Records of Wei 6: Biographies of Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and Liu Biao

Records of Wei 6: Biographies of Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and Liu Biao

Dong Zhuo

董卓

Dong Zhuo, whose courtesy name was Zhongying, was a man of Lintao in Longxi. As a youth he loved the life of a knight-errant. He once wandered among the Qiang and formed ties with all their chieftains. Later he went home to farm the fields, and when any of the chieftains came to visit him, Dong Zhuo would bring them back to his house, slaughter a plough ox, and feast and make merry with them. The chieftains were moved by his generosity; on returning home they pooled what they had, gathered more than a thousand head of mixed livestock, and sent them to Dong Zhuo as a gift. Toward the end of the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, as a son of a good family from the Six Commanderies, he became a Gentleman of the Feathered Forest.

董卓字仲穎，隴西臨洮人也。¹少好俠，甞游羌中，盡與諸豪帥相結。後歸耕於野，而豪帥有來從之者，卓與俱還，殺耕牛與相宴樂。諸豪帥感其意，歸相斂，得雜畜千餘頭以贈卓。²漢桓帝末，以六郡良家子爲羽林郎。

Dong Zhuo had talent and martial prowess, and few could match his strength. He wore two bow cases, one on each side, and could shoot to the left and right at full gallop. As an Army Major he followed the General of the Household Zhang Huan on campaign in Bing Province and won merit; he was appointed Gentleman-Cadet and granted nine thousand bolts of fine silk, all of which he divided among his officers and men. He was transferred to be Magistrate of Guangwu, Chief Commandant of the Northern Division of Shu Commandery, and Wuji Colonel of the Western Regions, and was then dismissed. He was summoned again and appointed Imperial Protector of Bing Province and Prefect of Hedong, then transferred to General of the Household. He campaigned against the Yellow Turbans, but his army was defeated and he was punished for it.

卓有才武，旅力少比，雙帶兩鞬，左右馳射。爲軍司馬，從中郎將張奐征并州有功，拜郎中，賜縑九千匹，卓悉以分與吏士。遷廣武令，蜀郡北部都尉，西域戊己校尉，免。徵拜并州刺史、河東太守，¹遷中郎將，討黃巾，軍敗抵罪。

When Han Sui and others rose in Liang Province, Dong Zhuo was again made General of the Household and went west to resist Han Sui. North of Wangyuan Gorge he was surrounded by tens of thousands of Qiang and Hu, and his provisions ran out. Dong Zhuo pretended that he wanted to catch fish and dammed the river he would have to cross on his way back, turning it into a pond so that the water backed up and filled the land for several dozen li. Then he quietly led his army across below the dam and broke it open. By the time the Qiang and Hu learned of it and gave chase, the water was already too deep to cross. At that time six armies had gone up into Longxi; five were defeated, and Dong Zhuo alone brought his force back intact and encamped at Fufeng. He was appointed General of the Van and enfeoffed as Marquis of Taixiang, and he was summoned to become Governor of Bing Province.

韓遂等起涼州，復爲中郎將，西拒遂。於望垣硤北爲羌、胡數萬人所圍，糧食乏絕。卓偽欲捕魚，堰其還道當所渡水爲池，使水渟滿數十里，默從堰下過其軍而決堰。比羌、胡聞知追逐，水已深，不得渡。時六軍上隴西，五軍敗績，卓獨全衆而還，屯住扶風。拜前將軍，封斄鄉侯，徵爲并州牧。¹

Emperor Ling died and the Young Emperor took the throne. The General-in-Chief He Jin and the Colonel-Director of Retainers Yuan Shao plotted to execute the eunuchs, but the Empress Dowager would not agree. He Jin then summoned Dong Zhuo to lead troops to the capital, and at the same time secretly had him submit a memorial saying, “The Regular Palace Attendant Zhang Rang and his like have stolen favor and ride on the emperor's grace, muddying and disordering the whole realm. Of old, Zhao Yang raised the armored troops of Jinyang to drive out the wicked men at his lord's side. I shall at once sound the bells and drums and march on Luoyang, and there punish Zhang Rang and the rest.”

靈帝崩，少帝即位。大將軍何進與司隷校尉袁紹謀誅諸閹官，太后不從。進乃召卓使將兵詣京師，并密令上書曰：「中常侍張讓等竊幸乘寵，濁亂海內。昔趙鞅興晉陽之甲，以逐君側之惡。臣輙鳴鍾鼓如洛陽，即討讓等。」

By this he meant to coerce the Empress Dowager. Before Dong Zhuo arrived, He Jin was destroyed. The Regular Palace Attendant Duan Gui and others seized the Emperor and fled to Xiaoping Ford, and Dong Zhuo then led his troops to meet the Emperor at Mount Beimang and brought him back to the palace. At that time He Jin's younger brother, the General of Chariots and Cavalry He Miao, had been killed by He Jin's own followers, and the retainer troops of He Jin and He Miao, having no one to belong to, all came over to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo also had Lü Bu kill the Bearer of the Gilded Mace Ding Yuan and absorbed his troops, so that military power in the capital lay with Dong Zhuo alone.

欲以脅迫太后。卓未至，進敗。¹中常侍段珪等劫帝走小平津，卓遂將其衆迎帝于北芒，還宮。²時進弟車騎將軍苗爲進衆所殺，³進、苗部曲無所屬，皆詣卓。卓又使呂布殺執金吾丁原，并其衆，故京都兵權唯在卓。⁴

Earlier, He Jin had sent the Chief Commandant of Cavalry Bao Xin of Taishan to raise troops wherever he could. Bao Xin happened to arrive just then and said to Yuan Shao, “Dong Zhuo commands strong troops and harbors treacherous ambitions. If we do not deal with him soon, we shall be at his mercy. While he has only just arrived and his men are weary, we can attack him and take him captive.” Yuan Shao feared Dong Zhuo and did not dare to act, and Bao Xin went back to his home district.

先是，進遣騎都尉太山鮑信所在募兵，適至，信謂紹曰：「卓擁彊兵，有異志，今不早圖，將爲所制；及其初至疲勞，襲之可禽也。」紹畏卓，不敢發，信遂還鄉里。

Then, on the grounds that it had not rained for a long time, the Minister of Works Liu Hong was dismissed by written command and Dong Zhuo replaced him. Soon afterward he was promoted to Grand Commandant and granted the tally and axes along with a guard of Rapid as Tigers. He then deposed the Emperor, making him Prince of Hongnong, and shortly after killed the Prince and the Empress Dowager He. He set up Emperor Ling's young son, the Prince of Chenliu; this was Emperor Xian. Dong Zhuo was promoted to Chancellor of State and enfeoffed as Marquis of Mei. He was not announced by name when he paid his respects, and he could ascend the hall wearing his sword and shoes. Dong Zhuo's mother was also enfeoffed as Lady of Chiyang, with a household steward and assistant appointed for her. Dong Zhuo had come leading picked troops just when the imperial house was in great disorder, so he could depose and enthrone at will. He held the arms and armor of the arsenal and the treasures of the state, and his might shook the realm.

於是以久不雨，策免司空劉弘而卓代之，俄遷太尉，假節鉞虎賁。遂廢帝爲弘農王。尋又殺王及何太后。立靈帝少子陳留王，是爲獻帝。¹卓遷相國，封郿侯，贊拜不名，劒履上殿，又封卓母爲池陽君，置家令、丞。卓旣率精兵來，適值帝室大亂，得專廢立，據有武庫甲兵、國家珍寶，威震天下。

Dong Zhuo was cruel and inhumane by nature. He cowed people with harsh punishments and never failed to avenge even the slightest grudge, so that no one felt safe. Once he sent troops to Yangcheng. It happened to be the time of the second-month sacrifice to the earth god, and the people had all gathered at their village altars. The soldiers cut off the heads of every man there, harnessed the people's carts and oxen, loaded them with the women and goods, tied the severed heads to the shafts and axles, and returned to Luoyang in a long train of carts, claiming that they had attacked bandits and taken great spoils, and shouting “Ten thousand years!” They entered by the Kaiyang Gate, burned the heads, and gave the women to the soldiers as slaves and concubines. Dong Zhuo went so far as to debauch the palace women and princesses. Such was his savagery and wickedness.

卓性殘忍不仁，遂以嚴刑脅衆，睚眦之隙必報，人不自保。¹甞遣軍到陽城。時適二月社，民各在其社下，悉就斷其男子頭，駕其車牛，載其婦女財物，以所斷頭繫車轅軸，連軫而還洛，云攻賊大獲，稱萬歲。入開陽城門，焚燒其頭，以婦女與甲兵爲婢妾。至於姦亂宮人公主。其凶逆如此。

At first Dong Zhuo trusted the Master of Writing Zhou Bi, the Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong, and others, and he sent out the men they recommended, Han Fu, Liu Dai, Kong Zhou, Zhang Zi, Zhang Miao and others, to govern provinces and commanderies. But when Han Fu and the rest reached their posts, they all joined forces intending to attack Dong Zhuo. When Dong Zhuo heard of this, he believed that Zhou Bi, Wu Qiong and the others had been in league with them and had betrayed him, and he had them all beheaded.

初，卓信任尚書周毖、城門校尉伍瓊等，用其所舉韓馥、劉岱、孔伷、張咨、張邈等出宰州郡。而馥等至官，皆合兵將以討卓。卓聞之，以爲毖、瓊等通情賣己，皆斬之。¹

The Prefect of Henei, Wang Kuang, stationed troops from Taishan at Heyang Ford, intending to move against Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo sent decoy troops as though he meant to cross at Pingyin, while secretly sending picked troops to cross northward from Xiaoping and circle round to strike Wang Kuang's rear. He crushed them north of the ford, and nearly all of them were killed. Because the heroes east of the mountains had risen together, Dong Zhuo was afraid and uneasy. In the second month of the first year of Chuping, he moved the Emperor and made Changan the capital. He burned the palaces of Luoyang and dug up all the imperial tombs to take their treasures.

河內太守王匡遣泰山兵屯河陽津，將以圖卓。卓遣疑兵若將於平陰渡者，潛遣銳衆從小平北渡，繞擊其後，大破之津北，死者略盡。卓以山東豪傑並起，恐懼不寧。初平元年二月，乃徙天子都長安。焚燒洛陽宮室，悉發掘陵墓，取寶物。¹

On reaching the Western Capital, Dong Zhuo became Grand Preceptor and was styled Revered Father. He rode in a carriage with a blue canopy and gilded flower ornaments, with claw designs painted on both side screens, which people at the time called the Ganmo carriage. His younger brother Dong Min became General of the Left and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Hu; his elder brother's son Dong Huang became Palace Attendant and Colonel of the Central Army with command of troops; and his kinsmen by blood and by marriage all held ranks at court. When the ministers and nobles saw Dong Zhuo, they bowed to him beneath his carriage, and he did not return the courtesy. He summoned the Masters of Writing of the Three Terraces and those below them to come in person to his residence to report on affairs.

卓至西京，爲太師，號曰尚父。乘青蓋金華車，爪畫兩轓，時人號曰竿摩車。¹卓弟旻爲左將軍，封鄠侯；兄子璜爲侍中中軍校尉典兵；宗族內外並列朝廷。²公卿見卓，謁拜車下，卓不爲禮。召呼三臺尚書以下自詣卓府啟事。³

He built the fortress of Meiwu, its walls as high as those of Changan, and stored up grain enough for thirty years, saying, “If my enterprise succeeds, I shall hold the realm as its master. If it fails, holding this place will be enough to see out my old age.” Once, when he went to Mei to inspect the fortress, the ministers and those below them held a farewell banquet for him outside the Heng Gate. Dong Zhuo had set up tents and a feast in advance, and he lured in several hundred rebels from Beidi who had surrendered. Right there at the banquet he first had their tongues cut out; some had their hands and feet cut off, some had their eyes gouged out, and some were boiled in cauldrons. Not yet dead, they writhed among the cups and tables. Everyone present trembled so that they dropped their spoons and chopsticks, but Dong Zhuo went on eating and drinking as if nothing were happening.

築郿塢，高與長安城埒，積穀爲三十年儲，¹云事成，雄據天下，不成，守此足以畢老。甞至郿行塢，公卿已下祖道於橫門外。²卓豫施帳幔飲，誘降北地反者數百人，於坐中先斷其舌，或斬手足，或鑿眼，或鑊煑之，未死，偃轉杯案閒，會者皆戰慄亡失匕箸，而卓飲食自若。

The Grand Astrologer observed the vapors and said that one of the great ministers was due to be put to death. The former Grand Commandant Zhang Wen was then Commandant of the Guards. He had never been on good terms with Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo bore him a grudge. Taking the portent in the heavens as an opportunity to deflect the blame, Dong Zhuo had someone claim that Zhang Wen was in secret contact with Yuan Shu, and then had him flogged to death. The laws were harsh and cruel, punishments were meted out wantonly according to his likes and dislikes, and people falsely accused one another, so that those who died unjustly numbered in the thousands. The common people wailed, and on the roads they dared only exchange glances. He smashed all the bronze statues and bell stands with hammers and did away with the wuzhu coins.

太史望氣，言當有大臣戮死者。故太尉張溫時爲衞尉，素不善卓，卓心怨之，因天有變，欲以塞咎，使人言溫與袁術交關，遂笞殺之。¹法令苛酷，愛憎淫刑，更相被誣，冤死者千數。百姓嗷嗷，道路以目。²悉椎破銅人、鍾虡，及壞五銖錢。

He had them recast as small coins, five fen across, bearing no inscription, with no raised rim around either the edge or the hole, and left unpolished. As a result money lost its value and goods grew dear, until a single hu of grain cost several hundred thousand cash. From then on, coins no longer circulated.

更鑄爲小錢，大五分，無文章，肉好無輪郭，不磨鑢。於是貨輕而物貴，穀一斛至數十萬。自是後錢貨不行。

In the fourth month of the third year, the Minister over the Masses Wang Yun, the Supervisor of the Masters of Writing Shisun Rui, and Dong Zhuo's own general Lü Bu plotted together to kill Dong Zhuo. At this time the Emperor had just recovered from an illness, and a great assembly was held in the Weiyang Hall. Lü Bu had the Chief Commandant of Cavalry Li Su, a man from his own commandery, and others lead a dozen or so of his personal guards, disguised in the uniforms of palace guardsmen, to watch the side gate. Lü Bu carried an imperial edict in his robe. When Dong Zhuo arrived, Li Su and the others struck at him. Dong Zhuo cried out in alarm, asking where Lü Bu was. Lü Bu said, “There is an edict,” and killed Dong Zhuo, and his family to the third degree was exterminated.

三年四月，司徒王允、尚書僕射士孫瑞、卓將呂布共謀誅卓。是時，天子有疾新愈，大會未央殿。布使同郡騎都尉李肅等將親兵十餘人，偽著衞士服守掖門。布懷詔書。卓至，肅等格卓。卓驚呼布所在。布曰「有詔」，遂殺卓，夷三族。

The Registrar Tian Jing rushed forward to Dong Zhuo's body, and Lü Bu killed him too. In all, three men were killed, and no one else dared to move. The gentry and commoners of Changan all congratulated one another, and those who had fawned on Dong Zhuo were all thrown into prison and died there.

主簿田景前趨卓尸，布又殺之；凡所殺三人，餘莫敢動。¹長安士庶咸相慶賀，諸阿附卓者皆下獄死。²

Li Jue and Guo Si

李傕、郭汜

Earlier, Dong Zhuo's son-in-law, the General of the Household Niu Fu, had been commanding troops in a separate camp at Shan, and he had sent out the Colonels Li Jue, Guo Si and Zhang Ji to plunder the counties of Chenliu and Yingchuan. When Dong Zhuo died, Lü Bu sent Li Su to Shan, intending to execute Niu Fu on imperial command. Niu Fu and his men met Li Su and fought him; Li Su was defeated and fled to Hongnong, and Lü Bu executed him. Afterward some of the soldiers in Niu Fu's camp deserted by night, and the camp was thrown into alarm. Niu Fu, thinking that everyone had rebelled, took his gold and treasures and, accompanied only by five or six men including his close friend Huchi'er, climbed over the wall and crossed the Yellow River to the north. Huchi'er and the others coveted his gold and treasures, cut off his head, and sent it to Changan.

初，卓女壻中郎將牛輔典兵別屯陝，分遣校尉李傕、郭汜、張濟略陳留、潁川諸縣。卓死，呂布使李肅至陝，欲以詔命誅輔。輔等逆與肅戰，肅敗走弘農，布誅肅。¹其後輔營兵有夜叛出者，營中驚，輔以爲皆叛，乃取金寶，獨與素所厚友胡赤兒等五六人相隨，踰城北渡河，赤兒等利其金寶，斬首送長安。

By the time Li Jue and the others returned, Niu Fu was already dead, and their men, with no one to rely on, wanted to scatter and go home. No amnesty had been granted, and they heard that in Changan it was intended to execute every man from Liang Province, so they were anxious and afraid and did not know what to do. Adopting a plan of Jia Xu's, they led their men west, gathering troops wherever they went, and by the time they reached Changan they numbered more than a hundred thousand. Joining Dong Zhuo's former officers Fan Chou, Li Meng, Wang Fang and others, they laid siege to the city of Changan. After ten days the city fell. They fought Lü Bu inside the city, and Lü Bu was defeated and fled.

比傕等還，輔已敗，衆無所依，欲各散歸。旣無赦書，而聞長安中欲盡誅涼州人，憂恐不知所爲。用賈詡策，遂將其衆而西，所在收兵，比至長安，衆十餘萬，¹與卓故部曲樊稠、李蒙、王方等合圍長安城。十日城陷，與布戰城中，布敗走。

Li Jue and the others let their troops loose on Changan, plundering young and old and killing them all, so that corpses lay strewn everywhere. They executed those who had killed Dong Zhuo and exposed Wang Yun's corpse in the marketplace. They buried Dong Zhuo at Mei, but a great wind and violent rain struck his tomb, water poured into the burial chamber, and his inner and outer coffins were washed away. Li Jue became General of Chariots and Cavalry and Marquis of Chiyang, concurrently Colonel-Director of Retainers, and was granted the tally. Guo Si became General of the Rear and Marquis of Meiyang. Fan Chou became General of the Right and Marquis of Wannian. Li Jue, Guo Si and Fan Chou took the government of the court into their own hands. Zhang Ji became General of Agile Cavalry and Marquis of Pingyang, and was stationed at Hongnong.

傕等放兵略長安老少，殺之悉盡，死者狼藉。誅殺卓者，尸王允於市。¹葬卓於郿，大風暴雨震卓墓，水流入藏，漂其棺槨。傕爲車騎將軍、池陽侯，領司隷校尉、假節。汜爲後將軍、美陽侯。稠爲右將軍、萬年侯。傕、汜、稠擅朝政。²濟爲驃騎將軍、平陽侯，屯弘農。

That year Han Sui, Ma Teng and others submitted and brought their followers to Changan. Han Sui was made General Who Guards the West and sent back to Liang Province, and Ma Teng was made General Who Conquers the West and stationed at Mei. The Palace Attendant Ma Yu plotted with the Counsellor Remonstrant Chong Shao, the General of the Household of the Left Liu Fan and others to have Ma Teng attack Changan while they acted as his allies within, so as to execute Li Jue and the others. Ma Teng led his troops as far as the Changping Lodge, but the plot of Ma Yu and his associates leaked out, and they fled to Huaili. Fan Chou attacked Ma Teng, who was defeated and fled back to Liang Province; Fan Chou then attacked Huaili, and Ma Yu and the others all died.

是歲，韓遂、馬騰等降，率衆詣長安。以遂爲鎮西將軍，遣還涼州，騰征西將軍，屯郿。侍中馬宇與諫議大夫种邵、左中郎將劉範等謀，欲使騰襲長安，己爲內應，以誅傕等。騰引兵至長平觀，宇等謀泄，出奔槐里。稠擊騰，騰敗走，還涼州；又攻槐里，宇等皆死。

At that time the population of the Three Adjuncts still numbered several hundred thousand households, but Li Jue and the others let their troops loose to rob and plunder, attacking and sacking the towns, and the people were so starved and destitute that within two years they had eaten one another until almost none were left.

時三輔民尚數十萬戶，傕等放兵劫略，攻剽城邑，人民饑困，二年間相啖食略盡。¹

The generals contended for power, and in the end they killed Fan Chou and absorbed his troops. Guo Si and Li Jue grew suspicious of each other and fought within Changan. Li Jue held the Emperor hostage in his camp, burned the palaces and city gates, plundered the government offices, and seized all the imperial carriages, robes and furnishings and kept them in his own house. When Li Jue sent the ministers and nobles to Guo Si to ask for peace, Guo Si detained them all. They attacked each other month after month, and the dead numbered in the tens of thousands.

諸將爭權，遂殺稠，并其衆。¹汜與傕轉相疑，戰鬬長安中。²傕質天子於營，燒宮殿城門，略官寺，盡收乘輿服御物置其家。³傕使公卿詣汜請和，汜皆執之。⁴相攻擊連月，死者萬數。⁵

Li Jue's general Yang Feng plotted with Li Jue's army officer Song Guo and others to kill Li Jue, but the plot leaked out, and he led his troops in revolt against Li Jue. With his followers deserting him, Li Jue gradually grew weaker. Zhang Ji came from Shan and made peace between the two, and only then was the Emperor able to get away; he reached the area between Xinfeng and Baling. Guo Si again tried to coerce the Emperor into going back and making Mei his capital. The Emperor fled to Yang Feng's camp, and Yang Feng attacked Guo Si and routed him. Guo Si fled to the Southern Mountains, and Yang Feng and General Dong Cheng escorted the Emperor back toward Luoyang.

傕將楊奉與傕軍吏宋果等謀殺傕，事泄，遂將兵叛傕。傕衆叛，稍衰弱。張濟自陝和解之，天子乃得出，至新豐、霸陵間。¹郭汜復欲脅天子還都郿。天子奔奉營，奉擊汜，破之。汜走南山，奉及將軍董承以天子還洛陽。

Li Jue and Guo Si regretted letting the Emperor go, made peace with each other again, and caught up with him at Caoyang in Hongnong. Yang Feng hastily called in the former White Wave leaders of Hedong, Han Xian, Hu Cai, Li Yue and others, to join him, and fought a great battle with Li Jue and Guo Si. Yang Feng's troops were defeated, and Li Jue and the others let their soldiers loose to kill the ministers and officials, carried off the palace women, and entered Hongnong. The Emperor fled to Shan and crossed the Yellow River to the north. He lost his baggage train and went on foot, followed only by the Empress and the Honorable Ladies. Arriving at Dayang, he stopped in a commoner's house.

傕、汜悔遣天子，復相與和，追及天子於弘農之曹陽。奉急招河東故白波帥韓暹、胡才、李樂等合，與傕、汜大戰。奉兵敗，傕等縱兵殺公卿百官，略宮人入弘農。¹天子走陝，北渡河，失輜重，步行，唯皇后貴人從，至大陽，止人家屋中。²

Yang Feng, Han Xian and the others then made Anyi the Emperor's capital, and the Emperor rode in an ox cart. His close ministers in attendance, including the Grand Commandant Yang Biao and the Minister Coachman Han Rong, numbered only a dozen or so. Han Xian was made General Who Conquers the East, Hu Cai General Who Conquers the West, and Li Yue General Who Conquers the North, and together with Yang Feng and Dong Cheng they controlled the government. Han Rong was sent to Hongnong to make peace with Li Jue, Guo Si and the others, who returned the palace women, ministers and officials they had carried off, along with several of the imperial carriages and horses. At that time locusts rose up and a drought left no grain, so the officials in attendance ate jujubes and wild greens.

奉、暹等遂以天子都安邑，御乘牛車。太尉楊彪、太僕韓融近臣從者十餘人。以暹爲征東、才爲征西、樂征北將軍，並與奉、承持政。遣融至弘農與傕、汜等連和，還所略宮人公卿百官，及乘輿車馬數乘。是時蝗蟲起，歲旱無穀，從官食棗菜。¹

The generals could not act in concert, high and low were in disorder, and their provisions ran out. Yang Feng, Han Xian and Dong Cheng then escorted the Emperor back to Luoyang. As they came out through the Ji Pass and descended by the Zhi road, Zhang Yang met them on the way with food, and he was appointed Grand Marshal. The account of this is in Zhang Yang's biography. When the Emperor entered Luoyang, the palaces had all been burned and the streets lay in ruins. The officials cleared away the brambles and sheltered among the mounds and walls. The provinces and commanderies each held on to their troops for their own purposes, and none came to the capital. Hunger and want grew steadily worse; the Gentlemen of the Masters of Writing and those below them went out themselves to gather firewood and greens, and some starved to death among the ruined walls.

諸將不能相率，上下亂，糧食盡。奉、暹、承乃以天子還洛陽。出箕關，下軹道，張楊以食迎道路，拜大司馬。語在楊傳。天子入洛陽，宮室燒盡，街陌荒蕪，百官披荊棘，依丘牆間。州郡各擁兵自爲，莫有至者。饑窮稍甚，尚書郎以下自出樵采，或饑死牆壁閒。

Ma Teng and Han Sui

馬騰、韓遂

Taizu then welcomed the Emperor and made Xu the capital. Han Xian and Yang Feng were unable to uphold the royal law; each fled and raided the region between Xu and Yang provinces, and they were killed by Liu Bei. Dong Cheng followed Taizu for a little over a year and was then executed. In the second year of Jian'an, the Supervisor of Internuncios Pei Mao was sent to lead the generals west of the passes to execute Li Jue, and his family to the third degree was exterminated. Guo Si was attacked by his own general Wu Xi and died at Mei. Zhang Ji, starving, went to Nanyang to plunder and was killed by the people of Rang; his nephew Zhang Xiu took over his troops.

太祖乃迎天子都許。暹、奉不能奉王法，各出奔，寇徐、揚閒，爲劉備所殺。¹董承從太祖歲餘，誅。建安二年，遣謁者僕射裴茂率關西諸將誅傕，夷三族。²汜爲其將五習所襲，死於郿。濟饑餓，至南陽寇略，爲穰人所殺，從子繡攝其衆。

Hu Cai and Li Yue stayed in Hedong; Hu Cai was killed by an enemy family, and Li Yue died of illness. Han Sui and Ma Teng went back to Liang Province on their own and attacked each other by turns. Later Ma Teng entered the court as Commandant of the Guards, and his son Ma Chao took command of his retainer troops. In the sixteenth year, Ma Chao rebelled together with the generals of Guanzhong and Han Sui and others, and Taizu marched against them and crushed them. The account of this is in the Annals of Emperor Wu. Han Sui fled to Jincheng and was killed by his own generals. Ma Chao seized Hanyang, and Ma Teng, implicated in his crime, had his family to the third degree exterminated. Zhao Qu and others raised loyalist troops to attack Ma Chao, and Ma Chao fled to Hanzhong to join Zhang Lu. Later he fled to Liu Bei, and he died in Shu.

才、樂留河東，才爲怨家所殺，樂病死。遂、騰自還涼州，更相寇，後騰入爲衞尉，子超領其部曲。十六年，超與關中諸將及遂等反，太祖征破之。語在武紀。遂奔金城，爲其將所殺。超據漢陽，騰坐夷三族。趙衢等舉義兵討超，超走漢中從張魯，後奔劉備，死於蜀。

Yuan Shao

袁紹

Yuan Shao, whose courtesy name was Benchu, was a man of Ruyang in Runan. His great-great-grandfather Yuan An had been Minister over the Masses under the Han. From Yuan An onward, four generations of the family held the rank of the Three Excellencies, and so their influence overshadowed the whole realm. Yuan Shao had a fine appearance and a commanding bearing, and he knew how to humble himself before men of learning, so many of them attached themselves to him. Taizu was his friend in their youth. From clerk to the General-in-Chief he became Attending Censor, and was gradually promoted to Colonel of the Central Army and then to Colonel-Director of Retainers.

袁紹字本初，汝南汝陽人也。高祖父安，爲漢司徒。自安以下四世居三公位，由是勢傾天下。¹紹有姿皃威容，能折節下士，士多附之，太祖少與交焉。以大將軍掾爲侍御史，²稍遷中軍校尉，至司隷。

When Emperor Ling died, the Empress Dowager's elder brother, the General-in-Chief He Jin, plotted with Yuan Shao to execute the eunuchs, but the Empress Dowager would not agree. So they summoned Dong Zhuo, intending to use him to coerce the Empress Dowager. When the Regular Attendants and the eunuchs of the Yellow Gates heard of this, they all came to He Jin to apologize and put themselves at his disposal. Yuan Shao urged He Jin two or three times to settle the matter right then, but He Jin would not agree. He ordered Yuan Shao to have the military officers of Luoyang charged with strategy keep watch over the eunuchs, and he also ordered Yuan Shao's younger brother, the General of the Household of the Rapid as Tigers Yuan Shu, to choose two hundred mild-tempered Rapid as Tigers guards to enter the forbidden palace and replace the armed eunuchs of the Yellow Gates who guarded its steps and doors.

靈帝崩，太后兄大將軍何進與紹謀誅諸閹官，¹太后不從。乃召董卓，欲以脅太后。常侍、黃門聞之，皆詣進謝，唯所錯置。時紹勸進便可於此決之，至于再三，而進不許，令紹使洛陽方略武吏檢司諸宦者，又令紹弟虎賁中郎將術選溫厚虎賁二百人，當入禁中，代持兵黃門陛守門戶。

The Regular Palace Attendant Duan Gui and others forged an order from the Empress Dowager summoning He Jin in to confer, and then killed him, and the palace fell into chaos. Yuan Shu led the Rapid as Tigers guards to burn the Qingsuo Gate of the Jiade Hall in the Southern Palace, trying to force Duan Gui and the others out. Duan Gui and his men did not come out, but seized the Emperor and his younger brother, the Prince of Chenliu, and fled to Xiaoping Ford. Yuan Shao beheaded Xu Xiang, whom the eunuchs had appointed Colonel-Director of Retainers, then marshaled his troops, rounded up the eunuchs, and killed them all, young and old alike.

中常侍段珪等矯太后命，召進入議，遂殺之，宮中亂。¹術將虎賁燒南宮嘉德殿青瑣門，欲以迫出珪等。珪等不出，劫帝及帝弟陳留王走小平津。紹旣斬宦者所署司隷校尉許相，遂勒兵捕諸閹人，無少長皆殺之。

Some men who simply had no beards were killed by mistake, to the point that people escaped death only by exposing their bodies. Even eunuchs who had behaved well and kept themselves upright were caught up in it. Such was the indiscriminate slaughter. More than two thousand died. The pursuit of Duan Gui and the others was pressed hard, and they all threw themselves into the Yellow River and drowned. The Emperor was able to return to the palace.

或有無鬚而誤死者，至自發露形體而後得免，宦者或有行善自守而猶見及。其濫如此。死者二千餘人。急追珪等，珪等悉赴河死。帝得還宮。

Dong Zhuo called Yuan Shao in to discuss deposing the Emperor and setting up the Prince of Chenliu. At this time Yuan Shao's uncle Yuan Wei was Grand Tutor, so Yuan Shao pretended to agree and said, “This is a great matter. I must go out and discuss it with the Grand Tutor.” Dong Zhuo said, “The seed of the Liu clan is not worth preserving any longer.” Yuan Shao made no reply; holding his sword across his body, he gave a long bow and left. As soon as he was out, he fled to Ji Province. The Palace Attendant Zhou Bi, the Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong, the Consultant He Yong and others were all men of renown. Dong Zhuo trusted them, but they were secretly on Yuan Shao's side, and they persuaded Dong Zhuo, saying, “Deposing and enthroning is a great matter, beyond the understanding of ordinary men.

董卓呼紹，議欲廢帝，立陳留王。是時紹叔父隗爲太傅，紹偽許之，曰：「此大事，出當與太傅議。」卓曰：「劉氏種不足復遺。」紹不應，橫刀長揖而去。¹紹旣出，遂亡奔冀州。侍中周毖、城門校尉伍瓊、議郎何顒等，皆名士也，卓信之，而陰爲紹，乃說卓曰：「夫廢立大事，非常人所及。

Yuan Shao does not grasp the larger picture. He fled out of fear, not because he has other ambitions. If you now put a price on his head and pursue him hard, circumstances will surely drive him to revolt. The Yuan family has spread its favors for four generations, and its disciples and former subordinates are found throughout the realm. If he gathers the bold and powerful and assembles a following, and heroes rise up on the strength of it, then the lands east of the mountains will no longer be yours, my lord. It would be better to pardon him and appoint him Prefect of a commandery. Then Yuan Shao will be glad to have escaped punishment, and there will surely be no trouble.” Dong Zhuo agreed, and he appointed Yuan Shao Prefect of Bohai and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Kangxiang.

紹不達大體，恐懼故出奔，非有他志也。今購之急，勢必爲變。袁氏樹恩四世，門生故吏徧於天下，若収豪傑以聚徒衆，英雄因之而起，則山東非公之有也。不如赦之，拜一郡守，則紹喜於免罪，必無患矣。」卓以爲然，乃拜紹勃海太守，封邟鄉侯。

Yuan Shao then raised troops in Bohai, intending to execute Dong Zhuo. The account of this is in the Annals of Emperor Wu. Yuan Shao styled himself General of Chariots and Cavalry and became leader of the alliance. Together with the Governor of Ji Province Han Fu, he sought to set up the Governor of You Province Liu Yu as emperor, and they sent an envoy bearing a memorial to Liu Yu, but Liu Yu did not dare accept it. Later Han Fu, stationed at Anping, was defeated by Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan then led his troops into Ji Province, claiming the purpose of attacking Dong Zhuo but inwardly meaning to attack Han Fu. Han Fu grew uneasy.

紹遂以勃海起兵，將以誅卓。語在武紀。紹自號車騎將軍，主盟，與冀州牧韓馥立幽州牧劉虞爲帝，遣使奉章詣虞，虞不敢受。後馥軍安平，爲公孫瓚所敗。瓚遂引兵入冀州，以討卓爲名，內欲襲馥。馥懷不自安。¹

Just then Dong Zhuo went west into the passes, and Yuan Shao pulled his army back to Yanjin. Taking advantage of Han Fu's panic, he had Gao Gan of Chenliu, Xun Chen of Yingchuan and others persuade Han Fu, saying, “Gongsun Zan, riding on his victory, is advancing south, and the commanderies are rallying to him. General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan is leading his army east, and his intentions cannot be known. We fear for your safety, General.” Han Fu said, “What should I do?” Xun Chen said, “Gongsun commands the soldiers of Yan and Dai, and their onslaught cannot be withstood. Yuan is the hero of the age and will never accept a place beneath you, General.

會卓西入關，紹還軍延津，因馥惶遽，使陳留高幹、頴川荀諶等說馥曰：「公孫瓚乘勝來向南，而諸郡應之，袁車騎引軍東向，此其意不可知，竊爲將軍危之。」馥曰：「爲之柰何？」諶曰：「公孫提燕、代之卒，其鋒不可當。袁氏一時之傑，必不爲將軍下。

Ji Province is the richest prize in the realm. If these two strong men join forces and their troops clash beneath your walls, ruin will come before you can turn around. Yuan is an old associate of yours, General, and your ally as well. If we are to make plans for you now, nothing would be better than to hand over Ji Province to Yuan. Once Yuan holds Ji Province, Gongsun Zan will not be able to contend with him, and Yuan will surely feel deeply indebted to you. With Ji Province in the hands of a close friend, you will have the fame of one who yielded to a worthier man, and you yourself will be as secure as Mount Tai.

夫冀州，天下之重資也，若兩雄并力，兵交於城下，危亡可立而待也。夫袁氏，將軍之舊，且同盟也，當今爲將軍計，莫若舉冀州以讓袁氏。袁氏得冀州，則瓚不能與之爭，必厚德將軍。冀州入於親交，是將軍有讓賢之名，而身安於泰山也。

I beg you, General, have no doubts!” Han Fu had always been timid, and so he agreed to the plan. Han Fu's Chief Clerk Geng Wu, his Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage Min Chun, and his Headquarters Officer Li Li remonstrated with him, saying, “Remote though Ji Province may be, it has a million armored soldiers and grain enough for ten years. Yuan Shao is a stranded wanderer with an exhausted army, living on the breath from our nostrils. He is like an infant lying in the palm of our hand: cut off his milk and he will starve at once. Why would you give him the province?” Han Fu said, “I was once a subordinate of the Yuan family, and my talents do not match Benchu's. To weigh another's virtue and yield to him is what the ancients prized. Why do you gentlemen alone find fault with it?”

願將軍勿疑！」馥素恇怯，因然其計。馥長史耿武、別駕閔純、治中李歷諫馥曰：「冀州雖鄙，帶甲百萬，穀支十年。袁紹孤客窮軍，仰我鼻息，譬如嬰兒在股掌之上，絕其哺乳，立可餓殺。柰何乃欲以州與之？」馥曰：「吾，袁氏故吏，且才不如本初，度德而讓，古人所貴，諸君獨何病焉！」

The Attendant Officers Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan asked to resist Yuan Shao with troops, but again Han Fu would not listen. So he yielded the province to Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao took over as Governor of Ji Province.

從事趙浮、程奐請以兵拒之，馥又不聽。乃讓紹，¹紹遂領冀州牧。

Ju Shou and Tian Feng

沮授、田豐

The Attendant Officer Ju Shou advised Yuan Shao, saying, “General, when you entered the court at barely twenty, your name spread throughout the land within the seas. When the deposition came, you rose up in loyalty and righteousness. When you fled alone on horseback, Dong Zhuo was filled with dread. When you crossed the river to the north, Bohai bowed its head to you. Rousing the troops of a single commandery, you have gathered in the host of Ji Province; your might shakes the lands north of the Yellow River and your name carries weight throughout the realm. Although the Yellow Turbans run riot and the Black Mountain bandits are rampant, if you lead your army east, Qing Province can be pacified; if you turn back against the Black Mountain, Zhang Yan can be destroyed; if you turn your host north, Gongsun will surely perish; and if you overawe the Rong and Di, the Xiongnu will surely submit.

從事沮授¹說紹曰：「將軍弱冠登朝，則播名海內；值廢立之際，則忠義奮發；單騎出奔，則董卓懷怖；濟河而北，則勃海稽首。振一郡之卒，撮冀州之衆，威震河朔，名重天下。雖黃巾猾亂，黑山跋扈，舉軍東向，則青州可定；還討黑山，則張燕可滅；回衆北首，則公孫必喪；震脅戎狄，則匈奴必從。

Stretch your rule across the lands north of the great river, unite the territory of four provinces, gather heroic talents, and command a host of a million. Then welcome the imperial carriage from the Western Capital, restore the ancestral temples at Luoyang, issue commands to the realm, and punish those who have not yet submitted. Contending on such a footing, who could stand against you? Within a few years this achievement will not be hard to attain.” Yuan Shao was pleased and said, “This is exactly my own mind.” At once he submitted a memorial making Ju Shou Army Supervisor and General Who Displays Might. Dong Zhuo sent the Bearer of the Gilded Mace Humu Ban and the Court Architect Wu Xiu with an imperial edict to admonish Yuan Shao, but Yuan Shao had the Prefect of Henei, Wang Kuang, kill them.

橫大河之北，合四州之地，收英雄之才，擁百萬之衆，迎大駕於西京，復宗廟於洛邑，號令天下，以討未復，以此爭鋒，誰能敵之？比及數年，此功不難。」紹喜曰：「此吾心也。」即表授爲監軍、奮威將軍。¹卓遣執金吾胡母班、將作大匠吳脩齎詔書喻紹，紹使河內太守王匡殺之。²

When Dong Zhuo heard that Yuan Shao had won over the lands east of the passes, he executed all of Yuan Shao's kinsmen, including the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei. At that time many of the bold and chivalrous attached themselves to Yuan Shao, all eager to avenge his family, and the provinces and commanderies rose up like swarming bees, every one of them fighting under his name. Han Fu grew fearful, asked Yuan Shao for leave to go, and went to take refuge with Zhang Miao. Later Yuan Shao sent an envoy to Zhang Miao to discuss some plans, and the envoy whispered in Zhang Miao's ear. Han Fu was sitting there, and thinking that they were plotting against him, he got up shortly afterward, went to the privy, and killed himself.

卓聞紹得關東，乃悉誅紹宗族太傅隗等。當是時，豪俠多附紹，皆思爲之報，州郡鋒起，莫不假其名。馥懷懼，從紹索去，往依張邈。¹後紹遣使詣邈，有所計議，與邈耳語。馥在坐上，謂見圖構，無何起至溷自殺。²

From the start, the Emperor's accession had not been Yuan Shao's wish. When the Emperor was in Hedong, Yuan Shao sent Guo Tu of Yingchuan to him as envoy. On his return, Guo Tu urged Yuan Shao to welcome the Emperor and make Ye the capital, but Yuan Shao did not follow his advice. Then Taizu welcomed the Emperor and made Xu the capital, took over the land south of the Yellow River, and all of Guanzhong came over to him. Yuan Shao regretted his decision and wanted Taizu to move the Emperor to Juancheng and make it the capital, so as to have him close at hand, but Taizu refused. The Emperor made Yuan Shao Grand Commandant, then transferred him to General-in-Chief and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Ye, but Yuan Shao declined the marquisate and would not accept it.

初，天子之立非紹意，及在河東，紹遣潁川郭圖使焉。圖還說紹迎天子都鄴，紹不從。¹會太祖迎天子都許，收河南地，關中皆附。紹悔，欲令太祖徙天子都鄄城以自密近，太祖拒之。天子以紹爲太尉，轉爲大將軍，封鄴侯，²紹讓侯不受。

Before long he crushed Gongsun Zan at Yijing and absorbed his troops. He sent out his eldest son Yuan Tan to govern Qing Province, and Ju Shou remonstrated with Yuan Shao, “This will surely be the beginning of disaster.” Shao did not listen, saying, “I want each of my sons to hold a province.” He also gave You Province to his middle son Yuan Xi and Bing Province to his nephew Gao Gan. His host numbered several hundred thousand. He had Shen Pei and Feng Ji direct military affairs, made Tian Feng, Xun Chen and Xu You his chief strategists and Yan Liang and Wen Chou his commanders, and, selecting a hundred thousand picked troops and ten thousand horse, prepared to attack Xu.

頃之。擊破瓚於易京，并其衆。¹出長子譚爲青州，沮授諫紹：「必爲禍始。」紹不聽，曰：「孤欲令諸兒各據一州也。」²又以中子熙爲幽州，甥高幹爲并州。衆數十萬，以審配、逢紀統軍事，田豐、荀諶、許攸爲謀主，顏良、文醜爲將率，簡精卒十萬，騎萬匹，將攻許。³

Earlier, Taizu had sent Liu Bei to Xu Province to hold off Yuan Shu. When Yuan Shu died, Liu Bei killed the Inspector Che Zhou and led his army to garrison Pei. Yuan Shao sent cavalry to support him. Taizu sent Liu Dai and Wang Zhong to attack him, but they could not prevail. In the fifth year of Jian'an, Taizu marched east in person against Liu Bei. Tian Feng urged Yuan Shao to fall upon Taizu's rear, but Shao declined on the grounds that his son was ill and would not allow it. Tian Feng struck the ground with his staff and said, “To meet with an opportunity that rarely comes, and to lose the moment because of an infant's illness—what a pity!” Taizu arrived and crushed Liu Bei, and Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao.

先是，太祖遣劉備詣徐州拒袁術。術死，備殺刺史車冑，引軍屯沛。紹遣騎佐之。太祖遣劉岱、王忠擊之，不克。建安五年，太祖自東征備。田豐說紹襲太祖後，紹辭以子疾，不許，豐舉杖擊地曰：「夫遭難遇之機，而以嬰兒之病失其會，惜哉！」太祖至，擊破備；備奔紹。¹

Yuan Shao advanced his army to Liyang and sent Yan Liang to attack Liu Yan at Baima. Ju Shou again remonstrated with Shao, “Yan Liang is narrow-minded by nature; brave and fierce as he is, he should not be given sole command.” Shao did not listen. Taizu came to Liu Yan's rescue, fought Yan Liang, defeated him and beheaded him. Shao crossed the Yellow River and built a fortified camp south of Yanjin, sending Liu Bei and Wen Chou to offer battle. Taizu crushed them and beheaded Wen Chou; fighting again, he captured Shao's senior generals. Shao's army was badly shaken. Taizu returned to Guandu. Ju Shou spoke again: “The northern troops are many, but in daring and strength they are no match for the south; the south is short of grain, but in goods and wealth it is no match for the north. The south's advantage lies in a quick battle; the north's advantage lies in a slow contest.

紹進軍黎陽，遣顏良攻劉延於白馬。沮授又諫紹：「良性促狹，雖驍勇不可獨任。」紹不聽。太祖救延，與良戰，破斬良。¹紹渡河，壁延津南，使劉備、文醜挑戰。太祖擊破之，斬醜，再戰，禽紹大將。紹軍大震。²太祖還官渡。沮授又曰：「北兵數衆而果勁不及南，南穀虛少而貨財不及北；南利在於急戰，北利在於緩搏。

We should go slowly and hold out for a long time, letting the days and months drag on.” Shao did not follow this. Linking his camps, he advanced little by little until he pressed on Guandu, and they joined battle; Taizu's army fared badly and withdrew again behind its ramparts. Shao built tall towers and raised earthen mounds from which to shoot into the camp, so that everyone inside the camp went about covered by shields, and the troops were greatly afraid. Taizu then built catapult carts that struck Shao's towers and smashed them all; Shao's men called them “thunderbolt carts.” Shao dug tunnels, intending to fall upon Taizu's camp, and Taizu at once dug a long trench on the inside to stop them. He also sent a surprise force to attack Shao's supply carts, dealt them a crushing blow and burned all the grain.

宜徐持久，曠以日月。」紹不從。連營稍前，逼官渡，合戰，太祖軍不利，復壁。紹爲高櫓，起土山，射營中，營中皆蒙楯，衆大懼。太祖乃爲發石車，擊紹樓，皆破，紹衆號曰霹靂車。¹紹爲地道，欲襲太祖營。太祖輙於內爲長塹以拒之，又遣奇兵襲擊紹運車，大破之，盡焚其穀。

Taizu and Shao faced each other for a long time. The common people grew exhausted and destitute, many rebelled to side with Shao, and the army ran short of food. At that moment Shao sent Chunyu Qiong and others with more than ten thousand men north to meet a supply train, and Ju Shou advised Shao, “You should send the general Jiang Qi to form a separate detachment on the outer flank to cut off Lord Cao's raiders.” Again Shao did not follow this. Chunyu Qiong camped at Wuchao, forty li from Shao's army. Taizu then left Cao Hong to hold the camp and himself led five thousand foot and horse, waiting for night to steal out and attack Chunyu Qiong.

太祖與紹相持日久，百姓疲乏，多叛應紹，軍食乏。會紹遣淳于瓊等將兵萬餘人北迎運車，沮授說紹：「可遣將蔣奇別爲支軍於表，以斷曹公之鈔。」紹復不從。瓊宿烏巢，去紹軍四十里。太祖乃留曹洪守，自將步騎五千候夜潛往攻瓊。

Shao sent cavalry to the rescue, but they were beaten and fled. Taizu crushed Chunyu Qiong and the others and beheaded them all. As Taizu was returning, before he reached his camp, Shao's generals Gao Lan, Zhang He and others led their men over to him in surrender. Shao's host collapsed completely, and Shao and Yuan Tan withdrew alone on horseback and crossed the Yellow River. The remaining troops feigned surrender, and all of them were buried alive. Ju Shou, failing to cross the river with Shao, was seized by others and brought before Taizu, who treated him generously. Later he plotted to return to the Yuan and was put to death.

紹遣騎救之，敗走。破瓊等，悉斬之。太祖還，未至營，紹將高覽、張郃等率其衆降。紹衆大潰，紹與譚單騎退渡河。餘衆偽降，盡坑之。¹沮授不及紹渡，爲人所執，詣太祖，²太祖厚待之。後謀還袁氏，見殺。

Earlier, when Shao was setting out south, Tian Feng had advised him: “Lord Cao is skilled at warfare and endlessly changeable; though his troops are few, he must not be taken lightly. It would be better to wear him down over time. General, you hold the strongholds of mountain and river and command the forces of four provinces. Ally yourself with heroes abroad, cultivate farming and war at home, and then pick out your best troops and split them into surprise forces that sally out by turns wherever there is an opening, to harass the region south of the river. When he rescues his right, strike his left; when he rescues his left, strike his right. Make the enemy wear himself out rushing back and forth, and keep his people from settling to their work. We will not have tired ourselves, yet he will already be in straits; in less than two years we can win sitting down.

初，紹之南也，田豐說紹曰：「曹公善用兵，變化無方，衆雖少，未可輕也，不如以久持之。將軍據山河之固，擁四州之衆，外結英雄，內脩農戰，然後簡其精銳，分爲奇兵，乘虛迭出，以擾河南，救右則擊其左，救左則擊其右，使敵疲於奔命，民不得安業；我未勞而彼已困，不及二年，可坐克也。

To abandon now a strategy that secures victory in the temple councils and stake success or failure on a single battle—if things do not go as you wish, regret will come too late.” Shao did not follow this. When Tian Feng pressed his remonstrance earnestly, Shao grew furious, declared that he was undermining the troops' morale, and had him put in fetters. After Shao's army was defeated, someone said to Tian Feng, “You will surely be held in high regard now.” Tian Feng said, “If the army had won, I would surely have been spared. Now that the army has lost, I shall die.” When Shao returned, he said to those about him, “I did not use Tian Feng's advice, and indeed I have become his laughingstock.”

今釋廟勝之策，而決成敗於一戰，若不如志，悔無及也。」紹不從。豐懇諫，紹怒甚，以爲沮衆，械繫之。紹軍旣敗，或謂豐曰：「君必見重。」豐曰：「若軍有利，吾必全，今軍敗，吾其死矣。」紹還，謂左右曰：「吾不用田豐言，果爲所笑。」

And so he killed him. Outwardly Shao was magnanimous and refined, a man of breadth who never let worry or joy show on his face, but inwardly he was full of jealousy and malice; this is the kind of thing that happened.

遂殺之。¹紹外寬雅，有局度，憂喜不形於色，而內多忌害，皆此類也。

Many of the cities and towns of Ji Province rebelled, and Shao attacked and pacified them again. After his army's defeat he fell ill, and in the seventh year he died of grief.

冀州城邑多叛，紹復擊定之。自軍敗後發病，七年，憂死。

His Sons Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang

子　譚、熙、尚

Yuan Shao loved his youngest son Yuan Shang, who was handsome, and wanted to make him his heir, but had not yet made this known. Shen Pei and Feng Ji were contending for power with Xin Ping and Guo Tu; Shen Pei and Feng Ji sided with Shang, and Xin Ping and Guo Tu with Tan. Most people wanted to set up Tan, since he was the eldest. Shen Pei and the others feared that if Tan were installed, Xin Ping and his party would do them harm, so, invoking Shao's long-held wish, they raised up Shang to succeed Shao. When Tan arrived and found himself passed over, he styled himself General of Chariots and Cavalry. From this came the rift between Tan and Shang.

紹愛少子尚，皃美，欲以爲後而未顯。¹審配、逢紀與辛評、郭圖爭權，配、紀與尚比，評、圖與譚比。衆以譚長，欲立之。配等恐譚立而評等爲己害，緣紹素意，乃奉尚代紹位。譚至，不得立，自號車騎將軍。由是譚、尚有隙。

Taizu marched north against Tan and Shang. Tan was stationed at Liyang; Shang gave him only a few troops and sent Feng Ji to accompany him. When Tan asked for more troops, Shen Pei and the others conferred and refused. Tan was enraged and killed Feng Ji. Taizu crossed the Yellow River and attacked Tan, and Tan appealed urgently to Shang. Shang wanted to divide his forces to reinforce Tan, but feared that Tan would then seize those troops for himself; so he left Shen Pei to guard Ye and led troops in person to help Tan, holding Taizu off at Liyang. From the second month to the ninth they fought great battles beneath the walls; Tan and Shang were defeated and fell back into the city to hold it.

太祖北征譚、尚。譚軍黎陽，尚少與譚兵，而使逢紀從譚。譚求益兵，配等議不與。譚怒，殺紀。¹太祖渡河攻譚，譚告急於尚。尚欲分兵益譚，恐譚遂奪其衆，乃使審配守鄴，尚自將兵助譚，與太祖相拒於黎陽。自二月至九月，大戰城下，譚、尚敗退，入城守。

When Taizu was about to surround them, they fled by night. Pursuing them as far as Ye, he harvested their wheat and took Yinan, then led his army back to Xu. Taizu marched south against Jing Province, and his army reached Xiping. Tan and Shang then raised troops against each other; Tan was defeated and fled to Pingyuan. When Shang pressed his attack hard, Tan sent Xin Pi to Taizu to ask for help. Taizu thereupon turned back to rescue Tan and reached Liyang in the tenth month. Hearing that Taizu was coming north, Shang lifted the siege of Pingyuan and returned to Ye. His generals Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang turned against Shang and came over to Taizu, and Tan once more secretly carved generals' seals and gave them to Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang.

太祖將圍之，乃夜遁。追至鄴，收其麥，拔陰安，引軍還許。太祖南征荊州，軍至西平。譚、尚遂舉兵相攻，譚敗奔平原。尚攻之急，譚遣辛毗詣太祖請救。太祖乃還救譚，十月至黎陽。¹尚聞太祖北，釋平原還鄴。其將呂曠、呂翔叛尚歸太祖，譚復陰刻將軍印假曠、翔。

Taizu knew that Tan was playing him false, but he arranged a marriage alliance with him to put him at ease and then led his army back. Shang left Shen Pei and Su You to guard Ye and again attacked Tan at Pingyuan. Taizu advanced to attack Ye and reached the Huan River, fifty li from Ye. Su You meant to act as an insider for him, but the plot leaked; he fought Shen Pei inside the city, was defeated, and fled out to Taizu. Taizu then attacked the city and dug tunnels, and Shen Pei in turn dug trenches on the inside to meet them. Shen Pei's officer Feng Li opened a sally gate and let in more than three hundred of Taizu's men, but Shen Pei discovered this and, from atop the wall, struck the palisade gate inside the sally passage with great stones; the palisade gate shut, and all who had entered perished.

太祖知譚詐，與結婚以安之，乃引軍還。尚使審配、蘇由守鄴，復攻譚平原。太祖進軍將攻鄴，到洹水，去鄴五十里，由欲爲內應，謀泄，與配戰城中，敗，出奔太祖。太祖遂進攻之，爲地道，配亦於內作塹以當之。配將馮禮開突門，內太祖兵三百餘人，配覺之，從城上以大石擊突中柵門，柵門閉，入者皆沒。

Taizu then surrounded the city and dug a trench forty li around. At first he had it dug shallow, so that it looked as if it could be crossed. Shen Pei watched it and laughed, and did not come out to contest the advantage. In a single night Taizu had it dug out two zhang wide and two zhang deep, and he breached the Zhang River to flood the city. From the fifth month to the eighth, more than half of those in the city starved to death. Hearing that Ye was in peril, Shang led more than ten thousand men back to relieve it. He came along the Western Hills and east as far as Yangping Pavilion, seventeen li from Ye, overlooking the Fu River, and lit fires to signal the city; the city lit fires in reply.

太祖遂圍之，爲塹，周四十里，初令淺，示若可越。配望而笑之，不出爭利。太祖一夜掘之，廣深二丈，決漳水以灌之，自五月至八月，城中餓死者過半。尚聞鄴急，將兵萬餘人還救之，依西山來，東至陽平亭，去鄴十七里，臨滏水，舉火以示城中，城中亦舉火相應。

Shen Pei sent troops out on the north side of the city, meaning to join Shang in breaking the siege from both sides. Taizu met them head on; Shen Pei was beaten and went back, and Shang too was routed and fled, making camp along a bend of the Zhang, where Taizu then surrounded him. Before the ring was closed, Shang took fright and sent Yin Kui and Chen Lin to beg to surrender, but Taizu would not accept. Shang turned and fled to Lankou; Taizu advanced and again besieged him closely. His general Ma Yan and others surrendered on the battlefield, his host collapsed completely, and Shang fled to Zhongshan. Taizu took all his baggage train and obtained Shang's seal and ribbon, his credentials and battle-axe, and his clothing; when these were shown to his family, the city lost heart.

配出兵城北，欲與尚對決圍。太祖逆擊之，敗還，尚亦破走，依曲漳爲營，太祖遂圍之。未合，尚懼，遣陰夔、陳琳乞降，不聽。尚還走濫口，進復圍之急，其將馬延等臨陣降，衆大潰，尚奔中山。盡收其輜重，得尚印綬、節鉞及衣物，以示其家，城中崩沮。

Shen Pei's nephew Shen Rong, who was guarding the east gate, opened it at night and let Taizu's troops in; they fought Shen Pei inside the city and took him alive. Shen Pei's voice and bearing remained bold and unbending, and to the end he spoke no word of submission; none who saw him failed to sigh. He was then beheaded. Gao Gan surrendered Bing Province, and he was again made its Inspector.

配兄子榮守東門，夜開門內太祖兵，與配戰城中，生禽配。配聲氣壯烈，終無撓辭，見者莫不歎息。遂斬之。¹高幹以并州降，復以幹爲刺史。

While Taizu was besieging Ye, Tan seized Ganling, Anping, Bohai and Hejian and attacked Shang at Zhongshan. Shang fled to Gu'an to join Xi, and Tan took over all his troops. When Taizu prepared to punish Tan, Tan withdrew from Pingyuan, took over Nanpi, and himself encamped at Longcou. In the twelfth month Taizu brought his army to Tan's gates, but Tan would not come out; he fled by night to Nanpi and encamped on the Qing River. In the first month of the tenth year, Taizu attacked and took the place and beheaded Tan, Guo Tu and others.

太祖之圍鄴也，譚略取甘陵、安平、勃海、河間，攻尚於中山。尚走故安從熙，譚悉收其衆。太祖將討之，譚乃拔平原，并南皮，自屯龍湊。十二月，太祖軍其門，譚不出，夜遁奔南皮，臨清河而屯。十年正月，攻拔之，斬譚及圖等。

Xi and Shang were attacked by their generals Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan and fled to the Wuhuan of Liaoxi. Jiao Chu styled himself Inspector of You Province and drove the Grand Administrators of the commanderies and the prefects and chiefs of the counties to turn their backs on the Yuan and face toward Cao. He drew up several tens of thousands of troops, sacrificed a white horse to seal a covenant, and gave the order, “Whoever disobeys will be beheaded!” No one dared to speak, and one by one they smeared their lips with the blood. When it came to the Attendant Officer Han Heng, he said, “I have received great kindness from Lord Yuan and his sons. Now they are broken and ruined, and I had neither the wisdom to save them nor the courage to die for them; in righteousness I have already fallen short. As for facing north to serve the Cao, that I cannot do.”

熙、尚爲其將焦觸、張南所攻，奔遼西烏丸。觸自號幽州刺史，驅率諸郡太守令長，背袁向曹，陳兵數萬，殺白馬盟，令曰：「違命者斬！」衆莫敢語，各以次歃。至別駕韓珩，曰：「吾受袁公父子厚恩，今其破亡，智不能救，勇不能死，於義闕矣；若乃北面於曹氏，所弗能爲也。」

The whole assembly paled on Han Heng's account. Jiao Chu said, “When one launches a great undertaking, one must uphold great righteousness. Whether the enterprise succeeds does not depend on one man. Let Han Heng keep to his resolve, as an encouragement to those who serve their lords.” Gao Gan rebelled, seized the Grand Administrator of Shangdang, and raised troops to hold Hukou Pass. Yue Jin and Li Dian were sent to attack him but could not take it. In the eleventh year Taizu marched against Gao Gan. Gao Gan left his officers Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng to hold the city and went in person to the Chanyu of the Xiongnu to ask for help, but did not get it. He fled with only a few horsemen, intending to escape south to Jing Province, and the Chief Commandant of Shangluo caught him and beheaded him.

一坐爲珩失色。觸曰：「夫興大事，當立大義，事之濟否，不待一人，可卒珩志，以勵事君。」高幹叛，執上黨太守，舉兵守壺口關。遣樂進、李典擊之，未拔。十一年，太祖征幹。幹乃留其將夏昭、鄧升守城，自詣匈奴單于求救，不得，獨與數騎亡，欲南奔荊州，上洛都尉捕斬之。¹

In the twelfth year Taizu reached Liaoxi and attacked the Wuhuan. Shang and Xi fought against him alongside the Wuhuan but were defeated and fled to Liaodong, where Gongsun Kang lured them in, beheaded them and sent their heads. Taizu esteemed Han Heng's integrity and summoned him several times, but he would not come, and he died at home.

十二年，太祖至遼西擊烏丸。尚、熙與烏丸逆軍戰，敗走奔遼東，公孫康誘斬之，送其首。¹太祖高韓珩節，屢辟不至，卒於家。²

Yuan Shu

袁術

Yuan Shu, styled Gonglu, was the son of the Minister of Works Yuan Feng and a cousin of Yuan Shao. He was known for his gallant, free-spirited ways. Recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, he was appointed Gentleman of the Palace, held a succession of posts at court and in the provinces, and later became Colonel Who Breaks Assaults and General of the Household Rapid as Tigers. When Dong Zhuo was about to depose the Emperor, he made Yuan Shu General of the Rear; but Shu too feared disaster at Dong Zhuo's hands and fled to Nanyang. It happened that Sun Jian, Grand Administrator of Changsha, had killed Zhang Zi, Grand Administrator of Nanyang, so Shu was able to take over that commandery.

袁術字公路，司空逢子，紹之從弟也。以俠氣聞。舉孝廉，除郎中，歷職內外，後爲折衝校尉、虎賁中郎將。董卓之將廢帝，以術爲後將軍；術亦畏卓之禍，出奔南陽。會長沙太守孫堅殺南陽太守張咨，術得據其郡。

Nanyang had several million households and inhabitants, but Yuan Shu was extravagant, dissolute and self-indulgent, levying taxes without limit, and the common people suffered under him. Having fallen out with Yuan Shao, and being on bad terms with Liu Biao as well, he allied himself with Gongsun Zan to the north; while Shao, at odds with Gongsun Zan, allied himself with Liu Biao to the south. So divided were the brothers, forsaking those near at hand to make friends far away. Shu led his army into Chenliu. Taizu and Shao attacked him together and crushed his army. Shu fled with his remaining troops to Jiujiang, killed Chen Wen, the Inspector of Yang Province, and took charge of that province.

南陽戶口數百萬，而術奢淫肆欲，徵斂無度，百姓苦之。旣與紹有隙，又與劉表不平而北連公孫瓚；紹與瓚不和而南連劉表。其兄弟攜貳，舍近交遠如此。¹引軍入陳留。太祖與紹合擊，大破術軍。術以餘衆奔九江，殺揚州刺史陳溫，領其州。²

He made Zhang Xun, Qiao Rui and others his Grand Generals. When Li Jue entered Chang'an, seeking to win Shu as an ally, he made him General of the Left, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yangdi and granted him credentials, sending the Grand Tutor Ma Midi to confer the appointment in the course of a tour of inspection. Shu seized Ma Midi's credentials and detained him, refusing to let him go.

以張勳、橋蕤等爲大將軍。李傕入長安，欲結術爲援，以術爲左將軍，封陽翟侯，假節，遣太傅馬日磾因循行拜授。術奪日磾節，拘留不遣。¹

At this time the Chancellor of Pei was Chen Gui of Xiapi, nephew of the late Grand Commandant Chen Qiu. Yuan Shu and Chen Gui were both descendants of families of the highest ministers and had been friends since their youth, so Shu wrote to him: “In former times, when Qin lost its grip on government, the heroes of the realm fought to seize it, and the one who combined wisdom and courage in the end won the allegiance of all. Now the affairs of the age are in turmoil and things are again falling apart like broken tiles; this is truly a time for men of outstanding talent to act. You and I are old friends—surely you will stand by me?

時沛相下邳陳珪，故太尉球弟子也。術與珪俱公族子孫，少共交游，書與珪曰：「昔秦失其政，天下羣雄爭而取之，兼智勇者卒受其歸。今世事紛擾，復有瓦解之勢矣，誠英乂有爲之時也。與足下舊交，豈肯左右之乎？

If the great enterprise is achieved, you will truly be my heart and backbone.” Chen Gui's second son Chen Ying was then at Xiapi, and Shu also threatened Ying and took him hostage, determined to bring Gui over. Gui replied: “At the end of Qin, the rulers gave free rein to cruelty and indulged their passions; their tyranny flowed across the realm and their poison afflicted the people, so that those below could no longer bear their commands, and the dynasty collapsed like crumbling earth. Although ours is a declining age, it has no disorder like the harsh tyranny of the doomed Qin. General Cao, with godlike martial gifts, has answered the call of the times and restored the laws and institutions; that he will sweep away the wicked and bring order and peace to all within the seas, there are true signs indeed.

若集大事，子實爲吾心膂。」珪中子應時在下邳，術並脅質應，圖必致珪。珪荅書曰：「昔秦末世，肆暴恣情，虐流天下，毒被生民，下不堪命，故遂土崩。今雖季世，未有亡秦苛暴之亂也。曹將軍神武應期，興復典刑，將撥平凶慝，清定海內，信有徵矣。

I had thought that you ought to join your strength and heart with others to set right and support the house of Han; instead you secretly plot sedition and put your own life at the hazard of disaster. Is this not grievous! If you realize your error and turn back, you may yet escape. Because I am among your old acquaintances, I tell you my true feelings; though they may grate on your ears, they are a kindness like putting flesh back on bones. But if you wish me to pursue private gain and fawn upon you, that I will not do though it cost me my life.”

以爲足下當戮力同心，匡翼漢室，而陰謀不軌，以身試禍，豈不痛哉！若迷而知反，尚可以免。吾備舊知，故陳至情，雖逆於耳，肉骨之惠也。欲吾營私阿附，有犯死不能也。」

In the winter of the second year of Xingping, the Emperor was defeated at Caoyang. Yuan Shu gathered his subordinates and said to them, “The house of Liu is now weak and feeble, and all within the seas seethes like a boiling cauldron. For four generations my family has served as ministers supporting the throne, and the people look to us. I wish to answer Heaven and follow the will of the people; what do you gentlemen think?” No one dared reply. The Registrar Yan Xiang came forward and said, “In ancient times, from Hou Ji down to King Wen, Zhou accumulated virtue and piled up merit until it held two thirds of the realm, yet it still served Yin.

興平二年冬，天子敗於曹陽。術會羣下謂曰：「今劉氏微弱，海內鼎沸。吾家四世公輔，百姓所歸，欲應天順民，於諸君意如何？」衆莫敢對。主簿閻象進曰：「昔周自后稷至于文王，積德累功，參分天下有其二，猶服事殷。

Though your family, my lord, has flourished for generations, it does not match the splendor of Zhou; and though the house of Han is weak, it is not so tyrannical as Zhou of Yin.” Shu fell silent and was displeased. Using the portents interpreted by Zhang Jiong of Henei, he at last usurped the imperial title and made the Grand Administrator of Jiujiang the Intendant of Huainan. He appointed ministers and nobles and sacrificed at the southern and northern suburban altars. His extravagance grew ever worse: the several hundred women of his harem all wore fine silks and had fine grain and meat to spare, while his soldiers froze and starved; the land between the Yangtze and the Huai was stripped bare, and people ate one another.

明公雖奕世克昌，未若有周之盛，漢室雖微，未若殷紂之暴也。」術嘿然不悅。用河內張烱之符命，遂僭號，¹以九江太守爲淮南尹。置公卿，祠南北郊。荒侈滋甚，後宮數百皆服綺縠，餘粱肉，²而士卒凍餒，江淮間空盡，人民相食。

Yuan Shu, first crushed by Lü Bu and then defeated by Taizu, fled to his retainers Lei Bo and Chen Lan at Mount Qian, but was turned away by them as well, and in his anxiety and fear he did not know where to turn. He meant to hand over his imperial title to Yuan Shao and wished to go to Qing Province to join Yuan Tan, but he fell ill and died on the road. His wife and children took refuge with his former subordinate Liu Xun, Grand Administrator of Lujiang; when Sun Ce defeated Liu Xun, they were taken in and cared for once more. Shu's daughter entered Sun Quan's palace, his son Yuan Yao was made Gentleman of the Palace, and Yuan Yao's daughter was in turn married to Sun Quan's son Sun Fen.

術前爲呂布所破，後爲太祖所敗，奔其部曲雷薄、陳蘭於灊山，復爲所拒，憂懼不知所出。將歸帝號於紹，欲至青州從袁譚，發病道死。¹妻子依術故吏廬江太守劉勳，孫策破勳，復見收視。術女入孫權宮，子燿拜郎中，燿女又配於權子奮。

Liu Biao

劉表

Liu Biao, styled Jingsheng, was a man of Gaoping in Shanyang. He was well known from his youth and was counted among the Eight Paragons. He stood over eight chi tall and had a most imposing appearance. From a clerk on the Grand General's staff he became Inspector of the Northern Army. When Emperor Ling died, he replaced Wang Rui as Inspector of Jing Province. At this time troops rose up east of the mountains, and Liu Biao too gathered troops and stationed them at Xiangyang.

劉表字景升，山陽高平人也。少知名，號八俊。¹長八尺餘，姿皃甚偉。以大將軍掾爲北軍中候。靈帝崩，代王叡爲荊州刺史。是時山東兵起，表亦合兵軍襄陽。²

When Yuan Shu was in Nanyang, he joined forces with Sun Jian, intending to seize Liu Biao's province by surprise, and had Sun Jian attack Liu Biao. Sun Jian was struck by a stray arrow and killed, and his army was defeated, so Shu was never able to overcome Liu Biao. When Li Jue and Guo Si entered Chang'an, seeking to win Liu Biao as an ally, they made him General Who Guards the South and Imperial Protector of Jing Province, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Chengwu and granted him credentials. After the Emperor made Xu his capital, Liu Biao sent envoys with tribute, but to the north he remained allied with Yuan Shao.

袁術之在南陽也，與孫堅合從，欲襲奪表州，使堅攻表。堅爲流矢所中死，軍敗，術遂不能勝表。李傕、郭汜入長安，欲連表爲援，乃以表爲鎮南將軍、荊州牧，封成武侯，假節。天子都許，表雖遣使貢獻，然北與袁紹相結。

The Headquarters Officer Deng Xi remonstrated with Liu Biao, but Biao would not listen; Deng Xi pleaded illness and withdrew, and stayed away for the rest of Biao's life. Zhang Ji led troops into the borders of Jing Province and attacked the city of Rang, where he was struck by a stray arrow and killed. The officials of Jing Province all offered congratulations, but Liu Biao said, “Zhang Ji came here in desperate straits, and his host failed in courtesy so that it came to crossing blades. This was not the Protector's intention. The Protector accepts condolences, not congratulations.” He sent men to take in Zhang Ji's troops, and the troops, hearing of this, were glad and submitted to him. When Zhang Xian, Grand Administrator of Changsha, rebelled against Liu Biao, Biao besieged him but could not take the city for years on end.

治中鄧羲諫表，表不聽，¹羲辭疾而退，終表之世。張濟引兵入荊州界，攻穰城，爲流矢所中死。荊州官屬皆賀，表曰：「濟以窮來，主人無禮，至於交鋒，此非牧意，牧受弔，不受賀也。」使人納其衆；衆聞之喜，遂服從。長沙太守張羨叛表，²表圍之連年不下。

When Zhang Xian died of illness, Changsha set up his son Zhang Yi in his place. Liu Biao at last attacked Zhang Yi and absorbed his territory; to the south he took Lingling and Guiyang, to the north he held the Han River valley, and his lands stretched several thousand li, with more than a hundred thousand armored troops.

羨病死，長沙復立其子懌，表遂攻并懌，南收零、桂，北據漢川，地方數千里，帶甲十餘萬。¹

When Taizu and Yuan Shao were locked in their standoff at Guandu, Shao sent men to ask Liu Biao for help. Biao agreed but never came, nor did he aid Taizu; he meant to hold the lands between the Yangtze and the Han and watch how things turned out in the realm. The Attendant Gentleman Han Song and the Attendant Officer Liu Xian advised him: “While the heroes contend together and the two champions are locked in a standoff, the balance of the realm rests with you, General. If you wish to act, rise up and take advantage of their exhaustion; if not, you must certainly choose whom to follow.

太祖與袁紹方相持於官渡，紹遣人求助，表許之而不至，亦不佐太祖，欲保江漢間，觀天下變。從事中郎韓嵩、別駕劉先說表曰：「豪傑並爭，兩雄相持，天下之重在於將軍。將軍若欲有爲，起乘其弊可也；若不然，固將擇所從。

You command a host of a hundred thousand, General, yet you sit at ease and look on. Now, if you see a worthy man and cannot help him, and one who asks for friendship cannot obtain it, both grievances will surely fall upon you, and you will not be able to remain neutral. With Lord Cao's wisdom and discernment, the worthy and talented men of the realm all flock to him; the tide is such that he is sure to overthrow Yuan Shao, and when he afterward turns his troops toward the Yangtze and the Han, we fear you will not be able to withstand him. Therefore, if we are to lay plans for you, General, nothing is better than to bring the whole province over to Lord Cao. Lord Cao will surely value you and be grateful to you; you will long enjoy good fortune and hand it down to your heirs. This is the plan that is safe in every way.”

將軍擁十萬之衆，安坐而觀望。夫見賢而不能助，請和而不得，此兩怨必集於將軍，將軍不得中立矣。夫以曹公之明哲，天下賢俊皆歸之，其勢必舉袁紹，然後稱兵以向江漢，恐將軍不能禦也。故爲將軍計者，不若舉州以附曹公，曹公必重德將軍；長享福祚，垂之後嗣，此萬全之策也。」

Liu Biao's senior general Kuai Yue also urged this on him, but Biao hesitated, suspicious as a fox, and sent Han Song to Taizu to see how things really stood. When Han Song returned, he spoke at length of Taizu's might and virtue and urged Biao to send a son as a hostage. Biao suspected that Han Song had turned into Taizu's advocate and, in a great rage, meant to kill him; he had those who had gone with Han Song interrogated to death, and only when he learned that Han Song had no ulterior motive did he desist. Though outwardly Biao had the air of a refined scholar, at heart he was full of suspicion and jealousy; this is the kind of thing that happened.

表大將蒯越亦勸表，表狐疑，乃遣嵩詣太祖以觀虛實。嵩還，深陳太祖威德，說表遣子入質。表疑嵩反爲太祖說，大怒，欲殺嵩，考殺隨嵩行者，知嵩無他意，乃止。¹表雖外皃儒雅，而心多疑忌，皆此類也。

When Liu Bei fled to Liu Biao, Biao treated him generously but could not make use of him. In the thirteenth year of Jian'an, Taizu marched against Liu Biao, but before he arrived Biao died of illness.

劉備奔表，表厚待之，然不能用。¹建安十三年，太祖征表，未至，表病死。

His Youngest Son Liu Cong

少子　琮

Earlier, Liu Biao and his wife had loved their youngest son Liu Cong and wanted to make him heir, and Cai Mao and Zhang Yun formed his faction. So the eldest son Liu Qi was sent out as Grand Administrator of Jiangxia, and the others at length raised up Liu Cong as successor. From then on Liu Qi and Liu Cong were bitter enemies. Kuai Yue, Han Song, the Official of the Eastern Bureau Fu Xun and others urged Liu Cong to submit to Taizu, but Liu Cong said, “Why should I not, together with you gentlemen, hold the whole land of Chu, preserve the legacy of my late father, and watch how things go in the realm?”

初，表及妻愛少子琮，欲以爲後，而蔡瑁、張允爲之支黨，乃出長子琦爲江夏太守，衆遂奉琮爲嗣。琦與琮遂爲讎隙。¹越、嵩及東曹掾傅巽等說琮歸太祖，琮曰：「今與諸君據全楚之地，守先君之業，以觀天下，何爲不可乎？」

Fu Xun replied, “Rebellion and obedience follow fundamental principles, and strength and weakness follow fixed circumstances. For a subject to resist his sovereign is rebellion; to hold off the state with a newly founded Chu is beyond your strength; and to pit Liu Bei against Lord Cao is likewise beyond your strength. With all three against you, to try to withstand the spearhead of the royal army is the sure road to ruin. General, how do you judge yourself compared with Liu Bei?” Liu Cong said, “I am not his equal.” Fu Xun said, “If Liu Bei truly cannot withstand Lord Cao, then even if you hold the land of Chu you will not be able to survive. If Liu Bei truly can withstand Lord Cao, then Liu Bei will not remain beneath you.

巽對曰：「逆順有大體，彊弱有定勢。以人臣而拒人主，逆也；以新造之楚而禦國家，其勢弗當也；以劉備而敵曹公，又弗當也。三者皆短，欲以抗王兵之鋒，必亡之道也。將軍自料何與劉備？」琮曰：「吾不若也。」巽曰：「誠以劉備不足禦曹公乎，則雖保楚之地，不足以自存也；誠以劉備足禦曹公乎，則備不爲將軍下也。

I beg you, General, have no doubts.” When Taizu's army reached Xiangyang, Liu Cong surrendered the whole province. Liu Bei fled to Xiakou.

願將軍勿疑。」太祖軍到襄陽，琮舉州降。備走奔夏口。¹

Taizu made Liu Cong Inspector of Qing Province and enfeoffed him as a full marquis. Fifteen men, Kuai Yue among them, were made marquises. Kuai Yue became Minister of the Household, Han Song Grand Herald, Deng Xi Palace Attendant and Liu Xian Director of the Secretariat, and most of the rest rose to high office.

太祖以琮爲青州刺史、封列侯。¹蒯越等侯者十五人。越爲光祿勳；²嵩，大鴻臚；³羲，侍中；⁴先，尚書令；其餘多至大官。⁵

Appraisal

評

Appraisal: Dong Zhuo was wolfish and cruel, violent, tyrannical and without humanity; since writing was invented there has probably never been his like. Yuan Shu was extravagant, dissolute and unbridled; that his glory did not last out his own lifetime was his own doing. Yuan Shao and Liu Biao both had an imposing presence and the bearing of men of capacity, and were renowned in their age. Biao bestrode the lands south of the Han, and Shao soared like a hawk north of the Yellow River; yet both were magnanimous without and jealous within, fond of scheming but unable to decide, possessed of talented men but unable to use them, hearing good advice but unable to accept it. They set aside the rightful heir to raise up a lesser son, abandoning propriety for favoritism; that their successors stumbled and fell and their states were overturned was no mere misfortune.

評曰：董卓狼戾賊忍，暴虐不仁，自書契以來，殆未之有也。¹袁術奢淫放肆，榮不終己，自取之也。²袁紹、劉表咸有威容、器觀，知名當世。表跨蹈漢南，紹鷹揚河朔，然皆外寬內忌，好謀無決，有才而不能用，聞善而不能納，廢嫡立庶，舍禮崇愛，至于後嗣顛蹙，社稷傾覆，非不幸也。

In ancient times Xiang Yu turned his back on Fan Zeng's counsel and so lost his royal enterprise; Yuan Shao's killing of Tian Feng went far beyond even what Xiang Yu did!

昔項羽背范增之謀，以喪其王業；紹之殺田豐，乃甚於羽遠矣！