1
劉知俊
Liu Zhijun
2
劉知俊，字希賢，徐州沛人也。 少事時溥，溥與梁相攻，知俊與其麾下二千人降梁，太祖以為左開道指揮使。 知俊姿貌雄傑，能被甲上馬，輪劍入敵，勇出諸將。 當是時，劉開道名重軍中。 歷海、懷、鄭三州刺史，從破青州，以功表匡國軍節度使。
Liu Zhijun, styled Xixian, came from Pei in Xuzhou. As a youth he served Shi Pu. When Pu warred with Liang, Zhijun brought two thousand men over to Zhu Wen, who made him commander of the Left Vanguard detachment. He was a striking man—armored, mounted, sword in hand, he outfought every general in the host. In those days the name Liu Kaidao carried great weight in camp. He held Hai, Huai, and Zheng in turn, helped take Qingzhou, and was named military governor of Kuangguo for his service.
3
邠州楊崇本以兵六萬攻雍州，屯於美原。 是時，太祖方與諸將攻滄州，知俊不俟命，與康懷英等擊敗崇本，斬馘二萬，獲馬三千匹，執其偏裨百人。 李思安為夾城攻潞州，久不下，太祖罷思安，拜知俊行營招討使，未至潞，夾城已破，徙西路行營招討使，敗邠、岐兵於幕谷。 是時，延州高萬興叛楊崇本降梁，太祖遣知俊會萬興，攻下丹、延、鄜、坊四州，加檢校太尉兼侍中，封大彭郡王。 知俊功益高，太祖性多猜忌，屢殺諸將，王重師無罪見殺，知俊益懼，不自安。 太祖已下鄜、坊，遣知俊復攻邠州，知俊以軍食不給未行。
Yang Chongben of Bin brought sixty thousand men against Yong and camped at Meiyuan. The Founder was at Cangzhou with the main host. Zhijun did not wait for orders: with Kang Huaiying and others he smashed Chongben, took twenty thousand heads, three thousand horses, and a hundred officers prisoner. Li Si’an had Jiacheng on Luzhou and could not crack it. Zhu Wen replaced him with Zhijun as mobile-camp pacifier. Luzhou fell before Zhijun arrived; he was moved to the western route, beat Bin and Qi at Mugui. Gao Wanxing of Yan broke from Chongben and came over to Liang. Zhu Wen sent Zhijun to join him; they took Dan, Yan, Bin, and Fang. Zhijun was made acting Grand Mentor and Palace Attendant and enfeoffed Prince of Dapeng. Zhijun’s fame rose—and so did Zhu Wen’s suspicion. Generals died one after another; Wang Zhongshi was killed though innocent. Zhijun grew afraid and could not rest easy. Once Bin and Fang were his, the Founder ordered Zhijun back against Bin. Zhijun would not march: the army had no grain.
4
太祖幸河中，使宣徽使王殷召知俊。 其弟知浣為親軍指揮使，間遣人告知俊以不宜來。 知俊遂叛，臣於李茂貞，以兵攻雍、華，執劉捍送於鳳翔。 太祖使人謂知俊曰：「朕待卿至矣，何相負邪？」 知俊報曰：「王重師不負陛下而族滅，臣非背德，但畏死爾！」 太祖復使語曰：「朕固知卿以此，吾誅重師，乃劉捍誤我，致卿至此，吾豈不恨之邪？ 今捍已死，未能塞責。」 知俊不報，以兵斷潼關。
The Founder went to Hezhong and sent Wang Yin of the Palace Secretariat to fetch Zhijun. His brother Zhihuan commanded the personal guard and sent word in secret: do not come. Zhijun rebelled, submitted to Li Maozhen, struck Yong and Hua, seized Liu Han, and sent him to Fengxiang. Zhu Wen sent word: “I have heaped favor on you—how can you betray me?” Zhijun answered: “Wang Zhongshi was loyal and his house was wiped out. I am not faithless—I am afraid to die!” Zhu Wen sent word again: “I knew why you fled. I killed Zhongshi because Liu Han misled me and drove you away—do you think I do not regret it? Han is dead, and still I cannot make amends.” Zhijun made no reply and blocked the Tong Pass road with troops.
5
太祖遣劉鄩、牛存節攻知俊，知俊遂奔於茂貞，茂貞地狹，無以處之，使之西攻靈武。 韓遜告急，太祖遣康懷英、寇彥卿等攻邠寧以牽之。 知俊大敗懷英於升平，殺梁將許從實。 茂貞大喜，以知俊為涇州節度使，使攻興元，取興、鳳，圍西縣。 已而茂貞左右忌知俊功，以事間之，茂貞奪其軍。 知俊乃奔於蜀，王建以為武信軍節度使，使返攻茂貞，取秦、鳳、階、成四州。 建雖待知俊甚厚，然亦陰忌其材，嘗謂左右曰：「吾老矣，吾且死，知俊非爾輩所能制，不如早圖之！」 而蜀人亦共嫉之。 知俊為人色黑，而其生歲在醜。 建之諸子，皆以「宗」、「承」為名，乃於裏巷構為謠言曰：「黑牛出圈棕繩斷。」 建益惡之，遂見殺。
Zhu Wen sent Liu Yun and Niu Cunjie against him. Zhijun fled to Maozhen, whose lands were too narrow to hold him; Maozhen sent him west against Lingwu. Han Xun cried for help. The Founder sent Kang Huaiying, Kou Yanqing, and others against Bin and Ning to tie Maozhen down. At Shengping Zhijun crushed Huaiying and killed the Liang general Xu Congshi. Maozhen rejoiced, made Zhijun governor of Jing, and sent him against Xingyuan. He took Xing and Feng and besieged Xi county. Soon men at Maozhen’s ear envied Zhijun’s fame and whispered against him; Maozhen took his army away. Zhijun fled to Shu. Wang Jian made him governor of Wuxin and sent him back against Maozhen; he took Qin, Feng, Jie, and Cheng. Jian favored him lavishly yet envied his talent in secret. He told his men once: “I am old and dying. You cannot hold Zhijun—deal with him while you can!” Shu shared the envy. Zhijun was dark-skinned, born in the year of the ox. Jian’s sons all bore “Zong” or “Cheng” in their names, so alley gossip ran: “The black ox leaves the pen—the brown rope snaps.” Jian hated him the more and had him killed.
6
丁會，字道隱，壽州壽春人也。 少工挽喪之歌，尤能淒愴其聲以自喜。 後去為盜，與梁太祖俱從黃巢。 梁太祖鎮宣武，以為宣武都押衙。 光啟四年，東都張全義襲破河陽，逐李罕之，罕之召晉兵圍河陽，全義告急。 是時，梁軍在魏，乃遣會及葛從周等將萬人救之。 會等行至河陰，謀曰：「罕之料吾不敢渡九鼎，以吾兵少而來遠，且不虞吾之速至也。 出其不意，掩其不備者，兵家之勝策也。」 乃渡九鼎，直趨河陽，戰於沇水，罕之大敗，河陽圍解。 大順元年，梁軍擊魏，會及葛從周破黎陽、臨河，遂敗羅弘信於內黃。 梁軍攻時溥於徐州，遣會別攻宿州，刺史張筠閉城距守，會堰汴水浸其東，城壞，筠降。 兗州朱瑾以兵萬餘擊單父，會及瑾戰於金鄉，大敗之。 光化二年，李罕之叛晉，以潞州降梁。 會自河陽攻晉澤州，下之。 乃以會為昭義軍留後，會畏梁太祖雄猜，常稱疾者累年。 天復元年，太祖復起會為昭義軍節度使。 昭宗遇弒，會與三軍縞素髮哀。 梁軍攻燕滄州，燕王守光乞師於晉，晉人為攻潞州，會乃降晉。 晉王以會歸於太原，賜以甲第，位在諸將上。 莊宗立，以會為都招討使。 天祐七年，以疾卒於太原。 唐興，追贈太師。
Ding Hui, styled Daoyin, came from Shouchun in Shou. As a boy he sang funeral dirges and took pride in wringing the most piercing grief from his voice. He left that life for the road, became a bandit, and marched with Zhu Wen under Huang Chao. When Zhu Wen held Xuanyi he made Hui its overall adjutant. Guangqi 4: Zhang Quanyi of the eastern capital stormed Heyang and drove out Li Hanzhi. Hanzhi called Jin to besiege the city; Quanyi cried for help. The Liang host was at Wei; they sent Hui with Ge Congzhou and ten thousand men to relieve it. At Heyin Hui and the others plotted: “Hanzhi thinks we will not cross the Jiuding—few men, a long march, and he will not expect us so soon. Hit what he does not expect, catch him unready—that is how battles are won.” They crossed, raced on Heyang, fought at the Yan River, broke Hanzhi completely, and lifted the siege. Dashun 1: Liang struck Wei. Hui and Ge Congzhou took Liyang and Linhe and at Neihuang beat Luo Hongxin. Liang besieged Shi Pu at Xu and sent Hui against Su. Prefect Zhang Yun barred the gates. Hui dammed the Bian to flood the east wall; the wall gave way and Yun surrendered. Zhu Jin of Yan brought ten thousand men against Shanfu; Hui met him at Jinxiang and broke him. Guanghua 2: Li Hanzhi turned on Jin and gave Luzhou to Liang. From Heyang Hui struck Jin’s Ze and took it. He was made acting commissioner of Zhaoyi. Hui feared Zhu Wen’s suspicion and for years pleaded sickness. Tianfu 1: the Founder restored him as military governor of Zhaoyi. When Zhaozong was murdered, Hui and the host went into white hemp and loose hair for mourning. Liang besieged Yan at Cangzhou; Shouguang begged Jin for help; Jin struck Luzhou in answer, and Hui went over to Jin. Li Keyong brought him to Taiyuan, gave him a grand house, and set him above the other generals. When Zhuangzong rose he made Hui overall pacification commissioner. Tianyou 7 he died of illness at Taiyuan. When Tang rose he was posthumously made Grand Preceptor.
7
賀德倫
He Delun
8
末帝遣供奉官扈異馳至魏諭彥，許以刺史。 彥謂異曰：「為我報皇帝，三軍不負朝廷，朝廷負三軍，割隸無名，所以亂耳。 但以六州還魏，而詔劉鄩反兵，皇帝可以高枕。」 異還，言彥狂蹶不足畏，宜促鄩兵擊之。 末帝使人諭彥，以制置已定，不可復易。 使者三反，彥怒曰：「傭保兒敢如是邪！」 乃召羅紹威故吏司空颋曰：「為我作奏，若復依違，則渡河虜之耳！」 末帝優詔答之，言：「王镕死，鎮人請降，遣鄩以兵定鎮州，非有佗也，若魏不便之，即召鄩還。」 戒彥勿為朝廷生事。 彥乃以楊師厚鎮魏州嘗帶招討使，逼德倫論列之，末帝不許，諭以詔書，彥裂詔書抵於地，曰：「愚主聽人穿鼻，難與共事矣！」 乃迫德倫降晉，德倫惶恐曰：「惟將軍命。 乃遣牙將曹廷隱奉書莊宗。
Liang’s Last Emperor sent Hu Yi racing to Wei to reason with Zhang Yan and promised him a prefecture. Yan told Yi: “Tell the Emperor for me: the army has not failed the court—the court failed the army. Carving away our districts without cause is what bred this chaos. Give the six prefectures back to Wei and recall Liu Yun, and the Emperor can sleep easy.” Yi came back and said Yan was a mad rebel, nothing to fear—push Liu Yun to strike. The Last Emperor sent word: the arrangement was set and would not change. Three times the envoy returned; Yan raged: “Does this hired lackey dare talk so!” He called Luo Shaowei’s old clerk Sikong Ting: “Write my memorial—if they keep stalling, I will cross the river and make captives of them!” The Last Emperor answered gently: “Wang Rong is dead; Zhen asks to submit; I sent Liu Yun to settle it—nothing more. If Wei is uneasy, I will recall him.” He warned Yan not to stir trouble for the court. Yan cited Yang Shihou’s old joint title as pacification commissioner at Wei and made Delun argue it in memorials. The Last Emperor refused and sent an edict; Yan tore it and flung it down: “A fool led by the nose—no man can serve him!” He forced Delun to surrender to Jin. Delun quaked: “Only as the general commands Then he sent tooth officer Cao Tingyin with a letter to Zhuangzong.
9
莊宗入魏，德倫以彥逼己，遣人陰訴於莊宗，莊宗斬彥於臨清而後入。 徙德倫為大同軍節度使。 行至太原，監軍張承業留之。 王檀攻太原，德倫麾下多奔檀，承業懼德倫為變，殺之。
When Zhuangzong entered Wei, Delun—pressed by Yan—sent secret word to the throne. Zhuangzong beheaded Yan at Linqing, then marched in. Delun was moved to military governor of Datong. At Taiyuan Inspector Zhang Chengye held him back. Wang Tan struck Taiyuan; Delun’s men ran to Tan. Chengye feared revolt and killed Delun.
10
閻寶，字瓊美，鄆州人也。 少為朱瑾牙將，瑾走淮南，寶降於梁。 梁太祖時，為諸軍都虞候，常從諸將征伐，未嘗獨立戰功。 至末帝時，以寶為保義軍節度使。 貞明三年，賀德倫以魏博降晉，晉軍攻下洺、磁、相、衛，移兵圍邢州。 末帝遣捉生都指揮使張溫將五百騎救寶，溫至內黃，遇晉軍，乃降晉。 晉遣溫將所降梁軍至城下招寶，寶遂降晉。 晉王拜寶檢校太尉、同中書門下平章事，領天平軍節度使、東南面招討使，位在諸將上。 梁、晉戰胡柳，晉軍敗。 莊宗欲引兵退保臨濮，寶曰：「夫決勝料勢，決戰料情，情勢既得，斷在不疑。 今梁兵窘蹙，其勢可破； 勝而驕怠，其情可知。 此不可失之時也。」 莊宗謝曰：「微公，幾敗吾事。」 乃整軍復戰，遂敗梁兵。 十八年，晉軍討張文禮於鎮州，以寶為招討使。 明年三月，寶戰敗，退保趙州。 慚憤發疽卒，追贈太師。 晉天福中，追封太原王。
Yan Bao, styled Qiongmei, came from Yun. As a youth he served Zhu Jin; when Jin fled to Huainan, Bao came over to Liang. Under Zhu Wen he was overall adjutant of the armies, always on campaign with the host, never winning credit alone. Under the Last Emperor he became military governor of Baoyi. Zhenming 3: He Delun gave Weibo to Jin. Jin took Ming, Ci, Xiang, and Wei and moved to besiege Xing. The Last Emperor sent Zhang Wen of the prisoner-catching guard with five hundred horse to relieve Bao. At Neihuang Wen met Jin and went over. Jin sent Wen with the surrendered Liang men to call Bao from the wall; Bao came over. Li Keyong made him acting Grand Mentor and Secretariat co-equal, military governor of Tianping and southeastern-route pacifier, set above the other generals. Liang and Jin met at Huliu; Jin lost. Zhuangzong meant to pull back to Linpu. Bao said: “Victory is momentum; battle is spirit. Once you have both, strike without hesitation. Liang is cornered; their line can be broken; they have won and grown proud and slack—their spirit tells you so. This is the moment not to waste.” Zhuangzong thanked him: “Without you I would have ruined everything.” He reformed the line, fought again, and broke Liang completely. Year 18 the Jin host campaigned against Zhang Wenli at Zhen and made Bao pacification commissioner. Next year, third month, he lost a battle and fell back to Zhao. Shame and rage brought boils; he died. They posthumously made him Grand Preceptor. Under Jin’s Tianfu era he was posthumously made Prince of Taiyuan.
11
康延孝
Kang Yanxiao
12
康延孝，代北人也。 為太原軍卒，有罪亡命於梁。 末帝遣段凝軍於河上，以延孝為左右先鋒指揮使。 延孝見梁末帝任用群小，知其必亡，乃以百騎奔於唐。 見莊宗於朝城，莊宗解禦衣、金帶以賜之。 拜延孝博州刺史、捧日軍使兼南面招討指揮使。 莊宗屏人問延孝梁事，延孝具言：「末帝懦弱。 趙巖婿也，張漢傑婦家，皆用事。 段凝奸邪，以入金多為大將，自其父時故將皆出其下。 王彥章，驍將也，遣漢傑監其軍而制之。 小人進任，而忠臣勇士皆見疏斥，此其必亡之勢也。」 莊宗又問梁計如何，曰：「臣在梁時，竊聞其議：期以仲冬大舉，遣董璋以陜虢、澤潞之眾出石會以攻太原； 霍彥威以關西、汝、洛之兵掠邢洺以趨鎮定； 王彥章以京師禁衛擊鄆州； 段凝以河上之軍當陛下。」 莊宗初聞延孝言梁必亡，喜，及聞其大舉也，懼，曰：「其將何以禦之？」 延孝曰：「梁兵雖眾，分則無餘。 臣請待其既分，以鐵騎五千自鄆趨汴，出其不意，搗其空虛，不旬日，天下定矣。」 莊宗甚壯其言。 後董璋等雖不出兵，而梁兵悉屬段凝於河上，京師無備，莊宗卒用延孝策，自鄆入汴，凡八日而滅梁。 以功拜鄭州防禦使，賜姓名曰李紹琛。 二年，遷保義軍節度使。
Kang Yanxiao came from the northern frontier. He served in the Taiyuan army; guilty of a crime he fled to Liang. The Last Emperor put Duan Ning on the river with an army and made Yanxiao commander of the left and right vanguard. Yanxiao saw the Last Emperor trusting petty men and knew Liang must fall; he rode to Tang with a hundred horse. He met Zhuangzong at Chaocheng; Zhuangzong stripped off his own imperial robe and gold belt and gave them to him. He made Yanxiao prefect of Bo, commander of the Sun-Raising Army, and southern-route pacification commander. Zhuangzong sent the room away and asked about Liang. Yanxiao told him plainly: “The Last Emperor is weak. Zhao Yan is his son-in-law; Zhang Hanjie is his wife’s people—both rule. Duan Ning is treacherous; he bought rank with gold and sits above every general who served his father. Wang Yanzhang is a fierce fighter, yet Hanjie was sent to watch his army and hold him back. Petty men take office while loyal ministers and brave warriors are pushed aside—that is the shape of a state doomed to fall.” Zhuangzong asked what Liang intended next. Yanxiao said: “In Liang I heard them plan a winter offensive—Dong Zhang with Shaan-Guo and Ze-Lu troops through Shihui Pass on Taiyuan; Huo Yanwei with Guanxi, Ru, and Luo forces to sweep Xing and Mo and drive on Zhen and Ding; Wang Yanzhang with the capital guard against Yanzhou; Duan Ning with the river army to hold Your Majesty.” At first Zhuangzong rejoiced to hear Liang was finished; when he heard of the grand plan he grew afraid. “How do we answer this?” Yanxiao said: “Liang may field a host, but split it and each piece is thin. Let them divide first. Give me five thousand iron horsemen from Yan straight to Bian, catch them empty, and within ten days the realm is ours.” Zhuangzong took fire from the plan. Dong Zhang never marched, but every Liang soldier on the river went to Duan Ning and the capital stood bare. Zhuangzong took Yanxiao’s counsel, rode from Yan into Bian, and in eight days Liang was gone. For the deed he was made Zhengzhou defense commissioner and renamed Li Shaochen. In the second year he was moved to military governor of Baoyi.
13
三年，征蜀，以延孝為先鋒排陣斬斫使，破鳳州，取固鎮，降興州。 與王衍戰三泉，衍敗走，斷吉柏江浮橋，延孝造舟以渡，進取綿州。 衍復斷綿江浮橋。 延孝謂招撫使李嚴曰：「吾遠軍千里，入人之國，利在速戰。 乘衍破膽之時，但得百騎過鹿頭關，彼將迎降不暇。 若修繕橋梁，必留數日，使衍得閉關為備，則勝負未可知也。」 因與嚴乘馬浮江，軍士隨之濟者千餘人，遂入鹿頭關，下漢州，居三日，後軍始至。 衍弟宗弼果以蜀降。 延孝屯漢州，以俟魏王繼岌。
In the third year, on the Shu campaign, Yanxiao was named vanguard array-cutting commissioner. He stormed Feng, seized Guzhen, and took Xing’s surrender. He met Wang Yan at Sanquan and broke him. Yan fled, cut the Jibo floating bridge, and Yanxiao built boats to cross and push on Mian. Yan cut the Mian bridge as well. Yanxiao told Pacification Commissioner Li Yan: “We are a thousand li from home in another man’s land. Speed is everything. Strike while Yan’s nerve is broken. A hundred riders through Lutou Pass and he will not even have time to kneel. Repair bridges and we lose days; Yan will bar the passes and the fight becomes anyone’s guess.” He and Yan forded the river on horseback; a thousand men swam after them. They took Lutou Pass and Han, camped three days, and only then did the main body come up. Yan’s brother Zongbi surrendered Shu. Yanxiao held Han and waited for the Prince of Wei, Jiji.
14
蜀平，延孝功為多。 左廂馬步軍都指揮使董璋位在延孝下，然特見重於郭崇韜。 崇韜有軍事，獨召璋與計議，而不問延孝，延孝大怒，責璋曰：「吾有平蜀之功，公等仆遬相從，反俯首郭公之門，吾為都將，獨不能以軍法斬公邪？」 璋訴於崇韜，崇韜解璋軍職，表為東川節度使，延孝愈怒曰：「吾冒白刃，犯險阻，以定兩川，璋有何功而得旄節！」 因見崇韜言其不可。 崇韜曰：「紹琛反邪？ 敢違吾節度！」 延孝懼而退。 明年崇韜死，延孝謂璋曰：「公復俯首何門邪？」 璋求哀以免。
When Shu fell, no one’s share of the credit matched Yanxiao’s. Dong Zhang of the Left Wing horse and foot stood beneath Yanxiao in rank, yet Guo Chongtao singled him out. Chongtao called Zhang alone to war councils and passed Yanxiao by. Yanxiao raged at Zhang: “I pacified Shu. You scurried in my train, then crawled to Guo’s door. I command this army—shall I not cut you down by martial law?” Zhang ran to Chongtao. Chongtao stripped his command and made him Dongchuan military governor. Yanxiao fumed: “I took the blade and the cliff to win the two rivers—what did Zhang do to earn a command flag?” He went to Chongtao and said the appointment was wrong. Chongtao said: “Does Shaochen mean to rebel? He dares defy my authority!” Yanxiao backed away in fear. The next year Chongtao was dead. Yanxiao asked Zhang: “Whose threshold do you crawl to now?” Zhang pleaded and was let off.
15
繼岌班師，命延孝以萬二千人為殿，行至武連，聞朱友謙無罪見殺。 友謙有子令德在遂州，莊宗遣使者詔繼岌即誅之。 繼岌不遣延孝，而遣董璋，延孝已自疑，及璋過延孝軍，又不謁，延孝大怒，謂其下曰：「南平梁，西取蜀，其謀盡出於郭公，而汗馬之勞，攻城破敵者我也。 今郭公已死，我豈得存？ 而友謙與我俱背梁以歸唐者，友謙之禍次及我矣！」 延孝部下皆友謙舊將，知友謙被族，皆號哭訴於軍門曰：「朱公無罪，二百口被誅，舊將往往從死，我等死必矣！」 延孝遂擁其眾自劍州返入蜀，自稱西川節度、三川制置等使。 馳檄蜀人，數日之間，眾至五萬。 繼岌遣任圜以七千騎追之，及於漢州，會孟知祥夾攻之，延孝戰敗，被擒，載以檻車。 圜置酒軍中，引檻車至坐上，知祥酌大卮從車中飲之而謂曰：「公自梁朝脫身歸命，遂擁節旄。 今平蜀之功，何患富貴，而入此檻車邪？」 延孝曰：「郭崇韜佐命之臣，功在第一，兵不血刃而取兩川，一旦無罪，闔門受戮。 顧如延孝，何保首領。 以此不敢歸朝耳！」 任圜東還，延孝檻車至鳳翔，莊宗遣宦者殺之。
Jiji marched east and left Yanxiao twelve thousand men as rearguard. At Wulian came word that Zhu Youqian, though innocent, had been put to death. Youqian’s son Lingde was at Suizhou. Zhuangzong sent orders for Jiji to kill him on the spot. Jiji sent Zhang, not Yanxiao. Yanxiao was already uneasy; Zhang passed his camp without a visit and Yanxiao exploded to his officers: “The south broke Liang and the west took Shu on Guo’s maps, but the marching and the breaches were mine. Guo is dead. How do I live? Youqian and I both fled Liang for Tang. His slaughter comes for me next!” Yanxiao’s men were Youqian’s old captains. Learning the clan was wiped out, they wailed at the gate: “Zhu was innocent—two hundred lives—and his veterans died with him. We are next!” Yanxiao turned his host from Jian back into Shu and called himself Xichuan military governor and Three Rivers commissioner. His proclamations ran through Shu; in days he had fifty thousand men. Jiji sent Ren Yuan with seven thousand horse. At Han, Meng Zhixiang closed the other jaw. Yanxiao lost, was taken, and hauled away in a cage-cart. Yuan feasted the army and had the cage-cart drawn to his seat. Zhixiang filled a great cup, drank with the prisoner, and said: “You slipped out of Liang and gave yourself to Tang, and soon you wore a command flag. Shu is won. What lack of honor could drive you into a cage?” Yanxiao said: “Chongtao was the emperor’s right hand; his merit stood first. He took both rivers without staining a blade—then, innocent, his whole house was cut down in a day. What hope had a man like me of keeping his head? That is why I would not go back to court!” Ren Yuan marched east. The cage-cart reached Fengxiang; Zhuangzong sent a eunuch to kill him.