Tang Annals 71
The Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government, Volume 255
[Tang Records 71] From the fifth month of the year of Xuanmo Shetige, to the fifth month of the year of Yanfeng Zhixu, totaling slightly more than two years.
In the second year of Zhonghe (Ren Yin, 882 AD) of Emperor Xizong Huisheng Gongding Xiaode's reign, the middle-lower part.
In the fifth month, Min Xu, the Surveillance Commissioner of Hunan, was temporarily appointed as the Military Governor of Zhennan. Min Xu had repeatedly requested the establishment of a military governorship in Hunan, but the court, fearing that Surveillance Commissioners from other circuits would follow suit, did not approve. Previously, when Wang Xianzhi was plundering Jiangxi, Zhong Chuan, a man from Gao'an, gathered the Man and Liao tribes, built fortresses in the mountains, and amassed a force of ten thousand. Wang Xianzhi captured Fuzhou but could not hold it; Zhong Chuan entered and occupied Fuzhou, and the court issued an edict appointing him as its prefect. By this time, Zhong Chuan had also expelled Gao Maoqing, the Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangxi, and occupied Hongzhou. Because Min Xu had originally been a staff officer in Jiangxi, the court reestablished the Zhennan Army and placed Min Xu in command. If Zhong Chuan refused to be replaced, Min Xu was ordered to take the opportunity to attack him. Min Xu, knowing that the court intended to provoke the two bandits into destroying each other, declined to take up the post.
Gao Pian, the Military Governor of Huainan, was additionally appointed as Acting Zhongshu Ling, but his position as Commissioner of Salt and Iron Transport was removed. Having lost both military and financial authority, Gao Pian rolled up his sleeves and cursed, ordering his staff member Gu Yun to draft a memorial on his behalf to plead his case. The wording was disrespectful, roughly saying: "This is because Your Majesty does not employ me; it is certainly not that I have failed Your Majesty." It also said: "The treacherous ministers have not awakened, and Your Majesty remains deluded, not considering that the ancestral temples have been burned, nor grieving that the imperial tombs have been excavated and damaged." It further said: "Wang Duo is a general who lost his army, and Cui Anqian is greedy and corrupt in Shu. How can these two Confucians restrain strong troops!" It also said: "As for those now employed, from the commander-in-chief down to the deputy generals, according to my estimation, all can be easily captured." It continued: "Do not let there be ministers who harbor resentment for a hundred generations, nor leave the shame of scraping the mat for a thousand years. I only fear that if bandits rise in the east and the Liu clan revives, then the disaster at Zhidao would not be limited to the past!" It also said: "Now, worthy talents are among the people, while sycophants fill the court, causing Your Majesty to become the ruler of a fallen state. What strategies do these people have to offer!" The emperor ordered Zheng Tian to draft an edict sternly rebuking him, roughly saying: "When in charge of finances, you held the salt administration; when commanding troops, you exercised authority as the commander-in-chief, extending to the various garrisons of Jingbei, Jingxi, and the Divine Strategy Army, all under your command. Thus, you held the power of overall control. Moreover, you were honored as Situ and ennobled as Taiwei. If this is considered not being employed, then what would constitute being employed?" It also said: "I entrusted you with military power for a long time, yet you could not eliminate the chief culprit. Since Huang Chao escaped from Tianchang and crossed the Huai River, you did not dispatch a single soldier to pursue him. Suddenly, he ravaged the capital, spanning three years. The Guangling army never left its jurisdiction. Loyal ministers accumulated expectations, and brave soldiers arose in ridicule. Therefore, I promoted and employed important ministers to annihilate the bandits." It further said: "The trust and reliance I have always placed in you have, once and for all, left no avenue for complaint. Gazing toward the southeast only adds to the desolation and grief!" It also said: "Xie Xuan defeated Fu Jian at the Fei River, and Pei Du pacified Wu Yuanji at Huaixi. It is not necessarily true that Confucian ministers are inferior to military generals." It also said: "The ancestral temples were burned, and the imperial tombs were excavated and damaged. When the tortoise shell and jade are ruined within the casket, whose fault is it?" It also said: "The words 'the treacherous ministers have not awakened'—who would admit to that? The phrase 'Your Majesty remains deluded'—I dare not accept it!" It also said: "You could not even bind Huang Chao at Tianchang; how can you easily capture the various generals?" It also said: "You speak of the Liu clan reviving; do you know who the leader would be? To compare me to Liu Xuan or Ziying—how slanderous is this!" It also said: "Moreover, the nation's fortunes have not yet collapsed; the imperial principles are still intact; the three luminaries are not darkened; the various laws and regulations still exist. The rites between ruler and minister, and the distinctions between superior and inferior, should be observed and not allowed to decline or be violated. Although I am young, how can I be lightly insulted!" Gao Pian, having already damaged his integrity as a minister, from then on ceased sending tribute.
Cao Cunshi, the Acting Governor of Tianping, was appointed as its Military Governor.
Huang Chao attacked Xingping, and the various armies at Xingping retreated to defend Fengtian.
Zhuge Shuang, the Military Governor of Heyang, was additionally appointed as Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi.
In the sixth month, Zhang Jun, the Acting Governor of Jingyuan, was appointed as its Military Governor.
Duan Yanmo, the Military Governor of Jingnan, was in conflict with the eunuch monitor Zhu Jingmei. Zhu Jingmei separately selected three thousand strong men, calling them the Loyal and Brave Army, and personally led them. Duan Yanmo plotted to kill Zhu Jingmei. On the Ji Hai day, Zhu Jingmei first led his troops to attack Duan Yanmo, killing him, and appointed Li Sui, the Junior Administrator, as the Acting Governor.
Luo Hunqing, Gou Huseng, and Luo Fuzi, all Shu men, each gathered several thousand people to respond to Qian Neng. Yang Xingqian and others fought against them but suffered repeated setbacks and requested reinforcements. The prefecture's forces were exhausted, so Chen Jingxuan gathered all the soldiers from the treasury and gates and handed them over. That month, a great battle took place at Ganxi, and the government army was severely defeated. Yang Xingqian and others, fearing they would be punished for lack of merit, captured large numbers of villagers as prisoners and sent them to the prefecture, several dozen to a hundred each day. Chen Jingxuan, without interrogation, had them all executed. Among them were the elderly, the weak, and women. Some onlookers asked them, and they all said: "We were just plowing fields and weaving hemp when the government troops suddenly entered the village, bound us, and took us as prisoners. We do not even know what crime we have committed!"
In autumn, the seventh month, on the Ji Si day, Zhong Chuan was appointed as the Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangxi, following Gao Pian's request. After Zhong Chuan left Fuzhou, Wei Quanfeng, a man from Nancheng, reoccupied Fuzhou and also sent his brother Wei Zai to occupy Xinzhou.
Shang Rang attacked Yijun Stockade. It happened to snow heavily, reaching a depth of one foot, and two or three out of ten of the bandit troops froze to death.
Han Qiu, a Shu man, gathered several thousand people to respond to Qian Neng.
Zhou Bao, the Military Governor of Zhenhai, reported that Gao Pian had arbitrarily, in the emperor's name, appointed the bandit leader Sun Duan as the Surveillance Commissioner of Xuanshe. An edict was issued ordering Zhou Bao and Pei Qianyu, the Surveillance Commissioner of Xuanshe, to dispatch troops to resist.
Nanzhao submitted a letter requesting the early marriage of the princess. An edict was issued in response, stating that the rituals were being discussed. Fang Yuankui, the Acting Governor of Baoda, was appointed as its Military Governor and concurrently as the Imperial Commissioner for the Eastern March of the Capital.
In the intercalary month, Han Jian, the Military Governor of Weibo, was additionally appointed as Acting Zhongshu Ling.
In the eighth month, Zheng Shaoye, the Vice Minister of Personnel and Commissioner of the Board of Finance, was appointed as Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi and concurrently as the Military Governor of Jingnan.
Liu Hanhong, the Surveillance Commissioner of Zhedong, sent his brother Liu Hanyou and Ma Bujun Duyuhou Xin Yue to lead twenty thousand troops to camp at Xiling, plotting to annex Zhexi. Dong Chang, the Prefect of Hangzhou, sent Qian Liu, the Commandant of the Capital Troops, to resist. On the Ren Zi day, Qian Liu, taking advantage of the fog, crossed the river at night, attacked the enemy camp, and decisively defeated them, killing nearly all of them. Liu Hanyou and Xin Yue both fled.
Han Jian, the Military Governor of Weibo, also had ambitions of annexation. He personally led thirty thousand troops to attack Heyang, defeating Zhuge Shuang at Xiuwu. Zhuge Shuang abandoned the city and fled. Han Jian left troops to garrison the area, then plundered Xingzhou and Mingzhou before returning.
Li Guochang led his tribe from the Dada to move to Daizhou.
Zhu Wen, the Defense Commissioner of Tongzhou appointed by Huang Chao, repeatedly requested reinforcements to defend Hezhong, but Meng Kai, who knew the right army's affairs, suppressed his requests and did not respond. Zhu Wen, seeing that Huang Chao's military situation was increasingly dire and knowing that he would be destroyed, was urged by his trusted generals Hu Zhen and Xie Tong to submit to the court. In the ninth month, on the Bing Xu day, Zhu Wen killed his eunuch monitor Yan Shi and led the entire prefecture to surrender to Wang Rong. Zhu Wen treated Wang Rong with the etiquette of a nephew toward an uncle. Wang Duo, acting on the emperor's behalf, appointed Zhu Wen as the Military Governor of Tonghua and sent Xie Tong with a memorial to the emperor's location. Xie Tong was a man from Fuzhou. Li Xiang, seeing that Wang Rong treated Zhu Wen generously, also wanted to submit to him, but was reported by the eunuch monitor. Huang Chao killed Li Xiang and appointed his brother Li Siye as the Prefect of Huazhou.
The Guizhou army rebelled, expelling its Military Governor Zhang Congxun, and appointed Cui Zhuo, the former Commissioner of the Rongguan Circuit, as the Military Governor of Lingnan West.
Wang Jingwu, a senior general of Pinglu, expelled its Military Governor An Shiru and made himself the Acting Governor.
Initially, the court appointed Tang Qun, a surrendered general of Pang Xun, as the Prefect of Lanzhou. Tang Qun secretly colluded with the Shatuo, and the court, suspecting him, transferred him to be the Prefect of Huaizhou. Zheng Congshuo sent someone with the appointment document to confer it. In winter, the tenth month, on the Geng Zi day (the first day of the month), Tang Qun killed the envoy, occupied the city in rebellion, and sided with the Shatuo. On the Ren Yin day, Zheng Congshuo sent Zhang Yanqiu, the Commandant of the Horse and Foot Troops, to lead troops to suppress him.
The bandit leaders Han Xiusheng and Qu Xingcong raised troops, cutting off the road through the Xia Gorge. On the Gui Chou day, Chen Jingxuan sent the Yaya Zhuang Mengdie to lead two thousand troops to attack them, and also sent the Yaya Hu Honglue to lead a thousand troops to follow up.
Han Jian again led troops to attack Yunzhou. The military governor Cao Cunshi met him in battle, was defeated, and died in combat. The Tianping commander Zhu Xuan, a native of Xiayi, gathered the remaining troops and held the city in a siege. Han Jian was unable to capture it. An imperial edict appointed Zhu Xuan as acting Tianping deputy. Zhu Wen was appointed as Right Jinwu General-in-Chief and Vice Commissioner of the Hezhong Field Headquarters, and was given the name Quanzhong.
Li Keyong repeatedly submitted memorials requesting surrender, but he occupied Xinzhou and Daizhou, frequently raided Bingzhou and Fenzhou, and contended for the Loufan Imperial Pastures. Yiwu military governor Wang Chucun had a long-standing marriage alliance with Li Keyong. An imperial edict ordered Wang Chucun to inform Li Keyong: "If you are truly sincere in submitting, you should temporarily return to Shuozhou and await the court's orders. If you continue to be as violent and overbearing as before, you will be jointly attacked by Hedong and the Datong Army."
Wang Jingwu, a general of Pinglu, was appointed as acting deputy. At that time, troops from various circuits had all assembled in the Guanzhong region to campaign against Huang Chao, but only Pinglu had not arrived. Wang Duo sent the chief judge of the field headquarters, admonisher Zhang Jun, to persuade him. Wang Jingwu had already accepted official positions from Huang Chao and did not come out of the city to greet him. When Zhang Jun saw Wang Jingwu, he reproached him, saying: "You are a vassal of the Son of Heaven. To treat an imperial envoy with contempt and disrespect, and to fail in serving your sovereign—how can you command your subordinates?" Wang Jingwu was startled and apologized. After the edict was read aloud, the officers and soldiers did not respond. Zhang Jun slowly explained to them: "In life, one should first understand what is right and what is wrong, and then know what is beneficial and what is harmful. Huang Chao was formerly nothing but a salt smuggler. You have abandoned the legitimate emperors of successive dynasties and submitted to him—what good has it brought you? Now, the loyalist armies from all over the empire have gathered in the capital region, but only Ziqing has not arrived. Once the rebels are pacified and the Son of Heaven reclaims his rightful throne, what face will you have to see the people of the realm? If you do not quickly go and share in the merit and glory, and attain wealth and honor, regret will be too late!" The officers and soldiers all changed their expressions and admitted their faults, turning to Wang Jingwu and saying: "The admonisher's words are correct." Wang Jingwu immediately dispatched troops to follow Zhang Jun westward.
Liu Hanhong again sent Denggao town commander Wang Zhen to lead 70,000 troops and station at Xiling. Qian Liu again crossed the river by night and attacked, inflicting a great defeat on the enemy, capturing and killing tens of thousands, and seizing over 200 forged edicts that Liu Hanhong had used to appoint various generals. Wang Zhen fled to Zhuji.
Huang Chao's forces were still very strong, and Wang Zhongrong was deeply worried. He said to the field supervisor Yang Fuguang: "To submit to the rebels would betray the state, yet our strength is insufficient to attack them. What should be done?" Yang Fuguang replied: "The Yanmen military governor Li Keyong is brave and skilled in battle, and commands a strong army. His father and my late ancestors once served together and were on friendly terms. He also has the ambition to serve the state. The reason he has not come is merely a conflict with the Hedong military governor Zheng Congjiao. If we can truly use the court's authority to inform Lord Zheng and summon him, he will certainly come. Once he comes, the rebels will not be hard to pacify!" The Eastern Pacification Commissioner Wang Hui also agreed. At that time, Wang Duo was in Hezhong, so he used an informal imperial order to summon Li Keyong and also informed Zheng Congjiao. In the eleventh month, Li Keyong led 17,000 Shatuo troops from the route via Lanzhou and Shizhou toward Hezhong, not daring to enter Taiyuan territory. He only passed through the area below the walls of Jinyang city with a few hundred cavalry to bid farewell to Zheng Congjiao. Zheng Congjiao presented him with fine horses, artifacts, and money and silk.
The old subordinates of Li Xiang collectively drove away Huang Siye, elected Huayin town commander Wang Yu as their leader, and surrendered Huazhou to Wang Zhongrong. Wang Duo, in accordance with the court's intent, appointed Wang Yu as prefect.
Qian Neng's followers became even more rampant, gradually encroaching into the territory of Shuzhou. Chen Jingxuan, because Yang Xingqian and others had long achieved no military merit, appointed the (yāyá) Gao Renhou as the commander-in-chief of the (zhāotǎo) force, leading five hundred soldiers to replace them. The day before departure, a man selling noodles came and went in the camp several times from morning to noon. The patrol soldiers grew suspicious, seized him, and interrogated him; he turned out to be a spy sent by Qian Neng. Gao Renhou ordered his bonds to be loosened and questioned him gently. The spy replied, "I am a villager from a certain village. Qian Neng has imprisoned my parents and wife, saying, 'If you return from spying and obtain the truth, I will pardon your whole family; otherwise, the entire family will die!' I did not do this willingly." Gao Renhou said, "I truly know that this is the case; how could I bear to kill you? Now I will release you to save your parents and wife. Just tell Qian Neng: 'Gao Shangshu sets out tomorrow, leading only five hundred men, with no great force.' However, since I have saved your family, you should secretly inform the people in the stockades for me, saying: 'The (púyè) pities you all as good people, coerced by the bandits, constrained by circumstances. The (shàngshū) wishes to save you and cleanse your guilt. When the arrives, each of you should lay down your weapons and welcome surrender. The will have the characters "" (guīshùn, 'surrender') written on your backs and let you return to your former occupations. Those to be executed are only the five men: Qian Neng, Luo Hunqing, Gou Huseng, Luo Fuzi, and Han Qiu. There will certainly be no harm inflicted on the common people.'" The spy said, "These are all thoughts in the people's hearts. The fully understands and pardons them; who would not leap with joy to obey the command? One person tells a hundred, a hundred tells a thousand, like a river surging into the sea, unstoppable. By the time the arrives, the people will surely rush to you like infants seeing a loving mother. Qian Neng, isolated and without support, will be captured immediately!" Then he released him. The next day, Gao Renhou led his troops out. When he reached Shuangliu, the (bǎjié shǐ) Bai Wenxian came out to welcome him. Gao Renhou surveyed the moats and palisades and angrily said, "Qian Neng is merely a laborer, and his followers are nothing but farming folk. With the full force of one prefecture, you have been unable to capture him for over a year. Now I see these moats and palisades so heavily fortified and secure; no wonder you can sleep in peace and eat your fill, nurturing the bandits to claim credit!" He ordered Bai Wenxian to be taken out and beheaded. The (jiānjūn) pleaded strongly on his behalf, and only after a long time was he spared from death. Gao Renhou ordered all the moats to be filled in and the palisades dismantled, leaving only five hundred soldiers for defense. The rest of the troops followed him, and he summoned the soldiers from all the stockades, who gathered one after another. When Qian Neng heard that Gao Renhou was about to arrive, he sent Luo Hunqing to set up five stockades west of Shuangliu and ambushed a thousand soldiers at Yeqiaoqing to block the government army. Gao Renhou learned of this and led his troops to surround them, ordering them not to kill anyone. He sent men to remove their armor, mix in with the bandits, and inform them, just as he had told the spy the day before. The bandits were overjoyed, shouting and clamoring, vying to throw down their armor and request surrender, kneeling in droves like an avalanche. Gao Renhou comforted and informed them all, writing characters on their backs and sending them back to tell those in the stockades who had not yet surrendered. The remaining people in the stockades rushed out in competition to surrender. Luo Hunqing fled in panic, leaping over a moat, but his followers seized him and brought him to Gao Renhou. Gao Renhou said, "This is a foolish man, not worth speaking with." He had him put in cangue and sent to the prefectural office. He ordered the five stockades and their armor and weapons to be entirely burned, leaving only the flags. Those who surrendered totaled four thousand people. The next morning, Gao Renhou said to the surrendered, "At first I wanted to send you back immediately, but the people in the various forward stockades do not yet know my intentions and may still have doubts. I will use you to go ahead for me. Pass through Chuan Kou and Xinjin, under the stockades, showing the characters on your backs to inform them. When you reach Yangong, you can return." He then took Luo Hunqing's flags, tied them upside down, formed groups of fifty men each, gave them a flag, and had them run ahead, raising the flags and shouting loudly: "Luo Hunqing has been captured alive and sent to the prefectural office! The great army is about to arrive. Those of you in the stockades, quickly come out and surrender like us, and you will immediately become good people—no trouble!" When they reached Chuan Kou, Gou Huseng had set up eleven stockades. The people in the stockades rushed out in competition to surrender. Gou Huseng was greatly startled, drew his sword to stop them, but the people threw tiles and stones at him, seized him together, and presented him to Gao Renhou. His followers, over five thousand men, all surrendered. Another day passed, and they burned the stockades, letting the surrendered carry flags and lead the way, exactly as at Shuangliu. At Xinjin, the thirteen stockades set up by Han Qiu all welcomed surrender. Han Qiu himself jumped into a deep ditch; his followers hooked him out with hooks, but he was already dead, so they cut off his head and presented it. The officers wanted to burn the stockades, but Gao Renhou stopped them, saying, "The surrendered have not yet eaten." He had the provisions and supplies brought out first, then burned the stockades. The newly surrendered vied to cook food, eating together with those who had surrendered earlier and reported, laughing, talking, singing, and playing flutes throughout the night without stopping. The next day, Gao Renhou let the surrendered from Shuangliu and Chuan Kou go back first, and had those from Xinjin carry flags and lead the way, saying, "When you enter Qiongzhou territory, you may also disband and return." Luo Fuzi had set up nine stockades at Yangong. His followers, having seen the firelight from Xinjin the previous night, could not sleep. When the people from Xinjin arrived, Luo Fuzi escaped alone, abandoned his stockade, and fled to Qian Neng; all his followers surrendered. The next day, Luo Fuzi reached Qian Neng's stockade and plotted with him to mobilize all their forces for a decisive battle. Before the plan was settled, dusk was approaching, and the surrendered from Yangong arrived. Qian Neng and Luo Fuzi rode around the stockade on horseback, intending to deploy troops, but the followers did not respond. Gao Renhou led his troops to approach them by night. The next morning, the various stockades, knowing that the great army was near, clamored and rushed out, seizing Qian Neng. Qian Neng, in desperate straits, jumped into a well but was caught by the crowd and did not die. They also seized Luo Fuzi, who cut his own throat and died. The crowd carried Luo Fuzi's head, bound Qian Neng, and drove them to welcome the government army. When they saw Gao Renhou, they crowded around his horse's head, weeping loudly, knelt, and said, "The common people have borne grievances for a long time, with nowhere to appeal. Ever since the spy returned, the people have stretched their necks in hope, regarding each moment as a year. Now we have met the, as if emerging from the Nine Springs to see the bright sun, dead and brought back to life!" Their cheers were unstoppable. As for the bandits' stockades elsewhere, he sent various generals to summon them to surrender. Gao Renhou had been in the field for only six days, and all five bandit leaders were pacified. Each time he captured a county or town, he appointed a (zhèn'è shǐ) to stabilize and gather the people. Chen Jingxuan then had the heads of Han Qiu and Luo Fuzi hung in the marketplace for public display, and had Qian Neng, Luo Hunqing, and Gou Huseng nailed to death west of the city, dismembering them seven days later. Qian Neng's (kǒngmù guān) Zhang Rong, originally a scholar from Anren who had failed the examinations many times, had defected to Qian Neng and became his chief strategist, drafting documents and proclamations for him. After Qian Neng's defeat, he wrote poems and letters to Gao Renhou begging for mercy. Gao Renhou sent him to the prefectural office, where he was nailed to death in the horse market. No one else was killed.
In the twelfth month, Gao Renhou was appointed the (fángyù shǐ) of Meizhou.
Chen Jingxuan posted a notice in Qiongzhou, stating that none of the relatives or followers of Qiao Neng and others would be pursued. Soon after, the prefect of Qiongzhou reported that he had captured Qiao Neng’s uncle, Qiao Xingquan, along with his family of thirty-five people, imprisoned them, and requested punishment according to the law. Chen Jingxuan consulted the clerk Tangxi about this, and Tangxi replied: “You have already posted a notice ordering no pursuit, yet the prefect has arrested them; there must be a reason for this. If you kill them now, not only will you lose your great trust, but I also fear that Qiao Neng’s followers will rise up again in droves!” Chen Jingxuan heeded his advice, sent the officer Niu Hun to go there, gathered the crowd in front of the prefectural gate, opened the shackles and released them, and then inquired into the reason. Indeed, Qiao Xingquan owned fertile fields, and the prefect wanted to buy them, but he refused, so the prefect held a grudge. Chen Jingxuan summoned the prefect and was about to punish him, whereupon the prefect died of worry. Later, Qiao Xingquan, hearing that his family had been spared because of Tangxi, secretly sent Tangxi a hundred taels of gold leaf. Tangxi angrily said: “This is due to the Grand Preceptor’s benevolence and clear insight; what does it have to do with me? How dare you send me something with ill intent!” He returned the gold, rebuked him, and drove him away. The Hedong military governor Zheng Congqian reported that he had captured Lanzhou, seized Tang Qun, and killed him.
Li Keyong, the acting commander of Xinzhou, Daizhou, and other prefectures, was appointed as the military governor of Yanmen.
Initially, the court appointed Zheng Shaoye as the military governor of Jingnan, but at that time Duan Yanmo was occupying Jingnan. Zheng Shaoye feared him and only arrived at his post after more than half a year. When the emperor fled to Shu, he recalled Zheng Shaoye and appointed Duan Yanmo as military governor. Duan Yanmo was killed by Zhu Jingmei, and then Zheng Shaoye was again appointed as military governor. Zheng Shaoye feared Zhu Jingmei and lingered without advancing; the army had long been without a commander. By this time, Zhu Jingmei had the acting officer Chen Ru manage the affairs of the provincial government. Chen Ru was a native of Jiangling.
The Fengtian military governor Qi Kejian and the Hezhong military governor Wang Zhongrong were both granted the title of Tong Pingzhangshi.
Li Keyong led forty thousand soldiers to Hezhong and sent his cousin Li Kexiu to first lead five hundred soldiers across the Yellow River to test the rebels. Initially, Li Keyong’s brother Li Kerang was killed by monks of the Nanshan Temple, and his servant Hun Jinjin defected to Huang Chao. Since Gao Xun’s defeat, all the armies feared the rebels, and no one dared to advance. When Li Keyong’s army arrived, the rebels feared them, saying: “The Crow Army has come; we should avoid their edge.” Li Keyong’s soldiers all wore black clothes, so they were called the Crow Army. Huang Chao then arrested more than ten monks from the Nanshan Temple, sent an envoy with an imperial edict and generous gifts, and through Hun Jinjin, went to Li Keyong to seek peace. Li Keyong killed the monks, wept bitterly for Li Kerang, accepted the gifts and distributed them to his generals, burned the edict, sent back the envoy, and led his army across the Yellow River at Xiayang, camping in Tongzhou.
After Meng Fangli killed Cheng Lin, he led his army back to Xingzhou. The people of Luzhou requested that the eunuch supervisor Wu Quanxu manage the affairs of the acting commander. That year, Wang Duo used a private decree to appoint Meng Fangli to manage the affairs of Xingzhou, but Meng Fangli did not accept and imprisoned Wu Quanxu. He wrote to Wang Duo, hoping that a civilian official would be sent to govern Luzhou. Wang Duo then appointed Zheng Changtu to manage the military affairs of Zhaoyi. Soon, the court appointed the Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Commissioner of the Tax Bureau Wang Wei as Tong Pingzhangshi and acting military governor of Zhaoyi. Wang Wei, considering that the emperor was displaced and the Central Plains were in turmoil, and that Meng Fangli was entrenched in the three prefectures of Xing, Ming, and Ci east of the Taihang Mountains, estimated that the court’s strength could not subdue him, so he declined to take office and requested that Zheng Changtu be temporarily entrusted with the post. The court issued an edict appointing Wang Wei as the commander of the Daming Palace garrison, the commissioner for the pacification and repair of the imperial tombs in the capital area. After Zheng Changtu arrived in Luzhou, he left in less than three months. Meng Fangli then moved the Zhaoyi military headquarters to Xingzhou, styled himself as the acting commander, and submitted a memorial requesting the appointment of his subordinate Li Yinrui as the prefect of Luzhou.
The prefect of Hezhou, Qin Yan, sent his son to lead several thousand soldiers to attack Xuanzhou, expelled the inspector Dou Yu, and replaced him.
Emperor Xizong, the Huisheng Gongding Xiao Emperor, the second year of Zhonghe (Gui Mao, AD 883).
Spring, first month. Li Keyong’s general Li Cunzhen defeated Huang Ying at Shawan. On the second day of the month, Li Keyong advanced and camped at Shawan. Huang Ying was Huang Chao’s younger brother. Wang Duo, acting on the emperor’s authority, appointed Li Keyong as the supreme commander of the Northeast Route Army, Yang Fuguang as the eunuch supervisor of the Eastern Route, and Chen Jingsi as the eunuch supervisor of the Northern Route. On the eighth day, the court issued an edict appointing Wang Duo, the Secretariat Director and Supreme Commander of All Circuits, as the military governor of Yicheng, ordering him to proceed to his post. Tian Lingzi wanted to return major power to the Northern Bureau, claiming that Wang Duo had been long without merit in his campaign against Huang Chao, and that it was only after adopting Yang Fuguang’s strategy of summoning the Shatuo army that Huang Chao was defeated. He therefore stripped Wang Duo of his military authority to please Yang Fuguang. He also appointed the Vice Supreme Commander Cui Anqian as the commander of the Eastern Capital, and the chief eunuch Ximen Sigong as the commander of the Right Shence Army and commissioner for tax collection and urging the advance of all circuits. Tian Lingzi considered that his own advice to the emperor to flee to Shu, his preservation of the imperial seals and portraits of successive emperors, and his distribution of his family wealth to reward the army were all his own merits. He had the chancellors and military governors jointly request rewards, and the emperor then appointed Tian Lingzi as the military commissioner of the Ten Armies and the Twelve Guards.
The Chengde military governor Changshan Zhongmu King Wang Jingchong died. The army installed his son, the vice military governor Wang Rong, to manage the affairs of the acting commander. Wang Rong was only ten years old at the time.
The court appointed the acting commander of Tianping, Zhu Xuan, as the military governor.
Second month, on the fifteenth day, Li Keyong advanced to Gan’gan Keng, joining forces with the Hezhong, Yiding, and Zhongwu armies. Shang Rang and others led one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers camped at Liangtianbei. The next day, a great battle raged from noon to dusk. The rebel army was heavily defeated, with tens of thousands killed or captured, their corpses stretching for thirty li. Huang Chao’s generals Wang Fan and Huang Ying attacked Huazhou and occupied it; Wang Yu fled.
Initially, the prefect of Guangzhou, Li Hanzhi, was attacked by Qin Zongquan. He abandoned Guangzhou and fled to Xiangcheng, leading his remaining troops to submit to Ge Shuang. Ge Shuang appointed him as the prefect of Huaizhou. Han Jian attacked Yunzhou but could not capture it in half a year. Ge Shuang then attacked and seized Heyang. Zhu Xuan requested peace, so Han Jian abandoned his attack on Yunzhou and led his army to attack Heyang. Ge Shuang sent Li Hanzhi to meet him at Wuzhi, and the Weibo army was heavily defeated and returned. The general and prefect of Tanzhou, Le Xingda, returned first and occupied Weizhou. The army jointly installed Le Xingda as the acting commander, and Han Jian was killed by his subordinates. On the twenty-second day, the court appointed Le Xingda as the acting commander of Weibo.
On the twenty-seventh day, Li Keyong advanced to besiege Huazhou. Huang Siye and Huang Ying fortified the city and defended it. Li Keyong dispatched cavalry to camp north of the Wei River.
The court appointed Wang Rong as the acting commander of Chengde.
The court appointed Zheng Shaoye as a guest of the heir apparent, assigned to the Eastern Capital, and Chen Ru as the acting commander of Jingnan.
The commander of the Xia Road Route, Zhuang Mengdie, was defeated by Han Xiusheng and Qu Xingcong and retreated to guard Zhongzhou. The relief commissioner Hu Honglue also fought unsuccessfully. The tribute from the Yangtze and Huai rivers was all intercepted by the rebels, and the officials had no salaries. The roads to Yun’an and Fujing were impassable, and the people lacked salt. Chen Jingxuan submitted a memorial appointing the prefect of Meizhou, Gao Renhou, as the military commissioner of Xichuan, leading three thousand soldiers to suppress the rebels.
The court granted the Fengxiang military governor Li Changyan the title of Tong Pingzhangshi.
Huang Chao’s army had suffered repeated defeats and had run out of food. They secretly planned to flee and sent thirty thousand soldiers to guard the road to Lantian. On the sixth day of the third month, they sent Shang Rang to lead troops to rescue Huazhou. Li Keyong and Wang Zhongrong led their troops to meet them at Lingkou and defeated them. Li Keyong advanced to the Wei River bridge, with cavalry camped north of the Wei River. Every night, Li Keyong sent his generals Xue Zhiqin and Kang Junli to infiltrate Chang’an, burn accumulated supplies, and kill and capture prisoners before returning. The rebel army was greatly terrified.
The imperial court appointed Yang Xingmin, a (Huainan) from Hefei, as the prefect of Luzhou. Yang Xingmin was originally a (ya-jiang) of Luzhou; he was brave and had performed meritorious service many times. The commander () resented him and reported to Prefect Lang Youfu, requesting that he be sent to garrison elsewhere. Yang Xingmin came to take his leave, and the commander coaxed him with sweet words, asking what he needed. Yang Xingmin replied, "I need exactly your head!" Then he rose and killed the commander, took command of all the battalions, and proclaimed himself Commander of the Eight Battalions (). Lang Youfu was unable to control him, so he recommended him to Gao Pian, requesting that his own position be transferred to Yang Xingmin. Gao Pian appointed Yang Xingmin as Huainan () to oversee Luzhou affairs, and the imperial court then formally appointed him. Yang Xingmin heard that his fellow townsman Wang Xu was virtuous and summoned him, intending to employ him, but Wang Xu firmly declined. When asked about his sons and younger brothers, Wang Xu said, "My son Wang Qian is studious and prudent, fit to be entrusted with affairs; my brother's son Wang Ren has integrity and can serve as a general." Yang Xingmin summoned Wang Qian and placed him in his household, and appointed Wang Ren, along with Ji Zhang of Dingyuan, as cavalry commanders. Initially, Lü Yongzhi gained access to Gao Pian through the Left (Xiaoxiong Army) Commander Yu Gongchu. Lü Yongzhi acted arrogantly and tyrannically; some blamed Yu Gongchu, who repeatedly advised Lü Yongzhi to restrain himself slightly and not implicate him. Lü Yongzhi bore a grudge. The Right (Xiaoxiong Army) Commander Yao Guili, being upright and outspoken, especially detested Lü Yongzhi's deeds, often rebuked him to his face for his crimes, and frequently wished to kill him personally. On the night of Guiwei (the 17th day), Lü Yongzhi and his followers gathered at a brothel. Yao Guili secretly sent men to set fire to the building, killing several people who resembled Lü Yongzhi, but Lü Yongzhi changed his clothes and escaped. The next morning, Lü Yongzhi vigorously investigated the matter, captured the arsonists, who were all soldiers of the (Xiaoxiong Army). Lü Yongzhi then day and night slandered the two generals before Gao Pian. Soon after, Gao Pian sent the two generals to lead three thousand (Xiaoxiong Army) soldiers to attack bandits in Shen County. Lü Yongzhi secretly informed Yang Xingmin, saying, "Yu Gongchu and Yao Guili intend to attack Luzhou." Yang Xingmin launched a surprise attack; the two generals, caught off guard, had their entire force annihilated. Yang Xingmin reported to Gao Pian that the two generals had plotted rebellion. Gao Pian, unaware of Lü Yongzhi's scheme, rewarded Yang Xingmin generously.
On Jichou (the 23rd day), the imperial court appointed the Deputy Commander of the Hezhong Campaign (), Zhu Quanzhong, as the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit, ordering him to proceed to his post after the recovery of Chang'an.
On Guisi (the 27th day), Li Keyong and others captured Huazhou; Huang Kui abandoned the city and fled. Liu Hanhong dispatched troops to garrison the three towns of Huangling, Yanxia, and Zhennü. Qian Liu led the eight armies () from Fuchun, broke through Huangling, and captured the town commander of Yanxia, Shi Bian, and the town commander of Zhennü, Yang Yuanzong. Liu Hanhong led his elite troops to garrison Zhuji; Qian Liu again defeated him, and Liu Hanhong fled.
Zhuang Mengdie engaged Han Xiusheng and Qu Xingcong in battle and was again defeated. His defeated soldiers fled back in disorder; wherever they went, he tried to pacify and exhort them, but could not stop them. On the road, they encountered Gao Renhou, who shouted at them harshly, and the defeated soldiers halted. Gao Renhou executed a commander of the guard () and re-established order among the troops. Then he summoned local elders, inquired about mountain paths and the locations of the bandits' camps, and said with delight, "The bandits' elite troops are all on the boats, with only old and weak soldiers guarding the camps; supplies and grain are stored in the camps. This is what is called 'stressing offense while neglecting defense'—they are bound to fail!" He then deployed his troops along the river, feigning an attempt to cross. The bandits prepared defenses day and night, sending out troops to provoke battle, but Gao Renhou did not engage them. Secretly, he sent out a thousand brave soldiers, each carrying weapons and dry grass. At night, they took a side path to attack the bandits' camp and set it ablaze. When the bandits saw this, they sent troops to rescue it, but it was too late; all the supplies and grain were burned, and their morale was shaken. Gao Renhou also recruited good swimmers to bore holes in the bandits' boats; the boats sank one after another. The bandits scurried about in panic and confusion, unable to aid each other. Gao Renhou sent troops to intercept and attack them at strategic points, and also offered them terms of surrender; all the bandits surrendered. Han Xiusheng and Qu Xingcong, seeing their forces collapse, brandished their swords and slashed wildly in an attempt to stop them. Their men, even more enraged, seized the two together and delivered them to Gao Renhou. Gao Renhou interrogated them, saying, "Why did you rebel?" Han Xiusheng replied, "Since the death of the Dazhong Emperor, there has been no justice in the world, and the laws and principles have collapsed. Today's rebels—are they only me, Han Xiusheng? The successful become kings, the defeated become bandits. We are already meat on the chopping board, fit only for boiling and mincing!" Gao Renhou's expression turned somber; he ordered them to be given good food and then to be put in fetters. In summer, on the fourth month, Gengzi (the 4th day), they were sent to the emperor's temporary residence and executed.
Li Keyong, together with the Zhongwu Army general Pang Cong and the Hezhong Army general Bai Zhigian, led their troops to attack first, engaging Huang Chao's forces at Weinan. They fought three battles in a single day, all victorious. The Yicheng and Yiwu armies followed in succession. The bandits suffered a great defeat and fled. On Jiachen (the 8th day), Li Keyong and others entered the capital through the Guangtai Gate. Huang Chao fought desperately but could not prevail; he set fire to the palaces and fled. Many of the bandits were killed in battle or surrendered. The imperial army engaged in widespread looting, no different from the bandits; the houses and people of Chang'an were left with very little. Huang Chao fled from Lantian into the Shang Mountains, discarding many treasures along the road. The imperial troops scrambled to pick them up and did not pursue urgently, so the bandits escaped.
Yang Fuguang sent an envoy to report the victory to the emperor, and the hundred officials entered the court to offer congratulations. The emperor issued an edict retaining twenty thousand troops from Zhongwu and other armies, entrusting them to the Grand Palace Garrison Commander Wang Hui and the Capital Area Pacification Commissioner Tian Congyi to deploy and guard Chang'an. In the fifth month, Zhu Mei, Li Keyong, and Dongfang Kui were granted the title of Tong Pingzhangshi. Shanzhou was upgraded to a military governorship, and Wang Chongying was appointed as its military governor. Yanzhou was also established as the Baosai Army, with the Baoda Army Marching Commander and Yanzhou Prefect Li Xiaogong as its military governor. Li Keyong was then twenty-eight years old, the youngest among the generals, but in defeating Huang Chao, recovering Chang'an, he had the greatest merit and the strongest army; all the generals feared him. Li Keyong had one eye slightly blind, and people at the time called him "One-Eyed Dragon."
The emperor issued an edict stating that Cui Qiu, being from a prominent family and holding high office, had served as Huang Chao's chancellor for three years without fleeing or hiding; he was executed on the spot.
Huang Chao sent his fierce general Meng Kai to lead ten thousand men as the vanguard to attack Caizhou. The military governor Qin Zongquan engaged them in battle and was defeated. The rebel forces attacked Caizhou City, and Qin Zongquan then submitted to Huang Chao as a vassal and allied his forces with him. Initially, when Huang Chao was in Chang'an, the prefect of Chenzhou, Zhao Chou of Wanyuan, said to his officers, "If Huang Chao does not die in Chang'an, he will surely flee eastward, and Chenzhou will be his necessary passage. Moreover, Huang Chao has long been at odds with the Zhongwu Army, so we cannot fail to prepare in advance." Thereupon, he repaired the city walls and moats, armor and weapons, and stockpiled grain and firewood. Within a radius of sixty li, all households with food and property were moved into the city. He also recruited many brave warriors, having his younger brothers Zhao Chang and Zhao Xu, and his sons Zhao Lu and Zhao Lin, lead them separately. After Meng Kai captured Caizhou, he shifted his forces to attack Chenzhou and encamped at Xiangcheng. Zhao Chou first feigned weakness to the enemy, then, catching them off guard, launched a surprise attack, nearly killing or capturing all of them. He captured Meng Kai alive and had him beheaded. When Huang Chao heard that Meng Kai had been killed, he was both shocked and enraged, leading his entire army to encamp at Yishui. In the sixth month, Huang Chao joined forces with Qin Zongquan to besiege Chenzhou. They dug five rings of trenches and attacked the city from a hundred different directions simultaneously. The people of Chenzhou were terrified, but Zhao Chou admonished them, saying, "The Zhongwu Army has always been renowned for loyalty and bravery, and Chenzhou is known for its strong military. Moreover, my family has enjoyed the stipends of Chenzhou for generations, and I swear to live and die with this prefecture. A great man should seek life amidst death; besides, dying for one's country is surely better than living by submitting to rebels as a vassal! Anyone with a different opinion will be beheaded!" He repeatedly led elite troops to open the city gates and sortie, defeating the rebel forces. Huang Chao grew even angrier, setting up camp north of Chenzhou, building palaces and government offices, and planning for a prolonged siege. At that time, the people had no reserves, so the rebels seized them as military provisions, throwing them alive into stone mortars and mills, grinding them up with their bones, and calling the supply depots "Chongmo Stockades." The rebels sent their troops to plunder everywhere, from Henan, Xu, Ru, Tang, Deng, Meng, Zheng, Bian, Cao, Pu, Xu, Yan, and dozens of other prefectures, all suffering their devastation.
Initially, Liu Qian of Shangcai served as a minor commandant in Lingnan. The military governor Wei Zhou, recognizing his exceptional caliber, married his elder brother’s daughter to him. Liu Qian attacked various bandits, achieving repeated merits. On the Xinchou day, the court appointed Liu Qian as the prefect of Fengzhou.
The Eastern Sichuan military governor Yang Shili was granted the honorary title of Tong Pingzhangshi.
The Xuanwu military governor Zhu Quanzhong led his several hundred men to his post. In autumn, the seventh month, on the Dingmao day, he arrived at Bianzhou. At that time, Bianzhou and Songzhou were suffering consecutive famines, with both public and private resources exhausted. Internally, arrogant troops and unruly generals were hard to control; externally, powerful enemies attacked without a day without battle. Everyone was fearful, but Zhu Quanzhong’s courage only grew more vigorous. The emperor issued an edict, because Huang Chao had not yet been pacified, appointing Zhu Quanzhong as the Northeast Circuit Chief Recruiting Commissioner.
Nanzhao sent Buche Yang Qiji to welcome the princess. The emperor ordered Chen Jingxuan to write to him, declining on the grounds that "the imperial carriage is on a tour, and ceremonial items are not yet fully prepared; after returning to the capital, then the princess will be married off." Yang Qiji did not comply and advanced directly to Chengdu.
Li Keyong led his army from Chang’an back to Yanmen. Soon, an edict arrived, appointing Li Keyong as the Hedong military governor and summoning Zheng Congdang to the emperor’s temporary residence. Li Keyong then passed through Yuci on the eastern route and went to Yanmen to visit his father. Shortly after, Li Keyong posted a notice in Hedong, the military and civilians, saying, "Do not dwell on past grudges; each of you should attend to your own livelihoods."
The Left Guard General Yang Fugong died in Hezhong. Yang Fugong was generous, fond of loyalty and righteousness, and skilled at soothing soldiers. The army mourned for days on end. The eight commanders, including Lu Yanhong, each led their troops and dispersed. Tian Lingzi had always feared and envied him; upon hearing of his death, he was overjoyed. He took the opportunity to oust Yang Fugong’s elder brother, the Privy Councilor Yang Fugong, appointing him as the Flying Dragon Commissioner. Tian Lingzi monopolized power, and no one dared to oppose him, except Yang Fugong, who repeatedly argued with him over right and wrong. Therefore, Tian Lingzi detested him, and Yang Fugong then feigned illness and returned to Lantian.
Wang Rong, the acting Chengde commissioner; Le Xingda, the acting Weibo commissioner; and Zhu Xuan, the acting Tianping commissioner, were appointed as military governors of their respective circuits.
The Minister of Works, Vice Director of the Chancellery, and Tong Pingzhangshi Zheng Tian, even amidst turmoil, still adhered strictly to the law. Tian Lingzi requested the post of Langzhong for his adjudicator Wu Yuan, but Zheng Tian refused. Chen Jingxuan wanted his own status to rank above the chief ministers. Zheng Tian, based on precedent, argued that although the rank of a military governor with the honorary title of Tong Pingzhangshi was high, they always ranked below actual chief ministers, and he firmly opposed it. Consequently, these two men had the Fengxiang military governor Li Changyan submit a memorial saying, "The army is suspicious and uneasy; Zheng Tian cannot be allowed to escort the imperial carriage through here." Zheng Tian also repeatedly submitted memorials to resign his post. Thereupon, the court removed him from his chief minister position and appointed him as the Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. They also appointed his son, the Vice Minister of War Zheng Ningji, as the prefect of Pengzhou, so he could support his father there. The Minister of War and Budget Commissioner Pei Che was appointed as Vice Director of the Chancellery and Tong Pingzhangshi.
In the eighth month, on the Jiachen day, Li Keyong arrived at Jinyang. The emperor issued an edict appointing the former Zhenwu military governor Li Guochang as the Daibei military governor, stationed at Daizhou.
Hunan was upgraded to the Qinhua Army, and the Surveillance Commissioner Min Xun was appointed as its military governor.
In the ninth month, Chen Jingxuan was concurrently appointed as Chief of the Secretariat and his title was elevated to Prince of Yingchuan.
The Ganhua military governor Shi Pu encamped at Yishui. Shi Pu was concurrently appointed as the Eastern Circuit Commander-in-Chief.
Chen Ru, the acting Jingnan commissioner, was appointed as military governor.
The Zhaoyi military governor Meng Fangli, because Luzhou had treacherous terrain and a fierce populace, and had seen many usurpations of its leadership, wanted to gradually weaken it. He thus moved his headquarters to Xingzhou, relocating the families of generals and wealthy households east of the Taihang Mountains, which displeased the people of Luzhou. The eunuch inspector Qi Shenhui, taking advantage of the unrest, secretly sent Anju Shou, the military commander of Wuxiang, with a wax-sealed letter to request reinforcements from Li Keyong, asking for the military headquarters to be reestablished in Luzhou. In winter, the tenth month, Li Keyong sent his general He Gongya and others, but they were defeated by Meng Fangli. He then sent Li Kexiu to attack. On the Xinhai day, they captured Luzhou and killed the prefect Li Yinrui. From then on, Li Keyong annually sent troops to contend for territories east of the Taihang Mountains. Half of the population of Xing, Ming, and Ci prefectures were either killed or captured, and the fields were left barren.
A daughter of the imperial clan was enfeoffed as Princess Anhua and married to Nanzhao.
Liu Hanhong led over one hundred thousand troops from Xiling, preparing to attack Dong Chang. On the Wuwu day, Qian Liu crossed the Qiantang River to engage, heavily defeating Liu Hanhong. Liu Hanhong changed into civilian clothes, holding a fish-cleaning knife, and fled. On the Jiwei day, Liu Hanhong gathered his remaining forty thousand men for another battle. Qian Liu defeated him again, killing his younger brother Liu Hanrong and his general Xin Yue.
In the eleventh month, on the Jiasu day of the first month, Qin Zongquan besieged Xuzhou.
The Zhongwu Army general Lu Yanhong led his troops south from Hezhong, plundering Xiang, Deng, Jin, Yang, and other prefectures. Wherever they passed, they slaughtered and destroyed everything, claiming they were heading west to the emperor’s temporary residence. In the twelfth month, they arrived at Xingyuan, drove away the military governor Niu Xu, who fled to Longzhou’s Xishan. Lu Yanhong occupied Xingyuan and declared himself acting commissioner.
The Ganhua military governor Shi Pu was poisoned by his food and suspected the adjudicator Li Ninggu of being responsible, so he killed him. Li Ninggu’s father, Li Sun, serving as a Right Sanqi Changshi in Chengdu, was accused by Shi Pu in a memorial of conspiring with his son. Tian Lingzi, having accepted bribes from Shi Pu, ordered the Censorate to investigate the case. The attendant censor Wang Hua argued for Li Sun’s innocence. Tian Lingzi, under a false edict, ordered Li Sun transferred to the Divine Strategy Prison, but Wang Hua refused to hand him over. Xiao Cou submitted a memorial saying, "The matter of Li Ninggu’s poisoning remains unclear. He has already been killed by Shi Pu. His father, Li Sun, had been separated from him for years with no communication; how can they be falsely accused of conspiracy! Shi Pu, relying on his achievements, disrupts the law, belittles and insults the court, and wants to kill the emperor’s attendant ministers. If we yield to his wishes, it will be our turn in the future. On what basis can the court stand?" Thus, Li Sun was spared death and returned to his hometown. At that time, Tian Lingzi monopolized power, and none of the officials dared to look him in the eye. Only Xiao Cou repeatedly argued with him, and the court relied on him for support.
The Zhejiang East Circuit was upgraded to the Yisheng Army, and Liu Honghan was appointed as its military governor.
Zhao Chou sent men by small paths to seek aid from neighboring circuits, whereupon Zhou Ji, Shi Pu, and Zhu Quanzhong all led troops to his rescue. Zhu Quanzhong engaged Huang Chao’s partisans at Luyi, defeated them, beheaded over two thousand men, and then led his army into Bozhou and occupied it.
Emperor Xizong, the Reverent and Constant Filial Sovereign, Part Two of Middle (Jiachen, 884 AD)
Spring, first month: Lu Yanhong was appointed acting governor of Xingyuan.
Weibo Military Governor Le Xingda was granted the given name Yanzhen.
Dongchuan Military Governor Yang Shili, resentful of the excessive favor and power of the Chen Jingxuan brothers, was deeply aggrieved. When Chen Jingxuan sent Gao Renhou to suppress Han Xiusheng, he said to him: “After you return successful, I will memorialize the Son of Heaven and grant you Dongchuan.” When Yang Shili heard of this, he angrily said: “We are all military governors, yet he casually gives away my territory to others—this is as if heaven and earth no longer exist!” Tian Lingzi, fearing he would rebel, summoned Yang Shili to the capital to serve as Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs before he could raise troops to obstruct the court.
Huang Chao’s forces were still very strong; Zhou Ji, Shi Pu, and Zhu Quanzhong could not withstand him, so together they sought aid from Hedong Military Governor Li Keyong. Second month: Li Keyong led fifty thousand troops, both Fan and Han, out of Tianjing Pass. Heyang Military Governor Zhuge Shuang, using the excuse that the He Bridge was not yet repaired, stationed troops at Wanshan to block him. Li Keyong then turned back, crossed the Yellow River from Shanzhou and the middle reaches, and advanced eastward.
Upon receiving the edict, Yang Shili was furious and refused to accept the replacement. He killed the envoy bearing the appointment and the supervisory eunuch, raised troops under the pretext of punishing Chen Jingxuan, executed any general who tried to dissuade him, and advanced to camp at Fucheng. He sent his general Hao Juan to attack Mianzhou, but failed to take it. On the bingwu day, Chen Jingxuan was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Western Sichuan, Eastern Sichuan, and Southern Shanxi circuits, with authority over recruitment, pacification, and disposition. Third month, jiazi day: Yang Shili distributed a proclamation to the hundred officials at the emperor’s temporary residence and to the generals, officials, soldiers, and commoners of all circuits, enumerating ten crimes of Chen Jingxuan. He claimed to have assembled 150,000 men from his own circuit’s troops and the eight prefectures’ conscript militia, and to be advancing to mete out punishment. The emperor issued an edict stripping Yang Shili of his offices and titles, appointed Meizhou Defense Commissioner Gao Renhou as acting governor of Dongchuan, and sent him with five thousand troops to punish him, appointing Xichuan Yaya Yang Maoyan as deputy commander.
Zhu Quanzhong attacked Huang Chao’s Wazi stockade and captured it. Huang Chao’s generals—Li Tangbin of Shanzhou and Wang Qianyu of Chuqiu—surrendered to Zhu Quanzhong.
Wang Zhen of Wuzhou captured Prefect Huang Ji and surrendered to Qian Liu. Liu Honghan sent his general Lou Lai to kill Wang Zhen and replace him. Puyang Garrison Commander Jiang Huan summoned Qian Liu’s troops to jointly attack Wuzhou, captured Lou Lai, and returned. Huang Ji was a man of Fujian.
Gao Pian’s nephew, Left Guard Grand General Gao Yu, listed more than twenty crimes of Lü Yongzhi and secretly submitted them to Gao Pian, weeping as he said: “Lü Yongzhi, on the inside, borrows the talk of immortals to delude your mind; on the outside, steals the power to command troops and harms the people. The generals and officials all fear death and dare not speak. If time passes and his wings grow full, if we do not remove him, I fear that the achievements of the Gao family over several generations will be swept away in a single day!” After speaking, he sobbed uncontrollably. Gao Pian said: “You are drunk!” and ordered him taken out. The next day, Gao Pian showed Gao Yu’s complaint to Lü Yongzhi. Lü Yongzhi said: “Fortieth Brother (Gao Yu) once asked me for money in a tight spot, and I did not satisfy him, so he bears a grudge.” He then produced several of Gao Yu’s personal letters and presented them to Gao Pian. Gao Pian, deeply ashamed, then forbade Gao Yu from entering or leaving; after a month, he appointed Gao Yu as prefect of Shuzhou. The bandit Chen Ru attacked Shuzhou; Gao Yu sought aid from Luzhou. Yang Xingmin’s forces were too weak to rescue him, so he discussed the matter with his general Li Shenfu. Li Shenfu asked to drive off the bandits without using a single sword or arrow. He then took many banners, entered Shuzhou by a small path, and soon led Shuzhou troops out carrying Luzhou banners, pointing out terrain as if deploying a great formation. The bandits, frightened, fled by night. Li Shenfu was a man of Mingzhou. After a long time, the bandits Wu Jiong and Li Ben again attacked Shuzhou. Gao Yu could not hold it, abandoned the city, and fled. Gao Pian sent men to execute him on the spot. Yang Xingmin sent his generals—Tao Ya of Hefei and Zhang Xun of Qingliu—to lead troops against Wu Jiong and Li Ben, capturing and beheading them. He appointed Tao Ya as acting prefect of Shuzhou. Qin Zongquan sent his brother with troops to invade Luzhou, occupying Shucheng. Yang Xingmin sent his general Tian Jun of Hefei to drive him back.
The former Hangzhou Prefect Lu Shenzhong, lodging in Huangzhou, heard that Ezhou Prefect Cui Shao had died, so he recruited three thousand troops, entered Ezhou, and occupied it. Wuchang Yajiang Du Hong also expelled the Yuezhou prefect and replaced him.
Huang Chao besieged Chenzhou for nearly three hundred days. The Zhao Chou brothers fought several hundred large and small battles with him. Though their grain was nearly exhausted, their morale grew even firmer. Li Keyong joined forces at Chenzhou with the troops of Xuzhou, Bianzhou, Xuzhou, and Yanzhou. At that time, Shang Rang was stationed at Taikang. Summer, fourth month, guisi day: The various armies attacked and captured Taikang. Huang Siye was stationed at Xihua; the armies also attacked him. Huang Siye fled. When Huang Chao heard of this, he was frightened and withdrew to Guyangli. The siege of Chenzhou was then lifted.
When Zhu Quanzhong heard that Huang Chao was approaching, he led his army back to Daliang. Fifth month, guihai day: Heavy rain fell; the flat ground was three feet deep in water. Huang Chao’s camp was flooded. He also heard that Li Keyong had arrived, so he led his army northeast toward Bianzhou, massacring Weishi. Shang Rang led five thousand elite cavalry to press toward Daliang, reaching Fantai. Xuanwu generals—Zhu Zhen of Fengren and Pang Shigu of Nanhua—drove him back. Zhu Quanzhong again urgently appealed to Li Keyong. Bingyin day: Li Keyong set out from Xuzhou with Zhongwu Supervisor of the Army Tian Congyi. Wuchen day: They caught up with Huang Chao at Wangman Ford north of Zhongmou. Attacking while he was crossing the river, they dealt Huang Chao’s army a heavy defeat, killing over ten thousand men. The bandit forces then scattered. Shang Rang led his troops and surrendered to Shi Pu. Other generals—Li Dang of Linjin, Huo Cun of Qüzhou, Ge Congzhou of Zhencheng, Zhang Guiba of Yuanju, and his cousin Zhang Guihou—led their troops and surrendered to Zhu Quanzhong. Huang Chao crossed the Bian River northward. Jisi day: Li Keyong pursued him at Fengqiu and defeated him again. Gengwu night: Heavy rain fell again. The bandits, panicked, fled east. Li Keyong pursued them, passing through Zuocheng and Kuangcheng. Huang Chao gathered the remnants, nearly a thousand men, and fled east toward Yanzhou. Xinwei day: Li Keyong pursued him to Yuanju. Only a few hundred cavalry could keep up. They marched two hundred li day and night, men and horses exhausted, food gone. He then returned to Bianzhou, intending to take rations and pursue again. He captured Huang Chao’s young son, along with the emperor’s carriages, ritual vessels, garments, and seals. He also recovered ten thousand men and women whom Huang Chao had abducted and released them all.
Guihai day: Gao Renhou camped at Deyang. Yang Shili sent his generals Zheng Junxiong and Zhang Shian to occupy Deer Head Pass to resist him.
On the day jia-xu, Li Keyong arrived at Bian Prefecture and set up camp outside the city. Zhu Quanzhong insistently invited him into the city and arranged lodgings at the Shangyuan Post Station. Zhu Quanzhong held a banquet with music and dance; the dishes were all exquisite and abundant, and his manners and etiquette were extremely respectful. Li Keyong, emboldened by drink, spoke in a way that somewhat offended Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu Quanzhong felt indignant. In the evening, when the banquet ended and all the attendants were drunk, the Xuanwu general Yang Yanhong secretly plotted with Zhu Quanzhong, using carts and barriers to block the roads, and sent troops to surround the post station and attack it. The shouting shook the heavens. Li Keyong was drunk and did not hear; his personal guards Xue Zhiqin, Shi Jingsi, and over ten others fought desperately. The attendant Guo Jingzhu extinguished the candles, helped Li Keyong hide under the bed, splashed water on his face, and slowly told him of the calamity that had come. Only then did Li Keyong open his eyes, pick up his bow, and rise. Xue Zhiqin shot and killed several tens of Bian Prefecture soldiers. Soon after, smoke and fire rose on all sides. By chance, there was heavy rain and thunder, and the sky and earth grew dark. Xue Zhiqin supported Li Keyong and led the few men by his side, climbing over the wall to break out of the encirclement, advancing by the light of lightning. Bian Prefecture soldiers held the bridges; they fought fiercely to cross, with Shi Jingsi covering the rear, and he died in battle. Li Keyong ascended the Yushi Gate, descended by rope, and escaped. The Army Supervisor Chen Jingsi and over three hundred others were all killed by the Bian Prefecture soldiers. Yang Yanhong said to Zhu Quanzhong: “When the barbarians are desperate, they will mount their horses. Shoot anyone you see on a horse.” That night, Yang Yanhong happened to be riding a horse just ahead of Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu Quanzhong shot him and killed him.
Li Keyong’s wife, Lady Liu, was very resourceful. Those who had escaped first reported to her that the Bian Prefecture people had risen in revolt. Lady Liu’s expression did not change; she immediately killed the messenger, secretly summoned the generals to give them orders, and planned to preserve the army and return. When dawn came and Li Keyong returned, he wanted to lead troops to attack Zhu Quanzhong. Lady Liu said: “You recently, on behalf of the state, punished bandits and relieved the urgent distress of the feudal lords in the east. Now the Bian Prefecture people, lacking righteousness, have tried to harm you. Naturally, we should appeal to the imperial court. If we rashly start a mutual attack, then who in the world could distinguish right from wrong? Moreover, the other side would then have an excuse to speak.” Li Keyong heeded her words, led his army away, and only sent a letter reproaching Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu Quanzhong replied: “Of the incident the night before last, I knew nothing. It was the court itself that sent an envoy to plot with Yang Yanhong. Yang Yanhong has already been executed. I hope you will look into the matter clearly.”
Li Keyong’s adopted son Li Siyuan, seventeen years old, followed Li Keyong in the breakout from Shangyuan Mountain. Amidst the arrows and rolling stones, he alone was uninjured. Li Siyuan was originally a barbarian, named Miaoqilie, and had no surname. Li Keyong selected the bravest among the army, adopting many as foster sons. He gave the son of the Uighur man Zhang Zheng the name Cunxin; Sun Chongjin of Zhenwu was named Cunjin; Wang Xian of Xuzhou was named Cunxian; An Jingsi was named Cunxiao. All assumed the surname Li. On the day bing-zi, Li Keyong reached the old camp at Xu Prefecture and asked Zhou Ji for provisions. Zhou Ji declined on the grounds of a shortage of grain. So they crossed the Yellow River from Shan Prefecture and returned to Jinyang.
Zheng Junxiong and Zhang Shiyou held fast to their fortifications and would not give battle. Gao Renhou said: “If we attack, that will benefit them and harm us. If we besiege them, they will become exhausted while we remain at ease.” Thus he set up twelve camps to besiege them. On the day ding-chou, in the second watch of the night, Zheng Junxiong and others dispatched their elite troops to raid the camp of the Vice Commander north of the city. Yang Maoyan could not withstand them and led his men to abandon the camp and flee. The commanders of several nearby camps, seeing the Vice Commander flee, also followed suit. The Dongchuan troops united and advanced south to attack the central army. Gao Renhou, hearing of this, threw open the camp gates, lit torches to illuminate the area, and personally led his soldiers, dividing them into two wings to lie in ambush on both sides of the road. When the bandits arrived and saw the camp gates wide open, they dared not enter and turned to retreat. Gao Renhou sprang the ambush and attacked. The Dongchuan troops were utterly defeated and fled. They were pursued to the city walls, driven into the moat, and many were killed or captured before the army returned. Gao Renhou considered that among those who had abandoned their camps and fled, many would have to be executed the next morning. So he secretly summoned the clerk Zhang Shao and told him: “Quickly send scouts on foot with several tens of men to pursue the fugitives separately. On your own authority, tell them: ‘The puye (Gao Renhou) fortunately did not leave the camp and knows nothing of your flight. Return quickly. Tomorrow morning, come to the yamen as usual for the audience, and do not worry.’” Zhang Shao had always been considered an elder of integrity, and everyone trusted him. By the fourth watch, all had returned to their camps. Only Yang Maoyan had fled to Zhangba before he was caught up with. Gao Renhou, hearing the watch drums from the various camps as usual, said happily: “They have all returned!” The next morning, the various generals assembled at the yamen. They all thought Gao Renhou truly did not know of their desertion. After sitting for a long time, Gao Renhou said to Yang Maoyan: “Last night, I heard that the Vice Commander, leading his men, fled to Zhangba. Is this true?” Yang Maoyan replied: “Last night, I heard that the bandits were attacking the central army. Those close to me said that the puye had already left, so I mounted my horse and followed. Later I found it was false and returned to camp.” Gao Renhou said: “Gao Renhou and the Vice Commander both received orders from the Son of Heaven to lead troops in punishing the bandits. If Gao Renhou had fled first, the Vice Commander should have rebuked me, dismounted me, enforced military law, taken temporary command of the army, and then reported to the court. Now the Vice Commander has already fled first and has also resorted to deceit. According to principle, what should be done?” Yang Maoyan clasped his hands and said: “I deserve execution.” Gao Renhou said: “Correct!” He ordered his attendants to drag him away and behead him. The various generals trembled in their legs with fear. Gao Renhou then summoned several tens of prisoners captured the previous night, untied their bonds, and released them to return. When Zheng Junxiong and others heard of this, they were greatly frightened and said: “His military law is so strict! From now on, our soldiers will not be able to go out and fight!”
On the day geng-chen, Shi Pu sent his general Li Shiyue to lead ten thousand troops in pursuit of Huang Chao.
On the day gui-wei, Gao Renhou deployed his battle formation beneath the walls of Lutou Pass. Zheng Junxiong and others led out their entire force to give battle. Gao Renhou set up an ambush behind his formation and then feigned defeat and fled. Zheng Junxiong and others pursued. The ambush was sprung, and Zheng Junxiong and his men were utterly defeated. That night, they fled back to Zi Prefecture. Chen Jingxuan sent three thousand troops to reinforce Gao Renhou’s army, which then advanced to besiege Zi Prefecture.