Tang Annals 59

Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government, Volume 241

[Tang Record 59] It began in the year Zhaoyang Danque and ended in the year Zhuyong Tuntan, a total of six years.

Spring, first month, on the Guiwei day, gifts of money were given to the commanders of the Left and Right Garrisons and those below them. Second month, on the Xinmao day, gifts of silk floss, colored silk fabrics, and silverware were given to the commanders of the armies, military commissioners, and others, each according to their rank.

The Vice Minister of the Household Department, Niu Sengru, had long been favored by the emperor. Initially, Han Hong's son, the Right Valiant Guard General Han Gongwu, had plotted on his father's behalf, using money to cultivate connections with people both inside and outside the court. After Han Gongwu died, Han Hong also passed away in succession, and his young grandson Han Shaozong inherited the family estate. The servants and officials who managed the storehouses filed a lawsuit at the Censorate. The emperor took pity on them and personally brought out all of Han Hong's property records to examine them. Among those who had held power inside and outside the court, most had received money or goods from Han Hong. Only one line was written in red ink: "On a certain day of a certain month in a certain year, one million cash was given to the Household Department Vice Minister Niu, but it was not accepted." The emperor was very pleased and showed it to those around him, saying, "Truly so! I did not misjudge the man!" Third month, on the Renxu day, Niu Sengru was appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat and Minister with the same status as the Grand Councilors. At that time, both Niu Sengru and Li Deyu harbored hopes of entering the court to become Grand Councilors. Li Deyu had been sent out to serve as the Surveillance Commissioner of Zhexi and had not been promoted for eight years. He believed that Li Fengji had pushed him aside and recommended Niu Sengru to be Grand Councilor. From this point, the enmity between Niu Sengru and Li Deyu grew even deeper.

Summer, fourth month, on the Jiawu day, Annan reported that the Lao people of Luzhou were raiding the prefectures and counties.

On the Bingchen day, money was given to the officials serving in the Xuanhui Institute. Those wearing purple robes received one hundred and twenty strings of cash, and those below, down to the recipients of edicts, each received amounts according to their rank.

Initially, a man from Yicheng named Zheng Zhu was short in stature and looked downward, but he was cunning, treacherous, skilled in flattery, and adept at fathoming others' intentions. He traveled around relying on his medical skills, living in poverty and distress. He once sought an audience with a Xu Prefecture dental officer using medical formulas and techniques. The dental officer liked him and recommended him to the Military Commissioner Li Su. Li Su found his medicines very effective, and so Zheng Zhu gained favor. He was appointed as a Dental Promoter and gradually began to participate in military and governmental affairs, becoming arrogant and throwing his weight around. Everyone in the military headquarters detested him. The Army Supervisor Wang Shoucheng reported the public sentiment to Li Su and requested that Zheng Zhu be expelled. Li Su said, "Although Zheng Zhu is like this, he is still an extraordinary talent. General, try having a talk with him. If there is nothing worthwhile, then expelling him will not be too late." So he sent Zheng Zhu to meet Wang Shoucheng. Wang Shoucheng initially showed reluctance but, having no choice, received him. After sitting and talking for only a short while, Wang Shoucheng was very pleased. He invited Zheng Zhu into the central hall, where they sat knee to knee, laughing and talking, regretting that they had not met earlier. The next day, he said to Li Su, "Mr. Zheng is indeed as you said." From then on, Zheng Zhu again gained Wang Shoucheng's favor, and his power expanded even further. Li Su appointed him as a Patrol Officer and placed him among the guests. After Zheng Zhu came to power, he feared that the dental officer who had initially recommended him would reveal his background. Secretly using another crime to frame him, Li Su then killed him. Later, when Wang Shoucheng entered the court as Director of the Palace Secretariat, he took Zheng Zhu westward, established a residence for him, and supported him. He then recommended him to the emperor, who also treated him generously. Since the emperor fell ill, Wang Shoucheng had monopolized the great affairs of state, and his power shook both the court and the provinces. Zheng Zhu came and went from his house day and night, plotting and deliberating with him. Their conversations always lasted until dawn, and their bribery and corruption were so secret that no one could detect their traces. At first, only some low-ranking and opportunistic officials sought advancement through him, but within a few years, the carriages of high-ranking nobles and dignitaries crowded his gate. The Minister of Public Works, Zheng Quan, had many concubines at home, but his salary was meager and could not support them. So, through Zheng Zhu, he cultivated Wang Shoucheng and requested to be appointed Military Commissioner. On the Jiyou day, Zheng Quan was appointed Military Commissioner of Lingnan.

Fifth month, on the Renshen day, the Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Liu Gongchuo, was appointed Military Commissioner of Shannan East Circuit. When Liu Gongchuo passed through Deng County, there were two officials: one guilty of corruption and one guilty of manipulating legal cases. The crowd believed that Liu Gongchuo would surely execute the corrupt one. Liu Gongchuo ruled: "The corrupt official violates the law, but the law still exists; the cunning official disrupts the law, and then the law perishes." In the end, he executed the one who manipulated legal cases.

On the Bingzi day, Jin and Ci Prefectures were established as the Baoyi Army, and the Surveillance Commissioner Li Huan was appointed as its Military Commissioner.

Sixth month, on the Jichou day, the Vice Minister of the Personnel Department, Han Yu, was appointed as the Governor of the Capital District. The officers and soldiers of the Six Armies dared not break the law, privately saying among themselves, "This man even wanted to burn the Buddha's bone—how could we dare to offend him!"

Autumn, seventh month, on the Guihai day, Lingnan reported that the Huangdong Man had invaded Yong Prefecture and broken through Zuojiang Town. On the Bingyin day, Yong Prefecture reported that the Huangdong Man had broken through Qianjin Town in Qin Prefecture, and the Prefect Yang Yu fled to Shinan Stockade.

Quanli of Nanzhao died. The people of the state requested that his younger brother Fengyou be established. Fengyou was brave and skilled at leading the people. He began to admire the Central Plains and did not use his father's name as part of his own name.

Eighth month, on the Guisi day, Yong Guan reported that it had defeated the Huangdong Man.

On the Bingchen day, the emperor went from the covered passageway to Xingqing Palace. At Tonghuamen Tower, he donated two hundred bolts of silk to mountain monks. The emperor's indiscriminate bestowal of gifts was all like this and cannot be fully recorded.

On the Guimao day, the Left Chief Advisor, Pei Du, was appointed as the Minister of Works and Military Commissioner of Shannan West Circuit, without concurrently holding the position of Grand Councilor. Li Fengji hated Pei Du, and the Right Reminder Zhang Youxin and others attached themselves to Li Fengji, competing to slander and defame Pei Du, ultimately driving him out of the court. Zhang Youxin was the son of Zhang Jian.

Ninth month, on the Bingchen day, the Military Commissioner of Zhaoyi, Liu Wu, was given the additional title of Minister with the same status as the Grand Councilors.

Li Fengji served as Grand Councilor. Within the court, he cultivated the Director of the Palace Secretariat, Wang Shoucheng, and his power shook both the court and the provinces. Only the Hanlin Academician Li Shen, whenever he received the emperor's consultations, often suppressed and pushed Li Fengji aside. When draft documents were sent to the inner court, Li Shen frequently criticized them. Li Fengji worried about this, but the emperor's treatment of Li Shen was still favorable, so he could not alienate him. It happened that the post of Censor-in-Chief fell vacant. Li Fengji recommended Li Shen as being pure, honest, and upright, suitable for the position of Censor-in-Chief. The emperor considered that the Censor-in-Chief was also a position for rotating responses to imperial queries and, without suspicion, approved it. It also happened that Li Shen and the Governor of the Capital District, who also served as the Chief Censor, Han Yu, argued about matters such as attending the Censorate and other official duties. Their official correspondence was harsh in tone. Li Fengji reported that the two were not getting along. Winter, tenth month, on the Bingxu day, Han Yu was appointed Vice Minister of the Military Department, and Li Shen was appointed Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangxi. On the Jichou day, the Vice Director of the Secretariat and Minister with the same status as the Grand Councilors, Du Yuanying, was appointed as Minister with the same status as the Grand Councilors and was sent to serve as Military Commissioner of Xichuan.

On the Xinmao day, Annan reported that the Huangdong Man were raiding.

Han Yu and Li Shen entered the court to thank the emperor. The emperor had each of them recount the events, and he then deeply understood the situation. On the Renxu day, Han Yu was reappointed Vice Minister of the Personnel Department, and Li Shen was reappointed Vice Minister of the Household Department.

Spring, first month, on the Xinhai day, which was the first day of the month, the emperor began to hold court at Hanyuan Hall.

Initially, after Liu Mi and others were executed, alchemists gradually reappeared. Through the emperor's close attendants, they presented their services, and the emperor took their metallic and stone medicines. A retired scholar named Zhang Gao submitted a memorial, stating: "When the spirit and thoughts are tranquil and indifferent, the blood and qi become harmonious; when desires and cravings are excessive, illness arises. Medicines are used to attack illness; if there is no illness, they should not be taken. In the past, Sun Simiao said: 'Medicines have a biased supplementary effect, which can cause the qi of the zang-fu organs to become unbalanced. Even if one is ill and uses medicine, one must still be extremely cautious.' This applies to ordinary people, let alone the Son of Heaven! The late emperor believed the absurd words of alchemists, took medicines, and fell ill. This is something Your Majesty knows in detail. How can you repeat the same mistake? Now, people inside and outside the court are privately discussing this in agitation. They only fear contradicting the imperial will, and no one dares to speak out. Your subject grew up in the wilderness, keeping company with deer and elk, and has no aspirations. I only have a rough understanding of loyalty and righteousness and wish to be of the slightest help to the state!" The emperor greatly admired his words and sent people to search for him, but they could not find him.

On the Dingmao day, Lingnan reported that the Huangdong Man had invaded Qin Prefecture and killed the generals and officials.

On the day gengwu, the emperor’s illness flared up again. On the day renshen, his condition became critical, and he ordered the crown prince to oversee state affairs. The eunuchs wanted to request Empress Dowager Guo to hold court and govern. The empress dowager said: “In the past, Wu Zetian held court and nearly toppled the state. Our family has upheld loyalty and righteousness for generations; we are not comparable to the Wu clan. Although the crown prince is young, as long as there are virtuous chancellors to assist him, and you people do not interfere in court affairs, why worry about the state not being stable? Since ancient times, has there ever been a woman as ruler of the world who achieved a reign as virtuous as Yao and Shun?” She took the imperial edict and tore it up with her own hands. The empress dowager’s elder brother, Grand Master of the Palace Secretariat Guo Zhao, heard of such a proposal and secretly submitted a memorial saying: “If they indeed comply with their request, I beg to first lead my sons to surrender our official posts and return to our fields.” The empress dowager wept, saying: “The blessings of our ancestors are concentrated on my elder brother.” That evening, the emperor passed away in his bedchamber. On the day guiyou, Li Fengji was appointed acting steward of the imperial household. On the day bingzi, Emperor Jingzong ascended the throne in the eastern side hall of the Taiji Hall. Initially, when Emperor Muzong ascended the throne, each soldier of the Divine Strategy Army was rewarded with fifty thousand cash. The chancellors discussed and considered the reward too generous to sustain, so they issued an edict saying: “The meritorious deeds of the palace guards indeed deserve generous rewards, but with successive years of drought and poor harvests, the treasuries are empty. Frontier soldiers have not yet received their spring clothing. It is hoped that rewards and relief can be evenly distributed. Each soldier of the Divine Strategy Army is to be given ten bolts of silk and ten thousand cash; for the various garrisons within the capital area, this is reduced by another five thousand. Moreover, two million bolts of silk from the inner treasury are to be given to the Finance Commissioner to serve as spring clothing for the frontier troops.” The people of the time considered this very good.

From the day wuyin to the day gengchen, the emperor bestowed upon eunuchs official robes and colors, as well as an immense amount of brocade, colored silk, gold, and silver. Sometimes, on one day, he would grant a green robe, and the next day, a red robe.

Initially, Emperor Muzong had retained Li Shen, and Li Fengji became even more jealous of him. Li Shen’s nephew by the same clan, Li Yu, had considerable literary fame and claimed he did not wish to be an official, living in seclusion at Huayang River. When his uncle Li Qi was appointed Left Reminder, Li Yu wrote a letter to Li Qi requesting a recommendation. This letter was mistakenly delivered to Li Shen. Li Shen wrote back to mock him and made the matter known to everyone. Li Yu was deeply resentful, so he went to see Li Fengji and told him all of Li Shen’s usual private criticisms of Li Fengji. Li Fengji became even more enraged, and had Li Yu, along with the Rectifier of Omissions Zhang Youxin, his nephew, former Heyang Secretariat Drafter Li Zhongyan, and others, watch for opportunities to find faults in Li Shen and spread them among the scholar-officials. They also spread rumors, saying: “Li Shen secretly spies on scholar-officials. Whenever anyone gathers to discuss something, he accuses them of forming cliques and reports it to the emperor.” As a result, most scholar-officials feared Li Shen. When Emperor Jingzong ascended the throne, Li Fengji and his clique were pleased that Li Shen had lost power, but they worried that the emperor might reinstate him. Day and night they plotted, seeking ways to frame Li Shen. The prefect of Chuzhou, Su Yu, said to Li Fengji’s clique: “When the emperor first holds court, he will surely convene the Yanying Hall. There will be officials taking turns to report. Only at that time can we prevent him [from recalling Li Shen].” The clique thought this was correct and urgently told Li Fengji: “The matter is urgent! If we wait until the emperor holds court, it will be too late to regret!” Li Fengji then had Wang Shoucheng tell the emperor: “Your Majesty, I know fully how you came to be established as crown prince. It was all Li Fengji’s merit. People like Du Yuanying and Li Shen all wanted to establish Prince Shen.” The Vice Director of the Bureau of Budget, Li Xuzhi, and others then submitted memorials to this effect. The emperor was then sixteen years old. He was suspicious and refused to believe it. Just then, Li Fengji also submitted a memorial, saying: “Li Shen plotted against Your Majesty. I request his demotion.” The emperor still repeatedly questioned and investigated, and only then complied. In the second month, on the day guiwei, Li Shen was demoted to be Marshal of Duanzhou. Li Fengji then led the hundred officials in presenting a memorial of congratulations. After the audience, the hundred officials again went to the Secretariat to offer congratulations. Li Fengji was just then talking with Zhang Youxin, and the gatekeeper would not let them in. After a long time, Zhang Youxin, sweating, came out and bowed to the hundred officials, saying: “In the matter of Duanxi, I, Zhang Youxin, dare not yield to anyone.” The crowd was startled and shrank back, in fear of him. Only the Right Rectifier of Omissions and Internal Servitor Wu Si did not offer congratulations. Li Fengji was angry and sent Wu Si as an envoy to announce mourning to the Tubo. On the day bingxu, the Hanlin Academician Pang Yan was demoted to be Prefect of Xinzhou, and Jiang Fang to be Prefect of Tingzhou. Pang Yan was from Shouzhou. He and Jiang Fang had both been recommended by Li Shen. The Supervising Secretary Yu Ao had always been on good terms with Pang Yan. He returned the edict of demotion. People were worried for him. They said: “Supervising Secretary Yu is pleading for justice for Pang and Jiang, offending the chancellor’s anger. Truly commendable!” When the memorial was replied to, it only said the demotion was too light. Li Fengji therefore praised him. Zhang Youxin and others still hated Li Shen. They submitted memorials daily, saying that Li Shen’s demotion was too light. The emperor agreed to execute Li Shen. None of the court officials dared to speak out. Only the Hanlin Reader-in-Waiting Wei Chuhou submitted a memorial, pointing out: “Li Shen has been slandered by Li Fengji’s clique. The people’s hearts are filled with grief and alarm. Li Shen was favored and heavily employed by the previous emperor. Even if he had committed offenses, he should be leniently treated, to fulfill the filial piety of not changing the father’s ways within three years. How much more so when he is innocent!” The emperor then gradually came to his senses. Just then, while inspecting the palace documents, he found a box sealed by Emperor Muzong. Opening it, he obtained memorials from Pei Du, Du Yuanying, and Li Shen, requesting that he be established as crown prince. The emperor then sighed and burned all the memorials that had slandered Li Shen. Although he could not immediately recall Li Shen, from then on, when others spoke against him, the emperor no longer heeded them.

On the day jihai, Empress Dowager Guo was honored as Grand Empress Dowager.

On the day yisi, the emperor’s mother, Consort Wang, was honored as Empress Dowager. The empress dowager was from Yuezhou.

On the day dingwei, the emperor went to the Zhonghe Hall to play cuju. From then on, he frequently engaged in excursions, banquets, cuju, and music, bestowing rewards on eunuchs and musicians so numerous that they could not be fully recorded.

In the third month, on the day renzi, a general amnesty was granted to the empire. Aside from the regular tribute from the various circuits, no further offerings of goods were permitted.

On the day jiayin, the emperor began to receive chancellors at the Yanying Hall.

Initially, Niu Yuanyi was in Xiangyang. He repeatedly bribed Wang Tingcou to beg for the safety of his family, but Wang Tingcou did not comply. Hearing that Niu Yuanyi had died, on the day jiazi, Wang Tingcou killed Niu Yuanyi’s entire family.

The emperor often held court very late. On the day wuchen, the sun was already high, yet he had not taken his seat. The hundred officials formed ranks outside the Ziwei Gate. The old and infirm were nearly collapsing and falling rigid. The Remonstrance Official Li Bo said to the chancellor: “Yesterday, I submitted a memorial criticizing the emperor for holding court too late. This morning, it is even worse. Please allow me to go to the Imperial Guard post to await punishment.” When the emperor finally held court and the hundred officials withdrew, the Left Reminder Liu Qichu alone remained, stepped forward, and said: “Emperor Xianzong and the late emperor were both mature sovereigns, yet there were still many rebellions in the four quarters. Your Majesty is in your youth, at the beginning of your reign. You should rise early and retire late, diligently seeking good governance. Instead, you indulge in sleep and lust, rising only when the sun is high. The late emperor’s spirit tablet is still in mourning, yet the sound of drums and music is heard daily. Good reputation has not been established, but bad reputation has spread far and wide. I fear that the state’s fortune will not long endure. I beg to smash my head on the palace steps to atone for the remonstrance officials’ failure in their duty.” He then struck his forehead against the dragon balustrade, blood flowing without stopping, the sound echoing outside the palace gate. Li Fengji announced: “Liu Qichu, stop kowtowing! Wait for the emperor’s decree!” Liu Qichu, holding his forehead, stood up, and again spoke of matters concerning the eunuchs. The emperor repeatedly waved his hand, ordering him to leave. Liu Qichu said: “If my words are not heeded, allow me to continue remonstrating unto death.” Niu Sengru announced: “What you have reported is already known. Go outside the gate and await the decree!” Liu Qichu then left and went to the Imperial Guard post to await punishment. At this time, the chancellors endorsed his words. The emperor ordered an inner attendant to go to the Imperial Guard post and, together with Li Bo, convey an imperial decree of consolation, telling them to return. Shortly thereafter, Liu Qichu was promoted to be a Diarist, and was also granted a crimson official robe. Liu Qichu declined, pleading illness, and returned to the Eastern Capital.

On the day gengwu, ten thousand strings of cash were bestowed upon the Inner Music Academy to prepare for imperial excursions.

In summer, the fourth month, on the jiawu day, Wang Bo was relieved of his concurrent post as Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner, while retaining his position as military governor of Huainan. On the yiwei day, the commoner Jiang Qia was appointed as a Rectifier of Omissions, and the probationary Grand Judge Lu Hu, along with commoners Li Yu and Liu Jian, were appointed as Reminders. At that time, Li Fengji was in power. Those he favored and treated generously included Zhang Youxin, Li Zhongyan, Li Xuzhi, Li Yu, Liu Qichu, Jiang Qia, and the Reminders Zhang Quanyu and Cheng Xifan, as well as those who attached themselves to them. Those who detested Li Fengji at the time regarded them as the "Eight Passes and Sixteen Disciples."

The fortune-teller Su Xuanming was on very good terms with the dyer Zhang Shao. Xuanming said to Zhang Shao, "I have performed divination for you. You should ascend the hall and sit on the imperial throne, and eat together with me. Now the emperor plays polo and hunts day and night, and is mostly not in the palace. A great deed can be plotted." Zhang Shao thought he was right, so he conspired with Xuanming, gathering over a hundred ruffians from among the dyers. On the bingshen day, they hid weapons in madder plants, loaded them onto carts, and entered the Yin Tai Gate, planning to rebel at night. Before reaching their destination, someone suspected that their loads were too heavy and questioned them. Zhang Shao, in a panic, killed the questioner and, together with his accomplices, changed their clothes, brandished their weapons, and charged straight toward the palace, shouting loudly. The emperor was at that time playing polo in the Qing Si Hall. When the eunuchs saw them, they were terrified, hastily closed the doors, and ran to report to the emperor. The bandits soon broke through the door bolts and rushed in. Before this, the Right Shence Army Commander, Liang Shouqian, was favored by the emperor. Whenever the left and right armies competed in skills, the emperor often favored the right army. At this point, the emperor, in a panic, wanted to go to the right army. Those around him said, "The right army is far away, and we might encounter bandits. It would be better to go to the left army, which is closer." The emperor followed this advice. The Left Shence Army Commander, Ma Cunliang, a man from Hezhong, heard that the emperor had arrived, ran out to greet him, held the emperor's feet and wept, personally carried the emperor on his back into the army camp, and sent the Grand General Kang Yiquan to lead cavalry into the palace to suppress the bandits. The emperor was worried that the two empresses dowager would be cut off, so Ma Cunliang also sent five hundred cavalry to escort the two empresses dowager to the army camp. Zhang Shao ascended the Qing Si Hall, sat on the imperial couch, and ate together with Su Xuanming, saying, "It really happened as you said!" Xuanming said in surprise, "Is that all there is to it?" Zhang Shao became afraid and fled. Just then, Kang Yiquan and the Right Army Commissioner of Cavalry and Infantry, Shang Guozhong, led their troops and arrived. They attacked the bandits together, killing Zhang Shao, Su Xuanming, and their party, with corpses scattered everywhere. By nightfall, the rebellion was quelled. The remaining party members were still scattered, hiding in the imperial park. The next day, they were all captured. At that time, all the palace gates were closed, and the emperor stayed overnight in the left army camp. The court and the public did not know where the emperor was, and there was widespread panic. On the dingyou day, the emperor returned to the palace. The chief ministers led the hundred officials to the Yan Ying Gate to congratulate him, but only a few dozen people came. The eunuchs in charge of the various palace gates through which the bandits had passed, thirty-five in total, were to be executed according to law. On the jihai day, an edict ordered that they all be punished by flogging but not removed from their posts. On the renyin day, the meritorious officers and soldiers of the left and right armies were heavily rewarded.

In the fifth month, on the yimao day, the Vice Minister of Personnel, Li Cheng, and the Vice Minister of Revenue and Director of the Treasury, Dou Yizhi, were both appointed as Grand Councilors. The emperor asked Li Fengji for his recommendation on candidates for Grand Councilor. Li Fengji listed the senior and prestigious ministers of the time, with Li Cheng ranked first, so he was appointed. The emperor was fond of constructing palaces and wanted to build a separate hall on a grand scale. Li Cheng remonstrated, requesting that the prepared timber and stone be used for constructing the mausoleum of the previous emperor, and the emperor immediately complied.

In the sixth month, on the jimao day, which was the first day of the month, Kang Yiquan, the General of the Left Shence Army, was appointed as the military governor of Fufang.

The emperor heard that Wang Tingcou had massacred the entire family of Niu Yuanying. He sighed that the Grand Councilors were not suitable men, allowing the fierce bandits to act with such brutality. The Hanlin Academician Wei Chuhou then submitted a memorial saying: "Pei Du's achievements are illustrious, unmatched within the Central Plains, and his reputation spreads to foreign tribes. If he were placed at court and entrusted with participating in policy decisions, Hebei and Shandong would surely follow the court's plans. Guan Zhong said, 'If a man listens to opinions separately, he is foolish; if he listens comprehensively, he is wise.' The root of order and disorder in the state lies in nothing else: following the people's hearts brings order, while opposing them brings chaos. I have heard that Your Majesty sighs while eating, regretting the lack of a wise chancellor like Xiao He or Cao Shen. Now you have a Pei Du yet cannot retain him—this is exactly what Feng Tang meant when he said that Emperor Wen of Han had obtained Lian Po and Li Mu but could not use them. As for managing the Grand Councilors, they should be entrusted, trusted, treated with intimacy and courtesy. If their actions are ineffective and they have no merit for the state, then place them in idle posts or exile them to remote prefectures. In this way, those in office will not dare to be negligent, and those about to be appointed will not seek office frivolously. I have no personal grudge against Li Fengji, and I once suffered demotion because of Pei Du. What I have stated now is only to repay Your Majesty above and to convey the opinions of the multitude below." The emperor saw that Pei Du's memorial did not bear the title of Grand Councilor and asked Wei Chuhou about it. Wei Chuhou explained in detail how Li Fengji had obstructed and excluded him. The emperor said, "How could it come to this!" Li Cheng also urged the emperor to treat Pei Du with greater courtesy. On the bingshen day, Pei Du was given the title of Grand Councilor. In the Zhang Shao rebellion, Ma Cunliang had the greatest merit. Ma Cunliang did not boast of it and gave up his military authority, requesting an external post. In autumn, the seventh month, Ma Cunliang was appointed as the Surveillance Commissioner of Huainan.

The military governor of Xiasui, Li You, entered the court to serve as General of the Left Guard of the Golden Wu. On the renshen day, he presented one hundred and fifty horses. The emperor returned them. On the jiaxu day, the Attending Censor Wen Zao submitted an impeachment within the pavilion, accusing Li You of violating an imperial edict by offering tribute, and requested that he be dealt with according to the law. An edict was issued pardoning him. Li You said to others, "When I broke into Caizhou City at night and captured Wu Yuanji, I was not frightened. But today, I was terrified before Censor Wen!"

In the eighth month, on the dingmao day, which was the first day of the month, Annan reported that the Huang Man had invaded.

The prefect of Longzhou, Wei Chi Rui, reported: "Mount Niuxin has long been considered a place of divine wonders. There are places that have been dug up and broken, and I request that they be filled and blocked." The emperor agreed. Tens of thousands of people were conscripted in extremely precipitous places, exhausting Dongchuan.

In the ninth month, on the dingwei day, the Persian Li Susha presented timber for an aloeswood pavilion. The Left Reminder Li Han submitted a memorial, saying, "How is this any different from the Jade Tower and Jasper Chamber?" Although the emperor was angry, he tolerated him. Li Han was the sixth-generation descendant of Li Daoming.

In winter, the tenth month, on the wuxu day, the Hanlin Academician Wei Chuhou remonstrated with the emperor about his feasting and amusements, saying: "The late emperor shortened his life due to wine and women. I did not dare to remonstrate unto death at that time because Your Majesty was already fifteen years old. Now the imperial prince is only one year old—how dare I fear death and not remonstrate!" The emperor was moved by his words and bestowed upon him one hundred bolts of brocade and silk and four silver vessels.

In the eleventh month, on the wuwu day, Annan reported: The Huang Man, together with the forces of Huanwang, attacked and captured Luzhou, killing the prefect Ge Wei.

On the gengshen day, the emperor, posthumously titled Ruisheng Wenhuai Xiao, was buried in the Guang Mausoleum, with the temple name Muzong.

Wang Bo bribed Wang Shoucheng with one hundred thousand strings of cash, seeking to regain control over fiscal matters. On the guiwei day of the twelfth month, the Remonstrance Officials Dugu Lang and Zhang Zhongfang, the Imperial Diarist Liu Gongquan, the Imperial Recorder Song Shenxi, and the Reminders Li Jingrang and Xue Tinglao requested that the Yan Ying Hall be opened to discuss his treachery. The emperor asked, "Were those who argued at court earlier not among them?" On that day, Liu Qichu was appointed as a Remonstrance Official. Li Jingrang was the great-grandson of Li Cheng; Xue Tinglao was a man from Hezhong.

In the twelfth month, on the gengyin day, the military governor of Tianping, Wu Chongyin, was given the title of Grand Councilor.

On the yiwei day, the Surveillance Commissioner of Xusi, Wang Zhixing, requested to establish an ordination platform in Sizhou on the occasion of the emperor's birthday, to ordain monks and nuns to seek blessings. The emperor approved. Since the Yuanhe reign, an edict had prohibited this abuse. Wang Zhixing wanted to accumulate wealth, so he was the first to request it. Consequently, people gathered from all directions, especially from Jianghuai, and Wang Zhixing's family wealth thus accumulated to tens of millions. The Surveillance Commissioner of Zhexi, Li Deyu, submitted a memorial saying: "If this is not restrained, and it only stops on the emperor's birthday, it is calculated that the two Zhe circuits and Fujian will lose six hundred thousand able-bodied men." When the memorial arrived, the practice was halted that very day.

In this year, the Chongde Khan of the Huihu died, and his younger brother, Hexi Tegin, succeeded him.

Emperor Jingzong, Ruizhaominxiao.

In the spring, the first month, on the xinhai day, the emperor performed the southern suburban sacrifice. After returning to the palace, he ascended the Danfeng Tower, granted a general amnesty, and changed the reign title. Before this, the magistrate of Hu County, Cui Fa, heard noise outside and inquired about it. Those who responded said: “The men of the Five Workshops are beating commoners.” Cui Fa was enraged and ordered them seized and dragged into the courtyard. It was already dark at the time, and after a long while, when he interrogated them, he found out they were eunuchs. The emperor was angered, arrested Cui Fa, and imprisoned him in the Censorate. On that day, Cui Fa stood under the golden rooster with other prisoners when suddenly several dozen ranking officials, holding clubs, beat Cui Fa wildly, breaking his face and knocking out his teeth, leaving him only when he was nearly dead. After a few quarters of an hour, Cui Fa regained consciousness, and then others came to beat him again; the clerks of the Censorate shielded him with mats, and so he was spared. The emperor ordered Cui Fa to be re-imprisoned in the Censorate jail, while releasing the other prisoners.

The Vice Director of the Secretariat and co-Chancellor, Niu Sengru, because the emperor was dissolute and favored petty men in power, and also feared blame and dared not speak out, merely submitted several memorials requesting an external post. On the yimao day, E-Yue was elevated to Wuchang Army, and Niu Sengru was appointed co-Chancellor and fully acting Military Commissioner of Wuchang.

A direct imperial edict was issued re-appointing Wang Bo as concurrent Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner. The Remonstrance Officials argued repeatedly, but the emperor did not accept any of it.

When Niu Sengru passed through Xiangyang, the Military Commissioner of Shandong East Circuit, Liu Gongchuo, in military garb with bow and arrow, waited at the hostel. His staff advised him, saying: “Xiangyang’s status is higher than Xiakou; this courtesy is excessive!” Liu Gongchuo said: “Duke Qizhang has just left the Chancellor’s position; the regional commands value the Chancellor to show respect for the court.” In the end, he did this.

The emperor’s excursions had no regularity; he associated with a crowd of petty men, and attended court less than two or three times a month, so high ministers seldom saw the emperor. In the second month, on the renwu day, the Surveillance Commissioner of Zhexi, Li Deyu, presented the Six Admonitions of the Dan Yi. The first was called Xiao Yi, to admonish the rarity and lateness of court audiences; the second, Zheng Fu, to admonish irregularities in robes and carriages; the third, Ba Xian, to admonish the seeking of rare treasures; the fourth, Na Hui, to admonish the belittling and rejection of upright words; the fifth, Bian Xie, to admonish trust in a crowd of petty men; the sixth, Fang Wei, to admonish casual excursions. In the Na Hui Admonition, it roughly said: “Emperor Cheng of Han was sunk in wine and lust, lifting the cup without cease; Emperor Ming of Wei was extravagantly excessive, building the Lingyun Tower palace. Loyalty did not oppose, but good words were not heeded. Taking remonstrance as earplugs—this is to block hearing.” The Fang Wei Admonition said: “Treacherous ministers are rampant; it is not that they have not appeared many times. In black robes it is hard to distinguish; only when touching the se does it fall. In Bo Valley, traveling in plain clothes, wolves and jackals block the road. Seeing the countenance and offering food—these things are worthy of caution and fear!” The emperor replied with a commendatory edict.

After the emperor re-imprisoned Cui Fa, the Supervising Secretary Li Bo submitted a memorial saying: “The magistrate should not have dragged the eunuchs, and the eunuchs should not have beaten a prisoner of the palace. Their crimes are equal. However, the magistrate’s crime was before the general amnesty, and the eunuchs’ crime was after it. The eunuchs’ violence has reached such an extent. If they are not punished according to law early, I fear that when the regional commands in the four directions hear of this, they will develop a contemptuous attitude.” The Remonstrance Counselor Zhang Zhongfang submitted a memorial, roughly saying: “A vast grace was to be spread throughout the realm but cannot be implemented before the palace; abundant benevolence reaches all insects yet alone omits Cui Fa.” The other Remonstrance Officials’ arguments were many, but the emperor did not heed them. On the wuzi day, Li Fengji and others said calmly to the emperor: “Cui Fa arbitrarily dragged eunuchs—indeed it is great disrespect. However, his mother is the elder sister of the former Chancellor Wei Guanzhi, nearly eighty years old. Since Cui Fa was imprisoned, accumulated worry has made her ill. Your Majesty governs the realm with filial piety; this is worthy of sympathy and consideration.” The emperor then said compassionately: “These Remonstrance Officials only spoke of Cui Fa’s grievance; they never mentioned his disrespect, nor did they mention his aged mother. As you, beloved ministers, have said, why would I not pardon him!” He immediately ordered a eunuch to release him from his crime, send him home, and comfort his mother. Cui Fa’s mother, in the presence of the eunuch, beat Cui Fa forty strokes with a staff.

In the third month, on the xinyou day, the Director of the Bureau of Receptions, Yu Renwen, was sent to enfeoff the Uyghur Qasar Tegin as Ai Dengli Luo Gu Mo Mi Yu He Bi Jia Zhao Li Qaghan.

In the summer, the fourth month, on the guisi day, the assembled ministers presented the honorific title of Wenwu Dasheng Guangxiao Emperor. A general amnesty was granted throughout the realm. The amnesty edict only said: “Those officials who have been demoted and already transferred upon consideration should be transferred upon consideration,” but did not mention those who had not been transferred upon consideration. The Hanlin Academician Wei Chuhou submitted a memorial saying: “Li Fengji feared that Li Shen would be transferred upon consideration, so he handled it this way. If so, then in recent years, officials who were exiled and demoted, because of Li Shen alone, cannot be transferred upon consideration.” The emperor immediately retrieved the amnesty edict and revised it. Li Shen was thereby able to be transferred to the post of Chief Clerk of Jiangzhou.

In the autumn, the seventh month, on the jiashen day, the Salt and Iron Commissioner Wang Bo presented an additional one million bolts of silk. Wang Bo managed the salt and iron with harsh urgency; regular revenues were insufficient, and additional tributes came in succession.

On the jiwei day, an edict ordered Wang Bo to build twenty dragon boat racing vessels, transporting materials to the capital for construction, with costs equivalent to half a year’s transport expenses. The Remonstrance Counselor Zhang Zhongfang and others strenuously remonstrated, so the number was halved.

The Remonstrance Officials said that the Metropolitan Governor Cui Yuanlue served the Inner Attendant Cui Tanjun with the respect due a father. On the dingmao day, Cui Yuanlue was transferred to be Vice Minister of Revenue.

When the Military Commissioner of Zhaoyi, Liu Wu, left Yunzhou, he took two thousand Yunzhou soldiers as his personal guard. In the eighth month, on the gengxu day, Liu Wu suddenly died of an acute illness. His son, the Master of Records in the Directorate of Palace Buildings, Liu Congjian, concealed the mourning and, together with the senior general Liu Wude and the personal guard, planned to use Liu Wu’s final memorial to request the post of acting successor. The Administrative Assistant Jia Zhiyan entered and rebuked Liu Congjian, saying: “Your father led the twelve prefectures to submit to the court; his merit was not small. Only because of Zhang Wen’s affair did he say that unclean things were poured on his head, and in the end died of shame. You, young whelp, how dare you do this! When your father dies and you do not weep, how can you be a man?” Liu Congjian, in terror, could not answer, and then announced the mourning.

Initially, a man from Chenliu, Wu Zhao, was dismissed from the post of Prefect of Shizhou and appointed as Chief of the Household of Prince Yuan. Frustrated and discontented, he resented the administration. Li Fengji and Li Cheng were on bad terms. The Director of the Water Bureau, Li Rengshu, a clansman of Li Cheng, angered Wu Zhao by saying that Li Cheng wanted to give Wu Zhao an official post but was blocked by Li Fengji. Wu Zhao, in a drunken state, said to the Left Jinwu Military Registrar Mao Hui that he wanted to assassinate Li Fengji, and was reported. In the ninth month, on the gengchen day, an edict ordered the Three Judicial Offices to investigate. The former Heyang Administrative Assistant Li Zhongyan said to Mao Hui: “If you say Li Cheng conspired with Wu Zhao, you will live; otherwise, you will surely die.” Mao Hui said: “I would rather die wrongfully and be content! To slander others to save myself—I, Mao Hui, will not do it!” The case was concluded. In the winter, the tenth month, on the jiaxu day, Wu Zhao was beaten to death; Li Rengshu was demoted to be the Marshal of Daozhou; Li Zhongyan was exiled to Xiangzhou; Mao Hui was exiled to Yazhou.

The emperor wanted to go to the Lishan Hot Springs. The Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Li Jiang, and the Remonstrance Counselor Zhang Zhongfang, among others, remonstrated repeatedly but to no avail. The Reminder Zhang Quan knelt prostrate before the Zichen Hall, knocked his head, and remonstrated, saying: “In ancient times, King You of Zhou went to Lishan and was killed by the Quanrong; the First Emperor of Qin was buried at Lishan, and his state perished; Emperor Xuanzong of Tang built a palace at Lishan, and An Lushan rebelled; the late emperor went to Lishan and did not live long.” The emperor said: “Is Lishan so inauspicious? I should go once to verify those words.” In the eleventh month, on the gengyin day, he went to the hot springs and returned to the palace that same day. He said to his attendants: “What the man who knocked his head said—how could it be worthy of belief!”

On the bingshen day, the emperor’s son Li Pu was established as the Prince of Jin.

The court received Liu Wu’s posthumous memorial. Most of those who discussed it said that Shangdang was an interior commandery, different from the Hebei region, and that the request should not be granted. Left Vice Director Li Jiang submitted a memorial, arguing: “In military operations, speed is crucial; in wielding authority, decisiveness is essential. While popular sentiment is not yet unified, one can use strategy to attack. Liu Wu has been dead for several months, and the court has still not taken action. People both inside and outside the court all regret missing this opportunity. Now, the soldiers of Zhaoyi will certainly not all follow Liu Congjian in conspiracy; even if half conspire with him, the other half will still be loyal to the court. Liu Congjian has never long commanded troops and horses; his authority and favor have not yet been extended to others. Moreover, this commandery has always been poor; at this time, there will certainly be no generous rewards. The court need only quickly appoint a general near Zelu as the military governor of Zhaoyi, have him rush to the commandery day and night, and before Liu Congjian can make arrangements, the new envoy will have arrived in Luzhou. This is what is called ‘getting ahead of others to seize their spirit.’ Once the new envoy arrives, the army’s loyalty will naturally have a focus. Liu Congjian has no official position; on what basis can he preside over affairs? If he plots to obstruct the court’s orders, his officers and soldiers will certainly not obey. Now, if the court delays for a long time without acting, that army will not understand the court’s intent. Those wishing to be loyal will fear that Liu Congjian might suddenly be appointed; those wishing to join in evil with the army will worry that someone else might be appointed instead. In their indecision, if a treacherous person devises a plan for them, exaggerating the amount of yellow money, the soldiers will have improper expectations, making them even harder to control. I hope Your Majesty will quickly make a decision, first issue a clear imperial decree, announce it to the army’s officers and soldiers, reward their consistent loyalty, and grant the new envoy 540,000 bolts of silk to distribute as rewards. Then, appoint Liu Congjian to a prefectural post. Since Liu Congjian will have gained some benefits, he will certainly choose what is advantageous and will absolutely not resist or refuse. Even if he disobeys the order, I believe there is no need to send troops to attack him. Why? I have heard that Liu Congjian has already forbidden the soldiers in the three prefectures east of the mountains from carrying their own weapons. This is enough to show that the hearts of the multitude are not yet unified, and what happens in his camp need not be doubted. Carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages, there is absolutely no reason to immediately grant Liu Congjian the military governorship.” At the time, Li Fengji and Wang Shoucheng had already decided on their plan, and ultimately Li Jiang’s strategy was not adopted. In the twelfth month, on the Xinchou day, Liu Congjian was appointed acting military governor of Zhaoyi. Liu Wu’s governance was harsh and minute; Liu Congjian remedied this with leniency, and the people became very attached to him.

Li Jiang liked to speak frankly in remonstrance, and Li Fengji disliked him. According to precedent, on the day a Vice Director took office, the chief ministers would see him off, the hundred officials would stand in ranks, the Censor-in-Chief would arrange positions in the courtyard, and officials below the Minister level would perform the ceremonial tooth-call each month. During the Yuanhe era, when Yin You served as Vice Director, Grand Academician of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Wei Qian submitted a memorial saying the old ritual was too heavy, so it was reduced. Censor-in-Chief Wang Bo, relying on Li Fengji’s power, encountered Li Jiang on the road and did not yield to him. Li Jiang cited precedent in a memorial, saying: “The Vice Director, in the early years of the founding, was the true chief minister, and the ritual treatment was very weighty. If a person is not worthy of the post, he should naturally be replaced with a worthy one. If the court appoints him to this office, how can the regulations be compromised? I request an order for the hundred officials to deliberate in detail.” Most of those who discussed the matter followed Li Jiang’s suggestion. The emperor agreed to implement the old ritual. On the Jiazi day, because Li Jiang had a foot ailment, he was appointed Junior Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, with a separate office at the Eastern Capital.

Most of those discussing state affairs praised Pei Du as worthy and said he should not be abandoned in a commandery. The emperor repeatedly sent envoys to Xingyuan to comfort and inquire after Pei Du, secretly informing him of the date for his return. Pei Du then requested an audience at court, which greatly frightened Li Fengji’s faction.

In spring, the first month, on the Ren Chen day, Pei Du arrived at court from Xingyuan. Li Fengji’s faction used every means to slander him. Before this, there was a popular rhyme: “The scarlet-robed child bares his belly; in heaven’s mouth, he is expelled.” Also, in Chang’an city there were six earthen mounds running horizontally, like the celestial signs, and Pei Du’s residence happened to be located on the fifth mound. Zhang Quanyu submitted a memorial, saying: “Pei Du’s name corresponds to prophecies and charts, his residence occupies a mound’s source. He came without being summoned, and his intentions can be discerned.” Although the emperor was young, he saw through all their slander and treated Pei Du with even greater favor.

When Pei Du first arrived at the capital, court officials filled his courtyard. Pei Du kept guests for drinking. Metropolitan Governor Liu Qichu whispered in Pei Du’s ear. Attending Censor Cui Xian raised his cup and fined Pei Du, saying: “The Chancellor should not allow a subordinate to whisper.” Pei Du laughed and drank. Liu Qichu felt uneasy and hurried out. In the second month, on the Dingwei day, Pei Du was appointed Minister of Works and participant in deliberating departmental affairs. When Pei Du was in the Secretariat, his attendants suddenly reported that the seal was lost. Those who heard it changed color, but Pei Du drank as usual. After a while, the attendants reported again that the seal was found in its original place. Pei Du did not respond. Someone asked him why. Pei Du said: “This must be a petty clerk who stole it to forge documents. If I had searched urgently, he would have thrown it into water or fire; by taking it slowly, it returned to its place.” People admired his breadth of mind and insight.

Since ascending the throne, the emperor had wanted to tour the Eastern Capital, Luoyang. Many chief ministers and court officials remonstrated. The emperor did not listen and was determined to go. He had already ordered Du Officer of the Ministry of Revenue Lu Zhen to inspect and repair the palaces of the Eastern Capital and the temporary palaces along the route. Pei Du calmly said to the emperor: “The state originally established two capitals to prepare for imperial tours. Since the time of many difficulties, this practice has been abandoned. Now, the palaces, barracks, and offices of the various departments are mostly ruined and collapsed. If Your Majesty wishes to tour, you should order the relevant departments to slowly repair them over half a year or a year, and only then can you go.” The emperor said: “Those who have discussed this have all said it cannot be done. With words like yours, it is acceptable not to go.” Just then, Zhu Kerong and Wang Tingcou both requested to send troops and artisans to help repair the Eastern Capital. In the third month, on the Dinghai day, an imperial edict halted the matter because repairing the Eastern Capital would trouble the people, and summoned Lu Zhen back. Before this, the court had sent a eunuch envoy to bestow seasonal garments on Zhu Kerong. Zhu Kerong considered the garments coarse and detained the eunuch envoy. He also submitted a memorial saying, “This year, the spring clothing for the officers and soldiers of our circuit is insufficient. We request that the Ministry of Revenue allocate 300,000 lengths of silk.” He also submitted a memorial saying, “I wish to lead 5,000 troops and artisans to help repair the palace.” The emperor was worried about this and asked the chief ministers, intending to send a high-ranking official to offer comfort and to demand the eunuch envoy’s return. Pei Du replied: “Zhu Kerong’s disrespect has reached its extreme; he is probably nearing his end! He is like a fierce beast, roaring and leaping in the mountains and forests; after a long time, he will exhaust himself and certainly will not dare to lightly leave his lair. I hope Your Majesty will not send a comfort envoy, nor demand the eunuch envoy’s return. After ten days, slowly issue an edict saying: ‘I have heard that when the eunuch envoy arrived at your place, there was some slight discourtesy. When he returns, I will handle the matter myself. As for the seasonal garments, the relevant department was not careful in their manufacture. I wish to know about this matter and have already ordered it dealt with. As for the spring clothing for the officers and soldiers, it has never been issued by the court; each circuit has always prepared its own. I do not begrudge several hundred thousand lengths of silk, but there is no precedent for this, and I cannot give it exclusively to Fanyang.’ As for his request to help repair the palace, these are all empty words. If you want to directly thwart his treacherous schemes, you should say: ‘The artisans should be sent quickly; I have already ordered the relevant authorities along the route to arrange for their provisions.’ When he receives this edict, he will certainly panic. If you wish to temporarily show leniency, then say: ‘The matter of repairing the palace belongs to the relevant departments; there is no need to trouble the artisans to come from afar.’ That is all. This matter is not worth troubling Your Majesty’s thoughts.” The emperor was very pleased and followed his advice.

Talented Lady Guo was established as Consort Guo. Consort Guo was the mother of Prince Jin, Li Pu.

Military Governor of Heng Hai, Li Quanlüe, died. His son, Deputy Military Governor Li Tongjie, took the post of acting military governor on his own and bribed neighboring commanderies heavily to succeed to the post.

In summer, the fourth month, on the Wushen day, Acting Military Governor of Zhaoyi, Liu Congjian, was appointed Military Governor.

In the fifth month, the Youzhou army rebelled, killing Zhu Kerong and his son Zhu Yanling. The army installed his younger son Zhu Yansi to take charge of military affairs.

On the Jiazi day of the sixth month, the emperor went to the Three Halls and ordered the left and right armies, the Music Academy, and the Inner Garden to hold ball games, wrestling, and variety shows. When the entertainment reached its height, some broke arms or split heads, and it did not stop until several hours after nightfall.

On the Jimao day, the emperor went to Xingfu Temple to watch the lay preacher Monk Wenxu.

On the Guiwei day, Prince Heng, Li Xuan, passed away.

On the Ren day, an edict was issued demanding the existing one hundred thousand taels of silver and seven thousand taels of gold from the Left Treasury, all to be stored in the Inner Treasury for the purpose of rewards.

Daoist Zhao Guizhen advised the emperor with tales of immortals, while monks Weizhen, Qixian, and Zhengjian advised him with prayers and sacrifices for blessings. They were all allowed to enter and leave the palace, and the emperor trusted and adopted their words. The hermit Du Jingxian requested to travel throughout the Yangzi and Lingnan regions to seek out extraordinary people. There was a man from Runzhou named Zhou Shiyuan, who claimed to have lived for several hundred years. The emperor dispatched a palace attendant to welcome him. In the eighth month, on the Yisi day, Zhou Shiyuan arrived at the capital, and the emperor placed him in a mountain pavilion within the palace.

After Zhu Yansi obtained Youzhou, he treated the people tyrannically. The Commander-in-Chief of the Capital Troops, Li Zaiyi, together with his younger brother, the Inner Troops Commander Li Zaining, killed Zhu Yansi and exterminated over three hundred members of his family. Li Zaiyi acted as acting military governor, and in the ninth month, he listed Zhu Yansi's crimes and reported them to the court. Li Zaiyi was a descendant of Li Chengqian.

On the Gengshen day, Wei Bo Jiedushi Shi Xiancheng falsely reported that Li Tongjie had been expelled by the army, fled back to his own circuit, and requested to be bound and sent to court. Soon after, he again reported that Li Tongjie had returned to Cangzhou.

On the Renshen day, Li Cheng, the Vice Director of the Secretariat and co-chief minister, was appointed co-chief minister and military governor of Hedong.

Winter, tenth month, on the Jihai day, Li Zaiyi was appointed military governor of Lulong.

Eleventh month, on the Jiashen day, Li Fengji, the Vice Director of the Chancellery and co-chief minister, was appointed co-chief minister and military governor of Shannan East Circuit.

The emperor indulged in games and pleasures without restraint, drew close to and doted on a group of petty men. He excelled at ball games and delighted in unarmed combat. The Imperial Guard and various circuits vied to present strongmen, and he also gave ten thousand strings of cash to the Inner Garden Director to recruit strongmen, who remained by his side day and night. He also enjoyed personally capturing foxes late at night. His temperament was also narrow and impatient. If any of the strongmen, relying on his favor, acted disrespectfully, they were immediately exiled and their property confiscated. Eunuchs who committed minor faults were repeatedly subjected to whippings, and they were both resentful and fearful. In the twelfth month, on the Xinchou day, the emperor returned to the palace from a night hunt and drank with eunuchs Liu Keming, Tian Wucheng, Xu Wenrui, and the ball-playing generals Su Zuoming, Wang Jiaxian, Shi Congkuan, Yan Weizhi, and twenty-eight others. When the emperor was deeply inebriated, he went into the inner chamber to change clothes. Suddenly, the candles in the hall were extinguished, and Su Zuoming and the others killed the emperor in the inner chamber. Liu Keming and his followers issued a false edict, ordering Academician of the Hanlin Academy Lu Su to draft a testamentary edict, appointing Prince Jiang, Li Wu, to temporarily oversee military and state affairs. On the Renyin day, the testamentary edict was announced, and Prince Jiang received the hundred officials and the chief ministers in the outer corridor of the Zichen Palace Hall. Liu Keming and his clique wanted to replace the powerful eunuchs in the palace service, so the Chief Privy Advisors Wang Shoucheng and Yang Chenghe, and the Chief Advisors Wei Congjian and Liang Shouqian, devised a plan. They led the imperial guards to welcome Prince Jiang, Li Han, into the palace, mobilized the left and right Shence Armies and the Feilong soldiers to attack and execute the party of traitors, all of whom were beheaded. Liu Keming jumped into a well but was pulled out and beheaded. Prince Jiang was killed by the mutinous soldiers. At the time, the incident occurred suddenly. Because Academician of the Hanlin Academy Wei Chuhou was broadly learned in both ancient and modern affairs, the night's arrangements were all discussed with him. When Wang Shoucheng and the others wanted to issue orders to the court and the country, they hesitated over the wording. Wei Chuhou said: "If the name is correct and words are proper in punishing the guilty, what taboo is there in righteousness? How can you hesitate, fearing to be avoided?" They then asked: "How should Prince Jiang ascend the throne?" Wei Chuhou said: "Tomorrow morning, a princely decree should be used to announce to the court and the country that the internal rebellion has been pacified. Then the officials will present three petitions urging him to accept the throne, and the Grand Empress Dowager will issue an edict appointing him emperor." At the time, all followed his words. As there was no time to consult the relevant departments, all the rituals and regulations came from Wei Chuhou, and none were inappropriate. On the Guimao day, Pei Du was appointed acting chief mourner. The hundred officials paid their respects to Prince Jiang in the outer corridor of the Zichen Palace Hall; Prince Jiang, dressed in plain clothes, wept and cried. On the Jiachen day, he received the various army commissioners in the Shaoyang Courtyard. Zhao Guizhen and the various magicians, as well as those favored during Emperor Jingzong's reign, were all exiled to Lingnan or the border regions. On the Yisi day, Emperor Wenzong ascended the throne and changed his personal name to Li Ang. On the Wushen day, he honored his mother, Lady Xiao, as Empress Dowager, and Empress Dowager Wang as Baoli Empress Dowager. At this time, Empress Dowager Guo resided in Xingqing Palace, Empress Dowager Wang in Yian Hall, and Empress Dowager Xiao in the Inner Palace. The emperor's nature was filial and prudent; he served all three empress dowagers equally. Whenever he obtained rare treasures, he first offered them in the suburban sacrifices and ancestral temples, then presented them to the three empress dowagers, and only finally used them himself. Empress Dowager Xiao was a woman from Min.

On the Gengxu day, Wei Chuhou, Academician of the Hanlin Academy, was appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat and co-chief minister.

Since his time as a prince, the emperor had deeply known the ills of the two previous reigns. After ascending the throne, he strove to govern with vigor, eliminated luxury, and followed simplicity. He issued an edict to release all palace ladies who held no official duties, altogether over three thousand people. The hawks and hounds of the Five Offices, following the precedent of the Yuanhe era, were all set free except for a suitable number kept for hunting. The annual articles supplied by the relevant departments to the palace were all according to the precedent of the Zhenyuan era. He reduced over twelve hundred idle personnel in the Music Academy, the Hanlin Academy, and the General Directorship, and stopped the newly added clothing and grain allowances for various offices. All the imperial horse farms, pastures, and the ponds and fields recently set aside for grain and cash reserves were returned to the relevant departments. The previously demanded embroideries, carvings, and other items were all halted. During Emperor Jingzong's reign, the emperor held court only once or twice a month. The new emperor began to restore the old system; there was no day on the odd-numbered days that he did not hold court, receiving the chief ministers and the hundred officials to inquire about governance, which lasted a long time before concluding. Although the posts of court officials on standby had been established in the past, they had never been summoned for audience. Now, they were frequently summoned for inquiries. The postponement or cancellation of court audiences were all scheduled on even-numbered days. The court and the country celebrated together, believing that an era of peace was attainable.

Emperor Wenzong, the Yuan Sheng Zhao Xian Xiao Emperor, the first year of Taihe (Dingwei, 827 AD)

Spring, second month, on the Yisi day, a general amnesty was granted, and the reign period was changed.

Li Tongjie had taken control of Cangjing on his own, and the court had not questioned him for a year. Li Tongjie hoped that after the change of emperor, he might receive favor or leniency. In the third month, on the Renshu day (the first day of the month), he sent his Administrative Officer Cui Congchang to present a memorial, together with his younger brothers Li Tongzhi and Li Tongxun, to the court for an audience, requesting to comply with the court's wishes.

Although the emperor humbly accepted advice, he could not be resolute and decisive. Matters that had been decided after discussion with the chief ministers would often change halfway through. In the summer, in the fourth month, on the Bingchen day, Wei Chuhou argued this vehemently in the Yanying Hall, and consequently requested to resign from his post. The emperor comforted him repeatedly.

Zhongwu Jiedushi Wang Pei died. On the Gengshen day, Gao Yu, the Minister of the Imperial Stud, was appointed Zhongwu Jiedushi. Since the Dali era, Jiedushi had mostly come from the Imperial Guard. Those senior Imperial Guard generals would borrow money from wealthy families at double interest to bribe the Chief Advisors, spending sums that often exceeded a hundred million, before they could obtain the position of Jiedushi. They never went through the chief ministers of the Secretariat-Chancellery. After arriving at their posts, they would increase taxes heavily to repay their debts. When Wang Pei died, Pei Du and Wei Chuhou memorialized to appoint Gao Yu to replace him. The court and the country celebrated, saying: "From now on, there will be fewer Jiedushi in debt!" In the fifth month, on the Bingzi day, Tianping Jiedushi Wu Chongyin was appointed Heng Hai Jiedushi, and the former Deputy Heng Hai Jiedushi Li Tongjie was appointed Yun Hai Jiedushi. The court was still worried that the Jiedushi of Henan and Hebei would incite Li Tongjie to resist the orders, so Wei Bo's Shi Xiancheng was given the honorary title of co-chief minister. On the Dingchou day, Li Zaiyi of Lulong, Kang Zhimu of Pinglu, and Wang Tingcou of Chengde were given honorary titles of Inspector.

Wang Bo, the Salt and Iron Commissioner, returned to court from Huainan, vigorously seeking high office, presenting thousands of silver vessels and hundreds of thousands of bolts of silk. In the sixth month, on the Guisi day, Wang Bo was appointed Left Chief Minister and co-chief minister.

Autumn, seventh month, on the Guiyou day, the Ruizhao Minxiao Emperor was buried in Zhuangling, with the temple name Jingzong.

Li Tongjie pretended that he was retained by his officers and soldiers and did not accept the imperial edict. On the day of Yiyou, Wang Zhixing, the military governor of Wuning, submitted a memorial requesting to lead his own army of thirty thousand men, with five months' worth of provisions prepared by themselves, to campaign against Li Tongjie; this was approved. In the eighth month, on the day of Gengzi, Li Tongjie's official rank and noble title were stripped, and orders were given to Wu Chongyin, Wang Zhixing, Kang Zhimu, Shi Xiancheng, Li Zaiyi, along with Li Ting, the military governor of Yicheng, and Zhang Bo, the military governor of Yiwu, to each lead their own armies to campaign against him. Li Tongjie sent his sons and younger brothers with precious curios, female entertainers, and bribes to the various circuits north of the Yellow River. On the day of Wuwu, Li Zaiyi captured his nephew and presented him along with the bribed items. Shi Xiancheng was related by marriage to Li Quanlue, and when Li Tongjie rebelled, he secretly supplied him with provisions. Pei Du, unaware of his actions, considered Shi Xiancheng to have no second thoughts. Shi Xiancheng sent a trusted official to the Secretariat to consult on matters, and Wei Chuhou said to him: "Duke Jin (Pei Du) guaranteed your master before the Emperor with his entire family of a hundred members, but I, Chuhou, am not like that; I only wait to see your actions, for the court's laws are clear!" Shi Xiancheng, frightened, dared not collude with Li Tongjie any further. Wang Tingcou requested a military governor's banner and staff for Li Tongjie but failed, so he helped him in his rebellion, sending troops to the border to obstruct the Wei-Bo army. He also sent envoys with lavish gifts to bribe the Shatuo chieftain Zhuyechi Yizhi, seeking to ally with him, but Zhuyechi Yizhi refused and did not accept.

In winter, the tenth month, Wu Chongyin, the military governor of Tianping and Heng-hai, attacked Li Tongjie and defeated him multiple times. In the eleventh month, on the day of Bingyin, Wu Chongyin died. On the day of Gengchen, Li Huan, the military governor of Baoyi, was appointed as the military governor of Heng-hai, following Wang Zhixing's request.

In the twelfth month, on the day of Gengxu, Wang Zhixing was granted the honorary title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi.

In spring, the third month, on the day of Jimao, Wang Zhixing attacked Di Prefecture and burned its three gates.

Since the last years of the Yuanhe era (Emperor Xianzong's reign name), eunuchs had become increasingly domineering, controlling the establishment and deposition of emperors, with power surpassing that of the sovereign, and no one dared to speak out. On the day of Xinsi, the Emperor personally administered the examination for the candidates of the special imperial examination. Among them, Liu Fen of Changping, who took the "worthy and upright" category, vigorously denounced the harm caused by eunuchs in his policy response. The gist of it said: "What Your Majesty should first worry about is: the palace is about to face a coup, the state is about to fall into danger, the realm is about to collapse, and the whole empire is about to descend into chaos." It also said: "If Your Majesty wishes to cut off the seeds of usurpation and regicide, you should occupy the rightful position and draw near to upright people, distance yourself from those base eunuchs, draw close to resolute and loyal ministers, let the assisting chief ministers take exclusive charge of their duties, and let all officials fulfill their responsibilities. Why then let five or six petty men by your side monopolize the great affairs of the realm? Misfortune brews within the palace walls, and treachery emerges within the tents; I fear that eunuchs like Cao Jie and Hou Lan will appear again today." It further said: "Loyal and worthy men are not trusted as confidants, while eunuchs rely on the power to depose or establish emperors, causing the late emperor to fail to meet a good end and leading Your Majesty to ascend the throne improperly." It also said: "Authority and power gradually weaken, and the military governors of the frontier become overbearing. Some do not understand the integrity of a subject, and those who first rebel use the flag of stabilizing the ruler; they do not deeply investigate the subtle meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and those who raise troops use the pretext of expelling the wicked. In this way, orders and punishments are not decided by the Son of Heaven, and punitive expeditions are inevitably initiated by the feudal lords." It also said: "Why does Your Majesty not block the path of treachery, expel the flattering ministers by your side, curb their ambitions to encroach, bully, and coerce the ruler, restore their duty of sweeping and guarding, be vigilant about what should be vigilant, and worry about what should be worried! Since you cannot govern well at the start, you should govern well afterward; since you cannot correct the beginning, you should correct the end; only then can you devoutly uphold the statutes and laws and inherit the great foundation. In the past, the fall of the Qin dynasty was due to tyranny, and the fall of the Han dynasty was due to weakness. Tyranny causes treacherous ministers to kill the ruler out of fear of death; weakness causes wicked ministers to steal power and intimidate the ruler. I respectfully observe that Emperor Jingzong did not consider the calamity of the fallen Qin and did not eradicate the seeds of disaster at their sprouting. I respectfully hope that Your Majesty will deeply consider the calamity of the fallen Han and cut off its sprouts, so that the great work of the ancestors can be inherited, and the far-reaching achievements of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors can be caught up with." It also said: "I have heard that when Emperor Yuan of the Han first ascended the throne, he changed more than seventy systems. His intentions were sincere, and his reputation was good, yet the state's laws became increasingly chaotic, the state's fortunes grew more and more decadent, the treacherous became stronger, and the people became more and more impoverished. The reason was that he could not select and appoint worthy men, losing the method of wielding power." It also said: "If Your Majesty truly can return the power of the state to the chief ministers and entrust the military authority to the generals, then what you think in your heart will certainly be achieved, and your actions will certainly be trusted." It also said: "Laws and decrees should be unified, and official positions should match their actual names. Now, there are posts for external officials and internal officials (eunuchs), setting up the structure of the Southern Administration (civil officials) and the Northern Administration (eunuchs). Some break the law in the Southern Administration and flee to the Northern Administration; some are punished in the outer court but break the law within the inner court. Laws come from multiple departments, and people have no idea where to turn. This is truly because the systems for military and agriculture differ, and the laws for inside and outside the court are also not the same." It also said: "Now, the Ministry of War does not control the military registers but only manages ceremonial protocols; the Six Armies (imperial guards) do not handle military affairs but are only used to support meritorious officials and nobles. The post of the Army Supervisor merges the duties of eunuchs, and military decrees are attached to the authority of inner ministers. Once they put on the military cap, they detest civil officials as enemies; once they enter the camp, they regard farmers as mere grass and weeds. Their strategies are insufficient to eradicate evil and rebellion, but their treachery is enough to wield power and act arbitrarily; their courage is insufficient to guard and protect the state, but their brutality is enough to harm the villages. They control the military governors of the frontier, infringe on the chief ministers' authority, destroy the state's laws, and disrupt the court's discipline. They flaunt the prestige of military men, controlling the ruler from above; they borrow the emperor's decrees, driving the heroes from below. They have fathers who harbor treacherous hearts and watch for changes, but no sense of duty to die for integrity or sacrifice for the state. Is this the original intention of the former kings in managing civil and military affairs!" It also said: "I am not unaware that speaking out will bring disaster, and that if my plans are adopted, I will be killed. I truly grieve for the state's peril and pity the people's hardship. How can I bear to pander to the taboos of the time, coveting Your Majesty's favor of a single official post!"

In the intercalary month, on the day of Bingxu (the first day), Shi Xiancheng submitted a memorial, stating that he had sent his son, Deputy Commissioner Shi Tang, and Commander-in-Chief Qi Zhishao to lead an army of twenty-five thousand men to De Prefecture to campaign against Li Tongjie. At that time, Shi Xiancheng wanted to help Li Tongjie, but Shi Tang wept and admonished him, requesting to send troops to attack him; Shi Xiancheng could not go against his wishes.

On the jiawu day, twenty-two candidates including Pei Xiu, Li He, Li Gan, Du Mu, Ma Zhi, Cui Yu, Wang Shi, and Cui Shenyou from the worthy and upright category passed the examination and were all appointed to official posts. The examiner, Left Vice Director of the Chancellery Feng Su and others, upon reading Liu Fen’s policy response, all admired and were impressed, but fearing the eunuchs, they dared not admit him. After the imperial decree was issued, public opinion was in an uproar, and everyone felt wronged on his behalf. Remonstrance officials and imperial censors wanted to submit memorials to discuss the matter, but were suppressed by the chief ministers. Li He said, “Liu Fen failed, yet we passed—can we not feel ashamed?” Thereupon he submitted a memorial, stating: “Liu Fen’s policy response surpasses anything seen since the Han and Wei dynasties. Now the relevant authorities, because Liu Fen directly rebuked those close to Your Majesty, did not dare to report his response to the throne. I fear that the path of loyalty and integrity will from this be blocked, and the court’s guiding principles will be severed. Moreover, my own response is far inferior to Liu Fen’s. I request that my official appointment be withdrawn to honor Liu Fen’s forthrightness.” The memorial received no reply. Consequently, Liu Fen could not hold office at court and ultimately only served as a censor in a military governor’s office. Du Mu was the grandson of Du You; Ma Zhi was the son of Ma Xun; Wang Shi was the son of Wang Qi; Cui Shenyou was the great-great-grandson of Cui Rong.

Summer, sixth month, Jin Wang Li Pu died. On the xinyou day, he was posthumously honored as Crown Prince Daohuai.

Initially, when Empress Dowager Xiao left her hometown as a child, she had a younger brother. After the emperor ascended the throne, he ordered the Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian to search for him, but his whereabouts were unknown. A tea transport laborer named Xiao Hong claimed to have a sister who had been lost. The merchant Zhao Zhen brought him to meet the wife of the empress dowager’s close relative Lü Zhang, who could not distinguish the truth and took him to see the empress dowager. The emperor believed he had found the true maternal uncle, and on the jiazi day, appointed him as Palace Steward for the Heir Apparent.

Fengzhou Prefect Wang Shengchao rebelled. On the gengchen day, Annan Protector Han Yue of Wuling campaigned against and executed him.

Wang Tingcou secretly sent troops and transported salt and grain to aid Li Tongjie. The emperor wanted to campaign against him. Autumn, seventh month, on the jiachen day, an edict ordered the Secretariat to convene the hundred officials to discuss this matter. From the chief minister down, none dared to oppose, except for Commandant of the Palace Garrison Yin You, who said: “Although Wang Tingcou clings to treacherous elements, the matter has not yet fully come to light. We should temporarily show leniency and focus on campaigning against Li Tongjie.” On the jisi day, an edict proclaimed Wang Tingcou’s crimes, ordered neighboring circuits to maintain strict defensive readiness, and allowed him to reform his ways. Ninth month, on the dinghai day, Wang Zhixing reported the capture of Dizhou.

Li Huan led his troops from Jinzhou to his post, but did not restrain his soldiers; wherever they passed, they acted with brutal violence. After arriving, he held his troops back and merely sat waiting for provisions. On the gengyin day, Li Huan was appointed as Xia-Sui Circuit Military Governor.

On the jiawu day, an edict stripped Wang Tingcou of his official rank and titles, and ordered all circuits to attack him from all sides.

Wang Zhixing was additionally appointed as Acting Minister of Education, and former Xia-Sui Circuit Military Governor Fu Liangbi was appointed as Heng-Hai Circuit Military Governor.

Yue Wang Li Gun died.

On the gengxu day, the Rong-Guan Circuit reported that Annan troops had mutinied and expelled Protector Han Yue. Winter, tenth month, Yang Wang Li Xin died.

Weibo’s army defeated Heng-Hai’s army at Pingyuan and captured the city.

Eleventh month, guisi day, first day of the month, Yiding Circuit Military Governor Liu Gongji reported an attack on Li Tongjie’s stronghold at Jianzhai, capturing it, and also defeated his army east of the stockade. At that time, the various circuits’ armies south and north of the Yellow River had campaigned against Li Tongjie for a long time without success. Whenever there was a minor victory, they falsely inflated the number of heads taken to seek generous rewards. The court exhausted its resources to supply them, draining the Yangzi and Huai regions.

When Fu Liangbi reached Shanzhou, he died. On the yiyou day, Left Golden Wu Guard General Li You was appointed as Heng-Hai Circuit Military Governor.

On the jiachen day, the Zhaode Monastery in the palace caught fire, spreading to the quarters of the palace women, killing several hundred people.

Twelfth month, on the dingsi day, Wang Zhixing reported that Military Commissioner Li Junmou had led troops across the Yellow River and captured Wudi. On the renshen day, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Grand Councilor Wei Chuhou died.

Li Tongjie’s military situation grew increasingly dire, and Wang Tingcou could not rescue him. He then sent someone to persuade Weibo’s General Qi Zhishao to kill Shi Xiancheng and his son and seize Weibo. Qi Zhishao consequently rebelled, leading his two thousand troops back to approach Weizhou. On the dingchou day, the court ordered Remonstrance Official Bai Qi to go to Weibo to convey imperial consolation, and also dispatched troops from Yicheng and Heyang to campaign against Qi Zhishao.

On the wuyin day, Hanlin Academic Lu Sui was appointed as Vice Director of the Secretariat and Grand Councilor.

On the xinsi day, Shi Xiancheng reported that Qi Zhishao’s army was stationed at Yongji, requesting urgent relief. An edict ordered Yicheng Circuit Military Governor Li Ting to lead the various armies from the Cangzhou camp to campaign against Qi Zhishao.