1
資治通鑑第262卷
Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 262.
2
【唐紀七十八】起上章涒灘，盡重光作噩，凡二年。
[Tang Annals 78] From Shangzhang Tuitan through Chongguang Zuo'e—two years in all.
3
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝中之中光化三年（ 庚申，公元九零零年）
Guanghua, year 3, of the middle reign of Emperor Zhaozong ( gengshen, AD 900).
4
春，正月，宣州將康儒攻睦州，錢鏐使其從弟銶拒之。
In spring, the first month, Xuanchou general Kang Ru attacked Muzhou; Qian Liu sent his younger cousin Qian Qiu to hold him off.
5
二月，庚申，以西川李度使王建兼中書令。
In the second month, on gengshen, Wang Jian, military commissioner of Xichuan, was also made Director of the Chancellery.
6
壬申，加威武節度使王審知同平章事。
On renshen, Weiwu military commissioner Wang Shenzhi was made Grand Councilor.
7
壬午，以吏部尚書崔胤同平章事，充清海節度使。
On renwu, Minister of Personnel Cui Yin was made Grand Councilor and sent out as military commissioner of Qinghai.
8
李克用大發軍民治晉陽城塹，押牙劉延業諫曰：「大王聲振華、夷，宜揚兵以嚴四境，不宜近治城塹，損威望而啟寇心。」 克用謝之，賞以金帛。
Li Keyong drafted soldiers and civilians on a large scale to work on the moat around Jinyang. His guard officer Liu Yanye advised him: "Your Highness's renown reaches across China and beyond; you should parade your armies to overawe the frontiers, not busy yourself with local fortifications, which will lower your prestige and encourage enemies." Li Keyong thanked him and rewarded him with gold and silk.
9
夏，四月，加定難軍節度使李承慶同平章事。
In summer, the fourth month, Dingnan military commissioner Li Chengqing was made Grand Councilor.
10
朱全忠遣葛從周帥兗、鄆、滑、魏四鎮兵十萬擊劉仁恭，五月，庚寅，拔德州，斬刺史傅公和。 己亥，圍劉守文於滄州。 仁恭復遣使卑辭厚禮求救於河東，李克用遣周德威將五千騎出黃澤，攻邢、洺以救之。
Zhu Quanzhong sent Ge Congzhou at the head of a hundred thousand men from Yan, Yun, Hua, and Wei to attack Liu Rengong. In the fifth month, on gengyin, they captured Dezhou and executed its prefect Fu Gonghe. On jihai they besieged Liu Shouwen in Cangzhou. Rengong again sent envoys with humble pleas and lavish gifts to Hedong for aid. Li Keyong dispatched Zhou Dewei with five thousand cavalry through Huangze to strike Xing and Ming and relieve him.
11
邕州軍亂，逐節度使李鐬。 鐬借兵鄰道討平之。 六月，癸亥，加東川節度使王宗滌同平章事。
The Yongzhou garrison mutinied and drove out military commissioner Li Kui. Kui borrowed troops from neighboring circuits to put down the revolt. In the sixth month, on guihai, Dongchuan military commissioner Wang Zongdi was made Grand Councilor.
12
司空、門下侍郎、同平章事王摶，明達有度量，時稱良相。 上素疾宦官樞密使朱道弼、景務修專橫，崔胤日與上謀去宦官，宦官知之。 由是南、北司益相憎嫉，各結籓鎮為援以相傾奪。 摶恐其致亂，從容言於上曰：「人君當務明大體，無所偏私。 宦官擅權之弊，誰不知之！ 顧其勢未可猝除，宜俟多難漸平，以道消息。 願陛下言勿輕洩以速奸變。」 胤聞之，譖摶於上曰：「王摶奸邪，已為道弼輩外應。」 上疑之。 及胤罷相，意摶排己，愈恨之。 及出鎮廣州，遺朱全忠書，具道摶語，令全忠表論之。 全忠上言：「胤不可離輔弼之地，摶與敕使相表裡，同危社稷。」 表連上不已。 上雖察其情，迫於全忠，不得已，胤至湖南復召還。 丁卯，以胤為司空、門下侍郎、同平章事，摶罷為工部侍郎。 以道弼監荊南軍，務修監青州軍。 戊辰，貶摶溪州刺史； 己巳，又貶崖州司戶。 道弼長流歡州，務修長流愛州。 是日，皆賜自盡。 摶死於藍田驛，道弼、務修死於霸橋驛。 於是胤專制朝政，勢震中外，宦官皆側目，不勝其憤。
Wang Tuan, Minister of Works, Vice Director of the Chancellery, and Grand Councilor, was clear-minded and broad-minded; people of the time hailed him as an excellent chief minister. The emperor had long hated the eunuch commissioners Zhu Daobi and Jing Wuxiu for their high-handed rule. Cui Yin met with him daily to plot the eunuchs' removal, and the eunuchs found out. From then on the Southern and Northern Bureaus hated each other all the more, each courting military governors as allies in their struggle for power. Tuan feared this would spark chaos and said gently to the emperor, "A ruler should keep sight of the larger order and favor no faction. Everyone knows the evil of eunuch monopoly of power! But their strength cannot be uprooted overnight. Wait until the many crises ease, then let the matter dissolve by measured policy. I beg Your Majesty not to speak carelessly and bring on a treacherous coup." When Yin heard this, he denounced Tuan to the emperor: "Wang Tuan is treacherous; he is already the eunuchs' ally on the outside." The emperor came to doubt him. When Yin was later removed from the chancellorship, he believed Tuan had pushed him out and hated him all the more. On his way to take up his post at Guangzhou, he wrote Zhu Quanzhong a full account of Tuan's remarks and asked him to submit a memorial attacking Tuan. Quanzhong memorialized: "Yin must not be kept from court; Tuan and the imperial commissioners work hand in glove and together threaten the dynasty." He sent memorial after memorial without letup. Though the emperor saw what was really going on, Quanzhong's pressure left him no choice: Yin was recalled while still on the road in Hunan. On dingmao, Yin was appointed Minister of Works, Vice Director of the Chancellery, and Grand Councilor; Tuan was demoted to Vice Minister of Public Works. Daobi was sent to oversee the Jingnan army; Wuxiu was sent to oversee the Qingzhou army. On wuchen, Tuan was demoted to prefect of Xizhou; on jisi he was demoted again to registrar of Yazhou. Daobi was banished to distant Huanzhou; Wuxiu was banished to distant Aizhou. That same day, all were ordered to commit suicide. Tuan died at the Lantian relay; Daobi and Wuxiu died at the Baqiao relay. From then on Yin dominated the court; his power awed the realm, and the eunuchs glared at him in helpless fury.
13
劉仁恭將幽州兵五萬救滄州，營於乾寧軍。 葛從周留張存敬、氏叔琮守滄州寨，自將精兵逆戰於老鴉堤，大破仁恭，斬首三萬級，仁恭走保瓦橋。 秋，七月，李克用復遣都指揮使李嗣昭將兵五萬攻邢、洺以救仁恭，敗汴軍於內丘。 鎔遣使和解幽、汴，會久雨，朱全忠召從周還。
Liu Rengong marched fifty thousand Youzhou troops to relieve Cangzhou and camped at Qianning Army. Ge Congzhou left Zhang Cunjing and Shi Shuzong to guard the Cangzhou camp and led his best troops to meet Rengong at Laoya Embankment. He crushed the relief force, claiming thirty thousand heads, and Rengong fled to Waqiao. In autumn, the seventh month, Li Keyong again sent chief commander Li Sizhao with fifty thousand men against Xing and Ming to relieve Rengong and defeated the Bian army at Neiqiu. Rong sent envoys to broker peace between You and Bian. Prolonged rain fell, and Zhu Quanzhong recalled Congzhou.
14
庚戌，以昭義留後孟遷為節度使。
On gengxu, Zhaoyi acting commissioner Meng Qian was confirmed as military commissioner.
15
甲寅，以西川節度使王建兼東川、信武軍兩道都指揮制置等使。
On jiayin, Xichuan military commissioner Wang Jian was also made overall commander for Dongchuan and Xinwu.
16
八月，李嗣昭又敗汴軍於沙門河，進攻洺州。 乙丑，朱全忠引兵救之，未至，嗣昭拔洺州，擒刺史朱紹宗。 全忠命葛從周將兵擊嗣昭。
In the eighth month, Li Sizhao again routed the Bian army at the Shamen River and pressed the attack on Mingzhou. On yichou, Zhu Quanzhong marched to relieve the city, but before he arrived Sizhao captured Mingzhou and seized its prefect Zhu Shaozong. Quanzhong ordered Ge Congzhou to take the field against Sizhao.
17
宣州將康儒食盡，自清溪遁歸。
Xuanchou general Kang Ru, out of food, slipped away from Qingxi and retreated.
18
九月，葛從周自鄴縣渡漳水，營於黃龍鎮。 朱全忠自將中軍三萬涉洺水置營。 李嗣昭棄城走，從周設伏於青山口，邀擊，大破之。
In the ninth month, Ge Congzhou crossed the Zhang River from Yexian and camped at Huanglong Town. Zhu Quanzhong personally led thirty thousand men of the central army across the Ming River and pitched camp. Li Sizhao abandoned the city and fled. Congzhou ambushed him at Qingshan Pass, cut him off, and smashed his army.
19
崔胤以太保、門下侍郎、同平章事徐彥若位在己上，惡之。 彥若亦自求引去。 時籓鎮皆為強臣所據，惟嗣薛王知柔在廣州，乃求代之。 乙巳，以彥若同平章事，充清海節度使。 初，荊南節度成汭以澧、朗本其巡屬，為雷滿所據，屢求割隸荊南。 朝廷不許，汭頗怨望。 及彥若過荊南，汭置酒，從容以為言。 彥若曰：「令公位尊方面，自比桓、文，雷滿小盜不能取，乃怨朝廷乎？」 汭甚慚。
Cui Yin resented Grand Preceptor, Vice Director of the Chancellery, and Grand Councilor Xu Yanruo, who outranked him. Yanruo for his part asked to be relieved of office. At the time every military governorship was held by a strongman; only the heir Prince of Xue, Zhirou, remained at Guangzhou, so Yanruo asked to take his place. On yisi, Yanruo was made Grand Councilor and sent out as military commissioner of Qinghai. Earlier, Jingnan commissioner Cheng Jun had argued that Li and Lang belonged to his circuit but were held by Lei Man, and he repeatedly petitioned to have them placed under Jingnan. The court refused, and Jun nursed considerable resentment. When Yanruo passed through Jingnan, Jun entertained him with wine and raised the matter in easy conversation. Yanruo said, "You hold a great frontier command and liken yourself to Duke Huan and Duke Wen—yet you cannot deal with a petty bandit like Lei Man and blame the court instead?" Jun was deeply shamed.
20
丙午，中書侍郎兼吏部尚書、同平章事崔遠罷守本官，以刑部尚書裴贄為中書侍郎、同平章事。 贄，坦之弟子也。 升桂管為靜江軍，以經略使劉士政為節度使。
On bingwu, Grand Councilor Cui Yuan, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Minister of Personnel, was removed to his former post; Minister of Justice Pei Zan was made Vice Director of the Secretariat and Grand Councilor. Zan was a nephew of Pei Tan. Guiguan was elevated to the Jingjiang Army circuit, and frontier commissioner Liu Shizheng was appointed its military commissioner.
21
朱全忠以王鎔與李克用交通，移兵伐之，下臨城，逾滹沱，攻鎮州南門，焚其關城。 全忠自至元氏，鎔懼，遣判官周式詣全忠請和。 全忠盛怒，謂式曰：「僕屢以書諭王公，竟不之聽！ 今兵已至此。 期於無捨！」 式曰：「鎮州密邇太原，困於侵暴，四鄰各自保，莫相救恤，王公與之連和，乃為百姓故也。 今明公果能為人除害，則天下誰不聽命，豈惟鎮州！ 明公為唐桓、文，當崇禮義以成霸業。 若但窮威武，則鎮州雖小，城堅食足，明公雖有十萬之眾，未易攻也！ 況王氏秉旄五代，時推忠孝，人人欲為之死，庸可冀乎！」 全忠笑攬式袂，延之帳中，曰：「與公戲耳！」 乃遣客將開封劉捍入見鎔，鎔以其子節度副使昭祚及大將子弟為質，以文繒二十萬犒軍。 全忠引還，以女妻昭祚。 成德判官張澤言於王鎔曰：「河東，勍敵也，今雖有朱氏之援，譬如火發於家，安能俟遠水乎！ 彼幽、滄易定。 猶附河東，不若說朱公乘勝兼服之，使河北諸鎮合而為一，則可以制河東矣。」 鎔復遣周式往說全忠。 全忠喜，遣張存敬會魏博兵擊劉仁恭，甲寅，拔瀛州； 冬，十月，丙辰，拔景州，執刺史劉仁霸； 辛酉，拔莫州。
Learning that Wang Rong was in contact with Li Keyong, Zhu Quanzhong marched against him, captured Lincheng, crossed the Hutuo, attacked the south gate of Zhenzhou, and burned its outer fortifications. Quanzhong advanced in person to Yuanshi. Rong was terrified and sent his secretary Zhou Shi to sue for peace. Quanzhong was furious and told Shi, "I have written again and again to Lord Wang, and he would not listen! Now my army is here. I intend to show no mercy!" Shi replied, "Zhenzhou borders Taiyuan and suffers constant raids. The neighboring circuits each look to their own safety and offer no help. Lord Wang allied with Hedong only to protect his people. If you truly rid the realm of this scourge, who under Heaven would not follow you—not Zhenzhou alone! You aspire to be the Duke Huan and Duke Wen of Tang; you should uphold ritual and righteousness to build a true hegemony. If you rely on force alone, Zhenzhou is small but its walls are strong and its stores full. Even with a hundred thousand men, you will not take it easily! Moreover the Wangs have held command for five generations and are famed for loyalty and filial piety. Every man is ready to die for them. What success can you expect?" Quanzhong laughed, took Shi's sleeve, and led him into his tent. "I was only teasing you!" He then sent his liaison officer Liu Han of Kaifeng to see Rong. Rong gave his son, deputy commissioner Zhaozuo, and the sons of his chief generals as hostages and sent two hundred thousand bolts of silk to reward the army. Quanzhong withdrew and gave his daughter in marriage to Zhaozuo. Chengde aide Zhang Ze told Wang Rong, "Hedong is a formidable enemy. Zhu's help is like trying to put out a house fire with water from far away. You and Cang can be taken easily. Yet you still lean on Hedong. Better urge Lord Zhu, while he is winning, to conquer them too, unite the Hebei commands, and then you can master Hedong." Rong again sent Zhou Shi to persuade Quanzhong. Quanzhong was delighted and sent Zhang Cunjing to join Weibo forces against Liu Rengong. On jiayin they took Yingzhou; in winter, the tenth month, on bingchen they took Jingzhou and seized its prefect Liu Renba; on xinyou they took Mozhou.
22
靜江節度使劉士政聞馬殷悉平嶺北，大懼，遣副使陳可璠屯全義嶺以備之。 殷遣使修好於士政，可璠拒之。 殷遣其將秦彥暉、李瓊等將兵七千擊士政。 湖南軍至全義，士政又遣指揮使王建武屯秦城。 可璠掠縣民耕牛以犒軍，縣民怨之，請為湖南鄉異，曰：「此西南有小徑，距秦城才五十里，僅通單騎。」 彥暉遣李瓊將騎六十、步兵三百襲秦城，中宵，逾垣而入，擒王建武，比明，復還，絲斥之以練，造可璠壁下示之，可璠猶未之信。 斬其首，投壁中，桂人震恐。 瓊因勒兵擊之，擒可璠，降其將士二千，皆殺之。 引兵趣桂州，自秦城以南二十餘壁皆望風奔潰，遂圍桂州。 數日，士政出降，桂、宜、巖、柳、象五州皆降於湖南。 馬殷以李瓊為桂州刺史，未幾，表為靜江節度使。
Jingjiang commissioner Liu Shizheng, hearing that Ma Yin had pacified all the country north of the ranges, was terrified and sent his deputy Chen Kelin to hold Quanyi Ridge against him. Yin sent envoys to offer friendship; Kelin turned them away. Yin sent his generals Qin Yanhui and Li Qiong with seven thousand men against Shizheng. When the Hunan army reached Quanyi, Shizheng sent commander Wang Jianwu to hold Qincheng. Kelin seized local farmers' oxen to reward his troops. The locals, resenting this, offered to guide the Hunan army and said, "A small path southwest of here reaches Qincheng in only fifty li—wide enough for a single horse." Yanhui sent Li Qiong with sixty cavalry and three hundred infantry to strike Qincheng. At midnight they scaled the walls, seized Wang Jianwu, and by dawn were back. They bound him with silk cords and displayed him below Kelin's walls, but Kelin still would not believe it. They beheaded him and threw the head over the wall. The Gui troops were terrified. Qiong then attacked in force, captured Kelin, and accepted the surrender of two thousand officers and men—all of whom were executed. He marched on Guizhou. More than twenty fortified posts south of Qincheng fled at his approach, and he laid siege to Guizhou. Within days Shizheng surrendered. The five prefectures of Gui, Yi, Yan, Liu, and Xiang all submitted to Hunan. Ma Yin made Li Qiong prefect of Guizhou and soon memorialized to appoint him military commissioner of Jingjiang.
23
張存敬攻劉仁恭，下二十城，將自瓦橋趣幽州，道濘不能進，乃引兵西攻易定，辛巳，拔祁州，殺刺史楊約。
Zhang Cunjing attacked Liu Rengong and captured twenty cities. He planned to march from Waqiao on Youzhou, but the roads were too muddy to advance, so he turned west against Yiding. On xinsi he took Qizhou and killed its prefect Yang Yue.
24
癸未，以保義留後朱友謙為節度使。
On guiwei, Baoyi acting commissioner Zhu Youqian was confirmed as military commissioner.
25
張存敬攻定州，義武節度使王郜遣後院都知兵馬使王處直將兵數萬拒之。 處直請依城為柵，俟其師老而擊之。 孔目官梁汶曰：「昔幽、鎮兵三十萬攻我，於時我軍不滿五千，一戰敗之。 今存敬兵不過三萬，我軍十倍於昔，奈何示怯，欲依城自固乎！」 郜乃遣處直逆戰於沙河，易定兵大敗，死者過半，餘眾擁處直奔還。 甲申，王郜棄城奔晉陽，軍中推處直為留後。 存敬進圍定州，丙申，朱全忠至城下，處直登城呼曰：「本道事朝廷盡忠，於公未嘗相犯，何為見攻？」 全忠曰：「何故附河東？」 對曰：「吾兄與晉王同時立勳，封疆密邇，且婚姻也，修好往來，乃常理耳，請從茲改圖。」 全忠許之。 乃歸罪於梁汶而族之，以謝全忠，以繒帛十萬犒師。 全忠乃還，仍為處直表求節鉞。 處直，處存之母弟也。 劉仁恭遣其子守光將兵救定州，軍於易水之上。 全忠遣張存敬襲之，殺六萬餘人。 由是河北諸鎮皆服於全忠。
Zhang Cunjing attacked Dingzhou. Yiwu commissioner Wang Gao sent rear-court commander Wang Chuzhi with tens of thousands of men to resist him. Chuzhi proposed building palisades by the city and waiting until the enemy grew tired before attacking. Clerk Liang Wen said, "When three hundred thousand You and Zhen troops attacked us, we had fewer than five thousand men—and we routed them in a single battle. Cunjing has barely thirty thousand men, while we outnumber our old force tenfold—why act timid and hide behind the walls? Gao sent Chuzhi to fight at the Sha River. The Yiding army was crushed; over half the men died, and the survivors fled, crowding Chuzhi back to safety. On jiashen, Wang Gao abandoned the city and fled to Jinyang. The troops made Chuzhi acting military commissioner. Cunjing continued the siege of Dingzhou. On bingshen Zhu Quanzhong arrived at the walls. Chuzhi climbed up and shouted: "Our circuit has always been loyal to the court and never wronged you—why attack us? Quanzhong replied: "Why have you sided with Hedong?" He answered: "My brother and the Prince of Jin won glory together. Our domains border each other and we are joined by marriage—friendly ties are only natural. Please let us mend matters from here." Quanzhong accepted. He blamed Liang Wen, executed his entire clan as an apology to Quanzhong, and presented one hundred thousand in silk goods to reward the army. Quanzhong withdrew, but memorialized the court to grant Chuzhi full military commission. Chuzhi was Chucun's younger maternal half-brother. Liu Rengong sent his son Shouguang with an army to relieve Dingzhou, camped on the north bank of the Yishui. Quanzhong sent Zhang Cunjing to attack them and slew more than sixty thousand men. After this, every circuit in Hebei acknowledged Quanzhong's authority."
26
先是王郜告急於河東，李克用遣李嗣昭將步騎三萬下太行，攻懷州，拔之，進攻河陽。 河陽留後侯言不意其至，狼狽失據，嗣昭壞其羊馬城。 會佑國軍將閻寶引兵救之，力戰於壕外，河東兵乃退。 寶，鄆州人也。
Earlier Wang Gao had appealed to Hedong for help. Li Keyong sent Li Sizhao with thirty thousand foot and horse down the Taihang, captured Huaizhou, and pressed on against Heyang. Heyang commissioner Hou Yan was caught completely off guard. Sizhao tore down his outer palisade. Yan Bao of the Youguo Army arrived with reinforcements and fought fiercely beyond the moat until the Hedong forces withdrew. Yan Bao was from Yanzhou.
27
初，崔胤與上密謀盡誅宦官，及宋道弼、景務修死，宦官益懼。 上自華州還，忽忽不樂，多縱酒，喜怒不常，左右尤自危。 於是左軍中尉劉季述、右宮中尉王仲先、樞密使王彥范、薛齊偓等陰相與謀曰：「主上輕佻多變詐，難奉事； 專聽任南司，吾輩終罹其禍。 不若奉太子立之，尊主上為太上皇，引岐、華兵為援，控制諸籓，誰能害我哉！」
Earlier, Cui Yin had secretly plotted with the emperor to wipe out the eunuchs. After Song Daobu and Jing Wuxiu were killed, the eunuchs grew more afraid. After returning from Huazhou the emperor was restless and drank heavily, his mood swinging wildly. Those close to him felt especially endangered. Then Left Army Commander Liu Jishu, Right Palace Commander Wang Zhongxian, and Palace Secretaries Wang Yanfan and Xue Qiwo secretly conspired: "The emperor is fickle and deceptive—impossible to serve faithfully; he listens only to the civil officials—we will be ruined in the end. Better to put the crown prince on the throne, declare the emperor retired, bring in troops from Qi and Hua, and control the frontier lords—who could touch us then!"
28
十一月，上獵苑中，因置酒，夜，醉歸，手殺黃門、侍女數人。 明旦，日加辰巳，宮門不開。 季述詣中書白崔胤曰：「宮中必有變，我內臣也，得以便宜從事，請入視之。」 乃帥禁兵千人破門而入，訪問，具得其狀。 出，謂胤曰：「主上所為如是，豈可理天下！ 廢昏立明，自古有之，為社稷大計，非不順也。」 胤畏死，不敢違。 庚寅，季述召百官，陳兵殿庭，作胤等連名狀，請太子監國，以示之，使署名。 胤及百官不得已皆署之。 上在乞巧樓，季述、仲先伏將士千人於門外，與宣武進奏官程巖等十餘人入請對。 季述、仲先甫登殿，將士大呼，突入宣化門，至思政殿前，逢宮人，輒殺之。 上見兵入，驚墮床下，起，將走，季述、仲先掖之令坐。 宮人走白皇后，-{后}-趨至，拜請曰：「軍容勿驚宅家，有事取軍容商量。」 季述等乃出百官狀白上，曰：「陛下厭倦大寶，中外群情，願太子監國，請陛下保頤東宮。」 上曰：「昨與卿曹樂飲，不覺太過，何至於是！」 對曰：「此非臣等所為，皆南司眾情，不可遏也。 願陛下且之東宮，待事小定，復迎歸大內耳。」 -{后}-曰：「宅家趣依軍容語！」 即取傳國寶以授季述，宦官扶上與-{后}-同輦，嬪御侍從者才十餘人，適少陽院。 季述以銀檛畫地數上曰：「某時某事，汝不從我言，其罪一也。」 如此數十不止。 乃手鎖其門，熔鐵錮之，遣左軍副使李師虔將兵圍之，上動靜輒白季述，穴牆以通飲食，凡兵器針刀皆不得入，上求錢帛俱不得，求紙筆亦不與。 時大寒，嬪御公主無衣衾，號哭聞於外。 季述等矯詔令太子監國，迎太子入宮。 辛卯，矯詔令太子嗣位，更名縝。 以上為太上皇，皇后為太上皇后。 甲午，太子即皇帝位，更名少陽院曰問安宮。 季述加百官爵秩，與將士皆受優賞，欲以求媚於眾。 殺睦王倚，凡宮人、左右、方士、僧、道為上所寵信者，皆榜殺之。 每夜殺人，晝以十車載屍出，一車或止一兩屍，欲以立威。 將殺司天監胡秀林，秀林曰：「軍容幽囚君父，更欲多殺無辜乎！」 季述憚其言正而止。 季述等欲殺崔胤，而憚朱全忠，但解其度支監督鐵轉運使而已。 崔胤密緻書全忠，使興兵圖返正。
In the eleventh month the emperor hunted in the park and held a feast. That night he returned drunk and personally killed several eunuchs and palace girls. The next morning the sun passed the chen and si hours, yet the palace gates remained shut. Jishu went to the Secretariat and told Cui Yin: "Something has gone wrong in the palace. As an inner official I may act on my own authority—please let me go in and see." He then led a thousand imperial guards, broke down the gates, and learned the full story through inquiry. Emerging, he told Yin: "With the emperor behaving like this, how can he rule the realm! Deposing a bad ruler and enthroning a good one is an ancient precedent—it serves the nation and is perfectly legitimate. Yin, fearing for his life, dared not refuse. On gengyin Jishu summoned the officials, lined troops in the palace courtyard, presented a joint memorial in Yin's name asking the crown prince to govern, and forced them to sign. Yin and the rest of the officials signed under duress. The emperor was at the Qiqiao Tower. Jishu and Zhongxian hid a thousand soldiers outside and entered with Cheng Yan and more than ten Xuanwu couriers to request an audience. As soon as Jishu and Zhongxian stepped onto the dais, the troops shouted and stormed through the Xuanhua Gate to the Sizheng Hall, killing every palace woman they met. When the emperor saw armed men rush in, he fell from the bed in fright and tried to run; Jishu and Zhongxian seized him and forced him to sit. Palace women ran to tell the empress. The empress rushed over, bowed, and pleaded: "Army Commander, please do not alarm His Majesty. Whatever the matter, discuss it with you." Jishu and his followers then showed the emperor the officials' memorial and said: "Your Majesty is weary of reigning. Court and country alike want the crown prince to govern. Please retire to the Eastern Palace for your health." The emperor said: "Last night I was drinking with you and got carried away—how did it come to this! They replied: "This is not our doing. It is the unanimous will of the civil officials and cannot be stopped. Please go to the Eastern Palace for now. When things settle, we will bring you back to the palace." The empress said: "Your Majesty, do as the Army Commander says—now!" She handed the imperial seal to Jishu. Eunuchs helped the emperor and the empress into a carriage with barely a dozen attendants and took them to the Shaoyang Courtyard. Jishu rapped the ground with a silver mace and listed the emperor's offenses: "On such and such an occasion you defied me—that is one crime." He went on listing dozens of such charges without stopping. He locked the door and sealed it with molten iron, posted Li Shiqian and troops to guard the place, and reported the emperor's every move to Jishu. Food came through a hole in the wall; no weapons, needles, or knives were allowed in. The emperor could get neither money nor silk, nor even paper and ink. It was bitterly cold. The concubines and princesses lacked quilts, and their cries could be heard outside. Jishu forged an edict putting the crown prince in charge of government and brought him into the palace. On xinmao a forged edict enthroned the crown prince and renamed him Chen. The former emperor was styled Retired Emperor; the empress became Retired Empress. On jiawu the crown prince took the throne and renamed the Shaoyang Courtyard the Palace of Inquiring After His Health. Jishu promoted officials and richly rewarded the troops, trying to buy popularity. He killed Prince Mu Yi and had beaten to death every palace woman, attendant, alchemist, monk, and Daoist the emperor had favored. Every night brought killings; by day ten carts hauled corpses out, sometimes only one or two to a cart, all to terrify the court. When he was about to execute Hu Xiulin, director of the Astronomy Bureau, Xiulin said: "Army Commander, you have already imprisoned the sovereign—will you now slaughter the innocent as well?" Jishu, struck by the rebuke, held back. Jishu wanted to kill Cui Yin but feared Zhu Quanzhong, so he merely stripped Yin of his fiscal and iron-transport posts. Cui Yin secretly wrote Quanzhong, urging him to raise an army and restore the rightful ruler."
29
左僕射致仕張濬在長水，見張全義於洛陽，勸之匡復，又與諸籓鎮書勸之。
Retired Left Vice Director Zhang Jun, staying at Changshui, met Zhang Quanyi in Luoyang and urged restoration. He also wrote to the frontier commands urging the same.
30
進士無棣李愚客遊華州，上韓建書，略曰：「僕每讀書，見君臣父子之際，有傷教害義者，恨不得肆之市朝。 明公居近關重鎮，君父幽辱月餘，坐視凶逆而忘勤王之舉，僕所未諭也。 僕竊計中朝輔弼，雖有志而無權； 外鎮諸侯，雖有權而無志。 惟明公忠義，社稷是依。 往年車輅播遷，號泣奉迎，累歲供饋，再復廟、朝，義感人心，至今歌詠。 此時事勢，尤異前日，明公地處要衝，位兼將相。 自宮闈變故，已涉旬時，若不號令率先以圖反正，遲疑未決，一朝山東侯伯唱義連衡，彭行而西，明公求欲自安，其可得乎！ 此必然之勢也。 不如馳檄四方，諭以逆順，軍聲一振，則元凶破膽，旬浹之間，二豎之首傳於天下，計無便於此者。」 建雖不能用，厚待之，愚堅辭而去。
Presented Scholar Li Yu of Wudi, guesting in Huazhou, wrote Han Jian a letter that opened: "In my reading, whenever I see conduct between ruler and subject or father and son that violates decency, I wish the offender could be exposed in the public square. You hold a critical post near the capital. The emperor has languished in shame for over a month, yet you watch the rebels and forget your duty to rescue him—that I cannot understand. I reckon that at court the ministers may have will but no power; while the frontier lords have power but no will to act. You alone combine loyalty and righteousness—the realm depends on you. When the court was driven into exile you wept as you welcomed it back, fed the court for years, and restored the temples and audiences—deeds men still praise in song. Today's crisis is graver still, and you stand at the crossroads as both general and minister. The palace coup is already ten days old. If you do not lead a restoration now, and eastern lords rise in alliance and march west, how will you keep yourself safe? That outcome is inevitable. Better to proclaim the righteous cause across the land. One show of force will terrify the culprits; within ten days the heads of those two villains could be displayed to the empire—no better plan exists." Han Jian could not act on the advice but treated Yu well; Yu politely refused to stay and left.
31
朱全忠在定州行營，聞亂，丁未，南還。 十二月，戊辰，至大梁。 季述遣養子希度詣全忠，許以唐社稷輸之； 又遣供奉官李奉本以太上皇誥示全忠。 全忠猶豫未決，會僚佐議之，或曰：「朝廷大事，非籓鎮所宜預知。」 天平節度副使李振獨曰：「王室有難，此霸者之資也。 今公為唐桓、文，安危所屬。 季述一宦豎耳，乃敢囚廢天子，公不能討，何以復令諸侯！ 且幼主位定，則天下之權盡歸宦官矣，是以太阿之柄授人也。」 全忠大悟，即囚希度、奉本，遣振如京師詗事。 即還，又遣親吏蔣玄暉如京師，與崔胤謀之； 又召程巖赴大梁。
Zhu Quanzhong was campaigning at Dingzhou. When he heard of the coup, he marched south on dingwei. In the twelfth month, on wuchen, he arrived at Daliang. Jishu sent his adopted son Xidu to Quanzhong, offering to surrender the Tang throne to him; and sent palace attendant Li Fengben with a proclamation from the retired emperor. Quanzhong hesitated. His staff debated, and one adviser said: "Imperial affairs are none of a frontier lord's business." Tianping deputy commissioner Li Zhen alone said: "When the throne is in peril, that is a hegemon's opportunity. You could be Tang's Duke Huan or Duke Wen—the realm's fate rests with you. Jishu is only a eunuch, yet he dares depose the emperor. If you cannot punish him, how can you command the lords? And once the young emperor is secure, the eunuchs will hold all power—you will have handed them the sword." Quanzhong saw the point at once. He imprisoned Xidu and Fengben and sent Zhen to the capital to scout the situation. When Zhen returned, Quanzhong sent his trusted officer Jiang Xuanhui to the capital to conspire with Cui Yin; and summoned Cheng Yan to Daliang.
32
清海節度使薛王知柔薨。
Zhi Rourou, Prince of Xue and military commissioner of Qinghai, died.
33
是歲，加楊行密兼侍中。
That year Yang Xingmi was also made Palace Attendant.
34
睦州刺史陳晟卒，弟詢自稱刺史。
Muzhou prefect Chen Sheng died, and his brother Xun declared himself prefect.
35
太子即位累旬，籓鎮箋表多不至。 王仲先性苛察，素知左、右軍多積弊，及為中尉，鉤校軍中錢穀，得隱沒為奸者，痛捶之，急征所負，將士頗不安。 有鹽州雄毅軍使孫德昭為左神策指揮使，自劉季述等廢立，常憤惋不平。 崔胤聞之，遣判官石戩與之遊。 德昭每酒酣必泣，戩知其誠，乃密以胤意說之曰：「自上皇幽閉，中外大臣至於行間士卒，孰不切齒！ 今反者獨季述、仲先耳，公誠能誅此二人，迎上皇復位，則富貴窮一時，忠義流千古； 苟狐疑不決，則功落他人之手矣！」 德昭謝曰：「德昭小校，國家大事，安敢專之！ 苟相公有命，不敢愛死！」 戩以白胤。 胤割衣帶，手書以授之。 德昭復結右軍清遠都將董彥弼、周承誨，謀以除夜伏兵安福門外以俟之。
More than ten days after the new emperor's accession, most frontier commands had still not sent congratulatory memorials. Wang Zhongxian was harsh and knew the Left and Right Armies were riddled with graft. As commander he audited their accounts, beat those who had embezzled funds, and demanded immediate repayment—the troops grew restless. Sun Dezhao, Xiongyi Army commissioner of Yanzhou and Left Shence commander, had been bitter since Jishu's coup. Hearing of this, Cui Yin sent registrar Shi Yan to cultivate his friendship. Dezhao wept whenever he drank. Yan saw his sincerity and privately relayed Yin's message: "Since the retired emperor was imprisoned, everyone from court ministers to common soldiers has gnashed their teeth in rage! Only Jishu and Zhongxian are the traitors. If you kill them and restore the retired emperor, you will enjoy riches in this life and glory forever after; Hesitate, and someone else will seize the credit!" Dezhao replied: "I am only a lowly officer—how dare I take it upon myself to decide the fate of the realm! But if the Chancellor commands it, I will not shrink from death!" Yan reported back to Yin. Yin cut off his belt sash, wrote a message by hand, and gave it to him. Dezhao then enlisted Right Army Qingyuan commanders Dong Yanbi and Zhou Chenghui and planned to ambush outside the Anfu Gate on New Year's Eve.
36
昭宗聖穆景文孝皇帝中之中天復元年（ 辛酉，公元九零一年）
Reign of Emperor Zhaozong—middle period, first year of Tianfu ( xinyou, equivalent to 901 CE)
37
春，正月，乙酉朔，王仲先入朝，至安福門，孫德昭擒斬之，馳詣少陽院，叩門呼曰：「逆賊已誅，請陛下出勞將士。」 何-{后}-不信，曰：「果爾，以其首來！」 德昭獻其首，上乃與-{后}-毀扉而出。 崔胤迎上御長樂門樓，帥百官稱賀。 周承誨擒劉季述、王彥範繼至，方詰責，已為亂梃所斃。 薛齊偓赴井死，出而斬之。 滅四人之族，並誅其黨二十餘人。 宦官奉太子匿於左軍，獻傳國寶。 上曰：「裕幼弱，為凶豎所立，非其罪也。」 命還東宮，黜為德王，復名裕。 丙戌，以孫德昭同平章事，充靜海節度使，賜姓名李繼昭。
In spring, on the first day of the first month, Wang Zhongxian came to court. At the Anfu Gate Sun Dezhao seized and killed him, then raced to the Shaoyang Courtyard and knocked, shouting: "The traitors are dead—please come out, Your Majesty, and reward the troops!" Empress He refused to believe him: "If that is true, bring me his head!" Dezhao brought them the head, and the emperor and the {empress} broke down the door and emerged. Cui Yin escorted the emperor to the Changle Gate tower and led the officials in congratulating him. Zhou Chenghui arrived with Liu Jishu and Wang Yanfan in custody; before he could even finish questioning them, a mob clubbed them to death. Xue Qiwo drowned himself in a well; they fished him out and beheaded him. The four men's entire clans were wiped out, along with more than twenty of their followers. The eunuchs brought the crown prince to the Left Army for protection and surrendered the imperial seal. The emperor said: "Yu is only a child. The villains put him on the throne—he is not to blame." He ordered the boy sent back to the Eastern Palace, stripped of the crown prince title and made Prince of De, with his name restored to Yu. On bingxu, Sun Dezhao was made Grand Councilor and military commissioner of Jinghai, and given the surname Li and the name Jizhao.
38
丁亥，崔胤進位司徒，胤固辭。 上寵待胤益厚。
On dinghai, Cui Yin was promoted to Minister of Education, but he firmly refused the honor. The emperor showered Yin with even greater favor.
39
己丑，朱全忠聞劉季述等誅，折程巖足，械送京師，並劉希度、李奉本等皆斬於都市，由是益重李振。
On jichou, learning that Liu Jishu and his co-conspirators were dead, Zhu Quanzhong had Cheng Yan's legs broken and sent him in chains to the capital; Liu Xidu, Li Fengben, and the rest were beheaded in the marketplace as well. From then on Zhu Quanzhong relied on Li Zhen even more heavily.
40
庚寅，以周承誨為嶺南西道節度使，賜姓名李繼誨，董彥弼為寧遠節度，賜姓李，並同平章事； 與李繼昭俱留宿衛，十日乃出還家，賞賜傾府庫，時人謂之「三使相」。
On gengyin, Zhou Chenghui was made military commissioner of Lingnan West Circuit and given the surname Li and the name Jihui; Dong Yanbi was made military commissioner of Ningyuan, granted the surname Li, and both were made Grand Councilors; They and Li Jizhao remained on palace guard duty for ten days before returning home, their rewards emptying the treasury; contemporaries dubbed them "the Three Envoy-Chancellors."
41
癸巳，進朱全忠爵東平王。
On guisi, Zhu Quanzhong was ennobled as Prince of Dongping.
42
丙午，敕：「近年宰臣延英奏事，樞密使侍側，爭論紛然。 既出，又稱上旨未允，復有改易，橈權亂政。 自今並依大中舊制，俟宰臣奏事畢，方得升殿承受公事。」 賜兩軍副使李師虔、徐彥孫自盡，皆劉季述之黨也。
On bingwu, an edict declared: "In recent years, when chancellors reported to the throne in the Yanying Hall, commissioners of the Bureau of Military Affairs stood at their side and wrangled over every decision. After the chancellors left, the commissioners would claim the emperor had not approved the decision and revise it—usurping power and sowing chaos in government. Henceforth the old Dazhong practice shall be restored: commissioners may enter the hall to receive official business only after the chancellors have finished their audience." Li Shiqian and Xu Yansun, deputy commissioners of the Two Armies, were ordered to commit suicide; both had been Liu Jishu's allies.
43
鳳翔、彰義節度使李茂貞來朝； 加茂貞守尚書令，兼侍中，進爵岐王。
Li Maozhen, military commissioner of Fengxiang and Zhangyi, came to court; Maozhen was made acting Director of the Department of State Affairs and Palace Secretary, and ennobled as Prince of Qi.
44
劉季述、王仲先既死，崔胤、陸扆上言：「禍亂之興，皆由中官典兵。 乞令胤主左軍，扆主右軍，則諸侯不敢侵陵，王室尊矣。」 上猶豫兩日未決。 李茂貞聞之，怒曰：「崔胤奪軍權未得，已欲翦滅諸侯！」 上召李繼昭、李繼誨、李彥弼謀之，皆曰：「臣等累世在軍中，未聞書生為軍主； 若屬南司，必多所變更，不若歸之北司為便。」 上乃謂胤、扆曰：「將士意不欲屬文臣，卿曹勿堅求。」 於是以樞密使韓全誨、鳳翔監軍使張彥弘為左、右中尉。 全誨亦前鳳翔監軍也。 又征前樞密使致仕嚴遵美為兩軍中尉、觀軍容處置使。 遵美曰：「一軍猶不可為，況兩軍乎！」 固辭不起。 以袁易簡、周敬容為樞密使。
After Liu Jishu and Wang Zhongxian were dead, Cui Yin and Lu Yi memorialized the throne: "Every recent disaster has come from eunuchs commanding the armies. We ask that Yin be given command of the Left Army and Yi of the Right Army. Then the regional lords will not dare encroach, and the throne will stand secure." The emperor wavered for two days and could not decide. When Li Maozhen heard of this, he fumed: "Cui Yin hasn't even seized the armies yet, and already he wants to destroy the regional lords!" The emperor summoned Li Jizhao, Li Jihui, and Li Yanbi for counsel. All three said: "Our families have served in the armies for generations—we have never seen a scholar put in command; If the armies fall to the civil officials, everything will change. Better to leave them with the eunuchs." The emperor then told Yin and Yi: "The troops do not want civil officials in command. Do not press the matter." Accordingly, Han Quanhui, commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and Zhang Yanhong, Fengxiang army supervisor, were made Left and Right Commandants. Quanhui had also once served as Fengxiang army supervisor. Yan Zunmei, a former commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs now in retirement, was also summoned to serve as Commandant of the Two Armies and Army Commander. Zunmei replied: "I could not manage even one army—how could I manage two!" He firmly refused and would not take the appointment. Yuan Yijian and Zhou Jingrong were appointed commissioners of the Bureau of Military Affairs.
45
李茂貞辭還鎮。 崔胤以宦官典兵，終為肘腋之患，欲以外兵制之，諷茂貞留兵三千於京師，充宿衛，以茂貞假子繼筠將之。 左諫議大夫萬年韓偓以為不可，胤曰：「兵自不肯去，非留之也。」 偓曰：「始者何為召之邪？」 胤無以應。 偓曰：「留此兵則家國兩危，不留則家國兩安。」 胤不從。
Li Maozhen took his leave and returned to his post. Cui Yin feared that eunuch control of the armies would forever be a threat at his elbow and wanted outside troops to counterbalance them. He urged Maozhen to leave three thousand men in the capital as palace guards under Maozhen's adopted son Jiyun. Han Wo of Wannian, Left Remonstrance Censor, argued against it. Yin replied: "The troops refuse to leave on their own—we are not forcing them to stay." Han Wo asked: "Then why did you summon them here in the first place?" Yin had no answer. Han Wo said: "Keep these troops and both throne and realm are endangered; send them away and both are safe." Yin would not listen.
46
朱全忠既服河北，欲先取河中以制河東。 己亥，召諸將謂曰：「王珂駑材，恃太原自驕汰。 吾今斷長蛇之腰，諸君為我以一繩縛之。」 庚子，遣張存敬將兵三萬自汜水度河出捨山路以襲之，全忠以中軍繼其後。 戊申，存敬至絳州。 晉、絳不意其至，皆無守備，庚戌，絳州刺史陶建釗降之； 壬子，晉州刺史張漢瑜降之。 全忠遣其將侯言守晉州，何絪守絳州，屯兵二萬以扼河東援兵之路。 朝廷恐全忠西入關，急賜詔和解之； 全忠不從。 珂遣間使告急於李克用，道路相繼，克用以汴人先據晉、絳，兵不得進。 珂妻遺克用書曰：「兒旦暮為俘虜，大人何忍不救！」 克用報曰：「今賊兵塞晉、絳，眾寡不敵，進則與汝兩亡，不若與王郎舉族歸朝。」 珂又遺李茂貞書，言：「天子新返正，詔籓鎮無得相攻，同獎王室。 今諸公不顧詔命，首興兵相加，其心可見。 河中若亡，則同華、邠、岐俱不自保。 天子神器拱手授人，其勢必然矣。 公宜亟帥關中諸鎮兵，固守潼關，赴救河中。 僕自知不武，願於公西偏授一小鎮，此地請公有之。 關中安危，國祚修短，系公此舉，願審思之！」 茂貞素無遠圖，不報。
Zhu Quanzhong, having subdued Hebei, planned to seize Hezhong first and thereby pin down Hedong. On jihai he summoned his generals and said: "Wang Ke is a mediocrity who struts on Taiyuan's backing. I am about to cut the long serpent in two at the waist. Gentlemen, bind it for me with a single rope." On gengzi he sent Zhang Cunjing with thirty thousand men to cross the Yellow River at Sishui and strike along the Sheshan route, while Quanzhong followed with the main force. On wushen, Cunjing reached Jiang Prefecture. Jin and Jiang were caught unprepared and had no defenses in place. On gengxu, Jiang Prefecture governor Tao Jianzhao surrendered; On renzi, Jin Prefecture governor Zhang Hanyu surrendered as well. Quanzhong left Hou Yan to hold Jin Prefecture and He Yin to hold Jiang Prefecture, with twenty thousand men posted to block Hedong relief columns. The court, fearing Quanzhong would drive west through the passes, urgently issued an edict calling for peace; Quanzhong ignored it. Ke sent secret messengers one after another to Li Keyong begging for help, but Keyong could not move—Bian forces already held Jin and Jiang. Ke's wife wrote to Keyong: "Our son will be a prisoner any day now—how can you stand by and do nothing!" Keyong replied: "The enemy holds Jin and Jiang. We are outnumbered—if I advance, you and I both die. Better that Lord Wang bring his whole clan to court and submit." Ke also wrote to Li Maozhen: "The emperor has just been restored. The throne has ordered the regional commands not to attack one another but to rally to the dynasty. Yet you lords ignore that edict and strike first at one another—the design is obvious. If Hezhong falls, Tonghua, Bin, and Qi will none of them survive. The throne itself will be surrendered without a fight—that is where this leads. You should immediately lead the Guanzhong commands to hold Tong Pass and march to Hezhong's relief. I know I am no fighter. Grant me some small post on your western flank, and take Hezhong for yourself. The fate of Guanzhong and the dynasty itself rests on what you do now. Think hard before you decide!" Maozhen had never been a man of vision. He did not answer.
47
二月，甲寅朔，河東將李嗣昭攻澤州，拔之。
In the second month, on the first day, Hedong general Li Sizhao attacked Ze Prefecture and took it.
48
乙卯，張存敬引兵發晉州； 己未，至河中，遂圍之。 王珂勢窮，將奔京師，而人心離貳，會浮梁壞，流澌塞河，舟行甚難，珂挈其族數百人欲夜登舟，親諭守城者，皆不應。 牙將劉訓曰：「今人情擾擾，若夜出涉河，必爭舟紛亂，一夫作難，事不可知。 不若且送款存敬，徐圖向背。」 珂從之。 壬戌，珂植白幡於城隅，遣使以牌印請降於存敬。 存敬請開城，珂曰：「吾於朱公有家世事分，請公退捨，俟朱公至，吾自以城授之。」 存敬從之，且使走白全忠。 乙丑，全忠至洛陽，聞之喜，馳往赴之。 戊辰，至虞鄉，先哭於重榮之墓，盡哀； 河中人皆悅。 珂欲面縛牽羊出迎，全忠遽使止之曰：「太師舅之恩何可忘！ 若郎君如此，使僕異日何以見舅於九泉！」 乃以常禮出迎，握手歔欷，聯轡入城。 全忠表張存敬為護國軍留後，王珂舉族遷於大梁。 其後全忠遣珂入朝，遣人殺之於華州。 全忠聞張夫人疾亟，遽自河中東歸。 李克用遣使以重幣請修好於全忠； 全忠雖遣使報之，而忿其書辭蹇傲，決欲攻之。
On yimao, Zhang Cunjing marched out from Jin Prefecture; On jiwei he reached Hezhong and laid siege to the city. Wang Ke was cornered and planned to flee to the capital, but morale had collapsed. The pontoon bridge was broken and ice floes choked the river, making escape by boat nearly impossible. Ke gathered several hundred kinsmen to slip away by night and pleaded personally with the garrison, but no one would follow. Garrison officer Liu Xun said: "The men are already panicking. If we try to cross the river by night, they'll fight over the boats—and one troublemaker could wreck everything. Better to offer terms to Cunjing for now and watch how things develop." Ke agreed. On renxu, Ke raised a white flag on the city wall and sent envoys with his seal and tally to surrender to Cunjing. Cunjing asked him to open the gates. Ke replied: "My family and Lord Zhu's go back generations. Please withdraw your camp and wait for Lord Zhu—I will surrender the city to him myself." Cunjing agreed and sent a messenger racing to Quanzhong. On yichou, Quanzhong reached Luoyang. Delighted at the news, he galloped straight for Hezhong. On wuchen he reached Yuxiang and first wept at Chongrong's tomb with full mourning; the people of Hezhong were deeply moved. Ke wanted to come out bound and leading a sheep in surrender. Quanzhong stopped him at once: "How can I forget the kindness of the Grand Preceptor, your uncle by marriage! If you humiliate yourself like this, how will I ever face my uncle in the grave!" Ke came out to greet him with ordinary courtesy. They clasped hands, weeping, and rode into the city side by side. Quanzhong recommended Zhang Cunjing as acting military commissioner of the Huguo Army and relocated Wang Ke's entire clan to Daliang. Later Quanzhong sent Ke to court, then had him murdered at Hua Prefecture. When Quanzhong learned that Lady Zhang was gravely ill, he raced back east from Hezhong. Li Keyong sent envoys bearing lavish gifts to sue for peace with Quanzhong; Quanzhong sent a reply, but the letter's haughty tone enraged him and he resolved to attack.
49
以翰林學士、戶部侍郎王溥為中書侍郎、同平章事。 以吏部侍郎裴樞為戶部侍郎、同平章事。 溥，正雅之從孫也，常在崔胤幕府，故胤引之。
Hanlin Academician and Vice Minister of Revenue Wang Pu was made Vice Director of the Chancellery and Grand Councilor. Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Pei Shu was made Vice Minister of Revenue and Grand Councilor. Pu was a grand-nephew of Zhengya and had long served on Cui Yin's staff; Yin had him promoted.
50
贈謚故睦王倚曰恭哀太子。
The late Prince of Mu, Yi, was posthumously honored as Crown Prince Gong'ai.
51
加幽州節度使劉仁恭、魏博節度使羅紹威並兼侍中。
Liu Rengong, military commissioner of You Prefecture, and Luo Shaowei, military commissioner of Weibo, were both made Palace Secretaries as well.
52
三月，癸未朔，朱全忠至大梁。 癸卯，遣氏叔琮等將兵五萬攻李克用，入自太行，魏博都將張文恭入自磁州新口，葛從周以兗、鄆兵會成德兵入自土門，洺州刺史張歸厚入自馬嶺，義武節度使王處直入自飛狐，權知晉州侯言以慈、隰、晉、絳兵入自陰地。 叔琮入天井關，進軍昂車。 辛亥，沁州刺史蔡訓以城降。 河東都將蓋璋詣侯言降，即令權知沁州。 壬子，叔琮拔澤州，刺史李存璋棄城走。 叔琮進攻潞州，昭義節度使孟遷降之。 河東屯將李審建、王周將步軍一萬、騎二千詣督琮降。 叔琮進趣晉陽。 夏，四月，乙卯，叔琮出石會關，營於洞渦驛。 張歸厚引兵至遼州，丁巳，遼州刺史張鄂降。 別將白奉國會成德兵自井陘入，己未，拔承天軍，與叔琮烽火相應。
In the third month, on the first day, Zhu Quanzhong reached Daliang. On guimao, Quanzhong sent Shi Shuzong and others with fifty thousand men against Li Keyong. Shi entered through the Taihang range; Weibo capital guard general Zhang Wengong through the new crossing at Ci Prefecture; Ge Congzhou with Yan and Yun troops alongside Chengde forces through Tumen; Ming Prefecture governor Zhang Guihou through Maling; Yiwu military commissioner Wang Churu through Feihu; and acting Jin Prefecture governor Hou Yan with Ci, Xi, Jin, and Jiang troops through Yindi. Shuzong passed through Tianjing Pass and advanced to Angche. On xinhai, Qin Prefecture governor Cai Xun surrendered his city. Hedong capital guard general Gai Zhang surrendered to Hou Yan and was immediately made acting governor of Qin Prefecture. On renzi, Shuzong took Ze Prefecture; governor Li Cunzhang abandoned the city and fled. Shuzong pressed on to Lu Prefecture; Zhaoyi military commissioner Meng Qian surrendered. Hedong garrison generals Li Shenjian and Wang Zhou came to Shuzong with ten thousand foot soldiers and two thousand cavalry and surrendered. Shuzong pressed on toward Jinyang. In summer, the fourth month, on yimao, Shuzong came out through Shihui Pass and encamped at Dongwo Post. Zhang Guihou marched to Liao Prefecture; on dingsi, Liao Prefecture governor Zhang E surrendered. Separate commander Bai Fengguo joined Chengde troops coming through Jingxing; on jiwei they took Chengtian Army and exchanged beacon signals with Shuzong.
53
甲戌，上謁太廟。 丁丑，赦天下，改元。 雪王涯等十七家。
On jiaxu, the emperor paid homage at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. On dingchou, the emperor declared a general amnesty and changed the reign era. The seventeen families implicated with Wang Ya were posthumously rehabilitated.
54
初，楊復恭為中尉，借度支賣曲之利一年以贍兩軍，自是不肯復歸。 至是，崔胤草赦，欲抑宦官，聽酤者自造曲，但月輸榷酤錢。 兩軍先所造曲，趣令減價賣之，過七月無得復賣。
Earlier, when Yang Fugong served as Commandant, he had diverted one year's revenue from the state yeast monopoly to fund the Two Armies—and ever after refused to give it back. Now Cui Yin drafted the amnesty edict to curb the eunuchs: private brewers could make their own yeast, paying only the monthly liquor monopoly tax. Yeast stockpiled by the Two Armies had to be sold off at reduced prices, and after seven months none could be sold at all.
55
東川節度使王宗滌以疾求代，王建表馬步使王宗裕為留後。
Wang Zongdi of Dongchuan asked to be relieved for illness; Wang Jian recommended infantry-and-cavalry commissioner Wang Zongyu as acting commissioner.
56
氏叔琮等引兵抵晉陽城下，數挑戰，城中大恐。 李克用登城備御，不遑飲食。 時大雨積旬，城多頹壞，隨加完補。 河東將李嗣昭、李嗣源鑿暗門，夜出攻汴壘，屢有殺獲。 李存進敗汴軍於洞渦。 時汴軍既眾，芻糧不給，久雨，士卒瘧利，全忠乃召兵還。 五月，叔琮等自石會關歸，諸道軍亦退。 河東將周德威、李嗣昭以精騎五千躡之，殺獲甚眾。 先是，汾州刺史李瑭舉州附於汴軍，克用遣其將李存審攻之，三日而拔，執瑭，斬之。 氏叔琮過上黨，孟遷挈族隨之南徙。 朱全忠遣丁會代守潞州。
Shi Shuzong and his commanders brought their army to the walls of Jinyang and taunted the garrison daily; panic spread through the city. Li Keyong took to the walls to direct the defense, barely stopping to eat or drink. Rain had fallen for weeks; sections of the wall kept collapsing and were patched as fast as crews could work. Hedong generals Li Sizhao and Li Siyuan opened hidden sally ports and raided Bian camps by night, repeatedly inflicting casualties. Li Cunjin routed Bian forces at Dongwo. The Bian army had swelled beyond its supply lines; weeks of rain brought malaria and dysentery, and Quanzhong ordered a withdrawal. In the fifth month, Shuzong marched back through Shihui Pass, and the other columns retreated as well. Zhou Dewei and Li Sizhao of Hedong harried the retreat with five thousand elite cavalry, inflicting heavy losses. Earlier, Fen Prefecture governor Li Tang had defected to the Bian army. Keyong sent Li Cunshen, who took the city in three days, captured Tang, and executed him. When Shi Shuzong passed through Shangdang, Meng Qian moved his entire clan south with the Bian column. Zhu Quanzhong sent Ding Hui to hold Lu Prefecture in his stead.
57
朱全忠奏乞除河中節度使，而諷吏民請己為帥。 癸卯，以全忠為宣武、宣義，天平、護國四鎮節度使。 己酉，加鎮海、鎮東節度使錢鏐守侍中。
Zhu Quanzhong petitioned to be made military commissioner of Hezhong and quietly orchestrated local petitions naming him commander. On guimao, Quanzhong was made military commissioner of Xuanwu, Xuanyi, Tianping, and Huguo—four commands at once. On jiyou, Qian Liu of Zhenhai and Zhendong was made acting Palace Secretary as well.
58
崔胤之罷兩軍賣麴也，並近鎮亦禁之。 李茂貞惜其利，表乞入朝論奏，韓全誨請許之。 茂貞至京師，全誨深與相結。 崔胤始懼，陰厚朱全忠益甚，與茂貞為仇敵矣。
When Cui Yin ended the Two Armies' yeast monopoly, neighboring commands were barred from selling yeast as well. Li Maozhen, loath to lose the revenue, petitioned to come to court and plead his case; Han Quanhui urged the emperor to allow it. Once Maozhen reached the capital, he and Quanhui became close allies. Cui Yin grew alarmed and secretly lavished even more favor on Zhu Quanzhong; he and Maozhen were now sworn foes.
59
以佑國節度使張全義兼中書令。
Zhang Quanyi, military commissioner of Youguo, was also made Director of the Chancellery.
60
六月，癸亥，朱全忠如河中。
In the sixth month, on guihai, Zhu Quanzhong traveled to Hezhong.
61
上之返正也，中書舍人令狐渙、給事中韓偓皆預其謀，故擢為翰林學士，數召對，訪以機密。 渙，綯之子也。 時上悉以軍國事委崔胤，每奏事，上與之從容，或至然燭。 宦官畏之側目，事無大小，皆咨胤而後行。 胤志欲盡除之，韓偓屢諫曰：「事禁太甚。 此輩亦不可全無，恐其黨迫切，更生他變。」 胤不從。 丁卯，上獨召偓，問曰：「敕使中為惡者如林，何以處之？」 對曰：「東內之難，敕使誰非同惡，處之當在正旦，今已失其時矣。」 上曰：「當是時，卿何不為崔胤言之？」 對曰：「臣見陛下詔書雲，『自劉季述等四家之外，其餘一無所問。』 夫人主所重，莫大於信，既下此詔，則守之宜堅。 若復戮一人，則人人懼死矣。 然後來所去者已為不少，此其所以忷忷不安也。 陛下不若擇其尤無良者數人，明示其罪，置之於法，然後撫諭其餘曰：『吾恐爾曹謂吾心有所貯，自今可無疑矣。』 乃擇其忠厚者使為之長。 其徒有善則獎之，有罪則懲之，咸自安矣。 今此曹在公私者以萬數，豈可盡誅邪！ 夫帝王之道，當以重厚鎮之，公正御之，至於瑣細機巧，此機生則彼機應矣，終不能成大功，所謂理絲而棼之者也。 況今朝廷之權，散在四方。 苟能先收此權，則事無不可為者矣。 ?鄙仙鉅暈□滑曰：「此事終以屬卿。」
When the emperor was restored, Secretariat Drafter Linghu Huan and Supervising Censor Han Wo—both conspirators in the coup—were made Hanlin Academicians and repeatedly summoned for confidential counsel. Huan was a son of Linghu Tao. The emperor now entrusted all military and civil affairs to Cui Yin, talking with him at length after each audience—sometimes until the candles burned out. The eunuchs watched in fear as Yin gained power; nothing was done until Yin had been consulted. Yin aimed to wipe them out entirely. Han Wo warned repeatedly: "You are going too far. You cannot eliminate them all—drive them to desperation and they will turn on you in new ways." Yin would not listen. On dingmao the emperor summoned Wo alone and asked: "The edict commissioners are wicked beyond counting. What should I do with them?" Wo replied: "Every edict commissioner was complicit in the Eastern Palace coup. That should have been settled the day you were restored—it is too late now." The emperor said: "Then why didn't you tell Cui Yin?" Wo replied: "I saw Your Majesty's edict: 'Beyond the four clans of Liu Jishu and his co-conspirators, no one else shall be punished.' Nothing matters more to a ruler than keeping his word. Once that edict went out, you had to stand by it. Execute one more man and everyone will fear for his life. And since then you have removed quite a few anyway—that is why they are so restless and afraid. Better to pick out the worst few, expose their crimes, and punish them by law. Then reassure the rest: 'I know you fear I still bear a grudge—from now on, put your minds at ease.' Then appoint the trustworthy ones as their leaders. Reward good conduct and punish wrongdoing, and they will all calm down. There are tens of thousands of them in government service—you cannot kill them all! A ruler should govern with weight and magnanimity, with fairness and steadiness. Petty scheming only breeds counter-scheming and never achieves anything lasting—it is like combing silk only to tangle it worse. And today imperial power is scattered across the realm. Gather that power back first, and nothing will be impossible. The emperor then said to him: "In the end, this will be your responsibility."
62
李克用遣其將李嗣昭、周德威將兵出陰地關，攻隰州，刺史唐禮降之。 進攻慈州，刺史張瑰降之。
Li Keyong sent Li Sizhao and Zhou Dewei through Yindi Pass against Xi Prefecture; governor Tang Li surrendered. They pressed on to Ci Prefecture; governor Zhang Gui surrendered as well.
63
閏月，以河陽節度使丁會為昭義節度使，孟遷為河陽節度使，從朱全忠之請也。
In the intercalary month, at Zhu Quanzhong's request, Ding Hui was moved from Heyang to Zhaoyi, and Meng Qian took Heyang.
64
道士杜從法以妖妄妄誘昌、普、合三州民作亂，王建遣行營兵馬使王宗黯將兵三萬會東川、武信兵討之。 宗黯，即吉諫也。
The Daoist Du Congfa incited rebellion in Chang, Pu, and He Prefectures with false prophecies; Wang Jian sent campaign commissioner Wang Zong'an with thirty thousand men, joined by Dongchuan and Wuxin troops, to crush them. Zong'an was the same man as Ji Jian.
65
崔胤請上盡誅宦官，但以宮人掌內諸司事。 宦官屬耳，頗聞之，韓全誨等涕泣求哀於上，上乃令胤：「有事封疏以聞，勿口奏。」 宦官求美女知書者數人，內之宮中，陰令詗察其事，盡得胤密謀，上不之覺也。 全誨等大懼，每宴聚，流涕相訣別，日夜謀所以去胤之術。 胤時領三司使，全誨等教禁軍對上喧噪，訴胤減損冬衣。 上不得已，解胤鹽鐵使。 時朱全忠、李茂貞各有挾天子令諸侯之意，全忠欲上幸東都，茂貞欲上幸鳳翔。 胤知謀洩，事急，遺朱全忠書，稱被密詔，令全忠以兵迎車駕，且言：「昨者返正，皆令公良圖，而鳳翔先入朝抄取其功。 今不速來，必成罪人，豈惟功為他人所有，且見征討矣！」 全忠得書，秋，七月，甲寅，遽歸大梁發兵。
Cui Yin urged the emperor to execute every eunuch and put palace women in charge of the inner offices. The eunuchs overheard. Han Quanhui and the rest wept and begged the emperor for mercy. The emperor then told Yin: "Put your proposals in writing—no more oral reports to the throne." The eunuchs recruited literate palace women and planted them to spy on Yin. They learned his entire plot, and the emperor never knew. Quanhui and his allies were terrified. At every gathering they wept as if saying farewell, plotting day and night how to destroy Yin. Yin still controlled the Three Bureaus. Quanhui's faction stirred up the palace guard to shout before the throne that Yin had shorted their winter uniforms. The emperor had no choice but to strip Yin of the Salt and Iron Commission. Zhu Quanzhong and Li Maozhen each wanted to hold the emperor hostage to command the regional lords—Quanzhong wanted him in the Eastern Capital, Maozhen in Fengxiang. Yin learned the plot was exposed and wrote urgently to Zhu Quanzhong, claiming a secret edict to bring troops and escort the emperor. "You engineered the restoration," he wrote, "but Fengxiang got to court first and stole the credit. If you do not come at once, you will be treated as a criminal—not only will the glory go to someone else, but you will face attack!" Quanzhong received the letter. In autumn, the seventh month, on jiayin, he raced back to Daliang and mobilized his army.
66
西川龍台鎮使王宗侃等討杜從法，平之。
Wang Zongkan of Xichuan's Longtai command and others suppressed Du Congfa and restored order.
67
八月，甲申，上問韓偓曰：「聞陸扆不樂吾返正，正旦易服，乘小馬出啟夏門，有諸？」 對曰：「返正之謀，獨臣與崔胤輩數人知之，扆不知也。 一旦忽聞宮中有變，人情能不驚駭！ 易服逃避，何妨有之！ 陛下責其為宰相無死難之志則可也，至於不樂返正，恐出於讒人之口，願陛下察之。」 上乃止。 韓全誨等懼誅，謀以兵制上，乃與李繼昭、李繼誨、李彥弼、李繼筠深相結，繼昭獨不肯從。 它日，上問韓偓：「外間何所聞？」 對曰：「惟聞敕使憂懼，與功臣及繼筠交結，將致不安，亦未知其果然不耳。」 上曰：「是不虛矣。 比日繼誨、彥弼輩語漸倔強，令人難耐。 令狐渙欲令朕召崔胤及全誨等於內殿，置酒和解之，何如？」 對曰：「如此則彼凶悖益甚。」 上曰：「為之奈何？」 對曰：「獨有顯罪數人，速加竄逐，餘者許其自新，庶幾可息。 若一無所問，彼必知陛下心有所貯，益不自安，事終未了耳。」 上曰：「善！」 既而宦官自恃黨援已成，稍不遵敕旨； 上或出之使監軍，或黜守諸陵，皆不行，上無如之何。
In the eighth month, on jiashen, the emperor asked Han Wo: "I hear Lu Yi was unhappy about my restoration—on New Year's Day he changed clothes, mounted a pony, and slipped out the Qixia Gate. Is that true?" Wo replied: "Only a handful of us, including Cui Yin and myself, knew about the restoration plot. Yi was not among them. Suddenly hearing the palace had been seized—who would not panic? Changing clothes to flee would be only natural! You may blame him as a chancellor for lacking the courage to die for the throne—that is fair. But the claim that he opposed your restoration likely comes from slanderers. Please look into it." The emperor dropped the matter. Han Quanhui and his faction, fearing death, plotted to control the emperor by force. They enlisted Li Jizhao, Li Jihui, Li Yanbi, and Li Jiyun—only Jizhao refused. Another day the emperor asked Han Wo: "What are people saying outside?" Wo replied: "I hear only that the edict commissioners are frightened and allying with the meritorious officers and Jiyun—trouble may be coming, though I cannot yet be sure." The emperor said: "That is no rumor. Lately Jihui, Yanbi, and the rest have grown brazen and insufferable. Linghu Huan wants me to summon Cui Yin and Quanhui to the inner hall for a banquet and patch things up. What do you think?" Wo replied: "That would only make them bolder and more dangerous." The emperor asked: "Then what should I do?" Wo said: "Punish the ringleaders openly and banish them quickly. Let the rest reform themselves—that may calm things. If you punish no one, they will know you still bear a grudge and grow more restless—the crisis will never end." The emperor said: "Good advice!" Before long the eunuchs, confident their faction was secure, began ignoring imperial orders; when the emperor tried to post them as army supervisors or banish them to guard the imperial tombs, they simply refused—and he was powerless to stop them.
68
或告楊行密雲，錢鏐為盜所殺。 行密遣步軍都指揮使李神福等將兵取杭州，兩浙將顧全武等列八寨以拒之。
Word reached Yang Xingmi that Qian Liu had been killed by bandits. Xingmi sent infantry commander Li Shenfu to seize Hangzhou; Gu Quanwu and other Liang-Zhe generals threw up eight camps to block him.
69
九月，癸丑，上急召韓偓，謂曰：「聞全忠欲來除君側之惡，大是盡忠，然須令與茂貞共其功。 若兩帥交爭，則事危矣。 卿為我語崔胤，速飛書兩鎮，使相與合謀，則善矣。 ?比尚絎上又謂偓曰：「繼誨、彥弼輩驕橫益甚，累日前與繼筠同入，輒於殿東令小兒歌以侑酒，令人驚駭。」 對曰：「臣必知其然，茲事失之於初。 當正旦立功之時，但應以官爵、田宅、金帛酬之，不應聽其恣出入禁中。 此輩素無知識，數求入對，或妄論朝政，或僭易薦人，稍有不從，則生怨望。 況惟知嗜利，為敕使以厚利雇之，令其如此耳。 崔胤本留衛兵，欲以制敕使也，今敕使、衛兵相與為一，將若之何！ 汴兵若來，必與岐兵斗於闕下，臣竊寒心。」 上但愀然憂沮而已。
In the ninth month, on guichou, the emperor urgently summoned Han Wo. "I hear Quanzhong is coming to purge the evil at my side—that shows loyalty," he said, "but he must share the credit with Maozhen. If those two warlords clash, the throne itself is in danger. Tell Cui Yin to send urgent messages to both commands and get them to cooperate—that would be best. The emperor also told Wo: "Jihui, Yanbi, and the rest grow bolder by the day. A few days ago they came in with Jiyun and had boys sing east of the hall to entertain them over wine—it was outrageous." Wo replied: "I knew it would come to this. The mistake was made at the start. When they restored you on New Year's Day, they should have been paid off with titles, estates, and gold—not given free run of the inner palace. These men know nothing of propriety. They demand audiences, meddle in policy, push their own nominees—and resent the slightest refusal. And they care only for profit—the edict commissioners pay them well to behave this way. Cui Yin posted guard troops to control the edict commissioners—but now commissioners and guards are one faction. What can be done! If Bian troops arrive, they will fight Qi troops at the palace gates—I tremble at the thought." The emperor could only sit there, grim and helpless.
70
冬，十月，戊戌，朱全忠大舉兵發大梁。
In winter, the tenth month, on wuxu, Zhu Quanzhong marched from Daliang at the head of a massive army.
71
李神福與顧全武相拒久之，神福?窈擠蘗使出入臥內。 神福謂諸將曰：「杭兵尚強，我師且當夜還。」 杭俘走告全武，神福命勿追，暮遣羸兵先行，神福為殿，使行營都尉呂師造伏兵青山下。 全武素輕神福，出兵追之。 神福、師造夾擊，大破之，斬首五千級，生擒全武。 錢鏐聞之，驚泣曰：「喪我良將！」 神福進攻臨安，兩浙將秦昶帥眾三千降之。
Li Shenfu and Gu Quanwu had faced off for a long time. Shenfu took Hangzhou captives and had them come and go from his inner quarters—as if at ease. Shenfu told his officers: "Hangzhou's army is still strong. We should pull out tonight." A Hangzhou prisoner escaped and warned Quanwu. Shenfu ordered no pursuit. At dusk he sent his weakest troops ahead while he brought up the rear, with Lu Shizao ambushing below Qing Mountain. Quanwu had always despised Shenfu and marched out in pursuit. Shenfu and Shizao attacked from both flanks and crushed the pursuit force, claiming five thousand heads and taking Quanwu alive. When Qian Liu heard, he wept in shock: "I've lost my best general!" Shenfu pressed on to Lin'an; Qin Chang of Liang-Zhe surrendered with three thousand men.
72
韓全誨聞朱全忠將至，丁酉，令李繼誨、李彥弼等勒兵劫上，請幸鳳翔，宮禁諸門皆增兵防守，人及文書出入搜閱甚嚴。 上遣人密賜崔胤御札，言皆淒愴，末云：「我為宗社大計，勢須西行，卿等但東行也。 惆悵！ 惆悵！」 戊戌，上遣趙國夫人出語韓偓：「朝來彥弼輩無禮極甚，欲召卿對，其勢未可。」 且言：「上與皇后但涕泣相同。」 自是，學士不復得對矣。 癸卯，全誨等令上入閣召百官，迫寢正月丙午敕書，悉如咸通以來近例。 是日，開延英，全誨等即侍側，同議政事。 丁未，神策都指揮使李繼筠遣部兵掠內庫寶貨、帷帳、法物，韓全誨遣人密送諸王、宮人先之鳳翔。 戊申，朱全忠至河中，表請車駕幸東都，京城大駭，士民亡竄山谷。 是日，百官皆不入朝，闕前寂無人。
Learning Zhu Quanzhong was coming, Han Quanhui on dingyou had Li Jihui, Li Yanbi, and others seize the emperor at swordpoint and demand he go to Fengxiang. Every palace gate was reinforced, and people and documents were searched on entry and exit. The emperor secretly sent Cui Yin an imperial letter, every line full of grief. It ended: "For the dynasty's sake I must go west. You should go east. Alas! Alas!" On wuxu the emperor sent the Lady of Zhao to tell Han Wo: "Yanbi and his friends were insufferably rude this morning. I wanted to summon you, but it is not safe." She added: "The emperor and empress do nothing but weep together." After that, Hanlin academicians were never again admitted to audience. On guimao Quanhui forced the emperor into the pavilion to summon officials and set aside the bingwu edict from the first month, restoring eunuch power to what it had been since the Xiantong era. That day the Yanying Hall opened for business—with Quanhui and his allies at the emperor's side, jointly deciding policy. On dingwei Li Jiyun looted the inner treasury of treasures, hangings, and ritual objects while Quanhui secretly sent the princes and palace women ahead to Fengxiang. On wushen Zhu Quanzhong reached Hezhong and petitioned for the emperor to come to the Eastern Capital. Panic swept the capital as officials and commoners fled into the hills. That day no official came to court—the palace gates stood empty and silent.
73
十一月，己酉朔，李繼筠等勒兵闕下，禁人出入，諸軍大掠。 士民衣紙及布襦者，滿街極目。 韓建以幕僚司馬鄴知匡國留後。 朱全忠引四鎮兵七萬趣同州，鄴迎降。
In the eleventh month, on the first day, Li Jiyun posted troops at the palace gates and sealed the city while the armies plundered at will. The streets were full of people clad in paper and coarse cloth—the looters had stripped them bare. Han Jian made staff officer Sima Ye acting commissioner of Kuangguo. Zhu Quanzhong marched seventy thousand men from his four commands toward Tong Prefecture; Ye surrendered at once.
74
韓全誨等以李繼昭不與之同，遏絕不令見上。 時崔胤居第在開化坊，繼昭帥所部六十餘人及關東諸道兵在京師者共守衛之。 百官及士民避亂者，皆往依之。 庚戌，上遣供奉官張紹孫召百官，崔胤等皆表辭不至。 壬子，韓全誨等陳兵殿前，言於上曰：「全忠以大兵逼京師，欲劫天子幸洛陽，求傳禪。 臣等請奉陛下幸鳳翔，收兵拒之。 「上不許，杖劍登乞巧樓。 全誨等逼上下樓，上行才及壽春殿，李彥弼已於御院縱火。 是日冬至，上獨坐思政殿，翹一足，一足蹋欄干，庭無群臣，旁無侍者。 頃之，不得已，與皇后、妃嬪、諸王百餘人皆上馬，慟哭聲不絕，出門，回顧禁中，火已赫然。 是夕，宿鄠縣。
Because Li Jizhao refused to join them, Quanhui's faction cut him off from the emperor entirely. Cui Yin lived in Kaihua Ward. Jizhao posted his sixty-odd men plus Guandong troops stationed in the capital to guard the residence. Officials and civilians fleeing the chaos all took refuge there. On gengxu the emperor sent Zhang Shaosun to summon the officials. Cui Yin and the others all sent excuses and stayed away. On renzi Quanhui arrayed troops before the throne and told the emperor: "Quanzhong is marching on the capital with a huge army. He means to seize you, take you to Luoyang, and force your abdication. We beg you to come with us to Fengxiang, where we can gather troops and resist him. The emperor refused. Sword in hand, he climbed the Qiqiao Tower. Quanhui's men forced him down. He had barely reached the Shouchun Hall when Yanbi set fire to the imperial courtyard. It was the winter solstice. The emperor sat alone in the Sizheng Hall, one foot on the rail, the courtyard empty of officials, no attendants at his side. Soon, with no choice left, he mounted with the empress, consorts, and more than a hundred princes, weeping all the way. At the gate he looked back—the palace was already in flames. That night they stopped at E County.
75
朱全忠遣司馬鄴入華州，謂韓建曰：「公不早知過自歸，又煩此軍少留城下矣。」 是日，全忠自故市引兵南渡渭，韓建遣節度副使李巨川請降，獻銀三萬兩助軍，全忠乃西南趣赤水。
Zhu Quanzhong sent Sima Ye to Han Jian at Hua Prefecture: "If you had surrendered sooner, my army would not have had to camp at your gates." That day Quanzhong crossed the Wei south of Gushi. Han Jian sent Li Juchuan to surrender with thirty thousand taels of silver for the army, and Quanzhong marched southwest toward Chishui.
76
癸丑，李茂貞迎車駕於田家磑，上下馬慰接之。 甲寅，車駕至盩厔； 乙卯，留一日。
On guichou Li Maozhen met the imperial procession at Tianjia Mill, dismounting to greet the emperor with words of comfort. On jiayin the procession reached Zhouzhi; on yimao they rested a day.
77
朱全忠至零口西，聞車駕西幸，與僚佐議，復引兵還赤水。 左僕射至仕張濬說全忠曰：「韓建，茂貞之黨，不先取之，必為後患。 ?比□椅漚擫斜砣疤熳有曳鏘瓔乃引兵逼其城。 建單騎迎謁，全忠責之，對曰：「建目不知書，凡表章書檄，皆李巨川所為。」 全忠以巨川常為建畫策，斬之軍門。 謂建曰：「公許人，可即往衣錦。」 丁巳，以建為忠武節度使，理陳州，以兵援送之； 以前商州刺史李存權知華州，徙忠武節度使趙珝為匡國節度使。 車駕之在華州也，商賈輻湊，韓建重征之，二年，得錢九百萬緡。 至是，全忠盡取之。
Zhu Quanzhong reached west of Lingkou. Learning the emperor had fled west, he consulted his staff and turned back toward Chishui. The retired Left Vice Director Zhang Jun urged Quanzhong: "Han Jian is Maozhen's ally. Take him now or he will trouble you later. Quanzhong then led his army straight to the city walls. Jian rode out alone to greet him. Quanzhong rebuked him. Jian replied: "I cannot read or write—Li Juchuan drafted every document in my name." Quanzhong had Juchuan beheaded at the army gate for drafting Jian's policies. He told Jian: "You gave your word. Go home in glory." On dingsi Jian was made military commissioner of Zhongwu at Chen Prefecture and escorted there under guard; Li Cunquan, former governor of Shang Prefecture, took Hua Prefecture, and Zhao Xu was moved from Zhongwu to Kuangguo. While the emperor was at Hua Prefecture, merchants flocked there. Han Jian taxed them heavily and in two years amassed nine million strings of cash. Quanzhong seized every coin of it.
78
是時京師無天子，行在無宰相，崔胤使太子太師盧渥等二百餘人列狀請朱全忠西迎車駕，又使王溥至赤水見全忠計事。 全忠復書曰：「進則懼脅君之謗，退則懷負國之慚，然不敢不勉。」 戊午，全忠發赤水。
The capital had no emperor and the traveling court no chancellor. Cui Yin had Lu Wo and more than two hundred officials petition Quanzhong to escort the emperor back, and sent Wang Pu to Chishui to confer with him. Quanzhong wrote back: "If I advance, I will be accused of coercing the throne; if I hold back, I will be shamed as a traitor. Still, I dare not fail to act." On wuwu Quanzhong marched out from Chishui.
79
辛酉，以兵部侍郎盧光啟權句當中書事。 車駕留岐山三日，壬戌，至鳳翔。
On xinyou Lu Guangqi, Vice Minister of War, was put in charge of the Chancellery. The procession rested three days at Qishan, then on renxu reached Fengxiang.
80
朱全忠至長安，宰相帥百官班迎於長樂坡。 明日行，復班辭於臨皋驛。 全忠賞李繼昭之功，初令權知匡國留後，復留為兩街制置使，賜與甚厚，繼昭盡獻其兵八千人。 全忠使判官李擇、裴鑄入奏事，稱：「奉密詔及得崔胤書，令臣將兵入朝。」 韓全誨等矯詔答以：「朕避災至此，非宦官所劫，密詔皆崔胤詐為之，卿宜斂兵歸保土宇。」 茂貞遣其將符道昭屯武功以拒全忠，癸亥，全忠將康懷貞擊破之。
Zhu Quanzhong reached Chang'an, where the chancellors led the officials in formal welcome at Changle Slope. The next day, as he departed, they formed ranks again to bid farewell at Lingao Post. Quanzhong rewarded Jizhao, first making him acting commissioner of Kuangguo, then keeping him as commissioner for the Two Streets with lavish gifts. Jizhao turned over all eight thousand of his men. Quanzhong sent Li Ze and Pei Zhu to report to the throne: "By secret edict and Cui Yin's letter, I was ordered to bring troops to court." Quanhui forged a reply: "We came here to escape disaster—not because eunuchs seized us. Yin's secret edicts are forgeries. Withdraw your troops and go home." Maozhen posted Fu Daozhao at Wugong to block Quanzhong. On guihai Kang Huaizhen routed him.
81
丁卯，以盧光啟為右諫議大夫，參知機務。
On dingmao Lu Guangqi was made Right Remonstrance Censor and given a voice in confidential state affairs.
82
戊辰，朱全忠至鳳翔，軍於城東。 李茂貞登城謂曰：「天子避災，非臣下無禮，讒人誤公至此。」 全忠報曰：「韓全誨劫遷天子，今來問罪，迎扈還宮。 岐王苟不預謀，何煩陳諭！」 上屢詔全忠還鎮，全忠乃拜表奉辭。 辛未，移兵北趣邠州。
On wuchen Zhu Quanzhong reached Fengxiang and encamped east of the walls. Maozhen mounted the wall and called out: "The emperor came here to escape disaster. My men were not disrespectful—slanderers misled you." Quanzhong replied: "Han Quanhui kidnapped the emperor. I have come to punish him and escort the throne home. If you had no part in this, why bother explaining yourself!" The emperor repeatedly ordered Quanzhong back to his post. Quanzhong submitted a formal farewell memorial. On xinwei he marched north toward Bin Prefecture.
83
甲戌，制：守司空兼門下侍郎、同平章事崔胤責授工部尚書，戶部侍郎、同平章事裴樞罷守本官。
On jiaxu an edict demoted Cui Yin from Grand Councilor to Minister of Works and stripped Pei Shu of the Grand Councilor title, leaving him Vice Minister of Revenue.
84
乙亥，朱全忠攻邠州。 丁丑，靜難節度使李繼徽請降，復姓名楊崇本。 全忠質其妻於河中，令崇本仍鎮邠州。 全忠之西入關也，韓全誨、李茂貞以詔命徵兵河東，茂貞仍以書求援於李克用。 克用遣李嗣昭將五千騎自沁州趣晉州，與汴兵戰於平陽北，破之。 乙亥，全忠發邠州。 戊寅，次三原。 十二月，癸未，崔胤至三原見全忠，趣之迎駕。 乙丑，全忠遣朱友寧攻盩厔，不下。 戊戌，全忠自往督戰，盩厔降，屠之。 全忠令崔胤帥百官及京城居民悉遷於華州。 詔以裴贄充大明宮留守。
On yihai Zhu Quanzhong attacked Bin Prefecture. On dingchou Jingnan commissioner Li Jihui surrendered and had his original name Yang Chongben restored. Quanzhong kept Chongben's wife hostage at Hezhong and let him remain at Bin Prefecture. When Quanzhong entered the passes, Quanhui and Maozhen issued edicts summoning Hedong troops, and Maozhen wrote Li Keyong begging for help. Keyong sent Li Sizhao with five thousand cavalry from Qin Prefecture toward Jin Prefecture and routed Bian forces north of Pingyang. On yihai Quanzhong marched out from Bin Prefecture. On wuyin he halted at Sanyuan. In the twelfth month, on guiwei, Cui Yin met Quanzhong at Sanyuan and pressed him to escort the emperor back. On yichou Quanzhong sent Zhu Youning against Zhouzhi, but the city held. On wuxu Quanzhong personally directed the assault. Zhouzhi surrendered and was slaughtered. Quanzhong ordered Cui Yin to move all officials and capital residents to Hua Prefecture. Pei Zan was appointed custodian of the Daming Palace.
85
清海節度使徐彥若薨，遺表薦行軍司馬劉隱權留後。
Xu Yanruo, military commissioner of Qinghai, died and recommended campaign secretary Liu Yin as acting commissioner in his final memorial.
86
李神福知錢鏐定不死，而臨安城堅，久攻不拔，欲歸，恐為鏐所邀，乃遣人守衛鏐祖考丘壟，禁樵采，又使顧全武通家信。 鏐遣使謝之。 神福於要路多張旗幟為虛寨，鏐以為淮南兵大至，遂請和。 神福受其犒賂而還。
Shenfu learned Qian Liu was alive and that Lin'an's walls were too strong to take. Wanting to withdraw but fearing ambush, he posted guards at the Qian family tombs, forbade woodcutting nearby, and let Gu Quanwu write home. Qian Liu sent envoys to thank him. Shenfu planted dummy camps with banners along the main roads. Qian Liu thought a massive Huainan army had arrived and sued for peace. Shenfu took the tribute offered and marched home.
87
朱全忠之入關也，戎昭節度使馮行襲遣副使魯崇矩聽命於全忠。 韓全誨遣中使二十餘人分道征江、淮兵屯金州，以脅全忠，行襲盡殺中使，收其詔敕送全忠。 又遣中使徵兵於王建，朱全忠亦遣使乞師於建。 建外修好於全忠，罪狀李茂貞，而陰勸茂貞堅守，許之救援。 以武信節度使王宗佶、前東川節度使王宗滌等為扈駕指揮使，將兵五萬，聲言迎軍駕，其實襲茂貞山南諸州。
When Quanzhong entered the passes, Rongzhao commissioner Feng Xingxi sent Lu Chongju to place himself under Quanzhong's command. Quanhui sent more than twenty palace commissioners to summon Jiang-Huai troops to Jin Prefecture to threaten Quanzhong. Xingxi killed every commissioner, seized their edicts, and sent them to Quanzhong. Palace commissioners were also sent to summon Wang Jian's troops—and Quanzhong sent envoys requesting reinforcements from him as well. Wang Jian openly courted Quanzhong and denounced Maozhen, but secretly urged Maozhen to hold out and promised to send help. Wang Jian named Wang Zongji of Wuxin and Wang Zongdi of Dongchuan escort commanders and sent fifty thousand men—claiming to welcome the emperor but actually raiding Maozhen's southern prefectures.
88
江西節度使鍾傳將兵圍撫州刺史危全諷，天火燒其城，士民歡驚。 諸將請急攻之，傳曰：「乘人之危，非仁也。」 乃祝曰：「全諷之罪，無為害民。」 火尋止。 全諷聞之，謝罪聽命，以女妻傳子匡時。 傳少時嘗獵，醉遇虎，與鬥，虎搏其肩，而傳亦持虎腰不置。 旁人共殺虎，乃得免。 既貴，悔之，常戒諸子曰：「士處世貴智謀，勿效吾暴虎也。」
Jiangxi commissioner Zhong Chuan besieged Fu Prefecture governor Wei Quanfeng when a fire from heaven broke out in the city, throwing officials and commoners into panic. His generals urged an immediate assault. Chuan said: "Striking a man when he is down is not humane." He prayed instead: "Let Quanfeng's guilt not harm the people." The fire soon died out. Quanfeng heard of this, submitted in apology, and gave his daughter to Chuan's son Kuangshi in marriage. In his youth Chuan went hunting drunk, met a tiger, and fought it. The tiger clawed his shoulder, but Chuan grabbed its midsection and would not let go. Others killed the tiger and saved him. After he rose to power he regretted it and often warned his sons: "A gentleman succeeds by wit and strategy—do not imitate my bare-handed fight with a tiger."
89
武貞節度使雷滿薨，子彥威自稱留後。」」」」」
Lei Man, military commissioner of Wuzhen, died; his son Yanwei declared himself acting commissioner.”””””