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王世充王世充字行滿。 祖西域胡，號支頹耨，後徙新豐，死，其妻與霸城人王粲為庶妻。 頹耨子收從之子，冒粲姓，仕隋，歷懷、汴二州長史。 生世充，豺聲卷發，忌刻深阻。 涉書傳，喜兵法，通龜策、推步。 以廕為左翊衛，遷禦府直長、兵部員外郎。 從楊素北伐，為幽州長史。
Wang Shichong — Wang Shichong, styled Xingman. His grandfather was a man of western-region origin known as Zhi Tuinao; the family later moved to Xinfeng. After he died, his widow became a concubine of Wang Can of Baling. Tuinao's son Shou was born to a concubine; he adopted the surname Can, entered Sui service, and served successively as chief administrator of Huai and Bian prefectures. He fathered Shichong, who spoke in a harsh, jackal-like voice, wore his hair in curls, and was jealous, spiteful, and treacherous by nature. He read widely in the classics and histories, took to military strategy, and mastered tortoise-shell divination and calendrical reckoning. Through hereditary privilege he entered service as a guard of the Left Flank, then rose to direct steward of the Imperial Storehouse and vice minister of the Ministry of War. He accompanied Yang Su on the northern campaign and served as chief administrator of Youzhou.
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大業初，為民部侍郎，善占對，習法，敢舞文上下。 人或辨駁，世充以口舌緣飾，眾知其非，亦不能屈也。 出為江都贊治，遷郡丞。 煬帝數南幸，世充善伺帝顏色，阿意順旨。 性機巧，飾臺沼、陰奏遠方珍物以媚帝，帝愛昵之，拜江都通守，兼知宮監事。
Early in the Daye era he was appointed vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He was quick with impromptu replies, well versed in law, and bold enough to bend statutes to serve his own ends. When anyone challenged him, Shichong would paper over the flaws with slick rhetoric; people could see he was wrong, yet still could not bring him down in debate. He was posted out as assistant administrator of Jiangdu and later promoted to deputy prefect of the commandery. Emperor Yang often toured the south, and Shichong was expert at reading his mood and winning favor by echoing whatever the emperor wanted to hear. Clever by nature, he beautified terraces and ponds and quietly sent rare tribute from distant regions to court the emperor's favor. Yang grew attached to him, made him communications commissioner of Jiangdu, and put him in charge of palace affairs as well.
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世充觀隋政方亂，而江左浮剽易動，乃陰結豪桀，有繫獄者，皆橈法貸減，以樹私恩。 楊玄感反，吳人硃燮、晉陵人管崇起江南應之，兵十余萬。 隋將吐萬緒、魚俱羅討之不克，世充以偏將募江都萬人，頻擊破之。 每捷必歸功於下。 虜獲盡推與士卒，故人爭為效，由是功最多。
Seeing that Sui rule was coming apart and that the lower Yangtze country was restless and easily roused, Shichong quietly allied himself with local strongmen; whenever anyone was in prison he would bend the law to secure release or lighter punishment and thereby build a private following. When Yang Xuangan rebelled, Zhu Xie of Wu and Guan Chong of Jinling raised forces south of the Yangtze in support, mustering more than a hundred thousand men. Sui generals Tuwan Xu and Yu Juluo failed to suppress them, but Shichong, serving as a subordinate commander, raised ten thousand men from Jiangdu and repeatedly routed the rebels. After every victory he always gave the credit to his men. He turned over all captives and spoils to the troops, so men competed to fight under him, and in this way he won the most credit.
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大業十年，齊賊孟讓轉寇諸郡，至盱眙，世充拒之，保都梁山，列五壁不戰，羸兵以示弱。 讓笑曰：「世充文法吏，安知兵？ 吾今生縛之，鼓行下江都矣！」 時百姓皆入保，野無所掠，讓眾餧，又苦五壁閉道不得南，即分兵圍之。 世充數戰，陽不利，走壁； 讓益驕，數日，稍分其下南略，裁留兵足圍壁。 世充知賊懈，夜夷竈撤幕，為方陣外向，毀垣而出，奮擊，大破之，讓以數十騎去，斬首萬級，虜十余萬人。 煬帝以世充有將帥略，復委捕諸盜，所向輒定。 會突厥圍帝雁門，世充悉發江都兵赴難，詐為可喜事以邀聲譽。 在軍蓬首垢面，日夜悲泣，不釋甲，臥必席槁。 帝以為忠，愈屬信之。
In the tenth year of Daye the Qi rebel Meng Rang swept through the commanderies as far as Xuyi. Shichong met him there, withdrew to defend Liangshan, built five walled camps, and refused battle, posting only weak-looking troops to feign weakness. Rang laughed and said, "Shichong is nothing but a legal clerk — what does he know of war? I'll take him alive today and march straight on Jiangdu! By then the local population had all taken refuge in the camps, leaving nothing to plunder in the countryside. Rang's army went hungry, and the five ramparts blocked the road south, so they split their forces and laid siege. Shichong fought several skirmishes, pretended to lose, and fell back into the ramparts; Rang grew bolder still. After a few days he began sending detachments south to raid, leaving behind only enough men to keep the camps under siege. When Shichong saw the enemy had grown careless, he struck at night: cooking pits were cleared away, tent screens removed, and his men formed outward-facing squares, broke through the walls, and charged. The rebels were shattered. Rang escaped with only a few dozen horsemen; more than ten thousand heads were taken and captives numbered over a hundred thousand. Convinced that Shichong had real commander's talent, Emperor Yang again put him in charge of hunting down the bandits, and wherever he went the situation was quickly brought under control. When the Turks besieged the emperor at Yanmen, Shichong marched out with every soldier he could raise from Jiangdu and staged acts of loyal devotion to win acclaim. In camp he let his hair hang unkempt and his face go unwashed, wept day and night, never took off his armor, and slept only on a bed of straw. The emperor took this as proof of loyalty and relied on him ever more heavily.
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厭次賊格謙兵十余萬屯豆子，太仆卿楊義臣殺謙，世充討其余黨，夷之。 進擊賊盧明月於南陽，俘系數萬。 還，帝自持酒為勞。
The Yanci rebel Ge Qian held more than a hundred thousand men at Douzi. Grand Master of the Imperial Stud Yang Yichen killed Qian, and Shichong then hunted down the remaining bands and wiped them out. He marched against the rebel Lu Mingyue at Nanyang and took tens of thousands prisoner. When he returned, the emperor himself brought wine to toast his service.
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世充啟帝：「江淮良家女願備後廷，無繇進。」 帝喜，令閱端麗者，以庫貲為聘，費不可校，署計簿雲「敕別用」，有司不敢聞。 具舟送東都宮，會道路剽奪，使者苦之，或沈舟亡去，世充屏不奏。
Shichong told the emperor, "Women of respectable families in the Jianghuai region wish to enter the inner palace but have no way to present themselves. The emperor was delighted and ordered the most beautiful selected. Betrothal payments came from the treasury at a cost beyond counting; the ledgers were marked "for separate imperial use," and the responsible offices dared not report the expense. He fitted out boats to send the women to the palace at the Eastern Capital, but banditry along the route made the mission miserable; some envoys scuttled their boats and fled. Shichong hushed it up and never reported the losses.
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李密逼東都，詔世充為將軍，以兵屯洛口。 大小百余戰，無大勝負。 詔即拜右翊衛將軍，趣破賊。 十四年，世充引軍與密戰洛南，有氣若城壓其營，世充大敗，眾幾盡，走保河陽。 自繫獄，請罪於越王侗，侗以書慰勉，賜金帛安之，召還洛，裒亡散得萬人，屯含嘉城，畏縮不敢出。
When Li Mi threatened the Eastern Capital, an edict appointed Shichong general and posted his army at Luokou. They fought more than a hundred clashes, large and small, without a decisive outcome on either side. He was promptly appointed general of the Right Flank Guard with orders to crush the rebels at once. In the fourteenth year he brought his army against Mi south of the Luo River. A mass of vapor like a city wall seemed to press down on his camp; Shichong was routed, his force nearly wiped out, and he fled to hold Heyang. He put himself in chains and begged punishment from Yang Tong, Prince of Yue. Tong wrote to comfort him, sent gold and silk to reassure him, and recalled him to Luoyang. Shichong gathered the scattered remnants to ten thousand men, encamped at Hanjia Fortress, and was too afraid to venture out again.
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會江都殺逆，群臣奉侗為帝，以世充為吏部尚書，封鄭國公。 宇文化及擁兵北還，侗聽內史令元文都、盧楚等謀，以重官畀李密，使討賊，若化及破而密兵亦疲，乘其弊，可得誌。 乃遣使以太尉、尚書令即軍中拜密，趣兵北討。 密稱臣奉制，引後從化及黎陽，戰勝來告，眾大悅； 世充獨謂其下曰：「文都等刀筆才，必為密禽，且我軍與賊戰，多殺其父子兄弟，一旦為之下，吾屬無類矣！」 以此言激眾，文都等聞，大懼。
When the assassination at Jiangdu took place, the court ministers enthroned Tong as emperor, appointed Shichong minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Zheng. Yuwen Huaji was marching north with his army. Tong accepted a plan from Chief Secretariat Yuan Wendu, Lu Chu, and others: offer Li Mi high office and send him against Huaji; once Huaji was broken and Mi's forces exhausted as well, they could strike at the weakened victor and achieve their goal. Envoys were sent to invest Mi in the field as Grand Marshal and Director of the Imperial Secretariat and to hurry his army north against Huaji. Mi declared himself the emperor's loyal subject, pursued Huaji to Liyang, reported a victory, and the court rejoiced; Shichong alone told his men, "Wendu and his crowd are mere clerks — Mi is bound to swallow them. And our army has killed too many of Mi's kin in battle. If we ever fall under his command, none of us will be left alive! With these words he stirred up his troops. When Wendu and the others heard of it they were terrified.
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侗欲以文都為御史大夫，世充不許，曰：「嘗與公等約，左右仆射、尚書令、御史大夫，留待勛舊。 今各欲得，則流競開矣，何以共守？」 文都憾焉，潛與楚謀，因世充入殿伏甲殺之。 納言段達庸怯，畏不果，馳告世充。 世充夜以兵襲含嘉門，圍宮城。 右武衛大將軍皇甫無逸等遣將費曜、田阇拒戰太陽門，曜敗，世充入之，無逸以單騎遁，收楚殺之。 時紫微宮尚閉世充扣門，紿侗曰：「元文都等欲執陛下降李密，臣不反，誅反者耳。」 段達執文都送世充，殺之。 世充悉遣腹心代衛士，然後入謝曰：「文都、楚無狀，規相屠戮，臣急為此，非敢它。」 侗與之盟，進拜尚書左仆射，總督內外諸軍事。 乃去含嘉城，居尚書省，專宰朝政，以其兄世惲為內史令，居禁中，子弟皆將兵。 分官吏為十頭，以主軍政。
Tong wanted to make Wendu censor-in-chief, but Shichong refused, saying, "We agreed among ourselves that the vice premierships, the directorship of the secretariat, and the censorate would be reserved for men of merit and long service. If everyone grabs for them now, factional strife will break out. How can we hold the city together? Wendu took this as a grievous insult and secretly plotted with Chu to ambush Shichong with hidden troops when he next entered the hall. Palace Counselor Duan Da was timid and weak-willed; afraid to act, he galloped off to warn Shichong instead. That night Shichong struck at the Hanjia Gate with his troops and besieged the palace city. General of the Right Martial Guard Huangfu Wuyi sent Fei Yao and Tian She to hold the Taiyang Gate. Yao was beaten, Shichong broke through, Wuyi fled alone on horseback, and Chu was captured and executed. The Ziwei Palace gates were still shut when Shichong knocked and lied to Tong: "Yuan Wendu and his faction meant to seize Your Majesty and hand you over to Li Mi. I have not rebelled — I have only killed rebels. Duan Da seized Wendu and delivered him to Shichong, who had him killed. Shichong replaced the palace guards with his own trusted men, then went in to apologize: "Wendu and Chu were out of control and meant to butcher one another. I acted in haste — I had no other design. Tong swore an alliance with him, promoted him to left vice premier of the secretariat, and gave him overall command of all military affairs. He moved out of Hanjia Fortress into the Secretariat and took sole control of government. His elder brother Shiyun became chief secretariat and lived inside the palace; his sons and younger brothers all held military commands. He divided the bureaucracy into ten sections, each in charge of military and civil affairs.
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未幾，李密破化及，還屯金墉，勁兵良馬多死。 世充欲擊之，恐士心未一，乃謀以鬼動眾，令德陽門衛張永通言夢人謂己曰：「我，周公，能以兵助討密。」 世充白侗，立祠洛旁，使巫宣言：「周公令急擊密，有大功； 不然，兵且疫。」 世充下皆楚人，信妖，遂請戰。 乃簡精卒二萬、騎二千，跨洛水為三橋以度兵。 密軍偃師北山，新破敵，有輕世充心，不設壁壘。 世充夜遣二百騎蔽山伏，因秣馬蓐食，遲明薄之，密陣未成，伏兵上北原，乘高馳下，壓其營，縱焚廬落，密眾大潰，降其將張童仁、陳智略，進拔偃師。 初，密得世充兄世偉及子玄應於化及軍，囚之，至是皆歸。 世充兵次洛口，密長史邴元真、司馬鄭虔象以城降，悉收美人、寶貨而還。 密以數十騎跳奔。
Before long Li Mi defeated Huaji and withdrew to camp at Jinyong, but many of his best soldiers and horses had been lost in the fighting. Shichong wanted to strike but feared his men were not united. He therefore staged a supernatural sign, having Deyang Gate guard Zhang Yongtong report a dream in which a man said, "I am the Duke of Zhou — I can lend you troops to attack Mi. Shichong reported this to Tong, built a shrine by the Luo, and had shamans announce, "The Duke of Zhou commands a swift attack on Mi — great reward awaits; otherwise the army will be struck by plague. Shichong's followers were mostly men of Chu and believers in omens, so they pressed for battle. He picked twenty thousand elite foot soldiers and two thousand cavalry, then threw three bridges across the Luo to move his army across. Mi's army camped on the northern hills of Yanshi. Fresh from victory, they despised Shichong and set up no fortifications. That night Shichong sent two hundred horsemen to hide behind the hills. After feeding their horses and taking a quick meal, they struck at first light before Mi's line was formed. The ambush swept down from the northern heights, overran the camp, and set the shelters ablaze. Mi's army collapsed. Generals Zhang Tongren and Chen Zhilue surrendered, and Shichong took Yanshi. Earlier Mi had taken Shichong's brother Shiwei and his son Xuanying from Huaji's army and held them prisoner; now both were returned. Shichong's army reached Luokou. Mi's chief administrator Bing Yuanzhen and marshal Zheng Qianxiang surrendered the city. Shichong seized the women and treasure and marched back. Mi escaped with only a few dozen horsemen.
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於是，世充自為太尉、尚書令，加黃門印綠綟綬，以尚書省為府，置官屬。 乃設三榜於府外，其一求文學堪濟世務者，其一武幹絕眾、推鋒陷陣者，其一能治冤抑不申者。 繇是上書陳事日數百，皆慰勞省接，雖吏卒，必飾詞誘納。 而世充素詭妄，不能仇其語，士大夫遂貳。 初，殺文都，欲詭眾取信，乃請事侗母劉太后為假子，至是加號聖感太后。 散騎常侍崔德本曰：「此王莽文母何異乎？」 後食侗前，得嘔疾，疑見毒，遂不復朝。 以將張績、董浚衛宮城。
Thereupon Shichong made himself Grand Marshal and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, took the yellow-gate seal and green ribbon of rank, turned the Secretariat into his headquarters, and set up a full staff of officials. He posted three public notices outside his headquarters: one called for scholars capable of governing; one for warriors of exceptional skill who could lead charges and break enemy lines; one for men able to right grievances that had gone unheard. Hundreds of petitions arrived each day, and he received them all with courtesy and encouragement. Even common clerks and soldiers he would flatter and win over with fine words. But Shichong had always been deceitful and could not keep his promises, so the gentry and officials began to turn away from him. After killing Wendu he had asked to become foster son to Tong's mother, Empress Dowager Liu, in order to win public trust; now he gave her the additional title Sagely Responsive Empress Dowager. Attendant Gentleman Cui Deben remarked, "How is this any different from Wang Mang and his 'Wenmu'? Later, when he dined in Tong's presence he was seized with vomiting, suspected poison, and never attended court again. He posted generals Zhang Ji and Dong Jun to guard the palace city.
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武德二年，矯侗詔假黃鉞，相國總百揆，封鄭王，授九錫，冕十有二旒，建天子旌旗，金根車，駕六馬，備五時副車、旄頭雲罕，舞八佾，設宮縣，出入警蹕。 術士桓法嗣自言能決讖，乃上《孔子閉房記》，畫男子持一竿驅羊狀，因說世充曰：「隋，楊姓也； 於文，『幹一』為『王』，王處羊後，大王代隋之符。」 又陳莊周《人間世》、《德充符》二篇曰：「上下篇與大王名協，明受符命，德被人間，為天子也。」 世充喜曰：「天命也！」 拜受之。 以法嗣為諫議大夫。 又羅取飛鳥，書符命於帛，系鳥頸縱之，有彈捕得鳥而獻者亦拜官。 諷百官勸進。 時納言蘇威老就第，世充以威隋大臣，有素望，每表必署威名。 使段達等脅侗曰：「天命不常，今鄭王功德甚盛，請揖讓，用堯、舜故事。」 侗怒曰：「天下者，高祖天下，若隋德未究，此言不可發。 必天命遂改，尚何禪？ 公非先帝舊臣乎？ 朕何賴？」 達等流涕。 世充又詐曰：「天下未定，須鎮以長君，待天下安，則復子明辟。」
In the second year of Wude a forged edict from Tong lent him the yellow battle-axe, made him chief minister with authority over all government, enfeoffed him as King of Zheng, and granted the Nine Bestowals: a twelve-tassel crown, imperial banners, the golden-root carriage, six-horse teams, the five seasonal secondary carriages, maotou and yunhan standards, eight rows of dancers, palace music, and imperial escort whenever he went abroad. The occultist Huan Fasi claimed he could interpret prophetic texts and presented the «Record of Confucius Secluding Himself in a Chamber», illustrated with a man holding a pole and driving sheep. He told Shichong, 「Sui is the Yang clan; in writing, 'gan' plus 'yi' makes 'wang'; the king comes after the sheep — the sign that Your Greatness will replace the Sui." He also cited Zhuangzi's «In the Human World» and «Sign of the Fulfilled Virtue», saying, 「The titles of these two chapters match Your Greatness's name — a clear sign that you have received Heaven's mandate, your virtue fills the world, and you are destined to be Son of Heaven.」 Shichong exclaimed with delight, "It is Heaven's mandate!" He bowed and accepted the interpretation. He appointed Fasi remonstrance counselor. He also caught birds, wrote prophetic messages on silk, tied them to the birds' necks, and released them. Anyone who shot down such a bird with a pellet bow and presented it was also given an official post. He prompted the officials to urge him to take the throne. Palace Counselor Su Wei was by then old and living in retirement. Because Wei was a senior Sui minister of long-standing reputation, Shichong signed Wei's name on every memorial. He had Duan Da and others pressure Tong: "Heaven's mandate does not rest on one house forever. The King of Zheng's merit is now overwhelming — we beg Your Majesty to yield the throne in the manner of Yao and Shun. Tong burst out in anger: "This realm belongs to the High Ancestor. If Sui virtue is not yet spent, such talk must not be uttered. If Heaven's mandate has truly changed, what need is there for a ceremonial abdication? Were you not a loyal servant of the late emperor? On whom can I possibly rely?" Duan and the others burst into tears. Shichong lied again: "The realm is still unsettled. We need a seasoned ruler to hold it steady. When peace returns, I shall restore Your Majesty to open rule."
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四月，矯侗策禪位，幽侗於含涼殿，猶三讓。 遣諸將以兵清宮，世充襲戎服，法駕，導鼓吹入宮，每歷一門，從者必呼。 至東上閤，更兗冕，即正殿僭位。 建元開明，國號鄭。 乃封兄世衡為秦王，世偉楚王，世惲齊王，諸族屬以次封拜，以子玄應為皇太子，玄恕為漢王。 世充每聽朝決政，誨喻言語諄復百緒，以示勤篤，百司奏事者聽受為疲。 出則輕騎，無警蹕，遊歷衢肆，行者但止立，徐謂百姓曰：「故時天子居九重，在下之情無繇察。 世充非貪位者，本救時耳。 正若一州刺史，事皆親覽，當與士人共議之。 恐門衛有禁，無以盡通，今止順天門外置座聽事。」 又詔西朝堂聽冤訴，東朝堂延諫者。 繇是章牘真委，觀省不暇，後亦不能復出。
In the fourth month a forged edict from Tong enacted the abdication. Tong was confined in the Hall of Gentle Coolness while Shichong still went through the ritual three refusals. He sent his generals with troops to clear the palace. Shichong put on military dress, took the imperial procession, and entered to the sound of drums and pipes. At every gate his followers shouted. At the eastern upper pavilion he changed into imperial regalia and took the throne in the main hall. He proclaimed the era name Kaiming and adopted Zheng as the name of his state. He enfeoffed his elder brother Shiheng as King of Qin, Shiwei as King of Chu, and Shiyun as King of Qi, while other kinsmen received titles in turn. His son Xuanying became crown prince and Xuanxu was made King of Han. Whenever Wang Shichong held court to decide policy, he lectured at tedious length on every conceivable subject to show how diligent and devoted he was, until officials reporting business were worn out from listening. When he went abroad he traveled with a light escort and no road-clearing guard; he wandered through the market streets, and travelers had only to stop and stand aside while he slowly told the people: "In the old days the emperor lived shut away in the inner palace, and the feelings of those below could not be seen. Shichong is not greedy for the throne; he seeks only to rescue the times. Just as a provincial governor personally reviews every matter, he should discuss affairs together with the gentry and officials. He feared that palace gate guards would block access and keep people from reaching him, so he now simply placed a seat outside the Shuntian Gate to hear petitions. He also ordered that the western audience hall hear grievances of injustice and the eastern audience hall receive those who came to offer remonstrance. From then on petitions and memorials poured in in such volume that he had no time to review them, and afterward he could no longer go out at all.
15
五月，裴仁基與其子行儼及宇文儒童、崔德本等謀劫世充，復立侗，不克，夷三族。 六月，鴆殺侗，以絕眾望。 世充率眾東徇地至滑，以兵臨黎陽。 時黎陽為竇建德守，故建德亦破世充殷州，以報其役。
In the fifth month, Pei Renji, his son Xingyan, Yuwen Rutong, Cui Deben, and others plotted to seize Wang Shichong and restore Yang Tong; the plot failed, and all three of their clans were exterminated. In the sixth month, Yang Tong was poisoned to death, so as to extinguish the people's hopes. Wang Shichong led his forces east to seize territory as far as Hua and sent troops against Liyang. Liyang was then held by Dou Jiande, so Jiande in turn attacked Wang Shichong's Yin Prefecture in retaliation for the campaign.
16
三年，下書大赦，築練兵臺於伊闕。 守將羅士信、豆盧達稍稍歸國，世充顧下多背己，乃峻誅暴禁以威之。 戶一人逃，家無少長皆坐，父子、兄弟、夫婦許相告免。 令伍伍相保，一家叛，舉伍誅。 樵牧出入皆為限，公私不聊生。 遣臺省官督十二郡營田，行者自謂仙去。 以宮城為大獄，意所猜惡，必收系其人，內家屬宮中。 或命將，亦質其孥乃遣。 既而囚質且萬口，食不足，餓死者日數十。
In the third year of his reign he issued a general amnesty and built a drill platform at Yique. The garrison generals Luo Shixin and Dou Ludu gradually defected to Tang, and Shichong, seeing that many of his subordinates were abandoning him, imposed harsh punishments and brutal prohibitions to intimidate them. If one member of a household fled, every person in the family, young or old, was punished; fathers and sons, brothers, and husbands and wives were allowed to inform on one another to escape punishment. He required households to be grouped in mutual guaranties of five; if one household rebelled, all five households in the group were executed. Even gathering firewood and tending livestock were restricted, and neither public nor private life was bearable. He sent central government officials to supervise field reclamation in the twelve commanderies, and those sent out joked that they were departing to become immortals. He turned the palace city into a great prison; anyone he suspected or hated was arrested and imprisoned, and their families were confined inside the palace. When he ordered a general to take the field, he also held the general's wife and children as hostages before sending him out. Before long prisoners and hostages numbered nearly ten thousand mouths; food was insufficient, and dozens died of starvation every day.
17
七月，高祖詔秦王率兵攻之，至新安，屯保多下，敗世充於慈澗城。 八月，王陳兵青城宮，世充悉精兵來拒，隔澗言曰：「隋失其國，天下分崩，長安、洛陽各有分地，吾常自守，不敢西顧。 熊、谷二州在度內，不取，敦鄰好也。 今王遠涉吾地，越三崤，饋糧千里，勤師遠出，將何求？」 王曰：「四海之人皆承唐正朔，獨公迷不復。 東都士民來請師，陛下重違，我是以來。 公若降，富貴可保； 必拒我，勉之，無多言！」 世充約割地，不許。 潁州總管田瓚請舉山南二十五郡歸。 九月，王君廓進拔軒轅，徇地至管城，河南州縣以次降定。 始竇建德與世充隙，至是建德遣使結好，並陳赴援意。 世充遣兄子琬、內史令長孫安世報，且乞師。
In the seventh month, Emperor Gaozu ordered the Prince of Qin to lead troops against him; reaching Xin'an, many fortified camps surrendered, and he defeated Wang Shichong at Cijian Fort. In the eighth month, the Prince of Qin deployed his army at Qingcheng Palace; Wang Shichong mustered all his elite troops to resist and shouted across the stream: "The Sui lost its realm and the empire split apart; Chang'an and Luoyang each held its own territory. I have always kept to my own domain and dared not look westward. I did not take the two prefectures of Xiong and Gu within my borders, out of respect for neighborly goodwill. Now Your Highness has marched deep into my territory, crossed the Three Xiao passes, and supplies your army from a thousand li away — what do you seek by sending your troops so far on such a toilsome campaign? The Prince replied: "All people under heaven now follow the Tang calendar; you alone persist in your delusion and refuse to submit. The people of the Eastern Capital pleaded for an army, and the Emperor could not lightly refuse them — that is why I have come. If you submit, wealth and honor can be preserved; If you insist on resisting me, then do your best — no more words! Wang Shichong proposed ceding territory, but the offer was rejected. Yingzhou regional inspector Tian Zan offered to surrender the twenty-five commanderies south of the mountains. In the ninth month, Wang Junkuo advanced and captured Xuanyuan, swept territory as far as Guancheng, and the prefectures and counties of Henan surrendered one after another. Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong had been at odds at first, but now Jiande sent envoys to establish friendly relations and stated his intention to come to his aid. Wang Shichong sent his nephew Wan and chief minister Changsun Anshi in reply and also requested troops.
18
四年二月，青城宮守將以宮降，王進保之。 世充引兵出方諸門，臨谷水以戰，王陣北邙，令屈突通步士五千逾水擊之。 兵接，王以騎決戰，世充排兵殊死鬥，自辰及午乃潰，俘斬八千人。 王傅城，塹而守之。 世充糧且盡，人相食，至以水汨泥去礫，取浮土糅米屑為餅。 民病腫股弱，相藉倚道上，其尚書郎盧君業、郭子高等皆餓死。 御史大夫鄭颋丐為浮屠，世充惡其言，殺之。 然氣竭，但嬰城須建德之救。
In the second month of the fourth year, the garrison commander at Qingcheng Palace surrendered the palace, and the Prince of Qin advanced to occupy it. Wang Shichong led troops out through the Fangzhu Gate and fought along the Gu River; the Prince of Qin formed battle lines on Mount Beimang and ordered Qutu Tong to lead five thousand infantry across the water to attack. Once the armies clashed, the Prince decided the battle with cavalry; Wang Shichong deployed his troops in a desperate fight, and only from the hour of chen until the hour of wu did they break — eight thousand were captured or killed. The Prince built fortifications around the city, dug moats, and besieged it. Wang Shichong's grain was nearly exhausted; people ate one another, even stirring muddy water to remove grit, scooping up the floating soil and mixing it with rice bran to make cakes. The people suffered swollen legs and weakness, leaning on one another along the roads; among them, Secretariat gentlemen Lu Junye, Guo Zigao, and others all died of starvation. Censor-in-chief Zheng Ting begged to become a Buddhist monk; Wang Shichong hated what he said and had him killed. Yet his strength was spent; he could only hold the city and wait for Dou Jiande's rescue.
19
五月，王禽建德，並獲王琬、長孫安世，俘示東都城下，且遣安世入言敗狀。 世充惶惑，將突圍出保襄、漢，謀於諸將，皆不答，遂率將吏降軍門。 王受之，以屬吏，陳兵入城，發府庫賚將士。 其黃門侍郎薛德音以移檄嫚逆，崔弘丹造弩多傷士，前誅之； 又收段達、楊汪、孟孝義、單雄信、楊公卿、郭士衡、郭什柱、董浚、張童仁、硃粲、王德仁等斬洛渚上。 以世充歸長安，高祖數其罪，世充曰：「計臣罪不容誅，但秦王許臣以不死。」 乃赦為庶人，與其族徙於蜀。 將行，為羽林將軍獨孤修德所殺。 初，修德父機嘗仕越王侗，世充既篡，謀歸唐，為所屠者也。 高祖免修德官。 子玄應，兄世偉，在道謀反，伏誅。 世充篡，凡三年滅。 竇建德竇建德，貝州漳南人。 世為農，自言漢景帝太后父安成侯充之苗裔。 材力絕人，少重然許，喜俠節。 鄉人喪親，貧無以葬，建德方耕，聞之太息，遽解牛與給喪事，鄉黨異之。 盜夜劫其家，建德立戶下，盜入，擊三人死，余不敢進。 請其屍，建德曰：「可投繩系取之。」 盜投繩，建德乃自縻，使盜曳出，躍起捉刀，復殺數人，繇是益知名。 為裏長，犯法亡，會赦歸。 久之，父卒，裏中送葬千余人，所贈予皆讓不受。
In the fifth month, the Prince of Qin captured Dou Jiande, along with Wang Wan and Changsun Anshi; he displayed the prisoners beneath the walls of the Eastern Capital and sent Anshi inside to report their defeat. Wang Shichong was panic-stricken; he planned to break out and flee to Xiangyang and Hanzhong, but when he consulted his generals none responded, and he finally led his officers and officials to surrender at the army gate. The Prince accepted the surrender, handed Wang Shichong over to the officials, marched troops into the city, opened the treasuries, and rewarded the soldiers. Earlier he had executed Palace Secretariat attendant Xue Deyin for issuing a proclamation that was insulting and rebellious, and Cui Hongdan for making crossbows that frequently injured the troops; He also arrested Duan Da, Yang Wang, Meng Xiaoyi, Shan Xiongxin, Yang Gongqing, Guo Shiheng, Guo Shizhu, Dong Jun, Zhang Tongren, Zhu Can, Wang Deren, and others, and executed them on the Luo River sandbar. Wang Shichong was taken to Chang'an, and Emperor Gaozu enumerated his crimes; Shichong said: "I know my crimes deserve death, but the Prince of Qin promised me I would not die. He was pardoned and reduced to commoner status, and he and his clan were exiled to Shu. As he was about to depart, he was killed by Yulin general Dugu Xiude. Earlier, Xiude's father Ji had once served Prince Yue Yang Tong; after Wang Shichong usurped the throne, Ji plotted to submit to Tang and was slaughtered by Shichong. Emperor Gaozu stripped Xiude of his office. His son Xuanying and his brother Shiwei plotted rebellion while en route and were executed. From Wang Shichong's usurpation to his destruction, three years elapsed in all. Dou Jiande — Dou Jiande was a native of Zhangnan in Beizhou. His family had been farmers for generations; he claimed to be a descendant of Marquis Cheng of An, father of Empress Dowager Bo of Emperor Jing of Han. His physical strength was extraordinary; in youth he greatly valued keeping his word and delighted in chivalrous conduct. When a neighbor lost a parent and was too poor to bury the body, Jiande was plowing in the fields; on hearing this he sighed deeply, immediately unhitched his ox and gave it for the funeral, and the villagers marveled at this. Robbers raided his home by night; Jiande stood beneath the doorway, and when the robbers entered he struck three dead and the rest dared not advance. They asked for the corpses; Jiande said: "You may throw a rope and tie them to haul them out. The robbers threw the rope; Jiande then bound himself, had the robbers drag him out, leaped up, seized a blade, and killed several more — from this his fame grew still greater. He served as village head, broke the law and fled, and returned when an amnesty was declared. After some time his father died; more than a thousand people from the village attended the burial, but he declined every gift offered.
20
隋大業七年，募兵伐遼東，建德補隊長。 方如軍，會邑人孫安祖盜羊，為縣令捕劾笞辱，安祖刺殺令，亡抵建德，建德陰舍之。 時山東饑，群盜起，乃謀曰：「往文皇帝時，天下盛強，發百萬眾伐遼東，猶為所敗。 今水潦為災，民力刓敝，主上不是恤，而親駕臨遼。 且往歲西征，十不一返，今創夷未平，又重發兵，人情危駭，易以搖動。 丈夫不死，常建功於世，渠為亡命虜乎！ 我聞高雞泊廣袤數百里，葭薍阻奧，可以違難； 承間竊出，椎埋掠奪，足以自資。 因得聚豪傑，且觀時變，以就大計。」 安祖然之。 建德為招亡兵及民無產者數百，使安祖率之，入高雞為盜，安祖號「摸羊公」。
In the seventh year of Daye of Sui, when troops were being levied to campaign against Liaodong, Jiande was enrolled as a squad leader. Just as he was about to join the army, a fellow townsman named Sun Anzu stole a sheep; the magistrate seized and flogged him in disgrace, and Anzu stabbed the magistrate to death and fled to Jiande, who secretly sheltered him. At that time the east was suffering famine and bandits rose everywhere; they therefore plotted, saying: "In the time of Emperor Wen, when the realm was at its strongest, a million troops were sent against Liaodong and were still defeated. Now floods have brought disaster, the people's strength is exhausted and depleted, yet the emperor does not look to their relief but personally leads the campaign to Liaodong. Moreover, in the western campaigns of past years, fewer than one in ten returned; wounds from war are not yet healed, and troops are being raised again — hearts are fearful and alarmed, and easily stirred to rebellion. A true man, if he does not die, always achieves merit in the world — why should he be a hunted fugitive slave! I have heard that Gaoji Marsh stretches hundreds of li in every direction, with reeds and rushes blocking the hidden depths — one can evade pursuit there; Seizing opportunities to slip out secretly, waylaying and plundering, one can support oneself well enough. Thus one may gather heroes and bold men, watch how the times change, and thereby accomplish a great design. Anzu agreed. Jiande recruited several hundred deserters and landless commoners, had Anzu lead them, and entered Gaoji to become bandits; Anzu was called "the Sheep-Snatcher."
21
時鄃人張金稱亦結眾萬余，依河渚間，蓚人高士達兵千余屯清河鄙上。 諸盜往來漳南者多剽殺人，焚鄉聚，獨不入建德閭，郡縣意建德與賊通，捕族其家。 建德至河間，聞家屠滅，即率麾下二百人亡歸士達。 士達自稱東海公，以建德為司兵。 安祖為金稱所殺，其下數千人歸建德，眾益盛，至萬人，猶保高雞泊。 然傾身接物，其執苦與士卒均，由是能致人死力。
At that time Zhang Jincheng of Yucheng also gathered more than ten thousand followers and held the river banks; Gao Shida of Gaoyuan commanded more than a thousand troops encamped on the outskirts of Qinghe. Bandits coming and going in the Zhangnan region mostly robbed and killed, burning villages — yet none entered Jiande's neighborhood; the commandery and county officials suspected Jiande was in league with the bandits and arrested and executed his entire clan. When Jiande reached Hejian and heard his family had been slaughtered, he immediately led his two hundred followers in flight back to Shida. Shida styled himself Duke of the Eastern Sea and appointed Jiande as director of military affairs. Anzu was killed by Jincheng, and his several thousand followers joined Jiande; his force grew still stronger, reaching ten thousand, and they still held Gaoji Marsh. Yet he gave himself wholly in dealing with others and shared hardships equally with his soldiers; thereby he could summon from men their utmost devotion even unto death.
22
十二年，涿郡通守郭絢率兵萬人討士達，士達自以智略不及建德，乃推為軍司馬，以兵屬焉。 建德既統眾，思用奇厭伏群盜，乃請士達守輜重，自以精兵七千迎絢，詐為亡狀。 士達取所虜，陽言建德妻子，殺之。 建德遺絢書約降，請前驅執賊自效。 絢信之，引兵從建德至長河界，欲與盟，兵懈不設備。 建德襲殺其軍數千人，獲馬千匹，絢以數十騎去，追斬於平原，獻首士達，威振山東。
In the twelfth year, Tongshou of Zhuo Commandery Guo Xuan led ten thousand troops against Shida; Shida, considering his own strategy inferior to Jiande's, promoted him to army marshal and placed the troops under his command. Now that Jiande commanded the force, he wished to use a clever stratagem to overawe the other bandits; he asked Shida to guard the baggage train while he himself led seven thousand elite troops to meet Xuan, feigning a defeated flight. Shida took captives and falsely declared them to be Jiande's wife and children, and killed them. Jiande sent Xuan a letter offering surrender and asking to serve as vanguard in capturing the bandits to prove his loyalty. Xuan believed him, led his army following Jiande to the Changhe border, and intending to form an alliance, let his troops relax their guard. Jiande suddenly attacked and killed several thousand of his troops and seized a thousand horses; Xuan escaped with several dozen cavalry but was chased down and beheaded on the plain, his head presented to Shida — Jiande's prestige shook the entire east.
23
隋遣太仆卿楊義臣討破張金稱於清河，殘黨畏誅，復屯嘯歸建德。 義臣乘勝欲遂入高雞泊，窮劃根穴。 建德謂士達曰：「隋善將獨義臣耳，新破金稱，其鋒不可當。 宜引兵避之，彼欲戰不得，軍老食乏，乘之可有功。」 士達不納。 留建德守壁，身將兵逆戰，置酒享士。 建德聞，曰：「東海公未捷，遽自矜大，禍至不日矣。 隋兵勝，必長驅而來，吾不能獨支。」 乃留眾保壁，帥銳士據險待。 後五日，義臣斬士達於陣，追北薄壘，守兵潰。 建德不能軍，以百余騎走饒陽，饒陽無備，因取之。 義臣已殺士達，謂余黨不足憂，引去。 故建德得還平原，收士達士死胔葬焉。 為士達發喪，軍皆縞素。 招潰卒，得數千人，軍復振，自稱將軍。 初，他盜得隋官及士人必殺之，唯建德恩遇甚備，引故饒陽長宋正本為客，尊任之，參決軍議。 隋郡縣吏多以地歸之，勢益張，兵至十余萬。 上谷賊王須拔自號「漫天王」，以兵略幽州，戰死。 其下魏刀兒號「歷山飛」，壁深澤，眾十萬。 建德以計襲取之，並有其地。
The Sui dispatched Minister of Imperial Studs Yang Yichen to defeat Zhang Jincheng at Qinghe; the remnant bands, fearing execution, gathered again and rallied to Jiande. Yichen, riding his victory, wished to push on into Gaoji Marsh and thoroughly root out the lair. Jiande said to Shida: "Of Sui's able generals, Yichen alone matters; freshly victorious over Jincheng, his momentum cannot be withstood. We ought to withdraw and avoid him; when he cannot obtain the battle he seeks, his army will grow weary and food run short — strike then and success can be won. Shida did not accept this. He left Jiande to guard the fortifications while he personally led troops to meet the enemy in battle, setting out wine to feast his men. When Jiande heard of this, he said: "The Duke of the Eastern Sea has not yet won a victory yet already prides himself so grandly — disaster will arrive within days. If the Sui army wins, it will surely come driving straight at us, and I cannot hold out alone. He therefore left the main force to hold the fortifications while he himself led crack troops to occupy a defensible position and wait. Five days later, Yichen cut down Shida in battle, pursued the retreating force right up to the ramparts, and the defending troops collapsed. Jiande could not keep his army together; with a little over a hundred cavalry he fled to Raoyang, which was unprepared, and seized it. Yichen, having already killed Shida, judged the remnant bandits unworthy of concern and withdrew. Thus Jiande was able to return to Pingyuan, gathered Shida's dead soldiers, and buried them. He conducted funeral rites for Shida, and the entire army wore white mourning. He recruited scattered troops and gathered several thousand men; the army revived its strength, and he styled himself General. At first, other rebel bands invariably killed any Sui officials or scholars they captured. Jiande alone showed them every courtesy. He took on the former magistrate of Raoyang, Song Zhengben, as a retained adviser—honored him, relied on him, and brought him into deliberations on military affairs. Sui officials across the prefectures and counties largely submitted their territories to him. His power swelled, and his army grew to more than a hundred thousand men. Wang Xuba, a rebel leader in Shanggu, proclaimed himself the "Heaven-Soaring King," led his forces against Youzhou, and was killed in battle. His lieutenant Wei Dao'er took the title "Flying Over Mount Li," fortified himself at Shenze, and commanded a force of a hundred thousand. Jiande captured him through a stratagem and absorbed his entire domain.
24
十三年正月，築壇場於河間樂壽，自立為長樂王。
In the first month of the thirteenth year, he erected an altar at Leshou in Hejian and declared himself King of Changle.
25
十四年五月，更號夏王，建元丁丑，署官屬，分治郡縣。
In the fifth month of the fourteenth year, he took the title King of Xia, proclaimed the Dingchou era, appointed a full bureaucracy, and organized rule over prefectures and counties.
26
七月，隋右翊衛將軍薛世雄督兵三萬討之，屯河間七里井，建德以勁兵伏旁澤中，悉拔諸城偽遁。 世雄以為畏，稍弛備，建德率敢死士千人襲之。 會大霧晝冥，跬不可視，隋軍驚，遂潰，相騰藉，死者如丘，世雄引數百騎亡去。 盡得其眾，獲河間丞王琮，勞遣之。 琮復嬰城，建德進攻未下，而河間食盡，聞煬帝遇殺，琮率吏發喪，乘城大臨，建德遣使入吊，琮因請降。 建德為退舍，飭饌具。 琮率郡屬素服面縛軍門，建德親釋徽纆，與言隋之亡，琮伏哭極哀，建德亦為泣。 麾下或言：「河間久拒守，多殺士，今力窮而下，請烹之。」 建德曰：「琮，誼士也，吾方旌擢以勵事君者。 且往為盜，可妄殺人，今將安百姓，定天下，而害忠臣乎？」 即令其軍曰：「與琮隙者敢輒搖，罪三族！」 乃授琮瀛州刺史。
In the seventh month, Xue Shixiong, the Sui Right Wing Guard General, marched against him with thirty thousand men and encamped at Qili Well in Hejian. Jiande concealed elite troops in the neighboring marshes and staged a false withdrawal, evacuating every city in his path. Shixiong took this for fear and let his guard slip. Jiande then led a thousand men sworn to fight to the death in a sudden assault. A thick fog rolled in and turned day to night; men could scarcely see a foot ahead. The Sui army broke in panic, trampling one another until the dead lay heaped like hillocks. Shixiong escaped with only a few hundred horsemen. He absorbed the entire enemy force and captured Wang Cong, the assistant prefect of Hejian, whom he treated with courtesy and then released. Cong shut himself in the city once more, and Jiande's assault failed to break him. When Hejian's grain was exhausted and word came that Emperor Yang had been killed, Cong led his officials in funeral observances and wailed from the battlements. Jiande sent envoys to offer condolences, and Cong then asked to surrender. Jiande pulled his camps back and had a banquet prepared. Cong came to the camp gate in mourning white, his hands bound, at the head of the prefecture's officials. Jiande personally unbound him and spoke of the end of the Sui dynasty. Cong prostrated himself and wept in anguish—and Jiande wept with him. Some of his officers said: 「Hejian held out for so long and killed many of our men. Now that they are spent and have surrendered, boil him alive.」 Jiande said: 「Cong is a man of integrity. I mean to honor and elevate him, to encourage those who remain loyal to their sovereign.」 When we were outlaws we could kill as we pleased—but now I mean to bring peace to the people and settle the realm. How could I harm a loyal minister? He immediately ordered his army: 「Anyone who bears a grudge against Cong and dares so much as lift a finger against him—his clan to the third degree shall be punished!」 He then appointed Cong prefect of Yingzhou.
27
始都樂壽，號金城宮，備百官，準開皇故事。 冬至，大會僚吏，有五大鳥集其宮，群鳥從之。 又宗城人獻玄圭一，景城丞孔德紹曰：「昔天以是授禹，今瑞與之侔，國宜稱夏。」 建德然之。 改元五鳳，以德紹為內史侍郎。
He established his capital at Leshou, naming the palace Jincheng, filled out the ranks of government, and modeled his administration on the institutions of the Kaihuang era. At the winter solstice he convened a great gathering of his officials. Five enormous birds settled on his palace, and countless others followed in their wake. A man of Zongcheng also presented a black jade scepter. Kong Deshao, assistant prefect of Jingcheng, said: 「In antiquity Heaven gave this token to Yu the Great; the omen we see today equals that one. The realm should take the name Xia.」 Jiande agreed. He changed the era name to Wufeng and appointed Deshao Vice Director of the Secretariat.
28
武德元年，宇文化及至魏縣，建德謂其納言宋正本及德紹曰：「吾，隋民也； 隋，吾君也。 今化及殺之，大逆不道，乃吾仇，欲為天下誅之，何如？」 正本等曰：「大王奮布衣，起漳南，隋之列城莫不爭附者，以能杖順扶義、安四方也。 化及為隋姻裏，倚之不疑，今戕君而移其國，仇不共天，請鼓行執其罪。」 建德善之。 即引兵討化及，連戰破之。 化及保聊城，乃縱撞車機石，四面乘城，拔之。 建德入，先謁蕭皇后，語稱臣。 執宇文智及、楊士覽、元武達、許弘仁、孟景等，召隋文武官共臨斬之，梟首轅門； 囚化及並其子，載以檻車，至大陸縣斬之。
In the first year of Wude, when Yuwen Huaji reached Wei County, Jiande said to his Chancellery Speaker Song Zhengben and Deshao: 「I am a subject of Sui; Sui is my sovereign. Now Huaji has murdered him—the gravest treason—and he is my enemy. I wish to punish him on behalf of the realm. What do you think?」 Zhengben and the others said: 「Your Majesty rose from humble cloth in Zhangnan, and every walled city of Sui raced to join you because you wield righteous authority, uphold justice, and bring peace to the four quarters.」 Huaji was kin to the house of Sui by marriage and was trusted without reserve. Now he has murdered his sovereign and seized the realm—enmity that cannot be shared under one heaven. We beg you to march at once and bring him to justice.」 Jiande approved. He immediately marched against Huaji and defeated him in battle after battle. Huaji shut himself up in Liaocheng. Jiande brought up battering rams and catapults, assaulted the walls from every side, and took the city. When he entered the city, Jiande first paid his respects to Empress Xiao, addressing himself as her subject. He seized Yuwen Zhiji, Yang Shilan, Yuan Wuda, Xu Hongren, Meng Jing, and others, summoned Sui civil and military officials to witness their execution, and displayed their heads at the camp gate; He imprisoned Huaji and his sons, loaded them into caged carts, and executed them at Dali County.
29
建德性約素，不喜食肉，飯脫粟加蔬具，妻曹未嘗衣紈綺。 及為王，妾侍裁十數。 每下城破敵，貲寶並散賚將士。 至是，得隋宮人尚千數，悉放去； 其文武、驍果尚萬余，各聽所之。 乃以誅化及報越王侗，侗封之夏王，遂號大夏。 以隋黃門侍郎裴矩為尚書右仆射，兵部侍郎崔君肅為侍中，少府令何稠為工部尚書，余隨才署職，委以政事。 有願往關中及東都者，恣聽不留，仍給道裏費，以兵護出於境。
Jiande was austere by nature. He avoided meat, ate husked millet with plain vegetables, and his wife Lady Cao never wore silk. Even after he became king, his concubines numbered barely a dozen. Whenever he took a city or defeated an enemy, he distributed all treasure and booty among his officers and men. On this occasion he obtained more than a thousand women from the Sui palace and released them all; More than ten thousand civil and military officials and elite warriors were each free to go wherever they chose. He then reported Huaji's execution to Yang Tong, Prince of Yue, who enfeoffed him as King of Xia; he thereupon styled his state Great Xia. He appointed the former Sui Director of the Yellow Gate, Pei Ju, as Vice Minister of the Right; the Vice Minister of War, Cui Junsu, as Palace Attendant; the Director of the Palace Bureau, He Chou, as Minister of Works; and assigned the rest according to their abilities, entrusting them with the affairs of government. Those who wished to go to Guanzhong or the Eastern Capital were free to leave without hindrance; he still provided travel expenses and sent troops to escort them beyond his borders.
30
二年，陷邢、趙、滄三州。 復陷冀州，執刺史曲棱，赦之，復以為刺史。 八月，陷洺州，虜刺史袁子幹，遂遷都焉，更號萬春宮。 使人如灌津祠先墓，置守冢三十家。 又遣使朝侗，因與王世充結歡，北聘突厥，士馬益精雄。 俄而世充廢侗，乃絕之。 始建天子旌旗，出入警蹕，書稱詔。 追謚隋煬帝為閔帝，以齊王暕子政道為鄖公。 義成公主在突厥，遣使迎蕭後，建德自將千余騎送之，並獻化及首。
In the second year he captured the three prefectures of Xing, Zhao, and Cang. He again took Jizhou, captured Prefect Qu Ling, pardoned him, and restored him to office. In the eighth month he took Luozhou, captured Prefect Yuan Zigan, moved his capital there, and renamed the palace Wanchun. He sent men to Guanjin to offer sacrifices at his ancestors' tombs and posted thirty households to tend the graves. He also sent envoys to pay court to Yang Tong and thereby established friendly relations with Wang Shichong; he dispatched a diplomatic mission north to the Turks, and his troops and horses grew ever stronger. Before long Wang Shichong deposed Yang Tong, and Jiande severed relations with him. He began to raise the imperial standard, travel with road-clearing guards, and style his written orders as imperial edicts. He posthumously honored Emperor Yang as Emperor Min and installed Zhengdao, son of Prince of Qi Yang Zhao, as Duke of Yun. Princess Yicheng was among the Turks; he sent envoys to welcome Empress Xiao. Jiande personally led more than a thousand horsemen to escort her and also presented Yuwen Huaji's head.
31
未幾，連突厥侵相州，刺史呂瑉死之。 進攻衛州，執河北大使淮安王神通、同安長公主、黎陽守將李世勣，釋之。 復使世勣守黎陽，館王、公主，饋以客禮。 滑州刺史王軌為奴所殺，奴以首奔建德，建德曰：「奴殺主，大逆。 納之不可不賞，賞逆則廢教，將焉用為？」 命斬奴而返軌首，滑人德之，遂降，齊、濟二州亦降。 兗賊徐圓朗聞風送款。
Before long, allied with the Turks, he invaded Xiangzhou; Prefect Lu Min died in its defense. He advanced on Weizhou and captured Prince Huai'an Wang Shentong, the Hebei Grand Ambassador, the Princess of Tong'an, and Li Shiji, the garrison commander of Liyang—then released them all. He restored Li Shiji to command at Liyang, lodged the prince and princess as guests, and treated them with full courtesy. Wang Gui, prefect of Huazhou, was killed by his slave, who brought Gui's head to Jiande. Jiande said: 「A slave who kills his master commits the gravest treason. To shelter him I must reward him—but to reward treachery is to destroy all moral teaching. Of what use would such a man be?」 He ordered the slave beheaded and returned Wang Gui's head. The people of Huazhou were grateful and submitted, and the prefectures of Qi and Ji followed suit. Xu Yuanlang, a rebel leader in Yan, sent envoys offering submission upon hearing the news.
32
三年，世勣自拔歸國，吏白建德誅其父，建德曰：「臣勣，唐臣，不忘其主，忠也。 父何罪？」 釋不問。 高祖遣使修好，建德即以公主等歸京師。 嘗執趙州刺史張誌昂、邢州刺史陳君賓、大使張道源等，將殺之，國之祭酒淩敬諫曰：「夫犬吠非其主，彼悉力堅守，以窮就禽，伏節士也。 今殺之，無以勸。」 建德怒曰：「我傅其城，猶不下，勞費士旅，何可赦？」 敬曰：「王之大將高士興抗羅藝於易南，兵未交，士興即降，王以為可乎？」 建德悟，即釋之。 然其大將王伏寶數持兵，功略在諸帥上，或讒其反，建德殺之。 伏寶臨死呼曰：「我無罪，王何信讒，自刈左右手乎？」 後戰數不利。
In the third year Li Shiji broke free and returned to Tang territory. Officials urged Jiande to execute his father. Jiande said: 「Shiji is a Tang minister who does not forget his sovereign—that is loyalty. What crime has his father committed?」 He released the father without further inquiry. Emperor Gaozu sent envoys seeking friendly relations, and Jiande at once sent the princess and the others back to the capital. Once he had captured Zhang Zhiao, prefect of Zhao, Chen Junbin, prefect of Xing, and Grand Ambassador Zhang Daoyuan, and was about to execute them, National University Libationer Ling Jing remonstrated: 「A dog barks only at strangers—those men defended to the last and were taken only when utterly spent. They are men who died for their principles.」 To kill them now would offer no encouragement to others.」 Jiande said angrily: 「I besieged their cities and they still would not yield, wasting the blood and toil of my soldiers—how can they be pardoned?」 Ling said: 「Your Majesty's great general Gao Shixing faced Luo Yi south of Yi—before the armies had even clashed, Shixing surrendered. Would Your Majesty have found that acceptable?」 Jiande saw the point and immediately released them. Yet his great general Wang Fubao had led troops again and again, and his achievements outshone those of every other commander. Some accused him of plotting rebellion, and Jiande had him executed. At the point of death Fubao cried out: 「I am innocent—why does Your Majesty trust slander and cut off your own right and left hands?」 After that his battles went badly again and again.
33
九月，建德自帥師圍幽州，為羅藝所敗，藝乘勝襲其營，建德陣營中，填塹而出，敗藝眾，進薄其城，不能拔，乃還。 濟陰賊孟海公兵三萬，據周橋城以掠河南，建德自擊之。 會秦王伐東都，其中書舍人劉斌獻說曰：「唐據關內，鄭王河南，夏有冀方，此鼎足相持勢也。 今唐悉兵臨鄭，出入二年，鄭人日蹙。 二國兵不解，唐強鄭弱，勢必舉鄭，鄭滅則大夏有齒寒之憂。 為大王計，莫若援鄭，使鄭抗其內，我攻其外，唐之兵必卻，唐卻而鄭完，然後徐觀其變。 鄭若可圖，因而取之，並二國兵，乘唐師老，長驅而西，關中可遂有也。」 建德曰：「善。」 乃遣使聘世充，與連和，會世充亦自乞師，即令其臣李大師、魏處繪來朝，請解鄭圍，秦王留之不答。
In the ninth month Jiande personally led an army to besiege Youzhou and was defeated by Luo Yi. Yi pressed his advantage and raided Jiande's camp. Jiande formed battle lines within his encampment, filled in the moat, and broke out; he routed Yi's force, pressed close to the city walls but could not take them, and withdrew. Meng Haigong, a rebel leader in Jiyin, commanded thirty thousand men, held Zhouqiao Fort, and plundered Henan; Jiande attacked him in person. Just then the Prince of Qin was campaigning against the Eastern Capital. Liu Bin, a drafting officer of the Secretariat, offered a plan: 「Tang holds Guanzhong, the Prince of Zheng holds Henan, and Xia holds the Ji region—this is the posture of three powers balanced like the legs of a tripod.」 Now Tang has thrown its full strength against Zheng; for two years the armies have surged back and forth, and the people of Zheng grow more desperate by the day. With both armies locked in combat, Tang is strong and Zheng is weak; Tang is bound to take Zheng. When Zheng falls, Great Xia will face the same peril as teeth exposed when the lips are gone. For Your Majesty's plan, nothing surpasses aiding Zheng—let Zheng hold them at bay from within while we strike from without; Tang's army will surely fall back. Once Tang withdraws and Zheng is intact, then watch how matters unfold at leisure. If Zheng can be taken, seize the opportunity and absorb it; unite the forces of both states, and while Tang's army is exhausted drive west at full speed—Guanzhong can then be yours. Jiande said: 「Well said.」 He then sent envoys to Wang Shichong to propose an alliance. Wang Shichong had also begged for reinforcements, so Jiande had his ministers Li Dashshi and Wei Chuhui come to court and request that the siege of Zheng be lifted. The Prince of Qin detained them and gave no reply.
34
四年，建德克周橋，虜海公，留其將範願戍之。 悉發海公、徐圓朗之眾，並兵號三十萬救世充，至滑州，世充行臺仆射韓弘開城納之。 建德進逼元、梁、管三州，皆陷，遂屯滎陽。 運糧溯河西上，舟相屬不絕。 壁成臯東原，築營板渚。 遣使與世充約期，又遺秦王以書。
In the fourth year Jiande captured Zhouqiao, took Meng Haigong prisoner, and left his general Fan Yuan to garrison the fort. He mustered the forces of Meng Haigong and Xu Yuanlang; combined, the army numbered three hundred thousand to rescue Wang Shichong. At Huazhou, Han Hong, vice director of Wang Shichong's mobile secretariat, opened the gates and admitted him. Jiande pressed forward and captured the three prefectures of Yuan, Liang, and Guan, then encamped at Xingyang. Grain supplies were transported upriver along the west bank, boats stretching in an unbroken line. He fortified himself on the eastern plateau of Chenggao and built camps at Banzhu. He sent envoys to fix a rendezvous with Wang Shichong and also sent a letter to the Prince of Qin.
35
三月，王進據虎牢。 翌日，以騎五百覘建德營，設伏道側，獨以數騎去賊營三里，覺，賊出騎追之，王漸卻，誘至伏所，卒起奮擊。 賊騎驚，引去，追斬三百級，獲其將殷秋、石瓚，乃報建德以書。 建德失二將，又聞唐兵精，得書猶豫，頓六十日不敢西。
In the third month the Prince of Qin advanced and seized Tiger Trap Pass. The next day, with five hundred horsemen he reconnoitered Jiande's camp, set an ambush by the roadside, and with only a few riders rode to within three li of the enemy camp. When spotted, enemy cavalry gave chase; the Prince slowly withdrew, luring them to the ambush, then sprang up and struck with full force. The enemy cavalry panicked and fled; three hundred were cut down in pursuit. Generals Yin Qiu and Shi Zan were captured, and the Prince sent a letter in reply to Jiande. Jiande had lost two generals; hearing that Tang troops were formidable, he hesitated upon receiving the letter and halted for sixty days without daring to advance west.
36
時世充弟世辯為徐州行臺，亦遣將郭士衡、兵數千人從建德，王遣王君廓以輕騎抄其饟，執賊大將張清特。 建德懼，人情攜駭，其諸將又新破海公，掠獲盈給，日夜思歸。 淩敬說建德曰：「今唐以重兵圍東都，守虎牢，我若悉兵濟河，取懷州河陽，以重將戍之，然後鳴鼓建旗，逾太行，入上黨，傳檄旁郡，進壺口以駭蒲津，收河東地，此上策也。 且有三利：乘虛扌壽境，師有萬全，一也； 拓土得眾，二也； 鄭圍自解，三也。」 建德將從之，而王琬、長孫安世日請兵西，每言必流涕，又陰賫金玉啗諸將，以撓其謀。 眾乃曰：「淩敬書生，豈知戰？」 建德乃謝曰：「今士心銳，天贊我也，師將大捷。 方用眾議，不得如公言。」 敬固爭，建德怒，命扶出。 其妻諫曰：「祭酒計甚善，王盍用之？ 夫自滏口道乘唐之虛，連營漸進以取山北，因招突厥西抄關中，唐必還師自救，鄭難紓矣。 今頓兵虎牢下，徒自苦，恐無功。」 建德曰：「此非女子所知。 且鄭朝暮待吾來，既許之，豈可見難而退，且示天下不信。」
At the time Wang Shichong's brother Shibian served as mobile secretariat at Xuzhou; he also sent General Guo Shiheng with several thousand troops to join Jiande. The Prince of Qin dispatched Wang Jungkuo with light cavalry to raid their grain supply and captured the enemy general Zhang Qingte. Jiande grew fearful; morale splintered and panic spread. His generals, having recently defeated Meng Haigong, were laden with plunder and thought of nothing but going home. Ling Jing urged Jiande: 「Today Tang has heavy forces besieging the Eastern Capital while holding Tiger Trap Pass. If we concentrate our army, cross the Yellow River, take Huaizhou and Heyang, and garrison them with trusted generals, then beat drums and raise banners, cross the Taihang range, enter Shangdang, dispatch proclamations to neighboring commanderies, advance on Hukou to threaten Pujin Ferry, and recover the Hedong region—that is the supreme strategy. Moreover there are three advantages: striking while they are exposed to raid their territory, so the army enjoys complete security—that is the first; expanding territory and gaining followers—that is the second; the siege of Zheng would lift of itself—that is the third.」 Jiande was about to follow this advice, but Wang Wan and Zhangsun Anshi daily pleaded for troops to march west, weeping each time they spoke; they also secretly sent gold and jade to bribe the generals and thwart the plan. The officers then said: 「Ling Jing is a bookish man—what does he know of war?」 Jiande accordingly apologized: 「Now the troops' spirit is sharp; Heaven is on my side—the campaign will bring a great victory. I must follow the consensus of the officers and cannot act as you advise.」 Jing pressed his argument, but Jiande flew into a rage and had him carried out of the hall. His wife urged him, saying, 「The director of studies' plan is excellent — why not adopt it? March through the Fuyu Pass while Tang is exposed, advance camp by camp to seize the northern hills, and call in the Turks to strike Guanzhong from the west. Tang will have to turn back to save itself, and Zheng's siege will be lifted. To sit idle below Tiger Trap Pass is only to wear ourselves down, and I fear we shall accomplish nothing.」 Jiande said, 「That is not for a woman to judge. Besides, Zheng has been waiting on us day and night. I have given my word — how can I turn back at the first hard fight and show the world I cannot be trusted?」 (End of Jiande's reply.)
37
五月，建德自板渚出為陣，西薄汜南，屬鵲山，亙二十里，鼓而前。 郭士衡為遊兵。 秦王登虎牢城望其軍，按甲不戰，曰：「賊起山東，未嘗見大敵，今度險士囂，令不肅也； 逼城而陣，有輕我心。 待其饑，破之果矣。」 日中，建德士皆坐列，渴爭飲，意益怠。 王麾軍先登，騎怒，塵大漲，乃率史大奈、秦叔寶纏麾幟，弛出賊陣後，建德軍顧而驚，遂大潰。 建德被重創，竄牛口谷。 車騎將軍白士讓、楊武威獲之，傳而西，斬長安市，年四十九。 初，其軍有謠曰：「豆入牛口，勢不得久。」 至是果敗。
In the fifth month Jiande marched out from Banzhu, drew up his lines west of the south Sishui, stretched twenty li along Magpie Hill, and advanced to the beat of drums. Guo Shiheng led the skirmishing force. The Prince of Qin climbed the walls of Tiger Trap to watch them, kept his men under arms but refused battle, and said, 「These rebels came out of Shandong and have never met a real army. After a hard march their men are cocky and slack — to camp right under our walls shows they despise us. Wait until hunger sets in, and we shall break them for certain.」 By midday Jiande's men were sitting in their ranks, quarreling over water in the heat, and growing ever more careless. The Prince signaled the advance. His cavalry thundered forward in a rising cloud of dust. He led Shi Dana and Qin Shubao in a sweep around the enemy standards and burst out behind their line. Jiande's army looked back in panic and collapsed. Jiande was badly wounded and fled into Ox Mouth Gorge. Chariot-and-cavalry generals Bai Shirang and Yang Wuwei seized him. He was sent west and beheaded in Chang'an at the age of forty-nine. There had been a saying in his army: 「When the bean enters the ox's mouth, its power cannot endure.」 Now the prophecy was fulfilled.
38
建德妻與其左仆射齊善行以騎數百遁還洺州。 余黨欲立其養子為主，善行曰：「夏王奄定河朔，號為威強，今一出不復，非天命有歸哉？ 不如委心請命，無為塗炭生民也！」 遂分府庫散給將士，令各解去。 善行乃與右仆射裴矩、行臺曹旦率官屬及建德妻奉山東地並傳國八璽來降。 建德起兵至滅凡六年。
Jiande's wife and his left vice premier Qi Shanshang escaped with a few hundred horsemen back to Mingzhou. The survivors wanted to set up his foster son as ruler. Shanshang said, 「The King of Xia had all but pacified Hebei and was feared as invincible. One campaign, and he never came back — has not Heaven chosen its lord? Better to submit in good faith than drag the people through fire and ruin!」 He divided the treasury among the officers and soldiers and told them to disband and go home. Shanshang then, with right vice premier Pei Ju and mobile secretariat Cao Dan, led the officials and Jiande's wife to surrender the eastern provinces and the eight imperial seals of transmission. From the day Jiande raised his banner to his fall was six years in all.
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贊曰：煬帝失德，天醜其為，生人辜，群盜乘之，如蝟毛而奮。 其劇者，若李密因黎陽，蕭銑始江陵，竇建德連河北，王世充舉東都，皆磨牙搖毒以相噬螫。 其間亦假仁義，禮賢才，因之擅王僭帝，所謂盜亦有道者。 本夫孽氣腥焰，所以亡隋，觸唐明德，折北不支，禍極兇殫，乃就殲夷，宜哉！
The encomium says: Emperor Yang lost the Mandate; Heaven recoiled from his deeds; the people paid the price; rebels rose on every side like bristling quills. The fiercest were Li Mi at Liyang, Xiao Xian at Jiangling, Dou Jiande across Hebei, and Wang Shichong at the Eastern Capital — each gnashing his teeth and trading venom in mutual destruction. Even among them some feigned benevolence, honored men of talent, and on that basis seized royal or imperial titles — as the saying goes, even thieves have their code. Such was the reeking, blood-soaked tide that brought down the Sui. When it met Tang's bright virtue it shattered and could not stand. Calamity ran its course, villainy was spent, and they were destroyed — as was only fitting!