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資治通鑑第060卷
Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 60.
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【漢紀五十二】起重光協洽，盡昭陽作噩，凡三年。
【Han Records 52】 From the year Chongguang Xieqia through Zhaoyang Zuo'e—three years in all.
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春，正月，辛丑，赦天下。
In spring, in the first month, on xinchou day, the emperor proclaimed a general amnesty.
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關東諸將議：以朝廷幼沖，逼於董卓，遠隔關塞，不知存否，幽州牧劉虞，宗室賢俊，欲共立為主。 曹操曰：「吾等所以舉兵而遠近莫不響應者，以義故也。 今幼主微弱，制於奸臣，非有昌邑亡國之釁，而一旦改易，天下其孰安之！ 諸君北面，我自西向。」 韓馥、袁紹以書與袁術曰：「帝非孝靈子，欲依絳、灌誅廢少主、迎立代王故事，奉大司馬虞為帝。」 術陰有不臣之心，不利國家有長君，乃外托公義以拒之。 紹復與術書曰：「今西名有幼君，無血脈之屬，公卿以下皆媚事卓，安可覆信！ 但當使兵往屯關要，皆自蹙死。 東立聖君，太平可冀，如何有疑？ 又室家見戮，不念子胥可復北面乎？」 術答曰：「聖主聰睿，有周成之質。 賊卓因危亂之際，威服百寮，此乃漢家小厄之會，乃雲今上『無血脈之屬』，豈不誣乎！ 又曰『室家見戮，可復北面』，此卓所為，豈國家哉！ 慺慺赤心，志在滅卓，不識其他！」 馥、紹竟遣故樂浪太守張岐等繼議上虞尊號。 虞見岐等，厲色叱之曰：「今天下崩亂，主上蒙塵，吾被重恩，未能清雪國恥。 諸君各據州郡，宜共戮力盡心王室，而反造逆謀以相垢污邪！」 固拒之。 馥等又請虞領尚書事，承製封拜，復不聽，欲奔匈奴以自絕，紹等乃止。
The coalition commanders east of the passes debated installing Liu Yu, governor of You Province and a respected kinsman of the house, as emperor. The court was ruled by a child emperor hemmed in by Dong Zhuo, and cut off beyond the passes they could not even tell whether the sovereign still lived. Cao Cao said, "We took up arms and men rallied from every quarter because our cause was just. The boy emperor is weak and in the grip of wicked ministers, but there is nothing like the Changyi affair that doomed a state. To replace him overnight—who in the realm would accept that? You may bow to another lord—I will face west and remain loyal to Han." Han Fu and Yuan Shao wrote Yuan Shu: "The present emperor is no son of Lingdi. Following the example of Jiang and Guan, who deposed a young ruler and installed the King of Dai, we propose to enthrone Liu Yu as Grand Marshal and emperor. Yuan Shu secretly coveted the throne himself and disliked a strong sovereign for the realm, so he refused on the pretext of loyalty to Han. Yuan Shao wrote again: "Out west there is only a child on the throne who is no true heir. Every official grovels before Zhuo. Why trust them? Send troops to block the passes and they will squeeze themselves to death. Install a true sovereign in the east and order can be restored—what is there to hesitate over? Your own kin were butchered. Have you forgotten Zixu, who could never again bow north to his enemy?" Yuan Shu replied, "Our sovereign is intelligent and wise, with the makings of King Cheng of Zhou. Zhuo exploited chaos to cow the court—that is Han's misfortune, not grounds to call our emperor illegitimate. To claim he has 'no royal blood' is a lie! As for my family's slaughter—that was Zhuo's crime, not the state's. How dare you use it against loyalty to the throne! My sole aim is to destroy Zhuo. I will hear nothing else!" Nevertheless Han Fu and Yuan Shao sent the former governor of Lelang Zhang Qi and others to press Liu Yu to accept the throne. When Liu Yu met Zhang Qi and his party, he sternly reproached them: "The empire is in chaos and the emperor in distress. I owe the throne deep gratitude yet have not avenged our disgrace. You hold provinces and commanderies—you should unite to serve the Han. Why scheme treason and slander me?" He firmly refused. They asked him to preside over the Secretariat and issue imperial appointments; again he refused. He threatened to flee to the Xiongnu rather than comply, and at last Yuan Shao and the others desisted.
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二月，丁丑，以董卓為太師，位在諸侯王上。
In the second month, on dingchou day, Dong Zhuo was appointed Grand Preceptor with rank above all princes.
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孫堅移屯梁東，為卓將徐榮所敗，復收散卒進屯陽人。 卓遣東郡太守胡軫督步騎五千擊之，以呂布為騎督。 軫與布不相得，堅出擊，大破之，梟其都督華雄。 或謂袁術曰：「堅若得雒，不可複製，此為除狼而得虎也。」 術疑之，不運軍糧。 堅夜馳見術，畫地計校曰：「所以出身不顧者，上為國家討賊，下慰將軍家門之私讎。 堅與卓非有骨肉之怨也，而將軍受浸潤之言，還相嫌疑，何也？」 術踧踖，即調發軍糧。
Sun Jian shifted his camp to Liangdong, was beaten by Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong, regrouped his scattered forces, and encamped at Yangren. Dong Zhuo sent the governor of Dong commandery Hu Zhen with five thousand infantry and cavalry against him, with Lü Bu commanding the horse. Hu Zhen and Lü Bu quarreled. Sun Jian attacked, won a great victory, and beheaded the enemy commander Hua Xiong. Someone warned Yuan Shu: "If Sun Jian seizes Luoyang you will never control him again—you would trade wolves for a tiger." Yuan Shu grew suspicious and cut off his supplies. Sun Jian rode to Yuan Shu by night, sketched plans on the ground, and said, "I risk everything first to serve the state against rebels, and second to avenge your family's private wrongs. Zhuo and I have no feud of blood—why let slander make us doubt each other?" Yuan Shu was ashamed and immediately sent provisions.
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堅還屯，卓遣將軍李傕說堅，欲與和親，令堅疏子弟任刺史、郡守者，許表用之。 堅曰：「卓逆天無道，今不夷汝三族，縣示四海，則吾死不瞑目，豈將與乃和親邪！」 復進軍大谷，距雒九十里。 卓自出，與堅戰於諸陵間。 卓敗走，卻屯澠池，聚兵於陝。 堅進至雒陽，擊呂布，復破走。 堅乃掃除宗廟，祠以太牢，得傳國璽於城南甄宮井中； 分兵出新安、澠池間以邀卓。
Sun Jian returned to camp. Dong Zhuo sent Li Jue to offer alliance and marriage, promising to appoint Sun Jian's relatives who held provincial and commandery posts. Sun Jian replied: "Zhuo defies Heaven and violates all law. Unless I wipe out your whole clan and display it to the empire I cannot die in peace. Why would I ally with you? He marched on to Dagu, ninety li from Luoyang. Dong Zhuo came out in person and fought Sun Jian among the imperial tombs. Dong Zhuo was routed, withdrew to Mianchi, and concentrated forces at Shaan. Sun Jian pressed into Luoyang, attacked Lü Bu, and drove him off again. Sun Jian restored the ancestral temples, offered the grand sacrifice, and recovered the imperial jade seal from the well of Zhen Palace south of the city; then sent detachments through Xin'an and Mianchi to ambush Dong Zhuo.
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卓謂長史劉艾曰：「關東軍敗數矣，皆畏孤，無能為也。 惟孫堅小戇，頗能用人，當語諸將，使知忌之。 孤昔與周慎西征邊、韓於金城，孤語張溫，求引所將兵為慎作後駐，溫不聽。 溫又使孤討先零叛羌，孤知其不克而不得止，遂行，留別部司馬劉靖將步騎四千屯安定以為聲勢。 叛羌欲截歸道，孤小擊輒開，畏安定有兵故也。 虜謂安定當數萬人，不知但靖也。 而孫堅隨周慎行，謂慎求先將萬兵造金城，使慎以二萬作後駐。 邊、韓畏慎大兵，不敢輕與堅戰，而堅兵足以斷其運道。 兒曹用其言，涼州或能定也。 溫既不能用孤，慎又不能用堅，卒用敗走。 堅以佐軍司馬，所見略與人同，固自為可； 但無故從諸袁兒，終亦死耳！」 乃使東中郎將董越屯澠池，中郎將段煨屯華陰，中郎將牛輔屯安邑，其餘諸將布在諸縣，以御山東。 輔，卓之婿也。 卓引還長安。 孫堅修塞諸陵，引軍還魯陽。
Dong Zhuo told his chief clerk Liu Ai: "The eastern coalition has lost battle after battle. They all fear me and are harmless. Only Sun Jian is rash but knows how to use men. Tell the generals to beware of him. Once on campaign with Zhou Shen against Bian Zhang and Han Sui at Jincheng, I asked Zhang Wen to let me hold the rear with my troops. Wen refused. Wen then ordered me against the rebellious Xianling Qiang. I knew we would fail but had to go, leaving Liu Jing with four thousand men at Anding as a deterrent. The rebels meant to cut my retreat, but a small blow from me opened the road—they feared the force at Anding. They thought tens of thousands held Anding, not knowing it was only Liu Jing. Sun Jian campaigned with Zhou Shen and urged him to send ten thousand men ahead to Jincheng while Shen held twenty thousand in reserve. Bian and Han would have feared Shen's main force and avoided Sun Jian, while Sun Jian could have severed their supply lines. Had they listened, Liang province might have been pacified. Wen ignored me, Shen ignored Sun Jian, and in the end they were routed and fled. Sun Jian was only an assistant army marshal, yet his judgment matched any man's—he thinks himself quite able— yet he follows the Yuan clan for no good reason. In the end he will die like the rest!" He stationed Dong Yue at Mianchi, Duan Wei at Huayin, Niu Fu at Anyi, and dispersed other officers through the counties to block the east. Niu Fu was Dong Zhuo's son-in-law. Dong Zhuo withdrew to Chang'an. Sun Jian restored the tombs and marched back to Luyang.
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夏，四月，董卓至長安，公卿皆迎拜車下。 卓抵手謂御史中丞皇甫嵩曰：「義真，怖未乎？」 嵩曰：「明公以德輔朝廷，大慶方至，何怖之有！ 若淫刑以逞，將天下皆懼，豈獨嵩乎！」 卓黨欲尊卓比太公，稱尚父。 卓以問蔡邕，邕曰：「明公威德，誠為巍巍，然比之太公，愚意以為未可。 宜須關東平定，車駕還反舊京，然後議之。」 卓乃止。 卓使司隸校尉劉器籍吏民有為子不孝、為臣不忠、為吏不清、為弟不順者，皆身誅，財物沒官。 於是更相誣引，冤死者以千數。 百姓囂囂，道路以目。
In summer, in the fourth month, Dong Zhuo arrived at Chang'an. Every minister bowed beneath his carriage. Dong Zhuo clapped Huangfu Song on the shoulder and asked, "Yizhen, are you afraid yet? Huangfu Song replied, "Your Excellency supports the court with virtue. Good fortune is coming—why should I fear? But if you indulge cruel punishments, the whole world will tremble—not I alone!" Dong Zhuo's followers wished to compare him to the Duke of Zhou and style him Esteemed Father. Dong Zhuo consulted Cai Yong, who said, "Your authority is immense, but the comparison with the Duke of Zhou is premature. Wait until the east is pacified and the emperor returns to Luoyang—then consider it." Dong Zhuo dropped the idea. Dong Zhuo had Liu Qi the metropolitan governor register citizens guilty of unfilial sons, disloyal subjects, corrupt officials, or unruly brothers. All were executed and their property confiscated. Accusers denounced one another, and thousands died unjustly. The people seethed in fear; no one dared speak on the road.
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六月，丙戌，地震。
In the sixth month, on bingxu day, an earthquake struck.
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秋，七月，司空種拂免； 以光祿大夫濟南淳於嘉為司空，太尉趙謙罷； 以太常馬日磾為太尉。
In autumn, in the seventh month, Minister of Works Zhong Fu was removed; Chunyu Jia of Jinan, grandee of bright rank, was appointed Minister of Works, and Grand Commandant Zhao Qian was dismissed; Ma Midi, minister of imperial sacrifices, became Grand Commandant.
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初，何進遣雲中張楊還并州募兵，會進敗，楊留上黨，有眾數千人。 袁紹在河內，楊往歸之，與南單于於扶羅屯漳水。 韓馥以豪傑多歸心袁紹，忌之； 陰貶節其軍糧，欲使其眾離散。 會馥將麴義叛，馥與戰而敗，紹因與義相結。 紹客逢紀謂紹曰：「將軍舉大事而仰人資結，不據一州，無以自全。」 紹曰：「冀州兵強，吾士饑乏，設不能辦，無所容立。」 紀曰：「韓馥庸才，可密要公孫瓚使取冀州，馥必駭懼，因遣辯士為陳禍福，馥迫於倉卒，必肯遜讓。」 紹然之，即以書與瓚。 瓚遂引兵而至，外托討董卓而陰謀襲馥，馥與戰不利。 會董卓入關，紹還軍延津，使外甥陳留高幹及馥所親穎川辛評、荀諶、郭圖等說馥曰：「公孫瓚將燕、代之卒乘勝來南，而諸郡應之，其鋒不可當。 袁車騎引軍東向，其意未可量也。 竊為將軍危之！」 馥懼，曰：「然則為之奈何？」 諶曰：「君自料寬仁容眾為天下所附，孰與袁氏？」 馥曰：「不如也。」 「監危吐決，智勇過人，又孰與袁氏？」 馥曰：「不如也。」 諶曰：「袁氏一時之傑，將軍資三不如之勢，久處其上，彼必不為將軍下也。 夫冀州，天下之重資也，彼若與公孫瓚並力取之，危亡可立而待也。 夫袁氏，將軍之舊，且為同盟，當今之計，若舉冀州以讓袁氏，彼必厚德將軍，瓚亦不能與之爭矣。 是將軍有讓賢之名，而身安於泰山也。」 馥性恇怯，因然其計。 馥長史耿武、別駕閔純、治中李歷聞而諫曰：「冀州帶甲百萬，谷支十年。 袁紹孤客窮軍，仰我鼻息，譬如嬰兒在股掌之上，絕其哺乳，立可餓殺，奈何欲以州與之！」 馥曰：「吾袁氏故吏，且才不如本初，度德而讓，古人所貴，諸君獨何病焉！」 先是，馥從事趙浮、程渙將強弩萬張屯孟津，聞之，率兵馳還。 時紹在朝歌清水，浮等從後來，船數百艘，眾萬餘人，整兵鼓，夜過紹營，紹甚惡之。 浮等到，謂馥曰：「袁本初軍無頭糧，各已離散，雖有張楊、於扶羅新附，未肯為用，不足敵也。 小從事等請以見兵拒之，旬日之間，必土崩瓦解。 明將軍但當開閣高枕，何憂何懼！」 馥又不聽，乃避位，出居中常侍趙忠故捨，遣子送印綬以讓紹。 紹將至，從事十人爭棄馥去，獨耿武、閔純杖刀拒之，不能禁，乃止； 紹皆殺之。
Earlier He Jin had sent Zhang Yang of Yunzhong to Bing province to raise troops. When He Jin fell, Yang stayed at Shangdang with several thousand men. Yuan Shao was at Henei. Zhang Yang joined him and camped on the Zhang River with the southern Chanyu Yufuluo. Han Fu saw that many leaders looked to Yuan Shao and grew jealous; he secretly cut Yuan Shao's rations, hoping to break up his army. When Fu's general Qu Yi rebelled, Fu fought and lost. Yuan Shao then allied with Qu Yi. Pang Ji told Yuan Shao: "You have undertaken a great cause yet depend on others for supplies. Unless you hold a province you cannot survive." Yuan Shao replied: "Ji Province's armies are strong and my men are starving. If we fail, we have nowhere to go." Pang Ji said: "Han Fu is a mediocrity. Secretly urge Gongsun Zan to attack Ji Province. Fu will panic, and when our envoys explain the alternatives he will yield in haste." Yuan Shao agreed and wrote to Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan marched south, ostensibly against Dong Zhuo but secretly to seize Ji from Han Fu, who fought him and lost. When Dong Zhuo entered the passes Yuan Shao withdrew to Yanjin and sent his nephew Gao Gan plus Han Fu's advisers Xin Ping, Xun Chen, and Guo Tu to warn him: "Gongsun Zan is driving his Yan and Dai veterans south in victory, and the commanderies are rallying to him. You cannot stop him. Yuan Shao is marching east as well. His intentions are unknown. I fear for your safety, General!" Han Fu asked, "What then should I do? Xun Chen asked, "Do you consider yourself more beloved for your generosity than the Yuan clan?" Han Fu said, "No." “In reading danger and acting decisively—in wisdom and courage—who compares with the Yuan?” Han Fu said, "Not I." Xun Chen said, "The Yuan are the leading men of the day. You have admitted three inferiorities yet have long ranked above them. They will not serve under you forever. Ji Province is the empire's treasure house. If they join Gongsun Zan against you, your fall will be swift. The Yuan are your old allies. Yield Ji Province to Yuan Shao. He will reward you generously and Gongsun Zan cannot challenge him. You gain fame for gracious humility and stand secure as Mount Tai." Han Fu was timid by nature and accepted the plan. Chief clerk Geng Wu, attendant Min Chun, and administration officer Li Li protested: "Ji Province has a million armed men and ten years of grain. Yuan Shao is a homeless guest with a broken army living on our breath—like an infant in our palm. Cut off his supplies and he starves at once. Why surrender the province to him?" Han Fu said, "I am an old servant of the Yuan. My talent falls short of Benchu's. To yield by measure of virtue is what antiquity honors—why do you object?" Earlier his attendants Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan had ten thousand crossbowmen at Mengjin; hearing the plan, they hurried back. Yuan Shao was at Chaoge on the Qing River when Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan came up behind with hundreds of boats, more than ten thousand men, drums beating, marching past Yuan Shao's camp by night. He was greatly alarmed. Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan told Han Fu: "Yuan Shao's army has no grain. His followers are scattering. Zhang Yang and Yufuluo have just joined him but will not fight for him. He is no match for us. Let us oppose him with the forces at hand. Within ten days he will collapse. Illustrious General, you need only reopen your doors and rest easy—what is there to fear?" Han Fu refused again. He vacated his office, moved into the former house of Zhao Zhong, and sent his son with the provincial seal to surrender to Yuan Shao. As Yuan Shao approached, ten of Fu's staff fled. Only Geng Wu and Min Chun drew blades to block them but could not, and gave up; Yuan Shao had them all executed.
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紹遂領冀州牧，承製以馥為奮威將軍，而無所將御，亦無官屬。 紹以廣平沮授為奮武將軍，使監護諸將，寵遇甚厚。 魏郡審配、巨鹿田豐並以正直不得志於韓馥，紹以豐為別駕，配為治中，及南陽許攸、逢紀、穎川荀諶皆為謀主。 紹以河內朱漢為都官從事。 漢先為韓馥所不禮，且欲徼迎紹意，擅發兵圍守馥第，拔刃登屋，馥走上樓，收得馥大兒，槌折兩腳。 紹立收漢，殺之。 馥猶憂怖，從紹索去，往依張邈。 後紹遣使詣邈，有所計議，與邈耳語； 馥在坐上，謂為見圖，無何，起至溷，以書刀自殺。
Yuan Shao took office as governor of Ji Province and appointed Han Fu General Who Displays Might, but Fu commanded no troops and had no staff. Yuan Shao made Ju Shou of Guangping General Who Displays Martial Power to oversee his commanders and favored him greatly. Shen Pei of Wei and Tian Feng of Julu, upright men who had failed under Han Fu, became Yuan Shao's chief advisers, along with Xu You, Pang Ji, and Xun Chen. Yuan Shao appointed Zhu Han of Henei director of legal affairs. Zhu Han had been slighted by Han Fu and sought Yuan Shao's favor. He surrounded Fu's house without orders, climbed the roof with drawn blades, and when Fu fled upstairs seized his eldest son and broke both his legs. Yuan Shao immediately arrested Zhu Han and executed him. Han Fu remained terrified. He asked Yuan Shao for permission to leave and went to join Zhang Miao. Later Yuan Shao sent an envoy to Zhang Miao for counsel and spoke with him in a whisper; Han Fu was in attendance and thought they were plotting against him. Soon he rose, went to the latrine, and killed himself with a letter opener.
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鮑信謂曹操曰：「袁紹為盟主，因權奪利，將自生亂，是復有一卓也。 若抑之，則力不能制，只以遘難。 且可規大河之南以待其變。」 操善之。 會黑山、於毒、白繞、眭固等十餘萬眾人略東郡，王肱不能御。 曹操引兵入東郡，擊白繞於濮陽，破之。 袁紹因表操為東郡太守，治東武陽。
Bao Xin told Cao Cao, "Yuan Shao leads the coalition but exploits his rank for gain. He will breed chaos in his own camp—we would simply have another Dong Zhuo. If you try to check him now, we lack the strength to control him and would only invite disaster. Better to secure territory south of the Yellow River and wait for events to turn." Cao Cao approved the plan. Meanwhile Black Mountain rebels under Yu Du, Bai Rao, Sui Gu, and others—more than a hundred thousand strong—ravaged Dong commandery, and the governor Wang Gong could not stop them. Cao Cao marched into Dong commandery, attacked Bai Rao at Puyang, and routed him. Yuan Shao recommended Cao Cao as grand administrator of Dong commandery, with his headquarters at Dong Wuyang.
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南單于劫張楊以叛袁紹，屯於黎陽。 董卓以楊為建義將軍、河內太守。
The Southern Chanyu abducted Zhang Yang and rebelled against Yuan Shao, camping at Liyang. Dong Zhuo appointed Zhang Yang General Who Establishes Righteousness and governor of Henei.
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太史望氣，言當有大臣戮死者。 董卓使人誣衛尉張溫與袁術交通，冬，十月，壬戌，笞殺溫於市以應之。
Court astrologers reading the heavens predicted that a great minister would be put to death. Dong Zhuo fabricated charges that Commandant of Guards Zhang Wen was conspiring with Yuan Shu. On the renxu day of the tenth winter month, he had Wen flogged to death in the marketplace to fulfill the prophecy.
17
青州黃巾寇勃海，眾三十萬，欲與黑山合。 公孫瓚率步騎二萬人逆擊於東光南，大破之，斬首三萬餘級。 賊棄其輜重，奔走渡河。 瓚因其半濟薄之，賊復大破，死者數萬，流血丹水，收得生口七萬餘人，車甲財物不可勝算，威名大震。
Yellow Turban rebels from Qing province invaded Bohai with three hundred thousand men, intending to link up with the Black Mountain forces. Gongsun Zan led twenty thousand infantry and cavalry to intercept them south of Dongguang, winning a great victory and claiming more than thirty thousand heads. The rebels abandoned their wagons and fled across the river. Zan struck while they were half across the river and shattered them again. Tens of thousands died, the water ran red, and he took more than seventy thousand captives along with countless chariots, armor, and loot. His fame soared.
18
劉虞子和為侍中，帝思東歸，使和偽逃董卓，潛出武關詣虞，令將兵來迎。 和至南陽，袁術利虞為援，留和不遣，許兵至俱西，令和為書與虞。 虞得書，遣數千騎詣和。 公孫瓚知術有異志，止之，虞不聽。 瓚恐術聞而怨之，亦遣其從弟越將千騎詣術。 而陰教術執和，奪其兵，由是虞、瓚有隙。 和逃術來北，復為袁紹所留。
Liu He, son of Liu Yu, served as palace attendant. The emperor hoped to return east and sent He to feign escape from Dong Zhuo, slip out through Wu Pass to his father, and summon troops to escort him home. When Liu He reached Nanyang, Yuan Shu, wanting Liu Yu's support, detained him, promising to march west together once troops arrived, and had He write to his father. Liu Yu received the letter and dispatched several thousand cavalry to meet his son. Gongsun Zan, knowing Yuan Shu's designs, urged Liu Yu to stop, but Yu refused. Afraid Yuan Shu would resent him, Gongsun Zan also sent his cousin Gongsun Yue with a thousand cavalry to Yuan Shu. In secret he urged Yuan Shu to seize Liu He and take his troops. From this Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan fell out. Liu He escaped Yuan Shu and headed north, only to be detained again by Yuan Shao.
19
是時關東州、郡務相兼併以自強大，袁紹、袁術亦自相離貳。 術遣孫堅擊董卓未返，紹以會稽周昂為豫州刺史，襲奪堅陽城。 堅歎曰：「同舉義兵，將救社稷，逆賊垂破而各若此，吾當誰與戮力乎！」 引兵擊昂，走之。 袁術遣公孫越助堅攻昂，越為流矢所中死。 公孫瓚怒曰：「余弟死，禍起於紹。」 遂出軍屯磐河，上疏數紹罪惡，進兵攻紹。 冀州諸城多畔紹從瓚。 紹懼，以所佩勃海太守印綬授瓚從弟范，遣之郡，而范遂背紹，領勃海兵以助瓚。 瓚乃自署其將帥嚴綱為冀州刺史，田楷為青州刺史，單經為兗州刺史。 又悉改置郡、縣守、令。
Throughout the east, provinces and commanderies were swallowing one another to grow stronger, and Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu had turned on each other as well. While Sun Jian was away campaigning against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao installed Zhou Ang of Kuaiji as governor of Yu province and seized Sun Jian's base at Yangcheng. Sun Jian lamented, "We raised righteous armies together to save the realm. The traitor is nearly broken—yet you turn on one another. With whom am I to fight now?" He marched against Zhou Ang and drove him out. Yuan Shu sent Gongsun Yue to aid Sun Jian. A stray arrow struck Yue and killed him. Gongsun Zan raged, "My brother is dead, and Yuan Shao is to blame." He marched to the Pan River, memorialized Yuan Shao's crimes to the court, and attacked him. Many cities in Ji province defected from Yuan Shao to Gongsun Zan. Alarmed, Yuan Shao gave his Bohai grand administrator seal to Gongsun Zan's cousin Gongsun Fan and sent him to take the post. Fan promptly betrayed him, mustered Bohai's troops, and joined Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan then appointed his own men—Yan Gang governor of Ji, Tian Kai governor of Qing, and Shan Jing governor of Yan. He replaced commandery and county officials throughout the region.
20
初，涿郡劉備，中山靖王之後也。 少孤貧，與母以販履為業，長七尺五寸，垂手下膝，顧自見其耳； 有大志，少語言，喜怒不形於色。 嘗與公孫瓚同師事盧植，由是往依瓚。 瓚使備與田楷徇青州有功，因以為平原相。 備少與河東關羽、涿郡張飛相友善； 以羽、飛為別部司馬，分統部曲。 備與二人寢則同床，恩若兄弟，而稠人廣坐，侍立終日，隨備周旋，不避艱險。 常山趙雲為本郡將吏兵詣公孫瓚，瓚曰：「聞貴州人皆願袁氏，君何獨迷而能反乎？」 雲曰：「天下訩訩，未知孰是，民有倒縣之厄，鄙州論議，從仁政所在，不為忽袁公，私明將軍也。」 劉備見而奇之，深加接納，雲遂從備至平原，為備主騎兵。
Liu Bei of Zhuo commandery was a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan. Orphaned young and poor, he and his mother sold straw sandals for a living. He stood seven feet five inches tall, his hands hung below his knees, and he could see his own ears when he glanced back; ambitious, reticent, and never letting joy or anger show on his face. He had studied under Lu Zhi together with Gongsun Zan and therefore went to serve him. Gongsun Zan sent Liu Bei and Tian Kai to campaign in Qing province with success and appointed Bei chancellor of Pingyuan. From youth Liu Bei had been close to Guan Yu of Hedong and Zhang Fei of Zhuo; he made them separate-division majors, each commanding his own troops. Liu Bei shared a bed with them like brothers, yet in company they stood at his side all day, following him through hardship without flinching. Zhao Yun of Changshan brought his commandery's troops to Gongsun Zan. Zan said, "Everyone in Changshan favors the Yuans. Why have you alone turned away from them?" Zhao Yun replied, "The realm is in chaos and no one knows who is right. The people hang by a thread. In Changshan we follow wherever humane government appears—not to slight Lord Yuan, nor out of private favor to you." Liu Bei was impressed and warmly welcomed him. Zhao Yun followed him to Pingyuan and commanded his cavalry.
21
初，袁術之得南陽，戶口數百萬，而術奢淫肆欲，徵斂無度，百姓苦之，稍稍離散。 既與袁紹有隙，各立黨援以相圖謀。 術結公孫瓚而紹連劉表，豪桀多附於紹。 術怒曰：「群豎不吾從而從吾家奴乎！」 又與公孫瓚書曰：「紹非袁氏子。」 紹聞大怒。
When Yuan Shu seized Nanyang it held millions of people, but he was extravagant and rapacious, taxed without limit, and drove the people away in growing numbers. After he broke with Yuan Shao, each rallied allies and schemed against the other. Yuan Shu allied with Gongsun Zan while Yuan Shao drew Liu Biao; most leading men sided with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shu fumed, "Will these nobodies follow me, or my family's bondservant?" He wrote to Gongsun Zan, "Yuan Shao is not a true son of the Yuan family." Yuan Shao was furious when he heard this.
22
術使孫堅擊劉表，表遣其將黃祖逆戰於樊、鄧之間，堅擊破之，遂圍襄陽。 表夜遣黃祖潛出發兵，祖將兵欲還，堅逆與戰，祖敗走，竄峴山中。 堅乘勝夜追祖，祖部兵從竹木間暗射堅，殺之。 堅所舉孝廉長沙桓階詣表堅喪，表義而許之。 堅兄子賁率其士眾就袁術，術復表賁為豫州刺史。 術由是不能勝表。
Yuan Shu sent Sun Jian against Liu Biao. Liu Biao sent Huang Zu to block him between Fan and Deng. Sun Jian defeated him and besieged Xiangyang. Liu Biao sent Huang Zu out by night to gather reinforcements. As Huang Zu marched back, Sun Jian intercepted him, routed him, and drove him into the Xian hills. Sun Jian pursued through the night. Huang Zu's men shot him from the woods and killed him. Huan Jie of Changsha, whom Sun Jian had recommended as a filial nominee, came to Liu Biao to mourn Sun Jian, and Liu Biao, approving his loyalty, allowed it. Sun Jian's nephew Sun Ben led his troops to Yuan Shu, who again recommended him as governor of Yu province. Yuan Shu could not defeat Liu Biao after this.
23
初，董卓入關，留朱儁守雒陽，而儁潛與山東諸將通謀，懼為卓所襲，出奔荊州。 卓以弘農楊懿為河南尹； 儁復引兵還雒，擊懿，走之。 儁以河南殘破無所資，乃東屯中牟，移書州郡，請師討卓。 徐州刺史陶謙上儁行車騎將軍，遣精兵三千助之，餘州郡亦有所給。 謙，丹楊人。 朝廷以黃巾寇亂徐州，用謙為刺史。 謙至，擊黃巾，大破走之，州境晏然。
When Dong Zhuo entered the passes he left Zhu Jun in Luoyang. Zhu Jun secretly conspired with the eastern warlords and, fearing attack, fled to Jing province. Dong Zhuo appointed Yang Yi of Hongnong Intendant of Henan; Zhu Jun marched back to Luoyang, attacked Yang Yi, and drove him out. Finding Henan too devastated to supply his army, Zhu Jun encamped at Zhongmou in the east and called on the provinces to send troops against Dong Zhuo. Xu province governor Tao Qian petitioned for Zhu Jun to serve as General of Chariots and Cavalry and sent three thousand elite troops; other provinces sent aid as well. Tao Qian was a native of Danyang. The court appointed him governor of Xu province when Yellow Turban rebels ravaged the region. He arrived, defeated the Yellow Turbans, and restored peace to the province.
24
劉焉在益州陰圖異計。 沛人張魯，自祖父陵以來世為五斗米道，客居於蜀。 魯母以鬼道常往來焉家，焉乃以魯為督義司馬，以張脩為別部司馬，與合兵掩殺漢中太守蘇固，斷絕斜谷閣，殺害漢使。 焉上書言：「米賊斷道，不得復通。」 又托他事殺州中豪強王鹹、李權等十餘人，以立威刑。 犍為太守任岐及校尉賈龍由此起兵攻焉，焉擊殺岐、龍。 焉意漸盛，作乘輿車具千餘乘，劉表上「焉有似子夏在西河疑聖人」之論。 時焉子范為左中郎將，誕為治書御史，璋為奉車都尉，皆從帝在長安，惟小子別部車馬瑁素隨焉； 帝使璋曉喻焉，焉留璋不遣。
In Yi province Liu Yan was secretly pursuing his own designs. Zhang Lu of Pei came from a family that for generations had led the Five Pecks of Rice faith, living in exile in Shu. Zhang Lu's mother practiced spirit cults and frequented Liu Yan's household. Liu Yan made Zhang Lu Director of Righteousness and Zhang Xiu a separate-division major. Together they ambushed Hanzhong governor Su Gu, sealed the Xiegu Pass, and killed imperial envoys. Liu Yan reported to court, "Rice-bandits have cut the roads and traffic cannot get through." He also used other pretexts to execute more than a dozen local magnates, including Wang Xian and Li Quan, to enforce his authority. Jianwei governor Ren Qi and Commandant Jia Long rose against him; Liu Yan defeated and killed them both. “Liu Yan grew bolder, had more than a thousand imperial chariots built, and Liu Biao memorialized that he was like Zixia of Xihe doubting a sage—implying sedition.” His sons Fan, Dan, and Zhang held court posts in Chang'an with the emperor; only his youngest son Liu Mao remained with him in Yi. The emperor sent Liu Zhang to reason with his father, but Liu Yan kept him there.
25
公孫度威行海外，中國人士避亂者多歸之，北海管寧、邴原、王烈皆往依焉。 寧少時與華歆為友，嘗與歆共鋤菜，見地有金，寧揮鋤不顧，與瓦石無異，歆捉而擲之，人以是知其優劣。 邴原遠行遊學，八九年而歸，師友以原不飲酒，會米肉送之，原曰：「本能飲酒，但以荒思廢業，故斷之耳。 今當遠別，可一飲燕。」 於是共坐飲酒，終日不醉。 寧、原俱以操尚稱，度虛館以候之。 寧既見度，乃廬於山谷。 時避難者多居郡南，而寧獨居北，示無還志，後漸來從之，旬月而成邑。 寧每見度，語唯經典，不及世事； 還山，專講《詩》、《書》，習俎豆，非學者無見也。 由是度安其賢，民化其德。 邴原性剛直，清議以格物，度已下心不安之。 寧謂原曰：「潛龍以不見成德。 言非其時，皆招禍之道也。」 密遣原逃歸，度聞之，亦不復追也。 王烈器業過人，少時名聞在原、寧之右。 善於教誘，鄉里有盜牛者，主得之，盜請罪，曰：「刑戮是甘，乞不使王彥方知也！」 烈聞而使人謝之，遺布一端。 或問其故，烈曰：「盜懼吾聞其過，是有恥惡之心，既知恥惡，則善心將生，故與布以勸為善也。」 後有老父遺劍於路，行道一人見而守之。 至暮，老父還，尋得劍，怪之，以事告烈，烈使推求，乃先盜牛者也。 諸有爭訟曲直將質之於烈，或至塗而反，或望廬而還，皆相推以直，不敢使烈聞之。 度欲以為長史，烈辭之，為商賈以自穢，乃免。
Gongsun Du's authority extended overseas, and many refugees from the heartland joined him, including Guan Ning, Bing Yuan, and Wang Lie of Beihai. Guan Ning had been friends with Hua Xin since youth. Once while hoeing together they found gold. Guan Ning ignored it as if it were rubble; Hua Xin picked it up, then tossed it away. Onlookers took this as measure of their character. Bing Yuan studied abroad for eight or nine years. When he returned, his teachers and friends—knowing he abstained from wine—gathered a farewell feast with rice and meat. Bing Yuan said, "I can drink, but I gave it up lest dissipation ruin my studies. Now that we part for long, let us share one cup." They drank together all day and Bing Yuan never became drunk. Both were famed for upright character, and Gongsun Du prepared lodgings to receive them. After meeting Gongsun Du, Guan Ning built a cottage in the hills. Refugees clustered in the south of the commandery, but Guan Ning settled alone in the north to show he would not stay. Others gradually joined him, and within a month a community had formed. When Guan Ning met Gongsun Du he spoke only of the classics, never of worldly affairs; and back in the hills he taught the Odes and Documents, trained students in ritual, and admitted no one but scholars. Gongsun Du trusted in his integrity, and the people were moved by his example. Bing Yuan was blunt and quick to moralize. Gongsun Du grew uneasy under his scrutiny. Guan Ning told Bing Yuan, "The hidden dragon perfects his virtue by staying unseen. To speak out of season is to invite disaster." He secretly sent Yuan back to escape; when Gongsun Du learned of it, he made no further attempt to pursue him. Wang Lie's talent and conduct surpassed those of his peers; in his youth his reputation even eclipsed that of Yuan and Ning. He excelled at instruction and moral guidance. When a man in his district stole an ox and was caught by the owner, the thief confessed and said, "I will gladly accept legal punishment—only I beg that Lord Wang Yanfang never learn of this!" When Lie heard of this, he sent someone to thank the man and gave him a bolt of cloth. When someone asked why, Lie said, "The thief feared that I would learn of his crime—that shows he still felt shame at wrongdoing. Once a man knows shame, a good heart will grow in him; so I gave him cloth to encourage him toward virtue." Later an old man dropped a sword on the road; a passerby who saw it stood watch over it. At dusk the old man came back, found his sword, and was astonished. He told Lie what had happened; Lie had the matter investigated, and the guardian proved to be the same man who had once stolen the ox. Whenever neighbors had disputes they meant to bring before Lie for judgment, some would turn back halfway along the road, others would go home at the mere sight of his dwelling—all yielding to one another rather than pressing their claims, for fear that Lie might hear of their quarrel. Gongsun Du wanted to appoint him Chief Clerk, but Lie refused; he took up trade as a merchant to degrade himself in Du's eyes, and so escaped the appointment.
26
春，正月，丁丑，赦天下。
In spring, on the dingchou day of the first month, an empire-wide amnesty was proclaimed.
27
董卓遣牛輔將兵屯陝，輔分遣校尉北地李傕、張掖郭汜、武威張濟將步騎數萬擊破朱儁於中牟，因掠陳留、穎川諸縣，所過殺虜無遺。
Dong Zhuo sent Niu Fu to garrison Shaan with an army; Fu in turn detached the commandants Li Jue of Beidi, Guo Si of Zhangye, and Zhang Ji of Wuwei, who led tens of thousands of foot and horse soldiers to crush Zhu Jun at Zhongmou, then swept through Chenliu and Yingchuan, slaughtering and plundering every place they touched until nothing remained.
28
初，荀淑有孫曰彧，少有才名，何顒見而異之，曰：「王佐才也！」 及天下亂，彧謂父老曰：「穎川四戰之地，宜亟避之。」 鄉人多懷土不能去，彧獨率宗族去依韓馥。 會袁紹已奪馥位，待彧以上賓之禮。 彧度紹終不能定大業，聞曹操有雄略，乃去紹從操。 操與語，大悅，曰：「吾子房也！」 以為奮武司馬。 其鄉人留者，多為傕、汜等所殺。
Earlier, Xun Shu had a grandson named Yu who won early renown for his ability. When He Yong met him, he was struck with wonder and declared, "Here is a man born to serve at a ruler's right hand!" When the empire plunged into chaos, Yu told the elders of his home district, "Yingchuan lies where armies from every direction will collide—you must leave at once." Most of his neighbors could not bear to abandon their homes, but Yu alone led his clan away to take refuge with Han Fu. By then Yuan Shao had already displaced Han Fu and received Yu with the honors reserved for a most honored guest. Yu judged that Yuan Shao would never secure the empire; hearing that Cao Cao possessed true strategic vision, he left Shao and entered Cao's service. Cao Cao talked with him and was delighted, exclaiming, "You are my Zhang Liang!" He appointed Yu Martial-Exertion Major. Most of the neighbors who had stayed behind were slaughtered by Li Jue, Guo Si, and their bands.
29
袁紹自出拒公孫瓚，與瓚戰於界橋南二十里。 瓚兵三萬，其鋒甚銳。 紹令麴義領精兵八百先登，強弩千張夾承之。 瓚輕其兵少，縱騎騰之。 義兵伏楯下不動，未至十數步，一時同發，歡呼動地，瓚軍大敗。 斬其所置冀州刺史嚴綱，獲甲首千餘級。 追至界橋，瓚斂兵還戰，義復破之，遂到瓚營，拔其牙門，餘眾皆走。
Yuan Shao marched out in person to oppose Gongsun Zan and met him in battle twenty li south of Jie Bridge. Zan fielded thirty thousand men, and their vanguard was fierce. Shao ordered Qu Yi to lead eight hundred elite soldiers forward in the van, with a thousand powerful crossbows arrayed on either flank to support them. Zan scorned their small numbers and sent his horsemen charging down upon them. Yi's men crouched motionless behind their shields; when the enemy drew within a dozen paces, every crossbow let fly at once. Their battle cry shook the ground, and Zan's army collapsed in rout. They killed Yan Gang, whom Zan had appointed Inspector of Ji Province, and took more than a thousand armored heads as trophies. The pursuit carried them to Jie Bridge, where Zan rallied his forces for another stand; Yi broke them again, pressed on to Zan's camp, tore down his command gate, and the remainder of his army scattered in flight.
30
初，兗州刺史劉岱與紹、瓚連和，紹令妻子居岱所，瓚亦遣從事范方將騎助岱。 及瓚擊破紹軍，語岱令遣紹妻子，別敕范方：「若岱不遣紹家，將騎還！ 吾定紹，將加兵於岱。」 岱與官屬議，連日不決，聞東郡程昱有智謀，召而問之，昱曰：「若棄紹近援而求瓚遠助，此假人於越以救溺子之說也。 夫公孫瓚非袁紹之敵也，今雖壞紹軍，然終為紹所禽。」 岱從之。 范方將其騎歸，未至而瓚敗。
Earlier, Liu Dai, Inspector of Yan Province, had been on friendly terms with both Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan. Shao had lodged his wife and children with Dai, while Zan too had sent his aide Fan Fang at the head of a cavalry detachment to support him. After Zan routed Yuan Shao's forces, he ordered Dai to send Shao's family away and separately instructed Fan Fang, "If Dai refuses to expel Shao's household, march your horsemen home at once! Once I have finished with Shao, I will bring my army down on Dai as well." Dai debated the matter with his staff for days without reaching a decision. Hearing that Cheng Yu of Dong Commandery was a man of keen counsel, he summoned him and asked his view. Yu said, "To cast off Yuan Shao's aid close at hand and court Gongsun Zan's help from afar is like hiring a man from distant Yue to rescue your drowning child. Gongsun Zan is no match for Yuan Shao. He may have shattered Shao's army today, but in the end Shao will be the one who destroys him." Dai took his counsel. Fan Fang marched his horsemen homeward, but before he could arrive, Zan had already been defeated.
31
曹操軍頓丘，於毒等攻東武陽。 操引兵西入山，攻毒等本屯。 諸將皆請救武陽。 操曰：「使賊聞我西而還，武陽自解也，不過，我能敗其本屯； 虜不能拔武陽必矣。」 遂行。 毒聞之，棄武陽還。 操遂擊眭固及匈奴於夫羅於內黃，皆大破之。
Cao Cao's army was encamped at Dunqiu when Yu Du and his band laid siege to Dongwuyang. Cao Cao marched west into the hills to strike at the rebels' base camp. His officers all urged him to march to the relief of Wuyang. Cao Cao said, "Once the rebels hear that I have marched west, they will abandon the siege and Wuyang will save itself. And even if they do not, I can still crush their base camp. They will certainly never be able to take Wuyang." With that he pressed on westward. When Yu Du heard of Cao's move, he broke off the siege and marched back. Cao Cao then struck Sui Gu and the Xiongnu chieftain Yufuluo at Neihuang and routed them both.
32
董卓以其弟旻為左將軍，兄子璜為中軍校尉，皆典兵事，宗族內外並列朝廷。 卓侍妾懷抱中子皆封侯，弄以金紫。 卓車服僭擬天子，召呼三台，尚書以下皆自詣卓府啟事。 又築塢於郿，高厚皆七丈，積穀為三十年儲，自云：「事成，雄據天下； 不成，守此足以畢老。」 卓忍於誅殺，諸將言語有蹉跌者，便戮於前，人不聊生。 司徒王允與司隸校尉黃琬、僕射士孫瑞、尚書楊瓚密謀誅卓。 中郎將呂布，便弓馬，膂力過人，卓自以遇人無禮，行止常以布自衛，甚愛信之，誓為父子。 然卓性剛褊，嘗小失卓意，卓拔手戟擲布，布拳捷避之，而改容顧謝，卓意亦解。 布由是陰怨於卓。 卓又使布守中閣，而私於傅婢，益不自安。 王允素善待布，布見允，自陳卓幾見殺之狀，允因以誅卓之謀告布，使為內應。 布曰：「如父子何？」 曰：「君自姓呂，本非骨肉。 今憂死不暇，何謂父子？ 擲戟之時，豈有父子情邪！」 布遂許之。
Dong Zhuo appointed his younger brother Min Left General and his nephew Huang Central Army Commandant; both controlled military affairs, while his kinsmen, near and remote, packed the offices of the court. Even Zhuo's concubines and the infants they nursed were enfeoffed as marquises, paraded about in gold seals and purple robes. Zhuo's carriage and regalia aped those of the emperor; he summoned the Three Excellencies at will, and every official from the Masters of Writing downward had to report in person at Zhuo's mansion. He also built a fortified stronghold at Mei, seven zhang high and thick, and stocked it with grain enough for thirty years. He declared, "If my plans succeed, I shall rule the empire in might; if they fail, holding this place will be enough to see out my days." Zhuo was merciless with the sword: if a general's words so much as stumbled, the man was cut down before his eyes. The people could barely endure life. The Minister over the Masses Wang Yun joined the Director of the Imperial Secretariat Huang Wan, the Deputy Director Shi Sun Rui, and the Master of Writing Yang Zan in a secret plot to kill Zhuo. The General of the Gentlemen of the Household Lü Bu was a master of bow and saddle and possessed strength beyond ordinary men. Zhuo, knowing how roughly he treated others, kept Bu at his side wherever he went, cherished and trusted him deeply, and bound him with an oath of father and son. Yet Zhuo was harsh and quick to take offense. Once, when Bu had slightly displeased him, Zhuo snatched up a hand halberd and hurled it at him. Bu, quick as a boxer, dodged aside, then composed his face and apologized, and Zhuo's anger subsided. From that moment Bu nursed a secret grudge against Zhuo. Zhuo also set Bu to guard the inner apartments, yet took Bu's maid as his lover on the side, which left Bu more uneasy than ever. Wang Yun had long treated Bu with kindness. When Bu came to him and described how Zhuo had nearly killed him, Yun revealed the plot against Zhuo and enlisted him as the man within. Bu said, "But what of our bond as father and son?" Yun replied, "Your name is Lü—you were never his kin by blood. You fret now only that you may not escape death—what father-and-son bond can that be? When he hurled that halberd at you, did that look like a father's love?" Bu agreed at last.
33
夏，四月，丁巳，帝有疾新愈，大會未央殿。 卓朝服乘車而入，陳兵夾道，自營至宮，左步右騎，屯衛周匝，令呂布等扞衛前後。 王允使士孫瑞自書詔以授布，布令同郡騎都尉李肅與勇士秦誼、陳衛等十餘人偽著衛士服，守北掖門內以待卓。 卓入門，肅以戟刺之； 卓衷甲，不入，傷臂，墮車，顧大呼曰：「呂布何在？」 布曰：「有詔討賊臣！」 卓大罵曰：「庸狗，敢如是邪！」 布應聲持矛刺卓，趣兵斬之。 主簿田儀及卓倉頭前赴其屍，布又殺之，凡所殺三人。 布即出懷中詔版以令吏士曰：「詔討卓耳，餘皆不問。」 吏士皆正立不動，大稱萬歲。 百姓歌舞於道，長安中士女賣其珠玉衣裝市酒肉相慶者，填滿街肆。 弟旻、璜等及宗族老弱在郿，皆為其群下所斫射死。 暴卓屍於市。 天時始熱，卓素充肥，脂流於地，守屍吏為大炷，置卓臍中然之，光明達曙，如是積日。 諸袁門生聚董氏之屍，焚灰揚之於路。 塢中有金二三萬斤，銀八九萬斤，錦綺奇玩積如丘山。 以王允錄尚書事，呂布為奮威將軍、假節、儀比三司，封溫侯，共秉朝政。
In summer, on the dingsi day of the fourth month, the emperor, newly recovered from illness, held a great court assembly in Weiyang Palace. Zhuo entered in full court dress, riding in his carriage, with soldiers lining the road from his camp to the palace—foot soldiers on the left, horsemen on the right, pickets posted all around—and ordered Lü Bu and the rest to guard him fore and aft. Wang Yun had Shi Sun Rui draft the imperial order in his own hand and pass it to Bu. Bu then ordered his fellow townsman, the Commandant of Cavalry Li Su, together with the warriors Qin Yi, Chen Wei, and a dozen more, to disguise themselves as palace guards and wait inside the North Side Gate for Zhuo. As Zhuo passed through the gate, Li Su struck him with a halberd; Zhuo wore armor beneath his robes, so the blow did not pierce deep, but his arm was wounded and he tumbled from his carriage. He turned and bellowed, "Where is Lü Bu?" Bu answered, "By imperial order—death to the traitor!" Zhuo raged, "Worthless cur—how dare you!" Bu answered with a thrust of his spear and ordered the soldiers to cut Zhuo down. The registrar Tian Yi and Zhuo's steward rushed to his body; Bu killed them as well, three men in all. Bu at once produced the edict tablet from his robe and proclaimed to the officials and troops, "The order was to punish Zhuo alone; no one else is to be harmed." The officials and soldiers stood motionless in their ranks and shouted, "Long live the emperor!" Commoners sang and danced in the streets, while throughout Chang'an men and women sold pearls, jade, and finery to buy wine and meat for celebration until the markets overflowed. His brother Min, his nephew Huang, and the rest of the clan—the aged and the helpless alike—at the Mei stronghold were all cut down and shot dead by Zhuo's own followers. Zhuo's corpse was displayed in the marketplace. The weather was turning warm; Zhuo had always been grossly obese, and grease pooled on the ground. The guards lit a great wick in his navel; it burned until dawn and did so for days on end. Students of the Yuan faction gathered the bodies of the Dong clan, burned them to ash, and scattered the ashes along the roads. Inside the stronghold were twenty or thirty thousand jin of gold, eighty or ninety thousand jin of silver, and brocades, silks, and curios heaped like hills. Wang Yun was appointed to record the affairs of the Masters of Writing; Lü Bu was made Martial-Exertion General, granted the ceremonial staff of authority and precedence equal to the Three Excellencies, and enfeoffed as Marquis of Wen. Together they held the reins of government.
34
卓之死也，左中郎將高陽侯蔡邕在王允坐，聞之驚歎。 允勃然叱之曰：「董卓，國之大賊！ 幾亡漢室。 君為王臣，所宜同疾，而懷其私遇，反相傷痛，豈不共為逆哉！」 即收付廷尉。 邕謝曰：「身雖不忠，古今大義，耳所厭聞，口所常玩，豈當背國而向卓也！ 願黥首刖足，繼成漢史。」 士大夫多矜救之，不能得。 太尉馬日磾謂允曰：「伯喈曠世逸才，多識漢事，當續成後史，為一代大典； 而所坐至微。 誅之，無乃失人望乎！」 允曰：「昔武帝不殺司馬遷，使作謗書流於後世。 方今國祚中衰，戎馬在郊，不可令佞臣執筆在幼主左右，既無益聖德，復使吾黨蒙其訕議。」 日磾退而告人曰：「王公其無後乎！ 善人，國之紀也； 製作，國之典也； 滅紀廢典，其能久乎！」 邕遂死獄中。
When Zhuo died, the Left General of the Gentlemen of the Household, Marquis of Gaoyang, Cai Yong, was in Wang Yun's company; on hearing the news he gasped and sighed. Yun flushed with anger and rebuked him: "Dong Zhuo was the empire's greatest villain! He nearly brought the House of Han to ruin. You are the emperor's servant and should share our hatred, yet you nurse private gratitude for his favors and grieve his death—are you not his accomplice?" Yun had him seized at once and handed over to the Minister of Justice. Yong pleaded, "I may have failed in loyalty, but the great principles of past and present—the very truths my ears have always shunned in shame and my lips have always rehearsed—how could I ever have turned against the state to serve Zhuo? Let me be branded and maimed if only I may be allowed to finish the history of Han." Many scholar-officials pleaded for his life, but in vain. The Grand Commandant Ma Midi said to Yun, "Cai Yong is a talent unmatched in his age, steeped in the affairs of Han. He should be allowed to complete the later histories—a work that would stand as the great record of our time; yet the crime charged against him is trifling. To put him to death—will you not forfeit the people's regard?" Yun replied, "Long ago Emperor Wu spared Sima Qian's life, and the man left behind a history that slandered the throne for generations to come. Today the dynasty is in decline and war-horses crowd the suburbs. We cannot let a sycophant hold the brush beside a child emperor—it would do the throne no good, and our party would only suffer his mockery in the histories he wrote." Ma Midi withdrew and said to others, "Lord Wang will leave no descendants! Good men are the cords that bind a state; and written works are its canonical records; destroy the one and discard the other—how long can such a regime endure?" Cai Yong died in prison.
35
初，黃門侍郎荀攸與尚書鄭泰、侍中種輯等謀曰：「董卓驕忍無親，雖資強兵，實一匹夫耳，可直刺殺也。」 事垂就而覺，收攸繫獄，泰逃奔袁術。 攸言語飲食自若，會卓死。 得免。
Earlier, the Yellow Gate Attendant Xun You had joined the Master of Writing Zheng Tai, the Palace Attendant Zhong Yi, and others in a plot. They said, "Dong Zhuo is arrogant, cruel, and trusts no one. Though he commands a great army, he is only a common ruffian at heart—he can be struck down with a single thrust." The plot was nearly carried out when it was discovered. You was arrested and thrown into prison; Tai fled to Yuan Shu. You ate and spoke as calmly as ever in his cell—then Zhuo died. He was released.
36
青州黃巾寇兗州，劉岱欲擊之，濟北相鮑信諫曰：「今賊眾百萬，百姓皆震恐，士卒無鬥志，不可敵也。 然賊軍無輜重，唯以鈔略為資。 今不若畜士眾之力，先為固守。 彼欲戰不得，攻又不能，其勢必離散。 然後選精銳，據要害，擊之可破也。」 岱不從，遂與戰，果為所殺。 曹操部將東郡陳宮謂操曰：「州今無主，而王命斷絕，宮請說州中綱紀，明府尋往牧之，資之以收天下，此霸王之業也。」 宮因往說別駕、治中曰：「今天下分裂而州無主； 曹東郡，命世之才也，若迎以牧州，必寧生民。」 鮑信等亦以為然，乃與州吏萬潛等至東郡，迎操領兗州刺史。 操遂進兵擊黃巾於壽張東。 不利。 賊眾精悍，操兵寡弱，操撫循激勵，明設賞罰，承間設奇，晝夜會戰，戰輒禽獲，賊遂退走。 鮑信戰死，操購求其喪不得，乃刻木如信狀，祭而哭焉。 詔以京兆金尚為兗州刺史，將之部，操逆擊之，尚奔袁術。
Yellow Turban rebels from Qing Province raided Yan Province. Liu Dai wanted to give battle, but Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei, urged against it: "The rebels now number in the millions, the people are terrified, and our troops lack the will to fight. We cannot face them in open battle. Yet they carry no baggage train and live only by raiding and plunder. Better to conserve our troops' strength and dig in for a defensive stand first. They will want to give battle but be unable to, and want to assault us but fail. Their force will inevitably disperse. Then pick our best men, seize the vital points, and strike—we can break them." Liu Dai refused to listen and gave battle anyway—and was killed, as predicted. Chen Gong of Dong Commandery, an officer in Cao Cao's service, said, "Yan Province is headless and the court's authority no longer reaches us. Let me win over the provincial elite; then you can take up the governorship and use it as a base to bring the realm under your banner—this is how hegemons are made." Chen Gong then went to the Controller and Chief Clerk and said, "The empire is fractured and this province has no ruler; Lord Cao of Dong Commandery is a man born for his times. If we install him as governor, the people will know peace." Bao Xin and the others agreed. Together with provincial officials including Wan Qian, they traveled to Dong Commandery and invited Cao Cao to assume the post of Inspector of Yan Province. Cao Cao thereupon marched against the Yellow Turbans east of Shouzhang. The initial encounter went badly for him. The rebels were numerous and fierce, while Cao Cao's force was small and overmatched. He steadied and roused his men, made rewards and punishments explicit, seized every opening for surprise attacks, and fought ceaselessly day and night. In each encounter his troops took prisoners, and the rebels eventually broke and fled. Bao Xin fell in battle. Cao Cao offered a rich reward for recovery of his body but could not find it, so he had a wooden effigy carved in Bao Xin's likeness and held funeral rites over it, weeping as he mourned. The court appointed Jin Shang of Jingzhao as Inspector of Yan Province and sent him to take up his post. Cao Cao moved to block him, and Shang fled to Yuan Shu.
37
五月，以征西將軍皇甫嵩為車騎將軍。
In the fifth month, the emperor appointed Huangfu Song, General Who Subdues the West, as Chariot-and-Cavalry General.
38
初，呂布勸王允盡殺董卓部曲，允曰：「此輩無罪，不可。」 布欲以卓財物班賜公卿、將校，允又不從。 允素以劍客遇布，布負其功勞，多自誇伐，既失意望，漸不相平。 允性剛稜疾惡，初懼董卓，故折節下之。 卓既殲滅，自謂無復患難，頗自驕傲，以是群下不甚附之。 允始與士孫瑞議，特下詔赦卓部曲，既而疑曰：「部曲從其主耳。 今若名之惡逆而赦之，恐適使深自疑，非所以安之也。」 乃止。 又議悉罷其軍，或說允曰：「涼州人素憚袁氏而畏關東，今若一旦解兵開關，必人人自危。 可以皇甫義真為將軍，就領其眾，因使留陝以安撫之。」 允曰：「不然。 關東舉義兵者，皆吾徒也。 今若距險屯陝，雖安涼州，而疑關東之心，不可也。」
Earlier, Lü Bu urged Wang Yun to slaughter every last follower of Dong Zhuo. Wang Yun replied, "These men are innocent. That cannot be done." Lü Bu wanted to distribute Dong Zhuo's treasure among the ministers and officers, but Wang Yun refused that as well. Wang Yun had always treated Lü Bu as a hired blade. Lü Bu, proud of his exploits, boasted constantly; when his expectations went unmet, the two men grew increasingly at odds. Wang Yun was rigid and unforgiving by nature. At first he had feared Dong Zhuo and so had humbled himself before him. Once Dong Zhuo was gone, he believed himself free of all danger and grew arrogant. His subordinates therefore gave him little real loyalty. Wang Yun had first consulted Shisun Rui and issued a special edict pardoning Dong Zhuo's followers. Then he had second thoughts and said, "Retainers follow their master. If we brand them traitors and then pardon them, we will only drive them to deep suspicion. That is no way to win their trust." He dropped the plan. They also debated disbanding the armies altogether. Someone advised Wang Yun, "The Liangzhou men have long feared the Yuan family and dread the coalition east of the passes. If we disarm them and open the passes in one stroke, every man among them will panic. Appoint Huangfu Song—Yizhen—as their general, let him take command of them in place, and keep him at Shan to reassure and control them." Wang Yun said, "No. The men who raised righteous armies east of the passes are our own allies. If we now hold the passes and camp at Shan, we may calm Liangzhou but we will sow doubt among our allies in the east. That will not do."
39
時百姓訛言當悉誅涼州人，卓故將校遂轉相恐動，皆擁兵自守，更相謂曰：「蔡伯喈但以董公親厚，尚從坐，今既不赦我曹而欲使解兵，今日解兵，明日當復為魚肉矣！」 呂布使李肅至陝，以詔命誅牛輔，輔等逆與肅戰，肅敗，走弘農，布誅殺之。 輔恇怯失守，會營中無故自驚，輔欲走，為左右所殺。 李傕等還，輔已死，傕等無所依，遣使詣長安求赦。 王允曰：「一歲不可再赦。」 不許。 傕等益懼，不知所為，欲各解散，間行歸鄉里，討虜校尉武威賈詡曰：「諸君若棄軍單行，則一亭長能束君矣。 不如相率而西，以攻長安，為董公報仇。 事濟，奉國家以正天下； 若其不合，走未後也。」 傕等然之，乃相與結盟，率軍數千，晨夜西行。 王允以胡文才、楊整修皆涼州大人，召使東，解釋之，不假以溫顏，謂曰：「關東鼠子，欲何為邪？ 卿往呼之！」 於是二人往，實召兵而還。 傕隨道收兵，比至長安，已十餘萬，與卓故部曲樊稠、李蒙等合圍長安城，城峻不可攻，守之八日。
Rumors spread among the people that every man from Liangzhou was to be executed. Dong Zhuo's former officers, growing fearful in turn, all kept their troops under arms. They said to one another, "Even Cai Yong was punished merely for his closeness to Dong Zhuo. Now they refuse to pardon us yet demand we lay down our arms. Disarm today, and tomorrow we are meat on the block!" Lü Bu sent Li Su to Shan with an edict commanding the execution of Niu Fu. Niu Fu and his men resisted and fought Li Su, who was defeated and fled to Hongnong, where Lü Bu had him put to death. Niu Fu was timid and lost control of his camp. When the encampment panicked without apparent cause, he tried to flee and was killed by his own men. Li Jue and his fellows returned to find Niu Fu already dead. With nowhere to turn, they sent envoys to Chang'an to beg for a pardon. Wang Yun said, "There cannot be two general amnesties in a single year." He refused. Li Jue and his men grew still more afraid and did not know what to do. They thought of disbanding and slipping home by back roads. Jia Xu, Colonel Who Punishes the Barbarians of Wuwei, said, "If you abandon your armies and travel alone, a village headman can arrest you. Better to march west together, attack Chang'an, and avenge Lord Dong Zhuo. If we succeed, we can serve the dynasty and set the realm to rights; if we fail, we can still flee in time." Li Jue and the others agreed. They formed an alliance, mustered several thousand men, and marched west day and night. Wang Yun summoned Hu Wencai and Yang Zhengxiu, both influential men from Liangzhou, to come east and reason with the rebels, but he showed them no kindness and said, "Those rats east of the passes—what do they think they are doing? Go call them off!" The two men went—and in fact rallied troops and returned with them. Li Jue gathered forces along the march, and by the time he reached Chang'an his army exceeded one hundred thousand. He joined Dong Zhuo's former followers Fan Chou and Li Meng in besieging the capital. The walls were too strong to storm, so they settled into an eight-day siege.
40
呂布軍有叟兵內反，六月，戊午，引傕眾入城，放兵虜掠。 布與戰城中，不勝，將數百騎以卓頭繫馬鞍出走，駐馬青瑣門外，招王允同去。 允曰：「若蒙社稷之靈，上安國家，吾之願也； 如其不獲，則奉身以死之。 朝廷幼少，恃我而已，臨難苟免，吾不忍也。 努力謝關東諸公，勤以國家為念！」 太常種拂曰：「為國大臣，不能禁暴禦侮，使白刃向宮，去將安之！」 遂戰而死。 傕、汜屯南宮掖門，殺太僕魯馗、大鴻臚周奐、城門校尉崔烈、越騎校尉王頎。 吏民死者萬餘人，狼藉滿道。
Some Sou auxiliaries in Lü Bu's army mutinied from within. On wuwu day in the sixth month they admitted Li Jue's troops into the city, and the soldiers were turned loose to loot and pillage. Lü Bu fought them inside the city but was defeated. He fled with a few hundred horsemen, Dong Zhuo's severed head tied to his saddle, and halted outside the Green Lattice Gate to urge Wang Yun to flee with him. Wang Yun said, "If the spirits of the realm grant it and the dynasty is restored, that is my wish; if not, I will give my life for it. The court is a child who depends on me alone. I cannot bring myself to flee in the hour of danger. Give my thanks to the lords east of the passes, and urge them to keep the realm foremost in their hearts!" The Minister of Ceremonies Zhong Fu said, "As ministers of state we failed to check violence and ward off outrage until blades were turned on the palace. Where can we flee?" He fought and was killed. Li Jue and Guo Si camped at the Southern Palace side gate and killed the Grand Master of Ceremonies Lu Kui, the Grand Herald Zhou Huan, the Colonel of the City Gates Cui Lie, and the Colonel of Agile Cavalry Wang Qi. More than ten thousand officials and civilians were killed, and the streets were heaped with the dead.
41
王允扶帝上宣平門避兵，傕等於城門下伏地叩頭，帝謂傕等曰：「卿等放兵縱橫，欲何為乎？」 傕等曰：「董卓忠於陛下，而無故為呂布所殺，臣等為卓報仇，非敢為逆也。 請事畢詣廷尉受罪。」 傕等圍門樓，共表請司徒王允出，問：「太師何罪？」 允窮蹙，乃下見之。 己未，赦天下，以李傕為揚武將軍，郭汜為揚烈將軍，樊稠等皆為中郎將。 傕等收司隸校尉黃琬，下獄。 殺之。
Wang Yun escorted the emperor to Xuankang Gate to escape the fighting. Li Jue and his men kowtowed below the gate. The emperor said to them, "You have turned your soldiers loose to run riot—what do you want?" They replied, "Dong Zhuo was loyal to Your Majesty, yet Lü Bu killed him without cause. We seek vengeance for Lord Dong—we do not mean rebellion. When our business is done we will present ourselves to the Commandant of Justice to accept punishment." Li Jue and his men surrounded the gate tower and jointly petitioned for Minister of Education Wang Yun to come out, demanding, "What crime had the Grand Mentor committed?" Wang Yun, trapped, came down to face them. On jiwei day the emperor proclaimed a general amnesty. Li Jue was appointed General Who Displays Martiality, Guo Si General Who Displays Valor, and Fan Chou and the rest were made Masters of Cavalry. Li Jue and his men arrested Colonel Director of Retainers Huang Wan and threw him into prison. They executed him.
42
初，王允以同郡宋翼為左馮翊，王宏為右扶風，傕等欲殺允，恐二郡為患，乃先徵翼、宏。 宏遣使謂翼曰：「郭汜、李傕以我二人在外，故未危王公。 今日就徵，明日俱族，計將安出？」 翼曰：「雖禍福難量，然王命，所不得避也！」 宏曰：「關東義兵鼎沸，欲誅董卓，今卓已死，其黨與易制耳。 若舉兵共討傕等，與山東相應，此轉禍為福之計也。」 翼不從，宏不能獨立，遂俱就徵。 甲子，傕收允及翼、宏，並殺之； 允妻子皆死。 宏臨命詬曰：「宋翼豎儒，不足議大計！」 傕屍王允於市，莫敢收者，故吏平陵令京兆趙戩棄官收而葬之。 始，允自專討卓之勞，士孫瑞歸功不侯，故得免於難。
Earlier, Wang Yun had appointed fellow natives Song Yi as Administrator of Left Fengyi and Wang Hong as Administrator of Right Fufeng. Li Jue and his men wanted to kill Wang Yun but feared trouble from those two commanderies, so they summoned Song Yi and Wang Hong first. Wang Hong sent a messenger to Song Yi: "Guo Si and Li Jue have not yet harmed Lord Wang because we two are still outside the capital. Obey the summons today, and tomorrow our whole clans are dead. What can we do?" Song Yi replied, "Fortune and disaster may be beyond reckoning, but a royal summons cannot be refused!" Wang Hong said, "Righteous armies east of the passes are seething to destroy Dong Zhuo. Zhuo is dead, and his remnant bands are easy to subdue. Raise troops together against Li Jue and his fellows and coordinate with the east—that is how we turn disaster into deliverance." Song Yi refused. Wang Hong could not act alone, so both answered the summons. On jiazi day Li Jue arrested Wang Yun along with Song Yi and Wang Hong and executed them all; Wang Yun's wife and children were killed as well. Facing death, Wang Hong cursed him: "Song Yi, you petty pedant—you were unfit to discuss great affairs!" Li Jue exposed Wang Yun's corpse in the marketplace, and no one dared claim it. Zhao Yan of Jingzhao, a former subordinate and magistrate of Pingling, resigned his post, recovered the body, and gave him burial. From the first Wang Yun had kept the credit for overthrowing Dong Zhuo to himself. Shisun Rui had declined reward and enfeoffment, and so escaped the slaughter.
43
臣光曰：《易》稱「勞謙君子有終吉」，士孫瑞有功不伐，以保其身，可不謂之智乎！
Sima Guang comments: The Book of Changes says, "The laboring, modest noble attains good fortune in the end." Shisun Rui had merit yet did not boast of it, and so preserved his life—was that not wisdom?
44
傕等以賈詡為左馮翊，欲侯之。 詡曰：「此救命之計，何功之有！」 固辭不受。 又以為尚書僕射，詡曰：「尚書僕射，官之師長，天下所望，詡名不素重，非所以服人也。」 乃以為尚書。
Li Jue and his men appointed Jia Xu Administrator of Left Fengyi and wished to ennoble him. Jia Xu said, "That was a plan to save our lives—what merit is there in it?" He firmly refused. They next offered him the post of Vice Director of the Masters of Writing. Jia Xu said, "That office is the chief among officials and the object of the realm's expectations. My name carries no established weight—I am not fit to command men's respect." He was appointed Master of Writing instead.
45
呂布自武關奔南陽，袁術待之甚厚。 布自恃有功於袁氏，恣兵鈔掠。 術患之，布不自安，去從張楊於河內。 李傕等購求布急，布又逃歸袁紹。
Lü Bu fled through Wu Pass to Nanyang, where Yuan Shu received him with great generosity. Lü Bu, counting on his service to the Yuan family, let his soldiers loot at will. Yuan Shu grew alarmed. Uneasy, Lü Bu left and joined Zhang Yang in Henei. Li Jue and his men offered a rich bounty for his capture. Lü Bu fled again and took refuge with Yuan Shao.
46
丙子，以前將軍趙謙為司徒。
On bingzi day the former General of the Front Zhao Qian was appointed Minister of Education.
47
秋，七月，庚子，以太尉馬日磾為太傅，錄尚書事； 八月，以車騎將軍皇甫嵩為太尉。
In autumn, in the seventh month, on gengzi day, Grand Commandant Ma Midi was appointed Grand Tutor with authority to oversee the Masters of Writing; In the eighth month, Chariot-and-Cavalry General Huangfu Song was appointed Grand Commandant.
48
詔太傅馬日磾、太僕趙岐杖節鎮撫關東。
The court ordered Grand Tutor Ma Midi and Grand Master of Ceremonies Zhao Qi to proceed east of the passes with imperial staffs of authority to restore order.
49
九月，以李傕為車騎將軍、領司隸校尉、假節； 郭汜為後將軍，樊稠為右將軍，張濟為驃騎將軍，皆封侯。 傕、汜、稠筦朝政，濟出屯弘農。
In the ninth month, Li Jue was appointed Chariot-and-Cavalry General, acting Colonel Director of Retainers, with credential staff; Guo Si was made General of the Rear, Fan Chou General of the Right, and Zhang Ji General of Fast Cavalry; all were ennobled as marquises. Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou controlled the government; Zhang Ji camped at Hongnong.
50
司徒趙謙罷。 甲申，以司空淳於嘉為司徒，光祿大夫楊彪為司空，錄尚書事。
Minister of Education Zhao Qian was removed from office. On jiashen day, Minister of Works Chunyu Jia was appointed Minister of Education, and Household Counsellor Yang Biao was made Minister of Works with authority to oversee the Masters of Writing.
51
初，董卓入關，說韓遂、馬騰與共圖山東，遂、騰率眾詣長安，會卓死，李傕等以遂為鎮西將軍，遣還金城； 騰為征西將軍，遣屯郿。
Earlier, when Dong Zhuo entered the passes, he had persuaded Han Sui and Ma Teng to join him against the east. They marched to Chang'an with their forces. After Zhuo's death, Li Jue and his men appointed Han Sui General Who Guards the West and sent him back to Jincheng; Ma Teng was made General Who Campaigns West and stationed at Mei.
52
冬，十月，荊州刺史劉表遣使貢獻。 以表為鎮南將軍、荊州牧，封成武侯。
In winter, in the tenth month, Liu Biao, Inspector of Jing Province, sent envoys bearing tribute to the court. He was appointed General Who Guards the South and Governor of Jing Province and ennobled as Marquis of Chengwu.
53
十二月，太尉皇甫嵩免，以光祿大夫周忠為太尉，參錄尚書事。
In the twelfth month, Grand Commandant Huangfu Song was dismissed. Household Counsellor Zhou Zhong was appointed Grand Commandant with authority to assist in overseeing the Masters of Writing.
54
曹操追黃巾至濟北，悉降之，得戎卒三十餘萬，男女百餘萬口，收其精銳者，號青州兵。
Cao Cao pursued the Yellow Turbans into Jibei and accepted the surrender of the whole force—more than three hundred thousand fighting men and over a million civilians. He took their best troops into service and called them the Qingzhou Army.
55
操辟陳留毛玠為治中從事，玠言於操曰：「今天下分崩，乘輿播蕩，生民廢業，饑饉流亡，公家無經歲之儲，百姓無安固之志，難以持久。 夫兵義者勝，守位以財，宜奉天子以令不臣，修耕植以畜軍資，如此，則霸王之業可成也。」 操納其言，遣使詣河內太守張楊，欲假塗西至長安，楊不聽。 定陶董昭說楊曰：「袁、曹雖為一家，勢不久群。 曹今雖弱，然實天下之英雄也，當故結之。 況今有緣，宜通其上事，並表薦之，若事有成，永為深分。」 楊是通操上事，仍表薦操。 昭為操作書與李傕、郭汜等，各隨輕重致殷勤。 傕、汜見操使，以為關東欲自立天子，今曹操雖有使命，非其誠實，議留操使。 黃門侍郎鐘繇說傕、汜曰：「方今英雄並起，各矯命專制，唯曹兗州乃心王室，而逆其忠款，非所以副將來之望也？」 傕、汜乃厚加報答。 繇，皓之曾孫也。
Cao Cao recruited Mao Jie of Chenliu as Controller Staff Officer. Mao Jie told him, "The realm is shattered, the emperor driven from his seat, the people idle in their fields, famine and exile everywhere. The treasury has no stores to last a year, and the common folk have no heart to settle. Such a state cannot endure. Armies that fight in a just cause prevail, and power rests on wealth. You should hold the emperor aloft to command the disloyal, promote farming to build up military stores—and then the work of a true hegemon can be achieved." Cao Cao took his counsel and sent envoys to Zhang Yang, Administrator of Henei, asking passage west to Chang'an. Zhang Yang refused. Dong Zhao of Dingtao said to Zhang Yang, "Yuan Shao and Cao Cao may be kin by marriage, but their alliance cannot last. Cao Cao is weak now, yet he is truly a hero of the age. You should win him as an ally while you still can. Besides, fate has brought him to your door. Relay his petition to the court and recommend him in your own memorial. If all goes well, you will share a bond that lasts." Zhang Yang did so: he forwarded Cao Cao's petition to the court and memorialized in his favor. Dong Zhao drafted letters from Cao Cao to Li Jue, Guo Si, and the rest, tailoring each message to its recipient's stature and station. When Li Jue and Guo Si received Cao Cao's envoy, they suspected the eastern lords of plotting to enthrone their own emperor. Though Cao bore an imperial commission, they judged it a sham and debated holding his envoy hostage. Yellow Gate Attendant Zhong Yao urged them, "Heroes rise on every side, each forging edicts and ruling as he pleases. Only the Governor of Yan Province, Cao Cao, still serves the throne in good faith. To spurn his loyalty—will that not disappoint every man who still hopes for the dynasty's restoration?" Li Jue and Guo Si then sent Cao Cao a generous reply. Zhong Yao was the great-grandson of Zhong Hao.
56
徐州刺史陶謙與諸守相共奏記，推朱儁為太師，因移檄牧伯，欲以同討李傕等，奉迎天子。 會李傕用太尉周忠、尚書賈詡策，徵儁入朝，儁乃辭謙議而就徵，復為太僕。
Xuzhou Inspector Tao Qian joined the local administrators in a joint memorial proposing Zhu Jun as Grand Preceptor. They also sent proclamations to the provincial governors, calling for a united campaign against Li Jue and his faction and for escorting the emperor home. Li Jue, acting on a plan from Grand Commandant Zhou Zhong and Minister Jia Xu, summoned Zhu Jun to court. Zhu Jun set aside Tao Qian's scheme, accepted the summons, and was reappointed Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan.
57
公孫瓚復遣兵擊袁紹，至龍水奏，紹擊破之。 瓚遂幽州，不敢復出。
Gongsun Zan again sent troops against Yuan Shao and advanced as far as Long River Zou. Yuan Shao routed him. Zan withdrew into You Province and did not dare march out again.
58
揚州刺史汝南陳溫卒，袁紹使袁遺領揚州； 袁術擊破之。 遺走至沛，為兵所殺。 術以下邳陳瑀為揚州刺史。
Chen Wen of Runan, Inspector of Yangzhou, died. Yuan Shao appointed his kinsman Yuan Yi to take over the province; but Yuan Shu defeated Yuan Yi. Yuan Yi fled to Pei, where soldiers killed him. Yuan Shu then installed Chen Yu of Xiapi as Inspector of Yangzhou.
59
春，正月，甲寅朔，日有食之。
In spring, on the first day of the first month (jia-yin), there was a solar eclipse.
60
丁卯，赦天下。
On the day ding-mao, an amnesty was declared for the empire.
61
曹操軍鄄城。 袁術為劉表所逼，引軍屯封丘，黑山別部及匈奴於扶羅皆附之。 曹操擊破術軍，遂圍封丘。 術走襄邑，又走寧陵。 操追擊。 連破之。 術走九江，揚州剌史陳瑀拒術不納。 術退保陰陵，集兵於淮北，復進向壽春。 瑀懼，走歸下邳，術遂領其州，兼稱徐州伯。 李傕欲結術為援，以術為左將軍，封陽翟侯，假節。
Cao Cao encamped at Juancheng. Pressed by Liu Biao, Yuan Shu withdrew to Fengqiu. Splinter bands from the Black Mountain rebels and the Xiongnu chieftain Yufuluo joined him there. Cao Cao routed his army and laid siege to Fengqiu. Yuan Shu fled to Xiangyi, then to Ningling. Cao Cao pursued. He defeated Yuan Shu again and again. Yuan Shu fled toward Jiujiang, but Chen Yu, Inspector of Yangzhou, refused him entry. He fell back to Yinling, rallied troops north of the Huai, and marched again on Shouchun. Chen Yu fled in fear to Xiapi. Yuan Shu seized control of Yangzhou and styled himself Earl of Xuzhou as well. Li Jue sought an alliance with Yuan Shu, appointing him Left General, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Yangzhai, and granting him the staff of authority.
62
袁紹與公孫瓚所置青州刺史田楷連戰二年，士卒疲睏，糧食並盡，互掠百姓，野無青草。 紹以其子譚為青州刺史，楷與戰，不勝。 會趙岐來和解關東，瓚乃與紹和親，各引兵去。
Yuan Shao and Tian Kai, whom Gongsun Zan had installed as Inspector of Qingzhou, fought for two years without respite. Their troops were exhausted, their grain gone. Both armies preyed on the peasants until not a blade of green remained in the fields. Yuan Shao appointed his son Tan Inspector of Qingzhou. Tian Kai gave battle and was defeated. When Zhao Qi arrived to mediate among the eastern lords, Gongsun Zan made peace with Yuan Shao through a marriage alliance, and both sides withdrew their armies.
63
三月，袁紹在薄落津。 魏郡兵反，與黑山賊於毒等數萬人共覆鄴城，殺其太守。 紹還屯斥丘。
In the third month Yuan Shao was encamped at Boluo Ford. Soldiers of Wei Commandery rose in revolt. Joining Yu Du of the Black Mountain bandits, they mustered tens of thousands of men, stormed Ye, and killed its administrator. Yuan Shao withdrew and encamped at Chijiu.
64
夏，曹操還軍定陶。
In summer Cao Cao marched his army back to Dingtao.
65
徐州治中東海王朗及別駕琅邪趙昱說刺史陶謙曰：「求諸侯莫如勤王，今天子越在西京，宜遣使奉貢。」 謙乃遣昱奉章至長安。 詔拜謙徐州牧，加安東將軍，封溧陽侯。 以昱為廣陵太守，朗為會稽太守。 是時，徐方百姓殷盛，谷實差豐，流民多歸之。 而謙信用讒邪，疏遠忠直，刑政不治，由是徐州漸亂。 許劭避地廣陵，謙禮之甚厚，劭告其徒曰：「陶恭祖外慕聲名，內非真正，待吾雖厚，其勢必薄。」 遂去之。 後謙果捕諸寓士，人乃服其先識。
Wang Lang of Donghai, Controller Staff Officer of Xuzhou, and Zhao Yu of Langye, Administrator Staff Officer, urged Inspector Tao Qian, "If you seek a noble rank, nothing wins it faster than serving the throne. The emperor languishes in the western capital. Send envoys with tribute at once. Tao Qian sent Zhao Yu to Chang'an with a memorial. An imperial edict appointed Tao Qian Governor of Xuzhou, promoted him to General Who Pacifies the East, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Liyang. Zhao Yu was made Administrator of Guangling and Wang Lang of Kuaiji. At that time the Xu region was populous and its harvests fairly plentiful. Refugees streamed in from every quarter. Yet Tao Qian trusted slanderers and the corrupt, kept loyal men at arm's length, and let law and order decay. Xuzhou slowly slid into chaos. Xu Shao had taken refuge in Guangling, and Tao Qian honored him lavishly. Shao warned his followers, "Tao Gongzu courts reputation but lacks genuine virtue. He treats me well now, but he will turn on me before long. He left at once. Later Tao Qian did arrest the scholars lodging in his domain, and men marveled at Xu Shao's foresight.
66
六月，扶風大雨雹。
In the sixth month, Fufeng was struck by heavy rain and hail.
67
華山崩裂。
Mount Hua split apart.
68
太尉周忠免，以太僕朱儁為太尉，錄尚書事。
Grand Commandant Zhou Zhong was dismissed. Zhu Jun, lately Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan, was appointed Grand Commandant with authority over the Secretariat.
69
下邳闕宣聚眾數千人，自稱天子； 陶謙擊殺之。
At Xiapi, Que Xuan gathered several thousand followers and declared himself emperor; Tao Qian attacked and killed him.
70
大雨，晝夜二十餘日，漂沒民居。
Rain fell day and night for more than twenty days, flooding homes and drowning whole neighborhoods.
71
袁紹出軍入朝歌鹿腸山，討於毒，圍攻五日，破之，斬毒及其眾萬餘級。 紹遂尋山北行，進擊諸賊左髭丈八等，皆斬之。 又擊劉石、青牛角、黃龍左校、郭大賢、李大目、於氐根等，復斬數萬級，皆屠其屯壁。 遂與黑山賊張燕及四營屠各、雁門烏桓戰於常山。 燕精兵數萬，騎數千匹。 紹與呂布共擊燕，連戰十餘日，燕兵死傷雖多，紹軍亦疲，遂俱退。
Yuan Shao marched into the Deer Intestine Hills of Chaoge to campaign against Yu Du. After five days of siege he broke the rebel line, beheaded Yu Du, and took more than ten thousand heads. He pressed north along the ridges, hunting bandit chiefs such as Left Whiskers Zhangba, and beheaded them all. He next struck Liu Shi, Green Ox Horn, Yellow Dragon Left Commander, Guo Daxian, Li Damu, Yu Digen, and others, taking tens of thousands more heads and slaughtering every fortified camp. He then met Zhang Yan of the Black Mountain rebels, the Four Camps Tuge, and the Yanmen Wuhuan in battle at Changshan. Zhang Yan fielded tens of thousands of elite infantry and several thousand horsemen. Yuan Shao and Lü Bu attacked him together. For more than ten days the battle raged. Zhang Yan's losses were heavy, but Yuan Shao's army was exhausted as well, and both sides withdrew.
72
呂布將士多暴橫，紹患之，布因求還雒陽。 紹承製以布領司隸校尉，遣壯士送布，而陰圖之。 布使人鼓箏於帳中，密亡去，送者夜起，斫帳被皆壞。 明旦，紹聞布尚在，懼，閉城自守。 布引軍復歸張楊。
Lü Bu's men were violent and unruly, and Yuan Shao grew uneasy. Lü Bu asked leave to return to Luoyang. Yuan Shao, acting on imperial commission, appointed him Colonel of the Censorate and sent braves to escort him—while secretly plotting his death. Lü Bu left a man playing the zither in his tent and slipped away by night. His escorts woke and hacked at the bedding until the tent was in shreds—only then did they realize he was gone. At dawn Yuan Shao learned Lü Bu still lived. Terrified, he shut the gates and barred himself inside. Lü Bu marched his army back to Zhang Yang.
73
前太尉曹嵩避難在琅邪，其子操令泰山太守應邵迎之。 嵩輜重百餘兩，陶謙別將守陰平，士卒利嵩財寶，掩襲嵩於華、費間，殺之，並少子德。 秋，操引兵擊謙，攻拔十餘城，至彭城，大戰，謙兵敗，走保郯。 初，京、雒遭董卓之亂，民流移東出，多依徐土，遇操至，坑殺男女數十萬口於泗水，水為不流。 操攻郯不能克，乃去，攻取應、睢陵、夏丘，皆屠之，雞犬亦盡，墟邑無復行人。
Cao Song, former Grand Commandant, had taken refuge in Langye. His son Cao Cao ordered Ying Shao, Administrator of Taishan, to escort him home. Cao Song traveled with more than a hundred wagons of goods. A detached force of Tao Qian's, stationed at Yinping, coveted the treasure. The soldiers ambushed him between Hua and Fei, killed him, and killed his younger son De as well. In autumn Cao Cao marched against Tao Qian, stormed more than ten cities, and fought a great battle at Pengcheng. Tao Qian was routed and fled to shelter behind the walls of Tan. After Dong Zhuo's ravages of the capital, countless families had fled east into Xu territory. When Cao Cao arrived, he massacred men and women by the hundreds of thousands along the Si River until the current choked with corpses. Unable to take Tan, he turned aside, seized Ying, Suiling, and Xiaqiu, and put each to the sword until not a chicken or dog remained. The roads lay empty and the towns were ruins.
74
冬，十月，辛丑，京師地震。
In winter, on the day xin-chou of the tenth month, the capital was shaken by an earthquake.
75
有星孛於天市。 司空楊彪免。 丙午，以太常趙溫為司空，錄尚書事。
A comet appeared in the Celestial Market constellation. Yang Biao was dismissed from office as Minister of Works. On the day bing-wu, Zhao Wen, Grand Minister of Sacrifices, was appointed Minister of Works with authority over the Secretariat.
76
劉虞與公孫瓚積不相能，瓚數與袁紹相攻，虞禁之，不可，而稍節其稟假。 瓚怒，屢違節度，又復侵犯百姓。 虞不能制，乃遣驛使奉章陳其暴掠之罪，瓚亦上虞稟糧不周。 二奏交馳，互相非毀，朝廷依違而已。 瓚乃築小城於薊城東南以居之。 虞數請會，瓚輒稱病不應； 虞恐其終為亂，乃率所部兵合十萬人以討之。 時瓚部曲放散在外，倉卒掘東城欲走，虞兵無部伍，不習戰，又愛民廬舍，敕不聽焚燒，戒軍士曰：「無傷餘人，殺一伯珪而已。」 攻圍不下。 瓚乃簡募銳士數百人，因風縱火，直衝突之，虞眾大潰。 虞與官屬北奔居庸，瓚追攻之，三日，城陷，執虞並妻子還薊，猶使領州文書。 會詔遣使者段訓增虞封邑，督六州事； 拜瓚前將軍，封易侯。 瓚乃誣虞前與袁紹等謀稱尊號，脅訓斬虞及妻子於薊市。 故常山相孫瑾、掾張逸、張瓚等相與就虞，罵瓚極口，然後同死，瓚傳虞首於京師，故吏尾敦於路劫虞首，歸葬之。 虞以恩厚得眾心，北州百姓流舊莫不痛惜。
Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan had long been at odds. Zan repeatedly clashed with Yuan Shao. Liu Yu forbade it but could not stop him, and slowly cut his grain rations. Zan grew furious, defied Liu Yu's orders again and again, and preyed on the common people. Unable to restrain him, Liu Yu sent a courier with a memorial detailing Zan's pillage. Zan memorialized in turn that Liu Yu had failed to supply his troops. Memorials flew back and forth, each man slandering the other. The court wavered and did nothing. Zan built a small fortress southeast of Ji and moved there. Liu Yu invited him to parley again and again, but Zan always pleaded illness and refused; Fearing Zan would bring ruin on the north, Liu Yu mustered a hundred thousand men and marched against him. Zan's troops were scattered abroad. He tried to break out through the eastern wall in haste. Liu Yu's men were undisciplined and unused to war. He forbade burning houses and told his soldiers, "Spare the people. Kill only Bo Gui." The siege failed. Zan chose several hundred elite fighters, set fires downwind, and charged. Liu Yu's army broke and fled. Liu Yu fled north to Juyong with his staff. Zan pursued, and in three days the town fell. He seized Liu Yu, his wife, and his children and brought them back to Ji, yet still had Liu Yu manage the province's paperwork. Just then an imperial edict arrived with the envoy Duan Xun, enlarging Liu Yu's fief and placing six provinces under his supervision; and appointing Gongsun Zan Former General and Marquis of Yi. Zan then accused Liu Yu of plotting with Yuan Shao to proclaim himself emperor, forced Duan Xun to behead Liu Yu and his family in the market at Ji. Sun Jin, former Chancellor of Changshan, and the staff officers Zhang Yi and Zhang Zan went to Liu Yu's side, cursed Gongsun Zan to his face, and died with him. Zan sent Liu Yu's head to the capital, but Wei Dun, a former subordinate, waylaid the convoy, recovered the head, and gave it burial. Liu Yu had won the north through kindness. Old settlers and common folk alike mourned him.
77
初，虞欲遣使奉章詣長安，而難其人，眾鹹曰：「右北平田疇，年二十二，年雖少，然有奇材。」 虞乃備禮，請以為掾。 具車騎將行，疇曰：「今道路阻絕，寇虜縱橫，稱官奉使，為眾所指。 願以私行，期於得達而已。」 虞從之。 疇乃自選家客二十騎，俱上西關，出塞，傍北山，直趣朔方，循間道至長安致命。 詔拜疇為騎都尉。 疇以天子方蒙塵未安，不可以荷佩榮寵，固辭不受。 得報，馳還，比至，虞已死，疇謁祭虞墓，陳發章表，哭泣而去。 公孫瓚怒，購求獲疇，謂曰：「汝不送章報我，何也？」 疇曰：「漢室衰頹，人懷異心，唯劉公不失忠節。 章報所言，於將軍未美，恐非所樂聞，故不進也。 且將軍既滅無罪之君，又讎守義之臣，疇恐燕、趙之士皆將蹈東海而死，莫有從將軍者也。」 瓚乃釋之。
Earlier Liu Yu had wished to send a memorial to Chang'an but could find no man fit for the journey. All agreed: "Tian Chou of Right Beiping is only twenty-two, yet he has rare ability." Liu Yu received him with full ceremony and appointed him to his staff. When horses and chariots were ready, Tian Chou said, "The roads are cut, bandits roam everywhere. Travel as an official envoy and every hand will be against you. Let me go as a private man. I ask only to arrive." Liu Yu agreed. Tian Chou chose twenty household retainers as escort, crossed the western pass, left the frontier, skirted the northern mountains, struck for Shuofang, and by hidden paths reached Chang'an with the memorial. An edict appointed him Commandant of Cavalry. Tian Chou held that the emperor, still wandering in exile, was in no state to bestow honors. He firmly declined the appointment. With the court's reply in hand, he raced home. By the time he arrived, Liu Yu was dead. Tian Chou paid his respects at the tomb, presented the memorial, wept, and left. Gongsun Zan was furious. He put a price on Tian Chou's head, seized him, and demanded, "Why did you not bring me the court's reply? Tian Chou answered, "The Han dynasty is failing. Men everywhere turn traitor. Only Lord Liu has kept faith. What the memorial says would not please you, General. I feared it was nothing you wished to hear, and so I did not bring it to you. You have already killed an innocent lord and made an enemy of a faithful minister. I fear the men of Yan and Zhao will drown themselves in the eastern sea rather than follow you." Gongsun Zan released him.
78
疇北歸無終，率宗族及他附從者數百人，掃地而盟曰：「君仇不報，吾不可立於世！」 遂入徐無山中，營深險平敞地而居，躬耕以養父母，百姓歸之，數年間至五千餘家。 疇謂其父老曰：「今眾成都邑，而莫相統一，又無法制以治之，恐非久安之道。 疇有愚計，願與諸君共施之，可乎？」 皆曰：「可！」 疇乃為約束，相殺傷、犯盜、諍訟者，隨輕重抵罪，重者至死，凡一十餘條。 又制為婚姻嫁娶之禮，與學校講授之業，班行於眾，眾皆便之，至道不拾遺。 北邊翕然服其威信，烏桓、鮮卑各遣使致饋，疇悉撫納，令不為寇。
Tian Chou returned north to Wuzhong with his clan and several hundred followers. They swept the ground and swore: "Unless we avenge our lord, we have no place in this world!" He withdrew into Mount Xuwu, settled on a defensible plateau, and farmed to support his parents. Within a few years more than five thousand households had joined him. Tian Chou told the elders: "We have built a settlement but lack unity and law. That cannot last. I have a plan. Will you join me in putting it into practice?" “They all agreed.” Tian Chou drew up regulations: assault, theft, and litigation were punished by degree, up to death—more than ten articles in all. He instituted marriage rites and schools for instruction. The people accepted them readily, and lost goods lay untouched on the roads. The northern tribes submitted to his authority. The Wuhuan and Xianbei sent envoys with gifts; Tian Chou received them and forbade raiding.
79
十二月，辛丑，地震。
In the twelfth month, on xinchou day, an earthquake struck.
80
司空趙溫免。 乙巳，以衛尉張喜為司空。
Minister of Works Zhao Wen was removed from office. On yisi day Zhang Xi, Commandant of Guards, was appointed Minister of Works.