Wei Xiang, courtesy name Ruoweng, was a native of Jiyin Dingtao who later moved to Pingling. When he was young, he studied the Book of Changes (Yijing), served as a small-time county official, and later participated in a talent recruitment program for promising officials. Due to his good strategies, he was appointed as the magistrate of Maoling County. Not long after, a retainer of the Imperial Inspector General, Sang Hongyang, impersonated an imperial censor, stopped the county magistrate, and accused him of not visiting him on time. In a rage, the retainer tied up the county magistrate. Wei Xiang felt that something was suspicious and ordered the arrest of the retainer. After investigating the matter, the retainer was sentenced to banishment, and Maoling County was thus governed in an orderly manner.
Later, Wei Xiang was promoted to the position of Governor of Henan. He ruthlessly tackled corruption, and the bigwigs all feared him. Just then, the Prime Minister Che Qianqiu passed away. Che Qianqiu's son, who was previously an official in the armory in Luoyang, felt that he had lost his influence after his father's death. Additionally, he was afraid of being implicated in the future due to Wei Xiang's strict governance of the counties, so he resigned from his position. Wei Xiang sent someone to bring him back, but he refused to return. Wei Xiang was angry and muttered to himself, "If General Huo Guang hears that this armory commander resigned because of me, he will think that I am deliberately making things difficult for the Prime Minister's son just because his father passed away. If I don't have the court's bigwigs on my side, I'm toast!" The armory commander traveled west to Chang'an, and indeed General Huo Guang criticized Wei Xiang for this, saying, "The emperor's just come to power. To keep Hangu Pass and the capital safe, the armory has gathered top troops, which is why the Prime Minister's brother became the commander of the pass and his son became the commander of the armory. Now the Governor of Henan is not considering the country's interests and is only pushing the Prime Minister's son aside because his father died. That's incredibly short-sighted!"
Later, someone reported that Wei Xiang had unjustly killed innocent people, and this matter was submitted to the authorities for handling. There were two to three thousand soldiers stationed in Zhongdu in Henan Prefecture, and they petitioned the Grand Marshal, saying they were willing to serve an extra year to make amends for the Prefect's actions. More than ten thousand elderly men and women from Henan Prefecture blocked the pass, wanting to enter the capital to petition, and the officials guarding the pass reported this to the Grand Marshal. Due to the incident involving the Arsenal Commander, Wei Xiang was sent to Tingwei Prison. He was kept in prison for quite some time, until winter, when he was released due to a general amnesty. Later, he was ordered to return to Maoling as a county magistrate, and then he was promoted to the Governor of Yangzhou. Wei Xiang evaluated the performance of the prefects and county magistrates during his tenure and dismissed many officials. Wei Xiang had a good relationship with Bing Ji, who was a high-ranking official at the time. Bing Ji wrote to Wei Xiang, saying, "Your accomplishments are well-known in court, and you will soon be reinstated. Watch your step, keep your nose clean, and don't squander your abilities." Wei Xiang agreed with Bing Ji's words and thus restrained his harsh style. He stayed in Yangzhou for two years, was appointed as an advisor, and later became the Prefect of Henan. Several years later, Emperor Xuan ascended to the throne and summoned Wei Xiang (the son-in-law of Huo Guang, the Prime Minister) to the palace, appointing him as the Minister of Agriculture, and later promoting him to the Chief Inspector. When Huo Guang passed away, Emperor Xuan remembered his contributions and rewarded Huo Guang's son, Huo Yu, with the post of Right General, and made Huo Guang's nephew, Hou Shan, the new Prefect of the Imperial Secretariat, putting him in charge of all court documents.
Seizing the moment, Wei Xiang took advantage of Ping'en Hou Xubo presenting his petition to quickly advise the emperor, saying: "In the 'Spring and Autumn Annals,' criticizing the hereditary aristocracy and condemning the Song state for having three generations of ministers, as well as the usurping of power by the Jisun family of the Lu state, are all examples that lead to national turmoil. Ever since the Han, the power of the royal family has fallen into the hands of the prime minister. Now that Huo Guang has died, his son has become the Grand General, his nephew controls key government posts, and his relatives all hold important powers and military authority. Huo Guang's wife and daughters were constant visitors to the Changxin Palace and could even enter the palace gates at night, indulging in luxury, which may become increasingly difficult to control. We should find ways to weaken their power and thwart their plots in order to strengthen the nation and protect the Huo family's legacy." Previously, those who submitted memorials had to write two copies, one was the original and the other the copy. The Grand Secretary would first look at the copy, and if the content was not good, it would be discarded without the emperor seeing it. Wei Xiang took advantage of Xubo's matter to cancel the copy, avoiding suppressed information. Emperor Xuan thought this idea was very good, so he allowed Wei Xiang to participate in political affairs; he had the Emperor's ear. As a result, the Huo family's plot to murder Empress Xu was finally known to the emperor. Emperor Xuan immediately dismissed the three marquis of the Huo family, ordered them to return to their estates, and relegated their relatives to minor posts in the provinces. Later, Wei Xian requested retirement due to age and infirmity, and Wei Xiang took over as Prime Minister and was made Marquis of Gaoping with a fief of eight hundred households. However, the Huo family both hated and feared Wei Xiang, so they forged a decree from the Empress Dowager, planning to lure Wei Xiang to the palace for execution and then depose the emperor. The plot was uncovered, and the Huo family was wiped out. From then on, he ruled personally, governing the country diligently, examining officials, verifying information, with Wei Xiang effectively managing the bureaucracy, much to the Emperor's satisfaction.
Back in the Han Dynasty, during the Yuan Kang era, the Xiongnu sent troops to attack the Han army stationed in Cheshi, but they were unsuccessful. The Emperor and General Zhao Chongguo cooked up a scheme to take advantage of the Xiongnu's weakness and send troops to attack their eastern territories, so they wouldn't dare to harass the Western Regions anymore. The Prime Minister advised in a memorial: "I heard that wars fought to quell rebellions and wipe out the bad guys are called righteous wars; only such wars succeed. Wars of self-defense against invasion are called necessary wars; these are the only wars that win. Wars born of petty grievances are called wrathful wars; such angry wars are bound to fail. Wars launched to plunder others' land and property are called greedy wars; these greedy wars are also bound to fail. Wars fought to show off power in front of the enemy, relying on the strength of the country and the large population, are called arrogant wars; this kind of proud and reckless war is bound to perish. These five situations aren't just human affairs; they're the way of the world!"
Lately, the Huns have been acting pretty decent, sending back all the Han folks they’d grabbed and keeping mostly to themselves. Sure, we've had a little scuffle with 'em over the farmland in Cheshi, but it ain't worth a war just yet. I hear the generals are itching for a fight with the Huns, but honestly, I'm clueless about this whole thing. Out on the border, folks are dirt poor. Fathers and sons share one sheepskin coat, they're scraping by on weeds and berries, barely hanging on. How can they possibly fight a war? They say, "War brings hard times," meaning it messes everything up. Even if we win, there'll be trouble down the road, maybe even a whole heap of problems. Most of the governors and officials are no good, things are falling apart, and we've got droughts and floods all the time. Check the numbers this year: 222 cases of sons killing their dads, brothers killing each other, wives killing their husbands. That's a serious problem! Everyone's ignoring our problems and wants to go after the Huns for some minor grievance. It's like Confucius said, "The real danger isn't out there, it's right here at home." Your Majesty should talk this over with Marquis Ping, Marquis Le, Marquis Ping'en, and the other smart guys before you decide. The Emperor listened to the Prime Minister and decided against the war.
Young Xiang Ming seriously studied the "Book of Changes" and even took on a teacher to learn. He especially enjoyed reading historical stories and various memorials from the Han Dynasty. He felt that the systems of the past and present were different, and now the most important thing is to follow precedent. He listed several measures taken by the country since the Han Dynasty to cope with emergencies, as well as the suggestions and memorials of wise ministers such as Jia Yi, Chao Cuo, and Dong Zhongshu, saying: "I have heard that with a wise ruler in power and wise ministers assisting, the country can be stable, and the people can live in peace and contentment. Although I have had the honor of holding important positions, I have not been able to properly enforce the laws, promote good governance, govern the realm, and uphold virtuous governance. Now many folks are not working diligently, and some are even hungry and cold. Your Majesty should be concerned about this. I'm deeply sorry! My abilities are limited, and I do not understand the principles of state affairs and personnel management very well. I only know that the livelihood of the common people is crucial, but I do not know what to do. I have carefully examined the moral virtues and benevolence of the late emperor. He was diligent in governing, loved the people, cared about their hardships, worried about floods and droughts, and provided disaster relief; he also sent advisors and scholars to inspect the country, investigate customs, recommend virtuous individuals, rectify wrongful convictions, and a constant stream of officials came forward; he reduced expenditures, lightened taxes, opened up natural resources, and prohibited the military from buying and selling alcohol and hoarding supplies, all to help the people through difficult times, console them, and make things convenient for them. I cannot list them one by one, so I humbly submit these historical edicts to you, a total of twenty-three. I carefully examined the laws and found that the country must prioritize agriculture, strive to accumulate food reserves, budget carefully, and be prepared for emergencies. Even with six years of stored grain, it still feels insufficient. In the third year of Yuanding, the Pingyuan, Bohai, Taishan, and Dongjun regions suffered severe disasters, and people were dying in the streets. The local officials did not make adequate preparations in advance, leading to such consequences. Only Your Majesty's timely intervention saved them. This year's harvest is poor, food prices are soaring, and there is still a shortage of grain after the autumn harvest. It may be even worse in the spring, and there is no way to help the people. The Western Qiang remain unsubdued, and the military is still fighting outside, with continuous battles. I am very worried and believe that preparations should be made early. I hope Your Majesty will care more for the people and govern the world following the great virtues of the late emperor." The emperor heeded his counsel.
Man, I'm a minister, yet I haven't done my job and haven't done a good job teaching people. This has led to things being out of whack with Yin and Yang and continuous disasters, all of which are my responsibility! I’ve heard that the "Book of Changes" says: "Heaven and Earth follow the natural course, so the sun and moon move regularly, and the seasons change as they should; a wise ruler also follows nature, leading to fair punishments and people living in peace and happiness." Everything depends on Yin and Yang being balanced, with their division based on the sun's movement. The eight winds follow the sun from winter to summer solstice; all things have their place and role and shouldn't interfere with each other.
The East is ruled by Taihao, who governs spring and symbolizes the Zhen hexagram; the South is ruled by the Yan Emperor, who governs summer and symbolizes the Li hexagram; the West is ruled by Shao Hao, who governs autumn and symbolizes the Dui hexagram; the North is ruled by Zhuan Xu, who governs winter and symbolizes the Kan hexagram; the Center is ruled by the Yellow Emperor, who governs the land and symbolizes the Kun and Gen hexagrams. Each of these five emperors governs their respective seasons at fixed times. The hexagrams of the East can’t be used to govern the West, and the hexagrams of the South can’t be used to govern the North. Using the Dui hexagram in spring brings famine, using the Zhen hexagram in autumn leads to excessive prosperity, using the Li hexagram in winter causes disaster, and using the Kan hexagram in summer brings hailstorms.
The wise monarch reverently fears the heavens and carefully loves the people. Therefore, he establishes the office of the Minister of Temporal Harmony to manage the four seasons and timely arrange the various affairs of the people. If the monarch can act in accordance with the natural order and follow the cosmic forces, then the sun and moon will shine brightly, the wind and rain will arrive as expected, and the cold and heat will be harmonious. With these three elements in balance, disasters will not occur, crops will be abundant, silk and hemp will flourish, vegetation will thrive, birds and beasts will prosper, the people will not suffer untimely deaths or illnesses, and there will be an abundance of food and clothing. In this way, the monarch will be respected, the people will be content, there will be no complaints, governance and education will be in harmony, and etiquette will flourish.
If the wind and rain are not in harmony, it will damage agriculture; if agriculture suffers, the people will endure hunger and cold; if the people endure hunger and cold, they will lose their sense of shame, leading to the rise of thieves and bandits. I believe that harmony between yin and yang is the foundation of the country and the source of life for all living beings. Since ancient times, wise and virtuous rulers have placed great importance on this principle. The emperor should emulate heaven and earth and learn from the governance methods of the ancient sages. In "The Emperor's Attire, Part Eight," recorded by Emperor Gaozu, it states: "Zhang Chen, a high-ranking official, received an order from the Chang Le Palace: 'Let's have a discussion about the Emperor's clothes – it's important for keeping the country running smoothly.' The Prime Minister He Chen, Grand Secretary Chang Chen, General Ling Chen, Prince's Tutor Tong Chen, and others discussed, 'In spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the emperor's attire should reflect the cosmic order to achieve harmony among the people. Therefore, from the emperor and princes to the common people, all should follow heaven and earth, align with the four seasons, govern the country, and avoid disasters, ensuring longevity. This is an important ritual for offering sacrifices to the ancestors and stabilizing the world. We suggest following this method.' The courtier Zhao Yao recommended spring, Li Shun recommended summer, Er Tang recommended autumn, and Gong Yu recommended winter, with each responsible for a season. The great courtier Xiang Zhang reported back, and the emperor ordered, 'Approved!'"
During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, in the second month, he showed everyone some love by rewarding those who were filial to their parents and diligent in farming, and by disbanding the army of soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the country. That wasn't the best timing. The Chief Inspector, Chao Cuo, who was serving as the Crown Prince's tutor at the time, reported this matter. We ministers all feel that Your Majesty's generosity is great, but disasters have not ceased. I privately worry that the orders might not have been the best idea.
Your Majesty, it would be best to select four experts in astronomy and the balance of yin and yang, each responsible for a season. When the time comes, let them explain their duties. This way, we can balance the yin and yang, which would greatly benefit the people!
In short, the Prime Minister advised the Emperor, and the Emperor took his advice. The Prime Minister also ordered officials to investigate the situations in the counties and states, as well as the status of those who were on leave and returning home. Then, any weird stuff occurring in various places, such as rebellions, storms, disasters, etc., if not reported by the county magistrate, the Prime Minister would report to Your Majesty himself. At that time, Bing Ji served as the Chief Inspector, assisting the emperor alongside the Prime Minister, and Your Majesty valued them greatly. However, the Prime Minister was strict in character, unlike Bing Ji, who was more lenient. He was Prime Minister for nine years, dying in the third year of Shenjue and receiving the posthumous title of Xianhou. His son Hong took over, but lost the title after getting into trouble during the Ganlu period, his rank reduced to Guanneihou.
Bing Ji, courtesy name Shaoqing, was a native of the Lu state. He was well-versed in law and had served as a jailer in Lu due to his repeated military achievements. He gradually rose to the position of Right Supervisor of the Imperial Court of Justice. Later, he lost his position due to a legal violation and returned to his hometown to work as a local administrator. In the later years of Emperor Wu of Han, the Sorcery Case occurred, and Bing Ji was summoned because he had previously served as an inspector in the court. He was ordered to investigate the prisoners in the county jail involved in the Sorcery Case. At that time, Emperor Xuan was only a few months old and was detained due to his involvement in the case of Crown Prince Wei. Bing Ji felt sorry for him and knew that the Crown Prince was innocent, so he sympathized with the Emperor's great-grandson. He selected some reliable female prisoners to take care of the young prince and placed him in a warm, airy room. Bing Ji handled the case of the Sorcery Case, which took several years to conclude.
In the second year of Houyuan (the reign of Emperor Wu's successor), Emperor Wu fell ill and frequently traveled between Changyang Palace and Wuzuo Palace. Fortune tellers claimed that the Emperor's aura was hidden in Chang'an Prison, so the Emperor sent messengers to all prisons, ordering all detainees, regardless of their crimes, to be killed. The Emperor's personal attendant, Guo Rang, came to the county jail at night, but Bing Ji closed the door and refused to let the messenger in, saying, "The Emperor's great-grandson is here! You can't kill innocents, let alone him!" He guarded the door until dawn, and the messenger was unable to enter. Guo Rang returned to report and ratted Bing Ji out. Emperor Wu later realized the situation and said, "It was fate!" He then ordered the release of all prisoners in the country. Only with Bing Ji's help were the detainees in the county jail spared, and everyone knew what he'd done. The young prince fell ill several times and nearly lost his life. Bing Ji made sure he had the best care, the best wet nurse, and the best medicine. He even used his own money to buy the boy clothes and food. He was a true lifesaver.
Hou Ji first became the Cavalry General and Market Administrator, and later was promoted to Chief of Staff to the Grand General. Huo Guang valued him highly and appointed him to a palace post within the Guanglu Daifu. When Emperor Zhao died without leaving a son to inherit the throne, Grand General Huo Guang sent Ji to welcome Prince Liu He of Changyi. Liu He became emperor but was later deposed due to his licentious behavior. Huo Guang, along with Cavalry General Zhang Anshi and other ministers, discussed who should be the next emperor but had not reached a decision yet.
Ji wrote to Huo Guang, saying, "General, you have served Emperor Xiaowu since he was a baby, and now you bear the heavy responsibility of the country. Emperor Xiaozhao died early without leaving an heir, causing worry and anticipation among the people to know who the next emperor will be. Establishing an emperor on the mourning day is the righteous thing to do; if we make a mistake, we can correct it, and no one will object. General, the fate of the country, our ancestors, and the people rests on your shoulders! I have listened to the discussions of the common people and observed their thoughts. The common people haven't heard of those court nobles and princes. The will mentions that the great-grandson of Emperor Xiaowu, named Liu Bingyi, currently resides in the Yeting. I met him when I was the county magistrate. He was just a boy then, but now, at eighteen or nineteen, he's learned and talented, a steady and gentle young man. General, please consider this carefully – perhaps even consult the oracles – and bring him to court. Let the world see him before you make your final decision. In this way, the people will be very grateful!"
After reading his memorial, Huo Guang decided to establish the great-grandson as emperor and sent Liu De, the Minister of Rites, and Ji to welcome the great-grandson from Yeting. Emperor Xuan was just enthroned and immediately elevated Ji to Marquis of Guannei.
Bingji was a good, unassuming sort, never boasting about his own achievements. Since he took care of the emperor's great-grandson many years ago, he has never mentioned it again, so the court has never known about his contributions. In the third year of Di Jie's reign, the emperor appointed him as the Prince's tutor, and within a few months, he was promoted to Imperial Minister. After the Huo family was exterminated and the emperor took personal control, he streamlined the affairs of the Secretariat.
At that time, there was a palace maid in the Yeting Palace who had a commoner write a petition for her, claiming that she had once taken care of the emperor's great-grandson and contributed to the court. When the petition reached the Yeting Palace supervisor, he questioned her, and she said that Imperial Minister Bingji knew about this. The Yeting Palace supervisor went to the Grand Secretariat to find Bingji. Bingji recognized the palace maid and said to her, "Hey, you got whipped for slacking off on the Emperor's great-grandson. What contribution are you talking about? Only Hu Zu from Weicheng and Guo Zhengqing from Huaiyang can be considered to have made contributions!" Then Bingji separately submitted memorials, detailing the hard work of Hu Zu and Guo Zhengqing in taking care of the emperor's great-grandson.
The emperor issued an edict to find Hu Zu and Guo Zhengqing, but both had passed away. However, their descendants were still alive, so the emperor lavished them with gifts. At the same time, the emperor issued an edict to strip the palace maid of her title and make her a commoner, rewarding her with a hundred thousand cash. After personally inquiring, the emperor finally realized Bingji had done him a solid, but Bingji had never said a word. The emperor greatly admired Bingji's noble character and issued an edict to the Prime Minister, saying, "When I was insignificant, Imperial Minister Bingji had shown me kindness. The guy's a stand-up guy! Like that old saying, 'What goes around comes around,' right? So I'm making Bingji the Marquis of Boyang, with a sweet 1300-household fiefdom!"
He was about to be made a lord, but Bing Ji fell ill. The emperor wanted to send someone to give him his title and complete the enfeoffment ceremony while he was still alive. The emperor was very worried about Bing Ji's illness. The crown prince's tutor, Xiahou Sheng, said, "He won't die. Good things happen to good people, and that good fortune often passes down to their kids. Now Bing Ji hasn't been rewarded yet and he is so seriously ill; this is definitely not a fatal illness." Later, Bing Ji's illness did indeed get better. Bing Ji firmly declined in writing, saying that he was not suitable for just a title. The emperor replied, "Look, this title isn't just for show, and you sending back the seal makes me look bad! Things are peaceful now, so just relax, take it easy, and get better!" Five years later, Bing Ji succeeded Wei Xiang as Prime Minister.
Bing Ji started as a small official, later studying classic poetry and ancient etiquette texts, and he really understood the meaning behind them. After becoming Prime Minister, he was generous and liked to be modest. If his subordinates made minor mistakes or did not fulfill their duties, he'd just let them be and go home to rest for a while, never bothering them about it. Some people advised Bing Ji, "You are the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty; those bad officials are all doing wrong things. Why don't you punish them?" Bing Ji replied, "I'm just the Prime Minister; I can't be messing with those guys!" After that, officials just stopped bothering their underlings about little mistakes – it all started with Bing Ji.
He always covered for his people and praised their strengths. There was a coachman in the Ji Mansion who was addicted to alcohol and often got drunk. Once, he went out with Prime Minister Ji and got so drunk that he vomited in the Prime Minister's carriage. The head clerk from the Western Office wanted to fire him, but Ji said, "What's the point of firing a drunk? What good is he then? Let's just endure it; it's only a soiled carriage cushion." So, the man was allowed to stay. This coachman was from the border region and was familiar with urgent military information and security affairs on the border. One time, while he was out, he saw a courier holding red and white envelopes, carrying urgent military information from the border. The coachman followed the courier to the official carriage, retrieved the message, and learned that the enemy had invaded Yunzhong County and Daizhou. He hurried back to the mansion to report to Ji, saying, "I'm afraid the enemy has invaded the border region. Some of the two-thousand-stone officials there are old and weak, unable to command troops. We should be prepared in advance." Ji appreciated his words and immediately summoned the officials of the Eastern Court to investigate the situation of the border officials and record their details. Before the investigation was completed, the court ordered the Prime Minister and the censor to inquire about the situation in the invaded counties. Ji reported in detail. The censor, however, could not answer and was reprimanded. Ji, however, was praised for his patriotism and diligence, all thanks to the diligent efforts of the coachman. Ji sighed, "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. We can't give up on them just because of a small mistake. If I hadn't heard from the coachman first, we wouldn't have been ready." From then on, the subordinates respected Ji even more.
One day, Ji was walking down the street when he stumbled upon a brawl—a real bloody mess. Ji actually turned a blind eye and walked away. His staff were baffled. What was the deal with the Prime Minister ignoring it?
Chancellor Ji continued to walk forward and saw someone chasing a cow. The cow was tired, its tongue hanging out, panting its lungs out. This time, Chancellor Ji stopped and let the horse-riding official go and ask, "How far has this cow been chased?" One of his officials muttered amongst themselves, "The Chancellor is hypocritical, sometimes ignoring fights and sometimes caring about chasing cows. Maybe someone will use this to mock him!" Chancellor Ji explained, "Fights and brawls are for the county magistrate and the prefect of Jingzhao to deal with. They are responsible for stopping and arresting. At the end of the year, as Chancellor, I will assess their performance and reward or punish accordingly. I don't need to worry about these petty squabbles; there's no need to bother with them on the road. Spring's here, and it's not too hot yet. This cow has probably run a long way and overheated, causing it to pant like this. If this continues, there might be a problem. We Three Excellencies are all about balance, so I wanted to check." The official nodded, impressed.
In the third year of the Wufeng era, in the spring, Prime Minister Ji fell seriously ill. The Emperor personally visited him and asked, "If anything should happen to you, who could take your place?" Prime Minister Ji modestly replied, "Your Majesty knows the abilities of the court officials best; how could I predict who could replace me?" After repeated questioning, Prime Minister Ji bowed and said, "The Prefect of Xihe, Du Yannian, is well-versed in laws and regulations and familiar with the national statutes and systems. He served as a high-ranking official for over ten years and is performing excellently in the county now; the Chief Censor, Yu Dingguo, was known for his fair judgments; the Master of the Stables, Chen Wannian, is filial to his mother and kind-hearted. These three are all better than me, Your Majesty; please consider them." The Emperor agreed, and after Prime Minister Ji's passing, the Minister of Justice, Huang Ba, was promoted to Prime Minister. Du Yannian was appointed as Chief Censor but, because of his age and ill health, he requested retirement and was dismissed. Yu Dingguo then took over the position of Chief Censor. After Huang Ba's passing, Yu Dingguo was promoted to Prime Minister, and Chen Wannian succeeded him as Chief Censor. Each excelled in their roles, and the Emperor praised Prime Minister Ji for his accurate judgment of people. Prime Minister Ji was posthumously honored as Lord Ding. His son, Ji Xian, inherited the title but later committed a crime during the Ganlu era, resulting in his title being demoted to a lesser title. He held positions as an Imperial Guard and Master of the Stables. When Ji Xian was young, he served in various departments and once accompanied a sacrifice at the Gao Temple. When it was time for the sacrifice in the evening, he was only sent to fetch the sacrificial clothes. Prime Minister Ji was furious and said to his wife, "That temple sacrifice is HUGE, and Ji Xian is so reckless! He'll ruin my reputation, I tell you!" After his wife persuaded him for a long time, he calmed down. Prime Minister Ji's second son, Ji Yu, became the Commandant of Waterways, and his youngest son, Ji Gao, became the Commandant of Central Levees.
When I was young, I served as a small-time official in the county. I witnessed firsthand the suffering of the emperor's great-grandson in the county jail. At that time, the prison official Bing Ji, upon seeing this young prince wrongly accused and mistreated, felt extremely sad and bawled his eyes out. He was exceptionally kind, using his own money to hire someone to take care of the young prince and frequently visiting him himself. I had to attend to him twice a day in the courtyard. Later, when the young prince was summoned for his case, Bing Ji protected him no matter what, unafraid of severe punishment. When amnesty was declared, Bing Ji told the prison officials that the young prince shouldn't stay in the government office and should be sent to the Jingzhao magistrate. However, the magistrate didn’t accept him and sent him back. When the caretaker of the young prince, Hu Zu, was about to leave, the young prince missed him greatly. Bing Ji paid to keep Hu Zu and Guo Huiqing for a few more months to continue caring for the young prince before letting Hu Zu leave. Later, the palace chef told Bing Ji, "There’s no decree for the young prince to eat!" Bing Ji then bought rice and meat, sending it to the young prince every month. Bing Ji fell ill because of this, so he had me greet the young prince twice a day, check if his bed was clean, and visit Hu Zu and Guo Huiqing frequently, making sure they kept him out of trouble at night and always giving him delicious food. Bing Ji devoted himself wholeheartedly to raising the young prince into adulthood; he went above and beyond! At that time, he could never have imagined such a reward! This was all because his heart was filled with compassion! That's real loyalty, right there!
During the reign of Emperor Xiaoxuan, I reported this matter, and the Emperor agreed to my request. Bing Ji was very modest and did not dare to claim credit, instead attributing all the praise to Hu Zu and Guo Huiqing. Both Hu Zu and Guo Huiqing received rewards, land, and money, while Bing Ji was only titled as the Marquis of Boyang. Now, I am old, poor, and near the end of my life. I have always wanted to speak out about this, but I fear that no one will believe me and that Bing Ji's contributions will be overlooked. Bing Ji's son, Bing Xian, was demoted to Marquis of Guannei for a minor offense. I believe his title and land should be restored to honor his father's contributions.
It is said that Bing Xian served in the Imperial Stables for more than ten years, engaging in corruption and bribery with his colleagues, amassing millions of cash. When the Imperial Inspector discovered this, he declared Bing Xian guilty and sought to arrest him. The Emperor said, "The former Prime Minister Bing Ji has longstanding merits, and I cannot bear to sever these ties." So he removed Bing Xian from his official position and confiscated his four hundred households of land. Later, he was appointed as the Gatekeeper. After Bing Xian's death, his son Bing Chang inherited the title of Marquis of Guannei.
During the reign of Emperor Cheng, the matter of reviving the ancestral legacy was particularly valued due to the significant past services of the Marquis of Boyang Ji. In the first year of Hongjia, the Emperor issued an edict to the Prime Minister and the Imperial Censor, saying, "Listen, I've heard that honoring merits and inheriting discontinued titles is meant to respect the ancestral temple and open the path for the wise and virtuous. Therefore, because the Marquis of Boyang Ji was enfeoffed due to his past favors and merits, and now his sacrifices have been cut off, I feel a deep regret. The benefits of doing good deeds extend to future generations; this is a principle that has been upheld since ancient times! So, I will enfeoff Ji's grandson, the Cavalry Commander and Marquis of Guannei Chang, as the Marquis of Boyang, allowing him to inherit Ji's legacy." After thirty-two years of the Marquis of Boyang's title being discontinued, it was reinstated. Chang's line held the title until Wang Mang's reign, when it was finally discontinued.
Ancient naming conventions were based on the appearance of things, drawing inspiration from nature for some names and the human body for others. The classics describe the monarch as the head and the ministers as the limbs—a metaphor for their interdependent relationship. Therefore, the harmonious relationship between the emperor and his ministers is a timeless principle and a natural law. This principle is evident in the Han Dynasty, where under Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, who unified China, Xiao He and Cao Shen stood out as exceptional leaders; during the reign of Emperor Xiaoxuan, Bing Ji and Wei Xiang were also renowned for their contributions. At that time, official appointments were merit-based, ensuring competent leadership throughout the government. The nation enjoyed a flourishing and harmonious society. Their achievements speak for themselves.
