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嗚呼！ 世道衰，人倫壞，而親疏之理反其常，干戈起於骨肉，異類合為父子。 開平、顯德五十年間，天下五代而實八姓，其三出於丐養。 蓋其大者取天下，其次立功名、位將相，豈非因時之隙，以利合而相資者邪！ 唐自號沙陀，起代北，其所與俱皆一時雄傑虣武之士，往往養以為兒，號「義兒軍」，至其有天下，多用以成功業，及其亡也亦由焉。 太祖養子多矣，其可紀者九人，其一是為明宗，其次曰嗣昭、嗣本、嗣恩、存信、存孝、存進、存璋、存賢。 作《義兒傳》。
Alas! The age rots, human bonds snap, and near and far trade places—kin turn on kin, strangers are made fathers and sons. From Kaiping to Xiande, fifty years saw five dynasties on paper and eight ruling houses in fact—three born of beggar-adoption. Some took the realm; others won fame as generals and chancellors—did they not seize the moment, unite on profit, and lift each other up? Tang called itself Shatuo, rose beyond Dai, and marched with the fiercest warriors of the age—often adopted as sons in the "Adopted Sons Army." They built the realm; they also undid it. Taizu took many adopted sons; nine merit record—one became Mingzong; the others: Sizhao, Siben, Si'en, Cunxin, Cunxiao, Cunjin, Cunzhang, Cunxian. Hence this "Biography of Adopted Sons."
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李嗣昭
Li Sizhao
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李嗣昭，本姓韓氏，汾州太谷縣民家子也。 太祖出獵，至其家，見其林中郁郁有氣，甚異之，召其父問焉。 父言家適生兒，太祖因遺以金帛而取之，命其弟克柔養以為子。 初名進通，後更名嗣昭。 嗣昭為人短小，而膽勇過人。 初喜嗜酒，太祖嘗微戒之，遂終身不飲。 太祖愛其謹厚，常從用兵，為衙內指揮使。
Li Sizhao was born Han, a farmer's son in Taigu County, Fenzhou. Taizu hunted there, saw an uncanny vigor in the grove, and called the father to question him. The father said a son had just been born; Taizu left gold and silks, took the infant, and had his brother Kerou raise him as a son. First named Jintong; later Sizhao. Sizhao was small in frame but bolder than any man around him. He had loved wine until Taizu gently reproved him—then he never drank again. Taizu prized his steady character, kept him in the field, and made him commander of the inner guard.
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天復元年，梁破河中，執王珂，取晉、絳、慈、隰，因大舉擊晉，圍太原。 嗣昭日以精騎出擊梁兵，會大雨，梁軍解去。 晉汾州刺史李瑭叛降梁軍，梁軍已去，嗣昭復取汾州，斬瑭。 遂出陰地，取慈州，降其刺史唐禮。 又取隰州，降其刺史張瑰。 是歲，梁軍西犯京師，圍鳳翔，嗣昭乘間攻梁晉、絳，戰平陽，執梁將一人。 進攻蒲縣。 梁朱友寧、氏叔琮以兵十萬迎擊之，嗣昭等敗走，友寧追之，晉遣李存信率兵迎嗣昭，存信又敗。 梁軍遂圍太原，而慈、隰、汾州復入於梁。 太祖大恐，謀走雲州，李存信等勸太祖奔於契丹，嗣昭力爭以為不可，賴劉太妃亦言之，乃止。 嗣昭晝夜出奇兵擊梁軍，梁軍解去，嗣昭復取汾、慈、隰。 是歲，鎮、定皆已絕晉而附梁。 晉外失大國之援，內亡諸州，仍歲之間，孤城被圍者再。 於此時，嗣昭力戰之功為多。
In Tianfu's first year Liang took Hezhong and Wang Ke, seized Jin, Jiang, Ci, and Xi, and marched in force on Taiyuan. Day after day Sizhao led elite horsemen against Liang; heavy rain came and Liang broke camp. Fenzhou prefect Li Tang defected to Liang; when Liang withdrew, Sizhao retook the city and executed Tang. He pushed into Yindi, seized Cizhou, and won prefect Tang Li's surrender. He took Xizhou as well; prefect Zhang Gui submitted. That year Liang struck west and besieged Fengxiang; Sizhao struck Liang in Jin and Jiang, fought at Pingyang, and took a Liang general. He pressed on to attack Pu County. Zhu Youning and Shi Shuzong brought a hundred thousand men; Sizhao was routed; Youning pursued; Jin sent Li Cunxin to rescue him—and Cunxin lost as well. Liang besieged Taiyuan again; Ci, Xi, and Fen returned to Liang. Taizu panicked and planned escape to Yunzhou; Cunxin urged flight to the Khitan; Sizhao and Consort Liu protested until he stayed. Sizhao harried Liang day and night with ambushes until they withdrew; then he retook Fen, Ci, and Xi. That year Zhen and Ding abandoned Jin for Liang. Jin lost its great allies abroad and its prefectures within; within years the lone capital was besieged twice. In that crisis no one fought harder than Sizhao.
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天祐三年，與周德威攻梁潞州，降丁會，以嗣昭為昭義軍節度使。 梁遣李思安將兵十萬攻潞，築夾城以圍之。 梁太祖遣人招降嗣昭，嗣昭斬其使者，閉城拒守，逾年，莊宗始攻破夾城。 嗣昭完緝兵民，撫養甚有恩意。 梁、晉戰胡柳，晉軍敗，周德威戰死。 莊宗懼，欲收兵還臨濮，嗣昭曰：「梁軍已勝，旦暮思歸。 吾若收軍，使彼休息，整而復出，何以當之？ 宜以精騎撓之，因其勞乏，可以勝也。」 莊宗然之。 是時，梁軍已登無石山，莊宗遣嗣昭轉擊山北，而自以銀槍軍趨而曰：「今日之戰，得山者勝！」 晉軍皆爭登山，梁軍遽下，陣於山西，晉軍從上急擊，大敗之。 於是晉城德勝矣。 周德威死，嗣昭權知幽州，居數月，以李紹宏代之。 嗣昭將去，幽州人皆號哭閉關遮留之，嗣昭夜遁，乃得去。
In Tianyou's third year he and Zhou Dewei took Luzhou; Ding Hui surrendered; Sizhao became governor of Zhaoyi. Liang sent Li Si'an with a hundred thousand men, ringed Lu with twin siege walls. Liang's Taizu sent envoys; Sizhao killed them, barred the gates, and held a year until Zhuangzong broke the siege. Sizhao rebuilt army and populace and governed them with genuine care. At Willow Hu Jin lost; Zhou Dewei fell. Zhuangzong feared retreat to Linpu; Sizhao said: "Liang has won—they will soon want to go home. Pull back now and they will rest, regroup, and strike again—how will we stand against them? Harass them with elite cavalry while they are exhausted—that is how we win. Zhuangzong agreed. Liang had taken Wushi Mountain; Zhuangzong sent Sizhao around the north face while he led the Silver Spear Army shouting: "Who holds the hill today wins!" Jin soldiers clawed up the slope; Liang rushed down to the west face; Jin struck from above and shattered them. Jin held Desheng from that day. After Dewei's death Sizhao governed Youzhou provisionally; months later Li Shaohong replaced him. When he prepared to leave, Youzhou wept, closed the gates, and tried to keep him; he slipped away by night.
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十九年，從莊宗擊契丹於望都，莊宗為契丹圍之數十重，嗣昭以三百騎決圍，取莊宗以出。 是時，晉遣閻寶攻張文禮於鎮州，寶為鎮人所敗，乃以嗣昭代之。 鎮兵出掠九門，嗣昭以奇兵擊之，鎮軍且盡，餘三人匿破垣中，嗣昭馳馬射之，反為賊射中腦，嗣昭顧箙中矢盡，拔矢於腦，射殺一人，還營而卒。
In year nineteen he followed Zhuangzong against the Khitan at Wangdu; Zhuangzong was trapped in rings of enemy lines; Sizhao with three hundred riders cut him free. Jin had sent Yan Bao against Zhang Wenli at Zhenzhou; Zhen beat Bao, and Sizhao took his place. Zhen raided Jiumen; Sizhao ambushed them and nearly annihilated the force; three hid in ruined walls; he charged to shoot them and took an arrow in the skull; quiver empty, he wrenched the shaft from his head, killed one more, rode back to camp, and died.
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嗣昭諸子，繼儔長而懦，其弟繼韜囚之以自立，莊宗方與梁兵相持河上，不暇究其事，因即以為昭義軍留後。 繼韜委其政於魏琢、申蒙，琢等常教繼韜反，繼韜未決。 莊宗在魏，以事召監軍張居翰、節度判官任圜。 琢等以謂莊宗召居翰等問繼韜事，繼韜且見誅，因以語趣之，繼韜乃遣其弟繼遠入梁，梁末帝即拜繼韜同中書門下平章事。 居數月，莊宗滅梁，繼韜將走契丹，會赦至，乃已，因隨其母朝於京師，繼遠諫曰：「兄為臣子，以反為名，復何面以見天子？ 且潞城堅而倉廩實，不如閉城坐食積粟，以延歲月，愈於往而就戮也。」 繼韜不聽。 繼韜母楊氏，善畜財，平生居積行販，至貲百萬。 當嗣昭為梁圍以夾城彌年，軍用乏絕，楊氏之積，蓋有助焉。 至是，乃賫銀數十萬兩至京師，厚賂宦官、伶人，宦官、伶人皆言：「繼韜初無惡意，為奸人所誤耳。」 楊夫人亦以賂謁劉皇后，劉皇后為言：「嗣昭功臣，宜蒙恩貸。」 由是莊宗釋繼韜。 嘗從獵，寵倖無間。 李存渥尤切齒，數詆責之，繼韜懷不自安，復賂宦官、伶人求歸鎮，莊宗不許。 繼韜陰使人告繼遠，令起變於軍中，冀天子遣己往安緝之，事泄，斬於天津橋。 其二子嘗為質於梁，莊宗破梁得之，撫其背曰：「爾幼，猶能佐其父反，長復何為乎？」 至是因並誅之。 即遣人斬繼遠，以繼儔知潞州事。 已而召繼儔還京師，繼儔悉取繼韜妓妾珍玩，而不時即路。 其弟繼達怒曰：「吾兄父子誅死，而大兄不仁，利其貲財，淫其妻妾，吾所不忍也！」 乃服缞麻，引數百騎坐戟門，使人入殺繼儔。 節度副使李繼珂募市人千餘攻繼達，繼達走城外，自剄死。
Sizhao's eldest son Jichou was grown but weak; brother Jitao jailed him and seized power; Zhuangzong, fighting Liang on the river, had no time to inquire and confirmed Jitao as acting governor. Jitao left rule to Wei Zhuo and Shen Meng, who kept urging rebellion; he still hesitated. Zhuangzong was at Wei and summoned army supervisor Zhang Juhang and judge Ren Yuan. Zhuo believed Zhuangzong had called them to judge Jitao's treason and pressed him to act; Jitao sent Jiyuan to Liang, and the Last Emperor made him co-chancellor at once. Months later Zhuangzong ended Liang; Jitao nearly fled to the Khitan until amnesty came; he followed his mother to the capital; Jiyuan said: "You rebelled as a subject—what face have you to see the Son of Heaven? Luzhou's walls are strong and its stores full—shut the gates, eat the grain, and buy time rather than walk to your death." Jitao would not hear him. Jitao's mother Lady Yang hoarded wealth all her life through trade until she held a million in assets. When Liang ringed Sizhao for a year and supplies failed, Lady Yang's hoard kept the army alive. She now sent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to the capital and bribed eunuchs and actors, who all said Jitao had meant no harm—only villains had misled him. Lady Yang bribed Empress Liu, who pleaded: "Sizhao served with merit—his line deserves mercy." Zhuangzong freed Jitao. He hunted at court and enjoyed unbroken favor. Li Cunwo hated him bitterly and often denounced him; uneasy, Jitao bribed eunuchs and actors to plead for his post back—Zhuangzong refused. He secretly told Jiyuan to stir mutiny in the army so the throne would send him to calm it; exposed, he was beheaded at Tianjin Bridge. Two sons had been Liang hostages; when Zhuangzong took them he stroked their backs and said: "You are children, yet helped your father rebel—what will you do grown?" Now they were killed with him. He sent men to kill Jiyuan and left Jichou governing Luzhou. Soon he recalled Jichou to the capital; Jichou seized Jitao's women and treasures and delayed his departure. Brother Jida raged: "Father and son were slaughtered, yet the eldest steals his wealth and takes his women—I will not endure it! He donned mourning, seated several hundred riders at the Halberd Gate, and sent men to kill Jichou. Vice-governor Li Jike raised a thousand townsfolk against Jida; Jida fled beyond the wall and killed himself.
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嗣昭七子，至明宗時，子繼能坐笞殺其母主藏婢，婢家告變，言繼能反，與其弟繼襲皆見殺，惟一子繼忠僅免。 繼忠家於晉陽，楊氏所積餘貲猶巨萬，晉高祖自太原起兵，召契丹為援，契丹求賂，高祖貸於繼忠以取足。 高祖入立，甚德之，以為沂、棣、單三州刺史，開運中卒。 楊氏平生積產，嗣昭父子三人賴之。
Of Sizhao's seven sons, under Mingzong Jineng was killed for flogging his mother's stewardess to death; her kin cried rebellion, and he and Jixi died—only Jizhong survived. Jizhong lived at Jinyang on Lady Yang's remaining fortune of tens of thousands; when Jin Gaozu marched from Taiyuan with Khitan aid, he borrowed from Jizhong to pay the Khitan bribe. Gaozu rewarded him with the prefectures of Yi, Di, and Shan; he died in the Kaiyun years. Lady Yang's lifetime hoard sustained Sizhao and three generations of sons.
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嗣本，本姓張氏，雁門人也。 世為銅冶鎮將。 嗣本少事太祖，太祖愛之，賜以姓名，養為子。 從擊居庸關，以功遷義兒軍使。 從破王行瑜，遷威遠軍使。 從攻羅弘信，以先鋒兵破湯陰。 從莊宗破潞州夾城。 累以戰功遷代州刺史、雲州防禦使、振武節度使，號威信可汗。 天祐十三年，從莊宗擊劉鄩於故元城，下洺、磁諸州，六月，還軍振武。 契丹入代北，攻蔚州，嗣本戰歿。
Li Siben was born Zhang, from Yanmen. His clan had long held Tongye as hereditary commandants. He served Taizu young; Taizu favored him, gave him the Li surname and a new name, and adopted him. He fought at Juyong Pass and rose to command the Adopted Sons Army. He helped crush Wang Xingyu and became commander of the Weiyuan Army. He joined the campaign against Luo Hongxin and broke Tangyin at the van. He followed Zhuangzong when Luzhou's twin siege walls fell. Battle after battle raised him to prefect of Dai, defender of Yun, and governor of Zhenwu, titled Trustworthy Khan. In Tianyou's thirteenth year he followed Zhuangzong against Liu Yun at Old Yuancheng, took Bo and Ci, and in the sixth month marched back to Zhenwu. When the Khitan invaded north of Dai and struck Weizhou, Siben fell in battle.
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嗣恩，本姓駱，吐谷渾部人也。 少事太祖，能騎射，為鐵林軍將，稍以戰功遷突陣指揮使，賜姓名，以為子。 從敗康懷英於河西，遷左廂馬軍都指揮使。 從李嗣昭援朱友謙於河中，與梁兵力戰，槊中其口，戰不已。 遷遼州刺史。 從莊宗入魏，遷天雄軍馬步都指揮使。 劉鄩攻太原，兵趣樂平，嗣恩從後追之，自佗道先入太原以守。 鄩兵去，嗣恩亦以兵會莊宗於魏，從戰於莘。 遷代州刺史、石嶺關已北都知兵馬使、振武節度使。 天祐十五年，卒於太原。 追贈太尉。
Li Si'en was born Luo, of the Tuyuhun. He served Taizu young, excelled at horse and bow, rose through the Iron Forest and Shock Array commands, received the Li name, and was adopted. He helped defeat Kang Huaiying west of the river and commanded the left wing horse army. He followed Sizhao to relieve Zhu Youqian at Hezhong, fought Liang head-on, took a spear through the mouth, and kept fighting. He became prefect of Liao. He entered Wei with Zhuangzong and commanded all horse and foot of Tianxiong. When Liu Yun marched on Taiyuan toward Leping, Si'en trailed behind, cut by another road, and entered Taiyuan first to hold the city. When Yun withdrew, Si'en joined Zhuangzong at Wei and fought at Xin. He became prefect of Dai, commander north of Shiling Pass, and governor of Zhenwu. In Tianyou's fifteenth year he died at Taiyuan. Posthumously made Grand Preceptor.
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存信，本姓張氏，其父君政，回鶻李思忠之部人也。 存信少善騎射，能四夷語，通六蕃書。 從太祖起代北，入關破黃巢，累以功為馬步軍都指揮使，遂賜姓名，以為子。 存信與存孝俱為養子，材勇不及存孝，而存信不為之下，由是交惡，存孝所為，存信每沮激之，存孝卒得罪死。 而存信數從征伐，以功領郴州刺史。 太祖遣將兵救朱宣，存信屯於莘縣，為羅弘信所擊，存信敗，亡太祖子落落。 後從太祖討劉仁恭，大敗於安塞。 太祖大怒，顧存信曰：「昨日吾醉，公不能為我戰邪？ 古人三敗，公已二矣。」 將殺之，存信叩頭謝罪而免。 由是大懼，常稱疾，天復二年卒，年四十一。
Li Cunxin was born Zhang; his father Junzheng came from the tribe of Uyghur Li Sizhong. Young Cunxin mastered horse and bow, spoke the tongues of the border peoples, and read their six scripts. He rose with Taizu beyond Dai, entered the passes against Huang Chao, rose to command all horse and foot, received the Li name, and was adopted. Cunxin and Cunxiao were both adopted sons; Cunxin lacked Cunxiao's brilliance yet refused to bow—so they hated each other; Cunxin blocked and baited him until Cunxiao offended and died. Still, Cunxin campaigned repeatedly and won Chen prefecture by merit. Taizu sent him to rescue Zhu Xuan; he camped at Xin County, was smashed by Luo Hongxin, and lost Taizu's son Luo Luo. Later he followed Taizu against Liu Rengong and suffered a crushing defeat at Anse. Taizu erupted in fury and turned on Cunxin: “Yesterday I was drunk—why would you not fight for me? The ancients allowed three defeats—you already have two. He meant to execute him, but Cunxin kowtowed until the sentence was lifted. After that he lived in dread and often pleaded sickness; in Tianfu 2 (902) he died at forty-one.
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明年，潞州軍亂，殺李克恭以歸唐，梁遣李讜攻李罕之於澤州，存孝以騎兵五千救之。 梁軍呼罕之曰：「公常恃太原以為命，今上黨已歸唐，唐兵大集，圍太原，沙陀將無穴以自處，公復誰恃而不降乎？」 存孝以精騎五百繞梁柵而呼曰：「我沙陀之求穴者，待爾肉以食軍，可令肥者出鬥！」 梁驍將鄧季筠引軍出戰，存孝舞槊擒之，李讜敗走，追擊至馬牢關。 還攻潞州，唐以孫揆為潞州節度使，揆儒者，以梁卒三千為衛，褒衣大蓋，擁節先驅。 存孝以三百騎伏長子西崖谷間，伺揆軍過，橫擊斷之，擒揆以歸。 初，梁遣葛從周、朱崇節守潞州以待揆，聞揆見執，皆棄去，晉遂復取潞州。 是時，張浚、韓建伐晉，擊陰地關，晉以李存信、薛阿檀等當浚，別遣存孝軍於趙城。 唐軍戰敗於陰地關，浚退保晉州，韓建走絳州。 存孝攻晉州，浚兵出戰，輒復敗，因閉壁不敢出。 存孝去，攻絳州。 浚、建皆走。
Next year Lu Prefecture mutinied, killed Li Ke Gong, and returned to Tang; Liang sent Li Chan against Li Hanzhi at Zezhou, and Cunxiao rode in with five thousand horse. Liang shouted to Hanzhi: “Taiyuan was your lifeline—Shangdang is Tang again, Tang armies gather, Taiyuan is ringed, and the Shatuo have nowhere to burrow. Who is left for you if you will not yield? Cunxiao swept five hundred picked riders around the Liang camp and yelled: “I am the Shatuo with nowhere left to hide—I mean to eat your flesh to feed my men! Let your fattest come out and fight!” Liang’s champion Deng Jiyun sallied forth; Cunxiao whirled his spear and took him alive; Li Chan broke and ran; the chase ran to Malao Pass. He turned back on Luzhou; the court named Sun Kui its governor—a scholar who marched with three thousand Liang guards in flowing robes under a great canopy, the commission borne ahead. Cunxiao laid three hundred riders in the western cliff pass at Changzi, ambushed Kui’s march, cut the column in two, and carried Kui off. Liang had posted Ge Congzhou and Zhu Chongjie at Luzhou to receive Kui; when they learned he was captured, both fled, and Jin took the city back. Zhang Jun and Han Jian were then marching on Jin and hit Yindi Pass; Jin met Jun with Cunxin and Xue Atan and sent Cunxiao to Zhaocheng. Tang lost at Yindi; Jun fell back to Jinzhou, and Han Jian ran to Jiangzhou. Cunxiao pressed Jinzhou; Jun sallied and lost again, then barred the gates and would not come out. Cunxiao withdrew and turned on Jiangzhou. Jun and Jian both ran.
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存孝猨臂善射，身被重鎧，櫜弓坐槊，手舞鐵楇，出入陣中，以兩騎自從，戰酣易騎，上下如飛。 初，存孝取潞州功為多，而太祖別以大將康君立為潞州留後，存孝為汾州刺史，存孝負其功，不食者數日。 及走張浚，遷邠州刺史。 大順二年，徙邢州留後。 是時，晉軍連歲攻趙常山，存孝常為先鋒，下趙臨城、元氏。 趙王求救於幽州李匡威，匡威兵至，晉軍輒引去。 存孝素與存信有隙，存信譖之曰：「存孝有二心，常避趙不擊。」 存孝不自安，乃附梁通趙，自歸於唐，因請會兵以代晉。 唐命趙王王镕援之。 明年，趙與幽州有隙，懼而與晉和，反以兵三萬助晉擊存孝。 存孝嬰城自守。 太祖自將兵傅其城，掘塹以圍之，存孝出兵沖擊，塹不得成。 裨將袁奉韜使人說存孝曰：「公所畏者，晉王爾。 王俟塹成，且留兵去，諸將非公敵也，雖塹何為？」 存孝以為然，縱兵成塹。 塹成，深溝高壘，不可近，存孝遂窘。 城中食盡，登城呼曰：「兒蒙王恩，位至將相，豈欲舍父子而附仇讎，乃存信構陷之耳。 願生見王一言而死。」 太祖哀之，遣劉夫人入城慰諭之。 劉夫人引與俱來，存孝泥首請罪曰：「兒於晉有功而無過，所以至此，由存信為之耳！」 太祖叱曰：「爾為書檄，罪我百端，亦存信為之邪？」 縛載後車，至太原，車裂之以徇。 然太祖惜其材，悵然恨諸將之不能容也，為之不視事者十餘日。
Cunxiao’s arms were long as an ape’s and his bow never missed; in heavy mail he rode with bow slung and spear braced, swinging an iron mace through the press, two spare horses at his heel—when the fight peaked he changed mounts in a flash, rising and dropping like a bird in flight. He had done most to retake Luzhou, yet Taizu gave the post to Kang Junli and made Cunxiao only prefect of Fen; bitter at the slight, he refused food for days. After Zhang Jun was routed he became prefect of Bin. In Dashun 2 (891) he was shifted to acting governor of Xingzhou. Jin had hammered Zhao’s Changshan for years; Cunxiao usually led the van and seized Lincheng and Yuan Clan. The Prince of Zhao called on Li Kuangwei of Youzhou; whenever Kuangwei marched in, Jin pulled back. Cunxiao and Cunxin had long hated each other; Cunxin whispered: “Cunxiao is disloyal—he skirts Zhao and will not strike. Uneasy, Cunxiao turned to Liang to open a road into Zhao, came over to Tang himself, and asked for allied armies to overthrow Jin. Tang ordered the Prince of Zhao, Wang Rong, to his aid. Next year Zhao feuded with Youzhou, panicked, reconciled with Jin, and sent thirty thousand men to help Jin crush Cunxiao. Cunxiao barred the gates and defended alone. Taizu came in person to press the siege and dig encircling trenches; Cunxiao charged out and the ditches never closed. Staff officer Yuan Fengtao sent word: “You fear only the Prince of Jin. When the ditches are finished he will march away and leave others behind—none of them can stand to you. What is a trench to you? Cunxiao believed him and stood his men down while the encirclement was dug. The ring closed—deep ditch, high wall, no way in—and Cunxiao was trapped. When the stores were gone he climbed the wall and cried: “I owed the Prince everything, rose to general and minister—would I trade father and son for a foe? Cunxin set this trap. Let me see the Prince once while I live, then die. Taizu was moved and sent Lady Liu into the city to reason with him. Lady Liu brought him out; Cunxiao groveled and pleaded: “I served Jin with merit and no crime—Cunxin alone drove me to this! Taizu roared: “You drafted letters blaming me on every count—was Cunxin writing those too?” They bound him on a baggage cart, hauled him to Taiyuan, and tore him apart between chariots for all to see. Taizu still mourned his gifts, cursed his generals for their jealousy, and for ten days would not hold court.
14
康君立素與存信相善，方二人之交惡也，君立每左右存信以傾之。 存孝已死，太祖與諸將博，語及存孝，流涕不已，君立以為不然，太祖怒，鴆殺君立。 君立初為雲州牙將，唐僖宗時，逐段文楚，與太祖俱起雲中，蓋君立首事。 其後累立戰功，表昭義節度使，以存孝故殺之。
Kang Junli favored Cunxin; while the feud burned, Junli always backed Cunxin to topple Cunxiao. After Cunxiao’s death Taizu gambled with his commanders; mention of Cunxiao brought endless tears; Junli scoffed; Taizu in rage gave him poison. Junli began as a guard officer at Yunzhou; under Xizong he expelled Duan Wenchu and rose with Taizu from Yunzhong—the first man in the enterprise. He won battle after battle, was named governor of Zhaoyi, and died for Cunxiao’s sake.
15
存進，振武人也，本姓孫，名重進。 太祖攻破朔州得之，賜以姓名，養為子。 從太祖入關破黃巢，以為義兒軍使。 從莊宗戰柏鄉，遷行營馬步軍都虞候，歷慈、沁二州刺史。 莊宗初得魏博，以為天雄軍都部署，治梁亂軍，一切以法，人有犯者，輒梟首磔屍於市，魏人屏息畏之。 從戰河上，以功遷振武軍節度使。 是時，晉軍德勝，為南北寨，每以舟兵來往，頗以為勞，而河北無竹石，存進乃以葦笮維大艦為浮梁。 莊宗大喜，解衣以賜之。
Li Cunjin came from Zhenwu; born Sun Chongjin. Taizu seized him when Shuozhou fell, gave him the Li name, and adopted him. He entered the passes with Taizu against Huang Chao and became commander of the Adopted Sons Army. He fought with Zhuangzong at Bai Township, became chief adjutant of horse and foot in the field army, and governed Ci and Qin. When Zhuangzong first held Weibo he named him commander of Tianxiong and ruled Liang’s mutineers by strict law—offenders lost their heads and were quartered in the market until Wei dared not breathe. He fought along the Yellow River and rose to governor of Zhenwu. Jin then held Desheng in twin camps and ferried troops by boat—a weary business; with no bamboo or stone in Hebei, Cunjin bound great hulls with reed fascines into a floating bridge. Zhuangzong rejoiced and gave him the coat off his back.
16
晉討張文禮於鎮州，久不克，而史建瑭、閻寶、李嗣昭相次戰歿，乃以存進代嗣昭為招討使，軍於東垣渡。 東垣土惡，築壘不能就，存進伐木為柵。 晉軍晨出芻牧，文禮子處球以兵千餘逼存進柵，存進出戰橋上，殺處球兵殆盡，而存進亦歿於陣。 追贈太尉。
Jin besieged Zhang Wenli at Zhenzhou without success; Shi Jiantang, Yan Bao, and Li Sizhao fell in turn; Cunjin replaced Sizhao as commander and camped at Dongyuan Ford. Dongyuan’s ground was foul and walls would not stand; Cunjin cut timber for stockades. At dawn Jin herded fodder; Wenli’s son Chuchiu hit the stockade with a thousand men; Cunjin met him on the bridge, wiped out nearly all his troops, and fell in the fight. Posthumously made Grand Preceptor.
17
子漢韶，明宗時復本姓，為洋州節度使。 潞王從珂以鳳翔反，漢韶與張虔釗會唐軍討之，唐軍皆降於從珂，獨漢韶與虔釗軍不降，俱奔於蜀。 事蜀，歷永平、興元、武信節度使。 年七十餘，卒於蜀。
His son Han Shao, under Mingzong, took back the Sun surname and governed Yangzhou. When Prince of Lu Congke rose at Fengxiang, Han Shao and Zhang Qianzhao marched with Tang to crush him; every Tang army turned to Congke—only theirs held out, then both fled to Shu. In Shu he governed Yongping, Xingyuan, and Wuxin in succession. Past seventy, he died in Shu.
18
存璋，字德璜，初與康群立、恭誌勤等從太祖入關，破黃巢，累遷義兒軍使。 太祖病革，存璋與張承業等受顧命，立莊宗為晉王，晉王以存璋為河東馬步軍使。 晉自先王時，嘗優假軍士，軍士多犯法逾禁，莊宗新立，尤患之，存璋一切繩之以法，境內為之清肅。 從攻夾城，戰柏鄉，以功遷汾州刺史。 莊宗與劉鄩戰於魏博，梁遣王檀來，乘虛襲太原，存璋以汾州兵入太原距守，以功遷大同軍防禦使，遂為節度使。 天祐十九年以疾卒。 追贈太尉。
Li Cunzhang, styled Defang, entered the passes with Kang Junli, Gong Zhizhiqin, and others against Huang Chao and rose to command the Adopted Sons Army. At Taizu’s deathbed Cunzhang and Zhang Chengye took his last command and raised Zhuangzong as Prince of Jin; the Prince made Cunzhang commander of Hedong horse and foot. Since the old prince’s day Jin had indulged the ranks until lawlessness ran wild; the new Prince of Jin feared it most; Cunzhang bound every offense to the statute until the realm went still. He fought at Jiacheng and Bai Township and won Fenzhou by merit. While Zhuangzong fought Liu Yun at Weibo, Liang sent Wang Tan to strike Taiyuan in its weakness; Cunzhang rushed Fen troops in to hold the city, won Datong defender, then full governor. In Tianyou 19 (922) he died of illness. Posthumously made Grand Preceptor.
19
存賢，許州人也，本姓王名賢。 少為軍卒，善角牴，太祖擊黃巢於陳州，得之，賜以姓名，養為子。 後為義兒軍副兵馬使，遷沁州刺史。 先時，沁州當敵沖，徙其南百餘里，據險立柵而寓居。 至存賢為刺史，曰：「徙城避敵，豈勇者所為？」 乃復城故州。 梁兵屢攻之，存賢力自距守，卒不能近。 遷武州刺史、山北團練使，又遷慈州。 天祐十八年，梁兵攻朱友謙於河中，莊宗遣存賢援友謙。 是時，友謙新叛梁歸晉，而河中食少，人心多貳，諜者因謂存賢曰：「河中人欲殺子以歸梁，宜亟去。」 存賢曰：「死王事，吾誌也。 復何恨哉！」 卒擊走梁兵。
Li Cunxian came from Xuzhou; born Wang Xian. He began as a common soldier and excelled at wrestling; Taizu took him fighting Huang Chao at Chenzhou, gave him the Li name, and adopted him. He became deputy commander of the Adopted Sons Army and governor of Qin. Qin had once stood in the enemy’s path; the seat was shifted a hundred li south to a cliff-side stockade while the people lived in exile. As prefect Cunxian said: “Abandoning a city to dodge the foe—is that courage? He rebuilt the old seat. Liang struck again and again; Cunxian held hard until they could not come near. He governed Wu and regent Shanbei, then was shifted to Cizhou. In Tianyou 18 (921) Liang besieged Zhu Youqian at Hezhong; Zhuangzong sent Cunxian to his aid. Youqian had only just left Liang for Jin; Hezhong was short of grain and loyalty wavered; a spy warned Cunxian: “They will kill you and go back to Liang—flee now. Cunxian said: “To die for the prince is what I want. What is there to regret?” He fought until Liang broke and ran.