1
嗚呼！ 孟子謂「春秋無義戰」，予亦以謂五代無全臣。 無者，非無一人，蓋僅有之耳，余得死節之士三人焉。 其仕不及於二代者，各以其國系之，作梁、唐、晉、漢、周臣傳。 其餘仕非一代，不可以國系之者，作《雜傳》。 夫入於雜，誠君子之所羞，而一代之臣，未必皆可貴也，覽者詳其善惡焉。
Alas! Mencius said, “In the Spring and Autumn there were no just wars”; I say the Five Dynasties knew no ministers whole in loyalty. “None” is not literally none—only a handful; I count three who died for principle. Men who served less than two houses I group by realm—Later Liang, Tang, Jin, Han, and Zhou minister lives. The rest, who served more than one dynasty and cannot be tied to a single realm, go into “Miscellaneous Lives.” Landing among the miscellaneous is a gentleman’s shame—yet one-dynasty ministers are not all noble; let readers judge good and evil for themselves.
2
敬翔，字子振，同州馮翊人也，自言唐平陽王暉之後。 少好學，工書檄。 乾符中舉進士不中，乃客大梁。 翔同里人王發為汴州觀察支使，遂往依焉。 久之，發無所薦引，翔客益窘，為人作箋刺，傳之軍中。 太祖素不知書，翔所作皆俚俗語，太祖愛之，謂發曰：「聞君有故人，可與俱來。」 翔見太祖，太祖問曰：「聞子讀《春秋》，《春秋》所記何等事？」 翔曰：「諸侯爭戰之事耳。」 太祖曰：「其用兵之法可以為吾用乎？」 翔曰：「兵者，應變出奇以取勝，《春秋》古法，不可用於今。」 太祖大喜，補以軍職，非其所好，乃以為館驛巡官。 太祖與蔡人戰汴郊，翔時時為太祖謀畫，多中，太祖欣然，以謂得翔之晚，動靜輒以問之。 太祖奉昭宗自岐還長安，昭宗召翔與李振升延喜樓勞之，拜翔太府卿。
Jing Xiang, styled Zizhen, came from Fenyin in Tongzhou and claimed Tang’s Prince of Pingyang, Hui, as ancestor. As a youth he studied hard and wrote excellent military dispatches. During Qianfu he failed the jinshi exams and went to live as a guest at Daliang. A fellow townsman, Wang Fa, served as aide to Bianzhou’s observation commissioner; Xiang attached himself to him. Fa never found him a post; Xiang’s guest life grew thin; he drafted letters and memorials for hire and passed them through the camps. Taizu of Liang could barely read; Xiang wrote in plain soldier’s speech, and Taizu loved it. He told Fa: “I hear you have an old friend—bring him along.” Xiang was brought in. Taizu asked: “They say you’ve read the Spring and Autumn—what does it record?” Xiang said: “Lords fighting one another—that is all.” Taizu asked: “Can I use its way of war?” Xiang said: “War means adapting and striking where the enemy does not expect it—the Spring and Autumn’s old ways won’t serve today.” Taizu was delighted, gave him a military appointment—not what Xiang wanted—so he made him patrol officer of the post stations. When Taizu fought the Cai outside Bian, Xiang’s counsel usually proved right; Taizu rejoiced that he had found him so late and consulted him on every decision. When Taizu brought Emperor Zhaozong from Qi back to Chang’an, Zhaozong summoned Xiang and Li Zhen to Ascending Bliss Tower to honor them and made Xiang Grand Treasurer.
3
初，太祖常侍殿上，昭宗意衛兵有能擒之者，乃佯為鞋結解，以顧太祖，太祖跪而結之，而左右無敢動者，太祖流汗浹背，由此稀復進見。 昭宗遷洛陽，宴崇勛殿，酒半起，使人召太祖入內殿，將有所托。 太祖益懼，辭以疾。 昭宗曰：「卿不欲來，可使敬翔來。」 太祖遽麾翔出，翔亦佯醉去。
Early on Taizu often waited on Zhaozong in the hall; the emperor guessed the guards could grab him, so he pretended a shoe lace had loosened and looked at Taizu; Taizu knelt to tie it while no one on either side stirred; sweat ran down his back; after that he seldom came before the throne again. When Zhaozong moved to Luoyang he feasted in the Hall of Honored Merit; mid-banquet he rose and summoned Taizu to the inner hall to entrust him with a charge. Taizu was more frightened than ever and pleaded illness. Zhaozong said: “If you won’t come, send Jing Xiang.” Taizu hurried Xiang away; Xiang also pretended to be drunk and withdrew.
4
太祖已破趙匡凝，取荊、襄，遂攻淮南。 翔切諫，以謂新勝之兵，宜持重以養威。 太祖不聽。 兵出光州，遭大雨，幾不得進，進攻壽州，不克，而多所亡失，太祖始大悔恨。 歸而忿躁，殺唐大臣幾盡，然益以翔為可信任。 梁之篡弒，翔之謀為多。 太祖即位，以唐樞密院故用宦者，乃改為崇政院，以翔為使。 遷兵部尚書、金鑾殿大學士。
Once Taizu had defeated Zhao Kuangning and taken Jing and Xiang, he turned to attack Huainan. Xiang urged him hard: an army just victorious should hold its weight and let its prestige ripen. Taizu would not heed him. The army set out toward Guangzhou, was stopped by torrential rain, then besieged Shouzhou without success and lost heavily; only then did Taizu bitterly repent. Back home, furious and volatile, he slaughtered almost every Tang minister—yet trusted Xiang more than ever. When Liang seized the throne by murder, Xiang’s counsel led the way. At his accession Taizu replaced Tang’s eunuch-run Privy Council with the Chongzheng Court and made Xiang its chief. He rose to Minister of War and Grand Academician of the Golden Hall.
5
翔為人深沈有大略，從太祖用兵三十餘年，細大之務必關之。 翔亦盡心勤勞，晝夜不寐，自言惟馬上乃得休息。 而太祖剛暴難近，有所不可，翔亦未嘗顯言，微開其端，太祖意悟，多為之改易。
Deep, reserved, and far-sighted, Xiang followed Taizu in war for over thirty years; nothing large or small escaped his counsel. Xiang worked himself to the bone, barely sleeping; he said his only rest came in the saddle. Taizu was brutal and unapproachable; when Xiang disagreed he never said so outright—he would hint, Taizu would understand, and much was amended.
6
太祖破徐州，得時溥寵姬劉氏，愛幸之，劉氏故尚讓妻也，乃以妻翔。 翔已貴，劉氏猶侍太祖，出入臥內如平時，翔頗患之。 劉氏誚翔曰：「爾以我嘗失身於賊乎？ 尚讓，黃家宰相； 時溥，國之忠臣。 以卿門地，猶為辱我，請從此決矣！」 翔以太祖故，謝而止之。 劉氏車服驕侈，別置典謁，交結藩鎮，權貴往往附之，寵信言事不下於翔。 當時貴家，往往效之。
After taking Xuzhou Taizu seized Shi Pu’s favorite concubine, Lady Liu, and doted on her; she had been Shang Rang’s wife, and Taizu gave her to Xiang in marriage. Even after Xiang had risen high, Lady Liu still served Taizu, coming and going from his bedchamber as ever; Xiang brooded over it. Lady Liu taunted him: “Do you think I once gave myself to thieves? Shang Rang was chancellor to the Huang rebels; Shi Pu was a loyal servant of the realm. Even with your rank you shame me—let us part here and now!” For Taizu’s sake Xiang apologized and kept her. Lady Liu rode in splendor, kept her own gate of audience, and courted the governors; the great often fawned on her, and Taizu heard and trusted her no less than Xiang. Fashionable houses everywhere copied her.
7
太祖崩，友珪立，以翔先帝謀臣，懼其圖己，不欲翔居內職，乃以李振代翔為崇政使，拜翔中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 翔以友珪畏己，多稱疾，未嘗省事。 末帝即位，趙巖等用事，頗離間舊臣，翔愈鬱鬱不得志。 其後，梁盡失河北，與晉相拒楊劉，翔曰：「故時河朔半在，以先帝之武，御貔虎之臣，猶不得志於晉。 今晉日益彊，梁日益削，陛下處深宮之中，所與計事者，非其近習，則皆親戚之私，而望成事乎？ 臣聞晉攻楊劉，李亞子負薪渡水，為士卒先。 陛下委蛇守文，以儒雅自喜，而遣賀瓌為將，豈足當彼之餘鋒乎？ 臣雖憊矣，受國恩深，若其乏材，願得自效。」 巖等以翔為怨言，遂不用。
At Taizu’s death Yougui succeeded; fearing Xiang, the late emperor’s chief plotter, he kept him from inner office, put Li Zhen in charge of Chongzheng, and made Xiang Vice Director and co-equal of the Secretariat. Knowing Yougui feared him, Xiang often claimed sickness and never touched business. When the Last Emperor succeeded, Zhao Yan and his circle took power and drove wedges among the old ministers; Xiang sank deeper into frustration. Later, after Liang lost all of Hebei and faced Jin at Yangliu, Xiang said: “Once half the north was still ours; with the late emperor’s might and his fiercest commanders, we still could not beat Jin. Now Jin grows stronger every day while Liang shrinks. Your Majesty sits deep in the palace, and those you consult are either personal favorites or family intimates—how can you hope to succeed? I hear that when Jin struck Yangliu, Li Yazi carried firewood on his back and crossed the water ahead of his men. Your Majesty prides himself on gentle conservatism and scholarly polish, yet sends He Gui to command—can he meet their remaining edge? I am worn out, but the state’s grace runs deep; if you lack able men, I ask to serve.” Yan and his circle treated Xiang’s counsel as complaint, and he was set aside.
8
其後，王彥章敗於中都，末帝懼，召段凝於河上。 是時，梁精兵悉在凝軍，凝有異志，顧望不來。 末帝遽呼翔曰：「朕居常忽卿言，今急矣，勿以為懟，卿其教我當安歸？」 翔曰：「臣從先帝三十餘年，今雖為相，實朱氏老奴爾，事陛下如郎君，以臣之心，敢有所隱？ 陛下初用段凝，臣已爭之，今凝不來，敵勢已近，欲為陛下謀，則小人間之，必不見聽。 請先死，不忍見宗廟之亡！」 君臣相向慟哭。
Later, when Wang Yanzhang fell at Zhongdu, the Last Emperor panicked and called Duan Ning back from the river line. Liang’s crack troops were all with Ning; Ning had his own ambitions and hung back. The Last Emperor cried to Xiang: “I’ve ignored you too long; now it’s desperate—don’t hold a grudge—tell me where I should flee.” Xiang said: “I followed the late emperor thirty years; though I am chancellor I am still Zhu’s old retainer; I serve you as a steward serves his young lord—how could I hold anything back? I fought your choice of Duan Ning from the start; now he won’t come and the foe is close—if I counsel you, slanderers will cut me off and you won’t hear me. Let me die first—I cannot watch the ancestral temple perish!” Emperor and minister wept face to face.
9
翔與李振俱為太祖所信任，莊宗入汴，詔赦梁群臣，李振喜謂翔曰：「有詔洗滌，將朝新君。」 邀翔欲俱入見。 翔夜止高頭車坊，將旦，左右報曰：「崇政李公入朝矣！」 翔嘆曰：「李振謬為丈夫矣！ 復何面目入梁建國門乎？」 乃自經而卒。
Xiang and Li Zhen had both been Taizu’s confidants; when Zhuangzong took Bian, an edict pardoned Liang’s court; Li Zhen was glad and told Xiang: “We are absolved—we can bow to the new ruler.” He urged Xiang to go in with him. Xiang lodged overnight at the Tall-Head Carriage Yard; at daybreak his men said: “Commissioner Li of Chongzheng has gone to audience!” Xiang sighed: “Li Zhen has shamed the word ‘man’! What face have I left to pass through Liang’s Founding Gate?” He hanged himself.
10
朱珍 〈（李唐賓附）〉
Zhu Zhen (with Li Tangbin appended)〉
11
朱珍，徐州豐人也。 少與龐師古等俱從梁太祖為盜。 珍為將，善治軍選士，太祖初鎮宣武，珍為太祖創立軍制，選將練兵甚有法。 太祖得諸將所募兵及佗降兵，皆以屬珍，珍選將五十餘人，皆可用。 梁敗黃巢、破秦宗權、東並兗鄆，未嘗不在戰中，而常勇出諸將。 太祖與晉王東逐黃巢，還過汴，館之上源驛，太祖使珍夜以兵攻之，晉王亡去，珍悉殺其麾下兵。 義成軍亂，逐安師儒，師儒奔梁。 太祖遣珍以兵趨滑州，道遇大雪，珍趣兵疾馳，一夕至城下，遂乘其城。 義成軍以為方雪，不意梁兵來，不為備，遂下之。
Zhu Zhen came from Feng in Xuzhou. As a young man he rode with Pang Shigu and the rest under Taizu of Liang as outlaws. As a commander Zhen excelled at discipline and choosing men; when Taizu first held Xuanyi, Zhen built his army system, picking officers and drilling troops with real art. Every recruit the generals raised and every surrendered unit Taizu handed to Zhen; Zhen picked out more than fifty commanders, all of them good. Through Liang’s defeat of Huang Chao, breakup of Qin Zongquan, and eastward swallowing of Yan and Yanzhou, Zhen was always in the fight and often outshone the rest in courage. When Taizu and the Prince of Jin chased Huang Chao east and passed Bian, they stopped at Shangyuan Post; Taizu sent Zhen by night to strike the Jin prince; the prince escaped, and Zhen slaughtered his escort. Yicheng mutinied, expelled An Shiru, and Shiru fled to Liang. Taizu sent Zhen racing toward Hua Province; snow fell hard on the march, but Zhen drove the men at a gallop and reached the walls in a single night, seizing the city by surprise. Yicheng thought the snow meant no attack; unprepared, they fell.
12
秦宗權遣盧瑭、張至等攻梁，是時梁兵尚少，數為宗權所困。 太祖乃拜珍淄州刺史，募兵於淄青。 珍偏將張仁遇白珍曰：「軍中有犯令者，請先斬而後白。」 珍曰：「偏將欲專殺邪？」 立斬仁遇以徇軍，軍中皆感悅。 珍得所募兵萬餘以歸，太祖大喜曰：「賊在吾郊，若踐吾麥，奈何！ 今珍至，吾事濟矣！ 且賊方息兵養勇，度吾兵少，而未知珍來，謂吾不過堅守而已，宜出其不意以擊之。」 乃出兵擊敗至等，宗權由此敗亡，而梁軍威大振，以得珍兵故也。
Qin Zongquan sent Lu Tang, Zhang Zhi, and others against Liang; Liang’s forces were still small and often pinned by Zongquan. Taizu made Zhen prefect of Zi and sent him to raise troops in Zi and Qing. Zhen’s lieutenant Zhang Renyu said: “If anyone in the ranks breaks orders, let me cut off his head first and report after.” Zhen said: “Does a lieutenant mean to kill at will?” He had Renyu executed on the spot before the troops; the army was awed and won over. Zhen came back with more than ten thousand fresh recruits; Taizu was overjoyed: “The rebels are at our gates—if they tread our wheat, what then! Now Zhen is here, my cause is saved! And they are resting and regrouping, counting our small force and not knowing Zhen has arrived—they think we’ll only sit tight; we should hit them unawares.” He marched out, smashed Zhang Zhi and the rest, and Zongquan collapsed; Liang’s prestige soared—all from the army Zhen brought home.
13
珍從太祖攻朱宣，取曹州，執其刺史丘弘禮。 又取濮州，刺史朱裕奔於鄆州。 太祖乃還汴，留珍攻鄆州。 珍去鄆二十里，遣精兵挑之，鄆人不出。 朱裕詐為降書，陰使人召珍，約開門為內應。 珍信之，夜率其兵叩鄆城門，朱裕登陴，開門內珍軍，珍軍已入甕城而垂門發，鄆人從城上磔石以投之，珍軍皆死甕城中，珍僅以身免，太祖不之責也。
Zhen followed Taizu against Zhu Xuan, took Caozhou, and seized its prefect Qiu Hongli. He took Puzhou too; its prefect Zhu Yu fled to Yanzhou. Taizu went back to Bian and left Zhen to besiege Yanzhou. Twenty li from Yan, Zhen sent elite troops to taunt them; Yan’s garrison stayed shut. Zhu Yu faked a surrender and secretly called Zhen, promising to open the gate from within. Zhen believed him; at night he led his men to the gate; Zhu Yu appeared on the wall, opened it, and let them into the barbican—then dropped the outer gate; Yan’s defenders rained stones from above; Zhen’s force died to the last man in the trap; Zhen alone got out alive; Taizu did not punish him.
14
魏博軍亂，囚樂彥貞。 太祖遣珍救魏，珍破黎陽、臨河、李固，分遣聶金、範居實等略澶州，殺魏豹子軍二千於臨黃。 珍威振河朔。 魏人殺彥貞，珍乃還。 梁攻徐州，遣珍先攻下豐縣，又敗時溥於吳康，與李唐賓等屯蕭縣。
Weibo mutinied and seized Yue Yanzhen. Taizu sent Zhen to relieve Wei; Zhen took Liyang, Linhe, and Liguo, and detached Nie Jin, Fan Jushi, and others to overrun Cao Province, slaughtering two thousand of Wei’s Leopard-Son troops at Linhuang. Zhen’s name shook the lands north of the river. Weibo killed Yanzhen; Zhen withdrew. In Liang’s assault on Xuzhou, Zhen first took Feng County, then beat Shi Pu at Wukang and camped at Xiao County with Li Tangbin and the rest.
15
唐賓者，陜人也。 初為尚讓偏將，與太祖戰尉氏門，為太祖所敗，唐賓乃降梁。 梁兵攻掠四方，唐賓常與珍俱，與珍威名略等，而驍勇過之，珍戰每小卻，唐賓佐之乃大勝。 珍嘗私迎其家置軍中，太祖疑珍有異志，遣唐賓伺察之。 珍與唐賓不協，唐賓不能忍，夜走還宣武，珍單騎追之，交訴太祖前。 太祖兩惜其材，為和解之。
Tangbin came from Shan. He had been Shang Rang’s lieutenant; beaten by Taizu at the Weishi Gate, he surrendered to Liang. On Liang’s campaigns Tangbin usually fought beside Zhen; his name almost equaled Zhen’s, and he was the bolder fighter—whenever Zhen’s line buckled, Tangbin’s push turned defeat into rout. Zhen once quietly moved his family into camp; Taizu suspected disloyalty and sent Tangbin to spy on him. Zhen and Tangbin clashed; Tangbin could not bear it and fled by night to Xuanyi; Zhen chased him alone, and both argued their case before Taizu. Taizu prized both men and patched peace between them.
16
珍屯蕭縣，聞太祖將至，戒軍中治館廄以待。 唐賓部將嚴郊治廄失期，軍吏督之，郊訴於唐賓，唐賓以讓珍，珍怒，拔劍而起，唐賓拂衣就珍，珍即斬之，遣使者告唐賓反。 使者晨至梁，敬翔恐太祖暴怒不可測，乃匿使者，至夜而見之，謂雖有所發，必須明旦，冀得少緩其事而圖之。 既夕，乃引珍使者入見，太祖大驚，然已夜矣，不能有所發，翔因從容為太祖畫。 明日，佯收唐賓妻子下獄。 因如珍軍，去蕭一舍，珍迎謁，太祖命武士執之。 諸將霍存等十餘人叩頭救珍，太祖大怒，舉胡床擲之曰：「方珍殺唐賓時，獨不救之邪！」 存等退，珍遂縊死。
Camped at Xiao County, Zhen heard Taizu was on his way and had the camp ready quarters and stables. Tangbin’s lieutenant Yan Jiao missed the deadline on the stables; the clerks drove him; Jiao appealed to Tangbin, who blamed Zhen; Zhen flew into a rage, drew his sword, and when Tangbin strode up to him, killed him on the spot, then sent word that Tangbin had rebelled. The messenger reached Bian at dawn; Jing Xiang, dreading Taizu’s unpredictable fury, hid him until night and said that whatever had happened must wait for morning—buying time to soften the blow and work a way out. At dusk he brought Zhu Zhen’s messenger before Taizu. Taizu was shaken, but night had fallen and nothing could be done yet; Xiang calmly drew up a plan for him. The next day he feigned arresting Li Tangbin’s wife and children and threw them in prison. Then he rode to Zhen’s camp, halting one post short of Xiao. Zhen came out to greet him; Taizu ordered his men to seize him. Generals Huo Cun and a dozen others kowtowed to beg for Zhen. Taizu in a rage hurled a camp stool at them and cried: “When Zhen killed Li Tangbin, where were you then!” They withdrew; Zhen hanged himself.
17
龐師古
Pang Shigu
18
龐師古，曹州南華人也，初名從。 梁太祖鎮宣武，初得馬五百匹為騎兵，乃以師古將之，從破黃巢、秦宗權，皆有功。 太祖攻時溥未下，留兵屬師古守之，師古取其宿遷，進屯呂梁。 溥以兵二萬出戰，師古敗之，斬首二千級。 孫儒逐楊行密，取揚州，淮南大亂，太祖遣師古渡淮攻儒，為儒所敗。 是時，朱珍、李唐賓已死，師古與霍存分將其兵。 郴王友裕攻徐州，朱瑾以兵救時溥，友裕敗溥於石佛山，瑾收余兵去。 太祖以友裕可追而不追，奪其兵以屬師古。 師古攻破徐州，斬溥，太祖表師古徐州留後。 梁兵攻鄆州，臨濟水，師古徹木為橋，夜以中軍先濟。 朱宣走中都，見殺。
Pang Shigu came from Nanhua in Caozhou; he had first been named Cong. When Taizu of Liang held Xuannu, he raised five hundred horses into a cavalry force and gave Shigu command; under him Shigu helped break Huang Chao and Qin Zongquan. Taizu besieged Shi Pu without success and left Shigu to hold the line. Shigu took Suqian and pushed forward to Luliang. Pu marched out with twenty thousand men; Shigu routed him and took two thousand heads. Sun Ru drove Yang Xingmi from Yangzhou and threw Huainan into chaos. Taizu sent Shigu across the Huai against him—and Ru beat him back. Zhu Zhen and Li Tangbin were already dead; Shigu and Huo Cun split their commands between them. Prince of Chen Youyu attacked Xuzhou. Zhu Jin marched to save Shi Pu. Youyu crushed Pu at Mount Shifo; Jin gathered what was left and withdrew. Taizu judged that Youyu could have pursued but had not; he stripped him of his army and handed it to Shigu. Shigu stormed Xuzhou, killed Pu, and Taizu memorialized to make him its military governor. Liang attacked Yanzhou and reached the Ji River. Shigu felled trees for a bridge and at night led the center army across first. Zhu Xuan fled to Zhongdu and was killed.
19
太祖已下兗、鄆，乃遣師古與葛從周攻楊行密於淮南，師古出清口，從周出安豐。 師古自其微時事太祖，為人謹甚，未嘗離左右，及為將出兵，必受方略以行，軍中非太祖命，不妄動。 師古營清口，地勢卑，或請就高為柵，師古以非太祖命不聽。 淮人決水浸之，請者告曰：「淮人決河，上流水至矣！」 師古以為搖動士卒，立斬之。 已而水至，兵不能戰，遂見殺。
Once Yan and Yun had fallen, Taizu sent Shigu and Ge Congzhou against Yang Xingmi in Huainan—Shigu from Qingkou, Congzhou from Anfeng. Shigu had served Taizu from the beginning, careful and close, never far from his side. As a field commander he moved only on orders; without Taizu’s word the army did not stir. At Qingkou Shigu camped on low ground. Some urged him to fortify higher ground; he refused—Taizu had not ordered it. The Huai men broke the dikes to flood the camp. The adviser cried: “They have opened the river—the flood is coming!” Shigu judged it would panic the ranks and had him cut down at once. The water came; the army could not fight, and Shigu was killed.
20
嗚呼，兵之勝敗，豈易言哉！ 梁兵強於天下，而吳人號為輕弱，然師古再舉擊吳，輒再敗以死。 其後太祖自將出光山，攻壽春，然亦敗也。 蓋自高駢死，唐以梁兼統淮南，遂與孫、楊爭，凡三十年間，三舉而三敗。 以至強遭至弱而如此，此其不可以理得也。 兵法固有以寡而敗眾、以弱而勝強者，顧吳豈足以知之哉！ 豈非適與其機會邪？ 故曰：「兵者兇器，戰者危事也。」 可不慎哉！
Alas—who can speak lightly of victory and defeat in war! Liang’s armies were the strongest under heaven; Wu was counted weak—yet Shigu struck twice, and twice died in defeat. Later Taizu himself marched from Guangshan against Shouchun—and lost there too. From Gao Pian’s death Tang entrusted Huainan to Liang, and for thirty years Liang contended with Sun and Yang—three campaigns, three defeats. That the mightiest should fall so to the weakest—reason alone cannot explain it. The art of war knows times when the few beat the many and the weak overcome the strong—but did Wu know that? Was it not simply that fortune fell their way? Thus it is said: “Arms are ill-omened tools; war is perilous business.” Handle them with care!
21
葛從周
Ge Congzhou
22
葛從周，字通美，濮州甄城人也。 少從黃巢，敗降梁。 從太祖攻蔡州，太祖墜馬，從周扶太祖復騎，與敵步鬥傷面，身被數瘡，偏將張延壽從旁擊之，從周得與太祖俱去。 太祖盡黜諸將，獨用從周、延壽為大將。
Ge Congzhou, styled Tongmei, came from Zhencheng in Puzhou. In youth he followed Huang Chao; when the nest fell he submitted to Liang. At Caizhou Taizu was thrown from his horse. Congzhou helped him remount, fought on foot with the enemy, took wounds to the face and body, and with Zhang Yanshou’s help fought free with Taizu. Taizu dismissed every other general and kept only Congzhou and Yanshou as his chief commanders.
23
秦宗權掠地潁、亳，及梁兵戰於焦夷，從周獲其將王涓一人。 從朱珍收兵淄青，遇東兵輒戰，珍得兵歸，從周功為多。 張全義襲李罕之於河陽，罕之奔晉，召晉兵以攻全義，全義乞兵於梁，太祖遣從周、丁會等救之，敗晉兵於沇河。 潞州馮霸殺晉守將李克恭以降梁，太祖遣從周入潞州，晉兵攻之，從周不能守，走河陽。 太祖攻魏，從周與丁會先下黎陽、臨河，會太祖於內黃，敗魏兵於永定橋。 從丁會攻宿州，以水浸其城，遂破之。 太祖攻朱瑾於兗州，未下，留從周圍之，瑾閉壁不出，從周詐言救兵至，陽避之高吳，夜半潛還城下，瑾以謂從周已去，乃出兵收外壕，從周掩擊之，殺千餘人。
When Qin Zongquan raided Ying and Bo, Congzhou fought him at Jiaoyi and captured his general Wang Juan. With Zhu Zhen he gathered troops in Ziqing and fought every eastern force they met. When Zhen returned, Congzhou’s share of the credit was greatest. Zhang Quanyi struck Li Hanzhi at Heyang. Hanzhi fled to Jin and called Jin armies against Quanyi. Taizu sent Congzhou and Ding Hui to his aid and beat the Jin at the Yan River. At Luzhou Feng Ba killed the Jin commander Li Keqin and surrendered to Liang. Taizu sent Congzhou in; Jin attacked; Congzhou could not hold and fled to Heyang. Taizu attacked Wei. Congzhou and Ding Hui first took Liyang and Linhe, joined Taizu at Neihuang, and broke Wei at Yongding Bridge. With Ding Hui at Suzhou he flooded the city and took it. Taizu besieged Zhu Jin at Yanzhou without success and left Congzhou to hold the siege. Jin shut the walls. Congzhou feigned that relief had come and openly withdrew toward Gaowu; at midnight he stole back. Jin thought him gone and sent men to clear the outer ditch—Congzhou sprang the trap and killed more than a thousand.
24
晉攻魏，魏人求救，太祖遣侯言救魏，言築壘於洹水。 太祖怒言不出戰，遣從周代言。 從周至軍，益閉壘不出，而鑿三暗門以待，晉兵攻之，從周以精兵自暗門出擊，敗晉王兵。 晉王怒，自將擊從周，從周雖大敗，而梁兵擒其子落落，送於魏，斬之。 遂徙攻鄆州，擒朱宣於中都，又攻兗州，走朱瑾。 太祖表從周兗州留後，以兗、鄆兵攻淮南，出安豐，會龐師古於清口。 從周行至濠州，聞師古死，遽還，至渒河將渡而淮兵追之，從周亦大敗。 是時，晉兵出山東攻相、衛，太祖遣從周略地山東，下洺州，斬其刺史邢善益； 又下邢州，走其刺史馬師素； 又下磁州，殺其刺史袁奉滔。 五日而下三州。 太祖乃表從周兼邢州留後。
Jin attacked Wei. Taizu sent Hou Yan to relieve it; Yan built fortifications on the Huan River. Taizu raged that Yan would not fight and sent Congzhou to replace him. Congzhou arrived, shut the works tighter still, and cut three hidden sally ports. When Jin attacked he led elite troops out through them and beat the Prince of Jin’s army. The Prince of Jin came in person. Congzhou was badly beaten, but Liang captured his son Luoluo, sent him to Wei, and had him executed. He then turned on Yanzhou, seized Zhu Xuan at Zhongdu, and drove Zhu Jin from Yan. Taizu made Congzhou military governor of Yan and sent Yan and Yun troops against Huainan from Anfeng to join Pang Shigu at Qingkou. At Haozhou Congzhou heard Shigu was dead and turned back in haste. At the Bei River, as he was about to cross, Huai troops caught him—and he too was routed. Jin marched out of Shandong against Xiang and Wei. Taizu sent Congzhou to sweep Shandong—he took Mingzhou and killed its prefect Xing Shanyi; then took Xingzhou and routed its prefect Ma Shisu; then took Cizhou and killed its prefect Yuan Fengtao. Three prefectures in five days. Taizu then made Congzhou military governor of Xing as well.
25
劉仁恭攻魏，已屠貝州，羅紹威求救於梁，從周會太祖救魏，入於魏州。 燕兵攻館陶門，從周以五百騎出戰，曰：「大敵在前，何可返顧！」 使閉門而後戰。 破其八柵，燕兵走，追至於臨清，擁之御河，溺死者甚眾。 太祖以從周為宣義行軍司馬。
Liu Rengong attacked Wei and had already sacked Beizhou. Luo Shaowei begged Liang for aid; Congzhou joined Taizu, relieved Wei, and entered Weizhou. Yan attacked the Guantao Gate. Congzhou rode out with five hundred horse and cried: “The enemy is ahead—who looks back!” He had the gates shut behind him and fought. He broke eight palisades; the Yan fled. Pursuit reached Linqing and drove them into the Yu River—many drowned. Taizu made Congzhou campaign marshal of Xuanyi.
26
太祖遣從周攻劉守文於滄州，以蔣暉監其軍。 守文求救於其父仁恭，仁恭以燕兵救之，暉語諸將曰：「吾王以我監諸將，今燕兵來，不可迎戰，宜縱其入城，聚食倉廩，使兩困而後取之。」 諸將頗以為然。 從周怒曰：「兵在上將，豈監軍所得言！ 且暉之言乃常談爾，勝敗之機在吾心，暉豈足以知之！」 乃勒兵逆仁恭於乾寧，戰於老鴉堤，仁恭大敗，斬首三萬餘級，獲其將馬慎交等百餘人，馬三千匹。 是時，守文亦求救於晉，晉為攻邢、洺以牽之，從周遽還，敗晉兵於青山。 遂從太祖攻鎮州，下臨城，王熔乞盟，太祖表從周泰寧軍節度使。 從氏叔琮攻晉太原，不克。 梁兵西攻鳳翔，青州王師範遣其將劉鄩襲兗州，從周家屬為鄩所得，厚遇之而不殺。 太祖還自鳳翔，乃遣從周攻鄩，從周卒招降鄩。 太祖即位，拜左金吾衞上將軍，以疾致仕，拜右衞上將軍，居于偃師。 末帝即位，拜昭義軍節度使、陳留郡王，食其俸于家。 卒，贈太尉。
Taizu sent Congzhou against Liu Shouwen at Cangzhou and put Jiang Hui over the army as supervisor. Shouwen called on his father Rengong, who marched with Yan troops. Hui told the generals: “I was sent to watch you. Yan is coming—do not fight. Let them into the city to eat from the granaries; when both sides are spent, take them.” Most of the generals agreed. Congzhou snapped: “Command rests with the general—since when does a supervisor give orders! And Hui’s counsel is common talk. Victory and defeat are mine to read—what does Hui know of it!” He marched to meet Rengong at Qianning and fought at Old Crow Embankment. Rengong was shattered—thirty thousand heads, more than a hundred captives including Ma Shenjiao, and three thousand horses. Shouwen also called on Jin, which struck Xing and Ming to pull Congzhou away. Congzhou turned back and beat the Jin at Qingshan. He followed Taizu against Zhenzhou and took Lincheng. Wang Rong sued for peace; Taizu made Congzhou military governor of Taining. Congzhou joined Shi Shuzong against Taiyuan but could not take it. Liang marched west on Fengxiang. Wang Shifan of Qingzhou sent Liu Yun to strike Yanzhou; Yun captured Congzhou’s family, treated them generously, and spared their lives. Taizu returned from Fengxiang and sent Congzhou against Yun; Congzhou finally talked Yun into surrender. At Taizu’s accession Congzhou became Left General of the Golden Crow Guard; he later retired for illness, was made Right Guard General, and lived at Yanshi. When the Last Emperor succeeded, Congzhou was made military governor of the Zhaoyi Army and Prince of Chenliu, with salary paid at home. He died and was posthumously made Grand Marshal.
27
霍存，洺州曲周人也。 少從黃巢，巢敗，存乃降梁。 存為將驍勇，善騎射。 秦宗權攻汴，存以三千人夜破張至柵，又以騎兵破秦賢，殺三千人，敗至於赤岡。 從朱珍掠淄青、龐師古攻時溥，皆有功。 朱珍與李唐賓俱死，乃以龐師古代珍、存代唐賓以攻溥，破碭山，存獲其將石君和等五十人。 梁攻宿州，葛從周引水浸之，丁會與存戰城下，遂下之。 從攻潞州，與晉人遇，戰馬牢川，存入則當其前，出則為其殿，晉人卻，遂東攻魏，取淇門，殺三千人。 梁得曹州，太祖以存為刺史，兼諸軍都指揮使。 梁攻鄆州，朱瑾來救，梁諸將或勸太祖縱瑾入鄆，耗其食，堅圍勿戰，以此可俱弊。 太祖曰：「瑾來必與時溥俱，不若遣存邀之。」 存伏兵蕭縣，已而瑾果與溥俱出迷離，存發伏擊之，遂敗瑾等於石佛山，存中流矢卒。 太祖已即位，閱騎兵於繁臺，顧諸將曰：「使霍存在，豈勞吾親閱邪！ 諸君寧復思之乎？」 佗日語又如此。
Huo Cun came from Quzhou in Mingzhou. In youth he followed Huang Chao; when the nest fell he submitted to Liang. As a commander he was fierce and skilled in mounted archery. When Qin Zongquan struck Bian, Cun with three thousand men broke Zhang Zhi’s palisade by night, then with cavalry broke Qin Xian, killed three thousand, and chased the rout to Chigang. With Zhu Zhen in Ziqing and Pang Shigu against Shi Pu he won credit in both campaigns. After Zhu Zhen and Li Tangbin died, Pang Shigu took Zhen’s command and Cun took Tangbin’s to attack Pu. They broke Mount Dang; Cun captured fifty men, including the general Shi Junhe. At Suzhou Ge Congzhou flooded the city; Ding Hui and Cun fought below the walls and took it. At Luzhou they met the Jin at Malao Stream. Cun led on the advance and covered the retreat. The Jin fell back; they turned east on Wei, took Qimen, and killed three thousand. When Liang took Caozhou, Taizu made Cun its prefect and commander-in-chief of all armies. Liang besieged Yanzhou; Zhu Jin came to its aid. Some generals urged Taizu to let Jin into Yan, drain his grain, and hold the siege without fighting until both sides were spent. Taizu said: “Jin will come with Shi Pu—send Cun to intercept them.” Cun hid men at Xiao County. Jin and Pu came out together at Mili; Cun sprang the trap and crushed them at Mount Shifo. He took an arrow and died. After Taizu took the throne he reviewed cavalry at Fanzang Terrace and told his generals: “If Huo Cun were alive, would I need to do this myself! Do you still remember him?” Another day he said the same again.
28
張存敬
Zhang Cunjing
29
張存敬，譙郡人也。 為人剛直有膽勇，少事梁太祖為將，善因危窘出奇計。 李罕之與晉人攻張全義於河陽，太祖遣存敬與丁會等救之，罕之解圍去。 太祖以存敬為諸軍都虞候。 太祖攻徐、兗，以存敬為行營都指揮使。 從葛從周攻滄州，敗劉仁恭於老鴉堤。 還攻王熔於鎮州，入其城中，取其馬牛萬計。 遷宋州刺史。 復從諸將攻幽州，存敬取其瀛、莫、祁、景四州。 梁攻定州，與王處直戰懷德驛，大敗之，枕屍十餘里。 梁已下鎮、定，乃遣存敬攻王珂於河中，存敬出含山，下晉、絳二州，珂降於梁。 太祖表存敬護國軍留後，復徙宋州刺史，未至，卒於河中，贈太傅。
Zhang Cunjing came from Qiao commandery. Upright and bold, he served Taizu of Liang as a young commander and had a gift for desperate stratagems in tight corners. Li Hanzhi and the Jin besieged Zhang Quanyi at Heyang. Taizu sent Cunjing with Ding Hui to relieve him; Hanzhi broke off and withdrew. Taizu made Cunjing chief adjutant of all armies. Taizu attacked Xu and Yan and made Cunjing commander of the field headquarters. With Ge Congzhou at Cangzhou he helped defeat Liu Rengong at Old Crow Embankment. Turning on Wang Rong at Zhenzhou he entered the city and took tens of thousands of horses and cattle. He was made prefect of Song. Again with the generals against Youzhou, he took Ying, Mo, Qi, and Jing. At Dingzhou he fought Wang Chuzhi at Huade Post and broke him—corpses lay stacked for more than ten li. After Zhen and Ding fell, Taizu sent Cunjing against Wang Ke at Hezhong. Cunjing came out from Hanshan, took Jin and Jiang, and Ke submitted to Liang. Taizu made Cunjing military governor of Huguo, then transferred him to Song—but he died at Hezhong before he arrived and was posthumously made Grand Preceptor.
30
存敬子仁穎、仁願。 仁願有孝行，存敬卒，事其兄仁穎，出必告，反必面，如事父之禮。 仁願曉法令，事梁、唐、晉，常為大理卿，卒，贈秘書監。
Cunjing’s sons were Renying and Renyuan. Renyuan was filial. After Cunjing died he served his elder brother Renying—going out he announced it, returning he reported face to face, as to a father. Renyuan knew the law. Under Liang, Tang, and Jin he often served as chief judge of the supreme court. He died and was posthumously made Director of the Secretariat.
31
符道昭
Fu Daozhao
32
符道昭，蔡州人也。 為秦宗權騎將，宗權敗，道昭流落無所依，後依鳳翔李茂貞，茂貞愛之，養以為子，名繼遠。 梁攻茂貞，道昭與梁兵戰，屢敗，乃歸梁，太祖表道昭秦州節度使，以亂不果行。 太祖為元帥，初開府，而李周彝以鄜州降，以為左司馬，擇右司馬難其人，及得道昭，乃授之。 羅紹威將誅其牙兵，惡魏兵彊，未敢發，求梁為助。 太祖乃悉發魏兵使攻燕，而遣馬嗣勳助紹威誅牙兵。 牙兵已誅，魏兵在外者聞之皆亂，魏將左行遷據歷亭、史仁遇據高唐以叛，道昭等從太祖悉破之。 道昭為將，勇於犯敵而少成筭，每戰先發，多敗，而周彝等繼之乃勝。 開平元年與康懷英等攻潞州，築夾城為蚰蜒塹以圍之，逾年不能下，晉兵攻破夾城，道昭戰死。
Fu Daozhao came from Caizhou. He was a cavalry commander under Qin Zongquan. When Zongquan fell, Daozhao wandered without a patron until he joined Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, who favored him, adopted him as a son, and named him Jiyuan. When Liang struck Maozhen, Daozhao fought Liang again and again and lost; he then submitted to Liang. Taizu memorialized to make him military governor of Qinzhou, but the chaos kept the appointment from taking effect. When Taizu became commander-in-chief and first opened headquarters, Li Zhouyi surrendered Yan Prefecture and was made Left Chief of Staff. A worthy Right Chief of Staff was hard to find; when Daozhao came forward, he received the post. Luo Shaowei meant to wipe out his yajun retainers but feared Wei’s strength and held back until he asked Liang for help. Taizu sent all Wei troops against Yan and dispatched Ma Sixun to help Shaowei slaughter the yajun. Once the yajun were dead, Wei troops abroad mutinied. Zuo Xingqian seized Liting and Shi Renyu Gaotang in revolt; Daozhao followed Taizu and crushed them all. Daozhao fought boldly but planned poorly; he always struck first, often lost, and only when Zhouyi and others followed did the day turn. In Kaiping 1 he joined Kang Huaiying against Luzhou, building twin encampments linked by a centipede trench. After more than a year the city still held; Jin broke the encirclement and Daozhao fell in battle.
33
劉捍
Liu Han
34
劉捍，開封人也。 為人明敏有威儀，善擯贊。 太祖初鎮宣武，以為客將，使從朱珍募兵淄青。 太祖北攻鎮州，與王鎔和，遣捍見鎔，鎔軍未知梁意，方嚴兵，捍馳一騎入城中，諭鎔以太祖意，鎔乃聽命。 梁兵攻定州，降王處直，捍復以一騎入慰城中。 太祖圍鳳翔，遣捍入見李茂貞計事。 唐昭宗召見，問梁軍中事，稱旨，賜以錦袍，拜登州刺史，賜號「迎鑾毅勇功臣」。 梁兵攻淮南，遣捍先之淮口，築馬頭下浮橋以渡梁兵。 太祖出光山攻壽州，又使捍作浮橋于淮北，以渡歸師。 拜宋州刺史。 太祖即位，遷左天武指揮使、元從親軍都虞候、左龍虎統軍，出為佑國軍留後。 同州劉知俊反，以賂誘捍將吏，執捍而去，知俊械之，送于李茂貞，見殺。 太祖哀之，贈捍太傅。
Liu Han came from Kaifeng. Clever and dignified, he excelled at advocacy. When Taizu first secured Xuannwu, he made Han a guest officer and sent him with Zhu Zhen to raise troops in Ziqing. When Taizu marched north on Zhenzhou and made peace with Wang Rong, he sent Han to see him. Rong’s army did not know Liang’s intent and stood on alert; Han rode alone into the city, explained Taizu’s purpose, and Rong submitted. When Liang took Dingzhou and Wang Chuzhi submitted, Han again rode in alone to reassure the city. Besieging Fengxiang, Taizu sent Han in to confer with Li Maozhen. Emperor Zhaozong summoned him, questioned him on Liang’s armies, liked his answers, gave him a brocade robe, made him prefect of Deng, and granted the title “Meritorious Minister Who Welcomes the Imperial Carriage with Resolute Courage.” Attacking Huainan, Taizu sent Han ahead to the Huai mouth to build a floating bridge below Matou for Liang troops. Marching from Guangshan against Shouzhou, Taizu again had Han build a floating bridge north of the Huai for the returning army. He was made prefect of Song. At Taizu’s accession Han became commander of the Left Heavenly Martial Guard, chief adjutant of the Founding Personal Army, and Left Dragon-Tiger commander, then went out as acting governor of the Youguo Army. When Liu Zhijun of Tongzhou rebelled, he bribed Han’s officers, seized him, fettered him, and sent him to Li Maozhen, who had him killed. Taizu mourned him and posthumously made Han Grand Preceptor.
35
寇彥卿
Kou Yanqing
36
寇彥卿，字俊臣，開封人也。 世事宣武軍為牙將。 太祖初就鎮，以為通引官，累遷右長直都指揮使，領洺州刺史。 羅紹威將誅牙軍，太祖遣彥卿之魏計事，彥卿陰為紹威計畫，乃悉誅牙軍。
Kou Yanqing, styled Junchen, came from Kaifeng. His family had served the Xuannwu Army as staff officers for generations. When Taizu first secured the circuit command, he made Yanqing a staff liaison, raised him to Right Chief of the Long Direct Guard, and gave him Ming Prefecture. When Luo Shaowei meant to wipe out the yajun retainers, Taizu sent Yanqing to Wei to plan. Yanqing secretly laid out Shaowei’s scheme, and the yajun were slaughtered to the last man.
37
彥卿身長八尺，隆準方面，語音如鐘，工騎射，好書史，善伺太祖意，動作皆如旨。 太祖嘗曰：「敬翔、劉捍、寇彥卿皆天為我生之。」 其愛之如此。 賜以所乘愛馬「一丈烏」。 太祖圍鳳翔，以彥卿為都排陣使，彥卿乘烏馳突陣前，太祖目之曰：「真神將也！」
Eight chi tall, high-nosed and square-jawed, Yanqing spoke in a voice like a bell. He rode and shot with skill, loved history, and read Taizu’s mood so well that word and deed always landed where the Founder wanted. Taizu once said: “Jing Xiang, Liu Han, and Kou Yanqing—Heaven gave them all to me.” Such was his love for Yanqing. He gave him his own cherished mount, “Ten-foot Black.” Besieging Fengxiang, Taizu made Yanqing formation marshal. Yanqing spurred the black steed straight into the enemy line. Taizu watched and cried: “There rides a god of war!”
38
初，太祖與崔胤謀，欲遷都洛陽，而昭宗不許。 其後昭宗奔於鳳翔，太祖以兵圍之，昭宗既出，明年，太祖以兵至河中，遣彥卿奉表迫請遷都。 彥卿因悉驅徙長安居人以東，人皆拆屋為筏，浮渭而下，道路號哭，仰天大罵曰：「國賊崔胤、朱溫使我至此！」 昭宗亦顧瞻陵廟，傍徨不忍去，謂其左右為俚語云：「紇幹山頭凍死雀，何不飛去生處樂。」 相與泣下沾襟。 昭宗行至華州，遣人告太祖以何皇后有娠，願留華州待冬而行。 太祖大怒，顧彥卿曰：「汝往趣官家來，不可一日留也。」 彥卿復馳至華，即日迫昭宗上道。
Early on Taizu and Cui Yin schemed to shift the capital to Luoyang, but Emperor Zhaozong refused. Then the emperor fled to Fengxiang and Taizu besieged him. Once he was extracted, Taizu marched to Hezhong the next year and sent Yanqing with a memorial to force the move east. Yanqing then drove the people of Chang’an east. They ripped houses apart for rafts and drifted down the Wei; the roads rang with weeping and curses heavenward: “The traitors Cui Yin and Zhu Wen brought us to this!” Emperor Zhaozong looked back at the imperial tombs, lingered, and could not bear to go. He told his attendants a folk verse: “On Hegu hilltop sparrows freeze to death—why not fly back to where you were born and take your joy?” They wept together until their robes were wet. At Huazhou the emperor sent word that Empress He was pregnant and begged to wait there until winter before moving on. Taizu flew into a rage and turned to Yanqing: “Ride to Huazhou and drag the emperor out—not one day more.” Yanqing galloped back to Huazhou and that same day drove the emperor onto the road.
39
太祖即位，拜彥卿感化軍節度使。 歲餘，召為左金吾衞大將軍，充金吾街仗使。 彥卿晨朝至天津橋，民梁現不避道，前驅捽現投橋上石欄以死。 彥卿見太祖自首，太祖惜之，詔彥卿以錢償現家以贖罪。 御史司憲崔沂劾奏彥卿，請論如法，太祖不得已，責授彥卿左衞中郎將。 復拜相州防禦使，遷河陽節度使。
At Taizu’s accession Yanqing was made military governor of the Ganhua Army. After a year he recalled Yanqing as Grand General of the Left Golden Crow Guard and director of the Jinwu street guard. One morning on his way to court Yanqing reached Tianjin Bridge. A commoner named Liang Xian failed to clear the road; the vanguard seized him and smashed him against the bridge railing to his death. Yanqing went to Taizu and confessed. Taizu pitied him and ordered Yanqing to pay Liang Xian’s family to redeem the offense. Censor-in-Chief Cui Yi impeached Yanqing and demanded legal punishment. Taizu had no choice and demoted him to Left Guard Captain. He was again made Defender of Xiangzhou, then transferred to military governor of Heyang.
40
太祖遇弒，彥卿出太祖畫像事之如生，嘗對客語先朝，必涕泗交下。 末帝即位，徙鎮威勝。 彥卿明敏善事人，而怙寵作威，好誅殺，多猜忌。 卒於鎮，年五十七。
After Taizu was murdered, Yanqing hung his portrait and tended it as though he still lived; when he spoke of the old reign before guests, tears always streamed down. When the Last Emperor succeeded, Yanqing was transferred to Weisheng command. Clever and skilled at winning favor, Yanqing still bullied others on the strength of his patronage, loved killing, and lived in suspicion. He died in command, aged fifty-seven.