Background

It is not known when Xu Zhixun was born, or who his mother was. He was the second oldest known biological son of Xu Wen's, but his older brother Xu Zhixun (elder) was at one point referred to as Sanlang (三郎, "third-born son") by Song Qiqiu, implying that he might have had two other older brothers who died in infancy and therefore were not counted in traditional counting of birth order. He had four younger biological brothers, Xu Zhihui (徐知誨), Xu Zhijian (徐知諫), Xu Zhizheng (徐知證), and Xu Zhi'e (徐知諤). Xu Wen's adoptive son Xu Zhigao was older than he was. It was said that neither he nor the elder Xu Zhixun had any real regard for Xu Zhigao as a brother.

During Xu Wens regency

The first historical reference to Xu Zhixun was in 918, when the elder Xu Zhixun, then serving as the junior regent at Wu's capital Guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) with Xu Wen stationed at Sheng Prefecture (昇州, in modern Nanjing, Jiangsu), was assassinated by the general Zhu Jin, who then committed suicide. All of Xu Wen's sons, except Xu Zhigao, who was then 30, were then said to be young, so Xu Wen made Xu Zhigao the junior regent, replacing the elder Xu Zhixun. Subsequently, Xu's entrusted official Yan Keqiu suggested replacing Xu Zhigao with Xu Zhixun, but Xu Wen did not do so.

Over the years, Yan and other officials, including Chen Yanqian (陳彥謙) and Xu Jie, had also advocated for Xu Wen to replace Xu Zhigao with a biological son, although the historical records did not indicate that they recommended Xu Zhixun specifically. Xu Zhixun himself had also lobbied Xu Wen, but Xu Wen responded, "None of you has much talent as your older brother." However, by 927, by which time Xu Zhixun carried the titles of commander of armed forces (行軍司馬, Xingjun Sima), military governor (Jiedushi) of Zhongyi Circuit (忠義, headquartered in modern Xiangyang, Hubei, but which was then under control of Later Tang), and honorary chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi), Xu Wen changed his mind. He was planning to head to Guangling to recommend to then-King of Wu, Yang Pu, that Yang Pu claim imperial title, and then assign his two sons to new posts, with Xu Zhixun replacing Xu Zhigao as junior regent. However, as he was set to depart Sheng Prefecture, he became ill, and he instead wrote his petition and sent Xu Zhixun toward Guangling, intending to have Xu Zhixun replace Xu Zhigao after the petition were delivered. Xu Zhigao, hearing this, decided to resign and request to be the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi). However, when Xu Zhixun was still on the way, Xu Wen died, and Xu Zhixun, hearing of Xu Wen's death, immediately returned to Sheng Prefecture to attend to the aftermaths, allowing Xu Zhigao to, for the time being, remain as regent.

After Xu Wens death

Shortly after Xu Wen's death, Yang Pu, per Xu Wen's final recommendations, took imperial title. Meanwhile, Xu Wen's titles were split between Xu Zhigao and Xu Zhixun, with Xu Zhigao assuming Xu Wen's title as overseer of all military matters (都督中外總軍事, Dudu Zhongwai Zongjunshi), while Xu Zhixun took on the title of deputy supreme commander of all circuits (諸道副都統, Zhudao Fu Dutong, with Xu Wen having been supreme commander before, and that post now left open) and military governor of Ningguo (寧國, headquartered in modern Xuancheng, Anhui) and Zhenhai (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) Circuits, which Xu Wen had been; he also took the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中).

Even though Xu Zhigao remained in control of Wu's imperial government, Xu Zhixun, at Jinling (i.e., Sheng Prefecture), controlled the largest army of the state, and he, wielding that authority, contended for decision-making with Xu Zhigao, who tried to curb Xu Zhixun's military power. For example, in 929, when Xu Zhixun's father-in-law, the general Li Jian (李簡) the military governor of Wuchang Circuit (武昌, headquartered in modern Wuhan, Hubei) died, Xu Zhixun took 2,000 of Li Jian's soldiers and kept them under his command, while recommending Li Jian's son Li Yanzhong (李彥忠) to succeed Li Jian. Xu Zhigao, however, ignoring Xu Zhixun's recommendations, made the general Chai Zaiyong (柴再用) the military governor of Wuchang, drawing Xu Zhixun's ire.

Given Xu Zhixun's military strength, Xu Zhigao feared him, but Xu Zhixun's arrogance alienated his younger brothers, particularly both Xu Zhihui and Xu Zhijian; Xu Zhihui secretly reported Xu Zhixun's actions to Xu Zhigao, while Xu Zhijian, at Guangling, participated in Xu Zhigao's machinations against Xu Zhixun. Xu Jie, who had previously supported Xu Zhixun, also realized that Xu Zhixun lacked the proper abilities to lead, and instead turned his allegiance to Xu Zhigao. Meanwhile, Xu Zhixun was not curbing his actions properly; for example, when Qian Liu, the king of Wu's neighbor Wuyue, sent Xu Zhixun gifts of vessels and saddles adorn with dragons and phoenixes — which only the sovereign could use — Xu Zhixun used them, making no attempts to avoid making them into a display. His close associate Zhou Tingwang (周廷望) persuaded him to let Zhou take large amounts of wealth to Guangling to try to use them to bribe other high level officials to turn from Xu Zhigao and toward him, but when Zhou arrived at Guangling, Zhou secretly pledged allegiance to Xu Zhigao through Xu Zhigao's associate Zhou Zong, and informed Xu Zhixun's actions to Xu Zhigao — but then, when he returned to Jinling, also informed Xu Zhigao's actions to Xu Zhixun, trying to play both sides.

Later in 929, Xu Zhixun tried to summon Xu Zhigao to Jinling to attend a ceremony where they would remove mourning clothes that they had put on for Xu Wen's death; Xu Zhigao refused, claiming that Yang Pu would not let him leave the capital. Meanwhile, Zhou Zong told Zhou Tingwang to inform Xu Zhixun that he had been accused of seven major crimes and should go to the capital to defend himself. Xu Zhixun believed Zhou Tingwang, and therefore went to Guangling. Once he arrived there, Xu Zhigao detained him and did not allow him to return to Jinling, sending the officer Ke Hou (柯厚) to lead the Jinling forces back to Guangling, thus consolidating the command under Xu Zhigao himself. Xu Zhixun was kept at Guangling to take the office of army commander (統軍, Tongjun), still carrying the title of military governor of Zhenhai Circuit. (The command of Ningguo Circuit went to Xu Zhigao.) The brothers then had a verbal confrontation in which Xu Zhixun stated, "When the deceased Prince Xu Wen, who carried the title of Prince of Donghai) left this world, you, older brother, were his son. How could it be that you did not attend to his funereal matters?" Xu Zhigao responded, "You had a sword drawn, intended for me. How could I dare to go? You are a subject, so how could you have ridden on imperial wagons and worn imperial clothes?" When Xu Zhixun then questioned him about his actions, Xu Zhigao realized that Zhou Tingwang was playing both sides, so had Zhou Tingwang executed.

Later in 929, there was an incident in which, traditionally, it was believed that Xu Zhigao tried to poison Xu Zhixun. Xu Zhigao had held a feast for Xu Zhixun and offered him wine in a gold goblet, stating, "May my younger brother live a thousand years." Xu Zhixun, suspecting that the wine was poisoned, poured half of the wine into another gold goblet and offered it to Xu Zhigao, stating, "I wish to live five hundred years a piece with you, older brother." Xu Zhigao's expression changed and initially would not drink, while Xu Zhixun would not withdraw his offer, and their attendants did not know what to do. However, a performer named Shen Jiangao (申漸高) walked by them and, after stating some humorous words, grabbed the two goblets and drank the wine inside himself, and then left with the goblets. When Xu Zhigao secretly sent an antidote to Shen's house, it was too late; Shen had already died. After this, however, Xu Zhigao appeared to have made no further attempts on Xu Zhixun's life. At some point, it appeared that Xu Zhigao allowed him to report to Zhenhai's capital Run Prefecture (潤州), but he did not spend much effort in governing the circuit.

In 931, Xu Zhijian, who was then serving as the military governor of Zhennan, died. Yang Pu commissioned Xu Zhixun to replace him, and also created him the Prince of Donghai. On the way to Zhennan, he met Xu Zhijian's funereal train, and he was said to have touched Xu Zhijian's casket and wept, stating, "You, younger brother, intended this, and I have no regrets. But how can you face the deceased Prince in the underworld?" He died in 934, while still serving at Zhennan.

Notes and references

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 270, 276, 277, 279.

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms (十國春秋), vol. 13.

背景

徐知詢生年不詳，也不知何母所出，只知道他是徐溫的親生次子，但宋齊丘曾稱他的哥哥徐知訓為「三郎」，暗示徐知詢還有兩個因早夭而未入族譜的哥哥，或曾被徐溫對諸子稱為「你們的二哥」的養子徐知誥亦被列入排行。他有四個親弟弟徐知誨、徐知諫、徐知証、徐知諤。徐溫養子徐知誥年長于徐知詢。徐知詢和徐知訓都不把徐知誥當兄弟看待。

徐溫攝政期間

天祐十五年（918年），徐知詢第一次在史料中出現。當時徐溫屯昇州，在吳都廣陵為少攝政的內外馬步都軍使、昌化節度使、同平章事徐知訓因欲掠奪將領平盧節度使兼任諸道副都統朱瑾的歌妓，被朱瑾刺殺，朱瑾隨後自殺。徐溫諸子除30歲的徐知誥外都年幼，故徐溫以徐知誥為少攝政，以代徐知訓。隨後，徐溫信任的官員嚴可求建議以徐知詢取代徐知誥，但徐溫不從。

此後數年，嚴可求和鎮海節度判官、楚州團練使陳彥謙、行軍副使徐玠勸說徐溫用親生子取代徐知誥，儘管他們並沒有特別推薦徐知詢。徐知詢自己也數次遊說徐溫，徐溫答：「你們都不如你們的哥哥。」但順義七年（927年）十月，徐知詢為行軍司馬、忠義節度使，且有同中書門下平章事榮銜時，徐溫改主意了。他打算前往廣陵請吳王楊溥稱帝，給兩個兒子重新分配職務，以徐知詢代徐知誥為少攝政。但當他準備離開昇州時，病了，于是寫了表文讓徐知詢送去廣陵勸進，意圖在上表後以徐知詢代徐知誥。徐知誥聞訊，決定辭職，求任鎮南節度使。但徐知詢還在半路上，徐溫死了，徐知詢聞訊，立即回昇州參與後事，使得徐知誥得以仍居攝政之位。

徐溫死後

徐溫死後不久，十一月，楊溥按徐溫臨終推舉稱帝。徐溫的頭銜被分給徐知誥和徐知詢，徐知誥為都督中外總軍事，徐知詢為諸道副都統、寧國及鎮海節度使、兼侍中、輔國大將軍、檢校太尉、守中書令、金陵尹。

徐溫剛死時，徐知誥親吏周宗也在金陵。徐知詢叫周宗通知徐知誥：處理政務更重要，不需要前來奔喪。周宗猜到這並非徐知詢本意，堅持徐知詢把這個意向寫成手札，徐知詢以無暇相辭，周宗就從衣袖裡拿出筆，從左右那裡取來紙，求徐知詢寫手札，徐知詢只得寫了。當徐溫的其他親子為徐知誥不來奔喪而不悅時，周宗將徐知詢寫的手札給他們看，徐知詢語塞。

儘管徐知誥仍掌控吳朝廷，在金陵（即昇州）的徐知詢握有全吳最大的軍隊，他仗此和徐知誥爭奪決策權，徐知誥則意圖限制徐知詢的權力。乾貞三年（929年）八月，徐知詢的岳父武昌節度使李簡卒，徐知詢擅自將李簡麾下二千親兵留在金陵，上表推薦李簡子李彥忠繼任。徐知誥卻無視徐知詢推薦，任龍武統軍柴再用為武昌節度使，激怒了徐知詢：「劉崇俊是哥哥的親戚，三代鎮守濠州；彥忠是我妻族，卻偏偏不能得到這職位！」

徐知誥害怕徐知詢的軍力，但內樞密使王令謀說：「公輔政日久，挾天子以令境內，誰敢不從！知詢年少，不能給人恩惠與信任，沒有甚麼作為。」徐知詢懦弱且太傲慢，薄待諸弟，尤其薄待徐知誨和徐知諫。徐知誨秘密將徐知詢的動向報告徐知誥，而徐知諫則在廣陵加入徐知誥對徐知詢的行動。原先支持徐知詢的徐玠也意識到徐知詢缺乏領導才能，必敗，也轉而效忠徐知誥並告以徐知詢的短處。徐知詢對諸弟和徐玠的背叛一無所知，自以為握有強兵又身居重地，除掉徐知誥易如反掌。同時，徐知詢也舉措失當：鄰國吳越國國王錢鏐送給徐知詢裝飾有龍鳳的金玉鞍勒、器皿，都是君主用物，徐知詢卻不以為嫌而用之。徐知詢的典客周廷望說服他派周帶大量財物去廣陵賄賂其他高官背離徐知誥倒向徐知詢，但他到廣陵後，又通過與自己相善的周宗宣布效忠徐知誥，向徐知誥報告徐知詢的動向；回到金陵，又將徐知誥動向告知徐知詢，意圖兩邊搖擺。

十月，徐知詢屢次試圖召徐知誥來金陵參加除喪典禮，徐知誥以楊溥不放行為由拒絕。同時，周宗讓周廷望通知徐知詢：他被彈劾七大不臣之罪，應去都城自辯。徐知詢相信周廷望，去了廣陵。周廷望諫止，徐知詢不聽。徐知詢出發後，周廷望說：「公去了，就回不來了。」哭著再拜相送。十一月，徐知詢一入朝，徐知誥就拘禁了他，不許他回金陵，並派右雄武都指揮使柯厚率金陵軍回廣陵，自領之。徐知詢被留在廣陵，任左統軍（一作右統軍），仍領鎮海節度使，寧國軍被徐知誥接管。兄弟倆有一場言語交鋒。徐知詢說：「先王（指徐溫）離世，哥哥作為他的兒子，竟然不參加他的葬禮，可以嗎？」徐知誥答：「你挺劍等著我，我怎麼敢去！你身為人臣，卻使用帝王的馬車服飾，就可以嗎？」徐知詢又問及徐知誥的所為，徐知誥意識到周廷望首鼠兩端，殺之。

十二月，又發生了徐知誥試圖毒殺徐知詢的事件。徐知誥召徐知詢飲宴，用金杯敬酒，說：「希望弟弟活一千歲。」徐知詢懷疑有毒，用另一尊酒器倒了一半給徐知誥，說：「我願意和哥哥各享五百歲。」徐知誥變色，不肯喝，徐知詢也捧著酒不退，左右都不知所措。伶人申漸高走到他們身邊，說了些詼諧話，搶過兩尊酒杯，喝光了酒，拿著酒杯離開。徐知誥秘密派人送解藥去申漸高家，為時已晚，申漸高頭部潰爛而死。此後，徐知誥沒再試圖謀害徐知詢的性命。他後來允許徐知詢去鎮海治所潤州履職。徐知詢失去金陵後，過去的幕僚都散去，只有李建勛一人相隨。徐知詢到任後經常會見僚佐，談說飲宴，以消除徐知誥的顧忌，不再像以前一樣，認真處理政務。

大和三年（931年）九月，徐知諫在鎮南節度使任上過世。楊溥命徐知詢代之，封東海郡王（一說武陵王，未詳是否改封）。赴任途中，他遇到徐知諫的喪車，撫摸著棺材，哭著說：「弟弟你用心如此，我也沒什麼好遺憾的，但你有何面目見先王于地下！」六年（934年）五月，他也在鎮南任上過世。謚號康。

天祚二年（936年）七月，時任潤州團練使的徐知諤親近小人，遊樂荒廢政務，在牙城西設市場親自貿易。徐知誥聞之怒，召徐知諤左右詰責，徐知諤懼怕。有人對徐知誥說：「忠武王（徐溫）最愛知諤，卻以後事傳公。往年知詢失守，論議至今未息。如果知諤治政有能名，訓兵養民，對公有何利？」徐知誥感悟，對徐知諤更厚待。

注釋及參考文獻