Background

It is not known when Feng Yanlu was born, but as his older half-brother Feng Yanji was born in 903, he must have been born after. His birth ___location was likewise uncertain, but whereas Feng Yanji was described as "from Guangling" (广陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) in Feng Yanji's biography in the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms and Feng Yanlu's biography in the same work was silent, Feng Yanlu's biography in the History of Song described his ancestors as from Pengcheng (彭城, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) but his home as Xin'an (新安, in modern Huangshan, Anhui) — apparently coinciding with his father Feng Lingjun (冯令頵)'s service as the secretary of the bureau of salt and iron monopolies at She Prefecture (歙州, i.e., Xin'an), during Southern Tang's predecessor state Wu, suggesting that Feng Yanlu was born while, or around the time, Feng Lingjun served there. (Feng Yanlu's mother was described as Feng Yanji's stepmother, so Feng Lingjun probably married her after Feng Yanji's mother's death, although that is not completely clear.) While Feng Yanji and Feng Yanlu were half-brothers and would eventually be political allies, they did not have a good relationship, and neither did Feng Yanji with Feng Yanlu's mother.

In his youth, Feng Yanlu was known for his literary talent. During the reign of Southern Tang's founding emperor Li Bian, both he and Feng Yanji served on the staff of Li Bian's oldest son Li Jing. While serving at Li Jing's headquarters, Feng Yanji and Feng Yanlu had often advocated reversing the ban disallowing people from selling their sons and daughters into servitude, but Li Bian, agreeing with the advice of the official Xiao Yan (萧俨) that that effectively would enslave the children of the poor in favor of the rich, disapproved. The official Chang Mengxi (常梦锡) often spoke to Li Bian against Feng Yanji, Chen Jue, and Wei Cen (魏岑), and Li Bian had considered removing them from Li Jing's staff, but had not yet done so by 943, when Li Bian fell seriously ill and thereafter died. Li Jing then poised to take the throne. Feng Yanji and Feng Yanlu were apparently put in charge of drafting the public will/final edict on Li Bian's behalf, and they inserted the provision allowing the sale of sons and daughters that they had advocated but Li Bian had disapproved of. Xiao submitted a report to Li Jing, pointing out Li Bian's prior disapproval. Li Jing reviewed Li Bian's archives and realized that this was the case, but decided not to strike that provision from the will, as it had already been published.

During Li Jings reign

Before exile

After Li Jing formally took the throne, he entrusted much of the governance to Chen. Feng Yanji, Feng Yanlu, Wei Cen, and Cha Wenhui (查文徽) were all in close association with Chen and influential in decision-making, and they were referred to by their detractors as the "Five Ghosts." Shortly after Li Jing took the throne, Feng Yanlu was promoted from his-then position of Libu Yuanwailang (礼部员外郎, low-level official at the ministry of rites (礼部, Libu)) to be Zhongshu Sheren (中书舍人, a mid-level position at the legislative bureau of government (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng)) and imperial scholar at Qinzheng Hall (勤政殿). When the governor Du Changye (杜昌业) heard this, he lamented: "The state uses offices and honors to encourage its subjects. If one could, merely by being favored by the emperor, reach great positions, then how would one reward those who have accomplishments?" However, as Li Jing favored Feng Yanlu as talented, he did not consider the promotions as being too fast, and, as Feng, as Zhongshu Sheren, was in charge of drafting and issuing edicts on Li Jing's behalf, Li Jing would often make the pronouncement, "I am bestowing an edict on the scribe, Feng Yanlu!" Feng Yanlu would dance and take the edict, causing Li Jing to laugh. It was said that Feng Yanlu was often advocating aggressive military campaigns to try to make a name for himself. Feng Yanji questioned him, "If you are diligent and proper at your job, you will surely gain the emperor's favor and honors already. Why do you advocate danger to gain benefit?" Feng Yanlu responded, "I, your younger brother, cannot simply hide myself and wait to be chancellor through seniority!"

In 945, when Cha was commanding an army attacking Southern Tang's southeastern neighbor Min's then-capital Jian Prefecture (建州, in modern Nanping, Fujian), Feng Yanji, Feng Yanlu, and Wei, as his allies, all greatly advocated for his army to be well-supplied, such that it was said that the imperial treasury was entirely drained, and that the people of nearby prefectures — Hong (洪州, in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi), Rao (饶州, in modern Shangrao, Jiangxi), Fǔ (抚州, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi), and Xin (信州, in modern Shangrao) — particularly suffered. Cha was eventually able to capture Jian Prefecture and force Min's last emperor Wang Yanzheng to surrender, allowing Southern Tang to take over a substantial part of Min territory. However, Min's traditional capital Fú Prefecture (福州, in modern Fuzhou, Fujian, note different tone) was still in the hands of the warlord Li Hongyi, who was paying nominal allegiance to both Southern Tang and its northern neighbor Later Jin. When Chen volunteered to go see Li Hongyi to persuade him to give up his control of Fú, Li Hongyi was arrogant to him and refused. Chen subsequently forged an order in Li Jing's name, conscripting the troops of Jian, Fǔ, Xin, and Ting (汀州, in modern Longyan, Fujian) Prefectures and putting them under the command of Feng Yanlu so that he could lead a campaign against Li Hongyi. After Feng's letter to Li Hongyi to encourage him to submit was rejected by Li Hongyi, Feng headed toward Fú. He was initially successful in defeating Li Hongyi's general Yang Chongbao (杨崇保), and the Southern Tang forces soon put Fú under siege. Li Jing put the senior general Wang Chongwen (王崇文) in charge of the siege, while making Feng and Wei monitors of the army. While Wang was a renowned general, the campaign was hampered by the fact that Chen, Feng, and Wei were interfering with his authority, and the generals Liu Congxiao and Wang Jianfeng (王建封) were also disobedient of him. Li Hongyi subsequently sought aid from Southern Tang's southeastern neighbor Wuyue, which dispatched a fleet commanded by Yu An (余安) to try to lift the siege. When the Wuyue fleet arrived, its soldiers were initially not able to land because the Southern Tang forces were defending the coast to prevent their landing. Feng allowed them to land so that, in his mind, the Southern Tang forces could defeat them, after which Li Hongyi would feel compelled to surrender, despite opposition by the general Meng Jian (孟坚). Once the Wuyue forces landed, however, they attacked the Southern Tang forces with great ferocity, such that Feng could not resist them, and had to flee. When Feng fled, the entire Southern Tang army withdrew. Feng tried to commit suicide with his sword, but his attendant saved him from death.

In light of the defeat, Li Jing blamed the defeat on Chen and Feng Yanlu for the forged orders, and so he pardoned all of the other generals but considered executing them. However, when the official Jiang Wenwei (江文蔚) submitted an article of impeachment that severely criticized not only Chen and Feng Yanlu, but also Feng Yanji and Wei, Li Jing thought that Jiang was exaggerating and, in anger, demoted Jiang. He had Chen and Feng Yanlu delivered in stockade to the capital Jinling. After the senior chancellor Song Qiqiu requested punishment for himself as well for having recommended Chen to go see Li Hongyi, Li Jing, apparently relenting, ordered that Feng Yanlu be exiled to Qi Prefecture (蕲州, in modern Huanggang, Hubei) and Chen be exiled to Shu Prefecture (舒州, in modern Anqing, Anhui). This drew objections from Xu Xuan (徐铉) and Han Xizai, pointing out that Chen and Feng Yanlu deserved death and that, apparently, Li Jing was sparing them due to intercession by Song and Feng Yanji, such that army discipline would be lost, but Li Jing did not listen to Xu and Han. (When Feng Yanlu was delivered to Jinling in stockade, Feng Yanji lamented to him, "You, my brother, are not willing to be a chancellor based on seniority, and this is the results." This led to a worsening of the fraternal relationship.)

After return from exile

At a subsequent point, after Li Jing had declared a general pardon, Feng Yanlu was recalled to the imperial government to serve as the director of palace supplies (少府监, Shaofu Jian). In 953, when Li Jing were to send several officials to survey and comfort the various prefectures in his realm, Feng was one of the ones set to be sent out. When the lower level official Xu Kai (徐锴) (Xu Xuan's brother) submitted a petition urging him not to send Feng, arguing that Feng had committed great offenses in the past and lacked the talent for it, Li Jing, in anger, demoted Xu Kai and sent him to the eastern capital Jiangdu. After Feng returned from his mission, he was made Zhongshu Sheren. Later, he was made the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang) and the deputy defender of Jiangdu.

In 956, during the middle of a campaign that Southern Tang's northern neighbor Later Zhou was waging against Southern Tang, the Later Zhou general Han Lingkun (韩令坤) made a surprise attack on Jiangdu and captured it. Feng Yanlu tried to evade capture by taking tonsure, wearing a robe for a Buddhist monk, and hiding at a Buddhist temple, but he was nevertheless captured by the Later Zhou soldiers. Later Zhou's emperor Guo Rong released him and made him an official in the Later Zhou government, either as an imperial attendant (给事中, Geishzhong) or the minister of ceremonies (太常卿, Taichang Qing).

In 958, after Southern Tang had capitulated — with Li Jing submitting as a vassal to Guo and ceding the Southern Tang lands north of the Yangtze River to Later Zhou — Guo sent Feng and another Southern Tang official that he had previously seized, Zhong Mo (锺谟), back to Southern Tang as his emissaries, to deliver his bestowments on Li Jing (of an imperial robe, jade belts, and silk) and the Later Zhou imperial calendar. (At that time, Feng was referred to as having the Later Zhou office of ministry of husbandry (太仆卿, Taipu Qing).) After both Feng and Zhong returned to the Later Zhou court, Feng was given the office of deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang). Shortly after, Guo returned Feng to Southern Tang, along with several generals whom he had captured. Li Jing made Feng the minister of census (户部尚书, Hubu Shangshu).

In 960, the Later Zhou general Zhao Kuangyin overthrew Guo Rong's son and successor Guo Zongxun, establishing a new Song dynasty as its Emperor Taizu. Guo Rong's cousin Li Chongjin rose at Yang Prefecture (扬州, i.e., Jiangdu) but was quickly defeated by the Song emperor — after he sought Southern Tang aid but was refused by Li Jing. Still, after Song forces quickly defeated Li Chongjin and Li Chongjin committed suicide, the Song emperor postured that he might cross the Yangtze and attack Southern Tang. Li Jing successively sent Yan Xu, and then Feng Yanlu (along with Li Jing's son Li Congyi (李从镒) the Duke of Jiang) to pay homage to the Song emperor to reaffirm his vassal status. When the Song emperor, in speaking to Feng, accused Li Jing of communicating with a rebel to Song, Feng, surprising the Song emperor, responded, "Your Imperial Majesty only knew of communications, but not that my Lord was in fact participating in the treason planning." When the Song emperor asked for elaboration, Feng responded:

The Song emperor continued to threaten to cross the Yangtze to attack Southern Tang. Feng responded:

The Song emperor laughed and responded, "I am merely toying with you, sir, not intending on hearing your persuasive speech." Further, at that time, the Song emperor was daily executing Li Chongjin's soldiers. Feng persuaded him that doing so was unjust when they were merely following Li Chongjin, and so he pardoned them. He subsequently rewarded Feng and allowed him to return to Southern Tang.

During Li Yus reign

Li Jing died in 961 and was succeeded by his son Li Yu. Li Yu sent Feng Yanlu — who apparently was going by the name of Feng Mi by this point — to submit tributes of gold, silver, silk, and colored textiles, and to report on his succeeding his father. Upon his return, he considered himself to have been accomplished on diplomatic missions. Li Yu held a feast in his honor in his palace — at which Li Yu not only personally poured wine for him, but also read poetry and played instruments in his honor, which a subject was supposed to decline in humility, but Feng did not. Li Yu did not take this against him, however.

In 962, Feng went on another mission to Song, and on this occasion, he requested that the Song emperor bestow to him an estate at Shu Prefecture (舒州, in modern Anqing). The Song emperor agreed.

In 971, Li Yu sent his brother Li Congshan (李从善) the Prince of Zheng on a diplomatic mission to Song. The Song emperor, while bestowing many honors on Li Congshan, detained him at the Song capital Daliang and did not allow him to return to Southern Tang. In 972, Li Yu, in fear, sent Feng to Daliang to beg that Li Congshan be allowed to return. When Feng reached the Song capital, however, he suffered a stroke, and it was sufficiently severe that he was unable to meet the Song emperor. The Song emperor sent imperial physicians to see him and returned him to Southern Tang. He died shortly after, after having possibly been made the governor (观察使, Guanchashi) of Chang Prefecture (常州, in modern Changzhou, Jiangsu).

Notes and references

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 26.

• History of Song, vol. 478.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 283, 284, 285, 286, 290, 291, 292, 294.

• Xu Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 1, 2.

早年

冯延鲁祖先来自彭城，唐末南渡，家住新安，虽然冯延巳是冯延鲁的同父异母的哥哥，但他们之间关系一般。

冯延鲁年轻时以其文学才华而闻名。南唐开国皇帝李昪统治期间，他和冯延巳均在李昪长子李瑶的元帅府任职。他们在元帅府任职时要求废除禁止人民贩卖儿女的禁令，但李昪同意官员萧俨的建议，反对穷人卖子为奴。同时常梦锡经常在李昪面前指责冯延巳、陈觉和魏岑。李昪曾考虑将其调离李瑶身边，但直到943年仍未行动。不久李昪重病而死。冯延巳和冯延鲁负责代替李昪起草遗诏，并在其中插入了有关允许贩卖儿女为奴的诏令。萧俨向李瑶上书，指出李昪曾反对贩儿女为奴。李瑶了解到实际情况确实如萧俨所说，但决定不从遗诏中删除该诏令。

李璟时期

福州包围战

李瑶正式登基后改名李璟，将大部分权力交给了陈觉。冯延巳、冯延鲁、魏岑和查文徽都与陈有密切联系，并在决策方面具有影响力，被时人称为「五鬼」。冯延鲁也从礼部员外郎升为中书舍人、勤政殿学士。当杜昌业听到此消息时，他感叹：「国家设立官位和荣誉来鼓励其臣民。但如果一个人能够仅靠受到皇帝的青睐而达到高位，那么又该如何这些奖励有才华的人呢？」不过由于李璟欣赏冯延鲁的才华横溢，所以他并不认为冯延鲁的升迁很快。冯延鲁经常提议对外进攻。冯延巳质问他：「如果您勤奋认真，您的工作一定会得到皇帝的赞赏。您为什么主张危险的举动以获取自己的利益呢？」冯延鲁回答说：「我不能碌碌无为仅仅通过资历来当上宰相！」

945年，查文徽指挥军队进攻闽国都城建州。查最终得以占领建州，并迫使闽国的最后一个皇帝王延政投降。然而，闽国的福州仍然在军阀李仁达手中，他只是名义上臣服于南唐，并且与后晋也有联系。陈觉自告奋勇愿意去说服李仁达放弃对福州的控制，但最终失败。陈随后伪造李璟的命令，让冯延鲁率领汀州、抚州、信州和剑州的军队进攻李仁达。冯延鲁击败了李仁达的将领杨崇保，并将福州围困。李璟又以永安节度使王崇文为东南面都招讨使，指挥全部军队，以漳泉安抚使、谏议大夫魏岑为东面监军使，冯延鲁为南面监军使，与陈觉一同进攻福州。但是陈、冯和魏以及其他将领留从效和王建封都不服彼此。李仁达随后向吴越寻求帮助，后者派出了一支由余安指挥的水师前来支援，试图解除南唐包围。吴越水师抵达时，由于南唐军在海岸守卫，吴越士兵最初无法登陆，但冯却以为可以击败敌军，允许吴越水师登陆。但是，吴越军登陆后猛烈地向南唐军队进攻，以至于冯无法抵抗他们，不得不逃跑。冯逃离后，整个南唐军遭到李仁达和吴越军夹击而溃败。冯试图用剑自杀，但被他的侍从阻止。

鉴于此次作战失败，李璟将失败的原因归咎于陈觉和冯延鲁的伪造命令，并下令将陈觉和冯延鲁押往金陵。李璟还宽恕了其他将领，并考虑将陈和冯延鲁处死。冯延鲁被押往金陵时，冯延巳对他感叹：「你不是说不愿碌碌无为地当上宰相吗，这就是下场啊！」这句话导致了兄弟关系的恶化。不过针对福州包围战战败责任，江文蔚上书，不仅严厉批评了陈和冯延鲁，还严厉批评了冯延巳和魏岑。李璟认为江在夸大其词，一气之下将江贬职。由于最初是宋齐丘推荐陈觉去说服李仁达，宋要求惩罚自己。李璟显然对福州包围战之败怒气已消，因此下令将冯延鲁流放到蕲州，陈觉流放到舒州。这引起了徐铉和韩熙载的反对，他们指出陈和冯延鲁应该处死，但李璟没有听从徐和韩的意见。

流放结束后

后来冯延鲁又被召回朝廷担任少府监。953年，李璟要派几名官员去调查和安抚地方，冯就是李打算外派的人之一。不过徐锴又上书，希望李璟不要外派冯延鲁，并说冯在过去犯过重罪，而且缺乏才华。李璟大怒，并将徐锴贬职。冯完成安抚地方任务返回朝廷后，被任命中书舍人。后来他被任命为工部侍郎以及东都副留守。

956年，后周将领韩令坤突然袭击南唐东都江都，并将其攻占。冯延鲁为试图免于被捕，于是剃了头发，穿和尚袍，躲藏在佛教寺庙防止被后周军队发现，但后来还是被后周士兵俘虏。后周皇帝郭荣释放了他，并任命他为给事中和太常卿。

958年，南唐将长江以北土地割让给后周。后来郭将冯放回南唐。李璟任命冯为户部尚书。

960年，后周将领赵匡胤通过黄袍加身建立了宋朝。郭荣的表兄李重进在扬州造反，但很快被赵匡胤击败。李重进寻求南唐援助，但被李璟拒绝。很快李重进在宋军围攻下自杀，此时赵匡胤还想渡过长江，进攻南唐。李璟先后派妹夫严续和冯延鲁等人前往宋朝。赵匡胤指责李璟勾结叛乱分子，冯否认。不过赵匡胤最终没有进攻南唐，冯也顺利回到南唐。

李煜时期

李璟去世于961年，由其子李煜继位。李煜派遣冯延鲁（此时已更名为冯谧）携带金、银、丝绸和彩色纺织品前往宋朝，并宋朝汇报南唐更换新君的消息。回国后，冯认为自己外交有功。李煜在宫殿举行了一场盛大的宴会，不仅亲自为冯谧倒酒，还为他念诗歌和弹奏乐器。

962年，冯再次前往宋朝，这一次，他希望赵匡胤能赐给他舒州田宅。赵匡胤同意了。

971年，李煜派遣其弟弟李从善前往宋朝。赵匡胤在授予李从善许多荣誉的同时，将其扣留在宋都开封，不允许他返回南唐。972年，李煜派冯出使开封，希望赵匡胤能释放李从善回国。然而，冯到达开封时中风了，严重得无法与赵匡胤见面。赵匡胤派医生前去看望他，并将他送回南唐。冯谧返回金陵后不久就去世了。

注释和参考

• 《十国春秋》卷26

• 《宋史》卷478

• 《资治通鉴》卷283、284、285、286、290、291、292、294

• 《续资治通鉴》卷1、2