To his lordship Wang, Commander in Chief at Huazhou滑州都統王令公
1Congratulations on Wang Duo becoming Commander in Chief
伏見制書。伏承榮加內史之任。暫執元戎之權。往鎭雄藩。誓殲窮寇。佇復宮闕。則歸廟堂。九重之倚賴如山。八表之歡呼動地。而況令公志勤捧日。力贍補天。三秉台衡。兩分戎律。入則建蕭何之功業。出則振黃霸之恩威。此皆群議稱揚。不假拙辭贊詠。今者聖上以叛徒乘便。尙敢侜張。諸道徵師。互相逗撓。蠢彼之姦兇未弭。赫斯之憤怒良深。遂輟股肱。遠資心膂。蔿敖宰楚。設前茅後勁之規。管仲相齊。致九合一匡之譽。是以。榮轉西臺左相。請爲東道主人。儒武全材。古今罕遇。伏想近承睿略。嚴令諸侯。誠知白馬封疆幸而獲賴。必料蒼鵝群黨困不能飛。卽當立剗梟巢。去迎鑾駕。海晏而永興龍德。池淸而再睹鳳儀。凡在含靈。皆增係望。某靜思奮擊。動見悔尤。四隣多是異心。十道竟誰同力。今所以自賀者。得逢知己。親摠貞師。巧脣無所構之端。壯膽有可傾之處。唯冀遙稟大將軍之命。用勵驍雄。仰憑眞宰相之威。永除妖孼。末由陳賀。下情不任欣慰瞻攀虔祝云云。
I have humbly seen the decree. I learn that you have been given in glory the office of Director of the Palace Secretariat, that you hold for a time the power of the commander in chief, that you go to guard a great frontier command, that you have sworn to destroy the cornered bandits, and that when the palace is recovered you will return to the council hall. What the Ninefold Deep leans upon is firm as a mountain, and the cheering of the eight quarters shakes the earth. Still more so since your lordship is diligent in the purpose of upholding the sun and has strength enough to mend the sky. Three times you have held the scales of state, and twice you have shared the law of arms. Within, you built the work of Xiao He. Without, you shook out the grace and awe of Huang Ba. All this the crowd praises with one voice, and there is no need of my poor words to sing of it. Now the sagely one sees that the rebel crowd has taken its chance and still dares to work its deceits, and that the soldiers levied from the several circuits hold back and hinder one another. That crawling villainy is not yet put down, and his blazing anger is deep indeed. So he has given up one of his own right-hand men and drawn from afar upon a trusted mainstay. It is as when Sun Shu’ao was minister of Chu and set the rule of scouts in front and strong men behind, and as when Guan Zhong was minister of Qi and won the fame of nine gatherings and one setting right. Therefore you have moved in glory to be Left Chancellor of the Western Terrace, and have asked to be host of the eastern road. A man complete in learning and in arms is rarely met with, now or long ago. I think that you have lately received the sagely plan and laid strict commands upon the lords. I know well that the borders of White Horse are fortunate to have such help, and I reckon that the flocks of the gray goose will be too hard pressed to fly. You will straightway level the owls' nest and go to meet the imperial carriage, so that the sea grows calm and the dragon's virtue rises forever, and the pool grows clear and the phoenix bearing is seen once more. All that holds breath and spirit looks to you the more for it. When I think quietly of striking out, I see nothing but regret in the moving. On my four sides most have hearts of their own, and among the ten circuits who in the end will join his strength to mine? The reason I give myself joy now is that I have met one who knows me, and that he leads an upright army himself, so that clever lips have nothing to build their tales upon and a stout heart has somewhere to pour itself out. I hope only to receive from afar the commands of the great general and so press on my bold and strong men, and to lean upon the awe of a true minister and wipe out that baleful brood for good. I have no way to come and offer my congratulations. Your servant's heart cannot bear the gladness, the comfort, the looking up and holding fast, and the reverent prayer, and so on.
Interlinear notes 1
The received text has Wei Ao (蔿敖), which is another name for Sun Shu’ao, so Sun Shu’ao is written here. — tr.