合，諷曰：「世謂大事未易可議，小事不足為，所為終何事邪？」及為龐籍訟，人謂大臣陰諷籍焉。

Feng once proposed that the court should select able ministers and keep them on hand to replace ministers unfit for office. The great ministers heard of this and hated it. He also several times belittled Associate Administrator Wang Sui before the emperor and memorialized: "Outsiders say I expelled Sui to take his post. I beg first to send me away so Your Majesty may draw off wicked flatterers, and the court will be clear." He also once disagreed with Zhang Shirun in discussion. Feng said: "People say great affairs are hard to debate and small affairs not worth doing—what in the end can be accomplished?" When he prosecuted Pang Ji, people said the great ministers had secretly incited Pang Ji.

諷類曠達，然捭闔圖進，不守名檢，所與遊者輒慕其所為，時號「東州逸黨」。山東人顏太初作《逸黨詩》刺之，而薑潛者又嘗貽書以疏其過雲。子寬之，終尚書刑部郎中、知濠州。

Du Feng seemed free-spirited and easygoing, yet he schemed and maneuvered for advancement and paid no heed to propriety. Those who kept company with him invariably admired his ways, and they were known at the time as the "Eastern Region Unrestrained Clique." Yan Taichu of Shandong wrote Poem on the Unrestrained Clique to satirize them, and Jiang Qian also once sent a letter laying out his faults. His son Kuanzhi eventually rose to Director of the Penal Bureau in the Ministry of Justice and served as prefect of Haozhou.

劉師道

Liu Shidao

劉師道，字損之，一字宗聖，開封東明人。父澤，右補闕。師道，雍熙二年舉進士，初命和州防禦推官，曆保寧、鎮海二鎮從事，凡十年。王化基、呂祐之、樂史薦於朝，擢著作佐郎，才一月，會考課，又遷殿中丞，出知彭州，就加監察御史。轉運使劉錫、馬襄上其治跡，召歸。會浦洛之敗，奉詔劾白守榮輩，獄成，太宗獎其勤，面賜緋魚。

Liu Shidao, styled Sunzhi and also Zongsheng, was a native of Dongming in Kaifeng. His father Ze served as Right Remonstrance Officer. Shidao passed the jinshi examination in the second year of Yongxi. He was first appointed defense push officer of Hezhou and then served as staff officer in the Baoning and Zhenhai commands for ten years in all. Wang Huaji, Lü Youzhi, and Yue Shi recommended him at court. He was promoted to Editorial Assistant, and after only one month, when evaluations were held, he was further made Palace Aide, sent out to govern Pengzhou, and concurrently appointed Investigating Censor. Transport commissioners Liu Xi and Ma Xiang submitted reports on his record of governance, and he was recalled to court. When the defeat at Puluo occurred, he was ordered to investigate Bai Shourong and his associates. After the case was completed, Taizong praised his diligence and personally granted him scarlet robes and fish insignia.

川陝豪民多旁戶，以小民役屬者為佃客，使之如奴隸，家或數十戶，凡租調庸斂，悉佃客承之。時有言李順之亂，皆旁戶鳩集，請擇旁戶為三耆長迭主之，疇歲勞則授以官，詔師道使兩川議其事。師道以為迭使主領則爭忿滋多，署以名級又重增擾害，廷奏非便，卒罷之。改祠部員外郎，出為京東轉運使。真宗嗣位，進秩度支。咸平初，范正辭薦其材堪長民，徙知潤州。三年，改淮南轉運副使兼淮南、江、浙、荊湖發運使。四年，以漕事入奏，特遷司封，俄為正使，改工部郎中，代查道為三司度支副使。七月，擢樞密直學士，掌三班。俄擢權三司使，從幸澶淵，判隨駕三司，充都轉運使。

In Sichuan and Shaanxi, powerful families often maintained secondary households. They made subordinate commoners serve as tenant clients and treated them like slaves; some households numbered several dozen families, and all rent, tax, and corvée levies were borne entirely by the tenant clients. At the time it was said that Li Shun's rebellion had drawn many secondary households together. Some proposed selecting secondary households as three elder chiefs to rotate in leadership, with office granted after a year's labor. An edict ordered Shidao to go to the Two River valleys to discuss the plan. Shidao argued that rotating leadership would only increase quarrels and resentment, and granting them titles and ranks would further aggravate the harm. He memorialized at court that the plan was impractical, and it was ultimately abandoned. He was transferred to Deputy Director of the Sacrifices Bureau and sent out as transport commissioner of the Jingdong circuit. When Zhenzong succeeded to the throne, Shidao was promoted in rank within the Bureau of Revenue. At the beginning of the Xianping era, Fan Zhengci recommended his talent as fit to govern the people, and he was transferred to serve as prefect of Runzhou. In the third year he was made Deputy Transport Commissioner of Huainan and concurrently Grain Transport Commissioner for Huainan, Jiang, Zhe, and Jinghu. In the fourth year he entered court to report on grain transport affairs and was specially promoted to Director of the Seals Bureau. Soon he became chief commissioner, was transferred to Director of the Works Bureau, and replaced Cha Dao as Deputy Commissioner of Revenue of the Three Departments. In the seventh month he was promoted to Privy Council Academician and placed in charge of the Three Classes. Soon he was promoted to Acting Commissioner of the Three Departments. He accompanied the emperor to Chanyuan, judged the imperial retinue Three Departments, and served as Chief Transport Commissioner.

師道弟幾道，舉進士禮部奏名，將廷試，近製悉糊名較等，陳堯谘當為考官，教幾道於卷中密為識號。幾道既擢第，事泄，詔落其籍，永不預舉。師道固求辨理，詔曹利用、邊肅、閻承翰詣御史府推治之。坐論奏誣罔，責為忠武軍行軍司馬，堯谘免所居官，為鄆州團練副使。二年，以郊祀恩，起為工部郎中、知復州，換秀州。

Shidao's younger brother Jidao passed the Ministry of Rites preliminary jinshi examination and was about to take the palace examination. By recent regulation all papers were sealed for anonymous grading. Chen Yaozi was to serve as an examiner and taught Jidao to place secret marks on his examination paper. After Jidao was placed on the list, the affair came to light. An edict struck him from the rolls and permanently barred him from the examinations. Shidao repeatedly petitioned to have the matter cleared. An edict ordered Cao Yiliang, Bian Su, and Yan Chenghan to go to the Censorate to investigate. Convicted of memorializing falsely, Shidao was demoted to Army Adjutant of Zhongwu. Yaozi was removed from his post and made Deputy Militia Commissioner of Yanzhou. In the second year, through the grace of the suburban sacrifice, he was restored as Director of the Works Bureau and appointed prefect of Fuzhou, then transferred to Xiuzhou.

大中祥符二年，以兵部郎中知潭州，遷太常少卿。師道敏於吏事，所至有聲，吏民畏愛。長沙當湖、嶺都會，剖煩析滯，案無留事。歲滿，復加樞密直學士，換左司郎中，留一任。七年，李應機代還。應機未至郡，六月，師道暴病卒，年五十四，錄幾道為試秘書省校書郎。

In the second year of Dazhong Xiangfu he served as Director of the War Bureau and prefect of Tanzhou, then was transferred to Vice Director of Imperial Sacrifices. Shidao was quick in administrative affairs. Wherever he went he gained renown, and officials and commoners both feared and loved him. Changsha stood at the convergence of lake and mountain routes. He cut through vexations and cleared backlog, and no cases were left pending. When his term expired, he was again made Privy Council Academician, transferred to Left Department Director, and retained for one more term. In the seventh year Li Yingji was sent to replace him. Before Yingji reached the prefecture, in the sixth month Shidao suddenly fell ill and died at the age of fifty-four. Jidao was enrolled as probationary proofreader of the Secretariat.

師道性慷慨尚氣，善談世務，與人交敦篤。工為詩，多與楊億輩酬唱，當時稱之。

By nature Shidao was generous and spirited. He was skilled at discussing current affairs and devoted in his dealings with others. He was skilled at poetry and often exchanged verses with Yang Yi and others, and was praised at the time.

王濟，字巨川。其先真定人，祖卿，有詞辨，趙王熔召置幕府。熔政衰，卿懼禍，避地深州饒陽，遂為縣人。父恕，後唐時童子及第，開寶中，知秀州。會盜起，城陷，為盜所殺，將並害濟。濟伏柩號慟，謂賊曰：「吾父已死，吾安用生為，但恨力不能殺汝，以報父仇爾！」賊義之，舍去。濟攜父骨匿山谷間。既而官軍大集，濟脫身謁其帥朱乙，陳討賊之計。乙嘉之，遺以束帛，奏假驛置遣歸。

Wang Ji, styled Juchuan. His ancestors were from Zhending. His grandfather Qing was eloquent in debate and was summoned by Prince Zhao Rong to serve on his staff. When Rong's rule declined, Qing feared disaster, fled to Raoyang in Shenzhou, and became a man of that county. His father Shu passed the child examination in Later Tang and, in the Kaibao era, served as prefect of Xiuzhou. When bandits rose, the city fell. Shu was killed by the bandits, who were about to kill Ji as well. Ji prostrated himself before the coffin and wailed, saying to the bandits, "My father is already dead—what use is my life? I only regret that I lack the strength to kill you and avenge my father!" The bandits admired his righteousness and let him go. Ji carried his father's bones and hid among the mountains and valleys. Before long the government troops gathered in force. Ji made his way out to visit their commander Zhu Yi and laid out a plan to suppress the bandits. Yi praised him, presented him with silk, and memorialized for courier relays to send him home.

先是，濟母終於嶽陽，權窆佛舍。至是，乃並護二喪還饒陽。州將以聞，太祖召見，以其尚少，且俾就學。雍熙中，上書自陳死事之孤，得試學士院，補龍溪主簿。時調福建輸鶴翎為箭羽。鶴非常有物，有司督責急，一羽至直數百錢，民甚苦之。濟諭民取鵝翎代輸，仍驛奏其事，因詔旁郡悉如濟所陳。縣有陂塘數百頃，為鄉豪斡其利，會歲旱，濟悉導之，分溉民田。汀州以銀冶構訟，十年不決，逮係數百人，轉運使使濟鞫之，才七日情得，止坐數人。

Earlier Ji's mother had died at Yueyang and was temporarily buried at a Buddhist temple. At this time he escorted both coffins back to Raoyang. The prefectural commander reported the matter. Taizu summoned him for an audience and, because he was still young, ordered him to continue his studies. In the Yongxi era he submitted a memorial declaring himself an orphan of one who died in office. He was allowed to take the Hanlin examination and was appointed registrar of Longxi. At the time Fujian was levied to supply crane feathers for arrow fletching. Cranes were scarce, and the authorities pressed collection urgently. A single feather could cost several hundred cash, and the people suffered greatly. Ji instructed the people to substitute goose feathers and reported the matter by courier. An edict then ordered neighboring prefectures all to follow Ji's proposal. The county had dikes and ponds covering several hundred qing, monopolized by local magnates for profit. When drought came, Ji had them all opened and the water divided to irrigate the people's fields. Tingzhou had a lawsuit over silver smelting that had gone unresolved for ten years, with several hundred people detained. The transport commissioner had Ji try the case. In only seven days the facts were clear, and only a few were punished.

再調胙城尉，徙臨河主簿。轉運使王嗣宗被詔舉法官，以濟名聞。遷光祿寺丞、權大理丞，改刑部詳覆官、通判鎮州。牧守多勳舊武臣，倨貴陵下，濟未嘗撓屈。戍卒頗恣暴不法，夜或焚民舍為盜。一夕，報有火，濟部壯士數十潛往偵伺，果得數輩並所盜物，即斬之。馳奏其事，太宗大悅。都校孫進使酒無賴，毆折人齒，濟不俟奏，杖脊送闕下，繇是軍城畏肅。就遷太子中舍，詔書獎勞。召判登聞鼓院，拜監察御史。上疏陳統天下之術、節民物之道，大者有十：擇左右，別賢愚，正名器，去冗食，加奉祿，謹政教，選良將，分兵戍，修民事，開仕進。其言切於時，詞多不載。

He was transferred again to serve as marshal of Zuocheng and then moved to registrar of Linhe. Transport commissioner Wang Sizong was ordered by edict to recommend legal officials, and Ji's name became known. He was promoted to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Acting Director of the Grand Court of Justice, then made Reviewing Official of the Penal Bureau and vice prefect of Zhenzhou. The prefectural governors were mostly meritorious old military men, arrogant and overbearing toward subordinates, yet Ji never yielded. The garrison soldiers were quite lawless and violent. At night they sometimes burned people's houses in order to rob as bandits. One night a fire was reported. Ji deployed several dozen stout men in secret to watch and indeed caught several men along with the stolen goods, whom he immediately beheaded. He rushed a memorial reporting the affair, and Taizong was greatly pleased. Commandant Sun Jin drank and was a ruffian, beating a man and breaking his teeth. Without waiting for memorial, Ji had him flogged and sent to the capital, and thereafter the military garrison feared discipline. He was concurrently promoted to Palace Attendant of the Heir Apparent, and an edict commended and rewarded him. He was summoned to judge the Drum Court of Appeals and appointed Investigating Censor. He submitted a memorial setting forth the art of governing all under Heaven and the way to economize on the people's resources. The great points were ten: choose those at one's side, distinguish the worthy from the foolish, correct names and ranks, remove redundant consumption, increase salaries, be careful in government and education, select good generals, distribute military garrisons, repair civil affairs, and open the path of advancement. His words were pertinent to the times, but most of the text is not recorded.

咸平初，濟以刑網尚繁，建議請刪定制敕，乃命張齊賢領其事，濟預焉。《刑統》舊條：持仗行劫，不以贓有無，悉抵死。齊賢議貨不得財者，濟曰：「刑，期於無刑。以死懼之，尚不畏，況緩其死乎？」因與齊賢廷爭數四。濟詞氣甚厲，目齊賢為腐儒。然卒從齊賢議，人以濟為刻。改鹽鐵判官。

At the beginning of the Xianping era, Ji held that the penal net was still too dense and proposed editing the statutory commands. Zhang Qixian was ordered to lead the task, and Ji participated. An old provision of the Penal Compendium held that robbery while bearing weapons, whether or not booty was obtained, was punished by death in every case. Qixian proposed that those who obtained no goods should be treated differently. Ji said, "Punishment aims at having no punishment. If even death does not frighten them, how much less would easing the death penalty?" He thus disputed with Qixian at court several times. Ji's tone was very fierce, and he called Qixian a pedantic Confucian. Yet in the end they followed Qixian's proposal, and people regarded Ji as harsh. He was transferred to Salt and Iron Judge.

車駕巡師大名，調丁夫十五萬修黃、汴河，濟以為勞民，詔濟馳往經度，還奏省十六七。齊賢時為相，以河決為憂。因對，並召濟見，齊賢請令濟署狀保河不決，濟曰：「河決亦陰陽災沴，宰相苟能和陰陽，弭災沴，為國家致太平，河之不決，臣亦可保。」齊賢曰：「若是，則今非太平邪？」濟曰：「北有契丹，西有繼遷，兩河、關右歲被侵擾。以陛下神武英略，苟用得其人，可以馴致，今則未也。」上動容，獨留濟問邊事。濟曰：「陛下承二聖之基，擁百萬之眾，蠢茲醜虜，敢爾憑陵，蓋謀謨當國之人未有如昔之比。臣謂國家所恃，獨一洪河耳！此誠急賢之秋；不然，臣懼敵人將飲馬於河渚矣。」又著《備邊策》十五條以獻。

When the imperial carriage toured troops at Daming, 150,000 corvée laborers were levied to repair the Yellow and Bian rivers. Ji held that the project overburdened the people, and an edict ordered him to rush there to plan it. On his return he reported a savings of six or seven tenths. Qixian was then chancellor and worried about river breaches. During an audience Ji was also summoned. Qixian asked Ji to sign a guarantee that the river would not breach. Ji said, "River breaches also arise from disharmony of yin and yang and calamitous anomalies. If the chancellor can harmonize yin and yang and quell calamitous anomalies, bringing Great Peace to the state, then that the river will not breach—I too can guarantee." Qixian said, "If so, is the present not Great Peace?" Ji said, "In the north there is Khitan, in the west Jiqian. The Two He and the western frontier suffer incursions year after year. With Your Majesty's divine martial prowess and heroic strategy, if the right men were employed, this could be subdued—but that has not yet been achieved." The emperor was moved and kept Ji alone to question him on border affairs. Ji said, "Your Majesty inherits the foundation of the Two Sage Emperors and commands a million men, yet these vile barbarians dare thus to encroach because those who counsel the state today are not what they once were. I hold that what the state relies upon is only the mighty Yellow River! This is truly a season demanding urgent recruitment of the worthy. Otherwise, I fear the enemy will soon water their horses at the river's shallows." He also composed and presented Fifteen Stratagems for Border Defense.

三年，選官判大理寺，上曰：「法寺宜擇當官不回者，苟非其人，或有冤濫，即感傷和氣。王濟近數言事，似有操持，可試之。」遂令濟權判大理寺事。福津尉劉瑩集僧舍，屠狗群飲，杖一伶官致死，濟論以大辟，遇赦從流。時王欽若知審刑，與濟素不相得，又以濟嘗忤齊賢，乃奏瑩當以德音原釋。齊賢、王欽若議濟坐故入，停官。逾年，復為監察御史、通判河南府。

In the third year officials were selected to judge the Grand Court of Justice. The emperor said, "The Court of Justice should choose men in office who do not bend. If not the right men, there may be false convictions or excess punishments, which would harm harmonious qi. Wang Ji has recently spoken on many affairs and seems to have firm principles. He may be tried." Ji was then ordered to act as judge of the Grand Court of Justice. Fucun Assistant Liu Ying gathered at a temple, slaughtered a dog and drank in company, and beat an entertainer to death. Ji sentenced him to capital punishment, but he received amnesty and was commuted to exile. At the time Wang Qinruo oversaw criminal review. He and Ji had long been at odds, and because Ji had once offended Qixian, Qinruo memorialized that Ying should be pardoned under the amnesty. Qixian and Wang Qinruo held that Ji was guilty of intentional misjudgment and suspended him from office. After a year he was again made Investigating Censor and vice prefect of Henan prefecture.

景德初，徙知河中府。契丹南侵，上幸澶淵，詔緣河斷橋梁，毀船舫，稽緩者論以軍法。濟曰：「陝西有關防隔閡，舳艫遠屬，軍儲數萬，一旦沉之，可惜；又動搖民心。」因密奏寢其事，上深嘉歎，遣使褒諭。未幾，召拜工部員外郎兼侍御史知雜事。三年，判司農寺。時周伯星見，濟乘間言曰：「昔唐太宗以豐年為上瑞。臣願陛下日慎一日，居安慮危，則天下幸甚。」受詔與劉綜改定茶法，頗易舊制，由是忤丁謂、林特、劉承規輩，因與欽若迭詆訾之。

At the beginning of the Jingde era he was transferred to serve as prefect of Hezhong. When the Khitan invaded south, the emperor went to Chanyuan. An edict ordered that bridges along the river be broken and boats destroyed, and those who delayed were punished by military law. Ji said, "Shaanxi has fortifications and barriers. Ships extend far in linkage, with military stores numbering in the tens of thousands. To sink them at once would be a pity; it would also shake the people's hearts." He thereupon secretly memorialized to halt the matter. The emperor deeply praised and sighed, and sent envoys to commend him. Before long he was summoned and appointed Vice Director of the Works Bureau and concurrently Chief Palace Censor. In the third year he judged the Court of Granaries. When the star Zhoubo appeared, Ji seized the occasion and said, "In antiquity Emperor Taizong of Tang took abundant harvest years as the highest auspice. I wish Your Majesty would grow more cautious day by day and, in security, consider danger. Then all under Heaven would be greatly blessed." He received an edict to join Liu Zong in revising the tea law, altering the old system considerably. Thereby he offended Ding Wei, Lin Te, Liu Chenggui, and others like them, and Qinruo together with them took turns slandering and reviling him.

四年，拜本曹郎中，出知杭州。上面加慰諭，仍戒以朝廷闕失許密上言。遷刑部郎中。郡城西有錢塘湖，溉田千餘頃，歲久湮塞。濟命工浚治，增置斗門，以備潰溢之患，仍以白居易舊記刻石湖側，民頗利之。睦州有狂僧突人州廨，出妖言，與轉運使陳堯佐按其實，斬之，上嘉其能斷。大中祥符三年，徙知洪州，兼江南西路安撫使。屬歲旱民饑，躬督官吏為糜粥，日親嘗而給之；錄饑民為州兵，全活甚眾。是歲卒，年五十九，遺奏大旨以進賢退諛佞、罷土木不急之費為言。

In the fourth year he was appointed Director of the Department of his own bureau and sent out to serve as prefect of Hangzhou. The emperor added words of consolation and encouragement, and also instructed him that where the court had faults or omissions, he was permitted to memorialize in secret. He was transferred to Director of the Department in the Ministry of Justice. West of the prefectural city lay Qiantang Lake, which irrigated more than a thousand qing of fields, but over the years it had silted up and become blocked. Ji ordered workers to dredge and repair the lake, added sluice gates to guard against breach and overflow, and had Bai Juyi's old inscription carved in stone beside the lake. The people benefited greatly. In Muzhou a mad monk burst into the prefectural offices and uttered demonic words. Together with Transport Commissioner Chen Yaozuo, Ji investigated the matter and had the monk executed. The emperor praised his decisiveness. In the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu he was transferred to serve as prefect of Hongzhou and concurrently as Military Commissioner of Jiangnan West Circuit. That year brought drought and famine. He personally supervised officials in preparing gruel, tasting it himself each day before distributing it; He enrolled starving people in the prefectural militia, thereby saving a great many lives. He died that year at the age of fifty-nine. His death memorial stressed advancing the worthy and removing flatterers and sycophants, and abolishing non-urgent construction expenses.

濟頗涉經史，好讀《左氏春秋》，性剛直，無所畏避。少時，深州刺史念金鎖一見器之，且托後於濟。金鎖沒，濟撫其孤，援置祿仕。素與內臣裴愈有隙，愈坐事，上怒甚，命憲府鞫之，濟適知雜事，力為辨理，遂獲輕典。子孝傑，國子博士。

Ji was well versed in the classics and histories and fond of reading the Zuo Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals. By nature he was upright and stern and feared nothing. In his youth, Shenzhou Prefect Nian Jinsuo took a liking to him at first sight and entrusted his posterity to Ji's care. When Jinsuo died, Ji nurtured his orphans and secured salaried appointments for them. He had long been at odds with inner attendant Pei Yu. When Yu was implicated in an affair, the emperor was greatly angered and ordered the censorate to interrogate him. Ji happened to be serving as Chief Palace Censor and vigorously argued his case, whereupon Yu received a lighter punishment. His son Xiaojie served as a Doctor of the Imperial Academy.

論曰：渭有清節，臨事多從便文。鼎好規畫。師道喜論世務。正辭按貪吏，辨冤獄。濟議論挺特，無所畏避。五臣者，仕不過監司、郡守，而名稱甚茂，可尚哉。

The commentator says: Wei possessed pure integrity, yet in handling affairs he often followed expedient practice. Ding was fond of planning and design. Shidao delighted in discussing affairs of the age. Zhengci prosecuted corrupt officials and cleared cases of wrongful conviction. Ji's opinions were bold and outstanding, and he feared nothing. These five men rose no higher than transport commissioners and prefects, yet their reputations flourished greatly—worthy of esteem indeed!

方偕，字齊古，興化莆田人。年二十，及進士第，為溫州軍事推官。歲饑，民欲隸軍就廩食，州不敢擅募。偕乃詣提點刑獄呂夷簡曰：「民迫流亡，不早募之，將聚而為盜矣。」夷簡從之，籍為軍者七千人。後遷汀州判官，權知建安縣。縣產茶，每歲先社日，調民數千鼓噪山旁，以達陽氣。偕以為害農，奏罷之。

Fang Xie, whose style name was Qigu, came from Putian in Xinghua. At the age of twenty he passed the jinshi examination and served as Military Push Officer of Wenzhou. In a year of famine the people wished to enlist in the army to receive grain rations, but the prefecture dared not recruit on its own authority. Xie thereupon went to Judicial Intendant Lü Yijian and said, "The people are being driven to flee. If we do not recruit them soon, they will gather and become bandits. Yijian agreed, and seven thousand men were registered in the army. Later he was transferred to serve as Assistant Magistrate of Tingzhou and acted as magistrate of Jian'an County. The county produced tea. Every year before the She Festival, several thousand people were mobilized to drum and shout beside the mountains in order to summon the yang qi. Xie considered this harmful to farming and memorialized to have it abolished.

遷秘書省著作佐郎，曆知福清、資陽縣。累遷尚書屯田員外郎，為御史臺推直官。澧州逃卒傭民家自給，一日，誣告民事摩駝神，歲殺十二人以祭。州逮其族三百人係獄，久不決。偕被詔就劾，令卒疏所殺主名，按驗皆亡狀，事遂辨，卒以誣告論死。知雜事龐籍薦為御史裏行，再遷侍御史。南京鴻慶宮災，偕引漢罷原廟故事，請勿復修。

He was transferred to serve as Assistant Editor in the Secretariat and successively served as magistrate of Fuqing and Ziyang counties. After repeated promotions he became Vice Director of the Field Cultivation Bureau in the Ministry of Revenue and served as Investigating Officer of the Censorate. In Lizhou a deserter hired himself out to a civilian household for his keep. One day he falsely accused the household of worshipping the Motuo deity and sacrificing twelve people each year as offerings. The prefecture arrested three hundred members of the clan and imprisoned them, and for a long time the case could not be decided. Xie was ordered by edict to go and investigate. He had the deserter list the names of those allegedly killed, and on verification all proved baseless. The matter was then cleared, and the deserter was sentenced to death for false accusation. Chief Palace Censor Pang Ji recommended him as Acting Censor, and after a further promotion he became Attending Censor. When the Hongqing Palace in Nanjing burned, Xie cited the Han precedent of abolishing original ancestral temples and requested that it not be rebuilt.

元昊寇塞門，鄜延副總管趙振逗撓不出救，詔偕往按之，法當斬。偕奏：「兵寡不敵，苟出以餌賊，無益也。」振由是得不死。為開封府判官、江南安撫。三司歲出乳香、綿綺下州郡配民，偕奏罷之。更鹽鐵判官，遷兵部員外郎兼御史知雜事，言：「以罪謫監當者，監司勿得差權親民官。」判大理寺，改度支副使，擢天章閣待制、江淮製置發運使、知杭州，遷刑部郎中。

When Yuan Hao raided Saimen, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhao Zhen of Fuyan hesitated and delayed and did not go out to rescue. An edict ordered Xie to investigate him, and by law he should have been executed. Xie memorialized, "The troops were few and could not match the enemy. If they went out merely to feed the bandits, it would be of no benefit. Zhen thereby escaped death. He served as Judge of the Kaifeng Prefecture and Military Commissioner of Jiangnan. Each year the Three Departments issued frankincense and silk brocade to prefectures and counties for distribution to the people. Xie memorialized to have this abolished. He was reassigned as Salt and Iron Judge and promoted to Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and concurrently Chief Palace Censor. He said, "Those demoted and exiled for crimes to supervisory posts—supervisory officials must not assign them as acting local officials who deal directly with the people. He judged the Grand Court of Justice, was reassigned as Vice Commissioner of the Revenue Bureau, and was promoted to Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting, Jiang-Huai Commissioner for Transport and Supply, and prefect of Hangzhou. He was then transferred to Director of the Department in the Ministry of Justice.

偕以吏事進，治杭州有能聲。喜飲酒，至酣宴無節。數月，暴中風，以太常少卿分司西京，遷光祿卿，卒。

Xie advanced through administrative affairs, and in governing Hangzhou he gained a reputation for ability. He was fond of drinking wine, and at feasts when drunk he had no restraint. After several months he suddenly suffered a stroke, was assigned as Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices with duty in the Western Capital, was transferred to Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, and died.

曹穎叔

Cao Yingshu

曹穎叔，字秀之，亳州譙人。初名熙，嘗夢之官府，見穎叔名，遂更名穎叔。進士及第，曆威勝軍判官、渭州軍事推官。御史中丞蔡齊薦為台主薄，改大理寺丞。韓億知亳州，辟僉書節度判官事，通判儀州。韓琦、文彥博薦其才，徙夔州路轉運判官。夔、峽尚淫祠，人有疾，不事醫而專事神，穎叔悉禁絕之，乃教以醫藥。提點陝西路刑獄，夏人納款，詔與戶部副使夏安期、轉運使柳灝減戍卒吏員之冗者。為開封府判官，時御史宋禧鞫衛士獄於內侍省，禧不能辨，及獄具，內侍使禧自為牒，穎叔言禧為製使辱命，請置之法。元昊死，為夏國祭奠使。除直史館、知鳳翔府，徙益州路轉運使，權度支副使。

Cao Yingshu, whose style name was Xiuzhi, came from Qiao in Bozhou. His original name was Xi. Once he dreamed of a government office and saw the name Yingshu, and so changed his name to Yingshu. He passed the jinshi examination and successively served as Assistant Magistrate of Weisheng Army and Military Push Officer of Weizhou. Censor-in-Chief Cai Qi recommended him as Chief Clerk of the Censorate, and he was reassigned as Assistant Magistrate of the Grand Court of Justice. When Han Yi was prefect of Bozhou, he recruited Yingshu as Signing Secretary for the Military Commission and made him Vice Prefect of Yizhou. Han Qi and Wen Yanbo recommended his talent, and he was transferred to serve as Transport Vice Commissioner of Kuizhou Circuit. In Kuizhou and the Gorges region licentious shrines were still honored. When people fell ill they did not seek physicians but devoted themselves solely to spirits. Yingshu forbade all of this entirely and then taught them medicine. As Judicial Intendant of Shaanxi West Circuit, when the Xia people submitted, an edict ordered him together with Vice Commissioner of the Households Bureau Xia Anqi and Transport Commissioner Liu Hao to reduce redundant garrison soldiers and clerks. While serving as Judge of the Kaifeng Prefecture, Attending Censor Song Xi was interrogating a guards case in the Inner Attendant Service. Xi could not determine the facts, and when the case was complete the inner attendants had Xi draft the document himself. Yingshu said Xi, as envoy, had disgraced his commission and requested that he be punished by law. When Yuan Hao died, he served as condolence envoy to the Xia state. He was appointed Direct Historiographer and prefect of Fengxiang Prefecture, was transferred to Transport Commissioner of Yizhou Circuit, and acted as Vice Commissioner of the Revenue Bureau.

儂智高寇嶺南，朝議以閩中久弛兵備，擢天章閣待制、知福州。累遷右司郎中，為陝西都轉運使。自慶曆鑄大鐵錢行陝西，民盜鑄不已，三司上榷鐵之議。穎叔曰：「鐵錢輕而貨重，不可久行，況官自榷鐵乎？請罷鑄諸郡鐵錢，以三鐵錢當銅錢之一。」從之。兩川和買絹給陝西兵，而蜀人苦於煩斂，穎叔為歲出本路緡錢五十萬，以易軍衣之餘者，兩川之民始無擾焉。進龍圖閣直學士、知永興軍；然年老，漸昏耄，事頗壅積，人或嘲誚之，卒於官。

When Nong Zhigao raided Lingnan, the court considered that military preparations in Minzhong had long been lax and promoted him to Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting and prefect of Fuzhou. After repeated promotions he became Director of the Right Department and served as Chief Transport Commissioner of Shaanxi. Since the Qingli casting of large iron coins for circulation in Shaanxi, the people had ceaselessly counterfeited them. The Three Departments submitted a proposal for a state iron monopoly. Yingshu said, "Iron coins are light while goods are heavy. They cannot circulate for long—how much less if the state itself monopolizes iron? I request that the casting of iron coins in the various prefectures be abolished, and that three iron coins be valued as one copper coin. The request was approved. The Two Sichuan circuits supplied silk through cooperative procurement for Shaanxi troops, while the people of Shu suffered from burdensome levies. Yingshu arranged for his circuit to pay out five hundred thousand strings of cash annually to exchange for surplus military clothing, and only then did the people of the Two Sichuan circuits cease to be disturbed. He was promoted to Direct Academician of the Dragon Diagram Hall and prefect of Yongxing Army; But he was old and gradually became senile. Affairs piled up greatly, and some people mocked him. He died in office.

劉元瑜

Liu Yuanyu

劉元瑜，字君玉，河南人。進士及第，補舞陽縣主簿，改秘書省著作佐郎、知雍丘縣，通判隰、並二州，知郢州。以太常博士為監察御史，上言：「考課之法，自朝廷至員外郎、郎中、少卿，須清望官五人保任始得遷，故浮薄輩日趨權門，非所以養廉恥也。」詔罷之。

Liu Yuanyu, whose style name was Junyu, came from Henan. He passed the jinshi examination, was appointed Chief Clerk of Wuyang County, was reassigned as Assistant Editor in the Secretariat and magistrate of Yongqiu County, served as Vice Prefect of Xi and Bing prefectures, and was prefect of Ezhou. As Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices he became Investigating Censor and memorialized, "Under the merit-evaluation law, from court officials down to Vice Directors, Directors, and Vice Ministers, five officials of distinguished reputation must guarantee one before promotion is permitted. Therefore the frivolous and shallow daily throng the gates of power—this is not the way to nurture integrity and shame. An edict abolished it.

提舉河北便糴。會永寧雲翼軍士謀為變，吏窮捕，黨與謀劫囚以反，百姓竊知多逃避。元瑜馳至，斬為首者，其餘皆釋去不問。曆京西、河東轉運使，遷右司諫。劾奏「集賢校理陸經謫官在河南日，杖死爭田寡婦，且貸民鏹，監司列薦其才，投托權要，遂復館職，請重置於法，並坐保薦者。」詔屬吏，遂竄經袁州。

He was appointed to oversee convenient grain purchases in Hebei. It happened that soldiers of the Yunyi Army at Yongning plotted mutiny. Officials pursued them to the limit, and their associates plotted to seize prisoners in revolt. The people secretly learned of this and many fled. Yuanyu rushed there, executed the ringleaders, and released the rest without further inquiry. He successively served as Transport Commissioner of Jingxi and Hedong circuits and was transferred to Remonstrance Officer of the Right Department. He impeached and memorialized, "Collator Lu Jing, while demoted and serving in Henan, beat a widow disputing fields to death, and also lent money to the people. Supervisory officials listed and recommended his talent, he relied on powerful patrons, and thus regained his post in the Academy. I request that he again be punished by law, and that those who recommended him be punished as well. An edict assigned the matter to officials, and Jing was banished to Yuanzhou.

又疏「李用和、曹琮、李昭亮不可典軍；梁適不當翰林學士；范仲淹以非罪貶，既復天章閣待制，宜在左右；尹洙、余靖、歐陽修皆以朋黨斥逐。此小人惡直醜正者也。」既而與靖等相失，反言：「前除夏竦為樞密使，諫臣數人摭其舊過，召至都門而罷之。自此以進退大臣為己任，激訐陰私為忠直，薦延輕薄，列之館閣，以唱和為朋比。近除兩府，出自聖斷，獨黨人以進用不出於己，議論紛然，臣恐復被疏罷矣。前日孫甫薦葉清臣，毀丁度，效此也。」因論：「靖知制誥不宜兼領諫職，且奉使契丹，對契丹主，效六國語，辱國命，請加罪。」修、靖深惡之，繇是論者以元瑜為奸邪。

He also submitted a memorial: "Li Yonghe, Cao Zong, and Li Zhaoliang should not command armies; Liang Shi should not be Hanlin Academician; Fan Zhongyan was demoted for a crime he did not commit. Now that he has been restored as Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting, he should be kept close at hand; Yin Shu, Yu Jing, and Ouyang Xiu were all expelled as faction members. These are petty men who hate the upright and revile the correct. Later he fell out with Jing and the others and turned about to say, "Previously when Xia Song was appointed Military Affairs Commissioner, several remonstrance officials seized on his old faults, summoned him to the capital gate, and had him dismissed. From then on they made advancing and dismissing great ministers their own task, treating exposure of private faults as loyalty and uprightness, recommending and extending the frivolous, placing them in the academies and halls, and taking mutual verse-making as factional alliance. Recently appointments to the Two Departments came from the sage decision alone, yet the faction members alone resented that promotions did not come from themselves. Debate was clamorous, and I fear I shall again be dismissed by memorial. The other day Sun Fu recommended Ye Qingchen and slandered Ding Du—this follows the same pattern. He therefore argued, "Jing, as Drafting Official, should not concurrently hold remonstrance office. Moreover, when sent as envoy to the Khitan he addressed the Khitan ruler in the language of the Six States, disgracing the commission of the state. I request that he be punished. Xiu and Jing deeply hated him, and from this commentators regarded Yuanyu as treacherous and evil.

後除三司鹽錢副使，以天章閣待制知潭州。徭人數為寇，元瑜使州人楊謂入梅山，說酋長四百餘人出聽命，因厚犒之，籍以為民，凡千二百戶。徙桂州，固辭，降鄧州。坐在潭州擅補畫工易元吉為畫助教，降知隨州。又失保任，改信州，徙襄州。富人子張銳少孤弱，同里車氏規取其財，乃取銳父棄妾他姓子養之。比長，使自訴，陰賕吏為助，州斷使歸張氏，銳莫敢辨。既同居逾年，車即導令求析居。元瑜察知，窮治得奸狀，黥車竄之，人伏其明，曆河中府，以左諫議大夫知青州，卒。

Later he was appointed Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Coin Bureau and served as Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting and prefect of Tanzhou. The Yao people repeatedly raided as bandits. Yuanyu sent a man of the prefecture, Yang Wei, into Meishan to persuade more than four hundred chieftains to come out and obey orders. He then rewarded them generously and registered them as commoners—altogether twelve hundred households. He was transferred to Guizhou, firmly declined, and was demoted to Dengzhou. Because while at Tanzhou he had on his own authority appointed the painter Yi Yuangji as Assistant Instructor of Painting, he was demoted to prefect of Suizhou. He again failed in his guarantee responsibility, was reassigned to Xizhou, and was transferred to Xiangzhou. Zhang Rui, son of a rich man, was young, orphaned, and weak. A man of the Che clan in the same village plotted to seize his property, and so took a child of another surname whom Rui's father had abandoned with a concubine and raised him. When the child grew up, he had him sue on his own behalf, secretly bribed officials to assist him, and the prefecture ruled that he should return to the Zhang clan. Rui dared not dispute it. After they had lived together for more than a year, the Che clan at once guided him to seek separate households. Yuanyu detected this, pursued the investigation to the full and obtained proof of the fraud, branded the Che clan and banished them. People admired his clarity. He successively served in the Hezhong prefecture, was made Left Remonstrance Officer and prefect of Qingzhou, and died.

元瑜性貪，至竅販禁物，親與小人爭權，時論鄙之。

Yuanyu was greedy by nature, to the point of illicitly trafficking in prohibited goods, and personally contended for power with petty men. Contemporary opinion despised him.

楊告，字道之，其先漢州綿竹人。父允恭，西京左藏庫使，數任事有功。既死，賜告同學究出身，調廬江尉。時張景笞吏死而吏捕急，逃歸告，懼告不見納，告曰：「君勿憂也，吾死生以之。」景卒免。改豐城主簿，邑有賊殺人，投屍於江，人知主名，而畏不敢言，告聞，親往擒賊。有言賊欲報怨者，告不為動。既而果乘夜欲刺告，告又捕得，致於法，境內肅然。

Yang Gao, whose style name was Daozhi, came from a family originally of Mianzhu in Hanzhou. His father Yungong served as Director of the Left Treasury of the Western Capital and repeatedly performed meritorious service. After Yungong died, Gao was granted the status of a fellow student and was appointed Assistant Magistrate of Lujiang. At the time Zhang Jing had beaten a clerk to death and the clerk's pursuers were pressing hard. The clerk fled back to Gao, fearing Gao would not accept him. Gao said, "Do not worry—I stake my life on this. Jing was ultimately spared. He was reassigned as Chief Clerk of Fengcheng. In the district a bandit killed a man and threw the corpse into the river. People knew the culprit's name but feared to speak. When Gao heard of it he went in person to capture the bandit. Some said the bandit wished to take revenge, but Gao was unmoved. Before long the bandit indeed came by night intending to assassinate Gao. Gao captured him again and punished him by law, and within the jurisdiction all was orderly.

再調南劍州判官，知南安、六合、錢塘、寧國縣，改大理寺丞、通判江寧州。盜殺商人，鑿舟沉屍江中。有被誣告者笞服，獄具，告疑其無狀，後數日，果得真盜。徙知池州，累遷尚書司封員外郎、開封府推官、開拆司。為趙元昊旌節官告使，元昊專席自尊大，告徙坐即賓位，莫之屈也。除京西轉運副使。屬部歲饑，所至發公廩，又募富室出粟賑之。民伐桑易粟，不能售，告命高其估以給酒，官民獲濟者甚眾。以疾，權管勾西京留台。頃之，判三司憑由、理欠司，為淮南轉運使，徙製置發運使，除三司戶部副使，更度支，安撫河東，改鹽鐵副使。曆祠部、度支、司封郎中，以少府監復為製置發運使。拜右諫議大夫、知鄭州，徙江寧府、壽州。

He was transferred again to serve as Assistant Magistrate of Nanjian Prefecture, served as magistrate of Nan'an, Luhe, Qiantang, and Ningguo counties, was reassigned as Assistant Magistrate of the Grand Court of Justice, and served as Vice Prefect of Jiangning Prefecture. Bandits killed a merchant, bored holes in the boat, and sank the corpse in the river. Someone was falsely accused and confessed under beating. When the case was complete Gao suspected it was baseless, and several days later the true bandits were indeed captured. He was transferred to serve as prefect of Chizhou, and after repeated promotions became Vice Director of the Seals Bureau in the Ministry of Revenue, Investigating Officer of the Kaifeng Prefecture, and of the Opening and Inspection Office. He served as envoy bearing the commission and patent for Zhao Yuanhao. Yuanhao alone occupied the seat and acted arrogantly. Gao moved to sit in the guest seat, and none could bend him. He was appointed Vice Transport Commissioner of Jingxi. In his jurisdiction there was famine that year. Wherever he went he opened public granaries and also recruited wealthy households to contribute grain for relief. The people cut mulberry trees to exchange for grain but could not sell them. Gao ordered the valuation raised to supply wine, and very many officials and people were thereby relieved. Because of illness he was temporarily put in charge of the Western Capital Remainder Office. Before long he judged the Three Departments' Credential and Arrears Offices, served as Transport Commissioner of Huainan, was transferred to Commissioner for Transport and Supply, was appointed Vice Commissioner of the Households Bureau, was reassigned to the Revenue Bureau, served as Military Commissioner of Hedong, and was changed to Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau. He successively served as Director of the Departments of Sacrifices, Revenue, and Seals, and as Director of the Court of Imperial Manufactories again became Commissioner for Transport and Supply. He was appointed Right Remonstrance Officer and prefect of Zhengzhou, and was transferred to Jiangning Prefecture and Shouzhou.

告曉法令，頗知財利，而不務苛刻，時號能吏，然喜事權貴以要進。一子，力學有文，數為近臣薦，召試，賜同進士出身，未幾卒。告悲傷之，尋卒。

Gao understood laws and regulations and was well versed in finance, yet did not pursue harshness. At the time he was called an able official, but he delighted in serving the powerful and noble to seek advancement. He had one son who studied diligently and had literary talent. The son was repeatedly recommended by close ministers, was summoned for examination, was granted the status of a fellow jinshi, and died before long. Gao grieved deeply and soon died himself.

趙及，字希之，其先幽州良鄉人。父的，事契丹為蔚州靈丘令，雍熙中，王師北征，乃歸，授偃師令，因家焉。及舉進士，為慈州軍事推官，徙廣信軍判官，改秘書省著作佐郎、知魏縣，徙九隴，以母老監葉縣稅，曆黃河、御河催綱，通判青州、大名府，累遷尚書屯田員外郎，被舉為殿中侍御史、權宗正丞。詔劾夏守恩獄，內侍岑守中用賄撓法，及劾正其罪。遷侍御史，夏守贇經略西鄙還，及言其無功，不可復樞府。又疏罷郭承祐團練使。

Zhao Ji, whose style name was Xizhi, came from a family originally of Liangxiang in Youzhou. His father Di served the Khitan as magistrate of Lingqiu in Weizhou. In the Yongxi era, when the imperial army marched north, he returned and was appointed magistrate of Yanshi, and thereupon made his home there. Ji passed the jinshi examination, served as Military Push Officer of Cizhou, was transferred to Assistant Magistrate of Guangxin Army, was reassigned as Assistant Editor in the Secretariat and magistrate of Wei County, was transferred to Jiulong, and because his mother was old supervised the tax of Ye County. He successively oversaw grain transport on the Yellow River and Imperial Canal, served as Vice Prefect of Qingzhou and Daming Prefecture, and after repeated promotions became Vice Director of the Field Cultivation Bureau in the Ministry of Revenue and was recommended as Attending Censor and Acting Director of the Imperial Clan Court. An edict ordered him to investigate the case of Xia Shou'en. Inner attendant Cen Shouzhong used bribes to obstruct the law, and Ji impeached him and corrected his crime. He was transferred to Attending Censor. When Xia Shouyun returned from pacifying the western frontier, Ji said he had achieved nothing and should not again enter the Military Affairs Commission. He also submitted a memorial to dismiss Guo Chengyou as regimental trainer.

未幾，請知懷州，徙徐州，還為三司戶部判官，遷兵部員外郎、京東轉運按察使。知萊州張周物貪暴，及劾奏，貶周物嶺外。擢兼侍御史知雜事，數論時政，權判吏部流內銓。初，銓吏匿員闕，與選人為市，及奏闕至即榜之，吏部榜闕自及始。遷戶部副使，以疾，改刑部郎中、直昭文館、知衛州，召為鹽鐵副使。又以疾，請知汝州，歲餘，復召為副使，不赴。徙知河中府，特拜天章閣待制、右司郎中。祀明堂，遷右諫議大夫。還判大理寺、流內銓。出知徐州，疾甚，求解近職，還州事，乃以本官管勾南京留司御史臺，未赴，卒。

Before long he requested to serve as prefect of Huaizhou, was transferred to Xuzhou, returned to serve as Judge of the Households Bureau, and was promoted to Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and Transport Investigating Commissioner of Jingdong. The prefect of Laizhou, Zhang Zhouwu, was greedy and violent. Ji impeached and memorialized against him, and Zhouwu was demoted beyond the Lingnan passes. He was promoted to concurrently serve as Chief Palace Censor, repeatedly discussed affairs of the age, and acted as judge of the Ministry of Personnel's Flowing Within Selection Office. At first selection clerks concealed vacant posts and made a market with candidates. Ji memorialized that whenever a vacancy arrived it should at once be posted, and the Ministry of Personnel's posting of vacancies began with Ji. He was transferred to Vice Commissioner of the Households Bureau. Because of illness he was reassigned as Director of the Department in the Ministry of Justice, Direct Attendant of the Hall for Spreading Culture, and prefect of Weizhou, and was summoned as Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau. Again because of illness he requested to serve as prefect of Ruzhou. After more than a year he was again summoned as Vice Commissioner but did not go. He was transferred to serve as prefect of the Hezhong prefecture and was specially appointed Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting and Director of the Right Department. At the Bright Hall sacrifice he was transferred to Right Remonstrance Officer. He returned to judge the Grand Court of Justice and the Flowing Within Selection Office. He was sent out as prefect of Xuzhou. His illness was severe and he requested a nearby post. He returned to prefectural duties, and then with his original rank was put in charge of the Nanjing Remainder Censorate. Before he went he died.

及和厚謙退，內行尤篤，所治有聲，民吏愛之。

Ji was gentle, generous, and modest, and his inner conduct was especially sincere. Wherever he governed he gained a reputation, and officials and people loved him.

劉湜，字子正，徐州彭城人。舉進士，為澶州觀察推官，再調湖南節度推官，改秘書省著作佐郎、知益都縣，徙陰平。再遷太常博士、通判劍州。審閬州獄，活死囚七人。王堯臣安撫陝西，薦之，擢知耀州。富平有盜掠人子女者，既就擒，陽死，伺間逸去；捕得，復陽死，守者以報，湜趣焚其屍。拜監察御史，王德用自隨州詔還，近臣言其有反相，湜保右之。曆開封府推官、三司鹽鐵判官，遷殿中侍御史。上言：「轉運使掎摭郡縣，苛束官吏，人不得騁其材，宜稍寬假，不為改者繩治之。」詔詣渭州劾尹洙私用公使錢，頗傅致重法，以故洙坐廢。還，為尚書禮部員外郎兼侍御史知雜事，同判吏部流內銓，除鹽鐵副使。議者謂湜探宰相意，深致洙罪，故得優擢焉。

Liu Shi, whose style name was Zizheng, came from Pengcheng in Xuzhou. He passed the jinshi examination, served as Investigating Push Officer of Danzhou, was transferred again to Push Officer of the Hunan Military Commission, was reassigned as Assistant Editor in the Secretariat and magistrate of Yidu County, and was transferred to Yingping. After a further promotion he became Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Vice Prefect of Jian Prefecture. He reviewed the prisons of Langzhou and saved seven prisoners condemned to death. Wang Yaochen, Military Commissioner of Shaanxi, recommended him, and he was promoted to prefect of Yaozhou. In Fuping there was a bandit who plundered people's children. Once captured, he feigned death and waited for an opening to escape; When captured again he again feigned death. The guards reported it, and Shi hurried to burn the corpse. He was appointed Investigating Censor. When Wang Deyong was recalled by edict from Suizhou, close ministers said he had the physiognomy of rebellion, and Shi defended and protected him. He successively served as Investigating Officer of the Kaifeng Prefecture and Salt and Iron Judge, and was transferred to Attending Censor. He memorialized, "Transport commissioners pick at faults in prefectures and counties and harshly bind officials. People cannot deploy their talents—there should be a little more latitude, and those who do not reform should be punished by law. An edict ordered him to go to Weizhou to investigate Yin Shu's private use of public envoy funds. He largely constructed a heavy penalty, and for this reason Shu was dismissed. On his return he became Vice Director of the Rites Bureau in the Ministry of Revenue and concurrently Chief Palace Censor, jointly judged the Ministry of Personnel's Flowing Within Selection Office, and was appointed Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau. Commentators said Shi had probed the chief councilor's intent and deeply brought about Shu's punishment, and therefore received preferential promotion.

明年，宴紫宸殿，副使當坐殿東廡，湜不即坐，趣出。閣門奏之，坐謫知沂州，徙兗州。又坐沂州誤出囚死罪，降知海州。起為河東轉運使，遷戶部員外郎，復為鹽鐵副使兼領河渠事。汴水絕，鑿河陰新渠，通漕運如故。會江南饑，擢天章閣待制、知江寧府，奏運蘇州米五十萬斛，以貸饑民。除戶部郎中、知廣州。儂智高初平，湜練士兵，葺械器，作鐵鎖斷江路。有盜據山，敕貸罪招之，不肯降。湜知並山民資之食，即徙民絕餉，盜困蹙乞降，民安之。居二年，母老求內徙，遂徙徐州。湜喜曰：「昔布衣隨計，今以侍從官三品復典鄉郡，過始望矣。」又以左司郎中知鄆州，遷龍圖閣直學士、知慶州。

The next year, at a banquet in the Hall of Purple Brightness, the Vice Commissioner should have sat in the eastern wing of the hall. Shi did not at once take his seat but hurried out. The Gate Office reported it, and he was demoted to prefect of Yizhou and transferred to Yanzhou. Again because at Yizhou he mistakenly released a prisoner condemned to death, he was demoted to prefect of Haizhou. He was raised up as Transport Commissioner of Hedong, was transferred to Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and again became Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau while concurrently overseeing river works. The Bian River dried up. He dug the new canal at Heyin and restored grain transport as before. It happened that Jiangnan suffered famine. He was promoted to Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting and prefect of Jiangning Prefecture, and memorialized to transport five hundred thousand hu of rice from Suzhou to lend to the starving people. He was appointed Director of the Department in the Ministry of Revenue and prefect of Guangzhou. When Nong Zhigao had just been pacified, Shi drilled local soldiers, repaired weapons, and made iron chains to block the river route. There was a bandit occupying a mountain. An edict pardoned his crime and summoned him, but he refused to surrender. Shi knew the people of the neighboring mountains supplied him with food. He at once moved the people and cut off supplies. The bandit, pressed hard, begged to surrender, and the people were at peace. After two years his mother was old and he requested transfer inward. He was thereupon transferred to Xuzhou. Shi said with joy, "Formerly as a commoner I followed the examination journey. Now as an attendant-in-waiting of the third rank I again govern my home prefecture—I have exceeded my first hopes. He was again made Director of the Left Department and prefect of Yan Prefecture, and was transferred to Direct Academician of the Dragon Diagram Hall and prefect of Qingzhou.

湜少賤，母更嫁營卒，既登第，具袍笏趨卒舍迎母，里人觀歎。然嗜酒，持法少恕，改知密州，以病卒。

Shi was lowly in youth. His mother remarried a camp soldier. After he passed the examination he put on robe and tablet and hurried to the soldier's quarters to welcome his mother, and the people of the village watched and sighed. Yet he was fond of wine, showed little leniency in enforcing the law, was reassigned to prefect of Mizhou, and died of illness.

王彬，光州固始人。祖彥英，父仁偘，從其族人潮入閩。潮有閩土，彥英頗用事，潮惡其逼，陰欲圖之。彥英覺之，挈家浮海奔新羅。新羅長愛其材，用之，父子相繼執國政。

Wang Bin was a native of Gushi in Guangzhou. His grandfather Yan Ying and his father Ren Kan followed their clansman Chao into Min. Chao held Min territory. Yan Ying wielded considerable power. Chao hated his pressure and secretly plotted against him. Yan Ying perceived this, took his family, and fled by sea to Silla. The ruler of Silla admired his talent and employed him. Father and son successively held state power.

彬年十八，以賓貢入太學。淳化三年，進士及第，曆雍丘尉。皇城司陰遣人下畿縣刺史，多厲民，令佐至與為賓主。彬至，捕鞫之，得所受賂，致之法，自是詔親事官毋得出都城。易右班殿直，辭不受。後以秘書省著作佐郎通判筠州，曆知撫州。撫州民李甲、饒英恃財武斷鄉曲，縣莫能製。甲從子詈縣令，人告甲語斥乘輿。彬按治之，索其家得所藏兵械，又得服器有龍鳳飾，甲坐大逆棄市。並按英嘗強取人孥，配嶺南，州裏肅然。

Bin at the age of eighteen entered the Imperial Academy as a tribute student. In the third year of Chunhua he passed the jinshi examination and successively served as Assistant Magistrate of Yongqiu. The Imperial City Office secretly sent men down to the capital counties to investigate. They often oppressed the people, and magistrates and assistants even became host and guest with them. When Bin arrived he arrested and interrogated them, obtained the bribes they had received, and punished them by law. From this an edict forbade personal-service officials from leaving the capital. He was reassigned as Right Guard Commander of the Rear and declined to accept. Later as Assistant Editor in the Secretariat he served as Vice Prefect of Junzhou and successively as prefect of Fuzhou. The people of Fuzhou, Li Jia and Rao Ying, relied on wealth to tyrannize the countryside by force. The county could not restrain them. Jia's nephew cursed the county magistrate. Someone reported that Jia's words insulted the imperial carriage. Bin investigated and punished them, searched Jia's house and obtained stored weapons, and also obtained garments and vessels with dragon and phoenix ornament. Jia was sentenced to great treason and executed in the marketplace. He also investigated Ying, who had forcibly taken people's wives and children, and assigned him to Lingnan. Within the prefecture all was orderly.

擢提點荊湖南路刑獄，徙知潭州，入判三司戶部勾院，出為京西轉運使，徙河北。部吏馬崇正倚章獻太后姻家豪橫不法，彬發其奸贓，下吏。忤太后意，徙京東，又徙河東、陝西。復為三司鹽鐵判官，判都理欠、憑由司，累遷太常少卿，卒。

He was promoted to Judicial Intendant of Jinghu South Circuit, was transferred to prefect of Tanzhou, entered to judge the Three Departments' Households Audit Office, was sent out as Transport Commissioner of Jingxi, and was transferred to Hebei. A clerk of his department, Ma Chongzheng, relied on being a relative by marriage of Empress Dowager Zhangxian and was overbearing and lawless. Bin exposed his corruption and bribery and handed him to the officials. He offended the empress dowager's intent and was transferred to Jingdong, then again to Hedong and Shaanxi. He again became Salt and Iron Judge, judged the Arrears Settlement and Credential Offices, and after repeated promotions became Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and died.

仲簡，字畏之，揚州江都人。以貧，傭書楊億門下，億教以詩賦，遂舉進士。曆通判鄭州、河南府推官。改秘書省著作佐郎、知蕪湖縣，通判楚州，累遷尚書都官員外郎。改侍御史、安撫京東，遷知真州，入為三司度支判官。經制陝西糧草，就遷兵部員外郎、直史館、知陝州。徙江東轉運使，除侍御史知雜事，為三司鹽鐵副使、工部郎中。奉使陝西，多任喜怒，以馬箠擊軍士流血，仁宗面詰之，不能對，出為河東轉運使。

Zhong Jian, whose style name was Weizhi, came from Jiangdu in Yangzhou. Because he was poor he copied books in Yang Yi's household. Yi taught him poetry and fu, and he thereupon passed the jinshi examination. He successively served as Vice Prefect of Zheng Prefecture and Investigating Officer of Henan Prefecture. He was reassigned as Assistant Editor in the Secretariat and magistrate of Wuhu County, served as Vice Prefect of Chuzhou, and after repeated promotions became Vice Director of the Bureau of Public Works in the Ministry of Revenue. He was reassigned as Attending Censor and Military Commissioner of Jingdong, was transferred to prefect of Zhen Prefecture, and entered to serve as Judge of the Revenue Bureau. He managed grain and fodder in Shaanxi and was thereupon transferred to Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, Direct Historiographer, and prefect of Shaan Prefecture. He was transferred to Transport Commissioner of Jiangdong, was appointed Chief Palace Censor, and served as Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau and Director of the Department in the Ministry of Works. On mission to Shaanxi he often indulged anger and joy and struck soldiers with a horse whip until they bled. Renzong questioned him to his face and he could not answer. He was sent out as Transport Commissioner of Hedong.

逾年，復為鹽鐵副使，再遷兵部，擢天章閣待制、知廣州。儂智高犯邕州，沿江而下，人告急，簡輒囚之，仍榜於道，敢妄言惑眾者斬，以是人不復為避賊計。比智高至，始令民入城，民爭道，競以金帛遺閽者，相蹂踐至死者甚多，其不得入者，皆附賊。賊既去，以其能守城，徙知荊南。既而言者論之，遂落職，又降刑部郎中、知筠州。復為兵部郎中，徙洪州，卒。

After more than a year he again became Vice Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau, was again transferred to the Bureau of Military Affairs, and was promoted to Hanlin Attendant-in-Waiting and prefect of Guangzhou. When Nong Zhigao invaded Yongzhou and came down along the river, people reported emergencies. Jian at once imprisoned them and also posted notices along the road that whoever dared speak falsely to confuse the masses would be executed. Because of this people no longer made plans to flee the bandits. Only when Zhigao arrived did he at last order the people to enter the city. The people scrambled for the road, competing to give gold and silk to the gatekeepers. Many were trampled to death, and those who could not enter all joined the bandits. After the bandits departed, because he was considered able to defend the city he was transferred to prefect of Jingnan. Before long memorializers discussed him, and he was thereupon stripped of office. He was again demoted to Director of the Department in the Ministry of Justice and prefect of Jun Prefecture. He again became Director of the Department in the Ministry of Military Affairs, was transferred to Hongzhou, and died.

論曰：士抱一藝者，思奮勵以功名自效，況其設施見於政事者乎？方偕、曹穎叔、楊告、趙及、王彬之流皆文吏，能推恩行利，剗煩去蠹，其治不下古人。劉元瑜、劉湜輩亦不減此數人，然而元瑜譏詆余靖，湜文致尹洙，公議所不與也。仲簡小才，所謂斗筲之器也，何足道哉！

The commentator says: Scholars who hold a single art think to exert themselves and achieve merit and fame through their own efforts—how much more when their measures are seen in government affairs? Fang Xie, Cao Yingshu, Yang Gao, Zhao Ji, Wang Bin, and their kind were all civil officials who could extend grace and carry out benefit, cut away burdens, and remove corruption. Their governance was not inferior to the ancients. Liu Yuanyu, Liu Shi, and their kind were no less than these several men. Yet Yuanyu slandered Yu Jing, and Shi constructed a case against Yin Shu—public opinion did not side with them. Zhong Jian had small talent—the so-called vessel of a peck measure. What is there worth speaking of!

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