1
趙挺之
Zhao Tingzhi
2
趙挺之，字正夫，密州諸城人。 進士上第。 熙寧建學，選教授登、棣二州，通判德州。 哲宗即位，賜士卒緡錢，郡守貪耄不時給，卒怒譟，持白梃突入府。 守趨避，左右盡走。 挺之坐堂上，呼問狀，立發庫錢，而治其為首者，眾即定。 魏境河屢決，議者欲徙宗城縣，轉運使檄挺之往視，挺之云：「縣距高原千歲矣，水未嘗犯。 今所遷不如舊，必為民害。」 使者卒徙之，財二年，河果壞新城，漂居民略盡。
Zhao Tingzhi, styled Zhengfu, was from Zhucheng in Mizhou. He passed the jinshi examination in the top rank. During the Xining educational reforms, he was appointed professor in Deng and Di prefectures and then served as assistant prefect of Dezhou. When Emperor Zhezong came to the throne, the court granted cash payments to the troops. The prefect, both greedy and senile, delayed distribution. Enraged, the soldiers raised a clamor and charged into the yamen wielding white clubs. The prefect fled in haste, and every attendant fled with him. Tingzhi remained seated in the hall, called them forward to hear their grievances, promptly opened the treasury to pay them, and punished the ringleaders. The disturbance ended at once. Along the Wei border the river broke its dikes again and again. Some officials proposed moving Zongcheng County. The transport commissioner dispatched Tingzhi to inspect the site. He reported: "That county has stood on high ground for a millennium; floodwaters have never touched it. The proposed new site is worse than the old one; moving there would only bring harm to the people. The envoy moved the county anyway. Within two years the river devastated the new town and swept away nearly all its inhabitants.
3
召試館職，為秘閣校理，遷監察御史。 初，挺之在德州，希意行市易法。 黃庭堅監德安鎮，謂鎮小民貧，不堪誅求。 及召試，蘇軾曰：「挺之聚斂小人，學行無取，豈堪此選。」 至是，劾奏軾草麻有云「民亦勞止」，以為誹謗先帝。 既而坐不論蔡確，通判徐州，俄知楚州。
Recalled for a qualifying examination for an archival post, he was appointed collator in the Secret Archive and later promoted to investigating censor. Earlier, while serving in Dezhou, Tingzhi had ingratiated himself by zealously enforcing Wang Anshi's market-trade monopoly. Huang Tingjian, who oversaw Dean garrison, argued that the community was too small and its people too poor to endure such exactions. At the examination Su Shi declared: "Tingzhi is an extortionate sycophant with no learning or integrity to speak of. He is unworthy of this appointment. On this occasion he impeached Su Shi, citing the phrase "the people too have grown weary" in a draft edict as defamation of the late emperor. He was subsequently punished for not denouncing Cai Que, demoted to assistant prefect of Xuzhou, and soon after appointed prefect of Chuzhou.
4
入為國子司業，歷太常少卿，權吏部侍郎，除中書舍人、給事中。 使遼，遼主嘗有疾，不親宴，使近臣即館享客。 比歲享乃在客省，與諸國等，挺之始爭正其禮。
He was recalled to the capital as vice-director of the Directorate of Education, then served as vice-minister of rites, acting vice-minister of personnel, and was finally appointed drafter in the Secretariat and supervising secretary. On an embassy to Liao, he found the Liao ruler ill and unable to host banquets in person; courtiers were sent to the embassy to receive the guests instead. In recent years those receptions had been held in the guest office, treating the Song envoy no differently from emissaries of lesser states. Tingzhi was the first to insist that the proper rites be restored.
5
徽宗立，為禮部侍郎。 哲宗祔廟，議遷宣祖，挺之言：「上於哲宗兄弟，同一世； 宣祖未當遷。」 從之。 拜御史中丞，為欽聖后陵儀仗使。 曾布以使事聯職，知禁中密指，諭使建議紹述，於是挺之排擊元祐諸人不遺力。 由吏部尚書拜右丞，進左丞、中書門下侍郎。 時蔡京獨相，帝謀置右輔，京力薦挺之，遂拜尚書右僕射。
When Huizong took the throne, Tingzhi was appointed vice-minister of rites. When Emperor Zhezong was enshrined in the ancestral temple, officials debated moving the tablet of Emperor Xuanzu. Tingzhi argued: "Your Majesty and Emperor Zhezong were brothers of the same generation; Emperor Xuanzu ought not be displaced. The court accepted his view. He was made censor-in-chief and director of the funerary procession for Empress Dowager Qinsheng. Zeng Bu, who had served with him on an embassy and knew the secret signals from within the palace, urged him to propose reviving the late emperor's reforms. Tingzhi then attacked the Yuanyou faction with unrestrained zeal. He rose from minister of personnel to right vice grand councilor, then to left vice grand councilor and vice-governor of the Secretariat and Chancellery. Cai Jing then held the chancellorship alone. When the emperor sought a second chief minister, Cai vigorously recommended Tingzhi, who was appointed Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
6
既相，與京爭雄，屢陳其姦惡，且請去位避之。 以觀文殿大學士、中太一宮使留京師。 乞歸青州，將入辭，會彗星見，帝默思咎徵，盡除京諸蠹法，罷京，召見挺之曰：「京所為，一如卿言。」 加挺之特進，仍為右僕射。 京在崇寧初，首興邊事，用兵連年不息。 帝臨朝，語大臣曰：「朝廷不可與四夷生隙，隙一開，禍不解，兵民肝腦塗地，豈人主愛民恤物意哉！」 挺之退謂同列曰：「上志在息兵，吾曹所宜將順。」 已而京復相，挺之仍以大學士使佑神觀。 未幾卒，年六十八。 贈司徒，諡曰「清憲」。
Once in office he openly vied with Cai Jing, repeatedly denouncing his corruption and asking to resign rather than share power with him. He remained in the capital with the titles of academician of the Hall for Viewing Literature and commissioner of the Central Grand Unity Palace. He petitioned to return to Qingzhou. As he was about to take leave, a comet appeared. The emperor read it as a sign of wrongdoing, swept away Cai Jing's ruinous policies, dismissed Cai, and summoned Tingzhi. "Everything Cai Jing did," he said, "was just as you warned. Tingzhi was given special advancement and retained as Right Vice Director. At the beginning of the Chongning reign Cai Jing had first stirred up border conflict, and war dragged on without pause. At court the emperor told his ministers: "We must not pick quarrels with the surrounding peoples. Once a breach is opened, catastrophe cannot easily be closed; men die and provinces bleed — is that what a ruler who loves his people intends? Afterward Tingzhi told his colleagues: "The emperor means to halt the wars. We should align ourselves with that intent. Before long Cai Jing returned to power, and Tingzhi was sent back to the Youshen Abbey as academician-in-residence. He died soon after, at the age of sixty-eight. He was posthumously made Defender-in-Chief with the posthumous name "Pure and Law-abiding."
7
張商英
Zhang Shangying
8
張商英，字天覺，蜀州新津人。 長身偉然，姿采如峙玉。 負氣俶儻，豪視一世。 調通川主簿。 渝州蠻叛，說降其酋。 辟知南川縣。 章惇經制夔夷，狎侮郡縣吏，無敢與共語。 部使者念獨商英足抗之，檄至夔。 惇詢人才，使者以商英告，即呼入同食。 商英著道士服，長揖就坐。 惇肆意大言，商英隨機折之，落落出其上。 惇大喜，延為上客。 歸，薦諸王安石，因召對，以檢正中書禮房擢監察御史。
Zhang Shangying, styled Tianjue, was from Xinjin in Shuzhou. He was tall and commanding, his bearing like a pillar of jade. Proud and untrammeled, he regarded the world with audacious contempt. He began as registry clerk of Tongchuan. When the tribes of Yizhou rose in revolt, he persuaded their chieftain to surrender. He was recruited to serve as magistrate of Nanchuan County. Zhang Dun, charged with pacifying the Qiang and Yi territories, treated local officials with open contempt; none dared even speak to him. The circuit commissioner felt that only Shangying could stand up to him and summoned him to Kui Prefecture. When Zhang Dun asked after able men, the commissioner named Shangying, and Zhang Dun at once summoned him to share a meal. Shangying appeared in Daoist garb, made a deep bow, and took his seat. Zhang Dun spoke grandly and without restraint; Shangying parried him point by point and plainly held the upper hand. Zhang Dun was delighted and treated him as an honored guest. On returning home he recommended Shangying to Wang Anshi. Summoned for imperial audience, Shangying was promoted from adjuster in the Zhongshu ritual section to investigating censor.
9
臺獄失出劫盜，樞密檢詳官劉奉世駁之，詔糾察司劾治。 商英奏：「此出大臣私忿，願收還主柄，使耳目之官無為近臣所脅。」 神宗為置不治。 商英遂言奉世庇博州失入囚，因摭院吏徇私十二事，語侵樞臣，於是文彥博等上印求去。 詔責商英監荊南稅，更十年，乃得館閣校勘、檢正刑房。 商英嘗薦舒亶可用，至是，亶知諫院，商英以婿王溈之所業示之，亶繳奏，以為事涉干請，責監赤岸鹽稅。
The censorate and judicial office had wrongly released some robbers; Liu Fengshi of the Bureau of Military Affairs reversed the ruling, and the emperor ordered the inspectorate to investigate. Shangying memorialized: "This case stems from a senior minister's private grievance. I ask that real authority be restored so the watchdog offices are no longer bullied by favorites at court. Emperor Shenzong ordered the matter dropped. Shangying then charged that Fengshi had protected a wrongly convicted prisoner in Bozhou, citing twelve cases of clerical favoritism that implicated the military councilors. Wen Yanbo and others thereupon submitted their seals and asked to resign. Shangying was demoted to supervise taxes in Jingnan. Ten years passed before he was again appointed collator in the institutes and adjuster in the penal section. Shangying had once recommended Shu Dan. Now that Shu Dan headed the remonstrance bureau, Shangying showed him examination essays by his son-in-law Wang Weizhi. Shu Dan reported the favor-seeking to the throne, and Shangying was demoted to supervise salt taxes at Chian.
10
哲宗初，為開封府推官，屢詣執政求進。 朝廷稍更新法之不便於民者，商英上書言：「『三年無改於父之道，可謂孝矣。』 今先帝陵土未乾，即議變更，得為孝乎？」 且移書蘇軾求入臺，其廋詞有「老僧欲住烏寺，嗬佛罵祖」之語。 呂公著聞之，不悅。 出提點河東刑獄，連使河北、江西、淮南。
Early in Zhezong's reign he served as investigative officer in the Kaifeng prefecture and repeatedly lobbied the chief ministers for promotion. As the court gradually amended the New Policies that had burdened the people, Shangying memorialized: "'If for three years one does not alter his father's ways, that may be called filial. The late emperor's tomb is scarcely settled, yet we already speak of change — where is the filial piety in that?' He also wrote Su Shi seeking a censorate appointment; the veiled wording included the line "an old monk wishing to lodge at Crow Temple, hollering at the Buddha and reviling the patriarchs." Lü Gongzhu heard of this and was displeased. He was posted out as judicial intendant of Hedong, then served successive terms as commissioner in Hebei, Jiangxi, and Huainan.
11
哲宗親政，召為右正言、左司諫。 商英積憾元祐大臣不用己，極力攻之，上疏曰：「先帝盛德大業，跨絕今古，而司馬光、呂公著、劉摯、呂大防援引朋儔，敢行譏議。 凡詳定局之所建明，中書之所勘當，戶部之所行遣，百官之所論列，詞臣之所作命，無非指擿抉揚，鄙薄嗤笑，翦除陛下羽翼於內，擊逐股肱於外，天下之勢，岌岌殆矣。 今天青日明，誅賞未正，願下禁省檢索前後章牘，付臣等看詳，簽揭以上，陛下與大臣斟酌而可否焉。」 遂論內侍陳衍以搖宣仁，至比之呂、武； 乞追奪光、公著贈諡，仆碑毀塚； 言文彥博背負國恩，及蘇軾、范祖禹、孫升、韓川諸人，皆相繼受譴。 又言：「願陛下無忘元祐時，章惇無忘汝州時，安燾無忘許昌時，李清臣、曾布無忘河陽時。」 其觀望捭闔，以險語激怒當世，概類此。
When Zhezong assumed personal rule, Shangying was recalled as right rectifier and left remonstrator. Harboring resentment that the Yuanyou ministers had ignored him, Shangying attacked them relentlessly. He memorialized: "The late emperor's virtue and achievement stand above all history, yet Sima Guang, Lü Gongzhu, Liu Zhi, and Lü Dafang rallied their faction and dared to mock and undermine his legacy. Every measure from the Detailed Examination Bureau, every ruling from the Secretariat, every order from the Ministry of Revenue, every debate among officials, every edict from the drafting office — all was turned into occasions for nitpicking, mockery, and scorn. They clipped your wings within the palace and drove your able ministers from office. The realm stood on the brink of ruin. Now that Heaven's favor has returned, rewards and punishments remain unsettled. I ask that the palace offices gather all relevant memorials, send them to us for review, and submit our findings so that Your Majesty and your ministers may decide what to accept or reject. He then attacked the eunuch Chen Yan for undermining Empress Dowager Xuanren, even comparing her to Empress Lü and Empress Wu; he called for stripping Sima Guang and Lü Gongzhu of their posthumous honors, toppling their steles and demolishing their tombs; he denounced Wen Yanbo for ingratitude; Su Shi, Fan Zuyu, Sun Sheng, Han Chuan, and others were punished in turn. He also warned: "Let Your Majesty not forget the Yuanyou years; let Zhang Dun not forget his exile in Ruzhou; let An Yan not forget his banishment in Xuchang; let Li Qingchen and Zeng Bu not forget their days in Heyang. In watching the wind, shifting sides, and goading contemporaries with inflammatory language, he was much the same.
12
惇、燾交惡，商英欲助惇，求所以傾燾者。 陽翟民蓋氏養子漸，先為祖母所逐，以家資屬其女，經元豐訴理不得直。 商英論其冤，導漸使遮執政，及詣御史府訐燾姻家與蓋女為道地。 哲宗不直商英，徙左司員外郎。 既與漸交關事皆露，責監江寧酒。 起知洪州，為江淮發運副使，入權工部侍郎，遷中書舍人。 謝表歷詆元祐諸賢，眾益畏其口。 徽宗出為河北都轉運使，降知隨州。
Zhang Dun and An Yan were at odds. Shangying, seeking to aid Zhang Dun, looked for a way to bring An Yan down. In Yangdi, an adopted son of the Gai clan named Jian had been cast out by his grandmother, who passed the family estate to her daughter. Since the Yuanfeng era he had sued without obtaining justice. Shangying took up his cause, coached Jian to waylay the chief ministers, and sent him to the censorate to accuse An Yan's in-laws of colluding with Gai's daughter. Zhezong rejected Shangying's account and transferred him to left outer bureau vice-director. When his conspiracy with Jian came to light, he was demoted to supervise wine sales in Jiangning. He was later appointed prefect of Hongzhou, then vice transport commissioner on the Jiang-Huai route, acting vice-minister of works in the capital, and finally drafter in the Secretariat. In his letter of thanks he launched fresh attacks on the Yuanyou worthies, and people feared his tongue all the more. Under Huizong he was first sent out as chief transport commissioner of Hebei, then demoted to prefect of Suizhou.
13
崇寧初，為吏部、刑部侍郎，翰林學士。 蔡京拜相，商英雅與之善，適當制，過為褒美。 尋拜尚書右丞，轉左丞。 復與京議政不合，數詆京「身為輔相，志誌在逢君」，御史以為非所宜言，且取商英所作《元祐嘉禾頌》及司馬光《祭文》，斥其反覆。 罷知亳州，入元祐黨籍。
Early in the Chongning reign he served as vice-minister of personnel and punishment and as Hanlin academician. When Cai Jing became chief councilor, Shangying, who had long been on good terms with him, drafted an appointment edict that lavished excessive praise. He was soon appointed Right Vice Director, then Left Vice Director. He again clashed with Cai Jing in policy and repeatedly accused him of "being chief minister in title only while seeking only to flatter the emperor." Censors deemed this improper and cited Shangying's own "Ode to the Yuanyou Auspicious Grain" and his elegy for Sima Guang to expose his hypocrisy. He was dismissed to Bozhou and enrolled in the register of Yuanyou partisans.
14
京罷相，削籍知鄂州。 京復相，以散官安置歸、峽兩州。 大觀四年，京再逐，起知杭州。 過闕賜對，奏曰：「神宗修建法度，務以去大害、興大利，今誠一一舉行，則盡紹述之美。 法若有弊，不可不變，但不失其意足矣。」 留為資政殿學士、中太一宮使。 頃之，除中書侍郎，遂拜尚書右僕射。 京久盜國柄，中外怨疾，見商英能立同異，更稱為賢，徽宗因人望相之。 時久旱，彗星中天，是夕，彗不見，明日，雨。 徽宗喜，大書「商霖」二字賜之。
When Cai Jing fell from power, Shangying was removed from the partisan register and appointed prefect of Ezhou. When Cai Jing returned to office, Shangying was reduced to commoner status and confined to Gui and Xia prefectures. In the fourth year of Daguann, after Cai Jing was ousted again, Shangying was appointed prefect of Hangzhou. On passing through the capital he was granted audience and said: "Emperor Shenzong's laws were meant to remove grave evils and bring great benefits. Carry them out faithfully and the full glory of the late emperor's reforms will be restored. If a law has defects it must be amended — but only so long as its original purpose is preserved. He was retained in the capital as academician of the Hall of Utmost Governance and commissioner of the Central Grand Unity Palace. Soon he was made vice-governor of the Secretariat, then Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. Cai Jing had long monopolized power, and resentment ran deep inside and outside court. When people saw that Shangying was willing to dissent, they praised him as a worthy man, and Huizong made him chief councilor to satisfy public expectation. The land had suffered long drought, and a comet crossed the meridian. That night the comet vanished; the next day rain fell. Huizong rejoiced and in large characters bestowed on him the two characters "Shang's Rain" — rain sent by Shangying.
15
商英為政持平，謂京雖明紹述，但借以劫制人主，禁錮士大夫爾。 於是大革弊事，改當十錢以平泉貨，復轉般倉以罷直達，行鈔法以通商旅，蠲橫斂以寬民力。 勸徽宗節華侈，息土木，抑僥幸。 帝頗嚴憚之，嘗葺升平樓，戒主者遇張丞相導騎至，必匿匠樓下，過則如初。 楊戩除節度使，商英曰：「祖宗之法，內侍無至團練使。 有勳勞當陟，則別立昭宣、宣政諸使以寵之，未聞建旄鉞也。」 訖持不下，論者益稱之。
Shangying governed even-handedly. He held that although Cai Jing had preached "restoration of the late emperor's reforms," he had used that banner mainly to control the emperor and muzzle the literati. He then launched broad reforms: reformed the ten-cash coins to stabilize currency, restored transport granaries to end direct shipment, enacted note law to free trade, and cancelled arbitrary levies to ease the people's burden. He urged Huizong to curtail extravagance, halt construction projects, and restrain undue favoritism. The emperor came to regard him with real caution. Once, while renovating the Shengping Tower, he instructed the overseer that whenever Chancellor Zhang's escort appeared, the craftsmen must hide below the tower and only resume work after he had passed. When Yang Jian was appointed military commissioner, Shangying objected: "By ancestral precedent, eunuchs should not rise even to regimental training commissioner. When someone with merit deserved promotion, the court might create special envoys like the Zhaoxuan or Xuanzheng commissioners to honor him — but Shangying had never heard of granting a full military commission with banner and axe. He held his ground to the end and would not back down, and commentators praised him all the more.
16
然意廣才疏，凡所當為，先於公坐誦言，故不便者得預為計。 何執中、鄭居中日夜釀織其短，先使言者論其門下客唐庚，竄之惠州。 有郭天信者，以方技隸太史，徽宗潛邸時，嘗言當履天位，自是稍睠寵之。 商英因僧德洪、客彭几與語言往來，事覺，鞫於開封府。 御史中丞張克公疏擊之，以觀文殿大學士知河南府，旋貶崇信軍節度副使，衡州安置。 天信亦斥死。 京遂復用。
Yet his ambitions outran his abilities: whatever he meant to do, he would announce aloud in open session first, so those who stood to lose could prepare their countermeasures in advance. He Zhizhong and Zheng Juzhong worked day and night to weave charges against him, first having memorialists attack his client Tang Geng and banish him to Huizhou. There was a man named Guo Tianxin, who served in the Directorate of Astronomy through divination and technical arts. When Huizong was still heir apparent, he had once predicted that Huizong would ascend the throne, and from then on enjoyed a measure of imperial favor. Shangying had been exchanging words with the monk Dehong and a client named Peng Ji. When this came to light, the case was tried at the Kaifeng prefectural office. Censor-in-Chief Zhang Kegong submitted a memorial attacking him. Shangying was made Grandee of the Hall for Viewing Literature and prefect of Henan, then soon demoted to vice military commissioner of Chongxin Circuit and placed under supervision at Hengzhou. Guo Tianxin was also expelled and died. Cai Jing was then restored to office.
17
未幾，太學諸生誦商英之冤，京懼，乃乞令自便。 繼復還故官職。 宣和三年卒，年七十九。 贈少保。
Before long, students of the Imperial Academy were proclaiming Shangying's innocence. Jing grew fearful and asked permission to retire on his own terms. Later Shangying was restored to his former posts. He died in the third year of Xuanhe, at the age of seventy-nine. He was posthumously granted the title of Junior Guardian.
18
商英作相，適承蔡京之後，小變其政，譬饑者易為食，故蒙忠直之名。 靖康褒表司馬光、范仲淹，而商英亦贈太保。 紹興中，又賜諡「文忠」，天下皆不謂然。 兄：唐英。
When Shangying served as chancellor, he came directly after Cai Jing and made modest changes to his policies. To a hungry man any food is welcome — and so he earned a reputation for integrity and uprightness. At Jingkang, Sima Guang and Fan Zhongyan were honored and enshrined; Shangying too received the posthumous title of Grand Guardian. During the Shaoxing era he was further granted the posthumous epithet Wenzhong, and people everywhere considered it undeserved. Elder brother: Tang Ying.
19
兄唐英
Elder brother Tang Ying
20
唐英，字次功。 少攻苦讀書，至經歲不知肉味。 及進士第，翰林學士孫抃得其《正議》五十篇，以為馬周、魏元忠不足多。 薦試賢良方正，不就。 調穀城令。 縣圃歲畦薑，貸種與民，還其陳，復配賣取息，銓曹指為富縣。 唐英至，空其圃，植千株柳，作柳亭其中，聞者諮羨。
Tang Ying, whose style name was Cigong. In youth he studied with fierce dedication, to the point that for whole years he scarcely knew the taste of meat. After he passed the jinshi examination, Hanlin Academician Sun Bian obtained his fifty chapters of Correct Discourses and judged that even Ma Zhou and Wei Yuanzhong scarcely deserved mention by comparison. Recommended for the examination of worthies and upright men, he declined. He was appointed magistrate of Gucheng County. The county garden planted ginger every year: seeds were loaned to the people, old stock was recovered, and the ginger was sold again at interest. The Bureau of Appointments marked Gucheng a wealthy county. When Tang Ying arrived, he cleared the garden, planted a thousand willows, and built a willow pavilion among them. Those who heard of it sighed in admiration.
21
英宗繼大統，唐英上《謹始書》云：「為人後者為子，懼他日必有引漢定陶故事以惑宸聽者，願杜其漸。」 既而濮議果起。 帝不豫，皇太后垂簾，又上書請立潁王為皇太子。 神宗即位，知其人，擢殿中侍御史。 入對，帝問何尚衣綠，對曰：「前者固得之，回授臣父。」 帝嘉其孝，賜五品服。
When Yingzong succeeded to the throne, Tang Ying submitted a Book on Being Careful at the Start, saying: "One who becomes another's heir becomes a son. I fear that someday someone will cite the Han precedent of Dingtao to mislead the imperial ear. I pray Your Majesty will cut off such inclinations at the root." Soon afterward, the dispute over the title of the deceased Emperor Pu did indeed arise. When the emperor fell ill and the Empress Dowager held court from behind the curtain, Tang Ying submitted another memorial requesting that Prince Ying be established as crown prince. When Shenzong ascended the throne, recognizing his talent, he promoted Tang Ying to palace censor. In audience, the emperor asked why he still wore green robes. He replied: "I had rightly earned it earlier, but transferred it to my father." The emperor praised his filial piety and granted him robes of the fifth rank.
22
帝方厲精圖治，急於用人，唐英言：「知江寧府王安石經術道德，宜在陛下左右。」 又論宗室祿多費鉅，宜以服為差殺； 天下苦差役不均，盍思所以寬民力、代民勞者。 其後略施行。 帝方欲用之，以父憂去，未幾卒。
The emperor was vigorously striving to govern well and eager to employ talent. Tang Ying said: "Wang Anshi, prefect of Jiangning, possesses both classical learning and moral integrity. He ought to serve at Your Majesty's side." The man also argued that the stipends for imperial clansmen consumed vast sums and ought to be scaled according to rank of dress; and that the realm groaned under unequal corvée levies, so the court should devise means to lighten the people's burdens and labor on their behalf. Some of these proposals were later put into practice. The emperor was just about to employ him when he departed to observe mourning for his father. Before long he died.
23
唐英有史材，嘗著《仁宗政要》、《宋名臣傳》、《蜀檮杌》，行於世。
Tang Ying had a gift for historiography. He wrote Essentials of Renzong's Governance, Biographies of Eminent Song Ministers, and The Shu Pestle, all of which circulated widely.
24
劉正夫
Liu Zhengfu
25
劉正夫，字德初，衢州西安人。 未冠入太學，有聲，與范致虛、吳材、江嶼號「四俊」。 元豐八年，南省奏名在優選，而犯高魯王諱，凡五人皆當黜。 宣仁后曰：「外家私諱頒未久，不可以妨寒士。」 命置末級。 久之，為太學錄、太常博士。 母服闋，御史中丞石豫薦之，召赴闕，道除左司諫。
Liu Zhengfu, style name Dechu, was a native of Xi'an in Quzhou. Before reaching adulthood he entered the Imperial Academy and gained renown. With Fan Zhixu, Wu Cai, and Jiang Yu he was called the Four Talents. In the eighth year of Yuanfeng, when provincial examination results were reported, he ranked among the top candidates but violated the taboo name of Prince Gao of Lu. All five such candidates were liable for dismissal. Empress Dowager Xuanren said: "The private taboo of our maternal clan has only lately been promulgated. We cannot let it bar poor scholars from advancement." She ordered that they be placed at the lowest rank. After a time he served as recorder of the Imperial Academy and erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When his mourning for his mother ended, Censor-in-Chief Shi Yu recommended him. Summoned to court, he was appointed on the road to Left Remonstrance Clerk.
26
時方究蔡邸獄，正夫入對，徽宗語及之，徐引淮南「尺布、斗粟」之謠以對。 帝感動，解散其獄，待蔡王如初。 他日，謂正夫曰：「兄弟之間，人所難言，卿獨能及此，後必為公輔。」 又言：「元祐、紹聖所修《神宗史》，互有得失，當折中其說，傳信萬世。」 遂詔刊定，而以起居舍人為編修官。 不閱月，遷中書舍人，進給事中、禮部侍郎。
At the time the case of Prince Cai's household was under investigation. In audience, when Huizong spoke of it, Zhengfu gently cited the Huainan proverb about "a foot of cloth, a dipper of grain" in reply. Moved, the emperor dissolved the case and treated Prince Cai as before. On another day he told Zhengfu: "Among brothers, what men find hardest to speak of — you alone have managed it. Hereafter you will surely become a chief minister." He also said: "The History of Shenzong compiled in the Yuanyou and Shaosheng eras each has its merits and faults. Their accounts should be reconciled and made trustworthy for ten thousand generations." An edict was issued to revise and fix the text, appointing the diarist as compiler. In under a month he was transferred to drafting secretary, then advanced to supervisory censor and vice minister of rites.
27
蔡京據相位，正夫欲附翼之，奏言：「近命官纂錄紹述先志及施行政事，願得陳力其間。」 詔俾閱詳焉。 京罷，正夫又與鄭居中陰援京。 京憾劉逵次骨，而逵善正夫，京雖賴其助，亦惡之。 因章綖鑄錢獄辭及正夫，時使遼還，京諷有司追逮之。 帝知其情，第貶兩秩。 京又出之成都，入辭，留為翰林學士。 京愈不能平，謀中以事。 作春宴樂語，有「紫宸朝罷袞衣閑」之句，京黨張康國密白帝曰：「袞衣豈可閑？」 竟改龍圖閣直學士、知河南府。
When Cai Jing held the chancellorship, Zhengfu wished to attach himself to his faction and memorialized: "Your Majesty has recently ordered officials to compile records of the continuation of the late emperor's will and the implementation of governance. I wish to offer my strength in this work." An edict appointed him to review and examine the project. After Jing was dismissed, Zhengfu again secretly supported him together with Zheng Juzhong. Jing hated Liu Kui to the marrow, yet Liu Kui was friendly toward Zhengfu. Although Jing relied on Zhengfu's help, he also detested him. Through testimony in the case of Zhang Yan's coin counterfeiting, Zhengfu was implicated. He was returning from an embassy to Liao when Jing hinted to the authorities to pursue and arrest him. Reading the situation, the emperor merely demoted him two ranks. Jing then had him sent out to Chengdu. On presenting farewell respects, he was retained as Hanlin academician. Jing grew ever more resentful and plotted to entrap him. Composing festive verse for a spring banquet, he included the line "After court at Zichen, the imperial robes lie idle." Jing's ally Zhang Kangguo secretly informed the emperor: "How can the imperial robes lie idle?" In the end he was made academician directly attached to the Hall of Dragon Diagrams and prefect of Henan.
28
召為工部尚書，拜右丞，進中書侍郎。 太學諸生習樂成，京欲官之。 正夫曰：「朝廷長育人材，規為時用，而使與伶官齒，策名以是，得無為士子羞乎？」 東封儀物已具，正夫請間，力陳不可，帝皆為之止，益喜其不與京同。
The man was recalled as minister of works, appointed vice director, and advanced to vice director of the Secretariat. Once students of the Imperial Academy completed their music training, Jing wished to grant them official posts. Zhengfu said: "The court nurtures talent for service to the age. To rank them alongside entertainers as their path to office — would that not bring shame upon scholars?" The ritual paraphernalia for the eastern sacrifice had already been prepared. Zhengfu requested a private audience and forcefully argued against it. The emperor halted each plan and came to delight all the more that he was not of one mind with Jing.
29
政和六年，擢拜特進、少宰。 才半歲，屬疾，三上章告老，除安化軍節度使、開府儀同三司致仕。 病小愈，丐東歸，詔肩輿至內殿，長子皁民掖入坐。 從容及燕雲事，曰：「臣起書生，軍旅之事未之學，然兩朝信誓之久，四海生靈之眾，願深留聖思。」 明日，徙節安靜軍，起充中太一宮使，封康國公。 將行，賜之詩及硯筆、圖畫、藥餌、香茶之屬甚厚。 正夫獻詩謝，帝又屬和以榮其歸。 至盱眙，病亟，命子弟作遺牘，自書「留神根本，深戒持盈」八字，遂卒，年五十六。 贈太保，諡「文憲」，再贈太傅。
In the sixth year of Zhenghe he was promoted to specially advanced rank and Junior Chancellor. Only half a year later he fell ill. Thrice submitting memorials requesting retirement, he was granted the posts of military commissioner of Anhua Circuit and Honorary Grandee with ceremonials equal to the Three Excellencies. When his illness eased slightly, he begged leave to return east. An edict summoned him by sedan chair to the inner hall, where his eldest son Zaomin supported him in to be seated. At leisure he touched on the Yan-Yun question, saying: "Your subject rose from the ranks of scholars and has never studied military affairs. Yet the long-standing sworn faith between two courts and the countless lives across the realm — I pray Your Majesty will weigh these deeply in your thoughts." On the following day he was transferred to Anjing Circuit, reappointed commissioner of the Zhongtaiyi Palace, and enfeoffed as Duke of Kang. As he was about to depart, the emperor bestowed poems, inkstones and brushes, paintings, medicines, fragrant tea, and many other gifts in great abundance. Zhengfu presented a poem in thanks. The emperor also composed a matching verse to honor his return home. Reaching Xuyi, his illness grew critical. He ordered his sons to draft a final memorial and personally wrote the eight characters "Keep the root in mind; deeply guard against excess," then died, aged fifty-six. The man was posthumously granted Grand Guardian, given the epithet Wenxian, and later posthumously granted Grand Tutor.
30
正夫由博士入都，馴致宰相，能迎時上下，持祿養權。 性吝嗇，惟恐不足於財。 晚年，築第杭州萬松嶺，以建閣奉御書為名，悉取其旁軍營民舍，議者譏之。 帝眷念不衰，以皁民為兵部侍郎； 少子阜民，徽猷閣待制。
Zhengfu entered the capital from an erudite post and gradually reached the chancellorship. He could trim his sails to suit the times and used his salary to nourish his power. Stingy by nature, he was ever anxious that his wealth might not suffice. In his later years he built a mansion on Wansong Ridge in Hangzhou, naming it for a pavilion built to house imperial calligraphy. He took over all the adjacent military camps and civilian dwellings, and critics mocked him for it. The emperor's favor never waned. Zaomin was made vice minister of war; his younger son Fumin was made a drafter of the Huayou Pavilion.
31
何執中
He Zhizhong
32
何執中，字伯通，處州龍泉人。 進士高第，調台、亳二州判官。 亳數易守，政不治。 曾鞏至，頗欲振起之，顧諸僚無可仗信者，執中一見合意，事無纖鉅，悉委以剸決。 有妖獄久不竟，株連寢多。 執中訊諸囚，聽其相與語，謂牛羊之角皆曰「股」，扣其故，閉不肯言，而相視色變。 執中曰：「是必為師張角諱耳。」 即扣頭引伏。 蔣之奇使淮甸，號強明，官吏望風震懾，見執中喜曰：「一州六邑，賴有君爾。」 知海鹽縣，為政識後先，邑人紀其十異。
He Zhizhong, style name Botong, was a native of Longquan in Chuzhou. The man passed the jinshi examination with high marks and was appointed judicial administrator in Taizhou and Bozhou. Bozhou changed prefects frequently, and governance went untended. When Zeng Gong arrived, he wished greatly to revive administration but found none among the staff he could trust. At first meeting He Zhizhong pleased him, and matters great and small were all entrusted to his decisive judgment. A sorcery case had dragged on unresolved, with the net of implication growing ever wider. He Zhizhong interrogated the prisoners and listened as they spoke among themselves. They all called cattle and goats' horns "thighs." When pressed for the reason, they closed their mouths and would not speak, but glanced at one another with changed expressions. He Zhizhong said: "This must be evasion of the name of Master Zhang Jue." They immediately kowtowed and confessed. Jiang Zhiqi served on the Huai region commission, renowned for severity. Officials trembled at his approach. Meeting He Zhizhong, he said with pleasure: "One prefecture and six counties have relied on you alone." As magistrate of Haiyan he governed with a sense of priorities. The townspeople recorded ten unusual acts of his rule.
33
蔡京籍上書人為邪等，初無朝覲及入都之禁，執中申言之，且請任在京職秩者皆罷遣。 辟雍成，執中請開學殿，使都人士女縱觀，大為士論所貶。
Cai Jing registered memorial submitters as heterodox, but at first there was no ban on court appearances or entry into the capital. He Zhizhong brought this forward and requested that all those holding office ranks in the capital be dismissed and sent away. When the Imperial Academy was completed, He Zhizhong requested that the study hall be opened so men and women of the capital could freely watch. This was greatly condemned in scholarly opinion.
34
崇寧四年，拜尚書右丞。 大觀初，進中書、門下侍郎，積官金紫光祿大夫。 一意謹事京，三年，遂代為尚書左丞，加特進。 制下，太學諸生陳朝老詣闕上書曰：「陛下知蔡京姦，解其相印，天下之人鼓舞，有若更生。 及相執中，中外默然失望。 執中雖不敢肆為非法若京之蠹國害民，然碌碌庸質，初無過人。 天下敗壞至此，如人一身，髒府受沴已深，豈庸庸之醫所能起乎？ 執中夤緣攀附，致位二府，亦已大幸，遽俾之經體贊元，是猶以蚊負山，多見其不勝任也。」 疏奏不省，而眷注益異。 初，賜第信陵坊，以為淺隘，更徙金順坊甲第。 建嘉會成功閣，帝親書钜額以示寵。
In the fourth year of Chongning he became Vice Director of the Right in the Department of State Affairs. At the start of the Daguan era he advanced to vice director of the Secretariat and vice director of the Chancellery, cumulatively reaching Grandee of the Golden Purple and Bright Tally. Single-mindedly serving Jing with care, after three years he replaced him as Vice Director of the Left and was given specially advanced rank. When the appointment decree was issued, Imperial Academy student Chen Chaolao went to the palace gate and submitted a memorial saying: "Your Majesty recognized Cai Jing's wickedness and removed his seal of chancellor. People throughout the realm exulted as though reborn. Yet when He Zhizhong was made chancellor, court and countryside alike fell silent in disappointment. Although He Zhizhong dared not openly commit outrages like Jing's ruin of the state and harm to the people, he was a plodding mediocrity with nothing extraordinary about him. The realm's ruin has reached this pass — like a human body whose vital organs have been deeply afflicted. How can a commonplace physician possibly cure it? He Zhizhong climbed by connections and attachment to reach the Two Departments — already great fortune. Yet to charge him at once with steering the state and assisting the sovereign is like asking a mosquito to carry a mountain. One need only look to see he is unequal to the task. The memorial went unheeded, yet imperial favor toward him grew ever more extraordinary. At first he was granted a residence in Xinling Ward. Finding it cramped, he was moved to a grand mansion in Jinshun Ward. He built the Jiahui Chenggong Pavilion, and the emperor personally wrote a large plaque to show his favor.
35
執中與蔡京並相，凡營立皆預議，略無所建明。 及張商英任事，執中惡其出己上，與鄭居中合擠之。 陳瓘在台州，執中起遷人石悈知州事，使脅取《尊堯集》，謀必死瓘，瓘不死，執中怒罷悈。
He Zhizhong served as chancellor alongside Cai Jing. He took part in deliberations on every undertaking but offered scarcely any constructive proposals of his own. When Zhang Shangying took charge of affairs, He Zhizhong resented his rise above him and joined Zheng Juzhong in squeezing him out. Chen Guan was in Taizhou. He Zhizhong promoted the banished official Shi Jie to administer the prefecture and had him coerce the surrender of Respect for Yao, plotting to ensure Chen Guan's death. When Chen Guan did not die, He Zhizhong angrily dismissed Shi Jie.
36
政和二年，大長公主喪，罷上元端門觀燈，執中言：「不宜以長主故閼眾情，願特為徙日，以昭與民同樂之意。」 帝重逆其請，為申五日期。 用提舉修《哲宗史紀》恩，加少保。 入宴太清樓，錫白玉帶。 會正宰相官名，轉少傅，為太宰； 又遷少師，封榮國公。
In the second year of Zhenghe, during mourning for the Grand Eldest Princess, the lantern viewing at the Duan Gate on the fifteenth was canceled. He Zhizhong said: "It is not fitting to suppress the people's wishes because of the princess's mourning. I pray Your Majesty will specially move the date, to show the intent of sharing joy with the people." The emperor greatly went against his own wishes and granted a postponement of five days. By grace for supervising the compilation of the Annals of Emperor Zhezong, he was promoted to Junior Guardian. He attended a banquet at the Taiqing Tower and was granted a white jade belt. When the chancellor's titles were regularized, he was transferred to Junior Tutor and made Grand Chancellor; he was further promoted to Junior Preceptor and enfeoffed as Duke of Rong.
37
執中輔政一紀，年益高。 五年，臥疾甚，賜寬告。 他日造朝，命止赴六參起居，退治省事。 明年，乃以太傅就第，許朝朔望，儀物廩稍，一切如居位時。 入見，帝曰：「自相位致為臣，數十年無此矣。」 對曰：「昔張士遜亦以舊學際遇，用太傅致仕，與臣適同。」 帝曰：「當時恩禮，恐未必爾。」 執中頓首謝。 其在政府，嘗戒邊吏勿生事，重改作，惜人材，寬民力。 雖居富貴，未嘗忘貧賤時。 斥緡錢萬置義莊，以贍宗族。 性復謹畏，至於迎順主意，贊飾太平，則始終一致，不能自克。
He Zhizhong had assisted in governance for twelve years, and his age was advancing. In the fifth year he fell gravely ill and was granted extended leave. On another day he came to court. He was ordered to attend only the six monthly audiences and then retire to handle routine business. The next year he retired to his residence as Grand Tutor, permitted to attend court on the first and fifteenth of each month. Ritual objects, stipends, and provisions were all as when he held office. On entering audience, the emperor said: "Since leaving the chancellorship to become a retired minister — for decades there has been nothing like this." He replied: "In the past Zhang Shizun likewise, by virtue of his classical learning, was granted retirement as Grand Tutor — the same as your subject." The emperor said: "The favor and ceremony of that time, I fear, were not necessarily like this." He Zhizhong kowtowed in thanks. While in government he often warned border officials not to provoke incidents, valued restraint in construction, cherished human talent, and lightened burdens on the people. Though he lived in wealth and honor, he never forgot his days of poverty. He spent ten thousand strings of cash to establish a charity estate to support his clan. By nature he was also cautious and timid. In deferring to the sovereign's wishes and embellishing the age of peace, he was consistent from first to last and could not restrain himself.
38
卒，年七十四。 帝即幸其家，以不及視其病為恨，輟視朝三日，贈太師，追封清源郡王，諡曰「正獻」。
He died, aged seventy-four. The emperor at once visited his home, regretting that he had not been able to see him during his illness. Court audiences were suspended for three days. He was posthumously granted Grand Preceptor, posthumously enfeoffed as Prince of Qingyuan, and given the epithet Zhengxian.
39
鄭居中
Zheng Juzhong
40
鄭居中，字達夫，開封人。 登進士第。 崇寧中，為都官禮部員外郎，起居舍人，至中書舍人、直學士院。 初，居中自言為貴妃從兄弟，妃從蕃邸進，家世微，亦倚居中為重，由是連進擢。 會妃父紳客祝安中者，上書涉謗訕，言者並及居中，罷知和州，徙潁州。 明年，歸故官，遷給事中、翰林學士。 大觀元年，同知樞密院。 時妃寵冠後宮，於居中無所賴，乃用宦官黃經臣策，以外戚秉政辭。 改資政學士、中太一宮使兼侍讀。
Zheng Juzhong, style name Dafu, was a native of Kaifeng. He passed the jinshi examination. During Chongning he served as vice director in the Ministries of Justice and Rites, diarist, and eventually drafting secretary and academician of the Hanlin Academy. At first Juzhong claimed to be a cousin of the imperial consort. The consort had risen from the princely household with a humble family background and also relied on Juzhong for support. By this means he received successive promotions. It happened that the consort's father Shen had a guest Zhu Anzhong who submitted a memorial involving slander. Memorialists implicated Juzhong as well. He was dismissed and made prefect of Hezhou, then transferred to Yingzhou. The next year he was restored to his former post and promoted to supervisory censor and Hanlin academician. In the first year of Daguan he became vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. At the time the consort's favor surpassed all in the inner palace. She no longer relied on Juzhong and adopted the eunuch Huang Jingchen's stratagem, declining office on grounds of being a maternal relative holding power. He was changed to academician of the Hall of Literary Glory, commissioner of the Zhongtaiyi Palace, and concurrent reader-in-waiting.
41
蔡京以星文變免，趙挺之相，與劉逵謀盡改京所為政。 未幾，徽宗頗悔更張之暴，外莫有知者。 居中往來紳所，知之，即入見言：「陛下建學校、興禮樂，以藻飾太平； 置居養、安濟院，以周拯窮困，何所逆天而致威譴乎？」 帝大悟。 居中退語禮部侍郎劉正夫，正夫繼請對，語同。 帝意乃復向京。 京再得政，兩人之助為多。
Cai Jing was dismissed because of celestial anomalies. Zhao Tingzhi became chancellor and, with Liu Kui, plotted to overturn entirely the policies Cai Jing had enacted. Before long Huizong came to regret the violence of the reversal, but no one outside knew of it. Juzhong visited Shen's residence and learned of this. He at once entered audience and said: "Your Majesty has established schools and revived rites and music to adorn an age of peace; established residential care and relief hospices to succor the destitute. In what way have you offended Heaven to incur such awesome reproof?" The emperor was greatly enlightened. Juzhong withdrew and spoke with Vice Minister of Rites Liu Zhengfu. Zhengfu then requested audience and spoke similarly. The emperor's mind then turned back toward Jing. When Jing regained power, the help of these two men was considerable.
42
居中厚責報，京為言樞密本兵之地，與三省殊，無嫌於用親。 經臣方恃權，力抗前說，京言不效。 居中疑不己援，始怨之，乃與張康國比而間京。 都水使者趙霖得龜兩首於黃河，獻以為瑞。 京曰：「此齊小白所謂『象罔』，見之而霸者也。」 居中曰：「首豈宜有二？ 人皆駭異，而京獨主之，殆不可測。」 帝命棄龜金明池，謂：「居中愛我」，遂申前命，進知院事。 四年，京又罷。 居中自許必得相，而帝覺之，不用。 妃正位中宮，復以嫌，罷為觀文殿學士。
Juzhong pressed hard for reward. Jing argued that the Bureau of Military Affairs was fundamentally a military post, distinct from the Three Departments, and there was no objection to employing a relative. Jingchen was then relying on power and forcefully resisted the earlier proposal. Jing's words had no effect. Juzhong suspected he was not being supported and began to resent Jing. He then allied with Zhang Kangguo to sow discord against him. Commissioner of the Capital Waterways Zhao Lin obtained a two-headed turtle from the Yellow River and presented it as an auspicious omen. Jing said: "This is what Duke Huan of Qi called Xiangwang — seeing it, one achieves hegemony." Juzhong said: "How can a head properly have two? Everyone was alarmed and astonished, yet Jing alone upheld it. His intentions were perhaps beyond reckoning. The emperor ordered the turtle discarded in Jinming Pool and said: "Juzhong loves me." He then confirmed the earlier appointment, promoting him to commissioner of the bureau. In the fourth year Jing was dismissed again. Juzhong assured himself he would surely become chancellor, but the emperor perceived this and did not appoint him. When the consort took her proper place in the inner palace, he was again dismissed on grounds of impropriety and made academician of the Hall for Viewing Literature.
43
政和中，再知樞密院，官累特進。 時京總治三省，益變亂法度。 居中每為帝言，帝亦惡京專，尋拜居中少保、太宰，使伺察之。 居中存紀綱，守格令，抑僥幸，振淹滯，士論翕然望治。 丁母憂，旋詔起復。 逾年，加少傅，得請終喪。 服除，以威武軍節度使使佑神觀。 還領樞密院，加少師。 連封崇、宿、燕三國公。
During Zhenghe he again became commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, cumulatively reaching specially advanced rank. At the time Jing controlled all Three Departments and further altered and disrupted laws and institutions. Juzhong often spoke to the emperor about this. The emperor also detested Jing's monopoly of power. Soon Juzhong was appointed Junior Guardian and Grand Chancellor and charged to keep watch on him. Juzhong preserved discipline, upheld regulations, restrained undue favor-seeking, and revived the stalled. Scholarly opinion united in hope of good governance. Upon mourning for his mother, he was soon recalled by edict before mourning ended. After more than a year he was promoted to Junior Tutor and granted permission to complete his mourning. When mourning ended, he was made military commissioner of Weiwu Circuit and commissioner of the Youshen Palace. He returned to head the Bureau of Military Affairs and was promoted to Junior Preceptor. He was successively enfeoffed as Duke of Chong, Duke of Su, and Duke of Yan.
44
朝廷遣使與金約夾攻契丹，復燕雲，蔡京、童貫主之。 居中力陳不可，謂京曰：「公為大臣。 國之元老，不能守兩國盟約，輒造事端，誠非妙算。」 京曰：「上厭歲幣五十萬，故爾。」 居中曰：「公獨不思漢世和戎用兵之費乎？ 使百萬生靈肝腦塗地，公實為之。」 由是議稍寢。 其後金人數攻，契丹日蹙，王黼、童貫復議舉兵，居中又言：「不宜幸災而動，待其自斃可也。」 不聽。 燕山平，進位太保，自陳無功，不拜。
The court dispatched envoys to agree with Jin on a pincer attack against the Khitan to recover Yan-Yun. Cai Jing and Tong Guan directed the effort. Juzhong forcefully argued against it and said to Jing: "You are a great minister, a senior statesman of the realm. Unable to uphold the treaty between two states, you rashly provoke trouble — this is truly no wise calculation. Jing said: "The emperor is weary of the annual tribute of five hundred thousand, and so it is." Juzhong said: "Have you alone not considered the costs of pacifying the frontier and waging war in Han times? To make a million lives lie brains and guts scattered on the ground — you would truly be the cause." From this the deliberations were somewhat set aside. Afterward the Jurchen attacked repeatedly and the Khitan grew daily more pressed. Wang Fu and Tong Guan again deliberated raising troops. Juzhong again said: "One ought not move to take advantage of another's disaster — wait until they perish of themselves." They did not listen. When Yanshan was pacified, he was promoted to Grand Guardian. Declaring he had no merit, he declined to accept.
45
入朝，暴遇疾歸舍，數日卒，年六十五。 贈太師、華原郡王，諡「文正」。 帝親表其隧曰「政和寅亮醇儒宰臣文正鄭居中之墓」。
On entering court he suddenly fell ill, returned home, and died within days, aged sixty-five. He was posthumously granted Grand Preceptor and Prince of Huayuan, with the epithet Wenzheng. The emperor personally inscribed his tomb stele: "Tomb of Wenzheng Zheng Juzhong, the pure Confucian chancellor of Zhenghe's bright reign."
46
居中始仕，蔡京即薦其有廊廟器。 既不合，遂因蔡渭理其父確功狀，追治王珪。 居中，珪婿也，故借是撼之，然卒不能害。
When Juzhong first entered office, Cai Jing at once recommended him as having the makings of a chief minister. When they fell out, he then used Cai Wei to review the record of his father Que's merits and pursued punishment against Wang Gui. Juzhong was Wang Gui's son-in-law and thus used this to shake him, yet in the end could not harm him.
47
子修年、億年，皆至侍從。 億年遭靖康之難，沒入於金。 後遣事劉豫，晚得南歸，秦檜以婦氏親擢為資政殿大學士，位視執正。 檜死，亦竄死撫州。
His sons Xiunian and Yinian both reached positions as palace attendants. Yinian suffered the calamity of Jingkang and was taken captive by Jin. Later he was sent to serve Liu Yu. In his later years he returned south. Qin Hui, as a relative by marriage, promoted him to Grandee of the Hall of Literary Glory with rank equal to a chief minister. When Hui died, he too was banished and died in Fuzhou.
48
時又有安堯臣者，亦嘗上書論燕雲之事，其言曰：
At the time there was also An Yaochen, who had submitted a memorial on the Yan-Yun question. His words ran:
49
「宦寺專命，倡為大謀，燕雲之役興，則邊釁遂開； 宦寺之權重，則皇綱不振。 昔秦始皇築長城，漢武帝通西域，隋煬帝遼左之師，唐明皇幽薊之寇，其失如彼。 周宣王伐玁狁，漢文帝備北邊，元帝納賈捐之之議，光武斥臧宮、馬武之謀，其得如此。 藝祖撥亂反正，躬擐甲胄，當時將相大臣，皆所與取天下者，豈勇略智力，不能下幽燕哉？ 蓋以區區之地，契丹所必爭，忍使吾民重困鋒鏑！ 章聖澶淵之役，與之戰而勝，乃聽其和，亦欲固本而息民也。
"When eunuchs monopolize command and advocate grand schemes, once the Yan-Yun campaign begins, border conflicts are opened; when eunuch power grows heavy, the imperial order is not upheld. In the past Qin Shihuang built the Long Wall, Han Wudi opened the Western Regions, Sui Yangdi's campaign in Liaodong, and Tang Minghuang's incursion at Youji — their failures were like those. King Xuan of Zhou campaigned against the Xianyun, Han Wendi prepared the northern frontier, Yuandi accepted Jia Juanzhi's proposal, and Guangwu rejected the schemes of Zang Gong and Ma Wu — their successes were like these. Emperor Taizu restored order from chaos and personally donned armor. The generals and chief ministers of that time were all those who had taken the realm with him — could their courage, strategy, and intelligence not have subdued You-Yan? It was because that narrow territory was what the Khitan would surely contest — how could he bear to let our people again suffer under sword and spear! Emperor Zhensong at the Chanyuan campaign fought and won, then accepted peace — likewise wishing to secure the foundation and give the people rest.
50
今童貫深結蔡京，同納趙良嗣以為謀主，故建平燕之議。 臣恐異時唇亡齒寒，邊境有可乘之釁，狼子蓄銳，伺隙以逞其欲，此臣所以日夜寒心。 伏望思祖宗積累之艱難，鑒歷代君臣之得失，杜塞邊隙，務守舊好，無使外夷乘間窺中國，上以安宗廟，下以慰生靈。」
Now Tong Guan is deeply allied with Cai Jing and together they have taken in Zhao Liangsi as chief strategist — hence the proposal to pacify Yan. Your subject fears that in time, when the lips are gone the teeth grow cold — when the border offers an opening for exploitation, the wolf cub stores its sharpness and watches for a gap to indulge its desires. This is why your subject's heart is chilled day and night. I humbly pray Your Majesty will reflect on the hardships through which our ancestors accumulated the realm, take warning from the gains and losses of rulers and ministers through the ages, block border openings, strive to maintain the old friendship, and not let foreign barbarians seize an interval to spy on China — above to secure the ancestral temples, below to comfort the living."
51
徽宗然之，命堯臣以官； 後竟為姦謀所奪。 堯臣嘗舉進士不第，蓋惇之族子也。
Huizong approved and ordered Yaochen granted an office; later it was ultimately seized away by treacherous schemers. Yaochen had attempted the jinshi examination without success. He was a clansman of Zhang Dun.
52
論曰：君子小人，猶冰炭不可一日而處者也。 趙挺之為小官，薄有才具，熙寧新法之行，迎合用事，元祐更化，宜為諸賢鄙棄。 至於紹聖，首倡紹述之謀，牴排正人，靡所不至。 其論蔡京，不過為攘奪權寵之計而已，所謂「楚固為失，齊亦未為得」也。 徽宗知京不可顓任，乃以張商英、鄭居中輩敢與京為異者參而用之。 殊不知二人者，向背離合，視利所在，亦何有於公議哉？ 商英以傾詖之行，竊忠直之名，沒齒猶見褒稱，其欺世如此！ 何執中夤緣舊學，致位兩府，無所建明，惟務冒嫉，至用石悈脅陳瓘取《尊堯集》，欲因以殺瓘，何為者耶？ 宣、政命相，得若而人，尚望治乎？ 劉正夫生平所為，睒申出沒正邪之間，商英之徒也。 唐英有清才而寡失德，獨薦王安石為可咎； 然安石未相，正人端士孰不與之，又何責乎唐英！
The commentators say: The noble man and the petty man are like ice and charcoal — they cannot abide together for a single day. Zhao Tingzhi as a minor official had modest talent. When the New Policies of Xining were implemented he curried favor with those in power — at the Yuanyou reversal he ought to have been despised and cast aside by the worthies. By the Shaosheng era he was first to advocate the plan of continuing the late emperor's policies, driving out upright men by every means imaginable. His attacks on Cai Jing were nothing but a scheme to seize power and favor — as the saying goes, Chu was indeed in the wrong, but Qi was not necessarily in the right either. Huizong knew Jing could not be entrusted with sole power and therefore employed alongside him men like Zhang Shangying and Zheng Juzhong who dared differ with Jing. He little realized that these two men shifted allegiance according to where advantage lay — what regard had they for public opinion? Shangying by treacherous conduct stole a reputation for integrity and uprightness. Even to the end of his days he was praised — such was his deception of the world! He Zhizhong climbed by connections through the old learning faction to reach the Two Departments, offered no constructive proposals, and devoted himself only to reckless envy — even using Shi Jie to coerce Chen Guan into surrendering Respect for Yao, intending thereby to kill Guan. What was he about? In the Xuanhe and Zhenghe eras, chancellors appointed were men like these — could one still hope for good governance? Liu Zhengfu's conduct throughout his life flickered in and out between the upright and the corrupt — he was of Shangying's kind. Tang Ying had pure talent and few moral failings. Only his recommendation of Wang Anshi is open to reproach; yet before Anshi became chancellor, which upright and principled man did not associate with him? Why then blame Tang Ying!
53
張康國
Zhang Kangguo
54
始因蔡京進，京定元祐黨籍，看詳講議司，編彙章牘，皆預密議，故汲汲引援之，帝亦器重焉。 及得志，浸為崖異。 帝惡京專愎，陰令沮其姦，嘗許以相。 是時，西北邊帥多取部內好官自辟置，以力不以才。 康國曰：「並塞當擇人以紓憂顧，奈何欲私所善乎？」 乃隨闕選用，定為格。
At first he advanced through Cai Jing's patronage. When Jing fixed the Yuanyou faction register, the Review and Deliberation Office, and the compilation of memorials, Kangguo took part in all secret deliberations. Jing therefore eagerly promoted him, and the emperor also valued him highly. Once he achieved his ambitions, he gradually became estranged. The emperor detested Jing's monopoly and obstinacy and secretly ordered Kangguo to obstruct his schemes. He once promised him the chancellorship. At the time northwestern frontier commanders often selected favored officials within their jurisdictions for appointment by personal recommendation, by influence rather than talent. Kangguo said: "Along the border we ought to select men to relieve anxieties and concerns. How can you wish to favor your private choices? He then filled vacancies as they arose and established this as a standard."
55
京使御史中丞吳執中擊康國，康國先知之。 旦奏事，留白帝曰：「執中今日入對，必為京論臣，臣願辟位。」 既而執中對，果陳其事，帝叱去之。 他日，康國因朝退，趨殿廬，暴得疾，仰天吐舌，舁至待漏院卒，或疑中毒云。 年五十四。 贈開府儀同三司，諡曰「文簡」。 康伯，仕終吏部尚書。
Jing had Censor-in-Chief Wu Zhizhong attack Kangguo. Kangguo learned of it beforehand. At the morning audience he remained behind and told the emperor: "Zhizhong will enter audience today and will surely speak on Jing's behalf against your subject. I wish to yield my post." When Zhizhong entered audience, he indeed presented the matter. The emperor shouted him away. On another day, as court was dismissed, Kangguo hurried toward the palace offices and suddenly fell ill, staring skyward with tongue protruding. He was carried to the Waiting-for-Dawn Court and died there. Some suspected poisoning. He was aged fifty-four. He was posthumously granted Honorary Grandee with ceremonials equal to the Three Excellencies, with the epithet Wenjian. His son Kangbo ended his career as minister of personnel.
56
朱諤，字聖與，秀州華亭人，初名𥿈。 進士第二，調忠正軍推官。 崇寧初，由太常丞擢殿中侍御史，遷侍御史、給事中。 以同黨籍人姓名，故改名。 進御史中丞，入謝，徽宗曰：「今朝廷肅清，上下無事，宜審重以稱朕意。」 對曰：「前此中執法類不知職守，言事多妄，至過天津橋，見汴堤一角墊陷，乞修葺。 如許細故，何足論哉？」 帝曰：「然。 比石豫、許敦仁妄發，皆如是。」 諤遂奏：「願如神宗故事，聽政之餘，開內閣，延群臣，從容論道。」
Zhu E, style name Shengyu, was a native of Huating in Xiu Prefecture. His original name was Zhu. He placed second in the jinshi examination and was appointed legal officer in Zhongzheng Circuit. At the start of Chongning he was promoted from vice director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to palace censor, then transferred to censor and supervisory memorial reviewer. Because his name matched that of someone on the faction register, he changed his name. Promoted to censor-in-chief, on entering to give thanks Huizong said: "The court is now orderly and all is quiet above and below. You ought to be careful and weighty to suit my intent." He replied: "Previously censors in this office generally did not know their duties. Their memorials were mostly reckless — even passing the Tianjin Bridge and seeing a corner of the Bian embankment sunken, they would request repairs. Such trivial matters — what are they worth discussing?" The emperor said: "True. Recently Shi Yu and Xu Dunren made reckless submissions — all like this." E then memorialized: "I pray that, following Emperor Shenzong's precedent, after handling affairs of state Your Majesty will open the inner cabinet, summon the ministers, and at leisure discuss the Way."
57
又言：「陛下手詔屢下，惻怛願治。 然吏奉行者多安於苟簡，或懷二三，柅置不行，使德音善教，無由下達。 願分命使者刺舉諸道，有受令而不行及行令而不盡者，論如古留令、虧令之罪，則令出而朝廷尊矣。 元祐紛更，凡得罪於熙寧、元豐者，不問是否，輒陳冤訴，自歸無過之地，彰先朝之失刑，希合姦臣，規求進用。 門下侍郎許將頃下御史獄，抗章云：「絲毫自知其無事，父子相係而為囚，追屬吏十有六人，繫病者百有三日，終無可坐之罪，遂加不實之刑。」 夫以追屬吏如是之多，繫病者如是之久，卒之於無可坐，則先帝所用之刑為何哉？ 將於哲廟表，泛為平詞； 至宣仁太后之前，則銜冤負痛。 其辭如此，於陛下紹述成功，得無少損乎？」 詔出將河南。
He also said: "Your Majesty's handwritten edicts have been issued repeatedly, filled with compassionate desire for good governance. Yet officials who carry them out mostly rest content with perfunctory compliance, or harbor reservations and obstruct implementation, so that benevolent words and good instruction cannot reach below. I pray that envoys be dispatched to investigate the circuits. Those who receive orders but do not execute them, or execute them incompletely, should be punished as in ancient times for retaining or impairing orders — then when orders issue forth the court will be honored. During the Yuanyou reversal, all who had offended in the Xining and Yuanfeng eras, regardless of guilt, hastened to plead injustice, declaring themselves blameless, exposing the prior court's errors in punishment, currying favor with treacherous ministers, and scheming for advancement. Vice Director of the Chancellery Xu Jiang was recently sent to the censorial prison and submitted a defiant memorial saying: "I know to the smallest degree that I am innocent. Father and son were bound together as prisoners. Sixteen subordinate officials were pursued. The sick were detained for a hundred and three days — in the end there was no crime to be found, yet false punishment was imposed. If so many subordinates were pursued and the sick detained so long, yet in the end there was nothing to punish — then what were the punishments employed by the late emperor? Before Emperor Zhezong's tablet he spoke in general and neutral terms; before Empress Dowager Xuanren he bore grievance and pain. His words being such, does this not somewhat diminish Your Majesty's success in continuing the late emperor's policies?" An edict sent Jiang out to Henan.
58
六察官彈治稽違，近歲察事多者輒推賞，有僥求之敝。 諤乞罷賞，使各安職分，從之。 俄兼侍讀，徙兵、禮、吏三部尚書。 大觀元年，拜右丞。 居三月卒，年四十。 贈光祿大夫，諡「忠靖」。
The six investigating censors prosecuted delays and violations. In recent years those who handled many cases were often recommended for reward — there was the abuse of opportunistic seeking. E requested that rewards be abolished so each might rest secure in his duties. The request was granted. Soon he was made concurrent reader-in-waiting and transferred among the ministries of war, rites, and personnel as minister. In the first year of Daguan he was appointed vice director of the right. After three months in office he died, aged forty. He was posthumously granted Grandee of Splendid Happiness, with the epithet Zhongjing.
59
諤出蔡京門，善附合，不能有所建白。 既死，京為誌其墓。
E came from Cai Jing's faction, was skilled at compliance, and could offer no constructive proposals. After his death Jing wrote the epitaph for his tomb.
60
劉逵，字公路，隨州隨縣人。 進士高第，調越州觀察判官。 入為太學、太常博士，禮部、考功員外郎，國子司業。 崇寧中，連擢秘書少監、太常少卿、中書舍人、給事中、戶部侍郎，使高麗，遷尚書。 繇兵部同知樞密院，拜中書侍郎。
Liu Kui, style name Gonglu, was a native of Sui County in Sui Prefecture. He passed the jinshi examination with high marks and was appointed judicial administrator in Yuezhou. He entered service as erudite of the Imperial Academy and Court of Imperial Sacrifices, vice director in the Ministries of Rites and Merit, and vice director of the Directorate of Education. During Chongning he was successively promoted to vice director of the Archive, vice director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, drafting secretary, supervisory censor, and vice minister of revenue. He served as envoy to Goryeo and was promoted to minister. From the Ministry of War he became vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs and was appointed vice director of the Secretariat.
61
逵無他才能，初以附蔡京故躐進。 京以彗星見去相，而逵貳中書，首勸徽宗碎《元祐黨碑》，寬上書邪籍之禁； 凡京所行悖理虐民事，稍稍澄正。 逵與趙挺之同心； 然挺之多智，慮後患，每建白，務開其端，而使逵終其說。 逵欲自以為功，直情不顧。 未滿歲，帝疑逵擅政，而鄭居中、劉正夫之策售矣。
Kui had no other talent. At first he leapt forward by attaching himself to Cai Jing. When Jing left the chancellorship because of a comet's appearance, Kui as second at the Secretariat was first to urge Huizong to smash the Yuanyou Faction Stele and relax the ban on memorial submitters in the heterodox register; all unreasonable and oppressive measures Jing had enacted were gradually clarified and corrected. Kui and Zhao Tingzhi were of one mind; yet Tingzhi was more clever and, fearing later trouble, whenever he made proposals would open the matter but have Kui finish the argument. Kui wished to claim the credit for himself and spoke bluntly without regard for consequences. Before a year had passed the emperor suspected Kui of monopolizing government, and the stratagems of Zheng Juzhong and Liu Zhengfu succeeded.
62
帝意既移，於是御史余深、石公弼論逵「專恣反覆，乘間抵巘，盡廢紹述良法； 愚視丞相，陵蔑同列； 凡所啟用，多取為邪黨學術者及邪籍中子弟； 庇其婦兄章綖，使之盜鑄。」 罷知亳州。
Once the emperor's mind had shifted, censors Yu Shen and Shi Gongbi attacked Kui: "Arbitrary and changeable, seizing intervals to reach dangerous heights, he has entirely abolished the good laws of the continuation of the late emperor's policies; he treats the chancellor foolishly and despises his colleagues; of those he recommends for appointment, most are adherents of heterodox factional learning and sons of families on the heterodox register; he shields his brother-in-law Zhang Yan and enables him to counterfeit coin. He was dismissed and made prefect of Bozhou."
63
京復相，再責鎮江節度副使，安州居住。 京再以星變去，稍起知杭州，加資政殿學士。 以醴泉觀使召，及都而卒，年五十。 贈光祿大夫。
When Jing returned as chancellor, Kui was again demoted to vice military commissioner of Zhenjiang and placed under residence at Anzhou. When Jing again left because of celestial anomalies, Kui was slightly restored as prefect of Hangzhou and made academician of the Hall of Literary Glory. Summoned as commissioner of the Liquan Palace, he died upon reaching the capital, aged fifty. He was posthumously granted Grandee of Splendid Happiness.
64
林攄，字彥振，福州人，徙蘇。 父邵，顯謨閣直學士。 攄用蔭至敕令檢討官。 蔡京講明熙寧、元豐故事，引以為屬，遷屯田、右司員外郎。
Lin Shu, style name Yanzhen, was a native of Fuzhou who moved to Suzhou. His father Shao was an academician directly attached to the Hall of Manifest Strategy. Shu entered by yin privilege as reviewer of edicts and ordinances. Cai Jing expounded the precedents of Xining and Yuanfeng and brought him into his circle. Shu was promoted to vice director in the Ministries of Public Works and the Right.
65
時遣朝士察諸道，攄使河北。 入辭，言大府宜擇帥，邊州宜擇守，西山木不宜采伐，保甲有藝者宜貢諸朝，驕兵宜使更戍，錢貨、文書闌出疆外者宜遏絕。 徽宗喜曰：「卿所陳，已盡河朔利害，毋庸行。」 賜進士第，擢起居舍人，進中書舍人。 俄直學士院，禁林官不乏，帝特命，遂為翰林學士。
At the time court officials were dispatched to inspect the circuits. Shu was sent to Hebei. On presenting farewell respects he said: The great prefectures ought to have commanders carefully chosen, and border prefectures ought to have prefects carefully chosen. Timber on the Western Hills ought not be felled. Those in the baojia with skills ought to be recommended to court. Arrogant troops ought to be rotated in garrison. Currency and documents crossing the frontier ought to be stopped. Huizong said with pleasure: "What you have presented already covers the advantages and harms of Hebei — there is no need to go. He was granted jinshi status, promoted to diarist, and advanced to drafting secretary." Soon he was attached to the Academy. Though Hanlin posts were not lacking, the emperor specially appointed him, and he became Hanlin academician.
66
初，朝廷數取西夏地，夏求援於遼，遼為請命。 攄報聘，京密使激怒之以啟釁。 入境，盛氣以待迓者，小不如儀，輒辨詰。 及見遼主，始跪授書，即抗言數夏人之罪，謂北朝不能加責而反為之請。 禮出不意，遼之君臣不知所答。 及辭，遼使攄附奏，求還進築夏人城柵。 攄答語復不巽，遼人大怒，空客館水漿，絕煙火，至舍外積潦亦汙以矢溲，使饑渴無所得。 如是三日，乃遣還，凡饔餼、祖犒皆廢。 歸復命，議者以為怒鄰生事，猶除禮部尚書。 既而遼人以失禮言，出知潁州。
At first the court repeatedly seized Western Xia territory. Xia sought aid from Liao, and Liao interceded on its behalf. Shu went on a return embassy. Jing secretly had him provoke them to open hostilities. Upon entering their territory he met the escorts with overbearing air. At the slightest breach of protocol he would argue and interrogate. When he saw the Liao ruler, he first knelt to present the letter, then spoke defiantly enumerating the Xia people's crimes, saying the northern court could not impose blame yet instead pleaded on their behalf. The breach of protocol was unexpected. Liao's ruler and ministers did not know how to reply. At his farewell the Liao envoy had Shu attach a memorial requesting the return of advanced Xia fortifications and stockades. Shu's reply was again insubordinate. The Liao people were greatly angered. They emptied the guest house of water and food, cut off fire and smoke, and even fouled the standing water outside with urine and excrement, leaving him with nothing through hunger and thirst. After three days thus they sent him back. All provisions and farewell gifts were canceled. On returning to report, critics held that he had provoked a neighbor and created trouble. He was nevertheless made minister of rites. Before long, on Liao's complaint of breach of protocol, he was sent out as prefect of Yingzhou.
67
尋召為開封尹。 大駔負賈錢久不償，一日，盡輦當十錢來，賈疑不納，駔訟之。 攄馳詣蔡京，問曰：「錢法變乎？」 京色動曰：「方議之，未決也。」 攄曰：「令未布而賈人先知，必有與為表裏者。」 退鞫之，得省吏主名，置於法。
Soon he was recalled as prefect of Kaifeng. A chief broker owed a merchant money long unpaid. One day he brought all ten-cash coins to pay. The merchant suspected fraud and refused acceptance. The broker sued. Shu hurried to Cai Jing and asked: "Has the coinage law changed? Jing's expression changed and he said: "It is under discussion — not yet decided." Shu said: "The order has not been promulgated yet a merchant already knows. There must be someone working with him from inside. He withdrew and interrogated the case, obtained the chief clerk's name, and punished him by law."
68
張懷素妖事覺，攄與御史中丞余深及內侍雜治，得民士交關書疏數百，攄請悉焚蕩，以安反側，眾稱為長者，而京與懷素遊最密，攄實為京地也。 京深德之，用鞫獄明允，加秩二等。 改兵部尚書，進同知樞密院、尚書左丞、中書侍郎。 自大觀元年春至二年五月，繇朝散大夫九遷至右光祿大夫。
When Zhang Huai's sorcery case came to light, Shu together with Censor-in-Chief Yu Shen and inner attendants jointly tried it. Hundreds of letters exchanged between commoners and gentry were obtained. Shu requested that all be burned to reassure the unsettled. The crowd praised him as a man of forbearance — yet Jing had been closest in association with Huai, and Shu was in fact clearing ground for Jing. Jing was deeply grateful. Citing his clear and fair conduct in trying cases, he raised Shu's rank by two grades. He was changed to minister of war and advanced to vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, vice director of the left in the Department of State Affairs, and vice director of the Secretariat. From spring of the first year of Daguan to the fifth month of the second year, he was promoted nine times from Grandee of Court Assembly to Right Grandee of Splendid Happiness.
69
集英臚唱貢士，攄當傳姓名。 不識「甄盎」字，帝笑曰：「卿誤邪？」 攄不謝，而語詆同列。 御史論其寡學，倨傲不恭，失人臣禮，黜知滁州。 言者不厭，罷，提舉洞霄宮。 起為越州、永興軍，皆以親年高辭。 拜端明殿學士，久之，知揚州，政以察察聞，鋤大俠，繩汙吏，下不敢欺。 有行商寓逆旅，晨出不反，館人以告，攄曰：「此當不遠，或利其貨殺之耳。」 指蹤物色，得屍溝中，果城民張所為也。
At the Hall of Assembled Excellence the names of presented scholars were announced. Shu was to read them aloud. He did not recognize the characters for Zhen Ang. The emperor laughed and said: "Have you made a mistake? Shu did not apologize but spoke slanderously of his colleagues. Censors argued that he was poorly learned, arrogant and disrespectful, and had failed the rites of a minister. He was demoted and made prefect of Chuzhou. Memorialists were not satisfied. He was dismissed and made commissioner of the Dongxiao Palace. He was restored as prefect of Yuezhou and of Yongxing Circuit, but declined both because his parents were advanced in age. He was appointed academician of the Hall of Bright Clarity. After some time he became prefect of Yangzhou, where his governance was known for meticulous scrutiny: he uprooted powerful ruffians, bound corrupt officials, and those below did not dare deceive. A traveling merchant lodged at an inn and did not return after going out in the morning. The innkeeper reported it. Shu said: "He cannot be far — someone likely killed him for his goods. He directed the tracking and search. The corpse was found in a ditch — it was indeed done by a townsman named Zhang."
70
徙大名府。 道過闕，為帝言：「頃使遼，見其國中攜貳，若兼而有之，勢無不可。」 攄蓋以曩辱，故修怨焉。 其後北伐，蓋兆於此。 加觀文殿學士，拜慶遠軍節度使。 言者復論罷之。 還姑蘇，瘍生於首而卒，年五十九。 帝念其奉使之勤，申贈開府儀同三司，錄子偉直秘閣，數月偉死，嗣遂絕。 靖康元年，以京死黨，追貶節度副使。
He was transferred to Daming Prefecture. Passing the capital on the road, he told the emperor: "On my recent embassy to Liao I saw disunity within their realm — if we annexed it, nothing would be impossible by force. Shu was likely nursing old grievances from past humiliation and therefore sought revenge. The later northern campaign perhaps had its origin here. He was made academician of the Hall for Viewing Literature and appointed military commissioner of Qingyuan Circuit. Memorialists again argued for his dismissal. Returning to Gusu, an ulcer formed on his head and he died, aged fifty-nine. The emperor, recalling his diligence on embassy, posthumously granted him Honorary Grandee with ceremonials equal to the Three Excellencies and enrolled his son Wei as a drafter of the Secretariat. Within months Wei died, and the line ended. In the first year of Jingkang, as a dead partisan of Jing, he was posthumously demoted to vice military commissioner.
71
管師仁
Guan Shiren
72
管師仁，字元善，處州龍泉人。 中進士第，為廣親、睦親宅教授。 通判澧州，知建昌軍，有善政。 擢右正言、左司諫。 論蘇軾、蘇轍深毀熙寧之政，其門下士吏部員外郎晁補之輩不宜在朝廷，逐去之。 河北濱、棣諸州歲被水患，民流未復，租賦故在，師仁請悉蠲減，以綏徠之，一方賴其賜。 遷起居郎、中書舍人、給事中、工部侍郎。 選曹吏多撓法為過，師仁暫攝領，發其姦，抵數人於罪，士論稱之。 改吏部，進刑部尚書，以樞密直學士知鄧州，未行，改揚州，又徙定州。
Guan Shiren, style name Yuanshan, was a native of Longquan in Chuzhou. He passed the jinshi examination and served as instructor at the Broad Kin and Harmonious Kin residences. He served as vice prefect of Lizhou and prefect of Jianchang Circuit, with good governance. He was promoted to Right Remonstrance Clerk and Left Remonstrance Clerk. He argued that Su Shi and Su Zhe had deeply denounced the policies of Xining and that their followers such as Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel Chao Buzhi were unfit to remain at court. They were driven out. In Hebei the coastal prefectures of Bin and Di suffered flooding year after year. The people had not returned but rent and tax obligations remained. Shiren requested that all be remitted to win them back — the region relied on his grace. He was transferred to diarist, drafting secretary, supervisory censor, and vice minister of works. Officials in the Bureau of Appointments often bent the law to their advantage. Shiren temporarily took charge, exposed their corruption, and punished several men — scholarly opinion praised him. He was changed to the Ministry of Personnel, promoted to minister of justice, and made prefect of Dengzhou as academician directly attached to the Bureau of Military Affairs. Before departing he was changed to Yangzhou, then transferred to Dingzhou.
73
時承平百餘年，邊備不整，而遼橫使再至，為西人請侵疆。 朝廷詔師仁設備，至則下令增陴浚湟，繕葺甲胄。 僚吏懼，不知所裁。 師仁預為計度，一日而舉眾十萬，轉盼迄成，外間無知者。 於是日與賓客燕集，以示閑暇，使敵不疑。 帝手書詔獎激。 召為吏部尚書，俄同知樞密院。 才兩月，病。 拜資政殿學士、佑神觀使。 卒，年六十五。 贈正奉大夫。
At the time peace had lasted more than a century and border defenses were not in order. Liao's arrogant envoys came again, pleading on behalf of the Western Xia for encroached territory. The court ordered Shiren to prepare defenses. Upon arrival he issued orders to heighten walls, dredge moats, and repair armor. The staff were afraid and did not know how to manage it. Shiren planned in advance. In a single day he mobilized a hundred thousand men, and in the blink of an eye all was completed — no one outside knew of it. Thereafter he daily feasted with guests to show leisure and keep the enemy from suspicion. The emperor wrote a personal edict commending and encouraging him. He was recalled as minister of personnel and soon became vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. After only two months he fell ill. He was appointed academician of the Hall of Literary Glory and commissioner of the Youshen Palace. He died at the age of sixty-five. He was posthumously granted Grandee of Proper Service.
74
侯蒙，字元功，密州高密人。 未冠，有俊聲，急義好施，或一日揮千金。 進士及第，調寶雞尉，知柏鄉縣。 民訟皆決於庭，受罰者不怨。 轉運使黃湜聞其名，將推轂之，召詣行臺白事，蒙以越境不肯往。 湜怒，他日行縣，閱理文書，欲翻致其罪； 既而無一疵可指，始以賓禮見，曰：「君真能吏也。」 率諸使者合薦之。 徙知襄邑縣，擢監察御史，進殿中侍御史。
Hou Meng, style name Yuangong, was a native of Gaomi in Mizhou. Before reaching adulthood he had a reputation for brilliance, was quick to act on righteousness and generous in giving — sometimes spending a thousand gold in a day. He passed the jinshi examination, was appointed sheriff of Baoji, and served as magistrate of Baixiang County. All civil suits were decided in open court, and those punished bore no resentment. Transport Commissioner Huang Shi heard his name and intended to promote him. He summoned Meng to the traveling office to report on affairs, but Meng refused to go across jurisdictional boundaries. Shi was angered. On another day he visited the county and reviewed case documents, intending to overturn them and find guilt; yet not a single flaw could be found. He then received Meng with guest ceremony and said: "You are truly an able official. He led the various commissioners in jointly recommending him." Meng was transferred as magistrate of Xiangyi County, promoted to investigating censor, and advanced to palace censor.
75
崇寧星變求言，蒙疏十事，曰去冗官，容諫臣，明嫡庶，別賢否，絕幸冀，戒濫恩，寬疲民，節妄費，戚里毋預事，閹寺毋假權。 徽宗聽納，有大用意。 遷侍御史。
When a celestial anomaly in Chongning prompted a call for memorials, Meng submitted ten proposals: remove redundant officials, tolerate remonstrating ministers, clarify legitimate and illegitimate succession, distinguish worthy from unworthy, cut off undue favor-seeking, guard against indiscriminate grace, lighten burdens on the weary people, restrain wasteful expenditure, keep maternal relatives from interfering in affairs, and do not lend power to eunuchs. Huizong listened and accepted them with serious intent. He was transferred to censor.
76
西將高永年死於羌，帝怒，親書五路將帥劉仲武等十八人姓名，敕蒙往秦州逮治。 既行，拜給事中。 至秦，仲武等囚服聽命，蒙曉之曰：「君輩皆侯伯，無庸以獄吏辱君，第以實對。」 案未上，又拜御史中丞。 蒙奏言：「漢武帝殺王恢，不如秦繆公赦孟明； 子玉縊而晉侯喜，孔明亡而蜀國輕。 今羌殺吾一都護，而使十八將繇之而死，是自艾其支體也。 欲身不病，得乎？」 帝悟，釋不問。
Western general Gao Yongnian died at the hands of the Qiang. The emperor was enraged and personally wrote the names of eighteen commanders on five routes including Liu Zhongwu, ordering Meng to Qinzhou to arrest and try them. After he departed he was appointed supervisory censor. Arriving in Qin, Zhongwu and the others wore prison garb awaiting orders. Meng explained to them: "You are all marquises and earls — there is no need to let jailers humiliate you. Simply answer truthfully. Before the case was submitted he was again appointed censor-in-chief. Meng memorialized: "Emperor Wu of Han killed Wang Hui — this was not as good as Duke Mu of Qin pardoning Meng Ming; when Ziyu hanged himself the Marquis of Jin rejoiced; when Kongming died the state of Shu was diminished. Now the Qiang have killed one of our frontier commissioners, yet we would make eighteen generals die on account of it — this is cutting off one's own limbs. Can one wish the body not to sicken? The emperor understood and released them without further inquiry."
77
遷刑部尚書，改戶部。 比歲郊祭先期告辦，尚書輒執政。 至是，帝密諭之。 對曰：「以財利要君而進，非臣所敢。」 母喪，服除，歸故官，遂同知樞密院。 進尚書左丞、中書侍郎。 先是，御史中丞蔡薿詆張商英私事甚力，有旨令廷辨。 蒙曰：「商英雖有罪，宰相也； 蔡薿雖言官，從臣也。 使之廷辨，豈不傷國體乎？」 帝以為然。 一日，帝從容問：「蔡京何如人？」 對曰：「使京能正其心術，雖古賢相何以加。」 帝頷首，且使密伺京所為。 京聞而銜之。
He was transferred to minister of justice and changed to the Ministry of Revenue. In recent years when the suburban sacrifice was reported ready ahead of schedule, the minister would then hold the chancellorship. At this time the emperor secretly instructed him. He replied: "To advance by currying favor with revenue and profit — this your subject dares not do." When mourning for his mother ended he returned to his former post and then became vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. He advanced to vice director of the left and vice director of the Secretariat. Earlier, Censor-in-Chief Cai Wei had forcefully attacked Zhang Shangying's private affairs. An edict ordered debate at court. Meng said: "Though Shangying has guilt, he is a chancellor; though Wei is a remonstrating official, he is a follower-minister. To make them debate at court — would this not harm the dignity of the state? The emperor agreed." One day the emperor casually asked: "What sort of man is Cai Jing? He replied: "If Jing could rectify his methods of mind, even the ancient worthy chancellors could scarcely surpass him. The emperor nodded and also had him secretly observe Jing's conduct." Jing heard of this and bore a grudge.
78
大錢法敝，朝廷議改十為三，主藏吏來告曰：「諸府悉輦大錢市物於肆，皆疑法當變。」 蒙曰：「吾府之積若干？」 曰：「八千緡。」 蒙叱曰：「安有更革而吾不知！」 明日，制下。 又嘗有幾事蒙獨受旨，京不知也； 京偵得之，白於帝，帝曰：「侯蒙亦如是邪？」 罷知亳州。 旋加資政殿學士。
The large-coin system was failing. The court deliberated changing ten to three. The treasury clerk came to report: "All offices are hauling large coins to buy goods in the markets — all suspect the law is about to change. Meng said: "How much does our office hold in reserve? He was told: "Eight thousand strings. Meng shouted: "How can there be a change and I not know of it! The next day the decree was issued." On another occasion Meng alone received instructions on several matters without Jing's knowledge; Jing discovered this and informed the emperor, who said: "Is Hou Meng also like this? Meng was dismissed and made prefect of Bozhou." Soon he was made academician of the Hall of Literary Glory.
79
宋江寇京東，蒙上書言：「江以三十六人橫行齊、魏，官軍數萬無敢抗者，其才必過人。 今青溪盜起，不若赦江，使討方臘以自贖。」 帝曰：「蒙居外不忘君，忠臣也。」 命知東平府，未赴而卒，年六十八。 贈開府儀同三司，諡文穆。
Song Jiang raided the east of the capital region. Meng submitted a memorial saying: "Jiang with thirty-six men rampaged across Qi and Wei, and tens of thousands of government troops dared not resist — his talent must surpass ordinary men. Now bandits have risen at Qingxi — better to pardon Jiang and have him campaign against Fang La to redeem himself. The emperor said: "Meng, though outside court, does not forget his sovereign — a loyal minister. He was ordered to be prefect of Dongping Prefecture but died before taking up the post, aged sixty-eight." He was posthumously granted Honorary Grandee with ceremonials equal to the Three Excellencies, with the epithet Wenmu.
80
論曰：崇寧、宣和之間，政在蔡京，罷不旋踵輒起，姦黨日蕃。 一時貪得患失之小人，度徽宗終不能去之，莫不趨走其門。 若張康國、朱諤、劉逵、林攄者，皆是也。 康國、逵中雖異京，然其材智皆非京敵，卒為京黨所擊。 攄奉京姦謀，激怒鄰國，渝約啟釁，罪莫大焉。 《易》曰：「開國承家，小人勿用。」 其謂是歟！ 管師仁執政僅兩月，引疾求去，斯可尚己。 侯蒙逮治五路將帥，力為申理，十八人者繇之而免，其仁人利溥之言乎？
The commentators say: Between Chongning and Xuanhe, power lay with Cai Jing — dismissed one moment and restored the next, with treacherous factions daily multiplying. Petty men of the time, greedy for gain and fearful of loss, judged that Huizong would never remove Jing — none failed to rush to his gate. Men like Zhang Kangguo, Zhu E, Liu Kui, and Lin Shu were all of this kind. Though Kangguo and Kui at times differed from Jing, their talent and wit were no match for his. In the end they were struck down by Jing's faction. Shu carried out Jing's treacherous schemes, provoked neighboring states, violated treaties and opened hostilities — no crime could be greater. The Book of Changes says: "In founding a state and sustaining a house, do not employ petty men. Does this not refer to such men!" Guan Shiren held power for only two months and cited illness to request departure — this is worthy of respect. Hou Meng arrested and tried the commanders of five routes yet forcefully pleaded their case — the eighteen men were spared through him. Was this not the speech of a benevolent man whose benefit reaches far?