1
資治通鑑第291卷
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 291
2
【後周紀二】起玄黓困敦九月，盡閼逢攝提格四月，凡一年有奇。
[Later Zhou Records 2] From the ninth month of Xuanqu Kundun through the fourth month of Yanfeng Shetige—a span of somewhat more than one year.
3
太祖聖神恭肅文武皇帝中廣順二年（ 壬子，公元九五二年）
Under the Central Annals of Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou, Guangshun year two ( 952 CE, year renzi of the cycle)
4
九月，甲寅朔，吳越丞相裴堅卒。 以台州刺史吳延福同參相府事。
In the ninth month, on jiayin, the first day of the month, Pei Jian, chancellor of Wuyue, died. Wu Yanfu, prefect of Taizhou, was named to assist in the chancellor's office.
5
庚午，敕北邊吏民毋得入契丹境俘掠。
On gengwu, an edict forbade frontier officials and civilians to cross into Khitan lands to raid and seize prisoners.
6
契丹將高謨翰以葦筏渡胡盧河入寇，至冀州，成德節度使何福進遣龍捷都指揮使劉誠誨等屯貝州以拒之。 契丹聞之，遽引兵北渡。 所掠冀州丁壯數百人，望見官軍，爭鼓噪，欲攻契丹，官軍不敢應，契丹盡殺之。
The Khitan general Gao Mohan rafted across the Hulu River on reed floats and raided as far as Jizhou. He Fuqin, military governor of Chengde, sent Longjie army commander Liu Chenghui and others to hold Beizhou against him. Hearing this, the Khitan promptly pulled their army back north across the river. Several hundred able-bodied men from Jizhou whom they had taken captive, sighting the imperial army, raised a clamor and tried to turn on the Khitan; the government forces did not dare answer them, and the Khitan slaughtered them all.
7
蜀山南西道節度使李廷珪奏周人聚兵關中，請益兵為備。 蜀主遣奉鑾肅衛都虞候趙進將兵趣利州，既而聞周人聚兵以備北漢，乃引還。
Li Tinggui, Shu military governor of Shannan West Circuit, reported that the Zhou were concentrating forces in Guanzhong and asked for more troops to guard against them. The Shu ruler sent Zhao Jin, deputy commander of the palace guard, to march on Lizhou; when he learned the Zhou buildup was aimed at Northern Han, he turned back.
8
唐武安節度使邊鎬，昏懦無斷，在湖南，政出多門，不合眾心。 吉水人歐陽廣上書，言：「鎬非將帥才，必喪湖南，宜別擇良帥，益兵以救其敗。」 不報。
Bian Hao, Tang military governor of Wu'an, was dull-witted, timid, and unable to decide. In Hunan, authority was scattered among many hands and failed to win the people's trust. Ouyang Guang of Jishui submitted a memorial stating: "Bian Hao lacks the talent of a commander-in-chief and will surely lose Hunan. You should select another capable general and reinforce the army before disaster strikes." No answer was returned.
9
唐主使鎬經略朗州，有自朗州來者，多言劉言忠順，鎬由是不為備。 唐主召劉言入朝，言不行，謂王逵曰：「唐必伐我，奈何？」 逵曰：「武陵負江湖之險，帶甲數萬，安能拱手受制於人！ 邊鎬撫馭無方，士民不附，可一戰擒也。」 言猶豫未決，周行逢曰：「機事貴速，緩則彼為之備，不可圖也。」 言乃以逵、行逢及牙將何敬真、張仿、蒲公益、朱全琇、宇文瓊、彭萬和、潘叔嗣、張文表十人皆為指揮使，部分發兵。 叔嗣、文表，皆朗州人也。 行逢能謀，文表善戰，叔嗣果敢，三人多相須成功，情款甚暱。
The Tang ruler sent Bian Hao to manage affairs at Langzhou. Travelers from Langzhou kept reporting that Liu Yan was loyal, and Bian Hao therefore took no precautions. The Tang ruler summoned Liu Yan to court, but Yan refused to go. He said to Wang Kui, "Tang will certainly attack us—what can we do?" Kui replied, "Wuling holds the natural defenses of river and lake country and tens of thousands of armed men—how could we simply hand ourselves over to someone else! Bian Hao has no skill in winning men over; troops and people alike do not stand with him. We can take him in one fight." Yan still wavered. Zhou Xingfeng said, "Opportunities demand speed—if we wait, they will ready their defenses and the chance will be lost." Yan then named Kui, Xingfeng, and eight staff generals—He Jingzhen, Zhang Fang, Pu Gongyi, Zhu Quanxiu, Yuwen Qiong, Peng Wanhe, Pan Shusi, and Zhang Wenbiao—all commanders, and divided the army for the campaign. Shusi and Wenbiao were both men of Langzhou. Xingfeng was a strategist, Wenbiao a fighter, and Shusi bold and decisive; the three often needed one another to win and were bound by deep friendship.
10
諸將欲召漵州酋長苻彥通為援，行逢曰：「蠻貪而無義，前年從馬希萼入潭州，焚掠無遺。 吾兵以義舉，往無不克，烏用此物，使暴殄百姓哉！」 乃止。 然亦畏彥通為後患，以蠻酋土團都指揮使劉□為群蠻所憚，補西境鎮遏使以備之。
The generals wanted to call in Fu Yantong, chieftain of Xuzhou, as reinforcements. Xingfeng said, "The tribes are greedy and treacherous—two years ago they followed Ma Xie into Tanzhou and left nothing unburned or unplundered. Our forces fight in a just cause and have never failed—why bring in such allies only to let them slaughter the people!" The plan was dropped. Still fearing Yantong as a future menace, they appointed Liu [—], a tribal militia commander whom the various Man groups dreaded, as Western Border Pacification Commissioner to guard against him.
11
冬，十月，逵等將兵分道趣長少，以孫朗、曹進為先鋒使，邊鎬遣指揮使郭再誠等將兵屯益陽以拒之。 戊子，逵等克沅江，執都監劉承遇，裨將李師德帥眾五百降之。 壬辰，逵等命軍士舉小舟自蔽，直造益陽，四面斧寨而入，遂克之，殺戍兵二千人。 邊鎬告急於唐。 甲午，逵等克橋口及湘陰，乙未，至潭州。 邊鎬嬰城自守，救兵未至，城中兵少。 丙申夜，鎬棄城走，吏民俱潰。 醴陵門橋折，死者萬餘人，道州刺史廖偃為亂兵所殺。 丁酉旦，王逵入城，自稱武平節度副使、權知軍府事，以何敬真為行軍司馬。 遣敬真等追鎬，不及，斬首五百級。 薄公益攻岳州，唐岳州刺史宋德權走，劉言以公益權知岳州。 唐將守湖南諸州者，聞長沙陷，相繼遁去。 劉言盡復馬氏嶺北故地，惟郴、連入於南漢。
In the tenth month of winter, Kui marched on Changsha by several routes with Sun Lang and Cao Jin as vanguard commanders. Bian Hao sent Guo Zaicheng and other commanders to hold Yiyang against them. On wuzi they took Yuanjiang and captured superintendent Liu Chengyu; lieutenant Li Shide surrendered with five hundred men. On renchen they had troops hoist small boats for cover, rowed straight to Yiyang, hacked through the palisades on every side, and seized the town, killing two thousand defenders. Bian Hao sent urgent word to the Tang court. On jiawu they took Qiaokou and Xiangyin; on yiwei they arrived at Tanzhou. Bian Hao barricaded himself in the city; reinforcements had not come, and his garrison was weak. On the night of bingshen, Hao fled the city and officials and civilians alike collapsed in rout. The bridge at Liling gate gave way and more than ten thousand perished; Liao Yan, prefect of Daozhou, was killed by the fleeing mob. At dawn on dingyou, Wang Kui entered the city, proclaimed himself deputy military governor of Wuping and acting head of the military government, and named He Jingzhen campaigning marshal. He sent Jingzhen in pursuit of Hao but failed to catch him, though they took five hundred heads. Pu Gongyi attacked Yuezhou; Song Dequan, the Tang prefect, fled, and Liu Yan put Gongyi in charge of the prefecture. Tang commanders holding Hunan's prefectures, learning that Changsha had fallen, abandoned their posts in succession. Liu Yan restored all the old Ma territory north of the Nanling passes; only Chen and Lian passed to Southern Han.
12
契丹瀛、莫、幽州大水，流民入塞散居河北者數十萬口，契丹州縣亦不之禁。 詔所在賑給存處之，中國民先為所掠，得歸者什五六。
Floods devastated Ying, Mo, and You in Khitan lands; refugees who crossed the border and spread through Hebei numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and Khitan local authorities did not stop them. An edict ordered local authorities to provide relief and settle them; of Chinese previously carried off by the Khitan, only about half to three-fifths made it home.
13
丁未，谷以病臂久未癒，三表辭位，帝遣中使諭指曰：「卿所掌至重，朕難其人，苟事功克集，何必朝禮！ 朕今於便殿待卿，可暫入相見。」 谷入見於金祥殿，面陳悃款，帝不許。 谷不得已復視事。 谷未能執筆，詔以三司務繁，令刻名印用之。
On dingwei, Gu Wei—his arm ailment still unhealed after a long while—submitted three memorials resigning office. The emperor sent a palace envoy with this message: "Your charge is too vital for me to replace you; if the tasks are done, why insist on coming to court! I am waiting for you in the side hall—come in for a short audience." Gu came in at Jinxiang Hall and pleaded his case in person, but the emperor refused. Gu had no choice but to return to office. Unable to write, Gu was authorized by edict—given the press of fiscal affairs—to use an engraved name seal instead.
14
辛亥，敕：「民有訴訟，必先歷縣州及觀察使處決，不直，乃聽詣台省，或自不能書牒，倩人書者，必書所倩姓名、居處。 若無可倩，聽執素紙。 所訴必須己事，毋得挾私客訴。」
On xinhai an edict declared: "Litigants must first seek judgment at county, prefecture, and surveillance commissioner levels; only if wronged may they appeal to the central ministries. Anyone who cannot write a petition and hires another must record that person's name and address. If no one can be hired, they may submit a blank sheet. Complaints must concern one's own case; no one may bring suit on another's behalf as a hired agent."
15
慶州刺史郭彥欽性貪，野雞族多羊馬，彥欽故擾之以求賂，野雞族遂反，剽掠綱商。 帝命寧、環二州合兵討之。
Guo Yanqin, prefect of Qingzhou, was grasping; the Yejizu tribes held large herds, and Yanqin deliberately provoked them for bribes until they rose up and raided tax transports. The emperor ordered the prefectures of Ning and Huan to join forces and suppress them.
16
劉言遣使奉表來告，稱：「湖南世事朝廷，不幸為鄰寇所陷，臣雖不奉詔，輒糾合義兵，削平舊國。」
Liu Yan sent envoys with a memorial stating: "Hunan has always served the dynasty; when a neighboring enemy seized it, I—though without imperial orders—raised loyal troops and restored our former realm."
17
唐主削邊鎬官爵，流饒州。 初，鎬以都虞候從查文徽克建州，凡所俘獲皆全之，建人謂之「邊佛子」； 及克潭州，市不易肆，潭人謂之「邊菩薩」； 既而為節度使，政無綱紀，惟日設齋供，盛修佛事，潭人失望，謂之「邊和尚」矣。
The Tang ruler stripped Bian Hao of rank and banished him to Raozhou. Earlier, as deputy commander under Zha Wenhui at the capture of Jianzhou, he spared every captive, and the Jian people called him "Bian the Buddha's son"; when he took Tanzhou commerce went on undisturbed, and the Tan people called him "Bian the bodhisattva"; but once he became military governor his rule lacked order—he spent his days on vegetarian feasts and grand Buddhist observances—and the Tan people, disillusioned, called him "Bian the monk."
18
左僕射同平章事馮延己、右僕射同平章事孫晟上表請罪，皆釋之。 晟陳請不已，乃與延己皆罷守本官。
Feng Yanji, left vice director and grand councilor, and Sun Sheng, right vice director and grand councilor, submitted self-accusations; both were forgiven. Sheng kept pleading his case until he and Yanji were both removed from the grand councilorship and reverted to their original posts.
19
唐主以比年出師無功，乃議休兵息民。 或曰：「願陛下數十年不用兵，可小康矣！」 唐主曰：「將終身不用，何數十年之有！」 唐主思歐陽廣之言，拜本縣令。
With years of fruitless campaigns behind him, the Tang ruler debated halting war and letting the people recover. Someone said, "If Your Majesty would go without war for several decades, the realm could know modest ease!" The Tang ruler replied, "I mean never to use them at all—why speak of mere decades!" Remembering Ouyang Guang's warning, the Tang ruler appointed him magistrate of his home county.
20
十一月，辛未，徙保義節度使折從阮為靜難節度使，討野雞族。
In the eleventh month, on xinwei, Zhe Congruan was moved from Baoyi to Jingnan military governor to campaign against the Yejizu.
21
癸酉，敕：「約每歲民間所輸牛皮，三分減二； 計田十頃，稅取一皮，餘聽民自用及賣買，惟禁賣於敵國。」 先是，兵興以來，禁民私賣買牛皮，悉令輸官受直。 唐明宗之世，有司止償以鹽； 晉天福中，並鹽不給。 漢法，犯私牛皮一寸抵死，然民間日用實不可無。 帝素知其弊，至是，李穀建議，均於田畝，公私便之。
On guiyou an edict ordered that the annual ox-hide levy be cut by two-thirds; one hide per ten qing of land, with the rest free for private use or trade, except sale to enemy states." Since the wars began, private trade in hides had been banned and all hides delivered to the state for payment. Under Tang Mingzong, officials paid only in salt; under Later Jin's Tianfu reign even salt payments ceased. Later Han law made even a handspan of private hide a capital crime, yet common life could not do without leather. "The emperor had long known the abuse; now Li Gu proposed apportioning the levy by acreage, to everyone's benefit.
22
十二月，丙戌，河決鄭、滑，遣使行視修塞。
In the twelfth month, on bingxu, the Yellow River broke through at Zheng and Hua; envoys were dispatched to inspect and repair the dikes.
23
甲午，前靜難節度使侯章獻買宴絹千匹，銀五百兩。 帝不受，曰：「諸侯入覲，天子宜有宴犒，豈待買邪！ 自今如此比者，皆勿受。」
On jiawu, former Jingnan military governor Hou Zhang offered a thousand bolts of silk and five hundred taels of silver to pay for a court banquet. The emperor refused, saying, "When lords come to court, the Son of Heaven should host them—why should they have to buy their own feast! From now on, nothing of the kind is to be accepted."
24
王逵將兵及洞蠻五萬攻郴州，南漢將潘崇徹救之，遇於蚝石。 崇徹登高望湖南兵，曰：「疲而不整，可破也。」 縱擊，大破之，伏屍八十里。
Wang Kui marched on Chenzhou with his army and fifty thousand tribal allies; Southern Han general Pan Chongche came to relieve the city and met them at Haoshi. Chongche climbed a height, surveyed the Hunan army, and said, "They are tired and out of formation—we can break them." He charged and shattered them; the dead lay thick for eighty li.
25
翰林學士徐台符請誅誣告李崧者葛延遇及李澄，馮道以為屢更赦，不許。 王峻嘉台符之義，白於帝，癸卯，收延遇、澄，誅之。
Hanlin academician Xu Taifu asked that Ge Yanyu and Li Cheng, who had framed Li Song, be put to death; Feng Dao argued that repeated amnesties barred it and the request was denied. Wang Jun applauded Taifu's stand and told the emperor; on guimao Yanyu and Cheng were arrested and executed.
26
劉言表稱潭州殘破，乞移使府治朗州，且請貢獻、賣茶，悉如馬氏故事。 許之。
Liu Yan reported Tanzhou in ruins and asked to move his headquarters to Langzhou, with tribute and tea sales on the old Ma Chu terms. The court approved.
27
唐江西觀察使楚王馬希萼入朝，唐主留之，後數年，卒於金陵，謚曰恭孝。
Ma Xie, Prince of Chu and Tang surveillance commissioner of Jiangxi, came to court and was kept there; he died at Jinling some years later with the posthumous name Gongxiao.
28
初，麟州土豪楊信自為刺史，受命於周。 信卒，子重訓嗣，以州降北漢。 至是，為群羌所圍，復歸款，求救於夏、府二州。
Earlier, Yang Xin, a local magnate of Linzhou, had made himself prefect with Zhou recognition. When Xin died, his son Chongxun succeeded him and surrendered the prefecture to Northern Han. Now, besieged by Qiang tribes, he renewed his allegiance to Zhou and appealed for help to Xia and Fu.
29
太祖聖神恭肅文武皇帝中廣順三年（ 癸丑，公元九五三年）
Under the Central Annals of Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou, Guangshun year three ( 953 CE, year guichou of the cycle)
30
春，正月，丙辰，以武平留後劉言為武平節度使，制置武安、靜江等軍事、同平章事； 以王逵為武安節度使，何敬真為靜江節度使，周行逢為武安行軍司馬。
In spring, the first month, on bingchen, Liu Yan was made military governor of Wuping, given charge of Wu'an, Jingjiang, and related commands, and named concurrent grand councilor; Wang Kui became military governor of Wu'an, He Jingzhen of Jingjiang, and Zhou Xingfeng campaigning marshal of Wu'an.
31
詔折從阮：「野雞族能改過者，拜官賜金帛，不則進兵討之。」 壬戌，從阮奏：「酋長李萬全等受詔立誓外，自餘猶不服，方討之。」
Zhe Congruan was ordered: "Yejizu who mend their ways shall receive office and rewards; the rest will be attacked." On renxu he reported: "Only chieftains such as Li Wanquan who took the oath have submitted; the rest are still being subdued."
32
前世屯田皆在邊地，使戍兵佃之。 唐末，中原宿兵，所在皆置營田以耕曠土。 其後又募高貲戶使輸課佃之，戶部別置官司總領，不隸州縣，或丁多無役，或容庇奸盜，州縣不能詰。 梁太祖擊淮南，掠得牛以千萬計，給東南諸州農民，使歲輸租。 自是歷數十年，牛死而租不除，民甚苦之。 帝素知其弊，會闔門使、知青州張凝上便宜，請罷營田務，李穀亦以為言。 乙丑，敕：「悉罷戶部營田務，以其民隸州縣； 其田、廬、牛、農器，並賜見佃者為永業，悉除租牛課。」 是歲，戶部增三萬餘戶。 民既得為永業，始敢葺屋植木，獲地利數倍。 或言：「營田有肥鐃者，不若鬻之，可得錢數十萬緡以資國。」 帝曰：「利在於民，猶在國也，朕用此錢何為！」
In earlier times military colonies lay on the frontier and were farmed by garrison troops. By late Tang, with permanent armies across the heartland, camp farms were set up everywhere to till abandoned land. Later wealthy tenants were recruited to pay dues and farm the land under a separate Revenue Bureau office outside local government—some evaded labor service, others harbored criminals, and local officials could not check them. Liang Taizu, campaigning in Huainan, seized millions of cattle, gave them to farmers in the southeast, and required annual rent in return. For decades after that, tenants still owed rent even when their oxen died, and the hardship this caused the common people was severe. The emperor had long been aware of these abuses. Then the Gate Commissioner and Qingzhou prefect Zhang Ning submitted a practical proposal urging that the Farm Offices be abolished, and Li Gu made the same recommendation. On the yichou day, an edict declared: 'Abolish every Farm Office under the Ministry of Revenue and place its people under the prefectures and counties; grant the fields, dwellings, oxen, and farm tools to the tenants now working them as permanent heritable property, and abolish all ox-rent taxes entirely.' That year the Ministry of Revenue added more than thirty thousand households. Once the people held secure title to the land, they finally dared to rebuild their homes and plant trees, and their yields from the soil multiplied several times over. Some suggested: 'There are both rich and poor plots among the colony lands—better to sell them and raise several hundred thousand strings of cash for the treasury.' The emperor replied: 'When the people prosper, the state prospers too—what use would I have for such money!'
33
萊州刺史葉仁魯，帝之故吏也，坐贓絹萬五千匹，錢千緡。 庚午，賜死。 帝遣中使賜以酒食曰：「汝自抵國法，吾無如之何。 當存恤汝母。」 仁魯感泣。
Ye Renlu, prefect of Laizhou and an old retainer of the emperor, was found guilty of embezzling fifteen thousand bolts of silk and one thousand strings of cash. On the gengwu day, he was granted the privilege of death by imperial command. The emperor sent a palace envoy with wine and a final meal, saying: 'You have violated the law and brought this on yourself; there is nothing I can do. See that your mother is provided for.' Renlu wept in gratitude.
34
帝以河決為憂，王峻請自往行視，許之。 鎮寧節度使榮屢求入朝，峻忌其英烈，每沮止之。 閏月，榮復求入朝，會峻在河上，帝乃許之。
The emperor was deeply worried about the river breach. Wang Jun asked to go and inspect it himself, and the request was approved. The Zhenning military commissioner Rong repeatedly asked to come to court, but Wang Jun, jealous of his martial renown, blocked him each time. In the intercalary month Rong again petitioned to attend court. Wang Jun happened to be away on the river, and the emperor finally consented.
35
契丹寇定州，圍義豐軍，定和都指揮使楊弘裕夜擊其營，大獲，契丹遁去。 又寇鎮州，本道兵擊走之。
The Khitan attacked Dingzhou and besieged Yifeng Army. Yang Hongyu, commander of the Dinghe Command, struck their camp at night, won a great victory, and the Khitan withdrew. They raided Zhenzhou again, but the local forces of that circuit beat them back.
36
丙申，鎮寧節度使榮入朝。 故李守貞騎士馬全乂從榮入朝，帝召見，補殿前指揮使，謂左右曰：「全乂忠於所事，昔在河中，屢挫吾軍，汝輩宜效之。」 王峻聞榮入朝，遽自河上歸，戊戌，至大梁。
On the bingshen day, the Zhenning military commissioner Rong arrived at court. Ma Quanyi, once a cavalry officer under Li Shouzhen, came to court with Rong. The emperor received him and appointed him commander of the Palace Front Corps, then told his attendants: 'Quanyi was faithful to the lord he served; at Hezhong he repeatedly routed our forces—you would do well to follow his example.' When Wang Jun learned that Rong had entered court, he rushed back from the river and reached Daliang on the wuxu day.
37
雄武節度使高允權卒，其子牙內指揮使紹基謀襲父位，詐稱允權疾病，表己知軍府事。 觀察判官李彬切諫，紹基怒，斬之，辛丑，以彬謀反聞。
The Xiongwu military commissioner Gao Yunquan died. His son Gao Shaoji, an inner guard commander, plotted to seize his father's post, falsely reporting that Yunquan was ill and that he was already running the command. The circuit judge Li Bin urged him forcefully to desist. Shaoji flew into a rage and had him killed. On the xinchou day he reported that Li Bin had plotted rebellion.
38
王峻固求領籓鎮，帝不得已，壬寅，以峻兼平盧節度使。
Wang Jun pressed hard for a regional command, and the emperor, unable to refuse, on the renyin day made him concurrent Pinglu military commissioner.
39
高紹基屢奏雜虜犯邊，冀得承襲，帝遣六宅使張仁謙詣延州巡檢，紹基不能匿，始發父喪。
Gao Shaoji repeatedly reported barbarian raids on the frontier, hoping to secure the succession. The emperor sent the Six Residences envoy Zhang Renqian to Yanzhou to investigate. Unable to hide the truth any longer, Shaoji finally announced his father's death.
40
戊申，折從阮奏降野雞二十一族。
On the wushen day, Zhe Congruan reported that twenty-one Yaji tribes had submitted.
41
唐草澤邵棠上言：「近游淮上，聞周主恭儉，增修德政。 吾兵新破於潭、朗，恐其有南征之志，宜為之備。」
Shao Tang, a Tang-era recluse, submitted a memorial: 'I have lately traveled along the Huai and heard that the Zhou ruler is modest and frugal and is steadily improving his rule. Our army was just defeated at Tan and Lang; I fear he intends a southern expedition, and we should prepare against it.'
42
初，王逵既克潭州，以指揮使何敬真為靜江節度副使，朱全琇為武安節度副使，張文表為武平節度副使，周行逢為武安行軍司馬。 敬真、全琇各置牙兵，與逵分廳視事，吏民莫知所從。 每宴集，諸將使酒，紛拿如市，無復上下之分，唯行逢、文表事逵盡禮，逵親愛之。 敬真與逵不協，辭歸朗州，又不能事劉言，與全琇謀作亂。 言素忌逵之強，疑逵使敬真伺己，將討之，逵聞之，甚懼。 行逢曰：「劉言素不與吾輩同心，何敬真、朱全琇恥在公下，公宜早圖之。」 逵喜曰：「與公共除凶黨，同治潭、朗，夫復何憂！」 會南漢寇全、道、永州，行逢請：「身至朗州說言，遣敬真、全琇南討，俟至長沙，以計取之，如掌中物耳。」 逵從之。 行逢至朗州，言以敬真為南面行營招討使，全琇為先鋒使，將牙兵百餘人會潭州兵以御南漢。 二人至長沙，逵出郊迎，相見甚歡，宴飲連日，多以美妓餌之，敬真因淹留不進。 朗州指揮使李仲遷部兵三千人久戍潭州，敬真使之先發，趣嶺北，都頭符會等因士卒思歸，劫仲遷擅還朗州。 逵乘敬真醉，使人詐為言使者，責敬真以「南寇深侵，不亟捍御而專務荒宴，太師命械公歸西府。」 因收繫獄。 全琇逃去，遣兵追捕之。 二月，辛亥朔，斬敬真以徇。 未幾，獲全琇及其黨十餘人，皆斬之。
Earlier, after Wang Kui captured Tanzhou, he made the commander He Jingzhen deputy military commissioner of Jingjiang, Zhu Quanxiu deputy military commissioner of Wu'an, Zhang Wenbiao deputy military commissioner of Wuping, and Zhou Xingfeng Wu'an army march vice-marshal. Jingzhen and Quanxiu each kept private guard units and held court in separate halls alongside Kui, so officials and commoners no longer knew whom to obey. At every banquet the generals drank heavily and brawled like a street market, with no regard for rank. Only Xingfeng and Wenbiao treated Kui with proper deference, and he held them in special affection. Jingzhen fell out with Kui, resigned, and returned to Langzhou, but he could not get along with Liu Yan either; he and Quanxiu then plotted a revolt. Liu Yan had long resented Kui's power and suspected that Kui had posted Jingzhen to watch him; he was preparing to strike back. When Kui heard of it, he was terrified. Xingfeng said: 'Liu Yan has never truly stood with us, and He Jingzhen and Zhu Quanxiu chafe at serving beneath you. You should move against them soon.' Kui said delightedly: 'With you I will wipe out these villains and rule Tan and Lang together—what else is there to fear!' Just then Southern Han attacked Quan, Dao, and Yong. Xingfeng proposed: 'Let me go to Langzhou and win Liu Yan over; send Jingzhen and Quanxiu south against the invaders. When they reach Changsha, we can take them by trickery—as easily as grasping something in the palm of the hand.' Kui agreed. Xingfeng reached Langzhou. Liu Yan made Jingzhen commander of the southern campaign headquarters and Quanxiu vanguard commander; they took more than a hundred guard troops and joined the Tanzhou army to repel Southern Han. When the two arrived at Changsha, Kui went out to meet them in the suburbs. They greeted each other warmly and feasted for days on end, Kui plying them with beautiful entertainers. Jingzhen lingered and would not march on. Li Zhongqian, the Langzhou commander, had long kept three thousand men on garrison duty at Tanzhou. Jingzhen ordered them to march first toward the north of the Ling range. But the squad leaders Fu Hui and others, seeing how badly the men wanted to go home, seized Zhongqian and marched back to Langzhou on their own. While Jingzhen was drunk, Kui sent a man disguised as an envoy from Liu Yan to denounce him: 'The southern enemy has driven deep into our territory, yet you indulge in feasting instead of defending the border. The Grand Preceptor orders you bound and sent back to the western headquarters.' He was immediately arrested and thrown into prison. Quanxiu escaped, and Kui sent troops to hunt him down. In the second month, on the first day, xinhai, Jingzhen was executed as a public example. Soon afterward Quanxiu and more than ten of his accomplices were captured and all were beheaded.
43
癸丑，鎮寧節度使榮歸澶州。
On the guichou day, the Zhenning military commissioner Rong returned to Cangzhou.
44
初，契丹主德光北還，以晉傳國寶自隨。 至是，更以玉作二寶。
Earlier, when the Khitan emperor Deguang withdrew northward, he carried off the Jin dynasty's imperial seals of transmission. Now, two new imperial seals were carved from jade.
45
王逵遣使以斬何敬真告劉言，言不得己，庚申，斬符會等數人。
Wang Kui sent messengers to inform Liu Yan of He Jingzhen's execution. Left with no alternative, Liu Yan, on the gengshen day, had Fu Hui and several others put to death.
46
樞密使、平盧節度使、同平章事王峻，晚節益狂躁，奏請以端明殿學士顏衎、樞密直學士陳觀代范質、李穀為相，帝曰：「進退宰輔，不可倉猝，俟朕更思之。」 峻力論列，語浸不遜，日向中，帝尚未食，峻爭之不已。 帝曰：「今方寒食，俟假開，如卿所奏。」 峻乃退。
Wang Jun—Commissioner of Military Affairs, Military Governor of Pinglu, and Co-Head of the Secretariat—in his later years grew increasingly arrogant and volatile. He memorialized the throne, proposing that Yan Kan and Chen Guan replace Fan Zhi and Li Gu as chief ministers. The Emperor replied, "The appointment and removal of chief ministers is not a matter to be decided in haste. I must think on it further." Jun pressed his case relentlessly, his language growing ever more insubordinate. The sun stood at noon and the Emperor had still not eaten, yet Jun would not let the matter drop. The Emperor said, "It is the Cold Food Festival—wait until the holiday ends, then proceed as you have proposed." Only then did Jun withdraw.
47
癸亥，帝函召宰相、樞密使入，幽峻於別所。 帝見馮道等，泣曰：「王峻陵朕太甚，欲盡逐大臣，翦朕羽翼。 朕惟一子，專務間阻，暫令詣闕，已懷怨望。 豈有身典樞機，復兼宰相，又求重鎮！ 觀其志趣，殊未盈厭。 無君如此，誰則堪之！」 甲子，貶峻商州司馬，制辭略曰：「肉視群後，孩撫朕躬。」 帝慮鄴都留守王殷不自安，命殷子尚食使承誨詣殷，諭以峻得罪之狀。 峻至商州，得腹疾，帝猶愍之，命其妻往視之，未幾而卒。
On guihai day, the Emperor secretly summoned the chief ministers and the Commissioner of Military Affairs. Wang Jun was sequestered elsewhere. Meeting Feng Dao and the others, the Emperor wept and said, "Wang Jun has treated me with intolerable contempt. He wants to drive out every minister and strip me of my wings. I have but one son, yet Jun has gone out of his way to come between us. Though I briefly summoned him to court, he already nurses resentment and disaffection. What man holds the reins of military affairs, serves concurrently as chief minister, and still demands a major commandery besides! Judging by his ambitions, he is nowhere near sated. To show such contempt for one's sovereign—who could endure it!" On jiazi day, Wang Jun was demoted to Military Assistant of Shangzhou. The edict read, in part: "He looked upon the court as so much meat, and treated my person as a child to be handled at will." Fearing that Wang Yin, Military Governor of Ye, might grow anxious, the Emperor sent Yin's son Chenghui, Commissioner of Imperial Provisions, to explain what had befallen Wang Jun. Jun fell ill with a stomach disorder after reaching Shangzhou. The Emperor still felt compassion for him and sent his wife to care for him, but before long Jun was dead.
48
帝命折從阮分兵屯延州，高紹基始懼，屢有貢獻。 又命供奉官張懷貞將禁兵兩指揮屯鄜、延，紹基乃悉以軍府事授副使張匡圖。 甲戌，以客省使向訓權知延州。
The Emperor ordered Zhe Congruan to detach troops and garrison Yanzhou. Only then did Gao Shaoji grow alarmed and begin sending tribute repeatedly. The Emperor further ordered Palace Attendant Zhang Huaizhen to lead two commands of the Imperial Guard to garrison Fu and Yan. Shaoji thereupon handed over all military and administrative affairs to his deputy, Zhang Kuangtu. On jiaxu day, Guest Reception Commissioner Xiang Xun was appointed acting prefect of Yanzhou.
49
三月，甲申，以鎮寧節度使榮為開封尹、晉王。 丙戌，以樞密副使鄭仁誨為鎮寧節度使。
In the third month, on jiashen day, Chai Rong, Military Governor of Zhenning, was appointed Prefect of Kaifeng and Prince of Jin. On bingxu day, Deputy Commissioner of Military Affairs Zheng Renhui was appointed Military Governor of Zhenning.
50
初，殺牛族與野雞族有隙，聞官軍討野雞，饋餉迎奉，官軍利其財畜而掠之； 殺牛族反，與野雞合，敗寧州刺史張建武於包山。 帝以郭彥欽擾群胡，致其作亂，黜廢於家。
Earlier, the Slaughter-Cattle and Wild-Pheasant tribes had been at odds. When the Slaughter-Cattle heard that imperial troops were campaigning against the Wild-Pheasant, they sent supplies and welcomed the army—only for the troops to covet their wealth and livestock and plunder them. The Slaughter-Cattle rose in revolt, joined forces with the Wild-Pheasant, and routed Ningzhou Prefect Zhang Jianwu at Mount Bao. The Emperor blamed Guo Yanqin for harassing the frontier tribes and provoking their rebellion, and dismissed him to his home.
51
初，解州刺史浚儀郭元昭與榷鹽使李溫玉有隙，溫玉婿魏仁浦為樞密主事，元昭疑仁浦庇之。 會李守貞反，溫玉有子在河中，元昭收系溫玉，奏言其叛，事連仁浦。 帝時為樞密使，知其誣，釋不問。 至是，仁浦為樞密承旨，元昭代歸，甚懼，過洛陽，以告仁浦弟仁滌，仁滌曰：「吾兄平生不與人為怨，況肯以私害公乎！」 既至，丁亥，仁浦白帝，以元昭為慶州刺史。 己丑，以棣州團練使太原王仁鎬為宣徽北院使兼樞密副使
Earlier, Jiezhou Prefect Guo Yuanzhao of Junyi and Salt Monopoly Commissioner Li Wenyu had fallen out. Wenyu's son-in-law Wei Renpu served as a staff officer in the Bureau of Military Affairs, and Yuanzhao suspected that Renpu was protecting him. When Li Shouzhen rebelled, Wenyu happened to have a son in Hezhong. Yuanzhao arrested Wenyu, memorialized that he had joined the rebellion, and implicated Renpu as well. The Emperor was then Commissioner of Military Affairs. Recognizing the charge as false, he released the men and pursued the matter no further. By now Wei Renpu had risen to Chief Secretary of Military Affairs. Yuanzhao, replaced and returning home, was deeply afraid. Passing through Luoyang, he confided in Renpu's younger brother Rendi. Rendi said, "My brother has never made an enemy in his life—why would he let private grievance corrupt public duty!" Upon his arrival, on dinghai day, Renpu informed the Emperor, and Yuanzhao was appointed Prefect of Qingzhou. On jichou day, Wang Renhao of Taiyuan, Military Training Commissioner of Dizhou, was appointed Commissioner of the Northern Court of the Palace Domestic Service and concurrently Deputy Commissioner of Military Affairs.
52
唐主復以左僕射馮延己同平章事。
The ruler of Tang again appointed Left Vice Director Feng Yanji Co-Head of the Secretariat.
53
周行逢惡武平節度副使張仿，言於王逵曰：「何敬真，仿之親戚，臨刑以後事屬仿，公宜備之。」 夏，四月，庚申，逵召仿飲，醉而殺之。
Zhou Xingfeng hated Zhang Fang, Deputy Military Governor of Wuping, and told Wang Kui, "He Jingzhen was Fang's kinsman. Before his execution he entrusted his affairs to Fang. My lord should be on guard." In summer, the fourth month, on gengshen day, Kui invited Fang to drink, got him drunk, and killed him.
54
丙寅，歸德節度使兼侍中常思入朝，戊辰，徙平盧節度使。 將行，奏曰：「臣在宋州，舉絲四萬餘兩在民間，謹以上進，請征之。」 帝頷之。 五月，丁亥，敕榜宋州，凡常思所舉絲悉蠲之，已輸者復歸之，思亦無怍色。
On bingyin day, Chang Si, Military Governor of Guide and Palace Secretary, arrived at court. On wuchen day he was transferred to Military Governor of Pinglu. Before leaving, he memorialized, "While serving at Songzhou, I advanced more than forty thousand taels of silk among the people. I respectfully report this and request permission to collect it." The Emperor nodded in assent. In the fifth month, on dinghai day, an edict was posted at Songzhou remitting every tael of silk Chang Si had advanced, and ordering repayment to those who had already paid. Chang Si showed not the slightest embarrassment.
55
自唐末以來，所在學校廢絕，蜀毋昭裔出私財百萬營學館，且請刻板印《九經》。 蜀主從之。 由是蜀中文學復盛。
Since the late Tang, schools had fallen into ruin everywhere. In Shu, Wu Zhaoyi spent a million in private wealth to build an academy and petitioned to have woodblocks carved for printing the Nine Classics. The ruler of Shu granted his request. From that time, letters and learning in Shu flourished anew.
56
六月，壬子，滄州奏契丹知戶台軍事范陽張藏英來降。
In the sixth month, on renzi day, Cangzhou reported that Zhang Cangying of Fanyang, the Khitan officer in charge of military affairs at Hutai, had surrendered.
57
初，唐明宗之世，宰相馮道、李愚請令判國子監田敏校正《九經》，刻板印賣，朝廷從之。 丁巳，板成，獻之。 由是，雖亂世，《九經》傳佈甚廣。
Earlier, in the reign of Tang Mingzong, chief ministers Feng Dao and Li Yu petitioned that Tian Min, Administrator of the Directorate of Education, be ordered to collate the Nine Classics and have them carved on woodblocks for printing and sale. The court approved. On dingsi day the blocks were finished and presented to the throne. Thus, even in an age of turmoil, the Nine Classics circulated far and wide.
58
王逵以周行逢知潭州，自將兵襲朗州，克之，殺指揮使鄭珓，執武安節度使、同平章事劉言，幽於別館。
Wang Kui placed Zhou Xingfeng in charge of Tanzhou, then personally led troops in a surprise attack on Langzhou. He took the city, killed Commandant Zheng Yan, seized Liu Yan—Military Governor of Wu'an and Co-Head of the Secretariat—and imprisoned him in a separate lodge.
59
秋，七月，王殷三表請入朝，帝疑其不誠，遣使止之。
In autumn, the seventh month, Wang Yin thrice petitioned for permission to come to court. The Emperor doubted his sincerity and sent envoys to dissuade him.
60
唐大旱，井泉涸，淮水可涉，饑民度淮而北者相繼，濠、壽發兵御之，民與兵斗而北來。 帝聞之曰：「彼我之民一也，聽糴米過淮。」 唐人遂築倉，多糴以供軍。 八月，己未，詔唐民以人畜負米者聽之，以舟車運載者勿予。
A severe drought struck Tang: wells and springs ran dry, and the Huai could be waded on foot. Starving refugees crossed the river northward in an unbroken stream. Hao and Shou dispatched troops to stop them, but the people fought through and kept coming north. When the Emperor heard of this, he said, "Their people and ours are one and the same. Let them buy grain and cross the Huai." The people of Tang thereupon built granaries and bought up grain in bulk to supply their army. In the eighth month, on jiwei day, an edict declared that Tang subjects carrying grain on their backs or with pack animals would be allowed to cross, but those transporting it by boat or cart would not.
61
王逵遣使上表，誣「劉言謀以朗州降唐，又欲攻潭州，其眾不從，廢而囚之，臣已至朗州撫安軍府訖。」 且請復移使府治潭州。 甲戌，遣通事舍人翟光裔詣湖南宣撫，從其所請。 逵還長沙，以周行逢知朗州事，又遣潘叔嗣殺劉言於朗州。
Wang Kui sent envoys with a memorial falsely claiming, "Liu Yan plotted to surrender Langzhou to Tang and also intended to attack Tanzhou. His troops refused to follow him, so I deposed and imprisoned him. I have now reached Langzhou and restored order to the military administration." He also requested that the military commissionerate be moved back to Tanzhou. On the day Jiaxu, the court sent the diplomatic officer Zhai Guangyi to the Hunan pacification commissioner and approved his request. Kui returned to Changsha, appointed Zhou Xingfeng to administer Langzhou, and sent Pan Shusi to kill Liu Yan there.
62
九月，己亥，武成節度使白重贊奏塞決河。
In the ninth month, on the day Jihai, Bai Chongzan, military governor of Wucheng, submitted a memorial calling for the breached Yellow River to be dammed.
63
契丹寇樂壽，齊州戍兵右保寧都頭劉彥章殺都監杜延熙，謀應契丹，不克，並其黨伏誅。
When the Khitan attacked Leshou, Liu Yanzhang, a company head in the Qi Prefecture garrison, killed the garrison commander Du Yanxi and tried to go over to the Khitan. The plot failed, and he and his accomplices were all put to death.
64
南漢主立其子繼興為衛王，璇興為桂王，慶興為荊王，保興為禎王，崇興為梅王。
The ruler of Southern Han enfeoffed five of his sons: Jixing as Prince of Wei, Xuanxing as Prince of Gui, Qingxing as Prince of Jing, Baoxing as Prince of Zhen, and Chongxing as Prince of Mei.
65
東自青、徐，南至安、復，西至丹、慈，北至貝、鎮，皆大水。
From Qing and Xu in the east to An and Fu in the south, from Dan and Ci in the west to Bei and Zhen in the north, the whole region was stricken by severe floods.
66
帝自入秋得風痺疾，害於食飲及步趨，術者言宜散財以禳之。 帝欲祀南郊，又以自梁以來，郊祀常在洛陽，疑之。 執政曰：「天子所都則可以祀百神，何必洛陽！」 於是，始築圜丘、社稷壇，作太廟於大梁。 癸亥，遣馮道迎太廟社稷神主於洛陽。
After autumn set in, the emperor fell ill with a paralytic condition that impaired his eating, drinking, and walking. Soothsayers advised that he should give away wealth to dispel the affliction. The emperor wanted to perform the southern suburban sacrifice, but because such rites had customarily been held at Luoyang since the Liang dynasty, he was unsure whether he should do so. The chief ministers said, "Wherever the Son of Heaven makes his capital, he may sacrifice to all the gods—why must it be Luoyang?" Accordingly, they built the Round Mound and the altars of soil and grain, and established the Imperial Ancestral Temple at Daliang. On the day Guihai, the court sent Feng Dao to Luoyang to bring back the spirit tablets of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the altars of soil and grain.
67
南漢大赦。 冬，十一月，己丑，太常請准洛陽築四郊諸壇，從之。 十二月，丁未朔，神主至大梁，帝迎於西郊，祔享於太廟。
Southern Han proclaimed a general amnesty. In winter, in the eleventh month, on the day Jichou, the Director of Ceremonies asked to build the four suburban altars on the Luoyang model, and the request was approved. In the twelfth month, on the first day Dingwei, the spirit tablets arrived at Daliang. The emperor received them at the western suburb and installed them in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
68
鄴都留守、天雄節度使兼侍衛親軍都指揮使、同平章事王殷恃功專橫，凡河北鎮戍兵應用敕處分者，殷即以帖行之，又多掊斂民財。 帝聞之不悅，使人謂曰：「卿與國同體，鄴都帑庾甚豐，卿欲用則取之，何患無財！」 成德節度使何福進素惡殷，甲子，福進入朝，密以殷陰事白帝，帝由是疑之。 乙丑，殷入朝，詔留殷充京城內外巡檢。
Wang Yin, who held Ye as garrison commander and Tianxiong as military governor while also commanding the Palace Guard and serving as co–Grand Councilor, grew arrogant on the strength of his achievements. Whenever Hebei garrison forces were supposed to be moved by imperial edict, he issued orders on his own authority instead, and he also extorted large sums from the people. The emperor heard of this and was displeased. He sent a messenger to tell him, "You and the state are one and the same. Ye's treasury is abundantly stocked—take what you need from it. Why must you worry about money?" He Fujin, military governor of Chengde, had long despised Wang Yin. On the day Jiazi, Fujin came to court and secretly informed the emperor of Yin's misconduct, and from that point the emperor began to distrust him. On the day Yichou, Wang Yin came to court, and an edict was issued keeping him in the capital as inspector of the city, both within and beyond the walls.
69
戊辰，府州防禦使折德扆奏北漢將喬贇入寇，擊走之。
On the day Wuchen, Zhe Deyi, defense commissioner of Fuzhou, reported that the Northern Han general Qiao Yun had raided the border and that he had driven the invaders off.
70
王殷每出入，從者常數百人。 殷請量給鎧仗以備巡邏，帝難之。 時帝體不平，將行郊祀，而殷挾震主之勢在左右，眾心忌之。 壬申，帝力疾御滋德殿，殷入起居，遂執之。 下制誣殷謀以郊祀日作亂，流登州，出城，殺之，命鎮寧節度使鄭仁誨詣鄴都安撫。 仁誨利殷家財，擅殺殷子，遷其家屬於登州。
Whenever Wang Yin went out or returned, he was accompanied by several hundred men. Yin asked for a fixed allotment of armor and weapons for his patrol duties, but the emperor was reluctant to grant it. The emperor was then in poor health and about to perform the suburban sacrifice, while Yin stayed constantly at his side with the overbearing air of a man who intimidated his sovereign, and many grew deeply uneasy. On the day Renshen, the emperor, though seriously ill, held audience in Zide Hall. When Yin came in to pay his respects, he was seized on the spot. An edict was issued falsely accusing Yin of plotting a rebellion on the day of the suburban sacrifice. He was sentenced to exile in Dengzhou, but was killed outside the city on the way. The court then ordered Zheng Renhui, military governor of Zhenning, to go to Ye and restore calm. Renhui coveted the Wang family's wealth, had Yin's son killed without authorization, and sent the rest of the family into exile at Dengzhou.
71
唐祠部朗中、知制誥徐鉉言貢舉初設，不宜遽罷，乃復行之。
Xu Xuan, a director in the Ministry of Rites and drafter of edicts under Tang, argued that because the civil service examination had only recently been instituted, it should not be abolished so soon, and the examinations were therefore restored.
72
先是，楚州刺史田敬洙請修白水塘溉田以實邊，馮延己以為便。 李德明因請大辟曠土為屯田，修復所在渠塘堙廢者。 吏因緣侵擾，大興力役，奪民田甚眾，民愁怨無訴。 徐鉉以白唐主，唐主命鉉按視之，鉉籍民田悉歸其主。 或譖鉉擅作威福，唐主怒，流鉉舒州。 然白水塘竟不成。
Earlier, Tian Jingzhu, prefect of Chuzhou, had proposed repairing Baishui Pond to irrigate farmland and strengthen the frontier, and Feng Yanji had approved the plan. Li Deming then proposed opening large tracts of unused land for military farming colonies and restoring canals and ponds that had silted up or fallen into disuse. Officials took the opportunity to abuse their power, launched massive forced-labor projects, and seized large amounts of farmland from the people, who grew bitter and resentful but had no recourse. Xu Xuan reported the matter to the Tang ruler, who ordered him to inspect the project. Xu reviewed the land records and returned all seized fields to their rightful owners. Some officials accused Xu of abusing his authority, and the Tang ruler, enraged, banished him to Shuzhou. In the end, however, Baishui Pond was never completed.
73
唐主又命少府監馮延魯巡撫諸州，右拾遺徐鍇表延魯無才多罪，舉措輕淺，不宜奉使。 唐主怒，貶鍇校書郎、分司東都。 鍇，鉉之弟也。
The Tang ruler also appointed Feng Yanlu, director of the Palace Workshops, to tour and inspect the prefectures. Xu Kai, a Right Reminder, submitted a memorial stating that Yanlu was incompetent, guilty of many offenses, and too rash and shallow in his actions to serve as an imperial envoy. The Tang ruler was furious and demoted Kai to the post of proofreader in the eastern capital branch office. Kai was Xu Xuan's younger brother.
74
道州盤容洞蠻酋盤崇聚眾自稱盤容州都統，屢寇郴、道州。
Pan Chong, a tribal chieftain of Panrong Cave in Daozhou, gathered a following, declared himself commander-in-chief of Panrong Prefecture, and repeatedly attacked Chen and Daozhou.
75
乙亥，帝朝享太廟，被兗冕，左右掖以登階，才及一室，酌獻，俯首不能拜而退，命晉王榮終禮。 是夕，宿南郊，疾尤劇，幾不救，夜分小愈。
On the day Yihai, the emperor attended the morning sacrifice at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Dressed in full ceremonial regalia, he was helped up the steps by attendants on either side. He reached only one chamber, offered the libation, but was unable to complete the bow and had to withdraw. He then ordered Prince Rong of Jin to finish the ceremony. That night he stayed at the southern suburb. His illness worsened sharply and he nearly died, but after midnight he recovered a little.
76
太祖聖神恭肅文武皇帝中顯德元年（ 甲寅，公元九五四年）
The first year of Zhongxiande of Emperor Taizu, the Sagely, Divine, Reverent, Solemn, Civil, and Martial ( on the day Jiayin, AD 954)
77
春，正月，丙子朔，帝祀圜丘，僅能瞻仰致敬而已，進爵奠幣皆有司代之。 大赦，改元。 聽蜀境通商。
In spring, on the first day of the first month, Bingzi, the emperor sacrificed at the Round Mound. He could do little more than look up and pay his respects, while officials performed the wine offerings and silk presentations on his behalf. A general amnesty was proclaimed and the reign era was changed. Trade across the Shu frontier was permitted.
78
戊寅，罷鄴都，但為天雄軍。
On the day Wuyin, the Ye capital was abolished, and the city remained merely the seat of the Tianxiong Army.
79
庚辰，加晉王榮兼侍中，判內外兵馬事。 時群臣希得見帝，中外恐懼，聞晉王典兵，人心稍安。
On the day Gengchen, Prince Rong of Jin was additionally made Palace Secretary and placed in charge of all military affairs, both within and beyond the capital. At the time the ministers seldom saw the emperor, and fear spread through the court and the realm. When word spread that Prince Rong of Jin had taken charge of the army, people began to feel somewhat reassured.
80
軍士有流言郊賞薄於唐明宗時者，帝聞之，壬午，召諸將至寢殿，讓之曰：「朕自即位以來，惡衣菲食，專以贍軍為念。 府庫蓄積，四方貢獻，贍軍之外，鮮有贏餘，汝輩豈不知之！ 今乃縱兇徒騰口，不顧人主之勤儉，察國之貧乏，又不思己有何功而受賞，惟知怨望，於汝輩安乎！」 皆惶恐謝罪，退，索不逞者戮之，流言乃息。
Rumors spread among the soldiers that the rewards distributed at the suburban sacrifice were less generous than in the time of Tang Mingzong. When the emperor heard this, on the day Renwu he summoned the generals to his private hall and rebuked them, saying, "Since I took the throne, I have lived frugally and eaten simply, thinking only of providing for the army. Everything in the treasury and all tribute from the provinces goes to the army; there is almost nothing left over. Do you really not know this? Yet now you let malcontents spread rumors, with no regard for your ruler's thrift or the state's poverty, never asking what merit you have earned such rewards, and knowing only how to complain—is that acceptable to you?" They all apologized in fear. After they left, he had the ringleaders hunted down and executed, and the rumors died away.
81
初，帝在鄴都，奇愛小吏曹翰之才，使之事晉王榮。 榮鎮澶州，以為牙將。 榮入為開封尹，未別召翰，翰自至，榮怪之。 翰請間言曰：「大王，國之儲嗣，今主上寢疾，大王當入侍醫藥，奈何猶決事於外邪！」 榮感悟，即日入止禁中。 丙戌，帝疾篤，停諸司細務皆勿奏，有大事，則晉王榮稟進止宣行之。
Earlier, while the emperor was at Ye, he had been greatly impressed by the ability of the junior clerk Cao Han and assigned him to serve Prince Rong of Jin. When Rong was posted to Danzhou, he made Han one of his guard officers. When Rong became intendant of Kaifeng, Han had not been specially summoned, yet he appeared on his own, which surprised Rong. Han asked for a private word and said, "Your Highness is the heir to the throne. The emperor is now gravely ill in bed. You should be at his side tending to his care—why are you still handling affairs outside the palace?" Moved by this advice, Rong entered the palace that very day and stayed there. On the day Bingxu, the emperor's condition grew critical. Routine business from all departments was suspended, and for major matters Prince Rong of Jin was to receive the emperor's decisions and carry them out.
82
以鎮寧節度使鄭仁誨為樞密使、同平章事。
Zheng Renhui, military governor of Zhenning, was appointed Privy Council commissioner and co–Grand Councilor.
83
戊子，以義武留後孫行友、保義留後韓通、朔方留後馮繼業皆為節度使。 通，太原人也。
On the day Wuzi, Sun Xingyou of Yiwu, Han Tong of Baoyi, and Feng Jiye of Shuofang, who had been serving as acting governors, were all confirmed as military governors. Han Tong was a native of Taiyuan.
84
帝屢戒晉王曰：「昔吾西征，見唐十八陵無不發掘者，此無他，惟多藏金玉故也。 我死，當衣以紙衣，斂以瓦棺； 速營葬，勿久留宮中； 壙中無用石，以甓代之； 工人役徒皆和雇，勿以煩民； 葬畢，募近陵民三十戶，蠲其雜徭，使之守視； 勿修下宮，勿置守陵宮人，勿作石羊、虎、人、馬，惟刻石置陵前云：『周天子平生好儉約，遺令用紙衣、瓦棺，嗣天子不敢違也。』 汝或吾違，吾不福汝！」 又曰：「李洪義當與節鉞，魏仁浦勿使離樞密院。」
The emperor repeatedly warned Prince Rong of Jin, saying, "On my western campaign I saw that every one of the eighteen Tang imperial tombs had been looted. There is only one reason for that: they were stuffed with gold and jade. When I die, bury me in paper garments and an earthenware coffin; bury me quickly, and do not keep my body in the palace for long; use no stone in the tomb chamber—use brick instead; hire all laborers at fair wages, and do not impose burdens on the people; after the burial, recruit thirty households living near the tomb, exempt them from miscellaneous labor obligations, and have them guard it; do not build an underground palace, do not station palace women to guard the tomb, and do not set up stone sheep, tigers, human figures, or horses. Only carve a stone tablet and place it before the tomb with these words: 'The Zhou emperor in life loved simplicity. His final command was for paper garments and an earthenware coffin. The succeeding emperor dares not disobey. If you disobey me, I will give you no blessing!" He also said, "Li Hongyi should be given a military commission, and Wei Renpu must not be removed from the Privy Council."
85
庚寅，詔前登州刺史周訓等塞決河。 先是，河決靈河、魚池、酸棗、陽武、常樂驛、河陰、六明鎮、原武凡八口。 至是分遣使者塞之。
On the day Gengyin, an edict ordered Zhou Xun, the former prefect of Dengzhou, and others to dam the breached sections of the Yellow River. Earlier the river had broken through at eight points: Linghe, Yuchi, Suanzao, Yangwu, Changle Post, Heyin, Liuming Town, and Yuanwu. The court now sent out envoys to dam each breach separately.
86
帝命趣草制，以端明殿學士、戶部侍郎王溥為中書侍郎、同平章事。 壬辰，宣制畢，左右以聞，帝曰：「吾無恨矣！」 以樞密副使王仁鎬為永興節度使，以殿前都指揮使李重進領武信節度使，馬軍都指揮使樊愛能領武定節度使，步軍都指揮使何徽領昭武節度使。 重進年長於晉王榮，帝召入禁中，屬以後事，仍命拜榮，以定君臣之分。 是日，帝殂於滋德殿，秘不發喪。 乙未，宣遺制。 丙申，晉王即皇帝位。
The emperor ordered an edict drafted urgently appointing Wang Pu, academician of the Duanming Hall and vice minister of revenue, as vice director of the Secretariat and co–Grand Councilor. On the day Renchen, after the edict had been announced, his attendants reported back to him. The emperor said, "I have no regrets!" Wang Rengu, vice commissioner of the Privy Council, was appointed military governor of Yongxing. Li Chongjin, commander of the Palace Front Army, was made acting military governor of Wuxin; Fan Aineng, commander of the cavalry, acting military governor of Wuding; and He Hui, commander of the infantry, acting military governor of Zhaowu. Li Chongjin was older than Prince Rong of Jin. The emperor summoned him into the palace, entrusted him with affairs after his death, and nevertheless ordered him to bow to Rong so as to fix the proper relation between sovereign and subject. That same day the emperor died in Zide Hall. His death was kept secret and no mourning was publicly announced. On the day Yiwei, the emperor's final testament was announced. On the day Bingchen, Prince Rong of Jin ascended the throne.
87
初，靜海節度使吳權卒，子昌岌立。 昌岌卒，弟昌文立。 是月，始請命於南漢，南漢以昌文為靜海節度使兼安南都護。
Earlier, Wu Quan, military governor of Jinghai, had died, and his son Changji succeeded him. When Changji died, his younger brother Changwen took his place. That month he first sought formal recognition from Southern Han, which appointed Changwen military governor of Jinghai and concurrently Protector-General of Annam.
88
北漢主聞太祖晏駕，甚喜，謀大舉入寇，遣使請兵於契丹。 二月，契丹遣其武定節度使、政事令楊兗將萬餘騎如晉陽。 北漢主自將兵三萬，以義成節度使白從暉為行軍都部署，武寧節度使張元徽為前鋒都指揮使，與契丹自團柏南趣潞州。
When the ruler of Northern Han learned that Emperor Taizu had died, he was delighted and planned a major invasion, sending an envoy to ask the Khitan for troops. In the second month, the Khitan sent Yang Wan, their military governor of Wuding and director of political affairs, with more than ten thousand cavalry toward Jinyang. The ruler of Northern Han personally led thirty thousand troops, appointing Bai Conghui, military governor of Yicheng, as overall campaign commander and Zhang Yuanhui, military governor of Wuning, as vanguard commander. Together with the Khitan, they marched south from Tuanbai toward Luzhou.
89
蜀左匡聖馬步都指揮使、保寧節度使安思謙譖殺張業，廢趙廷隱，蜀人皆惡之。 蜀主使將兵救王景崇，思謙逗橈無功，內慚懼，不自安。 自張業之誅，宮門守衛加嚴，思謙以為疑己，言多不遜。 思謙典宿衛，多殺士卒以立威。 蜀主閱衛士，有年尚壯而為思謙所斥者，復留隸籍，思謙殺之，蜀主不能平。 思謙三子，扆、嗣、裔，倚父勢暴橫，為國人患。 翰林使王藻屢言思謙怨望，將反，丁巳，思謙入朝，蜀主命壯士擊殺之，及其三子。 藻亦坐擅啟邊奏，並誅之。
An Siqian of Shu, commander of cavalry and infantry under the Left Kuangsheng banner and military governor of Baoning, had Zhang Ye killed on false charges and Zhao Tingyin removed from office, and the people of Shu universally despised him. The Shu ruler sent him to lead troops to relieve Wang Jingchong, but Siqian dragged his feet and accomplished nothing. Ashamed and afraid, he grew increasingly uneasy. After Zhang Ye's execution, security at the palace gates was tightened. Siqian took this as a sign that he was under suspicion, and his speech grew increasingly insolent. Siqian commanded the palace night guard and frequently killed soldiers to assert his authority. When the Shu ruler inspected the palace guards, he found men who were still fit for service but had been dismissed by Siqian yet kept on the rolls. Siqian had them killed, and the Shu ruler could not accept it. Siqian's three sons—Yi, Si, and Yi—used their father's power to terrorize others and became a plague on the realm. Wang Zao, a Hanlin envoy, repeatedly reported that Siqian was discontent and plotting rebellion. On the day Dingsi, when Siqian came to court, the Shu ruler ordered armed men to strike him down, together with his three sons. Zao was also executed, charged with having improperly opened frontier dispatches.
90
北漢兵屯梁侯驛，昭義節度使李筠遣其將穆令均將步騎二千逆戰，筠自將大軍壁於太平驛。 張元徽與令均戰，陽不勝而北，令均逐之，伏發，殺令均，俘斬士卒千餘人。 筠遁歸上黨，嬰城自守。 筠，即李榮也，避上名改焉。
The Northern Han army encamped at Lianghou Post. Li Jun, military governor of Zhaoyi, sent his general Mu Lingjun with two thousand infantry and cavalry to meet them, while he himself led the main force and fortified at Taiping Post. Zhang Yuanhui engaged Lingjun, pretended to be beaten, and withdrew to the north. Lingjun pursued him into an ambush, was killed, and more than a thousand of his men were captured or slain. Li Jun fled back to Shangdang and shut himself up in the city to defend it. Li Jun was originally named Li Rong; he had changed his name to avoid the taboo on the new emperor's personal name.
91
世宗聞北漢主入寇，欲自將兵御之，群臣皆曰：「劉崇自平陽遁走以來，勢蹙氣沮，必不敢自來。 陛下新即位。 山陵有日，人心易搖，不宜輕動，宜命將御之。」 帝曰：「崇幸我大喪，輕朕年少新立，有吞天下之心，此必自來，朕不可不往。」 馮道固爭之，帝曰：「昔唐太宗定天下，未嘗不自行，朕何敢偷安！」 道曰：「未審陛下能為唐太宗否？」 帝曰：「以吾兵力之強，破劉崇如山壓卵耳！」 道曰：「未審陛下能為山否？」 帝不悅。 惟王溥勸行，帝從之。
When Emperor Shizong heard that the ruler of Northern Han had invaded, he wanted to lead the army himself to repel the attack. His ministers all said, "Since Liu Chong fled from Pingyang, his strength has been broken and his morale shattered. He will surely not dare come in person. Your Majesty has only just ascended the throne. The imperial burial is near at hand, and the people's loyalty is easily shaken. You should not take the field yourself. It would be better to appoint generals to meet the invasion." The Emperor replied, "Liu Chong has seized on our period of mourning, thinks little of me because I am young and have only just ascended the throne, and means to swallow the realm. He will surely come himself—and I cannot stay away." Feng Dao pressed his objection hard, but the Emperor said, "When Emperor Taizong of Tang brought the empire under his rule, he always took the field himself. How can I shrink from doing the same?" Feng Dao asked, "Are you certain that you can be another Emperor Taizong of Tang?" The Emperor answered, "With the army I have, crushing Liu Chong will be like a mountain falling on an egg!" Feng Dao replied dryly, "Are you certain that you can be the mountain?" The Emperor was displeased. Only Wang Pu urged the campaign, and the Emperor took his counsel.
92
三月，乙亥朔，蜀主加捧聖、控鶴都指揮使兼中書令孫漢韶武信節度使，賜爵樂安郡王，罷軍職。 蜀主懲安思謙之跋扈，命山南西道節度使李廷珪等十人分典禁兵。
In the third month, on the first day of the cycle (yihai), the Shu ruler made Sun Hanshao, commander of the Pangsheng and Konghe guards and concurrent grand councilor, military governor of Wuxin, created him Prince of Lean Commandery, and relieved him of his army commands. Having been burned by An Siqian's arrogance, the Shu ruler ordered Li Tinggui, military governor of Shannan West Circuit, and nine other men to share command of the palace armies.
93
北漢乘勝進逼潞州。 丁丑，詔天雄節度使符彥卿引兵自磁州固鎮出北漢軍後，以鎮寧節度使郭崇副之； 又詔河中節度使王彥超引兵自晉州東出邀北漢軍，以保義節度使韓通副之； 又命馬軍都指揮使、寧江節度使樊愛能、步軍都指揮使、清淮節度使何徽、義成節度使白重贊、鄭州防禦使史彥超、前耀州團練使符彥能將兵先趣澤州，宣微使向訓監之。 重贊，憲州人也。
Northern Han pressed its victory and pushed on toward Luzhou. On dingchou the court ordered Fu Yanqing, military governor of Tianxiong, to march from Guzhen in Cizhou and fall on the rear of the Northern Han army, with Guo Chong, military governor of Zhenning, as his second-in-command; it also ordered Wang Yanchao, military governor of Hezhong, to move east from Jinzhou and block the Northern Han army, with Han Tong, military governor of Baoyi, supporting him; and it sent Fan Aineng, commander of the horse army and military governor of Ningjiang; He Hui, commander of the foot army and military governor of Qinghuai; Bai Chongzan, military governor of Yicheng; Shi Yanchao, defender of Zhengzhou; and Fu Yanneng, former regimental trainer of Yaozhou, ahead to Zezhou under the supervision of palace commissioner Xiang Xun. Bai Chongzan was a native of Xianzhou.
94
辛巳，大赦。
On xinsi the court proclaimed a general amnesty.
95
癸未，帝命馮道奉梓宮赴山陵，以鄭仁誨為東京留守。
On guiwei the Emperor sent Feng Dao to escort the late emperor's coffin to the burial mound and appointed Zheng Renhui to remain behind as regent of the Eastern Capital.
96
乙酉，帝發大梁。 庚寅，至懷州。 帝欲兼行速進，控鶴都指揮使真定趙晁私謂通事舍人鄭好謙曰：「賊勢方盛，宜持重以挫之。」 好謙言於帝，帝怒曰：「汝安得此言！ 必為人所使，言其人則生，不然必死，」好謙以實對，帝命並晁械於州獄。 壬辰，帝過澤州，宿於州東北。
On yiyou the Emperor set out from Daliang. On gengyin he reached Huaizhou. The Emperor wanted to press forward at forced-march speed, but Zhao Chao of Zhending, commander of the Konghe guards, told palace attendant Zheng Haoqian in private, "The enemy is at the height of its strength. We should move deliberately and break their momentum." Haoqian repeated this to the Emperor, who flew into a rage. "How dare you say such a thing! Someone must have put you up to this. Name him and you live; refuse and you die." Haoqian told the truth, and the Emperor had both men clapped in irons in the local jail." On renchen the Emperor passed through Zezhou and camped northeast of the city.
97
北漢主不知帝至，過潞州不攻，引兵而南，是夕，軍於高平之南。 癸巳，前鋒與北漢兵遇，擊之，北漢兵卻。 帝慮其遁去，趣諸軍亟進。 北漢主以中軍陳於巴公原，張元徽軍其東，楊兗軍其西，眾頗嚴整。 時河陽節度使劉詞將後軍未至，眾心危懼，而帝志氣益銳，命白重贊與侍衛馬步都虞候李重進將左軍居西，樊愛能、何徽將右軍居東，向訓、史彥超將精騎居中央，殿前都指揮使張永德將禁兵衛帝。 帝介馬自臨陳督戰。 北漢主見周軍少，悔召契丹，謂諸將曰：「吾自用漢軍可破也，何必契丹！ 今日不惟克周，亦可使契丹心服。」 諸將皆以為然。 楊兗策馬前望周軍，退謂北漢主曰：「勍敵也，未可輕進！」 北漢主奮髯，曰：「時不可失，請公勿言，試觀我戰。」 兗默然不悅。 時東北風方盛，俄而忽轉南風，北漢副樞密使王延嗣使司天監李義白北漢主云：「時可戰矣。」 北漢主從之。 樞密直學士王得中扣馬諫曰：「義可斬也！ 風勢如此，豈助我者邪！」 北漢主曰：「吾計已決，老書生勿妄言，且斬汝！」 麾東軍先進，張元徽將千騎擊周右軍。
Liu Chong did not yet know the Zhou emperor had arrived. He bypassed Luzhou without assaulting it, marched south, and that night encamped south of Gaoping. On guisi the vanguard met the Northern Han army, struck them, and drove them back. Fearing the enemy would slip away, the Emperor ordered every unit forward at once. Liu Chong drew up his main force on Bagong Plain, with Zhang Yuanhui on the east and Yang Gun on the west. The array was tight and imposing. Liu Ci, military governor of Heyang, had not yet come up with the rear guard, and morale wavered—but the Emperor's resolve only hardened. He placed Bai Chongzan and palace adjutant Li Chongjin on the left in the west, Fan Aineng and He Hui on the right in the east, Xiang Xun and Shi Yanchao with picked cavalry in the center, and Zhang Yongde with the palace guard around himself. Armored and on horseback, the Emperor rode to the front to command the battle in person. Seeing how small the Zhou force was, Liu Chong regretted calling in the Khitan and told his generals, "My own Han troops are enough to crush them—what need have I of the Khitan! If we win today, we will not only defeat Zhou—we will make the Khitan respect us as well." The generals all agreed. Yang Gun rode forward for a closer look at the Zhou lines, then came back and warned Liu Chong, "These are tough enemies. We must not rush in!" Liu Chong's beard bristled with impatience. "The moment won't wait," he said. "Say no more—watch me fight." Yang Gun said nothing, plainly unhappy. A strong northeast wind was blowing when, suddenly, it swung round to the south. Wang Yansi, Northern Han's deputy commissioner of military affairs, had the court astronomer Li Yi tell Liu Chong, "The moment to fight has come." Liu Chong accepted the omen. Wang Dezhong, an academician of the bureau of military affairs, grabbed the bridle of Liu Chong's horse and protested, "Li Yi deserves death! A wind like this helps the enemy, not us!" Liu Chong snapped, "My mind is made up. Hold your tongue, old pedant, or I'll cut you down myself!" He ordered the eastern wing forward, and Zhang Yuanhui led a thousand horsemen against the Zhou right.
98
合戰未幾，樊愛能、何徽引騎兵先遁，右軍潰。 步兵千餘人解甲呼萬歲，降於北漢。 帝見軍勢危，自引親兵犯矢石督戰。 太祖皇帝時為宿衛將，謂同列曰：「主危如此，吾屬何得不致死！」 又謂張永德曰：「賊氣驕，力戰可破也！ 公麾下多能左射者，請引兵乘高西出為左翼，我引兵為右翼以擊之。 國家安危，在此一舉！」 永德從之，各將二千人進戰。 太祖皇帝身先士卒，馳犯其鋒，士卒死戰，無不一當百，北漢兵披靡。 內殿直夏津馬仁瑀謂眾曰：「使乘輿受敵，安用我輩！」 躍馬引弓大呼，連斃數十人，士氣益振。 殿前右番行首馬全乂言於帝曰：「賊勢極矣，將為我擒，願陛下按轡勿動，徐觀諸將破之。」 即引數百騎進陷陳。
Hardly had the battle begun when Fan Aineng and He Hui bolted with their cavalry, and the right wing broke apart. More than a thousand foot soldiers threw off their armor, shouted "Long live the emperor!" and went over to Northern Han. Seeing the battle turn against him, the Emperor himself led his personal guard through a hail of arrows and stones to rally the line. At that time the future Emperor Taizu, Zhao Kuangyin, was a palace guard commander. He told his fellows, "The emperor is in peril—how can we hold back our lives now!" Then he said to Zhang Yongde, "The enemy is overconfident. Hit them hard and they'll break! Many of your men can shoot from the left side of the saddle. Take the high ground to the west as our left wing; I'll take the right and we'll hit them together. The fate of the dynasty rests on this one charge!" Zhang Yongde agreed, and each man led two thousand troops into the fight. Taizu himself led the charge straight into the enemy van. His men fought as though each one were worth a hundred, and the Northern Han line crumbled. Ma Renyu of Xiajin, of the inner palace guard, shouted to the men around him, "If the emperor himself must face the enemy, what are we here for!" He spurred forward, loosed arrow after arrow with a great shout, and cut down dozens of men in succession. The army's spirit soared. Ma Quanyi, chief of the right rotation of the palace front guard, told the Emperor, "The enemy is spent—they're as good as ours. Stay your horse, Your Majesty, and watch your generals finish them." Then he led several hundred horsemen straight into the enemy formation.
99
北漢主知帝自臨陳，褒賞張元徽，趣使乘勝進兵。 元徽前略陳，馬倒，為周兵所殺。 元徽，北漢之驍將也，北軍由是奪氣。 時南風益盛，周兵爭奮，北漢兵大敗，北漢主自舉赤幟以收兵，不能止。 楊兗畏周兵之強，不敢救，且恨北漢主之語，全軍而退。
When Liu Chong realized the Zhou emperor was fighting in person, he praised Zhang Yuanhui and ordered him to press the attack. Yuanhui rode ahead to overrun the Zhou line, but his horse went down and Zhou soldiers cut him down. Yuanhui had been Northern Han's fiercest fighter, and with his death the northern army lost heart. The south wind blew harder still. The Zhou soldiers fought with fresh fury, and Northern Han collapsed. Liu Chong himself raised red banners to recall his men, but nothing could stop the rout. Yang Gun, still smarting at Liu Chong's earlier rebuke and fearing the Zhou strength, refused to intervene and marched his whole force away.
100
樊愛能、何徽引數千騎南走，控弦露刃，剽掠輜重，役徒驚走，失亡甚多。 帝遣近臣及親軍校追諭止之，莫肯奉詔，使者或為軍士所殺，揚言：「契丹大至，官軍敗績，餘眾已降虜矣。」 劉詞遇愛能等於塗，愛能等止之，詞不從，引兵而北。 時北漢主尚有餘眾萬餘人，阻澗而陳，薄暮，詞至，復與諸軍擊之，北漢兵又敗，殺王延嗣，追至高平，殭屍滿山谷，委棄御特及輜重、器械、雜畜不可勝紀。 是夕，帝宿於野次，得步兵之降敵者，皆殺之。 樊愛能等聞周兵大捷，與士卒稍稍復還，有達曙不至者。 甲午，休兵於高平，選北漢降卒數千人為效順指揮，命前武勝行軍司馬唐景思將之，使戍淮上，餘二千餘人賜資裝縱遣之。 李穀為亂兵所迫，潛竄山谷，數日乃出。 丁酉，帝至潞州。
Fan Aineng and He Hui fled south with several thousand horsemen, bows strung and swords naked, looting the supply train as they went. Camp followers scattered in terror, and the losses were enormous. The Emperor sent courtiers and trusted officers after them to bring them back, but none would obey. Some envoys were killed, and the fugitives spread the rumor, "The Khitan are upon us! The army is beaten and the rest have already gone over to the enemy." On the road Liu Ci met Fan Aineng and the others, who tried to turn him back, but he refused and pressed north with his troops. Liu Chong still had more than ten thousand men left, drawn up with a stream at their backs. At dusk Liu Ci came up, joined the other Zhou forces, and broke them again. Wang Yansi was killed. The pursuit rolled on to Gaoping; dead filled every valley, and abandoned horses, wagons, arms, and livestock lay strewn beyond count. That night the Emperor camped in the open field and had every foot soldier who had gone over to the enemy executed. When Fan Aineng and the rest heard of the great victory, they and their men drifted back by degrees—some not until dawn. On jiawu the army rested at Gaoping. Several thousand Northern Han prisoners were formed into a Loyal Submission command under Tang Jingsi, former chief of staff of the Wusheng expedition, and sent to garrison the Huai frontier. The remaining two thousand-odd were given supplies and sent home. Li Gu was caught up in the rout, hid in the hills for days, and only then made his way out. On dingyou the Emperor reached Luzhou.
101
北漢主自高平被褐戴笠，乘契丹所贈黃騮，帥百餘騎由雕窠嶺遁歸，宵迷，俘村民為導，誤之晉州，行百餘里，乃覺之，殺導者。 晝夜北走，所至，得食未舉箸，或傳周兵至，輒蒼黃而去。 北漢主衰老力憊，仗於馬上，晝夜馳驟，殆不能支，僅得入晉陽。
Liu Chong slipped away from Gaoping in coarse dress and a bamboo hat, mounted on a yellow piebald the Khitan had given him, and led a little over a hundred horsemen over Diaoke Ridge. He lost his way in the dark, forced villagers to guide him, was led a hundred li toward Jinzhou before he realized the mistake, and killed the guides. He fled north day and night. Wherever he stopped, if food was set before him he would not even lift his chopsticks before word of Zhou pursuers sent him scrambling off again. Old and spent, Liu Chong rode slumped in the saddle, galloping without rest until he could scarcely go on, and only barely reached Jinyang.
102
帝欲誅樊愛能等以肅軍政，猶豫未決。 己亥，晝臥行宮帳中，張永德侍側，帝以其事訪之，對曰「愛能等素無大功，忝冒節鉞，望敵先逃，死未塞責。 且陛下方欲削平四海，苟軍法不立，雖有熊羆之士，百萬之眾，安得而用之！」 帝擲枕於地，大呼稱善。 即收愛能、徽及所部軍使以上七十餘人。 責之曰：「汝曹皆累朝宿將，非不能戰。 今望風奔遁者，無他，正欲以朕為奇貨，賣與劉崇耳！」 悉斬之。 帝以何徽先守晉州有功，欲免之，既而以法不可廢，遂並誅之，而給槥歸葬。 自是驕將惰卒始知所懼，不行姑息之政矣。 庚子，賞高平之功，以李重進兼忠武節度使，向訓兼義成節度使，張永德兼武信節度使，史彥超為鎮國節度使。 張永德盛稱太祖皇帝之智勇，帝擢太祖皇帝為殿前都虞候，領嚴州刺史，以馬仁瑀為控鶴弓箭直指揮使，馬全乂為散員指揮使。 自餘將校遷拜者凡數十人，士卒有自行間擢主軍廂者。 釋趙晁之囚。
The Emperor wanted to execute Fan Aineng and the others to restore discipline, but hesitated. On jihai the Emperor was resting by day in his field tent with Zhang Yongde in attendance. When the Emperor asked his view, Yongde answered, "Fan Aineng and the rest have never earned their rank. They hold commander's seals they don't deserve, and they ran at the first sight of the enemy. Death is less than they owe. And you mean to bring the realm under one rule. If military law counts for nothing, what good are a million men, however brave?" The Emperor hurled his pillow to the floor and shouted his approval. He at once arrested Fan Aineng, He Hui, and more than seventy officers of regimental rank and above who served under them. He rebuked them: "You are seasoned generals of several reigns. You know how to fight. You ran because you meant to hand me over to Liu Chong like a prize on the market!" All were beheaded. The Emperor had wanted to spare He Hui for his earlier defense of Jinzhou, but decided the law could not bend and had him executed too—though he sent coffins so the men could be buried at home. After that, arrogant commanders and slack soldiers learned to fear the consequences, and indulgence in the ranks came to an end. On gengzi the victors of Gaoping were rewarded: Li Chongjin was made concurrent military governor of Zhongwu, Xiang Xun of Yicheng, Zhang Yongde of Wuxin, and Shi Yanchao military governor of Zhenguo. Zhang Yongde praised Taizu's courage and judgment at length. The Emperor promoted him to chief adjutant of the palace front army and prefect of Yanzhou, made Ma Renyu commander of the Konghe archers guard, and Ma Quanyi commander of the miscellaneous guards. Several dozen other officers were promoted as well, and some common soldiers were raised from the ranks to command companies. Zhao Chao was released from prison.
103
北漢主收散卒，繕甲兵，完城塹以備周。 楊兗將其眾北屯代州，北漢王遣王得中送兗，因求救於契丹，契丹主遣得中還報，許發兵救晉陽。 壬寅，以符彥卿為河東行營都部署兼知太原行府事，以郭崇副之，向訓為都監，李重進為馬步都虞候，史彥超為先鋒都指揮使，將步騎二萬發潞州。 仍詔王彥超、韓通自陰地關入，與彥卿合軍而進，又以劉詞為隨駕部署，保大節度使白重贊副之。
Liu Chong gathered his scattered troops, repaired arms and armor, and strengthened walls and ditches against another Zhou advance. Yang Gun marched north to Daizhou. Liu Chong sent Wang Dezhong to escort him and, while doing so, plead for Khitan help. The Khitan ruler sent Dezhong back with a promise to march to the relief of Jinyang. On renyin Fu Yanqing was appointed grand commander of the Hedong field headquarters and acting administrator of the Taiyuan field office, with Guo Chong as his second, Xiang Xun as supervisor, Li Chongjin as chief adjutant of horse and foot, and Shi Yanchao as vanguard commander. They marched from Luzhou with twenty thousand infantry and cavalry. The court also ordered Wang Yanchao and Han Tong to enter through Yindi Pass, join Fu Yanqing, and advance together, with Liu Ci as escort commander and Bai Chongzan, military governor of Baoda, as his deputy.
104
漢昭聖皇太后李氏殂於西宮。
Empress Dowager Zhao Sheng, Lady Li, died in the Western Palace.
105
夏，四月，北漢盂縣降。 符彥卿軍晉陽城下，王彥超攻汾州，北漢防禦使董希顏降。 帝遣萊州防禦使康延沼攻遼州，密州防禦使田瓊攻沁州，皆不下。 供備庫副使太原李謙溥單騎說遼州刺史張漢超，漢超即降。
In the fourth month of summer, Yuxian in Northern Han surrendered. Fu Yanqing's army came up to Jinyang. Wang Yanchao invested Fenzhou, and Northern Han's defender Dong Xiyan surrendered. The Emperor sent Kang Yanhao, defender of Laizhou, against Liaozhou and Tian Qiong, defender of Mizhou, against Qinzhou, but neither city was taken. Li Qianpu of Taiyuan, deputy commissioner of the supply depot, rode alone to Liaozhou and talked Zhang Hanchao into surrendering on the spot.
106
乙卯，葬聖神恭肅文武孝皇帝於嵩陵，廟號太祖。
On yimao the late emperor was buried at Songling and given the temple name Taizu.
107
南漢主以高王弘邈為雄武節度使，鎮邕州。 弘邈以齊、鎮二王相繼死於邕州，固辭，求宿衛，不許。 至鎮，委政僚佐，日飲酒，禱鬼神。 或上書誣弘邈謀作亂，戊午，南漢主遣甘泉宮使林延遇賜鴆殺之。
The Southern Han ruler made Prince Hongmiao of Gao military governor of Xiongwu and posted him to Yongzhou. Hongmiao refused firmly, pointing out that the princes of Qi and Zhen had both died at Yongzhou in succession, and asked instead for a post in the capital guard—but the court would not hear of it. Once there he handed affairs to his staff, drank every day, and prayed to the spirits. When someone memorialized falsely accusing Hongmiao of plotting rebellion, the Southern Han ruler sent Lin Yanyu of the Ganquan Palace on wuwu with poisoned wine.
108
初，帝遣符彥卿等北征，但欲耀兵於晉陽城下，未議攻取。 既入北漢境，其民爭以食物迎周師，泣訴劉氏賦役之重，願供軍須，助攻晉陽，北漢州縣繼有降者。 帝聞之，始有兼併之意。 遣使往與諸將議之，諸將皆言「芻糧不足，請且班師以俟再舉。」 帝不聽。 既而諸軍數十萬聚於太原城下，軍士不免剽掠，北漢民失望，稍稍保山谷自固。 帝聞之，馳詔禁止剽掠，安撫農民，止征今歲租稅，及募民入粟拜官有差，仍發澤、潞、晉、絳、慈、隰及山東近便諸州民運糧以饋軍。 己未，遣李穀詣太原計度芻糧。
When the Emperor first sent Fu Yanqing north, he meant only to show force beneath the walls of Jinyang, not to storm the city. But once inside Northern Han territory the people came out with food to welcome the Zhou armies, weeping over the Liu regime's crushing taxes and labor levies, offering supplies and begging them to take Jinyang. Prefecture after prefecture surrendered. Hearing this, the Emperor began to think of annexing the state outright. He sent envoys to consult his commanders, who all replied that fodder and grain were running short and urged a temporary withdrawal until they could strike again. The Emperor refused. Soon hundreds of thousands of troops were massed before Taiyuan, and despite orders the soldiers could not help but loot. Northern Han's people lost heart and began hiding in the hills to defend themselves. The Emperor responded with urgent orders against looting, reassured the peasants, canceled this year's taxes, and offered graded official appointments to anyone who contributed grain—while mobilizing the nearby prefectures to haul supplies to the front. "On jiwei he sent Li Gu to Taiyuan to survey the army's grain and fodder needs."
109
庚申，太師、中書令瀛文懿王馮道卒。 道少以孝謹知名，唐莊宗世始貴顯，自是累朝不離將、相、三公、三師之位，為人清儉寬弘，人莫測其喜慍，滑稽多智，浮沉取容，嘗著《長樂老敘》，自述累朝榮遇之狀，時人往往以德量推之。
On gengshen Grand Preceptor and Chancellor Feng Dao, Prince Wenyi of Ying, died. Feng Dao had been renowned from youth for filial devotion and careful conduct. He rose to prominence under Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong and thereafter never left high office—general, chancellor, one of the Three Dukes or Three Preceptors—through dynasty after dynasty. Pure and frugal, broad-minded and tolerant, he revealed neither pleasure nor anger; witty and shrewd, he rode each tide of fortune to keep his footing. His "Autobiography of the Long-lived Old Man" recounted his honors under one reign after another, and many contemporaries hailed him as a man of great moral stature.
110
歐陽修論曰：「禮義廉恥，國之四維。 四維不張，國乃滅亡。」 禮義，治人之大法； 廉恥，立人之大節。 況為大臣而無廉恥，天下其有不亂、國家其有不亡者乎！ 予讀馮道《長樂老敘》，見其自述以為榮，其可謂無廉恥者矣，則天下國家可從而知也。 予於五代得全節之士三，死事之臣十有五，皆武夫戰卒，豈於儒者果無其人哉？ 得非高節之士，惡時之亂，薄其世而不肯出歟？ 抑君天下者不足顧，而莫能致之歟？ 予嘗聞五代時有王凝者，家青、齊之間，為虢州司戶參軍，以疾卒於官。 凝家素貧，一子尚幼，妻李氏，攜其子，負其遺骸以歸，東過開封，止於旅舍，主人不納。 李氏顧天已暮，不肯去，主人牽其臂而出之。 李氏仰天慟曰：「我為婦人，不能守節，而此手為人所執邪！」 即引斧自斷其臂，見者為之嗟泣。 開封尹聞之，白其事於朝，厚恤李氏而笞其主人。 嗚呼！ 士不自愛其身而忍恥以偷生者，聞李氏之風，宜少知愧哉！
Ouyang Xiu writes: "Propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame are the four pillars of a state. When these four fail, the state collapses." Propriety and righteousness are the great principles by which people are governed; integrity and shame are the great foundations of personal character. If even senior ministers lack integrity and shame, how can the realm stay stable or the state survive? Reading Feng Dao's autobiography, I find him boasting of his career as if it were glory itself—proof enough that he lacked all sense of shame, and from that one can read the fate of the age and the realm. In the Five Dynasties I count only three men who kept their integrity intact and fifteen who died for their lord—all soldiers. Were there truly no such men among the literati? Were men of high principle simply sickened by the times and disdainful of the world, and therefore refused to serve? Or were the rulers themselves too contemptible to attract such men? I have heard of one Wang Ning of the Five Dynasties, a native of the Qing-Qi region, who served as registrar in Guo Prefecture and died in office of illness. The family was poor; their son was still small. Lady Li, his wife, set out eastward with the child and her husband's body on her back. In Kaifeng she sought lodging at an inn, but the keeper turned her away. Night was falling and she would not go. The innkeeper seized her arm and dragged her out. Lady Li looked up to heaven and cried: "I am a woman! If I cannot keep my chastity intact, shall another man's hand seize mine?" She seized an axe and cut off her arm. All who witnessed it wept. The Kaifeng prefect reported the affair to court. Lady Li received generous relief, and the innkeeper was flogged. Alas! Scholars who would rather live in dishonor than honor their own bodies should feel some shame when they hear what Lady Li did!
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臣光曰：天地設位，聖人則之，以制禮立法，內有夫婦，外有君臣。 婦之從夫，終身不改； 臣之事君，有死無貳。 此人道之大倫也。 苟或廢之，亂莫大焉！ 范質稱馮道厚德稽古，宏才偉量，雖朝代遷貿，人無間言，屹若巨山，不可轉也。 臣愚以為正女不從二夫，忠臣不事二君。 為女不正，雖復華色之美，織紝之巧，不足賢矣； 為臣不忠，雖復材智之多，治行之優，不足貴矣。 何則？ 大節已虧故也。 道之為相，歷五朝、八姓，若逆旅之視過客，朝為仇敵，暮為君臣，易面變辭，曾無愧怍，大節如此，雖有小善，庸足稱乎！ 或以為自唐室之亡，群雄力爭，帝王興廢，遠者十餘年，近者四三年，雖有忠智，將若之何！ 當是之時，失臣節者非道一人，豈得獨罪道哉！ 臣愚以為忠臣憂公如家，見危致命，君有過則強諫力爭，國敗亡則竭節致死。 智士邦有道則見，邦無道則隱，或滅跡山林，或優遊下僚。 今道尊寵則冠三師，權任則首諸相，國存則依違拱嘿，竊位素餐，國亡則圖全苟免，迎謁勸進。 君則興亡接踵，道則富貴自如，茲乃奸臣之尤，安得與他人為比哉！ 或謂道能全身遠害於亂世，斯亦賢已。 臣謂君子有殺身成仁，無求生害仁，豈專以全身遠害為賢哉！ 然則盜跖病終而子路醢。 果誰賢乎？ 抑此非特道之愆也，時君亦有責焉，何則？ 不正之女，中士羞以為家； 不忠之人，中君羞以為臣。 彼相前朝，語其忠則反君事仇，語其智則社稷為墟。 後來之君，不誅不棄，乃復用以為相，彼又安肯盡忠於我而能獲其用乎！ 故曰：非特道之愆，亦時君之責也！
Sima Guang writes: Heaven and Earth set forth their stations, and sages take them as models to frame ritual and law—within, the bond of husband and wife; without, the bond of ruler and minister. A wife follows one husband for life; a minister serves his ruler unto death without divided loyalty. These are the supreme bonds of human society. Once these are cast aside, chaos knows no limit. Fan Zhi hailed Feng Dao as a man of deep virtue steeped in antiquity, with grand talent and imposing stature—through regime after regime no fault was found in him; he stood like an immovable mountain. I hold that a proper woman does not follow two husbands, and a loyal minister does not serve two rulers. A woman who lacks propriety, for all her beauty and skill with the loom, is not admirable; a disloyal minister, for all his talent and distinguished service, is not to be honored. Why? Because the supreme moral commitment has already been forfeited. As chancellor Feng Dao served five dynasties and eight royal houses, treating each as an innkeeper treats passing travelers—today's enemy, tomorrow's sovereign—changing face and changing words without a flicker of shame. With his great moral commitment so utterly void, what minor virtue could justify praise? Some argue that after Tang's fall, rival warlords battled for the throne, dynasties rising and falling every few years—decade-long struggles in some cases, three or four years in others—and ask what loyalty or wisdom could avail anyone. In those days Feng Dao was hardly the only man who compromised his loyalty—why single him out for blame? A true loyal minister treats the realm as his own household, gives his life in danger, remonstrates forcefully when his ruler errs, and dies with honor when the state falls. The wise serve when the state is well governed and withdraw when it is not—some vanishing into the mountains, others idling in minor posts. Feng Dao, when honored, held the highest of the Three Preceptorships; when empowered, stood first among chancellors. While states endured he wavered in silence, drawing salary without doing his duty; when they fell he schemed for survival, greeting each conqueror and urging his accession. Dynasties rose and fell in turn while his wealth and rank never faltered—this is treachery at its worst. He cannot be compared with other compromised ministers. Some say Feng Dao preserved his life and kept clear of harm in a chaotic age—which makes him admirable. The noble man may die to fulfill his duty; he does not live at duty's expense. To call mere self-preservation in chaos wisdom is absurd. By that logic Robber Zhi died in bed while Zilu was butchered. Which was truly the better man? But this fault lies not with Feng Dao alone—the rulers of the age share the blame. Why? No decent man would take an improper woman into his house; no respectable ruler would appoint a disloyal man as minister. A man who had served a previous dynasty as chancellor—call him loyal and you must admit he betrayed his lord for his enemy; call him wise and you must admit he watched the altars of state crumble. Yet later rulers neither punished nor dismissed him, but made him chancellor again—how then could he serve them faithfully, or they expect loyalty from him? As the saying goes: the blame falls not on Feng Dao alone, but on the rulers who employed him.
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辛酉，符彥卿奏北漢憲州刺史太原韓光願、嵐州刺史郭言皆舉城降。 初，符彥卿有女適李守貞之子崇訓，相者言其貴當為天下母。 守貞喜曰：「吾婦猶母天下，況我乎！」 反意遂決。 及敗，崇訓先自刃其弟妹，次及符氏； 符氏匿幃下，崇訓倉猝求之不獲，遂自剄。 亂兵既入，符氏安坐堂上，叱亂兵曰：「吾父與郭公為昆弟，汝曹勿無禮！」 太祖遣使歸之於彥卿。 及帝鎮澶州，太祖為帝娶之。 壬戌，立為皇后。 後性和惠而明決，帝甚重之。
On xinyou Fu Yanqing reported that Han Guangyuan, Northern Han prefect of Xian in Taiyuan, and Guo Yan, prefect of Lan, had surrendered their cities. Fu Yanqing had a daughter married to Li Shouzhen's son Chongxun. A fortune-teller said her destiny was to be mother to the realm. Shouzhen exulted: "If my daughter-in-law is destined to mother the realm, how much greater must my own fate be!" His decision to rebel was sealed. When defeat came Chongxun first killed his younger siblings, then turned on Lady Fu; Lady Fu hid beneath a curtain. In his haste Chongxun could not find her and cut his own throat. When rebel soldiers burst in Lady Fu sat calmly in the hall and scolded them: "My father and Lord Guo are sworn brothers—you will show respect!" Taizu sent envoys to return her to Fu Yanqing. Later, when the Emperor governed Chanzhou, Taizu arranged their marriage. On renxu she was made empress. Gentle and kind yet clear and decisive in counsel, she won the Emperor's deepest regard.
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王彥超、韓通攻石州，克之，執刺史安彥進。 癸亥，沁州刺史李廷誨降。 庚午，帝發潞州，趣晉陽。 癸酉，北漢忻州監軍李勍殺刺史趙皋及契丹通事楊耨姑，舉城降。 以勍為忻州刺史。
Wang Yanchao and Han Tong took Shizhou and captured its prefect An Yanjin. On guihai Qin Prefecture's governor Li Tinghui surrendered. On gengwu the Emperor marched from Luzhou toward Jinyang. On guiyou Northern Han's Xin Prefecture supervisor Li Xiong killed the prefect Zhao Gao and the Khitan interpreter Yang Nougu and surrendered the city. Li Xiong was appointed prefect of Xin.
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王逵表請復徙使府治朗州。
Wang Kui memorialized to restore the commissionerate's seat at Langzhou.