1
資治通鑑第185卷卷第一百八十五
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 185 (the one hundred and eighty-fifth juan).
2
【唐紀一】起著雍攝提格正月，盡七月，不滿一年。
[Tang Records, Part 1] This section runs from the first month of the year Zhuanyong Shetige through the seventh month—less than a full year.
3
春，正月，丁未朔，隋恭帝詔唐王劍履上殿，贊拜不名。 唐王既克長安，以書諭諸郡縣，於是東自商洛，南盡巴、蜀，郡縣長吏及盜賊渠帥、氐羌酋長，爭遣子弟入見請降，有司復書，日以百數。
In spring, on the first day of the first month (Dingwei), Emperor Gong of Sui decreed that the Prince of Tang might enter the hall wearing sword and shoes and be hailed in audience without having his name announced—the highest court honors. Once the Prince of Tang had secured Chang'an, he sent proclamations to the commanderies and counties. From Shangluo in the east to Ba and Shu in the south, local magistrates, bandit leaders, and Di and Qiang chiefs rushed to send sons or younger kinsmen to court to submit; the civil offices answered with correspondence that ran to hundreds of letters a day.
4
王世充既得東都兵，進擊李密於洛北，敗之，遂屯鞏北。 辛酉，世充命諸軍各造浮橋渡洛擊密，橋先成者先進，前後不一。 虎賁郎將王辯破密外柵，密營中驚擾，將潰； 世充不知，鳴角收眾，密因帥敢死士乘之，世充大敗，爭橋溺死者萬餘人。 王辯死，世充僅自免，洛北諸軍皆潰。 世充不敢入東都，北趣河陽。 是夜，疾風寒雨，軍士涉水沾濕，道路凍死者又以萬數。 世充獨與數千人至河陽，自繫獄請罪，越王侗遣使赦之，召還東都，賜金帛、美女以安其意。 世充收合亡散，得萬餘人，屯含嘉城，不敢復出。
After Wang Shichong secured the Eastern Capital's forces, he marched against Li Mi north of the Luo, routed him, and encamped north of Gong. On the day Xinyou, Shichong ordered each army to build its own pontoon bridge across the Luo to strike at Mi. Whichever bridge was finished first crossed first, so the columns fell out of step with one another. Tiger Guard commandant Wang Bian breached Li Mi's outer palisade, throwing Mi's camp into panic and bringing it to the brink of collapse; Shichong did not realize what had happened and sounded the horn to rally his men. Mi seized the moment and led his shock troops in a counterattack. Shichong was routed, and more than ten thousand men drowned fighting for the bridges. Wang Bian was killed. Shichong barely escaped alive, and every army north of the Luo collapsed in flight. Shichong dared not return to the Eastern Capital and fled north toward Heyang. That night a bitter wind and driving rain struck. Soldiers waded through water until they were soaked, and another ten thousand or so froze to death along the roads. Shichong reached Heyang with only a few thousand followers, put himself in bonds to plead for punishment, and was pardoned by envoys from the Prince of Yue, Yang Tong, who then recalled him to the Eastern Capital and lavished gold, silk, and concubines on him to win him back. Shichong rallied the fugitives until he had more than ten thousand men, encamped at Hanjia City, and did not dare venture out again.
5
密乘勝進據金墉城，修其門堞、廬舍而居之，鉦鼓之聲，聞於東都； 未幾，擁兵三十餘萬，陳於北邙，南逼上春門。 乙丑，金紫光祿大夫段達、民部尚書韋津出兵拒之。 達望見密兵盛，懼而先還。 密縱兵乘之，軍遂潰，韋津死。 於是偃師、柏谷及河陽都尉獨孤武都、檢校河內郡丞柳燮、職方郎柳續等各舉所部降於密。 竇建德、朱粲、孟海公、徐圓朗等並遣使奉表勸進，密官屬裴仁基等亦上表請正位號，密曰：「東都未平，不可議此。」
Following up his victory, Mi advanced to seize Jinyong City, repaired its gates, walls, and quarters, and made it his headquarters; the clang of gongs and drums carried as far as the Eastern Capital; Before long he had massed more than three hundred thousand men on Mount Beimang, pressing south against Shangchun Gate. On the day Yichou, Grandee of Splendid Happiness Duan Da and Minister of the People Wei Jin marched out to oppose him. Duan, seeing how vast Mi's host was, took fright and retreated first. Mi sent his troops in pursuit; the army broke and fled, and Wei Jin was killed. Yanshi, Baigu, Heyang commandant Dugu Wudu, acting Henei prefect Liu Xie, Bureau of Appointments attendant Liu Xu, and others then brought their districts over to Mi. Dou Jiande, Zhu Can, Meng Haigong, Xu Yuanlang, and others all sent envoys urging him to ascend the throne, and Mi's own officials, including Pei Renji, petitioned that he assume imperial title. Mi replied, "The Eastern Capital is not yet taken; we cannot discuss this yet."
6
戊辰，唐王以世子建成為左元帥，秦公世民為右元帥，督諸軍十餘萬人救東都。
On the day Wuchen, the Prince of Tang named his heir Li Jiancheng left supreme commander and the Duke of Qin, Li Shimin, right supreme commander, and sent them at the head of more than one hundred thousand troops to relieve the Eastern Capital.
7
東都乏食，太府卿元文都等募守城不食公糧者進散官二品，於是商賈執象而朝者，不可勝數。
Food ran short in the Eastern Capital. Grand Steward Yuan Wendu and others offered honorary second rank to anyone who would man the walls without drawing government rations. Merchants bearing ivory tally-sticks flocked to court in numbers beyond counting.
8
二月，己卯，唐王遣太常卿鄭元璹將兵出商洛，徇南陽，左領軍府司馬安陸馬元規徇安陸及荊、襄。
In the second month, on the day Jimao, the Prince of Tang dispatched Director of Ceremonies Zheng Yuansui through Shangluo to reduce Nanyang, and Left Army Guard adjutant Ma Yuangui of Anlu to reduce Anlu and the Jing and Xiang regions.
9
李密遣房彥藻、鄭頲等東出黎陽，分道招慰州縣。 以梁郡太守楊汪為上柱國、宋州總管，又以手書與之曰：「昔在雍丘，曾相追捕，射鉤斬袂，不敢庶幾。」 汪遣使往來通意，密亦羈縻待之。 彥藻以書招竇建德，使來見密。 建德復書，卑辭厚禮，托以羅藝南侵，請捍御北垂。 彥藻還，至衛州，賊帥王德仁邀殺之。 德仁有眾數萬，據林慮山，四出抄掠，為數州之患。
Li Mi sent Fang Yanzao, Zheng Ting, and others east from Liyang along separate routes to win over the commanderies and counties. He named Liang commandery prefect Yang Wang supreme pillar of state and Songzhou commander-in-chief, and wrote him personally: "At Yongqiu we once hunted each other down. Even if one of us had shot through a hook or cut off a sleeve, I would not presume to match the magnanimity of Duke Huan toward Guan Zhong." Yang Wang exchanged envoys to signal his goodwill, and Mi treated him with a loose, conciliatory hand. Yanzao wrote to Dou Jiande inviting him to come pay his respects to Mi. Jiande answered with humble language and rich gifts, citing Luo Yi's southern incursions as his excuse and asking leave to hold the northern frontier. On his return, Yanzao reached Weizhou, where bandit chief Wang Deren ambushed and killed him. Deren commanded tens of thousands of men from Mount Linlü, raiding in every direction and plaguing several commanderies.
10
三月，己酉，以齊公元吉為鎮北將軍、太原道行軍元帥、都督十五郡諸軍事，聽以便宜從事。
In the third month, on the day Jiyou, the Prince of Tang named the Prince of Qi, Li Yuanji, general who pacifies the north and supreme commander on the Taiyuan route, giving him authority over fifteen commanderies and leave to act at his own discretion.
11
隋煬帝至江都，荒淫益甚，宮中為百餘房，各盛供張，實以美人，日令一房為主人。 江都郡丞趙元楷掌供酒饌，帝與蕭-{后}-及幸姬歷就宴飲，酒卮不離口，從姬千餘人亦常醉。 然帝見天下危亂，意亦擾擾不自安，退朝則幅巾短衣，策杖步游，遍歷台館，非夜不止，汲汲顧景，唯恐不足。
After Emperor Yang of Sui reached Jiangdu, his debauchery only deepened. He had more than a hundred chambers in the palace lavishly furnished and filled with beautiful women, and each day a different chamber served as the seat of the revels. Jiangdu commandery aide Zhao Yuankai managed the wine and viands. The Emperor, Empress Xiao, and his favored consorts moved from one feast to the next, cup always at his lips, while more than a thousand attendant ladies were usually drunk as well. Yet with the empire crumbling around him, the Emperor grew restless and uneasy. After court he would don plain headcloth and short coat, take up a staff, and wander every terrace and lodge in the palace until nightfall, glancing anxiously at the daylight as though afraid it would run out.
12
帝自曉占候卜相，好為吳語； 常夜置酒，仰視天文，謂蕭-{后}-曰：「外間大有人圖儂，然儂不失為長城公，卿不失為沈後，且共樂飲耳！」 因引滿沉醉。 又嘗引鏡自照，顧謂蕭-{后}-曰：「好頭頸，誰當斫之？」 后驚問故，帝笑曰：「貴賤苦樂，更迭為之，亦復何傷！」
The Emperor was versed in astrology, divination, and physiognomy, and liked to speak in the Wu dialect; He often held night banquets, gazed up at the stars, and told Empress Xiao, "Many out there are plotting against me, yet I shall still end as Duke of the Great Wall and you as Empress Shen—so let us drink and enjoy ourselves!" With that he drained his cup and fell deep into drink. On another occasion he held up a mirror, studied himself, and said to Empress Xiao, "Such a fine neck—who will be the one to strike it off?" The Empress asked in alarm what he meant. The Emperor laughed and said, "High and low, joy and sorrow—they take turns. What is there to grieve over?"
13
帝見中原已亂，無心北歸，欲都丹楊，保據江東，命群臣廷議之。 內史侍郎虞世基等皆以為善； 右候衛大將軍李才極陳不可，請車駕還長安，與世基忿爭而出。 門下錄事衡水李桐客曰：「江東卑濕，土地險狹，內奉萬乘，外給三軍，民不堪命，恐亦將散亂耳。」 御史劾桐客謗毀朝政。 於是公卿皆阿意言：「江東之民望幸已久，陛下過江，撫而臨之，此大禹之事也。」 乃命治丹楊宮，將徙都之。
Seeing the Central Plains in chaos, the Emperor had no wish to return north. He wanted to establish his capital at Danyang and hold the lower Yangtze, and ordered a full court debate on the plan. Palace Secretariat vice director Yu Shiji and others all approved the idea; Right guard general Li Cai argued vehemently against the move and pleaded for the court to return to Chang'an. He quarreled heatedly with Shiji and stormed out. Chancellery clerk Li Tongke of Hengshui said, "The lower Yangtze is low, damp, and cramped. To support the Son of Heaven within and supply three armies without will crush the people; I fear they too will soon break apart in disorder." The censorate impeached Tongke for maligning the government. Thereupon the high officials all chimed in: "The people of the lower Yangtze have long awaited Your Majesty. When you cross the river to comfort and rule them, you will be doing the work of Great Yu himself." He then ordered the Danyang palace restored and prepared to transfer the capital there.
14
時江都糧盡，從駕驍果多關中人，久客思鄉里，見帝無西意，多謀叛歸。 郎將竇賢遂帥所部西走，帝遣騎追斬之，而亡者猶不止，帝患之。 虎賁郎將扶風司馬德戡素有寵於帝，帝使領驍果屯於東城，德戡與所善虎賁郎將元禮、直閣裴虔通謀曰：「今驍果人人欲亡，我欲言之，恐先事受誅； 不言，於後事發，亦不免族滅，奈何？ 又聞關內淪沒，李孝常以華陰叛，上囚其二弟，欲殺之。 我輩家屬皆在西，能無此慮乎？」 二人皆懼，曰：「然計將安出？」 德戡曰：「驍果若亡，不若與之俱去。」 二人皆曰：「善！」 因轉相招引，內史舍人元敏、虎牙郎將趙行樞、鷹揚郎將孟秉、符璽郎李覆、牛方裕、直長許弘仁、薛世良、城門郎唐奉義、醫正張愷、勳士楊士覽等皆與之同謀，日夜相結約，於廣座明論叛計，無所畏避。 有宮人白蕭-{后}-曰：「外間人人欲反。」 -{后}-曰：「任汝奏之。」 宮人言於帝，帝大怒，以為非所宜言，斬之。 其後宮人復白-{后}-，-{后}-曰：「天下事一朝至此，無可救者，何用言之！ 徒令帝憂耳！」 自是無復言者。
By then Jiangdu was out of grain. Many of the elite guards who had followed the court were men from Guanzhong, long away from home and homesick. Seeing that the Emperor had no intention of returning west, many plotted to desert and go home. Commandant Dou Xian led his men west in flight. The Emperor sent cavalry to run him down and execute him, but desertions continued, and the Emperor grew deeply troubled. Tiger Guard commandant Sima Dekan of Fufeng had long been a favorite of the Emperor, who put him in command of the elite guard encamped in the eastern city. Dekan conspired with his friends Tiger Guard commandant Yuan Li and palace attendant Pei Qiantong. "Every man of the guard wants to run," he said. "If I report it, I may be killed before anything is done; If I keep silent and it breaks out later, my whole clan will still be wiped out. What can we do? I have also heard that Guanzhong has fallen, that Li Xiaochang rebelled at Huayin, and that the Emperor has imprisoned his two younger brothers and means to kill them. Our families are all back west—how can we not worry about the same thing?" Both men were frightened. "True," they said, "but what plan do you have?" Dekan said, "If the guard is going to run, we had better run with them." Both said, "Agreed!" They began recruiting others: Palace Secretariat attendant Yuan Min, Tiger Tusk commandant Zhao Xingshu, Hawk Raising commandant Meng Bing, seal keeper Li Fu, Niu Fangyu, chief clerk Xu Hongren, Xue Shiliang, gate officer Tang Fengyi, court physician Zhang Kai, merit officer Yang Shilan, and more. Day and night they swore one another to the plot and openly discussed rebellion in public, without the least concealment. A palace woman told Empress Xiao, "Everyone outside is plotting rebellion." The Empress said, "Go ahead and report it if you wish." The woman told the Emperor. He flew into a rage, judged the report improper, and had her beheaded. Later another palace woman reported to the Empress again. The Empress said, "The realm has come to this in a single morning. Nothing can save it now—why speak of it? You would only add to the Emperor's grief!" After that, no one spoke of it again.
15
趙行樞與將作少監宇文智及素厚，楊士覽，智及之甥也，二人以謀告智及，智及大喜。 德戡等期以三月望日結黨西遁，智及曰：「主上雖無道，威令尚行，卿等亡去，正如竇賢取死耳。 今天實喪隋，英雄並起，同心叛者已數萬人，因行大事，此帝王之業也。」 德戡等然之。 行樞、薛世良請以智及兄右屯衛將軍許公化及為主，結約既定，乃告化及。 化及性駑怯，聞之，變色流汗，既而從之。
Zhao Xingshu was close to Vice Director of Imperial Works Yuwen Zhiji, and Yang Shilan was Zhiji's nephew. The two confided the plot to Zhiji, who was delighted. Dekan and the others had fixed the full moon of the third month to band together and flee west. Zhiji said, "The Emperor may be wicked, but his authority still holds. If you run, you will die like Dou Xian. Heaven has abandoned Sui. Heroes are rising everywhere, and tens of thousands are already of one mind to rebel. Strike now and you will be founding an imperial enterprise." Dekan and the others agreed. Xingshu and Xue Shiliang proposed Zhiji's elder brother, Right Army Guard general the Duke of Xu, Yuwen Huaji, as leader. Once the pact was sealed, they told Huaji. Huaji was dull and timid by nature. When he heard the plan he turned pale and broke into a sweat, but in the end he went along.
16
德戡使許弘仁、張愷入備身府，告所識者云：「陛下聞驍果欲叛，多醞毒酒，欲因享會，盡鴆殺之，獨與南人留此。」 驍果皆懼，轉相告語，反謀益急。 乙卯，德戡悉召驍果軍吏，諭以所為，皆曰：「唯將軍命！」 是日，風霾晝昏。 晡後，德戡盜御廄馬，潛厲兵刃。 是夕，元禮、裴虔通直閣下，專主殿內； 唐奉義主閉城門，與虔通相知，諸門皆不下鍵。 至三更，德戡於東城集兵得數萬人，舉火與城外相應。 帝望見火，且聞外喧囂，問何事。 虔通對曰：「草坊失火，外人共救之耳。」 時內外隔絕，帝以為然。 智及與孟秉於城外集千餘人，劫候衛虎賁馮普樂佈兵分守衢巷。 燕王倓覺有變，夜，穿芳林門側水竇而入，至玄武門，詭奏曰：「臣猝中風，命懸俄頃，請得面辭。」 裴虔通等不以聞，執囚之。 丙辰，天未明，德戡授虔通兵，以代諸門衛士。 虔通自門將數百騎至成象殿，宿衛者傳呼有賊； 虔通乃還，閉諸門，獨開東門，驅殿內宿衛者令出，皆投仗而走。 右屯衛將軍獨孤盛謂虔通曰：「何物兵，形勢太異！」 虔通曰：「事勢已然，不預將軍事； 將軍慎毋動！」 盛大罵曰：「老賊，是何物語！」 不及被甲，與左右十餘人拒戰，為亂兵所殺。 盛，楷之弟也。 千牛獨孤開遠帥殿內兵數百人詣玄武門，叩閣請曰：「兵仗尚全，猶堪破賊。 陛下若出臨戰，人情自定； 不然，禍今至矣！」 竟無應者，軍士稍散。 賊執開遠，義而釋之。 先是，帝選驍健官奴數百人置玄武門，謂之給使，以備非常，待遇優厚，至以宮人賜之。 司宮魏氏為帝所信，化及等結之使為內應。 是日，魏氏矯詔悉聽給使出外，倉猝之際，無一人在者。
Dekan sent Xu Hongren and Zhang Kai into the personal guard headquarters to spread word among their acquaintances: "The Emperor has heard the elite guard mean to rebel. He has brewed great quantities of poisoned wine and plans to kill them all at a feast, keeping only the southerners here." The guards were terrified. Rumor spread from man to man, and the conspiracy gathered speed. On the day Yimao, Dekan summoned all the elite guard officers and laid out the plan. They answered as one, "We follow the general's command alone!" That day a dusty wind darkened the daylight. In the late afternoon Dekan stole horses from the imperial stables and quietly readied weapons. That evening Yuan Li and Pei Qiantong stood watch below the palace apartments and held sole authority within the halls; Tang Fengyi controlled the city gates. He was in league with Qiantong, and none of the gates were barred. At the third watch Dekan assembled tens of thousands of men in the eastern city, lit fires, and signaled to forces outside the walls. The Emperor saw the fires and heard the clamor outside. He asked what was going on. Qiantong answered, "The hay storehouse has caught fire. People outside are helping to put it out." Inside and outside were cut off from each other, and the Emperor believed him. Outside the walls Zhiji and Meng Bing mustered more than a thousand men, seized guard Tiger Guard Feng Pule, and posted troops to hold the streets and lanes. The Prince of Yan, Yang Dan, sensed trouble. That night he crept through the water conduit beside Fanglin Gate to Xuanyuan Gate and sent in a false report: "I have been stricken suddenly by paralysis; my life hangs by a thread—may I take leave of Your Majesty in person?" Pei Qiantong and his confederates did not relay the message and seized the prince. On the day Bingchen, before dawn, Dekan handed troops to Qiantong to replace the guards at every gate. Qiantong himself led several hundred horsemen from the gate to Chenxiang Hall. The night guards shouted that bandits were at hand; Qiantong turned back, shut every gate, opened only the east gate, drove the guards out of the hall, and they all threw down their weapons and fled. Right Army Guard general Dugu Sheng said to Qiantong, "What sort of troops are these? The situation is all wrong!" Qiantong said, "The matter is already decided. It does not concern you, General; you had best not move!" Sheng cursed, "You old traitor—what kind of talk is that!" He had no time to arm himself. With a dozen followers he fought back and was killed by the mutineers. Sheng was the younger brother of Dugu Kai. Thousand-Ox Dugu Kaiyuan led several hundred men from within the palace to Xuanyuan Gate, knocked on the gate tower, and pleaded, "Our arms are still intact. We can still defeat the rebels. If Your Majesty comes out to lead the fight, the men will steady themselves; otherwise disaster will strike at once!" No answer came. The soldiers gradually drifted away. The rebels seized Kaiyuan but, judging him righteous, let him go. Earlier the Emperor had picked several hundred sturdy palace slaves for Xuanyuan Gate, calling them attendants-on-call, to meet emergencies. They were treated with exceptional favor, even given palace women as wives. Palace stewardess Lady Wei enjoyed the Emperor's trust. Huaji and the others won her over as an inside contact. That day Lady Wei forged an edict sending every attendant-on-call outside. In the sudden crisis, not one was left at the gate.
17
德戡等引兵自玄武門入，帝聞亂，易服逃西閣。 虔通與元禮進兵排左閣，魏氏啟之，遂入永巷，問：「陛下安在？」 有美人出，指之。 校尉令狐行達拔刀直進，帝映窗扉謂行達曰：「汝欲殺我邪？」 對曰：「臣不敢，但欲奉陛下西還耳。」 因扶帝下閣。 虔通，本帝為晉王時親信左右也，帝見之，謂曰：「卿非我敵人乎！ 何恨而反？」 對曰：「臣不敢反，但將士思歸，欲奉陛下還京師耳。」 帝曰：「朕方欲歸，正為上江米船未至，今與汝歸耳！」 虔通因勒兵守之。
Dekan and his men entered through Xuanyuan Gate. Hearing the uproar, the Emperor changed clothes and fled to the western pavilion. Qiantong and Yuan Li forced the left gate. Lady Wei opened it, and they entered the Long Lane calling, "Where is Your Majesty?" A palace woman came out and pointed the way. Commandant Linghu Xingda drew his sword and rushed in. The Emperor, seen through the window, said to him, "Do you mean to kill me?" He answered, "I would not dare. I only wish to escort Your Majesty back west." He helped the Emperor down from the pavilion. Qiantong had been a trusted attendant when the Emperor was still Prince of Jin. Seeing him, the Emperor said, "So you are my enemy after all! What grievance drives you to rebel?" He replied, "I would not rebel. The men only long to go home and wish to escort Your Majesty back to the capital." The Emperor said, "I was about to return anyway—I was only waiting for the rice boats from upriver. Very well, let us go back together!" Qiantong then posted troops to guard him.
18
至旦，孟秉以甲騎迎化及，化及戰慄不能言，人有來謁之者，但俯首據鞍稱罪過。 化及至城門，德戡迎謁，引入朝堂，號為丞相。 裴虔通謂帝曰：「百官悉在朝堂，陛下須親出慰勞。」 進其從騎，逼帝乘之； 帝嫌其鞍勒弊，更易新者，乃乘之。 虔通執轡挾刀出宮門，賊徒喜噪動地。 化及揚言曰：「何用持此物出，亟還與手。」 帝問：「世基何在？」 賊黨馬文舉曰：「已梟首矣！」 於是引帝還至寢殿，虔通、德戡等拔白刃侍立。 帝歎曰：「我何罪至此？」 文舉曰：「陛下違棄宗廟，巡遊不息，外勤征討，內極奢淫，使丁壯盡於矢刃，女弱填於溝壑，四民喪業，盜賊蜂起； 專任佞諛，飾非拒諫； 何謂無罪！」 帝曰：「我實負百姓； 至於爾輩，榮祿兼極，何乃如是！ 今日之事，孰為首邪？」 德戡曰：「溥天同怨，何止一人！」 化及又使封德彝數帝罪，帝曰：「卿乃士人，何為亦爾！」 德彝赧然而退。 帝愛子趙王杲，年十二，在帝側，號慟不已，虔通斬之，血濺御服。 賊欲弒帝，帝曰：「天子死自有法，何得加以鋒刃！ 取鴆酒來！」 文舉等不許，使令狐行達頓帝令坐。 帝自解練巾授行達，縊殺之。 初，帝自知必及於難，常以罌貯毒藥自隨，謂所幸諸姬曰：「若賊至，汝曹當先飲之，然後我飲。」 及亂，顧索藥，左右皆逃散，竟不能得。 蕭-{后}-與宮人撤漆床板為小棺，與趙王杲同殯於西院流珠堂。
At dawn Meng Bing met Huaji with armored cavalry. Huaji shook so badly he could not speak. When anyone came to pay respects he only bowed over his saddle and confessed his crimes. When Huaji reached the gate, Dekan received him and led him into the court hall, proclaiming him chief minister. Pei Qiantong told the Emperor, "All the officials are in the court hall. Your Majesty must go out in person to reassure them." He brought up the Emperor's escort horses and forced him to mount; the Emperor disliked the worn saddle and bridle and had new ones brought before he would ride. Qiantong held the reins with a knife at his side as they left the palace. The rebels roared with joy until the earth seemed to shake. Huaji shouted, "Why bring this thing out at all? Take it back at once and finish it yourselves." The Emperor asked, "Where is Shiji?" Rebel Ma Wenchu said, "His head is already on display!" They led the Emperor back to the sleeping hall. Qiantong, Dekan, and the others drew naked blades and stood guard. The Emperor sighed, "What crime have I committed to come to this?" Wenchu said, "Your Majesty abandoned the ancestral temples and never stopped touring. Abroad you waged endless campaigns; at home you indulged in luxury and lust until every able-bodied man fell to sword and arrow and women and children filled the ditches. The people lost their livelihoods and bandits swarmed like bees; you trusted only flatterers, covered your faults, and rejected honest counsel; how can you say you are without crime!" The Emperor said, "I have indeed failed the people; but as for you, honor and salary have reached their height—why treat me thus! Of today's affair, who is the ringleader?" Dekan said, "All under Heaven shares the same grievance—how could it be only one man!" Huaji also had Feng Deyi list the Emperor's crimes. The Emperor said, "You are a scholar—why do you join in this!" Deyi flushed and withdrew. The Emperor's beloved son, twelve-year-old Prince of Zhao Yang Gao, stood at his side wailing without cease. Qiantong beheaded him, and blood splashed the imperial robes. The rebels meant to kill the Emperor. He said, "A Son of Heaven has a proper way to die—why use the blade! Bring poisoned wine!" Wenchu and the others refused and had Linghu Xingda seize the Emperor and force him to sit. The Emperor untied his own white silk scarf and gave it to Xingda, who strangled him with it. Earlier, knowing disaster was inevitable, the Emperor had always kept poison in a jar at hand and told his favored consorts, "If rebels come, you must drink first, and then I will drink." When the disturbance came he looked for the poison, but his attendants had all fled and he could not obtain it. Empress Xiao and the palace women stripped lacquered bed boards to make a small coffin and buried Prince Zhao Gao with the Emperor in Liuzhu Hall in the western courtyard.
19
帝每巡幸，常以蜀王秀自隨，囚於驍果營。 化及弒帝，欲奉秀立之，眾議不可，乃殺秀及其七男。 又殺齊王暕及其二子並燕王倓，隋氏宗室、外戚，無少長皆死。 唯秦王浩素與智及往來，且以計全之。 齊王暕素失愛於帝，恆相猜忌。 帝聞亂，顧蕭-{后}-曰：「得非阿孩邪？」 化及使人就第誅暕，暕謂帝使收之，曰：「詔使且緩兒，兒不負國家！」 賊曳至街中，斬之，暕竟不知殺者為誰，父子至死不相明。 又殺內史待郎虞世基、御史大夫裴蘊、左翊衛大將軍來護兒、秘書監袁充、右翊衛將軍宇文協、千牛宇文皛、梁公蕭鉅等及其子。 鉅，琮之弟子也。
On his tours the Emperor usually kept Prince of Shu Yang Xiu with him, imprisoned in the elite guard camp. After murdering the Emperor, Huaji wished to set up Xiu as sovereign. The assembly refused, so he killed Xiu and his seven sons. He also killed Prince of Qi Yang Jian and his two sons, and Prince of Yan Yang Dan. Of the Sui imperial clan and affinal kin, none young or old was spared. Only Prince of Qin Yang Hao survived, having long been friendly with Zhiji and been spared through his connivance. Prince of Qi Jian had long lost the Emperor's favor, and father and son were constantly suspicious of each other. When the Emperor heard of the disturbance he turned to Empress Xiao and said, "Could it be Ahai?" Huaji sent men to Jian's residence to kill him. Jian thought they were imperial envoys come to arrest him and said, "Imperial envoy, spare your son a moment—your son has not failed the state!" The rebels dragged him into the street and beheaded him. Jian never knew who his killers were, and father and son died without ever understanding each other. He also killed Palace Secretariat vice director Yu Shiji, Censor-in-chief Pei Yun, Left Army Guard general Lai Huer, Secretariat director Yuan Chong, Right Army Guard general Yuwen Xie, Thousand-Ox Yuwen Jiao, Duke of Liang Xiao Ju, and their sons. Ju was the nephew of Xiao Cong.
20
難將作，江陽長張惠紹馳告裴蘊，與惠紹謀矯詔發郭下兵收化及等，扣門援帝。 議定，遣報虞世基； 世基疑告反者不實，抑而不許。 須臾，難作，蘊歎曰：「謀及播郎，竟誤人事！」 虞世基宗人人及謂世基子符璽郎熙曰：「事勢已然，吾將濟卿南渡，同死何益？」 熙曰：「棄父背君，求生何地？ 感尊之懷，自此決矣！」 世基弟世南抱世基號泣，請以身代，化及不許。 黃門侍郎裴矩知必將有亂，雖廝役皆厚遇之，又建策為驍果娶婦； 及亂作，賊皆曰：「非裴黃門之罪。」 既而化及至，矩迎拜馬首，故得免。 化及以蘇威不預朝政，亦免之。 威名位素重，往參化及； 化及集眾而見之，曲加殊禮。 百官悉詣朝堂賀，給事郎許善心獨不至。 許弘仁馳告之曰：「天子已崩，宇文將軍攝政，闔朝文武咸集。 天道人事自有代終，何預於叔而低回若此？」 善心怒，不肯行。 弘仁反走上馬，泣而去。 化及遣人就家擒至朝堂，既而釋之。 善心不舞蹈而出，化及怒曰：「此人大負氣！」 覆命擒還，殺之。 其母範氏，年九十二，撫柩不哭，曰：「能死國難，吾有子矣！」 因臥不食，十餘日而卒。 唐王之入關也，張季珣之弟仲琰為上洛令，帥吏民拒守，部下殺之以降。 宇文化及之亂，仲琰弟琮為千牛左右，化及殺之，兄弟三人皆死國難，時人愧之。
Just before the crisis, Jiangyang magistrate Zhang Huishao galloped to warn Pei Yun. Together they plotted to forge an edict, mobilize troops outside the walls to seize Huaji and his confederates, and batter the gates to rescue the Emperor. When the plan was settled they sent word to Yu Shiji; Shiji doubted the report of rebellion was genuine and refused to act. A moment later the crisis broke out. Yun sighed, "We consulted the Broad Lord and ruined everything!" Yu Shiji's clansman Ren Renji said to Shiji's son, seal keeper Xi, "The situation is settled. I will help you escape south—what use is dying together?" Xi said, "Abandon my father and betray my sovereign—where could I go to live? Your honorable feeling moves me—I am resolved from this moment!" Shiji's younger brother Shinan embraced him and wailed, begging to die in his place. Huaji refused. Yellow Gate vice director Pei Ju, foreseeing disorder, treated even servants generously and proposed finding wives for the elite guard; when the disturbance broke out the rebels all said, "This is not Vice Director Pei's fault." When Huaji arrived, Ju bowed at his horse's head and was spared. Huaji also spared Su Wei because he had not taken part in governing. Wei's name and standing were weighty; he went to pay respects to Huaji; Huaji assembled the crowd to receive him and treated him with exceptional courtesy. All the officials went to the court hall to congratulate; only Secretariat attendant Xu Shansin stayed away. Xu Hongren galloped to tell him, "The Son of Heaven is dead. General Yuwen holds the regency. The whole court is assembled. Heaven and earth have their cycles—why should you, uncle, hang back like this?" Shansin was angry and refused to go. Hongren turned, mounted his horse in tears, and rode away. Huaji sent men to seize him at home and bring him to court, then released him. Shansin left without performing the congratulatory dance. Huaji said angrily, "This man is full of pride!" He ordered him seized again and killed. His mother, Lady Fan, ninety-two years old, stroked the coffin without weeping and said, "To die for the state's calamity—I have a true son!" She took to her bed and refused food, dying after more than ten days. When the Prince of Tang entered the passes, Zhang Jixun's younger brother Zhongyan was magistrate of Shangluo. He led officials and people in resistance until his subordinates killed him to surrender. In Yuwen Huaji's coup Zhongyan's younger brother Cong was a Thousand-Ox attendant; Huaji killed him. All three brothers died for the state, and contemporaries were shamed by comparison.
21
化及自稱大丞相，總百揆。 以皇后令立秦王浩為帝，居別宮，令發詔畫敕書而已，仍以兵監守之。 化及以弟智及為左僕射，士及為內史令，裴矩為右僕射。
Huaji styled himself grand chief minister and took charge of all government affairs. By the empress's order he installed Prince of Qin Hao as emperor in a separate palace, allowed him only to issue edicts and sign rescripts, and kept troops to guard him. Huaji appointed his younger brother Zhiji left vice director, Shiqi inner secretariat director, and Pei Ju right vice director.
22
乙卯，徙秦公世民為趙公。
On the day Yimao, Duke of Qin Li Shimin was made Duke of Zhao.
23
戊辰，隋恭帝詔以十郡益唐國，仍以唐王為相國，總百揆，唐國置丞相以下官，又加九錫。 王謂僚屬曰：「此諂諛者所為耳。 孤秉大政而自加寵錫，可乎？ 必若循魏、晉之跡，彼皆繁文偽飾，欺天罔人； 考其實不及五霸，而求名欲過三王，此孤常所非笑，竊亦恥之。」 或曰：「歷代所行，亦何可廢！」 王曰：「堯、舜、湯、武，各因其時，取與異道，皆推其至誠以應天順人，未聞夏、商之末必效唐、虞之禪也。 若使少帝有知，必不肯為； 若其無知，孤自尊而飾讓，平生素心所不為也。」 但改丞相為相國府，其九錫殊禮，皆歸之有司。
On the day Wuchen, Emperor Gong of Sui decreed ten more commanderies for the state of Tang, again named the Prince of Tang chief minister over all government affairs, established a chief minister's office for Tang, and added the nine gifts of honor. The Prince told his staff, "This is the work of flatterers. I hold supreme power and bestow honors on myself—can that be right? If we must follow Wei and Jin, those were ornate frauds that deceived Heaven and deluded men; in reality they did not equal the Five Hegemons, yet they sought fame beyond the Three Kings—I have always mocked that and am ashamed of it." Someone said, "What every dynasty has practiced—how can we abolish it!" The Prince said, "Yao, Shun, Tang, and Wu each acted according to their times by different paths, all extending utmost sincerity to respond to Heaven and accord with the people. I have never heard that the ends of Xia and Shang must imitate the abdications of Yao and Shun. If the young emperor had understanding, he would surely refuse; if he has none, for me to exalt myself while feigning modest refusal is what my heart has never condoned." He only changed the title to chief minister's office and returned the special rites of the nine gifts to the responsible offices.
24
宇文化及以左武衛將軍陳稜為江都太守，綜領留事。 壬申，令內外戒嚴，雲欲還長安。 皇后六宮皆依舊式為御宮，營前別立帳，化及視事其中，仗衛部伍，皆擬乘輿。 奪江都人舟楫，取彭城水路西歸。 以折衝郎將沈光驍勇，使將給使營於禁內。 行至顯福宮，虎賁郎將麥孟才、虎牙郎錢傑與光謀曰：「吾儕受先帝厚恩，今俯首事仇，受其驅帥，何面目視息世間哉！ 吾必欲殺之，死無所恨！」 光泣曰：「是所望於將軍也！」 孟才乃糾合恩舊，帥所將數千人，期以晨起將發時襲化及。 語洩，化及夜與腹心走出營外，留人告司馬德戡等，使討之。 光聞營內喧，知事覺，即襲化及營，空無所獲，值內史侍郎元敏，數而斬之。 德戡引兵入圍之，殺光，其麾下數百人皆斗死，一無降者，孟才亦死。 孟才，鐵杖之子也。
Yuwen Huaji appointed Left Martial Guard general Chen Ling Jiangdu prefect to oversee affairs left behind. On the day Renshen he ordered alert within and without, announcing a return to Chang'an. The empress and the six palaces were arranged in the imperial style. A separate tent was set before the camp where Huaji conducted business; guards and formations all imitated the imperial establishment. He seized boats from the people of Jiangdu and took the Pengcheng water route westward. Because Strike Force commandant Shen Guang was valiant, he had him lead the attendants-on-call encamped within the forbidden precinct. At Xianfu Palace, Tiger Guard commandant Mai Mengcai, Tiger Tusk commandant Qian Jie, and Guang plotted together. "We received great favor from the former emperor," they said. "Now we bow to the enemy and take their orders—what face have we to live on in this world! We must kill him—death will hold no regret!" Guang wept and said, "That is exactly what I have hoped for from you!" Mengcai gathered old comrades and led several thousand men, fixing dawn when the army was about to march as the moment to strike Huaji. The plan leaked. Huaji fled the camp at night with his intimates, sent word to Sima Dekan and the others, and had them suppress the plot. Hearing uproar in the camp, Guang realized the plot had leaked and at once struck at Huaji's camp. He found nothing there, but came upon Vice Director of the Secretariat Yuan Min, whom he rebuked and executed. Dekan marched in and surrounded them, killing Guang. Several hundred of his men fought to the last man without a single surrender, and Mengcai died as well. Mengcai was Tiezhang's son.
25
武康沈法興，世為郡著姓，宗族數千家。 法興為吳興太守，聞宇文化及弒逆，舉兵，以討化及為名。 比至烏程，得精卒六萬，遂攻餘杭、毘陵、丹楊，皆下之，據江表十郡。 自稱江南道大總管，承製置百官。
Shen Faxing of Wukang came from a locally prominent family whose clan numbered several thousand households over the generations. As Administrator of Wuxing, Faxing raised troops when he learned of Yuwen Huaji's regicide, naming his campaign the punitive expedition against Huaji. By the time he reached Wucheng he had sixty thousand picked troops. He then captured Yuhang, Piling, and Danyang in succession and controlled ten commanderies south of the Yangtze. He proclaimed himself Grand Commander of the Jiangnan Circuit and appointed a full bureaucracy as though by imperial mandate.
26
東國公竇抗，唐王之妃兄也。 煬帝使行長城於靈武； 聞唐王定關中，癸酉，帥靈武、鹽川等數郡來降。
Eastern State Duke Dou Kang was the elder brother of the Prince of Tang's wife. Emperor Yang had posted him to oversee Great Wall construction at Lingwu; When he heard that the Prince of Tang had consolidated Guanzhong, he submitted on the day Guiyou at the head of Lingwu, Yanchuan, and several other commanderies.
27
夏，四月，稽胡寇富平，將軍王師仁擊破之。 又五萬餘人寇宜春，相國府咨議參軍竇軌將兵討之，戰於黃欽山。 稽胡乘高縱火，官軍小卻； 軌斬其部將十四人，拔隊中小校代之，勒兵復戰。 軌自將數百騎居軍後，令之曰：「聞鼓聲有不進者，自後斬之！」 既而鼓之，將士爭先赴敵，稽胡射之不能止； 遂大破之，虜男女二萬口。
In the fourth month of summer, Ji raiders struck Fuping, but General Wang Shiren routed them. Another fifty thousand raided Yichun. Dou Gui, Advisory Staff Officer in the Chancellor's office, marched against them and gave battle at Mount Huangqin. The Ji took the high ground and lit fires, and the government forces gave ground. Gui executed fourteen subordinate officers, promoted squad leaders from the ranks to fill their posts, reformed the line, and attacked again. Gui took personal command of several hundred cavalry at the rear and declared: "When the drum sounds, anyone who fails to advance—I will cut him down from behind!" He beat the drum. Officers and men charged ahead of one another, and Ji archery could not halt them; He routed them completely and took twenty thousand captives, men and women.
28
世子建成等至東都，軍於芒華苑； 東都閉門不出，遣人招諭，不應。 李密出軍爭之，小戰，各引去。 城中多欲為內應者，趙公世民曰：「吾新定關中，根本未固，懸軍遠來，雖得東都，不能守也。」 遂不受。 戊寅，引軍還。 世民曰：「城中見吾退，必來追躡。」 乃設三伏於三王陵以待之； 段達果將萬餘人追之，遇伏而敗。 世民逐北，抵其城下，斬四千餘級。 遂置新安、宜陽二郡，使行軍總管史萬寶、盛彥師將兵鎮宜陽，呂紹宗、任瑰將兵鎮新安而還。
Heir Apparent Li Jiancheng and his forces reached the Eastern Capital and encamped at Manghua Park; The Eastern Capital kept its gates closed. Envoys were sent to summon the city to terms, but there was no answer. Li Mi marched out to oppose them. After a brief skirmish both sides withdrew. Many in the city were ready to open the gates from within, but Duke of Zhao Li Shimin said: "We have only just taken Guanzhong and our base is still unsettled. An army this far from home could not hold the Eastern Capital even if we took it." They therefore declined the offer. On the day Wuyin they withdrew. Li Shimin said: "Once they see us pull back, they are sure to pursue." He laid three ambushes at the Three Kings' Tombs. Duan Da duly pursued with more than ten thousand men, walked into the ambush, and was beaten. Li Shimin chased the routed army to the city walls and took more than four thousand heads. He then set up the commanderies of Xin'an and Yiyang, left Shi Wanbao and Sheng Yanshi to hold Yiyang and Lü Shaozong and Ren Gui to hold Xin'an, and marched home.
29
初，五原通守櫟陽張長遜以中原大亂，舉郡附突厥，突厥以為割利特勒。 郝瑗說薛舉，與梁師都及突厥連兵以取長安，舉從之。 時啟民可汗之子咄苾，號莫賀咄設，建牙直五原之北，舉遣使與莫賀咄設謀入寇，莫賀咄設許之。 唐王使都水監宇文歆賂莫賀咄設，且為陳利害，止其出兵，又說莫賀咄設遣張長遜入朝，以五原之地歸之中國，莫賀咄設並從之。 已卯，武都、宕渠、五原等郡皆降，王即以長遜為五原太守。 長遜又詐為詔書與莫賀咄設，示知其謀。 莫賀咄設乃拒舉、師都等，不納其使。
Previously, Zhang Changsun of Liyang, chief secretary of Wuyuan, had submitted his whole commandery to the Turks amid the chaos in the Central Plains; the Turks enfeoffed him as Jiali Tegin. Hao Yuan persuaded Xue Ju to ally with Liang Shidu and the Turks for a joint strike on Chang'an, and Ju agreed. Qibi, a son of Qimin Khan who styled himself Moheduo She, had pitched his camp just north of Wuyuan. Xue Ju sent envoys to arrange a joint raid, and Moheduo She consented. The Prince of Tang dispatched Yuwen Xin, Director of Waterworks, to bribe Moheduo She, spell out the stakes, and dissuade him from marching. Xin also persuaded Moheduo She to send Zhang Changsun to court and return Wuyuan to China—all of which Moheduo She accepted. On Jimao, Wudu, Dangqu, Wuyuan, and other commanderies submitted. The Prince of Tang immediately made Zhang Changsun administrator of Wuyuan. Zhang Changsun also forged an imperial edict addressed to Moheduo She to let him know their scheme had been exposed. Moheduo She then turned Xue Ju and Liang Shidu away and refused their envoys entry.
30
戊戌，世子建成等還長安。
On Wuxu, Heir Apparent Li Jiancheng and his forces returned to Chang'an.
31
東都號令不出四門，人無固志，朝議郎段世弘等謀應西師。 會西師已還，乃遣人招李密，期以己亥夜納之。 事覺，越王命王世充討誅之。 密聞城中已定，乃還。
Authority in the Eastern Capital barely extended beyond the city gates, morale was uncertain, and Court Gentleman for Consultation Duan Shihong and others plotted to cooperate with the western forces. By then the western army had already withdrawn, so they sent to Li Mi and set the night of Jihai for him to be let in. The conspiracy was discovered, and the Prince of Yue sent Wang Shichong to stamp it out. Learning that affairs in the city had been settled, Li Mi turned back.
32
宇文化及擁眾十餘萬，據有六宮，自奉養一如煬帝。 每於帳中南面坐，人有白事者，嘿然不對； 下牙，方取啟狀與唐奉義、牛方裕、薛世良、張愷等參決之。 以少主浩付尚書省，令衛士十餘人守之，遣令史取其畫敕，百官不復朝參。 至彭城，水路不通，復奪民車牛得二千兩，並載宮人珍寶； 其戈甲戎器，悉令軍士負之，道遠疲劇，軍士始怨。 司馬德戡竊謂趙行樞曰：「君大謬，誤我！ 當今撥亂，必藉英賢； 化及庸暗，群小在側，事將必敗，若之何？」 行樞曰：「在我等耳，廢之何難！」 初，化及既得政，賜司馬德戡爵溫國公，加光祿大夫； 以其專統驍果，心忌之。 後數日，化及署諸將分配士卒，以德戡為禮部尚書，外示美遷，實奪其兵柄。 德戡由是憤怨，所獲賞賜，皆以賂智及； 智及為之言，乃使之將後軍萬餘人以從。 於是德戡、行樞與諸將李本、尹正卿、宇文導師等謀以後軍襲殺化及，更立德戡為主； 遣人詣孟海公，結為外助； 遷延未發，待海公報。 許弘仁、張愷知之，以告化及。 化及遣宇文士及陽為遊獵，至後軍，德戡不知事露，出營迎謁，因執之。 化及讓之曰：「與公戮力共定海內，出於萬死。 今始事成，方願共守富貴，公又何反也？」 德戡曰：「本殺昏主，苦其淫虐； 推立足下，而又甚之； 逼於物情，不獲已也。」 化及縊殺之，並殺其支黨十餘人。 孟海公畏化及之強，帥眾具牛酒迎之。 李密據鞏洛以拒化及，化及不得西，引兵向東郡，東郡通守王軌以城降之。
Yuwen Huaji commanded a host of more than one hundred thousand, occupied the Six Palaces, and lived in the same imperial style as Emperor Yang. Each day he sat facing south in his tent; when subordinates came to report business, he would sit in silence and say nothing; only after leaving the audience tent did he take up petitions and discuss them with Tang Fengyi, Niu Fangyu, Xue Shiliang, Zhang Kai, and the rest. He kept the young Lord Hao at the Ministry of State under guard by a dozen warriors, had clerks fetch his signatures for edicts, and ended regular court audiences for the officials. At Pengcheng the waterways were impassable, so they seized civilian carts and oxen—two thousand teams in all—to carry palace women and treasure; while the soldiers were made to lug all the armor and weapons themselves. The long march exhausted them, and discontent spread through the ranks. Sima Dekan whispered to Zhao Xingshu: "You were grievously wrong—you misled me! To set the realm right in times like these, you need a man of real gifts; Huaji is dull and petty-minded, with sycophants at his elbow. This venture is doomed—what are we to do?" Xingshu said: "That is up to us. Deposing him would not be hard!" When Huaji first took power he had enfeoffed Dekan as Duke of Wen and promoted him to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness; but he resented Dekan's sole command over the crack troops. A few days later, as Huaji assigned generals to distribute the troops, he named Dekan Minister of Rites—a promotion in name that stripped him of real military power. Dekan, furious, funneled every reward he received to bribe Zhiji; Zhiji interceded for him, and Huaji allowed him to command the rear guard of more than ten thousand men. Dekan, Xingshu, and generals including Li Ben, Yin Zhengqing, and Yuwen Daoshi then plotted to use the rear guard to assassinate Huaji and install Dekan as leader; they sent envoys to Meng Haigong to secure outside aid; and held back, waiting for Haigong's answer. Xu Hongren and Zhang Kai found out and told Huaji. Huaji sent Yuwen Shiji on a feigned hunting outing to the rear guard. Dekan, unaware the plot had leaked, came out to greet him and was arrested. Huaji upbraided him: "You and I risked death together to seize the empire. We have only just succeeded, and I meant for us to share riches and power—why turn against me now?" Dekan said: "We killed the tyrant because we could not bear his excesses; we put you in power, and you have been worse; driven by the way things stand, I had no choice." Huaji had him strangled and executed more than a dozen of his accomplices. Meng Haigong, intimidated by Huaji's power, marched out with oxen and wine to welcome him. Li Mi held the Gong-Luo line against Huaji, blocking his westward advance. Huaji turned toward Dong Commandery, where Chief Secretary Wang Gui surrendered the city.
33
辛丑，李密將井陘王君廓帥眾來降。 君廓本群盜，有眾數千人，與賊帥韋寶、鄧豹合軍虞鄉，唐王與李密俱遣使招之。 寶、豹欲從唐王，君廓偽與之同，乘其無備，襲擊，破之，奪其輜重，奔李密； 密不禮之，復來降，拜上柱國，假河內太守。
On Xinchou, Wang Junkuo, Li Mi's general and Prince of Jingxing, submitted with his followers. Junkuo had begun as a bandit chief with several thousand men and had joined Wei Bao and Deng Bao at Yuxiang. Both the Prince of Tang and Li Mi sent envoys to win him over. Wei Bao and Deng Bao favored the Prince of Tang, but Junkuo feigned agreement, struck when they were unprepared, routed them, seized their baggage, and fled to Li Mi; Li Mi snubbed him, so he submitted again and was made Senior Pillar of State and acting Administrator of Henei.
34
蕭銑即皇帝位，置百官，准梁室故事。 謚其從父琮為孝靖皇帝，祖巖為河間忠烈王，父璿為文憲王，封董景珍等功臣七人皆為王。 遣宋王楊道生擊南郡，下之，徒都江陵，修復園廟。 引岑文本為中書侍郎，使典文翰，委以機密。 又使魯王張繡徇嶺南，隋將張鎮周、王仁壽等拒之； 既而聞煬帝遇弒，皆降於銑。 欽州刺史寧長真亦以鬱林、始安之地附於銑。 漢陽太守馮盎以蒼梧、高涼、珠崖、番禺之地附於林士弘。 銑、士弘各遣人招交趾太守丘和，和不從。 銑遣寧長真帥嶺南兵自海道攻和，和欲出迎之，司法書佐高士廉說和曰：「長真兵數雖多，懸軍遠至，不能持久，城中勝兵足以當之，奈何望風受制於人！」 和從之，以士廉為軍司馬，將水陸諸軍逆擊，破之，長真僅以身免，盡俘其眾。 既而有驍果自江都至，得煬帝凶問，亦以郡附於銑。 士廉，勱之子也。
Xiao Xian took the throne, installed a full bureaucracy, and modeled his court on the Liang dynasty. He posthumously honored his father's younger brother Cong as Emperor Xiaojing, his grandfather Yan as Loyal and Fierce Prince of Hejian, his father Xuan as Prince Wenxian, and enfeoffed seven merit-holders including Dong Jingzhen as kings. He sent Prince of Song Yang Daosheng against Nan Commandery, captured it, moved the capital to Jiangling, and restored the imperial gardens and ancestral temples. He brought in Cen Wenben as Vice Director of the Secretariat to manage official documents and entrusted him with state secrets. He also sent Prince of Lu Zhang Xiu into Lingnan, where Sui generals Zhang Zhenzhou and Wang Renshou held them off. When they later heard that Emperor Yang had been murdered, they all submitted to Xiao Xian. Ning Changzhen, prefect of Qinzhou, also attached the Yulin and Shian territories to Xiao Xian. Feng Ang, administrator of Hanyang, submitted Cangwu, Gaoliang, Zhuya, and Panyu to Lin Shihong. Xiao Xian and Lin Shihong each sent envoys to win over Qiu He, administrator of Jiaozhi, but He refused both. Xiao Xian sent Ning Changzhen with Lingnan troops by sea against Qiu He, who intended to go out and receive them. Gao Shilian, a judicial secretary, urged him: "Changzhen may have many men, but an army this far from home cannot keep it up. Our able fighters in the city are enough to meet them—why surrender at the first wind?" He agreed, made Gao Shilian his army marshal, and led land and river forces in a counterattack. Changzhen barely escaped; his entire force was taken prisoner. Later, crack troops from Jiangdu arrived, heard news of Emperor Yang's murder, and also submitted the commandery to Xiao Xian. Gao Shilian was the son of Gao Li.
35
始安郡丞李襲志，遷哲之孫也，隋末，散家財，募士得三千人，以保郡城； 蕭銑、林士弘、曹武徹迭來攻之，皆不克。 聞煬帝遇弒，帥吏民臨三日。 或說襲志曰：「公中州貴族，久臨鄙郡，華、夷悅服。 今隋室無主，海內鼎沸，以公威惠，號令嶺表，尉佗之業可坐致也。」 襲志怒曰：「吾世繼忠貞，今江都雖覆，宗社尚存，尉佗狂僭，何足慕也！」 欲斬說者，眾乃不敢言。 堅守二年，外無聲援，城陷，為銑所虜，銑以為工部尚書，檢校桂州總管。 於是東自九江，西抵三峽，南盡交趾，北距漢川，銑皆有之，勝兵四十餘萬。
Li Xizhi, assistant prefect of Shian, was a grandson of Qianzhe. At the end of the Sui he spent his family fortune to raise three thousand men and hold the commandery seat. Xiao Xian, Lin Shihong, and Cao Wuche attacked him in turn and failed to take the city. When he learned that Emperor Yang had been murdered, he led officials and commoners in three days of mourning. Someone urged Xizhi: "You are a Central Plains aristocrat who has long governed this outlying commandery. Chinese and indigenous peoples alike respect you. The Sui is headless and the empire boils with unrest. With your authority and goodwill you could rule all of Lingnan and replicate Zhao Tuo's kingdom almost without lifting a finger." Xizhi raged: "My house has served in loyalty for generations. Jiangdu may have fallen, but the dynasty endures. Zhao Tuo was a reckless usurper—what is there to envy!" He nearly had the man executed, and no one dared raise the subject again. He held out for two years without outside aid until the city fell. Xiao Xian took him captive, made him Minister of Public Works, and put him in charge as acting Grand Commander of Guizhou. Xiao Xian now controlled everything from Jiujiang in the east to the Three Gorges in the west, from Jiaozhi in the south to the Han River frontier in the north—more than four hundred thousand fighting men.
36
煬帝凶問至長安，唐王哭之慟，曰：「吾北面事人，失道不能救，敢忘哀乎！」
When word of Emperor Yang's death reached Chang'an, the Prince of Tang wept bitterly and said: "I served him as a subject and could not save him when the realm went astray—how can I fail to mourn?"
37
五月，山南撫慰使馬元規擊朱粲於冠軍，破之。
In the fifth month, Shannan Pacification Commissioner Ma Yuangui defeated Zhu Can at Guanjun.
38
王德仁既殺房彥澡，李密遣徐世勣討之。 德仁兵敗，甲寅，與武安通守袁子幹皆來降，詔以德仁為鄴郡太守。
After Wang Deren killed Fang Yanzao, Li Mi sent Xu Shiji against him. Deren was defeated. On Jiayin he and Yuan Zigan, chief secretary of Wu'an, submitted together; Deren was appointed administrator of Ye Commandery.
39
戊午，隋恭帝禪位於唐，遜居代邸。 甲子，唐王即皇帝位於太極殿，遣刑部尚書蕭造告天於南郊，大赦，改元。 罷郡，置州，以太守為剌史。 推五運為土德，色尚黃。
On Wuwu, Emperor Gong of Sui abdicated to the Tang and withdrew to the residence at Dai. On Jiazi, the Prince of Tang took the throne in the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, dispatched Minister of Punishments Xiao Zao to report to Heaven at the Southern Suburbs, proclaimed a general amnesty, and adopted a new reign title. The government abolished commanderies in favor of prefectures and renamed grand administrators as prefects. The court identified the dynasty with the Earth phase of the Five Movements and adopted yellow as the imperial color.
40
隋煬帝凶問至東都，戊辰，留守官奉越王即皇帝位，大赦，改元皇泰。 是日於朝堂宣旨，以時鐘金革，公私皆即日大祥。 追謚大行曰明皇帝，廟號世祖； 追尊元德太子曰成皇帝，廟號世宗。 尊母劉良娣為皇太后。 以段達為納言、陳國公，王世充為納言、鄭國公，元文都為內史令、魯國公，皇甫無逸為兵部尚書、杞國公，又以盧楚為內史令，郭文懿為內史侍郎，趙長文為黃門侍郎，共掌朝政，時人號「七貴」。 皇泰主眉目如畫，溫厚仁愛，風格儼然。
After word of Emperor Yang of Sui's death reached the Eastern Capital, on Wuchen the garrison officials enthroned the Prince of Yue, proclaimed a general amnesty, and declared the reign era Huangtai. That day an edict was read in the audience hall declaring that, with war upon them, public and private mourning alike would enter the full mourning period immediately. The deceased sovereign was posthumously honored as Emperor Ming, temple name Shizu; The Yuande Crown Prince was posthumously elevated to Emperor Cheng, temple name Shizong. He honored his mother, Lady Liu Liangdi, as Empress Dowager. Duan Da was appointed Chief Counselor and Duke of Chen; Wang Shichong Chief Counselor and Duke of Zheng; Yuan Wendu Director of the Secretariat and Duke of Lu; Huangfu Wuyi Minister of War and Duke of Qi; Lu Chu also became Director of the Secretariat; Guo Wenyi Vice Director of the Secretariat; and Zhao Changwen Vice Director of the Chancellery. These seven jointly ran the government, and contemporaries dubbed them the "Seven Worthies." The Huangtai sovereign had features fine as a painted portrait—gentle, kind, and gracious, with a naturally dignified air.
41
辛未，突厥始畢可汗遣骨咄祿特勒來，宴之於太極殿，奏九部樂。 時中國人避亂者多入突厥，突厥強盛，東自契丹、室韋，西盡吐谷渾、高昌，諸國皆臣之，控弦百餘萬。 帝以初起資其兵馬，前後餉遺，不可勝紀。 突厥恃功驕倨，每遣使者至長安，多暴橫，帝優容之。
On Xinwei, Shibi Khan of the Turks sent Gudulu the Tegin, who was entertained in the Hall of Supreme Ultimate while the nine-part court music was played. Many Chinese refugees fleeing the chaos had by then fled into Turkic territory. The Turks were at their height: from the Khitan and Shiwei in the east to Tuyuhun and Gaochang in the west, neighboring states acknowledged their supremacy, and they commanded more than a million mounted archers. Li Yuan had depended on Turkic horses and soldiers in his first campaigns, and the gifts of tribute sent before and since were beyond reckoning. Emboldened by their services, the Turks grew haughty; their envoys to Chang'an were often brutal and overbearing, yet Li Yuan treated them with forbearance.
42
壬申，命裴寂、劉文靜等修定律令。 置國子、太學、四門生，合三百餘員，郡縣學亦各置生員。
On Renshen, Li Yuan ordered Pei Ji, Liu Wenjing, and others to compile and revise the laws and statutes. The court enrolled more than three hundred students across the Directorate, Imperial University, and Four Gates schools, and commandery and county schools likewise received their own student quotas.
43
六月，甲戌朔，以趙公世民為尚書令，黃台公瑗為刑部侍郎，相國府長史裴寂為右僕射、知政事，司馬劉文靜為納言，司錄竇威為內史令，李綱為禮部尚書、參掌選事，掾殷開山為吏部侍郎，屬趙慈景為兵部侍郎，韋義節為禮部侍郎，主簿陳叔達、博陵崔民幹並為黃門侍郎，唐儉為內史侍郎，錄事參軍裴晞為尚書右丞； 以隋民部尚書蕭瑀為內史令，禮部尚書竇璡為戶部尚書，蔣公屈突通為兵部尚書，長安令獨孤懷恩為工部尚書。 瑗，上之從子； 懷恩，舅子也。
In the sixth month, on the first day Jiaxu, Li Shimin, Duke of Zhao, was named Director of the Department of State Affairs; Yuan, Duke of Huangtai, Vice Minister of Punishments; Pei Ji, chief secretary of the chancellor's office, Right Vice Director with charge of government affairs; Liu Wenjing, Chief Counselor; Dou Wei, Director of the Secretariat; Li Gang, Minister of Rites with responsibility for appointments; Yin Kaishan, Vice Minister of Personnel; Zhao Cijing, Vice Minister of War; Wei Yijie, Vice Minister of Rites; Chen Shuda and Cui Mingan of Boling, both Vice Directors of the Chancellery; Tang Jian, Vice Director of the Secretariat; and Pei Xi, Right Assistant Director of the Department of State Affairs; Xiao Yu, former Sui Minister of the People, became Director of the Secretariat; Dou Jin moved from Minister of Rites to Minister of Revenue; Qu Tu Tong, Duke of Jiang, was made Minister of War; and Dugu Huai'en, magistrate of Chang'an, Minister of Works. Yuan was Li Yuan's nephew, a son of his elder brother. Huai'en was a nephew through Li Yuan's wife's family.
44
上待裴寂特厚，群臣無與為比，賞賜服玩，不可勝紀； 命尚書奉御日以御膳賜寂，視朝必引與同坐，入閣則延之臥內； 言無不從，稱為裴監而不名。 委蕭瑀以庶政，事無大小，莫不關掌。 瑀亦孜孜盡力，繩違舉過，人皆憚之，毀之者眾，終不自理。 上嘗有敕而內史不時宣行，上責其遲，瑀對曰：「大業之世，內史宣敕，或前後相違，有司不知所從，其易在前，其難在後； 臣在省日久，備見其事。 今王業經始，事系安危，遠方有疑，恐失機會，故臣每受一敕必勘審，使與前敕不違，始敢宣行； 稽緩之愆，實由於此。」 上曰：「卿用心如是，吾復何憂！」
Li Yuan favored Pei Ji above all other ministers; the gifts of robes and luxuries lavished on him were beyond counting; He had the palace kitchen send Pei Ji the imperial table daily, always seated him at his side during audiences, and when retiring to the inner quarters welcomed him into his sleeping chamber; Pei Ji's word was law, and the Emperor addressed him as Supervisor Pei rather than by name. Li Yuan entrusted day-to-day administration to Xiao Yu, who handled affairs large and small alike. Xiao Yu worked tirelessly, enforcing discipline and exposing misconduct; officials feared him, slander against him was widespread, yet he never once pleaded his own case. Once Li Yuan issued an edict that the Secretariat failed to promulgate promptly, and he rebuked them for the delay. Xiao Yu answered, "Under the Daye reign, edicts from the Secretariat often contradicted one another, leaving officials unsure which to obey—the first was easy to issue, the later ones hard to reconcile; I have served in the Secretariat for many years and witnessed this myself. Now that the dynasty is newly founded and every order touches on survival, any inconsistency could breed doubt in distant provinces and cost us our moment—so I review each edict against earlier ones and only promulgate it when they align; That is the true reason for the delay." Li Yuan said, "If you attend to matters with such care, what have I to fear!"
45
初，帝遣馬元規慰撫山南，南陽郡丞河東呂子臧獨據郡不從； 元規遣使數輩諭之，皆為子臧所殺。 及煬帝遇弒，子臧發喪成禮，然後請降； 拜鄧州刺史，封南郡公。
Earlier Li Yuan had dispatched Ma Yuangui to pacify the lands south of the mountains, but Lu Zicang of Hedong, deputy magistrate of Nanyang commandery, held the district alone and refused to submit; Ma Yuangui sent envoy after envoy to reason with him, and Lu Zicang killed them all. After Emperor Yang was murdered, Lu Zicang properly observed the mourning rites and only then offered to surrender; He was appointed prefect of Dengzhou and created Duke of Nanyang.
46
廢大業律令，頒新格。
The court abolished the Daye-era laws and issued a new legal code.
47
上每視事，自稱名，引貴臣同榻而坐。 劉文靜諫曰：「昔王導有言：『若太陽俯同萬物，使群生何以仰照！』 今貴賤失位，非常久之道。」 上曰：「昔漢光武與嚴子陵共寢，子陵加足於帝腹。 今諸公皆名德舊齒，平生親友，宿昔之歡，何可忘也。 公勿以為嫌！」
Whenever Li Yuan held court, he addressed himself by his personal name and had senior ministers share his couch. Liu Wenjing admonished him: "Wang Dao once said, 'If the sun lowers itself to the level of every creature, what will the people have to look up to! High and low have lost their proper stations—such a practice cannot last." Li Yuan replied, "Emperor Guangwu of Han once shared a bed with Yan Ziling, who even rested his foot on the emperor's stomach. These men are all old friends of honored name and long standing—how can I forget the companionship of earlier days? Do not take it amiss!"
48
戊寅，隋安陽令呂鈱以相州來降，以為相州刺史。
On Wuyin, Lu Yin, former Sui magistrate of Anyang, surrendered Xiangzhou and was appointed its prefect.
49
己卯，祔四親廟主。 追尊皇高祖瀛州府君曰宣簡公； 皇曾祖司空曰懿王； 皇祖景王曰景皇帝，廟號太祖，祖妣曰景烈皇后； 皇考元王曰元皇帝，廟號世祖，妣獨孤氏曰元貞皇后； 追謚妃竇氏曰穆皇后。 每歲祀昊天上帝、皇地示氏、神州地示氏，以景帝配，感生帝、明堂，以元帝配。 庚辰，立世子建成為皇太子，趙公世民為秦王，齊公元吉為齊王，宗室黃瓜公白駒為平原王，蜀公孝基為永安王，柱國道玄為淮陽王，長平公叔良為長平王，鄭公神通為永康王，安吉公神符為襄邑王，柱國德良為新興王，上柱國博叉為隴西王，上柱國奉慈為勃海王。 孝基、叔良、神符、德良，帝之從父弟； 博叉、奉慈，弟子； 道玄，從父兄子也。
On Jimao, the spirit tablets of the four immediate ancestors were installed in the ancestral temple. Li Yuan's great-great-grandfather, Lord of Yingzhou, was posthumously titled Duke Xuanjian; His great-grandfather, former Grand Minister of Works, was honored as Prince Yi; His grandfather Prince Jing was posthumously elevated to Emperor Jing, temple name Taizu, and his grandmother to Empress Jinglie; His father Prince Yuan became Emperor Yuan, temple name Shizu, and his mother of the Dugu clan was honored as Empress Yuanzhen; Consort Dou was posthumously honored as Empress Mu. In the annual rites to August Heaven, August Earth, and the Divine Land, Emperor Jing served as the paired ancestor; at the Hall of Enlightenment rites to the Lord of Life-Generation, Emperor Yuan was the paired ancestor. On Gengchen, Li Jiancheng was installed as Crown Prince; Li Shimin, Duke of Zhao, was created Prince of Qin; Li Yuanji, Duke of Qi, Prince of Qi; the clansman Bai Ju, Duke of Huang-gua, Prince of Pingyuan; Xiaoji, Duke of Shu, Prince of Yong'an; Daoxuan, Prince of Huaiyang; Shuliang, Duke of Changping, Prince of Changping; Shentong, Duke of Zheng, Prince of Yongkang; Shenfu, Duke of Anji, Prince of Xiangyi; Deliang, Prince of Xingxing; Bocha, Prince of Longxi; and Fengci, Prince of Bohai. Xiaoji, Shuliang, Shenfu, and Deliang were Li Yuan's younger male cousins; Bocha and Fengci were sons of Li Yuan's younger brothers; Daoxuan was the son of an elder male cousin on Li Yuan's father's side.
50
癸未，薛舉寇涇州。 以秦王世民為元帥，將八總管兵以拒之。
On Guiwei, Xue Ju invaded Jingzhou. Li Shimin, Prince of Qin, was appointed supreme commander and led the forces of eight area commanders to oppose him.
51
遣太僕卿宇文明達招慰山東，以永安王孝基為陝州總管。 時天下未定，凡邊要之州，皆置總管府，以統數州之兵。
Li Yuan dispatched Grandee of Splendid Happiness Yu Wenmingda to win over the Shandong region and appointed Prince of Yong'an Xiaoji area commander of Shanzhou. With the empire still unsettled, strategically important frontier prefectures each received an area commander's headquarters to oversee the military forces of several prefectures.
52
乙酉，奉隋帝為酅國公。 詔曰：「近世以來，時運遷革，前代親族，莫不誅夷。 興亡之效，豈伊人力！ 其隋蔡王智積等子孫，並付所司，量才選用。」
On Yiyou, the former Sui emperor was enfeoffed as Duke of Xi. An edict declared: "In recent ages, as fortune turned and dynasties fell, the royal kin of each outgoing house were slaughtered without exception. The rise and fall of states—surely that is not merely a matter of human will! Let the descendants of Sui's Prince of Cai, Zhiji, and others be referred to the proper offices and appointed according to their abilities."
53
東都聞宇文化及西來，上下震懼。 有蓋琮者，上疏請說李密與之合勢拒化及。 元文都謂盧楚等曰：「今仇恥未雪而兵力不足，若赦密罪使擊化及，兩賊自鬥，吾徐承其弊。 化及既破，密兵亦疲； 又其將士利吾官賞，易可離間，並密亦可擒也。」 楚等皆以為然，即以琮為通直散騎常侍，繼敕書賜密。
When word reached the Eastern Capital that Yu Wenji was marching west, the court and the city were gripped with terror. A man named Gai Cong submitted a memorial urging that Li Mi be enlisted to combine forces against Yu Wenji. Yuan Wendu told Lu Chu and the others, "Our humiliation is still unavenged and our forces are too weak; if we pardon Li Mi and set him against Yu Wenji, the two enemies will tear at each other while we wait to profit from their exhaustion. Once Yu Wenji is defeated, Li Mi's army will be spent as well; and his officers, lured by our offices and rewards, can readily be turned against him—so Li Mi himself may be taken too." Lu Chu and the rest agreed, appointed Gai Cong Regular Attendant of Direct Communication and Cavalry, and dispatched an imperial letter granting Li Mi his commission.
54
丙申，隋信都郡丞東萊麴稜來降，拜冀州刺史。
On Bingshen, Qu Ling of Donglai, deputy magistrate of Sui's Xindu commandery, surrendered and was appointed prefect of Jizhou.
55
丁酉，萬年縣法曹武城孫伏伽上表，以為：「隋以惡聞其過亡天下。 陛下龍飛晉陽，遠近響應，未期年而登帝位； 徒知得之之易，不知隋失之之不難也。 臣謂宜易其覆轍，務盡下情。 凡人君言動，不可不慎。 竊見陛下今日即位而明日有獻鷂雛者，此乃少年之事，豈聖主所須哉！ 又，百戲散樂，亡國淫聲。 近太常於民間借婦女裙襦五百餘襲以充妓衣，擬五月五日玄武門遊戲，此亦非所以為子孫法也。 凡如此類，悉宜廢罷。 善惡之習，朝夕漸染，易以移人。 皇太子、諸王參僚左右，宜謹擇其人； 其有門風不能雍睦，為人素無行義，專好奢靡，以聲色遊獵為事者，皆不可使之親近也。 自古及今，骨肉乖離，以至敗國亡家，未有不因左右離間而然也。 願陛下慎之。」 上省表大悅，下詔褒稱，擢為治書侍御史，賜帛三百匹，仍頒示遠近。
On Dingyou, Sun Fuga of Wucheng, legal officer of Wannian county, submitted a memorial arguing that Sui lost the realm because it refused to hear criticism of its failings. Your Majesty rose at Jinyang to widespread acclaim and took the throne in less than a year; you see only how swiftly the throne was won, not how easily Sui lost it. I urge you to avoid Sui's fatal course and make every effort to understand the people's grievances. A sovereign's every word and deed must be weighed with care. I note that the day after your enthronement someone presented a fledgling hawk—a boy's amusement; what need has a sage ruler of such trifles! Again, variety shows and loose music are the licentious sounds that ruin kingdoms. Recently the Court of Imperial Sacrifices borrowed more than five hundred women's jackets and skirts from common households to dress performers for Fifth-of-Fifth festivities at the Xuanwu Gate—hardly an example to set for future generations. All such practices should be abolished at once. Good and bad habits seep in day by day and can swiftly change a man's character. The Crown Prince and the other princes should have their attendants and advisers chosen with the greatest care; anyone from a disorderly household, lacking in moral conduct, devoted to luxury, or given over to pleasure, music, and hunting must be kept far from them. From ancient times to the present, estrangement among kin that brought down houses and kingdoms has always begun with whispering by those at one's elbow. I beg Your Majesty to guard against this." "Li Yuan read the memorial with great delight, issued an edict commending it, promoted Sun Fuga to Attendant Imperial Censor, granted him three hundred bolts of silk, and had the edict published throughout the realm.
56
辛丑，內史令延安靖公竇威薨。 以將作大匠竇抗兼納言，黃門侍郎陳叔達判納言。
On Xinchou, Dou Wei, Director of the Secretariat and Duke Jing of Yan'an, passed away. Dou Kang, Master of Palace Construction, was additionally appointed Chief Counselor, and Chen Shuda, Vice Director of the Chancellery, was assigned to serve concurrently as Chief Counselor.
57
宇文化及留輜重於滑台，以王軌為刑部尚書，使守之，引兵北趣黎陽。 李密將徐世勣據黎陽，畏其軍鋒，以兵西保倉城。 化及渡河，保黎陽，分兵圍世勣。 密帥步騎二萬，壁於清淇，與世勣以烽火相應，深溝高壘，不與化及戰。 化及每攻倉城，密輒引兵以掎其後。 密與化及隔水而語，密數之曰：「卿本匈奴皁隸破野頭耳，父兄子弟，並受隋恩，富貴累世，舉朝莫二。 主上失德，不能死諫，反行弒逆，欲規篡奪。 不追諸葛瞻之忠誠，乃為霍禹之惡逆，天地所不容，將欲何之！ 若速來歸我，尚可得全後嗣。」 化及默然，俯視良久，瞋目大言曰：「與爾論相殺事，何須作書語邪！」 密謂從者曰：「化及庸愚如此，忽欲圖為帝王，吾當折杖驅之耳！」 化及盛修攻具以逼倉城，世勣於城外掘深溝以固守，化及阻塹，不得至城下。 世勣於塹中為地道，出兵擊之，化及大敗，焚其攻具。
Yu Wenji left his supply train at Huatai under Wang Gui, whom he appointed Minister of Punishments to guard it, and marched north toward Liyang. Li Mi's general Xu Shiji held Liyang but, fearing Yu Wenji's advance, withdrew west to fortify Cangcheng. Yu Wenji crossed the river, occupied Liyang, and sent detachments to besiege Xu Shiji. Li Mi led twenty thousand foot and horse soldiers to encamp at Qingqi, coordinating with Xu Shiji by beacon fire; they dug deep trenches and raised high walls and refused to engage Yu Wenji. Each time Yu Wenji assaulted Cangcheng, Li Mi sallied to hit his rear. Li Mi and Yu Wenji shouted across the water. Li Mi denounced him: "You were nothing but a bondservant of Xiongnu stock from Poyetu; your fathers, brothers, and sons all enjoyed Sui's favor, heaped with wealth and rank for generations—second to none at court. When the emperor lost his way, you did not die remonstrating—you murdered him and plotted usurpation. You did not emulate Zhuge Zhan's loyalty but played the traitor like Huo Yu—Heaven and Earth will not abide you; where do you imagine you can go! Surrender to me at once, and your line may yet be spared." Yu Wenji fell silent, stared downward a long moment, then glared and roared, "We are here to kill each other—why waste breath on pedantry!" Li Mi told his followers, "Yu Wenji is this dull and stupid, yet he dreams of becoming emperor—I could drive him off with a broken staff!" Yu Wenji built up his siege equipment to press Cangcheng, but Xu Shiji dug deep trenches outside the walls to hold his ground; blocked by the ditches, Yu Wenji could not reach the city wall. Xu Shiji dug tunnels beneath the trenches, sortied to strike Yu Wenji's camp, and routed him so thoroughly that Yu Wenji was forced to burn his siege equipment.
58
時密與東都相持日久，又東拒化及，常畏東都議其後。 見蓋琮至，大喜，遂上表乞降，請討滅化及以贖罪，送所獲凶黨雄武郎將於洪建，遣元帥府記室參軍李儉、上開府徐師譽等入見。 皇泰主命戮洪建於左掖門外，如斛斯政之法。 元文都等以密降為誠實，盛飾賓館於宣仁門東。 皇泰主引見儉等，以儉為司農卿，師譽為尚書右丞，使具導從，列鐃吹，還館，玉帛酒饌，中使相望。 冊拜密太尉、尚書令、東南道大行台行軍元帥、魏國公，令先平化及，然後入朝輔政。 以徐世勣為右武候大將軍。 仍下詔稱密忠款，且曰：「其用兵機略，一稟魏公節度。」
Li Mi had long been deadlocked with the Eastern Capital while also blocking Yu Wenji to the east, and he constantly feared that Luoyang might strike at his rear. When Gai Cong arrived, Li Mi was overjoyed. He submitted a memorial offering surrender, asked to be allowed to destroy Yu Wenji and thereby redeem his crimes, sent the captured rebel Xiongwu Commandant Yu Hongjian as proof, and dispatched his marshal's staff recorder Li Jian, Upper Gate Officer Xu Shizhao, and others to court. The Huangtai sovereign ordered Yu Hongjian executed outside the Left Flank Gate, in the same manner as Husizheng had been put to death. Yuan Wendu and his faction took Li Mi's surrender at face value and lavishly furnished a guest lodge east of Xuanren Gate. The Huangtai sovereign received Li Jian and his party in audience, named Li Jian Minister of Agriculture and Xu Shizhao Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and sent them back to the lodge with full escort, gongs, and horns while palace envoys arrived in steady succession bearing jade, silk, wine, and feast provisions. Li Mi was formally invested as Grand Commandant, Director of the Department of State Affairs, campaign marshal of the Southeast Circuit Grand Commandery, and Duke of Wei, with orders to subdue Yu Wenji first and only then come to court to assist in government. Xu Shiji was appointed Right Martial Guard Grand General. An edict was also issued praising Li Mi's loyalty and sincerity, declaring, "In all military strategy and tactics, command shall rest entirely with the Duke of Wei."
59
元文都等喜於和解，謂天下可定，於上東門置酒作樂，自段達已下皆起舞。 王世充作色謂起居侍郎崔長文曰：「朝廷官爵，乃以與賊，其志欲何為邪！」 文都等亦疑世充欲以城應化及，由是有隙，然猶外相彌縫，陽為親善。
Yuan Wendu and his allies rejoiced at the peace with Li Mi and believed the realm was as good as settled. They held a feast with music at Upper East Gate, and from Duan Da on down everyone danced. Wang Shichong's face darkened as he told Attendant Gentleman of the Palace Secretariat Cui Changwen, "The court is handing offices and titles to a rebel—what do they imagine they are doing!" Yuan Wendu and his circle also suspected that Wang Shichong meant to hand the city over to Yu Wenji. From that point a breach opened between them, though outwardly they still patched matters over and feigned goodwill.
60
秋，七月，皇泰主遣大理卿張權、鴻臚卿崔善福賜李密書曰：「今日以前，鹹共刷蕩； 使至以後，彼此通懷。 七政之重，佇公匡弼； 九伐之利，委公指揮。」 權等既至，密北面拜受詔書。 既無西慮，悉以精兵東擊化及。 密知化及軍糧且盡，因偽與和； 化及大喜，恣其兵食，冀密饋之。 會密下有人獲罪，亡抵化及，具言其情，化及大怒； 其食又盡，乃渡永濟渠，與密戰於童山之下，自辰達酉； 密為流矢所中，墮馬悶絕，左右奔散。 追兵且至，唯秦叔寶獨捍衛之，密由是獲免。 叔寶復收兵與之力戰，化及乃退。 化及入汲郡求軍糧，又遣使拷掠東郡吏民以責米粟。 王軌等不堪其弊，遣通事舍人許敬宗詣密請降； 密以軌為滑州總管，以敬宗為元帥府記室，與魏徵共掌文翰。 敬宗，善心之子也。 房公蘇威在東郡，隨眾降密，密以其隋氏大臣，虛心禮之。 威見密，初不言帝室艱危，唯再三舞蹈，稱「不圖今日復睹聖明！」 時人鄙之。 化及聞王軌叛，大懼，自汲郡引兵欲取以北諸郡，其將陳智略帥嶺南驍果萬餘人，樊文超帥江淮排，張童兒帥江東驍果數千人，皆降於密。 文超，子蓋之子也。 化及猶有眾二萬，北趣魏縣； 密知其無能為，西還鞏洛，留徐世勣以備之。
In autumn, the seventh month, the Huangtai sovereign sent Director of the Court of Judicial Review Zhang Quan and Director of Ceremonies Cui Shanfu to deliver a letter to Li Mi that read, "Before today we have all alike swept away evil together; from the moment your envoys arrive, let us open our hearts to one another. The weight of state governance awaits your steadying hand; the power of punitive campaigns is entrusted entirely to your command." When Zhang Quan and his party arrived, Li Mi turned north, bowed, and received the imperial letter. With no further worry about his western flank, he committed all his best troops to an eastern campaign against Yu Wenji. Li Mi knew Yu Wenji's army was running out of grain and therefore pretended to negotiate peace; Yu Wenji was delighted, let his men eat freely, and hoped Li Mi would feed his army. Just then a man under Li Mi who had been punished fled to Yu Wenji and told him the whole scheme; Yu Wenji flew into a rage; his provisions were again exhausted, so he crossed the Yongji Canal and fought Li Mi below Mount Tong from morning until evening; Li Mi was struck by a stray arrow, fell from his horse unconscious, and his attendants scattered. Pursuers were closing in, but Qin Shubao alone held them off, and Li Mi escaped with his life. Qin Shubao rallied his men and fought on until Yu Wenji finally withdrew. Yu Wenji entered Ji Commandery in search of army grain and sent envoys to torture and plunder the officials and people of Dong Commandery to extort rice and millet. Wang Gui and his men could no longer endure the abuse and sent Palace Secretariat Attendant Xu Jingzong to Li Mi to offer surrender; Li Mi appointed Wang Gui overall commander of Huazhou and Xu Jingzong staff recorder of his marshal's headquarters, where Xu Jingzong shared charge of documents with Wei Zheng. Xu Jingzong was the son of Xu Shanxin. Lord Fang Su Wei was in Dong Commandery and surrendered to Li Mi along with the rest. Because he was a senior minister of the Sui house, Li Mi received him with marked respect. When Su Wei met Li Mi, he said nothing at first about the peril facing the imperial house; he only bowed again and again, exclaiming, "I never dreamed I would again behold such sagely brilliance today!" Contemporaries held him in contempt. When Yu Wenji learned that Wang Gui had defected, he was terrified. He marched out of Ji Commandery intending to seize the commanderies north of the Yellow River, but his generals Chen Zhilue with more than ten thousand Lingnan shock troops, Fan Wenchao with Jianghuai pike corps, and Zhang Tong'er with several thousand Jiangdong shock troops all surrendered to Li Mi. Fan Wenchao was the son of Fan Zigai. Yu Wenji still had twenty thousand men and marched north toward Wei County; Li Mi knew Yu Wenji was finished, withdrew west to the Gong-Luoyang region, and left Xu Shiji to keep watch on him.
61
乙巳，宣州刺史周超擊朱粲，敗之。
On Yisi, Xu Prefecture Inspector Zhou Chao attacked Zhu Can and routed him.
62
丁未，梁師都寇靈州，驃騎將軍藺興粲擊破之。
On Dingwei, Liang Shidu raided Lingzhou and was beaten back by Flying Cavalry General Lin Xingcan.
63
突厥闕可汗遣使內附。 初，闕可汗附於李軌； 隋西戎使者曹瓊據甘州誘之，乃更附瓊，與之拒軌； 為軌所敗，竄於達斗拔谷，與吐谷渾相表裡，至是內附，上厚加慰撫。 尋為李軌所滅。
Que Khan of the Turks sent envoys to offer submission to the Tang court. At first Que Khan had allied himself with Li Gui; then the Sui Western Regions envoy Cao Qiong, who held Ganzhou, lured him away, and Que Khan switched allegiance to Cao Qiong and joined him in resisting Li Gui; Li Gui defeated him, and he fled into Dadou Bagu Valley, where he coordinated with Tuyuhun in a pincer arrangement. Now he submitted to the Tang court, and the sovereign treated him with generous reassurance. Before long Li Gui destroyed him.
64
薛舉進逼高址，遊兵至於豳、岐，秦王世民深溝高壘不與戰。 會世民得瘧疾，委軍事於長史、納言劉文靜、司馬殷開山，且戒之曰：「薛舉懸軍深入，食少兵疲，若來挑戰，慎勿應也。 俟吾疾愈，為君等破之。」 開山退，謂文靜曰：「王慮公不能辦，故有此言耳。 且賊聞王有疾，必輕我，宜曜武以威之。」 乃陳於高址西南，恃眾而不設備。 舉潛師掩其後，壬子，戰於淺水原，八總管皆敗，士卒死者什五六，大將軍慕容羅□、李安遠、劉弘基皆沒，世民引兵還長安。 舉遂拔高址，收唐兵死者為京觀； 文靜等皆坐除名。
Xue Ju pressed toward Gaozhi, and his raiders reached as far as Bin and Qi. The Prince of Qin, Li Shimin, dug deep trenches, raised high walls, and refused to fight. Just then Li Shimin came down with malaria and entrusted military affairs to Chief Administrator and Chief Counselor Liu Wenjing and Vice Director Yin Kaishan, warning them, "Xue Ju has marched deep with little food and weary troops. If they come to provoke a fight, do not respond. Wait until I recover, and I will break them for you." Yin Kaishan withdrew and told Liu Wenjing, "The prince thinks we cannot handle this—that is why he said what he did. Besides, once the enemy hears the prince is ill, they are bound to look down on us. We ought to display our strength and overawe them." They then deployed southwest of Gaozhi, confident in their numbers and taking no precautions. Xue Ju sent a hidden force to fall on their rear. On Renzi they fought at Qianshui Plain. All eight overall commanders were routed, and fifteen or sixteen men in every hundred were killed. Grand Generals Murong Luohou, Li Anyuan, and Liu Hongji were all captured or killed, and Li Shimin withdrew to Chang'an. Xue Ju then took Gaozhi and piled the dead Tang soldiers into a victory mound; Liu Wenjing and the others were all stripped of their posts.
65
乙卯，榆林賊帥郭子和遣使來降。 以為靈州總管。
On Yimao, Guo Zihe, the bandit chieftain of Yulin, sent envoys to surrender. He was appointed overall commander of Lingzhou.
66
李密每戰勝，輒遣使告捷於皇泰主。 隋人皆喜，王世充獨謂其麾下曰：「元文都輩，刀筆吏耳，吾觀其勢，必為李密所擒。 且吾軍士屢與密戰，沒其父兄子弟，前後已多，一旦為之下，吾屬無類矣！」 欲以激怒其眾。 文都聞之，大懼，與盧楚等謀因世充入朝，伏甲誅之。 段達性庸懦，恐事不就，遣其婿張志以楚等謀告世充。 戊午夜三鼓，世充勒兵襲含嘉門。 元文都聞變，入奉皇泰主御乾陽殿，陳兵自衛，命諸將閉門拒守。 將軍跋野綱將兵出，遇世充，下馬降之。 將軍費曜、田闍戰於門外，不利。 文都自將宿衛兵欲出玄武門以襲其後，長秋監段瑜稱求門鑰不獲，稽留遂久。 天且曙，文都引兵復欲出太陽門逆戰，還至乾陽殿，世充已攻太陽門得入。 皇甫無逸棄母及妻子，斫右掖門，西奔長安。 盧楚匿於太官署，世充之黨擒之，至興教門，見世充，世充令亂斬殺之； 進攻紫微宮門。 皇泰主使人登紫微觀。 問：「稱兵欲何為？」 世充下馬謝曰：「元文都、盧楚等橫見規圖； 請殺文都，甘從刑典。」 段達乃令將軍黃桃樹執送文都。 文都顧謂皇泰主曰：「臣今朝死，陛下夕及矣！」 皇泰主慟哭遣之，出興教門，亂斬如盧楚，並殺盧、元諸子。 段達又以皇泰主命開門納世充，世充悉遣人代宿衛者，然後入見皇泰主於乾陽殿。 皇泰主謂世充曰：「擅相誅殺，曾不聞奏，豈為臣之道乎！ 公欲肆其強力，敢及我邪！」 世充拜伏流涕謝曰：「臣蒙先皇采拔，粉骨非報。 文都等苞藏禍心，欲召李密以危社稷，疾臣違異，深積猜嫌； 臣迫於救死，不暇聞奏。 若內懷不臧，違負陛下，天地日月，實所照臨，使臣闔門殄滅，無復遺類。」 詞淚俱發。 皇泰主以為誠，引令升殿，與語久之，因與俱入見皇太后； 世充被發為誓，稱不敢有貳心。 乃以世充為左僕射、總督內外諸軍事。 比及日中，捕獲趙長文、郭文懿，殺之。 然後巡城，告諭以誅元、盧之意。 世充自含嘉城移居尚書省，漸結黨援，恣行威福。 用兄世惲為內史令，入居禁中，子弟鹹典兵馬，分政事為十頭，悉以其黨主之，勢震內外，莫不趨附，皇泰主拱手而已。
Each time Li Mi won a battle, he sent envoys to report the victory to the Huangtai sovereign. Sui loyalists rejoiced, but Wang Shichong alone told his followers, "Yuan Wendu and his crowd are nothing but clerks with pens and knives. I can see how this ends—they will be taken by Li Mi. Our soldiers have fought Li Mi again and again and lost fathers, brothers, and sons—many of them. If we suddenly submit to him, none of us will be left alive!" He meant to inflame his troops with these words. When Yuan Wendu heard this, he was terrified and plotted with Lu Chu and others to ambush and kill Wang Shichong when he came to court. Duan Da was timid by nature and, fearing the plot would fail, sent his son-in-law Zhang Zhi to warn Wang Shichong of Lu Chu and the others' scheme. On the night of Wuwu, at the third watch, Wang Shichong mustered his troops and stormed Hanjia Gate. When Yuan Wendu heard of the coup, he rushed to escort the Huangtai sovereign to Qianyang Hall, drew up troops to defend him, and ordered the generals to shut the gates and hold the palace. General Baye Gang marched out with troops, met Wang Shichong, dismounted, and surrendered. Generals Fei Yao and Tian Chan fought outside the gate and were driven back. Yuan Wendu personally led the palace guard, intending to sally from Xuanwu Gate and hit Wang Shichong from the rear, but Chief of the Long Autumn Office Duan Yu claimed he could not get the gate keys, and the delay dragged on. As dawn approached, Yuan Wendu tried again to march out through Taiyang Gate to meet the attack, but by the time he returned to Qianyang Hall, Wang Shichong had already forced Taiyang Gate and entered the palace. Huangfu Wuyi abandoned his mother, wife, and children, hacked through the Right Flank Gate, and fled west to Chang'an. Lu Chu hid in the Grand Provisioner's Office, but Wang Shichong's men seized him. At Xingjiao Gate he was brought before Wang Shichong, who ordered him hacked to death; then pressed the attack on the Ziwei Palace gate. The Huangtai sovereign sent a messenger up to Ziwei Tower. He called down, "You have raised troops—what do you intend?" Wang Shichong dismounted and apologized, saying, "Yuan Wendu, Lu Chu, and the others plotted against me without cause; kill Yuan Wendu, and I will willingly submit to the law." Duan Da then ordered General Huang Taoshu to seize Yuan Wendu and bring him forward. Yuan Wendu turned to the Huangtai sovereign and said, "If I die this morning, Your Majesty will follow this evening!" The Huangtai sovereign wept as he sent him away. Outside Xingjiao Gate Yuan Wendu was hacked to death like Lu Chu, and the sons of the Lu and Yuan families were killed as well. Duan Da then, by the Huangtai sovereign's order, opened the gates and admitted Wang Shichong, who replaced every palace guardsman with his own men before entering to see the Huangtai sovereign at Qianyang Hall. The Huangtai sovereign said to Wang Shichong, "You killed men on your own authority without ever reporting it—is this the conduct of a loyal minister! Do you mean to unleash your brute force even against me!" Wang Shichong prostrated himself, weeping, and apologized, "Your servant was raised up by the late emperor; I could grind my bones to powder and still not repay that debt. Yuan Wendu and his faction harbored evil intent and meant to summon Li Mi to endanger the throne. They resented my opposition and nursed deep suspicions against me; I was forced to save my own life and had no time to report to court. If I harbor evil in my heart and betray Your Majesty, may Heaven and Earth and sun and moon, which look down upon all, destroy my whole house without a survivor." His words and tears came together. The Huangtai sovereign took him at his word, had him ascend the hall, and spoke with him at length before going together to see the Empress Dowager; Wang Shichong bared his head to swear an oath that he would never harbor disloyalty. Wang Shichong was then appointed Left Vice Director and overall commander of all internal and external military affairs. By midday Zhao Changwen and Guo Wenyi were captured and killed. He then toured the city and announced that he had killed Yuan Wendu and Lu Chu. Wang Shichong moved from Hanjia City into the Department of State Affairs, gradually built a factional network, and wielded power and favor as he pleased. He installed his elder brother Wang Shiyun as Director of the Secretariat inside the palace, placed younger kinsmen in command of troops, divided government into ten bureaus staffed entirely with his partisans, and built a power that shook the court. Everyone rushed to attach themselves to him, and the Huangtai sovereign could only fold his hands.
67
李密將入朝，至溫，聞元文都等死，乃還金墉。 東都大饑，私錢濫惡，太半雜以錫環，其細如線，米斛直錢八九萬。
Li Mi was on his way to court when he reached Wen and learned that Yuan Wendu and his allies were dead; he turned back to Jinyong. The Eastern Capital was in the grip of famine. Private coin was debased, more than half of it tin rings as fine as thread, and a hu of rice cost eighty or ninety thousand cash.
68
初，李密嘗受業於儒生徐文遠。 文遠為皇泰主國子祭酒，自出樵采，為密軍所執； 密令文遠南面坐，備弟子禮，北面拜之。 文遠曰：「老夫既荷厚禮，敢不盡言！ 未審將軍之志欲為伊、霍以繼絕扶傾乎？ 則老夫雖遲暮，猶願盡力； 若為莽、卓，乘危邀利，則無所用老夫矣！」 密頓首曰：「昨奉朝命，備位上公，冀竭庸虛，匡濟國難，此密之本志也。」 文遠曰：「將軍名臣之子，失塗至此，若能不遠而復，猶不失為忠義之臣。」 及王世充殺元文都等，密復問計於文遠。 文遠曰：「世充亦門人也，其為人殘忍褊隘，既乘此勢，必有異圖，將軍前計為不諧矣。 非破世充，不可入朝也。」 密曰：「始謂先生儒者，不達時事，今乃坐決大計，何其明也！」 文遠，孝嗣之玄孫也。
Li Mi had once studied under the Confucian scholar Xu Wenyuan. Xu Wenyuan served the Huangtai sovereign as Grand Master of the National University. He went out to gather firewood himself and was seized by Li Mi's troops; Li Mi had Xu Wenyuan seated facing south, treated him with the full courtesy due a teacher, and bowed to him facing north. Xu Wenyuan said, "Since you have honored me so generously, this old man dares not hold back! Tell me, General—do you mean to be an Yi Yin or a Huo Guang, restoring a broken line and propping up a falling house? If that is your aim, then though I am old, I am still willing to give you my best; If you were another Wang Mang or Dong Zhuo, seizing crisis for profit, you would have no use for this old man!" Mi bowed low and said, "Yesterday I received the court's command and took the rank of supreme duke, hoping to exhaust my feeble powers to rescue the state from calamity—that has always been my purpose." Wenyuan said, "General, you are the son of a famous minister who has lost his way. If you can turn back before you go too far, you may still prove a loyal subject." When Wang Shichong killed Yuan Wendu and the others, Mi again sought Wenyuan's counsel. Wenyuan said, "Shichong is also your follower, but he is cruel and narrow-minded. Having seized this momentum, he is sure to harbor other designs—your former plan will not work. Unless you defeat Shichong, you cannot go to court." Mi said, "At first I thought you were a scholar out of touch with affairs. Now you settle great strategy from your seat—how clear-sighted you are!" Wenyuan was the great-great-grandson of Xiao Xiaosi.
69
庚申，詔隋氏離宮游幸之所並廢之。
On the day Gengshen an edict abolished all the Sui dynasty's detached palaces and touring residences.
70
戊辰，遣黃台公瑗安撫山南。
On the day Wuchen the Duke of Huangtai Li Yuan was dispatched to pacify the southern mountains region.
71
己巳，以隋右武衛將軍皇甫無逸為刑部尚書。 隋河間郡丞王琮守郡城以拒群盜，竇建德攻之，歲餘不下； 聞煬帝凶問，帥吏士發喪，乘城者皆哭。 建德遣使吊之，琮因使者請降，建德退捨具饌以待之。 琮言及隋亡，俯伏流涕，建德亦為之泣。 諸將曰：「琮久拒我軍，殺傷甚眾，力盡乃降，請烹之。」 建德曰：「琮，忠臣也，吾方賞之以勸事君，奈何殺之！ 往在高雞泊為盜，容可妄殺人； 今欲安百姓，定天下，豈得害忠良乎！」 乃徇軍中曰：「先與王琮有怨敢妄動者，夷三族！」 以琮為瀛州刺史。 於是河北郡縣聞之，爭附於建德。
On the day Jisi former Sui Right Martial Guard general Huangfu Wuyi was appointed Minister of Punishments. Sui Hejian commandery aide Wang Cong held the city against the bandits; Dou Jiande besieged it for more than a year without success; when news of Emperor Yang's death arrived, he led officials and soldiers in mourning, and everyone on the walls wept. Jiande sent envoys to offer condolences. Cong used them to request surrender, and Jiande withdrew his camp, prepared a feast, and awaited him. When Cong spoke of Sui's fall he prostrated himself and wept; Jiande wept with him. The generals said, "Cong long resisted us and killed many of our men. He surrendered only when exhausted—boil him alive." Jiande said, "Cong is a loyal minister. I mean to reward him to encourage loyalty—how can we kill him! When we were bandits at Gaojipo we might kill recklessly; but now we wish to settle the people and pacify the realm—how can we harm the loyal and good!" He proclaimed through the army, "Anyone who had a prior grievance with Wang Cong and dares act against him—his three clans shall be exterminated!" He appointed Cong prefect of Yingzhou. Thereupon commanderies and counties throughout Hebei, hearing of this, rushed to submit to Jiande.
72
先是，建德陷景城，執戶曹河東張玄素，將殺之，縣民千餘人號泣請代其死，曰：「戶曹清慎無比，大王殺之，何以勸善！」 建德乃釋之，以為治書侍御史，固辭； 及江都敗，復以為黃門侍郎，玄素乃起。 饒陽令宋正本，博學有才氣，說建德以定河北之策，建德引為謀主。 建德定都樂壽，命所居曰金城宮，備置百官。
Earlier, when Jiande took Jingcheng he seized household registrar Zhang Xuansu of Hedong and was about to kill him. More than a thousand townspeople wailed and begged to die in his place, saying, "The household registrar is matchless in integrity—if you kill him, how will you encourage goodness!" Jiande released him and offered him the post of attendant censor for drafting documents, but Xuansu firmly declined; when Jiangdu fell he again offered him Yellow Gate vice director, and only then did Xuansu accept. Raoyang magistrate Song Zhengben, learned and talented, urged a strategy to settle Hebei upon Jiande, who took him as chief strategist. Jiande made Leshou his capital, named his residence Golden City Palace, and established a full bureaucracy.