1
25%◎二高伊朱二劉範二王孟趙李任張高崇文高崇文，字崇文。 其先自渤海徙幽州，七世不異居，開元中，再表其閭。 崇文性樸重寡言，少籍平盧軍。 貞元中，從韓全義鎮長武城，治軍有聲。 累官金吾將軍。 吐蕃三萬寇寧州，崇文率兵三千往救，戰佛堂原，大破之，封渤海郡王。 全義入朝，留知行營節度後務，遷長武城都知兵馬使。
This volume treats two men named Gao, Yi Shen, Zhu Zhongliang, two named Liu, Fan Xichao, two named Wang, Meng Yuanyang, Zhao Chang, Li Jinglue, Ren Dijian, and Zhang Wanfu. Gao Chongwen, whose style name was Chongwen, His family had come from Bohai to Youzhou; seven generations lived under one roof, and in the Kaiyuan period the emperor twice honored their household. Chongwen was unassuming and taciturn; as a young man he served in the Pinglu army. During Zhenyuan he served under Han Quanyi at Changwu Fort and became known for discipline in camp. He was promoted step by step until he became a general of the Imperial Guards. Thirty thousand Tibetans attacked Ningzhou; Chongwen marched three thousand men to save the city, defeated them at Fotang Plain, and was made Prince of Bohai. After Quanyi departed for the capital, Chongwen remained to run the expedition's rear affairs and was appointed commander of the garrison at Changwu Fort.
2
劉辟反，宰相杜黃裳薦其才，詔檢校工部尚書、左神策行營節度使，俾統左右神策、麟遊奉天諸屯兵討辟。 時顯功宿將，人人自謂當選，及詔出，皆大驚。 始，崇文選兵五千，常若寇至。 至是，卯漏受命，辰已出師，器良械完，無一不具。 過興元，士有折逆旅匕箸者，即斬以徇。 乃西自閬中出，卻劍門兵，解梓潼之圍，賊將邢泚退守梓州。 詔拜崇文東川節度使。 初，辟陷東川，執節度使李康不殺也； 至是，歸康以丐雪，崇文數康失守罪，斬之。 鹿頭山南距成都百五十里，扼二川之要，辟城之，旁連八屯，以拒東兵。 崇文始破賊二萬於城下，會雨，不克攻。 明日，戰萬勝堆，堆直鹿頭左，使驍將高霞寓鼓之，士扳緣上，矢石如雨，募死士奪而有之，盡殺戍者，焚其柵，下瞰鹿頭城，人可頭數。 凡八戰皆捷，賊心始搖。 大將阿跌光顏與崇文約，後期，懼罪，請深入自贖，乃軍鹿頭西，斷賊糧道。 賊大震，其將李文悅以兵三千自歸，仇良輔舉鹿頭城二萬眾降，執辟子方叔、婿蘇強。 遂趣成都，餘兵皆面縛送款。 辟走，追禽之，檻送京師。
Liu Pi rose in rebellion; Du Huangshang praised Chongwen's ability, and the throne appointed him acting Minister of Works and expeditionary commissioner of the Left Divine Strategy Army, with orders to take the Left and Right Divine Strategy troops and the Linyou and Fengtian garrisons against Pi. Seasoned commanders with glittering records had each assumed the post would be his; when the appointment was announced, the army was stunned. Long before this campaign Chongwen had kept five thousand picked men trained as though battle were imminent every day. He received his orders at dawn and was on the road before midday; arms were sound, equipment full — nothing had been left undone. At Xingyuan a man snapped the chopsticks at a roadside inn; Chongwen had him executed on the spot to terrify the ranks. Swinging west from Langzhong he repulsed the force at Jianmen, relieved Zitong, and drove the rebel Xing Ci back to Zizhou. The court made him military governor of Dongchuan. When Pi first overran Dongchuan he had taken Li Kang prisoner yet spared his life; Kang was sent back pleading innocence; Chongwen listed his failures as governor and put him to death. Lutou Mountain, a hundred and fifty li south of Chengdu, held the choke point of the two river valleys; Pi fortified it and ringed it with eight camps to stop the eastern advance. Chongwen first shattered twenty thousand rebels under the walls, yet rain fell and the attack could not be finished. On the morrow he fought at Wansheng Mound, which lay just west of Lutou. Gao Xiayu drummed the charge; men scaled the slope through a storm of missiles until picked warriors took the height, slaughtered the garrison, burned the stockade, and from above could count the heads in Lutou town. Eight engagements, eight victories — the rebels' morale began to crack. General Adie Guangyan, having missed the rendezvous and fearing blame, volunteered a daring raid; he camped west of Lutou and severed the enemy supply lines. Panic swept the rebel host: Li Wenyue defected with three thousand men, Qiu Liangfu yielded Lutou and twenty thousand troops, and Pi's son Fangshu and son-in-law Su Qiang were captured. He marched on Chengdu; the rest of the enemy came in bonds to surrender. Pi ran but was overtaken, caged, and sent to the capital.
3
入成都也，師屯大達，市井不移，珍貨如山，無秋毫之犯。 邢泚已降而貳，斬於軍，衣冠脅汙者詣牙請命，崇文為條上全活之。 進檢校司空、西川節度副大使，南平郡王，實封三百戶，刻石紀功於鹿頭山。
When he entered Chengdu his men encamped on the main streets; shops stayed open, riches lay in heaps, yet not the smallest thing was stolen. Xing Ci, having submitted, rebelled again and was beheaded in camp; intimidated officials pleaded at headquarters, and Chongwen petitioned item by item to spare them. He was made acting Grand Master of Works and deputy military governor of Xichuan, created Prince of Nanping with three hundred taxable households, and his victory was inscribed on Lutou Mountain.
4
崇文不通書，厭案牘諮判以為繁，且蜀優富無所事，請扞邊自力，乃詔同中書門下平章事、邠寧慶節度使，為京西諸軍都統。 崇文恃功而侈，舉蜀帑藏百工之巧者皆自隨，又不曉朝廷儀，憚於覲謁，有詔聽便道之屯。 居邠三年，戎備整修。 卒，年六十四，贈司徒，謚曰威武。 會昌六年，詔配享憲宗廟。
Illiterate and weary of paperwork, finding Shu too soft a billet, he asked for hard service on the border. The court named him Grand Councillor and governor of Bin, Ning, and Qing, and chief of the western capital armies. Flush with victory he lived in splendor, hauling away Shu's finest craftsmen; ignorant of court ritual and afraid to appear before the throne, he was permitted to travel directly to his command. For three years at Bin he kept the frontier in excellent trim. He died at sixty-four, was posthumously made Grand Tutor, and honored as Majestic Martial. In Huichang 6 he was ordered to share sacrifice in Emperor Xianzong's temple.
5
子承簡，少事忠武軍，後更隸神策。 以崇文平蜀功，除嘉王傅。 裴度征蔡，奏署牙將。 蔡平，詔析上蔡、郾城、遂平、西平四縣為洲殷州，拜承簡刺史，治郾城。 始開屯田，列防庸，瀕溵綿地二百里無復水敗，皆為腴田。 先是，賊築武宮以誇戰勞，承簡夷其丘，庀家財以葬。 葺儒宮，備俎豆，歲時行禮。 野有荍實，民得以食。 將吏立石頌功。 遷邢州刺史，觀察府責賦尤急，承簡代下戶數百輸租。
His son Chengjian first served in the Zhongwu army, then in the Divine Strategy guard. For Chongwen's conquest of Shu, Chengjian was appointed tutor to the Prince of Jia. When Pei Du marched against Cai, Chengjian was named a guard officer on his staff. After Cai fell, the court formed Yin Prefecture from Shangcai, Yancheng, Suiping, and Xiping, and made Chengjian its governor, with his seat at Yancheng. He opened colony fields and frontier posts; for two hundred li along the Yin floods ceased to waste the land, and the soil turned fertile. The rebels had raised a victory mound; Chengjian razed it and used his private fortune to bury the dead. He rebuilt the school temple, furnished the ritual vessels, and observed the seasonal sacrifices. Wild buckwheat grew, and the people had food. His officers erected a stone praising his work. Made governor of Xingzhou, he found the circuit office crushing the people with taxes and paid the quotas for hundreds of poor households himself.
6
遷宋州。 會宣武將李反，遣使責財於宋，承簡囚之，前後數輩輒繫獄，一日並出斬於牙門，威震部中。 悉兵攻之。 宋有三城，南城陷，承簡保北兩城，數與賊確。 會徐州救至，為李質所執，兵遂潰。 拜兗海沂密節度使。 遷義成軍，檢校尚書左僕射。 入拜右金吾衛大將軍，復節度邠寧。 先是，虜多以盛秋犯邊，承簡請屯寧州以制其侵。 屬疾還朝，道卒，贈司空，謚曰敬。
He was transferred to Songzhou. A rebel general of Xuanwu named Li sent men to extort money from Song; Chengjian seized every envoy, jailed batch after batch, then one morning executed them all before headquarters — and the circuit trembled. Li brought his entire army against him. Song had three citadels; the south fell, but Chengjian held the north pair and fought the rebels repeatedly. Relief from Xuzhou came, but Li Zhi captured it and Chengjian's force broke. He was made military governor of Yan, Hai, Yi, and Mi. He transferred to Yicheng and was named acting Left Vice Director of the Secretariat. He was summoned as Grand General of the Right Imperial Guards and once more took Binning. The nomads had been striking in late autumn; he asked to garrison Ningzhou to block them. Illness overtook him on the journey home; he was posthumously made Grand Master of Works and titled Reverent.
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崇文孫駢，自有傳。 伊慎伊慎，字寡悔，兗州人。 通《春秋》、《戰國策》、天官、五行書，用善射為折沖都尉。 喪母，將合葬而不知父墓，晝夜哭，夢若有導者； 既發之，舊誌可按也，乃得葬。
Chongwen's grandson Pian is treated in a separate biography. Yi Shen, styled Guahuai, came from Yanzhou. He studied the Spring and Autumn Annals, the Warring States Annals, astronomy, and the Five Phases, and won appointment as Vanquisher Colonel through his archery. Mourning his mother, he sought to bury her beside his father but could not find the tomb; he wept day and night until dreams seemed to lead him; when they dug, an old record matched the spot, and the burial was done.
8
江西路嗣恭討哥舒晃，以慎為先鋒。 疾戰破賊，斬首三千級，下韶州。 戰把江口，水湍駛，乃為桴，寘薪焉，乘風縱火，賊焚且溺不可計，與諸將追斬晃泔溪。 授連州長史，知團練副使。 三遷江州別駕。
Lu Sichong of Jiangxi, campaigning against Geshu Huang, put Shen in the van. He fought hard, routed the enemy, took three thousand heads, and captured Shaozhou. At Bajiangkou the river ran fast; he built rafts piled with fuel, loosed them on the wind with fire, and the enemy burned and drowned in untold numbers; then he and his colleagues ran Huang down and killed him at Gan Stream. He was made chief administrator of Lianzhou and acting militia deputy commissioner. Three promotions later he was vice-prefect of Jiangzhou.
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討梁崇義也，慎以江西牙兵屬李希烈，希烈署漢南北兵馬使，不受，獨率所部破崇義於蠻水，效俘三萬。 襄、漢平，功多。 希烈愛其材，數饋遺，欲縻止之，卒以計免。 明年，希烈果反。 嗣曹王臯至鐘陵，得而壯之，拔為大將。 希烈恐為臯所任，遺以七屬甲，詐為慎書，行反間。 帝遣使即軍中斬之，臯表列其誣，未報。 賊溯江徇地，臯授慎兵，勞而遣，與賊大戰，破之，收黃梅，次長平，殺賊將，斬級千餘，拔蔡山尤力。 遂下蘄州，即拜刺史，封南充郡王。
In the campaign against Liang Chongyi, Shen was attached to Li Xilie with Jiangxi troops; Xilie tried to give him command of the Han armies, but he refused, led his own detachment alone, smashed Chongyi at Manshui, and sent up thirty thousand prisoners. When Xiangyang and Hanzhong were secured, his service stood high. Xilie prized him, showered him with gifts, and tried to keep him, yet Shen slipped away by a ruse. The following year Xilie rebelled as Shen had foreseen. Prince Li Gao of Cao, reaching Zhongling, took Shen into favor and made him a senior commander. Fearing Gao would rely on Shen, Xilie sent a seven-layer mail coat and a forged letter in Shen's name to sow distrust. The throne ordered him executed in camp; Gao exposed the plot, yet no answer returned. As rebels swept the river country Gao armed Shen, cheered him on, and let him strike; Shen won a great victory, retook Huangmei, reached Changping, slew a rebel commander with over a thousand heads, and did especially fierce work at Mount Cai. He next captured Qizhou, was made its governor on the spot, and enfeoffed Prince of Nanchong.
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天子在梁州，包佶轉東南財糧次蘄口，賊遣驍將杜少誠以兵萬人遏江道，不得西。 慎選士七千，列三屯相望，偃旗以待。 少誠分圍之，未合，慎自中屯鼓之，諸屯悉出奮擊，賊亂，少誠走，斬別將許少華，封其屍為京冢，漕無留艱。 進圍安州，希烈之甥劉戒虛以兵八千來援，慎逆擊於應山，禽之，示城下，州開門降。 以功為安州刺史，實封百戶。 改隋州。 戰厲鄉，斬首五千級，喻降李惠登，即薦惠登為刺史。 拜慎安、黃州節度使。
The emperor sheltered at Liangzhou; Bao Ji was shipping grain from the southeast to Qikou when Du Shaoqing barred the river with ten thousand men. Shen picked seven thousand men, pitched three camps within view of each other, and hid their banners in ambush. Shaoqing split his men to encircle them; before the noose shut Shen drummed from the center and every camp surged forward; the enemy broke, Shaoqing ran, Xu Shaohua was killed and his body sent to the capital, and the grain route stayed open. He besieged Anzhou; Liu Jie, Xilie's nephew, came with eight thousand; Shen met him at Yingshan, took him alive, showed him under the walls, and Anzhou surrendered. He was rewarded with the governorship of Anzhou and a fief of a hundred households. He was moved to Suizhou. At Lixiang he took five thousand heads, won Li Huideng over, and immediately recommended him for governor. He was made military governor of An and Huang.
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吳少誠反，詔領步騎五千兼統荊南、湖南、江西兵，當一面，遇賊於三州港，營義陽，戰於申，斬首數千，加檢校刑部尚書。 貞元末，詔安、黃為奉義軍，即為奉義節度。
Wu Shaocheng rose; Shen was given five thousand infantry and cavalry and overall command of troops from Jingnan, Hunan, and Jiangxi; at Sanzhou Harbor and Yiyang he cut down thousands and was made acting Minister of Justice. Late in Zhenyuan An and Huang were renamed the Fengyi command, and he became its governor.
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憲宗即位，以兵付其子宥，身入朝，拜尚書右僕射，改金吾衛大將軍。 以錢三千萬賂宦人求帥河中，事暴，帝沒其半贓，貶右衛將軍。 明年，念舊勞，復檢校右僕射兼右衛上將軍。 卒，贈太子太保，謚曰壯繆。 乾符中，盜發其墓，賜絹二百修瘞雲。 朱忠亮朱忠亮，字仁輔，汴州浚儀人。 舉明經不中，往事昭義節度使薛嵩為裨將，屯普潤，開田峙糧，以功擢太子賓客。
At Xianzong's accession he gave his army to his son You, came to court, became Right Vice Director, then Grand General of the Imperial Guards. He tried to buy the Hezhong command with thirty million cash; caught, he lost half the sum and was demoted to the Right Guard. A year later, for past merit, he was restored as acting Right Vice Director and senior Right Guard general. He died, was posthumously made Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and titled Stalwart but Erring. In Qianfu tomb robbers broke into his grave; the court granted two hundred bolts of silk to restore the mound. Zhu Zhongliang, styled Renfu, came from Junyi in Bianzhou. Failing the classics exam, he joined Xue Song of Zhaoyi as a staff officer, garrisoned Puyuan, developed farmland and granaries, and was promoted to Household Companion of the Heir Apparent.
13
朱泚亂，率麾下四十騎至奉天，封東陽郡王，為「定難功臣」。 扈狩梁州，為賊鈔獲，系長安獄。 賊平，李晟釋之，奏隸本軍，累遷定平軍使。 憲宗立，加御史大夫。 涇州將楊琦謀拒詔為亂，方集諸校計事，屋壞，琦壓死，乃授忠亮涇原四鎮節度使。 本名士明，至是賜今名。
During Zhu Ci's revolt he rode in with forty men to Fengtian, was made Prince of Dongyang, and hailed as a minister who quelled calamity. He accompanied the court to Liangzhou, was taken in a rebel raid, and held in Chang'an. After the rebellion Li Sheng freed him, had him restored to service, and he advanced to commander of the Dingping army. At Xianzong's accession he became Censor-in-Chief. Yang Qi of Jingzhou plotted rebellion; while he met his officers the roof fell and crushed him; Zhongliang was then made governor of the four Jingyuan commands. Born Shiming, he now received his present name from the throne.
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隱核軍籍，得竄名者三千人，歲收乾沒十萬緡。 吏白耄卒不任戰者可罷，答曰：「古於老馬不棄，況戰士乎？」 聞者莫不感奮。 涇俗舊多賣子，忠亮以財贖免者前後數百。 築潘原城有勞，改封丹陽。 卒，贈尚書右僕射，謚曰靈。 劉昌裔劉昌裔，字光後，太原陽曲人。 幼重遲不好戲，常若有所思度。 及壯，策說邊將不售，去入蜀。 楊惠琳亂，昌裔說之。 子琳順命，拜瀘州刺史，署昌裔州佐。 子琳死，客河朔間。 曲環方攻濮州，表為判官。 為環檄李納，剴曉大誼，環上其稿，德宗異之。 環領陳許軍，又從府遷。 累進營田副使。
Auditing the rolls in secret he found three thousand phantom soldiers and collected a hundred thousand strings a year in illicit fees. Clerks said aged soldiers unfit for battle might be discharged; he replied, "The ancients kept old horses — shall we discard warriors? Hearing this, none failed to take fire. Jing customarily sold children; Zhongliang ransomed several hundred with his own funds. For building Panyuan Fort he was re-enfeoffed Prince of Danyang. He died, was posthumously made Right Vice Director, and titled Spirited. Liu Changyi, styled Guanghou, came from Yangqu in Taiyuan. Even as a boy he was solemn and unhurried, shunning games as though always weighing some distant matter. Grown, he peddled plans to border generals without success and withdrew into Shu. When Yang Huilin rose, Changyi won him over. Huilin submitted; Changyi was made governor of Luzhou and kept on as staff aide. After Huilin's death he wandered north of the Yellow River. Qu Huan, besieging Puzhou, took him on as staff judge. He wrote for Huan a manifesto to Li Na, arguing the larger right; Huan forwarded it and Dezong marveled. When Huan took the Chenxu command Changyi went with him. He rose to deputy commissioner of military colonies.
15
環卒，上官涚知後務，吳少誠引兵薄城，涚欲遁去，昌裔止曰：「受詔而守，死其職也。 況士馬完奮，足支賊。 若堅壁不戰七日，賊氣必衰，我以全制之可也。」 涚許諾。 賊攻堞壞，不得修。 昌裔密造飛棚聯柵，即募突將千人鑿城以出，擊賊走之。 比還，柵已立，守陴遂安。 兵馬使安國寧謀應賊，昌裔以計斬之； 召其麾下千人為饗，人賞二縑，乃伏兵於道，令「持縑者斬」，一不能脫，賊聞解去。 以功擢涚陳許節度使，昌裔陳州刺史。
Huan died; Shangguan Ze held headquarters; Wu Shaocheng pressed the walls; Ze meant to run, but Changyi said, "You were ordered to hold this city — death is the office. Our men and horses are whole and keen — enough to face them. Hold the walls seven days without battle and their ardor will fade; then strike with full force and you will master them. Ze consented. The enemy smashed the battlements beyond quick repair. Changyi secretly built flying galleries and linked stockades, then raised a thousand storm troops who broke out through a tunnel and routed the besiegers. They returned to find the palisade finished and the ramparts safe. An Guoning, horse commander, plotted treason; Changyi destroyed him by a ruse; he feasted Guoning's thousand men, gave each two bolts of silk, then ambushed the road with orders to kill anyone still holding silk — none escaped; the enemy heard and lifted the siege. Ze became military governor of Chenxu and Changyi governor of Chen.
16
韓全義敗於溵水，引軍走陳，求入保，昌裔登陴揖曰：「天子命君討蔡，何為來陳？ 且賊不敢至我城下，君其舍外無恐。」 明日，從十餘騎持牛酒抵全義營勞軍，全義不自意，迎拜嘆服。 改陳許行軍司馬。 涚卒，軍中推昌裔，有詔檢校工部尚書，代節度。 命境上吏不得犯蔡人，少誠吏有來犯者，捕得縛送，使自治之。 少誠慚其軍，亦禁境上暴掠者。 封彭城郡公。
Han Quanyi, beaten on the Yin, fled to Chen for shelter; Changyi stood on the wall and bowed: "The throne sent you against Cai — why enter Chen? The rebels will not dare our walls; camp outside without fear. Next day he rode out with a dozen men, oxen and wine to Quanyi's camp; Quanyi, astonished, met him with bows of respect. He was made campaigning staff marshal of Chenxu. Ze died; the troops acclaimed Changyi; the court made him acting Minister of Works and governor. He forbade his borders to harm Cai subjects; Shaocheng's men who crossed were caught, bound, and returned for Shaocheng's own justice. Ashamed, Shaocheng forbade his own men to plunder across the line. He was created Duke of Pengcheng.
17
元和八年，大水壞廬舍，溺居人，以檢校尚書左僕射兼左龍武統軍召還京師。 始，憲宗惡昌裔自立，欲召之而重生變，宰相李吉甫曰：「陛下乘人心愁苦可召也。」 遂以韓臯代之。 至長樂驛，知帝意，因稱風眩臥第。 歲中卒，贈潞州大都督，謚曰威。 範希朝範希朝，字致君，河中虞鄉人。 初從邠寧軍為別將，事節度使韓遊瑰。 德宗在奉天，以戰守功累兼御史中丞。 治軍整毅，遊瑰畏其才，將伺隙殺之，希朝懼，奔鳳翔。 帝聞，召寘左神策軍。 貞元四年，以遊瑰政無狀，使代之。 希朝曰：「始偪而來，終代其任，非所以防覬覦、安反仄也。」 固讓左金吾衛將軍張獻甫。 軍中憚獻甫嚴，以兵脅監軍使請於帝，必得希朝乃止。 詔拜寧州刺史、邠寧節度副使，俾佐獻甫。
In Yuanhe 8 floods wrecked homes and drowned people; he was recalled as acting Left Vice Director and commander of the Left Dragon Martial Guard. Xianzong had resented Changyi's self-appointment and hesitated to recall him lest trouble follow; Li Jifu said, "Summon him while the people still ache from flood and hardship. Han Gao was sent to replace him. At Changle post he sensed the emperor's intent, claimed dizziness, and kept to his house. He died within the year, was posthumously made Grand Governor of Luzhou, and titled Majestic. Fan Xichao, styled Zhijun, came from Yuxiang in Hezhong. He began in the Binning army as a separate commander under Han Yougui. At Fengtian he won repeated promotion for defense and assault until he held the censor's seal. His camps were iron-hard; Yougui feared him and plotted his death; Xichao fled to Fengxiang. The emperor heard and placed him in the Left Divine Strategy Army. In Zhenyuan 4, Yougui's rule having failed, Xichao was sent to replace him. Xichao said, "I was forced here at sword's point and now inherit his seat — that will not quiet envy or fear. He firmly yielded the post to Zhang Xianfu of the Left Imperial Guards. The troops, dreading Xianfu's harshness, threatened the supervisor until the throne gave them Xichao. He was made governor of Ningzhou and deputy governor of Binning to aid Xianfu.
18
俄遷振武節度使。 部有党項、室韋雜居，暴掠放肆，日入慝作，謂之「刮城門」。 希朝度要害置屯保，斥邏嚴密，鄙民以安。 至小竊取亦殺無赦，虜人憚伏，相謂曰：「是必張光晟紿姓名來也！」 邊州每長帥至，必效橐它駿馬，雖甚廉者猶受之，以結其歡。 希朝一不納。 積十四年，虜保塞不敢橫。 初，單于城池不樹，希朝命蒔柳，數歲成林。
Soon he became military governor of Zhenwu. Dangxiang and Shiwei lived intermingled, raiding at will in what was called "scraping the gate." He fortified the vital points, tightened patrols, and the countryside grew calm. Petty thieves he killed without mercy; the tribesmen quaked and whispered, "Surely this is Zhang Guangcheng under a false name! Whenever a new commander arrived the tribes offered Bactrian camels and swift horses — even honest men took them to win goodwill. Xichao refused every gift. Fourteen years the nomads held the passes and dared not raid. The Chanyu city had been treeless; he planted willows until a forest stood.
19
貞元末，請朝。 時諸鎮不以事自述職者，希朝而已。 帝悅，拜右金吾衛大將軍。 王叔文用事，謂其易制，用為右神策統軍，充左右神策京西諸城鎮行營節度使，屯奉天，以韓泰為副，因欲使泰代之。 會不能得神策軍而罷。 憲宗立，檢校尚書左僕射，復為右金吾衛大將軍。 俄檢校司空，出為朔方靈鹽節度使。 遷河東，率師討王承宗，敗之木刀溝，然老病，不能有大功。 還朝，改左龍武統軍，以太子太保致仕。 卒，贈太子太師，謚忠武，改曰宣武。
Late in Zhenyuan he asked to come to court. Of all the frontier commands only Xichao still came to report in person. The emperor was pleased and made him Grand General of the Right Imperial Guards. Wang Shuwen, thinking him pliable, made him commander of the Right Divine Strategy Army and commissioner of the western capital garrisons at Fengtian, with Han Tai as deputy meant to supplant him. He failed to win the Divine Strategy troops and the scheme collapsed. At Xianzong's accession he became acting Left Vice Director and again Grand General of the Right Imperial Guards. Soon he was acting Grand Master of Works and governor of Shuofang, Ling, and Yan. Transferred to Hedong he marched against Wang Chengzong, beat him at Mudao Gully, yet age and sickness kept him from greater glory. Back at court he commanded the Left Dragon Martial Guard and retired as Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. He died, was posthumously Grand Preceptor, first titled Loyal Martial, later Proclaiming Martial.
20
希朝號當世善將，或比之趙充國。 在朔方時，招突厥別部沙陀千落眾萬餘有之，其後用沙陀戰者，所至有功。 王鍔王鍔，字昆吾，自言太原人。 始隸湖南團練府為裨將。 楊炎道潭，與語，異其才。 嗣曹王臯為團練使，俾鍔誘降武岡叛將王國良，以功擢邵州刺史。
Men called him the finest general of the age; some likened him to Zhao Chongguo. At Shuofang he gathered ten thousand-odd Shatuo households; thereafter Shatuo fighters won merit wherever they were sent. Wang E, styled Kunwu, claimed Taiyuan as his home. He began as a staff officer in the Hunan training command. Yang Yan, touring Tanzhou, spoke with him and marveled at his mind. Prince Li Gao of Cao sent E to win over the Wugang rebel Wang Guoliang; for that he was made governor of Shaozhou.
21
臯之節度江西也，李希烈南侵，臯與鍔兵三千，使屯潯陽，而臯全軍臨九江，襲蘄州，遂以眾濟。 表鍔江州刺史兼御史中丞，充都虞候。 鍔小心，善刺軍中情偽，事無細大，臯悉知之。 因推以腹心，雖家人燕居或預焉。 臯攻安州，使伊慎盛兵圍之，而遣鍔入城中約降，使殺不從者。 翌日城開，慎以賊降乃己功，不下鍔，鍔稱疾避之。
When Gao held Jiangxi and Xilie struck south, E held Xunyang with three thousand while Gao took Jiujiang, raided Qizhou, and crossed in force. He made E governor of Jiangzhou, concurrent censor, and chief commandant. E was cautious and expert at reading the army's secrets; nothing, great or small, was hidden from Gao. Gao drew him into his inmost counsel; E was sometimes present even at family meals. Besieging Anzhou Gao sent Shen with the main force and E into the city to negotiate surrender and kill the stubborn. When the city fell Shen claimed the credit and omitted E; E pleaded illness and withdrew.
22
臯為荊南節度使，欲署府少尹，而上佐鄙其人，乃復檄都虞候。 從臯朝京師，臯奏鍔文用雖不足，而它可試。 德宗擢為鴻臚少卿。 先是，天寶末，西域朝貢酋長及安西、北庭校吏歲集京師者數千人，隴右既陷，不得歸，皆仰稟鴻臚禮賓，月四萬緡，凡四十年，名田養子孫如編民。 至是，鍔悉籍名王以下無慮四千人，畜馬二千，奏皆停給。 宰相李泌盡以隸左右神策軍，以酋長署牙將，歲省五十萬緡。 帝嘉其公，擢容管經略使。 凡八年，溪落安之。
Made governor of Jingnan Gao tried to name E vice prefect, but senior staff scorned him and E returned as commandant. At court Gao said E lacked polish in letters but might be tested elsewhere. Dezong raised him to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. Since late Tianbao western chieftains and Anxi and Beiting officers had gathered yearly at court by the thousands; when Longyou fell they could not go home and lived forty years on Honglu stipends of forty thousand strings a month, buying land and raising families like common folk. E registered nearly four thousand titled foreigners and two thousand horses and petitioned to end every stipend. Li Mi attached them to the Divine Strategy armies as guard officers, saving five hundred thousand strings yearly. The emperor praised his integrity and made him commissioner of Rongguan. In eight years the hill tribes were pacified.
23
遷嶺南節度使。 廣人與蠻雜處，地征薄，多牟利於市，鍔租其廛，榷所入與常賦埒，以為時進，裒其餘悉自入。 諸蕃舶至，盡有其稅，於是財蓄不貲，日十餘艘載皆犀象珠琲，與商賈雜出於境。 數年，京師權家無不富鍔之財。 召為刑部尚書。 淮南節度使杜佑數請代，乃以鍔檢校兵部尚書為佑副，厚事佑以悅之，坐必就司馬聽事，不數日，遂代佑。 久之，入拜尚書左僕射，又檢校司徒，為河中節度使。
He was transferred to Lingnan. In Guang, where locals and tribes mixed and land tax was thin, E taxed the market stalls until monopoly income matched regular levies, sent the surplus up as tribute, and kept the rest. He seized every port duty; treasure beyond counting flowed out daily in ten or more ships of ivory and pearls mixed with traders. Within years every great clan in the capital held wealth from E. He was called to be Minister of Justice. Du You of Huainan begged relief; E was made acting Minister of War as his deputy, flattered him, sat daily in the marshal's office, and within days replaced him. Later he became Left Vice Director, acting Grand Master of Works, and governor of Hezhong.
24
進兼太子太傅，徙河東。 河東自範希朝討鎮無功，兵才三萬，騎六百，府庫殘耗。 鍔能補完嗇費，未幾，兵至五萬，騎五千，財用豐余。 會回鶻並摩尼師入朝，鍔欲示威武傾駭之，乃悉軍迎，廷列五十里，旗幟光鮮，戈鎧犀密。 回鶻恐，不敢仰視，鍔偃然受其禮。 帝聞嘉之，即除檢校司空、同中書門下平章事。 鍔自見居財多，且懼謗，納錢二千萬。 李絳奏言：「鍔雖有勞，然僉望不屬，恐天下議以為宰相可市而取。」 帝曰：「鍔當太原殘破後，成雄富之治。 官爵所以待功，功之不圖，何以為勸？ 王播所獻數萬萬，亦可以平章政事乎？」 不聽。 卒，贈太尉，謚曰魏。
He was made Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and transferred to Hedong. Hedong, after Fan Xichao's failed campaign against Zhen, held only thirty thousand men, six hundred horse, and empty coffers. E repaired accounts and husbanded stores; soon he had fifty thousand soldiers, five thousand horse, and full treasuries. When Uighurs and Manichaean clergy came to court E paraded his whole army for fifty li, banners blazing, armor glittering. The Uighurs dared not raise their eyes; E received their obeisance at ease. The emperor was pleased and at once made him acting Grand Master of Works and Grand Councillor. Seeing his wealth and fearing envy, he tendered twenty million cash. Li Jiang wrote, "E has service, yet the realm does not look to him — men will say the council seat is for sale. The emperor said, "After Taiyuan lay in ruins he made it rich and strong. Office exists to reward merit — deny merit and who will strive? Wang Bo gave tens of millions — shall he be councillor too? The emperor would not hear it. He died, was posthumously made Grand Marshal, and titled Wei.
25
鍔初附太原王翃為從子，以婚閥自高。 翃子弟亦藉鍔多得官。 又常讀《春秋》，自稱儒者，士頗笑之。 善任數持下，在淮南時，嘗得無名書，內靴中，俄取它書焚之，人信其無名者，異日因小罪，並以所告窮驗，示眾以神明。 性纖嗇，有所程作，雖碎瑣無所遺。 官曹簾壞，吏將易之，鍔取壞者付船坊以針箬。 每燕饗，輒錄其餘，賣之以收利。 故鍔家錢遍天下。
At first he clung to Wang Hong of Taiyuan as a nephew and boasted of noble kinship. Hong's kin likewise rode E's coat-tails into office. He read the Spring and Autumn Annals and called himself a scholar; men laughed. Clever at ruling inferiors, he once hid an anonymous denunciation in his boot, then burned another book so all thought him unread; later on a petty fault he exposed the informer's charges and passed for omniscient. He was miserly in the extreme; in the smallest task nothing was lost. When office curtains rotted clerks would replace them; E sent the rags to the boatyard to be patched. After every feast he sold the leftovers for gain. Thus the Wang fortune reached every corner of the empire.
26
子稷，歷鴻臚少卿。 鍔在藩，稷常留京師，視勢高下輕重以納貲焉。 嘗請籍坊以廣第舍，作復垣洞穴，實金錢其中。 鍔卒，奴告稷更遺占，沒所獻，裴度為言，乃論殺奴。 長慶二年，用稷為德州刺史，悉金寶、媵侍以行。 節度使李全略利其貨，因軍亂殺稷，納其女為媵。
His son Ji was Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. While E governed the provinces Ji stayed in the capital, weighing influence and selling favors. He sought a ward lot to expand his mansion, built double walls with tunnels, and filled them with gold. At E's death a slave accused Ji of seizing more tribute; the gifts were seized; Pei Du intervened and only the slave was executed. In Changqing 2 Ji went to Dezhou carrying every treasure and concubine. Li Quanlue of the circuit coveted his wealth, stirred mutiny, killed Ji, and took his daughter.
27
開成中，滄州節度使劉約奏稷子叔泰生五歲，值全略亂，為郡人匿養，得不死。 送叔泰京師，文宗憫焉，詔授九品官，使奉鍔祀。 孟元陽孟元陽，史失其何所人。 起陳許軍中，以嚴整稱。 曲環領節度使，時已為大將，使董作西華屯。 盛夏，屩而立於塗，役休乃就舍，故田輒歲稔，而軍食常足。 環卒，吳少誠來寇，元陽嬰城守，圍甚急，然終不能傅城。 韓全義敗五樓，列將多私去，獨元陽與神策將蘇元策、宣州將王幹以所部屯溵水，破賊二千，詔拜陳州刺史。 憲宗立，遷河陽節度使。 五年，盧從史敗，檢校尚書右僕射，徙帥昭義軍。 入為右羽林統軍，封趙國公。 改右金吾大將軍，復拜統軍。 卒，贈揚州大都督。 王棲曜王棲曜，濮州濮陽人。 安祿山反，尚衡裒義兵討賊，署牙將，徇兗、鄆諸縣下之，進牙前總管。 賊將邢超然守曹州，乘城指顧，棲曜曰：「彼可取也。」 一矢殞之，遂拔曹州。 累授試金吾衛將軍。
In Kaicheng Liu Yue reported that Shutai, five when Quanlue rebelled, had been hidden and lived. Shutai was sent to court; Wenzong pitied him and gave a ninth-rank post to tend E's rites. Meng Yuanyang — the histories do not record his birthplace. He came up in the Chenxu army famed for harsh discipline. Under Qu Huan he was already a senior general and directed the Xihua colony. In summer heat he stood in straw sandals on the road until work ended; the fields prospered and the granaries stayed full. Huan died; Shaocheng besieged him fiercely, yet never touched the walls. At Wulou most generals fled; only Yuanyang, Su Yuanze, and Wang Gan held the Yin line and slew twenty thousand; he was made governor of Chen. At Xianzong's accession he became governor of Heyang. In the fifth year, after Lu Congshi's fall, he became acting Right Vice Director and governor of Zhaoyi. He entered as commander of the Right Feathered Forest and was made Duke of Zhao. He became Grand General of the Imperial Guards and again commanded the guard. He died and was posthumously made Grand Governor of Yangzhou. Wang Qiyao came from Puyang in Puzhou. When An Lushan rose Shang Heng raised loyal troops; Qiyao served as guard officer, took the Yan and Yun counties, and became chief headquarters commander. Rebel Xing Chaoran held Caozhou and gestured from the wall; Qiyao said, "He is ours. One arrow dropped him and Caozhou fell. He was repeatedly made acting General of the Imperial Guards.
28
袁晁亂浙東，御史中丞袁傪討之，表為偏將。 與賊戰，日十餘遇，生禽晁，收州縣十六。 授常州別駕、浙西都知兵馬使。 時江介未定，詔內常侍馬日新以汴滑軍五千鎮之。 中人暴橫，賊蕭廷蘭乘眾怨逐日新，劫其眾。 棲曜方遊弈近郊，賊脅取之，與圍蘇州。 棲曜乘賊怠，挺身登城，率城中兵出戰，賊眾大敗，遷試金吾大將軍。
When Yuan Chao ravaged Zhedong Yuan Zai campaigned against him and named Qiyao a flank commander. He fought ten clashes a day, took Chao alive, and recovered sixteen districts. He was made vice-prefect of Changzhou and Zhexi commander. The lower Yangtze was still unsettled; Ma Rixin was sent with five thousand Bian and Sui troops to garrison it. The eunuch bullied the people; Xiao Tinglan exploited their wrath, expelled Rixin, and stole his force. Qiyao was patrolling the suburbs when rebels seized him and forced him to besiege Suzhou. When they slackened he vaulted the wall alone, led the garrison out, shattered the rebels, and was made acting Grand General of the Imperial Guards.
29
李靈曜反汴州，浙西觀察使李涵使提兵四千為河南掎角，有功。 李希烈陷汴州也，乘勝東略，次寧陵，將襲宋州。 浙西節度使韓滉使棲曜以強弩三千涉水，夜入寧陵，希烈不之知。 晨朝，矢集帳前，驚曰：「江淮弩士入矣！」 遂不敢東。
When Li Lingyao rebelled at Bianzhou Li Han sent him with four thousand men to pinch Henan from Zhexi. Xilie, having taken Bianzhou, swept east, camped at Ningling, and meant to hit Songzhou. Han Huang sent Qiyao with three thousand crossbowmen who crossed by night into Ningling unseen. At dawn arrows thudded into his tent; Xilie cried, "The Jiang-Huai crossbowmen are here! He dared not march east.
30
貞元初，拜左龍武大將軍，出為鄜坊節度使。 十九年，卒，贈尚書右僕射，謚曰成。
Early in Zhenyuan he commanded the Left Dragon Martial Guard and governed Zhenfang. In the nineteenth year he died, was posthumously Right Vice Director, and titled Accomplished.
31
棲曜性謹厚，善騎射。 始將兵時，涉寇境，遇遊騎環合，乃規百步，立表而射，每射破的，虜相顧懼，引去。
Qiyao was steady and kindly and a master of mounted archery. Early in command he rode into enemy country, was ringed by scouts, marked a hundred paces, and shot every bolt into the target; the nomads fled.
32
子茂元，少好學。 德宗時上書自薦，擢試校書郎，改太子贊善大夫。 呂元膺留守東都，署防禦判官。 淄青留邸卒謀亂，元膺率兵圍之，士無敢先者，茂元取一人斬之，眾乃進，賊遂出奔。 累遷嶺南節度使，蠻落安之。
His son Maoyuan loved books as a youth. Under Dezong he recommended himself and became acting collator, then Senior Mentor of the Heir Apparent. Lü Yuanying at Luoyang made him defense judge. When Ziqing lodge troops plotted revolt Yuanying surrounded them; no one moved first; Maoyuan cut one man down and the host surged forward; the rebels ran. He rose to governor of Lingnan and pacified the tribes.
33
家積財，交煽權貴。 鄭註用事，遷涇原節度使。 註敗，悉出家貲餉兩軍，得不誅，封濮陽郡侯。 召為將作監，領陳許節度使，又徙河陽。 討劉稹也，李德裕以茂元兵寡，詔王宰領陳許合義成兵援之，以河陰所貯兵械、內庫甲弓矢陌刀賜之。 會病，以宰兼河陽行營攻討使。 卒，贈司徒，謚曰威。 劉昌劉昌，字公明，汴州開封人。 善騎射。 天寶末，從河南防禦使張介然討安祿山，授易州遂城府左果毅。 史朝義兵圍宋州，城中食盡且降。 昌說刺史李岑曰：「李光弼在河陽，江淮足兵，勢必來援。 今廩麹尚多，若屑以食，可支二十日，則救至。」 岑聽之。 昌乃被鎧登城，以忠義諭賊，賊畏不敢攻。 俄而光弼援兵至，賊夜潰。 光弼聞其謀，召置軍中，將用之。 會光弼卒，還為宋州牙門將。
The house heaped riches and bought the mighty. Under Zheng Zhu he was made governor of Jingyuan. Zhu's fall would have killed him; he bought both armies with his fortune, survived, and was made Marquis of Puyang. He became Director of Palace Construction, governor of Chenxu, then Heyang. Campaigning Liu Zhen, Deyu thought Maoyuan too weak; Wang Zai was sent with Chenxu and Yicheng troops and Heyin's armory. Falling ill he yielded the Heyang command to Wang Zai. He died, was posthumously Grand Tutor, and titled Majestic. Liu Chang, styled Gongming, came from Kaifeng in Bianzhou. He excelled at mounted archery. Late in Tianbao he followed Zhang Jieran against An Lushan and was made Left Commander at Suifu. Shi Chaoyi's army besieged Songzhou until food failed and surrender neared. Chang told Li Cen, "Guangbi holds Heyang and the southeast has armies — help will come. Grind the stores to flour and we can last twenty days until rescue. Cen agreed. Chang armored, mounted the wall, and shamed the enemy with duty; they dared not press the assault. Soon Guangbi came and the rebels stole away by night. Guangbi heard of the plan and called him to headquarters. When Guangbi died he returned to Song as guard officer.
34
李靈曜以汴州反，刺史李僧惠欲應之，昌請見，陳逆順計，且泣。 僧惠悟，即馳奏請自將討賊。 故靈曜失助，不得逞。 汴州平，李忠臣疾僧惠，攻殺之，昌遁去。
Li Lingyao rebelled; Li Sengyi meant to join; Chang pleaded, argued treason and loyalty, and wept. Sengyi awoke and memorialized to lead the attack himself. Thus Lingyao lost help and could not win. Bianzhou fell; Zhongchen killed Sengyi; Chang fled.
35
劉玄佐領宣武節度使，擢昌左廂兵馬使。 李納反，以偏師收考城，充行營諸軍馬步都虞候。 玄佐攻濮州，以昌攝刺史。 李希烈取汴，玄佐別將高翼提精卒守襄邑，城陷，翼赴水死，江淮大震。 昌以兵三千守寧陵，希烈眾五萬攻之，昌掘塹以遏地道，相拒凡四十餘日，賊數敗，乃解圍去。 更攻陳州，昌從玄佐以浙西兵三萬救之。 西去陳五十里，昌薄其軍，大戰破之，禽賊將翟曜，希烈奔還蔡州。 加檢校工部尚書，累實封二百戶。
Xuanzuo made him commander of the left wing. When Li Na rebelled he took Kaocheng and became campaigning commandant of horse and foot. Besieging Puzhou Xuanzuo left Chang as acting governor. Xilie took Bian; Gao Yi held Xiangyi with elites; the city fell and Yi drowned; the southeast shook. Chang held Ningling with three thousand against fifty thousand, trenched against mines, fought forty days, broke the enemy, and they withdrew. Xilie struck Chenzhou; Chang marched with thirty thousand Zhexi men to save it. Fifty li west of Chen he crushed the host, took Zhai Yao, and drove Xilie back to Cai. He was made acting Minister of Works with two hundred taxable households.
36
貞元三年入朝，詔以宣武兵八千北出五原。 士卒有逗留沮事者，斬三百人乃行，舉軍慴伏。 尋授京西行營節度使。 歲餘，改四鎮、北庭行營兼涇原節度。 七年，城平涼，開地二百里，扼彈箏峽。 又西築保定，扞青石嶺，凡七城二堡，旬日就。 以功檢校尚書右僕射，累封南川郡王。 十四年，歸化堡軍亂，逐大將張國誠，詔昌經略。 昌入堡，誅數百人，復使國誠統之。 昌在邊凡十五年，身率士墾田，三年而軍有羨食，兵械銳新，邊障妥寧。 及感疾，詔赴京師。 未行，卒，年六十五，贈司空。
In Zhenyuan 3 he came to court; eight thousand Xuanwu troops were ordered north from Wuyuan. He beheaded three hundred stragglers and marched; the army trembled into order. Soon he governed the western capital expedition. A year later he held the four commands and northern court campaign and Jingyuan. In the seventh year he built Pingliang, opened two hundred li, and held Pipa Gorge. Westward he built Baoding at Qingshi Ridge — seven cities and two forts in ten days. For merit he became acting Right Vice Director and Prince of Nanchuan. In the fourteenth year Guihua Fort mutinied and expelled Zhang Guocheng; Chang was sent to settle it. Chang entered, killed hundreds, and restored Guocheng. Fifteen years on the border he led the men in farming; in three years granaries overflowed, arms gleamed, and the frontier was calm. Illness brought an order to court. He died at sixty-five before marching, and was posthumously Grand Master of Works.
37
初城平涼，當劫盟後，將士骸骨不藏，昌始命瘞之。 夕夢若詣昌厚謝者，昌具以聞。 德宗下詔哀痛，出衣數百稱，官為賽具，斂以棺槥，分建二冢，大將曰旌義冢，士曰懷忠冢，葬淺水原，詔翰林學士為銘識其所。 昌盛陳兵衛，具牢醴，率諸將素服臨之，邊兵莫不感泣。
When Pingliang was raised, bones from the captive oath lay unburied; Chang buried them. That night he dreamed the dead thanked him; he reported it. Dezong mourned, sent hundreds of garments, prepared rites, coffined the bones in two mounds — Exalted Righteousness for generals, Cherished Loyalty for soldiers — at Qianshui Plain with Hanlin inscriptions. Chang drew up guards, offered full sacrifice, and stood with his generals in white; the border wept.
38
子士涇，尚云安公主，拜駙馬都尉，累遷少卿。 家積財，內結權近。 善胡琴，故得幸於貴人。 後遷太僕卿，給事中韋弘景等封還制書，以士涇交通近幸，不當居九卿。 憲宗曰：「昌有功於邊，士涇又尚主，官少卿已十餘年，制書宜下。」 弘景等乃奉詔。
His son Shijing married Princess Yun'an, became Commandant of the Imperial Son-in-Law, and rose to vice minister. The house heaped riches and courted power at court. He played the barbarian lute and won favor among the mighty. Made Grand Master of the Stud, Wei Hongjing returned the edict: Shijing traded on favorites and should not hold a ministry. Xianzong said, "Chang served the border; Shijing married the princess and has been vice minister ten years — issue the edict. Hongjing and the others obeyed.
39
贊曰：唐杜牧稱：「寧陵之圍解，劉玄佐召昌問曰：『君以孤城，用一當十，何以能守？』 昌泣曰：『始昌令：守陴內顧者斬。 昌孤甥張俊守西北，未嘗內顧，捽下斬之。 士有死誌，故能守。』 因伏地流涕，玄佐亦泣曰：『國家將富貴汝。』」 史臣謂不然，且勒兵乘城與賊抗，所賴賞罰耳。 今無罪而斬其甥，士心且離，不祥莫大焉。 寧好事者傅此以益其美？ 非昌誌也。 牧以為張巡、許遠陷睢陽，其名傳，昌全寧陵而事不得暴於世，寧牧未之思邪？ 趙昌趙昌，字洪祚，天水人。 始為昭義李承昭節度府屬，累遷虔州刺史。 安南酋獠杜英翰叛，都護高正平以憂死，拜昌安南都護，夷落向化毋敢桀。 居十年，足疾，請還朝，以兵部郎中裴泰代之，入為國子祭酒。 未幾，州將逐泰，德宗召昌問狀，時年逾七十，占對精明，帝奇之，復拜安南都護。 詔書至，人相賀，叛兵即定。
The appraisal cites Du Mu: when Ningling was saved, Xuanzuo asked how one city held against ten. Chang wept: he had ordered that anyone who looked inward from the wall would die. His nephew Zhang Jun held the northwest and never looked inward; Chang dragged him down and beheaded him. The men willed death, and so the city held. He prostrated himself weeping; Xuanzuo wept too and said the state would enrich him. The historian disagrees: defense rested on reward and punishment. To kill an innocent nephew would split the army — the worst omen. Did storytellers invent this to glorify him? That was not Chang's way. Du Mu praised Zhang Xun at Suiyang yet ignored Chang at Ningling — had he forgotten? Zhao Chang, styled Hongzuo, came from Tianshui. He began on Li Chengzhao's Zhaoyi staff and rose to governor of Qianzhou. When Annan's Du Yinghan rebelled and Protector Gao Zhengping died of grief, Chang was made protector; the tribes submitted and dared not rage. Ten years later, lame, he asked to return; Pei Tai replaced him; he became Director of the National University. Soon troops expelled Tai; Dezong asked Chang, past seventy, who answered keenly; the emperor marveled and sent him back to Annan. When the edict came the people rejoiced and the mutineers quieted.
40
憲宗初立，檢校戶部尚書，遷嶺南節度使。 降輯陬荒，以勞徙節荊南。 召入，再遷工部尚書、兼大理卿。 出為華州刺史。 對麟德殿，趨拜強駃，帝訪其所以頤養。 遷太子少保。 卒，年八十五，贈揚州大都督，謚曰成。 李景略李景略，幽州良鄉人。 父承悅，檀州刺史、密雲軍使。 景略以蔭補幽州府功曹參軍。 大歷末，客河中，闔門讀書。
At Xianzong's accession he became acting Minister of Revenue, then governor of Lingnan. He pacified the far tribes and was transferred to Jingnan for his toil. Recalled, he twice rose to Minister of Works and Grand Judge. He was made governor of Huazhou. At Linde Hall his bow was brisk; the emperor asked his secret of health. He became Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. He died at eighty-five, was posthumously Grand Governor of Yangzhou, and titled Accomplished. Li Jinglue came from Liangxiang in Youzhou. His father Chengyue was governor of Tanzhou and commander of Miyun. By yin privilege he became functionary of the Youzhou headquarters. Late in Dali he stayed at Hezhong and his household read.
41
李懷光為朔方節度使，署巡官。 五原將張光殺其妻，以貲市獄，前後不能決，景略核實，論殺之。 既而有若女厲者進謝廷中，如光妻雲。 遷大理司直。 懷光屯咸陽，將襲東渭橋，召幕府計議。 景略曰：「殺朱泚，還軍諸道，杖策詣行在，此轉禍為福也。」 不聽。 既出軍門，慟哭曰：「豈意此軍乃陷不義乎！」 遂遁歸。
Huai'guang of Shuofang made him touring officer. Zhang Guang of Wuyuan murdered his wife and bought off justice; Jinglue verified the facts and demanded execution. Then a furious spirit like Guang's wife entered court to thank him. He became direct judge of the Court of Judicial Review. Huai'guang at Xianyang meant to strike the eastern Wei Bridge and called his staff. Jinglue said, "Kill Zhu Ci, march the army home, and go to the emperor — that turns disaster to blessing. Huai'guang would not listen. Outside the gate he wailed that the army had turned unrighteous. He fled home.
42
靈武節度使杜希全表置於府，累轉侍御史、豐州刺史。 豐州當回紇通道，前刺史軟柔，每虜使至，與抗禮。 時梅錄將軍入朝，景略欲折之，因郊勞，前遣人謂曰：「可汗新沒，欲吊使者。」 乃坐高壟待之。 梅錄俯僂前哭，景略即撫之曰：「可汗棄代，助爾號慕。」 於是虜容氣沮索，不敢抗，以父行呼景略。 自此回紇使至者，皆拜於廷，威名顯聞。 希全忌之，誣奏，貶袁州司馬。
Du Xiquan of Lingwu took him on staff; he rose to attendant censor and governor of Fengzhou. Fengzhou lay on the Uighur road; soft governors had met envoys as equals. When Meilu came to court Jinglue meant to humble him; at the comfort feast he sent word that the qaghan had died and they would mourn. He sat on a high mound to wait. Meilu bowed and wept; Jinglue comforted him for the qaghan's death. The Uighurs slumped and dared not stand tall; they called him father. After that Uighur envoys bowed in his hall and his fame spread. Xiquan envied him, slandered him, and he was demoted to Yuanzhou.
43
希全死，遷左羽林將軍，對德宗延英殿，論奏衎衎，有大臣風。 會河東節度使李說病，以景略為太原少尹、行軍司馬。 時方鎮既重，故少召還者，惟不幸則司馬代之。 自說有疾，人心固屬景略矣。 會梅錄復入朝，說大會，虜人爭坐，說不敢遏，景略叱之，梅錄識其聲，驚拜曰：「非李豐州邪？」 遂就坐。 將吏相顧嚴憚，說愈不平，賂中尉竇文場謀毀去之。
After Xiquan died he entered the Left Feathered Forest; at Yanying Hall he spoke like a great minister. Li Yue of Hedong fell ill; Jinglue became Taiyuan vice prefect and staff marshal. Commands were mighty; vice prefects rarely returned — only death brought the marshal up. From Yue's illness the army already looked to Jinglue. Meilu came again; at Yue's feast the tribes fought for seats; Jinglue shouted them down; Meilu knew his voice and cried, "Lord of Fengzhou! He then sat. Officers stared in awe; Yue bribed Dou Wenchang to ruin him.
44
歲餘，塞下傳言回紇將南寇，文場方侍帝傍，即言豐州當得良將，且舉景略，乃拜豐州刺史、天德軍西受降城都防禦使。 窮塞苦寒，地塉鹵，邊戶勞悴。 景略至，節用約己，與士同甘蓼，鑿咸應、永清二渠，溉田數百頃，儲稟器械畢具，威令肅然，聲雄北疆，回紇畏之。 卒於屯，年五十五。 天下惜用景略才有所未盡。 贈工部尚書。 任迪簡任迪簡，京兆萬年人。 擢進士第。 天德李景略表佐其軍，嘗宴客，而行酒者誤進醢，景略用法嚴，迪簡不忍其死，飲為釂，徐以它辭請易之，歸衉血，不以聞，軍中悅其長者。 景略卒，舉軍請為帥，監軍使拘迪簡，不聽，眾大呼，破戶出之。 德宗遣使者察變，具得所以然，乃授豐州刺史、天德軍使。 由殿中侍御史授兼大夫、散騎常侍。 入為太常少卿、太子左庶子。
A year later rumor said the Uighurs would strike south; Wenchang at court named Jinglue governor of Fengzhou and defender of Shouxiang. The frontier was cold, the soil salt-poisoned, the people exhausted. He husbanded stores, shared hardship, dug canals, irrigated hundreds of qing, filled arsenals, and terrified the Uighurs. He died in camp at fifty-five. The empire mourned that his talent was cut short. He was posthumously made Minister of Works. Ren Dijian came from Wannian in Jingzhao. He passed the jinshi. On Jinglue's staff a cup-bearer served pickle by mistake; Jinglue's law was harsh; Dijian drank the cup for him, swapped it by ruse, vomited blood in secret, and the army loved him. Jinglue died; the army wanted Dijian; the supervisor refused; they broke the door and freed him. Dezong investigated and made him governor of Fengzhou and Tiande commander. From attendant censor he became Grand Master of the Palace and Regular Attendant. He became Vice Director of Sacrifices and Left Mentor of the Heir Apparent.
45
張茂昭以易定歸，擢迪簡行軍司馬代之。 大將楊伯玉據牙不納，眾殺之； 別將張佐元復叛，迪簡斬以徇，乃入，以檢校工部尚書為節度使。 承茂昭奢縱後，公私屈覂，欲饗士，無所給，至與下同糲食，身居戟戶。 逾月，軍中感其公，請安臥內，迪簡乃許。 三年，上下完充。 以疾入，除工部侍郎。 不能朝，改太子賓客。 卒，贈刑部尚書，謚曰襄。 張萬福張萬福，魏州元城人。 三世明經，止縣令、州佐。 萬福以儒業不顯，乃學騎射，從王斛斯以別校征遼東，有功。
When Maozhao surrendered Yiding, Dijian replaced him as staff marshal. Yang Boyu held headquarters and refused him; the troops killed Boyu; Zhang Zuoyuan rebelled; Dijian beheaded him and entered as acting Minister of Works and governor. After Maozhao's excesses he had nothing to feast the troops with and ate coarse grain in a halberd gate with them. A month later the army pitied him and begged him to sleep indoors; he agreed. In three years the command was whole. Ill, he entered as Vice Minister of Works. Unable to attend court he became Mentor of the Heir Apparent. He died, was posthumously Minister of Justice, and titled Assisting. Zhang Wanfu came from Yuancheng in Weizhou. Three generations passed the classics exam and rose only to county magistrate or prefectural aide. Failing at Confucian office he took to archery, followed Wang Husi to Liaodong, and won merit.
46
李亙伐劉展，署為部將，效首萬級。 累攝壽州刺史、舒廬壽都團練使。 州送租賦詣都，至潁，為盜所奪。 萬福領輕兵尾襲，賊倉卒不得戰，悉禽之，盡得所亡，並先掠人妻女、財畜萬計，還其家，不能自致者，給船車以遣。 真拜刺史，兼淮南節度副使。 而節度崔圓忌之，失刺史，改鴻臚卿，使將千人鎮壽州，不以為恨。 時許杲以平盧行軍司馬將卒三千駐濠州，陰窺淮南。 圓使萬福攝濠州刺史。 杲聞，即移戍當塗。 賊陳莊陷舒州，圓又令攝舒州刺史，督淮南盜賊，窮破株黨。
Li Gen against Liu Zhan made him division commander; he sent up ten thousand heads. He was repeatedly acting governor of Shouzhou and Shu-Lu-Shou commander. Rent bound for the capital was seized at Ying by bandits. Wanfu pursued with light troops, took every bandit, restored all stolen goods and families, and sent the stranded home by boat and cart. He was made governor and Huainan deputy military governor. Cui Yuan envied him; he lost Shouzhou, became Vice Director of Entertainments, garrisoned a thousand at Shouzhou, and did not complain. Xu Gao with three thousand Pinglu men garrisoned Haozhou and eyed Huainan. Yuan made Wanfu acting governor of Haozhou. Gao heard and moved to Dangtu. Chen Zhuang took Shuzhou; Yuan sent Wanfu as acting governor to crush Huainan banditry.
47
大歷三年，召見。 代宗曰：「欲一識卿面，且將以許杲累卿。」 萬福辭謝，因前曰：「陛下以一許杲召臣，如河北諸將叛，欲屬何人？」 帝笑曰：「始為我了杲事，且當大用。」 乃拜和州刺史兼行營防禦使，督盜淮南。 萬福至州，杲懼，徙屯上元，過楚州，大掠，節度使韋元甫使萬福追討。 未至，杲為其將康自勸所逐，自勸循淮鈔而東，萬福倍道追殺之，免者十三，盡還所剽於民。 元甫將厚賞士，萬福曰：「官健坐仰衣食，無所事，今一小煩之，不足過賞，請用三之一。」 帝下詔褒美，賜具衣、宮錦十雙。
In Dali 3 he was summoned. Daizong said, "I wished to see your face and to set you on Xu Gao. Wanfu stepped forward: "You call me for Gao — if Hebei rebels, whom will you send?" The emperor laughed: "Settle Gao first — then we will use you greatly." He was made governor of Hezhou and campaigning commissioner over Huainan bandits. At Hezhou Gao fled to Shangyuan, plundered Chuzhou; Wanfu was sent in pursuit. Before he came Gao was expelled by Kang Ziqin; Wanfu double-timed, killed Ziqin, spared thirteen, and returned all loot. Yuanfu wished to reward heavily; Wanfu said soldiers were paid to fight — one third was enough. The emperor praised him and gave robes and brocade.
48
久之，詔以本鎮兵千五百人防秋京西。 萬福詣揚州還所領兵。 會元甫死，諸將願得萬福為帥，監軍使邀請之，對曰：「我非幸人，勿以此待我。」 遂去。 以利州刺史鎮咸陽，且留宿衛。
Later fifteen hundred of his troops were ordered to guard the western capital in autumn. Wanfu went to Yangzhou to hand back his troops. Yuanfu died; generals wanted Wanfu; he refused: "I am no favorite of fate. He left. He was made governor of Lizhou at Xianyang and kept palace guard duty.
49
李正己反，屯兵埇橋，江淮漕船積千餘不敢逾渦口。 德宗乃以萬福為濠州刺史，召謂曰：「先帝改爾名正者，所以褒也。 朕謂江淮草木亦知爾威名，若從所改，恐賊不曉是卿也。」 復賜舊名。 萬福因馳至渦口，駐馬於岸，悉發漕船相銜進，賊兵倚岸熟視不敢動。 改泗州刺史。 魏州饑，父子相賣，萬福曰：「魏州吾鄉里，安忍其困？」 令兄子將米百車餉之，贖魏人自賣者，給資遣之。
Li Zhengyi rebelled at Yongqiao; a thousand grain barges dared not pass Wokou. Dezong made him governor of Haozhou and said, "Your former name Zheng was praise. Even Jiang-Huai's grass knows your name — keep the old name lest rebels not know you. His old name was restored. Wanfu raced to Wokou, drove every barge through while rebels on the bank watched and did not stir. He was made governor of Sizhou. Weizhou starved; men sold kin; Wanfu said, "Weizhou is my home — I cannot bear it. He sent a hundred carts of grain, ransomed the sold, and gave them passage money.
50
為杜亞所忌，召拜右金吾將軍。 及見，帝驚曰：「亞乃言爾昏耄，何邪？」 詔圖形淩煙閣，數賜與，並敕度支籍口畜給其費。 陽城等詣延英門論裴延齡事，伏閣不去，帝震怒，左右懼不測。 萬福大言曰：「國有直臣，天下無慮矣。 吾年八十，與見盛事。」 遍揖城等勞之，天下益重其名。 以工部尚書致仕，卒，年九十。
Du Ya envied him and called him Grand General of the Right Imperial Guards. At audience the emperor cried, "Ya called you senile — how? His portrait was ordered for Lingyan Pavilion, gifts poured forth, and the Ministry registered his stipend. Yang Cheng and others argued Pei Yanling at Yanying Gate and would not leave; the emperor raged and courtiers feared blood. Wanfu shouted, "The state has upright ministers — the realm is safe. I am eighty and have seen glory. He bowed to Cheng and comforted them; the world honored him more. He retired as Minister of Works and died at ninety.
51
萬福自始終祿食七十年，未嘗一日言病。 蒞凡九州，皆有惠愛。 初，在泗州，遇李希烈反，陳少遊悉以部刺史妻子質揚州，萬福獨不遣。 謂使者：「為我白公，妻老且鬼，不足慁公意。」 卒不行，人稱其直。 高固高固，不知何許人，或言四世祖侃，永徽中為北庭安撫使，禽車鼻可汗，以功為安東都護。
Seventy years on salary he never once claimed illness. In nine provinces he governed there was kindness. At Sizhou when Xilie rebelled Shaoyou took governors' families hostage at Yangzhou; Wanfu alone refused. He told the envoy, "Tell your master my wife is old as death — no need to trouble him. He never sent them; men praised his integrity. Gao Gu — birthplace unknown; some say his fourth-generation ancestor Kan in Yonghui was northern pacifier, took the Chebi qaghan, and became Anton protector.
52
固生微賤，為家所賣，轉為渾瑊童奴，字黃芩。 性敏惠，有旅力，善騎射，能讀《左氏春秋》。 瑊愛養之，以齊有高固，因以名，以乳媼女女固。 從瑊屯朔方。 德宗在奉天，固仍從瑊，賊突入東壅門，固引銳士長刀殺賊數十人，曳車塞闔，賊不能入。 封渤海郡王。
Born low, sold by kin, he became Hun Zhan's slave boy Huangqin. Clever, strong, skilled in archery, he read Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals. Zhan raised him; because Qi had a Gao Gu he gave the name and married him to his nurse's daughter. He followed Zhan to Shuofang. At Fengtian rebels broke the eastern Yong gate; Gu led blade men, killed dozens, blocked the gate with carts. He was made Prince of Bohai.
53
李懷光反，使邠寧留後張昕將兵萬人先趣河中，固在行，乃伺間入帳下，斬昕首以徇，拜檢校右散騎常侍、前軍兵馬使。 貞元十七年，邠寧節度使楊朝晟卒，詔將並邠寧、朔方為一軍，議以李朝寀為節度，劉南金副之，以詢邠軍，咸曰：「如詔。」 數日復劫固為帥，固曰：「然能聽吾言。 乃可。」 眾唯唯。 固徇曰：「毋殺人，毋肆掠！」 三軍皆順悅。 帝亦念固功，乃拜邠寧節度使。 固本宿將，且寬厚，人皆安之。 然久在散位，數為儕類輕笑。 及受命，眾多懼，固一釋不問。
Huai'guang sent Zhang Xin with ten thousand to Hezhong; Gu on the march entered the tent, beheaded Xin, and was made acting Right Attendant and vanguard commander. In Zhenyuan 17 Yang Chaocheng died; Binning and Shuofang were to merge; Li Chaoqin was to command with Liu Nanjin deputy; Binning agreed. Days later they forced Gu as commander; Gu said, "Hear me first. Then perhaps. The crowd agreed. Gu proclaimed, "No killing, no looting! The three armies obeyed gladly. The emperor remembered his merit and made him governor of Binning. A veteran and generous, he reassured all. Long in minor posts he had been mocked by peers. Many feared on his appointment; Gu forgave all.
54
憲宗時，檢校尚書右僕射，入為右羽林統軍。 卒，贈陜州大都督。 郝比郝比，不記其鄉里。 貞元中為臨涇鎮將，嘗從數百騎出野，還，說節度使馬璘曰：「臨涇扼洛口，其川饒衍，利畜牧。 其西走戎道，曠數百里皆流沙，無水草。 願城之，為休養便地。」 比出，或謂璘曰：「比言信然。 雖然，公所以蒙恩大幸，以邊防未固也。 上心日夜念此，故厚於公。 今若用比言，則邊已安，尚何事為？」 璘遂不聽。
Under Xianzong he became acting Right Vice Director and commander of the Right Feathered Forest. He died and was posthumously Grand Governor of Shazhou. Hao Bi — homeland unrecorded. In Zhenyuan he commanded Linjing; returning from a ride of hundreds he told Ma Lin, "Linjing holds Luokou — rich pasture. Westward lies desert hundreds of li without grass or water. Wall it for rest and supply. After Bi left someone told Lin, "Bi is right. Yet your grace is great because the frontier is not secure. The emperor thinks of this daily; hence your bounty. If Bi's plan is adopted the frontier will be secure — what task will remain for you? Lin would not hear of it.
55
及段佑代節度，比又說曰：「天寶時，天下以兵為防，獨西戎耳。 而塞至京師且萬里。 自祿山反，西陲盡亡，寰內為邊郡。 每虜入寇，驅井閭父子與馬牛，焚積聚，殘室廬，邊人耗盡。 今若築臨涇以折虜勢，便甚。」 佑唯許，請於朝。 卒詔城臨涇，為行原州，以比為刺史，戍之。 自是虜不敢過臨涇。
When Duan You succeeded him as military governor, Bi spoke again: "In the Tianbao era the empire garrisoned only the western frontier. Yet the passes lay ten thousand li from the capital. After Lushan rebelled the west was lost and the interior itself became a frontier. Each raid drove out peasants and cattle, burned granaries, wrecked homes, until the border was emptied. Wall Linjing now and you will break their momentum. You assented alone and memorialized the court. At last an edict walled Linjing as Xingyuan Prefecture, made Bi its governor, and stationed him there. After that the barbarians did not dare cross Linjing.
56
玭在邊積三十年，每討賊，不持糗糧，取之於敵。 獲虜必刳剔而歸其屍，虜大畏，道其名以怖啼兒。 遷檢校左散騎常侍、涇原行營節度使，封保定郡王。 贊普常等故身鑄金象，令於國曰：「得生比者，以金比償之。」 朝廷畏失名將，徙為慶州刺史，卒。
Bi served on the frontier thirty years; on campaign he carried no dry rations but lived off the enemy. Captives he flayed and sent back; the tribes feared him so deeply that mothers frightened crying children with his name. He was made acting Left Regular Attendant and Jingyuan campaigning military governor, and enfeoffed Prince of Baoding. King Trisong Detsen and others cast a gold statue of him in life and proclaimed throughout the realm that whoever took him alive would be paid its weight in gold. The court, fearing to lose a famous commander, transferred him to Qingzhou, where he died.
57
佑，本郭子儀牙將，從征伐有功。 貞元末，為涇原節度使，虜畏憚之。 終右神策大將軍。
Duan You had been a guard officer under Guo Ziyi and won merit on campaign. Late in Zhenyuan he was military governor of Jingyuan, and the barbarians stood in awe of him. He ended his career as Grand General of the Right Divine Strategy Army.
58
史敬奉者，靈州人。 事朔方軍為牙將。 元和中，吐蕃數犯塞，十四年，敬奉白節度使杜叔良，請兵三千，賫一月糧，深入虜地，分賊勢。 叔良以二千兵予之，行十餘日，不聞問，皆謂已歿。 敬奉乃由間道繞出虜後，部落奔駭，因大破之，驅其餘眾於瓠蘆河，獲馬牛雜畜迨萬數。 賜實封五十戶。
Shi Jingfeng came from Lingzhou. He served in the Shuofang army as a guard officer. In Yuanhe, as Tibet raided again and again, Jingfeng in the fourteenth year asked Du Shuliang for three thousand men and a month's rations to strike deep and split the enemy. Shuliang gave him two thousand; ten days passed without news and men assumed he was lost. Jingfeng took a hidden track behind the tribes; they fled in panic; he routed them utterly, drove the remnant to the Hulu River, and seized nearly ten thousand head of horse and cattle. He was granted a substantive fief of fifty households.
59
敬奉遳陋，類不勝衣，其走逐奔馬，挾鞍勒以上，而後羈帶之，矛矢在手，前無強敵。 甥侄部曲二百人，每出輒分其隊為四五，隨水草，數日不相知，及相遇，已皆有獲。 與鳳翔將野詩良輔及郝比皆以名雄邊。
Jingfeng was small and mean in appearance, yet chasing a galloping horse he would seize saddle and girth, swing himself up, then tighten the reins; spear and bow in hand, no foe stood before him. Two hundred nephews and clan troops — on each raid he split them into four or five bands by pasture; days might pass without contact, yet when they met each band already had spoil. With Ye Shi Liangfu of Fengxiang and Hao Bi he shared a frontier fame.
60
良輔者，後為隴州刺史。 朝廷遣使至吐蕃，虜輒言：「唐家稱和好豈妄邪！ 不爾，安得任良輔為隴州刺史？」
Liangfu later became governor of Longzhou. When the court sent envoys to Tibet the tribes would say, "Does the House of Tang speak of peace for nothing! If not, how could Ren Liangfu be appointed governor of Longzhou?"