2
Zhao Zaili, styled Ganchen, came from Zhuozhou. As a boy he served Liu Rengong as a military cadet. Rengong sent him to help his son Shouwen take Cangzhou. Shouwen was killed by his brother Shouguang; Zaili fled to Jin. Under Zhuangzong he commanded the Loyalty-and-Restraint Army and garrisoned Waqiao Pass with Wei troops. On the march back to Beizhou, Huangfu Hui mutinied. The men pushed their officer Yang Rensheng to lead; Rensheng refused and they killed him; they pushed a junior officer next; he refused and they killed him too; then they brought both heads to Zaili. Zaili heard the uproar, belt still loose, and was over the wall when Hui yanked him down by the ankle, ringed him with naked steel, held up the two heads, and said: “Refuse me and your head joins these!” Zaili yielded and turned rebel.
3
Zaili marched from Beizhou on Wei and let his men loot at will. The Xingtang prefect Wang Zhengyan was old, sick, and half out of his wits. Hearing Zaili was near, he called for a memorial draft; the clerks were already gone. He still did not know—he was shouting at his desk—when attendants said: “The rebels are killing in the streets. Everyone has run. Whom will you call?” Zhengyan started: “I had no idea.” He called for a horse. The groom said: “Your wife and children are already prisoners—where is the horse?” Terrified, he walked out the gate, saw Zaili, and prostrated himself. Zaili said: “Sir—why bow so low! This is the army’s temper, not my wish.” Zaili named himself acting military commissioner.
4
Zhuangzong sent Yuan Xingqin against him. Xingqin attacked Wei and failed, so Mingzong was sent to replace him. Mingzong reached Ye. The army mutinied, and he entered the city to join Zaili. Mingzong’s troops turned back on the capital. Zaili stayed at Wei. When Mingzong took the throne, Zaili was made military governor of Yicheng. He refused and was made Ye capital regent and Xingtang prefect instead. In time Huangfu Hui and the others left. Zaili alone remained at Wei, feared the arrogant Wei troops, and asked to be moved to Henghai. He held Taining, Kuangguo, Tianping, Zhongwu, Wuning, Guide, and Jinchang in turn. Inns lined the roads wherever he went, and he amassed tens of millions.
5
Under the Deposed Emperor of Jin he was made chief of horse and foot for the northern camp against the Khitan and never won a battle. At Songzhou the people suffered under him especially; when he left they rejoiced: “A nail out of the eye—who would not be glad!” Then orders came to return; he registered every household and took a thousand cash per mouth—the “nail-pulling tax.” Jin fell; Khitan entered Bian. Zaili galloped from Song to Luoyang, met Zhuaila and other Khitan officers, and bowed at their stirrups. They shamed him together, squeezed him for goods, and he could not bear it. At Zhengzhou he heard Jin ministers chained by the Khitan. In the dead of night, frantic, he loosed his belt in the stable and hanged himself from the manger. He was sixty-two. Han Gaozu raised him posthumously to Director of the Secretariat.
7
Huo Yanwei, styled Zizhong, came from Quzhou in Mingzhou. War caught him young. The Liang general Huo Cun took him, loved his bright face, and raised him as a son. He fought under Cun, took an arrow, and lost an eye. Later he served Liang’s Founder, who favored him too; he rose to commander of the Left Dragon-Prancing Army and general of the Right Gate Guard. He helped kill Yougui and was made prefect of Ming, then military commissioner of Binning. Li Maozhen sent the Liang turncoat Liu Zhijun against Bin. Yanwei held a year and more; every captive he sent back. Zhijun owed him and never struck again. He moved to Yicheng, then Tianping, and served as northern expeditionary commissioner against Jin on the river. Defeated again and again, he was cut to acting commissioner of Shaan.
8
Zhuangzong destroyed Liang. Yanwei came from Shaan to court; wine was set in the old Liang Chongyuan Hall. Yanwei sat with Duan Ning, Yuan Xiangxian, and other Liang generals. Zhuangzong, drunk, pointed at Yanwei and the rest and raised his cup to Mingzong: “Yesterday’s enemies—today they pour my wine. That is your doing.” Yanwei and the rest pressed their foreheads to the floor and begged to die. Zhuangzong laughed: “A jest with the commander—fear nothing.” He gave the Li surname and the name Shaozhen. Next year he held Wuning and marched with Mingzong against the Khitan. Mingzong loved the man and kept him near.
9
其後趙在禮反，彥威別討趙太於邢州，破之，還以兵屬明宗討在禮。 明宗軍變，從馬直軍吏張破敗率眾殺將校，縱火焚營噪呼，明宗叱之曰：「自吾為帥十有餘年，何負爾輩！ 今賊城破在旦夕，乃爾輩立功名、取富貴之時。 況爾天子親軍，返效賊耶！」 軍士對曰：「城中之人何罪，戍卒思歸而不得耳！ 天子不垂原宥，志在巢除。 且聞破魏之後，欲盡坑魏博諸軍，某等初無叛心，直畏死耳！ 今宜與城中合勢，擊退諸鎮之兵，請天子帝河南，令公鎮河北。」 明宗涕泣諭之，亂兵環列而呼曰：「令公不欲帝河北，則佗人有之，我輩狼虎，豈識尊卑！」 彥威與安重誨勸明宗許之，乃擁兵入城，與在禮合，彥威獨不入。 明宗入城，與在禮置酒大會，而部兵在外者聞明宗反，皆潰去，獨彥威所將五千人營城西北隅不動。 居二日，明宗復出，得彥威兵，乃之魏縣，謀欲還鎮州，彥威、重誨勸明宗以兵南向。
Zhao Zaili rebelled. Yanwei campaigned alone against Zhao Tai at Xingzhou, broke him, returned, and put his men under Mingzong against Zaili. Mingzong’s host mutinied. Zhang Pobai of the horse guard led men to kill officers, burn the camp, and roar. Mingzong shouted: “More than ten years I have led you—what debt do I owe! The rebel city falls any day—this is your hour for merit and gold. You are the emperor’s own troops—will you ape rebels!” The men answered: “What crime have the people in the city? The garrison only wants home and cannot go! The Son of Heaven will not forgive; he means to wipe them out. We hear that after Wei falls he will bury every Wei-Bo soldier alive—we never meant to rebel; we only fear death! Now we should join the city, beat back the other circuits, set the Son of Heaven in the south, and let you hold Hebei.” Mingzong wept and pleaded. The mutineers ringed him shouting: “If you will not rule Hebei, another will! We are wolves—we know no lord from lackey!” Yanwei and An Chonghui urged Mingzong to agree. They hustled him into the city to join Zaili; Yanwei alone stayed out. Mingzong entered and feasted with Zaili. Troops outside heard he had rebelled and melted away; only Yanwei’s five thousand held the northwest corner of the wall and did not stir. Two days later Mingzong came out, took Yanwei’s men, and went to Wei county, meaning to return to Zhenzhou. Yanwei and Chonghui urged him south with the army.
10
Zhuangzong died. Yanwei followed Mingzong into Luoyang, led the ministers in urging him to the throne, and inner and outer affairs ran through Yanwei. Yanwei had long hated Duan Ning and Wen Tao. He seized them on his own and threw them in prison to kill them. An Chonghui said: “Ning and Tao’s crimes are known to all—but the ruler has just ended civil war and means to show grace. Is this the hour for your revenge?” Yanwei stayed his hand. Mingzong took the throne, amnestied Ning and Tao, and sent them home; later edict still gave them death.
11
Yanwei was moved to Pinglu. Zhu Shouyin rebelled and was executed. Yanwei sent a rider at full gallop with two arrows in congratulation; Mingzong returned two arrows. Among barbarians, arrows passed hand to hand were the signal to muster—but a subordinate could not impose that on a superior. Mingzong came from barbarian stock; Yanwei was a soldier. Neither knew ritual; their acts were often like this. Yanwei kept a retainer, Chunyu Yan of Dengzhou, who had passed the classics examination in youth, met the age’s chaos, and followed Yanwei from his days as a junior officer. Yanwei once fled a rout with no one behind him; only Yan walked through thorns with one sword and kept him alive. Yanwei honored his loyalty; in every post he kept Yan at his side; household affairs great and small ran through Yan, and Yanwei therefore stumbled rarely. Every circuit recruiting staff took Yan as the model.
12
Winter, Tiancheng 3: Yanwei died in his post. Mingzong was hunting near the capital. Qingzhou sent riders with word of Yanwei’s death. Mingzong wept, returned to the palace, suspended court, and for the whole month held no music. They made him Grand Preceptor posthumously, styled Loyal and Martial. Fang Zhiwen
13
房知溫，字伯玉，兗州瑕丘人也。 少以勇力為赤甲都官健，後隸魏州馬鬥軍，稍遷親隨軍指揮使。 莊宗取魏博，得知溫，賜姓李氏，名曰紹英，以為澶州刺史，歷曹、貝二州刺史，戍瓦橋關。 明宗自魏反兵南向，知溫首馳赴之。 天成元年，拜泰寧軍節度使。 明年，為北面招討使，屯於盧臺。 明宗遣烏震往代知溫還鎮，其戍卒效節軍將龍至等攻震殺之。 效節，魏州軍也。 魏州自羅紹威誅衙軍，楊師厚為節度使，復置銀槍效節軍。 當梁末帝時，師厚幾為梁患。 師厚卒，以賀德倫代之。 末帝患魏軍強難制，與趙巖等謀分相、魏為兩鎮，魏軍由此作亂，劫德倫叛梁而降晉，梁遂失河北。 莊宗自得魏兵，與梁戰河上，數有功，許其軍以滅梁而厚賞。 及梁亡，魏軍雖數賜與，而驕縱無厭，常懷怨望； 皇甫暉之亂，劫趙在禮入魏，皆此軍也。 明宗入立，在禮鎮天雄軍，以魏軍素驕，常懼禍，不遑居，陰遣人訴於明宗，求解去。 明宗乃以皇子從榮代在禮，而遣魏效節九指揮北戍盧臺。 軍發之日，不給兵甲，惟以長竿系旗幟以表隊伍，軍士頗自疑惑。 明年，明宗遣烏震代知溫戍，而知溫意尤不樂。 盧臺戍軍夾水東西為兩寨，震初至，與知溫會東寨，方博，效節軍亂，噪於門外，知溫即乘馬而出。 亂軍擊殺震，執轡留知溫，知溫紿曰：「騎兵皆在西寨，今獨步軍，恐無能為也。」 知溫即躍馬登舟渡河入西寨，以騎軍盡殺亂者。 明宗下詔，悉誅其家屬於魏州，凡九指揮三千餘家數萬口，驅至漳水上殺之，漳水為之變色。 魏之驕兵，於是而盡。 明宗知變自知溫起，釋而不問，徙鎮武寧，加兼侍中，歷鎮天平、平盧。
Fang Zhiwen, styled Boyu, came from Xiaqiu in Yanzhou. Young, for strength he served as a Red-Armor metropolitan guard; later he joined the Wei Horse-Fighting Army and rose to commander of the personal following. Zhuangzong took Wei-Bo and knew Zhiwen, gave him the Li surname and the name Shaoying, made him prefect of Tan, then Cao and Bei in turn, and garrisoned Waqiao Pass. When Mingzong rebelled in Wei and marched south, Zhiwen was first to gallop to him. Tiancheng 1: he was made military commissioner of Taining. Next year he was northern expeditionary commissioner at Lutai. Mingzong sent Wu Zhen to replace Zhiwen and return to his post. The garrison’s Loyalty-and-Restraint officer Long Zhi and others attacked and killed Zhen. Loyalty-and-Restraint was the Wei army. Since Luo Shaowei killed the yamen army and Yang Shihou became commissioner, he re-established the Silver Spear Loyalty-and-Restraint Army. Under Liang’s Last Emperor, Shihou nearly became Liang’s trouble. Shihou died; He Delun replaced him. The Last Emperor feared the Wei host; with Zhao Yan and others he plotted to split Xiang and Wei into two circuits. The Wei army mutinied, seized Delun, left Liang for Jin, and Liang lost Hebei. Zhuangzong took the Wei troops, fought Liang on the river, won again and again, and promised rich reward when Liang fell. Liang fell; the Wei army was rewarded again and again, yet grew arrogant and insatiable and nursed resentment; Huangfu Hui’s mutiny that seized Zhao Zaili in Wei—all that army. Mingzong took the throne; Zaili held Tianxiong. The Wei army had long been arrogant; he lived in fear, could not rest, and secretly begged Mingzong to let him go. Mingzong put his son Congrong in Zaili’s place and sent the nine Wei Loyalty-and-Restraint commanders north to Lutai. On the march day they were given no armor or arms—only long poles with banners to mark ranks—and the men were deeply uneasy. Next year Mingzong sent Wu Zhen to replace Zhiwen on garrison duty; Zhiwen was especially displeased. The Lutai garrison split into eastern and western camps across the water. Zhen arrived and met Zhiwen in the east camp; they were gambling when the Loyalty-and-Restraint men mutinied and roared at the gate. Zhiwen mounted at once. The mutineers killed Zhen and seized Zhiwen’s reins. Zhiwen lied: “All the cavalry are in the west camp. You have only foot soldiers—I fear you can do nothing.” He leaped to his horse, boarded a boat, crossed to the west camp, and the cavalry killed every mutineer. Mingzong ordered every family executed in Wei—nine commanders, more than three thousand households, tens of thousands driven to the Zhang River and killed; the Zhang ran red. Wei’s arrogant troops ended there. Mingzong knew the mutiny rose from Zhiwen and let it pass; he moved him to Wuning, made him Palace Attendant, and later Tianping and Pinglu.
14
初，明宗為北面招討使，而知溫為副使，廢帝時以裨將事知溫甚謹，後因杯酒失意。 及廢帝起兵鳳翔，湣帝出奔，知溫乘間有窺覦之意，謂其司馬李沖曰：「吾有錢數屋，養兵數千，因時建義，功必有成。」 沖曰：「今天子孱弱，上下離心，潞王兵威甚盛，事未可知，沖請懷表而西以覘之。」 及沖至京師，廢帝已入立，沖即奉表稱賀，還勸知溫入朝，廢帝慰勞之甚厚。 知溫還鎮，封東平王。 太常上言：「策拜王公，皇帝臨軒遣冊。 其在外者，正衙命使，而鹵簿、鼓吹、輅車、法物不出都城，考之故事無明文。 今北平王德鈞、東平王知溫受封遣策，請下兵部、太常、太僕，給鹵簿、鼓吹、輅車、法物赴本道，禮畢還有司。」 知溫在鎮，常厚斂其民，積貲巨萬，治第青州南城，出入以聲妓，遊嬉不恤政事。 天福元年卒於宮，贈太尉。
Earlier Mingzong was northern expeditionary commissioner and Zhiwen his deputy. Under the Deposed Emperor he served Zhiwen as junior officer with great deference; later a cup of wine cost him favor. When the Deposed Emperor raised troops at Fengxiang and the Lamented Emperor fled, Zhiwen saw his chance and told his chief administrator Li Chong: “I have money to fill several rooms and thousands under arms. Seize the moment, raise a righteous cause, and merit is sure.” Chong said: “The Son of Heaven is weak; the court is split; the Prince of Lu’s host is very strong—the outcome is unknown. Let me carry a memorial west and see.” Chong reached the capital; the Deposed Emperor had already taken the throne. Chong presented congratulations at once, returned, and urged Zhiwen to court. The Deposed Emperor received him with great favor. Zhiwen returned to his post and was made Prince of Dongping. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices reported: “To invest princes, the emperor faces the hall and dispatches the patent. For those outside, the main court sends envoys—but guard of honor, music, imperial carriage, and ritual objects do not leave the capital; precedents have no clear text. Now Prince of Beiping Dejun and Prince of Dongping Zhiwen receive patents by dispatch—order War, Sacrifices, and the Imperial Stud to send guard of honor, music, carriage, and ritual objects to their circuits; when the rite ends, return them to the proper offices.” In his post Zhiwen taxed the people hard, amassed tens of millions, built a mansion in Qingzhou’s south city, went out with singing girls, and played while government rotted. Tianfu 1: he died at his residence and was made Grand Marshal posthumously.
15
After Zhiwen died, his son Yanru presented his father’s thirty thousand strings of cash, thirty thousand bolts of silk, a hundred taels of gold, a thousand taels of silver, fifteen hundred jin of tea, and a hundred thousand liang of silk, and was made prefect of Yi. His generals and clerks who split the rest of the hoard all became rich men, it is said. Wang Yanqiu, styled Yingzhi, came from Luoyang. As a boy he met disorder, was seized by bandits, and was taken by the wealthy Du family of Bianzhou, who raised him as a son under the surname Du. When Liang’s Taizu held Xuanwu, he chose wealthy youths of martial talent for his tent guard, called the “Hall Youth Corps.” Yanqiu was free-spirited and principled, and became commander of the Hall Youth Corps. When the Taizu took the throne, Yanqiu was made Right Thousand-Ox guard general. When Yougui took the throne, Dragon-Prancing garrison troops rebelled and hurried from Huaizhou on the capital. He sent Yanqiu to defeat them at Heyang, and for merit Yanqiu was made first commander of the Dragon-Prancing corps.
16
When the Last Emperor took the throne, Yanqiu was made commander of the four Dragon-Prancing armies. Liang sent Li Ba of the captive-recruiting corps with a thousand men to garrison Yangliu. Ba mutinied at night, came in through the water gate, set fires and roared, bound oil-soaked cloth to long poles, and burned upward at the Jianguo Gate. Yanqiu heard the uproar, waited for no order, and led five hundred Dragon-Prancing horse to strike. The rebels fell back a little. The Last Emperor climbed the tower, saw them, and called: “Are these not my Dragon-Prancing troops!” Yanqiu reported: “The mutineers are only Li Ba’s band. Your Majesty, hold the palace fast and charge me to break them.” By dawn he had killed them all. For merit he was made prefect of Chanzhou.
17
梁、晉軍河上，以晏球為行營馬步軍都指揮使。 莊宗入汴，晏球以兵追之，行至封丘，聞末帝已崩，即解甲降唐，莊宗賜姓名曰李紹虔，拜齊州防禦使，戍瓦橋關。 明宗兵變，自鄴而南，遣人招晏球，晏球從至洛陽，拜歸德軍節度使。 定州王都反，以晏球為招討使，與宣徽南院使張延朗等討之。 都遣人北招契丹，契丹遣禿餒將萬騎救都。 晏球聞禿餒等兵且來，留張延朗屯新樂，自逆於望都。 而契丹從他道入定州，與都出不意擊延朗軍，延朗大敗，收餘兵會晏球趨曲陽，都乘勝追之。 晏球先至水次，方坐胡床指麾，而都眾掩至，晏球與左右十餘人連矢射之，都眾稍卻，而後軍亦至。 晏球立高岡，號令諸將皆橐弓矢、用短兵，回顧者斬。 符彥卿以左軍攻其左，高行珪以右軍攻其右，中軍騎士抱馬項馳入都軍，都遂大敗，自曲陽至定州，橫屍棄甲六十餘里。 都與禿餒入城，不敢復出。 契丹又遣惕隱以七千騎益都，晏球遇之唐河，追擊至滿城，斬首二千級，獲馬千匹。 契丹自中國多故，強於北方，北方諸夷無大小皆畏伏，而中國之兵遭契丹者，未嘗少得志。 自晏球擊敗禿餒，又走惕隱，其餘眾奔潰投村落，村落之人以鋤耰白梃所在擊殺之，無復遺類。 惕隱與數十騎走至幽州西，為趙德鈞擒送京師。 明宗下詔責誚契丹。 契丹後數遣使至中國，求歸惕隱等，辭甚卑遜，輒斬其使以絕之。 於是時，中國之威幾於大震，而契丹少衰伏矣，自晏球始也。
Liang and Jin faced each other on the river. Yanqiu was made commander-in-chief of the campaign horse and foot. Zhuangzong entered Bian. Yanqiu pursued to Fengqiu, heard the Last Emperor was dead, doffed armor and surrendered to Tang. Zhuangzong gave him the name Li Shaoqian, made him defense commissioner of Qi, and garrisoned Waqiao Pass. When Mingzong’s troops mutinied and marched south from Ye, he sent for Yanqiu. Yanqiu followed to Luoyang and was made military governor of Guide. Wang Du of Dingzhou rebelled. Yanqiu was made pacification commissioner and campaigned against him with Zhang Yanlang of the Southern Court and others. Du sent north for the Khitan. They sent Tujie with ten thousand horse to save him. Yanqiu heard Tujie was near. He left Zhang Yanlang at Xinle and went to meet him at Wangdu. The Khitan came by another road into Dingzhou, joined Du, and struck Yanlang by surprise. Yanlang was routed, gathered the remnant, and joined Yanqiu toward Quyang. Du pursued in victory. Yanqiu reached the river first and sat on a camp chair giving orders when Du’s masses closed in. Yanqiu and a dozen at his side shot in succession. Du’s men fell back a little; then the rear guard came up. Yanqiu stood on a high hill and ordered every general to case bow and arrow and fight with short steel—whoever looked back was beheaded. Fu Yanqing struck their left; Gao Xinggui their right. Center horse hugged their mounts’ necks and charged into Du’s host. Du was routed. From Quyang to Dingzhou corpses and cast armor lay across more than sixty li. Du and Tujie entered the city and did not dare come out again. The Khitan sent Tiyin with seven thousand horse to reinforce Du. Yanqiu met them on the Tang River, pursued to Mancheng, and took two thousand heads and a thousand horses. China’s troubles made the Khitan strong in the north; every northern tribe feared them. Chinese troops who met the Khitan had rarely had their way. Yanqiu broke Tujie and routed Tiyin. The rest fled into villages. Villagers with hoes, flails, and white staves killed them wherever they met until none were left. Tiyin and several dozen horse fled west of Youzhou. Zhao Dejun seized them and sent them to the capital. Mingzong issued an edict rebuking the Khitan. The Khitan later sent envoys again and again asking return of Tiyin and the rest, humble and submissive. Each envoy was beheaded to cut off relations. Then China’s prestige nearly shook the realm and the Khitan weakened and submitted. It began with Yanqiu.
18
Yanqiu besieged Dingzhou long without taking it. Mingzong urged him again and again. Yanqiu held that a rush would not do. His deputies Zhu Hongzhao and Zhang Qianzhao proclaimed: “Yanqiu is only timid!” They drove the army forward. It was routed—more than three thousand killed and wounded. After that no general dared speak of attacking again. Yanqiu rested and fed his men on the tax of three prefectures, spent every cash of salary on oxen and wine, and daily feasted the generals. Long after, the city ran out of food. They sent out more than ten thousand civilians, plotted with Tujie several times to break out, and failed. Du’s officer Ma Rangneng surrendered the city. Du burned himself to death.
19
As a general Yanqiu had stratagem and knew how to comfort troops. He had turned defeat into merit against Tujie, yet every general wanted to press on and take Du. Yanqiu held back alone and in the end wore them down by waiting. From Du’s rebellion in Tiancheng 3, month 4, until the city fell in month 2 of the next year, the army executed not one man. For breaking Du he was made military governor of Tianping. He was moved to Pinglu and rose to concurrent Grand Councillor. That year he died at sixty-two and was posthumously appointed Grand Commandant.
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安重霸，雲州人也，初與明宗俱事晉王。 重霸得罪奔於梁，又奔於蜀。 重霸為人狡譎多智，善事人。 蜀王建以為親將。 王衍立，少年，宦者王承休用事，重霸深結承休以自托。 梁末，蜀取李茂貞秦、成、階三州，重霸勸承休求鎮秦州，衍以承休為節度使，重霸為其副使。 重霸與承休多取秦州花木獻衍，請衍東遊。 唐魏王兵伐蜀，承休大恐，以問重霸，重霸曰：「劍門天下之險，雖有精兵，不可過也。 然公受國恩，聞難不可不赴，願與公俱西。」 承休素親信之，以為然。 承休整軍將發，秦人送之，帳飲城外。 酒罷，承休上道，重霸立承休馬前，辭曰：「秦、隴不可失，願留為公守。」 承休業已上道，無如之何。 唐軍已破蜀，重霸亦以秦、成、階三州降唐，明宗以為閬州團練使。 罷為左衛大將軍。 久之，以為匡國軍節度使。 廢帝時，為京兆尹、西京留守，徙鎮大同，以病罷還，卒於潞州。
An Zhongba came from Yunzhou. In youth he and Mingzong both served the Prince of Jin. Zhongba offended, fled to Liang, then fled again to Shu. Zhongba was sly, full of schemes, and skilled at winning people. Shu’s Wang Jian made him a personal guard. When Wang Yan rose he was young. The eunuch Wang Chengxiu held power. Zhongba bonded deeply with Chengxiu to secure himself. At Liang’s end Shu took Li Maozhen’s Qin, Cheng, and Jie. Zhongba urged Chengxiu to seek Qin. Yan made Chengxiu military commissioner and Zhongba his deputy. Zhongba and Chengxiu sent Qin’s flowers and trees to Yan and asked him to tour east. Tang’s Prince of Wei marched on Shu. Chengxiu was terrified and asked Zhongba. Zhongba said: “Jianmen is the world’s peril. Elite troops cannot pass. Yet you have the state’s grace. Hearing trouble you cannot stay away. I wish to go west with you.” Chengxiu had long trusted him and agreed. Chengxiu arrayed the army to march. The people of Qin saw them off with a tent feast outside the wall. When the wine was done Chengxiu took the road. Zhongba stood before his horse and declined: “Qin and Long cannot be lost. Let me remain and guard for you.” Chengxiu had already set out and could do nothing. Tang had already broken Shu. Zhongba surrendered Qin, Cheng, and Jie to Tang. Mingzong made him regimental commissioner of Lang. He was removed to senior general of the Left Guard. After a long while he was made military governor of Kuangguo. Under the Deposed Emperor he was metropolitan governor of Jingzhao and western capital regent, moved to Datong, removed for illness, returned, and died at Luzhou.
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Wang Jianli came from Yushe in Liaozhou. When Mingzong of Tang was prefect of Daizhou, he made Jianli a garrison commandant. Zhuangzong once sent palace women to Daizhou to sacrifice at the tomb. They harassed the people of Dai, and Jianli seized and flogged them. Zhuangzong was furious and meant to kill him. Mingzong sheltered him and spared his life. When Mingzong rebelled from Wei and marched on the capital, Empress Cao and Consort Wang Shufei were at Changshan. Jianli killed the Changshan army supervisor and his garrison, so Mingzong’s family was unharmed, and Mingzong loved him all the more. When Mingzong took the throne, Jianli was made deputy military governor of Chengde, then military governor, Grand General-in-Chief by brevet, and co–Grand Councillor.
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Jianli and An Chonghui had long been at odds. Wang Du of Dingzhou wavered and wrote Jianli again and again, pledging brotherhood. Chonghui learned of it and spoke against him. Mingzong did not wish to harm Jianli and urgently summoned him to the capital. Jianli entered audience and spoke much of Chonghui’s faults. Mingzong was furious and meant to remove Chonghui at once. Ministers urged and explained; he stopped. Yet in the end Jianli was made Right Vice Director, co–Grand Councillor, and overseer of the Three Bureaus. After more than a year he said he could not read and wished to leave the Three Bureaus. Mingzong would not permit it. Long after, Jianli claimed illness. Mingzong laughed: “Men feign illness and thereby fall ill.” He was sent out as military governor of Pinglu, then moved to Shangdang. Jianli was resentful and sought release. He was made Junior Mentor of the Heir and retired.
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Jianli asked again and again to attend court and was refused. He went on his own to the capital, forced his way to the rear tower, wept, and said he was guiltless and slandered by Chonghui. Mingzong said: “You were a military commissioner and did no good—was it only Chonghui who slandered you!” He was given tea and medicine and sent away. When the Deposed Emperor took the throne Jianli was raised again as military governor of Tianping. Under Jin’s Gaozu he was moved to Pinglu. In Tianfu 5 he came to court. Gaozu comforted him: “Thirty years ago, old brother—you need not bow!” He was granted a shoulder carriage for court, two eunuchs to support him up the hall, and the feast audience was lavish. He was moved again to Zhaoyi and given a jade axe and a Shu horse. In succession he was enfeoffed Prince of Han. Jianli loved killing. Only in late years did he turn to Buddhist law, forswore killing, and wherever he went people were somewhat easier. He died at seventy, posthumously Director of the Secretariat.
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His son Shou’en entered service by yin privilege and rose gradually to general of the guards. Jianli had died and the family was at Lu. Shou’en obtained leave from the capital to return home, and the Khitan destroyed Jin. Zhang Cong’en of Zhaoyi was related to Shou’en by marriage. He made Shou’en acting inspector to hold Luzhou while he went to audience with the Khitan. After Cong’en left, Shou’en plundered his household goods and surrendered Luzhou to Han. When Han Gaozu took the throne, Shou’en was made military governor of Zhaoyi, moved to Jingnan and western capital regent, and made co–Grand Councillor.
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His son Shou’en was greedy and base; people suffered greatly under him. Zhou’s Taizu, as Bureau of Military Affairs, led Bai Wenke and others west to pacify the three rebellions. Returning through Luoyang, Shou’en treated himself as envoy-minister and came out in a shoulder carriage to welcome him. Taizu was angry. That very day with a head-crest token he ordered Wenke to replace Shou’en as regent. Shou’en was at the guest lodge, sitting in the outer hall to await audience, when clerks galloped word that the new regent was already conducting affairs at the office. Shou’en was alarmed, knew not what to do, resigned, and served at court in the capital as a court gentleman.
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Later when the Hidden Emperor killed Shi Hongzhao and others he summoned ministers to the hall to comfort them. All were afraid; none spoke. Only Shou’en stepped forward: “Your Majesty has only just awakened.” Hearers all shrank their heads. In the Xiande era he was Left Golden Crow guard senior general and died in office.
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Alas! Virtue, morality, benevolence, and righteousness govern; law, institutions, and discipline sustain them. States that fall to chaos in every age first break their laws and institutions; then chaos follows. Chaos and ruin multiply until discipline is utterly gone; there must be extreme chaos before return. Such is the tendency. The age of the Five Dynasties was exactly this. Wenke and Shou’en both held rank combining general and minister—Han’s great ministers—yet Zhou’s Taizu with one Bureau head-crest token shifted them as easily as changing garrison soldiers. Taizu and Han had not yet any breach, and disloyalty had surely not yet sprouted—why then were his acts such? Because it had become routine, it burst forth only between anger, pleasure, and a nod—and Wenke did not dare disobey, Shou’en could not refuse. Taizu acted without doubt; Han’s ruler and ministers set it aside without inquiry. Above and below were at ease and thought nothing of it—is this not because court law and discipline had long been ruined, coming from far off, reaching the extreme? Those who plan well for the realm dare not neglect the slight and constantly block the gradual slide. Should one not take warning!
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Kang Fu came from Wei prefecture. For generations his family were military officers. Fu with riding and archery served the Prince of Jin as a deputy commander. Zhuangzong once said: “Our house lives by sheep and horses. Fu looks like a barbarian and is stout—barbarians suit sheep and horses.” He had Fu herd horses at Xiangzhou as petty horse-park commissioner. After more than a year the herds greatly multiplied. When Mingzong rebelled from Wei his army passed Xiangzhou. Fu presented two thousand horses of the petty park. Mingzong’s momentum grew stronger. When Mingzong took the throne Fu was made Soaring Dragon commissioner, concurrently prefect of Ci and overseer of Xiang horse and foot. He followed Liu Xun against Jingnan and returned without merit. As a general Fu had no other gift but barbarian tongues. Mingzong once summoned him to the private hall and asked about foreign affairs. Fu always answered in barbarian speech. Bureau An Chonghui hated it and often warned Fu: “Do not memorialize rashly—you will be beheaded!” Fu was afraid and sought an outside post.
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At Lingwu Han Zhu died. His younger brother Cheng was set up, but the deputy Li Congbin rebelled. Cheng asked the court for a commander. Chonghui said Lingwu lay deep in barbarian country and its commanders often died—so Fu was made Liangzhou prefect and commissioner of Shuofang and Hexi. Fu came before Mingzong in tears and said Chonghui had forced him out. Mingzong called Chonghui to move Fu elsewhere. Chonghui said: “Fu was a prefect with no merit and got a commissioner’s banner—how dare he pick and choose!” Mingzong flared up and told Fu: “Chonghui sent you—not my wish. I will send troops to guard you—fear nothing.” He ordered General Niu Zhirou to escort Fu with troops. At Fangqu the Qiang and Yi came out to waylay him as expected; Fu beat them off. At Qinggang Gorge snow fell. Fu climbed a hill, saw smoke in the valley—thousands of Tibetan tents. They did not know he was near. He split his force three ways and struck by surprise. The Tibetans panicked, dropped carts and tents, and ran. Nearly all were killed. He took jade, brocade, sheep, and horses in great quantity—and his name shook the frontier.
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Fu held Lingwu three years. Harvests ran full every year. He had a thousand teams of horses. The tribes feared and obeyed. Memorialists suspected Fu of other designs. Chonghui too said Fu would turn on the court. Mingzong sent word: “How have I wronged you that you would betray me!” Fu said: “The state has favored me deeply—I die without a second thought.” He begged to return to court and was refused. Fu memorialized again and came in person right after. Mingzong did not punish him and moved him to Zhangyi. He held Jingnan and Xiongwu in turn and served as western frontier chief of deployment. Under Jin’s Gaozu he was moved to Hezhong. Recalled on replacement, he died in the capital and was made Grand Preceptor posthumously, styled Martial Peace.
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Fu’s line was barbarian stock; barbarians prized the Shatuo, so he often called himself Shatuo. Fu once lay ill in his pavilion. Aides came to ask after him, saw his brocade quilt, and whispered to each other in jest: “The brocade quilt rots!” Fu heard and raged: “I am Shatuo—how dare you call me Xi!” Those who heard laughed.
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Guo Yanlu came from Mianshang in Qinzhou. His father Rao served Jin for valor, won battle merit again and again, held Qin nine years as prefect, governed with kindness, and the people still missed him. Yanlu rose as a general for the spear and became commander of horse and foot in the Divine Martial guard. Zhu Shouyin rebelled. He joined the attack on Bianzhou, was first over the wall, made chief of Bian horse and foot, and rose to prefect of Fu. Yanlu sighed: “My father held Qin nine years—the people still miss him. Now I am prefect by fortune—how dare I forget what he meant to do!” He pressed himself harder to integrity and fairness, and the people leaned on him. When his term ended the people begged to keep him. The court refused. They blocked the road, weeping and clinging to him. In Tianfu he was made Shan prefect and died in his post.
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當是時，刺史皆以軍功拜，言事者多以為言，以謂方天下多事，民力困敝之時，不宜以刺史任武夫，恃功縱下，為害不細。 而延魯父子特以善政著聞焉。
Then every prefect was a man of military merit. Memorialists often said that in a time of troubles, with the people worn thin, warriors should not hold prefectures—relying on merit they indulged subordinates, and the harm was not small. Yet father and son Yanlu were known above all for good government.
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Alas—how could the people of the Five Dynasties bear it! Above, armies and taxes pressed in; below, stripping and levies crushed them. Since Zhuangzong, circuit tribute had begun to grow; by Jin it could not all be counted. “Adding to the capital” and “aiding the state” goods ran to thousands at a stroke. Court visits, missions, buying banquets, redeeming crimes—all came out of tribute. When great officers died, their sons and grandsons commonly bought prefectures with family wealth—the richer the gift, the larger the province and the better the land. From the Son of Heaven down, all was bribery—how could the people bear it! In such a time, upright men like Yanlu were hard to find—and precious when found!