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=【陳紀九】=
【Chen Records 9】
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起重光赤奮若，盡昭陽單閼，凡三年。
This annal spans from the year Chongguang Chifenruo through Zhaoyang Danqian, covering three years in all.
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1春，正月，壬午，以晉安王伯恭為尚書左僕射，吏部尚書袁憲為右僕射。 憲，樞之弟也。
In spring, on the renwu day of the first month, Prince Jin'an Bo Gong was appointed Left Vice Director of the Masters of Writing, and Yuan Xian, Minister of Personnel, was appointed Right Vice Director. Yuan Xian was the younger brother of Yuan Shu.
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2周改元大定。
The Northern Zhou court changed the era name to Dading.
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3二月，甲寅，隋王始受相國、百揆、九錫之命，建台置官。 丙辰，詔進王妃獨孤氏為王后，世子勇為太子。
In the second month, on jiayin, Prince Sui Yang Jian first accepted appointment as Chancellor of State with authority over all government and the Nine Bestowals, and set up a chancellery with its own staff. On bingchen an edict elevated Lady Dugu, the prince's wife, to queen and named the heir Yang Yong crown prince.
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開府儀同大將軍庾季才，勸隋王宜以今月甲子應天受命。 太傅李穆、開府儀同大將軍盧賁亦勸之。 於是周主下詔，遜居別宮。 甲子，命兼太傅□巳公椿奉冊，大宗伯趙煚奉皇帝璽紱，禪位於隋。 隋主冠遠遊冠； 受冊、璽，改服紗帽、黃袍； 入御臨光殿，服袞冕，如元會之儀。 大赦，改元開皇。 命有司奉冊祀於南郊。 遣少塚宰元孝矩代太子勇鎮洛陽。 孝矩名矩，以字行，天賜之孫也； 女為太子妃。
Yu Jicai, a general with the honorary rank Equal in Ceremony to the Three Excellencies, urged Prince Sui to take the throne on the jiazi day of that month as Heaven's chosen ruler. Grand Tutor Li Mu and General Lu Ben likewise pressed him to accept. The Zhou emperor then issued an edict abdicating and retired to a separate palace. On jiazi he had Concurrent Grand Tutor Duke of Qi Chun deliver the abdication text and Grand Director of Ceremonies Zhao Jiong present the imperial seal and cord, ceding the throne to Yang Jian of Sui. The new Sui ruler first donned the Far Roaming cap; received the register and seal, then changed into a gauze cap and yellow robe; entered the Hall of Approaching Light, assumed full imperial regalia, and held court with the ceremony of the New Year's audience. He declared a general amnesty and proclaimed the Kaihuang era. He ordered the relevant offices to report the accession to Heaven with rites at the southern suburb. He sent Junior Director of the Imperial Clan Yuan Xiaoju to Luoyang to relieve Crown Prince Yong of duty there. Xiaoju was formally named Ju but was known by his style; he was a grandson of the Northern Wei prince Tiansi. His daughter was married to the crown prince.
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少內史崔仲方勸隋主除周六官，依漢、魏之舊，從之。 置三師、三公及尚書、門下、內史、秘書、內侍五省，御史、都水二台，太常等十一寺，左右衛等十二府，以分司統職。 又置上柱國至都督十一等勳官，以酬勤勞； 特進至朝散大夫七等散官，以加文武官之有德聲者。 改侍中為納言。 以相國司馬高熲為尚書左僕射，兼納言，相國司錄京兆虞慶則為內史監，兼吏部尚書，相國內郎李德林為內史令。
Junior Palace Scribe Cui Zhongfang urged the emperor to abolish the Northern Zhou six-ministry system and restore Han- and Wei-style government, and he agreed. He set up the Three Preceptors and Three Excellencies, five central departments (Masters of Writing, Chancellery, Palace Secretariat, Secretariat, and Palace Attendants), the Censorate and Directorate of Waterways, eleven court directorates including the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and twelve guard offices including the Left and Right Guards, dividing responsibilities among them. He also created eleven grades of merit titles from Upper Pillar of State down to Commander to reward military service; and seven grades of honorary posts from Special Advancement to Grand Master for Court Discussion for civil and military officials of proven merit and reputation. The title Attendant-in-Ordinary was renamed Supplicator. Gao Jiong, the chancellor's chief administrator, became Left Vice Director of the Masters of Writing and concurrent Supplicator; Yu Qingze of Jingzhao, the chancellor's recorder, became Director of the Palace Secretariat and concurrent Minister of Personnel; and Li Delin, a palace gentleman on the chancellor's staff, became Director of the Palace Secretariat.
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乙丑，追尊皇考為武元皇帝，廟號太祖； 皇妣呂氏為元明皇后。 丙寅，修廟社。 立王后獨孤為皇后，王太子勇為皇太子。 丁卯，以大將軍趙煚為尚書右僕射。 己巳，封周靜帝為介公。 周氏諸王皆降爵為公。
On yichou he posthumously honored his father as Emperor Wuyuan, temple name Taizu; and his mother, Lady Lü, as Empress Yuanming. On bingyin he restored the imperial ancestral temple and the altars of soil and grain. He formally enthroned Lady Dugu as empress and Yang Yong as crown prince. On dingmao he appointed General Zhao Jiong Right Vice Director of the Masters of Writing. On jisi he ennobled the deposed Zhou Emperor Jing as Duke of Jie. All princes of the Zhou imperial clan were demoted to the rank of duke.
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初，劉、鄭矯詔以隋主輔政，楊后雖不預謀，然以嗣子幼沖，恐權在他族，聞之，甚喜。 後知其父有異圖，意頗不平，形於言色，及禪位，憤惋逾甚。 隋主內甚愧之，改封樂平公主，久之，欲奪其志。 公主誓不許，乃止。
Earlier, Liu Fang and Zheng Yi had forged an edict making Prince Sui regent. Empress Yang had not been in on the plot, but with the heir still a child she feared another clan would seize power, and she was delighted when she heard the news. When she later realized her father intended to take the throne himself, she grew deeply resentful, and her feelings showed plainly; at the abdication her outrage only deepened. The new emperor was inwardly ashamed toward her, created her Princess of Leping, and after some time tried to persuade her to remarry. The princess vowed she would never agree, and he gave up the idea.
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隋主與周載下大夫北平榮建緒有舊，隋主將受禪，建緒為息州刺史。 將之官，隋主謂曰：「且躊躇，當共取富貴。」 建緒正色曰：「明公此旨，非僕所聞。」 及即位，來朝，帝謂之曰：「卿亦悔不？」 建緒稽首曰：「臣位非徐廣，情類楊彪。」 帝笑曰：「朕雖不曉書語，亦知卿此言不遜！」
Emperor Wen had been friends with Rong Jianxu of Beiping, a Zhou lower grand master; when Yang Jian was about to take the throne, Rong was serving as governor of Xizhou. As Rong was leaving to take up his post, Yang Jian told him, "Hold off a little—we will rise to wealth and rank together." Rong replied gravely, "My lord, that is not language I wish to hear from you." After the enthronement Rong came to court, and the emperor asked, "Do you regret it now?" Rong kowtowed and said, "I am no Xu Guang in rank, but my loyalty is that of Yang Biao." The emperor laughed and said, "I may not be a man of letters, but I know an insult when I hear one!"
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上柱國竇毅之女，聞隋受禪，自投堂下，撫膺太息曰：「恨我不為男子，救舅氏之患！」 毅及襄陽公主掩其口曰； 「汝勿妄言，滅吾族！」 毅由是奇之。 及長，以適唐公李淵。 淵，昺之子也。
When Dou Yi's daughter heard that Yang Jian had taken the throne, she threw herself to the floor, clutched her breast, and cried, "If only I were a man, that I might save my uncle's house from ruin!" Dou Yi and the Princess of Xiangyang clapped a hand over her mouth and said: "Do not talk like that—you will bring ruin on our whole family!" From that moment Dou Yi regarded her as remarkable. When she came of age she was married to Li Yuan, Duke of Tang. Li Yuan was a son of Li Bing.
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虞慶則勸隋主盡滅宇文氏，高熲、楊惠亦依違從之。 李德林固爭，以為不可。 隋主作色曰：「君書生，不足與議此！」 於是周太祖孫譙公乾惲、冀公絢，閔帝子紀公湜，明帝子酆公貞、宋公實，高祖子漢公贊、秦公贄、曹公允、道公充、蔡公兌、荊公元，宣帝子萊公衍、郢公術皆死。 德林由是品位不進。
Yu Qingze urged the emperor to wipe out the entire Yuwen clan; Gao Jiong and Yang Hui wavered but eventually agreed. Li Delin argued strenuously that this must not be done. The emperor's face darkened. "You are a scholar," he said, "unfit to discuss such matters!" In the purge that followed, the Yuwen princes were killed: among them Gan Yun and Xuan of Qiao and Ji, grandsons of the Zhou founder; Shi of Ji, son of Emperor Min; Zhen of Feng and Shi of Song, sons of Emperor Ming; Zan of Han, Zan of Qin, Yun of Cao, Chong of Dao, Dui of Cai, and Yuan of Jing, sons of Emperor Gaozu; and Yan of Lai and Shu of Ying, sons of Emperor Xuan. From then on Li Delin's career stalled.
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4乙亥，上耕藉田。
On yihai the emperor performed the ceremonial spring plowing in the sacred field.
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5隋主封其弟邵公慧為滕王，安公爽為衛王，子雁門公廣為晉王，俊為秦王，秀為越王，諒為漢王。
The emperor enfeoffed his brother Hui, Duke of Shao, as Prince of Teng; his brother Shuang, Duke of An, as Prince of Wei; and his sons Guang of Yanmen as Prince of Jin, Jun as Prince of Qin, Xiu as Prince of Yue, and Liang as Prince of Han.
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隋主賜李穆詔曰：「公既舊德，且又父黨。 敬惠來旨，義無有違。 即以今月十三日恭膺天命。」 俄而穆入朝，帝以穆為太師，贊拜不名； 子孫雖在襁褓，悉拜儀同，一門執象笏者百餘人，貴盛無比。 又以上柱國竇熾為太傅，幽州總管於翼為太尉。 李穆上表乞骸骨，詔曰：「呂尚以期頤佐周，張蒼以華皓相漢，高才命世，不拘常禮。」 仍以穆年耆，敕蠲朝集，有大事，就第詢訪。
The emperor sent Li Mu an edict: "You are a man of long service and of my father's generation. I have received your gracious word with respect and cannot in conscience refuse. I shall therefore take the throne on the thirteenth of this month as Heaven commands." Soon Li Mu came to court and was appointed Grand Preceptor, with the privilege that memorials need not name him; even infants in the family were given the rank Equal in Ceremony to the Three Excellencies, and more than a hundred Li clansmen held court tablets—honor unmatched in the realm. He also appointed Dou Chi Grand Tutor and Yu Yi, commander of Youzhou, Grand Commandant. When Li Mu asked to retire, the edict replied, "Lü Shang aided the Zhou past the age of ninety, and Zhang Cang served Han in his white-haired old age—men of rare ability are not bound by ordinary rules." Because of Li Mu's great age he was excused from regular court attendance; on important matters the emperor would consult him at home.
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美陽公蘇威，綽之子也，少有令名，周晉公護強以女妻之。 威見護專權，恐禍及己，屏居山寺，以諷讀為娛。 周高祖聞其賢，除車騎大將軍、儀同三司，又除稍伯下大夫，皆辭疾不拜； 宣帝就除開府儀同大將軍。 隋主為丞相，高熲薦之，隋主召見，與語，大悅； 居月餘，聞將受禪，遁歸田裡。 熲請追之，隋主曰：「此不欲預吾事耳，置之。」 及受禪，征拜太子少保，追封其父為邳公，以威襲爵。
Su Wei, Duke of Meiyang, was the son of Su Chuo and had been celebrated from youth. The Zhou regent Yuwen Hu compelled him to marry his daughter. Seeing Yuwen Hu's monopoly on power, Su Wei feared he would be implicated and withdrew to a mountain monastery, passing his days reciting the Odes. Emperor Xiaowu of Zhou heard of his talent and offered him the posts of General of Chariots and Cavalry and Equal in Ceremony to the Three Excellencies, and later Lower Grand Master of Shaobo—Su Wei declined each on grounds of illness; Emperor Xuan then simply appointed him General of the Palace Gate with the honorary rank Equal in Ceremony to the Three Excellencies. When Yang Jian was chancellor, Gao Jiong recommended Su Wei; Yang summoned him, talked with him at length, and was delighted; but after a month, hearing that the abdication was at hand, he slipped away to his home estate. Gao Jiong asked permission to bring him back; Yang Jian said, "He does not wish to be part of what I am doing—leave him alone." After the enthronement he was recalled and made Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince; his father was posthumously created Duke of Pi, and Su Wei inherited the title.
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丁丑，隋以晉王廣為并州總管。 三月，戊子，以上開府儀同三司賀若弼為吳州總管，鎮廣陵； 和州刺史河南韓擒虎為廬州總管，鎮廬江。 隋主有併吞江南之志，問將帥於高熲，熲薦弼與擒虎，故置於南邊，使潛為經略。
On dingchou Prince Jin Yang Guang was appointed regional commander of Bingzhou. In the third month, on wuzi, He Ruo Bi was made regional commander of Wuzhou and stationed at Guangling; and Han Qinhu of Henan, formerly prefect of Hezhou, regional commander of Luzhou, stationed at Lujiang. The emperor intended to conquer the south; he asked Gao Jiong for commanders, and Gao recommended He Ruo Bi and Han Qinhu. They were posted on the southern frontier to prepare the campaign in secret.
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戊戌，以太子少保蘇威兼納言、度支尚書。
On wuxu Su Wei was appointed concurrent Supplicator and Minister of Revenue while retaining his post as Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince.
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初，蘇綽在西魏，以國用不足，制徵稅法頗重，既而歎曰：「今所為者，譬如張弓，非平世法也。 後之君子，誰能弛之！」 威聞其言，每以為己任。 至是，奏減賦役，務從輕簡，隋主悉從之，漸見親重，與高熲參掌朝政。 帝嘗怒一人，將殺之； 威入邠進諫，帝不納，將自出斬之，威當帝前不去； 帝避之而出，威又遮止。 帝拂衣而入，良久，乃召威謝曰：「公能若是，吾無憂矣。」 賜馬二匹，錢十餘萬。 尋復兼大理卿、京兆尹、御史大夫，本官悉如故。
Earlier, when state revenue ran short in Western Wei, Su Chuo had devised a heavy tax system. He later sighed, "What we have done is like drawing a bow to its limit—it is no policy for peaceful times. What worthy man of later times will be able to loosen it!" Su Wei took those words as his personal mission. Now he memorialized to cut taxes and labor service and simplify administration; the emperor approved everything, and Su Wei gradually became indispensable, sharing power with Gao Jiong. Once the emperor, enraged at a man, was about to have him executed; Su Wei entered and remonstrated; the emperor refused to listen and started out to kill the man himself; Su Wei blocked his path and would not budge; the emperor tried to slip past him, but Su Wei blocked him again. The emperor turned away in anger, but after a long interval summoned Su Wei and said, "If you will act like this, I have nothing to fear." He rewarded him with two horses and more than a hundred thousand cash. He was soon given concurrent appointments as Director of the Court of Judicial Review, Governor of the capital district, and Censor-in-Chief, while keeping his existing posts.
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治書侍御史安定梁毘，以威兼領五職，安繁戀劇，無舉賢自代之心，抗表劾威。 帝曰：「蘇威朝夕孜孜，志存遠大，何遽迫之！」 因謂朝臣曰：「蘇威不值我，無以措其言； 我不得蘇威，何以行其道。 楊素才辯無雙，至於斟酌古今，助我宣化，非威之匹也。 威若逢亂世，南山四皓，豈易屈哉！」 威嘗言於帝曰：「臣先人每戒臣云：『唯讀《孝經》一卷，足以立身治國，何用多為！』」 帝深然之。
Liang Pi of Anding, an attending censor, impeached Su Wei on the grounds that holding five offices at once showed he clung to power and had no intention of recommending a successor. The emperor said, "Su Wei works tirelessly day and night with far-reaching aims—why hound him like this!" He told the court, "Without me, Su Wei would have no one to hear his counsel; without Su Wei, how could I put his principles into practice? Yang Su is unrivaled in eloquence and in drawing on history to help me govern, but he is not Su Wei's equal. In troubled times Su Wei would be another of the Four Whiteheads of Mount Zhongnan—not a man easily bent to another's will!" Su Wei once told the emperor, "My father always warned me: 'One scroll of the Classic of Filial Piety is enough to live by and to govern with—why read more than you need? The emperor heartily agreed.'
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高熲深避權勢，上表遜位，讓於蘇威，帝欲成其美，聽解僕射。 數日，帝曰：「蘇威高蹈前朝，熲能推舉。 吾聞進賢受上賞，寧可使之去官！」 命熲復位。 熲、威同心協贊，政刑大小，帝無不與之謀議，然後行之。 故革命數年，天下稱平。
Gao Jiong, wary of power, memorialized to step down in favor of Su Wei; the emperor, wishing to honor his generosity, accepted his resignation as Vice Director. A few days later the emperor said, "Su Wei stood apart under the Zhou, and Gao Jiong had the grace to recommend him. I have heard that recommending the worthy deserves the highest reward—how can I let Gao Jiong leave office!" He ordered Gao Jiong restored to office. Gao Jiong and Su Wei worked in concert; on every matter of policy and law, great or small, the emperor consulted them before acting. Within a few years of the founding of Sui, the empire was widely regarded as settled and at peace.
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太子左庶子盧賁，以熲、威執政，心甚不平，時柱國劉昉亦被疏忌。 賁因諷昉及上柱國元諧、李詢、華州刺史張賓等謀黜熲、威，五人相與輔政。 又以晉王廣有寵於帝，私謂太子曰：「賁欲數謁殿下，恐為上所譴，願察區區之心。」 謀洩，帝窮治其事，昉等委罪於賓、賁。 公卿奏二人當死，帝以故舊，不忍誅，並除名為民。
Lu Ben, left assistant to the crown prince, resented Gao Jiong and Su Wei's hold on power; Liu Fang, a pillar of state, was likewise sidelined and distrusted. Lu Ben persuaded Liu Fang, Yuan Xie, Li Xun, Zhang Bin of Huazhou, and others to plot the removal of Gao Jiong and Su Wei so that the five of them could govern together. Because Prince Jin Yang Guang enjoyed the emperor's favor, Lu Ben also told the crown prince privately, "I wish to visit you often but fear the emperor's rebuke—please understand my loyal intent." The plot was exposed; the emperor investigated to the end, and Liu Fang's group laid the blame on Zhang Bin and Lu Ben. The ministers recommended death for the two men, but the emperor, remembering old friendship, could not bring himself to execute them and merely stripped them of office and rank.
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庚子，隋詔前代品爵，悉依舊不降。
On gengzi the court decreed that noble ranks from earlier dynasties would be preserved without demotion.
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丁未，梁主遣其弟太宰巖入賀於隋。
On dingwei the Liang emperor sent his brother Yan, Grand Steward, to congratulate the Sui court.
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夏，四月，辛巳，隋大赦。 戊戌，悉放太常散樂為民，仍禁雜戲。
In summer, on xinsi in the fourth month, Sui proclaimed a general amnesty. On wuxu all miscellaneous performers attached to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices were released to civilian life, while vulgar entertainments remained banned.
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6散騎常侍韋鼎、兼通直散騎常侍王瑳聘於周。 辛丑，至長安，隋已受禪，隋主致之介國。
Chen dispatched Regular Attendant Wei Ding and Concurrent Regular Attendant Wang Chao as envoys to the Northern Zhou court. On xinchou they reached Chang'an, only to find that Sui had already taken the throne; the new emperor sent them on to the deposed Zhou ruler in Jie.
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7隋主召汾州刺史韋沖為兼散騎常侍。 時發稽胡築長城，汾州胡千餘人，在塗亡叛。 帝召沖問計，對曰：「夷狄之性，易為反覆，皆由牧宰不稱之所致。 臣請以理綏靜，可不勞兵而定。」 帝然之，命沖綏懷叛者，月餘皆至，並赴長城之役。 沖，□之子也。
The emperor summoned Wei Chong, governor of Fenzhou, and appointed him Concurrent Regular Attendant. Ji Hu laborers were being sent to build the Great Wall, and more than a thousand Hu from Fenzhou deserted en route. The emperor asked Wei Chong for advice. He replied, "Barbarians are quick to turn rebellious when their magistrates are unfit. I ask leave to pacify them by just governance—I can settle this without troops." The emperor agreed and sent Wei Chong to win the deserters back; within a month they had all returned and gone on to the wall works. Wei Chong was a son of Wei Yun.
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五月，戊午，隋封邗公雄為廣平王，永康公弘為河間王。 雄，高祖之族子也。
In the fifth month, on wuwu, Yang Xiong, Duke of Han, was created Prince of Guangping, and Yang Hong, Duke of Yongkang, Prince of Hejian. Yang Xiong was a clansman of the founding emperor.
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隋主潛害周靜帝而為之舉哀，葬於恭陵； 以其族人洛為嗣。
The emperor had the Zhou Emperor Jing murdered in secret, then staged mourning and buried him at Gongling; he installed a Yuwen clansman, Luo, as heir to the line.
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六月，癸未，隋詔郊廟冕服必依《禮經》。 其朝會之服、旗幟、犧牲皆尚赤，戎服以黃，常服通用雜色。 秋，七月，乙卯，隋主始服黃，百僚畢賀。 於是百官常服，同於庶人，皆著黃袍。 隋主朝服亦如之，唯以十三環帶為異。
In the sixth month, on guiwei, an edict required suburban and temple vestments to follow the Book of Rites. Court dress, banners, and sacrificial victims were to be red; military dress yellow; everyday dress might use various colors. In autumn, on yimao in the seventh month, the emperor first wore yellow robes, and the whole court offered congratulations. Officials' everyday dress, like that of commoners, became the yellow robe. The emperor's court dress was the same, distinguished only by a thirteen-ring belt.
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八月，壬午，隋廢東京官。
In the eighth month, on renwu, the Eastern Capital bureaucracy was abolished.
32
8吐谷渾寇涼州，隋主遣行軍元帥樂安公元諧等步騎數萬擊之。 諧擊破吐谷渾於豐利山，又敗其太子可博汗於青海，俘斬萬計。 吐谷渾震駭，其王侯三十人各帥所部來降。 吐谷渾可汗誇呂帥親兵遠循。 隋主以其高寧王移茲裒為河南王，使統降眾。 以元諧為寧州刺史，留行軍總管賀婁子干鎮涼州。
The Tuyuhun raided Liangzhou; the emperor sent campaign commander Yuan Xie, Prince of Le'an, with tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry against them. Yuan Xie routed the Tuyuhun at Mount Fengli and defeated Crown Prince Kebohan at Qinghai Lake, taking or killing tens of thousands. Terrified, thirty Tuyuhun princes led their followers in surrender. Khan Kualü of Tuyuhun fled far away with his personal guard. The emperor made Yizibei, King of Gaoning, Prince of Henan and put him in charge of the surrendered tribes. Yuan Xie was made governor of Ningzhou, and campaign commander Helou Zigan was left to garrison Liangzhou.
33
9九月，庚午，將軍周羅□攻隋故墅，拔之。 蕭摩訶攻江北。
In the ninth month, on gengwu, General Zhou Luohou attacked an old Sui outpost and captured it. Xiao Mohe raided the north bank of the Yangzi.
34
10隋奉車都尉於宣敏奉使巴、蜀還，奏稱：「蜀土沃饒，人物殷阜。 周德之衰，遂成戎首。 宜樹建籓屏，封殖子孫。」 隋主善之。 辛未，以越王秀為益州總管，改封蜀王。 宣敏，謹之孫也。
When Yu Xuanmin, Commandant of the Imperial Carriage, returned from a mission to Ba and Shu, he reported, "Shu is fertile and populous, and when Zhou power waned it became a center of rebellion. A princely fief should be established there and entrusted to the imperial clan." The emperor agreed. On xinwei Prince Yue Yang Xiu was made regional commander of Yizhou and renamed Prince of Shu. Yu Xuanmin was a grandson of Yu Jin.
35
壬申，隋以上柱國長孫覽、元景山並為行軍元帥，發兵入寇； 命尚書左僕射高熲節度諸軍。
On renshen Zhangsun Lan and Yuan Jingshan, both pillars of state, were made campaign commanders and sent to invade Chen; Gao Jiong, Left Vice Director of the Masters of Writing, was placed in overall command.
36
初，周、齊所鑄錢凡四等，及民間私錢，名品甚眾，輕重不等。 隋主患之，更鑄五銖錢，背、面、好、肉皆有周郭，每一千重四斤二兩。 悉禁古錢及私錢。 置樣於關； 不如樣者，沒官銷毀之。 自是錢幣始壹，民間便之。
Northern Zhou and Qi had minted coins in four grades, and private coinage proliferated with inconsistent weight and value. The emperor remedied this by minting new wuzhu coins with raised rims on both sides and around the hole; a thousand coins weighed four jin two liang. Old and private coinage were banned outright. Standard samples were posted at frontier passes; coin not matching the sample was confiscated and melted down. From then on currency was unified, to the people's benefit.
37
隋鄭譯以上柱國歸第，賞賜豐厚。 譯自以被疏，呼道士醮章祈福，為婢所告，以為巫蠱，譯又與母別居，為憲司所劾，由是除名。 隋主下詔曰：「譯若留之於世，在人為不道之臣； 戮之於朝，入地為不孝之鬼。 有累幽顯，無所置之。 宜賜以《孝經》，令其熟讀。」 仍遣與母共居。
Zheng Yi, a pillar of state, retired to his estate with lavish rewards. Feeling sidelined, he had Daoist rites performed for good fortune; a maid reported him for sorcery, and because he lived apart from his mother the censorate impeached him and he was stripped of rank. The emperor's edict read, "If Zheng Yi remains among the living, he is an unprincipled minister to mankind; if executed at court, he becomes an unfilial ghost in the underworld. He wrongs both the living and the dead; there is no fitting course. Let him be given the Classic of Filial Piety and made to study it thoroughly." He was ordered to live with his mother again.
38
初，周法比於齊律，煩而不要，隋主命高熲、鄭譯及上柱國楊素、率更令裴政等更加修定。 政練習典故，達於從政，乃采魏、晉舊律，下至齊、梁，沿革重輕，取其折衷。 時同修者十餘人，凡有疑滯，皆取決於政。 於是去前世梟、轘及鞭法，自非謀叛以上，無收族之罪。 始制死刑二，絞、斬； 流刑三，自二千里至三千里； 徒刑五，自一年至三年； 杖刑五，自六十至百； 笞刑五，自十至五十。 又制議、請、減、贖、官當之科以優士大夫。 除前世訊囚酷法，考掠不得過二百； 枷杖大小，咸有程式。 民有枉屈，縣不為理者，聽以次經郡及州省； 若仍不為理，聽詣闕伸訴。
Northern Zhou law, modeled on Qi statutes, was cumbersome; the emperor ordered Gao Jiong, Zheng Yi, Yang Su, Pei Zheng of the Directorate of Astronomy, and others to revise it. Pei Zheng, versed in precedent and administration, drew on codes from Wei and Jin through Qi and Liang and struck a balanced standard. More than ten scholars worked on the code; every doubtful point was settled by Pei Zheng. They abolished display of severed heads, dismemberment, and flogging as capital punishments, and ended clan extermination except for treason. Capital punishment was limited to strangulation and decapitation; exile in three grades from two thousand to three thousand li; forced labor in five grades from one to three years; beating with the staff in five grades from sixty to a hundred strokes; and blows with the light stick in five grades from ten to fifty. Provisions for deliberation, plea, mitigation, commutation, and official rank in lieu of punishment favored the gentry. Harsh interrogation methods were abolished; torture in examination could not exceed two hundred blows; and the dimensions of cangues and staffs were standardized. If a subject was wronged and the county would not act, he might appeal up through prefecture and province; and if still denied justice, to petition at the capital.
39
冬，十月，戊子，始行新律。 詔曰：「夫絞以致斃，斬則殊形，除惡之體，於斯已極。 梟首、轘身，義無所取，不益懲肅之理，徒表安忍之杯。 鞭之為用，殘剝膚體，徹骨侵肌，酷均臠切。 雖雲遠古之式，事乖仁者之刑。 梟、轘及鞭，並令去之。 貴礪帶之書，不當徒罰； 廣軒冕之廕，旁及諸親。 流役六年，改為五載； 刑徒三歲，變從三祀。 其餘以輕代重，化死為生，條目甚多，備於簡策。 雜格、嚴科，並宜除削。」 自是法制遂定，後世多遵用之。
In winter, on wuzi in the tenth month, the new code took effect. The edict declared, "Strangulation brings death; decapitation severs the body—punishment for evil need go no further. Displaying heads and dismembering corpses serve no just purpose, add nothing to deterrence, and only reveal cruelty. Flogging flays the flesh to the bone—cruelty equal to butchery. Though called an ancient practice, it is unworthy of humane government. Exposure, dismemberment, and flogging as capital punishments are abolished. Men who bear noble rank should not suffer penal servitude; and the privilege of rank should extend to their kin. Exile labor of six years is reduced to five; and penal servitude of three years is adjusted accordingly. Many other provisions lighten penalties and commute death sentences; the full text is recorded in the code. Miscellaneous harsh statutes are to be struck out." From this the legal system was fixed, and later dynasties largely followed it.
40
隋主嘗怒一郎，於殿前笞之。 諫議大夫劉行本進曰：「此人素清，其過又小，願少寬之。」 帝不顧。 行本於是正當帝前曰：「陛下不以臣不肖，置臣左右，臣言若是，陛下安得不聽； 若非，當致之於理。 豈得輕臣而不顧也？」 因置笏於地而退。 帝斂容謝之。 遂原所笞者。 行本，璠之兄子也。
Once the emperor, angry at a court gentleman, had him beaten in the hall. Remonstrating Adviser Liu Xingben stepped forward: "This man has always been upright, and his fault is slight—I beg you to show leniency." The emperor ignored him. Liu Xingben then faced the emperor squarely: "Your Majesty placed me at your side despite my unworthiness; if I speak rightly, how can you refuse to listen? If I am wrong, hand me over to the law. How can you dismiss your adviser so lightly?" He laid down his court tablet and withdrew. The emperor collected himself and apologized. He then pardoned the man who had been beaten. Liu Xingben was a nephew of Liu Fan.
41
獨孤皇后，家世貴盛而能謙恭，雅好讀書，言事多與隋主意合，帝甚寵憚之，宮中稱為「二聖」。 帝每臨朝，後輒與帝方輦而進，至閣乃止。 使宦官伺帝，政有所失，隨則匡諫。 候帝退朝。 同反燕寢。 有司奏稱：「《周禮》：百官之妻，命於王后，請依古制。」 後曰：「婦人預政，或從此為漸，不可開其源也。」 大都督崔長仁，後之中外兄弟也，犯法當斬，帝以後故，欲免其罪。 後曰：「國家之事，焉可顧私！」 長仁竟坐死。 後性儉約，帝嘗合止利藥，須胡粉一兩。 宮內不用，求之，竟不得。 又欲賜柱國劉嵩妻織成衣領，宮內亦無之。
Empress Dugu came from a great house yet remained modest, loved books, and often agreed with the emperor's views; he cherished and respected her, and the palace called them the "Two Sages." Whenever the emperor held court, the empress rode beside him in the same carriage as far as the gate pavilion. She stationed eunuchs to watch him and remonstrated whenever he erred in policy. When court ended, they returned together to the inner apartments. The relevant offices memorialized: "The Rites of Zhou provide that officials' wives receive appointment from the queen—we ask to restore this ancient practice. The empress replied: "If women begin to meddle in government, even from a small start like this, the floodgate must not be opened." Grand Commander Cui Changren, a brother-in-law of the empress, had broken the law and was liable to execution; because of the empress, the emperor wanted to spare him. The empress said: "State business cannot be bent for private affection!" Changren was executed after all. The empress was frugal by nature. Once, when the emperor was preparing a digestive medicine, he needed an ounce of lead powder. The palace did not keep it, and a search failed to turn any up. He also wanted to give Pillar of State Liu Song's wife a brocade garment collar, but the palace had none of those either.
42
然帝懲周氏之失，不以權任假借外戚，後兄弟不過將軍、刺史。 帝外家呂氏，濟南人，素微賤。 齊亡以來，帝求訪，不知所在。 及即位，始求得舅子呂永吉，追贈外祖雙周為太尉，封齊郡公，以永吉襲爵。 永吉從父道貴，性尤頑呆，言詞鄙陋，帝厚加供給，而不許接對朝士。 拜上儀同三司，出為濟南太守； 後郡廢，終於家。
Mindful of how the Zhou had fallen through overmighty consort clans, the emperor refused to entrust power to his wife's relatives; her brothers never rose above general or governor. The emperor's maternal Lü family came from Jinan and had long been humble and obscure. After the fall of Qi he had searched for them without success. Once enthroned he located his mother's nephew Lü Yongji, posthumously honored his grandfather Shuang Zhou as Grand Marshal and Duke of Qi, and let Yongji inherit the title. Yongji's uncle Daogui was exceptionally dull and crude in speech; the emperor supported him generously but barred him from mingling with court officials. Daogui was made a third-rank Master of Ceremonies and sent out as governor of Jinan; when the commandery was later abolished he lived out his days at home.
43
壬辰，隋主如岐州。
On renchen the emperor traveled to Qi Province.
44
岐州刺史安定梁彥光，有惠政，隋主下詔褒美，賜束帛及御傘，以厲天下之吏； 久之，徙相州刺史。 岐俗質厚，彥光以靜鎮之，奏課連為天下最。 及居相，部如岐州法。 鄴自齊亡，衣冠士人多遷入關，唯工商樂戶移實州郭。 風俗險詖，好興謠訟，目彥光為「著帽餳」。 帝聞之，免彥光官。 歲餘，拜趙州刺史。 彥光自請復為相州，帝許之。 豪猾聞彥光再來，皆嗤之。 彥光至，發擿奸伏，有若神明，豪猾潛竄，闔境大治。 於是招致名儒，每鄉立學，親臨策試，褒勤黜怠。 及舉秀才，祖道於郊，以財物資之。 於是風化大變，吏民感悅，無復訟者。
Liang Yanguang of Anding, governor of Qi, governed with kindness; the emperor issued an edict of praise and gave him silk and an imperial parasol as a model for officials everywhere; later he was transferred to Xiang Province. Qi was a plain, honest region; Yanguang ruled it with quiet restraint, and his performance reports led the empire year after year. At Xiang he applied the same quiet methods he had used at Qi. After Qi fell, Ye's gentry had largely moved into the Guanzhong region; only artisans, traders, and entertainer households were relocated to repopulate the prefectural cities. The people were sharp-tongued and litigious, loved rumor and lawsuits, and nicknamed him "Congee in a Hat." When the emperor heard this, he removed Yanguang from office. More than a year later he was appointed governor of Zhao. Yanguang asked to return to Xiang, and the emperor agreed. The local bullies sneered when they heard Yanguang was coming back. On his return he uncovered hidden crimes with uncanny precision; the ringleaders fled, and the region was thoroughly pacified. He then invited distinguished scholars, founded a school in every district, examined students himself, and rewarded diligence while punishing idleness. When he sent up a candidate for the cultivated-talent examination, he saw him off at the suburban rite and gave him travel funds. Customs were transformed; officials and commoners rejoiced, and lawsuits ceased.
45
時又有相州刺史陳留樊叔略，有異政，帝以璽書褒美，班示天下，征拜司農。
Meanwhile Fan Shulue of Chenliu, another Xiang governor noted for exceptional governance, received an imperial commendation circulated empire-wide and was summoned to head the Ministry of Revenue.
46
新豐令房恭懿，政為三輔之最，帝賜以粟帛。 雍州諸縣令朝謁，帝見恭懿，必呼至榻前，訪以治民之術。 累遷德州司馬。 帝謂諸州朝集使曰：「房恭懿志存體國，愛養我民，此乃上天宗廟之所祐。 朕若置而不賞，上天宗廟必當責我。 卿等宜師範之。」 因擢為海州刺史。 由是州縣吏多稱職，百姓富庶。
Fang Gongyi, magistrate of Xinfeng, ranked first among the capital-region counties and received grain and silk from the throne. Whenever Yong prefecture magistrates attended court, the emperor would call Gongyi to his couch and ask how he governed his people. He was eventually promoted to vice governor of Dezhou. The emperor told the provincial envoys at court: "Fang Gongyi cares for the whole realm and nurtures my people—Heaven and our ancestors smile on such men. If I fail to reward him, Heaven and the ancestors will hold me to account. You should all take him as your model." He was then promoted to governor of Haizhou. Thereafter local officials generally performed well, and the people grew prosperous.
47
十一月，丁卯，隋遣兼散騎侍郎鄭摠來聘。
In the eleventh month, on dingmao, Sui dispatched Master of Diplomatic Reception Zheng Can on a friendly embassy.
48
十二月，庚子，隋主還長安，復鄭譯官爵。
In the twelfth month, on gengzi, the emperor returned to Chang'an and restored Zheng Yi's titles.
49
11廣州刺史馬靖，得嶺表人心，兵甲精練，數有戰功。 朝廷疑之，遣吏部侍郎蕭引觀靖舉措，諷令送質，外托收督賧物，引至番禺。 靖即遣子弟入質。
11 Ma Jing, governor of Guangzhou, had won the loyalty of the Lingnan region; his troops were well trained and he had won repeated victories. The court grew wary and sent Vice Minister Xiao Yin to watch him and suggest he send hostages to the capital, ostensibly to collect tribute; Yin reached Panyu. Jing promptly sent his sons and nephews to court as hostages.
50
12是歲，隋主詔境內之民任聽出家，仍令計口出錢，營造經像。 於是時俗從風而靡，民間佛書，多於《六經》數十百倍。
12 That year the emperor decreed that anyone in the realm might take Buddhist orders, while also levying a per-capita tax to fund scriptures and images. The fashion spread until Buddhist texts in private hands outnumbered the Confucian classics many times over.
51
13突厥佗缽可汗病且卒，謂其子庵邏曰：「吾兄不立其子，委位於我。 我死，汝曹當避大邏便。」 及卒，國人將立大邏便。 以其母賤，眾不服； 庵邏實貴，突厥素重之。 攝圖最後至，謂國人曰：「若立庵邏者，我當帥兄弟事之。 若立大邏便，我必守境，利刃長矛以相待。」 攝圖長，且雄勇，國人莫敢拒，竟立庵邏為嗣。 大邏便不得立，心不服庵邏，每遣人詈辱之。 庵邏不能制，因以國讓攝圖。 國中相與議曰：「四可汗子，攝圖最賢。」 共迎立之，號沙缽略可汗，居都斤山。 庵邏降居獨洛水，稱第二可汗。 大邏便乃謂沙缽略曰：「我與爾俱可汗子，各承父後。 爾今極尊，我獨無位，何也？」 沙缽略患之，以為阿波可汗，還領所部。 又沙缽略從父玷厥，居西面，號達頭可汗。 諸可汗各統部眾，分居四面。 沙缽略勇而得眾，北方皆畏附之。
13 Tabo Qaghan of the Turks fell mortally ill and told his son Anluo: "My brother did not enthrone his own son but gave me the khanship. When I die, you must keep clear of Daluobian." After his death the tribes prepared to raise Daluobian. His mother was of low birth, and the tribes refused to accept him; Anluo was of high birth and had long been held in esteem. Shetu arrived last and told the assembly: "If you choose Anluo, my brothers and I will serve him. If you choose Daluobian, I will hold the frontier and meet you with blade and spear." Shetu was the eldest and a formidable warrior; no one dared oppose him, and Anluo was enthroned. Daluobian was passed over and, resentful, repeatedly sent men to insult Anluo. Unable to restrain him, Anluo yielded the khanship to Shetu. The tribes agreed: "Of the late qaghan's four sons, Shetu is the finest." They raised him as Shaboluo Qaghan on Mount Dujin. Anluo withdrew to the Duluo River as Second Qaghan. Daluobian protested to Shaboluo: "We are both the qaghan's sons, each heir to his father's line. Why are you supreme while I have no standing?" Shaboluo, uneasy, named him Apo Qaghan and sent him back to his own tribes. Shaboluo's uncle Dianjue held the west as Datou Qaghan. Each khan ruled his own followers on a separate quarter of the steppe. Shaboluo was bold and popular; the northern peoples feared and followed him.
52
隋主既立，待突厥禮薄，突厥大怨。 千金公主傷其宗祀覆沒，日夜言於沙缽略，請為周室復讎。 沙缽略謂其臣曰：「我，周之親也。 今隋公自立而不能制，復何面目見可賀敦乎！」 乃與故齊營州刺史高寶寧合兵為寇。 隋主患之，敕緣邊修保障，峻長城，命上柱國武威陰壽鎮幽州，京兆尹虞慶則鎮并州，屯兵數萬以備之。
Once enthroned, the Sui emperor treated the Turks with scant ceremony, and they resented it deeply. Princess Qianjin, mourning the fall of her Zhou lineage, pressed Shaboluo day and night to avenge the Zhou. Shaboluo told his ministers: "I am the Zhou emperor's kinsman. Yet the Sui duke has seized power and I cannot stop him—how can I face the Khatun?" He then allied with Gao Baoning, the former Qi governor of Ying, and raided the border. Alarmed, the emperor strengthened frontier defenses and the Great Wall, posted Pillar of State Yin Shou at Youzhou and Metropolitan Governor Yu Qingze at Bingzhou, and massed tens of thousands of troops along the border.
53
初，奉車都尉長孫晟送千金公主入突厥，突厥可汗愛其善射，留之竟歲，命諸子弟貴人與之親友，冀得其射法。 沙缽略弟處羅侯，號突利設，尤得眾心，為沙缽略所忌，密托心腹陰與晟盟。 晟與之遊獵，因察山川形勢，部眾強弱，靡不知之。 及突厥入寇，晟上書曰：「今諸夏雖安，戎虜尚梗，興師致討，未是其時，棄於度外，又相侵擾，故宜密運籌策，有以攘之。 玷厥之於攝圖，兵強而位下，外名相屬，內隙已彰； 鼓動其情，必將自戰。 又，處羅侯者，攝圖之弟，奸多勢弱，曲取眾心，國人愛之，因為攝圖所忌，其心殊不自安，跡示彌縫，實懷疑懼。 又，阿波首鼠，介在其間，頗畏攝圖，受其牽率，唯強是與，未有定心。 今宜遠交而近攻，離強而合弱。 通使玷厥，說合阿波，則攝圖回兵，自防右地。 又引處羅，遣連奚、□則攝圖分眾，還備左方。 首尾猜嫌，腹心離阻，十數年後，乘釁討之，必可一舉而空其國矣。」 帝省表，大悅，因召與語。 晟復口陳形勢，手畫山川，寫其虛實，皆如指掌，帝深嗟異，皆納用之。 遣太僕元暉出伊吾道，詣達頭，賜以狼頭纛。 達頭使來，引居沙缽略使上。 以晟為車騎將軍，出黃龍道，繼幣賜奚、□、契丹，遣為鄉導，得至處羅侯所，深布心腹，誘之內附。 反間既行，果相猜貳。
Earlier, Chief Commandant Zhangsun Sheng had escorted Princess Qianjin to the Turks; the qaghan admired his archery, detained him a year, and had princes and nobles befriend him to learn his technique. Shaboluo's brother Chuluohou, titled Tuli Shad, was especially popular and aroused Shaboluo's jealousy; through a trusted agent he secretly allied with Sheng. Hunting with him, Sheng mapped the terrain and gauged every tribe's strength. When the Turks invaded, Sheng wrote: "The empire is at peace, but the barbarians remain a threat; a major campaign is premature, yet we cannot ignore their raids—we must undermine them by secret strategy. Dianjue is strong in troops but low in rank; though nominally subordinate to Shetu, the rift is already plain; stir his ambitions and he will turn on Shetu. Chuluohou, Shetu's brother, is clever but weak; he curries favor with the tribes, whom Shetu resents; outwardly conciliatory, he is inwardly fearful. Apo wavers between them, fears Shetu, follows whoever is stronger, and lacks firm loyalty. We should befriend distant factions, strike nearby ones, divide the strong and align with the weak. Send envoys to Dianjue, win over Apo, and Shetu will have to turn back to guard his western flank. Win Chuluohou as well; link the Xi and Kumo Xi against him, and Shetu will split his army to protect his left. With their leaders suspicious and their core divided, a strike in ten years or so could destroy them in a single campaign." The emperor read the memorial with delight and summoned Sheng for a long audience. Sheng rehearsed the situation, sketched the terrain, and laid out each tribe's strength as clearly as if it lay in his palm; the emperor marveled and adopted every proposal. He sent Grand Master of the Stud Yuan Hui along the Yiwu route to Datou with a wolf-head banner. When Datou's envoy arrived at court, he was seated above Shaboluo's envoy. Sheng was made General of Chariots and Cavalry, traveled the Huanglong route, lavished gifts on the Xi, Kumo Xi, and Khitan, and used them as guides until he reached Chuluohou and won his inner circle to defect. The disinformation campaign worked, and the Turks soon turned on one another.
54
14始興王叔陵，太子之次弟也，與太子異母，母曰彭貴人。 叔陵為江州刺史，性苛刻狡險。 新安王伯固，以善諧謔，有寵於上及太子； 叔陵疾之，陰求其過失，欲中之以法。 叔陵入為揚州刺史，事務多關涉省閣，執事承意順旨，即諷上進用之； 微致違忤，必抵以大罪，重者至殊死。 伯固憚之，乃諂求其意。 叔陵好發古塚，伯固好射雉，常相從郊野，大相款狎，因密圖不軌。 伯固為侍中，每得密語，必告叔陵。
14 Prince Shixing Shulang, the crown prince's younger brother, had a different mother, Lady Peng. As governor of Jiang he was harsh, cunning, and ruthless. Prince Xin'an Bogu, a gifted wit, was a favorite of the emperor and crown prince; Shulang hated him and secretly hunted for faults with which to prosecute him. When Shulang became governor of Yang, he meddled in capital administration; officials who pleased him were recommended for promotion; the slightest resistance brought grave charges, even execution. Bogu, afraid, flattered him to learn his wishes. Shulang loved looting ancient tombs; Bogu loved hawking; they often roamed the countryside together, grew intimate, and secretly plotted treason. As Attendant-in-Ordinary, Bogu reported every court secret to Shulang.
55
1春，正月，己酉，上不豫，太子與始興王叔陵、長沙王叔堅並入侍疾。 叔陵陰有異志，命典藥吏曰：「切藥刀甚鈍，可礪之！」 甲寅，上殂。 倉猝之際，叔陵命左右於外取劍。 左右弗悟，取朝服木劍以進，叔陵怒。 叔堅在側，聞之，疑有變，伺其所為。 乙卯，小斂。 太子哀哭俯伏。 叔陵抽剉藥刀斫太子，中項，太子悶絕於地； 母柳皇后走來救之，又斫后數下。 乳媼吳氏自後掣其肘，太子乃得起； 叔陵持太子衣，太子自奮得免。 叔堅手扼叔陵，奪去其刀，仍牽就柱，以其褶袖縛之。 時吳媼已扶太子避賊，叔堅求太子所在，欲受生殺之命。 叔陵多力，奮袖得脫，突走出雲龍門，馳車還東府，召左右斷青溪道，赦東城囚以充戰士，散金帛賞賜； 又遣人往新林追其所部兵； 仍自被甲，著白布帽，登城西門招募百姓； 又召諸王將帥，莫有至者，唯新安王伯固單馬赴之，助叔陵指揮。 叔陵兵可千人，欲據城自守。
In spring, on jiyou of the first month, the emperor fell ill; the crown prince, Prince Shixing Shulang, and Prince of Changsha Shujian attended him at his bedside. Shulang harbored treacherous designs and told the pharmacy clerk: "The medicine knife is very dull—you had better sharpen it!" On jiayin the emperor died. In the confusion Shulang ordered his attendants outside to fetch swords. The attendants misunderstood and brought the ceremonial wooden sword from his court robes; Shulang flew into a rage. Prince Shujian stood nearby, heard the order, sensed treachery, and watched Shulang closely. On yimao the body was laid out for encoffining. The crown prince wailed and prostrated himself in mourning. Shulang snatched the pharmacy knife and slashed at the crown prince's neck; the prince collapsed in a heap; Empress Liu rushed to shield him and was hacked several times herself. Wet nurse Lady Wu seized Shulang's arm from behind, and the crown prince struggled to his feet; Shulang grabbed the prince's robe, but the prince wrenched free. Shujian grappled with Shulang, tore away the knife, dragged him to a pillar, and bound him with his own robe sleeves. Lady Wu had already hustled the prince to safety; Shujian searched for him, ready to accept whatever command the prince gave. Shulang was powerfully built; he tore free, bolted out the Cloud Dragon Gate, raced to his Eastern Palace, blocked the Qingxi road, freed eastern-city prisoners for his army, and scattered gold and silk as bounty; and sent riders to Xinlin to recall his personal troops; then armored himself, wore a white cloth cap, and mounted the western gate to recruit townspeople; He summoned the princes and commanders, but only Prince Xin'an Bogu rode out alone to help him command. With roughly a thousand men Shulang prepared to hold the capital by force.
56
時眾軍並緣江防守，台內空虛。 叔堅白柳后，使太子舍人河內司馬申，以太子命召右衛將軍蕭摩訶入見受敕，帥馬步數百趣東府，屯城西門。 叔陵惶恐，遣記室韋諒送其鼓吹與摩訶，謂之曰：「事捷，必以公為台鼎。」 摩訶紿報之曰：「須王心膂節將自來，方敢從命。」 步陵遣其所親戴溫、譚騏詣摩訶，摩訶執以送台，斬其首，徇東城。
The main armies were deployed along the river; the palace quarter lay nearly undefended. Shujian appealed to Empress Liu and sent the crown prince's attendant Sima Shen of Henei to summon General of the Right Guard Xiao Mohe with the prince's commission; Mohe led several hundred horse and foot to the Eastern Palace and camped at the western gate. In panic Shulang sent his recorder Wei Liang with his ceremonial musicians to Mohe, promising: "If I prevail, you shall be chief minister of the realm. Mohe feigned agreement: "I must see the prince's own trusted generals before I can obey. Shulang sent his confidants Dai Wen and Tan Qi; Mohe arrested them, sent them to the court for execution, and paraded their heads through the eastern city.
57
叔陵自知不濟，入內，沉其妃張氏及寵妾七人於井，帥步騎數百自小航渡，欲趣新林，乘舟奔隋。 行至白楊路，為台軍所邀。 伯固見兵至，旋避入巷，叔陵馳騎拔刃追之，伯固復還，叔陵部下多棄甲潰去。 摩訶馬容陳智深迎刺叔陵，僵仆，陳仲華就斬其首，伯固為亂兵所殺，自寅至巳乃定。 叔陵諸子並賜死，伯固諸子宥為庶人。 韋諒及前衡陽內史彭暠、咨議參軍兼記室鄭信、典簽俞公喜並伏誅。 暠，叔陵舅也。 信、諒有寵於叔陵，常參謀議。 諒，粲之子也。
Seeing defeat inevitable, Shulang drowned his consort Lady Zhang and seven favorite concubines in a well, led several hundred men across the small ferry toward Xinlin, intending to sail to Sui. At Baiyang Road the palace forces intercepted him. Bogu tried to slip into an alley when troops appeared; Shulang chased him with drawn sword; Bogu doubled back, and many of Shulang's men threw down their armor and scattered. Mohe's groom Chen Zhishen ran Shulang through; he dropped dead; Chen Zhonghua took his head; Bogu died in the melee; from yin through si order was restored. Shulang's sons were all put to death; Bogu's sons were spared as commoners. Wei Liang, former interior minister of Hengyang Peng Hao, consulting colonel and recorder Zheng Xin, and registry clerk Yu Gongxi were all executed. Peng Hao was Shulang's uncle. Zheng Xin and Wei Liang had been Shulang's favorites and habitual advisers. Wei Liang was a son of Can.
58
丁巳，太子即皇帝位，大赦。
On dingsi the crown prince took the throne and proclaimed a general amnesty.
59
2辛酉，隋置河北道行台於并州，以晉王廣為尚書令； 置西南道行台於益州，以蜀王秀為尚書令。 隋主懲周氏孤弱而亡，故使二子分蒞方面。 以二王年少，盛選貞良有才望者為之僚佐； 以靈州刺史王韶為並省右僕射，鴻臚卿趙郡李雄為兵部尚書，左武衛將軍朔方李徹總晉王府軍事，兵部尚書元巖為益州總管府長史。 王韶、李雄、元巖俱有骨鯁名，李徹前朝舊將，故用之。
2 On xinyou Sui set up the Hebei circuit executive at Bingzhou and made Prince of Jin Yang Guang Director of the Department of State Affairs; and the Southwest circuit executive at Yizhou with Prince of Shu Yang Xiu as Director. Mindful that the Zhou had fallen because the throne was left isolated, the Sui emperor stationed two sons on distant fronts. As both princes were young, he chose men of proven integrity and ability as their staffs; Wang Shao became Right Vice Director on the Bing circuit, Li Xiong of Zhao commandery Minister of War, Li Che of Shuofang commander of the Jin prince's forces, and Yuan Yan chief administrator at Yizhou. Wang Shao, Li Xiong, and Yuan Yan were famed for blunt integrity; Li Che was a veteran of the previous regime—hence their selection.
60
初，李雄家世以學業自通，雄獨習騎射。 其兄子旦讓之曰：「非士大夫之素業也。」 雄曰：「自古聖賢，文武不備而能成其功業者鮮矣。 雄雖不敏，頗觀前志，但不守章句耳。 既文且武，兄何病焉！」 及將如並省，帝謂雄曰：「吾兒更事未多，以卿兼文武才，吾無北顧之憂矣！」
The Li clan had risen for generations through learning; Xiong alone trained in horsemanship and archery. His nephew Dan reproved him: "That is no occupation for a gentleman. Li Xiong replied: "Since antiquity, few sages have achieved greatness without both wen and wu. I may lack talent, but I have read the ancients; I simply refuse to be a commentarial pedant. With both letters and arms, what fault can you find?" As Xiong was leaving for Bing, the emperor told him: "My son is still inexperienced; with your combined talents I need not fear for the north!"
61
二王欲為奢侈非法，韶、巖輒不奉教，或自鎖，或排閣切諫。 二王甚憚之，每事咨而後行，不敢違法度。 帝聞而賞之。
When either prince sought luxury or lawlessness, Shao and Yan refused his orders—sometimes chaining themselves to the gate, sometimes forcing their way in with blunt remonstrance. Both princes came to fear them and consulted them before every act, no longer daring to overstep the law. The emperor heard and rewarded them.
62
又以秦王俊為河南道行台尚書令、洛州刺史，領關東兵。
He also made Prince of Qin Yang Jun director of the Henan circuit executive, governor of Luo, and commander of the eastern-pass armies.
63
3癸亥，以長沙王叔堅為驃騎將軍、開府儀同三司、揚州刺史； 蕭摩訶為車騎將軍、南徐州刺史，封綏遠公，始興王叔陵家金帛累巨萬，悉以賜之。 以司馬申為中書通事舍人。
3 On guihai Prince of Changsha Shujian was made General of Agile Cavalry with privilege equal to the Three Excellencies and governor of Yang; Xiao Mohe became General of Chariots and Cavalry and governor of South Xuzhou, enfeoffed Duke Pacifying the Distance, and was given the entire hoard—worth millions—from Shulang's estate. Sima Shen was made Attendant and Master of Documents for Palace Communications.
64
乙丑，尊皇后為皇太后。 時帝病創，臥承香殿，不能聽政。 太后居柏梁殿，百司眾務，皆決於太后，帝創愈，乃歸政焉。
On yichou the empress was honored as empress dowager. The new emperor, still wounded, lay in the Hall of Receiving Fragrance and could not govern. The dowager occupied the Hall of Cypress Beam; all state business passed through her until the emperor recovered and resumed rule.
65
丁卯，封皇弟叔重為始興王，奉昭烈王祀。
On dingmao the emperor's brother Shuzhong was made Prince of Shixing to maintain the cult of Prince Zhaolie.
66
4隋元景山出漢口，遣上開府儀同三司鄧孝儒將卒四千攻甑山。 鎮將軍陸綸以舟師救之，為孝儒所敗； 溳口、甑山、沌陽守將皆棄城走。 戊辰，遣使請和於隋，歸其胡墅。
4 Sui's Yuan Jingshan marched out from Hankou and sent Senior General Deng Xiaoru with four thousand men against Zengshan. Defending general Lu Lun sailed to relieve the city and was defeated; the garrisons at Yukou, Zengshan, and Dunyang all abandoned their posts and fled. On wuchen Chen sent envoys to sue for peace with Sui and restore the Hu estates.
67
5己巳，立妃沈氏為皇后。 辛未，立皇弟叔儼為尋陽王，叔慎為岳陽王，叔達為義陽王，叔能為巴山王，叔虞為武昌王。 隋高熲奏，禮不伐喪； 二月，己丑，隋主詔熲等班師。
5 On jisi Consort Shen was made empress. On xinwei his brothers Shuyan, Shushen, Shuda, Shuneng, and Shuyu were made princes of Xunyang, Yueyang, Yiyang, Bashan, and Wuchang. Gao Jiong of Sui argued that ritual forbids attacking a state in mourning; in the second month, on jichou, the Sui emperor ordered Gao Jiong and the army to withdraw.
68
6三月，己巳，以尚書左僕射晉安王伯恭為湘州刺史，永陽王伯智為尚書僕射。
6 On jisi of the third month Prince of Jin'an Bogong became governor of Xiang and Prince of Yongyang Bozhi Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
69
7夏，四月，庚寅，隋大將軍韓僧壽破突厥於雞頭山，上柱國李充破突厥於河北山。
7 In summer, on gengyin of the fourth month, Sui general Han Shoushou routed the Turks at Mount Jitou and pillar Li Chong defeated them at Mount Hebei.
70
8丙申，立皇子永康公胤為太子。 胤，孫姬之子也，沈后養以為子。
8 On bingshen Prince Yongkang Yin was made crown prince. Yin was Consort Sun's child, whom Empress Shen had adopted as her own.
71
9五月，己未，高寶寧引突厥寇隋平州，突厥悉發五可汗控弦之士四十萬入長城。
9 On jiwei of the fifth month Gao Baoning led Turks against Ping; the khans mustered four hundred thousand archers through the Great Wall.
72
10壬戌，隋任穆公于翼卒。
10 On renxu Duke Mu of Ren, Yu Yi of Sui, died.
73
11甲子，隋更命傳國璽曰「受命璽」。
11 On jiazi Sui renamed the imperial transmission seal the "Seal of Receiving the Mandate."
74
12六月，甲申，隋遣使來吊。
12 On jiashen of the sixth month Sui sent envoys of condolence.
75
13乙酉，隋上柱國李光敗突厥於馬邑。 突厥又寇蘭州，涼州總管賀婁子干敗之於可洛峐。
13 On yiyou pillar Li Guang defeated the Turks at Mayi. They raided Lan again; Liang commander He Luzi'gan beat them at Keluoqi.
76
14隋主嫌長安城制度狹小，又宮內多妖異。 納言蘇威勸帝遷都，帝以初受命，難之； 夜，與威及高熲共議。 明旦，通直散騎庾季才奏曰：「臣仰觀乾象，俯察圖記，必有遷都之事。 且漢營此城，將八百歲，水皆鹹鹵，不甚宜人。 願陛下協天人之心，為遷徙之計。」 帝愕然，謂熲、威曰：「是何神也！」 太師李穆亦上表請遷都。 帝省表曰：「天道聰明，已有征應； 太師人望，復抗此請； 無不可矣。」 丙申，詔高熲等創造新都於龍首山。 以太子左庶子宇文愷有巧思，領營新都副監。 愷，忻之弟也。
14 The Sui emperor found Chang'an cramped and the palace haunted by strange portents. Counselor Su Wei urged relocation, but the newly enthroned emperor hesitated; that night he debated the matter with Wei and Gao Jiong. At dawn Attendant Yu Jicai memorialized: "I have read heaven above and the charts below—relocation is ordained. The Han founded this city nearly eight hundred years ago; its water is brackish and unwholesome. I urge Your Majesty to align heaven and man and plan the move." The emperor started and exclaimed to Jiong and Wei: "What god sent this man!" Grand Preceptor Li Mu also petitioned for relocation. Reading the memorials he said: "Heaven has already shown signs; the Grand Preceptor, whom all men respect, presses the same plea; nothing more can be refused." On bingshen he ordered Gao Jiong and others to build a new capital on Mount Longshou. Left Assistant to the Heir Apparent Yu Kai, famed for ingenuity, was made deputy overseer of construction. Yu Kai was the younger brother of Xin.
77
15秋，七月，辛未，大赦。
15 In autumn, on xinwei of the seventh month, a general amnesty was proclaimed.
78
九月，丙午，設無礙大會於太極殿，捨身及乘輿御服。 大赦。
In the ninth month, on bingwu, an Unimpeded Assembly was held in the Hall of Supreme Ultimate; the emperor offered his person and imperial regalia. A general amnesty followed.
79
丙午，以長沙王叔堅為司空，將軍、刺史如故。
On bingwu Prince of Changsha Shujian was made Minister of Works while keeping his military posts.
80
16冬，十月，癸酉，隋太子勇屯兵咸陽以備突厥。
16 In winter, on guiyou of the tenth month, Sui crown prince Yong encamped at Xianyang against the Turks.
81
17十二月，丙子，隋命新都曰大興城。
17 On bingzi of the twelfth month Sui named the new capital Daxing City.
82
18乙酉，隋遣沁源公虞慶則屯弘化以備突厥。
18 On yiyou Sui sent Duke of Qinyuan Yu Qingze to Honghua against the Turks.
83
行軍總管達奚長儒將兵二千，與突厥沙缽略可汗遇於周槃，沙缽略有眾十餘萬，軍中大懼。 長儒神色慷慨，且戰且行，為虜所衝突，散而復聚，四面抗拒。 轉斗三日，晝夜凡十四戰，五兵鹹盡。 士卒以拳毆之，手皆骨見，殺傷萬計。 虜氣稍奪，於是解去。 長儒身被五瘡，通中者二； 其戰士死傷者什八九。 詔以長儒為上柱國，餘勳回授一子。
Campaign commander Daxi Changru with two thousand men met Türk qaghan Shaboluo at Zhoupan; Shaboluo had more than a hundred thousand warriors, and his troops were terrified. Changru's bearing was defiant; he fought as he marched; though broken and scattered, he re-formed and held on every side. For three days and fourteen battles by day and night every weapon was spent. His men punched the enemy bare-handed until bone showed through skin; tens of thousands fell on both sides. The Turks' ardor finally broke, and they withdrew. Changru took five wounds, two of them through-and-through; Roughly eight or nine soldiers in ten among his troops were killed or wounded. The emperor named Changru a pillar of state and transferred the surplus of his honors to ennoble one of his sons.
84
時柱國馮昱屯乙弗泊，蘭州總管叱列長叉守臨洮，上柱國李崇屯幽州，皆為突厥所敗。 於是突厥縱兵自木硤、石門兩道入寇，武威、天水、安定、金城、上郡、弘化、延安，六畜鹹盡。
Pillar Feng Yu held Yifu Marsh, Lanzhou commander Chilie Changcha defended Lintao, and pillar Li Chong held Youzhou; the Turks defeated them all. The Turks then poured through Muxia and Shimen, stripping Wuwei, Tianshui, Anding, Jincheng, Shang, Honghua, and Yan'an of all livestock.
85
沙缽略更欲南入，達頭不從，引兵而去。 長孫晟又說沙缽略之子染干詐告沙缽略曰：「鐵勒等反，欲襲其牙。」 沙缽略懼，回兵出塞。
Shaboluo wanted to push farther south, but Datou refused and withdrew with his forces. Zhangsun Sheng also induced Shaboluo's son Ran'gan to send a false report: "The Tiele have risen and mean to strike your royal camp." Terrified, Shaboluo wheeled his army back beyond the frontier.
86
19隋主既立，待遇梁主，恩禮彌厚。 是歲，納梁主女為晉王妃，又欲以其子瑒尚蘭陵公主。 由是罷江陵總管，梁主始得專制其國。
19 After his accession the Sui emperor treated the Liang sovereign with ever greater favor and ceremony. That year he took a daughter of the Liang ruler as consort of the Prince of Jin and proposed that his son Yang marry Princess Lanling. The Jiangling garrison command was abolished, and the Liang ruler at last governed his realm without interference.
87
1春，正月，庚子，隋將入新都，大赦。
1 In spring, on gengzi of the first month, with Sui about to move into the new capital, a general amnesty was proclaimed.
88
2壬寅，大赦，改元。
2 On renyin Sui proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the reign title.
89
初，上病創，不能視事，政無大小，皆決於長沙王叔堅，權傾朝廷。 叔堅頗驕縱，上由是忌之。 都官尚書山陰孔范，中書舍人施文慶，皆惡叔堅而有寵於上，日夕求其短，構之於上。 上乃即叔堅驃騎將軍本號，用三司之儀，出為江州刺史。 以祠部尚書江總為吏部尚書。
While the emperor convalesced from his wounds and could not govern, Prince Shujian of Changsha decided every affair of state and dominated the court. Shujian grew arrogant and unrestrained, and the emperor came to resent him. Director of Justice Kong Fan of Shanyin and Secretariat Attendant Shi Wenqing, both favored at court and hostile to Shujian, spent every hour hunting for flaws to denounce him to the emperor. The emperor retained Shujian's title of General of Agile Cavalry but granted him Three Excellency ceremonies before posting him to Jiangzhou as governor. Jiang Zong, Director of the Department of Ritual, was made Director of the Department of State Affairs.
90
癸卯，立皇子深為始安王。
On guimao Prince Shen was enfeoffed as Prince of Shi'an.
91
3二月，己巳朔，日有食之。
3 On the first of jisi in the second month there was a solar eclipse.
92
4癸酉，遣兼散騎常侍賀徹等聘於隋。
4 On guiyou Chen sent He Che, Concurrent Regular Attendant of the Secretariat, and others on a diplomatic mission to Sui.
93
5突厥寇隋北邊。
5 The Turks raided Sui's northern frontier.
94
6癸巳，葬孝宣皇帝顯寧陵，廟號高宗。
6 On guisi Emperor Xiao Xuan was interred at Xianning Mausoleum with the temple name Gaozong.
95
7右衛將軍兼中書通事舍人司馬申既掌機密，頗作威福，多所譖毀。 能候人主顏色，有忤己者，必以微言譖之； 附已者，因機進之。 是以朝廷內外，皆從風而靡。
7 Sima Shen, Right Guard General and concurrent Attendant for Palace Communications, held the emperor's confidence and abused his power, slandering many at court. He read the emperor's mood; anyone who crossed him was quietly denounced; those who curried his favor he promoted at the first opportunity. The whole court, inside and out, bowed to his influence.
96
上欲用侍中、吏部尚書毛喜為僕射，申惡喜強直，言於上曰：「喜，臣之妻兄，高宗時稱陛下有酒德，請逐去宮臣，陛下寧忘之邪？」 上乃止。
When the emperor meant to make Palace Attendant Mao Xi Vice Director, Shen, who loathed Xi's blunt integrity, reminded him: "Xi is my brother-in-law. In Gaozong's day he praised your taste for wine and urged you to dismiss the palace staff—have you forgotten?" The emperor dropped the appointment.
97
上創愈，置酒於後殿以自慶，引吏部尚書江總以下展樂賦詩。 既醉而命毛喜。 於時山陵初畢，喜見之，不懌； 欲諫，則上已醉。 喜升階，陽為心疾，僕於階下，移出省中。 上醒，謂江總曰：「我悔召毛喜，彼實無疾，但欲阻我歡宴，非我所為耳。」 乃與司馬申謀曰：「此人負氣，吾欲乞鄱陽兄弟，聽其報仇，可乎？」 對曰：「彼終不為官用，願如聖旨。」 中書通事舍人北地傅縡爭之曰：「不然。 若許報仇，欲置先皇何地？」 上曰：「當乞一小郡，勿令見人事耳。」 乃以喜為永嘉內史。
Once recovered, the emperor held a celebratory banquet in the rear hall and summoned Jiang Zong and the other ministers for music and verse. Drunk, he sent for Mao Xi. The imperial mourning had only just ended, and Xi was dismayed; he wanted to remonstrate, but the emperor was already drunk. Xi climbed the steps, feigned a heart seizure, and collapsed; attendants carried him out of the ministry compound. When he sobered the emperor told Jiang Zong, "I regret sending for Mao Xi. He wasn't ill—he only wanted to spoil my feast. That was presumptuous of him." He then asked Sima Shen, "This man is proud. What if I give the Poyang brothers leave to take revenge on him?" "He would never truly serve you anyway," Shen answered. "Let it be as Your Majesty wishes." Fu Zai of Beidi, Attendant for Palace Communications, objected: "No. If you allow private revenge, what becomes of your father's dignity?" The emperor said, "Give him some minor prefecture and keep him away from court." Mao Xi was made Interior Secretary of Yongjia.
98
8三月，丙辰，隋遷於新都。
8 On bingchen of the third month Sui moved into the new capital.
99
初令民二十一成丁，減役者每歲十二番為二十日役，減調絹一匹為二丈。 週末榷酒坊、鹽池、鹽井，至是皆罷之。 秘書監牛弘上表，以「典籍屢經喪亂，率多散逸。 周氏聚書，僅盈萬卷。 平齊所得，除其重雜，裁益五千。 興集之期，屬膺聖世。 為國之本，莫此為先。 豈可使之流落私家，不歸王府！ 必須勒之以天威，引之以微利，則異典必臻，觀閣斯積。」 隋主從之。 丁巳，詔購求遺書於天下，每獻書一卷，賚縑一匹。
Adults were defined at twenty-one; corvée was cut from twelve tours a year to twenty days, and the silk levy from one full bolt to two zhang. Zhou's monopolies on breweries, salt pans, and brine wells were abolished. Secretary Director Niu Hong memorialized: "Classics have been lost again and again in the upheavals, and most copies have scattered and vanished. The Zhou court had assembled barely ten thousand scrolls. The conquest of Qi added only five thousand after duplicates were culled. The moment to gather them has come under a sage reign. For the foundation of the state, nothing comes before this. How can we let them drift into private hands and never return to the imperial library! We must enforce this with imperial authority and reward it with modest profit, and rare texts will surely come in until the palace libraries are full again." The Sui emperor agreed. On dingsi an edict sought lost books throughout the realm; one bolt of silk was paid for each scroll presented.
100
9夏，四月，庚午，吐谷渾寇隋臨洮。 洮州刺史皮子信出戰，敗死； 汶州總管梁遠擊走之。 又寇廓州，州兵擊走之。
9 On gengwu in the fourth month the Tuyuhun raided Lintao. Tao prefect Pi Zixin marched out to fight and was killed in defeat; Wenzhou commander Liang Yuan drove them back. They raided Zuo Prefecture next and were beaten back by local troops.
101
10壬申，隋以尚書右僕射趙煚兼內史令。
10 On renshen Sui made Vice Director Zhao Jiong also Director of the Secretariat.
102
11突厥數為隋寇。 隋主下詔曰：「往者周、齊抗衡，分割諸夏，突厥之虜，俱通二國。 周人東慮，恐齊好之深，齊氏西慮，懼周交之厚； 謂虜意輕重，國遂安危，蓋並有大敵之憂，思減一邊之防也。 朕以為厚斂兆庶，多惠豺狼，未嘗感恩，資而為賊。 節之以禮，不為虛費，省徭薄賦，國用有餘。 因入賊之物，加賜將士； 息道路之民，務為耕織； 清邊制勝，成策在心。 凶丑愚闇，未知深旨，將大定之日，比戰國之時； 乘昔世之驕，結今時之恨。 近者盡其巢窟，俱犯北邊，蓋上天所忿，驅就齊斧。 諸將今行，義兼含育，有降者納，有違者死，使其不敢南望，永服威刑。 何用侍子之朝，寧勞渭橋之拜！」
11 The Turks raided Sui again and again. The Sui emperor issued an edict: "Once Zhou and Qi stood opposed and split the realm; the Türks dealt with both alike. Zhou feared Qi was courting them too warmly in the east; Qi feared Zhou was doing the same in the west; each thought the Türks' goodwill decided its survival, for both dreaded a powerful neighbor and hoped to ease one frontier by bribing the steppe. I believe that taxing the people heavily to enrich wolves and jackals wins no gratitude—they take our gifts and raid us all the same. Govern by ritual, spend nothing in vain, lighten corvée and reduce levies, and the treasury will have surplus. Reward the troops from what we seize from the raiders; let the people on the roads return home to plow and weave; secure the borders and win—the plan is already complete in my mind. These brutish fools do not grasp my purpose; on the eve of universal peace they behave as if we were back in the Warring States; they ride old arrogance and nurse new hatred. Lately they have emptied their nests and poured against the north—Heaven itself is angry and driving them to the headsman's block. The generals I send now will temper force with mercy: receive those who surrender, kill those who resist, until they dare not look south again and forever bow to our might. Why should I wait for a hostage prince at court, or trouble myself with a bow at Wei Bridge!"
103
於是命衛王爽等為行軍元帥，分八道出塞擊之。 爽督總管李充等四將出朔州道，己卯，與沙缽略可汗遇於白道。 李充言於爽曰：「突厥狃於驟勝，必輕我而無備。 以精兵襲之，可破也。」 諸將多以為疑，唯長史李徹贊成之，遂與充帥精騎五千掩擊突厥，大破之。 沙缽略棄所服金甲，潛草中而遁。 其軍中無食，粉骨為糧，加以疾疫，死者甚眾。
He then appointed Prince Wei Shuang and others campaign marshals and sent eight columns beyond the passes to strike them. Shuang led area commanders Li Chong and three other generals on the Shuozhou route; on jimao they met Türk qaghan Shaboluo at White Route. Li Chong told Shuang, "The Turks, flushed with easy victories, will surely despise us and leave themselves unguarded. Strike them with picked troops and you can break them." Most of the generals were skeptical, but chief aide Li Che agreed; he and Chong then led five thousand picked horsemen in a surprise attack and routed the Turks. Shaboluo stripped off his golden armor and crawled away through the grass. His army ran out of food and ground bone into meal; pestilence followed, and the dead were beyond count.
104
幽州總管陰壽帥步騎十萬出盧龍塞，擊高寶寧。 寶寧求救於突厥，突厥方御隋師，不能救。 庚辰，寶寧棄城奔磧北，和龍諸縣悉平。 壽設重賞以購寶寧，又遣人離其腹心； 寶寧奔契丹，為其麾下所殺。
Youzhou commander Yin Shou led a hundred thousand foot and horse out through Lulong Pass against Gao Baoning. Baoning begged the Türks for help, but they were fully engaged against Sui and could not come. On gengchen Baoning abandoned his city and fled north of the desert; the Helong counties were all pacified. Yin Shou offered heavy rewards for Baoning's head and sent agents to turn his followers against him; Baoning fled to the Khitan and was killed by his own men.
105
12己丑，郢州城主張子譏遣使請降於隋，隋主以和好，不納。
12 On jichou Yingzhou commander Zhang Ziji sent envoys offering surrender to Sui; the Sui emperor, honoring the peace, refused.
106
辛卯，隋主遣兼散騎常侍薛舒、兼散騎常侍王劭來聘。 劭，松年之子也。
On xinmao the Sui emperor sent Concurrent Regular Attendants Xue Shu and Wang Shao on a diplomatic mission. Wang Shao was the son of Songnian.
107
13癸巳，隋主大雩。
13 On guisi the Sui emperor performed a grand rain prayer.
108
14甲子，突厥遣使入見於隋。
14 On jiazi the Türks sent envoys to audience at Sui.
109
15隋改度支尚書為民部，都官尚書為刑部。 命左僕射判吏、禮、兵三部事，右僕射判民、刑、工三部事。 廢光祿、衛尉、鴻臚寺及都水台。
15 Sui renamed the Director of Revenue the Director of the People and the Director of Justice the Director of Punishments. The Left Vice Director was to oversee Personnel, Rites, and War; the Right Vice Director the People, Punishments, and Works. The Directorates of the Imperial Household, Palace Guard, Reception, and Waterways were abolished.
110
16五月，癸卯，隋行軍總管李晃破突厥於摩那度口。 乙巳，梁太子琮入朝於隋，賀遷都。
16 On guimao of the fifth month Sui campaign commander Li Huang defeated the Turks at Monadu Ford. On yisi Liang crown prince Cong came to Sui to congratulate the move of the capital.
111
辛酉，隋主祀方澤。
On xinyou the Sui emperor sacrificed at the Square Mound.
112
隋秦州總管竇榮定帥九總管步騎三萬出涼州，與突厥阿波可汗相拒於高越原，阿波屢敗。 榮定，熾之兄子也。
Sui's Qinzhou commander Dou Rongding led thirty thousand foot and horse from nine area commanders out of Liangzhou and faced Türk qaghan Apo at Gaoyue Plain; Apo was beaten again and again. Rongding was the nephew of Chi.
113
前上大將軍京兆史萬歲，坐事配敦煌為戍卒，詣榮定軍門，請自效。 榮定素聞其名，見而大悅。 壬戌，將戰，榮定遣人謂突厥曰：「士卒何罪而殺之！ 但當各遣一壯土決勝負耳。」 突厥許諾，因遣一騎挑戰。 榮定遣萬歲出應之，萬歲馳斬其首而還。 突厥大驚，不敢復戰，遂請盟，引軍而去。
Former Senior General Shi Wansui of Jingzhao, banished to Dunhuang as a garrison soldier for a crime, came to Rongding's camp and asked to serve. Rongding had long heard of him and was delighted when they met. On renxu, as battle was about to begin, Rongding sent word to the Turks: "What crime have your soldiers committed that you must slaughter them! Let each side send a single champion to settle the outcome." The Türks agreed and sent a lone horseman to issue the challenge. Rongding sent Wansui to answer the challenge; Wansui charged out, struck off the man's head, and rode back. The Türks were shaken, dared not renew the fight, sued for peace, and withdrew their army.
114
長孫晟時在榮定軍中為偏將，使謂阿波曰：「攝圖每來，戰皆大勝。 阿波才入，遽即奔敗，此乃突厥之恥也。 且攝圖之與阿波，兵勢本敵。 今攝圖日勝，為眾所崇； 阿波不利，為國生辱。 攝圖必當以罪歸阿波，成其宿計，滅北牙矣。 願自量度，能御之乎？」 阿波使至，晟又謂之曰：「今達頭與隋連和，而攝圖不能制，可汗何不依附天子，連結達頭，相合為強，此萬全計也，豈若喪兵負罪，歸就攝圖，受其戮辱邪！」 阿波然之，遣使隨晟入朝。
Changsun Sheng, serving then as a deputy in Rongding's command, sent word to Apo: "Each time Shetu takes the field, he wins a sweeping victory. You have barely joined battle and already run—this is a disgrace to the Türk nation. Besides, you and Shetu were once evenly matched in force. Now Shetu wins victory after victory and is exalted by the tribes; your setbacks bring dishonor on the realm. Shetu will surely shift the fault onto you, carry out his old scheme, and wipe out the Northern Yamen. Measure your own strength: can you stand against him?" When Apo's envoy came, Sheng told him again: "Tardu is now at peace with Sui, and Shetu cannot master him. Why not rely on the Son of Heaven, ally with Tardu, and make yourselves strong together? That is the sure course. Would you rather lose your army, bear the blame, go back to Shetu, and face execution and disgrace?" Apo agreed, and sent envoys to accompany Sheng to the Sui court.
115
沙缽略素忌阿波驍悍； 自白道敗歸，又聞阿波貳於隋，因先歸，襲擊北牙，大破之，殺阿波之母。 阿波還，無所歸，西奔達頭。 達頭大怒，遣阿波帥兵而東，其部落歸之者將十萬騎，遂與沙缽略相攻，屢破之，復得故地，兵勢益強。 貪汗可汗素睦於阿波，沙缽略奪其眾而廢之，貪汗亡奔達頭。 沙缽略從弟地勤察，別統部落，與沙缽略有隙，復以眾叛歸阿波。 連兵不已，各遣使詣長安請和求援。 隋主皆不許。
Shabolü had long envied Apo's martial prowess; after his defeat on the Baidao road he learned Apo was leaning toward Sui; he hurried home, fell on the Northern Yamen, crushed it, and killed Apo's mother. Apo came back to find no refuge and fled west to Tardu. Tardu was furious and sent Apo east with an army; clans rallying to him numbered nearly a hundred thousand horse. He fought Shabolü again and again, broke him, regained lost territory, and grew stronger still. The Greedy Khan Tanhan had been friendly with Apo; Shabolü seized his people and removed him, and Tanhan fled to Tardu. Shabolü's cousin Di Qincha led a separate tribe, quarreled with him, and took his men over to Apo. The war did not end; both sides sent envoys to Chang'an seeking peace and support. The Sui emperor refused every request.
116
六月，庚辰，隋行軍總管梁遠破吐谷渾於爾汗山。
In the sixth month, on gengchen, Sui campaign commander Liang Yuan defeated the Tuyuhun at Mount Erhan.
117
突厥寇幽州，隋幽州總管廣宗壯公李崇帥步騎三千拒之。 轉戰十餘日，師人多死，遂保砂城。 突厥圍之，城荒頹，不可守禦。 曉夕力戰，又無所食。 每夜出掠虜營，得六畜以繼軍糧。 突厥畏之，厚為其備，每夜中結陳以待之。 崇軍苦饑，出輒遇敵，死亡略盡。 及明，奔還城者尚百許人，然多傷重，不更堪戰。 突厥意欲降之，遣使謂崇曰：「若來降者，封為特勒。」 崇知不免，令其士卒曰：「崇喪師徒，罪當萬死。 今日效命，以謝國家。 汝俟吾死，且可降賊，便散走，努力還鄉。 若見至尊，道崇此意。」 乃挺刃突陳，復殺二人，突厥亂射，殺之。 秋，七月，辛丑，以豫州刺史代人周搖為幽州總管。 命李崇子敏襲爵。
The Türks invaded Youzhou; Sui Youzhou commander Li Chong, Duke Zhuang of Guangzong, led three thousand infantry and cavalry against them. For more than ten days they fought on the move until most of the force was dead; they then took refuge in Shacheng. The Türks surrounded the town; its walls were broken and wasted and could not be held. They battled from dawn to dusk but had no food. Each night they slipped out to raid the barbarian camp and seized livestock to feed the troops. The Türks grew wary, strengthened their guard, and every night formed ranks to meet them. Chong's men starved; each sortie met the enemy, and they were nearly all killed. By dawn barely a hundred had straggled back inside, most gravely wounded and fit for no further combat. The Türks meant to take him alive and sent word: "Surrender, and you shall be made a tele." Seeing no escape, Chong told his men: "I have lost the army and deserve ten thousand deaths. Today I will spend my life to repay the realm. Wait until I am dead; then you may yield to the enemy, break up, and make your way home as best you can. If you see His Majesty, give him my message." He seized his blade, broke into the enemy ranks, and killed two more; the Türks loosed a volley and cut him down. In autumn, the seventh month, on xinchou, Zhou Yao of Dai was appointed Youzhou commander. He ordered Li Chong's son Min to succeed to the peerage.
118
敏娶樂平公主之女娥英，詔假一品羽儀，禮如尚帝女。 既而將侍宴，公主謂敏曰：「我以四海與至尊，唯一婿，當為爾求柱國； 若余官，汝慎勿謝。」 及進見，帝授以儀同及開府，皆不謝。 帝曰：「公主有大功於我，我何得於其婿而惜官乎！ 今授汝柱國。」 敏乃拜而蹈舞。
Min married Eying, daughter of Princess Leping; an edict gave him first-rank ceremonial escort, with honors like an imperial son-in-law. Before a court feast the princess told Min: "I gave my brother the empire—there is only you for a son-in-law; I mean to win you the rank of pillar of state; if he offers lesser posts, do not thank him." At audience the emperor gave him Companion in Rank and Genesis Chief; Min did not bow his thanks. The emperor said: "Your mother-in-law has done me great service—how could I stint her son-in-law on rank! I now make you pillar of state." Only then did Min bow and perform the step dance of gratitude.
119
17八月，丁卯朔，日有食之。
17 In the eighth month, on dingmao the first day of the month, there was a solar eclipse.
120
18長沙王叔堅未之江州，復留為司空，實奪之權。
18 Prince of Changsha Shujian had not yet left for Jiangzhou; he was kept as Minister of Works in name while stripped of real authority.
121
19壬午，隋遣尚書左僕射高熲出寧州道，內史監虞慶則出原州道，以擊突厥。
19 On renwu Sui sent Left Vice Director Gao Jiong by the Ningzhou road and Palace Supervisor Yu Qingze by the Yuanzhou road against the Türks.
122
20九月，癸丑，隋大赦。
20 In the ninth month, on guichou, Sui proclaimed a general amnesty.
123
冬，十月，甲戌，隋廢河南道行台省，以秦王俊為秦州總管，隴右諸州盡隸焉。
In winter, the tenth month, on jiaxu, Sui abolished the Henan Circuit Directorate, made Prince Jun of Qin commander of Qinzhou, and placed all Longyou prefectures under his command.
124
21丁酉，立皇弟叔平為湘東王，叔敖為臨賀王，叔宣為陽山王，叔穆為西陽王。
21 On dingyou the emperor enfeoffed his brothers Shuping as Prince of Xiangdong, Shu'ao as Prince of Linhe, Shuxuan as Prince of Yangshan, and Shumu as Prince of Xiyang.
125
戊戌，侍中建昌侯徐陵卒。
On wuxu Attendant-in-Ordinary Xu Ling, Marquis of Jianchang, died.
126
癸丑，立皇弟叔儉為安南王，叔澄為南郡王，叔興為沅陵王，叔韶為岳山王，叔純為新興王。
On guichou the emperor enfeoffed his brothers Shujian as Prince of Annan, Shucheng as Prince of Nanjun, Shuxing as Prince of Yuanling, Shushao as Prince of Yueshan, and Shuchun as Prince of Xinxing.
127
22十一月，遣散騎常侍周墳、通直散騎常侍袁彥聘於隋。 帝聞隋主狀貌異人，使彥畫像而歸。 帝見，大駭曰：「吾不欲見此人。」 亟命屏之。
22 In the eleventh month he sent Regular Attendant Zhou Fen and Direct Regular Attendant Yuan Yan on a diplomatic mission to Sui. Hearing that the Sui emperor's bearing was uncanny, he had Yan paint his portrait and return with it. The Chen emperor looked and cried out in alarm: "I do not want to look upon this man." He immediately ordered the portrait removed.
128
隋既班律令，蘇威屢欲更易事條，內史令李德林曰：「修律令時，公何不言？ 今始頒行，且宜專守，自非大為民害，不可數更。」
Once Sui had issued its code, Su Wei often wanted to revise individual articles; Secretariat Director Li Delin said: "When the laws were being drafted, why did you stay silent? They have only just been promulgated; for now hold to them faithfully. Unless a rule gravely injures the people, do not keep altering it."
129
河南道行台兵部尚書楊尚希曰：「竊見當今郡縣，倍多於古。 或地無百里，數縣並置； 或戶不滿千，二郡分領。 具僚已眾，資費日多； 吏卒增培，租調歲減； 民少官多，十羊九牧。 今存要去閒，並小為大，國家則不虧粟帛，選舉則易得賢良。」 蘇威亦請廢郡。 帝從之。 甲午，悉罷諸郡為州。
Yang Shangxi, Director of War on the Henan Circuit, said: "I see that commanderies and counties today far outnumber those of old. Some tracts are under a hundred li wide, yet several counties are planted together; some have fewer than a thousand households, yet two prefectures share them. Staffs are already swollen and costs mount daily; clerks and soldiers multiply while grain levies and corvée shrink each year; few people and many officials—ten sheep with nine herdsmen. Keep what matters, cut what is idle, merge small into large, and the state will not lose grain and cloth while appointments will more easily find able men." Su Wei likewise petitioned to abolish the commandery tier. The emperor agreed. On jiawu every commandery was abolished and converted into a prefecture.
130
23十二月，乙卯，隋遣兼散騎常侍曹令則、通直散騎常侍魏澹來聘。 澹，收之族也。
23 In the twelfth month, on yimao, Sui sent Concurrent Regular Attendant Cao Lingze and Direct Regular Attendant Wei Dan on a diplomatic mission. Wei Dan belonged to the house of Wei Shou.
131
24丙辰，司空長沙王叔堅免。 叔堅既失恩，心不自安，乃為厭媚，醮日月以求福。 或上書告其事，帝召叔堅，囚於西省，將殺之，令近侍宣敕數之。 叔堅對曰：「臣之本心，非有他故，但欲求親媚耳。 臣既犯天憲，罪當萬死。 臣死之日，必見叔陵，願宣明詔，責之於九泉之下。」 帝乃赦之，免官而已。
24 On bingchen Prince of Changsha Shujian was removed as Minister of Works. Stripped of favor, Shujian could not rest easy; he turned to sorcery and offered rites to sun and moon for good fortune. A memorial accused him; the emperor summoned Shujian, held him in the Western Office, and prepared to execute him, sending a close attendant to recite his crimes. Shujian answered: "My heart held no other aim; I only wished to win your affection by such means. I have offended Heaven's statute and deserve ten thousand deaths. When I die I shall surely meet Shuling; I beg Your Majesty to make the decree plain and reproach him in the world below." The emperor then spared him and only stripped him of rank.
132
25隋以上柱國竇榮定為右武衛大將軍。 榮定妻，隋主姊安成公主也。 隋主欲以榮定為三公，辭曰：「衛、霍、梁、鄧，若少自貶損，不至覆宗。」 帝乃止。
25 Sui made Pillar of State Dou Rongding Grand General of the Right Martial Guards. Rongding's wife was the emperor's elder sister, Princess Ancheng. The emperor wished to name Rongding one of the Three Excellencies; he refused, saying: "Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, Liang Ji, and Deng Yu—had any of them lowered himself a little, his house would not have been destroyed." The emperor let the matter drop.
133
帝以李穆功大，詔曰：「法備小人，不防君子。 太師申公，自今雖有罪，但非謀逆，縱有百死，終不推問。」
Because Li Mu's service was immense, the emperor proclaimed: "Law restrains the base, not the noble. Grand Preceptor Duke Shen—from this day, though he sin, unless it be treason, even for a hundred capital crimes he shall never be questioned."
134
禮部尚書牛弘請立明堂，帝以時事草創，不許。
Minister of Rites Niu Hong petitioned to build the Bright Hall; the emperor, finding the realm still newly founded, refused.
135
帝覽刑部奏，斷獄數猶至萬。 以為律尚嚴密，故人多陷罪。 又敕蘇威、牛弘等更定新律，除死罪八十一條，流罪一百五十四條，徒杖等千餘條，唯定留五百條，凡十二卷。 自是刑網簡要，疏而不失。 仍置律博士弟子員。
Reviewing the Ministry of Justice's returns, he found judgments still running to ten thousand. He judged the code still too tight, so that many were trapped by it. He ordered Su Wei, Niu Hong, and others to recast the code, striking eighty-one capital articles, one hundred fifty-four on exile, and more than a thousand on servitude and flogging, leaving five hundred articles in twelve scrolls. Thereafter the penal net was concise—broad yet without losing hold. He also set up statutory erudites and student posts.
136
隋主以長安倉廩尚虛，是歲，詔西自蒲、陝，東至衛、汴，水次十三州，募丁運米。 又於衛州置黎陽倉，陝州置常平倉，華州置廣通倉，轉相灌輸。 漕關東及汾、晉之粟以給長安。
Finding Chang'an's granaries still bare, that year he ordered thirteen riverine prefectures from Pu and Shan in the west to Wei and Bian in the east to levy men to haul grain. He built Liyang Granary at Weizhou, Changping at Shanzhou, and Guangtong at Huazhou, to relay grain in succession. Grain from east of the Pass and from Fen and Jin was shipped by water to feed Chang'an.
137
26時刺史多任武將，類不稱職。 治書侍御史柳彧上表曰：「昔漢光武與二十八將，披荊棘，定天下，及功成之後，無所任職。 伏見詔書，以上柱國和千子為杞州刺史。 千子前任趙州，百姓歌之曰：『老禾不早殺，余種穢良田。』 千子，弓馬武用，是其所長； 治民蒞職，非其所解。 如謂優老尚年，自可厚賜金帛； 若令刺舉，所損殊大。」 帝善之。 千子竟免。
26 Many prefects were now soldiers, and most were unfit for civil rule. Supervising Secretary Liu Yu memorialized: "When Emperor Guangwu of Han and his twenty-eight generals cut through hardship and pacified the empire, once the work was done none of them held office. Yet I see an edict making Pillar of State He Qianzi prefect of Qi. When Qianzi governed Zhao the people sang: 'The old stalk is not reaped in time; the leftover seed spoils the good field.' Qianzi excels at bow, horse, and martial arts; Governing the people and holding civil office were beyond his competence. If the aim is to honor his age, let him be rewarded generously with gold and silk; but to make him a provincial inspector would do great harm." The emperor agreed. He Qianzi was not appointed after all.
138
彧見上勤於聽受，百僚奏請，多有煩碎，上疏諫曰：「臣聞上古聖帝，莫過唐、虞，不為叢脞，是謂欽明。 舜任五臣，堯咨四岳，垂拱無為，天下以治。 所謂勞於求賢，逸於任使。 比見陛下留心治道，無憚疲勞，亦由群官懼罪，不能自決，取判天旨，聞奏過多。 乃至營造細小之事，出給輕微之物，一日之內，酬答百司。 至乃日旰忘食，夜分未寢，動以文簿憂勞聖躬。 伏願察臣至言，少減煩務，若經國大事，非臣下裁斷者，伏願詳決，自余細務，責成所司； 則聖體盡無疆之壽，臣下蒙覆育之賜。」 上覽而嘉之，因曰：「柳彧直士，國之寶也！」
Liu Yu saw the emperor laboring over every petition while officials flooded him with trivial business; he memorialized: "The sage rulers of antiquity, Yao and Shun above all, did not drown in petty detail—that is true sagely government. Shun entrusted five ministers; Yao consulted the Four Peaks; they ruled with folded hands, and the realm was well ordered. They toiled to find the worthy and rested once they were employed. Your Majesty now applies himself tirelessly to government, but officials, fearing blame, refuse to decide anything and push every matter to you—hence the flood of memorials. Even minor construction projects and petty supplies draw your reply to a hundred offices in a single day. You work past sunset without eating and past midnight without sleep, wearing yourself down over paperwork. I beg you to heed these words and lighten your burden: decide in person only great matters of state that subordinates cannot judge; leave the rest to the offices responsible; then Your Majesty will enjoy long life, and your servants the blessing of your care." The emperor read the memorial with approval and said, "Liu Yu is an upright man—a treasure to the state!"
139
彧以近世風俗，每正月十五日，然燈遊戲，奏請禁之，曰：「竊見京邑，爰及外州，每以正月望夜，充街塞陌，聚戲朋游，鳴鼓聒天，燎炬照地，竭貲破產，競此一時。 盡室並孥，無問貴賤，男女混雜，緇素不分。 穢行因此而生，盜賊由斯而起，因循弊風，會無先覺。 無益於化，實損於民。 請頒天下，並即禁斷。」 詔從之。
Liu Yu, deploring the custom of lantern festivals on the fifteenth of the first month, asked that it be banned: "In the capital and in the provinces alike, on the full-moon night of the first month the streets are jammed with revelers, drums deafen the heavens, torches blaze, and families ruin themselves in a single night's frenzy. Whole families turn out, high and low alike; men and women mingle without restraint, and laymen and clergy are not kept apart. From this come debauchery and theft; the evil custom persists because no one has yet put a stop to it. It does nothing for moral order and truly harms the people. I ask that this be forbidden throughout the empire at once." The edict approved his request.