1
周太祖鎮天雄軍，峻為監軍。 漢隱帝已殺大臣史弘肇等，又遣人殺周太祖及峻等，峻等遂與太祖舉兵犯京師。 太祖監國，以漢太后命拜峻樞密使。 太祖將兵北出，至澶州，返軍向京師。 是時，太祖已遣馮道迎湘陰公赟於徐州，而漢宗室蔡王信在許州。 峻與王殷謀，遣侍衛馬軍指揮使郭崇率兵之宋州、前申州刺史馬鐸之許州以伺變，崇、鐸遂幽赟而殺信。
While Zhou Taizu held Tianxiong, Jun served as supervising commissioner. The Hidden Emperor had killed Shi Hongzhao and other great ministers, then sent men to kill Taizu and Jun. Jun and the rest joined Taizu and marched on the capital. Taizu governed as regent and, by the Empress Dowager’s order, made Jun Privy Commissioner. Taizu marched north to Cang, then wheeled the army back on the capital. Taizu had already sent Feng Dao to meet the Prince of Xiangyin Yun at Xuzhou, while Prince of Cai Xin of the Han house held Xu. Jun and Wang Yin sent Guo Chong’s horse to Song and Ma Duo, once prefect of Shen, to Xu to watch for shifts. Chong and Duo seized Yun and killed Xin.
2
太祖入立，拜峻右僕射、門下侍郎、同中書門下平章事，監修國史。 劉旻攻晉州，峻為行營都部署，得以便宜從事。 別遣陳思讓、康延沼自烏嶺出絳州與峻會。 峻至陜州，留不進。 太祖遣使者翟守素馳至陜州，諭峻欲親征。 峻屏左右謂守素曰：「晉州城堅不可近，而劉旻兵銳亦未可當，臣所以留此者，非怯也，蓋有待爾。 且陛下新即位，四方藩鎮，未有威德以加之，豈宜輕舉！ 而兗州慕容彥超反跡已露，若陛下出汜水，則彥超入京師，陛下何以待之？」 守素馳還，具道峻言。 是時，太祖已下詔西幸，聞峻語，遽自提其耳曰：「幾敗吾事！」 乃止不行。 峻軍出自絳州，前鋒報過蒙坑，峻喜，謂其屬曰：「蒙坑，晉、絳之險也，旻不分兵扼之，使吾過此，可知其必敗也。」 峻軍去晉州一舍，旻聞周兵大至，即解去。 諸將皆欲追之，峻猶豫不決。 明日，遣騎兵追旻，不及而還。 從討慕容彥超，為隨駕都部署，率眾先登。
Taizu took the throne and made Jun Right Vice Director, Gate Attendant-in-Chief, Associate Grand Councilor, and supervisor of the national history. Liu Min attacked Jin. Jun was made field supreme commander with discretionary power. He sent Chen Sirang and Kang Yanzhang from Wuling toward Jiang to meet Jun. Jun reached Shan and stopped. Taizu sent Zhai Shousu racing to Shan to say he meant to take the field himself. Jun sent attendants away and told Shousu: "Jin’s walls cannot be neared and Liu Min’s men are too sharp to meet head-on. I stay here not from fear but because something must ripen first. Your Majesty is new on the throne; the border lords still lack awe of you—how can you stir lightly? Murong Yanchao at Yan already shows rebellion. If you cross the Si ford, he will enter the capital—then what?" Shousu raced back and repeated Jun’s every word. Taizu had already ordered a western tour. Hearing Jun, he clutched his ear and cried: "I nearly wrecked everything! With that he called off the march. Jun’s army marched from Jiang. The van reported Mengkeng passed. Jun rejoiced and told his men: "Mengkeng is Jin and Jiang’s choke point. Min left it open—he is already beaten." A stage short of Jin, Min heard Zhou masses were coming and broke camp at once. Every general wanted pursuit; Jun wavered. Next day he sent horse after Min, could not catch him, and turned back. Against Murong Yanchao he was Follow-the-Emperor supreme commander and took the walls first.
3
峻與太祖俱起於魏，自謂佐命之功，以天下為己任。 凡所論請，事無大小，期於必得，或小不如誌，言色輒不遜，太祖每優容之。 峻年長於太祖二歲，往往呼峻為兄，或稱其字，峻由是益橫。 鄭仁誨、李重進、向訓等，皆太祖故時偏裨，太祖初即位，謙抑未欲進用，而峻心忌之。 自破慕容彥超還，即求解樞密以探上意，太祖慰勞之。 峻多發書諸鎮，求為保薦，居數日，諸鎮皆馳騎上峻書，太祖大駭。 峻連章求解，因不視事，太祖遣近臣召之曰：「卿若不出，吾當自往候卿。」 峻曰：「車駕若來，是致臣有不測也。」 然殊無出意。 樞密直學士陳同與峻相善，太祖即遣同召峻。 同還奏曰：「峻意少解，然請陛下聲言嚴駕，若將幸之，則峻必出矣。」 太祖僶俛從之。 峻聞太祖且來，遂馳入謁。
Jun and Taizu had risen together from Wei. He counted his founding merit as his due and shouldered the realm. Every petition, large or small, had to succeed; the slightest miss turned his tone rude, yet Taizu indulged him. Jun was two years Taizu’s senior. Taizu often called him elder brother or used his style, and Jun grew bolder still. Zheng Renhui, Li Chongjin, and Xiang Xun had been Taizu’s old officers. At first he held them back, and Jun resented them. Back from breaking Yanchao he asked to quit the Privy Commission to test the throne; Taizu soothed him. Jun flooded the circuits with letters seeking endorsements. Within days every circuit raced in with letters for him, and Taizu was shaken. Jun memorialized again and again to resign and stopped attending court. Taizu sent a close man: "If you stay in, I will come wait on you myself." Jun said: "If the carriage comes, you doom your servant." Yet he would not budge. Privy academician Chen Tong was Jun’s friend; Taizu sent Tong to fetch him. Tong reported: "Jun has softened a little, but ask Your Majesty to proclaim a stern procession as if you will visit—then he will come." Taizu yielded and did it. Hearing Taizu was coming, Jun raced in to audience.
4
峻於樞密院起廳事，極其華侈，邀太祖臨幸，賜予甚厚。 太祖於內園起一小殿，峻輒奏曰：「宮室已多，何用此為？」 太祖曰：「樞密院屋不少，卿亦何必有作？」 峻慚不能對。 峻為樞密使兼宰相，又求兼領平盧。 已受命，暫之鎮，又請借左藏庫綾萬匹，太祖皆勉從之。 又請用顏衎、陳同代李谷、範質為相，太祖曰：「進退宰相，豈可倉卒？ 當徐思之。」 峻論請不已，語漸不遜。 日亭午，太祖未食，峻爭不已，是時寒食假，太祖曰：「俟假開，當為卿行。」 峻乃退。 太祖遂不能忍，明日禦便殿，召百官皆入，即幽峻於別所。 太祖見馮道，泣曰：「峻淩朕，不能忍！」 即貶商州司馬，卒於貶所。
Jun built a reception hall at the Privy Council, lavish beyond measure, invited Taizu, and heaped gifts on him. Taizu built a small hall in the inner garden. Jun memorialized: "You already have halls enough—why this?" Taizu said: "Your Privy Council is not short of rooms—why must you build?" Jun flushed and had no answer. Jun was Privy Commissioner and Grand Councilor and asked to hold Pinglu as well. Commissioned, he went briefly to his post and asked ten thousand bolts of silk from the Left Treasury; Taizu grudgingly agreed to all. He asked Yan Kan and Chen Tong to replace Li Gu and Fan Zhi. Taizu said: "Chancellors are not swapped in haste. I will think on it." Jun would not stop pressing, and his tone turned rude. Noon came and Taizu had not eaten while Jun argued on. It was Cold Food; Taizu said: "When the holiday ends I will do as you ask." Jun withdrew. Taizu could bear no more. Next day at the informal hall he called every official in and locked Jun away apart. Taizu saw Feng Dao in tears: "Jun rides over me—I cannot endure it!" He was demoted to Shang marshal at once and died in exile.
5
峻已被黜，太祖以峻監修國史，意其所書不實，因召史官取日曆讀之，史官以禁中事非外所知，懼以漏落得罪。 峻貶後，李穀監修，因請命近臣錄禁中事付史館，乃命樞密直學士就樞密院錄送史館，自此始。
Jun was gone, but he had supervised the history. Taizu feared the record was false and called historians to read the daily calendar. They feared palace matters they did not know would cost them for gaps. After Jun’s fall Li Gu supervised the history and asked close officials to log palace affairs for the History Office. Taizu ordered Privy academics to record at the council and send copies to the History Office—thus it began.
6
王殷，大名人也。 少為軍卒，以軍功累遷靈武馬步軍都指揮使。 唐廢帝時，從範延光討張令昭於魏，以功拜祁州刺史。 晉天福中，徙原州刺史。
Wang Yin came from Daming. As a youth he was a soldier and rose by merit to Lingwu horse-and-foot commander. Under the Deposed Emperor he followed Fan Yanguang against Zhang Lingzhao at Wei and was made prefect of Qi. Under Jin Tianfu he was moved to Yuan.
7
殷事母以孝聞，欲與人遊，必先白母，母所不可者，未嘗取往。 及為刺史，政事有小失，母責之，殷即取杖授婢仆，自笞於母前。 母亡服喪，晉高祖詔殷起復，以為憲州刺史，殷乞終喪。 服除，出帝以為奉國右廂都指揮使。
Yin was known for honoring his mother. Before any outing he asked her leave; what she forbade he never did. As prefect, small slips drew his mother’s scolding. He handed a staff to servants and whipped himself before her. His mother died and he mourned. Jin Gaozu ordered him back to office as Xian prefect; Yin begged to finish mourning. Mourning done, the Deposed Emperor made him Right Flank commander of Nation-Supporting.
8
後從漢高祖討杜重威，先登力戰，矢中其腦，鏃自口出而不死，高祖嘉之，以為侍衛步軍都指揮使，領寧江軍節度使。 契丹犯邊，漢遣殷以兵屯澶州。 隱帝已殺楊邠等，詔鎮寧軍節度使李弘義殺殷於澶州，又詔郭崇殺周太祖於魏。 詔書至澶州，弘義恐事不果，反以告殷，殷遣人馳至魏告周太祖，遂起兵反。 太祖入立，拜侍衛親軍都指揮使，出為天雄軍節度使、同中書門下平章事，仍領親軍，自河以北皆受殷節度。 殷頗務聚斂，太祖聞而惡之，遣人謂之曰：「吾起魏時，帑廩儲畜豈少邪？ 汝為國家用，足矣。」 殷不聽。
He followed Han Gaozu against Du Chongwei, climbed first, and fought hard. An arrow struck his brain and the head came out his mouth, yet he lived. Gaozu praised him and made him Palace Foot Guard commander with Ningjiang. Khitan raids brought Yin with troops to Cang. The Hidden Emperor had killed Yang Bin and others and ordered Li Hongyi to kill Yin at Cang and Guo Chong to kill Taizu at Wei. The edict reached Cang. Hongyi feared failure and warned Yin. Yin sent a rider to Wei; Taizu rose in revolt. Taizu took the throne and made Yin Personal Guard commander and Tianxiong commissioner and Associate Grand Councilor, still leading the guard. All north of the river answered to Yin. Yin amassed wealth. Taizu hated it and sent word: "When I rose from Wei, were the vaults empty? Take enough for the state—that is plenty." Yin would not heed him.
9
殷與王峻俱從太祖起自魏，後峻得罪，殷不自安。 廣順三年秋九月永壽節，殷求入為壽，太祖許之，而懼其疑也，復遣使止之。 明年，太祖有事於南郊。 是冬，殷來朝，殷握兵柄，職當警衛，出入多以兵從，又求兵甲，以備非常。 是時，太祖臥疾，疑殷有異志，乃力疾禦滋德殿，殷入起居，即命執之，削奪在身官爵，長流登州。 已而殺之，徙其家屬於登州。
Yin and Wang Jun had risen with Taizu from Wei. After Jun’s fall Yin could not rest easy. Autumn, ninth month, Yongshou of Guangshun year three, Yin asked to come for birthday rites. Taizu agreed, then feared his mind and sent men to turn him back. Next year Taizu sacrificed at the southern suburb. That winter Yin came to court. He held the armies, should have guarded the palace, yet marched with troops and asked arms against trouble. Taizu lay ill and suspected Yin. He dragged himself to Zide Hall; Yin came to greet him and was seized at once, stripped of rank, and exiled to Deng. Soon he was killed and his family sent to Deng.
10
劉詞，字好謙，大名元城人也。 少事楊師厚，以勇悍知名。 唐莊宗下魏博，與梁戰夾河，詞以軍功為效節軍使，遷長劍指揮使，坐事左遷汝州十餘年。 廢帝時，詔諸州鎮選驍勇者充禁軍，詞得選為禁軍校。 從破張從賓、楊光遠，以功遷奉國第一軍都虞候。 從馬全節破安州，以功遷指揮使。 從杜重威破鎮州，以先登功拜泌州刺史。 晉軍討安從進，為襄州行營都虞候，以功遷泌州團練使。 徙房州，歲餘，為政不苛撓，人頗便之。 詞居暇日，常被甲枕戈而臥，謂人曰：「我以此取富貴，豈可一日輒忘之？ 且人情易習，若一墮其筋力，有事何以報國！」 漢高祖時，復為奉國右廂都指揮使。 漢軍討李守貞於河中，詞以侍衛步軍都指揮使領寧江軍節度使，為行營都虞候，以功拜鎮國軍節度使。 周太祖入立，加同中書門下平章事。 歷鎮安國、河陽三城。 世宗戰高平，樊愛能等軍敗南走，遇詞而止之曰：「軍敗矣，可無前也。」 詞不聽，輒趣兵以進，世宗嘉之，以為隨駕都部署。 及班師，以為河東行營副都部署，徙鎮永興。 明年卒於鎮，年六十五，贈侍中，謚忠惠。
Liu Ci, styled Haoqian, came from Yuancheng in Daming. As a youth he served Yang Shihou and was known for fierce dash. Zhuangzong took Wei-Bo and fought Liang on the river. Ci rose to Loyalty Manifestation commissioner and Long-Sword commander, then sat ten-odd years demoted at Yu. The Deposed Emperor ordered circuits to pick the fierce for the Palace Guard; Ci was chosen. He helped break Zhang Congbin and Yang Guangyuan and rose to Nation-Supporting First Army deputy commander. He followed Ma Quanjie at An and rose to commander. He followed Du Chongwei at Zhen, climbed first, and was made prefect of Bi. Jin marched on An Congjin. He was Xiang field deputy commander and rose to Bi training commissioner. He was moved to Fang. A year on, his rule was light and the people were at ease. On free days Ci slept in mail with a blade for pillow and told others: "I won rank by this—how forget it for one day! Hearts grow soft in ease. Let muscle fail once and how will you serve the state when trouble comes?" Under Han Gaozu he again commanded Nation-Supporting Right Flank. Han marched on Li Shouzhen at Hezhong. Ci was Foot Guard commander with Ningjiang and field deputy commander, then Zhenguo commissioner by merit. Taizu took the throne and added Associate Grand Councilor. He held Anguo, Heyang, and the Three Cities in turn. At Gaoping, Fan Aineng’s men broke south. They met Ci and cried: "The army is lost—go no farther." Ci would not hear them and drove his men on. Shizong praised him and made him Follow-the-Emperor supreme commander. On return he was Hedong field deputy supreme commander, then transferred to Yongxing. He died in post next year at sixty-five, posthumously Palace Attendant with the title Loyal and Kind.
11
初，昶遣其秦州節度使高處儔以兵援環，未至，聞堂倉兵敗，亦潰歸，處儔判官趙比閉城不內，處儔遂奔成都，比乃以城降，成、階二州相繼亦降，獨環堅守百餘日，然後克之。 世宗召見環，嘆曰：「三州已降，環獨堅守，吾數以書招之，而環不答，至於力屈就擒，雖不能死，亦忠其所事也，用之可勸事君者。」 乃拜環右驍衛將軍。 是時，周師已征淮，即以環佐侯章為攻取賊城水砦副部署。 初，周師南征，李景陳兵於淮，舟楫甚盛，周師無水戰之具，世宗患之，乃置造船務於京城之西，為戰艦數百艘，得景降卒，教之水戰。 明年，世宗再征淮，使環將水戰卒數千，自蔡河以入淮。 環居軍中，未嘗有戰功。 蜀卒與環俱擒者，世宗不殺，悉以從軍，後多南奔於景，世宗待環益不疑。 已而景將許文縝、邊鎬等皆被擒，世宗悉以為將軍，與環等列第京師，歲時賜與甚厚。 明年又幸淮南，又以環從，遇疾，卒於泗州。
Chang sent Gao Chuchou from Qin to aid Huan. Chuchou heard Tangcang had fallen and fled. His aide Zhao Bi shut him out; Chuchou ran to Chengdu and Bi surrendered. Cheng and Jie followed; only Huan held a hundred-odd days before the city fell. Shizong called Huan in and sighed: "Three prefectures yielded; Huan alone held. I wrote again and again; he never answered. Broken, he was taken—he could not die, yet he was loyal. Use him to teach service." He made Huan Right Valiant Cavalry general. Zhou was already on the Huai. Huan was made Hou Zhang’s deputy for seizing rebel river forts. When Zhou first marched south, Li Jing massed boats on the Huai. Zhou had no river gear. Shizong founded a shipyard west of the capital, built hundreds of warships, and had Jing’s surrendered men teach river war. Next year Shizong marched on the Huai again and sent Huan with thousands of river troops in from the Cai. Huan served in the ranks but never won battle merit. Shu men captured with Huan Shizong spared and kept in the ranks. Many later fled south to Jing, yet Shizong trusted Huan all the more. Soon Li Jing’s generals Xu Wenzhen, Bian Hao, and the rest were taken. Shizong made them all generals, lodged them with Huan and the others in capital estates, and lavished seasonal gifts on them. The next year Shizong marched on Huainan again with Huan in his train; he fell ill and died at Sizhou.
12
折從阮
Zhe Congruan
13
折從阮，字可久，初名從遠，避漢高祖名，改為阮，雲中人也。 其父嗣倫，為麟州刺史。 從阮為人，溫恭長者，居父喪，以孝聞。 唐莊宗鎮太原，以為牙將，後以為府州刺史。 晉出帝與契丹敗盟，從阮以兵攻契丹，取其城堡十餘，遷本州團練使，兼領朔州刺史、安北都護、振武軍節度使、契丹西南面行營馬步軍都虞候。 漢高祖入立，於府州建永安軍，以從阮為節度使。 明年，以其族朝京師，徙鎮武勝，即拜從阮子德扆為府州團練使。 周太祖入立，從阮歷徙宣義、保義、靜難三鎮。 顯德二年，罷還京師，行至洛陽卒，贈中書令。
Zhe Congruan, styled Kejiu, was first named Congyuan; to avoid Han Gaozu’s taboo he took the name Ruan. He came from Yunzhong. His father Silun was prefect of Lin. Congruan was a warm, respectful elder by nature; mourning his father, he was known for filial piety. When Zhuangzong held Taiyuan, Congruan was made a tooth officer; later he was made prefect of Fu. When Jin’s Last Emperor broke with the Khitan, Congruan struck them and took a dozen forts. He was made regimental trainer of his prefecture and concurrently prefect of Shuo, Defender-General of the North, Zhenwu commissioner, and army inspector of the Khitan Southwestern Army horse and foot. When Han Gaozu took the throne, he founded the Yong’an army at Fu and made Congruan its commissioner. The next year he brought his clan to court, was moved to Wusheng, and his son De Yi was at once made regimental trainer of Fu. When Taizu took the throne, Congruan was moved in turn through Xuanyi, Baoyi, and Jingnan. In Xiande year 2 he was recalled to the capital; he died on the road at Luoyang and was posthumously made Director of the Secretariat.