Volume 188 Biographies 113: Yang, Shi, Zhu and grandsons

楊時朱孫

Biographies of the Yang, Zhu, and Sun lines.

楊行密，字化源，廬州合淝人。少孤，與群兒戲，常為旗幟戰陣狀。年二十，亡入盜中，刺史鄭綮捕得，異其貌，曰：「而且富貴，何為作賊？」縱之。與裏人田頵、陶雅、劉威善。僖宗在蜀，刺史遣通章行在，日走三百里，如約而還。秦宗權寇廬、壽間，刺史募殺賊，差首級為賞，行密以功補隊長。都將忌之，俾出戍。將行，都將問所乏，對曰：「我須公頭！」即斬之，自為八營都知兵馬使。刺史走，淮南節度使高駢因表為廬州刺史。乃以田頵為八營都將，陶雅為左沖山將，討定鄉盜。

Yang Xingmi, whose style name was Huayuan, came from Hefei in Luzhou. Orphaned in childhood, he would play war games with other boys, setting out flags and mock battle lines. At twenty he ran off and joined a band of robbers. Prefect Zheng Zhen caught him, marveled at his looks, and said, "You are clearly born for wealth and rank—why turn bandit?" He let him go. He became close friends with fellow townsfolk Tian Jun, Tao Ya, and Liu Wei. While Emperor Xizong was in Shu, the prefect sent him to carry dispatches to the court-in-exile; he covered three hundred li a day and returned exactly when promised. When Qin Zongquan raided the Luzhou–Shouzhou region, the prefect offered bounties for bandit heads; Xingmi earned promotion to squad captain for his kills. The garrison commander envied him and sent him out on frontier duty. On the eve of departure the commander asked what he needed; Xingmi answered, "Your head!" He struck off the man's head on the spot and proclaimed himself overall commander of the eight camps. The prefect fled, and Huainan governor Gao Pian memorialized the throne to make Xingmi prefect of Luzhou. He appointed Tian Jun to command the eight camps and Tao Ya as left Chongshan general, and they put down local banditry.

駢將呂用之恐行密不可制，遣俞公楚以兵五千屯合淝，名討黃巢而陰圖之。行密擊殺公楚。秦宗權遣弟度淮取舒城，行密破走之。時張敖據壽州，許據滁州，與行密挐戰。又舒人陳儒攻刺史高澞，澞來告難，行密未能定。賊吳回、李本逐澞，據其城，行密虜之，取舒州，為所奪。光啟二年，張敖遣將魏虔攻廬州，大將李神福、田頵破之楮城。

Gao Pian's lieutenant Lü Yongzhi, uneasy that Xingmi might slip his control, sent Yu Gongchu with five thousand men to encamp at Hefei—ostensibly to fight Huang Chao, but in secret to destroy him. Xingmi attacked and killed Gongchu. Qin Zongquan sent a younger brother across the Huai to seize Shucheng; Xingmi routed him and forced his retreat. Zhang Ao held Shouzhou and Xu held Chuzhou, and both clashed repeatedly with Xingmi. Meanwhile Chen Ru of Shuzhou besieged Prefect Gao Yu, who appealed for help; Xingmi could not yet resolve the crisis. Bandits Wu Hui and Li Ben expelled Yu and seized the city. Xingmi captured them and took Shuzhou, only to lose it again. In Guangqi year 2, Zhang Ao sent Wei Qian against Luzhou; Li Shenfu and Tian Jun crushed his force at Zhucheng.

畢師鐸、秦彥攻高駢，呂用之以駢命署行密行軍司馬，督其兵進援。客袁襲說行密曰：「高公耄昏，妖人用權，彥乃以逆除暴，熾其亂。公亟應，必得其地。」行密乃檄部州，裒兵而東，次天長，而揚州陷。行密薄城而屯，用之以兵屬之。彥以騎兵背城戰，行密臥帳中，令曰：「賊近，報我。」俄而陷一屯，別將李宗禮入曰：「兵相迫，戰且不利，請堅壁，徐引歸可也。」李濤怒曰：「以順去逆，何眾寡為！今尚何歸，願以所部前死。」行密喜，益甲出戰，俘殺如藉，彥軍不出。會駢死，襲勸行密舉軍縞素，大臨三日。進攻城，未能下。用之將張審晟詭伏西壕，殺閽者，啟外兵，彥軍疲，守邏皆潰去，行密入據揚州。未閱月，孫儒奄至，兵銳甚。襲見行密曰：「公之入，以少擊眾，室家未完。若外被重圍，情見勢殆，不如避之。」行密執海陵鎮遏使高霸殺之，並其眾，輦所收財歸於廬。於是，朱全忠自為淮南節度使，遣將張廷範致命，而授行密副使，以行軍司馬李璠知留後。行密大怒，廷範、璠不敢入。全忠更請以行密知觀察留後。

When Bi Shiduo and Qin Yan attacked Gao Pian, Lü Yongzhi appointed Xingmi acting army marshal in Pian's name and marched his forces to the rescue. His adviser Yuan Xi told him, "Lord Gao is senile and befuddled, and sorcerers rule in his name. Yan only trades one tyrant for another rebel and feeds the disorder. Answer the call now and you will surely win his territory." Xingmi mustered his forces and marched east, halting at Tianchang—by which time Yangzhou had already fallen. Xingmi camped close beneath the walls, and Yongzhi placed additional troops under his command. Yan met him with cavalry backed against the city wall. Xingmi lay in his tent and said, "Tell me when the enemy is close." Soon one camp fell. Deputy Li Zongli came in and said, "The lines are tangled and we are losing ground—hold the fortifications and pull back gradually." Li Tao snapped, "When righteousness strikes down rebellion, what do numbers matter! There is nowhere left to retreat—I will lead my men to die in the van." Xingmi was delighted, threw in fresh troops, and piled up captives and corpses until Yan's men would not leave the city. When Pian died, Xi urged Xingmi to dress the army in white mourning and hold a three-day state funeral. He pressed the siege but could not bring the city down. Yongzhi's man Zhang Shensheng ambushed by the western moat, slew the gate guards, and let the besiegers in. Yan's weary defenders broke and ran, and Xingmi took Yangzhou. Before a month had passed Sun Ru appeared without warning, his army fresh and fierce. Xi told him, "You seized the city with a small force against a large one, and your household is not yet secure. If enemies close in from outside, your weakness will show and the position will turn desperate—you should withdraw." Xingmi seized and executed Gao Ba, the Hailing garrison commander, absorbed his troops, and hauled his hoarded wealth back to Luzhou. Zhu Quanzhong then claimed the Huainan governorship himself, sent Zhang Tingfan with his commission, named Xingmi deputy commissioner, and left acting marshal Li Fan in charge at Yangzhou. Xingmi was furious, and neither Tingfan nor Fan dared enter the city. Quanzhong then petitioned to have Xingmi made provisional observation commissioner instead.

當此時，孫儒強，赫然有吞吳、越意。行密欲遁保海陵，襲勸還廬州，治兵為後計，行密乃還。既又謀趨洪州，襲不可，曰：「鐘傳新興，兵附食多，未易圖也。孫端據和州，趙暉屯上元，結此二人以圖宣州，我綽綽有餘力矣。」行密從之。端、暉次采石，行密自糝潭濟，端等戰不勝。襲勸行密「速趨曷山，堅壁以須。宣人求戰，示以弱，待其怠，一舉可禽」。宣將蘇瑭兵二萬對屯，行密不戰，分奇兵伐木開道四出，瑭驚北，遂圍宣州。刺史趙锽糧盡，親將多出降。

Sun Ru was then at the height of his power and plainly aimed to swallow Wu and Yue. Xingmi wanted to slip away to Hailing, but Xi urged a return to Luzhou to rebuild his forces for the long fight, and Xingmi agreed. He next considered marching on Hongzhou, but Xi dissuaded him: "Zhong Chuan is newly ascendant, his ranks are swollen and well supplied—not an easy mark. Sun Duan holds Hezhou and Zhao Hui camps at Shangyuan—win them and strike Xuancheng, and we will have strength to spare." Xingmi took his advice. Duan and Hui encamped at Caishi while Xingmi crossed from Santan; they could not hold their ground. Xi urged him, "March quickly to Mount He, fortify the position, and wait. Let Xuancheng's men demand battle while you look weak; when they slacken, strike once and take them all." Su Tang of Xuancheng faced him with twenty thousand men. Xingmi refused battle while detachments felled trees and opened paths on four sides. Tang fled north in panic, and Xingmi laid siege to Xuancheng. Prefect Zhao Dui ran out of provisions, and many of his senior officers surrendered.

初，行密有銳士五千，衣以黑繒黑甲，號「黑雲都」。又並盱眙、曲溪二屯，籍其士為「黃頭軍」，以李神福為左右黃頭都尉，兵銳甚。曲溪將劉金策锽必遁，紿曰：「將軍若出，願自吾壘而偕。」锽喜，多遺之金，許妻以女。明日，噪城上曰：「劉郎不為爾婿！」锽宵遁，獲之。锽，全忠故人也，發使求之。襲曰：「斬首送之，無後慮。」乃歸锽首於汴。昭宗詔行密檢校司徒、宣歙池觀察使。

Xingmi had earlier raised five thousand elite troops clad in black silk and black armor, known as the Black Cloud Corps. He also absorbed the Xuyi and Quxi garrisons, enrolled their men as the Yellow Head Army, and made Li Shenfu their commander—the force was exceptionally fierce. Liu Jin of Quxi guessed Dui would try to escape and tricked him: "If you break out, General, I will march out from my camp and go with you." Dui was delighted, showered him with gold, and promised him his daughter in marriage. The next day Liu Jin shouted from the ramparts, "Master Liu is not going to be your son-in-law!" Dui slipped away by night and was captured. Dui was an old friend of Quanzhong's, who sent envoys asking for his safe return. Xi said, "Send his head—that way there will be no trouble later." They sent Dui's head to Bian. Emperor Zhaozong named Xingmi acting Minister of Works and commissioner of the Xuancheng–She–Chi circuit.

時韓守威以功拜池州刺史，行密表徙湖州，以兵護送。而李師悅在湖州，與杭州刺史錢镠戰不解。蘇、湖、常、潤亂甚。行密雖得宣州，而蔡儔為孫儒所破，以廬州降。儒進攻行密，行密復入揚州，北結時溥扞儒。全忠遣龐師古將兵十萬，自潁度淮助行密，敗於高郵。行密懼，退還宣州，遣安仁義襲成及，取潤州，自將三萬屯丹陽。仁義又取常州，殺錢镠將杜棱。儒亦使劉建鋒奪潤、常。帝以杭州為防禦使，授镠；以宣州號寧國軍，授行密節度使。

Han Shouwei had just been made prefect of Chizhou for his service; Xingmi petitioned to move him to Huzhou and sent troops to escort him there. Li Shiyue held Huzhou and was locked in endless combat with Hangzhou prefect Qian Liu. Suzhou, Huzhou, Changzhou, and Runzhou were in violent turmoil. Though Xingmi held Xuancheng, Cai Chou was crushed by Sun Ru and surrendered Luzhou. Ru pressed his attack; Xingmi re-entered Yangzhou and allied north with Shi Pu to hold Ru at bay. Quanzhong sent Pang Shigu with a hundred thousand men across the Huai from Ying to aid Xingmi, but they were routed at Gaoyou. Alarmed, Xingmi fell back to Xuancheng, sent An Renyi to raid Cheng Ji and seize Runzhou, and personally led thirty thousand men to camp at Danyang. Renyi also seized Changzhou and killed Qian Liu's general Du Ling. Ru sent Liu Jianfeng to retake Runzhou and Changzhou. The emperor made Hangzhou a defense command and invested Qian Liu; and named the Xuancheng command the Ningguo Army, appointing Xingmi its military governor.

大順二年，儒屯溧水，循山構壁。行密遣李神福屯廣德，計曰：「兵倍不戰，當避其銳，驕之。」乃退舍。儒眾以為怯，守者懈，神福夜襲走之。儒將康旺取和州，安景思取滁州。神福擊降旺，逐景思，攻腰山屯，破之，禽儒將李弘章。俄而田頵、劉威為儒所敗。行密欲守銅官，神福曰：「儒掃境以來，利速戰，宜堅壁老其師，則我無敵矣。又出輕騎絕賊糧道，使前不得戰，退無仰儲，不亡何待？」於是，行密以神福為宣池都遊弈使。儒始乏食。

In Dashun year 2, Ru encamped at Lishui and built mountain fortifications. Xingmi sent Li Shenfu to Guangde with orders: "When they outnumber us, do not engage—yield their edge and let them grow arrogant." He pulled his camp back. Ru's men took this for cowardice; the garrison relaxed, and Shenfu struck by night and routed them. Ru's generals Kang Wang seized Hezhou and An Jingsi took Chuzhou. Shenfu forced Wang to surrender, drove off Jingsi, stormed the Yaoshan camp, broke it, and captured Ru's general Li Hongzhang. Soon afterward Tian Jun and Liu Wei were beaten by Ru. Xingmi wanted to hold Tongguan, but Shenfu said, "Ru has swept the countryside and wants a quick fight—hold the walls and wear him down, and we will be unbeatable. Send light cavalry to cut their supply lines so they cannot advance to fight and have nothing to fall back on—how can they survive?" Xingmi then made Shenfu overall patrol commissioner of the Xuan–Chi region. Ru's army began to run out of food.

常熟名賊陳可兒間儒、行密之鬥，竊入常州，自稱制置使。行密遣陶雅守潤州，張訓入揚州，因執楚州刺史，以輕兵襲常州，斬可兒。

Chen Ke'er, a notorious Changshu bandit, exploited the war between Ru and Xingmi, slipped into Changzhou, and proclaimed himself military commissioner. Xingmi sent Tao Ya to hold Runzhou and Zhang Xun into Yangzhou, seized the Chuzhou prefect, and with a light force raided Changzhou and killed Ke'er.

孫儒圍行密宣州，凡五月不解。臺濛作魯陽五堰，拕輕舸饋糧，故行密軍不困，卒破儒。即表田頵守宣城，長驅入揚州。戰凡七年，定八州，生人將盡，行密勞隱休息，其下遂安。議出鹽茗畀民輸帛，幕府高勖曰：「瘡破之餘，不可以加斂。且帑貲何患不足？若悉我所有，易四鄰所無，不積日，財有餘矣。」行密納之，始選吏綏勸所部。

Sun Ru besieged Xingmi at Xuancheng for five months without relief. Tai Meng built the five Luyang weirs and hauled light boats to supply grain, so Xingmi's army never starved and finally broke Ru. He memorialized to leave Tian Jun in charge of Xuancheng and marched swiftly into Yangzhou. Seven years of war had settled eight prefectures, and the population was nearly spent. Xingmi eased the burden on the people and let the land recover, and his followers found stability. Some proposed distributing salt and tea in exchange for silk payments, but staff adviser Gao Xu said, "You cannot pile levies on a land already torn open by war. Besides, why worry that the treasury will run short? Trade what we have for what our neighbors lack, and in no time the treasury will overflow." Xingmi accepted his counsel and began appointing officials to pacify and encourage the districts under his rule.

蔡儔以廬州叛附朱全忠，納孫儒將張顥，而倪章據舒州，與儔連和。行密遣李神福攻儔，破其將，儔堅壁不出。顥超堞降，行密以隸袁積軍，積請戮之，行密愛其勇，更置於親軍。未幾，儔自殺。行密先冢皆為儔發掘，吏請夷發儔世墓，不許。表劉威為刺史。遣田頵攻歙州。於是，刺史裴樞有美政，民愛之，為拒戰，頵兵數卻。樞，朝廷所命者，食盡欲降，遺行密書，請還京師。行密以魯郃代樞，州人不肯下，請陶雅代。雅於諸將最寬厚，以禮歸樞於朝。是歲，李神福拔舒州，倪章亡，以神福為舒州刺史。

Cai Chou rebelled, surrendered Luzhou to Zhu Quanzhong, and took in Sun Ru's general Zhang Hao, while Ni Zhang held Shuzhou in alliance with him. Xingmi sent Li Shenfu against Chou, routed his generals, and Chou shut himself behind the walls. Hao climbed the wall to surrender. Xingmi assigned him to Yuan Ji's command; Ji asked to execute him, but Xingmi admired his courage and took him into his personal guard. Before long Chou took his own life. Chou had desecrated Xingmi's ancestral graves, and officials asked to raze Chou's family tombs in revenge, but Xingmi refused. He memorialized to appoint Liu Wei prefect of Luzhou. He sent Tian Jun to attack Shezhou. Prefect Pei Shu governed well and was beloved by the people, who fought to defend him and repeatedly drove Jun's army back. Shu, the court-appointed prefect, ran out of food and wished to surrender; he wrote to Xingmi asking permission to return to the capital. Xingmi sent Lu He to replace Shu, but the prefecture would not submit and asked for Tao Ya instead. Tao Ya, the most magnanimous of the generals, escorted Shu back to the capital with full honors. That year Li Shenfu captured Shuzhou; Ni Zhang fled, and Shenfu was appointed prefect.

乾寧二年，行密襲濠州。李簡重甲絕水縋而入，執刺史張遂，以劉金守之，進取壽州。汴將劉知俊儲谷石碭，將南襲。張訓屯漣水，遣兵浮海掩得其廥。知俊戰不勝，因攻漣水，大敗，身僅免。詔拜行密淮南節度副大使，知節度事，檢校太傅、同中書門下平章事，封弘農郡王。

In Qianning year 2, Xingmi raided Haozhou. Li Jian crossed the water in heavy armor on ropes, seized Prefect Zhang Sui, left Liu Jin to hold Haozhou, and marched on Shouzhou. The Bian general Liu Zhijun stockpiled grain at Shidang and prepared to attack south. Zhang Xun at Lianshui sent troops by sea and seized Zhijun's granaries in a surprise raid. Zhijun could not win, turned on Lianshui, suffered a crushing defeat, and barely escaped alive. The throne named Xingmi deputy Huainan military commissioner with full gubernatorial powers, acting Grand Tutor and Grand Councilor, and Prince of Hongnong.

董昌為錢镠所攻，來告窮。行密遣臺濛攻蘇州，安仁義、田頵攻杭州，身督戰。別將張崇為镠執，行密欲嫁其妻，答曰：「崇不負公，願少待。」俄而還，自是行密終身倚愛。明年五月，破蘇州，執镠將成及，以朱黨守之。

Dong Chang, besieged by Qian Liu, sent word that he was at the end of his resources. Yang Xingmi sent Tai Meng against Suzhou and An Renyi and Tian Yun against Hangzhou, taking command in person. When Qian Liu captured the detached commander Zhang Chong, Yang Xingmi intended to marry Chong's wife; she answered, "Chong has not betrayed you — please wait a little longer. Chong soon returned, and from that day Yang Xingmi trusted and cherished her for the rest of his life. In the fifth month of the following year they captured Suzhou, took Qian Liu's general Cheng Ji prisoner, and left Zhu Dang as garrison commander.

朱延壽拔蘄、光二州，行密以霍丘當南北走集，以邑豪朱景為鎮將。景驍毅絕人，諸盜莫敢犯。汴將寇彥卿以騎三千襲之，致全忠厚意，景不許，苦戰，彥卿敗而去。田頵、魏約、張宣共圍嘉興，镠大將顧全武救之，執宣、約，逐頵驛亭埭。未幾，泰寧節度使朱瑾率部將侯瓚來歸，太原將李承嗣、史儼、史建章亦來奔。行密推赤心不疑，皆以為將。於是，兵銳甚，強天下。

Zhu Yanshou captured Qi and Guang; because Huoqiu stood on the main north-south route, Yang Xingmi appointed the local strongman Zhu Jing to hold it. Zhu Jing was extraordinarily fierce and resolute, and no raider dared trouble his district. The Bian general Kou Yanqing struck with three thousand cavalry, bearing Zhu Quanzhong's pledge of good faith; Zhu Jing refused, fought hard, and drove Yanqing off in defeat. Tian Yun, Wei Yue, and Zhang Xuan jointly besieged Jiaxing; Qian Liu's chief general Gu Quanwu came to the rescue, captured Xuan and Yue, and chased Tian Yun back to Yiting Dam. Soon afterward Zhu Jin, military commissioner of Taining, arrived with his officer Hou Guan; Li Chengsi, Shi Yan, and Shi Jianzhang of Taiyuan also defected to Yang Xingmi. Yang Xingmi, taking them at face value and doubting nothing, appointed them all as generals. From then on his army was keen-edged and unmatched in the realm.

帝惡武昌節度使杜洪與全忠合，手詔授行密江南諸道行營都統，討洪。汴將朱友恭、聶金率騎兵萬人與張崇戰泗州，金敗。瞿章守黃州，聞友恭至，南走武昌柵，行密遣將馬珣以樓船精兵助章守。友恭次樊港，章據險，不得前，友恭鑿崖開道，以強弩叢射，殺章別將，遂圍武昌。章率軍薄戰，不勝。友恭斬章，拔其壁。

The throne resented Wuchang commissioner Du Hong's alliance with Zhu Quanzhong and by personal edict named Yang Xingmi supreme commander of the Jiangnan field armies to campaign against Hong. Zhu Yougong and Nie Jin of Bian led ten thousand cavalry against Zhang Chong at Sizhou; Nie Jin was beaten. Qu Zhang defended Huangzhou; when Zhu Yougong approached he withdrew south to the Wuchang palisade, and Yang Xingmi sent Ma Xun with tower ships and elite troops to reinforce him. Zhu Yougong encamped at Fan'gang; Qu Zhang held the narrows and blocked him until Yougong cut a path through the cliffs, swept the heights with heavy crossbows, killed Qu Zhang's lieutenant, and invested Wuchang. Qu Zhang led his troops into close battle and was defeated. Zhu Yougong executed Qu Zhang and overran his defenses.

全忠率葛從周萬騎攻光州，柴再用遣小校王稔以輕騎覘賊，汴兵圍之。候者請救，再用曰：「稔必殺賊，第無往。」稔解鞍自如，暮依樾步戰，殺傷多，汴兵乃解。時亡馬法峻，稔追汴軍，得馬乃還。從周涉淮圍壽州，而龐師古、聶金以眾七萬壁清口。朱延壽擊從周軍，敗之。行密欲汴圍解，乃擊師古。李承嗣曰：「公能潛師趨清口，破其眾，則從周不擊而潰。」行密出車西門，由北門去，以銳士萬二千龁雪馳，迫清口，不進，壅淮上流灌師古軍。張訓自漣水來，行密使將羸兵千人為前鋒。師古易之，方圍棋軍中，不顧。朱瑾、侯瓚以百騎持汴旌幟，直入師古壘，舞槊而馳。訓亦登岸，超其柵。汴軍大囂，即斬師古，士死十八。全忠聞之，與從周皆遁走，追及壽陽，大破之。叩淠水，方涉，為瑾所乘，溺死萬餘。瑾徙屯安豐，汴將牛全節苦鬥，後軍乃得度。會大雪，士多凍死。潁州刺史王敬蕘燎薪屬道，汴軍免者數千人。未幾，復圍壽州，七日走。

Zhu Quanzhong led Ge Congzhou and ten thousand horsemen against Guang Prefecture; Chai Zaiyong dispatched the junior officer Wang Min with light cavalry to scout the enemy, and Bian forces surrounded him. Lookouts begged for reinforcements, but Chai Zaiyong said, "Wang Ren will certainly slaughter the enemy — stay where you are. Wang Ren unsaddled and waited calmly; at dusk he fought on foot under the trees, inflicting heavy casualties until the Bian army broke off. Horses were scarce and penalties for losing one were severe; Wang Ren chased the Bian troops, seized a mount, and only then rode back. Ge Congzhou crossed the Huai to besiege Shouzhou while Pang Shigu and Nie Jin walled up at Qingkou with seventy thousand men. Zhu Yanshou attacked Ge Congzhou's force and routed it. Intent on lifting the Bian investment, Yang Xingmi turned on Pang Shigu. Li Chengsi said, "If you can steal a march on Qingkou and smash their main force, Ge Congzhou will disintegrate without your striking him. Yang Xingmi rode out the carriage west gate and slipped away through the north gate; twelve thousand picked men gnawed through snow to Qingkou, halted, and dammed the upper Huai to inundate Pang Shigu's camp. Zhang Xun arrived from Lianshui, and Yang Xingmi sent him forward with a thousand exhausted soldiers as bait. Pang Shigu despised them; he was playing weiqi in camp and took no notice. Zhu Jin and Hou Guan, a hundred horsemen carrying Bian standards, charged straight into Pang Shigu's lines, spears whirling. Zhang Xun too came ashore and vaulted the palisade. The Bian host erupted in panic; Pang Shigu was beheaded at once, and eight or nine men in ten perished. When Zhu Quanzhong learned the news he and Ge Congzhou fled; pursued to Shouyang, they suffered a crushing defeat. At the Pi River, as they were mid-ford, Zhu Jin struck; more than ten thousand drowned. Zhu Jin shifted to Anfeng; the Bian general Niu Quanjie fought desperately until the rear guard at last got across. Snow fell heavily and countless men froze to death. Wang Jingrao, prefect of Yingzhou, lit bonfires all along the road, saving several thousand Bian survivors. Not long after they invested Shouzhou again, but after seven days they withdrew in flight.

馬珣收散卒三百，自黃州間道趨分寧，絕山谷，襲撫州。镠將危全諷列四壁，皆萬人。珣謂諸將曰：「為諸君擊中壁，食其谷以歸。」乃夜擊之，全諷走。明日，珣高會，廣旗幟，伐鼓循山而下，連營潰。既還，行密罵曰：「豎子，不遂據其城邪！」

Ma Xun rallied three hundred stragglers, threaded a hidden route from Huangzhou to Fenning through trackless hills, and struck Fuzhou. Qian Liu's general Wei Quanfeng drew up four camps, each ten thousand strong. Ma Xun told his officers, "I will break the middle camp for you — eat their grain and we go home. He attacked by night and Wei Quanfeng fled. The next day Ma Xun held a great feast, unfurled banners, beat drums, and marched down the mountain; camp after camp broke and ran. On his return Yang Xingmi berated him: "You fool — why didn't you hold the city while you had it!"

全忠攻蔡州，奉國節度使崔洪來丐師。明年，遣朱瑾率兵萬人攻徐州，屯呂梁，洪遂來奔。會雨霖，瑾引還。行密攻徐州，汴將李禮壁宿州以援，全忠自將次輝州。行密戰不勝，乃解。青州將陳漢賓擁兵送款行密，王綰、張訓、周本率兵迎之，漢賓中悔，綰、訓入見漢賓，約麾下：「饗我不過日中，若不至，可攻城。」漢賓釋甲聽命。光州叛，行密自攻之，汴將朱友裕來救，撤圍還。全忠諭馬殷、成汭、雷滿合兵攻行密，汭、滿猶豫，汭惡殷事全忠，掠其境，滿來結好。行密壁黃、鄂間，杜洪寘鴆於酒、於井，棄城去，行密知，不入。全忠又遣使者督殷、汭、滿連兵解圍，行密還。詔加檢校太尉、兼侍中。天復元年，傳言盜殺錢镠，李神福急攻臨安，顧全武列八壁相望，神福伏軍青山，偽若引去，諜奔告，全武悉眾躡之。神福返鬥，與伏夾攻，斬首五千級，執全武。明日，遂圍臨安，镠將秦昶以步兵三千降。神福乃令軍中護镠先墓，禁樵采，镠遣使者厚謝。神福以镠不死，臨安未可下，納犒而還。

Zhu Quanzhong besieged Caizhou, and Fengguo commissioner Cui Hong came pleading for reinforcements. The following year Yang Xingmi sent Zhu Jin with ten thousand men against Xuzhou, encamped at Lüliang, and Cui Hong defected to his side. Relentless rains set in and Zhu Jin pulled back. Yang Xingmi assaulted Xuzhou; the Bian general Li Li fortified Suzhou in support while Zhu Quanzhong himself advanced and stopped at Huizhou. Yang Xingmi failed to prevail and broke off the siege. Chen Hanbin of Qingzhou marched over to submit to Yang Xingmi; Wang Wan, Zhang Xun, and Zhou Ben went out to receive him; Hanbin wavered midway; Wan and Xun entered to see him and warned his men, "Feast us by noon — if you do not, we storm the walls. Chen Hanbin laid down his arms and submitted. Guang Prefecture revolted; Yang Xingmi led the assault in person until Zhu Youyu of Bian came to its relief, whereupon he lifted the siege and withdrew. Zhu Quanzhong pressed Ma Yin, Cheng Ru, and Lei Man to unite against Yang Xingmi; Ru and Man hung back; Ru resented Yin's ties to Zhu Quanzhong and raided his lands, while Man sought friendship with Yang Xingmi. Yang Xingmi camped between Huang and E; Du Hong laced wine and wells with poison and fled the city; Yang Xingmi, warned, would not enter. Zhu Quanzhong again dispatched envoys to drive Yin, Ru, and Man into combined action and lift the siege; Yang Xingmi pulled back. An edict promoted him to Acting Grand Marshal and Vice Grand Counselor. In Tianfu year 1 rumor said bandits had killed Qian Liu; Li Shenfu pressed hard on Lin'an; Gu Quanwu drew eight camps in a chain; Shenfu hid men at Qingshan and pretended to retreat; spies raced to report, and Gu Quanwu marched out in full pursuit. Li Shenfu wheeled and fought; ambush and main body struck together, taking five thousand heads and capturing Gu Quanwu. The next day he invested Lin'an; Qian Liu's general Qin Chang surrendered with three thousand infantry. Li Shenfu then posted guards at Qian Liu's ancestral tombs and forbade logging; Qian Liu sent envoys with lavish thanks. Li Shenfu, seeing that Qian Liu lived and Lin'an would not fall, accepted tribute and withdrew.

明年，大將劉存率兵二萬、戰艫七百伐湖南。殷伏軍長磧洲，以樓艓據上流，乘風飏沙，強弩射之，存軍。行密歸顧全武於镠，镠亦釋秦裴以報。

The next year the chief general Liu Cun sailed against Hunan with twenty thousand men and seven hundred warships. Ma Yin ambushed him at Changqi Shoal, blocked the upstream with tower ships, whipped sand into the air on the wind, and raked the fleet with heavy crossbows until Liu Cun's army was broken and driven off. Yang Xingmi sent Gu Quanwu back to Qian Liu, who in turn released Qin Pei as a reciprocal gesture.

帝在鳳翔，以左金吾大將軍李儼為江淮宣諭使，授行密東面諸道行營都統、檢校太師、守中書令，封吳王，承制封拜，且告難。時已削奪全忠封爵，詔西川、河東、忠義、幽州、保大、橫海、義武、大同八道攻之。詔朱瑾為平盧節度使，繇海州取青、齊；馮弘鐸為感化節度使，出漣水，攻徐、宿；使朱延壽圍蔡州；田頵捍錢勖；行密討杜洪、馬殷，以分全忠勢。

The emperor was at Fengxiang; he named Left Golden Guard grand general Li Yan envoy to the Jiang-Huai, invested Yang Xingmi as supreme commander of the eastern circuits, Acting Grand Preceptor, Guardian Director of the Secretariat, Prince of Wu, with power to appoint officials by imperial writ, and sent word of the throne's peril. Zhu Quanzhong's titles had already been revoked; an edict commanded eight circuits — Xichuan, Hedong, Zhongyi, Youzhou, Baoda, Henghai, Yiwu, and Datong — to move against him. Zhu Jin was commissioned Pinglu military commissioner, to seize Qing and Qi by way of Haizhou; Feng Hongduo was made Ganhuo military commissioner, to advance from Lianshui against Xu and Su; Zhu Yanshou was to invest Caizhou; Tian Yun was to contain Qian Liu; Yang Xingmi was to strike Du Hong and Ma Yin and so split Zhu Quanzhong's power.

行密乃以李神福為鄂嶽招討使，劉存副之，遣冷業攻馬殷。杜洪戰屢敗，嬰城，請救於全忠。全忠使韓率步兵萬人屯灄口，荊南節度使成汭亦悉眾救洪。神福逆戰，敗之，汭溺死，引眾走。冷業屯平江，為三壁。殷將許德勛以銳卒號「定南刀」夜襲業，擊三壁皆破，禽業，掠上高、唐年而去。是時，杜洪困甚，且禽；會田頵、安仁義絕行密，行密召神福、存還計事，洪復振。頵之敗，更以臺濛為宣州觀察使，復遣神福、存攻鄂州。順義軍使汪武與頵連和，歙州刺史陶雅攻鐘傳，兵過武所，迎謁，縛武於軍。

Yang Xingmi appointed Li Shenfu commissioner for the E-Yue campaign with Liu Cun as deputy, and dispatched Leng Ye against Ma Yin. Du Hong lost battle after battle, shut himself in the city, and pleaded to Zhu Quanzhong for aid. Zhu Quanzhong sent Han Qing with ten thousand infantry to Zhuankou, and Jingnan commissioner Cheng Ru marched out in full strength to relieve Hong. Li Shenfu met them head-on, broke them, and Cheng Ru drowned; the survivors fled. Leng Ye walled up at Pingjiang in three positions. Ma Yin's general Xu Dexun, leading elite troops nicknamed the South-Pacifying Blades, struck by night, overran all three camps, took Leng Ye prisoner, and withdrew after sacking Shanggao and Tangnian. By then Du Hong was desperate and on the verge of capture; but Tian Yun and An Renyi rebelled against Yang Xingmi; he recalled Li Shenfu and Liu Cun to deal with the crisis, and Du Hong rallied. After Tian Yun's defeat Yang Xingmi reappointed Tai Meng Xuanczhou observation commissioner and again sent Li Shenfu and Liu Cun against Ezhou. Shunyi army commissioner Wang Wu had allied with Tian Yun; when Shezhou prefect Tao Ya marched against Zhong Chuan and passed Wu's station, Wu came out to greet him and was seized in camp.

無錫當浙沖，行密使票將張可悰守之。镠勁兵三千夜襲城，可悰以百騎擊走之，吏皆賀，答曰：「未也，方勞諸軍一戰。」乃蔽火斂旗以須。覘者以告，镠兵復至，可悰大破之。

Wuxi guarded the Zhejiang corridor; Yang Xingmi posted adjutant general Zhang Keyong there. Qian Liu sent three thousand picked men in a night assault; Zhang Keyong repulsed them with a hundred horsemen; his staff congratulated him, but he said, "Not yet — I mean to give the men one more battle. He doused the watchfires, furled the banners, and waited. When scouts brought word that Qian Liu's men were returning, Zhang Keyong crushed them completely.

臺濛卒，行密以子渥為宣州觀察使。天祐二年，王茂章、李德誠拔潤州，殺安仁義。以王茂章為潤州團練使。聶彥章等率舟師復伐殷，攻岳州。許德勛、詹佶以舟千二百柁入蛤子湖棄山之南，為木龍鎖舟，夜徙三百舸斷楊林岸。彥章入荊江，將趨江陵。佶躡之，德勛以梅花海鶻迅舸進，斷木龍，舟蔽江，車弩亂發，執彥章，溺死萬人。殷釋彥章還，德勛謂曰：「為我謝吳王，仆等數人在，湖、湘不可冀也。」

When Tai Meng died, Yang Xingmi appointed his son Yang Wo Xuanczhou observation commissioner. In Tianyou year 2, Wang Maozhang and Li Decheng captured Runzhou and killed An Renyi. Wang Maozhang was appointed Runzhou regimental commissioner. Nie Yanzhang and others led the river force against Ma Yin once more, attacking Yuezhou. Xu Dexun and Zhan Ji brought twelve hundred hulls into Gazihu south of Qishan, linked the fleet with chained wooden dragons, and under cover of night shifted three hundred boats to sever the Yanglin bank. Yanzhang entered the Jing River and was pressing toward Jiangling. Ji pursued him; Dexun drove forward in swift Meihua Haihe boats, cut the chained wooden dragons, filled the river with hulls, and unleashed chariot crossbows in wild volleys until Yanzhang was taken and ten thousand men drowned. Yin released Yanzhang to go home; Dexun told him, "Give my thanks to the Prince of Wu: so long as we few are here, there is no hope for the lake country or Hunan."

行密寬易，善遇下，能得士死力。每宴，使人負劍侍。陳人張洪因以劍擊行密，不中，近將李龍禽斬之。佗日，侍劍如故。行密蚤出，有盜斷馬鞅，不之問，以故人人懷恩。始，乘孫儒亂，府庫殫空，能約己省費，不三年而軍富雄。嘗過楚州，臺濛盛供帳待之，行密一夕去，遺衣臥內，皆經補浣。濛還之，行密曰：「吾興細微，不敢忘本，君笑我邪？」濛大慚。登城，見王茂章營第，曰：「天下未定，而茂章居寢郁然，渠肯為我忘身乎？」茂章遽毀損。

Xingmi was open-handed and even-tempered, treated his men well, and could win them to die for him. At every feast he had sword-bearers stand at his side. Zhang Hong of Chen seized the moment to slash at Xingmi with a sword and missed; the attendant general Li Longqin struck him down. On another day the sword-bearers attended him just as before. Once Xingmi went out early and a thief cut his horse's girth; he asked no questions about it, and for that reason every man felt bound to him. At first, amid Sun Ru's chaos, the treasury was bare; by restraining himself and cutting costs, he made the army rich and formidable in less than three years. Once, passing through Chuzhou, Tai Meng laid out a lavish reception; Xingmi stayed only one night and left behind clothes in the bedchamber—all patched and washed. Meng sent the clothes back; Xingmi said, "I rose from nothing and dare not forget where I came from—are you mocking me? Meng was deeply ashamed. From the wall he saw Wang Maozhang's spacious quarters and said, "The empire is still unsettled, yet Maozhang lives in such ease—will he ever forget himself and die for me? Maozhang at once had it torn down and scaled back.

方帝困鳳翔，再遣使督兵，以為行密可亢全忠者，然兵至宿州，紿言糧盡，乃還。全忠脅帝東遷，行密恥憤被病。全忠亦知天子倚行密為重，乃弒帝以絕人望。行密聞之，發喪，不視事三日，因是病篤，召將吏付家事，問嗣於其佐。周隱對曰：「宣州司徒易而信讒，唯淫酗是好，不可以嗣，不如擇賢者。」時劉威以宿將有威名，隱意屬威，行密不答。因以王茂章代渥，使亟還。行密召所親嚴求曰：「我使周隱召吾兒而不至，奈何？」求往見隱，召檄仍在幾。始，渥守宣州，押牙徐溫、王令謀約渥曰：「王且疾，而君出外，此殆奸人計。他日有召，非我二人勿應也。」及是，二人以符召渥。渥至，行密承制授檢校太尉、同中書門下平章事、淮南節度使留後。行密諗渥曰：「左衙都將張顥、王茂章、李遇皆怙亂，不得為兒除之。」卒，年五十四。遺令谷葛為衣，桐瓦為棺。夜葬山谷，人不知所在。諸將謚曰武忠。

While the Emperor was trapped at Fengxiang, the court twice sent envoys to urge Xingmi's army forward, counting on him to check Quanzhong; but when the troops reached Suzhou they falsely claimed their grain was gone and turned back. Quanzhong forced the Emperor to move east; Xingmi, shamed and furious, took to his bed. Quanzhong also knew the throne leaned on Xingmi as a counterweight, and so he murdered the Emperor to break the world's hope. When Xingmi heard the news, he went into mourning and set aside business for three days; his illness then worsened, and he summoned his officers, settled his household affairs, and asked his advisers whom to name as heir. Zhou Yin answered, "The Xuancheng steward Wo is simple and credulous of slander, cares for nothing but wine and women, and cannot succeed you; better to choose a worthy man. Liu Wei, an old commander of great standing, was the man Yin had in mind; Xingmi made no reply. He then put Wang Maozhang in Wo's place and ordered him to return at once. Xingmi called his confidant Yan Qiu and said, "I sent Zhou Yin to summon my son, and he has not come—what can be done? Qiu went to see Yin and found the summons still lying on his desk. Earlier, while Wo held Xuancheng, the staff officers Xu Wen and Wang Ling secretly warned him, "The Prince is ill and you have been sent away—this is probably someone's plot. If you are summoned later, answer to no one but the two of us. When the moment came, the two men summoned Wo with the command tally. When Wo arrived, Xingmi received imperial authorization and appointed him honorary Grand General, co-equal Director of the Chancellery, and acting Huainan military commissioner. Xingmi warned Wo, "The left-gate commanders Zhang Hao, Wang Maozhang, and Li Yu all thrive on chaos—you cannot remove them for my son's sake. He died at fifty-four. His last instructions were to be buried in coarse sackcloth and a coffin of paulownia tiles. He was buried by night in a mountain valley, and no one knew the place. The generals gave him the posthumous title Martial and Loyal.

張顥議歸都統印於宣諭使李儼，行節度事。諸將畏顥，無敢對，渥流涕。騎軍都尉李濤曰：「都統印，先帝所以賜王父子，安得授人？」諸將唯唯。顥投袂去，乃共請於儼，承制授渥兼侍中、淮南節度副大使、東面諸道行營都統，封弘農郡王。

Zhang Hao proposed surrendering the commander's seal to the imperial emissary Li Yan and running military affairs himself. The generals feared Hao and no one dared answer; Wo wept. Cavalry commander Li Tao said, "The commander's seal was given by the late Emperor to the Prince and his son—how can it be handed to anyone else? The generals murmured agreement. Hao flung his sleeve and stalked off; the others then petitioned Yan together, and by imperial writ Wo was made concurrent Palace Attendant, Huainan deputy military commissioner, commander-in-chief of the eastern circuits, and Prince of Hongnong.

渥好騎射。初與許玄膺為刎頸交，及嗣位，事皆決之，諸將莫敢忤。渥求王茂章親兵不得，及去宣，輦帷帟以行，茂章嫚罵不與。逾年，遣兵五千襲之，茂章奔杭州。秦裴執鐘匡時，渥授以江西制置使。朱思、範師從、陳潘以兵戍洪州，渥為張顥所制，三人者，渥腹心也。顥脅以為有異謀，遣陳祐疾馳，懷短兵，微服入秦裴帳中，裴大驚，命飲，召三將入，皆色動，酒行，祐數其罪，皆斬之。渥召周隱曰：「君嘗以孤為不可嗣，何也？」隱不對，遂殺之。

Wo loved riding and archery. He and Xu Xuanying had been sworn friends unto death; once Wo succeeded, Xu decided every matter, and no general dared cross him. Wo asked Wang Maozhang for his personal guard and was refused; when he left Xuancheng he had curtains and canopies carted away, and Maozhang cursed him and would not give them up. A year later he sent five thousand men against him; Maozhang fled to Hangzhou. Qin Pei captured Zhong Kuangshi, and Wo made him Jiangxi frontier commissioner. Zhu Si, Fan Shicong, and Chen Pan held Hongzhou with troops; Wo was under Zhang Hao's thumb, and the three were his inner circle. Hao framed Qin Pei for treason and sent Chen You galloping ahead with concealed blades; Chen entered Pei's tent in disguise. Pei was startled, ordered wine, and summoned the three generals—they all paled. As the cups went round, Chen listed their crimes and had them all beheaded. Wo summoned Zhou Yin and said, "You once said I was unfit to succeed—why? Yin made no answer, and Wo had him killed.

贊曰：行密興賤微，及得誌，仁恕善禦眾，治身節儉，無大過失，可謂賢矣。然所據淮、楚，士氣剽而不剛。行密無霸材，不能提兵為四方倡，以興王室，熟視朱溫劫天子而東，謀窮意沮，憤死牖下，可為長太息矣！

The commentator writes: Xingmi rose from humble origins; once he had his wish, he was humane and forgiving, skilled at holding men together, frugal in his own life, and without grave fault—he may be called worthy. Yet the Huai and Chu country he held produced soldiers fierce but not resolute. Xingmi lacked the stuff of a hegemon; he could not take up arms to lead the realm and restore the throne, but watched Zhu Wen carry the Son of Heaven east—his plans spent, his spirit broken, he died in rage at his window. One can only sigh long over it.

時溥，徐州彭城人。為州牙將。黃巢亂京師，節度使支詳遣溥與陳璠率兵五千西討。次河陰，軍亂，剽居人。溥招戢其眾，引還屯境上，疑不敢歸。詳以牛酒犒士，約悉貰其罪，軍乃入，共推溥為留後，逐詳客館。溥厚具貲裝，遣璠護還京師，夜駐七里亭，璠擅殺詳，屠其家。溥怒，署璠宿州刺史，俄殺之。別遣將引銳兵三千入關，僖宗因以武寧節度命之。

Shi Pu came from Pengcheng in Xuzhou. He served as a staff general of the prefecture. When Huang Chao threw the capital into chaos, military commissioner Zhi Xiang sent Pu and Chen Fan west with five thousand men to suppress him. At Heyin the army mutinied and looted the townspeople. Pu rallied the men, withdrew, and encamped on the frontier, afraid to go home. Xiang sent cattle and wine to reward the troops and promised to pardon all their crimes; the army then marched in, acclaimed Pu acting commissioner, and drove Xiang out to a guest lodge. Pu richly equipped Xiang for the road and sent Fan to escort him to the capital; that night at Qili Pavilion Fan killed Xiang on his own authority and slaughtered his household. Pu was furious; he appointed Fan prefect of Suzhou and soon had him killed. He also sent a general with three thousand picked troops through the passes, and Emperor Xizong thereupon made him Wuning military commissioner.

巢敗東走，圍陳州，營溵水。秦宗權方據淮西，相聯結。溥地介於賊，乃悉師討之，軍鋒甚盛，連戰輒克，授東面兵馬都統。遂合許、兗、鄆兵，逐尚讓於太康，斬首數萬級，讓以所部萬人降。溥遣將李師悅等追尾巢至萊蕪，大破之。諸將爭得巢首，而林言斬之，持歸溥，以獻天子，故破賊溥功第一。加檢校司徒、同中書門下平章事，進檢校太尉、兼中書令、鉅鹿郡王。宗權阻兵，拜溥蔡州行營兵馬都統。

When Chao was beaten and fled east, he besieged Chenzhou and encamped on the Yin River. Qin Zongquan then held the Huai west and the two joined forces. Pu's land lay between the rebels, so he marched his whole force against them; his army's edge was sharp, he won battle after battle, and was made commander of the eastern armies and horses. He then combined the armies of Xu, Yan, and Yun, routed Shang Rang at Taikang, took tens of thousands of heads, and Rang surrendered with ten thousand men. Pu sent Li Shiyue and others to pursue Chao's rear guard to Laiwu and broke him completely. Generals fought over who would take Chao's head, but Lin Yan cut it off and brought it to Pu, who presented it to the throne; in crushing the rebels Pu's merit ranked first. He was made honorary Minister of Works and co-equal Director of the Chancellery, then promoted to honorary Grand General, concurrent Central Secretariat Director, and Prince of Julu. When Zongquan took up arms in obstruction, Pu was appointed commander of the Caizhou field armies and horses.

賊平，與朱全忠爭功，嫌惎日構。孫儒方與楊行密爭揚州，詔全忠為淮南節度使平其亂。溥自以先起，功名顯朝廷，位都統，顧不得而全忠得之，頗悵恨。全忠使司馬李璠、郭言等東，兵道宿州，遺溥書請假道。溥辭不可，間其墮，以兵襲之。言戰甚力，解而還。全忠怨，自是連歲略徐、泗，師不弛甲。全忠自將及其郊，未得誌，引去。溥窮，乞師於李克用。克用為攻碭山，朱友裕救之，各亡其大將。友裕進攻宿州，不能拔。時大順元年也。

After the rebels were crushed, he and Zhu Quanzhong quarreled over credit, and mutual hatred grew by the day. Sun Ru was then fighting Yang Xingmi for Yangzhou, and an edict made Quanzhong Huainan military commissioner to put down the disorder. Pu thought himself the earlier champion, his fame bright at court and his rank that of overall commander—yet Quanzhong got what he could not, and he was deeply resentful. Quanzhong sent marshals Li Fan and Guo Yan east; the army passed through Xuzhou, and he wrote Pu asking leave to march through. Pu refused permission; when their guard lapsed he struck with troops. Guo Yan fought hard, broke contact, and withdrew. Quanzhong nursed a grudge; from then on he raided Xu and Si year after year, and his armies never laid aside their armor. Quanzhong led the army himself to the city's edge but failed to achieve his aim and withdrew. Hard pressed, Pu begged Li Keyong for troops. Keyong attacked Mount Dang for him; Zhu Youyu came to the rescue, and each side lost a senior general. Youyu pressed the attack on Suzhou but could not take the city. This was the first year of the Datong era.

明年，丁會築堤閼汴水，灌宿郛，三月，拔之，使劉瓚守。而溥將劉知俊引兵二千降全忠，軍益不振。民失田作，又大水薦饑，死喪十七以上。乃請和於全忠，全忠約徙地而罷兵。昭宗以宰相劉崇望代之，授溥太子太師。溥慮去徐且見殺，惶惑不受命，諭軍中固留，有詔聽可。泗州刺史張諫聞溥已代，即上書請隸全忠，納質子焉。溥既復留，諫大懼，全忠為表徙鄭州刺史。諫畏兩怨集己，乃奔楊行密。行密以諫為楚州刺史，並其民徙之，以兵屯泗。

The next year Ding Hui dammed the Bian River to flood Suzhou's walls; in the third month the city fell, and Liu Zan was left to hold it. Pu's general Liu Zhijun then led two thousand men over to Quanzhong, and the army grew ever more dispirited. The people lost their fields and livelihood; great floods brought famine after famine, and more than seven in ten died. He then sued for peace with Quanzhong, who agreed to halt the war if Pu ceded territory. Emperor Zhaozong replaced him with Chancellor Liu Chongwang and made Pu Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. Pu feared that if he left Xuzhou he would be killed; distraught, he refused the post and asked the army to keep him in place, and an edict allowed it. When Si prefect Zhang Jian heard Pu had been replaced, he at once memorialized asking to come under Quanzhong and sent a hostage son. When Pu was kept in office after all, Jian was terrified; Quanzhong memorialized to move him to prefect of Zhengzhou. Jian feared anger from both sides would fall on him and fled to Yang Xingmi. Xingmi made Jian prefect of Chuzhou, moved the people with him, and garrisoned troops at Si.

朱友裕率軍攻溥，嬰城不出。有語全忠曰：「軍行非吉日，故師無功。」全忠遣參謀徐璠至軍責諭，友裕答曰：「溥困且破，乃徇妖辭，士心墮矣。」焚其書，督餫饋，急攻之，溥將徐汶出降。溥求救於朱瑾。全忠自以兵屯曹，將去，留精騎數千授霍存曰：「事急，可倍道趨之。」瑾兵二萬與溥合，攻友裕，存引兵疾戰，瑾、溥還壁。明日復戰，霍存敗，死之。進逼友裕，友裕堅營不出，瑾食盡，還兗州。全忠使龐師古代友裕，溥分兵固保石佛山，師古攻拔之。自是完壘不戰。王重師、牛存節等梯其堞以入，溥徙金玉與妻子登燕子樓，自焚死，實景福二年。全忠遂有其地，私置守焉。

Zhu Youyu led an army against Pu, who shut the city and would not come out. Someone told Quanzhong, "The army marched on an ill-omened day, and that is why the campaign has failed. Quanzhong sent staff officer Xu Fan to the army to rebuke him; Youyu answered, "Pu is trapped and nearly broken, yet you heed superstitious talk—the soldiers' hearts have fallen." He burned the letter, pressed for supplies, and attacked hard; Pu's general Xu Wen came out and surrendered. Pu begged Zhu Jin for help. Quanzhong himself camped at Cao with his army and was about to leave; he left several thousand picked horsemen with Huo Cun and said, "If things grow urgent, march at double speed to reach them. Jin brought twenty thousand men to join Pu and attacked Youyu; Cun rushed into battle, and Jin and Pu fell back behind their walls. They fought again the next day; Huo Cun was beaten and killed. They pressed Youyu hard, but Youyu held his camp and would not come out; Jin's food ran out and he returned to Yanzhou. Quanzhong sent Pang Shigu to replace Youyu; Pu split his forces to hold Shifo Mountain, and Shigu stormed and took it. From then on he repaired his walls and fought no more. Wang Zhongshi, Niu Cunjie, and others scaled the battlements to enter; Pu moved gold, jade, his wife and children up Swallow Tower and burned himself to death—in the second year of Jingfu. Quanzhong thereupon seized the territory and on his own authority posted a garrison.

朱宣，宋州下邑人。父以豪猾聞裏中，坐鬻鹽抵死。宣亡命去青州，為王敬武牙軍。黃巢之亂，敬武遣將曹存實率兵西入關，而宣為軍候，道鄆州。是時，節度使薛崇拒王仙芝戰死，其將崔君裕攝州事。存實揣知兵寡，襲殺之，據其地，遂稱留後。以宣功多，署濮州刺史，留總帳下兵。

Zhu Xuan came from Xiayi in Song Prefecture. His father had a local reputation for swagger and sharp dealing and was executed for illicit salt trafficking. Xuan fled to Qingzhou as a fugitive and joined Wang Jingwu's personal guard corps. In the upheaval of Huang Chao's rebellion, Jingwu sent General Cao Cunshi west through the passes with an army, while Xuan served as army scout en route through Yan Prefecture. At that time Military Governor Xue Chong had died fighting Wang Xianzhi, and his general Cui Junyu took charge of the prefecture. Cunshi, seeing how thin their defenses were, struck by surprise and killed him, seized the place, and proclaimed himself acting governor. In recognition of Xuan's outstanding service, Cunshi appointed him prefect of Pu Prefecture while keeping him in command of the troops under his own banner.

中和初，魏博韓簡東窺曹、鄆，引兵濟河。存實迎戰，死於陣，宣收殘卒嬰城。簡圍之六月，不能拔，引兵去。僖宗嘉其守，拜宣天平節度使，累加同中書門下平章事。宣有眾三萬，弟瑾勇冠三軍，陰有爭天下心。瑾嗜殘殺，光啟中，求婚於兗州節度使齊克讓，托親迎，載兵竊發，逐克讓，據府自稱留後，天子即授以帥節，兄弟雄張山東。時秦宗權悉兵攻朱全忠，使秦賢列三十六壁，自將督戰。全忠大恐，求救於宣。宣與瑾身率師往擊宗權，宗權敗走。

Early in the Zhonghe reign, Han Jian of Weibo cast a covetous eye on Cao and Yan and led his army across the Yellow River. Cunshi met him in battle and fell on the field; Xuan rallied the survivors and held the city in a desperate defense. Han besieged the city for six months without breaking it, then withdrew. Emperor Xizong commended his defense and made Xuan military governor of Tianping, later also appointing him co-administrator of the Secretariat and Chancellery. Xuan commanded thirty thousand men. His younger brother Jin was the bravest soldier in the army and secretly nursed ambitions to contend for the empire. Jin was bloodthirsty by nature. In the Guangqi era he sought to marry the daughter of Yanzhou's military governor, Qi Kerang. Under the pretense of fetching his bride, he marched out secretly with troops, drove Kerang from office, seized the provincial seat, and proclaimed himself acting governor. The throne promptly invested him with command, and the brothers dominated Shandong. At that time Qin Zongquan threw his full strength against Zhu Quanzhong, with Qin Xian entrenched in thirty-six camps while Qin himself supervised the campaign. Quanzhong was terrified and appealed to Xuan for help. Xuan and Jin led their armies in person against Zongquan and routed him.

全忠厚德宣，兄事之，情好篤密，而內忌其雄，且所據皆勁兵地，欲造怨乃圖之。即聲言宣納汴亡命，移書詆讓。宣以新有恩於全忠，故答檄恚望。全忠由是顯結其隙，使朱珍先攻瑾，取曹州，壁乘氏。宣救曹不克，奔還範。範珍圍濮州，宣使弟罕救濮。全忠自將擊罕，斬之，拔濮州，朱裕奔歸鄆，使珍薄鄆挑戰，宣不出。裕為書紿降，導珍入，信之，夜以兵數千傅城。裕開門，軍入，縣門發，死者數千，縱石擊未入者，殺裨將百餘人。復取曹，以郭詞為刺史，大將郭銖斬詞奔全忠。瑾謀悉兵襲汴，全忠乃自攻瑾。瑾以兵掠單父，與全忠將丁會轉戰，不勝，去。

Quanzhong showered Xuan with favors and treated him as an elder brother; their bond seemed close. Inwardly, however, he envied Xuan's power, and the territories Xuan held were all rich in fighting men. Quanzhong sought to manufacture a feud and then move against him. He immediately accused Xuan of sheltering fugitives from Bian and sent a reproachful letter. Xuan, having just saved Quanzhong, replied to the proclamation with angry reproaches. Quanzhong thus made the breach open and final. He sent Zhu Zhen to attack Jin first, captured Cao Prefecture, and fortified Chengshi. Xuan rushed to relieve Cao Prefecture but failed and fled back to Yan. Zhen, from his camp at Yan, besieged Pu Prefecture; Xuan sent his younger brother Han to its relief. Quanzhong marched in person against Han, killed him, and took Pu Prefecture. Zhu Yu fled back to Yan. Quanzhong then sent Zhen to threaten Yan and lure Xuan into battle, but Xuan refused to sally forth. Yu forged a letter offering surrender and lured Zhen in. Zhen took the bait and at night led several thousand men up to the walls. Yu opened the gates and let the army in, then dropped the portcullis. Thousands were killed, and boulders rained down on those still outside, slaying more than a hundred officers. They recovered Cao Prefecture and installed Guo Ci as prefect, but the senior general Guo Zhu killed Ci and defected to Quanzhong. Jin planned an all-out strike on Bian, so Quanzhong turned to attack Jin in person. Jin raided Shanfu and fought a running battle with Quanzhong's general Ding Hui but could not win and withdrew.

景福初，復伐宣，令從子友裕先驅，自繼之。次衛南，宣以輕兵夜掩友裕軍，走之，據其營。全忠未知，運糧以入，乃覺，走瓠河，與友裕相失，距濮十五里舍。明日，友裕乃至。宣留濮州。全忠令友裕馳壯騎諜鄆虛實，身將而北。會宣引還，縱兵戰，全忠南走，絕塹去，幾不脫，大將多死。乃謀持久僥極取宣，歲一再暴其鄙，奪之食，俘其工織，有存者。宣令賀瑰守濮州，為友裕所攻，委城走。友裕進擊徐州，時溥求援於宣，戰不勝而還，溥遂亡。全忠即遣龐師古攻齊州，宣、瑾皆戍以兵，久不下。乾寧元年，全忠身往，薄清河結壘。宣、瑾三分其兵出擊之，全忠迎戰東阿，南風急，汴軍居下，甚懼。俄而風返，全忠得縱火焚其旁，熛薰漲天，宣等大北。是夏，全忠壁曹州南，宣薄戰，禽其將三人。全忠還。

Early in Jingfu, Quanzhong again marched against Xuan, sending his nephew Youyu ahead while he followed with the main force. South of Wei, Xuan struck Youyu's camp at night with a light force, routed him, and took his encampment. Quanzhong did not yet know what had happened and sent supply trains forward before he realized the danger. He fled to the Hulu River, lost contact with Youyu, and made camp fifteen li from Pu Prefecture. Youyu did not rejoin him until the next day. Xuan stayed at Pu Prefecture. Quanzhong sent Youyu ahead with mounted scouts to probe Yan's defenses while he marched north in person. Xuan was marching back when he turned and gave battle. Quanzhong fled south, scrambling across the ditch to escape. He barely got away, and many of his senior commanders were killed. He then settled on a strategy of attrition, hoping to wear Xuan down in the end. Once or twice a year he raided Xuan's territory, seized his grain, and carried off his craftsmen and weavers; some of these captives survived. Xuan left He Gui to defend Pu Prefecture, but when Youyu attacked, He Gui abandoned the city and fled. Youyu pressed on against Xu Prefecture. Shi Pu appealed to Xuan for help, but their combined forces were beaten back, and Pu was destroyed. Quanzhong immediately sent Pang Shigu against Qi Prefecture. Xuan and Jin both sent reinforcements, and the siege dragged on without success. In the first year of Qianning, Quanzhong took the field in person, drew up near the Qing River, and built fortified camps. Xuan and Jin split their army three ways and attacked. Quanzhong met them at Dong'e. A fierce south wind blew, and the Bian forces, fighting from low ground, were badly shaken. Then the wind swung around. Quanzhong set fire to their flank, and flames and smoke filled the sky. Xuan's forces were routed. That summer Quanzhong encamped south of Cao Prefecture. Xuan closed in and fought, taking three of his generals prisoner. Quanzhong withdrew.

明年，使朱友恭擊兗州，瑾堅壁，乃塹而守。宣饟瑾，友恭奪其糧。全忠自軍單父。會宣求救於李克用，友恭退壁曹南。數月，全忠自伐宣，刈其麥，敗克用將李承嗣等，乃還。宣追之，大鈔曹州。其秋，全忠復攻鄆，壁梁山。宣、克用挑戰，全忠設伏破之，斬首數千級，引而南。克用躡全忠後，至柏和，大寒，全忠軍多死。不閱月，復圍兗州，因略地龔丘。賀瑰以奇兵擊全忠輜重，不及，戰鉅野東，瑰大敗，見禽，師無孑余。軍道大陂，風暴起，全忠曰：「豈殺人有遺邪？」乃搜軍中，復斬數千人，風亦止，執瑰示城下。

The following year he sent Zhu Yougong against Yan Prefecture. Jin kept to his walls, then dug entrenchments and dug in. Xuan sent supplies to Jin, but Yougong intercepted and seized the grain. Quanzhong took the field himself from Shanfu. Xuan appealed to Li Keyong for help, and Yougong pulled back to fortify south of Cao Prefecture. Several months later Quanzhong marched against Xuan in person, cut his wheat crop, defeated Li Keyong's generals Li Chengsi and others, and withdrew. Xuan pursued and plundered Cao Prefecture on a grand scale. That autumn Quanzhong attacked Yan again and fortified at Liang Mountain. Xuan and Keyong offered battle, but Quanzhong ambushed and routed them, taking several thousand heads, then marched south. Keyong pursued Quanzhong as far as Bohe. In the bitter cold, many of Quanzhong's soldiers died. Within a month he was besieging Yan Prefecture again while overrunning Gongqiu. He Gui led a flanking force against Quanzhong's supply train but failed to intercept it. They fought east of Juye. Gui was crushed, taken alive, and his army was annihilated to the last man. On the march the army crossed a great marsh and a violent storm broke. Quanzhong said, "When you kill men, can any be left alive?" He then combed the ranks and executed several thousand more. The storm abated, and he paraded the captive He Gui beneath the city walls.

瑾之兄瓊守齊州，見勢屈，以州歸全忠，結同姓歡。全忠許之，輕騎至軍，全忠勞苦加禮，因使招瑾。瑾領精騎鬲池笑語如平生歡，乃使將胡規偽送款，欲得瓊躬上符節。全忠不之虞，瑾伏壯士橋下，瓊單騎至，方交語，士突起，掖瓊以入，斬其首棄城下，汴軍大震。全忠恚，數日乃去。

Jin's elder brother Qiong held Qi Prefecture. Seeing defeat inevitable, he surrendered the prefecture to Quanzhong and pledged brotherhood as fellow Zhu clansmen. Quanzhong agreed. Qiong rode to the camp with a small escort, was received with every honor, and was sent to persuade Jin to surrender. Jin rode with an elite guard to Geci Pool, chatting as though they were old friends at ease. He then sent General Hu Gui with a false offer of surrender, demanding that Qiong deliver the credentials in person. Quanzhong suspected nothing. Jin had armed men hidden beneath the bridge. When Qiong rode up alone and they began to talk, the men burst out, dragged Qiong inside, beheaded him, and threw his head down before the walls. The Bian army was stunned. Quanzhong was furious and did not withdraw for several days.

三年，克用使其將李瑭以兵屯莘援宣，為羅弘信所破。全忠大喜，度宣可困，遣龐師古伐宣，宣逆戰，敗於馬頰河。師古迫其西門，兵不出。

In the third year Li Keyong sent General Li Tang to garrison Shen in support of Xuan, but Luo Hongxin defeated him. Quanzhong was delighted, judged that Xuan could at last be broken, and sent Pang Shigu against him. Xuan met the attack but was beaten at the Ma'yi River. Shigu pushed to the western gate, but no one sallied forth.

全忠之攻宣，凡十興師，四敗績。宣才將皆盡，益內沮，度不能與全忠確，則固守，增堞深溝為不可逼。明年，葛從周密造舟於塹，師人逾而升。宣出奔，為民所縛，追至，執以獻，全忠斬之而納其妻。使師古攻兗州。二月，食盡，瑾自出督芻粟，轉掠豐、沛間，而子用貞及大將康懷英等舉城降。瑾引麾下走沂州，刺史尹懷賓不納，乃趨海州，刺史朱用芝以其眾與瑾奔楊行密，行密迎之高郵，解玉帶以賜，表領徐州節度使，畀以兵。師古、從周以兵七萬討行密，瑾敗之清口，擊殺師古，而從周還，師至淠水，方涉，瑾追及，殺傷溺死幾盡。瑾事行密尤盡力。

In all, Quanzhong had launched ten campaigns against Xuan and lost four of them. Xuan had exhausted his best commanders and lost heart. Seeing he could not beat Quanzhong in open battle, he dug in, raised his walls, and deepened his moats until the city seemed unassailable. The next year Ge Congzhou secretly built boats in the moat, and his men crossed over and scaled the walls. Xuan fled but was seized by local villagers. Pursuers caught up, took him captive, and delivered him to Quanzhong, who executed him and took his wife. He sent Shigu to attack Yan Prefecture. By the second month food was gone. Jin rode out to gather fodder and foraged between Feng and Pei, while his son Yongzhen and senior generals including Kang Huaiying surrendered the city. Jin fled with his followers to Yi Prefecture, but Prefect Yin Huaibin turned him away. He pressed on to Hai Prefecture, where Prefect Zhu Yongzhi joined him with his troops in flight to Yang Xingmi. Xingmi received Jin at Gaoyou, gave him his own jade belt, petitioned to make him military governor of Xu Prefecture, and supplied him with an army. Shigu and Congzhou marched against Xingmi with seventy thousand men. Jin routed them at Qingkou and killed Shigu. As Congzhou retreated across the Pi River, Jin caught him mid-crossing and slaughtered his army almost to the last man by blade, wound, and drowning. Jin thereafter served Xingmi with unstinting loyalty.

孫儒，河南河南人。以趫卞橫裏中，隸忠武軍為裨校，與劉建鋒善。黃巢亂，以兵屬秦宗權，為都將。光啟初，宗權遣儒攻東都，留守李罕之出奔，儒焚宮闕，屠居人。河陽節度使諸葛爽與儒戰洛水，爽敗，儒亦東圍鄭州。朱全忠屯中牟救之，不敢前。儒眾夜登城，刺史李璠走，儒進拔河橋，遂取河陽，留後諸葛仲方出奔。全忠壁河陰，儒掠汴鄙，全忠兵卻，屯胙城東南，列偽旗鼓疑之，儒乃還。

Sun Ru came from Henan in Henan Circuit. Known in his village for speed and brutal force, he enlisted in the Zhongwu Army as a junior officer and became close to Liu Jianfeng. When Huang Chao's rebellion broke out, he brought his men into Qin Zongquan's ranks and rose to chief commander. Early in Guangqi, Zongquan sent Ru against the Eastern Capital. The interim governor Li Hanzhi fled. Ru burned the palace complex and massacred the populace. Heyang Military Governor Zhuge Shuang fought Ru on the Luo River and was beaten. Ru then turned east to besiege Zheng Prefecture. Zhu Quanzhong camped at Zhongmou to relieve the city but dared not move forward. Ru's troops scaled the walls by night. Prefect Li Fan fled. Ru pushed forward, took the Yellow River bridge, and seized Heyang, driving out Acting Governor Zhuge Zhongfang. Quanzhong fortified Heyin while Ru raided Bian's outskirts. Quanzhong pulled back to Zuocheng southeast and set out dummy banners and drums to deceive him, and Ru withdrew.

會全忠與宗權戰，宗權敗走。儒聞，殺孟人，流屍於河，焚井邑，乃去。宗權又遣儒鈔淮南，乘高駢之亂，儒留濠州。會楊行密得揚州，宗權使弟宗衡爭淮南，以儒為副，建鋒為前鋒。儒常曰：「丈夫不能苦戰萬里，賞罰繇己，奈何居人下，生不能富貴，死得廟食乎？」未幾，汴兵攻蔡，宗權召之，儒稱疾不往，宗衡督之。即大會帳下，酒酣，斬宗衡，並其眾。與建鋒、許德勛等盟。有騎七千，因略定傍州，不淹旬，兵數萬，號「土團白條軍」。

About then Quanzhong fought Zongquan and routed him. When Ru heard the news, he slaughtered the people of Meng, cast corpses into the river, burned towns and villages, and withdrew. Zongquan sent Ru raiding into Huainan. Taking advantage of the chaos around Gao Pian, Ru stationed himself at Hao Prefecture. Yang Xingmi had just taken Yangzhou. Zongquan sent his brother Zongheng to contest Huainan, with Ru as second in command and Jianfeng as vanguard. Ru often said, "What sort of man fights his way ten thousand li with reward and punishment in his own hands, yet serves under another? If you cannot be rich and honored in life, what temple offerings will you earn in death?" Before long Bian forces attacked Cai Prefecture. Zongquan summoned Ru, but Ru pleaded illness and refused to come. Zongheng pressed him to march. He then gathered his officers for a feast and, at the height of the drinking, executed Zongheng and took over his troops. He entered an alliance with Jianfeng, Xu Dekun, and the others. With seven thousand horsemen he overran the neighboring prefectures, and in less than ten days his force swelled to tens of thousands. They called themselves the "Local White-Stripe Corps."

龍紀初，悉兵攻宣州，行密取淮南，儒還。行密走，始得潤、常、蘇三州，兵益強，使建鋒守潤、常。全忠約行密圖之。儒謀定江南，乃北爭天下，畏全忠搗虛，乃遣人卑辭厚賄，全忠薦於朝，詔授淮南節度使。

Early in Longji he marched in full strength against Xuan Prefecture while Xingmi seized Huainan, forcing Ru to turn back. Xingmi had been driven back but had just taken Run, Chang, and Su Prefectures. His strength grew, and he left Jianfeng to hold Run and Chang. Quanzhong made a pact with Xingmi to bring Ru down. Ru meant to consolidate the south first, then turn north for the empire. Fearful that Quanzhong would strike his rear, he sent envoys with humble flattery and rich gifts. Quanzhong recommended him to court, and he was appointed military governor of Huainan.

大順元年，行密取潤州，以安仁義守之，常州以李友守之。儒怒，三分其軍度江，建鋒復拔常、潤，仁義走。全忠遣將龐從等軍十萬奄至高郵，儒悉師禦之，故仁義間取潤州，劉威、田頵等敗建鋒於武進，取常州。杭州錢镠將沈粲自蘇州奔儒，行密諸將在潤、常者，皆為建鋒所逐，仁義、頵棄潤州走。

In the first year of Dashun, Xingmi took Run Prefecture and left An Renyi in charge; he placed Li You in command at Chang Prefecture. Ru was furious. He split his army three ways, crossed the Yangtze, and Jianfeng recaptured Chang and Run Prefectures while Renyi fled. Quanzhong sent Pang Cong and others with a hundred thousand men in a sudden drive on Gaoyou. Ru committed his whole army to meet them, and in the meantime Renyi snatched back Run Prefecture while Liu Wei and Tian Jun defeated Jianfeng at Wujin and retook Chang Prefecture. Shen Can, a general of Hangzhou's Qian Liu, defected from Suzhou to Ru. Jianfeng drove out every one of Xingmi's commanders still at Run and Chang, and Renyi and Jun abandoned Run Prefecture and fled.

明年，儒引兵自京口轉戰，召建鋒皆行。行密諸將屯險者，聞儒至，皆走。頵、威等合兵三萬，邀儒黃池。儒遣馬殷擊走之。儒營廣德，乘勝至東溪，淮人大恐。行密遣臺濛屯西溪，自引軍逆戰。儒軍圍之數重，黑雲將李簡以騎馳之，行密乃免。儒遂圍宣州，行密乞師於錢镠。會溪潦暴湧，廣德、黃池諸壁皆沒，儒分兵取和、滁二州。

The following year Ru marched from Jingkou in a rolling campaign and called Jianfeng to join him with all his forces. Every Xingmi general holding a strong position fled when he heard Ru was coming. Tian Jun and Liu Wei united thirty thousand men and blocked Ru at Huangchi. Ru sent Ma Yin to attack and rout them. Ru encamped at Guangde, pressed his victory to Dongxi, and panic spread through the Huai region. Xingmi posted Tai Meng at Xixi and personally led his army to meet Ru in battle. Ru's army ringed them round and round until Li Jian of the Black Cloud Corps charged with cavalry and Xingmi broke free. Ru then laid siege to Xuancheng, and Xingmi appealed to Qian Liu for reinforcements. Sudden mountain floods swept away the camps at Guangde and Huangchi; Ru split his army and seized Hezhou and Chuzhou.

其秋，儒焚揚州，引而西，傳檄遠近，號五十萬，旌旗相屬數百里，所過燒廬舍，殺老弱以給軍。行密懼，將遁去。戴規曰：「儒軍數敗，今掃地而至，決死於我，若吾遣降者間至揚州，撫尉衣食，使儒軍聞其家尚完，人人思歸，不戰可禽也。」行密乃遣親將入揚州，取儒營糧數十萬斛以稟饑民。儒屯廣德，陶雅以騎軍破儒前鋒，屯嚴公臺。十二月，頵、威與儒決戰，皆大敗。儒連屯稍西，行密使陶雅屯潤州，扼其歸路。

That autumn Ru burned Yangzhou and marched west, proclaiming an army of five hundred thousand; his banners stretched for hundreds of li; everywhere he went he burned homes and slaughtered the old and weak to feed his troops. Xingmi was terrified and ready to flee. Dai Gui said, "Ru has lost battle after battle; now he sweeps in ready to die against us. Send men who have surrendered into Yangzhou in secret—feed and clothe them, let Ru's soldiers hear their families are safe, and every man will yearn to go home. We can take them without a fight." Xingmi sent trusted officers into Yangzhou, seized hundreds of thousands of hu of grain from Ru's depots, and fed the starving populace. Ru camped at Guangde; Tao Ya's cavalry shattered his vanguard and took position at Yanggong Terrace. In the twelfth month Tian Jun and Liu Wei met Ru in a decisive battle and were crushed. Ru shifted his camps westward; Xingmi posted Tao Ya at Runzhou to cut off his retreat.

景福元年，儒復圍宣州，屯陵陽。行密戰不利，謀出奔，時劉威方系獄，且死，行密窮，更召問計，對曰：「儒焚倉隤壘以來，糧盡將為我禽。若勁兵背城，坐制其困。」李神福亦請據險邀儒糧。行密乃分兵攻廣德，壁而絕饟道。軍適大疫，儒病痁，遣建鋒、殷鈔諸縣。行密知城下兵寡，乃晨出，率仁義、頵背城決戰，破五十壁。會暴澍且冥，儒軍大敗。儒病甚，股弁不能興。頵執儒獻行密，諸將皆降。儒就刑於市，見劉威曰：「中君之謀。」儒嘗引鑒搔首曰：「此頭不久當入京師。」至是，傳首闕下。建鋒、殷哭之，相語曰：「公常有誌廟食，吾等有土，當廟以報德。」及殷據湖南，表儒贈司徒、樂安郡王，立廟以祀。

In Jingfu year 1, Ru again besieged Xuancheng and encamped at Lingyang. Xingmi was losing and planned flight. Liu Wei lay in prison near death; in desperation Xingmi called him back for advice. Wei said, "Ru burned his granaries and dismantled his walls as he marched—his supplies are gone and we will have him soon. Put your best troops with their backs to the wall and wait—his desperation will do the rest." Li Shenfu also urged holding the passes to cut Ru's supply lines. Xingmi split his forces to strike Guangde, fortified the passes, and severed Ru's supply lines. A plague swept the army; Ru fell ill with malaria and sent Jianfeng and Yin to forage the counties. Seeing Ru's camp was thin, Xingmi marched out at dawn with An Renyi and Tian Jun, fought with the city at their backs, and smashed fifty encampments. A sudden storm burst at dusk, and Ru's army collapsed in defeat. Ru was desperately ill and could not rise from his bed. Tian Jun seized Ru and brought him before Xingmi; Ru's generals all surrendered. Ru was executed in the marketplace. Seeing Liu Wei he said, "I walked straight into your plan." Ru had once gazed in a mirror and tugged his hair, saying, "This head will soon reach the capital." And now his head was sent to the imperial court. Jianfeng and Yin wept and said to one another, "Our lord always wanted a temple sacrifice; when we hold land we must build him a shrine to repay his kindness." When Yin ruled Hunan, he memorialized to posthumously name Ru Minister of Works and Prince of Le'an, and built a temple in his honor.

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