Background

Li Decheng was born in 863, during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang. He was from Guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu — although an alternative account indicated that he was from Xihua (西華, in modern Zhoukou, Henan). In his youth, he came under the service of the late-Tang warlord Zhao Huang, who was then the governor (觀察使, Guangchashi) of Xuanshe Circuit (宣歙, headquartered in modern Xuancheng, Anhui).

As of 889, Zhao and his capital Xuan Prefecture (宣州) were under the siege by another warlord, Yang Xingmi the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei, Anhui). The siege became desperate enough that Zhao's officer Zhou Jinsi (周進思) expelled Zhao and defended the city himself. Zhao tried to flee to Guangling (which was then under the control of the greater warlord Sun Ru, who then ruled Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered at Guangling)), but was captured by Yang (and subsequently executed). It was said that during Zhao's expulsion and capture, only Li and another officer, Han Qiu (韓球), did not abandon him, and apparently were also captured by Yang. Yang was set to send Li back into the city to try to persuade Zhou to surrender, but Li fell ill at that time, so Yang sent Han, whom Zhou promptly executed. However, the other officers in the city soon seized Zhou and surrendered. Impressed with Li, Yang gave the daughter of a clansman to him in marriage.

Service under Yang Xingmi during Tang

Yang Xingmi took over Xuanshe, which then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong (Emperor Yizong's son) then upgraded into Ningguo Circuit (寧國) and made Yang its military governor (Jiedushi). Yang then entered into an alliance with the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), against Sun Ru. In 891, Sun, believing that he should destroy Yang first, decided to abandon Guangling and take his entire army south against Yang's Ningguo army. He thus set fire to the city of Guangling and departed it. In the aftermaths of the city's burning, Yang sent Zhang Xun (張訓) and Li Decheng to Guangling, to put out the fires in the city and to save the grain there so that the people would not starve. Subsequently, when another warlord, Shi Pu the military governor of Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) tried to head south to take over Huainan, Yang sent Li and Zhang Xun to face him, and they defeated and repelled him at Chu Prefecture (楚州, in modern Huai'an, Jiangsu), forcing him to withdraw; they also then used this opportunity to seize Chu's prefect Liu Zan (劉瓚) and take over that prefecture for Yang. Yang later defeated Sun, took over Huainan, and eventually took the entire region.

In 903, Tian Jun the military governor of Ningguo and An Renyi (安仁義) the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Run Prefecture (潤州, in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), both Yang's vassals, jointly rose in rebellion against him. Tian was soon defeated and killed by Yang's general Tai Meng (臺濛), and another Yang general, Wang Maozhang then put Run under siege, but because An was a capable defender, the city's defense held up to spring 905, when Wang's forces finally entered the city by digging a tunnel in. Nevertheless, An held out in a tower, and initially, the Huainan forces did not dare to approach it. However, as Li, who participated in the siege effort, remained civil to An throughout the siege whereas the other Huainan generals were insulting, An stated to him, "You are polite. I am going to make myself your accomplishment." An then descended the tower, surrendered to Li, and further gave his favorite concubine to Li. Li delivered him and his sons to Guangling, where they were executed. Yang then commissioned Li as the prefect of Run.

During Hongnong/Wu

Later, by which time Tang had fallen and Yang Xingmi's domain, which was ruled successively by his sons Yang Wo and Yang Longyan, became known as Hongnong, and then Wu. However, the power soon fell effectively into the hands of the regent Xu Wen, as he and another general, Zhang Hao, had assassinated Yang Wo, and he then killed Zhang and supported Yang Longyan as Yang Wo's successor. As Li, as the prefect of Run, had a habit of visiting the area outside the city at night, Xu came to suspect him of plotting against Xu's governance, and therefore moved him to Jiang Prefecture (江州, in modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi). Realizing that Xu suspected him, Li sent his fourth son Li Jianxun to pay homage to Xu. Xu was impressed by Li Jianxun's studiousness, and believed that this showed Li Decheng was not intending rebellion. He further gave a daughter to Li Jianxun in marriage.

Li Decheng was later made the military governor of Weiwu Circuit (威武, somewhat of an honorary title, as Weiwu was traditionally headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian, then under the control of Wu's southeastern neighbor Min) and put in charge of Fu Prefecture (撫州, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi — not the same Fuzhou as Weiwu's traditional headquarter site). While he was at Fu, there was an occasion when the arrogant junior regent Xu Zhixun (Xu Wen's oldest biological son), hearing that Li had many singing girls in his household, demanded that Li give some to him. When Li responded that these singing girls were too old for Xu and that he would try to find younger and more beautiful ones for Xu, Xu responded to Li's messenger, "One day I will kill Li Decheng and take even his wife!" (However, this threat was never carried out, as Xu Zhixun himself was thereafter assassinated by the general Zhu Jin and replaced by his far more civil adoptive brother Xu Zhigao.) At some point (unclear when), another marital connection was made between the two families, as one of Li's daughters married Xu Zhigao's son Xu Jingda.

In 919, when Yang Longyan declared himself the King of Wu (as an independent ruler away from any titles bestowed by the now defunct Tang state), Li Decheng was given the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) and Pingnan Dajiangjun (平南大將軍). Shortly after, he was transferred to Baisheng Circuit (百勝, headquartered in modern Ganzhou, Jiangxi). Later, during the Dahe era (929-935) of Yang Longyan's brother and successor Yang Pu (who was then carrying the title of emperor), Li was made the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi). It was said that while Li had no great accomplishments on the battlefield, his seniority allowed him to become greatly honored.

By 936, Xu Zhigao, who was then senior regent, was planning to have Yang Pu yield the throne to him. As he believed Li and Zhou Ben to be the most senior generals of the realm and that having their outward support would affirm his power, he had them go to Guangling to lead the officials in petitioning Yang Pu to do so, and then go to Jinling (where Xu was then stationed as regent) to petition him to accept. This led the senior official Song Qiqiu, who was a long-time friend of Xu's but opposed all this, to state to Li Jianxun, "Your honored father was a great contributor to Emperor Taizu Yang Xingmi), but now his accomplishments are destroyed." Song also apparently wrote a letter to Li, trying to stop him. However, Xu soon accepted the throne, ending Wu and starting Southern Tang.

During Southern Tang

After Xu Zhigao took the throne, he feasted with the high-level officials, and at the feast, Li Decheng showed Song Qiqiu's letter to him. However, Xu refused to read it, although Song nevertheless apologized. Xu bestowed on Li Decheng the honorary title Taishi (太師) and created him the Prince of Nanping.

After the transition, for some time, Yang Pu, whom Xu still honored with the title of "Rang Huang" (讓皇, "emperor who yielded"), continued to reside at Wu's former palace at Guangling, but he was apprehensive and wanted to move out. Li Decheng also spoke in favor of moving Yang, and thereafter Xu sent Li Jianxun to Guangling to escort Yang and his family to the inner city of Run Prefecture, which Xu renamed Danyang Palace to serve as the Yang family's residence.

In 939, Xu Zhigao changed his family name back from his adoptive family name of Xu to his original family name of Li and also took on a new personal name of Bian. A controversy thereafter evolved whether Xu Jingda, whose name was also then changed to Li Jingda, then the Prince of Xin, could remain married to Li Decheng's daughter, as Chinese traditions against endogamy prohibited the marriage between persons of the same family name. Li Bian issued an edict stating that due to the great accomplishments of Li Decheng, the marriage should remain intact; rather, he ordered that the Princess of Xin use Nanping as her family name.

Li Decheng was later given the greater title of Prince of Zhao. He died in 940.

Notes and references

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 7.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 258, 259, 265, 270, 280, 281.

家世

李德誠生于唐懿宗咸通四年（863年），廣陵人，一作西華人。年輕時效力唐末宣歙觀察使趙鍠為給使。

龍紀元年（889年），趙鍠及其軍部宣州被另一軍閥廬州刺史楊行密所圍攻，陷入絕境，五月，趙鍠部下指揮使周進思驅逐趙鍠，自己守城。趙鍠試圖逃到當時在控制淮南的更大的軍閥孫儒控制下的廣陵，但被楊行密俘，後被其所殺。趙鍠被逐到被俘這段時間，只有李德誠和韓球兩位給使沒有離開他，二人也一同被俘。趙鍠準備派李德誠回宣州試圖說服周進思投降，李德誠突然得熱病，于是楊行密派韓球去，韓球當即被周進思處決。而李德誠當夜就病癒了，人們都以為是異事。楊行密認為李德誠是義士，把宗女嫁給他。

唐朝年間效力楊行密

楊行密接管宣歙，後來唐昭宗升宣歙為寧國軍，任楊行密為節度使。楊行密與大軍閥宣武軍節度使朱全忠結盟，對抗孫儒。大順二年（891年）七月，孫儒認為應該先滅楊行密，決定棄廣陵，率全軍南下對抗楊行密的寧國軍。他因此火燒廣陵城並離開。楊行密派張訓和李德誠兩位別將潛入廣陵城救火，滅余火，收割谷數十萬斛，賑濟饑民。景福元年（892年）三月，另一軍閥感化軍節度使時溥試圖接管淮南，遣兵三萬南下到楚州，四月，張訓、李德誠在壽河打敗感化軍，俘斬三千級，並攻取楚州，擒其刺史劉瓚。楊行密後打敗孫儒，接管了淮南，最終占據了整個淮南地區。

李德誠常隨從楊行密征討，積功為馬步軍使。光化元年（898年）九月，鎮海、鎮東軍節度使錢鏐部將顧全武攻蘇州，城中守軍和援兵都把糧食吃完了，李德誠與刺史台濛棄城而走，援兵也退去，蘇州被顧全武所克。天複三年（903年），楊行密的下屬寧國軍節度使田頵和潤州團練使安仁義聯合起事背叛他。田頵很快被時任漣水制置使台濛敗殺，楊行密另一將潤州行營招討使王茂章圍攻潤州，但因安仁義善守，城防一直支撐到天祐二年（905年）正月王茂章軍挖地道入城。安仁義拿著弓箭登上城樓坐著，淮南軍不敢逼近。但因參與圍城的李德誠在整個圍城期間其他淮南將領罵安仁義時仍禮待他，當李德誠到後，安仁義召他登樓，說：「你有禮，且有奇特的面相，他日必然大貴。我現在把我作為你的功勞。」且把愛妾贈予他，把弓箭擲在地上，李德誠挾持安仁義下樓，將他及其諸子送到廣陵，安仁義父子就在那裡被斬。楊行密後以李德誠有功，當年不遲于九月任為潤州留後、刺史。

弘農/吳國年間

楊行密死後，其轄區先後由其子楊渥和楊隆演統治，在唐朝滅亡後史稱弘農，後稱吳國。但左牙指揮使徐溫與右牙指揮使張顥殺楊渥，徐溫又擁立楊隆演、殺張顥、攝政，政權實際上很快落入徐溫手中。李德誠在潤州習慣秉燭夜出，被候者報告徐溫，徐溫懷疑他要生變，將他遷到江州。李德誠知道被徐溫懷疑，派第四子李建勳去徐溫處謁見。徐溫見了李建勳，體會到李德誠的用心，嘆道：「有這樣的兒子，不是惡人。」相信李德誠不會背叛了。他還把一個女兒（後來的廣德公主）嫁給李建勳。

李德誠後被任為威武軍節度使（榮銜，因威武軍在吳東南鄰國閩國治下），十一年（914年）知撫州，並在疏山以東用自己的俸祿為白雲禪院置辦一所莊園。期間，傲慢的徐溫親生長子少攝政徐知訓得知李德誠有數十家妓，向他索要。李德誠派使者道歉：「我家的家妓都年長，有的有孩子了，不足以侍奉貴人，我會另外為公尋找更年輕更美麗的。」徐知訓怒，對使者說：「有一天我會殺了李德誠，把他妻子也取來！」但天祐十五年（918年）六月，徐知訓本人就被將領平盧節度使、同平章事、諸道副都統朱瑾所殺，被更有禮貌的養兄徐知誥取代。李德誠有門客，能說天文，一天對李德誠說：「昨夜天象大異，揚州當流血無限，朝貴多陷首穴骨。」後來考証，那就是朱瑾殺徐知訓那一夜。李德誠的一個女兒又嫁給徐知誥的兒子徐景達。

十六年（919年），楊隆演稱吳國王，以示脫離已滅亡的唐朝所授爵位，為獨立統治者。李德誠被加平南大將軍、中書令。順義元年（921年），撫州升級為昭武軍節度使治所，故李德誠為昭武軍節度使。六年（926年）遷百勝軍節度使。楊隆演弟楊溥繼位後稱帝，大和六年（934年）不早于五月，李德誠被改任為鎮南軍節度使。李德誠沒有戰場上的大功，但因年長和婚姻關係而受到很大的尊榮。

翰林學士殷文圭晚年很貪財，一日草詔以李德誠為司空，但潤筆費久不至，于是作詩催促：「紫殿西頭月欲斜，曾草臨淮上將麻；潤筆已曾經奏謝，更將章句問張華。」因此為時人所貶低。

天祚二年（936年）十二月，已是攝政的徐知誥計劃迫楊溥禪位于自己。時為鎮南軍節度使、太尉兼中書令的李德誠是侍奉楊氏最久的人，徐知誥認為李德誠和德勝軍節度使兼中書令周本都是國內名位最隆重的將領，取得他們的外在支持可以鞏固自己的權力，于是讓他們去廣陵率諸將上表陳說徐知誥功德、要楊溥禪位，再去徐知誥駐紮的金陵上表要他受禪。徐知誥的老朋友宰相宋齊丘反對這些舉動，因此對李建勳說：「尊公是太祖（即楊行密）的元勛，但現在他的功勳掃地了。」宋齊丘也寫信給李德誠，試圖阻止他勸進（《十國紀年》作宋齊丘給宗信寫信要宗信勸止李德誠）。但三年（937年）八月，李德誠在李建勳謀劃下去金陵勸進；十月，已改名徐誥的徐知誥很快受禪，代吳，建立南唐。

南唐年間

徐誥登基後，在天泉閣宴請群臣，席間，李德誠說：「陛下應天順人，惟宋齊丘不樂。」並出示宋齊丘給他的信。但徐誥沒有看，宋齊丘頓首謝罪。徐誥拜李德誠為太師，封南平王。

禪位後仍被徐誥尊為「讓皇」的楊溥一度繼續住在吳國廣陵舊宮，他堅持不肯繼續住，昇元二年（938年）四月屢次請求遷居別處；李德誠等也引用漢朝、隋朝故事，請求遷居他。五月，徐誥派時為同平章事的李建勳為迎奉讓皇使，去廣陵迎接楊溥一家到潤州牙城，改潤州牙城為丹楊宮，作為楊氏的居所。

三年（939年），徐誥改回本姓李，改名李昪。當時受封信王的徐景達也因而改名李景達。有司認為李景達與李德誠女的婚姻犯了同姓內婚之禁。李昪下詔稱因南平王李德誠是國之元老，不可離婚，令信王妃以「南平」為氏。

當年四月，李德誠又被進封為趙王。李德誠的富貴和高壽世人罕及，但為人謙恭沉厚，終始如一。昇元年間，他從洪州入覲金陵時，李昪因他父子都有佐命之功而優禮他，遣內夫人在路上迎接慰勞，百官排班在都門謁見他，入對之日，朝堂設置帳棚等待他，每有大事，都派宰相去他家諮詢。四年（940年）六月薨，李昪為此廢朝五日，謚忠懿。有子二十八人，李建勳為相，不結黨，李建封為將，死于國事，君子善之；李德誠妻楊氏封滕國君，當世以為榮。李德誠其餘諸子也都任要職。

李德誠另有兩女先後嫁給清淮軍節度、壽州觀察處置等使劉崇俊，後嫁者封隴西郡君。

軼聞

鄭文寶《南唐近事》載：李德誠為趙王、鎮南軍節度使時，有占卜者自稱一眼就能分清世人貴賤。李德誠就使女妓數人與妻滕國君作一樣的妝容服飾一起站在庭中，請占卜者分辨貴賤。占卜者彎下身說：「國君頭上有黃雲。」群妓不知不覺都抬頭看滕國君的頭頂，占卜者說：「這就是國君。」李德誠高興，打發他走了。

評價

• 《十國春秋》論曰：周本、李德誠俱楊氏勛臣，位列通顯，或則抱徐廣流涕之心，或則效范雲勸進之術，跡雖不殊，而其志亦略異焉。王安以器度稱，王輿以長厚見，歷仕二姓，功績爛然，要未可與南平（即李德誠）同日語矣。

參考