1
資治通鑑第238卷
Volume 238 of the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance
2
【唐紀五十四】起屠維赤奮若七月，盡玄黓執徐九月，凡三年有奇。
[Tang Records, Section 54] From the seventh month of the year jiyou through the ninth month of the year xuanmou—a span of somewhat more than three years.
3
憲宗昭文章武大聖至神孝皇帝上之下元和四年（ 己丑，公元八零九年）
The latter portion of the annals of Emperor Xianzong, styled Zhao Wen Zhang Wu Da Sheng Zhi Shen Xiao, Yuanhe year 4 ( jichou [in the sexagenary cycle], equivalent to 809 CE)
4
秋，七月，壬戌，御史中丞李夷簡彈京兆尹楊憑，前為江西觀察使，貪污僭侈。 丁卯，貶憑臨賀尉。 夷簡，元懿之玄孫也。 上命盡籍憑資產，李絳諫曰：「舊制，非反逆不籍其家。」 上乃止。 憑之親友無敢送者，櫟陽尉徐晦獨至藍田與別。 太常卿權德輿素與晦善，謂之曰：「君送楊臨賀，誠為厚矣，無乃為累乎！」 對曰：「晦自布衣蒙楊公知獎，今日遠謫，豈得不與之別！ 借如明公它日為讒人所逐，晦敢自同路人乎！」 德輿嗟歎，稱之於朝。 後數日，李夷簡奏為監察御史。 晦謝曰：「晦平生未嘗得望公顏色，公何從而取之！」 夷簡曰：「君不負楊臨賀，肯負國乎！」
In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day renxu, Vice Censor-in-Chief Li Yijian impeached Metropolitan Governor Yang Ping—formerly Jiangxi observation commissioner—for corruption and arrogant extravagance. On dingmao, Yang Ping was demoted to the post of commandant of Linhe. Yijian was a great-great-grandson of Yuan Yi. The emperor ordered Yang Ping's entire estate registered and seized. Li Jiang objected: "Under longstanding rule, a household is not inventoried and confiscated unless the offense is treason." The emperor then relented. None of Yang Ping's friends or relatives dared see him off; only Xu Hui, commandant of Liyang, went alone to Lantian to take his leave. Minister of Ceremonies Quan Deyu, who had long been friendly with Xu Hui, told him, "Your farewell to Yang of Linhe is truly generous—but are you not inviting trouble for yourself?" He answered, "From the days when I was a commoner, Master Yang recognized and encouraged me. Now that he is exiled so far away, how could I not bid him farewell? If someday you were cast out by slanderers, would I dare treat you as a stranger on the road?" Quan Deyu sighed in admiration and commended him at court. A few days later, Li Yijian recommended him for appointment as investigating censor. Xu Hui thanked him and said, "I have never even seen your face in my life—how did you choose me?" Yijian said, "You did not betray Yang of Linhe—would you betray the state?"
5
上密問諸學士曰：「今欲用王承宗為成德留後，割其德、棣二州更為一鎮以離其勢，並使承宗輸二稅，請官吏，一如師道，何如？」 李絳等對曰：「德、棣之隸成德，為日已久，今一旦割之，恐承宗及其將士憂疑怨望，得以為辭。 況其鄰道情狀一同，各慮它日分割，或潛相構扇。 萬一旅拒，倍難處置，願更三思。 所是二稅、官吏，願因弔祭使至彼，自以其意諭承宗，令上表陳乞如師道例，勿令知出陛下意。 如此，則幸而聽命，於理固順，若其不聽，體亦無損。」 上又問：「今劉濟、田季安皆有疾，若其物故，豈可盡如成德付授其子，天下何時當平！ 議者皆言『宜乘此際代之，不受則發兵討之，時不要失。』 如何？」 對曰：「群臣見陛下西取蜀，東取吳，易於反掌，故諂諛躁競之人爭獻策畫，勸開河北，不為國家深謀遠慮，陛下亦以前日成功之易而信其言。 臣等夙夜思之，河北之勢與二方異。 何則？ 西川、浙西皆非反側之地，其四鄰皆國家臂指之臣。 劉辟、李錡獨生狂謀，其下皆莫之與，辟、錡徒以貨財啖之，大軍一臨，則渙然離耳。 故臣等當時亦勸陛下誅之，以其萬全故也。 成德則不然，內則膠固歲深，外則蔓連勢廣，其將士百姓懷其累代煦嫗之恩，不知君臣逆順之理，諭之不從，威之不服，將為朝廷羞。 又，鄰道平居或相猜恨，及聞代易，必合為一心，蓋各為子孫之謀，亦慮他日及此故也。 萬一餘道或相表裡，兵連禍結，財盡力竭，西戎、北狄乘間窺窬，其為憂患可勝道哉！ 濟、季安與承宗事體不殊，若物故之際，有間可乘，當臨事圖之。 於今用兵，則恐未可。 太平之業，非朝夕可致，願陛下審處之。」 時吳少誠病甚，降等復上言：「少誠病必不起。 淮西事體與河北不同，四旁皆國家州縣，不與賊鄰，無黨援相助。 朝廷命帥，今正其時，萬一不從，可議征討。 臣願捨恆冀難致之策，就申蔡易成之謀。 脫或恆冀連兵，事未如意，蔡州有釁，勢可興師，南北之役俱興，財力之用不足。 儻事不得已，須赦承宗，則恩德虛施，威令頓廢。 不如早賜處分，以收鎮冀之心，坐待機宜，必獲申蔡之利。」 既而承宗久未得朝命，頗懼，累表自訴。 八月，壬午，上乃遣京兆少尹裴武詣真定宣慰，承宗受詔甚恭，曰：「三軍見迫，不暇俟朝旨，請獻德、棣二州以明懇款。
The emperor privately asked the Hanlin academicians: "We intend to confirm Wang Chengzong as acting commissioner of Chengde, detach his prefectures of De and Di into a separate command to weaken him, and require Chengzong to remit the two taxes and accept court-appointed officials, as with Li Shidao—what is your view?" Li Jiang and the others answered: "De and Di have belonged to Chengde for many years. To cut them away all at once may fill Chengzong and his troops with anxiety, suspicion, and resentment—and give them a ready excuse. Moreover, neighboring circuits are in the same position; each will fear being carved up later and may secretly stir one another up. If they should resist en masse, the situation would be twice as hard to manage. We urge Your Majesty to think again. On the two taxes and court officials, we suggest sending the condolence envoy to explain in his own words and have Chengzong petition on the Li Shidao model—without letting him know the idea originated with Your Majesty. If he complies, all the better and the arrangement is orderly; if he refuses, the court loses nothing in principle." The emperor asked again: "Liu Ji and Tian Ji'an are both ill. If they die, can we keep handing their commands to their sons as with Chengde? When will the empire ever be at peace? Counselors all say we should seize this moment to replace them, and if they refuse, send armies to punish them—the opportunity must not be missed.' What is your view?" They answered: "Your ministers see how easily you took Shu in the west and Wu in the east, so sycophants and the ambitious rush forward with plans urging campaigns in Hebei—without deep, far-sighted counsel for the realm. Your Majesty, too, trusts them because recent victories came so easily. We have thought on this day and night: Hebei's position is not like that of the other two regions. Why is that? Xichuan and Zhexi were not rebel heartlands; on every side their neighbors were officials who moved at the court's command. Liu Pi and Li Qi alone nursed reckless plots; their subordinates would not follow them. Pi and Qi could only buy loyalty with wealth; when the imperial army arrived, their forces melted away. That is why we too urged Your Majesty to strike them then—the odds were entirely in our favor. Chengde is different: inwardly it has been bound tight for years; outwardly its influence spreads far and wide. Its troops and people remember generations of kindly rule and do not grasp the logic of loyalty and rebellion. Persuasion will not move them, threats will not cow them—and the court will be shamed. Neighboring circuits may distrust one another in normal times, but once they hear of forced succession they will unite—for each is scheming for his heirs and fears the same fate tomorrow. If other circuits join forces, war and disaster chain together, treasury and strength are drained, and western and northern peoples seize the opening to strike—how many woes would follow! Ji, Ji'an, and Chengzong are in the same case; when death opens a chance, we should plan at the time. To resort to arms now is probably premature. Great peace cannot be won overnight; we ask Your Majesty to judge the matter with care." At that time Wu Shaocheng was gravely ill. Li Jiang and the others submitted again: "Shaocheng will not recover from this illness. Huaixi's situation differs from Hebei's: it is surrounded on every side by imperial prefectures and counties, borders no rebel territory, and has no allies to support it. Now is the moment for the court to appoint a commissioner; if they refuse, we can discuss a punitive campaign. We urge abandoning the hard strategy against Heng and Ji in favor of the easier plan against Shen and Cai. If Heng and Ji fight together and things go badly while Caizhou offers an opening for war, campaigns on both fronts would drain treasury and strength beyond our means. If we are forced to pardon Chengzong, imperial favor will have been wasted and authority collapsed at a stroke. Better to settle Chengzong early, win over Zhen and Ji, wait for the right moment, and secure the advantage in Shen and Cai." Before long, having waited long without word from court, Chengzong grew fearful and memorialized repeatedly in his own defense. In the eighth month, on renwu, the emperor sent Metropolitan Vice Prefect Pei Wu to Zhending on a mission of consolation. Chengzong received the edict with great deference and said: "My armies pressed me; I could not wait for court instructions. I offer De and Di to prove my sincerity."
6
丙申，安南都護張舟奏破環王三萬眾。
On bingshen, Zhang Zhou, protector-general of Annan, reported defeating thirty thousand troops of Huan.
7
九月，甲辰朔，裴武覆命。 庚戌，以承宗為成德軍節度、恆、冀、深、趙州觀察使，德州刺史薛昌朝為保信軍節度、德、棣二州觀察使。 昌朝，嵩之子，王氏之婿也，故就用之。 田季安得飛報，先知之，使謂承宗曰：「昌朝陰與朝廷通，故受節鉞。」 承宗遽遣數百騎馳入德州，執昌朝，至真定，囚之。 中使送昌朝節過魏州，季安陽為宴勞，留使者累日，比至德州，已不及矣。 上以裴武為欺罔，又有譖之者曰：「武使還，先宿裴垍家，明旦乃入見。」 上怒甚，以語李絳，欲貶武於嶺南。 絳曰：「武昔陷李懷光軍中，守節不屈，豈容今日遽為奸回！ 蓋賊多變詐，人未易盡其情。 承宗始懼朝廷誅討，故請獻二州。 既蒙恩貸，而鄰道皆不欲成德開分割之端，計必有陰行間說誘而脅之，使不得守其初心者，非武之罪也。 今陛下選武使入逆亂之地，使還，一語不相應，遽竄之暇荒，臣恐自今奉使賊廷者以武為戒，苟求便身，率為依阿兩可之言，莫肯盡誠具陳利害，如此，非國家之利也。 且垍、武久處朝廷，諳練事體，豈有使還未見天子而先宿宰相家乎！ 臣敢為陛下必保其不然，此殆有讒人欲傷武及垍者，願陛下察之。」 上良久曰：「理或有此。」 遂不問。
In the ninth month, on the first day jiachen, Pei Wu returned to report his mission. On gengxu, Wang Chengzong was appointed military commissioner of Chengde and observation commissioner of Heng, Ji, Shen, and Zhao; Xue Changchao, prefect of Dezhou, was made military commissioner of Baoxin and observation commissioner of De and Di. Changchao was Xue Song's son and a Wang son-in-law; that is why he was chosen. Tian Ji'an learned first by urgent dispatch and sent word to Chengzong: "Changchao is in secret contact with court—that is why he received the commission." Chengzong immediately sent hundreds of horsemen into Dezhou, seized Changchao, brought him to Zhending, and imprisoned him. The palace envoy bearing Changchao's commission passed through Weizhou; Ji'an feigned hospitality and detained the envoy for days—by the time he reached Dezhou, it was too late. The emperor believed Pei Wu had deceived him. Slanderers also said: "When Wu returned, he stayed first at Pei Ji's house and only saw the emperor the next morning." The emperor was furious, told Li Jiang, and wanted to exile Wu to the far south. Li Jiang said: "Wu was once trapped in Li Huai'guang's camp and held firm without yielding—how could he suddenly be a traitor now? Rebels are endlessly deceitful; their true intentions are hard to read. Chengzong first feared imperial punishment, which is why he offered the two prefectures. After receiving imperial favor, neighboring circuits did not want Chengde to set a precedent of partition—surely covert agents slandered and pressured him until he abandoned his first intent. That is not Wu's fault. Your Majesty sent Wu into rebel territory; because one report did not match expectations, you would exile him to the wilderness. Envoys to rebel courts will take warning from Wu, protect themselves, and offer only safe, equivocal words rather than honest counsel on advantage and harm. That cannot serve the state. Ji and Wu have served at court for years and know protocol—how could an envoy lodge at a chief minister's house before seeing the emperor? I dare assure Your Majesty it did not happen—likely slanderers wished to harm Wu and Ji. I ask Your Majesty to look into it." After a long silence the emperor said, "That may well be so." He dropped the matter.
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丙辰，振武奏吐蕃五萬餘騎至拂梯泉。 辛未，豐州奏吐蕃萬餘騎至大石谷，掠回鶻入貢還國者。
On bingchen, Zhenwu reported that over fifty thousand Tibetan horsemen had reached Futiquan. On xinwei, Fengzhou reported that over ten thousand Tibetan horsemen reached Dashigu and raided Uyghur tribute missions returning home.
9
左神策軍吏李昱貸長安富人錢八千緡，滿三歲不償，京兆尹許孟容收捕械系，立期使償，曰：「期滿不足，當死。」 一軍大驚。 中尉訴於上，上遣中使宣旨，送本軍，孟容不之遣。 中使再至，孟容曰：「臣不奉詔，當死。 然臣為陛下尹京畿，非抑制豪強，何以肅清輦下！ 錢未畢償，昱不可得。」 上嘉其剛直而許之，京城震慄。
Li Yu, a clerk of the Left Divine Strategy Army, borrowed eight thousand strings of cash from a wealthy Chang'an man and failed to repay after three years. Metropolitan Governor Xu Mengrong arrested him in chains and set a deadline: "If the debt is not paid by then, he dies." The entire army was alarmed. The army superintendent appealed to the emperor, who sent a palace envoy to order Li Yu returned to his unit. Mengrong refused to release him. When the envoy came again, Mengrong said: "If I disobey the edict, I deserve death. But I govern the capital for Your Majesty—if I do not restrain the powerful, how can I keep order at court? Until the debt is paid in full, Li Yu will not be released." The emperor praised his firmness and approved; the capital was shaken.
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上遣中使諭王承宗，使遣薛昌朝還鎮。 承宗不奉詔。 冬，十月，癸未，制削奪承宗官爵，以左神策中尉吐突承璀為左、右神策、河中、河陽、浙西、宣歙等道行營兵馬使、招討處置等使。 翰林學士白居易上奏，以為：「國家征伐，當責成將帥，近歲始以中使為監軍。 自古及今，未有征天下之兵，專令中使統領者也。 今神策軍既不置行營節度使，即承璀乃制將也。 又充諸軍招討處置使，即承璀乃都統也。 臣恐四方聞之，必輕朝廷； 四夷聞之，必笑中國。 陛下忍令後代相傳雲以中官為制將、都統自陛下始乎！ 臣又恐劉濟、茂昭及希朝、從史乃至諸道將校皆恥受承璀指麾，心既不齊，功何由立！ 此是資承宗之計而挫諸將之勢也。 陛下念承璀勤勞，貴之可也； 憐其忠赤，富之可也。 至於軍國權柄，動關理亂，朝廷制度，出自祖宗，陛下寧忍徇下之情而自隳法制，從人之欲而自損聖明，何不思於一時之間而取笑於萬代之後乎！」 時諫官、御史論承璀職名太重者相屬，上皆不聽。 戊子，上御延英殿，度支使李元素、鹽鐵使李鄘、京兆尹許孟容、御史中丞李夷簡、諫議大夫孟簡、給事中呂元膺、穆質、右補闕獨孤郁等極言其不可。 上不得已，明日，削承璀四道兵馬使，改處置為宣慰而已。 李絳嘗極言宦官驕橫，侵害政事，讒毀忠貞。 上曰：「此屬安敢為讒！ 就使為之，朕亦不聽。」 絳曰：「此屬大抵不知仁義，不分枉直，唯利是嗜，得賂則譽跖、足喬為廉良，怫意則毀龔、黃為貪暴，能用傾巧之智，構成疑似之端，朝夕左右浸潤以入之，陛下必有時而信之矣。 自古宦官敗國者，備載方冊，陛下豈得不防其漸乎！」
The emperor sent a palace envoy ordering Wang Chengzong to release Xue Changchao and restore him to his post. Chengzong refused to obey. In winter, the tenth month, on guimao, an edict stripped Chengzong of rank and titles and appointed Tutu Chengcui, superintendent of the Left Divine Strategy Army, as camp military commissioner and pacification commissioner over the Left and Right Divine Strategy armies and the Hezhong, Heyang, Zhexi, and Xuan-She circuits, among others. Hanlin academician Bai Juyi memorialized: "When the state wages war, generals should bear responsibility—only in recent years have palace envoys been made army supervisors. From antiquity to the present, no one has mobilized armies across the realm and placed palace envoys in sole command. Since no camp military commissioner is appointed for the Divine Strategy Army, Chengcui is effectively the commanding general. He also serves as pacification commissioner for all armies—making him supreme commander in effect. I fear the four quarters will hold the court in contempt when they hear of this; and foreign peoples will laugh at China. Can Your Majesty bear posterity saying that appointing eunuchs as commanding generals and supreme commanders began with you? I also fear Liu Ji, Maozhao, Xichao, Congshi, and officers of every circuit will be ashamed to take orders from Chengcui—if hearts are divided, how can victory be won? This aids Chengzong and undermines our generals. If Your Majesty values Chengcui's loyal service, you may honor him; if you pity his loyalty, you may enrich him. But military and state power bears on order and chaos; court institutions come from the ancestors. Can Your Majesty indulge subordinates, destroy your own laws, follow private wishes, and dim your own glory—without thinking how posterity will laugh?" Remonstrating officials and censors argued in succession that Chengcui's titles were too grand; the emperor would not listen. On wuzi the emperor held court in the Yanying Hall. Revenue Commissioner Li Yuansu, Salt and Iron Commissioner Li Yong, Metropolitan Governor Xu Mengrong, Vice Censor-in-Chief Li Yijian, Remonstrance Grandee Meng Jian, Attendants-in-Ordinary Lü Yuanying and Mu Zhi, and Right Supplementation Censor Dugu Yu spoke forcefully against the appointment. The emperor yielded; the next day he removed Chengcui's authority over four circuits' armies and reduced his title from disposition commissioner to consolation commissioner only. Li Jiang had once spoken forcefully of how eunuchs were arrogant, interfered in government, and slandered loyal officials. The emperor said: "How would they dare to slander anyone! Even if they did, I would not listen." Li Jiang said: "They scarcely know benevolence or righteousness, cannot tell right from wrong, and crave profit alone. Bribed, they praise villains as honest; crossed, they denounce the upright as corrupt. With cunning they manufacture suspicion and drip poison into Your Majesty's ear day and night—you will believe them sooner or later. History is full of eunuchs who ruined states—can Your Majesty fail to guard against the first signs?"
11
己亥，吐突承璀將神策兵發長安，命恆州四面籓鎮各進兵招討。
On jihai, Tutu Chengcui led the Divine Strategy Army out of Chang'an and ordered the surrounding commands to advance troops for the campaign.
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初，吳少誠寵其大將吳少陽，名以從弟，署為軍職，出入少誠家如至親，累遷申州刺史。 少誠病，不知人，家僮鮮于熊兒詐以少誠命召少陽攝副使、知軍州事。 少誠有子元慶，少陽殺之。 十一月，己巳，少誠薨，少陽自為留後。
Previously, Wu Shaocheng had doted on his senior general Wu Shaoyang, calling him a younger cousin. He gave him military posts and treated him like family in his own house, eventually promoting him to prefect of Shen Prefecture. When Shaocheng fell ill and could no longer recognize anyone, a household servant named Xianyu Xiong'er forged orders in Shaocheng's name, summoning Shaoyang to serve as deputy commissioner and take charge of the army and the prefecture. Shaocheng had a son named Yuanqing; Shaoyang had him killed. In the eleventh month, on jisi, Shaocheng died, and Shaoyang declared himself acting military governor.
13
是歲，雲南王尋閣勸卒，子勸龍晟立。
That year, Xun Gequan, king of Nanzhao, died, and his son Quan Longsheng took the throne.
14
田季安聞吐突承璀將兵討王承宗，聚其徒曰：「師不跨河二十五年矣，今一旦越魏伐趙，趙虜，魏亦虜矣，計為之奈何？」 其將有超伍而言者，曰：「願借騎五千，以除君憂！」 季安大呼曰：「壯哉！ 兵決出，格沮者斬！」
When Tian Ji'an learned that Tutu Chengcui was marching against Wang Chengzong, he assembled his officers and said, "For twenty-five years imperial armies have not crossed the Yellow River. Now they mean to pass through Wei to strike Zhao—and if Zhao falls, Wei will fall next. What are we to do?" One general stepped forward from the ranks and cried, "Give me five thousand cavalry, and I will lift this burden from you!" Ji'an cried out, "Splendid! The army will march! Anyone who stands in the way will be executed!1
15
幽州牙將絳人譚忠為劉濟使魏，知其謀，入謂季安曰：「如某之謀，是引天下之兵也。 何者？ 今王師越魏伐趙，不使耆臣宿將而專付中臣，不輸天下之甲而多出秦甲，君知誰為之謀？ 此乃天子自為之謀，欲將誇服於臣下也。 若師未叩趙而先碎於魏，是上之謀反不如下，且能不恥於天下乎！ 既恥且怒，必任智士畫長策，仗猛將練精兵，畢力再舉涉河，鑒前之敗，必不越魏而伐趙，校罪輕重，必不先趙而後魏，是上不上，下不下，當魏而來也。」 季安曰：「然則若之何？」 忠曰：「王師入魏，君厚犒之。 於是悉甲壓境，號曰伐趙，而可陰遺趙人書曰：『魏若伐趙，則河北義士謂魏賣友； 魏若與趙，則河南忠臣謂魏反君。 賣友反君之名，魏不忍受。 執事若能陰解陴障，遺魏一城，魏得持之奏捷天子以為符信，此乃使魏北得以奉趙，西得以為臣，於趙有角尖之耗，於魏獲不世之利，執事豈能無意於魏乎！』 趙人脫不拒君，是魏霸基安矣。」 季安曰：「善！ 先生之來，是天眷魏也。」 遂用忠之謀，與趙陰計，得其堂陽。 忠歸幽州，謀欲激劉濟討王承宗。 會濟合諸將言曰：「天子知我怨趙，今命我伐之，趙亦必大備我。 伐與不伐孰利？」 忠疾對曰：「天子終不使我伐趙，趙亦不備燕。」 濟怒曰：「爾何不直言濟與承宗反乎！」 命系忠獄。 使人視成德之境，果不為備。 後一日，詔果來，令濟「專護北疆，勿使朕復掛胡憂，而得專心於承宗。」 濟乃解獄召忠曰：「信如子斷矣，何以知之？」 忠曰：「盧從史外親燕，內實忌之； 外絕趙，內實與之。 此為趙畫曰：『燕以趙為障，雖怨趙，必不殘趙，不必為備，』一且示趙不敢抗燕，二且使燕獲疑天子。 趙人既不備燕，潞人則走告於天子曰：『燕厚怨趙，趙見伐而不備燕，是燕反與趙也。』 此所以知天子終不使君伐趙，趙亦不備燕也。」 濟曰：「今則奈何？」 忠曰：「燕、趙為怨，天下無不知。 今天子伐趙，君坐全燕之甲，一人未濟易水，此正使潞人以燕賣恩於趙，敗忠於上，兩皆售也。 是燕貯忠義之心，卒染私趙之口，不見德於趙人，惡聲徒嘈嘈於天下耳。 惟君熟思之！」 濟曰：「吾知之矣。」 乃下令軍中曰：「五日畢出，後者醢以徇！」
Tan Zhong, a gate officer from Jiang in Youzhou, was sent by Liu Ji as envoy to Wei. When he learned of Tian Ji'an's plan, he went in and said, "If you follow that course, you will bring the armies of the whole empire down upon you. Why is that? The court army is crossing Wei to strike Zhao, yet the emperor has not put veteran ministers and old generals in command—only a middle-ranking eunuch. He is not mobilizing armor from all the provinces but chiefly the Qin armies. Do you know whose design this is? This is the emperor's own scheme—he means to win glory and awe his officials. If the army is crushed in Wei before it even reaches Zhao, the emperor's plan will have failed worse than yours—and can he avoid humiliation before the whole realm? Humiliated and furious, he will surely turn to clever advisers for a new strategy, lean on fierce generals, and train picked troops for a full second crossing. Having learned from failure, he will not again pass through Wei to attack Zhao. Weighing who deserves punishment more, he will not hit Zhao before Wei—the court will neither advance nor retreat cleanly, but will strike directly at Wei." Tian Ji'an asked, "What should we do then?" Tan Zhong replied, "When the court army enters Wei, treat them generously. Then mass your troops on the border and declare that you are marching on Zhao—but secretly send the Zhao command a letter: 'If Wei attacks Zhao, the loyal men of Hebei will say Wei has betrayed an ally; If Wei makes common cause with Zhao, the loyalists south of the river will call Wei rebels against the throne. Wei cannot endure the stigma of betraying allies or turning against the emperor. If you quietly abandon one fortified town and hand it to Wei, Wei can hold it and claim a victory to the emperor as proof. Wei would thus aid Zhao to the north while remaining loyal to the court in the west. Zhao would lose only a corner of territory; Wei would gain an extraordinary prize. Surely you must have some interest in helping Wei!' If Zhao accepts, Wei's position as a dominant power will be secure.' Tian Ji'an said, "Excellent! Your arrival, sir, is Heaven's blessing on Wei." He adopted Tan Zhong's scheme, colluded secretly with Zhao, and secured Tangyang. Tan Zhong returned to Youzhou and planned to goad Liu Ji into attacking Wang Chengzong. Just then Liu Ji gathered his generals and said, "The emperor knows we bear Zhao a grudge and now orders us to attack. Zhao will surely fortify heavily against us. Which is better—to attack or not to attack?" Tan Zhong answered at once, "The emperor will never order us to attack Zhao, and Zhao will not prepare against Yan." Liu Ji raged, "Why don't you just say openly that I am in rebellion with Chengzong!" He had Tan Zhong thrown into prison. He sent scouts to the Chengde frontier and found it indeed undefended. The next day the edict came as predicted, telling Liu Ji to "guard the northern border and keep barbarian troubles from reaching Us again, so that you may focus on Chengzong." Liu Ji released him and called Tan Zhong in, saying, "Your prediction was exact. How did you know?" Tan Zhong said, "Lu Congshi pretends friendship with Yan but secretly resents it; he publicly breaks with Zhao but secretly colludes with it. He is advising Zhao: 'Yan uses Zhao as a shield; however much Yan resents Zhao, it will not crush Zhao, so you need not prepare'—partly to show Zhao need not fear Yan, partly to make the emperor suspect Yan. When Zhao does not prepare against Yan, the men of Lu Province hurry to tell the emperor, 'Yan hates Zhao bitterly, yet when Zhao is under attack it does not guard against Yan—Yan must be secretly allied with Zhao.' That is how I knew the emperor would never order you to attack Zhao, and Zhao would not defend against Yan." Liu Ji asked, "What should we do now?" Tan Zhong said, "The feud between Yan and Zhao is known throughout the realm. The emperor is attacking Zhao, yet you hold all of Yan's armies idle without a man crossing the Yi River. That only lets Lu Province paint Yan as currying favor with Zhao and disloyal to the throne—Lu wins on both counts. Yan would store up loyal intent but end up branded as Zhao's secret ally—you would win no thanks from Zhao, and the realm would only hear ugly rumors. Think this through carefully!" Liu Ji said, "I understand." He then ordered the army, "All must depart within five days; anyone who is late will be executed and his body displayed as a warning!"2
16
憲宗昭文章武大聖至神孝皇帝上之下元和五年（ 庚寅，公元八一零年）
The latter portion of the annals of Emperor Xianzong, styled Zhao Wen Zhang Wu Da Sheng Zhi Shen Xiao, Yuanhe year 5 ( gengyin [in the sexagenary cycle], equivalent to 810 CE)
17
春，正月，劉濟自將兵七萬人擊王承宗，時諸軍皆未進，濟獨前奮擊，拔饒陽、束鹿。 河東、河中、振武、義武四軍為恆州北道招討，會於定州。 會望夜，軍吏以有外軍，請罷張燈。 張茂昭曰：「三鎮，官軍也，何謂外軍！」 命張燈，不禁行人，不閉里門，三夜如平日，亦無敢喧嘩者。
In spring, in the first month, Liu Ji personally led seventy thousand men against Wang Chengzong. While the other armies had not yet moved, he alone pushed forward vigorously and took Raoyang and Shulu. The Hedong, Hezhong, Zhenwu, and Yiwu armies formed the northern-route pacification command for Hengzhou and gathered at Dingzhou. On the night of the full moon, officers asked that festival lanterns not be lit because outside armies were present. Zhang Maozhao said, "These three commands are imperial troops—what do you mean, 'outside armies'?" He ordered the lanterns lit, kept the streets open and the neighborhood gates unlocked. For three nights the city was as quiet as on any ordinary day—not a soul dared cause a disturbance.
18
丁卯，河東將王榮拔王承宗洄湟鎮。 吐突承璀至行營，威令不振，與承宗戰，屢敗。 左神策大將軍酈定進戰死。 定進，驍將也，軍中奪氣。
On dingmao, Hedong general Wang Rong captured Wang Chengzong's Huihuang garrison. Tutu Chengcui arrived at headquarters, but his authority carried no weight. In battle with Chengzong he suffered repeated defeats. Li Dingjin, a senior general of the Left Divine Strategy Army, was killed in action. Dingjin had been a celebrated warrior, and his death broke the army's morale.
19
灑南尹房式有不法事，東台監察御史元稹奏攝之，擅令停務。 朝廷以為不可，罰一季俸，召還西京。 至敷水驛，有內侍後至，破驛門呼罵而入，以馬鞭擊稹傷面。 上復引稹前過，貶江陵士曹。 翰林學士李絳、崔群言稹無罪。 白居易上言：「中使陵辱朝士，中使不問而稹先貶，恐自今中使出外益暴橫，人無敢言者。 又，稹為御史，多所舉奏，不避權勢，切齒者眾，恐自今無人肯為陛下當官執法，疾惡繩愆，有大奸猾，陛下無從得知。」 上不聽。
Governor Fang Shi of Weinan was accused of misconduct. Investigating censor Yuan Zhen of the Eastern Platform petitioned to take over his office and on his own authority ordered official business halted. The court ruled this improper, docked him a quarter-year's salary, and ordered him back to the western capital. At Fushui post station a palace eunuch arrived after him, broke down the gate, burst in cursing, and whipped Yuan Zhen across the face. The emperor again invoked Yuan Zhen's earlier offenses and demoted him to staff officer in Jiangling. Hanlin academicians Li Jiang and Cui Qun argued that Yuan Zhen was innocent. Bai Juyi memorialized the throne: "A eunuch publicly humiliated a court official, yet the eunuch goes unpunished while Yuan Zhen is punished first. From now on eunuchs on provincial duty will grow even more brutal, and no one will dare speak out. Moreover, as a censor Yuan Zhen impeached many powerful men without fear. His enemies are legion. I fear that from now on no one will enforce the law for Your Majesty or root out corruption—and when great villains plot, Your Majesty will never hear of it." The emperor refused to heed them.
20
上以河朔方用兵，不能討吳少陽。 三月，己未，以少陽為淮西留後。
Because campaigns were already underway in Hebei, the emperor could not move against Wu Shaoyang. In the third month, on jiwei, Shaoyang was confirmed as acting military governor of Huaixi.
21
諸軍討王承宗者久無功，白居易上言，以為：「河北本不當用兵，今既出師，承璀未嘗苦戰，已失大將，與從史兩軍入賊境，遷延進退，不惟意在逗留，亦是力難支敵。 希朝、茂昭至新市鎮，竟不能過。 劉濟引全軍攻圍樂壽，久不能下。 師道、季安元不可保，察其情狀，似相計會，各收一縣，遂不進軍。 陛下觀此事勢，成功有何所望！ 以臣愚見，須速罷兵，若又遲疑，其害有四：可為痛惜者二，可為深憂者二。 何則？ 若保有成，即不論用度多少； 既的知不可，即不合虛費貲糧。 悟而後行，事亦非晚。 今遲校一日有一日之費，更延旬月，所費滋多，終須罷兵，何如早罷！ 以府庫錢帛、百姓脂膏資助河北諸侯，轉令強大。 此臣為陛下痛惜者一也。 臣又恐河北諸將見吳少陽已受制命，必引事例輕重，同詞請雪承宗。 若章表繼來，即義無不許。 請而後捨，體勢可知，轉令承宗膠固同類。 如此，則與奪皆由鄰道，恩信不出朝廷，實恐威權盡歸河北。 此為陛下痛惜者二也。 今天時已熱，兵氣相蒸，至於飢渴疲勞，疾疫暴露，驅以就戰，人何以堪！ 縱不惜身，亦難忍苦。 況神策烏雜城市之人，例皆不慣如此，忽思生路，或有奔逃，一人若逃，百人相扇，一軍若散，諸軍必搖，事忽至此，悔將何及！ 此為陛下深憂者一也。 臣聞回鶻、吐蕃皆有細作，中國之事，小大盡知。 今聚天下之兵，唯討承宗一賊，自冬及夏，都未立功，則兵力之強弱，資費之多少，豈宜使西戌、北虜一一知之！ 忽見利生心，乘虛入寇，以今日之勢力，可能救其首尾哉！ 兵連禍生，何事不有！ 萬一及此，實關安危。 此其為陛下深憂者二也。」
The campaign against Wang Chengzong had dragged on without success. Bai Juyi submitted a memorial arguing that military action in Hebei had been a mistake from the start. Tutu Chengcui had not fought hard yet had already lost a senior general. Lu Congshi's forces, like his own, had entered rebel territory but lingered—in part by design, in part because they could not overcome the enemy. Xichao and Maozhao reached Xinshi but could not break through. Liu Ji brought his full army to besiege Leshou but could not capture it for a long time. Shidao and Ji'an were never trustworthy; they appear to have colluded, each seizing a single county and then refusing to advance further. Your Majesty should look at how matters stand—what hope is there of victory? In my humble view, you must withdraw the armies at once. Further hesitation brings four kinds of harm—two deeply regrettable, two deeply alarming. Why is that? If victory were assured, cost would not matter; but when defeat is clearly inevitable, it is wrong to squander treasury and supplies. Acting once you see the truth is still not too late. Every day of delay adds a day's expense. Stretch it out another month and the waste only grows. You will have to withdraw eventually—why not do it now? Treasury funds and the people's taxed labor are enriching the Hebei warlords and making them stronger. That is my first reason for grief on Your Majesty's behalf. I also fear that when the Hebei generals see Wu Shaoyang confirmed in office, they will cite his precedent and jointly petition to pardon Chengzong. If such petitions arrive one after another, you will have no honorable way to refuse. Granting requests only after dragging your feet will show everyone your weakness and bind Chengzong more tightly to his allies. Reward and punishment would then rest with neighboring commands, not the throne. Imperial grace and authority would drain entirely into Hebei. That is my second reason for grief. The weather is already hot; the army stewing in camp suffers hunger, thirst, exhaustion, disease, and exposure. How can soldiers be driven into battle under such conditions? Even men who do not fear death can scarcely endure such hardship. Moreover, the Divine Strategy Army is largely drawn from city men unaccustomed to hardship. At the first thought of escape, some will run. One deserter will stir a hundred; one routed army will shake them all. If things reach that point, it will be too late for regret! That is my first deep alarm. I have heard that both the Uyghurs and Tibetans maintain spies who learn everything that happens in China, great and small. The empire has massed its armies against a single rebel, Wang Chengzong, yet from winter through summer has won nothing. Should our weakness, our costs, and our failures be laid bare for every western garrison and northern barbarian to see? Seeing their opening, they may invade—and with our forces in their present state, how could we defend both frontiers at once? When war drags on, disasters multiply—anything becomes possible. Should that come to pass, the fate of the realm would hang in the balance. That is my second deep alarm.3
22
盧從史首建伐王承宗之謀，及朝廷興師，從史逗留不進，陰與承宗通謀，令軍士潛懷承宗號； 又高芻粟之價以敗度支，諷朝廷求平章事，誣奏諸道與賊通，不可進兵，上甚患之。 會從史遣牙將王翊元入奏事，裴垍引與語，為言為臣之義，微動其心，翊元遂輸誠，言從史陰謀及可取之狀。 垍令翊元還本軍經營，復來京師，遂得其都知兵馬使烏重胤等款要。 垍言於上曰：「從史狡猾驕很，必將為亂。 今聞其與承璀對營，視承璀如嬰兒，往來殊不設備。 失今不取，後雖興大兵，未可以歲月平也。」 上初愕然，熟思良久，乃許之。 從史性貪，承璀盛陳奇玩，視其所欲，稍以遺之。 從史喜，益相暱狎。 甲申，承璀與行營兵馬使李聽謀，召從史入營博，伏壯士於幕下，突出，擒詣帳後縛之，內車中，馳詣京師。 左右驚亂，承璀斬十餘人，諭以詔旨。 從史營中士卒聞之，皆甲以出，操兵趨嘩。 烏重胤當軍門叱之曰：「天子有詔，從者賞，敢違者斬！」 士卒皆斂兵還部伍。 會夜，車疾驅，未明，已出境。 重胤，承洽之子； 聽，晟之子也。
Lu Congshi had first urged the campaign against Wang Chengzong. Once the court mobilized, however, he stalled and secretly colluded with Chengzong, ordering his soldiers to carry Chengzong's battle tokens in secret; He also inflated fodder prices to wreck the budget bureau, hinted that he should be made chief minister, and falsely reported that other commands were colluding with the rebels and that the army should not advance. The emperor was deeply alarmed. Meanwhile Lu Congshi dispatched his staff officer Wang Yiyuan to court on routine business. Pei Ji drew him into conversation and spoke movingly of a subject's duties, gently swaying him. Wang then opened his heart, revealing Congshi's secret machinations and how the man might be seized. Pei Ji sent Wang back to the army to lay groundwork, then return to the capital again. Through this he won over the commander of military affairs Wu Chongyin and other key officers. Pei Ji told the emperor, "Congshi is cunning, arrogant, and truculent. He is bound to revolt. I hear he is encamped face to face with Chenghuan and treats him like a child. He comes and goes with almost no precaution. If we fail to strike now, even a major campaign later may not subdue him within years. The emperor was taken aback at first. After long reflection he agreed. Congshi was greedy by nature. Chenghuan laid out rare treasures, noted what caught his eye, and gradually sent them as gifts. Delighted, Congshi grew ever closer and more at ease with him. On jiashen, Chenghuan and field commander Li Ting laid a trap. They invited Congshi into camp for a game of chance, with braves hidden beneath the tent. When the moment came they sprang out, seized him, bound him behind the pavilion, shut him in a carriage, and raced for the capital. Congshi's attendants panicked. Chenghuan cut down more than ten men and proclaimed the imperial decree. When the soldiers in Congshi's camp heard what had happened, they armored and poured out, weapons in hand, shouting as they surged forward. Wu Chongyin planted himself at the gate and bellowed, "The Son of Heaven has issued an edict! Follow it and be rewarded; defy it and die! The troops lowered their weapons and fell back into ranks. That night the carriage raced on through the darkness. Before dawn it was already beyond Zhaoyi territory. Wu Chongyin was the son of Cheng He; Li Ting was the son of Li Sheng.
23
丁亥，范希朝、張茂昭大破承宗之眾於木刀溝。
On dinghai, Fan Xichao and Zhang Maozhao routed Wang Chengzong's army at Mudao Gully.
24
上嘉烏重胤之功，欲即授以昭義節度使。 李絳以為不可，請授重胤河陽，以河陽節度使孟元陽鎮昭義。 會吐突承璀奏，已牒重胤句當昭義留後，絳上言：「昭義五州據山東要害，魏博、恆、幽諸鎮蟠結，朝廷恃此以制之。 邢、滋、洺入其腹內，誠國之寶地，安危所繫也。 向為從史所據，使朝廷旰食，今幸而得之，承璀復以與重胤，臣聞之驚歎，實所痛心！ 昨國家誘執從史，雖為長策，已失大體。 今承璀又以文牒差人為重鎮留後，為之求旌節，無君之心，孰甚於此！ 陛下昨日得昭義，人神同慶，威令再立； 今日忽以授本軍牙將，物情頓沮，紀綱大紊。 校計利害，更不若從史為之。 何則？ 從史雖蓄奸謀，已是朝廷牧伯。 重胤出於列校，以承璀一牒代之，竊恐河南、北諸侯聞之，無不憤怒，恥與為伍。 且謂承璀誘重胤使逐從史而代其位，彼人人麾下各有將校，能無自危乎！ 儻劉濟、茂昭、季安、執恭、韓弘、師道繼有章表陳其情狀，並指承璀專命之罪，不知陛下何以處之？ 若皆不報，則眾怒益甚； 若為之改除，則朝廷之威重去矣。」 上復使樞密使梁守謙密謀於絳曰：「今重胤已總軍務，事不得已，須應與節。」 對曰：「從史為帥不由朝廷，故啟其邪心，終成逆節。 今以重胤典兵，即授之節，威福之柄不在朝廷，何以異於從史乎！ 重胤之得河陽，已為望外之福，豈敢更為旅拒！ 況重胤所以能執從史，本以杖順成功，一旦自逆詔命，安知同列不襲其跡而動乎！ 重胤軍中等夷甚多，必不願重胤獨為主帥。 移之他鎮，乃愜眾心，何憂其致亂乎！」 上悅，皆如其請。 壬辰，以重胤為河陽節度使，元陽為昭義節度使。 戊戌，貶盧從史歡州司馬。
The emperor applauded Wu Chongyin's role in the arrest and wished to appoint him governor of Zhaoyi at once. Li Jiang objected. He urged that Chongyin receive Heyang instead, with Heyang governor Meng Yuanyang sent to govern Zhaoyi. Just then Tuyu Chenghuan reported that he had already ordered Wu Chongyin to serve as acting governor of Zhaoyi. Li Jiang memorialized: "Zhaoyi's five prefectures hold the vital passes of the eastern provinces. Weibo, Hengzhou, and Youzhou are tangled in mutual dependence, and the court relies on Zhaoyi to keep them in check. Xing, Zi, and Luo lie at its heart—the very jewel of the realm, and a pivot of national security. Congshi's hold on it once kept the court sleepless with worry. We have only just regained it, and now Chenghuan would hand it to Chongyin. I am appalled—this cuts to the bone! Yesterday's scheme to lure and capture Congshi, however wise as tactics, already compromised the court's dignity. Now Chenghuan would use a mere dispatch to install his man over a great command and petition for the commission of office for him. What greater sign of contempt for imperial authority could there be? Yesterday Your Majesty recovered Zhaoyi, heaven and earth rejoiced, and imperial prestige was restored. Today you would suddenly award it to a mere staff officer of the garrison. Morale will collapse and order will unravel. On balance, even Congshi would have been preferable. Why? Congshi, for all his scheming, had already been a recognized regional governor appointed by the throne. Chongyin rose from the ranks of junior officers. To replace a governor with one slip from Chenghuan—I fear every warlord north and south of the Yellow River will erupt in fury and count it shameful to stand his equal. They will say Chenghuan induced Chongyin to oust Congshi and seize his post. Every commander has his own officers—would they not fear the same fate? Suppose Liu Ji, Zhang Maozhao, Li Ji'an, Tian Zhigong, Han Hong, and Li Shidao follow with memorials laying out their grievances and accusing Chenghuan of usurping imperial authority—how will Your Majesty answer? Ignore them all, and the outrage will only deepen. Yield to their demands, and the court's authority is spent. The emperor sent Privy Council commissioner Liang Shouqian to consult Li Jiang in secret. "Chongyin already commands the army. The situation leaves no choice—we must give him the commission. Li Jiang answered, "Congshi became commander without court approval. That fed his ambitions until he turned rebel. Grant Chongyin command of the army and immediately confirm him in office, and the source of power no longer rests with the court. How is that different from Congshi? For Chongyin, Heyang alone would be reward beyond his dreams. He would hardly dare refuse it! Chongyin seized Congshi by obeying the throne. If he now defies an imperial order, what is to stop his fellow officers from doing to him what he did to Congshi? Many in his army are his equals in rank. They will not welcome his elevation above them alone. Transfer him to another command and you satisfy the troops. What risk of disorder remains? The emperor was persuaded and granted everything Li Jiang asked. On renchen, Wu Chongyin was appointed governor of Heyang and Meng Yuanyang governor of Zhaoyi. On wuxu, Lu Congshi was banished to serve as deputy prefect of Huan.
25
五月，乙巳，昭義軍三千餘人夜潰，奔魏州。 劉濟奏拔安平。
In the fifth month, on yisi, more than three thousand Zhaoyi troops broke and fled by night toward Weizhou. Liu Ji reported the capture of Anping.
26
庚申，吐蕃遣其臣論思邪熱入見，且歸路泌、鄭叔矩之柩。 甲子，奚寇靈州。
On gengshen, Tibet sent the minister Lun Siyexie to audience, bearing also the remains of Lu Bi and Zheng Shuju for repatriation. On jiazi, Xi tribesmen raided Lingzhou.
27
六月，甲申，白居易復上奏，以為：「臣比請罷兵，今之事勢，又不如前，不知陛下復何所待！」 是時，上每有軍國大事，必與諸學士謀之。 嘗逾月不見學士，李絳等上言：「臣等飽食不言，其自為計則得矣，如陛下何！ 陛下詢訪理道，開納直言，實天下之幸，豈臣等之幸！」 上遽令「明日三殿對來。」 白居易嘗因論事，言「陛下錯」，上色莊而罷，密召承旨李絳，謂：「白居易小臣不遜，須令出院。」 絳曰：「陛下容納直言，故群臣敢竭誠無隱。 居易言雖少思，志在納忠。 陛下今日罪之，臣恐天下各思箝口，非所以廣聰明，昭聖德也。」 上悅，待居易如初。 上嘗欲近獵苑中，至蓬萊池西，謂左右曰：「李絳必諫，不如且止。」
In the sixth month, on jiashen, Bai Juyi memorialized again: "I recently urged you to end the war. Affairs are now worse than before. What further delay does Your Majesty await? At this time the emperor routinely consulted his Hanlin academicians on every major military and political decision. On one occasion the emperor went more than a month without summoning his academicians. Li Jiang and the others memorialized: "We may eat in idleness and hold our tongues—that may serve our private interests, but what of Your Majesty? Your Majesty seeks out the Way of governance and welcomes honest counsel. That is truly the empire's good fortune—not merely our own." The emperor at once commanded: "Present yourselves for audience in the Three Halls tomorrow." During a policy debate, Bai Juyi once declared, "Your Majesty is mistaken." The emperor's face darkened and the session ended. Privately he summoned Chief Academician Li Jiang and said: "That presumptuous minor official Bai Juyi must be removed from the Hanlin Academy." Li Jiang replied: "Your Majesty has been willing to hear blunt counsel. That is why the ministers dare speak their minds without concealment. Bai Juyi's remark was hasty, but his purpose was loyal remonstrance. If you punish him now, I fear men everywhere will think twice before speaking. That would not enlarge your wisdom or display your sage virtue." The emperor was mollified and continued to treat Bai Juyi as he had before. Once the emperor planned to hunt near the palace grounds. Reaching the west side of Penglai Pool, he told his attendants: "Li Jiang is bound to object—we had better turn back for now."4
28
秋，七月，庚子，王承宗遣使自陳為盧從史所離間，乞輸貢賦，請官吏，許其自新。 李師道等數上表請雪承宗，朝廷亦以師久無功，丁未，制洗雪承宗，以為成德軍節度使，復以德、棣二州與之。 悉罷諸道行營將士，共賜布帛二十八萬端匹，加劉濟中書令。
In autumn, the seventh month, on gengzi, Wang Chengzong dispatched envoys to explain that Lu Congshi had turned him against the court. He offered to resume paying tribute and taxes, requested the appointment of imperial officials, and asked to be allowed to return to loyalty. Li Shidao and others memorialized repeatedly asking that Wang Chengzong be rehabilitated. The court, weary of a campaign that had dragged on without victory, on dingwei issued an edict clearing Chengzong's name, restored him as military governor of Chengde, and returned De and Di prefectures to his control. The campaigning forces from every circuit were disbanded. The troops were collectively rewarded with 280,000 bolts of cloth and silk, and Liu Ji was given the additional title of Palace Secretariat Director.
29
劉濟之討王承宗也，以長子緄為副大使，掌幽州留務。 濟軍瀛州，次子總為瀛州刺史，濟署行營都知兵馬使，使屯饒陽。 濟有疾，總與判官張玘、孔目官成國寶謀，詐使人從長安來，曰：「朝廷以相公逗留無功，已除副大使為節度使矣。」 明日，又使人來告曰：「副大使旌節已至太原。」 又使人走而呼曰：「旌節已過代州。」 舉軍驚駭。 濟憤怒不知所為，殺大將素與緄厚者數十人，追緄詣行營，以張玘兄皋代知留務。 濟自朝至日昃不食，渴索飲，總因置毒而進之。 乙卯，濟薨。 緄行至涿州，總矯以父命杖殺之，遂領軍務。
While Liu Ji was fighting Wang Chengzong, he left his eldest son Kun as deputy commissioner to manage affairs at Youzhou. Ji kept his army at Ying Prefecture, where his second son Zong served as prefect. Ji named Zong chief controller of military affairs for the campaigning army and stationed him at Raoyang. When Ji fell sick, Zong plotted with his staff officer Zhang Qi and chief clerk Cheng Guobao. They sent a man falsely claiming to have come from Chang'an, who announced: "Because you have stalled without success, the court has already replaced your vice commissioner and made him military governor." The next day another messenger arrived saying the vice commissioner's commission insignia had already reached Taiyuan." Still another runner was sent to cry out that the commission insignia had already passed Daizhou." The entire army was thrown into panic. Ji, furious and at a loss, executed several dozen senior commanders who had long been close to Kun, then rode after Kun toward the campaigning army's headquarters. He put Zhang Qi's elder brother Gao in charge of affairs at Youzhou. Ji took no food from morning until midafternoon. When thirst drove him to ask for water, Zong had it poisoned and served it himself. On yimao, Liu Ji died. When Kun reached Zhu Prefecture, Zong forged his father's order and had him clubbed to death, then assumed command of the army.
30
嶺南監軍許遂振以飛語毀節度使楊於陵於上，上命召於陵還，除冗官。 裴垍曰：「於陵性廉直，陛下以遂振故黜籓臣，不可。」 丁巳，以於陵為吏部侍郎。 遂振尋自抵罪。
Xu Suizhen, the eunuch army supervisor in Lingnan, whispered slanders against Yang Yuling to the throne. The emperor summoned Yang back to court and relegated him to a nominal office. Pei Ji objected: "Yang Yuling is a man of integrity. You must not remove a frontier governor merely on Xu Suizhen's word." On dingsi, Yang Yuling was appointed Vice Minister of Personnel. Before long Xu Suizhen was himself found guilty.
31
八月，乙亥，上與宰相語及神仙，問：「果有之乎？」 李籓對曰：「秦始皇、漢武帝學仙之效，具載前史，太宗服天竺僧長年藥致疾，此古今之明戒也。 陛下春秋鼎盛，方勵志太平，宜拒絕方士之說。 苟道盛德充，人安國理，何憂無堯、舜之壽乎！」
In the eighth month, on yihai, the emperor asked his chief ministers about immortals: "Are such beings real?" Li Fan replied: "Earlier histories record in full what came of Qin Shihuang's and Han Wudi's pursuit of immortality. Emperor Taizong grew ill after taking a longevity elixir from an Indian monk. That is a warning every age should heed. You are still in the prime of life and striving to bring the realm to peace. You should reject the claims of occult practitioners. If your virtue is complete and the people live in peace under just governance, why should you fear falling short of the longevity of Yao and Shun!"5
32
九月，己亥，吐突承璀自行營還。 辛亥，復為左衛上將軍，充左軍中尉。 裴垍曰：「承璀首唱用兵，疲弊天下，卒無成功，陛下縱以舊恩不加顯戮，豈得全不貶黜以謝天下乎！」 給事中段平仲、呂元膺言承璀可斬。 李絳奏稱：「陛下不責承璀，他日復有敗軍之將，何以處之？ 若或誅之，則同罪異罰，彼必不服； 若或釋之，則誰不保身而玩寇乎！ 願陛下割不忍之恩，行不易之典，使將帥有所懲勸。」 間二日，上罷承璀中尉，降為軍器使。 中外相賀。
In the ninth month, on jihai, Tutu Chenghuan came back from the front. On xinhai he was restored as Left Guard General-in-Chief and reappointed Left Army Inner Attendant. Pei Ji remonstrated: "Chenghuan was first to urge war. He drained the empire and won nothing in the end. Even if old friendship keeps you from executing him publicly, how can you leave him wholly unpunished and answer to the realm?" The remonstrance officials Duan Pingzhong and Lü Yuanying argued that Chenghuan deserved to be put to death. Li Jiang memorialized: "If Chenghuan goes unpunished, what standard will you apply the next time a general leads his army to defeat? Execute the next one and you will have punished the same offense differently—others will not accept that; pardon the next one and every commander will think first of self-preservation and treat the enemy lightly! Cut through personal reluctance and enforce the law without exception, so that commanders have both warning and incentive." Two days later the emperor stripped Chenghuan of his post as Inner Attendant and reduced him to Commissioner of Military Equipment. Court and country alike rejoiced.
33
裴垍得風疾，上甚惜之，中使候問旁午於道。
When Pei Ji fell ill with a paralytic disorder, the emperor was deeply concerned and sent palace envoys in an unbroken stream to inquire after him.
34
丙寅，以太常卿權德輿為禮部尚書、同平章事。
On bingyin, Quan Deyu, Grandee of Splendid Happiness, was appointed Minister of Rites and named Associate Chief Councilor.
35
義武節度使張茂昭請除代人，欲舉族入朝。 河北諸鎮互遣人說止之，茂昭不從，凡四上表。 上乃許之。 以左庶子任迪簡為義武行軍司馬。 茂昭悉以易、定二州簿書管鑰授迪簡，遣其妻子先行，曰：「吾不欲子孫染於污俗。」 茂昭既去，冬，十月，戊寅，虞侯楊伯玉作亂，囚迪簡，辛已，義武將士共殺伯玉。 兵馬使張佐元又作亂，囚迪簡，迪簡乞歸朝。 既而將士復殺佐元，奉迪簡主軍務。 時易定府庫罄竭，閭閻亦空，迪簡無以犒士，乃設糲飯與士卒共食之，身居戟門下經月。 將士感之，共請迪簡還寢，然後得安其位。 上命以綾絹十萬匹賜易定將士。 壬辰，以迪簡為義武節度使。 甲午，以張茂昭為河中、慈、隰、晉、絳節度使，從行將校皆拜官。
Zhang Maozhao, military governor of Yiwu, asked the throne to name his replacement and to allow his whole family to come to the capital. The other Hebei governors sent envoys one after another urging him to reconsider, but Maozhao refused. He submitted four memorials in all. The emperor finally granted his request. Ren Dijian, Left Household Companion, was appointed acting chief secretary of Yiwu. Maozhao turned over all the records and keys of Yi and Ding prefectures to Dijian, sent his family ahead to the capital, and said: "I do not want my descendants tainted by the customs of corrupt rule." After Maozhao had left, in winter, the tenth month, on wuyin, the garrison officer Yang Boyu mutinied and seized Ren Dijian. On xinsi the troops of Yiwu rose together and killed Boyu. The army affairs commissioner Zhang Zuoyuan mutinied again, seized Ren Dijian, and Dijian petitioned to be allowed to go to the capital. Before long the troops killed Zuoyuan themselves and restored Dijian to command. Yi and Ding's stores were empty and the towns were stripped bare. Unable to reward his men, Dijian served plain rice and ate with the rank and file, sleeping under the barracks gate for an entire month. Deeply moved, the troops together asked him to move back indoors; only then did he take up his proper station. The emperor ordered a gift of one hundred thousand bolts of silk for the troops of Yi and Ding. On renchen, Ren Dijian was appointed military governor of Yiwu. On jiawu, Zhang Maozhao was named military governor of Hezhong and the prefectures of Ci, Xi, Jin, and Jiang, and every officer who had come with him received an official appointment.
36
右金吾大將軍伊慎以錢三萬緡賂右軍中尉第五從直，求河中節度使。 從直恐事洩，奏之。 十一月，庚子，貶慎為右衛將軍，坐死者三人。
Right Gold Crow Guard General Yi Shen paid thirty thousand strings of cash to bribe Right Army Commandant Diwu Congzhi in hopes of obtaining the Hezhong governorship. Fearing exposure, Congzhi reported the bribe to the throne. In the eleventh month, on gengzi, Yi Shen was demoted to Right Guard General, and three others were executed for their part in the scandal.
37
初，慎自安州入朝，留其子宥主留事，朝廷因以為安州刺史，未能去也。 會宥母卒於長安，宥利於兵權，不時發喪。 鄂岳觀察使郗士美遣僚屬以事過其境，宥出迎，因告以凶問，先備籃輿，即日遣之。
When Yi Shen had earlier come to court from Anzhou, he left his son You to manage affairs there; the court then named You prefect of Anzhou, and the son could not quit his post. When You's mother died in the capital, he clung to his command and delayed sending the funeral cortege. When E-Yue observation commissioner Xi Shimei sent a staff member through the region on business, You came out to greet him. Shimei broke the news of his mother's death, had a litter ready, and dispatched him to the capital that very day.
38
甲辰，會王纁薨。
On jiachen, Prince of Hui Wang Xun passed away.
39
庚戌，以前河中節度使王鍔為河東節度使。 上左右受鍔厚賂，多稱譽之，上命鍔兼平章事，李籓固執以為不可。 權德輿曰：「宰相非序進之官。 唐興以來，方鎮非大忠大勳，則跋扈者，朝廷或不得已而加之。 今鍔既無忠勳，朝廷又非不得已，何為遽以此名假之！」 上乃止。 鍔有吏才，工於完聚。 范希朝以河東全軍出屯河北，耗散甚眾。 鍔到鎮之初，兵不滿三萬人，馬不過六百匹，歲餘，兵至五萬人，馬有五千匹，器械精利，倉庫充實，又進家財三十萬緡，上復欲加鍔平章事。 李絳諫曰：「鍔在太原，雖頗著績效，今因獻家財而命之，若後世何！」 上乃止。
On gengxu, Wang E, formerly military governor of Hezhong, was transferred to Hedong. Courtiers around the emperor, having taken lavish gifts from Wang E, showered him with praise. The emperor wished to make him a grand counselor as well, but Li Fan adamantly objected. Quan Deyu said: "Counselor is not a post one advances into by seniority alone. Since the Tang rose, the court has bestowed the title on military governors only when they showed great loyalty or great merit—or when insubordinate men left it no alternative. Wang E has shown neither loyalty nor achievement, and the court is under no compulsion now. Why rush to confer on him a name he has not earned?" With that, the emperor dropped the appointment. Wang E was an able administrator and excelled at rebuilding revenues and stockpiling supplies. Fan Xichao had marched the whole Hedong force north to Hebei, draining the region badly. When Wang E first took command, he had fewer than thirty thousand men and no more than six hundred horses. Within a year he had fifty thousand troops and five thousand mounts, sharp weaponry, and full granaries, and he also presented three hundred thousand strings from his personal fortune. The emperor again proposed making him grand counselor. Li Jue warned: "Wang E has indeed done well at Taiyuan, but if you appoint him grand counselor because he paid in family wealth, what precedent will you leave for later ages?" Again the emperor relented.
40
中書侍郎、同平章事裴垍數以疾辭位。 庚申，罷為兵部尚書。
Pei Ji, vice director of the Secretariat and grand counselor, repeatedly asked to step down, citing illness. On gengshen, he was removed from the chancellorship and appointed minister of war.
41
十二月，戊寅，張茂昭入朝，請遷祖考之骨於京兆。
In the twelfth month, on wuyin, Zhang Maozhao came to court and asked permission to move the remains of his forebears to the capital district of Jingzhao.
42
壬午，以御史中丞呂元膺為鄂岳觀察使。 元膺嘗欲夜登城，門已鎖，守者不為開。 左右曰：「中丞也。」 對曰：「夜中難辯真偽，雖中丞亦不可。」 元膺乃還。 明日，擢為重職。 翰林學士、司勳郎中李張面陳吐突承璀專橫，語極懇切。 上作色曰：「卿言太過！」 絳泣曰：「陛下置臣於腹心耳目之地，若臣畏避左右，愛身不言，是臣負陛下； 言之而陛下惡聞，乃陛下負臣也。」 上怒解，曰：「卿所言皆人所不能言，使聯聞所不聞，真忠臣也！ 他日盡言，皆應如是。」 己丑，以絳為中書舍人，學士如故。 絳嘗從容諫上聚財，上曰：「今兩河數十州，皆國家政令所不及，河、湟數千里，淪於左衽，朕日夜思雪祖宗之恥，而財力不贍，故不得不蓄聚耳。 不然，朕宮中用度極儉薄，多藏何用邪！」
On renwu, Censor-in-Chief Lü Yuanying was appointed observation commissioner of Ezhou and Yuezhou. Lü Yuanying once tried to go up on the city wall at night, but the gate was bolted and the sentry refused to let him through. His escort protested: "This is the censor-in-chief." The sentry answered: "At night one cannot tell who is real and who is not. Even if you truly are the censor-in-chief, I still may not open the gate." Yuanying turned back. The next day the sentry was promoted to a senior position. Hanlin academician and director in the Ministry of Personnel Li Jue spoke directly to the emperor against Tutu Chengcui's tyrannical conduct, pleading with unusual passion. The emperor's face darkened and he said: "You have overstepped yourself!" Li Jue wept and said: "Your Majesty posted me where I am your inner counsel and your eyes and ears. If I shrink from those around you, spare myself, and keep silent, I betray you; If I speak honestly and Your Majesty refuses to listen, then it is Your Majesty who fails me." His anger eased, and he said: "You have said what others dare not say and told me what I had never heard. That is the mark of a true loyal subject! Speak plainly to me always, as you have today." On jichou, Li Jue was appointed a drafter in the Secretariat while keeping his Hanlin appointment. Li Jue once gently urged the emperor to stop hoarding treasure. The emperor replied: "Scores of prefectures between the Yellow and Huai rivers are beyond my government's reach, and for thousands of miles along the Yellow River and the Huang lands we have lost the heartland to foreign rule. Day and night I burn to avenge the dishonor to our ancestors, yet I lack the means— that is why I must build reserves. Otherwise I live very plainly in the palace. What good would piles of treasure do me?6
43
憲宗昭文章武大聖至神孝皇帝上之下元和六年（ 辛卯，公元八一一年）
The latter portion of the annals of Emperor Xianzong, styled Zhao Wen Zhang Wu Da Sheng Zhi Shen Xiao, Yuanhe year 6 ( xinmao [in the sexagenary cycle], equivalent to 811 CE)
44
春，正月，甲辰，以彰義留後吳少陽為節度使。
In spring, the first month, on jiachen, Wu Shaoyang, the interim Zhangyi governor, was confirmed as military governor.
45
庚申，以前淮南節度使李吉甫為中書侍郎，同平章事。 二月壬申，李籓罷為太子詹事。
On gengshen, Li Jifu, former military governor of Huainan, was appointed vice director of the Secretariat and grand counselor. On renshen in the second month, Li Fan was removed from office and named grand mentor to the crown prince.
46
己丑，忻王造薨。
On jichou, Prince of Xin Li Zao passed away.
47
宦官惡李絳在翰林，以為戶部侍郎，判本司。 上問絳：「故事，戶部侍郎皆進羨餘，卿獨無進，何也？」 對曰：「守士之官，厚斂於人以市私恩，天下猶共非之。 況戶部所掌，皆陛下府庫之物，給納有籍，安得羨餘！ 若自左藏輸之內藏以為進奉，是猶東庫移之西庫，臣不敢踵此弊也。」 上嘉其直，益重之。
Because the eunuchs resented Li Jiang's influence in the Hanlin Academy, they maneuvered to appoint him Vice Minister of Revenue with supervisory charge of that ministry. The emperor asked Li Jiang: "By custom, vice ministers of revenue all submit surplus revenues to the throne. You alone have submitted nothing. Why?" He answered: "Even when territorial officials levy heavily on the people to buy private goodwill, the whole realm condemns them. How much more so here: everything the Ministry of Revenue administers belongs to Your Majesty's treasury, with receipts and disbursements fully recorded. How could there be any surplus to present! To shift funds from the Left Treasury to the Inner Treasury and call it tribute would be no more than moving goods from one storehouse to another. I cannot follow such a corrupt practice." The emperor admired his frankness and held him in even higher regard.
48
乙巳，上問宰相：「為政寬猛何先？」 權德輿對曰：「秦以慘刻而亡，漢以寬大而興。 太宗觀《明堂圖》，禁杖人背，是故安、史以來，屢有悖逆之臣，皆旋踵自亡，由祖宗仁政結於人心，人不能忘故也。 然則寬猛之先後可見矣。」 上善其言。
On yisi, the emperor asked his chief ministers: "In governing the realm, should leniency or severity come first?" Quan Deyu answered: "Qin fell because its rule was cruel and harsh; Han rose because its rule was generous and broad-minded. When Emperor Taizong examined the Hall of Brightness diagram, he forbade beating men on the back. That is why, since the An Lushan and Shi Siming rebellions, though rebellious ministers have arisen time and again, they have all quickly destroyed themselves: the benevolent policies of our forebears are woven into the people's hearts, and those hearts cannot forget. From this it is clear which should come first—leniency or severity." The emperor was pleased with his answer.
49
夏，四月，戊辰，以兵部尚書裴垍為太子賓客，李吉甫惡之也。
In summer, in the fourth month, on wuchen, Minister of War Pei Ji was appointed Guardian of the Heir Apparent—a demotion engineered by Li Jifu, who had come to despise him.
50
庚午，以刑部侍郎、鹽鐵轉運使盧坦為戶部侍郎、判度支。 或告泗州刺史薛謇為代北水運使，有異馬不以獻。 事下度支，使巡官往驗，未返，上遲之，使品官劉泰昕按其事。 戶坦曰：「陛下既使有司驗之，又使品官繼往，豈大臣不足信於品官乎！ 臣請先就黜免。」 上召泰昕還。
On gengwu, Lu Tan, vice minister of justice and salt and iron transport commissioner, was appointed vice minister of revenue with supervisory charge of the Bureau of Public Finance. Someone denounced Xue Shen, prefect of Sizhou, for withholding a fine horse while serving as northern-route transport commissioner by water. The case was referred to the Bureau of Public Finance, which sent an inspector to verify it. Before the inspector returned, the emperor grew impatient and dispatched Liu Taixin, a ranking court official, to investigate on his own. Lu Tan protested: "Your Majesty has already ordered the proper offices to investigate, yet now sends another ranking official after them. Does this mean that a senior minister is less trustworthy than a low-ranked court officer? I ask that I be dismissed at once." The emperor recalled Liu Taixin.
51
五月，前行營糧料使於皋謨、董溪坐贓數千緡，敕貸其死，皋謨流春州，溪流封州。 行至潭州，並追遣中使賜死。 權德輿上言，以為：「皋謨等罪當死，陛下肆諸市朝，誰不懼法！ 不當已赦而殺之。」 溪，晉之子也。
In the fifth month, Yu Gaomo and Dong Xi, former commissioners of provisions for the forward camp, were convicted of embezzling several thousand strings of cash. An edict commuted their death sentences: Gaomo was exiled to Chunzhou and Xi to Fengzhou. When they reached Tanzhou, the emperor sent eunuch messengers after them and had both put to death. Quan Deyu memorialized the throne, arguing: "Yu Gaomo and his associates deserved to die. Had Your Majesty executed them publicly, who would not have trembled before the law! They should not have been killed after a pardon had already been granted." Dong Xi was the son of Dong Jin.
52
庚子，以金吾大將軍李惟簡為鳳翔節度使。 隴州地與吐蕃接，舊常朝夕相伺，更入攻抄，人不得息。 惟簡以為邊將當謹守備，蓄財谷以待寇，不當睹小利，起事盜恩，禁不得妄入其地。 益市耕牛，鑄農器，以給農之不能自具者，增墾田數十萬畝。 屬歲屢稔，公私有餘，販者流及它方。
On gengzi, Right Gold Guard General Li Weijian was appointed military commissioner of Fengxiang. Longzhou bordered Tibetan territory, where the frontier garrisons had long watched each other from dawn to dusk, raiding back and forth until the people knew no peace. Weijian held that frontier commanders should maintain strong defenses, stockpile grain, and wait for any invasion—not seize on petty skirmishes to claim credit and imperial favor. He forbade unauthorized incursions into enemy territory. He bought more plowing oxen and had farm tools cast for peasants who could not afford their own, opening several hundred thousand mu of new farmland. With several successive good harvests, both public and private granaries overflowed, and surplus grain flowed to other regions through trade.
53
賜振武節度使阿跌光進姓李氏。
Atai Guangjin, military commissioner of Zhenwu, was granted the imperial surname Li.
54
六月，丁卯，李吉甫奏：「自漢至隋十有三代，設官之多，無如國家者。 天寶以後，中原宿兵，見在可計者八十餘萬，其餘為商賈、僧、道不服田畝者什有五六，是常以三分勞筋苦骨之人奉七分待衣坐食之輩也。 今內外官以稅錢給俸者不下萬員，天下千三百餘縣，或以一縣之地而為州，一鄉之民而為縣者甚眾，請敕有司詳定廢置，吏員可省者省之，州縣可並者並之，入仕之塗可減者減之。 又，國家舊章，依品制俸，官一品月俸錢三十緡； 職田祿米不過千斛。 艱難以來，增置使額，厚給俸錢，大歷中，權臣月俸至九千緡，州無大小，刺史皆千緡。 常兗為相。 始立限約，李泌又量其閒劇，隨事增加，時謂通濟，理難減削。 然猶有名存職廢，或額去俸存，閒劇之間，厚薄頓異。 請敕有司詳考俸料、雜給，量定以聞。」 於是命給事中段平仲、中書舍人韋貫之、兵部侍郎許孟容、戶部侍郎李絳同詳定。
In the sixth month, on dingmao, Li Jifu submitted a memorial: "From Han through Sui, thirteen dynasties have ruled China. In the sheer number of offices they established, none compares with our own. Since the Tianbao era, garrison forces in the Central Plains alone number more than eight hundred thousand on the rolls, while merchants, monks, and Daoists exempt from field taxation make up five or six tenths of the rest of the population. Thus three parts of those who toil with bone and sinew support seven parts who simply await their clothing and live at ease. More than ten thousand civil officials inside and outside the capital now draw salaries from tax revenues. Though the empire has more than thirteen hundred counties, many are prefectures no larger than a single county, or counties no larger than a single township. I ask that Your Majesty order the responsible offices to review what should be abolished or retained: cut redundant posts wherever possible, merge prefectures and counties where feasible, and reduce the avenues by which men enter office. Further, under the dynasty's original regulations, salaries were set by rank: a first-rank official received thirty strings of cash per month; stipends from official fields and grain allowances did not exceed one thousand hu. Since the troubled years, new commissioner posts have proliferated and salaries have swollen. By the Dali era, powerful ministers drew monthly salaries of up to nine thousand strings, and every prefect—regardless of the prefecture's size—received one thousand strings. When Chang Yan became chief minister, he first set limits on official salaries. Li Bi later adjusted them according to the light or heavy burden of each post, adding compensation where needed. At the time this was praised as a workable remedy, and in principle it has been hard to scale back. Yet offices often survive in name after their functions have lapsed, or salaries continue after posts have been abolished. Between easy and demanding assignments, compensation varies sharply and unevenly. I ask that Your Majesty order the responsible offices to review all salary provisions and supplementary allowances in detail, fix appropriate amounts, and report back." The emperor then ordered Supervising Secretary Duan Pingzhong, Secretariat drafting secretary Wei Guanzhi, Vice Minister of War Xu Mengrong, and Vice Minister of Revenue Li Jiang to review the matter together.
55
秋，九月，富平人梁悅報父仇，殺秦杲，自詣縣請罪。 敕：「復仇，據《禮經》則義不同天，征法令則殺人者死。 禮、法二事，皆王教之大端，有此異同，固資論辯，宜令都省集議聞奏。」 職方員外郎韓愈議，以為：「律無其條，非闕文也。 蓋以不許復仇，則傷孝子之心而乖先王之訓； 許復仇，則人將倚法專殺，無以禁止其端矣。 故聖人丁寧其義於經，而深沒其文於律，其意將使法吏一斷於法，而經術之士得引經而議也。 宜定其制曰：『凡復父仇者，事發，具申尚書省集議奏聞，酌其宜而處之。』 則經律無失其指矣。」 戊戌，敕：「梁悅杖一百，流循州。
In autumn, in the ninth month, Liang Yue of Fuping avenged his father by killing Qin Gao, then went to the county magistrate of his own accord to surrender. An edict declared: "Blood vengeance: by the Book of Rites, the duty is as sacred as heaven itself; by the statutes, a killer must die. Rites and law are both pillars of royal instruction. Where they conflict, debate is warranted. Let the Department of State Affairs convene for joint deliberation and report its findings." Han Yu, vice director in the Bureau of Appointments, argued: "The law contains no provision on this point—not because the text is incomplete. For if blood vengeance were forbidden outright, it would wound the heart of the filial son and betray the teaching of the ancient kings; yet if blood vengeance were permitted freely, men would invoke the law to kill at will, and there would be no way to check the abuse at its source. That is why the sages emphasized the principle in the classics yet deliberately omitted explicit language from the statutes: legal officers were to decide cases by law alone, while scholars of the classics might invoke the classics in deliberation. The proper regulation would read: 'Whenever anyone avenges a father's death, upon the matter coming to light, the case shall be reported in full to the Department of State Affairs for joint deliberation and memorial to the throne, and an appropriate disposition shall be determined.' In this way neither the classics nor the statutes would lose their proper meaning." On wuxu, an edict ordered: "Liang Yue shall be flogged one hundred strokes and exiled to Xunzhou.
56
甲寅，吏部奏准敕並省內外官計八百八員，諸司流外一千七百六十九人。
On jiayin, the Ministry of Personnel reported that, under imperial decree, a total of 808 posts in offices at court and in the provinces had been consolidated, along with 1,769 extrabureau personnel in the various departments.
57
黔州大水壞城郭，觀察使竇群發溪洞蠻以治之。 督役太急，於是辰、漵二州蠻反，群討之，不能定。 戊午，貶群開州刺史。
Catastrophic flooding at Qianzhou breached the city walls. Observation Commissioner Dou Qun conscripted tribal peoples from the hill streams and cave settlements to make repairs. The corvée was driven too hard. The tribes of Chen and Xu prefectures rose in revolt. Dou Qun marched against them but could not restore order. On wuwu, Dou Qun was demoted to governor of Kaizhou.
58
冬，十一月，弓箭庫使劉希光受羽林大將軍孫瑞錢二萬緡，為求方鎮，事覺，賜死。 事連左衛上將軍、知內待省事吐突承璀，丙申，以承璀為淮南監軍。 上問李絳：「聯出承璀何如？」 對曰：「外人不意陛下遽能如是。」 上曰：「此家奴耳，向以其驅使之久，故假以恩私； 若有違犯，朕去之輕如一毛耳！」
In the eleventh month of winter, Liu Xiguang, keeper of the bow and arrow arsenal, accepted twenty thousand strings of cash from Sun Rui, a general of the Imperial Guard, to secure him a post as military governor. When the bribery was exposed, the emperor ordered his execution. The case also implicated Tutu Chenghuan, senior general of the Left Guard and director of the Palace Domestic Service Bureau. On bingshen, Chenghuan was sent out as military supervisor of Huainan. The emperor asked Li Jiang, "What do you think of my dispatching Chenghuan?" Li Jiang answered, "Your subjects hardly expected that Your Majesty would act so decisively, and so soon." The emperor said, "He is nothing but a household slave. I indulged him with private favor only because I had commanded his service for so long; but if he breaks the law, I shall cast him off as lightly as a single hair!"
59
十六宅諸王既不出閣，其女嫁不以時，選尚者皆由宦官，率以厚賂自達。 李吉甫上言：「自古尚主必擇其人，獨近世不然。」 十二月，壬申，詔封恩王等六女為縣主，委中書、門下、宗正、吏部選門地人才稱可者嫁之。
Because the princes of the Sixteen Residences no longer left the palace precincts, their daughters went unmarried past the proper age. Matchmaking for imperial consorts passed entirely through eunuchs, who typically secured appointments by offering lavish bribes. Li Jifu memorialized the throne: "In antiquity, a princess's hand was always given to a man chosen for his worth. Only in recent times has this ceased to be so." In the twelfth month, on renshen, an edict ennobled six daughters of princes, including Prince En, as district princesses and entrusted the Chancellery, Secretariat, Court of the Imperial Clan, and Ministry of Personnel with selecting men of worthy family and proven talent to marry them.
60
己丑，以戶部侍郎李絳為中書侍郎、同平章事。 李吉甫為相，多修舊怨，上頗知之，故擢絳為相。 吉甫善逢迎上意，而絳鯁直，數爭論於上前； 上多直絳而從其言，由是二人有隙。
On jichou, Li Jiang, vice minister of revenue, was appointed vice director of the Chancellery and chief minister. As chief minister, Li Jifu had settled many old scores. The emperor was well aware of this, and promoted Li Jiang to the chancellorship in counterbalance. Jifu excelled at flattering the emperor's wishes, while Jiang was blunt and incorruptible, and often argued with him before the throne; the emperor usually sided with Jiang and took his advice. From this a rift opened between the two men.
61
閏月，辛卯朔，黔州奏：辰、漵賊帥張伯靖寇播州、費州。
In the intercalary month, on the first day xinmao, Qianzhou reported that the rebel leader Zhang Bojing of Chen and Xu had raided Bozhou and Feizhou.
62
試太子通事舍人李涉知上於吐突承璀恩顧未衰，乃投匭上疏，稱「承璀有功，希光無罪。 承璀久委心腹，不宜遽棄。」 知匭使、諫議大夫孔癸戈見其副章，詰責不受。 涉乃行賂，詣光順門通之。 癸戈聞之，上疏極言「涉奸險欺天，請加顯戮。」 戊申，貶涉峽州司倉。 涉，渤之兄； 癸戈，巢父之子也。
Li She, a probationary palace attendant to the crown prince, knowing the emperor's affection for Tutu Chenghuan had not yet cooled, dropped a petition into the suggestion box claiming that "Chenghuan had rendered service, and Xiguang was innocent. Chenghuan has served long as a trusted confidant and ought not to be cast aside so hastily." Kong Guige, remonstrance official and keeper of the suggestion box, read the duplicate draft, rebuked Li She, and refused the petition. Li She then offered a bribe and had the petition smuggled in through Guangshun Gate. When Guige learned of this, he memorialized the throne in the strongest terms that "Li She is deceitful, wicked, and mocks Heaven itself, and I beg that he be punished by a public execution." On wushen, Li She was demoted to warehouse officer of Xiachou. Li She was the elder brother of Li Bo; Kong Guige was the son of Kong Chaofu.
63
辛亥，惠昭太子寧薨。
On xinhai, Crown Prince Ning, posthumously styled Hui Zhao, died.
64
是歲，天下大稔，米斗有直二錢者。
That year the empire enjoyed an abundant harvest; in places a peck of rice sold for as little as two cash.
65
憲宗昭文章武大聖至神孝皇帝上之下元和七年（ 壬辰，公元八一二年）
Below the second part of the reign account of Emperor Xianzong, the Luminous, Literary, Martial, Greatly Sagacious, Utmost Divine, and Filial — Yuanhe 7 ( renchen, 812 CE)
66
春，正月，辛未，以京兆尹元義方為鄜坊觀察使。 初，義方媚事吐突承璀，李吉甫欲自托於承璀，擢義方為京兆尹。 李絳惡義方為人，故出之。 義方入謝，因言「李絳私其同年許季同，除京兆少尹，出臣鄜坊，專作威福，欺罔聰明。」 上曰：「朕諳李絳不知是。 明日，將問之。」 義方惶愧而出。 明日，上以詰絳曰：「人於同年固有情乎？」 對曰：「同年，乃四海九州之人偶同科第，或登科然後相識，情於何有！ 且陛下不以臣愚，備位宰相，宰相職在量才授任，若其人果才，雖在兄弟子侄之中猶將用之，況同年乎！ 避嫌而棄才，是乃便身，非徇公也。」 上曰：「善，朕知卿必不爾。」 遂趣義方之官。
In the first month of spring, on xinwei, Yuan Yifang, metropolitan governor of the capital district, was appointed observation commissioner of Fu and Fang. Earlier, Yuan Yifang had flattered Tutu Chenghuan. Li Jifu, seeking Chenghuan's patronage, had appointed him metropolitan governor. Li Jiang despised Yuan Yifang's character and so had him sent out of the capital. When Yuan Yifang came to thank the emperor, he said, "Li Jiang has shown favor to his examination-year companion Xu Jitong, appointing him vice metropolitan governor while sending me off to Fu and Fang. He wields power for private gain and deceives Your Majesty." The emperor said, "I know Li Jiang well and do not believe this. Tomorrow I shall ask him about it." Yuan Yifang withdrew, ashamed and afraid. The next day the emperor questioned Li Jiang: "Is there naturally special feeling between men who passed the examinations in the same year?" Li Jiang replied, "Examination-year companions are simply people from across the empire who happened to pass in the same year. Some never even meet until after the examinations. What special bond could there be! And though Your Majesty has not judged me unfit and has placed me in the chancellorship, a chief minister's duty is to measure talent and assign offices accordingly. If a man is truly capable, I would appoint him even were he my own brother, son, or nephew — to say nothing of an examination-year companion! To avoid suspicion by rejecting the capable would serve my private convenience, not the public good." The emperor said, "Well said. I know you would never do such a thing." He then sent Yuan Yifang on his way to his new post.
67
振武河溢，毀東受降城。
The Zhenwu River burst its banks and destroyed the Eastern Surrender City.
68
三月，丙戌，上御延英殿，李吉甫言：「天下已太平，陛下宜為樂。」 李絳曰：「漢文帝時兵木無刃，家給人足，賈誼猶以為厝火積薪之下，不可謂安。 今法令所不能制者，河南、北五十餘州。 犬戎腥膻，近接涇、隴，烽火屢驚。 加之水旱時作，倉稟空虛，此正陛下宵衣旰食之時，豈得謂之太平，遽為樂哉！」 上欣然曰：「卿言正合朕意。」 退，謂左右曰：「吉甫專為悅媚，如李絳，真宰相也！」 上嘗問宰相：「貞元中政事下理，何乃至此？」 李吉甫對曰：「德宗自任聖智，不信宰相而信他人，是使奸臣得乘間弄威福。 政事不理，職此故也。」 上曰：「然此亦未必皆德宗之過。 朕幼在德宗左右，見事有得失，當時宰相亦未有再三執奏者，皆懷祿偷安，今日豈得專歸咎於德宗邪！ 卿輩宜用此為戒，事有非是，當力陳不已，勿畏朕譴怒而遽止也。」 李吉甫嘗言：「人臣不當強諫，使君悅臣安，不亦美乎！」 李絳曰：「人臣當犯顏苦口，指陳得失，若陷君於惡，豈得為忠！」 上曰：「絳言是也。」 吉甫至中書，臥不視事，長吁而已。 李絳或久不諫，上輒詰之曰：「豈朕不能容受邪，將無事可諫也？」 李吉甫又嘗言於上曰：「賞罰，人主之二柄，不可偏廢。 陛下踐祚以來，惠澤深矣，而威刑未振，中外懈惰，願加嚴以振之。」 上顧李絳曰：「何如？」 對曰：「王者之政，尚德不尚刑，豈可捨成、康、文、景而效秦始皇父子乎！」 上曰：「然。」 後旬餘，-{于}-頔入對，亦勸上峻刑。 又數日，上謂宰相曰：「-{于}-頔大是奸臣，勸朕峻刑，卿知其意乎？」 皆對曰：「不知也。」 上曰：「此欲使朕失人心耳。」 吉甫失色，退而抑首不言笑竟日。
In the third month, on bingxu, the emperor held court in the Yanying Hall. Li Jifu said, "The empire is now at peace. Your Majesty ought to enjoy himself." Li Jiang said, "Under Emperor Wen of Han, weapons grew dull and trees went untrimmed, every household was provided for — yet Jia Yi still likened the realm to firewood stacked over a hidden flame. It could hardly be called secure. Today more than fifty prefectures south and north of the Yellow River lie beyond the reach of law and command. The western tribesmen, reeking of mutton and butter, press close upon Jing and Long, and the beacon fires flare again and again. Flood and drought strike again and again, and the storehouses stand empty. This is precisely the hour when Your Majesty should rise before dawn and retire after dark to govern — how can the realm be called at peace, or leisure be urged upon you! The emperor said, pleased, "Your words are exactly what I mean." When he had withdrawn, he said to those around him, "Jifu does nothing but curry favor and flatter. A man like Li Jiang—that is a true chancellor!" On another occasion the emperor asked the chancellors, "Under the Zhenyuan reign, affairs of state fell into disorder. How did things come to such a pass?" Li Jifu answered, "Emperor Dezong relied on his own wisdom, trusting others rather than his chancellors. That gave treacherous ministers the chance to exploit gaps in power and bend authority to their will. That is why state affairs went unmanaged." The emperor said, "But this is not necessarily all Dezong's fault. When I was young I was at Dezong's side and saw where things succeeded and failed. Even then, not one of the chancellors pressed his objections again and again—they all clung to their stipends and sought comfort. How can we lay all the blame on Dezong today? Let this be your warning. When something is wrong, press your case without letup. Do not fear my anger and fall silent at once." Li Jifu once said, "Ministers ought not to remonstrate too forcefully. If the ruler is content and the minister is secure, is that not a fine thing?" Li Jiang said, "A minister ought to risk his sovereign's displeasure and speak bluntly, laying out what is right and wrong. If one steers the ruler toward wrongdoing, how is that loyalty?" The emperor said, "Jiang is right." Jifu went to the Secretariat, lay down, and refused to conduct business, sighing to himself and nothing more. If Li Jiang went too long without offering counsel, the emperor would press him: "Do you think I cannot bear remonstrance, or is there simply nothing left to remonstrate about?" Li Jifu again told the emperor, "Reward and punishment are the sovereign's two instruments of rule. Neither can be neglected. Since Your Majesty took the throne, your grace has been deep, yet punitive authority has not been sharpened. Court and provinces alike have grown slack. I urge you to tighten discipline and revive awe." The emperor turned to Li Jiang and asked, "What do you think?" He answered, "A true king's rule esteems virtue, not punishment. How can we abandon the examples of Kings Cheng and Kang, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Jing to imitate Qin Shihuang and his son?" The emperor said, "Quite so." A little more than ten days later, Yu Di came to court and likewise urged the emperor to adopt harsh punishments. A few days later the emperor told the chancellors, "Yu Di is nothing but a treacherous minister. He urged me to adopt harsh punishments. Do you understand what he was after?" They all answered, "We do not." The emperor said, "He wants to make me lose the people's hearts, that is all." Jifu turned pale. After he withdrew he kept his head down and spoke and laughed not at all for the rest of the day.
69
夏，四月，丙辰，以庫部郎中、翰林學士崔群為中書舍人，學士如故。 上嘉群讜直，命學士「自今奏事，必取崔群連署，然後進之。」 群曰：「翰林舉動皆為故事。 必如是，後來萬一有阿媚之人為之長，則下位直言無從而進矣。」 固不奉詔。 章三上，上乃從之。
In summer, in the fourth month, on bingchen, Cui Qun—bureau chief in the Ku Department and a Hanlin academician—was appointed Secretariat Reviser while retaining his Hanlin post. The emperor admired Qun's frank integrity and ordered the Hanlin academicians, "From now on no memorial may be submitted until Cui Qun has countersigned it." Qun said, "Everything the Hanlin does follows established precedent. If we make this mandatory, then should some flatterer ever head the academy, those beneath him will have no path by which frank counsel can reach the throne." He steadfastly refused to obey. After he submitted memorials three times, the emperor relented.
70
五月，庚申，上謂宰相曰：「卿輩屢言淮、浙去歲水旱，近有御史自彼還，言不至為災，事竟如何？」 李絳對曰：「臣按淮南、浙西、浙東奏狀，皆雲水旱，人多流亡，求設法招撫，其意似恐朝廷罪之者，豈肯無災而妄言有災邪！ 此蓋御史欲為奸諛以悅上意耳，願得其主名，按致其法。」 上曰：「卿言是也。 國以人為本，聞有災當亟救之，豈可尚復疑之邪！ 朕適者不思，失言耳。」 命速蠲其租賦。 上嘗與宰相論治道於延英殿，日旰，暑甚，汗透御服，宰相恐上體倦，求退。 上留之曰：「朕入禁中，所與處者獨宮人、宦官耳，故樂與卿等且共談為理之要，殊不知倦也。」
In the fifth month, on gengshen, the emperor asked the chancellors, "You have repeatedly reported floods and drought in the Huai and Zhe regions last year. A censor recently returned from there and said the damage was not severe. What is the truth?" Li Jiang answered, "I have reviewed the reports from Huainan, western Zhe, and eastern Zhe. All describe flood and drought; many people have fled their homes and beg for relief measures. They seem afraid the court will punish them. Why would they invent a disaster where none existed? This censor is surely trying to curry favor by telling you what you want to hear. I ask that he be identified and dealt with according to law." The emperor said, "You are right. The state rests on its people. When we hear of disaster we should act at once. How can we still be doubting? I spoke without thinking just now—that was my mistake." He ordered their rents and levies remitted without delay. Once, in the Yanying Hall, the emperor debated the principles of governance with his chancellors until sundown. The heat was fierce and sweat soaked his robes. Fearing he was exhausted, the chancellors asked leave to withdraw. The emperor kept them. "Inside the palace I have only palace women and eunuchs for company," he said. "That is why I am glad to talk policy with you. I do not feel tired in the least."
71
六月，癸已，司徒、同平章事杜佑以太保致仕。
In the sixth month, on guisi, Grand Preceptor and Associate Grand Councillor Du You retired to the post of Grand Guardian.
72
秋，七月，乙亥，立遂王宥為太子，更名恆。 恆，郭貴妃之子也。 諸姬子澧王寬，長於恆。 上將立恆，命崔群為寬草讓表。 群曰：「凡推己之有以與人謂之讓。 遂王，嫡子也，寬何讓焉！」 上乃止。
In autumn, in the seventh month, on yihai, Prince Sui You was named crown prince and given the name Heng. Heng was the son of Noble Consort Guo. Among the sons of the lesser consorts, Prince Li Kuan was older than Heng. When the emperor was about to name Heng heir, he ordered Cui Qun to draft for Kuan a memorial declining the succession in favor of his younger brother. Qun said, "To yield is to give up what is rightfully one's own for someone else. Prince Sui is the legitimate heir. What could Kuan possibly yield?" The emperor dropped the matter.
73
八月，戊戌，魏博節度使田季安薨。
In the eighth month, on wuxu, Weibo military commissioner Tian Ji'an died.
74
初，季安娶洺州刺史元誼女，生子懷諫，為節度副使。 牙內兵馬使田興，庭玠之子也，有勇力，頗讀書，性恭遜。 季安淫虐，興數規諫，軍中賴之。 季安以為收眾心，出為臨清鎮將，欲殺之。 興陽為風痺，灸灼滿身，乃得免。 季安病風，殺戮無度，軍政廢亂。 夫人元氏召諸將立懷諫為副大使，知軍務，時年十一。 遷季安於別寢，月餘而薨。 召田興為步射都知兵馬使。
Earlier, Ji'an had married the daughter of Mingzhou prefect Yuan Yi. Their son Huaijian served as deputy military commissioner. Tian Xing, commander of the inner guard corps, was Tingjie's son. He was brave and strong, well read, and by nature courteous and unassuming. Ji'an was licentious and brutal. Xing remonstrated with him again and again, and the army came to depend on him. Ji'an, thinking to win the troops' loyalty back, posted him as commandant of the Linqing garrison while planning to kill him. Xing feigned crippling rheumatism and covered himself with moxibustion burns from head to foot. Only then did he escape death. Ji'an was stricken with paralysis. He killed without restraint, and military administration collapsed into chaos. Lady Yuan summoned the generals and had Huaijian installed as deputy commissioner to manage military affairs. He was eleven years old. Ji'an was moved to a separate wing of the residence. A little over a month later he died. Tian Xing was recalled and made chief controller of military affairs for the foot archers.
75
辛亥，以左龍武大將軍薛平為鄭滑節度使，欲為控制魏博。 上與宰相議魏博事，李吉甫請興兵討之，李絳以為魏博不必用兵，當自歸朝廷。 吉甫盛陳不可不用兵之狀，上曰：「朕意亦以為然。」 絳曰：「臣竊觀兩河蕃鎮之跋扈者，皆分兵以隸諸將，不使專在一人，恐其權任太重，乘間而謀己故也。 諸將勢均力敵，莫能相制，欲廣相連結，則眾心不同，其謀必洩； 欲獨起為變，則兵少力微，勢必不成。 加以購賞既重，刑誅又峻，是以諸將互相顧忌，莫敢先發，跋扈者恃此以為長策。 然臣竊思之，若常得嚴明主帥能制諸將之死命者以臨之，則粗能自固矣。 今懷諫乳臭子，不能自聽斷，軍府大權必有所歸，諸將厚薄不均，怨怒必起，不相服從，則向日分兵之策，適足為今日禍亂之階也。 田氏不為屠肆，則悉為俘囚矣，何煩天兵哉！ 彼自列將起代主帥，鄰道所惡，莫甚於此。 彼不倚朝廷之援以自存，則立為鄰道所齏粉矣。 故臣以為不必用兵，可坐待魏博之自歸也。 但願陛下按兵養威，嚴敕諸道選練士馬以須後敕。 使賊中知之，不過數月，必有自效於軍中者矣。 至時，惟在朝廷應之敏速，中其機會，不愛爵祿以賞其人，使兩河籓鎮聞之，恐其麾下效之以取朝廷之賞，必皆恐懼，爭為恭順矣。 此所謂不戰而屈人兵者也。」 上曰：「善！。 他日，吉甫復於延英盛陳用兵之利，且言芻糧金帛皆已有備。 上顧問絳，絳對曰：「兵不可輕動。 前年討恆州，四面發兵二十萬，又發兩神策兵自京師赴之，天下騷動，所費七百餘萬緡，訖無成功，為天下笑。 今瘡痍未復，人皆憚戰，若又以敕命驅之，臣恐非直無功，或生他變。 況魏博不必用兵，事勢明白，願陛下勿疑。」 上奮身撫案曰：「朕不用兵決矣。」 絳曰：「陛下雖有是言，恐退朝之後，復有熒惑聖聽者。」 上正色厲聲曰：「朕志已決，誰能惑也！」 絳乃拜賀曰：「此社稷之福也。」
On xinhai, Left Dragon Martial Grand General Xue Ping was appointed military commissioner of the Zheng-Hua Circuit, with the aim of keeping Weibo in check. The emperor consulted his chief councillors on Weibo. Li Jifu urged raising troops to punish the circuit, but Li Jiang argued that force was unnecessary and that Weibo would come back to the court on its own. Jifu forcefully made the case that military action was unavoidable. The emperor said, "I am inclined to agree." Li Jiang said, "I have observed that the arrogant circuits of the Two He all divide their troops among their generals rather than concentrating command in one man. They fear that too much power in one pair of hands will give that man the opening to turn against them. Their generals are evenly matched and cannot check one another. If they try to join in a wide conspiracy, their hearts will not align and the plot is bound to leak out; if one tries to rebel alone, his forces are too few and too weak—the attempt is doomed to fail. On top of that, the rewards for betrayal are heavy and the punishments severe. The generals eye one another with suspicion and none dares move first. The arrogant count on this as their long game. Yet I have considered this: so long as a stern, capable commander who holds his generals' lives in his hand remains in charge, the arrangement can more or less hold. Now Huaijian is only a child in swaddling clothes who cannot rule for himself. The prefecture's real power must fall to someone else. With the generals treated unequally, resentment is inevitable, obedience will break down, and the old policy of dividing the army will become the very ladder to disaster. The Tian clan will either butcher one another or end up as each other's prisoners. Why should the court send imperial troops at all? For a mere general to rise up and replace his commander is the thing neighboring circuits hate most of all. If they cannot lean on the court's support to survive, neighboring circuits will crush them at once. That is why I believe force is unnecessary. We can simply wait for Weibo to return to the court on its own. All I ask is that Your Majesty hold your armies back and build up your prestige, and sternly order every circuit to select and drill troops and horses against the day you may need them. Let word of this reach the rebels. Within a few months someone in their ranks is sure to offer himself to us. When that moment comes, the court need only act swiftly, seize the opening, and reward the man generously with rank and emoluments. Once the circuits of the Two He hear of it, they will fear that their own subordinates will follow his example for the court's reward. Every one of them will be terrified—and scramble to show obedience. That is what is meant by defeating the enemy without fighting." The emperor said, "Excellent! On another day, Jifu again expounded at length in the Yanying Hall on the advantages of war, adding that fodder, grain, money, and silk were all ready. The emperor turned to Li Jiang for his view. Jiang replied, "Troops must not be committed lightly. Two years ago we marched on Hengzhou. Two hundred thousand men were mobilized on every side, and two Divine Strategy armies were sent from the capital as well. The empire was thrown into turmoil. The campaign cost more than seven million strings of cash and ended in complete failure—the laughingstock of the realm. The wounds of that campaign have not healed. Everyone dreads war. If we drive them again by imperial command, I fear we will not merely fail—we may trigger something worse. Besides, the case for leaving Weibo alone is plain. I beg Your Majesty not to doubt it." The emperor sat bolt upright and smote the table. "I have made up my mind not to go to war." Li Jiang said, "Your Majesty has spoken plainly, but I fear that after court someone may again mislead you." The emperor's face hardened and his voice sharpened. "My mind is made up. Who could sway me now?" Li Jiang bowed in congratulation. "This is the fortune of the realm."
76
既而田懷諫幼弱，軍政皆決於家僮蔣士則，數以愛憎移易諸將，眾皆憤怒。 朝命久未至，軍中不安。 田興晨入府，士卒數千人大噪，環興而拜，請為留後。 興驚僕於地，眾不散。 久之，興度不免，乃謂眾曰：「汝肯聽吾言乎！」 皆曰：「惟命。」 興曰：「勿犯副大使，守朝廷法令，申版籍，請官吏，然後可。」 皆曰：「諾。」 興乃殺蔣士則等十餘人，遷懷諫於外。
Before long it became clear that Tian Huaijian was too young to rule. Military and civil affairs fell entirely to the household slave Jiang Shize, who repeatedly reshuffled the generals according to his personal likes and dislikes. The whole army seethed with anger. Court orders were long in coming, and unrest spread through the army. One morning Tian Xing entered headquarters. Several thousand soldiers raised a great uproar, surrounded him, and bowed, asking him to become acting military governor. Xing was so startled he fell to the ground, but the crowd would not disperse. After a long while Xing saw there was no escape. He said to the crowd, "Will you listen to what I have to say?" They all said, "Your word is our command." Xing said, "Do not harm the deputy commissioner. Observe the court's laws, submit the household registers, and request court-appointed officials. Then I will accept." They all answered, "Agreed." Xing then executed Jiang Shize and more than ten others and had Huaijian moved out of headquarters.
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CATEGORY:資治通鑑」」」
Category: Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance”””
Footnotes
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