1
=漢紀五十九=起閼逢敦牂，盡柔兆涒灘，凡三年。
[Han Records 59] Spanning from the year Yanfeng Dunxiang through Rouzhao Toushan—a period of three years.
2
孝獻皇帝壬建安十九年（ 甲午，公元二一四年）
Emperor Xian of Han, nineteenth year of Jian'an ( jiawu, the year 214 CE)
3
春，馬超從張魯求兵，北取涼州，魯遣超還圍祁山。 姜敘等告急於夏侯淵，諸將議欲須魏公操節度。 淵曰：「公在鄴，反覆四千里，比報，敘等必敗，非救急也。」 遂行，使張郃督步騎五千為前軍。 超敗走。 韓遂在顯親，淵欲襲取之，遂走。 淵追至略陽城，去遂三十餘里，諸將欲攻之，或言當攻興國氐。 淵以為：「遂兵精，興國城固，攻不可卒拔，不如襲長離諸羌。 長離諸羌多在遂軍，必歸救其家。 若捨羌獨守則孤，救長離則官兵得與野戰，必可虜也。」 淵乃留督將守輜重，自將輕兵到長離，攻燒羌屯，遂果救長離。 諸將見遂兵眾，欲結營作塹乃與戰。 淵曰：「我轉斗千里，今復作營塹，則士眾罷敝，不可復用。 賊雖眾，易與耳。」 乃鼓之，大破遂軍。 進圍興國。 氐王千萬奔馬超，餘眾悉降。 轉擊高平、屠各，皆破之。
In spring, Ma Chao asked Zhang Lu for troops to march north and seize Liangzhou; Lu sent him back instead to besiege Qishan. Jiang Xu and others sent urgent appeals to Xiahou Yuan; the generals debated whether they ought to wait for orders from Duke Cao. Yuan said, "The Duke is at Ye, four thousand li there and back. By the time a report reaches him, Xu and the others will already have been defeated—that is no way to save them in time." He set out at once, placing Zhang He in command of five thousand foot and horse as the vanguard. Ma Chao was defeated and fled. Han Sui was at Xianqin; Yuan meant to take him by surprise, but Sui fled. Yuan pursued as far as Lueyang, still thirty-odd li behind Sui. The generals wanted to press the attack on him, but others argued they should strike the Di of Xingguo instead. Yuan reasoned, "Sui's troops are first-rate, and Xingguo is strongly fortified—we cannot storm it in a hurry. Better to strike the Di of Changli. Most of the Changli Di were serving in Sui's army; they would surely hurry home to defend their families. If they left the Di and held their ground alone, they would be isolated; if they rushed to save Changli, our troops could meet them in the open and take them for certain." Yuan left supervising officers to guard the baggage train, led light troops himself to Changli, and attacked and burned the Di camps. Sui did come to the rescue of Changli. Seeing how numerous Sui's forces were, the generals wanted to entrench and dig trenches before giving battle. Yuan said, "We have fought our way a thousand li in relays. If we stop now to build camps and trenches, the men will be exhausted and good for nothing. The enemy may be many, but they will be easy to handle." He ordered the drums beaten and routed Sui's army completely. He pressed on to besiege Xingguo. The Di king Qianwan fled to Ma Chao, while the remainder surrendered outright. He then turned against Gaoping and the Tuge and defeated them both.
4
三月，詔魏公操位在諸侯王上，改授金璽、赤紱、遠遊冠。
In the third month, an edict ranked Duke Cao above all feudal lords and kings and invested him anew with the golden seal, crimson sash, and distant-travel crown.
5
夏，四月，旱。 五月，雨水。 初，魏公操遣廬江太守朱光屯皖，大開稻田。 呂蒙言於孫權曰：「皖田肥美，若一收孰，彼眾必增，宜早除之。」 閏月，權親攻皖城。 諸將欲作土山，添攻具，呂蒙曰：「治攻具及土山，必歷日乃成； 城備既修，外救必至，不可圖也。 且吾乘雨水以入，若留經日，水必向盡，還道艱難，蒙竊危之。 今觀此城，不能甚固，以三軍銳氣，四面並攻，不移時可拔； 及水以歸，全勝之道也。」 權從之。 蒙薦甘寧為升城督，寧手持練，身緣城，為士卒先； 蒙以精銳繼之，手執枹鼓，士卒皆騰踴。 侵晨進攻，食時破之，獲朱光及男女數萬口。 既而張遼至夾石，聞城已拔，乃退。 權拜呂蒙為廬江太守，還屯尋陽。
In summer, during the fourth month, there was drought. In the fifth month came heavy rains and flooding. Earlier, Duke Cao had sent Lujiang Administrator Zhu Guang to garrison Wan and open extensive rice paddies there. Lü Meng told Sun Quan, "Wan's fields are rich and fertile. One harvest there will swell their numbers—we should destroy this threat at once." In the intercalary month, Quan led the assault on Wancheng in person. The generals proposed building assault mounds and siege engines. Lü Meng said, "Siege works and earthen mounds cannot be finished in less than many days; by then the defenses will be ready and outside relief will arrive—we will have lost our chance. Besides, we entered on the floodwaters. If we linger for days, the water will fall and the retreat will be hard—I fear that danger myself. This city is not strongly built. Strike on four sides with the army's full edge, and it will fall in no time; withdraw while the waters still hold—that is the path to total victory." Quan agreed. Meng recommended Gan Ning to lead the escalade. Ning took a white silk rope, scaled the wall himself, and went first among the troops; Meng followed with picked troops, beating the war drums, and the men surged up after them. They attacked at dawn and took the city by breakfast time, capturing Zhu Guang and tens of thousands of people. Zhang Liao reached Jiashi only to learn the city had already fallen, and he withdrew. Quan appointed Lü Meng Administrator of Lujiang and returned to camp at Xunyang.
6
諸葛亮留關羽守荊州，與張飛、趙雲將兵溯流克巴東。 至江州，破巴郡太守嚴顏，生獲之。 飛呵顏曰：「大軍既至，何以不降，而敢拒戰！」 顏曰：「卿等無狀，侵奪我州，我州但有斷頭將軍，無降將軍也！」 飛怒，令左右牽去斫頭。 顏容止不變，曰：「斫頭便斫頭，何為怒邪！」 飛壯而釋之，引為賓客。 分遣趙雲從外水定江陽、犍為，飛定巴西、德陽。
Zhuge Liang left Guan Yu to hold Jingzhou and, with Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, led troops upriver to take Badong. At Jiangzhou they defeated Yan Yan, Administrator of Ba commandery, and took him alive. Fei thundered at Yan, "The main army is here—why do you not surrender? How dare you resist!" Yan replied, "You people are shameless invaders of our province. In this province we have only generals who lose their heads—never generals who surrender!" Fei flew into a rage and ordered his men to drag Yan away and behead him. Yan's composure never wavered. He said, "Behead me if you like—why work yourself into a rage over it?" Fei was impressed, released him, and took him on as a personal guest. They sent Zhao Yun along the outer river to secure Jiangyang and Jianwei, while Fei pacified Brazil and Deyang.
7
劉備圍雒城且一年，龐統為流矢所中，卒。 法正箋與劉璋，為陳形勢強弱，且曰：「左將軍從舉兵以來，舊心依依，實無薄意。 愚以為可圖變化，以保尊門。」 璋不答。 雒城潰，備進圍成都。 諸葛亮、張飛、趙雲引兵來會。 馬超知張魯不足與計事，又魯將楊昂等數害其能，超內懷於邑。 備使建寧督郵李恢往說之，超遂從武都逃入氐中，密書請降於備。 使人止超，而潛以兵資之。 超到，令引軍屯城北，城中震怖。 備圍城數十日，使從事中郎涿郡簡雍入說劉璋。 時城中尚有精兵三萬人，穀帛支一年，吏民咸欲死戰。 璋言：「父子在州二十餘年，無恩德以加百姓。 百姓攻戰三年，肌膏草野者，以璋故也，何心能安！」 遂開城，與簡雍同輿出降，群下莫不流涕。 備遷璋於公安，盡歸其財物，佩振威將軍印綬。
Liu Bei had besieged Luocheng for nearly a year when Pang Tong was hit by a stray arrow and died. Fa Zheng wrote Liu Zhang a letter laying out the balance of forces and adding, "From the day he raised his army, General Left has kept his old affection for you—he truly bears you no ill will. I believe you should consider a change of course to preserve your house and rank." Zhang made no reply. Luocheng fell, and Bei pressed on to besiege Chengdu. Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun marched up with their forces to join him. Ma Chao saw that Zhang Lu was no partner for serious plans, and that Lu's officers such as Yang Ang kept undermining him; inwardly he grew restless. Bei sent Li Hui, Supervisor of Jianning, to win him over. Ma Chao fled from Wudu into Di country and sent a secret letter offering to surrender to Bei. Bei had men hold Ma Chao in place while secretly reinforcing him with troops. When Ma Chao arrived, Bei had him camp north of the city with his army, and panic seized Chengdu. After besieging the city for several tens of days, Bei sent Jian Yong of Zhuo, Attendant of the Masters of Writing, into the city to persuade Liu Zhang. The city still held thirty thousand crack troops and provisions for a year; officials and commoners alike were ready to fight to the death. Zhang said, "Father and son have ruled this province for more than twenty years without bestowing any real grace on the people. For three years the people have fought, their flesh feeding the wild grass—all because of me. How could my conscience bear that!" He opened the gates, rode out in the same carriage with Jian Yong to surrender, and every man under him wept. Bei resettled Zhang at Gong'an, returned all his property, and invested him with the seal and sash of General Who Inspires Awe.
8
備入成都，置酒，大饗士卒。 取蜀城中金銀，分賜將士，還其穀帛。 備領益州牧，以軍師中郎將諸葛亮為軍師將軍，益州太守南郡董和為掌軍中郎將，並置左將軍府事，偏將軍馬超為平西將軍，軍議校尉法正為蜀郡太守、揚武將軍，裨將軍南陽黃忠為討虜將軍，從事中郎麋竺為安漢將軍，簡雍為昭德將軍，北海孫乾為秉忠將軍，廣漢長黃權為偏將軍，汝南許靖為左將軍長史，龐羲為司馬，李嚴為犍為太守，費觀為巴郡太守，山陽伊籍為從事中郎，零陵劉巴為西曹掾，廣漢彭羕為益州治中從事。
Bei entered Chengdu, set out wine, and gave the troops a great feast. He took the gold and silver in the Shu capital, distributed it among the officers and men, and returned the people's grain and cloth to them. Bei assumed the post of Governor of Yizhou. He made Zhuge Liang, Military Adviser Middle Gentleman, General of the Military Advisers; Dong He of Nan, Yizhou Administrator, Supervisor of the Army Middle Gentleman, sharing Left General headquarters duties; Ma Chao, General of the Van, General Who Pacifies the West; Fa Zheng, Military Adviser Colonel, Administrator of Shu and General Who Displays Martiality; Huang Zhong of Nanyang, General of the Rear, General Who Attacks the Barbarians; Mi Zhu, Attendant of the Masters of Writing, General Who Pacifies Han; Jian Yong, General Who Displays Virtue; Sun Qian of Beihai, General Who Upholds Loyalty; Huang Quan, Magistrate of Guanghan, General of the Van; Xu Jing of Runan, Chief Clerk to the Left General; Pang Xi, Major; Li Yan, Administrator of Jianwei; Fei Guan, Administrator of Ba; Yi Ji of Shanyang, Attendant of the Masters of Writing; Liu Ba of Lingling, Western Bureau Clerk; and Peng Yi of Guanghan, Supervisor of the Masters of Writing for Yizhou.
9
初，董和在郡，清儉公直，為民夷所愛信，蜀中推為循吏，故備舉而用之。 備之自新野奔江南也，荊楚群士從之如雲，而劉巴獨北詣魏公操。 操闢為掾，遣招納長沙、零陵，桂陽。 會備略有三郡，巴事不成，欲由交州道還京師。 時諸葛亮在臨蒸，以書招之，巴不從，備深以為恨。 巴遂自交趾入蜀依劉璋。 及璋迎備，巴諫曰：「備，雄人也，入必為害。」 既入，巴復諫曰：「若使備討張魯，是放虎於山林也。」 璋不聽，巴閉門稱疾。 備攻成都，令軍中曰：「有害巴者，誅及三族。」 及得巴，甚喜。 是時益州郡縣皆望風景附，獨黃權閉城堅守，須璋稽服，乃降。 於是董和、黃權、李嚴等，本璋之所授用也； 吳懿、費觀等，璋之婚親也； 彭羕，璋之所擯棄也； 劉巴，宿昔之所忌恨也； 備皆處之顯任，盡其器能，有志之士，無不競勸，益州之民，是以大和。 初，劉璋以許靖為蜀郡太守。 成都將潰，靖謀逾城降備，備以此薄靖，不用也。 法正曰：「天下有獲虛譽而無其實者，許靖是也。 然今主公始創大業，天下之人，不可戶說，宜加敬重，以慰遠近之望。」 備乃禮而用之。
Dong He had earlier served in the commandery with purity, thrift, and integrity, winning the trust of both Han and tribal peoples; Shu hailed him as a model official, which is why Bei raised him up. When Bei fled from Xinye south of the Yangzi, Jing-Chu scholars flocked to him like clouds—yet Liu Ba alone went north to Duke Cao. Cao took him on as a clerk and sent him to win over Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang. But Bei had already seized some three commanderies, Ba's mission came to nothing, and he meant to return to the capital by way of Jiaozhou. Zhuge Liang was at Linzheng and wrote inviting him, but Ba refused; Bei took this as a deep affront. Ba then entered Shu from Jiaozhi and placed himself under Liu Zhang. When Zhang welcomed Bei in, Ba warned, "Bei is a formidable man. Let him in and he will surely bring harm." Once Bei was inside, Ba warned again, "Send him against Zhang Lu and you are releasing a tiger into the hills." Zhang would not listen, and Ba shut his doors, pleading illness. When Bei besieged Chengdu, he proclaimed through the army, "Whoever harms Liu Ba will bring execution on three generations of his kin." When he secured Ba, he was overjoyed. By then the counties of Yizhou were surrendering at the first rumor of Bei; only Huang Quan shut his gates and held out until Zhang had formally submitted, and then he yielded. Dong He, Huang Quan, Li Yan, and others had been Zhang's own appointees; Wu Yi, Fei Guan, and others were tied to Zhang by marriage; Peng Yi was a man Zhang had cast out; Liu Ba was a man Bei had long resented; Yet Bei gave them all high office and used their talents to the full. Men of ambition strove to serve him, and the people of Yizhou were brought into broad harmony. Earlier, Liu Zhang had made Xu Jing Administrator of Shu commandery. As Chengdu was about to fall, Jing plotted to slip over the wall and surrender to Bei; for this Bei held him in contempt and would not use him. Fa Zheng said, "The world has men who win empty fame without substance—Xu Jing is one of them. Yet you are only now founding a great enterprise. You cannot explain yourself door to door across the realm; you should honor him publicly to satisfy the hopes of men near and far." Bei thereupon treated him with ceremony and gave him office.
10
成都之圍也，備與士眾約：「若事定，府庫百物，孤無預焉。」 及拔成都，士眾皆捨干戈赴諸藏，競取寶物。 軍用不足，備甚憂之，劉巴曰：「此易耳。 但當鑄直百錢，平諸物價，令吏為官市。」 備從之。 數月之間，府庫充實。 時議者欲以成都名田宅分賜諸將。 趙雲曰：「霍去病以匈奴未滅，無用家為。 今國賊非但匈奴，未可求安也。 須天下都定，各反桑梓，歸耕本土，乃其宜耳。 益州人民，初罹兵革，田宅皆可歸還，令安居復業，然後可役調，得其歡心，不宜奪之以私所愛也。」 備從之。
During the siege of Chengdu, Bei pledged to his officers and men, "When this is settled, everything in the treasury is yours—I claim no part of it." When Chengdu fell, the men cast aside their arms and rushed to the storehouses, scrambling for valuables. Military funds ran short, and Bei was deeply troubled. Liu Ba said, "That is easily remedied. Mint zhibai coins, stabilize prices, and have officials run government markets." Bei followed his advice. Within a few months the treasury was full again. At the time some argued that the finest fields and houses in Chengdu should be divided among the generals as rewards. Zhao Yun said, "Huo Qubing refused to settle down while the Xiongnu still stood unconquered. Our country's enemy is far more than the Xiongnu alone—we are in no position to seek comfort yet. Only when the realm is wholly pacified should each man return to his native place and take up farming at home—that is the proper course. The people of Yizhou have only just suffered war. Their fields and homes should be returned so they can settle and resume their livelihoods—only then can you levy and win them. They must not be stripped to reward private favorites." Bei accepted his counsel.
11
備之襲劉璋也，留中郎將南郡霍峻守葭萌城。 張魯遣楊昂誘峻求共守城。 峻曰：「小人頭可得，城不可得！」 昂乃退。 後璋將扶禁、向存等帥萬餘人由閬水上，攻圍峻，且一年。 峻城中兵才數百人，伺其怠隙，選精銳出擊，大破之，斬存。 備既定蜀，乃分廣漢為梓潼郡，以峻為梓潼太守。
When Bei moved against Liu Zhang, he left Huo Jun of Nan, Central Regiment General, to hold Jimeng. Zhang Lu sent Yang Ang to win Jun over and propose a joint defense of the city. Jun replied, "You may have my head, but you will never have this city!" Ang withdrew. Later Zhang's generals Fu Jin and Xiang Cun led more than ten thousand men up the Lang River to besiege Jun for nearly a year. Jun had only a few hundred men in the city. When he saw his chance, he sent picked troops out in a sortie, routed the enemy, and killed Xiang Cun. Once Bei had secured Shu, he carved Zitong commandery out of Guanghan and made Jun its administrator.
12
法正外統都畿，內為謀主，一飧之德、睚眥之怨，無不報復，擅殺毀傷己者數人。 或謂諸葛亮曰：「法正太縱橫，將軍宜啟主公，抑其威福。」 亮曰：「主公之在公安也，北畏曹操之強，東憚孫權之逼，近則懼孫夫人生變於肘腋。 法孝直為之輔翼，令翻然翱翔，不可複製。 如何禁止孝直，使不得少行其意邪！」
Fa Zheng governed the capital region outwardly while serving as Bei's chief strategist within. The smallest kindness or the slightest grudge he repaid in full, and he killed several men on his own authority who had wronged him. Someone told Zhuge Liang, "Fa Zheng runs wild. You ought to tell the lord to rein in his power." Liang said, "When our lord was at Gong'an, he feared Cao Cao's strength to the north and Sun Quan's pressure to the east, and close at hand he dreaded trouble from Lady Sun under his own roof. Fa Xiaozhi was the wing that let him rise and soar again—an achievement that cannot be matched. How then can we restrain Xiaozhi and keep him from having his way even a little?"
13
諸葛亮佐備治蜀，頗尚嚴峻，人多怨歎者。 法正謂亮曰：「昔高祖入關，約法三章，秦民知德。 今君假借威力，跨據一州，初有其國，未垂惠撫； 且客主之義，宜相降下，願緩刑弛禁以慰其望。」 亮曰：「君知其一，未知其二。 秦以無道，政苛民怨，匹夫大呼，天下土崩； 高祖因之，可以弘濟。 劉璋闇弱，自焉已來，有累世之累，文法羈縻，互相承奉，德政不舉，威刑不肅。 蜀土人土，專權自恣，君臣之道，漸以陵替。 寵之以位，位極則賤； 順之以恩，恩竭則慢。 所以致敝，實由於此。 吾今威之以法，法行則知恩； 限之以爵，爵加則知榮。 榮恩並濟，上下有節，為治之要，於斯而著矣。」
Zhuge Liang helped Bei govern Shu with a notably stern hand, and many grumbled against it. Fa Zheng told Liang, "When Gaozu entered the passes, he proclaimed the three-article law, and the people of Qin felt his virtue. You now wield borrowed power across a whole province, have only just gained a state, and have not yet shown gracious rule; and as guest among hosts you ought to show forbearance. Ease punishments and relax prohibitions to satisfy what the people hope for." Liang replied, "You know one side of this, not the other. Qin ruled without the Way, its government harsh and the people full of resentment. One common man cried out and the realm fell apart; Gaozu seized that moment and could bring broad relief to the age. Liu Zhang was weak and muddled. Since Liu Yan's day burdens had piled up for generations, written law had become mere shackles, officials merely bowed to one another, virtuous rule went unpracticed, and awe-inspiring punishments went unenforced. Shu's local elites seized power and did as they pleased, and the bond between ruler and minister was steadily overturned. Honor men with rank, and when rank reaches its limit they grow contemptible; indulge them with favor, and when favor is exhausted they grow insolent. The decay they brought about came chiefly from this. I now awe them with law; when law is enforced they learn what favor means; limit them with noble rank; when rank is granted they learn what glory means. Glory and favor working together, superior and inferior kept in their proper measure—that is the heart of good government, and here it stands plain."
14
劉備以零陵蔣琬為廣都長。 備嘗因遊觀，奄至廣都，見琬眾事不治，時又沉醉。 備大怒，將加罪戮。 諸葛亮請曰：「蔣琬社稷之器，非百里之才也。 其為政以安民為本，不以修飾為先，願主公重加察之。」 備雅敬亮，乃不加罪，倉卒但免官而已。
Liu Bei appointed Jiang Wan of Lingling magistrate of Guangdu. Once while out on an inspection tour, Bei suddenly appeared at Guangdu and found Wan's affairs in disorder and Wan himself drunk. Bei flew into a rage and was about to have him executed. Zhuge Liang pleaded, "Jiang Wan is fit to serve the state—he is no mere district administrator. He governs to secure the people, not to put on a show. I beg you to look at him again with care." Bei held Liang in high regard, so he did not punish Wan but merely stripped him of office in haste.
15
秋，七月，魏公操擊孫權，留少子臨菑侯植守鄴。 操為諸子高選官屬，以刑顒為植家丞。 顒防閒以禮，無所屈撓，由是不合。 庶子劉楨美文辭，植親愛之。 楨以書諫植曰：「君侯采庶子之春華，忘家丞之秋實，為上招謗，其罪不小，愚實懼焉。」
In autumn, during the seventh month, Duke Cao attacked Sun Quan and left his youngest son, Marquis of Linzi Cao Zhi, to guard Ye. Cao carefully chose staff for his sons and made Xing Yong household aide to Zhi. Yong kept him in check with strict ritual propriety and would not bend, and for that reason they did not get along. Liu Zhen, a junior associate, wrote fine prose, and Zhi was fond of him. Zhen wrote to admonish Zhi, "You gather the spring blossoms your junior offers but forget the autumn fruit your household aide provides. You invite your father's reproach, and the fault is no small one. I am truly afraid for you."
16
魏尚書令荀攸卒。 攸深密有智防，自從魏公操攻討，常謀謨帷幄，時人及子弟莫知其所言。 操嘗稱：「荀文若之進善，不進不休； 荀公達之去惡，不去不止。」 又稱：「二荀令之論人，久而益信，吾沒世不忘。」
Xun You, Director of the Masters of Writing in Wei, died. You was deeply secretive and possessed keen strategic foresight. From the time he followed Duke Cao on campaign he often plotted behind closed curtains, and neither his contemporaries nor even his own sons knew what he had said. Cao once said, "Xun Wenruo advances the good and never stops until it is done; Xun Gongda removes evil and never stops until it is gone." He also said, "The two Director Xuns judged men so well that over time one trusts them all the more. I shall not forget them as long as I live."
17
初，枹罕宋建因涼州亂，自號河首平漢王，改元，置百官，三十餘年。 冬，十月，魏公操使夏侯淵自興國討建，圍枹罕，拔之，斬建。 淵別遣張郃等渡河，入小湟中，河西諸羌皆降，隴右平。
Earlier, Song Jian of Baohan had exploited the disorders in Liangzhou to style himself King Who Pacifies Han at the River's Head, change the era name, and set up a full bureaucracy—for more than thirty years. In winter, during the tenth month, Duke Cao sent Xiahou Yuan from Xingguo against Jian, besieged Baohan, took it, and beheaded Jian. Yuan separately sent Zhang He and others across the river into Lesser Huangzhong; the Qiang west of the river all submitted, and Longyou was pacified.
18
帝自都許以來，守位而已，左右侍衛莫非曹氏之人者。 議郎趙彥嘗為帝陳言時策，魏公操惡而殺之。 操後以事入見殿中，帝不任其懼，因曰：「君若能相輔，則厚； 不爾，幸垂恩相捨。」 操失色，俛仰求出。 舊儀：三公領兵，朝見，令虎賁執刃挾之。 操出，顧左右，汗流浹背； 自後不復朝請。 董承女為貴人，操誅承，求貴人殺之。 帝以貴人有妊，累為請，不能得。 伏皇后由是懷懼，乃與父完書，言曹操殘逼之狀，令密圖之，完不敢發。 至是，事乃洩，操大怒，十一月，使御史大夫郗慮持節策收皇后璽綬，以尚書令華歆為副，勒兵入宮，收後。 後閉戶，藏壁中。 歆壞戶發壁，就牽後出。 時帝在外殿，引慮於坐，後被發，徒跣，行泣，過訣曰：「不能復相活邪？」 帝曰：「我亦不知命在何時！」 顧謂慮曰：「郗公，天下寧有是邪！」 遂將後下暴室，以幽死； 所生二皇子，皆鴆殺之，兄弟及宗族死者百餘人。
Since the emperor had his court at Xu, he had held nothing but an empty throne; every attendant and guard around him was a man of the Cao clan. Gentleman Consultant Zhao Yan once laid out timely policy for the emperor; Duke Cao hated it and had him killed. Cao later came into the hall on business. The emperor, unable to master his fear, said, "If you can truly assist me, the reward will be great; if not, I beg you graciously to let me go." Cao turned pale, bowed his head, and begged to withdraw. By old ritual, when the Three Excellencies who commanded troops came to audience, tiger guards were ordered to flank them with blades drawn. Cao went out, glanced back at his attendants, sweat streaming down his back; and from then on he never came to court audience again. Dong Cheng's daughter had been made a Noble Lady. Cao executed Cheng and demanded that the Noble Lady be killed as well. Because the Noble Lady was pregnant, the emperor pleaded again and again, but could not save her. Empress Fu was seized with fear and wrote her father Wan describing Cao's cruel oppression, urging him to plot in secret. Wan did not dare act. Now the affair leaked out, and Cao was furious. In the eleventh month he sent Grandee Secretary Xi Lü with credentials to seize the empress's seal and sash, with Director of the Masters of Writing Hua Xin as his deputy, and led troops into the palace to take her. The empress shut her door and hid inside the wall. Xin broke down the door, tore open the wall, and dragged the empress out. The emperor was in the outer hall and had drawn Lü to sit beside him. The empress came with her hair loose and barefoot, weeping as she passed. She took her leave and said, "Can you not save my life after all?" The emperor said, "I too do not know when my own life will end!" He turned to Lü and said, "Lord Xi, can such a thing truly exist under heaven!" They took the empress down to the harsh chamber and killed her by confinement; the two princes she had borne were poisoned to death, and more than a hundred of her brothers and kinsmen were killed.
19
十二月，魏公操至孟津。
In the twelfth month, Duke Cao reached Meng Ford.
20
操以尚書郎高柔為理曹掾。 舊法：軍征士亡，考竟其妻子。 而亡者猶不息。 操欲更重其刑，並及父母、兄弟，柔啟曰：「士卒亡軍，誠在可疾，然竊聞基中時有悔者。 愚謂乃宜貸其妻子，一可使誘其還心。 正如前科，固已絕其意望； 而猥復重之，柔恐自今在軍之士，見一人亡逃，誅將及己，亦且相隨而走，不可復得殺也。 此重刑非所以止亡，乃所以益走耳！」 操曰：「善！」 即止不殺。
Cao made Gao Rou, Gentleman of the Masters of Writing, clerk of the justice bureau. Under the old law, when soldiers deserted on campaign, their wives and children were punished to the full extent of the law. Yet desertions still did not stop. Cao wished to make the punishment heavier, extending it to parents and brothers as well. Rou submitted, "Desertion is indeed detestable, yet I have heard that some deserters later repent. I believe their wives and children ought to be spared—this may lure them back. The former statute already cut off their hope of return; yet if you rashly make it heavier, I fear that from now on, whenever a soldier sees one man desert and knows punishment will reach his own kin, the rest will flee together as well—and then you will never be able to stop them by killing. Heavy punishment will not stop desertion—it will only make men run all the faster!" Cao said, "Well said!" He then halted the killings.
21
孝獻皇帝壬建安二十年（ 乙未，公元二一五年）
Emperor Xian of Han, twentieth year of Jian'an ( yiwei, the year 215 CE)
22
春，正月，甲子，立貴人曹氏為皇后； 魏公操之女也。 三月，魏公操自將擊張魯，將自武都入氐，氐人塞道，遣張郃、朱靈等攻破之。 夏，四月，操自陳倉出散關至河池，氐王竇茂眾萬餘人恃險不服，五月，攻屠之。 四平、金城諸將麴演、蔣石等共斬送韓遂首。
In spring, on the first day jiazi of the first month, the Noble Lady of the Cao clan was made empress; she was Duke Cao's daughter. In the third month, Duke Cao led the attack on Zhang Lu in person, intending to enter Di territory from Wudu. The Di blocked the road, and he sent Zhang He, Zhu Ling, and others to break through. In summer, during the fourth month, Cao left Chencang through Sans Pass for Hechi. The Di king Dou Mao, with more than ten thousand men, held the terrain and refused submission. In the fifth month Cao attacked and slaughtered them. The generals Qu Yan and Jiang Shi of Siping and Jincheng jointly beheaded Han Sui and sent his head.
23
初，劉備在荊州，周瑜、甘寧等數勸孫權取蜀。 權遣使謂備曰：「劉璋不武，不能自守，若使曹操得蜀，則荊州危矣。 今欲先攻取璋，次取張魯，一統南方，雖有十操，無所憂也。」 備報曰：「益州民富地險，劉璋雖弱，足以自守。 今暴師於蜀、漢，轉運於萬里，欲使戰克攻取，舉不失利，此孫、吳所難也。 議者見曹操失利於赤壁，謂其力屈，無復遠念。 今操三分天下已有其二，將欲飲馬於滄海，觀兵於吳會，何肯守此坐須老乎！ 而同盟無故自相攻伐，借樞於操，使敵承其隙，非長計也。 且備與璋托為宗室，冀憑英靈以匡漢朝。 今璋得罪於左右，備獨悚懼，非所敢聞，願加寬貸。」 權不聽，遣孫瑜率水軍往夏口。
Earlier, while Liu Bei was in Jingzhou, Zhou Yu, Gan Ning, and others repeatedly urged Sun Quan to seize Shu. Quan sent an envoy to tell Bei, "Liu Zhang is no warrior and cannot hold his ground. If Cao Cao takes Shu, Jingzhou will be in peril. I mean to take Zhang first, then Zhang Lu, and unify the south. Even ten Caos could not trouble us then." Bei replied, "Yizhou is rich in people and perilous in terrain. Though Liu Zhang is weak, he can still hold his own. To expose your army in Shu and Han, haul supplies ten thousand li, and expect every battle won without loss—that is what even Sun Wu would find hard. Men who saw Cao defeated at Red Cliffs say his strength is spent and he has no further distant ambitions. Cao already holds two thirds of the realm. He means to water his horses at the eastern sea and parade his troops at Wu and Kuaiji. Why would he sit here growing old! Yet allies attack one another for no reason, handing Cao an opening and letting the enemy exploit the breach—that is no long-term plan. Moreover, Zhang and I claim kinship as imperial clansmen and hope to rely on our ancestors' spirits to restore the Han. Now Zhang has given offense to your court. I am fearful and trembling at the very thought, and I beg you to show him leniency." Quan would not listen and sent Sun Yu with the fleet toward Xiakou.
24
備不聽軍過，謂瑜曰：「汝欲取蜀，吾當被髪入山，不失信於天下也。」 使關羽屯江陵，張飛屯秭歸，諸葛亮據南郡，備自住孱陵，權不得已召瑜還。 及備西攻劉璋，權曰：「猾虜，乃敢挾詐如此！」 備留關羽守江陵，魯肅與羽鄰界； 羽數生疑貳，肅常以歡好撫之。
Bei would not let the army pass and told Yu, "If you mean to take Shu, I shall let down my hair and go into the mountains—I will not break faith with the world." He posted Guan Yu at Jiangling, Zhang Fei at Zigui, and Zhuge Liang in Nan commandery, while he himself held Chanling. Quan had no choice but to recall Yu. When Bei marched west against Liu Zhang, Quan said, "That crafty barbarian—he dared deceive us like this!" Bei posted Guan Yu at Jiangling while Lu Su held a neighboring frontier post against him; Guan Yu kept nursing suspicions of treachery, but Lu Su always placated him with cordial gestures.
25
及備已得益州，權令中司馬諸葛瑾以備求荊州諸郡。 備不許，曰：「吾方圖涼州，涼州定，乃盡以荊州相與耳。」 權曰：「此假而不反，乃欲以虛辭引歲也。」 遂置長沙、零陵、桂陽三郡長吏。 關羽盡逐之。 權大怒，遣呂蒙督兵二萬以取三郡。
Once Bei had taken Yizhou, Quan sent Central Major Zhuge Jin to demand that Bei return the Jingzhou commanderies. Bei refused and said, "I am campaigning for Liangzhou now; once Liangzhou is secure, I will give you all of Jingzhou." Quan said, "That is a loan you never mean to repay—you only want empty promises to stall for time." He proceeded to install magistrates in Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang. Guan Yu expelled every one of them. Furious, Quan dispatched Lü Meng at the head of twenty thousand men to seize the three commanderies.
26
蒙移書長沙、桂陽，皆望風歸服，惟零陵太守郝普城守不降。 劉備聞之，自蜀親至公安，遣關羽爭三郡。 孫權進住陸口，為諸軍節度； 使魯肅將萬人屯曾陽以拒羽； 飛書召呂蒙，使捨零陵急還助肅。 蒙得書，秘之，夜，召諸將授以方略； 晨，當攻零陵，顧謂郝普故人南陽鄧玄之曰：「郝子太聞世間有忠義事，亦欲為之，而不知時也。 今左將軍在漢中為夏侯淵所圍； 關羽在南郡，至尊身自臨之。 彼方首尾倒縣，救死不給，豈有餘力復營此哉！ 今吾計力度慮而以攻此，曾不移日而城必破，城破之後，身死，何益於事，而令百歲老母戴白受誅，豈不痛哉！ 度此家不得外問，謂援可恃，故至於此耳。 君可見之，為陳禍福。」 玄之見普，具宣蒙意，普懼而出降。 蒙迎，執其手與俱下船，語畢，出書示之，因拊手大笑。 普見書，知備在公安而羽在益陽，慚恨入地。 蒙留孫河，委以後事，即日引軍赴益陽。
Meng sent summons to Changsha and Guiyang, and both capitulated at once; only Hao Pu, administrator of Lingling, shut himself in the city and refused to yield. When Liu Bei heard, he hurried from Shu to Gong'an in person and sent Guan Yu to fight for the three commanderies. Sun Quan moved up to Lukou to take overall command of the armies; he posted Lu Su with ten thousand men at Zengyang to block Guan Yu; He sent an urgent message ordering Lü Meng to drop the siege of Lingling and rush back to reinforce Lu Su. Meng received the order, told no one, and that night gathered his officers to lay out his strategy; At dawn, on the eve of the assault on Lingling, he turned to Deng Xuanzhi of Nanyang, an old friend of Hao Pu, and said, "Zitai has heard of loyal deeds and wants to do one himself, but he does not understand the moment. The Left General is now trapped in Hanzhong by Xiahou Yuan; Guan Yu is in Nan commandery, and the Sovereign himself is on the scene against him. They are caught in a desperate crisis and can barely save themselves—how could they spare the strength to relieve you here! If I attack as planned, this city will fall within a day; when it falls, your death will serve no purpose, and your white-haired mother will be executed—is that not heartbreaking! I suppose his family has no word from outside and believes relief is coming—that is why things have reached this point. Go see him and lay out the consequences for him." Xuanzhi visited Pu, delivered Meng's message in full, and Pu, frightened, came out and surrendered. Meng welcomed him, took his hand, and led him aboard a boat; when they had finished speaking, he produced the letter and showed it to him, then clapped his hands and laughed. Reading the letter, Pu learned that Liu Bei was at Gong'an and Guan Yu at Yiyang, and he was overwhelmed with shame. Meng left Sun He in charge and marched that same day for Yiyang.
27
魯肅欲與關羽會語，諸將疑恐有變，議不可往。 肅曰：「今日之事，宜相開譬。 劉備負國，是非未決，羽亦何敢重欲干命！」 乃邀羽相見，各駐兵馬百步上，但諸將軍單刀俱會。
Lu Su wanted to meet Guan Yu face to face, but the other generals feared a trap and urged him not to go. Su said, "In a crisis like this, we should speak plainly to one another. Liu Bei has wronged the alliance, and the rights of the case are unsettled—how would Guan Yu dare to overstep his authority again!" He then invited Guan Yu to a meeting; both sides kept their troops a hundred paces back, and the two generals alone came forward, each carrying only a single blade.
28
肅因責數羽以不返三郡，羽曰：「烏林之役，左將軍身在行間，戮力破敵，豈得徒勞，無一塊土，而足下來欲收地邪！」 肅曰：「不然。 始與豫州覲於長阪，豫州之眾不當一校，計窮慮極，志勢摧弱，圖欲遠竄，望不及此。 主上矜愍豫州之身無有處所，不愛土地士民之力，使有所庇廕以濟其患； 而豫州私獨飾情，愆德墮好。 今已藉手於西州矣，又欲翦並荊州之土，斯蓋凡夫所不忍行，而況整領人物之主乎！」 羽無以答。 會聞魏公操將攻漢中，劉備懼失益州，使使求和於權。 權令諸葛瑾報命，更尋盟好。 遂分荊州，以湘水為界； 長沙、江夏、桂陽以東屬權，南郡、零陵、武陵以西屬備。 諸葛瑾每奉使至蜀，與其弟亮但公會相見，退無私面。
Lu Su upbraided Guan Yu for withholding the three commanderies. Guan Yu replied, "At Wulin the Left General fought in the front lines and broke the enemy at our side—are we to have shed blood for nothing and gained not a foot of soil, while you now come to seize our land!" Lu Su said, "That is not so. When I first met the Governor of Yu at Changban, his forces barely filled a single camp; he was spent and broken in spirit and meant to flee into the distance—I never imagined things would come to this. Our lord took pity on the Governor of Yu, who had nowhere to stand, and without stinting territory or manpower gave him shelter from his troubles; Yet the Governor of Yu put on a show of friendship in private while breaking faith and destroying the bond between us. Now that he has a foothold in the west, he seeks to carve up Jingzhou as well—a thing even a common man would shrink from, let alone a ruler who presides over others!" Guan Yu had no answer. Word then came that Duke Cao was about to attack Hanzhong; fearing he might lose Yizhou, Liu Bei sent envoys to sue for peace with Sun Quan. Quan had Zhuge Jin reply and restore the alliance. They then partitioned Jingzhou along the Xiang River; everything east of Changsha, Jiangxia, and Guiyang went to Quan, and everything west of Nan commandery, Lingling, and Wuling went to Bei. Whenever Zhuge Jin went on embassy to Shu, he and his brother Liang met only in official settings and never privately face to face.
29
秋，七月，魏公操至陽平。 張魯欲舉漢中降，其弟衛不肯，率眾數萬人拒關堅守，橫山築城十餘里。 初，操承涼州從事及武都降人之辭，說「張魯易攻，陽平城下南北山相遠，不可守也」，信以為然。 及往臨履，不如所聞，乃歎曰：「他人商度，少如人意。」 攻陽平山上諸屯，山峻難登，既不時拔，士卒傷夷者多，軍食且盡，操意沮，便欲拔軍截山而還，遣大將軍夏侯惇、將軍許褚呼山上兵還。 會前軍夜迷惑，誤入張衛別營，營中大驚退散。 侍中辛毘、主簿劉曄等在兵後，語惇、褚，言「官兵已據得賊要屯，賊已散走」，猶不信之。 惇前自見，乃還白操，進兵攻衛，衛等夜遁。 張魯聞陽平已陷，欲降，閻圃曰：「今以迫往，功必輕； 不如依杜濩赴樸胡，與相拒，然後委質，功必多。」 乃奔南山入巴中。 左右欲悉燒寶貨倉庫，魯曰：「本欲歸命國家，而意未得達。 今之走避銳鋒，非有惡意。 寶貨倉庫，國家之有。」 遂封藏而去。 操入南鄭，甚嘉之。 又以魯本有善意，遣人慰喻之。
In the seventh month of autumn, Duke Cao arrived at Yangping. Zhang Lu was ready to surrender Hanzhong, but his brother Wei refused and led tens of thousands of men to hold the passes, throwing up walls along the mountain ridges for more than ten li. “Earlier Cao had heard from a Liangzhou aide and a defector from Wudu that Zhang Lu would be easy to attack and that the ground below Yangping, with north and south mountains far apart, could not be defended—and he believed them.” When he saw the ground for himself, it did not match what he had heard, and he sighed, "Other people's estimates rarely turn out as one hopes." He assaulted the hill forts at Yangping, but the slopes were steep and the positions held; the attack stalled, casualties mounted, and provisions ran low. Dispirited, Cao prepared to pull back across the mountains and sent Grand General Xiahou Dun and General Xu Chu to recall the men on the heights. That night the vanguard lost its way in the dark and blundered into one of Zhang Wei's outlying camps, throwing the enemy into panic and flight. “Attendant-in-Ordinary Xin Pi, Chief Clerk Liu Ye, and others, who were in the rear, told Dun and Chu that government troops had already taken the enemy's key camp and that the enemy had broken and run—but the two generals still would not believe it.” Dun rode forward to see for himself, then returned and reported to Cao; the army pressed the attack, and Wei fled by night. When Zhang Lu heard that Yangping had fallen, he wanted to surrender, but Yan Yuan said, "If you submit now under pressure, your merit will count for little; better to join Du Hu and go to Pu Hu, hold out together, and then submit formally—your reward will be far greater." He then fled south into the mountains and withdrew into Baxi. His followers wanted to burn all the stores of treasure, but Lu said, "I meant to surrender to the imperial court, and that aim has not yet been achieved. This retreat is only to avoid the enemy's sharp edge, not out of malice. Treasures and stores belong to the state." He had them sealed and left them behind. When Cao entered Nanzheng, he greatly admired this conduct. Because Lu had shown good faith from the start, Cao also sent envoys to reassure him.
30
丞相主簿司馬懿言於操曰：「劉備以詐力虜劉璋，蜀人未附，而遠爭江陵，此機不可失也。 今克漢中，益州震動，進兵臨之，勢必瓦解。 聖人不能違時，亦不可失時也。」 操曰：「人苦無足，既得隴，復望蜀邪！」 劉曄曰：「劉備，人傑也，有度而遲； 得蜀日淺，蜀人未恃也。 今破漢中，蜀人震恐，其勢自傾。 以公之神明，因其傾而壓之，無不克也。 若小緩之，諸葛亮明於治國而為相，關羽、張飛勇冠三軍而為將，蜀民既定，據險守要，則不可犯矣。 今不取，必為後憂。」 操不從。 居七日，蜀降者說「蜀中一日數十驚，守將雖斬之而不能安也。」 操問曄曰：「今尚可擊不？」 曄曰：「今已小定，未可擊也。」 乃還。 以夏侯淵為都護將軍，督張郃、徐晃等守漢中； 以丞相長史杜襲為駙馬都尉，留督漢中事。 襲綏懷開導，百姓自樂出徙洛、鄴者八萬餘口。
Chief Clerk Sima Yi said to Cao, "Liu Bei seized Liu Zhang by fraud and force; the people of Shu are not yet loyal to him, yet he is fighting far away at Jiangling—this is an opportunity we must not miss. With Hanzhong in our hands, Yizhou will be shaken; if we march against it at once, it will surely fall apart. Even a sage cannot defy the season, and one must not miss the moment." Cao said, "Men are never satisfied—having taken Long, you would look to Shu as well!" Liu Ye said, "Liu Bei is a man of heroic stature—far-sighted but deliberate; he has held Shu only briefly, and the people there do not yet trust him. With Hanzhong lost, the people of Shu are terrified and his position is already crumbling. With your brilliance, if you press him while he is faltering, you cannot fail. Wait even a little, and with Zhuge Liang as a brilliant administrator and chancellor and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei as the bravest generals in the land, once the people of Shu settle in and hold the mountain passes, he will become untouchable. If you do not strike now, you will regret it later." Cao would not listen. Seven days later a defector from Shu reported, "In Shu there are dozens of alarms in a single day; though the garrison commanders execute people, they cannot restore order." Cao asked Liu Ye, "Can we still attack?" Liu Ye said, "It has already stabilized somewhat—we cannot attack now." So Cao withdrew. He appointed Xiahou Yuan Protector General to command Zhang He, Xu Huang, and others in holding Hanzhong; He left Chancellor Chief Clerk Du Xi as Commandant of Equipage to oversee civil affairs in Hanzhong. Du Xi soothed and settled the people with gentle guidance, and more than eighty thousand families willingly migrated to Luoyang and Ye.
31
八月，孫權率眾十萬圍合肥。 時張遼、李典、樂進將七千餘人屯合肥。 魏公操之征張魯也，為教與合肥護軍薛悌，署函邊曰：「賊至，乃發。」 及權至，發教，教曰：「若孫權至者，張、李將軍出戰，樂將軍守，護軍勿得與戰。」 諸將以眾寡不敵，疑之。 張遼曰：「公遠征在外，比救至，彼破我必矣。 是以教指及其未合逆擊之，折其盛勢，以安眾心，然後可守也。」 進等莫對。 遼怒曰：「成敗之機，在此一戰。 諸君若疑，遼將獨決之。」 李典素與遼不睦，慨然曰：「此國家大事，顧君計何如耳，吾可以私憾而忘公義乎！ 請從君而出。」 於是遼夜募敢從之士，得八百人，椎牛犒饗。 明旦，遼被甲持戟，先登陷陣，殺數十人，斬二大將，大呼自名，沖壘入至權麾下。 權大驚，不知所為，走登高塚，以長戟自守。 遼叱權下戰，權不敢動，望見遼所將眾少，乃聚圍遼數重。 遼急擊圍開，將麾下數十人得出。 餘眾號呼曰：「將軍棄我乎？」 遼復還突圍，拔出餘眾，權人馬皆披靡，無敢當者。 自旦戰至日中，吳人奪氣。 乃還修守備，眾心遂安。 權守合肥十餘日，城不可拔，徹軍還。 兵皆就路，權與諸將在逍遙津北，張遼覘望知之，即將步騎奄至。 甘寧與呂蒙等力戰扞敵，凌統率親近扶權出圍，復還與遼戰，左右盡死，身亦被創，度權已免，乃還。 權乘駿馬上津橋，橋面已徹，丈餘無版； 親近監谷利在馬後，使權持鞍緩控，利於後著鞭以助馬勢，遂得超度。 賀齊率三千人在津南迎權，權由是得免。 權入大船宴飲，賀齊下席涕泣曰：「至尊人主，常當持重，今日之事，幾致禍敗。 群下震怖，若無天地，願以此為終身之誡！」 權自前收其淚曰：「大慚謹已刻心，非但書紳也。」
In the eighth month, Sun Quan led a hundred thousand men to besiege Hefei. Zhang Liao, Li Dian, and Yue Jin then held Hefei with a garrison of just over seven thousand men. When Duke Cao marched against Zhang Lu, he left sealed instructions for Hefei Protector-of-the-Army Xue Ti, marked on the envelope: "Open only when the enemy arrives." When Sun Quan arrived, they opened the packet. It read: "If Sun Quan comes, Generals Zhang and Li are to take the field, General Yue is to hold the city, and the Protector-of-the-Army must not fight." The generals doubted the order, seeing how badly they were outnumbered. Zhang Liao said, "The Duke is far away on campaign; before relief can arrive, the enemy will certainly destroy us. That is why the instructions tell us to strike before they fully deploy, break their momentum, and steady the troops—only then can we hold the city." Yue Jin and the others had no answer. Liao said angrily, "Victory or defeat hangs on this single battle. If you still hesitate, I will decide it alone." Li Dian, who had never gotten along with Liao, said firmly, "This is a matter of state; I care only whether your plan is sound—how could private grudges make me forget the public good! I will go out with you." That night Liao recruited eight hundred volunteers, slaughtered oxen, and feasted them. At dawn the next day, Liao armored himself, took up his halberd, and led the charge; he killed dozens of men, cut down two enemy generals, shouted his own name, broke through the lines, and burst in as far as Sun Quan's command post. Sun Quan was thrown into panic; he fled to a high mound and defended himself with a long halberd. Liao shouted for Sun Quan to come down and fight, but Sun Quan did not dare move; seeing how few men Liao had brought, he gathered his forces and surrounded him in layer after layer. Liao fought desperately to break the ring and escaped with several dozen of his men. The men left behind cried out, "General, have you abandoned us?" Liao wheeled about, fought his way back in, and rescued the rest; Sun Quan's men broke before him, and none dared stand in his way. The battle lasted from dawn to midday, and the Wu troops lost their nerve. They then returned to shore up the defenses, and the garrison's morale was restored. Sun Quan besieged Hefei for more than ten days but could not take it and withdrew. As the army marched off, Sun Quan and his officers were north of Xiaoyao Ford; Zhang Liao saw this from his scouts and immediately led infantry and cavalry in a sudden rush upon them. Gan Ning, Lü Meng, and others fought desperately to hold the enemy back; Ling Tong led his personal guard to escort Sun Quan out of the trap, then turned back to fight Zhang Liao again; his attendants were killed to the last man and he himself was wounded, but once he saw that Sun Quan was safe, he withdrew. Sun Quan mounted a swift horse and rode onto Jin Bridge, but the decking had already been torn up, leaving more than a zhang without a single plank; His close attendant Gu Li rode behind him, had Sun Quan grip the saddle and slacken the reins, and whipped the horse from the rear to drive it on—and so they got across. He Qi led three thousand men to meet Sun Quan south of the ford, and by this means Sun Quan escaped. Sun Quan went aboard a great ship to feast and drink. He Qi rose from his place in tears and said, "Your Majesty, a ruler should always conduct himself with weight and restraint. What happened today nearly ended in catastrophe. Your officers were terrified, as though heaven and earth had collapsed. I beg you to take this as a lesson for the rest of your life!" Sun Quan stepped forward and wiped away his tears, saying, "I am deeply ashamed. Caution is already engraved in my heart—not merely tied to my sash."
32
九月，巴、賨夷帥樸胡、杜濩、任約，各舉其眾來附。 於是分巴郡，以胡為巴東太守，濩為巴西太守，約為巴郡太守，皆封列侯。
In the ninth month, the Ba and Cong chieftains Pu Hu, Du Hu, and Ren Yue each brought their people over in submission. Ba Commandery was then partitioned: Pu Hu was made Administrator of Badong, Du Hu Administrator of Baxi, and Ren Yue Administrator of Ba. All three were enfeoffed as full marquises.
33
冬，十月，始置名號侯以賞軍功。
In the tenth month of winter, named-title marquis ranks were established for the first time to reward military achievement.
34
十一月，張魯將家屬出降。 魏公操逆拜魯鎮南將軍，待以客禮，封閬中侯，邑萬戶。 封魯五子及閻圃等皆為列侯。
In the eleventh month, Zhang Lu came out with his family and surrendered. Duke Cao went out to greet Zhang Lu, appointed him General Who Stabilizes the South, treated him as an honored guest, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Langzhong with a fief of ten thousand households. Zhang Lu's five sons, Yan Pu, and others were all enfeoffed as full marquises.
35
習鑿齒論曰：閻圃諫魯勿王，而曹公追封之，將來之人，孰不思順！ 塞其本源而末流自止，其此之謂與！ 若乃不明於此，而重焦爛之功，豐爵厚賞止於死戰之士，則民利於有亂，俗競於殺伐，阻兵杖力，干戈不戢矣。 曹公之此封，可謂知賞罰之本矣。
Xi Zuoshi commented: Yan Pu had urged Zhang Lu not to declare himself king, yet Duke Cao later enfeoffed him anyway. With such an example set, who in future generations would not wish to submit! Block the source and the downstream current stops of its own accord—is this not exactly the point! If one fails to grasp this and instead honors only charred feats of arms, reserving lofty titles and rich rewards for men who die fighting, then the people will come to profit from chaos, custom will turn to slaughter, force of arms will be exalted, and war will never end. In this enfeoffment, Duke Cao showed that he understood the foundation of reward and punishment.
36
程銀、侯選、龐德皆隨魯降，魏公操復銀、選官爵，拜德立義將軍。
Cheng Yin, Hou Xuan, and Pang De all surrendered with Zhang Lu. Duke Cao restored Cheng Yin and Hou Xuan to their offices and ranks, and appointed Pang De General Who Establishes Righteousness.
37
張魯之走巴中也，黃權言於劉備曰：「若失漢中，則三巴不振，此為割蜀之股臂也。」 備乃以權為護軍，率諸將迎魯； 魯已降，權遂擊樸胡、杜濩、任約，破之。 魏公操使張郃督諸軍徇三巴，欲徙其民於漢中，進軍宕渠。 劉備使巴西太守張飛與郃相拒，五十餘日，飛襲擊郃，大破之。 郃走還南鄭，備亦還成都。
When Zhang Lu fled into Ba, Huang Quan said to Liu Bei, "If we lose Hanzhong, the Three Ba will collapse. That would be cutting off Shu's very thigh and arm." Liu Bei thereupon made Huang Quan Protector of the Army and led his generals out to meet Zhang Lu. Zhang Lu had already surrendered, so Huang Quan turned and attacked Pu Hu, Du Hu, and Ren Yue and defeated them. Duke Cao sent Zhang He to command the armies in pacifying the Three Ba, intending to relocate the population to Hanzhong, and advanced to Dangqu. Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei, Administrator of Baxi, to hold Zhang He at bay. After more than fifty days, Zhang Fei launched a surprise attack and routed him completely. Zhang He fled back to Nanzheng, and Liu Bei also returned to Chengdu.
38
操徙出故韓遂、馬超等兵五千餘人，使平難將軍殷署等督領，以扶風太守趙儼為關中護軍。 操使儼發千二百兵助漢中守禦，殷署督送之，行者不樂。 儼護送至斜谷口，還，未至營，署軍叛亂。 儼自隨步騎百五十人，皆叛者親黨也，聞之，各驚，被甲持兵，不復自安。 儼徐諭以成敗，慰勵懇切，皆慷慨曰：「死生當隨護軍，不敢有二！」 前到諸營，各召料簡諸奸結叛者八百餘人，散在原野。 儼下令惟取其造謀魁率治之，餘一不問，郡縣所收送皆放遣，乃即相率還降。 儼密白：「宜遣將詣大營，請舊兵鎮守關中。」 魏公操遣將軍劉柱將二千人往，當須到乃發遣。 俄而事露，諸營大駭，不可安諭。 儼遂宣言：「當差留新兵之溫厚者千人，鎮守關中，其餘悉遣東。」 便見主者內諸營兵名籍，立差別人。 留者意定，與儼同心，其當去者亦不敢動。 儼一日盡遣上道，因使所留千人分佈羅落之。 東兵尋至，乃復脅諭，並徙千人，令相及共東。 凡所全致二萬餘口。
Cao Cao relocated more than five thousand troops formerly under Han Sui, Ma Chao, and others, placing them under Pacifying Hardship General Yin Shu and others, and appointed Zhao Yan, Administrator of Fufeng, Protector of the Army for Guanzhong. Cao Cao ordered Zhao Yan to dispatch twelve hundred troops to reinforce the Hanzhong garrison. Yin Shu supervised the escort, and the men on the march were unhappy. Zhao Yan escorted them as far as the mouth of Xiegu Valley and turned back, but before he reached camp, Yin Shu's army had mutinied. Zhao Yan had with him a personal escort of a hundred and fifty foot and horse, all close kin of the mutineers. When they heard the news, each man was alarmed, donned armor, and took up weapons, unable to rest easy. Zhao Yan calmly explained the stakes to them and urged them on with earnest encouragement. All declared passionately, "In life or death we follow the Protector of the Army—we will not waver!" He went on ahead to the various camps, summoned and inspected more than eight hundred men who had secretly joined the mutiny, and had them dispersed across the open country. Zhao Yan ordered that only the chief plotters be seized and punished; the rest were not questioned at all. Those captured and sent in by the commanderies and districts were all released, and the men then led one another back in surrender. Zhao Yan secretly reported, "A general should be sent to the main camp to request veteran troops to garrison Guanzhong." Duke Cao sent General Liu Zhu with two thousand men, with orders that the troops were to be dispatched only after he arrived. Before long the plan leaked out. The camps were thrown into panic and could no longer be calmed with gentle persuasion. Zhao Yan then announced publicly, "We will select a thousand of the steadier new recruits to remain and garrison Guanzhong; the rest will all be sent east." He immediately summoned the registrar, had the name rolls of every camp brought out, and at once began sorting the men. Those selected to stay settled their minds and stood with Zhao Yan; those marked to leave did not dare move. In a single day Zhao Yan sent them all on their way, then deployed the thousand men he had kept back in cordons around them. The eastern troops soon arrived. He then coerced and admonished them again, moved the thousand men out together, and ordered them to travel east in one body. In all, he brought more than twenty thousand people through safely.
39
孝獻皇帝壬建安二十一年（ 丙申，公元二一六年）
Emperor Xian of Han, twenty-first year of Jian'an ( bingchen, AD 216)
40
春，二月，魏公操還鄴。
In the second month of spring, Duke Cao returned to Ye.
41
夏，五月，進魏公操爵為王。
In the fifth month of summer, Duke Cao was promoted from duke to king.
42
初，中尉崔琰薦巨鹿楊訓於操，操禮辟之。 及操進爵，訓發表稱頌功德。 或笑訓希世浮偽，謂琰為失所舉。 琰從訓取表草視之，與訓書曰：「省表，事佳耳。 時乎，時乎！ 會當有變時。」 琰本意譏論者好譴呵而不尋情理也，時有與琰宿不平者，白琰「傲世怨謗，意指不遜」，操怒，收琰付獄，髡為徒隸。 前白琰者復白之云：「琰為徒，對賓客虯鬚直視，若有所瞋。」 遂賜琰死。
Earlier, Commandant of the Central Guard Cui Yan had recommended Yang Xun of Julu to Cao Cao, and Cao received him with ceremony and summoned him to office. When Cao Cao was promoted in rank, Yang Xun submitted a memorial praising his merit and virtue. Some mocked Yang Xun as a worldly flatterer and said Cui Yan had recommended the wrong man. Cui Yan took the draft of the memorial from Yang Xun and read it, then wrote to him, "I have reviewed your memorial—it is well enough. Timing, timing! There will surely come a time of change." Cui Yan had meant to mock those who loved to denounce others without looking into the reasons. But someone who had long borne him a grudge reported that Yan was "arrogant toward the world, resentful and slanderous, and disrespectful in his meaning." Cao Cao was enraged, seized Cui Yan, and imprisoned him, cropping his hair and reducing him to convict labor. The man who had reported Cui Yan before reported again, saying, "As a convict laborer, Yan faces guests with bristling beard and a direct stare, as though harboring anger." Cui Yan was then ordered to take his own life.
43
尚書僕射毛玠傷琰無辜，心不悅。 人復白玠怨謗，操收玠付獄，侍中桓階、和洽皆為之陳理，操不聽。 階求案實其事。 王曰：「言事者白，玠不但謗吾也，乃復為崔琰觖望。 此捐君臣恩義，妄為死友怨歎，殆不可忍也。」 洽曰：「如言事者言，玠罪過深重，非天地所覆載。 臣非敢曲理玠以枉大倫也，以玠歷年荷寵，剛直忠公，為眾所憚，不宜有此。 然人情難保，要宜考玠，兩驗其實。 今聖恩不忍致之於理，更使曲直之分不明。」 操曰：「所以不考，欲兩全玠及言事者耳。」 洽對曰：「玠信有謗主之言，當肆之市朝； 若玠無此言，言事者加誣大臣以誤主聽，不加檢覈，臣竊不安。」 操卒不窮治，玠遂免黜，終於家。
Vice Director of the Masters of Writing Mao Jie grieved that Cui Yan was innocent and was displeased at heart. Someone again reported that Mao Jie was resentful and slanderous. Cao Cao seized him and imprisoned him. Palace Attendants Huan Jie and He Qia both pleaded his case, but Cao Cao would not listen. Huan Jie asked that the matter be investigated and verified. The King said, "The informant reports that Mao Jie not only slandered me but also nursed resentment over Cui Yan's fate. This casts aside the grace and duty between lord and minister, and vents reckless resentment for a dead friend—such conduct is scarcely to be borne." He Qia said, "If what the informant says is true, Mao Jie's offense is grave indeed—beyond what heaven and earth could cover and bear. Your subject does not dare bend the law to spare Mao Jie and violate the great moral order. But Mao Jie has enjoyed favor for years; upright, loyal, and fair, he is feared by all—and it is not fitting that he should have done such a thing. Yet human conduct is hard to guarantee. What is essential is to examine Mao Jie and verify the truth on both sides. Now Your Majesty's gracious reluctance to bring the case to law only makes right and wrong harder to distinguish." Cao Cao said, "The reason I do not investigate is that I wish to preserve both Mao Jie and the informant." He Qia replied, "If Mao Jie truly spoke slander against his lord, he ought to be executed in the public marketplace. If Mao Jie said no such thing, then the informant has falsely accused a high minister and misled his lord's judgment. If that is not investigated, your subject cannot rest easy." Cao Cao in the end did not pursue the matter to the end. Mao Jie was dismissed from office and lived out his days at home.
44
是時西曹掾沛國丁儀用事，玠之獲罪，儀有力焉； 群下畏之側目。 尚書僕射何夔及東曹屬東莞徐弈獨不事儀，儀譖弈，出為魏郡太守，賴桓階左右之得免。 尚書傅選謂何夔曰：「儀已害毛玠，子宜少下之。」 夔曰：「為不義，適足害其身，焉能害人！ 且懷奸佞之心，立於明朝，其得久乎！」 崔琰從弟林，嘗與陳群共論冀州人士，稱琰為首，群以智不存身貶之。 林曰：「大丈夫為有邂逅耳，即如卿諸人，良足貴乎□」
At this time Ding Yi of Pei, Western Bureau Aide, held power, and he had been instrumental in Mao Jie's conviction. The officials feared him and watched him with sidelong glances. Vice Director of the Masters of Writing He Kui and Eastern Bureau Subordinate Xu Yi of Dongguan alone refused to court Ding Yi. Ding Yi slandered Xu Yi, who was sent out as Administrator of Wei Commandery, but thanks to Huan Jie's intervention on both sides he escaped further punishment. Master of Writing Fu Xuan said to He Kui, "Ding Yi has already brought down Mao Jie—you ought to defer to him a little." He Kui said, "To do wrong is enough to destroy oneself—how can it destroy others! And to harbor a treacherous heart while standing in an enlightened court—can that last long!" Cui Lin, a younger cousin of Cui Yan on his father's side, once discussed the leading men of Ji Province with Chen Qun. Lin ranked Cui Yan first; Qun belittled him on the ground that his wisdom had not preserved his life. Lin said, "A great man acts when the moment calls—that is all. As for men like you, are you really worth so much?"
45
五月，己亥朔，日有食之。
In the fifth month, on the first day of the cycle yihai, there was a solar eclipse.
46
代郡烏桓三大人皆稱單于，恃力驕恣，太守不能治。 魏王操以丞相倉曹屬裴潛為太守，欲授以精兵。 潛曰：「單于自知放橫日久，今多將兵往，必懼而拒境，少將則不見憚，宜以計謀圖之。」 遂單車之郡，單于驚喜。 潛撫以恩威，單于讋服。
Three Wuhuan chieftains in Dai Commandery all styled themselves Chanyu. Trusting in their strength, they were arrogant and unruly, and the Administrator could not control them. King Cao appointed Pei Qian, Attendant Officer in the Chancellor's Treasury Bureau, Administrator of the commandery, and wished to give him elite troops. Pei Qian said, "The Chanyu knows he has been lawless for a long time. If I go with many troops, he will surely fear it and close the border. If I go with few, he will not respect me. The thing to do is take him by strategy." He then went to the commandery alone in a single carriage. The Chanyu was surprised and delighted. Pei Qian won him over with kindness and authority, and the Chanyu submitted in awe.
47
初，南匈奴久居塞內，與編戶大同而不輸貢賦。 議者恐其戶口滋蔓，浸難禁制，宜豫為之防。 秋，七月，南單于呼廚泉入朝於魏，魏王操因留之於鄴，使右賢王去卑監其國。 單于歲給綿、絹、錢、穀如列侯，子孫傳襲其號。 分其眾為五部，各立其貴人為帥，選漢人為司馬以監督之。
Earlier, the Southern Xiongnu had long lived within the frontier passes, treated the same as registered households yet paying no tribute or levies. Counselors feared their population would spread and grow until they became hard to control, and argued that precautions should be taken in advance. In the seventh month of autumn, the Southern Chanyu Huchuquan came to court at Wei. King Cao detained him at Ye and sent the Right Worthy King Qubie to oversee the Xiongnu lands. The Chanyu received each year silk floss, fine silk, money, and grain like a full marquis, and the title passed in succession to his sons and grandsons. His people were divided into five divisions, each under one of their nobles as commander, with Han Chinese selected as Sima to supervise them.
48
八月，魏以大理鐘繇為相國。
In the eighth month, Wei appointed Zhong Yao, Director of Justice, Chancellor of State.
49
冬，十月，魏王操治兵擊孫權； 十一月，至譙。
In the tenth month of winter, King Cao marshaled his troops and attacked Sun Quan. In the eleventh month he reached Qiao.