Later Tang Records 4
【Annals of Later Tang, Book 4】 From the beginning of the fourth month of the bingxu year (first year of Tongguang, 926) to the end of the sixth month of the dinghai year, a total of slightly over one year.
In summer, on the first day of the fourth month (dinghai), the imperial carriage was prepared and ready to depart. Cavalry formed ranks outside the Xuanren Gate, and infantry arrayed outside the Wufeng Gate. Cong Ma Zhi Commandant Guo Congqian, unaware that Prince Mu Li Cunyi had already died, planned to install him in a rebellion. He led his troops from the camp, drew their swords and shouted loudly, joining the Huangjia troops in attacking the Xingjiao Gate. Zhuangzong was just having his meal when he heard of the disturbance. He led the princes and his personal cavalry in a counterattack, driving the rebels out of the Xingjiao Gate. At that time, Military Commissioner of Fanhan Mabu Zhu Shouyin was outside with his cavalry. Zhuangzong sent an eunuch urgently summoning him, intending to attack the rebels together; but Zhu Shouyin did not come, instead resting his troops under the dense woods of Beimang Mountain. The rebels set fire to the Xingjiao Gate, climbed the walls and entered. Close officials and veteran generals all shed their armor and secretly fled, only San Yuan Du Zhihui Shi Li Yanqing, along with Suwei School Captain He Fujin, Wang Quanbin, and about ten others fought fiercely. Soon Zhuangzong was hit by a stray arrow. The falconer Shanyou supported Zhuangzong as he came down from the gate tower to the corridor of the Jiangxiao Hall, where the arrow was pulled out. Zhuangzong, thirsty and agitated, wanted water. The Empress did not personally attend to him but sent an eunuch with milk curds. Shortly after, Zhuangzong died. Li Yanqing and the others wept and left; all those around scattered. Shanyou collected the musical instruments from the corridor, covered Zhuangzong’s body, and set it on fire. Li Yanqing was the son of Li Cunshen; He Fujin and Wang Quanbin were both from Taiyuan. Empress Liu packed gold, silver, and treasures into bags and tied them to her saddle, then together with Prince Shen Li Cunwo and Li Shaorong, led seven hundred cavalry, set fire to the Qingqing Hall, and fled through the Shizi Gate. Prince Tong Li Cunque and Prince Ya Li Cunji fled to the Southern Mountains. Most of the palace women scattered. Zhu Shouyin entered the palace, selected over thirty palace women, and made each carry musical instruments, treasures, and antiques to his home. Then the various armies plundered the capital on a large scale. That same day, Li Siyuan arrived at Yingzi Valley. Hearing of this, he wept and said to the generals: "The late ruler usually won the hearts of the army; it was only because he was deceived and misled by these petty men that things came to this. Now where shall I go?" On the second day (wuzi), Zhu Shouyin sent a messenger on horseback to report to Li Siyuan, saying, "The capital is in great chaos. The armies are burning and plundering without stop. I hope you will come quickly to rescue us!" On the day yichou (possibly erroneous), Li Siyuan entered Luoyang and lodged in his own residence. He forbade burning and plundering, found Zhuangzong’s bones among the ashes, and encoffined them. When Li Siyuan had entered Yedu, the Qianzhi Commander Hou Yi of Pingyao had escaped back to Luoyang, and Zhuangzong, stroking him, wept. Now, Hou Yi bound himself and came to apologize. Li Siyuan said, "As a minister, you fulfilled your duty of loyalty—what crime is there?" He restored him to his former post. Li Siyuan said to Zhu Shouyin, "You must patrol and be vigilant well, waiting for the arrival of Prince Wei. The Virtuous Consort and the Virtuous Consort are in the palace; their provisions should be especially ample and complete. I will wait until the late emperor is properly buried and the state has a ruler; then I will return to the frontier to guard the north for the state." That same day, Dou Luge led the hundred officials in submitting a petition urging Li Siyuan to ascend the throne. Li Siyuan told them face to face: "I received an imperial edict to suppress rebels, but unfortunately my troops rebelled and scattered. I wanted to enter court to explain myself, but was blocked by Li Shaorong, ending up in such a miserable state. I originally had no other intentions. Now you all suddenly propose this—truly you do not understand me. I hope you will say no more!" Dou Luge and the others insisted, but Li Siyuan did not agree.
Li Shaorong wanted to defect to Hezhong and join Prince Yong Li Cunba, but his followers gradually scattered. On the fourth day (gengyin), he reached Pinglu with only a few cavalrymen. He was captured, his legs broken, and sent to Luoyang. Li Cunba also led a thousand men, abandoned his garrison, and fled to Jinyang.
On the fifth day (xinmao), Prince Wei Li Jiji arrived at Xingping. Hearing of the disturbance in Luoyang, he led his troops westward again, planning to hold Fengxiang.
Xiang Yansi arrived at Fengxiang and, under the guise of Zhuangzong’s order, executed Li Shaochen.
Earlier, Zhuangzong had ordered the two eunuchs Lü and Zheng to remain in Jinyang—one to supervise the army, the other to supervise the granaries. From the acting commander Zhang Xian on down, all served them diligently. When the disturbance at Yedu occurred, he also appointed Li Yanchao, Prefect of Fenzhou, as Northern Capital Inspector. Li Yanchao was Li Yanqing’s elder brother. After Zhuangzong’s death, the Registrar Zhang Zhaoyuan of Hejian advised Zhang Xian to submit a petition urging Li Siyuan to ascend the throne. Zhang Xian said, "I am a scholar, rising from commoner to wear purple and gold official robes—all thanks to the late emperor’s grace. How could I cling to life without shame?" Zhang Zhaoyuan wept and said, "This is what the ancients did. If you can do this, your loyalty and righteousness will be immortal." There was a man named Li Cunzhao, a close relative of Zhuangzong, who had fled from Luoyang to Jinyang. He falsely issued an order in Zhuangzong’s name, secretly plotting with the two eunuchs to kill Zhang Xian and Li Yanchao and hold Jinyang in defiance. Li Yanchao learned of this and secretly told Zhang Xian, wanting to strike first. Zhang Xian said, "I have received the late emperor’s deep favor and cannot bear to do this. To die for righteousness yet not avoid calamity—this is Heaven’s will." Before Li Yanchao’s plan was settled, on the night of the sixth day (renchen), the soldiers together killed the two eunuchs and Li Cunzhao in the yacheng, then plundered wildly until dawn. Hearing of the disturbance, Zhang Xian fled to Xinzhou. Just then, a letter from Li Siyuan arrived. Li Yanchao issued orders to the troops, and the city calmed down. He then acted as acting administrator of Taiyuan’s military government.
The hundred officials submitted three petitions requesting Li Siyuan to act as regent, and Li Siyuan finally agreed. On the eighth day (jiawu), he entered the Xingsheng Palace and began receiving the hundred officials in court. His orders were called "instructions," and the officials addressed him as "Your Highness." Over a thousand remaining palace women from Zhuangzong’s harem were still present. The Xuanhui Secretary selected several hundred young and beautiful ones to present to the regent. The regent said, "What use are these?" The secretary replied, "The palace staff cannot be left vacant." The regent said, "The palace staff should be familiar with old precedents—how would these know anything?" So he filled all positions with older, experienced personnel, and released the young women to return to their relatives, or, if they had none, to go wherever they wished. The palace women sent from Shu were treated the same way.
On the ninth day (yimao), he appointed Zhongmen Shi An Chonghui as Commissioner of the Privy Council, and Zhenzhou Biejia Zhang Yanlang as Vice Commissioner. Zhang Yanlang was from Kaifeng and had served as a tax official under Later Liang. He was cunning and deceitful by nature, skilled in serving powerful figures. He gave his daughter in marriage to An Chonghui’s son, so An Chonghui recommended him. The regent ordered a search throughout the realm for the various princes. Prince Tong Li Cunque and Prince Ya Li Cunji were hiding among the common people. Someone secretly informed An Chonghui, who plotted with Li Shaozhen, saying, "Now that His Highness is regent and overseeing the mourning, the various princes should be dealt with early to unify public sentiment. His Highness is kind-hearted and must not know." So they secretly sent men to kill them in the farmer’s house. Over a month later, the regent heard of this and sternly rebuked An Chonghui, mourning and regretting for a long time. Empress Liu and Prince Shen Li Cunwo fled to Jinyang. On the way, Empress Liu had an illicit affair with Li Cunwo. When Li Cunwo reached Jinyang, Li Yanchao did not receive him. He fled to Fenggu, where his own followers killed him. The next day, Prince Yong Li Cunba also arrived at Jinyang. His followers all scattered. Li Cunba shaved his head, put on monk’s robes, and bowed to Li Yanchao, saying, "I wish to become a mountain temple monk. I hope to be protected." The soldiers clamored to kill him, but Li Yanchao said, "The Sixth Prince has come. We should report and await orders." The soldiers did not listen and killed him under the government office stele. Empress Liu became a nun in Jinyang. The regent sent men to kill her on the spot. Prince Xue Li Cunli and Zhuangzong’s young sons Li Jisong, Li Jitong, Li Jichan, and Li Jiyao all disappeared in the chaos, their fates unknown. Only Prince Yong Li Cunmei survived because he was half-paralyzed from a stroke and lived in Jinyang.
Xu Wen and Gao Jixing, hearing of Zhuangzong’s death, valued Yan Keqiu and Liang Zhen even more. Liang Zhen recommended Sun Guangxian, former Magistrate of Lingzhou in Guiping, to Gao Jixing, appointing him to manage documents. Gao Jixing heavily built warships, intending to attack Chu. Sun Guangxian remonstrated, saying, "Jingnan, after the upheavals and dispersal, relies on you to give the people rest and recovery, and only then has some life. If you now make an enemy of Chu, other states will take advantage of our exhaustion—this is truly worrying." Gao Jixing then stopped.
On the day of wuxu (12th), Li Shaorong was sent to Luoyang. The regent reproached him, saying, "What wrong have I done to you that you killed my son?" Li Shaorong stared wide-eyed and said directly, "What wrong did the late emperor do to you?" Then he was executed, and his original name, Yuan Xingqin, was restored.
The regent, worried that the army returning from the conquest of Shu might cause trouble, appointed Shi Jingtang as acting military governor of Shanzhou. On the day of jihai (13th), he appointed Li Congke as acting military governor of Hezhong.
The (privy councilor) Zhang Juhan requested to retire due to old age, and this was approved. Li Shaozhen repeatedly recommended the talent of Kong Xun. On the day of gengzi (14th), Kong Xun was appointed as deputy privy councilor. Li Shaohong requested to restore his surname to Ma. The regent issued an order, listing the crimes of the (tax commissioner) Kong Qian—being treacherous and sycophantic, oppressing the people, and impoverishing the army and civilians—and executed him. All the harsh exactions established by Kong Qian were abolished. Consequently, the offices of and were abolished, and the three offices of Salt and Iron, Revenue, and Finance were restored, entrusted to one chancellor to manage exclusively. The offices of military supervisors in all circuits were also abolished. Because Emperor Zhuangzong had lost his state due to eunuchs, an order was issued for all circuits to kill every eunuch.
Wei Wang Li Jiji withdrew from Xingping to Wugong. The eunuch Li Congxi said, "Good fortune and misfortune are unpredictable; retreating is not as good as advancing. I beg the great king to quickly march east to relieve the internal crisis." Li Jiji followed this advice. When he turned back and reached the Wei River, the acting (western capital defender) Zhang Jian had already dismantled the pontoon bridge. They crossed by floating on the water and on that day arrived at Weinan. His trusted followers, such as Lü Zhirou, had all fled and hidden. Li Congxi said to Li Jiji, "The situation is beyond recovery; the great king should consider his own course." Li Jiji paced back and forth, weeping, then lay down on his bed and ordered his servant Li Huan to strangle him. Ren Huan took command of his troops and marched east. The regent ordered Shi Jingtang to pacify them, and the soldiers had no objections. Prior to this, the regent had appointed his confidant Li Chong as the military supervisor of Huazhou to receive the western expedition army. Li Chong arbitrarily forced the military governor of Huazhou, Shi Yanrong, to go to the court. When the military governor of Tongzhou, Li Cunjing, passed through Huazhou, Li Chong killed him and massacred his entire family. He also killed Li Congxi, the military supervisor of the western Sichuan expedition. Shi Yanrong wept and complained to An Chonghui, who sent him back to his circuit and recalled Li Chong to the court. Since the regent entered Luoyang, all internal and external confidential affairs were decided by Li Shaozhen. Li Shaozhen arbitrarily arrested the military governor of Weisheng, Li Shaoxin, and the junior guardian of the heir apparent, Li Shaochong, and imprisoned them, intending to execute them. An Chonghui said to Li Shaozhen, "The crimes of Wen Tao and Duan Ning were all committed during the Liang dynasty. Now that the (Your Highness) has just pacified the internal rebellion, he hopes to stabilize the realm. Is it only to take revenge for you?" From then on, Li Shaozhen restrained himself somewhat. On the day of xinchou (15th), the regent issued an order, restoring the names of Li Shaochong and Li Shaoxin to Wen Tao and Duan Ning, and both were released to live as commoners.
On the day of renyin (16th), Kong Xun was appointed as privy councilor.
The relevant officials discussed the protocol for ascending the throne. Li Shaozhen and Kong Xun believed that the mandate of the Tang dynasty had ended and that a new dynastic title should be established. The regent asked his attendants, "What is a dynastic title?" They replied, "The late emperor received the surname from Tang as a grant, avenged Tang, and succeeded Emperor Zhaozong, so he called it Tang. Now, the people of Liang simply do not wish for to call it Tang." The regent said, "At the age of thirteen, I served the late Emperor Xianzu, who considered me a relative of the same clan and treated me like a son. I also served the late Emperor Wuhuang for nearly twenty years and the late emperor [Zhuangzong] for nearly twenty years. In planning, managing, attacking, and campaigning, I participated in everything. Wuhuang's foundation is my foundation; the late emperor's realm is my realm. How can there be a single family but different dynastic titles?" He ordered the leading ministers to deliberate again. The (minister of personnel) Li Qi said, "If the dynastic title is changed, then the late emperor becomes a stranger. Where would his spirit rest? Not only would forget the three previous rulers, but could we ministers feel at ease? In previous dynasties, there were many cases where a collateral relative succeeded to the throne. The protocol of the successor receiving the mandate before the spirit coffin should be adopted." Everyone agreed. On the day of bingwu (20th), the regent went from Xingsheng Palace to the Western Palace, wearing the unhemmed mourning garments, and ascended the throne before the spirit coffin. The hundred officials wore white mourning clothes. Afterwards, he put on the imperial robe and crown to receive the mandate, and the hundred officials put on festive clothes to offer congratulations.
On the day of wushen (22nd), an imperial edict ordered that officials, both at court and in the provinces, must not present hunting falcons, dogs, rare curiosities, or luxury items.
The relevant officials impeached the (governor of Taiyuan) Zhang Xian for abandoning his city. On the day of gengxu (24th), Zhang Xian was ordered to commit suicide.
Ren Huan led the 26,000 soldiers from the Shu expedition back to Luoyang. Emperor Mingzong pacified and comforted them, ordering them to return to their respective camps.
On the day of jiayin (28th), a general amnesty was proclaimed, and the reign title was changed. One hundred palace women were retained, thirty eunuchs, one hundred entertainers from the (music bureau), twenty falconers, and fifty imperial kitchen staff. The rest were allowed to go where they wished. All offices and commissions that existed in name only were abolished. The various armies were dispersed to the nearby capital regions to obtain food, in order to save on transport costs. The surtaxes on the summer and autumn grain levies were abolished. Military governors and defense commissioners were permitted to present tribute only on the four festivals of New Year's Day, the Winter Solstice, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the emperor's birthday; they were not allowed to levy extra taxes on the people. Prefects and officials below were not permitted to present tribute. For candidates for office whose documents had previously been defaced, it was ordered that the three selection bureaus only remove the fraudulent portions; the rest were to be restored to their original state.
In the fifth month, on the day of bingchen (1st), the (guest of the heir apparent) Zheng Jue and the (minister of works) Ren Huan were jointly appointed as (vice director of the secretariat) and (chancellor). Ren Huan was also placed in charge of the three fiscal offices. Ren Huan was as concerned for the state as for his own family. He selected talented and virtuous men, eliminated those who relied on influence or luck, and within a year, the treasuries were full, the army and people were well-supplied, and the court's laws and regulations were initially established. Ren Huan always regarded the realm as his own responsibility, and for this reason, An Chonghui resented him. The military governor of Wuning, Li Shaozhen; the military governor of Zhongwu, Li Shaoqiong; the prefect of Beizhou, Li Shaoying; the defense commissioner of Qizhou, Li Shaoqian; the military governor of Heyang, Li Shaoqi; and the prefect of Mingzhou, Li Shaoneng, each requested to restore their original names: Huo Yanwei, Chang Congjian, Fang Zhiwen, Wang Yanqiu, Xia Luqi, and Mi Junli. This was approved. Chang Congjian was from Chenzhou. Wang Yanqiu was originally a son of the Wang family but was adopted by the Du family, so he requested to revert to the surname Wang.
On the day of dingsi (2nd), an order was first issued that, in addition to the regular morning court sessions, the hundred officials were to attend the inner court every five days to pay their respects.
Several hundred eunuchs fled and hid in the mountains and forests; some shaved their heads and became monks. More than seventy reached Jinyang. An edict ordered the military commissioner of the Northern Capital, Li Congwen, to kill them all. Li Congwen was the emperor's (Mingzong's) nephew.
Because the former prefect of Xiangzhou, An Jinquan, had rendered meritorious service to Jinyang, on the day of renxu (7th), An Jinquan was appointed as military governor of Zhenwu and (chancellor).
On the day of bingyin (11th), Zhao Zaili requested that the emperor visit Ye. On the day of wuchen (13th), Zhao Zaili was appointed as military governor of Yicheng. Zhao Zaili declined on the grounds that the army was unsettled and did not assume the post.
Li Yanchao came to court. The emperor said, "That Hedong is free from worry is your achievement." On the day of gengwu (15th), he was appointed as acting military governor of Jianxiong.
On the day of jiaxu (19th), Wang Yanhan was awarded the honorary title of (chancellor).
The emperor was illiterate. When memorials came from all directions, he had An Chonghui read them to him. An Chonghui could not understand everything either, so he memorialized, "Your servant serves Your Majesty only with a loyal heart and has been entrusted with the pivot of government. Now, current affairs can be roughly understood, but as for ancient matters, they are beyond your servant's knowledge. I hope to emulate the (court lecturers) and (court readers) of former dynasties, or the officials of the and in recent times, and select literary officials to serve together, to be prepared for consultations and inquiries." Consequently, the Xuanming Academy was established. On the day of yihai (20th), the (Hanlin academicians) Feng Dao and Zhao Feng were appointed as academicians of the Xuanming Academy.
On the day of bingzi (21st), permission was granted for the burial of Guo Chongtao with full honors, and the official titles and ranks of Zhu Youqian were restored. All property, fields, and houses of the two families that had previously been confiscated were returned.
On the day of wuyin (23rd), An Chonghui was concurrently appointed as military governor of Shannan East Circuit. An Chonghui believed that Xiangyang was a strategically important place and could not lack a commander, so it was inappropriate for him to hold the post concurrently. He firmly declined, and the emperor agreed.
An imperial edict was issued to mobilize three thousand men under the command of Zhang Jian, the commander of the Imperial Guard of Bian Prefecture, to garrison Waqiao. On the day of Dingyou (the twelfth day of the sixth month), after leaving the city, they returned and started a rebellion, burning and looting the markets, and killing Gao Di, the acting prefect and administrative assistant. They forced Li Yanrao, the commander-in-chief of the cavalry and infantry and the prefect of Cao Prefecture, to be their leader. Li Yanrao said, “If you want me to be your leader, you must obey my orders and stop the burning and looting.” The crowd complied. On the morning of Jihai (the fourteenth day), Li Yanrao ambushed armored soldiers in his house. When the various generals came to congratulate him, Li Yanrao said, “The ones who instigated the rebellion the day before were only a few people.” He then arrested Zhang Jian and three others and executed them. Their accomplice Zhang Shenqiong led the crowd to make a commotion at Jianguo Gate. Li Yanrao led troops to attack, killing all four hundred of them. Only then was the army and the prefecture pacified. That same day, he informed the affairs of the army and prefecture in an official document to Wei Yan, the administrative assistant of the military commissioner, and reported the details in full. On the day of Gengzi (the fifteenth day), an edict appointed Kong Xun, the commissioner of the Privy Council, as the acting prefect of Bian Prefecture, arrested three thousand families involved in the rebellion, and executed them all. Li Yanrao was the younger brother of Li Yanchao.
The officials of Shu arrived in Luoyang. Ma Quan, the military commissioner of Yongping and concurrent Attendant-in-Ordinary, said, “For the state to have perished to this extent is worse than death!” He then starved himself to death. Wang Kai and others, who held the position of Vice Director of the Chancellery, were appointed as prefects, junior administrators, administrative assistants, and adjutants of various prefectures and commanderies; some also returned to Shu.
On the day of Xinchou (the sixteenth day), Yu Kehong, the commander-in-chief of Hua Prefecture, and others started a fire and rebelled, attacking three battalions of Wei-Bo garrison troops and driving them out.
On the day of Yisi (the twentieth day), an imperial decree stated: “My two-character given name need not be avoided as long as the characters are not used consecutively.”
On the day of Wushen (the twenty-third day), Meng Zhixiang, the military commissioner of Xichuan, was concurrently appointed Attendant-in-Ordinary.
Li Jiyan arrived at Hua Prefecture. Upon hearing of the rebellion in Luoyang, he returned to Fengxiang. The Emperor put Chai Zhonghou to death for this reason.
Gao Jixing submitted a memorial requesting that the three prefectures of Kui, Zhong, and Wan be made subordinate commanderies. An edict approved this.
An Chonghui, relying on imperial favor, acted arrogantly and lawlessly. Palace Attendant Ma Yan inadvertently collided with his outriders. An Chonghui killed him in front of his horse. The Censor-in-Chief Li Qi reported this. In autumn, in the seventh month, An Chonghui requested the Emperor to issue an edict, stating that Ma Yan had offended a high minister, and used this as a warning to all within and without the court.
Yu Kehong and the Wei-Bo garrison commanders each submitted memorials accusing the other of rebellion. The Emperor sent an envoy to investigate and verify the facts. On the day of Xinyou (the seventh day), Yu Kehong was executed in the marketplace. The entire battalion of the Left Chongya of Hua Prefecture, which had been the chief conspirators, was exterminated. The one hundred military officers of the Right Chongya and the two Changjian battalions who had aided the rebellion were also exterminated.
On the day of Renshen (the eighteenth day), it was ordered for the first time that all officials should present themselves at court once every five days and take turns to discuss affairs in audience.
The Khitan ruler attacked Bohai and captured the city of Fuyu, renaming it the Dongdan Kingdom. He ordered his eldest son, Tuyu, to guard Dongdan, with the title of King of the People. He made his second son, Deguang, guard Xilou, with the title of Marshal Heir Apparent. The Emperor sent Yao Kun, a provisioner, to the Khitan to announce the mourning. The Khitan ruler, upon hearing that Zhuangzong had been killed by mutinous soldiers, wept and said, “He was my court-ding son. I was about to rescue him, but because I had not yet conquered Bohai, I could not go, which led to my son reaching this state.” He wept without stopping. In the Khitan language, “court-ding” means “friend” in Chinese. He also said to Yao Kun, “Now that the Son of Heaven heard that Luoyang was in urgent trouble, why did he not go to the rescue?” Yao Kun replied, “The distance was too great, and it was too late.” The Khitan ruler said, “Why then did he set himself up as emperor?” Yao Kun explained the reasons for the Emperor’s accession. The Khitan ruler said, “The Han people love to use clever words; there is no need to say more!” Tuyu was standing in attendance and said, “If someone leads an ox to trample another’s field, and then seizes that ox, is that permissible?” Yao Kun said, “The Central Plains had no ruler; the Tang Son of Heaven had no choice but to take the throne. This is also like the Heavenly King King of old when he possessed his state—was it taken by force?” The Khitan ruler said, “The principle should be so.” He also said, “I have heard that my son was exclusively fond of sensual pleasures, music, and hunting, and did not care for the army and the people. He deserved to end up like this. Since I heard of this affair, my entire family has abstained from wine, dismissed the entertainers, and untied the falcons and hounds. If I had also imitated my son’s conduct, I too would have brought about my own downfall.” He also said, “My son and I were friends for generations, but he repeatedly engaged in fierce battles with me. He had no enmity with the present Son of Heaven, and it is sufficient to restore good relations. If he gives me the lands north of the Yellow River, I will no longer invade the south.” Yao Kun said, “This is not something a minor envoy can decide.” The Khitan ruler became angry and imprisoned him. After ten or more days, he summoned him again and said, “It would probably be difficult to obtain Hebei. It would be acceptable to obtain Zhen, Ding, and You Prefectures.” He gave him paper and a brush and urged him to write a document. Yao Kun refused. The Khitan ruler wanted to kill him, but Han Yanhui remonstrated, so he was imprisoned again.
On the day of Bingzi (the twenty-second day), the Emperor Guang Sheng Shen Min Xiao was buried in Yongling, with the temple name Zhuangzong.
On the day of Dingchou (the twenty-third day), Wang Jianli, the acting military commissioner of Zhen Prefecture, submitted a memorial stating that Liu Yin, the prefect of Zhuo Prefecture, refused to accept a replacement and was plotting rebellion, but had already been attacked and captured.
On the day of Jimao (the twenty-fifth day), the Zhangguo Army was established in Ying Prefecture.
The Vice Directors of the Chancellery, Doulu Ge and Wei Shuo, when presenting matters before the Emperor, sometimes lacked proper respect in their ceremonial demeanor. The salaries of all officials were paid at a discounted rate, but Doulu Ge and his son alone received the full cash amount. Officials began receiving salaries from the fifth month, but Doulu Ge and his son received theirs from the first month. For these reasons, there was widespread criticism. Wei Shuo passed off his grandson as his son and petitioned for an official appointment for him. He also accepted bribes from the candidate Wang Shen and appointed him to a nearby official post. By an inner-palace directive, Ku Bu Langzhong Xiao Xifu was appointed as an Admonisher. Doulu Ge and Wei Shuo presented a counter-memorial opposing this. Xiao Xifu resented them and submitted a memorial saying, “Doulu Ge and Wei Shuo were disloyal to the previous dynasty, flattering and currying favor for their own survival.” He also falsely accused them, saying, “Doulu Ge forcibly seized the people’s fields and allowed his tenant farmers to commit murder; Wei Shou seized a neighbor’s well and took hidden valuables.” The Emperor issued an edict demoting Doulu Ge to the post of Prefect of Chen Prefecture and Wei Shuo to the post of Prefect of Xu Prefecture. On the day of Gengchen (the twenty-sixth day), Xiao Xifu was awarded gold and silk and promoted to the post of Grand Master of Remonstrance.
On the day of Xinsi (the twenty-seventh day), the Khitan ruler Abaoji died in the city of Fuyu. Empress Shulu summoned the wives of all the generals and the unmanageable tribal chiefs and said to them, “I am now a widow. You must take me as your example.” She then summoned their husbands, wept, and asked them, “Do you miss the late Emperor?” They replied, “We have received the late Emperor’s kindness; how could we not miss him?” Empress Shulu said, “If you truly miss him, you should go to see him.” She then had them killed.
On the day of Guiwei (the twenty-ninth day), Doulu Ge was further demoted to the post of Clerk of Fei Prefecture, and Wei Shuo to the post of Clerk of Yi Prefecture. On the day of Jiashen (the thirtieth day), Doulu Ge was exiled to Ling Prefecture, and Wei Shuo to He Prefecture.
Meng Zhixiang secretly harbored the ambition to occupy Shu. When he inspected the storehouses, he found two hundred thousand suits of armor. He established sixteen battalions of troops, such as the Left and Right Ya, totaling sixteen thousand men, stationed both inside and outside the inner city.
In the eighth month, on the day of Yiyou (the first day), a solar eclipse occurred.
On the day of Dinghai (the third day), Empress Shulu of the Khitan sent her younger son, the Junior Prince Anduan, to guard Dongdan, and accompanied her eldest son, Tuyu, in escorting the Khitan ruler’s coffin, leading the multitude out from the city of Fuyu.
Previously, Guo Chongtao had divided the Shu cavalry into six battalions, such as the Left and Right Xiaowei, totaling three thousand men, and the infantry into twenty battalions, such as the Left and Right Ningyuan, totaling twenty-four thousand men. On the day of Gengyin (the sixth day), Meng Zhixiang added six battalions, such as the Left and Right Chongshan, totaling six thousand men, stationed outside the outer city. He also established twenty battalions, such as the Yining, totaling sixteen thousand men, to be dispersed and fed in the various prefectures and counties under his jurisdiction. He also established four battalions of the Left and Right Laocheng, totaling four thousand men, to be stationed within the territory of Chengdu.
Wang Gongyan, after killing Yang Xiwang, sought to obtain the military governor's banner and staff, spreading rumors that Fu Xi governed with harsh urgency and that the army and prefecture did not want him to return. When Fu Xi returned and reached Qizhou, Wang Gongyan resisted him, and Fu Xi could not advance. Wang Gongyan then had the officers and soldiers submit a petition requesting that he himself be made commander. The emperor issued an edict appointing him as the prefect of Dengzhou. Wang Gongyan did not assume office on time, falsely claiming that he was detained by military affairs. The emperor then transferred Tianping military governor Huo Yanwei to be Pinglu military governor, gathered troops in Zizhou, and planned to attack. Wang Gongyan became afraid and, on the day Yimao (the eleventh), finally assumed office. On Dingyou (the thirteenth), Huo Yanwei arrived at Qingzhou, pursued and captured Wang Gongyan, and executed him along with his clan and faction. The administrative assistant, Beihai native Han Shusi, was implicated. His son Han Xizai was about to flee to Wu and secretly informed his friend, the Jinshi from Ruyin, Li Gu. Li Gu saw him off at Zhengyang, and they drank heartily before parting. Han Xizai said to Li Gu, "If Wu uses me as chancellor, I will drive straight in and pacify the Central Plains." Li Gu laughed and said, "If the Central Plains uses me as chancellor, taking Wu would be like picking something out of a bag."
On Gengzi (the sixteenth), Youzhou reported that the Khitan had invaded the border. The emperor ordered the Qizhou defense commissioner An Shentong to lead troops to resist.
In the ninth month, on Renxu (the ninth), Meng Zhixiang established six battalions of Left and Right Flying Oarsmen, totaling six thousand men, stationed them along the river prefectures, trained them in naval warfare, and prepared for Kuizhou and Xiazhou.
On Guiyou (the twentieth), the Lulong military governor Li Shaobin requested to revert his surname to Zhao. The emperor approved and granted him the name Dejun. Zhao Dejun's adopted son Zhao Yanshou had married the emperor's daughter, Princess Xingping, so Zhao Dejun was favored and trusted. Zhao Yanshou was originally the son of Liu Rong, the magistrate of Tiaoxian County.
The Chu king Ma Yin was additionally appointed as acting Shangshu Ling.
The Khitan Empress Shulü favored her second son, Deguang, and wanted to establish him as emperor. When they reached the Western Tower, she ordered him and Tuyu to ride together and stand before the tents. She said to the chieftains, "I love both my sons. I do not know whom to establish. You choose the one you wish to support and pull his horse's reins." The chieftains, understanding her intent, vied to pull Deguang's reins, cheering, "We wish to serve the Marshal Crown Prince." Empress Shulü said, "This is the will of the. How dare I go against it?" Thus, she established him as the Tianhuang King. Tuyu was angry and led several hundred cavalry intending to flee to the Tang, but was intercepted by patrols. Empress Shulü did not punish him and allowed him to return to Dongdan. The Tianhuang King honored Empress Shulü as Empress Dowager, and all state affairs were decided by her. The Empress Dowager also took her niece as the Tianhuang King's queen. The Tianhuang King was filial and respectful. If his mother fell ill and did not eat, he also would not eat. When attending to her, if his responses did not meet her wishes, she would raise her eyebrows and look at him, and he would quickly withdraw in fear, not daring to appear again until summoned. He appointed Han Yanhui as Zhengshiling. He allowed Yao Kun to return and report, sending his minister Asimei Gunai to announce the mourning.
On Renwu (the twenty-ninth), the emperor granted Li Jiyan the name Li Congyan.
In winter, on the first day of the tenth month, Jia Shen (the first), the practice of granting spring and winter clothing to civil and military officials began.
The Zhaowu military governor and Tongping Zhangshi Wang Yanhan was arrogant, extravagant, and cruel. On the day Jichou (the sixth), he proclaimed himself the Great Min King. He built palaces, established a hundred officials, and his ceremonial regalia imitated those of the Son of Heaven. His subjects addressed him as His Highness. He granted amnesty within his domain and posthumously honored his father Wang Shenzhi as Zhaowu King.
The Jingnan military governor Mao Zhang was arrogant and lawless. He trained soldiers and repaired weapons, harboring ambitions of defiance. The emperor issued an edict appointing the Yingzhou military training commissioner Li Chengyue as deputy military governor to monitor him. On Ren Chen (the ninth), Mao Zhang was transferred to be Zhaoyi military governor. Mao Zhang wanted to disobey the edict, but Li Chengyue and the observer and judge, Chang'an native Bian Wei, calmly advised and persuaded him. After a long time, Mao Zhang finally accepted the replacement.
On Gengzi (the seventeenth), Youzhou reported that the Khitan Lulong military governor Lu Wenjin had defected. Initially, Lu Wenjin guarded Pingzhou for the Khitan. After the emperor ascended the throne, he sent secret envoys to persuade him, explaining that with the change of dynasty, there was no longer any resentment or enmity. Lu Wenjin's subordinates were all Han Chinese and wanted to return home. Thus, he killed the Khitan garrison in Pingzhou and led over one hundred thousand troops and eight thousand chariots and tents to defect.
Initially, Prince Wei Li Jiji and Guo Chongtao had ordered the wealthy people of Shu to contribute five million strings of money as a reward for the troops, allowing them to offset the amount with gold, silver, silk, and cloth. They supervised and pressured them day and night, and some committed suicide. After supplying the army, two million strings remained. At this time, Ren Huan, acting as the head of the Three Departments, knew that Chengdu was wealthy and sent the Salt and Iron Judge, Taipu Qing Zhao Jiliang, as Meng Zhixiang's official envoy and concurrently as the Three Chuan Chief Commissioner for Transport and Supply. On the day Jia Chen (the twenty-first), Zhao Jiliang arrived in Chengdu. The people of Shu wanted to give nothing. Meng Zhixiang said, "The treasures in the treasury were accumulated by others. It is permissible to send them out. The taxes and rents from the prefectures and counties are used to support the garrison troops of one hundred thousand. They absolutely cannot be obtained." Zhao Jiliang only took the materials from the treasury and did not dare to bring up the matter of his commission for transport and supply. An Chonghui, because both Meng Zhixiang and the Dongchuan military governor Dong Zhang held strategic positions with strong armies, feared that it would be difficult to control them in the long run. Also, because Meng Zhixiang was a close relative of Zhuangzong, he secretly plotted against him. The Keshisheng and Sizhou defense commissioner Li Yan volunteered to be the Xichuan military inspector, claiming he could definitely control Meng Zhixiang. On the day Ji You (the twenty-sixth), Li Yan was appointed Xichuan Dudu, and the Wensi Si, Taiyuan native Zhu Hongzhao, was appointed Dongchuan deputy commissioner. Li Yan's mother was wise and said to Li Yan, "You previously initiated the plan to destroy Shu. If you go again today, you will surely die to atone to the people of Shu."
According to the old system, when the Ministry of Personnel issued appointment certificates, the recipients were first required to pay fees for vermilion, glue, silk, and scroll rollers. Since the chaos of the mourning period, poor people only accepted the imperial decrees and mostly did not collect the certificates. In the eleventh month, on the day Jia Xu (the twenty-first), the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Liu Yue, submitted a memorial: "The appointment certificates contain words of praise and admonition. How can the recipients be left unaware of them at the beginning!" The emperor decreed that those of the civil ranks of Cheng, Lang, Ji, and Jian, and the military ranks of Grand Generals and above, should be granted certificates. Subsequently, the chief ministers discussed it and believed that the cost of vermilion, glue, silk, and scroll rollers was insignificant. Since the court granted official salaries, why begrudge such a small expense! They then memorialized: "For all appointments to office, no longer collect fees, and grant certificates to all." At this time, aside from the regular appointed officials, the rest were trial titles and post names, used only to favor and encourage military officers. Later, during the Changxing era, the number of appointments gradually increased, even including soldiers in the army and clerks in the prefectures, circuits, towns, and garrisons, all receiving the rank of Yinqing Jie and positions in the Censorate. Each year, tens of thousands of certificates were granted.
The Min king Wang Yanhan abandoned his brothers. Just over a month after his succession, he expelled his younger brother Wang Yanjun to be the prefect of Quanzhou. Wang Yanhan extensively selected women from the people to fill his harem, ceaselessly gathering and choosing. Wang Yanjun submitted a memorial strongly remonstrating, which angered Wang Yanhan, and thus a rift developed. Wang Yanbing, the adopted son of his father Wang Shenzhi, was the prefect of Jianzhou. Wang Yanhan wrote to him asking him to select women, but Wang Yanbing's reply was disrespectful, and another rift developed. In the twelfth month, Wang Yanbing and Wang Yanjun joined forces to attack Fuzhou. Wang Yanbing arrived first by river. The Fuzhou commander Chen Tao led the to resist but was defeated, and Chen Tao committed suicide. That night, Wang Yanbing led over a hundred strong soldiers straight to the west gate, climbed ladders into the city, seized the gatekeepers, opened the armory, and took weapons. When they reached the sleeping quarters, Wang Yanhan panicked and hid in another room. On the morning of Xin Mao (the ninth), Wang Yanbing captured him, announced his crimes, and stated that Wang Yanhan and his wife, Cui, had jointly killed the former king. He informed the officials and people and executed Wang Yanhan outside the Zichen Gate. That day, Wang Yanjun arrived at the south of the city. Wang Yanbing opened the gate and welcomed him in. They elevated Wang Yanjun to be the acting military governor of Weiwu.
On Gui Si (the eleventh), Lu Wenjin was appointed Yicheng military governor and Tongping Zhangshi.
On Gengzi (the eighteenth), the emperor appointed his son Li Congrong as Tianxiong military governor and Tongping Zhangshi.
Zhao Jiliang and others transported a billion gold and silk from Shu to Luoyang. At that time, the court was in dire need and relied on this supply.
In this year, the Wuyue king Qian Liu, because the Central Plains were in disorder and court orders were not reaching him, changed his reign title to Baozheng. Later, when communication with the Central Plains was restored, he avoided using that title and did not mention it.
In spring, on the first day of the first month, Gui Chou (the first), the Later Tang emperor changed his personal name to Li Dan.
Meng Zhixiang heard that Li Yan was coming to supervise his army and detested him. Someone suggested that he submit a memorial to block Li Yan's arrival, but Meng Zhixiang said, "Why must it be so? I have my own way to deal with him." He then sent officials to Mianzhou and Jianzhou to welcome and await him. It happened that Wuxin Jiedushi Li Shaowen died. Meng Zhixiang claimed he had received a secret edict allowing him to act on his own authority. On Renshu (the tenth day), he appointed the Western Sichuan Deputy Jiedushi and Commander of All Horse and Foot Armies Li Jingzhou as Liuzhou Liuhou, urging him to leave immediately, and then reported to the court afterwards. Li Yan first sent an envoy to Chengdu. Meng Zhixiang, believing he had old favors with Li Yan, hoped Li Yan would be afraid and return on his own, so he arrayed a large display of armor and troops for him to see, but Li Yan paid no attention.
An Chonghui trusted Kong Xun because Kong Xun had served in the palace since childhood, was familiar with court regulations and precedents, and knew the conduct and talents of court officials. After Dou Luge and Wei Shuo were punished, the court discussed appointing chancellors. Kong Xun's opinion was that he did not want to use men from Hebei. He had previously recommended Zheng Jue and also recommended the Grand Court Secretary Cui Xie. Ren Huan wanted to use the Imperial Secretary Li Qi. Zheng Jue had always detested Li Qi, so Kong Xun strongly opposed him, saying to An Chonghui, "Li Qi is not without literary talent, but he is not honest enough. A chancellor need only be upright, steady, and dignified to serve as a model for all officials." Another day, when discussing before the emperor, the emperor asked who could be chancellor, and An Chonghui replied that it was Cui Xie. Ren Huan said, "An Chonghui is not familiar with court figures and has been deceived. Although Cui Xie is from a prominent family, he knows very few characters. Since I am already ashamed of being in the chancellorship due to my lack of learning, how can I add Cui Xie and make the whole world laugh?" The emperor said, "The chancellorship is a heavy responsibility. You two should deliberate further. When I was in Hedong, I saw Secretary Feng (Feng Dao) was talented, learned, and uncontending. This man can be chancellor." After withdrawing from court, Kong Xun did not bow or make salutations but shook his sleeve and left directly, saying, "In the affairs of the empire, one is Ren Huan, two is Ren Huan. What is Ren Huan anyway? If Cui Xie were to die suddenly, that would be fine; but if he does not die, he must become chancellor." He then claimed illness and did not attend court for several days. The emperor sent An Chonghui to advise him, and only then did he return to court. An Chonghui privately said to Ren Huan, "Now there is a shortage of men. Can Cui Xie temporarily fill the ranks?" Ren Huan said, "You abandon Li Qi and make Cui Xie chancellor—this is like discarding a Sū hé xiāng wán and taking the dung ball pushed by a dung beetle." Kong Xun worked with An Chonghui, daily speaking ill of Li Qi and praising Cui Xie. On Guihai (the eleventh day), the end was that the Duanming Palace Academician Feng Dao and Cui Xie were both appointed Zhongshu Shilang and Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. Cui Xie was the great-grandson of Cui Bin.
On Wuchen (the sixteenth day), Wang Yanbing returned to Jianzhou. Wang Yanjun saw him off. At their parting, Wang Yanbing said to Wang Yanjun, "Guard your ancestors' legacy well, and do not trouble your elder brother to come south again!" Wang Yanjun respectfully apologized, but his expression changed.
On Gengwu (the eighteenth day), for the first time, an order was issued for local prefects to personally interrogate prisoners in custody every ten days.
Meng Zhixiang treated Li Yan with great courtesy. One day, Li Yan went to visit Meng Zhixiang. Meng Zhixiang said to him, "Previously, you were sent as an envoy to Wang Yan. After returning, you requested troops to attack Shu. Zhuangzong adopted your words, and as a result, both states perished. Now you have come again, and the people of Shu are all afraid. Moreover, the empire has abolished army supervisors everywhere. You come alone to supervise my army—why is this?" Li Yan, terrified, begged for mercy. Meng Zhixiang said, "The people's anger cannot be restrained." He then bowed and asked him to leave, then killed him. He also summoned the Left Wing Horse and Foot Commander Yu Hou Ding Zhijun. Ding Zhijun was extremely frightened. Meng Zhixiang pointed to Li Yan's corpse and said to him, "Previously, when Li Yan went on his mission, you were his deputy. So you are an old friend. Bury him for me." He then submitted a memorial falsely accusing Li Yan: "Li Yan forged an imperial edict, saying he would replace me in going to the capital, and arbitrarily promised generous rewards to the officers and men. I have already executed him without authorization." The Neibazuo Commissioner Yang Lingzhi happened to be entering Shu on business. When he reached Lutou Pass and heard that Li Yan was dead, he fled back. Zhu Hongzhao, in Dongchuan, also became very frightened upon hearing this and planned to return to Luoyang. Just then, there was a military matter. Dong Zhang ordered him to go to the capital to report. Zhu Hongzhao pretended to decline and then set out, thus escaping disaster.
On Guiyou (the twenty-first day), the emperor appointed his son Li Conghou as Tongping Zhangshi, acting as Henan Yin, and in charge of the Six Armies and All Guards Affairs. Li Conghou was the same-mother younger brother of Li Congrong. When Li Congrong heard of this, he was very displeased.
On Jimao (the twenty-seventh day), the Privy Councilor An Chonghui was additionally appointed as Shizhong, and Kong Xun as Tongping Zhangshi.
The Wu state's Commander of All Horse Armies Chai Zaiyong appeared at court in military uniform. The censor impeached him, but Chai Zaiyong relied on his merits and refused to submit. Attendant-in-Ordinary Xu Zhigao deliberately made a mistake in greeting the emperor in a side hall. After withdrawing, he impeached himself. The Wu king issued a gracious edict and did not pursue the matter. Xu Zhigao insisted on having one month's salary deducted. From then on, both inside and outside the court, people were filled with awe.
The Khitans changed the era name to Tianxian and buried their lord Abaoji at Muyeshan. Among Empress Dowager Shulü's attendants, if any were cunning, she would say to them, "Convey a message for me to the former emperor!" When they reached the tomb, she would kill them. Those killed before and after numbered in the hundreds. Finally, Zhao Siwen of Pingzhou was supposed to go, but he refused. The empress dowager said, "You served the former emperor closely. Why do you not go?" He replied, "In closeness, I am not as close as the empress dowager. If the empress dowager goes, I will follow." The empress dowager said, "It is not that I do not wish to follow the former emperor to the underworld, but I consider that the heir is young and weak, and the state has no lord, so I cannot go." She then cut off one of her wrists and had it placed in the tomb. Zhao Siwen thus escaped death.
Because the Cishi of Jizhou, Wu Zhen, had three times led troops to transport grain to Youzhou, on Wuzi (the seventh day) of the second month, the Later Tang emperor appointed Wu Zhen as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Hebei Circuit, concurrently Ningguo Jiedushi, stationed at Lutai Army. He was to replace the Taining Jiedushi, Tongping Zhangshi, Fang Zhiwen, who would return to Yanzhou.
On Gengyin (the ninth day), the Baoyi Jiedushi Shi Jingtang was appointed concurrently as Deputy Commander of the Six Armies and All Guards.
On Bingshen (the fifteenth day), the Congma Direct Commander Guo Congqian was appointed Cishi of Jingzhou. After he arrived at his post, the emperor sent envoys to kill his entire family.
After Gao Jixing obtained the three prefectures, he requested that the court not appoint Cishis but allow him to use his own sons and younger brothers. The court did not agree. When the Cishi of Kuizhou, Pan Kang, resigned from office, Gao Jixing sent troops to suddenly enter the prefectural city, killed the defenders, and occupied it. The court appointed the Fengsheng Direct Commander Xifang Ye as Cishi of Kuizhou, but Gao Jixing did not accept him. He also sent troops to attack Fuzhou but did not capture it. King Wei Li Jiji sent Yayao Han Gong and others to escort forty wan (units) of Shu's precious goods and valuables down the Yangtze River. Gao Jixing killed Han Gong and others at the Xia Pass and seized all the goods. When the court questioned him, he replied, "Han Gong and his men sailed downstream through the gorges for several thousand li. If you want to know the reason why their boat capsized and they drowned, you should ask the Water God." The Later Tang emperor was greatly enraged. On Renyin (the twenty-first day), he issued an edict stripping Gao Jixing of his offices and titles, appointed the Shannan East Circuit Jiedushi Liu Xun as Commander of the Southern Expedition and Acting Governor of Jingnan Prefecture, and the Zhongwu Jiedushi Xia Luqi as Deputy Commander. They led forty thousand infantry and cavalry to attack him. The Dongchuan Jiedushi Dong Zhang was appointed as Commander of the Southeastern Expedition, and the newly appointed Cishi of Kuizhou, Xifang Ye, as Deputy Commander. They led Shu troops down the gorges and joined forces with the Hunan army for a three-pronged attack.
On Jiayin (the third day) of the third month, Li Jingzhou was appointed as Wuxin Liuhou.
On Bingchen (the fifth day), for the first time, a supervisor of pastures was established to breed the state's horses.
Originally, when Zhuangzong conquered the Liang, he relied on the strength of the Yizhou Yabing; when he met his end, the rebellion of Huangfu Hui and Zhang Pobei also arose from this. Zhao Zaili was transferred to Weizhou but did not assume his post, in reality being controlled by his subordinates. Zhao Zaili wanted to extricate himself from disaster, secretly sending a trusted follower to the capital to request a transfer of his command. Thus, the Later Tang Emperor appointed Huangfu Hui as Chenzhou Prefect, Zhao Jin as Beizhou Prefect, and Zhao Zaili as Henghai Military Governor; appointed the imperial prince Li Congrong to garrison Yedu, and ordered Xuanhui Northern Commissioner Fan Yanguang to escort him with troops and handle the military affairs of Yedu. Consequently, three thousand five hundred men from the nine commands such as Fengjie were transferred out, led by the military officer Long Chi, to garrison Lutai Base and guard against the Khitan. They were not given armor or weapons, only flags tied to long poles to distinguish the units, so the soldiers all lowered their heads and departed. On the way, hearing that Meng Zhixiang had killed Li Yan, the army was rife with discussion and already rife with rumors; upon arriving at Lutai, precisely when the court irregularly promoted Wu Zhen to be Deputy Pacification Commissioner, the rumors intensified. Fang Zhiwen resented Wu Zhen suddenly replacing him. After Wu Zhen arrived, the seals of office had not yet been transferred. On Renshen (the twenty-first day), Wu Zhen assembled Fang Zhiwen and the various circuits' Vanguard Cavalry Commander-in-Chief and Qizhou Defense Commissioner An Shentong for a banquet at the eastern camp. Fang Zhiwen enticed Long Chi's troops to kill Wu Zhen during the feast. Those troops raised an uproar outside the camp. An Shentong escaped by slipping away, seized a boat to cross the Yellow River, and led his cavalry to remain inactive. Fang Zhiwen, fearing the affair would not succeed, also mounted his horse and left the camp. The soldiers grabbed his reins and said, "You should be the master of the soldiers; where are you going?" Fang Zhiwen deceived them, saying, "The cavalry are all west of the river; if I don't go to gather them, with only infantry, how can we succeed?" Then he spurred his horse, boarded a boat, and crossed the Yellow River, joining An Shentong to plot an attack on the mutinous troops. The mutineers then marched south. The cavalry slowly followed behind, their formations very orderly. The mutineers looked at each other, their expressions greatly changed. They marched by night carrying torches, exhausted in desolate marshes. The next morning, the cavalry attacked from all sides, nearly annihilating the mutineers. The remnants fled back to their original camp, but An Shentong had already burned it. With no way forward or back, the mutineers scattered. Those who hid in the grass and gullies and escaped death were no more than one or two in ten. Fan Yanguang returned to Qimen, heard of the Lutai mutiny, and sent troops from Weizhou back to Yedu to guard against the mutineers fleeing.
The Later Tang Emperor sent Guest Commissioner Li Renju to Xichuan to convey an imperial edict to pacify Meng Zhixiang and the officials and common people; on Jiaxu (the twenty-third day), he arrived in Chengdu.
Liu Xun's army reached Jingnan. King Ma Yin of Chu sent Commander-in-Chief Xu Dexun and others to lead a naval force to station at Yuezhou. Gao Jixing held his fortifications and did not engage in battle, seeking aid from Wu. Wu sent a naval force to assist him.
In summer, the fourth month, on Gengyin (the ninth day), an imperial decree ordered that all families of the Lutai mutineers within the camp be executed. When the decree reached Yedu, the gates of the nine commands' camps were closed, and three thousand five hundred families, totaling more than ten thousand people, were driven to the lime kilns and all killed, turning the Yongji Canal red. Although the court knew that Fang Zhiwen was the first to instigate the rebellion, in order to pacify those with restless hearts, on Guisi (the twelfth day), Fang Zhiwen was given the additional title of Acting Zhongshu Ling.
Before this, Meng Zhixiang had sent Yanei Commander-in-Chief Wenren Wuzhang to Jinyang to welcome his wife, Princess Qionghua Chang, and his son Li Renzan. When they reached Fengxiang, Li Congyan, hearing that Meng Zhixiang had killed Li Yan, detained them and reported to the court. The Later Tang Emperor ordered them to return to Shu; on Bingshen (the fifteenth day), they arrived in Chengdu.
Salt and Iron Commissioner Zhao Jiliang had an old friendship with Meng Zhixiang. Meng Zhixiang submitted a memorial requesting to retain Zhao Jiliang as deputy commissioner. The court, having no choice, on Dingyou (the sixteenth day), appointed Zhao Jiliang as Xichuan Deputy Military Governor. Li Hao returned to Shu, and Meng Zhixiang appointed him as Observer Promoter.
Jiangling was low-lying and damp, and with prolonged continuous rain, the supply routes could not keep up. The officers and soldiers fell ill, and Liu Xun was also confined to his bed. On Guimao (the twenty-second day), the Later Tang Emperor sent Privy Commissioner Kong Xun to inspect and assess the strategies for attack.
In the fifth month, on Guichou (the third day), Weiwei Acting Commissioner Wang Yanjun was appointed as the proper Military Governor of his circuit, Acting Zhongshu Ling, and Prince of Langya.
Kong Xun reached Jiangling, but could not capture it. He sent someone into the city to persuade Gao Jixing to surrender. Gao Jixing spoke insolently. On Bingyin (the sixteenth day), envoys were sent to bestow ten thousand sets of summer clothing on the Hunan Expeditionary Army. On Dingmao (the seventeenth day), another envoy was sent to bestow saddled horses and jade belts on King Ma Yin of Chu, urging him to transport grain to the expeditionary army, but ultimately this was not achieved. On Gengwu (the twentieth day), an edict ordered Liu Xun and his troops to withdraw.
King Ma Yin of Chu sent Military Commissioner Shi Guangxian to court to present tribute. The Later Tang Emperor gave him ten fine horses and two beautiful women. When passing through Jiangling, Gao Jixing seized Shi Guangxian and took the gifts, and also requested to lead his entire command to submit to Wu. Xu Wen said: "In governing a state, one should pursue practical results and discard empty reputation. The Gao family has served the Tang for a long time. Luoyang is not far from Jiangling; it is easy for Tang's infantry and cavalry to attack it. For me to send a naval force upstream to rescue them is difficult. Since we are their subjects but cannot rescue them, allowing them to be destroyed, can we have no shame?" Thus, he accepted his tribute, declined his claim of vassalage, and allowed him to continue submitting to Tang.
Ren Huan's nature was upright and stubborn, and relying on his old acquaintance with the Later Tang Emperor, he was bold in action. Most of the powerful and favored officials resented him. Under the old system, travel vouchers were issued by the Ministry of Revenue. An Chonghui requested that they be issued from the inner court, arguing with Ren Huan before the emperor repeatedly, with harsh words and fierce expressions. After the emperor withdrew from court, a palace woman asked him: "The one who just argued with An Chonghui about matters—who is he?" The emperor said: "The chancellor." The palace woman said: "When I was in the Chang'an palace, I never saw a chancellor or privy councilor dare to speak to the throne like that. It is probably because he looks down on you." The emperor became even more displeased and ultimately followed An Chonghui's suggestion. Ren Huan therefore requested to be relieved of his duties as head of the Three Ministries. An edict appointed Privy Council Undersecretary Meng Hu as Acting Director of the Three Ministries. Meng Hu was from Weizhou.
In the sixth month, on Gengchen (the first day), Grand Mentor of the Heir Apparent Wen Nian requested the establishment of a crown prince.
On Bingxu (the seventh day), Vice Director of the Chancellery and Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi Ren Huan was dismissed and made Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent.
On Jichou (the tenth day), Xuanhui Northern Commissioner Zhang Yanlang was appointed to oversee the Three Ministries.
On Renchen (the thirteenth day), Liu Xun was demoted to Tanzhou Prefect.
On Bingshen (the seventeenth day), King Ma Yin of Chu was enfeoffed as the King of Chu.
Western Ye defeated the Jingnan naval forces in the gorge and also captured the three prefectures of Kuizhou, Zhongzhou, and Wanzhou.