1
資治通鑑第293卷
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Volume 293
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【後周紀四】起柔兆執徐三月，盡強圉大荒落，凡一年有奇。
[Later Zhou Records 4] From the third month of 956 through the end of 957—a period of slightly more than one year.
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三月，甲午朔，上行視水寨，至淝橋，自取一石，馬上持之至寨以供砲，從官過橋者人繼一石。
In the third month, on the first day of the month, the Emperor went to inspect the water camp. At the Fei Bridge he picked up a stone himself and, still mounted, carried it to the camp for the catapults; every official who crossed the bridge brought one stone after another.
4
太祖皇帝乘皮船入壽春壕中，城上發連弩射之，矢大如屋椽。 牙將館陶張瓊遽以身蔽之，矢中瓊髀，死而復甦。 鏃著骨不可出，瓊飲酒一大卮，令人破骨出之。 流血數升，神色自若。
The Emperor took a leather boat into the moat around Shouchun. Defenders on the walls fired repeating crossbows at him; the bolts were thick as roof beams. Zhang Qiong, a junior general from Guantao, threw himself in front of the Emperor. A bolt struck Qiong in the thigh; he briefly lost consciousness, then revived. The arrowhead had lodged in the bone and would not come out. Qiong downed a full cup of wine and had his attendants break the bone to extract it. He lost several pints of blood, yet his bearing remained perfectly composed.
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唐主復以右僕射孫晟為司空，遣與禮部尚書王崇質奉表入見，稱：「自天祐以來，海內分崩，或跨據一方，或遷革異代，臣紹襲先業，奄有江表，顧以瞻烏未定，附鳳何從！ 今天命有歸，聲教遠被，願比兩浙、湖南，仰奉正朔，謹守土疆，乞收薄伐之威，赦其後服之罪，首於下國，俾作外臣，則柔遠之德，雲誰不服！」 又獻金千兩，銀十萬兩，羅綺二千匹。 晟謂馮延己曰：「此行當在左相，晟若辭之，則負先帝。」 既行，知不免，中夜，歎息謂崇質曰：「君家百口，宜自為謀。 吾思之熟矣，終不負永陵一培土，餘無所知。」
The Southern Tang ruler again named Sun Sheng, his Right Vice Director, Minister of Works, and sent him with Wang Chongzhi, Minister of Rites, to present a memorial at court. It read: "Since the Tianyou era the empire has shattered—lords have seized their own corners of the land or bowed to one new dynasty after another. I inherited my forefathers' realm and now hold the lower Yangtze, yet with the capital still undecided, where should I turn my gaze, and to which sovereign may I pledge myself? Now that Heaven's mandate is settled and your civilizing rule reaches far, I ask to stand as the Two Zhes and Hunan do—to accept your calendar, hold my borders in peace, and beg you to stay the edge of your punitive campaign and forgive my delay in submitting. Let me, as ruler of a lesser state, serve as your outer vassal; with such kindness to the distant, who would not bow?" He also offered one thousand taels of gold, one hundred thousand taels of silver, and two thousand bolts of silk brocade. Sun Sheng told Feng Yanji, "This embassy should have been the Left Chancellor's task. If I refused it, I would betray our late emperor." After they departed, knowing he would not return, he sighed in the dead of night and told Chongzhi, "Your family numbers a hundred souls—you must plan for yourselves. I have weighed it carefully: I will never betray the one mound of earth at Yongling—the tomb of our founder—and beyond that I know nothing."
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南漢甘泉宮使林延遇，陰險多計數，南漢主倚信之； 誅滅諸弟，皆延遇之謀也。 乙未卒，國人相賀。 延遇病甚，薦內給事龔澄樞自代，南漢主即日擢澄樞知承宣院及內侍省。 澄樞，番禺人也。
Lin Yanyu, commissioner of the Sweet Springs Palace in Southern Han, was treacherous and endlessly scheming, and the Southern Han ruler placed great trust in him; the slaughter of the ruler's younger brothers had all been Yanyu's doing. On the yiyi day he died, and people across the realm celebrated. As Yanyu lay dying, he recommended the inner attendant Gong Chengsu as his successor, and the Southern Han ruler that same day put Chengsu in charge of the Court of Imperial Communications and the Palace Domestic Service. Chengsu was a native of Panyu.
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光、舒、黃招安巡檢使、行光州刺史何超以安、隨、申、蔡四州兵數萬攻光州。 丙申，超奏唐光州刺史張紹棄城走，都監張承翰以城降。
He Chao, commissioner charged with pacifying Guang, Shu, and Huang and acting prefect of Guangzhou, marched tens of thousands of men from An, Sui, Shen, and Cai against Guangzhou. On the bingshen day, He Chao reported that the Tang prefect Zhang Shao had fled Guangzhou and that the garrison commander Zhang Chenghan had surrendered the city.
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丁酉，行舒州刺史郭令圖拔舒州。 唐蘄州將李福殺其知州王承巂，舉州來降。 遣六宅使齊藏珍攻黃州。 彰武留後李彥頵，性貪虐，部民與羌胡作亂，攻之。 上召彥頵還朝。
On the dingyou day, Guo Lingtu, acting prefect of Shuzhou, took the city. Li Fu, a Tang officer in Qizhou, killed the prefect Wang Chengyu and surrendered the entire prefecture. He sent Qi Cangzhen, an envoy of the Six Residences, to attack Huangzhou. Li Yanwen, acting commissioner of Zhangwu, was greedy and brutal; tribesmen and local people rebelled and attacked him. The Emperor recalled Yanwen to the capital.
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秦、鳳之平也，上赦所俘蜀兵以隸軍籍，從征淮南，覆亡降於唐。 癸卯，唐主表獻百五十人； 上悉命斬之。
After the pacification of Qin and Feng, the Emperor had pardoned captured Shu troops and enrolled them in the army; on the Huainan campaign they were destroyed to the last man and defected to the Tang. On the guimao day, the Tang ruler sent a memorial offering one hundred fifty men; the Emperor ordered every one of them executed.
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舒州人逐郭令圖，鐵騎都指揮使洛陽王審琦選輕騎夜襲舒州，復取之，令圖乃得歸。
The people of Shuzhou expelled Guo Lingtu. Wang Shenqi of Luoyang, commander of the Iron Cavalry, led a night raid with picked light cavalry, recaptured the city, and only then could Lingtu come back.
11
馬希崇及王延政之子繼沂皆在揚州，詔撫存之。
Ma Xichong and Wang Yanzheng's son Jiyi were both at Yangzhou; the court issued an edict to treat them kindly and provide for them.
12
丙午，孫晟等至上所。 庚戌，上遣中使以孫晟詣壽春城下，示劉仁贍，且招諭之。 仁贍見晟，戎服拜於城上。 晟謂仁贍曰：「君受國厚恩，不可開門納寇。」 上聞之，甚怒，晟曰：「臣為唐宰相，豈可教節度使外叛邪！」 上乃釋之。
On the bingwu day, Sun Sheng and his party arrived at the imperial camp. On the gengxu day, the Emperor sent a palace envoy to bring Sun Sheng to the foot of Shouchun's walls, display him to Liu Renshan, and urge him to surrender. When Liu Renshan saw Sun Sheng, he bowed from atop the wall in full armor. Sun Sheng told Liu Renshan, "You owe the state a great debt of gratitude—you must not open the gates to the enemy." When the Emperor heard this he was furious. Sun Sheng said, "I am a Tang chancellor—how could I urge a military commissioner to betray his sovereign?" The Emperor then let the matter go.
13
唐主使李德明、孫晟言於上，請去帝號，割壽、濠、泗、楚、光、海六州之地。 仍歲輸金帛百萬以求罷兵。 上以淮南之地已半為周有，諸將捷奏日至，欲盡得江北之地，不許。 德明見周兵日進，奏稱：「唐主不知陛下兵力如此之盛，願寬臣五日之誅，得歸白唐主，盡獻江北之地。」 上乃許之。 晟因奏遣王崇質與德明俱歸。 上遣供奉官安弘道送德明等歸金陵，賜唐主詔，其略曰：「但存帝號，何爽歲寒！ 倘堅事大之心，終不迫人於險。」 又曰：「俟諸郡之悉來，即大軍之立罷。 言盡於此，更不煩雲，苟曰未然，請從茲絕。」 又賜其將相書，使熟議而來。 唐主復上表謝。
The Tang ruler sent Li Deming and Sun Sheng to propose abandoning the imperial title and yielding the six prefectures of Shou, Hao, Si, Chu, Guang, and Hai. They would also pay one million strings' worth of gold and silk annually in exchange for peace. Half of Huainan was already Zhou territory, and victory dispatches arrived daily; the Emperor meant to take all the land north of the Yangtze and refused. Seeing Zhou forces advance daily, Li Deming pleaded, "Our ruler had no idea your armies were this strong. Grant me five days' grace from death so I may return, tell him, and he will surrender all the territory north of the Yangtze." The Emperor agreed. Sun Sheng then asked that Wang Chongzhi be allowed to return with Li Deming. The Emperor sent the tribute officer An Hongdao to escort Li Deming home to Jinling and issued an edict to the Tang ruler that read in part: "Keep your imperial title—what is a season's cold to a pine? If you hold firm to your duty as the lesser power, I will never drive you to desperation." It also said, "Once every prefecture has submitted, the main army will withdraw at once. That is all I have to say, and I will not trouble you further. If you disagree, let us end the matter here." He also wrote to the Tang generals and ministers, telling them to deliberate carefully and then reply. The Tang ruler sent another memorial of thanks.
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李德明盛稱上威德及甲兵之強，勸唐主豁江北之地，唐主不悅。 宋齊丘以割地為無益，德明輕佻，言多過實，國人亦不之信。 樞密使陳覺、副使李徵古素惡德明與孫晟，使王崇質異其言，因譖德明於唐主曰：「德明賣國求利。」 唐主大怒，斬德明於市。
Li Deming spoke at length of the Zhou Emperor's might and the power of his armies, urging the Tang ruler to surrender all territory north of the Yangtze; the Tang ruler was displeased. Song Qiqiu argued that yielding territory would do no good; Li Deming was flighty and his reports exaggerated, and the court did not trust him either. Chen Jue, Commissioner of Military Affairs, and his deputy Li Zhenggu had long hated Li Deming and Sun Sheng; they had Wang Chongzhi contradict Deming's report and told the Tang ruler, "Li Deming sold out the realm for his own gain." The Tang ruler was furious and had Li Deming executed in public.
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吳程攻常州，破其外郭，執唐常州團練使趙仁澤，送於錢唐，仁澤見吳越王弘俶不拜，責以負約。 弘俶怒，抉其口至耳。 元德昭憐其忠，為傅良藥，得不死。
Wu Cheng attacked Changzhou, breached its outer defenses, captured the Tang defense commissioner Zhao Renze, and sent him to Qiantang. Zhao Renze refused to bow to King Hong Chu of Wuyue and accused him of breaking his word. Hong Chu flew into a rage and ripped his mouth open to the ear. Yuan Dezhao admired his loyalty, treated him with good medicine, and he survived.
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唐主以吳越兵在常州，恐其侵逼潤州，以宣、潤大都督燕王弘冀年少，恐其不習兵，徵還金陵。 部將趙鐸言於弘冀曰：「大王元帥，眾心所恃，逆自退歸，所部必亂。」 弘冀然之，辭不就徵，部分諸將，為戰守之備。 龍武都虞候柴克宏，再用之子也，沉默好施，不事家產，雖典宿衛，日與賓客博奕飲酒，未嘗言兵，時人以為非將帥才。 至是，有言克宏久不遷官者，唐主以為撫州刺史。 克宏請效死行陳，其母亦表稱克宏有父風，可為將，苟不勝任，分甘孥戮。 唐主乃以克宏為右武衛將軍，使將兵會袁州刺史陸孟俊救常州。
With Wuyue forces at Changzhou, the Tang ruler feared an attack on Runzhou; he also worried that Prince Hong Ji of Yan, grand commander of Xuan and Run, was too young and inexperienced, and recalled him to Jinling. His officer Zhao Duo told Hong Ji, "You are the commander the men trust. If you withdraw on your own, the army will collapse." Hong Ji agreed, refused the recall, deployed his generals, and prepared for both attack and defense. Chai Kehong, deputy commander of the Dragon Martial Guard, was a son of Chai Zaiyong. Taciturn and generous, he ignored his estates; though he held a palace guard post, he spent his days gambling and drinking with guests and never spoke of war, and contemporaries judged him no general. Now someone remarked that Kehong had long gone without promotion, and the Tang ruler named him prefect of Fuzhou. Kehong asked to die in the front lines if need be. His mother memorialized that he had his father's martial spirit and could command troops; if he failed, their whole family would accept punishment. The Tang ruler then made Kehong a general of the Right Martial Guard and ordered him to join Lu Mengjun, prefect of Yuanzhou, in relieving Changzhou.
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時唐精兵悉在江北，克宏所將數千人皆羸老，樞密使李徵古復以鎧仗之朽蠹者給之。 克宏訴於徵古，徵古慢罵之，眾皆憤恚，克宏怡然。 至潤州，徵古遣使召還，以神衛統軍朱匡業代之。 燕王弘冀謂克宏：「君但前戰，吾當論奏。」 乃表克宏才略可以成功，常州危在旦莫，不宜中易主將。 克宏引兵徑趣常州，徵古復遣使召之，克宏曰：「吾計日破賊，汝來召吾，必奸人也！」 命斬之。 使者曰：「受李樞密命而來。」 克宏曰：「李樞密來，吾亦斬之！」
All Tang elite troops were already north of the Yangtze; the few thousand men under Kehong were weak and elderly, and Li Zhenggu deliberately issued them rotting armor and worm-eaten weapons. Kehong protested to Li Zhenggu, who answered with contempt and abuse. The men seethed with anger, but Kehong remained calm. At Runzhou, Li Zhenggu sent orders to recall him and replace him with Zhu Kuangye, commander of the Divine Guard. Prince Hong Ji told Kehong, "Fight on—I will plead your case at court." He memorialized that Kehong had the talent to win, that Changzhou could fall at any moment, and that swapping commanders mid-campaign would be disastrous. Kehong marched straight for Changzhou. Li Zhenggu sent another recall. Kehong said, "I will crush the enemy within days. Anyone who summons me now is a traitor!" He had the messenger executed. The messenger cried, "I come on Commissioner Li's orders!" Kehong replied, "If Li Zhenggu comes himself, I will behead him too!"
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初，鮑修讓、羅晟在福州，與吳程有隙，至是，程抑挫之，二人皆怨。 先是，唐主遣中書舍人喬匡舜使於吳越，壬子，柴克宏至常州，蒙其船以幕，匿甲士於其中，聲言迎匡舜。 吳越邏者以告，程曰：「兵交，使在其間，不可妄以為疑。」 唐兵登岸，逕薄吳越營，羅晟不力戰，縱之使趣程帳，程僅以身免。 克宏大破吳越兵，斬首萬級。 朱匡業至行營，克宏事之甚謹。 吳程至錢唐，吳越王弘俶悉奪其官。
Earlier, Bao Xiurang and Luo Sheng had served at Fuzhou and clashed with Wu Cheng; now Cheng humiliated them, and both nursed a grudge. The Tang ruler had earlier sent Qiao Kuangshun, a Secretariat drafter, as envoy to Wuyue. On the renzi day Chai Kehong reached Changzhou, draped his boats in canvas, hid armored men aboard, and announced that he had come to welcome Qiao Kuangshun. Wuyue scouts reported the approach. Wu Cheng said, "Armies are at war and an envoy is between us—we must not suspect treachery lightly." Tang troops landed and charged straight at the Wuyue camp. Luo Sheng held back and let them rush Wu Cheng's headquarters; Cheng barely escaped alive. Kehong routed the Wuyue army and claimed ten thousand heads. When Zhu Kuangye arrived at camp, Kehong treated him with scrupulous respect. When Wu Cheng reached Qiantang, King Hong Chu of Wuyue stripped him of every office.
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甲寅，蜀主以捧聖控鶴都指揮使李廷珪為左右衛聖諸軍馬步都指揮使，仍分衛聖、匡聖步騎為左右十軍，以武定節度使呂彥琦等為使，廷珪總之，如趙廷隱之任。
On the jiayin day the Shu ruler named Li Tinggui, commander of the Paladin Crane Guard, supreme commander of the left and right imperial guard forces; he split the guard and Support-the-Sage infantry and cavalry into ten armies on each flank, with commissioners such as Lü Yanqi of Wuding in command while Tinggui held overall authority, as Zhao Tingyin had once done.
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初，柴克宏為宣州巡檢使，始至，城塹不修，器械皆闕，吏云：「自田頵、王茂章、李遇相繼叛，後人無敢治之者。」 克宏曰：「時移事異，安有此理！」 悉繕完之。 由是路彥銖攻之不克，聞吳程敗，乙卯，引歸。 唐主以克宏為奉化節度使，克宏復請將兵救壽州，未至而卒。
When Chai Kehong first became inspection commissioner of Xuanzhou, the walls and moats were in ruins and the armory empty. His staff said, "Ever since Tian Jun, Wang Maozhang, and Li Yu rebelled one after another, no one has dared repair them." Kehong said, "Times have changed—how can we accept that excuse!" He had everything restored. Lu Yanzhen besieged it without success; when he heard of Wu Cheng's defeat, he withdrew on the yimao day. The Tang ruler made Kehong military commissioner of Fenghua. Kehong again asked to march to relieve Shouchun but died before he could set out.
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河陽節度使白重贊以天子南征，慮北漢乘虛入寇，繕完守備，且請兵於西京。 西京留守王晏初不之與，又慮事出非常，乃自將兵赴之。 重贊以晏不奉詔而來，拒不納，遣人謂之曰：「令公昔在陝服，已立大功，河陽小城，不煩枉駕！」 晏慚怍而還。 孟、洛之民，數日驚擾。
Bai Chongzan, military commissioner of Heyang, feared that Northern Han would strike while the Emperor campaigned south; he strengthened his defenses and asked the Western Capital for reinforcements. Wang Yan, defender of the Western Capital, at first refused; then, fearing an emergency, he marched there in person. Chongzan, angry that Yan had come without orders, refused him entry and sent word: "You won great glory in Shaanxi long ago—a small post like Heyang hardly needs you in person!" Wang Yan withdrew in humiliation. For days the people of Mengzhou and Luoyang were thrown into panic.
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唐主命諸道兵馬元帥齊王景達將兵拒周，以陳覺為監軍使，前武安節度使邊鎬為應援都軍使。 中書舍人韓熙載上書曰：「信莫信於親王，重莫重於元帥，安用監軍使為！」 唐主不從。 遣鴻臚卿潘承祐詣泉、建召募驍勇，承祐薦前永安節度使許文稹、靜江指揮使陳德誠、建州人鄭彥華、林仁肇。 唐主以文稹為西面行營應援使，彥華、仁肇皆為將。 仁肇，仁翰之弟也。
The Tang ruler ordered Prince Jingda of Qi, commander-in-chief of all circuits, to resist the Zhou, with Chen Jue as army supervisor and the former Wu'an commissioner Bian Hao as overall relief commander. Han Xizai, a Secretariat drafter, memorialized: "Whom can you trust more than a prince of the blood? What office outweighs the commander-in-chief? Why send an army supervisor at all?" The Tang ruler ignored him. He sent Pan Chengyou, Grand Master of Ceremonies, to Quanzhou and Jianzhou to recruit fierce fighters. Chengyou recommended the former Yong'an commissioner Xu Wenzhen, the Jingjiang commander Chen Decheng, and two men from Jianzhou, Zheng Yanhua and Lin Renzhao. The Tang ruler named Xu Wenzhen relief commissioner of the western field army and made Zheng Yanhua and Lin Renzhao generals. Lin Renzhao was the younger brother of Lin Renhan.
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夏，四月，甲子，以侍衛新軍都指揮使、歸德節度使李重進為廬、壽等州招討使，以武寧節度使武行德為濠州城下都部署。
In summer, the fourth month, on the jiazi day, Li Chongjin, commander of the New Palace Guard and commissioner of Guide, was named pacification commissioner for Lu, Shou, and neighboring prefectures, and Wu Xingde, commissioner of Wuning, was placed in overall command beneath the walls of Haozhou.
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唐右衛將軍陸孟俊自常州將兵萬餘人趣泰州，周兵遁去，孟俊復取之，遣陳德誠戍泰州。 孟俊進攻揚州，屯於蜀岡，韓令坤棄揚州走。 帝遣張永德將兵救之，令坤復入揚州。 帝又遣太祖皇帝將兵屯六合。 太祖皇帝令曰：「揚州兵有過六合者，折其足！」 令坤始有固守之志。 帝自至壽春以來，命諸軍晝夜攻城，久不克。 會大雨，營中水深數尺，攻具及士卒失亡頗多，糧運不繼，李德明失期不至，乃議旋師。 或勸帝東幸濠州，聲言壽州已破，從之。 己巳，帝自壽春循淮而東，乙亥，至濠州。
Lu Mengjun, a Tang general of the Right Guard, marched more than ten thousand men from Changzhou toward Taizhou. The Zhou forces withdrew; Mengjun recovered the city and left Chen Decheng to garrison it. Mengjun pressed on against Yangzhou and camped on Shugang. Han Lingkun abandoned the city and fled. The Emperor dispatched Zhang Yongde with troops to relieve them, and Han Lingkun reoccupied Yangzhou. The Emperor also sent Zhao Kuangyin to lead troops and encamp at Liuhe. Zhao Kuangyin issued an order: "Any soldier from Yangzhou who passes Liuhe shall have his legs broken!" Only then did Han Lingkun resolve at last to stand firm and defend the city. From the time the Emperor arrived in person at Shouchun, he ordered the armies to assault the walls day and night, but the city long remained uncaptured. Then heavy rains fell, and water stood several feet deep in the camps. Many siege engines and soldiers were lost, supply lines faltered, and Li Deming failed to appear when expected. The commanders began to discuss withdrawal. Some advisers urged the Emperor to travel east to Haozhou while spreading word that Shouchun had already fallen; he agreed. On jisi, the Emperor departed Shouchun and followed the Huai River eastward; on yihai he arrived at Haozhou.
25
韓令坤敗唐兵於城東，擒陸孟俊。 初，孟俊之廢馬希萼立希崇也，滅故舒州刺史楊昭惲之族而取其財。 楊氏有女美，獻於希崇。 令坤入揚州，希崇以楊氏遺令坤，令坤嬖之。 既獲孟俊，將械送帝所。 楊氏在簾下，忽撫膺慟哭。 令坤驚問之，對曰：「孟俊昔在潭州，殺妾家二百口。 今見之，請復其冤。」 令坤乃殺之。
Han Lingkun routed the Southern Tang forces east of the city and took Lu Mengjun prisoner. Earlier, when Mengjun had overthrown Ma Xiee and enthroned Ma Xichong, he had wiped out the entire house of Yang Zhaoyun, former prefect of Shuzhou, and seized their property. The Yangs had a daughter of striking beauty, whom they presented to Ma Xichong. When Han Lingkun entered Yangzhou, Ma Xichong presented Lady Yang to him as a gift, and Lingkun took her as his favored concubine. Once Mengjun was captured, Lingkun prepared to send him under restraint to the Emperor. Lady Yang stood behind a screen and suddenly, clutching her breast, burst into violent weeping. Startled, Lingkun asked what was wrong. She answered: "When Mengjun was in Tanzhou, he slaughtered two hundred souls of my household. Now that I see him before me, I ask that this wrong be avenged." Lingkun then had him put to death.
26
唐齊王景達將兵二萬自瓜步濟江，距六合二十餘里，設柵不進。 諸將欲擊之，太祖皇帝曰：「彼設柵自固，懼我也。 今吾眾不滿二千，若往擊之，則彼見吾眾寡矣； 不如俟其來而擊之，破之必矣！」 居數日，唐出兵趣六合，太祖皇帝奮擊，大破之，殺獲近五千人，餘眾尚萬餘，走渡江，爭舟溺死者甚眾，於是唐之精卒盡矣。
Jing Da, Prince of Qi of the Southern Tang, crossed the Yangtze from Guabu with twenty thousand men, halted some twenty-odd li from Liuhe, and dug in behind palisades without advancing further. The generals wanted to strike at once, but Zhao Kuangyin said, "They have entrenched behind palisades because they fear us. Our numbers are fewer than two thousand. If we go to them, they will see how weak we are; better to wait until they come to us and then strike—we will surely break them!" A few days later the Southern Tang army marched on Liuhe. Zhao Kuangyin met them with fierce assault and won a crushing victory, killing or capturing nearly five thousand. The remainder, still more than ten thousand strong, fled to the river; many drowned in the scramble for boats. With that, the Southern Tang's finest troops were spent.
27
是戰也，士卒有不致力者。 太祖皇帝陽為督戰，以劍斫其皮笠。 明日，遍閱其皮笠，有劍□亦者數十人，皆斬之，由是部兵莫敢不盡死，先是，唐主聞揚州失守，命四旁發兵取之。 己卯，韓令坤奏敗楚州兵萬餘人於灣頭堰，獲漣州刺史秦進崇。 張永德奏敗泗州兵萬餘人於曲溪堰。
In this fight, some soldiers had held back. Zhao Kuangyin, feigning the role of battle overseer, hacked at their leather helmets with his sword. The next day he inspected every leather helmet in the unit; dozens bore sword marks—all were executed. Thereafter none in his command dared hold back in battle. Earlier, upon hearing that Yangzhou had been lost, the Southern Tang ruler had ordered troops summoned from every direction to retake it. On jimao, Han Lingkun reported a victory over more than ten thousand enemy troops from Chuzhou at Wantou Weir, and the capture of Qin Jincong, prefect of Lianzhou. Zhang Yongde reported defeating more than ten thousand troops from Sizhou at Quxi Weir.
28
丙戌，以宣徽南院使向訓為淮南節度使兼沿江招討使。 渦口奏新作浮梁成。 丁亥，帝自濠州如渦口。 帝銳於進取，欲自至揚州，范質等以兵疲食少，泣諫而止。 帝嘗怒翰林學士竇儀，欲殺之，范質入救之。 帝望見，知其意，即起避之。 質趨前伏地，叩頭諫曰：「儀罪不至死，臣為宰相，致陛下枉殺近臣，罪皆在臣。」 繼之以泣。 帝意解，乃釋之。
On bingxu, Xiang Xun of the Southern Bureau of the Palace Secretariat was made military governor of Huainan and concurrently commissioner for riverine operations. A dispatch from Wokou reported that the new floating bridge had been completed. On dinghai, the Emperor traveled from Haozhou to Wokou. Eager to press the advance, the Emperor wished to go in person to Yangzhou, but Fan Zhi and others dissuaded him with tearful remonstrance, citing exhausted troops and dwindling supplies. On one occasion the Emperor flew into a rage at Dou Yi, a Hanlin academician, and meant to put him to death; Fan Zhi intervened to save him. The Emperor saw Fan Zhi coming and, reading his purpose, immediately rose to avoid him. Fan Zhi rushed forward, threw himself to the ground, and kowtowed in remonstrance: "Yi's fault does not deserve death. I serve as your Chancellor—if Your Majesty wrongly executes a court intimate, the blame is wholly mine. He spoke through tears. The Emperor's wrath softened, and he spared Yi.
29
北漢葬神武帝於交城北山，廟號世祖。
Northern Han interred Emperor Shenwu on the northern hill at Jiaocheng, giving him the temple name Shizu.
30
五月，壬辰朔，以渦口為鎮淮軍。
In the fifth month, on the first day of the month (renchen), Wokou was designated the Zhenhuai Army garrison.
31
丙申，唐永安節度使陳誨敗福州兵於南台江，俘斬千餘級。 唐主更命永安曰忠義軍。 誨，德誠之父也。
On bingshen, Chen Hui, military governor of Yong'an for the Southern Tang, routed Fuzhou troops on the Nantai River, killing and capturing more than a thousand. The Southern Tang ruler redesignated the Yong'an command as the Loyal and Righteous Army. Chen Hui was the father of Chen Decheng.
32
戊戌，帝留侍衛親軍都指揮使李重進等圍壽州，自渦口北歸，乙卯，至大梁。
On wuxu, the Emperor left Li Chongjin, commander of the Palace Guard, and others to continue the siege of Shouchun and returned north from Wokou; on yimao he reached Daliang.
33
六月，壬申，赦淮南諸州系囚，除李氏非理賦役，事有不便於民者，委長吏以聞。
In the sixth month, on renshen, he granted amnesty to prisoners throughout Huainan, lifted the unjust taxes and corvee imposed under the Li regime, and ordered magistrates to report any remaining hardships to the throne.
34
侍衛步軍都指揮使、彰信節度使李繼勳營於壽州城南，唐劉仁贍伺繼勳無備，出兵擊之，殺士卒數百人，焚其攻具。
Li Jixun, commander of the Palace Guard infantry and governor of Zhangxin, had encamped south of Shouchun. Liu Renshan of the Southern Tang, seizing a moment of laxity, sallied out and struck, killing several hundred men and burning the siege equipment.
35
唐駕部員外郎朱元因奏事論用兵方略，唐主以為能，命將兵復江北諸州。
Zhu Yuan, an outer-office secretary in the Southern Tang transport bureau, discussed military strategy while presenting a memorial; the Southern Tang ruler judged him capable and entrusted him with recovering the prefectures north of the Yangtze.
36
秋，七月，辛卯朔，以周行逢為武平節度使，制置武安、靜江等軍事。 行逢既兼總湖、湘，乃矯前人之弊，留心民事，悉除馬氏橫賦，貪吏猾民為民害者皆去之，擇廉平吏為刺史、縣令。 朗州民、夷雜居，劉言，王逵舊將卒多驕橫，行逢壹以法治之，無所寬假，眾怨懟且懼。 有大將與其黨十餘人謀作亂，行逢知之，大會諸將，於座中擒之。 數曰：「吾惡衣糲食，充實府庫，正為汝曹，何負而反！ 今日之會，與汝訣也！」 立撾殺之，座上股慄。 行逢曰：「諸君無罪，皆宜自安。」 樂飲而罷。 行逢多計數，善發隱伏，將卒有謀亂及叛亡者，行逢必先覺，擒殺之，所部凜然。 然性猜忍，常散遣人密詗諸州事，其之邵州者，無事可覆命，但言刺史劉光委多宴飲。 行逢曰：「光委數聚飲，欲謀我邪！」 即召還，殺之。 親衛指揮使、衡州刺史張文表恐獲罪，求歸治所，行逢許之。 文表歲時饋獻甚厚，及謹事左右，由是得免。 行逢妻鄖國夫人鄧氏，陋而剛決，善治生，嘗諫行逢用法太嚴，人無親附者。 行逢怒曰：「汝婦人何知！」 鄧氏不悅，因請之村墅視田園，遂不復歸府捨。 行逢屢遣人迎之，不至。 一旦，自帥僮僕來輸稅，行逢就見之，曰：「吾為節度使，夫人何自苦如此！」 鄧氏曰：「稅，官物也。 公為節度使，不先輸稅，何以率下！ 且獨不記為裡正代人輸稅以免楚撻時邪？」 行逢欲與之歸，不可，曰：「公誅殺太過，常恐一旦有變，村墅易為逃匿耳。」 行逢慚怒，其僚屬曰：「夫人言直，公宜納之。」
In the seventh month of autumn, on the first day (xinmao), Zhou Xingfeng was made military governor of Wuping with authority over military affairs in Wu'an, Jingjiang, and neighboring commands. With Hunan and the Xiang region under his unified command, Zhou Xingfeng corrected the abuses of those who came before him, turned his mind to the people's welfare, abolished the Ma family's crushing levies, purged greedy officials and predatory locals, and appointed honest, fair men as prefects and magistrates. In Langzhou, Han settlers and tribal peoples lived side by side, and many veteran officers and men of Liu Yan and Wang Kui's faction remained proud and violent. Zhou Xingfeng enforced the law without favor or lenience; the men grumbled but also feared him. Learning that a senior general and a dozen of his followers were plotting rebellion, Zhou Xingfeng summoned the commanders to a grand assembly and seized the conspirators right in their seats. He upbraided them: "I wear coarse cloth and eat plain fare and fill the treasury for your sake—what wrong have I done you that you turn against me! This assembly is my farewell to you!" He had them beaten to death on the spot; every man at the table trembled. Zhou Xingfeng then said, "The rest of you are innocent—put your minds at ease. They drank on in relief, and the gathering adjourned. Zhou Xingfeng was wily and skilled at uncovering hidden plots. Any officer or soldier who conspired or deserted was found out and executed before the deed could be done; his command stood in awe of him. Yet he was suspicious and cruel by nature, and habitually sent agents to spy on affairs in the prefectures. One agent returned from Shaozhou with nothing substantial to report except that Prefect Liu Guangwei held frequent banquets. Zhou Xingfeng said, "Guangwei holds feast after feast—does he mean to plot against me?" He summoned Liu Guangwei back at once and had him executed. Zhang Wenbiao, commander of the personal guard and prefect of Hengzhou, fearful of falling under suspicion, asked leave to return to his post; Zhou Xingfeng allowed it. Zhang Wenbiao sent lavish seasonal gifts and cultivated Zhou Xingfeng's inner circle with care, and so escaped harm. Zhou Xingfeng's wife, Lady Deng, Duchess of Yun, was plain of face but firm of will and skilled at managing estates. She once warned him that his law was too harsh and that the people had no warmth toward him. Zhou Xingfeng snapped, "What would a woman know of such things!" Offended, Lady Deng asked to retire to their country estate to oversee the fields, and did not return to the prefectural residence. Zhou Xingfeng sent messengers again and again to bring her home, but she refused to return. One day she came in person with her servants to deliver the tax payment. Zhou Xingfeng went out to meet her and said, "I am the military governor—why must you burden yourself like this?" Lady Deng replied, "Taxes belong to the state. As military governor, if you do not pay your taxes first, how can you expect your subordinates to follow your example? Have you forgotten when you were village head and paid others' taxes yourself to spare them the flogging?" Zhou Xingfeng urged her to come home, but she refused, saying, "You have killed too many. I live in constant fear of sudden upheaval—a country estate is easier to vanish into." Zhou Xingfeng flushed with shame and anger. His staff said, "My lord, the lady speaks plainly—you would do well to heed her."
37
行逢婿唐德求補吏，行逢曰：「汝才不堪為吏，吾今私汝則可矣。 汝居官無狀，吾不敢以法貸汝，則親戚之恩絕矣。」 與之耕牛、農具而遣之。
Zhou Xingfeng's son-in-law Tang De asked for a government post. Zhou Xingfeng said, "Your talents are not equal to office. I could show you private favor now. But if you served without distinction, I could not spare you the law—and then the tie of kinship would be broken." He gave him draft oxen and farm tools and sent him on his way.
38
行逢少時嘗坐事黥，隸辰州銅坑，或說行逢：「公面有文，恐為朝廷使者所嗤，請以藥滅之。」 行逢曰：「吾聞漢有黥布，不害為英雄，吾何恥焉！」
In his youth Zhou Xingfeng had been tattooed for a crime and sent to labor in the Chenzhou copper mines. Someone urged him: "Your face bears the mark; court envoys may ridicule you—let medicine erase it. Zhou Xingfeng said, "I have heard that in Han there was Qing Bu—the tattoo did not keep him from being a hero. Why should I be ashamed?"
39
自劉言、王逵以來，屢舉兵，將吏積功及所羈縻蠻夷，檢校官至三公者以千數。 前天策府學士徐仲雅，自馬希廣之廢，杜門不仕，行逢慕之，署節度判官。 仲雅曰：「行逢昔趨事我，奈何為之幕吏！」 辭疾不至。 行逢迫脅固召之，面授文牒，終辭不取，行逢怒，放之邵州，既而召還。 會行逢生日，諸道各遣使致賀，行逢有矜色，謂仲雅曰：「自吾兼鎮三府，四鄰亦畏我乎？」 仲雅曰：「侍中境內，彌天太保，遍地司空，四鄰那得不畏！」 行逢復放之邵州，竟不能屈。 有僧仁及，為行逢所信任，軍府事皆預之，亦加檢校司空，娶數妻，出入導從如王公。
Since the days of Liu Yan and Wang Kui, war had been raised again and again; officers and men who had earned merit, together with subjugated tribal peoples, numbered in the thousands holding honorary ranks as high as the Three Excellencies. Xu Zhongya, a former academician of the Tiancefujun, had lived in seclusion since Ma Xiguang's fall. Zhou Xingfeng admired him and named him adjutant to the military governor. Xu Zhongya said, "Xingfeng once waited on me in person—how can I become his staff officer?" He pleaded illness and refused to come. Zhou Xingfeng pressed him relentlessly and summoned him by force, personally handing him the commission; Xu Zhongya still refused to accept it. Xingfeng in anger sent him to Shaozhou, then later recalled him. On Zhou Xingfeng's birthday, envoys from every circuit arrived with congratulations. Pleased with himself, he asked Xu Zhongya, "Since I have held three commands at once, do our neighbors fear me as well?" Xu Zhongya replied, "Within your borders, Grand Preceptors fill the sky and Honorary Inspectors-General cover the earth—how could the neighbors not fear you?" Zhou Xingfeng sent him back to Shaozhou again and never broke his will. A monk named Renji enjoyed Zhou Xingfeng's trust, took part in every affair of the military headquarters, held the honorary rank of Inspector-General of Works, kept several wives, and went abroad with a retinue fit for a prince.
40
辛亥，宣懿皇后符氏殂。
On xinhai, Empress Xuanyi, of the Fu clan, died.
41
唐將朱元取舒州，刺史郭令圖棄城走。 李平取蘄州。 唐主以元為舒州團練使，平為蘄州刺史。 元又取和州。
The Southern Tang general Zhu Yuan took Shuzhou; Prefect Guo Lingtu abandoned the city and fled. Li Ping took Qizhou. The Southern Tang ruler made Zhu Yuan regimental commander of Shuzhou and Li Ping prefect of Qizhou. Zhu Yuan also took Hezhou.
42
初，唐人以茶鹽強民而徵其粟帛，謂之博徵，又興營田於淮南，民甚苦之。 及周師至，爭奉牛酒迎勞。 而將帥不之恤，專事俘掠，視民如土芥。 民皆失望，相聚山澤，立堡壁自固，操農器為兵，積紙為甲，時人謂之「白甲軍」。 周兵討之，屢為所敗，先所得唐諸州，多復為唐有。 唐之援兵營於紫金山，與壽春城中烽火相應。 淮南節度使向訓奏請以廣陵之兵並力攻壽春，俟克城，更圖進取，詔許之。 訓封府庫以授揚州主者，命揚州牙將分部按行城中，秋毫不犯，揚州民感悅，軍還，或負糗□以送之。 滁州守將亦棄城去，皆引兵趣壽春。
Earlier the Southern Tang had coerced the people with tea and salt monopolies and collected grain and cloth in what they called forced exchange, and they established military farms across Huainan; the people suffered greatly. When Zhou armies arrived, the people vied to bring oxen and wine to welcome and refresh them. But the commanders paid them no heed and devoted themselves to capture and plunder, treating the people like weeds. “The people lost all hope, fled into hills and marshes, built fortresses for protection, took up farm tools as weapons and piled paper into armor; contemporaries called them the White Armor Army.” Zhou troops campaigned against them and were repeatedly beaten; many of the Southern Tang prefectures already taken were lost again to the Tang. Southern Tang relief troops encamped on Purple Gold Mountain, coordinating with beacon fires in Shouchun. Xiang Xun, military governor of Huainan, memorialized asking that the forces from Guangling combine to assault Shouchun and, once the city fell, plan the next advance; the throne approved. Xiang Xun sealed the treasury and entrusted it to Yangzhou's custodian, ordered the garrison officers to patrol the city ward by ward without the slightest violation; the people of Yangzhou were deeply moved. When the army withdrew, some shouldered dry provisions to see them off. The garrison commander of Chuzhou also abandoned his post; all marched their troops toward Shouchun.
43
唐諸將請據險以邀周師，宋齊丘曰：「如此，則怨益深，不如縱之，以德於敵，則兵易解也。」 乃命諸將各自守，毋得擅出擊周兵。 由是壽春之圍益急。 齊王景達軍於濠州，遙為壽州聲援，軍政皆出於陳覺，景達署紙尾而已。 擁兵五萬，無決戰意，將吏畏覺，無敢言者。
Southern Tang generals urged holding the defiles to ambush the Zhou army. Song Qiuqiu said, "That would only deepen their hatred. Better to let them withdraw and treat the enemy with forbearance—the siege may then be lifted more easily." He then ordered every general to hold his post and not launch unauthorized attacks on Zhou forces. As a result the siege of Shouchun tightened further. Prince of Qi Jing Da camped at Haozhou, lending distant support to Shou prefecture. Chen Jue controlled all military and civil affairs; Jing Da only appended his signature at the foot of each document. He commanded fifty thousand men but had no appetite for a pitched battle. Officers and staff feared Chen Jue, and none dared object.
44
八月，戊辰，端明殿學士王朴、司天少監王處訥撰《顯德欽天曆》，上之。 詔自來歲行之。
In the eighth month, on the wuchen day, Wang Pu, academician of the Hall of Duanming, and Wang Chune, assistant director of the Astronomical Bureau, compiled the Xiande Qintian Calendar and submitted it. An edict ordered its adoption beginning the next year.
45
殿前都指揮使、義成節度使張永德屯下蔡，唐將林仁肇以水陸軍援壽春。 永德與之戰，仁肇以船實薪芻，因風縱火，欲焚下蔡浮梁，俄而風回，唐兵敗退。 永德為鐵綆千餘尺，距浮梁十餘步，橫絕淮流，系以巨木，由是唐兵不能近。
Zhang Yongde, commander of the Palace Front Corps and military governor of Yicheng, encamped at Xiaqi. Southern Tang general Lin Renzhao marched by land and water to relieve Shouchun. Zhang Yongde gave battle. Lin Renzhao filled boats with kindling and fodder, then sent them blazing downwind toward the Xiaqi pontoon bridge; the wind suddenly turned, and the Tang force was beaten and driven off. Zhang Yongde stretched iron chains more than a thousand feet long across the Huai ten-odd paces from the pontoon bridge, anchoring them to great logs, so Tang ships could not get near.
46
九月，丙午，以端明殿學士、左散騎常侍、權知開封府事王朴為戶部侍郎，充樞密副使。
In the ninth month, on the bingwu day, Wang Pu—Hanlin academician, left regular attendant, and acting prefect of Kaifeng—was appointed vice minister of revenue and deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs.
47
冬，十月，癸酉，李重進奏唐人寇盛唐，鐵騎都指揮使王彥升等擊破之，斬首三千餘級。 彥升，蜀人也。
In winter, the tenth month, on the guiyou day, Li Chongjin reported a Tang raid on Sheng Tang. Wang Yansheng, commander of the Iron Cavalry, and others smashed the enemy and took more than three thousand heads. Yansheng was from Shu.
48
丙子，上謂侍臣：「近朝徵斂穀帛，多不俟收穫、紡績之畢。」 乃詔三司，自今夏稅以六月，秋稅以十月起徵，民間便之。
On the bingzi day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong told his attendants, "Lately the levy of grain and cloth has often come before the harvest and the spinning are finished." He then ordered the Three Departments to begin summer tax in the sixth month and autumn tax in the tenth; the people welcomed the change.
49
山南東道節度使、守太尉兼中書令安審琦鎮襄州十餘年，至是入朝，除守太師，遣還鎮。 既行，上問宰相：「卿曹送之乎？」 對曰：「送至城南，審琦深感聖恩。」 上曰：「近朝多不以誠信待諸侯，諸侯雖有欲效忠節者，其道無由。 王者但能毋失其信，何患諸侯不歸心哉！」
An Shenqi, military governor of Shannan East Circuit, defender grand preceptor and concurrent grand chancellor, had held Xiangzhou for more than ten years. He now came to court, was promoted to defender grand mentor, and returned to his command. After An Shenqi left, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong asked the chief ministers, "Did you escort him?" They answered, "We saw him off to the south of the city. Shenqi was deeply moved by Your Majesty's grace." The Emperor said, "In recent times the throne has too often dealt with regional lords without sincerity. Even when a lord wished to prove his loyalty, he had no path to do so. If a sovereign simply keeps faith, why fear that lords will not give him their hearts?"
50
壬午，張永德奏敗唐兵於下蔡。 是時唐復以水軍攻永德，永德夜令善游者沒其船下，縻以鐵鎖，縱兵擊之，船不得進退，溺死者甚眾。 永德解金帶以賞善游者。
On the renwu day, Zhang Yongde reported a victory over Tang forces at Xiaqi. Tang warships again assailed Yongde. By night he sent expert swimmers beneath the enemy hulls to lash them with iron chains, then struck with his troops; trapped, the ships could neither advance nor retreat, and a great many men drowned. Yongde took off his gold belt and gave it to the swimmers as a reward.
51
甲申，以太祖皇帝為定國節度使兼殿前都指揮使。 太祖皇帝表渭州軍事判官趙普為節度推官。
On the jiashen day, Zhao Kuangyin was appointed military governor of Dingguo and concurrent commander of the Palace Front Corps. Zhao Kuangyin recommended Zhao Pu, military affairs judge at Weizhou, for appointment as the governor's administrative aide.
52
張永德與李重進不相悅，永德密表重進有二心，帝不之信。 時二將各擁重兵，眾心憂恐。 重進一日單騎詣永德營，從容宴飲，謂永德曰：「吾與公幸以肺腑俱為將帥，奚相疑若此之深邪？」 永德意乃解，眾心亦安。 唐主聞之，以蠟書遺重進，誘以厚利。 其書皆謗毀及反間之語，重進奏之。
Zhang Yongde and Li Chongjin disliked each other. Yongde secretly reported that Chongjin was disloyal, but Later Zhou Emperor Shizong did not credit it. Both generals now held heavy commands, and unease spread through the ranks. One day Li Chongjin rode alone to Zhang Yongde's camp. Over a relaxed banquet he said, "We are kinsmen who share the same command—why such deep mistrust?" Yongde's doubts dissolved, and the army's fears eased. When the Southern Tang ruler learned of the reconciliation, he sent Li Chongjin a wax-sealed letter promising lavish rewards. The message was filled with abuse and sedition; Chongjin forwarded it to the throne.
53
初，唐使者孫晟、鐘謨從帝至大梁，帝待之甚厚，每朝會，班於中書省官之後。 時召見，飲以醇酒，問以唐事。 晟但言「唐主畏陛下神武，事陛下無二心。」 及得唐蠟書，帝大怒，召晟，責以所對不實。 晟正色抗辭，請死而已。 問以唐虛實，默不對。 十一月，乙巳，帝命都承旨曹翰送晟於右軍巡院，更以帝意問之。 翰與之飲酒數行，從容問之，晟終不言。 翰乃謂曰：「有敕，賜相公死。」 晟神色怡然，索鞋笏，整衣冠，南向拜曰：「臣謹以死報國！」 乃就刑。 並從者百餘人皆殺之，貶鐘謨耀州司馬。 既而帝憐晟忠節，悔殺之，召謨，拜衛尉少卿。
Earlier, Southern Tang envoys Sun Sheng and Zhong Mo had accompanied Later Zhou Emperor Shizong to Daliang. He treated them with great honor; at every court session they were placed after the Secretariat officials. He often summoned them, plied them with strong wine, and questioned them about Tang affairs. Sun Sheng would say only, "The Southern Tang ruler stands in awe of Your Majesty's might and serves you with undivided loyalty." When the wax-sealed Tang letter arrived, the Emperor flew into a rage, summoned Sun Sheng, and accused him of lying. Sun Sheng answered with stern dignity, asking only to die. Questioned about Tang's real condition, he remained silent. In the eleventh month, on the yisi day, the Emperor ordered Cao Han, chief recipient of the Secretariat, to take Sun Sheng to the Right Army Inspection Office and press him once more. Cao Han shared several cups with him and questioned him gently; Sun Sheng still would not speak. Cao Han then said, "There is an edict sentencing you to death, Chancellor." Sun Sheng looked serene. He asked for his shoes and court tablet, straightened his robes, bowed toward the south, and said, "I die gladly in service to my country!" He then went to his death. More than a hundred of his followers were executed as well; Zhong Mo was demoted to defender marshal of Yao prefecture. Soon the Emperor came to admire Sun Sheng's loyalty and regretted his death; he recalled Zhong Mo and made him vice director of the Court of Imperial Regalia.
54
帝召華山隱士真源陳摶，問以飛升、黃白之術。 對曰：「陛下為天子，當以治天下為務，安用此為！」 戊申，遣還山，詔州縣長吏常存問之。
Later Zhou Emperor Shizong summoned Chen Tuan, a hermit of Mount Hua from Zhenyuan, and asked him about immortality and the alchemical arts. Chen Tuan answered, "Your Majesty is Son of Heaven; your business is to govern the realm. What need have you of such things?" On the wushen day he was sent back to the mountain, with orders that local magistrates should look in on him regularly.
55
十二月，壬申，以張永德為殿前都點檢。
In the twelfth month, on the renshen day, Zhang Yongde was appointed chief inspector of the Palace Front Corps.
56
分命中使發陳、蔡、宋、亳、穎、兗、曹、單等州丁夫數萬城下蔡。
The Emperor dispatched palace envoys to levy tens of thousands of laborers from Chen, Cai, Song, Bo, Ying, Yan, Cao, Shan, and neighboring prefectures to build fortifications at Xiaqi.
57
是歲，唐主詔淮南營田害民尤甚者罷之。 遣兵部郎中陳處堯持重幣，浮海如契丹乞兵。 契丹不能為之出兵，而留處堯不遣。 處堯剛直有口辯，久之，忿懟，數面責契丹主，契丹主亦不之罪也。
That year the Southern Tang ruler abolished the Huainan garrison farms that had most oppressed the people. He sent Chen Chuyao of the Ministry of War, bearing rich gifts, to sail to the Khitan and request troops. The Khitan could not furnish an army, but they kept Chen Chuyao and refused to let him return. Chen Chuyao was blunt and quick-tongued. In time he grew furious and repeatedly upbraided the Khitan ruler to his face; the Khitan ruler never punished him.
58
蜀陵、榮州獠叛，弓箭庫使趙季文討平之。
The Liao tribes of Ling and Rong prefectures in Shu rebelled; Zhao Jiwen, commissioner of the Bow and Arrow Storehouse, put down the revolt.
59
吳越王弘俶括境內民捕，勞擾頗多，判明州錢弘億手疏切諫，罷之。
King Qian Hongchu of Wuyue conscripted people throughout his realm to hunt birds, causing widespread hardship. Qian Hongyi, administrator of Ming prefecture, submitted a blunt memorial of protest, and the practice was halted.
60
春，正月，己丑朔，北漢大赦，改元天會。 以翰林學士衛融為中書侍郎、同平章事，內客省使段恆為樞密使。
In spring, the first month, on the new moon of jichou, Northern Han proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the era name to Tianhui. Wei Rong, Hanlin academician, was appointed vice director of the Secretariat and concurrent grand chancellor; Duan Heng, inner reception commissioner, became commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs.
61
宰相屢請立皇子為王，上曰：「諸子皆幼，且功臣之子皆未加恩，而獨先朕子，皆自安乎！」
The chief ministers repeatedly urged enfeoffing the imperial princes as kings. Later Zhou Emperor Shizong said, "My sons are all still young, and the sons of my meritorious officials have not yet been rewarded. If I favor my sons alone, will the others feel secure?"
62
周兵圍壽春，連年未下，城中食盡。 齊王景達自濠州遣應援使、永安節度使許文稹、都軍使邊鎬、北面招討使朱元將兵數萬，溯淮救之，軍於紫金山，列十餘寨如連珠，與城中烽火晨夕相應，又築甬道抵壽春，欲運糧以饋之，綿亙數十里。 將及壽春，李重進邀擊，大破之，死者五千人，奪其二寨。 丁未，重進以聞。 戊申，詔以來月幸淮上。 劉仁贍請以邊鎬守城，自帥眾決戰，齊王景達不許，仁贍憤邑成疾。 其幼子崇諫夜泛舟渡淮北，為小校所執，仁贍命腰斬之，左右莫敢救，監軍使周廷構哭於中門以救之，仁贍不許。 廷構復使求救於夫人，夫人曰：「妾於崇諫非不愛也，然軍法不可私，名節不可虧，若貸之，則劉氏為不忠之門，妾與公何面目見將士乎！」 趣命斬之，然後成喪。 將士皆感泣。
Zhou forces had besieged Shouchun for years without capturing it; provisions inside the city were gone. From Haozhou, Prince of Qi Jing Da dispatched Relief Commissioner Xu Wenzhen, military governor of Yong'an, Chief Army Commander Bian Hao, and Northern Campaign Commissioner Zhu Yuan with tens of thousands of men up the Huai to relieve the city. They camped on Purple Gold Mountain in more than ten linked fortifications, exchanging beacon signals with Shouchun day and night. They also built a covered supply route into the city, stretching for dozens of li to bring in grain. As they approached Shouchun, Li Chongjin intercepted them and won a crushing victory: five thousand were killed and two camps captured. On the dingwei day, Li Chongjin reported the victory. On the wushen day, an edict announced that the Emperor would visit the Huai front the following month. Liu Renshan asked to leave Bian Hao to hold the city while he led the main force into decisive battle; Prince of Qi Jing Da refused, and Renshan, bitter and aggrieved, fell ill. His youngest son Chongjian rowed across the Huai by night to the north bank and was caught by a junior officer. Liu Renshan ordered him cut in two at the waist; no one at his side dared intervene. Supervisory commissioner Zhou Tinggou wept at the middle gate to plead for the boy, but Renshan refused. Zhou Tinggou appealed again to Lady Liu. She said, "I do love Chongjian, but military law admits no favoritism and honor cannot be compromised. If we spared him, the Liu name would stand for disloyalty—how could my husband and I face the troops?" She ordered the execution at once; only afterward were the funeral rites performed. Officers and soldiers wept.
63
議者以唐援兵尚強，多請罷兵，帝疑之。 李穀寢疾在第。 二月，丙寅，帝使范質、王溥就與之謀，穀上疏，以為：「壽春危困，破在旦夕，若鑾駕親征，則將士爭奮，援兵震恐，城中知亡，必可下矣！」 上悅。
Many advisers, noting that Tang relief forces remained formidable, urged ending the campaign; Later Zhou Emperor Shizong hesitated. Li Gu lay ill at home. “In the second month, on the bingyin day, the Emperor sent Fan Zhi and Wang Pu to consult Li Gu. Gu submitted a memorial arguing that Shouchun was near collapse, that an imperial expedition would galvanize Zhou troops and terrify the relief army, and that the city, seeing its end, would surely fall.” The Emperor was delighted.
64
庚午，詔有司更造祭器、祭玉等，命國子博士聶崇義討論制度，為之圖。
On the gengwu day, an edict ordered new sacrificial vessels and ritual jades to be made and appointed Nie Chongyi, erudite of the National University, to study the regulations and draft diagrams.
65
甲戌，以王朴權東京留守兼判開封府事，以三司使張美為大內都巡檢，以侍衛都虞候韓通為京城內外都巡檢。 乙亥，帝發大梁。 先是周與唐戰，唐水軍銳敏，周人無以敵之，帝每以為恨。 返自壽春，於大梁城西汴水側造戰艦數百艘，命唐降卒教北人水戰，數月之後，縱橫出沒，殆勝唐兵。 至是命右驍衛大將軍王環將水軍數千自閔河沿穎入淮，唐人見之大驚。
On the jiaxu day, Wang Pu was made acting Eastern Capital garrison commander and concurrent administrator of Kaifeng; Zhang Mei, commissioner of the Three Departments, became chief inspector of the Inner Palace; and Han Tong, chief adjutant of the Imperial Guard, became chief inspector of the capital inside and out. On the yihai day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong set out from Daliang. In earlier Zhou-Tang fighting, Tang warships had been swift and skilled while Zhou forces had no answer for them—a source of constant regret to the Emperor. After returning from Shouchun he built several hundred warships on the Bian west of Daliang and had Tang prisoners teach northern troops river fighting. Within months they maneuvered freely on the water and were nearly the equal of Tang sailors. Now he ordered Wang Huan, general of the Right Brave Guard, to lead several thousand sailors from the Min River along the Ying into the Huai; the Tang forces were stunned.
66
乙酉，帝至下蔡。 三月，己丑夜，帝渡淮，抵壽春城下。 庚寅旦，躬擐甲冑，軍於紫金山南，命太祖皇帝擊唐先鋒寨及山北一寨，皆破之，斬獲三千餘級，斷其甬道，由是唐兵首尾不能相救。 至暮，帝分兵守諸寨，還下蔡。
On the yiyou day, the Emperor arrived at Xiaqi. In the third month, on the night of jichou, the Emperor crossed the Huai and came beneath the walls of Shouchun. At dawn on gengyin he donned armor himself and encamped south of Purple Gold Mountain. He ordered Zhao Kuangyin to strike the Tang vanguard camp and a northern camp; both fell, with more than three thousand killed or captured, and the supply route was cut so Tang forces at either end could not aid each other. At dusk he left detachments to hold the camps and returned to Xiaqi.
67
唐朱元恃功，頗違元帥節度； 陳覺與元有隙，屢表元反覆，不可將兵，唐主以武昌節度使楊守忠代之。 守忠至濠州，覺以齊王景達之命，召元至濠州計事，將奪其兵。 元聞之，憤怒，欲自殺，門下客宋□說元曰：「大丈夫何往不富貴，何必為妻子死乎！」 辛卯夜，元與先鋒壕寨使朱仁裕等舉寨萬餘人降，裨將時厚卿不從，元殺之。
Zhu Yuan of Tang, proud of his record, often defied the commander-in-chief; Chen Jue bore a grudge against Zhu Yuan and repeatedly reported that Yuan was unreliable and unfit to command; the Southern Tang ruler replaced him with Yang Shouzhong, military governor of Wuchang. When Yang Shouzhong reached Haozhou, Chen Jue, invoking Prince of Qi Jing Da's authority, summoned Zhu Yuan to Haozhou on pretext of consultation, intending to seize his army. When Zhu Yuan learned of this he was enraged and ready to take his own life. His adviser Song Qi urged him, "A true man can win wealth and rank wherever he turns—why die for your family?" On the night of xinmao, Zhu Yuan with Zhu Renyu, commissioner of the vanguard trench camp, and others surrendered their camp of more than ten thousand men; deputy commander Shi Houqing refused, and Yuan killed him.
68
帝慮其餘眾沿流東潰，遽命虎捷左廂都指揮使趙晁將水軍數千沿淮而下。 壬辰旦，帝軍於趙步，諸將擊唐紫金山寨，大破之，殺獲萬餘人，擒許文稹、邊鎬、楊守忠。 餘眾果沿淮東走，帝自趙步將騎數百循北岸追之，諸將以步騎循南岸追之，水軍自中流而下，唐兵戰溺死及降者殆四萬人，獲船艦糧仗以十萬數。 晡時，帝馳至荊山洪，距趙步二百餘里。 是夜，宿鎮淮軍，癸酉，從官始至。 劉仁贍聞援兵敗，扼吭歎息。 甲午，發近縣丁夫數千城鎮淮軍，為二城，夾淮水，徙下蔡浮梁於其間，扼濠、壽應援之路。 會淮水漲，唐濠州都監彭城郭廷謂以水軍溯淮，欲掩不備，焚浮梁。 右龍武統軍趙匡贊覘知之，伏兵邀擊，破之。
Fearing the remaining Tang troops would flee east along the river, the Emperor immediately ordered Zhao Chao, commander of the Left Wing of the Tiger Vanguard, to lead several thousand sailors down the Huai. At dawn on renchen the Emperor encamped at Zhaobu. His generals stormed the Tang camps on Purple Gold Mountain, killing and capturing more than ten thousand men and taking Xu Wenzhen, Bian Hao, and Yang Shouzhong. The survivors fled east along the Huai as expected. From Zhaobu the Emperor led several hundred horsemen along the north bank; generals pursued on the south bank with infantry and cavalry while the fleet closed from midstream. Nearly forty thousand Tang soldiers were killed, drowned, or captured; booty in ships, grain, and arms ran into the hundreds of thousands. By late afternoon the Emperor had galloped to Jingshan Hong, more than two hundred li from Zhaobu. That night he lodged at Zhenhuai Army; on the guiyou day his attendants finally caught up. When Liu Renshan heard that the relief army had been destroyed, he clutched his throat and groaned. On the jiawu day, several thousand laborers from nearby counties were mobilized to fortify Zhenhuai Army as twin cities on either side of the Huai; the Xiaqi pontoon bridge was shifted between them to choke off relief from Hao and Shou. When the Huai flooded, Guo Tingwei, Tang garrison commander of Hao from Pengcheng, planned to lead warships upstream, strike by surprise, and burn the pontoon bridge. Zhao Kuangzan, commanding general of the Right Dragon Martial Guard, learned of the plan and ambushed him, winning a victory.
69
唐齊王景達及陳覺皆自濠州奔歸金陵，惟靜江指揮使陳德誠全軍而還。
Prince of Qi Jing Da and Chen Jue both fled from Haozhou to Jinling; only Chen Decheng, commander of the Jingjiang Guard, brought his force back intact.
70
戊戌，以淮南節度使向訓為武寧節度使、淮南道行營都監，將兵戍鎮淮軍。
On the wuxu day, Xiang Xun, military governor of Huainan, was appointed military governor of Wuning and overall supervisor of the Huainan campaign, with orders to garrison Zhenhuai Army.
71
己亥，上自鎮淮軍復如下蔡。 庚子，賜劉仁贍詔，使自擇禍福。
On the jihai day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong returned from Zhenhuai Army to Xiaqi. On the gengzi day he sent Liu Renshan an edict offering him the choice of surrender or ruin.
72
唐主議自督諸將拒周，中書舍人喬匡舜上疏切諫，唐主以為沮眾，流撫州。 唐主問神衛統軍朱匡業、劉存忠以守禦方略，匡業誦羅隱詩曰：「時來天地皆同力，運去英雄不自由。」 存忠以匡業言為然。 唐主怒，貶匡業撫州副使，流存忠於饒州。 既而竟不敢自出。
The Southern Tang ruler planned to take the field himself against Zhou. Qiao Kuangshun, a secretariat drafter, submitted a blunt memorial of protest; the ruler judged it demoralizing and banished him to Fu prefecture. The Southern Tang ruler asked Zhu Kuangye and Liu Cunzhong, commanding generals of the Divine Guard, for a defense plan. Zhu Kuangye quoted Luo Yin: "When fortune turns, heaven and earth all lend their strength; when it turns away, even heroes are not their own masters." Liu Cunzhong agreed with Zhu Kuangye's view. The Southern Tang ruler was furious: Zhu Kuangye was demoted to deputy commissioner of Fu prefecture and Liu Cunzhong was exiled to Rao prefecture. In the end he still did not dare take the field in person.
73
甲辰，帝耀兵於壽春城北。 唐清淮節度使兼侍中劉仁贍病甚，不知人，丙午，監軍使周廷構、營田副使孫羽等作仁贍表，遣使奉之來降。 丁未，帝賜仁贍詔，遣闔門使萬年張保續入城宣諭，仁贍子崇讓復出謝罪。 戊申，帝大陳甲兵，受降於壽春城北，廷構等舁仁贍出城，仁贍臥不能起，帝慰勞賜賚，復令入城養疾。
On the jiachen day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong reviewed his army north of Shouchun. Liu Renshan, Southern Tang military governor of Qinghuai and palace attendant, lay gravely ill and insensible. On the bingwu day, supervisory commissioner Zhou Tinggou, garrison-farm deputy Sun Yu, and others drafted a surrender memorial in his name and sent envoys with it. On the dingwei day the Emperor issued an edict to Liu Renshan and sent Zhang Baoxu of Wannian, commissioner of the Gate, into the city to announce it. Liu Renshan's son Chongrang came out again to submit. On the wushen day the Emperor paraded his armored host and accepted the surrender north of Shouchun. Zhou Tinggou and the others carried Liu Renshan out; he could not rise from his couch. The Emperor comforted and rewarded him, then sent him back into the city to convalesce.
74
庚戌，徙壽州治下蔡，赦州境死罪以下。 州民受唐文書聚山林者，並召令復業，勿問罪。 有嘗為其殺傷者，毋得仇訟。 曏日政令有不便於民者，令本州條奏。 辛亥，以劉仁贍為天平節度使兼中書令，制辭略曰：「盡忠所事，抗節無虧，前代名臣，幾人堪比！ 朕之伐叛，得爾為多。」 是日，卒，追賜爵彭城郡主。 唐主聞之，亦贈太師。 帝復以清淮軍為忠正軍，以旌仁贍之節，以右羽林統軍楊信為忠正節度使、同平章事。
On the gengxu day the administrative seat of Shou prefecture was moved to Xiaqi, and all crimes short of capital punishment in the prefecture were pardoned. People who had taken Tang commissions and fled to the hills were summoned home without punishment. Those who had suffered injury at their hands were forbidden to sue for revenge. Any past policies that had burdened the people were to be listed and reported by the prefecture. On the xinhai day Liu Renshan was appointed military governor of Tianping and concurrent grand chancellor. The appointment edict read in part, "Loyal in service and unyielding in integrity—how few ministers of old could match you! In this campaign against rebellion, winning you over means more than any victory." He died the same day and was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke of Pengcheng commandery. When the Southern Tang ruler learned of his death, he too posthumously made Liu Renshan grand preceptor. The Emperor renamed the Qinghuai Army the Loyalty Army to honor Liu Renshan's integrity and appointed Yang Xin, commanding general of the Right Forest Guard, as its military governor and concurrent grand chancellor.
75
前許州司馬韓倫，侍衛馬軍都指揮使令坤之父也。 令坤領鎮安節度使，倫居於陳州，干預政事，貪污不法，為公私患，為人所訟，令坤屢為之泣請。 癸丑，詔免倫死，流沙門島。 倫後得赦還，居洛陽，與光祿卿致仕柴守禮及當時將相王溥、王晏、王彥超之父游處，恃勢恣橫，洛陽人畏之，謂之十阿父。 帝既為太祖嗣，人無敢言守禮子者，但以元舅處之，優其俸給，未嘗至大梁。 嘗以小忿殺人，有司不敢詰，帝知而不問。
Han Lun, former defender marshal of Xu prefecture, was the father of Ling Kun, commander of the Palace Cavalry of the Imperial Guard. Ling Kun served as military governor of Zhen'an while Han Lun lived at Chen prefecture, meddling in affairs, taking bribes, and breaking the law until he became a plague to officials and commoners alike. When suits were brought against him, Ling Kun wept and pleaded repeatedly for mercy. On the guichou day an edict spared Han Lun's life and exiled him to Shamen Island. Later pardoned, Han Lun returned to Luoyang and kept company with the retired director of the Court of Imperial Regalia Chai Shouli and the fathers of leading ministers and generals such as Wang Pu, Wang Yan, and Wang Yanchao. They threw their weight around, and Luoyang feared them as the Ten Honored Fathers. Because Later Zhou Emperor Shizong had succeeded as heir to the founding emperor, no one dared say openly that Chai Shouli was the Emperor's father; he was treated as the maternal uncle, given generous stipends, and never came to Daliang. Once, over a petty quarrel, he killed a man; officials dared not investigate, and the Emperor, knowing, let the matter pass.
76
詔開壽州倉振饑民。 丙辰，帝北還，夏，四月，己巳，至大梁。
An edict ordered Shou prefecture's granaries opened to feed the starving. On the bingchen day the Emperor marched north. In summer, the fourth month, on the jisi day, he reached Daliang.
77
詔修永福殿，命宦官孫延希董其役。 丁丑，帝至其所，見役徒有削柿為匕，瓦中啖飯者，大怒，斬延希於市。
An edict ordered the repair of Yongfu Hall and put the eunuch Sun Yanxi in charge of the project. On the dingchou day the Emperor inspected the site and found laborers carving persimmons into spoons and eating from tile bowls. Enraged, he had Sun Yanxi executed in the market.
78
帝之克秦、鳳也，以蜀兵數千人為懷恩軍。 乙亥，遣懷恩指揮使蕭知遠等將士八百餘人西還。 壬午，李穀扶疾入見，帝命不拜，坐於御坐之側。 穀懇辭祿位，不許。
When Later Zhou Emperor Shizong conquered Qin and Feng, he enrolled several thousand Shu prisoners in the Gratitude Army. On the yihai day he sent Xiao Zhiyuan, commander of the Gratitude Army, and more than eight hundred men back west. On the renwu day Li Gu came to audience despite his illness. The Emperor exempted him from bowing and seated him beside the throne. Li Gu earnestly asked to resign his salary and office; the Emperor refused.
79
甲申，分江南降卒為六軍、三十指揮，號懷德軍。
On the jiashen day surrendered troops from Jiangnan were organized into six armies and thirty commands as the Virtue Army.
80
乙酉，詔疏汴水北入五丈河，由是齊、魯舟楫皆達於大梁。
On the yiyou day an edict ordered the Bian River dredged north into the Wuzhang River so that shipping from Qi and Lu could reach Daliang.
81
五月，丁酉，以太祖皇帝領義成節度使。
In the fifth month, on the dingyou day, Zhao Kuangyin was appointed acting military governor of Yicheng.
82
詔以律令文古難知，格敕煩雜不壹，命侍御史知雜事張湜等訓釋，詳定為《刑統》。
An edict noted that the statutes were archaic and obscure and the supplementary edicts numerous and inconsistent, and ordered Supervising Censor Zhang Si and others to annotate and compile them into the Penal Code Compendium.
83
唐郭遷謂將水軍斷渦口浮梁，又襲敗武寧節度使武行德於定遠，行德僅以身免。 唐主以廷謂為滁州團練使，充上淮水陸應援使。
Guo Tingwei of Tang planned to sever the pontoon bridge at Wokou with warships and also surprised Wu Xingde, military governor of Wuning, at Dingyuan; Wu Xingde barely escaped alive. The Southern Tang ruler made Guo Tingwei regimental commander of Chu prefecture and overall land-and-water relief commissioner for the upper Huai.
84
蜀人多言左右衛聖馬步都指揮使、保寧節度使、同平章事李廷珪為將敗覆，不應復典兵，廷珪亦自請罷去。 六月，乙丑，蜀主加廷珪檢校太尉，罷軍職。 李太后以典兵者多非其人，謂蜀主曰：「吾昔見莊宗跨河與梁戰，及先帝在太原，平二蜀，諸將非有大功，無得典兵，故士卒畏服。 今王昭遠出於廝養，伊審徵、韓保貞、趙崇韜皆膏粱乳臭子，素不習兵，徒以舊恩置於人上，平時誰敢言者！ 一旦疆場有事，安能御大敵乎！ 以吾觀之，惟高彥儔太原舊人，終不負汝，自餘無足任者。」 蜀主不能從。
Many in Shu argued that Li Tinggui—commanding general of the Left and Right Guard, military governor of Baoning, and concurrent grand chancellor—had failed in command and should not lead troops again; Tinggui himself asked to step down. In the sixth month, on the chou day, the Shu ruler promoted Li Tinggui to inspected grand preceptor and relieved him of military command. Empress Dowager Li, believing many current commanders were unfit, told the Shu ruler, "I saw Emperor Zhuangzong cross the Yellow River to fight Liang, and when our late emperor was at Taiyuan and pacified the two Shu regions, only generals of real merit were allowed to command—so the troops obeyed. Now Wang Zhaoyuan came up from the stables; Yi Shenzheng, Han Baozhen, and Zhao Chongtao are spoiled sons of the elite who never learned war, yet old favor put them in command—who dared object in peacetime? When the border flares up, how will they face a serious enemy? In my view only Gao Yanzhou, an old Taiyuan comrade, will not fail you; beyond him none are fit." The Shu ruler would not heed her.
85
丁丑，以前華州刺史王祚為穎州團練使。 祚，溥之父也。 溥為宰相，祚有賓客，溥常朝服侍立。 客坐不安席，祚曰：「犬屯犬不足為起。」
On the dingchou day, former governor of Hua prefecture Wang Zuo was appointed regimental commander of Ying prefecture. Wang Zuo was Wang Pu's father. Wang Pu was chief minister; when Wang Zuo entertained guests, Pu would often attend in court dress and stand waiting on him. Guests could not sit comfortably. Wang Zuo said, "When a dog waits on a dog, one need not stand."
86
秋，七月，丁亥，上治定遠軍及壽春城南之敗，以武寧節度使兼中書令武行德為左衛上將軍，河陽節度使李繼勳為右衛大將軍。
In autumn, the seventh month, on the dinghai day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong punished the defeats at Dingyuan Army and south of Shouchun: Wu Xingde, military governor of Wuning and concurrent grand chancellor, was made general of the Left Guard, and Li Jixun, military governor of Heyang, general of the Right Guard.
87
北漢主初立七廟。
The Northern Han ruler established seven ancestral temples for the first time.
88
司空兼門下侍郎、同平章事李穀臥疾二年，凡九表辭位，八月，乙亥，罷守本官，令每月肩輿一詣便殿議政事。
Li Gu, minister of works, vice director of the Chancellery, and grand chancellor, had been bedridden for two years and nine times asked to resign. In the eighth month, on the yihai day, he was relieved of his concurrent posts but kept his base rank, with orders to be carried once a month to the informal hall to discuss policy.
89
以樞密副使、戶部侍郎王朴檢校太保，充樞密使。
Wang Pu, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs and vice minister of revenue, was promoted to inspected grand guardian and full commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs.
90
懷恩軍至成都，蜀主遣梓州別駕胡立等八十人東還，且致書為謝，請通好。 癸未，立等至大梁。 帝以蜀主抗禮，不之答。 蜀主聞之，怒曰：「朕為天子郊祀天地時，爾猶作賊，何敢如是！」
When the Gratitude Army reached Chengdu, the Shu ruler sent Hu Li, deputy prefect of Zizhou, and eighty others back east with a letter of thanks seeking friendly relations. On the guiwei day, Hu Li's party reached Daliang. Later Zhou Emperor Shizong, offended that the Shu ruler addressed him as an equal, made no reply. When the Shu ruler heard this he raged, "When I as Son of Heaven sacrificed to heaven and earth, you were still a rebel—how dare you treat me so!"
91
九月，中書舍人竇儼上疏請令有司討論古今禮儀，作《大周通禮》，考正鐘律，作《大周正樂》。 又以：「為政之本，莫大擇人； 擇人之重，莫先宰相。 自有唐之末，輕用名器，始為輔弼，即兼三公、僕射之官。 故其未得之也，則以趨競為心； 既得之也，則以容默為事。 但思解密勿之務，守崇重之官，逍遙林亭，保安宗族。 乞令即日宰相於南宮三品、兩省給、捨以上，各舉所知。 若陛下素知其賢，自可登庸； 若其未也，且令以本官權知政事。 期歲之間，察其職業，若果能堪稱，其官已高，則除平章事； 未高，則稍更遷官，權知如故。 若有不稱，則罷其政事，責其舉者。 又，班行之中，有員無職者太半，乞量其才器，授以外任，試之於事，還則以舊官登敘，考其治狀，能者進之，否者黜之。」 又請：「令盜賊自相糾告，以其所告貲產之半賞之； 或親戚為之首，則論其徒侶而赦其所首者。 如此，則盜不能聚矣。 又，新鄭鄉村團為義營，各立將佐，一戶為盜，累其一村； 一戶被盜，罪其一將。 每有盜發，則鳴鼓舉火，丁壯雲集，盜少民多，無能脫者。 由是鄰縣充斥而一境獨清。 請令他縣皆效之，亦止盜之一術也。 又，累朝已來，屢下詔書，聽民多種廣耕，止輸舊稅，及其既種，則有司履畝而增之，故民皆疑懼而田不加辟。 夫為政之先，莫如敦信，信苟著矣，則田無不廣，田廣則穀多，穀多則藏之民猶藏之官也。」 又言：「陛下南征江、淮，一舉而得八州，再駕而平壽春，威靈所加，前無強敵。 今以眾擊寡，以治伐亂，勢無不克。 但行之貴速，則彼民免俘馘之災，此民息轉輸之困矣。」 帝覽而善之。 儼，儀之弟也。
In the ninth month, Dou Yan, a secretariat drafter, memorialized asking officials to study ancient and modern ritual, compile the Comprehensive Rites of Great Zhou, revise pitch standards, and compose the Correct Music of Great Zhou. He also wrote, "The foundation of government is choosing the right men; and among all appointments, none matters more than the chief minister. Since late Tang, honors have been handed out too freely: the moment a man becomes a counselor he also holds the Three Excellencies or grand mentor. Before they win office their hearts are set on scheming and rivalry; once in office they make silence and compliance their trade. They think only of keeping secrets, avoiding trouble, holding lofty rank, idling in gardens, and protecting their families. I ask that from today every chief minister, and every official from third rank in the Southern Palace and drafters and reviewers of the Two Departments upward, recommend men they know. If Your Majesty already knows a man is worthy, appoint him at once; if not, let him temporarily handle affairs at his current rank. Within a year examine his performance; if he proves capable and his rank is already high, make him grand chancellor; if his rank is not yet high, promote him step by step while he continues in temporary charge. If he fails, remove him and hold his recommender responsible. Moreover, more than half the court roster hold titles without duties. Measure their talent, send them to outside posts, and test them in office; on return promote by their old rank and judge their record—the able advanced, the unfit dismissed." He also proposed, "Let bandits inform on one another, rewarding the informer with half the reported property; or if a kinsman turns in the rest first, punish the gang but pardon the informer. That way bandits cannot gather in numbers. In Xinzheng, village districts formed righteous camps with appointed leaders: if one household turned bandit, the whole village was implicated; if one household was robbed, its commander was punished. When bandits struck, drums sounded and fires were lit; able-bodied men gathered in clouds. Outnumbered, the thieves could not escape. Neighboring counties swarmed with thieves while that district alone stayed clear. Let other counties copy this—it is one way to stop banditry. For reign after reign edicts have encouraged wider planting at the old tax rate, yet once fields were sown officials measured acre by acre and raised the levy. The people no longer trust the throne and will not open new land. Nothing in government comes before trust. Once trust is firm, fields will expand; expanded fields mean more grain; and grain in the people's bins is grain in the state's bins." He also wrote, "Your Majesty's southern campaign took eight prefectures at a stroke and Shouchun on the second advance; wherever your authority reached, no strong foe stood in the way. Now, with numbers against weakness and order against chaos, nothing can stand before you. Only speed matters—then the enemy's people will be spared slaughter and our people spared the burden of supply." Later Zhou Emperor Shizong read the memorial and approved it. Dou Yan was the younger brother of Dou Yi.
92
冬，十月，戊午，設賢良方正直言極諫、經學優深可為師法、詳閒吏理達於教化等科。
In winter, the tenth month, on the wuwu day, examination categories were established for worthy and upright remonstrators, for scholars fit to serve as teachers, and for men skilled in administration and moral transformation.
93
癸亥，北漢麟州刺史楊重訓舉城降，以為麟州防禦使。
On the guihai day, Yang Chongxun, governor of Lin prefecture in Northern Han, surrendered his city and was made defender commissioner of Lin.
94
己巳，以王朴為東京留守，聽以便宜從事。 以三司使張美充大內都點檢。
On the jisi day, Wang Pu was made Eastern Capital garrison commander with discretionary authority. Zhang Mei, commissioner of the Three Departments, was appointed chief inspector of the Inner Palace.
95
壬申，帝發大梁； 十一月，丙戌，至鎮淮軍，是夜五鼓，濟淮； 丁亥，至濠州城西。 濠州東北十八里有灘，唐人柵於其上，環水自固，謂周兵必不能涉。 戊子，帝自攻之，命內殿直康保裔帥甲士數百，乘橐駝涉水，太祖皇帝帥騎兵繼之，遂拔之。 李重進破濠州南關城。 癸巳，帝自攻濠州，王審琦拔其水寨。 唐人屯戰船數百於城北，又植巨木於淮水以限周兵。 帝命水軍攻之，拔其木，焚戰船七十餘艘，斬首二千餘級，又攻拔其羊馬城，城中震恐。 丙申夜，唐濠州團練使郭廷謂上表言：「臣家在江南，今若遽降，恐為唐所種族，請先遣使詣金陵稟命，然後出降。」 帝許之。 辛丑，帝聞唐有戰船數百艘在泗水東，欲救濠州。 自將兵夜發水陸擊之。 癸卯，大破唐兵於洞口，斬首五千餘級，降卒二千餘人，因鼓行而東，所至皆下。 乙巳，至泗州城下，太祖皇帝先攻其南，因焚城門，破水寨及月城。 帝居於月城樓，督將士攻城。
On the renshen day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong set out from Daliang; in the eleventh month, on the bingxu day, he reached Zhenhuai Army; that night at the fifth watch he crossed the Huai; on the dinghai day he reached the west of Haozhou. Eighteen li northeast of Haozhou lay a ford; Tang forces fortified it and ringed themselves with water, assuming Zhou troops could never cross. On the wuzi day the Emperor attacked in person, ordering Kang Baoyi of the Inner Palace Direct to lead several hundred armored men across on camels while Zhao Kuangyin followed with cavalry; the position fell. Li Chongjin captured Haozhou's southern gate fort. On the guisi day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong assaulted Haozhou in person; Wang Shenqi captured its water camp. Southern Tang forces anchored several hundred warships north of the city and drove great logs into the Huai to block Zhou movement. The Emperor sent the fleet to attack, uprooted the logs, burned more than seventy warships, and killed more than two thousand men; they also took the outer livestock fort, and terror seized the city. On the night of bingshen, Guo Tingwei, Southern Tang regimental commander of Hao prefecture, memorialized, "My family remains in Jiangnan. If I surrender at once, Tang may wipe out my clan. Please let me send an envoy to Jinling for instructions before I submit." The Emperor agreed. On the xinchou day the Emperor learned that several hundred Tang warships lay east of the Si River, bound to relieve Haozhou. He led a force out by night, attacking by land and water together. On the guimao day he routed the Tang fleet at Dongkou, killing more than five thousand and capturing more than two thousand; marching east to the beat of drums, every place he reached fell. On the yisi day he reached Si prefecture. Zhao Kuangyin struck the south first, burned the gate, and broke the water camp and outer moon city. Later Zhou Emperor Shizong took up position in the moon-city tower and directed the assault.
96
北漢主自即位以來，方安集境風，未遑外略。 是月，契丹遣其大同節度使、侍中崔勳將兵來會北漢，欲同入寇。 北漢主遣其忠武節度使、同平章事李存瑰將兵會之，南侵潞州，至其城下而還。 北漢主知契丹不足恃而不敢遽與之絕，贈送勳甚厚。
Since taking the throne, the Northern Han ruler had been consolidating his realm and had not yet looked outward. That month the Khitan sent Cui Xun, their Datong military governor and palace attendant, to join Northern Han for a joint invasion. The Northern Han ruler sent Li Cungui, military governor of Zhongwu and concurrent grand chancellor, to meet them; they raided south to Lu prefecture, reached its walls, and withdrew. Knowing the Khitan were unreliable, the Northern Han ruler still dared not break with them outright and sent Cui Xun lavish gifts.
97
十二月，乙卯，唐泗州守將范再遇舉城降，以再遇為宿州團練使。 上自至泗州城下，禁軍中芻蕘者毋得犯民田，民皆感悅，爭獻芻粟； 既克泗州，無一卒敢擅入城者。 帝聞唐戰船數百艘泊洞口，遣騎詗之，唐兵退保清口。 戊午旦，上自將親軍自淮北進，命太祖皇帝將步騎自淮南進，諸將以水軍自中流進，共追唐兵。 時淮濱久無行人，葭葦如織，多泥淖溝塹，士卒乘勝氣茇涉爭進，皆忘其勞。 庚申，追及唐兵，且戰且行，金鼓聲聞數十里。 辛酉，至楚州西北，大破之。 唐兵有沿淮東下者，帝自追之，太祖皇帝為前鋒，行六十里，擒其保義節度使、濠、泗、楚、海都應援使陳承昭以歸。 所獲戰船燒沉之餘得三百餘艘，士卒殺溺之餘得七千餘人。 唐之戰船在淮上者，於是盡矣。
In the twelfth month, on the yimao day, Fan Zaiyu, Southern Tang defender of Si prefecture, surrendered the city and was made regimental commander of Su prefecture. From the time Later Zhou Emperor Shizong reached Si prefecture, he forbade foragers to trample civilian fields; the people were grateful and vied to bring fodder and grain; after Si fell, not one soldier dared enter the city unbidden. Hearing that several hundred Tang warships lay at Dongkou, the Emperor sent cavalry to scout; the Tang fleet fell back to Qingkou. At dawn on the wuwu day the Emperor led his personal guard from north of the Huai, ordered Zhao Kuangyin to advance with infantry and cavalry from the south bank, and sent the fleet up the middle of the river—all closing on the Tang force. The Huai banks had long been deserted; reeds stood thick as woven cloth and mud and ditches abounded. Drunk on victory, the troops splashed and scrambled forward, forgetting their weariness. On the gengshen day they overtook the Tang force, fighting as they marched; drums and gongs carried for dozens of li. On the xinyou day they reached northwest of Chu prefecture and won a crushing victory. Tang troops fleeing down the Huai were pursued by the Emperor in person, with Zhao Kuangyin in the van. After sixty li they captured Chen Chengzhao, military governor of Baoyi and overall relief commissioner for Hao, Si, Chu, and Hai. Of the enemy fleet, more than three hundred hulls survived burning and sinking; of the enemy troops, more than seven thousand survived killing and drowning. Southern Tang warships on the Huai were now gone entirely.
98
郭廷謂使者自金陵還，知唐不能救，命錄事參軍鄱陽李延鄒草降表。 延鄒責以忠義，廷謂以兵臨之，延鄒擲筆曰：「大丈夫終不負國為叛臣作降表！」 廷謂斬之，舉濠州降，得兵萬人，糧數萬斛。 唐主賞李延鄒之子以官。
When Guo Tingwei's envoy returned from Jinling with word that Tang could not help him, he ordered Li Yanzhou, recording officer of Poyang, to draft a surrender memorial. Li Yanzhou rebuked him for betraying loyalty. Guo Tingwei threatened him with troops; Li Yanzhou threw down his brush and said, "No true man writes a surrender for a traitor!" Guo Tingwei had him executed, then surrendered Haozhou with ten thousand troops and tens of thousands of hu of grain. The Southern Tang ruler rewarded Li Yanzhou's son with an official post.
99
壬戌，帝濟淮，至楚州，營於城西北。
On the renxu day, Later Zhou Emperor Shizong crossed the Huai to Chu prefecture and encamped northwest of the city.
100
乙丑，唐雄武軍使、知漣水縣事崔萬迪降。
On the yichou day, Cui Wandi, Southern Tang commissioner of the Xiongwu Army and magistrate of Lianshui county, surrendered.
101
丙寅，以郭廷謂為亳州防禦使。
On the bingyin day, Guo Tingwei was appointed defender commissioner of Bo prefecture.
102
戊辰，帝攻楚州，克其月城。
On the wuchen day, the Emperor assaulted Chu prefecture and captured its moon city.
103
庚午，郭廷謂見於行宮，帝曰：「朕南征以來，江南諸將敗亡相繼，獨卿能斷渦口浮梁，破定遠寨，所以報國足矣。 濠州小城，使李璟自守，能守之乎！」 使將濠州兵攻天長。 帝遣鐵騎左廂都指揮使武守琦將騎數百趨揚州，至高郵。 唐人悉焚揚州官府民居，驅其人南渡江。 後數日，周兵至，城中餘癃病十餘人而已； 癸酉，守琦以聞。 帝聞泰州無備，遣兵襲之，丁丑，拔泰州。
On the gengwu day, Guo Tingwei was received at the field palace. The Emperor said, "Since this southern campaign, Jiangnan generals have fallen one after another; you alone cut the Wokou pontoon bridge and broke the camp at Dingyuan—you have done enough for your country. Haozhou is a small town—could Li Jing hold it even if he tried?" He then ordered Guo Tingwei to lead the Hao garrison against Tianchang. The Emperor sent Wu Shouqi, commander of the Left Wing of the Iron Cavalry, with several hundred horsemen toward Yangzhou as far as Gaoyou. Southern Tang forces burned Yangzhou's government offices and private homes and drove the population south across the Yangtze. Days later Zhou troops arrived to find only a dozen or so sick and aged people left in the city; on the guiyou day, Wu Shouqi reported this. Hearing Taizhou was undefended, the Emperor sent a raiding force; on the dingchou day Taizhou fell.
104
南漢中書侍郎、同平章事盧膺卒。
Lu Ying, vice director of the Secretariat and concurrent grand chancellor of Southern Han, died.
105
南漢主聞唐屢敗，憂形於色，遣使入貢於周，為湖南所閉，乃治戰艦，修武備。 既而縱酒酣飲，曰：「吾身得免，幸矣，何暇慮後世哉！」
When the Southern Han ruler heard of Tang's repeated defeats, worry showed on his face. He sent envoys to tribute Zhou, but Hunan blocked the way; he then built warships and repaired his defenses. Soon he drowned his fears in wine and said, "I have saved my own skin—that is luck enough. Why worry about those who come after?"
106
唐使者陳處堯在契丹，白契丹主請南遊太原，北漢主厚禮之。 留數日，北還，竟卒於契丹。
Southern Tang envoy Chen Chuyao, detained in Khitan lands, asked the Khitan ruler to let him visit Taiyuan; the Northern Han ruler received him with great honor. After several days he started back north but died in Khitan territory before reaching home.