1
資治通鑑第258卷
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 258
2
【唐紀七十四】起屠維作噩，盡重光大淵獻，凡三年。
[Tang Records 74] From the year tuyuan zuoe through chongguang dayuanxian, covering three years in all.
3
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝上之上龍紀元年（ 己酉，公元八八九年）
Above: the first year of the Longji era under Emperor Zhaozong the Sagely, Solemn, Glorious, Cultured, and Filial ( jiyou, A.D. 889)
4
春，正月，癸巳朔，赦天下，改元。
In spring, on the first day of the first month (guisi), an empire-wide amnesty was proclaimed and the reign era was changed.
5
以翰林學士承旨、兵部侍郎劉崇望同平章事。
Liu Chongwang, chief Hanlin academician and vice minister of war, was appointed co-director of the Secretariat-Chancellery.
6
汴將龐師古拔宿遷，軍於呂梁。 時溥逆戰，大敗，還保彭城。
Pang Shigu, a general of Bian, took Suqian and encamped at Lüliang. Shi Pu gave battle but was routed and fell back to defend Pengcheng.
7
壬子，蔡將郭璠殺申叢，送秦宗權於汴，告朱全忠云：「叢謀復立宗權。」 全忠以璠為淮西留後。
On renzi, Guo Fan, a general of Cai, killed Shen Cong, sent Qin Zongquan to Bian, and reported to Zhu Quanzhong: "Cong was plotting to restore Zongquan." Quanzhong appointed Fan acting military governor of Huai West.
8
戊申，王建大破山行章於新繁，殺獲近萬人，行章僅以身免。 楊晟懼，徙屯三交，行章屯濛陽，與建相持。
On wushen, Wang Jian routed Shan Xingzhang at Xinfan, killing or capturing nearly ten thousand men; Xingzhang himself barely escaped. Fearing the outcome, Yang Sheng shifted his camp to Sanjiao; Xingzhang held Mengyang, and the two sides settled into a standoff with Wang Jian.
9
二月，朱全忠送秦宗權至京師，斬於獨柳。 京兆尹孫揆監刑，宗權於檻車中引首謂揆曰：「尚書察宗權豈反者邪？ 但輸忠不效耳。」 觀者皆笑。 揆，逖之族孫也。
In the second month, Zhu Quanzhong sent Qin Zongquan to the capital, where he was beheaded at Duli. Sun Kui, metropolitan magistrate of Jingzhao, oversaw the execution; from the prisoner cart Zongquan lifted his head and said to Kui, "Sir, can you truly see Zongquan as a rebel? I merely offered my loyalty, and it came to nothing." The crowd laughed. Kui was a collateral descendant of Sun Ti.
10
三月，加朱全忠兼中書令，進爵東平郡王。 全忠既克蔡州，軍勢益盛。 加奉國節度使趙德諲中書令，加蔡州節度使趙犨同平章事，充忠武節度使，以陳州為治所。 會犨有疾，悉以軍府事授其弟昶，表乞骸骨，詔以昶代為忠武節度使。 未幾，犨薨。 丙申，錢銶拔蘇州，徐約亡入海而死。 錢鏐以海昌都將沈粲權知蘇州。
In the third month, Zhu Quanzhong was additionally appointed concurrent director of the Secretariat and promoted to prince of Dongping. Once Quanzhong had captured Cai Prefecture, his armies grew stronger still. Zhao Dexin, military governor of Fengguo, was made director of the Secretariat; Zhao Chou, military governor of Cai, was made co-director of the Secretariat-Chancellery and appointed military governor of Zhongwu, with his headquarters at Chen Prefecture. When Chou fell ill, he turned all military and administrative affairs over to his younger brother Chang and memorialized asking to retire; the court ordered Chang to succeed him as military governor of Zhongwu. Before long, Chou died. On bingshen, Qian Liu took Suzhou; Xu Yue fled to sea and perished there. Qian Liu placed Shen Can, commander of Haichang, in temporary charge of Suzhou.
11
夏，四月，賜陝虢軍號保義。
In summer, the fourth month, the Shaan-Guo army was given the designation Baoyi (Preserving Righteousness).
12
五月，甲辰，潤州制置使阮結卒，錢鏐以靜江都將成及代之。
In the fifth month, on jiachen, Ruan Jie, commissioner of Run Prefecture, died; Qian Liu appointed Cheng Ji, commander of Jingjiang, in his place.
13
李克用大發兵，遣李罕之、李存孝攻孟方立，六月，拔磁、洺二州。 方立遣大將馬溉、袁奉韜將兵數萬拒之，戰於琉璃陂，方立兵大敗，二將皆為所擒，克用乘勝進攻邢州。 方立性猜忌，諸將多怨，至是皆不為方立用，方立慚懼，飲藥死。 弟攝洺州刺史遷，素得士心，眾奉之為留後，求援於朱全忠。 全忠假道於魏博，羅弘信不許。 全忠乃遣大將王虔裕將精兵數百，間道入邢州共守。
Li Keyong mobilized a large army and sent Li Hanzhi and Li Cunxiao against Meng Fangli; in the sixth month they took Ci and Ming prefectures. Fangli sent his chief generals Ma Gai and Yuan Fengtao with tens of thousands of men to resist; at Liuli Po his army was routed and both generals were taken; Keyong pressed on and attacked Xing Prefecture. Suspicious by nature, Fangli had alienated many of his generals; now none would fight for him, and he died by poison, overcome with shame and fear. His younger brother Qian, acting prefect of Ming, had long enjoyed the soldiers' loyalty; they acclaimed him acting military governor and appealed to Zhu Quanzhong for help. Quanzhong asked Luo Hongxin of Weibo for passage through his territory, but was refused. Quanzhong then sent his general Wang Qianyu with several hundred picked troops by a back route into Xing to help hold the city.
14
楊行密圍宣州，城中食盡，人相啖，指揮使周進思據城困逐趙鍠。 鍠將奔廣陵。 田頵追擒之。 未幾，城中執進思以降。 行密入宣州，諸將爭取金帛，徐溫獨據米囷，為粥以食餓者。 溫，朐山人也。 鍠將宿松周本，勇冠軍中，行密獲而釋之，以為裨將。 鍠既敗，左右皆散，惟李德誠從鍠不去，行密以宗女妻之。 德誠，西華人也。 行密表言於朝，詔以行密為宣歙觀察使。 朱全忠與趙鍠有舊，遣使求之。 行密謀於袁襲，襲曰：「不若斬首以遺之。」 行密從之。 未幾，襲卒，行密哭之曰：「天不欲成吾大功邪，何為折吾股肱也！ 吾好寬，而襲每勸我以殺，此其所以不壽與！」
Yang Xingmi besieged Xuan Prefecture until food ran out and people resorted to cannibalism; the commander Zhou Jinsi held the city and harried Zhao Huang. Huang prepared to flee to Guangling. Tian Jun overtook and captured him. Soon afterward the townspeople seized Jinsi and surrendered. Xingmi entered Xuan Prefecture; while his generals scrambled for gold and silk, Xu Wen alone took the grain store and made porridge for the starving. Wen was a native of Qushan. Zhou Ben of Susong, one of Huang's generals and the bravest man in the army, was captured, released, and made a staff general. When Huang was defeated his followers scattered, but Li Decheng alone stayed with him; Xingmi rewarded him with a daughter of his clan in marriage. Decheng was a native of Xihua. Xingmi memorialized the court, which appointed him military commissioner of Xuan-She. Zhu Quanzhong, who had known Zhao Huang of old, sent envoys asking for him. Xingmi consulted Yuan Xi, who said, "You had better send his head as a gift." Xingmi agreed. Before long Xi died; Xingmi mourned him, saying, "Does Heaven not want my great work to succeed, that it breaks my right hand and left! I love mercy, yet Xi always urged me to kill—is that not why he did not live long!"
15
孫儒遣兵攻廬州，蔡儔以州降之。
Sun Ru sent troops against Lu Prefecture, and Cai Chou surrendered the city to him.
16
朱珍拔蕭縣，據之，與時浦相拒，朱全忠欲自往臨之。 珍命諸軍皆葺馬廄，李唐賓部將嚴郊獨惰慢，軍吏責之，唐賓怒，見珍訴之。 珍亦怒，以唐賓為無禮，拔劍斬之，遣騎白全忠，雲唐賓謀叛。 淮南左司馬敬翔，恐全忠乘怒，倉猝處置違宜，故留使者，逮夜，然後從容白之，全忠果大驚。 翔因為畫策，詐收唐賓妻子繫獄，遣騎往慰撫，全忠從之，軍中始安。 秋，七月，全忠如蕭縣，未至，珍出迎，命武士執之，責以專殺而誅之。 諸將霍存等數十人叩頭為之請，全忠怒，以床擲之，乃退。 丁未，至蕭縣，以龐師古代珍為都指揮使。 八月，丙子，全忠進攻時溥壁，會大雨，引兵還。
Zhu Zhen took Xiao County and held it against Shi Pu; Zhu Quanzhong meant to go in person to direct operations. Zhen ordered every unit to repair its stables; Yan Jiao, a subordinate of Li Tangbin, alone shirked the work; when the clerk rebuked him, Tangbin took offense and complained to Zhen. Zhen flew into a rage at what he took for insolence, drew his sword, and killed Tangbin, then sent a rider to Quanzhong reporting that Tangbin had plotted rebellion. Jing Xiang, left vice marshal of Huainan, fearing that Quanzhong in his anger might act rashly, held the messenger until nightfall and only then reported the matter calmly; Quanzhong was indeed deeply shaken. Xiang then proposed a stratagem: pretend to imprison Tangbin's family and send riders to console the troops; Quanzhong agreed, and the army calmed. In autumn, the seventh month, Quanzhong set out for Xiao County; before he arrived, Zhen came out to meet him; Quanzhong had his guards seize him, condemned him for killing on his own authority, and put him to death. Several dozen generals, including Huo Cun, kowtowed to plead for Zhen; Quanzhong in his rage hurled a couch at them, and they withdrew. On dingwei he reached Xiao County and appointed Pang Shigu commander in Zhen's place. In the eighth month, on bingzi, Quanzhong attacked Shi Pu's fortifications, but a downpour forced him to withdraw.
17
冬，十月，平盧節度使王敬武薨。 子師範，年十六，軍中推為留後，棣州刺史張蟾不從。 詔以太子少師崔安潛兼侍中，充平盧節度使。 蟾迎安潛至州，與之共討師範。
In winter, the tenth month, Wang Jingwu, military governor of Pinglu, died. His son Shifan, only sixteen, was acclaimed acting military governor by the troops; Zhang Chan, prefect of Di, refused to obey. The court appointed Cui Anqian, junior tutor to the heir apparent, concurrently palace attendant and military governor of Pinglu. Chan welcomed Anqian to his prefecture and joined him in campaigning against Shifan.
18
以給事中杜孺休為蘇州刺史，錢鏐不悅，以知州事沈粲為制置指揮使。
Du Ruxiu, an attendant censor, was appointed prefect of Suzhou; Qian Liu, displeased, made Shen Can, who had been running the prefecture, commissioner-commander instead.
19
楊行密遣馬步都虞候田頵等攻常州。
Yang Xingmi sent Tian Jun and other commanders of horse and foot against Chang Prefecture.
20
十一月，上改名曄。
In the eleventh month the emperor changed his personal name to Ye.
21
上將祀圓丘。 故事，中尉、樞密皆衣癸衫侍從。 僖宗之世，已具襴笏。 至是，又令有司製法服，孔緯及諫官、禮官皆以為不可，上出手札諭之曰：「卿等所論至當。 事有從權，勿以小瑕，遂妨大禮。」 於是宦官始服劍佩侍祠。 己酉，祀圓丘，赦天下。 上在籓邸，素疾宦官，及即位，楊復恭恃援立功，所為多不法，上意不平。 政事多謀於宰相，孔緯、張濬勸上舉大中故事，抑宦者權。 復恭常乘肩輿至太極殿。 他日，上與宰相言及四方反者，孔緯曰：「陛下左右有將反者，況四方乎！」 上矍然問之，緯指復恭曰：「復恭陛下家奴，乃肩輿造前殿，多養壯士為假子，使典禁兵，或為方鎮，非反而何！」 復恭曰：「子壯士，欲以收士心，衛國家，豈反邪！」 上曰：「卿欲衛國家，何不使姓李而姓楊乎？」 復恭無以對。 復恭假子天威軍使楊守立，本姓胡，名弘立，勇冠六軍，人皆畏之。 上欲討復恭，恐守立作亂，謂復恭：「朕欲得卿鬍子在左右。」 復恭見守立於上，上賜姓名李順節，使掌六軍管鑰，不期年，擢至天武都頭，領鎮海節度使，俄加同平章事。 及謝日，台吏申請班見百僚，孔緯判不集。 順節至中書，色不悅。 他日，語微及之，緯曰：「宰相師長百僚，於意安乎？」 順節不敢復言。
The emperor was preparing to sacrifice at the Circular Mound. By precedent, the chief eunuchs and commissioners of military affairs wore guishan robes when attending the emperor. Under Emperor Xizong they had already been given formal court dress and tablets. Now he again ordered the offices to prepare full ritual robes; Kong Wei and the remonstrance and ritual officials all objected; the emperor wrote them personally: "Your arguments are entirely correct. Yet affairs sometimes require discretion; do not let a minor flaw obstruct a great rite." The eunuchs then attended the sacrifice wearing swords and girdle ornaments for the first time. On jiyou he sacrificed at the Circular Mound and proclaimed an empire-wide amnesty. As prince he had long resented the eunuchs; once enthroned, he found Yang Fugong, who had helped put him on the throne, acting lawlessly, and his displeasure grew. He relied increasingly on his chancellors; Kong Wei and Zhang Jun urged him to follow the precedents of the Dazhong era and curb the eunuchs. Fugong often arrived at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate in a sedan chair. On another day, as the emperor discussed rebels in the provinces with his chancellors, Kong Wei said, "Your Majesty has would-be rebels at your side already—what of the four quarters!" The emperor started and asked whom he meant; Wei pointed at Fugong: "Fugong is your household slave, yet he comes to the front hall in a sedan, keeps strong men as adopted sons, puts them in charge of the palace armies, and sends some to govern provinces—if that is not rebellion, what is?" Fugong replied, "I adopt strong men to win the soldiers' loyalty and guard the state—how is that rebellion!" The emperor said, "If you mean to guard the state, why do they bear the surname Yang and not Li?" Fugong had no answer. Fugong's adopted son Yang Shouli, commander of the Tianwei Army, was born Hu Hongli; the bravest man in the Six Armies, he was feared by all. The emperor wished to move against Fugong but feared Shouli might rebel; he told Fugong, "I want your bearded son at my side." Fugong presented Shouli to the emperor, who gave him the name Li Shunjie and put him in charge of the keys to the Six Armies; within a year he rose to commander of the Tianwu Army, military governor of Zhenhai, and soon co-director of the Secretariat-Chancellery. On the day of his audience of thanks, the censorate asked that he take his place among the officials; Kong Wei ruled the assembly should not meet. Shunjie came to the Secretariat with a dark look. Another day, when the matter came up in passing, Wei said, "The chancellor is teacher and elder to all officials—how could he be easy in his mind?" Shunjie did not dare raise it again.
22
朱全忠求領鹽鐵，孔緯獨執以為不可，謂進奏吏曰：「朱公須此職，非興兵不可！」 全忠乃止。
Zhu Quanzhong sought charge of the Salt and Iron Monopoly; Kong Wei alone stood firm against it, telling the memorial clerk, "If Lord Zhu must have that office, he will have to raise troops!" Quanzhong dropped the request.
23
田頵攻常州，為地道入城。 中宵，旌旗甲兵出於制置使杜稜之寢室，遂虜之，以兵三萬戍常州。
Tian Jun attacked Chang Prefecture and tunneled into the city. At midnight banners and armor burst from the bedroom of Commissioner Du Ling; they seized him and left thirty thousand men to garrison Chang.
24
朱全忠遣龐師古將兵自穎上趨淮南，擊孫儒。
Zhu Quanzhong sent Pang Shigu from Yingshang into Huainan against Sun Ru.
25
十二月，甲子，王建敗山行章及西川騎將宋行能於廣都。 行能奪還成都，行章退守眉州。 壬申，行章請降於建。
In the twelfth month, on jiazi, Wang Jian defeated Shan Xingzhang and the Sichuan cavalry general Song Xingneng at Guangdu. Xingneng fought his way back to Chengdu; Xingzhang fell back to Mei Prefecture. On renshen, Xingzhang offered to surrender to Wang Jian.
26
戊寅，孫儒自廣陵引兵度江，壬午，逐田頵，取常州，以劉建鋒守之。 儒還廣陵，建鋒又逐成及，取潤州。
On wuyin, Sun Ru crossed the Yangtze from Guangling; on renwu he drove off Tian Jun, took Chang, and left Liu Jianfeng to hold it. Ru returned to Guangling; Jianfeng then drove off Cheng Ji and took Run Prefecture.
27
前山南東道節度使劉巨容之在襄陽也，有申屠生教之燒藥為黃金。 田令孜之弟過襄陽，巨容出金示之。 及寓居成都，令孜求其方，不與，恨之，是歲，令孜殺巨容，滅其族。
When Liu Jurong, former military governor of Shannan East, was at Xiangyang, a man named Shentu Sheng taught him to transmute elixirs into gold. Tian Lingzi's younger brother passed through Xiangyang, and Jurong showed him the gold. When Jurong later lived at Chengdu, Lingzi demanded the formula and was refused; he nursed a grudge, and that year he killed Jurong and wiped out his clan.
28
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝上之上大順元年（ 庚戌，公元八九零年）
Above: the first year of the Dashun era under Emperor Zhaozong the Sagely, Solemn, Glorious, Cultured, and Filial ( gengxu, A.D. 890)
29
春，正月，戊子朔，群臣上尊號曰聖文睿德光武弘孝皇帝； 改元。
In spring, on the first day of the first month (wuzi), the ministers presented the honorific title Sagely, Cultured, Wise, Virtuous, Glorious, Martial, and Greatly Filial Emperor; and the reign era was changed.
30
李克用急攻邢州，孟遷食竭力盡，執王虔裕及汴兵以降。 克用以安金俊為邢洺團練使。
Li Keyong pressed the siege of Xing; Meng Qian, his supplies and strength exhausted, seized Wang Qianyu and the Bian garrison and surrendered. Keyong made An Jinjun regimental commissioner of Xing and Ming.
31
壬寅，王建攻邛州，陳敬瑄遣其大將彭城楊儒將兵三千，助刺史毛湘守之，湘出戰，屢敗。 楊儒登城，見建兵盛，歎曰：「唐祚盡矣！ 王公治眾，嚴而不殘，殆可以庇民乎！」 遂帥所部出降。 建養以為子，更其姓名曰王宗儒。 乙巳，建留永平節度判官張琳為邛南招安使，引兵還成都。 琳，許州人也。 陳敬瑄分兵布寨於犀浦、郫、導江等縣，發城中民戶一丁，晝則穿重壕，采竹木，運磚石； 夜則登城，擊柝巡警，無休息。
On renyin, Wang Jian attacked Qiong Prefecture; Chen Jingxuan sent his general Yang Ru of Pengcheng with three thousand men to help Prefect Mao Xiang hold the city; Xiang sallied forth and was beaten again and again. Yang Ru climbed the wall, saw how strong Jian's army was, and sighed, "The Tang dynasty is finished! This lord rules his men strictly but without cruelty—perhaps he can shelter the people!" He then led his troops out to surrender. Jian adopted him as a son and gave him the name Wang Zongru. On yisi, Jian left Zhang Lin, adjutant of Yongping Circuit, as pacification commissioner of southern Qiong and marched back to Chengdu. Lin was a native of Xu Prefecture. Chen Jingxuan spread his troops in camps at Xipu, Pi, Daojiang, and other counties, drafting one man from each city household—by day they dug deep moats, cut bamboo and timber, and hauled brick and stone; by night they manned the walls, beat watch-clappers on patrol, and knew no rest.
32
韋昭度營於唐橋，王建營於東閶門外。 建事昭度甚謹。 辛亥，簡州將杜有遷執刺史員虔嵩降於建，建以有遷知州事。
Wei Zhaodu encamped at Tang Bridge; Wang Jian outside the East Chang Gate. Jian treated Zhaodu with scrupulous deference. On xinhai, Du Youqian, a general of Jian Prefecture, seized Prefect Yuan Qiansong and surrendered to Jian, who put Youqian in charge of the prefecture.
33
汴將龐師古等眾號十萬。 度淮，聲言救楊行密，攻下天長； 壬子，下高郵。
Pang Shigu and the other Bian generals claimed a force of one hundred thousand. They crossed the Huai, claiming to rescue Yang Xingmi, and took Tianchang; on renzi they took Gaoyou.
34
二月，己未，資州將侯元綽執刺史楊戡降於王建，建以元綽知州事。
In the second month, on jiwei, Hou Yuanchuo of Zi Prefecture seized Prefect Yang Kan and surrendered to Wang Jian, who put Yuanchuo in charge of the prefecture.
35
乙丑，加朱全忠守中書令。
On yichou, Zhu Quanzhong was additionally appointed guardian director of the Secretariat.
36
龐師古引兵深入淮南，己巳，與孫儒戰於陵亭，師古兵敗而還。
Pang Shigu pushed deep into Huainan; on jisi he fought Sun Ru at Lingting, was defeated, and withdrew.
37
楊行密遣其將馬敬言將兵五千，乘虛襲據潤州。 李友將兵二萬屯青城，將攻常州。 安仁義、劉威、田頵敗劉鋒於武進，敬言、仁義、威屯潤州。 友，合肥人； 威，慎縣人也。
Yang Xingmi sent Ma Jingyan with five thousand men to strike an opening and seize Run Prefecture. Li You camped at Qingcheng with twenty thousand men, preparing to attack Chang Prefecture. An Renyi, Liu Wei, and Tian Jun defeated Liu Feng at Wujin; Jingyan, Renyi, and Wei then encamped at Run. You was a native of Hefei; Wei was a native of Shen County.
38
李克用將兵攻雲州防禦使赫連鐸，克其東城。 鐸求救於盧龍節度使李匡威，匡威將兵三萬赴之。 丙子，邢洺團練使安金俊中流矢死，河東萬勝軍使申信叛降於鐸。 會幽州軍至，克用引還。
Li Keyong attacked Helian Duo, defender of Yun Prefecture, and took the eastern city. Duo appealed to Li Kuangwei, military governor of Lulong, who marched thirty thousand men to his relief. On bingzi, An Jinjun, regimental commissioner of Xing and Ming, died of an arrow wound; Shen Xin, commander of the Wansheng Army of Hedong, defected to Duo. When the Youzhou army arrived, Keyong withdrew.
39
時溥求救於河東，李克用遣其將石和將五百騎赴之。
Shi Pu appealed to Hedong; Li Keyong sent Shi He with five hundred horsemen to his relief.
40
李克用巡潞州，以供具不厚，怒昭義節度使李克修，詬而笞之。 克修慚憤成疾，三月，薨。 克用表其弟決勝軍使克恭為昭義留後。
On an inspection of Lu Prefecture, Li Keyong found the hospitality meager, flew into a rage at Li Kexiu, military governor of Zhaoyi, reviled him, and had him flogged. Humiliated and enraged, Kexiu fell ill and died in the third month. Keyong memorialized appointing his younger brother Li Kechong, commander of the Juesheng Army, acting military governor of Zhaoyi.
41
賜宣歙軍號寧國，以楊行密為節度使。
The Xuan-She army was given the designation Ningguo, and Yang Xingmi was appointed its military governor.
42
夏，四月，宿州將張筠逐刺史張紹光，附於時溥； 朱全忠帥諸軍討之。 溥出兵掠碭山，全忠遣牙內都指揮使朱友裕擊之，殺三千餘人，擒石君和。 友裕，全忠之子也。
In summer, the fourth month, Zhang Jun of Su Prefecture expelled Prefect Zhang Shaoguang and went over to Shi Pu; Zhu Quanzhong led his armies against him. Pu sent troops to raid Dangshan; Quanzhong sent Zhu Youyu, commander of the inner guard, who killed more than three thousand and captured Shi Junhe. Youyu was Quanzhong's son.
43
乙丑，陳敬瑄遣蜀州刺史任從海將兵二萬救邛州，戰敗，欲以蜀州降王建。 敬瑄殺之，以徐公鉥代為蜀州刺史。 丙寅，嘉州刺史朱實舉州降於建。 丙子，僰道土豪文武堅執戎州刺史謝承恩降於建。
On yichou, Chen Jingxuan sent Ren Conghai, prefect of Shu, with twenty thousand men to relieve Qiong; defeated, Conghai meant to surrender Shu to Wang Jian. Jingxuan had him killed and replaced him with Xu Gongyue as prefect of Shu. On bingyin, Zhu Shi, prefect of Jia, surrendered his entire prefecture to Jian. On bingzi, Wen Wujian, a local magnate of Baidao, seized Rong Prefect Xie Chengen and surrendered to Jian.
44
赫連鐸、李匡威表請討李克用。 朱全忠亦上言：「克用終為國患，今因其敗，臣請帥汴、滑、孟三軍，與河北三鎮共除之。 乞朝廷命大臣為統帥。」
Helian Duo and Li Kuangwei memorialized asking the court to campaign against Li Keyong. Zhu Quanzhong also wrote: "Keyong will be a lasting menace to the realm; now that he is weakened, I ask to lead the armies of Bian, Hua, and Meng, together with the three Hebei circuits, to destroy him. I ask that the court appoint a senior minister as supreme commander."
45
初，張濬因楊復恭以進，復恭中廢，更附田令孜而薄復恭。 及復恭再用事，深恨之。 上知濬與復恭有隙，特親倚之。 濬亦以功名為己任，每自比謝安、裴度。 克用之討黃巢屯河中也，濬為都統判官。 克用薄其為人，聞其作相，私謂詔使曰：「張公好虛談而無實用，傾覆之士也。 主上采其名而用之，他日交亂天下，必是人也。」 濬聞而銜。 上從容與濬論古今治亂，濬曰：「陛下英睿如此，而中外制於強臣，此臣日夜所痛心疾首也。」 上問以當今所急，對曰：「莫若強兵以服天下。」 上於是廣募兵於京師，至十萬人。
Earlier, Zhang Jun had risen through Yang Fugong's patronage; when Fugong fell from power, Jun attached himself to Tian Lingzi and turned against Fugong. When Fugong returned to power, he bore a deep grudge. Knowing Jun and Fugong were at odds, the emperor favored Jun all the more. Jun too made fame his mission, comparing himself to Xie An and Pei Du. When Keyong campaigned against Huang Chao at Hezhong, Jun had been adjutant to the supreme commander. Keyong despised his character; when he heard Jun had become chancellor, he told the edict envoy privately, "Lord Zhang loves fine talk without substance—a man who overturns states. The Son of Heaven has taken him for his reputation; when the realm is thrown into chaos, it will be this man." Jun heard of it and nursed a grudge. In an easy conversation on order and disorder through the ages, Jun said, "Your Majesty is so brilliant, yet within and without you are controlled by powerful ministers—that is what grieves me day and night." Asked what was most urgent, he replied, "Nothing surpasses strengthening the army to bring the realm to heel." The emperor then recruited widely in the capital until he had one hundred thousand men.
46
及全忠等請討克用，上命三省、御史台四品以上議之，以為不可者什六七，杜讓能、劉崇望亦以為不可。 濬欲倚外勢以擠楊復恭，乃曰：「先帝再幸山南，沙陀所為也。 臣常慮其與河朔相表裡，致朝廷不能制。 今兩河籓鎮共請討之，此千載一時。 但乞陛下付臣兵柄，旬月可平。 失今不取，後悔無及。」 孔緯曰：「濬言是也。」 復恭曰：「先朝播遷，雖籓鎮跋扈，亦由居中之臣措置未得其宜。 今宗廟甫安，不宜更造兵端。」 上曰：「克用有興復大功，今乘其危而攻之，天下其謂我何？」 緯曰：「陛下所言，一時之體也； 張濬所言，萬世之利也。 昨計用兵、饋運、犒賞之費，一二年間未至匱乏，在陛下斷志行之耳。」 上以二相言葉，僶俯從之，曰：「茲事今付卿二人，無貽朕羞！」 五月，詔削奪克用官爵、屬籍，以濬為河東行營都招討制置宜慰使，京兆尹孫揆副之，以鎮國節度使韓建為都虞候兼供軍糧料使，以朱全忠為南面招討使，王鎔為東面招討使，李匡威為北面招討使，赫連鐸副之。 濬奏給事中牛徽為行營判官，徽曰：「國家以喪亂之餘，欲為英武之舉，橫挑強寇，離諸侯心，吾見其顛沛也！」 遂以衰疾固辭。 徽，僧孺之孫也。
When Quanzhong and others asked to campaign against Keyong, the emperor ordered fourth-rank officials and above in the Three Departments and Censorate to debate it; six or seven in ten opposed it, as did Du Rangneng and Liu Chongwang. Jun wished to use outside force against Yang Fugong and said, "The late emperor twice fled to Shannan—that was the Shatuo's doing. I have long feared they coordinate with Hebei, leaving the court powerless to control them. Now the Hebei governors jointly ask to campaign against him—this is a once-in-a-thousand-years chance. Only grant me command of the armies, and within a month or so he can be crushed. Miss this moment and regret will come too late." Kong Wei said, "Jun is right." Fugong said, "The previous reign was driven into exile; though the governors were overbearing, the ministers at court also mishandled affairs. The ancestral temples have only just been secured; we should not stir up war again." The emperor said, "Keyong restored the dynasty; if we attack him now while he is weak, what will the realm say of us?" Wei said, "What Your Majesty says is a matter of present propriety; what Zhang Jun says is a matter of benefit for ten thousand generations. We reckoned the costs of war, transport, and rewards yesterday; within a year or two we will not run short—it rests only on Your Majesty's resolve." The two chancellors agreeing, the emperor bowed his head and assented: "I entrust this to you both—do not bring shame upon me!" In the fifth month, an edict stripped Keyong of office, rank, and clan register; Jun was made overall campaign commissioner for Hedong, with Sun Kui, metropolitan magistrate of Jingzhao, as deputy; Han Jian, military governor of Zhenguo, was made chief commandant and supply commissioner; Zhu Quanzhong was southern campaign commissioner; Wang Rong eastern; Li Kuangwei northern, with Helian Duo as deputy. Jun recommended Niu Hui, an attendant censor, as expeditionary adjutant; Hui said, "The state, still reeling from chaos, means to strike a heroic blow, wantonly provoking a powerful foe and alienating the governors—I see disaster ahead!" He firmly declined on grounds of age and illness. Hui was a grandson of Niu Sengru.
47
李克恭驕恣不曉軍事。 潞人素樂李克修之簡儉，且死非其罪，潞人憐之，由是將士離心。 初，潞人叛孟氏，牙將安居受等召河東兵以取潞州。 及孟遷以邢、洺、磁州歸李克用，克用寵任之，以遷為軍城都虞候，群從皆補右職，居受等鹹怨且懼。 昭義有精兵，號「後院將」。 克用既得三州，將圖河朔，令李克恭選後院將尤驍勇者五百人送晉陽，潞人惜之。 克恭遣牙將李元審及小校馮霸部送晉陽，至銅鞮，霸劫其眾以叛，循山而南，至於沁水，眾已三千人。 李元審擊之，為霸所傷，歸於潞。 庚子，克恭就元審所館視之，安居受帥其黨作亂，攻而焚之，克恭、元審皆死。 眾推居受為留後，附於朱全忠。 居受使召馮霸，不至。 居受懼，出走，為野人所殺。 霸引兵入潞，自為留後。
Li Kechong was arrogant and ignorant of military affairs. The people of Lu had long loved Li Kexiu for his simplicity and frugality; since he had died though guilty of no crime, they pitied him, and the army lost heart. Earlier, when Lu rebelled against the Meng clan, the guard generals An Jushou and others had summoned Hedong troops to take the prefecture. When Meng Qian surrendered Xing, Ming, and Ci to Li Keyong, Keyong favored him, made him chief commandant of the army city, and gave all his kinsmen senior posts; Jushou and the others were resentful and afraid. Zhaoyi had elite troops known as the Rear Courtyard Guard. After Keyong took the three prefectures and planned to move on Hebei, he ordered Li Kechong to send five hundred of the bravest Rear Courtyard Guards to Jinyang; the people of Lu mourned their loss. Kechong sent Li Yuanshen and Feng Ba to escort them to Jinyang; at Tongdi, Ba seized the column and rebelled, marching south along the mountains to Qinshui with three thousand men. Li Yuanshen attacked him, was wounded, and returned to Lu. On gengzi, Kechong went to visit Yuanshen at his quarters; An Jushou led his faction in revolt, attacked and burned the place, and Kechong and Yuanshen both died. The troops acclaimed Jushou acting military governor and went over to Zhu Quanzhong. Jushou summoned Feng Ba, but he did not come. Afraid, Jushou fled and was killed by country people. "Ba marched into Lu and made himself acting military governor."
48
時朝廷方討克用，聞克恭死，朝臣皆賀。 全忠遣河陽留後朱崇節將兵入潞州，權知留後。 克用遣康君立、李存孝將兵圍之。
The court was then campaigning against Keyong; when Kechong's death was reported, the ministers congratulated one another. Quanzhong sent Zhu Chongjie of Heyang with troops into Lu to act as administrator. Keyong sent Kang Junli and Li Cunxiao to besiege them.
49
壬子，張濬帥諸軍五十二都及邠、寧、鄜、夏雜虜合五萬人發京師，上御安喜樓餞之。 濬屏左右言於上曰：「俟臣先除外憂，然後為陛下除內患。」 楊復恭竊聽，聞之。 兩軍中尉餞濬於長樂板，復恭屬濬酒，濬辭以醉，復恭戲之曰：「相公杖鉞專征，作態邪？」 濬曰：「俟平賊還，方見作態耳！」 復恭益忌之。 癸丑，削奪李罕之官爵。 六月，以孫揆為昭義節度使，充招討副使。
On renzi, Zhang Jun led fifty-two commands plus mixed forces from Bin, Ning, Fu, and Xia—fifty thousand men in all—out of the capital; the emperor saw them off at Anxi Tower. Jun dismissed his attendants and told the emperor, "Wait until I remove the external threat, then I will remove the internal affliction for Your Majesty." Yang Fugong overheard him. The two army commissioners saw Jun off at Changle Bank; Fugong pressed wine on him; Jun pleaded drunkenness; Fugong jested, "Chancellor, bearing the battle-axe on independent command—are you putting on airs?" Jun said, "Wait until I return from pacifying the rebels—then you will see me putting on airs!" Fugong resented him all the more. On guichou, Li Hanzhi was stripped of his titles and ranks. In the sixth month, Sun Kui was appointed military governor of Zhaoyi and deputy campaign commissioner.
50
丁巳，茂州刺史李繼昌帥眾救成都，己未，王建擊斬之。 辛酉，資簡都制置應援使謝從本殺雅州刺史張承簡，舉城降建。
On dingsi, Li Jichang, prefect of Mao, marched to relieve Chengdu; on jiwei, Wang Jian attacked and killed him. On xinyou, Xie Congben, commissioner for Zi-Jian and relief envoy, killed Prefect Zhang Chengjian of Ya and surrendered the city to Wang Jian.
51
孫儒求好於朱全忠，全忠表為淮南節度使。 未幾，全忠殺其使者，遂復為仇敵。
Sun Ru sought an alliance with Zhu Quanzhong, who memorialized to make him military governor of Huainan. Before long Quanzhong killed Ru's envoy, and they were enemies once more.
52
光啟末，德州刺史盧彥威逐義昌節度使楊全玫，自稱留後，求旌節，朝廷未許。 至是，王鎔、羅弘信因張濬用兵，為之請，乃以彥威為義昌節度使。
Late in the Guangqi era, Lu Yanwei, prefect of De, expelled Yang Quanmei, military governor of Yichang, declared himself acting governor, and sought formal appointment, but the court refused. Now Wang Rong and Luo Hongxin, in connection with Zhang Jun's campaign, petitioned on Yanwei's behalf, and he was appointed military governor of Yichang.
53
張濬會宣武、鎮國、靜難、鳳翔、保大、定難諸軍於晉州。
Zhang Jun gathered the Xuanwu, Zhenguo, Jingnan, Fengxiang, Baoda, and Dingnan armies at Jinzhou.
54
更命義成軍曰宣義。 辛未，以朱全忠為宣武、宣義節度使。 全忠以方有事徐、楊，徵兵遣戍，殊為遼闊，乃辭宣義，請以胡真為節度使，從之。 然後賦出入，皆制於全忠，一如巡屬。 及胡真入為統軍，竟以全忠為兩鎮節度使，罷淮南不領焉。
The Yicheng Army was renamed Xuanyi. On xinwei, Zhu Quanzhong was appointed military governor of Xuanwu and Xuanyi. Quanzhong, already occupied with Xu and Yang, found raising and posting troops there prohibitively distant; he declined Xuanyi and asked that Hu Zhen be appointed military governor instead, and the court agreed. Revenue and expenditure there were thereafter controlled entirely by Quanzhong, as if the circuit were simply another prefecture under his command. When Hu Zhen was recalled to the capital as overall commander, Quanzhong was ultimately given both circuits and relieved of Huainan, which he no longer held.
55
秋，七月，官軍至陰地關，朱全忠遣驍將葛從周將千騎，潛自壺關夜抵潞州，犯圍入城。 又遣別將李讜、李重胤、鄧季筠將兵攻李罕之於澤州，又遣張全義、朱友裕軍於澤州之北，為從周應援。 季筠，下邑人也。 全忠奏：「臣已遣兵守潞州，請孫揆赴鎮。」 張濬亦恐昭義遂為汴人所據，分兵二千，使揆將之趣潞州。 八月，乙丑，揆發晉州，李存孝聞之，以三百騎伏於長子西谷中。 揆建牙杖節，褒衣大蓋，擁眾而行。 存孝突出，擒揆及賜旌節中使韓歸范、牙兵五百餘人，追擊餘眾於刁黃嶺，盡殺之。 存孝械揆及歸范，絲斥以素練，徇於潞州城下曰：「朝廷以孫尚書為潞帥，命韓天使賜旌節，葛僕射可速歸大梁，令尚書視事。」 遂絲斥以獻於克用。 克用囚之，既而使人誘之，欲以為河東副使。 揆曰：「吾天子大臣，兵敗而死，分也，豈能伏事鎮使邪！」 克用怒，命以鋸鋸之，鋸不能入。 揆罵曰：「死狗奴！ 鋸人當用板夾，汝豈知邪！」 乃以板夾之，至死，罵不絕聲。
In the seventh month of autumn the imperial armies reached Yindi Pass; Zhu Quanzhong sent his fierce general Ge Congzhou with a thousand cavalry to slip from Huguan by night to Luzhou, break through the siege, and enter the city. He also sent Li Kan, Li Chongyin, and Deng Jiyun against Li Hanzhi at Zezhou, and posted Zhang Quanyi and Zhu Youyu north of Zezhou to support Congzhou. Jiyun was from Xiayi. Quanzhong memorialized: "I have already sent troops to hold Luzhou and ask that Sun Kui proceed to take up his post." Zhang Jun, fearing Zhaoyi would fall to the Bianzhou men, detached two thousand troops and had Kui lead them posthaste to Luzhou. In the eighth month, on yichou, Kui set out from Jinzhou; Li Cunxiao, hearing of it, ambushed him with three hundred cavalry in the western valley of Changzi. Kui rode forth with command pennant and torch of office, in ceremonial robes beneath a great canopy, surrounded by his escort. Cunxiao burst out, captured Kui along with the envoy Han Guifan, who had come to confer the commission, and more than five hundred guards; he pursued the rest to Diaohuang Ridge and slaughtered them. Cunxiao put Kui and Guifan in fetters, shackled them with white cord, and paraded them beneath the walls of Luzhou, proclaiming, "The court has appointed Minister Sun commander of Lu and sent Envoy Han to confer the commission. Vice Director Ge should return at once to Daliang and let the Minister take office." Then he had them bound and presented to Li Keyong. Keyong held them prisoner, then sent men to win Kui over, intending to make him deputy military governor of Hedong. Kui said, "I am a minister of the emperor; to die in defeat is my lot—how could I bow and serve a military governor!" Keyong was furious and ordered him sawn apart; the saw would not cut. Kui cursed, "You dead dog-slave! When you saw a man you use boards to hold him—don't you even know that!" They clamped him between boards; he cursed without ceasing until he died.
56
丙寅，孫儒攻潤州。
On bingyin, Sun Ru attacked Runzhou.
57
蘇州刺史杜孺休到官，錢鏐密使沈粲害之。 會楊行密將李友拔蘇州，粲歸杭州。 鏐欲歸罪於粲而殺之，粲奔孫儒。
When Du Ruxiu took office as prefect of Su, Qian Liu secretly sent Shen Can to assassinate him. Just then Yang Xingmi's general Li You took Suzhou, and Can returned to Hangzhou. Liu meant to pin the crime on Can and kill him; Can fled to Sun Ru.
58
王建退屯漢州。
Wang Jian withdrew to Hanzhou.
59
陳敬瑄括富民財以供軍，置征督院，逼以桎梏棰楚，使各自佔。 凡有財者如匿贓、虛占，急征，鹹不聊生。
Chen Jingxuan squeezed wealth from prosperous households to supply the army, set up a collection and enforcement office, and used fetters and beatings to force each man to declare his assets. Anyone with property was treated as if hiding illicit goods or lying on his declaration; levies were relentless, and none could make a living.
60
李罕之告急於李克用，克用遣李存孝將五千騎救之。
Li Hanzhi sent an urgent appeal to Li Keyong, who dispatched Li Cunxiao with five thousand cavalry to relieve him.
61
九月，壬寅，朱全忠軍於河陽。 汴軍之初圍澤州也，呼李罕之曰：「相公每恃河東，輕絕當道。 今張相公圍太原，葛僕射入潞府，旬日之間，沙陀無穴自藏，相公何路求生邪！」 及李存孝至，選精騎五百，繞汴寨呼曰：「我，沙陀之求穴者也，欲得爾肉以飽士卒，可令肥者出鬥！」 汴將鄧季筠，亦驍將也，引兵出戰，存孝生擒之。 是夕，李讜、李重胤收眾遁去，存孝、罕之隨而擊之，至馬牢山，大破之，斬獲萬計，追至懷州而還。 存孝復引兵攻潞州，葛從周、朱崇節棄潞州而歸。 戊申，全忠庭責諸將橈之罪，斬李讜、李重胤而還。
In the ninth month, on renyin, Zhu Quanzhong encamped at Heyang. When the Bian army first besieged Zezhou, they shouted to Li Hanzhi, "Lord Chancellor, you always lean on Hedong and treat this circuit with contempt. Now Chancellor Zhang besieges Taiyuan and Vice Director Ge holds the Lu prefectural seat; within ten days the Shatuo will have nowhere to hide—what path of escape do you have left!" When Li Cunxiao arrived, he picked five hundred elite cavalry, circled the Bian camp, and shouted, "I am the Shatuo come to find your hole; I want your flesh to feed my men—send out your fat ones to fight!" The Bian general Deng Jiyun, himself a fierce fighter, sallied forth; Cunxiao took him alive. That night Li Kan and Li Chongyin withdrew with their troops; Cunxiao and Hanzhi pursued, routed them at Malao Mountain, killed and captured by the ten thousand, and chased them to Huaizhou before turning back. Cunxiao again marched on Luzhou; Ge Congzhou and Zhu Chongjie abandoned the city and withdrew. On wushen, Quanzhong held a court assembly to condemn his generals for dereliction, executed Li Kan and Li Chongyin, and withdrew.
62
李克用以康君立為昭義留後，李存孝為汾州刺史。 存孝自謂擒孫揆功大，當鎮昭義，而君立得之，憤恚不食者數日，縱意刑殺，始有叛克用之志。 李匡威攻蔚州，虜其刺史邢善益，赫連鐸引吐蕃、黠戛斯眾數萬攻遮虜平，殺其軍使劉鬍子。 克用遣其將李存信擊之，不勝； 更命李嗣源為存信之副，遂破之。 克用以大軍繼其後，匡威、鐸皆敗走，獲匡威之子武州刺史仁宗及鐸之婿，俘斬萬計。
Li Keyong appointed Kang Junli acting governor of Zhaoyi and Li Cunxiao prefect of Fen. Cunxiao believed his capture of Sun Kui merited command of Zhaoyi, but Junli got the post; furious, he went without food for days, indulged in arbitrary executions, and first began to plot rebellion against Keyong. Li Kuangwei attacked Weizhou and captured Prefect Xing Shanyi; Helian Duo led tens of thousands of Tibetans and Kirghiz against Zheluping and killed Army Commissioner Liu Huzi. Keyong sent his general Li Cunxin against them, but he was beaten; He then sent Li Siyuan as Cunxin's second in command, and they routed the enemy. Keyong followed with the main army; Kuangwei and Duo both fled in defeat; he captured Kuangwei's son Renzong, prefect of Wu, and Duo's son-in-law; the dead and captured numbered in the tens of thousands.
63
李嗣源性謹重廉儉，諸將相會，各自詫勇略，嗣源獨默然，徐曰：「諸君喜以口擊賊，嗣源但以手擊賊耳。」 眾慚而止。
Li Siyuan was sober, grave, and frugal by nature; when the generals gathered, each bragged of his courage and skill; Siyuan alone said nothing, then remarked quietly, "You gentlemen prefer to strike the enemy with your tongues; I strike the enemy with my hands." The others fell silent in shame.
64
楊行密以其將張行周為常州制置使。 閏月，孫儒遣劉建鋒攻拔常州，殺行周，遂圍蘇州。
Yang Xingmi made his general Zhang Xingzhou commissioner of Changzhou. In the intercalary month, Sun Ru sent Liu Jianfeng to take Changzhou, killed Xingzhou, and then besieged Suzhou.
65
邛州刺史毛湘，本田令孜親吏，王建攻之急，食盡，救兵不至。 壬戌，湘謂都知兵馬使任可知曰：「吾不忍負田軍容，吏民何罪！ 爾可持吾頭歸王建。」 乃沐浴以俟刃。 可知斬湘及二子降於建，士民皆泣。 甲戌，建持永平旌節入邛州，以節度判官張琳知留後。 繕完城隍，撫安夷獠，經營蜀、雅。 冬，十月，癸未朔，建引兵還成都，蜀州將李行周逐徐公鉥，舉城降建。
Mao Xiang, prefect of Qiong, had once been a close attendant of Tian Lingzi; Wang Jian pressed the siege hard; food ran out and no relief came. On renxu, Xiang told Ren Kezhi, the army commander, "I cannot fail Military Commissioner Tian—what fault is there in the officials and people! Take my head and surrender to Wang Jian." He bathed and waited for the sword. Kezhi beheaded Xiang and his two sons and surrendered to Wang Jian; soldiers and citizens wept. On jiaxu, Wang Jian entered Qiong bearing the Yongping commission and made circuit aide Zhang Lin acting governor. He repaired the walls and defenses, pacified the tribal peoples, and consolidated control over Shu and Ya. In the tenth month of winter, on the first day guawei, Wang Jian marched back to Chengdu; Shu general Li Xingzhou expelled Xu Gongshu and surrendered the city to him.
66
乙酉，朱全忠自河陽如滑州視事，遣使者請糧馬及假道於魏以伐河東，羅弘信不許，又請於鎮，鎮人亦不許。 全忠乃自黎陽濟河擊魏。
On yiyou, Zhu Quanzhong went from Heyang to Huazhou to take up his duties, sent envoys requesting grain, horses, and passage through Wei to attack Hedong; Luo Hongxin refused; he asked at Zhen as well, and the Zhenzhou men refused too. Quanzhong then crossed the river from Liyang and attacked Wei.
67
加邠寧節度使王行瑜侍中，佑國節度使張全義同平章事。
Wang Xingyu, military governor of Bining, was promoted to palace attendant; Zhang Quanyi, military governor of Youguo, was made co-director of the Secretariat-Chancellery.
68
官軍出陰地關，遊兵至於汾州。 李克用遣薛志勤、李承嗣將騎三千營於洪洞，李存孝將兵五千營於趙城。 鎮國節度使韓建以壯士三百夜襲存孝營，存孝知之，設伏以待之。 建兵不利，靜難、鳳翔之兵不戰而走，禁軍自潰。 河東兵乘勝逐北，抵晉州西門。 張濬出戰，又敗，官軍死者近三千人。 靜難、鳳翔、保大、定難之軍先渡河西歸，濬獨有禁軍及宣武軍合萬人，與韓建閉城拒守，自是不敢復出。 存孝引兵攻絳州，十一月，刺史張行恭棄城走。 存孝進攻晉州，三日，與其眾謀曰：「張濬宰相，俘之無益； 天子禁兵，不宜加害。」 乃退五十里而軍； 濬、建自含口遁去。 存孝取晉、絳二州，大掠慈、隰之境。 先是，克用遣韓歸范歸朝，附表訟冤，言：「臣父子三代，受恩四朝，破龐勳，翦黃巢，黜襄王，存易定，致陛下今日冠通天之冠，佩白玉之璽，未必非臣之力也。 若以攻雲州為臣罪，則拓跋思恭之取鄜延，朱全忠之侵徐、鄆，何獨不討？ 賞彼誅此，臣豈無辭！ 且朝廷當阽危之時，則譽臣為韓、彭、伊、呂； 及既安之後，則罵臣為戎、羯、胡、夷。 今天下握兵立功之人，獨不懼陛下它日之罵乎！ 況臣果有大罪，六師征之，自有典刑，何必幸臣之弱而後取之邪！ 今張濬既出帥，則固難束手，已集蕃、漢兵五十萬，欲直抵蒲、潼，與濬格鬥； 若其不勝，甘從削奪。 不然，方且輕騎叩閽，頓首丹陛，訴奸回於陛下之扆座，納制敕於先帝之廟庭，然後自拘司敗，恭俟鈇鍎。」 表至，濬已敗，朝廷震恐。 濬與韓建逾王屋至河陽，撤民屋為筏以濟河，師徒失亡殆盡。 是役也，朝廷倚朱全忠及河朔三鎮； 及濬至晉州，全忠方連兵徐、鄆，雖遣將攻澤州而身不至。 行營乃求兵糧於鎮、魏，鎮、魏倚河東為扞蔽，皆不出兵； 惟華、邠、鳳翔、鄄、夏之兵會之。 兵未交而孫揆被擒，幽、雲俱敗，楊復恭復從中沮之，故濬軍望風自潰。
The imperial armies marched out through Yindi Pass; advance parties reached Fenzhou. Li Keyong sent Xue Zhiqin and Li Chengsi with three thousand cavalry to camp at Hongdong and Li Cunxiao with five thousand men to camp at Zhaocheng. Han Jian, military governor of Zhenguo, led three hundred picked men in a night attack on Cunxiao's camp; Cunxiao learned of it and laid an ambush. Jian's troops were beaten; the Jingnan and Fengxiang forces fled without a fight; the palace guard collapsed on its own. The Hedong troops pursued and reached the west gate of Jinzhou. Zhang Jun sallied forth and was beaten again; nearly three thousand imperial troops were killed. The Jingnan, Fengxiang, Baoda, and Dingnan armies crossed the Fen River westward and withdrew first; Jun was left with only the palace guard and Xuanwu troops, ten thousand men in all; he and Han Jian shut the gates and held the city, never daring to sally again. Cunxiao marched on Jiangzhou; in the eleventh month Prefect Zhang Xinggong abandoned the city and fled. Cunxiao pressed the siege of Jinzhou; on the third day he consulted his men: "Zhang Jun is a chancellor—capturing him would gain us nothing; the emperor's palace guard must not be harmed." He withdrew fifty li and made camp; Jun and Jian slipped away from Hankou. Cunxiao took Jin and Jiang and plundered Ci and Sui heavily. Earlier Li Keyong had sent Han Guifan to court with a memorial of complaint, saying, "My father and I for three generations have served four reigns; we crushed Pang Xun, destroyed Huang Chao, deposed the Prince of Xiang, and preserved Yi and Ding—that Your Majesty today wears the cap of Heaven and the white-jade seal is surely no small part owing to my house. If my crime is attacking Yunzhou, why were Tuoba Sigong's seizure of Fu-Yan and Zhu Quanzhong's raids on Xu and Yan not punished as well? To reward them and punish me—do I have no case to make! When the court stood on the brink of ruin, it hailed me as Han Xin, Peng Yue, Yi Yin, and Lü Shang; once danger passed, it reviled me as a barbarian, a foreigner, a Turk, a tribesman. Surely every commander in the realm who holds troops and wins battles must fear the same reviling from Your Majesty one day! If I truly had committed a grave crime, the imperial armies could march and the law would take its course—why wait until I was weak before moving against me! Now that Zhang Jun has taken command, I cannot simply yield; I have already assembled five hundred thousand barbarian and Han troops and mean to strike straight for Pu and Tong to fight Jun; If I lose, I accept whatever stripping of rank the court decrees. Otherwise I would come with a light escort to the palace gate, prostrate myself before the throne, denounce the traitors at Your Majesty's seat, deliver my commission at the late emperor's temple, and then surrender myself to justice and await the executioner's axe." When the memorial arrived, Jun had already been defeated, and the court was terrified. Jun and Han Jian crossed Wangwu to Heyang, tore down houses to build rafts to cross the river, and their army was nearly wiped out. In this campaign the court had counted on Zhu Quanzhong and the three Hebei circuits; when Jun reached Jinzhou, Quanzhong was still tied up in Xu and Yan; he sent generals against Zezhou but did not come in person. The campaign headquarters then asked Zhen and Wei for troops and grain; both circuits looked to Hedong as their shield and sent no troops; Only troops from Hua, Bin, Fengxiang, Juan, and Xia joined the campaign. Before a blow was struck Sun Kui was captured; the You and Yun forces were both defeated; Yang Fugong again sabotaged the effort from within—so Jun's army broke at the mere rumor of defeat.
69
十二月，己丑，孫儒拔蘇州，殺李友。 安仁義等聞之，焚潤廬舍，夜遁。 儒使沈粲守蘇州，又遣其將歸傳道守潤州。
In the twelfth month, on jichou, Sun Ru took Suzhou and killed Li You. An Renyi and his men, hearing this, burned the buildings at Run and fled by night. Ru put Shen Can in charge of Suzhou and sent his general Gui Chuandao to hold Runzhou.
70
辛丑，汴將丁會、葛從周擊魏，渡河，取黎陽、臨河，龐師古、霍存下淇門、衛縣，朱全忠自以大軍繼之。
On xinchou, the Bian generals Ding Hui and Ge Congzhou attacked Wei, crossed the river, and took Liyang and Linhe; Pang Shigu and Huo Cun seized Qimen and Wei County; Zhu Quanzhong followed in person with the main army.
71
是歲，置升州於上元縣，以張雄為刺史。
That year Shengzhou was created in Shangyuan County, with Zhang Xiong as prefect.
72
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝上之上大順二年（ 辛亥，公元八九一年）
Above: the second year of the Dashun era under Emperor Zhaozong the Sagely, Solemn, Glorious, Cultured, and Filial ( xinhai, A.D. 891)
73
春，正月，羅弘信軍於內黃。 丙辰，朱全忠擊之，五戰皆捷，到永定橋，斬首萬餘級。 弘信懼，遣使厚幣請和。 全忠命止焚掠，歸其俘，還軍河上。 魏博自是服於汴。
In spring, the first month, Luo Hongxin encamped at Neihuang. On bingchen, Zhu Quanzhong attacked him, won five battles in succession, and at Yongding Bridge took more than ten thousand heads. Terrified, Hongxin sent envoys bearing lavish gifts to sue for peace. Quanzhong ordered his men to stop burning and looting, returned the prisoners, and withdrew to the north bank of the Yellow River. From then on Weibo submitted to Bian.
74
庚申，制以太保、門下侍郎、同平章事孔緯為荊南節度使，中書侍郎、同平章事張濬為鄂岳觀察使。 以翰林學士承旨、兵部侍郎崔昭緯同平章事，御史中丞徐彥若為戶部侍郎、同平章事，昭緯，慎由從子； 彥若，商之子也。 楊復恭使人劫孔緯於長樂坡，斬其旌節，資裝俱盡，緯僅能自免。 李克用復遣使上表曰：「張濬以陛下萬代之業，邀自己一時之功，知臣與朱溫深仇，私相連結。 臣今身無官爵，名是罪人，不敢歸陛下籓方，且欲於河中寄寓，進退行止，伏俟指麾。」 詔再貶孔緯均州刺史，張濬連州刺史。 賜克用詔，悉復其官爵，使歸晉陽。 孫儒盡舉淮、蔡之兵濟江，癸酉，自潤州轉戰而南，田頵、安仁義屢敗退，楊行密城戍皆望風奔潰。 儒將李從立奄至宣州東溪，行密守備尚未固，眾心危懼，夜，使其將合肥台濛將五百人屯溪西； 濛使士卒傳呼，往返數四，從立以為大眾繼至，遽引去。 儒前軍至溧水，行密使都指揮使李神福拒之。 神福陽退以示怯，儒軍不設備，神福夜帥精兵襲之，俘斬千人。
On gengshen an edict appointed Grand Tutor and Co-Director Kong Wei military governor of Jingnan, and Co-Director Zhang Jun governor of E-Yue. Cui Zhaowei, Academician Expositor-in-Chief of the Hanlin Academy and Vice Minister of War, was made Co-Director; Xu Yanzuo, Censor-in-Chief, was made Vice Minister of Revenue and Co-Director; Zhaowei was a nephew of Shen You; Yanzuo was the son of Shang. Yang Fugong's agents ambushed Kong Wei at Changle Slope, destroyed his banners of office, and seized all his baggage; Wei barely escaped. Li Keyong again memorialized the throne: "Zhang Jun wagered Your Majesty's long-term interests for his own momentary triumph; knowing that I am Zhu Wen's bitter enemy, he colluded with him in secret. I now hold no rank and stand condemned as a criminal; I dare not return to the frontier on Your Majesty's behalf, and wish only to take refuge at Hezhong until I receive your orders." An edict further demoted Kong Wei to prefect of Junzhou and Zhang Jun to prefect of Lianzhou. Keyong received an edict restoring all his ranks and titles and ordering him back to Jinyang. Sun Ru mustered every soldier of Huai and Cai and crossed the Yangtze; on guiyou he fought south from Runzhou; Tian Yun and An Renyi were repeatedly beaten back, and Yang Xingmi's garrisons collapsed at the first rumor of his approach. Ru's general Li Congli suddenly reached the East Stream outside Xuanzhou; Xingmi's defenses were not yet firm and morale was shaken; that night he sent his general Tai Meng of Hefei with five hundred men to camp west of the stream; Meng had his men shout back and forth four or five times; Congli took this for the vanguard of a large army and withdrew at once. Ru's vanguard reached Lishui; Xingmi sent his chief commander Li Shenfu to block them. Shenfu feigned retreat to appear timid; Ru's army lowered its guard; Shenfu led picked troops in a night attack and killed or captured a thousand men.
75
二月，加李克用守中書令，復李罕之官爵； 再貶張濬繡州司戶。
In the second month, Li Keyong was made acting Director of the Secretariat, and Li Hanzhi's offices and titles were restored; Zhang Jun was again demoted to registrar of Xiuzhou.
76
韋昭度將諸道兵十餘萬討陳敬瑄，三年不能克，饋運不繼，朝議欲息兵。 三月，乙亥，制復敬瑄官爵，令顧彥朗、王建各帥眾歸鎮。
Wei Zhaodu had led more than a hundred thousand troops from the various circuits against Chen Jingxuan; after three years he still could not take the city, supplies ran out, and the court debated calling off the campaign. In the third month, on yihai, an edict restored Jingxuan's offices and titles and ordered Gu Yanlang and Wang Jian each to lead their forces back to their posts.
77
王師範遣都指揮使盧弘擊攻棣州刺史張蟾，弘引兵還攻師池，師範使人以重賂迎之，曰：「師範童騃，不堪重任，願得避位，使保首領，公之仁也。」 弘以師範年少，信之，不設備。 師範密謂小校安丘劉鄩曰：「汝能殺弘，吾以汝為大將。」 弘入城，師範伏甲而享之，鄩殺弘於座及其黨數人。 師範慰諭士卒，厚賞重誓，自將以攻棣州，執張蟾，斬之。 崔安潛逃歸京師。 師範以鄩為馬步副都指揮使。 詔以師範為平盧節度使。 師範和謹好學，每本縣令到官，師範輒備儀衛往謁之； 令不敢當，師範命客將挾持，令坐於聽事，自稱「百姓王師範」，拜之於庭。 僚佐或諫，師範曰：「吾敬桑梓，所以教子孫不忘本也。」
Wang Shifan sent his chief commander Lu Hong to attack Zhang Chan, prefect of Dizhou; Hong turned back to assault Shifan's base; Shifan sent an envoy with lavish bribes, saying: "Shifan is young and unfit for command; I wish to step aside and keep my head—that would be an act of mercy on your part." Hong, thinking Shifan was merely a boy, believed him and let down his guard. Shifan secretly told the junior officer Liu Yun of Anqiu: "If you kill Hong, I will make you chief general." When Hong entered the city, Shifan hid armed men and entertained him at a feast; Yun killed Hong at table along with several of his followers. Shifan rallied the troops with generous rewards and solemn pledges, then personally led the assault on Dizhou, captured Zhang Chan, and executed him. Cui Anqian fled back to the capital. Shifan appointed Yun deputy chief commander of horse and foot. An edict made Shifan military governor of Pinglu. Shifan was courteous, diligent, and fond of learning; whenever a new magistrate arrived in his home county, he would go to pay his respects with a full escort; The magistrate protested that this was improper; Shifan had his usher support him and seat him in the hall of audience, then called himself "the commoner Wang Shifan" and bowed to him in the courtyard. When his staff remonstrated, Shifan said: "I honor my native place so that my descendants will never forget where they came from."
78
張濬至藍田，逃奔華州依韓建，與孔緯密求救於朱全忠。 全忠上表為緯、濬訟冤，朝廷不得已，並聽自便。 緯至商州而還，亦寓居華州。
Zhang Jun reached Lantian, fled to Huazhou and took refuge with Han Jian, and together with Kong Wei secretly appealed to Zhu Quanzhong for help. Quanzhong memorialized the throne on behalf of Wei and Jun; the court, left with no alternative, allowed both men to go where they wished. Wei went as far as Shangzhou and turned back, and also took up residence at Huazhou.
79
邢洺節度使安知建潛通朱全忠，李克用表以李存孝代之。 知建懼，奔青州，朝廷以知建為神武統軍。 知建帥麾下三千人將詣京師，過鄆州。 朱瑄與克用方睦，伏兵河上，斬之，傳首晉陽。
An Zhijian, military governor of Xing-Ming, was secretly in contact with Zhu Quanzhong; Li Keyong memorialized that Li Cunxiao replace him. Terrified, Zhijian fled to Qingzhou; the court appointed him commander-in-chief of Shenwu. Zhijian set out for the capital with three thousand men under his command, passing through Yanzhou. Zhu Xuan was then allied with Keyong; he laid an ambush on the riverbank, killed Zhijian, and sent his head to Jinyang.
80
夏，四月，有彗星見於三台，東行入太微，長十丈餘。 甲申，赦天下。
In summer, the fourth month, a comet appeared at Santai, moved east into Taiwei, and stretched more than ten zhang long. On jiashen, an amnesty was proclaimed for all under Heaven.
81
成都城中乏食，棄兒滿路。 民有潛入行營販米入城者，邏者得之，以白韋昭度，昭度曰：「滿城饑甚，忍不救之！」 釋勿問。 亦有白陳敬瑄者，敬瑄曰：「吾恨無術以救餓者，彼能如是，勿禁也。」 由是販者浸多，然所致不過斗升，截筒，逕寸半，深五分，量米而鬻之，每筒百餘錢，餓殍狼籍。 軍民強弱相陵，將吏斬之不能禁； 乃更為酷法，或斷腰，或斜劈，死者相繼而為者不止。 人耳目既熟，不以為懼。 吏民日窘，多謀出降，敬瑄悉捕其族黨殺之，慘毒備至。 內外都指揮使、眉州刺史成都徐耕，性仁恕，所全活數千人。 田令孜曰：「公掌生殺而不刑一人，有異志邪？」 耕懼，夜，取俘囚戮於市。
Food ran short inside Chengdu, and abandoned children lined the streets. Some civilians had been slipping into the camp to sell rice in the city; patrols caught them and reported to Wei Zhaodu, who said: "The whole city is starving—how can we refuse to help them!" They were released without punishment. Others reported the matter to Chen Jingxuan, who said: "I have no way to save the starving myself; if people can do this, do not stop them." Sellers soon multiplied, but each brought only a pint or two, measured out in cut bamboo tubes an inch and a half across and five fen deep; each tube fetched more than a hundred cash, while corpses of the starved lay everywhere. Strong preyed on weak among soldiers and civilians alike; officers executed offenders but could not stop it; they then imposed crueler penalties—some were cut in two at the waist, others hacked diagonally; the dead piled up, yet the crimes continued. People grew so used to the sight that they no longer feared it. Officials and civilians grew more desperate by the day; many plotted to surrender; Jingxuan arrested their entire clans and associates and killed them with every cruelty imaginable. Xu Geng of Chengdu, chief commander for inner and outer defense and prefect of Meizhou, was by nature merciful; he spared several thousand lives. Tian Lingzi said: "You hold the power of life and death yet execute no one—do you harbor rebellious intentions?" Geng was terrified; that night he took prisoners and executed them in the market.
82
王建見罷兵制書，曰：「大功垂成，奈何棄之！」 謀於周庠，庠勸建請韋公還朝，獨攻成都，克而有之。 建表稱：「陳敬瑄、田令孜罪不可赦，願畢命以圖成功。」 昭度無如之何，由是未能東還。 建說昭度曰：「今關東籓鎮迭相吞噬，此腹心之疾也，相公宜早歸廟堂，與天子謀之。 敬瑄，疥癬耳，當以日月制之，責建，可辦也！」 昭度猶豫未決。 庚子，建陰令東川將唐友通等擒昭度親吏駱保於行府門，臠食之，雲其盜軍糧。 昭度大懼，遽稱疾，以印節授建，牒建知三使留後兼行營招討使，即日東還。 建送至新都，跪觴馬前，泣拜而別。 昭度甫出劍門，即以兵守之，不復內東軍。 昭度至京師，除東都留守。 建急攻成都，環城烽塹亙五十里。 有狗屠王鷂，請詐得罪亡入城說之，使上下離心，建遣之。 鷂入見陳敬瑄、田令孜，則言「建兵疲食盡，將遁矣」，出則鬻茶於市，陰為吏民稱建英武，兵勢強盛； 由是敬瑄等懈於守備而眾心危懼。 建又遣其將京兆鄭渥詐降以覘之，敬瑄以為將，使乘城，既而復以詐得歸。 建由是悉知城中虛實，以渥為親從都指揮使，更姓名曰王宗渥。
When Wang Jian saw the edict ordering the army to stand down, he said: "Victory is within reach—how can we throw it away!" He consulted Zhou Xu, who urged Jian to ask Duke Wei to return to court while Jian alone besieged and captured Chengdu. Jian memorialized the throne: "Chen Jingxuan and Tian Lingzi are guilty beyond pardon; I am willing to stake my life on finishing the campaign." Zhaodu could not refuse, and from that point he was unable to return east. Jian urged Zhaodu: "The eastern circuits are devouring one another—this is a mortal threat to the throne; you should return to court at once and counsel the Son of Heaven. Jingxuan is a mere skin rash; given time he can be contained—leave him to Jian, and the job can be done!" Zhaodu wavered and could not make up his mind. On gengzi, Jian secretly had the Dongchuan generals Tang Youtong and others seize Zhaodu's personal clerk Luo Bao at the campaign headquarters gate, butcher and eat him, claiming he had stolen army grain. Zhaodu was terrified; he at once pleaded illness, handed his seal and baton to Jian, issued orders making Jian acting commissioner of the three envoys and campaign pacification commissioner, and returned east the same day. Jian escorted him to Xindu, knelt with a cup of wine before his horse, and wept as he bowed farewell. Hardly had Zhaodu passed through Jianmen when Jian posted troops to hold the pass and barred all eastern forces from entering. When Zhaodu reached the capital, he was appointed guardian of the Eastern Capital. Jian pressed the siege of Chengdu; beacon fires and trenches stretched fifty li around the walls. A dog butcher named Wang Yao volunteered to pretend he had committed a crime, flee into the city, and sow discord; Jian sent him in. Inside the city Yao told Chen Jingxuan and Tian Lingzi that Jian's army was exhausted and starving and about to withdraw; outside he sold tea in the market and quietly praised Jian's martial prowess and the strength of his forces; Jingxuan and his men slackened their defenses, while the populace grew fearful and unsettled. Jian also sent his general Zheng Wo of Jingzhao to feign surrender and spy on the city; Jingxuan made him a commander and put him on the walls; later Wo slipped out by the same ruse. "Jian thus learned the city's every weakness; he made Wo chief personal commander and renamed him Wang Zongwo."
83
以武安節度使周岳為嶺南西道節度使。
Zhou Yue, military governor of Wu'an, was appointed military governor of Lingnan West Circuit.
84
李克用大舉擊赫連鐸，敗其兵於河上，進圍雲州。
Li Keyong launched a major campaign against Helian Duo, routed his army on the river, and advanced to besiege Yunzhou.
85
楊行密遣其將劉威、朱延壽將兵三萬擊孫儒於黃池，威等大敗。 延壽，舒城人也。 孫儒軍於黃池，五月，大水，諸營皆沒，乃還揚州，使其將康暀據和州，安景思據滁州。
Yang Xingmi sent his generals Liu Wei and Zhu Yanshou with thirty thousand men against Sun Ru at Huangchi; they were routed. Yanshou was a native of Shucheng. Sun Ru was encamped at Huangchi; in the fifth month a great flood submerged every camp, so he withdrew to Yangzhou and left his generals Kang Wei at Hezhou and An Jingsi at Chuzhou.
86
丙午，立皇子祐為德王。
On bingwu, the imperial prince You was created Prince De.
87
楊行密遣其將李神福攻和、滁，康暀降，安景思走。
Yang Xingmi sent Li Shenfu against Hezhou and Chuzhou; Kang Wei surrendered and An Jingsi fled.
88
秋，七月，李克用急攻雲州，赫連鐸食盡，奔吐谷渾部，既而歸於幽州。 克用表大將石善友為大同防禦使。
In autumn, the seventh month, Li Keyong pressed the siege of Yunzhou; Helian Duo ran out of food, fled to the Tuyuhun, and later made his way to Youzhou. Keyong memorialized that his great general Shi Shanyou be appointed defense commissioner of Datong.
89
朱全忠遣使與楊行密約共攻孫儒。 儒恃其兵強，欲先滅行密，後敵全忠，移牒籓鎮，數行密、全忠之罪，且曰：「俟平宣、汴，當引兵入朝，除君側之惡。」 於是悉焚揚州廬舍，盡驅丁壯及婦女渡江，殺老弱以充食。 行密將張訓、李德誠潛入揚州，滅餘火，得谷數十萬斛以賑饑民。 泗州刺史張諫貸數萬斛以給軍，訓以行密之命饋之，諫由是德行密。
Zhu Quanzhong sent envoys to Yang Xingmi proposing a joint attack on Sun Ru. Ru, confident in his strength, planned first to destroy Xingmi and then turn on Quanzhong; he sent dispatches to the circuits denouncing Xingmi and Quanzhong, declaring: "Once Xuan and Bian are pacified, I shall march to court and purge the evil at the sovereign's side." He then burned every building in Yangzhou, drove all able-bodied men and women across the river, and killed the old and weak for food. Xingmi's generals Zhang Xun and Li Decheng slipped into Yangzhou, put out the remaining fires, and recovered several hundred thousand hu of grain to feed the starving. Zhang Jian, prefect of Sizhou, had loaned tens of thousands of hu to supply the army; Xun, on Xingmi's orders, returned the grain as provisions; Jian thereafter held Xingmi in high regard.
90
邢洺節度使李存孝勸李克用攻鎮州，克用從之。 八月，克用南巡澤潞，遂涉懷孟之境。
Li Cunxiao, military governor of Xing-Ming, urged Li Keyong to attack Zhenzhou; Keyong agreed. In the eighth month, Keyong marched south through Ze and Lu and entered the territory of Huai and Meng.
91
朱全忠遣其將丁會攻宿州，克其外城。
Zhu Quanzhong sent Ding Hui to attack Suzhou and captured the outer city.
92
乙未，孫儒自蘇州出屯廣德，楊行密引兵拒之。 儒圍其寨，行密將上蔡李簡帥百餘人力戰，破寨，拔行密出之。
On yiwei, Sun Ru marched out from Suzhou and encamped at Guangde; Yang Xingmi led troops to block him. Ru besieged Xingmi's camp; Xingmi's general Li Jian of Shangcai led a hundred-odd men in a desperate fight, broke the encirclement, and rescued Xingmi.
93
王建攻陳敬瑄益急，敬瑄出戰輒敗，巡內州縣率為建所取。 威戎節度使楊晟時饋之食，建以兵據新都，彭州道絕。 敬瑄出，慰勉士卒，皆不應。 辛丑，田令孜登城謂建曰：「老夫向於公甚厚，何見困如是？」 建曰：「父子之恩豈敢忘！ 但朝廷命建討不受代者，不得不然。 倘太師改圖，建復何求！」 是夕，令孜自攜西川印節詣建營授之，將士皆呼萬歲。 建泣謝，請復為父子如初。 先是，建常誘其將士曰：「成都城中繁盛如花錦，一朝得之，金帛子女恣汝曹所取，節度使與汝曹迭日為之耳！」 壬寅，敬瑄開城迎建。 建署其將張勍為馬步斬斫使，使先入城。 乃謂將士曰：「吾與汝曹三年百戰，今始得城，汝曹不憂不富忠，慎勿焚掠坊市。 吾已委張勍護之矣，彼幸執而白我，我猶得赦之； 若先斬而後白，吾亦不能救也！」 既而士卒有犯令者，勍執百餘人，皆捶其胸而殺之，積屍於市，眾莫敢犯。 故時人謂勍為「張打胸」。 癸卯，建入城，自稱西川留後。 小校韓武數於使廳上馬，牙司止之，武怒曰：「司徒許我迭日為節度使； 上馬何為！」 建密遣人刺殺之。
Wang Jian's assault on Chen Jingxuan grew fiercer; Jingxuan sallied forth and was beaten every time; prefecture after prefecture within the circuit fell to Jian. Yang Sheng, military governor of Weirong, had been sending food to Jingxuan; Jian seized Xindu with troops and cut the road to Pengzhou. Jingxuan came out to rally the troops, but not a man answered. On xinchou, Tian Lingze went up on the wall and said to Wang Jian, "I have always treated you generously—why must you corner me like this?" Wang Jian replied, "I would never forget the bond between us, as between father and son! But the court commanded me to suppress a man who refuses to yield his post; I had no choice. If Your Grace will reconsider, what more could I want!" That night Tian Lingze brought the seal and regalia of the Xichuan command himself to Wang Jian's camp and surrendered them; the troops burst into cheers of "Long live the Emperor!" Wang Jian wept his thanks and asked that their bond be restored as before. Before this, Wang Jian had repeatedly tempted his troops with promises: "Chengdu blooms like brocade and embroidery; seize it in a single morning and gold, silk, women, and children are yours for the taking—you'll take turns serving as military governor, one day each!" On renyin, Chen Jingxuan opened the gates and welcomed Wang Jian inside. Wang Jian named his general Zhang Qin marshal of cavalry and infantry executioners and sent him into the city ahead of the rest. Then he addressed the troops: "We have fought a hundred battles these three years, and only now have we won the city. You will not lack for riches—but do not burn or loot the streets and markets. I have put Zhang Qin in charge of enforcement; if he catches you and reports it to me first, I may still spare you— but if he beheads you first and reports afterward, even I cannot save you!" Soon afterward soldiers broke the rules; Zhang Qin seized more than a hundred of them, beat them to death by smashing their chests, and piled the bodies in the marketplace until no one dared violate the order. People nicknamed him "Zhang Chest-Pounder." On guimao, Wang Jian entered the city and proclaimed himself acting military governor of Xichuan. A junior officer named Han Wu repeatedly rode his horse into the commissioner's hall; a clerk tried to stop him. Han Wu snapped, "The Minister Wang promised we would take turns as military governor— what's wrong with riding a horse!" Wang Jian quietly sent assassins to kill him.
94
初，陳敬瑄之拒朝命也，田信孜欲盜其軍政，謂敬瑄曰：「三兄尊重，軍務煩勞，不若盡以相付，日具記事咨呈，兄但高居自逸而已。」 敬瑄素無智能，忻然許之。 自是軍事皆不由己，以至於亡。 建表敬瑄子陶為雅州刺史，使隨陶之官，明年，罷歸，寓居新津，以一縣租賦贍之。
When Chen Jingxuan first defied the court's command, Tian Lingze sought to steal control of his army. He told Jingxuan, "Third Brother, you are a man of rank; military business is a burden. Turn it all over to me—I will report daily on affairs, and you need only rest at ease in high station." Chen Jingxuan, who had never been clever, accepted gladly. From that point on he controlled nothing in military affairs—and that was how he came to ruin. Wang Jian petitioned to make Jingxuan's son Tao prefect of Ya Prefecture and sent Jingxuan to accompany him to his post. The next year Jingxuan was relieved and sent home, living at Xinjin and supported by the revenues of one county.
95
癸丑，建分遣士卒就食諸州，更文武堅姓名曰王完阮，謝從本曰王宗本。 陳敬瑄將佐有器干者，建皆禮而用之。
On guichou, Wang Jian sent troops out to live off the various prefectures, renamed Wen Wujian as Wang Wanyuan and Xie Congben as Wang Zongben. Any capable officer or aide of Chen Jingxuan's, Wang Jian honored and put to use.
96
六軍十二衛觀軍容使、左神策軍中尉楊復恭總宿衛兵，專制朝政，諸假子皆為節度使、刺史，又養宦官子六百人，皆為監軍。 假子龍劍節度使守貞、武定節度使守忠不輸貢賦，上表訕薄朝廷。 上舅瑰求節度使，上訪於復恭，復恭以為不可。 瑰怒，詬之。 瑰出入禁中，頗用事，復恭惡之，奏以為黔南節度使。 至吉柏津，令山南西道節度使楊守亮覆諸江中，宗族賓客皆死，以舟敗聞。 上知復恭所為，深恨之。 李順節既寵貴，與復恭爭權，盡以復恭陰事告上，上乃出復恭為鳳翔監軍，復恭慍懟，不肯行，稱疾，求致仕。 九月，乙卯，以復恭為上將軍致仕，賜以幾杖。 使者致詔命還，復恭潛遣腹心張綰刺殺之。
Yang Fugong, Army-Watching Commissioner of the Six Armies and Twelve Guards and eunuch-director of the Left Divine Strategist Army, held the palace guards and dominated the court. His adopted sons held posts as military governors and prefects; he raised six hundred eunuchs' sons as well, every one of them an army overseer. Two of his adopted sons—Shouzhen, military governor of Longjian, and Shouzhong, military governor of Wuding—withheld tribute and submitted memorials mocking the court. The emperor's uncle by marriage, Gui, sought a military governorship; the emperor asked Yang Fugong, who said it was out of the question. Gui flew into a rage and cursed him. Gui had come to wield real power within the palace; Yang Fugong loathed him and had him posted as military governor of Qiannan. At Jibai Ford he had Yang Shouliang, military governor of Shannan West Circuit, sink Gui's boat in the river. Gui, his kinsmen, and his retinue all perished; the report to court was that the boat had foundered. When the emperor learned what Yang Fugong had done, he hated him bitterly. Li Shunjie, now powerful and favored, wrestled with Yang Fugong for influence and told the emperor everything he knew of Fugong's secret dealings. The emperor thereupon posted Fugong as army overseer at Fengxiang. Fugong, furious, refused to leave, pleaded illness, and asked to retire. In the ninth month, on yimao, Yang Fugong was granted the title of retired Grand General and given the ceremonial staff and seat of retirement. As the envoy started back after delivering the edict, Fugong secretly sent his confidant Zhang Wan to murder him on the road.
97
加護國節度使王重盈兼中書令。
Wang Chongying, military governor of Huguo, was made Chief Secretary as well.
98
東川節度使顧彥朗薨，軍中推其弟彥暉知留後。
Gu Yanlang, military governor of Dongchuan, died; the troops acclaimed his younger brother Yanhui as acting governor.
99
冬，十月，壬午，宿州刺史張筠降於丁會。
In winter, the tenth month, on renwu, Su Prefecture's governor Zhang Yun surrendered to Ding Hui.
100
癸未，以永平節度使王建為西川節度使； 甲申，廢永平軍。 建既得西川，留心政事，容納直言，好施樂士，用人各盡其才，謙恭儉素； 然多忌好殺，諸將有功名者，多因事誅之。
On guiwei, Wang Jian of Yongping was appointed military governor of Xichuan; on jiashen, the Yongping command was abolished. With Xichuan secure, Wang Jian turned his mind to government: he welcomed frank advice, gave freely and delighted in scholars, used every man to the limit of his talent, and lived with modest frugality; yet he was suspicious and bloodthirsty, and many generals who had won distinction were put to death on one charge or another.
101
楊復恭居第近玉山營，假子守信為玉山軍使，數往省之。 或告復恭與守信謀反，乙酉，上御安喜門，陳兵自衛，命天威都將李順節、神策軍使李守節將兵攻其第。 張綰帥家眾拒戰，守信引兵助之，順節等不能克。 丙戌，禁兵守含光門，俟其開，欲出掠兩市，遇劉崇望，立馬諭之曰：「天子親在街東督戰，汝曹皆宿衛之士，當於樓前殺賊立功，勿貪小利，自取惡名。」 眾皆曰：「諾。」 遂從崇望而東。 守信之眾望見兵來，遂潰走。 守信與復恭挈其族自通化門出，趣興元，永安都頭權安追之，擒張綰，斬之。 復恭至興元，楊守亮、楊守忠、楊守貞及綿州刺史楊守厚同舉兵拒朝廷，以討李順節為名。 守厚，亦復恭假子也。
Yang Fugong's house stood near Yushan Camp, where his adopted son Shouxin commanded the Yushan garrison and often came to see him. When word came that Fugong and Shouxin were plotting rebellion, the emperor on yiyou went to Anxi Gate, marshaled troops for protection, and ordered Li Shunjie of Tianwei and Li Shoujie of the Divine Strategist Army to assault Fugong's house. Zhang Wan rallied the household guard to fight back; Shouxin marched to his aid, and Li Shunjie's force could not break them. On bingxu, palace guards holding Hanguang Gate waited for it to open, intending to loot the eastern and western markets. Liu Chongwang intercepted them, reined up, and called out: "The emperor himself is east of the avenue directing the battle. You are palace guards—kill the rebels before the tower and win glory. Do not throw away your honor for petty loot." "Aye," they answered." They turned and marched east with Liu Chongwang. At the sight of the approaching force, Shouxin's men broke and ran. Shouxin and Fugong fled with their families through Tonghua Gate toward Xingyuan. Quan An, chief of the Yong'an guard, pursued them, seized Zhang Wan, and executed him. At Xingyuan, Yang Fugong joined Yang Shouliang, Yang Shouzhong, Yang Shouzhen, and Mian Prefecture's Yang Shouhou in raising armies against the court under the banner of punishing Li Shunjie. Shouhou, too, was Yang Fugong's adopted son.
102
李克用攻王鎔，大破鎮兵於龍尾崗，斬獲萬計，遂拔臨城，攻元氏、柏鄉； 李匡威引幽州兵救之。 克用大掠而還，軍於邢州。
Li Keyong attacked Wang Rong, crushed the Zhaozhou army at Longwei Ridge with tens of thousands killed or captured, took Lincheng, and pressed Yuanshi and Baixiang; Li Kuangwei marched from Youzhou to his relief. Keyong ravaged the country and withdrew, encamping at Xingzhou.
103
十一月，曹州都將郭銖殺刺史郭詞，降於朱全忠。
In the eleventh month, Cao Prefecture's chief commander Guo Zhu killed Prefect Guo Ci and defected to Zhu Quanzhong.
104
泰寧節度使朱瑾將萬餘人攻單州。
Zhu Jin, military governor of Taining, attacked Shan Prefecture at the head of more than ten thousand men.
105
乙丑，時溥將劉知俊帥眾二千降於朱全忠。 知俊，沛人，徐之驍將也。 溥軍自是不振。 全忠以知俊為左右開道指揮使。
On yichou, Liu Zhijun, a general of Shi Pu, surrendered to Zhu Quanzhong with two thousand men. Liu Zhijun was from Pei and one of Xuzhou's fiercest commanders. From that day Shi Pu's army never recovered its strength. Zhu Quanzhong made him commander of the Left and Right Vanguard.
106
辛未，壽州將劉弘鄂惡孫儒殘暴，舉州降朱全忠。
On xinwei, Shou Prefecture's Liu Hong'e, disgusted by Sun Ru's brutality, turned the entire prefecture over to Zhu Quanzhong.
107
十二月，乙酉，汴將丁會、張歸霸與朱瑾戰於金鄉，大破之，殺獲殆盡，瑾單騎走免。
In the twelfth month, on yiyou, Ding Hui and Zhang Guiba of Bian fought Zhu Jin at Jinxiang, routed his army almost to the last man, and Jin alone escaped on horseback.
108
天威都將李順節恃恩驕橫，出入常以兵自隨。 兩軍中尉劉景宣、西門君遂惡之，白上，恐其作亂。 戊子，二人以詔召順節，順節入至銀台門，二人邀順節於仗捨坐語，供奉官似先知自後斬其首，從者大噪而出。 於是天威、捧日、登封三都大掠永寧坊，至暮乃定，百官表賀。
Li Shunjie of Tianwei, swollen with imperial favor, rode everywhere with an armed escort. The eunuch-directors Liu Jingxuan and Ximen Jun came to loathe him and warned the emperor that he might rebel. On wuzi the two men summoned him by imperial decree. Li Shunjie entered as far as the Silver Terrace Gate; they invited him to sit and talk in the guardhouse, where the palace attendant Si Xianzhi struck off his head from behind. His escort raised an uproar as they fled. Tianwei, Penglai, and Dengfeng then looted Yongning Ward until evening. When order returned, the officials offered congratulations.
109
孫儒焚掠蘇、常，引兵逼宣州，錢鏐復遣兵據蘇州。 儒屢破楊行密之兵，旌旗輜重亙百餘里。 行密求救於錢鏐，鏐以兵食助之。
Sun Ru burned and looted Suzhou and Changzhou, marched on Xuanzhou, and Qian Liu once again sent troops to hold Suzhou. Sun Ru defeated Yang Xingmi again and again; his banners and baggage train stretched for more than a hundred li. Yang Xingmi appealed to Qian Liu for help; Qian Liu sent him troops and supplies.
110
以顧彥暉為東川節度使，遣中使宋道弼賜旌節。 楊守亮使楊守厚囚道弼，奪其旌節，發兵攻梓州。 癸卯，彥暉求救於王建； 甲辰，建遣其將華洪、李簡、王宗侃、王宗弼救東川。 建密謂諸將曰：「爾等破賊，彥暉必犒師，汝曹於行營報宴，因而執之，無煩再舉。」 宗侃破守厚七砦，守厚走歸綿州。 彥暉具犒禮，諸將報宴，宗弼以建謀告之，彥暉乃以疾辭。
Gu Yanhui was appointed military governor of Dongchuan, and the court envoy Song Daobi was dispatched with the insignia of office. Yang Shouliang had Yang Shouhou seize Song Daobi, steal the regalia, and march on Zizhou. On guimao, Yanhui begged Wang Jian for aid; on jiashen, Wang Jian sent Hua Hong, Li Jian, Wang Zongkan, and Wang Zongbi to relieve Dongchuan. Wang Jian told his generals in secret: "When you break the enemy, Yanhui will certainly feast the army. Accept his invitation at camp and seize him then—no need to fight again." Wang Zongkan stormed seven of Yang Shouhou's fortresses; Shouhou fled back to Mianzhou. Yanhui prepared rewards and the generals accepted his invitation to feast—but Wang Zongbi warned him of Wang Jian's plot, and Yanhui pleaded illness and refused.
111
初，李茂貞養子繼臻據金州，均州刺史馮行襲攻下之，詔以行襲為昭信防禦使，治金州。 楊守亮欲自金、商襲京師，行襲逆擊，大破之。
Earlier, Li Maozhen's adopted son Jizhen had held Jinzhou; Jun Prefecture's Feng Xingxi captured it, and the court appointed Feng defender of Zhaoxin with Jinzhou as his seat. When Yang Shouliang tried to strike Chang'an from Jinzhou and Shangzhou, Feng Xingxi counterattacked and routed him.
112
是歲，賜涇原軍號曰彰義，增領渭、武二州。 福建觀察使陳巖疾病，遣使以書召泉州刺史王潮，欲授以軍政，未至而巖卒。 巖妻弟都將范暉諷將士推己為留後，發兵拒潮。
That year the Jingyuan army was renamed the Zhangyi command and given Wei and Wuzhou as well. Chen Yan, governor of Fujian, fell ill and sent messengers summoning Quanzhou's Wang Chao to receive command of the province—but Yan died before Wang Chao arrived. Yan's brother-in-law, a chief commander named Fan Hui, persuaded the troops to acclaim him acting governor and marched out to oppose Wang Chao.