Volume 211 Biographies 136: Buffer Region Zhenji

藩鎮鎮冀

The Zhen-Ji Buffer Region.

李寶臣字為輔，本范陽內屬奚也。善騎射。范陽將張鎖高畜為假子，故冒其姓，名忠誌。為盧龍府果毅，常覘虜陰山，追騎及，射六人盡殪，乃還。為安祿山射生，從入朝，留為射生子弟，出入禁中。祿山反，遁歸，更為祿山假子，使將驍騎十八人，劫太原尹楊光翙，挾以出，追兵萬餘不敢逼。又督精甲軍土門，以扼井陘。事安慶緒為恒州刺史。九節度師圍相州也，忠誌懼，歸命於朝，肅宗即授故官，封密雲郡公。史思明度河，忠誌復叛，勒兵三萬固守，賊將辛萬寶屯恒州相掎角。思明死，忠誌不肯事朝義，使裨將王武俊殺萬寶，挈恒、趙、深、定、易五州以獻。雍王東討，開土門納王師，助攻莫州。朝義平，擢禮部尚書，封趙國公，名其軍曰成德，即拜節度使，賜鐵券許不死，它賫與不貲，賜姓及名。於是遂有恒、定、易、趙、深、冀六州地，馬五千，步卒五萬，財用豐衍，益招來亡命，雄冠山東。與薛嵩、田承嗣、李正己、梁崇義相姻嫁，急熱為表裹。先是天寶中，玄宗冶金自為象，州率置祠，更賊亂，悉毀以為貲，而恒獨存，故見寵異，加賜實封。

Li Baochen, whose courtesy name was Weifu, was originally a Xi tribesman affiliated with Fanyang. He was skilled in horsemanship and archery. The Fanyang commander Zhang Suogao adopted him as a foster son, and he accordingly took Zhang's surname and the personal name Zhongzhi. As a guoyi officer in the Lulong command, he often reconnoitered toward the Yin Mountains; when enemy riders overtook him, he killed six of them and made his way back. He served An Lushan as a master of the hunt, accompanied him to the capital, and was retained in the imperial hunting corps with access to the inner palace. When Lushan rose in rebellion, he slipped away and returned, was again made Lushan's foster son, and led eighteen crack horsemen to seize the Taiyuan prefect Yang Guangbi and escort him out; over ten thousand pursuers dared not close in. He also directed crack armored troops at Tumen to hold the Jingxing Pass. Under An Qingxu he served as prefect of Hengzhou. When the armies of nine commissioners besieged Xiangzhou, Zhongzhi, fearing for himself, defected to the court; Emperor Suzong immediately reappointed him to his former post and created him Duke of Miyun. After Shi Siming crossed the Yellow River, Zhongzhi rebelled once more, rallied thirty thousand troops for a stubborn defense, and coordinated with the rebel general Xin Wanbao, who held Hengzhou as a counterweight. After Siming's death, Zhongzhi would not submit to Chaoyi; he had his deputy Wang Wujun kill Wanbao and surrendered the five prefectures of Heng, Zhao, Shen, Ding, and Yi. During the Prince of Yong's eastern campaign, he opened Tumen to the imperial forces and took part in the attack on Mozhou. After Chaoyi's defeat he was promoted to Minister of Rites, created Duke of Zhao, and gave his army the name Chengde; he was immediately appointed military commissioner, granted an iron certificate of immunity, showered with rewards beyond measure, and bestowed an imperial surname and personal name. He now controlled the six prefectures of Heng, Ding, Yi, Zhao, Shen, and Ji, with five thousand cavalry and fifty thousand foot soldiers; his resources were ample, he steadily drew in desperate men, and his might was unmatched in the east. He formed marriage alliances with Xue Song, Tian Chengsi, Li Zhengji, and Liang Chongyi, and they were bound together in the closest mutual dependence. In the Tianbao period, Emperor Xuanzong had statues cast in his likeness and each prefecture was expected to maintain a shrine; during the rebellions nearly all were melted down for money, but the one at Heng alone remained intact, and for this he received exceptional favor and an added substantive enfeoffment.

始，寶臣與正己素為承嗣所易。其弟寶正，承嗣婿也，往依魏，與承嗣子維擊球，馬駭，觸維死，承嗣怒，囚之，以告寶臣，寶臣謝教不謹，進杖，欲使示責，而承嗣遂鞭殺之，由是交惡。乃與正己共劾承嗣可討狀。代宗欲其自相圖，則勢離易制，即詔寶臣與朱滔及太原兵攻其北，正己與滑亳、河陽、江淮兵攻其南。師會棗強，椎牛饗軍，寶臣厚賜士，而正己頗觳，軍怨望，正己懼有變，即引去。惟滔、寶臣攻滄州，歷年未下，擊宗城，殘之，斬二千級。承嗣弟廷琳方守貝州，遣高嵩巖將兵三千戍宗城，寶臣使張孝忠攻破之，斬嵩巖，逸所執將四十餘人。會王武俊執賊大將盧子期，遂降洺、瀛。當是時，河南諸將敗田悅於陳留，正己取德州，欲頗窮討。承嗣懼，乃甘言紿正己，正己止屯，諸軍亦莫敢進。

Baochen and Zhengji had long been treated with contempt by Chengsi. His younger brother Baozheng, who was married into Chengsi's family, went to Wei and played cuju with Chengsi's son Wei; a horse panicked, struck Wei, and killed him. Chengsi flew into a rage, imprisoned Baozheng, and notified Baochen; Baochen apologized for poor discipline and sent whipping rods as a token of punishment, but Chengsi had Baozheng beaten to death anyway, and from that time the two were bitter foes. He and Zhengji then jointly memorialized the throne with grounds for campaigning against Chengsi. Daizong wanted them to tear one another apart so that, once split, they would be easier to manage; he accordingly ordered Baochen, Zhu Tao, and the Taiyuan army to strike from the north, while Zhengji advanced from the south with the Hua-Bo, Heyang, and Jiang-Huai troops. When the armies assembled at Zaoqiang and slaughtered cattle for a feast, Baochen lavished rewards on the troops while Zhengji was notably tight-fisted; the men grew discontent, Zhengji feared a revolt, and pulled his forces away. Only Tao and Baochen pressed the siege of Cangzhou, which for years would not fall; they attacked Zongcheng, laid it waste, and took two thousand heads. Chengsi's brother Tinglin held Beizhou and sent Gao Songyan with three thousand men to garrison Zongcheng; Baochen sent Zhang Xiaozhong to defeat them, executed Songyan, and freed more than forty captured commanders. Wang Wujun then captured the rebel commander Lu Ziqi, and the prefectures of Luo and Ying submitted. About then the generals of the Henan front defeated Tian Yue at Chenliu; Zhengji seized Dezhou and wanted to drive the campaign to a finish. Chengsi, alarmed, flattered Zhengji with smooth talk; Zhengji held his army in place, and the other columns dared not press forward either.

於是天子遣中人馬希倩勞寶臣，寶臣歸使者百縑，使者恚，抵諸道，寶臣顧左右愧甚。諸將已休，獨武俊佩刀立所下，語之故。武俊計曰：「趙兵有功尚爾，使賊平，天子幅紙召置京師，一匹夫耳。」曰：「奈何？」對曰：「養魏以為資，上策也。」寶臣曰：「趙、魏有釁，何從而可？」對曰：「勢同患均，轉寇讎為父子，咳唾間耳。朱滔屯滄州，請禽送魏，可以取信。」寶臣然之。

The emperor then dispatched the eunuch Ma Xiqian to congratulate Baochen; Baochen sent the envoy away with a gift of a hundred bolts of silk; the envoy took offense and told the story everywhere; Baochen glanced at his attendants, utterly mortified. The other generals had already withdrawn; only Wujun, sword at his belt, remained below the hall and explained what had happened. Wujun said, "Even with merit, the Zhao army is treated like this; once the rebels are crushed, the emperor will recall you to the capital with a single edict and you will be nothing but a private citizen. Baochen asked, "What can we do?" Wujun answered, "The best course is to keep Wei alive as your leverage." Baochen said, "Zhao and Wei are already at odds—how could that work?" He replied, "You share the same peril; turning sworn enemies into allies is the work of a moment. Zhu Tao holds Cangzhou; offer to seize him and hand him over to Wei, and you will win their confidence." Baochen assented.

先是，承嗣知寶臣少長范陽，心常欲得之。乃勒石若讖者瘞之境，教望氣者雲有王氣。寶臣掘得之，文曰：「二帝同功勢萬全，將田作伴入幽燕。」「帝」謂寶臣與正己為二。而陰使客說曰：「公與滔共攻滄，即有功，利歸天子，公於何賴？誠能赦承嗣罪，請奉滄州入諸趙，願取范陽以報。公以騎前驅，承嗣以步卒從，此萬全勢也。」寶臣喜得滄州，又見語與讖會，遂陰交承嗣而圖幽州，承嗣陳兵出次以自驗。寶臣謬謂滔使曰：「吾聞朱公貌若神，願繪而觀可乎？」滔即圖以示之。寶臣置圖射堂，大會諸將，熟視曰：「信神人也！」密選精卒二千，夜馳三百里欲劫滔，戒曰：「取彼貌如射堂者。」時二軍不相虞，忽聞變，滔大駭，戰瓦橋，敗，衣佗服得脫，禽類滔者以歸承嗣。承嗣知釁成，還軍入堡，使人謝寶臣曰：「河內方有警，未暇從公。石讖，吾戲為耳！」寶臣慚而還。俄進封隴西郡王，又拜同中書門下平章事。德宗立，拜司空。

Chengsi knew that Baochen had spent his youth in Fanyang and had long coveted his allegiance. He had a stone inscribed like a prophecy buried on the frontier and coached diviners to declare that royal qi was present there. Baochen unearthed it; the inscription read, "Two emperors share in merit and all is secure; take Tian as your partner and enter Youyan together. The "two emperors" referred to Baochen and Zhengji. He secretly sent an envoy who said, "If you and Tao take Cangzhou together, any glory will go to the throne—what will be left for you? If you will pardon Chengsi's offenses, he offers to surrender Cangzhou to Zhao and will seize Fanyang for you in repayment. You advance with cavalry while Chengsi follows with foot soldiers—a plan without flaw. Delighted at gaining Cangzhou and seeing the message match the prophecy, Baochen secretly aligned with Chengsi against Youzhou; Chengsi marched his army out to show good faith. Baochen deceived Tao's envoy, saying, "They say Lord Zhu looks almost divine—may I have a portrait made to see for myself? Tao promptly had a likeness painted and sent it over. Baochen hung the portrait in the archery hall, summoned his generals, gazed at it intently, and declared, "He truly looks like a god among men! He secretly picked two thousand crack troops, galloped three hundred li through the night to abduct Tao, and ordered, "Seize whoever looks like the man in the archery hall." Neither army expected treachery; when the attack erupted Tao was terrified; at Waqiao he was beaten, swapped clothes with another man and slipped away, while someone who resembled him was seized and presented to Chengsi. Once the trap had worked, Chengsi pulled his troops back into his stronghold and sent word to Baochen: "There is trouble in the interior—I cannot join you just now. The stone prophecy was only a joke of mine! Humiliated, Baochen marched home. Shortly afterward he was promoted to Prince of Longxi and named Associate Director of the Secretariat with full ministerial standing. When Emperor Dezong came to the throne, Baochen was appointed Grand Preceptor.

寶臣晚節尤猜忌，自顧子惟嶽且暗弱，恐下不服，即殺骨鯁將辛忠義、盧俶、許崇俊、張南容、張彭老等二十餘人，籍入其貲，眾乃攜貳。寶臣既貯異志，引妖人作讖兆，為丹書、靈芝、朱草，齋別室，築壇置銀盤、金匜、玉，猥曰：「內產甘露液神酒。」刻玉印，告其下曰：「天瑞自至。」眾莫敢辨者。妖人復言：「當有玉印自天下，海內不戰而定。」寶臣大悅，厚賫金帛。既而畏事露且誅，詐曰：「公飲甘露液，可與天神接。」密置堇於液，寶臣已飲即瘖，三日死，年六十四。惟嶽悉誅殺妖人，時建中二年也。遺表請以惟嶽領軍，詒書執政諉家事，歸節於朝，詔贈太傅。

In his last years Baochen grew intensely paranoid; knowing his son Weiyue was dim and feeble, he feared the troops would not obey the heir and executed more than twenty stalwart commanders—including Xin Zhongyi, Lu Chu, Xu Chongjun, Zhang Nanrong, and Zhang Penglao—seizing their estates, until the army itself turned disloyal. Harbouring designs against the throne, Baochen enlisted sorcerers to manufacture portents—red scriptures, lingzhi mushrooms, crimson herbs—and kept a private fasting chamber with an altar furnished with silver dishes, golden cups, and jade, claiming falsely that "sweet dew and divine wine are produced within. He had a jade seal carved and told his followers, "Heaven sends its own omens." No one dared challenge him. The sorcerer added, "A jade seal will descend from heaven and the realm will be pacified without a fight. Baochen was delighted and heaped gold and silk upon him. Fearing discovery and his own death, the sorcerer lied, "Drink the sweet dew, my lord, and you may commune with the gods. He secretly poisoned the draught with aconite; Baochen drank, was struck mute, and died three days later at sixty-four. Weiyue had every sorcerer put to death; this was in the second year of the Jianzhong era. In his dying memorial he asked that Weiyue take command; a letter to the central ministers blamed domestic troubles and offered to return his commission to the court; the throne posthumously appointed him Grand Tutor.

惟嶽少為行軍司馬、恒州刺史，寶臣死，軍中推為留後，求襲父位，帝不許。趣護喪還京師，以張孝忠代之。田悅為請，不聽。遂與悅、李正己謀拒命。府小史胡震、私人王他奴等專畫反計。府屬邵真泣曰：「先公位將相，恩甚厚，而大夫違命缞绖中，愚固惑焉。魏近且與國，不可遽絕，絕之速禍，請厚禮遣其使，徐更圖之；齊遠而交疏，不如械使者送京師，且請致討。上嘉大夫忠，所請宜許。」惟嶽寤，使真作奏。震與將吏議不可，惟嶽又從之。其舅谷從政，豪俊士也，切諫不納。

Weiyue had served as campaigning deputy and prefect of Hengzhou; when Baochen died the troops made him acting commissioner and petitioned for him to succeed his father, but the emperor refused. He was ordered to return to the capital for the funeral while Zhang Xiaozhong was named to replace him. Tian Yue interceded for him, but the court would not relent. He then conspired with Yue and Li Zhengji to resist the throne. The clerk Hu Zhen and the household retainer Wang Tanu took charge of plotting rebellion. The staff officer Shao Zhen wept and said, "Your father rose to general and minister and received the deepest favor, yet you defy the court even while wearing mourning—I cannot understand it. Wei is close at hand and still our ally; to break with them abruptly would invite disaster—treat their envoy generously and bide your time; Qi is distant and our bond thin—better to bind their envoy and send him to the capital, and ask the throne to strike them down. The emperor will reward your loyalty, and your request will surely be granted. Weiyue was persuaded and had Zhen draft a memorial to the throne. Hu Zhen and the officers argued against it, and Weiyue again sided with them. His uncle Gu Congzheng, a man of force and talent, pleaded urgently in vain.

於是張孝忠以易州歸天子，天子詔朱滔與孝忠合兵討惟嶽，盡赦吏士，購惟嶽首有賞。惟嶽與滔戰束鹿，大奔。遂圍深州。明年正月，率兵萬餘，使王武俊爭束鹿，田悅亦遣孟祐來助。武俊以精兵先陷陣，師卻。滔繢帛為狻猊，使壯士百人蒙以噪，趨惟嶽軍，馬駭軍亂，因大敗，火其營去。於是深州日急，悅亦嬰城矣。惟嶽懼，召真議遣使詣河東馬燧，令其弟惟簡見帝，斬大將謝罪，以兵屬鄭詵，身朝京師。孟祐知其謀，走告悅，悅使扈岌來讓曰：「敝邑暴兵，本為君索命節，豈為叛逆耶？雖見破於馬燧，而感激士大夫乘城拒守，以為後圖。今君信邵真讒間，欲歸悅之罪，以自湔蕩，何負而然！不則遣祐還軍，無遺王師禽。若能誅真以徇，請事公如初。」惟嶽懦不能決，畢華見曰：「大夫與魏盟未久，魏雖被圍，彼多蓄積，未可下。齊兵勁地廣，裾帶山河，所謂東秦險固之國，與相持維，足以抗天下。夫背義不詳，輕慮生禍。且孟祐驍將，王武俊善戰，前日逐滔，滔僅免，今合兩將，破滔必矣。惟審圖之！」惟嶽見深圍未解，畏祐還，乃斬真以謝悅。明日復戰，又大敗。而康日知舉趙州聽命，惟嶽益困，乃付牙將衛常寧兵五千，而俾王武俊騎八百攻日知。

Zhang Xiaozhong then surrendered Yizhou to the emperor, who ordered Zhu Tao and Xiaozhong to join forces against Weiyue, granted a general amnesty to his followers, and posted a bounty for Weiyue's head. Weiyue met Tao at Shulu and was routed. The imperial armies then laid siege to Shenzhou. In the first month of the next year he led over ten thousand men, sent Wang Wujun to recover Shulu, and Tian Yue dispatched Meng You to help. Wujun led the crack troops in a frontal assault, but the army was driven back. Tao had silk fashioned into lion masks; a hundred strong men wore them, raised a deafening roar, and charged Weiyue's lines; the horses panicked, the ranks broke, and Weiyue was routed and burned his camp in retreat. The siege of Shenzhou tightened by the day, and Yue too was trapped inside his walls. Alarmed, Weiyue called Zhen to plan sending envoys to Ma Sui in Hedong, dispatching his brother Weijian to the emperor, executing a senior commander as an apology, handing the army to Zheng Shen, and going to the capital in person. Meng You discovered the plan and fled to warn Yue, who sent Hu Ji to rebuke Weiyue: "We took up arms only to win you your father's commission—when did we become rebels? Though Ma Sui has beaten us, our gentlemen still hold the walls out of loyalty—we are planning for the long term. Now you heed Shao Zhen's slanders and would shift the blame onto us to clear your own name—what have we done to you! Otherwise send Meng You back with his troops—do not leave him to be taken by the imperial army. Execute Zhen as a warning, and we will stand with you as before. Weiyue, too weak-willed to decide, heard Bi Hua say, "Your pact with Wei is fresh; though besieged, they have ample stores and will not fall quickly. Qi's army is fierce and its lands vast, girded by mountains and rivers—the fortress of the east; keep them as your counterweight and you can stand against the empire. Betrayal brings ill fortune; reckless plans invite ruin. Meng You is a daring commander and Wang Wujun a superb fighter; they already chased Tao to the brink of capture—unite them again and Tao is finished. Think this through carefully!" Seeing Shenzhou still besieged and fearing Meng You's withdrawal, Weiyue executed Zhen to appease Yue. They fought again the next day and were routed once more. Kang Rizhi had meanwhile submitted Zhaozhou to the court; increasingly desperate, Weiyue gave five thousand men to Wei Changning and sent Wang Wujun with eight hundred cavalry against Rizhi.

武俊才雄，素為惟嶽忌，及師行，謂常寧曰：「大夫信讒，吾朝不圖晏，是行勝與否，吾不復入恒矣！將以身托定州張公，安能持頸就刀乎？」常寧與副李獻誠曰：「君不聞詔書乎？斬大夫首以其官畀之。觀大夫勢終為滔滅，若倒戈還府，事實易圖，有如不捷，張公可歸也。」武俊然之。惟嶽使要藉官謝遵至武俊壁議事，武俊與謀，使內應。至期，啟城門，武俊入，殺人廷中，無亢者。乃傳令曰：「大夫叛命，今且取之，敢拒者族！」士不敢動。武俊使裨校任越牽惟嶽出，縊之戟門下，並殺鄭詵、他奴等數十人，使子士真傳首京師。帝盡赦其府將士，給部中租役三年。

Wujun was gifted and fierce and had long been distrusted by Weiyue; on the march he told Changning, "Our master heeds slander—I never expected to live to see another peaceful day at court. Win or lose this campaign, I will not return to Hengzhou! I will throw in my lot with Zhang of Dingzhou—why should I offer my neck to the executioner's knife? Changning and his deputy Li Xiancheng replied, "Have you not heard the emperor's proclamation? Whoever takes the lord's head will receive his post. The lord is doomed to fall to Zhu Tao; turn your troops homeward and the deed is simple—and if it fails, you can still throw in with Zhang of Dingzhou." Wujun assented. Weiyue dispatched the staff officer Xie Zun to Wujun's camp for talks; Wujun conspired with him and set up men within the city. At the appointed time the gates opened; Wujun entered, struck down those in the courtyard, and met no resistance. He issued orders: "The lord has defied the throne—we seize him now; resist and your whole clan dies! The troops dared not stir. Wujun had his officer Ren Yue haul Weiyue out and hang him beneath the halberd gate, executed Zheng Shen, Tanu, and dozens more, and sent his son Shizhen to present the head at court. The emperor granted a full amnesty to the garrison and exempted the region from taxes and labor levies for three years.

真始事寶臣，掌文記，武俊表其忠，贈戶部尚書。其息呂擢冀州長史。常寧在武俊時用事，為內史監，其後謀亂，誅。

Zhen had served Baochen as chief secretary; Wujun praised his loyalty, and the court posthumously appointed him Minister of Revenue. His son Lü was appointed chief administrator of Jizhou. Changning held sway under Wujun as Director of the Palace Secretariat; he later plotted revolt and was put to death.

惟嶽異母兄惟誠，尚儒術，謙裕，寶臣愛之，使決軍事，以惟嶽正嫡，固讓不肯當。其妹妻李納，故寶臣請惟誠復故姓，而仕諸鄆，為納營田副使，四為州刺史。

Weiyue's half-brother Weicheng was devoted to the classics, modest and open-handed; Baochen favored him and entrusted him with military decisions, but as Weiyue was the legitimate heir Weicheng steadfastly refused the role. His sister was married to Li Na, so Baochen had Weicheng take back his birth surname; he served in Yanzhou as Na's deputy for military colonies and held four prefectural governorships.

初，惟嶽叛，弟惟簡以家僮票士百餘奉母鄭奔京師，帝拘於客省。及出奉天，惟簡將赴難，謀於鄭，鄭曰：「爾父立功河朔，位宰相，身未嘗至京師，兄死於人手。爾入朝，未識天子，不能效忠，吾不子汝矣！」督其行曰：「而能死王事，吾不朽矣！」乃斬關出，道更七戰，得及行在。帝見厚撫之，拜太子諭德，討賊有功。帝徙山南，惟簡以三十騎從，夜失道，馳至盩厔西，聞中人語，問天子所在，密語曰：「上在此。」帝見之流涕，執其手曰：「爾有母，乃能從朕耶？」對曰：「臣誓以死！」比明，北方有塵起，帝憂。惟簡登高曰：「渾瑊以騎來。」瑊至，遂決趨興元，惟簡前導。及帝還，封武安郡王，號元從功臣，圖形淩煙閣，賜鐵券。憲宗時，為左金吾衛大將軍，長史萬國俊奪興平民田，吏畏不敢治，至是訴於惟簡，即日廢國俊，以地與民。出為鳳翔節度使，市耕牛佃具給農，歲增墾數十萬畝。卒，年五十五，贈尚書右仆射。

When Weiyue rebelled, his brother Weijian fled to the capital with over a hundred household guards escorting their mother Lady Zheng; the emperor held them in the guest residence. As the court withdrew to Fengtian, Weijian prepared to join the fight and sought his mother's counsel; Lady Zheng said, "Your father won glory on the northern frontier and rose to chancellor, yet never set foot in the capital; your brother died at another's hands. You have come to court without ever knowing the emperor—if you cannot prove your loyalty, you are no son of mine! She pressed him: "Die in the emperor's service, and I shall live on in you!" He fought his way through the passes, won seven engagements on the road, and reached the emperor's camp. The emperor welcomed him warmly, named him Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, and he distinguished himself against the rebels. When the emperor withdrew into the southern mountains, Weijian followed with thirty horsemen; they lost their way at night, rode west of Zhouzhi, overheard eunuchs, asked where the emperor was, and was whispered, "His Majesty is here. The emperor wept at the sight of him, clasped his hand, and said, "You have a mother—yet you came with me?" He answered, "I pledge my life to Your Majesty!" At daybreak dust appeared to the north, and the emperor grew anxious. Weijian climbed a height and called, "It is Hun Jian's cavalry. Jian arrived, and they set out for Xingyuan with Weijian leading the way. When the emperor returned to the capital, Weijian was created Prince of Wu'an, hailed as a founding companion of merit, his portrait hung in the Lingyan Pavilion, and given an iron certificate of immunity. Under Emperor Xianzong he served as Grand General of the Left Golden Crow Guard; the chief administrator Wan Guojun seized farmland from Xingping peasants, and officials dared not act until the case reached Weijian, who dismissed Guojun that same day and restored the land. As military commissioner of Fengxiang he bought oxen and farm implements for the peasants, adding several hundred thousand mu of newly opened fields each year. He died at fifty-five and was posthumously appointed Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.

子元本，輕薄無行。長慶末，與薛渾私侍襄陽公主，事敗，主幽禁中，元本以功臣子，貸死，流嶺南。弟銖，好學多識，有儒者風。

His son Yuanben was dissolute and ill-behaved. At the end of the Changqing era he had a secret affair with Princess Xiangyang alongside Xue Hun; when it was exposed the princess was imprisoned, and Yuanben, as a meritorious subject's son, was spared execution but banished to Lingnan. His younger brother Zhu was studious and erudite, with the bearing of a scholar.

王武俊字元英，本出契丹怒皆部。父路俱，開元中，與饒樂府都督李詩等五千帳求襲冠帶，入居薊。武俊甫十五，善騎射，與張孝忠齊名，隸李寶臣帳下為裨將。寶應初，王師入井陘，武俊謂寶臣曰：「以寡敵眾，曲遇直，戰則離，守則潰，銳師遠鬥，庸可禦乎！」寶臣遂以恒、定等五州自歸，共平餘賊，武俊謀也。奏兼御史中丞，封維川郡王。其子士真，亦沈悍有斷，寶臣倚愛，出入帳中，以女妻之。寶臣以疑殺許崇俊等，士真密結左右，故武俊免於難。

Wang Wujun, courtesy name Yuanying, was originally of the Khitan Nujie tribe. His father Luju, in the Kaiyuan reign, joined Raole commissioner Li Shi and five thousand households in petitioning for Chinese titles and settled in Ji. At fifteen Wujun was already renowned for horsemanship and archery, ranked with Zhang Xiaozhong, and served Li Baochen as a deputy commander. Early in the Baoying era the imperial army entered Jingxing Pass; Wujun told Baochen, "Few against many, a bent line against a straight one—they fight and break apart, they hold and they crumble; elite troops fighting far from home—how can they stand? Baochen then surrendered the five prefectures including Heng and Ding and helped crush the remaining rebels—Wujun's counsel made it possible. He was appointed concurrent Censor-in-Chief and created Prince of Weichuan. His son Shizhen was likewise resolute and fierce; Baochen favored him, kept him at his side, and gave him his daughter in marriage. When Baochen executed Xu Chongjun and others on suspicion, Shizhen quietly secured allies in the camp, and Wujun survived.

惟嶽拒命，或言武俊有他誌，武俊知之，出入導從才一二，未嘗接賓客。惟嶽雖內疑，然見其屈損，又惜善鬥，末忍殺。康日知以趙州降，惟嶽謀伐之，皆曰：「武俊故心膂，先君命之使佐大夫，而士真又大夫女弟婿，今事急，宜去猜嫌以任之，不然，尚誰使？」乃遣與衛常寧將兵往。因謀執惟嶽，而日知亦遣人邀說以禍福，武俊乃還兵，使人謂惟嶽曰：「大夫與齊、魏同惡，今魏兵已敗，齊為趙州所限，幽州兵近在定，三軍且救死。聞有詔召大夫，宜亟歸。」惟嶽惶遽出，遂縊。即遣其屬孟華奏天子。華辯對稱旨，德宗擢為兵部郎中，授武俊檢校秘書監兼御史大夫、恒冀觀察使。

When Weiyue rebelled, some whispered that Wujun harbored other ambitions; aware of this, he went abroad with only one or two attendants and received no guests. Weiyue suspected him inwardly, yet saw him humbled and prized his fighting skill, and in the end could not bring himself to kill him. When Kang Rizhi surrendered Zhaozhou, Weiyue planned an attack; his advisers said, "Wujun was your father's right hand; Shizhen is your sister's husband—drop your suspicions and trust him now, or whom else can you send? He dispatched Wujun with Wei Changning at the head of the army. They plotted to seize Weiyue while Rizhi also sent envoys promising reward or ruin; Wujun turned back and warned Weiyue, "You stand with Qi and Wei; Wei's army is broken, Qi is pinned by Zhaozhou, and Youzhou troops are at Dingzhou—all three armies are fighting for survival. An imperial summons is on its way—you should return at once. Weiyue fled in panic and was hanged. He immediately sent Meng Hua to report to the emperor. Hua's replies pleased Emperor Dezong, who promoted him to a post in the Ministry of War and appointed Wujun Acting Director of the Palace Library and Censor-in-Chief, with charge of the Heng-Ji circuit.

是時，惟嶽將楊政義以定降，楊榮國以深降，朱滔受而戍之。帝以定賜張孝忠，而日知為深趙觀察使。武俊怨不得節度而失趙、定，滔亦怨失深州，二人相結。武俊即縛使者送滔，與之叛。帝聞，詔華諭解，不聽。

Weiyue's generals Yang Zhengyi surrendered Dingzhou and Yang Rongguo surrendered Shenzhou; Zhu Tao accepted both and stationed troops there. The emperor gave Dingzhou to Zhang Xiaozhong and made Rizhi commissioner of the Shen-Zhao circuit. Wujun resented being denied the commissionership and losing Zhao and Ding; Tao resented the loss of Shenzhou; the two allied. Wujun seized the imperial envoy, sent him to Tao, and joined the rebellion. The emperor sent Hua to reason with him, but Wujun refused.

時馬燧、李抱真、李芃、李晟討田悅，悅方困，武俊、滔救之，屯連篋山。帝詔李懷光督神策兵助討賊，軍就舍，氣銳甚，謂燧曰：「奉詔毋養寇，及壁壘未成擊之，可滅也。」乃縱兵入滔壁，殺千餘人。悅軍既屢北，不能陣。懷光緩轡觀之，武俊乘其怠，使趙萬敵等以二千騎橫突，而滔軍踵馳，王師亂，相蹈藉死，屍梗河為不流。懷光還走壁。武俊夜決河註王莽渠，斷燧餉路。燧計窮，而與滔素姻家，乃遣使謾謝滔曰：「老夫不自量，與諸君遇。王大夫善戰，天下無前，吾固宜敗，幸公圖之，使老夫得還河東，諸將亦罷兵，吾為言天子，以河北地付公。」滔亦陰忌武俊勝且不制，即謂武俊曰：「王師既敗，馬公卑約如此，不宜迫人以險。」答曰：「燧等皆國名臣，連兵十萬，一戰而北，貽羞國家，不知何面目見天子耶？彼行不五十里，必反拒我。」滔固許之。燧至魏縣，堅壁自固，師復振。滔慚謝，嫌隙始構矣。武俊使張鐘葵攻趙州，日知斬其首以聞。於是武俊與田悅等擅相王。武俊國號趙，以恒為真定府，命士真留守兼元帥；以畢華、鄭儒為左右內史，王士良司刑，王佑司文，士清司武，並為尚書；士則司文侍郎，宋端給事中，王洽內史舍人，張士清執憲大夫，衛常寧內史監，皇甫祝尚書右仆射，餘以次封拜。

Ma Sui, Li Baozhen, Li Qi, and Li Sheng were besieging Tian Yue when Wujun and Tao came to his relief and camped together at Qieshan. The emperor ordered Li Huai'guang and the Shence army to join the campaign; arriving in high spirits, he told Sui, "Our orders are not to let the rebels grow—strike before their walls are complete and we can finish them. He charged into Tao's camp and killed over a thousand men. Yue's army, beaten again and again, could not hold formation. Huai'guang reined in to watch the field; Wujun struck at the moment of slackness, sending Zhao Wandi with two thousand horsemen in a flanking charge while Tao's troops thundered after; the imperial army broke, men trampled one another to death, and corpses dammed the river. Huai'guang fled back to his camp. Wujun diverted the river by night into the Wang Mang Canal and severed Sui's supply line. At his wits' end, and being related to Tao by marriage, Sui sent an envoy with a feigned apology: "I underestimated you all. Lord Wang fights as none under heaven; I deserve defeat. Help me withdraw to Hedong, disband the armies, and I will ask the emperor to give you all of Hebei. Tao secretly feared Wujun's victory would leave him uncontrollable and urged, "The imperial army is beaten and Ma Sui begs so humbly—do not drive him to desperation." Wujun answered, "Sui and his colleagues are the empire's great ministers; they brought a hundred thousand men and fled in one battle—how can they face the emperor? They will not go fifty li before they turn and fight us again." Tao agreed. Sui reached Weixian, fortified his camp, and his army rallied. Tao apologized in embarrassment, and rift between them began to grow. Wujun sent Zhang Zhongkui against Zhaozhou; Rizhi killed him and sent his head to court. Wujun, Tian Yue, and the others then proclaimed one another kings without imperial sanction. Wujun named his realm Zhao, made Heng the seat of Zhending prefecture, and left Shizhen as garrison commander and supreme marshal; he appointed Bi Hua and Zheng Ru as Left and Right Palace Secretaries, Wang Shiliang as Director of Punishments, Wang You as Director of Documents, and Shiqing as Director of War, all with ministerial rank; Shize became Vice Director of Documents, Song Duan Attendant-in-Ordinary, Wang Qia Secretariat Attendant, Zhang Shiqing Censor-in-Chief, Wei Changning Director of the Palace Secretariat, Huangfu Zhu Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and the rest were enfeoffed and promoted in turn.

建中四年，抱真使客賈林詐降武俊，既見，曰：「吾來傳詔，非降也。」武俊色動，林曰：「天子知大夫登壇建國撫膺顧左右曰：『我本忠義，天子不省，故至是。』今諸軍數表大夫至誠，上見表動色曰：『朕前誤無及矣。朋友失意尚可謝，朕四海主，毫芒過失，返不得自新耶！』今大夫親斷逆首，而宰相阇於事宜，國家與大夫烏有細故哉？朱滔以利相動，公何取焉？誠能與昭義同心，曠然改圖，上不失君臣之義，下以為子孫計。」武俊曰：「仆虜人也，尚知撫百姓，天子固不務殺人以安天下。今山東連兵比戰，骨盡暴野，雖勝尚誰與居？今不憚歸國，業與諸軍盟，虜性樸強，不欲曲在我，天子若能以恩蕩刷之，我首倡歸命，有不從者，奉辭伐之，河北不五十日可定。」會帝出奉天，抱真將還澤潞，悅說武俊、滔踵襲之。林曰：「夫退軍，前輜重，後銳師，人心固壹，不可圖也。使戰勝得地，利歸於魏，不幸喪師，趙受其災。今滄、趙乃故地，故不取之？」武俊遂引而北，林復激之曰：「公異邦豪英，不應謀中夏。燕、魏幽險，彼王室強則須公之援，削則己欲並吞。且河北惟有趙、魏、燕耳，滔乃稱冀，心圖公冀州矣。使滔能制山東，大夫當臣事之，否則見攻。能臣滔乎？」武俊投袂曰：「二百年天子猶不能事，安能臣豎子耶！」乃定計通好抱真，而約馬燧盟。

In the fourth year of Jianzhong, Baozhen sent his agent Jia Lin to Wujun under pretense of surrender; when they met, Lin said, "I bring an imperial message—I am not here to submit. Wujun's face changed; Lin said, "The emperor knows that when you took the throne you struck your breast and told your attendants, 'I was always loyal; the emperor would not see it, and so I came to this. The armies have repeatedly testified to your loyalty; reading their memorials, the emperor said with emotion, 'My earlier error cannot be undone. A friend may be reconciled after a quarrel—am I, lord of the four seas, unable to mend the smallest fault? You yourself slew the rebel leader, yet the chancellors misunderstand the times—what petty quarrel can stand between you and the throne? Zhu Tao tempts you with gain—what do you gain by following him? Stand with Zhaoyi in unity, change course openly, keep faith with the throne above, and secure your heirs below." Wujun said, "I am a barbarian, yet even I know to care for the people; the emperor surely does not mean to pacify the realm by slaughter. Armies east of the mountains fight without end; bones litter the fields—even victory leaves no one to enjoy it. I am ready to return to allegiance; I am already allied with the other armies; we barbarians are plain and stubborn and do not want to be in the wrong; if the emperor will cleanse us with mercy, I will lead the way back; whoever refuses, I will march against under imperial orders—and Hebei can be pacified in fifty days." Just then the emperor withdrew to Fengtian; as Baozhen prepared to return to Zelu, Yue urged Wujun and Tao to pursue and attack him. Lin said, "A retreating army puts its baggage ahead and its crack troops behind; the men are of one mind—you cannot ambush it. If you win, Wei gains the land; if you lose, Zhao bears the ruin. Cangzhou and Zhao are your old territories—why not take them instead? Wujun marched north; Lin pressed him again: "You are a hero from beyond—why plot against the heartland? Yan and Wei are rugged strongholds; when the throne is strong they need you, when it weakens they will devour you. Hebei holds only Zhao, Wei, and Yan; Tao has taken the title of Ji—he covets your Jizhou. If Tao masters the east, you must bow to him—or he will attack you. Could you submit to Tao?" Wujun flung aside his sleeve and cried, "I will not serve an emperor of two hundred years—how could I bow to that whelp!" He resolved to ally with Baozhen and pledged friendship with Ma Sui.

是時，滔悉幽、薊兵與回紇圍貝州，將絕白馬津，南趨洛，李懷光據河中，李希烈陷汴，南略江淮，李納方叛，唯李晟軍渭上。羽書調發天下十之三，人心惴恐。及田緒殺悅，林復說武俊曰：「滔素欲得魏博，會悅死，魏人氣，公不救，魏且下。滔益甲數萬，張孝忠將北面事滔，三道連衡，濟以回紇，長驅而南，昭義軍必保山西，則河朔舉入滔矣。今魏尚完，孝忠未附，公與昭義合兵破之，聲振關中，京邑可坐復，天子反正，不朽之業，誰與公參！」武俊大喜，與抱真相聞，自將屯南宮，抱真屯經城，兩軍相距十里而舍。武俊潛會抱真於軍，陳說忼慨，抱真亦傾意結納，約為兄弟，遂俱東壁貝州，距城三十里止。滔欲迎戰，武俊戒士飽食曰：「軍未合，毋妄動！」遣趙琳、趙萬敵兵五百蔽林以待。滔使票將馬寔、盧南史陣而西，李少成引回紇翼之。日中兵接，武俊與子士清引精騎望少成軍，抱真次之，滔馳騎二百出武俊東南，乘高鼓噪。武俊使步兵決戰，而自以騎當回紇，勒兵避其銳。回紇馬怒突而過，未及返，武俊急擊，琳等兵亦出，回紇驚，中斷，遂先奔。初，滔兵蹙武俊軍，不能傷，回紇既卻，即欲引還，因囂不能止，軍大奔，滔走還壁。武俊中流矢，謂抱真曰：「士少衰，盍以騎濟師，巢穴可覆也。」抱真使來希皓率勁騎薄滔營，盧玄真乘其後，滔懼，引眾去，希皓迫之，武俊邀於隘，滔大敗，免者八千人。會夜，各按屯，武俊營滔東北，抱真營西北。滔知不支，夜半焚車糧，遁歸幽州，火如晝，師大噪，其聲殷地。抱真以山東蝗，食少，歸於潞，武俊亦還。

Tao had massed the You and Ji armies with Uyghur allies against Beizhou, threatened the Baima crossing, and aimed south for Luoyang; Li Huai'guang held Hezhong, Li Xilie had taken Bian and swept toward the Jiang-Huai, Li Na had just rebelled, and only Li Sheng remained on the Wei River. Mobilization orders raced across the realm; a third of the empire was called to arms, and the people lived in dread. When Tian Xu killed Yue, Lin urged Wujun again: "Tao has long coveted Weibo; with Yue dead the Wei troops are demoralized—if you do not save them, Wei will fall. Tao has raised tens of thousands more troops; Zhang Xiaozhong is ready to submit to him from the north; three allied columns, backed by the Uyghurs, will drive south—the Zhaoyi army will hold Shanxi, and all Hebei will fall to Tao. Weibo still holds together and Xiaozhong has not gone over to Tao; join Zhaoyi, crush him, and your fame will thunder through Guanzhong. The capital can be retaken from your seat, the emperor restored—and for such an undying feat, who but you could claim a share? Wujun was overjoyed. He opened communications with Baozhen, marched to camp at Nangong while Baozhen camped at Jingcheng, their two armies halting ten li apart. Wujun stole into Baozhen's camp for a secret meeting and spoke with burning conviction; Baozhen responded in full trust and they swore brotherhood. Together they marched east to invest Beizhou, stopping thirty li from the walls. Tao prepared to meet them in battle. Wujun ordered his men to eat their fill and warned, "The armies have not yet engaged—hold your ground! He dispatched Zhao Lin and Zhao Wandu with five hundred men to lie hidden in the woods in ambush. Tao sent his swift generals Ma Shi and Lu Nanshi to form a battle line facing west, while Li Shaocheng brought Uyghur cavalry to support them on the wing. At noon the battle was joined. Wujun and his son Shiqing led crack cavalry straight at Shaocheng's line, with Baozhen close behind. Tao raced two hundred horsemen to high ground southeast of Wujun and raised a thunderous clamor. Wujun committed his infantry to the main fight while he personally held the Uyghurs at bay with cavalry, holding his line back from their charge. The Uyghur horses thundered through the line; before they could wheel about, Wujun struck hard. Lin's hidden troops sprang out as well. The Uyghurs, startled and split in two, broke and ran. At first Tao's men had pressed Wujun's line without breaking it. When the Uyghurs fell back Tao tried to withdraw, but the uproar could not be checked and his army broke in full flight; Tao himself fled to his camp. Wujun took an arrow in the fighting and told Baozhen, "The men's spirit has dipped a little—send cavalry to finish this. We can overrun their camp. Baozhen sent Lai Xihao with elite cavalry to storm Tao's camp while Lu Xuanzhen hit him from the rear. Tao fled in alarm. Xihao pressed the pursuit and Wujun blocked the pass. Tao was routed; only eight thousand men got away. Night came and both sides encamped—Wujun to Tao's northeast, Baozhen to his northwest. Knowing he could not hold, Tao burned his wagons and stores at midnight and fled toward Youzhou. The blaze lit the night like day; his army roared and the ground trembled with the noise. Locusts had ravaged Shandong and supplies were short, so Baozhen withdrew to Lu. Wujun marched home as well.

會有詔復滔官爵，武俊上還幽州盧龍節度。又詔以恒州為大都督府，即授武俊長史，賜德、棣二州，以士真為觀察使、清河郡王。天子至自梁，遇武俊益厚，子弟雖繈褓，悉官之。俄進檢校太尉兼中書令，得建廟京師，有司供擬。

An edict restored Tao's titles and offices, and Wujun returned north to resume command of Youzhou and Lulong. A further edict elevated Hengzhou to a supreme commandery, appointed Wujun its chief administrator, granted him De and Di prefectures, and made Shizhen observation commissioner with the title Prince of Qinghe. When the emperor returned from Liang, he showered Wujun with favor—even babes still in swaddling clothes among his kin received official appointments. Before long he was promoted to Acting Grand Marshal and Chancellor, granted an ancestral temple in the capital, with the court offices furnishing all provisions.

武俊善射，嘗與賓客獵，一日射雞兔九十五，觀者駭伏。貞元十七年死，年六十七。群臣奉慰天子，如渾瑊故事，贈太師。有司謚威烈，帝更為忠烈。士真襲位。

Wujun was a master archer. On one hunt with his guests he brought down ninety-five birds and hares in a single day, leaving the spectators stunned. He died in the seventeenth year of the Zhenyuan era, at the age of sixty-seven. The ministers offered the emperor condolences on the precedent set at Hun Jian's death, and Wujun was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor. The court proposed the posthumous name Wei Lie, "Formidable and Ardent"; the emperor changed it to Zhong Lie, "Loyal and Ardent." Shizhen inherited his father's command.

士真，其長子也。少佐父立功，更患難。既得節度，息兵善守，雖擅置吏，私賦入，而歲貢數十萬緡，比燕、魏為恭。元和初，即拜同中書門下平章事。四年死，贈司徒，謚曰景襄。軍中推其子承宗為留後。

Shizhen was Wujun's eldest son. From youth he had fought at his father's side and shared his trials. Once in command he kept the peace and held his ground firmly. Though he appointed his own officials and collected private taxes, he sent the court tribute of hundreds of thousands of strings of cash each year—more obedient in this than the lords of Yan or Wei. At the opening of the Yuanhe era he was appointed a chief minister of state. He died in the fourth year of Yuanhe and was posthumously made Minister of Education with the posthumous name Jingxiang. The troops installed his son Chengzong as acting military governor.

始，河北三鎮自置副大使，常處嫡長，故承宗以御史大夫為之。及總留事，憲宗久不報，伺其變。承宗數上疏自言。帝聞劉濟、田季安俱大病，議更建節度。翰林學士李絳曰：「鎮州世相繼，人所狃習，惟拒命則討之。且諸道之賞饋百萬士，又燕、魏、淄青，勢同必合。方江、淮水潦，財力刓困，宜即詔承宗嗣領。季安等雖病，徐圖所宜。定四方有天時，不可速也。」帝然之，欲析鎮分建節度，使承宗歲輸賦如李師道。絳曰：「假令承宗奉詔，諸道以割地同怨，是官爵虛出而無當也。不如令使者諭之，無出上意。」帝乃詔京兆尹裴武慰撫，承宗奉詔恭甚，請上德、棣二州，遂以檢校工部尚書嗣領節度，而以德州刺史薛昌朝為保信軍節度使，統德、棣。

From the start the three Hebei circuits had each appointed their own deputy commissioners, customarily the eldest legitimate son—hence Chengzong had served as Censor-in-Chief in that role. When Chengzong assumed full control as acting commander, Emperor Xianzong held back his answer and watched for any sign of defiance. Chengzong sent memorial after memorial pleading his own cause. Learning that Liu Ji and Tian Ji'an were both seriously ill, the emperor discussed replacing the frontier commanders. Hanlin Academician Li Jiang said, "Zhenzhou has been hereditary for generations and the people are used to it. Attack only if Chengzong refuses imperial orders. Besides, the court is already paying to supply a million men across the circuits—and Yan, Wei, and Ziqing share the same interests and will certainly stand together. The Jiang-Huai region is under water and the treasury is drained. Confirm Chengzong's succession at once. As for Ji'an and the others, though they are ill, deal with them gradually as circumstances allow. Pacifying the realm has its proper season; this cannot be forced. The emperor agreed and planned to carve up Zhenzhou into separate commands, requiring Chengzong to pay annual tribute like Li Shidao. Jiang replied, "Even if Chengzong accepted, the other circuits would resent any partition of his territory—you would be handing out honors for nothing. Better send an envoy to sound him out without revealing the throne's full design. The emperor dispatched Metropolitan Governor Pei Wu to reassure him. Chengzong received the edict with elaborate deference and offered De and Di prefectures. He was confirmed as Acting Minister of Works and military governor, while Dezhou Prefect Xue Changchao was made governor of the Baoxin Army over De and Di.

昌朝，嵩子也，與承宗故姻家，帝因欲離其親將，故命之。詔未至，承宗馳騎劫而歸，囚之。詔更用棣州刺史田渙為二州團練守捉使，遣中人傳詔令歸昌朝，承宗拒命，帝怒，詔削官爵，遣中人吐突承璀將左右神策，率河中、河陽、浙西、宣歙兵討之。趙萬敵者，故武俊將，以健鬥聞，士真時入朝，上言討之必捷，令與承璀偕。有詔：「武俊忠節茂著，其以實封賜子士則，毋毀墳墓。」

Changchao was the son of Xue Song and an old in-law of Chengzong's family. The emperor meant to pry Chengzong from his trusted commanders and so sent him. Before the edict could arrive, Chengzong sent riders to intercept Changchao, drag him back, and clap him in prison. The court then named Di Prefect Tian Huan regimental commander over the two prefectures and sent a eunuch with orders to free Changchao. Chengzong refused. The emperor stripped his titles and dispatched the eunuch Tu Tu Chenghui at the head of the Shence Armies, joined by forces from Hezhong, Heyang, Zhexi, and Xuanshe, to bring him to heel. Zhao Wandu, once a general under Wujun and renowned as a fierce fighter, was sent to join Chenghui after Shizhen, then at court, assured the emperor of a swift victory. An edict declared, "Wujun's loyalty and merit are abundantly clear. Grant his substantive fief to his son Shize, and let his tomb be left untouched."

承璀至軍，無威略，師不振。神策大將酈定進號驍將，以禽劉辟功，王陽山郡，至是戰北，馳而僨，趙人曰：「酈王也」，害之，師氣益折。及吳少誠死，李絳奏：「蔡無四鄰援，攻討勢易，不如赦承宗，專事淮西。」帝不聽。昭義節度使盧從史市承宗，外自固，內實與之。太常卿權德輿諫曰：「神策兵市井屠販，不更戰陣，恐因勞憚遠，潰為盜賊。恒冀騎壯兵多，攻之必引時月，西戎乘間，則禁衛不可頓虛。山東，疥癬也；京師，心腹也。不可不深念。且師出半年，費緡錢五百萬。方夏甚暑水潦，疾疫且降，誠慮有潰橈之變。」又言：「山東諸侯，皆以息自副，人心不遠，誰肯為陛下盡力者。又盧從史倚寇為援，訹承璀邀寵利，宜召行營善將，令倍驛馳，度至半道，授以澤潞，而徙從史它鎮，破其奸圖，然後赦承宗，眾情必服。」帝未許。

Chenghui reached the front without martial skill, and the army's spirit never rallied. The Shence general Li Dingjin, famed as a fierce fighter and enfeoffed as Prince of Yangshan for capturing Liu Pi, was routed in the fighting, thrown from his horse in flight, and killed by Zhao troops who cried, "It is Prince Li!" The army's morale collapsed further. After Wu Shaocheng's death Li Jiang urged, "Cai has no neighbors to aid it and would be easy to crush. Pardon Chengzong and focus the campaign on Huai West. The emperor refused. Lu Congshi of Zhaoyi was dealing secretly with Chengzong—posing as the court's ally while actually in league with him. Minister of Ceremonies Quan Deyu warned, "The Shence soldiers are townsmen and tradesmen with no battle experience. Wearied by a long campaign they may break and turn to banditry. Heng-Ji fields powerful cavalry in great numbers; the siege will drag on for months. If western tribes strike while the capital guard is away, the throne will be left defenseless. The east is a skin rash— the capital is the heart itself. Your Majesty must weigh this with the utmost care. The campaign has already run six months and consumed five million strings of cash. High summer brings brutal heat and flooding; plague will follow. I truly fear mutiny and rout. He added, "Every eastern warlord keeps a trusted deputy close at hand—and their loyalty stays near home. Who will fight with all his might for the throne? Lu Congshi is propping himself up on the rebel and bullying Chenghui for court favor. Summon able generals from the front, rush them by double relay, and halfway en route appoint them to Zelu while transferring Congshi elsewhere—break his intrigue, then pardon Chengzong, and the armies will fall in line." The emperor would not consent.

五年，河東軍拔其一屯，張茂昭破之木刀溝；帝患從史詐，卒以計縛送京師；劉濟又拔安平。承宗懼，遣其屬崔遂上書謝罪，且言：「往年納地，迫三軍不得專，而為盧從史賣以求利，願請吏入賦得自新。」是時宿師久無功，餉不屬，帝憂之。而淄青、盧龍數表請赦，乃詔浣雪，盡以故地畀之，罷諸道兵。昌朝歸京師，授右武衛將軍。承宗見兵薄境，已而罷，歸罪從史，得不詰，自謂計得，謷然無顧憚。

In the fifth year the Hedong army took one of Chengzong's outposts, and Zhang Maozhao routed him at Mudao Gully; troubled by Congshi's treachery, the emperor at last lured him into a trap, bound him, and sent him to the capital; and Liu Ji captured Anping. Terrified, Chengzong sent his aide Cui Sui with a letter of apology, claiming, "When I surrendered territory before, my three armies would not let me decide alone—and Lu Congshi sold the deal for his own gain. I beg to accept imperial officials and pay tribute so that I may start anew. By then the expedition had stalled for months and supplies had run dry; the emperor grew anxious. Ziqing and Lulong petitioned repeatedly for clemency. The emperor issued a pardon, restored all former lands, and recalled the allied armies. Changchao was released to the capital and made a general of the Right Martial Guard. Chengzong had seen imperial troops mass on his border—then watched them withdraw. He pinned the blame on Congshi, escaped punishment, decided his gambit had worked, and swaggered without restraint.

七年，軍庫火，器鎧殆盡，殺守吏百餘人，不自安。及吳元濟反，承宗與李師道上書請宥，教其將尹少卿為蔡遊說，見宰相語不遜，武元衡怒，叱遣之。承宗怨甚，與師道謀，遣惡少年數十曹伏河陰，乘昏射吏，吏奔潰，因火漕院，人趣火所，鬥死者十餘輩，縣大發民捕盜，亡去不獲，凡敗錢三十萬緡、粟數萬斛。未幾，張晏等賊宰相元衡，京師大索，天子為旰食。承宗嘗疏元衡過咎，留中。至是帝出表示群臣大議，鹹請聲其罪伐之。詔乃絕承宗朝貢，竄其弟承系、承迪、承榮於遠方，以博野、樂壽故范陽地，命歸劉總。而所遣盜處處竊發，斷建陵門戟，燔獻陵寢宮，伏甲欲反洛陽，不克。承宗數出兵掠鄰鄙，田弘正上言承宗宜誅，帝使率師壓境。承宗揣詔旨兵不即進，即肆剽滄、景、易、定間，人苦之。

In the seventh year the arsenal burned and nearly all arms and armor were lost; more than a hundred storekeepers were executed. Chengzong lived in uneasy dread. When Wu Yuanji rose in rebellion, Chengzong and Li Shidao petitioned for his pardon. Chengzong sent his general Yin Shaoqing to plead Cai's case at court; Yin was insolent before the chancellor, and Wu Yuanheng furiously had him thrown out. Burning with resentment, Chengzong and Shidao sent gangs of ruffians to ambush Heyin. At dusk they shot at officials and set the grain depot ablaze. A dozen men died in the melee; the county raised a great hunt for the raiders but caught none. The damage ran to three hundred thousand strings of cash and tens of thousands of bushels of grain. Soon afterward Zhang Yan and his accomplices murdered Chancellor Wu Yuanheng. The capital was turned upside down in the search, and the emperor lost his appetite for days. Chengzong had earlier submitted a memorial denouncing Wu Yuanheng's failings; the emperor had kept it unread in the palace archives. The emperor now published an edict summoning the court to debate Chengzong's fate; all called for a formal condemnation and military action. The court severed Chengzong's tribute, banished his brothers Chengxu, Chengdi, and Chengrong to distant posts, and ordered Boye, Leshou, and the old Fanyang territories returned to Liu Zong. His agents struck everywhere—smashing the halberds at Jianling Gate, burning the lodge at Xianling, and planting armed men for a rising in Luoyang that failed. Chengzong raided his neighbors again and again. Tian Hongzheng urged that he be put to death, and the emperor ordered him to march and mass on the frontier. Reading the edict as a bluff, Chengzong guessed the armies would not move at once and unleashed raids across Cang, Jing, Yi, and Ding. The people endured terrible suffering.

十一年，詔削爵，以實封賜土平，使奉武俊後。令河東、義武、盧龍、橫海、魏博、昭義六節度兵進討，大抵數十萬，環地數千里，以分其勢。然營屯離置，主約不得一，故士觀望，獨昭義郗士美薄賊境，賊不敢犯。始，承宗不能葉諸父，皆奔京師。士則為神策大將軍，聞其叛，請占數京兆，裴度請用為邢州刺史，使隸昭義，以傾趙人。有王怡者，武俊從子，為承宗守南宮，士則招之，約歸命，謀泄遇害；子元伯奔還，擢監察御史，詔贈怡尚書左仆射。

In the eleventh year the court stripped Chengzong of his peerage, granted his fief to Tuping, and charged him with maintaining Wujun's ancestral rites. Six frontier commands—Hedong, Yiwu, Lulong, Henghai, Weibo, and Zhaoyi—were ordered to attack with several hundred thousand men, ringing his territory for thousands of li to divide his strength. But the camps lay scattered and their commanders could not agree; the troops hung back and watched. Only Xi Shimei of Zhaoyi pressed the rebel border hard enough that the enemy dared not cross it. Early on Chengzong could not keep hold of his paternal uncles; they all escaped to the capital. Shize, a Shence general, heard of the revolt and asked for a post in the capital region. Pei Du recommended him as prefect of Xingzhou under Zhaoyi to turn Zhao loyalties against Chengzong. Wang Yi, Wujun's nephew, held Nangong for Chengzong. Shize won him over with a promise of amnesty, but the plot was discovered and Yi was killed; Yi's son Yuanbo escaped to the court and was promoted to investigating censor; the throne posthumously honored Yi as Left Vice Minister of State.

明年元濟平，承宗大恐，使牙將石泛奉二子至魏博，因田弘正求入侍，且請歸德、棣二州，入租賦，待天子署吏。弘正遣知感、知信詣闕下請命。前此，帝使尚書右丞崔從賜詔書許自新，承宗素服待罪。及是乃詔復官爵，以華州刺史鄭權為橫海節度使，統德、棣、滄、景等州，復承宗實封戶三百，以所部饑，賜帛萬匹。李師道平，奉法益謹，表所領州錄事、參軍、判司、縣主簿、令，皆丐王官。

The next year, with Yuanji crushed, Chengzong was terrified. He sent his gate officer Shi Fan with his two sons to Weibo and, through Tian Hongzheng, begged to come to court, surrender De and Di, pay taxes, and accept imperial appointments. Hongzheng sent Zhigan and Zhixin to the capital to seek the emperor's decision. Earlier the emperor had sent Vice Director Cui Cong with an edict offering clemency; Chengzong had waited in plain robes to accept judgment. Now the court restored Chengzong's titles, made Huazhou Prefect Zheng Quan military governor of Henghai over De, Di, Cang, Jing, and neighboring prefectures, reinstated his three hundred fief households, and granted ten thousand bolts of silk because his people were starving. After Li Shidao's fall Chengzong grew more scrupulous still. He submitted a roster of every recorder, aide, judicial officer, clerk, and magistrate in his domain, asking that the throne appoint them all.

十五年死，贈侍中。軍中推其弟承元為留後。承元不敢世於鎮，詔用為義成軍節度使，事見本傳。

He died in the fifteenth year of Yuanhe and was posthumously made Palace Attendant. The troops installed his younger brother Chengyuan as acting military governor. Chengyuan refused to inherit the command as family property; the court made him military governor of Yicheng—the full account appears in his main biography.

王廷湊，本回紇阿布思之族，隸安東都護府。曾祖五哥之，為李寶臣帳下，驍果善鬥，王武俊養為子，故冒姓王，世為裨將。

Wang Tingcou came from the Uyghur clan of Abu Si and originally served under the Andong Protectorate. His great-grandfather Wugezhi had served in Li Baochen's camp as a fierce fighter; Wang Wujun adopted him as a son, and the family took the Wang surname and served for generations as staff officers.

廷湊生駢脅，沈鷙少言，喜讀《鬼谷》、兵家諸書。王承宗時，為兵馬使。田弘正至鎮州，詔以度支緡錢百萬勞軍，不時致，廷湊暴其稽以觀眾心，眾果怨，由是害弘正，自稱留後，脅監軍表請節。又取冀州，殺刺史王進岌。穆宗怒，以弘正子布為魏博節度使，率軍進討，仍敕橫海、昭義、河東、義武軍並力。於是大將王位等謀執廷湊，不克，死者三千餘人。會朱克融囚張弘靖，以幽州亂，乃合從拒王師。

Tingcou was born with conjoined ribs, grim and taciturn, and loved to study the Guiguzi and the military classics. Under Wang Chengzong he served as commissioner of cavalry and infantry. When Tian Hongzheng reached Zhenzhou, the court had ordered a million strings of Treasury cash to reward the troops, but the payment did not arrive on schedule. Tingcou publicized the delay to test the army's mood; the men grew angry as he had hoped. He then murdered Hongzheng, declared himself acting military governor, and forced the army supervisor to memorialize the throne for a full commission. He also seized Ji Province and killed its prefect, Wang Jingji. Emperor Muzong was furious. He appointed Hongzheng's son Tian Bu military governor of Weibo and sent him to lead a punitive campaign, while ordering the Henghai, Zhaoyi, Hedong, and Yiwu commands to join the effort. Senior generals including Wang Wei then plotted to seize Tingcou, but the attempt failed and more than three thousand men were killed. At the same time Zhu Kerong imprisoned Zhang Hongjing and threw Youzhou into chaos; the rebels then joined forces to resist the imperial armies.

有詔議攻討先後，劍南東川節度使王涯以為「范陽亂非宿謀，可先事鎮州，又有魏博之怨，濟以晉陽、滄德，掎角而進。夫用兵若鬥然，先扼喉領。今瀛莫、易定實賊咽喉，宜屯重兵，俾死生不得相聞，間諜不入，此莫勝之策。」帝乃詔義武節度使陳楚閉境，督諸軍三道攻。而滄德烏重胤最宿將，當一面。裴度以河東節度使兼幽、鎮招撫使，屯承天軍。重胤知時不可，案兵未肯前，帝浮於聽受，銳克伐，更以深冀行營節度使杜叔良代之。叔良素結中人，入見帝，大言曰：「賊不足破！」會度逐廷湊兵於會星，又入元氏，焚壁二十二。叔良率諸道兵救深州，戰博野，大奔，失所持節，以身免，貶歸州刺史。叔良者，將家子，本以附會至靈武節度使，坐不職罷，復階貴近，帥滄景。廷湊知其怯，故先犯之，師由是敗。

The court ordered a debate on campaign priorities. Wang Ya, military governor of eastern Jiannan, argued: "The uprising in Fanyang was not long premeditated. We should strike Zhenzhou first. We can also exploit Weibo's grievance, with Jinyang and Cangde as supports, and advance in a pincer. In war, as in a brawl, one must first seize the enemy by the throat. Yingmo and Yiding are the rebels' jugular. Station heavy forces there so their lines cannot communicate and no spy can pass through—that is the surest strategy. The emperor accepted this counsel and ordered Chen Chu, military governor of Yiwu, to seal the borders and direct a three-pronged assault. Wu Chongyin of Cangde, the most experienced commander among them, was given one front. Pei Du served as Hedong military governor and concurrently as commissioner for pacifying You and Zhen, encamping at Chengtian Army. Chongyin knew conditions were unfavorable and kept his army in camp, refusing to advance. The emperor, too easily swayed by what he heard, was impatient for victory and replaced him with Du Shuliang, field commander of Shen and Ji. Shuliang had long cultivated palace eunuchs. When he was received by the emperor he declared boldly, "These rebels are hardly worth defeating! Just then Pei Du routed Tingcou's forces at Huixing, entered Yuanshi, and burned twenty-two fortified camps. Shuliang led allied troops to relieve Shenzhou, but at Boye his army was routed. He lost his commission baton and barely escaped with his life, then was demoted to prefect of Gui. Shuliang came from a military family. He had first risen to military governor of Lingwu through flattery and connections, was dismissed for incompetence, then climbed again through court favor and was put in command of Cang and Jing. Tingcou knew Shuliang was a coward and struck at him first; the imperial campaign collapsed as a result.

當是時，帝賜賚無藝，府帑空，既集諸道兵，調發火馳，民不堪其勞。仰度支者大抵兵十五萬，有司懼不給，置南北供軍院。既薄賊鄙，餉道梗棘，樵蘇不繼，兵番休取芻蒸。廷湊乘間奪轉運車六百乘，食愈困，至所須衣帛，未半道，諸軍強取之，有司弗能制。其縣師深入者，不得衣食。又監軍宦人，悉取精票士自隨，疲瑣者備行陣，戰輒潰。二賊眾不過萬餘，王師統制不一，訖無功。宰相不知兵，為異議搖訹，裁報乖戾，深州圍益急。

By then the emperor's rewards had become boundless and the treasury was empty. With troops mustered from every circuit, mobilization orders flew out like wildfire, and the people could no longer endure the burden. Roughly a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers depended on the Treasury for support. Fearing the funds would not suffice, the bureaus established separate northern and southern army supply offices. As the armies neared rebel territory, supply lines became choked and impassable. Fuel and fodder ran short, and soldiers on rest rotation were sent out to gather hay and firewood. Tingcou seized six hundred supply wagons when the chance arose. Hunger worsened; even clothing and silks intended for the troops were forcibly taken by the armies before they were halfway to camp, and the officials could not stop it. Imperial units that pushed deep into enemy territory went without food or clothing. The supervising eunuchs kept the best soldiers for their personal retinues and left the weak and worthless to fill the ranks; in battle those lines collapsed at once. The two rebel bands numbered barely ten thousand men, yet the imperial armies lacked unified command and achieved nothing in the end. The chief ministers knew nothing of war. Their conflicting advice sowed confusion, court orders grew erratic, and the siege of Shenzhou tightened by the day.

明年，魏牙將史憲誠叛，田布眾潰於南宮。帝不得已，乃赦廷湊，檢校右散騎常侍、成德軍節度使。會牛元翼出奔，廷湊遂取深州，詔兵部侍郎韓愈慰其軍。

The following year Shi Xiancheng, a Wei staff general, rebelled, and Tian Bu's army disintegrated at Nangong. The emperor had no choice but to pardon Tingcou and appoint him acting Right Regular Attendant of Scattered Cavalry and military governor of the Chengde Army. When Niu Yuanji fled, Tingcou seized Shenzhou. The court ordered Han Yu, Vice Minister of War, to go and reassure the army.

廷湊既原，則稍挺，與克融、憲誠深相結，為輔車援。滄州李全略死，子同捷求襲，文宗不許，更授兗海節度使。同捷逆命，乃以珍幣子女厚結廷湊，帝虞其變，故授檢校司徒。及幽、魏、徐、兗兵討同捷，廷湊橈魏北鄙以牽制之，而饋滄景鹺糧，囚鄰道使者不遣。帝怒，詔絕其輸貢。於是易定、柳公濟戰新樂，斬首三千級。昭義劉從諫戰臨城，敗之，引漳註深、冀。有詔：「同捷亂，廷湊同惡，宜削官爵，諸道以兵進討，有能斬廷湊者，賜錢二萬緡，優畀之官；以州鎮降者，等差為比。」公濟再戰行唐，皆克，焚柵十五。廷湊射蠟書求救於幽州，行營李載義獲之；又納魏叛將丌誌沼。會同捷平，廷湊稍畏，表上景州，而弓高、樂陵、長河三縣固守，復上書謝。帝方厭兵，赦之，悉復官爵，還所上州。久之，進兼太子太傅、太原郡公。

Once pardoned, Tingcou grew bolder still. He forged close ties with Kerong and Xiancheng and the three became mutual supports, like wheels locked together. When Li Quanlue of Cangzhou died, his son Tongjie sought to succeed him. Emperor Wenzong refused and instead appointed him military governor of Yan and Hai. Tongjie defied the order and lavished precious gifts and women on Tingcou to cement their alliance. Fearing a shift in loyalties, the emperor granted Tingcou the acting title of Minister of Education. When armies from You, Wei, Xu, and Yan marched against Tongjie, Tingcou raided Wei's northern frontier to pin them down, supplied Cang and Jing with salt and grain, and detained envoys from neighboring circuits without releasing them. The emperor was enraged and ordered that Tingcou's tribute be cut off. Liu Gongji of Yiding then fought at Xinle and took three thousand heads. Liu Congjian of Zhaoyi fought at Lincheng, routed the enemy, and diverted the Zhang River to flood Shen and Ji. An edict declared: "Tongjie has rebelled and Tingcou is his accomplice. Strip them both of rank and title. Every circuit shall march against them. Whoever beheads Tingcou shall receive twenty thousand strings of cash and be preferentially granted office. Those who surrender prefectures or garrisons shall be rewarded on a graded scale. Gongji fought again at Xingtang, won both engagements, and burned fifteen palisades. Tingcou sent a wax-sealed plea for aid to Youzhou by arrow; Li Zaiyi of the field camp intercepted it. He also took in Qi Zhizhao, a rebel general from Wei. When Tongjie was suppressed, Tingcou grew fearful. He memorialized offering up Jing Prefecture, but the three counties of Gonggao, Leling, and Changhe held out; he submitted another letter of apology. The emperor, weary of war, pardoned him, fully restored his rank and title, and returned the prefecture he had surrendered. In time he was promoted to concurrent Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and Duke of Taiyuan Commandery.

鎮冀自惟嶽以來，拒天子命，然重鄰好，畏法，稍屈則祈自新。至廷湊湊資兇悖，肆毒甘亂，不臣不仁，雖夷狄不若也。大和八年死，贈太尉。軍中以元逵請命，帝聽襲節度。

Since Wei Yue's day, Zhen and Ji had defied imperial orders, yet they valued good relations with neighbors, feared the law, and when pressed would petition for renewal. Tingcou was another matter: by nature cruel and defiant, he delighted in spreading poison and chaos. Neither loyal subject nor humane ruler—even the barbarians were not his equal in wickedness. He died in the eighth year of the Dahe era and was posthumously appointed Grand Marshal. The army petitioned on behalf of Yuan Kui, and the emperor approved his succession to the command.

元逵，其次子也。識禮法，歲時貢獻如職。帝悅，詔尚絳王悟女壽安公主。元逵遣人納聘闕下，進千盤食、良馬、主妝澤奩具、奴婢，議者嘉其恭。其後劉稹叛，武宗詔元逵為北面招討使。詔下，即日師引道，拔宣務壁，破援軍堯山，攻邢州降之，累遷檢校司徒、同中書門下平章事。稹平，加兼太子太師，封太原郡公，食實封戶二百，進至兼太傅。大中八年死，年四十三，贈太師，謚曰忠。

Yuan Kui was his second son. He understood ritual and law and rendered seasonal tribute as duty required. The emperor was pleased and ordered him married to Princess Shou'an, daughter of Prince Jiang of Wu. Yuan Kui sent envoys to the capital with betrothal gifts—a thousand platters of food, fine horses, the princess's dowry chest and ornaments, and servants and maids. Observers praised his deference. Later, when Liu Zhen rebelled, Emperor Wuzong appointed Yuan Kui northern campaign commissioner for suppression. The moment the edict was issued he marched forth, captured the fort at Xuanwu, routed the relief force at Yaoshan, and attacked Xingzhou until it submitted. He was repeatedly promoted, eventually to Acting Minister of Education and Associate Grand Councilor. After Zhen was pacified, he was further made concurrent Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, enfeoffed as Duke of Taiyuan Commandery with two hundred substantive fief households, and advanced to concurrent Grand Tutor. He died in the eighth year of the Dazhong era at age forty-three, was posthumously appointed Grand Preceptor, and was given the posthumous title Loyal.

子紹鼎襲，字嗣先，累擢檢校尚書左仆射。其為人淫湎自放，性暴，厚裒斂，升樓彈射路人以為樂。眾忿其虐，欲逐之。會病死，贈司空。

His son Shaoding succeeded him. Style name Sixian, he was repeatedly promoted to Acting Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. He was debauched and unrestrained by nature, violent in temper, and taxed heavily. For amusement he would climb a tower and shoot at passersby. The troops resented his cruelty and wanted to drive him out. He died of illness and was posthumously appointed Minister of Works.

子幼未能事，宣宗以元逵次子紹懿為留後以嗣，俄為節度使，累封太原縣伯，加檢校司空。政簡易，咸通七年死，贈司徒。以紹鼎子景崇嗣。初，紹懿病篤，召景崇曰：「先君以政屬我，須爾長，將授之。今疾甚，爾雖少，勉總軍務，禮藩鄰，奉朝廷，則家業不墜矣。」監軍上狀，懿宗悅，擢景崇為留後，尋進節度使。

His son was too young to govern. Emperor Xuanzong appointed Yuan Kui's second son Shaoyi as acting governor to succeed him; he soon became military governor, was repeatedly enfeoffed as Count of Taiyuan County, and was given the acting title Minister of Works. His rule was simple and easygoing. He died in the seventh year of the Xiantong era and was posthumously appointed Minister of Education. Shaoding's son Jingchong succeeded him. When Shaoyi was gravely ill, he summoned Jingchong and said, "Your forefather entrusted the command to me, intending to hand it over to you when you came of age. Now my illness is grave. Though you are still young, strive to oversee military affairs, treat neighboring prefectures with courtesy, and serve the court—then our family's enterprise will not fall. The army supervisor reported this to the throne. Emperor Yizong was pleased and promoted Jingchong to acting governor; soon after he was made military governor.

景崇，字孟安，以公主嫡孫，尤被寵。龐勛反，景崇遣兵會王師平賊，進檢校尚書右仆射。主薨，謚曰章惠，景崇居喪如禮。母張卒，號慕羸惙，當時稱之。以政委賓佐，檢戒親屬不得與。嘗欲引母昆弟為牙將，其佐張位曰：「軍中用人，有勞有能，若私其人，厚畀田宅祿食可也，何必以官。」景崇謝。進同中書門下平章事、檢校太尉兼中書令，封趙國公。乾符五年，進王常山。

Jingchong, style name Meng'an, was especially favored at court as the princess's eldest grandson. When Pang Xun rebelled, Jingchong sent troops to join the imperial campaign against him and was promoted to Acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. When the princess died, she was posthumously titled Gracious and Kind. Jingchong observed mourning as ritual prescribed. When his mother Lady Zhang died, he wailed in grief until he was wasted and gaunt; men of the time praised him for it. He entrusted governance to his staff and strictly warned his kinsmen not to interfere. Once he wished to appoint his mother's brothers as staff generals. His aide Zhang Wei said, "In the army, men are chosen for merit and ability. If you wish to favor someone personally, grant him fields, dwellings, stipends, and provisions—but why give him an office? Jingchong apologized and withdrew the plan. He was promoted to Associate Grand Councilor, Acting Grand Marshal and Concurrent Director of the Secretariat, and enfeoffed as Duke of Zhao. In the fifth year of the Qianfu era he was elevated to Prince of Changshan.

黃巢反，帝西狩，偽使賫詔至，景崇斬以徇，因發兵馳檄諸道，合定州處存連師西入關，問行在，貢輸相踵。每語及宗廟園陵，輒流涕。

When Huang Chao rebelled and the emperor fled west, a false envoy arrived bearing a forged edict. Jingchong executed him publicly as a warning, then mobilized his troops and sent urgent proclamations to every circuit. He joined Wang Chucun of Dingzhou to lead their armies west through the passes, inquiring after the emperor's whereabouts while tribute and supplies arrived in unbroken succession. Whenever he spoke of the imperial ancestral temples and tombs, tears would come to his eyes.

蔚州刺史蘇祐為沙陀所攻，乞師於幽州，屯美女谷，兵不利。祐將出奔，會詔徙濮州刺史，擁兵之官，道於鎮，景崇館於靈壽，肆其下剽奪，景崇殺之。

Su You, prefect of Yu Prefecture, was attacked by the Shatuo and begged troops from Youzhou. He encamped at Meinü Valley, but his army fared poorly. You was about to flee when an edict suddenly transferred him to prefect of Pu. He marched to his new post at the head of his troops. Passing through the garrison, Jingchong hosted him at Lingshou, but You let his men plunder freely; Jingchong had him killed.

嗣節度凡十四年，十三遷至檢校太傅。中和三年死，年三十七，贈太傅，謚曰忠穆。子镕。

He held the command for fourteen years in all and rose through thirteen promotions to Acting Grand Tutor. He died in the third year of the Zhonghe era at age thirty-seven, was posthumously appointed Grand Tutor, and was given the posthumous title Loyal and Solemn. His son was Rong.

镕年十歲，軍中推為留後，授檢校工部尚書。李克用、楊復光攻黃巢，镕凡再饋粟以濟師。僖宗還自蜀，獻馬牛戎械萬計。

Rong was ten years old when the army acclaimed him acting governor and he was appointed Acting Minister of Works. When Li Keyong and Yang Fuguang attacked Huang Chao, Rong twice supplied grain to sustain their armies. When Emperor Xizong returned from Shu, Rong presented tens of thousands of horses, oxen, and weapons of war.

於是克用方擊孟方立於邢州，镕歸芻糧。邢州平，克用遂謀山東，屯常山西，引輕騎涉滹沱諜軍，會大澍，平地水出，镕兵奄至，克用匿林中以免。是時，幽州李匡威亦謀取易、定分其地。王處存方厚事克用，克用寵將李存孝已拔邢，則略镕南鄙，別將李存信等出井陘會之。镕侵堯山，存孝擊敗之，遂至深、越。镕求救於匡威。存孝方攻臨城等數縣，聞匡威屯鄗，引師去。存信素忌存孝，妄曰「無擊賊意。」克用信之。存孝，飛狐人，所謂安敬思者，善騎射，攻葛從周，敗張浚、韓建，數有奇功。至是懼讒，挈邢州歸朱全忠，並結镕為助。天子詔出鎮、幽、魏兵援之。景福元年，克用假道於镕，以討存孝，镕不答，乃與處存連兵侵镕，拔堅固鎮，攻新市。镕禽克用將薛萬金。匡威以兵三萬救镕。克用自攻常山，度滹沱。镕引騎十萬夜濟礠水，襲敗之，斬二萬級，奪鎧器三百乘，克用退壁欒城。天子有詔和解三鎮，克用還，然未得誌，故復伐镕。匡威以五千騎敗克用於元氏，镕具牛酒會匡威槁城，餉金二十萬以謝。

At that time Keyong was attacking Meng Fangli at Xingzhou, and Rong sent him fodder and grain. After Xingzhou was pacified, Keyong turned his ambitions toward the east, encamped west of Mount Chang, and led light cavalry across the Hutuo to reconnoiter the armies. A great downpour flooded the plain. Rong's troops suddenly closed in, and Keyong hid in a forest to escape. At this time Li Kuangwei of Youzhou also plotted to seize Yi and Ding and carve up their territory. Wang Chucun was then lavishing favors on Keyong. Keyong's favored general Li Cunxiao, having already taken Xing, raided Rong's southern border while another commander, Li Cunxin, and others came out through Jingxing to join him. Rong attacked Yaoshan, but Cunxiao defeated him and pushed on into Shen and Yue. Rong begged Kuangwei for rescue. Cunxiao was attacking several counties including Lincheng when he heard Kuangwei was encamped at Hao; he withdrew his army. Cunxin had long been jealous of Cunxiao and falsely claimed, "He has no intention of attacking the enemy. Keyong believed him. Cunxiao, a native of Feihu—the man known as An Jingsi—excelled at mounted archery. He had attacked Ge Congzhou and defeated Zhang Jun and Han Jian, winning many extraordinary victories. Now fearing slander, he surrendered Xingzhou to Zhu Quanzhong and also allied with Rong for support. The emperor ordered troops from Zhen, You, and Wei to march out in relief. In the first year of the Jingfu era, Keyong requested passage through Rong's territory to attack Cunxiao; Rong did not reply. Keyong then joined Chucun to invade Rong's lands, captured Jian'gu Fort, and attacked Xinshi. Rong captured Keyong's general Xue Wanjin. Kuangwei marched with thirty thousand troops to rescue Rong. Keyong personally attacked Changshan and crossed the Hutuo. Rong led one hundred thousand horsemen across the Ci River by night and routed Keyong's force, taking twenty thousand heads and three hundred cartloads of armor and weapons. Keyong pulled back and fortified Luancheng. The emperor issued an edict ordering reconciliation among the three garrisons, and Keyong withdrew—but his ambition remained unfulfilled, so he attacked Rong again. Kuangwei defeated Keyong at Yuanshi with five thousand horsemen. Rong prepared a feast of oxen and wine to welcome him at Gaocheng and sent two hundred thousand strings of gold in gratitude.

俄而匡威為弟匡籌所逐，镕德其助己，迎而館之。匡威親忌日，镕往吊，伏起，殺其府屬楊洽及親吏淡從，有甲者牽镕袖。匡威曰：「與我四州，可不死！」镕許之。將镕入牙城，鎮軍噪而闔左門，坎垣出戰。會大雨風，木拔瓦飛。兵相接，有屠者墨君和袒而薄賊，眾披靡，乃挾镕逾城入。既免，賞千金，與第一區，約宥十死。匡威走東園，兵圍之，與從事李抱貞俱死。明日，镕以禮斂匡威，素服哭諸廷，遣使告匡籌。匡籌怒，移書詰兄所以死狀，表天子請討镕，詔止之。又詔朱全忠平幽、鎮怨。

Before long Kuangchou drove his brother Kuangwei from power. Grateful for the aid Kuangwei had given him, Rong welcomed him and lodged him in his own residence. On the anniversary of Kuangwei's parent's death, Rong came to offer condolences. Ambushers sprang up and killed his staff member Yang Qia and his close officer Dan Cong. An armored man grabbed Rong by the sleeve. Kuangwei said, "Cede four prefectures to me and you may live!" Rong agreed. As they were leading Rong into the headquarters fortress, the garrison troops raised a clamor, barred the left gate, broke through the wall, and sallied out to fight. Just then a violent storm broke; trees were uprooted and roof tiles went flying. As the armies clashed, a butcher named Mo Junhe stripped to the waist and charged the rebels head-on. The enemy ranks broke and fled, and he seized Rong and carried him over the wall into the city. Once Rong was safe, he rewarded Junhe with a thousand strings of gold, granted him the finest district in the city, and pledged pardon for ten capital offenses. Kuangwei fled to the East Garden, but troops surrounded him there. He and his aide Li Baozhen were both killed. The next day Rong buried Kuangwei with full honors, appeared at court in plain mourning dress to weep for him, and sent a messenger to notify Kuangchou. Kuangchou was furious. He sent a letter demanding an account of his brother's death, memorialized the emperor requesting a punitive campaign against Rong, and the court ordered him to stand down. The court also ordered Zhu Quanzhong to settle the feud between Youzhou and Zhenzhou.

克用聞匡威死，自率兵傅城下。镕大驚，納縑二十萬，乃退。匡籌攻樂壽、武強，克用出縛馬關，敗鎮兵於平山，因進攻镕外壘。镕內失幽州助，因乞盟，進幣五十萬，歸糧二十萬，請出兵助討存孝，乃得解。

When Keyong learned of Kuangwei's death, he personally led an army to the city walls. Rong was terrified. He sent two hundred thousand bolts of silk as tribute, and Keyong withdrew. Kuangchou attacked Leshou and Wuqiang. Keyong marched out through Fuma Pass, routed the Zhenzhou army at Pingshan, and then pressed on against Rong's outer fortifications. Having lost Youzhou's support, Rong sued for peace. He sent five hundred thousand strings in gifts, returned two hundred thousand bushels of grain, and asked for troops to help attack Cunxiao—and only then was the siege lifted.

克用屯欒城，存信屯琉璃陂，為邢人夜襲其營，存信軍亂，不克追。克用進薄邢，環城為溝堞，欲示久圍者；城中兵數出，溝壘不可成。裨將袁奉韜紿存孝曰：「君所畏唯王耳，王欲溝堞成則西歸，公何不聽之？」存孝兵不出，壘成，攻益急，城中食盡。存孝登城哭曰：「我誤計，使我生見王，死不恨！」克用遣家嫗招之，存孝出，泥首言為存信誣構，克用曰：「爾與镕書，罵我多矣！」軒而屍於市。

Keyong encamped at Luancheng while Cunxin held Liuli Embankment. Xingzhou troops raided the camp by night, throwing Cunxin's army into disorder so that he could not give chase. Keyong pressed close to Xingzhou and began ringing the city with moats and ramparts, signaling his intent to settle in for a long siege; but the garrison sortied again and again, and the moat and fortifications could never be finished. Adjutant Yuan Fengtao deceived Cunxiao, saying, "Your only fear is the Prince himself. Once the moat and rampart are finished he means to march west—why not let him proceed?" Cunxiao kept his troops inside. The fortifications were completed, the assault grew fiercer still, and the city's food ran out. Cunxiao climbed the wall and wept, "I chose wrongly. Let me see the Prince while I still live, and I will die without regret!" Keyong sent an old nurse from his household to summon him. Cunxiao came out, kowtowed with his face in the dirt, and said Cunxin had framed him. Keyong said, "In your letters with Rong you cursed me often enough!" He had him dragged through the market and his corpse put on public display.

光化中，全忠討幽州劉仁恭，镕遣兵屯蓚城，俄而仁恭敗，擊其歸，得十八。全忠既取邢、洺、礠，又得潞，因圖河東。使羅紹威諷镕絕太原，共尊全忠。镕猗違，全忠不悅。會克用將李嗣昭攻洺州，全忠自將擊走之，得镕與嗣昭書，全忠怒，引軍攻镕，次元氏。镕謂其屬曰：「國危矣，奈何？」周式請見全忠，可以口舌罷也，許之。全忠迎折曰：「爾公朋附太原，今無赦矣！」即出書示式曰：「嗣昭在者，宜速遣。」式曰：「王公所與和者，息人鋒鏑間耳。況繼奉天子詔和解，能無一番紙墜北路乎？太原與趙本無恩，嗣昭庸肯入耶？公為唐桓、文，方以仁義成霸業，寧困人於險耶？」全忠喜，把式袂曰：「吾特戲耳！」延入帳中，議脩好。镕以幣二十萬賂師，遣子昭祚質仕全忠府，全忠因妻之。镕判官張澤謀曰：「失火之家，不可恃遠救。今定密邇，與太原親，宜使全忠圖之。」镕遣式使全忠，全忠乃取定州，王郜遂奔太原。

During the Guanghua era, Quanzhong campaigned against Liu Rengong of Youzhou. Rong sent troops to hold Tiaocheng. When Rengong was defeated soon after, Rong struck his retreating column and took eighteen heads. Quanzhong had already taken Xing, Ming, and Ci, and now gained Lu as well. He then turned his sights on Hedong. He had Luo Shaowei suggest to Rong that he break with Taiyuan and join in honoring Quanzhong. Rong hesitated and dragged his feet, and Quanzhong was displeased. When Keyong's general Li Sizhao attacked Mingzhou, Quanzhong marched out in person and drove him off. He captured correspondence between Rong and Sizhao, flew into a rage, and led an army against Rong, first taking Yuanshi. Rong said to his staff, "The realm is in peril—what can we do?" Zhou Shi asked to see Quanzhong, saying he could talk him into withdrawing. Rong agreed. Quanzhong met him with a sharp rebuke. "Your master made common cause with Taiyuan—there is no pardon now!" He immediately produced the letters and showed them to Shi. "If Sizhao is still here, send him away at once." Shi said, "What Lord Wang sought in making peace was only to still the clash of blades and arrows. Moreover, he has again followed the emperor's edict calling for reconciliation—is it not possible that a single letter simply fell into northern hands? Taiyuan and Zhao were never bound by any debt of gratitude—why would Sizhao willingly come here? You are Tang's Huan and Wen, building a hegemony on benevolence and righteousness—would you corner a man in his hour of peril?" Quanzhong was delighted. He seized Shi's sleeve and said, "I was only jesting!" He invited Shi into his tent to discuss restoring friendly relations. Rong sent two hundred thousand strings in gifts to buy off the army, dispatched his son Zhaozuo as a hostage to serve in Quanzhong's headquarters, and Quanzhong gave him a daughter in marriage. Rong's aide Zhang Ze advised, "A house already ablaze cannot count on help from far away. Dingzhou lies close by and is on intimate terms with Taiyuan. Quanzhong should be urged to move against it." Rong sent Shi as envoy to Quanzhong. Quanzhong then seized Dingzhou, and Wang Gao fled to Taiyuan.

镕母何，有婦德，訓镕嚴。至母亡，镕始黷貨財，姬侍千人，儀服僭上。又以房山有西王母祠，數遊覽，妄求長年事，逾月不還。

Rong's mother, Lady He, was a woman of exemplary virtue and raised him with strict discipline. After his mother died, Rong began to hoard wealth, kept a thousand concubines, and dressed in regalia that exceeded imperial rank. Because Fangshan held a shrine to the Queen Mother of the West, he visited it again and again, vainly seeking the secret of long life, and stayed away for more than a month.

始廷湊賤微時，鄴有道士為卜，得《乾之坤》，曰：「君將有土。」及得鎮，迎事甚謹。復問壽幾何？子孫幾何？」答曰：「公三十年後，當有二王。」已而廷湊立十三年死，蓋廋文也，景崇、镕皆王。廷湊嘗使至河陽，醉寢於路，有過其所者視之曰：「非常人也！」從者以告廷湊，馳及之，問其故，曰：「吾見君鼻之息，左若龍，右若虎，子孫當王百年。家有大樹，覆及堂，公興矣，」及害弘正，而樹適庇寢。自廷湊訖镕，凡百年。

When Tingcou was still obscure and lowly, a Daoist at Ye cast hexagrams for him and obtained Qian changing to Kun. "My lord will come into land," he said." When he gained the command, he welcomed the Daoist back and served him with the greatest respect. He asked again how long he would live. How many descendants would he have?" The Daoist answered, "Thirty years after you, there will be two kings." Tingcou held power for thirteen years and then died—the prophecy was cryptic wordplay: Jingchong and Rong were both Wangs. Tingcou once sent an envoy to Heyang. The man got drunk and fell asleep on the road. A passerby looked him over and said, "This is no ordinary man!" The attendants told Tingcou, who galloped after the man and asked what he meant. The man said, "I saw the breath from your nostrils—dragon-like on the left, tiger-like on the right. Your descendants will hold kingship for a hundred years. Your house has a great tree whose shade reaches the hall—you will rise to power." When he murdered Hongzheng, a great tree happened to shade his sleeping chamber. From Tingcou to Rong, a full century passed.

贊曰：朱滔、王武俊南面稱王，地聯交昵。及泚僭天子，滔將應之，當時危矣。賈林以一語寤武俊，軋兵相仇，折幽、薊之銳，泚失其朋，不出孤城，終底覆夷，用林之功，賞不及身，德宗為不明哉！

Commentary: Zhu Tao and Wang Wujun declared themselves kings in the south, their territories adjoining and their alliance close. When Zhu Ci seized the imperial title, Tao was poised to join him—the realm stood at the brink. Jia Lin awakened Wujun with a single sentence. Their armies turned on each other, blunting the fighting edge of You and Ji. Ci lost his allies, never dared leave his isolated city, and was ultimately destroyed. Lin's service went unrewarded in his lifetime—was Emperor Dezong not blind to merit!

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