1
宦者四
Eunuchs 4
2
○邵成章藍珪 〈（康履附）〉 馮益張去為陳源甘王德謙關禮董宋臣
○ Shao Chengzhang and Lan Gui (with Kang Lu appended) Feng Yi, Zhang Quwei, Chen Yuan, Gan Bian, Wang Deqian, Guan Li, and Dong Songchen
3
金人掠陝西、京東諸郡，群盜起山東，黃潛善、汪伯彥匿不以聞。 及張遇焚真州，去行在六十里，帝亦不之知也。 成章上疏條具潛善、伯彥之罪曰，必誤國，且申潛善等使聞之。 帝怒，除名，南雄州編管。 侍御史馬伸言：“成章緣上書得罪，今是何時，以言為諱？”
Jurchen forces overran Shaanxi and the eastern capital region; bandit armies sprang up across Shandong; yet Huang Qianshan and Wang Boyan suppressed the reports and never told the emperor. When Zhang Yu torched Zhenzhou—only sixty li from the traveling court—the emperor still knew nothing of it. Chengzhang memorialized with a detailed bill of charges against Qianshan and Boyan, declaring they would ruin the dynasty, and even made sure the accused heard what he had written. The emperor flew into a rage, erased his name from office, and exiled him to registered supervision in Nanxiong Prefecture. Remonstrance Bureau attendant Ma Shen said, “Chengzhang is being punished for memorializing the throne—what moment in our history is this, that honest speech has become forbidden?
4
久之，帝思成章忠直，召赴行在，其徒忌之，譖於帝曰：“邵九百來，陛下無歡樂矣！ ”遂止之於洪州。 金人入洪，聞其名，訪求得之，謂之曰：“知公忠正，能事吾主，可坐享富貴。 ”成章不應，脅之以威，亦不從。 金人曰：“忠臣也，吾不忍殺。 ”遺之金帛而去。
In time the emperor remembered Chengzhang’s loyalty and summoned him back to court; his enemies slandered him to the throne: “Shao the Nine Hundred is on his way—Your Majesty will never enjoy yourself again! ” So they kept him stranded at Hongzhou. When the Jurchens took Hongzhou they heard his reputation, hunted him down, and said, “We know you for a loyal man—serve our sovereign and you may live out your days in riches. ” Chengzhang would not answer; they menaced him with violence, and still he refused. The Jurchens said, “He is a true loyalist—we cannot bring ourselves to kill him. ” They left him gold and silks and went their way.
5
藍珪、康履，初皆為康王府都監、入內東頭供奉官，嚐從康王使金人行營。 及開元帥府，並主管機宜文字。 朝廷遣人趣師入援，履等請王留相州，王叱之而行。 既即位，二人俱恃恩用事，履尤妄作威福，大將如劉光世等多曲意事之。 帝知之，詔內侍不許與統兵官相見，違者停官編隸。 履終無所忌憚，與內侍曾擇淩忽諸將，或踞坐洗足，立諸將於左右，聲喏甚至馬前，故疾之者眾。 俄遷內侍省押班、金州觀察使。
Lan Gui and Kang Lu had both begun as chief stewards of Prince Kang’s household and as Inner Entering Eastern Head attendants-in-waiting; they had accompanied the prince on embassy to the Jurchen camp. When the marshal’s headquarters was established, both were put in charge of confidential military paperwork. The court urged the prince’s army to hurry north in relief; Lu and his fellows begged him to stay at Xiangzhou; the prince scolded them and moved on. After his accession both men traded on old favor to run affairs; Lu in particular lorded it over everyone, and commanders such as Liu Guangshi routinely humored them. The emperor learned of this and ordered that palace eunuchs must not meet army commanders on pain of dismissal and banishment. Lu remained utterly fearless; with the eunuch Zeng Ze he insulted field commanders—sometimes sprawling barefoot while washing, making generals stand at his side and bark their salutes even at his horse’s head—so hatred of him spread wide. Soon he was promoted to Escort Leader in the Inner Attendant Directorate and made Military Commissioner of Jinzhou.
6
帝在揚州，金兵卒至，帝馳馬出門，百官不戒備，從行者惟履等五六人。 自是履等益自衒，愈有輕外朝心。 及幸浙，道吳江，其黨競以射鴨為樂。 比至杭州，江下觀潮，中官供帳，赫然遮道。 統製苗傅等切齒曰：“此輩使天子至此，猶敢爾邪？ ”傅幕客王世修亦疾中官恣橫，以告武功大夫劉正彥，正彥曰：“會當共除之。 ”王淵躋樞筦，正彥以為由宦者所薦，愈不平，謀遂決。 伏兵斬淵，遣兵圍履家，分捕中官，凡無須者皆殺之。
At Yangzhou Jurchen troops appeared without warning; the emperor bolted through the gate while the bureaucracy was caught flat-footed—only Lu and five or six others rode with him. From that day Lu and his circle preened all the more and looked on the civil bureaucracy with open contempt. When the court fled into Zhe and passed the Wu River, his followers made a contest of shooting ducks. Reaching Hangzhou to watch the Qiantang bore, eunuch supply pavilions lined the road in ostentatious display. Commander Miao Fu and his men ground their teeth: “These creatures brought the Son of Heaven to this pass—how dare they still strut so? ” Fu’s adviser Wang Shixiu, who also loathed eunuch insolence, told Military Merit Grandee Liu Zhengyan; Zhengyan said, “We will destroy them together when the moment comes. ” Wang Yuan was vaulted to Bureau Commissioner; Zhengyan believed eunuchs had engineered the promotion, grew angrier still, and the conspiracy was sealed. Hidden soldiers cut down Wang Yuan; troops encircled Lu’s house and hunted eunuchs throughout the city—every beardless man they found was killed.
7
履馳入白帝，傅等至，厲聲曰：“陛下信任中官，凡中官所主者皆得美官。 王淵遇賊不戰，交康履得樞密。 中官在外者已誅，更乞康履、藍珪、曾擇等誅之，以謝三軍。 ”帝不忍，除傅等官以安之。 傅等曰：“欲遷官，第須控兩匹馬與內侍，何必至此！ ”帝問百官：“策安出？ ”主管浙西機宜文字時希孟曰：“中官之為患，至此極矣。 不除之，天下之患未已。 ”軍器監葉宗諤言：“陛下何惜一康履，不以慰三軍？ ”帝不得已，遣人執履至，履望帝呼曰：“大家何獨殺臣？ ”遂以付傅，即腰斬之。 梟其首。 帝幸睿聖宮，傅等留內侍十五人奉左右。 尋捕珪、擇等，皆編置遠州； 擇，昭州，行一程，追還斬之。
Lu raced in to warn the emperor; Fu and his men arrived shouting, “Your Majesty trusts eunuchs—every office a eunuch touches turns into a lucrative post. Wang Yuan fled from the enemy without fighting, yet traded on Kang Lu and won the Bureau Commissioner’s seal. The eunuchs outside the palace are already dead—we now demand Kang Lu, Lan Gui, Zeng Ze, and the rest be killed to satisfy the armies. ” The emperor could not bear to do it and enfeoffed Fu and his allies to calm them. Fu retorted, “Had you only wanted rank, holding two horses for a eunuch would have sufficed—why drive us to mutiny!” ” The emperor turned to his ministers: “What is to be done? ” Shi Ximeng, supervisor of Western Zhe military dispatches, said, “Eunuch misrule has reached its limit. Unless they are uprooted, the realm will never know peace. ” Armory Director Ye Zongwu said, “Why spare a single Kang Lu when the armies are howling for blood? ” With no choice left, the emperor had Lu seized; Lu stared at the throne and wailed, “Great One, why kill only me? ” He was handed to Fu and immediately cut in two at the waist. His head was spiked for public display. The emperor withdrew to Ruishèng Palace; Fu left only fifteen eunuchs in attendance. Soon Gui, Ze, and others were arrested and banished to remote prefectures; Ze, bound for Zhao Prefecture, was pursued after one day’s march, brought back, and beheaded.
8
傅等誅，贈履官，諡榮節，召珪等還。 中書舍人季陵言：“中官復召，其黨與相賀，氣焰益張，中外切齒。 ”不報。 珪至，自武功大夫擢內侍省押班。 慈寧宮建，命提點事務，尋升內侍省都知。 及迎太后，命充都大主管。 太后既還宮，珪奏應幹補授恩，乞聽慈寧宮施行。 從之。 珪初與履同進，而驕橫不及履，故幸以壽終。
After Fu’s faction was destroyed, Lu was posthumously enfeoffed with the title Rongjie; Gui and the others were summoned back. Palace draftsman Ji Ling warned, “Recall the eunuchs and their clique celebrates—insolence redoubles, and court and country grind their teeth in rage. ” The memorial went unanswered. When Gui returned he vaulted from Military Merit Grandee to Escort Leader of the Inner Attendant Directorate. He supervised construction of Cining Palace, then rose to Director of the Inner Attendant Directorate. When the empress dowager was escorted home he was made chief superintendent of the reception. After her return Gui memorialized to shower favors on the palace staff and asked that Cining Palace issue the appointments itself. The request was granted. Gui had risen with Lu, but never matched his swagger; thus he was lucky to die in bed.
9
有安石者，與同姓，為內侍省副都知，至景福殿使、湖州觀察使。 卒，贈保寧軍節度使，諡良恪。 渡江後，中官贈諡自安石始。
Another clansman, Anshi, became Vice Director of the Inner Attendant Directorate, then Palace Attendant of Jingfu Hall and Military Commissioner of Huzhou. At his death he was posthumously made Military Commissioner of Baoning Circuit with the posthumous title Liangke. After the court fled south, posthumous ennoblement of eunuchs began with Anshi.
10
又有與履同姓者名諝，為內侍省押班，亦親幸用事，與知閣門事藍公佐善，每邀公佐至其直舍，必縱飲大醉，薄莫乃歸，嚐漏泄禁中語。 劉光遠被劾，諝與內侍陳永錫受其金，力為營救。 言官劾之，帝詔永錫與祠，諝送吏部。 後累官至均州觀察使。 卒，贈保信軍節度使，諡忠定。
Another Lu clansman named Xu, also Escort Leader, shared the emperor’s favor and power; he befriended Gate Affairs Commissioner Lan Gongzuo, entertained him nightly until both were drunk, and once leaked palace secrets. When Liu Guangyuan was impeached, Xu and eunuch Chen Yongxi took his bribes and fought to save him. Censors impeached them; the emperor gave Yongxi a temple stipend and sent Xu to the Ministry of Personnel. He later rose step by step to Military Commissioner of Junzhou. At death he was posthumously enfeoffed Military Commissioner of Baoxin Circuit with the title Zhongding.
11
馮益，康王邸舊人也。 王即位，自入內東頭供奉官遷至幹辦禦藥院，尋兼幹辦皇城司。 恃舊恩驕恣。 帝幸浙東，益與御前右軍都統製張俊爭渡，以語侵俊，且訴於帝。 事下御史台，侍御史趙鼎言：“明受之變，起於內侍，覆轍不可不戒。 ”事乃已。
Feng Yi was a veteran of Prince Kang’s household. When the prince became emperor he rose from Eastern Head attendant to superintendent of the Imperial Pharmacy, then also of the Imperial City Office. He traded on old intimacy and grew insolent. During the flight to eastern Zhe he quarreled with Right Army Commander Zhang Jun over a ferry crossing, insulted him, and appealed to the emperor. The case went to the Censorate; attendant Zhao Ding said, “The Mingshou mutiny began with eunuchs—we dare not forget that lesson. ” The matter was dropped.
12
紹興三年，授武功大夫、康州防禦使、帶禦器械。 時帝用侍御史常同言，詔皇城司並隸台察，益言非祖宗舊制，帝為追寢前詔。 特遷宣政使。 益自言藩邸舊吏，乞加恩，遂升明州觀察使。 內廄舊有騏驥院官，益請別置禦馬院，自領其事，又擅穿皇城便門。 侍御史沈與求以為言，趙鼎等皆患之。
In Shaoxing year 3 he was made Military Merit Grandee, Defender of Kangzhou, and Bearer of the Imperial Arms. The emperor, heeding attendant Chang Tong, had placed the Imperial City Office under censorial oversight; Yi protested that this broke ancestral practice, and the emperor rescinded the order. He was specially promoted to Palace Political Commissioner. Calling himself an old prince’s retainer, he begged extra favor and was made Military Commissioner of Mingzhou. He asked to split off a new Imperial Horse Office from the old Qiji Stud and run it himself, and without permission pierced a private gate through the palace wall. Attendant Shen Yuyu protested; Zhao Ding and others were deeply alarmed.
13
會劉豫揭榜山東，言益遣人收買飛鴿，因有不遜語。 張浚請斬益以釋謗，帝不許。 鼎言事關國體，當解職加罰。 帝喜曰：“聞益交關外事，漸不可長。 ”與祠放歸。 浚意未息，鼎解之。 益自是家居廩祠者十四年。
Liu Yu posted placards in Shandong claiming Yi was buying carrier pigeons and adding seditious slogans. Zhang Jun demanded Yi’s execution to silence the slander; the emperor refused. Zhao Ding said the affair touched national dignity and Yi should be stripped and punished. The emperor said gladly, “I hear Yi is meddling abroad—such conduct cannot be indulged. ” He was given a temple stipend and sent home. Zhang Jun was still unsatisfied; Zhao Ding calmed him. Yi thereafter lived at home on temple grain for fourteen years.
14
先是，偽柔福帝姬之來，自稱為王貴妃季女，益自言嚐在貴妃閤，帝遣之驗視，益為所詐，遂以真告。 及事覺，益坐驗視不實，送昭州編管，尋以與皇太后連姻得免。 十九年，卒於家。
Earlier, when the impostor Princess Roufu appeared claiming to be Consort Gui’s youngest daughter, Yi said he had served in the consort’s quarters; the emperor sent him to verify; the woman duped him and he declared her genuine. When the fraud was exposed he was banished to Zhao Prefecture for false testimony, then pardoned through kinship with the empress dowager. In year 19 he died at home.
15
張去為，內侍張見道養子也。 初為韋太后宅提點官，累遷至安德軍承宣使、帶禦器械，又遷內侍省押班。 時見道為入內內侍省押班，父子並充景福殿使。 去為浸有寵，請以一官回授見道，帝嘉而許之。 其後見道以保康軍承宣使致仕，而去為與秦檜、王繼先俱用事，升延福宮使，累遷至入內內侍省都知，恃恩幹外朝謀議。
Zhang Quwei was the adopted son of eunuch Zhang Jiandao. He began as superintendent of Empress Wei’s household, rose to Commissioner of Ande Army with Bearer of the Imperial Arms, then Escort Leader. When Jiandao was Inner Entering Escort Leader, father and son both held Jingfu Hall attendancy. Quwei gained favor and asked one promotion be transferred to his adoptive father; the emperor praised his filiality and agreed. Jiandao retired as Commissioner of Baokang Army while Quwei, with Qin Hui and Wang Jixian, ran outer-court policy from Yanfu Palace up to Inner Entering Director.
16
金兵將至，遣使來，出慢言以相懼。 去為陰沮用兵，進幸蜀之計，宰相陳康伯力非之，帝悟而止。 侍御史杜莘老乞斬去為，以作士氣。 先是，去為取禦馬院西兵二百人，髡其頂發，都人駭之，莘老復劾其罪。 帝不得已，令去為致仕，莘老亦出補外。
As Jurchen armies approached, envoys came speaking insults to frighten the court. Quwei secretly opposed war and urged flight to Shu; Chancellor Chen Kangbo fiercely objected; the emperor saw reason and halted the plan. Attendant Du Xinlao demanded Quwei’s head to rally morale. He had seized two hundred western troops from the Imperial Horse Office and shaved their heads, shocking the capital; Xinlao impeached him again. The emperor ordered Quwei to retire and exiled Xinlao to the provinces.
17
及內禪，詔落致仕，提舉德壽宮，行移如內侍省，仍鑄印賜之。 修宮有勞，又特遷安慶軍承宣使。 初，安恭後入宮，去為實進之。 後崩，上皇又遣去為傳旨，立謝貴妃為後，故亦貴重，然至死不復涉朝廷事。
At Gaozong’s abdication he was recalled, made superintendent of Deshou Palace with eunuch-grade paperwork, and given a freshly cast seal. For rebuilding the palace he was specially promoted Commissioner of Anqing Army. Earlier he had presented Lady An Gong when she entered the palace. After her death the retired emperor used him to proclaim Consort Xie empress; he remained honored, yet never again meddled in state affairs before he died.
18
陳源，淳熙中提舉德壽宮，頗有寵。 俄帶浙西副總管，給事中趙汝愚言：“內侍不當幹軍政。 ”遂罷。 源恃恩顓恣，本宮書史徐彥通者為源掌家務，不數歲，官至經武大夫； 甄士昌，源廝役也，工理發，奏補承信郎； 又補臨安府都吏李庚以官，使之窺伺府事。 孝宗聞而惡之。 十年春，詔源應奉日久，特落階官，與京祠。 給事中宇文價封還錄黃，改外祠。 台官黃洽等又劾之，乃謫源建州居住，籍其貲進德壽宮。 彥通除名、道州編管，士昌、庚皆抵罪。 言者猶未已，移源郴州。 源有園名小隱，其製視禁籞有加，高宗以賜王才人。
In the Chunxi era Chen Yuan superintended Deshou Palace and enjoyed considerable favor. Soon he also held Western Zhe deputy command; Giving-of-Petition Zhao Ruyu said, “Palace eunuchs must not touch military affairs. ” He was removed. Yuan grew tyrannical; palace clerk Xu Yantong ran his household and within years became Military Merit Grandee; his barber Zhen Shichang was memorialized into office as Credentialed Gentleman; and Capital Prefecture chief clerk Li Geng was enfeoffed to spy on the magistracy. Xiaozong heard of it and loathed him. In spring of year 10 the emperor stripped his rank and gave him a capital temple stipend. Giving-of-Petition Zhong Wenzhi returned the draft and changed it to an outer stipend. Censors Huang Qia and others impeached him again; he was exiled to Jian Prefecture and his wealth was seized for Deshou Palace. Yantong was disbarred and banished to Daozhou; Shichang and Geng were punished. Critics were still unsatisfied and shifted his exile to Chen Prefecture. Yuan owned a garden called Little Retreat finer than the imperial park; Gaozong gave it to the Talented Lady Wang.
19
甘，內侍省押班澤之子。 澤之死，累遷亦至押班。 乾道中，帝頗親，以此用事。 臨安尹胡與可為小官時，丐貸於臨安富民馬氏，不如欲，銜之。 至是，馬以鬻官鹽逾格係獄，與可諷有司以私鹽論，御史陳升卿決獄，平反之。 之子婦，與可女也，乃陰為與可地，譖升卿於帝前，謂為豪民馬請事，所得至萬緡。 上疑，遂論罪，馬流嚴州，升卿由是罷去。
Gan Bian was son of Inner Attendant Directorate Escort Leader Ze. After Ze’s death he too rose to Escort Leader. Under Qiandao the emperor favored him and used him in affairs. Capital Prefect Hu Yuke, as a junior official, had borrowed from the rich Ma clan of Lin’an and nursed a grudge when they refused him. Now Ma was jailed for overselling government salt; Yuke steered prosecutors toward a private-salt charge; censor Chen Shengqing reversed the verdict. Gan’s daughter-in-law was Yuke’s daughter; she secretly paved the way for her father, telling the emperor Shengqing had taken ten thousand strings to plead for the rich Ma. The emperor believed it; Ma was exiled to Yanzhou; Shengqing was driven out.
20
時曾覿以使弼領京祠，王抃以知閤門兼樞密都承旨，為入內押班，相與盤結，士大夫無恥者爭附之。 既而覿死抃逐，獨在，朱熹力言之，帝曰：“乃德壽宮所薦，謂有才耳。 ”熹曰：“奸人無才，何以動人主？ ”用事二十年，招權市賄，黃由對策，亦頗及之。 後帝察其奸，遂抵之罪，籍其貲，竟以廢死。
Zeng Di held a capital temple stipend as envoy deputy; Wang Bian was Gate Commissioner and Bureau Chief, also Inner Entering Escort Leader; they formed a clique that shameless officials rushed to join. Di died and Bian was expelled; Gan alone remained; Zhu Xi protested fiercely; the emperor said, “Deshou Palace recommended him—they said he had talent. ” Zhu Xi replied, “Villains need no talent—only audacity—to sway a ruler?” For twenty years he sold offices and took bribes; Huang You’s examination essay denounced him too. The emperor finally saw through him, confiscated his wealth, and he died disgraced.
21
弟昺，淳熙末，幹辦內東門司、帶禦器械。 光宗朝，累遷至親衛大夫、保康軍承宣使、提舉佑神觀。 慶元初，為內侍省都知。 帝過壽康宮，昺有力焉。 遷官二秩，頗貴寵。
His younger brother Bing, late in Chunxi, superintended the Inner Eastern Gate with Bearer of the Imperial Arms. Under Guangzong he rose to Imperial Guard Grandee, Commissioner of Baokang Army, and superintendent of Youshen Abbey. At the opening of Qingyuan he became Director of the Inner Attendant Directorate. When the emperor passed through Shoukang Palace, Bing had been instrumental. He was promoted two ranks and richly favored.
22
王德謙，初為嘉邸都監，頗親幸。 孝宗大漸，光宗以疾久不朝重華宮。 黃由時為王府讚讀，奏請嘉王詣重華宮問疾，既得旨，德謙固請覆奏，王斥之，遂行。 孝宗崩，王在喪次，中外洶洶，王以告直講彭龜年。 龜年以為建儲則人心安，須白中宮乃可。 即諭德謙奏之皇太后，德謙不敢，強之，既而無報。
Wang Deqian began as chief steward of Prince Jia’s household and was warmly favored. As Xiaozong lay dying, Guangzong’s illness had kept him from Chonghua Palace for months. Reader Huang You asked Prince Jia to visit the sick emperor; once the order came, Deqian insisted on reporting again; the prince scolded him and went. When Xiaozong died the prince was in mourning; the realm seethed; he confided in lecturer Peng Guinian. Guinian said only proclaiming an heir would calm the realm, and the Central Palace must be told first. He ordered Deqian to memorialize the empress dowager; Deqian shrank from it; pressed, he still brought no answer.
23
王即位，德謙累遷昭慶軍承宣使、內侍省押班，賜居第。 驕恣逾法，服食擬乘輿，出入或以導駕燈籠自奉。 為人求官，贓以巨萬計，泄其事者禍立至，故外朝多附之。
After accession Deqian rose to Commissioner of Zhaoqing Army and Escort Leader and was given a mansion. He outstripped every statute—food and dress like the emperor’s, escorted by imperial procession lanterns. He sold offices for fortunes in cash; informers were ruined overnight—so the bureaucracy fawned on him.
24
中書舍人吳宗旦事之尤謹，夜則易服造謁。 德謙求為節度使，先薦宗旦為刑部侍郎、直學士院，將使草麻。 宗旦先備草示之，引天寶、同光為比，德謙喜。 製出，參政何澹不肯署，諫議大夫劉德秀率台諫論列，宰相京鏜復以為言，命遂寢。
Palace draftsman Wu Zongdan served him slavishly, visiting by night in disguise. Deqian sought a military commissionership and first secured Zongdan as Vice Minister of Justice and Hanlin academician to draft the edict. Zongdan drafted a text comparing him to the Tang eunuch generals of Tianbao and Tongguang; Deqian was delighted. When the patent emerged, Councilor He Dan refused to countersign; Remonstrance Grandee Liu Dexiu and the censorate protested; Chancellor Jing Chung intervened—and the appointment died.
25
韓侂胄與德謙爭用事，德謙屢以計勝，侂胄擠之，詔與外祠，台諫又交章論駁。 侍御史姚愈言吳宗旦嚐草德謙製，遂罷其官。 愈又率同列力攻德謙，詔送廣德軍居住。 尋以臨安尹劾其贓濫僭擬，詔降團練使、移居撫州，他事勿問。 中書舍人高文虎請改為安置，台諫復言其奸詭，乞自今不以赦移，雖特旨亦許執奏，帝用其言，德謙遂坐廢斥以死。
Han Tuozhou fought him for power; Deqian outmaneuvered him until Tuozhou forced an outer temple stipend; censors piled on. Attendant Yao Yu noted Zongdan had drafted the patent; Zongdan was dismissed. Yu led colleagues in a furious attack; Deqian was ordered to reside in Guangde Army. The capital prefect impeached his graft and royal pretensions; he was demoted to regiment commander and moved to Fuzhou; other charges were dropped. Draftsman Gao Wenhu asked for “supervised residence”; censors demanded he never benefit from amnesty—even special edicts must be protestable; the emperor agreed; Deqian died in disgrace.
26
關禮，高宗朝宦者。 淳熙末，積官至親衛大夫、保信軍承宣使。 孝宗頗親信之，後命提舉重華宮。
Guan Li was a eunuch of Gaozong’s reign. By late Chunxi he had risen to Imperial Guard Grandee and Commissioner of Baoxin Army. Xiaozong trusted him deeply and later made him superintendent of Chonghua Palace.
27
孝宗崩，光宗疾，不能執喪，樞密趙汝愚等請建儲以安人心，光宗禦批又有“念欲退閑”語，丞相留正懼，納祿去，人心愈搖。 汝愚遣戚裏韓侂胄因內侍張宗尹以禪位之議奏，太皇太後曰：“此豈可易言！ ”明日，汝愚再遣侂胄附宗尹以奏，未獲命而侂胄退，與禮遇，禮知其意，問之，侂胄不以告。 禮指天自誓不言，侂胄遂白其事，禮即入宮，泣告太后以時事可憂之狀，且曰：“留丞相已去，所恃者趙知院耳。 今欲定大計而無太皇太后之命，亦將去矣。 ”太后驚曰：“知院，同姓也，事體與他人異。 ”禮曰：“知院未去，恃有太后耳。 今有請不許，計無所出，亦惟有去而已。 知院去，天下將若何？ ”太后悟，遂命禮傳旨侂胄以諭汝愚，約明日太后垂簾上其事。 又明日，嘉王入行禫祭，汝愚即簾前進呈禦批，太后遂命王即皇帝位。 尋除禮入內內侍省都知，又差兼重華、慈福宮承受，充提舉皇城司，遷中侍大夫。
When Xiaozong died Guangzong was too ill to mourn; Zhao Ruyu and others urged establishing an heir; Guangzong’s rescript even spoke of “wishing to retire”; Chancellor Liu Zheng quit in fear and the realm shook. Ruyu sent his kinsman Han Tuozhou through eunuch Zhang Zongyin to propose abdication; the Grand Empress Dowager said, “How can such a thing be spoken of lightly! ” Next day Ruyu sent Tuozhou again through Zongyin; before an answer came Tuozhou met Li; Li sensed the plot and asked; Tuozhou would not tell. Li swore by Heaven he would keep silent; Tuozhou then confided; Li rushed in weeping to tell the empress dowager the realm was in peril: “Chancellor Liu is gone—we have only Director Zhao. Now he seeks to settle the succession, but without your command he will leave too. ” She cried in alarm, “Director Zhao shares our surname—his case is not ordinary. ” Li said, “He stays only because you remain. Deny him now and he has no course but withdrawal. If Zhao leaves, what becomes of the empire? ” She understood, ordered Li to tell Tuozhou to inform Ruyu, and set the morrow for a curtained audience. Next day Prince Jia entered for mourning rites; Ruyu presented the rescript before the curtain; the empress dowager had the prince take the throne at once. Li was made Inner Entering Director, receiver for Chonghua and Cifu palaces, superintendent of the Imperial City Office, and Palace Attendant Grandee.
28
禮不以功自居，乞致仕，不許； 乞免推恩，又不許。 南渡後，內侍可稱者惟邵成章與禮雲。
Li refused merit; he begged to retire—denied; he begged to decline favor extensions—also denied. After the flight south, only Shao Chengzhang and Li among eunuchs deserve praise.
29
董宋臣，理宗朝宦者。 淳祐中，以睿思殿祗候特轉橫行官。 寶祐三年，兼幹辦佑聖觀。 侍御史洪天錫劾之，不報，天錫坐左遷大理少卿。 開慶初，大元兵駐江上，京師大震。 宋臣讚帝遷幸寧海軍，簽判文天祥上疏乞誅宋臣，又不報。
Dong Songchen was a eunuch of Lizong’s reign. In Chunyou he was specially promoted from Ruosi Hall attendant to lateral rank. In Baoyou year 3 he also superintended Yousheng Abbey. Attendant Hong Tiansi impeached him; the memorial went unanswered; Tiansi was demoted to vice director of judicial review. At the opening of Kaiqing Great Yuan armies camped on the Yangtze; the capital panicked. Songchen urged the court to flee to Ninghai Army; signing clerk Wen Tianxiang begged for his execution—again ignored.
30
景定四年，自保康軍承宣使除入內內侍省押班，尋兼主管太廟、往來國信所，同提點內軍器庫、翰林院、編修敕令所、都大提舉諸司，提點顯應觀，主管景獻太子府事。 會天祥以著作佐郎兼獻景府教授，義不與宋臣聯事，上書求去，天祥出知瑞州。
In Jingding year 4 he rose from Commissioner of Baokang Army to Inner Entering Escort Leader, then simultaneously supervised the ancestral temple, credentials office, inner armory, Hanlin Academy, decree compilation, various grand superintendencies, Xianying Abbey, and the Jingxian Heir Apparent’s palace. Wen Tianxiang, professor of the Jingxian palace, refused to serve with him, resigned, and was sent out as prefect of Ruizhou.
31
言者論宋臣不置，帝曲為諭解庇之。 秘書少監湯漢上封事，亦言：“宋臣十餘年來聲焰薰灼，其力能去台諫、排大臣，至結凶渠以致大禍。 中外惶惑切齒，而陛下方為之辨明，大臣方為之和解，此過計也。 願收還押班等除命，不勝宗社之幸。 ”疏入，帝亦不之省。 六月，命主管御前馬院及酒庫。 既卒，帝猶命特轉節度使，其見寵愛如此。
Critics said Songchen should not hold office; the emperor excused and shielded him. Secretary Vice Director Tang Han wrote, “For more than ten years Songchen’s flame has scorched the court—he removes censors, expels ministers, even joins villains to bring disaster. Court and country gnash their teeth while Your Majesty explains away his crimes and ministers smooth them over—this is too indulgent. Withdraw his appointments—nothing would better secure the dynasty. ” The memorial was ignored. In the sixth month he was put in charge of the imperial horse office and wine warehouses. After his death the emperor still posthumously made him Military Commissioner—such was the favor he enjoyed.