1
周王鄧陳齊趙二楊顧
Biographies of Zhou, Wang, Deng, Cheng, Qi, Zhao, the two men surnamed Yang, and Gu
2
周寶，字上珪，平州盧龍人。 曾祖待選，為魯城令，安祿山反，率縣人拒戰，死之。 祖光濟，事平盧節度希逸為牙將，每戰，得攻魯城者，必手屠之。 歷左贊善大夫，從李洧以徐州歸天子。 父懷義，通書記，擢累檢校工部尚書、天德西城防禦使，以徙城事不為宰相李吉甫所助，以憂死。
Zhou Bao, whose courtesy name was Shanggui, came from Lulong in Ping Prefecture. His great-grandfather Daixuan had been magistrate of Lucheng; when An Lushan rose in revolt, he rallied the county to resist and was killed in the fighting. His grandfather Guangji was a yaji officer under Li Xiyi, military governor of Pinglu; after every battle, he personally killed any soldier who had taken Lucheng. He eventually held the post of Left Remonstrance Counselor and followed Li Si when Xuzhou was surrendered to the throne. His father Huaiyi was adept at secretarial duties and rose to Acting Minister of Works and Defender of the Western Sector of Tiande, but died of grief when Chancellor Li Jifu refused to support the plan to relocate the city.
3
寶藉蔭為千牛備身。 天平節度使殷侑嘗為懷義參軍，寶從之，為部將。 會昌時，選方鎮才校入宿衛，與高駢皆隸右神策軍，歷良原鎮使，以善擊球，俱備軍將，駢以兄事寶。 寶強毅，未嘗詘意於人。 官不進，自請以球見，武宗稱其能，擢金吾將軍。 以球喪一目。 進檢校工部尚書、涇原節度使。 務耕力，聚糧二十萬斛，號良將。
Bao entered service through hereditary privilege as a Palace Guard of the Thousand Oxen. Yin You, governor of Tianping, had once been Huaiyi's staff officer; Bao followed him and served as a company commander. In the Huichang era, able officers from the provinces were drafted into the capital guard; he and Gao Pian both joined the Right Shence Army and served as garrison commanders at Liangyuan. Their skill at cuju won them both posts as preparedness generals, and Pian treated Bao as an elder brother. Bao was resolute by nature and never humbled himself before anyone. When his promotion stalled, he asked to demonstrate his cuju skill before the throne; Wuzong praised his talent and made him a Golden Crow general. He lost an eye in a cuju match. He was promoted to Acting Minister of Works and military governor of Jingyuan. He pushed farming and corvée labor, stockpiled two hundred thousand hu of grain, and was acclaimed as an able commander.
4
黃巢據宣、歙，徙寶鎮海軍節度兼南面招討使。 巢聞，出采石，略揚州。 僖宗入蜀，加檢校司空。 時群盜所在盤結，柳超據常熟，王敖據昆山，王騰據華亭，宋可復據無錫。 寶練卒自守，發杭州兵戍縣鎮，判八都：石鏡都，董昌主之； 清平都，陳晟主之； 於潛都，吳文舉主之； 鹽官都，徐及主之； 新登都，杜棱主之； 唐山都，饒京主之； 富春都，文禹主之； 龍泉都，淩文舉主之。
After Huang Chao seized Xuancheng and Shezhou, Bao was reassigned as military governor of the Zhenhai Army with the additional title of southern campaign commissioner. When Chao heard the news, he withdrew to Caishi and raided Yangzhou. After Emperor Xizong fled into Sichuan, Bao was given the additional rank of Acting Grand Mentor. Bandits had dug in across the region: Liu Chao held Changshu, Wang Ao Kunshan, Wang Teng Huating, and Song Kefu Wuxi. Bao trained troops for self-defense, dispatched Hangzhou forces to garrison the counties, and organized eight commands: the Shijing Command under Dong Chang; the Qingping Command under Chen Sheng; the Yuqian Command under Wu Wenju; the Yanguan Command under Xu Ji; the Xindeng Command under Du Ling; the Tangshan Command under Rao Jing; the Fuchun Command under Wen Yu; and the Longquan Command under Ling Wenju.
5
中和二年，進同中書門上平章事，兼天下租庸副使，封汝南郡王。 寶和裕，喜接士，以京師陷賊，將赴難，益募兵，號「後樓都」。 明年，董昌據杭州，柳超自常熟入睦州，刺史韋諸殺之。 四年，餘杭鎮使陳晟攻諸，諸以州授晟。 寶子玙統後樓都，孱不能馭軍，部伍橫肆。 寶亦稍惑色，不恤事，以婿楊茂實為蘇州刺史，重斂，人不聊。 田令孜以趙載代之，茂實不受命。 寶表留，不聽，乃殘郛署、汙垣牖去。 詔以王蘊代載，載留潤州。
In the second year of Zhonghe he was made Grand Councilor and deputy commissioner for empire-wide land tax and corvée, and enfeoffed as Prince of Runan. Bao was easygoing and fond of entertaining men of letters; when the capital fell to rebels he prepared to march to its relief, raised more troops, and styled them the "Rear Pavilion Command." The following year Dong Chang seized Hangzhou; Liu Chao marched from Changshu into Muzhou, where Prefect Wei Zhu killed him. In the fourth year Chen Sheng, garrison commander of Yuhang, attacked Zhu, who surrendered the prefecture to him. Bao's son Yu took command of the Rear Pavilion troops, but he was too weak to discipline them and the ranks ran riot. Bao himself grew distracted by pleasure and neglected government; he installed his son-in-law Yang Maoshi as prefect of Suzhou, whose crushing levies left the people desperate. Tian Lingzi appointed Zhao Zai to replace him, but Maoshi refused to step down. Bao petitioned to keep him in office but was overruled; Maoshi then wrecked the government compound, defaced the buildings, and departed. The court ordered Wang Yun to replace Zhao Zai, but Zai stayed on at Runzhou.
6
初，鎮海將張郁以擊球事寶。 光啟初，劇賊剽昆山，寶遣郁領兵三百戍海上，郁醉而叛。 王蘊謂州兵還休，不設備，郁遂大掠，蘊嬰城守。 寶遣將拓拔從討定之。 郁保常熟，因攻常州，刺史劉革迎降，眾稍集。 寶遣將丁從實督兵攻之，郁走海陵，依鎮遏使高霸，從實遂據常州。 及董昌徙義勝軍節度使，寶承制擢杭州都將錢镠領州事。 宣州賊李君旺陷義興守之。 是時，右散騎常侍沈誥使至江南，負田令孜勢，震暴州縣。 嗣襄王下令搜令孜黨，寶收誥及趙載殺之。
Earlier, the Zhenhai officer Zhang Yu had entered Bao's service through their shared passion for cuju. At the start of the Guangqi era, fierce raiders pillaged Kunshan; Bao sent Yu with three hundred men to guard the coast, but Yu got drunk and mutinied. Wang Yun assumed the prefectural troops had gone off duty and took no precautions; Yu looted the city wholesale, forcing Yun to bar the gates and hold the walls. Bao dispatched the general Tuo Ba Cong to put down the revolt. Yu held Changshu, then turned on Changzhou; Prefect Liu Ge surrendered to him, and his forces steadily grew. Bao sent Ding Congshi to attack him; Yu fled to Hailing under the protection of suppression commissioner Gao Ba, and Congshi seized Changzhou. When Dong Chang was reassigned as governor of the Yisheng Army, Bao appointed Hangzhou commander Qian Liu to govern the prefecture by imperial commission. Li Junwang, a rebel from Xuancheng, captured Yixing and held it. At this time Shen Gao, Right Regular Attendant, arrived in the south as an imperial envoy; backed by Tian Lingzi's power, he terrorized the prefectures and counties. The heir of Prince Xiang ordered a purge of Tian Lingzi's partisans; Bao arrested Shen Gao and Zhao Zai and put them to death.
7
高駢領鹽鐵，辟寶子佶為支使，寶亦表駢從子在幕府。 駢為都統，浸不禮寶，寶銜之。 帝在蜀，淮南絕貢賦，謾言道浙西為寶剽阻。 帝知其誣，不直駢，自是顯隙。 駢出屯東塘，約西定京師，寶喜，將赴之，或曰：「高氏欲圖公地。」 寶未信。 駢遣人請會金山，謀執寶，寶答曰：「平時且不聞境上會，況上蒙塵，宗廟焚辱，寧高會時耶？ 我非李康，不能為人作功勛、欺朝廷也。」 駢遣人切讓，寶亦詬絕之。
Gao Pian headed the Salt and Iron Commission and took Bao's son Ji as disbursement commissioner; Bao in turn placed Pian's nephew on his own staff. Once Pian became supreme commander, he grew increasingly dismissive of Bao, who nursed a grudge. With the emperor in Sichuan, Huainan stopped sending tribute, spreading the lie that Bao was raiding and blocking the Zhexi route. The emperor saw through the slander and refused to take Pian's side, and from then on their breach was plain for all to see. Pian encamped at Dongtang, pledging to secure the west and restore the capital; Bao was elated and prepared to march, until someone warned him, "The Gao family means to seize your territory. Bao refused to believe it. Pian sent envoys inviting him to a meeting at Jinshan, intending to seize him; Bao replied, "Even in peacetime we never met on the border—how can Gao propose a conference now, when the Son of Heaven is in exile and the ancestral temples lie in ashes? Is this a time for celebration? I am no Li Kang; I will not win another man's glory by deceiving the throne. Pian sent a stern rebuke; Bao answered with curses and broke off relations.
8
會部將劉浩、刁頵與度支催勘使、太子左庶子薛朗叛，寶方寢，外兵格鬥，火照城中。 寶驚出，諭曰：「為吾用則吾兵，否則寇也。 六州皆我鎮，何往不適？」 乃自青陽門出奔。 士大掠，官屬崔綰、陸鍔、田倍皆死。 浩奉朗領府事。 寶至奔牛埭，駢饋以葛，諷其且亡也。 寶抵於地曰：「公有呂用之，難方作，無誚我！」 即奔常州依丁從實，召後樓都，無一士至者。
Then his officers Liu Hao and Diao Yun joined Revenue Audit Commissioner and Left Mentor of the Heir Apparent Xue Lang in revolt; Bao was still asleep when fighting broke out beyond the walls and flames lit up the city. Bao rushed out and shouted, "Fight for me and you are my men; fight against me and you are nothing but rebels. All six prefectures belong to my command—where can you not find a home? He then fled through the Qingyang Gate. The troops looted the city; officials Cui Wan, Lu E, and Tian Bei were all killed. Hao installed Xue Lang as head of the prefectural government. At Benniu Ford, Pian sent him a gift of hemp cloth—a pointed hint that his end was near. Bao dashed it to the ground and cried, "You have your own Lu Yongzhi—your troubles are only beginning; spare me your mockery! He fled to Changzhou to seek refuge with Ding Congshi and called up the Rear Pavilion troops, but not one man answered.
9
錢镠遣杜棱、成及攻薛朗，棱子建徽攻從實，聲言迎寶，擊破賊君旺，取船八百艘，遂圍常州，從實奔海陵。 镠具橐迎寶，舍樟亭。 未幾，殺之，不淹月，而駢為畢師鐸所囚。 寶死，年七十四，贈太保。 镠以杜棱守常州。 文德元年拔潤州，劉浩亡，不知所在，執朗，剖其心祭寶，使阮結守潤州。 楊行密殺高霸，而張郁、丁從實皆死。
Qian Liu sent Du Ling and Cheng Ji against Xue Lang; Ling's son Jianhui attacked Congshi under the pretext of welcoming Bao back, routed the rebel Li Junwang, seized eight hundred vessels, and besieged Changzhou until Congshi fled to Hailing. Liu went out with full honors to receive Bao and lodged him at Zhangting. Before long he had Bao killed; within the month Gao Pian himself was taken prisoner by Bi Shiduo. Bao died at the age of seventy-four and was posthumously honored as Grand Mentor. Liu placed Du Ling in command of Changzhou. In the first year of Wende he took Runzhou; Liu Hao vanished without trace; he captured Xue Lang, cut out his heart as an offering to Bao's spirit, and left Ruan Jie to hold Runzhou. Yang Xingmi killed Gao Ba; Zhang Yu and Ding Congshi also met their deaths.
10
初，黃巢平，時溥遣小史李師悅上符璽，拜湖州刺史。 昭宗時，遷忠國軍節度使。 董昌反，師悅連和，與镠有隙，而結好於行密，安仁義次潤州，復助之。 乾寧三年卒，子繼徽代，以地附行密，其將沈攸謂不可，繼徽乃奔揚州。
Earlier, after Huang Chao's defeat, Shi Pu sent his clerk Li Shiyue to present the imperial seals to the throne, and Li was appointed prefect of Huzhou. Under Emperor Zhaozong he was made military governor of the Zhongguo Army. When Dong Chang rebelled, Shiyue joined him, fell out with Qian Liu, but cultivated ties with Yang Xingmi; An Renyi, encamped at Runzhou, aided him as well. He died in the third year of Qianning; his son Jihui succeeded him and offered the territory to Yang Xingmi, but his general Shen You objected, and Jihui fled to Yangzhou.
11
王處存，京兆萬年人。 世籍神策軍，家勝業裏，為天下高貲。 父宗，巧射利，侈靡自奉，僮千人，以此奮，累除檢校司空、金吾大將軍，遙領興元節度使。
Wang Chucun came from Wannian in the capital district of Jingzhao. For generations his family had been enrolled in the Shence Army; they lived on Shengye Lane and ranked among the richest households in the empire. His father Zong was a crack archer and shrewd profiteer who maintained a household of a thousand servants in lavish style; on that foundation he rose to Acting Grand Mentor, Golden Crow grand general, and titular governor of Xingyuan.
12
處存自右軍鎮使歷檢校刑部尚書、定州制置使，累遷義武節度使。 黃巢陷京師，處存號哭，不俟詔，分麾下兵二千間道至山南衛乘輿。 外約王重榮連盟，進屯渭橋，而涇州行軍司馬唐弘夫亦屯渭北。 詔處存檢校尚書右仆射督戰，俄拜東南面行營招討使。 中和二年授京城東面都統。 每痛國難未夷，語輒流涕，軍中多處存義，愈為之用。 素善李克用，又故婚好，遣使十輩曉譬迎勸，卒共平京師。 王鐸差興復功，以勤王舉義處存為第一，收城破賊克用為第一。 遷檢校司空。 復出兵三千屬大將張公慶會諸軍捕巢泰山，滅之。 進檢校司徒、同中書門下平章事。
Chucun advanced from Right Army garrison commander through Acting Minister of Justice and commissioner for the Dingzhou establishment to military governor of the Yiwu Army. When Huang Chao took the capital, Chucun wept aloud; without waiting for orders he sent two thousand of his men by hidden routes into the southern mountains to protect the imperial procession. He secured an alliance with Wang Chongrong, advanced to Weiqiao, while Jingzhou campaign deputy Tang Hongfu encamped on the north bank of the Wei. The court named him Acting Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat to direct operations, and soon afterward southeastern campaign commissioner. In the second year of Zhonghe he was made eastern metropolitan commander for the capital region. Whenever he spoke of the unredeemed national crisis he wept; his troops took their cue from his moral fervor and fought all the harder for him. He had long been friendly with Li Keyong and was linked by marriage as well; he sent ten successive embassies to reason with him and win his cooperation, and together they recovered the capital. Wang Duo ranked the contributors to the restoration: Chucun first for rallying loyal forces, Li Keyong first for retaking the city and crushing the rebels. He was promoted to Acting Grand Mentor. He dispatched another three thousand men under his chief general Zhang Gongqing to join the allied forces in hunting Huang Chao on Mount Tai until he was destroyed. He was advanced to Acting Minister of Works and Grand Councilor.
13
田令孜討王重榮，徙處存節度河中，上書言：「重榮有大功，不可改易，搖諸侯之心。」 不納，趣上道。 軍次晉州，刺史冀君武閉門不內，而重榮拒詔。
When Tian Lingzi moved against Wang Chongrong, Chucun was reassigned to Hedong; he memorialized, "Chongrong has rendered great service; to displace him now would unsettle every regional commander. The court ignored his plea and ordered him to depart at once. When his army reached Jinzhou, Prefect Ji Junwu barred the gates, and Chongrong openly defied the transfer order.
14
處存臨事通便宜，有大將風。 幽、鎮兵悍馬強，其地勢也，而易定介於其間，侵軼歲至。 及李匡威得誌，謀並取之。 處存善修鄰歡，內撫民有恩，痛折節下賢，協穆太原以自助，遠近同心。 歲時講兵，與諸鎮抗，無能侵軋者。 累加侍中、檢校太尉。 卒，年六十五，贈太子太師，謚曰忠肅。
In affairs of state Chucun knew when to bend the rules and carried himself like a great commander. Youzhou and Zhenzhou boasted fierce troops and powerful horses by the logic of geography, while Yiding lay sandwiched between them and endured yearly incursions. Once Li Kuangwei had his way, he plotted to swallow the territory whole. Chucun cultivated good relations with his neighbors, ruled his people with kindness, humbled himself to recruit talent, and aligned with Taiyuan for mutual support until allies near and far stood with him as one. He drilled his forces every year and held his own against the neighboring commands until none could harry his borders. He was repeatedly honored as Palace Attendant and Acting Grand Commandant. He died at sixty-five and was posthumously honored as Grand Preceptor to the Heir Apparent with the posthumous title Loyal and Solemn.
15
三軍跡河朔舊事，推子郜由副使為留後，昭宗從之。 累拜節度使，加檢校司空、同中書門下平章事，又進太保。
Following the old Hebei custom, the army installed his son Gao from deputy commissioner to acting governor, and Emperor Zhaozong approved. He was confirmed as military governor, made Acting Grand Mentor and Grand Councilor, and later advanced to Grand Preceptor.
16
光化三年，朱全忠使張存敬攻幽州，以瓦橋濘潦，道祁溝關。 郜方與劉守光厚，乃畀叔處直兵擾其尾，令騎將甄瓊章次義豐，而存敬遊弈騎已至，且戰且引十餘里，執瓊章。 而氏叔琮下深澤，執大將馬少安，圍祁州，屠之，斬刺史楊約，休兵十日。 處直壁沙河，存敬軍河北，挑戰，處直不出，涉河乃戰，處直大敗，亡大將十五，士死者數萬。 存敬收械甲以賦戰士，而焚其餘，遂圍定州。 郜斬親吏梁汶，移書存敬，且請盟。 俄而外郛陷，郜以其族奔太原，使處直主留後。 全忠亦至，處直辭曰：「弊邑事上未嘗不忠，事鄰未嘗不禮，弗虞君之見攻也。」 全忠責何故事克用，答曰：「太原藉兄弟之舊，修好往來，常道也。 君茍為罪，請改圖。」 全忠許之。 處直以從孫為質，上所持節，即獻絹三十萬，具牛酒犒師。 存敬取成而還。 全忠表處直為節度留後、檢校尚書左仆射。
In the third year of Guanghua (900), Zhu Quanzhong dispatched Zhang Cunjing against Youzhou. The marshes around Waqiao were deep with floodwater, so the army turned aside and marched by way of Qigou Pass. Gao was on friendly terms with Liu Shouguang. He gave his uncle Wang Chuzhi a force to harry the enemy's rear and posted the cavalry commander Zhen Qionzhang at Yifeng. But Zhang Cunjing's scouting horsemen were already there; they fought as they fell back for more than ten li and took Qionzhang captive. At the same time Shi Shuzong pushed into Shenze, seized the great general Ma Shao'an, and besieged Qizhou. The city was put to the sword, Prefect Yang Yue was executed, and the army halted for ten days. Wang Chuzhi held a fortified camp at Shahe while Zhang Cunjing's army stood north of the river and challenged him. Chuzhi refused to engage until Cunjing forded the river; then Chuzhi was routed, losing fifteen chief commanders and tens of thousands of men. Zhang Cunjing gathered captured arms and armor to equip his soldiers, burned what remained, and laid siege to Dingzhou. Gao executed his personal officer Liang Wen, wrote to Zhang Cunjing, and asked for peace. Before long the outer city fell. Gao fled with his clan to Taiyuan and left Wang Chuzhi behind as acting military governor. Zhu Quanzhong arrived in person. Wang Chuzhi pleaded: "Our domain has always served the throne faithfully and treated our neighbors with courtesy. We never imagined you would turn your armies against us. Zhu Quanzhong demanded why he maintained relations with Li Keyong. Chuzhi answered, "Taiyuan and we are bound by long-standing ties as close as brothers; friendly exchanges are only natural. If you judge that a fault, I am ready to mend my ways." Zhu Quanzhong accepted. Wang Chuzhi sent a grandnephew as hostage, handed over his commission, and at once submitted three hundred thousand bolts of silk with cattle and wine to feast the army. Zhang Cunjing, having secured what he came for, withdrew. Zhu Quanzhong recommended Wang Chuzhi as acting military governor and honorary Left Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat.
17
郜至太原，克用表為檢校太尉，卒。 處直，字允明，天復初為太原郡王。
Gao reached Taiyuan, where Li Keyong had him appointed honorary Grand Preceptor. He died soon after. Wang Chuzhi, styled Yunming, was enfeoffed as Prince of Taiyuan at the opening of the Tianfu reign.
18
鄧處訥，字沖韞，邵州龍潭人。 少從江西人閔頊防秋安南。 中和元年還，道潭州，逐觀察使李裕，召諸州戍校徇曰：「天下未定，今與君等安護州邑，以待天子命，若何？」 眾稱善。 乃推頊為留後，請諸朝。 僖宗方在蜀，遣使者撫慰。 當是時，撫州刺史鐘傳據洪州，議者欲二盜相噬，即復置鎮南軍，擢頊節度使。 頊悟，不受命。 更為檢校尚書右仆射、欽化軍節度使，以處訥為邵州刺史。
Deng Chuna, styled Chongyun, came from Longtan in Shaozhou. As a young man he followed Min Xu of Jiangxi to Annam on the autumn defense rotation. In the first year of Zhonghe (881) he came home by way of Tanzhou, drove out Observation Commissioner Li Yu, and summoned the garrison commanders. "The empire is still unsettled," he said. "Let us defend our districts until the Son of Heaven gives his orders. What do you say? All agreed. They raised Min Xu as acting governor and petitioned the court for confirmation. Emperor Xizong was in Shu and dispatched envoys to comfort them. Zhong Chuan of Fuzhou held Hongzhou. Court strategists hoped the two renegades would destroy each other, revived the Zhennan Army, and elevated Min Xu to military commissioner. Min Xu saw through the design and refused the commission. He was instead made honorary Right Vice Director and governor of the Qinhua Army, while Deng Chuna became prefect of Shaozhou.
19
朗州武陵人雷滿者，本漁師，有勇力。 時武陵諸蠻數叛，荊南節度使高駢擢滿為裨將，將鎮蠻軍從駢淮南。 逃歸，與裏人區景思獵大澤中，嘯亡命少年千人，署伍長，自號「朗團軍」。 推滿為帥，景思為司馬，襲州，殺刺史崔翥。 詔授朗州兵馬留後。 歲略江陵，焚廬落，劫居人。 俄進武貞軍節度使。 先是，陬溪人周嶽與滿狎，因獵宰肉不平而鬥，欲殺滿，不克。 見滿已據州，悉眾趨衡州，逐刺史徐顥，詔授衡州刺史。 石門峒酋向瑰聞滿得誌，亦集夷獠數千，屠牛勞眾，操長刀柘弩寇州縣，自稱「朗北團」。 陷澧州，殺刺史呂自牧，自稱刺史。
Lei Man of Wuling in Langzhou had begun as a fisherman but was bold and powerful. The tribal peoples around Wuling were in constant revolt. Jingnan Governor Gao Pian promoted Lei Man and took him south to Huainan at the head of the frontier Man troops. Lei Man deserted home. In the great marshes he and Qu Jingsi gathered a thousand desperate youths, organized squad chiefs, and called themselves the Lang Regiment. They proclaimed Lei Man chief and Qu Jingsi marshal, seized the prefectural seat, and killed Prefect Cui Zhu. The court recognized him as acting military governor of Langzhou. Year after year he raided Jiangling, burning homesteads and carrying off the people. Before long he was promoted to military governor of the Wuzhen Army. Zhou Yue of Zouxi had been intimate with Lei Man until a hunt ended in a quarrel over unequal shares of butchered game; Yue tried to kill him and failed. When Lei Man took Langzhou, Zhou Yue marched to Hengzhou, drove out Prefect Xu Hao, and received an edict as prefect. Xiang Gui of Shimen heard of Lei Man's success and mustered thousands of tribal warriors, feasted them with slaughtered oxen, armed them with long swords and catalpa crossbows, and raided the region as the Northern Lang Regiment. He took Lizhou, killed Prefect Lu Zimu, and declared himself prefect.
20
頊既強大，且治人有恩，哀徐顥窮，率兵納之。 向瑰召梅山十峒獠斷邵州道，頊掩其營。 周嶽羸軍誘戰，頊墮伏中，故大敗。 淮西將黃皓殺頊。 嶽聞亂，以輕兵入潭州，自稱欽化軍節度使。 盧訥聞之哭，諸將入吊。 處訥曰：「與君等荷仆射恩，若合一州之兵問周嶽罪，奈何？」 眾曰：「善。」 於是礪甲訓兵，積八年，結雷滿為援，攻嶽斬之，自稱留後。 昭宗詔拜武安軍節度使。
Min Xu had grown strong and ruled with kindness. Moved by Xu Hao's exile, he led an army to restore him. Xiang Gui called up Meishan tribesmen to cut the road to Shaozhou; Min Xu fell on his camp by surprise. Zhou Yue sent a weakened force to draw him on; Min Xu walked into an ambush and was routed. Huang Hao, a Huaixi officer, killed Min Xu. Zhou Yue swept into Tanzhou with a light force and proclaimed himself governor of the Qinhua Army. Lu Ne wept when he heard; his generals came to mourn with him. Deng Chuna said, "We owe our positions to the Vice Minister's favor. If we rally every soldier in the prefecture and call Zhou Yue to account—are you with me?" We are," they answered. They sharpened armor and drilled for eight years, secured Lei Man as ally, beheaded Zhou Yue, and Deng Chuna declared himself acting governor. Emperor Zhaozong confirmed him as military governor of the Wuan Army.
21
不三日，會劉建鋒、馬殷兵至，攻澧陵，處訥遣邵州豪傑蔣勛、鄧繼崇率兵三千斷龍回關。 勛以牛酒犒師，殷說勛曰：「劉公勇智絕人，術家言當興翼、軫間。 今精兵十萬，攻必下，戰必克，收敗眾以餉軍，公裒鄉兵捍關，殆矣。 不如下之，富貴可得也。」 勛謂然。 又其下畏建鋒虐，夜棄甲走。 建鋒至關，曰：「此天意也！」 盡用邵旗鎧趨潭州。 守者以為勛軍，納之。 既入，處訥方宴，執而殺之。 建鋒許勛賞，未及行，遣請，弗許，勛怒，率鄧繼崇攻湘鄉，取邵州，進壁定勝、武安。 建鋒使殷督諸將擊之，殷大敗，走江滸。 鄉人夏侯陟教殷以奇兵出迪田，逾澗山，據江為壁，伏兵於莽，誘勛度江。 勛見士未陣，爭出鬥，殷分兵襲其壁，麾瀕江軍夾擊，勛大敗，拔定勝一壁，進圍邵州。 未下而建鋒死，殷代為節度使。 勛請和，不許，卒禽勛斬之。
Less than three days later Liu Jianfeng and Ma Yin attacked Liling. Deng Chuna sent Jiang Xun and Deng Jichong with three thousand men to hold Longhui Pass. Jiang Xun feasted his men with cattle and wine. Ma Yin took him aside: "Liu Jianfeng's courage and cunning are unmatched; diviners say his fortune lies among the Wings and Chariot stars over Hunan. He commands a hundred thousand seasoned troops; every city falls, every battle he wins. He will press the defeated into his ranks. You, with country militia at a pass—you are finished. Yield now, while rank and riches can still be yours. Jiang Xun was persuaded. His men also feared Liu Jianfeng's brutality and deserted by night. When Liu Jianfeng reached the pass he cried, "Heaven itself has opened the way! He marched on Tanzhou flying Shaozhou colors and wearing captured armor. The garrison took them for Jiang Xun's troops and let them in. Deng Chuna was still at banquet when they seized and killed him. Liu Jianfeng promised Jiang Xun rewards but reneged; enraged, Xun joined Deng Jichong, seized Xiangxiang and Shaozhou, and encamped at Dingsheng and Wu'an. Liu Jianfeng sent Ma Yin against them; Yin was routed and fled to the riverside. A fellow townsman, Xiahou Shi, advised Ma Yin to send a flanking force through Ditian, cross the mountain streams, fortify the riverbank, hide troops in the brush, and lure Jiang Xun across the water. Jiang Xun saw the enemy not yet formed and charged out; Yin split his force to strike the camp and ordered the river troops to attack from both flanks. Xun was crushed; Yin took Dingsheng and besieged Shaozhou. Before Shaozhou fell, Liu Jianfeng died and Ma Yin became military governor. Jiang Xun sued for peace but was refused; he was captured and executed.
22
是時，道州蠻酋蔡結、何庾，衡人楊師遠各據州叛。 宿人魯景仁從黃巢為盜，至廣州，病不能去，以千騎留連州，眾饑，從蔡結求糧，乃相倚杖，與州戍將黃行存誘工商四五千人據連州。 郴人陳彥謙殺刺史董嶽，發官帑募士，自稱都統，勝兵四千。 零陵人唐行旻乘巢亂，脅眾自防，盜永州，殺刺史鄭蔚，與景仁合從，數遣諜殷虛實，完壘自守。
Meanwhile the Daozhou chieftains Cai Jie and He Yu and the Hengzhou rebel Yang Shiyuan each held their prefectures in revolt. Lu Jingren of Suzhou had ridden with Huang Chao; stranded sick at Guangzhou, he kept a thousand horsemen at Lianzhou. When famine struck, he allied with Cai Jie and, with garrison officer Huang Xingcun, rallied merchants to seize the prefecture. Chen Yanqian of Chenzhou killed Prefect Dong Yue, spent the treasury to raise troops, styled himself supreme commander, and fielded four thousand men. Tang Xingmin of Lingling exploited the chaos to arm a mob, seized Yongzhou and killed Prefect Zheng Wei, allied with Lu Jingren, spied on Ma Yin's strength, and held fortified camps.
23
殷遣將李瓊攻永州，殺行旻。 李瑭攻道州，蔡結約峒獠為援，久不勝，謀曰：「蠻所恃，林藪耳。」 乃屯大川，伐山焚林，獠驚走。 城陷，執蔡結、何庾，殷斬之。 李瓊出耒陽、常寧，攻郴州，陳彥謙出戰，軍亂不能陣，斬彥謙。 進圍連州，魯景仁乘城守，三日不下，夜焚其門入之，景仁自刺死。
Ma Yin sent Li Qiong against Yongzhou and killed Tang Xingmin. Li Tang besieged Daozhou; Cai Jie called cave tribes to his aid. After long stalemate Tang said, "The tribesmen depend on nothing but woods and thickets. He camped on the open river plain, cut and burned the forests, and the tribesmen fled in panic. The city fell; Cai Jie and He Yu were taken and Ma Yin executed them. Li Qiong marched through Leiyang and Changning against Chenzhou; Chen Yanqian met him in battle but his ranks broke; he was beheaded. The siege of Lianzhou lasted three days; Lu Jingren held the walls until attackers burned the gate at night; Jingren took his own life.
24
頊，字公謹。 滿，字秉仁。 嶽，字峻昭。 行旻，字昌圖。
Min Xu, styled Gongjin. Lei Man, styled Bingren. Zhou Yue, styled Junzhao. Tang Xingmin, styled Changtu.
25
滿不修飭，每宴使客，抵寶器潭中，曰：「此水府也，蛟龍所憑，吾能沒焉。」 乃裸入水，俄取器以出。 累遷檢校太尉、同中書門下平章事。 天復元年卒。 子彥威自立。 間荊南節度使成汭兵出。 襲江陵，入之，焚樓船，殘墟落，數千里無人跡。 弟彥恭，結忠義節度趙匡凝以逐彥威，據江陵。 匡凝弟匡明擊之，還走朗州。
Lei Man cared nothing for propriety. At feasts he would hurl precious vessels into a pool and declare, "This is the dragon palace—I can dive to its bottom. He would strip, plunge in, and moments later surface with the treasures. He rose to honorary Grand Preceptor and Grand Councilor. He died in the first year of Tianfu. His son Yanwei seized power on his own authority. Meanwhile troops of Jingnan Governor Cheng Ru marched out. They stormed Jiangling, burned the tower ships, laid waste to the countryside, and left thousands of li without a living soul. His brother Yan Gong allied with Zhao Kuangning of the Zhongyi Army to expel Yanwei and hold Jiangling. Kuangming attacked them and they fled back to Langzhou.
26
敬玫署儒領府事。 明年，遷檢校工部尚書，為節度使，進檢校右仆射。 敬玫有悍卒三千，號「忠勇軍」，暴甚，儒不能制。 初，紹業將申屠琮率兵五千援京師，既歸，儒告以忠勇撓治，琮請除之。 大將程君從聞之，率眾奔澧州，琮追斬百餘人，軍乃潰。 已而琮復顓軍。 雷滿三以兵薄城，儒厚啖以利，乃去。
Jingmei appointed Ru to administer the prefectural government. The following year he was made Acting Minister of Works and military governor, then Acting Right Vice Director. Jingmei had three thousand brutal troops called the Loyal and Brave Army; Ru could not restrain them. Earlier Shaoye had sent Shen Tuqiong with five thousand men to aid the capital. On his return Ru complained the Loyal and Brave were ruining order; Tuqiong asked to eliminate them. General Cheng Juncong heard and fled to Lizhou with his men; Tuqiong pursued and killed over a hundred before the corps broke up. Soon Shen Tuqiong again dominated the army. Lei Man thrice besieged the city; Ru bought him off with lavish gifts and he withdrew.
27
淮南將張瑰、韓師德據復、嶽二州，自署刺史。 儒請瑰攝行軍司馬，師德攝節度副使，共擊滿。 師德兵上峽，大略去。 瑰引兵逐儒，儒將奔行在，既又劫還，囚之。 瑰，滑州人，暴勇而殘，荊故將夷戮幾盡。 時以楊玄晦代敬玫監軍，召敬玫還成都，懼帝治前罪，稱疾自解。 前此數殺大將富商，故積賄，每曝衣，紈繡不可計。 瑰見心動，遣卒賊之。 敬玫衣黃衣，盜刺其腹死。
Huainan generals Zhang Gui and Han Shide held Fu and Yue and styled themselves prefects. Ru asked Gui to serve as campaign deputy and Shide as deputy governor; together they attacked Lei Man. Shide's men entered the gorges but mostly drifted away. Zhang Gui turned on Ru, who tried to flee to court but was seized and imprisoned. Gui was from Huazhou, fierce and cruel; he almost wiped out the former Jingnan commanders. Yang Xuanhui replaced Jingmei as army monitor; Jingmei was recalled to Chengdu but, fearing prosecution, pleaded illness to resign. He had killed many generals and rich merchants and amassed bribes; when he aired his wardrobe, brocades beyond counting were spread out. Zhang Gui saw the display and sent men to rob him. Jingmei wore yellow robes; an assassin stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him.
28
秦宗言來寇，馬步使趙匡欲奉儒出，瑰覺之，殺匡而絕儒食，七日死。 瑰固壘二歲，樵蘇皆盡，米鬥錢四十千，計抔而食，號為「通腸」。 疫死者，爭啖其屍，縣首於戶以備饌。 軍中甲鼓無遺，夜擊闔為警。 宗言不能下，乃解去。 二年，宗權遣趙德諲攻瑰，瑰求救於歸州刺史郭禹，禹率峽州刺史潘章解圍。 明年，德諲又至，諸將困於戰，城遂陷，瑰死，人無識者，並屍於井。 復州長史陳璠從瑰至江陵，密斷瑰首置囊中，走京師獻之，授安州刺史。
When Qin Zongyan raided the city, the cavalry-and-infantry commissioner Zhao Kuang tried to smuggle Ru out. Zhang Gui found out, killed Kuang, and starved Ru to death within seven days. Zhang Gui held the fort for two years until firewood and fuel were gone. Rice reached forty thousand cash per dou; the garrison rationed food by the cupful in a portion they nicknamed "Gut Passage." People fought over the bodies of those who died in the epidemic, and heads were hung at doorways to serve as food. The army had no armor or drums left; at night they struck the city gates to sound the alarm. Zongyan failed to capture the city and then withdrew. In the second year, Qin Zongquan sent Zhao Deyin against Zhang Gui. Gui appealed to Guo Yu, prefect of Guizhou, who marched with Xiazhou prefect Pan Zhang to break the siege. The following year Deyin returned. The defenders were exhausted by fighting, the city fell, and Gui was killed—so unrecognizable that his corpse was thrown into a well with the others. Chen Fan, chief secretary of Fuzhou, accompanied Gui to Jiangling, secretly severed his head and carried it in a bag to the capital as a trophy. He was rewarded with appointment as prefect of Anzhou.
29
劉巨容，徐州人。 為州大將。 龐勛之反，自拔歸，授埇橋鎮遏使。 浙西突陣將王郢反，攻明州，巨容以筒箭射郢死，拜明州刺史，徙楚州團練使。
Liu Jurong was a native of Xuzhou. He served as a senior military officer of his prefecture. When Pang Xun rebelled, he deserted and made his way home, and was appointed commissioner for suppressing unrest at Yongqiao. When Wang Ying, the Zhexi shock-troop commander, rebelled and attacked Mingzhou, Jurong killed him with a bolt from a tube-bow. He was made prefect of Mingzhou and later transferred to regimental commissioner of Chuzhou.
30
黃巢亂江淮，授蘄黃招討副使，徙襄州行軍司馬、檢校右散騎常侍。 巢據荊南，俄遷山南東道節度使以捍巢，屯團林。 江西招討使曹全晸與巨容守荊門關，與賊戰，巨容偽北，巢追之，伏興林樾間，賊大敗，執賊將十三人，轉鬥一舍，虜獲不可計。 巢浮江東奔，巨容追之，率十俘八，以功遷檢校禮部尚書。 諸將欲乘勝追斬巢，巨容止曰：「朝家多負人，有危難，不愛惜官賞，事平即忘之，不如留賊，為富貴作地。」 諸將謂然，故巢復熾。 及陷兩京，巨容合諸道兵討之，授南面行營招討使，累兼天下兵馬先鋒開道供軍糧料使、檢校司空，封彭城縣侯。
During Huang Chao's uprising in the Jiang-Huai region, he was made deputy pacification commissioner for Qi and Huang, then promoted to marching commissioner of Xiangzhou and acting Right Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary. After Huang Chao seized Jingnan, Jurong was soon transferred to military governor of Shannan East Circuit to block him, and encamped at Tuanlin. Jiangxi pacification commissioner Cao Quanwei joined Jurong in holding Jingmen Pass. Jurong feigned a retreat, drew Huang Chao in pursuit, and sprang an ambush from the woods. The rebels were routed, thirteen of their generals were taken, and the pursuit continued for thirty li with incalculable prisoners and plunder. Huang Chao fled east by river while Jurong pursued, executing eight out of every ten captives. For this service Jurong was promoted to acting Minister of Rites. The generals wanted to press the victory and finish off Huang Chao, but Jurong stopped them, saying, "The court is always letting people down—it hands out rank and riches in a crisis, then forgets you once the trouble passes. Better to leave the rebels alive and keep a path to fortune open. The other generals agreed, and so Huang Chao was able to rise again. After both capitals fell, Jurong gathered forces from every circuit to campaign against Huang Chao. He was appointed southern-front pacification commissioner, and in succession also served as chief vanguard commissioner for clearing roads and supplying the armies, acting Grand Preceptor, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Pengcheng County.
31
巨容明吏治。 時僖宗在蜀，公卿多因巨容護赴行在。 山南西道節度使鹿晏弘為禁軍所逐，引麾下東出襄、鄧。 秦宗權遣趙德諲合晏弘兵攻襄州，巨容不能守，奔成都。
Jurong was skilled at administration. While Emperor Xizong was in Shu, many high officials depended on Jurong's protection to reach the mobile court. Lu Yanhong, military governor of Shannan West Circuit, was expelled by the imperial guard and marched east through Xiangzhou and Dengzhou with his troops. Qin Zongquan sent Zhao Deyin to combine with Yanhong's forces and attack Xiangzhou. Jurong could not defend the city and fled to Chengdu.
32
始，揚州人申屠生能化黃金，高駢客之，為呂用之所譖，亡奔襄、漢，駢遣吏捕得，生見巨容自言其術，巨容留不遣。 田令孜之弟遁襄州，巨容出金誇之。 及在蜀，匿生，使術不得傳，令孜恨之。 龍紀元年，殺巨容，夷其宗，生並死。
Earlier, Shen Tusheng of Yangzhou claimed he could transmute gold. Gao Pian took him in as a client, but Lü Yongzhi slandered him and he fled to the Xiang-Han region. Gao Pian sent officials who captured him; when he was brought before Jurong he demonstrated his technique, and Jurong kept him and refused to surrender him. When Tian Lingzi's younger brother fled to Xiangzhou, Jurong flaunted gold before him. Later, while in Shu, he hid Shen Tusheng so the technique could not spread, and Tian Lingzi came to hate him for it. In the first year of the Longji reign, Jurong was executed and his entire clan wiped out; Shen Tusheng died as well.
33
巨容部將馮行襲者，均州武當人，以謀勇稱裏中。 中和初，鄉豪孫喜聚眾數千人，謀攻城。 行襲伏士江隩，以單舟迎喜曰：「州人思得將軍久矣。 顧將軍兵多必剽掠，若留眾江北，以輕騎進，我為向導，城可下。」 喜信之。 既度江，吏出迎，伏甲興，行襲擊喜，斬之，眾皆潰。 行襲乘勝逐刺史呂燁，據均州，巨容因表為刺史。
Among Jurong's officers was Feng Xingsi of Wudang in Junzhou, renowned locally for his cunning and bravery. Early in the Zhonghe era, a local power-broker named Sun Xi raised several thousand men and planned to storm the city. Feng Xingsi concealed troops along the riverbank and went out in a lone boat to greet Sun Xi, saying, "The people of this prefecture have long wanted a commander like you. But with a large force you are sure to loot. Leave the bulk of your men north of the river and come in with light cavalry—I will guide you, and the city will fall. Sun Xi believed him. After they crossed the river, officials came out to welcome them, hidden troops sprang up, and Xingsi struck down Xi and took his head. The rest of the force scattered. Riding the victory, Xingsi pursued and expelled Prefect Lü Ye, seized control of Junzhou, and Jurong memorialized to have him appointed prefect.
34
帝在蜀，均之右有長山，當襄、漢貢道，有劇賊據險劫獻物，行襲平之。 武定節度使楊守忠表為行軍司馬，使領兵搤谷口以通秦、蜀。 鳳翔李茂貞養子繼臻據金州，行襲攻拔之，昭宗即授金州防禦使。 時山南西道節度使楊守亮將襲京師，道金、商，行襲逆戰破之，就擢戎昭軍節度使。 朱全忠圍鳳翔，神策中尉韓全誨遣中人二十輩督江、淮兵過其州，行襲方附全忠，盡殺之，收詔書送全忠。
While the emperor was in Shu, Mount Changshan east of Junzhou lay on the tribute road between Xiang and Han, where fierce bandits held the heights and plundered tribute. Xingsi suppressed them. Yang Shouzhong, military governor of Wuding Circuit, recommended him as marching commissioner and sent him to hold the valley mouth and secure the route between Qin and Shu. Li Jizhen, an adopted son of Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, held Jinzhou until Xingsi attacked and took it. Emperor Zhaozong promptly appointed Xingsi Defender of Jinzhou. When Yang Shouliang, military governor of Shannan West Circuit, marched toward the capital through Jin and Shang, Xingsi intercepted and defeated him and was immediately elevated to military governor of the Rongzhao Army. When Zhu Quanzhong besieged Fengxiang, Shence Army director Han Quanhui dispatched twenty palace eunuchs to oversee Jiang-Huai troops passing through Xingsi's territory. Xingsi, who had just sided with Quanzhong, slaughtered them all, seized their imperial orders, and forwarded them to Quanzhong.
35
天祐二年，王建遣將王思綰攻行襲，敗其兵，州大將金行全出降，行襲奔均州。 建以行全為子，更名宗朗，授觀察使，以渠、巴、開三州隸之。 宗朗不能守，焚郭邑去。 全忠以行襲不足禦建，遣別將屯金州。 行襲議徙戎昭軍於均州，以金、房為隸。 全忠以金人不樂行襲，以馮恭領州，罷防禦使而廢戎昭軍。
In the second year of Tianyou, Wang Jian sent Wang Sixian against Feng Xingsi, routed his army, and Jin Xingquan, the chief general of Jinzhou, surrendered. Xingsi fled back to Junzhou. Wang Jian adopted Jin Xingquan as his son, renamed him Zonglang, made him observation commissioner, and placed the three prefectures of Qu, Ba, and Kai under his command. Zonglang could not hold the territory and burned the city before withdrawing. Quanzhong judged that Xingsi was not strong enough to stand against Wang Jian and dispatched another general to garrison Jinzhou. Xingsi proposed relocating headquarters of the Rongzhao Army to Junzhou, with Jin and Fang prefectures placed under it. Because the people of Jinzhou would not accept Xingsi, Quanzhong put Feng Gong in charge of the prefecture, abolished the defense command, and dissolved the Rongzhao Army.
36
趙德諲，蔡州人。 從秦宗權為右將，以討黃巢功授申州刺史。 光啟初，與秦誥、鹿晏弘合兵攻襄州，節度使劉巨容奔成都。 宗權假德諲山南東道節度留後，進攻荊南，悉收寶貲，留裨將王建肇守之，遺人才數百室。 明年，歸州刺史郭禹來討，建肇納之，奔黔州。 德諲失荊南，又度宗權必敗，舉地附朱全忠。 全忠方為蔡州四面行營都統，即表以自副，加忠義軍節度使。 宗權平，加中書令，封淮安郡王，卒。 子匡凝嗣。
Zhao Deyin was a native of Cizhou. He served under Qin Zongquan as a senior general and, for his achievements against Huang Chao, was appointed prefect of Shenzhou. At the start of the Guangqi reign he combined forces with Qin Gao and Lu Yanhong to attack Xiangzhou, driving military governor Liu Jurong to flee to Chengdu. Qin Zongquan appointed Deyin acting military governor of Shannan East Circuit. Deyin marched on Jingnan, seized all its valuables, left deputy general Wang Jianzhao to hold the city, and settled several hundred households there. The following year, Guo Yu, governor of Guizhou, marched to suppress them; Wang Jianzhao submitted to him, and Deyin fled to Qian Prefecture. After losing Jingnan, Deyin saw that Zongquan was doomed and surrendered his entire domain to Zhu Quanzhong. Quanzhong was then supreme commander of the forces encircling Cai Prefecture; Deyin at once memorialized the throne asking to serve as his deputy and was made military governor of the Loyalty and Righteousness Army. Once Zongquan was suppressed, Deyin was promoted to Director of the Secretariat, enfeoffed as Prince of Huai'an, and died. His son Kuangning inherited his position.
37
匡凝，字光儀，由唐州刺史自為山南東道節度留後，昭宗即授節度使，不三年，以威惠聞。 累遷檢校太尉兼中書令。 匡凝矜嚴盛飾，前後持鑒自照。
Kuangning, styled Guangyi, had risen from Tangzhou prefect to declare himself acting military governor of Shannan East Circuit; Emperor Zhaozong then confirmed him as full governor, and in less than three years he won renown for combining stern authority with kindness. He was eventually promoted to Honorary Grand General and concurrent Director of the Secretariat. Kuangning was proud, severe, and fond of elaborate dress; morning and night he carried a mirror to inspect his appearance.
38
全忠之敗清口，匡凝與奉國節度使崔洪、河東李克用、淮南楊行密約合兵攻全忠。 會方城鎮遏使度軫奔全忠，發其謀。 全忠移書切責，使氏叔琮攻唐州，刺史趙匡璠降。 進圍隋州，執刺史趙匡璘，斬首五千級； 拔鄧州，執刺史國湘。 匡凝懼，乞盟。
After Quanzhong's defeat at Qingkou, Kuangning joined Fengguo governor Cui Hong, Li Keyong of Hedong, and Yang Xingmi of Huainan in a pact to combine armies and strike Quanzhong. Just then Du Zhen, garrison commissioner of Fangcheng, defected to Quanzhong and revealed the conspiracy. Quanzhong wrote a harsh letter of reproach and sent Shi Shuzong against Tang Prefecture; its prefect Zhao Kuangfan surrendered. Shi then pressed on to besiege Suizhou, seized its prefect Zhao Kuanglin, and took five thousand heads; he also took Deng Prefecture and captured its prefect Guo Xiang. Kuangning, alarmed, begged for peace.
39
全忠使親將陳俊、王紳入叔琮軍，崔洪留之，紳亡歸。 洪與行密欲邀友恭軍，不克。 會河東客伊超使淮南還，過蔡，洪亦留之，因是並俊送全忠，以部將苛拘為解，遣兄賢入質，全忠還之，質洪子於汴。 全忠使賢調蔡卒二千出戍。 將行，大將崔景思不悅，殺賢，洪懼，驅民趨申州，遂奔行密，麾鼓亙百餘里。 武昌杜洪邀之，弗及，蔡士多亡去，從者才二千人。
Quanzhong sent his close generals Chen Jun and Wang Shen into Shuzong's camp; Cui Hong held them, but Shen escaped and returned. Hong and Xingmi tried to ambush Li Yougong's army but could not succeed. When Yi Chao, a Hedong envoy returning from Huainan, passed through Cai, Hong detained him as well; he then released Jun and sent him to Quanzhong, citing the harsh imprisonment of his officers as justification, and dispatched his elder brother Xian as a hostage. Quanzhong sent Xian back but kept Hong's son at Bian as a pledge. Quanzhong ordered Xian to levy two thousand Cai soldiers for garrison duty elsewhere. Just before they set out, the senior officer Cui Jingsi, resentful, killed Xian. Hong, terrified, drove the populace toward Shen Prefecture and then fled to Xingmi, his banners and drums trailing for more than a hundred li. Du Hong of Wuchang tried to cut him off but arrived too late; most of the Cai troops scattered, and only two thousand men followed him.
40
全忠以其兵分可圖也，乃使楊師厚攻匡凝，自將中軍繼之，屯臨漢。 匡凝遣客謝，囚不遣，敗荊南救兵，俘其將。 全忠循江而南，師厚繇陰谷伐木為梁。 匡凝以兵二萬瀕江戰，大敗，乃燔州，單舸夜奔揚州。 行密見之曰：「君在鎮，輕車重馬輸於賊，今敗乃歸我邪？」 筠自殺。 全忠以師厚為山南東道節度留後，遂趨江陵。 匡明亦謀奔淮南，子承規諫曰：「昔諸葛兄弟分仕二國，若適揚州，是自取疑也。」 匡明謂然，乃趨成都，王建待以賓禮，授武信軍節度使，分其眾為崇義、勇義、順義、廣義四都，全忠遂有荊南。
Quanzhong judged that Hong's forces were now split and vulnerable, so he sent Yang Shihou against Kuangning while he himself led the main army after him and encamped at Linhan. Kuangning sent an envoy to apologize, but Quanzhong imprisoned the man and refused to let him go; he then routed Jingnan's relief force and captured one of its generals. Quanzhong marched south along the river while Shihou felled trees in a secluded ravine to construct a bridge. Kuangning gave battle with twenty thousand men along the river, was thoroughly defeated, burned the prefectural seat, and fled alone by boat at night to Yangzhou. When Xingmi saw him he said, "While you held your command, you sent light carts and heavy horses laden with supplies to the enemy—and now, after defeat, you come to me? Kuangning took his own life. Quanzhong made Shihou acting governor of Shannan East Circuit and then pressed on toward Jiangling. Kuangming also planned to flee to Huainan, but his son Chenggui admonished him: "Long ago the Zhuge brothers served rival states; if we go to Yangzhou, we will only invite suspicion upon ourselves. Kuangming agreed, turned instead toward Chengdu, and was received by Wang Jian with the honors due a guest and made military governor of the Wuxin Army; Wang divided his followers into four commands—Chongyi, Yongyi, Shunyi, and Guangyi—and Quanzhong thereby took possession of Jingnan.
41
楊守亮，曹州人，本姓訾，名亮。 與弟信俱從王仙芝為盜。 亮身長七尺餘，色如鐵。 仙芝死，又事徐唐莒，劫剽洪、饒二州。 楊復光平江西，得其兄弟，養為假子，以信養於弟復恭家，曰守亮、守信。 復恭收京師。 守亮以戰多，拜山南西道節度使、檢校太保，守信興平軍節度使，並同中書門下平章事。 復恭又以假子守貞為龍劍節度使，守忠為武定軍節度使，守厚為綿州刺史。
Yang Shouliang came from Caozhou; his original surname was Zi and his given name was Liang. He and his younger brother Xin both joined Wang Xianzhi as brigands. Liang stood more than seven chi in height, with a complexion dark as iron. After Xianzhi's death he served Xu Tangju and raided Hong and Rao prefectures. When Yang Fuguang pacified Jiangxi he captured the brothers and adopted them as foster sons; Xin was raised in Fuguang's younger brother Fugong's household, and they were renamed Shouliang and Shouxin. Fugong then recovered the capital. For his many campaigns Shouliang was made military governor of Shannan West Circuit and Honorary Grand Protector, while Shouxin was made governor of the Xingping Army; both also served as co-chancellors. Fugong further appointed his foster sons Shouzhen governor of the Longjian Army, Shouzhong governor of the Wuding Army, and Shouhou prefect of Mianzhou.
42
初，朱玫取興、鳳州，虢州刺史滿存以兵赴行在，復收二州，昭宗擢為感義軍節度使，累檢校司徒、同中書門下平章事，與復恭四假子及利閬觀察使席儔等共攻王建。 建軍已圍楊晟，分軍逼守厚，軍未成列而敗。 先是，守貞、守忠聞建兵出，拔眾奔綿州，並力共攻東川，弗勝。 建將華洪以兵萬人壁綿州之郊，敗守忠、守厚，二人分道行，收兵趨閬州。
Earlier, when Zhu Mei seized Xing and Feng prefectures, Man Cun, prefect of Guo, marched with troops to the emperor's camp and recovered both prefectures; Emperor Zhaozong promoted him to military governor of the Ganyi Army and eventually to Honorary Minister of Works and co-chancellor. Together with Fugong's four foster sons and Xi Chou, observation commissioner of Lichuan, he joined in an attack on Wang Jian. Wang Jian's army was already besieging Yang Sheng when he detached a force to pressure Shouhou; the troops had not even formed ranks before they were beaten. Previously, when Shouzhen and Shouzhong heard that Wang Jian's army had marched out, they pulled back their forces and fled to Mianzhou; joining together they attacked Dongchuan but failed to win. Wang Jian's general Hua Hong encamped with ten thousand men on the outskirts of Mianzhou, defeated Shouzhong and Shouhou, and the two men split up, regrouped their soldiers, and made for Lang Prefecture.
43
始，復恭敗，依守亮。 而鳳翔李茂貞、邠寧王行瑜、鎮國韓建等共劾守亮納叛人，請以鎮兵討之。 茂貞自為興元節度使，以書誚責宰相。 帝為削守亮官爵，因詔茂貞問罪。 滿存來救不克，以眾入興元。 茂貞拔興、鳳、洋三州，破守亮於西，乘勝入興元。 復恭挾諸假子及存奔閬州。 洪進圍之。 帝以徐彥若帥鳳翔，以興元授茂貞。 茂貞不肯拜，帝乃以其子繼密為興元節度使。
When Fugong was first defeated, he depended on Shouliang. Then Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu of Binning, Han Jian of Zhenguo, and others jointly accused Shouliang of sheltering rebels and asked that frontier troops be sent to punish him. Maozhen declared himself military governor of Xingyuan and sent a letter rebuking the chief minister. The emperor thereupon stripped Shouliang of rank and title and issued an edict commissioning Maozhen to investigate and punish him. Man Cun came to relieve him but could not break through, and entered Xingyuan with his army. Maozhen took Xing, Feng, and Yang prefectures, defeated Shouliang in the west, and following up his victory entered Xingyuan. Fugong fled to Lang Prefecture, taking all his foster sons and Man Cun with him. Hua Hong pressed forward and besieged them there. The emperor appointed Xu Yanruo commander of Fengxiang and awarded Xingyuan to Maozhen. Maozhen refused to accept the post, so the emperor appointed his son Jimi military governor of Xingyuan instead.
44
俄而洪拔閬州，守亮等皆挺身走，將北奔太原，趨商山，饑甚，丐食於野，為邏戍所縛，見韓建，守亮視建左右八百人皆常隸己，語建曰：「此屬吾養之素厚，無一為我死。 公無費衣食，不如殺之。」 建許諾。 復曰：「公幸貸我，俾生見天子，陳先人功，萬有一不死。」 建檻車送京師，吏縛以帛，內球於口。 帝禦延喜樓問反狀，守亮不得語，頷而已。 左右白服罪，即執獻太廟，斬獨柳下，梟於市。 守厚死巴州，麾下兵多歸王建。 存奔京師，為左武衛大將軍。
Soon afterward Hua Hong took Lang Prefecture, and Shouliang and his party fled for their lives, intending to escape north to Taiyuan by way of Shangshan. Half starved, they begged food in the countryside, were seized by frontier guards, and brought before Han Jian. Shouliang saw that the eight hundred men around Jian had all once been his own troops, and said to him: "I always treated these men well, yet not one of them would die for me. My lord, do not waste food and clothing on them—you might as well kill them. Jian consented. He added: "My lord, please spare me so I may live to see the emperor, recount my forebears' service, and perhaps—against all odds—survive. Jian sent him to the capital in a prison cart; officials bound him with cloth and stuffed a ball into his mouth. The emperor went up to the Yanxi Tower to question him about the revolt; Shouliang could not speak and could only nod. His attendants reported that he had confessed; he was seized, offered at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, beheaded beneath the Lone Willow, and his head was displayed in the market. Shouhou died at Ba Prefecture, and most of his troops went over to Wang Jian. Man Cun fled to the capital and was appointed Grand General of the Left Martial Guard.
45
楊晟，不詳宗系。 隸鳳翔軍，節度使李昌符畏其勇，欲殺之，妾周擿使亡去，隸神策軍為都校。 僖宗在陳倉，邠寧朱玫遣萬騎合昌符追行在，乃擢晟感義軍節度使、檢校司空，守大散關。 玫兵攻關，晟數卻，戰潘氏，遂大敗，內外無固誌。 帝更徙興元，晟西奔，玫取興、鳳二州。 晟襲文州，逐刺史，據成、龍、茂等州。
Yang Sheng—his family background is unknown. He served in the Fengxiang army. Governor Li Changfu feared his bravery and wanted him killed, but concubine Zhou Li helped him flee; he then entered the Shence Army as a regimental commander. While Emperor Xizong was at Chencang, Zhu Mei of Binning sent ten thousand cavalry to join Changfu in pursuing the court; Sheng was then made military governor of the Ganyi Army and Honorary Minister of Works and ordered to hold Dasan Pass. Mei's army assaulted the pass; Sheng beat them back several times, but at Panshi he suffered a crushing defeat and morale collapsed throughout the camp. The emperor moved on to Xingyuan; Sheng fled westward, and Mei seized Xing and Feng prefectures. Sheng attacked Wen Prefecture, drove out its prefect, and seized Cheng, Long, Mao, and other prefectures.
46
王建攻成都，田令孜以晟故將，與連和，假威戎軍節度使，守彭州。 晟擊建，無功引還。 且畏建圖己，乃約山南西道節度使楊守亮兄弟合謀拒建，掠新繁，焚漢州，又攻東川顧彥暉，為建兵所逐。 建使王宗裕率騎五萬圍晟，食四郊麥，掠民資產。 晟假子實以騎八千降於建，建以奇兵襲楊守厚等，皆亡去。 晟開門決戰，大敗，遂約降。 建饋十羊，晟曰：「以我為機上肉乎？」 不出。 建築甬道屬陴以入，斬晟首。
When Wang Jian besieged Chengdu, Tian Lingzi—Sheng having been one of his old commanders—joined forces with him, made him acting governor of the Weirong Army, and posted him at Peng Prefecture. Sheng attacked Jian but won nothing and withdrew. Fearing that Jian meant to destroy him, he conspired with Yang Shouliang, governor of Shannan West Circuit, and his brothers to resist Jian: they raided Xinfan, burned Han Prefecture, and also attacked Gu Yanhui of Dongchuan, but were driven off by Jian's army. Jian sent Wang Zongyu with fifty thousand cavalry to besiege Sheng; the army lived off the suburban wheat harvest and looted the people's goods. Sheng's foster son Shi defected to Jian with eight thousand horsemen; Jian then sent a surprise force against Yang Shouhou and the others, and they all fled. Sheng opened the gates for a final battle, was routed, and then agreed to surrender. Jian sent him ten sheep; Sheng said, "Do you take me for meat on the block? He refused to come out. Jian built a covered corridor up to the wall, entered the city, and cut off Sheng's head.
47
晟有仁心，下懷其恩，雖城中食盡，無叛者。 初，昌符死，晟得其妾周，母事之，周請為妻，晟固辭，旦夕問省，乃視事。 愛將安師建者，勇而有禮，既就執，建顧曰：「爾報楊司徒足矣，能從我乎？」 謝曰：「司徒誓同死生，不忍復戴日月。」 三謂不回，乃戮之。
Sheng was humane at heart, and his men cherished his kindness; though the city ran out of food, none betrayed him. Earlier, after Changfu's death, Sheng took his concubine Zhou and treated her like a mother; though Zhou asked to marry him, he steadfastly refused, attending to her morning and evening before handling affairs. His favorite commander An Shijian was brave and courteous; once captured, Jian said to him, "You have already repaid Minister Yang—is that enough, or will you follow me? He replied, "The Minister and I swore to live and die together—I cannot bear to serve another lord under heaven. After asking three times without success, Jian had him killed.
48
顧彥朗、彥暉者，豐州人，並為天德軍小校。 其使蔡京以兄弟有封侯相，每厚禮之，使子贈賚，稍稍進秩。 黃巢亂長安，率軍同復京師。
Gu Yanlang and Gu Yanhui were from Feng Prefecture; both served as junior officers in the Tiande Army. Their envoy Cai Jing, seeing that the brothers had the makings of marquis and chancellor, always treated them well, sent his son with gifts, and gradually raised their rank. When Huang Chao threw Chang'an into chaos, they led troops together to recover the capital.
49
彥朗遷累右衛大將軍。 光啟中，擢拜東川節度使、檢校太保、同中書門下平章事。 至劍門，陳敬瑄吏奪其節，彥朗不得入，保利州。 敬瑄誣劾彥朗擅興兵掠西境。 僖宗下詔申曉講和，乃得到軍。 署彥暉漢州刺史。
Yanlang rose through successive promotions to Grand General of the Right Guard. In the Guangqi era he was appointed military governor of Dongchuan, Honorary Grand Mentor, and co-chancellor. At Jianmen, officials of Chen Jingxuan seized his commission; Yanlang could not enter the circuit and held Li Prefecture instead. Jingxuan falsely impeached Yanlang for raising troops on his own authority and raiding the western frontier. Emperor Xizong issued an edict clarifying the situation and calling for reconciliation, and only then was Yanlang able to join his army. He appointed Yanhui prefect of Han Prefecture.
50
初，楊守亮忌壁州刺史王建兇暴，欲逐之。 建聞，合溪洞豪酋取閬州，擊利州，刺史走，即據二州，守亮不能制。 彥朗與建雅舊，陰助貲饟。 建攻成都，彥朗挾故憾，與並力，道路鄣梗。 敬瑄告難於朝，帝詔和解，又敕李茂貞鐫諭。
Earlier, Yang Shouliang resented Bi Prefecture governor Wang Jian for his brutality and wanted to expel him. When Jian heard of this, he joined stream-and-cave chieftains to take Lang Prefecture and attack Li Prefecture; the prefect fled, and he immediately held both prefectures, beyond Shouliang's control. Yanlang and Jian were old friends, and Yanlang secretly supplied him with money and provisions. When Jian marched on Chengdu, Yanlang, still smarting from old grievances, joined him in the campaign and blocked the roads. Jingxuan appealed to the court for help; the emperor ordered a settlement and also commanded Li Maozhen to circulate the edict.
51
會彥朗卒，彥暉自知留後。 明年為節度使。 中人送節，為綿州刺史楊守厚所留。 守厚發兵攻梓州，彥暉告急於建，建使李簡救之，戒曰：「賊破，並取彥暉，無須再往也。」 簡破守厚軍，彥暉辭疾，不克取。 建素有吞噬心，以彥朗與婚婭，久未忍。 及彥暉，則交好愈疏，而境上關賦相稽詬，建怒。 景福元年，遂攻彥暉。 彥暉請救於楊守亮，遣楊子彥戍梓，執建大將王宗弼，彥暉責曰：「王公何以見討？ 君為大將，不諫雲何？」 宗弼謝罪，即解縛，使就館，帟幕衾服皆具，更養為子，改名琛。 明年，建將華洪破綿州，守厚走，得彥暉節。 時詔已進彥暉檢校司空、東川節度使矣。
When Yanlang died, Yanhui declared himself acting governor. The following year he was made military governor. When a eunuch arrived bearing the commission, Yang Shouhou, prefect of Mian Prefecture, detained him. Shouhou raised troops to attack Zizhou; Yanhui urgently appealed to Jian, who sent Li Jian to relieve him with the instruction, "Once the enemy is broken, take Yanhui too—do not come back empty-handed. Li Jian routed Shouhou's army, but Yanhui pleaded illness and could not be seized. Jian had long wanted to swallow neighboring territory, but because Yanlang was connected by marriage he had held back for years. With Yanhui, however, relations grew steadily worse; border tolls and levies became grounds for mutual accusations, and Jian grew angry. In the first year of Jingfu he attacked Yanhui. Yanhui appealed to Yang Shouliang for help and sent Yang Ziyan to garrison Zizhou; he captured Jian's general Wang Zongbi and rebuked him, "Why has Lord Wang come to attack me? You are a senior commander—why did you not remonstrate with him? Zongbi apologized; Yanhui immediately freed him, lodged him as a guest with full furnishings, adopted him as a son, and renamed him Chen. The following year Jian's general Hua Hong took Mian Prefecture; Shouhou fled, and Jian seized Yanhui's commission. By then the court had already promoted Yanhui to Honorary Minister of Works and military governor of Dongchuan.
52
乾寧二年，昭宗在石門，督彥暉、建赴行在。 建率兵二十萬次綿州，即劾彥暉劫輜運，回襲之。 彥暉不敢出，但遣人塞建舟路，建遂擊取巴、閬、蓬、渠、通、果、龍、利八州。 帝遣中人為兩川宣諭協和使。 建奉詔還，而兵不解。 彥暉謀窘，因大略漢、眉、資、簡等州。 李茂貞亦欲爭其地，使子興元節度使繼密引軍救彥暉，以窺東川。 四年，華洪率眾五萬攻彥暉，取渝、昌、普三州，壁梓州南，敗彥暉兵，奪鎧馬八百，凡五十戰，圍遂固。 帝仍遣左諫議大夫李洵諭止，建拒命。 帝以嗣郯王戒丕鎮鳳翔，徙茂貞代建，皆不奉詔。
In the second year of Qianning, Emperor Zhaozong was at Shimen and ordered Yanhui and Jian to come to the imperial camp. Jian led two hundred thousand men to encamp at Mian Prefecture, then accused Yanhui of seizing supply trains and turned back to attack him. Yanhui dared not come out but only sent men to block Jian's river routes; Jian then seized Ba, Lang, Peng, Qu, Tong, Guo, Long, and Li—eight prefectures in all. The emperor sent a eunuch as envoy to proclaim reconciliation between the Two Chuan circuits. Jian accepted the edict and withdrew, but his army did not stand down. Desperate, Yanhui thereupon launched wide-ranging raids on Han, Mei, Zi, Jian, and other prefectures. Li Maozhen also wanted the territory; he sent his son Jimi, governor of Xingyuan, to march to Yanhui's relief and probe Dongchuan. In the fourth year Hua Hong led fifty thousand men against Yanhui, took Yu, Chang, and Pu prefectures, encamped south of Zizhou, defeated Yanhui's forces, and captured eight hundred sets of armor and horses; after fifty engagements the siege tightened. The emperor again sent Left Remonstrance Counselor Li Xun to order a halt; Jian refused. The emperor sent Heir Apparent Prince of Tancheng Jiepi to hold Fengxiang and ordered Maozhen to replace Jian; none obeyed.
53
梓有鏡堂，世稱其麗，彥暉嘗會諸將堂上，養子瑤尤親信，彥暉以所佩劍號「疥癆賓」佩之，使侍左右。 嘗語諸將曰：「與公等生死同之，違者先齒『疥癆賓』！」 眾曰：「諾。」 及圍急，瑤請聚親信飲，得同死。 彥暉顧王琛曰：「爾非我舊，可自求生。」 指頹垣令逸。 彥暉手殺妻子，乃自刎，宗族諸將皆死，麾下兵猶七萬。
Zizhou had a Mirror Hall famed for its splendor; Yanhui once entertained his generals there. His adopted son Yao was especially close to him; Yanhui gave Yao the sword he wore, called "Jielao Guest," to wear and keep at his side. He once told his generals, "I live and die with you all—whoever breaks faith will first taste 'Jielao Guest'! They answered, "Aye. When the siege tightened, Yao asked to gather his trusted men for a final drink so they could die together. Yanhui turned to Wang Chen and said, "You are not one of my old men—you may save yourself. He pointed to a crumbling wall and told him to flee. Yanhui killed his wife and children with his own hand, then cut his throat; his kinsmen and generals all died, though his army still numbered seventy thousand.
54
初，韋昭度為招討使，彥暉、建皆為大校。 彥暉詳緩有儒者風，建左右髡發黥面若鬼，見者皆笑。 至是錄笑者皆殺之。 私署洪為東川節度留後。
Earlier, when Wei Zhaodu served as pacification commissioner, Yanhui and Jian were both senior commanders under him. Yanhui was calm and measured, with the air of a scholar; Jian's attendants were shorn and tattooed like demons, and everyone who saw them laughed. Now he recorded the names of those who had laughed and had them all killed. He privately appointed Hua Hong acting military governor of Dongchuan.
55
贊曰：《詩》雲「戎狄是膺，荊舒是懲」，嫉其為中國之害也。 春秋之世，楚滅陳、鄭，而卒復其祀，聖人善之。 處存平黃巢，定京師，功冠諸將。 昭宗嘗有意都襄陽，依趙凝以自全。 大抵唐室屏翰，皆為朱溫所翦覆，過於夷狄、荊舒之為害也，甚矣。
The commentator says: The Odes declare, "Smite the Rong and Di, punish Jing and Shu"—revulsion at those who harm the Middle Kingdom. In the Spring and Autumn period Chu destroyed Chen and Zheng yet eventually restored their ancestral rites—the sage praised this. Wang Chucun crushed Huang Chao, stabilized the capital, and his achievements surpassed those of all other generals. Emperor Zhaozong once planned to make Xiangyang his capital and rely on Zhao Ning for safety. In the end, nearly all of the Tang dynasty's frontier bulwarks were destroyed by Zhu Quanzhong—a calamity greater even than that wrought by barbarians and by Jing and Shu. The ruin was profound.