1
資治通鑑第266卷
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 266
2
【後梁紀一】起強圉單閼，盡著雍執徐七月，凡一年有奇。
[Later Liang Annals, Part 1] The record runs from the year Qiangsi-Danchi through the seventh month of Zhuoyong-Zhixu—a span of just over one year.
3
春，正月，辛巳，梁王休兵於貝州。
In spring, during the first month, on the day Xinsi, the Prince of Liang gave his army a rest at Beizhou.
4
淮南節度使兼侍中、東面諸道行營都統弘農郡王楊渥既得江西，驕侈益甚，謂節度判官周隱曰：「君賣人國家，何面復相見！」 遂殺之。 由是將佐皆不自安。
Yang Wo, military governor of Huainan, who also held the titles of Palace Attendant and supreme commander of the eastern circuits and was Prince of Hongnong, had recently secured Jiangxi and grew still more arrogant and dissolute. He said to his military judge Zhou Yin, "You sold out someone else's kingdom—how can you bear to face me again?" With that he had him executed. After this, none of his commanders and staff felt safe in their posts.
5
黑雲都指揮使呂師周與副指揮使綦章將兵屯上高，師周與湖南戰，屢有功，渥忌之。 師周懼，謀於綦章曰：「馬公寬厚，吾欲逃死焉，可乎？」 章曰：「茲事君自圖之，吾舌可斷，不敢洩！」 師周遂奔湖南，章縱其孥，使逸去。 師周，揚州人也。
Lü Shizhou, commander of the Black Cloud Corps, and his deputy Qi Zhang were encamped at Shanggao. Shizhou fought Hunan several times with repeated success, which made Wo envious. Fearing for his life, Shizhou confided in Zhang: "Lord Ma is magnanimous. I mean to flee to Hunan to escape death—do you think I can?" Zhang replied, "That is for you to decide. They may cut out my tongue, but I will never give you away!" Shizhou then defected to Hunan. Zhang set his family free and allowed them to flee. Shizhou was from Yangzhou.
6
渥居喪，晝夜酣飲作樂，然十圍之燭以擊球，一燭費錢數萬。 或單騎出遊，從者奔走道路，不知所之。 左、右牙指揮使張顥、徐溫泣諫，渥怒曰：「汝謂我不才，何不殺我自為之！」 二人懼。 渥選壯士，號「東院馬軍」，廣署親信為將吏； 所署者恃勢驕橫，陵蔑勳舊。 顥、溫潛謀作亂。 渥父行密之世，有親軍數千，營於牙城之內，渥遷出於外，以其地為射場，顥、溫由是無所憚。 渥之鎮宣州也，命指揮使朱思勍、范思從、陳璠將親兵三千； 及嗣位，召歸廣陵。 顥、溫使三將從秦裴擊江西，因戍洪州，誣以謀叛，命別將陳祐往誅之。 祐間道兼行，六日至洪州，微服懷短兵徑入秦裴帳中，裴大驚，祐告之故，乃召思勍等飲酒，祐數思勍等罪，執而斬之。 渥聞三將死，益忌顥、溫，欲誅之。 丙戍，渥晨視事，顥、溫帥牙兵二百，露刃直入庭中，渥曰：「爾思欲殺我邪？」 對曰，「非敢然也，欲誅王左右亂政者耳！」 因數渥所親信十餘人之罪，曳下，以鐵□擊殺之，謂之「兵諫」。 諸將不與之同者，顥、溫稍以法誅之，於是軍政悉歸二人，渥不能制。
Even while in mourning, Wo spent his days and nights in drunken revelry, lighting polo matches with candles ten arm-spans thick—each candle costing tens of thousands of cash. At times he would ride out alone, his escorts dashing along the roads with no idea of his destination. Zhang Hao and Xu Wen, commanders of the left and right guards, pleaded with him in tears. Wo flew into a rage: "You think me incompetent—why not kill me and rule in my stead?" The two men were terrified. Wo picked out strong soldiers, formed them into the "Eastern Courtyard Horse Army," and appointed many favorites as officers; those appointees abused their authority, swaggered over the veteran commanders, and treated the old guard with contempt. Zhang Hao and Xu Wen secretly plotted a coup. Under Wo's father Yang Xingmi, several thousand personal guards had been housed inside the yamen citadel. Wo relocated them and turned the site into an archery ground, which left Zhang Hao and Xu Wen free to act without restraint. When Wo governed Xuanzhou, he had ordered the commanders Zhu Sinan, Fan Sicong, and Chen Fan to lead three thousand personal troops; When he succeeded to power, he recalled them to Guangling. Zhang Hao and Xu Wen sent the three commanders with Qin Pei to campaign in Jiangxi, then kept them as a garrison at Hongzhou, falsely accused them of treason, and dispatched another officer, Chen You, to put them to death. You took secret paths in a forced march and reached Hongzhou in six days. Dressed as a commoner and carrying a concealed blade, he entered Qin Pei's tent directly. Pei was stunned; You explained his mission, then called Sinan and the others to a drinking session, recited their alleged crimes, and had them seized and executed. Learning that the three commanders were dead, Wo became still more wary of Zhang Hao and Xu Wen and resolved to kill them. On the day Bingxu, Wo was holding morning audience when Zhang Hao and Xu Wen led two hundred guardsmen with naked swords straight into the courtyard. Wo cried, "Do you intend to kill me?" They replied, "We would never dare—we mean only to kill the favorites around you who are wrecking the government!" They then recited the offenses of more than a dozen of Wo's confidants, hauled them down, and clubbed them to death with iron maces in what they termed a "military remonstrance." Officers who would not join them were eliminated one by one on legal pretexts, until military and civil power belonged entirely to the two men and Wo could no longer restrain them.
7
初，梁王以河北諸鎮皆服，唯幽、滄未下，故大舉伐之，欲以堅諸鎮之心，既而潞州內叛，王燒營而還，威望大沮。 恐中外因此離心，欲速受禪以鎮之。 丁亥，王入館於魏，有疾，臥府中，魏博節度使羅紹威恐王襲之，入見王曰：「今四方稱兵為王患者，皆以翼戴唐室為名，王不如早滅唐以絕人望。」 王雖不許而心德之，乃亟歸。 壬寅，至大梁。 甲辰，唐昭宣帝遣御史大夫薛貽矩至大梁勞王，貽矩請以臣禮見，王揖之升階，貽矩曰：「殿下功德在人，三靈改卜，皇帝方行舜、禹之事，臣安敢違！」 乃北面拜舞於庭。 王側身避之。 貽矩還，言於帝曰：「元帥有受禪之意矣！」 帝乃下詔，以二月禪位於梁，又遣宰相以書諭王； 王辭。
Earlier the Prince of Liang had brought the Hebei circuits to heel; only Youzhou and Cangzhou still held out, so he mounted a major expedition to steady the other circuits. Then Lu Prefecture rebelled from within, he burned his camps and withdrew, and his prestige collapsed. Fearing that court and provinces alike would lose heart over this, he wanted to accept the throne quickly to steady the realm. On the day Dinghai the Prince lodged at Wei. Ill, he lay in the commandery mansion. Luo Shaowei, military governor of Weibo, fearing the Prince meant to seize his domain, came to see him and said, "All who raise armies against you do so claiming loyalty to the Tang. You would do well to end the Tang soon and destroy their pretext." The Prince did not consent, yet he was inwardly obliged and hastened home. On the day Renyin he arrived at Daliang. On the day Jiachen, Emperor Zhaoxuan of Tang sent Censor-in-Chief Xue Yiju to Daliang to congratulate the Prince. Yiju asked to greet him with the ceremony due a subject; the Prince bowed him up the steps. Yiju said, "Your Highness's merit fills the hearts of the people; Heaven has shifted its mandate. The Son of Heaven is about to yield as Shun and Yu did—how could I presume to stand on ceremony?" He then turned north in the courtyard, kowtowed, and performed the ritual dance. The Prince stepped aside to avoid receiving it. On his return Yiju told the Emperor, "The Marshal is already set on taking the throne!" The Emperor thereupon issued an edict to abdicate to Liang in the second month and sent the chancellor with a written summons to the Prince; the Prince refused.
8
河東兵猶屯長孑，欲窺澤州。 王命保平節度使康懷貞悉發京兆，同華之兵屯晉州以備之。
The Hedong army remained encamped at Changzi, watching for a chance against Ze Prefecture. The Prince ordered Kang Huaizhen, military governor of Baoping, to mobilize every soldier from Jingzhao, Tong, and Hua and post them at Jin Prefecture on guard.
9
二月，唐大臣共奏請昭宣帝遜位。 壬子，詔宰相帥百官箋詣元帥府勸進，王遣使卻之。 於是朝臣、籓鎮，乃至湖南、嶺南上箋勸進者相繼。
In the second month, Tang ministers jointly submitted a memorial urging Emperor Zhaoxuan to abdicate. On the day Renzi an edict directed the chancellor to lead the bureaucracy in a formal petition to the Marshal's residence urging his accession; the Prince sent a messenger to refuse. Soon courtiers, provincial governors, and even envoys from Hunan and Lingnan were sending one petition after another urging him to take the throne.
10
三月，癸未，王以亳州刺史李思安為北路行軍都統，將兵擊幽州。
In the third month, on the day Guiwei, the Prince named Li Si'an, military governor of Bozhou, supreme commander of the northern expedition and sent him against Youzhou.
11
庚寅，唐昭宣帝詔薛貽矩再詣大梁諭禪位之意，又詔禮部尚書蘇循繼百官詣大梁。
On the day Gengyin, Emperor Zhaoxuan ordered Xue Yiju to Daliang again to convey the terms of abdication, and ordered Minister of Rites Su Xun to accompany the full bureaucracy to Daliang.
12
鎮海、鎮東節度使吳王錢鏐遣其子傳鐐、傳瓘討盧佶於溫州。
Qian Liu, Prince of Wu and military governor of Zhenhai and Zhendong, sent his sons Chuanliao and Chuanjin to attack Lu Zhe at Wenzhou.
13
甲辰，唐昭宣帝降御札禪位於梁。 以攝中書令張文蔚為冊禮使，禮部尚書蘇循副之； 攝侍中楊涉為押傳國寶使，翰林學士張策副之； 御史大夫薛貽矩為押金寶使，尚書左丞趙光逢副之； 帥百官備法駕詣大梁。 楊涉子直史館凝式言於涉曰：「大人為唐宰相，而國家至此，不可謂之無過。 況手持天子璽綬與人，雖保富貴，奈千載何！ 盍辭之！」 涉大駭曰：「汝滅吾族！」 神色為之不寧者數日。 策，敦煌人。 光逢，隱之子也。
On the day Jiachen, Emperor Zhaoxuan issued a personal edict in his own hand abdicating to Liang. He appointed Zhang Wenwei, acting Zhongshu Ling, chief envoy for the investiture rites, with Minister of Rites Su Xun as deputy; Yang She, acting Palace Attendant, envoy to convey the imperial seal, with Hanlin Academician Zhang Ce as deputy; Xue Yiju, Censor-in-Chief, envoy to escort the regalia, with Vice Director of the Left Secretariat Zhao Guangfeng as deputy; and they were to lead the full bureaucracy with the complete imperial procession to Daliang. Yang She's son Ningshi, who headed the Historiography Office, told his father, "You served as a Tang chancellor, and the dynasty has come to this—you cannot claim you bear no blame. And now you are to carry the Son of Heaven's seal and investiture regalia to another man. You may keep your riches and rank, but what will history say of you? Why not decline the mission?" She was horrified and cried, "You will destroy our whole family!" For days his face showed nothing but agitation. Zhang Ce was from Dunhuang. Zhao Guangfeng was the son of Yin.
14
盧龍節度使劉仁恭，驕侈貪暴，常慮幽州城不固，築館於大安山，曰：「此山四面懸絕，可以少制眾。」 其棟宇壯麗，擬於帝者。 選美女實其中。 與方士煉丹藥，求不死。 悉斂境內錢，瘞於山顛； 令民間用堇泥為錢。 又禁江南茶商無得入境，自采山中草木為茶，鬻之。
Liu Rengong, military governor of Lulong, was arrogant, extravagant, greedy, and brutal. Uneasy about the defenses of Youzhou, he built a palace on Mount Da'an, saying, "These cliffs drop away on every side—a handful of men can hold off a multitude." Its halls were built on an imperial scale. He stocked them with beautiful women. He worked with Daoist adepts refining elixirs in search of immortality. He seized every coin in his territory and buried it on the summit; and ordered the common people to use lumps of clay as currency. He barred Jiangnan tea merchants from his domain, harvested wild plants from the mountains, and sold the brew himself.
15
仁恭有愛妾羅氏，其子守光通焉。 仁恭杖守光而斥之，不以為子數。 李思安引兵入其境，所過焚蕩無餘。 夏，四月，己酉，直抵幽州城下。 仁恭猶在大安山。 城中無備，幾至不守。 守光自外引兵入，登城拒守； 又出兵與思安戰，思安敗退。 守光遂自稱節度使，命部將李小喜、元行欽將兵攻大安山。 仁恭遣兵拒戰，為小喜所敗。 虜仁恭以歸，囚於別室。 仁恭將佐及左右，凡守光素所惡者皆殺之。 銀胡□錄都指揮使王思同帥部兵三千，山後八安巡檢使李承約帥部兵二千奔河東，守光弟守奇奔契丹，未幾，亦奔河東，河東節度使晉王克用以承約為匡霸指揮使，思同為飛騰指揮使。 思同母，仁恭之女也。
Rengong kept a favorite concubine, Lady Luo, with whom his son Shouguang had an affair. Rengong thrashed Shouguang and cast him out, disowning him. Li Si'an invaded his territory and left nothing standing wherever his columns passed. In summer, in the fourth month, on the day Jiyou, he marched straight to the walls of Youzhou. Rengong was still on Mount Da'an. The city was undefended and nearly fell. Shouguang brought troops in from outside, climbed the walls, and organized the defense; then sent a sortie against Si'an, who was beaten back. Shouguang thereupon proclaimed himself military governor and ordered his officers Li Xiaoxi and Yuan Xingqin to march on Mount Da'an. Rengong sent troops to meet them and was routed by Xiaoxi. They seized Rengong, brought him back, and locked him in a side chamber. Every aide and attendant Rengong had relied on—anyone Shouguang had long despised—was put to death. Wang Sitong, commander of the Yinhu Lu regiment, led three thousand of his men; Li Chengyue, Ba'an inspector of the Shanhou region, led two thousand of his—and both fled to Hedong. Shouguang's brother Shouqi fled to the Khitan, then soon followed them to Hedong. Li Keyong, Prince of Jin and military governor of Hedong, appointed Chengyue commander of Kuangba and Sitong commander of Feiteng. Sitong's mother was Rengong's daughter.
16
庚戌，梁王始御金祥殿，受百官稱臣，下書稱教令，自稱曰寡人。 辛亥，令諸箋、表、簿、籍皆去唐年號，但稱月、日。 丙辰，張文蔚等至大梁。
On the day Gengxu the Prince of Liang first occupied the Jinxiang Hall, received the officials' homage as their sovereign, issued orders styled as imperial edicts, and called himself "I, of little virtue." On the day Xinhai he decreed that every memorial, report, ledger, and register drop the Tang reign era and mark only month and day. On the day Bingchen, Zhang Wenwei and his party arrived at Daliang.
17
盧佶聞錢傳鐐等將至，將水軍拒之於青澳。 錢傳瓘曰：「佶之精兵盡在於此，不可與戰。」 乃自安固捨舟，間道襲溫州。 戊午，溫州潰，擒佶斬之。 吳王鏐以都監使吳璋為溫州制置使，命傳瓘等移兵討盧約於處州。
Hearing that Qian Chuanliao was on his way, Lu Zhe took the fleet to intercept him at Qing'ao. Qian Chuanjin said, "Zhe has committed his best troops here—we must not engage them." He abandoned the boats at Angu, struck overland by secret routes, and stormed Wenzhou. On the day Wuwu the city fell; they seized Zhe and executed him. Prince of Wu Qian Liu installed Wu Zhang as commissioner over Wenzhou and ordered Chuanjin and the rest to shift their campaign against Lu Yue at Chuzhou.
18
壬戌，梁王更名晃。 王兄全昱聞王將即帝位，謂王曰：「朱三，爾可作天子乎！」
On the day Renxu the Prince of Liang changed his name to Huang. His elder brother Quanxu, learning that he was about to take the throne, said to him, "Zhu the Third—do you honestly think you can be Son of Heaven?"
19
甲子，張文蔚、楊涉乘輅自上源驛從冊寶，諸司各備儀衛鹵簿前導，百官從其後，至金祥殿前陳之。 王被兗冕，即皇帝位。 張文蔚、蘇循奉冊升殿進讀，楊涉、張策、薛貽矩、趙光逢以次奉寶升殿，讀已，降，帥百官舞蹈稱賀。 帝遂與文蔚等宴於玄德殿。 帝舉酒曰：「朕輔政未久，此皆諸公推戴之力。」 文蔚等皆慚懼，俯伏不能對，獨蘇循、薛貽矩及刑部尚書張禕盛稱帝功德宜應天順人。 帝復與宗戚飲博於宮中，酒酣，朱全昱忽以投瓊擊盆中迸散，睨帝曰：「朱三，汝本碭山一民也，從黃巢為盜，天子用汝為四鎮節度使，富貴極矣！ 奈何一旦滅唐家三百年社稷，自稱帝王！ 行當族滅，奚以博為！」 帝不懌而罷。 乙丑，命有司告天地、宗廟、社稷。 丁卯，遣使宣諭州、鎮。 戊辰，大赦，改元，國號大梁。 奉唐昭宣帝為濟陰王，皆如前代故事，唐中外舊臣官爵並如故。 以汴州為開封府，命曰東都； 以故東都為西都； 廢故西京，以京兆府為大安府，置佑國軍於大安府，更名魏博曰天雄軍。 遷濟陰王於曹州，栫之以棘，使甲士守之。
On the day Jiazi, Zhang Wenwei and Yang She rode in the imperial carriage from Shangyuan Station bearing the regalia of investiture; every bureau mustered its ceremonial guards and insignia to go before them, the officials following, until they reached the Jinxiang Hall and set everything in place. The Prince put on the imperial cap and robes and took the throne. Zhang Wenwei and Su Xun carried the investiture scroll up the hall and read it aloud; Yang She, Zhang Ce, Xue Yiju, and Zhao Guangfeng followed with the imperial treasures. When the rites were done they came down and led the officials in the congratulatory prostration. The new emperor then banqueted Wenwei and the others in the Xuande Hall. Raising his cup, the Emperor said, "I have governed only briefly; this is entirely your doing in pressing me forward." Wenwei and the rest were mortified and dumb, prostrate and speechless; only Su Xun, Xue Yiju, and Minister of Justice Zhang Yi loudly proclaimed that his merit matched Heaven and accorded with the people's will. The Emperor went on drinking and dicing with his kinsmen inside the palace. Deep in his cups, Quanxu suddenly flung his gambling counter, smashed the dish, and glared at him: "Zhu the Third, you were a peasant from Dangshan who ran with Huang Chao as a bandit. The Tang Son of Heaven made you governor of four circuits—you had wealth and honor enough! Why in one morning destroy the Tang altars of three hundred years and style yourself emperor? Your whole clan will be wiped out—what do you have left to wager?" The Emperor took offense and broke up the party. On the day Yichou he ordered the rites announced to Heaven, Earth, the imperial ancestors, and the state altars. On the day Dingmao he dispatched envoys to notify every prefecture and circuit. On the day Wuchen he declared a general amnesty, adopted a new reign era, and named the dynasty Great Liang. Emperor Zhaoxuan of Tang was styled Prince of Jiyin under the old dynastic precedents, and Tang officials at court and in the provinces retained their former ranks. Bianzhou became Kaifeng Prefecture and was named the Eastern Capital; the old Eastern Capital was redesignated the Western Capital; the former Western Capital was abolished; Jingzhao became Da'an Prefecture with the Youguo Army garrisoned there; and Weibo was retitled the Tianxiong Army. The deposed Tang ruler was transferred to Caozhou, penned in with thorn hedges, and watched by armed guards.
20
辛未，以武安節度使馬殷為楚王。
On the day Xinwei, Ma Yin, military governor of Wuan, was created Prince of Chu.
21
以宣武掌書記、太府卿敬翔知崇政院事，以備顧問，參謀議，於禁中承上旨，宣於宰相而行之。 宰相非進對時有所奏請及已受旨應復請者，皆具記事因崇政院以聞，得旨則復宣於宰相。 翔為人沉深，有智略，在幕府三十餘年，軍謀、民政，帝一以委之。 翔盡心勤勞，晝夜不寐，自言惟馬上乃得休息，帝性暴戾難近，人莫能測，惟翔能識其意趣。 或有所不可，翔未嘗顯言，但微示持疑； 帝意已悟，多為之改易。 禪代之際，翔謀居多。
Jing Xiang, chief clerk of Xuanwu and Grand Steward of the Imperial Treasury, was named director of the Chongzheng Court to counsel the throne; inside the palace he took the Emperor's orders and transmitted them to the chancellors for action. Whenever chancellors not in direct audience needed to submit business—or needed to confirm an order already received—they recorded it and sent it through the Chongzheng Court; once approved, the director relayed the decision back to them. Xiang was grave, shrewd, and far-sighted; for over thirty years in the Prince's service every military and civil matter passed through his hands. He drove himself without sleep, claiming he could rest only in the saddle. The Emperor was savage and unpredictable; no one else could read him—only Xiang knew what he meant. When the Emperor erred, Xiang never rebuked him openly but hinted his misgivings; the Emperor usually grasped the hint and altered course. During the transfer of the mandate, Xiang's counsel weighed most heavily.
22
追尊皇高祖考、妣以來皆為帝、後，皇考誠為烈祖文穆皇帝。 妣王氏為文惠皇后。
He raised his ancestors from the great-grandfather down to imperial rank; his father was canonized as Emperor Liezu Wenmu. His mother, Lady Wang, became Empress Wenhui.
23
初，帝為四鎮節度使，凡倉庫之籍，置建昌院以領之； 至是，以養子宣武節度副使友文為開封尹、判院事，掌凡國之金谷。 友文本康氏之子也。
When he still governed four circuits, every warehouse ledger had been run through the Jianchang Court; now his adopted son Youwen, deputy governor of Xuanwu, was named prefect of Kaifeng and director of the court, controlling the empire's finances. Youwen had been born to the Kang clan.
24
乙亥，下制削奪李克用官爵。 是時，惟河東、鳳翔、淮南稱「天祐」，西川稱「天復」年號。 餘皆稟梁正朔，稱臣奉貢。 蜀王與弘農王移檄諸道，云欲與岐王、晉王會兵興復唐室，卒無應者。 蜀王乃謀稱帝，下教諭統內吏民； 又遺晉王書云：「請各帝一方，俟朱溫既平，乃訪唐宗室立之，退歸籓服。」 晉王復書不許，曰：「誓於此生靡敢失節。」
On the day Yihai an edict degraded Li Keyong and stripped his offices. “Only Hedong, Fengxiang, and Huainan still dated their calendars as Tianyou; Sichuan kept Tianfu.” Every other region accepted Liang's calendar, acknowledged subject status, and paid tribute. The rulers of Shu and Hongnong issued manifestos to the provinces, calling for an alliance with Qi and Jin to restore Tang—but no one responded. The Prince of Shu then planned to take the throne and issued orders to his officials and people; and wrote to the Prince of Jin: "Let each reign in his own quarter. Once Zhu Wen falls we will find a Tang prince to restore, then return to our posts as vassals." The Prince of Jin refused: "I have sworn never in this life to break faith with Tang."
25
唐末之誅宦官也，詔書至河東，晉王匿監軍張承業於斛律寺，斬罪人以應詔。 至是，復以為監軍，待之加厚，承業亦為之竭力。
When the late Tang purged the eunuchs, the edict reached Hedong; the Prince of Jin hid army supervisor Zhang Chengye in Hulu Temple and executed condemned men to satisfy the court. Now he restored Chengye to his post and treated him even more generously; Chengye repaid him with total loyalty.
26
岐王治軍甚寬，待士卒簡易。 有告部將苻昭反者，岐王直詣其家，悉去左右，熟寢經宿而還； 由是眾心悅服。 然御軍無紀律。 及聞唐亡，以兵羸地蹙，不敢稱帝，但開岐王府，置百官，名其所居為宮殿，妻稱皇后，將吏上書稱箋表，鞭、扇、號令多擬帝者。
The Prince of Qi ran his army loosely and dealt with his men informally. When he was told that Fu Zhao was plotting rebellion, he went to Fu's house alone, sent away every guard, and slept the night through before returning; after that his men trusted him utterly. Yet discipline in his ranks was lax. Learning of Tang's fall, with weak armies and a cramped domain he stopped short of claiming the throne; instead he opened a princely court, styled his home a palace and his wife a queen, and let his officers use imperial forms—whips, fans, and commands all mimicked a Son of Heaven.
27
鎮海節度判官羅隱說吳王鏐興兵討梁，曰：「縱無成功，猶可退保杭、越，自為東帝； 奈何交臂事賊，為終古之羞乎！」 鏐始以隱為不遇於唐，必有怨心，及聞其言，雖不能用，心甚義之。
Luo Yin, judge on Qian Liu's staff, urged the Prince of Wu to march against Liang: "Even if you fail, you can still hold Hang and Yue and rule the east as your own emperor; why surrender to the usurper and earn eternal infamy?" Liu had assumed Yin, passed over by Tang, nursed a grudge; hearing this he could not act on it but admired the man's courage.
28
五月，丁丑朔，以御史大夫薛貽矩為中書侍郎、同平章事。
In the fifth month, on the first day Dingchou, Xue Yiju was appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat and co-equal chancellor.
29
加武順軍節度使趙王王鎔守太師，天雄節度使鄴王羅紹威守太傅，義武節度使王處直兼侍中。
Wang Rong, Prince of Zhao and governor of Wushun, was promoted to Grand Preceptor; Luo Shaowei, Prince of Ye and governor of Tianxiong, to Grand Tutor; Wang Chuzhi of Yiwu was made Palace Attendant as well.
30
契丹遣其臣袍笏梅老來通好，帝遣太府少卿高頎報之。 初，契丹有八部，部各有大人，相與約，推一人為王，建旗鼓以號令諸部，每三年則以次相代。 咸通末，有習爾者為王，土宇始大。 其後欽德為王，乘中原多故，時入盜邊。 及阿保機為王，尤雄勇，五姓奚及七姓室韋、達靼咸役屬之。 阿保機姓邪律氏，恃其強，不肯受代。 久之，阿保機擊黃頭室韋還，七部劫之於境上，求如約。 阿保機不得已，傳旗鼓，且曰：「我為王九年，得漢人多，請帥種落居古漢城，與漢人守之，別自為一部。」 七部許之。 漢城者，故後魏滑鹽縣也。 地宜五穀，有鹽池之利。 其後阿保機稍以兵擊滅七部，復並為一國。 又北侵室韋、女真，西取突厥故地，擊奚，滅之，復立奚王而使契丹監其兵，東北諸夷皆畏服之。 是歲，阿保機帥眾三十萬寇雲州，晉王與之連和，面會東城，約為兄弟，延之帳中，縱酒，握手盡歡，約以今冬共擊梁。 或勸晉王：「因其來，可擒也，」王曰：「仇敵未滅而失信夷狄，自亡之道也。」 阿保機留旬日乃去，晉王贈以金繒數萬。 阿保機留馬三千匹，雜畜萬計以酬之。 阿保機既歸而背盟，更附於梁，晉王由是而恨之。
The Khitan sent Minister Paochameilao to open relations; the Emperor sent Vice Director of the Grand Treasury Gao Yin in reply. The Khitan once comprised eight tribes, each with a chief; they agreed to elect one king, raise banners and drums to command all, and rotate the kingship every three years. Near the end of Xiantong, Xier became king and their domain first expanded. Later Qinde reigned and, exploiting chaos in China, repeatedly raided the frontier. When Abaoji took the throne he was fiercer still; the five Xi clans, seven Shiwei clans, and Tatars all submitted. Abaoji of the Yelü clan refused rotation, trusting in his power. Long afterward, returning from a campaign against the Yellow-head Shiwei, the seven tribes intercepted him at the frontier and demanded he honor the pact. Forced to comply, he surrendered the banners and drums, saying, "Nine years I have ruled and gathered many Han subjects. Let me settle my people at the old Han city to guard it with them as a separate tribe." The seven tribes agreed. That "Han city" was the former Northern Wei county of Huayan. Its soil grew grain, and its salt pans brought wealth. Abaoji then campaigned against the seven tribes until he destroyed them and united the Khitan. He marched north against Shiwei and Jurchen, west into former Turk domains, crushed the Xi and reinstalled their king under Khitan officers, until every tribe of the northeast bowed to him. That year Abaoji led three hundred thousand men against Yun Prefecture. The Prince of Jin allied with him, met him east of the city, swore brotherhood, feasted him in his tent, and pledged a joint attack on Liang that winter. Some urged the Prince of Jin to seize him while he was there. He replied, "Our chief enemy still stands—if we betray the Khitan now we invite our own ruin." Abaoji lingered ten days, then departed; the Prince of Jin sent him lavish gifts of gold and silk. Abaoji left three thousand horses and myriad livestock in exchange. Once home, however, Abaoji broke faith and sided with Liang, and the Prince of Jin never forgave him.
31
己卯，以河南尹兼河陽節度使張全義為魏王； 鎮海、鎮東節度使吳王錢鏐為吳越王； 加清海節度使劉隱、威武節度使王審知兼侍中，乃以隱為大彭王。
On the day Jimao, Zhang Quanyi, prefect of Henan and military governor of Heyang, was created Prince of Wei; Qian Liu, Prince of Wu and governor of Zhenhai and Zhendong, was created Prince of Wuyue; Liu Yin of Qinghai and Wang Shenzhi of Weiwu were made Palace Attendants, and Yin was also created Prince of Dapeng.
32
癸未，以權知荊南留後高季昌為節度使。 荊南舊統八州，乾符以來，寇亂相繼，諸州皆為鄰道所據，獨餘江陵。 季昌到官，城邑殘毀，戶口雕耗。 季昌安集流散，民皆復業。
On the day Guiwei, Gao Jichang, acting commissioner of Jingnan, received full appointment as governor. Jingnan once held eight prefectures, but since Qianfu bandits and rebels had stripped all but Jiangling, each lost to a neighbor. When Jichang arrived the walls were shattered and the people scattered. He gathered the refugees, and the populace returned to their livelihoods.
33
乙酉，立皇兄全昱為廣王，子友文為博王，友珪為郢王，友璋為福王，友貞為均王，友雍為賀王，友徽為建王。
On the day Yiyou he enfeoffed his brother Quanxu as Prince of Guang and his sons Youwen, Yougui, Youzhang, Youzhen, Youyong, and Youhui as princes of Bo, E, Fu, Jun, He, and Jian.
34
辛卯，以東都舊第為建昌宮，改判建昌院事為建昌宮使。
On the day Xinmao the former eastern residence became the Jianchang Palace, and its director was retitled palace superintendent.
35
壬辰，命保平節度使康懷貞將兵八萬會魏博兵攻潞州。
On the day Renchen he ordered Kang Huaizhen of Baoping to march eighty thousand men with the Weibo force against Lu Prefecture.
36
甲午，詔廢樞密院，其職事皆入於崇政院，以知院事敬翔為院使。
On the day Jiawu the Bureau of Military Affairs was abolished and its powers folded into the Chongzheng Court; Jing Xiang became its superintendent.
37
禮部尚書蘇循及其子起居郎楷自謂有功於梁，當不次擢用； 循朝夕望為相，帝薄其為人，敬翔及殿中監李振亦鄙之。 翔言於帝曰：「蘇循，唐之鴟梟，賣國求利，不可以立於惟新之朝。」 戊戌，詔循及刑部尚書張禕等十五人並勒致仕，楷斥歸田里。 循父子乃之河中依朱友謙。
Su Xun, Minister of Rites, and his son Kai, an attendant of the heir apparent, believed they had earned extraordinary promotion in founding Liang; Xun daily expected the chancellorship, but the Emperor despised him, as did Jing Xiang and Palace Director Li Zhen. Xiang told the Emperor, "Su Xun is Tang's carrion bird—he sold his dynasty for gain and has no place in a new court." On the day Wuxu an edict forced Xun, Zhang Yi, and fifteen others to retire; Kai was banished to his native place. Father and son fled to Hezhong and placed themselves under Zhu Youqian.
38
盧約以處州降吳越。
Lu Yue surrendered Chuzhou to Wuyue.
39
弘農王以鄂岳觀察使劉存為西南面都招討使，岳州刺史陳知新為岳州團練使，廬州觀察使劉威為應援使，別將許玄應為監軍，將水軍三萬以擊楚。 楚王馬殷甚懼，靜江軍使楊定真賀曰：「我軍勝矣！」 殷問其故，定真曰：「夫戰懼則勝，驕則敗。 今淮南兵直趨吾城，是驕而輕敵也； 而王有懼色，吾是以知其必勝也。」 殷命在城都指揮使秦彥暉將水軍三萬浮江而下，水軍副指揮使黃璠帥戰艦三百屯瀏陽口。 六月，存等遇大雨，引兵還至越堤北，彥暉追之。 存數戰不利，乃遺殷書詐降。 彥暉使謂殷曰：「此必詐也，勿受！」 存與彥暉夾水而陣，存遙呼曰：「殺降不祥，公獨不為子孫計耶！」 彥暉曰：「賊入吾境而不擊，奚顧子孫！」 鼓噪而進。 存等走，黃璠自瀏陽引兵絕江，與彥暉合擊，大破之，執存及知新，裨將死者百餘人，士卒死者以萬數，獲戰艦八百艘。 威以餘眾遁歸，彥暉遂拔岳州。 殷釋存、知新之縛，慰諭之。 二人皆罵曰：「丈夫以死報主，肯事賊乎！」 遂斬之。 許玄應，弘農王之腹心也，常預政事，張顥、徐溫因其敗，收斬之。
The Prince of Hongnong named Liu Cun, observation commissioner of E-Yue, supreme commander of the southwest; Chen Zhixin, training commissioner of Yue; Liu Wei of Luzhou as relief commander; Xu Xuanying as army supervisor—and sent thirty thousand sailors against Chu. Prince of Chu Ma Yin was terrified. Yang Dingzhen, commissioner of the Jingjiang army, congratulated him: "We are going to win!" Yin asked why. Dingzhen said, "In war, fear wins and arrogance loses. The Huainan host is driving straight for our walls—that is arrogance and contempt for us; yet you, my lord, are afraid—and that is why we will prevail." Yin ordered Qin Yanhui, commander in the capital, to sail thirty thousand men downriver, while Huang Fan with three hundred warships blocked Liuyang Ford. In the sixth month Cun's fleet was caught in storms, retreated north of the Yue dike, and Yanhui gave chase. After repeated defeats Cun wrote Yin offering a false surrender. Yanhui warned Yin, "This is surely a ruse—do not accept!" They formed battle lines on opposite shores. Cun shouted across the water, "Slaying men who yield brings ill fortune—have you no care for your sons and grandsons?" Yanhui answered, "Enemies invade our land and you want mercy—what descendants?" He drummed the charge and pressed forward. Cun's force broke. Fan crossed from Liuyang, joined Yanhui, and crushed them. Cun and Zhixin were taken; over a hundred officers and tens of thousands of soldiers died; eight hundred ships were captured. Wei escaped with the survivors while Yanhui seized Yue Prefecture. Yin freed Cun and Zhixin and tried to win them over. Both cursed him: "Men die for their masters—we will never serve a traitor!" They were executed on the spot. Xu Xuanying, a confidant who often shaped policy, was seized and killed by Zhang Hao and Xu Wen after the defeat.
40
楚王殷遣兵會吉州刺史彭玕攻洪州，不克。
Ma Yin sent forces with Peng Qian, governor of Jizhou, against Hong Prefecture but failed to capture it.
41
康懷貞至潞州，晉昭義節度使李嗣昭、副使李嗣弼閉城拒守。 懷貞晝夜攻之，半月不克，乃築壘穿蚰蜓塹而守之，內外斷絕。 晉王以蕃、漢都指揮使周德威為行營都指揮使，帥馬軍都指揮使李嗣本、馬步都虞候李存璋、先鋒指揮使史建瑭、鐵林都指揮使安元信、橫衝指揮使李嗣源、騎將安金全救潞州。 嗣弼，克修之子； 嗣本，本姓張； 建瑭，敬思之子； 金全，代北人也。
Kang Huaizhen reached Lu Prefecture; Li Sizhao, Jin governor of Zhaoyi, and his deputy Li Sibi shut the gates and resisted. Huaizhen assaulted without pause; after half a month he threw up walls and dug a serpentine trench to starve the city, severing it from the world. The Prince of Jin named Zhou Dewei, commander of Han and tribal forces, supreme commander of the relief army, with Li Siben, Li Cunzhang, Shi Jiantang, An Yuanxin, Li Siyuan, and An Jinquan to save Lu Prefecture. Sibi was a son of Li Kexiu; Siben had been born a Zhang. Jiantang was Jingsi's son. Jinquan came from the northern frontier country of Dai.
42
晉兵攻澤州，帝遣左神勇軍使范居實將兵救之。
When Jin forces besieged Ze Prefecture, the Emperor dispatched Fan Jushi of the Left Divine Valor Army with a relief column.
43
甲寅，以平盧節度使韓建守司徒、同平章事。
On jiayin, Han Jian, governor of Pinglu, was made acting Grand Mentor and Associate Grand Councillor.
44
武貞節度使雷彥恭會楚兵攻江陵，荊南節度使高季昌引兵屯公安，絕其糧道； 彥恭敗，楚兵亦走。
Lei Yangan of Wuzhen allied with Chu forces against Jiangling, but Gao Jichang of Jingnan marched to Gong'an and severed their line of supply; Yangan was routed and the Chu army withdrew.
45
劉守光既囚其父，自稱盧龍留後，遣使請命。 秋，七月，甲午，以守光為盧龍節度使、同平章事。
Once Liu Shouguang had locked up his father, he proclaimed himself acting governor of Lulong and petitioned the court for recognition. In the seventh month of autumn, on jiawu, Shouguang received the posts of military governor of Lulong and Associate Grand Councillor.
46
靜海節度使曲裕卒，丙申，以其子權知留後顥為節度使。
Qu Yu, governor of Jinghai, died; on bingshen his son Quan, who had been acting governor, was confirmed as military governor.
47
雷彥恭攻岳州，不克。
Lei Yangan assaulted Yue Prefecture without success.
48
八月，丙午，賜河南尹張全義名宗奭。
On bingwu in the eighth month, the Emperor granted Zhang Quanyi, intendant of Henan, the honorific name Zongyi.
49
辛亥，以吳越王鏐兼淮南節度使，楚王殷兼武昌節度使，各充本道招討制置使。
On xinhai, Qian Liu of Wuyue and Ma Yin of Chu were given concurrent governorships of Huainan and Wuchang respectively, along with full authority as circuit pacification commissioners.
50
晉周德威壁於高河，康懷貞遣親騎都頭秦武將兵擊之，武敗。
Zhou Dewei of Jin held Gaohe; Kang Huaizhen sent his elite cavalry chief Qin Wu against him, and Wu was beaten back.
51
丁已，帝以亳州刺史李思安代懷貞為潞州行營都統，黜懷貞為行營都虞候。 思安將河北兵西上，至潞州城下，更築重城，內以防奔突，外以拒援兵，謂之夾寨。 調山東民饋軍糧，德威日以輕騎抄之，思安乃自東南山口築甬道，屬於夾寨。 德威與諸將互往攻之，排牆填塹，一晝夜間數十發，梁兵疲於奔命。 夾寨中出芻牧者，德威輒抄之，於是梁兵閉壁不出。
On dingsi the Emperor relieved Kang Huaizhen of supreme command at Lu Prefecture, naming Li Si'an of Bozhou in his place and reducing Huaizhen to second-in-command. Si'an marched his Hebei army to Lu Prefecture and threw up a second walled ring: an inner line against breakout, an outer line against relief—the Twin Stockade. With Shandong levies hauling provisions, Dewei harried the supply trains daily with light horse; Si'an then drove a covered passage from the southeastern pass into the Twin Stockade. Dewei and his commanders hammered the works in rotation, breaching walls and filling trenches in dozens of attacks within a day and night, until the Liang soldiers could barely keep pace. Dewei seized every party that ventured out for fodder or pasture, until the Liang garrison dared not open its gates.
52
九月，雷彥恭攻涔陽、公安，高季昌擊敗之。 彥恭貪殘類其父，專以焚掠為事，荊、湖間常被其患； 又附於淮南。 丙申，詔削彥恭官爵，命季昌與楚王殷討之。
In the ninth month Lei Yangan struck Cenyang and Gong'an; Gao Jichang repulsed him. Yangan matched his father's greed and cruelty, living by fire and loot; Jing and the lake country suffered him again and again; and he threw in his lot with Huainan. On bingshen the court degraded Yangan and charged Gao Jichang and King Yin of Chu to destroy him.
53
蜀王會將佐議稱帝，皆曰：「大王雖忠於唐，唐已亡矣，此所謂『天與不取』者也。」 馮涓獨獻議，請以蜀王稱制，曰：「朝興則未爽稱臣，賊在則不同為惡。」 王不從，涓杜門不出。 王用安撫副使、掌書記韋莊之謀，帥吏民哭三日； 己亥，即皇帝位，國號大蜀。 辛丑，以前東川節度使兼侍中王宗佶為中書令，韋莊為左散騎常侍、判中書門下事，閬州防禦使唐道襲為內樞密使。 莊，見素之孫也。 蜀主雖目不知書，好與書生談論，粗曉其理。 是時唐衣冠之族多避亂在蜀，蜀主禮而用之，使修舉故事，故其典章文物有唐之遺風。 蜀主長子校書郎宗仁幼以疾廢，立其次子秘書少監宗懿為遂王。
Wang Jian of Shu gathered his counselors to proclaim an empire; all urged him: "You have served Tang faithfully, yet Tang is no more—this is the gift Heaven sets before you and you refuse." Only Feng Juan dissented, proposing that Wang Jian rule as regent: "While the legitimate house still stands we need not rush to call ourselves its servants; so long as the usurper endures we must not be counted among his kind." Wang Jian rejected the advice; Feng Juan closed his gates and withdrew from court. Following Wei Zhuang, his pacification deputy and chief secretary, Wang led officials and commoners in three days of lamentation for the fallen dynasty; on jihai he took the throne as emperor, founding the state of Great Shu. On xinchou Wang Zongjie, former governor of Dongchuan, became Director of the Secretariat; Wei Zhuang became Left Regular Cavalry Attendant with control of the Secretariat and Chancellery; Tang Daoxi of Langzhou became Inner Privy Commissioner. Zhuang was a grandson of the Tang minister Wei Jian Su. Though illiterate by the bookman's standard, the Shu emperor delighted in talk with literati and grasped their arguments well enough. Scores of Tang gentry had sought refuge in Shu; Wang Jian honored and used them to revive court ritual, so that Shu law and ceremony still breathed the air of Tang. His eldest son Zongren, a proofreader, had been crippled by illness in boyhood; he named his second son Zongyi, Secretariat Vice-Director, Prince of Sui.
54
冬，十月，高季昌遣其將倪可福會楚將秦彥暉攻朗州，雷彥恭遣使乞降於淮南，且告急。 弘農王遣將泠業將水軍屯平江，李饒將步騎屯瀏陽以救之，楚王殷遣岳州刺史許德勳將兵拒之。 泠業進屯朗口，德勳使善游者五十人，以木枝葉覆其首，持長刀浮江而下，夜犯其營，且舉火，業軍中驚擾。 德以大軍進擊，大破之，追至鹿角鎮，擒業； 又破瀏陽寨，擒李饒； 掠上高、唐年而歸。 斬業、饒於長沙市。
In the tenth month of winter Gao Jichang sent Ni Kefu with the Chu commander Qin Yanhui against Langzhou; Lei Yangan sued for peace with Huainan and begged for rescue. Yang Wo of Hongnong dispatched Leng Ye's fleet to Pingjiang and Li Rao's combined force to Liuyang; King Yin of Chu sent Xu Deqin, governor of Yue, to block them. Ye moved up to Langkou; Deqin floated fifty swimmers downstream at night, heads camouflaged with foliage and long knives in hand, to storm the camp and light fires until Ye's host dissolved in panic. Deqin followed with his main force, shattered the enemy, ran them down to Lucheng Fort, and took Ye prisoner; he overran the Liuyang camp as well and seized Li Rao; then raided Shanggao and Tangnian before marching home. Ye and Rao were executed in the Changsha marketplace.
55
十一月，甲申，夾馬指揮使尹皓攻晉江豬嶺寨，拔之。
In the eleventh month, on jiashen, Yin Hao of the Jia Ma command seized the Jin outpost at River Boar Ridge.
56
義昌節度使劉守文聞其弟守光幽其父，集將吏大哭曰：「不意吾家生此梟獍！ 吾生不如死，誓與諸君討之！」 乃發兵擊守光，互有勝負。
When Liu Shouwen of Yichang learned that Shouguang had caged their father, he summoned his officers and wailed: "That our line should produce such a monster—I never dreamed it! Better dead than living with this shame; I vow to march with you against him!" He took the field against Shouguang, and the brothers traded blows without a clear victor.
57
天雄節度使鄴王紹威謂其下曰：「守光以窘急歸國，守文孤立無援，滄州可不戰服也。」 乃遺守文書，諭以禍福。 守文亦恐梁乘虛襲其後，戊子，遣使請降，以子延祐為質。 帝拊手曰：「紹威折簡，勝十萬兵！」 加守文中書令，撫納之。
Luo Shaowei, Prince of Ye and governor of Tianxiong, told his staff: "Shouguang has come home desperate; Shouwen is isolated—Cangzhou ought to yield without a battle." He wrote Shouwen a letter laying out ruin and reward. Shouwen likewise dreaded a Liang strike from behind; on wuzi he sued for terms and sent his son Yanyou as hostage. The Emperor struck his palms and cried, "One letter from Shaowei outweighs a hundred thousand spears! Shouwen was promoted to Director of the Secretariat and received with honor.
58
初，帝在籓鎮，用法嚴，將校有戰沒者，所部兵悉斬之，謂之跋隊斬。 士卒失主將者，多亡逸不敢歸。 帝乃命凡軍士皆文其面以記軍號。 軍士或思鄉里逃去，關津輒執之送所屬，無不死者，其鄉里亦不敢容。 由是亡者皆聚山澤為盜，大為州縣之患。 壬寅，詔赦其罪，自今雖文面亦聽還鄉里。 盜減什七八。
In his days as a frontier lord the Emperor had ruled with iron severity: if a commander fell, every soldier of his command was executed—the practice known as decapitating the rear ranks. Men whose officers had been killed mostly deserted and never dared go home. He then decreed that every soldier bear on his face the mark of his unit. Deserters were seized at every pass and returned to face execution; their villages would not hide them. Fugitives therefore banded in hills and swamps, plaguing the countryside. On renyin an amnesty forgave them; hereafter even the branded might go home. Robbery fell by seven or eight parts in ten.
59
淮南右都押牙米志誠等將兵渡淮襲穎州，克其外郭。 刺史張實據子城拒守。
Mi Zhicheng of Huainan's right military commission crossed the Huai, stormed Yingzhou, and took the outer city. Governor Zhang Shi barricaded himself in the inner keep.
60
晉王命李存璋攻晉州，以分上黨兵勢。 十二月，壬戌，詔河中、陝州發兵救之。
The Prince of Jin sent Li Cunzhang against Jin Prefecture to draw off the Shangdang siege force. On renxu in the twelfth month the court ordered Hezhong and Shaan to march to its relief.
61
甲子，詔發步騎五千救穎州，米志誠等引去。
On jiazi five thousand infantry and cavalry were sent to Yingzhou; Mi Zhicheng pulled back.
62
丁卯，晉兵寇洺州。
On dingmao Jin forces struck Ming Prefecture.
63
淮南兵攻信州，刺史危仔倡求救於吳越。
Huainan besieged Xinzhou; Governor Wei Zichang appealed to Wuyue.
64
春，正月，癸酉朔，蜀主登興義樓。 有僧抉一目以獻，蜀主命飯僧萬人以報之。 翰林學士張格曰：「小人無故自殘，赦其罪已幸矣，不宜復崇獎以敗風俗。」 蜀主乃止。
In spring, on the New Year's day guiyou, the Shu emperor mounted the Tower of Rising Fortune. A monk plucked out an eye as an offering; the emperor commanded that ten thousand monks be fed in return. Hanlin scholar Zhang Ge protested: "Wanton self-mutilation deserves no praise—pardoning him is grace enough; to reward it would poison the manners of the realm." The emperor stayed his hand.
65
丁丑，蜀以韋莊為門下侍郎、同平章事。
On dingchou Wei Zhuang was made Vice Director of the Chancellery and Associate Grand Councillor.
66
辛巳，蜀主祀南郊； 壬午，大赦，改元武成。
On xinsi the Shu emperor offered at the Southern Altar; on renwu he proclaimed a general amnesty and adopted the era name Wucheng.
67
晉王疽發於首，病篤。 周德威等退屯亂柳。 晉王命其弟內外蕃漢都知兵馬使、振武節度使克寧、監軍張承業、大將李存璋、吳珙、掌書記盧質立其子晉州刺史存勖為嗣，曰：「此子志氣遠大，必能成吾事，爾曹善教導之！」 辛卯，晉王謂存勖曰：「嗣昭厄於重圍，吾不及見矣。 俟葬畢，汝與德威輩速竭力救之！」 又謂克寧等曰：「以亞子累汝！」 亞子，存勖小名也。 言終而卒。 克寧綱紀軍府，中外無敢喧嘩。 克寧久總兵柄，有次立之勢，時上黨圍未解，軍中以存勖年少，多竊議者，人情忷忷。 存勖懼，以位讓克寧。 克寧曰：「汝冢嗣也，且有先王之命，誰敢違之！」 將吏欲謁見存勖，存勖方哀哭未出。 張承業入謂存勖曰：「大孝在不墜基業，多哭何為！」 因扶存勖出，襲位為河東節度使、晉王。 李克寧首帥諸將拜賀，王悉以軍府事季之。 以李存璋為河東軍城使、馬步都虞候。 先王之時，多寵借胡人及軍士，侵擾市肆，存璋既領職，執其尤暴橫者戮之，旬月間城中肅然。
An abscess opened on the Prince of Jin's head and his sickness turned critical. Zhou Dewei and his commanders fell back to Luanliu. Li Keyong named his brother Kening, Zhang Chengye, Li Cunzhang, Wu Gong, and Lu Zhi to install his son Cunxu, governor of Jinzhou, as heir: "The lad's ambition runs deep—he will finish what I began; see that you school him well!" On xinmao he told Cunxu, "Sizhao is locked in a ring of iron—I will not see him rescued. After my rites, you and Dewei must bend every force to break him free!" To Kening and the rest he said, "The boy is your charge now!" Heir Apparent" had been Cunxu's pet name since boyhood. He spoke no more and died. Kening kept the headquarters in firm discipline; inside and out, no one dared stir. Kening had commanded for years and stood as the obvious alternate heir; with Shangdang still besieged and Cunxu barely grown, the camps murmured and hearts were unsettled. Cunxu, in fear, offered Kening the throne. Kening refused: "You are the named heir and hold your father's dying charge—who would defy that? Officers came to bow to Cunxu, but he remained indoors in mourning and would not appear. Zhang Chengyei entered and said, "True filial piety is to keep the realm from crumbling—not to drown it in tears! He led Cunxu forth; Cunxu assumed the governorship of Hedong and the title Prince of Jin. Li Kening led the commanders in homage, and the new prince placed the whole military administration in his hands. Li Cunzhang was appointed commander of the Hedong citadel and inspector of horse and foot. Under the late king, favored tribesmen and soldiers had bullied the markets at will; Cunzhang took office, seized the worst offenders, and put them to death—in a fortnight the capital was quiet.
68
吳越王鏐遣兵攻淮南甘露鎮，以救信州。
Qian Liu of Wuyue marched on Huainan's Ganlu post to relieve Xinzhou.
69
蜀中書令王宗佶，於諸假子為最長，且恃其功，專權驕恣。 唐道襲已為樞密使，宗佶猶以名呼之； 道襲心銜之而事之逾謹。 宗佶多樹黨友，蜀主亦惡之。 二月，甲辰，以宗佶為太師，罷政事。
Wang Zongjie, Shu Director of the Secretariat, was the eldest of the adopted sons; bloated by his deeds, he ruled by arrogance. Though Tang Daoxi had become Privy Commissioner, Zongjie still addressed him familiarly by name; Daoxi nursed the insult yet served him all the more scrupulously. Zongjie packed the court with his creatures, and the emperor came to loathe him. On jiachen in the second month Zongjie was elevated to Grand Preceptor and stripped of office.
70
蜀以戶部侍郎張格為中書侍郎、同平章事。 格為相，多迎合主意； 有勝己者，必以計排去之。
Shu named Zhang Ge of the Revenue Ministry Vice Director of the Secretariat and Associate Grand Councillor. As chief minister, Zhang Ge trimmed his sails to the emperor's mood; any rival he contrived to ruin and remove.
71
初，晉王克用多養軍中壯士為子，寵遇如真子。 及晉王存勖立，諸假子皆年長握兵，心怏怏不服，或托疾不出，或見新王不拜。 李克寧權位既重，人情多向之。 假子李存顥陰說克寧曰：「兄終弟及，自古有之。 以叔拜侄，於理安乎！ 天與不取，後悔無及！」 克寧曰：「吾家世以慈孝聞天下，先王之業苟有所歸，吾復何求！ 汝勿妄言，我且斬汝！」 克寧妻孟氏，素剛悍，諸假子各遣其妻入說孟氏，孟氏以為然，且慮語洩及禍，數以迫克寧。 克寧性怯，朝夕惑於眾言，心不能無動； 又與張承業、李存璋相失，數誚讓之； 又因事擅殺都虞候李存質； 又求領大同節度使，以蔚、朔、應州為巡屬。 晉王皆聽之。
In his prime Li Keyong had adopted many of the army's fiercest warriors as sons, treating them as his own. When Li Cunxu succeeded, the adopted sons were grown commanders with armies at their backs; they seethed in resentment—some feigned sickness, some refused to bow. Li Kening's authority was heavy, and more than a few hearts already turned his way. Li Cunhao, one of the adoptive sons, secretly pressed Li Kening: "Brother succeeds brother when the elder dies—that is as old as rule itself. How can it be right in principle for an uncle to bow to his nephew! Heaven offers you the throne—refuse it, and regret will come too late!" Li Kening replied, "Our clan has been famed across the realm for kindness and filial piety for generations. If the late king's legacy already has a rightful heir, what more could I want? Do not talk nonsense, or I will cut you down myself!" Kening's wife, Lady Meng, was fierce and domineering by nature. The other adoptive sons each sent their wives to win her over; she agreed with the plot and, fearing exposure and ruin, pressed Kening again and again. Timid by nature, Kening was pulled this way and that by the talk around him day and night, and his heart could not stay still; he had also broken with Zhang Chengye and Li Cunzhang and repeatedly abused them; and on one excuse or another he had executed on his own authority the commander of military police, Li Cunzhi; he further asked to be made military governor of Datong, with Yu, Shuo, and Ying as prefectures under his command. The Prince of Jin granted every request.
72
李存顥等為克寧謀，因晉王過其第，殺承業、存璋，奉克寧為節度使，舉河東九州附於梁，執晉王及太夫人曹氏送大梁。 太原人史敬鎔，少事晉王克用，居帳下，見親信，克寧欲知府中陰事，召敬鎔，密以謀告之。 敬鎔陰許之，入告太夫人，太夫人大駭，召張承業，指晉王謂之曰：「先王把此兒臂授公等，如聞外間謀欲負之，但置吾母子有地，勿送大梁，自它不以累公。」 承業惶恐曰：「老奴以死奉先王之命，此何言也！」 晉王以克寧之謀告，且曰：「至親不可自相魚肉，吾苟避位，則亂不作矣。」 承業曰：「克寧欲投大王母子於虎口，不除之豈有全理！」 乃召李存璋、吳珙及假子李存敬、長直軍使朱守殷，使陰為之備。 壬戍，置酒會諸將於府捨，伏甲執克寧、存顥於座。 晉王流涕數之曰：「兒郎勖以軍府讓叔父，叔父不取。 今事已定，奈何復為此謀，忍以吾母子遺仇讎乎！」 克寧曰：「此皆讒人交構，夫復何言！」 是日，殺克寧及存顥。
Li Cunhao and his party plotted for Kening: when the Prince of Jin came to his house, they would kill Chengye and Cunzhang, set Kening up as military governor, hand all nine Hedong prefectures to Liang, seize the prince and Lady Dowager Cao, and send them to Daliang. Shi Jingrong of Taiyuan had served Prince Jin Keyong since youth in the tent guard and was counted among the trusted. Kening wanted to know what was going on inside the residence, summoned Jingrong, and told him the plot in secret. Jingrong pretended to agree, then went in and told the lady dowager. She was terrified and summoned Zhang Chengye. Pointing at the Prince of Jin, she said, "The late king placed this boy's arm in your hands. If you hear outsiders plotting against him, only give my son and me somewhere to live—do not send us to Daliang—and I will not burden you further." Chengye said in alarm, "This old slave will die carrying out the late king's command—what talk is this!" The Prince of Jin told Chengye of Kening's plot and added, "Close kin must not tear one another apart. If I step aside, the turmoil will never start." Chengye said, "Kening means to throw you and your mother to the tiger—unless he is removed, how can you be safe?" He then summoned Li Cunzhang, Wu Gong, the adoptive son Li Cunjing, and Zhu Shouyin, commander of the long-service guard, and had them prepare in secret. On the day Renshu they set out wine and gathered the generals at the residence; men with weapons hidden in wait seized Kening and Cunhao at the table. The Prince of Jin wept as he rebuked them: "Your nephew Xun offered you the command of the army, and you would not accept it. Now that everything is settled, why plot again and hand my mother and me over to our enemies!" Kening said, "Slanderers have set this up—what more can I say!" That day they executed Kening and Cunhao.
73
癸亥，鴆殺濟陰王於曹州，追謚曰唐哀皇帝。
On the day Guihai they poisoned the Prince of Jiyin at Caozhou and gave him the posthumous title Tang Aidi, Lamented Emperor of Tang.
74
甲子，蜀兵入歸州，執刺史張瑭。 辛未，以韓建為侍中，兼建昌宮使。
On the day Jiazi Shu forces entered Guizhou and seized the prefect Zhang Tang. On the day Xinwei Han Jian was made Palace Attendant and concurrently commissioner of the Jianchang Palace.
75
李思安等攻潞州，久不下，士卒疲弊，多逃亡。 晉兵猶屯余吾寨，帝疑晉王克用詐死，欲召兵還，恐晉人躡之，乃議自至澤州應接歸師，且召匡國節度使劉知俊將兵趣澤州。 三月，壬申朔，帝發大梁； 丁丑，次澤州。 辛巳，劉知俊至。 壬午，以知俊為潞州行營招討使。
Li Si'an and his command had attacked Luzhou for a long time without success; the troops were exhausted and desertions were many. Jin troops were still at the Yuyu stockade. The emperor suspected Prince Jin Keyong had faked his death. He wanted to pull the army back but feared pursuit, so he considered going to Zezhou himself to cover the withdrawal and summoned Liu Zhijun, military governor of Kuangguo, to march toward Zezhou. In the third month, on the first day Renshen, the emperor left Daliang; on Dingchou he reached Zezhou. On Xinsi Liu Zhijun arrived. On Renwu he made Zhijun commander of the Luzhou campaign.
76
癸巳，門下侍郎、同平章事張文蔚卒。
On Guisi Zhang Wenwei, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Associate Grand Councillor, died.
77
帝以李思安久無功，亡將校四十餘人，士卒以萬計，更閉壁自守，遣使召詣行在。 甲午，削思安官爵，勒歸本貫充役。 斬監押楊敏貞。
The emperor, seeing that Li Si'an had achieved nothing for so long—more than forty officers lost and tens of thousands of troops gone—and now only cowered behind the walls, sent for him to come to headquarters. On Jiawu he stripped Si'an of rank and title and sent him back to his home district for corvée labor. The supervising officer Yang Minzhen was executed.
78
晉李嗣昭固守逾年，城中資用將竭，嗣昭登城宴諸將作樂。 流矢中嗣昭足，嗣昭密拔之，座中皆不覺。 帝數遣使賜嗣昭詔，諭降之。 嗣昭焚詔書，斬使者。
Li Sizhao of Jin had held out for more than a year; supplies in the city were almost gone. Sizhao went up on the wall, feasted his generals, and had music played. A stray arrow hit Sizhao in the foot; he quietly pulled it out, and no one at the feast knew. The emperor sent envoys again and again with edicts urging Sizhao to surrender. Sizhao burned the edicts and beheaded the messengers.
79
帝留澤州旬餘，欲召上黨兵還，遣使就與諸將議之。 諸將以為李克用死，余吾兵且退，上黨孤城無援，請更留旬月以俟之。 帝從之，命增運芻糧以饋其軍。 劉知俊將精兵萬餘人擊晉軍，斬獲甚眾，表請自留攻上黨，車駕宜還京師。 帝以關中空虛，慮岐人侵同華，命知俊休兵長子旬日，退屯晉州，俟五月歸鎮。
The emperor stayed at Zezhou more than ten days and wanted to recall the Shangdang force; he sent someone to consult the generals on the spot. The generals argued that with Li Keyong dead, the Yuyu troops would soon pull back and Shangdang was a lone city with no help coming; they asked to wait another ten days or so. The emperor agreed and ordered more fodder and grain sent to feed the army. Liu Zhijun led more than ten thousand picked troops against the Jin army and took a heavy toll. He memorialized asking to stay and finish off Shangdang while the emperor returned to the capital. The emperor, with Guanzhong stripped bare and fearing a Qi thrust into Tong and Hua, ordered Zhijun to rest at Changzi ten days, fall back to Jinzhou, and return to his command in the fifth month.
80
蜀太師王宗佶既罷相，怨望，陰畜養死士，謀作亂。 上表以為：「臣官預大臣，親則長子，國家之事，休戚是同。 今儲貳未定，必啟厲階。 陛下若以宗懿才堪繼承，宜早行冊禮，以臣為元帥，兼總六軍。 儻以時方艱難，宗懿沖幼，臣安敢持謙不當重事！ 陛下既正位南面，軍旅之事宜委之臣下。 臣請開元帥府，鑄六軍印，征戍征發，臣悉專行。 太子視膳於晨昏，微臣握兵於環衛，萬世基業，惟陛下裁之。」 蜀主怒，隱忍未發，以問唐道襲，對曰：「宗佶威望，內外懾服，足以統御諸將。」 蜀主益疑之。 已亥，宗佶入見，辭色悖慢。 蜀主諭之，宗佶不退，蜀主不堪其忿，命衛士撲殺之。 貶其黨御史中丞鄭騫為維州司戶，衛尉少卿李鋼為汶川尉，皆賜死於路。
Wang Zongji, Grand Preceptor of Shu, removed from the chancellorship, brooded on his grievance, secretly kept a band of daredevils, and plotted revolt. He submitted a memorial: "Your servant ranks among the great ministers and, by kinship, is the eldest son. The state's weal and woe are mine as well. The heir is not yet named—that alone invites disaster. If Your Majesty judges Zongyi fit to succeed, invest him soon and make me grand marshal with command of all six armies. If times are hard and Zongyi is still young, how can I cling to modesty and refuse the heavy burden! Your Majesty already faces south as sovereign—military affairs ought to be left to your ministers below. I ask to open a marshal's headquarters, cast seals for the six armies, and handle every levy and deployment myself. Let the crown prince attend to meals morning and evening while I hold the armies at the inner guard—the foundation of ten thousand years rests with Your Majesty alone." The Shu ruler was furious but held his peace and asked Tang Daoxi, who said, "Zongji's prestige awes everyone inside and out—he is fit to command the generals." The Shu ruler's suspicions only deepened. On Jihai Zongji came to audience; his tone and manner were brazen and rude. The Shu ruler rebuked him, but Zongji would not leave. Unable to contain his anger, the ruler ordered the guards to beat him to death. His faction was punished: Censor-in-Chief Zheng Juan was demoted to registrar of Wei prefecture; Vice Minister of the Guard Li Gang was made warden of Wenchuan—both were ordered to die on the road.
81
初，晉王克用卒，周德威握重兵在外，國人皆疑之。 晉王存勖召德威使引兵還。 夏，四月，辛丑朔，德威至晉陽，留兵城外，獨徒步而入，伏先王柩，哭極哀。 退，謁嗣王，禮甚恭。 眾心由是釋然。
Earlier, when Prince Jin Keyong died, Zhou Dewei held a large army in the field and everyone in the state was uneasy about him. Prince Jin Cunxu summoned Dewei and ordered him to bring the army home. In summer, the fourth month, on the first day Xinchou, Dewei reached Jinyang, left his troops outside the city, walked in alone, prostrated himself before the late king's coffin, and wept until he was spent. He withdrew and paid his respects to the new prince with the utmost courtesy. With that, everyone's suspicions lifted.
82
癸卯，門下侍郎、同平章事楊涉罷為右僕射； 以吏部侍郎-{于}-兢為中書侍郎，翰林學士承旨張策為刑部侍郎，並同平章事。 兢，琮之兄子也。 夾寨奏余吾晉兵已引去，帝以為援兵不能復來，潞州必可取，丙午，自澤州南還； 壬子，至大梁。 梁兵在夾寨者亦不復設備。 晉王與諸將謀曰：「上黨，河東之籓蔽，無上黨，是無河東也。 且朱溫所憚者獨先王耳，聞吾新立，以為童子未閒軍旅，必有驕怠之心。 若簡精兵倍道趣之，出其不意，破之必矣。 取威定霸，在此一舉，不可失也！」 張承業亦勸之行。 乃遣承業及判官王緘乞師於鳳翔，又遣使賂契丹王阿保機求騎兵。 岐王衰老，兵弱財竭，竟不能應。 晉王大閱士卒，以前昭義節度使丁會為都招討使。 甲子，帥周德威等發晉陽。
On Guimao Yang She, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Associate Grand Councillor, was dismissed and made Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat; Yu Jing was made Vice Director of the Secretariat; Chief Academician Zhang Ce was made Vice Minister of Justice—both Associate Grand Councillors. Jing was a nephew of Yu Cong. The Twin Stockades reported that the Jin force at Yuyu had withdrawn. The emperor judged that relief could not return and Luzhou was as good as his. On Bingwu he marched south from Zezhou; on Renzi he reached Daliang. The Liang troops in the Twin Stockades likewise stopped making ready. The Prince of Jin consulted his generals: "Shangdang is Hedong's rampart. Lose Shangdang and you lose Hedong. Zhu Wen feared only the late king. Hearing I have just succeeded, he will take me for a boy who knows nothing of war and grow arrogant and slack. Pick elite troops, march by forced stages, and strike where he does not expect it—we are sure to break them. Glory and dominion hang on this one blow—it must not be missed!" Zhang Chengye urged the same. He sent Chengye and his aide Wang Jian to beg troops from Fengxiang and also sent envoys with gifts to the Khitan king Abaoji asking for cavalry. The Prince of Qi was old; his troops were weak and his treasury empty—he could not help in the end. The Prince of Jin held a grand review and appointed the former Zhaoyi military governor Ding Hui supreme campaign commander. On Jiazi he marched out of Jinyang at the head of Zhou Dewei and the rest.
83
淮南遣兵寇石首，襄州兵敗之於瀺港。 又遣其將李厚將水軍萬五千趣荊南，高季昌逆戰，敗之於馬頭。
Huainan sent troops against Shishou; Xiang forces defeated them at Changan Harbor. They also sent the general Li Hou with fifteen thousand sailors toward Jingnan; Gao Jichang met them and defeated them at Matou.
84
己巳，晉王軍於黃碾，距上黨四十五里。 五月，辛未朔，晉王伏兵三垂岡下，詰旦大霧，進兵直抵夾寨。 梁軍無斥候，不意晉兵之至，將士尚未起，軍中驚擾。 晉王命周德威、李嗣源分兵為二道，德威攻西北隅，嗣源攻東北隅，填塹燒寨，鼓噪而入。 梁兵大潰，南走，招討使符道昭馬倒，為晉人所殺。 失亡將校士卒以萬計，委棄資糧、器械山積。 周德威等至城下，呼李嗣昭曰：「先王已薨，今王自來，破賊夾寨。 賊已去矣，可開門！」 嗣昭不信，曰：「此必為賊所得，使來誑我耳。」 欲射之。 左右止之，嗣昭曰：「王果來，可見乎？」 王自往呼之。 嗣昭見王白服，大慟幾絕，城中皆哭，遂開門。 初，德威與嗣昭有隙，晉王克用臨終謂晉王存勖曰：「進通忠孝，吾愛之深。 今不出重圍，豈德威不忘舊怨邪！ 汝為吾以此意諭之。 若潞圍不解，吾死不瞑目。」 進通，嗣昭小名也。 晉王存勖以告德威，德威感泣，由是戰夾寨甚力； 既與嗣昭相見，遂歡好如初。 康懷貞以百餘騎自天井關遁歸。 帝聞夾寨不守，大驚，既而歎曰：「生子當如李亞子，克用為不亡矣！ 至如吾兒，豚犬耳！」 詔所在安集散兵。 周德威、李存璋乘勝進趣澤州，刺史王班素失人心，眾不為用。 龍虎統軍牛存節自西都將兵應接夾寨潰兵，至天井關，謂其眾曰：「澤州要害地，不可失也； 雖無詔旨，當救之。」 眾皆不欲，曰：「晉人勝氣方銳，且眾寡不敵。」 存節曰：「見危不救，非義也； 畏敵強而避之，非勇也。」 遂舉策引眾而前。 至澤州，城中人已縱火喧噪，欲應晉王，班閉牙城自守，存節至，乃定。 晉兵尋至，緣城穿地道攻之，存節晝夜拒戰，凡旬有三日。 劉知俊自晉州引兵救之，德威焚攻具，退保高平。
On Jisi the Prince of Jin camped at Huangnian, forty-five li from Shangdang. In the fifth month, on the first day Xinwei, the Prince of Jin hid troops below Sanchui Ridge. At dawn a heavy fog; his army went straight for the Twin Stockades. The Liang army had no scouts out and did not expect the Jin force. The men had not yet risen—the camp erupted in panic. The Prince of Jin ordered Zhou Dewei and Li Siyuan to split into two wings—Dewei on the northwest, Siyuan on the northeast—filled the ditches, burned the stockades, and stormed in with drums and shouts. The Liang army broke and fled south. The campaign commander Fu Daozhao's horse went down and the Jin troops killed him. Officers and men lost or killed ran into the tens of thousands; abandoned grain, fodder, and arms lay in heaps like hills. Zhou Dewei and the others came to the foot of the wall and called to Li Sizhao: "The late king is gone; the new king has come himself and smashed the enemy stockades. The enemy is gone—open the gate!" Sizhao did not believe it: "The enemy has caught someone and sent him to trick me." He meant to shoot them. Those beside him held him back. Sizhao said, "If the king has really come, may I see him?" The king went forward and called to him himself. Sizhao saw the king in white mourning garb, wept until he nearly collapsed, the whole city wept with him, and the gate was opened. Earlier Dewei and Sizhao had been at odds. On his deathbed Prince Jin Keyong told Prince Jin Cunxu, "Jintong is loyal and filial—I love him dearly. He still does not break the siege—is Dewei nursing the old grudge! Go and tell him what I mean. If the siege of Lu is not raised, I cannot close my eyes in death." Jintong" was the name Sizhao had been called as a boy. Prince Jin Cunxu told Dewei; Dewei wept with emotion and from then on fought at the Twin Stockades with all his might; once he met Sizhao again, they were as close as before. Kang Huaizhen escaped through Tianjing Pass with just over a hundred riders. Learning that the Twin Stockade had fallen, the Emperor was stunned; then he sighed, "A man should father a son like Li Yaozi—then Li Keyong's house will never die out! My own boys are nothing but pigs and dogs!" He ordered every circuit to round up and settle the scattered troops. Riding their victory, Zhou Dewei and Li Cunzhang pushed toward Zezhou; Prefect Wang Ban had already lost popular support, and his men would not follow him. Niu Cunjie, supreme commander of the Dragon-Tiger Corps, marched from the western capital to gather the Twin Stockade fugitives; at Tianjing Pass he told his men, "Zezhou is vital—we cannot lose it; even without an edict, we must save it." His soldiers refused: "The Jin are riding a hot streak, and we are far too few to fight them." Cunjie said, "To see peril and refuse rescue is unrighteous; to shrink from a strong enemy is not courage." He lifted his whip and drove the column ahead. At Zezhou the townspeople were already torching buildings and clamoring to open the gates to the Jin prince; Wang Ban barricaded himself in the inner citadel until Cunjie arrived and restored order. Jin forces soon came up, mining and sapping along the walls; Cunjie fought them day and night for thirteen days straight. Liu Zhijun marched from Jinzhou to relieve the siege; Dewei burned his siege gear and fell back to Gaoping.
85
晉王歸晉陽，休兵行賞。 以周德威為振武節度使、同平章事。 命州縣舉賢才，黜貪殘，寬租賦，撫孤窮，伸冤濫，禁奸盜，境內大治。 以河東地狹兵少，乃訓練士卒，令騎兵不見敵無得乘馬。 部分已定，無得相逾越，及留絕以避險； 分道並進，期會無得差晷刻。 犯者必斬。 故能兼山東，取河南，由士卒精整故也。
The Jin prince returned to Jinyang, gave his army a rest, and handed out rewards. Zhou Dewei was appointed military governor of Zhenwu and Associate Grand Councillor. He ordered the districts to elevate talent, purge the corrupt, ease taxes and labor, succor widows and orphans, right judicial abuses, and suppress robbery—until his realm was thoroughly pacified. Hedong was cramped and undermanned, so he drilled his troops and forbade horsemen to mount until the enemy was in sight. Once the companies were assigned, none could cross into another's lane or hang back to dodge danger; they were to advance on parallel routes and meet on the clock—not a quarter-hour late. Violators were beheaded without exception. That was how he seized Shandong and took Henan: his men were drilled to a razor's edge.
86
初，晉王克用平王行瑜，唐昭宗許其承制封拜。 時方鎮多行墨制，王恥與之同，每除吏必表聞。 至是，晉王存勖始承制製除吏。 晉王德張承業，以兄事之，每至其第，升堂拜母，賜遺甚厚。
Years before, after Li Keyong crushed Wang Xingyu, Emperor Zhaozong had authorized him to commission and enfeoff officers on his own authority. Most governors then filled posts by informal ink warrants; the prince refused to follow suit and memorialized every appointment to the court. Only now did Li Cunxu begin to commission and appoint officials under his own warrant. Li Cunxu revered Zhang Chengye and treated him like an elder brother—each visit took him into the hall to bow to Zhang's mother, and his gifts were lavish.
87
潞州圍守歷年，士民凍餒死者太半，市裡蕭條。 李嗣昭勸課農桑，寬租緩刑，數年之間，軍城完復。
Lu Prefecture had been under siege for a year; cold and famine had killed more than half the garrison and townsfolk, and the markets stood empty. Li Sizhao promoted farming and silk work, cut rents, and softened punishments; within a few years the garrison and city were whole again.
88
靜江節度使、同平章事李瓊卒，楚王殷以其弟永州刺史存知桂州事。
Li Qiong, military governor of Jingjiang and Associate Grand Councillor, died; King Yin of Chu put his younger brother, Governor Cun of Yongzhou, in charge of Guizhou.
89
壬申，更以許州忠武軍為匡國軍，同州匡國軍為忠武軍，陝州保義軍為鎮國軍。
On renshen the Zhongwu army at Xuzhou was renamed Kuangguo, Tongzhou's Kuangguo became Zhongwu, and Shanzhou's Baoyi became Zhenguo.
90
乙亥，楚兵寇鄂州，淮南所署知州秦裴擊破之。
On yihai Chu forces struck Ezhou; Qin Pei, Huainan's appointed prefect, beat them back.
91
淮南左牙指揮使張顥、右牙指揮使徐溫專制軍政，弘農威王心不能平，欲去之而未能。 二人不自安，共謀弒王，分其地以臣於梁。 戊寅，顥遣其黨紀祥等弒王於寢室，詐云暴薨。
Zhang Hao of the left guard and Xu Wen of the right guard ran Huainan's army and administration; Yang Wo, Prince of Wei of Hongnong, seethed at their grip but could not shake them loose. Uneasy in their power, the two plotted to murder the prince, carve up his lands, and submit to Liang. On wuyin Zhang Hao sent Ji Xiang and other henchmen to kill the prince in his chamber, then announced a sudden death.
92
己卯，顥集將吏於府廷，夾道及庭中堂上皆列白刃，令諸將悉去衛從然後入。 顥厲聲問曰：「嗣王已薨，軍府誰當主之？」 三問，莫應，顥氣色益怒。 幕僚嚴可求前密啟曰：「軍府至大，四境多虞，非公主之不可。 然今日則恐太速。」 顥曰：「何謂速也？」 可求曰：「劉威、陶雅、李遇、李簡皆先王之等夷，公今自立，此曹肯為公下乎？ 不若立幼主輔之，諸將孰敢不從！」 顥默然久之。 可求因屏左右，急書一紙置袖中，麾同列詣使宅賀，眾莫測其所為，既至，可求跪讀之，乃太夫人史氏教也。 大要言：「先王創業艱難，嗣王不幸早世，隆演次當立，諸將宜無負楊氏，善輔導之。」 辭旨明切。 顥氣色皆沮，以其義正，不敢奪，遂奉威王弟隆演稱淮南留後、東面諸道行營都統。 既罷，副都統朱瑾詣可求所居，曰：「瑾年十六七即橫戈躍馬，沖犯大敵，未嘗畏懾，今日對顥，不覺流汗，公面折之如無人。 乃知瑾匹夫之勇，不及公遠矣。」 因以兄事之。
On jimao Zhang Hao summoned the commanders to the yamen courtyard, lined the approach and hall with naked swords, and made each officer enter alone without guards. Zhang Hao demanded in a snarl, "The heir is dead—who will head this commandery?" He asked three times; silence answered him, and his face darkened further. Staff officer Yan Keqiu whispered forward, "The seat is too great and the frontiers too troubled to leave empty—but not today, surely not today. Zhang Hao snapped, "Too soon for what?" Keqiu said, "Liu Wei, Tao Ya, Li Yu, and Li Jian stood as the late king's peers—will they bow to you if you seize the seat? “Better install the boy and guide him—who among the generals would refuse? " Zhang Hao fell silent for a long while. Keqiu sent the attendants away, scribbled a sheet into his sleeve, and waved his colleagues to the envoy's quarters to offer congratulations—none knew his design. There Keqiu knelt and read it aloud: a directive from Lady Dowager Shi. Its gist: "Your late lord built this realm in hardship; the heir has died too young; Longyan is next in succession—do not betray the Yang clan, but guide him well." The words were plain and adamant. Zhang Hao's swagger collapsed; the charge was too righteous to defy, and he installed the late prince's younger brother Longyan as acting Huainan governor and supreme commander of the eastern circuits. After the assembly, deputy supreme commander Zhu Jin visited Keqiu and said, "Since I was sixteen I have taken spear and saddle against great foes and never flinched; yet today before Zhang Hao I sweated without knowing it. You faced him down as if he were nothing—I see now that my lone brawler's nerve is nothing beside yours." From that day he treated Keqiu as an elder brother.
93
顥以徐溫為浙西觀察使，鎮潤州。 嚴可求說溫曰：「公捨牙兵而出外籓，顥必以弒君之罪歸公。」 溫驚曰：「然則奈何？」 可求曰：「顥剛愎而暗於事，公能見聽，請為公圖之。」 時副使李承嗣參預軍府之政，可求又說承嗣曰：「顥凶威如此，今出徐於外，意不徒然，恐亦非公之利。」 承嗣深然之。 可求往見顥曰：「右牙欲之，非吾意也。 業已行矣，奈何？」 可求曰：「止之易耳。」 明日，可求邀顥及承嗣俱詣溫，可求瞋目責溫曰：「古人不忘一飯之恩，況公楊氏宿將！ 今幼嗣初立，多事之時，乃求自安於外，可乎？」 溫謝曰：「苟諸公見容，溫何敢自專！」 由是不行。 顥知可求陰附溫，夜，遣盜刺之，可求知不免，請為書辭府主。 盜執刀臨之，可求操筆無懼色。 盜能辨字，見其辭旨忠壯，曰：「公長者，吾不忍殺。」 掠其財以覆命，曰：「捕之不獲。」 顥怒曰：「吾欲得可求首，何用財為！」 溫與可求謀誅顥，可求曰：「非鍾泰章不可。」 泰章者，合肥人，時為左監門衛將軍。 溫使親將彭城翟虔告之。 泰章聞之喜，密結壯士三十人，夜，刺血相飲為誓。 丁亥旦，直入斬顥於牙堂，並其親近。 溫始暴顥弒君之罪，轘紀祥等於市。 詣西宮白太夫人。 太夫人恐懼，大泣曰：「吾兒沖幼，禍難如此，願保百口歸廬州，公之惠也。」 溫曰：「張顥弒逆，不可不誅，夫人宜自安。」 初，顥與溫謀弒威王，溫曰：「參用左、右牙兵，心必不一，不若獨用吾兵。」 顥不可，溫曰：「然則獨用公兵。」 顥從之。 至是，窮治逆黨，皆左牙兵，也由是人以溫為實不知謀也。 隆演以溫為左、右牙都指揮使，軍府事咸取決焉。 以嚴可求為揚州司馬。 溫性沉毅，自奉簡儉，雖不知書，使人讀獄訟之辭而決之，皆中情理。 先是，張顥用事，刑戮酷濫，給親兵剽奪市里。 溫謂嚴可求曰：「大事已定，吾與公輩當力行善政，使人解衣而寢耳。」 乃立法度，禁強暴，舉大綱，軍民安之。 溫以軍旅委可求，以財賦委支計官駱知祥，皆稱其職，淮南謂之「嚴、駱」。
Zhang Hao posted Xu Wen to western Zhejiang as observation commissioner, with his seat at Runzhou. Yan Keqiu warned Xu Wen, "Quit the guard for an outer post and Zhang Hao will hang regicide on you." Xu Wen started: "Then what can I do?" Keqiu said, "Zhang Hao is stubborn and dull—hear me out and I will lay a plan." Deputy commissioner Li Chengsi then shared in headquarters business; Keqiu told him too, "Zhang Hao's terror is plain—posting Xu Wen outside is no idle move, and it may not serve you either." Chengsi was thoroughly convinced. Keqiu went to Zhang Hao: "The right guard wanted the assignment—not I. It is already done—what now? Zhang Hao said, "It has already gone forward—what then?" Keqiu said, "Stopping it is easy." Next day Keqiu brought Zhang Hao and Li Chengsi to Xu Wen's quarters, glared at Wen, and thundered, "The ancients repaid a single meal's kindness—how much more a veteran of the Yang house! The boy has just taken the seat and troubles crowd on every side—will you tuck yourself away in the provinces for comfort?" Xu Wen bowed: "If you gentlemen will have me, how dare I go my own way!" The posting was canceled. Zhang Hao knew Keqiu was in league with Xu Wen; that night he sent killers. Keqiu, seeing no escape, asked only to write a farewell to his lord. The blade hovered at his throat; Keqiu wrote without a tremor. The killer could read; the lines were loyal and fierce. He said, "You are a man of honor—I will not strike." He looted Keqiu's goods and reported back, "We hunted but could not take him." Zhang Hao raged, "I wanted Keqiu's head—what good is loot!" Xu Wen and Keqiu plotted Zhang Hao's death; Keqiu said, "Only Zhong Taizhang can do it." Taizhang, a native of Hefei, then served as general of the Left Gate Guard. Xu Wen sent his trusted Pengcheng officer Zhai Qian to tell him. Taizhang rejoiced at the word, secretly rallied thirty stout men, and at night they pricked their arms and swore over blood. At dawn on dinghai they burst into the guard hall and cut down Zhang Hao and his intimates. Xu Wen then proclaimed Zhang Hao's regicide and dismembered Ji Xiang and the rest in the marketplace. He went to the western palace to inform the Lady Dowager. Terrified, the Lady Dowager wept, "My son is still a child and disaster has struck so hard—spare our household of a hundred souls and let us return to Luzhou; that will be your mercy." Xu Wen said, "Zhang Hao's treason could not go unpunished; Lady Dowager, be at peace." When Zhang Hao and Xu Wen had first plotted against the Prince of Wei, Xu Wen had said, "Use both guards together and their hearts will split—better use only my men." Zhang Hao refused; Xu Wen said, "Then use only yours." Zhang Hao agreed. Now the purge fell entirely on left-guard men, and people concluded Xu Wen had never shared the plot. Longyan made Xu Wen commander of both guards, and every matter of the headquarters passed through his hands. Yan Keqiu was appointed marshal of Yangzhou. Xu Wen was grave and sparing; though illiterate, he had petitions and suits read aloud and judged them squarely every time. Under Zhang Hao's rule punishments had been savage and his personal guard had looted the markets. Xu Wen told Yan Keqiu, "The crisis is past—you and I must govern well until people can sleep with their coats off." He framed laws, curbed violence, and laid down the broad rules until soldiers and civilians rested easy. He gave the army to Keqiu and the ledgers to Luo Zhixiang; both excelled, and Huainan spoke of "Yan and Luo."
94
己丑，契丹王阿保機遣使隨高頎入貢，且求冊命。 帝復遣司農卿渾特賜以手詔，約共滅沙陀，乃行封冊。
On jichou the Khitan ruler Abaoji sent envoys with Gao Yan to pay tribute and seek investiture. The Emperor sent Hun Te of the Court of Imperial Granaries with a handwritten edict: ally to crush the Shatuo, and enfeoffment would follow.
95
壬辰，夾寨諸將詣闕待罪，皆赦之。 帝賞牛存節全澤州之功，以為六軍馬步都指揮使。
On renchen the Twin Stockade commanders presented themselves at court to await punishment; the Emperor pardoned them all. The Emperor rewarded Niu Cunjie for saving Zezhou and made him commander of the Six Armies' horse and foot.
96
雷彥恭引沅江環朗州以自守，秦彥暉頓兵月餘不戰，彥恭守備稍懈。 彥暉使裨將曹德昌帥壯士夜入自水竇，內外舉火相應，城中驚亂，彥暉鼓譟壞門而入，彥恭輕舟奔廣陵。 彥暉虜其弟彥雄，送於大梁。 淮南以彥恭為節度副使。 先是，澧州刺史向瑰與彥恭相表裡，至是亦降於楚，楚始得澧、朗二州。
Lei Yangong ringed Langzhou with the Yuan River for defense; Qin Yanhui sat before the walls for a month without battle, and Yangong's guard grew slack. Yanhui sent Cao Dechang with picked men through the water gate by night; fires flared inside and out, the city panicked, Yanhui drummed through the shattered gate, and Yangong fled downriver in a light craft to Guangling. Yanhui seized his brother Yanxiong and sent him to the Great Liang. Huainan appointed Yangong deputy military governor. Earlier Xiang Gui of Lizhou had colluded with Yangong; now he too submitted to Chu, and Chu at last held Lizhou and Langzhou.
97
蜀主遣將將兵會岐兵五萬攻雍州，晉張承業亦將兵應之。 六月，壬寅，以劉知俊為西路行營都招討使以拒之。
The Shu emperor sent generals with an army to join fifty thousand Qi troops against Yongzhou; Zhang Chengye of Jin marched to meet them. In the sixth month, on renyin, Liu Zhijun was made supreme commander of the western-route army to oppose them.
98
金吾上將軍王師範家於洛陽，朱友寧之妻泣訴於帝曰：「陛下化家為國，宗族皆蒙榮寵。 妾夫獨不幸，因王師範叛逆，死於戰場。 今仇讎猶在，妾誠痛之！」 帝曰：「朕幾忘此賊！」 已酉，遣使就洛陽族之。 使者先鑿坑於第側，乃宣敕告之。 師範盛陳宴具，與宗族列坐，謂使者曰：「死者人所不免，況有罪乎！ 予不欲使積屍長幼無序。」 酒既行，命自幼及長，引於坑中戮之，死者凡二百人。
Wang Shifan, superior general of the Golden Crow Guard, kept his household in Luoyang; Zhu Youning's wife came weeping before the Emperor: "Your Majesty turned kin into empire, and our clan has bathed in favor. I alone was left a widow—my husband fell in battle when Wang Shifan rose in rebellion. His killer still walks free—and the wound still bleeds." The emperor said, "I had nearly forgotten that villain!" On the day Yiyou he dispatched an envoy to Luoyang to wipe out Wang's entire clan. The envoy dug a pit beside the mansion first, then read the imperial order aloud. Shifan laid out a full feast and seated his kinsmen in ranks. He told the envoy, "Every man must die—what shame is there in dying guilty? I will not have corpses heaped with elders and juniors out of their proper order." When the wine had gone round, he had them led into the pit from youngest to eldest; two hundred died.
99
丙辰，劉知俊及佑國節度使王重師大破岐兵於幕谷，晉、蜀兵皆引歸。
On Bingchen, Liu Zhijun and Wang Zhongshi, the Youguo military governor, routed the Qi army at Muguli; the Jin and Shu forces withdrew.
100
蜀立遂王宗懿為太子。 帝欲自將擊潞州，丁卯，詔會諸道兵。
Shu named Prince of Sui Zongyi crown prince. The emperor meant to lead the Luzhou campaign himself. On Dingmao he ordered the armies of every circuit to muster.
101
湖南判官高郁請聽民自採茶賣於北客，收其征以贍軍，楚王殷從之。 秋，七月，殷奏於汴、荊、襄、唐、郢、復州置回圖務，運茶於河南、北，賣之以易繒纊、戰馬而歸，仍歲貢茶二十五萬斤，詔許之。 湖南由是富贍。
Gao Yu, a Hunan staff officer, proposed letting commoners harvest tea and sell it to northern traders, using the levy to feed the army; King Ma Yin of Chu agreed. In the seventh month of autumn Yin petitioned to establish tea offices at Bian, Jing, Xiang, Tang, Ying, and Fu, shipping leaf north and south of the river to trade for silks and war horses—and still offering two hundred fifty thousand jin in annual tribute. The court approved. Hunan grew rich.
102
壬申，淮南將吏請於李儼，承制授楊隆演淮南節度使、東面諸道行營都統、同平章事、弘農王。
On Renshen the Huainan commanders petitioned Li Yan to grant, by provisional mandate, Yang Longyan the posts of Huainan military governor, supreme commander of eastern campaigns, associate grand councillor, and Prince of Hongnong.
103
鍾泰章賞薄，泰章未嘗自言； 後逾年，因醉與諸將爭言而及之。 或告徐溫，以泰章怨望，請誅之，溫曰：「是吾過也。」 擢為滁州刺史。
Zhong Taizhang had been poorly rewarded for his service, yet he had never said a word; more than a year later, drunk, he quarreled with fellow officers and the grievance slipped out. Someone told Xu Wen that Taizhang nursed a grudge and ought to be killed. Wen said, "That fault is mine." He promoted him to prefect of Chuzhou.