Tang Annals 54

[Tang Chronicle, Volume 54] From the seventh month of the year dinghai (the second year of the Yuanhe era) to the ninth month of the year renchen (the fourth year of the Yuanhe era), a total of over three years.

In autumn, the seventh month, on the day renxu, the Censor-in-Chief Li Yijian impeached the Metropolitan Governor Yang Ping, accusing him of corruption and extravagance beyond his station while serving as the Jiangxi Observer. On the day dingmao, Yang Ping was demoted to be the Commandant of Linhe County. Li Yijian was a great-great-grandson of Li Yuanyi. Emperor Xianzong ordered that all of Yang Ping's property be confiscated and registered. Li Jiang remonstrated, saying: "According to established precedent, unless it is a case of rebellion or treason, property should not be confiscated." The Emperor then stopped. None of Yang Ping's relatives or friends dared to see him off, except for Xu Hui, the Commandant of Liyang County, who alone traveled to Lantian to bid him farewell. The Grand Master of Ceremonies Quan Deyu, who had long been on good terms with Xu Hui, said to him: "Your sending off Yang Linhe is indeed deeply sincere, but will this not implicate you?" Xu Hui replied: "I rose from commoner status and was promoted through Yang Gong's recognition. Now that he is exiled far away, how could I not bid him farewell! If in the future you are slandered and banished, how would I dare to treat you as a stranger!" Quan Deyu sighed in admiration and praised him at court. A few days later, Li Yijian submitted a memorial recommending Xu Hui for the position of Investigating Censor. Xu Hui thanked him, saying: "In my life, I have never had the opportunity to meet your esteemed presence. On what basis do you select me?" Li Yijian replied: "You did not betray Yang Linhe, so how could you betray the state!"

Emperor Xianzong privately asked the assembled scholars: "Now I wish to appoint Wang Chengzong as the Acting Defender of Chengde, then split off the two prefectures of De and Di to establish another military command to divide his power, and also have Wang Chengzong pay the two taxes and request court-appointed officials, just like Li Shidao. What do you think?" Li Jiang and others replied: "The two prefectures of De and Di have belonged to Chengde for a long time. If they are suddenly split off now, I fear that Wang Chengzong and his officers will be anxious, suspicious, and resentful, and will use this as a pretext. Moreover, the situation in neighboring circuits is the same. They will each worry that they too might be divided in the future and may secretly form alliances and incite unrest. If they gather to resist, it will be doubly difficult to handle. We hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully. As for the two taxes and the officials, we hope that when the condolence envoy is sent there, he can use his own words to persuade Wang Chengzong to submit a memorial requesting the same as Li Shidao, without letting him know it is Your Majesty's intention. In this way, if he is fortunate enough to obey the command, it will be proper in principle. If he does not obey, the court's dignity will not be harmed." The Emperor further asked: "Now Liu Ji and Tian Ji'an are both ill. If they both die, can we hand over their positions to their sons as was done in Chengde? When will the empire be pacified! Those who discuss this all say, 'We should take this opportunity to replace them. If they do not accept, we should send troops to punish them. The timing cannot be missed.' What do you think?" Li Jiang and others replied: "The officials see that Your Majesty has conquered Shu in the west and Wu in the east with ease, and so those who flatter and seek quick merit compete to offer advice, urging Your Majesty to send troops to Hebei. They do not consider the state's long-term plans. Your Majesty, because of past successes easily achieved, trusts their words. We have thought day and night, and the situation in Hebei is different from that in Xichuan and Zhexue. Why? Xichuan and Zhexue are not regions of repeated rebellion. Their four neighboring areas are all ministers under the court's command, like an arm guiding the fingers. Liu Pi and Li Qi alone conceived wild schemes, but their subordinates did not support them. Liu Pi and Li Qi only bought them off with goods, and when the army arrived, they scattered and separated. So at that time, we also advised Your Majesty to execute them, based on a plan of complete safety. Chengde is different. Its internal ties have been solid for a long time, and its external influence extends widely. Its officers and people cherish the nurturing grace of successive military governors and do not understand the principle of loyalty and rebellion between ruler and subject. Reasoning with them will not make them obey; threatening them with force will not make them submit. This will bring shame to the court. Moreover, neighboring circuits may normally be suspicious and resentful of each other, but when they hear of a change in the military governor, they will certainly unite as one heart. This is probably because each is planning for his descendants and fears that it will be his turn in the future. If, by chance, other circuits coordinate internally and externally, the war will drag on, financial resources will be exhausted, and the Western Rong and Northern Di will take advantage to spy. The troubles that arise could not be fully described! Liu Ji and Tian Ji'an are no different from Wang Chengzong. If the time comes when they pass away and there is an opportunity, we should handle it then according to the circumstances. To use troops under these conditions, I fear it is not yet possible. The foundation of peace is not achieved in a single morning or evening. We hope Your Majesty will act prudently." At that time, Wu Shaocheng was critically ill. Li Jiang and others further memorialized: "Wu Shaocheng's illness certainly cannot recover. The situation in Huaixi is different from that in Hebei. It is surrounded by court prefectures and counties, not adjacent to rebels, and has no faction or external support. Now is precisely the time for the court to appoint a commander. If, by chance, he does not obey, we can discuss a punitive campaign. We hope Your Majesty will abandon the difficult strategy of attacking Hengji and adopt the easy plan of dealing with Shen Cai. If there is once a war in Hengji that does not go smoothly, and an opportunity arises in Caizhou, we will inevitably raise troops on both the northern and southern fronts, and our financial resources will be insufficient. If matters become unavoidable and we must pardon Wang Chengzong, then the grace will be wasted, and the authority of our commands will be suddenly discarded. It is better to grant an early appointment to win over the hearts of the people of Zhenji, then wait for the right moment, and we will surely gain the benefits of dealing with Shen Cai." Shortly after, because Wang Chengzong had not received a court order for a long time, he became very afraid and submitted several memorials to defend himself. In the eighth month, on the day renwu, Emperor Xianzong thus sent Pei Wu, the Junior Administrator of the Metropolitan Area, to Zhending to offer comfort and inquire. Wang Chengzong received the imperial decree with deep respect, saying: "The three armies pressured me, and I had no time to await the court's will. Please allow me to offer the two prefectures of De and Di to demonstrate my sincerity."

On the day bingshen, the Protector of Annan, Zhang Zhou, memorialized that he had defeated the thirty thousand troops of Huanwang.

In the ninth month, on the jia-chen day (the first day of the month), Pei Wu returned to court to report on his mission. On the geng-xu day, Wang Chengzong was appointed Military Governor of Chengde Army, and Surveillance Commissioner of Heng, Ji, Shen, and Zhao Prefectures. Xue Changchao, the Prefect of Dezhou, was appointed Military Governor of Baoxin Army, and Surveillance Commissioner of De and Di Prefectures. Xue Changchao was the son of Xue Song and also the son-in-law of the Wang family, so the court employed him. Tian Ji'an received the news by swift horse relay and learned of this matter in advance. He sent a man to say to Wang Chengzong: "Xue Changchao has secretly colluded with the court, and that is how he obtained the military governor's banner and staff." Wang Chengzong immediately dispatched several hundred cavalry to race into Dezhou, seize Xue Changchao, escort him to Zhending, and imprison him. When the eunuch delivering Xue Changchao's banner and staff passed through Weizhou, Tian Ji'an pretended to hold a feast to comfort him, detaining the envoy for several days. By the time the envoy reached Dezhou, it was already too late. The Xianzong Emperor believed that Pei Wu had deceived the court. Someone also slandered him, saying: "After returning from his mission, Pei Wu first went to spend the night at the home of Chief Chancellor Pei Ji, and only entered court for an audience the next morning." The Emperor was extremely angry and told Li Jiang about this, wanting to banish Pei Wu to Lingnan. Li Jiang said: "In the past, Pei Wu was trapped in Li Huai-guang's army and held fast to his integrity, refusing to submit. How could he suddenly act so treacherously now! It is probably because the rebels are full of wiles, making it difficult to fully understand their true situation. Wang Chengzong was initially afraid of a court punitive expedition, so he requested to offer the two prefectures. Later, he received the court's grace and leniency, but the neighboring circuits all did not wish for Chengde to set a precedent of division. It is likely that someone secretly sowed discord, enticed, and coerced him, causing him to be unable to maintain his original resolve. This is not Pei Wu's fault. Now, if Your Majesty selects Pei Wu to go on a mission to a rebellious land, and upon his return, because one sentence displeases you, you immediately banish him to a remote and desolate place, I fear that from now on, those sent on missions to the bandit courts will take Pei Wu as a warning, seeking only their own convenience. They will speak ambiguous and flattering words, and will not be willing to exhaust their sincerity and detail the advantages and disadvantages—this is not beneficial to the state. Moreover, Pei Ji and Pei Wu have long served at court and are familiar with court affairs. How could there be logic in a man returning from a mission, not yet seeing the Son of Heaven, first going to the Chief Chancellor's home to spend the night! I dare guarantee to Your Majesty that this is certainly not the case. This is probably someone wanting to frame Pei Wu and Pei Ji. I hope Your Majesty will investigate thoroughly." The Xianzong Emperor was silent for a long time, then said: "In principle, it is possible." Thereupon, he did not pursue the matter further.

On the bing-chen day, Zhenwu memorialized that fifty thousand cavalry from Tubo had arrived at Futiquan. On the xin-wei day, Fengzhou memorialized that over ten thousand Tubo cavalry had arrived at Dashi Valley, plundering the people of Huigu who were returning home after having come to court to pay tribute.

A petty official of the Left Shence Army, Li Yu, had borrowed eight thousand strings of cash from a wealthy man in Chang'an. After three full years, he had not repaid it. The Metropolitan Governor, Xu Mengrong, arrested him, put him in the cangue and fetters, and set a deadline for him to repay the debt, saying: "If the deadline arrives and the amount is insufficient, you will be executed." The upper and lower levels of the Imperial Army were greatly shocked. The Zhongwei (Commander of the Shence Armies) appealed to the Xianzong Emperor. The Emperor sent a eunuch with an edict, ordering Li Yu to be returned to the Left Shence Army. Xu Mengrong refused to release him. The eunuch came again. Xu Mengrong said: "If I do not accept the imperial command, it is a capital offense. But I am administering the imperial domain for Your Majesty. If I do not suppress the powerful and arrogant, how can I purify the capital! Until the money is fully repaid, Li Yu cannot be released." The Xianzong Emperor admired his strength and integrity and agreed to his action. The people in the capital were all awestruck.

The Emperor sent a eunuch to instruct Wang Chengzong, ordering him to send Xue Changchao back to his garrison. Wang Chengzong did not accept the imperial command. In winter, in the tenth month, on the gui-wei day, the Emperor issued an edict stripping Wang Chengzong of his official rank and title. He appointed the Zhongwei of the Left Shence Army, Tu-tu Cheng-cui, as Commissioner of the March of the Left and Right Shence Armies, Hezhong, Heyang, Zhexi, and Xuanshe Circuits, and as the Commander for the Recruitment and Pacification of Bandits. The Academician of the Hanlin Academy, Bai Juyi, submitted a memorial, arguing: "When the state undertakes a punitive expedition, it should hold the generals and commanders responsible for its completion. In recent years, the practice began of using eunuchs as army supervisors. From ancient times to the present, there has never been a case where the realm's troops were mobilized and placed solely under the command of a eunuch. Now, since the Shence Armies have not established a commissioner for the march, Tu-tu Cheng-cui is effectively the commander-in-chief. Furthermore, being appointed as the Commander for the Recruitment and Pacification of Bandits for all the armies makes him the overall commander. I fear that when the four quarters hear of this, they will surely despise the court. When the four barbarians hear of this, they will surely mock China. Can Your Majesty bear to let it be passed down to later generations that using a eunuch as commander-in-chief and overall commander began with Your Majesty! I also fear that Liu Ji, Zhang Maozhao, as well as Fan Xichao, Lu Congshi, and even the generals and officers of the various circuits, will all be ashamed to receive Tu-tu Cheng-cui's orders. If their minds are not united, how can achievements be established! This is to aid Wang Chengzong's schemes and to dampen the momentum of the various generals. If Your Majesty considers Tu-tu Cheng-cui's diligent service, you can honor him; if you pity his loyalty, you can make him wealthy. But as for the great powers of military and state, which often affect order and chaos, the system of the court came from the ancestors. How can Your Majesty bear to bend the law to satisfy a subordinate, follow another's desires to harm your own sage virtue? Why not consider the present moment, only to be laughed at for ten thousand generations to come!" At that time, the remonstrance officials and censors discussing that Tu-tu Cheng-cui's position and title were too heavy came one after another, but the Emperor would not listen. On the wu-zi day, the Emperor went to the Yanying Hall. The Commissioner of the Treasury, Li Yuansu; the Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Monopoly, Li Yong; the Metropolitan Governor, Xu Mengrong; the Vice Censor-in-Chief, Li Yijian; the Remonstrance Counselor, Meng Jian; the Admonisher of the Palace Secretariat, Lü Yuanying and Mu Zhi; and the Right Rectifier of Omissions, Dugu Yu, all strongly argued that it was impermissible. The Emperor had no choice. The next day, he removed Tu-tu Cheng-cui from his post as Commissioner of the Four Circuits' Armies and changed his title from Commander for Pacification to Commissioner for Pacification, and that was all. Li Jiang had repeatedly argued that eunuchs were arrogant, encroached upon government affairs, and slandered loyal officials with false accusations. The Emperor said: "How dare these men spread slander! Even if they did, I would not listen." Li Jiang said: "Most of these men do not know benevolence or righteousness, and do not distinguish right from wrong. They only care about profit. If they receive a bribe, they will praise a Robber Zhi or a Zhuang Qiao as being incorruptible and virtuous. If their wishes are thwarted, they will slander a Gong Sui or a Huang Ba as being greedy and cruel. They can use cunning and deceitful schemes to create appearances that seem reasonable but are not, and day and night, by Your Majesty's side, they gradually insinuate their words. Your Majesty will surely believe them sometimes. Since ancient times, the cases of eunuchs ruining states are all recorded in detail in the histories. How can Your Majesty not guard against the slightest beginning!"

On the ji-hai day, Tu-tu Cheng-cui led the Shence Army out of Chang'an. An order was issued for the various circuits surrounding Hengzhou to each advance their troops for the punitive expedition.

Initially, Wu Shaocheng favored his senior general Wu Shaoyang, calling him his cousin, and appointed him to military posts. He came and went in Wu Shaocheng's home like a close relative, and was repeatedly promoted until he became the Prefect of Shenzhou. When Wu Shaocheng fell ill and became unconscious, a household servant named Xianyu Xiong'er, falsely using Wu Shaocheng's orders, summoned Wu Shaoyang to act as Deputy Commissioner, managing the affairs of the army and the prefecture. Wu Shaocheng had a son named Wu Yuanqing. Wu Shaoyang killed him. In the eleventh month, on the ji-si day, Wu Shaocheng died. Wu Shaoyang made himself Acting Military Governor.

In this year, the King of Yunnan, Xun Gequan, died. His son, Quan Longsheng, succeeded to the throne.

Tian Ji'an heard that Tu-tu Cheng-cui would lead troops to punish Wang Chengzong. He summoned his subordinates and said: "The court's army has not crossed the Yellow River for twenty-five years. Now, if they once cross Wei-Bo to punish Chengde, and Chengde is captured, Wei-Bo will also be captured. What plan should be adopted for this?" One of his generals stepped forward from the ranks and said: "I hope to borrow five thousand cavalry to relieve Your Excellency's anxiety!" Tian Ji'an shouted: "A brave man! The army must be dispatched. Anyone who obstructs this will be beheaded!"

Tan Zhong, a military officer of Youzhou originally from Jiang, was sent by Liu Ji as an envoy to Weibo. Upon learning of their plan, he went to Tian Ji’an and said, “This scheme of yours is one that would summon the armies of the entire realm. Why? Now the imperial court’s army crosses Weibo to attack Chengde, yet it does not dispatch veteran officials or seasoned generals but entrusts the task to eunuchs; it does not mobilize the troops of the whole realm but sends mostly soldiers from Qin. Do you know who devised this plan? It was the Son of Heaven himself, who wishes to display his authority before his ministers. If the army is defeated in Weibo before even attacking Chengde, that would mean the Son of Heaven’s strategy is inferior to his ministers’, and could he not feel ashamed before the realm? Once ashamed and angered, he will surely employ wise counselors to devise long-term plans, rely on fierce generals to train elite troops, exhaust all efforts to raise another army to cross the Yellow River, learn from the previous failure, and certainly will not bypass Weibo to attack Chengde. Comparing the weight of offenses, he will not attack Chengde first and then Weibo, but will come straight at Weibo, neither above nor below.” Tian Ji’an asked, “If so, what should be done?” Tan Zhong replied, “When the imperial army enters Weibo, you should reward them generously. At the same time, press your entire army to the border, claiming to attack Chengde, but secretly send a letter to the people of Chengde saying: ‘If Weibo attacks Chengde, then the righteous men of Hebei will say Weibo has betrayed a friend; if Weibo allies with Chengde, then the loyal ministers of Henan will say Weibo has rebelled against its lord. The reputation of betraying a friend and rebelling against a lord is something Weibo cannot bear. If you, in charge, could secretly lower your defenses and gift Weibo a city, Weibo could use it as proof to report victory to the Son of Heaven. Thus, Weibo can serve Chengde to the north and act as a subject to the west. This would cost Chengde only a small loss, while bringing Weibo rare benefits. Could you, in charge, not have such intentions toward Weibo?’ If the people of Chengde do not refuse you, then the foundation of Weibo’s hegemony will be secure.” Tian Ji’an said, “Excellent! Your arrival, sir, is Heaven’s favor to Weibo.” So he adopted Tan Zhong’s plan, secretly conspired with Chengde, and obtained Tangyang. Tan Zhong returned to Youzhou and planned to encourage Liu Ji to attack Wang Chengzong. Just then, Liu Ji assembled his generals and said, “The Son of Heaven knows I resent Chengde, and now he orders me to attack it. Chengde will certainly prepare heavily against me. Which is more advantageous: to attack or not to attack?” Tan Zhong quickly replied, “The Son of Heaven will ultimately not let us attack Chengde, and Chengde will not prepare against Yan.” Liu Ji angrily said, “Why don’t you just say that Liu Ji and Wang Chengzong are plotting rebellion!” He ordered Tan Zhong imprisoned. He sent someone to observe Chengde’s border, and indeed, there were no defenses. A day later, an imperial edict arrived, commanding Liu Ji to “exclusively protect the northern border, so that I need not worry about the barbarian threat and can focus on dealing with Wang Chengzong.” Liu Ji then opened the prison and summoned Tan Zhong, saying, “It was exactly as you judged. How did you know?” Tan Zhong said, “Lu Congshi outwardly befriends Yan but inwardly resents it; he outwardly rejects Chengde but inwardly colludes with it. He devised a plan for Chengde, saying: ‘Yan regards Chengde as its shield. Though it resents Chengde, it will certainly not harm Chengde, so there is no need to prepare against it.’ This shows Yan dares not confront Chengde, and it also makes Yan fall under the Son of Heaven’s suspicion. Since Chengde does not prepare against Yan, the people of Luzhou will report to the Son of Heaven, saying: ‘Yan deeply resents Chengde, but when Chengde is attacked, it does not prepare against Yan. This means Yan is actually colluding with Chengde.’ This is how I knew the Son of Heaven would ultimately not let you attack Chengde, and Chengde would not prepare against Yan.” Liu Ji asked, “What should be done now?” Tan Zhong said, “The enmity between Yan and Chengde is known to all under Heaven. Now the Son of Heaven attacks Chengde, yet you sit with the full army of Yan and do not send a single man across the Yi River. This allows the people of Luzhou to say Yan sells favors to Chengde and betrays loyalty to the Son of Heaven—both things are achieved. Thus, Yan, harboring loyalty and righteousness, ends up tainted with the reputation of privately colluding with Chengde, gaining no favor from the people of Chengde, and only earning a noisy, evil name throughout the realm. I hope you will consider this deeply!” Liu Ji said, “I understand.” So he ordered the army: “All troops must set out within five days; those who are late will be executed by being made into minced meat!”

In spring, the first month, Liu Ji personally led 70,000 troops to attack Wang Chengzong. At that time, other armies had not yet advanced; only Liu Ji moved forward alone with fierce attacks, capturing Raoyang and Shulu. The four armies of Hedong, Hezhong, Zhenwu, and Yiwu served as the northern route commander for Hengzhou and assembled in Dingzhou. It happened to be the night of the Lantern Festival. Military officials requested stopping the hanging of lanterns because of nearby external armies. Zhang Maozhao said, “The three garrisons are all imperial troops—what do you mean by ‘external armies’?” He ordered the hanging of lanterns, did not prohibit pedestrians, did not close the alley gates, and for three nights it was as usual, with no one daring to cause trouble.

On the Dingmao day, the Hedong general Wang Rong captured Wang Chengzong’s Huihuang Town. Tu Tu Chengcui arrived at the camp, but his authority and orders were weak. He engaged Wang Chengzong in battle and suffered repeated defeats. The Left Shence General Li Dingjin died in battle. Li Dingjin was a fierce general, and the army’s morale was shaken.

The Henan Yin Fang Shi had committed illegal acts. The Eastern Terrace Censor Yuan Zhen reported this and arrested him, arbitrarily suspending him from office. The court deemed this improper, fined Yuan Zhen one season’s salary, and recalled him to the Western Capital. When he reached Fushui Station, some eunuchs arrived later, broke down the station gate, shouted as they entered, and struck Yuan Zhen’s face with a horsewhip. The Emperor then pursued Yuan Zhen’s previous faults and demoted him to the position of Scribe of Jiangling. The Hanlin Academicians Li Jiang and Cui Qun submitted memorials saying Yuan Zhen was innocent. Bai Juyi submitted a memorial saying: “When eunuchs insult court officials, the eunuch is not investigated, but Yuan Zhen is demoted first. I fear that from now on, eunuchs going out will become even more cruel and domineering, and no one will dare to speak out. Moreover, Yuan Zhen served as a censor, repeatedly impeaching and reporting, not avoiding the powerful. Many harbor deep hatred for him. I fear that from now on, no one will be willing to enforce the law as officials for Your Majesty, to hate evil and correct faults. If there are great villains, Your Majesty will have no way to know.” The Emperor did not heed this.

Because the court was engaged in military campaigns in Hebei, it could not attack Wu Shaoyang. In the third month, on the Jiwei day, Wu Shaoyang was appointed as the Liu-hou of Huaixi.

The various armies campaigning against Wang Chengzong had long achieved no military merit. Bai Juyi submitted a memorial saying: "Hebei originally should not have been used for military action. Now that troops have already been dispatched, Tuhu Chengcui, without having fought a bitter battle, has already lost a major general. He and Lu Congshi's two armies, after entering enemy territory, have delayed, neither advancing nor retreating. This is not only due to intentional lingering, but also because their strength is insufficient to withstand the enemy. Fan Xizhao and Zhang Maozhao reached Xinshi County but ultimately could not advance. Liu Ji led his entire army to besiege Leshou but could not capture it for a long time. Li Shidao and Wang Ji'an were never reliable from the start. Observing their situation, it seems they have made a mutual pact: each has reclaimed one county and then stopped advancing. Your Majesty, looking at this situation, what hope is there for success? In my humble opinion, we must swiftly cease hostilities. If we hesitate further, there will be four harms: two things worthy of deep regret, and two things worthy of profound concern. Why is this? If success could be guaranteed, there would be no need to consider the expenditure. Since we truly know it cannot be achieved, we should not waste resources and provisions in vain. To act after understanding is not too late. Now, each day delayed costs one day's expense; extending it another month increases the cost further. In the end, we will still have to stop the war—better to stop early! Using the wealth and silk from the treasury and the fat and blood of the common people to aid the Hebei buffer regions only makes them stronger. This is the first thing Your Majesty should regret. I also fear that the generals of Hebei, seeing that Wu Shaoyang has already accepted the court's appointment, will cite precedents and weigh their options, using the same reasoning to request a pardon for Wang Chengzong. If their memorials arrive one after another, it would be morally impossible to refuse. If we grant the pardon only after such requests, the circumstances are predictable, and it would instead cause Wang Chengzong to forge even tighter bonds with his peers. Thus, granting or withholding favors would be decided by neighboring buffer regions, while grace and trust would not originate from the court. I truly fear that authority and power will all revert to Hebei. This is the second thing Your Majesty should regret. Now the weather has become hot, and the soldiers' breath mingles in the heat. Added to this are hunger, thirst, and fatigue, with disease and pestilence breaking out in the open. Forcing them to fight under these conditions—how can men endure it? Even if they do not cherish their bodies, it is hard to bear this suffering. Moreover, the Shence Army consists of mixed city-dwellers, unaccustomed to such hardship. If they suddenly seek a way to survive, there may be deserters. One man flees, and a hundred follow; if one army collapses, all the other armies will surely waver. If matters suddenly reach this point, regret will be of no use! This is the first cause for Your Majesty's profound concern. I have heard that the Huihu and Tubo have spies, and that matters in the Central Plains, both great and small, are known to them. Now, gathering the empire's forces solely to campaign against this one rebel, Wang Chengzong, from winter to summer, and yet achieving no success—should the strength of our armies and the scale of our expenditures be fully known to the western and northern enemies! If they suddenly see an opportunity and harbor treacherous intentions, taking advantage of our weakness to invade, with our current strength, can we attend to both ends? War would be continuous, disasters would multiply—what could not happen? If it ever comes to this, it truly concerns the safety of the state. This is the second cause for Your Majesty's profound concern."

Lu Congshi had first proposed the campaign against Wang Chengzong, but after the court dispatched troops, he lingered and did not advance, secretly colluding with Wang Chengzong, ordering his soldiers to secretly carry Wang Chengzong's insignia. He also inflated the prices of fodder and grain to disrupt the Board of Revenue's plans, hinted that the court should appoint him as Grand Councilor, and falsely accused the various circuits of colluding with the rebels, preventing their advance. The emperor was deeply troubled by this. Just then, Lu Congshi sent his yajiang Wang Yiyuan to the capital to report on affairs. Pei Ji summoned him for a talk, explained the principles of being a subject, and slightly moved his heart. Wang Yiyuan then expressed sincerity, revealing Lu Congshi's conspiracy and the circumstances under which he could be captured. Pei Ji had Wang Yiyuan return to his army to plan, and later when he came to the capital again, Pei Ji obtained key information about Lu Congshi's commander of all troops and horses, Wu Zhongyong, and others. Pei Ji said to the emperor: "Lu Congshi is cunning, arrogant, and vicious; he will surely rebel. Now I hear that he has set up camp opposite Tuhu Chengcui, treating Tuhu Chengcui like a baby, coming and going without any precautions. If we do not seize him now, even if we later mobilize a large army, it will not be settled within a year or half a year." The emperor was initially startled, but after thinking carefully for a long time, he agreed. Lu Congshi was greedy by nature. Tuhu Chengcui displayed many rare and exotic items, and seeing what Lu Congshi desired, gradually gave them to him. Lu Congshi was delighted and became even more familiar. On the jiashen day, Tuhu Chengcui planned with the marching army commander Li Ting, summoned Lu Congshi into the camp for gambling, and ambushed strong men under the tent. They suddenly rushed out, seized him, dragged him behind the tent and bound him, loaded him into a cart, and sped him off to the capital. Lu Congshi's attendants panicked in confusion. Tuhu Chengcui beheaded more than ten of them and proclaimed the imperial edict. When the soldiers in Lu Congshi's camp heard this, they all donned armor, came out, and brandished weapons noisily. Wu Zhongyong stood at the army gate and shouted to them: "The Son of Heaven has issued an edict; those who obey will be rewarded, and those who dare to resist will be beheaded!" The soldiers all put away their weapons and returned to their ranks. By nightfall, the cart sped away, and before dawn, it had already crossed the border. Wu Zhongyong was the son of Wu Chengqia; Li Ting was the son of Li Sheng.

On the dinghai day, Fan Xizhao and Zhang Maozhao heavily defeated Wang Chengzong's army at Mudaogou.

The emperor wished to reward Wu Chongyin for his meritorious service and wanted to immediately appoint him as the military governor of Zhaoyi. Li Jiang considered this inadvisable and requested that Wu Chongyin be appointed military governor of Heyang instead, and that the Heyang military governor Meng Yuanyang be assigned to garrison Zhaoyi. At that moment, Tu Tu-Chengcui submitted a memorial stating that he had already issued a directive making Wu Chongyin acting military governor of Zhaoyi. Li Jiang submitted a memorial saying: "The five prefectures under Zhaoyi's jurisdiction occupy the strategic heartland of the Shandong region. The Wei-Bo, Heng, and You garrisons are entrenched and colluding with each other; the court relies on this area to control them. The three prefectures of Xing, Ci, and Ming extend deep into its interior and are truly a treasured land for the state, on which security and danger hinge. Previously occupied by Lu Congshi, it caused the court such anxiety that it could not eat; now that it has been fortunately obtained, Tu Tu-Chengcui has given it to Wu Chongyin. When your servant heard of this, he was startled and deeply grieved! In earlier days, the state enticed and captured Lu Congshi. Although it was a long-term strategy, it had already lost the proper form. Now Tu Tu-Chengcui uses a directive to appoint a man as acting military governor of a major garrison and requests the ceremonial halberd for him. If this is not lacking in a ruler's heart, what is worse? Yesterday, Your Majesty obtained Zhaoyi; men and spirits celebrated together, and majestic commands were reestablished. Today, it is suddenly handed over to a common officer of the local army. People's hearts are immediately disheartened, and the legal code is thrown into chaos. Weighing advantages and disadvantages, it would be better to let Lu Congshi hold it. Why? Although Lu Congshi harbored treacherous schemes, he was still a prefectural governor appointed by the court. Wu Chongyin rose from the ranks of ordinary officers and replaced him because of a single directive from Tu Tu-Chengcui. I privately fear that when the garrisons north and south of the Yellow River hear of this, none will fail to be angered, and they will be ashamed to be considered his peers. Moreover, they will say that Tu Tu-Chengcui enticed Wu Chongyin to expel Lu Congshi and take his place. Each of them has officers under their command; will they not feel endangered for themselves! If Liu Ji, Zhang Maozhao, Wang Ji'an, Cheng Zhigong, Han Hong, and Li Shidao successively submit memorials stating the situation and denouncing Tu Tu-Chengcui's crime of monopolizing power, I wonder how Your Majesty will handle it? If none are answered, then the public anger will be even stronger; if the appointments are changed for them, then the court's authority will be entirely lost." The emperor again sent Privy Commissioner Liang Shouqian to secretly consult with Li Jiang, saying: "Now Wu Chongyin has already taken command of the military affairs. It is unavoidable; he must be given the ceremonial halberd of a military governor." Li Jiang replied: "Lu Congshi's appointment as military governor was not from the court, and thus opened the door to his wicked heart, ultimately leading to rebellion. Now, if we let Wu Chongyin take charge of the army and immediately grant him the ceremonial halberd, the power of authority and favor will not lie with the court. How is this different from Lu Congshi's case! That Wu Chongyin can obtain Heyang is already a blessing beyond his expectations; how would he dare to resist! Furthermore, the reason Wu Chongyin was able to capture Lu Congshi was originally because he followed the court's orders and succeeded. If he once defies an imperial edict, how do we know that his colleagues will not imitate his actions and move against him! Wu Chongyin has many peers of equal rank in the army; they certainly would not want Wu Chongyin alone to become the commander. Transferring him to another garrison would satisfy everyone's hearts. Why worry that he might rebel!" The emperor was very pleased and followed all of his requests. On the renchen day, Wu Chongyin was appointed military governor of Heyang, and Meng Yuanyang was appointed military governor of Zhaoyi. On the wuxu day, Lu Congshi was demoted to be the marshal of Huanzhou.

In the fifth month, on the yisi day, more than three thousand soldiers of the Zhaoyi army dispersed at night and fled to Weizhou. Liu Ji submitted a memorial reporting the capture of Anping.

On the gengshen day, Tibet sent a great minister, Lun Siyere, to have an audience, and also returned the coffins of Lu Mi and Zheng Shuju. On the jiazi day, the Xi people invaded Lingzhou.

In the sixth month, on the jiashen day, Bai Juyi again submitted a memorial, stating: "Your servant has recently requested a cessation of hostilities. The current situation is even worse than before. I wonder what Your Majesty is still waiting for!" At this time, whenever there were military or state affairs, the emperor always consulted with the various academicians. There was once a period of over a month when the emperor did not see the academicians. Li Jiang and others submitted a memorial saying: "Your servants eat their fill and say nothing. This is convenient for ourselves, but what about Your Majesty! That Your Majesty inquires about the way of governance and listens to and accepts straightforward speech is truly the fortune of all under heaven; how could it be merely the fortune of your servants!" The emperor immediately ordered, "We will meet at the Three Halls tomorrow." Bai Juyi had once, while discussing state affairs, said, "Your Majesty is wrong." The emperor's expression turned stern and he stopped the conversation. He secretly summoned the chief academician Li Jiang and said, "This petty official Bai Juyi is disrespectful. He must be dismissed from the Hanlin Academy." Li Jiang said, "Your Majesty can tolerate straightforward speech, and thus the various officials dare to exhaust their loyalty without concealment. Although Bai Juyi's words were somewhat careless, his intent was to offer loyalty. If Your Majesty punishes him today, I fear that all under heaven will think of closing their mouths. This is not the way to broaden Your Majesty's vision and hearing or to manifest your virtuous conduct." The emperor was very pleased and treated Bai Juyi as before. The emperor once thought of hunting near the imperial park. When he reached the west side of Penglai Pond, he said to his attendants: "Li Jiang will certainly remonstrate. It is better to stop."

In autumn, in the seventh month, on the gengzi day, Wang Chengzong sent an envoy to state that he had been alienated and slandered by Lu Congshi, and requested to pay tribute, to have court-appointed officials, and to be allowed to reform his errors. Li Shidao and others repeatedly submitted memorials requesting that Wang Chengzong be pardoned. The court also felt that the army had been fighting for a long time without success. On the dingwei day, an edict was issued to cleanse Wang Chengzong of his crimes, appointing him as the military governor of Chengde, and also returning the two prefectures of De and Di to him. All the troops from the various circuits' field camps were withdrawn, and a total of 280,000 bolts of cloth and silk were bestowed as rewards. Liu Ji was given the additional title of Zhongshu Ling.

When Liu Ji was campaigning against Wang Chengzong, he made his eldest son, Liu Gun, the deputy commissioner in charge of Youzhou's affairs. Liu Ji stationed his army at Yingzhou. His second son, Liu Zong, was the prefect of Yingzhou. Liu Ji appointed him as the acting commander-in-chief of the field camp and had him stationed at Raoyang. Liu Ji fell ill. Liu Zong, together with the judge Zhang Qi and the clerk Cheng Guobao, plotted. They pretended to send someone from Chang'an who said, "The court, because the chancellor has delayed and achieved no merit, has already appointed the deputy commissioner as military governor." The next day, they again sent someone to report, "The deputy commissioner's ceremonial halberd has already arrived at Taiyuan." They then sent someone running and shouting, "The ceremonial halberd has already passed Daizhou." The entire army was alarmed. In his anger and confusion, Liu Ji did not know what to do. He killed several tens of senior generals who had been close to Liu Gun, summoned Liu Gun to the field camp, and had Zhang Qi's elder brother, Zhang Gao, act as acting commissioner. Liu Ji did not eat from morning to afternoon. When he became thirsty and asked for water, Liu Zong took the opportunity to poison it and presented it to him. On the yimao day, Liu Ji died. Liu Gun reached Zhuozhou. Liu Zong, falsely claiming his father's orders, beat him to death with a club and then took command of the military affairs.

The Lingnan army supervisor Xu Suizhen slandered the military governor Yang Yuling before the emperor with baseless rumors. The emperor ordered Yang Yuling recalled to the capital and appointed to a sinecure. Pei Ji said, "Yang Yuling is by nature incorruptible and upright. It is inappropriate for Your Majesty to demote a frontier commander because of Xu Suizhen." On the dingsi day, Yang Yuling was appointed Vice Minister of Personnel. Soon after, Xu Suizhen himself committed a crime and was punished.

In the eighth month, on the yihai day, the emperor discussed immortals with the grand councilors and asked, "Are there really immortals?" Li Fan replied: "The effects of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han studying the arts of immortality are all recorded in the histories of previous dynasties. Emperor Taizong of Tang took the elixir of life from an Indian monk and became ill. This is a clear warning from ancient and modern times. Your Majesty is in the prime of life and is diligently striving for great peace. You should reject the doctrines of the alchemists. If your virtue is abundant and flourishing, the people are at peace, and the state is well governed, why worry about not attaining a long life like Yao and Shun!"

In the ninth month, on the jihai day, Tu Tu-Chengcui returned to court from the field camp. On the xinhai day, he was reinstated as General of the Left Guard in Chief and concurrently as the Left Army Commander-in-Chief. Pei Ji said: "Tu Tu-Chengcui first advocated the use of troops, exhausting the realm and causing it to suffer, and ultimately achieved nothing. Even if Your Majesty, out of old favor, does not execute him publicly, can you fail to demote him at all to apologize to all under heaven!" The Supervising Secretaries Duan Pingzhong and Lü Yuanying said that Tu Tu-Chengcui should be beheaded. Li Jiang submitted a memorial saying: "If Your Majesty does not punish Tu Tu-Chengcui, then in the future, if there is a general who loses an army, how will you handle it? If you execute him, then the same crime would receive different punishments, and he would certainly not be convinced. If you release him, then who would not seek to preserve themselves and treat the enemy lightly! I hope Your Majesty will put aside your unwillingness to be harsh and enforce the immutable law, so that generals and officers may be warned and encouraged." Two days later, the emperor dismissed Tu Tu-Chengcui from his post as Commander-in-Chief and demoted him to Director of Armaments. Both within and outside the court congratulated each other.

Pei Ji suffered from wind-stroke, and the emperor deeply regretted it; messengers from the palace inquiring after his illness were constant on the road. On the bingyin day, the Grand Master of Ceremonies Quan Deyu was appointed Minister of Rites and Grand Councilor with the same status. Yiwu Military Governor Zhang Maozhao requested that the court send someone to replace him in his post, wishing to lead his entire clan into the capital. The various garrison commands in Hebei sent men to persuade him to desist, but Zhang Maozhao did not heed them; altogether he submitted four memorials. The emperor then granted his request. The Left Chief of the Household Ren Dijian was appointed Yiwu Marching Army Adjutant. Zhang Maozhao handed over all the account books and keys of Yi and Ding prefectures to Ren Dijian, sent his wife and children ahead, saying: “I do not wish my descendants to be stained by vulgar customs.” After Zhang Maozhao departed, in winter, the tenth month, on the wuyin day, the Garrison Commander Yang Boyu rebelled and imprisoned Ren Dijian. On the xinsi day, the Yiwu officers and soldiers together killed Yang Boyu. The Military Commissioner Zhang Zuoyuan again rebelled and imprisoned Ren Dijian, who requested permission to return to court. Soon the officers and soldiers again killed Zhang Zuoyuan and supported Ren Dijian in managing military affairs. At that time, the treasury of Yi and Ding was completely exhausted, and the populace was also empty; Ren Dijian had nothing to reward the soldiers, so he prepared coarse rice and ate it together with them, living himself under the halberd gate for a full month. The officers and soldiers were moved by him, and together they begged Ren Dijian to return to his sleeping quarters, after which he was able to settle into his position. The emperor ordered that one hundred thousand bolts of silk damask be bestowed upon the Yiwu officers and soldiers. On the renchen day, Ren Dijian was appointed Yiwu Military Governor. On the jiawu day, Zhang Maozhao was appointed Military Governor of Hezhong, Ci, Xi, Jin, and Jiang, and the staff officers who accompanied him all received official posts.

The Right Chief Golden Guard Yi Shen bribed the Right Army Commander-in-Chief Diwu Congzhi with thirty thousand strings of cash, seeking the post of Hezhong Military Governor. Diwu Congzhi, fearing the matter would be exposed, reported it. In the eleventh month, on the gengzi day, Yi Shen was demoted to Right Guard General; three people were implicated and executed.

At first, Yi Shen had come to court from An Prefecture, leaving his son Yi You behind to manage the rear affairs, and the court then appointed Yi You as An Prefectural Governor, but he was unable to leave his post. It happened that Yi You’s mother died in Chang’an; Yi You, coveting military power, did not announce the mourning in a timely manner. The E-Yue Observer Xi Shimei sent a subordinate on business passing through his jurisdiction; Yi You came out to welcome him, and Xi Shimei then told him of his mother’s death, had a sedan chair prepared in advance, and sent him off that very day.

On the jiachen day, Prince Hui Li Xian died.

On the gengxu day, the former Hezhong Military Governor Wang E was appointed Hedong Military Governor. The emperor’s close attendants had received lavish bribes from Wang E and mostly praised him. The emperor ordered Wang E to concurrently serve as Grand Councilor with the same status, but Li Fan firmly insisted it could not be allowed. Quan Deyu said: “The post of Grand Councilor is not one to be filled by seniority. Since the rise of the Tang dynasty, among the great garrison ministers, unless they had great loyalty and great merit, or were overbearing men, the court sometimes had no choice but to bestow this title. Now Wang E has neither loyalty nor merit, nor is the court in a position where it has no choice—why suddenly give him this title!” The emperor then dropped the matter. Wang E had administrative talent and was skilled at accumulating wealth. Fan Xichao had led the entire Hedong army out to station at Hebei, suffering great losses and depletion. When Wang E first arrived at the garrison, the soldiers numbered less than thirty thousand, and the horses no more than six hundred; after a little over a year, the soldiers reached fifty thousand, the horses five thousand, weapons refined and sharp, and the granaries full. He also presented three hundred thousand strings of his family wealth, and the emperor again wished to add the title of Grand Councilor to Wang E. Li Jiang remonstrated, saying: “Wang E in Taiyuan, though he has some achievements, if we now appoint him because of his presenting family wealth, how will this be explained to later generations!” The emperor then stopped.

The Secretariat Director and Grand Councilor with the same status Pei Ji repeatedly requested to resign from his post due to illness. On the gengshen day, he was removed from his chancellorship and made Minister of War.

In the twelfth month, on the wuyin day, Zhang Maozhao entered court and requested permission to move his ancestors’ remains for reburial in Jingzhao.

On the renwu day, the Censor-in-Chief Lü Yuanying was appointed E-Yue Observer. Lü Yuanying once wished to ascend the city wall at night, but the gate was already locked, and the gatekeeper would not open it. His attendants said: “This is the Censor-in-Chief.” The gatekeeper replied: “At night it is difficult to distinguish true from false; even the Censor-in-Chief cannot open it.” Lü Yuanying then returned. The next day, he promoted the gatekeeper to an important post. The Hanlin Academician and Director of the Bureau of Merit Titles Li Jiang personally spoke to the emperor about Tu Tu Chengcui’s overbearing behavior, his words extremely earnest. The emperor’s expression changed, and he said: “Your words go too far!” Li Jiang wept and said: “Your Majesty has placed me in the position of heart and mind, eyes and ears. If I fear and avoid those close to Your Majesty and begrudge myself by not speaking, then I am failing Your Majesty. If I speak and Your Majesty dislikes hearing it, then Your Majesty is failing me.” The emperor’s anger subsided, and he said: “What you have said is what others could not say, letting me hear what I could not hear; you are truly a loyal minister! From now on, speak your mind fully, always like this.” On the jichou day, Li Jiang was appointed Secretariat Drafter, retaining his academician post. Li Jiang once calmly remonstrated with the emperor about accumulating wealth, and the emperor said: “Now the two rivers region has dozens of prefectures, all places where the state’s decrees cannot reach; the Hehuang area is several thousand li, lost to barbarians. I think day and night of washing away the shame of the ancestral temple, but the financial resources are insufficient, so I have no choice but to accumulate and hoard. If it were not so, my palace expenses are extremely frugal—what use would I have for storing up goods!”

In spring, the first month, on the jiachen day, the Zhangyi Acting Commander Wu Shaoyang was appointed Military Governor.

On the gengshen day, the former Huainan Military Governor Li Jifu was appointed Secretariat Director and Grand Councilor with the same status. In the second month, on the renshen day, Li Fan was removed from his chancellorship and made Chief of the Household of the Heir Apparent.

On the jichou day, Prince Xin Li Zao died.

The eunuchs disliked Li Jiang’s presence in the Hanlin Academy, so they had him appointed Vice Minister of Revenue, in charge of the ministry’s affairs. The emperor asked Li Jiang: “According to precedent, Vice Ministers of Revenue all present surplus tax revenues; only you have not presented any—why?” Li Jiang replied: “Officials guarding the borders impose excessive levies on the people to gain personal favor, and the whole world criticizes them. How much more so when the Revenue Ministry manages Your Majesty’s treasury—receipts and expenditures are all recorded; where would surplus come from! If it is moved from the Left Storage Treasury to the Inner Treasury as a tribute, it is like moving from the eastern storehouse to the western storehouse; I dare not follow this corrupt practice.” The emperor admired his integrity and valued him even more.

On the yisi day, the emperor asked the Grand Councilors: “In governing, should leniency or strictness take precedence?” Quan Deyu replied: “The Qin dynasty perished because of harshness; the Han dynasty flourished because of leniency. Emperor Taizong viewed the Mingtang Tu and forbade beating people on the back. Therefore, since the An-Shi rebellion, there have been many rebellious ministers, but they all quickly destroyed themselves. This is because the benevolent governance of the ancestors has deeply entered the people’s hearts, and they cannot forget it. Thus, the precedence of leniency and strictness can be seen.” The emperor considered his words excellent.

In summer, the fourth month, on the wuchen day, the Minister of War Pei Ji was appointed Guest of the Heir Apparent—this was because Li Jifu disliked him.

On the gengwu day, the Vice Minister of Justice and Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner Lu Tan was appointed Vice Minister of Revenue, in charge of the Budget Bureau. Someone reported that the Si Prefectural Governor Xue Jian, while serving as the Acting Transport Commissioner for the Northern Region, had possessed a strange horse and had not presented it. The matter was referred to the Budget Bureau, and a patrol inspector was sent to investigate; before he had returned, the emperor, annoyed at the slowness, sent the Rank-holding Official Liu Taixin to investigate the matter. Lu Tan said: “Your Majesty has already sent the relevant department to investigate, and now sends a rank-holding official to follow—could it be that the great ministers are not as trustworthy as a rank-holding official! I beg to be dismissed first.” The emperor recalled Liu Taixin.

In the fifth month, the former Marching Army Provisions Commissioner Yu Gaomo and Dong Xi were guilty of embezzling several thousand strings of cash. The emperor issued an edict pardoning their death sentences: Yu Gaomo was exiled to Chun Prefecture, and Dong Xi to Feng Prefecture. When they reached Tan Prefecture, an inner attendant was sent to order them to commit suicide. Quan Deyu submitted a memorial, saying: “Yu Gaomo and the others deserved death; if Your Majesty had executed them in the marketplace, who would not fear the law! It is inappropriate to first pardon them and then kill them.” Dong Xi was the son of Dong Jin.

On the Gengzi day, Jinwu General Li Weijian was appointed as the military governor of Fengxiang. The Longzhou region bordered Tubo, and in the past, the two sides frequently spied on each other day and night, alternately invading and plundering, leaving the people in turmoil. Li Weijian believed that border generals should cautiously guard defenses, accumulate wealth and grain to await the enemy, and should not covet small gains, provoke incidents to seek merit and rewards, and he prohibited unauthorized entry into Tubo territory. He increased the purchase of plow oxen, forged farming tools, supplied them to peasants who could not afford them on their own, and expanded cultivated land by hundreds of thousands of mu. For several consecutive years, there were good harvests, both public and private sectors became prosperous and well-supplied, and merchants and traders moved to other places.

The Zhenwu military governor A Deguang was granted the surname Li.

On the Dingmao day of June, Li Jifu submitted a memorial stating: "From the Han to the Sui dynasties, covering thirteen dynasties, the number of officials appointed has never been as large as in our current dynasty. Since the Tianbao era, troops have been stationed in the Central Plains, and now those that can be counted total over 800,000. The remaining people engaged in commerce, monks, and Taoist priests who do not farm account for five or six out of ten, which means three people who toil to support seven who sit idle waiting for food and clothing. Currently, both within and outside the court, there are no fewer than 10,000 officials whose salaries are paid from tax revenues. There are over 1,300 counties nationwide. There are many cases where a county’s territory is established as a prefecture, or a township’s population is made into a county. I request that Your Majesty order the relevant departments to carefully review and decide on reductions and mergers. Where officials can be eliminated, eliminate them; where prefectures and counties can be merged, merge them; and where paths to officialdom can be reduced, reduce them. Additionally, under the old system of our dynasty, salaries were set according to rank. A first-rank official received a monthly salary of 30,000 cash; the land-grant rice did not exceed 1,000 hu. Since the time of national difficulties, various special commissions have been established, with generous salary allotments. During the Dali era, powerful ministers received monthly salaries of up to 9,000,000 cash, and regardless of a prefecture’s size, the prefect received 1,000,000 cash. When Chang Gun served as chancellor, he began to set restrictions and limits. Li Mi later adjusted salaries according to the busyness or leisure of the position, increasing them as needed, and at the time, this was considered practical and reasonable, though difficult to reduce. However, there are still cases where positions exist but duties are abolished, or where titles are revoked but salaries continue to be paid. Between busy and idle posts, the disparity in salary thickness is significant. I request that Your Majesty order the relevant departments to carefully review salary provisions and miscellaneous allowances, weigh them, and report accordingly." The emperor then ordered the Secretariat Drafter Duan Pingzhong, the Zhongshu Sheren Wei Guanzhi, the Vice Minister of War Xu Mengrong, and the Vice Minister of Revenue Li Jiang to jointly conduct a detailed review.

In autumn, September, a man named Liang Yue from Fuping killed Qin Gao to avenge his father, then turned himself in to the county office to accept punishment. An imperial edict stated: "The matter of revenge: according to the Book of Rites, one should not coexist under the same sky with an enemy; according to the law, a killer must be executed. Both ritual and law are the foundations of imperial governance. Such a discrepancy indeed requires debate. The Shangshu Sheng should be ordered to convene discussions and report." The Zhifang Yuanwailang Han Yu presented an opinion, arguing: "The absence of a relevant article in the legal code is not an oversight. The general idea is that if revenge is not permitted, it would harm the hearts of filial sons and violate the teachings of former kings; if revenge is permitted, people would rely on the law to kill arbitrarily, making it impossible to curb from the source. Therefore, the sages repeatedly clarified its meaning in the classics, but deeply concealed its articles in the legal code. Their intent was to let law-enforcing officials uniformly judge according to the law, while scholars of the classics could cite the classics for discussion. A system should be established: 'Whenever someone avenges his father, after the incident occurs, the case details shall be submitted to the Shangshu Sheng for discussion and report, and handled according to circumstances.' In this way, both the classics and the law will not lose their original intent." On the Wuxu day, an edict stated: "Liang Yue is to be beaten 100 strokes with a heavy stick and exiled to Xunzhou."

On the Jiayin day, the Ministry of Personnel reported that, according to the edict, a total of 808 court and provincial officials had been merged or eliminated, along with 1,769 minor officials outside the regular hierarchy.

A great flood in Qianzhou destroyed the city walls, and the Surveillance Commissioner Dou Qun conscripted the barbarians from the Xi and Dong caves to repair them. Because the work was pushed too urgently, the barbarians of Chenzhou and Xuzhou revolted. Dou Qun attacked them but could not pacify them. On the Wuwu day, Dou Qun was demoted to be the prefect of Kaizhou.

In winter, November, the Director of the Bow and Arrow Storehouse, Liu Xiguang, accepted 20,000 strings of cash from the Yulin General Sun Rui to seek a military command post for him. The matter was exposed, and he was forced to commit suicide. The case implicated the Left Guard General-in-Chief and Director of the Inner Attendants Office, Tu Tu Chengchui. On the Bingshen day, Tu Tu Chengchui was appointed as the Eunuch Commissioner of Huainan. The emperor asked Li Jiang: "I have sent Tu Tu Chengchui out of the court. What do you think of this?" Li Jiang replied: "People outside would not have expected Your Majesty to do this so quickly." The emperor said: "He is nothing but a household slave. Previously, because he had been in service for a long time, I temporarily showed him favor and kindness. If he violates the rules, I will discard him like a hair!"

Since the various princes in the Sixteen Mansions had not yet left the palace, their daughters could not marry on time. The selection of marriage partners for princesses was entirely in the hands of eunuchs, and most relied on substantial bribes to succeed. Li Jifu submitted a statement: "Since ancient times, when marrying a princess, one must choose a suitable person. Only in recent times has this not been the case." In December, on the Renshen day, an edict was issued to grant the daughters of Prince En and five others the title of county princess, and to entrust the Zhongshu Sheng, Menxia Sheng, Zongzheng Si, and the Ministry of Personnel with selecting families of suitable status and talent to marry them.

On the Jichou day, the Vice Minister of Revenue Li Jiang was appointed as Zhongshu Shilang and Tongping Zhangshi. Li Jifu, as chancellor, often settled old scores, and the emperor was well aware of this. Therefore, he promoted Li Jiang to chancellor. Li Jifu was skilled at flattering the emperor’s wishes, while Li Jiang was upright and often argued with the emperor face to face. The emperor frequently considered Li Jiang correct and followed his advice, thus creating a rift between the two.

In the intercalary month, on the Xinsi day (the first day of the month), Qianzhou reported: The rebel leader Zhang Bojing of Chenzhou and Xuzhou invaded Bozhou and Feizhou.

The Acting Crown Prince’s Messenger Li She knew that the emperor’s favor and care for Tu Tu Chengchui had not yet diminished, so he submitted a sealed memorial, stating: "Tu Tu Chengchui has merit, and Liu Xiguang is innocent. Tu Tu Chengchui has long been regarded as a trusted aide and should not be suddenly abandoned." The Director of the Petition Box, the Remonstrance Grand Master Kong Ke, saw a copy of the memorial, rebuked Li She, and refused to accept it. Li She then bribed his way to submit the memorial at the Guangshun Gate. When Kong Ke heard of this, he submitted a memorial strongly arguing: "Li She is cunning and treacherous, deceiving Heaven. I request that he be publicly executed." On the Wushen day, Li She was demoted to be the Warehouse Supervisor of Xiazhou. Li She was the elder brother of Li Bo; Kong Ke was the son of Kong Chaofu.

On the Xinhai day, the Crown Prince Huizhao, Li Ning, died.

That year, there was a great harvest throughout the empire, with a dou of grain sometimes costing only two cash.

In spring, January, on the Xinwei day, the Mayor of Jingzhao, Yuan Yifang, was appointed as the Surveillance Commissioner of Fufang. Initially, Yuan Yifang flattered and served Tu Tu Chengchui. Li Jifu, wanting to strengthen his position through Tu Tu Chengchui, promoted Yuan Yifang to be the Mayor of Jingzhao. Li Jiang despised Yuan Yifang’s character, so he sent him out of the court. When Yuan Yifang entered court to thank the emperor, he seized the opportunity to say: "Li Jiang favors his classmate Xu Jitong and appointed him as the Deputy Mayor of Jingzhao, while sending me out to Fufang. He monopolizes power, acts arbitrarily, and deceives Your Majesty." The emperor said: "I know Li Jiang well. He would not do such a thing. Tomorrow, I will ask him." Yuan Yifang withdrew in fear and shame. The next day, the emperor questioned Li Jiang about this, saying: "Can a person truly have no private feelings for a classmate?" Li Jiang replied: "Classmates are merely people from all over the world who happened to pass the same examination. Some only become acquainted after passing. Where is there any private feeling? Moreover, Your Majesty does not consider me foolish and allows me to serve as chancellor. The duty of a chancellor lies in weighing talent and assigning posts. If a person is truly capable, I would appoint him even if he were among my brothers, sons, or nephews, let alone a classmate! To abandon talent to avoid suspicion is for personal convenience, not for fairness." The emperor said: "Good. I knew you would not be like that." So he urged Yuan Yifang to proceed to his post.

The Yellow River at Zhenwu flooded, destroying the East Shoujiang Fortress.

In the third month, on the bingxu day, the emperor arrived at the Yanying Hall. Li Jifu said, "The realm is already at peace; Your Majesty should indulge in pleasure." Li Jiang replied, "During the time of Emperor Wen of Han, even the weapons had no blades, every household was wealthy, and every person was well-supplied, yet Jia Yi still considered it like placing fire beneath a pile of firewood, and could not be called safe. Now, there are more than fifty prefectures south and north of the Yellow River that the laws and decrees cannot control. The rancid odor of the Dog Rong presses close to Jingzhou and Longzhou, and beacon fires have given repeated warnings. Added to this, floods and droughts occur frequently, and the granaries and treasuries are empty. This is precisely the time for Your Majesty to rise before dawn and eat late; how can it be called peace, and why should you immediately indulge in pleasure?" The emperor said happily, "Your words exactly match my thoughts." After withdrawing from the court, he said to those close to him, "Li Jifu is solely intent on flattering and currying favor; someone like Li Jiang is a true chancellor." The emperor once asked the chancellors, "Why did the governance during the Zhenyuan era become so disordered, to the point of reaching this state?" Li Jifu replied, "Emperor Dezong relied on his own sagely wisdom and intelligence, did not trust the chancellors but trusted others, which allowed treacherous ministers to seize the opportunity to wield power and act arbitrarily. The reason governance was poor was precisely this." The emperor said, "But this is not entirely Emperor Dezong's fault. When I was young and by Emperor Dezong's side, I saw that matters had both right and wrong, and the chancellors of the time did not repeatedly insist on presenting their views; they were all covetous of salaries and seeking temporary ease. How can we today place all the blame on Emperor Dezong? You all should take this as a warning. When things are wrong, you should strive to speak out without ceasing, and not fear my reprimand and anger to stop immediately." Li Jifu once said, "A minister should not force remonstrance; if it makes the ruler happy and the minister at ease, isn't that also good?" Li Jiang said, "A minister should dare to offend the dragon's countenance and speak with painstaking sincerity, pointing out gains and losses. If he causes the ruler to fall into evil deeds, how can that be called loyalty?" The emperor said, "Li Jiang's words are correct." Li Jifu returned to the Secretariat, lay down without conducting official business, and merely sighed deeply. Li Jiang sometimes went a long time without offering remonstrance, and the emperor would chide him, saying, "Is it that I cannot be tolerant and accepting, or is there nothing to remonstrate about?" Li Jifu also once said to the emperor, "Reward and punishment are the two great handles of the ruler; they cannot be neglected. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, grace has already been very deep, but the authority of punishment has not yet been invigorated; the court and the realm are lax and lazy. I hope Your Majesty will strengthen authority to invigorate them." The emperor looked at Li Jiang and said, "What do you think?" Li Jiang replied, "The governance of a true king esteems virtue and does not esteem punishment. How can one abandon the models of King Cheng, King Kang, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Jing, and instead imitate the First Emperor of Qin and his son?" The emperor said, "Correct." After more than ten days, Yu Di came for an audience and also urged the emperor to increase punishments. After another few days, the emperor said to the chancellors, "Yu Di is truly a treacherous minister, urging me to increase punishments. Do you know his intent?" They all replied, "We do not know." The emperor said, "This is to make me lose the people's hearts." Li Jifu's face changed greatly; after withdrawing from court, he hung his head and was silent, not laughing or speaking for an entire day.

In summer, in the fourth month, on the bingchen day, the Director of the Treasury Bureau and Hanlin Academician Cui Qun was appointed as a Secretariat Drafter, retaining his academician post. The emperor appreciated Cui Qun's uprightness and daring to speak, and ordered the academicians, "From now on, when presenting matters, you must obtain Cui Qun's joint signature before submitting them." Cui Qun said, "Every action of the Hanlin Academy will become a precedent. If this must be so, then in the future, should a sycophantic flatterer become the head of the Hanlin academicians, those in lower positions who speak directly would have no way to present their views." He firmly refused to accept the edict. He submitted three memorials on the matter before the emperor acceded to his request.

In the fifth month, on the gengshen day, the emperor said to the chancellors, "You have repeatedly said that Huainan, Zhexi, and Zhedong suffered from floods and droughts last year. Recently, a censor returned from there and said that no disaster occurred. What is the truth of the matter?" Li Jiang replied, "I have examined the memorials from Huainan, Zhexi, and Zhedong; they all say there were floods and droughts, with many people fleeing. They request measures for relief and recruitment. Their intention seems to be fear of the court's blame. How could they fabricate a disaster if there was none? This is probably the censor trying to be treacherous and sycophantic to curry favor with Your Majesty. I hope you will investigate his identity and punish him according to the law." The emperor said, "You are right. The state takes the people as its foundation. When hearing of a disaster, we should promptly provide relief. How can we still harbor doubts? I did not consider carefully just now and spoke wrongly." He then ordered the prompt remission of their taxes. The emperor once discussed the principles of governance with the chancellors in the Yanying Hall. It grew late, and the weather was very hot; sweat soaked through the emperor's clothes. The chancellors, worried that the emperor was tired, requested to withdraw. The emperor detained them, saying, "When I enter the inner palace, those who accompany me are only palace women and eunuchs. Therefore, I am happy to discuss the essentials of governance with you for a while, and do not feel the least bit weary."

In the sixth month, on the guisi day, the Minister of Works and Grand Councilor Du You retired with the office of Grand Guardian.

In autumn, in the seventh month, on the yihai day, Prince of Sui, Li You, was established as the Heir Apparent, and his name was changed to Li Heng. Li Heng was the son of Consort Guo. The son of another concubine, Prince of Li, Li Kuan, was older than Li Heng. The emperor was about to establish Li Heng and ordered Cui Qun to draft a letter of resignation for Li Kuan. Cui Qun said, "Generally, yielding what one possesses to another is called letting go. The Prince of Sui is the legitimate son; what does Li Kuan have to yield?" The emperor then dropped the matter.

In the eighth month, on the wuxu day, the Military Commissioner of Weibo, Tian Ji'an, died.

Initially, Tian Ji'an married the daughter of Yuan Yi, the Prefect of Mingzhou, and she gave birth to a son, Tian Huaiqian, who was appointed as the Deputy Military Commissioner. The Inner Staff Commander of the Guard, Tian Xing, was the son of Tian Tingjie. He was brave and strong, had read a fair number of books, and was by nature humble and cautious. Tian Ji'an was dissolute and tyrannical, and Tian Xing repeatedly admonished him, so the army relied on him. Tian Ji'an thought he was winning over the people's hearts, had him transferred to be the town commander of Linqing, and wanted to kill him. Tian Xing feigned paralysis, burning himself with moxa until his body was covered with scars, only then escaping harm. Tian Ji'an suffered from wind disease, and his killings knew no bounds; military and governmental affairs fell into chaos. Lady Yuan summoned the various generals and established Tian Huaiqian as the Deputy Commissioner to oversee military affairs. At that time, Tian Huaiqian was eleven years old. Tian Ji'an was moved to another bedchamber, and died after a little more than a month. Tian Xing was summoned to serve as the Commander of the Infantry and Cavalry Capital Guard.

On the day of Xinhai, the Left Dragon-Tiger Grand General Xue Ping was appointed as the military governor of Zheng-Wei, with the intention of using him to control Wei-Bo. The emperor and the chief ministers discussed the affairs of Wei-Bo. Li Jifu requested the dispatch of troops to punish it, but Li Jiang believed that Wei-Bo could be brought into submission without military action. Li Jifu vehemently argued the necessity of using troops, and the emperor said, “I also think so.” Li Jiang said, “I have privately observed that among the unruly military governors in the two rivers region, they all divide their troops among various generals, not allowing power to be concentrated in one person, fearing that if their authority becomes too great, they might scheme for their own benefit. The generals’ power is balanced, and they cannot control each other. If they want to form broad alliances, their hearts differ, and their plans will inevitably leak. If they want to start a rebellion alone, their troops are few and their strength weak, and they are bound to fail. Moreover, rewards are heavy and punishments severe, so the generals fear each other, and no one dares to be the first to act. The unruly military governors rely on this as a long-term strategy. But I privately think that if there were always a clear-headed commander who could control the life-and-death threads of the generals to command them, then roughly it could be self-sustaining. Now Tian Huaijian is a still-wet-behind-the-ears boy, unable to make decisions or handle affairs himself. The military government’s power will inevitably fall to someone. The gains the generals receive will be unequal, resentment will surely arise, and they will not accept each other. Then the former strategy of dividing troops will become the root of today’s chaos. If the Tian family is not slaughtered, they will all become captives or prisoners. Why trouble the imperial court’s army! If someone rises from the position of a subordinate general to replace the commander, there is nothing more hated by neighboring circuits than this. If they do not rely on the imperial court’s aid to preserve themselves, they will immediately be ground to dust by neighboring circuits. Therefore, I believe that there is no need to use troops; we can sit and wait for Wei-Bo to submit on its own. I only hope that Your Majesty will keep the troops still, nurture authority and sharpen resolve, strictly order all circuits to select and train soldiers, and await future orders. Let the rebels know of this. Within a few months, there will surely be someone who offers their service in the army. At that time, it will only depend on the imperial court reacting swiftly, seizing the opportunity, and not sparing titles and stipends to reward that person. When the two rivers circuits hear this, they will fear their subordinates imitating this to gain the court’s rewards, and they will all become afraid, vying to show obedience. This is what is called ‘subduing the enemy without fighting.’” The emperor said, “Good!” Later, Li Jifu again vigorously argued the benefits of using troops at the Yanying Hall, and said that grain, fodder, gold, and silk were already prepared. The emperor turned to ask Li Jiang, who replied, “Troops must not be lightly mobilized. In the year before last, when we attacked Hengzhou, we dispatched 200,000 troops from all four sides, and also mobilized the two Shence armies from the capital to rush there. The whole realm was in turmoil, spending over seven million strings of cash, and in the end, it achieved nothing, bringing ridicule from the whole world. Now the wounds have not yet healed, and everyone fears war. If we drive them with imperial decrees again, I fear not only that there will be no merit, but also that other changes may occur. Moreover, Wei-Bo does not need military action; the situation and reasoning are very clear. I hope Your Majesty will not doubt it.” The emperor straightened his body and struck the table, saying, “My decision to use troops is already fixed.” Li Jiang said, “Although Your Majesty says this, I fear that after leaving court, someone will again confuse your sage hearing.” The emperor’s expression turned stern, and he said harshly, “My will is already decided; who can confuse it!” Li Jiang then bowed and congratulated, saying, “This is the realm’s good fortune!”

Soon after, Tian Huaijian was young and weak, and military and governmental affairs were all decided by the household servant Jiang Shize. Jiang Shize frequently transferred generals based on his own likes and dislikes, and everyone was angry. The imperial court’s orders had not been issued for a long time, and the army was unsettled. Tian Xing entered the headquarters one morning, and several thousand soldiers loudly shouted, surrounding Tian Xing and bowing, requesting that he take the post of acting military governor. Tian Xing was startled and fell to the ground, but the crowd did not disperse. After a long time, Tian Xing estimated he could not avoid it, so he said to the crowd, “Are you willing to obey my words?” They all said, “We obey your orders.” Tian Xing said, “Do not offend the deputy commissioner, abide by the imperial court’s laws, register the household population, and request the court to appoint officials. Only then will it work.” They all said, “Good.” Tian Xing then killed Jiang Shize and more than ten others, and moved Tian Huaijian to an outside location.