The Plum Blossom Ridge  

順治二年乙酉四月，江都圍急。督相史忠烈公知勢不可為，集諸將而語之曰：“吾誓與城為殉，然侖皇中不可落於敵人之手以死，誰為我臨期成此大節者？”副將軍史德威慨然任之。忠烈喜曰：“吾尚未有子，汝當以同姓為吾後。吾上書太夫人，譜汝諸孫中。”  

In the fourth month of the second year of the Shunzhi reign (1645), Jiangdu (Yangzhou) was under siege. The Grand Secretary and Loyal-Martyr Duke, Shi Kefa, seeing the situation was hopeless, gathered his generals and said: *"I vow to die with this city, but in the chaos, I must not fall into enemy hands. Who will assist me in fulfilling this solemn duty when the time comes?"* Deputy General Shi Dewei stepped forward without hesitation. The Loyal-Martyr Duke, pleased, said: *"I have no son of my own. You share my surname—be my heir. I shall write to my mother and have you listed among her grandsons in our family register."*  

二十五日，城陷，忠烈拔刀自裁，諸將果爭前抱持之。忠烈大呼德威，德威流涕，不能執刃，遂為諸將所擁而行。至小東門，大兵如林而至，馬副使鳴騄、任太守民育及諸將劉都督肇基等皆死。忠烈乃瞠目曰：“我史閣部也。”被執至南門。和碩豫親王以先生呼之，勸之。忠烈大罵而死。初，忠烈遺言：“我死當葬梅花嶺上。”至是，德威求公之骨不可得，乃以衣冠葬之。

On the twenty-fifth day, the city fell. The Loyal-Martyr drew his sword to take his own life, but his generals rushed forward to restrain him. He then called for Shi Dewei, but the young man wept, unable to raise the blade. Thus, surrounded by his men, the duke was forced to retreat. At the Lesser East Gate, the enemy forces pressed in like a forest. Vice Commissioner Ma Minglu, Prefect Ren Minyu, and General Liu Zhaoji all fell in battle. The Loyal-Martyr glared and declared: *"I am Grand Secretary Shi Kefa!"* He was captured and taken to the South Gate, where Prince Yu of the Qing court addressed him respectfully, urging his surrender. The duke cursed him vehemently until he was slain.  

Earlier, the Loyal-Martyr had left these words: *"Bury me on Plum Blossom Ridge."* But when Shi Dewei could not recover his remains, he interred the duke’s robes and cap instead.  

或曰：“城之破也，有親見忠烈青衣烏帽，乘白馬，出天寧門投江死者，未嘗殞於城中也。”自有是言，大江南北遂謂忠烈未死。已而英、霍山師大起，皆托忠烈之名，仿佛陳涉之稱項燕。吳中孫公兆奎以起兵不克，執至白下。經略洪承疇與之有舊，問曰：“先生在兵間，審知故揚州閣部史公果死耶，抑未死耶？”孫公答曰：“經略從北來，審知故松山殉難督師洪公果死耶，抑未死耶？”承疇大恚，急呼麾下驅出斬之。

Some claimed: *"When the city fell, an eyewitness saw the Loyal-Martyr in a dark blue robe and black hat, riding a white horse out of Tianning Gate, leaping into the river—he did not die within the walls."* This tale spread far and wide, and soon, rebels in the Ying and Huo mountains rose under his name, much like Chen She invoking Xiang Yan’s legacy during the Qin’s collapse.  

Sun Zhaokui of Wu, having failed in revolt, was brought to Nanjing. Hong Chengchou, now a Qing viceroy and an old acquaintance, asked: *"From your time in the field, do you know whether Grand Secretary Shi of Yangzhou truly died?"* Sun retorted: *"And you, sir, coming from the north—do you know whether Viceroy Hong of Songshan truly died for his cause?"* Enraged, Hong ordered his immediate execution.  

嗚呼！神仙詭誕之說，謂顏太師以兵解，文少保亦以悟大光明法蟬脫，實未嘗死。不知忠義者聖賢家法，其氣浩然，常留天地之間，何必出世入世之面目！神仙之說，所謂為蛇畫足。即如忠烈遺骸，不可問矣，百年而後，予登嶺上，與客述忠烈遺言，無不淚下如雨，想見當日圍城光景，此即忠烈之面目宛然可遇，是不必問其果解脫否也，而況冒其未死之名者哉？

Alas! Absurd legends claim that Yan Zhenqing escaped death through transcendence and Wen Tianxiang achieved enlightenment like a cicada shedding its shell—but they did not die. Yet these men embodied the Confucian virtue of loyalty, their righteous qi enduring between heaven and earth. Why must they appear as immortals? Such tales are but *"adding legs to a snake."*  

A century later, I climbed the ridge and spoke of the Loyal-Martyr’s last words with visitors. Tears fell like rain as we imagined the siege—his spirit vivid before us. Need we ask if he achieved transcendence? Let alone entertain those who falsely claim he lives?  

墓旁有丹徒錢烈女之冢，亦以乙酉在揚，凡五死而得絕，特告其父母火之，無留骨穢地，揚人葬之於此。江右王猷定、關中黃遵嚴、粵東屈大均為作傳、銘、哀詞。

Beside his tomb lies that of the Chaste Maiden Qian of Dantu, who in that same year endured five suicide attempts before succeeding. She begged her parents to cremate her, leaving no corpse to defile the earth. The people of Yangzhou buried her here, with Wang Youding, Huang Zunyan, and Qu Dajun composing her epitaphs.  

顧尚有未盡表章者：予聞忠烈兄弟，自翰林可程下，尚有數人，其後皆來江都省墓。適英、霍山師敗，捕得冒稱忠烈者，大將發至江都，令史氏男女來認之。忠烈之第八弟已亡，其夫人年少有色，守節，亦出視之。大將艷其色，欲強娶之，夫人自裁而死。時以其出於大將之所逼也，莫敢為之表章者。  

Yet another story remains untold: The Loyal-Martyr’s brothers—including Hanlin scholar Shi Kecheng—later visited his grave. When the Ying-Huo rebels were crushed, a man falsely claiming to be the duke was captured and brought before the Shi family. The Loyal-Martyr’s eighth brother had died, but his young widow, beautiful and chaste, was compelled to attend. The Qing commander, coveting her, demanded her hand. She refused and took her own life. Fear silenced those who might have praised her.  

嗚呼！忠烈嘗恨可程在北，當易姓之間，不能仗節，出疏糾之。豈知身後乃有弟婦，以女子而踵兄公之餘烈乎？梅花如雪，芳香不染。異日有作忠烈祠者，副使諸公，諒在從祀之列，當另為別室以祀夫人，附以烈女一輩也。

Alas! The Loyal-Martyr once condemned Shi Kecheng for failing his duty when the Ming fell—how could he know a sister-in-law would later emulate his sacrifice?  

Plum blossoms, pure as snow, remain untainted. Should a shrine be built for the Loyal-Martyr, let his comrades be honored beside him—and let a separate chamber enshrine this lady and others like her.  

PS. Thank you, DeepSeek. You are simply the best!