Volume 1 Later Liang Annals 1: Taizu 1

新五代史卷一梁本紀第一

New History of the Five Dynasties, Volume 1: Basic Annals of Liang, Part One.

太祖神武元聖孝皇帝，姓硃氏，宋州碭山午溝里人也。其父誠，以《五經》教授鄉里，生三子，曰全昱、存、溫。誠卒，三子貧，不能為生，與其母傭食蕭縣人劉崇家。全昱無他材能，然為人頗長者。存、溫勇有力，而溫尤兇悍。

The Founding Emperor—martial, sagely, and filial—was of the Zhu clan, from Wugou Village in Dangshan, Songzhou. His father Cheng made a living teaching the Five Classics locally. He had three sons: Quanyu, Cun, and Wen. After Cheng died the brothers were destitute. They and their mother went to work for their board in the household of Liu Chong of Xiaoxian. Quanyu had little ability, but he was a man of decent character. Cun and Wen were strong and bold; Wen was the more brutal of the two.

唐僖宗乾符四年，黃巢起曹、濮，存、溫亡入賊中。巢攻嶺南，存戰死。巢陷京師，以溫為東南面行營先鋒使。攻陷同州，以為同州防禦使。是時，天子在蜀，諸鎮會兵討賊。溫數為河中王重榮所敗，屢請益兵於巢，巢中尉孟楷抑而不通。溫客謝瞳說溫曰：「黃家起於草莽，幸唐衰亂，直投其隙而取之爾，非有功德興王之業也，此豈足與共成事哉！今天子在蜀，諸鎮之兵日集，以謀興復，是唐德未厭於人也。且將軍力戰于外，而庸人制之於內，此章邯所以背秦而歸楚也。」溫以為然，乃殺其監軍嚴實，自歸於河中，因王重榮以降。都統王鐸承制拜溫左金吾衛大將軍、河中行營招討副使，天子賜溫名全忠。

In the fourth year of Qianfu (877), under Emperor Xizong of Tang, Huang Chao rebelled in Cao and Pu prefectures. Cun and Wen joined his ranks. During the campaign into Lingnan, Cun was killed in action. After Chao seized Chang'an he made Wen commander of the vanguard for the southeastern expeditionary force. He took Tongzhou and installed Wen as its military governor. The emperor had fled to Shu, and the military governors were mustering armies against the rebels. Wen suffered repeated defeats at the hands of Wang Chongrong of Hezhong. He begged Chao for more troops, but Meng Kai, Chao's chief steward, suppressed every request. Wen's adviser Xie Tong said to him: "The Huang clan came out of nowhere and only took the realm because Tang was collapsing. They have done nothing that deserves a throne. Why stay tied to them? The emperor is in Shu, and provincial armies are assembling every day to restore the dynasty. The people have not yet given up on Tang. And you bleed for them in the field while fools run you from the rear—the same trap that drove Zhang Han to abandon Qin for Chu." Wen agreed. He killed his army inspector Yan Shi, crossed back to Hezhong, and surrendered through Wang Chongrong. Supreme commander Wang Duo, by imperial order, made Wen grand general of the Left Golden Guard and deputy campaign commander in Hezhong. The court then gave him the name Quanzhong—"wholly loyal."

中和三年三月，拜全忠汴州刺史、宣武軍節度使。四月，諸鎮兵破巢，復京師，巢走藍田。七月丁卯，全忠歸於宣武。是歲，黃巢出藍田關，陷蔡州。節度使秦宗權叛附於巢，遂圍陳州。徐州時溥為東南面行營兵馬都統，會東諸鎮兵以救陳。陳州刺史趙犨亦乞兵于全忠。溥雖為都統而不親兵，四年，全忠乃自將救犨，率諸鎮兵擊敗巢將黃鄴、尚讓等。犨以全忠為德，始附屬焉。是時，河東李克用下兵太行，度河，出洛陽，與東兵會，擊巢。巢已敗去，全忠及克用追敗之於郾城。巢走中牟，又敗之于王滿。巢走封丘，又大敗之。巢挺身東走，至泰山狼虎谷，為時溥追兵所殺。九月，天子以全忠為檢校司徒、同中書門下平章事，封沛郡侯。光啟二年三月，進爵王。義成軍亂，逐其節度使安師儒，推牙將張驍為留後，師儒來奔，殺之。遣硃珍、李唐賓陷滑州，以胡真為留後。十二月，徙封吳興郡王。

In the third month of Zhonghe 3 (883), Quanzhong became prefect of Bianzhou and military governor of Xuanwu. In the fourth month the coalition routed Huang Chao, retook Chang'an, and drove him toward Lantian. On the seventh month's dingmao day, Quanzhong went home to his Xuanwu base. Later that year Huang Chao broke out through Lantian Pass and seized Caizhou. Qin Zongquan, the local governor, defected to Chao and laid siege to Chenzhou. Shi Pu of Xuzhou held the title of overall commander for the southeast and called up eastern provinces to rescue Chen. Chen's prefect Zhao Chou asked Quanzhong for help as well. Pu held the supreme command but kept out of the field. In the fourth year Quanzhong marched in person to relieve Chou and, at the head of the coalition, smashed Huang Chao's lieutenants Huang Ye and Shang Rang. Grateful for the rescue, Chou placed himself under Quanzhong's authority. Li Keyong of Hedong came down the Taihang range, crossed the river, advanced on Luoyang, and united with the eastern forces against Chao. Chao was already in retreat. Quanzhong and Keyong ran him down and beat him again at Yancheng. He fled to Zhongmou and suffered another defeat at Wangman. Pushed to Fengqiu, he was crushed again. Chao broke east to Langhugu Valley on Mount Tai, where Shi Pu's pursuit caught and killed him. In the ninth month the court named Quanzhong honorary privy councilor and made him Marquis of Pei. In the third month of Guangqi 2 (886) he was raised to princely rank. Troops of Yicheng mutinied, expelled governor An Shiru, and made a guard officer, Zhang Xiao, acting commander. When Shiru fled to them for refuge, they killed him. Quanzhong sent Zhu Zhen and Li Tangbin to capture Huazhou and left Hu Zhen in charge there. In the twelfth month his title was shifted to Prince of Wuxing.

自黃巢死，秦宗權稱帝，陷陝、洛、懷、孟、唐、許、汝、鄭州，遣其將秦賢、盧瑭、張晊攻汴。賢軍板橋，晊軍北郊，瑭軍萬勝，環汴為三十六柵。王顧兵少，不敢出。乃遣硃珍募兵於東方，而求救於兗、鄆。三年春，珍得萬人、馬數百匹以歸。乃擊賢板橋，拔其四柵。又擊瑭萬勝，瑭敗，投水死。宗權聞瑭等敗，乃自將精兵數千，柵北郊。五月，兗州硃瑾、鄆州硃宣來赴援。王置酒軍中，中席，王陽起如廁，以輕兵出北門襲晊，而樂聲不輟。晊不意兵之至也，兗、鄆之兵又從而合擊，遂大敗之，斬首二萬餘級。宗權與晊夜走，過鄭，屠其城而去。宗權至蔡，復遣張晊攻汴。王聞晊復來，登封禪寺後岡，望晊兵過，遣硃珍躡之，戒曰：「晊見吾兵必止。望其止，當速返，毋與之鬥也。」已而晊見珍在後，果止。珍即馳還。王令珍引兵蔽大林，而自率精騎出其東，伏大塚間。晊止而食，食畢，拔旗幟，馳擊珍。珍兵小卻，王引伏兵橫出，斷晊軍為三而擊之。晊大敗，脫身走。宗權怒，斬晊。而河陽、陝、洛之兵為宗權守者，聞蔡精兵皆已殲於汴，因各潰去。故諸葛爽將李罕之取河陽、張全義取洛陽以來附。十月，天子使來，賜王紀功碑。硃宣、硃瑾兵助汴，已破宗權東歸，王移檄兗、鄆，誣其誘汴亡卒以東，乃發兵攻之，取其曹州、濮州。遂遣硃珍攻鄆州，大敗而還。十二月，天子使來，賜王鐵券及德政碑。

With Huang Chao dead, Qin Zongquan crowned himself and overran Shan, Luoyang, Huai, Meng, Tang, Xu, Ru, and Zheng. He sent Qin Xian, Lu Tang, and Zhang Zhi against Bianzhou. Xian held Banqiao, Zhi the north suburbs, Tang Wansheng—thirty-six camps encircling Bian. Quanzhong's forces were too weak to risk a sortie. He sent Zhu Zhen east to raise men and appealed to Yan and Yun prefectures for aid. That spring Zhen came back with ten thousand soldiers and hundreds of horses. They struck Xian at Banqiao and ripped out four camps. At Wansheng they routed Lu Tang, who drowned himself. Hearing of Tang's defeat, Zongquan marched in person with an elite few thousand and fortified the north suburbs. In the fifth month Zhu Jin of Yanzhou and Zhu Xuan of Yunzhou arrived to help. The Prince gave a banquet in camp. Midway through the feast he pretended to leave for the latrine, slipped out the north gate with a light force to hit Zhang Zhi, and the banquet music never missed a beat. Zhi was caught flat-footed. Jin and Xuan's men piled in from another angle. The slaughter topped twenty thousand. Zongquan and Zhi fled overnight, looting Zhengzhou on their way out. Back in Cai, Zongquan sent Zhang Zhi against Bian once more. Learning Zhi was returning, the Prince took the ridge behind Fengchan Temple, watched the column go by, and sent Zhu Zhen to follow with orders: "Zhi will stop the moment he spots us. The instant he halts, wheel about. Do not engage." Zhi glanced back, saw Zhen, and stopped as predicted. Zhen raced home. The Prince hid Zhen in the timber while he took elite horsemen east to lie among the barrows. Zhi camped to eat, then struck his flags and rushed Zhen. Zhen's line bent back a little; then the Prince burst from cover, split Zhi's force in three, and hammered it. Zhi's army collapsed; he alone got away. Enraged, Zongquan executed Zhi. Garrisons still loyal to Zongquan in Heyang, Shan, and Luoyang heard that his best troops had been wiped out at Bian and melted away. Li Hanzhi, serving Zhuge Shuang, seized Heyang; Zhang Quanyi took Luoyang—both defected to the Prince. In the tenth month the court sent a monument commemorating his victories. After helping crush Zongquan, Xuan and Jin marched home. The Prince accused them—falsely—of recruiting his runaways and attacked, seizing Cao and Pu. Zhu Zhen's assault on Yunzhou failed disastrously. In the twelfth month the court awarded him an iron certificate of mercy and a "virtuous rule" stele.

三月庚子，僖宗崩。天雄軍亂，囚其節度使樂彥貞。其子相州刺史從訓攻魏，來乞兵。遣硃珍助從訓攻魏。而魏軍殺彥貞，從訓戰死，魏人立羅弘信，珍乃還。張全義取河陽，逐李罕之。罕之奔於河東。李克用遣兵圍河陽，全義來求救，遣丁會、牛存節救之，擊敗河東兵於沇河。

On the third month's gengzi day, Emperor Xizong of Tang died. The Tianxiong garrison mutinied and seized its governor Yue Yanzhen. His son Congxun, governor of Xiangzhou, besieged Wei and asked the Prince for soldiers. The Prince sent Zhu Zhen to aid the assault on Wei. Wei's soldiers killed Yanzhen. Congxun fell in the fighting. They elevated Luo Hongxin, and Zhen withdrew. Zhang Quanyi seized Heyang and expelled Li Hanzhi. Hanzhi ran to Li Keyong in Hedong. Keyong besieged Heyang. Quanyi appealed to the Prince, who sent Ding Hui and Niu Cunjie; they broke the Hedong army at the Si River.

五月，行營討蔡州，圍之百餘日，不克。是時，時溥已為東南面都統，又以王統行營，而溥猶稱都統。王乃上書，論溥討蔡無功而不落都統，且欲激怒溥以起兵端。初，高駢死，淮南亂，楚州刺史劉瓚來奔，納之，及王兵攻蔡不克，還，欲攻徐，乃遣硃珍將兵數千以東，聲言送瓚還楚州。溥怒論己，又聞珍以兵來，果出兵拒之。珍戰于吳康，大敗之，取其豐、蕭二縣。遂攻宿州，下之。珍屯蕭縣，別遣龐師古攻徐州。龍紀元年正月，師古敗溥于呂梁。淮西牙將申叢執秦宗權，折其足，將檻送京師；別將郭璠殺叢，篡宗權以來獻。王遣行軍司馬李璠獻俘于京師，表郭璠淮西留後。三月，天子封王為東平王。七月，硃珍殺李唐賓，王如蕭縣，執珍殺之，遂攻徐州。冬，大雨，水，不能軍而旋。

In the fifth month the coalition laid siege to Caizhou for over a hundred days and could not crack it. Shi Pu still styled himself supreme commander of the southeast even though the Prince now headed the field army—and Pu kept the grand title anyway. The Prince petitioned the court: Pu had failed at Caizhou but refused to step down—and he meant to goad Pu into war. After Gao Pian's death Huainan had torn itself apart. Chuzhou's Liu Zan had fled to the Prince for protection. When the siege of Cai failed, he turned on Xuzhou, sending Zhu Zhen east with a few thousand men under the cover of returning Zan home. Furious at the memorial and hearing Zhen was marching, Pu met force with force. At Wukang, Zhen smashed Pu and seized Feng and Xiao counties. He took Suzhou next. Zhen held Xiaoxian while Pang Shigu pressed Xuzhou. In the first month of the Longji reign (889), Shigu beat Pu at Lüliang. Shen Cong, an officer under Zongquan, seized his master, broke his legs, and prepared to cage him for Chang'an; another officer, Guo Fan, murdered Cong and delivered Zongquan himself. The Prince sent Li Fan to present the prisoner in Chang'an and asked that Guo Fan be left in charge of Huainan West. In the third month the court made him Prince of Dongping. In the seventh month Zhu Zhen murdered Li Tangbin. The Prince rode to Xiaoxian, arrested Zhen, and had him killed, then marched on Xuzhou. Winter floods drowned the campaign; he pulled the army back.

初，黃巢敗走，李克用追之，至於冤朐，不及而旋。過汴，駐軍於北郊，王邀克用置酒上源驛，夜以兵攻之。克用逾城而免，訟其事于京師，天子知曲在汴而和解之。至是，宰相張浚私與汴交，王厚之以賂，浚為汴請伐河東。唐諸大臣皆以為不可興師。浚挾汴力，請益堅。天子不得已，許之。五月，以浚為太原四面行營都統，王為東南面招討使。然王不親兵，以兵三千屬浚而已。浚屯于陰地。河東叛將馮霸殺潞州守將李克恭來降，遣葛從周入潞州。李克用遣康君立攻之，從周走河陽。九月，王如河陽。十月，天子以王兼宣義軍節度使，遂如滑州，假道于魏，以攻河東，且責其軍須，亦所以怒魏為兵端也。魏人果以謂非兵所當出，而辭以糧乏，皆不許。於是攻魏。十一月，張浚之師大敗于陰地。二年正月，王及魏人戰于內黃，大敗之，屠故元城，羅弘信來送款。十月，克宿州。十一月，曹州將郭紹賓殺其刺史郭饒來降。十二月，丁會敗硃瑾于金鄉。景福元年二月，攻鄆州，前軍硃友裕敗于斗門，王軍後至，又敗而還。冬，友裕取濮州，遂攻徐州。二年四月，龐師古克徐州，殺時溥。王如徐州，以師古為留後，遂攻兗、鄆。

When Huang Chao had fled east, Li Keyong chased him as far as Yuanqu, gave up, and turned homeward. Passing Bian he camped north of the city. The Prince invited him to dinner at Shangyuan Post—and ambushed him that night. Keyong scaled the wall and lived. He appealed to the court. The emperor knew Bian was at fault and forced a truce. Chief minister Zhang Jun was now in Bian's pocket. The Prince bought him lavishly, and Jun petitioned for war on Hedong. The rest of the Tang cabinet opposed war. Backed by Bian's power, Jun only pushed harder. The emperor yielded. In the fifth month Jun became supreme commander against Taiyuan; the Prince was named southeastern commissioner. The Prince stayed home, lending Jun a mere three thousand men. Jun camped at Yindi. Feng Ba, a Hedong turncoat, killed Lu's commander Li Kegong and defected. The Prince sent Ge Congzhou to hold Lu. Keyong sent Kang Junli to retake the city. Congzhou ran to Heyang. In the ninth month the Prince marched to Heyang. In the tenth month the court gave Quanzhong the Xuanyi command as well. He marched to Huazhou, crossed Wei to strike Hedong, and demanded grain from the Wei garrison—partly to pick a fight. The Wei commanders said his route was wrong and pleaded empty granaries. Every request was refused. He turned on Wei. In the eleventh month Zhang Jun's army was smashed at Yindi. In the first month of the second year Quanzhong met the Wei army at Neihuang, crushed it, sacked old Yuancheng, and Luo Hongxin submitted. In the tenth month he seized Suzhou. In the eleventh month Guo Shaobin, an officer of Caozhou, murdered the prefect Guo Rao and defected. In the twelfth month Ding Hui routed Zhu Jin at Jinxiang. In the second month of Jingfu 1 (892) he besieged Yanzhou. Zhu Youyu's vanguard lost at Dou Gate; when Quanzhong came up with the main body he was beaten again and withdrew. That winter Youyu took Puzhou and pressed Xuzhou. In the fourth month of the second year Pang Shigu captured Xuzhou and killed Shi Pu. Quanzhong went to Xuzhou, left Shigu as garrison commander, and marched on Yan and Yun prefectures.

光化元年三月，天子以王兼天平軍節度使。四月，遣葛從周攻晉之山東，取邢、洺、磁三州。襄州趙匡凝自其父德諲時來附，匡凝又與楊行密、李克用通，而其事泄。七月，遣氏叔琮、康懷英攻匡凝，取其泌、隨、鄧三州。匡凝請和，乃止。十二月，李罕之以潞州來降。二年，幽州劉仁恭攻魏，羅紹威來求救。王救魏，敗仁恭于內黃。四月，遣氏叔琮攻晉太原，不克。七月，李克用取澤、潞。十一月，保義軍亂，殺其節度使王珙，推其牙將李璠為留後，其將硃簡殺璠來降。以簡為保義軍節度使。三年四月，遣葛從周攻劉仁恭之滄州，取其德州，及仁恭戰於老鴉堤，大敗之。八月，晉取洺州。王如洺州，復取之。是時，鎮、定皆附于晉。遂攻鎮州，破臨城，王鎔來送款。進攻定州，王郜奔于晉，其將王處直以定州降。

In the third month of Guanghua 1 (898) the court added the Tianping command to Quanzhong's titles. In the fourth month he sent Ge Congzhou into Hedong's Shandong districts and seized Xing, Ming, and Ci. Zhao Kuangning of Xiangzhou had been a vassal since his father Dezhao's day. He was now in touch with Yang Xingmi and Li Keyong, and the traffic was discovered. In the seventh month he sent Shi Shuzong and Kang Huaiying against Kuangning and took Mi, Sui, and Deng. Kuangning sued for peace and the campaign ended. In the twelfth month Li Hanzhi handed Luzhou over. In the second year Liu Rengong of Youzhou struck Wei, and Luo Shaowei called for help. Quanzhong relieved Wei and beat Rengong at Neihuang. In the fourth month he sent Shi Shuzong against Taiyuan; the city held. In the seventh month Li Keyong recovered Ze and Lu. In the eleventh month the Baoyi garrison murdered its governor Wang Gong and made a gate officer, Li Fan, acting commander. Zhu Jian killed Fan and defected. Quanzhong installed Jian as governor of Baoyi. In the fourth month of the third year he sent Ge Congzhou against Liu Rengong's Cangzhou, seized Dezhou, and shattered Rengong at Laoya Embankment. In the eighth month Hedong retook Mingzhou. Quanzhong marched to Mingzhou and won it back. By then Zhenzhou and Dingzhou both stood with Hedong. He advanced on Zhenzhou, stormed Lincheng, and Wang Rong submitted. Pressing Dingzhou, Wang Gao fled to Hedong; his general Wang Chuzhi surrendered the city.

自劉季述等已誅，宰相崔胤外與梁交，欲假梁兵盡誅宦者。而鳳翔李茂貞、邠甯王行瑜等，皆遣子弟以精兵宿衛天子，宦官韓全誨等亦因恃以為助。天子與胤計事，宦者屬耳，頗聞之。乃選美女，內之宮中，陰令伺察其實。久之，果得胤奏謀所以誅宦者之說，全誨等大懼，日夜相與涕泣，思圖胤以求全。胤知謀泄，事急，即矯為制，召梁兵入誅宦者。十月，王以宣武、宣義、天平、護國兵七萬，至於河中，取同州，遂攻華州，韓建出降。全誨等聞梁王兵且至，即以岐、邠宿衛兵劫天子奔于鳳翔。王乃上書言胤所以召之之意。天子怒，罷胤相，責授工部尚書，詔梁兵還鎮。王引兵去，攻邠州，屯于三原。邠州節度使楊崇本以邠、甯、慶、衍四州降。崔胤奔于華州。二年春，王退軍於河中。晉攻晉、絳。遣硃友甯擊敗晉軍于蒲縣，取汾、慈、隰，遂圍太原，不克而還，汾、慈、隰復入于晉。四月，友甯引兵西，至興平，及李茂貞戰於武功，大敗之。王兵犯鳳翔，茂貞數出戰，輒敗，遂圍之。十一月，鄜坊李周彝以兵救鳳翔，王遣孔勍襲鄜州，虜周彝之族，徙於河中，周彝乃降。是時，岐兵屢敗，而圍久，城中食盡，自天子至後宮，皆凍餒。三年正月，茂貞殺韓全誨等二十人，囊其首，示梁軍，約出天子以為解。甲子，天子出幸梁軍。遣使者馳召崔胤，胤托疾不至。王使人戲胤曰：「吾未識天子，懼其非是，子來為我辨之。」天子還至興平，胤率百官奉迎。王自為天子執轡，且泣且行，行十餘里，止之。人見者，咸以為忠。己巳，天子至自鳳翔，素服哭於太廟而後入，殺宦者七百餘人。二月甲戌，天子賜王「回天再造竭忠守正功臣」，以輝王祚為諸道兵馬元帥，王為副元帥。王乃留子友倫為護駕指揮使，以為天子衛，引兵東歸。天子餞于延喜樓，賜《楊柳枝》五曲。

After Liu Jishu and his fellows were dead, chief minister Cui Yin courted Liang from outside the palace and wanted Liang soldiers to wipe out every eunuch. Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu of Binning, and others posted sons and nephews with crack troops to guard the emperor. Han Quanhui and the palace eunuchs leaned on them in turn. Whenever the emperor and Yin plotted, eunuchs pressed close enough to overhear. They planted beautiful women in the inner quarters and told them to learn what was really being said. In time they got hold of Yin's memorial on killing the eunuchs. Quanhui and his party were terrified; day and night they wept together and plotted to destroy Yin before he destroyed them. Yin knew the secret was out. In desperation he forged an edict calling Liang troops to the capital to slaughter the eunuchs. In the tenth month Quanzhong marched seventy thousand men from Xuanwu, Xuanyi, Tianping, and Huguo to Hezhong, seized Tongzhou, then took Huazhou when Han Jian surrendered. Hearing that Quanzhong's army was near, Quanhui and the rest used the Fengxiang and Binning guards to seize the emperor and flee to Fengxiang. Quanzhong memorialized the throne, explaining why Yin had called him west. The emperor was furious. He stripped Yin of the chancellorship, made him Minister of Works, and ordered the Liang army home. Quanzhong pulled back, struck Binzhou, and camped at Sanyuan. Yang Chongben of Binning surrendered Bin, Ning, Qing, and Yan prefectures. Cui Yin fled to Huazhou. That spring Quanzhong drew his army back to Hezhong. Hedong forces attacked Jinzhou and Jiangzhou. He sent Zhu Youning to smash the Hedong army at Puxian, took Fen, Ci, and Xi, then besieged Taiyuan without success. On the march home Fen, Ci, and Xi slipped back to Hedong. In the fourth month Youning marched west to Xingping and routed Li Maozhen at Wugong. Quanzhong pressed Fengxiang. Maozhen sallied again and again, lost every time, and was penned in the city. In the eleventh month Li Zhouyi of Yan-Fang marched to relieve Fengxiang. Quanzhong sent Kong Xun to strike Yanzhou, seized Zhouyi's family, relocated them to Hezhong, and Zhouyi submitted. Fengxiang's armies kept losing, the siege dragged on, and provisions ran out. From the emperor to the inner palace, everyone froze and starved. In the first month of the third year Maozhen executed Quanhui and twenty companions, packed their heads in sacks, showed them to the Liang camp, and offered to hand over the emperor to lift the siege. On the day jiazi the emperor walked out to the Liang lines. Riders were sent at full gallop to fetch Cui Yin. Yin claimed illness and stayed away. Quanzhong sent Yin a mocking message: "I have never met the Son of Heaven and cannot be sure this is he. Come tell me if he is real." When the emperor reached Xingping, Yin led the whole court out to meet him. Quanzhong took the imperial bridle himself and walked beside the carriage for more than ten li, weeping the whole way before he let go. Onlookers took it for the height of loyalty. On the day jisi the emperor came down from Fengxiang, mourned at the ancestral temple in undyed robes, entered the palace, and put more than seven hundred eunuchs to death. On jiaxu in the second month the emperor gave Quanzhong the title "Merit subject who turns back heaven and remakes, exhausts loyalty and upholds rectitude," named Prince Hui commander of all circuit armies, and made Quanzhong his deputy. Quanzhong left his son Youlun as protector of the imperial escort to guard the emperor and marched east. The emperor gave a farewell banquet at Yanxi Tower and bestowed five performances of "Willow Branch."

初，梁兵已西，青州王師範遣其將劉鄩襲據梁兗州。王已還梁，四月，如鄆州，遣硃友甯攻青州。師範敗之于石樓，友甯死。九月，楊師厚敗青人於臨朐，取其棣州，師範以青州降，而鄩亦降。友倫擊鞠，墜馬死。王怒，以為崔胤殺之，遣硃友謙殺胤于京師。其與友倫擊鞠者，皆殺之。

While the Liang army was still in the west, Wang Shifan of Qingzhou sent Liu Yun to raid and seize Yanzhou. Quanzhong was back in the east. In the fourth month he went to Yanzhou and sent Zhu Youning against Qingzhou. Shifan beat him at Shilou and Youning was killed. In the ninth month Yang Shihou routed the Qingzhou army at Linqu and took Di Prefecture. Shifan surrendered Qingzhou, and Liu Yun came over as well. Youlun fell from his horse during a cuju match and died. Quanzhong blamed Cui Yin for the death and sent Zhu Youqian to murder Yin in the capital. Everyone who had been on the field with Youlun was executed.

自天子奔華州，王請遷都洛陽，雖不許，而王命河南張全義修洛陽宮以待。天祐元年正月，王如河中，遣牙將寇彥卿如京師，請遷都洛陽，並徙長安居人以東。天子行至陝州，王朝於行在，先如東都。是時，六軍諸衛兵已散亡，其從以東者，小黃門十數人，打球供奉、內園小兒等二百餘人。行至谷水，王教醫官許昭遠告其謀亂，悉殺而代之，然後以聞。由是天子左右皆梁人矣。四月甲辰，天子至自西都。是時，晉王李克用、岐王李茂貞、楚王趙匡凝、蜀王王建、吳王楊行密聞梁遷天子洛陽，皆欲舉兵討梁，王大懼。六月，楊崇本復附於岐。王乃以兵如河中，聲言攻崇本，遣硃友恭、氏叔琮、蔣玄暉等行弑，昭宗崩。十月，王朝于京師，殺硃友恭、氏叔琮。十一月，攻淮南，取其光州，攻壽州，不克而旋。二年二月，遣蔣玄暉殺德王裕等九王于九曲池。六月，殺司空裴贄等百餘人。七月，天子使來，賜王「迎鑾紀功碑」。

Ever since the emperor had fled to Huazhou, Quanzhong had pressed to move the court to Luoyang. The request was denied, but he told Zhang Quanyi of Henan to rebuild the Luoyang palaces and wait. In the first month of Tainyou 1 (904) Quanzhong went to Hezhong and sent his gate officer Kou Yanqing to Chang'an to demand the move to Luoyang and the resettlement of the western capital's population. When the emperor reached Shaanzhou, Quanzhong attended the traveling court and went on ahead to Luoyang. The Six Armies and palace guards had melted away. Only a dozen junior eunuchs, ball attendants, and inner-garden boys—barely two hundred souls—followed the emperor east. At Gu River Quanzhong had the physician Xu Zhaoyuan accuse them of plotting revolt, killed every one, slipped in Liang men, and only then informed the emperor. After that every face around the emperor was a Liang man. On jiachen in the fourth month the emperor entered Luoyang from Chang'an. Li Keyong of Jin, Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, Zhao Kuangning of Chu, Wang Jian of Shu, and Yang Xingmi of Wu all talked of marching on Liang once they heard the emperor was being dragged to Luoyang. Quanzhong was terrified. In the sixth month Yang Chongben went back to Maozhen's side. Quanzhong marched on Hezhong, claiming he would punish Chongben, while Zhu Yougong, Shi Shuzong, Jiang Xuanhui, and others carried out the murder. Emperor Zhaozong was dead. In the tenth month Quanzhong appeared at court and executed Zhu Yougong and Shi Shuzong as scapegoats. In the eleventh month he campaigned in Huainan, took Guangzhou, failed at Shouzhou, and withdrew. In the second month of the second year he had Jiang Xuanhui drown nine princes, including De Wang Yu, in Jiuchi Pool. In the sixth month he slaughtered more than a hundred officials, among them Sikong Pei Zan. In the seventh month the court sent envoys with the stele title "Inscribing Merit in Welcoming the Imperial Carriage."

王欲代唐，使人諭諸鎮，襄州趙匡凝以為不可。遣楊師厚攻之，取其唐、鄧、復、郢、隨、均、房七州。王如襄州，軍於漢北。九月，師厚破襄州，匡凝奔於淮南。師厚取荊南，荊南留後趙匡明奔於蜀。遂出光州，以攻壽州，不克。天子卜祀天于南郊，王怒，以為蔣玄暉等欲祈天以延唐。天子懼，改卜郊。十一月辛巳，天子封王為魏王、相國，總百揆。以宣武、宣義、天平、護國、天雄、武順、佑國、河陽、義武、昭義、武寧、保義、忠義、武昭、武定、泰甯、平盧、匡國、鎮國、荊南、忠武二十一軍為魏國，備九錫。王怒，不受。十二月，天子以王為天下兵馬元帥。王益怒，遣人告樞密使蔣玄暉與何太后私通，殺玄暉而焚之，遂弑太后于積善宮。又殺宰相柳璨，太常卿張延範車裂以徇。天子詔以太后故停郊。

Quanzhong meant to take the throne and sounded out the provinces. Zhao Kuangning of Xiangzhou said no. He sent Yang Shihou against him and stripped away Tang, Deng, Fu, Ying, Sui, Jun, and Fang—seven prefectures in all. Quanzhong advanced to Xiangzhou and camped on the north bank of the Han. In the ninth month Shihou stormed Xiangzhou and Kuangning fled to Huainan. Shihou seized Jingnan. Its acting prefect Zhao Kuangming ran to Shu. He marched from Guangzhou against Shouzhou but failed again. The emperor cast lots for a southern suburban rite. Quanzhong raged, convinced that Jiang Xuanhui and his circle meant to pray Heaven into keeping Tang alive. Terrified, the emperor postponed the ceremony. On xinsi in the eleventh month the emperor made Quanzhong Prince of Wei and Chancellor of State with authority over all government. Twenty-one commands—from Xuanwu and Xuanyi to Zhongwu—were bundled into a Wei state for him, and the full nine bestowments were readied. Quanzhong refused in fury. In the twelfth month the emperor named him commander of all armies under heaven. Quanzhong's rage only grew. He charged Grand Councilor Jiang Xuanhui with sleeping with Empress Dowager He, killed and burned him, then murdered the empress dowager in Jishan Palace. He executed chief minister Liu Can and had Minister of Rites Zhang Yanfan torn apart by carts and displayed in the streets. The emperor announced that the suburban rites were canceled because of the empress dowager's death.

三年春，魏州羅紹威謀殺其牙軍，來假兵以虞變，王為發兵北攻劉仁恭之滄州，兵過魏而紹威已殺牙軍，其兵之在外者果皆叛，據貝、衛、澶、博州，王以兵悉殺之。遂攻滄州，軍于長蘆。劉仁恭求救于晉。晉人取潞州，王乃旋軍。

That spring Luo Shaowei of Weizhou planned to wipe out his own gate troops and asked Quanzhong for soldiers to hold the line. Quanzhong marched north against Liu Rengong's Cangzhou. Passing through Wei he found Shaowei had already slaughtered the gate army, but the detachments still in the field rose in Bei, Wei, Chan, and Bo. Quanzhong hunted every mutineer down and killed them. He then besieged Cangzhou and camped at Changlu. Liu Rengong appealed to Jin for help. When Jin seized Luzhou, Quanzhong wheeled his army about and withdrew.

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