Volume 187 Biographies 112: Two Wangs, Zhu, Ge, Li, Meng

二王諸葛李孟

The Two Wangs, Zhu, Ge, Li, and Meng

王重榮，太原祁人。父縱，太和末為河中騎將，從石雄破回鶻，終鹽州刺史。重榮以父任為列校，與兄重盈皆以毅武冠軍，擢河中牙將，主伺察。時兩軍士幹夜禁，捕而鞭之。士還，訴於中尉楊玄實，玄實怒，執重榮讓曰：「天子爪士，而藩校辱之！」答曰：「夜半執者奸盜，孰知天子爪士？」具言其狀。玄實嘆曰：「非爾明辨，孰由知之？」更諉於府，擢右署。重榮多權詭，眾所嚴憚，雖主帥莫不下之。稍遷行軍司馬。

Wang Chongrong was a native of Qi in Taiyuan. His father Zong, in the closing years of the Taihe reign, served as a cavalry officer in Hezhong; he followed Shi Xiong against the Uyghurs and eventually became governor of Yanzhou. Through his father's influence Chongrong entered service as a company commander. He and his elder brother Chongying were famed for their martial resolve and were promoted to Hezhong garrison officers charged with surveillance. When soldiers from the two armies broke the night curfew, he seized them and had them flogged. The men went back and complained to the superintendent Yang Xuanshi. Enraged, Xuanshi seized Chongrong and rebuked him: "These are the Son of Heaven's own troops—how dare a frontier officer humiliate them! He answered, "Those I seized in the middle of the night were thieves and bandits—how was anyone to know they were the Son of Heaven's own troops?" He then explained the whole affair in detail. Xuanshi sighed and said, "If you had not seen so clearly, who would ever have known? He redirected the complaint to the commandery headquarters and promoted Chongrong to a post in the right office. Chongrong was cunning and resourceful, and everyone feared him—even the commander treated him with deference. He was soon promoted to campaigning marshal.

黃巢陷長安，分兵略蒲，節度使李都不能支，乃臣賊，然內憚重榮，表以自副。地邇京師，賊調取橫數，使者至百輩，坐傳舍，益發兵，吏不堪命。重榮脅說都曰：「我所詭謀紓難，以外援未至。今賊裒責日急，又收吾兵以困我，則亡無日矣。請絕橋，嬰城自守，不然，變生何以制之？」都曰：「吾兵寡，謀不足，絕之，禍且至，願以節假公。」遂奔行在。重榮乃悉驅出賊使斬之，因大掠居人以悅其下。天子使前京兆尹竇潏間道慰其軍，因詔代都。重榮率官屬奉迎。潏至，大饗士，倡言曰：「天子以大臣守土，誰得逐之？為我疏首惡者。」眾無敢對。重榮佩刀歷階曰：「首謀者，我也，尚誰索？」目潏，吏趣具騎，潏即奔還。重榮遂主留後。

After Huang Chao seized Chang'an, he sent forces to overrun Pu. Military Governor Li Du could not resist and submitted to the rebels, but he feared Chongrong inwardly and memorialized to appoint him his deputy. Because the region lay close to the capital, the rebels extorted supplies at will. Envoys arrived in hundreds, lodged at relay stations, and kept demanding more troops until the officials were overwhelmed. Chongrong pressed Du, saying, "My schemes have bought us time only because outside help has not yet come. Now their demands grow harsher by the day, and they are also stripping away our troops to strangle us—we will not last another day. Cut the bridges and hold the city behind closed gates. Otherwise, once trouble breaks out, how will we control it? Du said, "My forces are few and my counsel weak. If we cut them off, disaster will follow at once. I will lend you my authority as military commissioner." With that he fled to join the emperor's camp. Chongrong then expelled every rebel envoy and had them beheaded, then plundered the townspeople on a large scale to win over his soldiers. The emperor sent the former Jingzhao metropolitan magistrate Dou Fu by a hidden route to reassure the army and issued an edict replacing Du. Chongrong led the officials out to welcome him. When Dou Fu arrived, he feasted the troops and declared, "The Son of Heaven appoints great ministers to guard the realm—who dares drive one out? Point out the ringleader for me. No one dared speak. Chongrong, sword at his belt, strode up the steps and said, "I am the ringleader—whom else are you looking for? He fixed his eyes on Dou Fu. Clerks rushed to saddle horses, and Fu fled at once. Chongrong thereupon assumed control as acting military commissioner.

賊使健將朱溫以舟師下馮翊，黃鄴率眾自華陰合攻重榮。重榮感勵士眾，大戰，敗之，賊棄糧仗四十餘艘。即拜檢校工部尚書，為節度使。會忠武監軍楊復光率陳、蔡兵萬人屯武功，重榮與連和，擊賊將李詳於華州，執以徇。賊使尚讓來攻，而朱溫將勁兵居前，敗重榮兵於西關門，於是出兵夏陽，掠河中漕米數十艘。重榮選兵三萬攻溫，溫懼，悉鑿舟沈於河，遂舉同州降。復光欲斬之，重榮曰：「今招賊，一切釋罪。且溫武銳可用，殺之不祥。」表為同華節度使。有詔即副河中行營招討，賜名全忠。

The rebels sent their able general Zhu Wen with a naval force down the Tong route, while Huang Ye led troops from Huayin to join the assault on Chongrong. Chongrong roused his men and fought a major engagement, routing the enemy; the rebels abandoned grain and arms on more than forty boats. He was immediately appointed acting Minister of Works and confirmed as military governor. About then the Zhongwu army supervisor Yang Fuguang brought ten thousand Chen and Cai troops to camp at Wugong. Chongrong allied with him, struck the rebel general Li Xiang at Huazhou, captured him, and had him displayed as a warning. The rebels sent Shang Rang to attack, with Zhu Wen's elite troops in the van; they defeated Chongrong's force at the West Pass Gate, then marched from Xiayang and seized dozens of Hezhong grain convoys. Chongrong picked thirty thousand men to attack Zhu Wen. Terrified, Wen scuttled his entire fleet in the river and surrendered Tong Prefecture. Fuguang wanted to execute him, but Chongrong said, "We are now recruiting defectors from the rebels—everyone is to be pardoned. Besides, Wen is bold and capable—killing him would be an ill omen. He memorialized to appoint him military governor of Tong and Hua. An edict immediately named him deputy to the Hezhong campaigning pacification commissioner and granted him the name Quanzhong.

巢喪二州，怒甚，自將精兵數萬壁梁田。重榮軍華陰，復光軍渭北，掎角攻之，賊大敗，執其將趙璋，巢中流矢走。重榮兵亦死耗相當。懼巢復振，憂之，與復光計，復光曰：「我世與李克用共憂患，其人忠不顧難，死義如己。若乞師焉，事蔑不濟。」乃遣使者約連和。克用使陳景斯總兵自嵐、石赴河中，親率師從之，遂平巢，復京師。以功檢校太尉、同中書門下平章事，封瑯邪郡王。累加檢校太傅。

Having lost two prefectures, Huang Chao was furious and personally led tens of thousands of elite troops to fortify at Liangtian. Chongrong camped at Huayin while Fuguang held north of the Wei; attacking in concert they routed the rebels, captured the general Zhao Zhang, and Huang Chao was wounded by an arrow and fled. Chongrong's army likewise suffered casualties on a comparable scale. Fearing Huang Chao might rally again, he was deeply worried and consulted Fuguang, who said, "My family and Li Keyong have shared hardship for generations. He is loyal, fearless in danger, and would die for righteousness as readily as for himself. If we ask him for troops, nothing will fail. They sent envoys to arrange a joint alliance. Keyong sent Chen Jingsi to lead forces from Lan and Shi to Hezhong and followed with his own army, defeating Huang Chao and recovering the capital. For his achievements he was made acting Grand Preceptor and Grand Councilor, and enfeoffed as Prince of Langye. He was later promoted to acting Grand Tutor.

中人田令孜怒重榮據鹽池之饒。於時巨盜甫定，國用大覂，諸軍無所仰，而令孜為神策軍使，建請二池領屬鹽鐵，佐軍食。重榮不許，奏言：「故事，歲輸鹽三千乘於有司，則斥所餘以贍軍。」天子遣使者諭旨，不聽。令孜徙重榮兗海節度使，以王處存代之，詔克用將兵援河中。重榮上書劾令孜離間方鎮。令孜遣邠寧朱玫進討，壁沙苑。重榮詒克用書，且言：「奉密詔，須公到，使我圖公。此令孜、朱全忠、朱玫之惑上也。」因示偽詔。克用方與全忠有隙，信之，請討全忠及玫。帝數詔和解。克用合河中兵戰沙苑，玫大敗，奔邠州。神策軍潰還京師，遂大掠。克用乘勝西，天子走鳳翔。

The eunuch Tian Lingzi was enraged that Chongrong controlled the lucrative salt ponds. The great rebellion had only just been suppressed, state revenue was exhausted, and the armies had nowhere to turn. As director of the Shence Army, Lingzi proposed placing both salt ponds under the Salt and Iron Commission to help feed the troops. Chongrong refused and memorialized: "By established practice, three thousand cartloads of salt are delivered to the authorities each year, and the remainder is used to support the army. The emperor sent envoys to convey his will, but Chongrong would not comply. Lingzi transferred Chongrong to Yan and Hai and replaced him with Wang Chucun, while ordering Li Keyong to march troops to reinforce Hezhong. Chongrong memorialized the throne, accusing Lingzi of driving wedges between the frontier commands. Lingzi sent the Binning commander Zhu Mei against him, and Mei fortified at Shayuan. Chongrong sent Li Keyong a forged letter claiming, "I have received a secret edict: once you arrive, I am to plot against you. This is Tian Lingzi, Zhu Quanzhong, and Zhu Mei misleading the throne. He then produced a forged edict as proof. Keyong was already at odds with Quanzhong, believed the letter, and asked permission to attack Quanzhong and Mei. The emperor repeatedly issued edicts calling for reconciliation. Keyong joined Hezhong forces and fought at Shayuan; Mei was routed and fled to Bin Prefecture. The Shence Army broke and fell back on the capital, then looted the city on a vast scale. Keyong pressed westward in victory, and the emperor fled to Fengxiang.

俄嗣襄王煴僭位，重榮不受命，與克用謀定王室。楊復恭代令孜領神策，故與克用善，遣諫議大夫劉崇望賫詔諭天子意，兩人聽命，即獻縑十萬，願討玫自贖。崇望還，群臣皆賀。重榮遂斬煴，長安復平。然性悍酷，多殺戮，少縱舍。嘗植大木河上，內設機軸，有忤意者，輒置其上，機發皆溺。嘗辱部將常行儒，行儒怨之。光啟三年，引兵夜攻府，重榮亡出外，詰旦殺之，推立重盈。

Before long the heir Prince of Xiang, Yun, seized the throne in pretense. Chongrong refused to obey him and joined Keyong in a plan to restore the dynasty. Yang Fugong had replaced Lingzi as head of the Shence Army and was friendly with Keyong; he sent Remonstrance Grandee Liu Chongwang with an edict explaining the emperor's wishes. Both men submitted, immediately offered one hundred thousand bolts of silk, and volunteered to attack Zhu Mei to atone. When Liu Chongwang returned, the court officials all offered congratulations. Chongrong then executed Yun, and Chang'an was restored to order. Yet by nature he was brutal and merciless, quick to kill and slow to forgive. He once set a great timber in the river fitted with a hidden mechanism; anyone who crossed him was placed on it, the trap released, and all were drowned. He once humiliated his subordinate Chang Xingru, who came to hate him for it. In the third year of Guangqi he led a night assault on headquarters. Chongrong fled the compound; at dawn they killed him and installed his brother Chongying.

重盈前此已歷汾州刺史。黃巢度淮，擢陜虢觀察使，重榮據河中，三遷檢校尚書右仆射，即拜節度使。未幾，同中書門下平章事。及代重榮，留長子珙領節度事，入殺行儒，軍復安。昭宗立，進太傅、兼中書令，封瑯邪郡王。父子兄弟相繼帥守，而從子蘊亦為忠武節度使。

Chongying had earlier served as governor of Fen Prefecture. When Huang Chao crossed the Huai, he was made surveillance commissioner of Shan and Guo. While his brother held Hezhong, he was promoted three times to acting Right Vice Director of the Secretariat and then confirmed as military governor. Soon afterward he was made Grand Councilor. When he succeeded Chongrong, he left his eldest son Gong in charge of military affairs, entered headquarters and killed Xingru, and the army settled down again. When Emperor Zhaozong came to the throne, he was promoted to Grand Tutor and concurrent Director of the Secretariat and enfeoffed as Prince of Langye. Father, sons, and brothers held command in succession, and his nephew Yun also became military governor of Zhongwu.

乾寧二年，重盈死，軍中以其兄重簡子珂出繼重榮，故推為留後。珙與弟絳州刺史瑤爭河中，上言：「珂本家蒼頭，請選大臣鎮河中。」又與朱全忠書言之。珂急，乃遣使請婚於李克用。克用薦之天子，許嗣鎮，然猶以崔胤為河中節度使。珙復構珂於王行瑜、李茂貞，曰：「珂不受代，且晉親也，將不利於公。」行瑜等約韓建共薦珙。詔曰：「吾重已授珂矣。重榮有大功，不可廢。」行瑜怒，使其弟行約攻珂，克用遣李嗣昭援之，敗珙於猗氏，獲其將李璠。

In the second year of Qianning Chongying died. Because his elder brother Chongjian's son Ke had been adopted to continue Chongrong's line, the army installed him as acting commissioner. Gong and his younger brother Yao, governor of Jiang, fought over Hezhong and memorialized: "Ke was originally a household slave in our family—we ask that a senior minister be appointed to govern Hezhong. They also wrote to Zhu Quanzhong to the same effect. Ke, in desperation, sent envoys to seek a marriage alliance with Li Keyong. Keyong recommended him to the throne, and the emperor approved his succession to the command, though Cui Yin was still named military governor of Hezhong. Gong again slandered Ke to Wang Xingyu and Li Maozhen, saying, "Ke refuses to step aside, and as Jin's son-in-law he will work against you. Xingyu and the others joined Han Jian in recommending Gong instead. An edict declared, "I have already granted the command to Ke. Chongrong's great service cannot be cast aside. Enraged, Xingyu sent his brother Xingyue against Ke. Keyong sent Li Sizhao to reinforce him; they defeated Gong at Yishi and captured his general Li Fan.

三鎮銜帝之卻其請也，連兵犯京師，謀廢帝、誅執政而立吉王，固請授珙河中。克用聞之怒，以師討三鎮，瑤、珙兵引去。克用拔絳州，斬瑤而屯渭北，敗行約於朝邑。

The three commands, bitter that the emperor had refused them, marched together on the capital, plotting to depose the emperor, kill the chief ministers, and install the Prince of Ji, while insisting that Gong receive Hezhong. Keyong was furious when he heard of it and marched against the three commands; Yao and Gong's forces withdrew. Keyong captured Jiang Prefecture, executed Yao, and camped north of the Wei; he defeated Xingyue at Chaoyi.

行約走京師。弟行實在左軍，共說樞密使駱全瓘，謀挾帝幸邠。右軍李繼鵬以告中尉劉景宣（二人，茂貞黨也。），欲以兵劫全瓘等，請帝幸鳳翔。兩軍合噪承天門街，帝登樓喻和之，繼鵬怒，輒射帝，縱火焚門，帝率諸王及衛兵戰，繼鵬矢及帝胄，軍乃退。帝出幸定州將李筠軍，嗣延王戒丕、嗣丹王允以鹽州六都兵從帝出啟夏門，次於郊。兩軍憚鹽州兵銳，各走其軍。帝次莎城，百官繼至，士民從者亦數萬。帝欲入谷中自固，以谷有「沒唐石」，惡之，徙石門。民匿保山谷間，帝每出，或獻飴漿，帝駐馬為嘗，民皆流涕。既而遣嗣薛王知柔及劉光裕還京師。

Xingyue fled to the capital. His younger brother Xingshi served in the Left Army; together they persuaded Military Affairs Commissioner Luo Quanqiong to seize the emperor and take him to Bin. Li Jipeng of the Right Army reported this to Superintendent Liu Jingxuan (both were partisans of Li Maozhen.) , intending to seize Quanqiong and his allies by force and ask the emperor to go to Fengxiang instead. Both armies raised an uproar along Chengtian Gate Street. The emperor mounted a tower to plead for peace. Enraged, Jipeng shot at the emperor and set the gate ablaze. The emperor led the princes and palace guards into battle; an arrow from Jipeng struck the emperor's helmet, and only then did the troops withdraw. The emperor went out to the camp of Ding Prefecture general Li Yun. The heir Prince of Yan, Jiepi, and the heir Prince of Dan, Yun, led the Six Commands troops of Yan Prefecture with him through Qixia Gate and halted in the suburbs. Both armies feared the Yan Prefecture troops' fighting edge and each withdrew to its own camp. The emperor halted at Shacheng; officials kept arriving, and tens of thousands of common people followed as well. The emperor meant to enter the valley to fortify himself, but because a stone there was called "Tang-drowning Stone," he took it as an ill omen and moved on to Shimen. People hid in the valleys for safety. Whenever the emperor went out, some would offer malt syrup; he would rein in his horse to taste it, and the people wept as they watched. He then sent the heir Prince of Xue, Zhirou, and Liu Guangyu back to the capital.

克用遣使者奔問行在，帝因詔克用、珂以兵趨新平，又詔涇州張钅番會克用軍以扼岐陽。克用在河中未出也，帝懼茂貞之逼，復使嗣延王戒丕以禦服玉器賜之，督其西，乃壁渭北，進營渭橋。於是行瑜壁興平，茂貞壁鄠。行瑜兵數卻，茂貞懼，斬繼鵬，傳首以謝。繼鵬姓閻名珪，左神策軍拍張人，為茂貞養子雲。詔削行瑜官爵，以克用為邠寧四面行營都招討使，珂為糧料使。克用遣子存貞請天子還宮。詔以騎三千戍三橋。

Keyong sent envoys posthaste to the emperor's camp. The emperor then ordered Keyong and Ke to march on Xinping and directed Zhang Fan of Jing Prefecture to join Keyong's army and block Qiyang. Keyong had not yet left Hezhong. Fearing Li Maozhen's advance, the emperor again sent the heir Prince of Yan, Jiepi, with imperial robes and jade vessels as gifts and pressed him to march west. Keyong fortified north of the Wei and advanced to camp at Wei Bridge. Xingyu fortified at Xingping while Maozhen held E. Xingyu's forces were repeatedly driven back. Maozhen, alarmed, executed Jipeng and sent his head as an apology. Jipeng, surname Yan and given name Gui, was a clapper-man in the Left Shence Army and Li Maozhen's adopted son Yun. An edict stripped Xingyu of rank and titles, appointed Keyong overall pacification commissioner of the Bin-Ning campaigning army, and made Ke provisions commissioner. Keyong sent his son Cunzhen to ask the emperor to return to the palace. An edict posted three thousand cavalry to garrison the Three Bridges.

帝既還，加珂檢校司空，為節度使。克用以女妻之，珂親迎太原，以李嗣昭助守河中，因攻珙，珙戰數北。珙任威虐，殺人斷首置前，而顏色泰定，下恐，不敢叛，然稍弱，無鬥誌。光化二年，為部將李璠所殺，自為留後，詔代珙節度。又失眾，凡五月，為牙將朱簡所殺，挈其地入朱全忠，表授節度使、同中書門下平章事，更名友謙。

Once the emperor had returned, Ke was promoted to acting Minister of Works and confirmed as military governor. Keyong gave him his daughter in marriage, and Ke went to Taiyuan in person to fetch her. Li Sizhao helped defend Hezhong while they attacked Gong, who lost battle after battle. Gong ruled through savage cruelty, killing men and setting their severed heads before him while his face stayed perfectly calm. His men were terrified and dared not rebel, but they grew weaker and lost all will to fight. In the second year of Guanghua his subordinate Li Fan killed him, installed himself as acting commissioner, and received an edict replacing Gong as military governor. He soon lost the army's loyalty. Within five months garrison officer Zhu Jian killed him and surrendered the territory to Zhu Quanzhong, who memorialized to make him military governor and Grand Councilor and renamed him Youqian.

珙殺給事中王等十餘人，幕府遭戮辱甚眾，人有罪輒刳以逞。貨者，故為常州刺史，避難江湖，帝聞剛鯁，以給事中召，道出陜。珙謂且柄任，厚禮之。鄙其武暴，不降意。既宴，盛列珍器音樂，珙請於貨曰：「仆今日得在子弟列，大賜也。」三請，貨不答。珙勃然曰：「天子召公，公不可留此。」遂罷，遣吏就道殺之，族其家，投諸河，以溺死聞。帝不能詰。珙死，贈太師。詔陜州冤死者，有司吊祭，存問其家。

Gong killed more than ten men including Attendant Gentleman Wang, and many staff members suffered slaughter and humiliation; he routinely disemboweled the guilty to satisfy his cruelty. Huo Zhe had once been governor of Chang Prefecture and had fled to the waterways for safety. Hearing of his stubborn integrity, the emperor summoned him as Attendant Gentleman; his route passed through Shan. Gong assumed he was soon to hold high office and treated him with lavish courtesy. Huo despised his brutish violence and refused to defer to him. At the banquet, with precious vessels and music displayed in splendor, Gong said to Huo, "Today I am honored to stand among your younger kin—a great privilege. He asked three times; Huo would not reply. Gong flushed with anger and said, "The Son of Heaven summons you—you cannot stay here. The feast ended. He sent officers to kill Huo on the road, exterminated his family, threw the bodies into the river, and reported that Huo had drowned. The emperor was powerless to investigate. After Gong's death he was posthumously honored as Grand Preceptor. An edict directed officials to mourn and sacrifice for those wrongfully killed in Shan Prefecture and to comfort their families.

始，全忠擊楊行密不能克，諷荊、襄、青、徐等道請己為都統以討行密，帝猗違未報；而珂與太原、鎮定等道亦請加行密都統，以討全忠。繇是兩罷之，全忠怨珂，不忘也。帝為劉季述所廢，珂憤見言色，屢陳討賊謀。既反正，首獻方物，帝甚倚之。而全忠以克用方強，不敢加兵。及王镕詘服，拔定州，而克用兵折，乃謂其將張存敬曰：「珂恃太原侮慢我，爾持一繩縛之。」存敬以兵數萬度河，由含山襲，絳州刺史陶建釗、晉州刺史張漢瑜皆降，以何絪戍之，進攻珂。全忠率師繼進，即劾珂交構克用，為方鎮生事，不可赦。珂乞師太原，為絪所迮，不能進。珂急使妻遺克用書曰：「賊攻我，朝夕見俘，乞食大梁矣。」克用答曰：「道且斷，往救必俱亡，不如歸朝廷。」珂窮，遣使告李茂貞曰：「上初反正，詔藩鎮無相疑。而朱公不顧約，以攻弊邑。弊邑亡，則邠、岐非君所保，天子神器斂手付人矣。宜與華州韓公出精銳固潼關，以張兵勢。仆不武，公其惠我西偏地，以為扞守。蒲，請公自有之。關西安危，國祚長短，系公此舉也。」茂貞不答。

Earlier Quanzhong had attacked Yang Xingmi without success and prompted the Jing, Xiang, Qing, Xu, and other circuits to ask that he be made overall commander against Xingmi. The emperor hesitated and gave no answer; while Ke together with Taiyuan, Zhen, Ding, and other circuits asked that Xingmi be made overall commander to attack Quanzhong. Both requests were denied. Quanzhong resented Ke and never forgot it. When Liu Jishu deposed the emperor, Ke's rage showed plainly in word and face, and he repeatedly urged plans to attack the rebels. After the restoration he was the first to present tribute, and the emperor relied on him heavily. Quanzhong, however, dared not attack while Keyong was still strong. When Wang Rong submitted and Ding Prefecture fell, and Keyong's armies were spent, he told his general Zhang Cunjing, "Ke leans on Taiyuan and insults me—take a rope and bind him. Cunjing crossed the river with tens of thousands of men and struck through Hanshan. The governors of Jiang and Jin, Tao Jianzhao and Zhang Hanyu, both surrendered. He left He Yin to garrison the region and marched against Ke. Quanzhong followed with his main army and immediately impeached Ke for colluding with Keyong and stirring trouble among the frontier commands—an offense that could not be pardoned. Ke begged Taiyuan for troops, but Yin blocked them and they could not get through. In desperation Ke sent his wife to Keyong with a letter: "The enemy presses me; I may be captured any day—I shall soon be begging bread in Daliang. Keyong answered, "The roads will soon be cut. If I march to save you we shall both perish. Better submit to the court." Cornered, Ke sent envoys to Li Maozhen: "When the emperor first restored order, he decreed that the frontier commands should not suspect one another. Yet Lord Zhu has broken the pact and attacks my exhausted commandery. If my commandery falls, you cannot hold Bin and Qi, and the Son of Heaven's regalia will pass into another's hands. You should join Lord Han of Huazhou in sending elite troops to hold Tong Pass and show military strength. I am no fighter—grant me the western districts as a defensive hold. As for Pu, I beg you to take it for yourself. The fate of Guanxi—and the dynasty's future—rests on what you do now. Maozhen did not answer.

珂益蹙，會橋毀，潛具舟將遁，夜諭守兵，無肯為用者。牙將劉訓叩寢門，珂疑有變，叱之，訓自袒其衣曰：「茍有它，請斷臂自明！」珂出，問計所宜，答曰：「若夜出，人將爭舟，一夫鴟張，禍系其手。如旦日，以情諗軍中，宜有樂從者，可則濟，否則召諸將行成以緩敵，徐圖所向，上策也。」珂然之。明日，登城語存敬曰：「吾於朱公有父子歡，君姑退舍，須公至，吾自聽命。」乃執太原諸將並奉節印內存敬軍，豎大幡城上，遣兄璘與諸將樊洪等見存敬。存敬解圍而戍以兵。

Ke grew ever more desperate. The bridge was destroyed, and he secretly prepared boats to flee. That night he urged the garrison to follow him, but none would. Garrison officer Liu Xun knocked at the bedchamber door. Ke suspected treachery and shouted at him. Xun bared his chest and said, "If I mean anything else, cut off my arm to prove it! Ke came out and asked his advice. Xun said, "If you flee by night, men will fight over the boats; one unruly soldier could bring disaster on everyone. At daybreak speak frankly to the army—some may follow willingly. If so, you can escape. If not, summon the generals to negotiate a truce to slow the enemy and plan your next move—that is the best course. Ke agreed. The next day he mounted the wall and told Cunjing, "Lord Zhu and I are like father and son. Withdraw for now; when he arrives I shall submit of my own accord. He seized the Taiyuan generals, handed over the commissioner's seal to Cunjing's camp, raised a great banner on the wall, and sent his brother Lin and generals Fan Hong and others to meet Cunjing. Cunjing lifted the siege and left troops to garrison the city.

全忠自洛至。全忠，王出也，始背賊事重榮，約為甥舅，德其全己，指日月曰：「我得誌，凡氏王者皆事之。」至是，忘誓言，過重榮墓，偽哭而祭。次虞鄉，珂欲面縛牽羊以見，全忠報曰：「舅之恩，無日可忘。君若以亡國禮見，黃泉其謂我何？」珂出迎，握手泣下，駢轡以入。居旬日，以存敬守河中，舉珂室徙於汴。後令入覲，遣人賊之於華州。

Quanzhong arrived from Luoyang. Quanzhong was of the Wang clan. He had first deserted the rebels to serve Chongrong, and they pledged uncle-nephew ties by marriage. Grateful that Chongrong had saved him, he swore by sun and moon: "When I succeed, every Wang who becomes king shall serve him. By then he had forgotten his oath. Passing Chongrong's tomb, he feigned tears and made offerings. At Yuxiang, Ke wished to present himself bound with a sheep in submission. Quanzhong replied, "My uncle's kindness—I can never forget it. If you greet me with the rites of a fallen state, what will the dead say of me? Ke came out to welcome him. They clasped hands and wept, then entered side by side. After ten days he left Cunjing to guard Hezhong and moved Ke's entire household to Bian. Later he ordered Ke to come to court and sent men to kill him at Huazhou.

自重榮傳珂，凡二十年。

From Chongrong through Ke, the Wangs held Hezhong for twenty years in all.

諸葛爽，青州博昌人。為縣伍伯，令笞苦之，乃亡命，沈浮裏中。龐勛反，入盜中為小校。勛勢蹙，率百餘人與泗州守將湯群自歸，累遷汝州防禦使。李琢討沙陀於雲州，表為北面招討副使。徙夏綏銀節度使，檢校尚書右仆射。

Zhuge Shuang was a native of Bochang in Qing Prefecture. He served as a district squad leader until the magistrate had him harshly flogged; he then fled and drifted from village to village. When Pang Xun rebelled, he joined the rebels as a junior officer. When Xun's cause collapsed, he led more than a hundred men with Sizhou defender Tang Qun to surrender and rose to defense commissioner of Ru Prefecture. When Li Zhuo campaigned against the Shatuo at Yun Prefecture, he memorialized to appoint Shuang his deputy northern pacification commissioner. He was transferred to military governor of Xia, Sui, and Yin and made acting Right Vice Director of the Secretariat.

黃巢犯京師，詔率代北行營兵入衛，次同州，降賊，偽署河陽節度使，代羅元杲。元杲者，本神策將，狀短陋，倚中官勢，剽財輸京師，凡鉅萬，人怨之。爽至，募州人戰，眾不從，相率迎爽，元杲奔行在。爽間道奉表僖宗以自明，詔拜節度使。李克用援陳許，道天井關。爽懼，不肯假道，出屯萬善。克用自河中趨汝、洛。

When Huang Chao invaded the capital, an edict ordered him to lead the Dai campaigning troops to defend the capital. He halted at Tong Prefecture, surrendered to the rebels, and was installed as military governor of Heyang in place of Luo Yuangao. Yuangao had been a Shence general—short and homely—who relied on eunuch power to plunder wealth for the capital in vast sums; the people hated him. When Shuang arrived he tried to recruit local troops to fight, but they refused and instead welcomed him en masse; Yuangao fled to the emperor's camp. Shuang sent a secret memorial to Emperor Xizong to clear himself and received an edict confirming him as military governor. Li Keyong was marching to reinforce Chen and Xu by way of Tianjing Pass. Shuang was afraid and refused passage, deploying instead at Wanshan. Keyong marched from Hezhong toward Ru and Luoyang.

爽累授京師東南面招討諸行營副都統、左先鋒使，兼中書門下平章事。朱溫為賊守同州，爽率輕兵入之，溫偃旗設伏以待，爽謂賊遁，士解甲就舍，伏發，爽悉棄鎧馬奔還。至修武，為魏博韓簡擊敗之，不敢入。簡留將趙文弁戍河陽，自攻鄆，時中和二年也。河陽人誘爽，自金、商馳，復入之，厚禮文弁及戍人，還之魏。於是爽攻新鄉，簡自鄆來，戰獲嘉西。簡陰窺關中，其下不悅，裨將樂彥禎間眾之隙，引其軍先還，故簡兵八萬自潰，相藉溺清水至不流。明年，詔爽為東南面招討使，伐秦宗權，表李罕之自副。

Shuang was repeatedly appointed deputy overall commander of the southeastern armies around the capital, left vanguard commander, and concurrent Grand Councilor. Zhu Wen held Tong Prefecture for the rebels. Shuang led light troops in. Wen lowered his banners and laid an ambush. Shuang thought the rebels had fled; his men stripped armor and went to rest. The ambush struck; Shuang abandoned armor and horses and fled. At Xiuwu he was defeated by Han Jian of Weibo and dared not advance. Jian left general Zhao Wenbian to garrison Heyang and marched against Yan himself—it was the second year of Zhonghe. Heyang's people invited Shuang back. He raced in from the Jin and Shang routes, re-entered the city, treated Wenbian and the garrison with great courtesy, and sent them back to Wei. Shuang then attacked Xinxiang. Jian came from Yan, and they fought west of Huojia. Jian secretly coveted Guanzhong, and his men were displeased. Deputy general Yue Yanzhen exploited the discontent and led his troops back first. Jian's eighty thousand men collapsed on their own, drowning one another in the Qing River until it ceased to flow. The next year an edict made Shuang southeastern pacification commissioner against Qin Zongquan, with Li Hanzhi as his deputy.

爽雖興庸廝，善吏治，法令澄壹，人無愁咨。擢累檢校司空。光啟二年卒。其將劉經與澤州刺史張言共立爽子仲方為留後，為蔡賊孫儒所攻，奔於汴，儒取孟州。

Though Shuang had risen from humble service, he governed well; laws were clear and uniform, and the people had no grievances. He was repeatedly promoted to acting Minister of Works. He died in the second year of Guangqi. His generals Liu Jing and Ze Prefecture governor Zhang Yan installed Shuang's son Zhongfang as acting commissioner. The Cai rebel Sun Ru attacked them; they fled to Bian, and Ru seized Meng Prefecture.

李罕之，陳州項城人。少拳捷。初為浮屠，行丐市，窮日無得者，抵缽褫祗衼去，聚眾攻剽五臺下。先是，蒲、絳民壁摩雲山避亂，群賊往攻不克，罕之以百人徑拔之，眾號「李摩雲」。隨黃巢度江，降於高駢，駢表知光州事。為秦宗權所迫，奔項城，收餘眾依諸葛爽，署懷州刺史。爽伐宗權，即表以自副。屯睢陽，無功。又表為河南尹、東都留守，使捍蔡。

Li Hanzhi was a native of Xiangcheng in Chen Prefecture. As a youth he was skilled in boxing. He began as a Buddhist monk, begging in the markets. When a whole day brought nothing, he would strike his bowl, cast off his robe, and gather a band to raid below Wutai. Earlier the people of Pu and Jiang had fortified Mount Moyun against the chaos; rebel bands could not take it. Hanzhi stormed it with a hundred men, and men called him "Li Moyun." He followed Huang Chao across the Yangzi, surrendered to Gao Pian, and was appointed administrator of Guang Prefecture. Pressed by Qin Zongquan, he fled to Xiangcheng, gathered his remaining men, joined Zhuge Shuang, and was made governor of Huai Prefecture. When Shuang campaigned against Zongquan, he immediately memorialized to make Hanzhi his deputy. He camped at Suiyang but achieved nothing. He was again memorialized as metropolitan magistrate of Henan and eastern capital regent, charged with holding the line against Cai.

河東李克用脫上源之難，喪氣還，罕之迎謁謹甚，勞餼加等，厚相結。罕之因府為屯，會孫儒來攻，罕之不出。數月，走保黽池。東都陷，儒焚宮闕，剽居民去。爽遣將收東都，罕之逐出之，爽不能制。俄而爽死，其將劉經、張言共立爽子仲方，欲去罕之。而罕之故與郭璆有隙，擅殺璆，軍中不悅。經間眾怒，襲其壁，罕之退保乾壕，經追擊，反為所敗，乘勝入屯洛陽苑中。經戰不勝，還河陽。罕之屯鞏，將度汜，經遣張言拒河上，反與罕之合，攻經不克，屯懷州。

Li Keyong of Hedong escaped the Shangyuan disaster and returned in low spirits. Hanzhi received him with the utmost deference, entertained him lavishly, and formed a close bond. Hanzhi made the prefectural offices his camp. When Sun Ru attacked, Hanzhi would not come out. After several months he fled to Mianchi. The eastern capital fell. Ru burned the palaces and plundered the people as he withdrew. Shuang sent generals to retake the eastern capital, but Hanzhi drove them out, and Shuang could not restrain him. Before long Shuang died. His generals Liu Jing and Zhang Yan installed Shuang's son Zhongfang and plotted to remove Hanzhi. Hanzhi had long been at odds with Guo Qiu and killed him on his own authority, to the army's displeasure. Jing exploited the soldiers' anger and stormed Hanzhi's camp. Hanzhi fell back to Ganhao. Jing pursued but was routed in turn; Hanzhi pressed the victory and encamped in the Luoyang imperial park. Jing could not win and withdrew to Heyang. Hanzhi camped at Gong and prepared to cross the Si. Jing sent Zhang Yan to block the river, but Yan joined Hanzhi instead. Their attack on Jing failed, and they camped at Huai Prefecture.

孫儒逐仲方，取河陽，自稱節度使。俄而宗權敗，棄河陽走，罕之、言進收其眾，丐援河東，克用遣安金俊率兵助之，得河陽。克用表罕之為節度使、同中書門下平章事。有詔與屬籍。又表言為河南尹、東都留守。

Sun Ru drove out Zhongfang, seized Heyang, and declared himself military governor. Soon Zongquan was defeated and fled Heyang. Hanzhi and Yan advanced to absorb his troops and begged aid from Hedong. Keyong sent An Jinjun with an army to help, and they recovered Heyang. Keyong memorialized to appoint Hanzhi military governor and Grand Councilor of the Secretariat with equal standing. An edict enrolled him in the imperial clan registers. He also memorialized to appoint Zhang Yan metropolitan magistrate of Henan and eastern capital regent.

罕之保澤州，數出鈔懷、孟、晉、絳，無休歲，人匿保山谷，出為樵汲者，罕之俘斬略盡，數百里無舍煙。克用遣罕之、存孝攻孟方立，拔磁州，方立戍將馬溉兵數萬戰琉璃陂，罕之禽溉，敗其眾。大順初，汴將李讜、鄧季筠攻罕之，罕之告急於克用，遣存孝以騎五千救之。汴士呼罕之曰：「公倚沙陀，絕大國。今太原被圍，葛司空入上黨，不旬日，沙陀無穴處矣！」存孝怒，引兵五百薄讜營，呼曰：「我，沙陀求穴者，須爾肉以飽吾軍，請肥者出鬥！」季筠引兵決戰，存孝奮槊馳，直取季筠。讜夜走，追至馬牢川，敗之。克用討王行瑜，表罕之副都統，檢校侍中。行瑜誅，封隴西郡王，檢校太尉、兼侍中。

Hanzhi held Ze Prefecture and year after year raided Huai, Meng, Jin, and Jiang. People hid in the hills; those who ventured out as woodcutters or water-carriers were captured and killed until scarcely any remained. For hundreds of li not a hearth fire showed. Keyong sent Hanzhi and Li Cunxiao against Meng Fangli and took Ci Prefecture. Fangli's garrison commander Ma Ji brought tens of thousands to fight at Liuli Po; Hanzhi captured Ji and routed his force. Early in the Dazhun era, Bian generals Li Dan and Deng Jijun attacked Hanzhi. Hanzhi urgently appealed to Keyong, who sent Li Cunxiao with five thousand cavalry to relieve him. Bian soldiers shouted at Hanzhi: "You rely on the Shatuo and cut yourself off from the great state. Taiyuan is besieged now, and Minister Ge has entered Shangdang. Within ten days the Shatuo will have nowhere left to hide! Cunxiao was furious. He led five hundred men against Dan's camp and shouted: "I am the Shatuo with nowhere to hide! I need your flesh to feed my army—let the fat ones come out and fight!" Jijun brought his troops to a pitched battle. Cunxiao charged with spear raised and rode straight at Jijun. Dan fled by night. They pursued him to Malao River and routed his force. When Keyong campaigned against Wang Xingyu, he memorialized Hanzhi as deputy commander-in-chief and acting palace attendant. After Xingyu was executed, Hanzhi was enfeoffed Prince of Longxi and made acting Grand Commandant and concurrent palace attendant.

罕之恃功多，嘗私克用愛將蓋寓求一鎮，寓為請，克用不許，曰：「鷹鹯飽則去矣，我懼其翻覆也。」光化初，昭義節度使薛誌勤卒，罕之夜襲潞，入之，自稱留後，報克用曰：「誌勤死，懼它盜至，不俟命輒屯於潞。」克用遣李嗣昭先擊澤州，拘罕之家屬送太原。罕之攻沁州，執刺史、守將，送款於汴，全忠表罕之昭義節度使，命丁會援之；與嗣昭戰含口，嗣昭不利，葛從周取澤州。嗣昭又攻罕之，罕之暴得病，不能事。會代戍，全忠更以罕之節度河陽三城，卒於行，年五十八。未幾，嗣昭復取澤州，以李存璋為刺史，進收懷州，攻河陽。汴將閻寶引兵至，嗣昭還。

Hanzhi grew arrogant with his achievements and once privately asked Keyong's favorite general Gai Yu to secure him a circuit. Yu pleaded his case, but Keyong refused, saying, "When hawks and falcons are full they fly away—I fear he will turn on me. Early in Guanghua, Zhaoyi military governor Xue Zhiqin died. Hanzhi stormed Lu by night, seized it, and declared himself acting regent. He reported to Keyong: "Zhiqin is dead. I feared another raider would arrive, so without waiting for orders I occupied Lu." Keyong sent Li Sizhao to attack Ze Prefecture first and detained Hanzhi's family, sending them to Taiyuan. Hanzhi attacked Qin Prefecture, seized the prefect and garrison commanders, and submitted to Bian. Quanzhong memorialized him as Zhaoyi military governor and ordered Ding Hui to reinforce him; He fought Sizhao at Hankou. Sizhao fared poorly, and Ge Congzhou seized Ze Prefecture. Sizhao attacked again. Hanzhi fell suddenly and gravely ill and could no longer command. Ding Hui took over the garrison. Quanzhong reassigned Hanzhi to govern the three Heyang cities, but Hanzhi died on the road at fifty-eight. Before long Sizhao retook Ze Prefecture, installed Li Cunzhang as prefect, advanced to seize Huai Prefecture, and attacked Heyang. When the Bian general Yan Bao brought troops up, Sizhao withdrew.

始，儒去東都也，井闬不滿百室。言治數年，人安賴之，占籍至五六萬，繕池壘，作第署，城闕復完。全忠懼言異己，乃徙節天平，以韋震為河南尹。爽諸將無傳地者，言後嗣名全義。

When Ru had first left the eastern capital, fewer than a hundred households remained along the lanes. After several years under Yan's rule the people lived in peace again. Registered households rose to fifty or sixty thousand. He repaired moats and walls, built offices and mansions, and restored the city gates and towers. Quanzhong feared Yan would turn against him, transferred him to Tianping circuit, and made Wei Zhen metropolitan magistrate of Henan. None of Shuang's generals had territory to pass on; Yan's descendants adopted the name Quanyi.

子師範，年十六，自稱留後，嗣領事。昭宗自以太子少師崔安潛領節度，師範拒命。時棣州刺史張蟾迎安潛，師範遣部將盧弘攻之，弘與蟾連和。師範以金啖之，曰：「君若顧先人，使不絕其祀，君之惠也。不然，願死墳墓。」弘少之，不為備，師範伏兵迎於路，部將劉莘斬弘，遂攻棣州。蟾請救於朱全忠，全忠馳使諭解，師範拔其城，斬蟾，而安潛不敢入。

His son Shifan, sixteen years old, declared himself acting regent and took over the command. Emperor Zhaozong wished to appoint his crown prince's junior tutor Cui Anqian as military governor, but Shifan refused. Di Prefecture governor Zhang Chan went out to welcome Anqian. Shifan sent his officer Lu Hong to attack him, but Hong joined forces with Chan instead. Shifan sent him gold and said, "If you will honor my forebears and keep their sacrifices from ending, that is your kindness. Otherwise I would rather die at their graves. Hong took him lightly and made no preparations. Shifan ambushed him on the road; his officer Liu Shen killed Hong, and Shifan then attacked Di Prefecture. Chan appealed to Zhu Quanzhong for help. Quanzhong sent a swift envoy urging peace, but Shifan stormed the city and beheaded Chan. Anqian dared not enter.

師範喜儒學，謹孝，於法無所私。舅醉殺人，其家訴之，師範厚賂謝，訴者不置，師範曰：「法非我敢亂。」乃抵舅罪。母恚之，師範立堂下，日三四至，不得見三年，拜省戶外不敢懈。以青州父母所籍，每縣令至，具威儀入謁，令固辭，師範遣使挾坐，拜廷中乃出。或諫不可，答曰：「吾恭先世，且示子孫不忘本也。」

Shifan loved Confucian learning, was scrupulously filial, and showed no favoritism in applying the law. His uncle killed a man while drunk, and the victim's family brought suit. Shifan offered lavish bribes to settle the matter, but the accusers would not relent. Shifan said, "The law is not something I dare to overturn. He then punished his uncle according to the law. His mother was furious with him. For three years Shifan stood below the hall three or four times a day and could not gain an audience. He bowed outside her door and never slackened. Because Qingzhou was his parents' registered home, whenever a county magistrate arrived Shifan received him with full ceremonial retinue. When the magistrate firmly declined, Shifan had his men seize and seat him, bowed to him in the courtyard, and only then let him go. When some advised against this, he replied, "I honor my forebears and show my descendants not to forget where they came from."

全忠已並鄆州，遣兵攻師範，師範下之。會全忠圍鳳翔，昭宗詔方鎮赴難，以師範附全忠，命楊行密部將朱瑾攻青州，且欲代為平盧節度。師範聞之，哭曰：「吾為國守藩，君危不持，可乎？」乃與行密連盟。遣將張居厚、李彥威以甲槊二百輿紿為獻者，及華州，先內十輿，閽入覺，眾擐甲噪，殺全忠守將婁敬思。是時崔胤方在華，閉門拒戰，執居厚還全忠。

Quanzhong had already taken Yan Prefecture and sent troops against Shifan, who submitted. When Quanzhong besieged Fengxiang, Zhaozong ordered the regional commanders to the emperor's aid. Because Shifan was tied to Quanzhong, the court ordered Yang Xingmi's officer Zhu Jin to attack Qingzhou and intended to replace Shifan as Pinglu military governor. When he heard this, Shifan wept and said, "I guard the frontier for the state. When the sovereign is in peril, how can I stand aside? He then allied with Yang Xingmi. He sent Zhang Juhou and Li Yanwei with two hundred cartloads of armor and spears disguised as tribute. At Huazhou they first sent ten carts through the gate. The guards detected the ruse; the men donned armor, raised a clamor, and killed Quanzhong's garrison commander Lou Jingsi. Cui Yin was then at Huazhou. The city shut its gates and fought back, seized Juhou, and sent him back to Quanzhong.

劉鄩襲兗州，入之。師範亦潛兵入河南，徐、沂、鄆等十餘州同日並發。全忠使從子友寧率軍東討。是時帝還長安，故全忠並魏博軍屯齊州。王茂章方以兵二萬合師範弟師誨攻密州，破之，以張訓為刺史。進攻沂州，敗其兵，還青州，半舍而屯。友寧方攻博昌，未下，全忠督戰急，友寧驅民十萬，負木石，築山臨城中，城陷，屠老少投屍清水，遂圍登州。茂章欲啖友寧，不肯救。未幾，城破，友寧負勝攻別屯。茂章度汴軍怠，與師範合擊友寧於石樓，斬其首，傳於行密。

Liu Ye stormed Yan Prefecture and took it. Shifan also sent covert troops into Henan. Xu, Yi, Yan, and more than ten other prefectures rose on the same day. Quanzhong sent his nephew Zhu Youning east with an army to suppress them. The emperor had by then returned to Chang'an, so Quanzhong combined the Wei-Bo forces and camped at Qi Prefecture. Wang Maozhang was then leading twenty thousand men with Shifan's younger brother Shihui against Mi Prefecture. They took it and installed Zhang Xun as prefect. They advanced on Yi Prefecture, defeated its force, and withdrew toward Qingzhou, camping halfway back. Youning was attacking Bochang but had not taken it. Quanzhong pressed him hard. Youning drove a hundred thousand civilians to carry timber and stone and build a mound against the walls. The city fell. He slaughtered young and old and threw the corpses into the Qing River, then besieged Deng Prefecture. Maozhang was content to let Youning be destroyed and refused to relieve him. Before long the city fell. Youning pressed his victory against other camps. Maozhang judged the Bian army overconfident. He and Shifan jointly attacked Youning at Shilou, beheaded him, and sent the head to Yang Xingmi.

全忠怒，悉軍二十萬倍道至。茂章閉營，伺軍懈，毀壁出鬥，還與諸將飲，訖，復戰。全忠望見，嘆曰：「吾有將如是，天下不足平！」於是退屯臨淄。茂章畏全忠，乃斂軍而南，使李虔裕以五百人後拒。茂章解衣寐，虔裕呼曰：「追至，將軍速去！」茂章曰：「吾共決死。」虔裕固請，茂章乃去。已而追至，虔裕一軍覆，茂章免。全忠見虔裕，欲釋之，瞋目大罵而死。張訓召諸將謀曰：「汴人至，師少，何以待之？」眾請焚城而亡，訓曰：「不然。」即封府藏，下縣門，密引兵去。汴軍見府庫完，德之，不追。

Quanzhong was furious and marched his entire army of two hundred thousand by forced marches. Maozhang held his camp, waited until the enemy slackened, broke down the walls and sallied out, then returned to drink with his generals and fought again when the cups were done. Quanzhong saw it and sighed, "If I had a general like this, the realm would not be hard to pacify! He then withdrew and camped at Linzi. Maozhang feared Quanzhong, drew in his army, and marched south, leaving Li Qianyu with five hundred men as rear guard. Maozhang stripped off his robe to sleep. Qianyu called out, "Pursuers are here—general, flee at once! Maozhang said, "We have decided to die together." Qianyu pressed him urgently, and Maozhang at last fled. Pursuers soon caught up. Qianyu's entire force was destroyed, but Maozhang escaped. Quanzhong saw Qianyu and meant to spare him, but Qianyu glared and cursed him loudly and was executed. Zhang Xun called his generals together and said, "The Bian army is here and our force is small. How are we to face them? The others urged burning the city and fleeing. Xun said, "That will not do." He sealed the treasury, closed the county gates, and quietly led his troops away. The Bian army found the treasuries intact, admired his conduct, and did not pursue.

全忠留楊師厚圍青州，敗師範兵於臨朐，執諸將，又獲其弟師克。是時，師範眾尚十餘萬，諸將請決戰，而師範以弟故，乃請降。全忠歸其弟，假師範知節度留後事，師範獻錢二十萬緡以謝軍。汴將劉重霸執棣州刺史邵播，得其書八百紙，皆教師範戰守，全忠憚而殺之。

Quanzhong left Yang Shihou to besiege Qingzhou, defeated Shifan's army at Linqu, seized his generals, and also captured his younger brother Shike. Shifan still had more than a hundred thousand men, and his generals urged a final battle, but because of his brother he asked to surrender. Quanzhong returned his brother and left Shifan temporarily in charge as acting military governor. Shifan presented two hundred thousand strings of cash to appease the army. The Bian general Liu Chongba seized Di Prefecture governor Shao Bo and found eight hundred sheets of his correspondence, all advising Shifan on attack and defense. Quanzhong feared Bo's influence and had him killed.

葛從周圍兗州，劉鄩不肯下，從周以師範命招之，乃盡出將士，開門降。從周為辨裝，使詣汴，鄩但素服乘驢而往。全忠賜冠帶，辭曰：「囚請就縶。」不許。既見，慰之，飲以酒，固辭。全忠笑曰：「取兗州，量何大邪？」擢署都押衙，在諸舊將上。諸將趨入，鄩一無讓，全忠奇之。

Ge Congzhou besieged Yan Prefecture, but Liu Ye would not yield. Congzhou summoned him in Shifan's name. Ye then sent out all his officers and men and opened the gates to surrender. Congzhou fitted him out for the journey and sent him to Bian. Ye went in plain clothes, riding a donkey. Quanzhong offered him cap and belt. Ye declined, saying, "Your prisoner asks to be bound. Quanzhong would not allow it. When they met, Quanzhong comforted him and offered wine, but Ye firmly refused. Quanzhong laughed and said, "To take Yan Prefecture—how great a thing is that? He promoted Ye to chief military escort, ranking above the older generals. When the generals hurried in, Ye showed no deference at all, and Quanzhong marveled at him.

歲餘，徙師範於汴，亦縞素請罪。全忠見以禮，表為河陽節度使。既受唐禪，友寧妻訴仇人於朝，乃族師範於洛陽。先是，有司坎第左，告之故。師範乃與家人宴，少長列坐，語使者曰：「死固不免，予懼坑之則昭穆失序，不可見先人地下。」酒行，以次受戮者二百人。

After more than a year Shifan was transferred to Bian, where he too came in white mourning garb to beg pardon. Quanzhong received him courteously and memorialized him as Heyang military governor. After he accepted the Tang abdication, Zhu Youning's wife appealed to the court about her enemy, and Shifan's entire clan was exterminated at Luoyang. Earlier the authorities had begun digging on the left side of his mansion and told him why. Shifan then held a feast with his family, young and old seated in order. He told the envoys, "Death cannot be avoided, but I fear that if we are thrown into a common pit the ancestral order will be lost and we cannot face our forebears underground. As the wine went round, two hundred were beheaded in turn.

孟方立，邢州人。始為澤州天井戍將，稍遷遊弈使。中和元年，昭義節度使高潯擊黃巢，戰石橋，不勝，保華州，為裨將成鄰所殺，還據潞州。眾怒，方立率兵攻鄰，斬之，自稱留後，擅裂邢、洺、磁為鎮，治邢為府，號昭義軍。潞人請監軍使吳全勖知兵馬留後。時王鐸領諸道行營都統，以潞未定，墨制假方立檢校左散騎常侍、兼御史大夫，知邢州事，方立不受，囚全勖，以書請鐸，願得儒臣守潞。鐸使參謀中書舍人鄭昌圖知昭義留事，欲遂為帥。僖宗自用舊宰相王徽領節度。時天子在西，河、關雲擾，方立擅地而李克用窺潞州，徽度朝廷未能制，乃固讓昌圖。昌圖治不三月，輒去。方立更表李殷銳為刺史。謂潞險而人悍，數賊大帥為亂，欲銷懦之，乃徙治龍岡。州豪傑重遷，有懟言。會克用為河東節度使，昭義監軍祁審誨乞師，求復昭義軍。克用遣賀公雅、李筠、安金俊三部將擊潞州，為方立所破。又使李克修攻取之，殺殷銳，遂並潞州，表克修為節度留後。初，昭義有潞、邢、洺、磁四州，至是，方立自以山東三州為昭義，而朝廷亦命克修，以潞州舊軍畀之。昭義有兩節，自此始。

Meng Fangli was a native of Xing Prefecture. He began as garrison commander at Tianjing in Ze Prefecture and was gradually promoted to roaming patrol commissioner. In the first year of Zhonghe, Zhaoyi military governor Gao Xun attacked Huang Chao and fought at Shiqiao without success. Xun held Huazhou but was killed by his deputy Cheng Lin, who then seized Luzhou. The army was furious. Fangli attacked Lin, beheaded him, and declared himself acting regent. On his own authority he split off Xing, Ming, and Ci as a separate circuit, made Xing his seat, and called it the Zhaoyi army. The people of Lu asked the army supervisor Wu Quanxun to serve as acting regent in charge of military affairs. Wang Duo then led the overall commander of the circuits' campaigning armies. With Lu still unsettled, an ink edict provisionally appointed Fangli acting Left Regular Attendant and concurrent Grand Censor to govern Xing Prefecture. Fangli refused, imprisoned Quanxu, and wrote to Duo asking that a Confucian scholar be sent to govern Lu. Duo sent his staff adviser, Secretariat Drafter Zheng Changtu, to oversee Zhaoyi as acting commissioner, intending to take the governorship himself. Emperor Xizong himself appointed the former chief minister Wang Hui as military governor. The emperor was in the west; the Yellow River region and the passes were in chaos. Fangli held territory on his own while Li Keyong coveted Lu Prefecture. Hui judged that the court could not control the situation and firmly yielded the post to Changtu. Changtu governed for less than three months and then left. Fangli memorialized again to appoint Li Yinrui as prefect. He said Lu was rugged and its people fierce, and that great commanders had repeatedly turned rebel there; to break their spirit he moved the seat of government to Longgang. The leading families of the prefecture resented the move and spoke out against it. When Keyong became military governor of Hedong, Zhaoyi army supervisor Qi Shenhui begged for troops to restore the Zhaoyi Army. Keyong sent generals He Gongya, Li Yun, and An Jinjun against Lu Prefecture, and Fangli defeated them. He sent Li Kexiu to attack and take it, killed Yinrui, annexed Lu Prefecture, and memorialized to make Kexiu acting military commissioner. Originally Zhaoyi comprised Lu, Xing, Ming, and Ci. Now Fangli kept the three eastern prefectures as his Zhaoyi, while the court appointed Kexiu and gave him the old Lu garrison. From this point there were two Zhaoyi military governors.

克修，字崇遠，克用從父弟。精馳射，常從征伐，自左營軍使擢留後，進檢校司空。

Kexiu, courtesy name Chongyuan, was Keyong's younger cousin. Skilled in mounted archery, he often campaigned with Keyong; from Left Camp army commander he was promoted to acting commissioner and then acting Minister of Works.

方立倚朱全忠為助，故克用擊邢、洺、磁無虛歲，地為鬥場，人不能稼。光啟二年，克修擊邢州取故鎮，進攻武安。方立將呂臻、馬爽戰焦岡，為克修所破，斬首萬級，執臻等，拔武安、臨洺、邯鄲、沙河。克用以安金俊為邢州刺史，招撫之。方立丐兵於王镕，镕以兵三萬赴之，克修還。後二年，方立督部將奚忠信兵三萬攻遼州，以金啖赫連鐸與連和。會契丹攻鐸，師失期，忠信三分其兵，鼓而行，克用伏兵於險，忠信前軍沒。既戰，大敗，執忠信，餘眾走，脫歸者才十二。龍紀元年，克用使李罕之、李存孝擊邢，攻磁、洺，方立戰琉璃陂，大敗，禽其二將，被斧锧，徇邢壘，呼曰：「孟公速降，有能斬其首者，假三州節度使！」方立力屈，又屬州殘墮，人心恐。性剛急，持下少恩，夜自行陴，兵皆倨，告勞。自顧不可復振，乃還，引冘殺。

Fangli relied on Zhu Quanzhong for support, so Keyong attacked Xing, Ming, and Ci almost every year; the land became a battlefield and farming ceased. In the second year of Guangqi, Kexiu attacked Xing Prefecture, recovered the old seat, and advanced on Wu'an. Fangli's generals Lü Zhen and Ma Shuang fought at Jiaogang and were routed by Kexiu; ten thousand heads were taken, Zhen and others captured, and Wu'an, Linming, Handan, and Shahe fell. Keyong appointed An Jinjun governor of Xing Prefecture to pacify the region. Fangli begged Wang Rong for troops; Rong sent thirty thousand men, and Kexiu withdrew. Two years later Fangli led his subordinate Xi Zhongxin with thirty thousand men against Liao Prefecture and bribed Helian Duo with gold to join him. The Khitans attacked Duo and the army missed its rendezvous. Zhongxin divided his force in three and advanced with drums beating. Keyong ambushed them in a defile and destroyed the vanguard. They were routed in battle; Zhongxin was captured, the rest fled, and only twelve men made it back alive. In the first year of Longji, Keyong sent Li Hanzhi and Li Cunxiao against Xing and Ci-Ming. Fangli fought at Liuli Po and was routed; two generals were captured, shackled, and paraded before the Xing ramparts with the cry, "Lord Meng, surrender at once! Whoever cuts off his head shall govern the three prefectures! Fangli's strength was spent, the prefectures lay in ruins, and panic spread through the ranks. Harsh and impatient by nature, he showed little kindness below. He patrolled the ramparts by night himself; the troops grew insolent and complained of exhaustion. Seeing he could not recover, he returned and hanged himself.

從弟遷，素得士心，眾推為節度留後，請援於全忠。全忠方攻時溥，不即至，命王虔裕以精甲數百赴之，假道羅弘信，不許，乃趨間入邢州。大順元年，存孝復攻邢，遷挈邢、洺、磁三州降，執王虔裕三百人獻之，遂遷太原。表安金俊為邢、洺、磁團練使，以遷為汾州刺史。

His younger cousin Qian had long won the army's loyalty; the troops installed him as acting commissioner and begged Quanzhong for help. Quanzhong was attacking Shi Pu and could not come at once; he sent Wang Qianyu with several hundred elite troops. Luo Hongxin refused passage, so they entered Xing by a hidden route. In the first year of Dashun, Cunxiao attacked Xing again. Qian surrendered the three prefectures of Xing, Ming, and Ci, captured Wang Qianyu and three hundred men and sent them as captives, then was transferred to Taiyuan. He memorialized to make An Jinjun training commissioner of Xing, Ming, and Ci and Qian governor of Fen Prefecture.

贊曰：以亂救亂，跋扈者能之；以亂不能救亂，險賊者能之。蓋救亂似霸，然而似之耳，故不足與共功。觀王重榮寧不信哉！破黃巢，佐李克用平京師，若有為當世者。俄而奮私隙，逼天子出奔，雖馘朱玫，仆偽襄王，謂曰「定王室」，實卑之也。身死部將手，救亂而卒於亂，重榮兩得之。不殺朱全忠，而為全忠誅，絕其嗣，宜矣。余皆庸奴下材，無所訾責雲。

The commentator says: To quell disorder with disorder—only the overbearing can manage that; to fail at quelling disorder with disorder—only the treacherous bandit can manage that. Saving a realm from chaos may look like hegemony, but it is only a resemblance—such men are not fit to share in great achievement. Consider Wang Chongrong—can this not be believed! He defeated Huang Chao and helped Li Keyong recover the capital—a man who seemed capable of shaping his age. Soon he indulged private quarrels and drove the emperor to flee. Though he killed Zhu Mei and toppled the false Prince of Xiang, Yun, calling it "restoring the dynasty," in truth he diminished it. He died at a subordinate's hands—he saved the realm from chaos yet died in chaos; Chongrong earned both outcomes. He spared Zhu Quanzhong, yet was destroyed by him and his line extinguished—fitting enough. The rest are mediocre men of servile talent—there is little worth praising or blaming.

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