Wanshi Jun, whose name is Shi Fen, is the son of a man surnamed Shi from the Zhao State. After the fall of the Zhao State, his family moved to Wen County. Later, the founding emperor Liu Bang marched east to confront Xiang Yu, passing through the commandery of He Nei. At that time, Shi Fen was fifteen years old and served as a low-level clerk, assisting Liu Bang. Liu Bang chatted with him and found him very respectful, so he asked, "How is your family situation?" Shi Fen replied, "I only have my mother, who unfortunately is blind, and our family is very poor. I also have a sister who can play the zither." Liu Bang said, "Would you like to follow me?" Shi Fen said, "I am willing to do my best." So Liu Bang took his sister as a concubine, and Shi Fen became a court official responsible for delivering messages and serving as an intermediary. Their whole family was moved to the area where the imperial family lived in Chang'an, all because his sister was taken as a concubine. He later rose to the position of a high-ranking official during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen. Although he lacked education, he was unmatched in his respectfulness and caution.
During the reign of Emperor Wen, the Marquis of Dongyang, Zhang Xiangru, served as the tutor of the heir apparent but was later dismissed. When selecting a suitable person to serve as the heir apparent's tutor, everyone recommended Shi Fen, so he became the tutor. When Emperor Jing ascended the throne, Shi Fen was appointed as one of the nine highest-ranking officials. However, because Shi Fen's status was too high, the emperor was somewhat wary of him and transferred him to serve as a prime minister of a kingdom on the periphery. Shi Fen had four sons; his sons, Jian, Jia, Yi, and Qing, were all very obedient and respectful, and each became high officials of the rank of two thousand shi (a measure of official rank). Emperor Jing said, "Shi Fen and his four sons are all high officials of two thousand shi, and the glory of a subject is concentrated in his family." And that's how he got the name "Wanshi Jun."
During the later years of Emperor Xiaojing's reign, Lord Wanshi resigned from his position as a senior minister and returned to his hometown to retire. He only visited the palace during the big holidays. Every time he passed by the palace gates and city gates, Lord Wanshi would dismount and walk quickly, bowing to any horses he encountered on the road. When his descendants, even if they were just low-ranking officials, came to see him, Lord Wanshi would receive them in court attire and would not directly call them by name. If a descendant made a mistake, he would not scold them; instead, he would sit quietly at the table without eating. He'd then send another son to reprimand the offending brother, who would have to take off his shirt, sincerely apologize, and admit his mistake. After correcting the error, Lord Wanshi would forgive him. Even if his descendants were lounging around in caps or just relaxing at home, Lord Wanshi would always wear a hat and have neat attire. The servants in the house were also very cautious. When the emperor sent food rewards to his house, he would bow down and eat, just as if he were in front of the emperor. He was very sorrowful when handling funerals, and his descendants followed his teachings and were just like him. The Wanshi family's reputation for filial piety and caution spread throughout the counties; even scholars from Qi and Lu couldn't hold a candle to them.
In the second year of Jianyuan, Langzhong Wang Zang was punished for his good knowledge. The Empress Dowager figured most scholars were all talk and no action, while the Wanshi family acted without words. Therefore, she appointed Wanshi's eldest son Jian as Langzhong and his youngest son Qing as Neishi.
How's Lord Wanshi these days? He has aged, his hair has turned white, but Lord Wanshi is still well. Once Jian became Langzhong, he'd go home every five days to bathe and see his parents. Once inside the house, he would sneak his mother's old skirt from the servants, wash it himself, and sneak it back without his father knowing. As Langzhong, he'd send everyone else away before speaking his mind honestly and earnestly. But in front of the Emperor, he clammed up. Therefore, the emperor had great respect and favor towards him.
Wanshi Jun went to live in the countryside. Neishi Qing came back drunk and just sat there in his carriage, even after he had driven into the courtyard. When Wanshi Jun heard about it, he went on a hunger strike. Qing, terrified, stripped to his underclothes to show his remorse, but Wanshi Jun still wouldn't forgive him. The entire Qing family, including his brother Jian, took off their clothes to apologize, and only then did Wanshi Jun say, "Look, Neishi, you drove right into the village, and all the old folks scattered like rabbits. You just sat there in your fancy carriage! That ain't right!" Only then did he forgive Qing. Then Qing, his sons, and everyone else scrambled out of the carriage and ran home.
Wanshi Jun passed away in the fifth year of Yuanshuo. His eldest son, Langzhongling Jian, was heartbroken, wailing so hard he could barely walk without his cane. More than a year later, Jian died of a broken heart. His descendants were all filial, but Jian was the most filial, even more so than when Wanshi Jun was alive.
When Jian was Langzhongling, after writing a memorial, he would read it again himself and say, "I made a mistake! The 'horse' character's tail should have five strokes, but now it only has four strokes, missing one. The Emperor will punish me!" He was very afraid. He was meticulous in everything he did.
Wanshi Jun's youngest son Qing became the head of the royal stables. When the Emperor went on a trip and asked how many horses were in the carriage, after counting the horses, Qing raised his hand and said, "That's six horses, Your Majesty." Among his brothers, Qing was the most casual, but still so cautious. When he became the Prime Minister of Qi, everyone in Qi respected the Qing family's reputation. He didn't say much, but the state of Qi was governed very well, and a temple was even built in his honor.
In the first year of Yuanshu, the Emperor appointed a Crown Prince and selected ministers to be the Crown Prince's teachers. Qing was promoted from the magistrate of Pei County to the Crown Prince's tutor, and seven years later, he was promoted to chief justice.
In the autumn of 112 BC, the son of Prime Minister Wanshi Jun, Wanshi Junqing, was dismissed from his position for making a mistake. The emperor issued an edict to the imperial censor, saying, "Wanshi Jun was highly respected during the reign of the previous emperor, and his descendants are also filial. Let the imperial censor, Qing, assume the position of prime minister and appoint him as the Marquis of Muqiu!" At that time, the Han Dynasty was busy pacifying the two Yue in the south, attacking Korea in the east, expelling the Xiongnu in the north, and conquering Dawan in the west. The emperor personally inspected the entire country, repaired ancient temples, held the Fengshan ceremony, and vigorously developed ritual and music culture. The government wasn't exactly rolling in money, but Sang Hongyang and his ilk scrambled to boost revenue. Wang Wenshu cracked down hard on lawbreakers, and Er Kuan pushed Confucian ideals on the nine high officials. These officials reported directly to the emperor, sidelining Prime Minister Wanshi Junqing, a cautious man at best. He'd been prime minister for nine years, but hadn't exactly set the world on fire with his ideas. He tried to tell the emperor to get rid of the sycophants and crooked officials, but it backfired. They turned on him, and he ended up having to pay a hefty fine to make things right.
In 108 BC, there were as many as two million displaced people in the eastern region of the country, with four hundred thousand of them unregistered. The court ministers discussed whether to relocate these migrants to the frontier. The Emperor felt that Prime Minister Qing was old and cautious, so he couldn't discuss this matter with him and instead let him go home to rest while he handled the suggestions of the ministers below the Grand Chancellor who proposed the relocation of the migrants. Qing felt that he had not fulfilled his duties as Prime Minister and was very ashamed, so he wrote to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, I am honored to have served as Prime Minister, but I lack the ability to assist you in governing the state. With the treasury depleted and the people suffering, my failings warrant the death penalty. However, Your Majesty's mercy prevents such a punishment. I therefore humbly request to resign my post and allow a more capable individual to assume my duties." The Emperor replied, "The treasury's empty, the people are suffering, and you want to move them? That'll just make things worse! What are you planning to do, just walk away?" The Emperor used this letter to rebuke Qing, who felt very ashamed and continued to handle state affairs.
Qing was cautious and meticulous but lacked major strategies and did not speak up for the people. Over three years later, in 105 BC, Qing passed away and was posthumously named the Marquis of Tranquility. He favored his son De the most, and the Emperor also allowed De to inherit the marquis title. Later, serving as Minister of Ceremonies, Lord De was sentenced to death for a crime but bought his freedom, becoming a commoner. During Qing's tenure as Prime Minister, thirteen of his descendants held high office. However, after Qing's death, his descendants gradually lost their positions and their reputation for filial piety and caution declined.
Wei Wan was a man from Dailiang, Dai Commandery. He initially became an official by using his skills in driving imperial carriages, serving during the reign of Wendi of Han. He rose through the ranks to become a *zhonglangjiang* based on his achievements, being a loyal man, honest, and without faults. When Jingdi of Han was still the crown prince, he once invited Wei Wan and other attendants to drink together, but Wei Wan did not go, citing illness. Before Wendi passed away, he specifically instructed Jingdi to treat Wei Wan well.
After Wendi's death, Jingdi ascended the throne and did not make much use of Wei Wan for over a year. Wei Wan continued to work diligently and earnestly. Once, when Jingdi went to Shanglin Park to play, he ordered the *zhonglangjiangs* to accompany him in the carriage. Upon returning, he asked Wei Wan, "Do you know why you were chosen to be the accompanying *zhonglangjiang*?" Wei Wan replied, "I only gradually rose to the rank of *zhonglangjiang* based on my achievements in driving carriages; I myself do not know why." Jingdi then asked, "When I was the crown prince and invited you, why didn't you come?" Wei Wan replied, "Your Majesty, I beg your pardon, but I was indeed ill at the time!" Jingdi rewarded him with a sword. Wei Wan said, "The late emperor had previously rewarded me with six swords; I dare not accept Your Majesty's reward." Jingdi said, "Swords are easily given by others; why do you still keep them now?" Wei Wan said, "They are all here." Jingdi had the six swords brought, and the scabbards were intact and had never been used.
Among the officials, if someone made a mistake, Wei Wan always took responsibility for them, never competing with other generals for credit. If someone achieved merit, Wei Wan always gave credit to others. Jingdi believed that he was upright, honest, loyal, and without deceit, so he appointed him as the Grand Tutor to the Prince of Hejian. During the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms of Wu and Chu, Jingdi appointed Wei Wan as a general, leading the Hejian army to attack Wu and Chu, achieving military merit and being appointed as a Commander of the Palace Guards. Three years later, due to his military achievements, during the sixth year of Jingdi's reign, Wei Wan was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Jianling.
In the second year, Emperor Jing deposed the crown prince and executed Li Qing et al. Emperor Jing felt that Wei Wan was old and did not want to implicate him, so he allowed him to retire, while sending Zhi Du to hunt down the Li clan. After the matter was resolved, Emperor Jing appointed the King of Jiaodong as the crown prince, recalled Wei Wan, and appointed him as the Crown Prince's tutor. After a long time, Wei Wan was promoted to Imperial Grand Master. Five years later, he succeeded Tao Hou She as Prime Minister, diligently performing his duties. However, from his initial appointment to becoming Prime Minister, there was nothing to criticize about him. The Emperor considered him a loyal and capable servant, well-suited to assist the young emperor, so he respected and favored him greatly, giving him many rewards.
After serving as Prime Minister for three years, Emperor Jing passed away and Emperor Wu ascended the throne. In the first year of the Jianyuan era, Prime Minister Wei Wan requested to resign because many officials and prisoners were wrongly accused and punished during Emperor Jing's illness, and he did not fulfill his responsibilities. Shortly thereafter, Wei Wan passed away, and his son Wei Xin inherited his title, but was later stripped of his marquis title due to the incident of the underweight gold offerings.
It is said that Lord Sai, Buyi, a native of Nanyang, held a minor post in the imperial palace during the reign of Emperor Wen. One of his colleagues in the dormitory was going home and accidentally took Buyi's gold. Later, when the gold's owner discovered its loss, he suspected Buyi of stealing it. Buyi immediately admitted to taking it and even bought the gold back to compensate the owner. Eventually, the colleague who had mistakenly taken the gold returned it, and the person who suspected Buyi of theft realized his mistake and felt very embarrassed. Everyone thought Buyi was a man of great integrity and called him "Elder." Later, Emperor Wen promoted him, and he rose through the ranks to become Imperial Grand Master.
However, there were some people in the court who were jealous and spoke ill of him behind his back: "Noyi looks so handsome; it's a pity I heard he actually... actually stole his brother's wife's belongings!" Noyi heard these rumors and simply said, "I do not have a brother." But he did not explain further. When the seven states of Wu and Chu rebelled, Noyi led two thousand troops to suppress the rebellion. In the first year of Emperor Jing's reign, he was appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Censorate. Because of his contributions in quelling the Wu and Chu rebellion, the emperor appointed him as a marquis. However, during the reign of Emperor Wu, he and Prime Minister Wan (whose full name is not provided) made mistakes and were both dismissed from their positions. Noyi usually studied Daoist philosophy and, while in office, maintained a low profile, as if it were business as usual, afraid that others would know he was serving. He never sought fame and was still known as the "Elder" by everyone, a term that carries a different connotation in modern English. After Noyi's death, his son Xiangru inherited his title. His grandson Wang lost his marquis status due to the Zhujin incident, which involved a scandal related to improper conduct and the misuse of funds.
Zhou Wen, the Langzhongling, whose name was Ren, was originally a doctor. When Emperor Jing was still the crown prince, he recruited Zhou Ren as an attendant. Over time, he rose through the ranks, and during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, he became a Palace Attendant. When Emperor Jing ascended the throne, he immediately promoted Zhou Ren to Langzhongling. Zhou Ren was very cautious and never boasted. He deliberately wore clothes that were patched and darned, his trousers threadbare, pretending to be indifferent to avoid attracting attention, and thus gained the trust of the emperor. When the emperor was attending to affairs in the imperial palace, Zhou Ren often accompanied him. Even after Emperor Jing's death, Zhou Ren remained as the Langzhongling, and he never uttered a word of gossip. When asked about the emperor's situation, he would simply say, "The emperor knows best." But he never spoke ill of Emperor Jing. Because of this, the emperor rewarded him many times and even allowed him to move to Yangling to live. Despite the many rewards from the emperor, he always declined, not daring to accept. He refused to take any gifts from the vassals and ministers.
After Emperor Wu became emperor, he really liked Zhou Ren, who was a former minister of the late emperor. Later, Zhou Ren resigned from his position due to illness and returned home with a hefty salary to retire. His descendants all ended up in high places.
Zhang Shu, also known as Ou, was the love child of the Marquis of Anqiu. During the reign of Emperor Xiao Wen of Han, the crown prince liked him for his expertise in law and willingness to speak frankly. Although Zhang Ou knew the law inside and out, he was known for his integrity.
During the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, Zhang Ou held a high position as one of the top nine officials. In the fourth year of Emperor Wu of Han's Yuanshuo era, Han Anguo was dismissed from office, and the emperor appointed Zhang Ou as the chief inspector. Throughout his time in office, Zhang Ou never went looking for trouble, always doing his job honestly and respectfully. His subordinates considered him a good person and dared not pull any stunts in his presence. When presented with cases, if he could dismiss them, he did so; if not, he would just sadly file it away in front of the emperor. That's how he showed he cared about the people.
As he grew older and his health declined, he asked to retire from the emperor. The emperor agreed and let him retire with a generous pension. His family lived in Yangling, and his descendants also became successful.
Sima Qian said: Confucius once said, "A noble person should talk less and do more." Isn't this referring to Wanshi Jun, Jianling Marquis, and Zhang Shu? Their teachings were not strict but successful, their management not strict but orderly. The smooth moves of the Marquis of Saihou and the always kissing up of King Wen of Zhou were criticized by noble persons because it was too much like brown-nosing. However, these individuals (Wanshi Jun, Jianling Marquis, and Zhang Shu) can truly be considered really good guys!
