1
氏叔琮
Shi Shucong
2
氏叔琮，開封尉氏人也。 為梁騎兵伍長，梁兵擊黃巢陳、許間，叔琮戰數有功，太祖壯之，使將後院馬軍，從攻徐、兗，表宿州刺史。 使攻襄陽，戰數敗，降為陽翟鎮遏使。 久之，遷曹州刺史。 太祖下河中，取晉、絳，晉王遣使致書太祖求成，太祖以晉書詞嫚，乃遣叔琮與賀德倫等攻之。 叔琮自太行入，取澤、潞，出石會，營於洞渦，久之糧盡，乃旋。 表晉州刺史。 晉人復取絳州，攻臨汾，叔琮選壯士二人深目而胡須者，牧馬襄陵道旁，晉人以為晉兵，雜行道中，伺其怠，擒晉二人而歸。 晉人大驚，以為有伏兵，乃退屯於蒲縣。 太祖遣友寧兵萬人會叔琮禦晉，友寧欲休兵以待，叔琮曰：「敵聞救至必走，走則何功邪？」 乃夜擊之，晉人大敗，逐之至於太原。 太祖大喜曰：「破太原非氏老不可。」 已而兵大疫，叔琮班師，令曰：「病不能行者焚之。」 病者懼，皆言無恙，乃以精卒為殿而還至石會，留數騎，以大將旗幟立於高岡，晉兵疑其有伏，乃不敢追。 久之，徙保大軍節度使。 昭宗遷洛，拜右龍武統軍。 太祖遣叔琮與李彥威等弒昭宗，已而殺之。
Shi Shucong came from Weishi in Kaifeng prefecture. He began as a squad leader in Liang cavalry. In the campaigns against Huang Chao between Chen and Xu he fought again and again with credit. Liang Taizu Zhu Wen took him for a hard man and put him over the rear-court horse guard; on the drive against Xu and Yan he was named prefect of Su. Sent against Xiangyang, he lost battle after battle and was demoted to pacification commissioner at Yangzhai. In time he was moved to prefect of Cao. The Founder marched on Hezhong and seized Jin and Jiang. Li Keyong sent envoys with a letter asking for peace. Zhu Wen read insolence in the wording and sent Shucong, He Delun, and others against him. Shucong came in through the Taihang, took Ze and Lu, emerged at Shihui Pass, and made camp at Dongwo. Supplies gave out; after a long stand he turned back. He was named prefect of Jin. Jin retook Jiang and pushed on Linfen. Shucong picked two tough soldiers with deep eyes and barbarian beards and pastured horses along the Xiangling road. The Jin took them for their own men in the column. He waited for slackness, grabbed two Jin soldiers, and rode home. Jin panicked, sure an ambush lay ahead, and fell back to Pu county. The Founder sent Zhu Youning with ten thousand men to reinforce Shucong against Jin. Youning wanted to halt and wait. Shucong said: “The moment they hear relief is here they will bolt. If they bolt, what is left for us to win?” That night he struck. Jin broke completely; the chase ran to the walls of Taiyuan. The Founder exulted: “Only old Shi can take Taiyuan.” Then plague swept the host. Shucong ordered the retreat and proclaimed: “Any man too sick to walk will be burned alive.” The sick pleaded that they were fit to march. He marched out with an elite rearguard, left a few riders on a height with the commander’s banners, and reached Shihui. Jin took it for an ambush and did not follow. Later he was made military governor of Baoda. When Emperor Zhaozong moved to Luoyang, Shucong became right Dragon Martial commander. The Founder sent Shucong and Li Yanwei to murder Zhaozong—and afterward had them killed.
3
李彥威
Li Yanwei
4
李彥威，壽州人也。 少事梁太祖，為人穎悟，善揣人意，太祖憐之，養以為子，冒姓朱氏，名友恭。 歷汝、潁二州刺史。 昭宗遷洛，拜右龍武統軍。 初，劉季述廢昭宗，立皇太子裕為天子。 昭宗反正，以為太子幼，為賊所立，赦之，復其始封為德王。 昭宗自岐還，太祖見裕眉目疏秀，惡之，謂宰相崔胤曰：「德王嘗為季述所立，安得猶在乎？ 公白天子殺之。」 胤奏之，昭宗不許，佗日以問太祖，太祖曰：「臣安敢及之，胤欲賣臣爾。」 昭宗遷洛，謂蔣玄暉曰：「德王，朕愛子也，全忠何為欲殺之？」 因泣下，嚙指流血。 玄暉具以白太祖，太祖益惡之。 是時，昭宗改元天祐，遷於東都，為梁所迫，而晉人、蜀人以為天祐之號非唐所建，不復稱之，但稱天復。 王建亦傳檄天下，舉兵誅梁。 太祖大懼，恐昭宗奔佗鎮，以兵七萬如河中，陰遣敬翔至洛，告彥威與氏叔琮等，使行弒逆。 八月壬辰，彥威、叔琮以龍武兵宿禁中，夜二鼓，以兵百人叩宮門奏事，夫人裴正一開門問曰：「奏事安得以兵入？」 龍武牙官史太殺之，趨椒蘭殿，問昭宗所在，昭宗方醉，起走，太持劍逐之，昭宗單衣旋柱而走，太劍及之，昭宗崩。 訃至河中，太祖陽為驚駭，投地號哭，罵曰：「奴輩負我，俾我被惡名於後世邪！」 太祖至洛，流彥威、叔琮嶺南，使張廷範殺之。 彥威臨刑大呼曰：「賣我以滅口，其如神理何？」 顧廷範曰：「勉之，公行自及。」 遂見殺。 已而還其姓名。
Li Yanwei came from Shou prefecture. As a youth he entered Zhu Wen’s service—quick-witted, expert at guessing what men wanted. The Founder doted on him, adopted him, and gave him the Zhu surname and the name Yougong. He held the prefectures of Ru and Ying in turn. When Zhaozong came to Luoyang, Yanwei was made right Dragon Martial commander. Earlier Liu Jishu had deposed Zhaozong and set up Crown Prince Yu as emperor. After Zhaozong’s restoration the boy was treated as too young and too tainted by the coup; he was pardoned and restored to his old title, Prince of De. When Zhaozong came back from Qi, the Founder looked at Yu’s fine face and hated him. He told Cui Yin: “Jishu made that boy emperor. How is he still breathing? Tell the emperor to kill him.” Yin memorialized; Zhaozong refused. Days later the Founder asked again. Zhu Wen said: “I would never dare raise a hand—Yin is trying to sell me out.” At the move to Luoyang Zhaozong told Jiang Xuanhui: “De is my beloved son. Why does Quanzhong want him dead?” He wept, then bit his finger until blood ran. Xuanhui told the Founder everything; the Founder hated Yu all the more. Zhaozong declared the Tianyou era and shifted to the eastern capital under Liang’s fist. Jin and Shu refused the name—they said Tianyou was not Tang’s to proclaim—and kept dating by Tianfu. Wang Jian of Shu sent a proclamation across the empire calling for war on Liang. The Founder feared Zhaozong would bolt to another warlord. He took seventy thousand men toward Hezhong and secretly sent Jing Xiang to Luoyang with orders for Yanwei, Shucong, and the rest to kill the emperor. On renchen day of the eighth month Yanwei and Shucong billeted Dragon Martial guards inside the palace. At the second watch a hundred men hammered the gate on palace business. Lady Pei Zhengyi opened it and demanded: “Since when is business done at sword-point?” Dragon Martial adjutant Shi Tai cut her down, ran to Jiaolan Hall, and demanded the emperor. Zhaozong was drunk, lurched up, and ran. Tai chased with his blade. In only a night robe Zhaozong spun around a pillar until the steel found him and he fell. Word reached Hezhong. The Founder played horror, flung himself down, and howled: “You dogs sold me out—do you mean to hang this crime on my neck forever?” At Luoyang he banished Yanwei and Shucong to the far south and sent Zhang Tingfan to kill them. At the block Yanwei screamed: “You used me, then sold me to shut my mouth—what will heaven say to you?” He stared at Tingfan: “Hurry along. Your turn is next.” Then they killed him. Soon their true names were restored on the record.
5
莊宗時，得故唐內人景姹，言當彥威等弒昭宗時，諸王宗屬數百人皆遇害，而同為一坑，瘞於龍興寺北，請合為一冢而改葬之。 詔以故濮王為首，葬以一品禮云。
Under Zhuangzong a former Tang inner woman, Jing Cha, testified that when Yanwei and the others killed Zhaozong several hundred imperial clansmen died in one pit north of Longxing Temple. She begged a common tomb and a proper reburial. The court ordered the former Prince of Pu to head the rites and buried them with honors of the first rank.
6
李振，字興緒，其祖抱真，唐潞州節度使。 振為唐金吾衛將軍，拜臺州刺史。 盜起浙東，不果行，乃西歸。 過梁，以策幹太祖，太祖留之。 太祖兼領鄆州，表振節度副使。
Li Zhen, courtesy name Xingxu, was grandson of Baozhen, Tang military governor of Luzhou. Zhen served Tang as a Golden Crow Guard general and was named prefect of Tai. Pirates overran eastern Zhe; he never took the post and turned west for home. He passed through Liang lands, offered counsel to Zhu Wen, and was kept. When the Founder added Yan to his holdings he named Zhen deputy military governor.
7
振奏事長安，舍梁邸。 宦官劉季述謀廢昭宗，遣其侄希正因梁邸吏程巖見振曰：「今主上嚴急，誅殺不辜，中尉懼及禍，將行廢立，請與諸邸吏協力以定中外，如何？」 振駭然曰：「百歲奴事三歲主，而敢爾邪！ 今梁王百萬之師，方仗大義尊天子，君等無為此不祥也！」 振還，季述卒與巖等廢昭宗，幽之東宮，號太上皇，立皇太子裕為天子。 是時，太祖用兵在邢、洺間，季述詐為太上皇誥告太祖，太祖猶豫，未知所為，振曰：「夫豎刁、伊戾之亂，所以為霸者資也。 今閹宦作亂，天子危辱，此正仗義立功之時。」 太祖大悟，乃囚季述使者，遣振詣京師見崔胤，謀出昭宗。 昭宗返正，太祖大喜，執振手曰：「卿謀得之矣！」
Zhen went to Chang’an on court business and stayed at the Liang embassy. Eunuch Liu Jishu plotted to depose Zhaozong. His nephew Xiyin came through embassy clerk Cheng Yan to Zhen: “The emperor has turned cruel and kills without cause. The chief eunuch fears for his neck and will depose him. Will you and the clerks act together to settle the court—yes or no?” Zhen recoiled: “A slave who has served a hundred years dares raise a hand against a lord of three? Liang has a million men and stands on righteousness for the Son of Heaven. Do not touch this unlucky business!” Zhen left. Jishu still deposed Zhaozong with Yan and the rest, locked him in the eastern palace as “Retired Emperor,” and set Crown Prince Yu on the throne. The Founder was fighting between Xing and Ming. Jishu forged a retired-emperor edict to him. Zhu Wen wavered. Zhen said: “Shufan and Yili made chaos—and chaos made hegemons. Eunuchs run wild and the emperor is shamed. This is the hour to strike in the name of justice.” The Founder seized the point, jailed Jishu’s messenger, and sent Zhen to Chang’an to Cui Yin to free Zhaozong. When Zhaozong was restored the Founder gripped his hand: “You saw it right!”
8
王師範以青州降梁，遣振往代師範，師範疑懼，不知所為，振曰：「獨不聞漢張繡乎？ 繡與曹公為敵，然不歸袁紹而歸曹公者，知其志大，不以私讎殺人也。 今梁王方欲成大事，豈以故怨害忠臣乎？」 師範洗然自釋，乃西歸梁。
Wang Shifan surrendered Qingzhou and the Founder sent Zhen to replace him. Shifan wavered in fear. Zhen asked: “Have you heard of Zhang Xiu? Xiu fought Cao Cao yet chose Cao over Yuan Shao—because he knew Cao’s mind was large and would not murder over old scores. Liang means to build something great. Would he ruin a loyal man over an old feud?” Shifan’s doubt lifted; he went west and submitted to Liang.
9
昭宗遷洛，振往來京師，朝臣皆側目，振視之若無人。 有所小怒，必加譴謫。 故振一至京師，朝廷必有貶降。 時人目振為鴟梟。 太祖之弒昭宗也，遣振至京師與朱友恭、氏叔琮謀之。 昭宗崩，太祖問振所以待友恭等宜如何？ 振曰：「昔晉司馬氏殺魏君而誅成濟，不然，何以塞天下口？」 太祖乃歸罪友恭等而殺之。
After the move to Luoyang Zhen shuttled to the capital. Ministers glared; he walked past as if the halls were empty. A flicker of temper brought demotion and disgrace. Whenever Zhen appeared in the capital someone fell. People called him an owl and a kite—birds of ill omen. When Zhu Wen ordered Zhaozong’s death he sent Zhen to Luoyang with Yougong and Shucong to arrange it. After the murder the Founder asked Zhen what to do with Yougong and the others. Zhen said: “When the Sima killed the Wei emperor they executed Cheng Ji—otherwise how do you silence the world?” The Founder blamed Yougong and the rest and had them killed.
10
振嘗舉進士咸通、乾符中，連不中，尤憤唐公卿，及裴樞等七人賜死白馬驛，振謂太祖曰：「此輩嘗自言清流，可投之河，使為濁流也。」 太祖笑而從之。
Zhen had failed the civil exams again and again under Xiantong and Qianfu and hated Tang grandees. When Pei Shu and six others were executed at Baima Station he told the Founder: “They called themselves the Clear Stream—throw them in the river and let them be the muddy flow.” The Founder laughed and agreed.
11
太祖即位，累遷戶部尚書。 友珪時，以振代敬翔為崇政院使。 莊宗滅梁入汴，振謁見郭崇韜，崇韜曰：「人言李振一代奇才，吾今見之，乃常人爾！」 已而伏誅。
After Zhu Wen became emperor Zhen rose to Minister of Revenue. Under Zhu Yougui he replaced Jing Xiang as head of the Chongzheng Court. When Li Cunxu took Bian, Zhen bowed to Guo Chongtao. Chongtao said: “They told me Li Zhen was a genius of the age. I see an ordinary man.” Soon he was beheaded.
12
裴迪，字升之，河東聞喜人也。 為人明敏，善治財賦，精於簿書。 唐司空裴璩判度支，辟為出使巡官。 都統王鐸鎮滑州，奏迪汴、宋、鄆等州供軍院使。 鐸為租庸使，辟租庸招納使。 梁太祖鎮宣武，辟節度判官。 太祖用兵四方，常留迪以調兵賦。 太祖乃榜門，以兵事自處，而以貨財獄訟一切任迪。 太祖西攻岐，王師範謀襲汴，遣健卒苗公立持書至汴，陰伺虛實。 迪召公立問東事，公立色動，乃屏人密詰之，具得其事。 迪不暇啟，遣朱友寧以兵巡兗、鄆，以故師範雖竊發而事卒不成。 太祖自岐還，將吏皆賜「迎鑾葉贊功臣」，將吏入見，太祖目迪曰：「葉贊之功，惟裴公有之，佗人不足當也。」 迪入唐，累遷太常卿。 太祖即位，召拜右僕射，居一歲告老，以司空致仕，卒於家。
Pei Di, courtesy name Shengzhi, came from Wenxi in Hedong. He was sharp, master of revenue and ledgers. When Pei Ji of the Works ran the Finance Commission he took Di as touring inspector. Wang Duo at Hua named him supply commissioner for Bian, Song, Yan, and the rest. When Duo became equalization commissioner he made Di his recruitment officer. When Zhu Wen held Xuanwu he made Di his chief administrator. On every campaign the Founder left Di behind to move men and money. He posted at the gate: war was the Founder’s business; money, grain, prisons, and suits were Di’s. While the Founder marched west on Qi, Wang Shifan plotted a strike on Bian and sent the soldier Miao Gongli with a letter to probe the city in secret. Di called Gongli in and asked about the east. Gongli’s face changed. Di sent the room empty and pressed him until the plot lay bare. Di had no time for memorials. He sent Zhu Youning to patrol Yan and Yun. Shifan moved in secret but the plot failed. Returning from Qi the Founder gave every officer the title “Meritorious Supporter of the Imperial Progress.” At audience he fixed on Di: “That merit is Pei’s alone. The rest do not deserve the name.” Di took Tang rank and rose to Grand Minister of Ceremonies. When Liang was founded he was called to right vice director of the Secretariat. A year later he asked to retire, left as Minister of Works, and died at home.
13
韋震，字東卿，雍州萬年人也。 初名肇。 為人強敏，有口辯。 事梁太祖為都統判官。 申叢執秦宗權，欲送於太祖，又欲自獻於京師，又欲挾宗權奪其兵。 太祖遣震入蔡州視之，叢遣騎兵三百迎震，欲殺之，震以計得免。 還白太祖曰：「叢不足慮，為其謀者牙將裴涉，妄庸人也。」 叢後果為郭璠所殺。 璠以宗權歸於太祖，太祖欲大其事，請獻俘於唐，唐以時溥破黃巢，獻馘而已，宗權不足俘，左拾遺徐彥樞亦疏請所在斬決。 太祖遣震奏事京師，往復論列，卒俘宗權。 太祖德之，表為節度副使。 昭宗幸石門，太祖遣震由虢略間道奉表行在，昭宗賜其名震。 太祖已破兗、鄆，遂攻吳，大敗於清口。 太祖懼諸鎮乘間圖己，乃諷杜洪、鐘傳、王師範、錢镠等薦己為元帥，且求兼領鄆州。 昭宗初不許，震強辯，敢大言，語數不遜，昭宗卒許梁以鄆州，太祖遂兼四鎮，表震鄆州留後。 昭宗遷洛，震入為河南尹、六軍諸衛副使，以病喑，守太子太保致仕。 太祖受禪，改太子太傅。 末帝即位，加太師，卒。
Wei Zhen, courtesy name Dongqing, came from Wannian in Yong prefecture. He was born Zhao. He was hard, quick, and sharp-tongued. He served Zhu Wen as judge to the overall commander. Shen Cong held Qin Zongquan prisoner. He wavered: deliver him to Zhu Wen, march him to Chang’an for credit, or seize the man and swallow his army. The Founder sent Zhen into Cai to see for himself. Cong sent three hundred riders to welcome him—and kill him. Zhen schemed his way out alive. Back at camp he told the Founder: “Cong is nothing to fear. His brain is the adjutant Pei She—a vain fool.” Cong was later killed by Guo Fan. Fan delivered Zongquan to Zhu Wen. The Founder wanted the triumph loud and asked to present the captive at Tang court. Tang answered that Shi Pu, when he broke Huang Chao, had sent only severed ears—Zongquan was not worth a grand presentation. Remonstrance official Xu Yanqiu also asked that he be executed on the spot. The Founder sent Zhen to argue the case at court. He argued back and forth until Zongquan was accepted as a presented captive. Taizu owed him and made him deputy military commissioner. When Zhaozong fled to Shimen, Taizu sent Zhen along the Guolue trail with a memorial to the traveling court. Zhaozong gave him the name Zhen. Taizu had taken Yan and Yun, then marched on Wu and was shattered at Qingkou. Taizu feared the warlords would turn on him while he was weak. He nudged Du Hong, Zhong Chuan, Wang Shinan, Qian Liu, and the rest to name him commander-in-chief and to let him hold Yan Prefecture as well. Zhaozong refused. Zhen browbeat him with words that grew ruder each time he spoke. Zhaozong yielded Yan to Liang. Taizu now held four domains and left Zhen as acting governor of Yan. Zhaozong moved to Luoyang. Zhen became governor of Henan and deputy overseer of the palace guards, then went mute, retired as Junior Grand Mentor, and left office. When Taizu took the throne, Zhen was made Grand Mentor of the Crown Prince. Under the Last Emperor he rose to Grand Preceptor, then died.
14
孔循，不知其家世何人也。 少孤，流落於汴州，富人李讓闌得之，養以為子。 梁太祖鎮宣武，以李讓為養子，循乃冒姓朱氏。 稍長，給事太祖帳下，太祖諸兒乳母有愛之者，養循為子，乳母之夫姓趙，循又冒姓為趙氏，名殷衡。 昭宗東遷洛陽，太祖盡去天子左右，悉以梁人代之，以王殷為宣徽使，循為副使。
Kong Xun’s origins are unknown. He was orphaned early and wound up in Bian Prefecture. A wealthy man named Li Ranglan bought him in the slave market and raised him as his own. When Taizu held Xuanyi he adopted Li Rang. Xun took the Zhu surname for himself. He grew up in Taizu’s tent household. One of the princes’ wet nurses doted on him and claimed him as her son. Her husband was a Zhao; Xun became Zhao Yinheng. When Zhaozong was moved to Luoyang, Taizu stripped the emperor’s household of every Tang loyalist and filled it with Liang men. Wang Yin became commissioner of the Imperial Secretariat; Xun was his deputy.
15
循與蔣玄暉、張廷範等共與弒昭宗之謀，其後循與玄暉有隙，哀帝即位，將有事於南郊，循因與王殷讒於太祖曰：「玄暉私侍何太后，與廷範等奉天子郊天，冀延唐祚。」 太祖大怒。 是時，梁兵攻壽春，大敗而歸，哀帝遣裴迪勞軍，太祖見迪，怒甚，迪還，哀帝不敢郊。 封太祖魏王，備九錫，太祖拒而不受。 玄暉與宰相柳璨相次馳至梁自解，璨曰：「自古王者之興，必有封國，而唐所以不即遜位者，當先建國備九錫，然後禪也。」 太祖曰：「我不由九錫作天子可乎？」 璨懼，馳去。 太祖遣循與王殷弒何皇后，因殺璨及玄暉、廷範等，以循為樞密副使。
Xun had helped Jiang Xuanyun, Zhang Tingfan, and the rest murder Zhaozong, then quarreled with Xuanyun. Emperor Ai was preparing the southern suburban sacrifice when Xun and Wang Yin told Taizu: “Xuanyun is sleeping with Empress Dowager He. He and Tingfan mean to march the emperor to the altar and keep Tang alive.” Taizu flew into a rage. Liang’s army had just been beaten at Shouchun and limped home. Emperor Ai sent Pei Di to comfort the troops. Taizu received Di in a fury. Di went back, and the suburban rites were called off. The court offered Taizu the title Prince of Wei and the Nine Bestowals. He refused them. Xuanyun and Chancellor Liu Can rode in turn to Liang to plead their case. Can said: “Every true king in history was enfeoffed first. Tang will not abdicate until you have a state of your own and the Nine Bestowals—only then comes the transfer.” Taizu said: “Must I have the Nine Bestowals to take the throne?” Can fled in terror. Taizu sent Xun and Wang Yin to kill Empress Dowager He, then executed Can, Xuanyun, Tingfan, and the others, and made Xun deputy commissioner of the Palace Secretariat.
16
唐亡，事梁為汝州防禦使、左衛大將軍、租庸使，始改姓孔，名循。 莊宗時，權知汴州。 明宗自魏兵反而南，莊宗東出汜水，循持兩端，遣迎明宗於北門，迎莊宗於西門，供帳牲餼，其禮如一，而戒其人曰：「先至者入之。」 明宗先至，遂納之。
After Tang fell he served Liang as defender of Run, general of the Left Guard, and tax transport commissioner—and at last took the name Kong Xun. Under Zhuangzong he governed Bian Prefecture in an acting capacity. Mingzong rebelled in Wei and marched south while Zhuangzong came east from Sishui. Xun sat on the fence. He sent parties to welcome Mingzong at the north gate and Zhuangzong at the west, laid out the same feast and fodder for both, and told his men: “Whoever gets here first—open the gate for him.” Mingzong came first. Xun let him in.
17
孫德昭
Sun Dezhao
18
孫德昭，鹽州五原人也。 其父惟最，有材略。 黃巢陷長安，惟最率其鄉里子弟，得義兵千人，南攻巢於咸陽，興平州將壯其所為，益以州兵二千。 與破賊功，拜右金吾衛大將軍。 朱玫亂京師，僖宗幸興元，惟最率兵擊賊。 累遷鄜州節度使，留京師宿衛。 鄜州將吏詣闕請惟最之鎮，京師民數萬與神策軍復遮留不得行，改荊南節度使，在京制置，分判神策軍，號「扈駕都」。 是時，京師數亂，民皆賴以為保。
Sun Dezhao came from Wuyuan in Yan Prefecture. His father Sun Weizui was a man of talent and nerve. When Huang Chao seized Chang’an, Weizui rallied the youths of his district into a thousand-man loyalist band and struck south at Chao near Xianyang. The Xingping prefect was impressed and gave him two thousand more men. His victories against the rebels won him appointment as general of the Right Golden Crow Guard. When Zhu Mei ravaged the capital, Xizong fled to Xingyuan. Weizui marched against the rebels. He rose to military commissioner of Yan Prefecture but stayed in the capital as a palace guardsman. Yan’s officers petitioned the court for Weizui to go back to his circuit. Tens of thousands of capital citizens and Shence troops mobbed him at the gate and would not let him leave. He was reassigned to Jingnan on paper while remaining in the capital to run affairs, took a share of Shence command, and was styled “Escort-the-Emperor Command.” The capital was in chaos again and again, and the people looked to him as their shield.
19
德昭以父任為神策軍指揮使。 光化三年，劉季述廢昭宗，幽之東宮，宰相崔胤謀反正，陰使人求義士可共成事者，德昭乃與孫承誨、董從實應胤，胤裂衣襟為書以盟。 天復元年正月朔，未旦，季述將朝，德昭伏甲士道旁，邀其輿斬之，承誨等分索餘黨皆盡。 昭宗聞外喧嘩，大恐。 德昭馳至，扣門曰：「季述誅矣，皇帝當反正！」 何皇后呼曰：「汝可進逆首！」 德昭擲其首入。 已而承誨等悉取餘黨首以獻，昭宗信之。 德昭破鎖出昭宗，禦丹鳳樓反正，以功拜靜海軍節度使，賜姓李，號「扶傾濟難忠烈功臣」，與承誨等皆拜節度使、同中書門下平章事，圖形淩煙閣，俱留京師，號「三使相」，恩寵無比。
Through his father’s standing, Dezhao became a Shence Army commander. In Guanghua 3 (900) Liu Jishu deposed Zhaozong and shut him in the Eastern Palace. Chancellor Cui Yin plotted to restore him and quietly sought men with the stomach for the work. Dezhao, Sun Chenghui, and Dong Congshi answered the call. Yin ripped his robe lining into oath strips. On New Year’s Day of Tianfu 1 (901), before dawn, Jishu was riding to court. Dezhao hid swordsmen along the route, stopped his carriage, and cut off his head. Chenghui and the others ran down every accomplice and killed them to the last man. Zhaozong heard the clamor outside and was terrified. Dezhao raced to the gate and shouted: “Jishu is dead. Your Majesty must take back the throne!” Empress He cried: “Throw us his head!” Dezhao hurled the head over the threshold. Soon Chenghui and the others piled the rest of the rebel heads at the door. Zhaozong was convinced. Dezhao broke the locks and led Zhaozong out to Danfeng Tower, where the emperor took the throne again. Dezhao was made military commissioner of Jinghai, given the Li surname and the title “Loyal Martyr Who Rights the Fallen.” Chenghui and the others became commissioners and chancellors too. Their faces went up in the Lingyan Pavilion. They all stayed in the capital as the “Three Commissioner-Chancellors,” showered with honors such as the court had never given before.
20
王敬蕘
Wang Jingrao
21
蔣殷，幼為王重盈養子，冒姓王氏。 梁太祖取河中，以王氏舊恩錄其子孫，表殷牙將，太祖尤愛之。 唐遷洛陽，殷為宣徽北院使。 太祖已下襄陽，轉攻淮南，還屯正陽，哀帝遣殷勞軍。 是時，哀帝方卜郊，殷與樞密使蔣玄暉等有隙，因譖之太祖，言玄暉等教天子卜郊祈天，且待諸侯助祭者以謀興復，太祖大怒，哀帝為改卜郊。 是時，太祖將有篡弒之謀，何太后嘗泣涕叩頭為玄暉等言：「梁王禪位後，願全唐家子母。」 殷乃誣玄暉嘗私侍太后，太祖斬玄暉及張廷範、柳璨等，遣殷弒太后於積善宮。 哀帝下詔慚愧，自言以母後故無以奉天，乃卒不郊。 庶人友珪與殷善，友珪弒太祖自立，拜殷武寧軍節度使。 末帝即位，以福王友璋代殷，殷不受代。 王瓚亦王氏子，懼為殷所累，乃言殷非王氏子，本姓蔣。 末帝詔削官爵，還其姓，遣牛存節討之，殷舉族自燔死。
Jiang Yin was raised in youth by Wang Chongying and bore the Wang name. When Taizu took Hezhong he remembered the Wang family’s old loyalty and enrolled their sons. Yin became a guard officer, and Taizu favored him above most. When the court moved to Luoyang, Yin became commissioner of the Northern Court of the Imperial Secretariat. Taizu had marched on Xiangyang, then swung into Huainan and camped at Zhengyang. Emperor Ai sent Yin to comfort the troops. Emperor Ai was fixing a date for the suburban sacrifice. Yin hated Jiang Xuanyun and the other commissioners and told Taizu they had coached the emperor to pray for heaven’s favor and were waiting for the feudal lords who would attend the rites so Tang could rise again. Taizu raged, and the sacrifice was put off. Taizu was already moving to usurp the throne. Empress Dowager He once wept and pressed her forehead to the floor before Xuanyun and his circle: “When the Prince of Liang takes the Mandate, let the Tang mother and son live.” Yin then claimed Xuanyun had bedded the empress dowager. Taizu killed Xuanyun, Zhang Tingfan, Liu Can, and the rest, and sent Yin to murder the empress dowager at Jishan Palace. Emperor Ai issued a shamefaced edict: his mother’s death left him unfit to worship Heaven, and the suburban rites never took place. Yougui, the deposed prince, was Yin’s friend. When Yougui killed Taizu and seized the throne he made Yin military commissioner of Wuning. The Last Emperor sent Prince of Fu Youzhang to replace him. Yin refused to step down. Wang Zan, another Wang adoptee, feared Yin would ruin him and declared Yin no true Wang but a Jiang by birth. The Last Emperor stripped his titles, restored the Jiang surname, and sent Niu Cunjie against him. Yin and his entire household burned themselves alive.