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資治通鑑第147卷。 【梁紀三】起著雍困敦,盡閼逢敦牂,凡七年。。 高祖武皇帝三天監七年(戊子,公元五零八年)。 春,正月,魏穎川太守王神念來奔。。 壬子,以衛尉吳平侯昺兼領軍將軍。。 詔吏部尚書徐勉定百官九品為十八班,以班多者為貴。 二月,乙丑,增置鎮、衛將軍以下為十品,凡二十四班; 不登十品,別有八班。 又置施外國將軍二十四班,凡一百九號。。 庚午,詔置州望、郡宗、鄉豪各一人,專掌搜薦。。 乙亥,以南兗州刺史呂僧珍為領軍將軍。 領軍掌中外兵要,宋孝建以來,制局用事,與領軍分兵權,典事以上皆得呈奏,領軍拱手而已。 及吳平侯昺在職峻切,官曹肅然; 制局監皆近幸,頗不堪命,以是不得久留中,丙子,出為雍州刺史。。 三月,戊子,魏皇子昌卒,侍御師王顯失於療治,時人皆以為承高肇之意也。。 夏,四月,乙卯,皇太子納妃,大赦。 五月,己亥,詔復置宗正、太僕、大匠、鴻臚,又增太府、太舟,仍先為十二卿。。 癸卯,以安成王秀為荊州刺史。 先是,巴陵馬營蠻緣江為寇,州郡不能討。 秀遣防閣文熾帥眾燔其林木,蠻失其險,州境無寇。。 秋,七月,甲午,魏立高貴嬪為皇后。 尚書令高肇益貴重用事。 肇多變更先朝舊制,減削封秩,抑黜勳人,由是怨聲盈路。 群臣宗室皆卑下之,唯度支尚書元匡與肇抗衡,先自造棺置聽事,欲輿棺詣闕論肇罪惡,自殺以切諫; 肇聞而惡之。 會匡與太常劉芳議權量事,肇主芳議,匡遂與肇喧競,表肇指鹿為馬。 御史中尉王顯奏彈匡誣毀宰相,有司處匡死刑。 詔恕死,降為光祿大夫。。 八月,癸丑,竟陵壯公曹景宗卒。。 初,魏主為京兆王愉納於後之妹為妃,愉不愛,愛妾李氏,生子寶月。 於後召李氏入宮,捶之。 愉驕奢貪縱,所為多不法。 帝召愉入禁中推案,杖愉五十,出為冀州刺史。 愉自以年長,而勢位不及二弟,潛懷愧恨; 又,身與妾屢被頓辱,高肇數譖愉兄弟,愉不勝忿; 癸亥,殺長史羊靈引、司馬李遵,詐稱得清河王懌密疏,云「高肇弒逆」。 遂為壇於信都之南,即皇帝位,大赦,改元建平,立李氏為皇后。 法曹參軍崔伯驥不從,愉殺之。 在北州鎮皆疑魏朝有變,定州刺史安樂王詮具以狀告之,州鎮乃安。 乙丑,魏以尚書李平為都督北討諸軍、行冀州事,以討愉。 平,崇之從父弟也。。 丁卯,魏大赦,改元永平。。 魏京兆王愉遣使說平原太守清河房亮,亮斬其使; 愉遣其將張靈和擊之,為亮所敗。 李平軍至經縣,諸軍大集。 夜,有蠻兵數千斫平營,矢及平賬。 平堅臥不動,俄而自定。 九月,辛巳朔,愉逆戰於城南草橋。 平奮擊,大破之。 愉脫身走入城,平進圍之。 壬辰,安樂王詮破愉兵於城北。。 癸巳,立皇子績為南康王。。 魏高後之立也,彭城武宣王勰固諫,魏主不聽。 高肇由是怨之,數譖勰於魏主,魏主不之信。 勰薦其舅潘僧固為長樂太守,京兆王愉之反,脅僧固與之同,肇固誣勰北與愉通,南招蠻賊。 彭城郎中令魏偃、前防閣高祖珍希肇提擢,構成其事。 肇令侍中元暉以聞,暉不從,又令左衛元珍言之。 帝以問暉,暉明勰不然; 又以問肇,肇引魏偃、高祖珍為證,帝乃信之。 戊戌,召勰及高陽王雍、廣陽王嘉、清河王懌、廣平王懷、高肇俱入宴。 勰妃李氏方產,固辭不赴。 中使相繼召之,不得已,與妃訣而登車,入東掖門,度小橋,牛不肯進,擊之良久,更有使者責勰來遲,乃去牛,人挽而進。 宴於禁中,至夜,皆醉,各就別所消息。 俄而元珍引武士繼毒酒而至,勰曰:「吾無罪,願一見至尊,死無恨!」 元珍曰:「至尊何可復見!」 勰曰:「至尊聖明,不應無事殺我,乞與告者一對曲直!」 武士以刀鐶築之,勰大言曰:「冤哉,皇天! 忠而見殺!」 武士又築之,勰乃飲毒酒,武士就殺之,向晨,以褥裹屍載歸其第,雲王因醉而薨。 李妃號哭大言曰:「高肇枉理殺人,天道有靈,汝安得良死!」 魏主舉哀於東堂,贈官、葬禮皆優厚加等。 在朝貴賤,莫不喪氣。 行路士女皆流涕曰:「高令公枉殺賢王!」 由是中外惡之益甚。。 京兆王愉不能守信都,癸卯,燒門,攜李氏及其四子從百餘騎突走。 李平入信都,斬愉所置冀州牧韋超等,遣統軍叔孫頭追執愉,置信都,以聞。 群臣請誅愉,魏主弗許,命鎖送洛陽,申以家人之訓。 行至野王,高肇密使人殺之。 諸子至洛,魏主皆赦之。。 魏主將屠李氏,中書令崔光諫曰:「李氏方妊,刑至刳胎,乃桀、紂所為,酷而非法。 請俟產畢然後行刑。」 從之。。 李平捕愉餘黨千餘人,將盡殺之,錄事參軍高顥曰:「此皆脅從,前既許之原免矣,宜為表陳。」 平從之,皆得免死。 顥,祐之孫也。。 濟州刺史高植帥州軍擊愉有功,當封,植不受,曰:「家荷重恩,為國致效,乃其常節,何敢求賞!」 植,肇之子也。。 加李平散騎常侍。 高肇及中尉王顯素惡平,顯彈平在冀州隱截官口,肇奏除平名。。 初,顯祖之世,柔然萬餘戶降魏,置之高平、薄骨律二鎮,及太和之末,叛走略盡,唯千餘戶在。 太中大夫王通請徙置淮北,以絕其叛,詔太僕卿楊椿持節往徙之。 椿上言:「先朝處之邊徼,所以招附殊俗,且別異華、戎也。 今新附之戶甚眾,若舊者見徙,新者必不自安,是驅之使叛也。 且此屬衣毛食肉,樂冬便寒; 南士濕熱,往必殲盡。 進失歸附之心,退無籓衛之益,置之中夏,或生後患,非良策也。」 不從。 遂徙於濟州,緣河處之。 及京兆王愉之亂,皆浮河赴愉,所在抄掠,如椿之言。。 庚子,魏郢州司馬彭珍等叛魏,潛引梁兵趨義陽,三關戍主侯登等以城來降。 郢州刺史婁悅嬰城自守,魏以中山王英都督南征諸軍事,將步騎三萬出汝南以救之。。 冬,十月,魏懸瓠軍主白早生殺豫州刺史司馬悅,自號平北將軍,求援於司州刺史馬仙玭。 時荊州刺史安成王秀為都督。 仙玭簽求應赴。 參佐鹹謂宜待台報,秀曰:「彼待我以自存,援之宜速,待敕雖舊,非應急也。」 即遣兵赴之。 上亦詔仙玭救早生。 仙玭進頓楚王城,遣副將齊苟兒以兵二千助守懸瓠。 詔以早生為司州刺史。。 丙寅,以吳興太守張稷為尚書左僕射。 魏以尚書邢巒行豫州事,將兵擊白早生。 魏主問之曰:「卿言早生走也? 守也? 何時可平?」 對曰:「早生非有深謀大智,正以司馬悅暴虐,乘眾怒而作亂,民迫於凶威,不得已而從之。 縱使梁兵入城,水路不通,糧運不繼,亦成禽耳。 早生得梁之援,溺於利慾,必守而不走。 若臨以王師,士民必翻然歸順。 不出今年,當傳首京師。」 魏主悅,命巒先發,使中山王英繼之。。 巒帥騎八百,倍道兼行,五日至鮑口。 丙子,早生遣其大將胡孝智將兵七千,離城二百里逆戰。 巒奮擊,大破之,乘勝長驅至懸瓠。 早生出城逆戰,又破之,因渡汝水,圍其城。 詔加巒都督南討諸軍事。。 丁丑,魏鎮東參軍成景雋殺宿豫戍主嚴仲賢,以城來降。 時魏郢、豫二州,自懸瓠以南至於安陸諸城皆沒,唯義陽一城為魏堅守。 蠻帥田益宗帥群蠻以附魏,魏以為東豫州刺史; 上以車騎大將軍、開府儀同三司、五千戶郡公招之,益宗不從。。 十一月,庚寅,魏遣安東將軍楊椿將兵四萬攻宿豫。。 魏主聞邢巒屢捷,命中山王英趣義陽,英以眾少,累表請兵,弗許。 英至懸瓠,輒與巒共攻之。 十二月,己未,齊苟兒等開門出降,斬白早生及其黨數十人。 英乃引兵前趨義陽。 寧朔將軍張道凝先屯楚王城,癸亥,棄城走; 項追擊,斬之。。 魏義陽太守狄道辛祥與婁悅共守義陽,將軍胡武城、陶平虜攻之,祥夜出襲其營,擒平虜,斬武城,由是州境獲全。 論功當賞,婁悅恥功出其下,間之於執政,賞遂不行。。 壬申,魏東荊州表「桓暉之弟興前後招撫太陽蠻,歸附者萬餘戶,請置郡十六,縣五十。」 詔前鎮東府長史酈道元案行置之。 道元,范之子也。。 是歲,柔然佗汗可汗復遣紇奚勿六跋獻貂裘於魏,魏主弗受,報之如前。。 初,高車侯倍窮奇為厭噠所殺,執其子彌俄突而出。 其眾分散,或奔魏,或奔柔然。 魏主遣羽林監河南孟威撫納降戶,置於高平鎮。 高車王阿伏王羅殘暴,國人殺之,立其宗人跋利延。 厭噠奉彌俄突以伐高車,國人殺跋利延,迎彌俄突而立之。 彌俄突與佗汗可汗戰於蒲類海,不勝,西走三百餘里。 佗汗軍於伊吾北山。 會高昌王麴嘉求內徙於魏,時孟威為龍驤將軍,魏主遣威發涼州兵三千人迎之,至伊吾,佗汗見威軍,怖而遁去。 彌俄突聞其離駭,追擊,大破之,殺佗汗於蒲類海北,割其發送於威,且遣使入貢於魏。 魏主使東城子於亮報之,賜遺甚厚。 高昌王嘉失期不至,威引兵還。。 佗汗可汗子丑奴立,號豆羅伏跋豆伐可汗,改元建昌。。 宋、齊舊儀,祀天皆服袞冕,兼著作郎高陽許懋請造大裘,從之。 上將有事太廟,詔以「齋日不樂。 自今輿駕始出,鼓吹從而不作; 還宮,如常儀。」。 高祖武皇帝三天監八年(己丑,公元五零九年)。 春,正月,辛巳,上祀南郊,大赦。 時有請封會稽、禪國山者,上命諸儒草封禪儀,欲行之。 許懋建議,以為:「舜柴岱宗,是為巡狩。 而鄭引《孝經鉤命決》云:『封於太山,考績柴燎; 禪乎梁甫,刻石紀號。』 此緯書之曲說,非正經之通義也。 舜五載一巡狩,春夏秋冬周遍四岳,若為封禪,何其數也! 又如管夷吾所說七十二君,燧人之前,世質民淳,安得泥金檢玉! 結繩而治,安得鐫文告成! 夷吾又云:『惟受命之君然後得封禪。』 周成王非受命之君,雲何得封太山、禪社首! 神農即炎帝也,而夷吾分為二人,妄亦甚矣! 若聖主,不須封禪; 若凡主,不應封禪。 蓋齊桓公欲行此事,夷吾知其不可,故舉怪物以屈之。 秦始皇嘗封太山,孫皓嘗遣兼司空董朝至陽羨封禪國山,皆非盛德之事,不足為法。 然則封禪之禮,皆道聽所說,失其本文,由主好名於上,而臣阿旨於下也。 古者祀天祭地,禮有常數,誠敬之道,盡此而備。 至於封禪,非所敢聞。」 上嘉納之,因推演懋議,稱制旨以答請者,由是遂止。。 魏中山王英至義陽,將取三關,先策之曰:「三關相須如左右手,若克一關,兩關不待攻而破; 攻難不如攻易,宜先攻東關。」 又恐其並力於東,乃使長史李華帥五統向西關,以分其兵勢,自督諸軍向東關。。 先是,馬仙玭使雲騎將軍馬廣屯長薄,軍主胡文超屯松峴。 丙申,英至長薄。 戊戌,長薄潰,馬廣遁入武陽,英進圍之。 上遣冠軍將軍彭甕生、驃騎將軍徐元季將兵援武陽。 英故縱之使入城,曰:「吾觀此城形勢易取。」 甕生等既入,英促兵攻之,六日而拔,虜三將及士卒七千餘人。 進攻廣峴,太子左衛率李元履棄城走; 又攻西關,馬仙玭亦棄城走。。 上使南郡太守韋睿將兵救仙玭,睿至安陸,增築城二丈餘,更開大塹,起高樓。 眾頗譏其怯,睿曰:「不然,為將當有怯時,不可專勇。」 中山王英急追馬仙,將復邵陽之恥,聞睿至,乃退。 上亦有詔罷兵。。 初,魏主遣中書舍人鯛陽董紹慰勞叛城,白早生襲而囚之,送於建康。 魏主既克懸瓠,命於齊苟兒等四將之中分遣二人,敕揚州為移,以易紹及司馬悅首。 移書未至,領軍將軍呂僧珍與紹言,愛其文義,言於上,上遣主書霍靈超謂紹曰:「今聽卿還,令卿通兩家之好,彼此息民,豈不善也!」 因召見,賜衣物,令舍人周捨慰勞之,且曰:「戰爭多年,民物塗炭,吾是以不恥先言與魏朝通好,比亦有書全無報者,卿宜備申此意。 今遣傳詔霍靈秀送卿至國,遲有嘉問。」 又謂紹曰:「卿知所以得不死不? 今者獲卿,乃天意也。 夫立君以為民也,凡在民上,豈可不思此乎! 若欲通好,今以宿豫還彼,彼當以漢中見歸。」 紹還魏,言之魏主,不從。。 三月,魏荊州刺史元志將兵七萬寇潺溝,驅迫群蠻,群蠻悉渡漢水來降,雍州刺史吳平侯昺納之。 綱紀皆以蠻累為邊患,不如因此除之,昺曰:「窮來歸我,誅之不祥。 且魏人來侵,吾得蠻以為屏蔽,不亦善乎!」 乃開樊城受其降,命司馬朱思遠等擊志於潺溝,大破之,斬首萬餘級。 志,齊之孫也。。 夏,四月,戊申,以臨川王宏為司空,加車騎將軍王茂開府儀同三司。。 丁卯,魏楚王城主李國興以城降。。 秋,七月,癸巳,巴陵王蕭寶義卒。。 九月,辛巳,魏封故北海王詳子顥為北海王。。 魏公孫崇造樂尺,以十二黍為寸; 劉芳非之,更以十黍為寸。 尚書令高肇等奏:「崇所造八音之器及度量,皆與經傳不同,詰其所以然,云『必依經文,聲則不協。』 請更令芳依《周禮》造樂器,俟成,集議並呈,從其善者。」 詔從之。。 冬,十月,癸丑,魏以司空廣陽王嘉為司徒。。 十一月,己丑,魏主於式乾殿為諸僧及朝臣講《維摩詰經》。 時魏主專尚釋氏,不事經籍,中書侍郎河東裴延雋上疏,以為:「漢光武、魏武帝,雖在戎馬之間,未嘗廢書; 先帝遷都行師,手不釋卷。 良以學問多益,不可暫輟故也。 陛下升法座,親講大覺,凡在瞻聽,塵蔽俱開。 然《五經》治世之模楷,應務之所先,伏願經書互覽,孔、釋兼存,則內外俱周,真俗斯暢矣。」。 時佛教盛於洛陽,中國沙門之外,自西域來者三千餘人,魏主別為之立永明寺千餘間以處之。 處士南陽馮亮有巧思,魏主使與河南尹甄琛、沙門統僧暹擇嵩山形勝之地,立閒居寺,極巖壑土木之美。 由是遠近承風,無不事佛,比及延昌,州郡共有一萬三千餘寺。。 是歲,魏宗正卿元樹來奔,賜爵鄴王。 樹,翼之弟也。 時翼為青、冀二州刺史,鎮郁游,久之,翼謀舉州降魏,事洩而死。。 高祖武皇帝三天監九年(庚寅,公元五一零年)。 春,正月,乙亥,以尚書令沈約為左光祿大夫,右光祿大夫王瑩為尚書令。 約文學高一時,而貪冒榮利,用事十餘年,政之得失,唯唯而已。 自以久居端揆,有志台司,論者亦以為宜,而上終不用; 乃求外出,又不許。 徐勉為之請三司之儀,上不許。。 庚寅,新作緣淮塘,北岸起石頭迄東冶,南岸起後渚籬門迄三橋。 三月,丙戌,魏皇子詡生,大赦。 詡母胡充華,臨涇人,父國珍,襲武始伯。 充華初選入掖庭,同列以故事祝之曰:「願生諸王、公主,勿生太子。」 充華曰:「妾之誌異於諸人,奈何畏一身之死而使國家無嗣乎!」 及有娠,同列勸去之,充華不可,私自誓曰:「若幸而生男,次第當長,男生身死,所不憾也!」 既而生詡。 先是,魏主頻喪皇子,年漸長,深加慎護,擇良家宜子者以為乳保,養於別宮,皇后、充華皆不得近。。 己丑,上幸國子學,親臨講肄。 乙未,詔太子以下及王侯之子年可從師者皆入學。。 舊制:尚書五都令史皆用寒流。 夏,四月,丁巳,詔曰:「尚書五都,職參政要,非但總領眾局,亦乃方軌二丞; 可革用士流,秉此群目。」 於是以都令史視奉朝請,用太學博士劉納兼殿中都,司空法曹參軍劉顯兼吏部都,太學博士孔虔孫兼金部都,司空法曹參軍蕭軌兼左右戶都,宣毅墨曹參軍王顒兼中兵都; 並以才地兼美,首膺其選。。 六月,宣城郡吏吳承伯挾妖術聚眾。 癸丑,攻郡,殺太守朱僧勇,轉屠旁縣。 閏月,己丑,承伯逾山,奄至吳興。 東土人素不習兵,吏民恇擾奔散,或勸太守蔡撙避之,撙不可,募勇敢閉門拒守。 承伯盡銳攻之,撙帥眾出戰,大破之,臨陳斬承伯。 撙,興宗之子也。 承伯餘黨入新安,攻陷黟、歙諸縣,太守謝覽遣兵拒之,不勝,逃奔會稽,台軍討賊,平之。 覽,淪之子也。。 冬,十月,魏中山獻武王英卒。。 上即位之三年,詔定新歷。 員外散騎侍郎祖□恆奏其父沖之考古法為正,歷不可改。 至八年,詔太史課新舊二歷,新歷密,舊歷疏,是歲,始行沖之《大明歷》。。 魏劉芳等奏:「所造樂器及教文、武二舞、登歌、鼓吹曲等已成,乞如前敕集公卿群儒義定,與舊樂參呈,若臣等所造,形制合古,出拊會節,請於來年元會用之。」 詔:「舞可用新,餘且仍舊。」。 高祖武皇帝三天監十年(辛卯,公元五一一年)。 春,正月,辛丑,上祀南郊,大赦。。 尚書左僕射張稷,自謂功大賞薄,嘗侍宴樂壽殿,酒酣,怨望形於辭色。 上曰:「卿兄殺郡守,弟殺其君,有何名稱!」 稷曰:「臣乃無名稱,至於陛下,不得言無勳。 東昏暴虐,義師亦來伐之,豈在而已!」 上捋其須曰:「張公可畏人!」 稷既懼且恨,乃求出外; 癸卯,以稷為青、冀二州刺史。。 王珍國亦怨望,罷梁、秦二州刺史還,酒後於坐啟云:「臣近入梁山便哭。」 上大驚曰:「卿若哭東昏,則已晚; 若哭我,我復未死!」 珍國起拜謝,竟不答,坐即散,因此疏退。 久之,除都官尚書。 丁巳,魏汾州山胡劉龍駒聚眾反,侵擾夏州,詔諫議大夫薛和發東秦、汾、華、夏四州之眾以討之。。 辛酉,上祀明堂。。 三月,琅邪民王萬壽殺東莞、琅邪二郡太守劉晰,據朐山,召魏軍。。 壬戌,魏廣陽懿烈王嘉卒。。 魏徐州刺史盧昶遣郯城戍副張天惠、琅邪戍主傅文驥相繼赴朐山,青、冀二州刺史張稷遣兵拒之,不勝。 夏,四月,文驥等據朐山,詔振遠將軍馬仙玭擊之。 魏又遣假安南將軍蕭寶寅、假平東將軍天水趙遐將兵據朐山,受盧昶節度。。 甲戌,魏薛和破劉龍駒,悉平其黨,表置東夏州。。 五月,丙辰,魏禁天文學。。 以國子祭酒張充為尚書左僕射。 充,緒之子也。。 馬仙玭圍朐山,張稷權頓六里以督饋運,上數發兵助之。 秋,魏盧昶上表請益兵六千,米十萬石,魏主以兵四千給之。 冬,十一月,己亥,魏主詔揚州刺史李崇等治兵壽陽,以分朐山之勢。 盧昶本儒生,不習軍旅。 朐山城中糧樵俱竭,傅文驥以城降; 十二月,庚辰,昶引兵先遁,諸軍相繼皆潰。 會大雪,軍士凍死及墮手足者三分之二,仙玭追擊,大破之。 二百里間,殭屍相屬,魏兵免者什一二。 收其糧畜器械,不可勝數。 昶單騎而走,棄其節傳、儀衛俱盡; 至郯城,借趙遐節以為軍威。 魏主命黃門侍郎甄琛馳馹鎖昶,窮其敗狀,及趙遐皆免官。 唯蕭寶寅全軍而歸。。 盧昶之在朐山也,御史中尉游肇言於魏主曰:「朐山蕞爾,僻在海濱,卑濕難居,於我非急,於賊為利。 為利,故必致死而爭之; 非急,故不得已而戰。 以不得已之眾擊必死之師,恐稽延歲月,所費甚大。 假令得朐山,徒致交爭,終難全守,所謂無用之田也。 聞賊屢以宿豫求易朐山,若必如此,持此無用之地,復彼舊有之疆,民役時解,其利為大。」 魏主將從之,會昶敗,遷肇侍中。 肇,明根之子也。。 馬仙玭為將,能與士卒同勞逸,所衣不過布帛,所居無幃幕衾屏,飲食與廝養最下者同。 其在邊境,常單身潛入敵境,伺知壁壘村落險要處,所攻戰多捷,士卒亦樂為之用。。 魏以甄琛為河南尹,琛表曰:「國家居代,患多盜竊,世祖發憤,廣置主司、裡宰,皆以下代令長及五等散男有經略者乃得為之。 又多置吏士為其羽翼,崇而重之,始得禁止。 今遷都已來,天下轉廣,四遠赴會,事過代都,五方雜沓,寇盜公行,裡正職輕任碎,多是下才,人懷苟且,不能督察。 請取武官八品將軍已下干用貞濟者,以本官俸恤領裡尉之任,高者領六部尉,中者領經途尉,下者領里正。 不爾,請少高裡尉之品,選下品中應遷者進而為之。 督責有所,輦轂可清。」 詔曰:「裡正可進至勳品,經途從九品,六部尉正九品; 諸職中簡取,不必武人。」 琛又奏以羽林轔遊軍,於諸坊巷司察盜賊。 於是洛城清靜,後常踵焉。。 是歲,梁之境內有州二十三,郡三百五十,縣千二十二。 是後州名浸多,廢置離合,不可勝記。 魏朝亦然。。 上敦睦九族,優借朝士,有犯罪者,皆屈法申之。 百姓有罪,則案之如法,其緣坐則老幼不免,一人逃亡,舉家質作,民既窮窘,奸宄益深。 嘗因郊祀,有秣陵老人遮車駕言曰:「陛下為法,急於庶民,緩於權貴,非長久之道。 誠能反是,天下幸甚。」 上於是思有以寬之。。 高祖武皇帝三天監十一年(壬辰,公元五一二年)。 春,正月,壬辰,詔:「自今逋謫之家及罪應質作,若年有老小,可停將送。」。 以臨川王宏為太尉,驃騎將軍王茂為司空、尚書令。。 丙辰,魏以車騎大將軍、尚書令高肇為司徒,清河王懌為司空,廣平王懷進號驃騎大將軍,加儀同三司。 肇雖登三司,猶自以去要任,怏怏形於言色,見者嗤之。 尚書右丞高綽、國子博士封軌,素以方直自業,及肇為司徒,綽送迎往來,軌竟不詣肇。 綽顧不見軌,乃遽歸,歎曰:「吾平生自謂不失規矩,今日舉措,不如封生遠矣。」 綽,允之孫; 軌,懿之族孫也。。 清河王懌有才學聞望,懲彭城之禍,因侍宴,謂肇曰:「天子兄弟詎有幾人,而翦之幾盡! 昔王莽頭禿,藉渭陽之資,遂篡漢室。 今君身曲,亦恐終成亂階。」 會大旱,肇擅錄囚徒,欲以收眾心。 懌言於魏主曰:「昔季氏旅於泰山,孔子疾之。 誠以君臣之分,宜防微杜漸,不可瀆也。 減膳靈囚,乃陛下之事,今司徒行之,豈人臣之義乎! 明君失之於上,奸臣竊之於下,禍亂之基,於此在矣。」 帝笑而不應。。 夏,四月,魏詔尚書與群司鞫理獄訟,令饑民就谷燕、恆二州及六鎮。。 乙酉,魏大赦,改元延昌。。 冬,十月,乙亥,魏立皇子詡為太子,始不殺其母。 以尚書右僕射郭祚領太子少師。 祚嘗從魏主幸東宮,懷黃以奉太子; 時應詔左右趙桃弓深為帝所信任,祚私事之,時人謂之「桃弓僕射」、「黃少師」。。 十一月,乙未,以吳郡太守袁昂兼尚書右僕射。。 初,齊太子步兵校尉平昌伏曼容表求制一代禮樂,世祖詔選學士十人修五禮,丹陽尹王儉總之。 儉卒,以事付國子祭酒何胤。 胤還東山,齊明帝敕尚書令徐孝嗣掌之。 孝嗣誅,率多散逸,詔驃騎將軍何佟之掌之。 經齊末兵火,僅有在者。 帝即位,佟之啟審省置之宜,敕使外詳。 時尚書以為庶務權輿,宜俟隆平,欲且省禮局,並還尚書儀曹。 詔曰:「禮壞樂缺,實宜以時修定。 但頃之修撰不得其人,所以歷年不就,有名無實。 此既經國所先,可即撰次。」 於是尚書僕射沈約等奏:「請五禮各置舊學士一人,令自舉學古一人相助抄撰,其中疑者,依石渠、白虎故事,請制旨斷決。」 乃以右軍記室參軍明山賓等分掌五禮,佟之總其事。 佟之卒,以鎮北咨議參軍伏□恆代之。 □恆,曼容之子也。 至是,《五禮》成,列上之,合八千一十九條,詔有司遵行。。 己酉,臨川王宏以公事在遷驃騎大將軍。。 是歲,魏以桓叔興為南荊州刺史,治安昌,錄東荊州。。 高祖武皇帝三天監十二年(癸巳,公元五一三年)。 春,正月,辛卯,上祀南郊,大赦。。 二月,辛酉,以兼尚書右僕射袁昂為右僕射。。 己卯,魏高陽王雍進位太保。。 郁洲迫近魏境,其民多私與魏人交布。 朐山之亂,或陰與魏通,朐山平,心不自安。 青、冀二州刺史張稷不得志,政令寬弛,僚吏頗多侵漁。 庚辰,郁洲民徐道角等夜襲州城,殺稷,送其首降魏,魏遣前南兗州刺史樊魯將兵赴之。 於是魏饑,民餓死者數萬,侍中游肇諫,以為:「朐山濱海,卑濕難居,郁洲又在海中,得之尤為無用。 其地於賊要近,去此閒遠,以閒遠之兵攻要近之眾,不可敵也。 方今年饑民困,唯宜安靜,而復勞以軍旅,費以饋運,臣見其損,未見其益。」 魏主不從,復遣平西將軍奚康生將兵逆之。 未發,北兗州刺史康絢遣司馬霍奉伯討平之。。 辛巳,新作太極殿。。 上嘗與侍中、太子少傅建昌侯沈約各疏栗事,約少上三事,出,謂人曰:「此公護前,不則羞死!」 上聞之,怒,欲治其罪,徐勉固諫而止。 上有憾於張稷,從容與約語及之,約曰:「左僕射出作邊州,已往之事,何足復論!」 上以為約與稷昏家相為,怒曰:「卿言如此,是忠臣邪!」 乃輦歸內殿。 約懼,不覺上起,猶坐如初; 及還,未至床而憑空,頓於戶下,因病; 夢齊和帝以劍斷其舌,乃呼道士奏赤章於天,稱「禪代之事,不由己出」。 上遣主書黃穆之視疾,夕還,增損不即啟聞,懼罪,乃白赤章事。 上大怒,中使譴責者數四。 約益懼,閏月,乙丑,卒。 有司謚曰「文」,上曰:「情懷不盡曰隱。」 改謚隱侯。 夏,五月,壽陽久雨,大水入城,廬舍皆沒。 魏揚州刺史李崇勒兵泊於城上,水增未已,乃乘船附於女牆,城不沒者二板。 將佐勸崇棄壽陽保北山,崇曰:「吾忝守籓岳,德薄致災,淮南萬里,繫於吾身,一旦動足,百姓瓦解,揚州之地,恐非國物。 吾豈愛一身,取愧王尊! 但憐此士民無辜同死,可結筏隨高,人規自脫,吾必與此城俱沒,幸諸君勿言!」。 揚州治中裴絢帥城南民數千家泛舟南走,避水高原,謂崇還北,因自稱豫州刺史,與別駕鄭祖起等送任子來請降。 馬仙玭遣兵赴之。。 崇聞絢叛,未測虛實,遣國侍郎韓方興單舸召之。 絢聞崇在,悵然驚恨,報曰:「比因大水顛狽,為眾所推。 今大計已爾,勢不可追,恐民非公民,吏非公吏,願公早行,無犯將士。」 崇遣從弟寧朔將軍神等將水軍討之,絢戰敗,神追,拔其營。 絢走,為村民所執,還,至尉升湖。 曰:「吾何面見李公乎!」 乃投水死。 絢,叔業之兄孫也。 鄭祖起等皆伏誅。 崇上表以水災救解州任,魏主不許。。 崇沉深寬厚,有方略,得士眾心,在壽春十年,常養壯士數千人,寇來無不摧破,領敵謂之「臥虎」。 上屢設反間以疑之,又授崇車騎大將軍、開府儀同三司、萬戶郡公,諸子皆為縣侯,而魏主素知其忠篤,委信不疑。。 六月,癸巳,新作太廟。。 秋,八月,戊午,以臨川王宏為司空。。 魏恆、肆二州地震、山鳴,逾年不已,民履壓死傷甚眾。。 魏主幸東宮,以中書監崔光為太了少傅,命太子拜之。 光辭不敢當,帝不許。 太子南面再拜,詹事王顯啟請從太子拜,於是宮臣皆拜。 光北面立,不敢答,唯西面拜謝而出。。 高祖武皇帝三天監十三年(甲午,公元五一四年)。 春,二月,丁亥,上耕藉田,大赦。 宋、齊藉田用正月,至是始用二月,及致齋祀先農。。 魏東豫州刺史田益宗衰老,與諸子孫聚斂無厭,部內苦之,鹹言欲叛。 魏主遣中書舍人劉桃符慰勞益宗,桃符還,啟益宗侵擾之狀。 魏主賜詔曰:「桃符聞卿息魯生在淮南貪暴,為爾不已,損卿誠效。 可令魯生赴闕,當加任使。」 魯生久未至,詔徙益宗為鎮東將軍、濟州刺史; 又慮其不受代,遣後將軍李世哲與桃符帥眾襲之,奄入廣陵。 魯生與其弟魯賢、超秀皆奔關南,招引梁兵,攻取光城已南諸戍。 上以魯生為北司州刺史,魯賢為北豫州刺史,超秀為定州刺史。 三月,魏李世哲擊魯生等,破之,復置郡戍。 以益宗還洛陽,授征南將軍、金紫光祿大夫。 益宗上表稱為桃符所讒,及言「魯生等為桃符逼逐使叛,乞攝桃符與臣對辨虛實。」 詔不許,曰:「既經大宥,不容方更為獄。」。 秋,七月,乙亥,立皇子綸為邵陵王,繹為湘東王,紀為武陵王。。 冬,十月,庚辰,魏主遣驍騎將軍馬義舒慰諭柔然。。 魏王足之入寇也,上命寧州刺史涪人李略御之,許事平用為益州。 足退,上不用,略怨望,有異謀,上殺之。 其兄子苗奔魏,步兵校尉泰山淳於誕嘗為益州主簿,自漢中入魏,二人共說魏主以取蜀之策,魏主信之。 辛亥,以司徒高肇為大將軍、平蜀大都督,將步騎十五萬寇益州; 命益州刺史傅豎眼出巴北,梁州剌史羊祉出涪城,安西將軍奚康生出綿竹,撫軍將軍甄琛出劍閣; 乙卯,以中護軍元遙為征南將軍,都督鎮遏梁、楚。 游肇諫,以為:「今頻年水旱,百姓不宜勞役。 往昔開拓,皆因城主歸款,故有征無戰。 今之陳計者真偽難分,或有怨於彼,不可全信。 蜀地險隘,鎮戍無隙,豈得虛承浮說而動大軍! 舉不慎始,悔將何及!」 不從。 以淳於誕為驍騎將軍,假李苗龍驤將軍,皆領鄉導統軍。。 魏降人王足陳計,求堰淮水以灌壽陽。 上以為然,使水工陳承伯、材官將軍祖□恆視地形,鹹謂「淮內沙士漂輕不堅實,功不可就」。 上弗聽,發徐、揚民率二十戶取五丁以築之,假太子右衛率康絢都督淮上諸軍事,並護堰作於鐘離。 役人及戰士合二十萬,南起浮山,北抵巉石,依岸築土,合脊於中流。。 魏以前定州刺史楊津為華州刺史。 津,椿之弟也。 先是,官受調絹,尺度特長,任事因緣,共相進退,百姓苦之。 津令悉依公尺,其輸物尤善者,賜以杯酒; 所輸少劣,亦為受之,但無酒以示恥。 於是人競相勸,官調更勝舊日。。 魏太子尚幼,每出入東宮,左右乳母而已,宮臣皆不之知。 詹事楊昱上言:「乞自今召太子必降手敕,令臣等翼從。」 魏主從之,命宮臣在直者從至萬歲門。。 魏御史中尉王顯問治書侍御史陽固曰:「吾作太府卿,府庫充實,卿以為何如?」 固曰:「公收百官之祿四分之一,州郡贓贖,悉輸京師,以此充府,未足為多。 且『有聚斂之臣,寧有盜臣。』 可不戒哉!」 顯不悅,因事奏免固官。□。
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 147 [Liang Records 3] From Zhuoyong Kundun through Yanfeng Dunzang—seven years in all. Emperor Wu of Liang, year 7 of the Tianjian era (wuzi, 508 CE). In spring, the first month, Wang Shennian, the Wei Administrator of Yingchuan, defected to Liang. On renzi, Xiao Biao, Marquis of Wu Ping, was appointed concurrently as Director-General of the Imperial Guard. An edict ordered Xu Mian, Minister of Personnel, to set the nine official ranks as eighteen grades, with the higher number of grades denoting greater precedence. In the second month, on yichou, the court expanded the ranks below the Generals of the Garrison and Guard to ten grades, twenty-four ban in all; those who did not reach the ten grades had a separate eight-ban scale. The court also established twenty-four grades of the General Who Applies Abroad, one hundred and nine titles in all. On gengwu, an edict appointed one Provincial Outlook, one District Elder, and one Village Magnate in each jurisdiction, each charged solely with seeking out and recommending talent. On yihai, Lyu Sengzhen, Governor of Southern Yan Province, was appointed Director-General of the Imperial Guard. The Director-General held the keys to internal and external military affairs, but since Emperor Xiaojian of Song the Directorate for Regulations had wielded real power, splitting military authority with the Director-General; directors and above could all submit memorials on their own, while the Director-General could only stand by with folded hands. When Xiao Biao, Marquis of Wu Ping, took office he was stern and exacting, and the bureaus were brought to order; the supervisors of the Directorate were all imperial favorites and found his demands hard to bear; for this reason he could not long remain at court, and on bingzi he was sent out as Governor of Yong Province. In the third month, on wuzi, Prince Chang of Northern Wei died; the imperial physician Wang Xian had failed in his treatment, and people at the time all believed this carried out Gao Zhao's wishes. In summer, the fourth month, on yimao, the crown prince took a consort, and the court proclaimed a general amnesty. In the fifth month, on jihai, an edict restored the Director of the Imperial Clan, Grand Coachman, Grand Master of Works, and Grand Herald, and added the Grand Treasury and Grand Superintendent of Shipping, restoring the twelve chief ministers of earlier times. On guimao, Prince Xiu of An Cheng was appointed Governor of Jing Province. Earlier, the Ma-ying tribesmen of Baling had raided along the Yangzi, and neither the province nor the commanderies could suppress them. Xiu sent the garrison officer Wen Chi at the head of troops to burn their forest cover; deprived of their strongholds, the tribesmen ceased to raid within the province. In autumn, the seventh month, on jiawu, Northern Wei enthroned the Honored Lady Gao as empress. Gao Zhao, Minister of State, grew ever more powerful and influential. Zhao altered many institutions of the former reign, cut back fiefs and ranks, and demoted men of merit; resentment therefore filled the roads. Ministers and imperial clansmen alike humbled themselves before him; only Yuan Kuang, Minister of Revenue, stood against Zhao. Kuang had a coffin made in advance and placed in his reception hall, intending to have it borne to the palace to denounce Zhao's crimes and kill himself in stern remonstrance; When Zhao heard of this he hated him for it. When Kuang and the Minister of Rites Liu Fang disputed weights and measures, Zhao backed Fang's position; Kuang thereupon quarreled loudly with Zhao and charged in a memorial that Zhao was calling a deer a horse. Wang Xian, Censor-in-Chief, memorialized impeaching Kuang for slandering the chief minister; the authorities sentenced Kuang to death. An edict spared his life and demoted him to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness. In the eighth month, on guichou, Cao Jingzong, the stalwart Duke of Jingling, died. Earlier, the Northern Wei emperor had taken a younger sister of Empress Yu as consort for Prince Yu of Jingzhao; Yu did not love her but loved his concubine Lady Li, who bore a son named Baoyue. Empress Yu summoned Lady Li into the palace and had her beaten. Yu was arrogant, extravagant, greedy, and unrestrained, and most of his conduct was unlawful. The emperor summoned Yu into the inner palace to investigate his case, had him beaten fifty strokes, and sent him out as Governor of Ji Province. Yu considered himself the elder yet his power and position fell short of his two younger brothers, and he secretly nursed shame and resentment; moreover, he and his concubine had repeatedly been humiliated, and Gao Zhao had slandered Yu and his brothers many times; Yu could bear it no longer; “On guihai he killed Chief Clerk Yang Lingyin and Major Li Zun, falsely claiming to have obtained a secret memorial from Prince Yi of Qinghe stating that Gao Zhao had committed regicide.” He then raised an altar south of Xindu, declared himself emperor, proclaimed a general amnesty, changed the era name to Jianping, and made Lady Li empress. Cui Boqi, an aide in the Bureau of Justice, refused to obey; Yu had him killed. The garrisons of the northern provinces all suspected turmoil at the Wei court; Prince Quan of An Le, Governor of Ding Province, reported the full situation, and the provinces and garrisons were reassured. On yichou, Northern Wei appointed Li Ping, Minister of State, Grand Marshal for the Northern Campaign and acting Governor of Ji Province, to attack Yu. Ping was a younger cousin of Li Chong on his father's side. On dingmao, Northern Wei proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the era name to Yongping. Prince Yu of Jingzhao sent an envoy to persuade Fang Liang, Administrator of Pingyuan in Qinghe, but Liang beheaded the envoy; Yu sent his general Zhang Linghe to attack him, but Liang defeated him. When Li Ping's army reached Jing County, the imperial forces gathered in great numbers. That night several thousand tribal troops raided Ping's camp, and arrows struck his tent. Ping lay firm and did not stir; presently the disturbance settled of itself. In the ninth month, on the xinsi new moon, Yu gave battle at Caobridge south of the city. Ping struck hard and routed him utterly. Yu escaped into the city; Ping advanced and laid siege to it. On renchen, Prince Quan of An Le defeated Yu's troops north of the city. On guisi, the emperor enfeoffed Prince Xu as Prince of Nankang. When the Honored Lady Gao was made empress in Northern Wei, Prince Xie of Wu Xuan of Pengcheng remonstrated firmly, but the emperor would not listen. Gao Zhao therefore resented him and slandered Xie to the emperor many times, but the emperor did not believe it. Xie had recommended his maternal uncle Pan Senggu as Administrator of Changle; when Prince Yu of Jingzhao rebelled he coerced Senggu to join him, and Zhao firmly accused Xie of communicating with Yu in the north and summoning tribal raiders in the south. Wei Yan, Director of the Pengcheng princely establishment, and the former garrison officer Gao Zuzhen, hoping for promotion through Zhao, fabricated the affair. Zhao ordered Attendant-in-Ordinary Yuan Hui to report it; Hui refused, so Zhao had the Left Guard Yuan Zhen bring the matter before the emperor. The emperor asked Hui, and Hui made clear that Xie was not guilty; he then asked Zhao, who cited Wei Yan and Gao Zuzhen as witnesses; the emperor then believed the charge. On wuxu he summoned Xie together with Prince Yong of Gaoyang, Prince Jia of Guangyang, Prince Yi of Qinghe, Prince Huai of Guangping, and Gao Zhao, all to attend a banquet in the palace. Xie's consort Lady Li was in childbirth, and he firmly declined to go. Palace envoys summoned him in succession; he had no choice but to take leave of his consort and mount his carriage. Entering the Eastern Flank Gate and crossing the small bridge, the ox would not advance despite long beating. Another envoy rebuked Xie for coming late, so they removed the ox and men hauled the carriage forward by hand. They feasted within the inner palace; by night all were drunk, and each retired to a separate lodging to rest. Presently Yuan Zhen brought warriors bearing poisoned wine; Xie said, "I am guiltless; let me see His Majesty once, and I can die without regret!" Yuan Zhen said, "How could His Majesty be seen again!" Xie said, "His Majesty is sagely and enlightened; he would not kill me without cause. I beg to confront my accuser and settle right and wrong!" The warriors struck him with the rings of their swords; Xie cried out, "Heaven is unjust! Loyal yet slain!" The warriors struck him again; Xie then drank the poisoned wine, and the warriors finished the killing. Toward dawn his corpse was wrapped in bedding and carried back to his residence; it was announced that the prince had died drunk. Consort Li wailed loudly, saying, "Gao Zhao kills men by perverting justice; Heaven has a spirit—how can you die a good death!" The emperor mourned him in the Eastern Hall; posthumous offices and funeral rites were all enhanced by special favor. Among the honored and humble at court alike, none failed to lose heart. Men and women on the roads wept and said, "Chief Minister Gao has wrongly killed a worthy prince!" From this, hatred for him within and without the court grew all the greater. Prince Yu of Jingzhao could not hold Xindu; on guimao he burned the gate, took Lady Li and his four sons, and broke out with a little more than a hundred horsemen. Li Ping entered Xindu, beheaded Wei Chao and others whom Yu had appointed as governors of Ji Province, and sent the commander-in-chief Shusun Tou in pursuit to seize Yu and hold him at Xindu, then reported to the throne. The ministers asked that Yu be executed; the emperor would not consent and ordered him bound and sent to Luoyang, admonishing him as within the family. When he reached Yewang, Gao Zhao secretly sent men to kill him. When his sons reached Luoyang, the emperor pardoned them all. The emperor was about to slaughter Lady Li; Cui Guang, Director of the Secretariat, remonstrated, saying, "Lady Li is pregnant; punishment reaching to cutting open the womb is what Jie and Zhou did—it is cruel and not lawful. I ask that execution wait until after she has given birth." The emperor assented. Li Ping captured more than a thousand of Yu's remaining partisans and was about to kill them all; Gao Hao, Recording Secretary, said, "These were all coerced followers; we have already promised them pardon. A memorial should be submitted." Ping followed this advice, and all were spared death. Hao was a grandson of Gao You. Gao Zhi, Governor of Ji Province, led the provincial army against Yu with merit and was due enfeoffment; Zhi refused, saying, "My house has received heavy grace; to render service to the state is its constant duty—how dare I seek reward!" Zhi was a son of Gao Zhao. Li Ping was promoted to Attendant Cavalier-at-Large. Gao Zhao and Censor-in-Chief Wang Xian had long hated Ping; Xian impeached Ping for secretly intercepting government revenues in Ji Province, and Zhao memorialized to strike Ping's name from the rolls. Earlier, in the reign of Emperor Xianzu, more than ten thousand households of Rouran surrendered to Northern Wei and were placed in the two garrisons of Gaoping and Bogu; by the end of the Taihe era most had rebelled and fled, and only a little more than a thousand households remained. Grand Master of Palace Counsel Wang Tong asked that they be moved and settled north of the Huai to cut off rebellion; an edict ordered Grand Coachman Yang Chun to proceed with credentials and move them. Chun memorialized, saying, "The former dynasty placed them on the frontier marches to win over foreign peoples and to distinguish Chinese from barbarian. Now the newly submitted households are very numerous; if the old settlers are moved, the new will surely not feel secure—this would drive them to rebel. Moreover, these people wear fur and eat meat; they delight in winter and find cold agreeable; the southern lands are damp and hot—if sent there they would surely perish to the last. Advancing, we would lose hearts that have submitted; retreating, we would gain no benefit of frontier defense; placing them in central China might breed later trouble—it is not a good plan." The emperor did not follow this advice. They were therefore moved to Ji Province and settled along the river. When Prince Yu of Jingzhao rebelled, they all crossed the river by raft to join Yu and plundered wherever they went, just as Chun had said. On gengzi, Peng Zhen, Major of Ying Province in Northern Wei, and others rebelled, secretly leading Liang troops toward Yiyang; Hou Deng and other garrison commanders of the Three Passes surrendered their cities. Lou Yue, Governor of Ying Province, shut the city and held it; Northern Wei appointed Prince Ying of Zhongshan Grand Marshal for the Southern Campaign and sent thirty thousand foot and horse out of Runan to relieve it. In winter, the tenth month, Bai Zaosheng, commander of the Xuanhuo garrison in Northern Wei, killed Sima Yue, Governor of Yu Province, styled himself General Who Pacifies the North, and sought aid from Ma Xianbi, Governor of Si Province. At the time Prince Xiu of An Cheng, Governor of Jing Province, was Grand Marshal. Xianbi submitted a request asking to go in response. His aides all said they should wait for word from the capital; Xiu said, "They rely on us to survive; aid should be swift. Waiting for an edict is the old way, but not what an emergency calls for." He immediately sent troops. The emperor also ordered Xianbi to rescue Zaosheng. Xianbi advanced and encamped at King of Chu City, sending his lieutenant Qi Gou'er with two thousand troops to help hold Xuanhuo. An edict appointed Zaosheng Governor of Si Province. On bingyin, Zhang Ji, Administrator of Wuxing, was appointed Left Vice Minister of State. Northern Wei appointed Xing Luan, Minister of State, acting Governor of Yu Province, and sent troops to attack Bai Zaosheng. The emperor asked him, "Do you say Zaosheng will flee? Or hold? When can he be pacified?" He replied, "Zaosheng has no deep strategy or great wisdom; he simply took advantage of the people's anger at Sima Yue's cruelty and violence to raise rebellion, and the people, pressed by fierce power, followed him against their will. Even if Liang troops enter the city, with waterways cut and grain transport not continuing, he would still become a captive. Zaosheng, having gained Liang's aid, will drown in desire for gain and is sure to hold and not flee. If the imperial army comes upon him, soldiers and people will surely turn about and submit. Before the year is out, his head should be sent to the capital." The emperor was pleased and ordered Luan to set out first, with Prince Ying of Zhongshan to follow. Luan led eight hundred horsemen, marching day and night by double stages, and in five days reached Baokou. On bingzi, Zaosheng sent his great general Hu Xiaozhi with seven thousand troops to give battle two hundred li from the city. Luan struck hard and routed them utterly, then drove in victory straight to Xuanhuo. Zaosheng came out of the city to give battle and was defeated again; Luan then crossed the Ru River and besieged the city. An edict added to Luan the title Grand Marshal for the Southern Campaign. On dingchou, Cheng Jingjun, aide on the eastern garrison staff in Northern Wei, killed Yan Zhongxian, garrison commander of Suyu, and surrendered the city. At the time in Northern Wei's Ying and Yu provinces, from Xuanhuo south to Anyi all cities had fallen; only Yiyang held firm for Wei. The tribal chief Tian Yizong led the tribes in submission to Northern Wei, and Wei made him Governor of Eastern Yu Province; the Liang emperor recruited him with the titles General of Chariots and Cavalry, Bearer of the Golden Axe with Equal Protocol, and District Duke of five thousand households; Yizong refused. In the eleventh month, on gengyin, Northern Wei sent General Who Pacifies the East Yang Chun with forty thousand troops to attack Suyu. The emperor, hearing that Xing Luan had won repeated victories, ordered Prince Ying of Zhongshan to hurry to Yiyang; Ying, finding his forces few, memorialized repeatedly asking for troops but was not granted them. When Ying reached Xuanhuo he at once joined Luan in attacking it. In the twelfth month, on jiwei, Qi Gou'er and others opened the gate and surrendered; Bai Zaosheng and several tens of his partisans were beheaded. Ying then led his troops forward toward Yiyang. Zhang Daoning, General Who Pacifies the North, had first encamped at King of Chu City; on guihai he abandoned the city and fled; Ying pursued, caught up, and beheaded him. Xin Xiang of Didao, Administrator of Yiyang in Northern Wei, and Lou Yue jointly held Yiyang; the generals Hu Wucheng and Tao Pinglu attacked it. Xiang went out by night and raided their camp, captured Pinglu, and beheaded Wucheng; by this the province was preserved whole. When merit was assessed he should have been rewarded, but Lou Yue was ashamed that the merit was beneath his own and slandered him to those in power, so the reward was never granted. On renshen, Eastern Jing Province in Northern Wei memorialized, "Huan Xing, younger brother of Huan Hui, has over time won over the Taiyang tribes; more than ten thousand households have submitted, and we ask to establish sixteen commanderies and fifty districts." An edict ordered Li Daoyuan, former chief clerk of the eastern garrison headquarters, to inspect on circuit and establish them. Daoyuan was a son of Li Fan. That year the Tuo Khan of Rouran again sent Heixi Wuliu Ba to present sable fur coats to Northern Wei; the emperor would not accept them and replied as before. Earlier, Beiqiongqi, marquis of the Gaoche, was killed by the Yeda; they seized his son Miyoutu and took him away. His followers scattered; some fled to Northern Wei, some to Rouran. The emperor sent Meng Wei of Henan, Supervisor of the Feathered Forest, to comfort and receive the surrendered households and settle them at Gaoping Garrison. Afu Wangluo, king of the Gaoche, was cruel and violent; his people killed him and set up his clansman Baliyan. The Yeda supported Miyoutu to attack the Gaoche; the people killed Baliyan and welcomed Miyoutu to set him up as king. Miyoutu fought the Tuo Khan at Lake Pulei, was defeated, and fled west more than three hundred li. The Tuo Khan encamped on the northern mountains of Yiwu. It happened that Qu Jia, king of Gaochang, asked to move inward to Northern Wei; at the time Meng Wei was General of the Flying Dragon, and the emperor sent Wei to raise three thousand troops from Liang Province to welcome him. When they reached Yiwu, the Tuo Khan saw Wei's army, was frightened, and fled. Miyoutu, hearing that he had withdrawn in alarm, pursued, routed him utterly, and killed the Tuo Khan north of Lake Pulei; he cut off his hair and sent it to Wei, and also sent envoys to offer tribute to Northern Wei. The emperor sent Yu Liang, Master of the Eastern Wall, to reply; gifts were very generous. King Jia of Gaochang failed to arrive by the appointed time; Wei led his troops back. The Tuo Khan's son Chounu succeeded, styled himself Khan Douluofubadoufa, and changed the era name to Jianchang. By the old rites of Song and Qi, when sacrificing to Heaven all wore the dragon robe and cap; Xu Mao of Gaoyang, Concurrent Master in the Bureau of Writings, asked that the great fur robe be made, and the court followed his advice. The emperor was about to perform rites at the Imperial Ancestral Temple; an edict stated, "On fast days there shall be no music. From now on, when the imperial carriage first sets out, the accompanying drums and pipes shall not sound; on returning to the palace, the usual rites apply." Emperor Wu of Liang, year 8 of the Tianjian era (jichou, 509 CE). In spring, the first month, on xinsi, the emperor sacrificed at the southern suburb and proclaimed a general amnesty. At the time some asked to perform the feng sacrifice at Kuaiji and the shan at Guoshan; the emperor ordered the scholars to draft the feng and shan rites and intended to carry them out. Xu Mao offered advice, holding that "When Shun offered firewood at Dai Zong, this was a tour of inspection. Yet Zheng cites the Weft of the Classic of Filial Piety, Decree of Fate, saying, 'Perform the feng at Mount Tai, assess achievements with firewood offerings; perform the shan at Liangfu, carve stone to record the title.' This is a twisted doctrine of weft texts, not the general meaning of the orthodox classics. Shun toured once every five years, in spring, summer, autumn, and winter completing the circuit of the four sacred peaks—if this were the feng and shan, how frequent the number would be! Again, as Guan Zhong said of seventy-two rulers, before the Fire-Driller the age was plain and the people simple—how could there have been sealing gold and examining jade! They governed by knotted cords—how could there have been carving words to announce completion! Guan Zhong also said, 'Only a ruler who has received the Mandate may then perform the feng and shan.' King Cheng of Zhou was not a Mandate-receiving ruler—how could he perform the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Sheshou! Shennong is the Flame Emperor, yet Guan Zhong divided them into two men—how excessive the error! If a sage ruler, the feng and shan are not needed; if an ordinary ruler, he ought not perform the feng and shan. Duke Huan of Qi wished to carry out this affair; Guan Zhong knew it could not be done and therefore cited prodigies to bend him from it. Qin Shihuang once performed the feng at Mount Tai; Sun Hao once sent Concurrent Minister of Works Dong Chao to Yangxian to perform the feng and shan at Guoshan—these were none of them deeds of great virtue and are not fit to be models. Thus the rites of feng and shan are all hearsay on the road, losing their original text, because the ruler above loves fame and ministers below flatter his intent. In antiquity sacrificing to Heaven and offering to Earth had fixed numbers in the rites; the way of sincere reverence is complete in these. As for the feng and shan, these are not what I dare hear of." The emperor praised and accepted this, then developed Mao's argument and issued an imperial pronouncement in answer to the petitioners; thereby the matter was stopped. Prince Ying of Zhongshan reached Yiyang and was about to take the Three Passes; he first planned, saying, "The Three Passes depend on one another like left and right hands; if one pass is taken, the other two will fall without waiting for attack; to attack the hard is not as good as attacking the easy; the Eastern Pass should be attacked first." He also feared they would combine strength in the east, and therefore sent Chief Clerk Li Hua to lead the Five Commands toward the Western Pass to divide their military force, while he himself supervised the armies toward the Eastern Pass. Earlier, Ma Xianbi had sent Cloud Cavalry General Ma Guang to encamp at Changbo and Garrison Commander Hu Wenchao to encamp at Songxian. On bingshen, Ying reached Changbo. On wuxu, Changbo collapsed; Ma Guang fled into Wuyang, and Ying advanced to besiege it. The emperor sent Champion General Peng Nusheng and Rapid-as-Steed General Xu Yuanji with troops to relieve Wuyang. Ying deliberately let them enter the city, saying, "I see that this city's terrain and situation make it easy to take." After Nusheng and the others had entered, Ying pressed the attack; in six days it was taken, and three generals with more than seven thousand soldiers were captured. He advanced to attack Guangxian; Li Yuanlu, Leader of the Left Guard of the Heir Apparent, abandoned the city and fled; he also attacked the Western Pass, and Ma Xianbi too abandoned the city and fled. The emperor sent Wei Rui, Administrator of Nan Commandery, with troops to rescue Xianbi; Rui reached Anlu, raised the walls more than two zhang, opened a great moat anew, and built lofty towers. The troops mostly mocked his timidity; Rui said, "Not so—a general should have times of caution and cannot rely on courage alone." Prince Ying of Zhongshan pressed hard in pursuit of Ma Xian, intending to wipe away the shame of Shaoyang; hearing that Rui had arrived, he withdrew. The emperor also issued an edict to halt the armies. Earlier, the Northern Wei emperor had sent Dong Shao of Chaoyang, Attendant of the Secretariat, to comfort and reward the rebel cities; Bai Zaosheng attacked and imprisoned him and sent him to Jiankang. After the emperor had taken Xuanhuo, he ordered that two of the four generals including Qi Gou'er be sent separately and instructed Yang Province to draw up an exchange document to trade for Shao and the head of Sima Yue. Before the exchange document arrived, Director-General Lyu Sengzhen spoke with Shao, admired his literary grace, and spoke of this to the emperor; the emperor sent Master of Documents Huo Lingchao to tell Shao, "Now we allow you to return and charge you to open good relations between the two states and give rest to the people on both sides—is this not excellent!" He was then summoned to audience, given clothing, and ordered comforted by Attendant Zhou She, who also said, "War has lasted many years and the people and things are charred; for this reason I am not ashamed to speak first of opening relations with the Wei court, yet recently there have been letters with no reply at all—you should fully set forth this intent. Now I send Herald Huo Lingxiu to escort you to your state; I await good news in reply." He also said to Shao, "Do you know why you were not put to death? To have obtained you now is Heaven's intent. A ruler is established for the sake of the people; all who stand above the people—how can they fail to think of this! If you wish to open good relations, we will now return Suyu to them, and they should return Hanzhong to us." Shao returned to Northern Wei and spoke of this to the emperor, who would not follow it. In the third month, Yuan Zhi, Governor of Jing Province in Northern Wei, led seventy thousand troops to raid Chan'gou, driving and pressing the tribal peoples; the tribes all crossed the Han River to surrender, and Xiao Biao, Marquis of Wu Ping, Governor of Yong Province, received them. The officials all held that the tribes would become a frontier trouble and it would be better to eliminate them thereby; Biao said, "They come to us in extremity—to execute them is inauspicious. Moreover, when Wei troops come to invade, to have the tribes as a screen—is this not good!" He therefore opened Fancheng to receive their surrender and ordered Major Zhu Siyuan and others to attack Zhi at Chan'gou, routing him utterly and taking more than ten thousand heads. Zhi was a grandson of Yuan Qi. In summer, the fourth month, on wushen, Prince Hong of Linchuan was made Minister of Works, and General of Chariots and Cavalry Wang Mao was given the Golden Axe with Equal Protocol. On dingmao, Li Guoxing, commander of King of Chu City in Northern Wei, surrendered the city. In autumn, the seventh month, on guisi, Prince Xiao Bao of Ling of Baling died. In the ninth month, on xinsi, Northern Wei enfeoffed Hao, son of the late Prince Xiang of Beihai, as Prince of Beihai. In Northern Wei, Gongsun Chong made a musical foot-rule, taking twelve millet grains as one inch; Liu Fang opposed this and changed it to ten millet grains as one inch. Minister of State Gao Zhao and others memorialized, "The eight-tone instruments and measures that Chong made all differ from the classics and commentaries; when questioned as to why, he said, 'If one must follow the classic text, the sounds will not harmonize. We ask that Fang again be ordered to make musical instruments according to the Rites of Zhou; when complete, let all gather in council and present them, following whichever is good." An edict followed this. In winter, the tenth month, on guichou, Northern Wei made Prince Jia of Guangyang, Minister of Works, Minister of State. In the eleventh month, on jichou, the emperor at Shigan Hall lectured on the Vimalakirti Sutra for the monks and court ministers. At the time the emperor devoted himself solely to the Buddha's teaching and did not attend to the classics; Pei Yanjun of Hedong, Vice Director of the Secretariat, submitted a memorial, holding that "Emperor Guangwu of Han and Emperor Wu of Wei, though amid chariots and horses, never abandoned books; the late emperor, moving the capital and marching with the army, did not let scrolls leave his hand. Truly because learning has many benefits, it cannot be briefly set aside. Your Majesty ascends the Dharma seat and personally expounds great awakening; all who look and listen have the dust of obstruction entirely opened. Yet the Five Classics are the models for ordering the age and what affairs of state should put first; I humbly wish that the classics be viewed in turn and Confucius and the Buddha both preserved—then inner and outer would both be complete and the true and the worldly would flow freely." At the time Buddhism flourished at Luoyang; besides the Chinese monks, more than three thousand came from the Western Regions, and the emperor separately built for them more than a thousand bays of Yongming Temple to house them. The recluse Feng Liang of Nanyang had ingenious thought; the emperor had him together with Zhen Chen, Intendant of Henan, and the Buddhist registrar Sengxian choose a place of scenic excellence on Mount Song and establish Leisure Dwelling Temple, exhausting the beauty of cliffs, ravines, earth, and wood. From this near and far caught the wind; none failed to serve the Buddha, and by the Yan chang era the provinces and commanderies together had more than thirteen thousand temples. That year Yuan Shu, Director of the Imperial Clan in Northern Wei, came over in surrender and was granted the title Prince of Ye. Shu was a younger brother of Yi. At the time Yi was Governor of Qing and Ji provinces, stationed at Yuyou; after a long while Yi plotted to surrender the province to Northern Wei, the affair leaked, and he was executed. Emperor Wu of Liang, year 9 of the Tianjian era (gengyin, 510 CE). In spring, the first month, on yihai, Shen Yue, Minister of State, was made Left Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, and Wang Ying, Right Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, was appointed Minister of State. Yue's literary art stood above his age, yet he was greedy for glory and profit; holding power more than ten years, on the gains and losses of government he merely assented. He considered that he had long occupied the chief minister's seat and had his mind set on the Three Excellencies; commentators also held it fitting, yet the emperor in the end did not use him; he then sought to go out to a provincial post and was again not permitted. Xu Mian requested for him the protocol of the Three Excellencies; the emperor would not consent. On gengyin, a new embankment along the Huai was built; on the north bank from Stone City to Eastern Smelting, on the south bank from Rear Islet Hedge Gate to Three Bridges. In the third month, on bingxu, Prince Xu of Northern Wei was born and a general amnesty was proclaimed. Xu's mother was Hu Chonghua of Linjing; her father Guozhen inherited the rank of Marquis of Wushi. When Chonghua was first chosen for the rear palace, her companions by custom blessed her, saying, "May you bear princes and princesses, but not bear the crown prince." Chonghua said, "My intent differs from others—how can I fear death for myself alone and thereby leave the state without an heir!" When she became pregnant, her companions urged her to remove it; Chonghua would not consent and privately vowed, "If by fortune I bear a son and he should by order grow up, though I die for bearing a son I have no regret!" Thereafter Xu was born. Earlier, the emperor had frequently lost princes; as the years grew he was deeply cautious, chose women of good families fit to bear sons as wet-nurses, and reared the child in a separate palace where neither the empress nor Chonghua might approach. On jichou, the emperor visited the Imperial Academy and personally attended the lectures. On yiwei, an edict ordered that below the crown prince and the sons of kings and marquises, all whose years allowed following teachers, should enter school. By old regulation, the five directorate clerks of the Ministry of State all used men of humble origin. In summer, the fourth month, on dingsi, an edict said, "The five directorates of the Ministry of State participate in governmental essentials; they not only oversee all bureaus but also stand level with the two vice ministers; they may be reformed to use men of genteel origin to hold these many offices." Thereupon the directorate clerks were treated as Court Gentlemen for Imperial Audience; Liu Na, Master in the Imperial Academy, was made concurrent head of the Palace Directorate; Liu Xian, aide in the Bureau of Justice of the Minister of Works, was made concurrent head of the Personnel Directorate; Kong Qiansun, Master in the Imperial Academy, was made concurrent head of the Treasury Directorate; Xiao Gui, aide in the Bureau of Justice of the Minister of Works, was made concurrent head of the Left and Right Households Directorate; Wang Yang, aide in the Ink Bureau of Xuanyi, was made concurrent head of the Central Military Directorate; all had talent and standing both excellent and were the first to receive these selections. In the sixth month, Wu Chengbo, a clerk of Xuancheng Commandery, relied on sorcery to gather a crowd. On guichou he attacked the commandery, killed Administrator Zhu Sengyong, and turned to slaughter neighboring districts. In the intercalary month, on jichou, Chengbo crossed the mountains and suddenly reached Wuxing. The people of the eastern lands were unused to war; officials and commoners panicked and fled in disorder; some urged Administrator Cai Jin to avoid him, but Jin would not consent and recruited the brave to shut the gates and hold in defense. Chengbo attacked with all his elite; Jin led the masses out to battle, routed them utterly, and beheaded Chengbo on the field. Jin was a son of Cai Xingzong. Chengbo's remaining partisans entered Xin'an, took Yi and She districts and others; Administrator Xie Lan sent troops to resist but was defeated and fled to Kuaiji; capital troops suppressed the bandits and pacified them. Lan was a son of Xie Lun. In winter, the tenth month, Prince Ying of Xian of Zhongshan died in Northern Wei. In the third year of the emperor's accession, an edict fixed a new calendar. Zu Hengheng, Attendant Cavalier Without Regular Appointment, memorialized that his father Zu Chongzhi's investigation of ancient methods was correct and the calendar could not be changed. By the eighth year, an edict ordered the Grand Astrologer to test the new and old calendars; the new calendar was precise, the old calendar loose; that year Zu Chongzhi's Daming Calendar began to be used. Liu Fang and others in Northern Wei memorialized, "The musical instruments made and the civil and military dances taught, the ascent hymns, and the drum-and-pipe pieces are complete; we ask, as in the former edict, that dukes, ministers, and the mass of scholars gather to determine by discussion and present them together with the old music; if what we have made conforms in form to antiquity and the clappers match the beat, we ask that they be used at the New Year's assembly next year." An edict said, "The dances may use the new; the rest for now remain as before." Emperor Wu of Liang, year 10 of the Tianjian era (xinmao, 511 CE). In spring, the first month, on xinchou, the emperor sacrificed at the southern suburb and proclaimed a general amnesty. Zhang Ji, Left Vice Minister of State, considered his merit great and his reward thin; once while attending a banquet in Lesou Hall, when wine was deep his resentment showed in word and countenance. The emperor said, "Your elder brother killed an administrator, your younger brother killed his lord—what reputation is there!" Ji said, "Your servant indeed has no reputation, but as for Your Majesty, one cannot say there was no merit. Dong Hun was cruel and violent; the army of righteousness also came to attack him—was it only in your servant!" The emperor stroked his beard and said, "Lord Zhang is a man to be feared!" Ji was both afraid and resentful and then sought to go out to a provincial post; on guimao he was made Governor of Qing and Ji provinces. Wang Zhenguo also harbored resentment; dismissed from the Liang and Qin governorships and returned, after wine at his seat he reported, "Your servant recently entered Liang Mountain and wept at once." The emperor was greatly startled and said, "If you weep for Dong Hun, it is already late; if you weep for me, I am not yet dead!" Zhenguo rose, bowed, and apologized; the emperor in the end did not reply, the seating broke up at once, and for this he was kept at a distance. After a long while he was appointed Minister of Justice. On dingsi, Liu Longju of the Shanhu in Fen Province in Northern Wei gathered a crowd and rebelled, raiding Xia Province; an edict ordered Remonstrance and Discussion Grand Master Xue He to raise the masses of the four provinces of Eastern Qin, Fen, Hua, and Xia to attack him. On xinyou, the emperor sacrificed at the Bright Hall. In the third month, Wang Wanshou of the people of Langye killed Liu Xi, Administrator of the two commanderies of Dongguan and Langye, held Mount Ju, and summoned Northern Wei troops. On renxu, Prince Jia of Yi Lie of Guangyang died in Northern Wei. Lu Chang, Governor of Xu Province in Northern Wei, sent Zhang Tianhui, deputy of the Yancheng garrison, and Fu Wenji, commander of the Langye garrison, in succession to Mount Ju; Zhang Ji, Governor of Qing and Ji provinces, sent troops to resist but was defeated. In summer, the fourth month, Wenji and others held Mount Ju; an edict ordered Ma Xianbi, General Who Quells the Distance, to attack them. Northern Wei also sent Acting General Who Pacifies the South Xiao Baoyin and Acting General Who Pacifies the East Zhao Xia of Tianshui with troops to hold Mount Ju, under Lu Chang's command. On jiaxu, Xue He in Northern Wei defeated Liu Longju, pacified all his partisans, and memorialized to establish Eastern Xia Province. In the fifth month, on bingchen, Northern Wei forbade astronomy. Zhang Chong, Libationer of the Imperial Academy, was appointed Left Vice Minister of State. Chong was a son of Zhang Xu. Ma Xianbi besieged Mount Ju; Zhang Ji provisionally encamped at Liuli to supervise grain transport; the emperor repeatedly sent troops to assist. In autumn, Lu Chang in Northern Wei submitted a memorial asking for six thousand more troops and one hundred thousand shi of grain; the emperor gave him four thousand troops. In winter, the eleventh month, on jihai, the emperor ordered Li Chong, Governor of Yang Province, and others to drill troops at Shouyang to divide the force at Mount Ju. Lu Chang was originally a Confucian scholar and unpracticed in military affairs. In Mount Ju city grain and firewood were both exhausted; Fu Wenji surrendered the city; in the twelfth month, on gengchen, Chang led his troops in flight first and the armies in succession all collapsed. It happened to snow heavily; two-thirds of the soldiers died of cold or lost hands and feet; Xianbi pursued and routed them utterly. Within two hundred li corpses lay one after another; of Northern Wei troops perhaps one or two in ten escaped. Grain, livestock, and weapons taken were beyond counting. Chang fled on a single horse, abandoning his credentials, escort, and guards entirely; reaching Yancheng he borrowed Zhao Xia's credentials to serve as military prestige. The emperor ordered Zhen Chen, Attendant of the Yellow Gate, to ride post-haste and chain Chang, exhaustively investigating his defeat; both he and Zhao Xia were dismissed from office. Only Xiao Baoyin returned with his army whole. When Lu Chang was at Mount Ju, Censor-in-Chief You Zhao said to the emperor, "Mount Ju is tiny, remote on the seacoast, low and damp and hard to dwell in; for us it is not urgent, for the enemy it is advantageous. Because it is advantageous, they will surely fight to the death for it; because it is not urgent, we fight only when we have no choice. To strike a must-die army with troops that fight only under compulsion—I fear months will drag on and the expense will be very great. Even if we took Mount Ju, we would only provoke mutual contention and in the end could hardly hold it secure—it is what is called useless land. I hear the enemy repeatedly offers Suyu in exchange for Mount Ju; if it must be so, to hold this useless land and recover their former territory would release the people from corvée for a time—the benefit would be great." The emperor was about to follow this when Chang's defeat occurred; Zhao was transferred to Attendant-in-Ordinary. Zhao was a son of You Minggen. Ma Xianbi as a general could share hardship and ease with his soldiers; what he wore was no more than cloth and silk; where he dwelt had no curtains, screens, quilts, or partitions; food and drink were the same as the lowest groom. On the frontier he often went alone in secret into enemy territory, observed where walls, villages, and strategic points lay, and in battles fought mostly won; soldiers also were glad to serve under him. Northern Wei made Zhen Chen Intendant of Henan; Chen memorialized, saying, "When the state dwelt in Dai, the trouble of many thefts was severe; Emperor Shizu roused himself and broadly established chief offices and hamlet heads—all had to be district magistrates of the lower generation and fifth-rank scattered marquises with strategic ability. Many clerks and officers were also set up as their wings; honored and weighted, only then could they be restrained. Now since the move of the capital the realm has grown broader; the four quarters assemble; affairs surpass the Dai capital; the five directions are mixed and crowded; bandits walk openly; hamlet heads have light duties and fragmented responsibilities, mostly men of low talent; people harbor laxity and cannot inspect. I ask that military officers from eighth-rank generals down who are capable and upright be taken, paid from their original salaries and allowances to hold the duties of hamlet wardens—the higher to lead six-ward wardens, the middle to lead route wardens, the lower to lead hamlet heads. If not, I ask that the rank of hamlet wardens be somewhat raised and men from the lower ranks who should be promoted be advanced to fill these posts. With supervision and responsibility in place, the capital region can be cleared." An edict said, "Hamlet heads may be advanced to meritorious rank, route wardens to sub-ninth rank, six-ward wardens to proper ninth rank; select from among these offices; they need not be military men." Chen also memorialized to use Feathered Forest patrol guards in all wards and lanes to inspect for bandits. Thereupon Luoyang was cleared and quiet; later this was regularly followed. That year within Liang's borders there were twenty-three provinces, three hundred fifty commanderies, and one thousand twenty-two districts. After this provincial names gradually increased; abolitions, establishments, separations, and mergers cannot be fully recorded. The Northern Wei court was likewise. The emperor cultivated harmony among the imperial clans and treated court officials with leniency; whenever one of them fell afoul of the law, he contrived to stretch the statutes in their favor. Commoners who broke the law were prosecuted to the letter. Collective punishment spared neither the aged nor children; one fugitive meant bondage for the entire household. Driven to desperation, the people turned ever more to crime. Once, during a suburban sacrifice, an old man from Moling stepped before the imperial carriage and said, "Your Majesty enforces the law harshly against commoners yet gently against the powerful. That is no foundation for lasting rule. If Your Majesty could truly reverse this, the realm would be greatly blessed." The emperor thereupon began searching for ways to soften the law. Emperor Wu of Liang, year 11 of the Tianjian era (renchen, 512 CE). In spring, the first month, on renchen, an edict declared, "Henceforth, among families facing banishment and offenders sentenced to bonded labor, if elderly or children are present in the household, their transfer shall be suspended." Xiao Hong, Prince of Linchuan, was appointed Grand Commandant, and Wang Mao, Flying Cavalry General, was made Grand Minister of Works and Director of the Imperial Secretariat. On bingchen, Northern Wei named Gao Zhao, Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Minister of Works; Yuan Yi, Prince of Qinghe, Grand Minister of Works; and Yuan Huai, Prince of Guangping, was promoted to Flying Cavalry Grand General with the Three Directorates of Equal Honor. Though Gao Zhao had reached the Three Excellencies, he still felt himself banished from real power, and his resentment showed plainly in face and speech. Those who witnessed it laughed behind his back. Gao Chuo, Right Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and Feng Gui, Erudite of the Imperial University, had long held themselves to a standard of uncompromising integrity. When Gao Zhao became Minister of Works, Chuo paid the expected courtesy calls, but Feng Gui never once visited him. Chuo looked about and, not seeing Feng Gui, hurried home. He sighed, "All my life I thought myself a man of propriety. Today I have fallen far short of Master Feng." Gao Chuo was a grandson of Gao Yun; Feng Gui was a clansman of Feng Yi. Yuan Yi, Prince of Qinghe, was a man of talent, learning, and public esteem. Mindful of the slaughter at Pengcheng, he took advantage of a banquet where he attended the emperor and said to Gao Zhao, "How many brothers does the Son of Heaven have, that you have nearly destroyed them all! Long ago Wang Mang, bald and hunchbacked, drew on the wealth of the Wei River's south and seized the Han throne. You too are bent of body, my lord. I fear you may yet become the first rung on a ladder to chaos." About that time a severe drought struck. Gao Zhao took it upon himself to review prisoners and release them, hoping to win the people's loyalty. Yuan Yi spoke to the Wei emperor, saying, "In antiquity the Ji clan usurped the feng sacrifice at Mount Tai, and Confucius condemned them for it. He did so because the boundary between ruler and minister must be guarded at the first sign of violation and evil stopped before it spreads. Such things must not be profaned. Reducing the imperial table and releasing prisoners are the emperor's prerogatives. For the Minister of Works to perform them—what sort of conduct is that for a subject! When a wise ruler loses his grip above, treacherous ministers seize power below. The foundation of disaster is laid right here." The emperor smiled and said nothing. In summer, the fourth month, Wei ordered the Imperial Secretariat and all ministries to review and settle legal cases, and directed famine victims to seek grain in Yan and Heng provinces and the six frontier garrisons. On yiyou, Northern Wei proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the era name to Yanfu. In winter, the tenth month, on yihai, Northern Wei installed Prince Xu as crown prince—and for the first time spared his mother's life. Guo Zuo, Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, was named concurrent Crown Prince Junior Tutor. Once, when Guo Zuo accompanied the Wei emperor to the Eastern Palace, he carried the imperial yellow seal-cloth to present to the crown prince; At the time Zhao Taogong of the Edict-Response Attendants enjoyed the emperor's deepest trust. Guo Zuo curried favor with him in private, and contemporaries dubbed them "Vice Director Taogong" and "Yellow Junior Tutor." In the eleventh month, on yiwei, Yuan Ang, Administrator of Wu Commandery, was appointed concurrent Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat. Earlier, Fu Manrong of Pingchang, Chief Commandant of Foot Soldiers to the Qi crown prince, had memorialized requesting the compilation of rites and music for a new dynasty. Emperor Shizu of Qi selected ten erudite scholars to compile the Five Rites, with Wang Jian, Governor of Danyang, as overall supervisor. When Wang Jian died, the work passed to He Yin, Chancellor of the Imperial University. When He Yin retired to Mount Dong, Emperor Ming of Qi ordered Xu Xiaosi, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, to take charge. After Xu Xiaosi was executed, most of the materials were scattered and lost. An edict placed He Tongzhi, Flying Cavalry General, in charge. The warfare and conflagrations at the end of Qi left only a fraction of the work intact. When the new emperor took the throne, He Tongzhi submitted a memorial asking what portions should be retained or discarded, and an edict ordered a full review outside the palace. The Imperial Secretariat argued that routine governance had only just begun and one should wait for true peace and prosperity. They proposed abolishing the Bureau of Rites for the time being and returning the work to the Protocol Section. An edict replied, "Rites lie in ruins and music is lost. The time has come to restore them. Recent compilers were not equal to the task, which is why years passed without result—title without substance. Since this is the foundation of statecraft, let the compilation proceed at once." Thereupon Shen Yue, Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and others memorialized, "We ask that one former erudite be appointed for each of the Five Rites, each to nominate one scholar of antiquities to assist in copying and compiling. Where doubts arise, following the precedent of the Stone Canal and White Tiger conferences, we request the emperor's ruling." Ming Shanbin, Staff Officer of the Right Army, and others were then assigned to oversee the Five Rites separately, with He Tongzhi directing the entire project. When He Tongzhi died, Fu Heng, Consulting Officer to the North Garrison General, succeeded him. Fu Heng was the son of Fu Manrong. By this time the Five Rites were complete and submitted to the throne: eight thousand nineteen articles in all. An edict ordered the responsible offices to put them into effect. On jiyou, Xiao Hong, Prince of Linchuan, was transferred to Flying Cavalry Grand General while still handling official duties. That year, Northern Wei appointed Huan Shuxing Inspector of Southern Jingzhou, with his seat at Anchang and authority over Eastern Jingzhou. Emperor Wu of Liang, year 12 of the Tianjian era (guisi, 513 CE). In spring, the first month, on xinmao, the emperor performed the southern suburban sacrifice and proclaimed a general amnesty. In the second month, on xinyou, Yuan Ang, who had been serving concurrently as Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, was confirmed in that post. On jimao, Yuan Yong, Prince of Gaoyang of Northern Wei, was promoted to Grand Mentor. Yuzhou lay close to the Wei frontier, and its people often traded cloth with the northerners in secret. During the uprising at Qushan some had maintained secret contact with Wei. After Qushan was pacified, they lived in constant fear. Zhang Ji, Inspector of Qing and Ji provinces, had failed to achieve his ambitions. His administration grew lax, and his subordinates preyed freely on the people. On gengchen, Xu Daojiao and others of Yuzhou attacked the provincial city by night, killed Zhang Ji, and sent his head to Wei in surrender. Northern Wei dispatched Fan Lu, former Inspector of Southern Yanzhou, to lead troops to the scene. Northern Wei was then in the grip of famine; tens of thousands starved to death. You Zhao, Attendant-in-Ordinary, remonstrated, saying, "Qushan lies on the coast, low and damp and barely habitable. Yuzhou is an island besides. To hold it would be utterly useless. The place lies near the enemy's vital ground yet far from our own. To send distant troops against a nearby force is a fight we cannot win. At a time of famine and popular distress, the only wise course is quiet. To burden the people with another campaign and drain the treasury on supply lines—I see only loss and no gain." The Wei emperor would not listen and again dispatched Xi Kangsheng, Pacifying West General, to lead troops against the rebels. Before the Wei force could march, Kang Xuan, Inspector of Northern Yanzhou, sent his Chief of Staff Huo Fengbo to crush the rebellion. On xinsi, a new Hall of Grand Ultimate was completed. The emperor once had Shen Yue, Secretary-at-Large and Crown Prince Junior Tutor, Marquis of Jianchang, each list separately matters concerning chestnuts. Yue recorded three fewer items than the emperor. After leaving, he remarked to someone, "This man is so vain about his pride that he would die of shame otherwise!" When the emperor heard this he flew into a rage and wished to punish Shen Yue, but Xu Mian remonstrated firmly and dissuaded him. The emperor still harbored resentment against Zhang Ji and, in an unguarded moment, raised the subject with Shen Yue. Yue replied, "The Left Vice Director was sent to a frontier province. What point is there in revisiting the past!" The emperor, believing Shen Yue and Zhang Ji were shielding each other through marriage ties, snapped, "You speak like this—are you a loyal minister!" He then rode back to the inner palace in his carriage. Shen Yue was terrified. Not noticing that the emperor had risen, he remained seated as before; when he finally rose to leave, he reached for his couch before he was there, pitched forward through empty air, and collapsed at the doorway. He fell ill; he dreamed that Emperor He of Qi severed his tongue with a sword. He summoned a Daoist to submit a red petition to Heaven, declaring that "the matter of the dynastic transfer was not of my own doing." The emperor sent the Palace Secretary Huang Muzhi to inquire after his health. Returning that evening, Huang Muzhi did not report immediately on whether Shen Yue's condition had improved or worsened, fearing censure. He then disclosed the red-petition affair. The emperor was furious. Palace emissaries rebuked Shen Yue on four separate occasions. Shen Yue grew ever more fearful. In the intercalary month, on yichou, he died. The responsible offices proposed the posthumous title Literary. The emperor said, "When one's inner truth remains unrevealed, the title is Hidden." The posthumous title was changed to Hidden Marquis. In summer, the fifth month, prolonged rains at Shouyang sent floodwaters pouring into the city until every dwelling was submerged. Li Chong, Wei Inspector of Yangzhou, drew up his troops along the city wall as the waters rose without cease. He then took to boats moored against the parapet. Only two wall-planks' height of the city remained above water. His officers urged Li Chong to abandon Shouyang and withdraw to Mount North. Li Chong said, "I am unworthy of guarding this frontier stronghold; my meager virtue has brought this calamity upon us. All of Huainan for ten thousand li hangs on my person. If I take one step away, the people will collapse, and Yangzhou may no longer belong to the state. Would I cling to my own life and bring shame upon Wang Zun! Yet I grieve that these officers and people would perish together though they are guiltless. Build rafts and follow the rising water; each of you may plan his own escape. I shall sink with this city. I beg you, speak no more of it!" Pei Juan, Chief Clerk of Yangzhou, led several thousand families from the south of the city in boats fleeing south to high ground. Believing Li Chong had withdrawn north, he styled himself Inspector of Yuzhou and, with Zheng Zuqi, Administrator, and others, sent hostages to offer surrender. Ma Xianbi dispatched troops to deal with him. When Li Chong learned of Pei Juan's defection, uncertain whether the report was genuine, he dispatched the State Attendant Han Fangxing alone in a single boat to summon him. Pei Juan, learning that Li Chong remained at his post, was stricken with disappointment and alarmed resentment. He answered: 'It was only the recent inundation and our utter desperation that drove the people to push me forward. The die is cast now, and there is no turning back. These people are mine, not yours; these officials serve me, not you. I ask only that you withdraw at once—and do not provoke my troops.' Li Chong then sent his cousin, the Ningsuo General Li Shen, at the head of the river fleet to subdue him. Pei Juan was routed; Shen pursued and overran his camp. Pei Juan fled but was caught by local villagers. While being escorted back, he came to Weisheng Lake. There he cried, 'How could I ever again show my face to Duke Li!' With that he plunged into the lake and drowned. Pei Juan was a grandson of Du Shuye's elder brother. Zheng Zuoqi and his fellow conspirators were all put to death. Li Chong memorialized the throne, asking to be relieved of Yangzhou on account of the calamity; the Wei emperor refused. “Deep, forbearing, and masterful in counsel, Li Chong held the loyalty of officers and men alike. Throughout ten years at Shouyang he kept several thousand seasoned warriors in training; every enemy raid that came against him was shattered. On the frontier they called him the Crouching Tiger.” Emperor Wu of Liang repeatedly spread rumors to undermine him and heaped honors upon him—Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, Grand Commander with the Three Directorates, Duke of a ten-thousand-household commandery, county marquisates for all his sons. The Wei emperor, who had always known Li Chong's steadfast loyalty, continued to trust him without the slightest doubt. In the sixth month, on guisi, a new Grand Ancestral Temple was erected. In autumn, the eighth month, on wuwu, Xiao Hong, Prince of Linchuan, was appointed Grand Minister of Works. Earthquakes and thunderous rumbling from the mountains struck the Wei provinces of Heng and Si and continued for more than a year without abating; vast numbers of people were crushed to death. The Wei emperor went to the Eastern Palace and named Cui Guang, Supervisor of the Palace Archive, as the crown prince's junior tutor, commanding the heir to pay him obeisance. Cui Guang protested that he was unworthy of the honor, but the emperor would not hear of it. The crown prince turned south and bowed twice. The Steward Wang Xian petitioned to bow along with the heir, and at once every officer of the palace followed suit. Cui Guang stood facing north, unable to return the salute; he bowed in gratitude toward the west and withdrew. Emperor Wu of Liang, year 13 of the Tianjian era (jiawu, 514 CE). In spring, the second month, on dinghai, the emperor performed the sacred plowing rite and proclaimed a general amnesty. Under the Song and Qi dynasties the sacred plowing had been held in the first month; now, for the first time, it was moved to the second month, with a period of fasting before the rites to the First Farmer. Tian Yizong, the Wei Eastern Yuzhou Inspector, had grown old and weak. He and his sons and grandsons plundered without end, and the people under his rule groaned beneath their exactions. Rumors spread that he meant to rebel. The Wei emperor dispatched Liu Taofu of the Palace Secretariat to visit and reassure Tian Yizong. On his return, Taofu reported the governor's abuses. The Wei emperor issued an edict: 'Taofu tells Us that your son Lusheng has been rapacious and brutal in Huainan and, acting in your name, will not desist—this undermines your loyal service. Order Lusheng to the capital; We shall promote him to suitable office.' Lusheng did not come. An edict then transferred Tian Yizong to the post of Eastern Garrison General and Inspector of Jizhou; fearing he would refuse to yield his post, the court sent the Rear General Li Shizhe and Liu Taofu at the head of an army to strike by surprise, seizing Guangling in a sudden assault. Lusheng fled south of the pass with his brothers Luxian and Chaoxiu, called in Liang forces, and captured the frontier posts from Guangcheng southward. The Liang emperor appointed Lusheng Inspector of Northern Sizhou, Luxian Inspector of Northern Yuzhou, and Chaoxiu Inspector of Dingzhou. In the third month, Li Shizhe of Wei routed Lusheng and his allies and re-established the frontier garrisons. Tian Yizong was recalled to Luoyang and given the titles Southern Expedition General and Grand Master of the Golden Seal and Purple Girdle. Tian Yizong memorialized the throne, claiming he had been slandered by Liu Taofu and declaring, 'Taofu hounded Lusheng and the others until they rebelled. I beg that Taofu be brought before the court so that he and I may confront each other and establish the truth.' The edict refused, stating, 'You have already been granted a broad pardon; the matter cannot now be reopened as a criminal prosecution.' In autumn, the seventh month, on yihai, the emperor ennobled his sons: Xiao Lun as Prince of Shaoling, Xiao Yi as Prince of Xiangdong, and Xiao Ji as Prince of Wuling. In winter, the tenth month, on gengchen, the Wei emperor dispatched the Valiant Cavalry General Ma Yishu to reassure and instruct the Rouran. When the Wei defector Wang Zu invaded, the emperor ordered Li Lue of Fu, the Ningzhou Inspector, to repel him, promising that once the campaign ended he would be made Inspector of Yizhou. Wang Zu withdrew, but the emperor did not honor his promise. Li Lue nursed his grievance and plotted treason; the emperor had him executed. Li Lue's nephew Li Miao fled to Wei. Chunyu Dan of Taishan, a Footsoldier Commandant who had once served as chief clerk in Yizhou and defected from Hanzhong, joined him in urging the Wei emperor to conquer Shu—and the emperor was persuaded. On xinhai, Gao Zhao, Minister of Works, was appointed Grand General and Grand Commander to Pacify Shu, and sent at the head of one hundred fifty thousand foot and horse to invade Yizhou; Fu Shuyan, Inspector of Yizhou, was to advance from north of Ba; Yang Zhi, Inspector of Liangzhou, from Fucheng; Xi Kangsheng, Pacifying West General, from Mianzhu; and Zhen Chen, Pacifying Army General, through Jiange Pass; On yimao, Yuan Yao, Central Guard General, was named Southern Expedition General to command the garrisons holding Liang and Chu in check. You Zhao remonstrated: 'Floods and droughts have struck year after year; the people cannot bear further corvée. Every past expansion succeeded because garrison commanders surrendered of their own accord—campaigns without fighting. Those who now urge this invasion may be lying, or nursing private grudges—We cannot trust them entirely. Shu is rugged and its defenses tight; how can We march a great army on nothing but empty rumor! Begin rashly, and regret will come too late.' The emperor would not listen. Chunyu Dan was made Valiant Cavalry General and Li Miao acting Dragon-Soaring General; both were placed in command of native guides for the army. Wang Zu, who had defected from Wei, proposed damming the Huai to inundate Shouyang. “The emperor agreed and sent the hydraulic engineer Chen Chengbai and the Military Materials General Zu Heng to survey the ground. Both reported that the Huai's sandy bed was too loose to hold a dam—the project was doomed.” The emperor refused to listen. He conscripted labor from Xu and Yang—five men from every twenty households—and provisionally named Kang Xuan, Right Guard Leader to the crown prince, to command all forces on the Huai and supervise the dam works at Zhongli. Laborers and soldiers together numbered two hundred thousand. From Fushan in the south to Chanshi in the north they piled earth along the banks until the barrier met at midstream. Wei appointed Yang Jin, former Inspector of Dingzhou, to the post of Huazhou Inspector. Yang Jin was the younger brother of Yang Chun. Previously, officials collecting the silk tax had used exaggerated measuring rods, and local officers colluded to stretch or shrink the standards as they pleased—the people suffered greatly. Yang Jin required the official standard measure throughout his jurisdiction; those who delivered silk of exceptional quality received a cup of wine in reward; those who delivered inferior goods were still accepted, but received no wine—a mark of disgrace. Soon everyone strove to outdo his neighbor, and the quality of tax silk surpassed anything seen before. The Wei crown prince was still a child. Whenever he entered or left the Eastern Palace he was attended only by wet nurses, and the palace staff knew nothing of his movements. The Steward Yang Yu memorialized: 'Henceforth, whenever the crown prince is summoned, let a personal edict be issued commanding us to attend and escort him.' The Wei emperor agreed and ordered the palace officers then on duty to escort the heir as far as Wansui Gate. Wang Xian, Censor-in-Chief of Wei, asked Yang Gu, Supervising Secretary: 'When I was Grand Treasury Director, the vaults overflowed with wealth—what is your opinion of that?' Yang Gu replied: 'You skimmed a quarter of every official's salary and funneled bribes and fines from every province into the capital—that is hardly a treasury filled with honest abundance. Besides, as the saying goes: Better a thieving minister than one who squeezes the people dry.' Should that not give you pause!' Wang Xian took offense and soon found a pretext to have Yang Gu stripped of his post.