1
資治通鑑第259卷
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 259
2
【唐紀七十五】起玄黓困敦，盡閼逢攝提格，凡三年。
[Tang Records 75] From Xuanyi Kundun through Efeng Shetige—three years in all.
3
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝上之中景福元年（ 壬子，公元八九二年）
First year of the Jingfu era of Emperor Zhaozong (upper fascicle, middle section) ( the year rensi, equivalent to 892 CE)
4
春，正月，丙寅，赦天下，改元。
In spring, the first month, on the day bingyin, the court proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the era name.
5
鳳翔李茂貞、靜難王行瑜、鎮國韓建、同州王行約、秦州李茂莊五節度使上言：楊守亮容匿叛臣復恭，請出軍討之，乞加茂貞山南西道詔討使。 朝議以茂貞得山南，不可複製，下詔和解之，皆不聽。
Li Maozhen of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu of Jingnan, Han Jian of Zhenguo, Wang Xingyue of Tongzhou, and Li Maozhuang of Qinzhou—the five circuit governors—jointly memorialized that Yang Shouliang was sheltering the rebel Zhang Fugong and asked to march against him, requesting that Maozhen be made Pacification Commissioner for Shannan West. The court feared that once Maozhen held Shannan he could never be restrained again and issued an edict seeking a settlement, but all five refused to comply.
6
王鎔、李匡威合兵十餘萬攻堯山，李克用遣其將李嗣勳擊之，大破幽、鎮兵，斬獲三萬。
Wang Rong and Li Kuangwei joined forces—more than a hundred thousand men—to attack Yaoshan. Li Keyong sent his general Li Sixun against them and shattered the Youzhou and Zhenzhou troops, killing or capturing thirty thousand.
7
楊行密謂諸將曰：「孫儒之眾十倍於我，吾戰數不利，欲退保銅官，何如？」 劉威、李神福曰：「儒掃地遠來，利在速戰。 宜屯據險要，堅壁清野以老其師，時出輕騎抄其饋餉，奪其俘掠。 彼前不得戰，退無資糧，可坐擒也。」 戴友規曰：「儒與我相持數年，勝負略相當。 今悉眾致死於我，我若望風棄城，正墮其計。 淮南士民從公渡江及自儒來降者甚，公宜遣將先護送歸淮南，使復生業，儒軍聞淮南安堵，皆有思歸之心，人心既搖，安得不敗！」 行密悅，從之。 友規，廬州人也。
Yang Xingmi asked his commanders, "Sun Ru outnumbers us tenfold. We've lost fight after fight. I'm thinking of falling back to Tongguan—what do you say?" Liu Wei and Li Shenfu replied, "Sun Ru has marched clean across the country to get here—he needs a quick fight. We should hold the defiles, strengthen the walls, and strip the countryside bare to exhaust his army, while sending out light horse now and then to cut his supplies and seize his booty. Blocked from attacking and starved on the retreat, he'll be ours for the taking." Dai Yougui said, "Sun Ru and we have traded blows for years—wins and losses about even. Now he's thrown everything at us. If we flee at the first alarm, we play straight into his hands. Countless Huainan civilians followed you across the Yangtze, and many have defected from Sun Ru. Send officers to escort them home and restore their livelihoods. When Sun Ru's troops hear Huainan is at peace, they'll pine for home. Once hearts turn, how can he stand?" Yang Xingmi was delighted and did as he advised. Yougui was from Luzhou.
8
威戎節度使楊晟與楊守亮等約攻王建，二月，丁丑，晟出兵掠新繁、漢州之境，使其將呂堯將兵二千會楊守厚攻梓州； 建遣行營都指揮使李簡擊堯，斬之。
Yang Sheng of Weirong joined Yang Shouliang and others in a pact to strike Wang Jian. In the second month, on dingchou, Sheng raided Xinfan and Hanzhou and sent Lü Yao with two thousand men to link up with Yang Shouhou's assault on Zizhou; Wang Jian sent his field commander Li Jian against Lü Yao and had him killed.
9
戊寅，朱全忠出兵擊朱瑄，遣其子友裕將兵前行，軍於斗門。
On wuyin, Zhu Quanzhong marched against Zhu Xuan, sending his son Youyu ahead with the vanguard to camp at Doumen.
10
李茂貞、王行瑜擅舉兵擊興元。 茂貞表求招討使不已，遺杜讓能、西門君遂書，陵蔑朝廷。 上意不能容，御延英，召宰相、諫官議之。 時宦官有陰與二鎮相表裡者，宰相相顧不敢言，上不悅。 給事中牛徽曰：「先朝多難，茂貞誠有翼衛之功； 諸楊阻兵，亟出攻討，其志亦在疾惡，但不當不俟詔命耳。 比聞兵過山南，殺傷至多。 陛下倘不以招討使授之，使用國法約束，則山南之民盡矣。」 上曰：「此言是也。」 乃以茂貞為山南西道招討使。
Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu marched on Xingyuan without imperial authorization. Maozhen kept petitioning for the pacification commission and wrote Du Rangneng and Ximen Junsui with open contempt for the throne. The emperor's patience was exhausted. He convened the Yanying Hall, calling in the chief ministers and censors to debate the matter. Some eunuchs were secretly backing the two warlords. The chief ministers exchanged glances and held their tongues, which displeased the emperor. Supervising Secretary Niu Hui said, "The late reign knew endless troubles, and Maozhen did help shield the throne— the Yang clan are in armed rebellion, and he rushed out to strike them—his heart is in the right place, but he should not have moved without an imperial order. Word is his army ravaged Shannan, killing and wounding without count. If you withhold the pacification commission and bind him with the law instead, the people of Shannan may yet be saved." The emperor said, "He is right." Maozhen was then made Pacification Commissioner for Shannan West.
11
甲申，朱全忠至衛南，朱瑄將步騎萬人襲斗門，朱友裕棄營走，瑄據其營。 全忠不知，乙酉，引兵趣斗門，至者皆為鄆人所殺。 全忠退軍瓠河，丁亥，瑄擊全忠，大破之，全忠走。 張歸厚於後力戰，全忠僅免，副使李璠等皆死。
On jiashen, Zhu Quanzhong reached Weinan. Zhu Xuan struck Doumen with ten thousand horse and foot; Zhu Youyu fled and Xuan took the camp. Quanzhong knew nothing of this. On yiyou he marched for Doumen; every man who reached it was cut down by Yan troops. Quanzhong fell back to the Hulu River. On dinghai, Xuan smashed his army and Quanzhong ran. Zhang Guihou fought a rear-guard action and Quanzhong barely got away; Vice Commissioner Li Fan and others were killed.
12
朱全忠奏貶河陽節度使趙克裕，以佑國節度使張全義兼河陽節度使。
Zhu Quanzhong had Heyang governor Zhao Keyu demoted and made Youguo governor Zhang Quanyi also hold Heyang.
13
孫儒圍宣州。 初，劉建鋒為孫儒守常州，將兵從儒擊楊行密，甘露鎮使陳可言帥部兵千人據常州。 行密將張訓引兵奄至城下，可言倉猝出迎，訓手刃殺之，遂取常州。 行密別將又取潤州。
Sun Ru laid siege to Xuanzhou. Liu Jianfeng had been left to hold Changzhou for Sun Ru while Ru marched against Yang Xingmi. Chen Keran of Ganlu Town held the city with a thousand men. Zhang Xun of Yang Xingmi's command appeared suddenly at the walls. Keran rushed out to meet him; Xun cut him down himself and seized Changzhou. Another of Xingmi's commanders took Runzhou as well.
14
朱全忠連年攻時溥，塗、泗、濠三州民不得耕獲，袞、兗、河東兵救之，皆無功，復值水災，人死者什六七。 溥困甚，請和於全忠，全忠曰：「必移鎮乃可。」 溥許之。 全忠乃奏請移溥它鎮，仍命大臣鎮徐州。 詔以門下侍郎、同平章事劉崇望同平章事，充感化節度使，以溥為太子太師。 溥恐全忠詐而殺之，據城不奉詔，崇望及華陰而還。
Zhu Quanzhong had besieged Shi Pu for years. In Tu, Si, and Hao the people could neither sow nor reap. Armies from Yan, Yanzhou, and Hedong marched to relieve him, all in vain; floods followed, and six or seven people in ten perished. Pu was desperate and sued for peace. Quanzhong said, "You must accept transfer to another post—that's the only way." Pu agreed. Quanzhong memorialized to move Pu elsewhere and station a senior minister at Xuzhou. The court named Liu Chongwang, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Associate Chief Minister, military governor of Ganhua, and made Pu Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. Pu feared a trap and refused the edict, holding the city. Chongwang got as far as Huayin and turned back.
15
忠義節度使趙德諲薨，子匡凝代之。
Zhao Dexin of Zhongyi died; his son Kuangning replaced him.
16
范暉驕侈失眾心，王潮以從弟彥復為都統，弟審知為都監，將兵攻福州。 民自請輸米餉軍，平湖洞及濱海蠻夷皆以兵船助之。
Fan Hui's arrogance cost him the people's loyalty. Wang Chao made his cousin Yanfu supreme commander and his brother Shenzhi chief overseer, and marched on Fuzhou. Civilians volunteered grain for the army; the Pinghu cave folk and coastal tribes sent war junks to help.
17
辛丑，王建遣族子嘉州刺史宗裕、雅州刺史王宗侃、威信都指揮使華洪、茂州刺史王宗瑤將兵五萬攻彭州，楊晟逆戰而敗，宗裕等圍之。 楊守亮遣其將符昭救晟，逕趨成都，營三學山。 建亟召華洪還。 洪疾驅而至，後軍尚未集，以數百人夜去昭營數里，多擊更鼓； 昭以為蜀軍大至，引兵宵遁。
On xinchou, Wang Jian sent fifty thousand men under his kinsmen Zongyu of Jiazhou, Zongkan of Yazhou, Hua Hong of Weixin Command, and Zongyao of Maozhou against Pengzhou. Yang Sheng was beaten in the field and the city was invested. Yang Shouliang sent Fu Zhao to relieve Sheng. Zhao struck straight for Chengdu and camped on Mount Sanxue. Jian urgently recalled Hua Hong. Hong galloped back. His rear had not yet come up; with a few hundred men he stole several li from Zhao's camp by night and beat watch-drums in many places; Zhao thought the whole Shu army was upon him and fled by night.
18
三月，以戶部尚書鄭延昌為中書侍郎、同平章事。 延昌，從讜之從兄弟也。
In the third month, Revenue Minister Zheng Yanchang was made Vice Director of the Secretariat and Associate Chief Minister. Yanchang was Zheng Congdang's cousin.
19
左神策勇勝三都都指揮使楊子實、子遷、子釗，皆守亮之假子也，自渠州引兵救楊晟，知守亮必敗，壬子，帥其眾二萬降於王建。
Yang Zishi, Ziqian, and Zizhao of the Left Divine Strategy Brave Victory commands—all Shouliang's adopted sons—marched from Qizhou to save Yang Sheng. Seeing defeat coming, on renzi they surrendered twenty thousand men to Wang Jian.
20
李克用、王處存合兵攻王鎔，癸丑，拔天長鎮。 戊午，鎔與戰於新市，大破之，殺獲三萬餘人； 辛酉，克用退屯欒城。 詔和解河東及鎮、定、幽四鎮。
Li Keyong and Wang Chucun joined against Wang Rong and on guichou took Tianchang Fort. On wuwu, Rong met them at Xinshi and shattered them, killing or capturing more than thirty thousand; on xinyou Keyong fell back to Luancheng. An edict commanded peace among Hedong, Zhen, Ding, and You.
21
楊晟遺楊守貞、楊守忠、楊守厚書，使攻東川以解彭州之圍，守貞等從之。 神策督將竇行實戍梓州，守厚密誘之為內應； 守厚至涪城，行實事洩，顧彥暉斬之。 守厚遁去。 守貞、守忠軍至，無所歸，盤桓綿、劍間，王建遣其將吉諫襲守厚，破之。 癸亥，西川將李簡邀擊守忠於鐘陽，斬獲三千餘人。 夏，四月，簡又破守厚於銅鉾，斬獲三千餘人，降萬五千人； 守忠、守厚皆走。
Yang Sheng wrote Yang Shouzhen, Shouzhong, and Shouhou to strike Dongchuan and lift the siege of Pengzhou; they complied. Dou Xingshi of the Divine Strategy garrisoned Zizhou; Shouhou secretly won him as an inside man; but when Shouhou reached Fucheng the plot leaked and Gu Yanhui executed Xingshi. Shouhou fled. Shouzhen and Shouzhong arrived with nowhere to go and wandered between Mian and Jian. Wang Jian sent Ji Jian against Shouhou and broke him. On guihai, Li Jian of Shu ambushed Shouzhong at Zhongyang and killed or captured over three thousand. In the fourth month of summer, Jian again routed Shouhou at Tongzhen, killing or capturing three thousand and taking fifteen thousand prisoners; Shouzhong and Shouhou both fled.
22
乙酉，置武勝軍於杭州，以錢鏐為防禦使。
On yiyou the Wusheng Army was set up at Hangzhou and Qian Liu made Defense Commissioner.
23
天威軍使賈德晟，以李順節之死，頗怨憤，西門君遂惡之，奏而殺之。 德晟麾下千餘騎奔鳳翔，李茂貞由是益強。
Jia Desheng of the Tianwei Army nursed bitter grievance over Li Shunjie's death. Ximen Junsui turned on him and had him executed by memorial. Over a thousand of his horsemen fled to Fengxiang, and Li Maozhen grew stronger still.
24
李匡威出兵侵雲、代，壬寅，李克用始引兵還。
Li Kuangwei invaded Yun and Dai. On renyin, Li Keyong finally marched home.
25
時溥遣兵南侵，至楚州，楊行密將張訓、李德誠敗之於壽河，遂取楚州，執其刺史劉瓚。
Shi Pu sent troops south to Chuzhou. Zhang Xun and Li Decheng of Yang Xingmi's command beat them at the Shou River, took Chuzhou, and seized Prefect Liu Zan.
26
五月，加邠寧節度使王行瑜兼中書令。
In the fifth month, Binning governor Wang Xingyu was also made Chief Minister of the Secretariat.
27
楊行密屢敗孫儒兵，破其廣德營，張訓屯安吉，斷其糧道。 儒食盡，士卒大疫，遣其將劉建鋒、馬殷分兵掠諸縣。 六月，行密聞儒疾瘧，戊寅，縱兵擊之。 會大雨、晦冥，儒軍大敗，安仁義破儒五十餘寨，田頵擒儒於陳，斬之，傳首京師，儒眾多降於行密。 劉建鋒、馬殷收餘眾七千，南走洪州，推建鋒為帥，殷為先鋒指揮使，以行軍司馬張佶為謀主，比至江西，眾十餘萬。
Yang Xingmi beat Sun Ru again and again, smashed his Guangde camp, and posted Zhang Xun at Anji to sever his supplies. Ru starved; plague swept his ranks. He sent Liu Jianfeng and Ma Yin to plunder the counties for food. In the sixth month, hearing Ru had malaria, Xingmi on wuyin threw his whole army at him. Rain fell in torrents and the day went black. Ru's army collapsed. An Renyi stormed fifty of his camps. Tian Jun seized Ru in the press of battle, beheaded him, and sent his head to the capital; most of Ru's men surrendered to Xingmi. Liu Jianfeng and Ma Yin rallied seven thousand survivors and fled south to Hongzhou. They made Jianfeng commander, Yin vanguard commander, and Zhang Ji their strategist. By Jiangxi their host had swelled past a hundred thousand.
28
丁酉，楊行密帥眾歸揚州； 秋，七月，丙辰，至廣陵，表田頵守宣州，安仁義守潤州。
On dingyou, Yang Xingmi marched his army home to Yangzhou; In autumn, the seventh month, on bingchen he reached Guangling and recommended Tian Jun for Xuanzhou and An Renyi for Runzhou.
29
先是，揚州富庶甲天下，時人稱揚一、益二，及經秦、畢、孫、楊兵火之餘，江、淮之間，東西千里掃地盡矣。
Once Yangzhou's riches led the empire—"first Yangzhou, second Yizhou," men said. After the wars of Qin, Bi, Sun, and Yang, the Jiang-Huai corridor for a thousand li east and west lay utterly waste.
30
王建圍彭州，久不下，民皆竄匿山谷； 諸寨日出俘掠，謂之「淘虜」，都將先擇其善者，餘則士卒分之，以是為常。
Wang Jian besieged Pengzhou for months without success; the people hid in the hills; Every day the camps sent men out on "sifting" raids for captives. Commanders took the pick; soldiers split the rest—this was daily custom.
31
有軍士王先成者，新津人，本書生也，世亂，為兵，度諸將惟北寨王宗侃最賢，乃往說之曰：「彭州本西川之巡屬也，陳、田召楊晟，割四州以授之，偽署觀察使，與之共拒朝命。 今陳、田已平而晟猶據之，州民皆知西川乃其大府而司徒乃其主也，故大軍始至，民不入城而入同谷避之，以俟招安。 今軍至累月，未聞招安之命，軍士復從而掠之，與盜賊無異，奪其資財，驅其畜產，分其老弱婦女以為奴婢，使父子兄弟流離愁怨； 其在山中者暴露於暑雨，殘傷於蛇虎，孤危飢渴，無所歸訴。 彼始以楊晟非其主而不從，今司徒不加存恤，彼更思楊氏矣。」 宗侃惻然，不覺屢移其床前問之，先成曰：「又有甚於是者，今諸寨每旦出六七百人，入山淘虜，薄暮乃返，曾無守備之意，賴城中無人耳，萬一有智者為之畫策，使乘虛奔突，先伏精兵千人於門內，登城望淘虜者稍遠，出弓弩手、砲手各百人，攻寨之一面，隨以役卒五百，負薪土填壕為道，然後出精兵奮擊，且焚其寨； 又於三面城下各出耀兵，諸寨鹹自備御，無暇相救，城中得以益兵繼出，如此，能無敗乎！」 宗侃矍然曰：「此誠有之，將若之何？」
A soldier named Wang Xiancheng, from Xinjin, had been a scholar before the wars made him a fighting man. He reckoned Wang Zongkan of the northern camp the best of the commanders and went to him, saying, "Pengzhou was always part of Xichuan. Chen and Tian brought in Yang Sheng, gave him four prefectures, and set him up as commissioner to defy the throne. Chen and Tian are gone but Sheng still holds the city. The people know Xichuan is their capital and you are their lord. When your army came they fled to Tonggu, waiting to surrender. Your men have been here for months with no word of amnesty. They plunder like bandits—seizing goods, driving off livestock, taking the old and women as slaves—scattering families in grief and rage; Those in the hills suffer heat and rain, snakes and tigers; they are hungry, helpless, with nowhere to turn. They rejected Yang Sheng because he was not their lord. If you show no mercy, they will long for the Yangs again." Zongkan was moved and leaned forward again and again to hear him out. Xiancheng said, "It is worse than that. Every camp sends six or seven hundred men out each dawn to sift the hills for captives and does not return until dusk, with no thought of defense—only because the city is empty. If a clever enemy struck while the camps were bare—hid a thousand picked men in the gates, waited until the raiders were far off, sent out archers and catapult crews to storm one face, followed by five hundred laborers with brush and earth to fill the moat, then elite troops to burn the camp— and showed troops before the walls on three sides so every camp would defend itself and none could help another, while the city poured out more men—in such a case, how could you not be ruined?" Zongkan started. "You are right—what can we do?"
32
先成請條列為狀以白王建，宗侃即命先成草之，大指言：「今所白之事，須四面通共，宗侃所司止於北面，或所白可從，乞以牙舉施行。」 事凡七條：「其一，乞招安山中百姓。 其二，乞禁諸寨軍士及子弟無得一人輒出淘虜，仍表諸寨之旁七里內聽樵牧，敢越表者斬。 其三，乞置招安寨，中容數千人，以處所招百姓，宗侃請選所部將校謹干者為招安將，使將三十人晝夜執兵巡衛。 其四，招安之事須委一人總領，今榜帖既下，諸寨必各遣軍士入山招安，百姓見之無不驚疑，如鼠見狸，誰肯來者！ 欲招之必有其術，願降帖付宗侃專掌其事。 其五，乞嚴勒四寨指揮使，悉索前日所虜彭州男女老幼集於營場，有父子、兄弟、夫婦自相認者即使相從，牒其人數，部送招安寨，有敢私匿一人者斬； 仍乞勒府中諸營，亦令嚴索，有自軍前先寄歸者，量給資糧，悉部送歸招安寨。 其六，乞置九隴行縣於招安寨中，以前南鄭令王丕攝縣令，設置曹局，撫理百姓，擇其子弟之壯者，給帖使自入山招其親戚； 彼知司徒嚴禁侵掠，前日為軍士所虜者，皆獲安堵，必歡呼踴躍，相帥下山，如子歸母，不日盡出。 其七，彭州土地宜麻，百姓未入山時多漚藏者，宜令縣令曉諭，各歸田裡，出所漚麻鬻之，以為資糧，必漸復業。」 建得之大喜，即行之，悉如所申。
Xiancheng asked to draft a memorial to Wang Jian. Zongkan had him write it at once. Its gist: "These matters must be shared on all four sides. I command only the north. If the Prince approves, let headquarters issue the orders." There were seven points: "First, bring the mountain people in. Second, forbid any soldier or dependent to go out sifting for captives; mark seven li around each camp for wood and grazing—cross the line and die. Third, set up a submission camp for several thousand. Zongkan will choose steady officers as submission commissioners, each with thirty armed men to patrol day and night. Fourth, one man must oversee submission. With placards posted, every camp will send men into the hills; the people will flee like mice from a cat—who will come in? There is a right way to win them. Issue an order putting Zongkan solely in charge. Fifth, order the four camp commanders to assemble every Pengzhou captive at the drill ground. Let kin recognize kin and go together. Register them and send them to the submission camp. Hide one person and die; I also ask that every headquarters camp be searched. Anyone who sent captives home early should receive rations and be marched back to the submission camp. Sixth, set up Jiulong County inside the submission camp, with former Nanzheng magistrate Wang Pi as acting magistrate, establish offices, and give passes to strong local youths to bring in their kin from the hills; Once they know you forbid plunder and that yesterday's captives are safe, they will come down shouting for joy, like sons to a mother, until none are left in the hills. Seventh, Pengzhou soil suits hemp. Tell the magistrate to urge people back to their fields to sell stored hemp for food—they will slowly rebuild their lives." Jian was delighted and carried it out exactly as proposed.
33
明日，榜帖至，威令赫然，無敢犯者。 三日，山中民競出，赴招安寨如歸市，寨不能容，斥而廣之； 浸有市井，又出麻鬻之。 民見村落無抄暴之患，稍稍辭縣令，復故業。 月餘，招安寨皆空。
Next day the placards went up; discipline was fierce and none dared break it. Within three days the mountain people poured to the submission camp like a market crowd; the camp overflowed and was enlarged; shops appeared, and they sold their hemp. Seeing villages safe from raids, people gradually left the magistrate and went back to their old trades. Within a month the submission camps stood empty.
34
己巳，李茂貞克鳳州，感義節度使滿存奔興元。 茂貞又取興、洋二州，皆表其子弟鎮之。
On jisi, Li Maozhen took Fengzhou. Man Cun of Ganyi fled to Xingyuan. Maozhen also seized Xing and Yang and had his kinsmen appointed to govern them.
35
八月，以楊行密為淮南節度使、同平章事，以田頵知宣州留後，安仁義為潤州刺史。
In the eighth month, Yang Xingmi became Huainan governor and Associate Chief Minister; Tian Jun held Xuanzhou, An Renyi Runzhou.
36
孫儒降兵多蔡人，行密選其尤勇健者五千人，厚其稟賜，以皁衣蒙甲，號「黑雲都」，每戰，使之先登陷陳，四鄰畏之。
Many of Sun Ru's surrendered men were from Cai. Xingmi picked five thousand of the toughest, paid them well, dressed them in black over armor as the "Black Cloud Corps," and sent them first in every assault—neighbors feared them.
37
行密以用度不足，欲以茶鹽易民布帛，掌書記舒城高勖曰：「兵火之餘，十室九空，又漁利以困之，將復離叛。 不若悉我所有易鄰道所無，足以給軍； 進賢守令勸課農桑，數年之間，倉庫自實。」 行密從之。 田頵聞之曰：「賢者之言，其利遠哉！」 行密馳射武伎，皆非所長，而寬簡有智略，善撫御將士，與同甘苦，推心待物，無所猜忌。 嘗早出，從者斷馬鞦，取其金，行密知而不問，它日，復早出如故，人服其度量。 淮南被兵六年，士民轉徙幾盡； 行密初至，賜與將吏，帛不過數尺，錢不過數百，而能以勤儉足用，非公宴，未嘗舉樂。 招撫流散，輕徭薄斂，未及數年，公私富庶，幾復承平之舊。
Short of funds, Xingmi wanted to trade tea and salt for cloth. Secretary Gao Xu said, "After the wars nine houses in ten are empty. Profiteering will drive them to rebel again. Better trade what we have for what neighboring circuits lack—that will feed the army; and have good officials promote farming. In a few years the granaries will fill themselves." Xingmi took his advice. Tian Jun said, "A wise man's words bear fruit far in the future!" Xingmi was no horseman, archer, or fighter, but he was generous and shrewd, treated his men as equals in hardship, and trusted people openly. Once a follower cut the gold from his saddle pommel; Xingmi knew but said nothing. When he went out early again as usual, men admired his forbearance. Huainan had known war for six years; nearly all civilians had fled; When Xingmi arrived, he gave officers only a few feet of cloth and a few hundred cash, yet lived frugally and never held music except at state banquets. He resettled refugees, lightened taxes, and within years public and private wealth returned nearly to peacetime levels.
38
李克用北巡至天寧軍，聞李匡威、赫連鐸將兵八萬寇雲州，遣其將李君慶發兵於晉陽。 克用潛入新城，伏兵於神堆，擒吐谷渾邏騎三百； 匡威等大驚。 丙申，君慶以大軍至，克用遷入雲州。 丁酉，出擊匡威等，大破之。 己亥，天威等燒營而遁； 追至天成軍，斬獲不可勝計。
Li Keyong on tour reached Tianning Army. Hearing Li Kuangwei and Helian Duo were marching eighty thousand against Yunzhou, he sent Li Junqing to mobilize at Jinyang. Keyong slipped into Xincheng and ambushed at Shendui, taking three hundred Tuyuhun scouts; Kuangwei and the rest were stunned. On bingshen, Junqing arrived with the main force and Keyong entered Yunzhou. On dingyou he struck Kuangwei and shattered them. On jihai they burned their camps and fled; pursuit to Tiancheng Army yielded kills and captures beyond count.
39
辛丑，李茂貞攻拔興元，楊復恭、楊守亮、楊守信、楊守貞、楊守忠、滿存奔閬州。 茂貞表其子繼密權知興元府事。
On xinchou, Li Maozhen took Xingyuan. Yang Fugong, the Yang brothers, and Man Cun fled to Langzhou. Maozhen had his son Jimi made acting administrator of Xingyuan.
40
九月，加荊南節度使成汭同平章事。
In the ninth month, Cheng Ru of Jingnan was made Associate Chief Minister.
41
時溥迫監軍奏稱將士留己，冬，十月，復以溥為侍中、感化節度。 朱全忠奏請追溥新命； 詔諭解之。
Shi Pu forced the supervising eunuch to say the troops wanted him to stay. In the tenth month of winter he was again made Palace Attendant and Ganhua governor. Zhu Quanzhong asked that Pu's new appointment be revoked; the court ordered them reconciled.
42
初，邢、洺、磁州留後李存孝，與李存信俱為李克用假子，不相睦。 存信有寵於克用，存孝在邢州，欲立大功以勝之，乃建議取鎮冀； 存信從中沮之，不時聽許。 及王鎔圍堯山，存孝救之，不克。 克用以存信為蕃、馬步都指揮使，與存孝共擊之，二人互相猜忌，逗留不進； 克用更遣李嗣勳等擊破之。 存信還，譖存孝無心擊賊，疑與之有私約。 存孝聞之，自以有功於克用，而信任顧不及存信，憤怨，且懼及禍，乃潛結王鎔及朱全忠，上表以三州自歸於朝廷，乞賜旌節及會諸道兵討李克用； 詔以存孝為邢、洺、磁節度使，不許會兵。
Li Cunxiao of Xing, Ming, and Ci and Li Cunxin were both Li Keyong's adopted sons and were at odds. Cunxin was Keyong's favorite. Cunxiao at Xingzhou sought glory to outdo him and proposed taking Zhen and Ji; Cunxin blocked him and Keyong would not approve. When Wang Rong besieged Yaoshan, Cunxiao failed to relieve him. Keyong sent Cunxin to join Cunxiao in the attack; they distrusted each other and stalled; Keyong sent Li Sixun, who broke Rong's force. Cunxin returned and accused Cunxiao of holding back and colluding with the enemy. Cunxiao, angry that Cunxin outranked him in favor and fearing ruin, secretly allied with Wang Rong and Zhu Quanzhong and offered his three prefectures to the throne, asking for a commission and allied armies against Li Keyong; The court made Cunxiao governor of Xing, Ming, and Ci but denied allied troops.
43
十一月，時溥濠州刺史張璲、泗州刺史張諫以州附於朱全忠。
In the eleventh month, Zhang Lin of Hao and Zhang Jian of Si surrendered to Zhu Quanzhong.
44
乙未，朱全忠遣其子友裕將兵十萬攻濮州，拔之，執其刺史邵倫，遂令友裕移兵擊時溥。
On yiwei, Zhu Quanzhong sent Youyu with a hundred thousand men against Puzhou, took it, seized Prefect Shao Lun, and turned Youyu on Shi Pu.
45
孫儒將王壇陷婺州，刺史蔣環奔趙州。
Sun Ru's general Wang Tan took Wuzhou; Prefect Jiang Huan fled to Zhaozhou.
46
廬州刺史蔡儔發楊行密祖父墓，與舒州刺史倪章連兵，遣使送印於朱全忠以求救。 全忠惡其反覆，納其印，不救，且牒報行密； 行密謝之。 行密遣行營都指揮使李神福將兵討儔。
Cai Chou of Luzhou desecrated Yang Xingmi's grandfather's tomb. With Ni Zhang of Shuzhou he sent his seal to Zhu Quanzhong begging for aid. Quanzhong despised his treachery, took the seal but sent no aid, and notified Xingmi; Xingmi thanked him. Xingmi sent Li Shenfu to punish Chou.
47
《宣明歷》浸差，太子少詹事邊岡造新歷成，十二月，上之。 命曰《景福崇玄歷》。
The Xuaming Calendar had drifted. Bian Gang finished a new calendar and presented it in the twelfth month. It was named the Jingfu Chongxuan Calendar.
48
壬午，王建遣其將華洪擊楊守亮於閬州，破之。 建遣節度押牙延陵鄭頊使於朱全忠； 全忠問劍閣，頊極言其險。 全忠不信，頊曰：「苟不以聞，恐誤公軍機。」 全忠大笑。
On renwu, Wang Jian sent Hua Hong against Yang Shouliang at Langzhou and broke him. Jian sent staff adjutant Zheng Xu of Yanling to Zhu Quanzhong; Quanzhong asked about Jian'ge Pass; Xu described its dangers at length. Quanzhong did not believe him. Xu said, "If I keep silent, I may mislead your campaign." Quanzhong laughed aloud.
49
是歲，明州刺史鐘文季卒，其將黃晟自稱刺史。
That year Mingzhou prefect Zhong Wenji died; his general Huang Sheng seized the post.
50
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝上之中景福二年（ 癸丑，公元八九三年）
Second year of the Jingfu era of Emperor Zhaozong (upper fascicle, middle section) ( the year guichou, equivalent to 893 CE)
51
春，正月，時溥遣兵攻宿州，刺史郭言戰死。
In spring, the first month, Shi Pu attacked Suzhou; Prefect Guo Yan was killed in battle.
52
東川留後顧彥暉既與王建有隙，李茂貞欲撫之使從己，秦恢復更賜彥暉節； 詔以彥暉為東川節度使，茂貞又奏遣知興元府事李繼密救梓州，未幾，建遣兵敗東川、鳳翔之兵於利州，彥暉求和，請與茂貞絕。 乃許之。
Gu Yanhui of Dongchuan was at odds with Wang Jian. Li Maozhen sought to win him. Qin Hui again granted Yanhui a commission; Yanhui was made Dongchuan governor. Maozhen sent Jimi to relieve Zizhou. Soon Jian defeated Dongchuan and Fengxiang at Lizhou; Yanhui sued for peace and broke with Maozhen. The court agreed.
53
鳳翔節度使李茂貞自請鎮興元，詔以茂貞為山南西道兼武定節度使，以中書侍郎、同平章事徐彥若同平章事，充鳳翔節度使，又割果、閬二州隸武定軍。 茂貞欲兼得鳳翔，不奉詔。
Maozhen asked to hold Xingyuan. The court made him governor of Shannan West and Wuding, sent Xu Yanruo to Fengxiang, and attached Guo and Lang to Wuding. Maozhen wanted Fengxiang too and refused the edict.
54
二月，甲戌，加西川節度使王建同平章事。
In the second month, on jiaxu, Wang Jian of Xichuan was made Associate Chief Minister.
55
李克用引兵圍邢州，王鎔遣牙將王藏海致書解之，克用怒，斬藏海，進兵擊鎔，敗鎮兵於平山，辛巳，攻天長鎮，旬日不下。 鎔出兵三萬救之，克用逆戰於叱日嶺下，大破之，斬首萬餘級，餘眾潰去。 河東軍無食。 脯其屍而啖之。
Li Keyong besieged Xingzhou. Wang Rong sent Wang Zanghai to negotiate; Keyong beheaded him and beat Rong's army at Pingshan. On xinsi he attacked Tianchang Fort for ten days without success. Rong sent thirty thousand to relieve it. Keyong met them at Chiri Ridge, killed more than ten thousand, and routed the rest. The Hedong army starved. They ate the flesh of the dead.
56
時溥求救於朱瑾，朱全忠遣其將霍存將騎兵三千軍曹州以備之。 瑾將兵二萬救徐州，存引兵赴之，與朱友裕合擊徐、兗兵於石佛山下，大破之，瑾遁歸兗州。 辛卯，徐兵復出，存戰死。
Shi Pu begged Zhu Jin for aid. Zhu Quanzhong posted Huo Cun with three thousand horse at Caozhou. Jin marched twenty thousand to save Xuzhou. Cun joined Youyu and shattered the Xu and Yan forces at Mount Shifo; Jin fled to Yanzhou. On xinmao the Xu troops sallied again and Cun was killed.
57
李克用進下井陘，李存孝將兵救王鎔，遂入鎮州，與鎔計事，鎔又乞師於朱全忠，全忠方與時溥相攻，不能救，但遺克用書，言「鄴下有十萬精兵，抑而未進。」 克用復書：「倘實屯軍鄴下，顒望降臨； 必欲真決雌雄，願角逐於常山之尾。」 甲午，李匡威引兵救鎔，敗河東兵於元氏，克用引還邢州。 鎔犒匡威於蒿城，輦金帛二十萬以酬之。
Li Keyong advanced through Jingxing Pass. Li Cunxiao entered Zhenzhou to aid Wang Rong. Rong begged Zhu Quanzhong, who was fighting Shi Pu and could not help, but wrote Keyong that "a hundred thousand elite troops below Ye are held back." Keyong replied, "If they truly camp below Ye, I await them; if you wish a true contest, meet me at the foot of Mount Chang." On jiawu, Li Kuangwei relieved Rong and beat Hedong at Yuanshi. Keyong fell back to Xingzhou. Rong feasted Kuangwei at Haocheng and gave him two hundred thousand in gold and silk.
58
朱友裕圍彭城，時溥數出兵，友裕閉壁不戰。 朱瑾宵遁，友裕不追，都虞候朱友恭以書譖友裕於全忠。 全忠怒，驛書下都指揮使龐師古，使代之將，且按其事。 書誤達於友裕，友裕大懼，以二千騎逃入山中，潛詣碭山，匿於伯父全昱之所。 全忠夫人張氏聞之，使友裕單騎詣汴州見全忠，泣涕拜伏於庭； 全忠命左右捽抑，將斬之，夫人趨就抱之，泣曰「汝捨兵眾，束身歸罪，無異志明矣。」 全忠悟而捨之，使權知許州。 友恭，壽春人李彥威也，幼為全忠家僮，全忠養以為子。 張夫人，碭山人，多智略，全忠敬憚之，雖軍府事，時與之謀議； 或將兵出，中途，夫人以為不可，遣一介召之，全忠立為之返。
Youyu besieged Pengcheng. Shi Pu sallied often; Youyu held the walls and would not fight. Zhu Jin fled by night. Youyu did not pursue. Zhu Yougong wrote Quanzhong accusing Youyu. Quanzhong in anger ordered Pang Shigu to replace Youyu and investigate. The letter reached Youyu by mistake. Terrified, he fled to the hills with two thousand horse and hid with his uncle Quanyu at Dangshan. Lady Zhang had Youyu ride alone to Bianzhou, where he wept and prostrated himself before Quanzhong; Quanzhong ordered him seized for execution. Lady Zhang embraced him, weeping, "You left your army to accept blame—like Zhiming himself." Quanzhong relented and made him acting administrator of Xuzhou. Yougong was Li Yanwei of Shouchun, a household slave Quanzhong raised as a son. Lady Zhang of Dangshan was shrewd; Quanzhong respected and feared her and often consulted her on military affairs; if she thought a campaign ill-advised she would send a messenger mid-march and Quanzhong would turn back at once.
59
龐師古攻佛山寨，撥之，自是徐兵不敢出。
Pang Shigu stormed the Foshan stockade; thereafter Xu's men dared not come out.
60
李匡威之救王鎔也，將發幽州，家人會別，弟匡籌之妻美，匡威醉而淫之。 二月，匡威自鎮州還，至博野，匡籌據軍府自稱留後，以符追行營兵。 匡威眾潰歸，但與親近留深州，進退無所之，遣判官李抱真入奏，請歸京師。 京師屢更大亂，聞匡威來，坊市大恐，曰：「金頭王來圖社稷。」 士民或竄匿山谷。 王鎔德其以己故致失地，迎歸鎮州，為築第，父事之。
When Li Kuangwei was leaving Youzhou to save Wang Rong, the family gathered to farewell. Drunk, he violated his brother Kuangchou's beautiful wife. In the second month Kuangwei returned from Zhenzhou. At Boye, Kuangchou seized headquarters, declared himself acting commissioner, and recalled the army. Kuangwei's army dissolved; he lingered at Shenzhou with a few followers and sent Li Baozhen to ask leave to return to the capital. The capital had known repeated chaos. Hearing Kuangwei was coming, the city panicked, saying, "The Gold-Headed King comes for the throne." People hid in the hills. Wang Rong, grateful that Kuangwei had lost his domain for his sake, welcomed him to Zhenzhou, built him a mansion, and treated him like a father.
61
以渝州刺史柳玭為瀘州刺史，柳氏自化綽以來，世以孝悌禮法為士大夫所宗。 玼御史大夫，上欲以為相。 宦官惡之，故久謫於外。 玼戒其子弟曰：「凡門地高，可畏不可恃也。 立身行己，一事有失，是得罪重於他人，死無以見先人於地下，此其所以可畏也。 門高則驕心易生，族盛則為人所嫉； 懿行實才，人未之信，小有玼，眾皆指之。 此其所以不可恃也。 故膏梁子弟，學宜加勤，行宜加勵，僅得比他人耳！」
Liu Pin of Yu was made prefect of Lu. Since Liuhua Chuo the Liu clan had been famed among scholars for filial piety and ritual. Cī served as Vice Censor-in-Chief, and the Emperor meant to make him Chancellor. The eunuchs hated him, and for long he was kept in exile far from court. Cī warned his sons and younger relatives: "A house of high standing inspires awe, yet offers no sure footing. In conduct and self-discipline, one misstep counts for more than it would for others; dead, you cannot face your ancestors in the dark below—that is what makes a great house fearsome. A lofty gate breeds pride; a flourishing clan draws envy; Even with sterling virtue and genuine talent, men withhold their trust; let the smallest flaw appear, and every finger turns on you. That is why high birth is no thing to lean on. So the pampered sons of great houses must study harder and walk more carefully—and even then they may only hope to stand equal to other men!"
62
王建屢請殺陳敬瑄、田令孜、朝廷不許。 夏，四月，乙亥，建使人告敬瑄謀作亂，殺之新津。 又告令孜通鳳翔書，下獄死。 建使節度判官馮涓草表奏之曰：「開匣出虎，孔宣父不責他人； 當路斬蛇，孫叔敖蓋非利己。 專殺不行於閫外，先機恐失於彀中。」 涓，宿之孫也。
Wang Jian repeatedly petitioned for the execution of Chen Jingxuan and Tian Lingzi, but the court refused. In summer, the fourth month, on yihai, Wang Jian had agents accuse Chen Jingxuan of plotting rebellion and had him slain at Xinjin. He also accused Tian Lingzi of corresponding with Fengxiang; Tian was thrown into prison and died there. Wang Jian had his circuit judge Feng Juan draft a memorial saying: "To open the box and let loose the tiger—the Master did not fault another for that; To strike down the serpent in the path—Sun Shuao hardly did it for selfish gain. The law forbids unauthorized killing beyond the camp gate, yet to wait on ceremony is to let the decisive moment slip through the net." Feng Juan was a grandson of Feng Su.
63
汴軍攻徐州，累月不克。 通事官張濤以書白朱全忠云：「進軍時日非良，故無功。」 全忠以為然，敬翔曰：「今攻城累月，所費甚多，徐人已困，旦夕且下，使將士聞此言，則懈於攻取矣。」 全忠乃焚其書。 癸未，全忠自將如徐州； 戊子，龐師古撥彭城，時溥舉族登燕子樓自焚死。 己丑，全忠入彭城，以宋州刺史張廷范知感化留後，奏乞朝廷除文臣為節度使。
The Bian armies assaulted Xuzhou month after month and could not break it. The communications officer Zhang Tao wrote Zhu Quanzhong: "The day of advance was ill-chosen—that is why we have failed." Quanzhong agreed, but Jing Xiang said: "We have spent months and a fortune on this siege; the Xu defenders are spent and will fall soon. Let the men hear this, and their will to press the attack will fail." Quanzhong burned the letter. On guiwei, Quanzhong himself marched on Xuzhou; On wuzi, Pang Shigu took Pengcheng; Shi Pu led his entire household up the Swallow Tower and perished in the flames. On jichou, Quanzhong entered Pengcheng, set Songzhou prefect Zhang Tingfan to govern Ganhua as acting regent, and petitioned the throne to name a civil official as military governor.
64
李匡威在鎮州，為王鎔完城塹，繕甲兵，訓士卒，視之如子，匡威以鎔年少，且樂真定土風，潛謀奪之。 李抱真自京師還，為之畫策，陰以恩施悅其將士。 王氏在鎮久，鎮人愛之，不徇匡威。 匡威忌日，鎔就第吊之。 匡威素服衷甲，伏兵劫之，鎔趨抱匡威曰：「鎔為晉人所困，幾亡矣，賴公以有今日； 公欲得四州，此固鎔之願也，不若與公共歸府，以位讓公，則將土莫之拒矣。」 匡威不以為然，與鎔駢馬，陳兵入府，會大風雷雨，屋瓦皆振。 匡威入東偏門，鎮之親軍閉之，有屠者墨君和自缺垣躍出，拳毆匡威甲士，挾鎔於馬上，負之登屋。 鎮人既得鎔，攻匡威，殺之，並其族黨。 鎔時年十七，體疏瘦，為君和所挾，頸痛頭偏者累日。 李匡籌奏鎔殺其兄，請舉兵復冤； 詔不許。
Li Kuangwei was at Zhenzhou, where he rebuilt Wang Rong's walls and ditches, repaired arms and armor, drilled the troops, and treated them as his own sons. Seeing Rong still young, and himself charmed by the ways of Zhending, he secretly plotted to take the command from him. Li Baozhen, back from the capital, laid plans for him and quietly bought the loyalty of officers and men with kindness. The Wangs had held the command long; the people loved them and would not heed Kuangwei. On the anniversary of Kuangwei's father's death, Rong went in person to his house to mourn. Kuangwei wore plain mourning dress over mail and set men in ambush. Rong ran to him and clasped him, saying: "I was beset by the Jin armies and nearly lost everything; it was you who gave me this day; If you want the four prefectures, that has long been my wish. Come back with me to headquarters and I will yield the command—then none of the officers and men will stand against you." Kuangwei would not have it. He rode beside Rong at the head of armed men into headquarters. A violent storm broke; roof tiles shook in the wind. Kuangwei entered by the eastern side gate; the garrison's personal guard closed it behind him. A butcher named Mo Junhe vaulted through a breach in the wall, beat Kuangwei's armored men with his fists, snatched Rong from the saddle, and bore him up onto a rooftop. When the men of the command had Rong safe again, they fell on Kuangwei, killed him, and destroyed his clan and followers. Rong was only seventeen, slight of build; after Junhe's rescue his neck ached and his head hung askew for days. Li Kuangchou reported that Rong had killed his elder brother and asked leave to raise an army and right the wrong; The throne refused.
65
幽州將劉仁恭將兵戍蔚州，過期未代，士卒思歸。 會李匡籌立，戍卒奉仁恭為帥，還攻幽州，至居庸關，為府兵所敗。 仁恭奔河東，李克用厚待之。
The Youzhou general Liu Rengong held Weizhou with a garrison whose tour had expired without relief, and the men yearned for home. When Li Kuangchou took power, the garrison troops raised Rengong as their leader, turned back to strike Youzhou, reached Juyong Pass, and were beaten by the headquarters army. Rengong fled to Hedong, where Li Keyong received him with great favor.
66
李神福圍廬州； 甲午，楊行密自將詣廬州，田頵自宣州引兵會之。 初，蔡人張顥以驍勇事秦宗權，後從孫儒，儒敗，歸行密，行密厚待之，使將兵戍廬州。 蔡儔叛，顥更為之用。 及圍急，顥逾城來降，行密以隸銀槍都使袁稹。 稹以顥反覆，白行密，請殺之，行密恐稹不能容，置之親軍。 稹，陳州人也。
Li Shenfu besieged Luzhou; On jiawu, Yang Xingmi marched on Luzhou in person, and Tian Jun led troops from Xuanzhou to meet him. At first the Cai man Zhang Hao, a fierce fighter, had served Qin Zongquan, then Sun Ru; when Ru fell, he came to Yang Xingmi, who treated him well and set him to garrison Luzhou. When Cai Chou rebelled, Hao went over to him. When the siege tightened, Hao climbed the wall to surrender; Yang Xingmi placed him under Silver Spear Commander Yuan Zhen. Zhen, deeming Hao untrustworthy, asked Xingmi to kill him; fearing Zhen could not abide him, Xingmi kept Hao in his personal guard instead. Zhen was from Chenzhou.
67
王彥復、王審知攻福州，久不下。 范暉求救於威勝節度使董昌，昌與陳巖婚姻，發溫、台、婺州兵五千救之。 彥復、審知以城堅，援兵且至，士卒死傷多，白王潮，欲罷兵更圖後舉，潮不許。 請潮自臨行營，潮報曰：「兵盡添兵，將盡添將，兵將俱盡，吾當自來。」 彥復、審知懼，親犯矢石急攻之。 五月，城中食盡，暉知不能守，夜，以印授監軍，棄城走，援兵亦還。 庚子，彥復等入城。 辛丑，暉亡抵沿海都，為將士所殺。 潮入福州，自稱留後，素服葬陳巖，以女妻其子延晦，厚撫其家。 汀、建二州降，嶺海間群盜二十餘輩皆降潰。
Wang Yanfu and Wang Shenzhi assaulted Fuzhou for months without success. Fan Hui appealed to Weisheng military governor Dong Chang; bound to Chen Yan by marriage, Chang sent five thousand men from Wen, Tai, and Wuzhou to his aid. Yanfu and Shenzhi reported to Wang Chao that the walls were strong, relief was coming, and their men were dying in numbers; they wished to break off and try again later. Chao refused. They asked Chao to come to the front in person. He answered: "When your soldiers are spent, send more soldiers; when your generals are spent, send more generals; when both are spent, then I shall come myself." Afraid, Yanfu and Shenzhi threw themselves into the hail of arrows and stone and pressed the attack. In the fifth month the city ran out of food. Hui saw he could not hold; that night he gave his seal to the army supervisor, abandoned the city and fled, and the relief army withdrew. On gengzi, Yanfu and his men entered the city. On xinchou, the fleeing Hui reached Yanhai Command and was killed by his own troops. Chao entered Fuzhou, took the title of acting regent, buried Chen Yan in plain mourning dress, gave his daughter to Yan's son Yanhui in marriage, and treated the household with great kindness. Ting and Jian surrendered; more than twenty bands of outlaws along the coast submitted or broke apart.
68
閏月，以武勝防禦使錢鏐為蘇杭觀察使。 又以扈蹕都頭曹誠為黔中節度使，耀德都頭李鋋為鎮海節度使，宣威都頭孫惟晟為荊南節度使，六月，以捧日都頭陳珮為嶺南東道節度使，並同平章事。 時李茂貞跋扈，上以武臣難制，欲用諸王代之，占文城等四人皆加恩，解兵柄，令赴鎮。
In the intercalary month, Qian Liu, defense commissioner of Wusheng, was made observation commissioner of Suzhou and Hangzhou. Cao Cheng of the Imperial Escort Guard was made military governor of Qianzhong; Li Chuan of the Yaode Guard, of Zhenhai; Sun Weicheng of the Xuanwei Guard, of Jingnan; and in the sixth month Chen Pei of the Sun-support Guard, of Lingnan East Circuit—each also named Associate Chief Minister. Li Maozhen was then insolent and unchecked; believing martial men hard to govern, the Emperor meant to replace them with imperial princes. Zhan Wencheng and three others were honored, relieved of their commands, and sent to their circuits.
69
李匡籌出兵攻王鎔之樂壽、武強，以報殺匡威之恥。
Li Kuangchou marched against Wang Rong's Leshou and Wuqiang to avenge his brother Kuangwei's death.
70
秋，七月，王鎔遣兵救邢州； 李克用敗之於平山，壬申，進擊鎮州。 鎔懼，請以兵糧二十萬助攻邢州，克用許之。 克用治兵於欒城，合鎔兵三萬進屯任縣，李存信屯琉璃陂。
In autumn, the seventh month, Wang Rong sent troops to relieve Xingzhou; Li Keyong routed them at Pingshan; on renshen he advanced on Zhenzhou. Afraid, Rong offered two hundred thousand in men and grain to help take Xingzhou, and Keyong accepted. Keyong mustered his army at Luancheng, joined Rong's thirty thousand men, and encamped at Ren County; Li Cunxin took position at Liuli Pond.
71
丁亥，楊行密克廬州，斬蔡儔。 左右請發儔父母塚，行密曰：「儔以此得罪，吾何為效之！」
On dinghai, Yang Xingmi captured Luzhou and beheaded Cai Chou. His attendants asked to open the graves of Chou's parents. Xingmi said, "Chou was condemned for such deeds—why should I copy him?"
72
加天雄節度使李茂莊同平章事。
Li Maozhuang, military governor of Tianxiong, was elevated to Associate Chief Minister.
73
錢鏐發民夫二十萬及十三都軍士築杭州羅城，周七十里。
Qian Liu drafted two hundred thousand laborers and men from thirteen commands to raise Hangzhou's outer wall, seventy li around.
74
升州刺史張雄卒，馮弘鐸代之為刺史。
Shengzhou prefect Zhang Xiong died, and Feng Hongduo succeeded him.
75
李茂貞恃功驕橫，上表及遺杜讓能書，辭語不遜。 上怒，欲討之，茂貞又上表，略曰：「陛下貴為萬乘，不能庇元舅之一身； 尊極九州，不能戮復恭之一豎。」 又曰：「今朝廷但觀強弱，不計是非。」 又曰：「約衰殘而行法，隨盛壯以加恩； 體物錙銖，看人衡纊。」 又曰：「軍情易變，戎馬難羈，唯慮甸服生靈，因茲受禍，未審乘輿播越，自此何之！」 上益怒，決討茂貞，命杜讓能專掌其事，讓能諫曰：「陛下初臨大寶，國步末夷，茂貞近在國門，臣愚以為未宜與之構怨，萬一不克，悔之無及。」 上曰：「王室日卑，號令不出國門，此乃志士憤痛之秋。 藥弗瞑眩，厥疾弗瘳。 朕不能甘心為孱懦之主，愔愔度日，坐視陵夷。 卿但為朕調兵食，朕自委諸王用兵，成敗不以責卿！」 讓能曰：「陛下必欲行之，則中外大臣共宜協力以成聖志，不當獨以任臣。」 上曰：「卿位居元輔，與朕同休戚，無宜避事！」 讓能泣曰：「臣豈敢避事！ 況陛下所欲行者，憲宗之志也； 顧時有所未可，勢有所不能耳。 但恐他日臣徒受晁錯之誅，不能弭七國之禍也。 敢不奉詔，以死繼之！」 上乃命讓能留中書，計畫調度，月餘不歸。 崔昭緯陰結邠、岐，為之耳目，讓能朝發一言，二鎮夕必知之。 李茂貞使其黨糾合市人數百千人，擁觀軍容使西門君遂馬訴曰：「岐帥無罪，不宜致討，使百姓塗炭。」 君遂曰：「此宰相事，非吾所及。」 市人又邀崔昭緯、鄭延昌肩輿訴之，二相曰：「茲事主上專委杜太尉，吾曹不預知。」 市人因亂投瓦石，二相下輿走匿民家，僅自免，喪堂印及朝服。 上命捕其唱帥者誅之，用兵之意益堅。 京師民或亡匿山谷，嚴刑所不能禁。 八月，以嗣覃王嗣周為京西招討使，神策大將軍李金歲副之。
Li Maozhen, swollen with his own merits, grew arrogant; in memorials and in letters to Du Rangneng his words lacked all deference. The Emperor raged and meant to punish him. Maozhen memorialized again, writing in part: "Your Majesty, sovereign of the realm, could not protect even your uncle's single life; master of the nine provinces, yet could not put to death one low eunuch of Fugong." He also wrote: "The court now weighs only power, never justice." He also wrote: "The law binds the weak and ruined, while favor follows the strong and thriving; it counts every grain and measures every man's worth by the quilt on his bed." He also wrote: "Armies turn fickle and steeds refuse the bridle. I fear only that the people of the heartland will suffer for this—who knows where the imperial carriage, cast into wandering exile, will go next!" The Emperor's wrath deepened; he resolved to strike Maozhen and put Du Rangneng in sole charge. Rangneng remonstrated: "Your Majesty has only lately taken the throne; the realm is not yet at peace. Maozhen sits near the capital. I think it unwise to pick this quarrel—fail, and there will be no undoing it." The Emperor said: "The throne weakens by the day; imperial orders no longer reach beyond the gate. This is the hour when loyal men should burn with shame. No medicine works unless it first turns the head; no cure comes without pain. I will not content myself with a weak and craven reign, drifting day by day while the realm crumbles. You need only ready troops and grain for me; I shall commit the war to the princes—win or lose, the blame shall not fall on you!" Rangneng said: "If Your Majesty insists, then every minister at court and in the provinces should share the burden—it should not rest on me alone." The Emperor said: "You are chief minister; you share my fortune and my ruin—you must not shrink from this!" Rangneng wept: "How could I shirk it! What Your Majesty seeks is what Emperor Xianzong himself desired; only the hour was not ripe and the strength not yet at hand. I fear only that I shall die like Chao Cuo and still fail to still the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms. Yet how can I refuse? I obey, and will follow even unto death!" The Emperor ordered Rangneng to remain at the Secretariat to plan and provision the campaign; for more than a month he did not go home. Cui Zhaowei secretly colluded with Bin and Qi and served as their spy; whatever Rangneng said at court by morning the two commands knew by night. Li Maozhen's agents rallied hundreds and thousands of townspeople, surrounded Army Appearance Commissioner Ximen Junsui on horseback, and cried: "The commander of Qi is innocent—do not make war on him and burn the people alive." Junsui answered: "That is the chancellor's business, not mine." The mob then waylaid Cui Zhaowei and Zheng Yanchang in their palanquins. The two chancellors said: "The Emperor has entrusted this solely to Grand Marshal Du—we knew nothing of it." The crowd pelted them with tiles and stones; the two chancellors abandoned their palanquins and hid in common houses, barely escaping with their lives and losing their seals and court robes. The Emperor ordered the ringleaders arrested and killed; his determination to march only hardened. People of the capital fled into the hills; even harsh punishment could not stop them. In the eighth month, Imperial Prince Sizhou of Tan was made commander of the Western Capital campaign, with Divine Strategy General Li Jinsui as his second.
76
丙辰，楊行密遣田頵將宣州兵二萬攻歙州； 歙州刺史裴樞城守，久不下。 時諸將為刺史者多貪暴，獨池州團練使陶雅寬厚得民，歙人曰：「得陶雅為刺史，請聽命。」 行密即以雅為歙州刺史，歙人納之。 雅盡禮見樞，送之還朝。 樞，遵慶之曾孫也。
On bingchen, Yang Xingmi sent Tian Jun with twenty thousand Xuanzhou troops against Shezhou; Shezhou prefect Pei Shu held the walls, and for long the city would not fall. Many generals then holding prefectures were greedy and cruel; only Chizhou training commissioner Tao Ya was generous and beloved. The people of She said, "Make Tao Ya our prefect, and we will obey." Xingmi made Ya prefect of Shezhou, and the people of She submitted. Ya treated Shu with full courtesy and sent him back to the capital. Shu was a great-grandson of Pei Zunqing.
77
朱全忠命龐師古移兵攻兗州，與朱瑾戰，屢破之。
Zhu Quanzhong ordered Pang Shigu against Yanzhou; he fought Zhu Jin and beat him again and again.
78
九月，丁卯，以錢鏐為鎮海節度使。
In the ninth month, on dingmao, Qian Liu was made military governor of Zhenhai.
79
李存孝夜犯李存信營，虜奉誠軍使孫考老。 李克用自引兵攻邢州，掘塹築壘環之。 存孝時出兵突擊，塹壘不能成。 河東牙將袁奉韜密使人謂存孝曰：「大王惟俟塹成即歸晉陽，尚書所憚者獨大王耳，諸將非尚書敵也。 大王若歸，咫尺之塹，安能沮尚書之鋒銳邪！」 存孝以為然，按兵不出。 旬日，塹壘成，飛走不能越，存孝由是遂窮。 汴將鄧季筠從克用攻邢州，輕騎逃歸。 朱全忠大喜，使將親軍。
Li Cunxiao raided Li Cunxin's camp by night and captured Fengcheng commissioner Sun Kaolao. Li Keyong personally besieged Xingzhou, digging trenches and building stockades all around. Cunxiao sallied repeatedly and the trenches and walls could not be finished. Yuan Fengtao secretly told Cunxiao: "The Prince will return to Jinyang once the trenches are done. He fears only you—the other generals are nothing to him. If you leave, how will a shallow ditch stop his assault?" Cunxiao believed him and kept his men in camp. In ten days the works were done; nothing could cross, and Cunxiao was trapped. Bian general Deng Jiyun, serving under Keyong at Xingzhou, fled home on a fast horse. Zhu Quanzhong was delighted and put him in command of his personal guard.
80
乙亥，覃王嗣周帥禁軍三萬送鳳翔節度使徐彥若赴鎮，軍於興平。 李茂貞、王行瑜合兵近六萬，軍於盩厔以拒之。 禁軍皆新募市井少年，茂貞、行瑜所將皆邊兵百戰之餘，壬午，茂貞等進逼興平，禁軍皆望風逃潰，茂貞等乘勝進攻三橋，京城大震，士民奔散，市人復守闕請誅首議用兵者。 崔昭緯心害太尉、門下侍郎、同平章事杜讓能，密遺茂貞書曰：「用兵非主上意，皆出於杜太尉耳。」 甲申，茂貞陳於臨皋驛，表讓能罪，請誅之。 讓能言於上曰：「臣固先言之矣，請以臣為解。」 上涕下不自禁，曰：「與卿訣矣！」 是日，貶讓能梧州刺史，制辭略曰：「棄卿士之臧謀，構籓垣之深釁，咨詢之際，證執彌堅。」 又流觀軍容使西門君遂於儋州，內樞密使李周潼於崖州，段詡於歡州。 乙酉，上御安福門，斬君遂、周潼、詡，再貶讓能雷州司戶。 遣使謂茂貞曰：「惑朕舉兵者，三人也，非讓能之罪。」 以內侍駱全瓘、劉景宣為左右軍中尉。
On yihai, Prince Sizhou led thirty thousand guards to escort Xu Yanruo to Fengxiang and camped at Xingping. Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu massed nearly sixty thousand men at Zhouzhi to block them. The guards were raw recruits from the streets; Maozhen and Xingyu led hardened frontier veterans. On renwu they pressed Xingping; the guards broke and fled. Victorious, they stormed the Three Bridges. The capital panicked; crowds again besieged the palace demanding the heads of those who had urged war. Cui Zhaowei hated Du Rangneng and secretly wrote Maozhen: "The Emperor did not want this war—it was all Du Rangneng's doing." On jiashen, Maozhen camped at Lingao Station, listed Rangneng's crimes, and demanded his death. Rangneng told the Emperor, "I warned you of this. Take me as the sacrifice." The Emperor wept uncontrollably: "This is our farewell!" That day Rangneng was demoted to Wuzhou. The edict read in part: "He spurned wise counsel and provoked the frontier lords; when questioned, he only grew more stubborn." Army Appearance Commissioner Ximen Junsui was exiled to Danzhou; Inner Secretariat Commissioner Li Zhoutong to Yazhou; Duan Xu to Huanzhou. On yiyou, the Emperor at the Anfu Gate beheaded Junsui, Zhoutong, and Xu and demoted Rangneng again to clerk of Leizhou. He sent word to Maozhen: "Three men misled me into war—not Rangneng." Inner attendants Luo Quanjin and Liu Jingxuan were made Left and Right Army commissioners.
81
壬辰，以東都留守韋昭度為司徒、門下侍郎、同平章事，御史中丞崔胤為戶部侍郎、同平章事，胤，慎由之子也，外寬弘而內巧險，與崔昭緯深相結，故得為相。 季父安潛謂所親曰：「吾父兄刻苦以立門戶，終為緇郎所壞！」 緇郎，胤小字也。
On renchen, Wei Zhaodu became Grand Master and Associate Chief Minister; Cui Yin, son of Cui Shenyou, became Associate Chief Minister as well. Outwardly genial, inwardly treacherous, Yin was Zhaowei's ally and thus rose to the chancellorship. His uncle An Qian said to friends: "Our family built its name through hardship—now the Silk Lord will destroy it!" "Silk Lord was Yin's childhood name.
82
李茂貞勒兵不解，請誅杜讓能然後還鎮，崔昭緯復從而擠之。 冬，十月，賜讓能及其弟戶部侍郎弘徽自盡。 復下詔佈告中外，稱「讓能舉枉錯直，愛憎繫於一時； 鬻獄賣官，聚斂逾於巨萬。」 自是朝廷動息皆稟於邠、岐，南、北司往往依附二鎮以邀恩澤。 有崔鋋、王超者，為二鎮判官，凡天子有所可否，其不逞者，輒訴於鋋、超，二人則教茂貞、行瑜上章論之，朝廷少有依違，其辭語已不遜。 制復以茂貞為鳳翔節度使兼山南西道節度使、守中書令，於是茂貞盡有鳳翔、興元、洋、隴秦等十五州之地。 以徐彥若為御史大夫。
Li Maozhen refused to withdraw until Rangneng was dead; Cui Zhaowei pressed the case again. In the tenth month of winter, Rangneng and his brother Honghui were ordered to kill themselves. A new edict proclaimed: "Rangneng upheld the wicked and wronged the upright; favor and spite ruled the hour; he sold offices and judgments and amassed fortunes beyond counting." Henceforth the court's every move awaited Bin and Qi; palace offices north and south courted the two warlords for favor. Cui Chan and Wang Chao were staff judges for the two commands. Disgruntled parties appealed to them; they coached Maozhen and Xingyu to memorialize. If the court wavered, their language turned insolent. Maozhen was again made governor of Fengxiang and Shannan West and Keeper of the Secretariat Seal; he now held fifteen prefectures including Fengxiang, Xingyuan, Yang, Long, and Qin. Xu Yanruo was made Censor-in-Chief.
83
戊戌，以泉州刺史王潮為福建觀察使。
On wuxu, Wang Chao of Quanzhou was made Fujian observation commissioner.
84
舒州刺史倪章棄城走，楊行密以李神福為舒州刺史。
Ni Zhang of Shuzhou fled; Yang Xingmi made Li Shenfu prefect.
85
邠寧節度使、守侍中兼中書令王行瑜求為尚書令； 韋昭度密奏：「太宗以尚書令執政，遂登大位，自是不以授人臣。 惟郭子儀以大功拜尚書令，終身避讓。 行瑜安可輕議！」 十一月，以行瑜為太師，賜號尚父，仍賜鐵券。
Binning governor Wang Xingyu, Palace Attendant and Keeper of the Secretariat Seal, asked to be made Director of the Department of State Affairs; Wei Zhaodu secretly wrote: "Taizong held that office and became emperor; since then it has not been given to a subject. Only Guo Ziyi received it for supreme merit—and declined it for life. Xingyu must not even be considered!" In the eleventh month, Xingyu was made Grand Preceptor, styled Exalted Father, and given an iron certificate.
86
十二月，朱全忠請徙鹽鐵於汴州以便供軍； 崔昭緯為全忠新破徐、鄆，兵力倍增，若更判鹽鐵，不可複製，乃賜詔開諭之。
In the twelfth month, Zhu Quanzhong asked to move the Salt and Iron Commission to Bianzhou to supply his army; Cui Zhaowei argued that with Xu and Yan conquered, Quanzhong's power had doubled; giving him Salt and Iron would make him uncontrollable, and an edict was sent to dissuade him.
87
汴將葛從周攻齊州刺史朱威，朱瑄、朱瑾引兵救之。
Bian general Ge Congzhou attacked Zhu Wei of Qizhou; Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin marched to relieve him.
88
初，武安節度使周岳殺閔勖，據潭州，邵州刺史鄧處訥聞而哭之，諸將入吊，處訥曰：「吾與公等鹹受僕射大恩，今周岳無狀殺之，吾欲與公等竭一州之力，為僕射報仇，可乎？」 皆曰：「善！」 於是訓卒厲兵，八年，乃結朗州刺史雷滿共攻潭州，克之，斬岳，自稱留後。
Zhou Yue of Wu'an had killed Min Xu and seized Tanzhou. Deng Chuna of Shaozhou wept. When his officers came to mourn, he said: "We all owed the Vice Director a great debt. Zhou Yue murdered him. Will you help me spend this prefecture's strength to avenge him?" All said: "Yes!" They drilled troops and sharpened weapons. Eight years later, with Langzhou prefect Lei Man, they took Tanzhou, killed Yue, and Chuna declared himself acting regent.
89
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝上之中乾寧元年（ 甲寅，公元八九四年）
First year of the Qianning era of Emperor Zhaozong (upper fascicle, middle section) ( the year jiayin, equivalent to 894 CE)
90
春，正月，乙丑朔，赦天下，改元。 李茂貞入朝，大陳兵自衛，數日歸鎮。
In spring, the first month, on the yichou new moon, the court proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the era name. Li Maozhen came to court with a great armed escort and returned to his command after several days.
91
以李匡籌為盧龍節度使。
Li Kuangchou was made military governor of Lulong.
92
二月，朱全忠自將擊朱瑄，軍於魚山。 瑄與瑾合兵攻之，兗、鄆兵大敗，死者萬餘人。
In the second month, Zhu Quanzhong personally marched against Zhu Xuan and camped at Mount Yu. Xuan and Jin joined against him; the Yan armies were shattered with more than ten thousand dead.
93
以右散騎常侍鄭綮為禮部侍郎、同平章事。 綮好詼諧，多為歇後詩，譏嘲時事； 上以為有所蘊，手注班簿，命以為相，聞者大驚。 堂吏往告之，綮笑曰：「諸君大誤，使天下更無人，未至鄭綮！」 史曰：「特出聖意。」 綮曰：「果如是，奈人笑何！」 既而賀客至，綮搔首言曰：「歇後鄭五作宰相，時事可知矣！」 累讓不獲，乃視事。
Zheng Yin, Right Attendant of the Cavalry, was made Vice Minister of Rites and Associate Chief Minister. Yin loved humor and wrote clipped-tail poems mocking the times; the Emperor thought him deep, marked the roster himself, and named him chancellor; all were astonished. A clerk told him. Yin laughed: "You are mistaken—even if the world were empty of men, it would not yet be Zheng Yin's turn!" The clerk said: "It is the Emperor's own choice." Yin said: "If so, how shall we bear men's laughter!" When guests came to congratulate, Yin scratched his head: "Tail-clipped Zheng Five is chancellor—the age tells its own tale!" He declined in vain and took office.
94
以邵州刺史鄧處訥為武安節度使。
Deng Chuna of Shaozhou was made military governor of Wu'an.
95
彰義節度使張鈞薨，表其兄鐇為留後。
Zhang Jun of Zhangyi died; he had asked that his brother Zheng succeed him.
96
三月，黃州刺史吳討舉州降楊行密。
In the third month, Wu Tao of Huangzhou surrendered to Yang Xingmi.
97
邢州城中食盡，甲申，李存孝登城謂李克用曰：「兒蒙王恩得富貴，苟非困於讒慝，安肯捨父子而從仇讎乎！ 願一見王，死不恨！」 克用使劉夫人視之。 夫人引存孝出見克用，存孝泥首謝罪曰：「兒粗立微勞，存信逼兒，失圖至此！」 克用叱之曰：「汝遺朱全忠、王鎔書，毀我萬端，亦存信教汝乎！」 囚之，歸於晉陽，車裂於牙門。 存孝驍勇，克用軍中皆莫及； 常將騎兵為先鋒，所向無敵，身被重鎧，腰弓髀槊，獨舞鐵□陷陳，萬人辟易。 每以二馬自隨，馬稍乏，就陣中易之，出入如飛。 克用惜其才，意臨刑諸將必為之請，因而釋之。 既而諸將疾其能，竟無一人言者。 既死，克用為之不視事者旬日，私恨諸將，而於李存信竟無所譴。 又有薛阿檀者，其勇與存孝相侔，諸將疾之，常不得志，密與存孝通； 存孝誅，恐事洩，遂自殺。 自是克用兵勢浸弱，而朱全忠獨盛矣。 克用表馬師素為邢洺節度使。
Xingzhou starved. On jiashen, Li Cunxiao stood on the wall and told Li Keyong: "I owed you everything. Only slander drove me to betray you for our enemies! Let me see you once more—then I can die without regret!" Keyong sent Lady Liu to see him. She brought Cunxiao out. He pressed his face to the earth: "I won some merit; Cunxin drove me to this ruin!" Keyong roared: "You wrote Zhu Quanzhong and Wang Rong vilifying me in every way—did Cunxin teach you that as well?" He was imprisoned, taken to Jinyang, and torn apart by chariots at headquarters. Cunxiao was matchlessly brave; none in Keyong's army equaled him; he led the vanguard horse, invincible in every fight, in heavy mail with bow and thigh spear, charging alone with an iron lance while ten thousand gave way. He kept two horses; when one tired he swapped mounts in the battle line and moved like the wind. Keyong valued his talent and expected his generals to plead for him at the last hour. But the generals envied him, and not one spoke up. After his death Keyong refused audiences for ten days and privately resented his generals, yet never punished Li Cunxin. Xue Atan was Cunxiao's equal in valor; the generals envied him and he secretly kept in touch with Cunxiao; when Cunxiao died, fearing exposure, he killed himself. From then on Keyong's power waned while Zhu Quanzhong alone grew supreme. Keyong made Ma Shisu governor of Xing and Ming.
98
朱全忠遣軍將張從晦慰撫壽州。 從晦陵侮刺史江彥溫而與諸將夜飲； 彥溫疑其謀己，明日，盡殺在席諸將，以書謝全忠而自殺。 軍中推其子從頊知軍州事，全忠為之腰斬從晦。
Zhu Quanzhong sent Zhang Conghui to reassure Shouzhou. Conghui insulted Prefect Jiang Yanwen and drank with the officers at night; Yanwen feared a plot; next day he killed every officer at the table, wrote Quanzhong to apologize, and killed himself. The army made his son Congxu commissioner; Quanzhong had Conghui cut in half at the waist.
99
五月，加鎮海節度使錢鏐同平章事。
In the fifth month, Qian Liu of Zhenhai was made Associate Chief Minister.
100
劉建鋒、馬殷引兵至澧陵，鄧處訥遣邵州指揮使蔣勳、鄧繼崇將步騎三千守龍回關。 殷先至關下，遣使詣勳，勳等以牛酒犒師。 殷使說勳曰：「劉驤智勇兼人，術家言當興翼、軫間。 今將十萬眾，精銳無敵，而君以鄉兵數千拒之，難矣。 不如先下之，取富貴，還鄉里，不亦善乎！」 勳等然之，謂眾曰：「東軍許吾屬還。」 士卒皆歡呼，棄旗幟鎧仗遁去。 建鋒令前鋒衣其甲，張其旗，趨潭州。 潭人以為邵州兵還，不為備。 建鋒入徑入府，處訥方宴，擒斬之。 戊辰，建鋒潭州，自稱留後。
Liu Jianfeng and Ma Yin reached Liling. Deng Chuna sent Jiang Xun and Deng Jichong with three thousand men to hold Longhui Pass. Yin arrived first and sent envoys; Xun and the others feasted his army. Yin sent a persuader: "Liu Jianfeng is wise and brave; diviners say he will rise between the Wings and the Chariot. He brings a hundred thousand elite men, and you mean to stop him with a few thousand local troops? Submit now, win rank and riches, and go home—would that not be better?" Xun agreed and told his men: "The eastern army promises we may go home." The soldiers cheered, threw down their arms, and fled. Jianfeng had his vanguard wear their armor, raise their banners, and march on Tanzhou. Tanzhou thought Shaozhou troops were returning and took no precautions. Jianfeng walked straight into headquarters; Chuna was feasting and was seized and beheaded. On wuchen, Jianfeng held Tanzhou and declared himself acting regent.
101
王建攻彭州，城中人相食，彭州內外都指揮使趙章出降。 王先成請築龍尾道，屬於女牆。 丙子，西川兵登城，楊晟猶帥眾力戰，刀子都虞候王茂權斬之。 獲彭州馬步使安師建，建欲使為將，師建泣謝曰：「師建誓與楊司徒同生死，不忍復戴日月，惟速死為惠。」 再三諭之，不從，乃殺之，禮葬而祭之。 更趙章姓名曰王宗勉，王茂權名曰宗訓，又更王釗名曰宗謹，李綰姓曰王宗勉，王茂權名曰宗訓，又更王釗名曰宗謹，李綰姓名曰王宗綰。
Wang Jian pressed Pengzhou; inside the walls people ate the dead. Zhao Zhang, commander of Pengzhou, surrendered. Wang Xiancheng asked to build a Dragon Tail ramp up to the battlements. On bingzi, Shu troops scaled the walls. Yang Sheng fought on until Wang Maoquan of the Knives Corps cut off his head. They took An Shijian, Pengzhou's horse-and-foot commissioner. Jian wanted him as a general. Shijian wept: "I swore to live and die with Minister Yang. I cannot serve another master—only let me die quickly." Jian urged him repeatedly; when he refused, he was killed, then buried and honored with rites. Zhao Zhang was renamed Wang Zongmian; Wang Maoquan, Wang Zongxun; Wang Zhao, Wang Zongjin; and Li Wan, Wang Zongwan.
102
辛卯，中書侍郎、同平章事鄭延昌罷為右僕射。
On xinmao, Zheng Yanchang was dismissed from the chancellorship and made Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
103
朱瑄、朱瑾求救於河東，李克用遣騎將安福順及弟福慶、福遷督精騎五百假道於魏，渡河應之。
Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin begged Hedong for aid. Li Keyong sent An Fushun and his brothers with five hundred elite horse through Wei to cross the river and help.
104
武昌節度使杜洪攻黃州，楊行密遣行營都指揮使朱延壽等救之。
Du Hong of Wuchang attacked Huangzhou. Yang Xingmi sent Zhu Yanshou to relieve it.
105
六月，甲午，以宋州刺史張廷范為武寧節度使，從朱全忠之請也。
In the sixth month, on jiawu, Zhang Tingfan of Songzhou was made Wuning governor at Zhu Quanzhong's request.
106
蘄州刺史馮敬章邀擊淮南軍，朱延壽攻蘄州，不克。
Feng Jingzhang of Qizhou ambushed the Huainan army. Zhu Yanshou assaulted Qizhou but failed.
107
戊午，以翰林學士承旨、禮部尚書李谿同平章事； 方宣制，水部郎中知制誥劉崇魯出班掠麻慟哭。 上召崇魯，問其故，對言：「谿奸邪，依附楊復恭、西門君遂，得在翰林，無相業，恐危社稷。」 谿竟罷為太子少傅。 谿，鄜之孫也。 上師谿為文，崔昭緯恐谿為相，分己權，故使崇魯沮之。 谿十表自訟，醜詆崇魯父符「受贓枉法，事覺自殺； 弟崇望與楊復恭深交，崇魯庭拜田令孜，為朱玫作勸進表，乃雲臣交結內臣，何異抱贓唱賊！ 且故事，絁巾慘帶，不入禁庭。 臣果不才，崇魯自應上章論列，豈於正殿慟哭！ 為國不祥，無人臣禮，乞正其罪。」 詔停崇魯見任。 谿猶上表不已，乞行誅竄，表數千言，詬詈無所不至。
On wuwu, Li Xi, chief academician and Minister of Rites, was made Associate Chief Minister; as the edict was read, Liu Chonglu of the Water Ministry seized the mourning band and wailed. The Emperor summoned Chonglu, who said: "Xi is wicked, rose through Yang Fugong and Ximen Junsui, has no talent for office, and may endanger the state." Xi was demoted to Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. Xi was a grandson of Li Ye. The Emperor admired Xi's writing. Cui Zhaowei feared he would lose power and set Chonglu against him. Xi memorialized ten times, attacking Chonglu's father Fu for taking bribes and killing himself when exposed; his brother Chongwang was Yang Fugong's friend; Chonglu bowed to Tian Lingzi and wrote Zhu Mei's enthronement petition—yet he accuses me of consorting with eunuchs, like a thief crying thief! By precedent, coarse mourning dress does not enter the palace. If I am unfit, Chonglu should memorialize—not wail in the main hall! It is an ill omen and breaches subject's rites; punish him." Chonglu was suspended from office. "Xi kept memorializing, demanding Chonglu's death or exile in thousands of words of abuse.
108
李克用大破吐谷渾，殺赫連鐸，擒白義誠。
Li Keyong shattered the Tuyuhun, killed Helian Duo, and captured Bai Yicheng.
109
秋，七月，李茂貞遣兵攻閬州，撥之，楊復恭、楊守亮、楊守信帥其族黨犯圍走。
In the seventh month of autumn, Li Maozhen took Langzhou. Yang Fugong, Shouliang, and Shouxin broke out with their kin.
110
禮部侍郎、同平章事鄭綮自以不合眾望，累表避位，詔以太子少保致仕； 以御史大夫徐彥若為中書侍郎兼吏部尚書、同平章事。
Zheng Yin, finding himself unpopular, repeatedly asked to resign and was retired as Grand Mentor of the Heir Apparent; Xu Yanruo was made Vice Director of the Secretariat, Minister of Personnel, and Associate Chief Minister.
111
綿州刺史楊守厚卒，其將常再榮舉城降王建。
Yang Shouhou of Mianzhou died; Chang Zairong surrendered the city to Wang Jian.
112
楊復恭、守亮、守信將自商山奔河東，至乾元，遇華州兵，獲之。 八月，韓建獻於闕下，斬於獨柳。 李茂貞獻復恭遺守亮書，訴致仕之由云：「承天門乃隋家舊業，大侄但積粟訓兵，勿貢獻。 吾於荊榛中立壽王，才得尊位，廢定策國老，有如此負心門生天子！」 昭義節度使康君立詣晉陽謁李克用。 己未，克用會諸將飲博，酒酣，克用語及李存孝，流涕不已。 君立素與李存信善，一言忤旨。 克用撥劍斫之，囚於馬步司。 九月，庚申朔，出之，君立已死。 克用表雲州刺史薛志誠為昭義留後。
Fugong, Shouliang, and Shouxin fled toward Hedong via Shangshan; at Qianyuan Huazhou troops seized them. In the eighth month, Han Jian presented them at court; they were beheaded at Duliang. Maozhen presented Fugong's letter to Shouliang: "Chengtian Gate was the Sui legacy. Nephew, store grain and train troops—send no tribute. I raised Emperor Shou from ruin; he had barely reigned when he cast aside the statesman who made him—such an ungrateful pupil-emperor!" Kang Junli of Zhaoyi came to Jinyang to see Li Keyong. On jiwei, Keyong drank and gambled with his generals. Drunk, he spoke of Li Cunxiao and wept endlessly. Junli was close to Li Cunxin; one remark gave offense. Keyong drew his sword and struck him, imprisoning him in the horse-and-foot office. In the ninth month, on the gengshen new moon, he was released—Junli was already dead. Keyong made Xue Zhicheng of Yunzhou acting regent of Zhaoyi.
113
冬，十月，丁酉，封皇子祤為棣王，禊為虔王，禋為沂王，禕為遂王。
In the tenth month of winter, on dingyou, Princes Yi, Xi, Yin, and Wei were enfeoffed as Di, Qian, Yi, and Sui.
114
劉仁恭數因蓋寓獻策於李克用，願得兵萬人取幽州。 克用方攻邢州，分兵數千，欲納仁恭於幽州，不克。 李匡籌益驕，數侵河東之境。 克用怒，十一月，大舉兵攻匡籌，撥武州，進圍新州。
Through Gai Yu, Liu Rengong repeatedly offered Li Keyong plans to take Youzhou with ten thousand men. Keyong was besieging Xingzhou; he sent several thousand men to install Rengong in Youzhou but failed. Li Kuangchou grew arrogant and repeatedly raided Hedong. Enraged, Keyong in the eleventh month marched in force against Kuangchou, took Wuzhou, and besieged Xinzhou.
115
以涇原留後張鐇為彰義節度使。
Zhang Zheng of Jingyuan was made military governor of Zhangyi.
116
朱全忠遣使至泗州，使者陵慢刺史張諫，諫舉州降楊行密。 行密遣押牙唐令回持茶萬餘斤如汴宋貿易，全忠執令回，盡取其茶。 揚、汴始有隙。
Zhu Quanzhong's envoys insulted Zhang Jian of Sizhou; Jian surrendered the prefecture to Yang Xingmi. Xingmi sent Tang Linghui with ten thousand jin of tea to trade at Bian and Song; Quanzhong seized him and took all the tea. Yangzhou and Bianzhou were now at odds.
117
十二月，李匡籌遣大將將步騎數萬救新州，李克用選精兵逆戰於段莊，大破之，斬首萬餘級，生擒將校三百人，以練絲斥之，徇於城下。 是夕，新州降。 辛亥，進攻媯州。 壬子，匡籌復發兵出居庸關，克用使精騎當其前以疲之，遣步將李存審自他道出其背夾擊之，幽州兵大敗，殺獲萬計。 甲寅，李匡籌挈其族奔滄州，義昌節度使盧彥威利其輜重、妓妾，遣兵攻之於景城，殺之，盡俘其眾。 存審本姓苻，宛丘人，克用養以為子。 丙辰，克用進軍幽州，其大將請降。 匡籌素暗懦，初據軍府，兄匡威聞之，謂諸將曰：「兄失弟得，不出吾家，亦復何恨！ 但惜匡籌才短，不能保守，得及二年，幸矣。」
In the twelfth month, Kuangchou sent tens of thousands to relieve Xinzhou. Keyong met them at Duanzhuang, killed more than ten thousand, captured three hundred officers, bound them with silk, and paraded them below the walls. That night Xinzhou surrendered. On xinhai he attacked Guizhou. On renzi, Kuangchou marched out through Juyong Pass. Keyong tired them with elite horse in front and sent Li Cunshen around to strike their rear; the Youzhou army was shattered. On jiayin, Kuangchou fled to Cangzhou with his clan. Lu Yanwei of Yichang coveted his baggage and women, attacked him at Jingcheng, killed him, and took all his men. Cunshen was born Fu, from Wanqiu; Keyong raised him as a son. On bingchen, Keyong marched on Youzhou; his generals surrendered. Kuangchou was dull and timid. When he seized command, Kuangwei said to his generals: "Brother loses, brother gains—it stays in the family; what regret is there! Only Kuangchou lacks talent to hold it. Two years would be lucky."
118
加匡國節度使王行約檢校待中。
Wang Xingyue of Kuangguo was made Inspector Palace Attendant.
119
吳討畏杜洪之逼，納印請代於楊行密，行密以先鋒指揮使瞿章權知黃州。
Wu Tao, fearing Du Hong, surrendered his post; Xingmi made Qu Zhang acting prefect of Huangzhou.
120
是歲，黃連洞蠻二萬圍汀州，福建觀察使王潮遣其將李承勳將萬人擊之； 蠻解去，承勳追擊之，至漿水口，破之。 閩地略定。 潮遣僚佐巡州縣，勸農桑，定租稅，交好鄰道，保境息民，閩人安之。
That year, twenty thousand Huangliandong tribesmen besieged Tingzhou. Wang Chao of Fujian sent Li Chengxun with ten thousand against them; they fled; Chengxun pursued to Jiangshuikou and broke them. Min was largely pacified. Chao sent officials to tour the counties, promote farming, fix taxes, befriend neighbors, and keep the peace—the people of Min were content.
121
封州刺史劉謙卒，子隱居喪於賀江，士民百餘人謀亂，隱一夕盡誅之。 嶺南節度使劉崇龜召補右都押牙兼賀水鎮使； 未幾，表為封州刺史。
Liu Qian of Fengzhou died. His son Yin, mourning at the He River, learned that over a hundred men plotted revolt and executed them all in one night. Liu Chonggui of Lingnan summoned him as Right Chief Adjutant and Heshui Town commissioner; and soon had him made prefect of Fengzhou.
122
義勝節度使董昌為政苛虐，於常賦之外，加斂數倍，以充貢獻及中外饋遺，每旬發一綱，金萬兩，銀五千鋋，越綾萬五千匹，他物稱是，用卒五百人，或遇雨雪風水違程，則皆死。 責奉為天下最，由是朝廷以為忠，寵命相繼，官至司徒、同平章事，爵隴西郡王。 是建生祠於越州，制度悉如禹廟，命民間禱賽者，無得之禹廟，皆之生祠。 昌求為越王，朝廷未之許，昌不悅曰：「朝廷欲負我矣，我累年貢獻無算而惜一越王邪！」 有諂之者曰：「王為越王，曷若為越帝。」 於是民間訛言時世將變，競相帥填門喧噪，請昌為帝。 昌大喜，遣人謝之曰：「天時未至，時至我自為之。」 其僚佐吳瑤、都虞候李暢之等皆勸成之，吏民獻謠讖符瑞者不可勝紀，其始賞之以錢數百緡，既而獻者日多，稍減至五百、三百而已，昌曰：「讖云『兔子上金床』，此謂我也。 我生太歲在卯，明年復在卯，二月卯日卯時，吾稱帝之秋也。」
Dong Chang of Yisheng ruled with cruel greed. Beyond regular taxes he levied several times more for tribute and gifts. Every ten days a convoy went out: ten thousand taels of gold, five thousand ingots of silver, fifteen thousand bolts of Yue silk, and more, with five hundred soldiers—delay from weather meant death for all. His levies were the heaviest in the realm; the court called him loyal, heaped honors on him, and he rose to Grand Master, Associate Chief Minister, and Prince of Longxi. He built a living shrine in Yuezhou modeled on Yu's temple and ordered worshippers to pray there instead of at Yu's temple. Chang asked to be King of Yue; the court refused. Chang said angrily: "The court wrongs me! I have sent boundless tribute for years—yet grudges the title King of Yue!" A flatterer said: "King of Yue—why not Emperor of Yue!" Rumor spread that the age was changing; crowds clamored at his gates begging him to become emperor. Chang was delighted and sent thanks: "Heaven's hour has not come; when it comes I shall act." Wu Yao, Li Changzhi, and others urged him on. Officials and people brought prophecies and omens beyond count. At first he rewarded them with hundreds of strings of cash; as presenters multiplied, rewards fell to five hundred, then three hundred. Chang said: "The prophecy says 'the rabbit mounts the golden bed'—that is me. I was born in a mao year; next year is mao again—the mao day and mao hour of the second month is when I shall proclaim myself emperor."