Volume 167 Biographies 92: Bai, Pei, Cui, Wei, two Li's, Huang, Fu, Wang

白裴崔韋二李皇甫王

Bai, Pei, Cui, Wei, the two Lis, Huangfu, and Wang

白志貞者，本名琇珪，故太原史也。事節度使李光弼，硁硁自力，有智數。光弼善之，使與帳下議。代宗素聞，及光弼卒，擢累司農卿。在官十年，德宗以為敏，遂倚腹心，進授神策軍使，賜今名。有所建白，善窺億帝指，故言無不從。從狩奉天，以為行在都知兵馬使。懼李懷光暴其惡，乃與趙贊、盧杞等抑懷光不使朝。懷光反，論斥其奸，貶恩州司馬，贊播州司馬。稍徙閬州別駕。貞元二年，起為果州刺史，宰相李勉固諫，不許。明年，拜浙西觀察使，死於官。

Bai Zhizhen, whose original name was Xiugui, had once served as a clerk in Taiyuan. Under the military governor Li Guangbi he proved diligent and self-reliant, and showed a shrewd mind for strategy. Guangbi took a liking to him and brought him into deliberations with his staff. Emperor Daizong had already heard of his reputation, and after Guangbi's death he was promoted step by step until he reached the post of Minister of Agriculture. He held office for ten years; Emperor Dezong found him sharp-witted, made him a trusted confidant, appointed him commander of the Shence Army, and granted him the name he now bore. In whatever he proposed he had a knack for reading the emperor's mind, so that the throne never refused his advice. When the emperor withdrew to Fengtian on campaign, he was named overall commander of troops at the traveling court. Afraid Li Huaiguang would expose his misdeeds, he worked with Zhao Zan, Lu Qi, and others to keep Huaiguang from coming to court. After Huaiguang rose in rebellion, their scheming was publicly condemned; Bai was demoted to prefectural aide in En Prefecture and Zan to the same office in Bo Prefecture. He was later moved to the post of vice-prefect of Lang Prefecture. In 786 he was recalled as prefect of Guo Prefecture; Chief Minister Li Mian protested strongly, yet the emperor would not be dissuaded. The following year he was appointed military commissioner of Western Zhe and died in that post.

裴延齡，河中河東人。乾元末，為汜水尉，賊陷東都，去客江夏。華州刺史董晉表署判官，稍遷太常博士。盧杞秉政，引為膳部員外郎、集賢院直學士。崔造表知東都度支院。召為祠部郎中，不待命，輒還集賢院，宰相張延賞疾其易，出為昭應令。與尉交訴所賕，京兆尹鄭叔則佑尉，而御史中丞竇參善延齡，卒逐尹。德宗用參輔政，即擢延齡司農少卿。

Pei Yanling came from Hezhong in the Hedong region. Near the end of the Qianyuan reign he served as magistrate of Qishui; when rebels took the Eastern Capital he fled and stayed as a guest in Jiangxia. Dong Jin, prefect of Hua Prefecture, had him appointed judicial aide, and he rose in time to the post of Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When Lu Qi dominated the government, he was brought in as an outer-office member of the Board of Provisions and a resident academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Cui Zao recommended him to oversee the Eastern Capital revenue office. He was called up as director of the Board of Sacrifices, yet without waiting for formal orders he returned at once to the Hall of Assembled Worthies; Chief Minister Zhang Yanshang, offended by his insolence, had him posted out as magistrate of Zhaoying. He and the district magistrate brought mutual suits over bribery; Jingzhao Intendant Zheng Shuzhe sided with the magistrate, but Censor-in-Chief Dou Can favored Yanling, and in the end the intendant was forced from office. Once Dezong put Dou Can in charge of policy, Yanling was promptly promoted to vice-minister of agriculture.

會班宏卒，假領度支。延齡素不善財計，乃廣鉤距，取宿奸老吏與謀，以固帝幸。因建言：「左藏，天下歲入不資，耗登不可校。請列別舍，以檢盈虛。」於是以天下宿負八百萬緡析為負庫，抽貫三百萬緡為賸庫，樣物三十萬緡為季庫，帛以素出、以色入者為月庫。帝皆可之。然天下負皆窮人，償入無期，抽貫與給皆盡；樣物與帛固有籍，延齡但多其薄最吏員以詭帝，於財用無所加也。俄以戶部侍郎為真。又請以京兆苗錢市草千萬，俾民輸諸苑。宰相陸贄等以為非是，不從。京右偏故有葦地數頃，延齡妄言：「長安、咸陽間，得陂艿數百頃，願以為內廄牧地，水甘草薦與苑廄等。」帝信之，以問宰相，皆曰：「當無有。」帝遣使按覆，果詐。延齡大慚，帝不責也。

When Ban Hong died, he was given acting charge of the revenue bureau. Yanling had never been adept at finance; he cast about for schemes instead, enlisted veteran corrupt clerks in his plots, and worked to secure the emperor's favor. He then proposed: "The left treasury cannot cover the empire's annual intake, and waste and receipts are beyond reckoning. Let separate storehouses be established to audit surplus and shortfall. Accordingly the empire's long-standing debts of eight million strings were carved into a "debt vault," drawn advances of three million into a "surplus vault," sample goods worth three hundred thousand into a "quarterly vault," and silk issued in plain weave but received in dyed weave into a "monthly vault." The emperor approved every proposal. Yet every debt on the books belonged to the destitute, with no prospect of repayment; drawn advances and disbursements were already exhausted; sample goods and silk already had their registers—Yanling merely inflated the ledgers and staff rolls to deceive the emperor, adding nothing to the treasury's real resources. Before long he received the substantive post of vice-minister of revenue. He also asked to use Jingzhao seed-money to buy ten million units of fodder and have the people deliver it to the imperial parks. Chief Ministers Lu Zan and others judged the plan unsound, and the emperor did not adopt it. On the western outskirts of the capital there were only a few acres of reed marsh; Yanling falsely claimed: "Between Chang'an and Xianyang I have found several hundred acres of marsh pasture and wish to set it aside as inner-stable grazing land, with water, fine grass, and fodder to match the park stables. The emperor believed him and asked the chief ministers; all replied: "There should be nothing of the kind." The emperor sent envoys to investigate, and the claim proved fraudulent. Yanling was deeply ashamed, yet the emperor did not rebuke him.

京兆積歲和市不得直，尹李充請之官，延齡誣其妄，反令還輸，號曰「底折錢」。嘗請斂財以實府，帝曰：「安得而實之？」延齡曰：「開元、天寶間，戶口繁息，百司務殷，官且有缺者。比兵興，戶不半在，今一官治數司足矣。請後官闕不即補，收其稟以實帑簿。」

For years Jingzhao's market purchases had failed to obtain fair prices; Intendant Li Chong asked the government to take them over; Yanling denounced him as presumptuous and instead ordered repayment, dubbing the sum "bottom-discount money." He once asked to gather funds to fill the treasury; the emperor said, "How could it be filled? Yanling replied: "Under Kaiyuan and Tianbao the population flourished, the hundred offices were busy, and even offices had vacancies. Since the wars began, fewer than half the households remain; today one official can run several bureaus. Let later vacancies go unfilled for a time and their salaries be collected to swell the treasury ledgers."

它日，帝謂延齡曰：「朕所居浴堂殿，一棟將壓，念易之，未能也。」延齡曰：「宗廟至重，殿棟微矣。且陛下本分錢，用之亡窮，何所難哉？」帝驚曰：「本分錢奈何？」對曰：「此在經誼，愚儒不能知，臣能言之。按禮，天下賦三之：一以充乾豆，一以事賓客，一君之庖廚。陛下奉宗廟，能竭天下賦三之一乎？鴻臚禮賓，勞予四夷，用十一為有贏。陛下所禦饔餼簡儉，以所餘為百官稟料飧錢，未盡也，則所不盡者為本分錢。以治殿數十尚不乏，況一棟哉！」帝頷曰：「人未嘗為朕言之。」又造神龍佛祠，須材五十尺者。延齡妄奏：「同州得大谷，木數千章，度皆八十尺，」帝曰：「吾聞開元時，近山無巨木，求之嵐、勝間。今何地之近、材之良邪？」延齡曰：「異材瑰產，處處有之，待聖主乃出。今生近輔，豈開元所當得也！」帝悅。

On another day the emperor told Yanling: "In the bath hall where I live, one beam is about to give way; I mean to replace it but cannot manage the cost. Yanling said: "The ancestral temple is the weightiest concern of all; a hall beam is a trifling matter. Besides, Your Majesty has principal money at your disposal—its use is inexhaustible; what could be difficult?" The emperor said in surprise, "What is this principal money?" He answered: "This lies in canonical principle; foolish scholars cannot grasp it, but your servant can explain it. By ritual, the empire's levies are divided in three: one third for the dried-meat vessels of sacrifice, one for receiving guests, and one for the ruler's kitchen. Your Majesty serves the ancestral temple—can you exhaust even one third of the empire's levies? The Court of State Ceremonial receives guests and toils over the four quarters—spending one part in ten still leaves a surplus. Your Majesty's imperial meals are plain and frugal; what remains goes to the officials' salary grain and meal allowances; what is still left over—that is principal money. To repair dozens of halls would scarcely exhaust it—how much less a single beam!" The emperor nodded and said, "No one has ever told me this before." He also undertook construction of the Shenlong Buddhist shrine and needed timbers fifty feet long. Yanling falsely reported: "In Tong Prefecture I have found a great valley with several thousand timbers, each eighty feet long"; the emperor said, "I have heard that in Kaiyuan times there were no great trees near the mountains, and they had to be sought between Lan and Sheng. What place is so near, and what timber so fine?" Yanling said: "Rare timber and wondrous products exist everywhere; they wait for a sage ruler to bring them forth. Now they appear near the capital—how could the Kaiyuan era have obtained such!" The emperor was pleased.

是時，陸贄為宰相，帝素所信重，極論其譎妄不可任，帝以為排冒，愈益厚延齡。贄上疏列其狀，具言：「延齡嘗奏句獲乾隱二千萬緡，請舍別庫為羨余，供天子私費，故上之興作廣，宣索多矣。延齡欲實其言，乃大搜市廛，奪所入獻，逮捕匠徒，迫脅就功，號曰『敕索』，弗仇其直，名曰『和雇』，弗與之庸。又度支出納，與太府交相關制，出物旬計，見物月計，符按覆核，有御史以監董之，則財用不得回隱。延齡乃言掊糞土得銀十三萬兩，它貨且百萬，已棄而獲，皆羨余也，悉移舍以供別敕。太府卿韋少華劾其妄，陛下縱之不為治，此乃侵削兆民，為天子取怨於下。」又引建中橫斂多積致播遷者，其言甚深切。帝得奏不悅。會鹽鐵使張滂、京兆尹李充、司農卿李铦皆指延齡專以險偽罔上，帝怒，乃罷贄宰相，左除滂等官。

At this time Lu Zan was chief minister, a man the emperor had long trusted; he argued at length that Yanling's deceit and presumption made him unfit for office, but the emperor took this as partisan slander and favored Yanling all the more. Zan submitted a memorial listing his conduct in detail, writing: "Yanling once reported that he had uncovered two million strings in concealed dry goods, asked to set aside a separate storehouse as surplus for the Son of Heaven's private expenses—hence the sovereign's building projects grew vast and requisitions multiplied. Yanling wished to make good on his claim and therefore ransacked the markets, seized goods brought in as tribute, arrested craftsmen and laborers, and coerced them to work—calling it "imperial requisition," refusing fair price and naming it "harmonious hire," yet paying no wages. Moreover the revenue bureau's intake and outgo are cross-checked with the grand storehouse: outgoing goods are tallied every ten days, incoming goods every month, tally-slips are reviewed and verified, and censors supervise inspection—so funds cannot be concealed. Yanling then claimed that digging in dung and earth yielded one hundred thirty thousand taels of silver and other goods nearing a million—all abandoned yet recovered, all surplus—and moved them entirely to supply separate imperial orders. Grand Storehouse Director Wei Shaohua impeached him for falsehood, yet Your Majesty indulged him and did not punish—this is to strip the myriad people and win resentment for the Son of Heaven among his subjects. He also cited how the ruthless levies and vast hoarding of the Jianzhong era had driven the court into exile—his words were piercing in their force. The emperor received the memorial and was displeased. It happened that Salt and Iron Commissioner Zhang Pang, Jingzhao Intendant Li Chong, and Minister of Agriculture Li Xian all charged that Yanling relied solely on treacherous deceit to mislead the throne; the emperor grew angry, removed Zan from the chief ministership, and demoted Pang and the others.

時大旱，人情愁惴。延齡言：「贄等失權怨望，顯言歲饑民流、度支糧芻乏以激怒眾士。」它日，帝畋苑中，而神策軍訴度支不賦廄芻者，天子惑延齡言，乃下詔斥逐贄等，朝廷震恐。延齡又捕充所善吏張忠榜掠之，誣充「沒官錢五十萬緡，以餌結權幸，令妻以犢車載金餉贄。」忠具獄，其母投訴光順門匭，有詔御史審劾，一夕得狀，乃釋忠。延齡不得逞，復奏充妄用京兆錢谷，願下有司比句，以比部郎中崔元翰欲釋憾於贄也。賴刑部侍郎奚陟辨治，充等得不冤。

At the time a great drought gripped the land, and the people were anxious and fearful. Yanling said: "Zan and the others, having lost power, nurse resentment; they openly proclaim famine, fleeing populations, and shortages of grain and fodder at the revenue bureau—to inflame the scholar-officials. On another day, as the emperor hunted in the park, the Shence Army complained that the revenue bureau would not supply stable fodder; swayed by Yanling's words, the Son of Heaven issued an edict expelling Zan and the others, and the court trembled in fear. Yanling also arrested Chong's favored clerk Zhang Zhong and tortured him under the cudgel, falsely charging that Chong "had seized five hundred thousand strings of official funds, used bribes to win favor with the powerful, and had his wife load gold in an ox-cart to bribe Zan. Zhong furnished the full case; his mother lodged a complaint in the Guangshun Gate petition box; an edict ordered the censors to investigate; within a single night the truth emerged, and Zhong was released. Yanling could not prevail and again memorialized that Chong had misused Jingzhao funds and grain, asking that subordinate offices audit the accounts—because Director of Comparisons Cui Yuanhan wished to vent his resentment against Zan. Thanks to Vice Minister of Justice Xi Zhi's clear adjudication, Chong and the others escaped wrongful conviction.

延齡資苛刻，又劫於利，專剝下附上，肆騁譎怪。其進對，皆他人莫敢言，而延齡言之不疑，亦人之所未聞者。帝頗知其詐，但以其不隱，欲聞外事，故斷用不疑。延齡恃得君，謂必輔政，少所降下，至嫚罵邇臣，時人側目。屬疾臥第，載度支官物輸之家，無敢言。帝念之，使者日三輩往。死，年六十九。人語以相安，唯帝悼不已。冊贈太子太傅、上柱國。永貞初，度支建言：「延齡曩列別庫，分藏正物，無實益而有吏文之煩。」乃詔復以還左藏。元和中，有司謚曰繆。

Yanling was harsh by nature and driven by greed, specializing in stripping those below to please those above and giving free rein to deceit and extravagance. In his audiences he spoke without hesitation of what others dared not say, and also of what men had never heard before. The emperor knew fairly well that he was deceitful, but because he did not conceal himself and the emperor wished to hear news from outside the court, he employed him decisively without hesitation. Yanling, confident of the emperor's favor, believed he would surely rise to chief minister, seldom humbled himself, and even insulted nearby ministers—men of the time watched him with sidelong glances. When he fell ill and lay at home, he loaded revenue-bureau goods into carts and delivered them to his house—no one dared object. The emperor thought constantly of him; envoys went three times a day. He died at the age of sixty-nine. People spoke of his death with relief; only the emperor mourned without end. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and Pillar of the State. At the beginning of the Yongzhen reign the revenue bureau proposed: "Yanling formerly set up separate storehouses and divided storage of regular goods—no real benefit, only clerical paperwork and trouble. An edict then ordered that all be returned to the left treasury. In the Yuanhe era the responsible offices gave him the posthumous name "Deceptive."

崔損，字至無，系本博陵。大歷間，中進士、博學宏辭，補校書郎、咸陽尉。避親，改大理評事。累勞至右諫議大夫。於時，宰相趙憬卒，盧邁屬疾，裴延齡素善損，薦之德宗。貞元十二年，以本官同中書門下平章事。始，中書虛位十日，議者謂選有德，及用損，中外悵失。而損性齪齪能自將，延英進見，不敢出一言及天下事。逾年，進門下侍郎。嘗以疾臥家久，賜絹三百為醫藥費。

Cui Sun, whose style name was Zhiwu, came from the Boling lineage. During the Dali era he passed the jinshi examination and the erudite examination in broad learning, and was appointed collator and magistrate of Xianyang. To avoid serving under a relative he was transferred to an evaluator's post in the Court of Judicial Review. Through accumulated service he rose to Right Remonstrator. At that time Chief Minister Zhao Jing died and Lu Mai fell ill; Pei Yanling had long been on good terms with Sun and recommended him to Dezong. In 796 he was made, while retaining his present office, Associate Grand Councilor of the Secretariat-Chancellery. The Secretariat had stood vacant for ten days; commentators expected a man of virtue to be chosen—when Sun was appointed, court and country alike were disappointed. Yet Sun was cautious and self-restrained by nature; in Yanying audiences he dared not utter a single word on affairs under Heaven. After more than a year he was advanced to vice-minister of the Chancellery. Once, when he lay ill at home for a long time, he was granted three hundred bolts of silk for medical expenses.

損無卓卓稱於人者，而歷二省華要至宰相。母殯而不葬，亦不展殯；女兄為尼，沒不臨喪。建中後，宰相無久任者，損以便柔遜願中帝意，乃留八年。帝亦知公議病其持祿，然憐遇彌渥。卒，贈太子太傅，謚曰靖。

Sun had won no outstanding reputation among men, yet passed through the splendid posts of both ministries to chief minister. His mother's coffin lay unburied, and he did not even observe the mourning display; his elder sister became a nun, and when she died he did not attend her funeral. After the Jianzhong era no chief minister held office long; Sun, by being accommodating, soft, and deferential enough to please the emperor, remained in post for eight years. The emperor also knew that public opinion faulted him for clinging to office and salary, yet treated him with ever greater favor. He died and was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, with the posthumous name "Tranquil."

韋渠牟，京兆萬年人，工部侍郎述從子也。少警悟，工為詩，李白異之，授以古樂府。去為道士，不終，更為浮屠，已而復冠。浙西韓滉表試校書郎，進至四門博士。

Wei Qumou came from Wannian in Jingzhao and was a nephew of Vice-Minister of Works Wei Shu. As a youth he was quick-witted and skilled at poetry; Li Bai took notice of him and taught him ancient yuefu verse. He left to become a Daoist priest but did not stay; he then became a Buddhist monk, and afterward returned to lay life. Han Huang of Western Zhe recommended him for trial appointment as collator, and he rose to Erudite of the Four Gates.

貞元十二年，德宗誕日，詔給事中徐岱、兵部郎中趙需、禮部郎中許孟容與渠牟及佛老二師並對麟德殿，質問大趣。渠牟有口辯，雖於三家未究解，然答問鋒生，帝聽之意動。遷秘書郎，進詩七百言。未浹旬，擢右補闕內供奉。始，同列易之，後數遣中人專召渠牟，由是皆屬目。歲中，至諫議大夫。大抵延英對，雖大臣率漏下二三刻止，渠牟每奏事，輒五六刻乃罷，天子歡甚。渠牟為人佻躁，志向浮淺，不根於道德仁義，特用憸巧中帝意，非有嘉謨正辭感悟得君也。

In 796, on Dezong's birthday, an edict ordered Supervising Secretary Xu Dai, Director of the Board of War Zhao Xu, Director of the Board of Rites Xu Mengrong, Qumou, and two masters of Buddhism and Daoism to debate one another in the Linde Hall on the great principles. Qumou was eloquent; though he had not mastered the three teachings in depth, his replies were sharp in debate, and as the emperor listened his mind was stirred. He was transferred to secretary and presented a poem of seven hundred lines. Within less than ten days he was promoted to Right Supplementation Censor with inner attendance. At first his colleagues looked down on him; later the emperor repeatedly sent eunuchs to summon Qumou alone, and thereby all turned their eyes to him. Within the year he rose to Remonstrator. As a rule, Yanying audiences ended two or three marks past the hour even for great ministers; whenever Qumou reported affairs the session lasted five or six marks, and the Son of Heaven was greatly pleased. Qumou was frivolous and rash by nature, shallow in purpose, and ungrounded in morality and benevolent duty; he won the emperor solely through crafty flattery, not through excellent counsel and upright words that might truly move the throne.

自陸贄免，帝躬攬庶政，不復委權於下。宰相取充位、行文書而已，至守宰、御史，皆自推簡。然處深宮，所倚而信者裴延齡、李齊運、王紹、李實、韋執誼與渠牟等，其權侔人主。延齡、實皆奸虐，紹無所建明。渠牟後出，望最輕，張恩勢以動天下，召崔芋於茅山，超鄭隨布衣至補闕，引醴泉令馮伉為給事中、太子侍讀。帝既偏於任聽，士之浮競甘進者爭出其門，赫然勢焰可炙。再擢太常卿。卒，年五十三，贈刑部尚書，謚曰忠。所論著甚多，傳於時。

After Lu Zan was removed, the emperor personally took hold of routine government and no longer delegated power below. Chief ministers merely filled posts and transmitted documents; as for prefects, magistrates, and censors, the emperor himself made the selections. Yet dwelling deep in the palace, those he relied on and trusted—Pei Yanling, Li Qiyun, Wang Shao, Li Shi, Wei Zhiyi, and Qumou among others—wielded power equal to the sovereign's. Yanling and Shi were both treacherous and cruel; Shao accomplished nothing of note. Qumou rose later and carried the lightest reputation; he spread favor and power to shake the empire, summoned Cui Yu from Mount Mao, promoted Zheng Sui from commoner to supplementation censor, and brought in Liquan Magistrate Feng Kang as supervising secretary and tutor to the heir. Since the emperor was partial in whom he appointed and heard, scholars who were frivolous, competitive, and eager to advance all vied to pass through his gate; his blazing influence could scorch one. He was twice promoted to Minister of Imperial Sacrifices. He died at the age of fifty-three and was posthumously made Minister of Justice, with the posthumous name "Loyal." His writings were many and circulated widely in his time.

李齊運者，蔣王惲孫。始補寧王府東閣祭酒，擢累監察御史，復辟江淮都統李亙府。由工部郎中為長安令，政頗修辦。宗正少卿李瀚從子有所訟，齊運於瀚為卑行，而不禮訟者。瀚怒，辱諸朝，齊運以聞，代宗貶瀚。由是稍擢京兆少尹。出為河中尹、晉絳慈隰觀察使。

Li Qiyun was a grandson of Prince of Jiang, Li Yun. He first served as eastern-pavilion libationer in the Prince of Ning's household, rose in succession to investigating censor, and again entered the staff of Jiang-Huai Overall Commander Li Gen. From director of the Board of Works he became magistrate of Chang'an; his administration was fairly well ordered. Vice Director of the Imperial Clan Li Han's nephew brought a suit; Qiyun, being Han's junior in clan rank, showed no courtesy to the litigant. Han grew angry and insulted him at court; Qiyun reported it, and Daizong demoted Han. Thereby he was gradually promoted to vice-intendant of Jingzhao. He was posted out as intendant of Hezhong and military commissioner of Jin, Jiang, Ci, and Xi.

德宗出狩，李懷光還兵奔難，晝夜馳，及河中，士罷困，乃休三日。齊運悉所賦勞軍，牛酒豐甘，人人喜悅。及懷光反，還守河中，齊運棄城走。詔拜京兆尹。時李晟壁渭橋，齊運發民築城保，督芻粟以餉晟。賊平，頗有助。萬年丞源邃不事，齊運怒，捽辱之，死於廷。邃家告冤，御史大夫崔縱請窮治，帝不許。御史聯章深劾，齊運訴於帝，言為朋黨所擠。天子使宰相諭諫官御史，後毋得群署章以劾，然卒不直邃冤。

When Dezong went out on campaign, Li Huaiguang turned his army back to rush to the crisis, galloping day and night; when he reached Hezhong the troops were exhausted and he rested three days. Qiyun levied everything he could to reward the army; beef and wine were rich and sweet, and every man was pleased. When Huaiguang rebelled and returned to hold Hezhong, Qiyun abandoned the city and fled. An edict appointed him Jingzhao intendant. At the time Li Sheng was encamped at the Wei Bridge; Qiyun mobilized the people to build fortifications and supervised fodder and grain to supply Sheng. When the rebels were pacified he had contributed considerably. Wannian Assistant Magistrate Yuan Sui would not serve him; Qiyun grew angry, seized and humiliated him, and Yuan died in the hall. Sui's family reported the injustice; Censor-in-Chief Cui Zong asked for thorough punishment, but the emperor would not agree. Censors submitted joint memorials impeaching him deeply; Qiyun appealed to the emperor, saying he was squeezed by faction. The Son of Heaven had the chief minister instruct remonstrators and censors that thereafter they must not jointly sign memorials to impeach; yet in the end Sui's injustice was never vindicated.

久之，大蝗旱，齊運不能政，乃以韓洄代之，改宗正卿、閑廄宮苑使。進至禮部尚書。宰相內殿對已，齊運常次進，帝與參決大事。既無學，暗於大體，第以甘言阿匼而已。嘗薦李锜為浙西，受賂數十萬，又薦李詞為湖州刺史，人告其贓，帝置不問。齊運臥疾，滿歲不能謁，每除吏，往往遣使即家咨逮。晚以妾為妻，具冕服行禮，士人蚩之。卒，年七十二，贈尚書左僕射。

After a long time there were great locusts and drought; Qiyun could not govern, and Han Hui was made to replace him; he was reassigned as Director of the Imperial Clan and commissioner of idle stables and palace parks. He advanced to Minister of Rites. After the chief ministers had finished audience in the inner hall, Qiyun usually entered next, and the emperor discussed and decided great affairs with him. He had no learning and was blind to the great pattern; he merely used sweet words and flattery. He once recommended Li Qi for Western Zhe and received bribes of several hundred thousand; he also recommended Li Ci as prefect of Hu Prefecture—when men reported his corruption the emperor set it aside without inquiry. Qiyun lay ill a full year unable to attend audience; whenever an official was appointed he often sent envoys to his home to consult and decide. Late in life he made a concubine his wife, furnished cap and robes, and performed the rites—scholars mocked him. He died at the age of seventy-two and was posthumously made Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.

李實，道王元慶四世孫。以蔭仕，嗣曹王臯辟署江西府判官，遷蘄州刺史。臯節度山南東道，復從之。臯卒，實知後務，刻薄軍費，士怨怒，欲殺之，夜縋亡歸京師。

Li Shi was a fourth-generation descendant of Prince of Dao, Li Yuanqing. By hereditary privilege he entered service; Prince of Cao Li Gao recruited him as Jiangxi judicial aide, and he was transferred to prefect of Qi Prefecture. When Gao governed the Shannan East circuit, he again followed him. When Gao died, Shi took charge of subsequent affairs, was harsh in cutting military expenses, the troops resented and raged and wished to kill him; he was lowered by rope at night and fled back to the capital.

累進司農卿，擢拜京兆尹，封嗣道王。怙寵而愎，不循法度。貞元二十年旱，關輔饑，實方務聚斂以結恩，民訴府上，一不問。德宗訪外疾苦，實詭曰：「歲雖旱，不害有秋。」乃峻責租調，人窮無告，至徹舍鬻苗輸於官。優人成輔端為俳語諷帝，實怒，奏賤工謗國，帝為殺之。或言：「古者，瞽誦箴諫，雖恢諧托諭，何誅焉？」帝悔，然不罪實。

He was promoted in succession to Minister of Agriculture, then appointed Jingzhao intendant and enfeoffed as Heir Prince of Dao. Relying on favor he was obstinate and did not follow law and regulation. In 804 there was drought; the Guanfu region was famine-struck; Shi was then bent on gathering wealth to win favor—the people appealed to the prefecture and he did not inquire once. Dezong inquired into suffering outside the palace; Shi deceitfully said, "Though the year is drought-struck, it does not harm the autumn harvest. He then harshly exacted rent and tax; people were destitute with nowhere to appeal, even tearing down houses and selling seedlings to deliver to the government. The actor Cheng Fuduan made comic lines to satirize the emperor; Shi grew angry and memorialized that a base craftsman had slandered the state; the emperor had him killed. Someone said, "In antiquity blind singers recited admonitions; though broad humor conveyed instruction, why execute them? The emperor regretted it, yet did not punish Shi.

故事，京兆避臺官。實嘗與御史王播遇，而騶唱爭道。播鉤責從者，實怒，奏播為三原令，廷辱之。惡萬年令李眾，誣逐虔州司馬，以所善虞部員外郎房啟代之。其怙權作威若此。公卿為讒短遷斥者甚眾，專情謷色見顏間。權德輿為禮部，而實私薦士二十人，迫語曰：「應用此第，不爾，君且外遷！」德輿雖拒之，然常憚其誣。吏部每奏科目頗嚴密，以杜請托，實公詣曹劫請趙宗儒，無所畏。

By precedent Jingzhao yielded to censorial officials. Shi once met Censor Wang Bo, and their outriders' announcements disputed the road. Bo hooked and blamed the followers; Shi grew angry, memorialized to make Bo magistrate of Sanyuan, and humiliated him in court. He hated Wannian Magistrate Li Zhong, falsely drove him out as prefectural aide in Qian Prefecture, and replaced him with his favorite outer-office member of the Board of Parks Fang Qi. Such was the way he relied on power and made a show of might. Many among the dukes and ministers were slandered and transferred or expelled; he specialized in arrogant looks that showed plainly on his face. Quan Deyu was in the Board of Rites, yet Shi privately recommended twenty candidates and coerced him, saying, "You must use this rank—otherwise you will soon be transferred out! Deyu refused, yet still constantly feared his slander. Whenever the Board of Personnel reported examination subjects it was fairly strict to block patronage; Shi openly went to the bureau to coerce Zhao Zongru without fear.

詔書蠲人逋租，實格詔固斂，畿民大困，官吏皆被榜罰，掊取二十萬緡。吏乞貸豪厘，輒死。按之無罪者，猥曰「死亦非枉」，復殺之。專以殘忍為政。順宗在諒暗，不逾月，實殺數十人於府。貶通州長史。市人爭懷瓦石邀劫之，實懼，夜遁去，長安中相賀。以赦令內移，死虢州。

An edict remitted people's overdue rent; Shi blocked the edict and still collected firmly; the capital-region people were greatly distressed; officials were all flogged and fined, and twenty million strings were extorted. When clerks begged to borrow the smallest amount they were at once killed. Those investigated and found guiltless he would say "even death would not be wrongful" and kill them anyway. He governed solely through cruelty. While Shunzong was in mourning seclusion, within less than a month Shi killed dozens of men in the prefecture. He was demoted to chief administrator of Tong Prefecture. Market people vied to carry tiles and stones to waylay and rob him; Shi was afraid and fled by night; in Chang'an all congratulated one another. By amnesty he was moved inward and died in Guo Prefecture.

皇甫镈，涇州臨涇人。貞元初，第進士，又擢制科，為監察御史。居喪遊處不度，下除詹事府司直。久之，遷吏部員外郎，典南曹，鈐制吏奸，稍知名。進郎中，遷累司農卿，判度支，改戶部侍郎。憲宗方伐蔡，急於用度，镈裒會嚴亟，以辦濟師，帝悅，進兼御史大夫。蔡平之明年，遂同中書門下平章事，猶領度支。

Huangfu Bo came from Linjing in Jing Prefecture. At the beginning of the Zhenyuan reign he passed the jinshi examination, was also selected in the special examination, and became investigating censor. During mourning his conduct was unrestrained; he was demoted to rectifier in the Heir Apparent's household. After a long time he was transferred to outer-office member of the Board of Personnel, managed the southern bureau, restrained clerical corruption, and gradually became known. He advanced to director, was transferred in succession to Minister of Agriculture, concurrently judged the revenue bureau, and was changed to vice-minister of revenue. Xianzong was then campaigning against Cai and urgent for funds; Bo gathered and tallied with harsh speed to supply the army; the emperor was pleased and advanced him to concurrent Censor-in-Chief. The year after Cai was pacified he became Associate Grand Councilor of the Secretariat-Chancellery, still heading the revenue bureau.

镈以吏道進，既由聚斂句剝為宰相，至雖市道皆嗤之。崔群、裴度以聞，帝怒，不聽。度乃表罷政事，極論镈奸邪苛刻，天下怨之，將食其肉。且言：「天下安否系朝廷，朝廷輕重在輔相。今承宗削地，程權赴闕，韓弘輿疾討賊，非力能制之，顧朝廷處置能服其心也。若相镈，則四方解矣。請授以浙西觀察使。」其辭切至。帝以天下略平，亦欲崇臺沼宮觀自娛樂，镈與程異知帝意，故數貢羨財，陰佐所欲，又賂吐突承璀為奧援。故帝排眾論，決任之，反以度為朋黨，不內其言。

Bo advanced through the clerical path; having become chief minister through gathering wealth and exacting accounts, even the marketplace sneered at him. Cui Qun and Pei Du reported it; the emperor grew angry and would not listen. Du then memorialized to resign from government, arguing at length that Bo was treacherous, evil, and harsh, that the empire resented him and would eat his flesh. He also said, "Whether the empire is secure or not depends on the court; the court's weight and lightness depend on the chief ministers. Now Chengzong has surrendered territory, Cheng Quan has come to court, and Han Hong, though ill in his carriage, attacks the rebels—not because force alone can control them, but because they look to whether the court's handling can win their hearts. If Bo is made chief minister, the four quarters will lose heart. Please appoint him military commissioner of Western Zhe. His words were penetrating and forceful. The emperor, since the empire was largely pacified, also wished to elevate terraces, ponds, and palace temples for his own pleasure; Bo and Cheng Yi knew the emperor's intent and therefore repeatedly presented surplus funds, secretly aiding what he desired, and also bribed Tufa Chenghui as a hidden support. Therefore the emperor set aside public opinion and resolved to employ him, instead treating Du as a faction and not taking in his words.

镈乃益以巧媚自固，建損內外官稟佐國用，給事中崔植上還詔書，乃止。帝斥內帑所餘，詔度支評直，镈貴售之以給邊兵，故繒陳彩，觸手輒壞，士怨怒，聚焚之。裴度以其事聞，镈指所著靴曰：「此內府所出，牢韌可服，彼言不可用，詐也。」帝信之。镈銜度，乃與李逢吉、令狐楚合擠之，出度太原。又以崔群有天下重望，勁正敢言，後議帝號，镈乃譖群抑損徽稱。帝怒，逐群湖南。

Bo then all the more used crafty flattery to secure himself, proposing to cut inner and outer officials' salaries to assist state expenses; Supervising Secretary Cui Zhi returned the edict draft and only then was it stopped. The emperor released surplus from the inner treasury and ordered the revenue bureau to appraise fair value; Bo sold it at high price to supply border troops—old piled silk and brocade broke at a touch; soldiers resented and raged and gathered to burn it. Pei Du reported the matter; Bo pointed to the boots he wore and said, "These come from the inner storehouse, firm and durable and fit to wear—those who say they cannot be used are deceiving. The emperor believed him. Bo harbored resentment against Du and therefore joined Li Fengji and Linghu Chu to squeeze him out, sending Du to Taiyuan. Also, since Cui Qun had heavy reputation throughout the empire, was firm, upright, and daring in speech, and later debated the emperor's posthumous title, Bo slandered that Qun had diminished the august designation. The emperor flew into a rage and sent Qun into exile in Hunan.

镈罷度支，進門下侍郎平章事。嘗與金吾將軍李道古共薦方士柳泌、浮屠大通為長年藥，帝惑之。穆宗在東宮，聞其奸妄，始聽政，集群臣於月華門，貶镈崖州司戶參軍，死其所。

Bo relinquished control of the revenue bureau and was promoted to Vice Director of the Chancellery with the title of Chief Minister. He had once joined Gold Crow Guard General Li Daogu in recommending the alchemist Liu Bi and the Buddhist monk Datong as makers of elixirs of long life, and the emperor was taken in. While still crown prince, Muzong had heard of their fraud and imposture; as soon as he began to rule, he assembled the court at the Moon Hua Gate, demoted Bo to prefectural aide in Yazhou, where Bo died.

泌者，本楊仁晝也，習方伎。道古薦於镈，召入禁中，自雲能致藥為不死者，因言：「天臺山靈仙所舍，多異草，願官天臺，求采之。」起徒步拜臺州刺史，賜金紫。諫臣固爭，以為列聖亦有寵方士，未嘗使牧民，帝曰：「煩一州而致長年於君父，何愛哉？」後不敢言。泌驅吏民采藥山谷間，鞭笞苛急，歲餘無所獲。懼詐窮，舉族遁去，浙東觀察使捕得。镈與道古營解，乃復待詔翰林。帝餌泌藥，浸躁怒不常，宦侍懼，以弒崩。大通自言百五十歲，镈敗，與泌皆誅。初，吏責泌妄，答曰：「皆道古教我。」解衣即刑，卒無它異。

Bi had originally been named Yang Renzhou and was trained in occult arts. Daogu recommended him to Bo, and he was summoned into the palace, claiming he could produce drugs that would grant immortality. He then said, "Mount Tiantai is the dwelling place of divine immortals, and many rare herbs grow there. I ask to be made prefect of Tiantai so that I may gather them. He rose from commoner status to be appointed prefect of Taizhou and was granted the gold seal and purple robe of high rank. Remonstrating officials protested vigorously, noting that previous emperors had favored adepts too but had never put them in charge of governing the people. The emperor replied, "What is one prefecture, if it can bring long life to one's lord and father? Why hesitate? After that, no one dared object further. Bi drove officials and commoners into the mountain valleys to gather herbs, lashing them with merciless severity, yet after more than a year he had found nothing. Fearing exposure, he fled with his entire clan, but the military commissioner of Eastern Zhe captured him. Bo and Daogu interceded on his behalf, and he was restored to the Hanlin Academy as an attendant awaiting edicts. The emperor took Bi's elixir and gradually grew irritable and unpredictable; the eunuch attendants grew afraid, and the emperor was assassinated. Datong claimed to be one hundred fifty years old; when Bo fell from power, both he and Bi were put to death. When officials first charged Bi with fraud, he replied, "Daogu taught me everything I did. He stripped for execution, and in the end nothing else unusual occurred.

镈之貶，前坊州刺史班肅以嘗僚，獨餞於野，朝廷義之，擢為司封員外郎。

When Bo was demoted, Ban Su, the former prefect of Fang Prefecture, alone saw him off in the countryside because they had once served together; the court admired his loyalty and promoted him to outer-office member of the Directorate of Enfeoffment.

镈弟鏞，字龢卿，第進士。镈為相時，任河南少尹，見權寵太盛，每極言之，镈不悅，乃求分司為太子右庶子。镈敗，朝廷賢之，授國子祭酒。開成初，以太子少保卒。鏞能屬文，工詩。為人寡言正色，衣冠甚偉，不屑世務，所交皆知名士。著書數十篇。

Bo's younger brother Yong, styled Heqing, earned his jinshi degree. While Bo served as chief minister, Yong held the post of vice-prefect of Henan. Seeing that Bo's power and favor had grown excessive, he spoke out against it again and again until Bo grew displeased; Yong then requested a detached-office appointment as Right Subordinate of the Heir Apparent. After Bo's downfall, the court admired Yong's integrity and appointed him Rector of the Directorate of Education. In the early Kaicheng era he died in office as Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. Yong was an accomplished prose writer and a skilled poet. A man of few words and stern bearing, he cut an imposing figure in dress and deportment, disdained worldly affairs, and kept company only with celebrated men of letters. He wrote several dozen essays.

王播，字明敭，其先太原人。父恕為揚州倉曹參軍，遂家焉。播，貞元中與弟炎、起皆有名，並擢進士，而播、起舉賢良方正異等。補盩厔尉。以善治獄，御史中丞李汶薦為監察御史。雲陽丞源咸季坐賕免，賂有司復得調，播劾解其官。歷侍御史。李實為京兆尹，與播遇諸衢。故事，尹當避道揖，實不肯。播移文詆之。實大怒，表播為三原令，將折之，播受命，趨府謝如禮。邑中豪強犯法，未嘗輒貸，歲終課最。實重其才，更薦之，德宗將擢以要近，會母喪解。還，除駕部員外郎。長安令于頔奴客與民盜馬，吏系民而縱奴，播捕取，均其罰。遷工部郎中，知御史雜事。刺舉不阿，有能稱。關中饑，諸鎮或閉糴，播以為言，三輔不乏。歷虢州刺史。

Wang Bo, styled Mingyang, came from a Taiyuan family. His father Shu served as grain-store aide in Yang Prefecture, and the family settled there. During the Zhenyuan era Bo, together with his younger brothers Yan and Qi, all won renown; all three passed the jinshi examination, and Bo and Qi were also selected in the exceptional grade of the Worthy and Upright examination. He was appointed magistrate of Zhouzhi County. Because he was skilled at handling legal cases, Censor-in-Chief Li Wen recommended him for appointment as investigating censor. Yuan Xianji, assistant magistrate of Yunyang, had been dismissed for bribery but bribed the relevant offices and secured a new appointment; Bo impeached him and had him removed from office. He later served as attendant censor. Li Shi was serving as intendant of the capital district when he encountered Bo in the street. By precedent the intendant was supposed to yield the road and bow, but Shi refused. Bo sent an official dispatch denouncing him. Shi flew into a rage and had Bo transferred to the post of magistrate of Sanyuan, intending to humiliate him; Bo accepted the appointment and promptly went to the intendant's office to pay his respects according to protocol. He never readily pardoned powerful local offenders, and at year's end his performance ranked first. Shi came to respect his ability and recommended him again; Emperor Dezong was about to promote him to an important post at court when the death of his mother forced him to leave office. When he returned to service he was appointed outer-office member of the Directorate of Imperial Carriages. A slave-guest of Yu Di, magistrate of Chang'an, and a commoner stole horses together; officials detained the commoner but let the slave go free, so Bo arrested both and imposed equal penalties. He was promoted to director in the Ministry of Works and put in charge of miscellaneous censorial affairs. In investigation and impeachment he never bent to favor, and he won a reputation for ability. When Guanzhong suffered famine and some garrison commands hoarded grain by closing sales, Bo protested, and the Three Adjuncts did not go wanting. He later served as prefect of Guo Prefecture.

李巽領鹽鐵，奏以副己。擢御史中丞，歲終，改京兆尹。時禁屯列畿內者，出入屬佩劍，奸人冒之以剽劫，又勛將家馳獵近郊，播請一切苛止，盜賊不能隱，皆走出境。憲宗以為能，進刑部侍郎，領諸道鹽鐵轉運使。是時，天下多故，大理議讞，科條叢繁，播悉置格律坐隅，商處重輕，剖決如流，吏不能竄其私。帝討淮西也，切於饋餉，播引程异自副，异尤通萬貨盈虛，使馳傳江淮，裒財用以給軍興，兵得無乏。帝嘉其功，超拜禮部尚書。稍以資賄結宦要，中外以為言。

Li Xun, who headed the salt and iron office, memorialized to have Bo appointed as his deputy. He was promoted to censor-in-chief, and at the end of the year was made intendant of the capital district. At the time garrison troops stationed near the capital went about wearing swords on their belts, and criminals exploited this to rob and plunder; the families of meritorious generals also galloped out to hunt in the nearby suburbs. Bo requested that all such practices be strictly forbidden; thieves could no longer hide among them and fled beyond the borders. Emperor Xianzong judged him capable, promoted him to vice-minister of justice, and appointed him commissioner of salt and iron transport for all circuits. At that time the empire was beset by troubles, and the Court of Judicial Review was overwhelmed with cases under a dense thicket of statutes. Bo kept all regulations and statutes at hand, weighed each case's severity, and decided matters with fluent dispatch, leaving clerks no room to insert their private interests. When the emperor campaigned against Huaixi, supplies were urgently needed; Bo brought in Cheng Yi as his deputy. Yi was especially skilled at tracking the ebb and flow of goods and was sent racing by post-horse through the Jianghuai region to gather funds for the war effort, so that the army never went wanting. The emperor praised his achievement and leapfrogged him to the post of Minister of Rites. Gradually he used wealth and bribes to cultivate eunuch power-brokers, and criticism spread both inside and outside the court.

播薦皇甫鎛，及鎛用事，更忌播，而以异代使，播罷守本官。久之，檢校戶部尚書，為劍南西川節度使。穆宗立，逐鎛，播求還。長慶初，召為刑部尚書，復領鹽鐵，進中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。時權幸競進，播賴其力至宰相，專務將迎，居位無所裨益，復失河北，眾望不厭，乃以檢校尚書右僕射出為淮南節度使，仍領使職，不肯易印，詔聽自隨。是時，南方旱歉，人相食，播掊斂不少衰，民皆怨之。然浚七里港以便漕引，後賴其利。

Bo had recommended Huangfu Bo; once Huangfu Bo came to power he grew jealous of Wang Bo, replaced Cheng Yi as commissioner, and had Wang Bo stripped of his commission while retaining only his original office. After some time he was appointed acting Minister of Revenue and military commissioner of Western Chuan in Southern Sword. When Muzong came to the throne, Huangfu Bo was driven out, and Wang Bo asked to return to court. At the beginning of the Changqing era he was recalled as Minister of Justice, again put in charge of salt and iron, and promoted to Vice Director of the Secretariat with the title of Chief Minister. At the time the favored and powerful were all scrambling for advancement; Bo had relied on their support to reach the chief ministership, devoting himself solely to courting favor and contributing nothing of substance in office. When Hebei was lost again and public confidence collapsed, he was sent out as acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and military commissioner of Huainan, while still retaining his commissioner's seal—he refused to surrender it, and an edict allowed him to keep it. At that time the south suffered drought and famine until people were eating one another, yet Bo's exactions did not slacken in the least, and the people resented him bitterly. Yet he dredged Qili Harbor to improve the canal route, and later generations benefited from the work.

文宗立，就進檢校司徒。太和元年，入朝，拜左僕射，復輔政，累封太原郡公。時韋處厚當國，以獻替自任，天子向之。播專以錢谷進，不甚與事。居位四年，卒，年七十二，贈太尉，謚曰敬。

When Wenzong came to the throne, Bo was immediately promoted to acting Grand Preceptor. In 827 he came to court, was appointed Left Vice Director, again joined the governing council, and was repeatedly enfeoffed as Duke of Taiyuan Commandery. At the time Wei Chuhou directed state affairs, taking upon himself the duty of advising and correcting policy, and the emperor looked to him. Bo relied chiefly on financial contributions to maintain his standing and took little part in governing. He held office for four years, then died at seventy-two; he was posthumously granted the title of Grand Marshal and given the posthumous name Respected.

播少孤貧，自刻苦，至成立，居官以強濟稱。天性勤吏職，每視簿領紛積於前，人所不堪者，播反用為樂。所署吏，茍無大罪，以歲勞增秩而已，卒不易所職。雅善占奏，雖數十事，未嘗書於笏。再領鹽鐵，嗜權利，不復初操。重賦取，以正額月進為羨余，歲百萬緡。自淮南還，獻玉帶十有三、銀碗數千、綾四十萬，遂再得相雲。

Bo was orphaned and poor in youth and drove himself through hardship until he made his way in the world; in office he was known for forceful effectiveness. By nature he was devoted to administrative work; where others would have been overwhelmed by ledgers piled high before them, Bo took pleasure in the task. Among the clerks he appointed, if they had committed no serious offense he merely raised their rank for years of service and almost never changed their assignments. He was naturally skilled at extemporaneous memorials; even when reporting on dozens of matters he never needed to write notes on his court tablet. When he again took charge of salt and iron, he grew addicted to power and profit and abandoned his earlier standards. He imposed heavy levies and presented the regular quota's monthly tribute as surplus revenue, amounting to one million strings of cash each year. On returning from Huainan he presented thirteen jade belts, several thousand silver bowls, and four hundred thousand bolts of silk, and thereby regained the chief ministership.

起，字舉之，釋褐校書郎，補藍田尉。李吉甫辟為淮南掌書記，以殿中侍御史入兼集賢殿直學士。元和末，累遷中書舍人。數上疏諫穆宗畋遊事，歲中考第一。錢徽坐貢舉失實貶，詔起覆核，起建言：「以所試送宰相閱可否，然後付有司。」詔可。議者謂起為失職。

Qi, styled Juzhi, upon entering official service was appointed collator and then magistrate of Lantian. Li Jifu recruited him as chief secretary in Huainan; he entered court as palace attendant censor and concurrently served as resident academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. By the end of the Yuanhe era he had risen to the post of Secretariat drafter. He repeatedly submitted memorials remonstrating against Muzong's hunting and pleasure outings, and ranked first in the yearly performance assessment. Qian Hui was demoted for irregularities in the civil service examination; an edict ordered Qi to review the case, and Qi proposed, "The examination papers should be sent to the chief ministers for approval or rejection before being handed to the relevant offices. The emperor approved the proposal. Critics said Qi had failed in his duty.

拜禮部侍郎。李叛，與播俱上疏請詔王智興討之，卒定其亂。賜金紫，拜河南尹，進吏部侍郎。方播以僕射居相，避選曹，改兵部，為集賢殿學士。拜陜虢觀察使。時亳州刺史李繁以擅誅賊抵罪，起言：「繁父有功，而二千石不宜償賊死。」不報。

He was made Vice Minister of Rites. When Li rebelled, Qi and Bo jointly submitted a memorial asking that Wang Zhixing be ordered to suppress him, and the rebellion was eventually put down. He was granted the gold seal and purple robe, appointed intendant of Henan, and promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. While Bo was serving as chief minister from the vice directorship, Qi stepped aside from the selection bureau, transferred to the Ministry of War, and became an academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. He was made military commissioner of the Shan-Guo circuit. At the time Li Fan, prefect of Bo Prefecture, was charged with executing bandits on his own authority; Qi argued, "Fan's father had rendered meritorious service, and a prefect should not pay with his life for killing bandits. The court did not respond.

入拜尚書左丞，以戶部尚書判度支。靈武、邠、寧多曠土，奏為營田，以省饋免。歷河中節度使。方蝗旱，粟價騰踴，起下令家得儲三十斛，斥其餘以市，否者死。神策士怙勢不從，寘於法。由是廥積咸出，民賴以生。召授兵部尚書。以檢校尚書右僕射為山南東道節度使。濱漢塘堰聯屬，吏弗完治，起至部，先修復，與民約為水令，遂無凶年。

He entered court and was appointed Left Assistant Director of the Department of State Affairs, serving concurrently as Minister of Revenue with charge of the revenue bureau. In Lingwu, Bin, and Ning there was much unused land; he memorialized to establish garrison farms in order to reduce the cost of supply transport. He later served as military commissioner of Hezhong. Just then locusts and drought drove grain prices skyward; Qi ordered that each household might keep thirty hu in store and must sell the rest on the market, on pain of death. Shence soldiers relied on their influence and refused to comply; he punished them according to the law. Because of this, hoarded grain poured onto the market and the people were saved from starvation. He was recalled and appointed Minister of War. He was appointed acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and military commissioner of Southeastern Shannan. Along the Han River dikes and weirs stretched in succession, but officials had left them unrepaired; when Qi arrived he restored them first, established water regulations with the people, and thereafter the region suffered no disastrous floods.

李訓為宰相，起門生也，欲引與共政，即加銀青光祿大夫，復以兵部尚書召判戶部。訓敗，起素長厚，人不以訓諉之，止罷其判。俄加皇太子侍讀。文宗上文，好古學，是時，鄭覃以經術進，起以敦博顯，帝數訪逮時政。因積雨，願寬逐臣過惡，又短鮑叔終身不忘人過，以解帝錮人意。俄兼太常卿、禮儀使。帝題詩太子笏以賜，詔畫像便殿，號「當世仲尼」，其寵遇如此。又使廣《五位圖》，俾太子知古今治亂。開成三年，入翰林，為侍講學士，改太子少師。

Li Xun became chief minister; Qi had been his student, and Xun wished to bring him into the government, immediately granting him the title Silver-Gleaming Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and recalling him as Minister of War with concurrent charge of the Ministry of Revenue. When Xun fell, Qi had long been known for his generosity and steadiness, and no one blamed him for Xun's crimes; he was merely stripped of his concurrent charge. Soon afterward he was appointed Reader to the Crown Prince. Emperor Wenzong had come to the throne with a love of classical learning; at this time Zheng Tan had risen through mastery of the classics, while Qi was renowned for solid erudition, and the emperor repeatedly consulted him on current affairs. Citing the prolonged rains, he asked that punishments on exiled officials be eased, and also invoked Bao Shu, who never forgot others' faults throughout his life, in order to soften the emperor's habit of holding men's transgressions against them. Soon afterward he was also appointed Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Commissioner of Ritual Affairs. The emperor inscribed a poem on the crown prince's court tablet and bestowed it on him, ordered his portrait painted in the side hall, and styled him "the Confucius of the age"—such was the favor he enjoyed. He also had the Expanded 《Chart of the Five Positions》 enlarged so the heir might learn governance and disorder through the ages. In 838 he entered the Hanlin Academy as a lecturing academician and was changed to Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent.

起治生無檢，所得祿賜為僮婢盜有，貧不能自存。帝知之，詔月益仙韶院錢三十萬。議者謂與玩臣分給，可恥也。起賴其入，不克讓。

In managing his livelihood Qi was without restraint; salary and gifts were stolen by servants and slaves until he could scarcely support himself. The emperor knew this and ordered that thirty thousand cash from the Xianshao Court be added to his monthly stipend. Commentators said this was shared with favored performers and was shameful. Qi relied on the income and could not bring himself to decline it.

武宗立，為章陵鹵簿使、東都留守。召為吏部尚書，判太常卿。帝患選士不得才，特命起典貢舉。進尚書左僕射，封魏郡公。凡四舉士，皆知名者，人伏其鑒。擢山南西道節度使、同中書門下平章事。以夙儒兼宰相秩，前世所罕。入辭，帝勞曰：「宰相無內外。公，國耆老，朕有闕，當以聞。」宴賜備厚。宣宗初，檢校司空，以疾願代，不許。卒，年八十八，贈太尉，謚曰文懿。喪還，命使者吊其家，葬及祥亦如之。

When Wuzong succeeded, he was made director of funeral honors for Zhangling and eastern capital intendant. He was summoned as Minister of Personnel and concurrently Director of Imperial Sacrifices. The emperor worried that selected scholars lacked talent and specially ordered Qi to preside over the examinations. He advanced to Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei Commandery. In all four examinations the men he raised were famous; people submitted to his judgment. He was promoted to military commissioner of Southern Sword in the west and Associate Grand Councilor of the Secretariat-Chancellery. To be a longtime Confucian and also hold chief minister rank was rare in former ages. On entering to take leave the emperor comforted him, saying, "A chief minister has no inner or outer. You are the state's elder; if We have failings, you should report them. The feast and gifts were fully generous. At the beginning of Xuanzong's reign he was made acting Minister of Works; because of illness he asked to be replaced, but was not permitted. He died at the age of eighty-eight and was posthumously made Grand Marshal with the posthumous name "Cultured and Excellent." When the funeral procession returned, the emperor ordered envoys to condole at his house; burial and the second mourning rite were likewise honored.

起性友悌，播喪，哀戚加於人。嗜學，非寢食不輒廢。天下之書無不讀，一經目，弗忘也。莊恪太子薨，詔為哀冊，詞情淒惋，當世稱之。帝嘗以疑事令使者口質，起具榜子附使者上，凡成十篇，號曰《寫宣》。它撰集亦多。

Qi was by nature friendly and fraternal; when Bo died his grief exceeded that of others. He loved learning and would not set it aside except for sleep and food. There was no book under Heaven he did not read; once he passed his eyes over a text he did not forget it. When Heir Apparent Zhuangke died, an edict ordered him to compose the lament; the words were mournful and touching, and men of the time praised them. The emperor once had envoys orally examine him on doubtful matters; Qi prepared placards for the envoys to carry up, ten pieces in all, titled 《Writings for Imperial Inquiry》. His other collected writings were also many.

炎終太常博士。子鐸、鐐自有傳。起子龜、式。

Yan ended as Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. His sons Duo and Liao have their own biographies. Qi's sons Gui and Shi.

龜，字大年，性高簡，博知書傳，無貴胄氣。常以光福第賓客多，更住永達裏，林木窮僻，構半隱亭以自適。侍父至河中，廬中條山，朔望一歸省，州人號「郎君谷」，未始以人事自嬰。武宗雅知之，以左拾遺召。入謝，自陳病不任職，詔許。終父喪，召為右補闕。再擢屯田員外郎，稱疾去。崔玙觀察宣歙，表為副，龜樂宛陵山水，故從之。入為祠部郎中、史館修撰。咸通中，知制誥。鐸為相，改太常少卿、同州刺史。牙將白約素暴橫，嘗嘩言月稟薄，以動士心為亂，龜捕殺之，人皆震栗。徙浙東觀察使。初，式臨州有惠政，人聞其至，歡迎之。卒，贈工部尚書。

Gui, styled Danian, was by nature lofty and spare, broadly knowing books and records, without the air of noble kin. He often said the Guangfu residence had too many guests and moved to Yongda Lane, where trees and woods were remote; he built a half-recluse pavilion for his own ease. Attending his father to Hezhong, he lodged on Mount Tiao in the mourning hut; on the first and fifteenth of each month he returned once to visit—the people of the prefecture called it "the Gentleman's Valley"—and he never troubled himself with worldly affairs. Wuzong knew him well by reputation and summoned him as Left Reminder. On entering to give thanks he himself stated that illness made him unfit for office; an edict permitted it. When his father's mourning ended he was summoned as Right Supplementation Censor. He was twice promoted to outer-office member of the Board of Agriculture and, citing illness, left office. Cui Yu was military commissioner of Xuan and She and memorialized him as deputy; Gui delighted in the landscape of Wanling and therefore followed him. He entered service as director of the Board of Sacrifices and reviser of the History Office. In the Xiantong era he drafted imperial edicts. When Duo became chief minister he was changed to Vice Director of Imperial Sacrifices and prefect of Tong Prefecture. The military adjutant Bai Yue had long been violent and overbearing; he once clamored that monthly rations were thin to stir soldiers' hearts toward rebellion; Gui arrested and killed him, and all were shaken in fear. He was transferred to military commissioner of Eastern Zhe. At first, when Shi governed the prefecture he had benevolent administration; when people heard Gui was coming they welcomed him joyfully. He died and was posthumously made Minister of Works.

子蕘，力學，有文辭，以鐸當國，不貢進士。終右司員外郎。

His son Rao studied hard and had literary talent; because Duo was in power he did not present himself for the jinshi examination. He ended as outer-office member of the Right Secretariat.

式以蔭為太子正字，擢賢良方正科，累遷殿中侍御史。少節儉，巧於宦，因鄭註以交王守澄，中丞歸融劾之，出為江陵少尹。

Shi entered office by hereditary privilege as rectifier to the heir, was selected in the erudite examination in upright conduct, and was promoted in succession to palace censor. In youth he was frugal and clever at court maneuvering; through Zheng Zhu he joined Wang Shoucheng; Censor-in-Chief Gui Rong impeached him and he was sent out as vice-prefect of Jiangling.

大中中，為晉州刺史，飾郵傳，器用畢給。會河曲大歉，民流徙，佗州不納，獨式勞恤之，活數千人。時特峨胡亦饑，將入寇汾、澮，聞式嚴備，不敢道境，報其種落曰：「晉州刺史當避之！」以善最稱。

In the Dazhong era he was prefect of Jin Prefecture; he adorned relay posts and furnished all utensils completely. When the bend of the Yellow River suffered great famine the people fled; other prefectures would not receive them, but Shi alone labored to comfort them and kept several thousand alive. At the time the Te'e Hu were also famine-struck and wished to invade Fen and Huai; hearing that Shi was strictly prepared they dared not cross the border and reported to their tribes, "The Jin Prefecture intendant should be avoided! He was praised for the finest administration.

徙安南都護。故都護田早作木柵，歲率緡錢，既不時完，而所責益急。式取一年賦市芍木，豎周十二里，罷歲賦外率以紓齊人。浚壕繚柵，外植刺竹，寇不可冒。後蠻兵入掠錦田步，式使譯者開諭，一昔去，謝曰：「我自縛叛獠，非為寇也。」忠武戍卒服短後褐，以黃冒首，南方號「黃頭軍」，天下銳卒也。初，交阯數有變，懼式威，不自安，嘩曰：「黃頭軍將度海襲我矣！」相率夜圍城，合噪：「請都護北歸，我當抗黃頭軍。」式徐被甲，引家僮乘城責讓，矢旝交發，叛者走。翌日，盡捕斬之。初，容管災歉，不歲貢，式始上輸，大犒宴軍中。歸質外蕃，而占城、真臘慕義，悉入獻，亦還所掠王民。

He was transferred to Protector-General of Annan. The former protector Tian Zao built wooden palisades and every year exacted strings in cash; they were not finished on time yet what was demanded grew more urgent. Shi took one year's levy to buy peony wood, set it in a ring twelve li around, and abolished the extra annual exactions to relieve the people. He dredged moats and linked palisades, planted thorn bamboo outside, and raiders could not break through. Later southern tribes entered to plunder Jintian Step; Shi had interpreters open persuasion and in one night they withdrew, apologizing, "We ourselves bound rebellious tribesmen—it was not to raid. The loyal-wu garrison soldiers wore short jackets with yellow cloth over the head; the south called them "Yellow-Head Army"—the empire's sharpest troops. At first Jiaozhi had many disturbances and feared Shi's might, could not rest easy, and clamored, "The Yellow-Head Army is about to cross the sea and attack us! They joined by night to surround the city, shouting together, "Let the protector return north; we will resist the Yellow-Head Army." Shi slowly donned armor, led household retainers onto the wall to rebuke them; arrows and banners flew back and forth and the rebels fled. The next day he captured and beheaded them all. At first Rongguan suffered disaster and famine and did not submit annual tribute for years; Shi was the first to send tribute upstream and greatly feasted the army. Returning he presented foreign tribes; Champa and Zhenla admired righteousness and all came to offer tribute, also returning captured royal subjects.

寧國劇賊仇甫亂，明越觀察使鄭祗德不能討，宰相選式往代，詔可，因至京師。懿宗問方略，對曰：「第假臣兵，寇不足平也。」左右宦要皆曰：「兵眾則饋多，當惜天下費。」式奏：「盜若猖狂，天誅不亟決，東南征賦闕矣，寧得以億萬計之乎？兵多則功速費寡。二者孰利？」帝顧左右曰：「宜與兵。」於是詔益許、滑、淮南兵。式發自光福裏第，麾幟皆東靡，獵獵有聲，喜曰：「是謂得天時矣！」聞賊用騎兵，乃閱所部，得吐蕃、回鶻遷隸數百，發龍陂監牧馬起用之，集土團諸兒為向導，擒甫斬之。加檢校右散騎常侍。餘姚民徐澤專魚鹽之利，慈溪民陳瑊冒名仕至縣令，皆豪縱，州不能制。式曰：「甫竊發，不足畏；若澤、瑊，乃巨猾也。」窮治其奸，皆榜死。

In Ningguo the fierce bandit Qiu Fu rebelled; Ming-Yue Military Commissioner Zheng Zhide could not suppress him; the chief minister chose Shi to replace him; an edict approved, and he therefore came to the capital. Yizong asked his strategy; he answered, "Only lend your servant troops and the bandits are not enough to pacify. Nearby eunuch favorites all said, "Many troops mean much supply—one should spare the empire's expense." Shi memorialized, "If the robbers run wild and Heaven's punishment is not swiftly decided, the southeast's levies will be lost—can one reckon it in tens of millions? Many troops mean quick achievement and little expense. Which of the two is advantageous? The emperor turned to those nearby and said, "He should be given troops." Thereupon an edict added troops from Xu, Hua, and Huainan. When Shi set out from his Guangfu Lane residence the banners all leaned eastward, rustling with sound; he said in delight, "This is called obtaining Heaven's season! Hearing the bandits used cavalry, he reviewed his command and found several hundred relocated Tibetans and Uyghurs; he issued horses from Longpo stud farms to mount them, gathered local militia youths as guides, and captured Fu and beheaded him. He was additionally made acting Right Regular Attendant. The Yuyao man Xu Ze monopolized profit from fish and salt; the Cixi man Chen Zhen falsely took office name to reach magistrate—both were overbearing and violent and the prefecture could not control them. Shi said, "Fu's sudden rising is not worth fear; but Ze and Zhen are great scoundrels. He thoroughly investigated their crimes and both were flogged to death.

咸通三年，徐州銀刀軍亂，以式檢校工部尚書，徙武寧節度使，詔許、滑兵自隨。視事三日，悉以計誅亂兵。會詔降武寧為團練，罷歸。終左金吾大將軍。

In the third year of Xiantong the Silver Blade Army of Xuzhou rebelled; Shi was made acting Minister of Works and transferred to military commissioner of Wu-Ning; an edict allowed Xu and Hua troops to follow him. Three days after assuming office he used stratagems to execute all the mutinous troops. It happened that an edict reduced Wu-Ning to a training circuit and he was dismissed and returned. He ended as Grand General of the Left Golden Guard.

贊曰：裴延齡引經誼惑其主，以不忠為忠。德宗倚延齡、韋渠牟等商天下成敗，自謂明而卒陷不明。君臣回沈，可不戒哉！憲宗銳於立功，而皇甫镈以聚斂取宰相。夫宰相者，乃天下選，彼暫勞一功，烏足勝任哉？中興之不終，有為而然。

The commentator says: Pei Yanling cited canonical principle to delude his lord, making disloyalty appear as loyalty. Dezong relied on Yanling, Wei Qumou, and others to bargain over whether the empire would succeed or fail, believing himself enlightened yet in the end falling into unenlightenment. Sovereign and ministers sank together—should this not warn us! Xianzong was sharp in establishing merit, yet Huangfu Bo took the chief ministership through gathering wealth. A chief minister is the empire's choice; a man who for a moment toils at one achievement—how can he be adequate to the post? That the restoration did not reach completion had its causes in what men did.

Cite this Chapter