1
資治通鑑第267卷
Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 267
2
【後梁紀二】起著雍執徐八月,盡重光協洽二月,凡二年有奇。
【Later Liang Annals II】 From the eighth month of 909 through the second month of 912—a span of slightly more than two years.
3
八月,吳越王鏐遣寧國節度使王景仁奉表詣大梁,陳取淮南之策。 景仁即茂章也,避梁諱改焉。
In the eighth month, Wuyue's King Qian Liu sent his Ningguo military governor Wang Jingren to Daliang with a memorial outlining a strategy for taking Huainan. Jingren had formerly been called Maozhang; he had changed his name to avoid a taboo of the Liang court.
4
淮南遣步軍都指揮使周本、南面統軍使呂師造擊吳越,九月,圍蘇州。 吳越將張仁保攻常州之東洲,拔之。 淮南兵死者萬餘人。 淮南以池州團練使陳璋為水陸行營都招討使,帥柴再用等諸將救東洲,大破仁保於魚蕩,復取東洲。 柴再用方戰舟壞,長槊浮之,僅而得濟。 家人為之飯僧千人,再用悉取其食以犒部兵,曰:「士卒濟我,僧何力焉!」
Huainan dispatched its infantry commander Zhou Ben and southern army commander Lü Shizao against Wuyue; in the ninth month they laid siege to Suzhou. The Wuyue general Zhang Renbao attacked Dongzhou in Changzhou and took it. Huainan lost more than ten thousand men. Huainan made Chizhou regimental commissioner Chen Zhang overall commander of the joint land-and-water force and sent him with Chai Zaiyong and other generals to relieve Dongzhou; at Yudang they crushed Zhang Renbao and retook Dongzhou. During the fighting Chai Zaiyong's boat was smashed; he clung to a long spear to stay afloat and barely made it ashore. His family had arranged a feast for a thousand monks in his honor; Zaiyong took all the food to reward his troops, saying, "It was the soldiers who saved me—what did the monks do for me!"
5
丙子,蜀立皇后周氏。 后,許州人也。
On the day bingzi, Shu invested Lady Zhou as empress. The empress was from Xuzhou.
6
晉周德威、李嗣昭將兵三萬出陰地關,攻晉州,刺史徐懷玉拒守。 帝自將救之,丁丑,發大梁,乙酉,至陝州。 戊子,岐王所署延州節度使胡敬璋寇上平關,劉知俊擊破之。 周德威等聞帝將至,乙未,退保隰州。 荊南節度使高季昌遣兵屯漢口,絕楚朝貢之路。 楚王殷遣其將許德勳將水軍擊之,至沙頭,季昌懼而請和。 殷又遣步軍都指揮使呂師周將兵擊嶺南,與清海節度使劉隱十餘戰,取昭、賀、梧、蒙、龔、富六州。 殷土宇既廣,乃養士息民,湖南遂安。
Jin's Zhou Dewei and Li Sizhao marched thirty thousand men through Yindi Pass against Jinzhou, where prefect Xu Huaiyu shut himself in to resist. The emperor led a relief force in person; on dingchou he left Daliang and on yiyou reached Shazhou. On wuzi, Yanzhou military governor Hu Jingzhang, whom the Prince of Qi had commissioned, raided Shangping Pass; Liu Zhijun routed him. Learning that the emperor was on his way, Zhou Dewei and his colleagues fell back to Xi Prefecture on yiwei. Jingnan military governor Gao Jichang posted troops at Hankou, severing the route by which Chu sent tribute. King Ma Yin of Chu sent his general Xu Dexun with a fleet against him; when the Chu ships reached Shatou, Jichang grew alarmed and sought peace. Yin also sent infantry commander Lü Shizhou into Lingnan; after more than ten engagements with Qinghai military governor Liu Yin he seized the six prefectures of Zhao, He, Wu, Meng, Gong, and Fu. With his domain greatly enlarged, Yin began to patronize scholars and give the people respite, and Hunan grew secure.
7
冬,十月,蜀主立後宮張氏為貴妃,徐氏為賢妃,其妹為德妃。 張氏,郪人,宗懿之母也。 二徐,耕之女也。
In winter, the tenth month, the Shu ruler elevated Zhang of the inner palace to noble consort, a lady of the Xu clan to wise consort, and her younger sister to virtuous consort. Lady Zhang was from Qi and was the mother of Zongyi. The two Xu sisters were daughters of Xu Geng.
8
華原賊帥溫韜聚眾嵯峨山,暴掠雍州諸縣,唐帝諸陵發之殆遍。
The Huayuan bandit leader Wen Tao rallied men on Cuo'e Mountain and plundered the counties of Yong Prefecture; he had looted almost every Tang imperial tomb.
9
庚戌,蜀主講武於星宿山,步騎三十萬。
On gengxu the Shu ruler held a grand military review on Xingxiu Mountain with three hundred thousand foot and horse.
10
丁巳,帝還大梁。
On dingsi the emperor returned to Daliang.
11
辛酉,以劉隱為清海、靜海節度使,以膳部郎中趙光裔、右補闕李殷衡充官告使,隱皆留之。 光裔,光逢之弟; 殷衡,德裕之孫也。
On xinyou Liu Yin was appointed military governor of Qinghai and Jinghai; Zhao Guangyi of the Ministry of Rites and right remonstrance official Li Yinheng were dispatched as credential envoys, and Yin detained them all. Guangyi was a younger brother of Zhao Guangfeng; Yinheng was a grandson of Li Deyu.
12
依政進士梁震,唐末登第,至是歸蜀。 過江陵,高季昌愛其才識,留之,欲奏為判官。 震恥之,欲去,恐及禍,乃曰:「震素不慕榮宦,明公不以震為愚,必欲使之參謀議,但以白衣侍樽俎可也,何必在幕府!」 季昌許之。 震終身止稱前進士,不受高氏辟署。 季昌甚重之,以為謀主,呼曰先輩。
Liang Zhen of Yizheng, a metropolitan graduate who had passed the examinations late in Tang, now returned to Shu. Passing through Jiangling, Gao Jichang was taken with his ability and detained him, intending to recommend him as administrative aide. Zhen was ashamed and wanted to leave, yet feared reprisal; he said, "I have never coveted rank. If you do not think me a fool and truly want my counsel, let me attend your table as a private guest—that is enough; why must I sit in your headquarters!" Jichang consented. For the rest of his life Zhen styled himself only a former metropolitan graduate and never accepted formal appointment from the Gao family. Jichang held him in high esteem, treated him as chief strategist, and addressed him as Senior.
13
帝從吳越王鏐之請,以亳州團練使寇彥卿為東南面行營都指揮使,擊淮南。 十一月,彥卿帥眾二千襲霍丘,為土豪朱景所敗; 又攻廬、壽二州,皆不勝。 淮南遣滁州刺史史儼拒之,彥卿引歸。
At King Qian Liu of Wuyue's request, the emperor made Bozhou regimental commissioner Kou Yanqing overall commander of the southeastern campaign and sent him against Huainan. In the eleventh month Yanqing led two thousand men in a raid on Huoqiu and was beaten by local magnate Zhu Jing; he then attacked Lu and Shou prefectures but failed in both. Huainan sent Chuzhou prefect Shi Yan against him, and Yanqing withdrew.
14
定難節度使李思諫卒; 甲戌,其子彝昌自為留後。
Dingnan military governor Li Sijian died; on jiaxu his son Yichang installed himself as acting military governor.
15
劉守文舉滄德兵攻幽州,劉守光求救於晉,晉王遣兵五千助之。 丁亥,守文兵至盧台軍,為守光所敗; 又戰玉田,亦敗。 守文乃還。
Liu Shouwen mobilized the armies of Cang and De against Youzhou; Liu Shouguang appealed to Jin, and the Prince of Jin sent five thousand men to his aid. On dinghai Shouwen's army reached Lutai Army and was defeated by Shouguang; they fought again at Yutian and lost once more. Shouwen then withdrew.
16
癸巳,中書侍郎、同平章事張策以刑部尚書致仕; 以左僕射楊涉同平章事。
On guisi Vice Director of the Secretariat and co-equal chief minister Zhang Ce retired as Minister of Justice; Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs Yang She was made co-equal chief minister.
17
保塞節度使胡敬璋卒,靜難節度使李繼徽以其將劉萬子代鎮延州。
Baosai military governor Hu Jingzhang died; Jingnan military governor Li Jihui sent his general Liu Wanzi to take over Yanzhou.
18
是歲,弘農王遣軍將萬全感繼書間道詣晉及岐,告以嗣位。
That year the King of Hongnong sent army officer Wan Quangan with a letter by a secret route to Jin and Qi to announce his succession.
19
帝將遷都洛陽。
The emperor planned to move the capital to Luoyang.
20
春,正月,己巳,遷太廟神主於洛陽。 甲戌,帝發大梁。 壬申,以博王友文為東都留守。 己卯,帝至洛陽。 庚寅,饗太廟。 辛巳,祀圓丘,大赦。
In spring, the first month, on jisi the spirit tablets of the imperial ancestral temple were moved to Luoyang. On jiaxu the emperor left Daliang. On renshen Prince of Bo Zhu Youwen was made regent of the eastern capital. On jimao the emperor arrived in Luoyang. On gengyin he offered sacrifice in the imperial ancestral temple. On xinsi he sacrificed at the Round Mound and proclaimed a general amnesty.
21
丙申,以用度稍充,初給百官全俸。
On bingshen, with revenues somewhat improved, full salaries were paid to officials for the first time.
22
二月,丁酉朔,日有食之。
In the second month, on the first day dingyou, there was a solar eclipse.
23
保塞節度使劉萬子暴虐,失眾心,且謀貳於梁,李繼徽使延州牙將李延實圖之。 延實因萬子葬胡敬璋,攻而殺之,遂據延州。 馬軍都指揮使河西高萬興與其弟萬金聞變,以其眾數千人詣劉知俊降。 岐王置翟州於鄜城,其守將亦降。
Baosai military governor Liu Wanzi was brutal and lost the loyalty of his troops; he also plotted to defect to Liang. Li Jihui sent Yanzhou garrison officer Li Yanshi to deal with him. At Wanzi's funeral for Hu Jingzhang, Yanshi struck, killed him, and seized Yanzhou. Cavalry commander Gao Wanxing of Hexi and his brother Wanjin, hearing of the turmoil, brought several thousand men to Liu Zhijun and surrendered. The Prince of Qi had established Zhai Prefecture at Fucheng; its garrison commander surrendered as well.
24
三月,甲戌,帝發洛陽。 以山南東道節度使楊師厚兼潞州四面行營招討使。
In the third month, on jiaxu the emperor left Luoyang. Shannan East Circuit military governor Yang Shihou was also made commander of the encircling campaign against Lu Prefecture.
25
庚辰,帝至河中,發步騎會高萬興兵取丹、延。
On gengchen the emperor reached Hezhong and sent foot and horse to join Gao Wanxing in taking Dan and Yan prefectures.
26
丙戌,以朔方節度使兼中書令韓遜為穎川王。 遜本靈州牙校,唐末據本鎮,前廷因而授以節鉞。
On bingxu Shuofang military governor and concurrent Secretariat director Han Xun was created Prince of Yingchuan. Xun had been a garrison officer at Lingzhou; late in Tang he seized his circuit, and the former court had granted him a military commission in recognition.
27
辛卯,丹州刺史崔公實請降。
On xinmao Danzhou prefect Cui Gongshi offered to surrender.
28
徐溫以金陵形勝,戰艦所聚,乃自以淮南行軍副使領升州刺史,留廣陵,以其假子元從指揮使知誥為升州隊遏兼樓船副使,往治之。
Because Jinling was strategically vital and a concentration point for warships, Xu Wen took the Shengzhou prefecture himself as Huainan deputy campaign commander while remaining at Guangling; he sent his adopted son Yuancong, commander Zhigao, as Shengzhou patrol officer and deputy riverine commander to govern it.
29
夏,四月,丙申朔,劉知俊移軍攻延州,李延實嬰城自守。 知俊遣白水鎮使劉儒分兵圍坊州。
In summer, the fourth month, on the first day bingchen Liu Zhijun marched against Yanzhou; Li Yanshi barred the gates and defended the city. Zhijun sent Baishui garrison commissioner Liu Ru with a detachment to besiege Fang Prefecture.
30
庚子,以王審知為閩王,劉隱為南平王。
On gengzi Wang Shenzhi was created Prince of Min and Liu Yin Prince of Nanping.
31
劉知俊克延州,李延實降。
Liu Zhijun took Yanzhou and Li Yanshi surrendered.
32
淮南兵圍蘇州,推洞屋攻城,吳越將臨海孫琰置輪於竿首,垂絲亙投錐以揭之,攻者盡露,砲至則張網以拒之,淮南人不能克。 吳越王鏐遣牙內指揮使錢鏢、行軍副使杜建徽等將兵救之。
Huainan forces besieged Suzhou with rolling siege sheds; Wuyue general Sun Yan of Linhai mounted wheels on pole tops, stretched silk between them, and cast grappling hooks to raise the sheds—exposing every attacker; when stones flew, defenders spread nets to catch them, and Huainan could not take the city. King Qian Liu sent palace guard commander Qian Biao, deputy campaign commander Du Jianhui, and others with a relief army.
33
蘇州有水通城中,淮南張網綴鈴懸水中,魚鱉過皆知之。 吳越游弈都虞候司馬福欲潛行入城,故以竿觸網,敵聞鈴聲舉網,福因得過,凡居水中三日,乃得入城。 由是城中號令與援兵相應,敵以為神。
Waterways ran from outside into Suzhou; Huainan strung nets rigged with bells in the channels so that any fish or turtle passing would set them off. Wuyue patrol commander Sima Fu wanted to slip into the city; he deliberately brushed the nets with a pole, and when the enemy heard the bells they hauled the nets up—Fu slipped through; he spent three full days in the water before reaching the city. Thereafter orders inside the city coordinated with the relief force, and the enemy took it for sorcery.
34
吳越王鏐嘗游府園,見園卒陸仁章樹藝有智而志之,及蘇州被圍,使仁章通信入城,果得報而返。 鏐以諸孫畜之,累遷兩府軍糧都監使,卒獲其用。 仁章,睦州人也。
King Qian Liu had once toured the government gardens, noted gardener Lu Renzhang's skill and sharp mind, and remembered him; when Suzhou was besieged he sent Renzhang with messages into the city, and Renzhang brought back a reply as promised. Liu raised him like a grandson, promoted him steadily, and eventually made him overseer of grain for both prefectures—he proved his worth in the end. Renzhang was from Muzhou.
35
辛亥,吳越兵內外合擊淮南兵,大破之,擒其將何朗等三十餘人,奪戰艦二百艘。 周本夜遁,又追敗之於皇天蕩。 鍾泰章將精兵二百為殿,多樹旗幟於菰蔣中,追兵不敢進而還。
On xinhai Wuyue forces inside and outside the city struck the Huainan army together, crushing them, capturing more than thirty officers including He Lang, and taking two hundred warships. Zhou Ben fled by night; the pursuers defeated him again at Huangtiandang. Zhong Taizhang covered the retreat with two hundred picked troops and planted many banners among the reeds; the pursuers dared not press on and withdrew.
36
岐王所署保大節度使李彥博、坊州刺史李彥昱皆棄城奔鳳翔,鄜州都將嚴弘倚舉城降。 己未,以高萬興為保塞節度使,以絳州刺史牛存節為保大節度使。
Baoda military governor Li Yanbo and Fangzhou prefect Li Yanyu, both Qi appointees, abandoned their posts and fled to Fengxiang; Fuzhou garrison commander Yan Hongyi surrendered the city. On jiwei Gao Wanxing was appointed Baosai military governor and Jiangzhou prefect Niu Cunjie Baoda military governor.
37
淮南初置選舉,以駱知祥掌之。
Huainan established civil examinations for the first time and placed Luo Zhixiang in charge.
38
五月,丁卯,帝命劉知俊乘勝取邠州,知俊難之,辭以闕食,乃召還。
In the fifth month, on dingmao the emperor ordered Liu Zhijun to follow up and take Bin Prefecture; Zhijun demurred, citing lack of supplies, and was recalled.
39
佑國節度使王重師鎮長安數年,帝在河中,怒其貢奉不時,己巳,召重師入朝,以左龍虎統軍劉捍為佑國留後。 癸酉,帝發河中; 己卯,至洛陽。
Youguo military governor Wang Chongshi had governed Chang'an for years; while the emperor was at Hezhong he grew angry that Chongshi's tribute was late; on jisi he summoned Chongshi to court and made Left Dragon-Tiger commander Liu Han regent of Youguo. On guiyou the emperor left Hezhong; on jimao he reached Luoyang.
40
劉捍至長安,王重師不為禮,捍譖之於帝,雲重師潛與邠、岐通。 甲申,貶重師溪州刺史,尋賜自盡,夷其族。
When Liu Han arrived in Chang'an, Wang Chongshi slighted him; Han denounced him to the emperor, claiming Chongshi was secretly in league with Bin and Qi. On jiashen Chongshi was demoted to prefect of Xi and soon ordered to kill himself; his entire clan was destroyed.
41
劉守文頻年攻劉守光不克,力大發兵,以重賂招契丹、吐谷渾之眾,合四萬屯薊州。 守光逆戰於雞蘇,為守文所敗。 守文單馬立於陳前,泣謂其眾曰:「勿殺吾弟!」 守光將元行欽識之,直前擒之,滄德兵皆潰。 守光囚之別室,栫之藂棘,乘勝進攻滄州。 滄州節度判宮呂兗、孫鶴推守文子延祚為帥,乘城拒守。 兗,安次人也。
Liu Shouwen had attacked Liu Shouguang for years without success; he now raised a large force and, with lavish bribes, enlisted Khitan and Tuyuhun troops—forty thousand in all encamped at Jizhou. Shouguang met him at Jisu and was defeated. Shouwen rode alone to the front of his line and wept to his men, "Do not kill my younger brother!" Shouguang's general Yuan Xingqin recognized him, charged forward, and seized him; the Cang-De army collapsed. Shouguang locked him in a side room and bound him among thorn bushes, then pressed on to attack Cangzhou. Cangzhou administrative aides Lü Yan and Sun He installed Shouwen's son Yanzuo as leader and held the walls against him. Yan was from Anci.
42
忠武節度使兼侍中劉知俊,功名浸盛,以帝猜忍日甚,內不自安。 及王重師誅,知俊益懼。 帝將伐河東,急征知俊入朝,欲以為河東西面行營都統; 且以知俊有丹、延之功,厚賜之。 知俊弟右保勝指揮使知浣從帝在洛陽,密使人語知俊云:「入必死。」 又白帝,請帥弟侄往迎知俊,帝許之。 六月,乙未朔,知俊奏稱「為軍民所留」,遂以同州附於岐,執監軍及將佐之不從者,皆械送於岐。 遣兵襲華州,逐刺史蔡敬思,以兵守潼關。 潛遣人以重利啖長安諸將,執劉捍,送於岐,殺之。 知俊遣使請兵於岐,亦遣使請晉人出兵攻晉、絳,遺晉王書曰:「不過旬日,可取兩京,復唐社稷。」
As his fame and achievements grew, Zhongwu military governor and concurrent palace attendant Liu Zhijun grew uneasy—the emperor's suspicion and cruelty were increasing daily. When Wang Chongshi was executed, Zhijun's fear only deepened. The emperor planned a campaign against Hedong and urgently summoned Zhijun to court, intending to make him overall commander of the western Hedong campaign; and because Zhijun had captured Dan and Yan, the emperor rewarded him lavishly. Zhijun's brother Liu Zhihuan, Right Baosheng commander, was with the emperor at Luoyang and secretly sent word: "If you go to court, you will die." He also petitioned the emperor to lead his brothers and nephews to meet Zhijun, and the emperor agreed. In the sixth month, on the first day yiwei, Zhijun reported that he was "held back by soldiers and civilians" and submitted Tong Prefecture to Qi; he seized the military supervisor and officers who refused to follow and sent them in chains to Qi. He sent troops against Hua Prefecture, expelled prefect Cai Jingsi, and posted troops to hold Tong Pass. He secretly sent men to bribe the Chang'an generals with rich rewards; they seized Liu Han, sent him to Qi, and he was executed. Zhijun asked Qi for troops and also asked Jin to attack Jin and Jiang prefectures; he wrote the Prince of Jin: "Within ten days we can take the two capitals and restore the Tang dynasty."
43
丁未,朔方節度使韓遜奏克鹽城,斬岐所署刺史李繼直。
On dingwei Shuofang military governor Han Xun reported the capture of Yancheng and the beheading of Li Jizhi, Qi's appointee as prefect.
44
帝遣近臣諭劉知俊曰:「朕待卿甚厚,何忽相負?」 對曰:「臣不背德,但畏族滅如王重師耳。」 帝復使謂之曰:「劉捍言重師陰結邠、岐,朕今悔之無及,捍死不足塞責。」 知俊不報。 庚戌,詔削知俊官爵,以山南東道節度使楊師厚為西路行營招討使,帥侍衛馬步軍都指揮使劉鄩等討之。 辛亥,帝發洛陽。
The emperor sent a close attendant to Liu Zhijun: "I have treated you generously—why have you turned against me?" He replied, "I am not ungrateful, but I fear my clan will be destroyed as Wang Chongshi's was." The emperor sent word again: "Liu Han claimed Chongshi was secretly allied with Bin and Qi; I regret that now beyond remedy—Han's death cannot atone for it." Zhijun made no answer. On gengxu an edict stripped Zhijun of rank and office; Shannan East Circuit military governor Yang Shihou was made western campaign commander and led palace guard cavalry-and-infantry commander Liu Yan and others against him. On xinhai the emperor left Luoyang.
45
劉鄩至潼關東,獲劉知俊伏路兵藺如誨等三十人,釋之使為前導。 劉知浣迷失道,盤桓數日,乃至關下,關吏納之。 如海等繼至,關吏不知其已被擒,亦納之。 鄩兵乘門開直進,遂克潼關,追及知浣,擒之。
Liu Yan reached a point east of Tong Pass and captured thirty of Liu Zhijun's ambush troops, including Lin Ruhui; he released them to serve as guides. Liu Zhihuan lost his way and wandered for days before reaching the pass; the gate officers let him in. Ruhai and the others followed; the gate officers, not knowing they had been captured, admitted them too. Yan's troops burst through the opened gates and took Tong Pass; they pursued and captured Zhihuan.
46
癸丑,帝至陝。
On guichou the emperor reached Shan Prefecture.
47
丹州馬軍都頭王行思等作亂,刺史宋知海逃歸。
Danzhou cavalry commander Wang Xingsi and others rose in mutiny; prefect Song Zhihai fled.
48
帝遣劉知俊侄嗣業持詔指同州招諭知俊,知俊欲輕騎詣行在謝罪,弟知偃止之。 楊師厚等至華州,知俊將聶賞開門降。 知俊聞潼關不守,官軍繼至,蒼黃失圖,乙卯夜,舉族奔岐。 楊師厚至長安,岐兵已據城,師厚以奇兵並南山急趨,自西門入,遂克之。 庚申,以劉鄩權佑國留後。 岐王厚禮劉知俊,以為中書令。 地狹,無籓鎮處之,但厚給俸祿而已。
The emperor sent Zhijun's nephew Siye to Tong Prefecture with an edict summoning him; Zhijun wanted to ride lightly to the imperial camp to plead guilty, but his brother Zhiyan dissuaded him. When Yang Shihou reached Hua Prefecture, Zhijun's general Nie Shang opened the gates and surrendered. Learning Tong Pass had fallen and imperial troops were closing in, Zhijun panicked; on the night of yimao he fled with his entire clan to Qi. When Yang Shihou reached Chang'an, Qi troops already held the city; he led picked troops along the southern hills in a forced march, entered by the west gate, and retook it. On gengshen Liu Yan was made acting regent of Youguo. The Prince of Qi received Liu Zhijun with great honor and made him Vice Director of the Secretariat. The domain was too small to grant him a frontier command; he received only a generous stipend.
49
劉守光遣使上表告捷,且言「俟滄德事畢,為陛下掃平並寇。」 亦致書晉王,雲欲與之同破偽梁。
Liu Shouguang sent a memorial reporting victory and saying, "When Cang and De are settled, I will sweep away the Bing bandits for Your Majesty." He also wrote the Prince of Jin offering to join in destroying the usurper Liang.
50
撫州刺史危全諷自稱鎮南節度使,帥撫、信、袁、吉之兵號十萬攻洪州。 淮南守兵才千人,將吏皆懼,節度使劉威密遣使告急於廣陵,日召僚佐宴飲。 全諷聞之,屯象牙潭,不敢進,請兵於楚,楚王殷遣指揮使苑玫會袁州刺史彭彥章圍高安以助全諷。 玫,蔡州人; 彥章,玕之兄子也。
Fuzhou prefect Wei Quanfen styled himself Zhennan military governor and led armies from Fu, Xin, Yuan, and Ji—said to number one hundred thousand—against Hong Prefecture. Huainan had only a thousand defenders; the officers were terrified; military governor Liu Wei secretly sent urgent word to Guangling while each day holding banquets for his staff. Hearing this, Quanfen camped at Ivory Pool and hesitated to advance; he asked Chu for aid, and King Ma Yin sent commander Yuan Mei to join Yuanzhou prefect Peng Yanzhang in besieging Gao'an. Mei was from Caizhou; Yanzhang was a nephew of Peng Gan.
51
徐溫問將於嚴可求,可求薦周本。 乃以本為西南面行營招討應援使,將兵七千救高安。 本以前攻蘇州無功,稱疾不出,可求即其臥內強起之。 本曰:「蘇州之役,敵不能勝我,但主將權輕耳。 今必見用,願毋置副貳乃可。」 可求許之。 本曰:「楚人為全諷聲援耳,非欲取高安也。 吾敗全諷,援兵必還。」 乃疾趣象牙潭。 過洪州。 劉威欲犒軍,本不肯留。 或曰:「全諷兵強,君宜觀形勢然後進。」 本曰:「賊眾十倍於我,我軍聞之必懼,不若乘其銳而用之。」
Xu Wen asked Yan Keqiu to recommend a general; Keqiu named Zhou Ben. Ben was made southwestern campaign relief commander and led seven thousand men to relieve Gao'an. Ben had failed at Suzhou and pleaded illness; Keqiu forcibly roused him from his bed. Ben said, "At Suzhou the enemy could not beat us—the problem was that the commander lacked authority. If I am to command now, appoint no deputy—that is my condition." Keqiu agreed. Ben said, "The Chu troops are only backing Quanfen—they do not mean to take Gao'an. Defeat Quanfen and the relief force will withdraw." He then marched hard for Ivory Pool. He passed through Hong Prefecture. Liu Wei wanted to feast the troops; Ben refused to stop. Someone urged, "Quanfen's force is strong—you should assess the situation before advancing." Ben said, "The enemy outnumbers us ten to one; if our men hear that they will lose heart—better to attack while their confidence is still fresh."
52
秋,七月,甲子,以劉守光為燕王。
In autumn, the seventh month, on jiazi Liu Shouguang was created Prince of Yan.
53
梁兵克丹州,擒王行思。
Liang troops took Dan Prefecture and captured Wang Xingsi.
54
商州刺史李稠驅士民西走,將吏追斬之,推都押牙李玫主州事。
Shangzhou prefect Li Chou drove soldiers and civilians to flee west; officers overtook and killed him and installed chief adjutant Li Mei to govern the prefecture.
55
庚午,改佑國軍曰永平。
On gengwu the Youguo Army was renamed Yongping.
56
河東兵寇晉州,抄掠至堯祠而去。
Hedong troops raided Jin Prefecture, looting as far as Yaoci before withdrawing.
57
癸酉,帝發陝州,乙亥,至洛陽,寢疾。
On guiyou the emperor left Shan Prefecture; on yihai he reached Luoyang and fell ill.
58
初,帝召山南東道節度使楊師厚,欲使督諸將攻潞州,以前兗海留後王班為留後,鎮襄州。 師厚屢為班言牙兵王求等凶悍,宜備之,班自恃左右有壯士,不以為意,每眾辱之。 戊寅,謫求戍西境,是夕,作亂,殺班,推都指揮使雍丘劉玘為留後。 玘偽從之,明日,與指揮使王延順逃詣帝所。 亂兵奉平淮指揮使李洪為留後,附於蜀。 未幾,房州刺史楊虔亦叛附於蜀。
Earlier the emperor had summoned Shannan East Circuit military governor Yang Shihou to supervise the attack on Lu Prefecture; former Yanhai regent Wang Ban was made regent at Xiang Prefecture. Shihou repeatedly warned Ban that garrison soldiers Wang Qiu and others were violent and dangerous; Ban, trusting his own strongmen, ignored the warning and publicly humiliated them. On wuyin Qiu was demoted to the western frontier; that night he mutinied, killed Ban, and installed overall commander Liu Qi of Yongqiu as regent. Qi feigned acceptance; the next day he fled with commander Wang Yanshun to the emperor. The mutineers installed Pinghuai commander Li Hong as regent and went over to Shu. Soon Fangzhou prefect Yang Qian also rebelled and submitted to Shu.
59
危全諷在象牙潭,營柵臨溪,亙數千里。 庚辰,周本隔溪布陳,先使羸兵嘗敵。 全諷兵涉溪追之,本乘其半濟,縱兵擊之,全諷兵大潰,自相蹂藉,溺水死者甚眾,本分兵斷其歸路,擒全諷及將士五千人。 乘勝克袁州,執刺史彭彥章,進攻吉州,歙州刺史陶雅使其子敬昭及都指揮使徐章將兵襲饒、信,信州刺史危仔倡請降,饒州刺史唐寶棄城走。 行營都指揮使米志誠、都尉呂師造等敗苑玫於上高。 吉州刺史彭玕帥眾數千人奔楚,楚王殷表玕為郴州刺史,為子希範娶其女。 淮南以左先鋒指揮使張景思知信州,遣行營都虞候骨言將兵五千送之。 危仔倡聞兵至,奔吳越,吳越王鏐以仔倡為淮南節度副使,更其姓曰元氏。 危全諷至廣陵,弘農王以其嘗有德於武忠王,釋之,資給甚厚。 八月,虔州刺史盧光稠以州附於淮南。 於是江西之地盡入於楊氏。 光稠亦遣使附於梁。
Wei Quanfen was at Ivory Pool with palisades along the stream stretching for miles. On gengchen Zhou Ben formed his line across the stream and first sent weak troops to test the enemy. Quanfen's men waded the stream in pursuit; Ben struck when they were half across; Quanfen's army collapsed in panic, trampling one another; many drowned; Ben cut off their retreat and captured Quanfen and five thousand men. Pressing on, he took Yuan Prefecture and captured prefect Peng Yanzhang, then advanced on Ji; Shezhou prefect Tao Ya sent his son Jingzhao and overall commander Xu Zhang to raid Rao and Xin; Xinzhou prefect Wei Zaichang surrendered and Raozhou prefect Tang Bao fled. Campaign commander Mi Zhicheng and commander Lü Shizao defeated Yuan Mei at Shanggao. Jizhou prefect Peng Gan fled to Chu with several thousand men; King Ma Yin petitioned to make him Chenzhou prefect and had his son Xifan marry Gan's daughter. Huainan made Left Vanguard commander Zhang Jingsi prefect of Xin and sent campaign deputy commander Guyán with five thousand men to escort him. When Wei Zaichang heard troops were approaching, he fled to Wuyue; King Qian Liu made him Huainan deputy military governor and changed his surname to Yuan. When Wei Quanfen reached Guangling, the King of Hongnong released him—Quanfen had once aided the Prince of Wuzhong—and treated him generously. In the eighth month Qianzhou prefect Lu Guangchou submitted his prefecture to Huainan. Thereafter all of Jiangxi fell to the Yang clan. Guangchou also sent envoys submitting to Liang.
60
甲寅,上疾小瘳,始復視朝。
On jiayin the emperor's illness eased and he resumed holding court.
61
以鎮國節度使康懷貞為西路行營副招討使。
Zhenguo military governor Kang Huaizhen was made deputy western campaign commander.
62
蜀主命太子宗懿判六軍,開永和府,妙選朝士為僚屬。
The Shu ruler ordered Crown Prince Zongyi to oversee the Six Armies, opened the Yonghe Office, and carefully selected court officials for his staff.
63
辛酉,均州刺史張敬方奏克房州。
On xinyou Junzhou prefect Zhang Jingfang reported the capture of Fang Prefecture.
64
岐王欲遣劉知俊將兵攻靈、夏,且約晉王使攻晉、絳。 晉王引兵南下,先遣周德威等將兵出陰地關攻晉州,刺史邊繼威悉力固守。 晉兵穿地道,陷城二十餘步,城中血戰拒之,一夕城復成。 詔楊師厚將兵救晉州,周德威以騎扼蒙坑之險,師厚擊破之,進抵晉州,晉兵解圍遁去。
The Prince of Qi planned to send Liu Zhijun against Ling and Xia and coordinated with the Prince of Jin to attack Jin and Jiang. The Prince of Jin marched south, first sending Zhou Dewei through Yindi Pass against Jin Prefecture; prefect Bian Jiwei defended with all his strength. Jin troops tunneled under the wall and breached it for more than twenty paces; the defenders fought a bloody battle; overnight the wall was rebuilt. An edict ordered Yang Shihou to relieve Jin Prefecture; Zhou Dewei's cavalry held Mengkeng Pass; Shihou broke through and reached Jin Prefecture; the Jin army lifted the siege and withdrew.
65
李洪寇荊南,高季昌遣其將倪可福擊敗之。 詔馬步都指揮使陳暉將兵會荊南兵討洪。
Li Hong raided Jingnan; Gao Jichang sent his general Ni Kefu and defeated him. An edict ordered cavalry-and-infantry commander Chen Hui to join Jingnan troops against Hong.
66
蜀主以御史中丞王鍇為中書侍郎、同平章事。
The Shu ruler made censor-in-chief Wang Kai Vice Director of the Secretariat and co-equal chief minister.
67
陳暉軍至襄州,李洪逆戰,大敗,王求死。 九月,丁酉,拔其城,斬叛兵千人,執李洪、楊虔等送洛陽,斬之。
When Chen Hui reached Xiang Prefecture, Li Hong gave battle and was crushed; Wang Qiu was killed. In the ninth month, on dingyou the city fell; a thousand mutineers were beheaded; Li Hong, Yang Qian, and others were sent to Luoyang and executed.
68
丁未,以保義節度使王檀為潞州東面行營招討使。
On dingwei Baoyi military governor Wang Tan was made eastern Lu Prefecture campaign commander.
69
劉守光奏遣其子中軍兵馬使繼威安撫滄州吏民。 戊申,以繼威為義昌留後。
Liu Shouguang memorialized sending his son, central army horse-and-arms commissioner Liu Jiwei, to pacify Cangzhou's officials and people. On wushen Jiwei was made regent of Yichang.
70
辛亥,侍中韓建罷守太保,左僕射、同平章事楊涉罷守本官。 以太常卿趙光逢為中書侍郎,翰林奉旨工部侍郎杜曉為戶部侍郎,並同平章事。 曉,讓能之子也。
On xinhai Palace Attendant Han Jian was demoted to Grand Mentor; Left Vice Director Yang She was reduced to his original rank. Court of Imperial Sacrifices director Zhao Guangfeng was made Vice Director of the Secretariat, and drafting academician Du Xiao of the Ministry of Works was made Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue—both as co-equal chief ministers. Xiao was a son of Du Rangneng.
71
淮南遣使者張知遠修好於福建,知遠倨慢,閩王審知斬之,表上其書,始與淮南絕。 審知性儉約,常躡麻屨,府捨卑陋,未嘗營葺。 寬刑薄賦,公私富實,境內以安。 歲自海道登、萊入貢,沒溺者什四五。
Huainan sent envoy Zhang Zhiyuan to open relations with Fujian; Zhiyuan was arrogant; Prince of Min Wang Shenzhi executed him, forwarded his letter to the throne, and broke with Huainan. Shenzhi was frugal by nature, often wearing hemp sandals; his offices were humble and he never renovated them. He eased punishments and lowered taxes; public and private coffers grew full, and his domain was at peace. Each year tribute went by sea through Deng and Lai; as many as four or five in ten were lost to the waves.
72
冬,十月,甲子,蜀司天監胡秀林獻《永昌歷》,行之。
In winter, the tenth month, on jiazi, Shu astronomy director Hu Xiulin submitted the Everlasting Prosperity Calendar, and the court adopted it.
73
湖州刺史高澧性凶忍,嘗召州吏議曰:「吾欲盡殺百姓,可乎?」 吏曰:「如此,則租賦何從出? 當擇可殺者殺之耳。」 時澧糾民為兵,有言其咨怨者,澧悉集民兵於開元寺,紿雲犒享,入則殺之,死者逾半; 在外者覺之,縱火作亂。 澧閉城大索,凡殺三千人。 吳越王鏐欲誅之,戊辰,澧以州叛附於淮南,舉兵焚義和臨平鎮,鏐命指揮使錢鏢討之。
Huzhou prefect Gao Li was vicious by nature; he once called his staff together and asked, "I want to slaughter every commoner in the prefecture—is that acceptable?" The clerks replied, "If you do that, where will rent and taxes come from? You should pick out those worth killing and kill them—that is all." While pressing the people into militia service, Gao Li heard reports of grumbling; he assembled the militia at Kaiyuan Temple under the pretense of a reward feast and slaughtered them once inside—well over half were killed; Those still outside caught on, torched the city, and rebelled. Gao Li shut the gates and launched a sweeping purge, killing three thousand people. King Qian Liu meant to put him to death; on wuchen Gao Li turned the prefecture over to Huainan, burned Yihe and Linping, and Qian Liu sent commander Qian Biao against him.
74
十一月,甲午,帝告謝於圜丘; 戊戌,大赦。
In the eleventh month, on jiawu the emperor offered thanks at the Round Mound Altar; On wuxu he proclaimed a general amnesty.
75
鄴王羅紹威得風痺病,上表稱:「魏故大鎮,多外兵,願得有功重臣鎮之,臣乞骸骨歸第。」 帝聞之,撫案動容。 己亥,以其子周翰為天雄節度副使,知府事。 謂使者曰:「亟歸語而主:為我強飯! 如有不可諱,當世世貴爾子孫以相報也。 今使周翰領軍府,尚冀爾復愈耳。」
The Prince of Ye, Luo Shaowei, fell ill with crippling paralysis and memorialized: "Wei was once a great stronghold with many outside troops; I ask that an accomplished senior official hold it—I beg leave to retire." When the emperor heard this, he struck the table, visibly moved. On jihai he appointed Shaowei's son Zhouhan deputy military governor of Tianxiong to run the prefecture. He told the envoy, "Go back at once and tell your master to eat well for my sake! If the worst should happen, I will exalt your descendants for generations in return. For now Zhouhan leads the army headquarters, but I still hope you recover."
76
岐王欲取靈州以處劉知俊,且以為牧馬之地,使知俊自將兵攻之。 朔方節度使韓遜遣使告急; 詔鎮國節度使康懷貞、感化節度使寇彥卿將兵攻邠寧以救之。 懷貞等所向皆捷,克寧、衍二州,拔慶州南城,刺史李彥廣出降。 遊兵侵掠及涇州之境,劉知俊聞之,十二月,己丑,解靈州圍,引兵還。 帝急召懷貞等還,遣兵迎援於三原青谷。 懷貞等還,至三水,知俊遣兵據險邀之,左龍驤軍使壽張王彥章力戰,懷貞等乃得過。 懷貞與裨將李德遇、許從實、王審權分道而行,皆與援兵不相值,至昇平,劉知俊伏兵山口,懷貞大敗,僅以身免,德遇等軍皆沒。 岐王以知俊為彰義節度使,鎮涇州。
The Prince of Qi wanted Lingzhou to install Liu Zhijun and use the region as horse pasture, and sent Zhijun to attack it. Shuofang military governor Han Xun sent messengers reporting dire straits; The court ordered Zhenguo military governor Kang Huaizhen and Ganhua military governor Kou Yanqing to march against Bin and Ning to relieve the siege. Huaizhen's forces won at every turn, taking Ning and Yan and capturing the southern quarter of Qing Prefecture, where prefect Li Yanguang surrendered. Raider columns pushed to the borders of Jing Prefecture; hearing this, on jichou in the twelfth month Liu Zhijun broke off the siege of Lingzhou and withdrew. The emperor hurriedly recalled Huaizhen and sent troops to meet them at Qinggu near Sanyuan. At Sanshui on the return march, Zhijun's men seized the passes; Wang Yanzhang of Shouzhang, Left Dragon Courage commander, fought desperately, and Huaizhen's column barely broke through. Huaizhen split with subordinates Li Deyu, Xu Congshi, and Wang Shenquan, each taking a different road and missing the relief force; at Shengping Liu Zhijun ambushed them at a pass—Huaizhen escaped alone while Deyu and the others were wiped out. The Prince of Qi made Zhijun Zhangyi military governor and posted him at Jing Prefecture.
77
王彥章驍勇絕倫,每戰用二鐵槍,皆重百斤,一置鞍中,一在手,所向無前,時人謂之「王鐵槍」。
“Wang Yanzhang was peerlessly fierce; he fought with two iron spears of a hundred jin each—one in his saddle, one in hand—and cut down everything in his path; men called him Iron Spear Wang.”
78
蜀蜀州刺史王宗弁稱疾,罷歸成都,杜門不出。 蜀主疑其矜功怨望,加檢校太保,固辭不受,謂人曰:「廉者足而不憂,貪者憂而不足。 吾小人,致位至此,足矣,豈可求進不已乎!」 蜀主嘉其志而許之,賜與有加。
Shu Suizhou prefect Wang Zongbian pleaded illness, resigned, returned to Chengdu, and shut himself indoors. The Shu ruler suspected pride and simmering resentment, tried to promote him to honorary Grand Guardian, but Zongbian refused, saying, "The honest man has enough and does not worry; the greedy man worries though he never has enough. I am a nobody who has risen this high—that is enough; how could I keep grasping for more!" The Shu ruler admired his restraint, granted his wish, and heaped gifts upon him.
79
劉守光圍滄州久不下,執劉守文至城下示之,猶固守。 城中食盡,民食堇泥,軍士食人,驢馬相啖□□尾。 呂兗選男女羸弱者,飼以麴面而烹之,以給軍食,謂之宰殺務。
Liu Shouguang besieged Cangzhou for a long time; he dragged Liu Shouwen to the foot of the walls, yet the defenders still held out. The city's food ran out; civilians ate akē mud; soldiers ate human flesh; donkeys and horses fed on one another, gnawing each other's tails. Lü Yan picked the weakest men and women, fattened them on flour and cooked them to feed the army—a practice called the Butchery Office.
80
春,正月,乙未,劉延祚力盡出降。 時劉繼威尚幼,守光使大將張萬進、周知裕輔之鎮滄州,以延祚及其將佐歸幽州,族呂兗而釋孫鶴。 兗子琦,年十五,門下客趙玉紿監刑者曰:「此吾弟也,勿妄殺。」 監刑者信之,遂挈以逃。 琦足痛不能行,玉負之,變姓名,乞食於路,僅而得免。 琦感家門殄滅,力學自立,晉王聞其名,署代州判官。
In spring, the first month, on yimei Liu Yanzuo, spent at last, came out and surrendered. Jiwei was still a child; Shouguang had Zhang Wanjin and Zhou Zhiyu help him hold Cangzhou, sent Yanzuo and his officers to Youzhou, wiped out Lü Yan's clan, and freed Sun He. Lü Yan's son Qi was fifteen; client Zhao Yu tricked the execution overseer: "This is my younger brother—do not kill him by mistake." The overseer believed him and snatched the boy away. Qi's feet were too sore to walk; Yu carried him, changed their names, begged along the roads, and barely escaped. Grieving his family's destruction, Qi threw himself into study; the Prince of Jin heard of him and made him judge-advocate of Daizhou.
81
辛丑,以盧光稠為鎮南留後。
On xinchou Lu Guangchou was made acting military governor of Zhennan.
82
劉守光為其父仁恭請致仕,丙午,以仁恭為太師,致仕。 守光尋使人潛殺其兄守文,歸罪於殺者而誅之。
Shouguang petitioned for his father Rengong to retire; on bingwu Rengong was named Grand Preceptor and stepped down. Before long Shouguang secretly had Shouwen murdered, pinned the crime on the killers, and executed them.
83
二月,萬全感自岐歸廣陵,岐王承製加弘農王兼中書令,嗣吳王,於是吳王赦其境內。
In the second month Wan Quangan returned from Qi to Guangling; the Prince of Qi elevated the King of Hongnong to Director of the Secretariat and heir as Prince of Wu, who then proclaimed amnesty throughout his domain.
84
高澧求救於吳,吳常州刺史李簡等將兵應之,湖州將盛師友、沈行思閉城不內; 澧帥麾下五千人奔吳。 三月,癸巳,吳越王鏐巡湖州,以錢鏢為刺史。
Gao Li asked Wu for help; Wu's Changzhou prefect Li Jian marched out, but Huzhou generals Sheng Shiyou and Shen Xingsi shut the gates and refused entry; Gao Li took his five thousand followers and fled into Wu. In the third month, on guisi King Qian Liu toured Huzhou and installed Qian Biao as prefect.
85
蜀太子宗懿驕暴,好陵傲舊臣。 內樞密使唐道襲,蜀主之嬖臣也,太子屢謔之於朝,由是有隙,互相訴於蜀主。 蜀主恐其交惡,以道襲為山南西道節度使、同平章事。 道襲薦宣徽北院使鄭頊為內樞密使,頊受命之日,即欲按道襲昆弟盜用內庫金帛。 道襲懼,奏項褊急,不可大任,丙午,出頊為果州刺史,以宣徽南院使潘炕為內樞密使。
Shu crown prince Zongyi was proud and brutal and loved to bully veteran officials. Palace Affairs commissioner Tang Daoxi was a Shu favorite; the crown prince repeatedly ridiculed him at court until each went to the ruler with complaints. Fearing open enmity, the Shu ruler posted Daoxi to Shannan West Circuit as military governor and co-equal chief minister. Daoxi recommended Northern Privy Secretariat commissioner Zheng Xu to succeed him; the day Xu took office he moved to investigate Daoxi's brothers for stealing from the inner treasury. Alarmed, Daoxi memorialized that Xu was narrow and rash; on bingwu Xu was demoted to Guo Prefecture and Pan Kang of the Southern Privy Secretariat was named Commissioner of Palace Affairs.
86
夏州都指揮使高宗益作亂,殺節度使李彝昌。 將吏共誅宗益,推彝昌族父蕃漢都指揮使李仁福為帥,癸丑,仁福以聞。 夏,四月,甲子,以仁福為定難節度使。
Xia Prefecture chief commander Gao Zongyi rose in revolt and killed military governor Li Yichang. Officers killed Zongyi together and chose Yichang's clansman Li Renfu, Fan-Han chief commander, as leader; on guichou Renfu reported to the throne. In summer, the fourth month, on jiazi Renfu was appointed Dingnan military governor.
87
丁卯,宋州節度使衡王友諒獻瑞麥,一莖三穗,帝曰:「豐年為上瑞。 今宋州大水,安用此為!」 詔除本縣令名,遣使詰責友諒,以兗海留後惠王友能代為宋州留後。 友諒、友能,皆全昱子也。
On dingmao Prince of Heng You Liang, Songzhou military governor, presented auspicious wheat with three heads on one stalk; the emperor said, "A bountiful harvest is the greatest good omen. Songzhou is drowning in flood—what good is this!" He ordered the magistrate's name struck from the record, rebuked You Liang, and replaced him with Prince of Hui You Neng as Songzhou regent. You Liang and You Neng were both sons of Quanyu.
88
帝以晉州刺史下邑華溫琪拒晉兵有功,欲賞之,會護國節度使冀王友謙上言晉、絳邊河東,乞別建節鎮,壬申,以晉、絳、沁三州為定昌軍,以溫琪為節度使。
The emperor meant to reward Jin Prefecture's Hua Wenqi of Xiayi for holding off Jin; Prince of Ji You Qian argued Jin and Jiang lay on the Hedong frontier; on renshen Jin, Jiang, and Qin became the Dingchang Army under Wenqi.
89
左金吾大將軍寇彥卿入朝,至天津橋,有民不避道,投諸欄外而死。 彥卿自首於帝。 帝以彥卿才幹有功,久在左右。 命以私財遺死者家以贖罪。 御史司憲崔沂劾奏「彥卿殺人闕下,請論如法。」 帝命彥卿分析。 彥卿對:「令從者舉置欄外,不意誤死。」 帝欲以過失論,沂奏:「在法,以勢使令為首,下手為從,不得歸罪從者; 不鬥而故毆傷人,加傷罪一等,不得為過失。」 辛巳,責授彥卿游擊將軍、左衛中郎將。 彥卿揚言:「有得崔沂首者,賞錢萬緡。」 沂以白帝,帝使人謂彥卿:「崔沂有毫髮傷,我當族汝!」 時功臣驕橫,由是稍肅,沂,沆之弟也。
Left Golden Warriors grand general Kou Yanqing came to court; at Tianjin Bridge a commoner failed to clear the road and Yanqing had him thrown over the railing to his death. Yanqing turned himself in. The emperor, knowing Yanqing was capable and had long served at his side, ordered him to pay the dead man's family from his own purse. Censorate director Cui Yi impeached him: "Yanqing killed a man at the palace gate—punish him by law." The emperor ordered Yanqing to answer. Yanqing replied, "I told my followers to lift him over the railing—I never meant for him to die." The emperor wanted to treat it as accident; Yi argued: "Under law whoever gives the order is the principal and whoever carries it out is the accessory—you cannot shift blame to followers; Striking without mutual combat adds a degree to the assault charge—that is not accidental harm." On xinsi Yanqing was demoted to Mobile General and Left Guard Central Commandant. Yanqing announced, "Ten thousand strings of cash to whoever brings me Cui Yi's head." Yi reported this; the emperor warned Yanqing, "If Cui Yi loses so much as a hair, I will wipe out your whole clan!" The merit-holders were swaggering; after this they quieted down; Yi was Cui Hang's younger brother.
90
五月,吳徐溫母周氏卒,將吏致祭,為偶人,高數尺,衣以羅錦,溫曰:「此皆出民力,奈何施於此而焚之,宜解以衣貧者。」 未幾,起復為內外馬步軍都軍使,領潤州觀察使。
In the fifth month Xu Wen's mother Zhou died; officers made funeral effigies dressed in brocade; Wen said, "All this was wrung from the people—why waste it here only to burn it? Give the cloth to the poor." Soon he was recalled to command all horse and foot forces and hold Runzhou governorship.
91
岐王屢求貨於蜀,蜀主皆與之。 又求巴、劍二州,蜀主曰:「吾奉茂貞,勤亦至矣; 若與之地,是棄民也,寧多與之貨。」 乃復以絲、茶、布、帛七萬遺之。
The Prince of Qi kept asking Shu for goods, and the Shu ruler gave whatever he wanted. He also demanded Ba and Jian; the Shu ruler said, "I have already done all I can for Maozhen; To hand over territory would abandon the people—I would rather send more goods." He sent another seventy thousand measures of silk, tea, cloth, and brocade.
92
己亥,以劉繼威為義昌節度使。
On jihai Liu Jiwei was made Yichang military governor.
93
癸丑,天雄節度使兼中書令鄴貞莊王羅紹威卒。 詔以其子周翰為天雄留後。
On guichou Luo Shaowei, Prince of Ye Zhenzhuang, Tianxiong military governor and Secretariat director, died. The court appointed his son Zhouhan Tianxiong regent.
94
匡國節度使長樂忠敬王馮行襲疾篤,表請代者。 許州牙兵二千,皆秦宗權餘黨,帝深以為憂。 六月,庚戌,命崇政院直學士李珽馳往視行襲病,曰:「善諭朕意,勿使亂我近鎮。」 珽至許州,謂將吏曰:「天子握百萬兵,去此數捨耳; 馮公忠純,勿使上有所疑。 汝曹赤心奉國,何憂不富貴!」 由是眾莫敢異議。 行襲欲使人代受詔,珽曰:「東首加朝服,禮也。」 乃即臥內宣詔,謂行襲曰:「公善自輔養,勿視事,此子孫之福也。」 行襲泣謝,遂解兩使印授珽,使代掌軍府。 帝聞之曰:「予固知珽能辦事,馮族亦不亡矣。」 庚辰,行襲卒。 甲申,以李珽權知匡國留後,悉以行襲兵分隸諸校,冒馮姓者皆還宗。
Feng Xingxi, Prince of Changle Zhongjing and Kuangguo military governor, fell gravely ill and asked to be replaced. Two thousand Xuzhou garrison troops were Qin Zongquan holdovers, and the emperor was deeply worried. In the sixth month, on gengxu the emperor sent Chongzheng academician Li Ting posthaste to Xingxi, saying, "Make my wishes clear—do not let nearby garrisons fall into chaos." At Xuzhou Ting told the officers, "The Son of Heaven commands a million soldiers only a few dozen li away; Lord Feng is loyal through and through—do not give the throne reason to doubt. Serve the state with honest hearts—what need to fear missing wealth and rank!" After that no one objected. Xingxi wanted someone to receive the edict for him; Ting said, "To face east in court dress is the proper rite." The edict was read in his sickroom; Ting said, "Look after yourself and leave affairs alone—that blesses your descendants." Xingxi wept his thanks and handed both commissioner seals to Ting to run headquarters. The emperor said, "I knew Ting could manage this—the Feng line will not die out." On gengchen Xingxi died. On jiashen Li Ting was made acting Kuangguo regent; Xingxi's soldiers were split among commanders and everyone who had taken the Feng surname reverted to his own clan.
95
楚王殷求為天策上將,詔加天策上將軍。 殷始開天策府,以弟賨為左相,存為右相。 殷遣將侵荊南,軍於油口。 高季昌擊破之,斬首五千級,逐北至白田而還。
King Ma Yin asked to be Grand Strategist General, and the court granted it. Yin opened the Grand Strategist Office, naming brothers Cong left chancellor and Cun right chancellor. Yin sent generals against Jingnan and camped at Youkou. Gao Jichang routed them, took five thousand heads, chased them to Baitian, and withdrew.
96
吳水軍指揮使敖駢圍吉州刺史彭玕弟瑊於赤石,楚兵救瑊,虜駢以歸。
Wu naval commander Ao Pian besieged Peng Gan's brother Jian at Chishi; Chu forces relieved Jian, captured Pian, and carried him off.
97
秋,七月,戊子朔,蜀門下侍郎兼吏部尚書、同平章事韌城卒。
In autumn, the seventh month, on the new moon of wuzi, Wei Zhaoyuan—deputy director of the chancellery, minister of personnel, and co-equal chief minister of Shu—died.
98
吳越王鏐表「宦者周延誥等二十五人,唐末避禍至此,非劉、韓之黨,乞原之。」 上曰:「此屬吾知其無罪,但今革弊之初,不欲置之禁掖,可且留於彼,諭以此意。」
King Qian Liu of Wuyue submitted a memorial: "The eunuchs Zhou Yanhao and twenty-four others fled here at the end of the Tang to escape calamity; they are not partisans of the Liu or Han factions—we ask that they be pardoned." The emperor replied, "I know these men are innocent, but at the outset of reform I do not mean to bring them into the inner palace; let them remain where they are for now and explain that to them."
99
岐王與邠、涇二帥各遣使告晉,請合兵攻定難節度使李仁福。 晉王遣振武節度使周德威將兵會之,合五萬眾圍夏州,仁福嬰城拒守。
The Prince of Qi and the commanders of Bin and Jing each sent messengers to Jin to propose a joint campaign against Dingnan military governor Li Renfu. The Prince of Jin dispatched Zhende military governor Zhou Dewei at the head of an army to join the allied force; fifty thousand troops surrounded Xia Prefecture, and Renfu shut the gates and defended.
100
八月,以劉守光兼義昌節度使。
In the eighth month Liu Shouguang was also made military governor of Yichang.
101
鎮、定自帝踐祚以來雖不輸常賦,而貢獻甚勤。 會趙王鎔母何氏卒,庚申,遣使吊之,且授起復官。 時鄰道弔客皆在館,使者見晉使,歸,言於帝曰:「鎔潛與晉通,鎮、定勢強,終恐難制。」 帝深然之。
Zhen and Ding had not paid regular taxes since the emperor took the throne, but their tribute gifts had been lavish. When Prince of Zhao Wang Rong's mother, Lady He, died, the court sent condolences on gengshen and authorized him to leave mourning and resume office. Envoys from neighboring circuits were all lodged in the guesthouse when one of them spotted Jin's messengers; returning, he told the emperor, "Rong is secretly dealing with Jin, and with Zhen and Ding so strong, he may prove impossible to control in the end." The emperor thought that quite right.
102
壬戌,李仁福來告急。 甲子,以河南尹兼中書令張宗奭為西京留守。 帝恐晉兵襲西京,以宣化留後李思安為東北面行營都指揮使,將兵萬人屯河陽。 丙寅,帝發洛陽; 己巳,至陝。 辛未,以鎮國節度使楊師厚為西路行營招討使,會感化節度使康懷貞將兵三萬屯三原。 帝憂晉兵出澤州逼懷州,既而聞其在綏、銀磧中,曰:「無足慮也。」 甲申,遣夾馬指揮使李遇、劉綰自鄜、延趨銀、夏,邀其歸路。
On renxu Li Renfu sent an urgent plea for help. On jiazi Zhang Zongshi, governor of Henan and chancellor, was appointed western capital garrison commander. Fearing a Jin strike on the western capital, the emperor named Xuanhua acting governor Li Si'an commander of the northeastern field headquarters and sent ten thousand men to camp at Heyang. On bingyin the emperor left Luoyang; On jisi he reached Shan Prefecture. On xinwei Zhenguo military governor Yang Shihou was made western field commander, joining Ganhuo military governor Kang Huaizhen with thirty thousand troops at Sanyuan. The emperor feared Jin might advance from Ze Prefecture toward Huai Prefecture, but then word came they were stuck in the wastes of Sui and Yin. "Nothing to worry about," he said." On jiashen he sent Jiamu commanders Li Yu and Liu Wan from Fu and Yan toward Yin and Xia to cut off the enemy's retreat.
103
吳越王鏐築捍海石唐,廣杭州城,大修台館。 由是錢唐富庶盛於東南。
King Qian Liu of Wuyue built a stone seawall, enlarged Hangzhou's walls, and lavishly restored pavilions and halls. Qiantang became the richest and most prosperous place in the southeast.
104
九月,己丑,上發陝; 甲午,至洛陽,疾復作。
In the ninth month, on jichou, the emperor marched from Shan; On jiawu he reached Luoyang, and his illness flared again.
105
李遇等至夏州,岐、晉兵皆解去。
Once Li Yu's force reached Xia Prefecture, the Qi and Jin armies broke off and withdrew.
106
冬,十月,遣鎮國節度楊師厚、相州刺史李思安將兵屯澤州以圖上黨。
In winter, the tenth month, Yang Shihou of Zhenguo and Li Si'an of Xiangzhou were sent to camp at Ze Prefecture with an eye to Shangdang.
107
吳越王鏐之巡湖州也,留沈行思為巡檢使,與盛師友俱歸。 行思謂同列陳瑰曰:「王若以師友為刺史,何以處我?」 時瑰已得鏐密旨遣行思詣府,乃紿之曰:「何不自詣王所論之!」 行思從之。 既至數日,鏐送其家亦至,行思恨鏐賣己。 鏐自衣錦軍歸,將吏迎謁,行思取鍛槌擊瑰,殺之,因詣鏐,與師友論功,奪左右槊,欲刺師友,眾執之。 鏐斬行思,以師友為婺州刺史。
While King Qian Liu toured Huzhou he left Shen Xingsi as inspection commissioner; Xingsi returned together with Sheng Shiyou. Xingsi asked his colleague Chen Gui, "If the king makes Shiyou a prefect, what place will there be for me?" Gui had already received Liu's secret order to summon Xingsi to court, so he lied: "Why not go plead your case before the king yourself!" Xingsi took his advice. Within days his family was sent for and arrived as well; Xingsi realized Liu had betrayed him. When Liu returned from the Yijin Army and his officers came out to greet him, Xingsi grabbed a smith's hammer, killed Chen Gui with it, then confronted Liu and Sheng Shiyou over credit for merit; seizing a guard's spear he tried to run Shiyou through, but the bystanders grabbed him. Liu had Xingsi beheaded and appointed Shiyou prefect of Wu.
108
十一月,己丑,以寧國節度使、同平章事王景仁充北面行營都指揮招討使,潞州副招討使韓勍副之,以李思安為先鋒將,趣上黨。 尋遣景仁等屯魏州,楊師厚還陝。
In the eleventh month, on jichou, Ningguo military governor and co-equal chief minister Wang Jingren was named northern field commander; Han Qing of Lu Prefecture served as his deputy; Li Si'an led the vanguard toward Shangdang. Soon Wang Jingren's force was posted at Weizhou while Yang Shihou went back to Shan.
109
蜀主更太子宗懿名曰元坦。 庚戌,立假子宗裕為通王,宗范為夔王,宗金歲為昌王,宗壽為嘉王,宗翰為集王; 立其子宗仁為普王,宗輅為雅王,宗紀為褒王,宗智為榮王,宗澤為興王,宗鼎為彭王,宗傑為信王,宗衍為鄭王。 初,唐末宦官典兵者多養軍中壯士為子以自強,由是諸將亦效之。 而蜀主尤多,惟宗懿等九人及宗特、宗平真其子; 宗裕、宗金歲、宗壽皆其族人; 宗翰姓孟,蜀主之姊子; 宗范姓張,其母周氏為蜀主妾; 自餘假子百二十人皆功臣,雖冒姓連名而不禁婚姻。
The Shu ruler renamed crown prince Zongyi as Yuantan. On gengxu he enfeoffed his adoptive sons: Zongyu as Prince of Tong, Zongfan as Prince of Kui, Zong Jinsui as Prince of Chang, Zongshou as Prince of Jia, and Zonghan as Prince of Ji; His sons received titles as well: Zongren as Prince of Pu, Zonglu as Prince of Ya, Zongji as Prince of Bao, Zongzhi as Prince of Rong, Zongze as Prince of Xing, Zongding as Prince of Peng, Zongjie as Prince of Xin, and Zongyan as Prince of Zheng. In late Tang, eunuch commanders often adopted bold soldiers as sons to bolster their power, and generals soon followed suit. The Shu ruler had more than most; only Zongyi and eight others, along with Zongte and Zongping, were truly his sons; Zongyu, Zong Jinsui, and Zongshou were all kinsmen; Zonghan, surname Meng, was the Shu ruler's sister's son; Zongfan, surname Zhang, was the son of the concubine Lady Zhou; The other hundred twenty adoptive sons were all distinguished men; though they took his surname and bore the "Zong" generation name, marriage among them was not barred.
110
上疾小愈,辛亥,校獵於伊、洛之間。
After a slight recovery the emperor went hunting between the Yi and Luo on xinhai.
111
上疑趙王鎔貳於晉,且欲因鄴王紹威卒除移鎮、定。 會燕王守光發兵屯淶水,欲侵定州,上遣供奉官杜廷隱、丁延徽臨魏博兵三千分屯深、冀,聲言恐燕兵南寇,助趙守禦。 又雲分兵就食。 趙將石公立戍深州,白趙王鎔,請拒之。 鎔遽命開門,移公立於外以避之。 公立出門指城而泣曰:「朱氏滅唐社稷,三尺童子知其為人。 而我王猶恃姻好,以長者期之,此所謂開門揖盜者也。 惜乎,此城之人今為虜矣!」
The emperor suspected Wang Rong of tilting toward Jin and also hoped to use Prince of Ye Luo Shaowei's death to reshuffle power in Zhen and Ding. When Prince of Yan Liu Shouguang massed troops at Lishui to threaten Dingzhou, the emperor sent palace attendants Du Tingyin and Ding Yanhui with three thousand Weibo troops to occupy Shen and Ji, claiming they were helping Zhao repel a southern raid by Yan. They added that the troops were merely being spread out to live off local supplies. Zhao general Shi Gongli, stationed at Shenzhou, warned Wang Rong and asked to turn the Liang troops away. Rong at once ordered the gates opened and posted Gongli outside the city to make way. Gongli walked out, pointed back at the city, and wept: "The Zhu clan ruined the Tang—every child knows their kind. Yet our prince still trusts the bond of marriage and treats them like gentlemen—this is opening the door to robbers. Alas—the people of this city are lost!"
112
梁人有亡奔真定,以其謀告鎔者,鎔大懼,又不敢先自絕; 但遣使詣洛陽,訴稱「燕兵已還,與定州講和如故,深、冀民見魏博兵入,奔走驚駭,乞召兵還。」 上遣使詣真定慰諭之。 未幾,廷隱等閉門盡殺趙戍兵,乘城拒守。 鎔始命石公立攻之,不克,乃遣使求援於燕、晉。 鎔使者至晉陽,義武節度使王處直使者亦至,欲共推晉王為盟主,合兵攻梁。 晉王會將佐謀之,皆曰:「鎔久臣朱溫,歲輸重賂,結以婚姻,其交深矣,此必詐也,宜徐觀之。」 王曰:「彼亦擇利害而為之耳。 王氏在唐世猶或臣或叛,況肯終為朱氏之臣乎? 彼朱溫之女何如壽安公主! 今救死不贍,何顧婚姻! 我若疑而不救,正墮朱氏計中。 宜趣發兵赴之,晉、趙葉力,破梁必矣。」 乃發兵,遣周德威將之,出井陘,屯趙州。 鎔使者至幽州,燕王守光方獵,幕僚孫鶴馳詣野謂守光曰:「趙人來乞師,此天欲成王之功業也。」 守光曰:「何故?」 對曰:「比常患其與朱溫膠固。 溫之志非盡吞河朔不已,今彼自為仇敵,王若與之並力破梁,則鎮、定皆斂衣任而朝燕矣。 王不早出師,但恐晉人先我矣。」 守光曰:「王鎔數負約,今使之與梁自相弊,吾可以坐承其利,又何救焉!」 趙使者交錯於路,守光竟不為出兵。 自是鎮、定復稱唐天祐年號,復以武順為成德軍。
A Liang deserter reached Zhending and disclosed the plot; Rong was terrified but did not dare cut ties first; he sent only a plea to Luoyang: "Yan has withdrawn and we are at peace with Dingzhou as before; the people of Shen and Ji panic at the sight of Weibo troops—we ask that they be recalled." The emperor sent messengers to Zhending to reassure him. Before long Du Tingyin's men shut the gates, slaughtered the Zhao garrison, and seized the walls. Rong ordered Shi Gongli to retake the city but failed, then appealed to Yan and Jin for help. Rong's envoys reached Jinyang just as Wang Chuzhi of Yiwu sent his own; both wanted to make the Prince of Jin alliance leader and join forces against Liang. The Prince of Jin consulted his commanders, who all said: "Rong has served Zhu Wen for years, paid him lavish tribute, and married into his house—this must be a trick; watch and wait." The prince replied, "He is only weighing his interests. The Wangs submitted and rebelled throughout the Tang—why would they stay Zhu subjects forever? Zhu Wen's daughter is no Princess Shou'an! When life is at stake, who cares about a marriage tie! If we hesitate and refuse to help, we play straight into Zhu's hands. Send troops at once; with Jin and Zhao combined, Liang will surely fall." He mobilized an army under Zhou Dewei, marched through Jingxing Pass, and camped at Zhao Prefecture. Rong's envoys reached Youzhou while Liu Shouguang was hunting; staff officer Sun He rode out to warn him: "Zhao is asking for troops—Heaven is handing you your chance." Shouguang asked, "How so?" Sun He said, "We have long feared their tight bond with Zhu Wen. Zhu Wen will not rest until he devours Hebei; now Zhao has turned enemy against him—join them, break Liang, and Zhen and Ding will bow to Yan. If you delay, Jin will beat us to it." Shouguang said, "Wang Rong breaks his word at every turn—let him and Liang bleed each other while I sit back and profit. Why should I save him?" Envoys kept arriving from Zhao, but Shouguang never sent an army. Zhen and Ding thereafter restored the Tang Tianyou reign title and renamed the circuit Wushun back to Chengde.
113
司天言:「來月太陰虧,不利宿兵於外。」 上召王景仁等還洛陽。 十二月,己未,上聞趙與晉合,晉兵已屯趙州,乃命王景仁等將兵擊之。 庚申,景仁等自河陽渡河,會羅周翰兵,合四萬,軍於邢、洺。
The astronomy office warned: "Next month's lunar eclipse bodes ill for armies camped in the field." The emperor recalled Wang Jingren to Luoyang. In the twelfth month, on jiwei, learning that Zhao and Jin had allied and Jin was camped at Zhao Prefecture, he ordered Wang Jingren to attack. On gengshen Wang Jingren crossed from Heyang, joined Luo Zhouhan, and massed forty thousand men at Xing and Ming.
114
虔州刺史盧光稠疾病,欲以位授譚全播,全播不受。 光稠卒,其子韶州刺史延昌來奔喪,全播立而事之。 吳遣使拜延昌虔州刺史,延昌受之,亦因楚王殷通密表於梁,曰:「我受淮南官,以緩其謀耳,必為朝廷經略江西。」 丙寅,以延昌為鎮南留後。 延昌表其將廖爽為韶州刺史,爽,贛人也。 吳淮南節度判官嚴可求請置制置使於新淦縣,遣兵戍之,以圖虔州。 每更代,輒潛益其兵,虔人不之覺也。
Qianzhou prefect Lu Guangchou fell ill and tried to hand his post to Tan Quanbo, who refused. When Guangchou died his son Yanchang, prefect of Shaozhou, came for the funeral; Quanbo placed him in authority and served him. Wu recognized Yanchang as Qianzhou prefect and he accepted, but he secretly wrote Liang through Prince of Chu Yin Tong: "I took Huainan's commission only to buy time—I mean to secure Jiangxi for the throne." On bingyin Yanchang was appointed acting Zhennan governor. Yanchang recommended his general Liao Shuang, a man of Gan, for Shaozhou. Wu aide Yan Keqiu of Huainan proposed a special commissioner at Xingan County with a garrison aimed at Qianzhou. Each rotation of troops brought a quiet increase in strength that the people of Qianzhou never noticed.
115
庚午,蜀主以御史中丞周庠、戶部侍郎判度支庾傳素並為中書侍郎、同平章事。
On gengwu the Shu ruler named Vice Censor-in-Chief Zhou Kuang and fiscal commissioner Yu Chuansu co-equal chief ministers and vice directors of the chancellery.
116
太常卿李燕等刊定《梁律令格式》,癸酉,行之。
Li Yan of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and others finalized the Liang law code; it took effect on guiyou.
117
丁丑,王景仁等進軍柏鄉。
On dingchou Wang Jingren marched on Baixiang.
118
辛巳,蜀大赦,改明年元曰永平。
On xinsi Shu proclaimed a general amnesty and named the coming year Everlasting Peace.
119
趙王鎔復告急於晉,晉王以蕃漢副總管李存審守晉陽,自將兵自讚皇東下,王處直遣將將兵五千以從。 辛巳,晉王至趙州,與周德威合,獲梁芻蕘者二百人,問之曰:「初發洛陽,梁主有何號令?」 對曰:「梁主戒上將云:『鎮州反覆,終為子孫之患。 今悉以精兵付汝,鎮州雖以鐵為城,必為我取之。』」 晉王命送於趙。 壬午,晉王進軍,距柏鄉三十里,遣周德威等以胡騎迫梁營挑戰,梁兵不出。 癸未,復進,距柏鄉五里,營於野河之北,又遣胡騎迫梁營馳射,且詬之。 梁將韓勍等將步騎三萬,分三道追之,鎧冑皆被繒綺,鏤金銀,光彩炫耀,晉人望之奪氣。 周德威謂李存璋曰:「梁人志不在戰,徒欲曜兵耳。 不挫其銳,則吾軍不振。」 乃徇於軍曰:「彼皆汴州天武軍,屠酤人庸販之徒耳,衣鎧雖鮮,十不能當汝一。 擒獲一夫,足以自富,此乃奇貨,不可失也。」 德威自帥精騎千餘擊其兩端,左馳右突,出入數四,俘獲百餘人,且戰且卻,距野河而止。 梁兵亦退。
Wang Rong again appealed urgently to Jin; the Prince of Jin left Li Cunshen at Jinyang and led the main army east from Zanhuang, with five thousand men from Wang Chuzhi in support. On xinsi the Prince of Jin reached Zhao Prefecture, linked up with Zhou Dewei, and seized two hundred Liang foragers. He asked them: "When you left Luoyang, what were the Liang ruler's orders?" They said: "The Liang ruler warned his commanders: 'Zhenzhou is treacherous—it will haunt your heirs. I give you every crack soldier; even if Zhenzhou were iron-walled, you must take it for me.' The prince sent them on to Zhao. On renwu the prince advanced to within thirty li of Baixiang and sent Zhou Dewei with allied cavalry to taunt the Liang camp; the Liang army refused to fight. On guiwei he pushed to within five li of Baixiang and camped north of the Yegou River, again sending cavalry to skirmish and hurl insults at the Liang lines. Liang general Han Qing led thirty thousand horse and foot in three columns, armor draped in brocade set with gold and silver so dazzling the Jin troops lost heart just looking. Zhou Dewei told Li Cunzhang: "The Liang aren't here to fight—they only want to show off. Unless we blunt their swagger, our men won't recover their spirit." 」He then rallied the troops: "They're all Tianwu men from Bian—butchers, tavern keepers, day-laborers, and hawkers. Their armor may glitter, but ten of them won't equal one of you. Take one prisoner and you're set for life. This is treasure on legs—don't let it get away." 」Dewei personally led a thousand crack cavalry against both ends of their line, wheeling left and right, striking in and pulling back four times. He took over a hundred prisoners, fighting all the way back until he halted at the Wild River. The Liang army pulled back as well.
120
德威言於晉王曰:「賊勢甚盛,宜按兵以待其衰。」 王曰:「吾孤軍遠來,救人之急,三鎮烏合,利於速戰,公乃欲按兵持重,何也?」 德威曰:「鎮、定之兵,長於守城,短於野戰。 且吾所恃者騎兵,利於平原廣野,可以馳突。 今壓賊壘門,騎無所展其足。 且眾寡不敵,使彼知吾虛實,則事危矣。」 王不悅,退臥帳中,諸將莫敢言。 德威往見張承業曰:「大王驟勝而輕敵,不量力而務速戰。 今去賊咫尺,所限者一水耳。 彼若造橋以薄我,我眾立盡矣。 不若退軍高邑,誘賊離營,彼出則歸,彼歸則出,別以輕騎掠其饋餉,不過逾月,破之必矣。」 承業入褰帳撫王曰:「此豈王安寢時耶! 周德威老將知兵,其言不可忽也。」 王蹶然興曰:「予方思之。」 時梁兵閉壘不出,有降者,詰之,曰:「景仁方多造浮橋。」 王謂德威曰:「果如公言。」 是日,拔營,退保高邑。
Dewei told the Prince of Jin, "The enemy is at full strength—we should hold back and let that strength spend itself. 」The prince replied, "I marched here from afar with a single army to relieve a desperate ally. Three commands have thrown themselves together—we win by striking fast. You want to sit tight and play it safe. Why? 」Dewei said, "Zhen and Ding men are good behind walls and poor in the open field. We depend on cavalry, which needs open ground to run and strike. Pressed up against their fortifications, our horsemen have no room to maneuver. We are too few. If they learn our real numbers, we're in grave danger." 」The prince took offense, retired to his tent, and lay down. None of the generals dared say another word. Dewei sought out Zhang Chengye. "Fresh off a quick win, His Highness is treating the enemy lightly—ignoring the odds and pushing for immediate battle. We're a stone's throw from the enemy—only a river away. If they throw up bridges and close in, our army will be destroyed on the spot. Better to fall back on Gaoyi and bait them out of camp—hit and fade, fade and hit—while light cavalry strips their supply lines. Give it a month and they'll break." 」Chengye parted the tent flap and roused the prince. "This is no hour for sleeping! Zhou Dewei is a veteran who knows war. You cannot ignore him." 」The prince bolted upright. "I was just turning it over in my mind. 」The Liang army had shut themselves in. Interrogating a deserter, they learned, "Jingren is mass-producing pontoon bridges. 」The prince told Dewei, "Just as you predicted. 」That same day they broke camp and fell back to Gaoyi.
121
辰州蠻酋宋鄴,漵州蠻酋潘金盛,恃其所居深險,數擾楚邊。 至是,鄴寇湘鄉,金盛寇武岡,楚王殷遣昭州刺史呂師周將衡山兵五千討之。
Song Ye, a Chenzhou tribal chief, and Pan Jinsheng, a Xuzhou tribal chief, trusted their rugged mountain strongholds and raided the Chu frontier again and again. Now Ye struck Xiangxiang and Jinsheng struck Wugang. King Ma Yin of Chu sent Lü Shizhou, prefect of Zhaozhou, with five thousand Hengshan soldiers against them.
122
寧遠節度使龐巨昭、高州防禦使劉昌魯,皆唐官也。 黃巢之寇嶺南也,巨昭為容管觀察使,昌魯為高州刺史,帥群蠻據險以拒之,巢眾不敢入境。 唐嘉其功,置寧遠軍於容州,以巨昭為節度使,以昌魯為高州防禦使。 及劉隱據嶺南,二州不從; 隱遣弟巖攻高州,昌魯大破之,又攻容州,亦不克。 昌魯自度終非隱敵,是歲,致書請自歸於楚。 楚王殷大喜,遣橫州刺史姚彥章將兵迎之。 彥章至容州,裨將莫彥昭說巨昭曰:「湖南兵遠來疲乏,宜撤儲偫,棄城,潛於山谷以待之。 彼必入城,我以全軍掩之,彼外無繼援,可擒也。」 巨昭曰:「馬氏方興,今雖勝之,後將何如! 不若具牛酒迎之。」 彥昭不從,巨昭殺之,舉州迎降。 彥章進至高州,以兵援送巨昭、昌魯之族及士卒千餘人歸長沙。 楚王殷以彥章知容州事,以昌魯為永順節度副使。 昌魯,鄴人也。
Ningyuan military governor Pang Juzhao and Gaozhou defense commissioner Liu Changlu had both served as Tang officials. When Huang Chao swept through Lingnan, Juzhao was Rongguan observation commissioner and Changlu was Gaozhou prefect. They rallied the tribes to hold the passes; Chao's army never crossed the border. Tang honored their service by creating the Ningyuan command at Rongzhou, appointing Juzhao its governor and Changlu defense commissioner of Gaozhou. When Liu Yin took control of Lingnan, neither prefecture bowed to him; Yin sent his brother Yan against Gaozhou; Changlu crushed him. Yan then turned on Rongzhou and failed again. Changlu decided he could never best Yin. That year he wrote offering to come over to Chu. King Ma Yin was delighted and dispatched Yao Yanzhang, prefect of Hengzhou, with an escort. At Rongzhou, deputy commander Mo Yanzhao advised Juzhao: "The Hunan army is exhausted from the long march. Empty the granaries, abandon the city, and hide in the hills— They'll walk straight in. Then we hit them with everything we've got. Cut off from relief, they're ours." 」Juzhao said, "The Mas are ascendant. Beat them today—and then what? Better to greet them with cattle and wine." 」Yanzhao refused. Juzhao had him killed and surrendered the entire prefecture. Yanzhang pushed on to Gaozhou and convoyed the families of Juzhao and Changlu, along with a thousand-odd troops, back to Changsha. King Yin put Yanzhang in charge of Rongzhou and made Changlu vice governor of Yongshun. Changlu came from Ye.
123
春,正月,丙戌朔,日有食之。
In spring, on the first day of the first month—bingxu—a solar eclipse occurred.
124
柏鄉比不儲芻,梁兵刈芻自給,晉人日以遊軍抄之,梁兵不出。 周德威使胡騎環營馳射而詬之,梁兵疑有伏,愈不敢出,坐刀屋茅坐席以飼馬,馬多死。 丁亥,周德威與別將史建瑭、李嗣源將精騎三千壓梁壘門而詬之,王景仁、韓勍怒,悉眾而出。 德威等轉戰而北至高邑南; 李存璋以步兵陳於野河之上,梁軍橫亙數里,競前奪橋,鎮、定步兵御之,勢不能支。 晉王謂匡衛都指揮使李建及曰:「賊過橋則不可複製矣。」 建及選卒二百,援槍大噪,力戰卻之。 建及,許州人,姓王,李罕之之假子也。 晉王登高丘以望曰:「梁兵爭進而囂,我兵整而靜,我必勝。」 戰自巳至午,勝負未決。 晉王謂周德威曰:「兩軍已合,勢不可離,我之興亡,在此一舉。 我為公先登,公可繼之。」 德威叩馬而諫曰:「觀梁兵之勢,可以勞逸制之,未易以力勝也。 彼去營三十餘里,雖挾糗糧,亦不暇食,日昳之後,飢渴內迫,矢刃外交,士卒勞倦,必有退志。 當是時,我以精騎乘之,必大捷。 於今未可也。」 王乃止。
Baixiang had no fodder reserves. Liang soldiers scoured the fields for forage while Jin patrols picked off the foragers daily. The Liang army stayed inside. Zhou Dewei sent allied cavalry to ride rings around the camp, loosing arrows and taunts. The Liang army, fearing ambush, dug in further. They fed their horses under makeshift blade-roof shelters on straw matting; horses died in droves. On dinghai, Zhou Dewei with Shi Jiantan and Li Siyuan drove three thousand crack cavalry to the Liang gates, jeering. Wang Jingren and Han Qing, furious, marched out with their full strength. Dewei's force fought a fighting retreat north to the south of Gaoyi; Li Cunzhang formed infantry along the Wild River. The Liang line stretched for miles, surging for the bridge. Zhen and Ding foot soldiers held but were buckling. The Prince of Jin told Li Jianji, commander of the Kuangwei Guard, "Once they cross that bridge, we lose them forever. 」Jianji picked two hundred men, spears in hand, and with a roaring charge fought them back. Jianji, born in Xuzhou, bore the surname Wang and was the adopted son of Li Hanzhi. From a hilltop the Prince of Jin watched and said, "The Liang army pushes forward in chaos and noise. Ours holds steady and silent. We will win. 」Fighting lasted from mid-morning until noon with no clear victor. The prince told Zhou Dewei, "The armies are locked together. We can't pull apart now—everything rides on this charge. I'll go first—you follow." 」Dewei seized the prince's bridle. "Look at their line—we can beat them with fatigue, not a frontal rush. They're thirty li from camp. They brought rations but haven't had time to eat. After midday, hunger and thirst will gnaw at them while blades press from every side. Their men are exhausted—they'll want out. That's when we hit them with our best cavalry—a crushing win. Not yet." 」The prince held back.
125
時魏、滑之兵陳於東、宋、汴之兵陳於西。 至晡,梁軍未食,士無鬥志,景仁等引兵稍卻,周德威疾呼曰:「梁兵走矣!」 晉兵大噪爭進,魏、滑兵先退,李嗣源帥眾噪於西陳之前曰:「東陳已走,爾何久留!」 梁兵互相驚怖,遂大潰。 李存璋引步兵乘之,呼曰:「梁人亦吾人也,父兄子弟餉軍者勿殺。」 於是戰士悉解甲投兵而棄之,囂聲動天地。 趙人以深、冀之憾,不顧剽掠,但奮白刃追之,梁之龍驤、神捷精兵殆盡,自野河至柏鄉,殭屍蔽地。 王景仁、韓勍、李思安以數十騎走。 晉兵夜至柏鄉,梁軍已去,棄糧食、資財、器械不可勝計。 凡斬首二萬級。 李嗣源等追奔至邢州,河朔大震。 保義節度使王檀嚴備,然後開城納敗卒,給以資糧,散遣歸本道。 晉王收兵屯趙州。 杜廷隱等聞梁兵敗,棄深、冀而去,悉驅二州丁壯為奴婢,老弱者坑之,城中存者壞垣而已。
Wei and Hua units held the east; Song and Bian units the west. By late afternoon the Liang army had eaten nothing. Morale collapsed. Jingren began to pull back. Zhou Dewei shouted, "They're running! 」Jin troops roared forward. Wei and Hua broke first. Li Siyuan rode before the western line shouting, "The east wing is gone—what are you still doing here! 」Panic spread through the Liang ranks and they collapsed. Li Cunzhang drove the infantry after them, crying, "Liang soldiers are our own people—spare the kin who came only to bring supplies! 」Soldiers shed armor and dropped weapons by the thousand—the din shook the sky. Zhao soldiers, still burning over Shen and Ji, ignored loot and chased with naked steel. Liang's Dragon Flying and Divine Swift elites were virtually wiped out. From the Wild River to Baixiang, the dead carpeted the earth. Wang Jingren, Han Qing, and Li Si'an escaped with a few dozen riders. Jin troops reached Baixiang by night. The Liang army was gone, leaving food, treasure, and weapons beyond reckoning. The dead numbered twenty thousand. Li Siyuan's pursuit reached Xingzhou. All of Hebei reeled. Baoyi governor Wang Tan stood ready, then opened his gates to the survivors, gave them provisions, and sent them home. The Prince of Jin pulled his army together at Zhao Prefecture. Hearing of the defeat, Du Tingyin and his cohort abandoned Shen and Ji. They marched every able-bodied man and woman off as slaves and buried the old and weak alive. The cities held nothing but broken walls.
126
癸巳,復以楊師厚為北面都招討使,將兵屯河陽,收集散兵,旬餘,得萬人。 己亥,晉王遣周德威、史建瑭將三千騎趣澶、魏,張承業、李存璋以步兵攻邢州,自以大軍繼之,移檄河北州縣,諭以利害。 帝遣別將徐仁溥將兵千人,自西山夜入邢州,助王檀城守。 己酉,罷王景仁招討使,落平章事。
On guisi Yang Shihou was reappointed northern campaign commander. He camped at Heyang, rallied stragglers, and within ten days had ten thousand men. On jihai the Prince of Jin sent Zhou Dewei and Shi Jiantan with three thousand cavalry toward Chan and Wei. Zhang Chengye and Li Cunzhang hit Xingzhou with infantry while the main army followed. Proclamations went out across Hebei spelling out the stakes. The emperor sent Xu Renpu with a thousand men into Xingzhou by night through the western hills to reinforce Wang Tan. On jiyou Wang Jingren lost his campaign command and his grand councilor rank.
127
蜀主之女普慈公主嫁岐王從子秦州節度使繼崇,公主遣宦者宋光嗣以絹書遣蜀主,言繼崇驕矜嗜酒,求歸成都,蜀主召公主歸寧。 辛亥,公主至成都,蜀主留之,以宋光嗣為閣門南院使。 岐王怒,始與蜀絕。 光嗣,福州人也。
Princess Puci, the Shu ruler's daughter, had married Jichong—the Prince of Qi's nephew and Qinzhou governor. She sent the eunuch Song Guangsi with a silk letter complaining that Jichong was proud and drunken, begging to come home. The Shu ruler summoned her for a visit. On xinhai the princess arrived in Chengdu. The Shu ruler kept her there and made Song Guangsi commissioner of the inner southern gate. The Prince of Qi, furious, cut ties with Shu. Guangsi came from Fuzhou.
128
呂師周引兵攀籐緣崖入飛山洞襲潘金盛,擒送武岡,斬之。 移兵擊宋鄴。
Lü Shizhou's men scaled cliffs on vines, burst into Feishan Cave, and seized Pan Jinsheng. They took him to Wugang and beheaded him. He then turned his army against Song Ye.
129
二月,己未,晉王至魏州,攻之,不克。 上以羅周翰年少,且忌其舊將佐,庚申,以戶部尚書李振為天雄節度副使,命杜廷隱將兵千人衛之,自楊劉濟河,間道夜入魏州,助周翰城守。 癸亥,晉王觀河於黎陽,梁兵萬餘將渡河,聞晉王至,皆棄舟而去。
In the second month, on jiwei, the Prince of Jin besieged Wei Prefecture without success. The emperor, doubting young Luo Zhouhan and his veteran staff, on gengshen sent Revenue Minister Li Zhen as Tianxiong vice governor. Du Tingyin escorted him with a thousand men across the Yellow River at Yangliu, slipped into Wei Prefecture by night, and helped Zhouhan prepare the defense. On guihai the Prince of Jin surveyed the river at Liyang. Ten thousand Liang soldiers were about to cross—but at news of his arrival they abandoned their boats and ran.
130
帝召蔡州刺史張慎思至洛陽,久未除代。 蔡州右廂指揮使劉行琮作亂,縱兵焚掠,將奔淮南; 順化指揮使王存儼誅行琮,撫遏其眾,自領州事,以眾情馳奏。 時東京留守博王友文不先請,遽發兵討之,兵至鄢陵,帝曰:「存儼方懼,若臨之以兵,則飛去矣。」 馳使召還。 甲子,授存儼權知蔡州事。
The emperor called Caizhou prefect Zhang Senshi to Luoyang and left the prefecture without a successor for months. Caizhou's right-wing commander Liu Xingcong mutinied, letting his men burn and loot as he prepared to flee to Huainan; Shunhua commander Wang Cunyan killed Xingcong, calmed the troops, took command himself, and sent an urgent report to the capital. Eastern Capital regent Prince Bo Youwen marched against him without asking first. When the army reached Yanling, the emperor said, "Cunyan is already terrified—send troops at him and he'll bolt. 」He sent riders to call them back. On jiazi Cunyan was made acting prefect of Caizhou.
131
乙丑,周德威自臨清攻貝州,拔夏津、高唐; 攻博州,拔東武、朝城。 攻澶州,刺史張可臻棄城走,帝斬之。 德威進攻黎陽,拔臨河、淇門; 逼衛州,掠新鄉、共城。 庚午,帝帥親軍屯白司馬阪以備之。
On yichou Zhou Dewei struck Bei Prefecture from Linqing, taking Xiajin and Gaotang; He took Bo Prefecture, capturing Dongwu and Chaocheng. At Chan Prefecture, prefect Zhang Kezhen fled; the emperor had him beheaded. Dewei pushed into Liyang, taking Linhe and Qimen; He threatened Weizhou and raided Xinxiang and Gongcheng. On gengwu the emperor moved his personal army to White Sima Slope to block him.
132
盧龍、義昌節度使兼中書令燕王守光既克滄州,自謂得天助,淫虐滋甚。 每刑人,必置諸鐵籠,以火逼之; 又為鐵刷刷人面。 聞梁兵敗於柏鄉,使人謂趙王鎔及王處直曰:「聞二鎮與晉王破梁兵,舉軍南下,僕亦有精騎三萬,欲自將之為諸公啟行。 然四鎮連兵,必有盟主,僕若至彼,何以處之?」 鎔患之,遣使告於晉王,晉王笑曰:「趙人告急,守光不能出一卒以救之; 及吾成功,乃復欲以兵威離間二鎮,愚莫甚焉!」 諸將曰:「雲、代與燕接境,彼若擾我城戍,動搖人情,吾千里出征,緩急難應,此亦腹心之患也。 不若先取守光,然後可以專意南討。」 王曰:「善!」 會楊師厚自磁、相引兵救邢、魏,壬申,晉解圍去; 師厚追之,逾漳水而還,邢州圍亦解。 師厚留屯魏州。
Having taken Cangzhou, Liu Shouguang—the Prince of Yan, governor of Lulong and Yichang—decided Heaven was on his side and turned ever more brutal and debauched. For every execution he locked the victim in an iron cage and roasted them with fire; he scraped faces with an iron brush. When he heard of the Liang defeat at Baixiang, he messaged Zhao prince Rong and Wang Chuzhi: "I hear you and the Prince of Jin smashed the Liang army and are marching south. I have thirty thousand elite cavalry and would lead them myself to clear your path. But four armies together need a leader. When I arrive, where do I stand?" Alarmed, Rong sent word to the Prince of Jin, who laughed: "When Zhao pleaded for help, Shouguang would not send a single man; Now that we've won, he wants to use force to split the two circuits—nothing could be more foolish!" The generals said, "Yun and Dai border Yan; if they raid our posts and shake morale, we're a thousand li from home and can't respond in time—that's a threat to our rear as well. Better to take Shouguang first, then we can focus on the south." The prince said, "Good!" Just then Yang Shihou marched from Ci and Xiang to relieve Xing and Wei; on renshen Jin lifted the siege and withdrew; Shihou pursued, crossed the Zhang River, and turned back; the siege of Xingzhou was lifted as well. Shihou stayed encamped at Weizhou.
133
趙王鎔自來謁晉王於趙州,大犒將士,自是遣其養子德明將三十七都常從晉王征討。 德明本姓張,名文禮,燕人也。 壬午,晉王發趙州,歸晉陽,留周德威等將三千人戍趙州。
King Wang Rong of Zhao came in person to Zhaozhou to pay his respects and feasted the army lavishly; thereafter he sent his adopted son Deming with thirty-seven companies to follow the prince on campaign. Deming had originally been surnamed Zhang, named Wenli, and was from Yan. On renwu the Prince of Jin left Zhaozhou for Jinyang, leaving Zhou Dewei and three thousand men to garrison Zhaozhou.