1
世家五○北漢劉氏
Hereditary Houses, 5 — The Liu Clan of Northern Han
2
北漢劉繼元，并州太原人。 祖崇，漢祖之弟，漢初為太原尹、北京留守。 隱帝嗣位，周祖為樞密使，崇謂判官鄭珙曰：“吾與郭樞密素不協，朝廷幼弱，郭得誌，吾無類矣。 ”因泣下。 珙遂勸繕完甲兵，招集亡命，為自全計。 及聞隱帝遇害，崇欲率兵南向，會漢太后下令遣馮道詣徐州迎崇子贇為漢嗣，崇信之，謂賓佐曰：“吾兒為帝矣，復何慮哉？ ”少尹李驤曰：“知幾其神，時不可失。 揣郭公之心，必不以天下與人，不如領精騎疾度太行，控孟津，以觀其變，徐州位定，然後歸晉陽，即郭公不敢動矣。 ”崇大怒，罵曰：“腐儒敢離間我父子！ ”遽令左右曳出斬之。 驤曰：“仆負王佐才，今日為愚人畫計，死固甘心，但家有病妻，願同戮於市。 ”崇並殺之，表其事於太后，明無他誌。 俄周祖為眾所推，降封贇湘陰公。 崇遣使奉書周祖，乞贇歸藩。 使還，知贇已死，崇慟哭，為驤立祠。
Liu Jiyuan of the Northern Han state came from Taiyuan in Bingzhou. His grandfather Liu Chong was the Later Han founder's younger brother; in the early Han reign he was made Taiyuan governor and northern-capital commissioner. After Emperor Yinyou came to the throne, Guo Wei of Later Zhou held the post of Bureau of Military Affairs commissioner. Liu Chong told his registrar Zheng Xiong, "Guo and I have never gotten along. The throne is held by a boy. Once Guo has his way, my whole line is finished." As he said this, he broke down in tears. Xiong then urged him to put arms and armor in order, recruit outlaws and fugitives, and plan how to save himself. On hearing that Emperor Yinyou had been murdered, Chong prepared to march south with his army. Just then the Han empress dowager sent Feng Dao to Xuzhou to bring back Chong's son Yun as heir to the throne. Chong took this at face value and told his advisers, "My son is going to be emperor—what is left to fear?" Junior prefect Li Xiang said, "To read the moment is almost uncanny—and this moment will not wait." Read Guo Wei's mind and you will see he will never hand the empire to anyone else. Take your best horsemen, cross the Taihang fast, seize Mengjin, and watch how things unfold. Once the succession at Xuzhou is settled, return to Jinyang—then even Guo Wei will not dare touch you. Chong erupted in fury. "You spineless pedant," he shouted, "how dare you set father against son!" He had his men drag Xiang out at once and cut off his head. Xiang said, "I have the makings of a king's right hand. Today I gave advice to a fool, and I accept death—but my wife is ill at home. Let her be killed with me in the market square." Chong had them both killed, then reported the affair to the empress dowager to show he harbored no other ambition. Soon afterward Guo Wei was elevated by popular acclaim; Yun was reduced in rank and made Duke of Xiangyin. Chong sent envoys with a letter to Guo Wei, asking that Yun be sent back to his own territory. When the envoy came back, he learned Yun was already dead. Chong wept bitterly and built a shrine in Li Xiang's honor.
3
是夏，李筠以上黨叛，令判官囚監軍周光遜等送於鈞，稱臣求援。 鈞自至太平驛與筠會，遣其宣徽使盧讚將騎數千隨筠入寇，又遣其河陽節度範守圖援之。 及太祖親討，前軍石守信、高懷德破筠眾於澤州，獲守圖，殺鈞兵數千。 鈞之沙穀砦又為折德扆所破，斬首五百級。 九月，昭義李繼勳率師入鈞平遙，虜獲甚眾。 建隆二年冬，繼勳又敗鈞兵，斬首百餘級，獲其遼州刺史傅廷彥弟勳以獻。
That summer Li Yun rose in rebellion from Shangdang. His registrar imprisoned the army supervisors Zhou Guangxun and others and sent them to Liu Jun; Li Yun declared himself Jun's subject and asked for help. Jun went in person to Taiping Post to meet Li Yun. He sent his Palace Secretariat commissioner Lu Zan with several thousand cavalry to join Yun's raid, and dispatched his Heyang military governor Fan Shoutu as reinforcement. When Emperor Taizu marched in person, the vanguard under Shi Shouxin and Gao Huaide smashed Li Yun's army at Zezhou, took Fan Shoutu prisoner, and killed several thousand of Jun's men. Jun's Shagu stockade was overrun by Zhe Deyi as well, and five hundred heads were taken. In the ninth month Li Jixun of Zhaoyi marched into Jun's Pingyao and brought back a huge haul of captives and booty. In the winter of Jianlong 2, Jixun routed Jun's army again, took more than a hundred heads, and sent up Jun's Liaozhou prefect Fu Tingyan's younger brother Xun as a captive.
4
三年二月，鈞侵晉、潞二州，守將擊走之。 三月，太祖詔河東降人徙家於邢、洺，計口給粟。 四月，太原民四百七十人降。 七月，鈞捉生指揮使路貴等十一人降，並補內殿直。 四年八月，邢州王全贇率師攻樂平，鈞拱衛指揮使王超、散指揮使元威、侯霸榮率所部千八百人降全贇。 未幾，鈞侍衛都指揮使蔚進、馬軍都指揮使郝貴超與契丹悉兵來救樂平，三戰皆敗之。 遂下其城，詔建為平晉軍，以降兵為效順軍，賜以錢帛，靜陽十八砦遂相率來降。 九月，鈞復引契丹攻平晉軍，太祖遣洺州防禦使郭進、濮州防禦使張彥進、客省使曹彬、趙州刺史陳萬通將步騎萬餘救之，未至而鈞遁去。
In the second month of year 3, Jun raided Jin and Luzhou; the garrison commanders beat him back. In the third month Taizu ordered surrendered Hedong families resettled in Xingzhou and Mingzhou, with grain rationed by head count. In the fourth month four hundred and seventy Taiyuan civilians came over. In the seventh month eleven of Jun's men, including captive-taking commander Lu Gui, defected and were enrolled in the Inner Palace Direct Corps. In the eighth month of year 4, Wang Quanyi of Xingzhou attacked Leping. Jun's Palace Guard commander Wang Chao, scattered-guard commander Yuan Wei, and Hou Barong brought eighteen hundred of their men over to Quanyi. Soon Jun's palace guard commander Wei Jin, horse-army commander Hao Guichao, and the Khitans threw their full strength into relieving Leping—and lost three battles in a row. The city fell. An edict made it the Pingjin garrison; surrendered troops were organized as the Loyal Submission Army and rewarded with cash and cloth. Eighteen Jingyang stockades then surrendered in succession. In the ninth month Jun brought the Khitans back against Pingjin. Taizu sent Guo Jin of Mingzhou, Zhang Yanjin of Puzhou, guest-pavilion commissioner Cao Bin, and Zhao prefect Chen Wantong with over ten thousand foot and horse to the rescue—but Jun was gone before they arrived.
5
乾德二年二月，李繼勳與兵馬鈐轄康延沼、馬步軍都軍頭尹訓率兵攻遼州，鈞遣郝貴超來援，戰於城下，大敗。 刺史杜延韜危蹙，與拱衛都指揮使冀進、兵馬都監侯美籍部兵三千降於繼勳，賜延韜等襲衣、銀帶、器幣、鞍勒馬，其降兵以效順、懷恩為名。 是月，府州擒鈞衛州刺史楊璘以獻。 又鈞耀州團練使周審玉等四人降，賜審玉襲衣、金帶、絹千匹、銀五百兩、鞍勒馬，仍賜名承晉，以為左千牛衛大將軍、領汾州團練使。 四月，太祖遣馬軍都校劉光將兵戍潞，備鈞入侵。 五年三月，鈞招收指揮使閻章以石盆砦降鎮州。 四月，招收指揮使樊暉殺監軍成昭，以鴻唐砦降鎮州。 六年正月，偏成砦招收指揮使任恩等百五十人降晉州。 三月，鎮州守將攻破鈞馬鞍山砦。 七月，鈞烏玉砦主胡遇等百三十九人降鎮州。
In the second month of Qiande 2, Li Jixun, horse-and-army controller Kang Yanhao, and combined-forces commander Yin Xun attacked Liaozhou. Jun sent Hao Guichao to relieve the city; the battle below the walls ended in a rout. Prefect Du Yantao, cornered, surrendered to Jixun with Palace Guard commander Ji Jin and army supervisor Hou Mei and three thousand of their men. Yantao and his officers received court robes, silver belts, ritual gifts, and saddled horses; the surrendered troops were organized as the Loyal Submission and Cherishing Grace armies. That same month Fuzhou seized Jun's Weizhou prefect Yang Lin and sent him up as a captive. Four more of Jun's men, including Yaozhou militia commissioner Zhou Shenyu, defected. Shenyu received court robes, a gold belt, a thousand bolts of silk, five hundred taels of silver, and a saddled horse; he was renamed Chengjing and made a Left Palace Interior Service general while holding Fenzhou militia commissioner. In the fourth month Taizu posted cavalry commander Liu Guang at Luzhou to guard against Jun's raids. In the third month of year 5, Jun's recruitment commander Yan Zhang turned the Shipen stockade over to Zhenzhou. In the fourth month recruitment commander Fan Hui killed army supervisor Cheng Zhao and surrendered the Hongtang stockade to Zhenzhou. In the first month of year 6, recruitment commander Ren En and a hundred and fifty men from the Piancheng stockade went over to Jinzhou. In the third month Zhenzhou's garrison commander overran Jun's Ma'anshan stockade. In the seventh month Hu Yu, master of Jun's Wuyu stockade, and a hundred and thirty-nine others defected to Zhenzhou.
6
初，鈞自李筠敗，狼狽而歸，旦夕懼宋師之至。 以趙文度為相，召抱腹山人郭無為參議中書事，以五台山僧繼顒為鴻臚卿，參議國事。 因事誅段常，契丹主遣使責鈞曰：“爾不稟我命，其罪三：擅改年號，一也； 助李筠有所覬覦，二也； 殺段常，三也。 ”鈞皇恐曰：“父為子隱，願赦罪。 ”契丹不報。 自是使契丹者被留不遣。 終以勢力窘弱，憂憤成疾，是月卒，年四十三。 繼恩嗣位。
After Li Yun's defeat, Jun had fled home in disorder and lived in daily dread of a Song army arriving. He made Zhao Wendu chancellor, called in the recluse Guo Wuwei of Baofu Mountain to advise on Secretariat business, and named the Wutai monk Jiying director of diplomatic relations to counsel on state affairs. On a pretext he had Duan Chang executed. The Khitan ruler sent envoys to rebuke Jun: "You ignored my orders. Your crimes are three: changing the reign title on your own—that is the first; helping Li Yun in his ambitions—that is the second; and killing Duan Chang—that is the third." Jun answered in terror, "A father covers for his son—I beg you to pardon the offense." The Khitans did not answer. From then on every envoy sent to the Khitans was held and not allowed to return. His power worn down and his position desperate, worry and anger turned into illness; he died that month at forty-three. Ji'en succeeded him on the throne.
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初，太祖嚐因界上諜者謂鈞曰：“君家與周氏為世仇，宜其不屈，今我與爾無所間，何為困此一方人也？ 若有誌中國，宜下太行以決勝負。 ”鈞遣諜者復命曰：“河東土地甲兵不足以當中國，然鈞家世非叛者，區區守此，蓋懼漢氏之不血食也。 ”太祖哀其言，笑謂諜者曰：“為我語鈞，開爾一生路。 ”故終其世不加兵焉。
Earlier Taizu had once sent a message through a border spy: "Your house and the Zhou were hereditary enemies, so your refusal to submit is understandable. But you and I have no such feud—why make the people of this corner suffer?" If you mean to contend for the empire, come down from the Taihang and fight it out. Jun sent the spy back with this answer: "Hedong's territory and troops cannot stand against the empire, yet the Liu house has never been rebels. We cling to this corner only because we fear the Han line will have no one left to tend its sacrifices." Taizu was touched by the reply and told the spy with a smile, "Tell Jun for me: I am leaving him a way out." For that reason Taizu never sent troops against him for the rest of his life.
8
繼恩本姓薛。 父釗，娶崇女，晉初為護聖營卒。 漢祖典禁兵，以釗崇婿，釋其籍，館門下。 漢祖後領方鎮，爵位通顯，釗罕得見其妻，居常怏怏。 一日乘醉求見，即引佩刀刺妻，妻奮衣得脫，釗乃自剄。 繼恩時尚幼，漢祖令鈞養為子，遂冒姓劉。
Ji'en had originally borne the surname Xue. His father Xue Zhao married Chong's daughter and, in the early Jin years, served as a soldier in the Imperial Guard camp. When the Later Han founder took command of the palace guard, he freed Zhao from the rolls as Chong's son-in-law and housed him at his residence. Later, as the Han founder rose to a frontier command and high rank, Zhao seldom saw his wife and brooded in resentment. One day he came drunk to demand an audience, drew his belt knife, and lunged at his wife; she tore free of her robe and fled, and Zhao cut his own throat. Ji'en was still a child; the Han founder had Jun adopt him, and he took the Liu surname.
9
八月，太祖詔伐繼恩。 以內客省使盧懷忠等二十二人將禁兵赴潞州，昭義節度李繼勳為行營前軍都部署，侍衛步軍都指揮使黨進副之，宣徽南院使曹彬為都監； 棣州防禦使何繼筠為前鋒部署，懷州防禦使康延沼為都監； 建雄軍節度趙讚為汾州路部署，絳州防禦使司超副之，隰州刺史李謙溥為都監。 九月，繼勳敗繼恩軍於洞渦河，其左勝軍使李瓊來降，賜襲衣、金帶、鞍勒馬。
In the eighth month Taizu ordered a campaign against Ji'en. Inner Reception commissioner Lu Huaizhong and twenty-one others led the palace troops to Luzhou. Li Jixun of Zhaoyi was named forward-army commander of the field headquarters; palace infantry commander Dang Jin served as his deputy; Southern Bureau Secretariat commissioner Cao Bin was overall supervisor; Dizhou defender He Jiyun was vanguard commander and Huaizhou defender Kang Yanhao supervisor; Jianxiong Army military governor Zhao Zan commanded the Fenzhou route, Jiangzhou defender Si Chao was his deputy, and Yinzhou prefect Li Qianpu was route supervisor. In the ninth month Jixun routed Ji'en's army at the Dongwo River. Ji'en's Left Victory Army commissioner Li Qiong defected and received court robes, a gold belt, and a saddled horse.
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初，鈞謂郭無為曰：“繼恩庸懦，何堪付後事？ ”無為亦以為然。 至是繼恩獨處一室行喪，左右親信皆在太原，無得從者。 或勸召之，繼恩猶豫不決。 有侯霸榮者，邢州龍岡人。 多力善射，走及奔馬，嚐為盜並、汾間，鈞用為散指揮使，戍樂平。 建隆中，率所部來歸，補內殿直。 未幾，復奔太原，鈞署供奉官。 至是謀持繼恩首獻太祖，遂乘繼恩無備，白晝挺刃而入，反扃其門，繼恩繞屏環走，霸榮以刃揕胸弑之，年三十四，時立六十日矣。 無為遣卒登梯入，殺霸榮，立其弟繼元。
Earlier Jun had told Guo Wuwei, "Ji'en is mediocre and timid—how can the succession be left to him?" Wuwei had agreed. By then Ji'en was keeping solitary mourning in one room; his trusted attendants were all in Taiyuan, and none were with him. Some urged him to summon them, but Ji'en wavered and could not make up his mind. There was a man named Hou Barong from Longgang in Xingzhou. Powerful and a fine archer, he could keep pace with a galloping horse. He had once robbed along the Bing-Fen corridor; Jun made him scattered-guard commander and posted him at Leping. During the Jianlong reign he brought his unit over and was enrolled in the Inner Palace Direct Corps. Before long he fled back to Taiyuan, and Jun made him a palace attendant. He now plotted to kill Ji'en and present his head to Taizu. Finding Ji'en off guard in broad daylight, he burst in with drawn blade and barred the door behind him. Ji'en fled around the screens; Barong drove the blade into his chest and killed him. Ji'en was thirty-four and had ruled only sixty days. Wuwei sent men up a ladder, killed Barong, and enthroned Ji'en's younger brother Jiyuan.
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繼元本姓何。 初，薛釗死，崇以女再妻何氏，生繼元。 何死，鈞亦養繼元為子。 繼元既襲位，改元廣運，復結契丹為援。 開寶二年春，太祖詔李繼勳、趙讚、郭進、司超等將兵先赴太原，太祖遂親征。 以繼元太穀令梁文陟為太子洗馬，祁令張續為右讚善大夫。 太祖將至，繼勳敗繼元兵於城下，其憲州推官史昭文以州來降，升本州刺史。 乃壅汾水灌其城，又遣海州刺史孫方進圍汾州。 繼元方恃契丹為援，守陴者揚言旦夕契丹至。 四月，何繼筠敗契丹於陽曲北。 太祖命以所獲首級、鎧甲示於城下，城中由是喪氣，知嵐州趙文度遂來降。 閏五月，南城為汾水陷，水注城中，太祖幸長堤觀焉。 登望樓者見繼元殺其相郭無為，城中紛擾。 俄而城兵自西長連城出，將焚攻戰具，反為攻兵擊走之，斬首萬餘級。 夜半，傳呼壁外繼元降，太祖令衛士擐甲，將開壁門，八作使趙遂曰：“受降如受敵，詎可中夜輕出？ ”太祖使伺之，果諜者也。
Jiyuan had originally borne the surname He. After Xue Zhao's death, Chong gave his daughter in marriage again to a man of the He clan, and Jiyuan was born. When the He father died, Jun adopted Jiyuan as his son as well. After Jiyuan took the throne he proclaimed the Guangyun era and renewed the Khitan alliance. In the spring of Kaibao 2, Taizu ordered Li Jixun, Zhao Zan, Guo Jin, Si Chao, and others to march on Taiyuan ahead of him, then set out on campaign himself. Jiyuan named his Taigu magistrate Liang Wenzhi groom of the heir apparent and his Qi magistrate Zhang Xu right aide to the heir. As Taizu approached, Jixun routed Jiyuan's army below the walls. Jiyuan's Xianzhou registrar Shi Zhaowen surrendered the prefecture and was made its prefect. The Song forces dammed the Fen River to flood the city and sent Haizhou prefect Sun Fangjin to besiege Fenzhou. Jiyuan still counted on Khitan help, and the men on the walls shouted that the Khitans would arrive any day now. In the fourth month He Jiyun routed the Khitans north of Yangqu. Taizu had the captured heads and armor displayed below the walls. Morale in the city collapsed, and Jiyuan learned that his Lanzhou commander Zhao Wendu had defected. In the intercalary fifth month the southern wall gave way to the Fen flood and water poured into the city. Taizu went to the long embankment to watch. Men on the watchtower saw Jiyuan kill his chancellor Guo Wuwei, and the city erupted in turmoil. Soon garrison troops sallied from the western long wall to burn the siege engines; the besiegers beat them back and took more than ten thousand heads. At midnight voices outside the ramparts shouted that Jiyuan was surrendering. Taizu ordered his guards to arm and was about to open the gate when Works commissioner Zhao Sui said, "Taking a surrender is like taking an enemy—how can you go out lightly in the dead of night?" Taizu sent men to investigate; they were spies after all.
12
太常博士李光讚上言曰：“陛下應天順人，體元禦極，戰無不勝，謀無不臧，四方恃險之邦，僭竊帝王之號者，昔日與中國為鄰，今日與陛下為臣。 蕞爾晉陽，豈須親討，重勞飛免，久駐師徒。 且太原得之未必為多，失之未足為辱。 今時屬炎蒸，候當暑雨，倘河津泛溢，道路阻艱，輦運稽留，恐勞宸慮。 ”太祖覽奏甚喜，命宰相趙普撫諭諸將欲班師。 禁軍校趙翰等叩頭願乘城急擊，以盡死力，太祖曰：“汝曹我所訓練，無不一當百，以備肘腋、同休戚也。 我寧不取太原，豈忍驅汝曹冒鋒鏑而蹈必死之地乎？ ”士皆感泣，遂班師。
Erudite of the Imperial Ancestral Temple Li Guangzan submitted a memorial: "Your Majesty answers Heaven and follows the people's will, embodies the primal order and holds the throne. In battle you never lose; in counsel you never fail. Every corner of the realm that once leaned on mountains and rivers to steal an imperial title—yesterday they neighbored the empire, today they are Your Majesty's subjects." This puny Jinyang hardly needs Your Majesty in person—why weary the swift steed and keep the army standing so long? Besides, taking Taiyuan would add little; failing to take it would hardly be a disgrace. The season is scorching and summer rains are due. If the river crossings flood and the roads become impassable, supply trains will stall and Your Majesty's peace of mind will suffer. Taizu read the memorial with delight and told chancellor Zhao Pu to reassure the generals that the army would withdraw. Palace guard officers Zhao Han and others kowtowed, begging to storm the walls at once and give their last measure of strength. Taizu said, "You are men I trained myself—each of you is worth a hundred—and I keep you at my side to share fortune and ruin." I would rather leave Taiyuan untaken than drive you into blades and arrows and certain death. The men wept at his words, and the army withdrew.
13
太平興國二年，繼元胡桃砦指揮使史溫等以其民內附。 太宗謂齊王廷美曰：“太原，我必取之。 ”四年，始議討伐，曹彬以為可，太宗意遂決，語在《彬傳》。 宰相薛居正曰：“昔周世宗舉兵，太原倚契丹之援，堅壁不戰，以至師老而歸。 及太祖破契丹於雁門關南，盡驅其民分布河、洛之間，雖巢穴尚存，而危困已甚，得之不足以辟土，舍之不足以為患，願陛下熟慮之。 ”太宗曰：“今者事同而勢異，彼弱而我強。 昔先皇破契丹，徙其人而空其地者，正為今日事也。 朕計決矣，卿勿復言。 ”遂遣宣徽南院使潘美等率諸將分兵圍汾、沁、嵐諸州，車駕遂親征，以驍將郭進扼石嶺關，斷契丹援路。 契丹果至，進擊敗之。
In Taiping Xingguo 2, Jiyuan's Hetao stockade commander Shi Wen and others led their people to defect to the Song. Taizong told the Prince of Qi, Tingmei, "Taiyuan—I will take it." In year 4 the court began debating an expedition. Cao Bin said it could be done, and Taizong made up his mind; the fuller account is in Cao Bin's biography. Chancellor Xue Juzheng said, "When Emperor Shizong of Zhou campaigned, Taiyuan leaned on Khitan help, shut itself behind its walls, and refused battle until the army wore out and withdrew." After Taizu routed the Khitans south of Yanmen Pass, he drove out the local population and resettled them between the Yellow River valley and Luoyang. Their stronghold remained, but they were already desperate. Taking Taiyuan would not widen the empire; leaving it would not breed a real threat. I urge Your Majesty to weigh this carefully. Taizong replied, "The task is the same as before, but the balance of power has shifted—they are weak and we are strong." When our late emperor broke the Khitans and resettled their people to depopulate the region, he was preparing for exactly this day. My mind is made up—say no more. He sent Pan Mei, commissioner of the Southern Bureau of the Palace Secretariat, and others to lead the generals in dividing their forces to besiege Fen, Qin, Lan, and the other prefectures. The emperor then took the field in person and placed Guo Jin at Shiling Pass to block the Khitan relief route. The Khitans came as expected; Guo Jin struck and routed them.
14
初，繼元遣子續質於契丹，契丹為進所敗。 繼元又遣健步間道齎蠟丸帛書求救，進又得之，徇於城下。 繼元外援不至，餉道又絕，潘美等兵數十萬長圍四合，自春徂夏，矢石如雨，晝夜不息，城中大懼。 會太宗奄至，親督衛士急攻，人百其勇，城無完堞。 太宗慮城陷則殺傷者眾，以手詔諭繼元降，詔至城下，守陴者不納，繼元不能知。 太宗躬擐甲胄，夜至長連城督諸將攻之，控弦之士數萬列陣於前，蹲甲交射，矢集城上如蝟毛，每給矢必數百萬，頃之鹹盡。 捕得城中人雲，繼元以十錢購一矢，凡聚百餘萬，太宗笑曰：“此為我畜也。”
Earlier Jiyuan had sent his son Xu to the Khitans as a hostage. The Khitans were then defeated by Guo Jin. Jiyuan again sent swift couriers by hidden routes with wax-sealed silk appeals for help. Guo Jin captured these too and paraded them beneath the walls. Outside help never came and the supply lines were severed. Pan Mei and the others, with several hundred thousand men, tightened a long siege on every side. From spring into summer arrows and stones rained down without pause, day or night, and terror gripped the city. Taizong arrived unexpectedly and personally drove the palace guards in a furious assault. Each man fought as if he were a hundred, and no stretch of wall was left intact. Taizong feared massive casualties if the city fell by storm. He sent a personal edict urging Jiyuan to surrender, but when it was brought to the foot of the walls the defenders on the battlements refused to take it in, and Jiyuan never learned of it. Taizong donned armor himself and came by night to the long linked siege works to direct the generals' assault. Tens of thousands of archers formed up before the walls and, armored and crouched, traded volleys until arrows bristled on the ramparts like hedgehog quills. Each resupply ran to millions of shafts—and in moments they were all gone. Prisoners from the city said Jiyuan was paying ten cash per arrow and had stockpiled more than a million. Taizong laughed and said, "So he was hoarding them for me."
15
五月庚辰，繼元宣徽使範超來降，攻城者以超為出戰，禽而戮之。 繼元遂斬超妻子，投其首城外。 壬午，馬軍都指揮使郭萬超逾城降，繼元帳下親信因之漸亡去，城中危急。 太宗又自草詔諭之曰：“越王、吳主獻地歸朝，或授以大藩，或列於上將，臣僚、子弟皆享官封。 繼元但速降，必保終始富貴，安危兩途，爾宜自擇。 ”至是詔入，諸將銳攻不可遏，太宗臨之，恐城陷害民，麾眾少退。 是夕，繼元遣其客省使李勳奉表請降，太宗賜勳襲衣、金帶、銀器、錦彩、銀鞍勒馬，復遣通事舍人薛文寶齎詔答之。 夜漏未盡，太宗幸城北，張樂宴從臣於城台，繼元降。 遲明，繼元率官屬縞衣紗帽待罪台下，詔釋之，賜襲衣、玉帶、金銀鞍勒馬三匹、金器五百兩、銀器五千兩、錦彩二千段，文武官各賜衣、金銀帶、器幣、鞍勒馬有差。 召升台，繼元叩頭言：“臣聞車駕親征，即願束身歸罪，蓋亡命者懼死，逼臣不得降爾。 ”太宗籍軍中亡投繼元者數百人，選其巨室者以從軍法，餘賜服及錢帛，分隸諸將。 詔授繼元特進、檢校太師、右衛上將軍，封彭城郡公，館於行在所，給賜甚厚。 其相李惲等授官有差，命中使康仁寶監之。 繼元獻其宮妓百餘，悉分賜立功將校。 又令仁寶護繼元親屬百餘赴京，所過續食，賜京城甲第一區，歲時優加頒賚。 六年，加開府儀同三司。 雍熙三年，建房州為保康軍，以繼元為節度。
On the gengchen day of the fifth month, Jiyuan's commissioner Fan Chao came over to surrender. The attackers mistook him for a sortie and seized and executed him. Jiyuan then had Chao's wife and children executed and their heads thrown outside the walls. On the renwu day, Guo Wanchao, commander of the Horse Army, climbed over the walls and surrendered. Jiyuan's trusted followers gradually deserted, and the city reached a crisis. Taizong again drafted an edict himself, saying, "The King of Yue and the Lord of Wu surrendered their lands and came back to court—one was given a great fief, the other was made a top general; their ministers, retainers, and sons all received offices and titles." Jiyuan, surrender at once and your wealth and rank are secure for life. Safety and ruin lie before you—choose for yourself. When the edict reached the city, the generals' furious assault could not be checked. Taizong came forward in person, fearing the fall of the city would harm the people, and signaled the troops to pull back a little. That evening Jiyuan sent his reception commissioner Li Xun with a memorial asking to surrender. Taizong rewarded Xun with formal robes, a gold belt, silver vessels, brocades, and a horse with silver saddle and bridle, and sent interpreter gentleman Xue Wenbao back with an edict in reply. Before the night watch had run its course, Taizong went to the north side of the city, set out music, and feasted his attending ministers on the city tower; Jiyuan surrendered. At first light Jiyuan led his officials in white mourning dress and gauze caps to await judgment below the tower. An edict pardoned him and granted formal robes, a jade belt, three horses with gold and silver saddles and bridles, five hundred liang of gold vessels, five thousand liang of silver vessels, and two thousand bolts of brocade. Civil and military officials each received robes, gold and silver belts, ritual gifts, and saddled horses according to rank. He was summoned up to the tower. Jiyuan kowtowed and said, "When I heard Your Majesty had come in person, I wanted at once to surrender and accept punishment. It was only deserters, afraid for their lives, who forced me to hold out." Taizong registered several hundred soldiers who had deserted to Jiyuan, selected the ringleaders for punishment under military law, gave the rest clothing and cash and silk, and assigned them to the various generals. An edict made Jiyuan Special Advancement, Acting Grand Preceptor, and General-in-Chief of the Right Guard, enfeoffed him as Duke of Pengcheng commandery, lodged him at the imperial camp, and lavished gifts upon him. His chancellor Li Yun and others were given offices according to rank, and palace envoy Kang Renbao was ordered to supervise them. Jiyuan presented more than a hundred palace entertainers, and all were distributed as rewards to officers who had distinguished themselves. He also ordered Renbao to escort more than a hundred of Jiyuan's relatives to the capital, with provisions supplied along the way, granted them a finest residence in the capital, and added extra gifts on festive occasions each year. In the sixth year he was promoted to Grandee with Heats and Equipage Equal to the Three Dukes. In the third year of Yongxi, Fang Prefecture was made the Baokang Army, with Jiyuan as its military governor.
16
淳化二年，繼元疾，遣中使護醫診視，及卒，遺奏以其子三豬為托，太宗惻然哀之，贈中書令，追封彭城郡王，賵賻加等，葬事官給。 時三豬六歲，賜名守節，授西京作坊副使，家居賜祿。
In the second year of Chunhua Jiyuan fell ill, and palace envoys were sent with physicians to attend him. When he died, his final memorial entrusted his son Sanzhu to the emperor's care. Taizong was deeply moved and mourned him, posthumously made him chief minister of the Secretariat and Prince of Pengcheng commandery, granted enhanced funeral gifts, and had the burial expenses paid by the state. Sanzhu was then six years old. He was granted the name Shoujie, appointed vice commissioner of the Western Capital Workshops, and given a salary while living at home.
17
繼元性殘忍，在太原，凡臣下有忤意，必族其家。 自太祖親征及遣將攻伐，因之殺傷不可勝紀。 及窮蹙始降，太宗待遇終保全之，嚐謂近臣曰：“晉司馬昭以劉禪思蜀之對，戲之雲‘何乃似卻正之言’，此不仁之甚也。 亡國之君皆暗懦所致，苟有遠識，豈至滅亡？ 此可湣傷，何反戲侮乎？ 劉繼元朕所虜者，待之若賓客，猶恐不慰其意爾。”
Jiyuan was cruel by nature. While in Taiyuan, whenever a subordinate displeased him, he exterminated the whole clan. From Taizu's personal campaigns and the generals he sent to attack, the dead and wounded were beyond counting. Only when he was driven to the wall did he surrender, yet Taizong treated him generously and preserved him to the end. He once told his close officials, "When Sima Zhao of Jin heard Liu Shan's reply about missing Shu, he mocked him, saying, 'How like something Que Zheng would say'—that was the height of inhumanity." The rulers of fallen states are undone by blindness and cowardice. Had they possessed far-sighted judgment, how would they have come to ruin? Such men deserve pity and sorrow—why turn around and mock them instead? Liu Jiyuan is a man I took captive, yet I treat him as an honored guest—and still I fear it may not be enough to ease his mind.
18
守節後為崇儀使，改右屯衛將軍。 天禧四年，特遷右武衛將軍，改右驍衛將軍。
Later Shoujie became commissioner of the Imposing Ceremonial and was transferred to general of the Right Garrison Guard. In the fourth year of Tianxi he was specially promoted to general of the Right Martial Guard and transferred to general of the Right Valiant Cavalry Guard.
19
衛融字明遠，青州博興人。 晉天福初舉進士，調南樂主簿，曆齊澶二州從事、忠武軍掌書記。 漢初，為太原觀察支使，劉崇稱帝，授中書侍郎、平章事。
Wei Rong, styled Mingyuan, was a native of Boxing in Qingzhou. At the beginning of the Later Jin Tianfu era he passed the jinshi examination, was appointed registrar of Nanle, and served successively as staff officer in Qi and Cao prefectures and as secretary of the Zhongwu Army. At the beginning of the Han reign he was support envoy of the Taiyuan Observation Commission. When Liu Chong declared himself emperor, he was made vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor.
20
太祖立，李筠據上黨，遣使降劉鈞，鈞自將兵至太平驛與筠會，遣宣徽使盧讚入潞州監筠軍。 讚與筠不協，鈞遣融和解之。 會筠敗，融被擒，太祖責之曰：“汝何故勸劉鈞舉兵助李筠反耶？ ”融曰：“犬吠非其主，臣四十口受劉氏豐衣美食，不忍負之。 陛下縱不殺臣，臣亦不為陛下用，終當間道走河東爾。 ”太祖怒，令左右以鐵撾擊其首，曳出將戮之。 融大呼曰：“大丈夫死或重於泰山，或輕於鴻毛，今之死正得其所爾。 ”太祖聞之曰：“此忠臣也。 ”遽命釋之，召坐御前，以良藥傅其創，賜襲衣、金帶、鞍勒馬。 既而欲放融歸，令融先為書諭鈞，言俟周光遜等歸朝，即遣融去。 鈞得書久無報，乃授融太府卿，賜第京城。 乾德初，郊祀，融獻《郊禋大體賦》，改司農卿，出知陳、舒、黃三州。 開寶六年，卒，年六十九。
When Taizu established the throne, Li Yun held Shangdang and sent envoys to submit to Liu Jun. Jun personally led troops to Taiping Post to meet Yun and dispatched palace secretariat commissioner Lu Zan into Luzhou to supervise Yun's army. Zan and Yun did not get along; Jun sent Rong to mediate between them. When Yun was defeated, Rong was taken prisoner. Taizu rebuked him: "Why did you urge Liu Jun to raise troops and help Li Yun rebel?" Rong said, "A dog barks at strangers. My household of forty mouths has been clothed and fed by the Liu house—I cannot betray them." Even if Your Majesty spares me, I will not serve you—I will find a secret way back to Hedong in the end. Taizu flew into a rage and ordered his attendants to beat Rong's head with an iron mace, drag him out, and put him to death. Rong shouted, "For a great man death may weigh heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a goose feather—today I die exactly where I ought." Taizu heard this and said, "This is a loyal minister." He ordered him released at once, had him sit before the throne, applied good medicine to his wounds, and gave him formal robes, a gold belt, and a saddled horse. Later he wished to send Rong home and had Rong write first to Jun, saying that once Zhou Guangxun and the others returned to court, Rong would be sent back. Jun received the letter but for a long time gave no answer; Rong was then made director of the Grand Storehouse and given a residence in the capital. At the beginning of Qiande, at the suburban sacrifice, Rong presented his Rhapsody on the Great Substance of the Suburban Sacrifice and was made director of agriculture; he then governed Chen, Shu, and Huang prefectures in succession. In the sixth year of Kaibao he died at sixty-nine.
21
子偁、儔，孫齊，並進士及第。
His sons Cheng and Chou and his grandson Qi all passed the jinshi examination.
22
趙文度，薊州漁陽人。 父玉嚐客滄州，依節度判官呂兗。 劉守光破滄州，收兗親屬盡戮之，兗子琦年十四，玉負之以逃，至太原，變姓名，丐衣食以給琦，琦後唐同光初為藩郡從事。 當是時，燕、趙之士，以玉能存呂氏之孤，翕然稱之。 明宗朝，琦至職方員外郎知雜。 清泰中，琦為給事中、端明殿學士，玉已卒矣。
Zhao Wendu was a native of Yuyang in Jizhou. His father Yu had once been a guest in Cangzhou and relied on the military governor's registrar Lu Yan. When Liu Shouguang overran Cangzhou he seized all of Yan's kin and killed them. Yan's son Qi was fourteen; Yu carried him on his back to Taiyuan, changed their names, and begged food and clothing to support him. In the early Later Tang Tongguang era Qi became a staff officer in a frontier command. At that time men of Yan and Zhao all praised Yu for having saved the orphan of the Lu clan. Under Emperor Mingzong, Qi rose to vice director of the Bureau of Works with charge of miscellaneous affairs. During the Qingtai reign Qi was attendant gentleman and academician of the Duanming Hall; Yu had already died.
23
文度入洛舉進士，琦薦於主司馬裔孫，擢甲科，曆徐、兗、陳、許四鎮從事。 漢初，為河東掌書記。 文度捷給善戲謔，劉崇雅愛之，及稱帝，累官至翰林承旨、兵部尚書。 天會四年，授中書侍郎、平章事，轉門下侍郎兼樞密使，加司徒。 久之，與郭無為不協，出知汾州，徙嵐州。
Wendu went to Luoyang and passed the jinshi examination. Qi recommended him to chief examiner Ma Yisun, and he was placed in the top class. He then served as staff officer in the Xu, Yan, Chen, and Xu commands in turn. At the beginning of the Han reign he was secretary of Hedong. Wendu was quick-witted and fond of witty banter; Liu Chong was fond of him, and when Chong declared himself emperor Wendu rose to Hanlin academician-in-chief and minister of war. In the fourth year of Tianhui he was made vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor, then vice director of the Chancellery with concurrent military affairs commissioner, and promoted to minister of education. After a time he fell out with Guo Wuwei, was sent out to govern Fenzhou, and was then transferred to Lanzhou.
24
太祖開寶二年親征晉陽，遣偏師圍嵐。 文度危蹙請降，待罪行宮，太祖命釋之，賜襲衣、玉帶、金鞍勒馬、器幣甚厚，其官屬賜物有差。 文度本名弘，以犯宣祖廟諱，賜今名。 師還，授檢校太傅、安國軍節度，歲餘徙華州，不宣製而告敕同宣製之例。 又徙耀州，凡曆三鎮。 七年，卒，年六十一。
In Kaibao 2 Taizu campaigned in person against Jinyang and sent a detached column to besiege Lanzhou. Cornered, Wendu asked to surrender and awaited judgment at the imperial camp. Taizu ordered him released and gave him formal robes, a jade belt, a gold saddle and bridle, and generous ritual gifts; his officials received rewards according to rank. Wendu's original name was Hong; because it violated the taboo name of Founder Xuanzu's temple, he was granted his present name. When the army returned he was made acting grand preceptor and military governor of the Anguo Army. After more than a year he was transferred to Huazhou; no public proclamation was issued, but his appointment edict followed the precedent used for proclaimed appointments. He was then transferred to Yaozhou, holding three commands in all. In the seventh year he died at sixty-one.
25
文度善為詩，人多諷誦，有《觀光集》。 文度之降也，其母在太原，世以不能死節罪之。 子昌圖，至內殿崇班、閣門祗候。
Wendu was skilled at poetry, and many people recited his verses; he left a collection entitled Sightseeing. When Wendu surrendered, his mother was still in Taiyuan, and later ages blamed him for failing to die rather than submit. His son Changtu rose to inner palace honored company and gatehouse attendant.
26
李惲字孟深，開封陽武人。 漢乾祐中舉進士，客遊嵐州。 會劉崇自立，署州從事，擢知制誥、翰林學士，累至司空、平章事。 時母在鄉里，惲不知存亡，居常戚戚，但以弈棋沈飲為務，政事多廢。 劉繼元頻以為言，惲不介意。 後方與僧弈棋，繼元命近侍直抵惲前，取局焚之。 惲怡然，徐詣繼元謝，繼元因切責之，明日別造新局，弈棋如故。 太宗克太原，為殿中監，始知母亡，表求追服母喪，不許。 出知廣州，遷司農卿，連知許、孟二州。 以足疾求解，授忠武軍行軍司馬。 端拱元年，卒，年七十三。
Li Yun, styled Mengshen, was a native of Yangwu in Kaifeng. During the Later Han Qianyou era he passed the jinshi examination and traveled as a guest in Lanzhou. When Liu Chong declared himself independent, Yun was made prefectural staff officer, then promoted to edict drafter and Hanlin academician, and eventually rose to minister of works and grand councillor. His mother was still in the countryside, and Yun did not know whether she was alive or dead. He brooded constantly, devoting himself only to chess and heavy drinking while state affairs were largely neglected. Liu Jiyuan often complained of this, but Yun paid no heed. Once, while he was playing chess with a monk, Jiyuan ordered a close attendant to go straight to Yun, seize the board, and burn it. Yun remained unruffled, went slowly to Jiyuan to apologize, and Jiyuan sternly rebuked him. The next day Yun had a new board made and played chess as before. When Taizong took Taiyuan, Yun was made director of the palace directorate and only then learned his mother had died. He submitted a memorial asking to observe mourning for her belatedly, but permission was refused. He was sent out to govern Guangzhou, was made director of agriculture, and then governed Xu and Meng prefectures in succession. Because of a foot ailment he asked to be relieved of office and was appointed campaigning marshal of the Zhongwu Army. In the first year of Duangong he died at seventy-three.
27
惲性疏達，善談名理。 年少時好滑稽，及為相，頗事持重。 初與王溥、李昉同年登第，太原平，相見敘舊，情好益固，論者美之。 子存誠，駕部員外郎； 存信，左侍禁、閣門祗候。
Yun was open and expansive by nature and skilled in discussing philosophical principles. In his youth he loved witty humor; once he became chancellor he became quite deliberate and weighty in manner. He had first passed the examination in the same year as Wang Pu and Li Fang. When Taiyuan fell they met again and renewed old ties, and their friendship grew firmer—commentators praised this. His son Cuncheng was vice director of the Bureau of Imperial Transport; Cunxin was left palace attendant and gatehouse attendant.
28
馬峰，并州太原人。 仕劉繼元至樞密使、左仆射致仕。 太原平，太宗以為將作監，遷太府卿，分司西京。 峰善服餌養生，體強無疾，性鄙吝，頗好持論。 雍熙元年，卒，年八十餘。
Ma Feng was a native of Taiyuan in Bingzhou. He served Liu Jiyuan until he rose to military affairs commissioner and retired as left vice director of the Department of State Affairs. After Taiyuan fell, Taizong made him director of palace construction, then director of the grand storehouse, with a post in the Western Capital. Feng was skilled in diet and medicine for longevity; he remained strong and healthy, but he was mean and stingy by nature and rather fond of argument. In the first year of Yongxi he died at over eighty.
29
郭無為，青州千乘人。 少博學有辭辯，為道士，隱武當山。 漢乾祐中，周祖征河中，無為杖策謁於軍門，周祖一見大奇之，將留館門下。 左右曰：“無為縱橫家流，今公握重兵，不宜親之。 ”無為遂拂衣去，隱太原抱腹山。
Guo Wuwei was a native of Qiansheng in Qingzhou. In youth he was widely learned and eloquent; he became a Daoist priest and lived in seclusion on Mount Wudang. During the Later Han Qianyou era, when Guo Wei campaigned in the Hezhong region, Wuwei came staff in hand to the army gate. Guo Wei was greatly impressed at first sight and was about to keep him at his residence. His advisers said, "Wuwei is a coalition strategist. You now command a great army—it is not wise to draw close to him." Wuwei shook out his robe and left, living in seclusion on Baofu Mountain near Taiyuan.
30
會劉鈞將兵援李筠，將發太原，其大臣趙華諫曰：“筠舉動輕易，今起兵應之，未見其可。 ”鈞怒不顧，遂行。 及筠敗，鈞狼狽而歸，由是重文學之士。 且日夕懼宋師至，頗求有智謀者與之計事。 段常薦無為於鈞，鈞以諫議大夫召之。 及至，與語大悅，尋遷吏部侍郎、參議中書事。 與趙文度同秉政，意好不協，鈞乃出文度知汾州。 俄誅段常，遂以無為為左仆射、平章事兼樞密使，機務一以委之。 鈞嚐病，與無為語及後事，謂其子繼恩不才，無為亦言其然。 繼恩既立，知其事，欲誅無為，畏懦不能決。 月餘，侯霸榮弑繼恩，無為使人殺霸榮，並人疑無為初授意於霸榮，後殺之以滅口也。
When Liu Jun was preparing to lead troops from Taiyuan to aid Li Yun, his minister Zhao Hua remonstrated, "Yun acts rashly. To raise an army for him now—I see no way this can succeed." Jun flew into a rage, ignored the advice, and marched out. When Yun was defeated, Jun fled home in disorder and from then on valued men of literary learning. He also lived in daily dread of Song armies arriving and eagerly sought men of wisdom and strategy to plan with him. Duan Chang recommended Wuwei to Jun, and Jun summoned him as remonstrance grandee. When he arrived, Jun was delighted in conversation with him and soon made him vice director of the Ministry of Personnel and a deliberator on Secretariat affairs. He shared power with Zhao Wendu, but they did not get along; Jun sent Wendu out to govern Fenzhou. Soon Duan Chang was executed, and Wuwei was made left vice director of the Department of State Affairs, grand councillor, and concurrent military affairs commissioner; all critical business was entrusted to him alone. Once when Jun was ill he spoke with Wuwei about the succession, saying his son Ji'en lacked talent; Wuwei agreed. After Ji'en took the throne he learned of this and wanted to kill Wuwei, but fear and timidity kept him from deciding. A month later Hou Barong assassinated Ji'en. Wuwei sent men to kill Barong, and people in Bingzhou suspected Wuwei had first set Barong on and then killed him to silence him.
31
繼元立，太祖遣李繼勳等討之，仍詔許繼元以青州節度、無為邢州節度，無為得詔色動。 一日，繼元宴群臣，契丹使亦在焉，無為慟哭於庭曰：“今日以空城抗大軍，計將安出？ ”引佩刀欲自刺，繼元遽降階持其手，引無為升坐，蓋無為欲以動眾心也。 及太祖親征，長圍既合，無為請自將兵夜出擊圍，欲自拔來歸，值天陰晦而止。 閹人衛德貴告其事。 會太祖壅汾水浸城，城中人情大懼，繼元乃殺無為以徇。
When Jiyuan took the throne, Taizu sent Li Jixun and others against him and also issued an edict promising Jiyuan the Qingzhou command and Wuwei the Xingzhou command. When Wuwei received the edict his face changed. One day Jiyuan feasted his ministers with the Khitan envoy present. Wuwei wailed in the courtyard, "Today we hold an empty city against a great army—what plan is left?" He drew his belt knife to stab himself. Jiyuan rushed down the steps, seized his hand, and led him back to his seat—presumably to stir the hearts of those present. When Taizu campaigned in person and the long siege closed in, Wuwei asked to lead a night sortie against the encirclement, intending to break out and defect. Dark weather made him abandon the plan. The eunuch Wei Degui reported the affair. When Taizu dammed the Fen River and flooded the city, terror spread through the garrison. Jiyuan then executed Wuwei and displayed his body as a warning.