1
王景崇
Wang Jingchong
2
是時，漢方新造，鳳翔侯益、永興趙贊皆嘗受命契丹，高祖立，益等內顧自疑，乃陰召蜀人為助，高祖患之。 及已破鄴，益等懼，皆請入朝。 會回鶻入貢，言為党項所隔不得通，願得漢兵為援，高祖遣景崇以兵迎回鶻。 景崇將行，高祖已疾，召入臥內戒之曰：「益等已來，善矣，若猶遲疑，則以便宜圖之。」 景崇行至陜，趙贊已東入朝，而蜀兵方寇南山，景崇擊破蜀兵，追至大散關而還。 高祖乃詔景崇兼鳳翔巡檢使。
The Han dynasty had only just been established. Hou Yi at Fengxiang and Zhao Zan at Yongxing had both once accepted commissions from the Khitan. When Gaozu came to the throne, Yi and his fellows grew anxious as they looked homeward, and secretly called on Shu for help. Gaozu was alarmed. After Ye fell, Yi and the others were frightened and all asked to present themselves at court. The Uyghurs arrived to pay tribute, reporting that the Tanguts had blocked their route and asking for Han troops as escort. Gaozu dispatched Jingchong with an army to meet them. Jingchong was on the point of leaving when Gaozu, already ill, called him to his bedside and warned him: "Yi and the rest have come to court—that is good. If they still waver, deal with them as circumstances require. Jingchong reached Shaan prefecture. Zhao Zan had already gone east to present himself at court, while Shu forces were harrying the Southern Mountains. Jingchong routed the Shu troops, pursued them to Dashan Pass, and then withdrew. Gaozu then appointed Jingchong concurrent inspector of Fengxiang.
3
景崇至鳳翔，侯益未有行意，而高祖崩，或勸景崇可速誅益，景崇念獨受命先帝而少主莫知，猶豫未決。 益從事程渥，與景崇同鄉里，有舊，往說景崇曰：「吾與子為故人，吾位不過賓佐，而子已貴矣，奈何欲以陰狡害人而取之乎？ 侯公父子爪牙數百，子毋妄發，禍行及矣！ 非吾，誰為子言之。」 於是景崇頗不欲殺益，益乃亡去，景崇大悔失不殺之。
When Jingchong arrived at Fengxiang, Hou Yi still showed no sign of leaving, and then Gaozu died. Some advised Jingchong to kill Yi at once. Jingchong thought that only he had received the late emperor's command and that the young emperor knew nothing of it, and he wavered, unable to make up his mind. Yi's aide Cheng Wo came from the same home district as Jingchong and was an old acquaintance. He went to remonstrate with Jingchong: "We are old friends. I am only a staff officer, while you already hold high rank. Why would you plot in secret to destroy a man and take his place? Lord Hou and his sons command several hundred fighting men. Do not move rashly, or ruin will overtake you at once! Had it not been for me, who would have told you? Jingchong then lost his will to kill Yi. Yi escaped, and Jingchong bitterly regretted that he had let him go.
4
益至京師，隱帝新立，史弘肇、楊邠等用事，益乃厚賂邠等，陰以事中景崇。 已而益拜開封尹，景崇心不自安，諷鳳翔將吏求己領府事。 朝廷患之，拜景崇邠州留後，以趙暉為鳳翔節度使。 景崇乃叛，盡殺侯益家屬，與趙思綰共推李守貞為秦王，隱帝即以趙暉討之。 景崇西招蜀人為助，蜀兵至寶雞，為暉將藥元福、李彥從所敗。 暉攻鳳翔，塹而圍之，數以精兵挑戰，景崇不出。 暉乃令千人潛之城南一舍，偽為蜀兵旗幟，循南山而下，聲言蜀救兵至矣，須臾塵起，景崇以為然，乃令數千人潰圍而出以為應。 暉設伏以待之，景崇兵大敗，由是不敢復出。
Yi reached the capital while Emperor Yin had only just taken the throne. Shi Hongzhao, Yang Bin, and their faction were in control. Yi bribed Bin heavily and secretly maneuvered to entrap Jingchong. Soon afterward Yi was made metropolitan prefect of Kaifeng. Uneasy at heart, Jingchong urged the Fengxiang commanders to petition that he be put in charge of the prefecture. The court, alarmed, named Jingchong acting governor of Binzhou and made Zhao Hui military governor of Fengxiang. Jingchong rose in rebellion, slaughtered every member of Hou Yi's household, and with Zhao Siwan proclaimed Li Shouzhen King of Qin. Emperor Yin at once dispatched Zhao Hui against them. Jingchong called in Shu allies from the west. Shu forces reached Baoji but were beaten by Hui's generals Yao Yuanfu and Li Yancong. Hui invested Fengxiang, threw up entrenchments, and laid siege. Again and again he sent elite troops to provoke a fight, but Jingchong refused to sally forth. Hui hid a thousand men a mile south of the city, flying Shu banners as they came down from the Southern Mountains, shouting that Shu relief was at hand. When dust billowed up, Jingchong took it for truth and sent several thousand men to burst through the siege in answer. Hui had laid an ambush. Jingchong's force was shattered, and afterward he never dared venture out again.
5
明年，守貞、思綰相次皆敗，景崇客周璨謂景崇曰：「公能守此者，以有河中、京兆也。 今皆敗矣，何所恃乎？ 不如降也。」 景崇曰：「誠累君等，然事急矣，吾欲為萬有一得之計可乎？ 吾聞趙暉精兵皆在城北，今使公孫輦等燒城東門偽降，吾以牙兵擊其城北兵，脫使不成而死，猶勝於束手屯。」 璨等皆然之。 遲明，輦燒東門將降，而府中火起，景崇自焚矣，輦乃降暉。
The following year Shouzhen and Siwan fell one after another. Jingchong's adviser Zhou Can said to him: "You have held out here only because Hezhong and Jingzhao stood behind you. They are gone now—what do you have left to lean on? You had better surrender. Jingchong said: "I have truly burdened you, but we are pressed hard. May I attempt one desperate stroke? I hear that Hui's best troops are all north of the wall. Let Gongsun Nian burn the east gate and pretend to surrender, while I hit the northern force with my household guard. If we fail and die, we still do better than waiting here to be taken." Can and the rest all assented. At dawn Nian set fire to the east gate and prepared to capitulate, but flames rose in the commandery. Jingchong burned himself alive, and Nian surrendered to Hui.
6
趙思綰
Zhao Siwan
7
高祖遣使者召思綰等，是時侯益來朝，思綰以兵從益東歸。 思綰謂其下常彥卿曰：「趙公已入人手，吾屬至，並死矣，奈何？」 彥卿曰：「事至而變，勿預言也。」 益行至永興，永興副使安友規出迎益，飲於郊亭，思綰前曰：「兵館城東，然將士家屬皆居城中，願縱兵入城挈其家屬。」 益信之以為然。 思綰與部下入城，有州校坐於城門，思綰毆之，奪其佩刀斬之，並斬門者十餘人，遂閉門劫庫兵以叛。
Gaozu sent envoys to summon Siwan and his men. Hou Yi was then on his way to court, and Siwan marched east with him. Siwan told his officer Chang Yanqing: "Lord Zhao is already a prisoner. When we reach the capital we shall all die together. What can we do? Yanqing replied: "Wait until the moment comes—we will change with it. Say nothing in advance." At Yongxing the vice commissioner An Yougui met Yi and entertained him at the suburban pavilion. Siwan came forward and said: "Our men are camped east of the wall, but every officer and soldier has kin inside the city. Let the troops enter and fetch their families." Yi believed him and agreed. Siwan marched into the city with his men. A garrison officer sat at the gate; Siwan struck him down, took his sword, and cut him off, then slew more than ten gatekeepers. He shut the gates, seized the arsenal troops, and rose in rebellion.
8
高祖遣郭從義、王峻討之，經年莫能下，而王景崇亦叛，與思綰俱送款於李守貞，守貞以思綰為晉昌軍節度使。 隱帝遣郭威西督諸將兵，先圍守貞於河中。 居數月，思綰城中食盡，殺人而食，每犒宴，殺人數百，庖宰一如羊豕。 思綰取其膽以酒吞之，語其下曰：「食膽至千，則勇無敵矣！」 思綰計窮，募人為地道，將走蜀，其判官陳讓能謂思綰曰：「公比於國無嫌，但懼死而為此爾！ 今國家用兵三方，勞敝不已，誠能翻然效順，率先自歸，以功補過，庶幾有生； 若坐守窮城，待死而已。」 思綰然之，乃遣教練使劉珪詣從義乞降，而遣其將劉筠奉表朝廷。 拜思綰鎮國軍留後，趣使就鎮，思綰遲留不行。 蜀陰遣人招思綰，思綰將奔蜀，而從義亦疑之，乃遣人白郭威，威命從義圖之。 從義因入城召思綰，趣之上道，至則擒之。 思綰問曰：「何以用刑？」 告者曰：「立釘也。」 思綰厲聲曰：「為吾告郭公，吾死未足塞責，然釘磔之醜，壯夫所恥，幸少假之。」 從義許之，父子俱斬於市。
Gaozu sent Guo Congyi and Wang Jun against him, but a full year passed without the city falling. Wang Jingchong rebelled as well; he and Siwan both pledged themselves to Li Shouzhen, who appointed Siwan military governor of Jinchang. Emperor Yin dispatched Guo Wei west to direct the armies and first invested Shouzhen at Hezhong. After some months the city ran out of food. They killed men to eat them; at every feast of reward they butchered hundreds, and the cooks handled human flesh no differently than mutton or pork. Siwan drank men's gall bladders steeped in wine and told his followers: "Eat a thousand gall bladders and none can stand against you! At his wits' end, Siwan hired men to dig an escape tunnel toward Shu. His secretary Chen Rangneng said: "The court bears you no old grudge—you rebelled only because you feared death. The empire is fighting on three fronts and exhausted. If you turn back now, surrender first, and let service wipe out your crime, you may yet keep your life. If you sit in this doomed town, you will merely wait to die." Siwan assented. He sent drill instructor Liu Gui to Congyi to sue for peace and his general Liu Yun to lay a petition before the throne. The court named him acting governor of Zhenguo and ordered him to his post at once, but Siwan delayed and would not leave. Shu secretly wooed him, and Siwan was on the verge of fleeing west, but Congyi grew suspicious and reported to Guo Wei, who told him to lay a trap. Congyi entered the city, summoned Siwan, and pressed him to set out; as soon as he came, Congyi seized him. Siwan asked: "What manner of death awaits me? He was told: "Impalement." Siwan cried out: "Tell Lord Guo that death alone cannot pay my debt, but impalement and dismemberment are a shame no brave man can bear—grant me a cleaner end." Congyi agreed. Father and son were beheaded in the public square.
9
慕容彥超
Murong Yanchao
10
慕容彥超，吐谷渾部人，漢高祖同產弟也。 嘗冒姓閻氏，彥超黑色胡髯，號閻昆倉。 少事唐明宗為軍校，累遷刺史。 唐、晉之間，歷磁、單、濮、棣四州，坐濮州造麹受賕，法當死，漢高祖自太原上章論救，得減死，流於房州。 契丹滅晉，漢高祖起太原，彥超自流所逃歸漢，拜鎮寧軍節度使。 杜重威反於魏，高祖以天平軍節度使高行周為都部署以討之，以彥超為副。 彥超與行周謀議多不協，行周用兵持重，兵至城下，久之不進。 彥超欲速進戰，而行周不許。 行周有女嫁重威子，彥超揚言行周以女故，惜賊城而不攻，行周大怒。 高祖聞二人不相得，懼有佗變，由是遽親征。 彥超數以事淩辱行周，行周不能忍，見宰相涕泣，以屎塞口以自訴。 高祖知曲在彥超，遣人慰勞行周，召彥超責之，又遣詣行周謝過，行周意稍解。
Murong Yanchao came from the Tuyuhun people and was a uterine younger brother of Han Gaozu. He had once taken the surname Yan. Yanchao was swarthy, wore a full foreign beard, and was nicknamed Yan Kuncang. In youth he served Emperor Mingzong of Tang as a military officer and rose through several prefectural posts. Between the Tang and Jin dynasties he governed Ci, Shan, Pu, and Di in turn. At Pu he was convicted of illicit brewing and taking bribes, crimes punishable by death. Gaozu, then at Taiyuan, memorialized the throne on his behalf and won a commuted sentence of exile to Fangzhou. When the Khitan overthrew Jin, Gaozu raised his banner at Taiyuan. Yanchao escaped exile and rejoined Han, receiving appointment as military governor of Zhenning. When Du Chongwei rebelled at Wei, Gaozu named Gao Xingzhou of Tianping overall commander against him and made Yanchao his deputy. Yanchao and Xingzhou quarreled constantly in council. Xingzhou fought with caution; his army sat beneath the walls for a long while without attacking. Yanchao wanted a swift assault, but Xingzhou refused. Xingzhou's daughter was married to Chongwei's son. Yanchao openly claimed that Xingzhou spared the rebel city for his daughter's sake. Xingzhou was furious. Gaozu, hearing that the two commanders were at odds, feared some fresh disaster and marched out in person at once. Yanchao heaped repeated insults on Xingzhou until Xingzhou could endure no more. He went before the chief ministers in tears, stuffed his mouth with excrement, and thus pleaded his case. Gaozu knew Yanchao was in the wrong. He sent envoys to console Xingzhou, summoned Yanchao and rebuked him, and ordered him to apologize to Xingzhou. Xingzhou's anger cooled a little.
11
是時，漢兵頓魏城下已久，重威守益堅，諸將皆知未可圖，方伺其隙，而彥超獨言可速攻，高祖以為然，因自督士卒急攻，死傷者萬餘人，由是不敢復言攻。 後重威出降，高祖以行周為天雄軍節度使，行周辭不敢受，高祖遣蘇逢吉諭之曰：「吾當為爾徙彥超。」 行周乃受，而彥超徙鎮泰寧。
By then the Han army had sat before Wei for a long season while Chongwei's defense hardened. Every general knew the city was not yet ripe, yet Yanchao alone insisted on a quick assault. Gaozu agreed and personally drove a furious attack. More than ten thousand men fell, and afterward no one dared urge another assault. When Chongwei finally surrendered, Gaozu offered Xingzhou the Tianxiong command. Xingzhou refused. Gaozu sent Su Fengji to tell him: "I will move Yanchao elsewhere for you. Xingzhou then accepted the post, and Yanchao was transferred to Taining.
12
隱帝已殺史弘肇等，又遣人之魏殺周太祖及王峻等，懼事不果，召諸將入衛京師。 使者至兗，彥超方食，釋匕箸而就道。 周兵犯京師，開封尹侯益謂隱帝曰：「北兵之來，其家屬皆在京師，宜閉門以挫其銳，遣其妻子登陴以招北兵，可使解甲。」 彥超誚益曰：「益老矣！ 此懦夫之計也。」 隱帝乃遣彥超副益，將兵於北郊。 周兵至，益夜叛降於周。 彥超力戰於七里，隱帝出勞軍，太后使人告彥超善衛帝，彥超大言報曰：「北兵何能為？ 當於陣上喝坐使歸營。」 又謂隱帝曰：「官家宮中無事，明日可出觀臣戰。」 明日隱帝復出勞軍，彥超戰敗奔兗州，隱帝遇弒於北郊。
Emperor Yin had already killed Shi Hongzhao and his faction and sent assassins to Wei to kill Zhou Taizu and Wang Jun. When the plot seemed likely to fail, he summoned his generals to defend the capital. The messenger reached Yan while Yanchao was still at table. He dropped spoon and chopsticks and set out at once. As Zhou forces approached the capital, metropolitan prefect Hou Yi told Emperor Yin: "The northerners are marching south, but their families are all here. Shut the gates to blunt their ardor and parade their wives and children on the ramparts to call them home—they will disarm. Yanchao jeered at Yi: "The old man has lost his nerve! That is a coward's counsel." The emperor then sent Yanchao to serve under Yi and take the field north of the city. When the Zhou army arrived, Yi defected under cover of night and surrendered to Zhou. Yanchao fought hard at Qili. Emperor Yin came out to review the troops. The empress dowager sent word urging Yanchao to guard the emperor closely. He answered in a booming voice: "What can those northerners do? I will shout them down on the field and send them back to camp. He told the emperor: "All is quiet within the palace. Come out tomorrow and watch me fight." The next day the emperor came out again to encourage the army. Yanchao was beaten and fled to Yan, while Emperor Yin was murdered in the northern suburbs.
13
周太祖入立，彥超不自安，數有所獻，太祖報以玉帶，又賜詔書安慰之，呼彥超為弟而不名，又遣翰林學士魯崇諒往慰諭之，彥超心益疑懼。 已而劉旻自立於太原，出兵攻晉、絳，太祖遣王峻用兵西方，彥超乘間亦謀反，遣押衙鄭麟至京師求入朝，太祖知其詐，手詔許之。 彥超復稱管內多盜而止，又為高行周所與書以進，其辭皆指斥周過失，若欲共反者。 太祖驗其印文偽，以書示行周。 彥超又遣人南結李，為出兵攻沐陽，為周兵所敗，而劉旻攻晉、絳不克，解去。 太祖乃遣侍衛步軍指揮使曹英、客省使向訓討之，彥超閉城自守。
After Zhou Taizu took the throne, Yanchao grew uneasy and sent repeated gifts. Taizu answered with a jade belt and a comforting edict, called him "younger brother" without naming him, and sent Hanlin academician Lu Chongliang to reassure him—yet Yanchao only grew more fearful. Soon Liu Min proclaimed himself at Taiyuan and marched on Jin and Jiang. Taizu sent Wang Jun west while Yanchao seized the moment to plot rebellion. He dispatched escort officer Zheng Lin to ask leave to come to court; Taizu saw through the ruse and wrote back his assent in his own hand. Yanchao then pleaded banditry in his circuit and stayed put. He also forged a letter in Gao Xingzhou's name and sent it up, its language denouncing Zhou's misrule as though inviting joint rebellion. Taizu found the seal a forgery and showed the letter to Xingzhou. Yanchao also sent envoys south to ally with Li, who marched on Muyang but was beaten by Zhou troops. Liu Min failed against Jin and Jiang as well and withdrew. Taizu then sent Palace Guard infantry commander Cao Ying and guest-reception commissioner Xiang Xun against him. Yanchao shut the gates and held out.
14
初，彥超之反也，判官崔周度諫曰：「魯，詩書之國也，自伯禽以來未有能霸者，然以禮義守之而長世者多矣。 今公英武，一代之豪傑也，若量力相時而動，可以保富貴終身。 李河中、安襄陽、鎮陽杜令公，近歲之龜鑒也。」 彥超大怒，未有以害之。 已而見圍，因大括城中民貲以犒軍，前陜州司馬閻弘魯懼其鞭撲，乃悉家貲以獻。 彥超以為未盡，又欲並罪周度，乃令周度監括弘魯家。 周度謂弘魯曰：「公命之死生，系財之多少，願無隱也。」 弘魯遣家僮與周度屬刂掘搜索無所得。 彥超又遣鄭麟持刃迫之，弘魯惶恐拜其妻妾，妻妾皆言無所隱。 周度入白彥超，彥超不信，下弘魯及周度於獄。 弘魯乳母於泥中得金纏臂獻彥超，欲贖出弘魯，彥超大怒，遣軍校笞弘魯夫婦肉爛而死，遂斬周度於市。
When Yanchao first rebelled, his secretary Cui Zhoudu warned him: "Lu is the home of the classics. Since Duke Boqin no one has made himself hegemon there, yet many lords who kept to ritual and righteousness ruled long. You are a hero of your generation. If you weigh your strength and move with the times, you may keep wealth and rank for life. Li at Hezhong, An at Xiangyang, and Duke Du at Zhenyang are the warnings of our own day. Yanchao flew into a rage but as yet had no pretext to harm him. When the siege closed in, he extorted the city's wealth to pay his troops. Former Shanzhou vice prefect Yan Honglu, dreading the whip, surrendered his entire estate. Yanchao thought the sum insufficient and wished to punish Zhoudu as well, so he set Zhoudu to oversee the search of Honglu's house. Zhoudu told Honglu: "Your life hangs on how much wealth you reveal—hide nothing. Honglu sent his servants to dig with Zhoudu through every corner of the house, but nothing turned up. Yanchao sent Zheng Lin with a drawn sword to threaten him. Honglu fell before his wife and concubines in terror; they too swore that nothing remained hidden. Zhoudu reported back, but Yanchao refused to believe him and threw both Honglu and Zhoudu into prison. Honglu's nurse found a gold armlet in the mud and offered it to ransom him. Yanchao was enraged, ordered soldiers to flog Honglu and his wife until their flesh was pulp and they died, then beheaded Zhoudu in the marketplace.
15
是歲，鎮星犯角、亢，占曰：「角、亢，鄭分，兗州當焉。」 彥超即率軍府將吏步出西門三十里致祭，迎於開元寺，塑像以事之，日常一至，又使民家立黃幡以禳之。
That year Saturn crossed Jiao and Kang. The omen read: "Jiao and Kang belong to the domain of Zheng—Yanzhou lies under them. Yanchao led his officers on foot thirty li beyond the west gate to sacrifice, installed the spirit at Kaiyuan Temple with a statue and daily worship, and ordered households to raise yellow banners against the omen.
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彥超為人多智詐而好聚斂，在鎮嘗置庫質錢，有奸民為偽銀以質者，主吏久之乃覺。 彥超陰教主吏夜穴庫垣，盡徙其金帛於佗所而以盜告。 彥超即榜於市，使民自占所質以償之，民皆爭以所質物自言，已而得質偽銀者，置之深室，使教十餘人日夜為之，皆鐵為質而包雙銀，號「鐵胎銀」。 其被圍也，勉其城守者曰：「吾有銀數千鋌，當悉以賜汝。」 軍士私相謂曰：「此鐵胎爾，復何用哉！」 皆不為之用。 明年五月，太祖親征，城破，彥超夫妻皆投井死，其子繼勛率其徒五百人出奔被擒，遂滅其族。 兗州平，太祖詔贈閻弘魯左驍衛大將軍、崔周度秘書監。
Yanchao was cunning, deceitful, and greedy for wealth. In his prefecture he ran a pawn house; rascals pawned counterfeit silver before the clerk caught on. Yanchao secretly told the clerk to break through the treasury wall by night, move all gold and silk elsewhere, and report a robbery. He posted a public notice requiring everyone to declare what they had pawned so he could repay them. People rushed forward with their claims. Those who had pawned the false silver he locked in a back room and made them teach a dozen men to forge it day and night—iron cores plated with silver on both sides, called "iron-core silver." Under siege he encouraged the defenders: "I have thousands of silver ingots and will give them all to you. The soldiers whispered among themselves: "That's iron-core silver—what good is it!" None of them would fight for it. The following May Taizu took the field in person. The city fell. Yanchao and his wife drowned themselves in a well. His son Ji Xun fled with five hundred followers but was captured, and the entire clan was destroyed. After Yanzhou was pacified, Taizu posthumously enfeoffed Yan Honglu as general of the Left Brave Guard and Cui Zhoudu as director of the Secretariat.