1
資治通鑑第059卷
Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 59.
2
【漢紀五十一】起著雍執徐，盡上章敦牂，凡三年。
【Han Records 51】 From the year Zhuyong Zhixu through Shangzhang Dunzang—three years in all.
3
春，正月，丁酉，赦天下。 二月，有星孛於紫宮，黃巾餘賊郭大等起於河西白波谷，寇太原、河東。
In spring, in the first month, on dingyou day, the emperor proclaimed a general amnesty. In the second month a comet appeared in the Purple Palace constellation, and remnant Yellow Turban rebels led by Guo Da rose in the White Wave Valley of Hexi and attacked Taiyuan and Hedong.
4
三月，屠各胡攻殺并州刺史張懿。
In the third month the Tuge Xiongnu attacked and killed Zhang Yi, inspector of Bing Province.
5
太常江夏劉焉見王室多故，建議以為：「四方兵寇，由刺史威輕，既不能禁，且用非其人，以致離叛。 宜改置牧伯，選清名重臣以居其任。」 焉內欲求交趾牧。 侍中廣漢董扶私謂焉曰：「京師將亂，益州分野有天子氣。」 焉乃更求益州。 會益州刺史郤儉賦斂煩擾，謠言遠聞，而耿鄙、張懿皆為盜所殺，朝廷遂從焉議，選列卿、尚書為州牧，各以本秩居任。 以焉為益州牧，太僕黃琬為豫州牧，宗正東海劉虞為幽州牧。 州任之重，自此而始。 焉，魯恭王之後； 虞，東海恭王之五世孫也。 虞嘗為幽州刺史，民夷懷其恩信，故用之。 董扶及太倉令趙韙皆棄官，隨焉入蜀。
Liu Yan of Jiangxia, grand minister of ceremonies, seeing how troubled the imperial house had become, proposed: "Rebellion on every side arises because provincial inspectors lack sufficient authority—they cannot suppress disorder, and unworthy men are appointed to office, which drives people to revolt. The offices should be changed to regional governorships, and men of sterling reputation and high rank should be chosen to hold them." Privately, Yan hoped to be named governor of Jiaozhi. The palace attendant Dong Fu of Guanghan told Yan in private: "The capital is heading for chaos, and the astral domain of Yizhou bears the aura of an emperor." Yan then asked for Yizhou instead. Just then the Yizhou inspector Xi Jian was taxing the people harshly, and word of his abuses spread widely; Geng Bi and Zhang Yi had also been killed by bandits. The court accepted Yan's plan and appointed chief ministers and imperial secretaries as regional governors, each serving at his existing rank. Liu Yan was named governor of Yizhou, Huang Wan grand coachman was named governor of Yuzhou, and Liu Yu of Donghai, director of the imperial clan, was named governor of Youzhou. From this point the governorships of the provinces took on their full weight of authority. Liu Yan was a descendant of King Gong of Lu; Liu Yu was a fifth-generation descendant of King Gong of Donghai. Yu had once been inspector of You Province, and both Han and non-Han peoples there cherished his kindness and integrity, which was why he was chosen. Dong Fu and Zhao Wei, director of the imperial granary, both resigned their posts and accompanied Yan into Shu.
6
詔發南匈奴兵配劉虞討張純，單于羌渠遣左賢王將騎詣幽州。 國人恐發兵無已，於是右部□盆落反，與屠各胡合，凡十餘萬人，攻殺羌渠。 國人立其子右賢王於扶羅為持至屍逐侯單于。
An edict ordered Southern Xiongnu forces sent to aid Liu Yu against Zhang Chun; Chanyu Qiangqu dispatched the Left Worthy King with cavalry to You Province. The Xiongnu feared endless levies of troops; chiefs of the right wing under Penluo then rebelled, joined the Tuge Xiongnu, and with more than a hundred thousand men attacked and killed Qiangqu. The Xiongnu enthroned his son, the Right Worthy King Yufoluo, as Chanyu Chizhi Shizhu.
7
夏，四月，太尉曹嵩罷。
In summer, in the fourth month, Grand Commandant Cao Song was removed from office.
8
五月，以永樂少府南陽樊陵為太尉； 六月，罷。
In the fifth month Fan Ling of Nanyang, junior chamberlain of Yongle, was appointed grand commandant; and in the sixth month he was dismissed.
9
益州賊馬相、趙祗等起兵綿竹，自號黃巾，殺刺史郤儉，進擊巴郡、犍為，旬月之間，破壞三郡，有眾數萬，相自稱天子。 州從事賈龍率吏民攻相等，數日破走，州界清靜。 龍乃選吏卒迎劉焉。 焉徙治綿竹，撫納離叛，務行寬惠，以收人心。
In Yizhou the rebels Ma Xiang, Zhao Di, and others rose at Mianzhu, called themselves Yellow Turbans, killed Inspector Xi Jian, and attacked Ba and Jianwei commanderies; within a month they had laid waste to three commanderies and gathered tens of thousands of followers, and Ma Xiang declared himself emperor. Provincial aide Jia Long led officials and people against Ma Xiang and his followers; within days he drove them off, and the province was quiet again. Jia Long then chose officials and troops to escort Liu Yan into the province. Liu Yan moved his seat to Mianzhu, reassured defectors, and pursued lenient and generous policies to win the people's loyalty.
10
郡國七大水。
Great floods struck seven commanderies and kingdoms.
11
故太傅陳蕃子逸與術士襄楷會於冀州刺史王芬坐，楷曰：「天文不利宦者，黃門、常侍真族滅矣。」 逸喜。 芬曰：「若然者，芬願驅除！」 因與豪傑轉相招合，上書言黑山賊攻劫郡縣，欲因以起兵。 會帝欲北巡河間舊宅，芬等謀以兵徼劫，誅諸常侍、黃門，因廢帝，立合肥侯，以其謀告議郎曹操。 操曰：「夫廢立之事，天下之至不祥也。 古人有權成敗、計輕重而行之者，伊、霍是也。 伊、霍皆懷至忠之誠，據宰輔之勢，因秉政之重，同眾人之欲，故能計從事立。 今諸君徒見曩者之易，未睹當今之難，而造作非常，慾望必克，不亦危乎！」 芬又呼平原華歆、陶丘洪共定計。 洪欲行，歆止之曰：「夫廢立大事，伊、霍之所難。 芬性疏而不武，此必無成。」 洪乃止。 會北方夜半有赤氣，東西竟天，太史上言：「北方有陰謀，不宜北行。」 帝乃止。 敕芬罷兵，俄而征之。 芬懼，解印綬亡走，至平原，自殺。
Chen Yi, son of the late Grand Tutor Chen Fan, met the occultist Xiang Kai at a gathering hosted by Ji Province inspector Wang Fen; Kai said, "The heavens are against the eunuchs—the Yellow Gates and Regular Attendants are doomed to extinction." Chen Yi was delighted. Wang Fen said, "If that is so, I am ready to drive them out!" He then recruited local leaders one after another, memorialized that Black Mountain bandits were raiding commanderies and counties, and planned to use that as a pretext to raise an army. When the emperor planned a northern tour to his old residence in Hejian, Fen and his allies plotted to ambush him with troops, kill the Regular Attendants and Yellow Gates, depose the emperor, and enthrone the Marquis of Hefei; they confided the plan to Consultant Cao Cao. Cao Cao said, "Deposing and enthroning rulers is the gravest ill omen in the realm. The ancients who acted only after weighing success against failure and judging what mattered most were men like Yi Yin and Huo Guang. Yi Yin and Huo Guang were utterly loyal, held the power of chief ministers, commanded the weight of government, and acted with the people's support—only then could their plans succeed. You see only how easy it seemed in the past and not how hard it is now, yet you attempt something unprecedented and expect certain success—is that not reckless!" Wang Fen then called in Hua Xin of Pingyuan and Taoqiu Hong to finalize the plan. Hong was ready to go, but Xin stopped him and said, "Deposing and enthroning rulers is a grave matter—even Yi Yin and Huo Guang found it hard. Wang Fen is careless by nature and no soldier—this cannot succeed." Hong stayed behind. At midnight a red vapor stretched across the northern sky from east to west; the grand astrologer reported, "There is a conspiracy in the north—the northern tour should not proceed." The emperor canceled the tour. He ordered Wang Fen to disband his forces, then soon afterward summoned him to the capital. Wang Fen, terrified, surrendered his seal and ribbon and fled; reaching Pingyuan, he took his own life.
12
秋，七月，以射聲校尉馬日磾為太尉。 日磾，融之族孫也。
In autumn, in the seventh month, Ma Midi, colonel of the archers who shoot at sound, was appointed grand commandant. Ma Midi was a collateral descendant of Ma Rong.
13
八月，初置西園八校尉，以小黃門蹇碩為上軍校尉，虎賁中郎將袁紹為中軍校尉，屯騎校尉鮑鴻為下軍校尉，議郎曹操為典軍校尉，趙融為助軍左校尉，馮芳為助軍右校尉，諫議大夫夏牟為左校尉，淳於瓊為右校尉； 皆統於蹇碩。 帝自黃巾之起，留心戎事； 碩壯健有武略，帝親任之，雖大將軍亦領屬焉。
In the eighth month the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden were established for the first time: the junior yellow gate Jian Shuo as colonel of the upper army, tiger-fierce gentlemen-commandant Yuan Shao as colonel of the central army, colonel of the wardens of the resolute cavalry Bao Hong as colonel of the lower army, consultant Cao Cao as colonel of the standard army, Zhao Rong as colonel of the left army of the assistant force, Feng Fang as colonel of the right army of the assistant force, grand master of remonstrance Xia Mou as colonel of the left army, and Chunyu Qiong as colonel of the right army; all were placed under Jian Shuo's command. Since the Yellow Turban rebellion the emperor had taken a keen interest in military affairs; Jian Shuo was strong and skilled in strategy; the emperor trusted him personally, and even the general-in-chief was placed under his authority.
14
九月，司徒許相罷； 以司空丁宮為司徒，光祿勳南陽劉弘為司空。
In the ninth month Grand Secretary Xu Xiang was removed from office; Minister of Works Ding Gong was made grand secretary, and Liu Hong of Nanyang, director of the imperial secretariat, was made minister of works.
15
以衛尉條侯董重為票騎將軍。 重，永樂太后兄子也。
Dong Chong, marquis of Tiao and commandant of the guards, was appointed general of fast cavalry. Dong Chong was a nephew of Empress Dowager Yongle's elder brother.
16
冬，十月，青、徐黃巾復起，寇郡縣。
In winter, in the tenth month, Yellow Turban forces in Qing and Xu provinces rose again and attacked commanderies and counties.
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望氣者以為京師當有大兵，兩宮流血。 帝欲厭之，乃大發四方兵，講武於平樂觀下，起大壇，上建十二重華蓋，高十丈。 壇東北為小壇，復建九重華蓋，高九丈。 列步騎數萬人，結營為陳。 甲子，帝親出臨軍，駐大華蓋下，大將軍進駐小華蓋下。 帝躬擐甲、介馬，稱「無上將軍」，行陳三匝而還，以兵授進。 帝問討虜校尉蓋勳曰：「吾講武如是，何如？」 對曰：「臣聞先王□翟德不觀兵。 今寇在遠而設近陳，不足以昭果毅，只黷武耳！」 帝曰：「善！ 恨見君晚，群臣初無是言也。」 勳謂袁紹曰：「上甚聰明，但蔽於左右耳。」 與紹謀共誅嬖倖，蹇碩懼，出勳為京兆尹。
Omen-readers believed the capital would see great warfare and bloodshed in both palaces. The emperor hoped to avert the omen, so he mobilized troops from all directions and held a grand military review below the Pingle Observatory, building a great altar topped with a twelve-tiered canopy ten zhang high. To the northeast of the main altar a smaller one was built, topped with a nine-tiered canopy nine zhang high. Tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry were drawn up in encampments forming a battle array. On jiazi day the emperor came in person to review the troops, taking his place beneath the great canopy while the general-in-chief took his place beneath the smaller one. The emperor himself donned armor and barded his horse, styled himself "Supreme General," rode three circuits through the formation, and then returned and transferred command of the troops to He Jin. The emperor asked Colonel Who Punishes the Barbarians Gai Xun, "My military display is like this—what do you think? He replied, "I have heard that the ancient kings who displayed their virtue did not review troops. The rebels are far away, yet you array troops nearby—this does not show resolve and courage; it only debases the use of arms!" The emperor said, "Well said! I only wish I had met you sooner—none of my ministers ever spoke to me this way before." Gai Xun told Yuan Shao, "The emperor is very intelligent, but he is blinded by those around him." He and Yuan Shao plotted to kill the emperor's favorites together; Jian Shuo, alarmed, had Gai Xun transferred out to serve as intendant of Jingzhao.
18
十一月，王國圍陳倉。 詔復拜皇甫嵩為左將軍，督前將軍董卓，合兵四萬人以拒之。
In the eleventh month Wang Guo besieged Chencang. An edict reappointed Huangfu Song as general of the left to command Forward General Dong Zhuo; together they fielded forty thousand men to oppose Wang Guo.
19
張純與丘力居鈔略青、徐、幽、冀四州； 詔騎都尉公孫瓚討之。 瓚與戰於屬國石門，純等大敗，棄妻子，逾塞走； 悉得所略男女。 瓚深入無繼，反為丘力居等所圍於遼西管子城，二百餘日，糧盡眾潰，士卒死者什五六。
Zhang Chun and Qiu Liju raided Qing, Xu, You, and Ji provinces; and an edict ordered Commandant of Cavalry Gongsun Zan to campaign against them. Gongsun Zan fought them at Shimen in the dependent state; Zhang Chun and his allies were routed, abandoned their families, and fled across the frontier; recovering all the men and women they had seized. Gongsun Zan pressed deep into enemy territory without support and was surrounded by Qiu Liju and others at Guanzicheng in Liaoxi; after more than two hundred days his provisions ran out and his army collapsed, and five or six tenths of his soldiers perished.
20
董卓謂皇甫嵩曰：「陳倉危急，請速救之。」 嵩曰：「不然。 百戰百勝，不如不戰而屈人兵。 陳倉雖小，城守固備，未易可拔。 王國雖強，攻陳倉不下，其眾必疲，疲而擊之，全勝之道也，將何救焉！」 國攻陳倉八十餘日，不拔。
Dong Zhuo said to Huangfu Song, "Chencang is in grave danger—please rescue it at once." Huangfu Song said, "No. A hundred victories in a hundred battles are not as good as breaking the enemy's will to fight without fighting at all. Chencang is small, but its defenses are strong and well prepared—it will not fall easily. Wang Guo may be strong, but if he cannot take Chencang his men will wear themselves out; strike them when they are exhausted—that is the way to total victory. Why rush to the rescue!" Wang Guo besieged Chencang for more than eighty days without success.
21
春，二月，國眾疲敝，解圍去，皇甫嵩進兵擊之。 董卓曰：「不可。 兵法，窮寇勿迫，歸眾勿追。」 嵩曰：「不然。 前吾不擊，避其銳也； 今而擊之，待其衰也； 所擊疲師，非歸眾也； 國眾且走，莫有鬥志，以整擊亂，非窮寇也。」 遂獨進擊之，使卓為後拒，連戰，大破之，斬首萬餘級。 卓大慚恨，由是與嵩有隙。 韓遂等共廢王國，而劫故信都令漢陽閻忠使督統諸部。 忠病死，遂等稍爭權利，更相殺害，由是寢衰。
In spring, in the second month, Wang Guo's army was exhausted; he raised the siege and withdrew, and Huangfu Song advanced to attack. Dong Zhuo said, "You must not. The art of war says: do not press a cornered enemy, and do not pursue troops on their way home." Huangfu Song said, "No. Before I held back to avoid their peak strength; now I strike because I am waiting for their decline; what I am attacking is an exhausted army, not men marching home; Wang Guo's men are already on the run and have no will to fight; striking disorder with an orderly force is not pressing a cornered enemy." He then advanced alone to attack, had Dong Zhuo cover the rear, fought several engagements in succession, and routed the enemy completely, taking more than ten thousand heads. Dong Zhuo was deeply humiliated and resentful, and from this time bore a grudge against Huangfu Song. Han Sui and his allies jointly deposed Wang Guo and forced Yan Zhong of Hanyang, former magistrate of Xindu, to take command of the various divisions. Yan Zhong died of illness; Han Sui and the others then quarreled over power and killed one another, and from that point their movement steadily weakened.
22
幽州牧劉虞到部，遣使至鮮卑中，告以利害，責使送張舉、張純首，厚加購嘗。 丘力居等聞虞至，喜，各遣譯自歸。 舉、純走出塞，餘皆降散。 虞上罷諸屯兵，但留降虜校尉公孫瓚，將步騎萬人屯右北平。 三月，張純客王政殺純，送首詣虞。 公孫瓚志欲掃滅烏桓，而虞欲以恩信招降，由是與瓚有隙。
When You Province governor Liu Yu reached his post, he sent envoys among the Xianbei, explained the stakes to them, demanded the heads of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun, and offered generous rewards. When Qiu Liju and the others heard that Liu Yu had arrived, they were pleased and each sent envoys to submit voluntarily. Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun fled beyond the frontier; the rest surrendered and dispersed. Liu Yu memorialized to disband the various garrison forces, keeping only Colonel Who Subdues the Captives Gongsun Zan with ten thousand infantry and cavalry stationed at Right Beiping. In the third month Zhang Chun's retainer Wang Zheng killed him and sent his head to Liu Yu. Gongsun Zan was determined to exterminate the Wuhuan, while Liu Yu wished to win them over through kindness and trust; from this the two men fell out.
23
夏，四月，丙子朔，日有食之。
In summer, in the fourth month, on the first day, bingzi, there was a solar eclipse.
24
太尉馬日磾免； 遣使即拜幽州牧劉虞為太尉，封容丘侯。
Grand Commandant Ma Midi was removed from office; and an envoy was dispatched to appoint Liu Yu, Governor of You Province, Grand Commandant on the spot and enfeoff him as Marquis of Rongqiu.
25
蹇碩忌大將軍進，與諸常侍共說帝遣進西擊韓遂； 帝從之。 進陰知其謀，奏遣袁紹收徐、兗二州兵，須紹還而西，以稽行期。
Jian Shuo bore a grudge against Grand General He Jin and, together with the eunuch Regular Attendants, persuaded the emperor to send Jin west to campaign against Han Sui; and the emperor agreed. Jin secretly learned of the plot and memorialized that Yuan Shao be sent to gather troops from Xu and Yan provinces, so that he would not march west until Shao returned—thus delaying the date of departure.
26
初，帝數失皇子，何皇后生子辯，養於道人史子眇家，號曰「史侯」。 王美人生子協，董太后自養之，號曰「董侯」。 群臣請立太子。 帝以辯輕佻無威儀，欲立協，猶豫未決。 會疾篤，屬協於蹇碩。 丙辰，帝崩於嘉德殿。 碩時在內，欲先誅何進而立協，使人迎進，欲與計事； 進即駕往。 碩司馬潘隱與進早舊，迎而目之。 進驚，馳從儳道歸營，引兵入屯百郡邸，因稱疾不入。 戊午，皇子辯即皇帝位，年十四。 尊皇后曰皇太后。 太后臨朝。 赦天下，改元為光熹。 封皇弟協為渤海王。 協年九歲。 以後將軍袁隗為太傅，與大將軍何進參錄尚書事。
Earlier, the emperor had lost several imperial sons in succession. Empress He gave birth to a son, Bian, who was raised in the household of the Daoist Shi Zimiao and was known as the "Marquis of Shi." The Beautiful Lady Wang bore a son, Xie, whom Empress Dowager Dong raised herself; he was known as the "Marquis of Dong." The court officials petitioned to name a crown prince. The emperor regarded Bian as frivolous and lacking in dignified bearing and wished to make Xie heir, but he hesitated and could not decide. When his illness grew critical, he entrusted Xie to Jian Shuo. On bingchen day, the emperor died in Jiade Hall. Shuo was then inside the palace and wished first to kill He Jin and enthrone Xie; he sent someone to summon Jin, intending to discuss affairs with him; Jin at once set out in his carriage. Shuo's Major Pan Yin had been on friendly terms with Jin for years; he met him and signaled with his eyes. Alarmed, Jin galloped back to camp by a side passage, led troops to encamp at the Lodge of the Hundred Commanderies, and then pleaded illness and refused to enter the palace. On wuwu day, the imperial son Bian ascended the throne at the age of fourteen. The empress was honored as empress dowager. The empress dowager assumed regency over the court. A general amnesty was proclaimed, and the era name was changed to Guangxi. The emperor's younger brother Xie was enfeoffed as King of Bohai. Xie was nine years old. Rear General Yuan Wei was appointed Grand Tutor and, together with Grand General He Jin, was made to participate in the recording of Masters of Writing affairs.
27
進既秉朝政，忿蹇碩圖己，陰規誅之。 袁紹因進親客張津，勸進悉誅諸宦官。 進以袁氏累世貴寵，而紹與從弟虎賁中郎將術皆為豪桀所歸，信而用之。 復博征智謀之士何顒、荀攸及河南鄭泰等二十餘人，以顒為北軍中候，攸為黃門侍郎，泰為尚書，與同腹心。 攸，爽之從孫也。 蹇碩疑不自安，與中常侍趙忠、宋典等書曰：「大將軍兄弟秉國專朝，今與天下黨人謀誅先帝左右，掃滅我曹，但以碩典禁兵，故且沉吟。 今宜共閉上閣，急捕誅之。」 中常侍郭勝，進同郡人也，太后及進之貴幸，勝有力焉，故親信何氏； 與趙忠等議，不從碩計，而以其書示進。 庚午，進使黃門令收碩，誅之，因悉領其屯兵。
Now that Jin held power at court, he resented Jian Shuo's plot against him and secretly planned his execution. Through Jin's intimate client Zhang Jin, Yuan Shao urged Jin to execute all the palace eunuchs. Because the Yuan clan had enjoyed honor and favor for generations, and because both Shao and his cousin Yuan Shu, Colonel of the Rapid Tiger Guards, were men whom the bold and outstanding rallied to, Jin trusted and employed them. He also recruited broadly such men of counsel as He Yong, Xun You, and Zheng Tai of Henan—more than twenty in all—appointing Yong Commandant of the Northern Army, You Gentleman of the Yellow Gates, and Tai Master of Writing, and treating them as his trusted inner circle. You was a grandnephew of Xun Shuang. Uneasy with suspicion, Jian Shuo wrote to the Regular Attendants Zhao Zhong, Song Dian, and others: "The Grand General and his brothers monopolize state power at court. They are now plotting with partisans throughout the realm to kill those who stood close to the late emperor and wipe us out—but because Shuo commands the forbidden troops, they are still hesitating. We should now together shut the upper gate and urgently seize and kill them." The Regular Attendant Guo Sheng was a fellow townsman of Jin; he had done much to advance the empress dowager and Jin to favor, and so he was close to the He clan; he consulted with Zhao Zhong and the others, rejected Shuo's plan, and showed the letter to Jin instead. On gengwu day, Jin had the Bearer of the Yellow Gates seize Shuo and execute him, and thereby took command of all his encamped troops.
28
票騎將軍董重，與何進權勢相害，中官挾重以為黨助。 董太后每欲參干政事，何太后輒相禁塞，董後忿恚詈曰：「汝今□舟張，怙汝兄耶！ 吾敕票騎斷何進頭，如反手耳！」 何太后聞之，以告進。 五月，進與三公共奏：「孝仁皇后使故中常侍夏惲等交通州郡，辜較財利，悉入西省。 故事，蕃後不得留京師； 請遷宮本國。」 奏可。 辛巳，進舉兵圍票騎府，收董重，免官，自殺。 六月，辛亥，董後憂怖，暴崩。 民間由是不附何氏。
General of Fast Cavalry Dong Chong was at odds with He Jin in power, and the palace eunuchs relied on Chong as their partisan ally. Empress Dowager Dong often wished to meddle in government affairs, but Empress Dowager He always blocked her. Empress Dong, furious, cursed her: "You are insufferably arrogant now—are you relying on your brother! If I order the General of Fast Cavalry to cut off He Jin's head, it will be as easy as turning over my hand!" When Empress Dowager He heard this, she told Jin. In the fifth month, Jin and the Three Excellencies jointly memorialized: "Empress Xiaoren had the former Regular Attendant Xia Yun and others traffic with the provinces and commanderies, extort wealth, and funnel it all into the Western Bureau. By precedent, empresses dowager of a different clan may not remain in the capital; we request that she be moved back to her native fief." The memorial was approved. On xinsi day, Jin raised troops and besieged the mansion of the General of Fast Cavalry, seized Dong Chong, stripped him of office, and Chong killed himself. In the sixth month, on xinhai day, Empress Dowager Dong, gripped by fear and dread, died suddenly. From this the common people ceased to rally to the He clan.
29
辛酉，葬孝靈皇帝於文陵。 何進懲蹇碩之謀，稱疾，不入陪喪，又不送山陵。
On xinyou day, Emperor Ling was buried at Wenling. Mindful of Jian Shuo's plot, He Jin pleaded illness, did not attend the mourning rites, and did not escort the imperial tomb to the hills.
30
大水。
There were severe floods.
31
秋，七月，徙渤海王協為陳留王。
In autumn, in the seventh month, King Xie of Bohai was demoted to King of Chenliu.
32
司徒丁宮罷。
Minister over the Masses Ding Gong was dismissed from office.
33
袁紹復說何進曰：「前竇武欲誅內寵而反為所害者，但坐言語漏洩； 五營兵士皆畏服中人，而竇氏反用之，自取禍滅。 今將軍兄弟並領勁兵，部曲將吏皆英俊名士，樂盡力命，事在掌握，此天贊之時也。 將軍宜一為天下除患，以垂名後世，不可失也！」 進乃白太后，請盡罷中常侍以下，以三署郎補其處。 太后不聽，曰：「中官統領禁省，自古及今，漢家故事，不可廢也。 且先帝新棄天下，我奈何楚楚與士人共對事乎！」 進難違太后意，且欲誅其放縱者。 紹以為中官親近至尊，出納號令，今不悉廢，後必為患。 而太后母舞陽君及何苗數受諸宦官賂遣，知進欲誅之。 數白太后為其障蔽； 又言：「大將軍專殺左右，擅權以弱社稷。」 太后疑以為然。 進新貴，素敬憚中官，雖外慕大名而內不能斷，故事久不決。
Yuan Shao again urged He Jin: "When Dou Wu wished to execute the inner favorites but was instead destroyed by them, it was solely because word leaked out; the soldiers of the Five Camps all feared and submitted to the inner attendants, yet the Dou clan employed them anyway and brought ruin on themselves. Now you and your brothers command crack troops together; the officers on your staffs are all outstanding scholars and gentlemen eager to give their utmost; the matter is in your hands—this is a moment Heaven itself favors. You ought at once to remove this scourge for the realm and leave your name to posterity—you must not let this chance slip by!" Jin then reported to the empress dowager and asked that all Regular Attendants and below be dismissed and replaced with gentlemen of the Three Bureaus. The empress dowager refused and said: "Palace eunuchs have commanded the forbidden quarters from antiquity to the present—it is Han precedent and cannot be abolished. Moreover, the late emperor has only just departed—how can I sit here fussing over affairs with scholar-officials!" Jin found it hard to defy the empress dowager and wished only to execute those who were licentious and unrestrained. Shao argued that the palace eunuchs were intimate with the sovereign and controlled the issuing and receiving of orders—if they were not all abolished now, they would surely become a scourge later. But the empress dowager's mother, the Lady of Wuyang, and He Miao had repeatedly accepted bribes from the eunuchs and knew that Jin wished to kill them. They repeatedly urged the empress dowager to shield the eunuchs; and they also said: "The Grand General kills those close to the throne on his own authority and monopolizes power to weaken the state." The empress dowager came to suspect that this was true. Jin had only recently risen to power and had always respected and feared the palace eunuchs; though he coveted a great reputation outwardly, inwardly he could not make up his mind, and for a long time the affair remained undecided.
34
紹等又為畫策，多召四方猛將及諸豪傑，使並引兵向京城，以脅太后； 進然之； 主簿廣陵陳琳諫曰：「諺稱『掩目捕雀』，夫微物尚不可欺以得志，況國之大事，其要以詐立乎！ 今將軍總皇威，握兵要，龍驤虎步，高下在心，此猶鼓洪爐燎毛髮耳。 但當速發雷霆，行權立斷，則天人順之。 而反委釋利器，更征外助，大兵聚會，強者為雄，所謂倒持干戈，授人以柄，功必不成，只為亂階耳！」 進不聽。 典軍校尉曹操聞而笑曰：「宦者之官，古今宜有，但世主不當假之權寵，使至於此。 既治其罪，當誅元惡，一獄吏足矣，何至紛紛召外兵乎！ 欲盡誅之，事必宣露，吾見其敗也。」
Shao and the others devised another plan: summon many fierce generals from the four quarters and various bold heroes, have them all march on the capital with troops, and thereby coerce the empress dowager; Jin agreed; but Registrar Chen Lin of Guangling remonstrated: "A proverb says, 'Cover your eyes to catch sparrows'—even the smallest creatures cannot be tricked with impunity, how much less a great affair of state! Can its foundation be laid by deceit? You now command imperial authority and hold the keys to military power—like a dragon soaring or a tiger striding, what rises or falls lies in your heart alone. This would be as easy as stirring a great furnace to singe hair. You need only swiftly unleash thunder, exercise decisive authority, and act at once—then Heaven and men alike will follow. Yet instead you cast aside your weapons and seek outside help. When great armies gather, the strong become hegemons—this is what is called holding the spear by the blade and handing the handle to another. You are sure to fail and will only create the prelude to chaos!" Jin would not listen. Colonel of the Imperial Insignia Cao Cao heard this and laughed: "The office of palace eunuch has existed in every age, but rulers ought not to lend them power and favor until matters reach this pass. Once their crime is established, the chief culprits should be executed—a single prison clerk would suffice. Why must you in confusion summon outside troops! If you wish to kill them all, the affair is sure to leak out—I see that you will fail."
35
初，靈帝征董卓為少府，卓上書言：「所將湟中義從及秦、胡兵皆詣臣言：『牢直不畢，稟賜斷絕，妻子饑凍。』 率挽臣車，使不得行。 羌、胡憋腸狗態，臣不能禁止，輒將順安慰。 增異復上。」 朝廷不能制。 及帝寢疾，璽書拜卓并州牧，今以兵屬皇甫嵩。 卓復上書言：「臣誤蒙天恩，掌戎十年，士卒大小，相狎彌久，戀臣畜養之恩，為臣奮一旦之命，乞將之北州，效力邊垂。」 嵩從子酈說嵩曰：「天下兵柄，在大人與董卓耳。 今怨隙已結，勢不俱存，卓被詔委兵而上書自請，此逆命也。 彼率京師政亂，故敢躊躇不進，此懷奸也。 二者，刑所不赦。 且其凶戾無親，將士不附。 大人今為元帥，杖國威以討之，上顯忠義，下除凶害，無不濟也。」 嵩曰：「違命雖罪，專誅亦有責也。 不如顯奏其事，使朝廷裁之。」 乃上書以聞。 帝以讓卓。 卓亦不奉詔，駐兵河東以觀時變。
Earlier, Emperor Ling had summoned Dong Zhuo to serve as Minister Steward. Zhuo memorialized: "The voluntary followers from Huangzhong and the Qin and Hu troops under my command have all come to me saying: 'Our salary rations are not paid in full, stipends and gifts have been cut off, and our wives and children hunger and freeze. They have seized my carriage and would not let me proceed. The Qiang and Hu are savage and dog-like in temper; I cannot restrain them and have only gone along to placate them. I have filed another memorial asking for additional funds." The court could not control him. When the emperor fell gravely ill, an imperial-seal letter appointed Zhuo Governor of Bing Province and ordered that his troops be transferred to Huangfu Song. Zhuo memorialized again: "Your servant has undeservedly received Heaven's grace and commanded troops for ten years. Officers and men, great and small, have grown familiar over the years; they cherish the kindness of my care and would stake their lives for me in a single day. I beg to lead them to the northern province and serve on the frontier." Song's grandnephew Li urged him: "The military authority of the realm lies with you and Dong Zhuo alone. Enmity has now been formed between you, and the two of you cannot both remain. Zhuo received the edict to surrender his troops yet memorialized asking to keep them—this is defiance of orders. He leads troops while the capital is in turmoil, and so dares to linger and not advance—this is harboring treachery. Both offenses are unpardonable under the law. Moreover, he is fierce, cruel, and without loyal ties; his officers and soldiers do not truly follow him. You are now supreme commander; wield the state's authority to punish him, display loyalty and righteousness above and remove a vicious scourge below—and nothing will fail." Song said: "Defying orders is indeed a crime, but unauthorized execution also brings blame. It would be better to memorialize the matter openly and let the court decide." He then memorialized to report it. The emperor reproved Zhuo on this account. Zhuo also refused to obey the edict and encamped his troops at Hedong to watch how events unfolded.
36
何進召卓使將兵詣京師。 侍御史鄭泰諫曰：「董卓強忍寡義，志欲無厭，若借之朝政，授以大事，將恣凶欲，必危朝廷。 明公以親德之重，據阿衡之權，秉意獨斷，誅除有罪，誠不宜假卓以為資援也！ 且事留變生，殷鑒不遠，宜在速決。」 尚書盧植亦言不宜召卓，進皆不從。 泰乃棄官去，謂荀攸曰：「何公未易輔也。」 進府掾王匡，騎都尉鮑信，皆泰山人，進使還鄉里募兵； 並召工郡太守橋瑁屯成皋，使武猛都尉丁原將數千人寇河內，燒孟津，火照城中，皆以誅宦官為言。 董卓聞召，即時就道，並上書曰：「中常侍張讓等，竊幸承寵，濁亂海內。 臣聞揚湯止沸，莫若支薪； 潰癰雖痛，勝於內食。 昔趙鞅興晉陽之甲以逐君側之惡，今臣輒鳴鐘鼓如雒陽，請收讓等以清奸穢！」 太后猶不從。 何苗謂進曰：「始共從南陽來，俱以貪賤依省內以致富貴，國家之事，亦何容易。 覆水不收，宜深思之，且與省內和也。」 卓至澠池，而進更狐疑，使諫議大夫種邵宣詔止之。 卓不受詔，遂前至河南； 邵迎勞之，因譬令還軍。 卓疑有變，使其軍士以兵脅邵。 邵怒，稱詔叱之，軍士皆披，遂前質責卓； 卓辭屈，乃還軍夕陽亭。 劭，暠之孫也。
He Jin summoned Zhuo to lead troops to the capital. Attendant Censor Zheng Tai remonstrated: "Dong Zhuo is brutal and faithless, his ambition insatiable. If you lend him a role in court government and entrust him with great affairs, he will indulge his vicious desires and is sure to endanger the court. Your Excellency, by the weight of your kinship and virtue, hold the authority of a chief minister; you ought to decide alone and execute the guilty—you truly should not use Zhuo as a resource! Moreover, if affairs linger, change will arise—the lesson of recent history is not far off; you ought to decide swiftly." Master of Writing Lu Zhi also said that Zhuo ought not to be summoned; Jin would not listen to any of them. Tai then resigned his office and left, saying to Xun You: "Lord He is not easy to assist." Jin's staff officer Wang Kuang and Commandant of Cavalry Bao Xin were both natives of Taishan; Jin sent them back to their home districts to raise troops; and at the same time summoned Administrator Qiao Mao of Henei to encamp at Chenggao, and had Colonel of Martial Valor Ding Yuan lead several thousand men to raid Henei, burn Mengjin—the flames lighting up the city—and all proclaimed that their aim was to execute the palace eunuchs. When Dong Zhuo heard the summons, he set out at once and also memorialized: "The Regular Attendants Zhang Rang and others have stolen imperial favor and thrown the realm into chaos. I have heard that ladling boiling water to stop it from boiling is not as good as removing the firewood; lancing an abscess, though painful, is better than letting it fester inward. Formerly Zhao Yang raised the troops of Jinyang to drive out evil at the ruler's side; now I shall sound bells and drums toward Luoyang and request that Rang and the others be seized to purge treachery and filth!" The empress dowager still refused. He Miao said to Jin: "At first we came together from Nanyang, both of us rising from poverty by relying on the inner quarters to attain wealth and honor—affairs of state are not so easily managed. Spilled water cannot be gathered back—you ought to think deeply on this and make peace with the inner quarters." When Zhuo reached Mianchi, Jin grew still more hesitant and sent Adviser Zhong Shao to proclaim an edict ordering him to halt. Zhuo refused the edict and advanced to Henan; Shao went out to meet and welcome him and urged him by analogy to turn his army back. Zhuo suspected a trap and had his soldiers threaten Shao with weapons. Shao was enraged, invoked the edict to rebuke them, and the soldiers all scattered; he then advanced and confronted Zhuo to his face; Zhuo was put to silence and withdrew his army to Xiyang Pavilion. Shao was a grandson of Hao.
37
袁紹懼進變計，因脅之曰：「交構已成，形勢已露，將軍復欲何待而不早決之乎？ 事久變生，復為竇氏矣！」 進於是以紹為司隸校尉，假節，專命擊斷； 從事中郎王允為河南尹。 紹使雒陽方略武吏司察宦者，而促董卓等使馳驛上奏，欲進兵平樂觀。 太后乃恐，悉罷中常侍、小黃門使還裡捨，唯留進素所私人以守省中。 諸常侍、小黃門皆詣進謝罪，唯所措置。 進謂曰：「天下匈匈，正患諸君耳。 今董卓垂至，諸君何不早各就國！」 袁紹勸進便於此決之，至於再三； 進不許。 紹又為書告諸州郡，詐宣進意，使捕案中官親屬。 進謀積日，頗洩，中官懼而思變。 張讓子婦，太后之妹也，讓向子婦叩頭曰：「老臣得罪，當與新婦俱歸私門。 唯受恩累世，今當遠離宮殿，情懷戀戀，願復一入直，得暫奉望太后陛下顏色，然後退就溝壑，死不恨矣！」 子婦言於舞陽君，入白太后，乃詔諸常侍皆復入直。
Yuan Shao feared that Jin would change his mind and pressed him: "The plot is already in place and the situation exposed—what more are you waiting for before you decide? If you delay, things will shift—you will become another Dou clan!" Jin thereupon appointed Shao Director of the Retainers, with credential staff and sole authority to strike and judge; and Attendant Gentleman Wang Yun was made Intendant of Henan. Shao had strategic military clerks of Luoyang investigate the eunuchs and urged Dong Zhuo and the others to send urgent memorials by post relay, intending to advance troops to the Pingle Observatory. The empress dowager then grew afraid and dismissed all Regular Attendants and Junior Yellow Gates to their home quarters, keeping only Jin's longtime personal associates to guard the inner palace. All the Regular Attendants and Junior Yellow Gates came to Jin to beg forgiveness and left everything to his discretion. Jin said to them: "The realm is in turmoil, and you gentlemen are the very scourge. Dong Zhuo is about to arrive—why do you not each return early to your fiefs!" Yuan Shao urged Jin to decide the matter then and there, repeating himself again and again; Jin refused. Shao also wrote to the various provinces and commanderies, falsely proclaiming Jin's intent and ordering the arrest and investigation of eunuchs' kin. Jin's plot had been brewing for days and leaked considerably; the palace eunuchs grew afraid and plotted a counterstroke. Zhang Rang's daughter-in-law was the empress dowager's younger sister. Rang kowtowed to her and said: "This old minister has offended and ought to return to private life with my new daughter-in-law. Only, having received favor for generations, I must now leave the palace far behind, yet my heart clings to it. I beg to enter duty once more, if only briefly to behold the empress dowager's face, and then withdraw to my grave—I would die without regret!" The daughter-in-law spoke to the Lady of Wuyang, who reported to the empress dowager; an edict was then issued ordering all Regular Attendants back to duty.
38
八月，戊辰，進入長樂宮，白太后，請盡誅諸常侍。 中常侍張讓、段珪相謂曰：「大將軍稱疾，不臨喪，不送葬，今欻入省，此意何為？ 竇氏事竟復起邪？」 使潛聽，具聞其語。 乃率其黨數十人持兵竊自側闥入，伏省戶下，進出，因詐以太后詔召進，入坐省閣。 讓等詰進曰：「天下憒憒，亦非獨我曹罪也。 先帝嘗與太后不快，幾至成敗，我曹涕泣救解，各出家財千萬為禮，和悅上意，但欲托卿門戶耳。 今乃欲滅我曹種族，不亦太甚乎！」 於是尚方監渠穆拔劍斬進於嘉德殿前。 讓、珪等為詔，以故太尉樊陵為司隸校尉，少府許相為河南尹。 尚書得詔板，疑之，曰：「請大將軍出共議。」 中黃門以進頭擲與尚書曰：「何進謀反，已伏誅矣！」
In the eighth month, on wuchen day, Jin entered Changle Palace, reported to the empress dowager, and asked that all Regular Attendants be executed. Regular Attendants Zhang Rang and Duan Gui said to each other: "The Grand General pleaded illness, did not attend the mourning, and did not escort the burial—now he has suddenly entered the inner quarters. What does he intend? Is the affair of the Dou clan rising again?" They sent someone to eavesdrop and heard everything. They then led several dozen armed partisans to steal in through the side gate and lay in ambush beneath the inner door; when Jin came out, they falsely summoned him with an empress dowager edict, and he entered and sat in the inner gate-house. Rang and the others confronted Jin: "The realm is in turmoil—this is not solely our fault. The late emperor once quarreled with the empress dowager, and matters nearly came to ruin; we wept and rescued the situation, each contributing tens of millions from family wealth as gifts to soothe the sovereign's mind—we only wished to entrust ourselves to your house. Now you wish to exterminate our clans—is this not too extreme!" Thereupon Director of the Imperial Workshop Qu Mu drew his sword and cut Jin down before Jiade Hall. Rang, Gui, and the others forged an edict appointing former Grand Commandant Fan Ling Director of the Retainers and Minister Steward Xu Xiang Intendant of Henan. The Masters of Writing received the edict board, grew suspicious, and said: "We request that the Grand General come out to deliberate together. A Bearer of the Yellow Gates threw Jin's head to the Masters of Writing and said: "He Jin plotted rebellion and has already been executed!"
39
進部曲將吳匡、張璋在外，聞進被害，欲引兵入宮，宮門閉。 虎賁中郎將袁術與匡共斫攻之，中黃門持兵守閣。 會日暮，術因燒南宮青瑣門，欲以脅出讓等。 讓等入白太后，言大將軍兵反，燒宮，攻尚書闥，因將太后、少帝及陳留王，劫省內官屬，從復道走北宮。 尚書盧植執戈於閣道窗下，仰數段珪； 珪懼，乃釋太后，太后投閣，得免。 袁紹與叔父隗矯詔召樊陵、許相，斬之。 紹及何苗引兵屯朱雀闕下，捕得趙忠等，斬之。 吳匡等素怨苗不與進同心，而又疑其與宦官通謀，乃令軍中曰：「殺大將軍者，即車騎也，吏士能為報仇乎？」 皆流涕曰：「願致死！」 匡遂引兵與董卓弟奉車都尉旻攻殺苗，棄其屍於苑中。 紹遂閉北宮門，勒兵捕諸宦者，無少長皆殺之，凡二千餘人，或有無須而誤死者。 紹因進兵排宮，或上端門屋，以攻省內。
Jin's staff generals Wu Kuang and Zhang Zhang were outside; hearing that Jin had been killed, they tried to lead troops into the palace, but the palace gates were shut. Colonel of the Rapid Tiger Guards Yuan Shu joined Kuang in hacking at the gates; Bearers of the Yellow Gates held weapons and guarded the gate-house. As dusk fell, Shu set fire to the Green Ring Gate of the Southern Palace, intending to force Rang and the others out. Rang and the others reported to the empress dowager that the Grand General's troops had rebelled, burned the palace, and attacked the Masters of Writing gate; they then seized the empress dowager, the young emperor, and the King of Chenliu, took the inner officials hostage, and fled along the covered passage to the Northern Palace. Master of Writing Lu Zhi held a halberd beneath the window of the covered passage and looked up to rebuke Duan Gui; Gui was afraid and released the empress dowager; she threw herself into the gate-house and escaped harm. Yuan Shao and his uncle Wei forged an edict summoning Fan Ling and Xu Xiang and beheaded them. Shao and He Miao led troops to encamp below the Vermilion Bird Gate, captured Zhao Zhong and the others, and beheaded them. Wu Kuang and the others had long resented Miao for not sharing Jin's purpose and suspected him of conspiring with the eunuchs; they told the army: "The one who killed the Grand General is the General of Chariots and Cavalry—officers and soldiers, will you avenge him?" All wept and said: "We will die in the attempt!" Kuang then led troops with Dong Zhuo's younger brother Min, Commandant of the Imperial Carriage, to attack and kill Miao and cast his corpse in the park. Shao then shut the Northern Palace gate and ordered his troops to seize all eunuchs and kill them without regard to age—more than two thousand in all; some beardless men were mistakenly killed as well. Shao then advanced troops to force the palace; some climbed onto the Upper Gate roof to attack the inner quarters.
40
庚午，張讓、段珪等困迫，遂將帝與陳留王數十人步出谷門，夜，至小平津，六璽不自隨，公卿無得從者，唯尚書盧植、河南中部掾閔貢夜至河上。 貢厲聲質責讓等，且曰：「今不速死，吾將殺汝！」 因手劍斬數人。 讓等惶怖，叉手再拜，叩頭向帝辭曰：「臣等死，陛下自愛！」 遂投河而死。 貢扶帝與陳留王夜步逐螢光南行，欲還宮，行數里，得民家露車，共乘之，至雒捨止，辛未，帝獨乘一馬，陳留王與貢共乘一馬，從雒捨南行，公卿稍有至者。 董卓至顯陽苑，遠見火起，知有變，引兵急進； 未明，到城西，聞帝在北，因與公卿往奉迎於北芒阪下。 帝見卓將兵卒至，恐怖涕泣。 群公謂卓曰：「有詔卻兵。」 卓曰：「公諸人為國大臣，不能匡正王室，至使國家播蕩，何卻兵之有！」 卓與帝語，語不可了； 乃更與陳留王語，問禍亂由起，王答，自初至終，無所遺失。 卓大喜，以王為賢，且為董太后所養，卓自以與太后同族，遂有廢立之意。 是日，帝還宮，赦天下，改光熹為昭寧。 失傳國璽，餘璽皆得之。 以丁原為執金吾。 騎都尉鮑信自泰山募兵適至，說袁紹曰：「董卓擁強兵，將有異志，今不早圖，必為所制； 乃其新至疲勞，襲之，可禽也！」 紹畏卓，不敢發。 信乃引兵還泰山。
On gengwu day, Zhang Rang, Duan Gui, and the others, hard pressed, led the emperor and the King of Chenliu and several dozen others on foot out through Gumen; by night they reached Xiaoping Ford. The six seals did not accompany them; no excellencies or ministers could follow—only Master of Writing Lu Zhi and Central Adjutant of Henan Min Gong reached the river by night. Gong rebuked Rang and the others in a harsh voice: "If you do not die swiftly now, I will kill you!" He then personally drew his sword and cut down several men. Rang and the others were terrified; they clasped their hands, bowed twice, kowtowed to the emperor, and took leave: "We die—Your Majesty, take care of yourself!" They then threw themselves into the river and died. Gong supported the emperor and the King of Chenliu as they walked south by night following firefly light, wishing to return to the palace; after several li they found a commoner's open cart and rode it together to Luoshe and stopped. On xinwei day, the emperor rode one horse alone; the King of Chenliu and Gong shared one horse and went south from Luoshe; excellencies and ministers gradually began to arrive. Dong Zhuo reached the Xianyang Park, saw fires rising in the distance, knew turmoil had broken out, and led his troops forward in haste; before dawn he reached the west of the city, heard the emperor was in the north, and went with the excellencies and ministers to welcome him at the foot of North Mang Slope. When the emperor saw Zhuo's troops arrive suddenly, he was terrified and wept. The assembled lords said to Zhuo: "There is an edict ordering you to withdraw your troops." Zhuo said: "You gentlemen are great ministers of the state yet could not rectify the royal house until the realm was thrown into turmoil—what talk is there of withdrawing troops!" Zhuo spoke with the emperor, but his words could not be understood; he then spoke instead with the King of Chenliu, asking whence the calamity arose; the king answered from beginning to end without omitting anything. Zhuo was greatly pleased and considered the king worthy; moreover, since the king had been raised by Empress Dowager Dong and Zhuo regarded himself as of the same clan, he then conceived the intent to depose and enthrone. That day the emperor returned to the palace, proclaimed a general amnesty, and changed the era name from Guangxi to Zhaoning. The imperial seal of transmission was lost; the remaining seals were all recovered. Ding Yuan was appointed Bearer of the Mace. Commandant of Cavalry Bao Xin, having just arrived from raising troops in Taishan, urged Yuan Shao: "Dong Zhuo holds a strong army and harbors divergent intent—if you do not move against him early, you are sure to be controlled by him; moreover, he has newly arrived and is weary—strike him now and he can be captured!" Shao feared Zhuo and did not dare act. Xin then led his troops back to Taishan.
41
董卓之入也，步騎不過三千，自嫌兵少，恐不為遠近所服，率四五日輒夜潛出軍近營，明旦，乃大陳旌鼓而還，以為西兵復至，雒中無知者。 俄而進及遞苗部曲皆歸於卓，卓又陰使丁原部曲司馬五原呂布殺原而並其眾，卓兵於是大盛。 乃諷朝廷，以久雨，策免司空劉弘而代之。
When Dong Zhuo entered the capital, his infantry and cavalry numbered no more than three thousand; thinking his force too small to command respect near and far, every four or five days he would secretly lead troops out by night to nearby camps and at dawn return with banners and drums displayed in great array, so that it was thought western troops had arrived again—none in Luoyang knew the truth. Before long the troops of Jin and He Miao all came over to Zhuo; Zhuo also secretly had Ding Yuan's staff Major Lü Bu of Wuyuan kill Yuan and absorb his forces, and Zhuo's army thereby grew greatly. He then prompted the court that, because of prolonged rains, Minister of Works Liu Hong should be removed by imperial letter and replaced by himself.
42
初，蔡邕徙朔方，會赦得還。 五原太守王智，甫之弟也，奏蔡邕謗訕朝廷； 邕遂亡命江海，積十二年，董卓聞其名而辟之，稱疾不就。 卓怒，詈曰：「我能族人！」 邕懼而應命，到，署祭酒，甚見敬重，舉高第，三日之間，周歷三台，遷為侍中。
Earlier, Cai Yong had been banished to Shuofang and, when an amnesty came, was able to return. Wang Zhi, Administrator of Wuyuan and younger brother of Fu, memorialized that Cai Yong had slandered and mocked the court; Yong then fled for his life to the rivers and seas; after twelve years Dong Zhuo heard his name and summoned him, but he pleaded illness and refused to go. Zhuo was angry and cursed: "I can exterminate your clan!" Yong was afraid and obeyed; when he arrived he was appointed Libationer, was greatly respected, was ranked in the highest grade, and within three days passed through all Three Platforms and was promoted to Palace Attendant.
43
董卓謂袁紹曰：「天下之主，宜得賢明，每念靈帝，令人憤毒！ 董侯似可，今欲立之，為能勝史侯否？ 人有小智大癡，亦知復何如？ 為當且爾。 劉氏種不足復遺！」 紹曰：「漢家君天下四百許年，恩澤深渥，兆民戴之。 今上富於春秋，未有不善宣於天下。 公欲廢嫡立庶，恐眾不從公議也。」 卓按劍叱紹曰：「豎子敢然！ 天下之事，豈不在我！ 我欲為之，誰敢不從！ 爾謂董卓刀為不利乎！」 紹勃然曰：「天下健者，豈惟董公！」 引佩刀，橫揖，逕出。 卓以新至，見紹大家，故不敢害。 紹縣節於上東門，逃奔冀州。
Dong Zhuo said to Yuan Shao: "The ruler of the realm ought to be worthy and enlightened; whenever I think of Emperor Ling, it fills me with poisonous rage! The Marquis of Dong seems suitable; I now wish to enthrone him—can he surpass the Marquis of Shi? A man may have small wisdom and great foolishness—who knows how it will turn out? For now, let it be so. The seed of the Liu house is not worth preserving!" Shao said: "The Han house has ruled the realm for some four hundred years; its grace is deep and rich, and the myriad people uphold it. The present sovereign is still young and has shown no ill conduct known to the realm. If you wish to depose the heir and establish the younger son, I fear the multitude will not follow your proposal." Zhuo gripped his sword and shouted at Shao: "You brat dare speak thus! Affairs of the realm—are they not in my hands! What I wish to do—who dares not follow! Do you think Dong Zhuo's blade is not sharp!" Shao flushed with anger and said: "Bold men under Heaven—are they only Lord Dong!" He drew his girdle sword, bowed with arms crossed, and went straight out. Zhuo, having newly arrived and seeing that Shao came from a great house, did not dare harm him. Yuan Shao hung his credential staff at the Upper East Gate and fled to Ji Province.
44
九月，癸酉，卓大會百寮，奮首而言曰：「皇帝闇弱，不可以奉宗廟，為天下主。 今欲依伊尹、霍光故事，更立陳留王，何如？」 公卿以下皆惶恐，莫敢對。 卓又抗言曰：「昔霍光定策，延年按劍。 有敢沮大議，皆以軍法從事！」 坐者震動，尚書盧植獨曰：「昔太甲既立不明，昌邑罪過千餘，故有廢立之事。 今上富於春秋，行無失德，非前事之比也。」 卓大怒，罷坐。 將殺植，蔡邕為之請，議郎彭伯亦諫卓曰：「盧尚書海內大儒，人之望也。 今先害之，天下震怖。」 卓乃止，但免植官，植遂逃隱於上谷。 卓以廢立議示太傅袁隗，隗報如議。
In the ninth month, on guiyou day, Dong Zhuo convened a grand assembly of officials, threw back his head, and declared: "The emperor is feeble and inept; he cannot uphold the ancestral shrines or rule the realm. I propose to follow the precedents of Yi Yin and Huo Guang and set up the Prince of Chenliu instead—what say you?" From the chief ministers downward, all were stricken with fear; not one dared answer. Dong Zhuo spoke defiantly again: "When Huo Guang settled the succession, Yannian rested his hand on his sword. Anyone who dares block this measure will face military justice!" The assembly quaked. Only Lu Zhi, Minister of the Masters of Writing, spoke up: "Long ago Tai Jia proved unfit after his accession, and the Prince of Changyi's crimes ran to more than a thousand counts—hence those depositions and installations. Our present lord is still young; his conduct shows no lapse of virtue. This case is not comparable to those." Dong Zhuo flew into a rage and adjourned the meeting. He was on the verge of executing Lu Zhi; Cai Yong interceded for him, and Gentleman of the Palace Peng Bo also admonished Dong Zhuo: "Minister Lu is the foremost scholar of the empire—the man in whom all place their hopes. Strike him down now and the whole realm will quake with dread." Dong Zhuo relented, stripped Lu Zhi of office only, and Lu Zhi fled into hiding in Shanggu. Dong Zhuo showed the deposition proposal to Grand Tutor Yuan Kui, who assented.
45
甲戌，卓復會群僚於崇德前殿，遂脅太后策廢少帝，曰：「皇帝在喪，無人子之心，威儀不類人君，今廢為弘農王，立陳留王協為帝。」 袁隗解帝璽綬，以奉陳留王，扶弘農王下殿，北面稱臣。 太后鯁涕，群臣含悲，莫敢言者。 卓又議：「太后踧迫永樂宮，至令憂死，逆婦姑之禮。」 乃遷太后於永安宮。 赦天下，改昭寧為永漢。 丙子，卓鴆殺何太后，公卿以下不布服，會葬，素衣而已。 卓又發何苗棺，出其屍，支解節斷，棄於道邊，殺苗母舞陽君，棄屍於苑枳落中。
On jiaxu day, Dong Zhuo reconvened the officials in the front hall of Chongde Palace and forced the empress dowager to decree the Young Emperor's deposition: "The emperor is in mourning yet shows no filial heart. His bearing is unworthy of a ruler. He is deposed as King of Hongnong, and Prince Xie of Chenliu is enthroned as emperor." Yuan Kui removed the imperial seal and sash and presented them to the Prince of Chenliu, then escorted the King of Hongnong down from the throne; the deposed emperor turned north and paid obeisance as a subject. The empress dowager wept until she could hardly breathe; the officials swallowed their grief, and none dared speak out. Dong Zhuo further argued: "The empress dowager harassed the palace at Yongle until the former empress died of grief—a breach of the rites between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law." He then relocated the empress dowager to Yongan Palace. He proclaimed a general amnesty and renamed the era from Zhaoning to Yonghan. On bingzi day, Dong Zhuo poisoned Empress Dowager He. From the chief ministers downward, none wore proper mourning; at the burial they appeared in plain white garments only. Dong Zhuo also opened He Miao's coffin, pulled out the corpse, hacked it limb from limb, and dumped it by the roadside. He killed Miao's mother, Lady Wuyang, and threw her body into the thorn thickets of the imperial park.
46
詔除公卿以下子弟為郎，以補宦官之職，侍於殿上。
An edict appointed the sons of officials, from the chief ministers downward, as gentlemen of the palace to replace the eunuchs' duties and serve in the hall.
47
乙酉，以太尉劉虞為大司馬，封襄賁侯。 董卓自為太尉，領前將軍事，加節傳、斧鉞、虎賁，更封郿侯。
On yiyou day, Liu Yu, Grand Commandant, was made Grand Marshal and enfeoffed as Marquis of Xiangben. Dong Zhuo appointed himself Grand Commandant, assumed command of the Former General's forces, received the insignia of imperial commission—credentials, battle-axe, and Tiger Guards—and was re-enfeoffed as Marquis of Mei.
48
丙戌，以太中大夫楊彪為司空。
On bingxu day, Yang Biao, Senior Grandee, was made Minister of Works.
49
甲午，以豫州牧黃琬為司徒。
On jiawu day, Huang Wan, governor of Yuzhou, was appointed Minister over the Masses.
50
董卓率諸公上書，追理陳蕃、竇武及諸黨人，悉復其爵位，遣使吊祠，擢用其子孫。
Dong Zhuo led the ranking officials in a memorial to reassess Chen Fan, Dou Wu, and their partisans, fully restoring their titles, dispatching envoys to mourn them at sacrifice, and promoting their descendants to office.
51
自六月雨至於是月。
Rain had fallen continuously from the sixth month until now.
52
冬，十月，乙巳，葬靈思皇后。
In winter, in the tenth month, on yisi day, Empress Ling Si was interred.
53
白波賊寇河東，董卓遣其將牛輔擊之。
White Wave bandits invaded Hedong; Dong Zhuo sent his general Niu Fu against them.
54
初，南單于於扶羅既立，國人殺其父者遂叛，共立須卜骨都侯為單于。 於扶羅指闕自訟。 會靈帝崩，天下大亂，於扶羅將數千騎與白波賊合兵寇郡縣。 時民皆保聚，鈔掠無利，而兵遂挫傷。 復欲歸國，國人不受，乃止河東平陽。 須卜骨都侯為單于一年而死，南庭遂虛其位，以老王行國事。
Earlier, after the Southern Chanyu Yufuluo had been enthroned, those among his people who had killed his father rebelled and jointly set up Xubu Guduhou as chanyu. Yufuluo went to the imperial gate to plead his case in person. When Emperor Ling died and the realm plunged into chaos, Yufuluo led several thousand horsemen to join the White Wave bandits and ravage the commanderies. The populace had banded together in fortified settlements, yielding no profit from raids, and the allied forces were beaten and battered. Yufuluo tried to return home, but his people refused him; he halted at Pingyang in Hedong. Xubu Guduhou ruled one year and died; the Southern Court left the throne vacant and entrusted governance to the elder king.
55
十一月，以董卓為相國，贊拜不名，入朝不趨，劍履上殿。
In the eleventh month, Dong Zhuo was appointed Chancellor of State, with the privilege of being addressed without naming his person, entering court without hastening, and wearing sword and shoes on the palace steps.
56
十二月，戊戌，以司徒黃琬為太尉，司空楊彪為司徒，光祿勳荀爽為司空。
In the twelfth month, on wuxu day, Huang Wan moved from Minister over the Masses to Grand Commandant; Yang Biao, from Minister of Works to Minister over the Masses; and Xun Shuang, Director of the Masters of the Imperial Household, became Minister of Works.
57
初，尚書武威周毖、城門校尉汝南伍瓊，說董卓矯桓、靈之政，擢用天下名士以收眾望，卓從之，命毖、瓊與尚書鄭泰、長史何顒等沙汰穢惡，顯拔幽滯。 於是征處士荀爽、陳紀、韓融、申屠蟠。 復就拜爽平原相，行至宛陵，遷光祿勳，視事三日，進拜司空。 自被征命及登台司，凡九十三日。 又以紀為五官中郎將，融為大鴻臚。 紀，寔之子； 融，韶之子也。 爽等皆畏卓之暴，無敢不至。 獨申屠蟠得征書，人勸之行，蟠笑而不答，卓終不能屈，年七十餘，以壽終。 卓又以尚書韓馥為冀州牧，侍中劉岱為兗州刺史，陳留孔胄為豫州刺史，東平張邈為陳留太守，穎川張咨為南陽太守。 卓所親愛，並不處顯職，但將校而已。
Earlier, Zhou Bi of Wuwei, Minister of the Masters of Writing, and Wu Qiong of Runan, Colonel of the City Gates, urged Dong Zhuo to reverse the policies of Emperors Huan and Ling and appoint renowned scholars across the realm to win public favor. Dong Zhuo agreed and ordered Bi, Qiong, Zheng Tai, He Yong, and others to purge corruption and elevate neglected talent. Recluses Xun Shuang, Chen Ji, Han Rong, and Shentu Pan were summoned to court. Xun Shuang was promptly appointed chancellor of Pingyuan; reaching Wanling, he was made Director of the Masters of the Imperial Household; after three days in that post he was promoted to Minister of Works. From summons to the highest office—ninety-three days in all. Chen Ji was made General of the Five Offices, and Han Rong became Grand Herald. Chen Ji was the son of Chen Shi. Han Rong was the son of Han Shao. Xun Shuang and the others, fearing Dong Zhuo's brutality, all came—none dared refuse. Only Shentu Pan, when summoned, was urged to go; he smiled and gave no answer. Dong Zhuo never broke him. He lived past seventy and died a natural death. Dong Zhuo also appointed Han Fu governor of Jizhou, Liu Dai governor of Yanzhou, Kong Zhou of Chenliu governor of Yuzhou, Zhang Miao of Dongping administrator of Chenliu, and Zhang Zi of Yingchuan administrator of Nanyang. Dong Zhuo's personal favorites held no prominent civil posts—they served only as military officers.
58
詔除光熹、昭寧、永漢三號。
An edict abolished the three short-lived era names Guangxi, Zhaoning, and Yonghan.
59
董卓性殘忍，一旦專政，據有國家甲兵、珍寶，威震天下，所願無極，語賓客曰：「我相，貴無上也！」 侍御史擾龍宗詣卓白事，不解劍，立撾殺之。 是時，洛中貴戚，室第相望，金帛財產，家家充積，卓縱放兵士，突其廬舍，剽虜資物，妻略婦女，不避貴賤。 人情崩恐，不保朝夕。 卓購求袁紹急，周毖、伍瓊說卓曰：「夫廢立大事，非常人所及。 袁紹不達大體，恐懼出奔，非有它志。 今急購之，勢必為變。 袁氏樹恩四世，門生故吏遍於天下，若收豪傑以聚徒眾，英雄因之而起，則山東非公之有也。 不如赦之，拜一郡守，紹喜於免罪，必無患矣。」 卓以為然，乃即拜紹勃海太守，封邟鄉侯。 又以袁術為後將軍，曹操為驍騎校尉。 術畏卓，出奔南陽。 操變易姓名，間行東歸，過中牟，為亭長所疑，執詣縣。 時縣已被卓書，唯功曹心知是操，以世方亂，不宜拘天下雄俊，因白令釋之。 操至陳留，散家財，合兵得五千人。
Dong Zhuo was cruel by nature. Once he held sole power, he commanded the realm's armies and hoarded its treasures; his might shook the world and his ambitions knew no bound. He told his retainers: "As chancellor, no rank stands above mine!" The attendant censor Rao Longzong came to report to Dong Zhuo and failed to remove his sword; Dong Zhuo had him beaten to death on the spot. In Luoyang the aristocracy lived in mansions side by side, their houses heaped with gold and treasure. Dong Zhuo turned his soldiers loose to storm their homes, loot their wealth, and seize their women, sparing neither high nor low. Panic seized the populace; no one could count on surviving from one day to the next. Dong Zhuo urgently sought Yuan Shao with a price on his head. Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong urged him: "Deposing and installing an emperor is an extraordinary deed—beyond what ordinary men can bear. Yuan Shao failed to grasp the larger design and fled in fear; he harbors no other design. Hunt him down now and you will surely provoke rebellion. The Yuan family has cultivated ties for four generations; their protégés and former subordinates span the realm. Gather heroes to his banner and the east will no longer be yours. Better pardon him and appoint him to a commandery post; Yuan Shao, grateful to escape punishment, will pose no threat." Dong Zhuo agreed and immediately made Yuan Shao administrator of Bohai and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Angiang. He also appointed Yuan Shu General of the Rear and Cao Cao Colonel of Rapid Cavalry. Yuan Shu, fearing Dong Zhuo, fled to Nanyang. Cao Cao changed his identity and made his way east by side roads; passing through Zhongmou, a station chief grew suspicious and had him seized and taken to the county magistrate. The county had already received Dong Zhuo's wanted notice, but the chief clerk alone recognized Cao Cao. With the realm in turmoil, he argued, one must not imprison a man of heroic stature—and persuaded the magistrate to release him. Reaching Chenliu, Cao Cao spent his family's fortune and raised a force of five thousand men.
60
是時，豪傑多欲起兵討卓者，袁紹在勃海，冀州牧韓馥遣數部從事守之，不得動搖。 東郡太守橋瑁，詐作京師三公移書與州郡，陳卓罪惡，云：「見逼迫，無以自救，企望義兵，解國患難。」 馥得移，請諸從事問曰：「今當助袁氏邪，助董氏邪？」 治中從事劉子惠曰：「今興兵為國，何謂袁、董！」 馥有慚色。 子惠復言：「兵者凶事，不可為首。 今宜往視他州，有發動者，然後和之。 冀州於他州不為弱也，他人功未有在冀州之右者也。」 馥然之。 馥乃作書與紹，道卓之惡，聽其舉兵。
Many champions wished to raise armies against Dong Zhuo, but Yuan Shao, in Bohai, was watched by Han Fu's deputies and could not move. Qiao Mao, administrator of Dong commandery, forged a letter purporting to come from the Three Excellencies in the capital to the provinces and commanderies, denouncing Dong Zhuo's crimes: "We are coerced and powerless. We look to righteous armies to deliver the state from calamity." Han Fu received the letter and asked his staff: "Should we aid the Yuans or aid Dong Zhuo?" Chief clerk Liu Zihui replied: "We raise arms for the state—what has this to do with Yuan or Dong!" Han Fu flushed with embarrassment. Liu Zihui went on: "War is an ill omen; we must not strike first. Let us watch the other provinces; when someone else moves, we join in. Jizhou is no weaker than its neighbors, and no other province can claim greater merit than ours." Han Fu agreed. Han Fu wrote to Yuan Shao recounting Dong Zhuo's crimes and gave him leave to raise his army.
61
春，正月，關東州郡皆起兵以討董卓，推渤海太守袁紹為盟主。 紹自號車騎將軍，諸將皆板授官號。 紹與河內太守王匡屯河內，冀州牧韓馥留鄴，給其軍糧，豫州刺史孔胄屯穎川，兗州刺史劉岱、陳留太守張邈、邈弟廣陵太守超、東郡太守橋瑁、山陽太守袁遺、濟北相鮑信與曹操俱屯酸棗，後將軍袁術屯魯陽，眾名數萬。 豪傑多歸心袁紹者，鮑信獨謂曹操曰：「夫略不世出，能撥亂反正者，君也。 苟非其人，雖強必斃。 君殆天之所啟乎！」
In spring, in the first month, the eastern provinces and commanderies rose against Dong Zhuo and chose Yuan Shao, administrator of Bohai, as coalition chief. Yuan Shao styled himself General of Chariots and Cavalry; the other commanders confirmed one another's ranks on wooden tablets. Yuan Shao and Wang Kuang, administrator of Henei, camped at Henei; Han Fu stayed at Ye to provision the army; Kong Zhou held Yingchuan; Liu Dai of Yanzhou, Zhang Miao of Chenliu, Zhang Miao's brother Zhang Chao at Guangling, Qiao Mao of Dong commandery, Yuan Yi of Shanyang, Bao Xin of Jibei, and Cao Cao massed at Suanzao; Yuan Shu held Luyang. On paper their forces numbered in the tens of thousands. Most champions rallied to Yuan Shao, but Bao Xin told Cao Cao alone: "A statesman of grand vision appears once in an age. The man who can set the realm right after chaos—that is you. Without the right leader, even the strongest coalition must fail. Are you not heaven's chosen?"
62
辛亥，赦天下。
On xinhai day, a general amnesty was proclaimed.
63
癸酉，董卓使郎中令李儒鴆殺弘農王辯。
On guiyou day, Dong Zhuo had Li Ru, Director of the Masters of the Imperial Household, poison the King of Hongnong, Liu Bian.
64
卓議大發兵以討山東。 尚書鄭泰曰：「夫政在德，不在眾也。」 卓不悅曰：「如卿此言，兵為無用邪！」 泰曰：「非謂其然也，以為山東不足加大兵耳。 明公出自西州，少為將帥，閑習軍事。 袁本初公卿子弟，生處京師，張孟卓東平長者，坐不窺堂，孔公緒清談高論，噓枯吹生。 並無軍旅之才，臨鋒決敵，非公之儔也。 況王爵不加，尊卑無序，若恃眾怙力，將各棋峙以觀成敗，不肯同心共膽，與齊進退也。 且山東承平日久，民不習戰； 關西頃遭羌寇，婦女皆能挾弓而鬥，天下所畏者，無若並、涼之人與羌、胡義從； 而明公擁之以為爪牙，譬猶驅虎兕以赴犬羊，鼓烈風以掃枯葉，誰敢御之！ 無事徵兵以驚天下，使患役之民相聚為非，棄德恃眾，自虧威重也。」 卓乃悅。
Dong Zhuo debated mobilizing a massive army to crush the eastern coalition. Minister Zheng Tai said: "Governance rests on virtue, not on numbers." Dong Zhuo bristled: "By that logic, armies are useless!" Zheng Tai replied: "That is not what I mean. The east is not worth a major campaign. You hail from the western frontier and have commanded armies since youth; warfare is second nature to you. Yuan Shao is a pampered court scion raised in the capital. Zhang Miao is a respectable gentleman of Dongping who never so much as glanced past his own hall. Kong Zhou traffics in lofty chatter and idle boasts of reviving the withered. None of them knows war. In a clash of arms they are no match for you. Moreover they lack proper rank and clear hierarchy. Trusting only their numbers, each will hold his ground like pieces on a board, waiting to see who wins—unwilling to share one mind or move as one. The east has known peace for generations; its people are unused to fighting; while the northwest has weathered Qiang raids—even women there can draw a bow and fight. The fiercest fighters under heaven are the men of Bing and Liang and their Qiang and non-Chinese allies. You command them as your claws and fangs. It is like setting tigers and rhinos on sheep, or unleashing a gale to scatter dead leaves. Who could stand against you! To mobilize without cause would alarm the realm, drive the overburdened into rebellion, and trade moral authority for brute force—you would diminish your own prestige." Dong Zhuo was pleased.
65
董卓以山東兵盛，欲遷都以避之，公卿皆不欲而莫敢言。 卓表河南尹朱俊為太僕以為己副，使者召拜，俊辭，不肯受，因曰：「國家西遷，必孤天下之望，以成山東之釁，臣不知其可也。」 使者曰：「召君受拜而君拒之，不問徙事而君陳之，何也？」 俊曰：「副相國，非臣所堪也； 遷都非計，事所急也。 辭所不堪，言其所急，臣之宜也。」 由是止不為副。
With the eastern armies swelling, Dong Zhuo wished to move the capital to escape them. The chief ministers opposed it but dared not say so. Dong Zhuo recommended Zhu Jun, Intendant of Henan, as Grand Master of Ceremonies and his deputy. When the envoy came to invest him, Zhu Jun refused and said: "Moving the capital westward will alienate the hopes of the realm and give the eastern coalition its pretext. I cannot see how this serves the state." The envoy said: "You were summoned to accept appointment, yet you refuse—and without being asked about the move, you lecture on it. Why?" Zhu Jun said: "Serving as your deputy is more than I can bear; and moving the capital is a bad plan—the urgent matter is exactly that. To refuse what one cannot accept and speak to what is pressing—that is a minister's duty." Thereupon Dong Zhuo dropped the appointment and did not make Zhu Jun his deputy.
66
卓大會公卿議，曰：「高祖都關中，十有一世，光武宮雒陽，於今亦十一世矣。 案《石包讖》，宜徙都長安，以應天人之意。」 百官皆默然。 司徒楊彪曰：「移都改制，天下大事，故盤庚遷亳，殷民胥怨。 昔關中遭王莽殘破，故光武更都雒邑，歷年已久，百姓安樂。 今無故捐宗廟，棄園陵，恐百姓驚動，必有糜沸之亂。 《石包讖》，妖邪之書，豈可信用！」 卓曰：「關中肥饒，故秦得併吞六國。 且隴石材木自出，杜陵有武帝陶灶，並功營之，可使一朝而辦。 百姓何足與議！ 若有前卻，我以大兵驅之，可令詣滄海。」 彪曰：「天下動之至易，安之甚難，惟明公慮焉！」 卓作色曰：「公欲沮國計邪！」 太尉黃琬曰：「此國之大事，楊公之言得無可思？」 卓不答。 司空荀爽見卓意壯，恐害彪等，因從容言曰：「相國豈樂此邪！ 山東兵起，非一日可禁，故當遷以圖之，此秦、漢之勢也。」 卓意小解。 琬退，又為駁議。 二月，乙亥，卓以災異奏免琬、彪等，以光祿勳趙謙為太尉，太僕王允為司徒城門校尉伍瓊、督軍校尉周毖固諫遷都，卓大怒曰：「卓初入朝，二君勸用善士，故卓相從。 而諸君到官，舉兵相圖，此二君賣卓，卓何用相負！」 庚辰，收瓊、毖，斬之。 楊彪、黃琬恐懼，詣卓謝，卓亦悔殺瓊、毖，乃復表彪、琬為光祿大夫。
Dong Zhuo convened the chief ministers and said: "The Founder made Guanzhong his capital for eleven generations; Emperor Guangwu established his court at Luoyang—and that line, too, has now run eleven generations. The Stone Bundle Prophecy says we should move the capital to Chang'an, to answer the will of Heaven and the people." Every official in the hall fell silent. Minister over the Masses Yang Biao said: "Relocating the capital and remaking the state is a matter of empire-wide consequence. When Pan Geng moved his capital to Bo, the people of Yin murmured against him. Guanzhong was devastated under Wang Mang, which is why Guangwu moved the court to Luoyang. Generations have passed since then, and the people have grown secure and prosperous. To abandon the ancestral temples and imperial tombs without cause will terrify the people. You will invite chaos that seethes across the land. The Stone Bundle Prophecy is a work of sorcery and heresy. How can you put faith in it?" Dong Zhuo said: "Guanzhong is rich and fertile. That is how Qin conquered the Six States. Longxi yields stone and timber without effort. At Duling stands Emperor Wu's pottery kiln. If we mobilize labor on both fronts, the new capital can be raised in a single day. The common people are not worth consulting! If anyone resists, I will drive them with my armies all the way to the sea." Yang Biao said: "It is easy to throw the realm into turmoil and hard indeed to restore peace. I beg Your Excellency to weigh that carefully." Dong Zhuo's face darkened. "Do you mean to block the state's plan?" Grand Commandant Huang Wan said: "This concerns the fate of the state. Is there not something in what Master Yang has said that deserves reflection?" Dong Zhuo made no answer. Minister of Works Xun Shuang saw that Dong Zhuo's mind was set and feared for Yang Biao and the others. He spoke calmly: "Chancellor, do you truly relish this course? The eastern armies cannot be crushed in a day. Moving the capital is a stratagem against them—the same logic that governed Qin and Han." Dong Zhuo's anger softened a little. Huang Wan withdrew, then submitted another memorial opposing the move. In the second month, on the day yihai, Dong Zhuo cited omens and disasters to have Huang Wan, Yang Biao, and others removed from office. He appointed Zhao Qian, Minister of the Imperial Clan, Grand Commandant, and Wang Yun, Grand Master of Ceremonies, Minister over the Masses. Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong and Colonel who Supervises the Army Zhou Bi pressed their opposition to moving the capital. Dong Zhuo flew into a rage and said: "When I first came to court, you two urged me to employ worthy men, and I followed your counsel. Yet once in office you took up arms against one another. You betrayed me—why should I still owe you any loyalty?" On the day gengchen he arrested Wu Qiong and Zhou Bi and executed them. Yang Biao and Huang Wan, terrified, went to Dong Zhuo to apologize. Dong Zhuo also regretted killing Wu Qiong and Zhou Bi, and memorialized to restore Yang Biao and Huang Wan as Ministers of the Imperial Clan.
67
卓征京兆尹蓋勳為議郎，時左將軍皇甫嵩將兵三萬屯扶風。 勳密與嵩謀討卓。 會卓亦征嵩為城門校尉，嵩長史梁衍說嵩曰：「董卓寇掠京邑，廢立從意，今征將軍，大則危禍，小則困辱。 今及卓在雒陽，天子來西，以將軍之眾迎接至尊，奉令討逆，徵兵群帥，袁氏逼其東，將軍迫其西，此成禽也！」 嵩不從，遂就征。 勳以眾弱不能獨立，亦還京師。 卓以勳為直騎校尉。 河南尹朱俊為卓陳軍事，卓折俊曰：「我百戰百勝，決之於心，卿勿妄說，且污我刀！」 蓋勳曰：「昔武丁之明，猶求箴諫，況如卿者，而欲杜人之口乎！」 卓乃謝之。
Dong Zhuo summoned Gai Xun, Intendant of Jingzhao, to serve as Gentleman Consultant. Meanwhile Left General Huangfu Song held Fufeng with thirty thousand men. Gai Xun secretly plotted with Huangfu Song to overthrow Dong Zhuo. Just then Dong Zhuo also summoned Huangfu Song to be Colonel of the City Gates. His chief clerk Liang Yan urged him: "Dong Zhuo ravages the capital, deposing and enthroning emperors at whim. If you obey this summons, you face ruin at best and humiliation at worst. Strike now, while Dong Zhuo is still in Luoyang and the emperor is moving west. With your army receive the Son of Heaven, take his mandate to punish the traitor, and rally the other commanders. The Yuan clan will press him from the east and you from the west—he will be yours for the taking!" Huangfu Song would not listen and went to obey the summons. Gai Xun, too weak to act alone, returned to the capital as well. Dong Zhuo appointed Gai Xun Colonel of the Direct Cavalry. Zhu Jun, Intendant of Henan, offered military counsel to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo cut him off: "I win every battle I fight and decide everything in my own mind. Do not speak nonsense—or you will stain my blade." Gai Xun said: "Even King Wu Ding in his wisdom sought honest counsel. How much more should a man in your position—and yet you would silence every mouth?" Dong Zhuo apologized to him.
68
卓遣軍至陽城，值民會於社下，悉就斬之，駕其車重，載其婦女，以頭系車轅，歌呼還雒，雲攻賊大獲。 卓焚燒其頭，以婦女與甲兵為婢妾。
Dong Zhuo sent troops to Yangcheng. They found villagers gathered at the altar of the soil god and slaughtered them all. They seized their carts and goods, took their women, tied severed heads to the cart shafts, and marched back to Luoyang singing and shouting that they had won a great victory over bandits. Dong Zhuo burned the heads and distributed the captive women among his soldiers as servants and concubines.
69
丁亥，車駕西遷。 董卓收諸富室，以罪惡誅之，沒入其財物，死者不可勝計。 悉驅徙其餘民數百萬口於長安。 步騎驅蹙，更相蹈藉，飢餓寇掠，積屍盈路。 卓自留屯畢圭苑中，悉燒宮廟，官府、居家，二百里內，室屋蕩盡，無復雞犬。 又使呂布發諸帝陵及公卿以下塚墓，收其珍寶。 卓獲山東兵，以豬膏塗布十餘匹，用纏其身，然後燒之，先從足起。
On the day dinghai the emperor's procession set out westward. Dong Zhuo seized wealthy families, executed them on trumped-up charges, and confiscated their property. The dead were beyond counting. He drove several million of the remaining populace toward Chang'an. Foot soldiers and horsemen harried them forward. They trampled one another, starved, and were preyed upon by bandits until the roads were heaped with corpses. Dong Zhuo himself stayed encamped in Bigui Park and burned palaces, temples, government offices, and private homes. For two hundred li around, every building was leveled—not a cock or dog was left alive. He also ordered Lü Bu to open the imperial tombs and the graves of officials down to the lowest rank, and seize their treasures. When Dong Zhuo captured soldiers from the eastern coalition, he smeared more than ten bolts of cloth with pig fat, wrapped their bodies in the cloth, and set them alight—so that the flames began at their feet.
70
三月，乙巳，車駕入長安，居京兆府捨，後乃稍葺宮室而居之。 時董卓未至，朝政大小皆委之王允。 允外相彌縫，內謀王室，甚有大臣之度，自天子及朝中皆倚允。 允屈意承卓，卓亦雅信焉。
In the third month, on the day yisi, the imperial procession entered Chang'an and lodged in the Jingzhao prefectural offices. Only later were the palace halls gradually restored for the court to inhabit. Dong Zhuo had not yet arrived, and Wang Yun was entrusted with every matter of government, great and small. Outwardly Wang Yun smoothed relations with Dong Zhuo; inwardly he plotted for the house of Han. He bore himself like a true statesman, and from the emperor down the court leaned on him. Wang Yun humbled himself to please Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo in turn placed great trust in him.
71
董卓以袁紹之故，戊午，殺太傅袁隗、太僕袁基，及其家尺口以上五十餘人。
Because of Yuan Shao, on the day wuwu Dong Zhuo executed Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, Grand Master of Ceremonies Yuan Ji, and more than fifty members of their households down to infants a foot tall.
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初，荊州刺史王睿，與長沙太守孫堅共擊零、桂賊，以堅武官，言頗輕之。 及州郡舉兵討董卓，睿與堅亦皆起兵。 睿素與武陵太守曹寅不相能，揚言當先殺寅。 寅懼，詐作按行使者檄移堅，說睿罪過，令收，行刑訖，以狀上。 堅承檄，即勒兵襲睿。 睿聞兵至，登樓望之，遣問：「欲何為？」 堅前部答曰：「兵久戰勞苦，欲詣使君求資直耳。」 睿見堅驚曰：「兵自求賞，孫府君何以在其中？」 堅曰：「被使者檄誅君！」 睿曰：「我何罪？」 堅曰：「坐無所知！」 睿窮迫，刮金飲之而死。 堅前至南陽，眾已數萬人。 南陽太守張咨不肯給軍糧，堅誘而斬之； 郡中震慄，無求不獲。 前到魯陽，與袁術合兵。 術由是得據南陽。 表堅行破虜將軍，領預州刺史。
Earlier, Wang Rui, Inspector of Jingzhou, and Sun Jian, Administrator of Changsha, had campaigned together against the bandits of Lingling and Guiyang. Wang Rui looked down on Sun Jian as a mere military man and spoke of him dismissively. When the provinces and commanderies rose against Dong Zhuo, Wang Rui and Sun Jian mobilized as well. Wang Rui had long been at odds with Cao Yin, Administrator of Wuling, and openly declared that he would kill Cao Yin first. Terrified, Cao Yin forged an order in the name of an imperial investigating commissioner and sent it to Sun Jian, listing Wang Rui's crimes and commanding his arrest and execution, with a report to follow once the deed was done. Sun Jian accepted the order and immediately marched against Wang Rui. Hearing troops approach, Wang Rui climbed a tower to look out and sent to ask: "What is your purpose?" Sun Jian's vanguard answered: "The men have fought long and grown weary. We only wish to visit Your Excellency to request pay and supplies." Wang Rui saw Sun Jian and cried out in alarm: "If the soldiers want their pay, why is Lord Sun himself here?" Sun Jian said: "I have been ordered by imperial dispatch to execute you!" Wang Rui said: "What crime have I committed?" Sun Jian said: "Your crime is ignorance—failing to know what was coming!" Driven to bay, Wang Rui scraped gold dust into a cup, drank it, and died. Sun Jian advanced into Nanyang with a force already numbering tens of thousands. Zhang Zi, Administrator of Nanyang, refused to supply his army with grain. Sun Jian lured him in and executed him; and the commandery trembled before him. Nothing he asked for was denied. He marched on to Luyang and joined forces with Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu thereby gained control of Nanyang. Yuan Shu recommended Sun Jian as acting General Who Smashes the Barbarians and Inspector of Yuzhou.
73
詔以北軍中候劉表為荊州刺史。 時寇賊縱橫，道路梗塞，表單馬入宜城，請南郡名士蒯良、蒯越與之謀曰：「今江南宗賊甚盛，各擁眾不附，若袁術因之，禍必至矣。 吾欲徵兵，恐不能集，其策焉出？」 蒯良曰：「眾不附者，仁不足也； 附而不治者，義不足也。 苟仁義之道行，百姓歸之如水之趣下，何患徵兵之不集乎？」 蒯越曰：「袁術驕而無謀，宗賊帥多貪暴，為下所患，若使人示之以利，必以眾來。 使君誅其無道，撫而用之，一州之人有樂存之心，聞君威德，必襁負而至矣。 兵集眾附，南據江陵，北守襄陽，荊州八郡可傳檄而定。 公路雖至，無能為也。」 表曰：「善！」 乃使越誘宗賊帥，至者五十五人，皆斬之而取其眾。 遂徙治襄陽，鎮撫郡縣，江南悉平。
The court appointed Liu Biao, Colonel of the Northern Army, Inspector of Jingzhou. Bandits roamed everywhere and the roads were impassable. Liu Biao rode alone into Yicheng and sought counsel from the distinguished men of Nan commandery, Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue. He said: "Clan militias dominate the south, each with its own following and refusing allegiance. If Yuan Shu exploits them, disaster is certain. I wish to raise troops, but I fear I cannot gather them. What is your counsel?" Kuai Liang said: "When people will not follow you, it is because your benevolence is insufficient; when they follow yet are not well governed, it is because your righteousness is insufficient. If benevolence and righteousness truly guide your rule, the people will flock to you as water runs downhill. Why fear that you cannot raise an army?" Kuai Yue said: "Yuan Shu is arrogant and shortsighted. Most of the clan chiefs are greedy and brutal, hated by their own followers. Send men to tempt them with gain, and they will bring their bands to you. Execute the worst among them, win over the rest, and the people of the province will rejoice to live under your rule. When they hear of your authority and virtue, they will come carrying their children on their backs. Once your forces are gathered and the people are with you, hold Jiangling in the south and Xiangyang in the north, and the eight commanderies of Jingzhou can be won by proclamation alone. Even if Yuan Shu comes, he will be powerless." Liu Biao said: "Excellent!" He sent Kuai Yue to lure the clan chiefs. Fifty-five came, and he executed them all and absorbed their followers. He moved his seat to Xiangyang, pacified the commanderies and counties, and brought all the lands south of the Yangzi under control.
74
董卓在雒陽，袁紹等諸軍皆畏其強，莫敢先進。 曹操曰：「舉義兵以誅暴亂，大眾已合，諸君何疑！ 向使董卓倚王室，據舊京，東向以臨天下，雖以無道行之，猶足為患。 今焚燒宮室，劫遷天子，海內震動，不知所歸，此天亡之時也，一戰而天下定矣。」 遂引兵西，將據成皋，張邈遣將衛茲分兵隨之。 進至滎陽汴水，遇卓將玄菟徐榮，與戰，操兵敗，為流矢所中，所乘馬被創。 從弟洪以馬與操，操不受。 洪曰：「天下可無洪，不可無君！」 遂步從操，夜遁去。 榮見操所將兵少，力戰盡日，謂酸棗未易攻也，亦引兵還。
While Dong Zhuo held Luoyang, Yuan Shao and the other coalition armies feared his strength and none dared advance. Cao Cao said: "We raised this righteous army to punish tyranny. Our forces are assembled. Why do you hesitate? If Dong Zhuo had clung to the imperial house, held the old capital, and faced east to dominate the realm, even ruling by brute force he would have been a formidable foe. But he has burned the palaces, seized the emperor, and driven him west. The realm is in uproar and men know not whom to follow. Heaven itself has turned against him. One battle can settle the empire." He marched west toward Chenggao. Zhang Miao sent his general Wei Zi with a detachment to accompany him. At the Bian River near Xingyang he met Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong of Xuantu and gave battle. Cao Cao was defeated, struck by a stray arrow, and his horse was wounded. His cousin Cao Hong offered him his horse, but Cao Cao refused it. Cao Hong said: "The world can spare me, but it cannot spare you!" He walked beside Cao Cao on foot, and together they escaped under cover of night. Xu Rong saw how few men Cao Cao had led and how fiercely they had fought all day. Judging that the coalition camp at Suanzao would not be easy to take, he withdrew as well.
75
操到酸棗，諸軍十餘萬，日置酒高會，不圖進取，操責讓之，因為謀曰：「諸君□能聽吾計，使渤海引河內之眾臨孟津，酸棗諸將守成皋，據敖倉，塞轘轅、太谷，全制其險，使袁將軍率南陽之軍軍丹、析，入武關，以震三輔，皆高壘深壁，勿與戰，益為疑兵，示天下形勢，以順誅逆，可立定也。 今兵以義動，持疑不進，失天下望，竊為諸君恥之！」 邈等不能用。 操乃與司馬沛國夏侯惇等詣揚州募兵，得千餘人，還屯河內。 頃之，酸棗諸軍食盡，眾散。
When Cao Cao reached Suanzao, he found more than a hundred thousand coalition troops feasting day after day with no thought of advancing. He rebuked them and laid out a plan: "If you gentlemen can heed my plan, let Yuan Shao of Bohai bring the forces of Henei against Mengjin. The generals at Suanzao should hold Chenggao, occupy Aocang, and seal Huanyuan and Taigu, controlling every strategic pass. Let General Yuan Shu lead the Nanyang army to camp at Dan and Xi and enter Wu Pass to threaten the Three Adjuncts. Build high walls and deep trenches everywhere, avoid battle, multiply deceptive displays, and show the realm our united strength. With legitimacy on our side and rebellion before us, the empire can be settled at a stroke. You raised this army in the name of righteousness, yet you hang back in doubt. You are squandering the hopes of the realm—and I am ashamed for you!" Zhang Miao and the others would not adopt his plan. Cao Cao then went with his major Xiahou Dun of Pei and others to Yang province to raise troops. He gathered a little more than a thousand men and returned to camp at Henei. Before long the coalition armies at Suanzao ran out of provisions and scattered.
76
劉岱與橋瑁相惡，岱殺瑁，以王肱領東郡太守。 青州刺史焦和亦起兵討董卓，務及諸將西行，不為民人保障，兵始濟河，黃巾已入其境。 青州素殷實，甲兵甚盛，和每望寇奔北，未嘗接風塵、交旗鼓也。 性好卜筮，信鬼神。 入見其人，清談干雲，出觀其政，賞罰淆亂，州遂蕭條，悉為丘墟。 頃之，和病卒，袁紹使廣陵臧洪領青州以撫之。
Liu Dai and Qiao Mao hated each other. Liu Dai killed Qiao Mao and installed Wang Gong as Administrator of Dong commandery. Jiao He, Inspector of Qingzhou, also raised troops against Dong Zhuo. Eager to join the western campaign, he left the people undefended. His army had barely crossed the Yellow River when the Yellow Turbans were already inside his province. Qingzhou had long been prosperous and well armed, yet whenever Jiao He sighted the enemy he fled north. He never once met them in battle. He delighted in divination and trusted in ghosts and spirits. In person he offered lofty discourse reaching to the clouds; in government his rewards and punishments were confused and disorderly—the province grew desolate until all lay in ruins. Before long He died of illness; Yuan Shao had Zang Hong of Guangling take charge of Qing Province to pacify it.
77
夏，四月，以幽州牧劉虞為太傅，道路壅塞，信命竟不得通。 先是，幽部應接荒外，資費甚廣，歲常割青、冀賦調二億有餘以足之。 時處處斷絕，委輸不至，而虞敝衣繩屨，食無兼肉，務存寬政，勸督農桑，開上谷胡市之利，通漁陽鹽鐵之饒，民悅年登，谷石三十，青、徐士庶避難歸虞者百餘萬口，虞皆收視溫恤，為安立生業，流民皆忘其遷徙焉。
In summer, in the fourth month, Liu Yu, Governor of You Province, was appointed Grand Tutor, but the roads were blocked and his commission never reached him. Earlier, the You region had to meet the needs of the outer frontier and its expenses were very great; each year more than two hundred million from the tax levies of Qing and Ji was diverted to supply it. At that time communications were cut off everywhere and supplies did not arrive, yet Yu wore worn clothes and rope sandals, ate no second meat dish, devoted himself to lenient government, urged farming and sericulture, opened the profits of the Hu markets in Shanggu, and tapped the abundance of Yuyang's salt and iron; the people were pleased, harvests were good, and grain sold for thirty cash per picul. More than a million people from Qing and Xu who fled calamity came to Yu; he received and cared for them all, settled them in livelihoods, and the displaced forgot they had ever been uprooted.
78
五月，司空荀爽薨。 六月，辛丑，以光祿大夫種拂為司空。 拂，邵之父也。
In the fifth month, Minister of Works Xun Shuang died. In the sixth month, on xinchou day, Palace Counsellor Zhong Fu was appointed Minister of Works. Fu was the father of Shao.
79
董卓遣大鴻臚韓融、少府陰修、執金吾胡毋班、將作大匠吳修、越騎校尉王瑰安集關東，解譬袁紹等。 胡毋班、吳修、王瑰至河內，袁紹使王匡悉收系殺之。 袁術亦殺陰修，惟韓融以名德免。
Dong Zhuo sent Grand Herald Han Rong, Minister Steward Yin Xiu, Bearer of the Mace Huwuban, Master of Works Wu Xiu, and Colonel of the Rapid Cavalry Wang Gui to pacify the east of the passes and persuade Yuan Shao and the others. Huwuban, Wu Xiu, and Wang Gui reached Henei; Yuan Shao had Wang Kuang seize and kill them all. Yuan Shu also killed Yin Xiu; only Han Rong was spared because of his fame and virtue.
80
董卓壞五銖錢，更鑄小錢，悉取雒陽及長安銅人、鐘虡、飛廉、銅馬之屬以鑄之，由是貨賤物貴，谷石至數萬錢。
Dong Zhuo destroyed the five-zhu coins and cast small coins instead, melting down the bronze men, bell stands, Flying Bronzes, bronze horses, and the like of Luoyang and Chang'an to cast them; from this money grew cheap and goods dear, and grain reached tens of thousands of cash per picul.
81
冬，孫堅與官屬會飲於魯陽城東，董卓步騎數萬猝至，堅方行酒談笑，整頓部曲，無得妄動。 後騎漸益，堅徐罷坐，導引入城，乃曰：「向堅所以不即起走，恐兵相蹈藉，諸君不得入耳。」 卓兵見其整，不敢攻而還。
In winter, Sun Jian was drinking with his officials east of Luyang when several tens of thousands of Dong Zhuo's infantry and cavalry arrived suddenly; Jian was still passing wine and talking and laughing, yet he put his troops in order and forbade any rash movement. The rear cavalry gradually increased; Jian slowly ended the feast and led them into the city, then said: "The reason I did not flee at once was that I feared the troops would trample one another and you gentlemen would not get inside the walls." Zhuo's troops saw how orderly they were, did not dare attack, and withdrew.
82
王匡屯河陽津，董卓襲擊，大破之。
Wang Kuang encamped at Heyang Ford; Dong Zhuo attacked by surprise and routed him utterly.
83
左中郎將蔡邕議：「孝和以下廟號稱宗者，皆宜省去，以遵先典。」 從之。
General of the Left Zhonglang Cai Yong proposed: "For temple names below Emperor Xiaohe that use the title 'Zong,' all ought to be omitted to follow the ancient canon." His proposal was adopted.
84
中郎將徐榮薦同郡故冀州刺史公孫度於董卓，卓以為遼東太守。 度到官，以法誅滅郡中名豪大姓百餘家，郡中震慄，乃東伐高句驪，西擊烏桓，語所親吏柳毅、陽儀等曰：「漢祚將絕，當與諸卿圖王耳。」 於是分遼東為遼西、中遼郡，各置太守，越海收東萊諸縣，置營州刺史。 自立為遼東侯、平州牧，立漢二祖廟，承製，郊祀天地，藉田，乘鸞路，設旄頭、羽騎。
General of the Zhonglang Xu Rong recommended to Dong Zhuo his fellow townsman, former Governor of Ji Province Gongsun Du; Zhuo appointed him Administrator of Liaodong. When Du reached his post, he executed by law more than a hundred great clans and eminent houses of the commandery; the commandery trembled in fear. He then campaigned east against Gaogouli and struck west at the Wuhuan, and said to his intimate officials Liu Yi, Yang Yi, and the others: "The fortune of Han is about to end—we ought to plot kingship together." He thereupon divided Liaodong into the commanderies of Liaoxi and Zhongliao, appointing an administrator in each; crossed the sea to take the counties of Donglai and established a Governor of Ying Province. He set himself up as Marquis of Liaodong and Governor of Ping Province, established temples to the two Han ancestors, assumed imperial regulations, sacrificed to Heaven and Earth at the suburban altars, performed the ceremonial plowing, rode the imperial carriage with phoenix bells, and established the Mao Tou and Feather Cavalry guards.