Volume 208 Biographies 133: Imperial Officials 2

25%◎宦者下李輔國李輔國，本名靜忠，以閹奴為閑廄小兒。貌佇陋，略通書計。事高力士，年四十餘，使主廄中簿最。王鉷為使，以典禾豆，能檢擿耗欺，馬以故肥，薦之皇太子，得侍東宮。

Eunuchs, Part 2 — Li Fuguo. Li Fuguo, born Jingzhong, entered service as a young groom in the imperial spare stables in the capacity of a castrated bondsman. Homely and awkward in bearing, he knew a little of letters and accounts. Under Gao Lishi's patronage, he was assigned at forty-odd to keep the stable ledgers. Under Commissioner Wang Hong he oversaw grain and fodder, exposing shrinkage and fraud so diligently that the horses grew notably fat; recommended to the crown prince, he gained a post in the Eastern Palace.

陳玄禮等誅楊國忠，輔國豫謀，又勸太子分中軍趨朔方，收河、隴兵，圖興復。太子至靈武，愈親近，勸遂即位系天下心。擢家令，判元帥府行軍司馬。肅宗稍稍任以肱膂事，更名護國，又改今名。凡四方章奏、軍符、禁寶一委之。輔國能隨事齪齪謹密，取人主親信，而內深賊未敢肆。不啖葷，時時為浮屠詭行，人以為柔良，不忌也。帝還京師，拜殿中監，閑廄、五坊、宮苑、營田、栽接總監使，兼隴右群牧、京畿鑄錢、長春宮等使，少府、殿中二監，封成國公，實封戶五百。宰相群臣欲不時見天子，皆因輔國以請，乃得可。常止銀臺門決事。置察事聽兒數十人，吏雖有秋豪過，無不得，得輒推訊。州縣獄訟，三司制劾，有所捕逮流降，皆私判臆處，因稱制敕，然未始聞上也。詔書下，輔國署已乃施行，群臣無敢議。出則介士三百人為衛。貴幸至不敢斥官，呼五郎。李揆當國，以子姓事之，號「五父」。帝為娶元擢女為妻，擢以故為梁州長史，弟兄皆位臺省。

When Chen Xuanli and his fellows struck down Yang Guozhong, Fuguo had helped plan the move, and he urged the prince to detach the central army for Shuofang, rally the armies of He and Long, and work toward restoring the dynasty. Once the prince reached Lingwu, Fuguo grew still closer to him and pressed him to take the throne at once and rally the empire's allegiance. He was raised to Director of the Palace Household and made acting chief of staff for the army on campaign at the marshal's headquarters. Suzong gradually entrusted him with matters at the body's core of power; he was renamed Huguo, then given his present name. All memorials from the provinces, military tallies, and imperial seals passed solely through his hands. Fuguo winnowed every affair with fussy secrecy and won the emperor's intimate trust, while inwardly nurturing deep malice he yet dared not show it openly. Abstaining from meat and affecting Buddhist devotions, he passed for gentle and harmless, and drew no suspicion. When the emperor returned to the capital, Fuguo was made Director of the Palace Department and superintendent of the spare stables, the Five Wards, palace parks, military farms, and grafting operations, while also holding the Longyou stud farms, metropolitan coinage, Changchun Palace, and other commissions; he directed both the Imperial Treasury and the Palace Department, was enfeoffed as Duke of Cheng with five hundred taxable households, and drew income from the fief. Chief ministers and officials who wished an audience outside the usual schedule had to petition through Fuguo before the emperor would consent. He routinely conducted business at the Yintai Gate. He stationed several dozen spies; no official's fault, however slight, escaped them, and anyone caught was at once interrogated. In local suits and prosecutions by the Three Offices, every arrest, exile, or demotion was decided by his private judgment in the name of imperial edict, without the throne ever being told. Edicts took effect only after Fuguo had countersigned them, and no minister dared object. Whenever he went abroad, three hundred armored guards attended him. Even the most favored courtiers dared not use his title, calling him simply Fifth Master. Li Kui, who then directed the government, treated him with the deference of a junior kinsman and styled him the Fifth Father. The emperor arranged his marriage to Yuan Zhuo's daughter; Yuan Zhuo was made chief secretary of Liang prefecture on that account, and his brothers all received posts in the central ministries.

李峴輔政，叩頭言：「且亂國。」於是詔敕不由中書出者，峴必審覆，輔國不悅。

Li Xian, then assisting in government, kowtowed and said, "He will soon throw the state into disorder. Henceforth Xian insisted on reviewing every edict not routed through the Secretariat, to Fuguo's displeasure.

時太上皇居興慶宮，帝自復道來起居，太上皇亦間至大明宮，或相逢道中。帝命陳玄禮、高力士、王承恩、魏悅、玉真公主常在太上皇左右，梨園弟子日奏聲伎為娛樂。輔國素微賤，雖暴貴，力士等猶不為禮，怨之，欲立奇功自固。初，太上皇每置酒長慶樓，南俯大道，因裴回觀覽，或父老過之，皆拜舞乃去。上元中，劍南奏事吏過樓下，因上謁，太上皇賜之酒，詔公主及如仙媛主之，又召郭英乂、王銑等飲，賚予頗厚。輔國因妄言於帝曰：「太上皇居近市，交通外人，玄禮、力士等將不利陛下，六軍功臣反側不自安，願徙太上皇入禁中。」帝不寤。先時，興慶宮有馬三百，輔國矯詔取之，裁留十馬。太上皇謂力士曰：「吾兒用輔國謀，不得終孝矣。」會帝屬疾，輔國即詐言皇帝請太上皇按行宮中，至睿武門，射生官五百遮道，太上皇驚，幾墜馬，問何為者，輔國以甲騎數十馳奏曰：「陛下以興慶宮湫陋，奉迎乘輿還宮中。」力士厲聲曰：「五十年太平天子，輔國欲何事？」叱使下馬，輔國失轡，罵力士曰：「翁不解事！」斬一從者。力士呼曰：「太上皇問將士各好在否！」將士納刀嘑萬歲，皆再拜。力士復曰：「輔國可御太上皇馬！」輔國靴而走，與力士對執轡還西內，居甘露殿，侍衛才數十，皆尫老。太上皇執力士手曰：「微將軍，朕且為兵死鬼。」左右皆流涕。又曰：「興慶，吾王地，數以讓皇帝，帝不受。今之徙，自吾志也。」俄而流承恩播州，魏悅溱州，如仙媛歸州，公主居玉真觀；更料後宮聲樂百餘，更侍太上皇，備灑掃；詔萬安、咸宜二公主視服膳。自是太上皇怏怏不豫，至棄天下。輔國以功遷兵部尚書。南省視事，使武士戎裝夾道，陳跳丸舞劍，百騎前驅，御府設食，太常備樂，宰相群臣畢會。既得志，乃厭然驕觖，求宰相，帝重違曰：「卿勛力何任不可，但群望未一，如何？」輔國遂諷宰相裴冕使聯表薦己。帝密擿蕭華使喻止冕。

The retired emperor then lived in Xingqing Palace; the emperor visited by the covered passage to pay his respects, while the retired emperor sometimes came to Daming Palace, and they occasionally met on the road. The emperor kept Chen Xuanli, Gao Lishi, Wang Chengen, Wei Yue, and Princess Yuzhen constantly at the retired emperor's side, while Pear Garden performers daily supplied music and entertainers. Fuguo had risen from the lowest ranks; though suddenly exalted, men like Lishi still withheld courtesy from him. He resented them and sought some bold stroke to secure his position. At first the retired emperor often held wine at Changqing Tower, gazing south over the main road; when local elders passed below, they would bow and dance before going on. During the Shangyuan years a Jiannan memorial envoy passed below the tower and was summoned up; the retired emperor gave him wine with the princess and Lady Rushanyuan presiding, then called Guo Yingyi, Wang Xian, and others to join the feast and rewarded them lavishly. Fuguo then lied to the emperor: "The retired emperor lives near the market and consorts with outsiders; Xuanli, Lishi, and the rest mean you harm; the meritorious officers of the Six Armies are uneasy. Move him into the inner palace." The emperor did not see through him. Earlier Xingqing Palace had held three hundred horses; Fuguo forged an edict and seized them, leaving only ten. The retired emperor told Lishi, "My son, heeding Fuguo's plots, will not see his filial duty through to the end." When the emperor fell ill, Fuguo falsely announced that the emperor wished the retired emperor to tour the palace. At Ruiwu Gate five hundred archer-guards barred the way; the retired emperor started and nearly fell from his horse. Fuguo galloped up with dozens of armored riders and reported, "Your Majesty finds Xingqing Palace cramped and is escorting you back to the inner palace." Lishi thundered, "Fifty years a peaceful emperor — what does Fuguo mean by this?" He ordered them down from their horses; Fuguo dropped his reins and cursed Lishi: "Old fool, you don't understand!" He beheaded one attendant on the spot. Lishi shouted, "The retired emperor asks whether you officers and soldiers are all well!" The men sheathed their blades, shouted "Long live the emperor!" and all bowed twice. Lishi added, "Fuguo, take the retired emperor's reins!" Fuguo ran alongside in his boots while he and Lishi together led the horse back to the western inner palace. The retired emperor was lodged in Ganlu Hall with only a few dozen guards, all frail and elderly. The retired emperor seized Lishi's hand and said, "But for you, general, I would already be a ghost killed by soldiers." Those around him wept. He added, "Xingqing was my princely estate; I offered it to the emperor again and again, but he would not take it. This move is of my own choosing." Soon Wang Chengen was exiled to Bozhou, Wei Yue to Qinzhou, Lady Rushanyuan to Guizhou, and the princess was sent to Yuzhen Abbey; more than a hundred musicians and attendants from the rear palace were reassigned to serve him and keep his quarters; and Princesses Wan'an and Xianyi were ordered to oversee his meals. From then on the retired emperor languished in discontent until he left the world. For this exploit Fuguo was promoted to Minister of War. At his investiture in the southern ministries, armored warriors lined the road while performers juggled balls and danced with swords; a hundred horsemen rode ahead, the imperial pantry supplied a feast, the Court of Sacrifices provided music, and the whole court attended. Once he had his way, he grew brazen and overbearing and demanded the chancellorship. The emperor, reluctant to refuse outright, said, "Your merit entitles you to any post — but the court is not united. What then?" Fuguo then induced Chief Minister Pei Mian to submit a joint memorial recommending him. The emperor secretly dispatched Xiao Hua to tell Mian to desist.

張皇后數疾其顓，帝寢疾，太子監國，后召太子，將誅輔國及程元振，太子不從，更召越王、兗王圖之。元振告輔國，即伏兵淩霄門，迎太子，伺變，是夜捕二王及中人朱輝光、馬英俊等囚之，而殺后它殿。

Empress Zhang often resented his monopoly of power. When the emperor fell gravely ill and the crown prince took charge of state affairs, the empress summoned the prince to kill Fuguo and Cheng Yuanzhen; he refused, so she called in the princes of Yue and Yan to plot it instead. Yuanzhen warned Fuguo; they laid ambush at Lingxiao Gate, welcomed the crown prince, and waited. That night they seized the two princes and the eunuchs Zhu Huiguang and Ma Yingjun, imprisoned them, and killed the empress in another hall.

代宗立，輔國等以定策功，愈跋扈，至謂帝曰：「大家弟坐宮中，外事聽老奴處決。」帝矍然欲翦除，而憚其握兵，因尊為尚父，事無大小率關白，群臣出入皆先詣輔國，輔國頗自安。又冊進司空兼中書令，實封戶八百。未幾，以左武衛大將軍彭體盈代為閑廄、嫩牧、苑內、營田、五坊等使，以右武衛大將軍藥子昂代判元帥行軍司馬，賜輔國大第於外。中外聞其失勢，舉相賀。輔國始惘然憂，不知所出，表乞解官。有詔進封博陸郡王，仍為司空、尚父，許朝朔望。輔國欲入中書作謝表，閽者不內，曰：「尚父罷宰相，不可入。」輔國氣塞，久乃曰：「老奴死罪，事郎君不了，請地下事先帝矣！」帝優辭諭遣。

When Daizong took the throne, Fuguo and his allies, credited with fixing the succession, grew still more overbearing, even telling the emperor, "Young master, you sit in the palace; leave outside affairs to this old slave." The emperor started and wished to destroy him but feared his hold on the army; he therefore honored him as Imperial Father. Every affair, great or small, passed through Fuguo's report, and officials called on him first when entering or leaving court — which somewhat reassured him. He was further promoted to Grand Preceptor and Chief Minister of the Secretariat, with eight hundred taxable households in his fief. Soon the Left Martial Guard general Peng Tiying took over the spare stables, tender pastures, inner parks, military farms, and Five Wards; the Right Martial Guard general Yao Zi'ang replaced him as acting chief of staff; and Fuguo was given a great mansion outside the palace. Inside and outside the court, hearing he had lost power, everyone congratulated one another. Fuguo at first grew dazed with worry and, not knowing what to do, memorialized asking to resign. An edict advanced him to Prince of Bolu while he remained Grand Preceptor and Imperial Father, permitted to attend court on the first and fifteenth of each month. Fuguo wished to enter the Secretariat to draft a letter of thanks, but the gatekeepers refused him, saying, "The Imperial Father has been removed from the chancellorship and may not enter." Choking with rage, Fuguo at last said, "This old slave deserves death — I have failed you, young master; let me go below and wait on the late emperor!" The emperor spoke gently to console him and sent him away.

有韓穎、劉烜善步星，乾元中待詔翰林，穎位司天監，烜起居舍人，與輔國匿甚。輔國領中書，穎進秘書監，烜中書舍人，裴冕引為山陵使判官，輔國罷，俱流嶺南，賜死。

Han Ying and Liu Xuan were skilled astrologers; in the Qianyuan era they awaited edicts at the Hanlin Academy — Ying as Director of the Astronomy Bureau and Xuan as Recorder of the Left — and were secretly very close to Fuguo. When Fuguo headed the Secretariat, Ying was made Director of the Palace Library and Xuan Secretariat drafter; Pei Mian brought them in as aides to the imperial tomb commissioner. When Fuguo fell, all were exiled to Lingnan and ordered to die.

自輔國徙太上皇，天下疾之，帝在東宮積不平。既嗣位，不欲顯戮，遣俠者夜刺殺之，年五十九，抵其首混中，殊右臂，告泰陵。然猶秘其事，刻木代首以葬，贈太傅，謚曰鬼。後梓州刺史杜濟以武人為牙門將，自言刺輔國者。王守澄王守澄者，史亡所來。元和中監徐州軍，召還。方憲宗喜方士說，詔天下求其人，宰相皇甫镈、左金吾將軍李道古等白見楊仁晝、浮屠大通。仁晝更姓名曰柳泌，大通自言壽百五十歲，有不死藥，並待詔翰林。虢人田元佐言有秘方，能化瓦礫為黃金，詔除虢令，與董景珍、李元戢皆介泌、大通薦於天子，天子惑其說。泌以金石進帝餌之，躁甚，數暴怒，恚責左右，踵得罪，禁中累息，帝自是不豫。十五年，罷元會，群臣危恐，會義成劉悟來朝，賜對麟德殿，悟出曰：「上體平矣。」內外乃安。是夜，守澄與內常侍陳弘志弒帝於中和殿，緣所餌，以暴崩告天下，乃與梁守謙、韋元素等定冊立穆宗。俄知樞密事。

From the time Fuguo moved the retired emperor, the realm hated him; the emperor, while still crown prince in the Eastern Palace, had long nursed resentment. Once on the throne, unwilling to execute him openly, he sent bravos to stab him to death by night. Fuguo was fifty-nine. His head was placed in one vessel and his right arm severed and set apart; the deed was reported at Tailing. Yet the matter was kept secret; a wooden head was carved for burial; he was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Tutor with the posthumous title Gui. Later Du Ji of Zizhou had a military gate commander who claimed to be Fuguo's assassin. Wang Shoucheng — the histories do not record his origins. In the Yuanhe era he supervised the Xuzhou army and was recalled to court. Just then Xianzong delighted in alchemists' talk and ordered a search throughout the realm; Chief Minister Huangfu Bo, Left Golden Guard General Li Daogu, and others presented Yang Renzhou and the Buddhist Datong. Renzhou changed his name to Liu Bi; Datong claimed to be one hundred fifty years old and to possess an elixir of immortality; both awaited edicts at the Hanlin Academy. Tian Yuanzuo of Guo claimed a secret formula to turn rubble into gold and was appointed magistrate of Guo; he, Dong Jingzhen, and Li Yuanji were all introduced to the emperor through Bi and Datong, and the emperor was taken in by their claims. Bi fed the emperor mineral drugs; he grew restless, flew into repeated rages, and blamed those around him until one after another they were punished. The inner palace was filled with sighs, and from then on the emperor was unwell. In the fifteenth year the New Year's audience was canceled and the ministers were fearful. When Liu Wu of Yicheng came to court and was granted audience in Linde Hall, he said on leaving, "His Majesty's condition is stable." Court and capital were then reassured. That night Shoucheng and Inner Regular Attendant Chen Hongzhi assassinated the emperor in Zhonghe Hall; citing the drugs he had taken, they announced sudden death to the realm, then with Liang Shouqian, Wei Yuansu, and others fixed the succession and enthroned Muzong. Before long he took charge of privy affairs.

文宗嗣位，守澄有助力，進拜驃騎大將軍。帝疾元和逆罪久不討，故以宋申錫為宰相，謀因事除之，不克，更因其黨鄭註、李訓乘其罅，於是流楊承和於州，韋元素象州。遣中人劉忠諒追殺元素於武昌，承和次公安賜死。訓乃脅守澄以軍容使就第，使內養賫鴆賜死，事秘，時無知者，贈揚州大都督。其弟守涓自徐州監軍召還，死於中牟。劉克明劉克明，亦亡所來，得幸敬宗。敬宗善擊球，於是陶元皓、靳遂良、趙士則、李公定、石定寬以球工得見便殿，內籍宣徽院或教坊，然皆出神策隸卒或里閭惡少年，帝與狎息殿中為戲樂。四方聞之，爭以趫勇進於帝。嘗閱角觝三殿，有碎首斷臂，流血廷中，帝歡甚，厚賜之，夜分罷。所親近既皆凶不逞，又小過必責辱，自是怨望。帝夜艾自捕狐貍為樂，謂之「打夜狐」，中人許遂振、李少端、魚志弘侍從不及，皆削秩。帝獵夜還，與克明、田務澄、許文端、石定寬、蘇佐明、王嘉憲、閻惟直等二十有八人群飲，既酣，帝更衣，燭忽滅，克明與佐明、定寬弒帝更衣室，矯詔召翰林學士路隋作詔書，命絳王領軍國事。明日，下遺詔，絳王即位。克明等恃功，將易置左右，自引支黨顓兵柄。於時，樞密使王守澄楊承和、中尉梁守謙魏從簡與宰相裴度共迎江王，發左、右神策及六軍飛龍兵討之，克明投井死，出其屍戮之。務澄等皆斬首以徇，籍入家貲，又殺其黨數十人。

When Wenzong succeeded to the throne, Shoucheng had aided his accession and was promoted to General of Agile Cavalry. The emperor resented that the Yuanhe regicides had long gone unpunished; he made Song Shenxi chief minister to plot their removal but failed, then used their factionaries Zheng Zhu and Li Xun to exploit their weaknesses. Yang Chengho was exiled to a prefecture and Wei Yuansu to Xiangzhou. He sent the eunuch Liu Zhongliang to pursue and kill Yuansu at Wuchang; Chengho was ordered to die when he reached Gong'an. Xun then summoned Shoucheng to his residence as army commissioner and sent inner attendants with poisoned wine to grant death. The affair was secret and none knew at the time; he was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Governor of Yangzhou. His younger brother Shoujuan was recalled from supervising the Xuzhou army and died at Zhongmou. Liu Keming — likewise of unknown origins — won favor under Jingzong. Jingzong loved cuju; Tao Yuanhao, Jin Suiliang, Zhao Shize, Li Gongding, and Shi Dingkuan, as ball-players, gained audience in the side hall and were enrolled in the Xuanhui Court or Music School, though all were Shence bondsmen or vicious street youths. The emperor sported with them in the hall for amusement. When word spread, men from every quarter vied to present the bold and agile to the emperor. Once he watched wrestling in the Three Halls; heads were smashed and arms severed and blood flowed in the courtyard. The emperor was delighted, rewarded them lavishly, and dismissed the show only at midnight. Those he favored were violent and unbridled, yet he punished and humiliated them for the slightest fault — from which they nursed resentment. The emperor at night went out himself to hunt foxes for sport, calling it "beating the night fox"; the eunuchs Xu Suizhen, Li Shaoduan, and Yu Zhihong could not keep up and all had their ranks reduced. The emperor returned from a night hunt and drank with twenty-eight men including Keming, Tian Wucheng, Xu Wenduan, Shi Dingkuan, Su Zuoming, Wang Jiaxian, and Yan Weizhi. When they were drunk the emperor went to change clothes; the candles went out; Keming with Zuoming and Dingkuan killed him in the changing room, forged an edict summoning Hanlin academician Lu Sui to draft an order appointing the Prince of Jiang to direct state affairs. The next day a testamentary edict was issued and the Prince of Jiang ascended the throne. Keming and his fellows, relying on their exploit, intended to replace those around the throne and brought in their faction to monopolize military power. Privy councilors Wang Shoucheng and Yang Chengho, army commissioners Liang Shouqian and Wei Congjian, and Chief Minister Pei Du welcomed the Prince of Jiang, mobilized the Left and Right Shence Armies and Flying Dragon troops to suppress them; Keming threw himself into a well and died, and his corpse was taken out and publicly mutilated. Wucheng and the others were beheaded and displayed, their property confiscated, and several dozen partisans were also killed.

始，克明謀逆，母禁不許。文宗立，嘉母忠，賜錢千緡、絹五百匹，給婢二人。田令孜田令孜，字仲則，蜀人也，本陳氏。咸通時，歷小馬坊使。僖宗即位，擢令孜左神策軍中尉，是時西門匡範位右中尉，世號「東軍」、「西軍」。

When Keming first plotted rebellion, his mother forbade it. When Wenzong ascended the throne, he praised the mother's loyalty and bestowed one thousand strings of cash, five hundred bolts of silk, and two maidservants. Tian Lingzi — courtesy name Zhongze, a man of Shu, originally surnamed Chen. During the Xiantong years he served as commissioner of the small horse ward. When Xizong took the throne, Lingzi was made Left Shence Army Commissioner while Ximen Kuangfan held the right post — they were known as the East Army and the West Army.

帝沖騃，喜鬥鵝走馬，數幸六王宅、興慶池與諸王鬥鵝，一鵝至五十錢。與內園小兒尤昵狎，倚寵暴橫。始，帝為王時，與令孜同臥起，至是以其知書能處事，又帝資狂昏，故政事一委之，呼為「父」。而荒酣無檢，發左藏、齊天諸庫金幣，賜伎子歌兒者日巨萬，國用耗盡。令孜語內園小兒尹希復、王士成等，勸帝籍京師兩市蕃旅、華商寶貨舉送內庫，使者監櫃坊茶閣，有來訴者皆杖死京兆府。

The emperor was childish and dull, fond of cockfighting and horse-racing; he often visited the Six Princes' residence and Xingqing Pool to fight cocks with the princes, with a single bird fetching fifty cash. He was especially intimate with the inner-garden youths, who relied on favor to act with violence and arrogance. When the emperor had been a prince he had shared sleeping and rising with Lingzi; now, because Lingzi was literate and capable and the emperor reckless and muddled, all government was entrusted to him and he was called Father. Yet he was dissolute and drunken without restraint, drawing gold and coin from the Left Treasury and other storehouses and bestowing tens of thousands daily on performers until state revenue was exhausted. Lingzi told the inner-garden youths Yin Xifu and Wang Shicheng to urge the emperor to seize the goods of foreign and Chinese merchants in the capital's two markets for the inner treasury; envoys supervised the shops, and complainants were beaten to death by the metropolitan prefect.

令孜知帝不足憚，則販鬻官爵，除拜不待旨，假賜緋紫不以聞。百度崩弛，內外垢玩。既所在盜起，上下相掩匿，帝不及知。是時賢人無在者，惟佞鄙沓貪相與備員，偷安噤默而已。左拾遺侯昌蒙不勝憤，指言豎尹用權亂天下，疏入，賜死內侍省。

Knowing the emperor was not to be feared, Lingzi sold offices and ranks, made appointments without awaiting imperial command, and granted scarlet and purple robes on false authority without reporting it. The hundred offices collapsed; inside and outside the court grew filthy and dissolute. When bandits rose everywhere, superiors and subordinates concealed one another, and the emperor never learned of it. At that time no worthy men remained; only the fawning, base, and greedy filled the posts in silence. Left Reminder Hou Changmeng, unable to bear his anger, charged that the eunuch chiefs abused power and threw the realm into disorder; when his memorial entered, he was ordered to die at the Palace Domestic Service.

宰相盧攜素事令孜，每建白，必阿邑倡和。初，黃巢求廣州，願罷兵，攜欲寵高駢，使有功，不聽賊。因又易置關東諸節度，賊乘之，陷東都。令孜急，歸罪攜，奉帝西幸，步出金光門，至咸陽沙野，軍十餘騎呼曰：「巢為陛下除奸臣，乘輿今西，秦中父老何望？願還宮。」令孜叱之，以羽林騎馳斬，即以羽林白馬載帝，晝夜馳，舍駱谷。時陳敬瑄方節度西川，令孜兄也，故請帝幸蜀。有詔以令孜為十軍十二衛觀軍容制置左右神策護駕使。至成都，進左金吾衛上將軍，兼判四衛事，封晉國公。帝見蜀狹陋，稍郁郁，日與嬪侍博飲，時時攘袂北望，怊然流涕。令孜伺間開釋，呼萬歲，帝為怡悅，因盛稱鄭畋、王鐸、程宗楚、李鋌、敬瑄方並力，賊不足虞。帝曰：「善。」

Chief Minister Lu Xie had long served Lingzi; whenever he proposed policy, he invariably flattered and echoed him. At first Huang Chao sought Guangzhou and offered to cease hostilities; Xie wished to favor Gao Pian and let him win merit, and would not heed the rebels. He then reshuffled the military governors east of the Pass; the rebels seized the opportunity and captured the Eastern Capital. Lingzi grew alarmed, blamed Xie, and escorted the emperor west on foot through the Golden Light Gate. At the sandy wilds of Xianyang more than ten horsemen cried, "Chao is removing wicked ministers for Your Majesty — the carriage goes west; what hope have the elders of Qin? We beg that you return to the palace." Lingzi shouted them down and had the Imperial Guard cavalry behead them; then he had the emperor borne on white Imperial Guard horses, galloping day and night to Luogu. Chen Jingxuan was then military governor of western Shu — Lingzi's elder brother — and therefore urged the emperor to visit Shu. An edict appointed Lingzi commissioner for observing army affairs and director of the Ten Armies and Twelve Guards, with charge over the Left and Right Shence Armies as protector of the imperial progress. On reaching Chengdu he was made General-in-Chief of the Left Golden Guard with concurrent charge of the Four Guards and enfeoffed as Duke of Jin. Finding Shu cramped and mean, the emperor grew depressed; day after day he drank and gambled with consorts and attendants, often pushing up his sleeves to gaze north and weep. Lingzi seized an opening to console him, shouting "Long live the emperor!" The emperor was pleased, and Lingzi lavishly praised Zheng Tian, Wang Duo, Cheng Zongchu, Li Di, and Jingxuan as joining forces, saying the rebels were not to be feared. The emperor said, "Good."

初，成都募陳許兵三千，服黃帽，名「黃頭軍」，以捍蠻。帝至，大勞將士，扈從者已賜，而不及黃頭軍，皆竊怨令孜。令孜置酒會諸將，以黃金樽行酒，即賜之。黃頭將郭琪不肯飲，曰：「軍容能易偏惠，均眾士，誠大願也。」令孜目曰：「君有功邪？」答曰：「戰党項，薄契丹，數十戰，此琪之功。」令孜嘻，怒曰：「知之。」密以冘註酒中，琪飲已，馳歸，殺一婢，吮血得解。因夜燒營，剽城邑，敬瑄討敗之，奔廣都，遂走高駢所。帝聞變，與令孜保東城自守，群臣不得見。左拾遺孟昭圖請對，不召，因上疏極陳：「君與臣一體相成，安則同寧，危則共難。昔日西幸，不告南司，故宰相、御史中丞、京兆尹悉碎於賊，唯兩軍中尉以扈乘輿得全。今百官之在者，率冒重險出百死者也。昨昔黃頭亂，火照前殿，陛下惟與令孜閉城自守，不召宰相，不謀群臣，欲入不得，求對不許。且天下者，高祖、太宗之天下，非北司之天下；陛下固九州天子，非北司之天子。北司豈悉忠於南司？廷臣豈無用於敕使？文宗時，宮中災，左右巡使不到，皆被顯責，安有天子播越，而宰相無所豫，群司百官棄若路人？已事誠不足諫，而來者冀可追也。」疏入，令孜匿不奏，矯詔貶昭圖嘉州司戶參軍，使人沈於蟆頤津。初，昭圖知正言必見害，謂家隸曰：「大盜未殄，宦豎離間君臣，吾以諫為官，不可坐觀覆亡，疏入必死，而能收吾骸乎？」隸許諾，卒葬其屍。朝廷痛之。

Chengdu had recruited three thousand troops from Chen and Xu who wore yellow caps and were called the Yellow Cap Army to resist the barbarians. When the emperor arrived he greatly rewarded the troops; escorts were already rewarded but the Yellow Cap Army was not — all secretly resented Lingzi. Lingzi feasted the generals, serving wine in a golden goblet and then bestowing it on them. Yellow Cap general Guo Qi refused to drink and said, "If the army commissioner could treat all soldiers equally instead of showing partial favor, that would be a great wish." Lingzi glared and said, "Have you merit?" He answered, "Fighting the Tangut and raiding the Khitan in several dozen battles — that is my merit." Lingzi sneered and said angrily, "I know it." He secretly poisoned the wine; when Qi had drunk he galloped home, killed a maid, and sucked her blood for the antidote. That night he burned the camp and raided towns; Jingxuan defeated him; he fled to Guangdu and then went to Gao Pian. When the emperor heard of the disturbance, he and Lingzi held the eastern city; the ministers could not see him. Left Reminder Meng Zhaotu requested audience and was not summoned; he submitted a memorial stating, "Sovereign and minister form one body — in peace they share tranquility, in peril they share hardship. On the earlier western journey the southern offices were not informed; the chief minister, censor-in-chief, and metropolitan prefect were all destroyed by the rebels — only the two army commissioners escorting the carriage escaped. The officials who remain are mostly those who braved grave peril and escaped a hundred deaths. Yesterday when the Yellow Caps rebelled, fire lit the front hall; Your Majesty only shut the city with Lingzi, summoned no chief minister, consulted no ministers — those wishing to enter could not, those seeking audience were refused. Moreover the realm is the realm of Gaozu and Taizong, not the realm of the northern offices; Your Majesty is Son of Heaven of the Nine Regions, not Son of Heaven of the northern offices. Are the northern offices all loyal to the southern offices? Are court ministers of no use to the edict-bearers? Under Wenzong, when fire struck the palace, patrol commissioners who failed to arrive were openly punished — how can the emperor be cast adrift while the chief minister has no part and the hundred offices are abandoned like strangers? What is past cannot be remonstrated about, but what is to come may yet be retrieved." When the memorial entered, Lingzi concealed it and forged an edict demoting Zhaotu to registrar of Jia prefecture and had him drowned at Maoyi Ford. Zhaotu knew upright speech would bring harm and told a household servant, "The great bandits are not yet destroyed; eunuchs sunder sovereign and minister. My office is remonstrance; I cannot sit and watch ruin. When the memorial enters I shall die — can you recover my body?" The servant promised and in the end buried his body. The court grieved for him.

賊平，令孜以王鐸為儒臣且無功，而首謀召沙陀者，楊復光也，欲歸重北司，故罷鐸都統，以復光功第一。又忌復光且逼己，故薄其賞。自謂帷幄決勝，系王室輕重，出入倨甚。會復光死，大喜，即罷復恭樞密使。中人曹知愨者，富家子，頗沈鷙。賊在長安，知愨以清、濁二谷之人倚山為屯，不屈賊。陰教士卒變衣服、言語與賊類者，夜入長安攻賊營，賊大懼。帝聞，賜金紫，擢內常侍。聞帝將還，因大言：「我且擁眾大散關下，閱群臣可歸者納之。」令孜謂然，密令王行瑜以邠州兵度嵯峨山，襲殺其眾。由是益自肆，禁制天子不得有所主斷。帝以其專，語左右輒流涕。

When the rebels were pacified, Lingzi considered Wang Duo a scholar without merit while Yang Fuguang had first plotted to summon the Shatuo; wishing to return credit to the northern offices, he removed Duo from supreme command and ranked Fuguang's merit first. He also resented Fuguang as a rival and therefore stinted his reward. He considered himself decisive in council and holding the weight of the royal house; going in and out he was very arrogant. When Fuguang died he was greatly pleased and at once removed Fugong from the privy councilorship. The eunuch Cao Zhiyu was from a wealthy family and rather deep and fierce. While the rebels held Chang'an, Zhiyu had the people of the Qing and Zhuo valleys camp in the mountains and refuse to submit. He secretly taught soldiers to disguise themselves as rebels, enter Chang'an by night, and attack rebel camps; the rebels were greatly afraid. When the emperor heard, he bestowed gold and purple and promoted him to Inner Regular Attendant. Hearing the emperor would return, he spoke boldly, "I shall gather troops below Dasan Pass and take in whichever ministers may return." Lingzi agreed and secretly ordered Wang Xingyu to lead Binzhou troops over Cuoe Mountain and attack and kill his followers. From this he grew still more unrestrained, restraining the emperor so he could make no decisions of his own. Because of his monopoly the emperor would often weep when speaking to those at his side.

復光部將鹿晏弘、王建等，以八都眾二萬取金、洋等州，進攻興元，節度使牛頊奔龍州，晏弘自為留後，以建及張造、韓建等為部刺史。帝還，懼見討，引兵走許州。王建率義勇四軍迎帝西縣，復以建及韓建等主之，號「隨駕五都。」令孜以復光故，才授諸衛將軍，皆養為子。別募神策新軍，以千人為都，凡五十四都，分左右為十軍統之。又遣親信覘諸鎮，不附己者以罪除徙。

Fuguang's subordinates Lu Yanhong and Wang Jian, with twenty thousand men of the eight commands, seized Jin, Yang, and other prefectures and advanced on Xingyuan; military governor Niu Xu fled to Longzhou; Yanhong made himself acting governor and appointed Jian, Zhang Zao, Han Jian, and others command prefects. When the emperor returned, fearing punishment, he led his troops to Xuzhou. Wang Jian led the four volunteer armies to welcome the emperor at Xi county; Lingzi again put Jian and Han Jian in command, styling them the Five Commands Escorting the Carriage." Because of Fuguang, Lingzi only granted them guard generalships and adopted them all as sons. He separately recruited a new Shence army of fifty-four commands of one thousand men each, divided left and right into ten armies. He also sent trusted agents to observe the districts; those not attached to him were removed and transferred on fabricated charges.

養子匡祐宣慰河中，王重榮厚為禮，基祐傲甚，舉軍怒，重榮因數令孜罪，責其無禮，監軍和解乃去。匡祐還，訴令孜，且勸圖之。令孜白以兩鹽池歸鹽鐵使，即自兼兩池榷鹽使。重榮不奉詔，表暴令孜十罪。令孜自將討重榮，率邠寧朱玫、鳳翔李昌符，合鄜、延、靈、夏等兵凡三萬，壁沙苑。重榮說太原李克用連和，克用上書請誅令孜、玫，帝和之，不從。大戰沙苑，王師敗。玫走還邠州，與昌符皆恥為令孜用，還與重榮合。神策兵潰還，略所過皆盡。克用逼京師，令孜計窮，乃焚坊市，劫帝夜啟開遠門出奔。自賊破長安，火宮室、舍廬十七，後京兆王徽葺復粗完，至是令孜唱曰：「王重榮反。」命火宮城，唯昭陽、蓬萊三宮僅存。王建以義勇四軍扈帝，夜亂牢水，遂次陳倉。克用還河中，玫畏克用且偪，與重榮連章請誅令孜，而駐鳳翔。令孜請帝幸興元，帝不從，令孜以兵入寢，逼帝夜出，郡臣無知者，宰相蕭遘等皆不及從。玫勸興元節度使石君涉焚閣道，絕帝西意。遘惡令孜劫質天子，生方鎮之難，使玫進迎乘輿。玫引兵追行在，敗興鳳楊晟軍，帝次梁、洋，稍引而南，玫兵及中營，左右被剽戮者不勝計。令孜懼人圖己，蒙面以行。使王建長劍五百清道，囊傳國璽授之。次大散關，道險澀，帝危及難數矣。分軍守靈壁，亢追兵。玫長驅躡帝，帝以閣道毀，走它道，困甚，枕王建膝且寐，覺而飯，僅能至興元。玫、重榮表誅令孜，安尉群臣。詔以令孜為劍南監軍使，留不去。重榮請幸河中，令孜沮而止。宰相遘率群臣在鳳翔者表令孜顓國煽禍，惑小人計，交亂群帥，請誅之。帝不及省，且詔重榮餉糧十五萬斛給行在，重榮以令孜在，不奉命。玫乃奉嗣襄王煴即偽位。玫敗，帝乃得還京師。

His adopted son Kuangyou went as envoy to console Hezhong; Wang Chongrong treated him with great courtesy, but Kuangyou was very arrogant and the whole army grew angry; Chongrong enumerated Lingzi's crimes and rebuked his lack of courtesy; the army commissioner mediated and he departed. Kuangyou on returning complained to Lingzi and urged plotting against Chongrong. Lingzi reported that the two salt ponds should revert to the salt and iron commissioner, then took the salt monopoly of both ponds himself. Chongrong did not obey the edict and memorialized exposing ten crimes of Lingzi. Lingzi personally led the campaign against Chongrong with Zhu Mei of Binning, Li Changfu of Fengxiang, and troops from Fu, Yan, Ling, Xia, and elsewhere — thirty thousand in all — encamped at Shayuan. Chongrong persuaded Li Keyong of Taiyuan to ally with him; Keyong memorialized requesting execution of Lingzi and Mei; the emperor sought reconciliation but did not consent. A great battle was fought at Shayuan and the imperial army was defeated. Mei fled back to Binzhou; he and Changfu were both ashamed to be used by Lingzi and joined Chongrong. The Shence troops broke and returned, plundering everything along their route. Keyong pressed the capital; Lingzi's plans were exhausted; he burned the wards and markets and seized the emperor, opening the Kaiyuan Gate by night to flee. Since the rebels had broken Chang'an, seventeen palace halls had burned; later metropolitan prefect Wang Hui had roughly restored them — now Lingzi proclaimed, "Wang Chongrong has rebelled." He ordered the palace city set afire; only the Zhaoyang and Penglai palaces barely survived. Wang Jian with the four volunteer armies escorted the emperor; by night they were thrown into disorder at Lao River and halted at Chencang. Keyong returned to Hezhong; Mei feared Keyong's pressure and jointly memorialized with Chongrong requesting execution of Lingzi while encamping at Fengxiang. Lingzi urged the emperor to visit Xingyuan; the emperor refused; Lingzi entered the sleeping quarters with troops and forced the emperor out by night; the prefectural ministers knew nothing; Chief Minister Xiao Gou and others could not accompany him. Mei urged Xingyuan military governor Shi Junshe to burn the plank road and cut off the emperor's intent to go west. Gou hated Lingzi for seizing the emperor as hostage and creating difficulties for the regional commanders; he had Mei advance to welcome the imperial carriage. Mei led troops in pursuit, defeated Yang Sheng's Xingfeng army; the emperor halted at Liang and Yang, then moved south; Mei's troops reached the central camp and those at the emperor's side slaughtered were beyond counting. Lingzi feared assassination and traveled with his face covered. He had Wang Jian with five hundred long swords clear the road and gave him the imperial seal in a bag. At Dasan Pass the road was perilous; the emperor was several times in danger and distress. Troops were divided to hold Lingbi and resist the pursuers. Mei drove hard in pursuit; the plank road was destroyed and the emperor took another route, utterly exhausted; he slept with his head on Wang Jian's knee, woke and ate, and barely reached Xingyuan. Mei and Chongrong memorialized requesting execution of Lingzi and reassuring the ministers. An edict appointed Lingzi army commissioner of Jiannan, but he remained and would not leave. Chongrong requested that the emperor visit Hezhong; Lingzi obstructed it and stopped it. Chief Minister Gou led the ministers at Fengxiang in memorializing that Lingzi monopolized the state and fanned calamity, beguiled petty schemes, and threw the commanders into disorder, requesting his execution. The emperor had no time to examine it and ordered Chongrong to supply one hundred fifty thousand piculs of grain to the imperial progress; Chongrong, because Lingzi was present, refused. Mei then installed the heir Prince of Xiang, Li Yun, on the false throne. When Mei was defeated the emperor was able to return to the capital.

始，帝入蜀，諸王徒步以從，壽王至斜谷不能進，令孜驅使前，王謝足且拘，得馬可濟。令孜怒抶王，強之行，王恥之。及帝病，中外屬壽王，令孜入候帝曰：「陛下記臣否？」帝直視不能語。令孜自署劍南監軍使，閱拱宸奉鑾軍自衛，晝夜馳入成都，固表解官求醫藥，詔可。俄削官爵，長流儋州，然猶依敬瑄不行。

When the emperor first entered Shu, the princes followed on foot; at Xiegu the Prince of Shou could not advance; Lingzi drove him forward; the prince said his feet were sore and cramped and that with a horse he could manage. Lingzi in anger beat the prince and forced him onward; the prince was shamed. When the emperor fell ill, court and capital looked to the Prince of Shou; Lingzi entered to attend the emperor and said, "Does Your Majesty remember your servant? The emperor stared straight ahead and could not speak. Lingzi appointed himself military commissioner of Jiannan, mustered the Gongchen Imperial Guard for his own protection, and raced day and night into Chengdu; he repeatedly memorialized to resign his post and seek medical treatment, and the court approved. Soon his ranks and titles were stripped and he was banished to distant Danzhou, yet he still relied on Chen Jingxuan and refused to go.

王即位，是為昭宗。楊復恭代為觀軍容使，出王建為壁州刺史。建取利州，自署防禦使，因略定閬、邛、蜀、黎、雅等州，詔即置永平軍，拜建節度使。令孜謀與建連衡亢朝廷，且曰「吾子也」，書召之。建喜，將至，復卻之。建怒，進圍成都。令孜登城謝建曰：「老夫久相厚，何見困？」答曰：「父子恩，何敢忘！顧父自絕朝廷，茍改圖，則父子如初。」令孜曰：「吾欲面計事。」建然許，令孜夜負印節授建，明日入成都，囚令孜碧雞坊。始，右神策統軍宋文通為諸軍所疾，令孜因事召見，欲殺之。既見，乃欣然更養為子，名彥賓，即李茂貞也，故獨上書雪其罪，詔為湖南監軍。凡二歲，與敬瑄同日死。臨刑，裂帛為縆，授行刑者曰：「吾嘗位十軍容，殺我庸有禮！」因教縊人法，既死，而色不變。乾寧中，詔復官爵。楊復恭楊復恭，字子恪，本林氏子，楊復光從兄也。宦父玄翼，咸通中領樞密，世為權家。復恭略涉學術，監諸鎮兵。龐勛亂，戰有功，自河陽監軍入拜宣徽使，擢樞密使。黃巢盜京師，令孜顓威福，斫喪天下，中外莫敢亢，惟復恭屢與爭得失，令孜怒，下遷飛龍使，復恭乃臥疾藍田。僖宗出居興元，復為樞密使，制置經略，多更其手。車駕還，遂代令孜為左神策中尉、六軍十二衛觀軍容使，封魏國公，實戶八百，賜號「忠貞啟聖定國功臣」。

The prince ascended the throne — this was Emperor Zhaozong. Yang Fugong replaced him as Army Supervision Commissioner and sent Wang Jian out to serve as prefect of Bizhou. Jian seized Lizhou and appointed himself defense commissioner; he then subdued Lang, Qiong, Shu, Li, Ya, and other prefectures. An edict promptly established the Yongping Army and appointed Jian its military commissioner. Lingzi plotted to ally with Jian against the court, declaring, "You are my son," and summoned him by letter. Jian was delighted and set out to come, but was then turned back. Enraged, Jian advanced and besieged Chengdu. Lingzi mounted the wall and apologized to Jian: "We have long been on close terms — why are you putting me in straits? He replied, "The bond between father and son — how could I forget it! But you have cut yourself off from the court. If you change course, we can be as we were before." Lingzi said, "I wish to meet you face to face to discuss matters." Jian agreed. That night Lingzi strapped his seal and credentials to his back and surrendered them to Jian; the next day Jian entered Chengdu and imprisoned Lingzi in Biji Lane. Earlier, Song Wentong, commander of the Right Shence Army, had been resented by the other armies. Lingzi summoned him on a pretext, intending to kill him. When he saw him, he instead gladly adopted him as a son and named him Yanbin — this was Li Maozhen. Later Maozhen alone submitted a memorial clearing Lingzi's guilt, and an edict appointed Lingzi supervisor of the Hunan armies. Two years later, he died on the same day as Chen Jingxuan. Facing execution, he tore silk into a cord, handed it to the executioner, and said, "I once held the rank of commander of ten armies — you ought to kill me with proper ceremony! He then instructed them in the proper method of strangulation; after he died, his complexion did not change. During the Qianning era, an edict restored his ranks and titles. Yang Fugong — Yang Fugong, courtesy name Zike, was originally a son of the Lin clan and a cousin of Yang Fuguang. His eunuch father Xuanyi had headed the Privy Council during the Xiantong era; for generations the family had been a power in the court. Fugong had some learning and supervised the armies of the various military commands. During the Pang Xun rebellion he distinguished himself in battle; from military commissioner of Heyang he entered the capital as Commissioner of the Palace Secretariat and was promoted to Privy Councilor. When Huang Chao plundered the capital, Lingzi monopolized power and ruined the realm; none at court or beyond dared oppose him — only Fugong repeatedly challenged him. Lingzi in anger demoted him to commissioner of the Flying Dragon Corps, and Fugong fell ill and retired to Lantian. When Emperor Xizong withdrew to Xingyuan, Fugong again became Privy Councilor; most strategic arrangements and frontier commissions passed through his hands. When the imperial carriage returned, he replaced Lingzi as Left Shence Army Commissioner and Army Supervision Commissioner of the Six Armies and Twelve Guards, was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei with eight hundred households of actual fief income, and granted the title "Meritorious Servant Who Is Loyal, Chaste, and Opens the Sage, Who Settles the State."

帝崩，定冊立昭宗，賜鐵券，加金吾上將軍，稍攘取朝政。帝嘗曰：「朕不德，爾援立我矣，當減省侈長示天下。我見故事，尚衣上御服日一襲，太常新曲日一解，今可禁止。」復恭頓首稱善。帝遂問遊幸費，對曰：「聞懿宗以來，每行幸無慮用錢十萬，金帛五車，十部樂工五百，犢車、紅網朱網畫香車百乘，諸衛士三千。凡曲江、溫湯若畋獵曰大行從，宮中、苑中曰小行從。」帝乃詔類減半。

When the emperor died, he settled the succession and enthroned Emperor Zhaozong, was granted an iron certificate, was promoted to General-in-Chief of the Golden Guard, and gradually took control of court governance. The emperor once said, "I lack virtue — you supported and enthroned me. I should cut back on extravagance and set an example for the realm. I see from precedent that the Wardrobe Office presented the emperor with a new set of robes every day, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices a new tune every day — such practices should now be forbidden. Fugong kowtowed and praised the proposal. The emperor then asked about the cost of imperial tours. Fugong replied, "Since Emperor Yizong's reign, each tour has cost at least one hundred thousand strings of cash, five cartloads of gold and silk, five hundred musicians from ten ensembles, one hundred ox-carts and painted scented carriages draped in red and vermilion nets, and three thousand guards. Tours to Qujiang, the hot springs, or the hunting grounds were called the great travel retinue; excursions within the palace or park were called the small travel retinue. The emperor then issued an edict cutting such expenses roughly in half.

於是宰相韋昭度、張浚、杜讓能等為帝言大中故事，抑宦官不假借，帝亦稍厭復恭橫恣。王瑰者，惠安太后弟，求節度使，帝問復恭，對曰：「產、祿傾漢，三思危唐，後族不可封拜。陛下誠愛瑰，任以它職可也，不宜假節外藩，恐負勢顓地不可制。」帝乃止。瑰聞，怒甚，至禁中見復恭詬辱之，遂居中任事。復恭不欲分己權，白為黔南節度使，道興元，而兄子守亮方領節度，陰勒利州刺史覆瑰舟於江，宗屬賓客皆死，以舟自敗聞。帝知復恭謀，繇是深銜之。

Thereupon the chief ministers Wei Zhaodu, Zhang Jun, and Du Rangneng cited precedents from the Dahe reign for restraining eunuchs without indulgence, and the emperor also gradually grew weary of Fugong's arrogance and overbearing conduct. Wang Gui was the younger brother of Empress Dowager Huian and sought a military commission. When the emperor asked Fugong, he replied, "Lü Chan and Lü Lu overturned Han, and Wu Sansi endangered Tang — consort clans must not be enfeoffed and promoted. If Your Majesty truly favors Gui, you may appoint him to another office, but you should not grant him military credentials to govern a frontier province, lest he grow too powerful to control. The emperor then dropped the matter. When Gui heard of this he was furious; he entered the inner palace, confronted Fugong, and reviled and insulted him, then took charge of affairs at court. Fugong did not wish to share his power and had Gui appointed military commissioner of Qiannan. When Gui passed through Xingyuan, Fugong's nephew Shouliang, who then held a military commission, secretly ordered the prefect of Lizhou to capsize Gui's boat on the river. Gui's clansmen and guests all perished, and the report claimed the boat had foundered on its own. The emperor learned of Fugong's plot and from that point deeply resented him.

復恭以諸子為州刺史，號「外宅郎君」；又養子六百人，監諸道軍。天下威勢，舉歸其門。守立為天威軍使，本胡弘立也，勇武冠軍，人畏之。帝欲斥復恭，懼為亂，乃好謂曰：「卿家胡子安在？吾欲令衛殿內。」復恭以守立見帝，賜姓李，名順節，使掌六軍管鑰，光寵甚。既勢鈞，遂與復恭爭恨相中傷，暴發其私。

Fugong appointed his sons as prefects, styling them "Gentlemen of the Outer Residences"; he also had six hundred adoptive sons supervising the armies of the various circuits. The power of the realm all flowed to his household. Shouli, originally named Hu Hongli, was commissioner of the Tianwei Army; his valor and martial prowess topped the armies, and people feared him. The emperor wished to dismiss Fugong but feared he would cause unrest; he therefore spoke kindly to him: "Where is that Hu-family lad of yours? I wish to have him serve as a guard within the palace. Fugong presented Shouli to the emperor; he was granted the surname Li and the name Shunjie, and was put in charge of the keys to the Six Armies — his glory and favor were immense. Once their power was equal, he and Fugong turned on each other in mutual hatred, trading slanders and exposing each other's secrets.

復恭常肩輿抵太極殿。宰相對延英，論叛臣事，孔緯曰：「陛下左右有將反者。」帝矍然。緯指復恭。復恭曰：「臣豈負陛下者？」緯曰：「復恭，陛下家奴，而肩輿至前殿。廣樹不逞皆姓楊，非反邪？」復恭曰：「欲收士心輔天子。」帝曰：「誠欲收士心，胡不假李姓乎？」復恭無以對。會緯出守江陵，乃使人劫之長樂坡，斬其旌節，貲貯皆盡，緯僅免。

Fugong regularly arrived by sedan chair at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate. When the chief ministers met the emperor at Yanying to discuss rebel ministers, Kong Wei said, "There is someone at Your Majesty's side who is about to rebel. The emperor started in alarm. Wei pointed at Fugong. Fugong said, "How could I ever betray Your Majesty? Wei said, "Fugong, you are Your Majesty's household slave, yet you arrive by sedan chair at the front hall. You have planted unruly men everywhere, all surnamed Yang — is that not rebellion?" Fugong said, "I wished to win the loyalty of warriors to assist the Son of Heaven." The emperor said, "If you truly wished to win warriors' loyalty, why not grant them the imperial surname Li?" Fugong had no reply. When Wei went out to govern Jiangling, Fugong sent men to waylay him at Changle Slope, cut down his banner and credentials, and plundered all his goods and stores. Wei barely escaped with his life.

復恭子守貞為龍劍節度使，守忠洋州節度使，皆自擅貢賦，上書訕薄朝政。大順二年，罷復恭兵，出為鳳翔監軍，不肯行，因丐致仕，詔可，遷上將軍，賜几杖。使者還，遣腹心殺使者於道，遁居商山。俄入居昭化坊第，第近玉山營，而子守信為軍使，數省候出入。或告父子且謀亂，時順節遙領鎮海軍節度使、同中書門下平章事，詔與神策軍使李守節率衛兵攻復恭，治殺使者罪，帝御延喜樓須之。家人拒戰，守信亦率兵至昌化里，陣以待。會日入，復恭與守信舉族出奔，遂走興元。

Fugong's sons Shouzhen and Shouzhong served as military commissioners of Longjian and Yangzhou respectively; both seized tribute and taxes on their own authority and submitted memorials mocking and denigrating the court. In the second year of Dashun, Fugong was stripped of military command and ordered out as military commissioner of Fengxiang. He refused to go and requested retirement; the court approved and transferred him to General-in-Chief, granting him ceremonial staff and cane. When the envoy returned, Fugong sent trusted agents to kill him on the road and fled to Mount Shang. Soon he moved into his residence in Zhaohua Ward, near Yushan Camp. His son Shouxin was army commissioner and often came to visit and attend to his comings and goings. Someone reported that father and son were plotting rebellion. Shunjie then held the remote post of military commissioner of the Zhenhai Army and Concurrent Grand Councilor. An edict ordered him and Shence Army Commissioner Li Shoujie to lead palace guards against Fugong to punish the murder of the envoy, while the emperor mounted the Yanxi Tower to await the outcome. The household retainers resisted; Shouxin also led troops to Changhua Quarter and formed battle lines to await the attack. At sunset Fugong and Shouxin fled with their entire clans and made for Xingyuan.

順節已斥復恭，則橫暴，出入以兵從，兩軍中尉劉景宣、西門重遂察其意非常，以狀聞。有詔召順節，輒以甲士三百入，至銀臺門，何止之，景宣引順節坐殿廡，部將嗣光審出斬之，從者大噪，出延喜門，剽永寧里，盡夕止。賈德晟與順節皆為天威軍使，順節誅，頗嗟憤，重遂亦奏誅之。於是鳳翔李茂貞、邠州王行瑜、華州韓建、同州王行約、秦州李茂莊同劾守亮納叛臣，請出兵討罪，軍餉不仰度支。茂貞請假山南招討使。宦尹惜類執不可，帝亦謂茂貞得山南必難制，詔兩解之。茂貞劾復恭自謂隋諸孫，以恭帝禪唐，故名復恭，逆狀明白，且請削守亮官爵。遂擅與行瑜出討，自號興元節度使，詒宰相書，慢悖不臣。帝為下詔，令茂貞、行瑜討之。景福元年，破其城，復恭、守亮、守信奔閬州，茂貞以子繼密守興元。詔吏部尚書徐彥若為鳳翔節度使，而以茂貞帥興元，不拜，請繼密為留後。帝不得已，授以節度使，自是茂貞始強大。

Having already turned against Fugong, Shunjie became violent and overbearing, traveling everywhere with armed escorts. The two army commissioners Liu Jingxuan and Ximen Chongsui perceived his intentions were dangerous and reported the matter. An edict summoned Shunjie, but he entered with three hundred armored soldiers. At the Yintai Gate, He Zh stopped them. Jingxuan led Shunjie to sit in the hall portico, where his subordinate general Siguang Shen came out and beheaded him. Shunjie's followers raised a great clamor, went out through the Yanxi Gate, and plundered Yongning Quarter until evening. Jia Desheng and Shunjie had both served as commissioners of the Tianwei Army. When Shunjie was executed, Desheng was deeply aggrieved; Chongsui also memorialized for his execution. Thereupon Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu of Binzhou, Han Jian of Huazhou, Wang Xingyue of Tongzhou, and Li Maozhuang of Qinzhou jointly impeached Shouliang for harboring rebel ministers, requested permission to lead troops against him, and pledged not to rely on the Ministry of Revenue for army provisions. Maozhen requested appointment as provisional Commissioner for Pacification of the South of the Mountains. The eunuch Yin Xilei objected that this was impermissible, and the emperor also said that if Maozhen gained the South of the Mountains he would be impossible to control. An edict denied both requests. Maozhen impeached Fugong for claiming to be a descendant of the Sui — saying he was named Fugong because Emperor Gong of Sui had abdicated to Tang — and declared his treason clear; he also requested that Shouliang be stripped of rank and title. He then on his own authority joined Xingyu in a punitive expedition, styled himself military commissioner of Xingyuan, and sent a letter to the chief minister that was insolent, rebellious, and disloyal. The emperor issued an edict ordering Maozhen and Xingyu to punish him. In the first year of Jingfu they captured the city. Fugong, Shouliang, and Shouxin fled to Langzhou, while Maozhen left his son Jimi to guard Xingyuan. An edict appointed Xu Yanruo, Minister of Civil Appointments, as military commissioner of Fengxiang and made Maozhen commander of Xingyuan. Maozhen refused the appointment and requested Jimi as acting commissioner. The emperor had no choice but to grant him the military commission, and from that point Maozhen first grew truly powerful.

復恭與守亮等自閬州將北奔太原，趨商山，至乾元，為韓建邏士所禽，即斬復恭、守信，檻車送守亮京師，梟首長安市。茂貞上復恭與守亮書曰：「承天門者，隋家舊業也，兒但積粟訓兵，何進奉為？吾披荊榛立天子，既得位，乃廢定策國老，奈負心門生何！」門生，謂天子也，其不臣類此。假子彥博奔太原收葬其屍，李克用為申雪，詔復官爵。劉季述劉季述者，本微單，稍顯於僖、昭間，擢累樞密使。楊復恭之斥，帝以西門重遂為右神策軍中尉、觀軍容使。時李茂貞得興元，愈跋扈不軌，宰相杜讓能與內樞密使李周𧬤及重遂謀誅之，乃興師，以嗣覃王戒丕為京西招討使，神策大將軍李鐬副之。茂貞引兵迎壁盩厔，薄興平，王師潰。遂逼臨臯以陣，暴言讓能等罪，京師震恐，帝坐安福門，斬重遂、周𧬤以謝茂貞，更以駱全瓘、劉景宣代為兩中尉。乾寧二年，茂貞與王行瑜、韓建以兵入朝，李克用率師討茂貞，次渭北。同州節度使王行實奔京師，謂景宣等曰：「沙陀十萬至矣，請奉天子出幸避其鋒。」景宣方與茂貞睦，故全瓘與鳳翔衛將閻圭共脅帝狩岐，王行實及景宣子繼晟縱火剽東市，帝登承天門，矢著樓闔。帝懼，暮出莎城，士民從者數十萬。至谷口，人暍死十三，夜為盜掠，哭聲殷山。徙駐石門。茂貞恐，乃殺全瓘、景宣及圭自解。天子還京師，以景務脩、宋道弼代之，俄專國。宰相崔胤惡之，徐彥若、王摶懼禍不解，稍抑胤以和北軍。胤怒，劾摶黨宦豎，不忠，罷去，俄賜死；流道弼州，務脩愛州，並死灞橋；逐彥若於南海。乃以季述、王仲先為左右中尉，疾胤尤甚。

Fugong, Shouliang, and the others, intending to flee north from Langzhou to Taiyuan, headed for Mount Shang. At Qianyuan they were captured by Han Jian's patrol soldiers. Fugong and Shouxin were immediately beheaded; Shouliang was sent to the capital in a caged cart, and his head was displayed in the Chang'an market. Maozhen submitted letters exchanged between Fugong and Shouliang: "The Chengtian Gate is the old estate of the Sui house. My son, just stock grain and train troops — why bother with tribute? I cleared the wilderness to establish the Son of Heaven. Once he took the throne, he cast aside the elder statesman who settled the succession — how does he answer for betraying his patron?" Patron-disciple" here meant the Son of Heaven — his disloyalty was of this sort. The adoptive son Yanbo fled to Taiyuan to recover and bury his body. Li Keyong petitioned to clear his name, and an edict restored his ranks and titles. Liu Jishu — Liu Jishu came from humble and obscure origins; he gradually rose to prominence between the reigns of Emperors Xizong and Zhaozong and was repeatedly promoted to Privy Councilor. When Yang Fugong was dismissed, the emperor appointed Ximen Chongsui as Right Shence Army Commissioner and Army Supervision Commissioner. At the time Li Maozhen held Xingyuan and grew ever more overbearing and disloyal. Chief Minister Du Rangneng, Inner Privy Councilor Li Zhouhan, and Chongsui plotted to kill him and raised an army, appointing the heir Prince of Tan, Li Jiepi, as Commissioner for Pacification of the Western Capital, with Shence Army Grand General Li Juan as his deputy. Maozhen led troops to meet them and entrenched at Zhaozhi; he pressed close at Xingping and the imperial army collapsed. He then pressed his formation at Lingao and loudly proclaimed the crimes of Rangneng and the others. The capital was shaken with fear. The emperor sat at Anfu Gate and beheaded Chongsui and Zhouhan to appease Maozhen, replacing them with Luo Quanjin and Liu Jingxuan as the two army commissioners. In the second year of Qianning, Maozhen, Wang Xingyu, and Han Jian entered the capital with troops. Li Keyong led an army against Maozhen and halted north of the Wei River. Wang Xingshi, military commissioner of Tongzhou, raced to the capital and said to Jingxuan and the others, "One hundred thousand Shatuo troops have arrived. I beg that we escort the Son of Heaven away from the capital to avoid their assault. Jingxuan was then on friendly terms with Maozhen, so Quanjin and the Fengxiang guard general Yan Gui together coerced the emperor to withdraw to Qi. Wang Xingshi and Jingxuan's son Jicheng set fires and plundered the Eastern Market. The emperor mounted Chengtian Gate, and an arrow struck the gate tower. Terrified, the emperor at dusk left through Sha Gate, followed by several hundred thousand officials and commoners. At the valley mouth thirteen people died of heatstroke. By night they were plundered by bandits, and wailing filled the mountains. They moved and encamped at Shimen. Maozhen grew fearful and killed Quanjin, Jingxuan, and Gui to clear himself. The Son of Heaven returned to the capital. Jing Wuxiu and Song Daobi replaced them and soon monopolized state affairs. Chief Minister Cui Yin hated them. Xu Yanruo and Wang Tuan feared the crisis would not end and slightly reined in Yin to make peace with the northern armies. Yin in anger impeached Tuan for siding with eunuch henchmen and disloyalty; Tuan was dismissed and soon ordered to take his own life; Daobi was exiled to Daobizhou and Wuxiu to Aizhou — both died at Ba Bridge; Yanruo was exiled to Nanhai. Jishu and Wang Zhongxian were then appointed left and right army commissioners, and they especially hated Yin.

時帝嗜酒，怒責左右不常，季述等愈自危。先是，王子病，季述引內醫工車讓、謝筠，久不出，季述等共白帝，宮中不可妄處人。帝不納，詔著籍不禁。由是疑帝與有謀，乃外約朱全忠為兄弟，遣從子希正與汴邸官程巖謀廢帝。會全忠遣天平節度副使李振上計京師，巖因曰：「主上嚴急，內外惴恐，左軍中尉欲廢昏立明，若何？」振曰：「百歲奴事三歲郎主，常也。亂國不義，廢君不祥，非吾敢聞。」希正大沮。帝夜獵苑中，醉殺侍女三人，明日午漏上，門不啟。季述見胤曰：「宮中殆不測。」與仲先率王彥範、薛齊偓、李師虔、徐彥回總衛士千人毀關入，謀所立，未決。是夜，宮監竊取太子以入，季述等因矯皇后令曰：「車讓、謝筠勸上殺人，禳塞災咎，皆大不道。兩軍軍容知之，今立皇太子，以主社稷。」黎明，陳兵廷中，謂宰相曰：「上所為如此，非社稷主，今當以太子見群臣。」即召百官署奏，胤不得對。季述衛皇太子至紫廷院，左右軍及十道邸官俞潭、程巖等詣思玄門請對，士皆呼萬歲。入思政殿，遇者輒殺。帝方坐乞巧樓，見兵入，驚墮於床，將走，季述、仲先持帝坐，以所持釦杖畫地責帝曰：「某日某事爾不從我，罪一也。」至數十未止。皇后出，遍拜曰：「護宅家，勿使怖，若有罪，惟軍容議。」季述出百官奏，曰：「陛下瞀，倦於勤，願奉太子監國，陛下自頤東宮。」帝曰：「昨與而等飲甚樂，何至是？」後曰：「陛下如軍容語。」宮監掖帝出思政殿，後倡言曰：「軍容一心輔持，請上養疾。」帝亦曰：「朕久疾，令太子監國。」巖等皆呼萬歲。後以傳國寶授季述，就帝輦，左右十餘人，入囚少陽院。季述液金以完鐍，師虔以兵守。太子即位於武德殿，帝號太上皇，皇后為太上皇后，大赦天下，東宮官屬三品賜爵一級，四品以下一階，天下為父後者爵一級，群臣加爵秩厚賜，欲媚附上下。改東宮為問安宮。季述等皆先誅戮以立威，夜鞭笞，晝出屍十輦，凡有寵於帝，悉榜殺之。殺帝弟睦王。師虔尤苛察，左右出入搜索，天子動靜輒白季述。帝衣晝服夜浣，食自竇進，下至筆紙銅鐵，疑作詔書兵器，皆不與。方寒，公主嬪御無衾纊，哀聞外廷。

The emperor was then fond of wine and would fly into unpredictable rages, blaming those around him. Jishu and his allies grew ever more fearful for their own lives. Earlier, when a prince fell ill, Jishu brought in the palace physicians Che Rang and Xie Yun, who remained inside for a long time. Jishu and his allies jointly reported to the emperor that unauthorized persons should not be allowed to stay in the palace. The emperor rejected the advice and issued an edict that registered personnel were not to be barred from the palace. They then suspected the emperor was conspiring with the physicians. Jishu swore brotherhood with Zhu Quanzhong on the outside and sent his nephew Xi Zheng and the Bian prefecture official Cheng Yan to plot the emperor's deposition. When Quanzhong sent Li Zhen, deputy commissioner of the Pingyi circuit, to the capital to present accounts, Cheng Yan said to him, "The sovereign is harsh and unpredictable; court and capital alike live in dread. The Left Army Commissioner wishes to depose a dim ruler and install a clear one — what do you say? Li Zhen replied, "For a hundred-year-old slave to serve a three-year-old master — that is only natural. To throw the state into chaos is unrighteous; to depose the sovereign is inauspicious. This is not something I dare even hear discussed." Xi Zheng was deeply discouraged. The emperor hunted in the park at night and, in a drunken rage, killed three maidservants. The next day, after the noon hour had passed, the palace gates still did not open. Jishu went to see Yin and said, "Something terrible may have happened in the palace. He and Zhongxian then led Wang Yanfan, Xue Qiwo, Li Shiqian, and Xu Yanhui, gathered a thousand guardsmen, broke through the gate, and entered. They debated whom to install as ruler but could not settle on a choice. That night a palace intendant secretly brought in the crown prince. Jishu and his allies then forged an order from the empress: "Che Rang and Xie Yun urged the sovereign to kill people to avert disaster — all grossly unfilial and rebellious conduct. The army supervision commissioners of both armies are aware of this. We now install the crown prince to preside over the altars of state. At dawn they arrayed troops in the court and told the chief ministers, "The sovereign's conduct is unworthy of one who holds the altars of state. We must now present the crown prince to the officials." They immediately summoned all officials to sign a memorial. Yin could offer no reply. Jishu escorted the crown prince to Ziting Courtyard. The left and right armies and the lodging officials of the ten circuits, including Yu Tan and Cheng Yan, went to Sixuan Gate to request an audience, and the soldiers all shouted "Long live the sovereign!" They entered Sizheng Hall and killed everyone they encountered. The emperor was sitting in the Qiqiao Tower when he saw troops enter. Startled, he fell from his couch and tried to flee. Jishu and Zhongxian seized him and forced him to sit. Scratching on the ground with their clasp-staffs, they rebuked him: "On such-and-such a day, in such-and-such a matter you did not obey me — that is your first offense. They listed dozens of offenses and still did not stop. The empress came out and bowed to them all, saying, "Protect the householder. Do not frighten him. If there is guilt, let the Army Supervision Commissioner decide. Jishu produced the officials' memorial and said, "Your Majesty's sight is failing and you are weary of governing. We wish to install the crown prince as regent. Your Majesty should retire to the Eastern Palace to convalesce." The emperor said, "Yesterday I drank with you in great pleasure. How did it come to this?" The empress said, "Your Majesty should do as the Army Supervision Commissioner says." A palace intendant helped the emperor out of Sizheng Hall. The empress proclaimed, "The Army Supervision Commissioner is wholly devoted to supporting Your Majesty. We beg the sovereign to convalesce." The emperor also said, "I have long been ill. Let the crown prince govern as regent." Cheng Yan and the others all shouted "Long live the sovereign!" The empress handed the imperial succession seal to Jishu. They placed the emperor in his carriage with a dozen attendants and imprisoned him in Shaoyang Courtyard. Jishu poured molten metal to seal the lock shut, and Shiqian guarded the courtyard with troops. The crown prince ascended the throne at Wude Hall. The emperor was styled Retired Emperor and the empress Retired Empress. A general amnesty was proclaimed. Eastern Palace officials of third rank received one grade of nobility, those of fourth rank and below one step, and heirs throughout the realm one grade of nobility. Officials were given added ranks and lavish gifts, all to win over court and capital. The Eastern Palace was renamed the Palace of Inquiring after Health. Jishu and his allies first executed people to establish their authority. They flogged victims by night, and by day ten carts of corpses were brought out. Everyone who had enjoyed the emperor's favor was posted for execution and killed. They killed the emperor's younger brother, the Prince of Mu. Shiqian was especially harsh and suspicious. Everyone who entered or left was searched, and the emperor's every movement was reported to Jishu. The emperor wore his robes by day and washed them at night. Food was passed in through a hole in the wall. Brush, paper, copper, iron — anything that might be used to draft edicts or fashion weapons — was withheld. It was cold, and the princesses and consorts had no quilts or cotton padding. Their wailing could be heard in the outer court.

胤告難於朱全忠，使以兵除君側，全忠封胤書與季述曰：「彼翻覆，宜圖之。」季述以責胤，胤曰：「奸人偽書，從古有之，必以為罪，請誅不及族。」季述易之，乃與盟。胤謝全忠曰：「左軍與胤盟，不相害，然仆歸心於公，並送二侍兒。」全忠得書，恚曰：「季述使我為兩面人。」自是始離。季述子希度至汴，言廢立本計，又遣李奉本賫示太上皇誥，全忠狐疑不決。李振入見曰：「豎刁、伊戾之亂，以資霸者。今閹奴幽劫天子，公不討，無以令諸侯。」乃囚希度、奉本，遣振至京師與胤謀。是時季述欲盡誅百官，乃弒帝，挾太子令天下。都將孫德昭、董從實盜沒錢五千緡，仲先眾辱之，督其償，株連甚眾。胤間其不逞，曰：「能殺兩中尉，迎太上皇，而立大功，何小罪足羞！」又遣客密告德昭，割帶內蜜丸通意。德昭邀別將周承誨，期十二月晦，伏士安福門待旦。仲先乘肩輿造朝，德昭等劫之，斬東宮門外，叩少陽院呼曰：「逆賊斬矣。」帝疑未信，皇后曰：「可獻賊首。」德昭擲仲先頭以進，宮人毀扉，出御長樂門，群臣稱賀。承誨馳入左軍，執季述、彥範至樓前，胤先戒京兆尹鄭元規集萬人持大梃，帝詰季述未已，萬梃皆進，二人同死梃下，遂屍之。兩軍支黨死者數十人。中官奉太子遁入左軍，收傳國璽。齊偓死井中，出其屍斬之。全忠檻送巖京師，斬於市。季述等夷三族。以德昭檢校太保、靜海軍節度使，從實檢校司徒、容管節度使，並同中書門下平章事，賜氏李，曰繼昭，曰彥弼。承誨亦檢校司徒、邕管節度使，視宰相秩。皆號「扶傾濟難忠烈功臣」，圖形淩煙閣，留宿衛凡十日乃休，竭內庫珍寶賜之。當時號「三使相」，人臣無比。

Yin reported the crisis to Zhu Quanzhong and asked him to use troops to remove the emperor's captors. Quanzhong enclosed Yin's letter and sent it to Jishu, saying, "He is treacherous — you should deal with him. Jishu confronted Yin with the letter. Yin said, "Forged letters by schemers are nothing new. If you must treat this as a crime, I beg that execution not extend to my clan." Jishu accepted this explanation, and they entered an alliance. Yin wrote to thank Quanzhong: "The Left Army has allied with me, and we shall not harm each other. Yet my heart belongs to you." He sent along two maidservants. Quanzhong received the letter and said in anger, "Jishu has made me into a double-dealer." From that point they began to part ways. Jishu's son Xidu went to Bian and explained the original plan for deposing and installing emperors. He also sent Li Fengben to present the Retired Emperor's edict. Quanzhong wavered, unable to decide. Li Zhen came in to see him and said, "The disorders of Shu Diao and Yi Li furnished resources for those who would become hegemons. Now these castrated slaves have secretly seized the Son of Heaven. If you do not punish them, you cannot command the feudal lords. He thereupon imprisoned Xidu and Fengben and sent Li Zhen to the capital to plot with Yin. At this time Jishu intended to execute all the officials, then assassinate the emperor and hold the crown prince hostage to command the realm. Commanders Sun Dezhao and Dong Congshi embezzled five thousand strings of cash. Zhongxian publicly humiliated them and forced repayment, implicating many others in the process. Yin sensed their discontent and said, "If you can kill the two army commissioners, welcome back the Retired Emperor, and thereby win great merit — what shame is there in petty crimes! He also sent an agent to secretly inform Dezhao, cutting open a belt and placing a honey pill inside to convey his intent. Dezhao invited fellow commander Zhou Chenghui. They set the last day of the twelfth month and stationed men at Anfu Gate to wait for dawn. Zhongxian rode in a sedan chair to court. Dezhao and his men intercepted him and beheaded him outside the Eastern Palace gate. They knocked on Shaoyang Courtyard and shouted, "The rebels have been beheaded! The emperor doubted and did not believe. The empress said, "Present the rebels' heads." Dezhao threw Zhongxian's head forward. Palace women smashed the door. The emperor and empress came out and took position at Changle Gate, and officials offered congratulations. Chenghui raced into the Left Army, seized Jishu and Yanfan, and brought them before the tower. Yin had earlier instructed Capital Prefect Zheng Yuangui to gather ten thousand men with large clubs. The emperor had not finished interrogating Jishu when ten thousand clubs advanced. Both died under the clubs, and their corpses were displayed. Several dozen partisans of the two armies were killed. Eunuchs escorted the crown prince as he fled into the Left Army, and they recovered the imperial succession seal. Qiwo died in a well. They pulled out his corpse and beheaded it. Quanzhong sent Cheng Yan to the capital in a cage-cart and had him executed in the marketplace. The clans of Jishu and his allies were exterminated to the third degree. Dezhao was made Acting Grand Preceptor and military commissioner of Jinghai; Congshi Acting Minister of Education and military commissioner of Rongguan. Both were appointed Grand Councilors and granted the surname Li — Dezhao taking the name Jizhao and Congshi the name Yanbi. Chenghui was also made Acting Minister of Education and military commissioner of Yongguan, with rank equivalent to a chief minister. All were styled "Meritorious Loyal Heroes Who Right the Tilted and Rescue from Peril." Their portraits were placed in Lingyan Pavilion. They remained on palace guard duty for ten days before being released, and the inner treasury's treasures were exhausted in rewarding them. At the time they were called "the three commissioner-ministers" — no subject had ever been their equal.

初，延英宰相奏事，帝平可否，樞密使立侍，得與聞，及出，或矯上旨謂未然，數改易橈權。至是，詔如大中故事，對延英，兩中尉先降，樞密使候旨殿西，宰相奏事已畢，案前受事。師虔請於屏風後錄宰相所奏，帝以侵官，不許，下詔與徐彥回同誅。韓全誨、張彥弘韓全誨、張彥弘者，皆不知所來，並監鳳翔軍。全誨入為內樞密使。劉季述之誅，崔胤、陸扆見武德殿右廡，胤曰：「自中人典兵，王室愈亂，臣請主神策左軍，以扆主右，則四方藩臣不敢謀。」昭宗意不決。李茂貞語人曰：「崔胤奪軍權未及手，志滅藩鎮矣。」帝聞，召李繼昭等問以胤所請奈何，對曰：「臣世世在軍，不聞書生主衛兵。且罪人已得，持軍還北司便。」帝謂胤曰：「議者不同，勿庸主軍。」乃以全誨為左神策中尉，彥弘為右，皆拜驃騎大將軍，袁易簡、周敬容為樞密使。胤怒，約京兆鄭元規遣人狙殺之，不克。全誨等知胤必除己乃已，因諷茂貞留選士四千宿衛，以李繼筠、繼徽總之。胤亦諷朱全忠內兵三千居南司，以婁敬思領之。韓偓聞岐、汴交戍，數諫止胤，胤曰：「兵不肯去耳。」偓曰：「初何為召邪？」胤不對。議者知京師不復安矣。

Initially, when chief ministers reported affairs at Yanying Hall, the emperor decided yes or no while privy councilors stood in attendance and could hear. After leaving, they sometimes forged the sovereign's intent, claiming matters were not yet settled, and repeatedly altered decisions and usurped authority. At this time an edict restored the Da Zhong precedent: at Yanying audiences the two army commissioners withdrew first; privy councilors waited for instructions west of the hall; and once the chief ministers had finished reporting, they received their business at the desk. Shiqian requested to record behind the screen what the chief ministers reported. The emperor took this as encroaching on official duties and refused. An edict ordered Shiqian executed together with Xu Yanhui. Han Quanhui and Zhang Yanhong — Han Quanhui and Zhang Yanhong, men of unknown origin, both supervised the Fengxiang army. Quanhui entered the capital as Inner Privy Councilor. After Liu Jishu was executed, Cui Yin and Lu Yi met in the right wing of Wude Hall. Yin said, "Since eunuchs have commanded armies, the royal house has grown ever more chaotic. I request to command the Left Shence Army, with Yi commanding the Right. Then the military commissioners in all directions will not dare to plot. Emperor Zhaozong's mind was unsettled. Li Maozhen told someone, "Cui Yin has not yet taken military power into his hands and already intends to destroy the military commissioners. The emperor heard this and summoned Li Jizhao and the others to ask what they thought of Yin's request. They replied, "We have served in the armies generation after generation — never have we heard of a scholar commanding palace guards. Besides, the guilty ones have been dealt with. Let them take their armies back to the Northern Office and that will suffice." The emperor said to Yin, "Those who deliberated disagree. You need not command the armies." Quanhui was then made Left Shence Army Commissioner and Yanhong Right Shence Army Commissioner. Both were appointed Cavalry General-in-Chief. Yuan Yijian and Zhou Jingrong were made privy councilors. Yin in anger arranged with Capital Prefect Zheng Yuangui to send men to assassinate them, but the attempt failed. Quanhui and the others knew Yin would not stop until he had eliminated them. They therefore prompted Maozhen to leave four thousand selected troops as palace guards under Li Jijun and Jihui. Yin also prompted Zhu Quanzhong to station three thousand inner troops in the Southern Office under Lou Jingsi. Han Wo heard that Fengxiang and Bian troops were stationed in turn in the capital and repeatedly remonstrated with Yin to stop. Yin said, "The troops simply refuse to leave. Wo said, "Then why summon them in the first place?" Yin did not answer. Those who deliberated knew the capital would no longer be secure.

全誨、彥弘及彥弼合勢恣暴，中官倚以自驕，帝不平，有斥逐者，皆不肯行，胤固請盡誅之。全誨、彥弘見帝祈哀，帝知左右漏言，始詔囊封奏事。宦人更求麗姝知書者數十人，侍帝為內诇，由是胤計多露。

Quanhui, Yanhong, and Yanbi combined their power and indulged in violence. Eunuchs relied on them and grew arrogant. The emperor was displeased, but those he dismissed and expelled refused to go. Yin steadfastly requested that they all be executed. Quanhui and Yanhong saw the emperor and pleaded for mercy. The emperor knew those around him had leaked his words and then ordered that memorials be submitted in sealed pouches. Eunuchs further sought several dozen beautiful, literate women to attend the emperor as internal spies. Many of Yin's plans were thereby exposed.

始，張浚判度支，楊復恭以軍貲乏，奏假鹽曲一歲入以濟用度，遂不復還。至胤，乃白度支財盡，無以稟百官，請如舊制。全誨擿李繼筠訴軍中匱甚，請割三司隸神策。帝不能卻，詔罷胤領鹽鐵，胤銜之。

Initially Zhang Jun had charge of the Directorate of Public Works. Yang Fugong, finding military funds insufficient, memorialized to borrow one year's salt and brewing revenues to meet expenses — and they were never returned. When Yin took over, he reported that the Directorate's funds were exhausted and there were no means to supply the officials. He requested a return to the former system. Quanhui prompted Li Jijun to complain that the army was greatly depleted and requested that the Three Offices be carved out and placed under the Shence Army. The emperor could not refuse. An edict removed Yin from charge of salt and iron, and Yin harbored resentment.

全誨等懼帝誅己，與繼誨、彥弼、繼筠交通謀亂。帝問令狐渙，渙請召胤及全誨等宴內殿和解之。韓偓謂：「不如顯斥一二柄臣，許餘人自新，妄謀必息。不然皆自疑，禍且速，雖和解之，凶焰益肆。」帝乃止。是時全忠並河中，胤為急詔令入朝，又詒書曰：「上反正，公之力，而鳳翔入朝，引功自歸。今若後至，必先見討。」全忠得詔，還汴，悉師討全誨。帝以為忠，又欲其與茂貞同功，即詔並力。令胤詒二鎮書，示帝意。全忠取同州，汴兵凡七萬，威震關中。全誨等泣奏曰：「全忠且至，欲脅陛下幸關東，將謀傳禪。臣不忍見高祖天下移他姓，願至鳳翔，合義兵討元惡。」帝未許，方在乞巧樓，全誨急，即火其下，帝降樓，乃決西幸。彥弼等以帝未即駕，愈誖，宮中禁索苛亟，帝與後相視泣，宮人私逃出都，民崩沸，或奔開化坊依胤第自固，闬無留家。鳳翔軍與左神策兵陣大衢，長樂門外若丘墟然。於是日南至，百官不朝，帝坐思政殿。時彥弼先入鳳翔，全誨逼帝出，惟皇后、諸王數百騎為衛，帝繡袍、塗金帽，以右神策軍從，實天復元年十一月壬子。全誨等遂火宮城，繼誨、彥弼欲劫百官從天子，李德昭等按兵衛之，乃得免。茂貞以帝居盩厔。

Quanhui and the others feared the emperor would execute them. They colluded with Jihui, Yanbi, and Jijun to plot disorder. The emperor asked Linghu Huan. Huan suggested summoning Yin, Quanhui, and the others to a banquet in the inner palace to reconcile. Han Wo said, "Better to openly dismiss one or two power-holders and permit the rest to reform. Reckless plotting will surely cease. Otherwise everyone will suspect one another and disaster will come quickly. Even if you reconcile, their vicious boldness will only grow. The emperor thereupon abandoned the idea. At this time Quanzhong had also taken Hezhong. Yin issued an urgent edict summoning him to court and also wrote, "The sovereign was restored through your efforts, yet Fengxiang entered court and claimed the credit for himself. If you arrive later now, you will be punished first. Quanzhong received the edict, returned to Bian, and marched with all his forces to attack Quanhui. The emperor believed him loyal and also wished him to share the achievement with Maozhen. He immediately ordered them to join forces. Yin was ordered to send deceptive letters to the two prefectures, conveying the emperor's intent. Quanzhong took Tongzhou. Bian troops totaled seventy thousand, and their might shook Guanzhong. Quanhui and the others tearfully memorialized, saying, "Quanzhong is about to arrive. He wishes to coerce Your Majesty into going east to the pass lands and intends to plot the transfer of the Mandate. Your servants cannot bear to see the empire of High Ancestor pass to another surname. We wish to go to Fengxiang and gather righteous troops to punish the arch-villain. The emperor did not consent. He was then in the Begging-for-Skill Tower. Quanhui, in haste, set fire beneath it. The emperor descended the tower and only then resolved to go west on a progress. Yanbi and the others, because the emperor did not immediately depart, grew all the more defiant. Within the palace, searches were harsh and pressing. The emperor and the empress looked at each other and wept. Palace women secretly fled the capital. The people were in uproar; some ran to Kaifahua Ward to take refuge at Yin's residence, and no household kept its doors closed. Fengxiang troops and the Left Shence Army lined the great thoroughfare. Outside Changle Gate it was as desolate as a ruined mound. Then came the winter solstice. The hundred officials did not attend court, and the emperor sat in the Hall of Governance through Reflection. At that time Yanbi had already entered Fengxiang ahead of them. Quanhui pressed the emperor to depart. Only the empress and several hundred mounted princes' guards attended him. The emperor wore an embroidered robe and a gilt-coated cap, with the Right Shence Army following. It was in truth the renchen day of the eleventh month of the first year of Tianfu. Quanhui and the others then set fire to the palace city. Jihui and Yanbi wished to seize the hundred officials and force them to follow the Son of Heaven. Li Dezhao and others held their troops in check to guard them, and the officials were thus spared. Maozhen lodged the emperor at Zhouzhi.

全忠取華州，下令自釋曰：「吾被詔及得宰相書令入朝，既至，皆偽也。逆臣全誨震驚天子，脅乘輿出遷，暴露草莽，吾當入對言狀。」時公卿皆在長安，數日不聞朝廷敕畫。胤使王溥見全忠曰：「上猶在盩厔，公宜亟進。」群臣盧知猷等奏記全忠，請西迎天子，答曰：「進則似脅君，退則負國，然敢不勉？」胤率百官迎全忠灞橋，入舍長安一昔而西。

Quanzhong took Huazhou and issued an explanatory order of his own, saying, "I received an edict and also received the chief minister's letter ordering me to enter court. Once I arrived, both proved forged. The rebel minister Quanhui terrified the Son of Heaven, coerced the imperial carriage into exile abroad, and exposed him in the wild grasslands. I shall enter and speak face to face to report the facts. At that time the nobles and chief ministers were all in Chang'an. For several days they heard no edicts or orders from the court. Yin sent Wang Fu to see Quanzhong and say, "The sovereign is still at Zhouzhi. You should advance at once. The assembled ministers Lu Zhiyou and others submitted a letter to Quanzhong requesting that he go west to welcome the Son of Heaven. He replied, "To advance seems like coercing the sovereign; to withdraw means failing the realm — yet how dare I not do my utmost?" Yin led the hundred officials to welcome Quanzhong at Ba Bridge. He lodged one night in Chang'an and then went west.

茂貞聞全忠至，以帝入鳳翔，從臣才三四人。全忠遣楊達、裴鑄入鳳翔，奉表天子。汴部將康懷英襲破李繼昭於武功，禽馘六千級。全誨懼，請救於李克用。克用遺全忠書，勸執崔胤，洗海內謗，全忠不答，進屯鳳翔東偏。茂貞登城隃語曰：「天子厭災於此，讒人誤公來，公當入覲。」全忠曰：「宦官脅驚乘輿，吾以兵問罪，迎上東還。王非同謀者，尚何所言？」明日，圍鳳翔，茂貞不出。帝遣中人詔全忠班師，不奉詔。使者再往，全忠聽命，引兵攻邠州，李繼徽嬰城三日乃降。質其妻，復使繼徽守，回壁三原。胤與鄭元規至三原，邀說全忠。全忠亦自聞茂貞將戰，徙營渭北，據高原，戰不勝。全忠夜入盩厔，拔藍田，復屯三原。

When Maozhen learned that Quanzhong had arrived, he brought the emperor into Fengxiang. Attending ministers numbered only three or four. Quanzhong dispatched Yang Da and Pei Zhu into Fengxiang to present a memorial to the Son of Heaven. The Bian commander Kang Huaiying launched a surprise attack and defeated Li Jizhao at Wugong, capturing and beheading six thousand men. Quanhui was afraid and requested aid from Li Keyong. Keyong sent Quanzhong a letter urging him to arrest Cui Yin and clear away slander throughout the realm. Quanzhong did not reply and advanced to encamp on the eastern flank of Fengxiang. Maozhen climbed the wall and called across, saying, "The Son of Heaven has come here to escape calamity. Slanderers misled you into coming. You should enter and have an audience. Quanzhong said, "The eunuchs coerced and terrified the imperial carriage. I come with troops to demand accountability and to welcome the sovereign back east. Wang is no accomplice — what more is there to say?" The next day he besieged Fengxiang. Maozhen did not come out. The emperor sent a palace envoy to order Quanzhong to withdraw his armies. He did not obey the edict. When the envoy went again, Quanzhong obeyed the order and led his troops to attack Binzhou. Li Jihui held the city for three days and then surrendered. Quanzhong kept Jihui's wife as a hostage, restored Jihui to the defense, and withdrew his encampment to Sanyuan. Yin and Zheng Yuangui went to Sanyuan to intercept Quanzhong and persuade him. Quanzhong himself also heard that Maozhen was about to give battle. He moved his camp north of the Wei River and took the high ground, but was defeated in battle. Quanzhong entered Zhouzhi by night, took Lantian, and again encamped at Sanyuan.

時李克用攻慈、隰，救鳳翔，全忠還河中。克用部將李嗣昭戰數不利，全忠取晉、汾二州，嗣昭遁還河東。全忠曰：「此茂貞所倚，今敗矣，何能久乎？」胤復說全忠曰：「宦豎謀擁帝入蜀。」且泣。全忠執其手，乃定計迎天子。會朱友寧敗岐兵於莫父，居人皆入保。全忠以精甲五萬與茂貞決戰，岐兵敗，仆屍萬餘，茂貞帳下八百人就縛，乃嬰城，自夏訖冬，兵連不能解，勝敗略相償。援軍十餘壁，數為全忠擾襲，不得進，城中日困。全忠由是取鳳、鄜、坊、成、隴等州，間劫鈔以佐軍餉，故能不乏。茂貞疑帝與全忠有密約，增甲士守宮殿。

At that time Li Keyong was attacking Ci and Xi to rescue Fengxiang. Quanzhong returned to Hezhong. Keyong's commander Li Sizhao suffered repeated defeats in battle. Quanzhong took Jin and Fen prefectures, and Sizhao fled back to Hedong. Quanzhong said, "This is what Maozhen relied upon. Now he is defeated — how long can he hold out? Yin again urged Quanzhong, saying, "The eunuchs are plotting to take the sovereign into Shu." And he wept as he spoke. Quanzhong took his hand and thereupon settled on a plan to welcome the Son of Heaven. At that time Zhu Youning defeated the Qi army at Mofu. The inhabitants all withdrew into fortified settlements. Quanzhong brought fifty thousand picked armored troops to fight a decisive battle with Maozhen. The Qi army was defeated, and more than ten thousand corpses were strewn about. Eight hundred men under Maozhen's own command were bound on the spot. He then held the city fast. From summer until winter the fighting continued without relief, and victory and defeat were roughly equal. More than a dozen relief encampments were repeatedly harried and raided by Quanzhong and could not advance. Inside the city, conditions grew daily more desperate. Quanzhong thereby took Feng, Fu, Fang, Cheng, Long, and other prefectures and intermittently raided for plunder to supplement army provisions, and so his supplies did not run short. Maozhen suspected that the emperor had a secret pact with Quanzhong and increased armored guards around the palace halls.

初，帝至鳳翔，有鴉數萬棲殿樹，謂之神鴉。俄而鴉不來，人以為恐。全誨等小人既勢窘，更相怨疾，不復遠慮。時財用窶短，帝輟所御膳賜全誨等，三讓，帝曰：「難得時欲同味耳。」茂貞食鲊美，帝曰：「此後池魚。」茂貞曰：「臣養魚以候天子。」聞者皆駭。

At first, when the emperor reached Fengxiang, tens of thousands of crows roosted in the palace trees. They were called the Spirit Crows. Before long the crows came no more, and people took it as an omen of dread. Quanhui and the other petty men, their power now straitened, turned on one another in mutual resentment and no longer looked far ahead. At that time funds were exhausted and supplies scarce. The emperor set aside his own imperial meal and bestowed it on Quanhui and the others. They thrice declined. The emperor said, "These are hard times — we only wish to share the same fare. Maozhen found the pickled fish delicious. The emperor said, "Those are fish from the rear pond." Maozhen said, "Your servant raised these fish awaiting the Son of Heaven." All who heard it were appalled.

於是全忠軍攻東城，焚橋鏖戰，部將李繼寵出降，茂貞懼，密圖誅中官以紓難。先遺書曰：「禍亂之生，全誨首之。變興倉卒，故迎天子至此。且公未至，懼它盜馮陵。公既志輔社稷，請奉乘輿還宮，仆願以敝賦從。」全忠然許，然軍稍薄城，大謼者三，岐軍皆投塹，無鬥意。帝召茂貞、全誨、彥弼及宰相蘇檢、李繼岌、繼忠議，和已決，中官復沮罷。它日，帝召茂貞等曰：「十六宅諸王日奏餒死者十三，王、公主、夫人皆間日食，今又將竭，奈何？」皆不敢對。有衛士十餘人叩左銀臺門，遮全誨罵曰：「破一州，餓死者十萬，徒以軍容數人耳！」全誨詣茂貞叩頭訴，茂貞謝曰：「士伍亦何知？」復訴於帝，帝不許。李繼昭見全誨曰：「昔楊軍容破楊守亮一族，今驃騎復破吾族乎？」罵之，乃出降。宦豎數傳援軍至，皆相賀，百姓笑曰：「紿我乎！」

Thereupon Quanzhong's army attacked the eastern wall, burned the bridges, and fought fiercely. His commander Li Jichong surrendered. Maozhen was afraid and secretly plotted to execute the palace eunuchs to ease the crisis. He first sent a letter saying, "The birth of calamity and rebellion — Quanhui led it. The uprising arose in haste, and so I welcomed the Son of Heaven here. Moreover, before you arrived I feared other robbers would encroach. Since you are minded to assist the altars of state, please receive the imperial carriage back to the palace. Your humble servant is willing to follow with what little strength remains to him. Quanzhong agreed in principle, yet his army gradually pressed close to the city. Three great battle cries went up. The Qi troops all leapt into the moat and had no will to fight. The emperor summoned Maozhen, Quanhui, Yanbi, and the chief ministers Su Jian, Li Jiji, and Li Jizhong to consult. Peace had already been decided, but the eunuchs again obstructed and stopped it. On another day the emperor summoned Maozhen and the others and said, "The princes of the Sixteen Residences report daily that thirteen have died of starvation. Princes, princesses, and consorts all eat only every other day. Now supplies are again nearly exhausted — what is to be done? None dared reply. More than ten guardsmen knocked at the Left Silver Terrace Gate, intercepted Quanhui, and cursed him, saying, "You wreck one prefecture and a hundred thousand starve to death — all for the sake of a few Directors of the Army! Quanhui went to Maozhen, kowtowed, and pleaded his case. Maozhen apologized, saying, "What do common soldiers know?" He again appealed to the emperor, but the emperor would not consent. Li Jizhao saw Quanhui and said, "In former days Director Yang destroyed Yang Shouliang's entire clan. Will the Flying Cavalry General now destroy our clan as well? He cursed him and thereupon went out to surrender. The eunuchs repeatedly announced that relief troops had arrived, and all congratulated one another. The common people laughed and said, "Are you fooling us?"

是時，全忠合四鎮兵十餘萬，營壘相屬，晝夜攻。外兵詬守者曰：「劫天子賊」，守者亦詬外曰「奪天子賊」。諸鎮見崔胤檄，皆狐疑不出師，唯青州節度使王師範取兗州，襲華州，李克用攻晉州以為援。全忠懼，圍益急。全誨等素譎險，常為全忠、胤所憚，乃請先殺之，以迎天子。帝既惡宦人脅遷，而茂貞又其黨，全忠雖外示順，終悖逆，皆不可倚。欲狩襄、漢，依趙匡凝，然不得去，乃定計歸全忠，以紓近禍。

At this time Quanzhong assembled troops from four prefectures, more than a hundred thousand in all. Camps stretched in unbroken succession, and they attacked day and night. The outer troops insulted the defenders as "bandits who seized the Son of Heaven." The defenders likewise insulted those outside as "bandits who would wrest away the Son of Heaven." When the various prefectures saw Cui Yin's proclamation, all hesitated in doubt and did not march forth. Only Qingzhou military commissioner Wang Shifan took Yanzhou and raided Huazhou, while Li Keyong attacked Jinzhou as relief. Quanzhong was afraid and pressed the siege all the more fiercely. Quanhui and the others had always been cunning and ruthless, and Quanzhong and Yin feared them alike. Maozhen therefore requested that they be killed first in order to welcome the Son of Heaven. The emperor already detested the eunuchs for coercing his removal. Maozhen was their partisan, and Quanzhong, though outwardly submissive, was in the end rebellious — none could be relied upon. He wished to hunt in Xiang and Han and rely on Zhao Kuangning, yet could not get away. He then settled on a plan to go over to Quanzhong to relieve the immediate calamity.

三年正月，茂貞請遣使諭全忠軍，詔崔構挾中人郭遵誨往，既行，又命宮人寵顏馳見全忠，諭密旨，乃以蔣玄暉入衛。二日，茂貞獨見，至日旰，全誨、彥弘恨甚，逮食，不能捉匕，自見勢去，計無所用，垂頭喪氣。帝召韓偓見東橫門，執手涕泗。帝曰：「今先去四大惡，餘以次誅矣。」於是內養八輩候廷中授命，每二輩以衛士十人取一首，俄而全誨、彥弘、易簡、敬容皆死。即詔第五可範為左軍都尉，王知古、揚虔朗為樞密使，知古領上院，虔朗領下院。繼筠、繼誨、彥弼皆伏誅，茂貞取其輜重。是夜，誅內諸司使韋處廷等二十二人，悉以首內布囊，詔蔣玄暉、學士薛貽矩送全忠，曰：「是皆不肯使乘輿東者，既斬之矣。」全忠大喜，遍告軍中，以姚洎為岐、汴通和使。全忠詒茂貞書曰：「宦者乘陴詈不已，曰『稟王旨』，是乎？」茂貞懼，復誅小使李繼彜等十人，於是開壘門。全忠猶攻北壘，帝遣寵顏賜御巾箱寶器，使罷兵，又捕殺中官七十人，全忠亦使京兆誅黨與百餘人。

In the first month of the third year, Maozhen requested sending envoys to instruct Quanzhong's army. An edict ordered Cui Gou to go accompanied by the palace eunuch Guo Zunhui. After they had set out, the emperor also ordered the palace woman Chongyan to ride posthaste to see Quanzhong and convey a secret decree. Jiang Xuanhui was then sent in as a guard. On the second day Maozhen had a private audience that lasted until sunset. Quanhui and Yanhong felt intense hatred. When food was brought they could not hold a spoon. Seeing that their power had departed and their schemes availed nothing, they hung their heads in dejection. The emperor summoned Han Wo to meet him at the East Cross Gate, took his hand, and wept. The emperor said, "Now first remove the Four Great Evils. The rest will be executed in order. Thereupon eight Inner Caretakers waited in the court to receive orders. Each pair, with ten guardsmen, took one head. Before long Quanhui, Yanhong, Yijian, and Jingrong were all dead. An edict immediately appointed Diwu Kefan Director of the Left Army, and Wang Zhigu and Yang Qianlang as Palace Secretaries — Zhigu headed the Upper Bureau and Qianlang the Lower Bureau. Jijun, Jihui, and Yanbi were all executed. Maozhen took their baggage train. That same night, twenty-two Directors of the Inner Offices, including Wei Chuting, were executed. All their heads were placed in cloth sacks. An edict ordered Jiang Xuanhui and academician Xue Yiju to deliver them to Quanzhong, saying, "These all refused to let the imperial carriage go east. They have now been beheaded. Quanzhong was greatly pleased and proclaimed it throughout the army. Yao Ji was appointed envoy for peace between Qi and Bian. Quanzhong sent Maozhen a deceptive letter, saying, "The eunuchs mount the ramparts and curse without cease, saying 'By the Prince's order' — is this so? Maozhen was afraid and again executed ten junior envoys including Li Jiyi. Thereupon the camp gates were opened. Quanzhong still attacked the northern encampment. The emperor sent Chongyan to bestow imperial towel-caskets and precious vessels and order a halt to fighting. Seventy palace eunuchs were also seized and killed. Quanzhong likewise had the metropolitan prefect execute more than a hundred of their associates.

天子入全忠軍，全忠泥首素服，待罪客省，傳呼徹三仗，有詔釋全忠罪，使朝服見。全忠伏地泣曰：「老臣位將相，勤王無狀，使陛下及此，臣之罪也。」帝亦嗚咽，命韓偓起之，解玉帶以賜，召之食。帝顧衛兵，或有憤發者，因履系解，目全忠：「為吾系之。」全忠跪結履，汗浹於背，而左右莫敢動。是夜，帝三召，皆辭，朱友倫以兵衛帝。

The Son of Heaven entered Quanzhong's army. Quanzhong, forehead smeared with mud and dressed in plain white, awaited judgment in the visitors' office. Three rounds of clearance were called. An edict released Quanzhong from guilt and permitted him to appear in court dress. Quanzhong prostrated himself and wept, saying, "This old minister holds rank as general and chief minister. My rescue of the throne was inept and brought Your Majesty to this pass — that is my crime. The emperor also sobbed. He ordered Han Wo to raise him up, undid his jade belt and bestowed it on him, and summoned him to eat. The emperor glanced at the guard soldiers; some looked ready to erupt in fury. His shoe thong came undone. He fixed his gaze on Quanzhong and said, "Tie it for me. Quanzhong knelt and tied the shoe. Sweat soaked through to his back, yet those on either side did not dare move. That night the emperor summoned him three times, and each time he declined. Zhu Youlun guarded the emperor with troops.

李克用引軍去，帝還京師。胤、全忠議，盡誅第五可範等八百餘人於內侍省，哀號之聲聞於路，留單弱數十人，備宮中灑掃。胤以鎮人性謹厚，即詔王镕擇五十人為敕使，內諸司宦官主領者皆罷。於是追諸道監軍，所在賜死，其財產籍入之。詔以中官脅遷狀及全忠迎乘輿本末告方鎮，罷監軍院，咸視國初故事，以三十人為員，衣黃衣，不得養子。內諸司皆歸省若寺，兩軍內外八鎮兵悉屬六軍。全忠還汴州，帝以第五可範等無辜，頗悼之，為文以祭。自是宣傳詔命，皆以宮人。

Li Keyong withdrew his army, and the emperor returned to the capital. Yin and Quanzhong agreed to execute more than eight hundred men, including Diwu Kefan, entirely within the Palace Domestic Service. Their cries of grief were heard in the streets. A few dozen feeble ones were left for palace sweeping and cleaning. Yin held that men from the provinces were cautious and steady. An edict at once ordered Wang Rong to select fifty men as Imperial Dispatch Envoys, and all eunuch supervisors of the inner offices were dismissed. Thereupon envoys were sent to recall the Military Supervisors from each circuit. Wherever found, they were granted death, and their property was registered and confiscated. An edict reported to the regional prefectures the circumstances of the eunuchs' coerced removal and the full account of Quanzhong's reception of the imperial carriage. The Supervisory Corps was abolished. All were to follow the founding precedents of the dynasty: a quota of thirty, wearing yellow robes, and forbidden to adopt sons. The inner offices all reverted to ministries or directorates. Troops of the Two Armies, inner and outer, and the Eight Garrisons all came under the Six Armies. Quanzhong returned to Bianzhou. The emperor, considering Diwu Kefan and the others innocent, mourned them deeply and composed a text to offer sacrifice. From this time forward, proclamations and edicts were all conveyed by palace women.

始，劉季述專廢立，中人皆與聞。帝反正，誅季述及薛齊偓數族而已，餘貸不問；又悔之，後稍稍誅夷，群宦浸不安。時帝懲幽辱，能勵心庶政，數召見群臣問治道，有志中興，而全誨、胤爭權，外召強臣，劫本朝以相吞嚙，卒用關東軍窮討暴誅，君側雖清，而全忠勢遂張，帝卒弒死，唐室以亡，其禍本於全誨、彥弘云。贊贊曰：袁紹誅常侍以逞，而曹操移漢；崔丞相血軍容甘心焉，而朱溫篡唐。大抵假威柄於外，以內攘奸人，則大臣專，王室卑矣。漢、唐相去五百歲，產亂取亡猶蹈一轍，非天所廢，而人謀洄刺乃然邪！

At the beginning, when Liu Jishu monopolized deposition and enthronement, all the palace eunuchs were privy to it. When the emperor was restored to the throne, he executed only the clans of Jishu and Xue Qipu; the rest were pardoned without inquiry; he later regretted this and gradually executed more; the eunuchs as a group grew increasingly uneasy. The emperor, chastened by his humiliating confinement, applied himself to government and often summoned ministers to ask about the way of rule, intent on restoring the dynasty; yet Quanhui and Yin contended for power, summoned strong regional commanders from without, and seized the court to devour one another. In the end they employed the armies east of the Pass in exhaustive pursuit and violent executions — though those beside the throne were cleared, Quanzhong's power then expanded; the emperor was assassinated and the house of Tang perished. The root of the calamity, it is said, lay with Quanhui and Yanhong. The commentator says: Yuan Shao killed the Regular Attendants to gratify himself, and Cao Cao displaced Han; Chief Minister Cui was content to bathe the army commissioner in blood, and Zhu Wen usurped Tang. In general, when one borrows authority from without to purge villains within, great ministers grow monopolistic and the royal house is humbled. Han and Tang were five hundred years apart, yet disorder and ruin still followed the same track — was it not Heaven's abandonment, but human schemes circling and stabbing that made it so!

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