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卷一百九十六 列傳第八十三: 忠義四

Volume 196 Biographies 83: Loyal and Righteous Acts 4

Chapter 196 of 元史 · History of Yuan
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Chapter 196
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1
調 西 西使 使 西 使
Puyan Buhua, whose style name was Xigu, was a Mongol. Free-spirited and ambitious, he aimed high from the start. In 1345, as a student of the National University he took first place on the right-board jinshi examination. He was appointed Hanlin reviser and transferred to vice director in the Henan Branch Secretariat. In 1351 he was transferred to director of the left and right secretariat bureaus in the Jiangxi Branch Secretariat. When Xu Shouhui of Qihuang invaded, Puyan Buhua bore the brunt of the fighting and defense; the full account appears in the 《Biography of Daotong》. In 1356 he was appointed vice surveillance commissioner of Jiangxi. Soon after he was recalled and appointed darughachi of Yidu Circuit, then promoted to surveillance commissioner of Shandong and finally transferred to associate administration councilor of the Central Secretariat. In 1358 he was ordered, together with Supervising Secretary Li Guofeng, to oversee military affairs in Jiangnan. Upon reaching Jianning, he found that Chen Youliang of Jiangxi had sent Deng Keming to attack, while Chief Councillors Aru Wensha and the rest had all fled under cover of night. Li Guofeng was then holding Yanping separately; when that city fell he fled as well. Puyan Buhua said, "I came here on imperial commission. Where would I go if I left? I swear to live and die with this city." He ordered barbicans built at every gate and held the enemy off for sixty-four days in all, then inflicted a crushing defeat on the rebel army. The following year he was recalled and appointed pacification commissioner of Shandong, then transferred again to privy council vice director and chief councillor of the Shandong Branch Secretariat, with responsibility for defending Yidu. When Ming forces pressed the frontier, Puyan Buhua held the city and fought with all his strength. When the city fell, Chief Councillor Baobao went out and surrendered. Puyan Buhua went home and told his mother, "A man cannot fulfill both loyalty and filial piety at once. I have two younger brothers who should see to your care in old age." He bowed to his mother, hurried to the government compound, and took his seat in the main hall. The commander had long heard of his worth and summoned him repeatedly, but he would not go. Before long they bound him and brought him forward. Puyan Buhua said, "I am a Yuan jinshi who rose to the highest rank. A minister serves his own lord." He would not yield and was put to death.
2
Earlier, his wife Aru Zhen had summoned the household one by one and said, "My husband has received the state's grace, and I too was enfeoffed as Lady of Qi. Now that matters have come to this, there is nothing left but death." The whole household sighed and wept. Before long the wives of Puyan Buhua's two younger brothers, each clutching an infant son, together with maidservants and concubines, drowned themselves in the south well of the residence. When Aru Zhen was about to follow, the well was already choked full and could hold no more, so she clasped her son and threw herself into the north well of the residence. His daughter, the daughters of concubines, and granddaughters all drowned as well.
3
At this time there was Shen Rong, chief councillor of the Shandong Branch Secretariat, defending Dongchang. When Rong saw that the neighboring prefectures had all surrendered, he told his father, "In this life, if a man cannot fulfill both loyalty and filial piety, that man is his son." His father asked, "What do you mean?" Rong said, "The garrison is too small to match the enemy. If we fight, ten thousand lives will be ruined because of me. I have only one death with which to repay the state." He then hanged himself.
4
Min Ben, whose style name was Zongxian, was from Henei. Upright, forthright, and quick-witted by nature, he devoted himself zealously to learning. In his early years he was selected as a clerk in the Ministry of Rites. Censor-in-chief Buhua admired his talent and recruited him as an aide; he reversed wrongful convictions and won wide renown. He was promoted to registrar of the Censorate. Before long he was transferred to director of the Privy Council, appointed investigating censor, then director of the left secretariat bureau of the Central Secretariat. After five promotions he became Minister of Personnel and later moved to the Ministries of Justice and Revenue, earning praise for his ability at every step. Ben had always been poor and also suffered from an eye ailment. He once submitted a memorial asking to retire, but permission was denied; instead he was appointed attendant academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies. When Ming forces pressed close to the capital, Ben said to his wife Lady Cheng, "The affairs of state have come to this—I have known it would for a long time. I am ashamed that I could not achieve anything to repay the debt—how dare I cherish this body and cling to life!" Lady Cheng said, "If you can die in loyalty, do I still have any attachment to life!" Ben then put on court dress, and together with Lady Cheng bowed twice facing north. He wrote in large characters on the wall: "Min Ben, Yuan recipient of the rank of Supporter of the Court and attendant academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies, is dead." They then each hanged themselves. His two daughters—the elder Zhenzhen and the younger Nünu—seeing him dead, cried out to heaven and wept, and hanged themselves beside him as well.
5
西使' ' 祿
There was one Baizhu, a Kangli, whose style name was Wenshan. Through his talent he rose by stages to director of the Hanlin National History Academy and served as tutor to the crown prince. When the army arrived, Baizhu said to his household, "My founding ancestor Hailanbo, enfeoffed as Duke of Hedong, had served the First Emperor together with Wang Khan. When the First Emperor defeated Wang Khan and gathered the tribes, my ancestor led several dozen horsemen and galloped off to the northwest. The First Emperor sent men in pursuit to question him. He said, 'In former days I served the Emperor together with Wang Khan. Wang Khan is now destroyed. If I wished to avenge him, the Emperor holds Heaven's mandate; if I wished to turn and serve the Emperor, my heart could not bear it. Therefore I withdrew to a distant land to end my days there. These were my ancestor's words. Moreover, my ancestor was born on the northern steppe, yet even his words were such as this. I was raised in the Central Plains and studied at the National University—how can I not know what duty requires! Moreover, my forebears received the state's deep grace, and I too have drawn salary from it. Now that the state is broken, how can I still bear to witness it! Better to die than to live on in degradation." He then threw himself into a well and died. His household buried him east of the residence and burned all his books as funerary offerings.
6
使 調
Zhao Hongyi, whose style name was Renqing, was from Jizhou in Zhending. From youth he loved learning. His family was poor and owned no books, so he hired himself out to a wealthy household, working by day and borrowing books to read by night. Someone who admired his resolve had him oversee affairs without being put to menial labor. He once studied the classics under Wu Cheng of Linchuan. He was first recruited as a Hanlin scribe, then transferred to compiler of the National History Academy and reassigned as director of the Grand Music Office. When Ming forces entered the capital, Hongyi sighed and said: "A loyal minister does not serve two lords; a chaste woman does not take two husbands—so the ancients said. Today I lack the strength to save the altars of state. I have only one death with which to repay it." He and his wife Lady Xie then both hanged themselves.
7
輿祿
His son Gong, a registry clerk of the Central Secretariat, took leave of his wife and children and said, "Now the imperial carriage flees north. My father and I have drawn salary yet could not render even the slightest service. My parents are already dead—how dare I still cling to life!" Someone tried to stop him, saying, "Our offices are low—why torment yourself like this." Gong rebuked him: "You are not of my company. In antiquity, men of loyalty and righteousness each gave what their hearts required—did they ask whether their office was high or low!" He then put on official dress, bowed twice facing north, and hanged himself as well.
8
便
Gong's daughter Guannu, seventeen years old, was weeping bitterly over his body when several neighboring old women came and urged her to flee with them. She said, "I am not yet married—where would I flee?" She would not listen. When the old women tried to pull her away by force, she said, "In human life, even at a hundred years one must still die once." She then slipped into the central hall, untied her sash, and hanged herself.
9
使 使 使 使
Zheng Yu, whose style name was Zimei, was from She County in Huizhou. From childhood he was quick and fond of learning. When grown, he pondered deeply the Six Classics and was especially accomplished in the 《Spring and Autumn Annals》. He set aside all thought of office and devoted himself to teaching. So many scholars and disciples came to study with him that his dwelling could no longer hold them all. The scholars together built the Shishan Academy on that site to house them. Yu's essays avoided elaborate polish. When they circulated in the capital, Jie Xisi and Ouyang Xuan both praised them highly. In 1354 the court appointed Yu Hanlin attendant compiler and Gentleman for Discussion, sent envoys bearing imperial wine and famous silks, and summoned him by sea. Yu pleaded illness and did not go, but submitted a memorial saying, "Titles and offices are what the ancestors bequeathed to Your Majesty to share with worthy men throughout the realm. Your Majesty may not bestow them privately. As for the post of attendant compiler, I lack the talent for it and dare not accept it. Wine and silks are what the realm offers Your Majesty, and Your Majesty may give them privately to others. As for wine and silks, I dare not decline." Since Yu would not take office, he remained at home and devoted his days to writing. Among his works was the 《Collected Commentary on the Book of Changes》. In 1357, when Ming forces entered Huizhou, the defending commander was about to hand him over. Yu said, "Would I serve two dynasties!" He was therefore imprisoned. After a long while, relatives and friends brought food and drink to visit him. He received them at ease and made merry, and told them he would certainly die. When his wife heard this, she sent word: "If you are to die, I shall follow you beneath the earth." Yu sent back word: "If you truly follow me in death, I shall have no regret." The next day he put on cap and robes, bowed twice facing north, and hanged himself.
10
Huang Fu, whose style name was Yinshi, was from Jinxi in Fuzhou. Broadly learned and versed in the classics, skilled in prose, and especially accomplished in poetry. In 1357, on the recommendation of Left Chancellor Taiping, he was appointed registrar of the Huainan Branch Secretariat. Before he took up the post he was appointed assistant instructor of the National University, then erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, then erudite of the National University, promoted to supervisor, and elevated to Hanlin attendant compiler and concurrently compiler of the National History Academy. In 1368, when the capital had fallen, Fu sighed and said, "I rose through Confucian learning and received the state's grace again and again. I was teacher to the crown prince's sons and spoke for the forbidden grove. Even if I am not put to death, with what face could I meet the scholars of the realm!" He then threw himself into a well and died, aged sixty-one. His poetry and prose have been handed down to posterity.
11
Baitie Muer, whose style name was Junshou, was a Mongol. Nothing is known of his family's background or career. Wherever he held office, he was renowned for integrity and ability. During the Zhizheng reign he was promoted by stages to director of the left and right secretariat bureaus in the Fujian Branch Secretariat. The branch secretariat was administered from Fuzhou. In 1367 Ming cavalry marched out through Shan Pass and took Shaowu, while a naval force advanced along the coast toward Fujian and arrived suddenly beneath the city walls. Baitie Muer knew the city could not be held. He brought his wives and concubines upstairs and said with feeling, "A man dies for his state; a woman dies for her husband—that is righteousness. Now the city is about to fall. I shall certainly die here—will you follow me?" They all wept and said, "We ask only to die—nothing else." Six of them hanged themselves and died.
12
紿
He had a ten-year-old daughter. Judging that she could not take her own life, he deceived her, saying, "Kowtow and worship the Buddha—that may keep me safe." The moment she bowed, he seized a rice sack and pressed her to death with it. The wet nurse held his infant son and stood weeping nearby. Baitie Muer looked at them intently and sighed, saying, "The father dies for the state; the mother dies for her husband. Concubines and daughters follow the father—all ought to die. As for your three-year-old son—by righteousness, whom should he follow? For the sake of the ancestral line, he may be spared." He then ordered the nurse to take the child and hide in a nearby commoner's house, gathered gold and pearls, and gave them to her, saying, "If trouble comes, use these to ransom the boy's life." Before long the army entered the city. He lit a lamp and set himself ablaze; flames burst from the windows on every side, and he burned himself to death.
13
宿 使
Dielimishi, whose style name was Zichu, was a Hui Muslim. Stern and upright by nature, he served his mother with utmost filial devotion. At forty he still would not take office. When someone asked why, he said, "I cannot bear to leave my mother." Through years of service in the imperial guard, he was appointed Chongjiao of the Traveling Office of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs and promoted three times to darughachi of Zhangzhou Circuit. After three years in office he lived there in great contentment. At this time Chen Youding held all of Fujian, and the administration of its eight prefectures was entirely controlled by his own men. Officials appointed by the court could take no part in it. Once Ming forces had taken Fuzhou, Xinghua and Quanzhou both submitted. When someone told him, Dielimishi looked up to heaven and sighed, saying, "I am without talent, yet hold third rank—the state's grace is deep. How can I repay it! To repay the state's grace, there is only death." Before long a clerk ran in reporting that pacification envoys had arrived and asking permission to go out and welcome them. Dielimishi said calmly, "You go on ahead—I am about to go out myself." He then went to the hall of affairs, put on official dress, and bowed twice facing north. He took an axe and chopped at the seal inscription, then wrote in large characters on his name tablet: "Subject of the Great Yuan." He then took his seat upright, drew the sword at his belt, and stabbed himself in the throat. After death he still sat with the sword in his hand upon his knee, looking exactly as in life. The people of the prefecture gathered and wept in the courtyard, prepared his body for burial, and interred him outside the east gate.
14
西 祿
At this time there was also Huo Dubuding, a Hui Muslim and former jinshi who had risen by stages to associate surveillance commissioner of Guangdong; and there was Lü Fu, director of the left and right secretariat bureaus in the Jiangxi Branch Secretariat. Both were living in retirement in Fuzhou. Fu, by order of the branch secretariat, was acting as magistrate of Changle County. When Fuzhou fell, Huo Dubuding said, "We three brothers have all been jinshi and received the state's grace for forty years. Though we now hold no office, the great principle is at stake—how can we endure disgrace!" He tied a stone to his waist and threw himself into a well. Fu also said, "My family has drawn salary from the throne for generations. Though I now hold only an acting post, if I do not repay the state with my death, how can I face my ancestors beneath the earth." He took a rope and hanged himself. Huo Dubuding's elder brother Muruding had held office in Jiankang; and his brother Hairuding had held office in Xinzhou. Earlier, it is said, they too had all died in the state's calamity.
15
使
Pusaiyin Buhua, whose style name was Dezhong, was from the Sulianghetai people. He was powerfully built and skilled in horsemanship and archery. From the imperial guard he was appointed intendant of the Arsenal, then transferred to vice director of the Zizheng Court and promoted by stages to privy council vice director and Hanlin academician, soon elevated to Hanlin academician-in-ordinary. He was granted a tiger tally and concurrently made commander-in-chief over the military and civilian households of Hepu, Jeolla, and other districts, appointed Minister of Agriculture, sent out as right vice councillor of the Lingbei Branch Secretariat, and promoted to chief councillor. In 1364 the Gansu Branch Secretariat reported that Bolu Temur had falsely murdered the empress and the imperial grandson and sent someone to inform the court. Chief Councillor Yesudar immediately wished to sign a proclamation to the people. Pusaiyin Buhua objected, saying, "This is a grave matter—how can it be lightly believed, especially when there is no verified official document." In the end he did not sign the proclamation. Before long it proved to be a false rumor. When the crown prince pacified the army in Jining, Pusaiyin Buhua was appointed by imperial order Hanlin academician-in-ordinary, transferred to grand academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies, made commissioner of the Office of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs, and finally appointed chief councillor of the Central Secretariat. When Ming forces pressed the capital, Pusaiyin Buhua was ordered to hold Shuncheng Gate with troops—only several hundred weak and weary soldiers. He sighed and said to those beside him, "The affairs of state have come to this—I know only to live and die with this gate." When the city fell he was seized and brought before the commander. He asked only to die quickly and would not yield in the least. The commander ordered him kept in camp, but he never submitted and was put to death.
16
使
At this time there was Zhang Yong, whose style name was Cunzhong, from Wenzhou. Bold and generous by nature, he was skilled in the art of Great Unity Numbers. When the realm fell into disorder, he presented his plans to frontier commissioner Li Guofeng and was appointed by imperial order vice director of the Fujian Branch Secretariat, charged with training troops at Shan Pass. Before long he went to the capital on business and presented the 《Chart of Great Unity Numbers》. Emperor Shundi was pleased and promoted him to vice director of the Secretariat. The crown prince established the Great Pacification Army Bureau and ordered Yong to organize militia in Fangshan. He was transferred to associate director of the Directorate of Palace Buildings, then appointed Minister of Justice while still leading the militia organization. When the various stockades had surrendered, Yong held Luotuo Valley and sent his aide Duan Zhen to request aid from Köke Temür, but received no reply. Yong alone held firm and fought on. The other commanders broke and fled, but he had no thought of leaving. Before long the stockade resident Li Shijie seized Yong and brought him out to surrender. When he was brought before the commander, Yong would not submit and was killed together with Zhen.
17
使便 使
Ding Haoli, whose style name was Jingke, was from Li County in Zhending. Skilled in law and calculation, he first entered service in the Ministry of Revenue, was recruited as a Central Secretariat aide, and appointed director in that ministry. He was promoted to investigating censor of the Jiangnan Branch Censorate, returned to the Ministry of Revenue as vice director, appointed investigating censor again, then director and vice minister. He was appointed transport commissioner of the capital region, proposed establishing an office at Tongzhou, studied carefully the benefits and harms of canal transport, set them down as established regulations, and everyone found the system convenient. He was appointed Minister of Revenue. At a time when the state faced many troubles and finances were exhausted, Haoli curbed wasteful spending, and the state's expenditures relied on him to be met. He was appointed participant in the affairs of the Central Secretariat, transferred to supervising secretary, and sent out as left vice councillor of the Liaoyang Branch Secretariat, but before he departed was retained as privy council vice director. In 1360 he was appointed associate administration councilor of the Central Secretariat. At a time of great famine in the capital, on the Emperor's Birthday the court wished to hold a grand banquet by precedent. Haoli said, "Now fathers and sons among the people are eating one another. Ruler and ministers ought to examine themselves to quell this calamity; feasts should be scaled back below the usual level." His advice was not heeded. He requested to retire and was made grand academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies with permission to retire, receiving full salary while living at home. Köke Temür escorted the crown prince back to the capital and sent Shandong grain as gifts to court nobles. He presented Haoli with a hundred piculs of wheat, but Haoli refused it. In 1367 he was recalled as chief councillor of the Central Secretariat. Before long, because his views did not accord with others, he resigned and was specially enfeoffed as Duke of Zhao. When Ming forces entered the capital, some urged him to call on the commander. Haoli rebuked them, saying, "I rose from a petty clerk to the highest rank and was enfeoffed as a grand duke. Now I am old and regret that I have nothing with which to repay the state—all that remains is one death." Several days later the commander summoned Haoli. He refused to go and was carried to Qihua Gate, where he spoke defiantly without yielding and died, aged seventy-five.
18
西
That same day, Associate Administration Councilor Guo Yong was also carried to Qihua Gate. The crowd shouted at him to bow. Yong said, "A minister serves his own lord—death is my allotted portion. What bowing is there!" He spoke without yielding in the least and died. Yong, whose style name was Yunzhong, was a Mongol who entered office through the National University. He was promoted by stages to investigating censor of the Shaanxi Branch Censorate and, together with his colleagues, impeached Privy Council Director Yesan Temur for losing the army and was demoted to assistant magistrate of Zhongxing Superior Prefecture. Later Yesan Temur was dismissed for his crimes. Yong was recalled and appointed investigating censor, promoted by stages to participant in the Central Secretariat. His integrity and righteousness are spoken of together with Haoli's.
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