1
陳敏,字元功,贛之石城人。 父皓,有才武,建炎末,以破贛賊李仁功,補官至承信郎。 敏身長六尺餘,精騎射,積官至忠靖郎。 以楊存中薦,擢閤門祗候。
Chen Min, courtesy name Yuangong, was from Shicheng in Ganzhou. His father Chen Hao was skilled in both civil and military affairs; late in the Jianyan reign he crushed the Ganzhou rebel Li Rengong and was promoted to the rank of Chengxin Lang. Min stood over six feet tall, excelled in horsemanship and archery, and rose through the ranks to Zhongjing Lang. Recommended by Yang Cunzhong, he was appointed Gate Attendant at the imperial gate.
2
時閩地多寇,殿司兵往戍,率不習水土。 至是,始募三千兵置左翼軍,以敏為統制,漳州駐紮。 敏按諸郡要害,凡十有三處,悉分兵扼之,盜發輒獲。 贛州齊述據城叛,嘯聚數萬,將棄城南寇。 敏聞之曰:「贛兵精勁,善走嶮,若朝廷發兵未至,萬一奔衝,江、湖、閩、廣騷動矣。」 不俟命,領所部馳七日,徑抵贛圍其城。 逾月,朝廷命李耕以諸路兵至,破之。 累功授右武大夫,封武功縣男,領興州刺史。 召赴闕,高宗見其狀貌魁岸,除破敵軍統制。 尋丁母憂,詔起復,以所部駐太平州。
Fujian was then rife with bandits, but Palace Division troops sent to garrison the region usually could not adjust to the local climate. The court then recruited three thousand men to form the Left Wing Army, appointing Min as its commander with headquarters at Zhangzhou. Min mapped the strategic choke points across the prefectures—thirteen in all—and posted troops at each; bandits were captured whenever they struck. Qi Shu of Ganzhou seized the city in revolt, rallied tens of thousands of followers, and was preparing to abandon the city and raid south. When Min heard the news he said, "Ganzhou troops are crack fighters who excel on difficult terrain; if imperial forces have not yet arrived and the rebels break out, the Yangzi region, Hunan, Fujian, and Guangdong will all be thrown into chaos." Without waiting for orders, he led his troops on a seven-day forced march straight to Ganzhou and laid siege to the city. After more than a month the court dispatched Li Geng with troops from several circuits, and the rebellion was crushed. For his accumulated merit he was appointed Right Martial Grandee, ennobled as Baron of Wugong, and made prefect of Xingzhou. Summoned to court, Emperor Gaozong was struck by his imposing bearing and appointed him commander of the Enemy-Breaking Army. He soon entered mourning for his mother, but an edict recalled him from filial leave and he stationed his command at Taipingzhou.
3
紹興三十一年,金主亮來攻,成閔為京湖路招討使,以敏軍隸之,升馬司統制,軍於荊、漢間。 敏說閔曰:「金人精騎悉在淮,汴都必無守備,若由陳、蔡徑搗大梁,潰其腹心,此救江、淮之術也。」 不聽。 從閔還駐廣陵,時金兵尚未渡淮,敏又說閔邀其歸師,復不聽。 敏遂移疾歸姑孰。
In 1161, when the Jin emperor Hailing launched his invasion, Cheng Min was made commissioner for the Jing-Hu circuit; Min's forces were placed under his command, Min was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Horse Division, and camped between Jingzhou and the Han River. Min urged Cheng Min: "All the Jin elite cavalry are on the Huai front; Kaifeng must be undefended. If we strike straight through Chen and Cai to hit Kaifeng and rupture their heartland, that is how we relieve the Yangzi and Huai regions." Cheng Min would not heed him. When Cheng Min withdrew to Guangling, the Jin had not yet crossed the Huai; Min again urged him to intercept their retreating columns, and again he refused. Min then pleaded illness and retired to Guzhu.
4
孝宗即位,張浚宣撫江、淮,奏敏為神勁軍統制。 浚視師,改都督府武鋒軍都統制。 朝廷遣李顯忠北伐,浚欲以敏偕行,敏曰:「盛夏興師非時,且金人重兵皆在大梁,我客彼主,勝負之勢先形矣。 願少緩。」 浚不聽,令敏屯盱眙。 顯忠至符離,果失律,敏遂入泗州守之。 金人議和,詔敏退守滁陽。 敏請於朝,謂滁非受敵之所,改戍高郵,兼知軍事。 與金人戰射陽湖,敗之,焚其舟,追至沛城,復敗之。
When Emperor Xiaozong ascended the throne, Zhang Jun was made commissioner for the Jiang-Huai region and recommended Min as commander of the Shenjin Army. When Zhang Jun went to inspect the armies in person, Min was made commander-in-chief of the Wufeng Army under the Commander-in-Chief's headquarters. The court dispatched Li Xianzhong on a northern expedition, and Zhang Jun wanted Min to accompany him. Min objected: "Launching a campaign in midsummer is ill-timed, and the Jin main forces are all at Kaifeng—we would be invaders on their ground, and the odds are already against us. I beg that the campaign be postponed a little longer." Zhang Jun would not listen and ordered Min to garrison at Xuyi. When Xianzhong reached Fuli he indeed broke discipline; Min then entered Sizhou to hold the city. When the Jin sought peace, an edict ordered Min to withdraw and garrison Chuyang. Min petitioned the court, arguing that Chuzhou was unsuited to meeting the enemy head-on, and was reassigned to garrison Gaoyou with concurrent charge of military affairs. He fought the Jin at Sheyang Lake, routed them, burned their boats, pursued them to Peicheng, and defeated them again.
5
四年,北界人侍旺叛於漣水軍,密款本朝,稱結約山東十二州豪傑起義,以復中原。 上以問敏,敏曰:「旺欲假吾國威以行劫爾,必不能成事,願勿聽。」 適屯田統領官與旺交通,旺敗,金有間言,上知非敏罪,乃召敏為左驍衛上將軍。
In the fourth year Shi Wang, a man from the Jin frontier, rebelled at the Lianshui garrison and secretly pledged allegiance to the Song, claiming he had rallied the leading men of twelve Shandong prefectures to rise and recover the Central Plain. The emperor consulted Min, who replied, "Wang only wants to borrow our prestige to raid and plunder—he cannot possibly succeed. I beg Your Majesty not to heed him." Just then a farming-administration commander was found to have been in contact with Wang; when Wang was defeated the Jin spread rumors of collusion, but the emperor knew Min was innocent and summoned him to court as General of the Left Xiaowei Guard.
6
言事者議欲戍守清河口,敏言:「金兵每出清河,必遣人馬先自上流潛渡,今欲必守其地,宜先修楚州城池,蓋楚州為南北襟喉,彼此必爭之地。 長淮二千餘里,河道通北方者五,清、汴、渦、潁、蔡是也; 通南方以入江者,惟楚州運河耳。 北人舟艦自五河而下,將謀渡江,非得楚州運河,無緣自達。 昔周世宗自楚州北神堰鑿老鸛河,通戰艦以入大江,南唐遂失兩淮之地。 由此言之,楚州實為南朝司命,願朝廷留意。」 及是,再出守高郵,乃詔與楚州守臣左祐同城楚州,祐卒,遂移守楚州。 北使過者觀其雉堞堅新,號「銀鑄城」。
Memorialists debated garrisoning the mouth of the Qinghe River; Min argued, "Whenever Jin forces advance along the Qinghe they first send detachments to ford secretly upstream. If we mean to hold that position firmly we must first repair the walls of Chuzhou, for Chuzhou is the strategic throat between north and south—a place both sides are bound to fight over. The Long Huai stretches more than two thousand li; five waterways connect it to the north—the Qinghe, Bian River, Wo River, Ying River, and Cai River; and the only route from the south into the Yangtze is the Chuzhou canal. When northern fleets come down those five rivers intending to cross the Yangtze, they cannot reach the river without control of the Chuzhou canal. In the past Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou cut the Laoguan River from the north Shenyan dam at Chuzhou so that warships could reach the Yangtze, and Southern Tang thereby lost the Huai region. From this it is clear that Chuzhou is truly the lifeline of the Southern dynasty; I beg the court to take heed." At this time he was again posted to guard Gaoyou; then an edict ordered him to share command of Chuzhou with the defender Zuo You, and when You died he took sole charge of Chuzhou. Jin envoys who passed through marveled at its fresh, sturdy ramparts and called it the "Silver-Cast City."
7
以歸正人二百家逃歸,降授忠州團練使,罷為福建路總管,改江西路總管,贛州駐劄。 月餘,朝廷命往福州揀軍,又命還豫章教閱江西團結諸郡人馬。 俄提舉佑神觀,仍奉朝請,繼復蘄州防禦使,再除武鋒軍都統制兼知楚州,復光州觀察使,以疾卒。 特贈慶遠軍承宣使。
When two hundred surrendered households fled back to the Jin he was demoted to regiment commander of Zhongzhou, relieved as Fujian circuit commander, reassigned as Jiangxi circuit commander, and stationed at Ganzhou. After little more than a month the court ordered him to Fuzhou to select troops, then back to Yuzhang to drill the Jiangxi militia levies from the various prefectures. Soon he was made director of the Youshen Temple while retaining his court-gentleman status; he was again made defense commissioner of Qizhou, again commander-in-chief of the Wufeng Army with concurrent prefect of Chuzhou, restored to observer of Guangzhou, and died of illness. He was posthumously awarded the rank of military commissioner of the Qingyuan army.
8
張詔,字君卿,成州人。 少隸張浚帳下,積功守和州。 嘗被旨介聘,一日金人持所繪祐、獻二陵像至館中,皆北地服,詔向之再拜。 館者問之,答曰:「詔雖不識其人,但龍鳳之姿,天日之表,疑非北朝祖宗也,敢不拜!」 孝宗聞而喜之,由是驟用。
Zhang Zhao, courtesy name Junqing, was from Chengzhou. In his youth he served under Zhang Jun and through accumulated merit became defender of Hezhou. Once sent on an embassy, he was one day shown portraits of the You and Xian imperial mausoleums painted by the Jin—all figures in northern dress—and Zhao bowed twice toward them. When the hostel staff questioned him he replied, "Though I do not know who these figures are, their bearing is that of dragon and phoenix, their visage like sun and moon—I doubt they are ancestors of the northern court. How could I not bow!" When Xiaozong heard of this he was delighted, and from that moment Zhao was rapidly promoted.
9
紹熙五年,除興州都統制兼知興州,代吳挺。 慶元二年,趙彥逾帥蜀,以關外去興元遠,緩急恐失事機,復請分東西為二帥,詔遂兼西路安撫司公事。 先是,趙汝愚為從官時,每奏吳氏世掌蜀兵,非國家之利,請以張詔代領武興之軍。 蓋汝愚之意欲以吳曦為文臣帥,以杜他日握兵之漸,而未及行也。 汝愚既知樞密院,力辭不拜,白於光宗曰:「若武興朝除帥,則臣夕拜命。」 上許之,乃以詔為成州團練使、興州諸軍都統制。 詔在興州,甚得士心。 六年卒,郭杲代之。
In 1194 he was appointed commander-in-chief of Xingzhou with concurrent prefect of Xingzhou, replacing Wu Ting. In 1196 Zhao Yanyu took command of Shu; because the territory beyond the pass was far from Xingyuan and emergencies might miss their moment, he again petitioned to split the command into eastern and western wings, and an edict had Zhao also handle affairs of the western-route pacification commission. Earlier, when Zhao Ruyu was an attendant official, he had repeatedly memorialized that the Wu clan's hereditary control of Shu troops was not in the state's interest and asked that Zhang Zhao replace them in command of the Wuxing army. Ruyu's intent was to install Wu Xi as a civil commander in order to forestall a future military monopoly, but this plan had not yet been carried out. When Ruyu was appointed to the Bureau of Military Affairs he firmly declined the post, telling Emperor Guangzong, "If a court-appointed commander is named for Wuxing in the morning, I shall accept my commission that same evening." The emperor agreed, and Zhao was made regiment commander of Chengzhou and commander-in-chief of all Xingzhou forces. At Xingzhou Zhao won the deep loyalty of his troops. He died in the sixth year of Qingyuan; Guo Guo replaced him.
10
畢再遇
Bi Zaiyu
11
畢再遇,字德卿,兗州人也。 父進,建炎間從岳飛護衛八陵,轉戰江、淮間,積階至武義大夫。 再遇以恩補官,隸侍衛馬司,武藝絕人,挽弓至二石七斗,背挽一石八斗,步射二石,馬射一石五斗。 孝宗召見,太悅,賜戰袍、金錢。
Bi Zaiyu, courtesy name Deqing, was from Yanzhou. His father Bi Jin, during the Jianyan era, followed Yue Fei in guarding the Eight Imperial Mausoleums and fought across the Jiang-Huai region, rising to the rank of Martial Righteousness Grandee. Zaiyu received office by hereditary privilege and served in the Palace Horse Division; his martial skill was unmatched—he could draw a bow to 2.7 shi, draw backward to 1.8 shi, shoot 2 shi on foot, and 1.5 shi from horseback. Emperor Xiaozong summoned him to court, was greatly pleased, and bestowed battle robes and gold cash.
12
開禧二年,下詔北伐,以殿帥郭倪招撫山東、京東,遣再遇與統制陳孝慶取泗州。 再遇請選新刺敢死軍為前鋒,倪以八十七人付之。 招撫司克日進兵,金人聞之,閉榷場、塞城門為備。 再遇曰:「敵已知吾濟師之日矣,兵以奇勝,當先一日出其不意。」 孝慶從之。 再遇饗士卒,激以忠義,進兵薄泗州。 泗有東西兩城,再遇令陳戈旗舟楫於石屯下,如欲攻西城者,乃自以麾下兵從陟山徑趨東城南角,先登,殺敵數百,金人大潰,守城者開北門遁。 西城猶堅守,再遇立大將旗,呼曰:「大宋畢將軍在此,爾等中原遺民也,可速降。」 旋有淮平知縣縋城而下乞降,於是兩城皆定。 郭倪來饗士,出御寶刺史牙牌授再遇,辭曰:「國家河南八十有一州,今下泗兩城即得一刺史,繼此何以賞之? 且招撫得朝廷幾牙牌來?」 固辭不受。 尋除環衛官。
In 1206 an edict launched the northern campaign; Palace Commander Guo Ni was made commissioner for Shandong and Jingdong and sent Zaiyu with the commander Chen Xiaoqing to take Sizhou. Zaiyu asked to select freshly drafted dare-to-die troops as his vanguard; Ni gave him eighty-seven men. The pacification office set a fixed day for the advance; when the Jin heard of it they closed the market and sealed the city gates in preparation. Zaiyu said, "The enemy already knows the day we plan to cross—victory lies in surprise; we should advance one day early and catch them off guard." Xiaoqing agreed. Zaiyu feasted his troops and roused them with appeals to loyalty and righteousness, then advanced to press on Sizhou. Sizhou had eastern and western cities. Zaiyu had Chen display banners and boats at Shitun as if preparing to attack the west city, while he himself led his troops up the mountain path straight to the southeast corner of the east city, scaling the walls first and killing several hundred Jin soldiers; the Jin forces routed in panic and the defenders fled through the north gate. The west city still held out. Zaiyu raised his commander's banner and shouted, "General Bi of Great Song is here! You are people of the Central Plain—surrender at once!" Soon the magistrate of Huaiping county let himself down by rope to beg surrender, and both cities were secured. Guo Ni came to feast the troops and produced the imperial tally-plaque of a prefect to award Zaiyu, who declined: "The state has eighty-one prefectures south of the River—if we grant a prefect's rank for taking two cities of Sizhou, how shall we reward what comes next? And how many tally-plaques has the pacification office received from the court in the first place?" He firmly refused to accept it. Soon afterward he was made a palace guard officer.
13
倪調李汝翼、郭倬取宿州,復遣孝慶等繼之。 命再遇以四百八十騎為先鋒取徐州,至虹,遇郭、李兵裹創旋,問之,則曰:「宿州城下大水,我師不利,統制田俊邁已為敵擒矣。」 再遇督兵疾趨,次靈壁,遇孝慶駐兵於鳳凰山,將引還,再遇曰:「宿州雖不捷,然兵家勝負不常,豈宜遽自挫! 吾奉招撫命取徐州,假道於此,寧死靈壁北門外,不死南門外也。」 會倪以書抵孝慶,令班師,再遇曰:「郭、李軍潰,賊必追躡,吾當自禦之。」 金果以五千餘騎分兩道來,再遇令敢死二十人守靈壁北門,自領兵衝敵陣。 金人見其旗,呼曰:「畢將軍來也!」 遂遁。 再遇手揮雙刀,絕水追擊,殺敵甚眾,甲裳盡赤,逐北三十里。 金將有持雙鐵簡躍馬而前,再遇以左刀格其簡,右刀斫其脅,金將墮馬死。 諸軍發靈壁,再遇獨留未動,度軍行二十餘里,乃火靈壁。 諸將問:「夜不火,火今日,何也?」 再遇曰:「夜則照見虛實,晝則煙埃莫睹,彼已敗不敢迫,諸軍乃可安行無虞。 汝輩安知兵易進而難退邪?」
Ni dispatched Li Ruyi and Guo Zhuo to take Suzhou and sent Xiaoqing and others to follow up. He ordered Zaiyu with four hundred eighty cavalry as vanguard to take Xuzhou; at Hong he met Guo and Li's troops returning wounded, and when he asked they said, "Floods below Suzhou city—our army fared badly, and Commander Tian Junmai has already been captured by the enemy." Zaiyu urged his troops forward at speed; at Lingbi he found Xiaoqing halted on Phoenix Mountain and about to withdraw. Zaiyu said, "Though Suzhou was lost, in war fortune turns—how can we lose heart so quickly! I am under orders from the pacification office to take Xuzhou, passing through here—I would rather die outside Lingbi's north gate than outside its south gate." Just then Ni sent a letter to Xiaoqing ordering withdrawal. Zaiyu said, "Guo and Li's armies have collapsed—the enemy is sure to pursue—we shall hold them off ourselves." The Jin indeed came with more than five thousand cavalry in two columns. Zaiyu left twenty dare-to-die men at Lingbi's north gate and led his troops in a charge against the enemy formation. When the Jin saw his banner they cried, "General Bi has come!" Then they fled. Zaiyu swung his twin swords, crossed the water in pursuit, and killed a great many; his armor was drenched red with blood as he pursued the fleeing enemy thirty li. A Jin officer bearing twin iron maces charged forward on horseback; Zaiyu parried the mace with his left blade and hacked the man's flank with his right—the Jin officer fell dead from his horse. The main army departed Lingbi while Zaiyu alone remained; when the column had marched more than twenty li he set fire to Lingbi. The generals asked, "Why not burn at night but burn in broad daylight—what is the reason?" Zaiyu replied, "At night the flames would reveal our true strength; by day the smoke and dust would hide it. The enemy has already been defeated and dares not press us—the army can march in safety. How would you know that in war it is easy to advance but hard to withdraw?"
14
還泗州,以功第一,自武節郎超授武功大夫,除左驍衛將軍。 於是丘崈代鄧友龍為宣撫使,檄倪還維揚,尋棄泗州。 命再遇還盱眙,遂知盱眙軍,尋改鎮江中軍統制,兼守如故。 以鳳凰山功,授達州刺史。 其冬,金人以騎步數萬、戰船五百餘艘渡淮,泊楚州、淮陰間,宣撫司檄再遇援楚,遣段政、張貴代之。 再遇既去盱眙,政等驚潰,金人入盱眙; 再遇復定盱眙,除鎮江副都統制。
On returning to Sizhou he was ranked first in merit, promoted in one leap from Military Festival Lang to Martial Merit Grandee, and made General of the Left Xiaowei Guard. Then Qiu Yi replaced Deng Youlong as commissioner, ordered Ni back to Yangzhou, and soon abandoned Sizhou. Zaiyu was ordered back to Xuyi and made military prefect of Xuyi; soon he was changed to commander of the Zhenjiang central army while retaining his defensive duties. For his merit at Phoenix Mountain he was made prefect of Dazhou. That winter the Jin crossed the Huai with tens of thousands of cavalry and infantry and more than five hundred warships, anchoring between Chuzhou and Huaiyin; the pacification office ordered Zaiyu to reinforce Chuzhou and sent Duan Zheng and Zhang Gui to replace him at Xuyi. After Zaiyu left Xuyi, Zheng and the others panicked and fled; the Jin occupied Xuyi; Zaiyu recovered Xuyi and was made deputy commander-in-chief of Zhenjiang.
15
金兵七萬在楚州城下,三千守淮陰糧,又載糧三千艘泊大清河。 再遇謀知之,曰:「敵眾十倍,難以力勝,可計破也。」 乃遣統領許俊間道趨淮陰,夜二鼓銜枚至敵營,各攜火潛入,伏糧車間五十餘所,聞哨聲舉火,敵驚擾奔竄,生擒烏古倫帥勒、蒲察元奴等二十三人。
Seventy thousand Jin troops were below the walls of Chuzhou, three thousand guarding grain at Huaiyin, and another three thousand grain transports anchored on the Great Qing River. Zaiyu learned of this through his scouts and said, "The enemy outnumber us ten to one—we cannot overcome them by force, but we can defeat them by stratagem." He then sent Commander Xu Jun by a hidden route to Huaiyin; at the second watch his men reached the enemy camp with gags in their mouths, each carrying fire, and hid among more than fifty grain wagons. At the signal whistle they set the fires ablaze; the enemy panicked and fled, and twenty-three men including Wuguulun Shuile and Pucha Yuannu were captured alive.
16
金人復自黃狗灘渡淮,渦口戍將望風遁,濠、滁相繼失守,又破安豐。 再遇謂諸將曰:「楚城堅兵多,敵糧草已空,所慮獨淮西耳。 六合最要害,彼必並力攻之。」 乃引兵赴六合。 尋命節制淮東軍馬。 金人至竹鎮,距六合二十五里。 再遇登城,偃旗鼓,伏兵南土門,列弩手土城上,敵方臨濠,眾弩俱發,宋師出戰,聞鼓聲,城上旗幟並舉,金人驚遁,追擊大敗之。 金萬戶完顏蒲辣都、千戶泥龐古等以十萬騎駐成家橋、馬鞍山,進兵圍城數重,欲燒壩木,決壕水,再遇令勁弩射退之。 既而紇石烈都統合兵進攻益急,城中矢盡,再遇令人張青蓋往來城上,金人意其主兵官也,爭射之,須臾矢集樓墻如蝟,獲矢二十餘萬。 紇石烈引兵退,已乃益增兵,環城四面營帳亙三十里。 再遇令臨門作樂以示閑暇,而間出奇兵擊之。 敵晝夜不得休,乃引退。 再遇料其且復來,乃自提兵奪城東野新橋,出敵之背,金人遂遁去,追至滁,大雨雪,乃旋。 獲騾馬一千五百三十一、鞍六百,衣甲旗幟稱是。 授忠州團練使。
The Jin again crossed the Huai at Huanggou Shoals; the Weikou garrison commander fled without a fight; Hao and Chuzhou fell in succession, and Anfeng was also overrun. Zaiyu told his generals, "Chuzhou's walls are strong and its garrison numerous; the enemy's grain and fodder are already exhausted—the only thing to fear is an attack west of the Huai. Liuhe was the key choke point—the enemy would surely throw their full weight against it." With that, he marched his army to Liuhe. He was soon appointed commander over all Huaidong military forces. The Jurchens reached Zhuzhen, twenty-five li south of Liuhe. Bi Zaiyu mounted the walls, concealed banners and drums, and posted ambushers at the southern earthen gate with crossbowmen atop the ramparts. When the enemy approached the moat, a volley of bolts swept the field; Song forces sallied out as drums thundered and banners suddenly unfurled along the battlements. The Jurchens panicked and fled; pursuit turned their retreat into a rout. The Jin commanders Wanyan Puladu (wanhu) and Ni Panggu (qianhu), among others, brought a hundred thousand horsemen to camp at Chengjia Bridge and Ma'anshan and tightened the siege ring by ring, planning to burn the dam timbers and breach the moat. Bi Zaiyu ordered his strongest crossbows to drive them off. Then the Jin commander Hesilie massed his forces for an even fiercer assault until the city's quiver ran dry. Bi Zaiyu had a soldier stroll the battlements beneath a green canopy; the Jurchens mistook him for the Song commander and showered him with arrows until the parapets bristled like a hedgehog—they recovered more than two hundred thousand bolts. Hesilie drew off, then returned with reinforcements and ringed the city with encampments that stretched thirty li on every side. Bi Zaiyu had musicians play at the gates to feign ease, while raiding parties struck the enemy camp between assaults. Denied rest day or night, the enemy finally broke off the siege. Expecting the Jurchens to return, Bi Zaiyu led a force to seize the new bridge east of the city and struck from their rear. The enemy fled; he pursued as far as Chuzhou before a blizzard forced him to turn back. The haul included 1,531 mounts, 600 saddles, and a commensurate trove of armor, banners, and kit. He was made regimental commissioner of Zhongzhou.
17
三年,除鎮江都統制兼權山東、京東招撫司事。 還至揚州,除驍衛大將軍。 金圍楚州已三月,列屯六十餘里。 再遇遣將分道撓擊,軍聲大振,楚圍解。 兼知揚州、淮東安撫使。 揚州有北軍二千五百人,再遇請分隸建康、鎮江軍,每隊不過數人,使不得為變。 更造輕甲,長不過膝,披不過肘,兜鍪亦殺重為輕,馬甲易以皮,車牌易以木而設轉軸其下,使一人之力可推可擎,務便捷不使重遲。 敢死一軍,本烏合亡命,再遇能駕馭得其用。 陳世雄、許俊等皆再遇所薦。 張健雄恃勇桀驁,再遇狀其罪於朝,命以軍法戮之,諸將懾服。
In the third year of the reign he was named commander at Zhenjiang and given provisional charge of the Shandong and Jingdong pacification offices. On his return to Yangzhou he was promoted to Grand General of the Valiant Guards. The Jurchens had held Chuzhou under siege for three months, their camps strung out for sixty li. Bi Zaiyu sent his officers to harry the enemy along several axes; the thunder of his advance broke the siege. He was also appointed prefect of Yangzhou and pacification commissioner for Huaidong. Yangzhou still housed 2,500 northern troops; Bi Zaiyu had them parceled out in tiny detachments to the Jiankang and Zhenjiang commands so they could not plot another mutiny. He redesigned the kit for mobility: cuirasses no longer than the knee, sleeves ending at the elbow, lighter helmets, leather horse bardings, and wooden shields mounted on pivots so a single soldier could carry or swing them—the whole apparatus built for speed, not ponderous protection. His Death-or-Glory regiment had begun as a rabble of outlaws, yet Bi Zaiyu bent them to disciplined service. Officers such as Chen Shixiong and Xu Jun rose through his patronage. When the swaggering Zhang Jianxiong defied command, Bi Zaiyu reported his offenses and had him executed under military law, cowing the rest of the officer corps into obedience.
18
再遇姿貌雄傑,早以拳力聞,屬時寢兵,無所自見。 一旦邊事起,諸將望風奔衄,再遇威聲始著,遂為名將云。
A man of imposing physique famed since youth for his prowess in the ring, Bi Zaiyu had spent the long peace with no battlefield on which to prove himself. When war flared on the frontier and other commanders melted away, his reputation finally took hold and he entered the ranks of the dynasty's great captains.
19
安丙,字子文,廣安人。 淳熙間進士,調大足縣主簿。 秩滿詣闕,陳蜀利病十五事,言皆剴切。 丁外艱,服除,辟利西安撫司幹辦公事,調曲水丞。 吳挺為帥,知其才,邀致之。 改秩,知新繁縣。 丁內艱,服除,知小溪縣。 通判隆慶府,嘉泰三年,郡大水,丙白守張鼎,發常平粟振之。 尋又鑿石徙溪,自是無水患。 知大安軍,歲旱,民艱食,丙以家財即下流糴米數萬石以振。 事聞,詔加一秩。
An Bing (zi Ziwen) was born in Guang'an. He passed the civil service examination during the Chunxi reign and received his first posting as registrar of Dazu County. At the end of his term he traveled to court and laid before the emperor fifteen pointed critiques of Sichuan's strengths and failures. After observing mourning for his father, he joined the Lizhou pacification staff as an administrative officer and was later moved to assistant magistrate of Qushui. When Wu Ting took command in Sichuan, he recognized An Bing's ability and brought him onto his staff. Promoted in rank, he was appointed magistrate of Xinfan. After mourning his mother he was assigned to govern Xiaoxi County. While serving as vice-prefect of Longqing, he persuaded Prefect Zhang Ding to open the government granaries during the catastrophic floods of Jiatai year 3. He then redirected the riverbed through stone works that ended the seasonal inundations. As prefect of Da'an, during a famine he spent his private fortune to buy tens of thousands of bushels of grain downstream and distribute it to the starving. The court heard of his charity and promoted him one grade.
20
開禧二年,邊事方興,程松為四川宣撫使,吳曦副之,丙陳十可憂於松。 繼而松開府漢中,道三泉,夜延丙議。 丙又為松言曦必誤國,松不省。 蓋丙嘗為其父客,素知曦。 既而曦奏丙為隨軍轉運司,居河池。 時梁、洋義士方襲取和尚原,旋為金人所奪,守將棄甲而走。 十一月戊子,金人攻湫池堡,破天水,繇西和入成州,師潰,曦置不問。 金人肆掠關外四州,如踐虛邑,軍民莫知死所。 曦已潛遣其客姚淮源交金人,至是曦還興州,留丙魚關,已而檄還武興。 十二月丙寅,金人持其詔及金印至罝口,曦密受之,宣言使者欲得四州以和,馳書諷松去。 癸酉,曦受金詔稱蜀王,榜諭四川。 三年正月甲午,曦僭號建官,稱臣於金,以其月為元年,改興州為興德府,以丙為中大夫、丞相長史、權行都省事。
When war broke out in Kaixi year 2, with Cheng Song as Sichuan commander and Wu Xi as his deputy, An Bing warned Song of ten impending dangers. Song later established his headquarters at Hanzhong and, pausing at Sanquan, summoned An Bing for a midnight council. An Bing again warned that Wu Xi would ruin the campaign, but Song dismissed the warning. An Bing had served in the Wu household in his youth and knew Xi's character well. Wu Xi soon had him appointed army transport commissioner and posted him at Hechi. Patriot militia from Liang and Yang prefectures had just retaken Heshang Plain, only to lose it again as the garrison commander fled without his armor. On the eleventh month's wuzi day the Jurchens stormed Qiuchi Fort, overran Tianshui, and swept through Xihe into Chenzhou while the Song lines disintegrated. Wu Xi ignored the disaster. The Jurchens ravaged the four frontier prefectures as though marching through ghost towns; soldiers and civilians alike faced death with nowhere to turn. Wu Xi had already sent his agent Yao Huaiyuan to treat with the Jurchens. He returned to Xingzhou, leaving An Bing at Yuguan before recalling him to Wuxing. On the twelfth month's bingyin day Jin envoys arrived at Zhakou with an edict and golden seal; Wu Xi accepted them in secret and announced the enemy sought the four prefectures in exchange for peace, while urging Cheng Song to withdraw. On the guiyou day Wu Xi accepted the Jin investiture as King of Shu and issued proclamations across the province. On jiawu day in the first month of year 3, Wu Xi declared his own reign, submitted to the Jin as their vassal, renamed the calendar, transformed Xingzhou into Xingde Prefecture, and installed An Bing as Grandee for Guidance, chief steward of the chancellery, and acting head of the metropolitan government.
21
先是,從事郎錢鞏之從曦在河池,嘗夢曦禱神祠,以銀杯為珓擲之,神起立謂曦曰:「公何疑? 公何疑? 後政事已分付安子文矣。」 曦未省,神又曰:「安子文有才,足能辦此。」 鞏之覺,心異其事,具以語曦。 事既熾,丙不得脫,度徒死無益,陽與而陰圖之。 遂與楊巨源、李好義等謀誅曦,語見《巨源》、《好義傳》。 徐景望在利州,逐土人,擅財賦。 丙遣弟煥往約諸將,相與拊定,及景望伏誅,軍民無敢嘩者。 於是傳檄諸道,按堵如故。 曦僭位凡四十一日。 三月戊寅,陳曦所以反及矯制平賊便宜賞功狀,自劾待罪,函曦首級、違制法物與曦所受金人詔印及所匿庚牌附驛。
Earlier, while serving Wu Xi at Hechi, the clerk Qian Gongzhi dreamed that Xi prayed at a shrine, casting divination lots with a silver cup. The spirit rose and asked: "Why do you hesitate? Why hesitate? the spirit asked again. "Your affairs are already in the hands of An Ziwen," it said. Wu Xi did not grasp the omen until the spirit added: "An Ziwen has the talent to manage it all. Qian awoke disturbed by the vision and reported every detail to Wu Xi. With the rebellion fully underway, An Bing saw he could not escape without pointless martyrdom, so he feigned loyalty while plotting Xi's downfall. He joined Yang Juyuan, Li Haoyi, and others to plan Wu Xi's assassination—the full story appears in their respective biographies. At Lizhou, Xu Jingwang expelled local residents and seized control of tax revenues. An Bing sent his brother Huan to rally the commanders; once Xu Jingwang was executed, neither troops nor civilians dared stir. Proclamations went out to every circuit and the province returned to calm. Wu Xi's usurpation lasted only forty-one days. On the third month's wuyin day he memorialized the full account of Wu Xi's treason, his emergency powers to suppress the revolt and reward the loyal, and a plea to accept punishment—sending by courier Xi's severed head, contraband regalia, the Jin seals, and the stolen tally plaques.
22
朝廷初聞變,莫知所為。 韓侂胄與曦書,亦謂「嗣頒茅土之封」,亟召知鎮江府宇文紹節問之,紹節曰:「安丙非附逆者,必能討賊。」 於是密降帛書曰:「安丙素推才具,有志事功,今聞曦謀不軌,爾為所脅,諒以凶焰方張,恐重為蜀禍,故權且從之爾,豈一日忘君父者? 如能圖曦報國,以明本心,即當不次推賞,雖二府之崇亦無所吝,更宜審度機便,務在成事,以副委屬之意。」 帛書未至,露布已聞,上下動色交慶。 辛丑,加丙端明殿學士、中大夫、知興州、安撫使兼四川宣撫副使,詔獎諭,恩數視執政,如帛書旨也。
When news of the rebellion first reached the capital, the court was paralyzed with uncertainty. Han Tuozhou's own letters to Wu Xi had hinted at enfeoffment, so the court urgently summoned Yuwen Shaojie, prefect of Zhenjiang, who declared: "An Bing is no traitor—he will bring down the rebel. The court secretly drafted a silk edict: "We have long valued An Bing's ability and ambition. Knowing you were forced into Wu Xi's plot and feared worse ruin for Shu if you resisted outright, we understand you played along—surely you never forgot your sovereign and fatherland for a day. Overthrow Xi and your true loyalty will be rewarded beyond measure, even to a Grand Councillor's seat—choose your moment wisely and bring the matter to success, as we entrust you to do. Before the secret edict even arrived, news of victory spread through the court and the realm erupted in celebration. On the xinchou day the court promoted him to Duanming academician, Grandee for Guidance, prefect of Xingzhou, pacification commissioner, and deputy Sichuan commander, showering him with honors equal to a chief councillor—precisely as the secret edict had promised.
23
時都統孫忠銳由鳳州進攻大散關不克,統領強德等出奇道由松林堡破金砦,四月癸丑,克之。 忠銳貪功吝財,賞罰迷繆,大失軍心,且速還鳳州,以關鑰付庸將陳顯。 癸酉,大散關復陷。 巨源自請收復,丙遣朱邦寧佐之。 丙深惡忠銳,檄赴司議事,欲廢之。 巨源至鳳,斬忠銳及其子揆,丙遂以忠銳附偽進表之罪聞於朝。 先是,以誅曦功,巨源補朝奉郎,與通判差遣。 巨源遣其親校傅檜訴功於朝,語見《巨源傳》。 於是丙拜疏丐閑。 至是,金人揭示境上,得丙首者與銀絹二萬匹兩,即授四川宣撫。
Commander Sun Zhongrui failed in a frontal assault on Dasanguan from Fengzhou until Qiang De's detour through Songlin Fort stormed the Jin fort on the fourth month's guichou day. Sun Zhongrui's greed and miserly discipline alienated his troops; he hurried back to Fengzhou and left the pass to the inept Chen Xian. On the guiyou day Dasanguan fell again. Yang Juyuan volunteered to retake the pass, and An Bing sent Zhu Bangning to support him. An Bing despised Sun Zhongrui and summoned him to headquarters under pretense of consultation, planning his dismissal. When Yang Juyuan reached Fengzhou he executed Sun Zhongrui and his son Kui; An Bing then reported to court that Zhongrui had collaborated with the puppet regime. For killing Wu Xi, Yang Juyuan had already been granted the rank of Court Gentleman with a vice-prefect appointment. Yang Juyuan sent his aide Fu Huai to press his claims at court—as told in his biography. An Bing then memorialized requesting leave from office. The Jurchens posted a bounty of twenty thousand bolts of silk and taels of silver for his head—whereupon the Song appointed him Sichuan pacification commissioner.
24
時方議和,丙獨戒飭將士,恫疑虛喝,以攻為守,威聲甚著。 詔以蜀平,遣吳獵撫諭四川。 時沿邊關隘悉為金毀,丙遺時相書,謂:「西和一面,已修仇池,聚糧積芻,使軍民可守。 若敵至,則堅壁不戰,彼欲攻則不可,欲越則不敢。 若西和可守,成州之境自不敢犯。 成州黑谷、南谷亦皆頓重兵。 天水雖不可守,距天水十里所,見創白環堡,與西和相為掎角,又增堡雞頭山,咸以民卒守之,及修黃牛堡,築興趙原,屯千餘人。 鳳州秋防原尤為險絕,紹興初,州治於此,宣撫吳玠嘗作家計砦,前即馬嶺堡,正扼鳳州之後。 凡此數堡既堅,金人決不敢近。 而河池、殺金平、魚關皆大軍屯聚,其他徑路,雖關之裏如大安,亦陰招民卒,授以器械,為掩擊之備矣。」 又云:「見於關表廣結義士,月給以糧,俾各保田廬墳墓,逮事定,則係之尺籍而勸之耕,庶可經久。 以丙所見,直為守計,則精選五萬人亦為有餘。」
While peace talks dragged on, An Bing alone kept his command sharp—bluffing, probing, and threatening attack as the best defense until his reputation terrified the enemy. With Sichuan pacified, the court sent Wu Lie to reassure the province. With every border fort in ruins, An Bing wrote the chief minister: "On the Xihe line we have fortified Chichi Chi, stockpiled grain, and made the position tenable for troops and civilians alike. If the enemy comes, we hold behind strong walls without giving battle—they cannot take it by assault and dare not bypass it. Hold Xihe and they will not dare breach Chenzhou. Heigu and Nangu in Chenzhou are likewise garrisoned with crack troops. Tianshui itself cannot be held, but ten li away we are building White Ring Fort to pincer with Xihe, strengthening Jitoushan, manning both with militia, repairing Huangniu Fort, and posting a thousand men at Xingzhao Plain. Fengzhou's Qiufang Plain is the most forbidding terrain—in early Shaoxing the prefectural seat stood here, where Wu Jie built his Jiaji stockade with Maling Fort ahead, commanding Fengzhou's rear. With these bastions strengthened, the Jurchens will not dare approach. Hechi, Shajinping, and Yuguan concentrate our main forces; even inner routes such as Da'an secretly arm militia for ambush. He also proposed recruiting loyalists along the frontier, paying them monthly grain to guard their farms and ancestral graves until peace, then enrolling them for farming—a sustainable defense. In my view," he concluded, "fifty thousand picked troops are ample for a defensive strategy alone."
25
好義守西和,謂四州兵後,民不聊生,請蠲租以惠創痍。 丙請於朝。 又以沔州都統司所統十軍權太重,故自吳璘至挺、曦皆有尾大不掉之憂,乃請分置副都統制,各不相隸,以前右中左後五軍隸都統司,踏白、摧鋒、選鋒、策鋒、遊奕五軍隸副司。 詔皆從之。
Li Haoyi, governing Xihe, petitioned to remit taxes in the war-scarred four prefectures where the people could scarcely survive. An Bing forwarded the request to the capital. He also warned that the ten armies under the Mianzhou command had grown too powerful—every commander from Wu Lin to Wu Ting and Wu Xi had faced the same fear of armies too strong to control. He proposed splitting them between a commander and a deputy, with the Right, Center, Left, Front, and Rear armies under the main command and the Treading White, Crushing Vanguard, Selected Vanguard, Strategy Vanguard, and Roaming Patrol armies under the deputy. The court approved every recommendation.
26
時方信孺使還,金人和意未決,且欲得首議興師之人,侂胄大怒。 上手書賜丙,謂:「金人必再至,當激勵將士,戮力赴功。」 侂胄既誅,賜丙金器百二十兩、細幣二十匹,進資政殿學士。 和議成,還大散、隔牙關。 丙分遣僚吏,經量洋、沔、興元、大安民田,別定租稅。
Fang Xinru returned from the Jin court with peace still uncertain and a demand for whoever had started the war—enraging Han Tuozhou. The emperor wrote personally to An Bing: "The Jurchens will return—stir your commanders to zeal and shared sacrifice. After Han Tuozhou's execution the court rewarded An Bing with 120 taels of gold vessels and twenty bolts of fine silk, promoting him to Zizheng Hall academician. The treaty restored Dasanguan and Geya Pass. An Bing dispatched officers to survey farmland in Yang, Mian, Xingyuan, and Da'an and set new tax rates.
27
右丞相史彌遠起復,丙移書曰:「昔仁宗起復富鄭公、文潞公,孝宗起復蔣丞相,皆力辭,名教所係,人言可畏,望閣下速辭成命,以息議者之口。」 論者韙之。 升大學士、四川制置大使兼知興元府。 諜知金人遷汴,關輔豪傑款塞願降者眾。 丙以為此正冉閔告晉之時,乃與宰臣書,謂當興問罪之師。 朝論憂丙輕舉,乃詔丙益修守備。
When Chief Councillor Shi Miyuan left mourning to resume office, An Bing wrote urging him to refuse as esteemed statesmen from Fu Kuan and Wen Yanbo to Jiang Gong had done—ritual and public opinion demanded it, and he should decline quickly to silence critics. Commentators applauded the letter. He was elevated to Grand Academician, Sichuan military commissioner, and prefect of Xingyuan. Intelligence reported that the Jurchens had relocated to Kaifeng, and many frontier stalwarts along the passes were offering to defect. An Bing saw the moment as parallel to Ran Min's appeal to Jin for aid against barbarians, and urged the councillors to launch a punitive campaign. Critics at court feared he was too rash, and the throne ordered him instead to strengthen defenses.
28
七年春,丙使所愛吏安蕃、何九齡合官軍夜襲秦州,敗歸。 王大才執九齡等七人斬之,而訟丙於朝。 三月,詔丙同知樞密院事兼太子賓客,賜手書召之。 行次廣德軍,進觀文殿學士、知潭州、湖南安撫使。 至官,留意學校,請於太常創大成樂。 而政尚嚴酷,轉運判官章徠劾丙,不報。 御史李安行並徠劾之,徠罷,丙授崇信軍節度使、開府儀同三司、萬壽觀使。 譴閣門舍人聞人璵錫命,賜旌節、金印、衣帶、鞍馬。 三辭,還蜀。
In the spring of the seventh year he sent his favorites An Fan and He Jiuling with regular troops on a night assault against Qinzhou; they were routed and driven back. Wang Dacai seized Jiuling and six others, executed them, and memorialized against An Bing at the capital. In the third month the court named him vice director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and crown prince preceptor, summoning him with an imperial letter in the emperor's own hand. While traveling he was promoted at Guangde to Guanwen Hall academician, prefect of Tanzhou, and pacification commissioner for Hunan. Once in office he devoted himself to education and petitioned the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to establish the Dacheng ritual music. His rule remained harsh; transport judge Zhang Lai impeached him, but the court took no action. Censor Li Anxing joined Zhang Lai in the attack; Zhang was removed, while An Bing was made military commissioner of Chongxin, granted ceremonial parity with the Three Excellencies, and named superintendent of Wanshou Abbey. A palace attendant, Wenren Yu, was sent with the commission, bearing insignia of office, a gold seal, robes, belt, saddle, and horse. After thrice declining the honors he went back to Sichuan.
29
董居誼帥蜀,大失士心。 金人乘之,破赤丹、黃牛堡,入武休關,直搗梁、洋,至大安,宋師所至輒潰,散入巴山。 十二年,聶子述代之。 時丙之子癸仲知果州,子述即檄兼參議官。 四月,紅巾賊張福、莫簡叛,入利州,子述遁去。 總領財賦楊九鼎與賊遇,走匿民舍,賊追九鼎殺之。 子述退保劍門,檄癸仲兼節制軍馬,任討賊之責。 癸仲召戎帥張威等軍來會,賊自閬趨遂寧,所過無不殘滅。 丙欲自持十萬緡偕子述往益昌募士,子述曰:「大臣非得上旨,未可輕出。」 丙遂如果州。
Dong Juyi as commander of Sichuan had alienated the officer corps. The Jurchens pressed the advantage, storming Chidan and Huangniu forts, breaking through Wuxiu Pass, and thrusting toward Liang and Yang as far as Da'an; Song forces melted away wherever they met the enemy and fled into the Ba hills. In the twelfth year Nie Zishu replaced him as commander. An Bing's son Guizhong was then prefect of Guozhou, and Zishu immediately named him joint staff adviser by dispatch. In the fourth month the Red Turban rebels Zhang Fu and Mo Jian rose, seized Lizhou, and Zishu fled. Fiscal intendant Yang Jiuding met the rebels, hid in a farmhouse, and was hunted down and killed. Zishu fell back to Jianmen Pass and ordered Guizhong to take command of the troops and bear responsibility for crushing the rebellion. Guizhong gathered frontier generals including Zhang Wei; the rebels marched from Langzhou toward Suining, leaving ruin in every place they touched. An Bing wanted to carry a hundred thousand strings of cash to Yichang with Zishu to raise troops, but Zishu warned, "A senior minister may not leave his post without explicit imperial orders." An Bing then proceeded to Guozhou.
30
時四川大震,甚於曦之變。 張方首奏,勳望如丙,今猶可用。 魏了翁移書宰執,謂安丙不起,則賊未即平,蜀未可定,雖賊亦曰:「須安相公作宣撫,事乃定耳。」 李壁、李篁時並鎮潼、遂,亦皆以國事勉丙。 五月乙未,丙至果州,是日賊焚蓬溪縣。
Sichuan was in turmoil worse than Wu Xi's revolt. Zhang Fang memorialized first that a man of An Bing's stature and renown could still be put to use. Wei Liaoweng wrote the chief ministers that without An Bing the rebels would not soon be crushed nor Sichuan secured—even the rebels were saying, "Only when Chancellor An becomes pacification commissioner will things be settled." Li Bi and Li Huang, then commanding Tongzhou and Suining, likewise pressed him in the name of the realm. On the yiyi day of the fifth month An Bing reached Guozhou; that same day the rebels burned Pengxi County.
31
己酉,詔起丙為四川宣撫使,予便宜,尋降制授保寧軍節度使兼知興元府、利東安撫使。 丙奏:「臣不辭老以報國,但事不任怨,難以圖成,將恐騰謗交攻,使臣獨抱赤心,無從上白。 昔秦使甘茂攻宜陽,至質之以『息壤在彼』,魏使樂羊攻中山,至示之以謗書一篋。 君臣之間,似不必爾。 然自古及今,謗以疑間而成,禍以忌嫉而得; 況臣已傷弓於既往,豈容不懲沸於方來。」 詔曰:「昔唐太宗以西寇未平,詔起李靖,靖慷慨請行,不以老疾為解。 代宗有朔方之難,圖任郭子儀,聞命引道,亦不以讒惎自疑。 皆能乘時立功,焜燿竹帛,朕甚慕之。 今蜀道俶擾,未寬顧憂,朕起卿燕閑,付以方面,而卿忠於報國,誼不辭難,朕之用人庶幾於唐宗,卿之事朕無愧於李、郭矣。 勉圖雋功,以濟國事!」 尋命丁焴改知興元府。
On the jiyou day the court recalled him as Sichuan pacification commissioner with full discretionary powers, then formally named him military commissioner of Baoning, prefect of Xingyuan, and pacification commissioner for eastern Lizhou. An Bing submitted: "I do not shirk age in serving the dynasty, yet work that invites no blame is hard to finish; I fear a storm of slander will leave my loyalty unheard at court. When Qin sent Gan Mao against Yiyang, the king pledged with him the covenant at Xitu; when Wei sent Yue Yang against Zhongshan, the ruler opened a chest of denunciations to prove his trust. Between sovereign and minister such measures ought not be necessary. Yet from antiquity to the present slander grows from suspicion and estrangement, and ruin comes of envy and jealousy; and I have already been wounded once by the bow—how could I ignore the kettle already boiling ahead?" The emperor replied: "When Taizong faced unrest in the west he recalled Li Jing, who volunteered eagerly and refused to plead age or infirmity. When Daizong faced crisis in Shuofang he entrusted Guo Ziyi, who marched at once and would not let calumny shake his resolve. Both seized their moment and left their names shining in the histories—I hold them in deep admiration. Now the Shu routes are in turmoil and my mind is not at ease; I have called you from retirement to a frontier command, and your loyalty in accepting hardship matches Tang Taizong's choice of men—your service to me need not fear comparison with Li Jing and Guo Ziyi. Strive for a splendid victory to settle the realm's troubles! He soon reassigned Ding Huang to govern Xingyuan Prefecture.
32
甲申,發果州。 丙戌,至遂寧,賊猶負固於普州之茗山。 丙下令諸軍合圍,絕其樵汲之路以困之。 未幾,張威、李貴俘獲張福等十七人以獻,丙命臠王大才以祭九鼎。 七月庚子,盡俘餘黨千餘人,皆斬之。 庚戌班師,乃移治利州,賜保寧軍節度使印。 癸仲亦加三秩,進直華文閣,起復,主管宣撫司機宜文字。 明年,進丙少保,賜衣帶鞍馬。
On the jiashen day he marched out from Guozhou. On the bingxu day he reached Suining while the rebels still held Mingshan in Puzhou. An Bing ordered a combined encirclement, cutting off firewood and water to starve them out. Soon Zhang Wei and Li Gui captured Zhang Fu and seventeen others; An Bing had Wang Dacai dismembered as an offering to avenge Yang Jiuding. On the gengzi day of the seventh month more than a thousand remaining rebels were taken and executed. On the gengxu day he withdrew in triumph, moved his headquarters to Lizhou, and received the seal of the Baoning military commissioner. Guizhong was promoted three ranks, made a direct attendant of the Zhiwen Pavilion, recalled from mourning, and placed in charge of the pacification commission staff. The following year An Bing was made Junior Guardian and given robes, belt, saddle, and horse.
33
丙以關表營田多遺利,命官括之。 有文垓者,方持母喪,以便宜起復,幹辦魚關糧料院,俾之措置,且以宣撫副使印假之。 而馮安世者,又即利州置根括局。 於是了翁遺丙書,謂:「幕府舉辟,當用經術信厚之士,不可用冒喪之人。 且公八年鎮蜀,有恩則有怨,豈可人人而校,事事而理,自處甚狹,恐貽子孫賓客無窮之累。 雖今日理財難拘故常,然告絕產、首白契、訐隱田、伺富民過失、糾鹽酒戶虧額,報怨挾憤、招權納賄者,必且紛然,而公任其怨。」 丙復書曰:「關外糴買當用四百萬緡,而總所見緡止二十五萬,多方措置,非得已而不已。 儻皆清流,何由辦事? 蜀士中如令弟嘉父、李成之輩,清則清、高則高矣,其肯辦錢穀俗務乎? 劉德修嘗雅責楊嗣勳不能舉義誅叛,嗣勳云:『德修特未當局耳。』 丙於華父亦云。」 其後,安世不法滋甚,近臣有以書抵丙,而安世之徒亦發其事,丙械送大安窮治之。
Finding much uncollected revenue on frontier garrison farms, An Bing ordered officials to audit them. One Wen Gai was still in mourning for his mother when Bing recalled him by emergency authority to run the Yuguan grain office, entrusted him with the audits, and lent him the deputy pacification commissioner's seal. Feng Anshi meanwhile set up another audit bureau at Lizhou. Wei Liaoweng then wrote An Bing: "Your staff should be men of learning and integrity, not men who break mourning law. After eight years governing Sichuan you have made friends and enemies alike—if you settle every score and pursue every grievance you narrow your path and may burden your heirs and clients without end. Even if revenue work cannot follow old rules, informers denouncing abandoned estates, blank deeds, hidden fields, wealthy men's faults, and salt and wine shortfalls—men nursing grudges, trading power for bribes—will multiply, and you will bear every hatred." An Bing answered: "Frontier grain purchases require four million strings of cash, yet the treasury shows only two hundred fifty thousand—we must improvise until there is no choice. If I used only spotless scholars, how would anything get done? Men like your brother Jiafu and Li Chengzhi are pure and lofty—would they touch grain accounts and vulgar business? Liu Dexiu once rebuked Yang Sixun for failing to rise against traitors; Sixun replied, "Dexiu has simply never held real office." An Bing said the same to Wei Liaoweng." Later Feng Anshi's abuses worsened; a court intimate wrote An Bing, and Anshi's faction exposed the matter; An Bing sent him in chains to Da'an for a full investigation.
34
先是,夏人來乞師並兵攻金人,丙且奏且行,分遣將士趨秦、鞏、鳳翔,委丁焴節制,師次於鞏。 夏人以樞密使甯子寧眾二十餘萬,約以夏兵野戰,宋師攻城。 既而攻鞏不克,乃已。
Earlier the Tanguts had asked for Song troops to join them against the Jurchens; An Bing memorialized and marched at once, sending columns toward Qin, Gong, and Fengxiang under Ding Huang's command, halting at Gongzhou. The Tanguts fielded more than two hundred thousand men under Commissioner Ning Zining, agreeing that Tangut forces would fight in the open while Song troops stormed the walls. The assault on Gong failed, and the campaign was abandoned.
35
丙卒,訃聞,以少傅致仕,輟視朝二日,贈少師,賻銀絹千計,賜沔州祠額為「英惠廟」。 理宗親劄賜諡「忠定」。 丙所著有《皛然集》。
An Bing died; on the news of his death he was recorded as Junior Mentor emeritus, court audiences were suspended for two days, he was posthumously made Junior Preceptor, granted thousands in silver and silk, and a temple at Mianzhou was named the Temple of Heroic Favor. Emperor Lizong personally wrote to grant the posthumous name Zhongding, "Loyal and Steadfast." An Bing's writings included the Collected Writings of Bright Clarity.
36
楊巨源
Biography of Yang Juyuan.
37
楊巨源,字子淵,其先成都人。 父信臣,客益昌,因家焉。 巨源倜儻有大志,善騎射,涉獵諸子百家之書。 應進士不中,武舉又不中。 劉光祖見而異之,薦之總領錢糧陳曄,以右職舉為鳳州堡子原倉官,馳騁射獵,傾財養士,沿邊忠義,咸服其才。 分差魚關糧料院,移監興州合江贍軍倉。
Yang Juyuan, courtesy name Ziyuan, was descended from a Chengdu family. His father Xinchen had settled at Yichang as a sojourner, and the family made its home there. Juyuan was bold and ambitious, an expert horseman and archer who had read widely in the classics and philosophers. He failed the civil service examination and the military examination alike. Liu Guangzu was struck by him and recommended him to fiscal intendant Chen Ye, who appointed him granary officer at Fengzhou's Baoziyuan; he rode and hunted tirelessly, spent his fortune keeping men, and won the respect of loyalists along the frontier. He was posted to the Yuguan grain office and later put in charge of the Hejiang provision granary at Xingzhou.
38
吳曦叛,巨源陰有討賊志,結義士三百人,給其錢糧。 有遊奕軍統領張林者,力能挽兩石弓,隊將朱邦寧身長六尺,勇力過人,皆為曦所忌,雖屢戰有功亦不加賞,林等憾之。 時林在罝口,邦寧在合江,巨源因與深相締結,並集忠義人朱福、陳安、傅檜之徒。
When Wu Xi rebelled, Juyuan secretly resolved to destroy him, gathering three hundred loyalists and paying their keep. Roaming Patrol commander Zhang Lin could draw a two-stone bow; company leader Zhu Bangning stood six feet tall with exceptional strength; Xi envied them both and though they fought well gave them no reward, leaving them bitter. Lin was then at Zhekou and Bangning at Hejiang; Juyuan bound himself closely to them and rallied loyalists including Zhu Fu, Chen An, and Fu Gui.
39
曦脅安丙為丞相長史,丙稱疾,眉士程夢錫見丙,丙歎曰:「世事如此,世無豪傑!」 夢錫因及巨源之謀。 丙曰:「肯見我乎?」 乃囑夢錫以書致巨源,延之臥所。 巨源曰:「先生而為逆賊丞相長史耶?」 丙號哭曰:「目前兵將,我所知,不能奮起。 必得豪傑,乃滅此賊,則丙無復憂。」 巨源曰:「先生之意決乎?」 丙指天誓曰:「若誅此賊,雖死為忠鬼,夫復何恨!」 巨源大喜,曰:「非先生不足以主此事,非巨源不足以了此事。」
Xi forced An Bing to serve as his chief minister's chief steward; Bing feigned illness; when Meizhou scholar Cheng Mengxi visited him, An Bing sighed, "The times are desperate and there is not a hero among us!" Mengxi then spoke of Juyuan's conspiracy. An Bing asked, "Will he come to me?" He had Mengxi write to summon Juyuan and received him at his bedside. Juyuan said, "You serve as chief steward to a rebel traitor?" An Bing wept aloud: "The commanders I know will not stir themselves. Only a hero can destroy this traitor, and then I shall have no more cares." Juyuan asked, "Is your resolve firm?" An Bing pointed to Heaven and swore, "If we kill this traitor, I shall die a loyal ghost without regret!" Juyuan rejoiced and said, "Without you this plot cannot be led; without me it cannot be finished."
40
當是時,李好義、好問亦結李貴、楊君玉、李坤辰凡數十人,坤辰邀巨源與好義會。 巨源又大喜曰:「吾與安長史議以三月六日邀曦謁廟,合勇士刺之。」 好義曰:「彼出則齪巷,從衛且千人,事必難濟。 聞熟食日祭東園,圖之此其時也。」 巨源然之。 好義願一見長史以為信。 巨源曰:「吾今先為長史言之,來日偽宮,令長史問君先世是已。」 巨源以告丙,明日,好義在偽宮見丙,揖之。 丙曰:「鄉與尊父同僚,楊省幹盛談才略,旦夕以職事相委。」 其謀乃決。
Meanwhile Li Haoyi and his brother Haowen had gathered Li Gui, Yang Junyu, Li Kunchen, and dozens of others; Kunchen brought Juyuan and Haoyi together. Juyuan exulted again: "Chief Steward An and I have planned to lure Xi to the temple on the sixth of the third month and strike him down with our brave men." Haoyi objected: "When he goes abroad the alleys are cramped and his guard numbers a thousand—the plan cannot succeed. I hear he will sacrifice at the Eastern Garden on Cold Food Day—that is our moment." Juyuan agreed. Haoyi asked to meet the chief steward himself as proof of good faith. Juyuan said, "I shall speak to him first; tomorrow at the rebel palace he will ask about your ancestors—that will be the signal." Juyuan informed An Bing; the next day Haoyi met him at the rebel palace and bowed. An Bing said, "Your father and I served together in the provinces; Staff Officer Yang has praised your talents highly, and I shall soon place duties in your hands." The conspiracy was sealed.
41
君玉先屬其鄉人白子申擬詔,文不雅馴,巨源更為之,例用合江倉朱記。 巨源、好義憂事寖泄,遂以二月乙亥未明,好義率其徒入偽宮,巨源持詔乘馬,自稱奉使,入內戶,曦啟戶欲逸,李貴執殺之。 衛者始拒鬥,聞有詔皆卻。 巨源、好義迎丙宣詔,以曦首徇。 三軍推丙權四川宣撫使,巨源權參贊軍事。 丙奏功於朝,以巨源第一,詔補承事郎。
Junyu had his townsman Bai Zishen draft the edict, but the prose was crude; Juyuan rewrote it and stamped it with the Hejiang granary's vermilion seal. Fearing discovery, they struck before dawn on the yihai day of the second month; Haoyi led his men into the rebel palace while Juyuan rode in bearing the edict and claiming to be an imperial envoy; Xi opened the inner door to flee and Li Gui seized and killed him. The guards fought at first, but at the word of an edict they fell back. Juyuan and Haoyi brought An Bing forth to proclaim the edict and paraded Xi's head as a warning. The army acclaimed An Bing acting Sichuan pacification commissioner and Yang Juyuan acting military adviser. An Bing reported their achievements to court, ranking Yang Juyuan first; an edict appointed him Attendant Gentleman.
42
巨源謂丙曰:「曦死,賊膽以破,關外四州為蜀要害,盍乘勢復取。」 好義亦以為言。 丙慮軍無見糧,巨源力言四州不取,必有後患,自請為隨軍措置糧運。 於是分遣好義復西和州,張林、李簡復成州,劉昌國復階州,孫忠銳復散關。 俄詔巨源轉朝奉郎,與通判差譴,兼四川宣撫使司參議官。 丙素惡忠銳,聞忠銳失守散關,檄其還,欲廢之,先命巨源偕邦寧以沔兵二千策應。 巨源至鳳州,因忠銳出迎,伏壯士於幕後,突出斬之,並其子揆。 丙遂以忠銳附偽賀表聞於朝,且待罪。
Juyuan told An Bing, "With Xi dead the rebels' nerve is broken. The four prefectures beyond the passes are the keys to Shu—we should seize the moment and take them back. Li Haoyi said the same. An Bing feared the troops had no supplies in sight; Juyuan insisted that leaving the four prefectures untaken would breed disaster later, and volunteered to manage army grain transport himself. Forces were sent accordingly: Haoyi to recover Xihe, Zhang Lin and Li Jian to Cheng, Liu Changguo to Jie, and Sun Zhongrui to San Pass. Soon an edict promoted Juyuan to Chao Feng Lang with supervisory prefect dispatch, and named him advisory officer on the Sichuan pacification staff. An Bing had long despised Sun Zhongrui; when he heard San Pass was lost he recalled him to dismiss him, and first sent Juyuan with Bang Ning and two thousand Mian troops to assist. At Feng Prefecture Juyuan welcomed Zhongrui out, then had braves hidden behind the screen rush out and kill him—and his son Kui as well. An Bing reported to court with a feigned congratulatory memorial, attaching Zhongrui's case, and awaited punishment himself.
43
先是,獎諭誅叛詔書至沔州,巨源謂人曰:「詔命一字不及巨源,疑有以蔽其功者。」 俄報王喜授節度使,巨源彌不平。 時趙彥呐以在夔誅祿禧得州通判,巨源曰:「殺祿禧與通判,殺吳曦亦與通判耶?」 以啟謝丙曰:「飛矢以下聊城,深慕魯仲連之高誼; 解印而去彭澤,庶幾陶靖節之清風。」 又遣訴功於朝,而從興元都統制彭輅乞書遺韓侂胄,輅陽許而陰以白丙。 或言巨源與其徒米福、車彥威謀為亂,丙命喜鞫之,福、彥威皆抵罪。 正將陳安復告巨源結死士入關,欲焚沔州州治,俟丙出則殺之。 丙積前事,因欲去巨源,然未有以發也。
Earlier, when the edict commending the suppression of the rebellion reached Mian, Juyuan told others, "Not one word of the decree names me—I suspect someone is burying my credit. Soon word came that Wang Xi had been made military commissioner, and Juyuan's resentment deepened. Zhao Yan'a had just been made supervisory prefect of a prefecture for killing Lu Xi at Kui; Juyuan said, "Slay Lu Xi and you become supervisory prefect—does slaying Wu Xi earn the same prize? He wrote An Bing resigning with the words, "When flying arrows fell on Liaocheng, men admired Lu Zhonglian's noble refusal; relinquishing office and withdrawing to Pengze, in the spirit of Tao Yuanming's integrity." He also appealed his service to court and asked Xingyuan metropolitan commander Peng Luo to write Han Tuozhou on his behalf; Luo promised openly but secretly informed An Bing. Word reached An Bing that Juyuan and followers Mi Fu and Che Yanwei were plotting rebellion; he had Wang Xi try them, and both were convicted. Rectifier Chen Anfu accused Juyuan of rallying death-sworn men to enter the passes, burn the Mian government compound, and kill An Bing when he emerged. An Bing piled up these grievances and wished to be rid of Juyuan, but lacked a pretext.
44
會巨源在鳳州以檄書遺金鳳翔都統使,其辭若用間者,且自稱宣撫副使而以參議官印印之。 金以檄至丙。 巨源方與金戰,敗於長橋,丙乃移書召巨源,巨源疑焉。 有梁泉主簿高岳成者,巨源薦為隨軍撥運,來見巨源,贊其歸,巨源信之。
Then Juyuan at Feng sent a dispatch to the Jin Fengxiang metropolitan commander with language like a spy stratagem, styled himself deputy pacification commissioner, and sealed it with his advisory officer's stamp. The Jin delivered the dispatch to An Bing. Juyuan was fighting the Jin and lost at Chang Bridge; An Bing summoned him by letter, and Juyuan grew suspicious. Liangquan clerk Gao Yuecheng, whom Juyuan had recommended for army supply duty, came to urge his return—and Juyuan trusted him.
45
時輅已至沔,六月壬申,巨源還幕府,丙密命輅收巨源。 巨源殊不知,以為謁己也,語畢,輅起,巨源送之賓次。 武士就挽其裾,巨源猶叱之,則已為驅至庭下。 巨源大呼曰:「我何罪?」 丙隔屏遣人謂之曰:「若為詐稱宣撫副使?」 命械送閬州獄。 巨源曰:「我一時用間,異時必有為我明其事。」 丙餉以肴酒,巨源曰:「一身無愧,死且無憾; 惟有妹未嫁,宣撫念之。」 癸酉,巨源舟抵大安龍尾灘,將校樊世顯者呼於岸,巨源知將見殺,指其地而語之曰:「此好一片葬地。」 世顯曰:「安有是?」 舟行數步,謂曰:「宣參久渴,莫進杯酒?」 巨源辭以不飲。 又曰:「宣參荷械已久,盍少蘇?」 巨源未及答,左右遽取利刀斷其頭,不絕者逾寸,遂以巨源自殪聞宣撫司。 後數日,丙命瘞之。
Peng Luo had already reached Mian; on the renshen day of the sixth month Juyuan returned to headquarters, and An Bing secretly ordered Luo to arrest him. Juyuan suspected nothing, thinking this a courtesy call; when they finished speaking Luo rose, and Juyuan walked him toward the guest quarters. Warriors seized his robe; he still shouted them down—but they had already dragged him into the courtyard. Juyuan cried, "What crime have I committed? An Bing called through a screen, "Why did you falsely style yourself deputy pacification commissioner? He ordered him shackled and sent to prison at Lang Prefecture. Juyuan said, "I used a ruse in the moment; someday someone will clear my name. An Bing sent food and wine; Juyuan said, "I have nothing to regret in dying; only my unmarried sister remains—Commissioner, remember her." On the guiyou day his boat reached Da'an Longwei Beach; adjutant Fan Shixian hailed from the shore; knowing he would die, Juyuan pointed and said, "Fine burial ground here. Shixian said, "Nonsense— the boat had gone only a few paces when he said, "Staff Adviser, you must be parched—will you not drink a cup? Juyuan refused, saying he did not drink. Then, "You have worn fetters long—why not loosen them a little?" Before he could answer, attendants hacked off his head—barely an inch of flesh still attached—and reported to the pacification office that Juyuan had taken his own life. Days later An Bing ordered him buried.
46
巨源死,忠義之士為之扼腕,聞者流涕,劍外士人張伯威為文以吊,其辭尤悲切,巨源之屬吏也。 李壁在政府,聞之曰:「嘻,巨源其死矣!」 丙以人情洶洶,封章求免。 楊輔亦謂丙殺巨源必召變,請以劉甲代之。 初,巨源與好義結官軍,而丙密為反正之計,各未相知,合巨源於好義者李坤辰,而合好義於丙者巨源也。 巨源遺光祖書,述丙酬答之語,鋟梓競傳之,丙已弗樂,浸潤不已,積成此禍。
At Juyuan's death loyal men clenched their fists in grief and listeners wept; Zhang Bowei of the borderlands wrote a mourning piece of exceptional pathos—he had been Juyuan's clerk. Li Bi at court, hearing the news, said, "Alas—Juyuan is surely dead! An Bing, facing public outrage, memorialized to resign. Yang Fu warned that killing Juyuan would bring mutiny and urged replacing An Bing with Liu Jia. At first Juyuan and Haoyi had rallied the loyal troops while An Bing had plotted restoration in secret, neither knowing the other's hand—Li Kun'an linked Juyuan to Haoyi, and Juyuan linked Haoyi to An Bing. Juyuan had written to Ye Guangzu quoting An Bing's replies; the letter was printed and passed everywhere; Bing's resentment deepened, slander accumulated, and the disaster grew.
47
成忠郎李珙投匭,獻所作《巨源傳》為之訟冤,朝廷亦念其功,賜廟褒忠,贈寶謨閣待制,官其二子。 制置使崔與之請官給其葬,加贈寶謨閣直學士、太中大夫。 嘉熙元年,理宗特賜諡「忠湣」。 子:履正,終大理卿、四川制置副使。
Chenzhong Lang Li Qiong submitted a petition box memorial with his "Biography of Juyuan" to vindicate him; the court remembered his service, granted temple honors as Exalting Loyalty, posthumously made him Baomo Pavilion attendant-in-waiting, and gave offices to his two sons. Pacification commissioner Cui Yu with sought state burial funds and added posthumous rank as Baomo Pavilion academician and Grandee of Palace Administration. In Jiaxi 1 (1237) Emperor Lizong granted the posthumous name Zhongmin, "Loyal and Lamented." His son Lüzheng rose to chief minister of justice and Sichuan pacification vice commissioner.
48
李好義
Biography of Li Haoyi.
49
李好義,下邽人。 祖師中,建炎間以白丁守華州,積官忠州團練使。 父定一,興州中軍統制。 好義弱冠從軍,善騎射,西邊第一。 初以準備將討文州蕃部有功。 開禧初,韓侂胄開邊,吳曦主師,好義為興州正將,數請出精兵襲金人,曦蓄異謀,不納。 未幾,關外四州俱陷,金人長驅入散關,曦受金人說,以蜀叛。 好義自青坊聞變亟歸,與其兄對哭,謀誅之。
Li Haoyi was from Xiaqi. His grandfather Shizhong, a commoner during the Jianyan era, held Hua Prefecture and rose to Zhong Prefecture defense commissioner. His father Dingyi commanded the central army at Xing Prefecture. Haoyi took the field in his twenties, unrivaled in horsemanship and archery on the western frontier. He first distinguished himself as a preparation officer fighting the Wenzhou tribes. At the start of Kaixi, when Han Tuozhou opened the frontier and Wu Xi held command, Haoyi served as rectifier at Xing and repeatedly asked to lead picked troops against the Jin; Xi nursed treason and refused. Soon all four border prefectures fell, the Jin swept through San Pass, and Xi, swayed by the Jin, rebelled in Shu. Hearing the news at Qingfang, Haoyi rushed home, wept with his brother, and plotted Xi's death.
50
會曦遣李貴追殺宣撫程松,貴語其徒曰:「程宣撫朝廷重臣,不可殺。」 好義知其赤心,可以所謀告之。 貴遂約李彪、張淵、陳立、劉虎、張海等,好義又密結親衛軍黃術、趙亮、吳政等。 女弟夫楊君玉亦與知,好義戒言曰:「此事誓死報國,救四蜀生靈,慎毋泄。」 留其母以質。 好義兄弟謀曰:「今日人皆可殺曦,皆可為曦,曦死後,若無威望者鎮撫,恐一變未息,一變復生。」 欲至期立長史安丙以主事,蓋曦嘗授丙偽丞相,而丙託疾不往,故兄弟有是謀也。
When Xi sent Li Gui to pursue Pacification Commissioner Cheng Song, Gui told his men, "Commissioner Cheng is a pillar of court—we must not kill him. Haoyi saw his loyal heart and confided the conspiracy. Gui rallied Li Biao, Zhang Yuan, Chen Li, Liu Hu, Zhang Hai, and others; Haoyi secretly won over Huang Shu, Zhao Liang, Wu Zheng of the personal guard. His brother-in-law Yang Junyu joined them; Haoyi warned, "We pledge our lives for the realm and for the people of Shu—tell no one. He left his mother behind as pledge of his oath. The brothers said, "Anyone might kill Xi today—or serve Xi; after he falls, without a man of stature to steady the realm, one rebellion may end only for another to begin. They planned to install Chief Steward An Bing, whom Xi had named false chancellor but who had pleaded illness and stayed away—that was their design.
51
既而君玉與李坤辰者來,坤辰因言丙亦與合江倉楊巨源陰結忠義欲圖曦。 好義遂遣君玉偕坤辰約巨源以報丙。 丙大喜曰:「非統制李定一之子乎? 此人既來,斷曦之臂矣。」 遂與好義約二月晦舉事,見《巨源傳》。 乃約彪、術、貴等七十有四人及士人路良弼、王芾。 好義夜饗士,麾眾受甲,與好古、好仁及子姓拜決於家廟,囑妻馬氏曰:「日出無耗,當自為計,死生從此決矣。」 馬氏叱之曰:「汝為朝廷誅賊,何以家為? 我決不辱李家門戶。」 馬氏之母亦曰:「行矣,勉之! 汝兄弟生為壯夫,死為英鬼。」 好義喜曰:「婦人女子尚念朝廷不愛性命,我輩當如何?」 眾皆踴躍。 既行,小將祿禕引十卒來助,各以黃帛為號。 好義誓於眾曰:「入宮妄殺人、掠財物者死。」
Then Junyu brought Li Kun'an, who said An Bing and Yang Juyuan of the Hejiang granary were already plotting Xi's overthrow. Haoyi sent Junyu and Kun'an to Juyuan, then to An Bing. An Bing rejoiced. "Are you not Commander Li Dingyi's son? With him here, Xi's right arm is cut off." They set the last day of the second month for the strike—see the "Biography of Juyuan." They gathered seventy-four men including Biao, Shu, and Gui, and the scholars Lu Liangbi and Wang Fu. That night Haoyi feasted his men and called them to arms; with Haogu, Haoren, and kinsmen he bid farewell at the ancestral shrine and told his wife Lady Ma, "If you hear nothing by sunrise, act for yourself—our lives hang on tonight. Lady Ma rebuked him: "You march to slay a traitor for the throne—why trouble yourself over our household? I will not disgrace the Li name. Her mother said, "Go—and do your utmost! Live as stalwart men; die as worthy shades." Haoyi exclaimed, "Even our women hold the throne above their lives—what should we men do? The company answered with a roar. As they marched, junior officer Lu Yi brought ten men to help; yellow cloth was their signal. Haoyi swore the company to death for any who killed wantonly or looted in the palace.
52
時偽宮門洞開,好義大呼而入曰:「奉朝廷密詔,安長史為宣撫,令我誅反賊,敢抗者夷其族。」 曦護衛千兵皆棄梃而走,遂至偽殿東角小門,入世美堂,近曦寢室。 曦聞外哄,倉皇而起,露頂徒跣,開寢戶欲遁,見貴復止,以手捍內戶,貴前爭戶,戶紐折。 曦走,貴追及,手執其髻,舉刃中曦頰,曦素勇有力,撲貴仆於地不能起。 好義急呼王換斧其腰者二,曦負痛手縱,貴起遂斫其首。 引眾擁曦首出偽宮,亟馳告丙宣詔,軍民拜舞,歡聲動天地,持曦首撫定城中,市不改肆。
The rebel palace gates stood open; Haoyi burst in shouting, "By secret court edict Chief Steward An is pacification commissioner; we are sent to kill the traitor—resist, and your clan dies. A thousand guards dropped their staves and fled; they reached the small east gate of the hall, entered Shimei Hall, and closed on Xi's bedchamber. Hearing the uproar, Xi rose bareheaded and barefoot, opened his chamber to flee, saw Gui, and held the inner door; Gui seized it and the latch snapped. Xi ran; Gui caught him by the hair and struck his cheek; Xi, brave and powerful, threw Gui down and pinned him. Haoyi called Wang Huan to strike his waist twice; Xi loosed his grip in pain; Gui rose and struck off his head. Bearing Xi's head from the palace, they raced to An Bing to proclaim the edict; soldiers and civilians bowed and cheered till heaven seemed to shake; parading the head they steadied the city, and markets never closed.
53
好義請乘時取關外四州,巨源贊之,丙大喜。 巨源輔行,王喜忌其能,沮之。 好義曰:「西和乃腹心之地,西和下,則三州可不戰而復矣。 今不圖,後悔無及。 願得馬步千人,死士二百,齎十日糧可濟。」 丙從其請,忠義響應,次獨頭嶺,進士王榮仲兄弟率民兵會合夾擊,金人死者蔽路。 十戰至山砦高堡,七日至西和。 好義率眾攻城,親犯矢石,人人樂死,以少擊眾,前無留敵。 金西和節使完顏欽奔遁,好義整眾而入,軍民歡呼迎拜,籍府庫以歸於官。
Haoyi urged recovering the four border prefectures at once; Juyuan agreed; An Bing was delighted. Juyuan marched with him, but Wang Xi, jealous of his talent, undermined the effort. Haoyi said, "Xihe is the heart of the border; take Xihe and the other three may fall without a fight. Miss this chance and we will repent too late. Give me a thousand horse and foot, two hundred death-sworn men, and ten days' grain—that is enough." An Bing agreed; loyal men flocked to the banners; at Dutou Ridge presented scholar Wang Rongzhong and his brothers led militia in a pincer, and Jin dead covered the road. After ten fights they reached the mountain redoubt at Gaobao; on the seventh day they stood before Xihe. Haoyi led the assault in person, under arrow and stone; his men fought as if death were joy; few against many, none could stand before them. The Jin commissioner of Xihe, Wanyan Qin, fled; Haoyi entered in good order; soldiers and civilians cheered and bowed; the treasury was inventoried for the state.
54
好義初欲乘勝徑取秦、隴以牽制淮寇,而宣撫司令謹守故疆,不得侵越,士氣皆沮。 好義以中軍統制知西和州,卒。 丙以勞績上於朝,特贈檢校少保,仍給田以贍其家。 後吳獵為請諡曰「忠壯」。 好義喜誦《孟子》及《左傳》,以為終身行此足矣。 誅曦時,惟幼子植留家。 迄事,人爭冒功賞,君玉欲注植名,好義指心曰:「惟此物不可欺。」
Haoyi had meant to press on toward Qin and Long and draw off the Huai enemy, but the pacification commissioner ordered the old border held inviolate; morale sank. Haoyi governed Xihe as central-army commander, and died in office. An Bing reported his service to court; he was posthumously made acting Junior Guardian, and granted fields to support his household. Later Wu Lie secured the posthumous name Zhongzhuang, "Loyal and Stout." He loved the Mencius and the Zuo Commentary and held that to live by them was enough for a lifetime. When they killed Xi, only his youngest son Zhi was left at home. When all was over, men scrambled to claim credit; Junyu wanted to list Zhi among the rewarded, but Haoyi touched his heart and said, "This alone cannot be lied to."
55
曦既誅,好義集於丙家,王喜後至,心懷邪謀,欲刃好義,丙力救解,然日以殺好義為心。 及好義守西和,喜遣其死黨劉昌國聽節制,好義與之酬酢,歡飲達旦,好義心腹暴痛洞瀉,而昌國遁矣。 既殮,口鼻爪指皆青黑,居民莫不冤之,號慟如私親,摧鋒一軍幾至於變。 既而昌國白日見好義持刃刺之,驚怖仆地,疽發而殂。
After Wu Xi was killed, Haoyi met at An Bing's house; Wang Xi arrived later with murder in mind and tried to stab Haoyi, but Bing forcibly intervened—though Xi thereafter nursed a daily resolve to kill him. When Haoyi was defending Xihe, Xi sent his sworn henchman Liu Changguo under his command; Haoyi drank with him until dawn, then suffered violent cramping and dysentery—while Changguo slipped away. After the funeral his mouth, nose, nails, and fingers were all blue-black; the people believed he had been wronged and mourned him as kin; the Cuifeng regiment nearly rose in mutiny. Soon afterward Changguo saw Haoyi in broad daylight, blade in hand, stabbing at him; he collapsed in terror, gangrene set in, and he died.
56
喜,曦大將也,貪淫狠愎,誅曦之日不肯拜詔,遣其徒入偽宮虜掠殆盡,又取曦姬妾數人。 其後欲戕好義為曦復仇,丙不能止,便宜處以節度使知興州,而恨猶未已。 嘗出兵於船柵嶺,鋒未及交,棄軍先遁,金人遂由黑谷長驅入境。 朝廷慮喜為變,授節度使移荊鄂都統制而死。
Wang Xi had been one of Wu Xi's chief generals—greedy, lecherous, cruel, and obstinate. On the day Xi was killed he refused to acknowledge the edict, sent his men to loot the rebel palace bare, and took several of Xi's concubines for himself. He later sought to kill Haoyi to avenge Wu Xi; Bing could not restrain him and on emergency authority appointed him military commissioner of Xingzhou, yet his hatred was still not spent. Once he marched to Boat-Palisade Ridge but fled before the lines engaged, allowing the Jin to pour through Black Valley deep into Song territory. Fearing he might rebel, the court made him military commissioner and transferred him to commander-in-chief of Jing-E, where he died.
57
論曰:陳敏善守,畢再遇善戰。 張詔出使不辱國,為將得士心,趙汝愚薦為武興帥,以其才足以制曦也。 曦之畔,向非安丙、楊巨源、李好義之謀,西方之憂莫大焉。 然丙卒以是殺巨源,何其冒疾而殘賊也? 李好義失於周防,竟為王喜所圖。 宋知喜為曦黨,既不能罪,又以節鎮賞之,幾何而不為唐末之姑息以成藩鎮之禍乎?
The historians remark: Chen Min excelled at defense, Bi Zaiyu at offensive warfare. Zhang Zhao on embassy brought no shame on the state; as a commander he won his soldiers' loyalty; Zhao Ruyu had recommended him for Wuxing precisely because his talent could have checked Wu Xi. Had it not been for the conspiracy of An Bing, Yang Juyuan, and Li Haoyi, Wu Xi's rebellion would have brought immeasurable calamity to the western frontier. Yet Bing ultimately killed Juyuan for it—how rash his jealousy and how cruel toward a man who had saved the realm? Li Haoyi failed to guard against treachery and was ultimately destroyed by Wang Xi. The Song court knew Wang Xi was Wu Xi's partisan, yet neither punished him nor withheld a frontier command—how was this not the late-Tang policy of appeasement that bred the warlord catastrophe?