Later Tang Records 2
Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government, Volume 273 [Annals of Later Tang, Part 2] From the year Jia Shen () to the end of the tenth month of the year Yi You (), covering a little over one year.
Spring, first month, on the day Jia Chen (first day), Youzhou reported that the Khitan had invaded, reaching Wa Bridge. The court appointed Tianping Circuit Military Governor Li Cunxu as Northern March Commissioner-in-Chief, Shanzhou Acting Governor Huo Yanwei as Deputy, and Xuanhui Commissioner Li Shaohong as Supervisor, leading troops to relieve Youzhou. Kong Qian again said to Guo Chongtao: "The Chief Minister Dou Luge manages myriad affairs daily, his duties are heavy, and his residence is far; the accounts and documents of the Revenue and Tax Bureau have accumulated greatly, and another arrangement should be made." Dou Luge had once personally written a letter borrowing several hundred thousand cash from the provincial treasury. Kong Qian took that letter to show Guo Chongtao, who subtly hinted at the matter to Dou Luge. Dou Luge, greatly frightened, submitted a memorial requesting that Guo Chongtao be placed in sole charge of revenue and tax affairs, but Guo Chongtao firmly declined. The Emperor said: "Since that is the case, who would be suitable?" Guo Chongtao replied: "Although Kong Qian has long managed grain and funds, if he were suddenly entrusted with such a heavy responsibility, I fear it would not meet the expectations of the multitude. Please appoint Zhang Xian instead." The Emperor immediately ordered Zhang Xian summoned. Kong Qian became even more disheartened.
King Qi, Li Maozhen, upon hearing that the Emperor had entered Luoyang, became uneasy and sent his son, the Marching Military Commander, Zhangyi Circuit Military Governor and Acting Zhongshu Ling Li Jiyan, to court to present tribute, and for the first time submitted a memorial acknowledging himself as a subject. Because he was a senior figure from the previous dynasty and of the same generation as the founding emperor, the Emperor treated him with special courtesy, and in each edict referred to him only as King Qi without using his personal name. On the day Geng Xu (seventh day), Li Jiyan was additionally appointed Acting Zhongshu Ling and sent back.
An imperial decree stated: "Eunuchs should not reside outside the palace. All eunuchs from the previous dynasty, as well as those previously kept by circuit supervisors or private households, regardless of rank, are to be sent to the court." At that time, there were already five hundred eunuchs attending the Emperor; by this point, the number reached nearly a thousand. They were all given generous support, entrusted with duties, and treated as confidants. The various internal offices, which had been staffed by scholars since the Tianyou era, were now again filled with eunuchs, who gradually began to interfere in government affairs. Soon, supervisors were again appointed to each circuit. Whether a military governor was on campaign or remained in the capital, all military government affairs were decided by the supervisors, who oppressed the commanders and relied on their power to struggle for influence. Consequently, the (military governors) were all enraged.
The Khitan left the border. The Emperor recalled Li Cunxu's army and ordered Taining Circuit Military Governor Li Shaoqin and Zezhou Prefect Dong Zhang to garrison Wa Bridge.
Li Jiyan, having witnessed the strength of the Later Tang army, reported back to King Qi, who became even more frightened. On the day Gui Chou (tenth day), he submitted a memorial requesting to observe the rites of a vassal. The Emperor issued a gracious edict refusing this request.
Kong Qian, resenting Zhang Xian's arrival, said to Dou Luge: "Matters of revenue and grain are trivial; a capable clerk can handle them. Weidu is a place of fundamental importance—how could it be insignificant! Xingtang Yin Wang Zhengyan has abundant integrity but insufficient intelligence. If unavoidable, let him remain at court with everyone assisting him; that would still be better than entrusting him with a regional command." Dou Luge conveyed this to Guo Chongtao, who then memorialized to have Zhang Xian remain in Dongjing. On the day Jia Yin (eleventh day), Wang Zhengyan was appointed Revenue and Tax Commissioner. Wang Zhengyan was muddle-headed and cowardly; Kong Qian coveted him because he was easy to control.
Li Cunshen memorialized that the Khitan had withdrawn, and that Xinzhou had been recovered.
On the day Wu Wu (fifteenth day), an imperial decree ordered that the three offices of Salt and Iron, Finance, and Revenue and Households all be placed under the Revenue and Tax Commissioner.
The Emperor sent his younger brother Li Cunwo and his son Li Jiji to Jinyang to welcome the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort Dowager. The Imperial Consort Dowager said: "The imperial tombs and ancestral temples are here. If we all leave together, who will perform the seasonal sacrifices?" So she remained behind. When the Empress Dowager arrived, on the day Geng Shen (seventeenth day), the Emperor went to Heyang to welcome her; on the day Xin You (eighteenth day), he accompanied the Empress Dowager into Luoyang.
Second month, on the day Ji Si (first day), the Emperor performed the Southern Suburb Sacrifice and granted a general amnesty. Kong Qian, seeking to accumulate wealth to please the Emperor, levied again whatever was exempted in the amnesty decree. From then on, whenever an imperial edict was issued, the people did not believe it, and the common folk were filled with sorrow and resentment.
When Guo Chongtao first arrived at Bianzhou and Luoyang, he readily accepted gifts from the military governors. Some close associates advised him against this, but Guo Chongtao said: "I hold the positions of both General and Chancellor, with emoluments and rewards numbering in the tens of thousands. How could I rely on external wealth! It is only because in the final years of the Liang, bribery became a custom. Now the military governors of Henan are all former officials of Liang, enemies of our sovereign. If I were to refuse them, would their hearts not be fearful! I am merely storing these things in my private residence on behalf of the state." When the Southern Suburb Sacrifice was about to be performed, Guo Chongtao first contributed one hundred thousand strings of cash for rewarding the troops. Previously, eunuchs had advised the Emperor to divide the empire's wealth and taxes into an Inner Treasury and an Outer Treasury. What the prefectures and counties submitted went to the Outer Treasury for government expenses; what the regional authorities contributed went to the Inner Treasury for banquets, tours, and rewards for those close to the Emperor. Consequently, the Outer Treasury was often empty and depleted, while the Inner Treasury was piled high like a mountain. When the relevant departments prepared for the Southern Suburb Sacrifice and lacked funds for troop rewards, Guo Chongtao said to the Emperor: "I have already exhausted my family wealth to assist in this great ritual. I hope Your Majesty will also take out goods from the Inner Treasury to bestow upon the relevant departments." The Emperor remained silent for a long time, then said: "I have my own reserves in Jinyang. You may have the Revenue and Tax Commissioner fetch them by cart to assist." So several hundred thousand in gold and silk were taken from Guo Chongtao's private residence to supplement the funds. The troops were greatly dissatisfied, began to resent, and became disaffected.
Zhonghe Circuit Military Governor Li Jilin requested that the salt from Anyi and Jie counties be placed under government monopoly, with fixed tax quotas submitted each quarter. On the day Ji Mao (eleventh day), Li Jilin was appointed Commissioner for Monopoly Salt of the Two Pools.
On the day Xin Si (thirteenth day), King Qi, Li Maozhen, was advanced to the rank of Prince of Qin, but was still not addressed by his personal name and not required to perform obeisance.
Guo Chongtao, knowing that Li Shaohong was disgruntled, established the post of Internal Auditor to manage the auditing of the Three Offices' finances, appointing Li Shaohong to the position, hoping to appease his discontent. But Li Shaohong was ultimately unhappy, and it only increased the burden of transfers and reports for the prefectures and counties. Guo Chongtao held the positions of both General and Chancellor, and also commanded a military command, taking the empire's affairs as his own responsibility. His power equaled that of the sovereign, and from morning to night, carriages and horses crowded his gate. His nature was upright but impatient, and whenever an issue arose, he would flare up. Those who curried favor sought advancement but were often suppressed by him. The eunuchs hated him deeply and, day and night, spoke of his shortcomings before the Emperor. Guo Chongtao, wringing his hands in frustration, wanted to suppress them but could not. Dou Luge and Wei Shuo once asked him: "Guo Ziyi, the Prince of Fenyang, originally came from Taiyuan and moved to Huayin. Your family has lived in Yanmen for generations—could you be a branch of the Prince of Fenyang's line?" Guo Chongtao then said: "I encountered war and chaos, and my family genealogy was lost. I once heard from my ancestors that we are only four generations removed from the Prince of Fenyang." Dou Luge said: "Then you are indeed of the same ancestry." From then on, Guo Chongtao considered himself a member of a distinguished family, carefully distinguished social standings, promoted those with superficial elegance, and despised and abandoned meritorious old officials. When someone sought an official post, Guo Chongtao would say: "I am well aware of your talent and achievements, but your family background is humble, and I dare not appoint you, fearing I would be mocked by the elite." Therefore, the sycophants hated him from within, and the meritorious old officials resented him from without. Guo Chongtao repeatedly requested to yield the post of Commissioner of the Privy Council to Li Shaohong, but the Emperor did not consent. He also requested to divide the affairs of the Privy Council among the internal offices to reduce his own power, but the eunuchs' slander did not cease. Guo Chongtao, depressed and frustrated, consulted with close associates about retreating to his own circuit to avoid trouble. One of them said: "That will not do. If a dragon leaves the water, even ants and mole crickets can subdue it."
Previously, the Emperor had wanted to establish Lady Liu as Empress, but there was the primary consort, Lady Han. The Empress Dowager had always detested Lady Liu, and Guo Chongtao had repeatedly remonstrated, so the Emperor had not yet decided. At this time, a close associate advised Guo Chongtao: "If you request that Lady Liu be established as Empress, the Emperor will certainly be pleased. With the Empress's help from within, the actors and eunuchs will not be able to cause trouble." Guo Chongtao followed this advice and, together with the Chancellor, led all the officials in submitting a memorial stating that Lady Liu should be properly installed as the central consort. On the day Gui Wei (fifteenth day), Lady Liu of Wei was established as Empress. The Empress came from a humble background. After she became prominent, she devoted herself to accumulating wealth. When she was in Weizhou, she even sold firewood, grass, fruits, and vegetables. After becoming Empress, all tribute from the four directions was divided into two portions: one for the Son of Heaven, and one for the central palace. Consequently, treasures piled up like a mountain, used only for copying Buddhist sutras and giving alms to nuns.
At this time, the Empress Dowager's edicts, the Empress's commands, and the Emperor's decrees all circulated interchangeably among the military governors, who treated them all with equal respect.
An imperial decree ordered Caizhou Prefect Zhu Qing to dredge the Suo River to open up water transport.
In the third month, on the jihai day (the first day of the month), the ruler of Shu feasted his close ministers at the Yishen Pavilion in the imperial palace. When the wine flowed freely, both ruler and ministers, along with the palace women, removed their caps, let down their hair, and indulged in rowdy revelry. The Imperial Diarist, Jingzhao native Li Guizhen, remonstrated: "When ruler and ministers wallow in wine and women and do not worry about state affairs, I fear this will open the way for the schemes of the northern enemy." The ruler of Shu did not listen.
On the yisi day (the seventh day), Zhenzhou reported that the Khitan were about to invade the border. An edict was issued ordering the Heng-hai Jiedushi Li Shaobin, the Beijing Left Wing Cavalry Commander Li Congke, to lead cavalry and guard against them separately; the Tianping Jiedushi Li Siyuan was stationed at Xingzhou. Li Shaobin's original surname was Zhao, his given name Xingshi, and he was a native of Youzhou.
On the bingwu day (the eighth day), Gao Jixing was given the additional title of Acting Minister of Works and was enfeoffed as the Prince of Nanping.
Li Cunshen believed that as the foremost of the generals, he had not been able to share in the merit of capturing Bianzhou. Full of indignation and resentment, his illness became more severe. He repeatedly submitted memorials requesting an audience at court, but Guo Chongtao suppressed them and would not permit it. When Li Cunshen's illness became critical, he submitted a memorial begging to see the emperor while still alive, and only then was he permitted. Initially, the emperor had engaged in unarmed combat with the Right Martial Guard General-in-Chief Li Cunxian. Li Cunxian did not use his full skill. The emperor said, "If you can defeat me, I will grant you a frontier command." Li Cunxian then followed the edict, merely threw the emperor to the ground, and stopped. When Li Cunshen was finally permitted to come to court, the emperor appointed Li Cunxian as the Marching Adjutant of Lulong. Ten days later, he appointed him Jiedushi, saying, "The promise made during our unarmed combat—I will not break my word."
On the gengxu day (the twelfth day), Youzhou reported that the Khitan had invaded Xincheng.
Meritorious ministers feared the slander of the actors and eunuchs and were all uneasy. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Fan-Han Internal and External Cavalry and Infantry, Li Siyuan, requested to be relieved of his military authority, but the emperor would not permit it.
Since the fall and chaos of the late Tang, some families of the scholar-official class had sold their certificates of office to clansmen and in-laws, thereby confusing the order of generations. Matters reached such a point that uncles and maternal uncles bowed to their nephews and nieces, and there were many forged and fraudulent documents among candidates for office. Guo Chongtao wanted to eliminate this abuse and ordered the Ministry of Appointments to conduct a careful examination. At that time, there were twelve hundred functionaries for the Southern Suburb Sacrifice, but only a few dozen were selected for appointment. Nine out of ten certificates of office were altered or destroyed. Some candidates wailed on the road, while others starved to death in inns.
The imperial tombs of the Tang dynasty had previously been plundered by Wen Tao. On the gengshen day (the twenty-second day), the Director of the Ministry of Works, Li Tu, was appointed as the Imperial Commissioner for Inspecting the Various Tombs in Chang'an.
The imperial prince Li Jiji replaced Zhang Quanyi in presiding over the affairs of the Six Armies and the Various Guards.
Summer, the fourth month, on the jisi day (the first day of the month), the assembled ministers presented the emperor with the honorific title of Zhaowen Ruiwu Zhide Guangxiao Huangdi.
The emperor sent the Protocol Commissioner Li Yan as an envoy to the state of Shu. Li Yan greatly praised the emperor's majesty and virtue and his ambition to unify the empire. He also said that when the Zhu family had usurped the throne, none of the feudal lords had raised troops to aid the king. Wang Zongchou considered that his words had offended Shu and requested his execution, but the ruler of Shu did not listen. The Commissioner of the Northern Secretariat of the Palace Secretariat, Song Guangbao, submitted a memorial saying: "The Jin king harbors intentions to encroach upon our state. We should select generals, train troops, garrison the borders, accumulate grain and fodder, and build warships to guard against him." The ruler of Shu thereupon appointed Song Guangbao as the Surveillance Commissioner of Zizhou and acting military governor of Wude.
On the yihai day (the seventh day), Ma Yin, the Prince of Chu, was given the additional title of Acting Minister of Works.
On the gengchen day (the twelfth day), the former Baoyi Acting Military Governor Huo Yanwei was granted the name Li Shaozhen.
Qin Zhongjing Wang Li Maozhen died. In his posthumous memorial, he requested that his son Li Jiyan be allowed to temporarily manage the affairs of the Fengxiang Military Government.
Initially, the Anyi General Yang Li had been favored by Li Jitao. After Li Jitao was executed, Yang Li was often disgruntled and wanted to rebel. It happened that three thousand Anyi soldiers were conscripted to garrison Zhuozhou. Yang Li said to his troops: "Previously, the Luzhou troops never served on the frontier. Now the court is driving us to the remote frontier—this means they do not want us to remain in Luzhou. Rather than leave our bones on the battlefield, it is better to hold the city and defend ourselves. If we succeed, we will gain wealth and honor; if not, we will merely be bandits." So he gathered a crowd, shouting as they attacked the eastern gate of the inner city, burning and looting the market stalls. The Deputy Military Governor Li Jike and the Army Supervisor Zhang Hongzuo abandoned the city and fled. Yang Li proclaimed himself Acting Military Governor and sent a general to submit a memorial requesting the ceremonial axe of command. An edict was issued appointing the Tianping Jiedushi Li Siyuan as the Imperial Commissioner for the Expedition, the Wuning Jiedushi Li Shaorong as the Commander, and the Chief Commander of the Tent Guard Zhang Tingyun as the Cavalry and Infantry Commander-in-Chief to punish him.
Kong Qian lent money to the common people, demanding repayment in silk at a low conversion rate, and repeatedly sent orders urging the prefectures and counties to press for collection. The Chief Scholar of the Hanlin Academy and Acting Prefect of Bianzhou, Lu Zhi, submitted a memorial saying: "When Zhao Yan was Commissioner of the Tax and Transport Bureau under the Later Liang, he engaged in lending and extortion, incurring the enmity of the people. Your Majesty has abolished the old and established the new, removing harm for the people. Yet the relevant departments have not changed the practices he initiated—this is Zhao Yan reborn. This spring, frost damaged the mulberry trees, and the silk harvest is very thin. Paying the regular taxes alone is difficult to bear, and the people are afraid of becoming refugees. How can they endure the additional burden of loans? I serve only the Son of Heaven, not the Commissioner of the Tax and Transport Bureau. The imperial decrees have not yet been promulgated, but the provincial documents are constantly sent down. I beg that an enlightened command be issued soon!" The emperor did not reply.
The ruler of Southern Han, Liu Yan, led troops to invade Min and stationed them on the borders of Tingzhou and Zhangzhou. The people of Min attacked him, and the ruler of Southern Han fled in defeat.
Initially, during the Battle of Hu-liu, the actor Zhou Za was captured by the Later Liang. The emperor often thought of him. On the day they entered Bianzhou, Zhou Za met the emperor before his horse, and the emperor was very pleased. Zhou Za wept and said: "Your servant's life was saved by the efforts of Chen Jun, the Director of the Music Office of the Later Liang, and Chu Deyuan, the Commissioner of the Inner Garden Plantings. I beg Your Majesty to grant them two prefectures to repay them." The emperor agreed. Guo Chongtao remonstrated, saying: "Those who took the empire together with Your Majesty were all heroes, loyal and brave men. Now that the great achievement has just been completed, not a single person has been rewarded with a title or gift. Yet to first make actors prefects would, I fear, lose the hearts of the people of the empire." Therefore, the matter was not put into effect. A year later, the actors repeatedly brought it up. The emperor said to Guo Chongtao: "I have already promised Zhou Za. It embarrasses me to face these three men. Your words are correct, but you should bend your will for my sake and do it." In the fifth month, on the renyin day (the fifth day), Chen Jun was appointed Prefect of Jingzhou, and Chu Deyuan was appointed Prefect of Xianzhou. At that time, among the personal troops, there were those who had followed the emperor through a hundred battles and had not yet obtained a prefecture; none of them were without indignation and sighs.
On the yisi day (the eighth day), the Right Remonstrance Adviser Xue Zhaowen submitted a memorial, stating: "There are still many who have usurped and occupied territories in the various circuits. Plans for conquest should not be set aside. Furthermore, the soldiers have long followed the campaigns; their rewards and provisions are not generous, and many are impoverished. It would be fitting to use the surplus goods from the tribute of the four quarters and the Southern Suburb Sacrifice to distribute additional rewards. Moreover, the armies of Henan were all the elite of the Later Liang. I fear that the usurping states may secretly use heavy profits to entice them; they should be comforted and kept loyal. Also, the households that have fled should be given relief by reducing corvée and lightening taxes. Furthermore, unnecessary construction projects should be reduced. Also, I request that suitable open land be selected for pasturing horses, so that the horses do not trample the fields of the people in the capital region." None of these proposals were heeded.
On the wushen day (the eleventh day), the ruler of Shu sent Li Yan back to his own country. Initially, the emperor had sent Li Yan into Shu, instructing him to trade horses for the palace's rare treasures. However, the laws of Shu forbade the entry of brocade, silk, and rare curios into the Central Plains, permitting only inferior goods to enter, which were called "grass-entering goods." When Li Yan returned and reported this, the emperor became angry and said: "Can Wang Yan avoid being a grass-entering man himself?" Li Yan then said to the emperor: "Wang Yan is childish and foolish, dissolute and debauched. He does not personally attend to government affairs, drives away old and experienced ministers, and surrounds himself with petty men. His powerful ministers, Wang Zongbi, Song Guangsi, and others, are sycophantic and tyrannical, insatiably greedy. They reverse right and wrong, and their rewards and punishments are chaotic. Ruler and ministers, superiors and inferiors, compete only in luxury and debauchery. In my opinion, if a great army once presses upon their borders, their state will crumble like a tile—it can be awaited on tiptoe." The emperor deeply concurred.
Because of the rebellion in Luzhou, the emperor, on the gengxu day (the thirteenth day), issued an edict ordering all prefectures and towns in the empire not to build city walls or dredge moats, and to destroy all defensive weapons.
On the renzi day (the fifteenth day), the newly appointed Xuanwu Jiedushi, concurrently Acting Secretariat Director and Commander-in-Chief of the Fan-Han Cavalry and Infantry, Li Cunshen, died in Youzhou. Li Cunshen was of humble origin. He often admonished his sons, saying: "Your father, when young, left home with a single sword. In forty years, he rose to the highest ranks of general and minister. In that time, he faced death more than once and had over a hundred arrowheads taken from his broken bones." He then showed them the extracted arrowheads, telling them to keep them, and said: "You were born into wealth and honor. You should know how your father began his career."
Youzhou reported that the Khitan were about to invade. On Jiayin (the 17th day), Li Shaobin, the Military Governor of Heng-Hai Circuit, was appointed as the Commander of the Northeast Expeditionary Army to lead a large army north across the river. The Khitan camped outside the southeast gate of Youzhou; their cavalry swarmed the area, and most of the grain and supply shipments were plundered by them.
On Renxu (the 25th day), Li Jiyan was appointed as the Military Governor of Fengxiang Circuit.
On Yichou (the 28th day), Cao Yijin, the acting Acting Governor of Guiyi Circuit, was appointed as the Military Governor. At that time, Guazhou and Shazhou were intermixed with the Tufan people; Cao Yijin sent envoys via minor roads to pay tribute at court, so he was appointed.
The vanguard of Li Siyuan’s army reached Luzhou as night fell. The troops had just settled in when Zhang Tingyun led over a hundred of his bravest men across the moat and climbed the city wall. The defenders could not withstand them; they immediately cut open the city gate to let the various units enter. By dawn, when Li Siyuan and Li Shaorong arrived, the city had already been taken, and Li Siyuan and the others were displeased. On Bingyin (the 29th day), Li Siyuan reported that Luzhou was pacified. In the sixth month, on Bingzi (the 9th day), Yang Li and his accomplices were torn apart by chariots at Zhenguo Bridge. The city walls and moat of Luzhou were deep and high; the emperor ordered them leveled.
On Bingxu (the 19th day), Li Shaorong, the Military Governor of Wuning Circuit, was appointed as the Military Governor of Guide Circuit and Grand Councilor, retained for palace guard duty, and treated with great favor. The emperor sometimes went to his home together with the Empress Dowager and the Empress. The emperor had a favored consort, beautiful in appearance, who had once given birth to a son; Empress Liu was very jealous of her. It happened that Li Shaorong had lost his wife. One day, while attending at court, the emperor asked Li Shaorong, "Will you remarry? I will find you a wife." The empress then pointed to the favored consort and said, "Your Majesty pities Li Shaorong; why not give this woman to him!" The emperor found it hard to say no and reluctantly agreed. The empress urged Li Shaorong to bow in thanks; when he finished bowing and rose, he looked back at the favored consort, who had already been carried out of the palace in a sedan chair. Because of this, the emperor pretended to be ill and did not eat for several days.
On Renchen (the 25th day), Li Siyuan, the Military Governor of Tianping Circuit, was appointed as the Military Governor of Xuanwu Circuit, replacing Li Cunzhen as the Commander-in-Chief of the Fan-Han Internal and External Cavalry and Infantry.
In autumn, the seventh month, on Renyin (the 5th day), the Shu kingdom appointed Xu Ji, the Minister of Rites, as Vice Director of the Chancellery and Grand Councilor.
Kong Qian again spoke ill of Wang Zhengyan before Guo Chongtao, and also lavishly bribed the actors and eunuchs, seeking the post of Commissioner of the Tax Bureau, but ultimately did not obtain it. He felt disgruntled. On Guimao (the 6th day), he submitted a memorial requesting to resign from his post. The emperor was angered, believing he was shirking duties, and intended to deal with him according to law. Jing Jin interceded for him, and he was spared punishment.
The Yellow River, which the Later Liang had breached, had for years caused disasters in Caozhou and Puzhou. On Jiachen (the 7th day), Lou Jiying, the General of the Right Imperial Gate Guard, was ordered to supervise the armies of Bianzhou and Huazhou in blocking it. Soon after, it burst again.
On Gengshen (the 23rd day), the Weisaijun was established in Xinzhou.
The Khitan, relying on their strength, sent envoys to the emperor demanding the cession of Youzhou to settle Lu Wenjin. At that time, all the northeastern tribal peoples had submitted to the Khitan, except for Bohai, which had not yet surrendered. The Khitan ruler planned an invasion but feared that Bohai would attack from behind, so he first raised troops to attack Bohai's Liaodong, sending his general Tu'nei and Lu Wenjin to occupy Yingzhou, Pingzhou, and other places to harass Yan territory.
In the eighth month, on Wuchen (the 2nd day), the Shu ruler appointed Wang Zong'e, the Commander of the Right Dingyuan Army, as the Commander of the Expeditionary Cavalry and Infantry, leading twenty-one armies to garrison Yangzhou. On Yihai (the 9th day), Lin Sihui, the Commander of the Long-Direct Cavalry Army, was appointed as the Military Governor of Zhaowu Circuit, stationed at Lizhou to guard against Later Tang.
Wang Zhengyan, the Commissioner of the Tax Bureau, suffered from wind illness and was mentally confused, unable to handle affairs. Jing Jin repeatedly spoke of this. On Guiyou (the 7th day), Kong Qian, the Vice Commissioner and Commandant of the Palace Guard, was appointed as the Commissioner of the Tax Bureau, and Kong Xun, the General of the Right Guard of the Brave, was appointed as the Vice Commissioner. Kong Xun was originally Zhao Yinheng; after the fall of Later Liang, he resumed his original name. From then on, Kong Qian was able to implement his policies, imposing heavy levies and urgent exactions to satisfy the emperor's desires, leaving the people in dire straits. On Guiwei (the 17th day), Kong Qian was granted the title of "Minister for Enriching the State and Supporting the Realm."
The emperor again sent an envoy, Li Yanchou, to Shu. In the ninth month, on Jihai (the 3rd day), he arrived in Chengdu.
On Guimao (the 7th day), the emperor went hunting in the outskirts. At that time, the emperor frequently went out hunting, and the accompanying cavalry damaged the people's crops. He Ze, the magistrate of Luoyang, hid among the grass and bushes, and when the emperor arrived, he stopped the horse and remonstrated, saying: "Your Majesty's taxes and levies are already urgent. Now the crops are about to ripen, and you trample them again. How can the officials govern, and how can the people live! I beg to be put to death first." The emperor comforted him and let him go. He Ze was a native of Guangzhou.
The Khitan attacked Bohai but returned without achieving success.
Wang Zongchou, the former Military Governor of Shannan West Circuit and Grand Councilor of Shu, because of the Shu ruler's loss of virtue, plotted with Wang Zongbi to depose the ruler and set up another. Wang Zongbi hesitated and did not decide. On Gengxu (the 14th day), Wang Zongchou died of grief and anger. Wang Zongbi said to Song Guangsi, Jing Yuncheng, and other Privy Councilors: "Wang Zongchou told me to kill you; now there is no trouble." Song Guangsi and the others prostrated themselves and wept in thanks. When Wang Zongbi's son, Wang Chengban, heard of this, he said to others: "Our family will not escape disaster."
On Yimao (the 19th day), the Shu ruler appointed Zhang Wu, the former Military Governor of Zhenjiang Circuit, as the Commander of the Three Gorges Circuit Response and Rescue Expedition.
On Dingsi (the 21st day), Youzhou reported that the Khitan had invaded.
In winter, the tenth month, on Xinwei (the 5th day), Li Cunba, the Military Governor of Tianping Circuit, and Fu Xi, the Military Governor of Pinglu Circuit, submitted a statement: "The subordinate prefectures often report that they have directly received directives from the Tax Bureau to handle affairs, while the circuit administration is completely unaware, disrupting the regulations." The Tax Bureau submitted a memorial stating that recent precedents were all directly issued. An imperial edict said: "According to the old court regulations, imperial decrees do not go down to the outlying prefectures, and prefectural governors do not arbitrarily submit memorials. What the two circuits have now reported is the old system of this dynasty; what the Tax Bureau has stated is a recent practice of the illegitimate dynasty. From now on, unless it is for tribute, outlying prefectures must report through their circuit. The Tax Bureau's levies and collections must also be reported to the Surveillance Commissioners." Although this edict was issued, it was ultimately not implemented.
Yiding reported that the Khitan had invaded.
Wang Chengxiu, the Northern Deputy Commissioner of the Shu Imperial Palace, requested to select twelve thousand brave soldiers from various armies to establish the Left and Right Dragon-and-Tiger Infantry and Cavalry, forty armies under the emperor's direct command, with weaponry and equipment and rewards and supplies all superior to those of other armies. He appointed himself as the Commander of the Dragon-and-Tiger Cavalry and Infantry, with the lieutenant general An Zhongba as his deputy. The veteran generals were all indignant and felt it disgraceful. An Zhongba was a native of Quzhou; he served Wang Chengxiu with cunning, flattery, and bribery, so Wang Chengxiu liked him.
The King of Wuyue, Qian Liu, again restored the tribute and duties of the former dynasty. On Renwu (the 16th day), the emperor appointed him using the official titles of Later Liang. Qian Liu presented abundant tribute and bribed the powerful and influential, requesting the grant of a gold seal and jade tablets, an edict not mentioning his personal name, and the title of king. The relevant departments said: "According to precedent, only the Son of Heaven uses jade tablets; princes and dukes all use bamboo tablets. Furthermore, except for the four barbarian peoples, there is no precedent for enfeoffing kings." The emperor bent the rules to comply with Qian Liu's wishes.
The King of Wu, Yang Pu, went to Baisha to view the tower ships and renamed Baisha as Yingluan Town. Xu Wen came from Jinling for an audience. Previously, Xu Wen had appointed his close official Zhai Qian as the Commissioner of the Palace Gate, Palace City, and Military Equipment, ordering him to monitor the king's daily activities. Zhai Qian imposed strict restrictions on the king. At this time, when the king talked about the character for "rain," he avoided saying "water." Xu Wen asked him why. The king said: "Zhai Qian's father's given name; I have become accustomed to avoiding it." Then he said to Xu Wen: "Your loyalty, I know it well. But Zhai Qian is discourteous; the palace and the imperial clan often cannot get what they need." Xu Wen kowtowed and apologized, asking to have him killed. The king said: "Killing him is too severe; exile to a distant place is sufficient." So Zhai Qian was exiled to Fuzhou.
In the eleventh month, the Shu ruler sent his Hanlin Academician Ouyang Bin to come on a goodwill mission. Ouyang Bin was a native of Hengshan. He also sent Li Yanchou back east.
On Guimao (the 9th day), the emperor led his personal troops to hunt at Yique, ordering his attendants to pay respects at the tomb of the Later Liang Emperor Taizu. They traversed high mountains and dangerous passes for days without stopping, sometimes encircling game at night. Many soldiers fell into ravines and died or were injured. On Bingwu (the 12th day), they returned to the palace.
Because Shu had established friendly relations with Later Tang, it withdrew the garrison at Weiwucheng and recalled Guan Hongye and twenty-three other armies back to Chengdu. On Wushen (the 14th day), it also withdrew the thirty-seven armies under the command of Liu Qian and others at Wuding and Wuxing.
On Dingsi (the 23rd day), an iron certificate was granted to Li Jilin, the Military Governor of Huguo Circuit. His sons Li Lingde and Li Lingxi were both appointed as Military Governors. Other sons, as soon as they were old enough to wear clothes, were immediately given official posts. He was the most favored among all the circuits.
On Gengshen (the 26th day), Weizhou reported that the Khitan had invaded.
On the twenty-seventh day (Xinyou), the ruler abolished the Tianxiong Army command and ordered Wang Chengqian and twenty-nine other armies to return to Chengdu.
On the first day of the twelfth month (Yichou), the ruler appointed the Right Deputy Director of the Department of State Affairs, Zhang Ge, as concurrent Vice Director of the Secretariat and. Previously, when Zhang Ge had been convicted of a crime, the clerk Wang Lurou took advantage of his peril to coerce him; now that he was again in power as chancellor, he had Wang Lurou beaten to death. Xu Ji said to someone: "Zhang Gong has great talent but shallow insight. If he kills one Wang Lurou, who else can feel safe? This is the beginning of inviting disaster."
The ruler withdrew the garrison from Jinzhou and ordered Wang Chengxun and seven other armies to return to Chengdu.
On the fifth day (Jisi), the emperor ordered the Xuanwu Army commander Li Cunxu to lead thirty-seven thousand troops from the Imperial Guard to Bianzhou, and then proceed to Youzhou to resist the Khitan.
On the sixth day (Gengwu), the emperor and empress visited Zhang Quanyi's home. Zhang Quanyi presented lavish tributes. When the wine had flowed freely, the empress petitioned: "I lost my parents in childhood, and whenever I see elderly people, I think of them. Please allow me to serve Zhang Quanyi as I would a father." The emperor agreed. Zhang Quanyi, terrified, firmly declined, but after repeated insistence, he finally accepted the empress's bow of homage and additionally presented gifts to express gratitude. The next day, the empress ordered Hanlin Academician Zhao Feng to draft a letter of thanks to Zhang Quanyi. Zhao Feng secretly memorialized: "Since ancient times, there has never been a case where the mother of the empire bowed to a subject as a father." The emperor praised his integrity, but ultimately went ahead with it. From then on, the empress and Zhang Quanyi exchanged envoys daily, with greetings and gifts flowing without cease.
Previously, during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, eunuchs, though powerful, had never been granted a military command. An Chongba of Shu urged Wang Chengxiu to seek appointment as the military governor of Qinzhou. Wang Chengxiu said to the ruler: "Qinzhou has many beautiful women. Please allow me to select and present them to Your Majesty." The ruler agreed. On the sixth day (Gengwu), he appointed Wang Chengxiu as Tianxiong Army commander and enfeoffed him as Duke of Lu, with the Longwu Army as his personal guard.
On the eleventh day (Yihai), the ruler appointed the former Wude Army commander and concurrent Secretariat Director Xu Yanqiong as commander-in-chief of the cavalry and infantry within and outside the capital. Xu Yanqiong, as a relative by marriage, replaced Wang Zongbi and stood above the old generals, causing widespread discontent. On the eighteenth day (Renwu), the Northern Capital reported that the Khitan had invaded Lan Prefecture.
On the twenty-seventh day (Xinmao), the ruler changed the next year's reign title to Xiankang.
Lu Long Army commander Li Cunxian died.
That year, the ruler redesignated Prince Pu, Wang Zongren, as Prince Wei; Prince Ya, Wang Zonglu, as Prince You; Prince Bao, Wang Zongji, as Prince Zhao; Prince Rong, Wang Zongzhi, as Prince Han; Prince Xing, Wang Zongze, as Prince Song; Prince Peng, Wang Zongding, as Prince Lu; Prince Zhong, Wang Zongping, as Prince Xue; and Prince Zi, Wang Zongte, as Prince Ju. Wang Zonglu, Wang Zongzhi, and Wang Zongping were all relieved of their military posts.
In the spring, on the first day of the first month (Jiawu), the Shu state granted a general amnesty. On the third day (Bingshen), Zhuangzong ordered the relevant authorities to rebury Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Shaodi of Tang, but this was ultimately abandoned due to insufficient funds. The Khitan invaded Youzhou. On the seventh day (Gengzi), Zhuangzong departed from Luoyang; on the seventeenth day (Gengxu), he arrived at Xingtang Prefecture. Zhuangzong issued an edict ordering the Pinglu Army commander Fu Xi to build a long dike at Suanzao to prevent the Yellow River from bursting.
Earlier, when Li Cunxu had campaigned to the north and passed through Xingtang, the treasury in the Eastern Capital contained fine armor intended for imperial use. Li Cunxu issued a document to Deputy Commissioner Zhang Xian, asking for five hundred sets. Due to the urgency of the military action, Zhang Xian supplied them without first reporting to the throne. Zhuangzong was furious and said: "Zhang Xian, without obeying my edict, has taken my armor and given it to Li Cunxu. What does this mean?" He fined Zhang Xian one month's salary and ordered him to personally go to the army and retrieve the armor. Because the Yiwu Army commander Wang Du was about to come to court, Zhuangzong wanted to build a polo field. Zhang Xian said: "This place uses the court hall of the temporary palace as a polo field. Last year, Your Majesty ascended the throne here. That altar of accession cannot be destroyed. Please build the polo field west of the palace." A few days later, when the polo field was not yet built, Zhuangzong ordered the altar of accession to be demolished. Zhang Xian said to Guo Chongtao: "This altar is where the sovereign sacrificed to the Supreme God and first received the Mandate of Heaven. How can it be destroyed?" Guo Chongtao calmly reported this to Zhuangzong, who immediately ordered two imperial guards to demolish it. Zhang Xian privately said to Guo Chongtao: "Forgetting heaven and betraying the foundation—there is no greater ill omen than this."
On the eleventh day of the second month (Jiaxu), Li Shaobin, the Heng Hai Army commander, was appointed as Lu Long Army commander. On the thirteenth day (Bingzi), Li Cunxu reported defeating the Khitan at Zhuo Prefecture. Zhuangzong, troubled by the Khitan, consulted with Guo Chongtao. Believing that the veteran commanders of prestige were nearly all gone, and that Li Shaobin's status and reputation were not high, he intended to transfer Li Cunxu to garrison Hengzhou to support Li Shaobin. Guo Chongtao considered this very advantageous. At the time, Guo Chongtao concurrently held the post of Hengzhou Army commander. Zhuangzong wanted to transfer Guo Chongtao to garrison Bianzhou, but Guo Chongtao declined, saying: "Your servant, within the palace, manages the pivotal matters of the Secretariat, and outside, participates in major state affairs. My wealth and honor have reached their peak. Why must I also hold a military command? Moreover, among the officials, there are those who have followed Your Majesty for many years and have been through a hundred battles, yet they have only received one prefecture. Your servant has no battlefield merit, but only by attending upon Your Majesty and occasionally assisting in wise strategies have I reached this position. I am constantly uneasy. Now, taking advantage of the appointment of meritorious and capable officials, let your servant be relieved of the military command—that is my greatest wish. Furthermore, Bianzhou is the vital thoroughfare east of the Pass, rich in resources and populous. Since I will not go to the seat of command, letting others act on my behalf is no different from an empty city. This is not a way to strengthen the state's foundation." Zhuangzong said: "I fully know your loyalty. But you, for my sake, planned the capture of Wenyang, held the Yellow River crossing, and from that route, struck directly at Daliang, achieving my imperial enterprise. How can that be compared to a hundred battles? Now that I am the Son of Heaven, how can I let you not have even an inch of land?" Guo Chongtao firmly declined, and Zhuangzong ultimately agreed. On the seventeenth day (Gengchen), Li Cunxu was transferred to become the Chengde Army commander.
The ruler of Southern Han, upon hearing that Zhuangzong had destroyed Later Liang, became fearful. He sent the Palace Garden Commissioner He Ci to court to present tribute and secretly observe the strength or weakness of the Central Plains. On the twenty-first day (Jiashen), He Ci arrived at Weizhou. Upon his return, he reported that Zhuangzong was arrogant, lascivious, and neglectful of state affairs, and not worth fearing. The ruler of Southern Han was greatly pleased and from then on ceased all contact with the Central Plains. Zhuangzong, by nature strong-willed and competitive, was unwilling to let power fall into the hands of his subordinates. After entering Luoyang, he heeded the slander of actors and eunuchs and became quite distant and suspicious of the veteran generals. Li Cunxu's family was in Taiyuan. On the fifth day of the third month (Dingyou), he submitted a memorial requesting that the Wei Prefecture governor Li Congke be appointed as commandant of the Inner Guard Cavalry and Infantry of the Northern Capital to care for his household. Zhuangzong was furious and said: "Li Cunxu holds military command, occupies a great region, and military and political power is in my hands. How can he petition for his son?" Thereupon, he demoted Li Congke to the post of commander of the assault cavalry, leading several hundred men to garrison Shimen Town. Li Cunxu, anxious and fearful, submitted a memorial to defend himself; it was a long time before the matter subsided. On the ninth day (Xinchou), Li Cunxu requested permission to come to the Eastern Capital to pay court, but Zhuangzong did not allow it. Guo Chongtao, jealous of Li Cunxu's high merit and reputation, secretly said to someone: "The Commander-in-Chief and Military Commissioner is not one to remain under others. The imperial princes cannot match him." He secretly urged Zhuangzong to summon him into the palace as a guard, strip him of his military power, and even advised eliminating him, but Zhuangzong did not follow any of these suggestions.
On the seventeenth day (Jiyou), Zhuangzong departed from Xingtang, crossed the Yellow River at Desheng, passed through Yangcun and Qicheng, and viewed the battlefields of former years. He pointed them out to his officials, taking pleasure in it. The Luoyang palace was grand and deep. The eunuchs, wanting to persuade Zhuangzong to increase and expand his harem, falsely claimed that ghosts were seen in the palace at night. Zhuangzong wanted to summon exorcists to drive them away. The eunuchs said: "Your servant once served the Son of Heaven during the Xiantong and Qianfu eras. At that time, the six palaces contained no fewer than ten thousand people, noble and base. Now the rear palace is more than half empty, so ghosts come to wander." Zhuangzong then ordered the eunuch Wang Yunping and the actor Jing Jin to select women from among the people, going as far as Taiyuan, Youzhou, and Zhenzhou, to fill the rear palace—no fewer than three thousand—without asking where they came from. When Zhuangzong returned from Xingtang, he used oxcarts to transport them, one after another, filling the roads. Zhang Xian memorialized: "Over a thousand women have fled from the various camps. I fear they have been concealed and taken away by the accompanying troops." In reality, these women had all entered the rear palace.
Gengchen (date likely erroneous), Zhuangzong arrived at Luoyang; on Xinyou (the twenty-ninth day), an edict was issued re-establishing Luoyang as the Eastern Capital and Xingtang Prefecture as the Ye Capital. In summer, on the first day of the fourth month (Gui Hai, the first day), a solar eclipse occurred.
Earlier, the monk Chenghui from Mount Wutai used bizarre claims to delude the masses, boasting that he could subdue dragons and summon wind and rain. Zhuangzong respected and trusted him, personally leading the empress, imperial brothers, and princes to bow to him. Chenghui sat calmly without rising, and none of the officials dared not to bow, except for Guo Chongtao. At that time, there was a severe drought. Zhuangzong had Chenghui brought from Ye to Luoyang to pray for rain. The common people and officials looked up to him day and night, but after several tens of days, no rain fell. Someone said to Chenghui: "The Emperor, because your prayers for rain have had no effect, is about to burn you to death." Chenghui fled and died from shame and fear.
On Gengyin (the twenty-eighth day), Zhao Guangyin, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Grand Councilor, passed away. After the Empress Dowager parted from the Grand Consort, she often felt listless and unhappy. Although there were many entertainments and pleasures before her, she never showed a smile. After parting from the Empress Dowager, the Grand Consort also fell ill from melancholy. The Empress Dowager sent palace attendants with medicine and medical supplies one after another. Hearing that the Grand Consort’s illness had worsened, she lost her appetite and said to Zhuangzong: "My bond with the Grand Consort is as deep as that of brothers. I wish to visit her in person." Zhuangzong, citing the hot weather and the long distance, earnestly advised against it. Only after a long time did she relent, sending only the imperial brother Li Cunwo and others to welcome and attend to her. On Dingyou (the sixth day of the fifth month), the Northern Capital reported the Grand Consort’s death. The Empress Dowager grieved deeply and did not eat for several days. Zhuangzong comforted and persuaded her, never leaving her side. From then on, the Empress Dowager fell ill. She again wanted to attend the Grand Consort’s funeral in person, but Zhuangzong strenuously dissuaded her and she stopped.
Wang Shenzhi, the King of Min, fell gravely ill and ordered his son, Vice Military Commissioner Wang Yanhan, to temporarily manage the military headquarters. There was a severe drought from spring through summer. On Renshen (the eleventh day of the sixth month), rain finally began to fall. Zhuangzong suffered from the summer heat and searched within the palace for a high, cool place, but none suited him. The eunuchs then said: "We recall that in the heyday of Chang’an, the Daming Palace and Xingqing Palace had hundreds of towers and pavilions. Now the Emperor has no place to escape the heat. The palace’s grandeur does not even match the mansions of dukes and ministers of that time." Zhuangzong then ordered Wang Yunping, the Director of Palace Parks, to build a new tower for escaping the heat. The eunuchs said: "Guo Chongtao often frowns, claiming that Kong Qian says funds are insufficient. We fear that even if Your Majesty wishes to build, it may ultimately not be possible." Zhuangzong said: "I will use funds from the inner treasury; it does not involve state expenses." However, he still worried that Guo Chongtao would remonstrate and sent a palace attendant to tell him: "The summer heat this year is extreme. When I was by the Yellow River in past years, facing the Liang forces, the marching camp was low and damp. I wore armor and rode horses, personally facing arrows and stones, yet I did not feel this hot. Now, dwelling deep in the palace, the heat is unbearable. What can be done?" Guo Chongtao replied: "In those days by the Yellow River, the strong enemy had not yet been eliminated. Your heart was filled with thoughts of vengeance and shame, so even a great heat did not weigh on you. Now, external threats have been removed, and all under Heaven has submitted. Thus, even with rare pavilions and leisure halls, you still feel stifled and hot. If Your Majesty does not forget the times of hardship, the summer heat will naturally subside." Zhuangzong remained silent. The eunuchs said: "Guo Chongtao’s mansion is no different from the imperial palace. Naturally, he does not know the Emperor’s heat." In the end, Zhuangzong ordered Wang Yunping to build the tower, employing tens of thousands of laborers daily and spending vast sums. Guo Chongtao remonstrated: "Now the two river regions are suffering from floods and droughts, and military provisions are insufficient. I hope you will temporarily halt this labor to await a bountiful harvest." Zhuangzong did not listen.
When Zhuangzong was about to attack the Shu kingdom, on Xinmao (date likely erroneous), an edict was issued to purchase warhorses throughout the empire. Chen Yanqian, the Administrative Assistant of the Zhenhai Circuit and Prefect of Chuzhou in the Wu kingdom, fell ill. Xu Zhigao feared that his deathbed words might involve matters of succession, so he continuously sent him medicine and gold and silk. When Chen Yanqian was near death, he secretly left a letter for Xu Wen, requesting that Xu Zhigao’s own son be made the heir.
The Empress Dowager became gravely ill. In autumn, on Jiawu (the third day of the seventh month), Li Siyuan, the Military Commissioner of Chengde Circuit, seeing that border hostilities were gradually calming, submitted a memorial requesting an audience to visit the Empress Dowager. Zhuangzong did not permit it. On Renshen (the eleventh day), the Empress Dowager died. Zhuangzong grieved excessively; only after five days did he begin to eat.
In the eighth month, on Guiwei (the twenty-third day), Luo Guan, the Magistrate of Henan, was beaten to death with a staff. Earlier, Luo Guan served as Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites. He was strong-willed and upright, and was appreciated by Guo Chongtao, who appointed him Magistrate of Henan. In governing, he did not avoid powerful and influential figures. Letters from entertainers and eunuchs making requests piled up on his desk, but he never replied and instead showed them all to Guo Chongtao, who reported them to Zhuangzong. Thus, the entertainers and eunuchs bore him a deep grudge. Zhang Quanyi, the Governor of Henan, also disliked Luo Guan for his arrogance and sent a maidservant to complain to the Empress. The Empress, along with the entertainers and eunuchs, slandered Luo Guan together. Zhuangzong nursed his anger but did not act. It happened that Zhuangzong personally went to Shou’an to inspect the laborers building the Kunling tomb. The roads were muddy, and many bridges were damaged. Zhuangzong asked who was in charge of the bridges and roads. The eunuchs replied that it was under the jurisdiction of Henan Prefecture. Zhuangzong became angry and had Luo Guan thrown into prison. The jailers tortured him until his body was covered with wounds. The next day, an edict was issued to execute Luo Guan. Guo Chongtao remonstrated: "Luo Guan’s crime is that the bridges and roads were not repaired. According to the law, this does not warrant the death penalty." Zhuangzong angrily said: "The Empress Dowager’s spirit carriage is about to depart. The Son of Heaven travels back and forth day and night. The bridges and roads are not repaired. You say he has no crime—this is shielding him!" Guo Chongtao said: "Your Majesty, possessing the dignity of ten thousand chariots, vents your anger on a single county magistrate, causing all under Heaven to say that Your Majesty’s enforcement of law is unfair. This is my crime." Zhuangzong said: "Since he is someone you favor, do as you please." He shook his sleeves and rose to enter the palace. Guo Chongtao followed him, arguing and presenting memorials without stopping. Zhuangzong closed the palace doors himself, and Guo Chongtao could not enter. Luo Guan was ultimately executed, and his corpse was exposed at the prefectural gate. People far and near considered him wronged.
On Dinghai (the twenty-seventh day), Vice Minister of Personnel Li Dexiu and others were sent to present the King of Wuyue with a jade tablet, a golden seal, and a crimson robe of imperial attire.
In the ninth month, the Lord of Shu toured Mount Qingcheng with the Empress Dowager and the Grand Consort. They passed through the Zhangren Temple and Shangqing Palace, then proceeded to Yangpinghua in Pengzhou and Sanxue Mountain in Hanzhou before returning. On Yiyi (the fifth day), the imperial son Li Jiji was established as the Prince of Wei. On Dingyou (the seventh day), Zhuangzong discussed the campaign against Shu with the Grand Councilors. Li Shaohong, the Military Commissioner of Weisheng Circuit, had long flattered and served the Palace Commissioner Li Shaohong. Li Shaohong recommended him, saying: "Li Shaohong possesses rare talent unmatched in the world—even Sun Wu and Wu Qi cannot compare. He can be entrusted with great responsibility." Guo Chongtao said: "Duan Ning is a general of a fallen state, utterly treacherous and sycophantic. He cannot be trusted." The recommended Li Siyuan, but Guo Chongtao said: "The Khitan are currently strong; the General-in-Chief cannot leave the region north of the Yellow River. The Prince of Wei holds a position equivalent to that of the heir apparent and has not yet established special merit. I request that, following precedent, he be made the overall commander of the Shu campaign to enhance his prestige." Zhuangzong said: "My son is young; how can he go alone? He must have a deputy appointed." Shortly after, he said: "No one can replace you." On Gengzi (the tenth day), the Prince of Wei Li Jiji was appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Four-Faced March on the Western River, and Guo Chongtao as the Commander-in-Chief and Director of Pacification and Deployment for the Northeastern Face, with all military matters entrusted to him. Gao Jixing, the Military Commissioner of Jingnan Circuit, was appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Southeastern Face; Li Jiyan, the Military Commissioner of Fengxiang Circuit, as the Chief Supply and Transport Officer; Li Lingde, the Military Commissioner of Tongzhou Circuit, as the Deputy Commander of the Campaign; Li Shaochen, the Military Commissioner of Shanzhou Circuit, as the Commander of the Fan-Han Cavalry and Infantry and General-in-Chief of the Vanguard; Zhang Yun, the Western Capital Defender, as the Pacification Officer of the Western River Region; Mao Zhang, the Military Commissioner of Huazhou Circuit, as the Left Wing Commander; Dong Zhang, the Military Commissioner of Binzhou Circuit, as the Right Wing Commander; and Li Yan, the Commissioner of the Guest Bureau, as the Recruitment Officer for the Western River Region. They led an army of sixty thousand to attack Shu. An edict was also issued ordering Gao Jixing to take the three prefectures of Kui, Zhong, and Wan as his domain. The Supreme Command established a central army, appointing Attendant Li Congxi as the Supervisor and Commander of the Central Army Cavalry and Infantry, and Senior Attendants Li Ting’an and Lü Zhirou as the Prince of Wei’s receptionists. On Xinchou (the eleventh day), Minister of Works Ren Huan and Hanlin Academician Li Yu were jointly appointed to participate in the military planning of the Supreme Command.
Since the sixth month, on the _jiawu_ day (doubtful error), it began to rain, and the sun and stars were rarely seen. All rivers and streams overflowed their banks, and it did not clear up until seventy-five days later. Because the Northern Capital's, Meng Zhixiang, had a former kindness of recommending and introducing him, Guo Chongtao, before departing, said to Zhuangzong: "Meng Zhixiang is loyal, trustworthy, honest, and has stratagems. If we obtain Xichuan and need a commander, no one surpasses this man." He also recommended the Vice of Yedu, Zhang Xian, as cautious, steady, and possessing insight, fit to be Chancellor. On _wushen_ (the eighteenth day), the great army marched westward.
In Shu, An Chongba urged Wang Chengxiu to request the Shu Lord to tour Qinzhou to the east. After Wang Chengxiu assumed office, he demolished government offices, built a traveling palace, undertook great corvée labor, forcibly seized women from the people to teach singing and dancing, painted their images, and sent them to Han Zhao, letting him speak to the Shu Lord. He also presented a painting of flowers and trees, extremely praising the beauty of Qinzhou's mountains, rivers, and customs. The Shu Lord was about to go to Qinzhou; many courtiers remonstrated, but he did not listen. Wang Zongbi submitted a memorial to remonstrate, and the Shu Lord threw it to the ground. The Empress Dowager wept and refused to eat, trying to dissuade him, but could not stop him. The former Qinzhou Military Governor's Administrative Assistant, Pu Yuqing, submitted a memorial of nearly two thousand characters, roughly saying: "The late Emperor founded the enterprise with difficulty, wishing to pass it down for ten thousand generations. Your Majesty, from youth to adulthood, grew up amidst wealth and honor, indulging in women and wine. Qinzhou's people are mixed with Qiang and Hu barbarians; the place is full of miasma and pestilence; the myriad multitudes are exhausted by travel, the commanderies and counties weary from provisioning. Fengxiang has long been an enemy; it will surely create incidents. Tang has just established friendly relations with us; it may give rise to suspicion. The late Emperor never traveled without cause; Your Majesty casually leaves the palace repeatedly. Qin Shihuang toured the east; his carriage never returned. Emperor Yang of Sui traveled south; his dragon boat never came back. The Shu capital is strong, dominating neighboring states; there is no worry of beacon fires on the borders, yet within there is the affliction of a heart and belly ailment; the people have lost their livelihoods, and bandits act openly. In former times, Li Shi submitted to Huan Wen, and Liu Shan surrendered to Deng Ai; the mountains and rivers, though steep and secure, are not enough to rely upon." Han Zhao said to Pu Yuqing: "I accept your memorial; when the Lord returns westward, I will surely have the prison officials question you word by word!" Wang Chengxiu's wife, Yan, was very beautiful; the Shu Lord had an illicit affair with her, so he was determined to go.
Winter, tenth month, the Pai Chen Zhan Qiao Shi Li Shaochen and Li Yan led three thousand elite cavalry and ten thousand infantry as the vanguard. The Recruitment and Punishment Administrator, Chen Yi, reached Baoji, claimed illness, and requested to stay behind. Li Yan sternly said: "Chen Yi advances when he sees profit and stops when he encounters difficulty. Now the great army is traversing dangerous terrain; men's hearts are easily shaken. He should be beheaded as a warning!" From then on, no one in the army dared to hesitate or waver. Chen Yi was a native of Jizhou.
On _guihai_ (the third day), the Shu Lord led several tens of thousands of troops out of Chengdu. On _jiazi_ (the fourth day), he reached Hanzhou. The Wuxing Military Governor, Wang Chengjie, reported that the Tang army was advancing westward. The Shu Lord thought the courtiers were conspiring together to stop him and still did not believe it, boastfully saying: "I was just thinking of displaying my military might." So he marched east. Along the way he composed poems with his courtiers, completely unconcerned. On _dingchou_ (the seventeenth day), Li Shaochen attacked Shu's Weiwu Fortress; the Shu commander Tang Jingsi led his troops and surrendered. The fortress commander Zhou Yanxin and others, knowing they could not hold it, also surrendered. Tang Jingsi was a native of Qinzhou. They obtained two hundred thousand _hu_ of grain in the fortress. Li Shaochen released over ten thousand defeated soldiers, letting them flee, then marched double-time toward Fengzhou. Li Yan sent a swift message to enlighten Wang Chengjie. Li Jiyan exhausted Fengxiang's reserves to supply the army, but it was still insufficient; men's hearts were anxious and fearful. Guo Chongtao entered San Pass, pointed to those mountains, and said: "If we advance but cannot succeed, we will never return here. We should exert ourselves to decide victory or defeat. Now our grain transport is nearly exhausted; we should first take Fengzhou and use its grain." All the generals said Shu's terrain was dangerous and firm, and they could not advance deep; they should halt the troops and observe the situation. Guo Chongtao asked Li Yu, who said: "The Shu people suffer from their lord's debauchery and waste; no one is willing to exert effort for him. We should take advantage of their disaffected hearts, move like wind and strike like thunder; they will all be frightened out of their wits. Even if there are dangerous defiles, who will defend them for him? The momentum of troops cannot be delayed." That day, Li Shaochen's victory report arrived. Guo Chongtao was delighted and said to Li Yu: "Your estimation of the enemy is so accurate; what more have I to worry about!" So he marched double-time. On _wuyin_ (the eighteenth day), Wang Chengjie, bearing the seals and tallies of Feng, Xing, Wen, and Fu prefectures, came to surrender, obtaining eight thousand troops and four hundred thousand _hu_ of grain. Guo Chongtao said: "Pacifying Shu is certain!" He then used the commander-in-chief's directive to appoint Wang Chengjie as acting Wuxing Military Governor. On _jimao_ (the nineteenth day), the Shu Lord reached Lizhou; the defeated soldiers from Weiwu Fortress fled back, and only then did he believe that the Tang army had truly arrived. Wang Zongbi and Song Guangsi said to the Shu Lord: "The forces of Dongchuan and Shannan are still intact. Your Majesty need only hold Lizhou with the main army; how dare the Tang people hang their army deep in?" The Shu Lord followed this. On _gengchen_ (the twentieth day), he appointed the Suijia Qingdao Zhihui Shi Wang Zongxun, Wang Zongyan, and the concurrent Shizhong Wang Zongyu as three recruitment commanders, leading thirty thousand troops to meet the enemy. The Suijia troops, from Mianzhou and Hanzhou all the way to Shendu, stretched for a thousand _li_, all resentful and indignant, saying: "The Longwu Army's grain and rewards are double those of other armies; how can other armies resist the enemy!" Li Shaochen and his men passed through Changju; the Xingzhou Commandant Cheng Fengliang led his five hundred troops to surrender, and moreover requested to first repair bridges and plank roads to await the Tang army; from then on, the army's march had no worries of obstacles. On _xinsi_ (the twenty-first day), the Xingzhou Prefect Wang Chengjian abandoned the city and fled; Li Shaochen and his men captured Xingzhou. Guo Chongtao appointed Tang Jingsi as acting Xingzhou Prefect. On _yiyou_ (the twenty-fifth day), the Chengzhou Prefect Wang Chengpu abandoned the city and fled. Li Shaochen and his men fought with the three Shu recruitment commanders at Sanquan; the Shu army was badly defeated, five thousand heads were cut off, and the remaining troops scattered and fled. They also obtained one hundred fifty thousand _hu_ of grain at Sanquan; from then on, army provisions were abundant and ample.
On _wuzi_ (the twenty-eighth day), the Empress Zhenjian was buried at Kunling. The Shu Lord, hearing of Wang Zongxun and others' defeat, fled westward double-time from Lizhou, cutting the pontoon bridge at Jiebo Ford. He ordered the Zhongshu Ling and Pan Liujun Zhuwei Shi Wang Zongbi to guard Lizhou with the main army, and also ordered the execution of the three recruitment commanders, Wang Zongxun and others. Li Shaochen marched day and night toward Lizhou. The Shu Wude Rear Commander, Song Guangbao, sent a letter to Guo Chongtao, requesting: "If the Tang army does not enter my territory, I will lead my subordinate prefectures to submit. If not according to the agreement, I will fight to the death before the city walls to repay my dynasty." Guo Chongtao replied with a letter to pacify and accept him. On _jichou_ (the twenty-ninth day), Prince Wei Li Jima reached Xingzhou. Song Guangbao, with Zi, Mian, Jian, Long, and Pu prefectures; the Wuding Military Governor Wang Chengzhao, with Yang, Peng, and Bi prefectures; the Shannan Military Governor and concurrent Shizhong Wang Zongwei, with Liang, Kai, Tong, Qu, and Lin prefectures; and the Jiezhou Prefect Wang Chengyue, with Jiezhou, all came to surrender. Wang Chengzhao was Wang Zongkan's son. The remaining towns all surrendered upon hearing the wind.
The Tianxiong Military Governor Wang Chengxiu and his deputy An Chongba planned to attack the Tang army. An Chongba said: "If we attack and cannot win, then the great matter is finished. Shu has one hundred thousand elite troops and the world's steepest terrain; though the Tang soldiers are fierce, how can they cross Sword Gate Pass directly? However, you have received the state's favor; hearing of the national difficulty, you cannot but go. I am willing to go westward with you." Wang Chengxiu had always trusted him closely and thought it correct. An Chongba requested to bribe the Qiang people and buy a path through Wen and Fu prefectures to return. Wang Chengxiu followed him, letting An Chongba lead the Longwu Army and twelve thousand recruited soldiers to follow. When departing, the prefecture's people saw them off outside the city walls. Wang Chengxiu set out; An Chongba bowed before his horse and said: "The state exerted its strength to obtain Qin and Long prefectures. If I follow the Kaifu back to court, who should remain to guard them? Kaifu, please go on; Chongba requests to stay and guard for you." Wang Chengxiu had already set out and could do nothing, so he and the Recruitment Deputy Commander Wang Zonghui went south through Wen and Fu prefectures. These places were barren lands; the Qiang people plundered them, and they fought as they marched. The soldiers died from cold and hunger; by the time they reached Maozhou, only a little over two thousand men remained. An Chongba then brought Qin and Long prefectures to surrender.
Gao Jixing often wanted to attack the Three Gorges, but he feared the reputation of Zhang Wu, the Shu circuit, and did not dare to advance his troops. At this time, taking advantage of the momentum of the Tang army, he had his son, Gao Conghui, the, temporarily act as, while he himself led a naval force up the Three Gorges to attack Shi Prefecture. Zhang Wu used iron chains to block the river route. Gao Jixing sent brave warriors in boats to cut the iron chains. Just then, a sudden strong wind arose, and the boats became entangled with the iron chains, unable to advance or retreat. Arrows and stones rained down, destroying Gao Jixing’s warships, and he escaped on a light boat. Soon after, hearing that the northern route had been defeated, he sent an envoy bearing the three prefectures of Kui, Zhong, and Wan to surrender to the Prince of Wei. Guo Chongtao wrote letters to Wang Zongbi and others, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages for them. Before Li Shaochen had even reached Lizhou, Wang Zongbi abandoned the city and led his troops westward. Wang Zongxun and the other two met Wang Zongbi at Baijiao. Wang Zongbi took out an imperial edict from his bosom and showed it to them, saying, "Song Guangsi ordered me to kill you." Thereupon, they embraced each other and wept, and together they plotted to surrender to the Tang army.