Emperor Xiaoxuan had five sons. Empress Xu gave birth to Emperor Xiaoyuan, Consort Zhang gave birth to Prince Huaiyang Xian Liu Qin, Consort Wei gave birth to Prince Chu Xiaowang Liu Xiao, Consort Gongsun gave birth to Prince Dongping Si Liu Yu, and Consort Rong gave birth to Prince Zhongshan Ai Liu Jing.
Prince Huaiyang Xian Liu Qin was made a prince in the third year of Yuankang. His mother, Consort Zhang, was very favored by Emperor Xuan. After Empress Huo was deposed, the Emperor wanted to make Consort Zhang the Empress. However, because the Huo clan wanted to harm the Crown Prince, the Emperor hesitated. The Crown Prince, after all, had humble beginnings. The Emperor himself had relied on the Xu clan, and the Crown Prince had lost his mother young. He couldn't bring himself to depose him. Instead, he chose a cautious, childless woman from the palace—the Changling Princess—to be Empress and raise the Crown Prince. This Empress was not favored and rarely saw the Emperor, with Consort Zhang being the most favored.
As Prince Huaiyang Xian grew up, he loved poring over ancient texts and legal codes, showing intelligence and talent that the Emperor greatly admired. The Crown Prince was a kind, Confucian scholar, which made the Emperor praise Prince Huaiyang Xian and say, "Now *that's* my son!" The Emperor often thought of making Consort Zhang the Empress and having Prince Xian succeed the throne. After a long time, the Emperor heard about the son of the former Prime Minister Wei Xian, Wei Xuan Cheng, known for his integrity and noble character, with a good reputation in the court. The Emperor summoned Wei Xuan Cheng and appointed him as the Commander of Huaiyang, hoping to influence Prince Huaiyang Xian by having a loyal and humble minister by his side to ensure the safety of the Crown Prince. When Emperor Xuan died, Emperor Yuan ascended the throne and sent Prince Xian to his fiefdom.
So, Zhang Jieyu has passed away. Through his grandmother's family, his uncle Zhang Bo and his three brothers visit family in Huaiyang every year, and each time they receive rewards from the Prince of Xian. Later, the Prince of Xian tried to get the Zhang family moved to his estate. However, Zhang Bo wrote back saying no, stating he wanted to stay by the grave and did not want to move. The Prince Xian was pissed.
Later, when Zhang Bo went to Huaiyang, the Prince of Xian gave him a pittance. Zhang Bo said, "I'm managing millions for you, so let's settle up." The Prince of Xian did not agree, so Zhang Bo said goodbye. Zhang Bo's brother Zhang Guang was worried that the Prince of Xian would change his mind when faced with important people, so he told Zhang Bo to write and ask the Prince to retire. The Prince of Xian then sent fifty pounds of gold to Zhang Bo. Zhang Bo was very happy; he replied thanking the Prince of Xian and flattered him, saying, "The court's a mess, disasters are hitting left and right, and people are losing hope. Everyone's looking to you, Prince, to step up and help the Emperor. Why sit around doing nothing?" He also asked his brother Zhang Guang to persuade the Prince of Xian to accept his advice, to get those bigwigs in the capital to give the Prince of Xian the opportunity to enter the court. However, the Prince Xian ignored him.
Later, Guang went to Chang'an, said goodbye to Prince Zhao, and said, "I'll work with Lord Pingyuan to get you a meeting with the court." Prince Zhao arrived in Chang'an that day, using Marquis Pingyang's connections.
Hou Guang passed on King Zhao's request for an audience with the court to Pingyuan Jun. Pingyuan Jun knew that King Zhao had changed his mind, so he wrote a letter to King Zhao saying, "Thanks for trusting me. I've offered some pretty dumb ideas, but you haven't taken any of them. I plan to travel north through Yan and Zhao, inspecting various places along the way to find talented hermits. I’ve heard of a man named Si in the Qi state, who is a military expert and a rare talent. I have visited him and took the opportunity to ask him how the Five Emperors and Three Kings ruled. His insights were pretty unique, not something your average Joe would get. With all the chaos at the border and in the country, it may be difficult to stabilize the situation without such talents. I also heard of a wise man by the North Sea, a real rarity, but it’s hard to invite him. If I can find these two individuals and recommend them to you, that'd be a huge win. I want to get to the west right away to help the Han sort things out, but I don't have the cash to grease the wheels. King Zhao sent gifts—cattle, wine, even thirty pounds of gold—but I turned them down. He even offered me his daughter, with a dowry of two hundred pounds of gold! But I said no to that too. Then your letter arrived, saying you'd sent Hou Guang west to help me get you that audience. I thought you'd given up on me, but then you did a complete 180 and showed me you really cared. I'd go to the ends of the earth for you. So what if it's the court? Just give me some direction, let me work for you, and we can do something amazing, like Tang and Yu did. Si knows his stuff; he's got a huge library. Let me know what you're into, and I'll get it to you."
After receiving the letter, King Zhao was thrilled and replied to Lord Pingyuan, saying, "You're a lucky dog to get my help! That was a clever plan, and I appreciate you laying it all out for me. I'm no genius, but I get what you're saying! I'll get some officials to pay off that two million for you."
At that time, Bo's son-in-law, Jing Fang, because he was proficient in the yin and yang principles of the *I Ching*, was highly favored by the emperor and often summoned to discuss state affairs. He felt that he was being sidelined by people like Shi Xian and Wu Lu Chongzong, and many of his plans could not be implemented, so he often complained about this to Bo. Bo always wanted to impress Prince Huaiyang, so he detailed the omens and prophecies of disaster mentioned by Jing Fang, as well as the confidential remarks spoken by the emperor during the summons, and showed them to Prince Huaiyang to prove his point. Then he lied to him: "I have already met with the Chief Secretary, Mr. Shi, and he promised that as long as I give him five hundred pounds of gold, he can let me attend the court and meet the emperor. Smart leaders always consider achievements rather than expenses when handling political affairs. Just like when Great Yu controlled the floods, although the people were tired, after the project was completed, future generations benefited. Now I heard that Your Majesty, you're not even forty yet, and your teeth are already falling out! The Crown Prince is young, and corrupt officials run the show, everything's out of whack, and half the population is dying from diseases, plagues, and famines. It's as bad as the Great Flood. If you want to save the world and make your mark on history, how can you ignore this? I have already discussed with some respected scholars, and we plan to present a petition for you, highlighting the dangers and outlining the solutions. Your Majesty should personally go to the court first, tell the emperor your thoughts, and then submit the proposal. The emperor will be thrilled. After the success, Your Majesty will have the same reputation as Duke Zhou and Shao Yong (famous for their wisdom and virtue), the evil men will be eliminated, the court officials will change their attitudes, your merits will be unparalleled, the favor of the Liang and Zhao states will also belong to Your Majesty, your whole family will be rich and powerful, and you won't even care about the money then!"
The Prince of Huaiyang was delighted and replied to Bo, saying: "A few days ago, the court issued a decree prohibiting the princes from coming to court, and I was wondering what was going on. You've always been known for your virtue (like Yan Hui and Ran Geng), your wisdom (like Zang Wu Zhong), your eloquence (like Zigong), and your courage (like Bian Zhuangzi). That's a rare combination of talents. Since you have already made a good start, I hope you can make this happen. Asking for an audience is perfectly straightforward. Why the bribe?" Bo replied: "I promised Lord Shi I'd have to pay him off." So the Prince of Huaiyang gave Bo five hundred catties (approximately 250 kg) of gold.
Before Old Fang took office as the magistrate, he bid farewell to the people around him and told them about this matter. As a result, Fang spilled the beans and misled the princes with his brother, Zhang Bo, slandering the court and generally causing trouble. They were arrested. The authorities wanted to arrest the Prince of Huaiyang, but the Emperor couldn't bring himself to punish him, so he sent the court advisor Wang Jun to deliver the Emperor's message.
The Emperor's message was: "The Emperor greets the Prince of Huaiyang. The authorities reported that your uncle, Zhang Bo, has repeatedly written to you, badmouthing the court and the Emperor, praising the princes, and even using the Zhou and Shang dynasties to confuse you. It was wicked and rebellious. Not only did you not report this matter, but you also gave him a lot of money and spoke kindly to him. This is unforgivable! I'm worried about you. It's all Zhang Bo's fault, but you can't say you're entirely blameless either. I've ordered the authorities to drop the case, and sent Wang Jun to tell you. 'Be respectful and upright,' the Book of Songs says. You need to straighten things out."
The emperor pointed to the Prince of Huaiyang and said, "Vassals pay homage to show their loyalty and virtue, and to demonstrate respect. And haven't you read the *Shijing*? Every letter from your uncle Zhang Bo is full of treasonous talk. You are fortunate to have accepted the imperial edict, understood some classics, and known that the reputation of the vassals should not be overstepped. The Emperor's benevolence is known throughout the land, but you listened to Zhang Bo's lies, lavished him with money, and conspired with him—the ultimate betrayal! Any crime committed by a prince in the capital, no matter how small, results in demotion or worse—there are no exceptions. The Emperor's pardoned you, seeing you were misled. He even sent an advisor to explain things clearly—that's incredible generosity! Zhang Bo's crimes are unforgivable. From now on, you should no longer worry about Zhang Bo and others, and you should draw a clear line with them. The *Chunqiu* teaches us to reform ourselves. The *Yijing* says purity brings good fortune. Serve me faithfully, and you'll avoid trouble. So mend your ways, show your gratitude, and you'll live a long and prosperous life, ensuring the kingdom's stability."
King Huaiyang was so scared that he quickly took off his hat, kowtowed, and apologized, saying, "I am a prince in my fiefdom, with many wrongdoings. Your Majesty showed mercy and spared me, granting me such great grace by sending officials to instruct me on how to properly govern my lands. I realize that Zhang Bo's crimes are more serious and should be severely punished. I humbly beg forgiveness once more, and am prepared to die for my transgressions."
Zhang Bo and his three brothers were all executed, and their wives and children were all exiled to the western borders.
When Emperor Cheng ascended the throne, because King Huaiyang was Emperor Cheng's uncle, the emperor respected and favored him, unlike his fellow princes. King Huaiyang submitted a memorial detailing Zhang Bo's situation, stating that Zhang Bo's family had been exiled and mistreated by Shi Xian and others, requesting that Zhang Bo's family be brought back. The Prime Minister and the Imperial Censor accused King Huaiyang again, saying, "You had private correspondence with Zhang Bo before, which does not befit the status of a prince. You were pardoned, yet you raise this matter again, showing a lack of remorse. You presume to be right, disregarding your duties as a prince and showing disrespect." The Emperor once again showed mercy and allowed King Huaiyang to bring back Zhang Bo's exiled family.
Thirty-six years later, he died. His son, King Xuan, took over as king, and after twenty-six years, he also died. His son, King Yan, followed, but the line ended with the usurpation of Wang Mang.
King Xiao of Chu (personal name: Xiao) was enthroned as King of Dingtao in the second year of Ganlu and returned to Chu three years later. Under Emperor Chengdi, he went to the capital to meet the emperor but took ill en route. The emperor, upon hearing this, felt great sympathy for him and issued an edict saying, "I've always believed that people are the most important things in the world, and nothing's more important than being a good son. King Xiao of Chu has always been filial and kind, having lived in Chu for twenty years with a spotless reputation. I greatly admire him. Now that he is seriously ill and in pain, he must be thinking, 'This isn't fair! Why me?' I sympathize with him. If good men don't get recognized, how can the country ever hope to prosper? 'Virtue shines through,' as the old saying goes. Now, in the first month, I order his son, Xun, and a male servant to go to Guangqi County. I appoint his son Xun as Marquis of Guangqi and grant him four thousand three hundred households." The following year, King Xiao of Chu died. His son, King Wen, succeeded him but died a year later without leaving a son, cutting off the Chu line of kings. The next year, Emperor Chengdi appointed Wen's brother, the Marquis of Pinglu, Yan, as king, and he became known as King Si. Twenty-one years later, King Si died, and his son Yu succeeded him. During Wang Mang's reign, this line also ended. Initially, during Emperor Cheng's reign, Yu's brother Jing was made King of Dingtao. After the death of Marquis of Guangqi, Xun, he was posthumously honored as Marquis Yang, and his son Xian succeeded him. When Emperor Ping died without a son, Wang Mang appointed Xian's son, Ying, as a child prince to serve the Empress Dowager. After Wang Mang usurped the throne, Ying was made Duke of Ding'an. Following the fall of Wang Mang and the establishment of Emperor Gengshi, Ying was in Chang'an. The Pingling astronomers predicted Gengshi's downfall, seeing Ying as the true heir. They rose up together and made Ying emperor in Linjing. Emperor Gengshi sent Prime Minister Li Song to defeat Ying, and he was killed.
Dongping Si Wang Yu was granted the title of king in the second year of Ganlu. After the emperor ascended the throne, he went to his fief. He was incredibly arrogant and got into trouble with the law, committing various crimes. However, because he was the emperor's own kin, he was pardoned. Unfortunately, his teacher was implicated and punished because of this.
Dongping Wang had spent a long time in the palace and had a poor relationship with the Empress Dowager. She wrote a letter to the emperor complaining and requested to retire to Duling Garden. The emperor sent a high-ranking official, Zhang Zijiao, to reprimand Dongping Wang with an imperial decree. The decree stated: "The emperor sends his regards to Dongping Wang. It is said that filial piety to parents is more important than anything, and loyalty to the monarch is paramount. Therefore, feudal lords in power cannot be arrogant or self-important; they must fulfill their filial duties and be frugal and cautious to keep their wealth and their kingdom safe.
Now, I have heard that you have shortcomings, that there is disharmony in the court, and that bad rumors are swirling, all of which are coming from your family. I am very worried about you! Isn't it said in the Classic of Poetry: 'Do not forget your ancestors, inherit and promote their virtues, always follow the will of heaven, in order to seek blessings'? I see that you are in your prime, yet you neglect moral cultivation. Your thoughts are biased, and you do not listen to advice. That is why I sent Zhang Zijiao to convey my intentions. Confucius said: 'Failing to correct your mistakes is the real mistake.'
Think long and hard about this, and don't cross me."
The emperor specially wrote a decree to the Dowager Empress of Dongping, saying: "The emperor asked the officials to greet the Dowager Empress of Dongping. I heard that you don't care enough about Dongping Wang. Family harmony is the greatest blessing; family discord is the greatest disaster. Dongping Wang has been in a high position since he was young; he is inexperienced, arrogant towards his subordinates, and does not consider the Dowager Empress. Can this go on without errors? Unless he is a saint! The old saying goes: 'A father should overlook his son's mistakes; that's the right thing to do.' Dowager Empress, you must understand this truth; you must think carefully. At home, between mother and son, blood ties and flesh-and-blood affection—how can you simply ignore that? In the past, Zhou Gong educated Bo Qin, saying: 'If there is no major fault, do not abandon old friends; do not demand perfection from a person.' Even the affection of old friends can tolerate some minor faults, let alone that of a mother and son! I have sent someone to advise Dongping Wang; if he repents and admits his mistakes, you should forgive him generously; he should not dare to repeat it in the future. Dowager Empress, take care of your health, worry less, and look after yourself."
Meanwhile, this child is ashamed; he prostrated himself before the messenger, begging forgiveness and a chance to redeem himself. The emperor also ordered Prime Minister Fu: "People have the inherent human virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, but when they are young or grow up, their desires cloud their judgment; these virtues gradually disappear, evil thoughts arise, emotions become chaotic, interests override righteousness, and those who can maintain their family business in the end are truly rare! Now this Wang Mang, young and wealthy, strong and powerful, with little education from his teachers and little knowledge, his previous behavior is not at all in line with the right path described in the 'Five Classics', and he even dares to hunt under the guise of violating etiquette and laws—this is utterly preposterous!"
Twenty years later, Emperor Yuan kicked the bucket. Wang Mang said to his close ministers, "Those Han officials think the Emperor's too young to run the show, that I'm the only one who knows the law, and they want me to be his advisor. But have you seen those secretaries? They're up before dawn and working 'til the cows come home. No way I could do that! And it's boiling hot; those young county officials don't even know where to put their clothes! I'm telling you, it's a nightmare!" At the funeral, Wang Mang cried three times, then drank and ate meat, with his women by his side. There was a concubine named Qu Nao who used to be favored but later got out of his good graces. Wang Mang often sighed and cried to the heavens because of this. When he found out, he scolded Qu Nao as a slave, had her tossed into a back alley, and gave her a good thrashing. Qu Nao secretly wrote letters exposing Wang Mang's faults and repeatedly had family members report him. When Wang Mang found out, he had Qu Nao strangled. The authorities requested the arrest of Wang Mang, and the Emperor ordered the confiscation of his titles in Fan County and Kangfu County. Three years later, the Emperor ordered the authorities, "Look, I've always believed that charity begins at home, right? That's what the old books say. When Dongping Wang messed up, they wanted to strip him of his title, and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. They wanted to take away his land too, but I couldn't make that call either. But Wang Mang? He's always looked after his family. Now I hear he's turned over a new leaf, studying the classics, hanging out with good people, and staying out of trouble. He's not using those weaselly advisors anymore. I'm happy about that! Like it says, 'A morning's mistake can be fixed by evening.' A good man deserves a second chance. Give him back his land in Fan and Kangfu Counties."
Later, King Dongping went to court and requested to be given the books of the various schools of thought and the *Records of the Grand Historian* for his sons. The emperor delegated the matter to Grand General Wang Feng. Wang Feng said, "I have heard that when vassal lords visit the emperor, it is to learn the rites and regulations, to uphold proper etiquette and laws, and should not say something inappropriate. Now that King Dongping has come to court, it is not appropriate to be so presumptuous, making such a bold request for these books. Many of the works of the various schools contradict the Classics; some discuss supernatural nonsense; the *Records of the Grand Historian* recounts the clever schemes of the strategists during the Warring States period, the brilliant tactics of advisors in the early Han Dynasty, as well as natural disasters and the vagaries of geography—none of which are suitable for a vassal king. The reason for rejecting him should be: 'The Five Classics are the words of the sages, and everything's in there already. If you enjoy studying the ways of the sages, your teachers and ministers are all Confucian scholars who study the classics every day, which is enough for you to cultivate your character and correct your thoughts. Those pointless arguments and misleading sidetracks are not worth your attention. You should only focus on what is beneficial from the classics.' When Wang Feng was done, the emperor acted according to his advice and refused him the books.
After reigning for thirty-three years, the King of Dongping passed away, and his son, King Yang, Liu Yun, succeeded to the throne. During the reign of Emperor Ai, the soil on Wuyan's Mount Wei spontaneously rose, forming a path-like ridge, and the stones on Mount Hu mysteriously stood upright. Liu Yun and his descendants all went to worship these stones and built stone statues, imitating the appearance of the standing stones on Mount Hu, which they bound with straw ropes and worshipped. In the third year of Jianping, Xi Fugong, Sun Chong, and others conspired with the influential eunuch Dong Xian to denounce Liu Yun. At that time, Emperor Ai was in poor health and had a bad temper, so the case was referred to the relevant authorities for investigation. They accused Liu Yun and his family of employing the sorcerer Fu Gong and the maid Hehuan to curse the emperor. The aim, they claimed, was to put Liu Yun on the throne. Liu Yun also observed celestial phenomena with a diviner skilled in interpreting omens, saying that the emperor's illness would not improve and that he himself would eventually rule the world. They interpreted the standing stones as a sign that Emperor Xuan intended to elevate the Liu family. The relevant authorities requested the execution of Liu Yun, so the emperor ordered his deposition and exile to Fangling. Liu Yun committed suicide, and his descendants were also executed. Liu Yun reigned for seventeen years, and the Kingdom of Dongping was abolished.
In the first year of Yuanshi, Wang Mang sought to usurp Emperor Ai's power, so he memorialized the Empress Dowager to make Liu Kai Ming, Liu Yun's son, King of Dongping, and also appointed Liu Chengdu, grandson of King Si, as King of Zhongshan. After three years as king, Liu Kai Ming died without a son. So Liu Kuang, son of Yan Xianghou Liu Xin, Liu Kai Ming's brother, was appointed as King of Dongping to inherit Liu Kai Ming's title. During Wang Mang's regency, Dongjun magistrate Zhai Yi and Yan Xianghou Liu Xin plotted to overthrow Wang Mang and install Liu Xin as emperor. The result was defeat, and they were all killed by Wang Mang.
King Ai of Zhongshan was first made King of Qinghe in 7 BC. Three years later, he was moved to the state of Zhongshan, but because he was too young, he never took up his position. In 6 BC, he died at home and was buried in Duling, leaving no heir. His mother, the queen mother, later lived with her family, the Rong clan.
Emperor Xiaoyuan had three sons. Empress Wang gave birth to Emperor Xiaocheng, Imperial Concubine Fu gave birth to Prince Gong of Dingtao Liu Kang, and Imperial Concubine Feng gave birth to Prince Xiao of Zhongshan Liu Xing.
Prince Gong of Dingtao Liu Kang was appointed as the King of Jiyang in 25 BC. Eight years later, he was moved to Shanyang, and another eight years later, he was moved to Dingtao. He was a charmer from the start, growing up to be multi-talented, especially musically, earning the special favor of Emperor Xiaoyuan. His mother, Imperial Concubine Fu, was also highly favored, almost becoming the Empress and Crown Princess. These details are in the *Yuan Hou Zhuan* and *Shi Dan Zhuan*.
After Emperor Xiaocheng ascended the throne, he was treated much better than other princes because his father, Emperor Xiaoyuan, had taken special care of him. In 10 BC, he passed away, and his son Liu Xin inherited the throne. In 15 BC, Emperor Xiaocheng had no sons, so he brought Liu Xin to court and made him Crown Prince. Emperor Xiaocheng believed that the Crown Prince should inherit the throne and could not consider personal feelings, so he also appointed the son of Prince Chu Liu Jing as the King of Dingtao, to look after Prince Gong's widow. After Emperor Xiaocheng's death, Crown Prince Liu Xin ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaoa. After two years on the throne, he posthumously elevated Prince Gong Liu Kang to Emperor Gong and built a temple for him in the capital city, with the same status and ceremony as Emperor Xiaoyuan. At the same time, he moved Prince Dingtao Liu Jing to the state of Xindu to become a king.
Xiao Wang of Zhongshan, Liu Xing, was made King of Xindu in 7 BC. Fourteen years later, he moved his court to Zhongshan. When Emperor Cheng wanted to appoint a crown prince, the Grand Minister Kong Guang believed that according to the records in the "Book of Documents," the Yin Dynasty followed a system of succession where the throne passed to a younger brother, and since the King of Zhongshan was the son of Emperor Xiaoyuan, he should be made his heir. However, Emperor Cheng thought that the King of Zhongshan was not competent, and there was a ritual prohibition against brothers sacrificing to one another, so he did not agree. The Wang clan and Zhao Zhaoyi both hoped to appoint Emperor Ai as the crown prince, so he was eventually made Emperor Ai. As a result, the Emperor appointed Wang's uncle Feng Can as the Marquis of Yixiang and granted King Zhongshan additional lands to placate him. In 10 BC, King Xiao of Zhongshan died, and his son Liu Kan inherited the throne. Seven years later, Emperor Ai perished without a son, so King Liu Kan was summoned to the capital and took the throne, becoming Emperor Ping. The Empress Dowager, noting that Emperor Ping was Emperor Cheng's grandson, appointed Liu Chengdu, the son of the Prince of Dongpingsi and Marquis of Taoxiangqing, as the King of Zhongshan to support the widow of King Xiao of Zhongshan. When Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty, this line died out.
It is said that people praised the descendants of Emperor Xiaoyuan of the Han Dynasty for being spread throughout the world, but unfortunately, his grandchildren died out. Wasn't this just fate? At that time, the Prince of Huaiyang Xian was considered quite intelligent and insightful among the vassals, but he was almost duped by Zhang Bo. The old proverb rings true here: "Greed leads to ruin." This Prince of Huaiyang Xian, although intelligent, was still misled by Zhang Bo into almost doing something reckless. As the saying goes, greedy people will eventually bring about their own downfall. You see, although the descendants of Emperor Xiaoyuan of the Han Dynasty were once prosperous and spread throughout the world, their lineage ended with the grandchildren. It makes you wonder about fate, doesn't it?
It's praised thus: "After Emperor Xiaoyuan, his descendants held sway across the land, but his line ended with the Sun family. Wasn't that just fate? The Prince of Huaiyang was sharp among the other princes of that time, but Zhang Bo tempted him, nearly leading him down the wrong path. Like the old saying goes, 'Greed destroys,' and that's true then and now." This passage sums it up pretty well, lamenting the rise and fall of Emperor Xiaoyuan's descendants, pointing out why the Huaiyang Prince was almost led astray by Zhang Bo, and using an ancient saying to highlight the dangers of greed. Food for thought, right?
