1
薛李二劉高徐
Xue [Ju], Li [Gui], the two [families named] Liu, Gao [Shilian], and Xu [Yuanlang].
2
薛舉，蘭州金城人。 容貌魁岸，武敢善射。 殖產巨萬，好結納邊豪，為長雄。 隋大業末任金城府校尉。 會歲兇，隴西盜起，金城令郝瑗將討賊，募兵數千，檄舉將。 始授甲，大會置酒，舉與子仁杲及其黨劫瑗於坐，矯稱捕反者，即起兵，囚郡縣官，發粟以賑貧乏，自號西秦霸王，建元秦興，以仁杲為齊公，少子仁越為晉公。 它賊宗羅睺帥眾下之，以為義興公。 更招附余盜，剽馬牧。 兵鋒銳甚，所徇皆下。
Xue Ju came from Jincheng in Lanzhou. He was imposing in stature, fearless in battle, and an excellent archer. He built a fortune of many millions, cultivated ties with powerful border figures, and came to dominate the region. In the closing years of Emperor Yang's Daye reign he held the post of captain in the Jincheng commandery. A year of famine brought banditry to Longxi. Hao Yuan, magistrate of Jincheng, raised several thousand men to suppress the rebels and appointed Xue Ju to lead them. At the first issue of arms, during a grand banquet, Xue Ju, his son Rengao, and their followers seized Hao Yuan in his seat, pretending they were rounding up traitors. They rose at once, locked up the local officials, opened the granaries for the destitute, and proclaimed himself Hegemon-King of Western Qin with the era name Qinxing. Rengao became Duke of Qi and his younger son Renyue Duke of Jin. The outlaw Zong Luohou came in with his men and was enfeoffed as Duke of Yixing. He drew in more scattered rebels and raided the horse herds of the frontier. His troops fought with devastating force, and every place he marched fell to him.
3
隋將皇甫綰兵萬人屯枹罕，舉以精卒二千襲之，遇於赤岸。 大風且澍，逆舉陣，綰不擊。 俄反風綰屯，氣色曀冥，部伍錯亂，舉介騎先眾乘之，綰陣大潰，進陷枹罕。 岷山羌鐘利俗以眾二萬降，舉大振。 進仁杲為齊王、東道行軍元帥，羅睺為義興王副之； 仁越晉王、河州刺史。 因徇下鄯、廓二州。 不闋旬，盡有隴西地，眾十三萬。
The Sui commander Huangfu Wan held Fuhan with ten thousand men. Xue Ju hit him with two thousand picked troops and engaged him at Red Bank. A fierce wind and downpour blew straight into Xue Ju's lines, and Huangfu Wan held his men back. Before long the wind swung around into Huangfu Wan's camp. The sky turned black, his ranks broke apart, and Xue Ju, in full armor at the head of his cavalry, charged in ahead of the main body. Wan's army was routed completely, and Xue Ju pressed on to capture Fuhan. Zhong Lisu of the Minshan Qiang came over with twenty thousand followers, and Xue Ju's fortunes soared. He promoted Rengao to King of Qi and supreme commander of the eastern campaign, with Luohou as King of Yixing as his deputy; Renyue became King of Jin and prefect of Hezhou. He swept on to subdue Shan and Kuo prefectures. In less than ten days he held all of Longxi and commanded one hundred thirty thousand men.
4
十三年，僭帝號於蘭州，以妻鞠為後，仁杲為太子。 即其先墓置陵邑，立廟城南，陳兵數萬展墓訖，大饗。 使仁杲圍秦州； 仁越趨劍口，掠河池，太守蕭瑀拒卻之。 遣將常仲興度河擊李軌，與軌將李赟戰昌松，仲興敗，軍沒於軌。 仁杲克秦州，舉往都之。
In the thirteenth year of his reign he declared himself emperor at Lanzhou, crowned his wife Ju as empress, and named Rengao crown prince. He turned his family's ancestral graves into an imperial burial ground, erected a temple south of the city, paraded tens of thousands of soldiers through the tomb rites, and held a lavish banquet. He sent Rengao to lay siege to Qinzhou; Renyue drove toward Jiankou and plundered Hechi, but the prefect Xiao Yu beat him back. He sent Chang Zhongxing across the river against Li Gui. At Changsong, Zhongxing met Li Gui's commander Li Yun, was defeated, and his entire force was swallowed up. When Rengao took Qinzhou, Xue Ju shifted his seat of power to that city.
5
仁杲寇扶風，汧源賊唐弼拒，不得進。 初，弼立李弘芝為天子，有眾十萬。 舉遣使招弼，弼殺弘芝從舉。 仁杲間弼無備，襲之，盡奪其眾，弼以數百騎走。 軍益張，號二十萬。 將窺京師。 會高祖入關，遂留攻扶風，秦王擊破之，斬首數千級，逐北至隴還。 舉畏王，遂逾隴走，問其下曰：「古有降天子乎？」 偽黃門侍郎褚亮曰：「昔趙佗以南粵歸漢，蜀劉禪亦仕晉，近世蕭琮，其家今存，轉禍為福，嘗有之。」 衛尉卿郝瑗曰：「亮之言非也。 昔漢祖兵屢敗，蜀先主嘗亡其妻子。 夫戰固有勝負，豈可一不勝便為亡國計乎？」 舉亦悔其言，乃曰：「聊試公等。」 即厚賜瑗，以為謀主。 瑗請連梁師都，厚賂突厥，合從東向。 舉從之，約突厥莫賀咄設犯京師。 會都水監宇文歆使突厥，歆說止其兵，故舉謀塞。
Rengao marched against Fufeng, but the outlaw Tang Bi of Qianyuan blocked him and he could not break through. Tang Bi had earlier set up Li Hongzhi as emperor and commanded a force of one hundred thousand. Xue Ju sent envoys to recruit him. Tang Bi killed Hongzhi and threw in his lot with Xue Ju. Rengao caught Tang Bi unprepared, struck by surprise, and absorbed his entire army. Tang Bi escaped with only a few hundred horsemen. His forces swelled further until he claimed two hundred thousand men. He prepared to threaten the imperial capital. When Emperor Gaozu entered the Guanzhong region, Xue Ju stayed to besiege Fufeng. The Prince of Qin shattered his army, took several thousand heads, chased him north to the Long Mountains, and withdrew. Fearing the Prince of Qin, Xue Ju fled back across the Long Mountains and asked his officers, "Has anyone in history ever surrendered to a Son of Heaven?" The pretender's chamberlain Chu Liang answered, "Zhao Tuo once brought the Southern Yue into Han submission. Liu Shan of Shu served the Jin. In our own day Xiao Cong submitted, and his line still stands. Turning disaster into blessing has happened before." The Commandant of Guards Hao Yuan said, "Liang is mistaken. The Founding Emperor of Han lost battle after battle. The Former Lord of Shu once lost his wife and children in defeat. War brings victory and defeat by nature. How can a single loss be reason to plan for national extinction?" Xue Ju regretted having asked and said, "I was only testing you." He rewarded Hao Yuan lavishly on the spot and made him his chief strategist. Hao Yuan urged an alliance with Liang Shidu, heavy bribes to the Turks, and a combined drive eastward. Xue Ju agreed and arranged for the Turkic Moheduo she to strike at the capital. Yuwen Xin, Director of Waterways, was sent on embassy to the Turks and talked them out of marching. Xue Ju's plan came to nothing.
6
仁杲多力善騎射，軍中號萬人敵，性賊悍。 初，舉每破陣，軍獲俘，仁杲必斷舌刈鼻，或舂斮之。 其妻亦兇暴，喜鞭楚人，見不勝痛宛轉於地者，則埋其足，露腹背受棰。 人畏而不親。 仁杲多殺人，淫略民人妻妾。 嘗得庾信子立，怒其不降，礫之火，漸割以啖士。 拔秦州，取富人倒懸，以酢註鼻，或杙其隱，以求財。 雖舉殘猛，亦惡之，每戒曰：「汝材略足辦事，而傷於虐，終覆吾宗。」
Rengao was immensely strong, a superb mounted archer, hailed in camp as a match for ten thousand men, and by nature savage and brutal. Whenever Xue Ju won a battle and prisoners were taken, Rengao would cut out their tongues, slice off their noses, or pound them to pieces in mortars. His wife was equally vicious and loved to flog captives. If a victim writhed on the ground from the pain, she had his feet buried in the earth so that only his belly and back were exposed for the beating. Men feared them and would not rally to their cause. Rengao killed freely and seized the wives and concubines of the populace. He once captured Li, son of the poet Yu Xin. Furious that Li would not submit, he had him stoned and burned alive, then carved the flesh piece by piece to feed his soldiers. After capturing Qinzhou he took wealthy men, hung them head down, poured vinegar into their nostrils, or drove stakes into their groins to wring out their fortunes. Though Xue Ju was himself ruthless, he loathed his son's excesses and often warned him, "Your abilities are enough to win wars, but your cruelty will destroy our house in the end."
7
及繼立，與諸將素有隙者，鹹猜懼。 郝瑗哭舉，病不起，繇是兵稍衰。 秦王率諸將復壁高墌，諸將請戰，王曰：「我軍新恤，銳氣少； 賊驟勝而驕，有輕我心。 我閉壁以折之，伺衰而擊，可一戰禽也。」 因令軍中曰：「敢言戰者斬！」 久之，仁杲糧乏，挑戰，不許。 其將牟君才、內史令翟長愻以眾降，左僕射鐘俱仇以河州降。 王策賊可破，遣將軍龐玉擊宗羅睺於淺水原，戰酣，王以勁兵扌壽其背，羅睺敗，王率騎追奔，於是悉軍馳之，曰：「勢破竹，不可失也。」 夜半，至析墌； 遲明，圍合。 仁杲率偽官屬降，王受之，以仁杲歸京師，及酋黨數十人皆斬之。 舉父子盜隴西五年滅。
When Rengao took power, every commander who had old grievances against him grew suspicious and afraid. Hao Yuan mourned Xue Ju until he fell ill and could not leave his bed, and from that point the army's strength began to ebb. The Prince of Qin led his commanders back to fortify at Gaoping. When they asked to fight, he said, "Our army is still in mourning and lacks its fighting edge; the enemy has won too quickly and grown arrogant. They underestimate us. If we hold our walls to break their spirit and strike when they falter, we can destroy them in one battle." He then proclaimed through the camp, "Anyone who urges battle will be executed!" After a long while Rengao's supplies ran out. He taunted them to fight, but they would not come out. His generals Mou Juncai and Palace Secretary Zhai Changsun came over with their men. Left Vice Minister Zhong Juqiu surrendered Hezhou. Judging the enemy ripe for defeat, the Prince sent General Pang Yu against Zong Luohou at Qianshui Plain. When the fight was hottest he hit Luohou from the rear with his best troops. Luohou broke, and the Prince led the cavalry in pursuit, then hurled the whole army forward, crying, "The momentum splits bamboo—we must not let this chance slip." By midnight they reached Xizhi; at first light the ring of siege closed tight. Rengao led his pretender court in surrender. The Prince accepted it, sent Rengao to the capital, and executed him along with several dozen of his chieftains and followers. Father and son had held Longxi as rebels for five years before they were destroyed.
8
初，仁杲降，諸將賀，且問曰：「羅睺雖破，而賊城尚堅，王能下之，何也？」 王曰：「羅睺健將，非急追之，使得還城，未可取也。 故吾使賊不及計，是以克之。」 諸將咨服。
When Rengao first surrendered, the commanders congratulated the Prince and asked, "Luohou was beaten, but the rebel stronghold was still formidable. How did Your Highness bring it down so quickly?" The Prince said, "Luohou is a formidable commander. Unless we pursued him hard and kept him from regaining the city, we could never have taken it. I gave the enemy no time to recover. That is why we won." The commanders marveled at his judgment.
9
仁杲已敗，其將旁屳地降，詔即統其兵，未幾復叛。 屳地，羌豪也，舉父子信倚之。 至是入南山，繇商洛出漢川，眾數千，所過剽害，敗大將龐玉。 至始州，掠王氏女，醉寢於野，王取屳地所佩刀斬之，送首梁州。 詔封女為崇義夫人。
After Rengao's fall his general Pang Tudi submitted and was ordered to keep command of his men, but he rebelled again before long. Pang Tudi was a powerful Qiang chieftain whom father and son Xue Ju had relied on heavily. He now fled into the Southern Mountains, emerged through Shangluo into the Han River valley with several thousand followers, plundered every district he crossed, and defeated Grand General Pang Yu. At Shizhou he abducted a woman of the Wang clan. Drunk, he slept in the open country. She took the knife from his belt and killed him, then sent his head to Liangzhou. An edict ennobled the woman as Lady of Chongyi.
10
李軌，字處則，涼州姑臧人。 略知書，有智辯。 家以財雄邊，好赒人急，鄉黨稱之。 隋大業中，補鷹揚府司兵。 薛舉亂金城，軌與同郡曹珍、關謹、梁碩、李赟、安修仁等計曰：「舉暴悍，今其兵必來。 吏孱怯，無足與計者。 欲相戮力，據河右，以觀天下變，庸能束手以妻子餌人哉？」 眾允其謀，共舉兵，然莫適敢主。 曹珍曰：「我聞讖書，李氏當王。 今軌賢，非天啟乎！」 遂共降拜以聽命。 修仁夜率諸胡入內苑城，建旗大呼，軌集眾應之，執虎賁郎將謝統師、郡丞韋士政，遂自稱河西大涼王，署官屬，準開皇故事。
Li Gui, styled Chuze, came from Guzang in Liangzhou. He had some learning and a sharp mind for argument. His clan was wealthy enough to dominate the border country. He was generous to neighbors in need, and his community spoke well of him. During the Daye reign he served as clerk in the Yingyang Guard. When Xue Ju rose at Jincheng, Li Gui met with his countrymen Cao Zhen, Guan Jin, Liang Shuo, Li Yun, An Xiuren, and others and said, "Xue Ju is savage and brutal. His army will come for us. The officials are weak and cowardly. They are no help at all. Let us join forces, hold the lands west of the Yellow River, and watch how the empire unfolds. How can we sit idle and offer our wives and children as prey to another man?" All agreed and took up arms together, but no one dared assume command. Cao Zhen said, "I have read the prophecies. The house of Li is destined to rule. Li Gui is worthy. Is this not Heaven's sign?" They all bowed low and pledged themselves to his command. That night An Xiuren led the frontier tribes into the Inner Garden city, raised banners, and raised the cry. Li Gui rallied his followers, seized Tiger Elite Commander Xie Tongshi and prefectural aide Wei Shizheng, and proclaimed himself Great King of Liang west of the river. He appointed a full court on the model of Emperor Wen's Kaihuang reign.
11
初，突厥曷娑那可汗弟達度闕設內屬，保會寧川，至是稱可汗，降於軌。 謹等議盡殺隋官，分其產。 軌曰：「諸公既見推，當稟吾約。 今軍以義興，意在救亂，殺人取財是為賊，何以求濟乎？」 乃以統師為太仆卿，士政太府卿。 會薛舉遣兵來侵，軌遣將敗之昌松，斬首二千級，悉虜其眾，軌縱還之。 李赟曰：「今力戰而俘，又縱以資敵，不如盡坑之。」 軌曰：「不然。 若天命歸我，當禽其主，此皆我有也； 不者，徒留何益？」 遂遣之。 未幾，拔張掖、燉煌、西平、枹罕，悉有河西。 武德元年，高祖方事薛舉，遣使涼州，璽書慰結，謂軌為從弟。 軌喜，乃遣弟懋入朝。 帝拜懋大將軍，還之，詔鴻臚少卿張俟德持節冊拜軌涼王、涼州總管，給羽葆鼓吹一部。 會軌僭帝號，建元安樂，以其子伯玉為太子，長史曹珍為尚書左僕射，攻陷河州。 俟德至，軌召其下議曰：「李氏有天下，歷運所屬，已宅京邑。 一姓不可競王，今欲去帝號，東向受冊，可乎？」 曹珍曰：「隋亡，英雄焱起，號帝王者瓜分鼎峙。 唐自保關、雍，大涼奄河右，業已為天子，奈何受人官？ 必欲以小事大，請行蕭詧故事，稱梁帝而臣於周。」 軌從之，乃遣偽尚書左丞鄧曉來朝，奉書稱「從弟大涼皇帝」。 帝怒曰：「軌謂朕為兄，此不臣也。」 囚曉不遣。
The Turkic Tujue she, brother of Khan Ashina, had earlier submitted and held the Huining River valley. He now styled himself khan and came over to Li Gui. Guan Jin and others urged that all Sui officials be killed and their property divided. Li Gui said, "Since you have chosen me as your leader, you must accept my terms. We raise this army in the name of righteousness to rescue the realm from chaos. Killing for profit makes us nothing but bandits. How can we hope to succeed that way?" He appointed Tongshi Grand Master of the Stud and Shizheng Grand Master of the Treasury. When Xue Ju sent an army against him, Li Gui's commander defeated it at Changsong, took two thousand heads, and captured the entire force. Li Gui sent every prisoner home. Li Yun said, "We fought hard to take these men, and now you release them to strengthen the enemy. We should bury them all alive." Li Gui said, "No. If Heaven favors us, we will capture their leader, and these men will be ours in any case; if not, what good does it do to keep them?" He sent them back. Before long he captured Zhangye, Dunhuang, Xiping, and Fuhan and held the entire Hexi corridor. In the first year of Wude, while Emperor Gaozu was still fighting Xue Ju, he sent envoys to Liangzhou with an imperial letter of friendship, addressing Li Gui as his younger cousin. Delighted, Li Gui sent his younger brother Mao to the capital. The Emperor made Mao a Grand General and sent him home. He ordered Vice Minister of Rites Zhang Side to invest Li Gui as King of Liang and military governor of Liangzhou, with a full set of royal insignia and martial music. Meanwhile Li Gui had declared himself emperor with the era name Anle, named his son Boyu crown prince, made Chief Clerk Cao Zhen Left Vice Minister of the Masters of Writing, and captured Hezhou. When Zhang Side arrived, Li Gui called his advisers together and said, "The house of Li holds the Mandate. Their fortune is established, and they already rule from the capital. A single clan cannot vie for supremacy forever. What if I renounce my imperial title and accept investiture from the east—would that work? Cao Zhen replied, "After the Sui fell, heroes rose everywhere, and every man who claimed the title of emperor held his own piece of the realm. The Tang holds Guan and Yong; we of Great Liang dominate the west of the River—we are already emperors in our own right. Why should we accept offices from others? If you insist on playing the lesser power to their greater one, follow Xiao Cha's example—call ourselves Emperors of Liang while submitting as vassals to Zhou." Li Gui agreed. He dispatched Deng Xiao, Left Assistant Director of the Masters of Writing in his court, with a letter calling the Tang emperor "Younger Brother, Emperor of Great Liang." The Emperor was furious. "Li Gui calls me his younger brother—that is no posture of a loyal subject. He had Deng Xiao imprisoned and held him there.
12
初，軌以梁碩為謀主，授吏部尚書。 碩有算略，眾憚之，嘗見故西域胡種族盛，勸軌備之，因與戶部尚書安修仁交怨； 又軌子仲琰嘗候碩，碩不為起，仲琰憾之。 乃相與譖碩。 軌不察，賫鴆其家殺之，繇是故人稍疑懼，不為用。 有胡巫妄曰：「上帝將遣玉女從天來。」 遂召兵築臺以候女，多所糜損。 屬薦饑，人相食，軌毀家貲賑之，不能給，議發倉粟，曹珍亦勸之。 謝統師等故隋官，心內不附，每引結群胡排其用事臣，因是欲離沮其眾，乃廷詰珍曰：「百姓餓死皆弱不足事者，壯勇士終不肯困。 且儲廩以備不虞，豈宜妄散惠孱小乎？ 僕射茍附下，非國計。」 軌曰：「善。」 乃閉粟。 下益怨，多欲叛去。
From the beginning Li Gui had relied on Liang Shuo as his chief strategist, appointing him Minister of Personnel. Liang Shuo was a clever strategist whom everyone feared. When he saw Western Region Hu clans growing in strength, he warned Li Gui to prepare against them—drawing the resentment of An Xiuren, Minister of Revenue. Li Gui's son Zhongyan once visited Liang Shuo, who did not rise to receive him. Zhongyan never forgot the slight. They joined forces to slander him. Li Gui was deceived. He sent poison wine to Liang Shuo's home and had him killed. From then on, his followers grew wary and no longer gave him their full loyalty. A Hu shaman proclaimed a vision: "The Lord on High will send a jade maiden down from heaven. Li Gui mobilized troops to build a tower to await her arrival, squandering great resources in the effort. Famine struck; people resorted to cannibalism. Li Gui spent his family's fortune on relief but still could not meet the need. Officials debated releasing grain from the storehouses, and Cao Zhen agreed. Xie Tongshi and other former Sui officials were secretly disloyal. They constantly rallied the Hu factions against Li Gui's inner circle, hoping to sow division. In open court Xie Tongshi challenged Cao Zhen: "Those who starve are the weak and useless—no strong warrior will ever let himself be destroyed. And the granaries are kept against emergencies—why waste them on the helpless and weak? The Vice Director is merely flattering you—that is no sound policy for the realm. Li Gui said, "You are right." The granaries were shut. Resentment deepened below, and many wanted to rebel and flee.
13
會修仁兄興貴本在長安，自表詣涼州招軌。 帝曰：「軌據河西，連吐谷渾、突厥，今興兵討擊尚為難，單使弄頰可下邪？」 興貴曰：「軌盛強誠然，若曉以逆順禍福，宜聽。 如憑固不受，臣世涼州豪望，多識其士民，而修仁為軌信任，典事樞者數十人，若候隙圖之，無不濟。」 帝許之。 興貴至涼州，軌授以左右衛大將軍，因間訪興貴以自安策。 興貴對曰：「涼州僻遠，財力雕耗，雖勝兵十萬，而地不過千里，無險固自守。 又濱接戎狄，戎狄，豺狼也，非我族類。 今唐家據京師，略定中原，攻必下，戰必勝，蓋天啟也。 若舉河西地奉圖東歸，雖漢竇融未足吾比。」 軌默不答，久之，曰：「昔吳王濞以江左兵猶稱己為東帝，我今舉河右，不得為西帝乎？ 雖唐強大，如我何？ 君無為唐誘致我。」 興貴懼，謝曰：「竊聞富貴不居故鄉，如衣錦夜行。 今合宗蒙任，敢有它誌！」 興貴知軌不可以說，乃與脩仁等潛引諸胡兵圍其城，軌以步騎千余出戰。 先是，薛舉柱國奚道宜率羌兵奔軌，軌許以刺史而不與，道宜怨，故共擊軌。 軌敗入城，引兵登陴，須外援。 興貴傳言曰：「唐使我來取軌，不從者罪三族。」 於是諸城不敢動。 軌嘆曰：「人心去矣，天亡我乎？」 攜妻子上玉女臺，屬酒為別。 脩仁執送之，斬於長安。 自起至亡凡三年。 詔興貴為右武候大將軍，封涼國公，賜帛萬段； 修仁左武候大將軍，申國公，並給田宅，封六百戶。 時鄧曉聞軌敗，入賀帝。 帝曰：「而委質李軌，以使來，聞其亡，不少戚，乃蹈抃以悅我。 不盡心於軌，能竭節於我乎？」 遂廢不齒。
As it happened, An Xiuren's elder brother An Xinggui was in Chang'an. He volunteered to go to Liangzhou and persuade Li Gui to submit. The Emperor said, "Li Gui holds Hexi and is allied with Tuyuhun and the Turks. Even a full military campaign would be difficult—can a lone envoy talking him into surrender really succeed? An Xinggui replied, "Li Gui is indeed formidable. But if we explain to him the consequences of loyalty versus rebellion, he may listen. If he holds out, I am a native magnate of Liangzhou and know its people well. Xiuren enjoys Li Gui's trust, and dozens of men hold key positions. Find the right moment, and we can bring him down. The Emperor agreed. When An Xinggui arrived in Liangzhou, Li Gui made him General of the Left and Right Guard and asked him privately how best to protect himself. An Xinggui answered, "Liangzhou is remote and exhausted. You may field a hundred thousand men, but your territory spans barely a thousand li, with no natural defenses to speak of. And it borders the barbarians of the frontier—wolves, not kin. The Tang holds the capital and is pacifying the heartland. Where they attack, they conquer; where they fight, they win. Heaven itself favors them. Surrender Hexi with maps and tribute in hand, and your reward would surpass even Dou Rong of the Han. Li Gui was silent for a long time. Then he said, "Liu Bi held only the lower Yangtze and still styled himself Eastern Emperor. I hold the west of the River—why should I not be Western Emperor? However powerful the Tang may be, what can they do to me? Do not try to lure me into Tang's net. An Xinggui was afraid. "Forgive me," he said. "They say a man does not wear his glory in his hometown—it is like parading brocade in the dark. My whole clan has been favored with office—how could I harbor any other intent? Realizing Li Gui could not be persuaded, An Xinggui secretly joined Xiuren and others to rally Hu troops against the city. Li Gui marched out with more than a thousand infantry and cavalry. Earlier, Xi Daoyi, a general under Xue Ju, had brought Qiang troops to Li Gui's side. Li Gui had promised him a prefecture but never delivered. Resentful, Daoyi now joined the assault. Defeated, Li Gui retreated behind the walls and manned the ramparts, waiting for help from outside. An Xinggui spread the word: "The Tang sent me to take Li Gui. Defy me, and three generations of your family will pay. None of the surrounding cities dared move. Li Gui sighed. "Heaven has taken the people's hearts from me—is this my end? He climbed the Jade Maiden Tower with his wife and children and shared a final cup of wine. Xiuren seized him and sent him to Chang'an, where he was beheaded. From rise to fall, his regime lasted three years. An edict made An Xinggui General of the Right Martial Guard, Duke of Liang, with ten thousand lengths of silk; Xiuren became General of the Left Martial Guard and Duke of Shen; both were granted estates and fiefs of six hundred households. When Deng Xiao heard of Li Gui's defeat, he came to congratulate the Emperor. The Emperor said, "You pledged yourself to Li Gui and came as his envoy. When he fell, you showed no grief—you stamped and clapped to please me. If you gave Li Gui so little loyalty, how can I trust yours? He was dismissed and never again counted among the court's men of standing.
14
劉武周，瀛州景城人。 父匡，徙馬邑。 母趙嘗夜坐廷中，見若雄雞，光燭地，飛投其懷，起振衣，無有，感而娠，生武周。
Liu Wuzhou came from Jingcheng in Yingzhou. His father Liu Kuang had moved the family to Mayi. One night his mother Zhao was sitting in the courtyard when she saw what looked like a rooster, radiant enough to light the ground. It flew into her bosom; when she rose and shook her robe, nothing was there. Stirred by the omen, she conceived and bore Wuzhou.
15
武周為人驍悍，善騎射，喜交豪傑。 兄山伯嘗詈辱之曰：「汝不擇所與，必滅吾宗！」 武周因去至洛，為太仆楊義臣帳下。 募征遼，有功，補建節校尉。 還馬邑，為鷹揚府校尉。 太守王仁恭以其州裏雄，頗愛遇之，令總虞候，直閤下。 久之，盜仁恭侍兒，懼覺誅，又見天下已亂，陰有異計，因宣言於眾曰：「今歲饑，死者骨相枕於野，府君閉倉不恤，豈憂百姓意乎？」 以市怒其軍，皆憤怨。 武周知人已搖，因稱疾臥家，豪桀往候謁，遂椎牛縱酒大言曰：「盜賊方起，眾又饑，壯士守分，死溝壑。 今官粟紅腐於倉，誰能與我共取之？」 諸惡少年皆願從。 隋大業十三年，與其徒張萬歲等十余人候仁恭視事，武周上謁，萬歲自後入斬仁恭，持首出徇，郡中無敢動者。 遂開倉賑窮絕，馳檄屬城，皆下，得兵萬余，自稱太守，遣使附突厥。
Liu Wuzhou was fierce and bold, an excellent horseman and archer who loved the company of men of spirit. His elder brother Shanbo once berated him: "You keep the worst company—you will bring ruin on our whole clan! Liu Wuzhou left home for Luoyang, where he served under Yang Yichen, Grand Minister of Studs. He volunteered for the Liaodong campaign, distinguished himself, and was made a Jianjie Commandant. Back in Mayi, he was appointed commandant of the Eagle-Flying Guard. Prefect Wang Rengong, recognizing him as a local strongman, favored him and put him in charge of the guard patrols at headquarters. In time he seduced Wang Rengong's concubine. Fearing exposure and execution, and seeing the realm in chaos, he secretly began plotting rebellion. He stirred the troops: "Famine has left the dead piled in the fields, while the Prefect keeps the granaries shut—is this a man who cares for his people? He meant to inflame the garrison—and inflame them he did. Sensing the troops were ready to turn, Liu Wuzhou feigned illness and received local strongmen at his home. He slaughtered an ox, poured wine freely, and declared: "Rebels are rising everywhere; famine stalks the land. A strong man who plays by the rules will die in a ditch. Official grain rots in the warehouses—who will help me take it? The disaffected young men of the district rallied to him. In Sui Daye 13, Liu Wuzhou and more than a dozen followers including Zhang Wansui ambushed Wang Rengong at court. Wuzhou approached to pay respects while Wansui struck from behind and beheaded the Prefect. Wansui paraded the head through the city; no one dared move. He opened the granaries to feed the starving, sent summons to every subordinate city—all submitted. He raised more than ten thousand men, declared himself Prefect, and sent envoys to ally with the Turks.
16
雁門丞陳孝意、虎賁郎將王智辯合兵圍其桑乾鎮，會突闕至，武周與共擊智辯，破之，孝意奔還雁門，雁門人殺之，以城歸武周。 武周因襲破樓煩，進據汾陽宮，取宮人賂突厥，始畢可汗報以馬，其眾遂大，攻得定襄。 突厥以狼頭纛立武周為定楊可汗，僭稱皇帝，以妻沮為後，建元天興，衛士楊伏念為左僕射，妹婿苑君璋為內史令。
Chen Xiaoyi, deputy magistrate of Yanmen, and Wang Zhibian, a Tiger Guard colonel, jointly besieged his garrison at Sanggan. When the Turks arrived, Liu Wuzhou joined them and crushed Wang Zhibian. Chen Xiaoyi fled to Yanmen, where the townspeople killed him and surrendered the city. Liu Wuzhou smashed Loufan, seized Fenyang Palace, and sent palace women as tribute to the Turks. Khan Shibi sent horses in return; his army swelled, and he took Dingxiang. The Turks invested him as Khan Dingyang beneath a wolf-head banner. He declared himself emperor, made his wife Ju empress, and adopted the era name Tianxing. Yang Funian became Left Vice Director; his brother-in-law Yuan Junzhang, Palace Secretary.
17
初，上谷賊宋金剛有眾萬余，與魏刀兒連和。 刀兒為竇建德所攻，金剛救之，大敗，率余眾四千保西山。 建德招之，金剛恚曰：』建德殺魏王，吾義不往，諸君可以吾首取富貴。」 乃拔刀，將自刎，眾抱之泣，遂與皆歸武周。 武擊素聞金剛善兵，得之喜，封為宋王，屬以軍，分家貲半遺之。 金剛亦自結，出其妻而騁武周妹，說武周取晉陽，南向爭天下。 武周授金剛西南道大行臺。
Earlier, the rebel Song Jingang of Shanggu commanded more than ten thousand men and had allied with Wei Dao'er. When Dou Jiande attacked Wei Dao'er, Song Jingang marched to his aid but suffered a crushing defeat. He retreated with four thousand survivors to hold Mount Xi. Dou Jiande tried to recruit him. Song Jingang refused in fury: "Jiande killed Wei Dao'er—I will not join him. Take my head and sell it for your reward, if you like. He drew his sword to kill himself. His men threw their arms around him, weeping—and together they all defected to Liu Wuzhou. Liu Wuzhou had long known Song Jingang's reputation as a commander. Delighted, he made him King of Song, gave him an army, and shared half his household fortune. Song Jingang sealed the alliance by setting aside his wife and marrying Liu Wuzhou's sister. He urged Wuzhou to take Jinyang and march south to contest the empire. Liu Wuzhou appointed him Grand Commissioner for the Southwest Circuit.
18
武德二年，總兵二萬入寇，次黃蛇鎮，又連突厥，鋒無前，遂破榆次，拔介州，進圍太原。 詔遣太常少卿李仲文禦之，為賊所執，舉軍沒，仲文逃還。 賊因破平遙，取石州，殺刺史王儉，略浩州。 詔右僕射裴寂為晉州道行軍總管拒之，寂戰敗績。 齊王元吉委并州遁，武周入據之。 遣金剛攻陷晉州，執右驍衛將軍劉弘基，進破澮州。 夏縣人呂崇茂殺其令，自號魏王以應賊。 隋河東守將王行本與武周合。 關中震動。 高祖詔秦王督兵進討，屯柏壁。 又詔永安王孝基與於筠、獨孤懷恩、唐儉等攻夏縣，不克，軍城南。 崇茂與賊將尉遲敬德襲破孝基軍，四將被執。 敬德還澮州，王邀戰，破之於美良川。 敬德復與別帥尋相援王行本於蒲，王又破卻其軍，蒲州降。 帝幸蒲津關，王自柏壁輕騎謁行在，金剛遂圍絳州。 王還屯，金剛引退。 武周攻李仲文於浩州，不勝。 遣將黃子英護饟道，驃騎大將軍張德政襲斬之，虜其眾，武周部將稍離。 金剛以糧道乏卒饑引去，王追至雀鼠谷，日中八戰，賊皆敗，斬級數萬，護輜重千乘。 金剛走介州，官軍迫之，以余眾二萬出西門，背城陣，亙七里。 王令李世勣、程咬金、秦叔寶為北軍，翟長愻、秦武通為南軍。 既戰，小卻，王以精騎突擊破之，金剛將輕騎去，賊將尉遲敬德、尋相、張萬歲降，收其精兵，遂復介州。 武周引騎五百，棄并州，北走突厥。 金剛收散卒，將還拒，眾不為用，亦以百騎奔突厥。 并州平，河東地盡復。 未幾，金剛背突厥，欲還上谷，為其追騎斬之。 武周亦謀歸馬邑，計露，突厥殺之。 起兵六年而滅。
In Wude 2, he invaded with twenty thousand men and camped at Huangshe. Allied again with the Turks, his vanguard swept all before it—breaking Yuci, taking Jiezhou, and laying siege to Taiyuan. The court sent Vice Minister Li Zhongwen to meet him. The rebels captured Zhongwen and wiped out his army; Li escaped alone. The rebels took Pingyao, seized Shizhou, killed Prefect Wang Jian, and raided Haozhou. Pei Ji, Right Vice Director, was dispatched as Commander-in-Chief of the Jinzhou expedition—and suffered a devastating defeat. Prince Qi Yuanji abandoned Bingzhou and fled; Liu Wuzhou marched in and took it. He sent Song Jingang to take Jinzhou, captured General Liu Hongji, and pushed on to crush Huizhou. In Xia County, Lü Chongmao killed the magistrate, declared himself King of Wei, and rallied to the rebels. Wang Xingben, a Sui commander in Hedong, allied with Liu Wuzhou. Guanzhong trembled. Emperor Gaozu ordered the Prince of Qin to take the field; he encamped at Baiyu. Prince Yong'an Xiaoji, Yu Yun, Dugu Huai'en, and Tang Jian were sent against Xia County but failed to take it, and camped south of the walls. Lü Chongmao and the rebel general Yuchi Jingde routed Xiaoji's force and captured all four Tang commanders. Yuchi Jingde withdrew to Huizhou. The Prince of Qin gave battle and crushed him at Meiliangchuan. Yuchi Jingde joined Xun Xiang to relieve Wang Xingben at Pu. The Prince routed them again, and Puzhou surrendered. The Emperor went to Pu Pass. The Prince rode light cavalry from Baiyu to report in person. Song Jingang seized the moment to besiege Jiangzhou. The Prince returned to camp; Song Jingang pulled back. Liu Wuzhou attacked Li Zhongwen at Haozhou but could not break him. Liu Wuzhou sent Huang Ziying to escort his supply lines. General Zhang Dezheng ambushed and killed him, captured his force, and Wuzhou's subordinates began to peel away. Cut off from supplies and starving, Song Jingang retreated. The Prince chased him to Queshu Valley and fought eight battles between dawn and noon—crushing the rebels, slaying tens of thousands, and seizing a thousand supply wagons. Song Jingang fled to Jiezhou, where government troops cornered him. He marched twenty thousand survivors out the west gate and formed a battle line seven li long, his back to the walls. The Prince deployed Li Shiji, Cheng Yaojin, and Qin Shubao on the north; Zhai Changsun and Qin Wutong on the south. After a feigned retreat, the Prince drove his elite cavalry through their lines and broke them. Song Jingang fled with a light detachment. Yuchi Jingde, Xun Xiang, and Zhang Wansui surrendered; their best troops were absorbed, and Jiezhou was retaken. Liu Wuzhou abandoned Bingzhou with five hundred horsemen and fled north to the Turks. Song Jingang rallied the scattered troops and meant to turn back and fight, but the men would not follow him, so he fled north to the Turks with a hundred horsemen. Bingzhou was secured, and every district of Hedong was restored to Tang control. Soon afterward Song Jingang broke with the Turks and tried to return to Shanggu, but Turk pursuit riders caught and killed him. Liu Wuzhou likewise plotted to return to Mayi, but when the scheme came to light the Turks put him to death. Six years after he first took up arms, his cause was extinguished.
19
先是，懷戎浮屠高曇晟因縣令具供，與其徒襲殺令，偽號大乘皇帝，以尼靜宣為耶輸皇后，建元法輪，遣使約開道為兄弟，封齊王，開道引眾從之。 居三月，殺曇晟，並其眾，復稱燕王，建元，署置百官。
Earlier, the Huairou monk Gao Tansheng had used a feast the magistrate had prepared as his cover to strike with his disciples and kill the official. He proclaimed himself Emperor of the Great Vehicle, made the nun Jingxuan his Empress Yesu, and adopted the era name Falun. He sent envoys to treat Gao Kaidao as a sworn brother, enfeoffed him as King of Qi, and Kaidao brought his followers over to him. Three months later Kaidao killed Tansheng, took over his men, declared himself King of Yan again, set an era name, and installed a full court.
20
竇建德圍羅藝於幽州，藝請救，開道以騎二千赴之，建德解去，乃因藝使請降，詔以為蔚州總管、上柱國、北平郡王，賜姓李。 開道以輕騎五百抵幽州，欲圖藝。 自從數騎入都督府，且觀藝，藝與張飲盡歡，知不可圖，遂去。 五年，幽州饑，開道許輸以粟。 藝遣老弱湊食，皆厚遇之。 藝悅，不為虞，更發兵三千、車數百、馬驢千往請粟，開道悉留不遣，遂北連突厥，告絕於藝，復稱燕，與劉黑闥聯兵入寇。 開道攻易州不克，遣將謝棱詭降於藝，請兵應接。 藝眾至，棱縱擊破之，因導突厥俱南，恒、定、幽、易等騷然罹患。 頡利以開道善攻具，與俱攻馬邑，拔之。 時群盜相繼平，開道欲降，自疑反覆得罪，猶恃突厥自安。 然將士多山東人，思歸，眾益厭亂。
When Dou Jiande besieged Luo Yi at Youzhou, Yi called for help and Kaidao rode to his relief with two thousand cavalry. Jiande broke off the siege and withdrew. Kaidao then used Yi's envoy to offer surrender. The court appointed him Commander-in-chief of Wei Prefecture, Grand Pillar of State, and Prince of Beiping Commandery, and granted him the surname Li. Kaidao arrived at Youzhou with five hundred light cavalry, planning to move against Yi. He rode into the governorship with only a few followers to take Yi’s measure. Yi entertained him generously and they drank together in full good humor. Seeing that Yi could not be trapped, Kaidao withdrew. In the fifth year Youzhou was stricken by famine, and Kaidao promised to send grain. Yi sent the old and weak to collect the grain, and Kaidao treated them all with great kindness. Pleased by this, Yi dropped his guard and sent three thousand more troops, several hundred carts, and a thousand horses and donkeys to fetch grain. Kaidao kept them all and refused to release them. He then allied with the Turks in the north, broke with Yi, declared himself King of Yan again, and joined Liu Heita in raiding Tang territory. Kaidao failed to capture Yizhou and sent his general Xie Ling to pretend to surrender to Yi and ask for troops to coordinate with him. When Yi's men arrived, Xie Ling struck without warning and routed them, then led the Turks south together. Heng, Ding, You, Yi, and the surrounding districts were thrown into chaos and misery. Illig Khan valued Kaidao's skill with siege engines and joined him in attacking Mayi, which they captured. By then the other rebel chiefs had been subdued one after another. Kaidao wanted to surrender but feared punishment for his repeated betrayals, and still counted on the Turks to keep him safe. Most of his officers and men, however, were Shandong natives who longed to go home, and the army grew increasingly sick of the fighting.
21
初，開道募壯士數百為養子，衛閤下，及劉黑闥將張君立亡歸，開道命與愛將張金樹分督之。 金樹潛令左右數人偽與諸養子戲，至夕，入閤，絕其弓弦，又取刀槊聚床下。 既暝，金樹以其徒噪攻之，數人者抱刀槊出閤。 諸義子將搏戰，亡弓槊。 君立舉火外城應之，帳下大擾，養子窮，爭歸金樹。 開道顧不免，擐甲挺刃據堂坐，與妻妾奏妓飲酒，金樹畏不敢前。 天且明，開道先縊其妻妾及諸子而後自殺。 金樹羅兵取養子，皆斬之，亦殺君立而歸。 開道起兵凡八年滅。 以其地為媯州，詔以金樹為北燕州都督。
At first Kaidao had recruited several hundred strong men as adopted sons to guard his headquarters. When Liu Heita's general Zhang Junli deserted back to him, Kaidao put him and his favorite commander Zhang Jinshu in joint charge of them. Jinshu secretly ordered several of his attendants to pretend to play with the adopted sons. At dusk they entered the headquarters, cut the bowstrings, and piled swords and spears under the beds. When night had fallen, Jinshu led his men in a noisy assault, and the few accomplices inside seized the swords and spears and burst out of the headquarters. The adopted sons tried to fight back, but their bows and spears were gone. Junli lit signal fires outside the city to answer him, and the camp erupted in chaos. Cornered, the adopted sons one after another went over to Jinshu. Seeing no way out, Kaidao put on armor, drew his blade, and sat in the hall while his wives and concubines played music and he drank wine. Jinshu was afraid of him and did not dare approach. As dawn neared, Kaidao hanged his wives, concubines, and sons first, then took his own life. Jinshu mustered his troops, rounded up the adopted sons, and executed them all. He killed Junli as well and then surrendered. From the day he raised troops to his fall, Kaidao's rebellion lasted eight years. His territory was reorganized as Guizhou, and an edict made Jinshu Governor of Northern Yanzhou.
22
劉黑闥，貝州漳南人。 嗜酒，喜蒱博，不治產，亡賴，父兄患苦之。 與竇建德少相友，建德每資其費，黑闥所得輒盡，建德亦弗之計。
Liu Heita was from Zhangnan in Beizhou. He loved wine and gambling, never kept a trade, and was a good-for-nothing; his father and elder brothers were tormented by him. He and Dou Jiande had been friends since they were young. Jiande kept giving him money, and Heita always spent every coin at once, yet Jiande never minded.
23
隋末，亡命從郝孝德為盜，後事李密為裨將。 密敗，王世充虜之，以其武健，補馬軍總管，鎮新鄉。 時李世勣陷於竇建德，建德使攻新鄉，虜黑闥獻之，建德用為將，封漢東郡公。 黑闥與諸盜遊，素強武，多狙詐。 建德有所經略，常委以斥候，陰入敵中覘虛實，每乘隙奮奇兵，出不意，多所摧克，軍中號為神勇。
At the end of the Sui he took to the roads, joined Hao Xiaode as a bandit, and later served Li Mi as a subordinate general. When Li Mi fell, Wang Shichong captured him. Impressed by his fighting skill, Shichong made him Commander of the Cavalry Army and posted him at Xinxiang. At that time Li Shiji was held by Dou Jiande, who sent troops against Xinxiang, captured Heita, and brought him in as a prize. Jiande put him in command and enfeoffed him as Duke of Handong Commandery. Heita moved among the bandit chiefs, was naturally fierce in battle, and excelled at ambush and deceit. Whenever Jiande launched a campaign he usually put Heita in charge of scouting. Heita would slip into enemy lines to probe their strength, then at the first opening strike with a daring detachment from an unexpected direction and win crushing victories. The army called him divinely brave.
24
武德四年，建德敗，還匿漳南，杜門不出。 會高祖召建德故將範願、董康買、曹湛、高雅賢，將用之。 願等疑畏，謀曰：「王世充舉洛陽降，驍將楊公卿、單雄信之徒皆夷滅。 今召吾等，若西入關，必無全。 且夏王於唐固有德，往禽淮安王、同安公主，皆厚遣還之。 今唐得夏王，即加害。 我不以余生為王得仇，無以見天下義士。」 於是謀反。 卜所主，劉氏吉，共往見故將劉雅，告之，雅不從，眾怒，殺雅去。 範願曰：「漢東公黑闥果敢多奇略，寬仁容眾，恩結士卒。 吾嘗聞劉氏當王，今欲收夏王亡眾，集大事，非其人莫可。」 乃之漳南，謁黑闥以告。 黑闥喜，椎牛饗士，得兵百余人。 襲漳南縣破之。 貝州刺史戴元祥、魏州刺史權威合勢討擊，元祥等皆敗死，收其器械，有眾千人。 建德故時左右稍歸之，兵浸盛。 乃設壇漳南，祭建德，告以舉兵意。 自稱大將軍。 陷歷亭，殺守將王行敏。 饒陽賊崔元遜攻陷深州，殺刺史裴晞應之。 兗州賊徐圓朗亦相連和。 遂取瀛州，攻定州，殘之。 乃移檄趙、魏，建德將吏往往殺令、尉附賊。 北連高開道，勢雄張。 進至宗城，眾數萬。 黎州總管李世勣戰敗，走洺州，黑闥追之，步卒五千皆覆，世勣挺身免。 乃以王琮為中書令，劉斌為中書侍郎，遣使北結突厥頡利，頡利遣俟斤宋邪那率騎從之，軍大振，不半年，盡有建德故地。 高祖詔秦王及齊王元吉討之。
In the fourth year of Wude, after Jiande's defeat, Heita went into hiding at Zhangnan and never left his house. Just then the High Emperor summoned Jiande's former generals Fan Yuan, Dong Kangmai, Cao Zhan, and Gao Yaxian, intending to put them in office. Fan and the others were suspicious and afraid. They plotted together, saying, "When Wang Shichong surrendered Luoyang with his whole army, fierce commanders such as Yang Gongqing and Shan Xiongxin were all wiped out. Now that we have been summoned, if we go west into the Pass we will surely not come out alive. Moreover, the Prince of Xia had shown Tang kindness before: when he captured Prince Huai'an and Princess Tong'an, he treated them well and sent them home. Now that Tang has the Prince of Xia in hand, they have already done him harm. If we do not spend what life we have left avenging our prince, we will have no face to show the world's men of honor. With that they resolved on rebellion. They cast lots on whom to follow, and the Liu clan came up auspicious. They all went to the former general Liu Ya and told him their plan, but Ya refused. Enraged, the group killed him and departed. Fan Yuan said, "The Duke of Handong, Heita, is resolute and bold, full of daring stratagems, generous to all who join him, and beloved by his soldiers. I have heard that the Liu clan is fated to rule. If we mean to rally the Prince of Xia's scattered followers for a great cause, no one else will serve. So they went to Zhangnan, sought out Heita, and told him the plan. Heita was delighted. He slaughtered an ox to feast his men and mustered more than a hundred soldiers. They raided Zhangnan County and overran it. Beizhou Prefect Dai Yuanxiang and Weizhou Prefect Quan Wei joined forces against him, but Yuanxiang and his colleagues were defeated and killed. Heita took their arms and raised his force to a thousand men. Jiande's old followers gradually rejoined him, and his army steadily swelled. He then raised an altar at Zhangnan, offered sacrifice to Jiande, and declared his intent to take up arms. He proclaimed himself Grand General. He captured Liting and killed the defending general Wang Xingmin. The Raoyang rebel Cui Yuansun stormed Shenzhou, killed Prefect Pei Xi, and rallied to Heita. The Yanzhou rebel Xu Yuanlang joined forces with him as well. He then seized Yingzhou, attacked Dingzhou, and laid it waste. He issued proclamations across Zhao and Wei, and Jiande's former officers and officials often killed local magistrates and assistants and went over to the rebels. He linked up with Gao Kaidao in the north, and his power expanded dramatically. He pushed forward to Zongcheng at the head of a force numbering in the tens of thousands. Lizhou Commander-in-chief Li Shiji was defeated and fled to Mingzhou. Heita pursued him, wiped out five thousand foot soldiers, and Shiji himself barely escaped with his life. He appointed Wang Cong Director of the Secretariat and Liu Bin Vice Director, then sent envoys north to treat with the Turk khan Illig. Illig sent the yabgu Song Xiena at the head of cavalry to join him. His army surged in strength, and in less than half a year he held all of Jiande's old territory. The High Emperor ordered the Prince of Qin and Prince of Qi Yuanji to campaign against him.
25
五年，黑闥陷相州，號漢東王，建元天造，以範願為左僕射，董康買兵部尚書，高雅賢為左領軍，王小胡為右領軍，召建德僚屬，悉復用之，都洺州。 秦王率兵次汲，數困賊，進下相州。 棣州人復殺刺史叛歸黑闥。 二月，秦王破之於列人，取洺水，使總管羅士信守之。 黑闥攻陷洺水，士信死。 王阻水為連營，分奇兵絕其饋路。 黑闥數挑戰，堅壁不為動。 三月，賊糧盡，王度必決戰，豫壅洺水上流，敕吏曰：「須賊度，亟決之。」 黑闥果率騎二萬絕水陣，與王師大戰，眾潰，水暴至，賊眾不得還，斬首萬余級，溺死數千，黑闥與範願等以殘騎奔突厥。 山東平，秦王還。
In the fifth year Heita took Xiangzhou, declared himself King of Handong, and adopted the era name Tianzao. He made Fan Yuan Left Vice Director, Dong Kangmai Minister of War, Gao Yaxian Left Army Director, and Wang Xiaohu Right Army Director, recalled Jiande's former staff and put them all back in office, and established his capital at Mingzhou. The Prince of Qin led his army to Ji, repeatedly harried the rebels, and pressed down on Xiangzhou. The people of Dizhou again killed their prefect and went over to Heita. In the second month the Prince defeated them at Lieren, seized Ming River, and left Commander Luo Shixin to hold it. Heita stormed Ming River and killed Shixin. The Prince blocked the river with a chain of camps and sent flanking troops to sever the rebel supply lines. Heita repeatedly offered battle, but the Prince kept his walls and would not be drawn out. In the third month the rebels' grain ran out. The Prince judged that they would have to fight a decisive battle, so he dammed the upper Ming River in advance and told his officials, "When the rebels cross, break the dam at once. Heita duly led twenty thousand cavalry across the river into battle against the Prince's army. His force collapsed as the water burst through; the rebels could not get back across. More than ten thousand heads were taken and several thousand drowned. Heita fled to the Turks with Fan Yuan and the other survivors. Shandong was pacified, and the Prince of Qin withdrew.
26
黑闥藉突厥兵復入寇，攻定州。 舊將曹湛、董康買先逃鮮虞，聚兵應之。 帝以淮陽王道玄為河北總管，與原國公史萬寶討賊，戰下博，敗績，道玄死於陣，萬寶輕騎逸，繇是河北復叛歸賊。 黑闥仍都洺州。 九月，略瀛州，殺刺史。 詔齊王元吉擊之，不進。 又詔皇太子督兵並力，頻戰皆捷。 十二月，皇太子、齊王悉兵戰館陶，黑闥大敗，引軍走，躡北至毛州。 黑闥整眾，背永濟渠陣，縱騎搏之，賊赴水死者數千，黑闥遁去。 騎將劉弘基追蹙，賊不得休。 明年正月，馳至饒陽，騎能屬者才百余，困且餒。 黑闥所署總管崔元遜迎拜，延之入。 黑闥不許，元遜固請，且泣，乃進城下。 元遜饋之，方飯，車騎諸葛德威勒兵前，黑闥罵曰：「狗輩負我！」 遂執詣皇太子所斬之。 德威舉郡降，山東遂定。 余黨及突厥兵間道亡，定州總管雙士洛邀戰，破平之。
Heita borrowed Turk troops and raided again, attacking Dingzhou. His old generals Cao Zhan and Dong Kangmai had already fled to Xianyu and were gathering troops to answer his call. The Emperor put Prince Huaiyang Daoxuan in command of Hebei and sent him with Duke of Yanguo Shi Wanbao against the rebels. They fought at Xiabo and were routed; Daoxuan died on the field and Wanbao escaped on a fast horse. Hebei then rebelled again and went back to the rebels. Heita again made Mingzhou his capital. In the ninth month he raided Yingzhou and killed the prefect. An edict ordered Prince of Qi Yuanji to attack him, but Yuanji would not move. Another edict put the Crown Prince in overall command and combined the armies; they won battle after battle. In the twelfth month the Crown Prince and Prince of Qi brought their full strength to battle at Guantao. Heita was routed and fled; the Tang forces pursued him north as far as Maozhou. Heita rallied his men and drew up with the Yongji Canal at their backs, then sent cavalry to strike. Several thousand rebels drowned trying to escape, and Heita slipped away. Cavalry commander Liu Hongji pressed the pursuit so hard the rebels could not catch their breath. In the first month of the following year he raced to Raoyang with barely a hundred horsemen still able to follow, exhausted and starving. Cui Yuansun, the commander Heita had appointed, came out to greet him with obeisance and invited him into the city. Heita refused, but Yuansun pleaded again and wept until Heita finally came up beneath the city walls. Yuansun brought him food. While he was still eating, Cavalry General Zhuge Dewei advanced at the head of his troops. Heita cursed, "You dogs have betrayed me! They seized him, brought him before the Crown Prince, and executed him. Dewei surrendered the whole commandery, and Shandong was finally settled. The remaining rebels and Turk soldiers fled by back roads, but Dingzhou Commander-in-chief Shuang Shiluo intercepted them, defeated them, and restored order.
27
初，秦王建天策府，其弧矢制倍於常。 逐黑闥也，為突厥所窘，自以大箭射卻之。 突厥得箭，傳觀，以為神。 後余大弓一、長矢五，藏之武庫，世寶之，每郊丘重禮，必陳於儀物之首，以識武功雲。
When the Prince of Qin first established the Heavenly Stratagem Office, his bow and arrows were made twice the usual size. While pursuing Heita he was cornered by Turks and personally drove them back with one of his great arrows. The Turks recovered the arrow and passed it from hand to hand, marveling at it as something supernatural. One great bow and five long arrows remained afterward. They were kept in the armory and treasured for generations; at every grand suburban rite they were placed at the head of the ceremonial regalia as a token of martial glory.
28
徐圓朗者，兗州人。 隋末為盜，據本郡，以兵徇瑯邪以西，北至東平，盡有之，勝兵二萬，附李密。 密敗，歸竇建德。 山東平，授兗州總管、魯郡公。 高祖遣葛國公盛彥師安輯河南，抵任城，會黑闥兵起，圓朗執彥師應之，自號魯王，黑闥以為大行臺元帥。 兗、鄆、陳、杞、伊、洛、曹、戴等州豪桀皆殺吏應賊，秦王已破黑闥，遣兵屯濟陰經略之。 圓朗懼。 河間人劉復禮說圓朗曰：「彭城有劉世徹，才略不常，有異相，士大夫許其必王。 將軍欲自用，恐敗，不如迎世徹立之，功無不濟。」 圓朗謂然，乃迎之。 盛彥師以世徹若聯叛，禍且不解，即謬說曰：「聞公迎劉世徹，信乎？ 公亡無日矣！ 獨不見翟讓用李密哉？」 圓朗信之。 世徹至，奪其兵，以為司馬，遣徇地，所至皆下，忌而殺之。 會淮安王神通、李世勣合兵攻圓朗，圓朗數敗，總管任環遂圍兗州，降者爭逾城。 圓朗窮，棄城，與下數騎夜亡，為野人所殺。
Xu Yuanlang was a man of Yanzhou. At the end of the Sui he turned bandit, seized his home commandery, and marched west as far as Langya and north to Dongping until he held the whole region with twenty thousand fighting men, then attached himself to Li Mi. When Li Mi fell, he went over to Dou Jiande. After Shandong was pacified he was made Commander-in-chief of Yanzhou and Duke of Lu Commandery. The High Emperor sent Duke of Ge Sheng Yanshi to pacify Henan. When he reached Rencheng, Liu Heita's rebellion broke out. Yuanlang seized Yanshi and joined him, declared himself King of Lu, and Heita made him marshal of the Grand Expeditionary Headquarters. Local strongmen across Yan, Yun, Chen, Qi, Yi, Luo, Cao, Dai, and neighboring prefectures killed their officials and rallied to the rebels. The Prince of Qin had already defeated Heita and sent troops to hold Jiyin and bring the region under control. Yuanlang was alarmed. Liu Fuli of Hejian advised Yuanlang, "At Pengcheng there is a man named Liu Shiche—brilliant and unpredictable, with the look of a born ruler. The educated class already say he is destined for the throne. If you try to hold power yourself, General, you will probably lose. Welcome Shiche and make him your sovereign instead, and you cannot fail." Yuanlang agreed and went to receive him. Sheng Yanshi feared that if Shiche were brought in, the rebellion would become unstoppable. He spread a rumor at once: "I hear you are welcoming Liu Shiche—is that true? Your end is near! Have you forgotten what happened when Zhai Rang brought in Li Mi?" Yuanlang believed him. When Shiche arrived, Yuanlang stripped him of his troops, made him marshal, and sent him to conquer the countryside. Every place he reached submitted, but Yuanlang grew jealous and had him killed. Prince Huai'an Li Shentong and Li Shiji joined forces against Yuanlang. He lost battle after battle. Area Commander Ren Huan besieged Yanzhou, and defectors scrambled over the walls to surrender. Cornered, Yuanlang abandoned the city and fled by night with only a handful of horsemen. Country people caught and killed him.