Tang Annals 58
Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government, Volume 242
[Tang Records, Volume 58] Beginning from the seventh month of the xinyou year (821), and ending in the renxu year (822), covering a total of slightly over one year.
Emperor Muzong, the Wise, Sagely, Cultured, and Filial Emperor (Part 2)
Changqing (xinchou year, 821 AD)
Autumn, seventh month, on the jiachen day, Wei Yong went out and encountered a minor cavalry officer whose horse collided with his ceremonial outriders. Wei Yong ordered the officer to be pulled from his horse, intending to have him caned in the street. The Hebei soldiers were unaccustomed to the punishment of caning and refused to submit. Wei Yong reported this to Zhang Hongjing, who ordered the military inspector to arrest and punish him. That same evening, the soldiers, whose tents were connected, shouted and raised a clamor, staging a mutiny that the officers could not stop. They then stormed the military governor's residence, plundered Zhang Hongjing's property and women, imprisoned Zhang Hongjing in the Jimen Hostel, and killed his staff members Wei Yong, Zhang Zongyuan, Cui Zhongqing, Zheng Xun, Commander of the Capital Guard Liu Cao, and Personal Guard Zhang Baoyuan. The next day, the soldiers gradually felt regret and went to the Jimen Hostel to apologize to Zhang Hongjing, begging to reform and serve him loyally. They pleaded three times, but Zhang Hongjing refused each time. The soldiers then discussed among themselves, saying, "The lord does not speak; he is unwilling to pardon us. How can the army be without a leader for even a day?" So they jointly welcomed the former general Zhu Hui, honoring him as acting military governor. Zhu Hui was the father of Zhu Kerong. At the time, he was ill and bedridden at home. He declined on the grounds of old age and illness, requesting that Zhu Kerong be made acting governor, and the consented. Because the administrative assistant Zhang Che was a man of integrity and seniority, they did not kill him. Zhang Che, however, cursed them, saying, "How dare you rebel! You will soon be exterminated!" They killed him together.
On the renzi day, the assembled officials presented the emperor with the honorific title "Cultured, Martial, Virtuous, and Filial Emperor." A general amnesty was declared throughout the empire.
On the jiayin day, the eunuch monitor of Youzhou reported a military mutiny. On the dingsi day, Zhang Hongjing was demoted to Grand Mentor of the Heir Apparent and assigned to the Eastern Capital. On the jiyou day, he was further demoted to Prefect of Jizhou. On the gengshen day, Liu Wu, the military governor of Zhaoyi, was appointed military governor of Lulong. Liu Wu believed that Zhu Kerong's power was strong, and memorialized, requesting, "Temporarily grant Zhu Kerong the tally and axe of a military governor, and then slowly devise a plan to deal with him." Consequently, Liu Wu was reappointed military governor of Zhaoyi.
On the xinyou day, the Princess Taihe departed from Chang'an.
Initially, when Tian Hongzheng received the imperial order to govern Chengde, he considered that he had long been at war with the people of Zhenzhou, bearing the enmity of having killed their fathers and brothers. He therefore brought two thousand Wei Prefecture soldiers with him to his post and retained them for his own protection, memorializing to request that the Ministry of Finance supply their provisions and rewards. The Vice Minister of Revenue and Acting Director of the Ministry of Finance, Cui Zhi, was stubborn and narrow-minded, lacking foresight. He believed that both Wei and Zhen prefectures had their own troops and feared setting a precedent, so he refused to supply them. Tian Hongzheng submitted four memorials but received no response; with no alternative, he was forced to send the Wei Prefecture troops back. Cui Zhi was a grandson of Cui Mian. Tian Hongzheng treated his relatives generously. His brothers, sons, and nephews in the two capitals (Chang'an and Luoyang) numbered several dozen, and they vied with each other in wasteful extravagance, spending approximately two hundred thousand cash daily. Tian Hongzheng transported goods from Wei and Zhen prefectures by cart to supply them, and the carts on the roads formed an unbroken line. The officers and soldiers of Hebei were extremely dissatisfied. The imperial court issued an edict bestowing one million strings of cash on the Chengde army, but the Ministry of Finance's transport carts did not arrive on time, causing the soldiers even greater discontent. The Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Army, Wang Tingcou, was originally a descendant of the Uighur Abusi tribe. He was resolute, fierce, treacherous, and cunning, and secretly plotted rebellion. He often stirred up minor incidents to anger the troops, but because the Wei Prefecture troops were still present, he dared not act. After the Wei Prefecture troops left, on the renxu night, Wang Tingcou colluded with the elite personal guard to raise a clamor in the military governor's residence, killing Tian Hongzheng, along with his aides, accompanying officers, and family members—over three hundred people in total. Wang Tingcou proclaimed himself acting military governor and forced the eunuch monitor Song Weicheng to memorialize, requesting the imperial grant of the military governor's tally and axe. In the eighth month, on the guisi day, Song Weicheng reported the matter to the court. The court, from top to bottom, was shocked and terrified. Cui Zhi and Cui Zhi were cousins, so at that time, no one dared to investigate his culpability. Initially, when the court replaced the military governors of Weibo and Chengde, the General of the Left Golden Guard, Yang Yuanqing, submitted a statement arguing that the move was improper, and also went to the Grand Councilors to thoroughly explain the advantages and disadvantages. After the rebellion in Zhenzhou, the emperor bestowed on Yang Yuanqing a white jade belt. On the xinwei day, Yang Yuanqing was appointed military governor of Jingyuan.
The families of most officers and soldiers of Yingzhou and Mozhou were in Youzhou. On the renshen day, the Commander of the Capital Guard of Mozhou, Zhang Liangzuo, secretly led Zhu Kerong's troops into the prefectural city. The prefect Wu Hui disappeared without a trace.
On the guiyou day, Wang Tingcou sent men to kill the Prefect of Jizhou, Wang Jinji, and dispatched troops to occupy Jizhou.
When the military governor of Weibo, Li Su, heard that Tian Hongzheng had been murdered, he put on mourning garments and said to his officers and soldiers: "The reason the people of Weizhou have been able to receive imperial transformation and enjoy peace and prosperity to this day is all due to Tian Gong's efforts. Now the people of Zhenzhou are unrighteous and have dared to kill him. This is to slight us in Weizhou, thinking we have no men. All of you have received Tian Gong's favor; how should you repay it?" The people all wept bitterly. The Prefect of Shenzhou, Niu Yuanyi, was an excellent general of Chengde. Li Su sent an envoy to present him with a precious sword and a jade belt, saying, "In the past, my late father used this sword to establish great achievements, and I also used it to pacify Caizhou. Now I give it to you; please strive to eliminate Wang Tingcou!" Niu Yuanyi took the sword and belt and paraded them among the army, replying, "I am willing to serve to the death!" Li Su was about to dispatch troops when he suddenly fell ill and could not proceed. Niu Yuanyi was a man of Zhaozhou.
On the yihai day, Tian Bu, the former military governor of Jingyuan who was still in mourning, was appointed military governor of Weibo and ordered to proceed by relay to his post. Tian Bu firmly declined, but was not permitted. He bid farewell to his wife, children, and guests, saying, "I will not return!" He removed all his banners, ceremonial outriders, and attendants, and walked on foot. Thirty li from Weizhou, he let his hair down, went barefoot, and entered the city wailing, taking up residence in a simple mourning hut. His monthly salary was one thousand strings of cash, not a cent of which he kept. He also sold his old properties, obtaining over one hundred thousand strings of cash, all of which he distributed to the soldiers. He treated the elderly among the former generals like elder brothers.
On the bingzi day, a military mutiny occurred in Yingzhou. The rebels seized the Surveillance Commissioner Lu Shigong, along with the eunuch monitor and staff, and sent them to Youzhou, where they were imprisoned in a guest hostel.
Wang Tingcou sent his general Wang Li to attack Shenzhou but failed to capture it.
On the dingchou day, an edict was issued ordering the armies of Weibo, Heng-Hai, Zhaoyi, Hedong, and Yiwu circuits to each dispatch troops to approach the borders of Chengde. If Wang Tingcou remained obstinate and refused to repent, they should immediately advance and attack. The senior Chengde general Wang Jian and four others secretly plotted to assassinate Wang Tingcou. The plot was exposed, and they, along with three thousand of their subordinates, were all killed.
On the jimao day, the Prefect of Shenzhou, Niu Yuanyi, was appointed military governor of Shen-Ji. On the dinghai day, the Palace Censor of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, Wen Zao, was appointed Secretariat Drafter and concurrently Imperial Commissioner for Pacification of the Various Armies in the Four Sectors of Zhenzhou, to tour and inspect the circuits of Zelu, Hedong, Weibo, Heng-Hai, Shen-Ji, and Yiding, and to announce the military deadlines to them. Wen Zao was a fifth-generation descendant of Wen Daya. On the jichou day, Pei Du was appointed Pacification Commissioner for the Two Circuits of Youzhou and Zhenzhou.
On the guisi day, Wang Tingcou led Youzhou troops to besiege Shenzhou.
Ninth month, on the yisi day, a military mutiny occurred in Xiangzhou, killing the Prefect Xing Tan.
Tibet sent its Minister of Rites, Lun Na-luo, to request a treaty conference. On the gengxu day, the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Liu Yuanding, was appointed Imperial Commissioner for the Treaty Conference with Tibet.
On the renzi day, Zhu Kerong burned and plundered Yizhou, Laishui, Suicheng, and Mancheng.
Since the establishment of the Two-Tax Law, coins had grown increasingly valuable while goods became increasingly cheap, with the taxes paid by the people now three times the original amount. The emperor issued an edict ordering all officials to deliberate on a remedy for this malady. The Minister of Revenue, Yang Yuling, argued: "Coins are used to weigh the value of all goods and facilitate the exchange of what is present for what is absent; they should be allowed to circulate and spread, not hoarded and accumulated. Now, the tax coins collected from the people are all stored in the government treasuries. Moreover, during the Kaiyuan era, the empire had over seventy minting furnaces, yielding an annual income of one million coins. Today, there are only a dozen furnaces, producing an annual income of one hundred and fifty thousand coins, and these too are hoarded in the homes of merchants or flow into the lands of the Four Barbarians. Furthermore, before the Dali era, trade in Zi-Qing, Taiyuan, and Wei-Bo used a mix of lead and iron coins, while Lingnan used a mix of gold, silver, cinnabar, and ivory. Now, coins are used everywhere. Under these circumstances, how could coins not become valuable, and goods not become cheap! Now, we should order that all those in the empire who pay taxes use grain and cloth, expand the scale of minting, and prohibit the hoarding of coins as well as the carrying of coins beyond the frontier passes. In this way, coins will daily become more abundant." The court followed his advice and began ordering that both taxes be paid in cloth, silk, and floss; only the salt and liquor taxes were to be collected in coins.
In winter, the tenth month, on the day Bingyin, the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner and Minister of Punishments, Wang Bo, was appointed as Vice Director of the Secretariat and Co-Author of the Secretariat, retaining his post as Transport Commissioner. After becoming Chancellor, Wang Bo specialized in flattery and sycophancy, never discussing the safety or peril of the state.
Pei Du was appointed as the Chief Commander of the Four-Sided Campaign against Zhenzhou. The Left Guard General-in-Chief, Du Shuliang, had risen through his skill in currying favor with powerful and favored courtiers. At the time, the armies of Youzhou and Zhenzhou were at the peak of their strength, and the armies from the various circuits dared not advance. The emperor wanted a quick victory, and the eunuchs recommended Du Shuliang, appointing him as the Circuit Military Commissioner for the Shenzhou Campaign. Niu Yuanyi was appointed as the Military Commissioner of Chengde.
On the day Guiyou, the emperor ordered the Chancellor and senior ministers, seventeen in total, to hold a covenant meeting with the Tibetan official Lun Naluo west of the city of Chang'an. Liu Yuanding was dispatched to go to Tibet together with Lun Naluo, and there also held a covenant meeting with the Tibetan Chancellor and officials below him.
On the day Yihai, the Prefect of Yizhou, Wang Zhixing, was appointed as the Deputy Military Commissioner of Wuning. Previously, all Deputy Military Commissioners had been civil officials. The emperor, hearing that Wang Zhixing was brave and resourceful, wished to employ him on the Hebei front, and thus used this position to show him favor.
On the day Dingchou, Pei Du personally led his army out from the old pass of the Chengtiān Army to campaign against Wang Tingcou.
Zhu Kerong dispatched troops to invade Weizhou.
On the day Wuyin, Wang Tingcou dispatched troops to invade Beizhou.
On the day Jimao, the Prefect of Yizhou, Liu Gongji, defeated the Youzhou army at Baishi Ridge, killing over a thousand men.
On the day Gengchen, the Military Commissioner of Henghai, Wu Zhongyin, reported that he had defeated the Chengde army at Raoyang.
On the day Xinsi, the Military Commissioner of Weibo, Tian Bu, led his entire army of thirty thousand men in a campaign against Wang Tingcou, encamping south of Nangong. He captured two of Wang Tingcou's stockades.
The Hanlin Academician Yuan Zhen was closely allied with the Director of Confidential Palace Memorials, Wei Hongjian, and they conspired together, seeking to become Chancellor. Because of this, they enjoyed the emperor's favor, and the emperor consulted them on every matter. Yuan Zhen had no personal grudge against Pei Du, but because Pei Du was a senior figure of high prestige, Yuan Zhen feared that if Pei Du again achieved merit and was promoted, it would hinder his own advancement. Therefore, most of the military plans that Pei Du submitted were sabotaged by Yuan Zhen and Wei Hongjian. Pei Du then submitted a memorial vehemently denouncing their factionalism and treasonous harm to the state, stating: "Rebellious villains create calamity, shaking the region east of the mountains; treacherous ministers form cliques, disrupting and destroying the governance of the state. Your Majesty wishes to sweep clean Youzhou and Zhenzhou, but must first purge the court. Why is this? Because calamities have degrees of importance, and deliberations have priorities. The rebels of Heshuo only disturb the east of the mountains; the treacherous ministers within the court will certainly disturb the entire empire. Viewed in this light, the calamity of Heshuo is small, while the calamity within the court is great. The small calamity, your servant and the generals can surely eliminate; the great calamity, unless Your Majesty awakens and deals with it decisively, cannot be driven out. Now, among the civil and military officials, both within and outside the court, all who have a mind are filled with indignation, and all who have a mouth are sighing, only because the emperor's favor and promotion of them are at their peak, and they dare not offend, fearing that before matters are accomplished, disaster will fall upon them. They are not considering the state, but planning for themselves. Since the outbreak of warfare, your servant has submitted memorials, all of which strike at the heart of the matter. The imperial edicts received have often been contradictory. The intention entrusted to your servant by Your Majesty is not light, yet the number of instances where treacherous ministers have obstructed and harmed your servant is considerable. Your servant has always held no personal enmity with those sycophantic favorites. It is precisely because your servant previously requested to ride a post-horse to the court to personally present the military situation that the treacherous ministers fear and dread the most, worrying that your servant would expose their faults and crimes, and they have used every means to prevent me. Your servant also requested to advance together with the various armies, seizing the opportunity to attack. The treacherous ministers feared that your servant might succeed and have obstructed me in every way, delaying for time. Your servant is constrained in both advance and retreat, and all my opinions are blocked and concealed. They only wish for your servant to lose his support and be unable to succeed. As for the order or chaos of the empire, the victory or defeat east of the mountains, they care nothing about. To serve a lord as a minister and reach this state! If the treacherous ministers within the court are all purged, then the rebels of Heshuo will be pacified without being attacked; if the treacherous ministers within the court remain, then even if the rebels are eliminated, it will be of no benefit. If Your Majesty does not believe your servant's words, I beg you to show my memorial to the assembled officials for collective deliberation. If it is not condemned, your servant is willing to accept punishment." The memorial was submitted three times, and although the emperor was displeased, because Pei Du was a senior minister, he reluctantly, on the day Guiwei, appointed Wei Hongjian as Director of the Arsenal and Yuan Zhen as Vice Minister of Works. Although Yuan Zhen was removed from his post as Hanlin Academician, the favor and treatment he received remained the same as before.
The Prefect of Suzhou, Li Zhichen, was sentenced to death for corruption and bribery. A eunuch, having accepted a bribe from him, interceded on his behalf. The Imperial Censor-in-Chief, Niu Sengru, insisted on asking for his execution. The emperor said: "Li Zhichen has talent; it is a pity!" Niu Sengru replied: "Those without talent only seek to satisfy their hunger and warmth and support their wives and children; what is there to worry about! The laws were originally established precisely to capture and control talented men. An Lushan and Zhu Ci were both men whose abilities exceeded the ordinary, whom the laws could not restrain." The emperor followed his advice.
The Military Commissioner of Henghai, Wu Zhongyin, led his entire army to rescue Shenzhou. The armies of the various circuits relied on Wu Zhongyin alone to block the southeastern advance of Youzhou and Zhenzhou. Wu Zhongyin was an experienced veteran general who knew that the rebels could not be quickly defeated, so he held his troops in position and awaited an opportunity. The emperor, angered, on the day Bingxu, appointed Du Shuliang as the Military Commissioner of Henghai and transferred Wu Zhongyin to be the Military Commissioner of Shannan West.
The Military Commissioner of Lingwu, Li Jincheng, reported that he had defeated three thousand Tibetan cavalry at the foot of Dashi Mountain.
On the first day of the eleventh month, the Military Commissioner of Zi-Qing, Xue Ping, reported that the sudden-advance general Ma Tingyin had rebelled and had been executed. At the time, the armies of Youzhou and Zhenzhou were attacking Dizhou. Xue Ping sent the general Li Shuzuo with troops to rescue it. The Prefect, Wang Ji, provided slightly meager provisions, and the soldiers became resentful and angry, scattering during the night. They elevated Ma Tingyin as their leader, gathering soldiers as they marched, reaching over seven thousand men, and advanced directly on Qingzhou. The city had few troops and could not resist. Xue Ping took all the goods from his treasury and his own household to recruit soldiers, obtaining two thousand elite troops. He met the rebels in battle, utterly defeated them, killed Ma Tingyin, and several thousand of his followers died. The Military Commissioner of Henghai, Du Shuliang, led the armies of the various circuits in battle against the men of Zhenzhou, and whenever he encountered the enemy, he always retreated. The men of Zhenzhou knew he lacked courage and often attacked him first. On the day Gengwu of the twelfth month, the Supervisor Xie Liangtong reported that Du Shuliang had suffered a great defeat at Boye, losing over seven thousand men. Du Shuliang escaped back to his camp alone, having lost his banners and tallies.
On the day Dingchou, the Military Commissioner of Yiwu, Chen Chu, reported that he had defeated the army of Zhu Kerong at Wangdu and Beiping, capturing and killing over ten thousand men.
On the day Wuyin, the Military Commissioner of Fengxiang, Li Yanguang, was appointed as the Military Commissioner of Zhongwu and concurrently as the Military Commissioner for the Shenzhou Campaign, replacing Du Shuliang.
Since Emperor Xianzong had launched campaigns in all directions, the state’s financial resources had been exhausted. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he rewarded his attendants and the various armies without restraint. By the time the campaigns against Youzhou and Zhenzhou had dragged on for a long time without success, the treasury was depleted, and the situation became difficult to sustain. The chief ministers then discussed and said: “Wang Tingcou murdered Tian Hongzheng, but Zhu Kerong preserved Zhang Hongjing. Their crimes differ in severity. We request that Zhu Kerong be pardoned and that the campaign focus solely on Wang Tingcou.” The Emperor followed their advice. On the yiyou day, Zhu Kerong was appointed as the military governor of Pinglu.
On the wuzi day, the Yiwu army reported that it had captured three camps including Qingyuan in Mozhou, killing and capturing over a thousand people.
[Mu Zong Rui Sheng Wen Hui Xiao Huang Di Zhong]
In spring, on the dingyou day of the first month, the Youzhou army captured Gonggao. Before this, the defenses at Gonggao were very strict. One night, an eunuch arrived, but the defending commander refused to let him enter the city. Only at dawn was he allowed in, and the eunuch was furious and cursed loudly. Enemy spies learned of this. Later, they pretended to send someone posing as an eunuch, who arrived at the city wall at night. The defending commander hastily opened the city gate to let him in, and the enemy followed, thus capturing Gonggao. They also besieged Xiaobo. The Secretariat Drafter Bai Juyi submitted a memorial, stating: “Since Youzhou and Zhenzhou defied orders, the court has mobilized troops from various circuits, totaling seventeen or eighteen thousand men, attacking from all sides for over half a year. The court’s armies have achieved no merit, and the rebels’ power remains strong. Gonggao has already fallen, the grain route is blocked, and the situation at Xiaobo and Shenzhou is becoming increasingly urgent due to famine and hardship. This is likely because there are too many military governors, their intentions are not aligned, and no one is willing to take the lead, all watching and waiting. Furthermore, the court’s rewards and punishments have not been implemented recently. Those who have achieved no merit have sometimes already been appointed to office, while those who have failed have not been reported as punished. Since there is no deterrence or encouragement, this leads to delay. If the approach is not changed, there will certainly be no hope. I request that Li Guangyan be ordered to lead elite troops from various circuits, about thirty to forty thousand men, to advance swiftly from the east, open the grain route to Gonggao, join forces with the troops at Xiaobo to relieve the siege of Shenzhou and Xingzhou, and combine with Tian Hongzheng’s army. Order Pei Du to lead the entire Taiyuan army and concurrently hold his former post as chief pacification commissioner, to approach the enemy’s border from the west and observe the situation to act. If an opportunity arises to exploit their weakness, order a combined effort to destroy the enemy; if the enemy is defeated and impoverished, they may also be allowed to surrender. This way, a pincer attack will disperse the enemy’s strength, and offers of surrender will shake their morale. Inevitably, before execution is necessary, internal changes will occur among them. I also request that an edict be sent to Li Guangyan, ordering him to select the elite troops from the various circuits and retain them, while sending back all those unfit for service to their own circuits to guard their own territories. This is because having many but not elite troops not only wastes supplies and provisions but also risks disrupting and corrupting the army’s formation. Now that only two commanders for the eastern and western routes are retained, I request that one chief supervisor be appointed for each, and that the supervisors for the various circuits be temporarily abolished. This will unify the army’s resolve and command, ensuring success. Furthermore, the court originally appointed Tian Bu and ordered him to avenge his father. Now he has led his entire army out of his jurisdiction, with the Ministry of Finance supplying provisions. For several months, he has not advanced to attack. This is not because Tian Bu stubbornly wishes to do so, but due to reasons. I have heard that this army of Weibo has repeatedly received generous rewards, making the soldiers arrogant and the generals wealthy, with no one willing to obey commands. Moreover, the monthly expenses of this army, converted into cash, amount to 280,000 min. If this drags on, how can it be supplied? This is especially urgent, and they should be ordered to withdraw early. If only 60,000 troops are retained from the two circuits, the expenditure would be small, easy to sustain, and naturally sufficient. Now the situation is becoming increasingly urgent, and the changes in between are far from predictable. If the number of troops is not reduced and military expenses not cut, and food is already insufficient, how can the people remain stable! In a state of instability, what events might not occur! Moreover, the relevant departments, pressed to supply the army, are using every method to collect taxes. If they are not allowed to do so, expenditures are lacking; if they are fully allowed, the people have no support. Since ancient times, the safety or danger of a state has hinged on this. I earnestly beg Your Majesty, with your sage judgment, to perceive and consider this matter.” The memorial was submitted but not adopted. On the jihai day, the Ministry of Finance dispatched 600 grain carts to Cangzhou. When they reached Xiaobo, they were all plundered by the Chengde army. At that time, the various circuit armies were short of supplies. The clothing and grain that the Supply Army Office delivered often failed to reach the army camps, being intercepted and seized by other circuit armies on the road. Those troops that advanced deep into enemy territory all suffered from hunger and cold, receiving nothing.
Initially, when Tian Bu followed his father Tian Hongzheng in Weizhou, he treated the yamen general Shi Xiancheng well, repeatedly praising and recommending him, elevating him to important positions. When Tian Bu became military governor, he regarded Shi Xiancheng as a confidant and appointed him as the vanguard commander, entrusting him with all the elite troops of the army. Shi Xiancheng’s ancestors were of the Xi tribe, and for generations they had been generals in Weizhou. Weizhou, Youzhou, and Zhenzhou had long been interdependent. When Youzhou and Zhenzhou rebelled, the people of Weizhou were already wavering. Tian Bu led the Weibo army to attack Zhenzhou and encamped at Nangong. The Emperor repeatedly sent inner attendants to urge him to fight, but the soldiers were arrogant and lazy, with no will to fight. Moreover, heavy snow fell, and the Ministry of Finance’s grain transport could not keep up. Tian Bu levied the rent and taxes from the six prefectures to supply the army, and the soldiers were very displeased, saying: “According to precedent, when an army goes out of its jurisdiction to fight, the court supplies the provisions. Now the Shangshu is scraping the flesh and blood of the people of the six prefectures to support the army. Although the Shangshu is weakening himself to enrich the state, what crime have the people of the six prefectures committed!” Shi Xiancheng secretly harbored treacherous intentions. Taking advantage of the people’s discontent, he sowed discord and incited them. It happened that an edict arrived ordering the division of the Weibo army to Li Guangyan to rescue Shenzhou. On the gengzi day, Tian Bu’s army suffered a great defeat and dispersed, with most joining Shi Xiancheng. Tian Bu only returned to Weizhou with the 8,000 men of the central army. On the renyin day, he arrived at Weizhou. On the guimao day, Tian Bu again summoned the various generals to discuss battle. The generals were even more arrogant, saying: “If the Shangshu can act according to the old precedents of Hebei, we are willing to follow him to the death. If we are to fight again, it cannot be done!” Tian Bu had no choice but to sigh and say: “The great undertaking cannot succeed!” That day, he wrote a final memorial detailing the situation, roughly stating: “I observe the intentions of the people; in the end, they will betray the state’s favor. Since I have achieved no merit, how dare I forget to die immediately. I earnestly beg Your Majesty to quickly rescue Li Guangyan and Niu Yuanyi. If not, all righteous officials and loyal ministers will be slaughtered by the Hebei rebels!” He held the memorial, wept, bowed, and handed it to his staff officer Li Shi. Then he entered his father’s spirit hall, drew his sword, and said: “Above, I take this to thank my lord and father; below, I take this to show to the three armies.” Then he stabbed himself in the heart and died. Shi Xiancheng, hearing that Tian Bu had died, proclaimed to the troops that they should follow the old precedents of Hebei. The people were pleased and escorted Shi Xiancheng back to Weizhou, honoring him as acting military governor. On the wushen day, Weizhou reported Tian Bu’s suicide. On the jiyou day, Shi Xiancheng was appointed as the military governor of Weibo. Although Shi Xiancheng was pleased to receive the military governor’s tally and token, and outwardly honored the court, in his heart he colluded with Youzhou and Zhenzhou.
On the gengxu day, Wang Rijian, the prefect of Dezhou, was appointed as the military governor of Heng Hai. Wang Rijian was originally a yamen general of Chengde. On the renzi day, Du Shuliang was demoted to be the prefect of Guizhou.
Wang Tingcou besieged Niu Yuanyi in Shenzhou. The government armies came to relieve him from three sides, but all were unable to advance due to lack of grain. Even Li Guangyan merely closed his camp and defended himself. The soldiers themselves gathered firewood and fodder, and the daily ration was no more than a spoonful of stale grain. The siege of Shenzhou became increasingly urgent. The court, having no alternative, on the jiazi day of the second month, appointed Wang Tingcou as the military governor of Chengde, restoring all military officers’ ranks and titles to their original state. The Vice Minister of War, Han Yu, was appointed as the Pacification Commissioner.
When the emperor had just ascended the throne, the region of the Two Rivers was generally pacified. Xiao Mian and Duan Wenchang argued: "The empire is already at peace; military forces should gradually be reduced. We request a secret edict to the realm: wherever military commands have troops, for every hundred men, allow eight to die or desert each year." The emperor, deeply immersed in feasting and pleasure and not attending to state affairs, approved their petition. Many soldiers were struck from the rolls and gathered in the mountains and marshes to become bandits. By the time Zhu Kerong and Wang Tingcou rebelled, with a single shout, these fugitive soldiers assembled. An edict was issued to mobilize troops from various circuits to suppress them, but the circuits already had few soldiers, and those recruited were hastily gathered, undisciplined mobs. Furthermore, each military governor already had a eunuch inspector; those leading detached forces also had palace envoys overseeing battle arrays. The commanding generals could not issue orders independently. If they won a small victory, the envoys would speedily send reports by relay claiming credit; if they lost, they would coerce and threaten the commanding general, placing blame on him. They all selected the bravest and most elite troops from the army to protect themselves, sending the weak and timid to fight, so every battle mostly ended in defeat. Moreover, whenever forces were deployed, every move was dictated by the palace, which issued operational strategies. Orders given in the morning were changed by evening, leaving commanders uncertain which to follow. Without considering feasibility, they only pressed for quick victories. Palace envoys shuttled back and forth on the roads like weaving; relay horses were insufficient, so they seized travelers' horses to supplement them, and travelers dared not use the relay roads. Thus, although 150,000 men from various circuits were used, and Pei Du was a senior minister, with Wu Chongyin and Li Guangyan both renowned generals of the time, they campaigned against Youzhou and Zhenzhou, which had over ten thousand troops, but after garrisoning for more than a year, they ultimately achieved nothing, exhausting their resources.
Cui Zhi, Du Yuanying, and Wang Bo served as chancellors; all were mediocre talents without grand strategies. After Shi Xiancheng had forced Tian Bu to his death, the court could not punish him and instead granted the ceremonial flags and tokens of military governor to him, along with Zhu Kerong and Wang Tingcou. From then on, the region north of the Yellow River was lost again, and until the fall of the Tang dynasty, it was never recovered. After Zhu Kerong received the flags and tokens, he released Zhang Hongjing and Lu Shimei.
On the bingyin day, Niu Yuanyi was appointed as the military governor of Shannan East Circuit; the commander of the Left Divine Strategy Army's Lexing Garrison, Fu Liangbi from Qinghe, was appointed as the prefect of Yizhou; and Li Huan, the commander of the Boye Defense Post in Yingzhou, was appointed as the prefect of Xinzhou. Fu Liangbi's and Li Huan's garrison posts lay between Youzhou and Zhenzhou. Zhu Kerong and Wang Tingcou alternately tempted and threatened them with benefits, but Fu Liangbi and Li Huan did not submit. Each led his troops to hold their fortifications, and the rebel forces ultimately could not take them, so they were rewarded.
On the bingzi day, Wang Rijian, the military governor of Heng-Hai Circuit, was granted the surname Li and the personal name Quanlüe.
On the xinsi day, Cui Zhi, the Zhongshu Shilang and Tong Pingzhangshi, was removed from his chancellorship and appointed as the Minister of Justice. Yuan Zhen, the Vice Minister of Works, was appointed Tong Pingzhangshi. On the guiwei day, Li Guangyan was additionally appointed as the military governor of Heng-Hai Circuit and the observer of Cang-Jing, retaining his original posts as military governor of Zhongwu and Shenzhou Field Headquarters. Li Quanlüe, the military governor of Heng-Hai, was appointed as the military governor of De-Di Circuit. At that time, the court, concerned that Li Guangyan's army was isolated and deep in enemy territory, making grain transport difficult, thus partitioned Cang-Jing to place it under his command.
Although Wang Tingcou had accepted the flags and tokens, he did not lift the siege of Shenzhou. On the bingxu day, Feng Su of Dongyang, the Drafter of Edicts, was appointed as the deputy military governor of Shannan East Circuit, acting as the deputy commander, and a palace envoy was sent into Shenzhou to urge Niu Yuanyi to proceed to his post. Pei Du also wrote letters to Youzhou and Zhenzhou, rebuking them on moral grounds. Zhu Kerong immediately lifted the siege and departed; although Wang Tingcou withdrew his forces slightly, he still maintained the siege and did not leave.
Yuan Zhen resented Pei Du and wanted to remove his military authority, so he urged the emperor to pardon Wang Tingcou and cease hostilities. On the dinghai day, Pei Du was appointed as the Minister of Works and the deputy commander of the Eastern Capital, retaining his Pingzhangshi title. Remonstrating officials vied to submit memorials: "Now that the war has not yet stopped, Pei Du has the complete talents of a general and chancellor; he should not be relegated to an idle post." The emperor then ordered Pei Du to come to court before proceeding to the Eastern Capital. Li Ting, the military governor of Lingwu Circuit, was appointed as the military governor of Hedong Circuit. Initially, Li Ting served as a general of the Feather Forest Guard and had a fine horse. At that time, the emperor was the crown prince and sent his attendants to hint that he wanted it. Li Ting, because he commanded the imperial guard, did not dare present it. When Hedong lacked a commander, the emperor said: "Li Ting did not give me the horse—this man can certainly be employed." So he employed him.
Liu Chengqie, the eunuch inspector of Zhaoyi Circuit, relying on imperial favor, bullied Liu Wu, the military governor, repeatedly humiliating him in public, and also indulged his subordinates in breaking the law. He secretly plotted with Zhang Wen, the prefect of Cizhou, to bind Liu Wu and send him to the capital, with Zhang Wen taking his place. Liu Wu learned of this and secretly incited the soldiers to mutiny, killing Zhang Wen. The soldiers surrounded Liu Chengqie, intending to kill him. Jia Zhida, an adviser, entered and rebuked Liu Wu, saying: "Are you trying to imitate Minister Li? How do you know there is no one like you in this army? If Minister Li were aware, would he not laugh at you from the underworld?" Liu Wu then apologized to Jia Zhida, spared Liu Chengqie, and imprisoned him in the government office.
Initially, when the emperor was in the Eastern Palace, he heard that the realm detested and hated Xianzong's use of military force. Therefore, after his accession, he devoted himself to generous leniency toward the officers and soldiers, seeking to appease them. On the renchen day of the third month, the first day of the month, an edict was issued: "The commanders of the six armies of the Divine Strategy Army and the regular military officials of the Southern Administration must all submit their records and merits; the Secretariat will consider rewarding and promoting them. Generals of various circuits who have served long and have merits must all be reported to the court and appointed to office. For all the armies in the realm, each circuit is to rely on existing quotas and may not arbitrarily reduce them." Consequently, merchants and petty officials competed to bribe the border commands, getting themselves appointed as generals and recommended, and immediately entered the official registers at court. Memorials piled up like mountains, and the scholar-officials wrung their hands in despair.
Wang Zhixing, the deputy military governor of Wuning Circuit, led three thousand elite troops from his circuit to campaign against Youzhou and Zhenzhou. Cui Qun, the military governor, was wary of him and submitted a memorial requesting that Wang Zhixing be immediately appointed military governor, or else be summoned to the capital and given another post. Before a response arrived, Wang Zhixing also grew suspicious. It happened that an edict pardoned Wang Tingcou, and all circuits ceased military operations. Wang Zhixing led his troops into the circuit ahead of time. Cui Qun, frightened, sent messengers to welcome and offer condolences, ordering the soldiers to disarm before entering the city. Wang Zhixing did not comply. On the yisi day, he led his troops directly into the capital. The people of Xuzhou opened the city gates to await them. Wang Zhixing killed over ten of those who did not submit and then entered the military governor's office. Upon seeing Cui Qun and the eunuch inspector, he knelt and said: "The soldiers' feelings are like this; I too am helpless!" He prepared horses and baggage for Cui Qun and his clerical staff, all pre-arranged, and sent troops to escort Cui Qun to Yong Bridge before returning. He then plundered the money and silk of the Salt and Iron Monopoly Office, as well as the tribute goods from various circuits that had been lodged in Bianzhou, along with merchants' cargoes, taking two-thirds of everything.
On the bingwu day, the court bestowed upon Zhu Kerong and Wang Tingcou the additional title of Jianjiao Minister of Works. The emperor, hearing that they had lifted the siege of Shenzhou, rewarded them, but in reality Wang Tingcou’s army was still encamped below the walls of Shenzhou. After Han Yu set out, many were worried for him. The emperor issued an edict for Han Yu to observe the situation upon reaching the border and not to enter hastily, but Han Yu said, “To stop advancing is the benevolence of the sovereign; to die for the state is the righteousness of a minister.” Thereupon he proceeded. When he arrived at Zhenzhou, Wang Tingcou drew his sword and strung his bow to greet him. Upon reaching the guesthouse, soldiers were arrayed in the courtyard. Wang Tingcou said, “The reason for all this turmoil is these men; it is not my intention.” Han Yu said sternly, “The Son of Heaven considers that the Minister of Works possesses the talent of a commander, and so bestowed upon you the ceremonial axe and tally. Does the Minister of Works not even know how to speak to these soldiers?” The soldiers stepped forward and said, “Our former Grand Preceptor (Wang Wujun) repelled Zhu Tao for the state, and his bloodstained clothes still exist. What wrong has our army done to the court that it treats us as rebels?” Han Yu said, “If you can still remember your former Grand Preceptor, that is very good. But are the blessings and calamities of rebellion and submission far off? From the time of An Lushan and Shi Siming down to Wu Yuanji and Li Shidao, do any of their descendants still hold office today? Tian Linggong (Tian Hongzheng) surrendered Weibo to the court, and his descendants, though still children, all obtained good posts. Wang Chengyuan led this army in submitting to the court, and became a military governor while still young. Liu Wu and Li You are now both military governors. Have you not heard of these things?” Wang Tingcou, fearing that the army’s resolve would waver, waved the soldiers out and said to Han Yu, “Vice Director, what do you wish me to do?” Han Yu said, “Among the six armies of the Divine Strategy Army, there are many like Niu Yuanyi. But the court, mindful of the larger situation, cannot abandon him. Why does the Minister of Works keep him besieged?” Wang Tingcou said, “I will release him immediately.” Thereupon he feasted with Han Yu, treated him with courtesy, and sent him back. Shortly afterward, Niu Yuanyi broke out with ten cavalrymen. The senior general of Shenzhou, Zang Ping, and others surrendered the entire city. Wang Tingcou rebuked them for their prolonged resistance and killed Zang Ping and over one hundred eighty officers and officials.
On the wushen day, Pei Du arrived at Chang’an and had an audience with the emperor, apologizing for his failure to achieve merit in the campaign against the rebels. Before this, the emperor had issued an edict for Liu Wu to send Liu Chengjie to the capital, but Liu Wu, citing urgent military matters, did not comply on time. The emperor asked Pei Du, “What should be done?” Pei Du replied, “When Liu Chengjie was in Zhaoyi, he was arrogant and lawless; I knew all about it. When Liu Wu was in the field camp, he wrote to me, detailing these matters. At that time, there was an inner commissioner Zhao Hongliang in my army, who took Liu Wu’s letter and said he wished to personally submit it to Your Majesty. I do not know whether he did so.” The emperor said, “I know nothing of this. Besides, Liu Wu is a great minister—why did he not submit a memorial himself?” Pei Du replied, “Liu Wu is a military officer, unfamiliar with court protocol. But now the matter is widely known; we have discussed it face to face, and Your Majesty still cannot decide. How could Liu Wu, with only his own account at the time, have moved Your Majesty’s sacred hearing?” The emperor said, “Let the past be past. Tell me directly what to do now.” Pei Du replied, “If Your Majesty truly wishes to win the hearts of the realm, it is only necessary to issue one edict, detailing Liu Chengjie’s arrogant crimes, and order Liu Wu to assemble the troops and behead him. Then every minister in the provinces would wish to die for Your Majesty! It would not be just Liu Wu alone.” The emperor lowered his head and thought for a long time, then said, “It is not that I begrudge Liu Chengjie, but the Empress Dowager regards him as a foster son. Now that he is imprisoned, the Empress Dowager does not yet know. How much less could I kill him? Consider another plan.” Pei Du then, together with Wang Bo and others, submitted a memorial, requesting “to exile Liu Chengjie to a remote prefecture; then Liu Wu will certainly release him.” The emperor agreed. After more than a month, Liu Wu finally released Liu Chengjie.
The army under Li Guangyan, upon hearing that they were to remain in Cangjing, all shouted and fled westward. Li Guangyan could not stop them, and, alarmed and terrified, fell ill. On the jiyou day, he submitted a memorial firmly resigning his post as military governor of Heng-Hai and requesting to return to Xuzhou. The emperor agreed.
On the renzi day, Pei Du was appointed military governor of Huainan, with his other offices unchanged.
Liu Wu was given the additional title of Jianjiao Sikong (Grand Commandant), with his other offices unchanged. From this point, Liu Wu gradually became arrogant, seeking to emulate the three provinces of Hebei. He gathered and recruited lawless men, and his memorials often contained disrespectful language.
When Pei Du was campaigning against Youzhou and Zhenzhou, the Uighurs requested to send troops to follow. The court discussed the matter and deemed it inadvisable, sending an inner commissioner to stop them. The Uighurs had already sent their minister Li Yijie with three thousand men to the north of Fengzhou. The court ordered them back, but they did not comply. The emperor issued an edict to allocate seventy thousand bolts of silk as a reward for them. On the jiayin day, they finally returned.
Wang Zhixing dispatched two thousand light troops to attack Haozhou. On the bingchen day, the prefect Hou Hongdu abandoned the city and fled to Shouzhou.
Those who discussed state affairs all believed that Pei Du should not have been sent to an external post, and the emperor also valued him. On the wuwu day, the emperor issued an edict retaining Pei Du to assist in court governance. He appointed the Vice Director of the Chancellery and co-Participant in Deliberations of Government Affairs, Wang Bo, as co-Participant in Deliberations of Government Affairs, replacing Pei Du in governing Huainan, and concurrently serving as Commissioner of Salt and Iron Transport for all circuits.
Li Huan set out from Boye with his three thousand troops. Wang Tingcou sent troops in pursuit. Li Huan engaged them, killing over three hundred men, and only then did Wang Tingcou’s army withdraw. The remaining two thousand men still held Boye.
The court, because the war had just ended and its strength was insufficient to campaign against Xuzhou, appointed Wang Zhixing as military governor of Wuning on the jiwei day.
Li Quanlue, the military governor of De-Di, was also appointed as military governor of Heng-Hai. In summer, the fourth month, on the xinyou day, which was the first day of the month, there was a solar eclipse.
On the jiaxu day, Fu Liangbi and Li Huan were appointed as Chief Military Commissioners of the Divine Strategy Army.
The Vice Minister of Revenue and Commissioner of Expenditure and Revenue, Zhang Pingshu, submitted a memorial saying: "If the government itself sells salt, it can obtain a profit of one hundred percent." He also requested: "Order the relevant officials to transport salt to the villages for sale." He further requested: "Let the Grand Councilor concurrently serve as Salt and Iron Commissioner." He also requested: "Use the amount of salt sold as the standard for evaluating the performance of prefects and county magistrates." He further requested: "Verify the existing household registrations everywhere, organize the population into mutual security groups, issue them a year's supply of salt, and have them pay the salt money in quarterly installments." He also said: "After implementing this policy, wealthy merchants and big traders might resort to bribery, block the roads and clamor in protest. The leaders should be beaten to death on the spot with clubs, and those who sign joint complaints should all be punished with flogging on the back." The emperor issued an edict ordering all officials to discuss the feasibility of this proposal. The Vice Minister of War, Han Yu, submitted a memorial, arguing: "Outside the cities and towns, there is rarely ready cash to buy salt; most people use miscellaneous goods in exchange. Salt merchants accept anything, or they sell on credit with slow repayment, using this method to circulate goods, benefiting both parties. Now, if officials are made to sit in shops and sell salt themselves, and they see no cash, they will certainly not dare to accept goods. In this way, the poor cannot obtain salt, and the normal salt tax revenue will naturally be lost. Where would the doubled profit come from! Furthermore, if officials are made to carry salt and sell it door to door, they will certainly demand supplies from the people, causing great harassment. Moreover, the duty of prefects and county magistrates is to share the sovereign's concerns. How can their promotion or demotion be based solely on the amount of salt profit, without any further examination of their governance and moral conduct! Furthermore, poor families consume very little salt, some even going without it for several consecutive months. If salt is issued per capita and the salt money is collected on schedule, the officials, fearing punishment, will certainly resort to severe torture. I am afraid this will cause unrest everywhere, which is especially unfeasible." The Secretariat Drafter, Wei Chuhou, in his discussion, argued: "The Grand Councilor occupies the position of discussing the Way. To mix in salt affairs is truly inappropriate. Dou Can and Huangfu Bo both became Grand Councilors because they managed revenue and grain. It is difficult to achieve both fame and profit, and in the end, they both met with disaster and ruin. Furthermore, to want to use severe laws to forbid people from clamoring and appealing, and to force people to do what is impossible, the matter will certainly not succeed; to forbid what people will inevitably do, the law will certainly not be workable." The matter was therefore shelved. Zhang Pingshu further memorialized to levy arrears of taxes from many years past. The Prefect of Jiangzhou, Li Bo, submitted a memorial saying: "The Commissioner of Expenditure and Revenue is levying more than four thousand strings of cash owed by absconded households of the second year of the Zhenyuan era in this prefecture. This year, this prefecture has suffered a drought, and the agricultural loss is nine-tenths. Why does Your Majesty levy arrears from thirty-six years ago in this year of severe drought!" The emperor issued an edict to remit the entire amount.
The people of Yongzhou were unwilling to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Rongguan circuit. The prefect, Li Yuanzong, handed the petition of the officials and people to the Imperial Censor, asking him to submit it to the throne. The Rongguan Jinglue Commissioner, Yan Gongsu, upon hearing this, sent an official to investigate Li Yuanzong's unauthorized transfer of Luoyang County to the Man chieftain Huang Shaodu. In the fifth month, on the Renyin day, Li Yuanzong led one hundred soldiers and, taking the prefectural seal, fled to Huang Dong.
When Wang Tingcou was besieging Niu Yuanyi, the Prince of He, Yu Fang, wanted to use an unusual stratagem to seek advancement. He said to Yuan Zhen, requesting: "Dispatch the retainers Wang Zhao and Yu Youming to secretly lobby the rebel faction, making them release Niu Yuanyi. At the same time, bribe the clerks of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel to forge twenty letters patent, to be bestowed on them under the authority of expediency." Yuan Zhen agreed to all of this. There was a man named Li Shang who learned of this scheme and reported it to Pei Du, saying that Yu Fang, on behalf of Yuan Zhen, was making contact with assassins to kill Pei Du. Pei Du kept it secret and did not expose it. Li Shang then reported the matter to the Left Shence Army. On the Dingsi day, the emperor issued an edict ordering the Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Han Gao, and others to conduct a trial of this case.
On the Wuwu day, the Youzhou Military Governor, Zhu Kerong, presented ten thousand horses and one hundred thousand sheep as tribute, but submitted a memorial saying that he first requested payment of the price to serve as a reward for his troops.
The Three Judicial Offices tried the case of Yu Fang plotting to assassinate Pei Du, but found no evidence. In the sixth month, on the Jiazi day, both Pei Du and Yuan Zhen were removed from their posts as Grand Councilors. Pei Du was appointed Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and Yuan Zhen was appointed Prefect of Tongzhou. The Minister of War, Li Fengji, was appointed Vice Director of the Chancellery and Grand Councilor.
The Dangxiang invaded Lingzhou and Weibei, plundering government horses.
The Reminding Officials submitted a memorial saying: "Pei Du is innocent and should not have been removed from the post of Grand Councilor. Yuan Zhen engaged in evil schemes with Yu Fang, and his punishment is too light." The emperor, having no alternative, on the Renshen day, stripped Yuan Zhen of his post as Changchun Palace Commissioner.
The Tubo invaded Lingwu. On the Gengchen day, Yanzhou reported that the Dangxiang Dudu, Ba Ba Wancheng, requested to surrender.
On the Renwu day, the Tubo invaded Yanzhou.
On the Wuzi day, the Yongguan Jinglue Commissioner was re-established.
Initially, when Zhang Hongjing was the Xuanwu Military Governor, he repeatedly bestowed rewards to please the troops, causing the treasury to become empty. After Li Yuan succeeded him, he was extravagant by nature, gave fewer rewards than Zhang Hongjing, and also applied severe punishments, displeasing the troops. Li Yuan had his wife's younger brother, Dou Yuan, manage the soldiers on guard duty. Dou Yuan was arrogant and greedy, and everyone in the army hated him. The Yajiang, Li Chenze, and others mutinied. In autumn, the seventh month, on the Renchen day, at night, they cut off Dou Yuan's head in his tent, then raised a great shout, and everyone in the prefectural office responded. Li Yuan and one of his sons jumped over the city wall and fled to Zhengzhou. The mutineers killed his wife and pushed forward the Commander of the Yaqian, Li Ji, as Acting Rear.
On the Bingshen day, the Prince of Song, Li Jie, died.
On the Wuxu day, the Xuanwu Army Supervisor eunuch reported the mutiny to the throne. On the Gengzi day, Li Ji himself reported that he had already assumed the duties of Acting Rear.
On the Yisi day, an edict was issued ordering the officials of the Three Departments and the Grand Councilors to discuss the affairs of Bianzhou. Most people thought that, following the precedent of Hebei, the imperial tally should be bestowed on Li Ji to make him Military Governor. Li Fengji said: "The matter of Hebei was done under compulsion. Now, if even Bianzhou is given up, then the regions south of the Yangzi and Huai Rivers will no longer belong to the state." Du Yuanying and Zhang Pingshu argued: "Why begrudge a few feet of the imperial tally, and not care about the lives of the people of one region!" The discussion reached no conclusion. Just then, the three prefects of Songzhou, Bozhou, and Yingzhou each submitted memorials, requesting that another commander be appointed. The emperor was very pleased, considered Li Fengji's opinion correct, and dispatched imperial commissioners to the three prefectures to proclaim his wishes and console them. Li Fengji then took the opportunity to request: "Use the method of summoning Li Ji to court, and appoint the Yicheng Military Governor, Han Chong, to garrison Xuanwu. Han Chong is the younger brother of Han Hong, has always been generous, and has won the people's hearts. If Li Ji resists and does not comply, then order the armies of Xuzhou and Xuzhou to attack his flanks, and the army of Huazhou to press from the north. Han Chong will surely be able to enter Bianzhou." The emperor followed all of his advice.
On the Bingwu day, Li Yuan was demoted to be Prefect of Suizhou, and Han Chong was appointed Xuanwu Military Governor, concurrently Yicheng Military Governor. Li Ji was summoned to court to be the General of the Right Jinwu Guard. Li Ji did not accept the edict. The Prefect of Songzhou, Gao Chengjian, beheaded the envoy Li Ji had sent. Li Ji dispatched two thousand soldiers to attack Songzhou, capturing Ningling and Xiangyi. Songzhou had three city walls. The rebel army had already captured the southern wall, but Gao Chengjian held the two northern walls and fought over ten battles with the rebels. On the Guichou day, the Zhongwu Military Governor, Li Guangyan, led an army of twenty-five thousand to punish Li Ji, encamping at Weishi. The Yuhai Military Governor, Cao Hua, upon hearing of Li Ji's rebellion, did not wait for an edict and immediately dispatched troops to punish him. Li Ji sent three thousand soldiers to attack Songzhou. Just as they reached the foot of the walls, on the Bingshen day, Cao Hua attacked them and defeated them. On the Dingsi day, Li Guangyan defeated the Xuanwu army at Weishi, beheading and capturing more than two thousand men.
In the eighth month, on the Xinyou day, the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Liu Yuanding, returned from Tubo.
On the jiachen day, Han Chong entered the territory of Bianzhou and encamped at Qiantai. Wang Zhixing, the Military Governor of Wuning, together with Gao Chengjian, defeated the Xuanwu troops, beheading over a thousand men, while the remainder fled. On the renshen day, Han Chong defeated the Xuanwu troops at Guoqiao, beheading over a thousand men, and advanced to Wansheng. Initially, when Li Ji served as acting governor, he regarded Li Zhi, the Commander of the Cavalry and Infantry, as a trusted confidant. When Li Ji was appointed general but refused the imperial decree, Li Zhi repeatedly admonished him, but Li Ji did not listen. Just then, Li Ji developed a malignant sore on his head and sent Li Chenze and others to lead troops to resist Li Guangyan at Weishi. Soon, the imperial forces converged from all sides, and the troops suffered repeated defeats. As Li Ji’s illness worsened, he entrusted all military affairs to Li Zhi and lay ill at home. On the bingzi day, Li Zhi, together with the eunuch overseer Yao Wenshou, arrested Li Ji and killed him. They forged a document from Li Ji to recall Li Chenze and the others, and when they arrived, they executed them all. They also arrested Li Ji’s four sons and sent them to the capital. Before Han Chong arrived, Li Zhi temporarily managed military affairs. At that time, there were three thousand personal guards who were provided with daily food and drink, but the financial resources could not sustain it. Li Zhi said, “If Han Chong, upon his arrival, were to suddenly cancel these provisions, the people’s hearts would be greatly lost! We cannot leave this problem for our commander.” He then ordered the provisions stopped, and thereafter welcomed Han Chong. On the dingchou day, Han Chong entered Bianzhou. On the guiwei day, Han Chong was appointed exclusively as the Military Governor of Xuanwu. Cao Hua was made the Military Governor of Yicheng, Gao Chengjian the Military Governor of Yan, Hai, Yi, and Mi, Li Guangyan was awarded the concurrent title of Acting Director of the Department of State Affairs, and Li Zhi was appointed General of the Right Golden Guard. After Han Chong took office, the people’s hearts were initially stabilized, and he secretly registered over a thousand soldiers who had committed crimes. One morning, he expelled them along with their parents, wives, and children, saying, “Anyone who dares to remain within the territory even for a moment will be beheaded.” From then on, military governance was greatly reformed.
In the ninth month, on the wuzi day of the first month, Dou Yizhi, the Surveillance Commissioner of Zhexi and a native of Jingzhao, reported that the grand general Wang Guoqing had rebelled and had been executed. Initially, Dou Yizhi, fearing the chaos in Bianzhou, wanted to distribute gold and silk to reward the troops. Someone said, “Rewards without proper reason may well breed suspicion.” So he desisted. However, outsiders had already learned of this matter, and thus Wang Guoqing rebelled. Dou Yizhi suppressed and captured him, and also killed over two hundred of his accomplices.
Wang Ji, the Prefect of Dezhou, inherited the property of his father Wang E and was extremely wealthy. Li Jinglue, the Military Governor of Hengshui, coveted his wealth. On the bingshen day, he secretly incited soldiers to kill Wang Ji, massacre his entire family, take his daughter as a concubine, and then reported it as a military mutiny.
When the court was campaigning against Li Ji, it sent Si Men Lang Zhong Wei Wenke to Weibo to deliver an imperial decree of consolation. Shi Xiancheng submitted a memorial requesting that Li Ji be granted the military governor’s tally and banner, and also built a dock at Liyang, making a show of crossing the river. When he met Wei Wenke, his words and demeanor were arrogant and rude. But when he heard that Li Ji had died, his words and demeanor immediately became respectful, and he said, “I, Shi Xiancheng, am a barbarian, like a dog. Though beaten, I will never leave my master.”
In the winter, the eleventh month, on the gengwu day, the Empress Dowager visited the Huaqing Palace. On the xinwei day, the Emperor went from the covered passage to the Huaqing Palace, then hunted at Mount Li, returning to the palace that same day. The Empress Dowager returned after several days.
On the bingzi day, Li Xiang, the Prince of Ji, died.
On the gengchen day, the Emperor was playing polo with eunuchs in the palace. A eunuch fell from his horse, startling the Emperor, who then suffered a stroke and could not walk. From then on, no one heard news of the Emperor’s daily activities. The chief ministers repeatedly requested an audience but received no reply. Pei Du submitted three memorials requesting the establishment of a crown prince and also sought an audience. On the xinmao day of the twelfth month, the Emperor received the assembled officials in the Zichen Hall. He sat on a large rope bed, dismissed all left and right guards, and only about ten eunuchs attended him. The people’s hearts were then slightly calmed. Li Fengji said, “Jing Wang has already grown up; I request that he be established as crown prince.” Pei Du requested that an edict be issued quickly to meet the expectations of all under heaven. The Emperor did not speak. Soon, officials from both departments of the chancellery also successively requested the establishment of a crown prince. On the guisi day, an edict was issued establishing Jing Wang, Li Zhan, as the crown prince. The Emperor’s illness gradually improved.
This year, the Xuanming Calendar was put into practice.