The Han Dynasty inherited the strong and fierce customs left over from the Warring States period, with many brutal and ruthless people. Those who annexed land oppressed and humiliated towns and villages; the strong and fierce ran rampant in the countryside. Furthermore, local officials were distant from the common people, and the population was very large. Therefore, officials managing the populace relied solely on authority and harsh methods for governance, punishing evil with extermination, executing before reporting. They openly showcased their fierce personalities, establishing an irresistible power. They acted against conventions, following only their own ideas, demonstrating their unpredictable cunning. As for those who were implicated in literary inquisitions and affected by anger, it's hard to even begin to describe. This led to scenes of corpses strewn everywhere and rivers of blood flowing. Wen Shu was known as the "official with the tiger crown," and Yan Nian was called the "slaughterer," and for good reason! If they could adapt and strike down strong enemies, destroy oppressive nobles and ministers, even if it meant being injured and bleeding, they were still formidable.
Since the Han Dynasty's resurgence, laws and regulations have gradually improved, and the brutality of officials has diminished significantly. However, eunuchs and their allies ran rampant, oppressing the people. So much so that Yang Qiu even dismembered Wang Fu's corpse, and Zhang Jian dug open Cao Jie's tomb. Such acts, while satisfying the public's fury, were undeniably brutal! Zhang Jian was quite famous, and his exploits were documented in the "Dangren Pian."
Dong Xuan, whose courtesy name was Shaoping, hailed from Yuxian in Chenliu County. Initially favored by the Minister of the Interior, Hou Ba, he was recommended for an official position, rising through the ranks and eventually becoming the governor of Beihai Commandery.
After taking office in Beihai County, he appointed a local prominent figure, Gongsun Dan, as a minor official in charge of the Five Officials (equivalent to a departmental leader). Gongsun Dan had just built a new house and asked a fortune teller to check the Feng Shui. The fortune teller said that someone would die in the house soon. In order to avoid this disaster, Gongsun Dan ordered his son to kill a passerby on the road and throw the body into their own house, hoping to ward off the bad luck. Dong Xuan learned about this and immediately arrested Gongsun Dan and his son. He then ordered their execution.
Gongsun Dan's relatives and friends, more than thirty people, armed themselves and ran to the government office, crying out for justice. Dong Xuan learned that Gongsun Dan had previously been associated with Wang Mang and suspected him of colluding with pirates at sea, so he arrested all of these thirty people and ordered his subordinate Shui Qiucen to kill them all. Qingzhou felt that Dong Xuan was killing innocent people, so he petitioned the court to investigate Shui Qiucen. Consequently, Dong Xuan was arrested and taken to the capital for trial.
In prison, Dong Xuan read and recited books every morning and evening, showing no signs of panic or worry. When it was time for his execution, the officials brought him food, but Dong Xuan sternly said, "I have never eaten anyone else's food in my life, let alone before my death!" He then climbed onto the cart and left. At that time, there were nine people scheduled for execution with him. When it was Dong Xuan's turn, Emperor Guangwu urgently sent someone to pardon him and ordered him back to prison.
The emperor then sent an envoy to question Dong Xuan about the indiscriminate killings. Dong Xuan explained the situation in detail, stating that Shui Qiucen had acted on his orders and the blame should not fall on Shui Qiucen. He was willing to die to protect Shui Qiucen. The envoy reported Dong Xuan's words to the emperor, who then ordered Dong Xuan to be demoted to Huai Ling and instructed Qingzhou not to pursue Shui Qiucen's responsibility. Later, Shui Qiucen rose to the rank of Colonel of the Inspectorate (equivalent to a central government inspector).
Later, an infamous thief named Xia Xi appeared in Jiangxia Commandery, leading a gang that burned, killed, and plundered indiscriminately, causing chaos in the local area. The emperor sent Dong Xuan to be the Prefect of Jiangxia. Once Dong Xuan reached Jiangxia, he wrote a letter to Xia Xi and his gang, saying: "The court believes that I can capture you bad people, so it has entrusted me with an important task. I have now led troops to the border. After you receive this letter, I hope you'll consider how to save yourselves." Upon hearing of Dong Xuan's arrival, Xia Xi and his gang were terrified and quickly surrendered, scattering in different directions. Later, the influential Yin clan took over as the Commandant of Jiangxia, but Dong Xuan didn't respect him much, which ultimately got him dismissed.
When Dong Xuan became the magistrate of Luoyang County, a servant of Princess Huyang's household killed someone in broad daylight and hid in the princess's mansion, evading capture by the authorities. When the princess left her residence, this servant pretended to be a coachman and waited near the Xia Men Pavilion. Dong Xuan stopped the princess's carriage, drew a line on the ground with a knife, loudly admonished the princess, ordered the servant to get off the carriage, and then executed him on the spot. The princess complained to the emperor when she returned to the palace, and the emperor, enraged, summoned Dong Xuan, planning to punish him severely with a cane. Dong Xuan kowtowed and said, "I wish to speak a few words before I die." The emperor asked, "What do you want to say?" Dong Xuan said, "Your Majesty, you are wise and mighty, leading the great cause, yet you allow a servant to kill an innocent man. How do you intend to govern the world? I do not wish to be beaten; please allow me to take my own life!" With that, he banged his head against a pillar, blood streaming down his face. The emperor had a young eunuch help him up and asked him to apologize to the princess, but Dong Xuan would not comply. The emperor insisted he kneel, but Dong Xuan refused to lower his head, supporting himself with his hands on the ground. The princess said, "When you were still a commoner, you dared to seek justice for the deceased who was hidden. Officials did not dare to come to your door. Now that you are a minister of the emperor, can't you even carry out a simple command?" The emperor smiled and said, "The emperor is not the same as a commoner!" Helpless, the emperor had to order Dong Xuan to leave Luoyang. The emperor rewarded him with thirty thousand coins, which Dong Xuan distributed to his subordinates. From then on, the oppressive bullies who exploited the people were too intimidated to act recklessly, and the citizens of the capital referred to him as "Crouching Tiger." They even wrote a song in his honor: "The drum does not beat for Dong Shaoping."
Dong Xuan served as the county magistrate in Luoyang for five years and died in office at the age of seventy-four. When the court sent someone to investigate, they only saw his body covered with a cloth, his wife and children crying in sorrow, and nearby only a few bushels of barley and a broken cart. The emperor was very saddened, saying, "Dong Xuan was honest and upright; only now do we know!" Because Dong Xuan had once held the position of a magistrate, the emperor bestowed upon him a ceremonial silk sash and buried him with full honors. He also appointed his son as a court official, who eventually rose to the rank of Chancellor.
Fan Ye, with the courtesy name Zhonghua, was a native of Xinye County in Nanyang Commandery. He had a good relationship with Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu since they were young. During the Jianwu era, he was summoned to serve as an imperial censor, later promoted to the position of Commandant of Hedong, and even granted an audience at the YunTai. When Emperor Guangwu was still a commoner, he had once been detained in Xinye for an incident, and Fan Ye, who was a local official at the time, sent him a bamboo basket of food. Emperor Guangwu always remembered this kindness and later bestowed upon Fan Ye food, clothing, and horses for his service. Emperor Guangwu even jokingly asked him, "A bamboo basket of food in exchange for the position of Commandant, how about that?" Fan Ye quickly kowtowed in gratitude. After assuming office in Hedong Commandery, Fan Ye executed prominent figures like Ma Shikuang. As banditry decreased, both officials and commoners greatly respected him. Several years later, he was promoted to Governor of Yangzhou, teaching the people agricultural and home management skills. He served as Governor of Yangzhou for over ten years, but due to violating the law, he was eventually demoted.
After Kui Xiao died, the Longyou region was in turmoil, so the court appointed Fan Ye as the Prefect of Tianshui. He was very strict in his official duties, liked to use the Legalist methods of Shen Buhai and Han Feizi, had a clear sense of right and wrong, and imposed strict rewards and punishments. Anyone who violated his orders basically could not get out of prison, and both officials and the Qiang and Hu peoples feared him. Along the road, nothing went missing. Even if the merchants and travelers were traveling at night, they would leave their luggage on the side of the road, saying, "We'll leave it with Master Fan!" The people of Liangzhou even wrote a song about it: "Those who travel are always poor; only you, Master Fan, are blessed by heaven with wealth and prosperity. Better to face a tiger than to enter the Jifu Temple (referring to the official prison). Laughing is because you will definitely die; angry because you might be imprisoned. Oh, Master Fan, let's hope we never run into you again!" Fan Ye served as the Prefect of Tianshui for fourteen years and eventually passed away while in office.
During the Yongping period, Emperor Ming of Han remembered Fan Ye's achievements as an official in Tianshui, felt that later officials could not compare to him, and issued a decree granting his family one million cash. Fan Ye's son, Fan Rong, was quite talented, had a passion for Huang-Lao philosophy, and was reluctant to take on an official position.
Li Zhang, styled Digong, was from Huai in Henei (modern Wen County, Henan). His family had produced two Qianshi-ranked officials over five generations. Li Zhang was well-versed in the "Yan Family Spring and Autumn Annals," had a good education, excelled in teaching, and held numerous official roles across various states and counties. When Emperor Guangwu was the Grand Marshal and pacified Hebei, he summoned Li Zhang to serve as one of his officials and accompanied him into battle on several occasions.
Emperor Guangwu appointed Li Zhang as the magistrate of Yangping County after becoming emperor. At that time, the powerful landlords from Zhao and Wei often gathered together. The prominent figure Zhao Gang from Qinghe County constructed fortifications at the county border, preparing weapons, posing a threat to the region. After Li Zhang arrived in Yangping County, he hosted a banquet for Zhao Gang. Zhao Gang, dressed in extravagant clothing and accompanied by over a hundred sword-wielding followers, arrived for the banquet. Li Zhang drank with him, and after a while, suddenly drew his sword and struck Zhao Gang down. The soldiers lying in ambush also took down Zhao Gang's followers. Then Li Zhang swiftly led his troops to assault Zhao Gang's fortifications, breaking through them, and the county's officials and residents finally found peace.
It is said that Li Zhang was initially appointed as the Prefect of Qiancheng County. Due to being somewhat too severe in his handling of bandits, he received a death sentence, but it was later commuted. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to Imperial Secretary, and then transferred to become the Prefect of Langye Commandery.
At that time, the wealthy families led by Xia Changsi in Anqiu County, Beihai Prefecture revolted, captured the magistrate Chu Xing, and occupied Yingling City. Upon hearing this, Zhang immediately led a thousand soldiers and hurried to suppress the rebellion. His subordinates hurriedly stopped him, saying, "As a magistrate with a rank of 2,000 stones, you cannot leave your jurisdiction without authorization, let alone deploy troops privately." Zhang drew his sword, angrily saying, "Those rebels are too arrogant—daring to arrest the county magistrate, this is intolerable! Even if I die in battle against the bandits, I will never regret it!" He then led his troops to the outskirts of Anqiu City, recruited volunteers to burn the city gates, engaged Xia Changsi in battle, killed him, and returned with more than three hundred enemy heads and over five hundred cattle and horses. Chu Xing returned to the prefecture, reported the situation to the court, and the emperor rewarded the captured items to the officials and soldiers who had participated in the battle. Later, Zhang faced some problems regarding population and land verification, and despite his previous achievements, he was convicted and labeled guilty. However, his punishment was lifted a month later, and he returned home. He was later reenlisted but died of illness shortly thereafter.
Next, let's discuss Zhou Wentong, a man from Xu County in Xiapi. He had a harsh personality, was rather unsympathetic, and was fond of the Legalist philosophy of Han Feizi. In his youth, he served in the Ministry of Justice.
During the Yongping era, he was appointed as the magistrate of Nanxing County. Upon taking office, he told the officials and people of the county, "The reason the court appointed me as the magistrate is not because they valued my abilities, but to govern the people. I detest corrupt officials who oppress the people, and I want to eradicate the evil tyrants who commit crimes. Don't try to test me!" He executed dozens of particularly arrogant bullies in the county, which terrified both the officials and the common people. Later, he was reassigned as the magistrate of Boping County. He rigorously handled cases of corruption and bribery, and no one could escape legal sanctions. Thanks to his reputation, he was later promoted to Prime Minister of Qi, while still maintaining his strict and stern demeanor, especially emphasizing criminal law, and he was very good at formulating laws and regulations. He was seen as a role model throughout the entire state. But later, because he killed innocent people, he was demoted back to his position as magistrate of Boping County.
During the Jianchu period, he became the governor of Bohai County. Whenever an imperial order was issued to the county, he would shut himself away from everyone, first sending officials to each county to pass judgment on those due for sentencing, and then reading out the imperial edict. Later, because of this, he was summoned by the court for trial, but was ultimately acquitted and allowed to return home.
This official came from a poor family, always relying on his own efforts to build mud-brick houses and live a very simple life. When Emperor Suzong learned of this, he felt sympathy for him and reinstated him as an official, and later elevated him to the rank of Marquis of Zhaoling.
After he became an official, he was extremely strict, and the officials under him were all afraid of him. Some officials wanted to undermine his authority, so early one morning they cut off the hands and feet of a corpse and placed them at the temple gate. When this official heard about it, he immediately rushed to the scene, pretending to converse with the corpse, carefully observing, and found straw stuffed in the corpse's mouth and nose. He discreetly asked the gatekeeper, "Who brought straw into the city today?" The gatekeeper replied, "Only the court clerk (equivalent to the government department clerk at the time)." He then asked the bell ringer (the official in charge of ringing the bell to report the time), "Has anyone suspected that this gentleman was talking to the corpse?" The bell ringer replied, "It was the court clerk who suspected him." So, this official arrested the court clerk for questioning, and the court clerk ultimately confessed he hadn't killed anyone, but only took a corpse from the roadside. From then on, no one dared to cross him again.
Later, he was appointed as the magistrate of Luoyang. Upon taking office, he inquired about which of his subordinates came from prominent families, and the officials listed a bunch of influential people in the local area. But he sternly rebuked, "I asked about prominent families like the Ma family and the Dou family; how would you know those vegetable sellers?" His subordinates understood his meaning and actively followed his instructions, resulting in a more orderly Luoyang.
Once, the Queen's brother, the Huangmen Lang Dou Du, returned from the palace and was stopped by the head of the Jian Ting (a place name) in the middle of the night. Dou Du's attendants and the head of the pavilion got into a conflict, and the head of the pavilion pointed a sword at Dou Du and shouted insults at him. Dou Du reported this matter to the court. The court summoned the Chief Executioner and the Prefect of Henan to go to the Ministry of Personnel for questioning, and also sent armed soldiers to take him to the Tingwei Prison. After a few days, he was finally released. The Emperor knew that he enforced the law strictly and did not flatter the powerful, but also felt that he was too harsh. He faced multiple accusations from other officials, and eight years later, he was ultimately dismissed.
Later, he was appointed as the Deputy Censor. After the emperor ascended the throne, the Grand Tutor Deng Biao reported that he had been overly harsh in his position and unsuitable for law enforcement in the capital, so he was dismissed and sent back to his hometown. Later, the Dou family's power grew stronger, with the Dou brothers in control of the court, showing no mercy to anyone who had crossed them before. This official felt his life was in danger, so he put up a wooden gate at his home in anticipation of disaster. However, the Dou brothers, recognizing his fairness and the deep grudges they held, did not dare to easily harm him.
In 73 AD, he was appointed Deputy Censor once more. Although the Dou family had been eliminated, Marquis Xia Yang still held a position in the court. Yang Zhen took issue with him and wrote a memorial accusing him: "I follow the example of Zang Wenzhong in assisting the monarch. I treat those who respect the monarch with the same reverence that filial children show their parents; I see those who are disrespectful to the monarch and kill them like eagles catching birds. Xia Yang, originally frivolous and immoral, with evil intentions, lacking knowledge, yet he openly built schools to attract scholars, but in fact gathered a group of villains. He despises the authority of heaven, insults the royal family, writes about touring and offering sacrifices, confuses the people, misleads the court, and should face execution. However, the officials in charge are corrupt and disregard the nation's interests. Even a trickle can become a torrent; a small spark can burn down fields; frostbite shows signs; shouldn't it be addressed promptly? We should learn from the lesson of Lu Chan's abuse of power and always remember the disaster of Wang Mang's usurpation, in order to strengthen the state, stabilize the world, and dispel the people's doubts." Just as Xia Yang returned to his hometown, Yang Zhen was reassigned to the role of Prefect of the Masters of Writing.
In the summer of 74 AD, there was a drought disaster. The emperor personally went to Luoyang to handle the prisoners' affairs. Two prisoners had maggots on their bodies, so two cavalry officers were punished. In 75 AD, Yang Zhen was promoted to the Grand Architect position. In 77 AD, Yang Zhen died in office.
Huang Chang, courtesy name Shengzhen, was born into a poor family from Yuyao in Kuaiji. Living near the educational officials, he often saw students holding ceremonies to worship Confucius, which he enjoyed, inspiring him to study Confucian classics. He was also proficient in grammar and served as a minor official responsible for adjudicating cases. When the governor inspected the county, he was impressed by Huang Chang and recruited him as his aide.
Later, he was appointed as the magistrate of Wan County, where he enforced the law rigorously and excelled at solving cases. When someone stole his carriage cover, Huang Chang initially kept quiet but covertly sent trusted men to the thief's house to search, recovered the cover, searched his house, and killed him on the spot. The wealthy families feared him and praised him as if he were a god.
When the court selected talents, he was promoted to the position of Governor of Shu Commandery. The previous governor, Li Gen, was elderly and had implemented many misguided policies, resulting in widespread grievances among the populace. After Huang Chang took office, he resolved over seven hundred lawsuits between officials and the people, all of which were resolved. He also covertly apprehended a gang leader, compelled him to reveal the names and locations of the tyrants in each county, and sent people to arrest them, with no one escaping. Those long-term evildoers fled to other places.
At first, Huang Chang was a minor official in the province, called a scribe. His wife returned to her family's home for a visit but was captured by bandits on the way, and later ended up in Sichuan, where she married someone else. Later, his wife got into trouble and came to Huang Chang to seek help. Huang Chang felt that this woman didn't seem like a Sichuan native, so he asked her what was going on. The woman replied, "I am originally from Yuyao in Kuaiji, the daughter of Dai Cigong, and the wife of the state scribe Huang Chang. When I went back to my parents' home before, I was kidnapped by bandits, which is how I ended up here." Upon hearing this, Huang Chang was taken aback and quickly called her over and asked, "How did you know I am Huang Chang?" His wife said, "You have a mole on the sole of your left foot, and you used to always say you wanted to become a high-ranking official in the future!" Huang Chang quickly showed her his foot. The couple hugged and cried, and then resumed their married life.
After four years, Huang Chang was promoted and transferred to be the county magistrate of Chen County, and later promoted to be the magistrate of Chen. In Chen County, there was a family called the Peng family, who used to be a prominent local family and were arrogant and domineering. They built a particularly large house, a tall building facing the main road. Every time Huang Chang went out on official business, the Peng family woman would climb to the roof to watch him. Huang Chang was very unhappy and ordered her arrest and sentenced to death.
Later, he was promoted to be the Prefect of Henei, and then the Prefect of Yingchuan. In the fifth year of Yonghe, the court appointed him as the Chief Architect. In the first year of Han'an, he was promoted to be the Grand Minister of Agriculture, then transferred to be the Grand Master of Palace Attendants, and ultimately died in office.
Yang Qiu, with the courtesy name Fangzheng, was from Yuyang, Quanzhou. His family had been a prominent clan for generations. Yang Qiu was skilled in fencing and also skilled in archery. He had a stern demeanor and enjoyed studying the Legalist thoughts of Shen Han. Once, an official in the county insulted his mother, so Yang Qiu rallied dozens of young men to kill the official and wipe out his entire family, which earned him widespread notoriety. He initially passed the imperial examination and was appointed as Deputy Minister of Personnel. He was well-versed in various regulations and often had his memorials and administrative opinions taken seriously by the court. Later, he was exiled to Gaotang as a county magistrate. For being excessively harsh, he was accused by the county magistrate, but fortunately, he avoided punishment thanks to a general amnesty.
Later, he was invited to work by Liu Chong, the Minister of Works, and passed the metropolitan examination. There was a rebellion by mountain bandits in Jiujang that lasted for several months without being quelled. The three ministers of the court believed that Yang Qiu had the ability to govern and combat corruption, so he was sent to serve as the Prefect of Jiujang. Upon taking office, Yang Qiu formulated a strategy and quickly eliminated the mountain bandits, as well as arresting and executing the corrupt officials in the county.
The magistrate of Pingyuan was transferred. Before leaving, he admonished, "When I was an official in Gaotang, I was committed to rooting out evil and corruption, but the county deemed my actions unjust. Duke Huan pardoned Guan Zhong for shooting Prince Jiu, and Emperor Gaozu pardoned Ji Bu for his escape. Although they had made mistakes, they did not forget their past favors. Besides, what is there to hold a grudge about between ruler and subject? Now I will forgive past mistakes and hope that you all can do better in the future. However, if you do not mend your ways after receiving instruction, don't hold it against me if I have to be merciless!" The county officials were all fearful and obedient.
At that time, the land was suffering from a severe drought. The Minister of Works, Zhang Hao, submitted a memorial stating that many local officials were tyrannical and corrupt and should be dismissed. Because of his strict adherence to the law, Li Qiu was reported to the Ministry of Justice and was facing dismissal. However, Emperor Ling, considering Li Qiu's merits in Jiujang, appointed him as a court official.
Later, Li Qiu was promoted to the position of Chief Minister of Works, but was impeached for some reason. Not long after, he was appointed as the Minister of the Palace Secretariat. In his memorial, he requested the dismissal of the Hongdu Literature, stating:
"I have heard that the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' states: 'The appointments of monarchs should be recorded. If those recorded are not in accordance with the law, how will future generations view them!' Individuals like Le Song and Jiang Lan, who come from humble backgrounds, are merely minor figures. They ingratiate themselves with the powerful, flatter the influential, and engage in sycophantic behavior in order to advance in the present era of sage rule. Some may only submit a piece of prose or pen flowery words, and yet they are promoted to the rank of Langzhong and have their portraits painted. There are also those who cannot write a single word and are full of lies, having to borrow the hands of others to write, employing various deceitful tactics, and yet they are favored and manage to escape their humble status. Therefore, those who are knowledgeable remain silent, and people everywhere are filled with regret. I have heard that portraits serve to commend and caution, hoping that the monarch can learn from them. However, I have never heard that those despicable individuals, relying on false articles and praises, can steal high positions and great wealth, and have their portraits engraved in paintings. Now, the Taixue and Dongguan are sufficient to promote the teachings of the sage ruler, and I request the dismissal of the Hongdu Literature selection to quell public criticism."
However, his memorial was not accepted.
It is said that at that time, the Palace Attendants Wang Fu and Cao Jie were deceitful and tyrannical, abusing their power and causing chaos everywhere. The Chief Retainer Officer, Yang Qiu, slapped his thigh in frustration and exclaimed, "If I were the Chief Retainer Officer, would these scoundrels still have the audacity to be arrogant?" In the second year of Guanghe, he finally ascended to the position of Chief Retainer Officer.
Wang Fu returned home from leave, and Yang Qiu went to the palace to offer thanks, then requested the emperor to arrest Wang Fu, as well as Grand Commandant Chunyu Deng, Yuan She, Feng Yu, Chamberlain Liu Yi, Attendant Pang Xun, Zhu Yu, Qi Sheng, and others, as well as their nephews serving as local officials. These people are all cunning and vicious, lawless, and deserving of extermination! He also said that Grand Commandant Duan Jiong, who flattered those corrupt officials, should also be killed! So, Wang Fu, Duan Jiong, along with Wang Fu's son Meng and Pei Xiang Ji, were all arrested and taken to Luoyang Prison. Yang Qiu personally interrogated Wang Fu and the others, using all kinds of torture on them.
Wang Fu's son Meng said to Yang Qiu, "Both my father and I are going to be executed; could you show some mercy given my father's age and use less torture?" Yang Qiu said, "Your crimes are heinous; even death isn't enough to atone for your sins, and you still want me to be lenient?" Hearing this, Meng shouted in anger, "You used to act like a slave in front of us; dare you resist your master?! Today, you have pushed me to this point; you will also face retribution!" Yang Qiu ordered someone to stuff Meng's mouth with dirt, then beat both of them to death with a club. Duan Jiong, terrified, took his own life. Later, Yang Qiu hung Wang Fu's body at the Xia City Gate for public display, with a large sign that said "Traitor Wang Fu." All of Wang Fu's property was confiscated, and his wife and children were all exiled to remote areas.
After executing Wang Fu, Yang Qiu sought to further eliminate Cao Jie and others. He ordered his subordinates to say, "First deal with these most notorious villains, then deal with the powerful." When those nobles heard this, they were all terrified and dared not make a sound. They quickly hid away all their extravagant possessions at home, afraid to flaunt them again. The entire capital was shrouded in an atmosphere of terror.
It is said that after the death of Emperor Shun's favored concubine, all the officials returned from the funeral. Cao Jie unexpectedly saw Wang Fu's corpse on the road, feeling extremely sad. Wiping away his tears, he said, "We, the Cao family, can fend for ourselves; how can we let dogs lick his blood?" He told the other attendants to go back first without delaying on the road.
Cao Jie went directly to the palace to meet the emperor and said, "That Yang Qiu is a particularly vicious official. The Three Offices had all requested to dismiss his position before, but because he had some minor merits in Jiujiang, he was promoted again. Such a person who has made mistakes loves to do evil deeds and should not be allowed to serve in Sili. We shouldn't let him continue his wicked ways." The emperor heard this and transferred Yang Qiu to the Ministry of Defense.
At that time, when Yang Qiu went to worship the tombs, Cao Jie ordered the Minister of Personnel to summon Yang Qiu, without allowing him any delay. Yang Qiu was urgently summoned and requested an audience with the emperor, kneeling down and knocking his head, saying, "I lack noble character, yet I have received such favor from you, holding this important position. Though I have punished villains like Wang Fu, Duan Feng, and Gai Jian in the past, it hasn't been enough to deter others. Please give me a month; I will make sure those bad people receive the punishment they deserve!" He knocked his head until it was bleeding. Those in the hall shouted, "Minister of Defense, are you defying the emperor's order?" After the emperor repeated himself several times, Yang Qiu finally accepted the appointment.
That winter, the Minister of Works, Liu He, colluded with Yang Qiu to overthrow Zhang Rang and Cao Jie. When Cao Jie found out, he conspired with others to frame Liu He and his associates. (For specific details, refer to the "Biography of Chen Qiu"). As a result, Yang Qiu was arrested, imprisoned in Luoyang and ultimately executed. His wife and children were also exiled to the frontier.
Let's talk about Wang Ji. He was a man from Chenliu Junyi, and was Wang Fu, a Palace Attendant's adopted son. (The deeds of Wang Fu are recorded in "Biographies of Eunuchs"). Wang Ji loved reading from a young age and sought fame, but had a cruel personality. Because his father had great power, he became the magistrate of Pei County in his twenties. He was knowledgeable in political affairs, was adept at judging cases and uncovering hidden criminals, and many of his actions exceeded people's expectations. He would have the people in the county recommend officials and powerful figures with bad reputations, even for minor offenses committed decades earlier, such as embezzling small amounts of wine and meat; he would record these incidents. He specifically selected tough officials to crack down on illegal activities. If someone did not raise their own child, he would kill the child's parents and then bury the corpses. For every murder, he would display the corpses on a cart. Depending on the crime, they would be publicly displayed in the county. In the summer, as the bodies decayed, he would string the bones together with ropes and parade them around the entire county before stopping, terrifying everyone who saw. He served as an official in Pei County for five years, during which he was responsible for the deaths of over ten thousand people. He employed countless other cruel methods, leaving everyone in the county in fear, unsure if they would survive. Later, Yang Qiu reported Wang Fu, who was subsequently arrested and died in a prison in Luoyang.
In ancient times, there was a man named Guo Pang. He had a clear distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. When he designed clothes and hats in various colors and styles, no one dared to defy his rules. However, as time went by, the world grew corrupt, and people’s hearts became less pure. Deception ran rampant, and moral principles were insufficient to restrain people. Education could not rein in those who broke the law and acted out of order, resulting in officials becoming cruel and ruthless, using violence to mask their deceit while pretending to be fair and honest, but actually harboring cruel and ruthless intentions. Those so-called "cruel officials" of the Han Dynasty were notorious, bold and capable, skilled at manipulating language, appearing powerful and renowned. Compared to officials who were dedicated to serving the people and upholding righteousness, the difference was stark! Therefore, the harsh governance methods like those of Huang Ba or the cunning tactics of Zhuo Mao might suppress evil temporarily, but might not lead to lasting success. On the other hand, officials like Zhu Yi never resorted to physical punishment or humiliation; Yuan An never interrogated others for their crimes, yet the wrongdoers straightened up, and no one dared to break the law. Why is this so? Because those who govern through intimidation find that once their authority weakens, evil will flourish; while those who govern with benevolence and integrity, even after they are gone, the people will continue to remember their virtues. If we look at the situation in one place as a reflection of the whole world, with so many punishments and lawsuits, can we truly expect to solve the issues?
In conclusion, the Way has been lost, and the law has grown more lenient. In today's world, there is more and more deceit and fraud. If you want to reduce killings, you need to rely on kindness and righteousness; if you want to govern the world effectively, you shouldn't be harsh. While violence might seem effective for a time, ultimately, we need to uphold the fundamental principles!
