Zhang Shizhi, courtesy name Ji, was a native of Duyang in Nanyang. He lived with his older brother Zhang Zhong and became a low-ranking officer, serving Emperor Wen of Han thanks to his family's wealth. After ten years without promotion or much recognition, Zhang Shizhi said, "Being an official for so long has only led to losses in the family's wealth; there’s no future in this." He wanted to resign and return home. Colonel Yuan Ang thought highly of him and didn't want him to leave, so he requested that Zhang Shizhi be transferred to the office of attendant.
After the morning court, Zhang Shizhi took the opportunity to offer some advice to Emperor Wen. The Emperor said, "Keep it simple; just tell me what we can do right now." So Zhang Shizhi discussed why the Qin Dynasty failed and how the Han Dynasty prospered. The Emperor liked what he heard and appointed Zhang Shizhi as Palace Attendant.
During a trip, the emperor entered the tiger enclosure and asked the Superintendent of the Shanglin Park about the records of birds and beasts, posing more than ten questions. The Shanglin Captain looked around but couldn't answer any of them. The attendant in the tiger enclosure answered all the emperor's questions about the records of birds and beasts on behalf of the Shanglin Captain, trying to show off his eloquence and always ready with an answer. The emperor said, "Shouldn't officials be better than that? This Shanglin Captain is utterly unprepared!" He then ordered Zhang Shizhi to promote this attendant to Superintendent of the Shanglin Park. Zhang Shizhi first asked, "Your Majesty, what do you think of Jiang Hou and Zhang Xiang?" The emperor said, "They are both elders." He then asked, "What about Zhang Xiang?" The emperor replied, "He is also an elder." Zhang Shizhi said, "Both Jiang and Zhang are called elders. They are very cautious in their speech and never boast. How can they be as eloquent as this attendant? Furthermore, during the Qin Dynasty, officials who focused solely on paperwork and numbers were heavily relied upon. They competed with each other to see who could be more harsh and severe, concentrating only on superficial details without any compassion. As a result, they couldn't see their own mistakes, and the country gradually declined until the collapse during the reign of Qin Er Shi. Your Majesty, promoting this man simply for his eloquence sets a dangerous precedent. Everyone will prioritize smooth talk over competence, which will have devastating consequences. Moreover, a bad example sets a bad tone; promoting the wrong person will have unimaginable consequences!" The emperor said, "You are right." So, he decided not to promote that attendant.
When getting on the carriage, the emperor called Zhang Shizhi to ride in the same carriage, walking slowly and asking Zhang Shizhi about the reasons for the fall of the Qin Dynasty. Zhang Shizhi answered in detail and truthfully. Upon returning to the palace, the emperor appointed Zhang Shizhi as Master of the Imperial Carriages.
Soon enough, the Crown Prince and Prince Liang rode into the palace together in a carriage, not getting off at the Sima Gate. Zhang Shizhi stopped the Crown Prince and Prince Liang, preventing them from entering the palace gate. He then reported that the Crown Prince and Prince Liang did not enter the palace through the main gate, which was disrespectful. Empress Bo heard about this, and Emperor Wen took off his hat to apologize, saying, "I haven't educated my son strictly." Empress Bo ordered the forgiveness of the Crown Prince and Prince Liang, and only then were they allowed to enter the palace. Emperor Wen valued Zhang Shizhi greatly and appointed him as a Middle Doctor.
Not long after, Zhang Shizhi was promoted and became a Colonel. Once, the Emperor went on an inspection tour and arrived at Baling. While the Emperor was relieving himself outside, Lady Shen was also present. The Emperor pointed to the path Lady Shen had walked and said, "This is the road from Xinfeng to Handan, just like her journey in life." He then asked Lady Shen to play the zither while he sang leaning against it, his song a mournful and heroic ballad, filled with sorrow. The Emperor turned to his ministers and said, "Ah! Even if a coffin is made from the stones of Beishan, padded with silk and painted with lacquer inside, can it truly remain unmoved?" The ministers agreed, and Zhang Shizhi continued, "If there's something worth clinging to inside, even if you seal it up on South Mountain, it'll still find a way out. But if there's nothing worth holding onto, who needs a fancy stone coffin anyway?" Emperor Wen agreed with his words. Later, Zhang Shizhi was appointed as the Minister of Justice.
Some time later, the emperor arrived at Wei Bridge during his tour. A peasant ran out from under the bridge, giving the emperor's horses a fright. The emperor then sent someone to catch him and handed him over to Magistrate Zhang Shizhi. After questioning, Zhang Shizhi explained, "This man is from the county. When he heard the sound of the emperor's carriage, he hid under the bridge. After a while, thinking that the carriage had passed, he came out and saw the horses, so he ran." Zhang Shizhi reported, "He's guilty of frightening the imperial carriage, and the penalty is a fine." The emperor angrily responded, "This man actually scared my horses. Fortunately, my horses are gentle. If it were other horses, would I not have been injured? You only fined him?" Zhang Shizhi replied, "The law applies to everyone, Your Majesty, including you and me. If we start changing the rules to suit ourselves, no one will trust the law anymore. Besides, if you'd ordered him killed on the spot, that would have been that. But now it's in my hands, and I'm supposed to be the symbol of fairness. If I start bending the rules, how can anyone feel safe? Please think it over." After thinking for a long time, the emperor said, "You're right, Magistrate."
Later, someone stole the jade ring from the altar in front of Gaomiao. Emperor Wen was very angry and handed the case over to the imperial court for handling. According to the law, those who steal sacrificial items from ancestral temples should be sentenced to death. The emperor angrily said, "This person does not follow the rules and actually stole the artifacts of the former emperor! I handed it over to the court for handling, wanting his entire family executed, but you judge according to the law. This is not what I intended to uphold the ancestral temple!" Zhang Shizhi took off his hat, bowed, and apologized, saying, "The law is like this. Furthermore, although the crimes are the same, the order of behavior must also be considered. Now, stealing artifacts from the ancestral temple results in extermination, which is extremely rare. If, for example, an ordinary person took a handful of soil from Changling, how would Your Majesty punish them?" Emperor Wen told the Dowager Empress about this matter, and she also believed that the court's judgment was correct. At that time, General Zhou Yafu and Lord Wang Tian both thought that Zhang Shizhi handled the matter fairly, so they became friends with him. Because of this matter, Zhang Shizhi's reputation soared, and people all over the world praised him.
After Emperor Wen of Han passed away, Emperor Jing succeeded to the throne. Zhang Shizhi was very afraid and pretended to be ill and did not go to court. He wanted to resign from office but was afraid of severe punishment; he wanted to enter the palace to apologize but did not know Emperor Jing's opinion of him. So, he followed Wang Sheng's advice and finally managed to meet and apologize, and Emperor Jing did not blame him too much.
This Wang Sheng was a hermit who was good at discussing the Dao of Huang-Lao. He was once summoned to the court, and all the ministers stood waiting for him. When Wang Sheng, who was old, said, "My socks have come undone," he then turned to Zhang Shizhi and said, "Help me tie my socks!" Zhang Shizhi hurriedly knelt down to tie his socks for him. Afterwards, someone criticized Wang Sheng, saying, "How could you possibly humiliate Zhang Shizhi in front of so many people?" Wang Sheng replied, "I am old and humble; I know that in the end, I cannot really help Zhang Shizhi. Zhang Shizhi is a renowned virtuous minister; I am just trying to elevate his status." The ministers, having heard this, held Wang Sheng in even higher regard and showed Zhang Shizhi even greater respect.
Zhang Shizhi served by Emperor Jing's side for over a year before being appointed as the governor of Huainan, but he still remembered his past mistakes. He was old and weak and eventually died of illness. His son, Zhang Zhi, courtesy name Changgong, was dismissed from his position as a high-ranking official. Because he could not play politics, he never held another official position for the rest of his life. Feng Tang, whose ancestors were from the Zhao state, had his father move from the Zhao state to Dai Commandery, and after the establishment of the Han Dynasty, they moved to Anling. Feng Tang was known for his filial piety, serving as the chief of the imperial attendants and attending to Emperor Wen of Han. Once, when Emperor Wen's carriage passed by, he asked Feng Tang, "Your father is old, why is he still holding an official position? Where does your family live?" Feng Tang then explained his situation to Emperor Wen. Emperor Wen said, "When I lived in Dai Commandery, my Superintendent of the Imperial Kitchen Gao Qu mentioned to me many times about the brave general Li Qi from the Zhao state, who performed exceptionally well in the Battle of Julu. Every time I ate, I thought about the Battle of Julu. Does your father know about this?" Feng Tang replied, "Li Qi's talents are not as good as those of Lian Po and Li Mu." Emperor Wen asked, "What do you mean?" Feng Tang said, "My grandfather held positions as an official and a general in the Zhao state and knew Li Mu very well. My father was a governor in Dai Commandery and knew Li Qi, understanding their characters." After hearing about the characters of Lian Po and Li Mu, Emperor Wen was very pleased and slapped his thigh, saying, "Oh! If I could have generals like Lian Po and Li Mu, why would I worry about the Xiongnu?" Feng Tang said, "Your Majesty! Even if you have Lian Po and Li Mu, you may not necessarily use them well." Upon hearing this, Emperor Wen became furious, got up, and walked into the inner palace. After a long time, he summoned Feng Tang and rebuked him, saying, "Every official in the court is always disrespecting me, only you dare to speak like this?" Feng Tang apologized, saying, "I am ignorant and do not know how to mind my words." It is said that at that time, the Xiongnu invaded in force, killing the Commandant of Beidi County, Ang. The Emperor, worried sick, then asked Tang, "You said I couldn't use Li Mu and Wei Shang – what's the story?"
Tang, the military officer, replied, "I have heard that in ancient times, wise kings would dispatch generals to war, and they would literally kneel and give their generals full authority, saying, 'I'll handle things inside the city walls; you handle things outside. The merits and rewards earned by the army will be decided by you, and report back to me when you return.' That wasn't idle boasting! My grandfather once said that when Li Mu was the general at the border of Zhao, he used the income from army business to reward the soldiers, and he decided on rewards without having to report to superiors. Complete trust was given; victory was the only requirement. This is why Li Mu could fully demonstrate his abilities; he commanded 1,300 chariots, 13,000 cavalry, and a veteran army of 100,000. He smashed the Xiongnu in the north, routed the Donghu, annihilated the Linhu, kept the Qin in check to the west, and bolstered Han and Wei to the south. At that time, the strength of Zhao was formidable! Later, when King Zhao Qian took the throne, his mother was a former courtesan who listened to the slander of Guo Kai and had Li Mu killed, replacing him with Yan Ju. And so, Zhao fell to Qin."
Now I heard that when Wei Shang was the commandant of Yunzhong County, the income from army provisions was used to supply the soldiers, and he even dipped into his own funds to supplement their pay. He'd throw a beef feast for the officers, men, and guests every five days, so the Xiongnu gave Yunzhong a wide berth and dared not approach the border. Once, when the Xiongnu invaded, Wei Shang personally led the cavalry to counterattack and killed many of them. But these were just farmers' sons, plucked straight from the fields, who knew nothing of military red tape. They worked hard all day, fighting and killing enemies, reporting their military achievements, but there was no response from above, and the civil officials imposed plenty of punishments. No rewards, but plenty of punishments. I think Your Majesty, your laws are too harsh, the rewards too meager, and the punishments too severe. Furthermore, because Wei Shang underreported his military achievements and the number of captives, Your Majesty had him demoted and sent to do hard labor. From these incidents, even if Your Majesty gets Li Mu, you will not use him well. Even if I'm wrong and have spoken out of turn, I'm ready to face the consequences!
Emperor Wen was really moved by this. That day, he ordered Tang, the Commandant of the Capital, to pardon Wei Shang with the Emperor's seal, putting him back in charge of Yunzhong County, and promoted Tang to Commander of the Cavalry, in charge of the central and county cavalry.
Ten years later, Emperor Jing appointed Tang as the Governor of Chu. After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he sought out talents and promoted Tang again. By then, Tang was over ninety years old and could no longer hold office, so he recommended his son Tang Sui to take a job at court. Tang Sui, also known as Wangsun, was also a remarkable talent. Wei Shang was from Huaili.
Ji An, with the courtesy name Changru, was from Puyang. His family had a good relationship with the ancient rulers of the state of Wei, and up to Ji An's generation, his ancestors were all aristocrats. Thanks to his father's achievements, he looked after the Crown Prince's horses during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, known for his sternness and commanding presence.
After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, Ji An became a Palace Attendant. At that time, there was internal turmoil in Southern Yue, and the emperor sent Ji An to investigate the situation. Ji An returned after arriving in the Wu region and reported to the emperor, "Fighting is just their way; no need to worry about our envoy being humiliated." Later, a big fire broke out in the Hanoi region, burning down thousands of homes. The emperor sent Ji An to inspect the situation. Ji An returned and reported, "The fire started in the commoners' homes and spread from house to house; it's no big deal. When I passed through Hanoi, I found many poor people suffering from water and drought disasters—over ten thousand households—even families resorting to cannibalism. Based on the actual situation, I took the liberty of using the emperor's seal to open the Hanoi granaries to provide relief for the disaster victims. Please retract my seal and punish me for overstepping my authority." The emperor believed he did the right thing, forgave him, and promoted him to be the magistrate of Xingyang County. Ji An felt ashamed to be a county magistrate, so he resigned due to illness and returned home to farm. When the emperor heard about this, he summoned him back to the court and appointed him as a middle-ranking official. Because he always spoke his mind and wasn't afraid to tell the emperor what he thought, he was soon transferred to be the governor of Donghai.
Ji An studied the teachings of Huang-Lao philosophy, managed the province, liked things calm and quiet, and appointed suitable officials, only requiring them to focus on their main tasks and not be overly concerned with details. Ji An was in poor health and often bedridden at the official residence, rarely going out. Over a year later, the Donghai region was well governed, and everyone praised him. When the emperor heard about this, he summoned him back to the court and appointed him as the chief commandant, ranking him among the nine ministers. His governing philosophy was laissez-faire governance, focusing on the big picture and not being bound by specific rules and regulations.
He was a bit of a jerk, to be honest, with terrible manners, a real know-it-all who couldn't stand anyone disagreeing with him. He was great to his friends but couldn't stand anyone he didn't like, so most scholars gave him a wide berth. But he was loyal to his friends, honest as the day is long, and always stood up for what was right. He'd even tell the Emperor where to get off. He looked up to guys like Fu Shuo and Dongfang Shuo, and was tight with Guan Fu, Zheng Dangshi, and Liu Qiji. But his outspokenness meant he never stayed in one job for long.
It is said that at that time, the younger brother of the Empress Dowager, Marquis Wu'an Tian Fen, became the Prime Minister. When high-ranking officials went to see him, Tian Fen barely even acknowledged them. Ji An didn't even bother to bow; he just gave Tian Fen a quick nod.
The Emperor summoned some scholars and said he wanted to do this and that, and Ji An quietly replied, "Your Majesty, you're all talk and no action. Trying to act all righteous won't bring back the good old days of Yao and Shun!" The Emperor blew his top, his face went red, and he dismissed court immediately. The other officials were sweating bullets for him. When the Emperor returned to the palace and talked to others, he said, "Man, that Ji An is one stubborn dude!" Some ministers criticized Ji An, but Ji An said, "Look, Your Majesty, we're supposed to be advising you, not kissing your butt. And even if I valued my life, I couldn't stand by and watch the court get screwed."
Ji An often gets sick, and every time he got sick, it was for months. The Emperor often got him some leave, but he never recovered. In the end, Yan Zhu put in a good word for him. The Emperor asked, "What kind of person is Ji An?" Yan Zhu said, "Ji An wasn't exactly a star performer in the government, but when it comes to supporting a young emperor and keeping the country stable, he made Ben and Yu look like weaklings!" The Emperor said, "Yeah, we've had loyal ministers before, but Ji An was right up there with the best of them!"
General Wei Qing served in front of the Emperor, and the Emperor could see him even when he was using the privy. When Prime Minister Hong attended court, the Emperor sometimes went hatless. However, when he saw Ji An, he never showed up without his hat on. Once, the Emperor was sitting in the military tent, and when Ji An came to report, the Emperor, who was not wearing a hat, quickly hid behind the curtain and then had his report approved. This was how the Emperor showed respect and courtesy to Ji An.
Zhang Tang was appointed as the Minister of Justice for revising laws and regulations. Ji An confronted Zhang Tang in front of the Emperor, saying, "As a top official, you can't toot the late Emperor's horn, nor can you change the people's bad habits, making the country rich and the people happy, with empty jails. Why waste your time changing the laws the old Emperor set up? It's all useless!" Ji An argued with Zhang Tang at the time, and Zhang Tang's explanations were always long-winded and nitpicky. Ji An was so angry that he scolded, "They say scribes can't become top officials, and you prove it! It's because of people like you, Zhang Tang, that everyone's walking on eggshells!"
So, back then, the Han Dynasty was at war with the Xiongnu and managing the borderlands. Ji An was a pragmatist who often advised the emperor to make peace with the Xiongnu, not fight them all the time. The Emperor favored Confucianism, respected Gongsun Hong greatly, and as time went on, there were more and more matters in the court, and officials got slicker. The Emperor was a stickler for detail in legal matters, and Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang often took advantage of this to fast-track cases to win the Emperor's approval. Ji An, on the other hand, constantly criticized the Confucian scholars, openly challenged Gongsun Hong and others, saying they were all faking cleverness to win the Emperor over. Those officials who only knew how to write articles were even better at spinning words, framing rivals, and climbing the ladder. The Emperor increasingly favored Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang, while Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang started to really dislike Ji An. Although the Emperor did not say it out loud, he wanted Ji An gone. After Gongsun Hong became the prime minister, he said to the Emperor, "The Right Interior Minister's job is a tough one, with all those royal relatives around. It needs a strong minister to keep things under control. Let's send Ji An there." Ji An had served as the Right Interior Minister for several years and handled affairs in an orderly manner.
General Wei Qing is becoming more and more favored; his sister is still the queen, but Ji An still treats him with the same respect. Some people advised Ji An, saying, "The emperor wants all the ministers to respect General Wei, who now holds great power and high status. You absolutely must salute him!" Ji An replied, "If even the General bows to guests, how can that be considered disrespectful?" After General Wei heard about this, he appreciated Ji An even more, often seeking advice from him on uncertain matters in the court and treating Ji An better than before. King Huainan wanted to rebel, but he was very afraid of Ji An, saying, "Ji An is a person of integrity who dares to admonish, loyal and righteous. Persuading them would be a piece of cake." Although the Emperor had successes against the Xiongnu, the Emperor was increasingly ignoring Ji An's advice.
At first, Ji An was one of the nine highest-ranking officials, while Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were still low-ranking officials. As Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang gradually rose in rank and were now his equals in rank, Ji An still criticized them as usual. Later, Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and was also appointed a marquis, while Zhang Tang became the Chief Censor. Although Ji An was at the same level as them at the time, his status was sometimes inferior to theirs. Ji An felt a bit unbalanced and somewhat unwilling, so he directly told the emperor, "Your Majesty treats your officials like kindling – the new ones always burn brighter!" After saying this, Ji An left, and the emperor said, "See? You gotta keep learning. Ji An's getting sharper every day!"
Not long after, the Xiongnu Hunxie King surrendered with his troops, and the Han Dynasty sent out twenty thousand carts to transport them and their belongings. As a result, Chang'an County was flat broke and had to borrow horses from the common people. Some common people hid their horses, causing a shortage of horses. The emperor was furious and wanted to have the Chang'an County magistrate's head.
At this time, Ji An stood up and said, "That Chang'an magistrate's innocent! If you want to kill someone, then kill me, Ji An. People will only give up their horses if you kill me. Furthermore, the Xiongnu have betrayed their leader to surrender to the Han Dynasty. We should let the news trickle down. Why stir up the whole country and make everyone bend the knee to the Xiongnu?" The emperor listened in silence. Later, King Hunxie arrived in Chang'an. Then, bam! Over five hundred people were facing the chop for some piddly stuff. Ji An went into the palace again and requested to speak with the emperor alone. After meeting the emperor, he said, "Your Majesty should treat those surrendered Xiongnu like dirt and look after the families of our fallen soldiers. Share the loot with the troops, show the people you appreciate them. Even if you can't reward the people with Xiongnu loot, you can't just off five hundred innocent people for nothing! It's just not worth it, Your Majesty." The emperor did not agree and said, "Ji An, it's been ages since I heard from you, and now you're spouting rubbish again!" A few months later, Ji An got nailed for some minor thing, but a general pardon saved his neck. He retired to the country for a few years after that.
During the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, to fix the messed-up money system, an order was issued to resume the casting of Wu Zhu coins. However, to make a quick buck, the common people privately cast a large number of inferior coins, especially in the Chu region. The Emperor thought that Huaiyang Commandery was close to the Chu region, so he summoned Ji An and appointed him as the Prefect of Huaiyang. Upon hearing this, Ji An quickly kowtowed to thank the Emperor, dead set against accepting the seal of office. After several attempts to force him, he reluctantly accepted the appointment. When he arrived at the palace, Ji An cried as he said to the Emperor, "I thought my life was just gonna be a long, hard slog, never seeing Your Majesty again. I never expected that Your Majesty would remember me. I've always been loyal as a dog and worked my tail off, but now that I am sick, I am not capable of fulfilling the duties of a Prefect. I hope to be a Palace servant, helping you fix things and fill in the gaps. This is my wish!" The Emperor said, "So you're not keen on Huaiyang? I didn't call you here to twiddle your thumbs! It's just that Huaiyang's a mess; I just want you to govern it well." After bidding farewell to the Emperor, Ji An passed by the home of Li Xi and said to him, "I've been demoted to a remote county to serve as an official, and I will no longer have the opportunity to discuss state affairs with the court. But the Chief Scribe, Tang Zhi, is only good at smooth-talking and covering things up, never sticking up for the common folk, just kissing up to the Emperor. If the Emperor dislikes something, he will slander it; if the Emperor likes something, he will praise it. He loves stirring up trouble. He bends the rules to his advantage. He's got a whole crew of sleazy officials behind him to expand his own power. You're one of the big guys; why didn't you remind the Emperor earlier? You're both to blame!" Li Xi was afraid of Tang Zhi and ultimately dared not speak up. Ji An continued to govern Huaiyang Commandery diligently as before, and as a result, things in Huaiyang got a lot better.
Later, Zhang Tang was brought down. The Emperor heard about the words Ji An had spoken to Li Xi in the past, so he punished Li Xi and allowed Ji An to stay in Huaiyang with the treatment of a local governor. Ji An died after serving as an official in Huaiyang for ten years. After Ji An's death, the Emperor remembered his contributions and promoted his brother Ji Ren to the position of high-ranking official, while his son Ji Yan became a local governor. Ji An's sister's son, Sima An, had also served as an attendant to the Crown Prince alongside Ji An when they were young. Sima An was cultured and intelligent, skilled in governing, and was promoted to the position of high-ranking official four times, eventually dying as the Prefect of Henan. Due to Sima An's influence, Ji An's brothers all reached the rank of senior officials. Duan Hong from Puyang initially followed Gai Houxin, who trusted him greatly, and Duan Hong was also promoted to the position of high-ranking official twice. However, officials from Wei were all very respectful towards Ji An and did not dare to surpass him.
At that time, Zheng, with the courtesy name of Zhuang, was from the state of Chen. His ancestor, Lord Zheng, had once served under Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu's death, Lord Zheng pledged allegiance to the Han Dynasty. Emperor Gaozu of Han ordered all those who had served under Xiang Yu to register, but Lord Zheng did not comply with the imperial decree. The Emperor ennobled all those who registered, but exiled Lord Zheng instead. Lord Zheng died during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen.
When I was young, I was particularly fond of helping others and had once saved Zhang Yu from danger, gaining a reputation in the Liang and Chu regions. During the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, I became a member of the Crown Prince's retinue. I only bathed every five days, often prepared horses outside Chang'an, invited guests to stay overnight, and was afraid of not being hospitable enough. At that time, I greatly admired the teachings of Huang-Lao (a school of philosophical thought emphasizing simplicity and non-intervention) and respected my elders, fearing that I was not doing well enough. Even though I was young and low-ranking, my friends were all incredibly influential and well-respected figures, famous throughout the land.
After Emperor Wu of Han ascended the throne, my official career gradually advanced. I successively held positions as Prefect of Lu, Prefect of Jinan, and Administrator of Jiangdu, eventually becoming a high-ranking official, the Right Neishi among the Nine Ministers. Due to my involvement in the political struggles between Marquis Wu'an Tian Fen and Marquis Weiqi Dou Ying, I was demoted to Zhan Shi, but later promoted to Grand Minister of Agriculture.
As a high-ranking official, I advised my subordinates, "Anyone who comes to see me, big shot or nobody, let 'em in!" I always treated my guests like they were more important than me. I was clean as a whistle, never got involved in business, and used the court's rewards to help officials in need. If I gave gifts, it was just a simple meal. Every day in court, I'd always speak up for the good guys. I recommended talents and promoted subordinates, always expressing my opinions sincerely, believing others were better than me, never pushed my weight around, and treated my staff like gold. When I heard praise for someone else, I would quickly report to the emperor, fearing I was too slow. The Shandong officials loved me; they said I was just like Duke Zheng Zhuang.
Once, when tasked with managing a breach in the Yellow River, I said I could do it in five days. The emperor remarked, "I heard Duke Zheng Zhuang didn't even need to pack a lunch for a thousand-mile trip. What's the deal with you needing so long for the Yellow River?" In fact, when attending court, I was always careful not to cross the Emperor. The Emperor's wars with the Xiongnu and other tribes were breaking the bank. As Grand Minister of Agriculture, I was in charge of taxes, and people weren't paying up. Then Sima An, the Huaiyang Prefect, ratted me out, and I was done for, demoted to nothing.
After a while, I became Chief Historian, then Prefect of Ruzhou, and died a few years later. My brothers all did well because of me, landing some top jobs.
At first, Ji An and I were both among the Nine Ministers, and we had good private virtues. Later, we both fell out of favor, and the number of visitors dwindled. When I died, there was no wealth left in the family.
Earlier, when Zhai Fangjin was the Minister of Justice, his house was always full of visitors; after he was dismissed, the front door was so empty that a banquet could be laid out. Later, when he became the Minister of Justice again, guests wanted to visit him, so Zhai Fangjin wrote a couplet on the gate: "Through life and death, true friendship's shown; Through wealth and poverty, true hearts are known; Through rise and fall, true loyalty's seen."
They say Zhang Shizhi followed the law, Feng Tang was a whiz at recommending generals, Ji An was known for his integrity, and Zheng was great at spotting talent. These guys wouldn't have become famous without those skills, right?
As for Yangzi, he felt that Emperor Xiaowen wronged Zhou Yafu's army to maintain imperial power. Why not use famous generals like Pang Juan and Bai Qi? Yangzi clearly wasn't happy about it.
